John

I hope not!

West Ham at home on Boxing Day & we had better not need points on the last day as we have Arsenal (a).

First 4 and last 4 (with the main focus on the first and last game) followed by the Christmas & Easter games for me.

Yes can only think of one mistake Saunders made in the transfer market and that was Tommy Craig What about Alun Evans? He was signed by Vic Crowe.

More on this potential signing: http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/villa-closing-richards-reports-terrified-richards?

"player not very interested" - That should be the end of that then.

Yes can only think of one mistake Saunders made in the transfer market and that was Tommy Craig But most of us thought it was a good signing back then.

The promoted teams will most likely get games against the top 6 clubs and be on TV whilst the likes of us will kick off on Saturday @ 15.00 against Newcastle. I hope the fixtures are better spread for us this season rather than getting the glut of tough games we often seem to get together. I guess our last game next season will be at Wembley again!

"However, any bid is certain to be complicated by the prospect of an imminent takeover with one consortium being granted exclusivity". We really need to act in the transfer market and not let the deal to sell the club if it happens get in the way of Tim's transfer plans but I guess we would not be the first choice for Gomez given the other clubs mentioned.

You also have to be in much better physical and mental shape now than you did a couple decades or so ago. More games, faster tempo, more exposure, more money, more pressure, more competition... You don't see many Jan Mölbys or Gascoignes at top level anymore. Players like Merson, Adams and McGrath would never have made it for more than a season or 2 in todays football, no matter how talented they were. , I have to say that Gazza would have been at the top level if he was playing today and that Merse, Adams and Paul would have made it for more than a season or two today as well. Best, Greaves and Bobby Moore liked a drink as well. But if they were available today these players would be worth a fortune and I for one would love to see them playing for us at Villa Park. Sterling's dalliance with laughing gas has also not stopped clubs looking to sign him for a massive fee. Jack does need to take more care with his off field activities and needs to surround himself with trusted family & friends when out on the pop rather than with snap happy people like the one that has published this photo. Jack is one of us and he can learn lessons from this.

Tim has earned the right to spend whatever funds are made available during this window by keeping us in the top flight. I think given the right funds he can do a good job in moving us forward but Villa managers rarely get the funds to do the job and who can say beyond doubt that anyone else would do a better job than he would given he has already seen the players we have and decided upon our weak areas?

There is one very quick way to put an end to any conspiracy theories. Get the club sold and do it sooner rather than later! The longer any sale takes the more this begins to get the feel of last summer about it with a rumoured sale coming to nothing and a manager left working with peanuts in the transfer market.

You might well be right.

I have it in the back of my mind that we were linked with Dielna or with another Weds player in a recent window. I could be right I could be wrong. Does it ring a bell with anyone else?

I think and I hope that the last line is the case. I cannot see that he would be left like that by his family/friends. But if he was having a laugh and posing for the picture then it was not the best idea that he has had given some recent press coverage. What happens abroad once stayed abroad. But times have changed particularly for those such as Jack who are in the public eye.

I think we could do worse than Huddlestone.

26 but he may well be 27 or older when and if he signs for us.

Yes that sounds about right for Spurs. They under value our player by £7.5m and over value their own by around £5m. I would slam the phone down on them after offering them £5m for Townsend just to give them a taste of how that sort of bid feels.

I take it we have made some sort of agreement with the player? If not this could read a little like an agent leaking that someone bigger needs to come in before next week or Micah will sign for Villa. I look forward to seeing him signing for us and waving a shirt around @ BH/VP after that.

I know he is on a free and that has an impact on wage offers but £65k weekly would suggest our recent wage limits are a thing of the past and might have other players wanting a little bit more. He has been a good player in the past and with Tim might do a Sinclair and become a good one again at Villa if this deal does happen.

Agreed. But it may make him think twice and it will increase whatever chances there were of his staying with us.

I think they just see Benteke as an asset and will help any takeover negotiations that are ongoing. If Lerner can tie Benteke down then it might help his position and also, he knows that he won't be paying whatever is offered for too much longer... Maybe he won't be paying much longer but why scupper any deal with new owners by putting him on a huge contract? Personally think there's more too it I would guess any new deal has been mentioned to the prospective buyer and that he like us considers Villa are a better prospect with Benteke rather than without him. Could it also be that the potential buyer(s) do not want to apply quite the same restraint on wages that our current custodian has done of late?

Singing the (Claret &) Blues - Tommy Steele & the Steelmen.

Would anyone look at Tom Ince who it seems Derby are looking to sign for £6m? He might be the sort of talented player that Tim would back himself to get playing at his best in the same way as he has done with Scott Sinclair and he would be near half of the price that Spurs would want for Townsend. That assumes we have the money to buy anyone as yet.

I hope we will be one of them shortly...Lets rescue him from his Arsenal nightmare as soon as we have our new owner(s) in place to play alongside Benteke (that would be some statement of intent)!