Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

JPA

Savman wrote: »

Not at that price?? But what do I care, we're not the ones paying for it.....


or are we

You seem stunned by that price?! Their player of the year last year, cost them £6 million, has proven himself in the Prem, still time on his contract, financially stable club etc

Savman

JPA wrote: »

Carew and Jones are very similar. So if Carew recovers and is staying what then? .

Two very big "if's" tbh. Amazing coincidence, these injuries to Carew coming after his "incident".

invincibleirish

JPA wrote: »

Carew and Jones are very similar. So if Carew recovers and is staying what then? 2 identical strikers who can't play together.

Some rumours that Bent and Defoe don't get on at Spurs so maybe we could nab him but probably not this month.
Doyle won't leave this month either. Daniel Sturridge is poised to sign a new deal. Owen staying until the summer.
Heskey rumoured to be joining Liverpool.

Who is there? Noone we've been linked with seems likely.

plenty of rumours about Carew of course but probably all Hearsay, i would not have a problem with Villa having both Carew & Jones as its all about competition isn't it?

As to who Villa will sign, so long as this unbeaten run continues i don't think there will be too much much procrastinating from the Villa fans on lack of transfer activity, the club probably do too good a job in keeping their transfer business private, we just want scraps and titbits of info to pore over don't we:p

Savman

JPA wrote: »

You seem stunned by that price?! Their player of the year last year, cost them £6 million, has proven himself in the Prem, still time on his contract, financially stable club etc

Just never saw him up in that bracket. Bent was never worth sixteen feckin million either and I think some semi-responsible spending has to be maintained. Spurs are not a shining example for this either, they also sold Defo only to buy him back 12 months later at a higher price. I don't think Jermaine got 50% better in those 12 months.

As far as I'm concerned, MON has been a bit more shrewd even if he does have money at his disposal.

The Spurs and City's are welcome to the 'hit or miss' panic buys.

JPA

Savman wrote: »

Two very big "if's" tbh. Amazing coincidence, these injuries to Carew coming after his "incident".

Conspiracy theories abound but he did play after that incident.
I'd be very sad if he was sold.

Savman

JPA wrote: »

Conspiracy theories abound but he did play after that incident.
I'd be very sad if he was sold.

I think we all know the truth just don't want to admit it. He may be injured now, but he was most definitely cold shouldered. The forgotten man of AVFC you might say.

I'd welcome him back, but not when we're sitting 4th and winning massive games without him. Would be a nice impact Sub toward the next half of the season

invincibleirish

Beyond being fined and disciplined i don't think he was cold shouldered? was he not carrying an injury for a while that made him slow and cumbersome, can't remember his last game but IIRC he came off the bench but was as mobile as a breeze block?

JPA

Well he could simply be injured and the back is a difficult area to treat.

shoutman

Yea can't see the Carew situation being a coverup. What would be the point of this? And as pointed out he has played since the incident, surely if he was cold shouldered he'd be looking to leave, even if the club doesn't want to release it to the media no doubt his agent would have, an agent who seems adapt at finding new clubs for a man who has seen an awful lot of different ones.

As for new signings, I think it could be another situation where some amongst us will be calling for MON's head due to inactivity in the transfer market.
Everyone know's how difficult it is to get the right player during January, and I'd prefere not to be paying over the odds for players just cause its mid season.

We're looking alright with our current squad, yes there are one or two areas where an injury could prove devestating but I'd have faith if something like that happened MON would have the tactical know how to counteract the situation.

Helix

shoutman wrote: »

I'd prefere not to be paying over the odds for players just cause its mid season

if its the right player, it doesnt matter how much he costs

shoutman

True Helix, I'd say most people would of said we were paying over the odds for Ash Young, bargain now.

One Cold Hand

12mil isn't too surprising in this day and age. If he scores 8/10 goals and we qualify for the CL it will have been well worth it.

JPA

Rumour on VillaTalk that we will sign Fabian Delph.
Take with a large pinch of salt though.

Bounty Hunter

well saw it in another paper too now that i think of it...

Villa prepare to go to £12m to land giant Jones from Sunderland

By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 12:12 PM on 12th January 2009

Kenwyne Jones is the top target for Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill in the transfer window, but it could cost £12million to prise the giant striker away from Sunderland.
Villa's own giant centre-forward John Carew has suffered recurring injury problems, and O'Neill is desperate for a physical presence up front after missing out on Emile Heskey and Roque Santa Cruz.

Too hot to handle: Jones surges through to score against Middlesbrough

The Villa chief sent scout Ian Storey-Moore to watch the Trinidad and Tobago centre-forward put on another powerful display for Sunderland at Middlesbrough on Saturday, highlighted by a late equaliser.
However, he faces a battle to persuade Sunderland to part with their star man as they do not want to sell and have already rebuffed interest from Chelsea.
Jones is key to Sunderland's hopes of staying in the Premier League, but their free-spending days under Roy Keane look to be over, and Villa may tempt them to sell with a big enough bid as they push for a Champions League spot.
With Heskey looking bound for Liverpool and Santa Cruz too expensive, Jones is the only viable target who fulfils O'Neill's key

Bounty Hunter

MON

Martin O'Neill has reassured Aston Villa fans that he is working hard to find suitable players to provide a boost to Aston Villa's surge towards a Champions League berth, but has also pointed out that the task is proving tricky.

O'Neill clearly does not want to pay over the odds for any players he does bring in, and also does not just want to buy players for the sake of it. Any transfers in must bring genuine quality with them.

When asked earlier by Setanta Sports if he was close to closing any deals currently, the Irishman responded:

"No, we wouldn't be very close at this moment. We're looking and we'll see if we can add to it, but again it's getting back to the point.

"Quality at this stage, in this month, is particularly difficult.

"I said to the lads yesterday that you don't mind paying over the odds if you can get value for it in the long-term-maybe like Ashley Young two years ago - but it's a difficult market."

Villa have been linked with a host of potential targets over the last few weeks, with the latest rumours linking them with Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones and Newcastle United midfielder Charles N'Zogbia.

and re: Delph

it all started today because of this i believe

Fabian Delph has gone!

Eagle eyed Vital Leeds member 8ballali has been quick to notice today that Fabian Delph is no longer part of the squad on the Leeds United official website.

Could this just be an administrative error or has the club already sold the highly sort after midfielder?

The 19 year old has been linked with a number of Premiership clubs since breaking onto the scene for Leeds this season, which has also included him winning his first England under 21 cap.

Manchester United head the list with the rumours being that they have offered £10 million and the loan of two players for the rest of this season.
Arsenal are rumoured to be interested and offering around £6 million, whilst other clubs including Portsmouth, Sunderland, Newcastle, Fulham and Manchester City have also been named.

Ken Bates has been adamant that the youngster is not for sale at any price, with Leeds promotion push faltering badly over the last few months maybe Bates is already planning for another season in league one?

The next few days could be very interesting!

apparently it was on wiki that we have agreed a fee of 6 mil rising to 8 with add ons but quickly got edited. Ibut thats not a reliable source of course

One Cold Hand

JPA wrote: »

Rumour on VillaTalk that we will sign Fabian Delph.
Take with a large pinch of salt though.

Yeah looks like a load of sh!te to me.

Tomthepost

Savman wrote: »

I think we all know the truth just don't want to admit it. He may be injured now, but he was most definitely cold shouldered. The forgotten man of AVFC you might say.

I'd welcome him back, but not when we're sitting 4th and winning massive games without him. Would be a nice impact Sub toward the next half of the season

What trash! Last week we had people predicting the end of the career of Laursen and now this.
Carew was disciplined, he admitted he was wrong and the story finishes there. He is injured FFS! The last game he played he came off the bench at half time and changed the game as MON admitted afterwards. We are only 4th because we have been extremely lucky in recent weeks. Look at Carew's goals per game record this season and tell me we don't need him.

mirwillbeback

Martin O Neill doesn't strike me as someone who would hide the fact of a player dispute, in the same way he was clear about the Carew incident and punishment.
All these lies come with the territory of being near the top of the league I suppose.

mirwillbeback

I see Malbranque is out for Saturday ( suspended ) and Richardson has an injury doubt apparently - that can be only good for us, their two most talented players missing imo.

Neil3030

Nice progress comparison on the AVFCBlog today:

---

P----W----D----L----F----A----Pts

January 2006

---

21----6----7----8----25---30----25 O'Leary's last season

January 2007

---

21----5---11----5----22---23----26 MON's first season

January 2008

---

21---10----6----5----37---27----36

January 2009

---

21---12----5----4----35---23----41

We don't seem to be scoring a heck of a lot more this year, or conceding a heck of a lot less, but we're winning more, drawing less and losing less, which is really all that matters!!

Full article here

Savman

Tomthepost wrote: »

What trash! Last week we had people predicting the end of the career of Laursen and now this.
Carew was disciplined, he admitted he was wrong and the story finishes there. He is injured FFS! The last game he played he came off the bench at half time and changed the game as MON admitted afterwards. We are only 4th because we have been extremely lucky in recent weeks. Look at Carew's goals per game record this season and tell me we don't need him.

Chillax there horse, if you'd care to read again you'll see I never once said we don't need John Carew. But if you really think that any PL club is ever up front and honest in what goes on behind the scenes then you're kidding yourself.

As for the Laursen example, again, I never even commented on that at the time so perhaps you'd kindly vent your rant elsewhere, although anytime anyone hears the words "Laursen" and "knee" in the same sentence, they have every right to worry/speculate/be concerned.

As for being 4th due to luck, suffice to say I think that's bollocks. We are there on merit and merit alone, luck has played its part but no more or less than any other team that's ever occupied the same position. You make your own damn luck, probably helped by an excellent manager motivating some of the best young English players around. Luck me arse.

mirwillbeback

Savman wrote: »

Luck me arse.

Typo?

Savman

mirwillbeback wrote: »

Typo?

You wish

Bounty Hunter

.

Following unwanted speculation surrounding the overnight absence of Fabian Delph's name from the Leeds United Squad list on the website we have sought to receive explantions from PA Sport, who administer the statistics and squad details on leedsunited.com, and Perform Group, our website hosts.
A director of Data PA Sport said: "I can confirm that the issue with Fabian Delph was caused by his player profile coming through to Perform in the data feed with England U21s as a status of 'club' instead of 'other international.'"

Head of Football at Perform Group Warren Palk said: "Unfortunately due to this error on behalf of PA, Fabian was consequently automatically removed from the Leeds United Squad list as soon as our player database was updated as it recognised England U21 as a new club.
"As soon as this error was identified PA re-sent the data feed and the issue was rectified.

"I can confirm that Fabian did not appear on any other club's squad list and that the appearance within the squad Lists of MK Dons and Aston Villa, is the result of forgery and deception.
"I would like to aplogise for any confusion this has caused."

shoutman

Interesting news.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/13012009/1/villa-boss-ready-pay-top-dollar.html

Villa boss ready to pay top dollar

Tue 13 Jan, 06:45 PM

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has revealed he is willing to pay an inflated transfer fee in the current January window.O'Neill, though, would only be happy to pay such a price providing there is long-term value, holding up Ashley Young as an example.

Critics baulked when O'Neill paid Watford £9.65million for Young two years ago, but the attacking midfielder has since become one of the club's biggest assets.

O'Neill said: "I have said I don't mind paying over the odds if you get value for it in the long term, like Ashley Young two years ago, but it is a difficult market."

There are suggestions Villa will have to splash out to land Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones, who is rumoured to be O'Neill's top target this month.

The Black Cats paid Southampton £6million in August 2007, however O'Neill may have to break the club record of £12million for James Milner spent last summer if he is to land the 24-year-old Trinidad & Tobago international.

Bounty Hunter

seing as neither has yet been ruled out by MON unlike some other transfer stories atm id be happy with either K.Jones or Doyle. The more I consider Jones the better a prospect he seems.

invincibleirish

Can't see Sunderland selling though, new manager and new rich yank owner and backlash from fans, then again perhaps they might have to balance the books ala Pompey?

Think Doyle or even Ebanks Blake could be useful, i expect Wolves/Reading would crumple at a big money offer despite those clubs own ambitions.

Tomthepost

Savman wrote: »

Chillax there horse, if you'd care to read again you'll see I never once said we don't need John Carew. But if you really think that any PL club is ever up front and honest in what goes on behind the scenes then you're kidding yourself.

As for the Laursen example, again, I never even commented on that at the time so perhaps you'd kindly vent your rant elsewhere, although anytime anyone hears the words "Laursen" and "knee" in the same sentence, they have every right to worry/speculate/be concerned.

As for being 4th due to luck, suffice to say I think that's bollocks. We are there on merit and merit alone, luck has played its part but no more or less than any other team that's ever occupied the same position. You make your own damn luck, probably helped by an excellent manager motivating some of the best young English players around. Luck me arse.

Im not having a go at you about Laursen just using it as an example of people wildly speculating on the off chance that they might be right.
What I do want to know is why bother speculatiing the worst with Carew??
So where are we without Carew?
Rooney missing a sitter, Last minute goal to beat Everton, Late deflected goal to beat West ham, Last minute goal to draw with Arsenal, Last minute goal and peno decision overturned against Hull, Panic stations and possible last minute peno decision turned down against WBA.
Luck me arse, really?

death1234567

invincibleirish wrote: »

Can't see Sunderland selling though, new manager and new rich yank owner and backlash from fans, then again perhaps they might have to balance the books ala Pompey?

Yeah but If Jones wants the move then they are better off selling. I think he went on strike when sunderland wanted to sign him from southampton. No point keeping an unhappy player.

spiderdan

Tomthepost wrote: »

Rooney missing a sitter, Last minute goal to beat Everton, Late deflected goal to beat West ham, Last minute goal to draw with Arsenal, Last minute goal and peno decision overturned against Hull, Panic stations and possible last minute peno decision turned down against WBA.
Luck me arse, really?

I do agree with the majority of what you're saying, bar maybe bar Arsenal- we should've been 3 up by half time, UTD- we were prob the better team and could've easily got a peno.

Its fair to say that we are guilty of getting carried away a little bit, Villa's form could be much better IMO, we have seen glimpses of our top form against Aresenal h&a and one or two others. Our main prob is consistency of performance, which may cost us 4rth- anyone who denies Villa have been very lucky of late with last gasp winners/ equalizers is joking themselves! we robbed Everton/ Hull/ West Ham!! The two latter we should be beating much easier.

Its also easy to be too negative but it does need to be pointed out, we really need to put in a great performance against Sunderland and learn how to break down teams that sit back and are defensive.

Savman

Tomthepost wrote: »

Rooney missing a sitter, Last minute goal to beat Everton, Late deflected goal to beat West ham, Last minute goal to draw with Arsenal, Last minute goal and peno decision overturned against Hull, Panic stations and possible last minute peno decision turned down against WBA.
Luck me arse, really?

It's all a matter of perspective

jesus_thats_gre

Neil3030 wrote: »

Nice progress comparison on the AVFCBlog today:

---

P----W----D----L----F----A----Pts

January 2006

---

21----6----7----8----25---30----25 O'Leary's last season

January 2007

---

21----5---11----5----22---23----26 MON's first season

January 2008

---

21---10----6----5----37---27----36

January 2009

---

21---12----5----4----35---23----41

We don't seem to be scoring a heck of a lot more this year, or conceding a heck of a lot less, but we're winning more, drawing less and losing less, which is really all that matters!!

Full article here

Just shows you how only tiny things can have a massive impact on you finish. Villa are defo deserving of their current position though.

Tomthepost

Savman wrote: »

It's all a matter of perspective

Its a shame that you couldnt find a more apt way of using that. It makes no since in its current context.
Bet you have been saving it for a special occassion but sorry it really dont work here.
The glass is full to the brim as far as I'm concerned because when Carew is back Villa will be stronger and may not require all the 'luck' we have been getting.

L'prof

Tomthepost wrote: »

Its a shame that you couldnt find a more apt way of using that. It makes no since in its current context.
Bet you have been saving it for a special occassion but sorry it really dont work here.
The glass is full to the brim as far as I'm concerned because when Carew is back Villa will be stronger and may not require all the 'luck' we have been getting.

If Arsenal don't buy in this transfer window, ye won't need to improve at all to take 4th (which, being an Arsenal fan I hope doesn't happen, but I cudn't begrudge it!).

Helix

£9m bid in for drogba apparently

Samurai

Helix wrote: »

£9m bid in for drogba apparently

That'll be the daewoo

shoutman

Helix wrote: »

£9m bid in for drogba apparently

Linky? I think Drogba is exactly the type of player that MON would not want, not because of the type of player he is, just the type of person he is. Thus far all the players he has signed have been team players, motivated etc. Could never see MON signing Le Sulk or Drogba.

Tomthepost

Dont believe the Drogba story for one second. Aloadofbyalex.com
Just for Savman
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11677_4793351,00.html

JPA

Helix wrote: »

£9m bid in for drogba apparently

Me arse. From Fansfc. Might might as well be written on the toilet door.

Tomthepost

JPA wrote: »

Me arse. From Fansfc. Might might as well be written on the toilet door.

here is the tripe!
http://www.fansfc.com/story/4799.html

Bounty Hunter

not really a full villa link but its more likely than the drogba one.

http://community.footballpools.com/blog/2009/01/14/inter-milan-wonderkid-striker-set-to-leave/

hes class in FM this year

DSB

Villa are gonna be linked with every single striker that is considered available during this window. Prepare to accept the inevitability that it will most likely be a Premiership player in the same category as Darren Bent.

Savman

Tomthepost wrote: »

Dont believe the Drogba story for one second. Aloadofbyalex.com
Just for Savman
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11677_4793351,00.html

/clears throat in preparation for "Carew Carew Carew is on fire" chants

Savman

Tomthepost wrote: »

It makes no since in its current context.

Pot, kettle....

DSB

Tomthepost wrote: »

Im not having a go at you about Laursen just using it as an example of people wildly speculating on the off chance that they might be right.
What I do want to know is why bother speculatiing the worst with Carew??
So where are we without Carew?
Rooney missing a sitter, Last minute goal to beat Everton, Late deflected goal to beat West ham, Last minute goal to draw with Arsenal, Last minute goal and peno decision overturned against Hull, Panic stations and possible last minute peno decision turned down against WBA.
Luck me arse, really?

We haven't been that lucky. The amount of sitters players will miss in a season makes them pretty much common place. Rooney will inevitably always account for a large percentage of those.

Against Everton we went into injury time winning, we would have been unlucky to only draw. We instead balanced out our unluckiness.

We again balanced out our bad luck against Arsenal. We couldn't have been more unlucky to be 2 nil down in that game. 2-2 was an unlucky result for Villa. Should have hammered them.

Whatever about a last minute goal against Hull, these things happen all the time by the way (probably make up a large percentage of Premiership goals), that penalty was not lucky for us, the decision being reversed again balanced out what would have been unlucky for us, considering it was never a penalty.

West Brom the same really. None of the above can really be considered luck. Villa just haven't been particularly unlucky.

invincibleirish

Champions League football is Aston Villa's to lose

By Martin O'Neill's standards Aston Villa are not quite ready to compete with Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. "I believe the top-four sides are capable of winning five, six, seven games on the trot - and we'll find that hard," said the Northern Irishman last month. But five league victories out of six, fourth place in the Premier League and only a point behind Chelsea suggests there is not much ground, if any, to make up. Champions League football is Villa's to lose.

It is quite a position to be in come the turn of the year but one that O'Neill and his players seem entirely comfortable with after collecting 21 points from a possible 27, making them the in-form team in the Premier League. Ironically, however, it was one of the draws in that run that provided the greatest indication of just how far Villa have come under O'Neill, as goals from Gareth Barry and Zat Knight completed a second-half comeback against Arsenal on Boxing Day that maintained their precious three-point advantage over Arsène Wenger's side.

In the past, a two-goal deficit against Arsenal would have drained Villa's confidence but this is a side whose belief does not waver even when events conspire against them. Everton's late equaliser at Goodison Park last month was a case in point, when Villa responded by stealing a winning goal in injury-time seconds after conceding, but it was the character and determination that O'Neill's players showed in the final half-hour against Arsenal that was most revealing.

Combine those characteristics with the individual qualities that Martin Laursen, Gareth Barry, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young possess and then throw in the energy and industry that James Milner and Steve Sidwell have added to the midfield since arriving from Newcastle and Chelsea in the summer, and it is easy to see why Villa are now being taken seriously rather than dismissed as a side that will, at some point before the end of the season, implode and settle for a Uefa Cup place.

One possible reason for the latter happening is if Agbonlahor picks up an injury. With John Carew already sidelined, the absence of the club's leading scorer would leave the Villa manager with the choice of playing either Marlon Harewood, who has been a peripheral figure ever since he joined the club, or Nathan Delfouneso, a promising teenage striker but not someone you would want to be relying on with so much at stake. In that sense, signing another forward this month is imperative.

Perversely, though, Carew's injury has solved a potential selection problem for O'Neill. Setting the side up in a 4-5-1 system in the absence of the Norwegian striker has allowed the Villa manager to accommodate the central midfield triumvirate of Barry, Sidwell and Stilian Petrov while deploying Milner and Young on the flanks. With the results so promising using that formation, it is tempting to wonder whether Carew will get his place back if he becomes available again this season. Still, it is a dilemma O'Neill would like to have.

Petrov remains something of an enigma. While many Villa fans have finally come round to him this season, O'Neill appears to have bent over backwards to accommodate the Bulgarian. Granted, Petrov's performances have been far better this term but his passing is economical rather than incisive - it is not difficult to keep possession when you go backwards and sideways all the time - and he is neither athletic or combative enough to be a modern-day holding midfielder. Those comments might not sit comfortably with some Villa supporters or O'Neill for that matter, but, having watched Petrov on a regular basis during the last two-and-a-half years, I fail to see what he adds to an otherwise excellent side.

The full-back positions remain slightly problematic although Reo-Coker, the defensive mistake that gifted Denilson Arsenal's first goal at Villa Park apart, has been steady at right-back while Luke Young has adjusted to playing on the other flank with the minimum of fuss even if he would prefer to be in his more familiar role.

Against that backdrop, Villa seem well-equipped to sustain their challenge for a place in the top four, especially if a proven goalscorer is recruited. It is a remarkable turnaround from the days, not so long ago, when the club languished in the lower reaches of the Premier League and is testament to O'Neill and Randy Lerner, whose financial backing and refusal to meddle in on-the-field-matters, allied to the manager's sharp football brain, have provided probably the best partnership of its kind in English football today.

While there is little argument about Villa's improvement, Arsenal fans could be forgiven for believing that Wenger has invited a challenge from the Midlands club through the Gunners' regression this season. It is an argument that has some substance but should not detract from Villa's achievements hitherto. Indeed, it is a measure of Villa's profile these days that the back-to-back trips to Liverpool and Manchester United in a couple of months' time will be viewed as awkward fixtures by Rafael Benítez and Sir Alex Ferguson as well as O'Neill.

The Villa manager is right to claim that the title is beyond them but no one should be surprised if they finish in the top four.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/jan/14/aston-villa-should-qualify-for-the-champions-league

Harsh on Petrov tbh, still positive write up otherwise.

lately i've been a glass half full kind of guy when it comes to Villa, though i can understood people being reticent about Villas previous results. 9 PL games unbeaten, can't argue with that.

Savman

invincibleirish wrote: »

9 PL games unbeaten, can't argue with that.

Just jammy, apparently.

villains77

any one know how to get into the holte bar for the uefa cup game

Helix

villains77 wrote: »

any one know how to get into the holte bar for the uefa cup game

holte suite or holte pub?

holte pub is invitation only

holte suite is season ticket holders only

tomred1

invincibleirish wrote: »

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/jan/14/aston-villa-should-qualify-for-the-champions-league

Harsh on Petrov tbh, still positive write up otherwise.

lately i've been a glass half full kind of guy when it comes to Villa, though i can understood people being reticent about Villas previous results. 9 PL games unbeaten, can't argue with that.

I would agree in what he says about Petrov, i don't think he brings much to the team.