Fabian Delph - Signed for Manchester City

[peter w]

I don't think it's necessarily that Delph has moved. It's the nature of it that is puzzling and sticking in the craw. Plus the 8m release clause. That was selfish. At least Benteke's met his market value. If Delph wanted to give something then at least 12m would given us a decent return and a figure that Man c would still have met. And then there are those statements from Delph.

[Olof's Beard]

I just don't think the statements make him worse than a player who doesn't make a statement because he can't wait to get out of the door.

[peter w]

I just don't think the statements make him worse than a player who doesn't make a statement because he can't wait to get out of the door.

You don't think someone who says they're staying at the club, looking forward to the new season, not bailing out (paraphrasing), becomes captain, gets aq signing on fee and new wages from jan - July and then goes for a paltry fee is not worse than a player who simply just says nothing then goes?

Well I do. I see him as duplicitous a fucker as Barry.

[aj2k77]

Ian Taylor was a better player than Delph, I have no doubts about that.

I would say myself that Delph has better technical qualities but lacks Taylors true desire. Ian Taylor has affected many more games for Villa than Delph ever did and overall had much more of an impact at the club.

How will Delph be remembered in 25 years? Take away him being a ferret of a human if he'd just left for free with no palava would we be calling him up as a legend in 25 years? Remembering match winning goals and superb performances? I think not.

He's been revered right now because the team has been so shit and any midfielder capable of passing to a team mate has donned god like status. Delph has been ok, we've got our money back on him. We move on and look to unearth another Milner, not another Delph.

[Legion]

[Risso]

I just don't think the statements make him worse than a player who doesn't make a statement because he can't wait to get out of the door.

It's not often that I think you're bang wrong, but on this occasion, you're bang wrong.

The whole episode starting with the signing of the contract with the artificially low release clause in it is just one long list of lies and deceit.  His actions mark him out as the most treacherous liar we've ever had in my opinion I'm afraid.

[aj2k77]

Vlaar Cleverley Delph and Benteke have either left or about to leave, that is pretty much the spine of our team. I just hope that Tim is solidly backed by the chairman and board to get decent replacements in as this easily be the year where we end up one place worse off than last season.

It' a spine based on name though and not performance. Cleverley has been a rubbish loan for us, Bacuna probably put in more performances last year than him. Vlaar a true clown who I don't rate at all, always ready with a clanger in his back pocket and loses his man more often than a wheres wally book. Okore, Clark and laughably Senderos performed better than him. Delph, a steady influence for the whole season, nothing spectacular, not many stand out performances.

Then there's Benteke.....oh Christian, why do you have to leave?

[Olof's Beard]

I just don't think the statements make him worse than a player who doesn't make a statement because he can't wait to get out of the door.

You don't think someone who says they're staying at the club, looking forward to the new season, not bailing out (paraphrasing), becomes captain, gets aq signing on fee and new wages from jan - July and then goes for a paltry fee is not worse than a player who simply just says nothing then goes?

Well I do. I see him as duplicitous a fucker as Barry.

Only because we all want to believe that he didn't mean what he said at the time.  There isn't a person in the world who has never changed his or her mind at some point.  It's annoying, we thought he was going to buck a trend and duplicitous he may be, but he has made a logical decision over an emotional one in the end.

[Olof's Beard]

I just don't think the statements make him worse than a player who doesn't make a statement because he can't wait to get out of the door.

It's not often that I think you're bang wrong, but on this occasion, you're bang wrong.

The whole episode starting with the signing of the contract with the artificially low release clause in it is just one long list of lies and deceit.  His actions mark him out as the most treacherous liar we've ever had in my opinion I'm afraid.

Agreed the release clause is the bit he needs to explain.  Did he have no confidence or expectation that a team would come in for him at anything other than a paltry £8 million?  He is worth at least twice that so settling in the middle at £12 million would have led to few eyebrows been raised.  He has been badly advised there.  But that is nothing to do with his statements which I think came from the heart. I do think he has feelings for the club, unlike others who couldn't peg it quickly enough.

[Risso]

I just don't think the statements make him worse than a player who doesn't make a statement because he can't wait to get out of the door.

You don't think someone who says they're staying at the club, looking forward to the new season, not bailing out (paraphrasing), becomes captain, gets aq signing on fee and new wages from jan - July and then goes for a paltry fee is not worse than a player who simply just says nothing then goes?

Well I do. I see him as duplicitous a fucker as Barry.

Only because we all want to believe that he didn't mean what he said at the time.  There isn't a person in the world who has never changed his or her mind at some point.  It's annoying, we thought he was going to buck a trend and duplicitous he may be, but he has made a logical decision over an emotional one in the end.

Nobody can blame any player for moving on for the chance to win things and treble their salary, I'd do exactly the same, however it's the litany of lies that makes this so much worse.  The only reason for inserting the £8m clause was to force a move as soon as possible, and for any of the Champions League clubs, the chance to sign a young England International for relative peanuts was never going to be passed up.  So all the bollocks about this being his club, staying here for years, and leading us into the new season as captain was just utter lies.  And I don't like liars.

[silhillvilla]

Aside to Gueye and Amarvi joining (good news), I now want some assurances from fox / Lerner that sherwood will get the proceeds of the 2 sales (net £36m say) plus with all this TV money Lerner needs to commit another min of £25m , so sherwood has about £60m to rebuild . We need at least 4 or 5 quality players in the door sharpish .

[aj2k77]

Aside to Gueye and Amarvi joining (good news), I now want some assurances from fox / Lerner that sherwood will get the proceeds of the 2 sales (net £36m say) plus with all this TV money Lerner needs to commit another min of £25m , so sherwood has about £60m to rebuild . We need at least 4 or 5 quality players in the door sharpish .

We will not be spending £60m this summer. Unless every single one of the Lambert disaster signings leave it would blow the wage bill sky high again.

[Olof's Beard]

I just don't think the statements make him worse than a player who doesn't make a statement because he can't wait to get out of the door.

You don't think someone who says they're staying at the club, looking forward to the new season, not bailing out (paraphrasing), becomes captain, gets aq signing on fee and new wages from jan - July and then goes for a paltry fee is not worse than a player who simply just says nothing then goes?

Well I do. I see him as duplicitous a fucker as Barry.

Only because we all want to believe that he didn't mean what he said at the time.  There isn't a person in the world who has never changed his or her mind at some point.  It's annoying, we thought he was going to buck a trend and duplicitous he may be, but he has made a logical decision over an emotional one in the end.

Nobody can blame any player for moving on for the chance to win things and treble their salary, I'd do exactly the same, however it's the litany of lies that makes this so much worse.  The only reason for inserting the £8m clause was to force a move as soon as possible, and for any of the Champions League clubs, the chance to sign a young England International for relative peanuts was never going to be passed up.  So all the bollocks about this being his club, staying here for years, and leading us into the new season as captain was just utter lies.  And I don't like liars.

Lies or just emotional statements?  The definition of a lie is a deliberate mistruth, do we really believe that Delph released that statement while he still had the intention of pissing off five days later. He changed his mind and has come out looking stupid but he was genuinely torn over whether to stay or not, that's all.  I do believe this was a very hard decision for him and that's why it ended up being such a saga.

[silhillvilla]

Aside to Gueye and Amarvi joining (good news), I now want some assurances from fox / Lerner that sherwood will get the proceeds of the 2 sales (net £36m say) plus with all this TV money Lerner needs to commit another min of £25m , so sherwood has about £60m to rebuild . We need at least 4 or 5 quality players in the door sharpish .

We will not be spending £60m this summer. Unless every single one of the Lambert disaster signings leave it would blow the wage bill sky high again.

We've got shot of loads though bent, given , Weimann, lowton, Sylla, Delph, Benteke .

[PaulWinch again]

The £8 million clause undermines any statements that he had no intention to leave.