It's sunny out, my coffee is good and I've got a feeling that Martin O'Neill has been up all night working on deals to bring in players. Don't ask me why I think that, but I have this faith that he isn't just sitting on a fake beach in Dubai sunning himself with playing the odd round of golf, but is actively working on making our team stronger with the £12mn. summer transfer budget he has.
I just hope, it isn't going to get spent on Tom Huddlestone and Obafemi Martins. Don't get me wrong, I think both players have attributes that could be beneficial to Aston Villa, but we've bought so many of those players under O'Neill and it isn't needed this summer. We need to bring in players that we actually need.
It's not that we don't need a striker or another midfielder, but the two most important positions for us to fill are centre back and right wing and that is where we need to be concentrating. If we are going to be buying players where we already have decent player then Martin O'Neill has to be adding real quality and unfortunately, these two players are not real quality, they're decent, nothing more.
I mention right wing, because Bentley has had his name thrown about recently and he'll now regret picking Spurs over Villa and we know he was the managers first choice, because that was who we made a bid for before Milner came. If the price is going to be a lot less now, he will surely make a move.
I also think we might see Milner deployed differently next season. I say that because it has been discussed so much on here, that O'Neill can't be ignorant of the possibilities and now we don't have a certain slow midfielder any more, it is an option. Milner did used to play on the left for Newcastle after all and can operate on both side, why not the middle?
But, this post is about speculation and I've given you my opinion on the most important positions to fill for next season and you know I'd be happy with Defour and Bentley and even having Milner deployed randomly across a five man midfield, but I don't want to bang the drum on this and I'm leaving it well alone. Instead, I'd like to get a general feeling of what you guys want.
So, what is you preferred formation and what are the positions you think we need to fill for next season as a priority? Also, are Huddlestone and Martins the two players to make that happen and am I wrong? I don't think I am, but some of you might think otherwise.
Right, that is it for now, an interesting competition coming up later where you can win a new replica shirt from a very nice company that is sponsoring us for a season but right now, I need more of that coffee.