Written by Damian Thursday, 19 November 2009 11:05
Nick Shorey and Nigel Reo-Coker are apparently off in January according to Dave Armitage at the Daily Star. Now, there are no quotes and you could say that Dave is only really writing what we all suspect, but it is worth a mention, because January comes in just over six weeks.
In six weeks time we would have played Burnley, Spurs, Hull, Manchester United, Sunderland, Stoke, Arsenal and Liverpool. We will also know if we are in the semi-finals of the League Cup. Come January 1st we will be over half way through the season.
My point is, the last two seasons, when we have been in the position where some proper strengthening could really have helped us, we didn't. If, come January 1st, we are within touching distance, we have to bring in something new to strengthen the squad and maybe not in terms of numbers, but mentally.
Yes, Liverpool are weaker and you could argue they have been replaced by Manchester City, but look at the league table and look at their players. One wants to leave in January, one is talking about retiring from the game. They have mere mercenaries, not interested in the game of football and a manager who has blown it (look at the money he spent on Roque Santa Cruz for a great example of a manager that doesn't really know what he is doing).
My point is, forget Manchester City for this season. They will come good, but not this one. Liverpool are in a real mess and it really wouldn't surprise me if it all went wrong for them this season and unless it is fixed quickly, you have to wonder what could happen to them as a club.
My point is. If Reo-Coker and Shorey go and we get £6mn for them, we should be able to get another £6mn for Heskey and Harewood. Our owner has to put in £6mn and that money has to be spent on a marquee player or two. I know it sounds strange me writing this, but sometimes just having that player can make the difference. We could reduce in numbers but become stronger and numbers are actually not that important to O'Neill.
But things like this need to be arranged now. All the ducks need to be lined up and ready to go from January 1st so everything can get done quickly and effectively and not dragged out to January 31st when we would have played four league games (or to put it another way, over 20% of the games remaining or the difference between finishing where we did last season and fourth).
But, these are just rumours. I actually quite fancy that we are going to see a player join us that might not be considered the marquee player, but could turn into it. I fancy that Steven Defour might finally be coming now that a more reasonable fee can be agreed, but that is just a hunch.
Cheating French
Did you see the game last night? If you didn't you will know what happened because it is everywhere today. Thierry Henry cheated for the French goal and I don't think you can call it anything else. Maybe the first handball was an accident, but the way he used his hand to keep the ball in play wasn't.
Then you've got the diving. Most will forget about this and the only reason I bring up the French today is because I'm actually a little surprised that there is all this media coverage over something that happens every single week in the Premier League. Yes, it is hard for the Irish but this happens all the time.
I only really bring this up because all it has done is show the French as cheats and you've got to wonder why so much seemed to go for them last night. Could it be that someone wanted the French to succeed over the Irish - I mean, would they really lose that much money if the French didn't make the trip to South Africa.
The thing is, while the French will be called cheats for a few weeks and it will be remembered by the Irish for years to come. If it was the Irish that did it or let's say it was the English that did it in the final against Germany next year - how would we react then?
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Richard Smith
said:
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... Completely agree about strengthening in Jan. It could be the pivotal moment where we get stronger and gain confidence as opposed to last season where it fell apart. As for the French, they should have their win taken off them but we know that'll never happen. |
Damian
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... or we could all march on the french embassy in london and ask them to do what is right  you'll get thousands of irish wearing the green out side waving flags |
colm tarpey
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... ah, sure, You've got to hand it to Gallas for putting the ball in the net. Henry did. Damian, Your forgetting that we have a french Uefa President, and Swiss-French FIFA president... You think it's co-incidence that UEFA seeded the playoffs? SEEDED THE PLAYOFFS FFS!!!!! They got what they wanted...if it was'nt against us, it would have been someone else...except for Portugal of course.... |
rushe10
said:
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... Biggest f*****g fix in history!!! wtf??????????????? In the match report on FIFA.COM there is no mention of that incident! the only major incident mentioned is the final f*****g whistle! French p***ks! [edited] |
Damian
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... Harleystaggers i'll hold my hands up - i honestly wouldn't be surprised if it was fixed. honest to god its a bit like chelsea/barcelona in the chumps league semi final last season. it was almost as if uefa didn't want another chelsea/united final ... |
John Samuels
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... Chiefy, That story about Reo and Nicky is in the Star mate. Rubbish if you ask me. It doesn't exactly take someone with an inside line on the club to speculate that Shorey will leave given that he almost left on deadline day and hasn't played in about eight weeks. Reo Coker is a lazy Journo's story too and I honestly think he'll stay. I don't understand why MoN would continue to play him if he wasn't. He is also playing pretty well at the moment and when he plays alongside Petrov iun the centre we look a much better side. We are more likely to offload Shorey, Heskey (if he wants to leave) Osbourne and Harewood. I'd like to see Salifou go too as he doesn't even justify a place on the bench. |
John Samuels
said:
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... We have plenty in midfield like Gardner, Milner, Reo, Petrov, Delph etc. to accomodate the loss of Osbourne and Salifou. Fonz has already replace Marewood and we have Bouma to replace Shorey. I agree the only player we would have to replace is Heskey and there are a few options out there. Carrol at Newcastle or Cole at West Ham would make good CF acquisitions to push Carew, who struggles to do a full 90 these days. This would free up wages and space in the squad in order to bring one or two to compliment the first team adn replace Heskey with someone better and younger. Now the squad has been built it's a case of improving when the right player is available at the right price. The overall age of the squad is pretty young and there is really good competition for places. I am in awe of the job MoN has done in all honesty, what a transformation from the squad we had when he took over. I'm really excited by all the Villa youngsters about in the various U17, U19 & U21 squads at the moment. It really does look like we have been investing in the right areas over the last 3/4 years. We've always had a decent academy but it feels like the quality has improved a little. |
John Samuels
said:
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... I will say that MoN isn't shy about chucking a few quid at a player if he feels he is of the right quality to improve the squad though. I was talking to my mate who is an Ipswich fan about the lad Connor Wickham who we may be able to get for free when he turns 17. Apparently he is massive! 6'3 and strong as an ox. My mate reckons he out-muscles and bullies Championship defenders, which is ridiculous for a 16 yr old. He knows where the net is too and has two goals already this season I think. Apparently he is going to be some player if he develops in the right way and where better to do that than Villa. He has a ridiculously long throw too. Sounds exactly like a MoN signing to me. |
Rattus NorVillicus
said:
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... Nick Shorey: Sell : If O'Neil isn't going to play him, and would rather play others out of position, then what's is the point of him. He's not that bad and should be playing first team football somewhere else - sell Nigel Reo-Coker Keep : There is a place for the Coker at Villa no doubt about it, and he should get more game time. We do not have another player like him and he should be always on the pitch or on the bench to stiffen up the midfield if we're losing control of the game - Keep Rafael Ferdinand van der Vaart ~ and ~ Klaas Jan Huntelaar: Buy : These are the marquee players we need. Go get them MON - Buy The Cheating French: Wise up : How can the term cheating even have any meaning in professional sport ? Especially a professional sport where hundreds of millions, if not billions, are at stake ? No ! Cheating has no meaning in this context. Is it fair that the Irish are knocked out ? Of course it's not fair, but put the blame where it lies. Firstly with FIFA who introduced seedings at the last minute, and secondly with FIFA who refuse to allow technology into the game. the players are there to do whatever it takes to win the game - that's all they're paid for. They have no moral responsibility not to 'cheat' be role models, or anything else. - Wise Up |
davidc
said:
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... Be interested to see what (if anything) Mr Wenger has to say about this. He often gets on his moral high horse about cloggers spoiling football. Will he come out and say that cheats are doing it more so? Shorey and NRC. Same as with anyone. We should be big enough and confident enough in ourselves as a club to only sell once we have brought in a replacement beforehand. Teams will be desperate in January. We won't be. We'll be in a position of strength. |
John Samuels
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... Pancho, I agree, morals and players don't come into it. The question to ask is: 'why is it possible for this to continue to happen in all levels of football?' There are video consultants in many other major sports such as tennis, rugby and cricket. Also, why did FIFA change the rules about seedings at the last minute, unnacceptabel imo, although Russia did go out to Slovenia last night which was a big surprise. |
Chris Harper
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... I agree, Henry is a CHEATING BAST*RD!! Its got my backup and I'm English! France shouldn't be allowed to go to the World Cup, simple as that. They should have a rematch at least. It wasn't a 50/50 handball, it was blatant. He kept it in play and they scored. This is cheating. Henry, you w@nker. |
TheGreatDane
said:
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... Damian, of course, strengthen the squad. But cutting numbers? Seriously. You, like us all, have been dreaming of cover. The season is long, and we will need. It is what killed us last year. And is especially ridiculous to entertain the thought of selling Reo-Coker. He's okay. Of course we all want the latest hot property from the continent - however buying a marquee player is risky. Having a squad isn't. And if it didn't work out, of course it would be MONs fault... We finally have a squad, and you are still complaining. |
Eoin Doyle
said:
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... Being Irish, I feel sick this morning. But the real disappointment won't kick in until the summer. We as a nation, feel cheated AGAIN, this crap always seems to happen to us, especially in the the play-offs for tournaments. As for the fixing, I don't think it could have happened in the game, just because of the penalty incident when Anelka dived over Given. That would have been the "moment" for the ref to earn his brown envelope from Platini. But the seedings decision is a farce, we were drawn against the best team, just because they decided to all of a sudden change the rules to give France a clear passage to the finals. It's disgraceful. And as for cheating, what Henry did was cheat, if Robbie Keane did it I wouldn't call it any different. I've lost all respect for him as a man, in a game so HUGE, he didn't have the heart to own up and play fair. He cheated. Simple as f**king that. Of course, how the officials were so suddenly blinded is one for the X-Files. Video technology anyone? Like, now???!! |
James Collins is the ginger Paolo Cesare Maldini
said:
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... I agree we need to strengthen but I just can't see if happening. If Downing comes in and does well in the role just behind Gabby or put another way, Milner, Young and Downing work well interchanging, MON will leave it as it is until the summer. I agree though Defour would fill that role perfectly and make Young, Downing and Milner fight for 2 positions but it will never happen. |
villarobin
said:
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... Did you see Henry and Gallas faces at the final whistle, they were'nt even smiling, they both looked like they were absolutely gutted, especially Henry, you could see it in his eyes, he knew exactly what he had done.. |
Andi
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... PANCHO - van da varrt and huntelar - not what we need right now why upset the applecart ?? do we need pre madonna's ? high wage demands ? As i said to JPA on the last blog if we can unearth a target man from the championship some one like fraytt lets say who can replace the mule come in and do a job until the summer when we will be spending the millions brought in by C/L qualification. If the players say fryatt works we have a number of options 1, keep the player and help him improve 2, sell and make a profit as we will be buying big with our money 3, keep as an addition to our much imrpvoed sqaud our wish lists will grow once we qualify for c/l but for now lets not set our sights to a place which would damage the progress made so far |
villajon
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... I do feel sorry 4 the irish but GET OVER IT!! Just get behind ENGLAND. 3-1 Villa on saturday  |
villarobin
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... sad day for football really, I mean what exactly is the 4th official for , can someone explain ??? Why can't the 4th official quickly look at the replay , call the Ref over and say it was hand ball, or when the ref isnt sure about a decision why cant he just quickly radio over to the 4th Ref ?? Its so simple, and yet its like a piss up in a brewery !! |
John Samuels
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...Damian, of course, strengthen the squad. But cutting numbers? I think cutting numbers is right. However as long as they are the right numbers to cut. Offloading the likes of Reo Coker shouldn't be coinsidered when there are players much further down the pecking order such as Salifou and Osbourne who have had a chance and not been good enough who should make way for new blood. You can't argue that offloading Shorey, Salifou, Osbourne and Harewood would severely affect the strength of our squad. We could afford to lose Heskey too as long as a suitable replacement was found in January. This would free up squad places and make room on the wage bill for a couple more players of first team quality and therefore move a couple of current bench players further down the pecking order and one or two first teamers i.e Sidwell onto the bench. The squad becomes stronger by offloading the deadwood. We haven't had this issue under O'Neill before and it's a great problem to have. I would be narked if NRC went and Osbourne and Salifou remained at the club. |
Mike Carter
said:
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... I feel genuinely sorry for the Irish. I was routing for them throughout the qualifying and would have loved it if they got one over the frogs and knocked them out. Thing is, a 1-0 win in France over 90 minutes is a heck of a result. Not even England managed anything like that that. Real shame. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... The reason FIFA and football in general haven't made any real attempt to get cheating out of the game is because how many times does this cheating ever cost a big team a result? Not too often. Its amazing how many times these decisions againest the under dogs. I have no doubt if Keane had done the same last night the ref/lineman would have spotted it and ruled it out. They should never be allowed to ref again as if they can't spot decisions like that then they are not up to the standard required. |
cavan
said:
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... now being half irish i wanted the irish to win, however they only have themselves to blame, they should of took their chances and buried them, they played well last nite and should of won, but if u dont take your chances then u dont deserve to win the match. |
colm tarpey
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... Damian, The officals at the Chelsea/Barca game were swedish....guess where last nights crew were form??!! the plot thickens.... |
John Samuels
said:
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... Ireland should have taken their chances, Henry shouldn't have cheated etc etc. The problem is why is this continually allowed to happen. Rather than spend time mucking about with trivial rubbish like the seedings for the play offs FIFA should pull their bloody finger out and address why this is allowed to happen and why there is no goal line and video technology allowed in the game. It's a f**king outrage and I really feel for the Irish. However if it had been the other way round i'd feel for the French. All this would should could means nothing. Platini and Blatter need to bloody sort it out right now. |
Andi
said:
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... The cheating that resulted in France getting through worked in FIFA's favour, there is a lot of corruption in the world and a lot of countries pull political favours to benefit each other. If you look at the teams that could have gone out but didnt you have to ask yourself why didnt they ? if the teams played so bad they where in danger of going out how come it is in the last game they manage to get turn it round and get through ? politics has a huge part to play who does well and who doesnt and we are friends with America and everyone hates America for something do you think it is a coincidence that since 1966 we have not been able to win a world cup in a sport we invented and have the best league in the world ? if you think we have not had a good enough squad to wwin the world sup in 43 years your mad corruption is what wins world cups and olympic games |
Rattus NorVillicus
said:
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... Stop using the word 'cheating' it's ridiculous. What's Henry supposed to have done ? Say sorry Ref, I handballed it there ? Don't give the goal ref, I wouldn't want to be a cheat ? Really ? Do you think he really should have done that ? Get Real ! - The blame lies square with the football authorites. They have the technology, they refuse to use it. |
Eoin Doyle
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...I do feel sorry 4 the irish but GET OVER IT!! Just get behind ENGLAND. 3-1 Villa on saturday Are you serious??! About the Ireland thing? I hope your not. now being half irish i wanted the irish to win, however they only have themselves to blame, they should of took their chances and buried them, they played well last nite and should of won, but if u dont take your chances then u dont deserve to win the match. And France deserved to win for not creating any chances and cheating then did they?? Look, if we had been beaten fair and square by an extra-time goal, after we had created numerous chances, then we would accept it, and we would today be talking about the missed chances we had. But they are irrelevant today after what had happened and something needs to change NOW in football. I've seen it done to my country in the most disgusting fashion, denying us a place at the World Cup. Who's to say it won't happen to Villa in a cup final?? Or for CL qualification? That's my next worry. |
Rattus NorVillicus
said:
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...do you think it is a coincidence that since 1966 we have not been able to win a world cup in a sport we invented You need to get your head out of the TV mate. This is the real world |
Chris Harper
said:
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... Pancho, you get real. By purposely keeping the ball in play is 'cheating'. Cheating characteristically is employed to create an unfair advantage, usually in one's own interest, and often at the expense of others This describes what Henry did right?!? |
Eoin Doyle
said:
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...Stop using the word 'cheating' it's ridiculous. Yeah, he should have. Why shouldn't he? Is there a rule against being honest and fair? But he's typical of the modern day footballer, just a drone for a sporting corporation, win at all costs, especially without dignity and integrity. And I'll keep using the word "cheating" because, well, that's what it was. I can't believe people are trying to make Henry blameless for this whole debacle. |
Andi
said:
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... Pancho - the real world where america offered Turkey millions of dollars of aid if they could base their army there when they attacked iraq is that the same real world your on about ??? you my friend need to get your head out of the so called real world and pay attention. If France would have got knocked out of the world cup along with Argentina can you imagine the amount of money that would have been lost in revenue to the countries and FIFA ???? so do you think it is a coincidence that as both are classed as developed countries that all of a sudden they have managed to come from know where after being written of and have got through to the finals ??? i think it is you my friend that needs to awake and look at the real world a little closer |
John Samuels
said:
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... Can we talk about Villa please? No one seems to be taking any notice of my well formed and argued opinion of what happened last night and i'm getting bored of the words cheat and f**k. Chiefy, I agree there some poiltics involved in football higher up the food chain, but when you look at Englands game swhen we went out or didn't qualify we were just unlucky or not good enough. It's all well and good to argue that there is corruption, but I don't see it. I play football and when the ball bounces up like that sometimes there is an instinctive reaction to put your hand out, i'm not defending Henry, he shouldn't have done it, but you have to ask 'how has he got away with that?' |
Andi
said:
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... Oh and Pancho as Turkey said no they did not get the Aid what a wonderfully fluffy world we live in |
Rios.Jockstrap
said:
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... Bad luck for the Paddies last night, and they can feel hard done by. Cant blame the ref though, since his position proberly meant he never noticed the hand. However, and this is something ive noticed in quite a few games this season, do Linesman bottle it when calling decisions other than offside? Leave the flak to the ref? |
Sean Greene
said:
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... Match report on Fifa.com...pure cowards. France 1-1 Republic of Ireland (first leg 1-0) Goals: William Gallas 103 (France); Robbie Keane 32 (Republic of Ireland) The story of the game Hosts France were kept completely quiet in the first half by an Ireland team burning with passion, conviction and the desire to battle for every ball. Robbie Keane’s strike not long after the half-hour was just reward for the efforts the visitors had put in and it took heroics from France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to limit the damage to one goal. Les Bleus came into the contest after the break but remained vulnerable to Irish attacks, meaning the tie had to be resolved in extra time, when William Gallas equalised to send his team through to their fourth consecutive finals. The key moment After 180 hard-fought minutes, the fate of both teams was decided by a moment of drama in extra time. The outcome remained in the balance until the very last second, and when the final whistle was blown the disappointed Irish could hold their heads up high. |
Eoin Doyle
said:
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... I agree about the "real world" too. It's a joke. It's as "real" as this unicorn standing on my monitor. The "Man" does what he wants, the little worms keep their mouths shut and get on with it, and can't change a bloody thing anyway if they wanted too. Thankfully over the next few years, quantum physics will reveal that reality is not what we thought it was at all. Which will be exciting. I like my coffee black as a moonless night. |
Rattus NorVillicus
said:
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... Chiefy: you're posts are paranoid Juan Pablo Angel: You posts talk sense Genital Grinder: You're posts are Naive Villa_Chris: Your posts are pedantic |
Andi
said:
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... JPA - i am not saying that the Henry incident was curroption or anything like that i am just merely pointing out that sometimes players, refs, managers have no control at all, As for Englands chances Hand of God anyone ?? we had been tipped to win the world cup and at the time 1986 wounds where still sore after the falklands war the argies win the world cup in 1986 and 4years later argies and england are friends again diplomatically |
Tim Hillman
said:
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... I totally agree that Henry cheated last night but I don't think it was any worse than Ngog last weekend. It's part of football whether we like it or not. Lets be honest if it was Ireland who scored by handling the ball, the stories in the newspaper today wouldn't be Ireland cheat their way to World cup. It would be more like the Luck of the Irish! Commentators and jouurnalists are two faced and short sighted. If something bad happens to one of the home nations there is uproar. If however one of the home nations wins by a poor decision or cheating then it would be glossed over. Saying that france don't deserve to be in the finals and Fifa need to sort themselves out or International football will become a dieing game! |
Eoin Doyle
said:
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... Pancho. Explain exactly how my posts are "Naive". You obviously are a very intelligent person. |
John Samuels
said:
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... Chiefy, I know mate, but there isn't a great deal you can do about it mate. The same way we couldn't do anything about McClaren getting the england job and MoN not getting it. Roll with the punches mate, it sucked for us not being in the Euros but I got over it. I hope for the Greens sake that Trappatoni stays, he's had a good run there and i'd like to see Ireland make the Euros. |
John Samuels
said:
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... Genital, Pancho may have been wrong with the word Naive. I'd go for illegible. Didn't have a clue what you were talkinig about mate. And yeah, Pancho is pretty clever, tread carefully or you risk a chiding. |
Andi
said:
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... Pancho - not paranoia simply the reality that no one wants to see, people take note of what they want to and block out what they dont. The turkey iraq thing is well documented as is many other politcal favours that go on in high level meetings throughout the world in every industry in the world with every leader of every country. |
John Samuels
said:
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...Yeah, he should have. Why shouldn't he? because he wants to go to the world cup? The ref and linesman are there to spot stuff like that and if they can't then the rules need to change. If i had a moment of insanity and handballed it I'd feel guilty but I definitely wouldn't go telling the ref, i'd keep my f**kinf mouth shut and wait for June. |
davidc
said:
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... Wonder whether the Irish (or Scottish or Welsh etc) would have come out in support of English if last night had happened to England rather than Ireland? Thought not. Video replays. Nope. Does not stop cheating. You still get cheats in cricket. You still get cheats in Rugby. You still get cheats in Tennis. The unpredictability of sport is its true beauty. Not the fact that the best team wins. Sometimes the decisions go against you. Sometimes they go for you. Its the best way. |
Chris Harper
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... Cheers Pancho! Was just pointing out the obvious, because its not ridiculous describing it as 'cheating' thats all. |
Eoin Doyle
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... Pancho sounds like the kind of guy that actually believes that there was WMDs, capitalism is just "business", and there is no chance of any other intelligent life in the universe. I know people like that. Very clever. and JPA, surely you don't mean all my posts are illegible? I know I went on a weird ramble there, but it was just the once. |
Damian
said:
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... Pancho Villan i agree with you to some extent, what was henry supposed to do - he did exactly what 99.9% of players would have done i suspect but, it is still cheating. just because he wasn't found out or he could get away with it doesn't mean it isn't cheating he cheated and got away with it and yes, the blame lies with the football authorities, but it is still cheating |
John Samuels
said:
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...and JPA, surely you don't mean all my posts are illegible? I know I went on a weird ramble there, but it was just the once. no, just the once. We have slightly mental tendancies so i'll let it slide. |
Andi
said:
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... and i was just pointing out that corruption is everywhere. A headline today on a football website was "french getting though suits FIFA" |
Eoin Doyle
said:
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...Wonder whether the Irish (or Scottish or Welsh etc) would have come out in support of English if last night had happened to England rather than Ireland? Thought not. How do you know we wouldn't have supported the English if that happened?? I would have. It's not your football team or general public I hate. And no, these "decisions" never go for us. It's predictable and not beautiful. |
Adrian Kilgallon
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... Look Henry will have to live with that for the rest of his life but the bigger culprets in my eyes are the Ref and linesman for not being able to spot it. People say that the ref couldn't see but did he make any attempt to ask his linesman? Did he make any attempt to use his f**king brain to grasp that the way that ball came in that the only way possible for Henry to control it so well would have had to have been by using his hands? I couldn't see it first time around either but i knew straight away from watching enough football that he couldn't have made such instantanous control of a ball coming in at that pace and hight with the angle he was facing without being tackled straight away. Yet the ref made no attempt to ask his linesman. He was just far too happy that France had scored. But will FIFA take anything from that game last night? No. Why? Because it was only a small nation who lost out because of it. |
John Samuels
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...Video replays. Nope. Does not stop cheating. It would have stopped that last night. Fair enough the odd difficult one gets by the video official but that handball belongs in a circus along with the lino. |
Adrian Kilgallon
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...Sometimes the decisions go against you. Sometimes they go for you. Its the best way. Thats bullshit. 9/10 they go in favour of the big tem. How many times have we seen utd get dodgy pens or 5/6 mins inj time when they need it? |
davidc
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... Ah the "its only a small nation" thing comes out. The old victimisation complex. The last refuge of the failure. The easy excuse. I genuinely do sympathise with the Irish last night. I do feel Henry cheated and therefore the blame lies with him rather than the officials. Can we get back onto talking about far more important things now? Like the Villa please. 1-1 Saturday. Carew (6 mins). And we concede a late penalty. |
Andi
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... ak_27 - i agree with you on this mate the so called "big teams" and nations get the rub of the green at every opportunity. I am just pointing out that it can not be a pure coincidence that this keeps happening it defys probabilty its funny what money can do |
davidc
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... "Thats bullshit. 9/10 they go in favour of the big tem. How many times have we seen utd get dodgy pens or 5/6 mins inj time when they need it? " They (say Man U in this instance) get dodgy pens because they stream forward relentlessly until the inevitable happens (a dodgy tackle, or a debatable one - makes no odds, its the sheer weight of probability in the end). Thats the reason rather than cowardly or incompetent refs. And do they really? I guess the perception (rightly or wrongly) is Man U get more penalties than most. But do the stats back it up? I'd wager we've had more than them so far this season. |
Andi
said:
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... We are going to win saturday score 4 in the 105, 109, 110 min of injury time, brad will kick the goals post before a penalty and move it to the left slightly meaning the Burnley players hits the post and Carew will play with NO boots score while offside and the linesman is getting a light of someone in the crowd and misses it. MON to kick the ball back into play quickly to help with the counter attack while Sidwell moons the ref !! |
croni
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... i don't agree all players would have done what henry did he was playing a different sport he's an absolute cheat it's time to introduce video evidence into the game it's been about 8 years since ireland were that good, i still can't belive how good ireland were they played france off the park and missed 3 glourious chances to make it 2 nil |
neil57
said:
 |
... If Henry had done that playing golf, he would have been vilified and a marked man forever. Vijay Singh did it years ago and it hasn't been forgotten. He has to live with that. Wrote on prev blog, agree with most. Disagree that they must be there. |
WinsforVilla
said:
 |
... It is much too early to think about selling Shorey in my opinion. Freddie is great, but is he fully back to form/fitness? If not there is not good cover. If Reo wants to, he should be allowed to go, otherwise I feel he would be a bad influence. I would still prefer him to stay however. As for fantasy signings, I think that is just what they will remain with MON spending the cash. But it is certainly time to give more of the youngsters a chance, and it always will be! |
Andi
said:
|
... Saturday the hand of god will be replaced with the Arse of EMULE for the fourth goal 118mins of injury |
WinsforVilla
said:
|
... Oh and I think that if Henry wants to be remembered with any respect, he should pull out of the French WC squad. |
davidc
said:
|
... If Henry had done that for the Villa, I'd have cheered him to the rafters. Sorry, but thats the way it is. I love the Villa too much so anything we do to win (legal or not) is acceptable in my eyes. Am I bad person? |
John Samuels
said:
|
...118mins of injury On top of the 90? It is much too early to think about selling Shorey in my opinion. Freddie is great, but is he fully back to form/fitness? I agree with this, but I think it'll be difficult to keep Shorey with his desire to play. Perhaps a loan may be the answer? As for fantasy signings, I think that is just what they will remain with MON spending the cash. But it is certainly time to give more of the youngsters a chance, and it always will be! The youngsters will det a chance. I think Gardner, Delph, Albrighton and Delfouneso are the ones to come through this year (Gardner may even leave as i'm not sure he is better than what we already have in the middle). I think it's a little too early for the likes of Lichaj, Clark, Lowry, Bannan and a few of others. Osbourne needs to go elsewhere, he do ok in the championship. |
Chris Harper
said:
|
... Bouma has a set back... http://www.expressandstar.com/...ess-fight/ Don't worry, its not as bad as you first think when you see the headline. |
Rios.Jockstrap
said:
|
... AK said Yet the ref made no attempt to ask his linesman. He was just far too happy that France had scored. But AK, he did consult his linesman when Anelka dived. And if i remmember rightly, he looked towards the Linesman straight after the "goal" had been scored. Sometimes linesman remmmber that they too, are part of a team and help the Ref out. They always seem to duck contentious issues, leaving the ref to take the flak. Incidently, up to the thier goal, it was the french who were calling him a cheat lol |
VillaNick
said:
 |
... I must be the only fan that doesn't think that we need to buy this Jan? I think that we are strong enough this season to take on Spurs, Liverpool and Man City IMO. |
Rios.Jockstrap
said:
|
... [quoteIt would have stopped that last night. Fair enough the odd difficult one gets by the video official but that handball belongs in a circus along with the lino. ] Besides, Video technology will remove the threat of nobbling the ref or players from betting syndicates. It will never remove cheating from the game, but it will help the officials clamp down on it, and make Alex Ferguson or Wengar look more stupid |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... Cheify its not a coincidence it is down to pressure being put on refs by certain people or/and bodys. Take the PL for instance. Fergie has been intimidating refs for years and what has it lead to? A few minor slaps on the hands and every half pen given to them if they are playing smaller teams and especially that very important extra 2 mins added to every game if Utd aren't winning going into the inj time. The ammount of ponts that has lead to over the years really adds up. The facts speak for themselves. After we lost to Utd away last yera someone found the stat that there is normally at least 4/5 mins extra time played if one of the big 4 isn't winning going into inj time. Coincidence? Coincidence my arse. |
Rios.Jockstrap
said:
|
...Hey Chiefy, maybe Bouma has been taking a leaf out of Vassell's book? I thought Vassel was a little to thick to write a Book?  Whats it called........Hotel? |
Chris Harper
said:
|
... VillaNick I won't be bothered if we don't buy either, but will obvious be happy if we sign someone. Bouma and Downing coming back will be like new signings anyway. |
VillaNick
said:
|
... Villa_Chris
At last a sensible view from someone who seems to know about football! |
oldun1spain
said:
 |
... Did Robbie Fowler not se t aprecedent some years ago. When awarded a penalty, he infomed the Ref that it was not & sportingly missed the spot kick? Does anyone else recall the incident. So it is in the hands of players as well as match officials. |
John Samuels
said:
|
...must be the only fan that doesn't think that we need to buy this Jan? I'd agree and feel that offloading a bit of deadwood is more important at this stage than signing new players. It will obviously depend on the impact DJ Stew makes, but i'd be quite happy going till the summer with what we have. We only need to think about acquiring a player if a first teamer leaves i.e Heskey. We'd need to replace him to ensure we still have four first team strikers. Other than that we're fine. Bouma has a set back... At least that explains why he hasn't featured on the bench. I was a little concerned he was being frozen out, but O'Neill seems pretty upbeat about the whole thing so that pleases me. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... Back to Villa. I think MON would b a fool to sell NRC without having avery good relacement lined up. As for not needing anymore players i have to disagree. We need a playmaker and another striker in Merson style. One who is able to link up with the CM well and create chances for others. I would like to see us go for Defour and Janovic this Jan but in reality if we do sign someone it is more likely to be a really average cheap option who is no better then what is already on the bench. I mean how many times has MON moaned about the cost of players in the Jan window and about not many being available? What will change this Jan? Im not getting my hopes up anyway. |
stephen may
said:
 |
... FIFA CAN STICK THEIR FAIR PLAY CAMPAIGN UP THEIR ASSES! HENRY SHOULD BE BEATEN TO DEATH WITH INFLATABLE SHAMROCKS! MAKES ME FU@#ING SICK . |
John Samuels
said:
|
... Defour will sign for Man U in january. Jovanovic is nothing like a player MoN would sign. We'd be likely to pick up someone like Johnson from Boro or that young Cleverly lad. |
Car Frost
said:
 |
... Ireland - I feel for you but it's not going to change anything, it's pretty obvious politics play a part on the football pitch and last night was just as tough as playing at Old Trafford. I don't agree with video replays though, my enjoyment comes from all of the debates ( like this one I suppose ) - why take the talking points out of football? Lineker would have nothing to discuss on motd, the car journey home would be a quiet one and so on.. I'd miss it. |
John Samuels
said:
|
... ak, Do you mean an average cheap option like Downing, Milner, Young, Collins, Dunne, Warnock and Cuellar? or maybe you were thinking more of Delph or Guzan? |
Chris Harper
said:
|
...I'm not getting my hopes up anyway Thats the problem with us fans.... People start throwing big names around and everyone begins to get their hopes up, only to be disappointed when the window closes. It also clouds over our thoughts and we start calling MON 'useless' and slagging off new players before they've even played. Collins anyone?? |
John Samuels
said:
|
... why take the talking points out of football? What like managers tactics, goals, free kicks, derbys, tournaments, great passes etc. There is more to the beautiful game than dubious decisions and cheating. I'm sure i'd enjoy it more if it didn't include the sort of debacle seen last night, not to mention players crowding round a ref waving imaginary cards or turning their backs onhim after dubious decisions or even correct ones. it takes away the uncertainty and gives the referee more authority as it lends more credibility to his decision. Video replays will do nothing but good for the game and I think an argument against is a bit of a lame duck. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... JPA just look at who was signed the last 2 Jan windows to see what i mean(Routledge and Heskey). People have to start learning from what MON has done in the past and the Jan window is completely different to the summer one. Like i said im not getting my hopes up that much. Johnson is a very good winger but how many wingers can we have at the club? |
John Samuels
said:
|
... A TV replay may have saved us conceding a penalty and not had Beye sent off at West Ham. We probably would have gone on to win that. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... I think you are both missing my point. Im treating the Jan windw for what it is. It is completly removed from the summer one in who is available and what players costs and we all know how MON has operated in this window the last 2 years when we had a great shout at getting 4th both times. MON hates this window and i think we need to start realising that MON is a predicatable enough man when it comes right down to it. I would love for him to go out and buy 2 players that we really need but is it really going to happen? |
RicA
said:
 |
... On Cheating There have been a few proposals put forward to improve fair play. 1. If a police-man fails to see a crime - did he commit it? Get off the ref's case. Henry hand-balled not him! Solution For contentious decisions with supposition of wrong-doing. The Referee should ask the player if he dived or hand-balled. If the player blatently lies and is found out by video replay......smack a massive sanction on the player (5-games+ should do it!) Anelka dived in the box after being touched earlier in the game. I am not sure if he got a yellow. However, if the ref did see the dive and believed it was simulation not evasion he should have treated the dive the same as if the keeper had been in the wrong (i.e. Red - obviously a penalty up the other end is out of the question!). This again would stop diving! Oh and on the Irish (from an Englishman living in Ireland fro a few years!). They played well and deserved the joy/heartache of penalties as a minimum. They lost one game in all qualifiers (France at home!). They did brilliantly onsidering the mess that Stan Staunton had left them in (hiring someone who was dropping cones down at Walsall to National Manager highlights the idiocy at the FAI). ....and the radio phone in's this morning raised the most difficult of scenarios...what if France play England...after 800+ years of hate can they really support a team over one hand-ball? anyway...I am off to buy some cheap Gillette gear from the local shop....I do not think that Henry's smug chops are going to sell them anymore! |
Chris Harper
said:
|
... Probably not ak_27, thats why we shouldn't build our hopes up as we've both said. |
John Samuels
said:
|
... ak, and the window before that we signed Carew and Young. MoN is capable of it, but doesn't like it as it doesn't lend itself to great value and you end up paying £9.5m for a player from Watford in the championship with one PL season under his belt. MoN could have gone out and signed more players last Jan, but he wanted the likes of Vermaelen (before Arsenal got there), Hangeland (before he pledged this season to Fulham), Dunne maybe, Downing, Warnock etc. Had he blown his kitty on overpriced players in jan (liverpool were quoted £18m for Downing) we wouldn't have the team we do now. As for Johnson he was merely an example, however i'd say that quality is quality and given that everyone is talking about playing Milner inside and Ash as a second striker then there would be room for a player like him. He is young, quick, has an excellent touch and causes problems for defences. I'd rather have him than a lot of the other players being talked about on here. He is also an example of a player who speaks English, has premiership experience and who's transfer value would almost certainly increase. |
Car Frost
said:
|
...A TV replay may have saved us conceding a penalty and not had Beye sent off at West Ham. We probably would have gone on to win that These things always even themselves out over time, it's the reason anything can happen in football, things would be very predictable if you take key variables out of the game. Why even bother with a ref? You could have a robot spamming out match stats and calling the shots over the loud speaker in a robocop style voice with an american twist like .. ITS A SOCCER PEN TO YOUNG ASHLEY OF VILLA That and do you realise how long the ball is out of play in the average game? Almost half of it, worse sometimes so why throw in more delays with replays etc.. injury time would become even more complicated, the crowd wouldn't know if their team had won until the final whistle if a dubious goal was scored in say the 88th minute and so on. There's so much crap that would come hand in hand with it, why over complicate what should be a simple sport? |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... JPA i honestly would have preferred Johnson over Downing in the first place. He is what i like in a winger. He has great ability to beat his man and actually go past the full back and i for one would be very happy if we signed him. But he is not a play maker and neither is Downing and we do really need an out and out player who can pick that killer pass who plays in the centre and before you say that maybe Downing can do that his assits stats for boro don't point to him being a player who give that killer pass when it is on. We can't keep buying wingers and then hope to move other wingers elsewhere. They have been wingers at their clubs for a reason. We need to start buying players who have been playing in their positions since they were 15 and know exactly how to play there. Re the Jan window my point was don't get your hopes up. Why would MON want to blow next summers budget this Jan if he wouldn't do it the last 2 years? So like i said chances are we will get another Routledge/ Heskey player on the cheap who is really no better then what is already at the club. |
John Samuels
said:
|
... ak, would love for him to go out and buy 2 players that we really need but is it really going to happen? I don't think we need two players just yet and would be happy to wait till june. |
John Samuels
said:
|
... ak, misunderstood you there, sorry. I don't think we will get anyone in jan unless a first teamer leaves. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... JPA Rual Tamudo is available in Jan for probably a million. He would be a good signing as he could be that creative striker option that i think we badly lack at the club right now. But i would be hugely shocked (and pleased) if MON had any interest in him. |
Fowleryeah?
said:
 |
... This Fowler stuff has got to stop. He did tell the ref he wasn't fouled. He didn't miss the penalty on purpose, and sprinted to try and get the rebound, which his teammate smashed in before he could, at which point he ran away celebrating. Such nonsense that people are warped to think stuff like this would happen. Even after trying to be honest, he wanted to score, it is football. |
paul mclafferty
said:
 |
... villa chris... sorry mate ive read the fear article twice now and still cant find anything in it thats the slightest bit humerous,  how about the fact trampolines scare me to death..they make me jump.  |
paul mclafferty
said:
|
... fowleryeah?... what about dicanio when playing for west ham against everton, with only a injuredgoalkeeper to beat he caught the ball so he could get treated, thats what i call honesty. |
Thomas
said:
|
... Pancho get your head out of your ar*e mate! ireland were cheated and being 2nd generation irish it's pissed me off big time not seeing them in south afric next year. england will NEVER ever win another world cup as they are too far up there own ar*e's to realise they arent good enough!! so button it Pancho. |
John Samuels
said:
|
... ak, tamudo would be a good signing, but it looks like the begining of a bidding war with Wigan, Spurs and Newcastle intrerested. I'm sure he would consider coming here, but this will undoubtedly drive the price up as Espanyol will want as much as they can get in his last contracted year. I'd only be intersted in a 32 yr old for less than £5m. But the guy has never been that prolific or he would have been playing for a top La Liga side and it would have been a bigger club and not Rangers who almost signed him a while ago. A risk imo. Martinez is spanish so he will probably be better off going to Wigan along with their other spanish stars. |
Damian
said:
|
... TheGreatDane i'm not complainaing and i'd rather we didn't sell reo-coker but i think our manager has pushed the player too far and he is left with little choice. if he doesn't sell him in the next two transfer windows, come the one following, reo-coker, at 26 years old, will be negotiating a bosman with a club yes, i like cover and yes i believe we will need it, but i am also saying that if reo-coker goes, we bring in another and if shorey goes don't we already have cover? we have two recognised right backs and one player that has done well playing for us at right back this season. if warnock gets injured we all know luke young can play there and bouma is close to returning its okay having cover and we all want quality cover at that but i'm just saying, martin o'neill doesn't use teh squad - he has his preferred players and he will play them. maybe a marquee player will help us kick on. maybe i cant see into the future but what i can do is look back at the last two january transfer windows. we need to treat this one a little differently, in my opinion |
John Samuels
said:
|
... rushe10, calm down, pancho was being objective. We're all sorry about what happened but it wasn't pancho's fault was it. Write a letter to Thierry Henry  |
John Samuels
said:
|
... Damien, Speculation imo. What if NRC plays regularly till the end of the season, captains us when ever petrov is out and we finish fourth. He would be a fool to leave. Give it time, i think he'll stay. |
Damian
said:
|
... Juan Pablo Angel yes it is speculation and if i thought reo-coker loved the club or even if he had some sort of connection to the club rather than just playing for us, then i'd maybe be surprised but footballers these days dont care about the club. they know their career is short and it is about making as much cash as possible and i'm fairly sure o'neill has annoyed reo-coker given the option of staying at villa and picking up £50k a week or picking that same money up for someone else who is never likely to win the league unless something really amazing happens but also getting a £5mn signing on bonus ... i know what i would pick if i wasn't an aston villa fan |
paul mclafferty
said:
|
... can we look at this playmaking midfielder a little closer, if we do sign one then who does mon drop?because i can tell you it wont be sidwell, so i think that leaves NRC and if we do sign a quality playmaker then i will pack his bag for him. so this jan we could get rid of NRC Shorey harewood heskey osbourne and salifou, and as it is january the prices we get could be a lot higher as it seems you pay 20-25% more in the winter. |
Michael
said:
 |
... Personally i wouldnt put Reo in our strongest team, But I like him a lot as a squad player and id be very dissapointed if he leaves in january or the summer. He did well against Bolton hardly putting a foot wrong all game, but on the same note didnt realy do anything amazing or anything with any real quality... But i suppose thats his game, you know what your gonna get with Reo a 7 out of 10 9 out of 10 games he plays in. Anyway it would be a shame to see him leave to go somewhere like Blackburn or stoke. UTV! |
Car Frost
said:
|
... Interesting article on NRC, basically saying we could lose him because of "the untouchables" in the side. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.u...25863.html |
John Samuels
said:
|
... Rushe10 Yes I do mate, England have gone out enough times for me to know how you feel. A Winking Ronaldo springs to mind. It'll get better with time mate, it'll never go away, but the pain will ease eventually. |
Car Frost
said:
|
... Holtend Paul - I'd take Noble for that playmaking midfielder role based upon realistic targets, West Ham need the cash and he's young, English and talented so ticks the boxes for MON. Even offer Sidwell plus cash as part of a swap deal. |
paul mclafferty
said:
|
... jpa .. bloody hell mate who has died? i watched the game last night and was very impressed with the irish and had they played like that in their group stages then im sure they wouldnt have been playing france last night,so bad results previously cost ireland the chance to qualify not 100% henrys hand ball. |
Chris Harper
said:
|
... Frosty He claims there are untouchables but to be fair, one of them is captain for a reason. Last season he was outstanding in my eyes. |
paul mclafferty
said:
|
... frosty.... your bang on there with noble, i would even like cattermole which i was very suprised mon didnt put a bid in for him last summer(i know he is not a playmaker,but is a great replacement for NRC and is better). what about fat andy skinny andy reid? what vision!!! |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... Andy Reid would be a very good signing. he has terrific vision and ability to give that killer pass. But it would take a big bid from us to get him from Sunderland as they don't need the money. |
Car Frost
said:
|
... Villa_Chris can't argue there I think Petrov would be the first name on my team sheet these days. Andy Reid - the pieman with vision, would love him at Villa! Like AK says though don't see Sunderland as selling club anymore ( read something about them not being happy with Jones's goal ratio lately - it would probably never happen but I'd love him to come too). |
davidc
said:
|
... Don't think we need a playmaking centre-mid player. I think we need the player we hoped Sidwell was going to be. A box-to-box midfielder who will weigh in with 5-10 goals per season. Noble would be a realistic shout. Stephen Ireland a less realistic one. Outside of those two, you're looking on the continent. |
Chris Harper
said:
|
... I would love Ireland to come, but really can't see Man City letting him go. I think he's a real quality player. Andy Reid is good at the playmaker role too. He's also lost weight now, must be a saladman with vision  |
Geoff
said:
 |
... Id rather have a defensive midfielder in there, whic they are more likely to do than bring in another attacking one because they have - essentially - 3 attacking or wing midfielders. They will probably sign a younger attacking midfielder for less money who can still play. I like the idea of DeFour. |
paul mclafferty
said:
|
... i would take any of these players to replace NRC lee catermole mark noble jimmy bullard (if fit) tom huddlestone jemain jenas all of these players fit well into mons catergory and wouldnt break the bank either. |
villajon
said:
|
... WinsforVilla said: ... Oh and I think that if Henry wants to be remembered with any respect, he should pull out of the French WC squad. You are joking?? Surely. What footballer in their right mind would do that?? |
neil57
said:
|
... No golfers on the blog or do you all like Vijay? I like Robbie, remember the penalty incident. Robbie is very wealthy and astute, owns 85 properties, Michael Owen also rich. I think NRC will stay. MON is building a strong squad.Forget the well known foreigners. Carew was a swap for Baros, what outstanding business. Shorey is prob 6th choice FB, lots of very good youngsters. Portsmouth should be a good game, might go over for it as bro in law lives there. UTV |
Greg Hill
said:
 |
... The Henry cheating is disgraceful. But what’s more disgraceful is some people on the site saying it’s part of football and condoning it (and even useless O’Leary on the today programme). Villa have a great record of players ‘not’ diving. The only one I remember was when Angel dived attacking the Witton down the right (can’t remember who we were playing). I was screaming for a pen but was sick when I saw the replay. He was rightly booked (should be a sending off offence). I couldn’t stand to see him in the claret and blue after that. If you cheat don’t play for the mighty lions. No matter who you are and what you bring. |
VillaNick
said:
|
... I can see Man City's Michael Johnson coming to Villa or someone of that ilk. VDV, Defour etc: P.I.T.W.! |
john franey
said:
 |
... On the cheating debate and fifa guys,Ireland were the only non seeded team that had to play the first leg at home now thats no coincidence guys.If u watch the handball from last night again just look at the french striker holding richard dunne as well.I cant wait till saturday to watch villa so i can forget about henry cheating. what if France play England...after 800+ years of hate can they really support a team over one hand-ball?.I know who il be supporting and it wont be france. |
john franey
said:
|
.......When ronaldo got rooney sent off a few years ago i know plenty of irish people who hated him including utd supporters as well |
Geoff
said:
|
... Id go Jenas or Huddlestone. The Spurs will sell a player or two because they need to improve in other areas. |
Fowleryeah?
said:
|
... DiCanio was sportsmanship, but heading it in would not have been cheating, I think it is different. Henry handballing is both bad sportsmanship and cheating. |
rackface
said:
 |
... I for one won't miss the Irish. At least the World Cup will be spared of players such as Kilbane and Andrews. Their terrorist songs won't be missed either. |
baltimorePete
said:
 |
... The Irish are demanding a replay. And there is precedent. In 2005, Uzbekistan's qualifier against Bahrain was replayed after a Japanese ref made a mistake in not allowing a penalty kick. |
gareth horton
said:
 |
... dont like cheating an what henry did was a disgrace funny as f**k that it was against the irish though.you want to watch the best players at a world cup not a bunch of little green men i love it when the irish and the other home nations fail cause they all bunch together to celebrate in englands misery |
Andy Scarborough
said:
 |
... dacidc said: Am I bad person? Yes you are, go and stand in the corner. On second thoughts - no you're not, go to the top of the class. |
tubbydunne
said:
 |
... Whatever Diarra said after the first leg in Dublind really got under the skin of the Irish, this on top of the fact that FIFA seeded the draw created an us against the rest of the world mentality and Ireland played out of their skin. Richard Dunne was immense and an attack containing Anelka, Henry, Gignac and Govou wasn't given a sniff. Consider Dunne had a rookie international with no top level football experience as his sidekick and his performance is all the more remarkable. The downside is he will have to be rested on saturday as he put in a superhuman effort over 120mins. |
john franey
said:
|
... Gareth said [quotdont like cheating an what henry did was a disgrace e] you want to watch the best players at a world cup So you want to watch the best players even if there cheats,and your poor attempt at humour was sad as well.You should be in bed by now.havent you got school in the morning |
ChrisDT
said:
 |
... Surely this game has to be replayed, there is too much at stake for it just to be brushed off. FAX number for FIFA! +41-43-222 7878 We all know that if it happened up the other end that Platini would already have the rules changed and a replay organised! But I would like to point out that anyone that can read French will see that respect to the French people for their reaction of disgust to Henry's actions, so for the people that France I hope that they go on to do well in the World Cup! I had a look at this link below that has some good football related Facebook Statuses for the World Cup in its Facebook Status Generator: http://www.theisbook.com/status-generator/ Fair Play must shine through and FIFA have got a big message to send out now by banning Henry from the World Cup! |
Martin Clabon
said:
 |
... Gutted for Ireland. Dunne will come back snorting and pawing the ground, will either be brilliant or get sent off on Saturday Henry was my favourite non Villa Premiership player, will always remember his brilliance but now it is tainted. I know I am old fashioned about this and unrealistic but life and football is about more than just winning, blatant cheating like that diminishes a great footballer |
david
said:
 |
... It seems clear that the real blame lies not with the ref, the linesman or Thiery Henry. The blame lies with the rule makers of the game. Last night, within seconds of the handball, millions of people around the world knew that the wrong decision had been made. There was no doubt whatsoever in the mind of anyone with access to a TV screen. It is farcical that a game worth £billions is decided on a decision that millions of people could see was wrong. The referee and linesman were unsighted and the only way that they could be sure of making the correct decision was with outside assistance from a third party. I would prefer the decision to have been reversed immediately and the goal disallowed, but at worst, there should be the option for the evidence to be reviewed after the game and very serious sanctions to be taken against the cheat or his team. As someone suggested earlier, the referee could give the player the opportunity to own up and if they didn't and were then found out then the sanction could be the reversal of the result or something equally punitive. One thing is clear however is that the status quo is not a reasonable option |
Doc
said:
 |
... I agree with you, Damian. The problem in the game, though, is FIFA. Beyond Motor Racing (which is a minor sport in the scheme of things), does any sport have a governing body so wholly driven by vested interests, financial gain and corrupt personal agendae? Sepp Blatter is a joke of a president, and his anglophobia is second only to that of Michel Platini, his constant paid escort. In its dealings with racist abuse in Spain and certain eastern European countries, FIFA has already shown that it is not interested in dealing with racism in football. Furthermore, it has taken a lackadaisical interest towards the constant plague of diving. Henry part-justified the outcome of last night's game on the basis that a penalty was not awarded to Nicolas Anelka: anybody who saw the game knows that Anelka dived and should have been yellow-carded. Further salt in Irish wounds. The pure fact is, FIFA want France at the World Cup finals and not Ireland. That's why they seeded the play-offs the way they (disgracefully) did. What a mistake. What a massive mistake. Look at USA 94: the Irish grace any tournament with exciting end-to-end football, and the most fun fans in the world. I hope FIFA hold their heads in shame. France will go nowhere in 2010 because they are a poor and ageing team of badly-assembled individuals with no team spirit and poor leadership. They will also be poorly and boringly supported in South Africa. I am not Irish, and have no Irish blood. But I share their anger at being cheated out of the World Cup by an inferior team. I'd love to hear Platini's view. Isn't he the voice in UEFA who is trying to stop the automatic dominance of the big guys? Speak up then, Michel... |
Nathan T
said:
 |
... I agree with Gareth, I'm half french myself and as much as I'm ashamed and disgusted with what Henry did I still refuse to feel sorry for people who clammer over each other to mock us when England come a cropper in tournaments. Now they have their own hand of god that WE can now laugh at. |
Greg
said:
 |
... Doc bowles I am irish, and reading what you have put down there is a great comfort to me. I 100% genuinely appreciate what you have just written. As a small nation we have a pretty small pool of resources to pick from. The only player we would have in contention to get in the england team is probably shay given. Players like dunney, robbie keane, damien duff, given are unbelievable players for us and this is their last crack to go to another word cup as time is not really any longer on their side. From the start we had a tough enough group with italy and bulgaria to contend with. Then probably our best playmaker and only playmaker in the country Stephen Ireland lets us doen by turning his back on us and mocking his own country at any given opportunity. Its sad for Footie mad irishman to take. Under Trap i think he has built an overachieving team, because like O'Neills teams he has players who want to play with heart determination and dedication. We were always going to be going through the play-offs, and you can imagine the quiet disgust when we found out we were going to be playing a seeded team, that the draw was going to be putting a top team against us regardless. That was hard enough to take. After a great 1st half performance in dublin and a quiet 2nd half in which France didnt create too much, Anelka pops up with a fluky deflected goal. That happens in football, you take it and move on. Heart was got from the first half and the fear element of the opponents was dissolved. Its easy to be fearfull when you see the names, Anelka, henry, benzema, evra, abidal, sagna, diarra etc all expierienced champs league players, and you are turfing out players from hull, wolves, stoke, blackburn. Its easy to get caught in the headlights. We went to france under no pressure, every1 was waiting for us to lose and i too had my doubts, pushing for a goal i thought their maybe just too much quality against us. Then we get drunk in the pub, you watch your country play out of their skins, keane scores, there pints splashing everywhere, the rood is raised you are hugging stranger beside you and jumping for joy. You wait for the french enslaught, it doesnt come, they are making mistakes, we have them ratlled in paris. We knew fifa didnt want us to qualify and we are all as familar over here to Englands near persecution treatmeant of England and English clubs, and are all well aware of that gomey Sepp Blather. We know of the old boys brigade and we are seen as the pigs of europe. Against all the odds (the french are 25/1 on) we win fairly over the course of 90 minutes in paris. Who would have thought it. No one the atmposhere in the pub is electric its like every1's just had a kid or got married or its their 21'st birthday. The Henry goes and gets away with that. People go on about the handball, Henry and gallas were both offside in the first place, Henry handled twice and its debatable if gallas header also player in off his hand (which would have been completely unintentional anyway) Ive said enuf already but thank you for your kind words. Its nice to know pple out there have recognised we at least deserved to be winning going into the 2nd half of extra time, who knows what would have happened. If only robbie and duff had taken there chances all this would be irrelevant. Thank god there is burnley on saturday, up the villa |
James
said:
 |
... I've tried to stay out of this debate because I know there are strong emotions at play here, but.... Cheating is cheating. It is no good having an 'honour among thieves' mentality about this. Henry stopped the ball with his hand and set up a goal. He did not admit this at the time and thus influenced the destiny of the game - illegally. However, if this makes him a monster, if you now view him differently, then you MUST logically feel the same way about our Ashley. He is also a cheat. So by all means curse the naughty frenchman, but for consistency make sure you boo Ashley when he wins us a vital last minute penalty to qualify for the CL with a shameless tumble. (For the record, I personally only feel a general sense of sadness that football is and to an extent always has been a sport that condones cheating. You can't change that.) |
Doc
said:
|
... Nathan and Gareth - are you both struggling a bit? I've seen and heard scots and welsh putting us English down, but very few Irishmen. I'm taking it you'd rather have France at the World Cup than Ireland? If so, you must be off your chumps... |
Ronnie Quinlan
said:
 |
... Doc you make some very good and reasoned points, i'm Irish and like all Irish people today i do feel cheated, It seems to me that Henry is getting an awful lot of stick everywhere, in France especially. He did cheat but then plenty of players do, it is just sad that a player of his class is tainted by this. I would love a replay but most of all i would love goal line technology and/or a ref behind each goal. Matches as big as this deserve to be decided fairly and not on what one man sees or doesn't see. Like rugby this would create more excitement at times DURING the game, rather than all the anger after... I will follow England in the world cup, i always do anyway. I LOVE the EPL and i love villa so watching England will be great especially if a few Villans are playing!!. |
Greg
said:
|
... nanwasafan i dont blame Henry so much, at the end of the day you do what you have to do, but should people be let get away with it? I know the irish look stupid asking for a reply, it'll never happen but if we get support it might ruffle a few feather of those pair of faggits platini and blatter, i couldnt think of two more incompent imbeciles. To have favourtism in international football is ridiculous, it sends out the wrong message to all the smaller nations who rarley get to go to world cups. This for irish people is obviously bigger than it is for you who is probably sick of hearing about it at this stage. Its hard enuf to get there without all these extra abstacles thrown in your way. Platini hates england this is clear for all of us this side of the water, blatter does too read betweeen the lines, look at how he tried to engineer a move for ronaldo from real etc the list goes on and on. I dont know why its like this, and now we are cast to one side and the door left open to france. It just reeks |
Andy Scarborough
said:
|
... Let's forget about the "Troubles" and all that for a moment. I am VERY ENGLISH, given a choice between French or Irish "bed partners" I would always choose Irish. We are culturally, ethnically and linguistically closer (even if English was forced on you). We understand the Craic. We celebrate St. Patrick's Day alongside our Irish cousins. You helped build and defend our country while the French would have torn it down. We have argued with our neighbours in Ireland for hundreds of years, but still don't hate you. On the other hand, though we have not fought against the French much since we toasted that virgin from Orleans we just cannot find it in ourselves to actually like them. As for the "Celtic Fringe" taking joy at English woes; well fair play, though I think it's only the Scots who take it that seriously. Remember that the bagpipes were given to the Scots by the Irish for a joke, which the Scots still haven't got yet. Ireland were cheated, which is different to saying that TH is a cheat (he did cheat, but does that make him a cheat?). This must be debated and debated and then debated some more at the highest levels of our game until some real and meaningful changes are made. |
Andy Scarborough
said:
|
... Nan, I do feel ashamed whenever Ash dives. I even go as far as to admit this to my mates down the pub - Ash is becoming a wee bit of a diver. On a similar note, I have noticed that Villa are becoming a bit tasty in the tackle - meaning that we are becoming a tad dirty. |
Martin Clabon
said:
|
... What's all this DiCannio nonsense. The ball was going over his head, it was not a straightforward chance at all. He was a mainly average player with the occasional flash of brilliance. Far from being some great sportsman he is a card carrying fascist and scum of the earth |
Doc
said:
|
... GregDavillain, the only thing I would say, given that I'd far rather have the Irish at the World Cup than the french, is that if Keane and Duff had put their chances away - Henry could have picked the ball up in his hands all he liked and it wouldn't have made any f****** difference. Small point, and you guys deserved to make it through - but you do also sometimes have to make your own luck. What Big Jack has that Trap maybe doesn't is that he was a bit streetwise. And as a coach myself, I tend to find that the ball rolls for the team that "knows the streets". |
Martin Clabon
said:
|
... Doc, Blatter's an idiot, Di Cannio is genuine scum. Suprised at what you said the other day about our midfield being good enough and Gabi not? Gabi has come on a bundle in the last 18 months, looks a eal threat and in my opinion central midfield is our weakest area with only Petrov really worth a place and even he lacks goals. Our passing and creativity from midfield is not good enough in my opinion, Reo can tackle and run but not pass create or score, Sidwell been poor, Delph not made it yet, same with Gardner, Salifou and Osbourne nuff said. Change of subject I know, just I normally agree with you so suprised to be right on other side this time |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... For me Henry did cheat but it was a spur of the moment thing. I personally don't hate the guy after it. But right now is an oppertunity for real pressure to be placed on those t**ts in FIFA for change. Time to get real and bring in technology to stop what happened last night ever happening again. Im delighted with the coverage this is getting as normally when something like this happens to an underdog you hear very little about it. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... Doc Jack had far better players then Trap has. Trap is the far better manager of the 2 for me. |
Andy Scarborough
said:
|
... Damian said: or we could all march on the french embassy in london and ask them to do what is right I have a pistol, would that help them do you think? |
Martin Clabon
said:
|
... real rebel feel to the blog tonight which I like. Let's tar and feather Platini while we're about it |
Doc
said:
|
... SidCowanslovechild, Hear what you say and there's a lot of logic to it. But look at it this way: a lot of our m-o-m performances this season have come from Petrov and Milner. And - certainly defensively - I feel our midfield has worked as a unit, got behind the ball, and stopped opposing teams playing. Not only that, you'll have noticed that we've also created a lot of chances: I don't have the stats, but I'd be surprised if we weren't low down in the table on chances converted. I'm not panicking, and I'm not a cynic, but I think Carew is lazy; Heskey has got into the rut of being no more than a "holder upper" and Gabby lacks that cut-throat instinct and too often runs down blind alleys. I'd like to see a new striker come in with some hunger and a real finisher's attitude: not only for goals, but also to keep the others on their toes. It all looks a bit too comfortable to me at the moment - and that's the last thing you want with strikers. So yes - I think the midfield is playing well, and the strikers poorly. |
Martin Clabon
said:
|
... Doc, I guess we are not too far apart. Carew is unplayable on his day (but it isn't his day enough) but I think Gabbi looks like he is nearly a very good player. I am happy with our wingers (though not enough goals from Milner and sure we will get them from Downing either) think Albrighton might be best of them all. Defensively we are good in midfield but not enough creativity or goals or passing or ball possession. Sign a Merson and a Cowans (or even a Taylor and Platt) and I will be happy. I think this is where our next signings will be but must be top players otherwise we will just be adding to what is already a big squad. 1st teamer upgrade or outrageously talented youngsters only needed now |
Doc
said:
|
... Sid, I'm with you most of the way on Gabby. My problem with the lad is - he never gets dropped. He puts in a poor performance - and then he starts again. Another nothing performance? Another start. That must make The Fonz mad! I think it's great that O'Neill shows his belief in Gabby, I really do. But, as a coach myself, I also think that his hunger and attitude would develop better if he were replaced every time he gave a below-par performance. At the moment, I don't think Gabby has the concept of earning the Villa shirt: I think he feels it's a right, and that's crap. There were some decent strikers avaialble for £10-12m in the summer, and I think O'Neill should have taken one. Many people's choice would have been Darren Bent, but I'd have either gone for Doyle or Ashton (given the Villa record of bringing the injured back from the dead). Not, as I say, the 25-goal-a-season striker to set the Premier League on fire: more the 12-goal sriker who scores some critical goals but keeps the other lads sharp and competitive. |
neil57
said:
|
... With you on Henry, tainted like Vijay in my eyes. France historically has hated the brits as they were either beaten or baled out of vast majority of wars both were involved in. French resistance in WW2 bucked the trend. Hate Ronaldo, the wink was the icing on the cake. I like Rooney,he is an honest player and knows where he is going. No harm to Manchester, but I wouldn't like to live near it, weather too wet and too much building. Lancs is one town after another when on M6. Foreigners find it hard to settle there. I don't like London, however there is much to do there. I dreamt about Gabby last night, he scored the winner at Burnley. Nan, get your money on Rory McIlroy to win this weekend. better than Tiger Woods. Henry wore red white and blue on wed. In Ulster they are calling it The Hand of Prod UTV |
neil57
said:
|
... I read Bent was so bad,he wont be going to SA. He is a beach bum Ashton is gone. Gabby is good. In previous years at least 2 of our players would have gone by now. Thinking, Gray and Gidman to Everton, McMahon to Pool, Yorke to Man U and Keown to Everton then Arsenal. They were all great players. I always thought it terrible. Now we have risen through MON and RL and are no longer a feed club. Pool fans are jealous of our squad and strength. Rant over, away for shower |
Nathan T
said:
|
... Doc, Being of french descent I do but not in the way they qualified as I stated, FIFA should at least hear the FAI's plea for a rematch but if they don't well that's up to them. And besides France will probably crash out in the early rounds anyway what would make the Irish any different? Nobody heard the Aussies call for a rematch in the last tournament when those greasy Italians dived there way past them did we? Football is always full of injustices, these things happen. |
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