Barry Bannan steps forward ....

[Ads]

Jesus fucking wept, can we not just enjoy watching the wee man play a bit before we all go hell in a handcart?

We enjoyed Downing last year, then he was off, I think we all have cause to worry about our best players leaving.

Only because he was a c***.

Ash was courted for two or three years before leaving for the best side in the country. Not everybody is going to up sticks and jump from 9th to 6th.

[Somniloquism]

That's a bury your head in the sand attitude. Can't you see what RL has done since he took over? Like half of the current England team is made up of ex Villa players sold under his regime. People have a right to feel concerned when all this current regime do is sell our best talent. With that strategy you'll never challenge the top positions in the league.

And at least three of those were also bought under Randy's regime. To blame Randy because MON didn't rate Cahil at the time, or because Barry, Milner and Downing saw £ signs in their eyes is very disingenuous to him in the same way you are saying he has done nothing for the club since taking over.

[KevinGage]

I agree it's harsh on RL -to an extent.

But by all accounts Modric wanted to go to Chelsea - he's still at Tottingham.

And Arsenal didn't sell Fabregas the first time Barca started fluttering their eyelids a them.   You can legitimately ask were they really any better off selling in the third summer of interest rather than the first, but they tried to give themselves every chance to succeed with him on the books.

Taking each sale individually -from Barry to Downing- they all made sense.

Taken as a whole though, it's hard to get away from the notion that we are a selling club.  Not in the Wigan or Crewe way perhaps, selling purely to exist. But good players don't feel they can achieve their ambitions here.  And we don't seem to put up a huge amount of resistance if/when they want out.  We just aim to get the best possible price, it seems (and we have actually been quite good at that, in fairness).

[dave.woodhall]

If he is as good as some of you think he will be off to a bigger club in the summer anyway 

If Randy's new approach to cracking the top four is to develop youngsters and compliment them with astute signings I would be extremely disappointed if we sold any rising star.  It would also beg the question just what on earth is the current/long term strategy for success at Villa Park?

There isn't a strategy - RL is only interested in getting the best price for our top players - this will claw back his investment with profit on top, a sort of asset stripping if you like. Let's face it he bought in at £64M and would no doubt 5 years on sell at more than double that - we're just a fixture in his portfolio now ready to be sold off. The guy is ruining Aston Villa's future - Bannan is already being watched elsewhere, next it'll be Gary Gardner.

Have you any proof for all this or is it another case of stamp your foot and blame Randy for everything?

[Chris Smith]

Randy would get a better price for the club if Young and Downing etc were still here and we were more successful. There's no logic to the view that he's asset stripping because he wants to sell.

[TheSandman]

I think if the club were relatively debt free it might make us a more attractive proposition. Therefore, if the money generated from sales is used to service the debt and the wage bill is reduced the club looks financially more attractive.

[Chris Smith]

I think if the club were relatively debt free it might make us a more attractive proposition. Therefore, if the money generated from sales is used to service the debt and the wage bill is reduced the club looks financially more attractive.

But we'd get a lower price than if we were a team pushing for the top 4. So it would be easier to find a buyer but you'd get less for it.

[john2710]

The guy is special, he has the potential to become a top top player. I just hope we can keep hold of him, players like Bannan do not come along too often.

He has huge potential, but is still a long long way away from being a top player. He is great with the ball at his feet but he lacks that yard of pace to get away from players & he's not great at getting the ball back. To flourish he needs to play in the right formation with the right players around him who will do the things that he's not good at.  Like Delph, Clark & Albrighton he does many things well but others things which show that he lacks experience. They all have great potential, but we must be realistic / patient while they learn (something few Villa fans are good at).   

[dcdavecollett]

Like this post.

It's early days yet but Bannan could be the sort of Merson-type creative force we've lacked for a long time. I can see Gabby and Bent thriving on his service. Twenty/thirty yard balls cut out a lot of defenders.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

Like this post.

It's early days yet but Bannan could be the sort of Merson-type creative force we've lacked for a long time. I can see Gabby and Bent thriving on his service. Twenty/thirty yard balls cut out a lot of defenders.

20/30 yd balls that aren't hoofed over the top but bent round or through the opposition defence, just what we've been missing:-)

[VillaAlways]

He picked up an Achilles injury last night and is doubtful for their midweek game. Hope he isn't played and gets fully fit for Saturday

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

He picked up an Achilles injury last night and is doubtful for their midweek game. Hope he isn't played and gets fully fit for Saturday

BBC says that he has a gashed heel and it's in an awkward spot and had to be glued!!

Doesn't sound as though he'll be able to play for a couple of weeks.

[Matt Collins]

He travelled to Spain though. Not seen a reference to him being out

[Neil Hawkes]

I agree it's harsh on RL -to an extent.

But by all accounts Modric wanted to go to Chelsea - he's still at Tottingham.

And Arsenal didn't sell Fabregas the first time Barca started fluttering their eyelids a them.   You can legitimately ask were they really any better off selling in the third summer of interest rather than the first, but they tried to give themselves every chance to succeed with him on the books.

Taking each sale individually -from Barry to Downing- they all made sense.

Taken as a whole though, it's hard to get away from the notion that we are a selling club.  Not in the Wigan or Crewe way perhaps, selling purely to exist. But good players don't feel they can achieve their ambitions here.  And we don't seem to put up a huge amount of resistance if/when they want out.  We just aim to get the best possible price, it seems (and we have actually been quite good at that, in fairness).

As was Barry with us, when Liverpool were courting

[olaftab]

He picked up an Achilles injury last night and is doubtful for their midweek game. Hope he isn't played and gets fully fit for Saturday

BBC says that he has a gashed heel and it's in an awkward spot and had to be glued!!

Doesn't sound as though he'll be able to play for a couple of weeks.

Oh good that means Heskey will  be in and able to stop Silva from wreaking  hell on our defence!!