Où est Johnny Deux?

[brian green]

The reference to the Djemba twins got me thinking.   If the one Makoun we have caught glimpses of is Jean II Makoun (as we are led to believe) is there a Jean I Makoun who did the business for Cameroon and in the Champions League and we have got a doppelganger?

Was there ever a Didier Six or were there two Didier Trois?

And the mysterious non playing Ivo Stas.   Did Josef Venglos buy IIvo?

There is a theme here.   There may be manager for us lurking somewhere in the corridors of time called Ale XI

[peter w]

Its seems impossible for those bigging him up (or just wanting to give him a chance) cannot say anything other than he played well at Man U as the reason for thinking he is good enough. Crawley played well at old Trafford. Exeter played well at Old Trafford, as did Dennis Bailey. Just because players can raise their games for one of games at the biggest stages it doesn't mean a great deal.

How about the fact that he has played in more Champions League games than the rest of our squad combined?

He's not Salifou, he's not been plucked from obscurity and hasn't made the grade - he's an experienced player and just the sort of player who you wouldn't expect to flourish under last season's style of football.

He might not work out, but getting rid of him after seven games just to take a punt on a less experienced player from the same league (which seems to be the most likely suggested replacement) would be ridiculous.

Bosko balaban played regularly and scored in the Champions League. That in itself doesn't mean a great deal.

[PaulWinch again]

I certainly hope that El-Ahmadi hits the ground running if 7 games is all you get to prove yourself. I just think we should give Makoun a chance.

[Dave]

He didn't really. He played ten times across a fifteen year career.

[Louzie0]

I like Jean Makoun II and hope that he will be in the Villa squad come August, whatever the knits.

[peter w]

Well its still ten time more than any other of our players.

Not saying you're using it as a yardstick but just because someone has played in the CL doesn't mean we should be moving heaven and earth to finding an opening for him in the team.

[garyshawsknee]

I certainly hope that El-Ahmadi hits the ground running if 7 games is all you get to prove yourself. I just think we should give Makoun a chance.

Yep,you can't run the rule over someone after 7 games,in a league he's never played in before.

I trust PL to decide if he's good enough. The difference was that last summer,a lot of folk were saying he looked impressive in the friendlies,but was then shipped out to get in Jenas,which was down to TSM.

[Ger Regan]

Well its still ten time more than any other of our players.

Not saying you're using it as a yardstick but just because someone has played in the CL doesn't mean we should be moving heaven and earth to finding an opening for him in the team.

You're just on the windup now, aren't you?

[peter w]

Well its still ten time more than any other of our players.

Not saying you're using it as a yardstick but just because someone has played in the CL doesn't mean we should be moving heaven and earth to finding an opening for him in the team.

You're just on the windup now, aren't you?

Why? Because I don't rate him?

[Dave]

Well its still ten time more than any other of our players.

Not saying you're using it as a yardstick but just because someone has played in the CL doesn't mean we should be moving heaven and earth to finding an opening for him in the team.

No it's not. Given's played just as many. As has Petrov.

And again, you're imagining people saying things when they're not. Nobody is saying that we should build the team around him or that he is one of our best players.

But when we don't really have many central midfielders, ditching the one that we have with the most pedigree just for the hell of it seems a bit fucking stupid.

[Louzie0]

JMII deserves a chance to make his mark.  Just saying.  PL is not TSM and so can include him, hopefully.

[Ger Regan]

Well its still ten time more than any other of our players.

Not saying you're using it as a yardstick but just because someone has played in the CL doesn't mean we should be moving heaven and earth to finding an opening for him in the team.

You're just on the windup now, aren't you?

Why? Because I don't rate him?

No, because you're wilfully twisting other people's arguments with your "moving heaven and earth to find an opening for him in the team" nonsense. Nobody's saying that, from what I can see.

[peter w]

Well its still ten time more than any other of our players.

Not saying you're using it as a yardstick but just because someone has played in the CL doesn't mean we should be moving heaven and earth to finding an opening for him in the team.

No it's not. Given's played just as many. As has Petrov.

And again, you're imagining people saying things when they're not. Nobody is saying that we should build the team around him or that he is one of our best players.

But when we don't really have many central midfielders, ditching the one that we have with the most pedigree just for the hell of it seems a bit fucking stupid.

Okay, for 'any' read 'many'.

not sure where I've said I'd sell  for the hell of it but more because the manager that bought him then dropped him. he looked poor in the tackle, a bit lightweight and not blessed with pace. What type of midfielder do we want him to be if he can't tackle and doesn't appear to be that creative?

If Lambert looks at him and thinks there's a player there then great lets see where he can fit in and what he can do. But if not then good i don't think he's good enough anyway. We need a better box-to-box central midfielder/creative midfielder than we currently have (Makoun argument aside) and if we have to sell Makoun to get that player then I can handle his departure and just file under Djemba-djemba and Berson.

[Ian.]

I think with PL we will all find out for sure what this Jean fella is really like. It's a strange one as he has never had the opportunity to settle in. I'm guessing GH was not that impressed with both his performances on the pitch and on the training ground.

I'd love him to be this great player from overseas who can open up defenses and hold the midfield together. Somehow though I do get the impression he isn't all that by the amount of managers who have overlooked him.

[adamski villa]

We should see johhny Deux soon, probs with work permit, but once sorted he will be back training