brummie

It's the Torygraph. They're channelling the spirit of Thatcher.

at what point did you see that ? before they scored i could only see us scoring, after they scored I saw it like you did. I thought you looked tired and pretty devoid of ideas from the off. You're right, though, once they'd scored, it got worse. I thought they were worth their win, but the scoreline probably flatters them a tad, as it suggests they were relatively decent, which they weren't. They just had more application.

We will not get entertainment immediately. Our entertainment will be getting the results against teams we "should" be beating, and possibly a couple of surprise results here and there. We need to set a good foundation up and down the club. When Hughton was in charge, I was under the impression that we'd taken care of our infrastructure/medical/youth tiers, and were well run again. This season and to an extent last season has made me doubt that. Benitez would sort it out. That's a very good point actually. That's the type of manager I want us to go for. Then again would they be allowed that much control? When we appointed McLeish (yes, I know, some consolation prize), Lerner had actually met with Benitez to discuss him taking over. Lerner cut the meeting short within twenty minutes, as Benitez made it really clear he wasn't going to go anywhere he didn't have a significant amount of money to spend, and that was at odds with the way Lerner wanted to take the club. I'd imagine that he's going to insist on decent money to spend wherever he goes.

I was amazed by the lethargy you showed. It didn't even look like lack of organisation, or being too defensive, or anything you could point at as being easy enough to fix. It just looked like you didn't really care too much who won. Maybe it's the effect of the European game on Thursday, I dunno, but there was a real lack of energy all over the pitch. Sunderland, on the other hand, looked like they wanted to win. I thought they too were pretty shit, don't get me wrong, they've not turned into a decent side overnight, the difference was they clearly wanted to win the game, and Newcastle didn't seem that arsed.

I've a feeling they're going to save our arse, too.

I have not thought at any point that you were in risk of getting dragged into it, but I haven't seen you play much recently until today. If you're going to be putting in many more non-performances like today (which honestly amazed me, surely you can't be playing like that too often?) then you're putting yourselves at real risk of getting dragged into it, it is so tight. I didn't even think Sunderland were very good, but they definitely deserved to win. What surprised me most wasn't the fact that Sunderland were up for it - that's to be expected under a new manager - it was the fact that your lot looked totally unbothered by it all. No desire or grit. Really surprised me.

You have just look totally unbothered the whole match to me. Maybe a bit of lethargy too, but really, poor.

Oh, linesman, you fucking wanker.

This is terrible. You look lethargic, which is understandable - if not excusable - given your European match, but I can't believe how shapeless you look.

Sunderland look like they want it more. Still think it'll finish a draw, mind, but you really do need to wake up, quickly

The Basel players looked like well-drilled machines from the Planet Penalty. Not one of them looked like they knew what "missing" meant, let alone doing it.

One thing I remember about Friedel with us is that he never, ever even got near saving a penalty for us. Not once.

Don't be going and not winning this, FFS. Sunderland are utter shite. All Di Canio will be able to do is to get them running around a bit more than MON did.

Di Klanio will probably run on the pitch and drag him off

Thank fuck for that

Martinez, and giving him time, would not be a bad shout, really. I wasn't impressed when we were linked with him post Houllier, but a year of DeathByMcLeish and a year of nerve-shredding rebuilding has made me realise that it would actually have been a good appointment.

That's probably why then, if you've seen us a handful of times, it's difficult to judge over the whole season. Like I said, it's easy to make the mistake of looking at the table, and even some of the dreadful results, and extrapolate from that a season-long awfulness. Last season, now that was awful. I imagine one reason Lambert still gets such support is last year gave us a staggeringly depressing lesson into how unambitious, negative and miserable football can be. the few times i've saw villa this season they've been decent but very bramble-esque. Defence is incredibly porous, too many kids making too many mistakes. I can't remember our last clean sheet. We're capable of scoring goals, which is just as well, as we can't defend for shit

To be honest, he's done it too often at times. I love the fact he is the opposite of McLeish in that sense, but he's had us do it and it has cost us points a fair amount - hence that stat that, if games finished at half time, we'd be sixth now. I remember early in the season we beat Swansea 3-1 at our place, and coming out of the ground, people were saying how amazing it was to be in the lead and actually looking to extend it. However, at times, he either goes mentally gung ho or opts to try to advance the lead rather than hold it (although that's to do with us being unable to defend, I guess). Worst example was Bradford semi final second leg, at Villa Park. 3-1 down from first leg, in the first half, we score, and we let Bradford touch the ball about three times, it was men against boys. Then Bradford score from a corner. All we needed to do was keep our heads and carry on doing what we did in the first half, we'd still have come through, I think, but instead, he decided to go batshitmental and start playing with six men up front and no clear thought about how to get the ball to them. Clanger.

That's probably why then, if you've seen us a handful of times, it's difficult to judge over the whole season. Like I said, it's easy to make the mistake of looking at the table, and even some of the dreadful results, and extrapolate from that a season-long awfulness. Last season, now that was awful. I imagine one reason Lambert still gets such support is last year gave us a staggeringly depressing lesson into how unambitious, negative and miserable football can be.

Villa have been fucking dirge all season man. If only Pardew could work on those 40-yard wonder strikes. We've been nothing like dirge all season. Some of the stuff we've played at times has been marvellous. We are at a difficult time, shedding overpaid shit players and relying on kids too much at times but there's a reason why despite being in the relegation places a lot Lambert has such support (and it is considerable). Too easy to look at the table and say "shit"

unless not being in the top 4 is all a part of as the chelsea "fans" put it "the interim ones" grand plan to avoid the CL places to fuck over Chelsea because he hates the club They really are a bunch of vile, screaming Tarquins. In most clubs, even ones I hate, I can see the odd redeeming feature. There is not a single redeeming feature about Chelsea. Not one.

Me too, and it'd be a brilliantly important result if they did.

It is all about momentum at this point, and Stoke's and Sunderland's is awful. I hadn't realised just how awful Stoke's run in is, too. Even their home matches are tough. We are fortunate, too, in that we've the double benefit of having won three of our last four games, and all of them coming against fellow strugglers.

Holy fucking shitbiscuits. What a season this has been. I can't stand it anymore. I avoid the game, can't resist looking, see we are 1 up, smile, then instantly they equalise. I then turn it off, stomp around the house nervously, swear at the Mrs a few times, check back and Lowton has apparently scored a decent goal and Benteke has added a third. If we could only learn to defend, we'd actually be a decent side.

Completely disagree. It'll be tough, but it's clearly possible. Two massive fuckups tonight have given them a big lead but we've had more than enough chances to score ourselves. From what I've seen, 3-1 is nothing like impossible for you to turn around.