Grant Holt - confirmed on loan

[eastie]

Some very wise person, I truly wish I could remember who it was for it displayed insight and wisdom of almost four dimensional profundity, said that what we really need is a player to kick the opposition when the referee is not looking.

I had hoped that Sylla would be that that player but it was not to be.   It could well be Grant Holt.   I do hope so.   

I remember posting about seeing Andy Lochhead punch a York player one night, after checking if the ref was watching. Rightly or wrongly, I enjoyed it and still yearn for players like that to wear our shirt. Their passion spills over into the crowd. We need that, especially at Villa Park.

I love seeing a nasty  tough tackling midfielder who can play a bit - very much in the Steve McMahon mould.

[Dave Clark Five]

Some very wise person, I truly wish I could remember who it was for it displayed insight and wisdom of almost four dimensional profundity, said that what we really need is a player to kick the opposition when the referee is not looking.

I had hoped that Sylla would be that that player but it was not to be.   It could well be Grant Holt.   I do hope so.   

I remember posting about seeing Andy Lochhead punch a York player one night, after checking if the ref was watching. Rightly or wrongly, I enjoyed it and still yearn for players like that to wear our shirt. Their passion spills over into the crowd. We need that, especially at Villa Park.

I love seeing a nasty  tough tackling midfielder who can play a bit - very much in the Steve McMahon mould.

Any truth that he transferred to Villa to save a straight swap between the two Liverpool clubs?

[Dave Clark Five]

Some very wise person, I truly wish I could remember who it was for it displayed insight and wisdom of almost four dimensional profundity, said that what we really need is a player to kick the opposition when the referee is not looking.

I had hoped that Sylla would be that that player but it was not to be.   It could well be Grant Holt.   I do hope so.   

I remember posting about seeing Andy Lochhead punch a York player one night, after checking if the ref was watching. Rightly or wrongly, I enjoyed it and still yearn for players like that to wear our shirt. Their passion spills over into the crowd. We need that, especially at Villa Park.

I love seeing a nasty  tough tackling midfielder who can play a bit - very much in the Steve McMahon mould.

Any truth that he transferred to Villa to save a straight swap between the two Liverpool clubs?

"When Steve McMahon plays well, I always think that Liverpool will play well." This ultimate compliment from Bob Paisley's bear testament to McMahon's capabilities. McMahon started out as a ball boy at Goodison Park and eventually joined his boyhood heroes Everton. He was a regular for the Blues for three seasons and voted the supporters' player of the year in his debut campaign. When he felt it was time was to move on he chose Aston Villa in a £300,000 deal over Liverpool. He confessed that he didn't dare to do the virtually impossible to move straight from the blue half of Liverpool to the red. His transfer turned out to be a step down as Everton were a club on the rise, winning the League Championship two years after his move while Aston Villa struggled to follow their 1980/81 league triumph. Before McMahon eventually joined Liverpool he had certainly had his tussles with their players. "They set me up. Kenny got me booked and Souey got me sent off," says McMahon of their Anfield battle on 17 September 1983. "They certainly set out to wind me up and they succeeded. They were crafty. I was wound up anyway going back to Merseyside and they did me a treat." Since Souness left Liverpool for Rome in 1984, a playmaker of some force was needed as the Reds lost the title to Everton. When Liverpool came in for McMahon again in September 1985 he turned down one of Liverpool's greatest rivals. "I turned down Manchester United to join Liverpool, that's how much I wanted to sign for the club. Villa were playing at Southampton. Manager Tony Barton named the team at midday, then pulled me to one side to explain why I wasn't playing that night. I had made it clear that I wanted to move back to the north. The manager said: 'I think you might like this move.' He informed me that Manchester United manager Ron Atkinson had made a satisfactory offer that had been accepted by Villa. I believe it involved a swap deal with Alan Brazil. I think I shocked Tony Barton when I replied: 'Thanks but no thanks.' There had been a great deal of press speculation that Liverpool would move in, and I was prepared to bide my time for that chance. When the opportunity arose to sign for Liverpool I took it and it was the best decision of my career."

[eastie]

Thank god he chose Liverpool and we avoided alan brazil in a villa shirt .

[brian green]

The Steve McMahon transfer was shrouded in more mystery than a Danish black and white tecko.

The serious point I try to make is that we have become perceived as soft, especially at home and it must be rectified.   Craig Gardner is such a nasty piece of work you ought to expect a bit of it to be in Gary's genes but he never has been lucky enough to get a run in the team to show if he is a tiger or a pussy.

[eastie]

The Steve McMahon transfer was shrouded in more mystery than a Danish black and white tecko.

The serious point I try to make is that we have become perceived as soft, especially at home and it must be rectified.   Craig Gardner is such a nasty piece of work you ought to expect a bit of it to be in Gary's genes but he never has been lucky enough to get a run in the team to show if he is a tiger or a pussy.

I don't think he has that kind of edge to his game from what I've seen BRian.

[Dave Clark Five]

I think Gary should be loaned out for a bit to get his confidence back with a few regular games. He is a great player but that injury was cruel at a critical time in his development.

[kipeye]

I don't agree with the nasty conclusion, although I can see where it comes from-we don't have enough grit. I have come to my own conclusion that we are trying to play at a pace that suits very good players-which means we are disadvantaged by a lot of visiting teams who simply have a lot more skill. The ones that don't have this make up for it not in aggression-but in upping the tempo, running and closing everyone down. So we are beaten both ways.
Lambert is trying to be Barca with Walsall. I would like to see some non-stop running and constant harassing of the opposition until we have the players that can deliver the slower possession and passing game.

[eastie]

I think Gary should be loaned out for a bit to get his confidence back with a few regular games. He is a great player but that injury was cruel at a critical time in his development.

I agree, will be interesting to see if he gets a new deal in the summer - he has been cruelly hit by injuries .

[Darth Villa]

I don't think it's just about being nasty, it's a physical and mental toughness we're lacking. Monday night there was a point where Benteke got in a tussle with a couple of arse players and several other arse players ran in to support their mates. No one in claret and blue stuck up for Benteke. I've watched this scenario loads of times this season and if Holt can help our younger players feel there's someone on the pitch who's got there back it can only help lift there confidence.

[N'ZMAV]

I've got a feeling Holt won't hide. Especially in the dressing room, he'll offer a bit of leadership and will point a few fingers in the dressing room. Where as I can't imagine many of our other players will.

[brian green]

I think we must not confuse "nasty" with "dirty".   My definition of nasty is doing whatever it takes not to be cowed or intimidated by the opposition.   If John Terry is putting his studs down your calves you give him some back.   All the running and energy and never-say-die attitude is not going to make it stop but a forearm smash across face will.

[Olneythelonely]

Looking very good actually. He probably goes to the top of our sexiest player list. I think I'm going to end up liking the toned bastard.

I am pleased about that. Didn't know some fans had a list like that?

If Holt is the sexiest player at our club, there is hope for me yet

We do have an unusually ugly bunch.

I have ratings and everything Olaftab.

[supertom]

Looking very good actually. He probably goes to the top of our sexiest player list. I think I'm going to end up liking the toned bastard.

I am pleased about that. Didn't know some fans had a list like that?

If Holt is the sexiest player at our club, there is hope for me yet

We do have an unusually ugly bunch.

I have ratings and everything Olaftab.

The days of Daveed and Juan Pablo with the Timotei locks and model faces are long gone. I think Martin O Neill was the one who really put us on the road to munterville, after Gregory had tried to somewhat redress the balance.

[Summers]

I dunno why, but I've warmed to Holt for no reason whatsoever.

I think it might be the negative responses and all the finger pointing/laughter directed at him and the club. I hope he scores a bunch.