brummie

Surely it only reduces the wages cost if there are people prepared to take the players on big money away from you. I'd imagine Duff, say, is on a fair whack, but how many takers would there be for him? You're right about the other stuff, mind, the parachute payments help massively.

Absoluely agree. I;ve said it here loads of times, but we are absolutely light years off 4th at the moment. for most of the game today, we didn't look like a top ten team, let alone a top four one. Recently we've been thoroughly outplayed by Blackburn, Boro and some Slovakian no-marks. We're miles off it. I'm still enjoying it, though.

Them's the breaks, them's the breaks. (you're right, mind)

Ridiculous. That's easily the worst we have played this season, easily. A draw would have flattered us, but since we've had MON one thing which has been constant is that we never, ever give up. Also, Ashley Young has been poor all season. I really don't think many non Villans realise that.

No way did we deserve even a point from that, that's easily the worst we've played all season. When things are going well, they go well.

Three words. 1. Holy 2. Fucking. 3. Shit.

What a lovely goal.

The Germans have crossed the Polish border! Liverpool type goal. You could see Kuyt getting something like that. Ah! I see what you meant now. Yes, absolutely. Liverpool are the cakiest team on earth.

The Germans have crossed the Polish border!

This is an unbelievable game.

If O'Leary goes there, I feel really bad for them (in as much as one can express solidarity with them on here), but you know what I mean.

Ha ha.

True fact. Zilina drew with Prague today. If Hamburg win or draw (0-0 at HT), Villa are through, with two games to play. Bit silly.

I wouldn't. It takes a lot more than that. Namely, time.

Yup. I imagine we'll go all out to flog him in January. As a result we'll be lucky to get £7m. Surely if he's a free agent in the summer, you'll get nowhere near 7m for him in January?

Thought we were ok in the second half. Good to see us not gift them 3 points as usual. I hate this fixture. I never go to it.

A few observations. 1. That sounds shit. 2. 50 Cent is a cunt. 3. Ashley Cole is a cunt. 4. Rio Ferdinand is the biggest cunt of the lot.

In times gone by, when they were in the top flight, QPR consistently brought the smallest numbers. 150 or so. Mind you, this was in the 1980s, when lots of clubs would take a few hundred.

In fairness, they didn't sit at our place. The weirdest example we see of decent numbers but large scale sitting is Everton, who always seem to sit. Really odd. I'm not really a fan of the situation viz a viz standing at the moment (worst of both worlds) but I really can't remember the last time I went to an away game and sat.

Liverpool's away support seems to have a much higher quota of jester hat wearing, once a season southerners than Man United's does.

I like Chelseas away fans if the tickets get in the right hands if not it's full of mongs. Chelsea's fans were better in the 1980s when there'd be 500 of them. There'd at least be 500 who cared. Not like nowadays. They've failed to sell 3000 tickets at our place the last three years at least. That's not really that impressive, considering how many kids you see around in Chelsea shirts, and the level of consistent success they've had of late.

It doesn't help when we have to play at Newcastle on a week day night. The performance didn't help, either. I'd say that the best away supporters I've seen at Villa Park for a while were Ajax. Although apparently they did a fair amount of damage in the ground, ripped seats out etc etc, they were really noisy and kept on the whole match. Man United, loathe them though I do, are consistently the loudest. Spurs aren't too bad, either. Newcastle were noisy until we went ahead then lost interest. Special mentions for being shit - Everton (lots of them, but they sit in silence), Man City (three choruses of Blue Moon then nothing), and Liverpool, who were silent. Sunderland, you won't want to hear, are consistently good, but has there ever been a club whose fans talk about what great crowds they get and how many they take away more than they do?

Downing was our best player, I thought, along with Carrick.

whats your opinion on the falling crowds then ? Mine is that its down to the apathy, lack of positive direction and and the knowledge that we have owners that have zero ambition. Isn't that what the thread is about, or are you like melanchronic and only want to take part in debates that you agree with ? Not in any way connected with the current harsh economic situation? I'm not disputing any of the reasons you put forward (I'm not qualified to do so, and thus wouldn't try) but football doesn't exist in a vacuum.

To be honest, I think he's been right to hold off on Agbonlahor for a while. He's got a long way to go yet.