Emi Martinez

[VILLA MOLE]

I was at that match when Big Ron came on and did his announcement re Deano although I can't remember off hand which match it was?

sheffield united I think, I remember that the local press they said we should sign Brian Deane not Dean Saunders because he was a handful ?

[KevinGage]

I have misgivings about this. Maybe Heaton's rehabilitation is behind schedule or not going to plan.

Personally I'd have looked at someone like Fraser Forster as a capable number two to step in and use the money in other areas.

But the guy seems driven to establish himself as Argentina's no 1 and Arsenal fans are pissed off at the prospect of losing him.

Good signs.

[KevinGage]

I was at that match when Big Ron came on and did his announcement re Deano although I can't remember off hand which match it was?

Crystal Palace at home, before we beat them 3-0.

sheffield united I think, I remember that the local press they said we should sign Brian Deane not Dean Saunders because he was a handful ?

[Drummond]

We're generous with our fees, aren't we? 

Neil Cutler is going to be a busy man coaching half a team of goalkeepers. Clubs will know we're desperate to offload Nyland and Kalinic so we'll take a haircut on them (Nyland is nicely coiffeured, admittedly).

But yeah, welcome Emmi the Great !

It's a shock to the system for us Villa fans, this new found not-fucking-about-over-transfers shit. We're used to missing out over £500k or having the manager have to walk onto the pitch and tell that honestly, the chairman is not a tight arse twat, and we will get the player we want.

Bugger that. the season starts tomorrow and we've dithered. It's ridiculous.

[Ger Regan]

I have misgivings about this. Maybe Heaton's recuperation is behind schedule or not going to plan.

Personally I'd have looked at someone like Fraser Forster as a capable number two to step in and use the money in other areas.

But the guy seems driven to establish himself as Argentina's no 1 and Arsenal fans are pissed off at the prospect of losing him.

Good signs.

Forster would be a stop gap approach, Martinez could potentially sort that position for the next 10 years.

[KevinGage]

Aye, hopefully.

Argentinian and Brazilian internationals in the Villa starting XI. 

Go back two years and we had Glen Whelan and Nyland in place of Luiz and this guy.

Those weren't the days.

[Singapore Villa]

Slightly concerned we are a bit premature on starting this thread!

Not done yet is it??

[Dave]

Slightly concerned we are a bit premature on starting this thread!

Not done yet is it??

It's not, but we tend to graduate to a new thread when there is enough smoke to suggest that something is actually happening.

[Brazilian Villain]

I think this is a good signing, but it's just brutal having to spend so much on yet another keeper.

If At First You Don't Succeed (or if serious injuries intervene), Try, Try Again!

Very happy with this plus signals that we mean business.

[enigma]

Happy with this. Never been convinced by any of the back up keepers and Heaton has had an awful long term injury and at 34 is no spring chicken. Who knows how much it'll affect his mobility?

[LeeB]

I was at that match when Big Ron came on and did his announcement re Deano although I can't remember off hand which match it was?

Palace at home. The next home game was Liverpool

[eamonn]

Slightly concerned we are a bit premature on starting this thread!

Not done yet is it??

It's not, but we tend to graduate to a new thread when there is enough smoke to suggest that something is actually happening.

Tsk. You wouldn't get this on TBAR (they'd probably announce the signing three weeks after it happened).

[paul_e]

Happy with this. Never been convinced by any of the back up keepers and Heaton has had an awful long term injury and at 34 is no spring chicken. Who knows how much it'll affect his mobility?

I agree. I like Heaton but I don't think any of the others are good enough to start regularly so if there's any doubts over Heaton I'd rather get someone in. I also like that he's a little younger than many of the links, I like the idea of growing the squad as a group and despite being a few years older than most he's in a similar place in his development to many of them.

[Risso]

Slightly concerned we are a bit premature on starting this thread!

Not done yet is it??

It's not, but we tend to graduate to a new thread when there is enough smoke to suggest that something is actually happening.

Tsk. You wouldn't get this on TBAR (they'd probably announce the signing three weeks after it happened).

Is there *anything* on TBAR these days?

[Ian.]

Slightly concerned we are a bit premature on starting this thread!

Not done yet is it??

It's not, but we tend to graduate to a new thread when there is enough smoke to suggest that something is actually happening.

Tsk. You wouldn't get this on TBAR (they'd probably announce the signing three weeks after it happened).

Is there *anything* on TBAR these days?

It reminds me of the scene from Detectorists in the last episode when Simon and Garfunkle have no club to be part of.