Beyond 11th May 2014...

I would pump it into my pension pot...

That is mental, would that be the equivalent of a year's wage to a lot of people in the UK?

He must be pretty well off Dan?

Looking forward to the end of the season. Far too stressful for my liking.

May do pre-season in Germany and after a while will probably look forward to the start of next season. However, I really do need to see signs that we are progressing. Another season like the last three will really pee me off.

I will take a good 40 million well spent to get us into a top 6 or 7 place next year.

Summertime wrote:Looking forward to the end of the season.  Far too stressful for my liking.

May do pre-season in Germany and after a while will probably look forward to the start of next season.  However, I really do need to see signs that we are progressing.  Another season like the last three will really pee me off.

Is that based on the last 2 games though ? We have had many false dawns under lambert already and it will take more to convince me .

Yeah, it'll take a fairly consistent run of results over 15-20 games to convince me, too. The first back-to-back wins in Christ knows how long may be enough to convince some that we've turned a corner but we all thought we'd had this corner-turning event at the end of last season and look where that got us.

A strong finish this season, some good solid purchases in positions where they're needed during the next window and an upper mid-table position from the off next season with a willingness to vary the players and tactics with some entertaining football and my faith in Lambert may just be restored.

Anything short of that is just time ticking away.

Eastie wrote:

Summertime wrote:Looking forward to the end of the season.  Far too stressful for my liking.

May do pre-season in Germany and after a while will probably look forward to the start of next season.  However, I really do need to see signs that we are progressing.  Another season like the last three will really pee me off.

Is that based on the last 2 games though ? We have had many false dawns under lambert already and it will take more to convince me .

I think you may have misread me there, Eastie. I need to see a hell of a lot more than the last two games from Lambert. Quite frankly, the quality of the football under Lambert has been shite and I do not want to suffer another season of the same.

When I say I'll probably look forward to the start of next season (eventually, probably end of July) it'll be more the social side that I'll be missing. That really is a huge part of our footballing day.

What has cheered me in recent weeks has been the improvement in Westwood, Benteke, Baker and even Bennett. I had feared these players had stalled and the whole project was dead given that it was based on young players capable of improving.

Even if we finish strongly, like we did in 2010/11, we cannot ignore the fact that this was the fourth season in a row where the dreaded R word was raised in relation to Aston Villa. From November to February it was clear that we were going to be much closer to the likes of Fulham, Palace and Sunderland than the Southamptons and Newcastles of the league. After the West Ham game I thought we were done for. I really did.

Next season we need to be, not only mid table,but closer to the Newcastles and Southamptons. We need to be comfortable all season and never worried that a loss or two would have us in the bottom three. For me, mediocrity with no mention of the R word would represent progress.

Yes a top 10 finish was my aim this season and is still very achievable but the football has shocked me greatly - we need to add 3 quality players, no more bargain basement dealing - the aim should be top 8 next season and to take the cups very seriously - plus see a vast improvement in football at villa park .

Should we be hovering about the bottom 8 come christmas then lambert should be shown the door .

Equally should we finish the season badly in the next two months then serious questions must be asked - top 12 this season at least please.

It'll be more of the same. Oh aren't we lucky? Still, we've a nice owner.

It'll be middle of winter here and the heart of the NRL/AFL/Super XV season so I will be too engrossed in all that to be honest!

I will be working my arse off as the busy season takes off that time of year.
If not working i will be going through volcano's on my mountain bike and forgetting about the pain and bloody misery of another shite season.

Uncle Villa wrote:It'll be middle of winter here and the heart of the NRL/AFL/Super XV season so I will be too engrossed in all that to be honest!

Where are you based uncle ?

PDC Lion wrote:I will be working my arse off as the busy season takes off that time of year.
If not working i will be going through volcano's on my mountain bike and forgetting about the pain and bloody misery of another shite season.

I envy you that, Dan. That volcanic landscape is wonderful.

The Bald Eagle wrote:

PDC Lion wrote:I will be working my arse off as the busy season takes off that time of year.
If not working i will be going through volcano's on my mountain bike and forgetting about the pain and bloody misery of another shite season.

I envy you that, Dan. That volcanic landscape is wonderful.

Indeed, the volcano tour was amazing and seeing chicken being cooked over the heat of the volcano - I filmed it when we went and loved seeing the guide empty a bottle of water and it evaporating up into the air as steam - it really was one of the best tours i be been on - fantastic photos from there too :)

Eastie wrote:

The Bald Eagle wrote:

PDC Lion wrote:I will be working my arse off as the busy season takes off that time of year.
If not working i will be going through volcano's on my mountain bike and forgetting about the pain and bloody misery of another shite season.

I envy you that, Dan. That volcanic landscape is wonderful.

Indeed, the volcano tour was amazing and seeing chicken being cooked over the heat of the volcano - I filmed it when we went and loved seeing the guide empty a bottle of water and it evaporating up into the air as steam - it really was one of the best tours i be been on - fantastic photos from there too :)

Pretty lucky that i live at the top of the mountains outside Puerto Del Carmen. It is only a short up hill ride and then all down hill through Yaiza, past all the wine bodega's and then into the volcanoe's. Just keep going then, sometimes all the way to Famara and back.
It's a good 100k with some good climbs and stunning scenery.

How long you been living out there, Dan?

Summertime wrote:How long you been living out there, Dan?

Nearly four and a half years now.
Best move i have made to be truthfull.

Wait! You ride a bike 100k's? That's like 6 months of riding, surely?

It sounds good, I'd like to do that. In a car if at all possible, of course.

Trotters wrote:Wait! You ride a bike 100k's? That's like 6 months of riding, surely?

4-5 hours only mate or 6 at an easy pace.

So how do you attach yourself to the car? Do you just hold on or is your bike tied to it?

Just like the last few seasons I will be happy to see this season end. No fun at all.

Trotters wrote:So how do you attach yourself to the car? Do you just hold on or is your bike tied to it?

I roll a barrel of beer down hill, then chase after it    

Won't it get a bit gassy?