We're a selling club

[Toronto Villa]

Considering that we walk into the season with a manager that wins trophies and relegates his team in the same season, and with numerous players that inexplicably alternate between impressive and shocking performances, I can understand both the optimists and pessimists.

I think the optimists are cautious optimists that would rather wait and see what transpires.

What has transpired is that we have appointed Alex McLeish, and sold Young and Downing.

which is where you've thrown your hands up in the air and started screaming like a girl that the sky is falling in. The "see what transpires" bit refers to the rest of the transfer window and the season ahead. Some of us haven't given up yet. You've made it quite clear that you have.

[VillaAlways]

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[hawkeye]

Considering that we walk into the season with a manager that wins trophies and relegates his team in the same season, and with numerous players that inexplicably alternate between impressive and shocking performances, I can understand both the optimists and pessimists.

I think the optimists are cautious optimists that would rather wait and see what transpires.

What has transpired is that we have appointed Alex McLeish, and sold Young and Downing.

which is where you've thrown your hands up in the air and started screaming like a girl that the sky is falling in. The "see what transpires" bit refers to the rest of the transfer window and the season ahead. Some of us haven't given up yet. You've made it quite clear that you have.

My understanding is that Risso actually goes to games, and is genuinely concerned about recent events at Villa Park,so what are the  "screaming like a girl " comments about?

[madirishvillain]

jesus wept 14 pages of this?

the op was right

we're a selling club

[Toronto Villa]

Considering that we walk into the season with a manager that wins trophies and relegates his team in the same season, and with numerous players that inexplicably alternate between impressive and shocking performances, I can understand both the optimists and pessimists.

I think the optimists are cautious optimists that would rather wait and see what transpires.

What has transpired is that we have appointed Alex McLeish, and sold Young and Downing.

which is where you've thrown your hands up in the air and started screaming like a girl that the sky is falling in. The "see what transpires" bit refers to the rest of the transfer window and the season ahead. Some of us haven't given up yet. You've made it quite clear that you have.

My understanding is that Risso actually goes to games, and is genuinely concerned about recent events at Villa Park,so what are the  "screaming like a girl " comments about?

Is that a Sky Sports "understands" or a real understands? And what difference does it make whether he goes to games or not? Oh, hold on. This is another "he's a better fan than me " type post isn't it? Sorry, you're right us folk who live further away should sit at the back of the bus and keep quiet - right?

[Risso]

Considering that we walk into the season with a manager that wins trophies and relegates his team in the same season, and with numerous players that inexplicably alternate between impressive and shocking performances, I can understand both the optimists and pessimists.

I think the optimists are cautious optimists that would rather wait and see what transpires.

What has transpired is that we have appointed Alex McLeish, and sold Young and Downing.

which is where you've thrown your hands up in the air and started screaming like a girl that the sky is falling in. The "see what transpires" bit refers to the rest of the transfer window and the season ahead. Some of us haven't given up yet. You've made it quite clear that you have.

My understanding is that Risso actually goes to games, and is genuinely concerned about recent events at Villa Park,so what are the  "screaming like a girl " comments about?

Is that a Sky Sports "understands" or a real understands? And what difference does it make whether he goes to games or not? Oh, hold on. This is another "he's a better fan than me " type post isn't it? Sorry, you're right us folk who live further away should sit at the back of the bus and keep quiet - right?

Don't worry TV, I don't live near enough to get to very many games at all.  The "screaming like a girl" comment was unnecessary though, you take exception when people make similar comments to you so how about showing a bit of respect eh?

[Concrete John]

To me, some of the more negative posts here are the equivalent of going to the game and if we go 1-0 down after a few minutes deciding the game is over and sitting there with a shitty look on their face.  I suppose in that analogy Mcleish is like not agreeing with the team selection in the first place and Ash and Downing is more like going 2-0 down, but the fact remains there is still a long way to go.   

[Risso]

To me, some of the more negative posts here are the equivalent of going to the game and if we go 1-0 down after a few minutes deciding the game is over and sitting there with a shitty look on their face.  I suppose in that analogy Mcleish is like not agreeing with the team selection in the first place and Ash and Downing is more like going 2-0 down, but the fact remains there is still a long way to go.   

It isn't just this summer though John, I haven't agreed with the direction the club has been taking under Lerner for ages.

[Concrete John]

To me, some of the more negative posts here are the equivalent of going to the game and if we go 1-0 down after a few minutes deciding the game is over and sitting there with a shitty look on their face.  I suppose in that analogy Mcleish is like not agreeing with the team selection in the first place and Ash and Downing is more like going 2-0 down, but the fact remains there is still a long way to go.   

It isn't just this summer though John, I haven't agreed with the direction the club has been taking under Lerner for ages.

I had my doubts, and posted them on here, last summer when Milner left, we didn't buy, and MON walked over some financial issue or other.  As far as I'm concerned, Randy answered all those doubts with a big Darren Bent shaped salp to my face in January.
 

[Risso]

To me, some of the more negative posts here are the equivalent of going to the game and if we go 1-0 down after a few minutes deciding the game is over and sitting there with a shitty look on their face.  I suppose in that analogy Mcleish is like not agreeing with the team selection in the first place and Ash and Downing is more like going 2-0 down, but the fact remains there is still a long way to go.   

It isn't just this summer though John, I haven't agreed with the direction the club has been taking under Lerner for ages.

I had my doubts, and posted them on here, last summer when Milner left, we didn't buy, and MON walked over some financial issue or other.  As far as I'm concerned, Randy answered all those doubts with a big Darren Bent shaped salp to my face in January.
 

Sorry, but I'm convinced that was purely made to ensure we didn't get relegated, as we would have been had we not bought him.  There has never been any suggestion of a transfer of that magnitude either before or since.  Why didn't we buy a player like that when we got Heskey that January?

[Concrete John]

Sorry, but I'm convinced that was purely made to ensure we didn't get relegated, as we would have been had we not bought him.  There has never been any suggestion of a transfer of that magnitude either before or since.  Why didn't we buy a player like that when we got Heskey that January?

|Could be any number of reasons - availability, funds at that time following a big summer spend, or maybe Martin just picked the wrong guy.  And wasn't it later revealed we bid for Zaki, who would have been circa £10m?

We also heard rumours of a summer signing that would out do the Bent one, so there has at least been a suggestion, but I'm guessing that was a Houllier thing ad that deal, if true, died when he left.  But it doesn't have to be £18m England strikers all the time.  Buying the likes of Parker and N'Zogbia, whose total fee would be around the same as Bent's, could have a similar impact.  N'Zogbia maybe just in covering up for the loss of Ash and Downing, but we've needed a midfielder like Parker ever since Milner left, so that's as big a hole in our squad as a striker like Bent was.   

[Villa'Zawg]

Sorry, but I'm convinced that was purely made to ensure we didn't get relegated, as we would have been had we not bought him.  There has never been any suggestion of a transfer of that magnitude either before or since.  Why didn't we buy a player like that when we got Heskey that January?

|Could be any number of reasons - availability, funds at that time following a big summer spend, or maybe Martin just picked the wrong guy.  And wasn't it later revealed we bid for Zaki, who would have been circa £10m?

We also heard rumours of a summer signing that would out do the Bent one, so there has at least been a suggestion, but I'm guessing that was a Houllier thing ad that deal, if true, died when he left.  But it doesn't have to be £18m England strikers all the time.  Buying the likes of Parker and N'Zogbia, whose total fee would be around the same as Bent's, could have a similar impact.  N'Zogbia maybe just in covering up for the loss of Ash and Downing, but we've needed a midfielder like Parker ever since Milner left, so that's as big a hole in our squad as a striker like Bent was.   

I'd like to believe that we were in for Zaki and that the rumours of a big summer signing were true but these stories mean absolutely nothing, I'll still base my opinion on what I see happening. As the General said, judge us on actions not on newspaper rumours.

We have replaced Carew (who's record up till the start of last season was far better than most give him credit for), we haven't yet replaced Milner, Young and Downing, three of the very best midfielder players in the league.

N'Zogbia or Parker are decent players but they are the type of signings that a bottom to mid-table manager would sign to improve a bottom to mid-table team. We're an awful long way from improving on the team we had at the start of last summer.

[pauliewalnuts]

Parker was the football writers player of the year last season and widely considered to have had an excellent season, and N'Zogbia did very well in a poor side

If they improve us as much as Ashley Young (who surely fell under the same description when we signed him), I'll be happy.

re Risso's point about the motives for signing Bent. Maybe he was signed to ensure we didn't get relegated, but then again, so what? We still bought him. Lots of chairmen would have poked around for a cheaper striker in an attempt to get goals.

There is plenty the club have fucked up over the last year or so. In fact, it seems to have been a near constant stream of amateurishness and disorganisation, but it is a bit harsh, in my opinion, to start dissecting the motives behind signing Bent in an attempt to move that from the "positives" column.

[Mazrim]

Agreed, Paulie.

[PaulWinch again]

Good post Paulie.