brummie

someone probably already said it but your not including away draws at stamford bridge and emirates stadium As well as missing the all-crucial point that exactly the same squad last year would not have got any of those results.

Delaney is the most injury prone player on earth. To Dyeresque levels, really. Most Villa fans will be happy with top half this season. We were doomed to relegation not so long ago, lest we forget.

Ridgewell hadnt impressed anyone until this season, but thus far has been nothing short of awesome. Him and McCann are the two best examples of MON improving players hugely. Barry has been consistently good for a long time now and has been excellent this season, too. We did have a three man attack, Agbonlahor and Luke Moore (these two are incredible prospects) and Angel in the middle which worked excellently. then Moore got injured and Baros was brought in. He's still struggling for fitness to be honest. I wouldn't swap Agbonlahor and Moore for anyone, to be honest, they're both so promising and pacey, but I'd glady see Baros go, and Angel replaced too (more reluctantly). This will happen in Jan if the right people are available. I wouldn't want to replace them with Martins, though (assuming the price was as it was). That's not to say he isn't an exciting prospect, he is. Just that the kind of striker we need is the kind who will start scoring goals straight away. Much like you.

I think that's debatable. O'Dreary made a half decent squad look rubbish last year. The only Newcastle players I'd put into the Villa side would be N'Zogbia, Parker, Given and Milner. And obv a fit Owen, but such a thing doesn't exist. I certainly wouldn't take any of your defenders. The last time we did that, it was Hughes, and you're more than welcome to have him back. Overall, I'd say the Newcastle and Villa squads are both average to decent, but really nothing to write home about. The difference is, Roeder doesn't seem to have the first idea how to get the best out of them. Watching him motionless on the touchline yesterday was spookily reminiscent of watching O'Leary last year. Each to their own, I reckon I would probably take Mellberg, Bouma (possibly), Laursen (if he stayed fit, doubt it) and that young striker of yours. As you have pointed out Hughes isnt much very good, would take Taylor over Ridgewell. You wouldnt take Duff, Martins and Emre? Wouldnt take Ridgewell? He's been the best of the defenders so far this season by far, and was top defender in the country in those Actim stat things, at least until this week. Bouma has hardly played. And what about Gareth Barry? Where does Taylor play? If it is at right back, I'd take him to replace Hughes, who is utterly dire. I wouldn't take Emre, no. Certainly not if the choice were between him an Petrov. Assuming there is some cost element involved, I would certainly not take Martins - 10m for a bit of promise? Duff I would have taken prior to this season. Believe it or not, probably our best player this season has been McCann, who has been absolutely awesome (his injury has coincided with our loss of form). But obv, he's a former mackem so I wouldn't expect you to take him ;-)

I think that's debatable. O'Dreary made a half decent squad look rubbish last year. The only Newcastle players I'd consider putting into the Villa side would be N'Zogbia, Parker (maybe), Given and Milner. And obv a fit Owen, but such a thing doesn't exist. I certainly wouldn't take any of your defenders. The last time we did that, it was Hughes, and you're more than welcome to have him back. You're right about strikers, though. Neither team seems to possess someone capable of hitting a barn door at the moment. Overall, I'd say the Newcastle and Villa squads are both average to decent, but really nothing to write home about. The difference is, Roeder doesn't seem to have the first idea how to get the best out of them. Watching him motionless on the touchline yesterday was spookily reminiscent of watching O'Leary last year, with the exception that O'Leary's expression was usually one of utter indifference, whereas Roeder comes across as being transfixed by fear.

There's no point explaining this to you, BlufPurdi made all the points very clearly in the post above, but I wonder how much of your slightly odd view of MON is actually down to the fact MON is Villa's saviour and not Newcastle's?

D'you think he's "lost interest" post the transfer deadline day shenannigans?

What is the modest transfer budget? Well, it's only paper talk, I suppose, but I've seen things like £20m mentioned at various points since he took over. Either way, what I'm trying to get at is, if you're a team like Villa, looking to break into the top tier you're going to need to spend a lot of money. I rate O'Neill's skills to get the best out of everyone highly, but I don't think he can acheive that. Fair enough, but surely if Lerner is prepared to fund MON to the tune of, say, 100m (figure plucked from the air), he's hardly going to shout about it, is he? We're already getting (over the top) "new Chelsea" comments, we're going to get fleeced every time we go for a player. FWIW, I think this season will be about consolidation, I don't think he'll spend a lot in January, not because the cash isnt there, but because it is much harder to get players in Jan than it is in August. Going back to the original thrust of the thread though, only a blind man could deny that what he has done thus far has been nothing short of phenomenal, and if we are going to have a crack at breaking into the "elite", then him as manager and Lerner as chairman is pretty much the ideal combination to have.

What is the modest transfer budget?

Which is quite an achievement having played at least half the season with a SMALLER squad than O'Dreary had. If you'd laid out Roeder's results so far and said they were MON's, how many people would believe that?

Yes, he's rubbish isn't he? Only remaining unbeaten until the end of October, what a muppet! Incidentally, did any of you watch this match? Liverpool were awesome in the first half, very impressive. Second half was more evenly balanced.

You need to get a grip. If most of us (ie other clubs) had put up with the shit you've put up with, there'd be nobody left to watch, end of.

Freddy LOVES the Toon blueyes.gif Actually - that's an interesting point. In theory, at least, haven't you already *got* the local boy done good running the club?

Were we, are we open to offers ? first I have heard of that. Fair point on the last point. Apologies, I didn't mean to put it so literally, what i actually meant was believed to be receptive to offers - much like West Ham talking to potential buyers / FS talking to Belgravia. FS will only sell if he wants to, I guess, much as Ellis only sold due to being at death's door, he beat decades of protesting fans without breaking sweat.

I detect a touch of jealousy, Skirge. So, if there are three clubs which everyone knows are open to offers, and Lerner looks at them all, and rejects the ones with debt, and chooses the one with no debt, that makes it his third choice, does it? That's bizarre logic. Ignore Ellis, his number one priority has always been, and always will be, to promote Doug Ellis As for whether Lerner will be a good chairman, well so far, very good. A few examples - his right hand man on the board (General Krulak, former head of the US Marine Corps - how fucked up is that?) has been down in the Holte End several times during matches, meeting fans and listening to concerns, has called in the main fanzines to talk to him at Villa Park, and actually posts on one of the fanzine's boards (verified as him by the editor who met him at Villa Park). How many clubs have board members that do that? Within one week of the takeover going through (the next day, in fact) he had the building work on the new training facilities restarted after Ellis mothballed it for lack of money. Also on the board is Bob Kain, founder, president and former CEO of IMG group, which is probably something to do with why we're currently in talks with "a local multinational" (rumour is Cadburys) over a 100m sponsorship deal - this will be over several years obviously, and does *not* include ground naming rights. Again, confirmed from the board to the fans. He's also resurrected plans to rebuild the North Stand end of the ground - this is good news for you lot as it means you'll have more room to maneouvre to take your shoes / shirts off on your once a year visit in the future. He has also made it absolutely clear that this wasnt an "I've always loved the Villa" purchase. He does love football, which he developed during his time spent in the UK, both as a student and with MBNA. Yes, he obviously saw us as undervalued - £64m is peanuts, and thought he could make the figures stack up, but there are far easier ways for an already wealthy man to make more money than football. The new board have gone out of their way to make it absolutely clear that they are in it for the long haul - he has also spoken several times of how he understands sport and the way it makes a difference to peoples' lives. He seems a very humble bloke - avoids publicity, most of the time he actually sits on the steps of the stand with his kids rather than in the directors box. He's not going to be like Abrahmovich and spend stupidly, and we don't want that, but he IS extremely wealthy. His personal wealth is only around the 2bn mark, but he is managing his family's trust, and the family is worth more like 8bn). Oh, and anyone who thinks MON would have come here had he not known Lerner was on his way in to replace Ellis is kidding themselves. I really hope the Toon are as lucky as we are, that you get as lucky as we were with the new board when you get shot of FFS, you deserve it too.

No, but the cancer which has seen him have six operations in two years and his age (82) aren't suggesting "reading really long books" as a suitable hobby to take up in his retirement.

I think the selecting the team stuff has been overdone. I'm no Ellis fan, but even I wouldnt believe that. As for ignoring the fans, he specialised in that, though. And he only sold because he's clearly not long for this planet.

OMG! URE OBSSSESSD WITH OTHER TEAMSS!!!!11!! Not usually, just the new chelsea! Hardly.

OMG! URE OBSSSESSD WITH OTHER TEAMSS!!!!11!!

I don't understand why so many people throw fits about supporters of other teams having even a passing interest in what goes on at their club. Nor me. Trolling, yes. Generally positive contribution? *shrug*

It just doesn't cut it any more. There's nothing to moan about now we never lose. except for always drawing

There was a thread about this a while back, and I'd have tagged this on there but can't find it. Thought it might be of interest. Bit from article in the local press down here re Ellis selling to Lerner... http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/page.cfm?objectid=17993758&method=full&siteid=50002 So maybe your hated chairman actually is worse than our old one ....

i think I'm even more chuffed at the West Ham result. couldn't happen to a more loathesome, odious set of fans.

Good innit? I fancy our chances of winning that cup, yet again. Now if only we could manage the proper cup .....

I'm sure I saw an interview with Beckham a couple of months ago, where he spoke at length about the fact that the only English club he would even consider playing for would be Man United (which obv isn't going to happen). He'll move to the States.