Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Ivo Stas on December 22, 2010, 12:52:09 PM
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My comments on an article I just read in the Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/dec/22/gerard-houllier-aston-villa-overhaul (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/dec/22/gerard-houllier-aston-villa-overhaul)
1. Glad to see Sidwell go (he should have been sold earlier) because he is useless in a 4-4-2 (but was good back when we played 4-5-1 in the days when we won seven consecutive away Premier League games before we bought Heskey).
2. Curtis Davies was turning into Zat Knight so best to get rid of him if we can (although he’ll probably end up playing well at somewhere like Stoke).
3. John Carew is too old now, so goodbye and good luck to him. It’s time to play Delfounso instead.
4. Richard Dunne was an excellent player until O’Neill left and Houllier should work with him and keep him.
5. Likewise Warnock, although he has been poor since the Carling Cup final. I can’t see the point in selling him. Where are we going to get another left back?
6. Stephen Ireland is a strange one. He arrived praising Villa for being a ‘proper club’ but now wants to leave already. He hasn’t moved down to Birmingham. He reminds me of Petrov when he arrived (skilful but ineffective). I wouldn’t be gutted if we got £8 million for him.
7. Brad Friedel is an excellent goalkeeper and has at least one more season in him. Madness to let him go, he’ll just end up being great at somewhere like Fulham for two more years.
8. Habib Beye was one of O’Neill’s odder signings. Like Shorey, he signed him, watched him play and never picked him again.
9. Reo-Coker is an effective player at breaking up play but is very ordinary on the ball and we have other youthful options in midfield now (Hogg, Clarke) if he wants too much money to re-sign.
I agree with a transfer strategy “target promising young talent as opposed to experienced players in the twilight of their career who come with big wage demands and have no sell-on fee” but this was what O’Neill was already doing with players like Milner, Young, Delph and Downing anyway. Thank god we are not going to sign Robbie Keane though.
All your opinions welcome...
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We cannot afford to lose all those players in January......maybe 3 or 4. Dealings in Jan are very few and far between and thanks to our manager all of Europe knows we are desperate to off load so they will only bid rock bottom prices and put extortionate values on any players we go in for
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Pretty much agree with the post but Dunne has fallen out with Houllier so that's why he's going.
Don't think we'll get £8 million for Ireland now.
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How feckin stupid do we look paying 9.5m to Smethwick for Davies.
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I'd keep NRC if his demands are reasonable.
Swap Salifou for him on that list.
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Add Osbourne while you're there.
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How feckin stupid do we look paying 9.5m to Smethwick for Davies.
No more or less stupid than them paying us for Luke Moore albeit more money
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Exactly, there's a 6.5m difference.
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I think it means a summer clearout. As for 'where are we going to get another left back' are you being serious?
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We gonna find it hard in the winter to sell these players,didn't we try and shift some of these players before,and struggled? Especially the ones on high contracts.
Personally i'd like us to offer NRC a new contract,but not on silly money. And if we get shot of Dunne,i'd keep Davies as i can see him becoming a good player in the future.
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Osborne and Salifou are so beneath the radar I doubt anyone outside Villa Park would even notice if they did leave, let alone write about the speculation before hand.
Of that list I'd like to see NRC, Dunne (think he can get back to form and fitness) and Warnock stay. Although I'd still sign A N Other LB for cover/competition. The rest are likely to go and no great loss, even Freidle provided we sign a younger replacement.
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With the exception of Friedel I wouldn't shed a tear over any of them.
The only issue is getting the bodies in to replace them. Though for some of them a better a replacement would not be hard to find.
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How feckin stupid do we look paying 9.5m to Smethwick for Davies.
Did you complain at the time? I didn't. Was happy about it. Hindsight's a wonderful thing.
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And if we get shot of Dunne,i'd keep Davies as i can see him becoming a good player in the future.
I'd agree.
It's pretty much used phrase about him, but "there's a good player in there somewhere"!
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How feckin stupid do we look paying 9.5m to Smethwick for Davies.
Did you complain at the time? I didn't. Was happy about it. Hindsight's a wonderful thing.
I did actually think it was a ridiculous amount to pay. It was around the same time as me and Mr Smith had the ill fated (on my part) debate about us having a net spend of no more than £18m - ah, the good old days.
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I was happy with the signing of Davies and his play up until Laursen's injury, but he was only ever going to prove to be worth his transfer fee at best.
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The rest are likely to go and no great loss, even Freidle provided we sign a younger replacement.
Provided we sign a younger replacement that's good enough!
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How feckin stupid do we look paying 9.5m to Smethwick for Davies.
Did you complain at the time? I didn't. Was happy about it. Hindsight's a wonderful thing.
On the basis of their potential MON paid big, and possibly over the top, money for four youngish players. Two turned out to be bargains (Milner and Young), and one may well be still (Delph). Not a bad record.
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My reservation with the strategy of "target promising young talent" is that we manage to keep hold of them after they graduate past "promising".
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I don't think it will all be in January as the article seems to suggest. I think they will all be gone by the summer though.
It does keep creeping up mind. A few weeks back it was just seven out.
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Nine players leaving ? Bring it on. ASAP.
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There will be a few players leaving in january maybe loan signings like sidwell going to West Ham but i think he need's to get rid of some of them and then start work on bringing his own players in.
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The rest are likely to go and no great loss, even Freidle provided we sign a younger replacement.
Provided we sign a younger replacement that's good enough!
It's one position that rarely grabs the headlines but replacing Brad will not be easy. It's not just a question of bringing in a younger keeper, whoever we sign will be younger than Brad. It's about bringing in a quality keeper and there aren't that many around.
Arsenal have been struggling to find a decent replacement since Seaman left. The Rags are still in the Premier League as they've taken good keepers on loan. I'd imagine every team in the league with the exception of Chelsea and Man City would be interested in buying a top goalkeeper.
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My reservation with the strategy of "target promising young talent" is that we manage to keep hold of them after they graduate past "promising".
That's the problem all clubs like us have, but it's should'nt stop us from bringing them in, but you're right. It's only a matter of time before Albrighton get's linked with a big money move.
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How feckin stupid do we look paying 9.5m to Smethwick for Davies.
We did mug them in the Moore deal though, I honestly think he looks like a class act at times and he put his body on the line with those recurring shoulder pops.
Edit, Good article and good post Ivo stas
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My reservation with the strategy of "target promising young talent" is that we manage to keep hold of them after they graduate past "promising".
That's the problem all clubs like us have, but it's should'nt stop us from bringing them in, but you're right. It's only a matter of time before Albrighton get's linked with a big money move.
It's also suggesting a period of relative austerity as far as the transfer budget goes.
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if Gerard manage to get rid all of them and buy 9 players, we will struggles as it will take time for our new look Aston Villa to gel.
I think 3 will leave and 3 will come in the winter.
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if Gerard manage to get rid all of them and buy 9 players, we will struggles as it will take time for our new look Aston Villa to gel.
I think 3 will leave and 3 will come in the winter.
With the emerging youth players I don't think it will be 9 in, even in all those mentioned go. I can see Davies and Sidwell, plus maybe Carew and Ireland, going in Jan, with 2 coming in. Then in the summer Carew and Ireland, if they're still here, plus Big Brad, NRC (although I hope he stays), Beye (although I think he'll stick it out on his big contract), Warnock and Dunne, with maybe 4 in. Bedding in two players in Jan and 4 in the summer shouldn't prove too difficult.
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Maybe Warnock needs another lb to come into the club to give him some competition and a kick up the backside,he is a good player as he showed when he first signed. Even though Shorey isnt much better,least he wouldve been competition. I wonder if Warnock suffers from not having Ash in front of him,as they did have a good understanding when Warnick first signed.
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Maybe Warnock needs another lb to come into the club to give him some competition and a kick up the backside,he is a good player as he showed when he first signed. Even though Shorey isnt much better,least he wouldve been competition. I wonder if Warnock suffers from not having Ash in front of him,as they did have a good understanding when Warnick first signed.
I agree
I think Warnock has been average on the whole but he has had one or two good games this year. Maybe a back up would help him and it also allows him to have a rest
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How feckin stupid do we look paying 9.5m to Smethwick for Davies.
Did you complain at the time? I didn't. Was happy about it. Hindsight's a wonderful thing.
Yes continually from before he signed on trial.
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My reservation with the strategy of "target promising young talent" is that we manage to keep hold of them after they graduate past "promising".
Very true.
Did you see Pardews comments re keeping Carroll. Wish we had the same attitude
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Houllier should not even consider replacing Friedel January unless there is a really outstanding keeper which he see`s as a must buy now. Either sell Reo coker in Jan get some money before his contract runs out and stick with Hogg and Clarke and add Reo money to a more up and coming CM with aerial and passing ability ...........
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As long as we don't sell any to Small Heath that's fine
We should not be doing business with them at all
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As long as we don't sell any to Small Heath that's fine
We should not be doing business with them at all
If they want to pay us good money for our cast off's I can't see the problem.
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My reservation with the strategy of "target promising young talent" is that we manage to keep hold of them after they graduate past "promising".
Very true.
Did you see Pardews comments re keeping Carroll. Wish we had the same attitude
I think the attitude is the easy bit. It's the resolve when an offer comes in and the player is interetsed that is the real test.
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My reservation with the strategy of "target promising young talent" is that we manage to keep hold of them after they graduate past "promising".
Very true.
Did you see Pardews comments re keeping Carroll. Wish we had the same attitude
I think the attitude is the easy bit. It's the resolve when an offer comes in and the player is interetsed that is the real test.
Agreed. It's also the length of time a player has been with a club. There's no way I can see Albrighton leaving in the next couple of seasons but after that, who knows. The case of Ashley Young is another example. I'm guessing he's just about served his time with us and is looking a new challenge and all that goes with it.
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Sidwell to West 'aaaaaam. Good start.
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Where are we going to find clubs willing to buy these players with their huge wages? Ireland will go on loan and we will still be paying him to play somewhere else. I can't see many clubs lining up to buy Dunne or Sidwell for more than a million or two, the likes of Osbourne and Salifou will go out on frees, we will only be freeing up some of the wages.
Keep Friedel until the end of the season, see what NRC wants otherwise let him go and give Davies one more chance after Dunne has gone. As for Warnock I think he needs competition.
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How feckin stupid do we look paying 9.5m to Smethwick for Davies.
Did you complain at the time? I didn't. Was happy about it. Hindsight's a wonderful thing.
Yes continually from before he signed on trial.
I'm sorry, a bit slow today. Are you referring to that specific deal, or the fact that you complain continually about everything?
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I hope the January sales can enhance the January spends.
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Davies' agent is reported to have said we've put "a very competitive price on him" (£9.99?) so hopefully he'll go. Sidwell will help the wages situation, Beye, salifou as well. The rest can possibly wait till the summer depending on who he brings in
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Of those I would keep Warnock.
Friedel has been good but at his age, we need to think of a replacement and Al Habsi and the german lad on a free appear good options to me.
Dunney due to his age and lack of fitness is only going to stay downhill now I fear, interesting GH seems to rate Collins as our number one centre half currently!
Beye, Sidwell, Carew etc will not be missed and we can get 4m for Davies which is o.k.
Not sure what's happened with Warnock really, thought he was excellent first five months here, then got injured, was rushed back for the Carling cup final and has been pretty poor since.
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isn't davies out of contract this summer? if he is then we'll struggle to get 4m
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Next summer I think, same as Carlos.
I know which of the two I'd keep.
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Sidwell to West 'aaaaaam. Good start.
Poor buggers, that's all you need when you are trying to stay up. They might as well give up.