Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Helix

invincibleirish wrote: »

Anyone know anything about this Vermaelen chap? all i know is Ajax have had a pretty poor season by their standards so is he any great shakes. FM heads what do ye know?

the dutchies on villa talk say hes ropey

Bounty Hunter

shoutman wrote: »

I don't think sixth is a certainty yet, Everton have Fulham next and we have Newcastle...

Assuming you mean for Everton cos Fulham cant catch us as they are currently 6 points behind. However given the iimportance of the two games for Newcastle and Fulham i wouldent be surprised for either to pick up a point next week, especially newcastle considering Villa's form.

Villa's Summer spending precidtion

In:
Thomas Vermaelen (£9m from Ajax DLC)
Fabian Delph (£5m from Leeds AMLC)
Steven Defour (12m from Standard Liege Mid Playmaker)
Daniel Sturridge (tribunal set fee approx 3m Man City FC)

Out:
Gareth Barry (8m to Liverpool/Italy)
Marlon Harewood (2.5m to Wolves/Notts Forest)
Martin Laursen (Retirement)

3 in 4 out
In: £29m spent Out: £10.5m recouped


.................................................(Brad Guzan)

---

Brad Friedel

---

(NRC, Cuellar)............(Cuellar/Davies)...............(Z.Knight)..........(N.Shorey)
---L.Young

---

C.Cuellar/C.Davies

---

T.Vermaelen

---

F.Bouma


...........................................................
(A.Young,C.Gardner)...(Sidwell,Delph).......(NRC,Gardner)........(Milner,Delph)

---

J.Milner

---

S.Defour

---

S.Petrov

---

A.Young
..............................

.............................(D.Sturridge)...................(E.Heskey)

---

G.Agboonlahor

---

J.Carew

Backup/Reserves: Delfouneso, Bannan, Albrighton, Salifou, C.Clark

Helix

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

In:
Thomas Vermaelen (£9m from Ajax DLC)
Fabian Delph (£5m from Leeds AMLC)
Steven Defour (12m from Standard Liege Mid Playmaker)
Daniel Sturridge (tribunal set fee approx 3m Man City FC)

we need about 4 more players tbh

delph wont cost that much i wouldnt think, if he does we'll tell bates where to go

ive not seen anything of him to suggest hes that good anyway tbh

shoutman

I mean I don't think its a certainty that fifth and sixth place have been decided. Stranger things have happened then Villa beating a relegation worthy newcastle at home and fifth/sixth place side losing or drawing with a very good performing seventh place side.

I think the notion of Harry Red being able to get villa into europe is quite funny, maybe i'm alone in that thinking.

Helix

shoutman wrote: »

I think the notion of Harry Red being able to get villa into europe is quite funny, maybe i'm alone in that thinking.

im not sure why you think its funny tbh

hed do it at a canter with us

most half decent managers would with the resources and facilities available

tbh i think o'leary wouldve done it too had he not completely lost the fans and dressing room

Esse85

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Assuming you mean for Everton cos Fulham cant catch us as they are currently 6 points behind. However given the iimportance of the two games for Newcastle and Fulham i wouldent be surprised for either to pick up a point next week, especially newcastle considering Villa's form.

Villa's Summer spending precidtion

In:
Thomas Vermaelen (£9m from Ajax DLC)
Fabian Delph (£5m from Leeds AMLC)
Steven Defour (12m from Standard Liege Mid Playmaker)
Daniel Sturridge (tribunal set fee approx 3m Man City FC)

Out:
Gareth Barry (8m to Liverpool/Italy)
Marlon Harewood (2.5m to Wolves/Notts Forest)
Martin Laursen (Retirement)

3 in 4 out
In: £29m spent Out: £10.5m recouped


.................................................(Brad Guzan)

---

Brad Friedel

---

(NRC, Cuellar)............(Cuellar/Davies)...............(Z.Knight)..........(N.Shorey)
---L.Young

---

C.Cuellar/C.Davies

---

T.Vermaelen

---

F.Bouma


...........................................................
(A.Young,C.Gardner)...(Sidwell,Delph).......(NRC,Gardner)........(Milner,Delph)

---

J.Milner

---

S.Defour

---

S.Petrov

---

A.Young
..............................

.............................(D.Sturridge)...................(E.Heskey)

---

G.Agboonlahor

---

J.Carew

Backup/Reserves: Delfouneso, Bannan, Albrighton, Salifou, C.Clark

Not enough players in or out in my opinion.

Bounty Hunter

Helix wrote: »

we need about 4 more players tbh

delph wont cost that much i wouldnt think, if he does we'll tell bates where to go

ive not seen anything of him to suggest hes that good anyway tbh

we do need more than 4 players but i wouldent bet on another big amount of arrivals like last summer despite our 'small squad', i do think we will continue to scout for a young RB too but not end up a signing anyone and use NRC, Cuellar & Gardner as backup right back instead. Ive seen Sheff Utds RB linked to us but he may prefer 1st team football with a side that can still get promoted.

Re Delph: I havent seen enough of him myself either but Leeds fans i know expect a few similar to Aaron Ramsey's to Arsenal and he has been linked to most big English teams, i do remember seeing that Leeds were holding out for a figure near the 5m mark although yes i do think he could be got a bit cheaper.

matrim

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Assuming you mean for Everton cos Fulham cant catch us as they are currently 6 points behind. However given the iimportance of the two games for Newcastle and Fulham i wouldent be surprised for either to pick up a point next week, especially newcastle considering Villa's form.

Villa's Summer spending precidtion

In:
Thomas Vermaelen (£9m from Ajax DLC)
Fabian Delph (£5m from Leeds AMLC)
Steven Defour (12m from Standard Liege Mid Playmaker)
Daniel Sturridge (tribunal set fee approx 3m Man City FC)

Out:
Gareth Barry (8m to Liverpool/Italy)
Marlon Harewood (2.5m to Wolves/Notts Forest)
Martin Laursen (Retirement)

3 in 4 out
In: £29m spent Out: £10.5m recouped


.................................................(Brad Guzan)

---

Brad Friedel

---

(NRC, Cuellar)............(Cuellar/Davies)...............(Z.Knight)..........(N.Shorey)
---L.Young

---

C.Cuellar/C.Davies

---

T.Vermaelen

---

F.Bouma


...........................................................
(A.Young,C.Gardner)...(Sidwell,Delph).......(NRC,Gardner)........(Milner,Delph)

---

J.Milner

---

S.Defour

---

S.Petrov

---

A.Young
..............................

.............................(D.Sturridge)...................(E.Heskey)

---

G.Agboonlahor

---

J.Carew

Backup/Reserves: Delfouneso, Bannan, Albrighton, Salifou, C.Clark

I'd say we'd need at least another backup right back and winger on top of your signings

Bounty Hunter

matrim wrote: »

I'd say we'd need at least another backup right back and winger on top of your signings

i agree hense what i wrote directley above this post, thats more what i predict than want.

edit: a few of the players i mentioned are according to some almost done deals, if there is any truth to any of them id really like to see one announced as early as possible to offset Laursens Retirement and further establish that Villa is a place good players want to move to before the Window gets into full swing.

JPA

Like every ambitious club we need 2 players for each position.

GK: Friedel, Guzan. - Covered

RB: Luke Young, Need a decent backup, no more wingers or midfielders there please.

LB: Bouma, Shorey, Covered but maybe not good enough.

CB: Cuellar, Davies, Knight, ?, We need one more or 2. It depends on how much faith MON has in Cuellar and Davies.

CM: Petrov, NRC, Sidwell, Gardner, Barry?, Barry most likely needs replacing, and we could improve with another signing as well. NRC possibly leaving too.

LW: Ashley Young, no cover. We need a straight up left winger back up.

RW: James Milner, no cover. Same as LW.

Strikers: Carew, Gabby, Heskey, Delf. Harewood to definitely leave. Heskey won't leave no matter what we wish for! Gabby needs competition, hopefully high class competition.



So we're talking 6, 7, 8 signings needed. Of course improvements could be made everywhere.

matrim

JPA wrote: »

Like every ambitious club we need 2 players for each position.

GK: Friedel, Guzan. - Covered

RB: Luke Young, Need a decent backup, no more wingers or midfielders there please.

LB: Bouma, Shorey, Covered but maybe not good enough.

CB: Cuellar, Davies, Knight, ?, We need one more or 2. It depends on how much faith MON has in Cuellar and Davies.

CM: Petrov, NRC, Sidwell, Gardner, Barry?, Barry most likely needs replacing, and we could improve with another signing as well. NRC possibly leaving too.

LW: Ashley Young, no cover. We need a straight up left winger back up.

RW: James Milner, no cover. Same as LW.

Strikers: Carew, Gabby, Heskey, Delf. Harewood to definitely leave. Heskey won't leave no matter what we wish for! Gabby needs competition, hopefully high class competition.



So we're talking 6, 7, 8 signings needed. Of course improvements could be made everywhere.

I'd pretty much agree with all of this.

Also any news on Young's injury yesterday? Will he be fit for Newcastle?

invincibleirish

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

i agree hense what i wrote directley above this post, thats more what i predict than want.

edit: a few of the players i mentioned are according to some almost done deals, if there is any truth to any of them id really like to see one announced as early as possible to offset Laursens Retirement and further establish that Villa is a place good players want to move to before the Window gets into full swing.

So what are the done deals then? Delph, Vermaelan & Defour? i'll believe it when i see it! this is MON & Villa we're talking about!.

JPA

invincibleirish wrote: »

So what are the done deals then? Delph, Vermaelan & Defour? i'll believe it when i see it! this is MON & Villa we're talking about!.

Done deals me arse. There's no such thing as a done deal until the player has signed the contract. I've seen so many supposed done deals in the past that just disappear.

wynters

See Redknapp has told David Bentley he can leave Spurs...

He's a bit of a tit, but he was one of the best players in the league last season, and someone we were interested in only a year ago. We need a bit of craft. If we could get him back to his best, he'd be a very good signing imo

L'prof

wynters wrote: »

See Redknapp has told David Bentley he can leave Spurs...

He's a bit of a tit, but he was one of the best players in the league last season, and someone we were interested in only a year ago. We need a bit of craft. If we could get him back to his best, he'd be a very good signing imo

I think ye should stay well clear to be honest. He had great potential a few years ago, but he hasn't made the most of it. He could, of course, still turn out to be a good player, but his attitude is terrible. I could only see ye buying him as backup for Young to be honest, but I don't think he'd be happy in that role!

MementoMori

With Bentley it all depends on what price Spurs are looking for, what his wage demands are and whether he wants to join a club where he will have to fight for his place or a club where he knows he will pretty much be a shoe-in for the starting eleven. Remember he's still only 24.

Helix

i said last summer id take milner over bentley coz bentley would be looking for a move come this summer coz of an attitude problem

this summer im saying id like us to sign him because i reckon he'll have learned something from his time at spurs, and is going to be less likely to act the maggot again

and as we know, im always right

ahem

Esse85

Bentley would be worth a gamble I feel, NRC is wanted by Spuds it seems so id love to see a deal structured. He's the type of player who can unlock a defense with a pass, if he was to recover his Blackburn form then he'd be a great signing.

Surely the taughts of playing in the 2010 world cup would be enough of a motivating factor for him to get his act together.

As for where to play him, well dont be surprised to see him play RM, pushing Milner back to RB and L.Young back to LB. It would be like something MON would do.

Helix

we could play bentley in the middle

imagine we were lining out with this next season

---

friedel

---

young--davies--hangeland--bouma

---

petrov

---

---

bentley

---

young

---

milner

---

downing

---

carew

---

we'd be an absoute nightmare to play against, with bentley, milner, young and downing all able to switch positions with each other indiscriminately

JPA

Helix wrote: »

we could play bentley in the middle

imagine we were lining out with this next season

---

friedel

---

young--davies--hangeland--bouma

---

petrov

---

---

bentley

---

young

---

milner

---

downing

---

carew

---

we'd be an absoute nightmare to play against, with bentley, milner, young and downing all able to switch positions with each other indiscriminately

Ya, and whoever we play could just waltz through midfield.

Helix

JPA wrote: »

Ya, and whoever we play could just waltz through midfield.

not at all, the reason we're overrun right now is coz we're not creative enough in there. we get the ball and give it straight back to the other team

JPA

Helix wrote: »

not at all, the reason we're overrun right now is coz we're not creative enough in there. we get the ball and give it straight back to the other team

The day MON picks 4 wingers in a 5 man midfield is the day he loses it.
That team is not happening.

invincibleirish

Bentley would be a handy signing alright but i'd take both Downing & Johnson over him. If Spurs are willing to take a big loss on him the why not i suppose.

Helix

JPA wrote: »

The day MON picks 4 wingers in a 5 man midfield is the day he loses it.
That team is not happening.

young, milner and bentley can all play inside

and hang on

youre suggesting playing james milner at right back doesnt constitute losing it?

Helix

how about this one then, if we can somehow keep nrc:

---

friedel

---

young--davies--hangeland--bouma

---

petrov

---

---

bentley

---

reo-coker

---

milner

---

young

---

carew

---

That_Guy

invincibleirish wrote: »

Bentley would be a handy signing alright but i'd take both Downing & Johnson over him. If Spurs are willing to take a big loss on him the why not i suppose.

I reckon Downing would be a better signing than Bentley for you. I think it's about time Downing was playing with good players around him.

invincibleirish

That_Guy wrote: »

I reckon Downing would be a better signing than Bentley for you. I think it's about time Downing was playing with good players around him.

Yeah he divides opinion so i suppose its time he moves and we'll see if he is the real deal or not, Spurs will surely outbid MON though especially if it goes into the high teens.

Helix wrote: »

how about this one then, if we can somehow keep nrc:

---

friedel

---

young--davies--hangeland--bouma

---

petrov

---

---

bentley

---

reo-coker

---

milner

---

young

---

carew

---

Call me crazy but i thought L. Young was better at LB then at RB, yes i know RB is his position but if we signed Glen Johnson for RB & Krancjer it would improve the team above methinks. We don't know what Bouma will be like after a year out so Young could keep him out, a little healthy competition for places does no harm.

Helix

young doesnt like playing at left back, thats the main problem there

DSB

I'd have Bentley, can't see it happening though.

Helix

DSB wrote: »

I'd have Bentley, can't see it happening though.

why not? hes been told he can go

DSB

Helix wrote: »

why not? hes been told he can go

I don't think O'Neill will be in for him.

Savman

DSB wrote: »

I'd have Bentley, can't see it happening though.

MON was in for him previously, even the General let it slip on VT, so it cannot be ruled out if he's going cheaper this time round.

Not a fan of him tbh, epitomizes everything wrong with playboys of the modern game.

Helix

Savman wrote: »

Not a fan of him tbh, epitomizes everything wrong with playboys of the modern game.

i suspect he'll have learned quite a bit from the mess at spurs tho

DSB

Savman wrote: »

MON was in for him previously, even the General let it slip on VT, so it cannot be ruled out if he's going cheaper this time round.

Not a fan of him tbh, epitomizes everything wrong with playboys of the modern game.

That was before we got Milner though. One thing I've learned about MON is that he seems to dislike having genuine quality as our backup, seems to like having decent enough players that will come in when required to keep team spirit up. It tends to work until about halfway through the season til we fall apart.

Doodee

What kind of position do people think Downing could fulfill at Villa?


IIRC he has the most shots without any goals this season.
I think i'd rather a passer of the ball tbh.

Helix

Doodee wrote: »

What kind of position do people think Downing could fulfill at Villa?


IIRC he has the most shots without any goals this season.
I think i'd rather a passer of the ball tbh.

ash youngs understudy probably. thats not to say he wouldnt get a lot of gametime, if we were to get to the semis of the europa league and progress just 2 rounds in each of the domestic cups we'd be playing 60 games

DSB

I seriously think we're hoping against hope, in thinking that Downing or Bentley will be coming to our club, at least not as backup. I'm struggling to think, in the whole of O'Neill's tenure with Villa, where we've signed a real Premiership or European quality player as cover. O'Neill signs players like Sidwell, Heskey, Shorey, Cuellar, and Harewood as backup. I struggle to believe there weren't better options available at the time, I just think he values our team spirit more than having a strong squad.

shoutman

To be honest when Sidwell signed I fully expected him to be a quality signing for Aston Villa, if he rediscovers the form he showed during his time at reading then he could still be a good player for us, likewise with Cuellar, he looked a very good signing, by all accounts he was a class apart the season before he joined us.

As I've said for the last two years I think we need an attacking midfielder capable of scoring goals and plowing into the box in the attempt of getting one or two from knock downs etc. The amount of times that the ball gets deflected or parried and the opposition has plenty of time to clear, that kind of thing doesn't happen with the top four sides as they have someone there to have another go at it.

Also I think a wide man as well as strengthening defence and another striker (RSQ anyone? Maybe even Doyle?)

Doodee

If City do sign Tevez then will they still chase RSQ? His release clause is 20Mill and I don't think MON would spend that much on him.

I really feel that we need to strengthen at the back. Cuellar and Davies might come good but i'd rather have a solid CB while they are doing so.

I agree with the Midfielder for attacking play, but I'd place more emphasis on a creater of chances than a taker of them.

I think for next season that the team needs to have some proper tactics to revert to should our A game not be going well on the day, that's why a tighter center of the field would be more appealing to me than extra legs on the flanks.

invincibleirish

Perhaps we were too quick to write off Sidwell in the 451 this season, Barry & Petrov played better when he was there then when he wasn't.

matrim

invincibleirish wrote: »

Perhaps we were too quick to write off Sidwell in the 451 this season, Barry & Petrov played better when he was there then when he wasn't.

I think if Sidwell found form he would be good in that role.

Priority should be

1. Defender
2. Creative Midfielder
3. Striker
4. Backup, backup, backup

shoutman

I think Villa played better in general in 4-5-1 but I don't think it was because of Sidwell.

I think Reo-Coker's injury could of had an effect on things too as he was suited to that role in midfield.

invincibleirish

I am doing a spot of revisionism as i cast my mind back over the season and yes both midfield pretenders had their moments, but we know how it is, NRC can't pass & Sidders is prone to a howler.

villains77

it should make for an intresting summer for the villa. would lke to see a few new quality players in all positions. wouldnt mind bentley but he has been knowing as a trouble, also woulding mind seeing doyle at the club along with a few of the players we have been linked with on sky sports and the papers. if we only bought more then heskey in jan we could have finished better up the table. but it would have prob been a season to early to get cl place we be knocked out in the first round. heres hoping for a cup next year come on villa

Doodee

The pundits on Setanta believe the Johnson will be leaving Pompey in the summer. Do Villa have a decent chance at signing him?

Also, do people honestly feel that we could sign Hangeland? I'm begining to believe that with Fulham getting into Europe they will want to hang onto him.

This summer window is going to be very nerving :E

Savman

I'd expect Kevin Doyle to be linked soon enough. I can hear the groans already, but I always thought he'd be a sensible signing.

DSB

I'd take Doyle but I really think the aim should be to sign a striker better than what we already have? Not sure Carew and Agbonlahor is the strikeforce of a CL qualifying team. Bring someone better in, and get competition going between them all.

invincibleirish

Yeah a top notch striker is the way to go, not Michael Owen!. but then if he just finds some form he might be worth the 80k a week....

DSB

I'd seriously try sign someone in from Spain or a league where players are used to scoring at will. The team definitely needs a different dynamic. Obviously Aguero, Villa and the Barca strikers aren't an option, but Spain is a breeding ground for goalscorers. Don't want a Darren Bent, Jermain Defoe style English striker anyway.

Helix

Savman wrote: »

I'd expect Kevin Doyle to be linked soon enough. I can hear the groans already, but I always thought he'd be a sensible signing.

same as