MessiWillSignForVilla

As much as I would love this to happen, it just isn't. Although I think he would be within our reach financially and in terms of stature, the amount of stuff being said about this deal on twitter for me signals that this won't happen. Although loads of transfers break on twitter early, it's normally via journos, not some random "selected" by the club to reveal it. Also if the transfer was to get messy like a twitterer is suggesting, the club would shut them down immediately as they wouldn't want any leaks that could accidentally be revealed and used against them in a court battle. No club would let this amount of attention occur around a transfer that they would have seemingly tried so hard to keep quiet with local journos being in the dark and no official comment apart from Lambert confirming to fans there was interest at some point. If the club has really started using random fans on twitter to reveal transfers, I'm afraid Randy and co have lost the plot completely, and should probably reassess how they conduct business. It took me a while to let go of this one, like Belhanda, but having really thought about it, and how this would make our club look if it happened, I think this will not happen this summer. It would make look pretty small time if we revealed transfers via fans on twitter. Maybe next year or the year after that, probably never. Note: Sorry OBE, I tried to keep it about Kiyotake, but twitter is kind of central to my view of the whole transfer.

For those of you who are interested in Rugby, I'm currently helping out at my local clubs Summer Camp for under 7's up to under 14's, and ex Tigers, Highlanders and All Black Flanker Craig Newby is coaching one of the groups, with Julian Salvi meant to be turning up during the week, plus some other current Tigers players, Matthew Tait was supposed to come but can't anymore for some reason. I'm so excited I've pretty much turned into a 6 year old. This week is going to be awesome

There are 11 red and white shirts there from what I can see, maybe the keepers didn't have different colours back then. Regardless, a bit extreme having 11 men back to defend a corner, or whatever it is showing.

I don't think this is speculation, he's already signed know nothing about him, hope he's good. EDIT: Beaten to it.

that 3-3-3-1 would get annihilated, if we play 3 at the back we will almost certainly play a 5-3-2 with two wing backs to provide width, with Helenius or Weimann partnering Benteke, which is pretty mouth watering. Excited about this guy, would love to see him upfront with Benteke, but I can't think of a formation which would accommodate that and play to our other strengths around the park

I remember he did something similar v Liverpool at home and gabby was about a yard away from it, would've either put us 2-0 or 1-0 up too, IIRC. I think he could be here for a while, not sure who would want that would be a big enough step up, at the minute I don't think anyone outside the top 6 are a more attractive proposition than anyone else in the league, we're all pretty much on a level playing field.

I really think the best career move for Clark would be for him to be moved into a Defensive midfield position, maybe alongside Westwood as a left footed alternative. Don't get me wrong, he should be nowhere near starting in midfield ATM, but with a bit of training and some game time there, he could be great there (Our current standards great that is). Unfortunately he's too error prone to be at CB at the minute, but doesn't make up for it with physical/aerial ability like Baker does. In midfield his mistakes can be much less disastrous and get mopped up by Baker/Vlaar/Okore whereas at CB it leaves a one on one with Guzan, and as good as Guzan is, I wouldn't feel too confident in that situation. He has the technical ability to do well in midfield too, and can work on his strength to be a more dominant presence.

Would love it if we get Kiyotake, but don't see it happening unless at least two of Bent, Hutton, Ireland, Bannan, N'Zogbia or Given (Is he still here?) go, he is the type of player we're crying out for I think.

I reckon it'll be between 8th-14th, with it being more likely in the bottom half. Despite being very excited by the signings I haven't seen any of them actually play, so I can't be sure they'll improve us massively. We'll stay clear of relegation though as our current players will have more confidence from the off. Also other teams around us have strengthened quite well which doesn't help us, so I just don't see top half being realistic, with my prediction of up to 8th being at a push and we have some good form/lucky results.

I love the way he gets in the inter players faces then realises he's meant to be "Injured" so bends over and starts to hobble. word removed. The only player I would love to see his career ended in a Roy Keane style tackle.

Used one of those self service check outs earlier at Tesco and the woman in front of me decided to scan all her stuff, pay and then put it all in the bag Took about 5 minutes longer than it should've.

Isn't that just the Quota system which turned so many South African sportsman from their national teams? I understand that diversity is a good thing and you shouldn't not get a job/signed due to your race, but surely the achievement of said diversity is lessened if you are only chosen due to being in a minority. Racism has no place in sport but so does having someone compete just because they're in a minority, if your not good enough your not good enough, end of.

He's currently 18/1 to get Top Scorer this season, certainly worth a punt, can't believe his odds are so long, he was only fourth last season and we were absolutely awful, imagine how many he'd get now we seem to be quite a bit better.

Nah, he's waiting for Utd's pursuit of Fabregas to fail, wee Barry's next in line for Moyes.

I think that's the main positive about our attack this season, if you try to double and nullify one player you leave the other open to expose the defence, and you can't double up on all three, otherwise the midfield will run riot. I'm very excited to see us next season.

But the whole point of the OP was that smetrov would wish Bannan well at Blackburn, but can't because of the driving issue, so does that mean he doesn't wish Delph well, it has nothing to do with whether he plays for Villa or not.

Because he is a product of our youth academy, and IMO he's not as bad as people make out. I can understand why people wouldn't want him to succeed based on the drink driving though. To be honest, my view on Bannan has changed multiple times thanks to this thread, I used to like him until I saw claims that he was world class in this thread and I begun to despise him, then that went away a bit and the thread started to become the Barry Bannan abuse thread rather than being about the player so I've come to like him a bit more again and hope he does well as he does have the potential to be decent.

If you cannot bring yourself to wish Bannan well, because you morally object to his driving misdemeanour, does the same go for Delph? He's answered that you've just not understood. He wishes them both well on the pitch in a Villa shirt. Bannan no longer plays for Aston Villa so he's JUST a silly prick. But that question wasn't strictly aimed at him, from what I can see, but at smetrov and Kingfisher has assumed that Aston was on smetrov's side as he seemingly entered the discussion defending smetrov's view. smetrov said he would wish Bannan well, but couldn't 'cause of the driving thing, therefore does that thought process extend to Delph?

Yeah but Suarez is better at it

If Bale is supposedly worth £80m, what do you guys think Suarez is worth? Both played the same amount of games last season but Suarez scored more and got more assists, whilst having the same chance conversion and a higher win %. IMO this just points to Bale being slightly over rated due to him playing for Spuds and being British. Plus, Suarez's attitude won't be scrutinised as much in Spain as they applaud the ability to dive rather than condemn it and would probably overlook the flaws in his personality.

Usain Bolt and his "Dream" to play for Utd and his seemingly constant pleas for a trial. Just 'cause you're good at running doesn't mean you're good at football, get on with Athletics and stop begging!

You state this as if it's a common occurrence. There has been one example of this that I have seen (If there are more please enlighten me) and that example was Thiago Silva who got sold in the same window as signing a contract to PSG for 42m Euros, or roughly £36m, an exceptional bid that is probably higher than the player is worth. There is no chance Benteke will leave unless Villa get ~£35-40m, and no club will pay that for a player if they weren't willing to play £25m for a month ago, unless he scores a hat-trick in all three opening games, which won't happen.

Considering we were holding out ~£25m from Spurs, and he just signed a new contract, I'm certain he won't leave this window unless its for ~£30-35m +

Don't know why, but I've got a feeling Tonev could be this season's Benteke. He probably won't hit the heights Benteke did, but I think he's going to be very highly rated this time next year.

The most infuriating thing with Bannan IMO, is that he has almost completely squandered the potential he once had. He had the potential to at least be a regular for us and dictate the midfield for a mid table/top half team, but to see him seemingly not try and consistently waste possession with his hollywood balls and poor decisions means it's time for him to go and he'll probably never make at Premier League level now. I wish him luck at Blackburn as I actually liked him when he first broke through, he needs to play in the Championship as that is unfortunately going to be his level in all probability. Oh, and he is nowhere near the worst player to ever play for Villa, I can name at least four from last season, Lichaj, Herd, Ireland and Dawkins.