January Transfer Thread: Speculation, Lies, Absolute Cr*p and Bosman Rumours

[Steve R]

Maybe Lerner no longer sees Villa as an investment that needs to be protected, more a gambling table where he has lost heavily and can only lose more if he keeps putting money down.

It's the only thing that makes sense to me.

How does it make sense? if we go down he'll lose far far more than the 10m or so we need for players.  I realise its a risk to buy players in January but its a risk every other club in our position is taking because they know what's at stake.

maybe he's already thinking he's lost a fair chunk of whatever was put in, and he will only kiss goodbye to anything he may add on top of that.

It wouldn't be my take on things, but it's the only reason I can think why he is doing what he is doing.

[David_Nab]

Maybe Lerner no longer sees Villa as an investment that needs to be protected, more a gambling table where he has lost heavily and can only lose more if he keeps putting money down.

It's the only thing that makes sense to me.

Maybe he looks at Newcastle and thinks, 'well, that worked out alright for them,' and is banking on us doing exactly the same.

Is that the same Newcastle who are only one point less in the shit than Villa ?

But also the one who  has spent 14 mil on new players who are all highly rated.Least they giving it a go

[villainjock]

Does this mean the free acorns sponsorship is a contribution to our downfall.lerner is putting his nice principles ahead of the corrupt world of football.not aggressive enough to compete in the football world.after all he hasn't actually made money himself, he's been given it.

[Dave]

Not once under Houllier or McLeish did I ever feel this way, but I do now.

I agree. The last two seasons I was completely convinced that we would ultimately be fine (when we were being told that it would be a certainty we would go down then), but this year is looking to be the one that does it.

[onje_villa]

Ivan Gaskell on Twitter saying that PL has said he is not optimistic about new signings and doesn't want to put the club in financial trouble if we go down. Lerner has clearly already given up and is resigned to relegation. Lack of fight on and off the pitch is pathetic. www.twitter.com/IvanGaskell1

Thing is, why resign yourselves to relegation? We're not even in the relegation zone. It's not like we're cut adrift with 5 games to go. We're actually 17th with half the season left.

It makes no sense.

[ktvillan]

Wasn't it similar during the Houllier window, it looked like nothing was happening and there was similar lack of info, theories that Lerner had pulled the plug, and then the signings of Bent, Makoun and Walker kind of came a bit out of the blue.  That said, we've barely been linked at all with anyone so any possible signings are either the best kept secret in football or not going to happen.

The argument of not saddling us with financial problems if we get relegated doesn't really wash -  loan signings won't have to be financed should the worst happen.   The Walker and Keane loans worked out pretty well for us in previous Januaries.  It's makes little sense that Lambert has apparently ruled them out.

The big problem is we have no idea what Lerner is doing.  Or even if he is doing anything, or intends to do anything.   If he doesn't give a shit any more then I just wish he'd tell us straight so we can just put any hope to one side and accept we are butt-fucked until he decides to sell or invest again, and we can get our pound signs out again.  It's the hope that kills ya.

[Villafirst]

Not once under Houllier or McLeish did I ever feel this way, but I do now.

I agree. The last two seasons I was completely convinced that we would ultimately be fine (when we were being told that it would be a certainty we would go down then), but this year is looking to be the one that does it.

Agree, the club is slowly inching its way towards the trap-door. I was thinking, when was the last bit of positive news to come out of the club? The only highlight for me this season was the week in December when we stuffed Norwich 4-1 and Liverpool 3-1 in the space of 5 days. How things look now....

[onje_villa]

Maybe Lerner no longer sees Villa as an investment that needs to be protected, more a gambling table where he has lost heavily and can only lose more if he keeps putting money down.

It's the only thing that makes sense to me.

Maybe he looks at Newcastle and thinks, 'well, that worked out alright for them,' and is banking on us doing exactly the same.

Is that the same Newcastle who are only one point less in the shit than Villa ?

But also the one who  has spent 14 mil on new players who are all highly rated.Least they giving it a go

Also, I'm not sure Newcastle actually resigned themselves to going down. They just did.

[PeterWithesShin]

Not once under Houllier or McLeish did I ever feel this way, but I do now.

I agree. The last two seasons I was completely convinced that we would ultimately be fine (when we were being told that it would be a certainty we would go down then), but this year is looking to be the one that does it.

After Wolves at home under Houllier I was convinced we were gone.

[mike]

Maybe Lerner no longer sees Villa as an investment that needs to be protected, more a gambling table where he has lost heavily and can only lose more if he keeps putting money down.

It's the only thing that makes sense to me.

How does it make sense? if we go down he'll lose far far more than the 10m or so we need for players.  I realise its a risk to buy players in January but its a risk every other club in our position is taking because they know what's at stake.

maybe he's already thinking he's lost a fair chunk of whatever was put in, and he will only kiss goodbye to anything he may add on top of that.

It wouldn't be my take on things, but it's the only reason I can think why he is doing what he is doing.

I've been saying this for a long time. I think Lerner has done the sums and thinks relegation will cost a lot but be will have to spend a lot more to stay up. Ironically, QPR and Newcastle spending so much might even have the effect of entrenching that attitude, they've upped the stakes and after f@ck all from over £200 million investment he's thrown his hand in.

[Dave]

Not once under Houllier or McLeish did I ever feel this way, but I do now.

I agree. The last two seasons I was completely convinced that we would ultimately be fine (when we were being told that it would be a certainty we would go down then), but this year is looking to be the one that does it.

After Wolves at home under Houllier I was convinced we were gone.

I don't think that at any point in those two seasons we logically looked as though we would go down because of the other teams around us (regardless of how badly we did) and the odds for us to go down always backed that up.

This is the first year that we don't have the 'other shit teams' buffer.

[David_Nab]

Last 2 season there was some very poor teams in league this season no so much.Also the likes of QPR and Soton can buy way out of trouble Wolves and Blackburn couldn't for instance

Also would say now we have said no players coming in ,no wonder Henke quit no point having a scout if not going to buy anyone.

[Merv]

The Newcastle comparison wasn't that they were resigned to relegation. More that, having spent years spending big on players and wages, the brakes were put on, the owners clearly couldn't care less what the fans thought, made a series of unpopular decisions, the club were relegated, which really then allowed them to cut the squad right down - nothing like dropping out of the PL to motivate the lazy arses in the comfort zone to find a new club - rebuild, gain promotion and then re-enter the Premier League a tighter and more efficient unit. Things haven't gone to plan for them this season but they do appear to run more prudently, and obviously have budget available for players when required. Their transfer investment is now very modest and sensible, rather than it had been previously.

Not endorsing it, just guessing and wondering whether RL, PF et al have it as example of how relegation can't work out for the better. Then again, as has been said earlier, it's nigh on impossible to know what Randy is thinking because we never hear from him, in any capacity, and the last three seasons have been so turbulent it's difficult to identity a coherent plan.

[Surrey Villain]

Maybe Lerner no longer sees Villa as an investment that needs to be protected, more a gambling table where he has lost heavily and can only lose more if he keeps putting money down.

It's the only thing that makes sense to me.

How does it make sense? if we go down he'll lose far far more than the 10m or so we need for players.  I realise its a risk to buy players in January but its a risk every other club in our position is taking because they know what's at stake.

maybe he's already thinking he's lost a fair chunk of whatever was put in, and he will only kiss goodbye to anything he may add on top of that.

It wouldn't be my take on things, but it's the only reason I can think why he is doing what he is doing.

I've been saying this for a long time. I think Lerner has done the sums and thinks relegation will cost a lot but be will have to spend a lot more to stay up. Ironically, QPR and Newcastle spending so much might even have the effect of entrenching that attitude, they've upped the stakes and after f@ck all from over £200 million investment he's thrown his hand in.

Surely if he isn't prepared to spend any more to cut his losses he is wanting to sell the club but wouldn't a 'going concern' in the Premier League be a better selling proposition?

[tomd2103]

Not once under Houllier or McLeish did I ever feel this way, but I do now.

I agree. The last two seasons I was completely convinced that we would ultimately be fine (when we were being told that it would be a certainty we would go down then), but this year is looking to be the one that does it.

Don't know Dave.  I left Villa Park after the Bolton game towards the end of last season thinking we'd had it.  It crept up on us last season though and it was only in the last couple of months where we were in real danger.  This season has been a struggle from the off (though there have been the occasional bright moments) and there's just a sense of inevitability about it all.  In boxing terms, we got into trouble in the later rounds last season, but this season has been like one of those fights where someone takes a beating straight from the bell, but just hangs on in there enough so it isn't stopped.  Those are always the worst ones to watch.