Martin O'Neill On 'Terrific' Sunderland Win

People talk about Delph being the next Gerrard. I think 'the next Gerrard' may already be here, and with us in the shape of James Milner, god knows Milner has the same versatility, intelligence, and engine as Gerrard. Plus he can find the net.

Has anyone lese noticed the lack of comments recently?? Oh yes theres no way we can make any negativity at the moment!!!!!!!HAHAHAHAHAHA would love to read some post Wigan Comments again!!

Tumbleweed AV Nath

It just amuses me Stig how quiet this site goes when we do well, where are FEAR, Young_Jonah etc with their get MON out posts??

Erm, I'm not sure Fear and Young_Jonah being 'get MON out' posters, Nath. They are critical at times, but in a logical and constructive way which you might disagree with, but we all have opinions. I often don't agree with them but that just adds to the debate. My only beef is with those who would rather prove themselves right than see Villa win.

Wonderful and well deserved fellas. Keep up the intensity and cement that top 4 finish. Dont lose pace as the season goes on and specifically, play badly when you visit the Bridge! :-)

3rd in the league and these boards are their quietest. i remember a few comments along the lines of "we will be lucky to stay up" after the wigan game. I bet the people who booed them off at wigan were sat at home doing their best telly clapping walrus "im a great villa fan" impressions saturday night. how quickly attitudes change. You support them through the good times, get behind them through the bad. I bet a few more tickets have been sold for the stoke game to the fickles.

Shut up AVNath you plonker

Maybe we are supporting the team Nath instead of making stupid comments about other fans? Try it - it's fun!

I'd hate to agree with O'Dreary but i'm Fickle and I'm proud

Its no good just supporting us when we are doing well, support truly comes during the bad times. I wonder how many people posting here were so supportive after that Wigan game that proved we are not good enough and MON is clueless??

People have the right to their opinions, but if the MON out brigade felt they were right after Wigan, then they should still be shouting it from the roof tops now, rather than basking in the current glory. I hate the fickle change their tune brigade, booing one minute then cheering the next. football and villa would be better off without them

AVNatah, you show me where I've said MON out even once? Not in the forum, not on the front page, not in articles. What a total load of *****e. Where am I? Doing with the team over 200 articles a month, thousands of posts and putting where my mouth is going to the games, advertising for the club on this site, going to consultation meetings at my cost when needed etc. That is where I am. Jeez, what an amazingly stupid post.

Appears I have touched a nerve? I suppose you never supposedly jeered O'Neill during the Agbonlahor booing saga? Never complain about his signings, tactics, football we play? I would love to be able to dig up some stories from post teh Wigan game and various games towards the back end of last season....

pauled177, your wrong, our stats are very strong at the moment site wide and network wide, there is on all sites a slight slump in November and it picks up Dec into January for the transfer stuff that a lot of users come on for. As with my previous comment, there are way over 200 articles a month produced, support to the club in ticket stuff and any promo they need, links to the official site to help direct traffic which all helps and we are at the games putting our money where our mouths are. can't do more than that.

Running the network I can see on other sites if there are hard times, a scandal, transfer gossip or whatever, there are more people saying things, when times are good maybe people sit back slightly and enjoy, that said some of the threads in 100% recently have been far better as the snipers haven't been out.

Agree with bob the builder, only ones I havce a problem with are those that want to be proved right that the manager and/or a player isnt up to it. When Petrov was rubbish my theme all along was prove us wrong, same with Heskey, he was awful, he is now showing quality, who could resent that or not want him to bang them in? his attempt at the end of the Spurs game would have been one of the goals of the seasons. Happy days. Amuses me that those who think themselves opti and positive are on slagging off other fans (the wrong ones at that) instead of being what they say they are, happy and optimistic. Takes all sorts I guess, for me I'm just enjoying the ride. I didn't think that with MON we could make the top four, the hoof ball etc was awful and not everything is always settled in the camp. I'm SO happy if he proves this wrong, even happier if we win some silverware and lets face it, it is going well at the moment and would be beside myself if we consistently build on what we have and the hoof ball is a thing of the past because that was my major bug bear following the money spent and it was with some players as well .... Happy days as far as I am concerned if we can push, even if we only finish 1 place better 5th it will be an improvement.

Jimmy's goal here - bloody marvellous !!! http://www.goalvideoz.com/watch/92071-Sunderland%20vs%20Aston%20Villa%200-2%20Goal%20By%20James%20Milner%202009-12-15/

And blimey, is Emile having a purple patch or what ? Happy to be proved wrong, if he continues like this none of us will begrudge him that England spot ! On that score - surely James Milner has to start in South Africa ?

To be fair Fear, the site is a great source of information about the club and all goings on that you dont get on the main site. However my only problem is with fickle fans that come on here after a defeat and slag the manager off, i can guarantee that if we lose to stoke there will be an increase of posters on here ready to have a pop at the manager for various "why didnt he make subs" blah blah nonesense that they always do and probably boo at full time for good measure

No nerve at all nath, this is a football forum to talk about football, we all have different opinions, if you don't think mine match yours then that is superb, that is what this site and forum is for. Wigan was a shambles, the players knew it, MON knew it, the directors knew it, anyone who was there knew it. Why would I do a match report saying otherwise? It was a total capitulation. Now if I then did a match report after Liverpool still slating the performance it would have been totally out of order as it was a great win and a good performance. So it is fickle? No, it is football. ***** games get ***** reviews, great games get the opposite. That has always been the same. Do you read the paper reports? Do they say a crap game is great or a great game is crap? It also, to be fair, doesn't actually matter what I think to be fair.

I didn't boo Gabby, I didn't jeer MON. What I said after was MON was out of order slating the fans, he was entitled to his opinion, I didn't like it, I was entitled to do that. Sod me you seem so bitter mate, this is football, opinions, banter, match talk, what else do we talk about, the blinking xfactor? Not sure I've complained about that many signings either to be fair. Heskey I thought was worth a go if there wasn't better, did an article on his goal history with no commentary and was told I was being negative. How can stating the facts and not saying anything else be negative? As for the back end of last season, how do you do a positive match report on a shocking game? Try it next time and submit it,, I'll guarantee I'll post it. It would be nonsense though, no one walks out of a game you've lost that happy, if the effort is there though you are ok about it, if you play badly though, do you go home celebrating and high fiving everyone around you? Must be interesting to watch if you do.

Mr Fear, as all of those who actually have taken the time to "chat" with you on the board know - you are a legend. And you deserve more than some of the pitiful thanks you get. AVNath, I suggest the best way to placate Mr Fear is to click on the acorns challenge logo and donate a £1, in fact wouldn't that be a great way for us all to recognise what J is doing here? Thanks Mr Fear and happy Christmas! (Just off to donate!)

Fear, think AVNath's postings aren't meant as a snipe at you specifically, more at the fickle fans who scream blue murder one moment, and the next it's all fun & games. Let's all enjoy where we are for now anyway - UTV!

Fair enough Fear I think like Ericols has said, you are probably the easisest target, but it is aimed at people who boo and any sign of a bad performance can't wait to get on here and slate the manager and team. It simply doesn't help, I agree your charioty work is highly commendable, but the snipes at teh so called 'fairy of the glen' fans etc just gets my goat a little. if MON hadn't transformed this club we wouldn't think like that, but what he has done is remarkable. We have lost our 2 best players and are yet arguably a better team for it. We constantly hear about this 'hoof ball', we are surely one of teh most exciting and attackign teams to watch in the premier league?

and for the record I'm a dyslexic typer!!

hey... everybody love everybody! let's not turn vital villa into vital spurs. VTID!

I agree with Ericols, i know nath personally and have been going to the villa with him home and away through the bad and good in the last 15 years.AVnaths is not having a personal dig, just if im not mistaken, you havent been the world biggest supporter of our manager this or last season, where as some people who were against him are now changing their tune with recent results

Thre is a very old and true saying that goes, "No news is good news" It's boring to just sing praises all the time as there is little to discuss, it's really hard to make suggestions for improvement when you things are going well but that does not mean people will criticise just fofr the sake of it, there needs to be issues to be critical of for it to make sense. Some, a very few, will criticise no matter what but the majority, Fear and YJ included, are only critical when there is something to be critical of. At least they are not on here singing MON's praises now only to slag him off when we next lose, now that would be fickle.

without MON, only Agbonlahor would have started last night..

yup Eircols_Son, to be fair this is an interesting debate, happy to chat this out, not taking it as personal etc, I love the site but don't take myself or it that seriously (it is meant to be tongue in cheek mostly!) but to say I'm a MON out type is just wrong, I have said I am not sure but WANT him to be the messiah, that whether you like him or not he won't be sacked and shouldn't be until he has had a decent time, this year we have all but one MON signign (Gabby) in the team and maybe with our new hero Milner now in the centre and Downiing in, all is becoming clear. After a game I am passionate so can't say sorry for that... sometimes after games we all go OTT and again, that is the great thing about footie! But i also can hold my head up as a fan that I do actually SUPPORT the team (thanks revdpete for those kind words mate) but doesn't mean we'll all agree all the time. CANNOT argue at all with you that there are those who seem to want to be proved right and want him out no matter what, I'd rather see him a legend and win the league for us. What a lot of people of younger ages don't realise is not everyone - including some players - liked Ron Saunders that much, he was a really strict character to say it mildly, that doesn't mean that not ALL fans didn't LOVE what he brought to the club.

sort of agree pauled177, there does seem to be more 'passion' at times after a loss, although the delight in the forum thread after Man utd win argues with that slightly. Some games like Wigan many 'expect' to win and maybe then they get angry but for me there isn't one walk in the park in footie. I'd have taken a draw yesterday and got pulledup in the forum about that point to debate, but Sunderland are a tough tough team/place to go. To win is just gravy though. There were some in the forum and front page that were turning every article and thread into a bit of a bitchy thing, that is very difficult for me/eds/mods to control though, it was a worry though and was talked about a lot in the mods forum as to what we could do.

I just think the internet and sites like this are extensions of pub tables, we all talk about players, some love one and others hate the same one and we talk about why we love/hate them etc? always been a funny old game! If MON can be the one I don't think even the grumpiest will be doing anything but cry tears of total joy at lifting trophhies and getting ourselves back to where we belong? Just some look at life on the downside rather than on the up maybe?!?! And we won't lose v Stoke... but yes, some will come on and 'gloat' the same as some of the opti's do after a win. That bit leaves me cold both ways, I just want to see us all jumping for joy and at the moment we have something to be optimistic about, lets worry about the downsides when they come and have a laugh whilst we are winning!?

One thing I will say is thanks to anyone who does visit the site, whether to rip your hair out in annoyance to others opinions or for the banter and laughs. Opti, negi or on the fence, we all still support the best team in the land and our owner and directors are just first class and they honestly feel the same way about us, they've let me know that many times.

yup, with you AVNath, thing is the members of the fairly of the glen are my mates, glensider, steff etc and I'm in the opti camp, love the villa, love the new directors, love Randy, enjoying the ride. I've not been MON's biggest fan for SOME things but am certainly nowhere near his biggest critic. I WANT him to succeed because if he does, we do! He is also an intriguing man to say the least, I sit right by him at the home games and he is fascinating to watch. And when you say I am the easiest target, is that because of my good looks, charm etc... or my fan belly and bald bonce?!?! It wasn't you who hit me with a quid the other season was it?! If so, thanks! lol

The site can only reflect the users though, if a negi is being OTT we have article comments/forums to debate and put them right...! Happy days gents, best get some work done! OH and please don't think this fickle thign is us only, as I run the network I have to police/approve/delete all sorts of comments and all teams are like this, love/hate players/managers etc The spurs boys against Jol when they were 5th were amazing, some comments against Wenger I've read, some things on Fergie etc. Again, no matter how much of a numpty a fan is, they are still a fan and love their club! ;o)

Fair play fear, and i admit, the first thing i did when i got home after my 30 mins singing my lungs out in an empty old trafford on saturday was come on hear and have a gloat. after doing so at anfield i just hope i can gloat the same after highbury. Also did anyone see "the time of our lives" with the leicester boys the other night, some great stories told about MON, particularly one about Lennon squaring up to him and MON giving him a slap in front of everyone in the changies, sounds similar to the NRC drama.

amen... predictions for stoke?

AVNath, I have supported Villa through thick and thin mate, the fact is you know little about me. You can pick up on the odd comment of mine here and there, but I was right behind O'Neill from the moment he took over and although I have been vocal with my opinion about him this year (following his rather stupid decision to lose the game in Moscow), but I have always been one to hold my hands up when proven wrong (ask someone who knows) and I have said that O'Neill did a cracking job replacing Laursen and Barry. And I couldn't comment on the Wigan game, and don't remember doing so as I didnt see it. We are playing well at the moment, and I suspect you will crawl under your rock when we next hit a poor run of form. Just because someone is vocal in a negative way some of the time does NOT mean they don't care about the club mate, I didn't renew my ST, my choice, my life. But I still get to all the games I can and support Aston Villa 100%, that is who I support, not the manager, the club. O'Neill won't be around for ever mate, I will be until the day I die. UTV

The quid was a donation for the Acorns challenge Mr Fear! Sorry I should have put a note with it. I'll send a paper airplane next time. ;-) JF - you say some good stuff there. I've run boards myself, and people don't understand the time etc, I think all of us here are actually very "lucky" fans to have the facilities you and others have developed here. You know I've been critical of the selections and tactics, but never personal. Anyway - nuff said, I reckon we'll stuff Stoke - one nill! My Villa pessimism is coming out! (Lol). TBH I will be happy if really really chuffed if we are 4th come the Blackburn games, and happy if we are 5th-6th. So long as we are above Man City and 'Pool. Happy Christmas everyone! PS Nath - you too, I love spell checkers!

Jesus Christ PMSL Is it so hard to understand you can point out the managers failings, because you support the club? Or maybe you can enjoy a couple of wins because he's getting things right now, without actually changing your opinion of the man or even more scary, without it actually changing the feckups he's already made?

Then again my mistake, I support the club not individual players or managers, it amazes me that some can't see the difference.

Keep gloating chaps, most are critical for a reason ie tactics, formations, sticking with out of form players etc and they can be changed - when they are we can't be critical about them anymore can we. Those critical of those who are being critical - well the childish comments are laughable and entertaining. But at least the nasty people like me are focusing on the club and wanting to see improvements even if you don't like what we say - apart from moaning at fans, where's your focus?

That said I'm amazed the nonsense didn't start after Pompey, at least we are on a run this time! lol

Young_jonah - never met you, know nothing about you, but I do know you are passionate about our beloved club, and always fair eventually. I actually love reading your posts! I thank God that we have fans who are passionate, enjoy the tradition of the club, and by and large are actually very very fair. Guys, I just checked and we need another £48 to reach the halfway target for Fears Acorns challenge. I am being serious for a moment - if you can (I know things are tight) I know J would find that a real real lift this Christmas if we reached that together. And what a great way to celebrate the great wins we've had recently. Mr fear forgive the blatant off topic publicity! Hope the heating is fixed now!

Same again Mike. Never met you, but enjoy the posts, keep it up mate, I may not agree with you, BUT, isn't that what this is all about. Up the Villa.

If we all agreed Pete it would be bloody boring! For 90 minutes it's what happens on the pitch, for the rest of the week it's the discussion that keeps us alive, and until the day football ceases to exist no two fans will ever watch the same game unless they shared a pair of eyes. That's the beauty of it.

Thanks very much revdpete, I think my article on Monday proves me to be pretty fair, I admit I can be critical but I give credit when its due. Here is the article in case you missed it - http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7503017

revdpete, if we beat stoke, i will give £20 to the acrons challenge plus a quid for every sub MON makes :-)

$21

enjoyed all the above posts and my thanks go to The Fear and the Vital Football network forgiving us all this. I live and work in Bangkok and i have yet to meet a fellow Villa fan in this city so boy oh boy is Vital Villa good...or what...rain or shine

Bangkok Villan, I am around your here parts for the majority of April, can I watch the blues game with you? ;)

Excellent Pauled177! Anyone else?

Missed the days of our lives Pauled177, will see if there are repeats. He certainly is old school. The days of our lives with the Villa three not long back Alan Evans, Tony Morley and Garry Shaw as great as well by the way. Must admit, I think we should all gloat against the other fans not each other but then again, I'm old fashioned... or just old?! :o)
Cheers revdpete, been enjoying your comments of late and our pm chats. It is a difficult balance on sites, running this site (and older incarnations with MF) for 10 years or so now, it does drive you potty at times and then throw in the whole network and it is no wonder I'm mad as a hatter!
Oh and heating very much fixed, it was soooo cold, my old bones (blimey, I'm only 40!) didn't take to it at all, then again I do have brain aches so not a bad excuse really!

Great stuff pauled177, I'll be praying for a win and 3 substitutions whilst we are at it. Should be around and about over the first £450 then. Also if we finish in the top four, I've pledged another £500 on top of the £1000 over two seasons already slated.
And cheers Doug4Ever as well. Top stuff.

Jesus guys - i come on here to read good comments about the game and all I get is battling back and forth by idiotic people attacking other posters. Anyone who personally attacks the Fear and Young Jonah for negative posts are absolutely insane. They are 2 of the best fans on the site and I always scroll down to read their posts...AVNath - never heard of you mate.

Jesus JF is it that long! Then again Jess is 8 now, so it's probably very easily a decade if not a touch more! Not sure if that explains why we are both old before our time, or whether we should concentrate on the fact we haven't killed each other yet PMSL

of course we are all fans of the club and want whats best. when we win things are rosy and we are entitiled to reflect and basque a little. when we lose we are more passionate and want to understand our loss more. as fans worldwide of any sport losing is not good but you take it gracefully (apart from sir chewalot) but it does unfortunately stir more feelings than a simple win does. can't explain that but that's when our passion comes out and in some cases a tad negative as defeat cuts us raw as genuine fans. so, as we are on a forum to debate and discuss lets welcome one and all and have a great time on the ride. lets never get personal but always agree to disagree because its the club that will always be the winner. MON has worked well and made the odd mistake but for my part has brought the club on and I hope he continues to do so. for the record, ALL clubs have a fraction of fickle fans, I hope I never become one as being a Villa fan is my world and something that my father brought me up to be whether we win, lose or draw. Great work Fear and thanks for keeping me sane in the world of egg chasing New Zealand with a "terrific"site.

I would have liked to weigh in on this one but I just don't feel the need after reading Fear's posts. You couldn't have picked a worse pair of targets in JF & YJ. If you read their posts/articles then you're guaranteed to see it end in promise or hope. Fear especially. I may not always agree with his comments but there's definitely no fairer member of the site than him.

benji_starsky_avfc...yeah sure...pm me

well at least I got some posts back on the site :) Now lets all just get behind the lads for the Stoke game and then 2 HUMUNGOUS games after Christmas!

:o) We do quite nicely for posts to be honest thanks! lol. It did make me smile the 'where are you' post though, had to laugh, if I spent anymore time here I'd never go outside ... actually, good idea that..! Also I was up on business in Stockport (and had to turn down the chance for corporate at Sunderland) but was on my vital mobile thing all through the night and got up in a pub (mostly Man Utd by the way) and cheered and did a jig when we one. Went down very well when I told one why!

So another £22 for Acorns from Pauled177. Brilliant all round! Doug4ever was wrong - 2 subs! Thank you Mr Heskey.