Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Villain

Nah we don't have fans that expect more than is really possible, plus we are only getting our squad up to a decent level after having the smallest squad in the league and we lost a few players at the end of the season

Bounty Hunter

the target for this season is uefa qualification again (5th hopefully) and to do well in all cups were in IMO. Next year after similar investment would be when we would think about trying to get 4th if things progress as we hope this year.

Hero Of College

Helix wrote: »

is this guy for real?

does he not realise we're the top net spenders in world football this summer, with more players on the way?

I don't know if top net spending, or top spending, per se, is a good thing or a bad thing. I know Villa have spent a few bob on Cuellar, around £8m. Selling Barry for £18m would leave you with a net spend of -10m. Is it better to spend and keep, or spend and sell and make a profit overall?? Thats a matter of interpretation. The £10m profit will look pretty insignificant if you lose points for selling Barry. It will look tremendous if you do as well as you did last year. Its all a big "IF".

Dunphy usually gets a lot of mileage out of "spending" by bashing Benitez for "spending £125m in 4 years".....which must be an average of £30m per year, less when you take into account the sales he makes to fund his buying.

Sure Chelsea used spend that in an afternoon, never mind a year.

So I'm not sure how much net spending, or any other sort of spending, can be really relied on as gauge.

Mr Alan

Hero Of College Dunphy.

FACT.

Hero Of College

leninbenjamin wrote: »

scary isn't it?

i'm surprised some people are so against Doyle, I think he'd be a very valuable addition to the squad and would keep Carew and Gabby on their toes. at £8m i think he'd represent much better value than Roque Santa Cruz at nearer £20m.

Doyle was good VFM at £80,000 to Reading. At anything over £3.5m he is overrated and overpriced. He had ONE good year, and now he is relegated. Sure, pound for pound, if you sign him for £3m and he scores 12, he's better than a RSC that signs for 20 and scores 17 goals.

But 5 extra goals could be 5 extra points, at the very least, or 15 at the very best.

5 points alone could get you UEFA Cup/CL football.

Sometimes you just have to stump up.

Hero Of College

Mr Alan wrote: »

Hero Of College Dunphy.

FACT.

This is not a Dunphy thread, but the man is a Charlat, and you full well know it. Wrong? Wrong??? Dunphy ain't never been right.

JPA

Hero Of College wrote: »

I don't know if top net spending, or top spending, per se, is a good thing or a bad thing. I know Villa have spent a few bob on Cuellar, around £8m. Selling Barry for £18m would leave you with a net spend of -10m. Is it better to spend and keep, or spend and sell and make a profit overall?? Thats a matter of interpretation. The £10m profit will look pretty insignificant if you lose points for selling Barry. It will look tremendous if you do as well as you did last year. Its all a big "IF".

C'mon on now, you're not paying attention at all. villa have bought more than cuellar you know.

Bounty Hunter

the most encouraging thing about Villa having the top net spending is this... were not done yet!

shoutman

I'm not happy that we are spending money, I'm just happy that we seem to ge getting usefull players. That said I wasn't too impressed with Shorey last night. Also any reason why Cueller isn't in the squad on Sunday?

Neil3030

shoutman wrote: »

Also any reason why Cueller isn't in the squad on Sunday?

I see that.... Maybe he's having his braces tightened?

V1llianous

shoutman wrote: »

I'm not happy that we are spending money, I'm just happy that we seem to ge getting usefull players. That said I wasn't too impressed with Shorey last night. Also any reason why Cueller isn't in the squad on Sunday?

He has a calf strain that prevented him from playing for Rangers in the CL qualifier - he shouldn't be out for too long.

http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php?SKEY=3fd7ea7f29214917affdfbd2f1d4bbd2

Hero Of College

V1llianous wrote: »

He has a calf strain that prevented him from playing for Rangers in the CL qualifier - he shouldn't be out for too long.

http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/epl_injury_table.php?SKEY=3fd7ea7f29214917affdfbd2f1d4bbd2

is Cuellar like the most expensive player ever to come out of Scotland???

Bounty Hunter

Hero Of College wrote: »

is Cuellar like the most expensive player ever to come out of Scotland???

Gordon to Sunderland cost more for one

Hero Of College

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Gordon to Sunderland cost more for one

Yeah, thats right....an outrageous waste of money for a guy who might be the 5th best keeper in England.

Well spotted.

Who is Cuellar replacing/ousting??

Bounty Hunter

Curtis Davies is going to be competing with him to Partner Laursen who is going to need to be rotated a bit this season anyway with extra European games. not to mention that we most likely wont just have 1 FA and CC game like last season unless we continue our crazy trend of drawing United in the 3rd round every year.

Hero Of College

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Curtis Davies is going to be competing with him to Partner Laursen who is going to need to be rotated a bit this season anyway with extra European games. not to mention that we most likely wont just have 1 FA and CC game like last season unless we continue our crazy trend of drawing United in the 3rd round every year.

HO!!!! Whats this rotation racket?? I thought that was strictly Liverpool.

Helix

Hero Of College wrote: »

HO!!!! Whats this rotation racket?? I thought that was strictly Liverpool.

laursen physically cant play 2 games a week for any sustained period with his knee, cuellar is in to allow for that

Hero Of College

Helix wrote: »

laursen physically cant play 2 games a week for any sustained period with his knee, cuellar is in to allow for that

A bit costly for a guy who is just providing cover. I know full backs are more expensive than center-backs, but still. Then again you go with what you know and nobody knows Scotland like O'Neill, at least from a Prem POV.

Bounty Hunter

most people are shocked to realise that Laursen played every premiership game for Villa last season before that he had only played around 25 games for Villa in three years because of how injury prone he is/was. He isnt going to play in every game this season, he is 31 now and will need to be rested every so often so therefore will be rotated.

Actually im not sure why i even responded to that, its not like anyone here was going on about Liverpools Rotation or having a dig at the club for that reason, you asked a question and I answerd it. Every club rotates but yes Liverpools gets mentioned more than others but then again you dont see fantasy MON do you. However a comparison can be drawn to the competition at CB for Liverpool with Agger, Skrtel & Carragher.

Hero Of College

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

most people are shocked to realise that Laursen played every premiership game for Villa last season before that he had only played around 25 games for Villa in three years because of how injury prone he is/was. He isnt going to play in every game this season, he is 31 now and will need to be rested every so often so therefore will be rotated.

Actually im not sure why i even responded to that, its not like anyone here was going on about Liverpools Rotation or having a dig at the club for that reason, you asked a question and I answerd it. Every club rotates but yes Liverpools gets mentioned more than others but then again you dont see fantasy MON do you. However a comparison can be drawn to the competition at CB for Liverpool with Agger, Skrtel & Carragher.

Alright Alright Calm Down Calm Down.

I was just saying that the best part of £8m for cover is steep. Skrtel and Agger came in for a combined £12m. Why could MON not hold onto Mellberg?

Thats right, there is no fantasy MON because who cares what happens at so-called "smaller clubs".Where is the fun in that? Better hook oneself a large fish, so the reasoning goes, down at SSN and Setanta.:(

I am quite sure there are very few journalists or ex-players who had their best years ruined by Villa and now feel sore over it.

Anyways....Agger is doing the same for Carragher just less extreme.

Helix

Hero Of College wrote: »

Why could MON not hold onto Mellberg?

coz he didnt offer him a contract until he was free to talk to other clubs, by which time juve had signalled their intentions

Bounty Hunter

Paul McGrath is to get his own column where you can read his exclusive views on Midlands clubs and all things football with the Birmingham mail.

DarenO

Good lads Charlie Nicholas and Tony Cottee of the Sky school of football pundits for picking Villa for 5th spot which i'd take despite a desire to surprise all and nab 4th (bit of a dreamer)

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11677_3982212,00.html

pity we aren't on Saturday as i love MOTD on a Sat night and seeing how far down the pecking order we are but Sunday football means we are in Europe

D

Hero Of College

DarenO wrote: »

Good lads Charlie Nicholas and Tony Cottee of the Sky school of football pundits for picking Villa for 5th spot which i'd take despite a desire to surprise all and nab 4th (bit of a dreamer)

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11677_3982212,00.html

pity we aren't on Saturday as i love MOTD on a Sat night and seeing how far down the pecking order we are but Sunday football means we are in Europe

D

Ahh...Good Old Champagne Charlie.:D

One Cold Hand

Hero Of College wrote: »

A bit costly for a guy who is just providing cover. I know full backs are more expensive than center-backs, but still. Then again you go with what you know and nobody knows Scotland like O'Neill, at least from a Prem POV.

Cuellar is a centre back

One Cold Hand

Hero Of College wrote: »

I don't know if top net spending, or top spending, per se, is a good thing or a bad thing. I know Villa have spent a few bob on Cuellar, around £8m. Selling Barry for £18m would leave you with a net spend of -10m. Is it better to spend and keep, or spend and sell and make a profit overall?? Thats a matter of interpretation. The £10m profit will look pretty insignificant if you lose points for selling Barry. It will look tremendous if you do as well as you did last year. Its all a big "IF".

Dunphy usually gets a lot of mileage out of "spending" by bashing Benitez for "spending £125m in 4 years".....which must be an average of £30m per year, less when you take into account the sales he makes to fund his buying.

Sure Chelsea used spend that in an afternoon, never mind a year.

So I'm not sure how much net spending, or any other sort of spending, can be really relied on as gauge.

Sorry, but what are you on about?

Villa have bought a lot more players than Cuellar:
Ins: Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, £5m), Curtis Davies (West Brom, £6m, from loan), Brad Friedel (Blackburn, £2m), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA, £650k), Nicky Shorey (Reading, £3.5m), Luke Young (Middlesbrough, £5.5m), Carlos Cuellar (Rangers, £7.8m, subject to medical).

We won't suddenly be 'making a profit' if we sell Barry.

I'm not sure what the rest of that post was about.

Bounty Hunter

.

BARRY: Hasn't turned his back on Villa
Saturday August 16,2008
By Harry Talbot RANDY LERNER is confident Aston Villa fans will crank up the noise to welcome Gareth Barry back into the fold.

Villa owner Lerner is delighted at the prospect of England star Barry’s big-money switch to Liverpool falling by the wayside.

Barry’s desire for an £18million move to Anfield saw him subjected to some abuse by disgruntled fans. But American Lerner is confident they will show exactly how much they love Barry with a resounding show of support at tomorrow’s curtain-raiser against Manchester City.

Barry, 27, could now be at the hub of Villa’s push for the top four and Lerner, estimated to be worth £1.5billion, could not be happier.


“You can quote me all day long that I would be delighted if Gareth stays. He’s a lovely guy and a great player,” he said. “We understand Champions League football is a big attraction to someone like him and the crowd understands that, too.”

Barry’s inclusion in Thursday night’s UEFA Cup game means he would now be ineligible for Champions League football until early next year, and that would pose a big problem at Anfield should Liverpool decide he is still their main man.

“I don’t sense any animosity and I’m sure he’ll get a great reception. We have already seen that in the game against Odense,” said Lerner.

“I didn’t detect anything negative from the crowd that day and I’m sure it won’t be any different.”

Lerner positively twinkles at the thought of the big kick-off and was in the crowd alongside England boss Fabio Capello for Villa’s 4-1 UEFA Cup win over Hafnarfjordur in Iceland.

Villa have the strongest England contingent of any club and Lerner added: “All we need now is an English keeper.”

Martin O’Neill’s summer capture of American stars Brad Friedel and Brad Guzan has nothing to do with Lerner’s influence.

“Brad Friedel is a neighbour of mine back home. His home is about 15 minutes drive away – in American terms that’s no more than a shot with a two-iron,” added Lerner.

Villa bid to get off to a flying start at the expense of a Manchester City side who were victims of a shock 1-0 home defeat by Danish outfit FC Midtjylland. That and the stories of City owner Thaksin Shinawatra’s perilous financial state have given the new manager Mark Hughes a nightmare start. Villa, though, gave notice of their intent yesterday by announcing new deals for John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor.

England Under-21 star Agbonlahor has signed a new four-year deal, while Norwegian striker Carew has extended his two-year deal at Villa Park by a year.

Agbonlahor’s new offer, worth more than £5m, is O’Neill’s way of rewarding the youngster and bumping up his wages due to his rapid rise through the ranks to first-team regular.

Villa manager O’Neill now seems certain to review Ashley Young’s current deal following his success since his £9m move from Watford and elevation to being capped by England.

Carew (ankle) and £5.5m summer signing Steve Sidwell (calf) are both hoping to be fit in time to face City after missing the win in Iceland.

Helix

jesus

not like randy to talk to the media

he mustve been drunk

Savman

I think Randy's trying to get the boo boys off Barry's back, he's generally a man of few words so you have to assume there's a method to this.

Still tho, nice to hear from him once in a while.

Villain

Keegan has said Milner is going nowhere, hard to see who MON is going to get in.

Helix

keegen even commenting on milner suggests a bid

hes trying to bump the price by talking about it

Savman

True.

reluctant sale = £££

JPA

Joaquin is available for €15 million.
I'd pay that bit extra.

Neil3030

Magpie Pair Going Nowhere - KK

By Craig Hope

KEVIN Keegan has rubbished talk of James Milner leaving St.James' Park and has instead insisted: "He is the last player that Newcastle United want to sell".

The 22-year-old has been the subject of a rumoured approach from Aston Villa in recent days having spent a season on loan with the Midlands club two years ago.

But, with Milner having been one of the Magpies' star performers during the pre-season build-up, Toon boss KK says that his young winger is going nowhere.

"He is the last player that Newcastle United want to sell, and I'm talking about the owner and myself," insisted the United chief.

"James Milner won't be leaving here, I'm sure of that."

Not once does he say: He's not for sale / we will reject all offers / we are refusing to sell him.

Maybe I'm being a bit pedantic but if I was a manager, and a player wasn't for sale, that'd be the first thing I'd say; I wouldn't leave any door of ambiguity open with statements like the above.

Savman

Well MON is a known admirer of Milner but I would imagine it'll take a hefty offer to prise him from Toon.

Helix

pay whatever it takes and get the kid in imo

Neil3030

Ashton scoring twice in the first ten mins today. Glad he's in my dream team, but would prefer him in a Villa shirt

Villain

Everton and Spurs lose on opening day, lets hope we can get a good start and then maintain a lead ahead of our rivals.

Helix

said it before, and ill say it again, spurs wont be our rivals this year

Helix

anyone going to the match tomorrow?

Neil3030

Would love to but nope. Another 4.30am start for you Helix?

Helix

yup, pain in the balls but im off work on monday so i can have a few cans when i get back tomorrow evening and unwind so its not so bad

was reading the literature with the season ticket and im allowed to use the holte suite before games, opens at 1pm apparently, and does grub, so i wont be waiting around in the airport THAT long before heading into brum

Neil3030

Nice one, is that the pub down in the carpark behind the Holte? I think there was a wedding on there the day of the Odense match!

Helix

im not sure where it is, never been down that end of the road before would you believe lol

coghlac3

Headin over myself with the Dad (City Fan).

Gettin the 1pm aerlingus flight though. Sick of walkin around the BullRing at all hours of the morning!

estebancambias

JPA wrote: »

Joaquin is available for €15 million.
I'd pay that bit extra.

I wouldn't. Better off getting Duff. Both turned ****, but Duff is only 2 million.

Helix

coghlac3 wrote: »

Headin over myself with the Dad (City Fan).

Gettin the 1pm aerlingus flight though. Sick of walkin around the BullRing at all hours of the morning!

let me know what sorta time you get to villa park when you get back would you? if you get there for kick off ill probably get that flight myself in future

coghlac3

Yeah i'm kinda nervous about that. Was lookin at today's flight, it left 20 mins late but still got in at 2:10.

We're gettin Taxi straight to the ground so hopefully it'll go well. Will keep you informed

Savman

Great interview with the quirky one:

The Times wrote:

Power struggle at Aston Villa

Villa boss Martin O’Neill says he can break into the top four, if players don’t take control

Joe Lovejoy

Senior football correspondents lunching with Sky TV in midweek were polled on which outsider was likeliest to break up the cosy cartel the “Big Four” have established in the Premier League. The vote was roughly 50-50 between Tottenham and Aston Villa, which surprised Martin O’Neill, for one.

When I told him, the Villa manager shot back: “I know who you’ll have gone for - Spurs.” He is right, but O’Neill and his team, who overachieved in finishing sixth last season, are stronger for their various acquisitions over the summer and well equipped to continue the improvement started when the quirky, loquacious Ulster-man replaced David O’Leary two years ago.

Relegation candidates under O’Leary in 2005-6, when they staggered in 16th, the pride of the Midlands were up to 11th in O’Neill’s first season and defied the odds when, with the smallest squad in the Premier League, they broke into the top six last time.

Is a Champions League place realistic? “If I didn’t think we could do it, there wouldn’t be any real point in hanging around,” he says. “It’s difficult, but not impossible. We’re setting out with the intention of improving on sixth. Reality will probably hit us, maybe on Sunday night [after their opening match at home to Manchester City] but we’re looking to improve. To do it, obviously we need to keep our quality players, like Gareth Barry.

“Then, if we were able to break into that top four, acquiring better players for the following seasons should be easier. I’m not saying it’s impossible now because playing in the Premier League is a strong ambition for players anyway, but Champions League is clearly what the best ones all want.”

O’Neill takes issue with that, and not just because the Holy Grail that is the European Cup has tempted Barry to join Liverpool in one of the sagas of the summer. That transfer perhaps became more unlikely on Thursday when Barry became cup-tied for Europe after playing for Villa in the Uefa Cup, but O’Neill says: “If players are driven into feeling that the Champions League is the be-all and end-all, most clubs have no chance. It’s a great competition, but it isn’t everything. Nottingham Forest [for whom he played from 1971-81] won the European Cup twice, and those days were fantastic, but it was the [domestic] league that meant everything to us. European ties were, in Cloughie’s words, ‘a day out’.”

Despite the constant distraction of Barry’s on-off transfer - “this has only been going on for 14 weeks” - the Villa manager found time to make six significant signings, with Brad Friedel, arguably the most consistent goalkeeper in the Premier League in recent years, plus two England full-backs, Luke Young and Nicky Shorey, and two centre-halves, Carlos Cuellar and Curtis Davies, recruited to bolster a shaky defence. Steve Sidwell has arrived from Chelsea to reinforce the midfield, and O’Neill is not finished yet, having made bids for James Milner, Newcastle’s England Under21 forward, and Kevin Doyle, the Reading striker.

“We operated with a very small squad last season, when we were lucky with injuries,” he says. “It wasn’t by design, but that’s the way it was, and it was a surprise that I was able to operate without a recognised right-back for the whole season. Olof Mellberg moved from centre-half to play there for a good part of it, and Craig Gardner, who is essentially a midfield player, helped out as well.

“Regardless of what happened with Gareth Barry, we would still have been looking for players. We needed to strengthen defensively. Last season we scored a lot of goals [71 in the league] and conceded a lot [51]. People might say that was quite entertaining and we’re capable of scoring a lot again, but this time we’ll try to do better to stop them going in. We played two games [at Tottenham and Chelsea] where scoring four away from home wasn’t enough to get the points.
“I’m hoping to improve the side a bit more before the end of August. We’re in the Uefa Cup, and that necessitates a lot of games.”

To his manager’s irritation, Barry continues to dominate the agenda. “It’s like a Catch22 situation,” says O’Neill. “Gareth told me he wanted to leave to play in the Champions League, and Liverpool could afford him that opportunity immediately. I’m not saying I am able to bring that to Villa, and I’m certainly not saying we’re good enough at this moment, but at some stage some club like ours is going to break through. Everton have done it once, and it’s part of my remit to try to do that.

“Aston Villa have actually won the European Cup, even if it was a long time ago [1982] and that’s what I aspire to. If I thought getting into the top four was too difficult, and that we should just get on with playing in a mini-league for fifth place, that would be really boring.” As ever, God is on the side of the big battalions. “In terms of the money aspect, the game has changed immensely, and it is very difficult for clubs outside the top four to keep their best players, but it should not be impossible,” says O’Neill.

“Over the past couple of seasons we’ve improved, and that improvement, maintained over a number of years, would do us fine. I’m not sure steady improvement ever actually happens in the game, but if there was such a thing, then maybe some players might be prepared to accept that and go along with it.”

On the vexed issue of “player power”, O’Neill supports Arsène Wenger. After losing Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini and being held to ransom by Emmanuel Adebayor, the Arsenal manager opined that contracts were now not worth the paper they were written on. “I totally agree with him,” O’Neill says. “The players are in control. You don’t mind that so much when it’s top-quality players, it’s when mediocre players are in control that you find it’s crazy.
“In my playing days, the players had no power whatsoever, and we always felt we were hard done by. In my time the PFA [players’ union] were not people you went to for help. Now the PFA do a wonderful job for the players, almost too wonderful, to be honest. In my day we yearned for a halfway house. It’s gone miles in the other direction – too far. Now, when players play three consecutive good games, the agent is knocking on the door to ask about a new contract. The players have more than their share of power today. A contract is a contract, and it should be worth something.”

O’Neill also addresses the Premier League’s Respect initiative, which is designed to improve the behaviour of players and managers towards match officials. “It’s a good thing because nobody ever wanted to see the excesses, such as referees being chased around the pitch by half a dozen irate players. We didn’t want that, didn’t want to lose the spirit of the game.”
The Villa manager, who has hardly been a model of propriety himself down the years, admits: “Selfishly, I’m concerned. I’m signing up to something that I hope I’m going to abide by.”
He is smiling, but he isn’t joking.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/aston_villa/article4547024.ece

Huh? Bids for Milner and Doyle?

Savman

Also, anybody care to speculate on why the f*** Ashley Young was left out of the England squad? Conspiracy theories abound.