Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

estebancambias

Everyone says that about goalkeepers...I think consitency is the minimum you could expect for a keeper...I hate when people say like 'oh he's a great goalkeeper on his day'

The fact is he is a quality keeper who rarely makes mistakes....this is why the best keepers outside the top 4 are Given, Friedel and probably someone else(howard never seems to make mistakes)



SOH is unlucky, probably would have been his first team chance with Bouma out.

V1llianous

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

as far as i know that is complet B0llocks

although here is what the Wiki says

You are correct in your surmisation as he nearly came on at the end of the match :rolleyes:

Time Magazine

I'm delighted to hear about Friedel. Our big problem last year was conceding stupid goals so hopefully he'll put a stop to that. All we need to do now is replace Knight, who showed his liability status again today when he let your man get one-on-one with Taylor after about half an hour.

Actually no, we need to do a lot more than just replace Knight. We need a right-back. I like Gardner but he's a CM ffs. And it would look like we need a new LB now as well. Although it's not a broken ankle (thank ****!) Setanta did say there's probably ligament damage to Freddie.

Petrov was silent again today. Wouldn't a new winger be nice?

And we need someone to challenge Gabby. When he's good he's good, but when he's not up to it, he's crap. I think Kevin Doyle would be a good challenger in that regard and could add some good general strength in depth as well as he could go up front with Gabby if JC was injured.

Anyone else worried by Laursen's limping?

V1llianous

Antithetic wrote: »

I'm delighted to hear about Friedel. Our big problem last year was conceding stupid goals so hopefully he'll put a stop to that. All we need to do now is replace Knight, who showed his liability status again today when he let your man get one-on-one with Taylor after about half an hour.

Actually no, we need to do a lot more than just replace Knight. We need a right-back. I like Gardner but he's a CM ffs. And it would look like we need a new LB now as well. Although it's not a broken ankle (thank ****!) Setanta did say there's probably ligament damage to Freddie.

Petrov was silent again today. Wouldn't a new winger be nice?

And we need someone to challenge Gabby. When he's good he's good, but when he's not up to it, he's crap. I think Kevin Doyle would be a good challenger in that regard and could add some good general strength in depth as well as he could go up front with Gabby if JC was injured.

Anyone else worried by Laursen's limping?

Agree with most of this not sure about Doyle though - think we can and should get a proven top goal scorer.

Not worried about Laursen's limp, he carried on for the rest of the game and even went up 5 minutes later for a corner, which if he had a problem I'm sure he wouldn't have done.

Petrov was barely in the game today at all.

Anyone surprised by Reo-Coker, I could have sworn I saw him put in a couple of nice 30-35 yard passes either I was mistaken or he has learnt to pass while on his holidays.

Helix

can see us setting a deadline now for liverpool re barry, coz we have to sign a left back whether he stays or not, and 2 if he leaves

we need a gabby replacement methinks, or at least someone in to light a fire under his arse

Bounty Hunter

.

wynters

Helix wrote: »

... coz we have to sign a left back whether he stays or not, and 2 if he leaves

Perfect excuse to try for Lescott

DarenO

quick introduction

I've been supporting Villa since the mid seventies, i'd rely on my relations in England to bring Villa stuff back as a kid, started going to the games in the mid nineties, i look forward to adding to this thread (took a while to get 50 posts as i'm only ever on Classic Cars or reading this thread)

Anyway, i hope Barry stays not least because it proves to 'bigger clubs' that we are not to be pushed around, if Liverpool can't meet our valuation then the deal is off and we are the better for it as Barry is quality. i was very worried our whole transfer season was based on 2 games against Odense but we scrapped through it, now can we see some real activity and not just links, we are already down a few players and thats with the smallest PL squad anyway.

i've great faith in MON as a manager i just feel he should start meeting other clubs valuations for players eg Bentley as Lerner is willing to back him

Got the new kit during the week, first trip - down to my Man U loving in laws today

Regards
Darren

Helix

we'll play one of the following in the uefa 2nd qual round:

FC Midtjylland * Den
FC Nordsjælland * Den
Djurgårdens IF * Swe
Kalmar FF * Swe
Haka Valkeakoski * Fin
Honka Espoo * Fin
FH Hafnarfjardar * Isl
Metalurgs Liepaja * Lat
JFK Olimps Riga * Lat
Suduva Marijampole * Lit

JPA

Helix wrote: »

we'll play one of the following in the uefa 2nd qual round:

FC Midtjylland * Den
FC Nordsjælland * Den
Djurgårdens IF * Swe
Kalmar FF * Swe
Haka Valkeakoski * Fin
Honka Espoo * Fin
FH Hafnarfjardar * Isl
Metalurgs Liepaja * Lat
JFK Olimps Riga * Lat
Suduva Marijampole * Lit

Link?
Those teams should pose no problem....

Helix

no link, some lunatic on villa talk worked it out via all the coefficients and seedings, with uefas own rules and explainations of how draws are done on the uefa site

DSB

Eh Pats are leading Riga in that tie and Cork are in a decent enough position to go through against Haka, so whoever said that is grossly inaccurate.

Helix

DSB wrote: »

Eh Pats are leading Riga in that tie and Cork are in a decent enough position to go through against Haka, so whoever said that is grossly inaccurate.

draws are based on location as well as coefficient

if pats and cork go through i dont think we can face them anyway coz we're too close geographically

Neil3030

Just back from the game myself. Absolutely wonderful weather in Birmingham for the weekend, you could have been in a stadium in the South of France.

Delighted Barry got such a warm welcome. I was reading utter nonsense on other boards and blogs from people claiming to have been looking forward to getting a chance to 'boo the judas' at the match and they were silenced by the crowd's applause for Barry every time he got the ball (some might have seen this as ass-licking, but I honestly think it was just to drown out the boos). He also received standing ovations on more than one occasion from the fans directly behind where he was taking a corner. He showed his footballing class aswell, we are simply a better team when he plays.

It's now win win for Villa in my mind, because he is clearly welcome at Villa Park and as a model professional (on the pitch obviously, not so much when speaking to the media) I'm confident we will get the best out of him if he stays. Failing that, we get £18m.

I saw too a new wheelchair ramp has been built at the players' entrance just in time for Friedel :P

tomred1

With Bouma out now for a while we now need a LB. 2 x RB, CD just in defence. If Barry stay now he will fill the LB position, that means we will have to play the midflied of Petrov, NRC,Sidwell,Young. Not a great improvment on last year as Petrov should not be there imo. We need alot of players, Anyone else worried?

One Cold Hand

Not too happy about being linked with Kaboul. Why would we be interested in him. The fact that he's not good enough for the Spurs defence says it all really.

One Cold Hand

From F365:

LAURSEN STILL IN SHOCK AFTER BOUMA INJURY

Aston Villa defender Martin Laursen will not forget Wilfred Bouma's screams of pain in a hurry.

The horror injury Bouma suffered during Villa's Intertoto Cup triumph over Odense BK on Saturday has put a dampener on their qualification for the UEFA Cup.

Bouma is now facing several months on the sidelines following a collision with Baye Djiby Faye that left him with a horribly dislocated ankle.

Skipper Nigel Reo-Coker was in tears when he saw the severity of the incident and Laursen admitted he was equally moved.

"I have never seen any injury like that before," he said.

"Wilfred was screaming and when you see someone of his character scream like that, you know he is in a lot of pain.

"It looked pretty bad and we know he will be out for some months but at least the skin was not broken, otherwise it could have been even worse."

Having played all 38 Premier League matches for Villa last season, Bouma will be difficult to replace.

Gareth Barry took the responsibility this weekend, although manager Martin O'Neill confirmed he will now look for a replacement.

"We were looking around anyway given the workload we have, so that search will continue," said the Ulsterman.

O'Neill has also assured Bouma, who is in the final year of his contract, that he will almost certainly get a new deal, with no timescale being put on his recovery.

"He should not rush back - it is not a problem," O'Neill said.

Barry would be the obvious short-term replacement at full-back and there is a growing feeling he could be around to fill the void as Liverpool continue to ponder whether to meet Villa's £18million asking price.

The reception Barry received on Saturday must have at least assured him that there will be no ill-feeling should he decide to stay, which is definitely the outcome Laursen is hoping for.

"I don't think it is certain Gareth will go," Laursen continued.

"When you have the possibility of going to a Champions League club then you have to think about it. But I am sure he is happy here. He is very popular and the fans like him.

"I don't know what he wants but we hope he stays because he is so important to the team."

The reception Barry received was a surprise given the abuse he took at Walsall in midweek.

But Laursen does not believe too much should be read into that negative response, feeling it was very much a one-off.

"The fans love this club, so they have mixed feelings because Gareth is one of our best players and the fans want to keep the best players," he added.

"You can understand that but the fans must also know how much he has done for the club.

"He has been here for 10 years and been our captain. They will remember that as well."



I didn't see Bouma's injury, but it sounds like it was pretty horrific. Bouma's an absolute rock, if he was screaming it must have been pretty bad.

Neil3030

Our seats were right behind the dugout, saw and heard it all. The screams sent shivers up my spine, never heard anything like that before in my life.

Neil3030

Villa to tempt Barry with new four-year deal?

O'Neill hopes contract offer will end Liverpool interest £20m Keane to have medical at Anfield today

* John Percy and Neil Johnston
* The Guardian,
* Monday July 28 2008
* Article history

Gareth Barry's transfer to Liverpool looked doomed to failure last night after Aston Villa's manager, Martin O'Neill, revealed that the club are ready to offer him a new contract and Robbie Keane prepared to travel to Anfield for a medical.

O'Neill will hold talks with Barry this week about a new four-year deal in an attempt to bring one of the summer's longest-running transfer stories to a close and keep his captain at Villa Park. Liverpool maintain that they will not meet Villa's asking price of £18m despite Rafael Benítez's long-standing admiration for the midfielder and Barry's willingness to go public with his desire to leave.

Barry, who received a mainly positive reaction from Villa fans when he came on as a substitute in their Intertoto Cup victory against Odense on Saturday, has one year remaining on his present deal and will be offered a contract that could increase his pay to £60,000 a week, with the promise of a lucrative testimonial after 10 years of service. More pertinently for the 27-year-old, O'Neill will also give him a guarantee that he can walk away next summer if Villa fail to advance on last season's sixth-place Premier League finish.

O'Neill has added Steve Sidwell and Brad Friedel to his squad this summer but, after Wilfred Bouma's serious injury on Saturday, Villa are without a recognised full-back with the new season only three weeks away. Their victory over Odense took them into the qualifying stages of the Uefa Cup.

"The clear message regarding Gareth is that everyone at Villa Park wants him to stay," O'Neill said. "I will talk to Gareth first of all. Our position has not changed - like I've said before, we will do everything we can [to keep him]. The player belongs to us. Liverpool know the situation. It's not my job to pick up the phone to them.

"It's very obvious we value him more than Liverpool do. He's a top European player. The price we are asking is true and realistic. I think it's really, really cheap actually but that doesn't mean I want him to go. But if he felt he wanted to leave he saw the reaction on Saturday - it was incredibly positive.

"It's obvious that we have some serious work to do with regards to getting players in. But I'm still confident that we will make progress with it in the next few weeks."

Benítez is prepared to sell Xabi Alonso to raise funds which may help his pursuit of Barry but so far there have been no takers, with no one willing to meet Liverpool's £16m valuation of the 26-year-old.

Keane will undergo a medical today and his £20m move from Tottenham Hotspur may be completed in time for the forward to make his debut for his boyhood heroes in Liverpool's friendly in Spain against Villarreal on Wednesday.

Liverpool have offered the Republic of Ireland captain a five-year contract worth £80,000 a week and negotiations continued throughout the weekend after Tottenham reluctantly agreed to sell Keane, who scored 80 goals in 197 Premier League appearances during six years at White Hart Lane, on Friday evening.

Keane's arrival will take Benítez's spending to about £32m since his side finished 11 points adrift of the Premier League champions, Manchester United, last season. The Liverpool manager has already drafted in the Brazilian goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri, full-backs Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena, and the teenagers David Ngog and Emmanuel Mendy.

Benítez has raised about £20m by selling Scott Carson, John Arne Riise, Danny Guthrie and Peter Crouch.

rgiller

One Cold Hand wrote: »

I didn't see Bouma's injury, but it sounds like it was pretty horrific. Bouma's an absolute rock, if he was screaming it must have been pretty bad.

Saw it on Setanta: it was on a par with Eduardo in my eyes. He made a botched tackle on an Odense player and then went down grasping at his thigh. The camera was zoomed in on his face, torso and thigh and he was screaming. The commentator thought it was cramp first before the camera zoomed out a little. Then you saw it: the part of his leg below the knee was at an impossible angle compared to the rest. Especially his ankle, which looked like it was twisted 90 degrees so that his foot was perpendicular to his knee joint. Poor guy. I couldn't hear the screams but you could see the pain on his face and it was pretty disturbing.

Wish him all the best with the recovery

V1llianous

Bouma could be back in 4 - 6 months source Beeb:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/7528482.stm

Aston Villa are optimistic defender Wilfred Bouma will return in four to six months after a successful operation on his dislocated right ankle.

The 30-year-old suffered the injury in Villa's Intertoto Cup victory over Odense BK on Saturday.

Bouma had an operation on Sunday, during which the ankle was reset and a plate inserted to stabilise the area.

"The operation went very well. Freddie is in good spirits," manager Martin O'Neill told Villa's website.

"Everybody is very optimistic he will make a rapid recovery.

"It was a bad injury but with the level of treatment he has had and the post-operative prognosis we've been given, we're all hoping to see him back, perhaps sooner than everyone expected on Saturday night."

The injury happened in the first 15 minutes of the match against Danish side Odense at Villa Park.

Bouma's team-mates looked on in shock as the left-back underwent treatment before being replaced by Gareth Barry.

The Dutchman was taken to hospital where an X-ray showed his right ankle was dislocated rather than broken - and Villa boss O'Neill initially feared the worst.

"I am a bit squeamish and the pictures were not so good," said O'Neill after Villa's 1-0 win, which gave the Midlands club a 3-2 aggregate victory and a place in the final qualifying round of the Uefa Cup.

Bouma joined Villa from PSV Eindhoven for £3.5m in August 2005 and O'Neill added: "It's terrible news because he played every single game last season. He was fantastic but he'll come through it."

Bounty Hunter

I have a feeling that Bouma's injury will mean the return of the Joe Mattock link. He waqs the England U-21 left back at 17 (think he turned 18 recently). plays for Leicster who got relegated last season to League one so should be easily got. Despite the relegation leicster actually had one of the best defenses in the league last year (just couldent score at all) and Mattock is very highley rated. MON was supposidly at a number of Leicster games last year although at the time it was expected to be because we were going to sign Richard Stearman for RB who has since gone to Wolves this summer.

Bounty Hunter

Villa's first game of the season moved to the Sunday at 3pm as both Villa and Man city (our opponents) have progressed in Europe

Esse85

We needed a LB before the Bouma injury as cover. Id like Shorey at Reading, i think he'd be a steady signing. I feel if Barry stays, he has to play CM, he's footballing ability would just be wasted at LB.

Im well aware other areas need strengthening first, but we badly need a striker too, when teams drop deep and Gabby cant use his pace, he's very ineffective. He's not clinical, hasnt a good touch and im starting to wonder would he be better playing out on the right.

I havent seen enough of Kaboul to assess him really, the only positive thing he did for spurs he did last season which i recall was scoring against us:mad: However he has got a good pedigree, and in his defense he didnt have a settled partner playing with him last season, he looked overweight too but he could be worth a gamble and he's hardly gonna be as bad as Knight. I was relieved to hear Gardner from Spurs completed his move to Hull as i wouldnt of been surprised to hear MON was interested in signing him:rolleyes:

Helix

gabby playing on the right would be utterly pointless imo, because hes got zero end product

head down, run straight, shoot

Helix

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Aston Villa have made a £9.4million offer for Real Madrid midfielder Ruben de la Red. The Spain international has been offered a four-year contract, with Real coach Bernd Schuster yet to make a decision on his future.

Esse85

Helix wrote: »

gabby playing on the right would be utterly pointless imo, because hes got zero end product

head down, run straight, shoot

Well i dont think he's much better up front, do you?

Helix

only if we're playing against a team who dont defend deep. if the team is up the pitch hes great. we definitely need someone in with a bit of intelligence and skill for occasions where gabby wont work

Morocco international Badr El-Kaddouri says he is wanted by Aston Villa following Wilfred Bouma's injury.

Bouma is facing several months on the sidelines after the Dutch defender suffered a dislocated ankle in Saturday's Intertoto Cup win over Odense.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill is tipped to bring in a replacement at left-back and has been linked with a move for El-Kaddouri.

The 27-year-old currently plays for Dynamo Kiev and has told skysports.com that there is interest from both Villa and Newcastle United.
Ambitious club

"There have been enquiries from Aston Villa since last year, however since Saturday, Aston Villa want me," El-Kaddouri, who played against Manchester United in last season's UEFA Champions League, told skysports.com.

"They are an ambitious club, my agent is looking into it.

"He told me Newcastle have made enquiries about me and they are also willing to sign me."

When asked whether he had a preference for a move to Villa Park or St James' Park, El-Kaddouri was non-committal.

He added: "I am not sure, I am not answering those questions.

"What I know is there are contacts with the two teams and the press will know my destination very soon."

hopefully get to check this bloke out tomorrow in the drogs game

wynters

Helix wrote: »

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Aston Villa have made a £9.4million offer for Real Madrid midfielder Ruben de la Red. The Spain international has been offered a four-year contract, with Real coach Bernd Schuster yet to make a decision on his future.

As learn-ed as I am on all things football....! although I know the name, I don't know anything about this de la Red guy. Glad to see O'Neill might be ready to take a punt on a foreign player and stray from the 'young and English' formula though. That's something we've needed to do...

Does anyone know what Marca is like??? Is it a BS rag, or is it a bit more respectible than that and trustworthy than that?

Helix

they tend to be fed info from real madrid quite often, however they also seem to make up lots of stuff so its hard to tell really

Savman

Usually they type of player who brings attention onto himself by mentioning Aston Villa by name, are not the type of players MON typically entertains. Would be surprised if there was anything in this tbh.

MementoMori

Someone mentioned O'Halloran was injured?

Is this a long term thing or what?

Any chance he might be able to make the step up to provide cover for Bouma?

Bounty Hunter

O'Halloran isnt good enough to play for a club like Villa. of course that just my opinion. He was injured when he went out on loan to I think Southampton (could be thinking of someone else) which is unfortunate as he needs to get experience like what he could have gotten there. Think he is only getting back to training about now. but even if he was fully fit would expect Barry to deputise for Bouma for the next several months or until another LB is signed.

prove me wrong O'Halloran

Helix

o'halloran went to leeds on loan and tore his cruciate

dont think hes back yet

nathan baker DOES look like he'll be able to make the step up tho

invincibleirish

Dont think GB will be too happy to sign a contract if he faces months at LB, i imagine he regards CM as his 'ideal' position now. Mellberg last season could not have been too impressed with any contract offer when he was sent to RB.

One Cold Hand

Agreed. But it would be great to have him there, he would be fantastic as an attacking LB. Assuming he can remember how to defend! Imagine him and Young on the left, would cause havoc!

rgiller

The Shorey thing could be quite promising: something about us being desperate for a LB and them trying to get him off the wage bill. Could work out and be a good signing for ~£5m...

Helix

linked with him for £4.5m today

be a great signing

Neil3030

I'm sure if a bid is accepted he'll sign. I'm not sure if there'll be a bid, however.

Helix

if we dont go for him i honestly wont understand why not

hes a bloody great player, probably better than freddie

Neil3030

In fairness... I'd fancy myself as a better player than Freddie right now on account of my functioning ankles :pac:

Helix

hahaha i mean in general

if we get shorey in, baker can be the backup lb to come off the bench if shorey gets injured, but if shorey cant start a game, start with barry at left back and have baker on the bench. i think its too early for him to be starting premiership games tbph

Savman

Hmm...was never crazy about Barry @ LB...square peg, round hole methinks.

Neil3030

I think Shorey would be a good signing, no doubt. However I can't help but feel this rumour is fashioned out of nothing other than lazy news-starved journalism. We've no LBs... we were supposedly interested in him a while back... Reading need to re-finance... the story practically writes itself!

Until I see a paper of slightly higher integrity than The Daily Star calling this a sure bet, I wouldn't get too excited imo.

rgiller

Neil3030 wrote: »

Until I see a paper of slightly higher integrity than The Daily Star calling this a sure bet, I wouldn't get too excited imo.

That's true but still, it would be nice to see Shorey and de la Red on their way before the end of next week. He'll have to start making signings soon or it'll be another typical MON transfer window and there will be even more incidences of him saying "smallest squad in the EPL"

Helix

Martin O'Neill & Randy Lerner are planning a £70 million+ raid on the wantaway players at Chelsea - including Drogba, Lampard, Both Coles & Essien

there arent enough lols in the world for that

PHB

Wow. That has to be the most ludicrous transfer story ever ever ever written.

Neil3030

Helix wrote: »

there arent enough lols in the world for that

Where in the name of jebus did you dredge up that nonsense??

Neil3030

rgiller wrote: »

That's true but still, it would be nice to see Shorey and de la Red on their way before the end of next week. He'll have to start making signings soon or it'll be another typical MON transfer window and there will be even more incidences of him saying "smallest squad in the EPL"

I confess I knew shag all about this De La Red chap, but from other forums and blogs people are saying he's a defensively oriented central midfielder who likes to playmake from deep. He's a direct replacement for Gaz basically, so unless Pool sweep him away from us I can't see the point in signing DLR. Shorey I'd welcome with open arms, heck I'd just about welcome Danny Mills at this stage!