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

[paul_e]

There was a three man challenge on a Blues player at the Sty a couple of years ago. I think it was Warnock, Collins and Dunne. The three went in at the same time and I thought that the ball was likely to burst. The Blues player must have shit himself. That is the commitment we need. For too long last season, we had people moaning about Hutton being a dirty player. The first job of a full back is to tackle. If you have to put the frighteners on the opponent in the process then so be it. I can't remember fans of Liverpool and Chelsea complaining about Tommy Smith and Ron Harris respectively. There is no room for powder puff football when you are in the mire like we are. 

Huttons problem wasn't that he liked a tackle, it was that he was late far too often.  Lets not glam him up as a superstar who we're going to miss terribly, this is a guy who could easily have had 4-5 red cards last year for lunging through his man after the ball was gone.

As for Warnock, he's been dropped because of his attitude not his ability, as I've said before, if half the rumours about him are true then I want him nowhere near the team, aside from that, he was hardly playing well, probably not as badly as Bennett has at times but not enough to overlook the fact that he's a wanker.

[ktvillan]

There was a three man challenge on a Blues player at the Sty a couple of years ago. I think it was Warnock, Collins and Dunne. The three went in at the same time and I thought that the ball was likely to burst. The Blues player must have shit himself. That is the commitment we need. For too long last season, we had people moaning about Hutton being a dirty player. The first job of a full back is to tackle. If you have to put the frighteners on the opponent in the process then so be it. I can't remember fans of Liverpool and Chelsea complaining about Tommy Smith and Ron Harris respectively. There is no room for powder puff football when you are in the mire like we are. 

I agree to an extent and I think we could and should have used Hutton this season.  He can play a bit when he keeps his head, and Lowton is nowhere near as good as some seem to think.  But at times he was a thug and a red card waiting to happen and you can't afford to go down to 10 men too often.  Tommy Smith and Ron Harris weren't running the risk of red cards for looking at people in a funny way like players are these days.  Hutton lost it home to Arsenal and should have gone against Albion.  I've also rarely seen a defender handle the ball so much in the box as he seemed to.

[eastie]

What warnock rumours are you referring to paul?

[tomd2103]

Can I just say I watched Hutton play for Forrest on Boxing Day with a few family members. Everyone watching agreed the rampaging, marauding right back was the best player on the pitch and was running the show - quite a feat from The RB position. Who was it? Yep you guessed it, there is a player in there, no doubt.
To all those mocking, don't be surprised to see Hutton playing regularly for a premiership team next year (along with Aaron Hughes, Steve sidwell, Curtis Davies, Stephen Davies, Craig Gardner, James Collins etc etc) while we're languishing mid table in the championship.
It's amazing how all these players were ridiculed for not being good enough for us are doing a decent job for other teams

Most of the players you mention weren't good enough for us at the time they were at the club.  Of course they are probably better than some of the options we have now, but they weren't good enough for us at the time when they left.   

[David_Nab]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2266709/Florent-Maloudas-Chelsea-exclusion-damaging-team-spirit-Neil-Ashton.html

Missed out on a move so Chelsea have done what we did to Hutton / Warnock

[cdbearsfan]

Aaron Hughes has always been a solid enough centre-back for club and country. He's not a right-back though.

One of about seventy players we've played out of position at full back since we lost Wright and Delaney.

[Clampy]

I thought Hutton was deadful personally, i never rated him in the first place.

Malouda is an interesting one and it might have been an idea at the start of the season but he's not quite what we need now but i would'nt be against him coming in if it happend.

As for Sissoko, the fact that he chose a better contract shows what Lambert might be up against on the wages side.

[VillaAlways]

As for Sissoko, the fact that he chose a better contract shows what Lambert might be up against on the wages side.

Yet Lerner sanctioned a 5 year contract for a 35 year old Given last season on probably almost double what Sissoko would be getting

[Clampy]

As for Sissoko, the fact that he chose a better contract shows what Lambert might be up against on the wages side.

Yet Lerner sanctioned a 5 year contract for a 35 year old Given last season on probably almost double what Sissoko would be getting

I'd guess Given is on about £35k a week, possibly more. I doubt Sissoko would have agreed to wages half that.

[VillaAlways]

As for Sissoko, the fact that he chose a better contract shows what Lambert might be up against on the wages side.

Yet Lerner sanctioned a 5 year contract for a 35 year old Given last season on probably almost double what Sissoko would be getting

I'd guess Given is on about £35k a week, possibly more. I doubt Sissoko would have agreed to wages half that.

£55 k more like

[paul_e]

What warnock rumours are you referring to paul?

As I've heard it he was the main driving factor in a massive blame culture last season where the kids were 'scapegoated' in the squad as being shit and letting down the seniors when they played.  He was also the worst culprit for trying to turn the squad against Houllier.

On top of both of those there's lots of reports of him slagging the club off and basically wishing he was anywhere but Villa.

I'm not for lynching someone based on rumours but I've seen too many bad ones about him for it all to be made up.

[eastie]

I thought Hutton was deadful personally, i never rated him in the first place.

Malouda is an interesting one and it might have been an idea at the start of the season but he's not quite what we need now but i would'nt be against him coming in if it happend.

As for Sissoko, the fact that he chose a better contract shows what Lambert might be up against on the wages side.

Also sissoko stated that so many french players being there was an attraction too.
Malouda - not a priority but yes .

[VillaAlways]

From the Birmingham Mail


Paul Lambert admits Newcastle new boy Moussa Sissoko is a player Villa were priced out of signing because of their prudent spending policy.

The French midfielder was on Lambert’s wanted list, but the claret and blues were forced to withdraw from the chase for financial reasons.

Instead Sissoko joined the Magpies and the he could make his debut against Villa in tonight’s survival six-pointer at Villa Park.

Asked if the former Toulouse player was a target he had been looking at, Lambert confirmed ‘Yes’ before revealing finance had scuppered several potential moves.

Lambert admitted Villa would not compete Mike Ashley’s spending power at St James’ Park this month.

“At this minute there is not much really happening,” said Lambert. “There’s been guys we went for who have gone to other clubs. We’re not close to anything like that.

“I’m pretty sure the chairman knows exactly what he is doing. It’s his money and he’s the man who has put x amount of money into the club over the years.

“If you’re asking me if there will be a vast amount of money in this window, there won’t be. But you can only play the hand you are dealt.”

Yesterday’s statement from Lerner hinted that incoming transfers had been discussed and refused to rule out reinforcements before Thursday night’s deadline.

Stephen Warnock and Alan Hutton’s departures would free up space on Villa’s wage bill but Lambert does not believe that would significantly boost his recruitment hopes.

Warnock is poised to join Leeds on a free transfer with the Championship club believed to be offering an 18- month deal rather than West Ham’s six month contract.

Spanish strugglers Real Mallorca have taken Hutton on loan until the end of the season with an option to sign the former Spurs full-back in the summer.

But when asked if those two moves would make a difference to his chances of completing incoming business, Lambert replied: “It won’t make a considerable difference, no.”

Lerner broke his silence to issue a statement in support of Lambert yesterday, but the boss is still being quizzed publicly about the club’s spending policy.

“My job is to answer these questions,” he said. “I don’t walk away from it, I tell you what I think and feel. I’m not going to hide away from it.

“I’m at the forefront of it.

“Randy is old and wise enough to know when he wants to speak.”

[jonzy85]

As for Sissoko, the fact that he chose a better contract shows what Lambert might be up against on the wages side.

Yet Lerner sanctioned a 5 year contract for a 35 year old Given last season on probably almost double what Sissoko would be getting

He is a goalkeeper and it is becoming the norm that top goalkeepers can continue until they are 40, at least, if they steer clear of injuries. Unfortunately, Shay has been dogged by injuries since he has been here.

[eastie]

As for Sissoko, the fact that he chose a better contract shows what Lambert might be up against on the wages side.

Yet Lerner sanctioned a 5 year contract for a 35 year old Given last season on probably almost double what Sissoko would be getting

I'd guess Given is on about £35k a week, possibly more. I doubt Sissoko would have agreed to wages half that.

£55 k more like

Yep 55k ive heard too.