Aston Villa Thread

happy with Routledge coming in. he's a low risk signing, giving another option - and a different option - being an out-and-out right winger, meaning we can play with proper wingers on both sides.

i imagine he's a bit rusty, having not played regular first team for a while, but he could be a good impact player. if he's a confidence player, O'Neill is the boss he needs

debaser wrote:happy with Routledge coming in. he's a low risk signing, giving another option - and a different option - being an out-and-out right winger, meaning we can play with proper wingers on both sides.

i imagine he's a bit rusty, having not played regular first team for a while, but he could be a good impact player. if he's a confidence player, O'Neill is the boss he needs

That's what I'm afraid of

Jago wrote:

The Bulk wrote:
Woah! That's a weak squad. Some good players scattered throughout - but weak nonetheless.

It can't be that weak can it? I mean, we're not doing too bad. We have a good 1st team, granted we massively lack strength in depth and could also do with a couple of replacements in the 1st team.

I disagree about selling Petrov and Maloney also, I think they're decent and Petrov especially has had a rough time off the boo boys when he hasn't done much wrong.

I agree with Shabba though, I we don't get anyone in before the end of the month we probably won't get into Europe - but...if O'Neill CAN'T get the people in that he feels he needs, then I would rather wait till the summer than get the wrong people in.

A season of positive football and good vibes around the park is still a big step in the right direction for Villa!

Fair enough. You , Shabba, and debaser see more of Villa then I do, so you'll have a better idea of how Petrov and Maloney are doing.

I don't mean you have a weak team: I meant to convey what I've highlighted in italics in your post: you have a good team but a weak squad.

Cheers and I hope Martin makes some good signings for you - but he needs to disregard his fear of the transfer market.

Pierre - Yeah, Celtic have signed Mizuno.

Yeah I get ya Bulk, no probs

Routledge will be good if O'Neill can get something out of him, I think he has some incentive to work as well - his contract is only for 18 months.

a couple more players now please Martin...

hugely underwhelming transfer window. i am really surprised O'Neill didn't bring in a few more, even if they were just squad players like Routledge, Knight, Harewood.

the defence has a ridiculously minimal amount of cover - it'll be gardner, barry and osbourne having to fill in out of position if we ever have more than 1 defender out at a time for the rest of the season.

i can just see a few of our 5 england squaddies picking up injuries in meaningless friendlies

I know what you mean debaser, but then again I really don't want more Harewood's and co coming into the side, I'd much rather O'Neill buy players that are actually gonna do a job.

Will be very interesting to see how the remainder of the season pans out. Maybe some more youth will get a run out towards the end?

well maybe not more harewoods, but i wouldn't have said no to an experienced defender on a short term deal, just as insurance against injuries.

be nice to see some more youth coming up. Stieber is the one i've heard most positive things about. you know how long he's at yeovil?

I know Stieber wanted to stay at Yeovil til the end of the season but not sure if thats happened or not.

In some cases, the transfer window has been disappointing. Only signed 1 player but got rid of 1 so squad numbers are still the same. However, it all depends on the injury/suspension situation. If the remaining 14 games are very similar to the other 24, then the uneventful transfer window didn't matter and we can concentrate on signings in the summer. But 1/2 injuries to the top players could see us screwed. Tomorrow could be case in point, with our major attacking threat injured.

However, i dont agree with buying players just to make the squad look bigger, they have to be players who can make a difference when playing. So far, every player in our squad (except probably the Togolese Zidane!!) has done that. If these players weren't availble to MON in the window, then there's nothing he can do about it, simple as. Bar the right side, we've pretty much got a 1st team who can challenge for Europe, now its all about strengthening with the right players and we will see that in the summer!!

results went well for us today, with nobody around us winning (although liverpool should be sunderland) - makes the fulham game a big one to win. i worry as fulham are overdue a victory (don't think they've won since hodgson took over) and they've a few new players who'll be out to impress at home. still, it's one we should be winning if we're wanting to be top 6

I might stick some money on Fulham, that should ensure us victory!

Yesterday I took a mate of mine to the Feyenoord game and he quite liked it (not the football though cause that was poor) Now he asked me if I should go with him to watch his team...and you can already guess that is Aston Villa.

I always mocked him that he liked that, in my eyes, a grey mouse of a club. They always seem to end 10th or so.

But this season they are pretty good, so I think im going with him.

Now my question to all you mental Villa fans...what is the best game to attend? Birmingham city? Or has that game already been played?

Chins

Fey wrote:Yesterday I took a mate of mine to the Feyenoord game and he quite liked it (not the football though cause that was poor) Now he asked me if I should go with him to watch his team...and you can already guess that is Aston Villa.

I always mocked him that he liked that, in my eyes, a grey mouse of a club. They always seem to end 10th or so.

But this season they are pretty good, so I think im going with him.

Now my question to all you mental Villa fans...what is the best game to attend? Birmingham city? Or has that game already been played?

Chins

playing birmingham at home on Apr 20th, which would be great to go to, if you can get tickets:

http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/TicketNewsDetail/0,,10265~1250410,00.html

all remaining home games this season are against teams down the bottom, so not necessarily the most enticing fixtures. birmingham will certainly be the best atmosphere

otherwise, maybe wait for the champions league knockouts next season, european nights at villa park are legendary

Cheers Debaser!! Getting tickets would be no problem, his dad works in B'ham and always gets tickets. That mate of my is totally mad about Villa...he goes to watch them like 6 times in a year!!

Birmingham is lovely in that time of the year I guess

Davies out for the rest of the season, ruptured his achilles.

Not good news.

Knight or Mellberg to partner Laursen now. another defensive injury and we'll be in trouble.

Areas to strengthen next season apart from RB?

Targets? Realistic aim for next season and this one?

if we're in Europe, we need strengthening all round. but more specifically we'll definitely need: Striker (to replace Moore), LB (for competition), GK (either Carson on a permanent or someone else). As well as Moore, Mellberg, Sorensen, I can see Berger and possibly Petrov going, so a creative midfielder would be nice too. but besides all these positional details, what we really need is a couple more players of the calibre of Young - who can push us up to the next level.

This season: it would be very disappointing to not make Europe given the position we're in now. Top 6 should be the aim. If we do, the target next year will be to do at least as well in the league, while getting some experience in Europe. be nice to get a decent cup run somewhere too

debaser wrote:if we're in Europe, we need strengthening all round. but more specifically we'll definitely need: Striker (to replace Moore), LB (for competition), GK (either Carson on a permanent or someone else). As well as Moore, Mellberg, Sorensen, I can see Berger and possibly Petrov going, so a creative midfielder would be nice too. but besides all these positional details, what we really need is a couple more players of the calibre of Young - who can push us up to the next level.

This season: it would be very disappointing to not make Europe given the position we're in now. Top 6 should be the aim. If we do, the target next year will be to do at least as well in the league, while getting some experience in Europe. be nice to get a decent cup run somewhere too

You mean not facing us in a cup

spot on

I like Villa. They are like my 2nd team and i always want them to do well apart from when playing us off course. hope u get 4th

in the words of the Cramps: you got goooooooooood taste

(except for supporting utd, obviously)

According to BBc sport, Curtis Davies is out for the rest of the season with a ruptured achilles tendon.

Urgh.

Miserable times.

Factoid: it's now 11 years since we last kept a clean sheet.

Score in every game for 30-odd games, now three games without a goal. Whole team looks shattered and devoid of confidence. To be fair, the Man Utd game could not have come at a worse time. It's always painful, but coming at the lowest ebb of the season, Utd should be embarrassed to have only scored 4. they usually get 4 when we're on a good run (e.g. earlier in the season at Villa park).

Amazingly, we could still finish high enough to get into Europe via Intertoto (I don't think Pompey applied, so just need to finish higher than City, Blackburn and Ham) - and we've got a far easier run-in on paper than City/Blackburn. Just need to scrap out a win from somewhere, to get back on course. Or at least a goal.

I like Ashley Young, I just wish he'd take of those gloves. What a ponce.

Calidad wrote:I like Ashley Young, I just wish he'd take of those gloves. What a ponce.

He doesn't have any hands underneath

debaser wrote:

Calidad wrote:I like Ashley Young, I just wish he'd take of those gloves. What a ponce.

He doesn't have any hands underneath

It's true, when he goes out clubbin though he has special michael jackson sparkly gloves so it's not all bad!

Unfortunately he was banned from wearing the hooks.

Will Villa spend big in the summer ? which positions do you think you will look to sign ? rb i guess is the obvious one.

I would have thought Villa will be looking to buy players in all departments because their backup all over the pitch isn't as good as their first picks.

hard to say. depends somewhat if we get into Europe...because we definitely don't have the squad for that. going on the current team I'm thinking:

GK?
RB?-Laursen-Davies-Bouma
RM?-Barry-ReoCoker-Young
Agbonlahor-Carew

so three first team signings are likely, I'd say, basically to cover departures (as it stands Carson, Mellberg, Moore will be off, plus probably Berger, maybe Maloney). but really we need to improve beyond that if we want to progress. some more creativity in midfield (we're too reliant on Young at present), a more consistent goalscorer (both Gabby & Carew have had long dry spells) and fullbacks capable of distributing better & aiding the attack more...these are all areas to look at.

we also just need more depth, e.g. we have no back up left back; with Mellberg gone, Knight will be the only backup cb; only 3 strikers. So ideally we'll be signing first teamers, perhaps meaning people like Bouma, Carew are more squad players than auto-starters. but, at the same time, we don't want to shake it up too much: the core of the team is good and people like Young, Gabby, Davies, ReoCoker will continue to improve with experience.

debaser wrote:hard to say. depends somewhat if we get into Europe...because we definitely don't have the squad for that. going on the current team I'm thinking:

GK?
RB?-Laursen-Davies-Bouma
RM?-Barry-ReoCoker-Young
Agbonlahor-Carew

so three first team signings are likely, I'd say, basically to cover departures (as it stands Carson, Mellberg, Moore will be off, plus probably Berger, maybe Maloney). but really we need to improve beyond that if we want to progress. some more creativity in midfield (we're too reliant on Young at present), a more consistent goalscorer (both Gabby & Carew have had long dry spells) and fullbacks capable of distributing better & aiding the attack more...these are all areas to look at.

we also just need more depth, e.g. we have no back up left back; with Mellberg gone, Knight will be the only backup cb; only 3 strikers. So ideally we'll be signing first teamers, perhaps meaning people like Bouma, Carew are more squad players than auto-starters. but, at the same time, we don't want to shake it up too much: the core of the team is good and people like Young, Gabby, Davies, ReoCoker will continue to improve with experience.

You should (although i hope you dont) go for SWP, he would fit in well and then you would have even more pace in the team, it would be very exciting.

If he's available he'd certainly be worth a look (or alternatively, Lennon). I think O'Neill likes the idea of playing with 2 old-fashioned wingers (the signing of Routledge would suggest it)