If you’d have offered me the draw prior to the game, I’d have taken it and to throw in a clean sheet is an added bonus, even though it seems we’re expected to win every game we play in this league, which is totally unfair and piles pressure on everyone.
Let’s keep things in perspective and realise that Newcastle lost at home to Wolves today. Who would have put money on that after their pretty good start?
My point is that an away draw isn’t too bad a result and it’s better than we’ll get at some other places, without a doubt.
And ok, they had two efforts cleared off the line and hit the post, which makes them unlucky.
To which I’d remind us of the seven (?) times we’ve hit the woodwork this season.
As we’ve seen far too often already, if it doesn’t cross the line, it doesn’t count.
Even Mick McCarthy said he’d have been pleased with our defence today.
There’s also another plus point in that Di Matteo changed things up in going for a 3-5-2 (or 5-3-2 depending how you see things) to bolster the midfield and defence, which is interesting considering he said he was willing to listen to the fans and the idea had been promoted by some of us.
That said, it’s been a favoured tactic for the manager previously and he was probably forced to go with it because of our lack of personnel. I’m not even going to talk about Baker.
The other side of the coin is that the game was apparently dire and apart from Ayew having rounded the keeper, only to be very well tackled, we didn’t have a shot on target. That’s pathetic at any level, but not something we’re unfamiliar with over recent years.
Which all in all makes it awkward.
Which way do we want it?
Play well and get poor results? or play not so well and get a decent result?
Winning while playing well is of course the ideal, but I suggested in the previous thread that I’d take us winning dirty. It’s all about the points, after all.
Ok, we didn’t win today, but I don’t think today’s point was a bad one.
I’m just hoping that Jack will make the news for all the right reasons one of these days!
To me sounds like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he’s being hounded for it. His mates are his mates he’s not going to not ever see them it just seems a few of em are bellends. By all accounts Jack didn’t do anything so nothing to worry about he’s looked a much better player this season so I think hes keeping his head down. Media making a mountain out of a molehill!! Again.
Trouble is this wrong time wrong place thing is becoming habitual.
Willing to give him the benefit Adam but it seems he was at the centre of the party. He may not have been involved in taking ‘hippy crack’ and the police made no arrests but he has, again, laid himself open to criticism and brought the name of our club into the headlines for all the wrong reasons. He has to take responsibility for his actions and move away from the ‘hangers on’. As the Mail said this morning, a player with lesser ability (or with lesser potential might be more accurate) would have been booted out by the club. £50k fine and a possible suspension by the club (which would hurt all the fans) suggests there were more mountains than molehills involved.
Lay with dogs you get fleas! His mates are dragging him down they are not true mates
Shit BWS, I’ve experienced that does that mean I ve been drugged,
Sounds liked someone’s spiked your drink with Grealishazepam, the question is do you remember much about yesterday and is your bum sore??? 🙂
Funny you should say that, it does actually but I’ve put it down to having a Vinda loo the other night.
It’s time to get real with Grealish. He’s not very good and not showing any potential for the future, he has moments (minor) in games but thats it. He huffs and puffs after an hour and cries like a brat when he’s not given free kicks.
Teams have sussed him out already and he’ll only make an impact when playing the poorer teams in the league.
£25k pw…….There are better players on 10% of that
Agreed. It is a pity Grealish is the one gold nugget to emerge from the youth team and be given an extended chance in the first team, because he is setting a bad example both off the pitch and after an hour on it. We could have used a Rashford type.
If that is par for the course for Grealish when we have drawn 0-0, I will be thankful I am not in Brum after we thrash someone.
There are academy players who’d do anything to be in his position with the first team I think his conduct is outrageous young or not.there are accomplished young professionals in various leagues who don’t conduct themselves in this manner how many more lives will the club give this PRICK.
Grealish is shit. Full stop. Another over-hyped player based on the fact he is English.
Whatever you views on Grealish his antics certainly aren’t helping during the build up to a big game against Newcastle.
Agree with Giddy that there are loads of academy players who would love to be in his position. If I was RDM I’d tell him ‘once more and you’re out the door’.
Grealish overrated no respect for himself or AVFC. We are trying to kickstart our season and he is in the media for all the wrong reasons AGAIN.
I’m minded to post a Daily Mail type reaction, but I won’t.
At the end of the day, even if you don’t rate Jack that much, he’s as good a prospect as England has.
And quite simply, that makes him possibly massively valuable.
Which is why he’s getting cut a lot of slack.
Yes, we could hoof him out, but there’d be 20 clubs who would take him in the blink of an eye.
and what would we be saying when he’s sold for £50 mill + down the road?
Just my opinion, which is backed up by the fact that he hasn’t actually done anything wrong, apart from be involved in a noisy party. Which in fairness, he might have paid for/instigated.
I think we need to remember we were all young once and don’t think of the neighbours at that age.
That said, you do have to wonder about those who are supposed to be keeping an eye on him.
Yes we were all young but weren’t professional footballers who as we know are in the public eye,Badger it sounds to me you think he’s the bollox something I just don’t see it OK opinions differ but you make him out to be a real gem I don’t far from that.he’s disrespecting himself aswell as the people who pay his stupid salary rant over
Ps 50 mill????????really???? Lmao
Pss 50 Mil rupees?????
To be honest Giddy I somehow agree with you, he flies the flag for the club and should stop and think he’s in the media eye on what ever he does, can anyone else read other papers hounding their teams players? Why is the mail on his case , have they a blue nose reporter after a top job in a rag like the mail. Yes we all was young at one stage in life they should report the minders that earn money from him before killing a player.he’s a silly sod and should be fined by the club and wages cut.he will learn one day.
Difference is when we did silly things when young we wernt professional footballers with a moral responsibility and constantly in the public eye. Completely different.
When you consider Pogba has gone for the best part of £100 mill it isn’t that much of a joke Giddy, imo.
I take your point, but also feel Grealish is a target for the press now and the slightest thing will be highlighted.
It’s what us British do; build em up and knock em down.
He needs to produce and prove everyone wrong, imo.
Are talking about several years time when inflationary fees for players will be paid or now????today he’d be nowhere near your valuation unless some dumb fuck of an Arab saw something absolutely none of us saw
Giddy – who knows what the future holds but Grealish does seem to have the skills to become a really good player if he can apply himself and here I totally agree with your views as to his current behaviour. However (according to reports) he was not one of the 12 people removed from the hotel by the police and we don’t know whether or not he went back there at all (apparently though he booked the rooms) I’m not excusing the fact that he has got himself linked with bad behaviour again but will be interested to read what the club have to say.
As to future value – how much did United sell Pogba for………..
I see him to be a gem in the making. Just my opinion obviously and I know many wouldn’t agree.I know he hasn’t hit the heights he possibly could have yet, but I still believe he will come good. Your all right though he should stay out of the limelight for a while. A
Trouble with him besides not pulling his socks up is he’s lightweight he still looks like a kid not a young man he’s easily bullied off the ball & struggles to keep it going for the 90 (out of puff)that’s just to name a few imo he’s far too overated
Badger run a poll on him what the fans actually think of him on/off the field
I can’t now mate, I’m tied up.
But I’ll try and do it later.
A piece about Jack Grealish on radio 5 now!
What was said mate I was in a boring meeting
Hi Giddy, they had Stan Collymore on offering Jack advice and basically saying don’t make the same mistakes I did. He also said he knows Jack quite well and that he can call him anytime for a chat. Pat Murphy spoke well of Jack, saying how great he his with kids/mascots, behind the scenes, he also said Tony Xia would put pressure on RDM to make sure Jack doesn’t stray again. There was also a brief clip of RDM saying that Jack had to knuckle down. All in all I think he sounds like a good kid, but he needs to, like Stan said, lead a more boring lifestyle.!
Cheers dave first of all fuck those so called mates off who I’m sure are just hanging off his wallet I agree try living a boring lifestyle so the media can pick on another unsuspecting idiot.
That advice chat from Stan would be priceless. ‘if you do %)@# the weather girl, don’t smack her about’ etc.
Don’t **** on your own doorstep might be the best advice, meaning get out of Brum before partying. Because for £25kpw you have sold your soul to the devil and some local hack on 1/50 of your wedge is on your tail 24/7 in the city.
Now violence is abhorrent in any form BUT would you be best pleased if you arranged to meet your misses, she don’t turn up then you track down to a bar where she’s behind the bar topless serving a load of pissed up football fans?
How would you react? Hi darling, here’s some chocolates and flowers? I think maybe not.
TBH I don’t yet know BWS. I am still having difficulty arranging the first part. Getting enough football fans interested in seeing my missus topless.
🙂
To be fair to Stan I truly believe he’s seen the error of his ways, he was just trying to give Jack some sound advice. He was quite restrained too, maybe as he was on the BBC and not talk sport!
Regardless of Jack there is a match tomorrow and for some reason I think its quite important.
A win against Newcastle will give us some confidence. A loss and we’re deep in it. I know they’ve been variable but they have scored some goals.
Wish I could be optimistic but I just can’t somehow. Almost settle for a draw at this moment.
Come on Villa and RDM, surprise me!
This game should see how good or bad we presently are, I’d put this team as the championship champions.can’t see us getting anything with this one.1-3 Newcastle I have no faith atm & need alot more convincing.
Feeling like you Giddy – just can’t see us winning this one and like Pat would take the draw if offered.
Agreed a draw would feel like a win today
To me its all about believing in yourself, the player’s know the score and now it’s time to deliver, if we lose today questions will be about management ability. I didn’t think at the time Villa picked Di Matteo he was the right choice and still don’t, its now up to him to get it sorted and now.today’s game another draw he did that at WBA draw draw and just one goal in games.
good morning of the game guys 🙂
today will be very defining one way or or another. beating the league strongest team and favorites, will kick start our own campaign. this game will give a massive boost to fans and players, we can really take this league apart. but lose today. this would be the end of the manager. our goals of instant promotion would be dashed.
its why we love football, this game could go either way. we have some talented players as do newcastle. i would definitely not put this on my accumulate, i see tears for the toon. villa players need to perform for the fans. make micky quinn eat more than his pies but his words 2.
aston villa 3 newcastle 1
I’ll have a pint of whatever your on mate 😉
Make it two Nath, God it wish I had your believe, yes today will be the day.
I admire your optimism Nath and I hope you are right. 3pts is needed can’t see us getting them, my faith has been shattered I will take the draw.
I think the team will improve and start to show what it is capable of. I just don’t have any faith that it will be today. I also have my doubts about both RDM and Clark. The right team selection, tactics and motivation and we could be right up there. We aren’t anywhere close and I’m fed up of being a work in progress.
its not that unbelievable guys. on paper (i know footy isnt played on paper) but on paper both teams are evenly matched. newcastle current form is much healthier. but i know form also doesn’t mean much in football predicting.
i think today’s game is in theory, is easiest game of the season. why cause the game isn’t one we should win or fans demand the win from. opposition will come to town and try to win unlike most vp visitors this year. all this will help the villa players to a win today. well thats my explanation
I agree Nath. Lose this and Villa can kiss goodbye to promotion this year and concentrate on finishing like a good bet for next year. The barcodes are a fragile lot, if Villa take the lead or equalize they could easily concede another, because they will have to up their attacking intentions.
I hope Clarkes playing guaranteed to fuck up
I have a sinking feeling Clarke will get a sneaky header, and score in the last minutes !