Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

DSB

MementoMori wrote: »

Have MON/the General/anyone given any indication of how many players MON wants/hopes/plans to bring in?

From what I've heard it seems to suggest MON has no plan to bring in that number of players - more along the lines of four or five max (excluding GKs)

I don't think it'd be wise for them to put a figure out there. Even an estimate. Might only come back to haunt them.

Helix

Savman wrote: »

The guy is not a "moron", what an utterly ridiculous comment to make.

Criticize if you will, but calling him childish names makes you look more like a clueless fool than an educated fan.

I won't defend MON's transfer policy but I have to acknowledge progress when it's there in black and white for all to see, 16th to 6th in 2 seasons. Yeah, criticize away. :rolleyes:

i didnt call martin o'neill a moron, i said in the transfer market hes a moron

you only have to look at his signings to see that

MementoMori

DSB wrote: »

I don't think it'd be wise for them to put a figure out there. Even an estimate. Might only come back to haunt them.

True - but even something like "we are hoping to add improvements in all areas of the squad"

DSB

MementoMori wrote: »

True - but even something like "we are hoping to add improvements in all areas of the squad"

Yeah we've had stuff like that said, but the same has been said in most windows so its taken with a pinch of salt.

Helix

MementoMori wrote: »

True - but even something like "we are hoping to add improvements in all areas of the squad"

oh, o'neill says that twice a week during every single transfer window. when questioned why its taking so long he says he needs the absolute right player, both in terms of playing talent and off the field

then he generally goes and signs players like salifou, harewood and knight

Villain

The difference here is we are signing players and we are trying to sign players, I don't think MON will give up on his first choice targets this early in the transfer window.

To expect 8 to 10 players is not being realistic imo, I think 5 players will be signed excludng the 2 already and Friedel. That will still leave us light but if the 5 players are good enough to challenge for first team then it might be enough.

I know MON hasn't been signings loads of top class players in the last transfer windows but he did take us to 6th in the league so whoever he signed or whatever he did has worked thus far, I think this year will be about consolidating our position just outside the top 4 and building a young team which with a few additions can possibly challenge for 4th spot next year.

Rome wasn't built in a day, we all know we need to sign players so how about we give the gaffer a few more weeks and then see what we think rather than speculating and guessing?

DSB

Villain wrote: »

The difference here is we are signing players and we are trying to sign players, I don't think MON will give up on his first choice targets this early in the transfer window.

To expect 8 to 10 players is not being realistic imo, I think 5 players will be signed excludng the 2 already and Friedel. That will still leave us light but if the 5 players are good enough to challenge for first team then it might be enough.

I know MON hasn't been signings loads of top class players in the last transfer windows but he did take us to 6th in the league so whoever he signed or whatever he did has worked thus far, I think this year will be about consolidating our position just outside the top 4 and building a young team which with a few additions can possibly challenge for 4th spot next year.

Rome wasn't built in a day, we all know we need to sign players so how about we give the gaffer a few more weeks and then see what we think rather than speculating and guessing?

We've signed one player. Not plural. Plus I don't think MON deserves any blind faith in the transfer market for a few more weeks, on the pitch yes, in the transfer market he has been abysmal.

Bounty Hunter

Marlon Harewood is captaining essentially a reserve side which includes Gareth Barry right now vs Walsall

VILLA: Parish, Salifou, Stieber, Lichaj, Baker, Barry, Osbourne, Maloney, Routledge, Harewood, Delfouneso. Subs: Bannan, Bevan, Weimann, Roome, Albrighton, Forrester

wynters

Villain wrote: »

To expect 8 to 10 players is not being realistic imo

Probably, but if I remember correctly, I think I recall O'Neill saying he wanted or possibly needed 6 or 7 extra players towards the end of last season...??? If you consider that we've since lost 4 or 5 players, that would put the number of required signings even higher.

We have Fonzy and that Zteiber lad who'll be promoted from the youths, and who look to have potential, but other than those 2, we'll need to buy or loan. Barry looks to be on his way and Maloney will no doubt be subject of a bid from somewhere come window's-end, so we might even lose him too if the price is right. We signed him for £1m, if we were to be offered £4m or £5m????????

I think O'Neill deserves a little more time before we all start crucifying him, but there is no doubt we should be much further towards completing the squad.

Anyways.... Fingers crossed!!!!:o

Helix

you left out bannan, baker & albrighton too

Villain

DSB wrote: »

We've signed one player. Not plural. Plus I don't think MON deserves any blind faith in the transfer market for a few more weeks, on the pitch yes, in the transfer market he has been abysmal.

We've signed Sidwell and Guzan subject to a work permit which he will get now after playing more games for his national side, so thats 2.

Actually wonder if it will be any advantage if Friedel signs having the USA's 2 best keepers or will it cause issues if the USA have international duty during PL game weeks and we lose our number 1 and 2 keepers?

Bounty Hunter

Helix wrote: »

you left out bannan, baker & albrighton too

copy and paste job sorry.

Villa reserves win 3-2 (Maloneyx2 & Routledge)

Barry subbed off to a mix of boo's and cheers, he got boo's by many almost everytime he touched the ball.

Helix

Villain wrote: »

Actually wonder if it will be any advantage if Friedel signs having the USA's 2 best keepers or will it cause issues if the USA have international duty during PL game weeks and we lose our number 1 and 2 keepers?

im sure we can work out an agreement whereby they dont take both at once when we have games

V1llianous

Helix wrote: »

im sure we can work out an agreement whereby they dont take both at once when we have games

Friedel hasn't played for the USA for years - details below from Wiki.

On February 7, 2005, Friedel announced his retirement from international football.

Villain

Ah cool thats good

Neil3030

So.... Friedel medical at VP tomorrow? Have SSN updated their story at all, I've been away from the blessed Murdoch Box all night.

Bounty Hunter

Neil3030 wrote: »

So.... Friedel medical at VP tomorrow? Have SSN updated their story at all, I've been away from the blessed Murdoch Box all night.

well Rumours going round suggest that MON missed the first half at Walsall tonight as he was finalising things with Friedel/Blackburn. For instance this was posted on Vital Villa in the middle of a match report I just read

Interestingly Martin O’Neill was NOT at the game tonight and a text from someone who works at the Villa told me half way through the game that O’Neill was with Brad Friedel today at BMH.

Neil3030

I'm really excited by this news, and I really really really really really hope the deal goes through. I posted some time ago how much emphasis needs to be put on our defense in this window and while naysayers may point to his age, or that there is much more than him needed, Friedel is an absolute rock, a commanding presence and the thorn in the side of many's the Man U fan for his unreal performances he pulls out against them each year.

Helix

V1llianous wrote: »

Friedel hasn't played for the USA for years - details below from Wiki.

On February 7, 2005, Friedel announced his retirement from international football.

excellent!

Helix

Neil3030 wrote: »

I'm really excited by this news, and I really really really really really hope the deal goes through. I posted some time ago how much emphasis needs to be put on our defense in this window and while naysayers may point to his age, or that there is much more than him needed, Friedel is an absolute rock, a commanding presence and the thorn in the side of many's the Man U fan for his unreal performances he pulls out against them each year.

far and away gonna be the best signing we'll make this summer

PHB

Friedel's a great signing.

2 out of 2 so far

Neil3030

I shouldn't even be giving this consideration since it's the Sun, but what the hey:

MARTIN O’NEILL has jumped to the head of the queue in the race to sign Chelsea star Shaun Wright-Phillips.

The Aston Villa boss is ready to step in with an offer of around £8million after Portsmouth cooled their interest in the 26-year-old winger.

Wright-Phillips wants a move to try to resurrect his England career and knows his situation will not improve at Stamford Bridge, where he is seen as a squad player.

Chelsea paid £21m for Wright-Phillips when he left Manchester City but, after an initial flurry of games, he was not even part of the Blues’ Champions League final squad in Moscow.

Young - NRC - Sidwell - SWP

YES PLEASE

Savman

Lads we're seemingly jumping the gun with the Friedel thing, no confirmation of it anywhere.

SWP would be absolutely mega for Villa. Did I say mega? Yes I did.

Bounty Hunter

Yay the SWP link is back, I hope it materialises although hold out hope I will not Milner, Defoe, SWP were linked to Villa virtually every window with no movement (cept Defoe to Pompey). If my cynicism is incorrect however and Villa finally do land the miniature winger I will be chuffed as personally I think he is just as good as Bentley, infact if he wasnt a few years older id prob slightly prefer SWP. £8m would be a steal too especially in todays market, id expect a minimum of £10 (even then its great value) but as you say it is the Sun....

coincidentley yesterday (22nd) they linked us to K.Doyle although they only barely mentioned it, so id say it safe to assume they were just filling paper space (not that its unbelievable).

Savman

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

id expect a minimum of £10 (even then its great value)

Jesus yeah, that would be trendsettingly cheap. I'd buy 20 SWP's at that price, y'know, stock up :pac:

Villain

Did SWP not reject us before though?

death1234567

Blackburn Stall Freidel Transfer

Looks like he'll be Villa bound, eventually.

wynters

I'm delighted with that SWP news. I'd nearly prefer him to Bentley... better team player, only 1% of Bentleys ego.
Let's hope that's more than lazy journalism...

I've always wondered about SWP... His oul'lad always seems to be in his ear, and is always in the press saying "Shaun should do this... Shaun should be doing that...". Ian Wright and MON seem to get on like a house on fire when they're on BBC together... so it would be hard to imagine Ian Wright telling SWP anything but good things about MON...?

Another player I've always wondered why we don't seem to have pursued more is Lescott (prepares for scoffs!! ) Now I know that might sound a bit pie-in-the-sky! But this guy is a Villa fan. He's spent the best part of his life dreaming about playing for Villa. His family still live in the area so there are tangible links there, and we're told by the General that "Randy nevers says no to MON" so if money is not an object either, why not!? Even if we were to register an interest now, it might lay the foundation for a move next summer or something when he has fewer years on his contract... we might have even signed a few other decent players by then (!) and might look like a better option than Everton...?

I remember MON saying that our transfer targets were the 'best players at their clubs'. In terms of Scharner, Friedel and Bentley, that's correct, and Lescott comes into that category too. If the top 4 is where we wanna get to, it's gonna take players like him.

Gotta aim high..!

Helix

lescott and laursen in central defence... there be plenty of goals there

wynters

Helix wrote: »

lescott and laursen in central defence... there be plenty of goals there

Sh/tloads.

tomred1

I would prefer Bentley to SWP as Bentley can cross the ball! SWP has gone backwards at Chelsea. What kind of wages is he on at Chelsea, he would have to take a paycut to come to villa.

Helix

bently will just start mouthing that he wants to leave after 12 months

rgiller

tbh I doubt we'll get either of them so it's a moot point

Neil3030

If Pompey are out of the race I can see SWP coming to VP or maybe Newcastle (assuming he leaves Chelsea). We can probably offer him 40k per week, he's probably on 50k-60k, not a huge step down. His dad could also prove a tipping point. If Spurs get Bentley, the only other club that I could see wanting him would be Liverpool as they lack wide players, but after Keane and (maybe) Barry, would they have the money?

Bounty Hunter

If Pompey actually dont want him, Logic for me would dictate he would be very interested in going to Villa unless he is happy just picking up his paycheck, or has been assured by Scolari there is a place for him at the bridge.

just thinking about it, these are the players (assuming Friedel is signed) that MON has signed for the Villa first XI IMO:

Curtis Davies, Carew, NRC, Petrov*, Ashley Young, Sidwell & Friedel

*With the exception of Petrov I would think most people would be very happy with those signings and even petrov has already been replaced by another listed first team signing.

Its the players that were intended to be squad players and squad players alone that have gotten MON grief Routledge, Harewood, Knight, Salifou and even Sutton & Agathe (who were just emergency early cover) in his first season.

If MON was the type to take his no.2/3 target I think Villa fans would love him but we would have the likes of Luke Young playing RB and Daniël de Ridder at RM. Instead we make the slow but steady progress i.e progress cos the first teamers are quality and as MON would prob say the right sort but slow cause we have gaping holes we refused to fill with people that most likely wouldent want to sit on our bench when we improve further.

Hopefully someone like SWP comes in for RM and another good player fo RB although all the links for this one seem to have dried up (except Finnan via Barry that is). Just another wayof looking at MON's dealings wherby he doesent look all that *****.

DSB

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

just thinking about it, these are the players (assuming Friedel is signed) that MON has signed for the Villa first XI IMO:

Curtis Davies, Carew, NRC, Petrov*, Ashley Young, Sidwell & Friedel

Outside of Ashley Young I don't think thats particularly special. They're all good players no doubt, but not the calibre of player that you'd sacrifice having a proper squad for. Tottenham, Man City, Portsmouth and Blackburn(it'll be interesting to see if Ince can carry on Hughes' good work though) have all been signing better than us, we're just lucky O'Neill has great managing abilities. Imagine how good we could be if we had both though?

Savman

DSB wrote: »

we're just lucky O'Neill has great managing abilities. Imagine how good we could be if we had both though?

And therein lies the catch. Martin's Magic is lost on any egomaniacs, it's just O'Neill's style that his players all meet a certain criteria. He lumps for servants over superstars, so I doubt we'll ever see the combination of both tbh.

DSB

Savman wrote: »

And therein lies the catch. Martin's Magic is lost on any egomaniacs, it's just O'Neill's style that his players all meet a certain criteria. He lumps for servants over superstars, so I doubt we'll ever see the combination of both tbh.

I agree but I refuse to believe those players aren't out there. MON just isn't good enough at looking.

Neil3030

Young - 23 (4 years)
Davies - 23 (4 years)
ReoCoker - 24 (3 years)
Sidwell - 25 (2 years)

The years I've put in brackets is the difference between the players current age, and Barry (arguably our best player). Have they the potential and attitutde to be better players than GB by the time they hit 27, under MON?

Or another way of looking at it, was GB as effective a player when he was 23, 24, 25 as these players are at the moment?

DSB

Neil3030 wrote: »

Young - 23 (4 years)
Davies - 23 (4 years)
ReoCoker - 24 (3 years)
Sidwell - 25 (2 years)

The years I've put in brackets is the difference between the players current age, and Barry (arguably our best player). Have they the potential and attitutde to be better players than GB by the time they hit 27, under MON?

Or another way of looking at it, was GB as effective a player when he was 23, 24, 25 as these players are at the moment?

Young is already our best player.

Helix

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

but we would have the likes of Luke Young playing RB and Daniël de Ridder at RM

id take luke young above an out of position craig gardner, and a daniel de ridder over an out of position nrc tho

you neglect to add that we also have zat knight (not a patch on either player you mentioned) currently starting as center back

Savman

DSB wrote: »

I agree but I refuse to believe those players aren't out there. MON just isn't good enough at looking.

That's not true. I'm sure Martin has heard of Jermaine Defoe and there's obviously a reason he didn't lodge an official interest. Having watched Defoe in a recent interview I'm not that surprised tbh, the lights are on but there's nobody home if you catch my drift.

I think it boil down to MON being a picky bastard as well as a tight arse and that's where the fan frustration stems from.

SSN reporting Chimbonda having medical at Sunderland, there's another we were supposedly after. One has to assume it's another MON chose to pass on rather than him not being "good enough at looking"

Bounty Hunter

Helix wrote: »

id take luke young above an out of position craig gardner, and a daniel de ridder over an out of position nrc tho

you neglect to add that we also have zat knight (not a patch on either player you mentioned) currently starting as center back

did actually say that Villa fans would probablyu actually really like MON's transfers if he got 3rd choice players like the above so I guess you agree And no i didnt neclect to mention knight.

Its the players that were intended to be squad players and squad players alone that have gotten MON grief Routledge, Harewood, Knight, Salifou and even Sutton & Agathe (who were just emergency early cover) in his first season.

and i did say I consider Curtis Davies a first team buy to play alongside this years captain (I presume) martin Laursen, which IMO is a quality pairing at centre back.

my main point was that players that I think and would say most would agree were bought as first team players are good players were happy with (with the exception of Petrov whon has already been replaced) and that its just that MON rather irritatingly is going to wait to get no.1 targets be they Milner/SWP/whoever instead of buying players who IMO are only squad player quality like L.Young and De Ridder.

MON isnt terrible at transfers just infuriatingly slow, hopefully his next few will be first teamers and he will continue to get players we will be happy with.

DSB

Savman wrote: »

That's not true. I'm sure Martin has heard of Jermaine Defoe and there's obviously a reason he didn't lodge an official interest. Having watched Defoe in a recent interview I'm not that surprised tbh, the lights are on but there's nobody home if you catch my drift.

I think it boil down to MON being a picky bastard as well as a tight arse and that's where the fan frustration stems from.

SSN reporting Chimbonda having medical at Sunderland, there's another we were supposedly after. One has to assume it's another MON chose to pass on rather than him not being "good enough at looking"

I wasn't referring to Defoe or Chimbonda at all. There are other clubs out there with players that aren't Tottenham. Thats what getting a good scouting network together is for. If you were to ask me for players we should be after without a doubt, I'd have to say Santa Cruz, Lescott, Bullard, Finnan, Downing, Wheater, Milner and Ashton from the Premiership alone. Not everyone has to agree with my opinions on all those players and I'm sure people won't, but at least some of those players would strengthen our squad significantly.

And as regards Chimbonda, whatever anyone might say about him, hes been better than the options we've had for the last 2 seasons. If O'Neill signs someone better then fair enough, otherwise we should have been chasing him up.

DSB

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

MON isnt terrible at transfers just infuriatingly slow

I disagree. To say that hes only slow would imply that in every transfer window all has come good in the end. It hasn't. He hasn't just been slow, hes been terrible.

Helix

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Its the players that were intended to be squad players and squad players alone that have gotten MON grief Routledge, Harewood, Knight, Salifou and even Sutton & Agathe (who were just emergency early cover) in his first season.

the fact is that theres a FAR better standard of squad player needed than the mentioned players

theyre squad players for relegation fodder, not for a top 6 team. and theyre the reason our squad looks so poor

had mon bought decent squad players instead, we'd be looking pretty strong instead of having a good starting xi and nothing else

Savman

DSB wrote: »

If you were to ask me for players we should be after without a doubt, I'd have to say Santa Cruz

Assuming Man U, Arsenal and no other CL team wanted him, sure.

Lescott

...is going to leave Everton why exactly? He joined them from Wolves and has since gotten into the England frame. He's not going anywhere soon.

Bullard

Yeah, cos all laughing and joking and girlie hair makes Top 4 quality now does it? He plays for Fulham ffs!

Finnan

Er, we're already in for him in case you missed the whole Gareth Barry saga.

Downing

It's clear there's about a dozen clubs after him.

Wheater

Who? You mean the Boro kid? He must be so good all the top clubs are after him.

Milner

MON almost had him, Newcastle pulled him back. Reports say we're in there again except the price has doubled. This is somehow MON's fault is it?

Ashton

...missed an entire season thru injury. He's also a settled first teamer at West Ham and an England international. You seem to think MON can just pick who he wants and get them, absolutely not the case.

And as regards Chimbonda, whatever anyone might say about him, hes been better than the options we've had for the last 2 seasons. If O'Neill signs someone better then fair enough, otherwise we should have been chasing him up.

Even if the guy was a total cock and would have upset the dressing room? That's ok with you is it? Is it really hard to understand and accept that there will be some players MON just won't want for a plethora of reasons? The fact he's ending up at Sunderland speaks volumes tbh, again I didn't see the Top 4 chasing Pascal bloody Chimbonda...

Savman

Someone is really confused.

DSB wrote:

Outside of Ashley Young I don't think thats particularly special. They're all good players no doubt, but not the calibre of player that you'd sacrifice having a proper squad for. Tottenham, Man City, Portsmouth and Blackburn(it'll be interesting to see if Ince can carry on Hughes' good work though) have all been signing better than us, we're just lucky O'Neill has great managing abilities.

^^^^ this was posted in reply to:

Bounty Hunter wrote:

Curtis Davies, Carew, NRC, Petrov*, Ashley Young, Sidwell & Friedel

So Davies, Carew, Reo Coker, Petrov, Sidwell AND Friedel aren't good enough but Jimmy Bollard, Lescott and Wheater are?
Dang.

Bounty Hunter

£2m bid plus 500k add ons accepted by Blackburn for friedel SSN now

Savman

£2m bid accepted for Freidel (SSN) (edit: beaten by BH)

Good shtuff. We want more, we want more