brummie

I really rate him and would be quite happy if we signed him. I know we've been linked with him, vaguely, but I can't help thinking it is fanciful, they'd never sell him to us. Not after we sold them Liam Ridgewell He's by some way the only player of theirs I'd want. That's not saying that much, but he's a very promising player. Apparently we're the only club that have put a bid in for him that was rejected, I rate him too and just wondered what the opinion of him was down your way. He'll be a top centre mid in a few years when he matures, similar to Barry he won't be stuck out wide forever. He's told the Porno Dwarf quite clearly that he isn't interested in staying and wants out. Sullivan will shit a brick about having a rapidly depreciating asset on his books and sell him toute de suite. You'll end up with him, I would have thought. Although I had heard Blackburn were interested too.

I think he does too. *fist shaking emoticon*

I really rate him and would be quite happy if we signed him. I know we've been linked with him, vaguely, but I can't help thinking it is fanciful, they'd never sell him to us. Not after we sold them Liam Ridgewell He's by some way the only player of theirs I'd want. That's not saying that much, but he's a very promising player.

Going into the last game of last season - and I may be wrong here - I think it was possible for us to finish anywhere between 6th and 9th (if not 9th, then it was certainly 8th) depending on how ours and other results went. That's how tight it is in the bunch of teams after UEFA cup qualification.

Don't get me wrong, that above post makes it all look so simple, but it has been at times incredibly fucking frustrating, and worrying, and in many ways it still is. The whole of last season with no RM and no RB. That's no right side. Incredibly frustrating, and we were very lucky with injuries and suspensions. I'vebeen amongst the people seriously questioning what the manager was doing, but to give him his due, two years ago we were fucked and doomed. Looking at the situation now it is very different. Not on the cusp of anything amazing, but solidly getting better and better. Having a new owner has helped massively, but money alone isn't enough. The manager has got us from 16th to 11th to 6th. He's earned the right to do it in his slightly seat-of-the-pants, seemingly illogical way.

The quality was already there in some areas, in Young, Laursen, Barry (not him again) and Bouma (get well soon). Our problem last season was that we had areas where we had literally nothing. Mellberg forced to play a whole season out of position at RB, no right sided midfielder etc. Gardner forced to deputise at RB, even NRC at one point. No goalkeeper cover of note (Taylor is rubbish, and so was Carson the first choice). You're exactly right, though, our aim this season is to become / remain (as you see it) the best of the rest and consolidate our position. If we're going to break the top four (and personally, I think it is a long way off), then it will not happen in the space of one or two seasons, and if it happens at all, i want it to be sustainable. I'm most happy because he seems to be taking a longer term view in building a squad. Laursen, Davies, Cuellar, Knight as CBs. Even given Knight at 4th choice, that's pretty good. Guzan and Friedel cover GK for some time to come. Shorey and Bouma at LB, very good. Young plus another RB will be good in that position. Our obv needs now are right side midfield and the option to have something a bit different up front. None of this stuff will happen overnight, but seeing steps being taken in the right direction makes me pretty happy.

I think that kind of thing needs to be looked at in a much wider picture. From a Villa point of view, I think our most important signings are Friedel and Guzan for a total of 3m-ish. You've got to trust the manager to see holes which need filling in the squad, identify players to fill them and then go and get them, and be supported by the chairman to do so. If the chairman trusts the manager to do his job and backs it up with the money to do so (on a "you do your bit, this is me doing mine" basis) then that's every bit as ambitious as going out and signing your 3rd European midfield show pony of the summer.

How many players you got so far this window now and how much spent? sidwell, friedel, gusman, cuellar and young? nicky shorey as well iirc Curtis Davies actually signed this summer, having technically been on a year long loan last season. About £30m spent I make that. I think that's about right. Davies - 9 Cuellar - 7.8 Young - 5.5 Sidwell - 5 Shorey - 4.5 Friedel - 2 Guzan - 1 Total = 34.8 Out Moore - 3 Sorensen, Berger, Mellberg - all free. Spend = 31.8 He's got a lot of holes in the squad still to fill, to be honest, so he'll need to spend a bit more yet.

Cuellar signing is confirmed now. This time last week I was suicidal at our business. Right now I'm way more happy. That's fickle football fans for you.

Anton Ferdinand - 10m Younes Kaboul - 6m Carlos Cuellar - 7.8m Those were two others we were linked with this summer. I know which one looks the best.

Laughable and terrifying. In that order

Should the club chairman really be speaking about things like this? Surely he should just let the manager make the call on it?

It was never a problem for Chris Waddle, was it?

Does that mean he's spending the Barry cash or is it going through regardless? From everything we've been told, he's got an open chequebook, so the Barry cash doesn't really come in to it. I actually think the stragegy re Barry was to try to convince him to stay by the players we'd be buying. Until recently this has looked pretty unlikely. The defenders we've signed, Shorey, Young and Cuellar, plus the two keepers Friedel and understudy Guzan are a massive improvement in our defence, and exactly what we needed. Laursen, Curtis Davies, Cuellar and Knight (well, someone has to be 4th choice) as CB options, Bouma and Shorey at LB, Young at RB with a bit of competition - can't argue with that, really. I suspect the strategy is to hold on to Barry until we've completed our business in the hope he's more convinced we can challenge, having taken a gamble on Liverpool not wanting to pony up the cash for him. I still think he'll go, tbh, but I'm not too proud to say I'd still much prefer he stayed.

Well happy with Cuellar. Fuck knows where that one came from. MON transfer windows are the most frustrating thing on earth, unbelievable. If Cuellar completes tomorrow (to be honest, I suspect it is done and dusted already) and the rumours about De La Red come true, a fucking awful window will be well on the way to becoming a very decent one.

All sounds a bit fancy for Martin O'Neill. That's why it will probably turn out to be neither.

Villa strongly rumoured to be working on a "big money" transfer in Spain. Though to be Ruben de la Red or Joaquin. Will probably turn out to be neither.

They're both average, both no better than Barton either. Barton is a psychopath with a current market value of 0, though, that's the problem, regardless of how good a footballer he is (or was, at least). Last summer, NRC, Sidwell and Barton were the three English midfielders on the move, and of those three, Barton must be the worst signing of the three, surely? As for taking Coloccini, he doesn't play for you yet, does he? Would I take Martins? I think he's a good player, but would I replace a striker we have already with him? I'm not too sure. Possibly, I'd give you that. Owen I wouldn't take, no. Not because he's not a good player - he is - but because he's a huge injury risk and would cost a fortune in wages. Put it like this. I can think of lots more Portsmouth, Everton and Spurs players I'd take than Newcastle players right now. That's not me on a wind up or owt (I;'d like to think you'd take my word on that), just honest opinion.

Tell you what would make me happy now. If Villa were to buy Dean Ashton, Milner (I know, I know) and some wild card continental playmaker. That would make me happy as a pig in shit. I bet we don't though.

Davies is an absolutely quality player, was getting into his stride until his achilles injury. He's going to be a very good player indeed, certainly in a totally different league to Anton Ferdinan, pacy, excellent tackler, reads the game well, top notch attitude. Reo-Coker over Barton? Sidwell over Smith in midfield?

I can't believe Barton can be rated as better than anyone to be honest, as he's either incredibly inconsistent or in prison, and there's no knowing what's going to be starting the season. Also Gutierrez - never played a PL game in his life - better than Arteta? Ledley King, barely able to stand up let alone play 90 minutes 4.5 points, Martin Laursen 40 games last season, including loads of goals, 2 points? Petrov is also not a right midfielder, he is a central midfielder who got shunted to the right a few times. I'd have that as Spurs Portsmouth Villa - Everton (cant seperate them) Newcastle I can only think of one Newcastle player I'd be interested in, Beye. I can think of a few Everton players, Yakubu, Arteta, Lescott. I can think of a few Pompey players, Defoe, Crouch, Johnson, Krancjar. I can think of several Spurs players, Hutton, Bent, Modric, Woodgate, Huddlestone.

You should follow your local team. (We are your local atm, aren't we?) I'd like to clear this up, actually, as I've been on here for about a year I reckon and I still don't know two things about Gejon. 1. Are you a southerner 2. Are you gay. I mean 2 in the normal, nice, not taking the piss way, too (I work with more gay people than I do straights, I'm practically a friend of Dorothy myself). Those are just two things I've picked up vibes about on here. Sorry if wrong. I wouldn't want to falsely label anyone as a southerner, obv.

Incidnetally, when I said Spurs have the best XI outside the top four, I didn't mean they had the best team outside the top four. They had the best XI last year but weren't anywhere near the best team. Everton had a relatively uninspiring first XI but were a very good team. There's a difference.

You lucky, lucky bastards. 3m for Smith? Jesus. Poor 1878. re Villa's starting XI. Friedel Shorey/Bouma - Laursen - Davies - Young (assuming signs) Young - Reo-Coker - Sidwell - new RM Carew - Agbonlahor That's not bad, but we need a right sided mifielder and could do with a proven goalscorer. And potentially more creativity in the middle of the field. The problem is depth. I still think Everton will do very well next year. Spurs have the strongest XI by some way.

Wasn't very solid last term.