ryu.yokoi

I believe 100% what the General says. However, for me, the question isn't whether we have sufficient money to buy 'expensive' players - its whether we have the scouts in place and MON has done the research to find some gems at good price. We will never win in the transfer market by paying 'market prices' for British talent from lesser sides - you sacrifice the strength of the pound every time. Ashley was a great signing and he's paid off, but you can't make that gamble consistently and expect it to pay off. We need to look more at Africa, South America and Eastern Europe - and I think that now that we have proper mgmt from Randy&Co. we can make it work this time.

Welcome General! I've been following the Villa from the US for the past six years and its amazing to think that the club is now owned by one of us. I can't wait for the club to come over to the left side of the pond and will definitely make my way to see them play (been over to England to see them twice). All the best, Ryu

As I've noted on the front page, the NFL take a dim view of gambling (despite the fact that bookmakers bought the Giants and Steelers, and the descendants of said bookmakers own those franchises to this day, to say nothing of how gambling to this day provides one of the major sources of interest [and thus, indirectly, revenue] for the League). There are rules that essentially prohibit any NFL owner from being involved in the operation of a gambling enterprise. I would strongly suspect that it will require major gymnastics for AVFC (especially if it's a private entity, and Lerner definitely seems to want to take it private!) to open a casino, while Lerner is able to retain ownership of the Browns. Given that Lerner is a life-long Browns fan (and to a greater degree than it appears a certain "Life-long Villa fan" is what he claims to be...), I strongly suspect that if things developed to the point where the only way to make money at Villa is through a casino, he will sell Villa to a casino operator. I strongly doubt that such a situation will come to pass, especially within any sort of timeframe over which anybody may have reasonable expectations, but the point is that a casino is almost certainly a non-starter during the Lerner regime at Villa Park. Great post.

Nothing sinister mate, finding undervalued assets is what business is all about. Every single one of the folks investing in Villa will recognize that we are undervalued as a club.

26 till June

My two cents: We are one game into the season: Baros hasn't started in ages for anyone (except his country hopefully tomorrow), Angel didn't get decent pass all day Saturday (despite making plenty of good runs and finding space - watch the tape), and Kev scored a tap in (which is brilliant because its important to start well at a new club). We've not seen nearly enough to judge what our pairing will be for this season. I vividly remember people building up poor Crouchzinho when he scored in his first match at Villa. And then people toor him apart, horrifically so - for no reason. Lets all be happy for Kev, but also be realistic and not build up expectations that Pele couldn't fill in our side. I also vividly remember people making comments like Marty's two seasons ago when Allback scored more than Juan in preseason, and we had a poor offensive game in our first match. I remember people writing "JPA's confidence is shattered," "he won't come back this time," "he didn't even get a shot on goal." ...And then he found his form scored 20+ goals, led Villa ever so nearly into Europe, and had those same people who rubbished him swearing they'd never said a word about him. He'll come good. Whether Baros and Phillips come better this season, I don't know, but it'd be a great dilemna for us to have, no? Why don't we all hope for that? Personally, I'd love to see Angel - Baros play together, and I think it would resemble Angel - Saviola quite a bit, in terms of having a classy centreforward and a lightning paced striker feeding off each others games. But Kev is a super professional, with such experience that I think he'll be able to play with either too, so if this transfer ever does work out, I am encouraged by what it means for us.

Its a wind up, Hev. Don't you pay it mind. Note to LBJ23 - "This could well be the stupidest thing I've ever read" - is not an appropriate response on this forum. Thats a warning, next offense will warrant a yellow card.

Its a great picture. John looks a bit more angry than young, and PB looks like the consumate 'dad.' Hmm, I've been lucky to meet several VT'rs despite my all too infrequent trips across the pond to see Villa. Been fortunate to meet: Rabbit, Rantin, Hev, PB, THEfear, and Naz over in England over the years. And enjoyed the England vs. Colombia game with Nibbles in NYC this May. Had a sad incident trying to meet with Paul Barnes at VP a few years back where the guards wouldn't let me onto the floor where he was. That was lame. Hope that next time I make it over, I have the opportunity to meet more of you fine folks.

Thats actually true - he is mates with JPA, they linked well at River Plate, he is a top striker who is available on a free... Never gonna happen, is it?! Not available on a free. Barsa are looking to loan him somewhere, he doesn't figure in Rikaard's immediate plans. I think loan with an option to buy would be great business for Villa with the magical rabbit, the lad plays his nuts off every game and oh yeah, was PROLIFIC alongside JPA.

The Saviola link makes SO MUCH SENSE, that it couldn't possibly be true. I wish Villa were looking at Colombia's Soto!

Its amazing to me that even we fans are running out of ambition! Oh well. I sincerely hope 'team leader' Stride makes a really creative signing and gives me something to look forward to as the pre-season begins in full. Come on my son, sign me a playmaker!

Landon is an interesting proposition, but its hard to tell how he would perform. He's spent so long in MLS and playing his stiffest competition in Concacaf matches that its hard to say how he'd fair in England. The annoying is part is that despite what you say 3PO, Landon is playing in MLS completely on his own accord - he hasn't wanted to move back to Europe. I wonder how much of his career he will have wasted by taking the stance he did when Europe came calling after the last cup. He's fast, has great vision, can score and pass and is versatile (has played on the left wing, as a pace striker and as a 10) and would be a huge marketing tool. Yet, he hasn't been challenged for three years now and he likes being the big fish in the small pond, he's an asset that promises high returns but comes at great risk.

Blur, comfortably. Versatile and prolific.

I'm surprised that Villa haven't inquired about D'Alessandro, and hope its been done privately. This is a player of tremendous pedigree: several championships with River Plate, Youth World Cup winner, Olympic gold winner. He is the kind of creative wizard we've been looking for since Merson left, has played as either a '10' or a left winger, successfully at the international level, and is still only 23 or 24. Also, while he is small in stature, he has the classic Argie "fiber like bull" composition and gets intensely stuck in. He left River to go to Wolfsburg - so its not like he has a tremendous ego or would look down on a move to Villa. He's gotten into quite a row with his manager at Wolfsburg, and the Argie papers say he'd be happy with a move but isn't going to ruffle any feathers himself. Wolfsburg would want to recoup their USD $9M investment, and likely make some profit. Thanks to the exchange rates right now (they bought him before the appreciation of the Euro), Villa could probably get him for bargain. According to Ole, Hamburg are preparing a bid - HAMBURG - Villa can beat anything they've got, AND we've got three of the most prominent players in South America here to help him acclimitize to the Prem. Even if he came only to settle in England with the help of our trio and then moved on, we'd finally make a profit on a signing and have a prodigy for a season. C'mon Villa have some sense!

I didn't mean that his leaping ability had anything to do with speed. I was granting your point on speed and moving onto the aerial area where I thought you were discreditting a strength. JPA can pass the ball, and is one of our only players capable of a quality throughball, and a good cross. IMHO. May have had a few stray in the past few games, but over a career, I think this is a quality of his game most would accept. Defenders marked him at every level of play, naturally, but he has usually had a partner there to keep things doable. In the past, he's had the same at Villa in Vassell, and done quite well. His life has been much more difficult with persistent double marking in the box this season. I don't think its over the top to say he is an exceptional player by any means. The guy has overcome adversity time and again, and has been a fantastic ambassador for his country, which is something Colombians appreciate perhaps more than others since a lot of our lads haven't done that in the past. When he is on, he scores goals of a calibre that very few do. He's certainly been his own worst enemy in many respects though, his game would have certainly been better suited for the Italian or Spanish leagues, but he wanted to prove himself capable in England, and thats proved more difficult than he expected. I hope he can recharge, and find his best form for a few more seasons at Villa so that his legacy will be that of the player he was last year and under JG.

As they say about any evaluation system, its only as accurate as the information that gets put into it - which in this case is a matter of opinion. JPA may not be fast, but he is certainly one of the best leapers in the Prem, and was considered by many as one of the overall the best in the air last season. His control is well regarded (ask John Terry and William Gallas or the Pompey defenders he skipped around), but this year he has consistently been double teamed by centrebacks, and its hard for any striker to control in those situations. You don't consider his passing at all, or his build up play and awareness, which are very relevant elements to a complete striker's game. All spaces in which he excels. Note that in yesterday's game, in which we were awful, and he has been singled out for poor play - we had two scoring opportunities (a penalty and another that should have been called), both were created by the guy with the 9 on his back. He scored several crackers from distance last season, that I think speak to his ability to score from distance as well. With regard to killer instinct, I think you're dead wrong. He finds ways to score sometimes that people never expect (like a backheel against Argentina when being double marked by Samuel and Ayala). He's had a poor season, and his form is off, but that doesn't discount the quality he's shown in the past at Villa, for his country, and for River Plate. The guy is a class professional, and exceptional football player. These are differences of opinion, and your welcome to yours. I appreciate your putting together a framework to present your view, but I (and I suspect others here) utilize the same framework and reach a different conclusion.

Listen to this bloke. You'd think he does this for a living or something ridiculous like that!

Its classic Juan Pablo though. It takes balls to demand the second penalty as he did - it takes more balls to try and place it in the same spot again. Sadly, they were both the wrong decision to make and he will take quite a beating now. Its so frustrating this had to happen in the game he broke his draught and had played well.

And mostly because of the dialogue. I refuse to allow Nat Portman to take any of the blame.

They all look good. But I've been waiting my whole life to see Obi-wan throw Anakin in that pit.

Beastmaster?

What about the mid eighties one with the Queen soundtrack and hawk people? Thats probably one of the worst things I've ever watched! I'm still hoping they will do a Green Hornet film with polished retro look. That would be AWESOME. Or a proper Justice League film with Batman, Superman, Green Lantern and the Flash.

Is Superman 2 the one where he fights General Zod? Because that one KICKS!

Best online cartoon: http://www.homestarrunner.com

Ryu I respect and admire your loyalty but DOL has recently said that good strikers do it consistently year after year... about JPA... Thanks Denis. I've read the same quote as you and I think that DOL is right. I meant that Lugs was responding to the assertion that Yakubu has done it year after year, rather than the salient need for Juan to be consistent, which I think everyone agrees on!