Danwichmann

i really think we should panic buy for a few players

So that in 2 or 3 years we have a load of Dx2's and Bergers in our reserves, getting paid 1000's of pounds a week and upsetting tem spirit? No thank you, I'd rather sign no one than panic buy.

Not something I want to see the board pressured over anyway. They need a bit of time and have really been bombarded with all kinds of requests to make changes. It's why i've never brought anything up on the General Krulak thread.

Agreed. not something we should be pressuring the board over. Just something to suggest, and as we area already seeing they listen to good ideas and will take action if and when appropriate.

Is this the anti-Lerner with a good idea?

Yes.

Isn't Houllier interested in Baros? I can see some some of swap deal being on the cards here. Carew certainly seems to be the target man most people accept O'Neil wants.

Point is its still a signing, whether or not you think its a good one.

anyone becoming concerned regards the lack of real transfer market activity given that all we have at present is newspaper speculation?

There's been very little action anywhere, not just Villa, involving big names or big money at least. Everyone knows that not much really happens during the Jan window so I'm not concerned as i think i'll happen during the summer. Its not like other clubs are leaving us behind as they deal, that would be worrying.

Beckham is going to the LA Galaxy that is almost certain, Posh has been shopping for a pad in LA and the MLS recently changed the entire wage structure of the league to accomidate him.

I can imagine Posh would want an LA pad regardless, especially if she know's her hubby may be playing somewhere a little less glamarous?

But the wage structure thing would certainly suggest they're very serious about signing him.

even considered joining us for a millisecond I would feel honoured.

I wouldn't go that far. But i would love us to sign him. He's a hard working player with bags of talent. True, he's past his best but we're hardly in a position to sign world class players at their peak.

We need to raise our profile to move on and Beckham would do that. A big name or 2, even if past it will help us no end attracting other players (Bent, SWP, Young) who at the moment are likey to prefer other options to us, IMO.

Beckham 'to leave Real in summer'

Is Beckham set to leave Madrid?

David Beckham will leave Real Madrid in the summer, according to the club's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic.

"Beckham will leave us, we will not renew his contract with the club," he told Sky Italia television.

The 31-year-old, whose current deal expires in June, has been linked with a host of clubs from England, Italy, Spain, France and the United States.

Beckham has started just nine times for the Primera Liga side this season under coach Fabio Capello.

The player's spokesman Simon Oliveira said he was surprised by the news after telling this website last week that a new two-year deal had been put on the table.

Oliveira said: "Nobody has said anything to us. As far as we're concerned, the offer is still there and a meeting is due this week."

Beckham, who signed for Real for £25m in July 2003, is one of six senior players to have been left out of Real's Copa del Rey game with Real Betis on Thursday.

The other 'Galactico' to have been omitted from the 18-man squad is Brazil striker Ronaldo, who was also tipped to leave the Bernabeu along with the former England captain by Spanish newspaper AS on Tuesday.

Beckham has found it difficult to secure a place in the first team this season with Capello often preferring Raul, Robinho and Jose Antonio Reyes on the wing.

The former Manchester United player was included in the starting XI for the league matches against Getafe, Sevilla and Recreativo Huelva, but Real lost all three games.

Beckham also started September's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Lyon.

In the nine matches he has started, Real have been defeated in all but two.

http://tinyurl.com/yaex9z

Well, he's going somewhere soon.

too slow no thanks

Like Gareth Barry?

Whats the source on this?

ferguson plays every game and is prob their best player

He has been playing every game, not sure if he will be now. He's not expected to be in the squad tomorrow. But i agree that Le Guen may go first but if not I think Ferguson will be forced out.

I see your point, we can't get left behind now but it will be much harder than people think to do business in Jan and i think MO'N is just trying to expectaions realistic.

1. Ticketing. The issue re. student pricing and tickets for individuals serving with the Forces are both being looked at very hard by the Club. The former is a bit more difficult than the latter. We ALL agree that student income is student income...whether you are in first year or last. The key is clear identification of what "makes up" a student. I know it is hard to believe but there are some people who will sign up for a course in basket weaving at the local pub and ask for a student discount.

Good to know this is being looked into. I would have thought the easy and obvious way would be to give discounts to all full time students? As part time students will at least have some form of proper income from jobs (in most cases).

and er im sorry if this has been mentioned before, but with regards student ticketing prices, my only request is to get rid of the stupid rule which says only students under the age of 21, as I find that annoying in the extreme, if anything those students at the end of their courses are going to be in more debt than those who are just starting out. Im 21 now btw hence the concern as I would like to be purchasing my first season ticket next summer, but paying ad adult price despite being a student still would be very offputting

This is something that was looked at a few years back, basically because people were abusing the system. Signing up for a course that they never attended (just a night course at college or something) just so they could officially count as a student and get cheaper ticket prices even if they were in their 40s.

Maybe a compromise would be making it students under 25 or something? As far as I'm aware it's anyone under 21 at the moment not just students, I've never been asked for a student card (or even id recently for that matter).

I do know what you mean though Rodders, next time I attend a game I'll probably have to pay full price (might just squeeze one in before my 21st I don't know).

I agree on this one. Have recently bought my half-season ticket and its very annoying to have to pay adult prices while being a student. Really i can't afford it but its such a good time to be a Villa fan i find myself going to almost every home game anyway.

I'm at Uni and love it! Most fun i've ever had and reccommend it to anyone! Sure, you're going to build up some debt but you're probably going earn a lot more for the rest of your life to.

And if you don't know what you want to do just choose a fairly general course, such as Business. Can go into anything with that and the workload isn't to bad.

Uni's a great way to extend your youth, becasue once you start working thats all finished!

Had mine shaved off once, it took about a month to grow back.

great stuff, been a while since we've had an article like that on here!

The ideal and plausible team post January 07:

GK: Sorensen

DL: Bridge

DR: M.Richards

DC: Mellberg

DC: Ridgewell

ML: Barry

MR: Wright Phillips

MC: Diop

MC: Petrov

SC: Moore

SC: Defoe

Bench:

Taylor

Bouma / Hughes

McCann

Davis / Milner

Agbonlahor / Angel

Sell:

Baros, Hendrie, DJ DJ, Samuel

All possible changes in my opinion. Only problem is the team probably wouldn't gel straight away. If MO'N spread these signings out over Jan and the summer then I'd be pretty chuffed.

Can't imagine there won't be a target man upfront. I don't think Moore and Defoe would work as a stike pairing.

Jeremie Aliadiere is thinking of leaving Arsenal, he's only 23 and has done well at championship and reserve level i think. Should be worth having a look at?

Liverpool 100% at home and Villa unbeaten. Someone's run is going to end and i think it'll be Liverpools. 1-1 draw.

Stuart Taylor - 6 - Made some decent saves but didn't look confident enough to comr for crosses. Maybe should have had a better shout for Angels own goal

Aaron Hughes - 6 – Quiet today but did his job well enough

Liam Ridgewell - 8 – Another assured performance from thw worlds most improved player

Olof Mellberg - 8 – Ollie, solid as ever

Gareth Barry – 9 – Stunning goal and always looked our most dangerous player. McClaren may have even notcied him today! May be even more effective if we can get him back into midfield

Gabriel Agbonlahor - 6 – Earned the pen but couldn't get into the game as much as he has done from the right. Got kicked at a lot.

Steven Davis - 5 – Couldn't get into game from left hand side

Gavin McCann - 8 – Solid again, looked class.

Stiliyan Petrov - 8 – Another effective game from Stiliyan

Milan Baros - 6 – Worked hard and did look a threat but not back to his best.

Juan Pablo Angel - 5 – I've thought long and hard, and decided to pretend i went for a pie during the 2nd half and missed a couple of incidents. Hardly won a head all day and looked pretty average

Substitutes:

Didier Agathe – 5 – One decent cross but took to long to put the ball in on several occasions and generally the quality of his crossing was poor

Patrik Berger – 6 – Good to see him back and was certainly more comfortable than Davis on the left

I'm sure O'Neil is ready to up the anti, i think its all down to how good a players can be attracted. No superstars were ever going to go to Leicester or to play in the SPL and they won't come to Villa either, yet. We need to be playing at a higher level to get better players, UEFA cup at least so it'll probably be a few seasons until we can attract top players and MO'N can build his dynasty.

Where has all the SWP talk come from? Is there any substance to it or just wishful thinking from fans making the link themselves?

It'll almost certainly be Milner on the right and i expect a target man up front unless Sutton convincies MO'N he can do a job for the rest of the season. Don't really expect to see full backs unless especially good players are avaliable, we have 3 RBs (Hughes, Delaney and Agathe) and 3/4 LBs (Bouma, Samual, Barry, Whitts) so don't think it will be a priority.