What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

[TheNonFlyingFrenchman]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Hilarious moment of the game : Guzan striking his post having been unable to stop properly the cheekily-taken pen from Cazorla, in spite of having taken the excellent decision to stay in the middle.

Otherwise yes, Villa are awful, cannot deal with fast-paced breaks, and show absolutely nothing when they go forward.

By the way, Giroud is once again absolutely brilliant in his link-up play. Not content to get a few goals for himself he really brings others into play.

[Nocturnal Submission]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Rogin the Armchair Fan wrote: It's not that surprising when you recognise that for decades, Manchester United had a scouting network second to none in the world. Sammy McIlroy and Arthur Albiston presumably count as having come "through United's youth system", as both were signed before they were 16, and between them probably account for many of the games in the 1970s and 1980s that are ticked on that list. They were born in Belfast and Edinburgh, respectively. David Beckham had never seen a hotpot before they signed him, either.

I'm no expert on the club's early years, but it's odd that, until recently, few of the clubs greats have been Mancunians or even from the area. Best, Charlton, Law, er, Cantona - none of them are or were from within 100 miles of Old Trafford. Even Duncan Edwards was from Dudley, wasn't he.

[Cesar Rodriguez]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

The Bean Counter wrote: Berba makes a good point though about the size of modern match day squads. Would this have been rarer back in the day?

No because back in the day teams almost always featured someone in the starting XI who had come through the clubs ranks.

[Eggchaser]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Jah Womble wrote: Accomplished performance by the Arse, I'll admit - but how ****ing dreadful are Aston Villa? With just eleven goals from 23, how have they even won five matches this season?

I mean, at least QPR give their fans 'something' for their hard-earned.

Villa fans just saw five perfectly good goals. What are they complaining about?

[ursus arctos]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Manchester United had a scouting network second to none in the world.

For "world", read "British Isles".

[Borracho]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Jah Womble wrote: With just eleven goals from 23

I have to admit that I thought this was some sort of a mistake, so I went and checked it for myself. It's true. Less than half a goal a game.

I loved Lambert as a player, but if I were a Villa fan I'd want his head on a pike.

[EIM]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Green Calx wrote: Arsenal 5-0 Villa

Villa have now scored two goals in their last nine away games. God help their travelling supporters.

Lambert must be a goner soon, surely.

*gooner

[Borracho]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Speaking of which, is it possible for a photograph to be more Arsenalish than this one?

[Sam]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Cesar Rodriguez wrote:

Berba makes a good point though about the size of modern match day squads. Would this have been rarer back in the day?

No because back in the day teams almost always featured someone in the starting XI who had come through the clubs ranks.

Exactly. That stat got waved about a bit on Twitter at the start of the season, I think when Jonny Evans got injured, as it looked like the run was coming to an end (Tyler Blackett and James Wilson kept it going). But on reflection the bit I find most surprising is that by implication, Manchester United played a match during the mid-1930s in which none of their squad had come through their academy. Are we sure that bit is correct?

[Nefertiti2]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

You really dislike Arsenal, don't you. Still glad you've found something to comment on apart from how poor Villa were.

Özil's baby niece, Mira, was there. He's making her initial with his hand.

For those of you who can admire good football rather than sneering- how long have you been looking for that picture, I wonder?

here's his assist for Giroud's
Opener

And here's his finish

As well as scoring 5 arsenal hit the woodwork twice and had one flagged very late for offside. It was considerably closer than Va persie's first goal yesterday.

[Borracho]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Nefertiti2 wrote: You really dislike Arsenal, don't you. Still glad you've found something to comment on apart from how poor Villa were.

Özil's baby niece, Mira, was there. He's making her initial with his hand.

For those of you who can admire good football

here's his assist for Giroud's
Opener

And here's his finish

As well as scoring 5 arsenal hit the woodwork twice and had one flagged very late for offside. It was considerably closer than Va persie's first goal yesterday.

You must be the most dessicated, most humourless dry shite on the entire board.

[Nefertiti2]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

I think you won that a long time ago. Since Manchester United entered their decline the board is almost drowning in the bile crossing the Irish Sea.

It's almost enough to make one hope your club qualifies for Champions League football again so you'll be able to rediscover some joy in football instead of spending your Sunday scouring the web for photos of Mesut özil celebrating because you think they're "Arsenalish".

But not quite

[KGR]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

The-Reverend wrote:

I was a Rams season ticket holder that season.

Noteable highlights for me:

*From memory we went about 2 months without scoring a goal at home.
*Getting Compos for Man City away and being chucked out for not celebrating Citys goal at half-time, not being able to find car, meaning we eventually found it about 11:30pm
* Celebrating phantom goals against Villa at home
*Deciding to miss one home game all season as it was on that new fangled Setanta, guess which one it was? Yup, our solitary win

Still, my second favourite season though, after our Second Division title win in 87, there was just something utterly brilliant about seeing the car crash unfurl in front of us.

Still lasted 2 more seasons before I decided to stop watching league football.

Hello The-Reverend. Not noticed you before, so a belated welcome to the board from me.

What was the final straw to your watching of league football?

[Calvert]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

What's Flamini doing in that photo?
Has he completely misunderstood the niece situation and thought Mesut was going for the rock, scissors, paper game, or is he just a badass gangsta?

[Borracho]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Nefertiti2 wrote: I think you won that a long time ago. Since Manchester United entered their decline the board is almost drowning in the bile crossing the Irish Sea.

It's almost enough to make one hope your club qualifies for Champions League football again so you'll be able to rediscover some joy in football instead of spending your Sunday scouring the web for photos of Mesut özil celebrating because you think they're "Arsenalish".

But not quite

You're an awful fool.

[DCI Harry Batt]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

(What is "Arsenalish" about that photo?)

[Nefertiti2]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

TonTon wrote: (What is "Arsenalish" about that photo?)

I presume Mr Calx thinks it's effete, but I doubt he'll have the guts to say so.

[Nocturnal Submission]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Calvert wrote: What's Flamini doing in that photo?
Has he completely misunderstood the niece situation and thought Mesut was going for the rock, scissors, paper game, or is he just a badass gangsta?

Looks like he miming cutting the umbilical cord.

Must be a very good friend of the family.

[EIM]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Nocturnal Submission wrote:

It's not that surprising when you recognise that for decades, Manchester United had a scouting network second to none in the world. Sammy McIlroy and Arthur Albiston presumably count as having come "through United's youth system", as both were signed before they were 16, and between them probably account for many of the games in the 1970s and 1980s that are ticked on that list. They were born in Belfast and Edinburgh, respectively. David Beckham had never seen a hotpot before they signed him, either.

I'm no expert on the club's early years, but it's odd that, until recently, few of the clubs greats have been Mancunians or even from the area. Best, Charlton, Law, er, Cantona - none of them are or were from within 100 miles of Old Trafford. Even Duncan Edwards was from Dudley, wasn't he.

It's in the city's mentality and DNA, isn't it? The Mancunian players - Scholes, Butt, Remi Moses, Nobby Stiles, Brian Kidd and the rest - they're all game grafters, happy to shun the limelight, and let flash cockneys and foreigners have the glory. Comes from being a working-class, industrial, immigrant city. Keep your head down, nose clean, and get your shit done with the minimum fuss. It's why the Gallghers are reviled up here except by students and yonners.

There's nothing to back this up, of course, save my degree in fronting on nowt from Salford Poly, but it seemed like the sort of post I should reply to, and at 5.05am there's very little else I can be doing.

[The-Reverend]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Kryvbas Gripper Rih wrote:

I was a Rams season ticket holder that season.

Noteable highlights for me:

*From memory we went about 2 months without scoring a goal at home.
*Getting Compos for Man City away and being chucked out for not celebrating Citys goal at half-time, not being able to find car, meaning we eventually found it about 11:30pm
* Celebrating phantom goals against Villa at home
*Deciding to miss one home game all season as it was on that new fangled Setanta, guess which one it was? Yup, our solitary win

Still, my second favourite season though, after our Second Division title win in 87, there was just something utterly brilliant about seeing the car crash unfurl in front of us.

Still lasted 2 more seasons before I decided to stop watching league football.

Hello The-Reverend. Not noticed you before, so a belated welcome to the board from me.

What was the final straw to your watching of league football?

Thanks, not been here long.

Well apart from the cost issues I can only put it down to apathy. I can remember the day vividly, we were due to play Barnsley and I had met up with my old man for a coffee on Sadler Gate in the city centre, it was cold and we were playing turgid stuff. I just turned to him and said "you know what, I can't be arsed to go today" he said that he felt the same, a mate of mine was passing and I asked him if he wanted my ticket he said he did, so I left it with him and have not been back since.

My decision was justified (in my mind at least) when just after Dougherty died we played Forest and our lot were singing about his death, I'm no prude or old fogey but I genuinely want no part of that. See also our recent assault on Forest players.

My old man does some work at Belper Town now he's retired, so I go and watch them or my old team Mickleover Sports instead, as I know people there and find it more social.

[Mr Beast]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Green Calx wrote:

With just eleven goals from 23

I have to admit that I thought this was some sort of a mistake, so I went and checked it for myself. It's true. Less than half a goal a game.

I loved Lambert as a player, but if I were a Villa fan I'd want his head on a pike.

Most Villa fans do, but we have a completely disinterested owner and a shiny new chief executive - clearly cut from the same cloth - who described criticism of Lambert as a "false narrative." The fucking prick.

12 points from last 19 games. No wins in 8 games. No goals in 6 games. 11 league goals all season. A new 4 year deal for Lambert at the start of the season based on fuck knows what. A zombie club who won't be sold because the owner has a completely unrealistic valuation of what he has made it worth and it'll be worth a lot less in a lower division.

Lambert evidently has absolutely no idea of how to turn this situation around and at any other club in any other league he would have been gone months ago and his reputation and Villa would have been better for it.

[KGR]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Mr Beast wrote:

With just eleven goals from 23

I have to admit that I thought this was some sort of a mistake, so I went and checked it for myself. It's true. Less than half a goal a game.

I loved Lambert as a player, but if I were a Villa fan I'd want his head on a pike.

Most Villa fans do, but we have a completely disinterested owner and a shiny new chief executive - clearly cut from the same cloth - who described criticism of Lambert as a "false narrative." The fucking prick.

12 points from last 19 games. No wins in 8 games. No goals in 6 games. 11 league goals all season. A new 4 year deal for Lambert at the start of the season based on fuck knows what. A zombie club who won't be sold because the owner has a completely unrealistic valuation of what he has made it worth and it'll be worth a lot less in a lower division.

That last sentence could also apply to your beloved neighbours in Blue.

It's a pity both sets of fans are so one-eyed that they don't, you know, put their heads together to work out how they can get things changed in both boardrooms. But that would mean putting petty grievances aside for the greater good of the whole city, so that would never do.

I ought to be laughing about Villa's current demise, but it's so desperate at St Andrew's that I haven't the energy anymore. I'd probably be accused of 'not being loyal' or some such bullshit if I mentioned that out loud within hearing distance of the average Bluenose.

I even got accused of being 'not a proper fan' because I dared to criticise Rowett's team selection in the FA Cup last week.

Anyway, back to Villa. Have to tip my hat to those fans who still turn up in very decent numbers when they know that they'll continue to be disappointed. For those like Mr Beast, I hope it turns for you.

[Mr Beast]

What, no cryptic title? Weekend football thread...

Villa have suffered from rank boardroom incompetence for some time, but what has happened to Birmingham is a crime. And the manner in which successive football authorities have down nothing about it and continue to do nothing about it also ought to be a crime. But with Ken Bates's protégé having risen through the slime to become chief executive of the football league I expect no less.