Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

shoutman

I would hope that the Hare would stare and Heskey would come. It means we have depth up front which is a good thing.

Bounty Hunter

I would like that but think that MON isnt going to use him at Villa and he would be better off for himself elsewhere should Heskeys signing go through. I mean he doesent get off the bench when we have only Gabby up front and now he will have Heskey and a returning Carew to compete with plus The Fonz who id expect to continue to be blooded ahead of Marlon in cup games.

matrim

heskey for harewood is a good improvment but he's still not as good a player as i would have wanted. Hopefully we can get someone else and have even more options

Bounty Hunter

just read this elsewhere about him

1. He won't muck up team morale
2. He's another option up front
3. He's an alternative to John Carew
4. He'll score some goals
5. He'll set up goals
6. He gives us a means to hold the ball up
7. He's not cup tied
8. He's not a prima donna prick
9. He has a fair idea of what the Premier League is about, and would need little time (less time) to settle
10. He may not be the only signing that we make

He will fit in very well at Villa i just hope he doesent expect to start every game and really fights like he never has before to get in the team and in doing so hold his England place.

Id still be much happier with Carew than say Bellamy and we are paying about 10m less for Emile whos only a year older (obviously completley different type of players tho)

Helix

i dont rate heskey, i think hes a mule. but ill welcome him to the villa and hope mon can repeat his feat of making a goal machine out of him at leicester

if he can, he'll be a great signing

however im even more certain now that big JC is on the way

One Cold Hand

Any actual confirmation of this signing? Not on any of the websites I've looked at...

invincibleirish

Not being announced until the morn allegedly, also rumours of 5 year contracts and all that. Its a surprise signing if true, as recently as Monday/Tuesday the rumour mill was saying Heskey was waiting until the summer to decide for himself where to go on a nice lucrative Bosman.

Bounty Hunter

well Wigan have already replaced him so why wait. Theyve signed that guy from Columbia Rodadellega (always was a goof FM signing ) and are talking to wigan about swapping Mido for Marlon King who had been on loan at Hull. So they could have Heskey, Zaki, Rodadellega and Mido all now, so its not surprising they would cash in on Heskey if they expect hes going to leave anyway.

Bounty Hunter

according to the sun (i know) Heskey will make his debut in the cup on the weekend after a 3m move

MARTIN O’NEILL has won the battle for Wigan’s Emile Heskey.

Heskey is set to complete his £3million move to Aston Villa today — and a reunion with his former Leicester boss.

O’Neill has needed a big hitman since John Carew suffered a back injury late last year.

He was worried Wigan would insist on keeping Heskey until his contract ran out in the summer.

But the England striker told Latics chairman Dave Whelan and boss Steve Bruce he wanted to leave now — sparking a tug of war between Villa and Liverpool.

O’Neill has emerged the victor and Heskey will join his large contingent of English stars.

His strike partners will be Gabby Agbonlahor and Ashley Young and there are ELEVEN other English players in the first-team squad.

Heskey is set for an FA Cup debut at Doncaster tomorrow with a trip to Portsmouth next week. His first home game will be against Wigan a week tomorrow.

The deal completes a remarkable turnaround in Heskey’s fortunes in the five years since playing in the second city for Birmingham.

The forward came through the ranks at Leicester and was nurtured by O’Neill, who sold him to Liverpool for £11m in 2000.

Heskey, 31, played at Anfield for four years before arriving at St Andrew’s for £6m, where he was dogged by injury and loss of form.

Birmingham allowed him to go to Wigan for £5.5m in 2006.

Since then Heskey has earned rave reviews and a return to the England set-up.

Carew is back in training after hurting his back in November.

But Villa have one of the smallest squads in the top flight and O’Neill is determined to strengthen as he chases a top-four finish plus UEFA Cup and FA Cup glory.

edit:
and there not alone it seems...Daily Mail:

Aston Villa are confident they will be able to announce the capture of Emile Heskey after Wigan last night accepted manager Martin O’Neill’s £3.5million offer.

The move has surprised Liverpool, who were confident of signing the England striker. They may respond with a counter bid this morning, but Villa believe he is their man.

Villa’s officials were busy trying to push through his registration in time for Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Doncaster as the final details were being concluded. They are eager to rubberstamp the deal in case Liverpool make a move for their former player.

As the Midlanders turn the screw on their rivals for a coveted Champions League place, Heskey is set to join fellow internationals Gabby Agbonlahor and Ashley Young in an attack that could feature for England at next year’s World Cup finals.

It will be a major coup, both for Villa and O’Neill, as Wigan insiders believed the deal to Anfield was done and dusted.

However, Heskey was the subject of an alleged internal battle with factions differing on whether the deal was to be completed in this transfer window — with the fee — or in the summer, when he would be out of contract and available on a free transfer.

O’Neill moved quickly after cracks began to appear, seizing his chance to emerge victorious from a battle with Anfield counterpart Rafael Benitez for a second time this season after the Spaniard’s failed attempted to lure Gareth Barry from Villa Park.

Heskey, 31 this month, became a warrior target-man under Villa’s boss when they were first together more than a decade ago at Leicester.

Heskey was sold, ironically to Liverpool, in 2000 for £11m.

Close ties remain between the pair and there can be little doubt the O’Neill factor was a big factor in Heskey’s decision.

Steve Bruce was a reluctant seller but realised, with just five months remaining on Heskey’s contract, the money was too good to refuse.

It has all but given Wigan their cash back on a player signed from Birmingham three years ago, and Bruce was last night stepping up his own efforts to bolster his strike-force after allowing Marlon King a switch to Middlesbrough.

Bruce has cash burning a hole in his pocket after the £14m sale of Wilson Palacios to Tottenham and he will have collected around £21.5m with King and Heskey also leaving.

---

DSB

Add a top-notch full-back to that signing and we're doing really well until the end of the season.

Bounty Hunter

id hope MON will surprise us but id say Heskey if he signs will be the only one although tbh not many teams are really that active at our end of the table, Signings so far: Arsenal 0, Chelsea 0 (1 out), Liverpool 0 (1 out), Everton 0

Neil3030

I think a bloke on VillaTalk sums Heskey up perfectly when he says: "Definitely more of a tractor than a Rolls Royce, but I think a tractor's what we need right now."

spiderdan

I think he's a very wise signing if it goes through, especially considered we beat Pool and other top teams for his signature. Carew, Heskey, Gabby, bit of a nightmare to defend against, add Bullet Head into the mix and its carnage for CB's!! The more I think about it the more it makes sense, he'll create a lot of space for the players around him which and I reckon he'll bang in his fair share too. Young & Milner will supply him with a lot of goalscoring chances

death1234567

Dacent singing for the price. Ivanhoe will do a job. He's not spectacular but he's a workhorse and might help provide an impact in games, especially in holding the ball up which we badly need.

death1234567

£4m fee agreed -- Ivanhoe on his way to VP (SSN)

Helix

took their time picking that up didnt they

Helix

laursen out for 8 weeks

Savman

Helix wrote: »

took their time picking that up didnt they

Villa regime + court action, one might assume.

Savman

Helix wrote: »

laursen out for 8 weeks

FFS.

Doodee

Hmmm.

It's always good to have strike options, and his experience will do us trumps... but i hope this isn't the end of the signings.


Thats terrible news about Laursen! Should never have been rushed back

Villain

Yea Laursen had an operation on his knee and is out for 8 weeks, thats very bad news I wonder will MON go after Upson or simalar

shoutman

That sucks re Laursen. Hopefully cover can be brought in, ten days to do it.

Helix

i think we might see a full back in rather than a center back

invincibleirish

Villain wrote: »

Yea Laursen had an operation on his knee and is out for 8 weeks, thats very bad news I wonder will MON go after Upson or simalar

Hangeland!

Awful news about Laursen, to be expected i suppose.

eagle eye

The Lausen injury is a bad blow for you guys. Although I'd imagine you will probably bring in another Centre back. You have Cuellar and then of course you have Zat as back up who is fairness has not played that badly in recent games. But thats it, you only have four as far as I am aware unless theres some youth there. I think you gotta bring in one more.

On the Heskey signing, I think its a huge signing for Villa. Carew has been awesome for Villa when fit, but imo you now have a better player than Carew. Remember Heskey was exceptional at Leicester and while he has played a lot of good football since, he played the best of his career under Martin O'Neill. I said it a while back that he would suit the system that Villa are using, to have Heskey there to hold it up for Gabby and Ashley Young, well the amount of goals I can imagine is just frightening.

tomred1

I wouldn't say Heskey is a huge signing for us. He is not going to improve us a whole lot, he is just a better player than Harewood.

Neil3030

Confirmed on the OS:

Villa are discussing personal terms with Emile Heskey after agreeing a £3.5m fee with Wigan.

JPA

eagle eye wrote: »

The Lausen injury is a bad blow for you guys. Although I'd imagine you will probably bring in another Centre back. You have Cuellar and then of course you have Zat as back up who is fairness has not played that badly in recent games. But thats it, you only have four as far as I am aware unless theres some youth there. I think you gotta bring in one more.

Davies and Cuellar could get a real chance to shine as a partnership now. I don't think we need to sign a CB unless its someone young as Davies/Cueller is definitely good enough.
They seemed a bit rusty against Sunderland but their understanding will get better.

matrim

JPA wrote: »

Davies and Cuellar could get a real chance to shine as a partnership now. I don't think we need to sign a CB unless its someone young as Davies/Cueller is definitely good enough.
They seemed a bit rusty against Sunderland but their understanding will get better.

I'd agree with this. We're OK at CB for a while. Davies and Cueller with Knight as backup.

Although I'd definitely like to see a right back signed so the back 4 could be

New RB Davies Cueller Young (at left back)

we could play this at least until Bouma \ Laursen get's fit.

We also have the possibility of Shorey at left back and Young at right back. Although Shorey would need to really regain his form. If the new RB is someone who can also play in the centre at times, then that's all the better.

eagle eye

JPA wrote: »

Davies and Cuellar could get a real chance to shine as a partnership now. I don't think we need to sign a CB unless its someone young as Davies/Cueller is definitely good enough.
They seemed a bit rusty against Sunderland but their understanding will get better.

Oh I'm not saying that they are not good enough by any means. Its just the depth factor. A CL spot at worst must be achieved now, and you cannot risk being without a real CB at any stage over the remaining months of the season. I'm just saying that you should make an addition to the squad purely for emergency cover. I'm not talking bout a big signing here just somebody who can do a job if its required.

And to the guy who mentions Shorey, sorry to disagree but its not just form with him, he has no pace and has looked a real liability for Aston Villa this season. He is ok I suppose as cover but I don't like him at all, if I was a Villa fan my heart would be pounding every time the ball goes down his side of the pitch.

Edit: Most sides have five CBs in their squad. Especially the bigger teams, like Liverpool, Chelsea, United and Arsenal. Villa should be in that postiion as well. You look right now at how things are, if you lose someone over the next six to eight weeks through injury/suspension you have no cover on the bench.

JPA

matrim wrote: »

I'd agree with this. We're OK at CB for a while. Davies and Cueller with Knight as backup.

Although I'd definitely like to see a right back signed so the back 4 could be

New RB Davies Cueller Young (at left back)

we could play this at least until Bouma \ Laursen get's fit.

I hope Bouma will be fit to still play a big part in the season. I'm not sure how far off he is at this stage. 2 weeks? I don't know. He needs reserve games etc.

Bounty Hunter

well Bouma is back in training(obviously still some time away from playing) and can cover CB aswell as play LB, and with 4 other options in the squad who only play CB (although CC has covered RB) i doubt another CB is needed immediatley, if we do sign another player id like it to be a backup RB or winger next.

eagle eye

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

well Bouma is back in training(obviously still some time away from playing) and can cover CB aswell as play LB, and with 4 other options in the squad who only play CB (although CC has covered RB) i doubt another CB is needed immediatley, if we do sign another player id like it to be a backup RB or winger next.

Ok, Bouma is not back yet. Right now who are the other options after Knight. We are saying right now that the first team pairing are Cuellar and Davies.

My point was based on the fact that there was no other cover.

You have to remember right now that its more than likely that Laursen misses over half the remaining games this season.

Savman

Heskey just makes sense, not a headline grabber by any means but knowing MON this one has not been all that hard to predict. They both left Leicester around the same time after a successful period and if anyone can keep the big fella on top of his game....

Laursen is a biggie tho, no doubt about it. Bouma cannot be factored in yet.

Shorey, if he got the finger out, could really bail us out but I've been unconvinced of him so far. It's not unreasonable to hope for 7-8 games from him, maybe not against decent opposition but in cups etc where he won't be shown up....maybe.

It does look inviting for another defender coming in tho, so I'd expect someone in the Zat Knight vein if MON can't get his first choice.

Bounty Hunter

well if we were to sign a CB we would have to sign one that would be happy to sit on the bench all season like knight does now but not so good that he would expect to start (no club except maybe Chelsea has 4 quality CBs really). Unless we sign a RB that can cover the centre like Bouma can from the left I dont see this happening next, Instead we will carry on with Knight as CB cover and hope Cuellar/Davies stay injury free till captain Laursen returns. If not either stick knight in and put the returning Bouma on the bench or call up Reserve captain C.Clark temperarily while 1 of the 2 Injured CB's (or Bouma) recover.

Esse85

Heskey will do a job for us, he wont get many goals but Young, Gabby and Milner will all reap the rewards of playing beside him i feel. He's a team player with a good attitude.

P.S for £5m i think Jimmy Bullard would of been a decent addition to the squad.

eagle eye

Savman wrote: »

Heskey just makes sense, not a headline grabber by any means but knowing MON this one has not been all that hard to predict. They both left Leicester around the same time after a successful period and if anyone can keep the big fella on top of his game....

Thats the thing, he is a bargain at that price and people are not rating this big. He cost Liverpool a fortune and when he didn't make it big there they don't expect much of him anywhere. I think he is going to add so much to Villa. I've been saying all season that all the teams in contention bar maybe Chelsea could do with Heskey. Villa got him and 3.5 mill for an England Internaional who has shown incredible form for Wigan as well as for England this season is such a bargain. He is 31 or near it, but he has plenty of years left in him because of the type of player he is.

matrim

If we get stuck at CB we can always turn Heskey into another Dion Dublin and stick him back there

Esse85

three and a half year deal.

Id say Gabby cant wait to play with him.

Savman

Precisely, we have to get out of our heads Heskey's goalsoring record, think about what this signing does for Ashley, Gabby & co. If Heskey can set them up, that'll do me for 3 mill.

~Rebel~

excellent buy for Villa i think. Gives a number of options now with the pace of Gabby and Young for give and go style football. Also when Carew's back, thats a pretty powerful front 2, would be able to outmuscle most defenders

Tomthepost

eagle eye wrote: »

Ok, Bouma is not back yet. Right now who are the other options after Knight. We are saying right now that the first team pairing are Cuellar and Davies.

My point was based on the fact that there was no other cover.

You have to remember right now that its more than likely that Laursen misses over half the remaining games this season.

Who have Utd signed to replace Ferdinand? We actually got a hot young irish prospect as back up anyway. Lowery is his name. We would quite unlucky to have 3 of Laursen, Cullear, Bouma, Knight and Davies all out in fairness.
Mind you never agreed with the sale of Gary Cahill.

Bounty Hunter

Tomthepost wrote: »

Mind you never agreed with the sale of Gary Cahill.

He isnt as good as Cuellar andwouldent have been as happy as knight to warm the bench for most of the season.

Heskey will be a good addition anyway but one big plus for me is now be it Hesky/Carew/Sidwell we now have attacking options MON thinks are good enough to use off the bench who wont always be in the first team.

assuming we switch back to 4-4-2 at some point and ill guess carew will have to earn his place back from Heskey when hes fit, so...

as a squad
.........................Friedel

L.Young.....Laursen..........Davies.........Bouma

Milner.............Petrov.........Barry........Young

....................Agbonlahor....Heskey

Subs: Guzan, Cuellar, Shorey, NRC, Sidwell, Carew, Delfouneso

add cover for the wings as the 7th sub instead of Shorey and that is a very strong side.

Its terrible news that laursen is out for 8weeks now, not that I doubt his able deputies, but I thought his injuries were behind him after starting every Prem game for a season and a half straight.

Time Magazine

Tomthepost wrote: »

We actually got a hot young irish prospect as back up anyway. Lowery is his name.

Isn't Shane Lowry more of a left-back?

Let's not forget Freddie can play CB as well.

JPA

Bouma never has and never will play CB for Villa. He has played there in the past, many years ago.
Go over to Villa talk for this debate!

Savman

You don't throw a youth player or someone untested/inexperienced into the thick of the action at the business end of the season, there's far too much at stake here. It will be a variation of the players MON trusts, even if it means them playing out of position.

Better the devil you know, more often than not.

JPA

WEBFLASH: Heskey Signs


Villa are delighted to confirm the signing of England international striker Emile Heskey.

The 31-year-old is manager Martin O'Neill's first signing of the January transfer window.

Heskey joins Villa on a three-and-a-half year deal from Wigan Athletic and links up again with his former Leicester boss.

O'Neill said: "I am absolutely delighted. He has been a brilliant player for a number of years and this is great news.

"It gives us all a big boost - the football club, myself and the players."

Heskey added: "I am very excited. It's a big club. I am delighted to be here and I can't wait to put on the shirt."

Signed, sealed and delivered.

Savman

Neil3030

ITSOTP:

Neil3030

lol, you're always one step ahead aren't you Savman?