Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

shoutman

Definately just one of those days where the ball didn't want to go in the net. We played well, created chances, just didn't have the luck needed when the opposition always seem to have the right player in the right place.

Savman

And that player seemed to be Figueroa :mad:

Bounty Hunter

Didnt actually see the game but from all reports unlike what people have been saying about Villa recently today we were unlucky to only gome away with a point. Although both were winnable games (wigan & Portsmouth) and it may be considerd we dropped 2 pts but we are are still unbeaten in a long time and gained 2pts overall on Arsenal during that time and so still sit 5pts clear in a CL spot either only 3 points off 2nd or joint 3rd after the Liverpool vs Chelsea game tommorow, so im still happy, and Ashley Youngs suspension is now over.

Brian Capture

Very disappointing. Should O'Neill consider his position?

Bryan Habana

Wigan were well organised and resilient, but on the balance we were unlucky not to snatch the win. With Liverpool and/or Chelsea going to drop points tomorrow jumping to 2nd (if only for tonight) would have been class. Still, in light of Arsenal's result the weekend hasn't been too bad. Plus it's great to have big John back in action.

Bounty Hunter

after just watching the highlights it is hard to believe we didnt score that was a game for all the non-villa fans who complained about our luck recently, the penalty shout (might have been harsh) the amount of goaline clearances inc two at once when petrov played that smart indirect freekick.

Figueroa was brilliant

Helix

shoutman wrote: »

Definately just one of those days where the ball didn't want to go in the net. We played well, created chances, just didn't have the luck needed when the opposition always seem to have the right player in the right place.

its my fault

ive been to 6 league matches this season

5 of them were 0-0

Bounty Hunter

Helix wrote: »

its my fault

ive been to 6 league matches this season

5 of them were 0-0

go to the next united match and no more this season please :P

avillan

Carew +Bouma back,Young finished suspension and Heskey lookin ok.
Afew more options for MON.

Bounty Hunter

Cant see why Man City would sell a player who came up through the academy is still young but is playing in their first team atm especially when money is no concern, but he's has been linked elsewhere too. It would be a absolutley great signing and at a good/strange price for Villa going forward

MARTIN'S £7M MICAH SWOOP

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill will launch a deadline-day £7million swoop for Manchester City defender Micah Richards.

O’Neill is a big admirer of Richards, who can operate at right-back or in the centre of defence.

But the Villa boss had originally planned not to move for the England international, 20, until the summer.

However, last week’s news that skipper Martin Laursen is likely to be out for at least two months with a knee injury has left his title challengers short of cover at the back. O’Neill confirmed yesterday he will attempt to bring in a quality defender during the final 24 hours of the current transfer window.

He said: “We are still trying to bring in one before the window closes. We have a lot of games coming up.”

And with time running out he is expected to table a ‘take it or leave it’ offer for Richards first thing tomorrow.

Richards is known to fancy a fresh challenge having lost his England place.

That makes a switch to Villa all the more attractive given O’Neill’s record of helping youngsters, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young, into Fabio Capello’s squad.

Till Laursen/Bouma are back imagine:

Richards...Cuellar...Davies...L.Young

then when all are fit

Richards(L.Young)...Laursen(Cuellar and Richards)...Davies(Knight and Bouma)...Bouma (shorey and L.Young)

DSB

Holy crap, that'd be amazing.

JPA

That couldn't possibly happen IMO. No way.

Bounty Hunter

JPA wrote: »

That couldn't possibly happen IMO. No way.

yeah like i said i can see no reason why City should sell him even if they did sign someone like Toure but if it did somehow id agree with DSB it would be amazing.

now since im posting here how about a MON quote from the times

O’Neill hopes to sign a centre-half before the transfer window closes tomorrow, but the outlay will be modest. “Our wage bill is 60% of our turnover, which is fantastic by today’s standards, it’s a figure we’re really comfortable with. The owner doesn’t want to go down the route followed by others and gamble with the club’s future, and he’s right.”

Is Villa’s way more gratifying than the money-no-object approach favoured by Manchester City? Grinning sagely, O’Neill replied: “As a manager, you’ve only got so long, and I’m not here to criticise anybody’s methods. If you can buy a championship, good luck to you. I’d be envious.”

Bryan Habana

Micah Richards would be a great addition, especially long term to replace Laursen. Can't imagine city selling one of their best youth prospects. It's not like they need the money. Maybe the prospect of Champion's league football next season would temp the lad .

What do people make of the rumours of a summer move for Sturridge?

Bounty Hunter

Bryan Habana wrote: »

Micah Richards would be a great addition, especially long term to replace Laursen. Can't imagine city selling one of their best youth prospects. It's not like they need the money. Maybe the prospect of Champion's league football next season would temp the lad .

What do people make of the rumours of a summer move for Sturridge?

Well Sturridge's contract is up in the Summer so he could be free, especially if City have signed someone like RSC and he would be a great improvement on Harewood and play in the 3rd/4th chice forward role. In a Cl squad he might be happy with that and id be happy with that.

JPA

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Well Sturridge's contract is up in the Summer so he could be free, especially if City have signed someone like RSC and he would be a great improvement on Harewood and play in the 3rd/4th chice forward role. In a Cl squad he might be happy with that and id be happy with that.

We would have to pay a tribunal fee so if we could get him now we should.

Bryan Habana

JPA wrote: »

We would have to pay a tribunal fee so if we could get him now we should.

Fully agree. He'd surely get more game time with Villa and MON is just the man to develop his potential even further and enhance his England prospects. I'd say he'd be open to a move, especially with Bellamy signed to the increasingly long list of strikers there.

Bounty Hunter

JPA wrote: »

We would have to pay a tribunal fee so if we could get him now we should.

actually thats true a few million probably but in the Summer City would have no choice while now i dont think they wanna sell, infact they have offered him a new contract but he seems to be waiting to see if new signings will crowd him out and limit his chances at City.

aston villa plan transfer deadline swoop- sunday mercury

ASTON Villa manager Martin O’Neill has held a transfer summit with owner Randy Lerner as he ponders a last-minute raid before the window closes.

O’Neill is keen to further strengthen his squad as Villa seek to maintain their challenge in the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Cup.

With Martin Laursen sidelined after knee surgery a new defender is on O’Neill’s hit list.

O’Neill said: “The chairman has flown in and we will see what materialises. We are all aware of where we stand at this moment and we will see if we can do something. If we can’t, we can’t.

“For the current squad to attack on all three fronts might be difficult. We need to be exceptionally lucky in terms of injuries.”

O’Neill’s only business so far this month has been to bring in Emile Heskey for £3.5m from Wigan.

The England striker paid an instant dividend with the winner on his debut at Portsmouth to keep Villa firmly in the race for a place in next season’s Champions League.

O’Neill, relishing their lofty position, added: “It is new for us, exciting and great. But whether we can stay there is another thing.

“The players have been absolutely fantastic, way back to when we started in July. It has been a phenomenal effort.

“We have won nine of our 12 games away from home and that is extraordinary by any stretch of the imagination. You give that to the any of the normal top four sides and they would take that at the start of the season.”

Bryan Habana

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

actually thats true a few million probably but in the Summer City would have no choice while now i dont think they wanna sell, infact they have offered him a new contract but he seems to be waiting to see if new signings will crowd him out and limit his chances at City.

There's talk of city bidding £20m on deadline day to sign RSC. Can't do our chances of getting Sturridge any harm.

Villain

Richards fits the bill for MON, i.e. young and English but hard to see City selling him

PHB

I don't think its that hard to see. Despite his initial 'form' (which I think was more bluster than anything else) he hasn't hugely improved in his time at City. For a team desperate for quick success, he's just not good enough currently.

That said, I do think it'd be a great buy from MON. He's got potential no doubt (although I don't think he has as much as some people) and I'd bank on MON getting the best out of him.

Bryan Habana

It looks like Tal Ben Haim will be loaned to Sunderland until the end of the season. So unless city have some defensive signings lined up I find it hard to imagine Richards moving on (before summer at least). Would provide very good cover though.

mirwillbeback

Lampard sent off, he'll miss the Villa game now I believe.

wynters

Think he misses an FA cup game so he should be back for the Villa match.

Villain

Straight red so he will get 2 games if it isn't overturned but I expect it to be overturned

SantryRed

Villain wrote: »

Straight red so he will get 2 games if it isn't overturned but I expect it to be overturned

Doubt it will. Chelsea will have to prove that it wasn't even worth a yellow card.

Helix

he got the ball

SantryRed

FA are retards though.

invincibleirish

Hopefully 'Lamps' is out. Disappointing result yesterday but credit to Wigan for sticking to their game plan and staying cool, Kirkland was on top form. Great to see Karoo back.

tomred1

Seems quiet enough for us so far today. I wonder if MON wil buy another Salifou by 5pm.

Mitch Connor

Some reports today linking Villa with a 7m move for Micah Richards.

spiderdan

Come on MON lets get a few more names into the squad. Richards would be a very good signing.

I'll be looking at who Arsenal sign- SSN says the Arshavin deal is off, good news for us.

Esse85

Maloney, Routledge and Salifou were all bought at the last minute and look how they turned out.

I ll de disappointed if its just Heskey thats brought in.

matrim

Aston Villa are chasing Shrewsbury winger Chris Humphrey, skysports.com understands.

Humphrey has attracted the interest of a host of clubs following a number of eye-catching performances this season.

Scouts have been flocking to the Prostar Stadium to cast an eye over the player, with Villa among the interested onlookers.

Villa are now believed to be ready to follow up their interest with a firm move for the jet-heeled wide-man in order to steal a march on their rivals.

Humphrey is out of contract in the summer and with Shrewsbury confirming they have shelved contract talks with all players, they could risk losing the former West Brom youngster for a small compensation fee at the end of the season.

I don't know much about the guy but a backup winger is needed.

Helix

only £50k too according to reports

worth a punt, tho i assume hes down the list of importance as we try to bring in ronaldo and torres

Neil3030

Helix wrote: »

only £50k too according to reports

worth a punt, tho i assume hes down the list of importance as we try to bring in ronaldo and torres

Torres can't play on the wing though...

JPA

Neil3030 wrote: »

Torres can't play on the wing though...

Clutter lads! I thought there was some news! :mad:

invincibleirish

Chris Humphrey the new Michael Boulding?

sternn

Where are these "signings"? :mad::(:confused:

invincibleirish

Doesn't look like it any signings to be made, ho hum. TBH who is moving today that Villa could have got who would have been a contender? Keane maybe?

Neil3030

invincibleirish wrote: »

Doesn't look like it any signings to be made, ho hum. TBH who is moving today that Villa could have got who would have been a contender? Keane maybe?

Wouldn't mind Quaresma tbh...

Bryan Habana

I think it's been a fairly decent window overall. I'd like to have seen some cover for the wing and to a lesser extent a LB coming in. But in Heskey, he has a player of proven quality in a position that needed strengthening. Plus Bouma and Carew are almost back to full match fitness.

matrim

I'm disappointed we didn't get in someone who can cover in defense. But it's not the end of the world. With Freddy and Carew coming back, and Heskey it means that we now have more options, and can still keep up the push for a CL spot.

Bounty Hunter

matrim wrote: »

I'm disappointed we didn't get in someone who can cover in defense. But it's not the end of the world. With Freddy and Carew coming back, and Heskey it means that we now have more options, and can still keep up the push for a CL spot.

plus Arsenal signed nobody during the window

wynters

Well we needed a striker and we got one... The centre-half situation is one we can cover with Bouma coming back (he played in a back 3 in Hiddinks PSV side that got to the CL semi's a few years back so he has previous there) and Barry has played there too. So numbers wise - we should be OK.

Considering our previous last day January buys, I could take or leave an average player coming in. No point spending big(-ish) on a player now if we can attract CL calibre player come the summer time *fingers crossed*

I was paying as much attention to the Arshavin and Liverpool transfer gossip all day... Wonder what's going on with Arshavin... reports now are that the deal is off again!??? And Liverpool are fckd if Torres gets injured. Risky business going with what they have!!! See Spurs play Pool on the last day of the season....! Imagine Keane scored the winner in that one to cost Liverpool the title, or a place in the CL!?

Villain

Did the Arshavin deal go through?

Bounty Hunter

Villain wrote: »

Did the Arshavin deal go through?

according to the Arsenal thread the deal was not done by 5pm although personal terms and a fee had been agreed and now Zenith are making a 7pm statement but afaik Arshavin has been in London all day so they cant blame the snow and cant push through the deal late so....its off

Villain

Oh I wouldn't bet on that, could well go through

shoutman

Mneh not surprised, Richards was never going to happen imo, would love to know who the two mon was talking about were though.

Bryan Habana

wynters wrote: »

I was paying as much attention to the Arshavin and Liverpool transfer gossip all day... Wonder what's going on with Arshavin... reports now are that the deal is off again!??? And Liverpool are fckd if Torres gets injured. Risky business going with what they have!!! See Spurs play Pool on the last day of the season....! Imagine Keane scored the winner in that one to cost Liverpool the title, or a place in the CL!?

Looks like the Arshavin deal is off alright. At least we haven't lost any ground to those around us on the table.