Feeling like a fool but Nelson and Kuyt have put a smile on my face
Monday, 09 June 08, 10:15 PM
I'm feeling like a fool because I was offered two tickets to the Italy versus Holland match and turned them down with the flimsy excuse that I couldn't really make it, when I really could.
I just didn't fancy the extra travelling, but after just watching it I wish I had said yes.
If you didn't see it, it was a fantastic match and Holland really do look like they could go all the way. This victory will certainly fill them with loads of confidence.
Enough of me feeling like a mug and on to news that Nelson is back on the radar.
You may remember that I posted last August that we were on the verge of signing the Benfica right back - way before the story hit the papers. Well, it turns out, according to Lisa Smith, who is now my favourite Aston Villa reporting journalist, that we may be back in the hunt.
Back in August, my source tells me that we had a £2.7mn. bid as good as accepted until Sevilla showed an interest and the price was put up, which annoyed Martin O'Neill and nothing further was done.
Well, Sevilla it turns out, were not seriously interested because they managed to keep Daniel Alves at the club and now Benfica seem to be stalling on offering the type of contract that Nelson knows, or should that be that his agents knows, he could get by playing in the Premier League. Cue Martin O'Neill.
I'd quite fancy Nelson. At the time I hadn't seen much of him but you know what it's like, you look out for players that are linked and from what I've seen he's a very tasty player. Definitely one that would fit in and one for the future.
Anyway, back to me feeling like a mug again, just so I can write about Dirk Kuyt. He set up two of the goals tonight and although Liverpool didn't buy him to be a right sided winger he played there tonight and has done for Liverpool.
The people that offered me the tickets were the lovely guys over at Euro 2008 Statistics and they've produced some statistics on the Liverpool player, who is believed to be an option in the deal that would see Gareth Barry go the other way.
Apart from setting up the two goals he was also, this part surprised me, the quickest player for Holland tonight with a top speed of 29.8 km/h. Just for the record and worth noting, that top speed from Kuyt is faster than Ronaldo against Turkey; he managed a top speed of 28.45 km/h.
He played well and if this rumour had a little substance I'd very much like Kuyt and I suspect a few Liverpool fans would be quite disappointed because from memory he did seem to score in the important games for them last season.
Comments (28)
kuyt would be a good for us, but damian mate we are in a real mess!!
We haven't got a hope in hell of getting sneijder now, yet another missed opportunity from the dithering OAP that is MON.
Would have Kuyt anyday in the inevitable Barry deal.
as a liverpool fan id be gutted to see kuyt leave us, his work rate is second to non. he really does wear his heart on his sleave. he gets a lot of abuse from various people but i think if he hadnt lost his father in the middle of last season he would have banged in even more goals. he would be a great signing for any prem team but i hope he stays at lfc
The opinion on Kuyt is split - he is very much a cult figure at Liverpool, I'd love him here but some people definately won't see it like that.
As a pool fan I have always thought very highly of Kuyt, as do my fam. He's clearly the hardest working and most committed player we have and it would be a big, big mistake to sell him. I'm sure if we did sell him it would come back to haunt us, and I seriously do not believe he will go for a long time.
Looking forward to Barry joining us though as he plays well with Gerrard.
For what it's worth I can imagine how it must feel to be close to losing your captain because we almost lost ours to Chelski. What always matters in football though is the manager. As long as MON is at Villa you'll succeed, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him one day joining Man UTD.
J.
kuyts a strange one i like him and he doesnt ever seem to disappear in games but MON would have to be spot on with how and where he played him
id probably be happy with the villa signing any of the dutch xi based on tonights performance!
and taglor in all seriousness after watching sneijder tonight do you believe he'd ever have come to the villa? he was a star for madrid last year and looks like he'll star this summer, modric is the one for me, at least with him we should of had a chance
Kuyt? Really? Well, ok, maybe I'm being a bit harsh (and he did play well tonight) but I don't really rate him. Great workrate to be fair though.
I'd rather the Rafael Van Der Vaart rumour came back :) He was class tonight.
As one of Rafa's favourites, I very much doubt Kuyt was one of the names offered as part of the Barry deal.
He drove Liverpool fans mad at times last season but found form when switched to the right and put in some huge performances for the team. He's a genuine big game player.
If he was available, it would be for Barry cash and not the other way around because I really can't see Rafa letting him go easily.
as a villa fan, but seeing a few pool games i wouldnt mind him.
though id hate to see barry go at all.
all i know is mon has to sign, and he needs to sign about 6-9 guys, 2 or 3 young guns ready to inprove like young and abonglagahor(howevery you spell it)
and a few guys in like late 20's.
kuyt would be a great addition, but only if we HAVE to lose barry.
When Kuyt came on for his debut for Liverpool after first signing, he came on with 20 mins to go. It was the best 20 mins I have ever saw from a player. He was amazing, hungry, skillfull and ALMOST socored 4, would of on another day, I was truly blown away. Although he has not kept up to that, he still would be very good at VP.
As for Sneijder? That was all just paper talk last year, his club said under no circumstancees was they going to sell him, then he went to Madrid, and has had an amazing year. He was never coming to us, just like the Thierry Henry one earlier. Let's sort out the crap talk from the realistic. I think we have a chance with Kuyt, think Liverp[ool fans expect more goals from him. Let's grab him
Well, the Barry saga is drawing to its inevitable conclusion.
Barryâ€s agent Alex Black said: â€Gareth has spoken to Martin since he returned from Englandâ€s game in Trinidad and told him how he feels.
â€At this stage of his career Gareth wants to be playing Champions League football and believes this is his chance to do it.â€
LINK
Soz guys, but amongst all the rumours of who could be involved in any swap deal I've seen Carson, I've seen Crouch, I've seen Finnan, I've seen Riise and I've seen Pennant. Not once have I seen Dirk mentioned. Kuyts a Rafa favourite, sorry but there's not a chance in hell. For what its worth I dont think Barry will leave anyway, cos he doesnt seem the type that'd hand in a request and that seems the only way it'd happen. But IF it does? Sorry, but no Dirk. ;D
i dont want to be pessimistic but at the moment, im not too fussed about the barry situation just as long as it happens, and it happens soon.
it has dragged on long enuf and i think if barry had signed earlier then the villians would have wished him well... but this is gettin ridiculous and im starting to lose respect and faith in both barry and MON. i know its not easy but 4 weeks is a long peroid of time to agree a fee, wages and watever else needed!!
onto kuyt, i think hed be a good buy... hes fits the battler mould that a lot of villians respect and can score important goals! if we were to play 4-4-2! i dont think we need a striker, personally i think carew is a great striker and if he can stay fit hell get 20 goals in the league next season easy! but im all for competition!!
you can have him, a work horse is all he is...
sell barry to the highest bidder for only anything over 20mill then put it towards going all out for van dervart podolski milner or bently and a few squad players plus maggio or nelson i would be happy then
Nozzy
Maybe you should look here:
[url]http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jun/04/premierleague[/url]
I seen the game last night.Kuyt played fab and made some great passing.Nelson im intrested in.Back to Kuyt now,ive never ever seen him play brillant like that for liverpool. :o :o
Well we certainly won't be linked with Kuyt for much longer if he plays many more games like he did last night. I've never really rated him before but hats off to the lad, he worked his socks off and was all over the Italians.
Would be very nice, but out of our reach I think.
Taglor: Wesley Sneijder, are you serious. He is one of Real Madrids best players and you're giving out cos Villa have no chance of signing him. What planet are you on?
Kuyt would be a super signing.. MAYBE NOT THE PRETTIEST! lol.. but i would rather play him up front.. or .. dare i say it.. centre midfield!?!?!?!?.. REALLY good work ethic could work wonders for villa somewhere in the spine of the team
A portuguese right back called Nelson...it's like the mid nineties all over again!
I would quite like to see Kuyt at villa as he is hardworking and at the minute is a top class footballer.
Im gutted to hear that Barry might be leaving as he has been superb over the last year or two, hopefully MON will find some good talent at euro 2008 that he can convince to sign for villa in replacement for Barry ;D
I have full hope in MON at the minute and although he hasn't signed anyone yet, hope he will do during his time as a pundit for euro 2008
why is barry leaving? to play for liverpool champions league we cant offer that so were not attracting any big players this is annoying me so i doubt kuyt will make the move to villa despite me wanting him at us
wud love to see atleast an offer for van der vaart. got more chance of temptin him then sneijder. kuyt for barry wudnt be too bad, but dont think any of the players mentioned wud come to villa. van der vaart wil prob go to a big club if he performs like he did las nite thru out the tournament.
Nelson a tasty player? Where did you see this? On FIFA 2008 or some other computer game. He is pretty rubbish compared to Miguel who is just as feasibly available
Nelson a tasty player? Where did you see this? On FIFA 2008 or some other computer game. He is pretty rubbish compared to Miguel who is just as feasibly available
Diego anyone?
we should break the bank for him!