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

[pauliewalnuts]

I think it was just over a week ago that the Mirror were reporting us as trying to get Jimmy Milner back and it was widely discounted on here as being rubbish.  Now the same paper prints a story about us being broke and it's taken as gospel by some.  So if this bastion of journalistic integrity can change their heavily researched view of us so wildly in so short a space of time, do their stories hold any merit at all?   

In fairness, it's not just the Mirror running stories about us being broke, is it?

Sorry, but I don't class the associated press picking up on each others bullshit and re-writing it with a few words changed as concrete proof.

I'm not saying anything about it being proof or believable or even that I believe it particularly, but you referred to the way people reacted to stuff in the Mirror specifically.

I'm pointing out that people aren't believing the stuff about selling players based purely on an article on the Mirror. They're basing it on it being reported pretty much constantly for twelve months by a wide range of sources, and also on recent comments from the club itself about sustainability.

[UsualSuspect]

I rate Albrighton far higher than Downing bacuse at least he shows some heart.

It's the rose tinted glasses view of players who came through the ranks, I'm sorry you cannot put 'heart' above talent, effectivness etc Downing was quality last season...oh but he can't tackle. Marc A has potential to be great but at this point in time he's not near Downing.

Perhaps you would like to compare Marc's stats for last season compared to Downings

Downing is an average winger.

Good on some days
Shit on others
So average

[Greg N'Ash]

I rate Albrighton far higher than Downing bacuse at least he shows some heart.

It's the rose tinted glasses view of players who came through the ranks, I'm sorry you cannot put 'heart' above talent, effectivness etc Downing was quality last season...oh but he can't tackle. Marc A has potential to be great but at this point in time he's not near Downing.

Perhaps you would like to compare Marc's stats for last season compared to Downings

Downing is an average winger.

Good on some days
Shit on others
So average

Agree with that. if we got 20m for him i'd be happy. He's a good solid player but nothing special - if he was then Liverpool wouldn't be in the running for him. Just shows you how mental the transfer market is currently.

[UsualSuspect]

I would be happy with 15 million for the ponce

Whenever Albrighton gets the ball for me it takes me back to watching Ray Graydon, Tony Morley, Tony Daley - namely I feel excited and you know he'll try and take his man on and whip a decent cross in.

With Downing I see him trundle down the wing then cut it back hope the nasty fullback doesn't try and come near me with his foot

[Le Lapin]

Broke or not hasn't stopped Scottish press linking Villa with Gary Hooper in exchange for Petrov

And I'd rate Albrighton far higher than Downing and thats not just because Downing is angling for a move I just don't and have never seen the fuss with Downing he is a good player but that is about it.

Jesus, looking at Hoopers stats, I know it's Sock League, but the lad has an unbelieveable goals to games ratio at Celtic and Scunthorpe. What worries me is that if he was good he would have already been picked up.

Alrighton is already is as good as Downing, hopefully he pushes on this season and gets more consistant and doesn't get his head turned if the Mighty Liverpool or Taggart come a' tappin' at the end of the season.
N'Zogbia needs to come in fairly sharpish if Downing digs his heels in for a move or we could be left paying over the odds for someone in a panic.

[Percy McCarthy]

This 'not for sale at any price' stuff re: Downing: it's a nice message, but I wish we'd have sent it about one of the other three (AY, GB, JM) instead. Honestly, I'd rather we sell him and get N'Zogbia, even if it was for the same money, or even if Randy trousered the profit. He's just a better player.

[Concrete John]

I'm not saying anything about it being proof or believable or even that I believe it particularly, but you referred to the way people reacted to stuff in the Mirror specifically.

I'm pointing out that people aren't believing the stuff about selling players based purely on an article on the Mirror. They're basing it on it being reported pretty much constantly for twelve months by a wide range of sources, and also on recent comments from the club itself about sustainability.

Would that be the 12 month period in which we spent circa £30m on Makoun and Bent?

So little comes out of Villa that the papers can either ignore us or make things up.  When one does the others latch onto it and you get a bit of a snowball effect.  So the Sun says we're broke and then the Mirror runs the same story, that is NOT two different stories, but the same one reprinted.

[Percy McCarthy]

I'm not saying anything about it being proof or believable or even that I believe it particularly, but you referred to the way people reacted to stuff in the Mirror specifically.

I'm pointing out that people aren't believing the stuff about selling players based purely on an article on the Mirror. They're basing it on it being reported pretty much constantly for twelve months by a wide range of sources, and also on recent comments from the club itself about sustainability.

Would that be the 12 month period in which we spent circa £30m on Makoun and Bent?

So little comes out of Villa that the papers can either ignore us or make things up.  When one does the others latch onto it and you get a bit of a snowball effect.  So the Sun says we're broke and then the Mirror runs the same story, that is NOT two different stories, but the same one reprinted.

I admit I'm worried that they maybe right, but there's still hope they'll be proved wrong.

[pablopicasso_10]

its interesting to see nzogbia stats last season... 10 goals and 11 assists (better than downing in a poorer side)...

compare that to albrighton, 6 goals and 11 assists, in over 1000 less minutes than nzogbia...

while i understand albrighton has some limitations to his game, i would be more gutted at losing him than i was young, or would be with downing...

if we could get nzobgia on the left and use albrighton on the right a bit more, they could set up many chances for darren bent, and chip in with a few goals themselves...

losing downing for 17 mil, and replacing him with nzogbia for 10 mil, would improve us, and leave us some cash to help improve elsewhere...

[Mazrim]

its interesting to see nzogbia stats last season... 10 goals and 11 assists (better than downing in a poorer side)...

compare that to albrighton, 6 goals and 11 assists, in over 1000 less minutes than nzogbia...

while i understand albrighton has some limitations to his game, i would be more gutted at losing him than i was young, or would be with downing...

if we could get nzobgia on the left and use albrighton on the right a bit more, they could set up many chances for darren bent, and chip in with a few goals themselves...

losing downing for 17 mil, and replacing him with nzogbia for 10 mil, would improve us, and leave us some cash to help improve elsewhere...

Agree on all that.

[eastie]

Hooper for petrov? Yes I'd take that!

[Clampy]

  the cloak of secrecy at the top is very bad for public relations and i can see why the press get frustrated.

In fairness Eastie, it's not the club's job to keep the press happy. The club do like to keep things close to their chest. As frustrating as it can be, i prefer it that way, rather than the Redknapp way, who tells the press one thing then does the opposite.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Nzogbia is now a key factor to our season. If we sign him and keep Downing the whole picture changes. Downing and Albrighton on the wings and Nzogbia behind Bent is mouth watering. Still need that player in the middle with Makoun to run things and break up play. Loads of respect for Levy. He has told the player and press where everyone stands and that shuts up journalists "guessing" on his players. Shame we do not have anyone to do the same ..........

[Mazrim]

The club shouldn't keep the press informed per se but they should keep us informed. At least more often.
Apart from those unbelievably cheesy headlines on the OS, that sound like Central news in the late 80s, The General is the only avenue to the club and vice versa and gets most of the stick when he's the only one fronting up. He's not even an executive director.

I really would like to see Faulkner pulling his weight now in terms of communication. A CEO is not an invisible position. Quite the opposite in fact.
Putting the media's nose out of joint/showing them up every now and then and directly addressing some issues wouldn't go amiss.
The Bent thing did that to them. Time for a bit more of that I think.

[eastie]

I think Delph can play alongside Makoun and nzogbia in front if we get him but I really would be surprised if eck played 2 wingers , I'd expect one winger , 2 central midfielders one in a deeper role and maybe a right sided midfielder playing a more narrow role than a conventional winger.