I feel I owe a bit of an apology. Well, I don’t really, but I’m a nice guy and feel a bit guilty about not commenting much lately.
I want to do a Max Bygraves and tell you a story.
I’ve been with Virgin Media for their broadband for the 25 years I’ve lived here. And probably 10 years before that, when it was Birmingham Cable, then Blueyonder.
And so it came to renewal time. Long story short, they wanted 54 quid a month for 200ish Mb. Which is a total joke. I rang to negotiate, but they weren’t having any of it.
So, sick of this total ripoff, I told them I was done and cancelled.
The reason Virgin have been able to charge so much is because there’s no competition. I remember Openreach installing Fibre down our street about 2 years ago. We’re the last house in the block. I thought they’d done ours too, but they hadn’t and because of that , Virgin knew we had no choice if we wanted an ounce of speed.
Which is where I looked around and Vodafone said we had Fibre installed and they could do me a deal. I signed up and long story short again, They’ve messed me about for 2 months now, with no installation.
They’ve even credited my account with 300 quid for my trouble. Great, except I’ve never used any of their services.
Hence I’m hotspotting off my phone for internet and it’s abysmal. Some days I can’t even get half a Mb.
And so it was for the Brugge game. I saw the first goal and missed the other 3, because of buffering.
The moral of the story?
The big boys have it all their own way and rip you off. Until the customer decides he’s had enough.
And the funny part of all this, is that while I await Openreach giving me a supposed connection, I’m here in Spain for the weekend, where my 600Mb up/down connection is working perfectly at around a quid a day. Go figure. Which one is the third world country, I ask myself? Spain or the UK? I’m happy with my thoughts.
Tomorrow then and I don’t have a clue again.
Squad news is that Unai’s comments confuse me somewhat.
Tyrone Mings, Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara and Pau Torres are sort of okay, but need to be protected. Barkley is out, as is Onana, who is apparently close. García, Malen and Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba {sorry, but who?} are all okay after being ineligible for Europe.
As for Brentford,Norgaard is back after a concussion injury and Mathius Jensen will be involved. Rico Henry is in full training, while Gustavo [Nunes], Igor [Thiago] and Josh [Dasilva] are all running.
I wish they’d just say if they’re ready or not, but hey ho.
It’s quite simple, this one. We’re rubbish, so the best I expect is a 1-1 draw.
Except I think we really ought to start proving that we’re better than what I perceive.
I think we might sneak this, 2-1. I’d love that. A win it is.
UTV!
Comments
236 responses to “Brentford + Villa, Who knows? and an apology”
Even better Bournemouth 1-2 Brentford .
Great results for us today apart from Forest beating Ipswich. Won’t count for much though if we lose to Brighton next game.
Arsenal winning as well, the results this weekend really have gone our way.
As Holte points out in the above comment, it’s now down to us to capitalize on the situation.
Was just about to say the same thing. All the results went our way!!!
They really couldn’t have gone any better BB 😁
Now hopefully the Geordies can put one over on them dippers.🤞
Howay the Lads!
🏆💪😁
Fulham winning let us down.
Nice win!!!!! So much for the Bin Dippers treble!!!!
Our season could yet prove to be a bigger success!!
Nice start to the week with the news that Canadian Pete is back. Says he has lost 40 lb.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxjfQc9_m7k&ab_channel=TheHolyTrinityShow%7CAstonVilla
I just saw. I noticed he’s in a tight t-shirt showing off his new physique!!!
Pete Schaad must have had that 40lb loss below the waist. Great to see him back! His face and upper body which we see in his podcasts do not seem much thinner. Still 40lb is impressive so you know what to do about dieting – when all else fails try hospital food.
Really good to see him back.
IF we were to get to the FA Cup Final and CL final, there would be 17 games of the season left. The season essentially starts a week on Sunday against Preston. Thye’ve put themselves in a great position. I hope the players enjoy the break and Unai get all his analyses in, because when they get back, they’ll be playing 2 massive games a week, at least until Newcastle at home on the 19th.
Buckle up!
Great to see Canadian pete back he does a brilliant job always look forward to seeing his analysis
Random one – anyone seen Alpay grabbing a political opponent by the throat in Turkish parliament today?
What’s it all about Alpay?
Does anyone even care why a random Turkish person exercises his right to thump an MP.
Quite frankly Gerry, we should all possess that right considering how utterly appalling our MPs are! 🙂
Of course we should if there is cause. It was on 16 August 2024 and very well reported hence, does anyone really care? But thank God we can still do it and some old arsehole
like me can still comment.
https://turkishminute.com/2024/08/16/two-mp-injury-fistfight-turk-parliament-during-session-for-jailed-mp-stripped-of-status/
No great shakes but an in tents game. Villa’s non-international touring party was asked to have a kick-about with Al Ain in Dubai and Villa won 3-1. Guess who scored and who didn’t? Correct.
I’m warming to Tuchel.
Didn’t realise what he said about England – ‘no identity, no recognisable pattern of play and afraid of losing’
What an indictment of the painful years under Southgate’s boring non football when getting to a final was celebrated as if we’d actually won something. We didn’t and Southgate failed and then the Government gave him a gong to celebrate his failure!
Watching this performance then maybe his criticism is a little premature?
No team containing the likes of Jones and Fodden will, (imo) get anywhere near a world cup.
Hitch he reiterated what I thought, they have to go forward more and move quicker, thought Konsa played well think he cemented his place in the team last night.
Well Alpay had the practice at Villa on his goalkeeper. Have to say met him drank in a box with him and his son, seems a nice bloke, suppose he’s a quick temper chap.
He partnered Melberg for a while didn’t he? When Larsen wasn’t injured. He was pretty good but something went on behind the scenes so he didn’t stay long…
Haaa Allpay still hitting hard i see
So desperate for my football fix I’m watching Georgia stuff Armenia 🤦♂️
Georgia stuff Armenia…. no I’ll better leave it 😏 🙈
Watching Villa ladies and they are terrible, positional awareness they haven’t a clue. The left back playing around the centre circle leaving her position wide open. The manager to blame not seeing how bad Villa ladies are .
Bill, the ladies have been sh*te since Carla Ward left. Two managers – both, it seems, are poor appointments. Time for NSWE to get personally involved of they’re serious about the women’s team – remember investment in the women’s team is outside PSR so there’s no excuse.
From 5th and talking about challenging the top 4 to likely relegation candidates in two seasons – absolutely crap.
Over that period we appear to have sold some of our best players and recruited what? Somethings seriously wrong?
The team coming up are always relegated – that just shows how poor we are.
We’ll Hitch let’s be honest, it’s damaging the club in general I’ve never seen such a shameful display, I only come across the game looking around the channels, your right in saying something has to be done I’d have dismissed the lot seeing that performance. Never thought they was that bad Hitch need too wake up and quickly.
Amazing what happens when your team becomes “Famous”.
32-year-old England centre-back Tyrone Mings is to join the Euro 2028 board of directors to help with the organising of the tournament.
He is a good talker though so well done Tyrone.
Couldn’t give a fig about the womens team
Good for Ty he’s a very good talker and comes across as quite intelligent
I’ve never watched a Villa women’s game, even when we were bang average! Now we are dogshite and looking set for relegation. No point in them playing at Villa Park and scuffing up the pitch when only friends and family attend. The media are doing everything possible to promote the WSL but it will always be in the shadow of the men’s game.
Tonight we have the second World Cup qualifier against the next cannon fodder opponent Latvia. I won’t bother with that either, even with Villa representation. Roll on the weekend and proper football returns!
Chesty is starting tonight. Hope he runs at the Latvians
Great goal for Maatsen last night. Good luck Roger’s for tonight
How about Foden’s fringe this evening, RSS? 😏
He looked the dogs matey 😂
Seems to be going the way of Deli Ali – more interested in his hair 🙂
Eze just showed Rashford what to do when coming in from wide left. I hope he takes note…
Like shoot so wide of the goal it deflects in off the arse of a defender? Well they all count. Rashford contributed to Kane’s goal while he had switched wings by feeding in Rice.
Shoot and something will happen, OLL. If you don’t shoot, don’t expect goals or results. Buy a ticket…
OLL I think that was Rogers who played the ball for Rice.
Credit where etc.
Reported that Villa have started negotiations with Kamara for a new contract – get him signed up!
Whilst Rashford might be available for £40min the summer – £300k a week is not viable – and that applies to most clubs, so I can’t see Villa exercising the option to buy unless Rashford takes a massive reduction on his salary. I’d like us to sign him but not on those wages.
On the other hand it appears that Emery is pushing to sign Asensio which I think is more likely to be Villa’s primary target in the summer.
With one player on so much, it disrupts the dressing room. Shame as he looks happy, he’s learning from Emery, and he’s at a club with his head screwed on. I can see Rashford nisediving at one of the ‘Big’ European clubs.
Certainly agree that Rashford’s salary is out of most clubs’ price-range; even if he was playing at his ‘full potential’ – PSR affect everyone now.
While I think he’s done a decent job for us, he’s not back to his best form – and there’s not a lot of time left on his loan in which to reach that.
I agree with all the comments regarding Rashford, he’s no doubt quality but value for money?
And we do without a Philippe Coutinho mkii?
That then begs the question, just what are his options?
Barca are skint, the Italians don’t pay that sort of money. Can’t see anyone in the Prem forking out those sorts of wages, so that leaves Bayern? Real? Or some Saudi outfit?
Can’t really see him donning the Claret & Blue next season so my money would be on Saudi.
I’ll offer the value of one kidney to contribute to Kamara staying. A cracking deal if you ask me.
That’s just offal.
I can’t live(r) with that.