Birmingham Mail and Villa coverage

[Damo70]

Why make a point of the fact only half of the 32.5 million for Benteke was paid up front? Hardly unusual for a fee of that size is it? In fact don't some selling clubs actually sometimes prefer it that way for tax reasons? I seem to remember something like that when we bought Davies from Albion. They had already received a fair bit of transfer income and preferred to delay most of the money for a year.

[dave.woodhall]

Villa are now used to losing their top players following a summer of more high-profile exits.

When was the last one -  three years ago?

[Percy McCarthy]

Why make a point of the fact only half of the 32.5 million for Benteke was paid up front? Hardly unusual for a fee of that size is it? In fact don't some selling clubs actually sometimes prefer it that way for tax reasons? I seem to remember something like that when we bought Davies from Albion. They had already received a fair bit of transfer income and preferred to delay most of the money for a year.

Quite. Does he know how we're paying for our signings?

Still, I think we know why he made a point of it. The sad, barely-literate, Villa-hating twat.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I thing Gregg even managed to confuse himself with this one...not that its a hard thing to do:

The 29-year-old has been given the chance to impress under every manager he’s worked for in the Midlands but each time he has failed to disappoint.

Idiot.

I giggled.

[dave.woodhall]

When you think they can't get any worse.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/mail-says-aston-villa-v-9950383

[Stirchley Villain]

When you think they can't get any worse.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/mail-says-aston-villa-v-9950383

Honestly... who ever takes notice of the BM?

[old man villa fan]

So having said that the rugby is on the weekend after, are they suggesting the Albion game should be postponed.  Cup v PL, cup take precedence, right!

Also mentioned that the police do not reckon there will be any trouble.

Mind you, this article was predicted on here.  The Mail, so predictable.

[Dave]

When you think they can't get any worse.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/mail-says-aston-villa-v-9950383

The only thing that surprises me is that they've not used the 'pitch invasion shame' from last season's quarter final as further evidence of why it couldn't possibly be any earlier than a weekend lunchtime.

[Damo70]

When you think they can't get any worse.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/mail-says-aston-villa-v-9950383

Honestly... who ever takes notice of the BM?

That is an absolute disgrace. Not the article but the picture. There are four Villa players there who clearly haven't been briefed to leave agent Ridgewell alone to perform his undercover duties.

[Edvard Remberg]

Is Mat Kendrick still defending that piece of... ?

Incredible that they post against the biggest team in the region.

[dave.woodhall]

And one club always has the local media salivating.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/west-brom-comment-jeremy-peace-9976489

[SoccerHQ]

So astute he appoints managerial genius's like Pepe Mel and Alan Irvine.

[pauliewalnuts]

Some absolute top notch journalism from the Mail this evening, looking at the upcoming version of the FIFA console game, and the ratings given to Albion and Villa players in it.

Here's the Albion one:

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/west-broms-record-signing-salomon-10015559

Which starts with the line: "Rondon the only Albion player to break score of 80 in latest instalment of popular computer game"

Here's the Villa one:

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-who-tim-sherwoods-10013743#rlabs=6%20rt$sitewide%20p$10

Which starts with the rather convoluted, but gleefully delivered line: "Only five players in the Premier League had a worse rating than Villa's lowest player score"

They're talking about Crespo, who has been given a rating of 70.

If you're interested, the lowest rated Albion player is Gnabry, also on 70, but clearly, the focus on the Albion article is on their highest rated player, whereas the Villa one is on their lowest rated.

The Villa "article" is "written" by Gregggg Evans, though, which probably explains the negative slant.

Interestingly the second highest rated "Albion player" now plays for Aston Villa.

[Matt Collins]

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-birthday-boy-jack-10024919#ICID=ios_BMNewsApp_AppShare_Click_Twitter

Jesus. A professional journalist writing for a real newspaper wrote this.

[Damo70]

So astute he appoints managerial genius's like Pepe Mel and Alan Irvine.

Perhaps his hit and miss managerial ratio is down to the fact he seems to change them every eighteen months.