Summer transfer rumours, speculation and out-and-out b*ll*cks.

[KevinGage]

  How on Earth are you so in touch with the manager's discussions with  his players? Are you involved in the Villa set up at an executive level?  Just how the holy fuck do you know that Houllier has told Dunne and Collins, the heart of one of the best defences in the Prem last season, that they had no future at the Villa?  Or is this just anti-Houllier bile being self righteously spouted??  I know where my money lies.

I simply base the comparison on what both have said publicly about their respective players. MON talked up the likes of McCann, Samuel and even Angel - but that didn't stop him moving them on when the time came. Maybe he said one thing in the press and another to them, I don't know. That would be speculation. It can't have hurt their morale for the manager to praise them in public though, to suggest that they had longterm futures at the club. And judging by their form in that first half of the campaign, it looks like they bought into it too.

In contrast, GH has offered little> no public encouragement to struggling players this year. In fact he seems to prefer to put the boot in. Each to his own, but our precarious league position seems to underline the point that his method isn't working.

Oh, and lay off the acid Dr Gonzo. It's clearly rotting your brain and ability to reason.

I don't remember Angel, Samuel and McCann starting fights and arguing with the coaches.  Things which I believe should be dealt with extremely strongly, and if the players in question don't take the lesson on board they should be moved on.

Oh, and lay off the patronising attitude you prick it's clearly making you look like an arsehole.

You're probably right. I can see why it would seem patronising to you, as you're obviously a bit simple.

How come these problem players had no history of fights with the coaching staff and so on before GH and Gary Mac's arrival?  Oh, and I don't think I ever claimed to be involved in the Villa set up at an executive level. That's your own creation, you dimwit.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Oh, and lay off the patronising attitude you prick it's clearly making you look like an arsehole.

Steady on.

[cdbearsfan]

Come on lads, we've all had a drink...

[Mazrim]

What position does young Daniel Johnson play? I have heard he too is a future star but haven't seen that much of him.

Attacking midfielder, you dosey cockpuppet!


Sorry, just getting swept up in the mood.

[bertlambshank]

What position does young Daniel Johnson play? I have heard he too is a future star but haven't seen that much of him.

Attacking midfielder, you dosey cockpuppet!


Sorry, just getting swept up in the mood.

Stop it you shitdick.It's catching.

[MoetVillan]

Alright all of you, calm down, ive had just about enough of these shenanigans.  Why dont you sit down and think about what you have done.  Its not big and its not clever. 

Sorry, about to become a dad for the first time, just getting some practice in, seemed a relevant place.

[Pete3206]

Alright all of you, calm down, ive had just about enough of these shenanigans.  Why dont you sit down and think about what you have done.  Its not big and its not clever. 

Sorry, about to become a dad for the first time, just getting some practice in, seemed a relevant place.

Fun you and kiss my knee you Muddyfunster.

[MoetVillan]

pottymouth. 

I see Cascarino was bigging up the sale of Young in the Times, and said that teams should be after Downing instead.  Thanks very much you job knockey

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Calm down everybody.

Don't rub me up the wrong way or you'll come to a sticky end.

[The Left Side]

According to the beeb gossip, Liverpool could be after Friedel as Riena looks like his is leaving.

[Shrek]

Take him please.

[oldtimernow]

S Larsson had 2 freekicks yesterdayday that we havent seen Ashley produce for a while.

A potential cheap but perhaps equally productive replacement?

[Percy McCarthy]

S Larsson had 2 freekicks yesterdayday that we havent seen Ashley produce for a while.

A potential cheap but perhaps equally productive replacement?

When we were linked in January I thought he might be worth taking for his set-pieces alone. Ours (Ash's) have been absolutely terrible this season.

[Chris Smith]

S Larsson had 2 freekicks yesterdayday that we havent seen Ashley produce for a while.

A potential cheap but perhaps equally productive replacement?

He's a decent player and would be a useful addition to the squad but he's not in the same class as Ash and I don't think he'd be equally productive.

[Matt Collins]

With whatever cash we get for Young,i'd like to see us look for a proper no.10 style player to play off Bent,as i think were ok on the wings,as well as going for an up and coming player like Sinclair at Swansea who wouldn't cost that much.

We've tried that with Young and it's left us too exposed drfensively.  I think an advanced midfielder, as opposed to a forward dropping deep, gives a greater balance between attack and defence.

That having been said, a defensive rebuild and a quality holding player may solve the problem.

See, I'm very much of the opposite opinion. That with the work rate of Albrighton and a new holding player alongside Makoun and Downing we could very much accomodate a classic #10 to tuck in behind Bent. For me a VDV type is exactly the type we need.

Who though? I've no ideas. N'Zogbia and Michel Bastos are both similar sorts of players to Ashley I reckon we could get, but I don't think either are natural off the front players.

However I think your scenario is probably the most likely, John. Considering the pursuit of Adam. I think Houllier wanted a midfield five from right to left of: Ashley, Makoun, NRC, Adam, Downing with NRC doing the dirty work and Ashley having license to drift, and Walker's energy down the right overlapping Ashley drifting infield.

I think we should persist with 4-3-3. Downing and Albrighton wide of Bent.

The focus should be on central midfield, where I think we're average, and on the full back positions. If Clark is as good as many think, he can save us a packet.

I agree we need some advanced creativity. Kranjkar?

But I also think we need some real teeth in there. It could be Delph, but that's taking a risk. Worth going for Scott Parker if WH go down?