Curtis Davies

[Dave]

They probably are to some degree, either paying Davies' wages and maybe a loan fee.
They've also taken NcNaughton from spurs so they've splashed a bit of cash on loan deals in the past week.

They will almost certainly be doing both.

[Legion]

Not good enough.

This season he'll be remembered for booting the ball out for a corner when it would've been easier to take a shot at their goal.

Yes. Not good enough.

[curiousorange]

I really like Davies as a bloke - straight shooter, seems to have his head screwed on - but I'd be very surprised to see him start for Villa again. I wanted it to work for him here but sadly I don't think it's going to.

[PeterWithesShin]

There's little doubt that there is a good player in him, whether we will ever see it on a regular basis is another matter. Same applies to Sidwell.

At least Sidwell is nearly out of contract! To be honest I'd like him sold now so we can at least try and re-coup some of the money wasted on him. My mate's an Albion fan and he said he was shit.

They thought they had a good deal till we forced Moore on them for £3m

My baggies mate was gutted when they sold him to us. He raved about his performances. And said when he was out injured they struggled without him,  including his leadership (I'm sure he said Davies was captain at the time).

Maybe we'll flog him back to them, as long as Luke Moore isn't part of any deal!

I'm really disappointed in Sidwell, he doesn't even have the excuse of playing with an injury like Curtis does. How does a player decline so quickly?

[Matt C]

The most expensive defender in our history on loan at Leicester.

[ktvillan]

He's shown he can be good even when not playing alongside Laursen, although admitedly only rarely.  Remember Anfield last season where he was superb, alongside Carlos I think?  I think O'Neill made him change his natural game (told him to hoof it more) played him with an injury (because he'd failed to sign enough cover) and shattered his confidence.  Once he gets a manager who believes in him and allows him to play his natural game, I think he will get his mojo back and prove the doubters very wrong.

[manic-road]

It's a good move for Villa, getting Curtis regular first team football may bring his form and confidence on, as he may be required to play a part for us this season if we get a few injuries and suspensions.

He needs to pull his finger out though.

[charlie659]

Ship him out permanently in January, Clarke is way better (future Villa captain).

[garyfouroaks]

There is no doubt that he has the talent, it's all in the head, a touch of the Luke Moore's here, too much, too young.

Perhaps the determination, commitment and dedication which Gareth Barry and James Milner gave their careers may be better appreciated now.

[eamonn]

Played 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw at home to Hull today.

[pauliewalnuts]

Played very well by all accounts.

That shit football league thing is on BBC1 now, they just trailed the Leicester game.

[KevinGage]

its shame that the injury he played with has caused his confidence and his reputation to drop so low...

i can only respect a player when they play injured for our cause, and its a shame when they then get slated for making inevitable mistakes...

since he has been back fit, his confidence has looked shattered...

i hope the time at leicester, can bring him back to the form he displayed before his shoulder injury...

Spot on.

He was a big player for us up until Feb 09 when he injured his shoulder v Everton.
Other factors played a part in our collapse that season of course. But we were never really the same after that match - and neither was Curtis.

A combination of the injury sustained then and not playing alongside Laursen made him look ropey in the latter part of that campaign.

He was iffy again on the opening day v Wigan in 09/10 but looked like he'd returned to something approximating form in the next match v the Redscouse. It was reported at the time that he'd been encouraged to hold off from surgery until we got a new CB on board. In the end we got two and it was always going to be difficult for him to get back in, particularly with the form of Collins and Dunne last year.

It has to be said that three managers in just over 12 months haven't had much call to use him. Whether it's because they all flat out just didn't rate him or whether it's to do with his new contract clause once he reaches x amount of games I'm not sure.

[ktvillan]

It's a reasonable point about the contract Mr Gage - I hope he isnt being blocked from playing over that clause that says he can renegotiate his contract once he hits 60 league appearances or whatever it was.  It would be a bit cheap of Randy and co. if that were a factor.

[dave.woodhall]

I doubt three managers would all agree to a player not being picked just because of a clause in his contract.

[KevinGage]

It might not be a Herbert-style 'don't play him' request as per Hadji in 2004.

But MON and GH might have been advised that any pay increase would eat into their wage budget allowance and if they don't think he's a long term option there would be no point in having him sit on a fat new contract for the sake of a few games.

Kevin Mac might simply have been told to hold off until the manager situation was sorted out.

I dunno, I just find it odd that a player who was getting into England squads two years ago and was a big player for us is nowhere near the first team and has been farmed out to Leicester. Form could be partly that (or all of it, in fact) or there might be conversations going on that we aren't privy to.