Aston Villa & Lerner

[Govbarney]

Anyone else think Villa is going to get allot better now that Lerner has a billion more to spend on the team?

This past weekend I was watching the Aston Villa Vs. Hotspers game , and it was mentioned that after buying the team for 40 million LBS , that Lerner has had one of the lowest payrolls in the Premier League. last year Villa bearly avoided regulation... Coincidence Lerner sold the Browns...?

[Squints]

They'll be in danger of being relegated all year, here's hoping it happens, but I bet they avoid it by the slimmest of margins. No offense to the good people of the Midlands, but everything that man touches seems to rot.


Good start to the EPL season- Dempsey freed and now with the Spurs. NE Ohio's own Brad Friedel benched after starting 300+ games in a row and after the Spurs beat Man U in Old Trafford for the first time in 30 years.

[British_Pharaoh]

Villa are gash. Hope they go down

[CleSportsTruth]

Really, Lerner's remaining team and former team were equally inept this weekend. 8-0 Chelsea over Villa at Stamford Bridge!

Brad Guzan continues to make Tim Howard more $$$$.

That said, their youth makes them fragile. If they survive the initial storm, like at Anfield last week, they're fine. If not...

[peeker643]

Really, Lerner's remaining team and former team were equally inept this weekend. 8-0 Chelsea over Villa at Stamford Bridge!

Brad Guzan continues to make Tim Howard more $$$$.

That said, their youth makes them fragile. If they survive the initial storm, like at Anfield last week, they're fine. If not...

I'd laugh my ass off if they were relegated. Although the blow is probably cushioned by the fact the free football team he inherited 10 years ago just sold for a cool billion+.

[Squints]

8-0 to Chelsea, 4-0 to Spurs today. I'm sure Jammies is getting blasted by the press. The only way the will stay up because there are enough crappy teams behind them but can we just put these guys and fans out of their misery and relegate them now. Gov, have you changed allegiencies yet.

On a side note, Old Man Friedel keeps on rolling, signed a new contract, will be 43 when it is up. I see him being a Steve DeBerg, Vince Evans type back up gk and just hang out until his late 40's, maybe getting a start during a mid-week FA Cup match against some town's team from League 2. Keep on rolling Brad, you are still America's second best keeper.

[British_Pharaoh]

Well it looks like Villa only have to be slightly less worse than 1 other team. QPR and Reading are already 5 points adrift at Christmas, and only 1 team has survived the drop when being bottom at Xmas.

I think Villa will be relegated, they're abysmal

[peeker643]

8-0 to Chelsea, 4-0 to Spurs today. I'm sure Jammies is getting blasted by the press. The only way the will stay up because there are enough crappy teams behind them but can we just put these guys and fans out of their misery and relegate them now. Gov, have you changed allegiencies yet.

On a side note, Old Man Friedel keeps on rolling, signed a new contract, will be 43 when it is up. I see him being a Steve DeBerg, Vince Evans type back up gk and just hang out until his late 40's, maybe getting a start during a mid-week FA Cup match against some town's team from League 2. Keep on rolling Brad, you are still America's second best keeper.

Also tells me he's likely a pretty decent teammate and dude. You get a guy like that as backup GK only if he adds something else. Elsewise you give the gig to a younger player to get some EPL experience, no?

[RickNashEquilibrium]

http://espnfc.com/us/en/report/358612/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901

http://espnfc.com/us/en/report/358612/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901

Bradford City 3-1 Aston Villa.

Hahaha, I bet all those tossers are screaming for Randy's head. Granted I'm a 'Pool fan and Villa spanked the Reds a few weeks ago, funny to see a big upset like this when Bradford already took out Arsenal earlier in the year.

[peeker643]

http://espnfc.com/us/en/report/358612/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901

http://espnfc.com/us/en/report/358612/report.html?soccernet=true&cc=5901

Bradford City 3-1 Aston Villa.

Hahaha, I bet all those tossers are screaming for Randy's head. Granted I'm a 'Pool fan and Villa spanked the Reds a few weeks ago, funny to see a big upset like this when Bradford already took out Arsenal earlier in the year.

They beat Wigan as well. What would the equivalent be? They're a Bantam team. That like a Double A-caliber of talent?

God, I'd love to see Randy turn to the English equivalent of Mike Holmgren to straighten his other failing football team.

[Squints]

Also tells me he's likely a pretty decent teammate and dude. You get a guy like that as backup GK only if he adds something else. Elsewise you give the gig to a younger player to get some EPL experience, no?

Of course. You don't just sign a contract extension with a Champs League caliber team when you are well past your prime without having a few of those intangibles in your possession.

But more importantly, Villa has now slipped into a relegation slot and trending downward. If they go down, it will surprise no one, but yet resonate with everyone.

[RickNashEquilibrium]

http://deadspin.com/5978133/bradford-city-beats-aston-villa-is-first-fourth+division-team-to-reach-league-cup-final-since-1962

[Squints]

Heard this result driving home from work on the XMFC channel. Laughed and thought of this thread. The commentators were saying that the second string goalie played and said if Guzan started he would of saved those shots- the same goalie who let in 8 against Chelsea and a few days later 4 to the Spurs. These lower tier EPL teams leave themselves open to these upsets when they go with their 2nd-3rd teamers in the league cup games- and that's what happened. Maybe Jammies could sell this one for 2 bills.