Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

tomred1

Of the teams that might go down, what players could we get from them? Just looking at Boro yesterday Huth and Downing stood out, Gutherie for Newcastle looked good also.Don't reallt see ant good player with West Brom and Hull.

Helix

turner at hull is a fantastic player, hed be a great signing

id also take wheater and downing as well as robinson at west brom

Helix

shoutman wrote: »

I think the simple answer to this is no... they did a poll over on villatalk, out of the hundreds that answered the poll 92% were still in favour of mon. I don't think he is close to being ousted yet nor do I think the players have lost respect for him. It's been a long season, and there is not a snowballs that he will be sacked during the summer, so why don't we just wait till next season to start posting mon needs to go stuff again...

he asked if mon had lost the dressing room

Esse85

Helix wrote: »

turner at hull is a fantastic player, hed be a great signing

id also take wheater and downing as well as robinson at west brom

No doubt Downing would be a MON type player, over rated and over priced, one dimensional and English. Id rather see Tuncay from Boro, Huth is another prone to mistakes. I've also heard good reports on Turner.

Neil3030

What I would do if I was MON:

Ins:
Brede Hangeland (10m)
Thomas Vermaelen (8m)
Steven Defour (9m)
Fabian Delph (4m)
Stephen Warnock (5m)
Joe Mattock (3m)
Carlos Tevez (20-25m)

Outs:
Barry (8m)
Shorey (2m)
Harewood (2m)
Sidwell (5m)
Cuellar or Davies (6m)

Which would allow us field this team:

---

Friedel

---

---

Young-Hangeland-Vermaelen-Bouma

---

Milner----Defour----Petrov---Young

---

---

Tevez

---

---

Carew

---

Subs: Guzan, Warnock, Davies/Cuellar, Gardner, Reo-Coker, Heskey, Agbonlahor

Fringe/Squad: Taylor, Knight, Delph, Mattock, Delfouneso, Salifou, Osbourne, Bannan, O'Halloran,

Squad size: 27.

For a net spend of around 35m.

...... if only....:(

invincibleirish

I'd keep CC & Davies and get rid of Knight. Not going to go into who MON should buy as it will frustrate all, he'll have to spend £100m at least to satisfy all expectations.

Neil3030

invincibleirish wrote: »

I'd keep CC & Davies and get rid of Knight. Not going to go into who MON should buy as it will frustrate all, he'll have to spend £100m at least to satisfy all expectations.

I thought that originally but Knight is actually a decent asset to the club, in that he is happy to stay 4th choice. Our problem is that our 1,2 and 3 are injured or just aren't good enough. So replacing the inevitably departing Laursen with Hangeland and keeping Cuellar or Davies to scrap for the second CH spot with Vermaelen would make more sense to me. Given his fitness issues I'd be leaning towards getting rid of Cuellar.

Bounty Hunter

Neil3030 wrote: »

What I would do if I was MON:

Ins:
Brede Hangeland (10m)
Thomas Vermaelen (8m)
Steven Defour (9m)
Fabian Delph (4m)
Stephen Warnock (5m)
Joe Mattock (3m)
Carlos Tevez (20-25m)

Outs:
Barry (8m)
Shorey (2m)
Harewood (2m)
Sidwell (5m)
Cuellar or Davies (6m)

Which would allow us field this team:

---

Friedel

---

---

Young-Hangeland-Vermaelen-Bouma

---

Milner----Defour----Petrov---Young

---

---

Tevez

---

---

Carew

---

Subs: Guzan, Warnock, Davies/Cuellar, Gardner, Reo-Coker, Heskey, Agbonlahor

Fringe/Squad: Taylor, Knight, Delph, Mattock, Delfouneso, Salifou, Osbourne, Bannan, O'Halloran,

Squad size: 27.

For a net spend of around 35m.

...... if only....:(

I actually like the players your suggesting but I just cant see a lot of it happening.

1) Tevez: Pure class player who probably would be willing to join Villa and imo is one of the few marquee name players that I would like to see approached in some form as he is the tupe of player that really makes his team as a whole better not just CF better. i.e he takes free kicks, tracks back etc aswell but despite it being possible and the Villa PR machine saying they would do so if MON wanted I seriously cant see Villa or MON spending £25m on one player.

2) Warnock: id say would cost more than that simply as Blackburn would not want to sell although he is worth around the 5m mark and tbh if you pay 6/7m on a LB id expect him to start.

3) mattock: Im a fan, he will be a prem player soon imo and i wanted him and stearman as our backup wing backs last year but i doubt hed be willing to come in and not even have a place on the bench as youve outlined and if Warnock was to sign aswell as Bouma still being at the club i def wouldent see him wanting to come to Villa at all.

4)Defour: from all the pre-summer names mentioned so far with regards to Villa this one makes the most sense to me, a Young talented AM who has named Villa in an interview as a club he would like to play for, If Barry goes maybe this guy and a slight formation shift is exactley what we need.

5)CBs: 2 in 1 of 2 out (plus Laursens retirement) i just dont see, MON wont ship out Cuellar or Davies after just one season esp not when it would be done at a loss, especially not after losing Laursen. but 1 relative big name CB coming in a la the two you mentioned and none leaving i could see.

not trying to counter your post it just gave me something to write about tbh.

even though they might not be my 1st choice i wouldent be shocked/dissapointed to see Villa enquire about Tuncay, Wheater, Kranjkar and Turner either.

invincibleirish

Thumbs up to Kranjcer from Pompey, i'd also suggest Johnson and(i never thought id say this) Crouch as a back up striker, he's a lot better for those 17 Uefa Cup games then Heskey who we could throw in as part of any deal.

JPA

I don't Crouch would join anyone to be back up.
And he would cost far too much.

matrim

Apparently Petrov won player of the year

Stiliyan Petrov was voted the top star of the season after walking off with the two main awards at Villa's Annual Dinner this evening.

Petrov scooped gongs for both the Players and the Supporters Player of the Year.

Nathan Delfouneso, meanwhile, was also a double winner after he went home with the Young Player equivalents.

John Carew's incredible volleyed effort against Stoke won Goal of the Season while Mark Kinsella was named Former Players Player of the Year.

Supporters Player of the Year: Stiliyan Petrov
Supporters Young Player of the Year: Nathan Delfouneso
Players Player of the Year: Stiliyan Petrov
Players Young Player of the Year: Nathan Delfouneso
Goal of the Season: John Carew v Stoke - March 2009
Former Players Player of the Year: Mark Kinsella

Helix

mark kinsella? lol wtf

JPA

Former Players Player of the Year: Mark Kinsella

Say what?????? Is that a joke?

I am beyond confused here.


edit: I have figured out the Kinsella thing, he plays for the Villa former players team and he was their player of the year.

Esse85

Well done Stan.

Helix

JPA wrote: »

Say what?????? Is that a joke?

I am beyond confused here.


edit: I have figured out the Kinsella thing, he plays for the Villa former players team and he was their player of the year.

aaaaaaaaaaaah

that explains it

Helix

Esse85 wrote: »

Well done Stan.

yup, thoroughly deserved

from his biggest critic prior to this season

invincibleirish

Well done Stan on your well earned award i never doubted you!:pac:.

Kudos to the Fonz as well, need to be seeing more from him next season though. His goal against Litex Lovech (i think) was a touch of class.

Mr Alan

fair play to petrov, really has been outstanding most of the times i've seen him play this year

Esse85

Valencia of Wigan will move in the summer, id love to see him at VP.

Esse85

Taken from Villatalk.

A guy who was at the awards...

The street dancers were pretty good, although my view wasn't the best -- there was a column in front of the stage and one in front of the projection screen nearest me. Doh It was very well choreographed and the players seemed rather impressed by them. There were three guys and a girl all in Villa leisure wear, if that helps to imagine it, lol.

MON's little speech was good, if a little edgy in places. He was clearly unhappy with the second half at Fulham. He said he didn't blame the people who went to Moscow for wanting their money back "but God knows how we can make up for that second half against Fulham at the weekend", or something similar.

The voting for goal of the season was very random. At the start of the voting rounds (1 goal dismissed per round, until you were left with two to choose from) Ash's goal against Everton was in front by miles. He ended up losing to Carew's goal against Stoke by miles in the last round of voting. Bizarre.

MON said something along the lines of "Such fickelness" and paused for effect, he obviously knows what DOL used to say He said he'd not seen such fickelness from Villa fans since the West Ham game (? enlighten me, I was in Mexico at the time) and he can't believe that Ashley Young's goal in injury time to secure three points against Everton could have lost to a John Carew miskick. And then added his little line "Don't worry John [big smile]...[straight face]I only mean it."

Carew did get the biggest laugh of the night with his kebab shop crack about Heskey. But he made the players piss themselves when he spoke of his goal against Stoke and said it was a strikers predatory instinct for goal that caused the goal. Whilst MON had a good chuckle behind him, then followed up by the above to put him back in his place

The only players missing from the first team squad last night were Bouma, Barry and Harewood. Barry was said to have been very ill, but some of the players said he'd not gone because of the awkward questions he might get asked. But, to be honest, the players on a wind up half the time. I wouldn't necessarily take anything they say seriously

When I told Petrov he'd had an immense season he thanked me, pointed at the rest of the squad and said "no, we all have, we've all done brilliantly". NRC looked up and said "I beg to differ", I asked him to clarify what he meant and he and Petrov just exchanged looks and started giggling. Make of that what you will. Some guy on my table asked NRC if he would be here next season and he said he didn't know but Spurs had made a bid for him ... Petrov chimed in and said I have told him to stay, it would be a mistake to go or something similar.

But, like I say, I think they are on a wind up some of the time

Ashley Young is a gentleman, I am old enough to be his dad (lol) but he smiled and thanked me for congratulating him on his award and shook hands. Milner and Gabby are so shy... although maybe I remind them of their fathers or something, lol. Friedel was very at ease, as were the other senior players.

My date asked Nicky Shorey to sign her shoulder. He was gobsmacked -- "I can't do that!!" and looked like he wanted to run away. Luke Young said "You're having a giraffe ain't ya", Laursen turned and told him to do it. lol, she was sporting a Shorey autograph for the evening.

Bizarrely John Carew tried to chat her up but she wasn't interested. Obviously my dates have strange taste.

Anyway, in conclusion, MON said something alone the lines of 'A top six finish is an excellent achievement. Some of our players have put in fantastic levels of performance this season, and this has been reflected in the voting. We have all learned a lot this year and I will sit down in the Summer to judge where we can improve and where things went wrong. Ladies and gentlemen next season is going to a big season for all of us, and we are going to do even better'.

Despite our form over the last few months the mood from the camp is definitely upbeat. He said it is important to him that they win our last two games, finish fifth and get more points than last season and he won't be happy unless we do that.

Helix

mysteryman on vt is claiming milan and united are interested in barry

he generally knows his stuff

Neil3030

Helix wrote: »

mysteryman on vt is claiming milan and united are interested in barry

he generally knows his stuff

A bidding war would be nice indeed.

Helix

i dont think we'll get all that much for him, but itd be nice to see him go somewhere apart from arsenal or liverpool

Mr Alan

Helix wrote: »

mysteryman on vt is claiming milan and united are interested in barry

he generally knows his stuff

he said he heard a rumour. wouldnt imagine either club to be interested tbh.

Helix

Mr Alan wrote: »

he said he heard a rumour. wouldnt imagine either club to be interested tbh.

well, he was at the player of the season presentations last night so hed have been talking to a few heads. hes also heard who we're after but isnt saying anything, fecker

in other news laursen announcing his retirement before the newcastle match and saying goodbye to the fans at it

so sad

JPA

Mr Alan wrote: »

he said he heard a rumour. wouldnt imagine either club to be interested tbh.

Milan makes sense, they need an overhaul. Would be very unusual though and he probably wouldn't want to go there anyway.

DSB

Hopefully he decides to pursue a coaching role and Villa hire him up.

Bounty Hunter

Helix wrote: »

well, he was at the player of the season presentations last night so hed have been talking to a few heads. hes also heard who we're after but isnt saying anything, fecker

in other news laursen announcing his retirement before the newcastle match and saying goodbye to the fans at it

so sad

Hope its a special day for Laursen like Mellberg day last year, the club should do it right.

I wouldent be surprised if a few Italians are watching Barry either with his situation and the fact that he has essentially been a first teamer for Capello in all his games as England manager.

Helix

i think barry would work very well in italy tbh

dont know if i could see him moving abroad

Helix

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Hope its a special day for Laursen like Mellberg day last year, the club should do it right.

definitely

danish flags should be the order of the day

invincibleirish

Oh deary me its going to be a long summer trying to replace those 2.

V1llianous

I've just received a mail from the online shop getting me to sign up for the preview of the new away kit. However unsurprisingly from the OS the link fails when you try to log in. :rolleyes:

If anyone get's it and succeeds can you post here.

Helix

we're wearing the new away kit against newcastle next sunday

invincibleirish

Can i pay tribute to this seasons home kit, the best in years imo. Just a simple design nothing fancy and no manky sponsor logo like before.



What do people make of the Guardian 'story' on Lerner running the club like Doug?

L'prof

invincibleirish wrote: »

Can i pay tribute to this seasons home kit, the best in years imo. Just a simple design nothing fancy and no manky sponsor logo like before.



What do people make of the Guardian 'story' on Lerner running the club like Doug?

Was Laursen photoshopped into that picture???

JPA

jasonorr wrote: »

Was Laursen photoshopped into that picture???

No, that was against Everton away.

What do people make of the Guardian 'story' on Lerner running the club like Doug?

There's been loadsa evidence of that so far. BS story.

shoutman

invincibleirish wrote: »

What do people make of the Guardian 'story' on Lerner running the club like Doug?

Do you have a link to that?

JPA

shoutman wrote: »

Do you have a link to that?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/may/13/digger-david-beckham-la-galaxy

L'prof

JPA wrote: »

No, that was against Everton away.

No need to be so serious dude!!!

JPA

jasonorr wrote: »

JPA wrote: »

No, that was against Everton away.

No need to be so serious dude!!!

Oh, you were making a funny. Which I don't get.

L'prof

jasonorr wrote: »

Was Laursen photoshopped into that picture???

JPA wrote: »

No, that was against Everton away.

jasonorr wrote: »

No need to be so serious dude!!!

JPA wrote: »

Oh, you were making a funny. Which I don't get.

Laursen, just like Rosicky, is dead (has a long term injury)...even though their clubs say otherwise, which is why I thought that the photo was photoshopped. That and the fact that Young is in focus and Laursen is blurred out.

EDIT: It completely takes the humour out of it when it has to be explained!

JPA

jasonorr wrote: »

Laursen, just like Rosicky, is dead (has a long term injury)...even though their clubs say otherwise, which is why I thought that the photo was photoshopped. That and the fact that Young is in focus and Laursen is blurred out.

EDIT: It completely takes the humour out of it when it has to be explained!

I see. :insert smilie:

L'prof

BBC Football wrote:

Aston Villa captain Martin Laursen has announced his retirement after admitting defeat in a battle against persistent knee problems.
The former Denmark international, 31, suffered his latest injury against West Ham in December and has since made just one appearance this season.
After an unsuccessful return to light training in March, he has now called a close to his career.
Laursen made 91 appearances and scored 11 goals in his time at Villa Park.

That's a blow, he'll be very hard to replace.

Kinetic^

Sad day.

Samurai

such a shame, he's due a testimonial anyhoo!

Helix

Samurai wrote: »

such a shame, he's due a testimonial anyhoo!

for his ten years service is it?

Samurai

haha I never realised it was actually to mark 10 years thought it would just be given to significant players, oh well

Neil3030

Samurai wrote: »

haha I never realised it was actually to mark 10 years thought it would just be given to significant players, oh well

Well imo he bloody well deserves one more than Gaz Baz.

JPA

Neil3030 wrote: »

Well imo he bloody well deserves one more than Gaz Baz.

That's just silly.


Strong enough rumours that Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax will sign.

Bounty Hunter

Id be pleased with Vermaelen siging he looks quality and might be mates with Defour who had been linked previously and we could get a belgian duo to replace Barry & laursen. The Sebastian Delph rumour seems strong again since O'Neil was spotted at a recent enough Leeds game.