wat the hell are u on about we have 1 of the best premiership keepers and hes going to teach everything to guzaan and he will become a great keeper so wat are u on about was there any point in this column?

03rodgersm

Did you just read the title? I suspect you did. Read the rest of it next time before posting ...

Oh my god!!This takes the biscuit,People moan when we have a youn gkeeper makeing mistakes learing on the job,So we sign one of the widely recognised top 3 keepers in the prem and someone calls him a "37 year old slaphead",Great villa fans are the best!!!

i was talking abou the people who question the goalkeeping decisions

Wow... Did you work all that out on your own??

kieran84

Doc doesn't comment on his own posts but I like to defend him sometimes. He's using the term slaphead in reference to his bald head.

It's banter. Nothing else nothing more and no doubt Friedel has been called it before and no doubt others will have been called it before and will do for years to come.

Banter!

This article is clearly in complete support of all 3 of our keepers. Why all the negative comments?

Hold on a minute, i think some people are taking this out of context. I may be wrong but i think the doc is saying that they are both good signings.

[quote]I see Brad Guzan as our long-term keeper and Brad Friedel as our long-term goalkeeping coach, once he's sorted us for this season. [/quote]

or

[quote]The more Brads the better.[/quote]

Does that sound like he's not happy with the Freidel signing?

I really think Villa fans are so worked up over the lack of transfer activity that they are ready to snap at anything

Everyone knows this anyway, you didn't need to write an article about it lol, Guzan is a top keeper but he isn't Experienced enough to go straight into the premiership, while Friedel still remains one of the best keepers in the premiership, god sake Seaman went a good 10 years after Friedels age now in the premiership, Guzan can be hit or a miss, but we can remain confident Friedel will do the job for a good few seasons, Let's not forget Guzan is only 23, one thing you forgot to mention is that Guzan has played 5 of the last 8 games for America and was voted the goal keeper of the year in America as well.

Btw Taylor can't do a job as number 1 and it was a bloody relief getting these two, Taylor knows he will never be number one at Villa, he was behind Sorro for god sake and he cannot command his area well either, he has no ambition of playing and is happy sitting on the bench collecting his thousands a week cheque, Don't even mention great and Taylor in the same sentence again.

03rodgersm, kieran84 and hitman.

Are you all having a bad day or something? Or lacking brains?

Are me Damien and PaulE the only ones who actualy finished reading the article?.. LOL. He praising them, saying it could have not been a more perfect situation! Please read next time nincompoops.

Haha, quality rodger. Must be out of school and 15 years old. I guess they don't teach reading past titles now.

Confused me! Read it twice, half rant, half praise! I think we've got the best keeper we've had in years and a future goalkeeping coach who will make Guzan the best in the Prem! As for Taylor, I've seen him make some 'world class' saves and drop some almighty clangers! I know we've not fielded our first team in some of the friendlies, but he's let a few in a few against 'so called' lesser oposition. Bring on the Balding Brads I say, the less hair the better! UP THE VILLA!!

Damien..... I have read both the title and the rest of it but agree with 03rodgersm, what is the point of this column? Friedel has got no hair. Is that the basis for this post?
Friedel is better than Sorensen, Taylor and Carson put together! Guzan is a very highly rated prospect who, in 1 or 2 seasons time should be a top class keeper playing for us! The goalkeeping position is the one department MON has got spot on.

I try and only read the headline for Doc's posts.

Exactly my thoughts on the topic, although perhaps it was self evident. Good of you to mention Stuart Taylor, who must be wondering what he could possibly do more than what he has already done - he seems a fine goalkeeper and I hope other premier league clubs give him his chance.

He is praising the choice of keepers dim-wits!! Take the time to read it proper next time.

I personally think 2 top-class american keepers, that will work well together.

Now for the left and right backs. I know MON likes an all english set up, however, i think we need to buy foreign for these 2. Ferreira would be class!

as far as i see it, the goal-keeping situation is sorted for years !

Villa have solved the goalkeeper problem and they'll solve the rest. Chill

This is just a general comment about the levels of stress out there about the Villa.
Fellas, you have to keep the faith. I know your patience has been tried but keep the faith. After all O’Neill hasn’t let us down yet; the way he operates is fairly unique but he gets it done. Eventually.

Look at the way he’s fought to keep Barry. Barry’s let the Villa and O’Neill down in a big way. Yet he still fights to keep him. And when O’Neill finally admitted defeat, you could see how distressed he was. Barry might not be impressed but what effect do you think this is having on the rest of the squad? They see how much he values them. They see that once you become part of his team he’ll move heaven and earth to keep you. No wonder players love this man. No wonder players lift their game and give the extra for him. They call him the great motivator and you can see why.

Some managers wheel and deal and treat players as merely pieces in their great plan for their own self-promotion. It’s easy to see why, even with all those great players at his disposal, the fat waiter struggles to compete at the top? How do you think Alonso feels?

Next. Learner is a wealthy man and has said whatever O’Neill wants, he can have. And I believe him. So why doesn’t O’Neill just go out and spend the money? Because it’s not the way he does business. Simple as that. He’s going to do it his way. Do you know why? Because he’s a man is why. He has great faith in his own ability and experience and so should we. If you can’t handle the suspense, lock yourself away for two or three weeks and don’t read anything.

How lucky we are to be here as all this unfolds before us. O’Neill, Lerner, Aston Villa. This is Shakespearean drama. I fully expect, at some point in the UEFA cup, to be drawn against a French team at Agincourt. Count your blessings and be glad you weren’t born south of the Bull Ring and have to trudge to that toilet in Small Heath on a Saturday. Lift your heads. The game’s afoot.

Its almost funny that we are talking about signings from two weeks ago, albeit good ones.

The trouble is we need about 8 more players and the season starts in 10 days - although the MoN brigade have now moved that goalpost till the end of August.

Doc said :
"Many of us would have liked O'Neill to sign a top name goalkeeper to replace Carson, once it became clear that Scott was rubbish and we had little else in reserve."
Then said about Taylor:
A great goalkeeper, who every single one of us would be happy to see wearing Villa's No. 1 shirt. No complaints and no whinging - just glad to be at the Villa.
So which is it? We either had "little else in reserve" or we had
"a great goalkeeper" in reserve.

Churchill....thanks for that post mate. Made me feel a lot better. I'm afraid that my faith in MON was wavering as the days went by without signings. But I'm back in the program now. ;D

I have to say Doc, without trying to sound too negative, that it must be a very slow news day today! Most of this article is common sense really, stuff that we've talked about or figured out already. That said I enjoyed reading your thoughts as usual.

Couple of things...

Carson wasn't rubbish. He had a pretty poor 2nd half of the season, but up until around Christmas time he was actually very impressive and at that time I would seriously have considered investing £10m in him is he was going to build on his start. Didn't happen though for whatever reason, probably the England game killing his confidence.

I wouldn't Stuart Taylor as our number one. I personally don't think you'll find that many that do either. Ok he saved an important penalty. He's put in a few decent shifts. But bottom line is that he's not technically good enough to start for us. He does tend to leak quite a few tame goals that a good keeper should stop without giving much thought too.

Great guy to have around, I admire his attitude and workrate, but not good enough to be our number 1.

what happens if they both get called up for a game for USA as main and reserve, we are then left with probably a kid as i expect taylor to leave

or had freidel retired from international duty

Yeah we seem to be sorted with goalkeepers for the forseeable future assuming Guzan comes good.Id love to see him take the USA No.1 shirt from Howard once he gets regular football in the premier league aswell.
Do you think there's any chance of landing Paulo Ferreria to solve our right back problem after they've already sold Khalid Boulahrouz?He'd be a great signing for us if he'd come.I'd like to see us sign Van Bronchorst from Feyenoord for the left-hand side too.

Just read:

Reading Accept Sunderland & Villa Offers For England International Shorey
Submitted by Jake Briggs on Wed, 2008-08-06 11:45. Sunderland, Aston Villa Premiership Transfer News

Sunderland and Aston Villa have both had offers accepted for England International Nicky Shorey at Reading. With the left-back, who wishes to leave the Madejski Stadium now appearing to have a choice of Premier League clubs, according to reports.

Both Villa and the Black Cats have had initial bids for 27-year-old Shorey rejected by the Royals. With it now believed that offers in the region of £4.5million have been enough for Reading boss Steve Coppell to allow Shorey to end his seven-year stay at the Madejski.

Shorey could opt to join former Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell, who signed for the Villans from Chelsea earlier in the summer. While a move to the Stadium of Light to be part of what Sunderland manager Roy Keane is trying to create at the North East club could also tempt Shorey.

Will it be the VILLA he chooses?

OTV:

Friedel has retired from international duty. Tim Howard is the starter, and Guzan is the backup.

Have to disagree, Taylor is a good backup goalkeeper but I for one would not have been happy with him wearing the number 1. Although to be fair to the lad, he's better than Carson - Sorenson was better than Carson also, no idea why he was in goal for the whole season. Happy to have the 2 Brads, Friedel is quality and we'll be so much better for having him next season.

One thing MON has done right in the transfer market, the jury is out on the rest of the choices…

Thanks for the article Doc..

I think friedel and guzan are great additions, however i would not be happy seeing taylor in the number one shirt he is a good goalkeeper but a number for villa and a top four team he is not, maybe wigans number but not villas

Steve Coppell has announced he expects Nicky Shorey to be gone by the weekend. Apparently Villa and Sunderland are the only teams to have bids accepted.

Don't know about you guys, but I don't have many fears about him choosing Sunderland. I reckon we're looking at our next signing.

hi Guys,new to adding comments although been following this blog for a while....does anyone know whats happening transferwise...all gone quiet...Shorey is on his way before the weekend, is it to us? What about the reports on Luke Young yesterday? And why are we not linked with higher quality up front, we wont score enough goals with the current stike force....just lookin for some up to date info as even rumours are sadly lacking at the mo....please someone give me some positive news...

Doc I praised you yesterday. Sorry this banal.

Some Liverpool fan is saying that Barry is having his medical today. Of course this IS a Liverpool fan so it's probably bow locks.

GK well sorted, and done very economically, as well. MON's not a total twit.

As for Carson, if one game is going to blow your head out of the water for a half a season, you've no business being a top-flight keeper. You have to have a very short memory to be a keeper. MON, like he does with all the other players he's serious about, gave him every opportunity, but he was never worth £10m. I think this all illustrates why players like MON (he doesn't jerk them around based on one or two games), and that MON can be very astute. He was willing to pay big for a keeper, got him in, had a look, and found he could do much better for one-third the money. Oh, and they're neither of them English.

MON is looking for athletic, hard-working players, real grafters. My guess is that a lot of the continental types don't interest him as "types".

I also think the Barry situation illustrates why he's not necessarily interested in so-called big names. They equal a headache every transfer window. Players you bring up, coach, etc., show faith in make them stars, you have a relationship with, a better chance of keeping hold of them.

The other thing: "Big signings". All of the arguing over potential players illustrates that most players are at about the same level. They have different strengths and weaknesses. A few, like Ronaldo or Kaka are a different class. The rest, depending on the variables like the league, style of play, who they're surrounded with, are all not that much different from each other.

Hoyte...Arsenal. "Don't rate him." Well, Wenger's no mug. Sidwell, Chelsea. "Not good enough". Likewise, Mourinho, not exactly a mug. Watching Bosingwa in the Euros, I wasn't overly impressed. Obviously a good player, but is £10m better than someone we sign for £4m-6m? Three times better than a £6m fullback with loads of PL experience? SWP...Chelsea want him, then they don't. People would be chuffed if we signed him, but his final ball is crap. Which means he's really no different than Routledge.

People slated Harewood, then he proved he could be a difference maker off the bench. MON never figured him for a starter, obviously, but thought a strong, fast lad could be an impact player, and he was right. MON is no mug, either.

Churchill: Exactly right.

Not sure about freidel being our long term goalkeeping coach as i've heard when his contract is up he is off to the USA to run a soccer school funded by lerner.Im sure he will pass on to us anyone who shows promise.With Beckham raising the profile of "soccer " over there it wont be long before the yanks become a world foce in football.

i cant be bother reading the comments any more some of the people are just looking to whinge no matter what you, doc ,andy or luke write its just plain childish having a pop at you everyday from now on im just goin to read the posts.

Churchill, that was inspired, Churcillian even.

Come inside the forum and I will teach you all about becoming a Karma junkie. LOL ;)

Very happy with the goalkeeping plans. Sounds like a smart move(mentoring Guzan).

the first person who posted on this article was right. wad are u on about? wads so weird with the decision(s) of signing 2 of the best USA goalkeepers.

we need keepers, and when weve got them, u question the reason why. 2.5mil for Friedel is a very very good business.

im re-reading the article again, and im stumped. i dun get what its trying to convey =/

Not sure why some of you likes Sorensen - The only thing he helped with was getting rid of O'Leary.

God, we've had some poor keepers since the big Dane