MessiWillSignForVilla

That was part of my point. The Westwood and Lowton that started in November last year wont be as strong as the two that start on Saturday Yeah I agree, the second bit was more of a general point, although Westwood and Lowton weren't particularly great around that period.

I hate international football, so for me it won't be that great!

To be fair, only six of them I think will be nowhere near the matchday squad, and three of those are the subs. One thing that is a positive for us this year is our starting line up don't have the pressure to adapt and prove themselves in the Premier League, and won't be in a relegation battle (hopefully) very early on like last season. Our flirt with relegation will also instill a belief in the players that if it comes to it, they can get themselves out of it again, unlike last year when they all looked like lost children at times. This is why I don't think we will need many more players, as last years squad have grown in ability and confidence.

I don't understand how the FA can support the idea of a winter world cup, why not question whether it should be held elsewhere. But then again, money.

http://deadspin.com/5980241/french-magazine-reports-that-qatar-bribed-its-way-to-the-2022-world-cup Scoop of the century My main question about Qatar is if it's unrealistic to play there in the summer, why was it given the World Cup that has been played in the summer for almost 80 years. EDIT: Added the text.

If the European Championships will have 24 teams, what's the point in the qualifying stage, would be much easier to have a two legged play-off. It's a huge shame that the NextGen is getting killed off, it seems UEFA only supported it to see if it worked so they could implement there own money spinning version. Will completely kill off our academy if UEFA get there way, as there competition will be a draw for younger players who will no longer care if they get first team opportunities, only if they get to play in the U-19 Champions League. Along with FFP, it's just one small step until that glorious day the top teams bring in the European Super League.

No chance we'll get a defender IMO, as much as I want a back up for Lowton. We've signed Okore and Luna, and as much as some may not like it, Lambert has obviously identified CB and LB as our weaknesses in terms of either depth or quality, and has signed players to rectify it. If he thought we needed another CB urgently as some suggest, we would've signed another. It baffles me that some say defence is currently our huge weakness considering we haven't seen what is probably going to be 50% of it play in a competitive game, and one of them looks as if he could be signing of the season.

As it stands Fulham will pay all of his wage, pay us 2 million up front, with the option of a permanent deal which will be another 3 mill. This is a good for everyone concerned. Yes, but could have been better for us. How much so? No one is willing to pay up front so a deal that rids us of his wages, albeit only for a year, and potentially pays us £5m, roughly what we wanted, is a good deal

It's better than nothing, it get's rid of his wages for a year, gives us a small fee and puts him in the shop window too. Yeah but to Fulham? A club who've already (allegedly) offered us £4m? But if it is a loan move then any rumour of a permanent deal is not true as no way would we accept a loan deal and not a permanent deal.

It's better than nothing, it get's rid of his wages for a year, gives us a small fee and puts him in the shop window too.

Thank goodness we're unlike Fulham in that the strongest point of our team is our defence. Why do you hate Villa so much? Our current attacking trio track back an awful lot, nobody mentioned either teams defence. I love our team but hate double standards. But Zatman pointed out Fulham's front three don't track back, which ours do, so in defense Fulham effectively will have 8 players where as we and most other teams will have 10/11, hence why Fulham could be favourites to go down. No double standards about it.

Possibly as apparently it's to Fulham who will cover all of his wages, the major stumbling block for bringing players in IMO

Yup. And to answer MessiWillSignForVilla's question fully: Young threw himself to the floor against one of his former team mates to win his team a penalty. Yorke sulked off against Everton to force a move. Downing turned his back on the club just weeks after stating that he was looking to sign a new deal. He also failed to show us respect after we took him from the Championship while nursing a broken leg. I get why those guys are hated, I don't get why Milner isn't. Yes he gave his all for the club. Yes he was a great player. But at the end of the day he spent two seasons with us, jumped at the first chance, turned the entire transfer into a saga which meant we still had in the 10/11 season for a bit (a saga which apparently made MON leave), and despite desperately wanting to go to Man City wouldn't hand in a transfer request to get it sorted just so he could get his pay off. IMO, he's just as bad as the rest of them. PS- Also, Yorke was just a big name I threw out there, I was five when he left and devastated and therefore know little about how he acted when he left

So were Downing, Young, Barry and Yorke, yet none of them are held anywhere near in such high regard as Milner.

Was the same last year, I remember either watching TV or listening to the radio after getting my three D's to hear that every other person who did their A level's seemingly got all A's and B's, it really twisted the knife in. Then people have the cheek to claim it's all getting too easy, but that's probably because they see every top student reveal there results on TV/Radio and never actually realise there are students who do average/terrible as well.

Quick question, why is Milner treated like a god on this forum? Yeah he was a great player for us, but he jumped ship at the first sniff just like the rest of them. He has no interest in our club, only money, just like Downing, Young, Barry, Yorke, etc. Yet seemingly because he didn't hand in a transfer request (the shitty thing to do when you want to leave like he did) he isn't vilified, but in fact loved! I Just don't get it.

Even though Liverpool are out top four and not getting back into it, they still want to hold on to the "status" of Liverpool, as they perceive it. The way they do that is pretend a talented Aston Villa side doesn't exist. I don't think it's that. It probably has more to do with the fact they know shit all about football. Unfortunately even with Benteke I don't think we're quite Top 8 material just yet.

Define effective. I had almost as much effect on Villa's season last year and I can't even claim to be part of the "12th man" as I don't get down to games anymore due to Rugby/Uni.

I'm pretty sure if Lambert thought we were totally reliant on Benteke he would have signed someone he thinks could be a decent back up to him *cough* Helenius *cough*

Slightly off-topic, but still about Benteke-ish. The first 2-3 minutes of this link really shows how terrible Mark Lawrenson is as a pundit, apparently can't get into a top 6 side, I wouldn't be surprised if he was playing for Real Madrid this time next year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yva6PLMpkA

WIth all this talk about broken legs, Dave Whelan is expected to make a statement shortly.

There was no need to point out he's never won anything at the end of that tweet! Stupid rumour though, don't know why you would bother making it up, it's not as if Villa fans would've been wound up for that long if they saw it on twitter, you'd be able to figure it out in about 10 seconds.

Do any of you guys believe in them? It's just been something on my mind since I sat outside and watched the sky during the meteor shower. I don't think we've been "visited" but I have no doubt that there is some kind of life out there, not necessarily intelligent though. Also if there is, what do you think we should do in terms of contact? I'm mixed about it, I think it would be exciting to meet another intelligent life form, but based on the only other intelligent life form we know of (Us) there's no guarantee they wouldn't try and destroy/enslave us.

I can see the point but P&D is silly. Pay on exit would be more appropriate, its what airports do by machine so its perfectly possible Yeah I don't mind paying something, as unsurprisingly I quite like being able to go to the hospital at 2 in the morning if i'm not right, it's just I don't think it's appropriate to have P&D.

Personally don't think Heskey was that bad for us, and when he signed, although confused, I didn't think he'd be terrible for us either. He just didn't suit our tactic and let MON change from 433 which had us 3rd to 442 which ruined our season. Anyway, back on topic, Would like to see one or two more faces, but can't see where they would play. Would like a back up to Lowton, as Herd doesn't cut it for me. I Like him, he tries hard, but he's not got the talent to make it in the prem, he needs a move like Hogg had to kickstart his career. Maybe a creative/attacking midfielder, but we've got too many central midfielders atm. I really can't see where we need to strengthen in numbers, where in talent could be debated all season long. I think we could well be done for the summer now, especially if "The Bomb Squad" don't leave.