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

[Des Little]

We were extremely lucky to stay up last season I know that much. God, we are shite.

[Karl Bridges]

Houllier getting ill was awful luck. For me he was on the verge of making us better, getting rid of some of the wasters and lining up quality Cabaye etc. We could have been a very different side if that hadn't happened.

[Greg N'Ash]

Houllier getting ill was awful luck. For me he was on the verge of making us better, getting rid of some of the wasters and lining up quality Cabaye etc. We could have been a very different side if that hadn't happened.

yep. I know a lot of villa fans disliked him a lot but you could see what he was trying to do long term

[PeterWithe]

But Houllier getting ill was hardly bad luck, he'd a history of ill health.

[ozzjim]

Houllier getting ill was awful luck. For me he was on the verge of making us better, getting rid of some of the wasters and lining up quality Cabaye etc. We could have been a very different side if that hadn't happened.

yep. I know a lot of villa fans disliked him a lot but you could see what he was trying to do long term

I was a big fan. I think we would be a very good side now if he were here.

[Somniloquism]

But Houllier getting ill was hardly bad luck, he'd a history of ill health.

Is this the history of one heart op at Liverpool in 2001 after which he continued managing for the next 6 years with no ill effects, and then a sign off from his Doctor before he took the job? That history?

[dave.woodhall]

But Houllier getting ill was hardly bad luck, he'd a history of ill health.

If you insisted on your every arrival having a perfect health record I plead the McGrath Defence.

[danno]

We were extremely lucky to stay up last season I know that much. God, we are shite.

We were lucky we had Blackburn and Wigan right at the start of the season.
Think we only won another two at home after that.

[Somniloquism]

Houllier getting ill was awful luck. For me he was on the verge of making us better, getting rid of some of the wasters and lining up quality Cabaye etc. We could have been a very different side if that hadn't happened.

yep. I know a lot of villa fans disliked him a lot but you could see what he was trying to do long term

I was a big fan. I think we would be a very good side now if he were here.

I would admit that he lost me as manager but I wouldn't have been adverse with him moving upstairs as DOF or something to enable his scouting network and football experience to be kept. But if I had known then what we know now, I would have been begging him to stay.

[OCD]

There's also the Ba defence.

[Jockey Randall]

It is true though. We had to totally rebuild a squad on 23 million plus less wages than before. He bought fairly well, just did not have the time to properly analyse just how incredibly bad our squad was already.

He bought well? Are you absolutely being serious?

Completely.

Guzan, Lowton, Westwood and Benteke were excellent signings for the fees

Vlaar needs time to get back up to speed following injury but prior looked like he was adjusting and the other night I thought lead the onslaught second half well.

His biggest mistake, or let down, unfortunately for him is KEA never adjusting to the physical side of the game here. Petrov struggled badly for 18 months when he arrived and I do think KEA can improve, he was loved dearly by the fans of Feyenoord so there is a player in there.

Bennett - we needed a left back that was solid and Bennett is easily his most unfit for the role signing. He is a cracking footballer IMO, and could easily play left midfield in a 4-4-2 and sling balls into the box.

Spot on. It seems to me that when people trot out figures like £20m they think we should have a side comfortably in the top half. Yet that amount spent on several players really isn't a substantial amount, and when you consider we were in need of several first choice players let alone a few to beef out the squad that amount looks even more well spent. One of the most annoying things to hear at the moment is so called well informed pundits on tv/radio coming out with how much we spent in the summer without any regard for who was bought and how many players were needed.

[KevinGage]

Houllier getting ill was awful luck. For me he was on the verge of making us better, getting rid of some of the wasters and lining up quality Cabaye etc. We could have been a very different side if that hadn't happened.

The average life expectancy after the heavy duty surgery he underwent in 2001 is 10 years. 

[Greg N'Ash]

But Houllier getting ill was hardly bad luck, he'd a history of ill health.

maybe, but inheriting such a team of cocks didn't help.   i've often wondered if the likes of Collins, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland etc feel a slight twinge of guilt that they may have contributed to his health problems. Probably not.

[TonyD]

TATA?

Rumours from where?

It would be JLR as our sponser.   My source via India reckons its in talks.

[hilts_coolerking]

But Houllier getting ill was hardly bad luck, he'd a history of ill health.

If you insisted on your every arrival having a perfect health record I plead the McGrath Defence.

Indeed, but you can't blame bad luck if a man with a history of heart trouble falls ill with heart trouble.