brummie

Larsson is a quality player. I'd like us to get him, but there's no way Birmingham would sell us him. Especially not after we sold them Liam Ridgewell. He's made it really clear he wants out, too. FWIW if i could have any (realistic) right sided midfielder, it would be Valencia from Wigan. I'm amazed there hasn't been much going on around him this summer.

MON has given Agbonlahor 3 new contracts since he's been here (and obviously 3 big pay hikes). I wonder if he's been talking to him at U21 matches? (and managed to understand what he's saying, which is a struggle even for me)

Those stats confirm what most of us already thought. He won't be a huge loss for us. They confirm that stats can be used to prove anything lol Did he not miss most of his games under KK ? Last season, when Villa played Zat Knight, statistically we let in far fewer goals. That'd suggest that Knight is a better player than Curtis Davies. Hmmm. Do rate Milner like Brummie? He will do a good job, if you sign him but he is no great player and certainly not going to be worth what you would have to pay for him. I do rate him, as do most of our lot. If you asked who they'd prefer, most would take Milner over SWP. He's exactly what we're looking for at the moment and would add much needed balance to our midfield. He was excellent in his season with us. John Robertson - one of the best crossers of the ball ever - did a great job with Ashley Young, I reckon he could do a similar job with Milner.

Those stats confirm what most of us already thought. He won't be a huge loss for us. They confirm that stats can be used to prove anything lol Did he not miss most of his games under KK ? Last season, when Villa played Zat Knight, statistically we let in far fewer goals. That'd suggest that Knight is a better player than Curtis Davies. Hmmm.

I may be getting my wires twisted but wasnt there some talk of Leeds having a sell-on clause for Milner? If so, then could the clubs (NU and AV) have agreed on a deal which sees Milner asking for a move, thus losing his loyalty payment, but Villa make it up to him, meaning Villa and Newcastle have spent / received the same as originally wanted BUT the fee as regards Leeds is lower, thus giving them a smaller cut and saving Newcastle money?

Absolutely, at the end of the day if Newcastle aren't happy with the bid then the deal won't go through (lest we forget, we don't even know there is a bid yet). The lack of transfer request from Barry was one of the things that pissed us off most.

The second part is true, if we offer something and you reject it, then fair enough, no deal. What I'm saying is, whatever happened between Milner and Newcastle (and I suspect it is about wages), he's clearly more determined to leave as he was prepared to put in a request and lose his "loyalty" bonus (what a joke that concept is) whereas Barry, for all his desire to join Liverpool, wasn't prepared to put in the request.

Agbonlahor's not a winger and doesn't play there at all these days. Young is a left winger. We've no right side at all. All this talk about MON tapping up is a bit presumptuous anyway. It was said that he wanted a pay rise. Maybe he asked for it, he said no, and he put a transfer request in? Incidentally, the main thing that differentiates this and Barry's situation is that Milner has slapped a transfer request in. Barry didn't.

Villa's defence is stronger than it was last year, for these reasons: 1. Mellberg might be gone, but he played all of last season at right back, where he was OK defensively, but worse than useless coming forward. We also had no right sided midfielder, which made it worse. I also think fans of other clubs say "ooh, they've lost Mellberg" but any Villa fan will tell you he's been on a downward curve for 2 or 3 years now. Love him to bits, but it was the right time to go. 2. Cuellar, Laursen, Davies, Knight - 4 good options at CB. 3. Finally, finally we've got a right back, Young is a solid if unspectacular buy. 4. Bouma will be back after christmas, given us him and Shorey at LB. 5. Carson is no more, Friedel is infinitely better. The problems we've had thus far have been down to the fact that of the 4 defenders and GK, 2 of them only joined the week before last. It'll take time, but they'll bed in. I think our problems will be in attack. Agbonlahor scored an excellent hat trick against Man City but is anonymous for great spells. Carew is prone to injury. We've also still got no right sided midfielder. I would not be surprised if we finished 8th or 9th, but I also would not be surprised if we finished 4th. That's how unpredictable it will be.

My dream sponsor = no sponsor at all. Or some worthy cause. Oh

It isn't in Sky's interests, and it isn't their obligation either, to see that people can't afford football. It is in their interest to ignore things like empty seats We've got a new corporate area at Villa Park, in the middle Trinity, excellent seats. They've booted 400 season ticket holders out to make these facilities, and built new restaurants etc etc. Against Man City last week (2,300 below capacity) those seats were almost empty. The club say their packages there (2,700 to 7000 pounds) are selling very well, but at the end of the day, a lot of companies will buy these seats and only use them 4 or 5 times a season. I understand football is like this but it does piss me off quite a bit. My season ticket is 525 qud, which isnt a lot in the wider context of the PL, but it is still a lot of money to me. I'm watching players on 40 or 50k a week, and below me are seats people have paid 7k for, but can't be arsed to turn up. Something's definitely wrong there, and I suspect it is football losing what was left of its heart.

What a fucking shit day.

The bushy eyebrowed one is alive and well, actually. Errm, I think.

David Healey? Jesus, Keane has not got a fucking clue in the transfer market.

He looks like a cockney spiv from the war years. "Ere, dahhlin', wanna buy some nylons? " Mind you, so does Phil Scolari. Maybe they should go and bum each other in an air raid shelter or something.

Really, I couldn't give a toss any more. I can't believe there are that many people prepared to fork out 60 quid a ticket to go and sit in the pissing rain to watch this bilge, either.

Nothing ever, ever changes with England. We always pick the 11 best players rather than the best team. That's why John Barnes got 80 caps despite playing about 3 decent games for us. That's why we're STILL seeing Lampard and Gerrard together not working. Until we get over that, nothing will change.

Baros is lethal, mind. *unconvincing face*

And Angelina Jolie is going to pour me a large gin and tonic. After she's wiped my man mess from her fat lips. obv.

Don't get me wrong, Lampard has certainly delivered the goods for Chelsea, but *one hundred and fifty thousand pounds* *a week*. We're so used to these figures we shrug it off. Let's get the cunts on the maximum wage again, and shoot Jimmy Hill. And Murdoch.

Football is borderline immoral, is it not, when players can earn so much money (and, god knows, I'm pretty immoral myself). Lampard with his 5 year 150k a week deal, for example. Will there ever come a day when enough people say "He's earning how fucking much?" and refuse to fork out for their season ticket or Sky subscription. Or both?

I don't believe that for a moment, but if you really were prepared to offer Owen that much, it would be - quite frankly - fucking absurd.

We already use Seat Exchange. Not used it myelf, but apparently it works quite well.

Me to friend at match: Gabby has done fuck all today. 7 minutes later, he's got a hat trick. We were awesome in spells today. We really need a RM though. Great song from the City fans (tune of London Bridge) "Gareth Barry thinks you're shit, he loves Scousers".

Dawson's s***. I' say he's only 4 times better than Zat Knikght. Knight won't be near our first team this year, though, that's the difference. He's our fourth choice CB. King is lame, so unless you sign someone in the next two weeks, you're stuck with Dawson as first choice CB. King isnt lame. He's already said that those bogus rumours about his knee injury are false. Think he'll play 20 or so league games this season. Still think we'll bring in a centre back before deadline anyway. Im sure you're still on a buzz from the Cuellar signing and the fact that you've finally got a right back. Calm down, KD. All i said was that Dawson is shite, and let's be honest, he is.