The Footie Thread

[Aztecs27]

How did JWP do? I'm willing to wager he will level the Beckham free kick record for you .. everytime he lined one up for us the pundits would mention the record as the ball narrowly missed.

I say his goal from a corner leveled it...was a "free kick" but no doubt will score a few for you guys

He was really really good. Put it this way, we have lost two of our best midfielders to injury already this season, and for the first time since we were promoted, I’m not seeing a drop off in quality with the other options we have.

I’m still perplexed how we managed to get him on loan to be honest. He controlled the midfield wonderfully and having dead balls delivered that beat the first man was a novelty

 

[Don Barzini]

How did JWP do? I'm willing to wager he will level the Beckham free kick record for you .. everytime he lined one up for us the pundits would mention the record as the ball narrowly missed.

I say his goal from a corner leveled it...was a "free kick" but no doubt will score a few for you guys

Impressively helped control the midfield as per Nuno’s instructions and did well on the tackling/interception stats.

Excited to see what more he can do. I think maybe some people view him as a one trick pony, but that does him a disservice. No doubt though, it’s great that we have him as an option for dead ball situations as it’s certainly an area we’ve been a bit toothless in for the last couple of seasons.

I hear that Lopetegui just didn’t fancy him and made it clear he wasn’t part of his plans. That true? Shame for him if so, but it’s our gain certainly.

 

[PJ87]

Impressively helped control the midfield as per Nuno’s instructions and did well on the tackling/interception stats.

Excited to see what more he can do. I think maybe some people view him as a one trick pony, but that does him a disservice. No doubt though, it’s great that we have him as an option for dead ball situations as it’s certainly an area we’ve been a bit toothless in for the last couple of seasons.

I hear that Lopetegui just didn’t fancy him and made it clear he wasn’t part of his plans. That true? Shame for him if so, but it’s our gain certainly.

So many of our fans think he a one trick pony.. he would ,imo, been perfect under j-lo for that 3rd man in midfield but early season he has favoured soucek

So with paquata, soler now and soucek being in front of him for that 3rd place I believe he was given the option to leave

One of them where would like to have around but without Europa league etc he is going to be frustrated on the sidelines

I think he would have been great to offer.. our set pieces look awful without him now

Ironically at the weekend we looked awful first half with that 3 man midfield, if JWP had been in for soucek the passing to the front 3 would have been crisp and it would have worked more.

 

[Bdill93]

Absolutely buzzing to see the Villa boys walk out tonight to the champions league music!

First game of the campaign, away to Young Boys, a nice start to be fair! Fingers crossed we walk away with 3 points!

Aston Villa in the champions league is still an absolute dream, cannot wait for it!

 

[Swango1980]

Absolutely buzzing to see the Villa boys walk out tonight to the champions league music!

First game of the campaign, away to Young Boys, a nice start to be fair! Fingers crossed we walk away with 3 points!

Aston Villa in the champions league is still an absolute dream, cannot wait for it!

Nice early kick off tonight, something to look forward to as soon as I get in after work.

As much as it's worth, I'll be rooting for Villa in the Champions League this year. The only drawback to this is how even more unbearable Gabby Agbonlahor will become.

 

[Bdill93]

Nice early kick off tonight, something to look forward to as soon as I get in after work.

As much as it's worth, I'll be rooting for Villa in the Champions League this year. The only drawback to this is how even more unbearable Gabby Agbonlahor will become.

Leave Gabby alone hes the only pundit who champions the Villa. Everyone else is basically an old united or Liverpool player who literally look silly when discussing Villa - they clearly don't watch us!

I admit, he says so much to wind up other fans etc but that's literally his job.

We appreciate your support and hope not to disappoint! I don't expect a walk in the park against anyone but we have a year of "european" football under our belts from last year so the transition should be a bit easier than before.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Absolutely buzzing to see the Villa boys walk out tonight to the champions league music!

First game of the campaign, away to Young Boys, a nice start to be fair! Fingers crossed we walk away with 3 points!

Aston Villa in the champions league is still an absolute dream, cannot wait for it!

Will definitely have a tinge to it though with Gary Shaw passing. Hope they can produce a great performance as a suitable tribute

 

[Bdill93]

Will definitely have a tinge to it though with Gary Shaw passing. Hope they can produce a great performance as a suitable tribute

Fingers crossed!

His name will live on in the Holte End forever, its hung just above my head. "Shaw ventures down the left"

Gone but never forgotten, a Holte ender in the sky, our boys will sing for him tonight without a shadow of a doubt.

 

[Don Barzini]

Absolutely buzzing to see the Villa boys walk out tonight to the champions league music!

First game of the campaign, away to Young Boys, a nice start to be fair! Fingers crossed we walk away with 3 points!

Aston Villa in the champions league is still an absolute dream, cannot wait for it!

Good luck to Villa. It’s great to see an English team in the CL that isn’t one of the Protected Six. Hope you guys do well.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Absolutely buzzing to see the Villa boys walk out tonight to the champions league music!

First game of the campaign, away to Young Boys, a nice start to be fair! Fingers crossed we walk away with 3 points!

Aston Villa in the champions league is still an absolute dream, cannot wait for it!

I can see Villa doing well,don’t think you have to fear anyone.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Milan v Liverpool would have been a massive game years ago.
Champions league isn’t what it use to be imo.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Milan v Liverpool would have been a massive game years ago.
Champions league isn’t what it use to be imo.

It's overkill. The big teams playing each other is standard now, there is no novelty any more.

I haven't watched it for a good few years now, this year is no different.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's overkill. The big teams playing each other is standard now, there is no novelty any more.

I haven't watched it for a good few years now, this year is no different.

Was watching a documentary about when England "ruled" Europe with Forest, Villa and Liverpool all winning the CL and how it was solely the champions in a two legged knockout match drawn randomly. Seemed so long ago but seemed to throw up some interesting ties even at early stages. If you went deep in the competition you had to beat some very good sides. Now you can come second in a mediocre group or even third and drop down into another competiton

 

[Pin-seeker]

It's overkill. The big teams playing each other is standard now, there is no novelty any more.

I haven't watched it for a good few years now, this year is no different.

For me none of the “Big” European teams are what they were,other than Real or Bayern.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

For me none of the “Big” European teams are what they were,other than Real or Bayern.

Italian teams just don't have the finances any more, how times have changed.......It's largely about big money now and that is largely in England, Spain, parts of Germany and PSG on their own in France. You get the odd rogue team, for one season, but otherwise things are fairly repetitive.

 

[Swango1980]

For me none of the “Big” European teams are what they were,other than Real or Bayern.

Well, I suppose the Premier League has caught up, and at times surpassed these other big leagues. I remember a time in the 90's that Premier League clubs were not close at all to some of the big Europeans. Italian league was so strong then, plus teams like Real Madrid, Bayern and Ajax were not too shabby.

Some of these European clubs are still massive, but in comparison to the clubs we watch week in, week out, they no longer feel invincible. The Premier League can also attract many of the top players, whereas back in the day all the mega stars seemed to be in Italy and Spain, more so than now anyway.

Also, as others have said, if the European Cup was only a small number of Europe's top sides, in knockout, those matches when they come feel special. A rare event. Whereas now, we see them play so many matches in Europe, we can see them get bad results against smaller clubs in the league format and still get through, etc, that it takes away some of the magic. European matches become like a fairly regular / common event these days, whereas before they felt more of a rare adventure.

 

[nickjdavis]

Yep...what you could once describe as a European Adventure is perhaps now, more of a European Commute.

 

[nickjdavis]

Early league table...

 

[Swango1980]

Not sure what camera angle VAR were looking at to disallow that goal, and give handball?

 

[Tashyboy]

Off to see City v Inter tomorrow night with the lad. It is in the Top 1 of all time games I have wanted to see live. Inter are my second fave club.
That said re Italian clubs. inter are a few folks dark horses for the champions league.
Forza Inter anche City.