brummie

The thing is, that was our most convincing defensive performance in absolutely ages. We didn't even look remotely under pressure today. Had we played the defence we played most of last season, it would have been a totally different story. Hutton played very well, as did Cissokho for that matter. Honestly, I am entirely realistic about our defence, I have seen us cave in under the slightest pressure for most of the last two years, so that was a huge improvement.

It's looking amazingly like we learned to defend over the summer.

We are, apparently, talking to Carlos Sanchez, Colombian DM. Which surprisingly would be just what we needed, and even more surprisingly, will involve a fee - although only 4m euros.

Indeed. Look at Scott Sinclair, last seen unable to force his way into Albion's starting XI. Things have got so bad for him, he's getting linked with a move to us.

Aly Cissokho. I said to my brother tonight, "I honestly don't know anything about him" My brother said: "You remember when we played Liverpool last season, and we both agreed that their left back was one of the worst defenders we'd ever seen? The one where you said he made Alan Hutton look like Cafu? That one?" "Yes?" "That's him". That's three left backs bought and one loaned for a season from Lambo in two years. Meanwhile, if I rocked up at the training ground tomorrow, I reckon I'd be at least a contender to get into our midfield.

That's fine if it happens soon. It's what happens in the meantime that worries me. Yeah it's not gonna be pretty watching you lot this season. We can wallow together. I can't wait for the season to end.

That's fine if it happens soon. It's what happens in the meantime that worries me.

Last year of their contracts, eh? It's perhaps a little comforting that other clubs have joined us in 'Mission: Mediocrity' We have absolutely zero ambition beyond staying up, zero. At least you've paid some money for some actual decent players. I appreciate that you're not exactly oozing ambition to put it lightly, but you at least have that.

Well, they could be like us. A chairman who, after three years of clearly not giving a shit, has come out and said "hey, I don't give a shit, I want to sell" which seems to mean he has a ready made excuse to not spend any money. We're such a mess, the CEO has left, and is now being covered by the CFO (who apparently doesn't know what a football looks like), our squad last season was nowhere near good enough but we've signed three players, all free transfers, two absolutely shit and one mediocre at best, and we clearly have next to no money to spend. On top of that, we've got a manager who, in 12 months, managed to go from the most supported (despite terrible results) Villa manager I've ever seen, to one with the support of pretty much nobody, still in charge, so bad was last season. The sooner someone buys us, the better, because if we go through the whole season like this, we're screwed. I don't even care if they're not particularly rich, I just want them to care. Lerner is nuts. For four years, one of the best chairmen, was over here for games all the time, turned up at LC matches at third division clubs, even got himself a Villa tattoo, really impressive, then gets divorced, meets some new bird who apparently hates football and hates him being abroad a lot, so decides he doesn't give a shit any more. We have a squad which has finished 15th twice and 16th in the last three seasons, and one which is absolutely nowhere near good enough, and we've added Joe Fucking Cole, Senderos and Kieran Richardson to it. Meanwhile, two of our four best players last year (Vlaar and Delph) are entering the last year of their deals with no new contracts offered yet, as Lerner won't commit to anything like that. Vlaar isn't even that fucking good, FFS, he was pretty iffy last season and is made of glass, but he's Paolo Fucking Maldini compared to the rest of our defence.

He's really not very good at all. I appreciate he was playing for us, so could have been dragged down to our level, but I saw absolutely nothing to make me think I'd want us to spend the 8m or so he'd cost to get him permanently.

I know football is based largely on long running hatreds and decades old grievances, but the sport is much better for it when we realise that there is far more we have in common as supporters than divides us. This fundraising demonstrates that perfectly, well done to all involved.

Why would Swansea sell him for almost nothing after a decent last season? Last year of his contract, maybe?

We are apparently signing Ki Sung-yueng from Swansea for £1.5m Now that's a decent signing, if true.

Cole, Senderos, Richardson. I feel like crying. This is it until Lerner sells. The most abrupt loss of interest in English football, I'm afraid. Truly shocking. Our ambition until he fucks off is purely to stay up and no more. Which is understandable, but what if it takes three years to sell the club?

We've appointed Roy Keane as assistant manager. What could possibly go wrong there?

Double LOLs at the Albion for appointing who they did. Truly beyond belief.

More stuff in the Torygraph business pages today about Micky Arison selling more shares in his main business and refusing to deny he's interested in buying us. Apparently he owns a basketball team and is worth $7bn Please please please happen.

Rather have Senderos tbh

Didn't see us play much last year, I take it? I did, which is why I used the word few. I also saw West Ham, and they were significantly worse. They're midfielders are largely pointless in any attacking sense. The main difference between us and West Ham last year was that you could rely on at least a few of their aimless balls in the air to come down on the pitch, whereas ours were littered all around the gardens of Aston Hall. I'd imagine there are still gangs of club employees going around picking them up even now. :-(

He did. Then he snapped his achilles, so he's been out for over a year now.

it depends who else we sign. I am as pessimistic as the next Villa fan, but it is worth noting that we will have the return of Okore, N'Zogbia, Benteke and Kozak from long term injuries. We were unlucky with those. Even Kozak did well for us (8 starts, 4 goals) so it was unlucky he broke his leg. Senderos is a lumering oaf, but he's less of a lumbering oaf than Nathan Baker was last season, and I can live with him as back up to Okore and Vlaar. If we can sign a couple of players better than those we have already - and the obvious positions are left back and midfield - then we'll do much better than last year. The problem is, if we don't sign those players, we are going to struggle if we pick up any injuries. It's all very depressing. Lerner seems to think that saying "OK, I'm looking for a buyer" means he just needs to keep us in cold storage until he finds one.

Didn't see us play much last year, I take it?

Joe Cole. Two year deal. Fucking hell. It's like we've decided we want to go down as laughably as we possibly can. I feel sick.

Vlaar and Okore. I don't really have a huge problem with it, as it makes us less likely to need Baker or Clark - or both - but given we've got problems paying wages these days, I don't see why we've wasted it on that position at all now, at least for someone who doesn't really improve things enormously. Anyway, I shall wait and see what else happens.

Cheer up. It could be worse. http://www.avfc.co.uk/javaImages/43/9a/0,,10265~12884547,00.jpg