Grant Holt - confirmed on loan

[eastie]

Will be interesting to see if he gets a go alongside benteke at times or is just used as cover -if hoolahan does come then at least he and holt know each other's game pretty well.

[JUAN PABLO]

I'd always been naturally thin till about 10 years ago (am 45 now) so never bothered doing much exercise. Then I put a bit of flab on - gut, face, that kinda thing.

The last 3 months or so I've been using an exercise bike daily. When I first started using it, it absolutely fucking killed me. My knees would crack and throb all the following morning. I've built up to about 15-20k a day on it now (takes about an hour), and it's much, much easier, but fucking hell, I tell you what, all of that shit is miles, miles harder when you're getting on.

same here PW ,   been putting the stomach on the last year  and even cut out sugar and always been thin.   Ive got a bike ,so need to persist and use it ,instead of asking for lifts from work . I go on stage alot ,so dont want to be a porky bastard on there ;(

[JUAN PABLO]

Doesn't look fat to me.

Hes breathing in   

[adrenachrome]

Express and Star

Aston Villa new-boy Grant Holt ready to prove doubters wrong

Grant Holt has heard it all before – and he is ready to shove any doubts down the critics’ throats.

January 17, 2014 11:59 am

The Villa new-boy arrives with little fanfare but with a lot to prove after answering Paul Lambert’s call to arms. Holt is primed for a debut at Liverpool tomorrow after his surprise arrival on a season-long loan from Wigan.

Even Villa manager Lambert admitted the move had come “out of the blue” after he turned to one of his most trusted past lieutenants.

The pair helped Norwich from League One to the Premier League as Holt captained Lambert’s Canaries during three years of stunning success.

The striker was written off when Norwich were promoted in 2011 before scoring 15 top-flight goals and the former tyre fitter from Carlisle is ready to shock again.

“I’ve been quite fortunate in that when I get doubted I usually turn it round,” he said.

“I’m sure a lot of people who have seen the move have said ‘he won’t do that’ and ‘what are they doing that for?’

“That’s probably a lot of Villa fans too, half have said that and half are probably excited about it. That’s just football. Everyone has got an opinion and it’s the easiest thing in the world to sit around and have an opinion. It’s up to me to prove that opinion wrong.

“It’s an opportunity I’m going to take with two hands. We know how difficult it is as a league to get goals and games but I think I can do it.”

Lambert was hunting experience and forward cover after Libor Kozak was ruled out for the season with a broken leg.

And Holt insisted his know-how will help an inexperienced dressing room to stay out of relegation trouble.

He said: “One of the aims is to help them along. Everyone talks to the young lads but sometimes you do need that person to talk to. That’s what I will do. He (Lambert) didn’t come into Norwich and make me captain for no reason. I’m sure he realises what I did there and hopefully I can come in and give them a bit of experience.

“They are a good bunch of lads and if they grow as a football club and group of players they’ll be fine.”

Holt’s loan highlights the cutbacks Villa have made since signing Darren Bent from Sunderland for £24m exactly three years ago tomorrow.

Bent is now on loan himself at Fulham with other top earners shipped out to ease the wage bill.

And, after six defeats in their last eight games, Villa have come under fire for the lack of discernible improvement in Lambert’s long-term vision.

They sit five points above the Premier League drop zone but joint 10th in a congested table after Monday’s 2-1 defeat to Arsenal.

But Holt, 32, has backed Villa and Lambert’s plan and insisted they can make it work.

He said: “It’s hard to say it’s a sign of where the club’s going. They’ve spent £24m and it didn’t really work. At some point you’ve got to strip it back and you’ve got to do it the right way. That’s what they’re trying to do at this football club, they’re trying to get young lads in who are hungry.

“They might not be doing it on massive money, but they’re trying to build it properly and trying to get the football club back to where it was in the right way.

“It’s not just a case of the chairman coming out and chucking millions and millions, it just doesn’t work all the time.

“There have been clubs in the Premier League who have gone down and never ever recovered. I think that’s what you’ve got to be careful about.”

Holt is available but Nathan Baker is out after suffering concussion against Arsenal and Chris Herd and Joe Bennett are still not fit.

Liverpool are sweating on Mamadou Sakho’s fitness after a hamstring injury but fit-again Daniel Sturridge may have to settle for a place on the bench despite a scoring return in the 5-3 win at Stoke on Sunday. Joe Allen is fit again after an abductor injury.

[supertom]

I'm warming to Holt. It's a no risk signing. It seems as if he's started the ball rolling with transfers too, as we seem to have kicked into gear. He won me over with the highlights vid. Not so much the goals, or assists, or hold up play, but giving John Terry a ruddy good clattering. That'll do me. It has to be said too, his link up play isn't too shabby. Better than Kozaks, and he's also nigh on impossible to shift off the ball. I may well prove useful coming off the bench for 20-30 minutes in games we need a bit of nous in. To be fair to Holt, he does appear to have that.

[Toronto Villa]

I honestly think he was dying to get away from Norwich and he settled for Wigan. That playing in the Championship having worked so hard to get to the PL the hard way just took the fire out of him. Especially at the DW where they got next to nobody watching them in the PL. He will be so energised to be a complete success so this might be a shrewd move by Lambert. He'll bring experience and attitude also that we are missing.

[Virgil Caine]

I agree TV, it makes you wonder what the reactions would have been to the signings of Andy Lochead and Geoff Vowden if the internet had been around in the lates 60s early 70s.

I think that Holt may well contribute by adding a bit of steel, I think the Villa could be perceived as a tad lightweight and soft, a little bit of nastiness may well inspire others to get stuck in more.

[dave.woodhall]

I agree TV, it makes you wonder what the reactions would have been to the signings of Andy Lochead and Geoff Vowden if the internet had been around in the lates 60s early 70s.

I think that Holt may well contribute by adding a bit of steel, I think the Villa could be perceived as a tad lightweight and soft, a little bit of nastiness may well inspire others to get stuck in more.

You could argue that we were in the third division then. You could also argue that short-term needs require short-term solutions. Steve Sims, Cyrille Regis & Colin Calderwood spring to mind.

[SashasGrandad]

Doesn't look fat to me.

Hes breathing in   

Photoshop?

[danno]

All I kept thinking when watching the youtube video, was that Gabby is going to love him.

[danlanza]

Doesn't look fat to me.

Hes breathing in   

Photoshop?

Wearing the right colours always makes you look better.

[Dave Clark Five]

I agree TV, it makes you wonder what the reactions would have been to the signings of Andy Lochead and Geoff Vowden if the internet had been around in the lates 60s early 70s.

I think that Holt may well contribute by adding a bit of steel, I think the Villa could be perceived as a tad lightweight and soft, a little bit of nastiness may well inspire others to get stuck in more.

You could argue that we were in the third division then. You could also argue that short-term needs require short-term solutions. Steve Sims, Cyrille Regis & Colin Calderwood spring to mind.

That is what I said yesterday. Bringing in a bit of muscle is a proven method to get back on track and safe.

[Virgil Caine]

I agree TV, it makes you wonder what the reactions would have been to the signings of Andy Lochead and Geoff Vowden if the internet had been around in the lates 60s early 70s.

I think that Holt may well contribute by adding a bit of steel, I think the Villa could be perceived as a tad lightweight and soft, a little bit of nastiness may well inspire others to get stuck in more.

You could argue that we were in the third division then. You could also argue that short-term needs require short-term solutions. Steve Sims, Cyrille Regis & Colin Calderwood spring to mind.

Agree Dave, it was more a tongue in cheek comment which was inspired by me day dreaming what some of the posters would have said on signing a bald headed, bow legged has been, whose lack of pace was deceptive ( he was slower than he looked) alongside a former sty dweller who should have retired two years previously and had a head the shape of a kelloggs box ( well that's how I remember him).

Looks and physical attributes can be incredibly deceiving.

[dekko]

When he was at Norwich I always thought that Holt was a big cheating lump, but also that he was suprisingly effective and if he was at my club I'd probably love him.

Hopefully he'll give me some reasons to, starting with a hattrick against the baggies - in that vein, here he is scoring a hattrick in a less glamorous derby:

(also includes a nice goal from a chap called wes hoolahan)

[Toronto Villa]

I always thought Holt was a prick but now he's our prick. I hope he really gets into those Liverpool CB's tomorrow and Benteke really gets going.