Arsenal – Villa: Going down with a blaze of glory?

Or, as is more likely, a whimper?

Well, here we are, with the ultimate game of a truly shocking season.
I normally get a bit down when we get to the last game, as there’s no Villa to watch for the next couple of months, but I’m sure I won’t be alone in just wanting this one out of the way.

And they don’t come much tougher than Arsenal at the Emirates, do they?
We have a terrible record against the Gunners, but there have been the odd victories, mostly at the Emirates.
Who can forget Gabby’s goal in a 2-0 victory, in the days where he was actually a threat?
It seems worlds away.
There was also the 3-1 victory, although that was a major, but welcome surprise.

Not that I expect similar today.

Arsenal have Welbeck out, but Wilshere might start after breaking his leg.

Cissokho is available after his suspension and Gestede may be ok after his groin problem.
Hutton and Clark are both doubtful.

As I said, I didn’t see much of last week’s game, but I was encouraged that we seemed a bit more resolute and were trying.
Hence I’d like to think that we might put up a decent display.
But Arsenal have a lot more to offer than Newcastle and they are still playing for the runners-up position, so we can’t expect them to take it easy.
A 3-0 loss sounds about right then.

In other news, we’re apparently close to being taken over.
Hmm, maybe, but I very much doubt it’ll be by the Rui Kang group; or more accurately, I seriously hope not.
It seems they don’t actually have the money to buy the club, but that didn’t stop the Glazers buying Man Utd, did it?
How on earth they managed to get away with buying the club with basically it’s own money, I don’t know, but they did and while they’re about to become the biggest earning club in the world, so they also have massive debt levels.
That’s definitely not a model I’d like to see at the Villa.

I’ll watch the game in a pub today, as I’m in the last couple of days of a short holiday in Turkey.
Which reminds me. I made a comment on here yesterday, where I thought Flores’ sacking was a joke.
It went into moderation because of the different IP address and I couldn’t do anything about it, as I was using my phone.
Which hopefully helps demonstrate that it’s not just you lads who get pulled up.

156 Comments

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  1. langfordvilla
    langfordvilla May 18, 2016 at 7:58 pm . Reply

    We WILL be promoted 🙂

    Hope you lads are all well

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 May 18, 2016 at 8:07 pm . Reply

      All is well in the world – Langford is back

  2. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum May 18, 2016 at 8:02 pm . Reply

    Dunno about you kids, but I’m just breathing a huge sigh of relief!
    Lerner can stick his farewell where the sun doesn’t shine.
    Here’s to a brighter future than the immeasurable disappointment we experienced under Lerner!! ????
    Onwards and upwards!!!!!!

  3. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum May 18, 2016 at 8:31 pm . Reply

    Just heard we may get a Chinese Manager: Win Sum Loos Sum.

    1. Bill Pearson
      Bill Pearson May 18, 2016 at 8:49 pm . Reply

      Not bad Bum bum, I have to say I’m in agreement with Andrew about Di Canio, not proven in management, Pearson seems to be a bit of a hard knock and that’s needed in any team. Langford you bounder, I’ve been looking in all the abituary columns looking for you , nice to hear you, Nice.

  4. VillaAwayInDiv3
    VillaAwayInDiv3 May 18, 2016 at 8:53 pm . Reply

    Loads of Chinese around Longbridge area and on the cross city rail journey I do.Also around University area – so maybe they will be dropping in to VP in the future.

    1. Bill Pearson
      Bill Pearson May 18, 2016 at 9:20 pm . Reply

      Think there’s been a Chinese convention in Coventry today, Chinese businessman investment in the Midlands,

  5. Dave67
    Dave67 May 18, 2016 at 8:59 pm . Reply

    Am over the moon that Lerner is gone. A big welcome to our new owner. Exciting times ahead we all hope.

  6. Stubbs
    Stubbs May 18, 2016 at 10:37 pm . Reply

    Terrible news. The new owner will be in prison within 12 months for money laundering.

  7. Stubbs
    Stubbs May 18, 2016 at 10:44 pm . Reply

    He’ll more than likely change the club colours to blue and white!

    1. OriginalLondonLion
      OriginalLondonLion May 19, 2016 at 12:44 am . Reply

      Red and yellow maybe, but hopefully that lesson was learned in Cardiff. I can see a SHIZI (Chinese Lion) replacing the one on the club badge and the next stand having a roof than turns up at the corners, but otherwise tradition must be respected.

  8. OriginalLondonLion
    OriginalLondonLion May 19, 2016 at 12:24 am . Reply

    Birmingham, birthplace of the Balti, and soon to be famous for a Chinese take-away. “Anything also can!” as my half-Chinese wife would say.

    It cannot really be worse, given the state to which we have fallen. Like H60 I have hopes it will also be very much better. However patience is a virtue here, the new owner ha bought the farm, has potentially huge backing, but the livestock is absolutely knackered. I don’t find 14/1 odds to win the Championship of any appeal, I wouldn’t take that small a price on promotion in any slot.

    As I said before, I would be happy to see which managers are available after the Euros, even though a late appointment would count against an early return to the EPL, because any manager will need a miracle – best we get a good one.

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath May 19, 2016 at 2:09 am . Reply

      What are ur thoughts the Di Matteo? Assuming Pearson goes to boro then we have Newcastke and boro as hot favourites for automatic promotion. Di Matteo not worked for a year and nothing special I just don’t get why he’s in the frame?

      1. OriginalLondonLion
        OriginalLondonLion May 19, 2016 at 8:55 am . Reply

        Di Matteo sticks in my mind as the scorer for Chelsea in the 100th FA cup final that we lost. But he is also the stand-in manager at Chelsea who – after Abramovitch’s expensive poster-boys had failed to win the Champions League – actually did so. So I would not say he has achieved nothing. Only Tony Barton of Villa managers can match that.

        1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
          OohAhPaulMcGrath May 19, 2016 at 1:38 pm . Reply

          True but Barton like matteo just let a decent team carry on. The season after when things needed changing they were found out

  9. OriginalLondonLion
    OriginalLondonLion May 19, 2016 at 1:05 am . Reply

    The Group Company’s profile. Brown sauce may be off the menu at VP next year, but at least they are not a one-season wonder!

    Lotus Health Industry Holding Group Company, formerly HENAN LOTUS FLOWER GOURMET POWDER CO., LTD., is a China-based company primarily engaged in the production and distribution of monosodium glutamate and other flavoring products. The Company’s principal products are monosodium glutamate under the brand named Lotus Flower. The Company also offers chicken essence, soy sauce, vinegar, sodium glutamate, glutamic acid, amylaceum, cube sugar, flour, gluten powder, starch, vegetarian products, as well as feed and fertilizer, among others. The Company distributes its products in domestic and overseas markets.

  10. Holtender
    Holtender May 19, 2016 at 2:26 am . Reply

    A new dawn, the sun is most definitely rising in the East! Very little information to go on at the moment, seems like Dr Toni is a person with a very beneficial relationship with the Chinese government. Hopefully this means that there will be a lot of money available to us, hopefully this time we’ll be spending it a lot more wisely. But thanks for the mosaic Randy! 😉

    The managerial appointment is absolutely crucial, still Moyes or Pearson for me, but so is offloading a squad of players who’ll be offered way less money elsewhere. Hopefully the new owner will hit the ground running on this and will pay close attention to what Little, Bernstein & King have to offer. Who else will be able to explain what went wrong, and therefore how to quickly set about fixing it.

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