Comments for We're 7th in the Premier League, time for some perspective at http://www.avfcblog.com , comment 1 to 25 out of 20 comments http://www.avfcblog.com Mon, 12 May 2008 09:47:02 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18300 Anthony-Daventry may very well be spot on but it really may be a case of Martin O'Neill wanting to get the right players in. I can see both sides, one more than the other though. I'd also go so far as to say that if Mr Lerner wanted to sell Villa today he'd probably profit; mostly because I'd even go so far to say that the club has done more than break even, when you factor in increased TV money and gate revenue. All this talk is nice and General Krulak saying over and over again that 'actions speak louder than words' and that 'money is available' are just words. He's doing pretty much everything he does for PR reasons and is nothing more than a glorified puppet. It really does come down to this summer for some. - Damian Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:47:12 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18289 As already been said we would all like AV to be in the top four and for it to happen immediately. MON has again managed to bring out the best of a set of average Premier players however to push on he must spend. I have to still believe that RL will dip into his pocket and we will land some quality players. I go back to when MON first joined AV. Ellis was in charge. Now, it is a common held belief/fact that MON joined on the understanding that Ellis was out of the door and RL was in. Also I have to believe that MON joined because that there would be substantial transfer funds available. With MON having the authority and responsibility as to when and where these funds will be spent. If substantial funds are not spent this Summer we could well be looking at a new manager. Why? 1. MON is a winner and there is no way he would have joined AV unless substantial funds were promised. 2. I can understand why quality money has not been spent to date and positive arguments that I agree with have been made on this site. 3. I have been able to see the development of the Team over the last 2 seasons however MON must know that even with all his powers of motivation he cannot move any higher up the league with this quality of football. 3. No funds spent means to me that RL has made broken promises to MON. 4. Therefore MON will be off. 5. If MON stays and and no funds spent it means to me that we have all been conned by both RL & MON. 6. The AV Season Ticket holders and next season's attendances will talk with their feet. - Holte1970 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:52:34 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18279 Testing from support. :o - azrul Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:54:42 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18278 testing comments from support. - azrul Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:54:02 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18271 Well said, Damian. Couldn't see the match, couldn't believe the scoreline, knew the moaning that would follow. Of course I'm disappointed. But it comes down to the players, and I think there's a genuine lack of belief in them. Of course, one can lay everything a the manager's feet ultimately. But in each match where Villa have faced an inferior opponent since Christmas, they've played down to them. And that's simply the players' own lack of self-belief. If I were MON, I'd simply tell the lads: Look, I've given everyone a long run, my full backing. We'll be spending in the summer. You're playing for your place in Villa's future and the EPL. So, if you want to have a future here, you need to find a way to beat Fulham, Sunderland, etc. You have to play harder, seize the initiative, dictate the game. If you can't manage that against lesser foes, however well motivated they are, you won't be here. Oh, and I'd tell Carson that it nice was getting to know him, but he's not worth 10 million dollars, let alone pounds. - kohoutek Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:13:35 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18256 sorry to be a moaner, but I think MON has gotta take some of the blame here. At the end of last season we knew we never had a rightback, then we started this season still without a right back, we have gone through january still without a right back and people are now saying that gardner is playing crap ! well he ain't playing well that's for sure, but to be fair to him he ain't a right back, so for me MON should take the blame for this, and considering we are supposed to have all this money if you look at the calibre of his signings i.e. petrov, knight, harewood, routledge and ( confidence shot ) carson I'm still waiting to see some quality come in, although carew for idle arse baros was a great swap. I don't know what it is with carson but he never looks like he is enjoying playing, he looks like billy no-mates to me. - pedropete Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:39:41 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18246 My position is the same as it's always been: the team is clearly better than it was two years ago. I think it's more a question of whether we'll keep progressing, and we won't find out until next year. I think it's ridiculous that we were fighting relegation last year, and this year we were fighting for a Champions League spot, yet people are still acting like we should be looking for a new manager. Again, I agree with Damian. See what happens this summer. - jeremiaswodo Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:07:09 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18240 Taglor, I keep saying it, you're needed in the Forum. - nan was a fan Sun, 23 Mar 2008 21:05:51 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18237 Had a drink last night mate so feel a bit cloudy, and to be fair rain is my favourite weather and I get Wednesdays off work lol - taglor Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:49:08 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18236 Taglor, have you been drinking? - nan was a fan Sun, 23 Mar 2008 20:36:24 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18231 im convinced we will finish 9th, but i agree that its still progress and we are miles better off than the awful football we played under oleary id like to see gabby be brought back down and harewood actually given a proper chance, plus some more youth team players amking the breakthrough and anthony daventry - dont be too harsh on randy, at least he hasnt merged his debt with the clubs, like every other yank owner, remember doug? you cant honestly say that we arent better off - brett Sun, 23 Mar 2008 19:08:12 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18227 I quite like rainy windy Wednesday afternoons.. - Mick70 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:28:48 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18225 I was glad to see the following words attributed to MON - 'I have to rectify it'. He knows that we are underachieving of late, and he knows he has gambled with transfers (and lack of transfers) in the past 20 months, and on the balance of things he is doing better than can be expected - if Spurs weren't so bad this at the start of the season, and Man City hadn't hit the skids last month we would be yet again be in mid-table mediocrity. - olof the other reindeer Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:13:33 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18224 I can also see it from that perspective Damian and maybe I am being a bit to eager for mass change, I guess I'm really gutted we have lost our chance now and I may be over reacting. Maybe your right and I just need to see how it all pans out this summer and then take it from there, I mean statistically we can still qualify dependant on results and apart from knowing who the top 4 are every year other results are less clear to predict. I am still behind them now and will cheer for the rest of the season and if the summer is wasted I can open my big gob again lol - taglor Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:55:23 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18218 I'd love for us to make signings as soon as the transfer window opens but I just can't see it happening. I don't think MON is going to change his transfer methods. Think we're all just going to have to be really patient (again). - EddyG87 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:56:43 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18211 Yes Damian. Get back in your boxes again 'agree squad'. Yesterday was your moment, now let's get back on track. - nan was a fan Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:23:51 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18210 There appears to be a common theme surounding the clubs progress which is "when Villa eventually tap in to the millions of pounds buring a whole is MON's pocket".....etc After 2 years at the club and 4 transfer windown Mr Lerner has still got you fooled - firstly he can never be held accountable for communications about transfer activity as he simply doesnt communicate, never has the club placed a measurement on how to quantify the level of investment - we are simply lead to believe through the media that substantial funds are available. Substantial funds are not available, if so MON would have purchased players of a higher quality and not had to rely on loan deals due to a shorfall in capital investment. Lerner purchased the club with a contractual obligation to invest 20m in year 1 - remember that the end of year 1 was sumer 2007 and therefore only 20m in total was invested between 2005 and 2007. All other transfer activity has been netted out with 14m income via players leaving the club with the smallest squad in the premiership, with the contractual cancellation of Angel, Hendrie, Djemba the books are totally balanced - TOTALLY BALANCED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wake up - Aston Villa has been purchased by a business man who will want a return on his investment, the fact that MON has been on board with Mr Lerner from day 1 and has no contractual obligation to the club indicates that he is rewarded for managing in this way, basically the same as a stake holder (shares) - this is the hard truth and the reason why we feel so much dissapointment, we have been sold a dream by the media via the club which is shocking and the recently departed board member (only 12 months in the role) was clearly sold the same dummy as us all. - Anthony-Daventry Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:11:00 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18208 This summer is the proof of the pudding. If we spend serious money - we're approaching year 3 of this Coronation Street-like plan - on players of quality, showing knowledge of the world market rather than picking up for silly money overrated British players (see Reo-Coker and Knight) we may stand a chance to move forward. No more excuses, no more cautiousness. Villa have the history, the set-up and the following to justify a faster development we are witnessing at present. No more bull, it's cheque book out for at least 5 top quality players (no not Ronaldinho or Messi, before some genius misunderstands, there are good players out there without buying from Barcelona or AC Milan so let go of that old chestnut). We have the youngsters, we have a couple of decent internationals, now we need a stronger backbone. Let's see if the money's really there, at last. - Mick70 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:04:36 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18207 yup, i almost completely agree damian. realistic and objective. - villafandan Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:47:30 +0100 http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2269/70/#comment-18202 Ooops my Bad. when u use IE7 to magnify the screen it goes out of shape :$ - Top_6_Villa Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:20:14 +0100