Fabian Delph - Signed for Manchester City

[Toronto Villa]

Him and and his teammate Sterling embody so much of what is wrong with English players playing Premier League football.

[Chris Jameson]

I don't disagree with some of your thoughts, but there are to manny haters now, it makes people feel better if they can hate someone for there own personal disappointments it's one of the foundation bricks in human behaviour

With respect that is nonsense, I was told the same by somebody on Twitter because I disagreed with his views on parenting, bringing back the cane in schools, homosexuals and the BBC (without getting angry I should add), evidently that means my life is a disappointment to me and because his life is quite obviously better by holding opposing views I'm lashing out through jealousy, or something like that.

To be honest I thought he was a parody account, that was when he got really angry.

[Chris Jameson]

A change in username me thinks.

EVERYBODY! OVER HERE! HOLD HIM DOWN AND KICK THE CRAP OUT OF HIM.

[Mister E]

I remain pissed off at the massive loyalty statement when he had such a low release clause, but although the dragging it out for a week has made it FEEL worse, I don't think it is worse. The damage was done in January, not in the last week. The last week is merely a fiasco, not the real crime,

The last week's shenanigans is coming over to me as a player who cares a bit too much what people think of him. Last week he didn't want us to think he was a scumbag and stayed, then the whole media went into a spin about him being a player with no bottle, not prepared to fight for his place, too much of a coward to test himself at a higher level, a lazy player who is happy in his comfort zone. I think we were angry at the unfairness of those statements about him, so I guess they would have stung him too. As the week wore on, he was damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

The phrase that came into my head last night as I was dropping of to sleep was 'Better to regret something you have done than something you haven't done' - and I think his final decision landed somewhere there. When I think of it logically, the last week is the bit where he hesitated to go, rather than had his bags packed ready, I am still angry with him, but less so, not more so, for the weird final week.

Very fair comments, Amfy.
And I'd add: although he has certainly not covered himself in glory - I, for one, believed in the sentiment he expressed last week and in January - he still might have not signed in January and left without any return to Villa.
Time to move on, bring in strength in depth into the squad and substantially improve on last season's league record.

[paul_e]

I remain pissed off at the massive loyalty statement when he had such a low release clause, but although the dragging it out for a week has made it FEEL worse, I don't think it is worse. The damage was done in January, not in the last week. The last week is merely a fiasco, not the real crime,

The last week's shenanigans is coming over to me as a player who cares a bit too much what people think of him. Last week he didn't want us to think he was a scumbag and stayed, then the whole media went into a spin about him being a player with no bottle, not prepared to fight for his place, too much of a coward to test himself at a higher level, a lazy player who is happy in his comfort zone. I think we were angry at the unfairness of those statements about him, so I guess they would have stung him too. As the week wore on, he was damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

The phrase that came into my head last night as I was dropping of to sleep was 'Better to regret something you have done than something you haven't done' - and I think his final decision landed somewhere there. When I think of it logically, the last week is the bit where he hesitated to go, rather than had his bags packed ready, I am still angry with him, but less so, not more so, for the weird final week.

Very fair comments, Amfy.
And I'd add: although he has certainly not covered himself in glory - I, for one, believed in the sentiment he expressed last week and in January - he still might have not signed in January and left without any return to Villa.
Time to move on, bring in strength in depth into the squad and substantially improve on last season's league record.

What pisses people off though is making those statements whilst all the while having a clause which massively undervalues you.  If the clause was £20m and it was a shock that it got triggered then I'd have some sympathy but you don't put in a clause that far below your worth unless you want to keep your options open and if you want to keep your options open you don't tell everyone how loyal you are, twice.  As someone else said it looks to me like he wanted to leave but didn't want people to think badly of him and that would have bene the case for many if he'd kept his mouth shut.

It's like your missus telling you how much she loves whilst she's also been flirting with the new guy at work, If you've been drifting apart for months and barely talking and then you find her in bed with him it's upsetting but all the signs were there, if she'd been telling you how much she loved you a few hours earlier it's a full on kick in the balls.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

A change in username me thinks.

EVERYBODY! OVER HERE! HOLD HIM DOWN AND KICK THE CRAP OUT OF HIM.

COME AN' HAVE A GO IF YOU THINK YOU'RE RICH ENOUGH!

[danno]

After May my best mate said something along the lines of "I don't care who leaves, its who we bring in that counts".

I can only hope selling Benteke allows us to be stronger overall, than outstanding in one position.
I'm too young to remember Platt going, but think the money from that sale pretty much built BFR's side.

As for Delph we were forced into downgrading from Milner to him, so its surprising Man City with all their resources have chosen to do the same. A good player but if we can sort ourselves out a bit, and avoid another relegation scrap we won't miss him.

I think if we'd come close to breaking into the top 4 and then the team was dismantled, I'd be more pissed off.
As it is Delph has been an ever present in sides that by in large have been cack.

Cheery-fucking-O

[joe_c]

Anyway, enough ranting and swearing about this. Onto something that really matters... Like, how many glasses of wine do I need to lovingly ply my missus with until she gives in tonight?

If she wasn't amenable to your advances, perhaps you'll have better luck in six days time?

[Tony Erdington]

Not only was Steve Hodge a better man than Fabian Delph, he was also a better footballer and a greater loss.

Now there's a sentence I thought I'd never write.

That's true. I think what was forgotten about Hodge over the years is that he was actually a bloody good player, and far better than Delph (in my opinion). The only worry is that Hodge left a sinking ship. I just hope history doesn't repeat itself this time around.
Open that chequebook, Lerner.

great point, and a proper England international, through the mists of time, did he miss a penalty on purpose when playing for us??

[Villa in Denmark]

Arsenal will be hoping Citeh will play Delph against them this season so their players can run past him like he wasn't there.  Kinda like the FA Cup. Delph and the rest of our team were shown up for what they are that day. Shit themselves when they realised they were boys against men. Citeh have a goodish squad player on their hands. But don't expect him to step up to the plate on the big occasion.

Sadly it appears we played that final and the spine of the team possibly all knew it was their last game at the club (& played like they couldn't give a fuck) - given vlaar Delph benteke

Playing catch up, so I know that this is a relatively old post, but really? Professional players with a chance to win an FA Cup winners medal played with no interest because they wouldn't be here in August?

Even for you that's a pretty impressive stretch.

[silhillvilla]

Him and and his teammate Sterling embody so much of what is wrong with English players playing Premier League football.

Supporting England at euro2016 will now be nigh on impossible if them 2 are starting games

[LeeB]

Arsenal will be hoping Citeh will play Delph against them this season so their players can run past him like he wasn't there.  Kinda like the FA Cup. Delph and the rest of our team were shown up for what they are that day. Shit themselves when they realised they were boys against men. Citeh have a goodish squad player on their hands. But don't expect him to step up to the plate on the big occasion.

Sadly it appears we played that final and the spine of the team possibly all knew it was their last game at the club (& played like they couldn't give a fuck) - given vlaar Delph benteke

Playing catch up, so I know that this is a relatively old post, but really? Professional players with a chance to win an FA Cup winners medal played with no interest because they wouldn't be here in August?

Even for you that's a pretty impressive stretch.

I wouldn't say they took the pitch with that mindset, but once the game was going away from them one or two took on the appearance of not trying too hard, and maybe in the back of their mind maybe that dark thought of "fuck it, I'm off anyway" crept in.

[joe_c]

Delph posted a photo of him in City colours with the title "God is Good" on instagram.

He's getting torn apart in the comments.

Lies make baby Jesus cry.

[silhillvilla]

Arsenal will be hoping Citeh will play Delph against them this season so their players can run past him like he wasn't there.  Kinda like the FA Cup. Delph and the rest of our team were shown up for what they are that day. Shit themselves when they realised they were boys against men. Citeh have a goodish squad player on their hands. But don't expect him to step up to the plate on the big occasion.

Sadly it appears we played that final and the spine of the team possibly all knew it was their last game at the club (& played like they couldn't give a fuck) - given vlaar Delph benteke

Playing catch up, so I know that this is a relatively old post, but really? Professional players with a chance to win an FA Cup winners medal played with no interest because they wouldn't be here in August?

Even for you that's a pretty impressive stretch.

I wouldn't say they took the pitch with that mindset, but once the game was going away from them one or two took on the appearance of not trying too hard, and maybe in the back of their mind maybe that dark thought of "fuck it, I'm off anyway" crept in.

That's the point yes. 5 of that starting XI who gave one of the limpest ever cup final appearances in the history of the FA Cup are all out of the club now.

[silhillvilla]

& keep in mind sherwoods comments after the game aswell.