Summer 2016: Transfer rumours and suggestions

[Ian.]

But that's the thing, they don't need to be nasty f##kers, just competent.

The best midfields we've turned out in recent years have been Petrov and Barry followed by Petrov and Milner.

Not so much nasty bastards, just good footballers. The rest of it is macho bollocks.

I'd add winners to that. Players that care and don't like losing.

[Villa in Denmark]

But that's the thing, they don't need to be nasty f##kers, just competent.

The best midfields we've turned out in recent years have been Petrov and Barry followed by Petrov and Milner.

Not so much nasty bastards, just good footballers. The rest of it is macho bollocks.

I'd add winners to that. Players that care and don't like losing.

Yes, I'd go along with that, and something that is patently lacking from the vast majority of the squad.  Despite the frankly insulting platitudes that get served up by the likes of Richards and Bacuna to name just 2, about how they're hurting too, they don't appear to be too fussed when they get skinned by some half wit journeyman for the 10th time in 15 minutes against the likes of Swansea or Norwich.

That doesn't need a nasty f##ker to sort it out. It needs someone who knows what they're doing and is prepared to do it, instead of thinking "F##k it, just get through the next 30 minutes and the gaffer will probably take me off. Another £25-65K in the bank. Anyone fancy Dubai next weekend?"

Despite appearances to the contrary, a good proportion of that squad have either previously proven that as individuals that they can at least survive at the arse end of PL or shown enough potential to suggest that lower mid table shouldn't be a problem. What we've seen has been total and abject capitulation and that's not about ability, that's about giving a shit.

[tomd2103]

But that's the thing, they don't need to be nasty f##kers, just competent.

The best midfields we've turned out in recent years have been Petrov and Barry followed by Petrov and Milner.

Not so much nasty bastards, just good footballers. The rest of it is macho bollocks.

I don't know.  I think we have been far too soft for too long now and I'm fed up of seeing teams come to Villa Park and have an easy ride.  It's also plain to see that there are no real leaders in the dressing room either and players get away with a lack of effort week in week out.  When I think of the best midfielders I have seen over the past few decades - Keane, Scholes, Gerrard - even going back as far as Souness and Robson - they all had a nasty streak in them.

[Ads]

Agreed. You need that devilment in a side who when the opposition look at their name on the team sheet feel uncomfortable because of their quality and how difficult they're going to make life for 90 minutes.

We couldn't be any softer unless we sent out marshmallows in claret and blue. I'm sick of sides turning up at Villa Park and doing what they want.

We need that intangible steel, grit and evil in there somewhere.  A genuine leader who will out pass you and trade blow for blow if you fancy a knock and even if you don't. We get bullied so easily and that's got to stop.

[curiousorange]

This is just a little thing, but I think it would help if Villa had a decent and long-standing theme to come out to, one that suggests you're at Villa Park and you're going to know about it. I mean, they used to use the Black Eyed Peas. Whenever I heard it my heart sank; it was like, "hey, it's a big party here! Have three points." The closest they came in the last decade was Paranoid.

[peter w]

barton wouldn't be the world's worst signing and come on, be fair and own-up, who didn't see his Man City scrap and love it? Just me?

[in exile]

This is just a little thing, but I think it would help if Villa had a decent and long-standing theme to come out to, one that suggests you're at Villa Park and you're going to know about it. I mean, they used to use the Black Eyed Peas. Whenever I heard it my heart sank; it was like, "hey, it's a big party here! Have three points." The closest they came in the last decade was Paranoid.

I could never understand why they used Paranoid

[Monty]

You don't have to be nasty by any means, but you do need to have some inner steel and some phlegm about you. One huge difference between Barca and, say, Arsenal is that if you kick Arsenal they wilt like sad flowers, whereas Barca will just keep going and don't get intimidated (they might chest and whine and roll around, buy that's another matter). Iniesta and Xavi might not dish it out, but they can take it.

Obviously in England you'll need more of that steel than you will in Spain, doubly so in the Championship. Players like Westwood and Bacuna are too mentally feeble for the division we're going into, I fear - we'll need a bit more testicular fortitude to do well down there than we have now.

[Toronto Villa]

You don't have to be nasty by any means, but you do need to have some inner steel and some phlegm about you. One huge difference between Barca and, say, Arsenal is that if you kick Arsenal they wilt like sad flowers, whereas Barca will just keep going and don't get intimidated (they might chest and whine and roll around, buy that's another matter). Iniesta and Xavi might not dish it out, but they can take it.

Obviously in England you'll need more of that steel than you will in Spain, doubly so in the Championship. Players like Westwood and Bacuna are too mentally feeble for the division we're going into, I fear - we'll need a bit more testicular fortitude to do well down there than we have now.

Agree and Messi is the greatest example of that on the planet. If the best talent on the planet and can take a kicking and yet keep on coming at you, mentally you break down faster. We are mentally weak, and while I don't dismiss the need for added physicality, it doesn't have to be what we become. We need to have stronger players mentally who don't see conceding a goal as the end of the battle, but just a hurdle to overcome and that they are capable of overcoming.

[Villa in Denmark]

You don't have to be nasty by any means, but you do need to have some inner steel and some phlegm about you. One huge difference between Barca and, say, Arsenal is that if you kick Arsenal they wilt like sad flowers, whereas Barca will just keep going and don't get intimidated (they might chest and whine and roll around, buy that's another matter). Iniesta and Xavi might not dish it out, but they can take it.

Obviously in England you'll need more of that steel than you will in Spain, doubly so in the Championship. Players like Westwood and Bacuna are too mentally feeble for the division we're going into, I fear - we'll need a bit more testicular fortitude to do well down there than we have now.

Thanks for articulating what I was trying to say. And well done on testicular fortitude. That might be phrase of the day.

[Villa in Denmark]

This is just a little thing, but I think it would help if Villa had a decent and long-standing theme to come out to, one that suggests you're at Villa Park and you're going to know about it. I mean, they used to use the Black Eyed Peas. Whenever I heard it my heart sank; it was like, "hey, it's a big party here! Have three points." The closest they came in the last decade was Paranoid.

I could never understand why they used Paranoid

There's plenty of Sabbath tracks that would be better.

Iron Man if you wanted a go a putting the shits up people for example.
Personally I'd go for Never Say Die. Upbeat, not too heavy and an easy hook for the crowd to sing along too, with the right "message".

Of course this year Roll Over (Beethoven) should have been the choice.

[Steve67]

Or, in Leandro Bacuna's case, 'I'm a wanker!' by George Formby.

[ASHTONVILLA]

I'd rather they went back to using 'Theme From an Unknown Silent Movie', it reminds me of when we used to be good.

[avfcpg]

Don't need to be nasty, its still football. A division below the prem granted but play better football and you will generally beat the side you are playing.
Bournemouth aren't in the least bit nasty...hardworking and play decent stuff and they did ok last year. Don't buy into the "got be hard, nasty and tough to play in this division".

[SamTheMouse]

To be fair, I haven't seen us get physically bullied very often. It's more a matter of us being technically shit and lacking effort and team spirit.

I'm not sure about this needing a nasty streak. Sunderland have Cattermole, who is the dirtiest fucker on the planet, yet they never look much good with him in the side.

You need winners, not bullies.