Adam_

Decent loan signing, happy with this!! Good luck to Ryan

It's 2010 and we've just finished just 6 points off CL, we add some more quality players in the summer to help push to that next level...... Or a certain owner decides he'd rather start break up that team with a view to cutting costs and removing the players that had helped us finish 6th which may lead to relegation in 4 years lol. Could of really kicked on in the 10's had we showed some ambition! It's a bit more complex than that. The wage bill was getting out of control in 2010. True, however, had we got that top 4.... the extra income from CL is pretty huge so would probably cover that. Don't know how Tottenham haven't got the same issue as us as they seem to have spent ridiculous sums over the past few seasons and also failed in their attempts so far to get CL.

It's 2010 and we've just finished just 6 points off CL, we add some more quality players in the summer to help push to that next level...... Or a certain owner decides he'd rather start break up that team with a view to cutting costs and removing the players that had helped us finish 6th which may lead to relegation in 4 years lol. Could of really kicked on in the 10's had we showed some ambition!

And Aston is a lovely area?

Pretty sure he going to Wolfsburg.

Or maybe he will start playing with a Cech-style helmet, if that's allowed for outfield players? Which I assume it is as Rooney was wearing that ridiculous head thing in that England game not long ago. Obviously as a defender though you will have many aerial battles and the headers may not be the most accurate whilst wearing one.

Agreed. Everyone keeps saying about Okore but I didn't think he looked as amazing as some are making him out to be in the few games he's played for us. Clarke is much improved this season and I think he deserves his first team spot along with Vlaar. Clowns to the left of them, Jokers to the right n all that haha.

So you honestly believe he took a pay cut to go and play in the championship? Yeah that's what all 32 year olds who have just signed a new improved contract do. You only have to look at our situation to see how stupid that view is. It's more about length of contract than amount when you're at that sort of age. 4 year contract on £10,000 per week is better than a 1 year deal on £35,000. Also 3 more years to rack up the bonuses (plus a probable promotion bonus).. so makes much more sense to take the longer contract, rather than have to find yourself a new deal in 12 months time, in which time you could be injured and career over, or could find yourself not playing at all and no-one wants you any more. I would guess (and it is pure guess) that he had 2 years left at Norwich on £25k, and Wigan offered him a 3 year deal at 17-18k. Worth an extra 52-104k over the course of the 3 years, not taking bonuses into account. A wage drop doesn't necessarily mean less money. Or maybe he wanted to play in the Europa League as he's not going to get another chance to do so. Personally think he's probably on the same money at Wigan.

No ones even mentioned it on this page of the thread so it's you bringing it up again!

His surname suggests it is destiny that he will score a last minute winner in the ...... North Stand. Sorry was terrible! Good luck to him I say, hope he makes an impact.

Probably, however, we still have Given, Bent, Delph, Agbonlahor & N'Zogbia on high wages.... and Hutton with his not as high but still reasonably high 30k a week. Plus whatever Delfounso on as he keeps getting mentioned so may be on a high wage too.

The near-2million saved on wages is a good enough "fee"

Good review. My MOTM was Bacuna, seemed positive and enthusiastic from the moment he came on for Baker.

Indeed.... would of been useful last saturday!

He's 22 not 15! Played over 100 games and scored over 40 goals I think he'd be fine.

Top finish, 20 more please before end of May!

Benteke off, Helenius on at half time PLEASE!

Nice stat there, when Koscielny & Mertesacker have played together for full 90 mins, they've never lost in 19 games and have conceded average 0.5..... going to be a long night me thinks!

Jacobs I assume?? Although knowing those 2 they will probably be Tesco Value!

Hopefully not haha.

I remember this game very well...... as soon as Bolton went 2-1 up the whole crowd was singing "the villa is ours, the villa is ours, F*** of Mcleish, the villa is ours". Literally from every corner of the ground, normally that season was just the odd small group but everyone had had enough that day. Loads of McLeish out banners suddenly appeared out of nowhere as well I noticed....was incredible! As the Bolton fans sang "we are staying up" we were singing "we are going down"........ funny how the end of the season turned out though

Losing to Bradford over 2 legs tops everything for me. At least with the Chelsea loss we were losing to one of the best teams in Europe and not an average league 2 team.

Probably this. There are regularly Villa scouts at Cheltenham Town youth games. Wouldn't be suprised if Villa had over 100 of them as they are so low paid, was a BBC article on it not long ago and some clubs pay about £3 a day after the expenses haha.

http://youtu.be/cAw9t96_pSg Since the last time we beat them (1998 haha) 6 draws and 7 losses...... 4 x 0-0 draws in there, so has potential to be boring but I'd take a point! Although with our current defence I can't see another 0-0 happening against Arsenal this season.

Wells just scored the winner on his debut! Can score in higher leagues too it seems....