Rich

Feel like I’m on smack. Are we playing ‘pretty well’?

Neutral?

Martin Mark is stealing a living.

That XI. Jesus.

Jesus Christ that was amazing watching.

Got one of those full body shivers of disgust reading that.

I chuckled, but howay

Villa might just have the worst fan base in the league, you know? Undoubtedly a good club with a really nice, unique ground, sadly it’s filled with a bunch of mute whoppers. It’ll only get worse with more day trippers in there.

Think a lot of us on here are quite protective of the 'We don't demand a team that wins' banner and messaging, because it originated from here, was taken around the country by posters from here, and seemed to strike a chord with fans outside of this bubble (and the media) at the time and for many years beyond. There's no denying that it gets tiresome seeing it trotted out as a rebuttal to people complaining about things these days; however, as things have moved on quite significantly in the last decade or more. We got what we wanted, and we still have what we wanted, but we're never going to have perfection, which is what it seems some people desire. As long as the club is 'trying', I can give them the benefit, though like many I'd like to see certain things moving faster, changing, etc.

Think it was a pretty good summation tbh.

Thought Alex Jimenez was the best player on the pitch on Saturday, he cost £16.5M and is only 20. Got to be one or two of the likes of him around, surely?

Pope Miley Thiaw Botman Burn Hall Bruno Tonali Barnes Osula Gordon 8-0

If you can be arsed to walk over the High Level and pay silly money for a pint, the Central was lovely and quiet after the derby.

To build on that, I’m a sad cunt who’s usually in early to observe the warmup from our end, and Jesus Christ it was a poor one yesterday in terms of attitude and technical ability. It begs the question, why are we still doing the exact same drills we’ve done for 3+ years now? It can’t be the most engaging thing for the players, though I appreciate there’s probably a bigger picture ‘familiarity of routine’ thing at play. Bournemouth had one of the weirdest pre-match routines I’ve seen in terms of the drills, but didn’t seem to do them any harm. EDIT: Worth adding that it could’ve been because of the lack of leaders in the XI, as I was only really focusing on the starter drills. When there’s no Trippier, Burn, Schär, Bruno, Joelinton, or dare I say Murphy, then there’s nobody setting a bar and demanding that others don’t just go through the motions.

It’s his words and his actions that are giving me pause, now, unfortunately, when I’ve never really had any issue with anything he’s ever said before. Couldn’t have any more respect for him for what he’s achieved here and how he’s represented the club, but if he’s not willing to refresh his approach, which he doesn’t seem to be based on his recent comments, tactics, and team selections, he shouldn’t be in charge beyond this season. I don’t recall a time in my life where one of our managers has been able to turn it around when it gets to this sort of stage with a significant section of the supporters, but based on history if anyone can, then it’s Howe. I was pleasantly surprised by how much support there was for him in the Gallowgate yesterday, but it feels on a knife edge for many of those joining in with his chant based on how quickly they stopped second half when things were looking bleak.

I’d ageee on Ramsey. Genuinely dunno what more Thiaw could do to convince people, though. He put out multiple fires again yesterday, won everything he went for in the air (and found a teammate with the clearing header, as he usually does, unlike Botman and his 50p head/mistimed jumps), and was tidy in possession. If he was given more license to carry the ball through the lines, as he did on one occasion first half, it would add so much more to our play, as Schär used to do at his peak. Aye, he’s made a few mistakes, as every defender does, but he’s pretty much been playing in a cosplay Eddie Howe side for a season, rather than the proper version that existed for years before it, bar a few hiccups in form here and there.

Ahahahaha

Today can get in the sea.

Putting aside that total whiff of a cross he put in the first half and his otherwise typical shoddy contribution in possession, his 'marking' of Tavernier for their opener and of Evanilson for the one he should have buried not that long after was a disgrace, yet again. Of course he's injured, yet again, an' all.

Just watched the lowlights to see who I could apportion the primary blame to for their second. I'm now looking at you, Sven.

The boos around the place when everyone saw Woltemade stripped off after it went 2-1, sheesh. He doesn't help himself at times, Wor Eddie. Woltemade for Barnes and Osula shuffling out wide was the play there many minutes earlier, surely?

Watching this fucker and Elanga on the flanks while Rayan and Tavernier had the time of their lives was beyond the pale. Then we brought Murphy on to compound the misery . Elanga being a disgrace is expected at this point, but Barnes has been honking for far too long now as well.

Good God, he was fucking abysmal today. He's surely had enough slack by this point. He's an abomination in almost every respect, as @gbandit summed up very nicely there, and he makes me want to jump off the top of L7 every time I have to watch him play. How he came out after half-time is beyond me, absolutley baffling.