You're not wrong Damian. Fingers crossed, but if we have an extended UEFA campaign, the demands on the team will be higher. I'm sure we'll get players in but I think we may be waiting until August 31st.

we just need a right back more than anything else we get a right back we can develop from there i think there isnt many good right backs we could get but miguel is definetly the one he wants de la red would be a great signing as would shorey similar to barry so we get them 3 we would be pushing hopefully for european glory

Nicky Shorey would be a good signing, he's shown he can do it in the Premier League, but I'm not sure whether he is UEFA Cup standard, but then we're not sure about the majority of the squad at that standard so... sign him! De La Red (even if we dont need him) would send out a message that we are up there and challenging! Tottenham dont necessarily need Modric or Bentley but they are building a squad to challenge in 4 competitions and buying so! So I say if we can sign De LA Red - then do!

i wish i had the same optimism as you lads ! im afraid its like crying wolf too many times, me for one i am just losing hope of ever buying the players we desperately need and im bracing myself for the old "well we tried to buy the players we wanted but it just didnt happen"

sorry lads but i can see it coming, been a Villa fan too long to expect anything else now. go on MON show me im wrong PLEASE.

Why does it always happen like this?? I have faith.... but why does it always have to be drawn out??

My worry is that all this "will he, won't he" lark with Barry - which is still ongoing to my mind - has taken away the focus from the real job in hand.

The squad was painfully thin last season, and it's even more so now.

I definitely fall into the "In MON we trust" camp but he's had 3 transfer windows now and over 12 months to find a right back and he hasn't done it.

we will play more games than last season - hopefully - and we will certainly have more injuries than we did last year. The next 2-3 weeks MUST see some serious movements in the transfer market ornext season will be challenging to say the least.

This next 3 weeks will tell us everything that we need to know about our ambition as a club and about MON's ability to get things done on the transfer front.

I must confess the thought of Craig Gardener playing right back next season is not an appealing one.......but would you bet against it?

Yeah we need the players soon, very soon. I believe that Barry will hand in a transfer request and will be off to the pool saving us a packet in the loyalty bonus. That opens the door for De la Red. I really don't know if he'd be as good or better than Barry but im really not happy having a player at VP that clearly wants to be somewhere else.

My wish list is: Shorey, De la Red, Miguel, Falcao and a decent right winger that can also play on the left (milner and young switching regularly thourghout a game would be good)

Here hoping :)

[quote]a deal can be done for Ruben de la Red, if we pay the fee and wages.

I say can, because that is what I've been told by him.[/quote]

I didn't know you could speak Spanish, Damian ;)

We are so crap in the transfer market, how has it been left this long? Most of the descent players have been snapped up, I'm gutted cause it seems as though pompy and spuds have left us behind at the mo... still there is 9 days or so left till the start of the season but still no RB!!!

Hi I don't know what to believe in this Barry saga if it is defo he is staying then i will have to hear him say it also he must sign a new deal otherwise its a waste of time he will just walk for cheap or nothing at all. Also i would like to see nicky shorey & de la red sign they would be two good signins, I agree that we need at least 6-8 players to compete in the 3 cups & stay in top 6

Its a bit scary being so close to the season and looking dangerously short on players ...one good thing is most prem clubs have not done there main buys yet so there is still hope for us...if garath barry does stay another year its almost like signing a new superstar as he is a player it would be almost impossible to replace.

at least were not everton they have like 1 player in carson cost us a few points last season we have friedel so i guess were in a better position that last season or are we?

I have a question. Would Gareth Barry still be entitled to a cut of a transfer fee as a loyalty bonus, given his interview with the NOTW was in essence a transfer request?

I ask because there is the suggestion that Liverpool want him to submit a formal transfer request, in an attempt to force us to sell him after the agreed deadline has been missed. My view is that, surely this transfer request has already been submitted, and that Barry has already waived his right to a loyalty bonus. For this reason I think we've reluctantly decided to do business, although now it seems that, despite Liverpool's pathetic posturing, the deal is dead, whatever happens. In one sense, I can't believe that GB will now be going to Liverpool (although there seems to be a chance he may go elsewhere, as this deadline Villa set could conceivably apply only to Liverpool), but this is football, and as such nothing should be a surprise, particularly Liverpool trying all kinds of dirty tricks.

Finally, I'd like to say that, though I have misgivings about our transfer policy, and by extension our - at least short term - ambition - I am proud of the way that Villa are being run. I just hope that, if I were a Liverpool supporter I would be suitably ashamed and embarrassed by the way they are being run.

UTV

At the moment we don't even have a squad that could cope with the demands of the league, never mind combining it with the EUFA cup and the Carling/F.A cup.
For a club our size i find it quite embarrassing that we are in this situation.We have already let two transfer windows pass by without emloying a recognised right-back, and now our only left back(who is actually a centre back) is going to be out for 4-6 months.
I always fealt that MON would sign the players he wants and take the squad back to a comfortable size in this transfer window.Now im starting to worry.Its taken this long to sign Sidwell and Frieled and can't see us bringing in the 8-10 players were going to need to compete on all fronts.
As for full-backs i think its important whoever we sign has pace and can attack as well as defend.This is the trend being set by the most successful teams in the premier league(evra,sagna,bosingwa,cole).Shorey is a good solid defender but he lacks pace and definitely isnt my first choice.

It is quite surprising that Sunderland have tried that bit harder and gotten a few players for reasonable prices that would have done our squad some good.

Although Chimbonda and Malbranque aren't world beaters they would have had a decent impact on the squad and I feel are first-team starters.

Shorey is a solid left back and no more, but the problem lies in the fact that because we need so many players to make a challenging squad, the funds aren't there to buy big.

Instead we have to be content with a host of £5m targets that will improve the squad but not really the first-team.

Beacuse of this it will be two even three years before we have a squad and can then contemplate looking for one player in the window who will have a massive impact.

The goalkeeper situation should be resolved for the long haul if Guzan's permit clears and hopefully De La Red and Ferdinand can follow, I hope.

Rio was seen as useful at West Ham and has massively improved, I feel Anton can improve to similar level if put with Laursen.

As already mentioned five players is the bare minimum but why is Routledge not considered a right winger as everyone states we need.

He rang rings round as when Palace were in the Prem so can't see why he can't return to that level.

Well Petrov can GTFO to pave way for De la red, the thought that we are turning down such a quality signing because of petrov making up a CM number in line is absolutely appalling.

And who honestly thinks Barry is going to last us past this season anyhow.

No LB
No RB
No RW
No CB cover
No LB cover
No RB cover

2 weeks till the season starts.......... wtf

Nicky Shorey, Miguel, Scharner, De La Red, Lennon and I'll be happy!

Even if Barry stays, I'd like us to sign De La Red. It gives us another option, more quality and more cover. We won't need Petrov any more and I don't want to pin all my hopes on Sidwell.

we should get rid of Petrov to make space for De La Red

As mentioned, I was looking forward to the transfer window - Why get excited? We never do much business! The problem is we've got some good things in place now and got rid of some dead wood. But we seem unwilling to move up to the next level. There is no excuse for Villa not having a right back and left back cover in place. I'm sorry I like MON but he will have to take the blame for this. He's not delt with this situation for 2 years! Now we've got big problems. There is some money there for sure with TV Rights, 6th finish, big time Charlie's like Sorenson off the wage bill etc. So there is no reason why we've not got these people in.

I for one am not really looking forward to the new season but I want to be proved wrong by Villa and MON !!!

The Daily mail seem to think Barry will be leaving today after Liverpool provided a guarrentee with the bank that they could raise the funds despite missing the deadline.Sounds like more arrogance on liverpools behalf but i hope its true.

barry sign a contract then ive got faith

curtis davies has played a behind closed doors friendly, so thats amazing news, alot sooner than i expected. i hope that the day we get 7 players is today. as i am bored out of my mind at home as work has been rained off even though it isnt raining anymore LOL

My Man chats nuttin but de truth man!!!! U ay wrong and it would be nice! I think we may get the shorey thing done after the reading friendly on sat!

Oh yeah Damian, thanks for getting the Dion Dublin heroes things done! Cracking article by adam! I just thought seeing as we'd not seen one for a while, and things are quiet! I thought his contribution needed true recognition!

Boba fett, thats a cracking idea!! Just one problem, who in their right mind would buy Petrov, unless your name is Martin O'Neill i cant see him leaving till he retires!

DION, DION DUBLIN, DION DUBLIN IN THE AIR!!!!

Agreed about Petrov. I think when we get a rb Gardner will be ahead of him anyway, and he should be because he's class. Davies playing is great news. Chuffed. Anyone think that the friendly against Reading this weekend could see Shorey playing the first half for Reading and the second half for Villa!!?

I believe MON did similar things in the transfer market last time round, by letting players leave and only signing a few! Although The Players he did buy were of good quality there just wasn't much cover and we were lucky to get through the season without major injurys!
I think MON is great in his job but if he keeps holding out for players and not capturing them early, as we all know MON likes to wait till the last few days of the transfer market we may end up starting the season with less players than we had a year ago and now with Uefa we may see all the hard work last season go to waste!
We have been waitng for a right bk since MON arrived at the club and were told "you have to wait for quality", well this right bk must be AMAZING.
Also I would love the Barry sarga to be concluded fast (hope he stays) as all the media focus is on this one subject and this bugs me as we need to sign about 9 players and would love more indepth transfer talk on other players not to see Barry is/isn't he every day!
positions needed

GK (cover)
RBK
RBK (cover)
LBK
CBK
CBK (cover)
AMF
RMF
STK
- Fingers crossed

There seems to be quite a bit of pessimism around and I have to say that I share it. A lot of people seem to be blaming MON - not that might be right but is there really any money? There seems to be a view the Randy will deliver but there is little evidence of that.

We were apparently linked with Bentley who would have been absolutely perfect for us and let him go - ok maybe he wanted to go to Spurs but when we made the initial bid we were the only team in the frame. Also if we are really waiting for Barry to go before we can buy then this makes a mockery of the whole situation. Surely one of the reasons Barry wants out is that we are showing a lack of ambition?

So what is to be done - first up lets phone Chelsea and try and buy Bridge and Wright Phillips. If both are available they are just what we need. The we need a right back, central midfielder and a centre back. If De La Red is available and any good then fine. If Finnan is really £1.5m then lets just buy him regardless of the Barry issue. As for a centre back I have no idea! We also need a striker - Gabby looked totally knackered towards the end of last season and will definately need a rest and he could do with learning from another experienced hit man.

The other issue here is that Villa seem to be pretty unimaginative in the loan market - there are a whole raft of players kicking their heels at the big clubs so why not explore that? Overall I am worried - no obvious money, no obvious scouting network and weeks going by with an inadequate squad.

latest news is GB deal is back on , excellent , balance of the team gets better daily.....no full backs and no wide midfield players. if we keep quiet perhaps no-one will notice and all play down the middle against us !!!

its not raining hahahahahahahahahahahah no wonder you live in atlas,s shadow mcgrath get a life you knob >:( >:( >:(

I can't understand why people seem to be jealous of the transfer deals Spuds have made this summer. Of all the players they have signed only Bentley would excite me as a fan and they have lost Keane, Berbatov will probably also leave (or at least sulk all season) which will mean that their strike force will consist of Darren Bent. Bent isn't a bad player but will not score 30 goals to fire them into the top four.

well bentlys way out of the conclusion because he has sighned for spurs. >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(I THOUHT WE COULD GET HIM >:( >:( >:( >:(
UTV ;D

Actually I reckon Bent will bang them in for Spurs. He has all the abilities of a natural goalscorer, if Ramos gives him a chance he'll shine.

Also, how could you not be excited about a player like Modric? I'd give anything for us to have signed him. Fabulous prospect.

Damian - did you still think Bentley wanted to join us? see below quotes from his press conference


He said: “It means the world to join Tottenham.

“Gazza was my favourite player, all my mates are Tottenham fans and there’s a piece of my heart at this club.

[u][b]“I didn’t think they would be interested in me and when it became available there was nowhere else I wanted to go.[/b][/u]

“Making the move here was an easy decision to make. I’ve been trying my hardest to come here and be part of this.

"All my friends are season-ticket holders. All I want to do is just get out there.”

I think we have to stop kidding ourselves here clearly MON doesnt have the spending power hed like to have because im pretty sure he would have no problem convincing players to join villa, but obviously the wages and transfer fees are out of are league. He has money but no where near what spurs have so we would have no chance of signing Asharvin , Pavelachenko or bently.He will produce signings but we cant compete with spurs etc wage wise, so they coulds well be average players with a view to getting the best out of them.Rome wasnt built in a day have faith.

O'Neil quote on Teamtalk:

"We had a very positive meeting on Monday when it was agreed between Gareth, his agent [Alex Black], Mr [Randy] Lerner [the chairman] and myself that a deadline should be communicated to Liverpool to finally resolve the situation."

He's staying. Seems like he wants to stay too. Great news!! One or two more by the weekend and everything looks a bit rosier doesn't it? Keep the faith.

@ power. i have a life you idiot. and i can guarentee its better than yours. i bet your round atlas' house now touching each other. could you please tell me how i live in atlas' shadow? it seems to me that power and atlas may be the same person and that atlas makes up accounts just so it seems people are sticking up for him and he has friends. bloody loser, maybe you should get out the house more, or does your mom not let you?

Carson
Chimbonda Kaboul Ben Haim Boulharouz

Diouf Malbranque Geovanni Bentley

Johnson Crouch



A team full of players Villa have missed out in in one transfer window alone,

I had faith in MON, but i can no longer still say i trust his judgement.

Not one of the players listed above has gone to a club bigger than villa, yet all players along side our current squad would have made a vast improvement and enabled us to challenge on all fronts.

I am deeply disheartened and hope come kickoff 2 weeks sunday we are more prepared. I dont think i can spend another season of misery watching down from the holte.

why dosnt martin swap barry for alonso and finnan? we would kill 2 birds with 1 stone! get rid of a player who dosnt want to play for us and get a full back! if we get alonso on a 3 year contract and it didnt work out im sure we would get more money for him then barry in a years time.

I'm a big MON believer, but it is getting late and I'll admit to being a bit nervous. Even if it's just paper talk, reading that Spurs were lining up a £50m move for Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko was a bit hard to stomach.

So, I do hope that de la Red is signed regardless of Barry's status being resolved, and likewise a RB like Miguel. Falcao, sure. Shorey? Why not. And yes, a RM like Lennon. Those would settle the starting side, but we still will be a little thin for the number of games we hope to play.

Darryl1

I believe that if we had offered more money to Blackburn, met with Bentley and offered him more money that he's getting at Spurs, that there is every possibility he would have wanted to come.

Carson
Chimbonda Kaboul Ben Haim Boulharouz

Diouf Malbranque Geovanni Bentley

Johnson Crouch

In all honesty, Bentley is the only player there I would consider an improvement on what we have, irrespective of the fact we do not have a right back.

MON has obviously been interested in a few of these players and shirked away from them. He is not a stupid man, he knows that Villa are a lucrative offer but does not want to sign players that don't fit with his vision for the club. Bentley evidently did, but he probably saw his heart was at Spurs - why then offer silly money to someone who would rather be elsewhere?

The truth is we don't know who he has in mind. De La Red would be a great signing, and Shorey would be the perfect replacement for Bouma (and GB's set pieces from the left).

There is an intelligence to how MON signs players, and I trust him to make the right choices. Don't panic yet. I predict we will see 4 more in, and we will have a budget for January where MON is known to be a bit of a predator.

Portsmouth and Spurs are both losing key players and gambling on big money signings. It may be exciting, but let's see what MON has up his sleeve. Let's not forget that both us and Everton finished higher last year with a canny transfer policy.

this is very poor, hes had 3 transfer windows to get a right back and no signs of one yet.
the season starts 2 weeks and we have no players. we already had a small squad last season and its gotten smaller with mellberg goin, sorenson, moore, berger all gone so we need at least four players to cover the ones that have gone then we still need the ones we origanally needed like right back.
hopefully guzan will get his permit tomorrow and thats the goal keepers sorted then we just need rightback and cover, cover for bouma when hes back and cover for centre back. plus a decent right mid and then a striker we only have 3 forwards in harewood, carew and gabby.
were playin more games this seaon in europe and hopefully we will have a good cup run so we need players to cover. if he gets 3-4 more players in by a week then things will start to look good but at the moment i cant see it happenin, he sed before the into game wiv odense he was hopin to get more players in by then and nothin happened.

Damian - we could play that game forever. We offer more wages then spurs match us. The fact is he wanted to join spurs as he said. Also we on the site are yet to see proof of this pail ince quote that we only offered £10 million - where is it??!!

You need to get in the real world mate, and out of this fantasy land you live in.

surely we can fit in de la red. by signing him it will be a HUGE step in the right direction as he is obviously international standard and real madrid own him... in a 4;2;3;1 formation with barry and sidwell the two and young, de la red and either gabby or another class right wing, behind carew

I think the problem we've got is that MONs good at convincing english players looking to improve and potentially get into the england squad to join villa but when it comes to foreign players he struggles because they only either want to join the top four clubs or because they've been paid stupid money for. At the end of the day cold hard cash speaks louder than reputation.

Darryl1

The quote is on another site. You can get to it from this site. Use your head .. search for certain words and you will find it.

That is then all the proof you need that we offered £10mn.

What did you really expect him to say upon signing for Spurs? Think about it and yes we could play this game forever but seeing as you want to talk about facts - look at the size of our squad, the money we've spent, the money we've brought in since Lerner took control.

We bid £10mn. unless you're going to call Paul Ince a liar and you think this is fantasy land?

Martin O'Neill must be the only manager in the world who won't spend money that is available to him - that is if you believe he has money available to him. I'm sure he has, but I'm also fairly sure it's not very much - certainly not as much as we need to break into the top four.

Football is all PR these days. Sometimes you've got to dismiss the PR, try to figure out the most likely reason for something and it usually is the right reason.

Actually - there is a theory: The most obvious answer is usually the right one

Madarab are you having a laugh or what? I was wondering how long it would take the trust in MON brigade to start spouting about the next transfer window just like they did this time last year and during the last Jan transfer window where MON did show what a preditor he is by bringing in the legendary the Routledge. Wake up and see that the guy is out of his depth when the transfer window opens and will untimately hold this club back. We will be lucky to finish 9th this season the way things are going.

Gabby can play right wing this season. All his attributes are better suited to that position anyway. He was awesome there a couple of years ago and tore the premier league apart. Clearly not as strong as a striker. I would love to see the 4-3-3 formation as Barry, Sidwell & Reo-Coker will be the strongest 3 in the Premier League, and Carew upfront with Gabby & Young causing defences nightmares. Davies back too. We WILL get the players we need. Next season will be great!!!!

Damian,

You fantasist I have ssearched for it high and low and the quote does not exist. If it does put a link in to it and prove it????

Seen as you claim to deal in facts.

Oh and by the way Damian chill out - its only August and already you are a very angry man - just beacuse your favourite player Barry is staying.

Pete2222 - Apart from the fact he can't cross for cash. He can run down the wing all day long but without beign able to put a decent ball in the box, he's not very useful as a winger.

I keep the faith, I always keep the faith..but I swear to God (i.e. to Paul McGrath) that if MON and Lerner don't sort out our squad by August the 31st there's no excuse, no P.R. stunt from washed-up Yank military personnel and no promise for January that will be able to disguise the lack of knowledge, urgency and ambition shown by the club so far.

This is beginning to resemble idiocy.

Taglor, in a month's time you may well have a good back-up to your rambling self.

Darryl1

I'm perfectly chilled, it's just then when you or others like you come on here expecting me and others to take your opinion as fact, it winds me up a little.

However, so you won't be able to call me a fantasit again and to demonstrate that you clearly didn't look through the site, I just went to the search option and typed in:

'bid for bentley' and searched for all words

It came up with this:

[url]http://www.avfcblog.com/content/view/2462/70/[/url]

Which in turn, links to this:

[url]http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article1423374.ece[/url]

Which in turn quotes Paul Ince as saying:
[quote]There’s been interest in David. We’ve had a £10m offer from Villa but that’s as far as it goes. He’d have played tonight if he had been fit but he picked up a calf knock.[/quote]
So, is Paul Ince a liar and I guess I'm still in fantasy land.

You shouldn't believe everything you are told by the club. Believe the quotes ..

I trust this is an end to the matter and I'm going to get back to my BBQ.

@ Madarab - "In all honesty, Bentley is the only player there I would consider an improvement on what we have, irrespective of the fact we do not have a right back"

that makes very little sense at all....if we have no RB - then Chimbonda would definitely have been an improvement.

The simple fact is - if the signings don't come then we really deserve some sort of explanation. We will be the laughing stock of the league - how can a EPL club go into a season (where they'll be competing in the Uefa Cup (hopefully!) with 0 RBs and 0 (fit) LBs never mind the rest of the squad......it literally beggars belief!!

Regarding Spurs - let's not allow them the satisfaction by being concerned about their ambition in the transfer market...they've signed big for years and their progress has been erratic to say the least!

don't worry about your round m'lud....please lend the cash to MON to sign someone!!

Whats taking you Damian - you searching for this imaginary quote from Paul Ince???he he doh!

You've been rumbled as a fantasist mate.

Also I think its actually you calling Paul Ince a liar!

another summer of discontent looms i fear

Vivavilla! So he's a poor winger and a poor striker? Not so. I expect big things this season from Gabby wherever he plays. He has been a serious threat when playing on the wing though - despite his occassionally iffy crossing - and with him out there we might not see as much long ball for him to chase. Lennon anyone? Cast off? For sure. Poor crosser? Maybe. But Young was never too good at that until he came to Villa and became the most creative player in the prem last season!!

no money is all i can hear or is it just someone that does not like to spen and just like taking chances, i think because we have done well last season that MON thinks it not that important to as if we had done poorly, it's going to be a tuff time for thoes AVFC players because some of them will be playing every game going that even in to next year and if we do good on any cup run.....

it's a dame shame that clubs below were we finished are bring in quality and we a re just sitting waiting....

i have my finger crossed be we will get 2 more players and that it 3 if barry leaves.

MON seems to be a man who likes to keep things close to his chest. I am sure that he will buy some players, perhaps 2 at a time like Noah and the ark.

However, as fans we are going to be the last to know. This is no bad thing. The bad thing is that we believe we should know and be told everything. This is madness. No other business would work like this. COuld you imagine NatWest saying we will buy Royal Bank of Scotland one day and then The Abbey the next. No one would take them seriously. I realise I am skating on the border of my ignorance of finacnial matters but hopefully you get the point.

I for one like MON's approach, unlike Spurs who get attached to anyone and everyone. This seems to be the limit of their ambition, to be seen to be a big club by being linked with top quality players.

My advice, turn off newsnow, skynews, and listen to Radio 5 or read AVFCblog. But only once a day.

With the spare time you might have find a beautiful woman, or man, take them somewhere nice. Share a nice bottle of wine or any other bodily fluids you choose and wait until something is announced by MON.

This way it is a real surprise and there are so few of them in life nowadays you might find that you like it.

LINK

If I have to start commenting on the fact we are leaving it late to buy players for the 6th transfer window running I think I am going to explode!

We are though aren't we!

!!!BOOM!!!

Pete2222 - I don't think Gabby's a poor striker, the problem he has is that his finishing is very rough at times and to be honest, I'm not sure how much better it's going to get. What he does, he does very well. I don't think he'll ever become the complete striker and to be honest, I don't think he'll ever be good enough for a club in the top 4. I hope he proves me wrong this season though.

Darryl, take a chill pill as you're making a knob of yourself.

As for trusting the optimist claiming we'll get a nice surprise, that fans should not be informed of how MON moves in the transfer market etc. here's my answer: the man moves. Like a tortoise.

We've waited patiently, we're still waiting patiently: like in summer 2007 and January 2008. And yet we still have to play Gardner as right back in a game who could have potentially put us out of a competition even before the season had started.

How long do you need to find a decent right sided defender? How much is this man paid to put his bloody finger out and finally sign someone? Are cautiousness and sound financial ability the new hidden codes to describe inept, clueless, allergic-to-players-with-a-pedigree managers?

I understand a steady improvement and so far we've had it but then we had a steady improvement under DOL too - for a while.

Optimism on the back of what we have now is a misguided, child-like optimism. We should have had a half-settled squad by now but still we're scrapping (are we?) for a right back and looking at a Reading full back.

Truth of the matter is that MON have no right backs, no left backs, lacks at least 1 quality central defender, a right winger and probably a striker too. And is STILL looking for them, trust "General Krulak here".

I am amazed we still have to read of people trusting MON blindly, if it wasn't so depressing it would really be a laughing matter.

Bentley could say that about whichever club he signs for.
Upon signing, could you imagine "I prefer Villa, but they didn't offer enough, Spurs are my favourite now". No.

Poll : How many more players will we sign?
7 or above (Enough).
3-6 (Min).
0-2 (Not enough).

Ben Holtender,

Carson Chimbonda Kaboul Ben Haim Boulharouz Diouf Malbranque Geovanni Bentley Johnson Crouch
That tean wuld be relegated! I agree with Madarab only player I would want to sign is Bentley.

AK27 would rather wait for MON to sign a RB than have Chimbonda!

Like your style Woulfeman,but IF we do not get the defense sorted, then we are not going to be as lucky as Noah and his Ark and will struggle big time to stay afloat.However,I do believe we should not be buying players just for the sake of it and hope very much that MON is going to pull a couple of Rabbits off the Ark and spend big on some top quality reinforcements.From teams mentioned aboveI would only take Bentley and pos.. Crouchie.
- Did Noah take Crouch and Ormondroyd on to Ark?
- And is there any wood left over so we can build DE-Fence!

@ Mick70 thanks, the nicest thing you have tsaid to me. Although I hope that I am proved wrong. I see this as a balls up aleady as pre season is very important. 2-3 average signings to come at most.

Keef we have been waiting for MON to sign this rb for nearly 3 full transfer windows. He must be one hell of a player.

look on the bright side with less players in the team it means people like knight, petrov, salifou amd routledge get more games.


:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

Im one of MONS biggest critics,,while he is no doubt a good manager,nothing more than good id say,,as he has only won things in the mickey mouse league in scotland..his transfer dealings are the worst ive ever known..the bloke strikes me as a complete ass,always has always will...so here we are 2 weeks till the season starts,,a season which hopefully will see us have a good run in europe,and how have we added to the team that finished just 4 points above 10th position last year...well here we go ,,poss 2 keepers ,granted we needed at least one and freidel is a good buy..sidwell much needed addition to our midfield...and thats it...still no right back(what a joke)...cover in defence nil.(what a joke)..didnt mon admit last year and the year before we had a small squad,,is it gonna be the same rubbish from him again this season,me thinks so...the barry saga,,i love barry and felt so sorry for him,,just hand in a request gareth and get out while you can..come on you dont believe the oneil baloney do ya,,i thought you had brains..but alas your proof that players are now slaves....
cant wait for the season to start,,can petrov play left back,,with reo at right back,,we should be the laughing stock of the league....dear mr lerner,,give john gregory or similar a job buying players and just let mon manage..

should have NUTS on our shirts this season,wouldnt be far wrong.

Iv'e read somewhere today that Coppell doesn't expect any of his players to leave before the season starts so that is Shorey out the picture.
Sadly I think GB will go, I would love Arsenal to take him, but have they got anyone in reserve who would improve our team. Is Hoyte good enough, we wouldn't want Sendoros.
The fact is our first XI is ok but the rest are not good enough.
I have another theory that MON prefers a small squad, well bonded no trouble in camp. Isn't that why he sold Phillips,Moore, Davis, Cahill & Ridgewell - couldn't guarantee them a game so allowed them to leave. It can be a very dangerous game to play when injuries occur.

"Should have NUTS on our shirts this season, wouldn't be far wrong."

While I may disagree with you in general, that is very funny.

MON is infuriating isn't he. It seems evident that he wants to build a team rather than buy one. During recent years there have only been two 'bought' teams at the top (Chels & Blackburn). Arsenal, ManU & Liverpuff have been slowly put together and have reaped the benefits of being a team. Liverpool have sufffered a bit lately with poor management and unwise signings. Arsenal may be getting 'found out' with their young and cheap policy now that some of the younsters want to move on. ManU are going from strength to strength.

ASTON VILLA are slowly building a team to rival ManU. What poiint buying one or two tip top world class players when we are aiming slightly below their level? We are buying players to take us up one level at a time. Oh, sure we could spend zillions on self interested prima donnas, but for what exactly? Their very presence may set the development of guys like Ash, Gabby, Routlege back years.

The way we are going the side we will have at the start of next season will be alot better by the end of the season. Our league position will be anywhere from 3rd to 6th. We will be in UEFA at least the following season. We will sign a few more players next summer, to take us up that further little notch - and so on. We don't have to like it, but we've got to admire it when it work, so let's clench our teeth and ride it out. Being a football supporter is never easy.

andy5759 sorry to burst your bubble there but if you look at the Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal team sheets most players were all bought not developed. Arsenal aside where Wenger has the abilty (and don't even think of comparing O'Neill to him) to see a talented young FOREIGN players and develop them into stars most other players in all these teams cost money. Why? Because quality costs money. By the way who was the last homegrown player to make the grade at either UTD or Liverpool? You have to look back to the era of Scholes and Gerard. Football has moved on but Villa and especially MON has not.

Darryl1 has just been made to look like a fool! ;)

just incase, has anyone seen this de la red play, what type of player is he and is he any good, or does he just show a bit of potential, I had never heard of him before the recent links.

10m offer fo Bentley????? I'd be surprised if they didn't just tell us to fuck off! Maybe we should bid 15m for Ronaldo???? For all you O Neil lovers here this is the truth. He's a great manager if you want to make an average bunch of players play better. If you want Champions League and top 4 prem then it's time to let him go!

dear queeren you just dont like people having a pop at you.thank god for power and take it on your chins just because you are goldies offspring and dont want to work in the raincoz your hair might get wet,move out from your parents and grow up little man and stop watching the 10 min freeview on the gay channel.get a life mr bean!! 8) 8) 8) 8)

dear queeren put your glasses on first u say i live in a house.answer no i said i live in a flat next u say i call u queeran.answer no i call u queeren there is a difference as you are a receiver and not a giver.i know its hard to swallow,no i am not goldie be jasus!!!

Some good news everyone.

Just reading on the OS that Curtis Davies played 60 minutes in a behind closed doors friendly against Notts County, I think last night.

Here's what he said:
'I feel great. It was a good game to get 60 minutes in. I felt I could have played the full 90 but I'll take it slowly, one day at a time and see how I come through it.

'I've been looking at the new shirt for ages and just waiting to pull it on, so it was good to be back out there - albeit in a behind closed doors game.

'I felt comfortable and I didn't hold back. Hopefully now I'll get another game soon and I can start to put a bit of pressure on Martin and Zat.'

Hopefully, he'll be back very soon. Remarkable recovery time, considering the extent of the injury. Let's hope Freddie can do the same though his bones are a little older ! GET WELL SOON SON !!!

Damian...can you do anything to stop the insults and homosexual innuendos towards our members from this atlas person? Every time a thread starts getting interesting, he/she pops up with some kind of insult or camp remark (ask poor Kieran or Tags for example if you want clarification). I've said before that any opposition fans will think we're a bunch of fairies if this kind gay innuendo continues to mar this fantastic site.

UP THE VILLA ;)

to andyarnacist first u say who is avfcarsonists and then say have you pissed me off is your name avfcarsonists is it no!you are just a sad by product of the crap namely known as goldies hamish possse from the good old usa!!!!!!!!ps speak when you are spoken to twat!!

to av33 i guess tou dont know this but it is women who have twats not gay men.tut tut ;D ;D ;D ;D ps how is your close pal queeren maaaacgrovel!!!! ;) ;)

What the hell is an arnacist atlas ???
Damo...he / she won't give up ! Is there nothing you can do to stop this inane crap from making a mockery of our site, your site?
Jeez, Taddy got the boot just for calling you a muppet !

Tryin' to stay calm...UP THE VILLA
;)

AK27, sorry, I meant building in the sense of acquiring players over a period of time rather than just going out and getting a whole team like in Saisbury's. You'd assumed I meant building by bringing players up through the ranks.

The Wenger way is very much the French model. Scour Africa for any lad with a modicum of talent, bring him to France/Belgium, coach him for a year. If he makes the grade he stays for another year before cliubs pick him up. If he fails he goes back to his country a (slightly) richer man with tails to tell.

The MON way is similar. Time will tell if it is successful. My money is on sustained succcess for Villa over the nnext decade or two. And NO, you can't have any of what I'm on! LOL

Damian, are you listening to the comments about one or two users here??

Just finish the Barry deal and lets get on with getting Shorey and some other players in here!

Pathetic - can nobody see that we are again debating Gareth Barry and questioning the transfer process within the club, this is geting embarracing - Wake up - We have no money to invest in team building, horrible thought isnt it...

andy5759...thanks for your support on this.

If any other members think that the comments of atlas are a little too much to take on a Villa football blog, then please join with myself and i'm sure Kieran and Tags in getting this joker kicked off the site, please add your comments below.
My eight year old daughter reads this blog with me (proving i'm not that way inclined)and every time a homosexual innuendo is made, i have to try and explain in the most appropriate way possible, which is getting very tiring now.
I understand that the web is hard to moderate, but only the other day my little girl had nightmares about what some little shit had written on the stardoll website for young girls, basically a scary chain letter about some girl who died in 1933 and dresses in a white robe and will hover above her bed unless she forwards the message to her friends...absolutely disgusting.

If anyone agrees, please add your request below and i'm sure Damo will reply in good time...he must be busy getting rumours for us !!

UP THE VILLA ;)

Andy5759

I refuse to believe that this is genuine and must be a wind up to generate a response!

Last I heard the big man was heading towards the barby. He'll be on the case soon enough. I'll nudge his elbow inside the forum sooewhere.

Why do you always moan damian? your recent posts are negative - WHY?
MON is the manager so he decides how to manage villa, therefore if we do well, support him and the boys whereas if we are not i will understand fans being negative- lets see what happens!! Claret Blue Army!!!

Also atlas, if you are a "nice young lady" as you claimed to be some days ago, please start behaving like one and then maybe my little girl can grow up with like minded elders, instead of watching the young girls of today who think that talking like a bloke, spitting, taking every drug possible and getting mullered off their faces is in some way lady like.
However, if you are a man and Damian does not intervene to stop your drivel, can i suggest one thing?
That you get a Villa shirt with atlas on the back of it so every time i'm in Mere Green I can punch you from Woolies to Flints and back again.

UP THE VILLA ;)

Sorry about that andy5759. I really hope you are right mate.

Bit harsh AV33, bit harsh. But fair.

The Thierry Henry and Gudjonssen rumours have dropped off the radar. Does that mean we're about to announce something soon? Only joking.