January sales: 9 Villa players

[Ivo Stas]

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

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...

[spangley1812]

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   

[not3bad]

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.

[kippaxvilla2]

How feckin stupid do we look paying 9.5m to Smethwick for Davies.

[Mazrim]

I'd keep NRC if his demands are reasonable.
Swap Salifou for him on that list.

[not3bad]

Add Osbourne while you're there.

[Holtemeister]

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

[kippaxvilla2]

Exactly, there's a 6.5m difference.

[Karl Bridges]

I think it means a summer clearout. As for 'where are we going to get another left back' are you being serious?

[garyshawsknee]

 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.

[Concrete John]

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.

[TheSandman]

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.

[villa1]

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.

[Concrete John]

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"! 

[kippaxvilla2]

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.