Our expectations for our Aston Villa, Milner happy and so he should be, a Carew inspired goal for Gabby, Ashley doesn't make England squad despite player of the month status
Saturday, 11 October 08, 02:22 AM · Comments (52)
For the record, this is the longest ever post title on the blog and as such I think it needs something to get the banter flowing because all we've got at the moment is the World Cup 2010 qualifying that really isn't as interesting and as normal, I'm not doing it in the same order as I title it.
First off is Gabby scoring the winner for England U21's yesterday against the Welsh. It was Carew like in so much that Carew scored a similar goal against Sunderland the other day - maybe having an experienced player alongside Gabby is actually going to teach him something. I didn't watch the game but when I saw the highlights and the goal went in, I jumped - it wont' be long until he is picked for the full squad.
Talking of the full squad, Ashley Young is probably wondering what the hell he has to do to get into it. He's just picked up the player of the month award in a month that Capello spent a lot of time watching football picking the best players.
Well, according to Barclays he has been the best player for two of the last three months and Capello still hasn't seen the light so I guess it's just a case of having to get y9our head down and having to wait for it.
Talking about getting your head down, James Milner has said he's happy at Villa, sitting on the bench, as long as the club are winning. Well, so would I be if I was on the money he was on.
I'm not his biggest fan yet, although that can change and for all the money we paid for him I'd quite like someone with a little more desire to play football. Call me old fashioned if you want but isn't football about playing the game and not happily sitting on the bench?
I’d be delighted if we won every game with me sat on the bench. What’s important is being part of a massive club doing well on a number of fronts." - James Milner
Moving on again and with another nice link - old fashioned football views - what is going on with fan expectations? I saw a post over on Vital Villa this week about fan expectations for this season and most of the people that voted would take top four over an FA Cup win. Am I the only one that wonders what has happened to our supporters if that is actually the case?
Football isn't about finishing top four, it's about winning things and I'd happily have taken the Carling Cup this season over finishing in 4th place and I'd happily take the FA Cup too.
But that I guess is where the debate begins. When Lerner came in and his monkey said said the target is Champions League in five seasons it was bought; hook, line and sinker. When I first heard that, a little bit of my passion for Aston Villa died.
When you hear someone telling you that the target is to still be a loser in five season time you've got to be quite desperate for change, but are we really changing? What I mean is, if those poll results are true of all Aston Villa fans then what is the point in going forward?
Under Ellis we played in Europe five or six times in the 90's and if that is what everyone wants, why were so many so baffled with his leadership? It appears he did what the majority wanted.
This is not knocking anyone but if the majority just want top four then we'll get top four and we'll not move forward from that. We've got to want to win the league and demand it of our owner and not happily accept anything else.
I know it takes time and I know we're moving in the right direction and I'm happy with where we find ourselves as of right now, but I believe top four is possible this season (if we spend in January) and I'm going to want a revision to our 'five year plan' this summer - maybe even a new one.
Right, sorry for the long one this morning but I didn't post yesterday as it was mostly all the same garbage from the club site. They'll be more tomorrow though!
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In years gone by yes aiming for 4th was not good enough, but the way the PL is just getting to 4th is hard enough. As others have said, if we get into the Top 4 we will be able to attract a much higher quality of player and that will push us on. A FA or CC win would not really do that. More people around the world would take notice of us finishing in the Top 4 ahead of one of the Big 4 than us winning either of those cups.
Yes id rather win something for the day out and memorys but for the Villa cause it would probably be better for us to break into the Top 4.
Spurs won the carling cup last season. Did anyone care? No. It got them into Europe (Where they have two strikers btw, Campbell and Bent, hahaha) but they haven't kicked on and improved their position.
Last year was strange because only one of the four finalists from the cup competitions was from the 'Big 4', usually 3 or 4 of the finalists are from the 'Big 4' because they have the squad etc to deal with more than one competition (Chelsea finished 2 points of the winners of the league and were runners-up in two cup competitions).
Top 4 IS 3rd placed loser but if you get yourself up there and challenging you increase your profile, reputation. Some players will go to a club for mega-bucks others because they can see that the club is challenging and getting better.
Now which one is Spurs and which one is Villa?
Winning the Carling cup will look like F*** all if they are playing championship football next season.
Hitzlsperger
I'm not having a pop, just pointing something out. Two summers ago e few were saying we can't go after player x because we don't have european football .. now we have some are saying it's because we don't have Chmapions League - what next - we don't have automatic qualification. Man City got that Brazilian without Champions League and they were so so close to getting the goody Brazilian too...
Look at what O'Neill has just come out and said too - there is no five year plan!
I'm probably just old fashioned - I want us to be competing for hte league and yes I know it's not easy .. but if you're only working to top four then whats the point .. there surely must be a bigger plan than the garbage we get fed
A top 4 finish is all about the money you earn playing champions league football - nothing else. I would rather win the FA cup myself than finish fourth but the real money isnt earnt winning cup competitions.
Damien - don't get me started on Ellis! When did Villa qualify for the champions league under him? That man took what he could out of the club and never put 1 penny of his own money into it. That idiot sacked the Tony Barton, who won the european cup, and replaced him with the manager of Shrewsbury Town!!! Can you imagine Man Ure sacking Ferguson and giving the job to Paul Simpson? 
Milner was only saying that he isn't going to moan about not playing at the moment. As long as Villa keep winning he can understand that he must wait his time. Damien, I think you are misreading what was said.
I agree with Haines regarding Gabby. The kid has talent as his goal and man of the match performance for U21s shows. At Villa he knows he will play because the only real alternative is Harewood and MON has shown he doesn't see him as a first team regular. Look how well NRC and Petrov are playing because they know Milner and Sidwell are waiting to take their chances when they come. Competition up front is non-existant.
Ashley Young is my favourite player. He should be in the England squad and probably the team - no question. However, he wasn't Villa's best player last month let alone the league.
Its about progression.
If we achieve top 4 within 5 years we have progressed.
And also, with the extra revenue and profile of the champions league, will have a better chance of further progression.
Our aim is to CONTINUALLY progress, and a carling cup win is not a sign of progression, though as most fans would be happy to win it, our real target is to be a continuously competetive in the league.
milner is not a fool he knows the team is playing well . he also knows he will have 2 wait until some one has a bad day at the park. to me this is all good. for some one like milner to have 2 stay on the bench means we r starting to get depth in the squad the results and r current position in the leage shows that. but i think when he does get in he will take sum shifting so that means other players then have 2 up there anti all in all good 4 the club
g on! Topman
We all no what ashley does late on the night! Does he get any sleep! Seriously though we should focus on having a very good european run this year? We derserve something. 
i think we could have got a much better player for the 12 mill we spent on milner but i guess we will have to wait and see if he proves worth the money. 
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I'd love a top 4 finish this season but not because I think it is an achievement in its own right but it does mean we will be able to attract the type of player that we struggle to get now.
Damian, i think your comment about Milner is very much black and white and you have read to little into it.
of course the lad is desperate to play, you see it every time he comes off the bench, why would he want to cause a fuss early doors in his villa career by 'moaning' about being on the bench?
it would be a rash move when under Martin oneil and i should imagine that MON has already spoken to him regards his lack of starting berth.
Once again i will also mention whilst ranting!
Gabbys problem is not he's been starved of playing next to a top class forward like big John, his issue seems to lie in the fact that there is no real competetion for his place.
im not being funny, bit if you were playing for a good premier side, scoring a goal every two games or so on average this season so far, and you look over to the bench and see Marlon Harewood. what would you do?
Now don't get me wrong, i love Marlon he is the epitomy of a hard working player, unfotunately you just dont see the end result from him enough times.
Anyway as i said if you were Gabby, at the minute you could afford to be lazy and keep your place.
If MON bought a world class striker, he would not just get one, he would get two! Gabbys game would be pushed to the next level then.