Joe Cole

[Phil from the upper holte]

If this is a bit of experienced cover for the first team and we still have a bit of money to spend, I can live with it.

Why do people keep saying "glad I didn't renew" like it's some sort of badge of honour?

I don't understand that mentality either, either you're a fan or you're not! I don't go down that often now because I have a new baby and I cannot afford it but I love to go down

[RussellC]

I think this signing really hammers home the message that we're not going to surrender our place in the FA CUp until at least that the 5th round this season.

[kippaxvilla2]

This kind of reminds me of the time we were signing Schmeichel etc.  We were kind of excited but we weren't at the same time.

[RussellC]

but I love to go down

Snigger.

[fbriai]

At least we don't have to worry about other teams coming along and cherry-picking our best players as they come to the end of their contracts!

[QBVILLA]

but I love to go down

Snigger.

Also snigger

[brian green]

Funny how we can all be Villa fans but hold totally opposing views. Everything we have done with the For Sale sign hanging in the window fills me with despair.  Showing Marc the door, bringing in Keane, Senderos and Cole leaves me convinced it is damage limitation time at Villa Park. To me it all smacks of us throwing out the notion of attractive football and doing whatever we can with frees and loan signings. Hoofball may well be on the menu again next season. In the meantime dream of Qatari billionaires.

[Phil from the upper holte]

but I love to go down

Snigger.

Child lol, When I go down it's like a breath of fresh air

[QBVILLA]

Funny how we can all be Villa fans but hold totally opposing views. Everything we have done with the For Sale sign hanging in the window fills me with despair.  Showing Marc the door, bringing in Keane, Senderos and Cole leaves me convinced it is damage limitation time at Villa Park. To me it all smacks of us throwing out the notion of attractive football and doing whatever we can with frees and loan signings. Hoofball may well be on the menu again next season. In the meantime dream of Qatari billionaires.

Without a massive investment we are looking at a fifth successive season of merely trying to avoid relegation. Now whilst Cole isn't the player he once was at least with him in the side you'd expect to see the ball on the deck more.

[QBVILLA]

but I love to go down

Snigger.

Child lol, When I go down it's like a breath of fresh air

I'd compare it more to walking into a greenhouse on a hot day

[Phil from the upper holte]

but I love to go down

Snigger.

Child lol, When I go down it's like a breath of fresh air

I'd compare it more to walking into a greenhouse on a hot day

*applause*

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

If this is a bit of experienced cover for the first team and we still have a bit of money to spend, I can live with it.

Why do people keep saying "glad I didn't renew" like it's some sort of badge of honour?

We keep saying it because things like this keep coming up, reminding us of why we didn't renew. It'd be nice to be able to say "oh, shit, why didn't I renew???", but nothing has happened for anyone to say that.

The end of last season was a reason not to renew. The last 4 seasons was enough not to renew. Signing Senderos shows no ambition and a reason why we're happy we didn't renew. And now Joe Cole. We'll keep saying it as long as shit things keep happening.

It's nothing to be proud of, just a sign of how things are.

[not3bad]

Showing Marc the door, bringing in Keane, Senderos and Cole leaves me convinced it is damage limitation time at Villa Park. To me it all smacks of us throwing out the notion of attractive football and doing whatever we can with frees and loan signings. Hoofball may well be on the menu again next season.

Well, we're certainly doing whatever we can with frees and loan signings, but whatever else Joe Cole might be, he isn't a hoofball signing.

[pauliewalnuts]

Stan not impressed, I see.

[Toronto Villa]

I can't work out why the 32 year old Joe Cole is past it and a bad signing whereas the 33 year old Gareth Barry would apparently be ideal.

For me, its because Barry isnt a crock. And Barry is just a better player all-round. Cole has the tricks but when does he use them. Seldom.

Exactly.

Barry and Hoolahan have both done the business very recently. Cole has looked past it for a long while now.

He had a good spell at Lille and yes didn't impress in his recent spell back at West Ham. However, is that partly down to the anti-football tactics of his previous manager and does Cole signing for us suggest a change from the anti-football tactics of ours?