Third Generation Villan has submitted the following. Cheers, TGV.
So we were beaten by a much better team on the day, I accept that but was disappointed with the performance and I think that will be most fans view even though we all hoped for a famous victory.
But rather than dwell on today’s disappointment I thought I would try to give an assessment of where we are and what to look forward to.
Its five years in August since MON left us, and Randy Lerner changed his investment strategy in an attempt to get back some of his outlay during the MON years. This period of under investment in the team has shown in the quality of the team and our form and league positions since then, as they say the table does not lie after a 38 game season you are where you deserve to be.
Now it does not matter if you blame MON or Lerner or anyone else over the last 5 years the quality of the team has declined steadily until the last few months of Lamberts time, Villa were the poorest in the premiership on nearly all fronts and we were certain to go down, and when we changed to Tim Sherwood we got the bounce or lift nearly all clubs get with a new manager and managed to stay up by the skin of our teeth, as I think the bounce had worn off after the west ham game and the players thought they were safe, and luckily we were.
So we come to a cup final against one of the premier league’s top teams with the same squad as under Lambert and with the bounce gone, the result was I suspect what we all feared may be the case but all hoped would not happen and we could pull off a shock win.
Now I am not having a go at Tim Sherwood, after all he did keep us up and I think he has earned the chance to build his own side over the coming season and then we can all decide if he is a good manager or not. And seeing some of the comments coming out tonight about changing the mentality of the players and a clear out during the summer etc. gives me some optimism for the season ahead. But time will tell.
But I think we have more reasons to optimistic now, then at any time over the last 5 years.
We are told we are close to being sold and hopefully will get better investment in the team
We are still in the Premier league, and with the money from the new TV deal should be able to cement our place there over the next few years.
We have a manager who likes to play attacking football, what most of us want (to be entertained) and will take the cup competitions seriously.
And has said already he has to rebuild the team and the way we play and the mentality of the players
Which all together means we will have lots to talk about over the next few months, a transfer window where we will probably be more active this year in and out.
if we agree or not with Tim Sherwood’s deals, if we like the new owners, the amount of investment etc.
So I think most of us will be optimistic, excited and hopeful about the future, and put todays result behind us. And hopefully look back in a few years’ time and say today was the end of the wilderness years for the villa
Comments
283 responses to “Looking forward”
Fairplay third generation villan for your optimistic vision for the club,but unfortunately after yesterday I ain’t seeing it.sorry but it’s going to be a while for my to get over yesterday’s piss weak performance possibly I speak for many.
Chin up Giddy – keep the faith mate
totally agree. I think we bottomed out under Lambert this year.
Sherwood has a winning mentality and has had to play with the cards he had been dealt.
now for a new pack.
I know we are gutted about yesterday but we have struggled against teams who pass the ball through us for a long time.
I bet there are some liverpool, spurs, Everton and many more players who wish they had a runner’s up medal in there collection rather than nothing.
up the villa
Root problem = Lerner underfunding = employing bad/inexperienced managers = coupled with underfunding = buy poor players who play play poor football = poor results = loss of confidence = poorer performances and poorer results = further loss of confidence = panic = replace poor/inexperienced manager with another poor/inexperienced manager = continuation of poor performances and poor results = poor position in league = even less funding = Lerner = root problem!
problem – Lerner appoints experienced manager and throws 6 years of money at him. experienced manager buys lot of players on long term bumper contracts. experienced manager achieves nothing and walks cos he wants even more money = balancing books = downward spiral = fans pissed off.
Steve = correct = Lerner, common denominator = must sell or must invest 🙂
Problem is he picked the wrong experienced manager in mon
Deadly picked MON!
Lerner is a big boy he still should of took advice elsewhere
Langford, steve, oohaah, Davo,
this is the best description of our plight summarised in a few comments that I have seen,
I think this is exactly how things played out at a very high non detailed level.
we can argue the finer points but ultimately i agree with the above, the right money thrown at the wrong man .. or the right money thrown at the right man but as the game developed the right money was more and more each year .. then less money thrown at lesser managers in an attempt to stem losses while trying to consolidate .. downward spiral
as the original poster states though, possibly with the tv deal money, and the few positive points Sherwood has made so far with the addition of a more footballing CEO, we have more to be optimistic about right now than in the last 4/5 seasons.
here is hoping.
So let down yesterday even mark lawrenson said the noise from the villa fans was some of the loudest he had ever heard and hes done some huge games.The players let us down big time no shots ffs,one of the worst performances ever at wembley.
Still looking forward I have tried to estimate the value of our FA Cup run. The figures taken below are all taken from BBC website for attendance, Villa ticketing web page (with average sales price being assumed) and 45% (FA Cup income distribution from a tie). Based on these values, Villa’s FA Cup run was worth a potential £6.25m. In comparison to Lambert’s typical non FA Cup run, this additional income may be invested in the team.
Ticket Average Attendance Revenue Villa Income
45%
£
FA Cup Final 70 89283 6249810 £2,812,415
FA Cup Semi Final 43 85416 3672888 £1,652,800
FA Cup 6th Round 25 39952 998800 £ 449,460
FA Cup 5th Round 15 28098 421470 £ 189,662
FA Cup 4th Round 12 27415 328980 £ 148,041
FA Cup 3rd Round 10 21837 218370 £ 98,267
Prize Money £ 900,000
FA Cup Income £6,250,643
I really hope Mr Lerner would allow FA Cup £6.25m income + usual £17m transfer budget + potential Benteke sale £32.5 = £56m to be invested in new players. There is likely to be further income from certain players being sold. If we work on the assumption that this could be cost neutral, that is, salaries saved + transfer income would pay new players salaries. Remember, for example Bent will come off the wage bill.
If that above were to occur, I for one would be very positive about next season, again assuming every transfer made adds to the quality of the team and works out!
Finally, a sobering thought about income from the Premier League, if we had won against Burnley, our income could have been increased by £2.5m. Lets hope next season we can finish at least 8 places higher. If Villa finished where Stoke did this year, our income would increase from £65.65m to £74.8m, just over £9m more – al least one new good player.
Well after sherwood comments about telling experienced players they can go, I reckon from the team yesterday and players that didn’t play are guzan cissoko senderos nzogbia Westwood Sanchez Cole agbonlahor weimann then the obvious ones are Helenius luna sylla I reckon we are in for an interesting summer so let’s just hope we get sold but sold to the right people. Utv
You forgot vlaar I pray he’s not here next ur complete injury prone dross utd are welcome to him even on a freebie
Agree, only turns up for 1 in 4
Totally agree with TGV. For the last few years the close season has been a respite from rubbish football and constant relegation dogfights.
I now find I’m looking forward to seeing what Tim does with the team and to see how they shape up next season. The one thing I’m sure of is that a Sherwood team, that is one bought and put together by him, certainly wouldn’t have played like they did yesterday. They might have lost but they would have lost trying to win.
I think it might take a few years so I wish Oohaah and the negative crowd would agree to wait and see and if we end up anywhere around the middle of the table to accept this as a massive improvement if we do. In the meantime lets all put our rose tinted glasses on and enjoy the summer.
Anyway saw my other team play last night Barca and THAT GOAL BY MESSI. What a magician that man is with a football. FANTASTIC
UTV and now for sun, barbies and beer. See you next season
Like you Pat, I am looking forward to the transfer window. Well over half the 26 registered players at Villa deserve to go.
Your second team choice – Barcelona – is a bit more exotic than mine – Bournemouth – but keep your eye on the friendlies booked. Bournemouth hosted Real Madrid last Summer and they are after Barca or Juve this Summer so you may get a chance to see your side in England.
TS has had to talk up the players he inherited, so when he said Delph could be a great captain I just put it down to necessary BS. However yesterday Delph showed why the armband should go elsewhere, he reverted to his scared boy character, completely the opposite from the Lionheart he was against Liverpool. Captains cannot afford that split personality, it transmits the fear throughout the team. I hope the armband next season goes to a player not yet at Villa.
@OLL Completely agree with your comment. I was just talking about this to my son a short while ago and we came to the conclusion that there no leaders in the team.
We need a couple of players in that are like Roy Keane (as a player not a manager) that will lead the team and if necessary bully them a bit. There’s no-one in the team at the moment that can do that so it will have to be someone who’s brought in.
I’m sure TS is well aware of this and he might bring in player who might not be the greatest in the world but who has the winning mentality and the will to back it up.
Interesting times ahead 🙂
You mean Tim Sherwood needs to sign the new Tim Sherwood 🙂
on sherwood would anyone think that unless he was promised big funds would he not walk, in reality he has been a success 12 goals in 25 to 19 goals to 13 games, 5 league wins 3 cupwins with a team shellshocked losing 20 to hull
going back to mon we recovered a fair bit of his spend plus had 3 top 6 finnishs a cup final since we spent 100 m and only benteke to show for it
i hope sherwood can makes his mark on team ship out deadwood bring in quality
The only positive from yesterday is that it highlights the enormity of the task Sherwood has inherited – a win might have papered over it.
His comments about a change of personnel are welcome – but does anyone understand the sheer scale of the transfer activity needed? The current first team squad, including Lambert’s returning loanees is: 36!! 5 are out of contract this month, and a further 15 in a year’s time. That’s a lot of selling to do before we start shopping. We probably need to sell 3 for every one bought, and could afford to let 20 of that squad go to start adding some quality.
Fortunately I think Sherwood has the get up and go, and hopefully the contacts to make it happen.
One thing for sure, it won’t be a quiet summer – perfect for the rumour mills and speculation to keep the forums going.
Spot on RW
I really don’t get people claiming it papers over the cracks if we won. NO ONE thinks we’re that good, no one, not a single fan thinks we’re all that, hell even Sherwood said the game yesterday didn’t prove anything, because he already knew the severity of the team being poor. All yesterday would’ve actually done is give Villa something to be happy about for once, about it, not papering over the cracks, Sherwood didn’t have to learn anything from yesterday because he’s seen how bad a lot of the players like Hutton, N’Zogbia and such are.
Andrew, your correct in stating that fact, my moan is the massive hype in yesterdays game, I even made a prediction 3-2 Villa to win, but I knew that was unlikely but wanted it with all my heart. I’m now wanting that team to get sold its been shear hell to all the fans for many a year, Its time to let Sherwood do what ever it takes to move Villa forwards, yesterday was a disaster waiting to happen, we could see the writing on the wall , 6-1, 5, 3, 4, its time to let Sherwood do what ever he can. Get that lion back.
BP….really felt for you yesterday mate. You and the Villa fans deserve so much better. The fans were incredible again yesterday….the players were a disgrace!
Spot on Langford. Losing is bad enough but the manner of losing was disgraceful. Felt for Bill and all the other fans who paid good money yesterday – like many (I suspect) – hoped for the best but feared the worst. All the bad habits back yesterday – just how many times did we lose the ball in the middle third of Arsenal’s half and how many times did Delph run into a cul de sac? No midfielders were making penetrating runs. We looked tired and lacking in any sort of fight.
On team selection I had no problem with Richardson coming in and he did a decent job – but Mutton over Bacuna No No and why Gabby didn’t start rather than NZog is baffling. I know Gabby isn’t everyone’s favourite but he often plays well against Arse and at least he put some real energy into the team when he came on.
Looking forward to seeing what TS does with the squad over the summer.
H60….its worrying already for next season mate. We have to replace so many players, but who’s going to fund a complete overall…not randy IMO! It worries me that we have gone a full circle and will end up on the ‘young, hungry and cheap’ trail again….I can see already that it cant work! How are we going to purchase the minimum of 4 quality players that we desperately need?
Very good points Langford – reality is only time will tell. For me the burning question about TS – is he another Kevin Keegan or England’s answer to the Chosen One?
I think we will see a couple of quality players came in but also TS will try and bring through some of our academy which many on here have been advocating. Would like to see Gary Gardiner get an opportunity.
Unlike some I would like Vlaar to stay. Accept he is injury prone but we do need some experience in the defence. Also would like to see Cleverley sign for us.
Really interesting comment by TS about finding a system that suits players who have not figured recently – does that mean Gil and Sinclair? I think we may move away from a diamond formation next season. Could see some exciting wing play with Grealish playing a more central role – maybe in the hole? Or am I just being daft!
Agree with everything u said but lost credibility saying vlaar and cleverly should stay complete dross both of them
OohAh – all about opinions mate – just disagree with one paragraph; my views on Vlaar and Cleverley don’t discredit the rest of my post. If we can bring in an experienced CH fair enough but we need someone in there and I would take Vlaar over Senderos
I would take vlaar over sendross too but that’s not saying much. Both injury prone donkeys with a mistake in them every game. Il be gutted if we keep vlaar tbh can’t stand the bloke.
Fair enough – let’s see what the summer brings
Thanks Langford, me and my lad are pissed off over that game, to crown it all had Twats standing up in front of me and I lost my rag with them, I wouldn’t spend good money on that Wembley again, then Langford had a pub just outside that said as I went to entre Arsenal only, did I stand for that? No after telling them I’d do something about it they let me in, the look I got from them inside said it all, did I care ? did I fuck. shook some hands and drank on.
Fairplay MATE FUCK EM.
Good for you Bill; don’t stand for all that London cr*p.
When we beat Man city last season everyone had a fest and said we’d turn a corner etc. It would be exactly the same if we had won yesterday. More people would have bought season tickets and Lerner would of had another free ride next season
No one had a fest though. Yes beating City was great and that provided hope for Villa fans, but no one thought we’d turn a corner. That’s another made up idea in your head that Villa fans are that stupid to think Villa are great after 1 win.
Under Lamberk we always pulled of a shock result or two. Then posters would start saying he’s not that bad after all when we knew he was. Trust me Andrew Sherwood is not the answer and the fa cup final was an embarrassment. Even reading put up a better show than our shower of shit
I’ve yet to see a reason Sherwood can’t be the answer. He’s never had a transfer window, a summer to train the players the way he wants too, twice now he’s come in and done incredibly well with players he doesn’t even want. I’ll give him an entire season before changing my mind on if he’s good enough or not.
Again u said the same about Lamberk
I did, I said I never wanted him, but gave him a chance after the first season. He sucked ass and fans turned. Same will happen to Sherwood if he does the same. But again, I never wanted Lambert, Sherwood wasn’t my first choice either but I prefer him now than Lambert back when McLeish left.
Oohah, how do you know that Lerner didn’t take advice from someone else regarding MON?
Did your not enjoy the years with MON? Surely you must of smiled, jumped with joy once in those three years!
Who would you have pick as manager instead of Tim?
Well Ancelotti’s out of a job 🙂
Only joking. I think Tim could be the perfect fit and we have to give him a chance.
We should make Oohaah take a no moaning pledge until the second half of the season at least. After all even on the ratio of points won since Tim’s arrived we’d have been middle of the table. I’d accept that next year while rebuilding takes place.
Pat don’t! Oohah wouldn’t want Real Madrids ex manager…. That could possiblely mean we are heading in the right direction and slowly becoming successful again!
Altho he would probably moan about not being able to get a ticket…
So joking apart why not get someone like ancelloti and let him groom Sherwood. Sherwoid can’t cut it. I actually like the guy wears his heart on his sleeve and cares. But simply hasn’t a clue
I enjoyed it in the first season with mon but as time went on we bottled it for 4th bottled fa cup semi and bottled league cup I realised what an overrated one dimensional manager we had. Biggest spending manager in our history by a planet and he played boring football at home, could never win a game in March and could only finish 6th pathetic
Where are those bloody penguins.
I think a day in the sun for them is called for.
Good one Steve. Not as accurate as that bl**dy octopus! LOL
Funny Ancelotti’s name coming up again. Remember all the talk about him leaving Chelsea to cone to Villa…and we got…McLeish…
Have nothing to comment about yesterday 🙁
Ancelotti lol. He wants time off, but he also has his heart on Milan. He said he’ll only go there or he’s taking time off, good god we’d have no chance at getting him. People are dreaming.
I wasn’t saying I want him, quite looking forward to Tim’s pre season. Just reminiscing about how back post O’Neil, it was a real possibility…how things have changed.
That wasn’t towards you, I know you were reminiscing. I often reminisce about what could’ve happened under O’Neill or actually having a good manager instead of him.
Such a shame mon blew our only chance of a lifetime to Funish top 4
What happens when you don’t rotate, play the exact same way every game and you don’t play 3/4 of the squad.
Villa to break the wage barrier? Offer Benteke £75 grand a week and build a team around him, who thinks these stories up. Well back to work for me today, got to face 9 year old kids taking the piss out of me over that shower Saturday, still I’ll clip a few ears,
Don’t forget to fill out the risk assessment sheet before you start clipping ears Bill!
Daily Mirror in cloud cuckoo land. “Villa to buy Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson to replace Benteke.” Just how many managers are there who are deft enough to sell their star striker to a competitor?
OLL… Daft managers NO, but daft owners, YES
Well, it looks like Howe has already moved to sign 2 strikers, so he must be prepared to lose Wilson. From the Cherries point of view their extremely non-physical attack of last season probably would not suit the Prem. Atsu and King will add brawn.
From Villa’s standpoint they are moving from chalk to cheese. Wilson is a damn good footballer who is great at timing runs behind defenders to stay onside. He is a light-weight and he wants balls played into space, not at him. TS has talked about changing the style of play and this change of centre forward would require it. you can see Gil and Sinclair fitting into a front three with Wilson – and Grealish behind.
Good article TGV but I fear we are still in the same position as when Lambert came.Do you remember all optimistic about Lambert?The same about Sherwood is happening.Hes kept us up granted but the drubbings against Saints & Arse have got me worried completely outplayed & smashed into the ground.Sherwood to me already looks a worried chap.I hope he is successful,can bring in his own players to suit his style of play,I also hope Lerner has sold the Chinese whispers are getting louder & louder that Lerner has sold up.Im glad you are optimistic & I’m all for a positive vibe based on facts but I fear we might have been hoodwinked again.Im starting to have serious doubts on Sherwoods ability hope I’m wrong UTV
JayDee, he’s playing with other managers men, he knows they are crap, let him buy train and then its show time. Lambert just bought might be players, I think this guy will not stand for hangers on, put it this way? I bleeding hope so.
See the papers are back to the negative stuff about Villa and bl**dy Lambert has stuck his nose in where it’s not wanted. Should keep his mouth shut and hide in a dark room for a milenium or two.
He’s was asked his opinion on Benteke,just cause you didn’t like what he said doesn’t mean he ain’t allowed to give it. Get your head out of your arse and get over it.
No need to be personally offensive B6; says more about you than me!
And saying someone should keep their mouth shut and hide in a dark room for millennium or two just because you don’t agree with them isn’t being personally offensive? You’re right, that clearly says more about me my friend 🙂
Are you Lamberts personal apologist?
I am, and extremely proud, so tell me, Are you Langfords personal yes man? Cause all you seem to do is agree with him 😉
According to the Telegraph…
“As well as Carles Gil, Andreas Weimann and Philippe Senderos, Aly Cissokho, Matthew Lowton, Brad Guzan, Shay Given and Joe Cole, Sherwood is understood to be willing to let Nathan Baker, Kieran Richardson and Alan Hutton leave Villa Park this summer.”
Throwing the baby out with the bath water with half of those. Unless we spend massively this summer I can’t see the club getting in better replacements for Guzan, Lowton, Gil, Baker. They may not all be first choice options but they have all had good moments and games in a Villa kit. If this season’s injury crisis has proven anything we need more depth.
Sick notes: Senderos Cissoko, (unluckily) Cole are good choices, they are not physically capable of Prem football any more. Richardson has joined the sick notes, he can only last 60 minutes now otherwise I think he would stay. Baker is too slow for a player in the back 4. Neither keeper is good enough. Weimann and Lowton have given it their best, but their best is relegation battle standard. Hutton’s best attribute is knocking aerial balls to a striker, not defending at right back, so with Benteke gone other right backs are preferred. Which leaves Gil – like most posters here I think he hasn’t been give a fair crack by Sherwood, but they may have had a training ground bust up. Interesting Agbonlahor isn’t listed – a new career at left back maybe?
As you say though, that is a lot of replacements needed – it is going to be a Sherwood team to start the new season.
How many sick notes has vlaar had ffs. I want that guy gone totally useless
Why isn’t vlaar on that list. Rather have baker any day
Ps also why is cissoko on that list he’s the best left bk we’ve had for awhile. Not brilliant but ok
Marvin….yes I read that too! I cant see anyway we can replace all those. I would definetely keep Cissokho, Baker and Lowton as back up if nothing else! And Gil, for me, should be a regular starter! Although Richardson was, in my opinion, our best player at Wembley I cant see him playing another full season at PL level!
Have we set ‘yet another’ unwanted record as the ONLY team ever to not have a shot on target or even a corner in a FA Cup Final?….I’m still fuming about Saturday, cant get it out of my head!…..How can a team in a Cup Final be so inept and non-commited. Right now, I hate football, have no confidence or positivity left in me. I feel so let down and gutted. ……yes, I’m being a wimp, but it hurts so, so bad. I cant look forward, and I certainly dont want to look back over the last 4 years!
p.s. …….yes, I have tried the Samaritans, but just like Villa, they didnt turn up either! 🙂
It’s a new low even Lamberk himself would be proud of !
Assuming the Telegraph is correct that is. If it is true then I agree – we couldn’t possibly replace that many players but do we need to?
It would leave some key positions to fill most markedly GK, LB and RB but these have been problem positions for some time now. Apart from Baker and Cissokho (early on) – and both seem injury prone – none of the others on that list have really figured at all this season so must be surplus. I can see TS bringin some of the younger players into the first team squad.
Apart from Gil which seems to be baffling most of us, the player missing from that list is Joe Bennett! I leave that thought with you
The better question is where is N’Zogbia’s name on that list? If he is the sort of winner Sherwood has been talking about then we truly are doomed next season.
True he has had long enough to prove himself nowhere near the player we thought he would be
What Sherwood go after members of the QPR team… all winners.
Watch, not What…
I’d take Barton, Phillips and Austin. They’d all walk into our team.
A few reports today saying Cleverley is in talks with Everton. I have to say, I’ll be disappointed.
You could count on one hand the decent games he’s had for us. I hope he goes there.
He still ended up our top scoring midfielder in the league. He’s always had a high work ethic, and since Sherwood came in he’s had a license to go forward. However we are being linked with so many central mids that one of Westwood Delph and Cleverley would have to be making way surely. And with Westwood and Delph both on longer contracts, never really expected Cleverley to stay. Still, wouldn’t mind if he did.
Yes he did ok for 3 games but what about the other 35!! Complete dross no better than what we already have which isn’t saying much
You’re right he did. However he hasn’t exactly set VP alight, Having said that neither has any other player but for someone to only perform for a handful of games isn’t, imo, the kind of player we should be after. I don’t think he is any better than what we already have.
Agree B6
Really they are welcome to him complete dross
Cleverley can go. He barely signed a loan deal with us, so I would be surprised if he stayed. He looked motivated in a handful of games but other than that he hasn’t looked worth the money.
Spot on hopefully Everton can take that lump vlaar with him
Can’t believe what I’m hearing about Cleverley, without his goals we wouldn’t have gotten 6 points from West Ham and Everton games. I don’t get where all this “he only showed up for a handful of games” is coming from? Yes Lamberts tactics were boring, but Cleverley did exactly as he was told, as he has under Sherwood who’s said he’s a managers dream. Surely these are players we need?
I personally don’t rate him, that’s why I’m not overly concerned about him going to Everton. He’s no better than what we already have so isn’t going to improve the squad is he?
I can understand that you don’t rate him, but again, he was our top scoring midfielder this year. And that was only after a few games under Sherwood. Personally I’d love to see what he’s like under him for a full season. I can understand him listening to what others clubs have to offer, but surely after a season here we should be first in that line?
If he wanted to stay that badly then why hasn’t he already signed? Doesn’t that tell you he isn’t overly keen on playing for us? It was the same when we first signed him, he weren’t overly keen on coming then was he? Imo he’s shit, he won’t do much better at Everton if that’s where he ends up going.
That’s what I’m saying, I’m disappointed because it seems he doesn’t want to stay when for me, he’s been one our better players.
He doesn’t want to stay for the same reason he didn’t want to sign for us in the first place!!! Because we’re shit!! Maybe he’ll look better with better players around him, that’s what he’ll get at Everton.
I think our midfield needs a bit of bite in there. A Robbie Savage or a David Batty. I don’t expect many to agree but personally I’d rather have Joey Barton than Tom Cleverley!!!
Wow, not sure I’ll see a more ridiculous comment than that today.
Agree Kent – so we’ll improve by signing Barton rather than Cleverley – really?
Cleverley is a free agent.
He would be foolish not to listen to what other clubs have to offer before he makes his decision.
Agree Steve. Why wouldn’t he talk to other clubs? Anyone with more than one job offer would consider them all before deciding – you’d be foolish not to.