Written by John Tuesday, 22 September 2009 10:50
Martin O’Neill has recently begun his fourth season as manager of Aston Villa Football Club and has unarguably built a squad of players that look like once again cementing their position as one of the top six teams in one of the most revered leagues in world football.
He has successfully overseen the purchase of various players in several different transfer windows, as well as seeing the advent of a global financial crisis that promises to affect football clubs the world over.
Why then do the transfer dealings of what is quite obviously an incredibly shrewd manager continue to come under scrutiny by fans and pundits? This, despite Villa proving that without a ‘superstar’ striker they can consistently score as many goals as the ‘top four’ over a Premier League season and boast a chunk of the best young British talent.
Criticism was levelled at O’Neill following the £9.5m purchase of young, unproven Watford forward Ashley Young who has since shown enough promise to break into England’s international set up. Also the exorbitant price paid for young winger James Milner who has also recently followed Young into Fabio Capello’s World Cup plans and has begun to justify the £12m paid.
So it seems that while O’Neill is often criticised for his transfer dealing he continues to add quality to his squad, whether it is quality that everyone else recognises at first or not. Before the closing of the Northern Irishman’s first window in charge at Villa Park he uttered that he would not have a problem paying over the odds for a player if he felt that he was the right player.
He also stated that he would not even entertain the idea of stretching the club financially in a world that has seen great clubs like Newcastle, Leeds and Southampton drop out of the top division and in some cases free fall down the leagues.
When taking this attitude into consideration it appears miraculous the way he has taken an ageing team full of also-rans who were flirting with the lower echelons of the division and for whom the future looked mildly bleak and full of mediocrity, transforming them into one of the best exponents of counter attacking football in the Premier League behind maybe Arsenal and Manchester United.
Looking through the players signed by O’Neill it is easy to grasp the sort of player that appeals. The side is full of honest, hard working individuals with time on their side and with undeniable quality.
James Collins appears to be the latest player to be added to this list and is already beginning to look a snip at £5m, while Joleon Lescott continues to flatter to deceive in the blue half of Manchester. Coupled with Richard Dunne and Stephen Warnock all three look to have the sort of quality, attitude and work ethic to add much needed strength and depth to Villa’s defence, while costing £3m less than half the fees paid out for Glen Johnson and the aforementioned Lescott this summer.
Other summer signings include Leeds youngster Fabian Delph, who has already shown the huge fee paid by O’Neill to be less of a gamble and more of a long term bargain and England international Stewart Downing who is known to have been courted by various top flight managers including Harry Redknapp and Raphael Benitez.
In fact Downing's mooted transfer value soared at £18m during the January window and some consider the £12m paid by O’Neill to be a snip for a player many consider to be an ‘England star’ of the future.
O’Neill continues to add youth to his squad as he builds for the long term and a type of long term stability which is a ‘must have’ in club football, unless you have the inexhaustible riches afforded to the likes of Chelsea and Man City in recent times. Chelsea fans may even argue that tehir true strength is the established spine of spine of the first eleven.
O’Neill is obviously a believer in this and the slow and deliberate manner in which he has assembled his squad of young players with a point to prove will surely add to a team that consistently appears to total more, than the previously suspected sum, of its parts.
When hecklers of O’Neill’s transfer policy attempt to undermine the progress Aston Villa are clearly making a number of transfers are always at the fore; namely Moustapha Salifou, Wayne Routledge, Marlon Harewood, Shaun Maloney, Zat Knight, Emile Heskey and Curtis Davies. In order to dispel some of the negative attitude surrounding these transfers it is easy to see that the transfers of Salifou, Harewood and Routledge were simply a means to an end giving the squad a little extra depth while O’Neill endeavoured to bring in more substantial long term targets.
As a result all these players no longer form part of the ‘Villa five year plan’ and Harewood has already scored several important goals that, given the close margin by which the claret and blue half of Birmingham finished in sixth the last two seasons, ensured they finished where they did. Maloney was sold back to Celtic for the same price Villa paid for him after his failure to settle down south, a nominal loss was made on Routledge that ran into hundreds of thousands rather than millions and Salifou was a gamble that many never expected to come off and brought in for a very insignificant fee by modern standards.
More controversy surrounds the purchase of Heskey, Davies and Knight because many considered these players to be first team picks. Zat Knight was sold to Bolton for a profit on what was paid to Fulham two years before and the money made was available for Collin’s transfer from West Ham, which many are now calling a master stroke.
Curtis Davies is a young player who may well go on to justify his large price tag and many expect him to come back and impress after struggling with a shoulder injury since his protracted move from West Brom. When playing well he has already proven he has enough to catch the eye of Fabio Capello.
Possibly the biggest question mark hangs over the head of Emile Heskey, mainly because of his lack of goals since his move from Wigan. He does however have no shortage of fans in the game and cost less than Harewood.
It seems, when deconstructed, that Martin O’Neill may not quite be the transfer bumbler many make him out to be and has a squad that looks able to mount a realistic push for trophies this season. If a number of first team players can take a leaf out of Stylian Petrov’s book and can force early critics to eat their words with a display that earned him several club accolades last season after a slow start, then surely the doubters will have nowhere to hide as O’Neills young lions go from strength to strength.
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Philark
said:
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... I think the exchange deal with lazy Baros and Carew was a fantastic deal. As well as get Milner off Newcastle - Keegan knew the potential of Milner and thats why he threw the towel in...again! |
ak_27
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... He seems to have done better this summer i still still do not count what he has done in the transfer market so far as Villa manager as anything more then adequate to be honest. Like i said he seems to have done far better this summer but it is still very early days and we have had (Liverpool game aside) a very favourable fixture list. But don't come on here and try to start all this even his mistakes were actually very screwd successes. They were not. While you are on the subject of MON's transfer history AC Milan are today be linked with Gary Cahill. |
greg1982
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... MON’s greatest strength could be that he’s waking up to his failures. A MIDfield player who can orchestrate please Martin. Then a striker who can score. In the fourth year that’s not too much to ask. |
RAZ
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... without criticising the article or johns comments, can i just ask what Curtis Davies has done wrong. i think hes an outstanding player on his day.. hes quick, can get his head on a ball and can score goals from corners/free kicks... i just dont get some of the people who dont rate him at all?? i think the price tag was hefty but hes still young and can only get better and will eventually establish himself as a definite starter sooner or later imo... then again who can replace dunne and collins at the moment! UTV |
pwalker32
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... Agreed. Carew for Baros was fantastic. I can't wait for Downing's return to fitness, hopefully will give us renewed impetus post-Christmas after our results recession at the back end of last season (although Arsenal played so well we would still never have come fourth). |
Damian
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... RAZ dont worry - you are not criticising John (who I think goes by the username JPA on the site - I'll double check that) and I agree - what has Curtis done wrong? He does seem to come in for a bit of stick .. much like Sidwell, but have we ever last a game that Sidwell has started? i dont htink that is down to sidwell, far from it, but it is an interesting stat i'm a big fan of curtis davies personally |
ak_27
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... Its funny how we all see football different as Sidwell and Davies are the 2 players i really hope to see very little of in a Villa jersey. Davies is a mid table CB at best. And Sidwell well is just invisable in the centre and seems to get praise for just actully taking up space. I can't wait for Delph to find his feet and for Downing to be fit. They both will hopefully improve a CM which i still think isnt top 6 standard. |
VillaNick
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... I like the way MON leaves it late in the transfer market believe it or not! Reason being, transfers are long and protatcted, nogotiations take days and in some cases weeks. If we were to publicly show interest in a player, Redknapp, Benitez etc could be alerted and scupper a deal paying bigger wages! In order to compete, O'Neill knows he has to do things that way, frustating for the fans I know (e.g. Wigan). Another way of looking at it is that when we signed Downing, it was mooted that Ashley Young was to make way, thankfully it didn't happen. Downing would have gone elsewhere if we didn't pounce early so it was a risk and Man U could have bought Young instead of Valencia. So I agree with you, MON not just shrewed in terms of player selection but in perfect timing too! |
Pancho Villan
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... Hmm..... the problem with your average Villa Fan is that he's up and down like the Syrian Empire to quote the famoue line. We beat a way off beam Liverpool early doors, which is akin to Burnley beating Utd, then beat the mighty powers of Fulham, Blues, and Pompy whilst playing a most dire brand of football, and suddenly O'Neill is the great wheeler dealer. He may indeed prove to be the great wheeler dealer, but then again if we lose to City and Chelsea, as is distinctly possible, he will be back to MON the Muppet. And the irony is that Coker, the player who apart from Heskey get the most flack from the fans as a bad signing, is absolutely crucial to having any chance against City and Chelsea at all. My own view is that when it comes to transfers it's MON the Middling - some good, some bad, none spectacular. |
holteend paul
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... for me the trouble with mon's transfer policy is that he takes too long to realise the errors of his ways and keeps the player too long at the club showing too much faith, instead of getting rid of the player quicker, salifou,harewood, and shorey should no longer be at the club as we could have got a free transfer player in at the same wage structure as these players are draining the clubs finances. |
SCOTT1
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... here here pancho villan.im in the same mindset as you.rc is an absolute must against citeh and chelski as he is against any of the big guns.i hope he and mon have settled their differences and u never know,this might be a blessing in disguise and we see the best rc we have seen.fingers crossed because delph/sidders and stan isnt strong enough for me. |
Matthew Clark
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... I can assure you Damian that if we haven't lost with sidwell starting, that fact is purely coincidental. The man is shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. He is the Heskey of our midfield. Never does anything, but still gets picked. 'He has successfully overseen the purchase of various players in several different transfer windows, as well as seeing the advent of a global financial crisis that promises to affect football clubs the world over.' Is there something missing from this paragraph because I'm pretty sure every manager in the league has done the same, it hardly seems worth mentioning? Some may say 12million for an injured downing was a snip. MOST would not. Also, surely its what the player does for the club that justifies his fee, not whether he gets into the England team or not? I still don't think Milner has done enough. He is improving though which is good. |
eoin1981
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... John - I think I agree to a point but certainly have many reservations. Last January, Villa were 3rd in the league 5 points ahead of Arsenal and with an unbelievable chance of Champions League qualification - a faltering Arsenal, Everton were way off at that stage, Spurs up in smoke and Man City were still just normal Man. City. Absolutely everyone at that time said we needed to strengthen, add some quality and everyone said we would - what happened - absolutely nothing! I regard last season as a huge opportunity missed - and I put the blame on our January transfer dealings. I think we miss the boat a lot of times with players and I think because of our English league only policy - we pay above the price often. We paid 6m for Luke Young - when we could have got him a year earlier for 3m - when we had no right back. Glen Johnson - we could have got for 3m - when we had no right back. For 2 whole seasons we had no right back. We paid 4m ish for Harewood and Knight - they 'did a job' - why not take a chance on a player who could be a great player, and pay the same price??? Hangelaand, Palacious, Diarra, etc.etc. Its easy to say how great our squad is after 4 wins in a row - but as Pancho says - if we loose 2 - everyone will be saying how crap it is! Now, to balance all that - we do seem to have a much stronger squad this season and I think we did some terrific business this summer so MoN deserves credit for that. Finally we have 2 players for every position - took him 3 years. Redknapp managed it in 1. 1 final point - its not managers who bankrupt clubs - its the chairmen who have the responsibility for clubs budgets. Its not like they are given blanks checks and decide what the club can afford. Every single manager tries to squeez every last penny from their chairmen. |
holteend paul
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... where is the steve sidwell who played for reading?, was he overrated? big fish in a small pond? because i also remember him tearing us apart and thinking what a good player and then welcoming him with open arms when we signed him. is it because he had a confidence stopper when he was at chelsea, because i would love it if he became a success at the villa but sometimes a player and club just dont gel. |
Scrumpy
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... Heskey was a bargain. Capello and MON can't both be wrong. Heskey himself has also stated that he hasn't settled yet (look how long it takes some like Petrov). What we fail to appreciate in that transfer fee is what he brings off the pitch. What is he providing in the development of Gabby, Milner and Young as future International stars. The guy has the thickest skin, given the ammount of unfounded criticism he has had over the years. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Gabby's recent return to form, after last years loss of confidence and pressure from some fans, isn't due in some small way to the experience and guidance that he's been able to glean from Heskey. |
holteend paul
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... scrumpy.. is what he brings off the pitch now i must be missing the point in the game of football  |
Pancho Villan
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...Scrumpy said: Completely absurd, yet strangely touching. |
Celtic_Villan
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... good article, but a bit over the top, you seem to has over emphasised point to back up your arguement. still, i like the pma! |
ronrabbit
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... I think he has brought in some decent buys, but also some clowns, As has pretty much every manager, i think the main issue is the seamingly lack of foreign scouts. Im not asking for our team to be over run by foreigners but i look and think that maybe we could pick some players who are better for cheaper. I also think we really need a creative midfielder, and im hoping o'neill will address this in januray, (Vaan der vaart in januray, would be a dream). Also can i just say and im sure i cant be alone in this why are we raving about delph? he has played one competative game for us and he was crap, made one decent pass all game. all those calling for him to start in front of sidwell are, well its ridiculous. He needs to gain experience of top flight football, get used to the pace, 15/20 mins every so often untill at least after christmas, hopefully in these chances we will see something of note, but for me the dury is out. I hope he will come good but lets face it bobby zamora was meant to be brilliant when he played in league 1 and well he turned out to be crap. I hope he comes good, but i havent seen anything to suggest he will do yet except the peace cup, which lets be honest wasnt really a test, just a series of meaningless pre season friendlys. |
Scrumpy
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... Last years run of poor form coincided with (among other things) playing 442. The reason for this was Sidwell got injured in Moscow (apparently bad cuts from throwing himself into tackles on that carpet). Sidwell himself may not be responsible directly for us winning most games he starts or plays some part in, but he plays a particular role, and allows the team to play in a specific formation. In the League up to the Moscow away leg. When Sidwell started or was used as sub, we won 11, drew 5 and lost 3. And likewise those same games when he started 7 wins, 3 draws, one loss. |
Mostyn
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... Matthew Clark, That's a lovely compliment to Sidders, although I'm guessing you weren't suggesting he's good. I think Sidwell is a top player, but for whatever reason has not been able to show what he is truly capable of. I too remember when he came to VP and took the p*** out of our midfield. Surely that talent doesn't disappear overnight? Maybe he's another one like Petrov and Milner who took a while to get properly settled. You can virtually make an England XI with our present squad, so I don't think MON is doing too bad in his transfer dealings. |
b30 villain
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... sidwells very much like the canadian lad from man utd(cant remember his name) who when he plays for england, they never lose. dont make him good though  |
Scrumpy
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... holteendpaul and Pancho, Its the bigger picture. MON isn't just selecting a team and building a squad, but developing a club (which includes reserves, youth and training staff). Dunne hasn't just been bought for his defending and playing. He's there to help the development of the younger players whether it be as mentor, additional experience to aid coaching staff or just plain competition for places. Heskey is the same. Experience and guidance for the likes of Gabby/Fonz etc (maybe better role model than Carew?) as well as competion. Look at Carew and Gabby. They each know that their place isn't assured, that every training session, game and chance has to count. No more complacency... Getting that balance of youth/experience, flair/graft is just as important off the field as on. Look at Fergies record.... |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... RAZ, No worries, I am a fan of Davies myself, just trying to be objective. ak, I agree about Sidwell but $5m for a squad player of his standard isn't too bad in my book, if he can recapture his Reading form I would be chuffed, but if not Downing and Delph are the ones.....Depth. VillaNick Comment 10? I agree. Pancho, I take more offence to the fans attitude when we sign someone under the radar and he get's called s**t before he's even tied his boots up. That annoys me more than MoN's transfer policy. Holteend Paul, We don't pay silly wages, therefore it's easier to have backup hanging around for a while without costong the earth. I am confident that a lot of possible transfers break down due to the wages we won't pay. Matthew Clark, I have saved your comment about Downing so I can trot it out at the end of the season. Eoin, I see what you mean and the article isn't necessarily my complete opinion, more a shot at an opposite view of MoN's transfers by a make believe journo. Also I think if you look at the team Redknapp started with compared to Djembe Djemba and friends he had a bit of a head start on MoN. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... b390 Villain, Owen Hargeaves is one of the best holding midfielders in the world. Just unfortunatley a sick note. Better than Barry imo. Sidwell will come good. |
holteend paul
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... if i wanted mentors OFF the pitch then i would send the players to gordon cowans office to have a little chat as when has heskey won the title and european cup? never so for me its players on the pitch we need and old stars who have been their seen it and done it off the pitch. by this we dont need to pay 50-60 thousand a week either. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... holteend paul, Heskey has won the UEFA cup, three league cups, and has played at the highest level in the game i.e World Cup football. Plenty to learn from imo and i'd be very surprised if he was on £60,000 a week. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... Paul, Oh yeah, might be a little difficult for the younger players to even know who Cowans is and they may find it easier to learn from someone they recognise and see on the training pitch every day and at BMH in the canteen?? |
Mostyn
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... holteendpaul, Do you have to be a League title and European cup winner to be able to offer sage advice? Heskey has played alongside world class players for club and country and been developed by some great managers and coaches too. That sounds like quite a good CV to me. FFS, get off their backs. This club is going forward. People would be moaning if we won every cup, every year for the next fifty years. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... Ronrabbit, He needs to gain experience of top flight football, get used to the pace, 15/20 mins every so often untill at least after christmas, hopefully in these chances we will see something of note, but for me the dury is out. Gordon Durie has gone out? Is that what you mean? I thought he retired a while ago. |
ak_27
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... JPA Sidwell however wasn't bought as a reserve player. He was bought to be a starter but has since failed to be good enough. Yes we could have worse then him sitting on the bench. But what i can't really can't let lie is people trying to make out that MON had this in mind the whole time and that Sidwell is actually a sucess. He is not. He has been a failure and unless he makes an inpact on the teams perfomances by putting in good performances himself then he should always be seen as a failure. Same goes for every other player MON has bought or buys from here on. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... Mostyn, My mate is Manure fan, you would not believe the amount of s**t he gives his team, he's never been to the ground and moans all the time about how crap they are. It barely registers when they win the league and it's the end of the world when they lose. I often think how lucky I am to be a realistic fan supporting a club were the fans have souls. Like you say, there are some doom mongers on here who just seem to want to have a moan instead of a constructive argument. Holteend is usually pretty on the money despite being a little negative at times. I think he just hates Heskey and no one will ever change that. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... ak, I'd argue that you can write off Sidwell's development over last season because Barry never left when we thought he would. I believe he has a chance now while Downing is mending and Delph is developing. If he hasn't made himself a first pick by Xmas I wonder how many more chances he will get. He is slightly improving I think, really gradually like the hour hand on a clock moving. Barley visible. |
ak_27
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... Very interesting article about Daniel Sturridge on the BBc 606 Villa Blog: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A57444014 Just look for the comments of brummycop. |
ak_27
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... JPA development? He is as developed as much as he will be at this stage in his career. He just does not have it in him to make it as CM in a top 8 PL team(thats why Wenger got rid of him and also Chelsea after one year). What are his streghts as a CM? Other then he has a good engine not much else. He isn't a great passer and he isn't a great tackler (Taking up space isn't the same as winning the ball) so i honestly don't see what he will bring to the table other then being an extra man in a 5 man midfield. |
holteend paul
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... i am not a moaner i voice a different aspect and never run down the villa. heskey..i am sorry but i will always cheer a player wearing the villa kit but to be honest i dont rate the bloke he may have had his best times behind him because how long can we give a player knocking 32 time to adjust as he has said himself. jpa...if the youngsters dont know who sid cowans is then i think there is a massive problem as he is youth development officer at the villa. i just think heskey and sidwell were bought to be first teamers and not squad players and they havent stepped up to the plate for whatever reason. |
qashqai
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... Good read.What we have to remember is that MON is building a squad for the future and that takes time and obviously mistakes will be made.I am looking forward to this season as we now have strength in depth,cover for all positions,and hopefully MON will not be playing players out of position this season.Davies and Sidwell have great potential for the future and will come good.As already stated Sidwell was a great player at Reading and Mourinho rated him highly enough to take him to Chelsea although he had tough competition alongside Lampard,Ballack and Joe Cole. This could be the season that Sidwell makes his impact at Villa,be patient.Heskey,for the money is a good squad acquisition over a long hard season with 2 cups,injuries and suspensions to cope with.NRC will prove his worth in the games to come against the top 6 and must learn the lesson of being subbed to win a game and stop moaning as we need him and the fans appreciate his work rate,dont rock the boat Nigel or upset the dressing room.Im sure Milner will be going to SA next summer and he has proved his price tag was justified,just watch him fly this season. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... paul, I know Villa andn who does what. I meant can they realte to Cowns as a player someone they grew up reading about and idolising. I fancy it was a bit before the time of Agbonlahor and Delfouneso. I bet they remember Heskey banging one in against Germany in the 5-1 tho and winning that odd treble at Liverpool. It gives them something to realte to, imagine how good Gabby must feel keeping an England player like Heskey out of the Villa side. ak, Like I said, if he doesn't stake his claim by Xmas he won't get many more. I've just seen players turn it around over the years and suddenly go from being average to excellent for odd reasons. Look at Petrov when he signed. He was 28...remember. Interesting article on sturridge. |
holteend paul
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... jpa... point taken i think we will all have a better idea of which tit we are sucking after we play citeh and chelsea, hopefully we are still smiling and a possible 4 points from those two games a gettable as chelsea dont have a great record against us and i think we can get about citeh and rough them up. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... I think Chelsea will kill us to be honest. We aren't at their level and I personally see them as one of the best three teams in the world with Real and Barca. Unlucky not to make the CL final last year. City are a bit crap at the back from what i've seen. If Adebayor is out we have a chance and could be a game for one of the big lads up front. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... paul Which tit? I like that.. haha. City look frail in the air at the back and they don't like it up them from wide positions. We could exploit that easilt with the players we have. |
ak_27
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... JPA that guy on the 606 could be a WUM but if he is he is going into some serious detail and effort. As for the Sidwell for me i just don't see anything in him to be honest. Petrov i always knew he was tecnically good but seemed to struggle with the pace of the league. I just don't see Sidwell turning up next week and suddenly have a far better passing range or becoming a far better tackler. He may get on the end of a balls and score more goals but that in my opinion doesn't make up for his other lackings. He just doesn't have the quality or talent. He never really has and never will. |
croni
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... nice piece it's a very impressive squad this season they may not be playing pretty but they're only going to improve |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... ak, Sidders has never been that player he is the scorer, coker is the tackler and petrov is the passer at the moment. If Sidwell starts scoring goals he will stay in the side. He is box to box that's what he does. Like Gerard without the passing. If he's not doing that he's no use to us. I'm confident Downing can do both and therefore will force him out. Good cover though. Brummycop could be genuine, but while sturridge is a good player, we have Delfouneso who we need to protect. The last thing we need is to bring sturridge in on a big wage and have Delfouneso bugger off. I imagine he was offered the same contract that all our young lads are on. Ash was on sod all for his first season and had to earn a new contract. A little disappointing but I'm not too worried. What happens if we sign him and he goes out drinking all the time or doesn't progress how we want and he's on £40,000 a week? Heskey is an international player who has proven he is a proper proffessional, but then he is more susceptible to injuries and commands a higher wage so swings and roundabouts imo. Cahill is the one that still ticks me off the most. |
ak_27
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... JPA if that guy is telling the truth its not he money aspect that would annoy me but rather the way we conducted ourselves during the whole process. He really seems to think Chelsea were far more professional in every aspect. |
Badger
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... Good post, although slightly optimistic. I agree with a lot of it. Matthew Clark Some may say 12million for an injured downing was a snip. MOST would not. I'm a bit surprised by that comment. When you consider that he was going for £18 mill in January and prices shot up in the summer because of Citeh (Lescott £22? mill, Johnson £17? mill) I'd consider the Downing buy to be a very astute bit of business, even though we have to wait a while. Time will tell, I guess. Things are encouraging in the defence, although, as said, we haven't faced any real threat yet. I reckon we won't look like headless chickens even against a good attack, so that has to be a plus point, imo. Delph, got to agree, he's done nothing yet, but I'm confident that he will. And yes, I'd definitely have him in for stints in Sidwell's place, as he just hasn't done it for me, yet. |
holteend paul
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... did anyone see this mighty daniel sturridge trying so valiantly to get out of our own ciaran clarkes pocket when the 2nd string met a couple of weeks ago, oh and i almost forgot, then clarke scoring a couple that match aswell.  |
Badger
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... Oh, I meant to say I've mulled it over about Heskey and I think I've cracked it. I'm simply going to stop thinking of him as a striker. If you look at him as a midfielder he seems slightly better  |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... ak, fair enough, not sure how much he may have been wanted by us. Wouldn't be fair to roll out the red carpet for him and then chuck him in the reserves to fight it out. I would have liked to see how the Delph transfer was carried out. |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... Badger, agree, if you look at heskey as more of a midfielder who pops up with the odd goal he aint half bad. ha ha |
Juan Pablo Angel
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... ak, Perhaps Chelsea suddenly found themselves in need of some 'homegrown' players and pulled all the stops out to get him. Just a thought. |
ak_27
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... JPA that deal was done very early in the summer. I honestly think Sturridge would be a great player for us as we are currently lacking that type. He is a very good on the ball. Very good techique which is something a lot of our players seem to lack. Plus he was a Villa fan and by that guys account wanted to come to Villa. |
Juan Pablo Angel
said:
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... I think clubs have known for a little while that something like that was in the pipeline. I imagine Chelsea were aware of their potential ban too. These things don't just suddeny; get pulled out of a hat. Discussions and proposals go on for months, even years. |
George Templeton
said:
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... Good article John, for me last January and selling Gary Cahill were my biggest problems with Martin O'Neill's transfer market work. And for all the criticism Randy Lerner gets the money has been there and its been spent! I think the team ths squad is in good shape until January and hopefully the money will be there then! |
Dirty Villaboy
said:
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... Sometimes when I read these pages it saddens me that some of the pathetic moaners that come on here are claiming to be Villa fans! How u can be soooo negative about something u supposedly love??? Its wrong! |
Damian
said:
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... Dirty Villaboy i dont think there is one peron that visits and contributes to this site that wouldn't be ecstacticly positive (exact opposite to the word you used) if we beat manchester united this season, won some silverware or even finished fifth but surely you can love something or someone but also have negative thoughts/feelsings just as much as you can hate something and have a positive thought towards it i'm trying to make this simple for you because it is true. We dont live in utopia and much like you love your mum you will, sometimes, have negative feelings/thoughts towards her. You ant say you dont because it is impossible |
Pearcey
said:
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... think sidwell is doesnt his bit just good enough at the mo however cant wait to c downing get on and us still stik 4-5-1 think the team will look very good then. think the defence is shaping up well and im hoping will keep a clean sheet agenst citeh or chelsea wud be nice. collins - absolute bargain and even had alota bluenose fans sayin that. hope delph will come good over time looks a mean tackler with great passing ability. i wouldnt moan too much about mons transfers atm as the fact is we are only getting better were not getting any worse. hope now we have a stronger squad MON will now start investing bigger money in big players. fngers crossed well get somewhere in the cup this year and finish in that top 6 agen. CMON VILLA |
Dirty Villaboy
said:
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... Hi Damo Apologies for my comment - it was the result of some misplaced anger (Mrs was annoying me!!!) And I do take your point - I don't believe for a second that anyone that is prepared to debate Villa on this blog has anything but an undying love for the club! I suppose what I was trying to say earlier was we do tend to jump up and down on our players when things go wrong. If I took a pasting like I see some players get on here everytime I cocked up at work then I'd be in a funny farm long ago! I understand its necessary to be negative sometimes but I do think some comments on here sometimes are ridiculous and over the top! Eg the pasting Collins took before he kicked a ball! Anyway that's my humble opinion! |
ryanhobbs
said:
 |
... people who still have juryout on delph, bear this in mind . . . . . . just under 3 years ago aston villa signed a young unproven lad, came with a lot to live up to, after being courted by the 3-4 big prem clubs, scored on his debut and then did nothing for nearly 6 months, and people were shouting waste of money. . . . . . . that lad was ashley young!!! delph is an even better prospect, next season he will be up to the demands, please also note that delph was younger when signed than ash!! he will be the next superstar of aston villa, lets not expect too much to soon |
summer of george
said:
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... I love this blog, but I am getting just a faint whiff of George Orwell of late. Toe the line people. De La Cruz failed in that regard...he has been sent to the lost city as penance...also he hadn't got a clue about the offside rule. Tread carefully Damien. |
Damian
said:
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... summer of george a faint whiff of george orwell eh? well, i´m not that sure i know what you are referring to unless the obvious and if it is, which i suspect it is, then i can assure you it is not, but at the moment, we have to believe that something is going to happen this season also - i didn´t write this post - it was sent in |
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