Rocafella

Villa won't come here, it's as simple as that. He will either stay or join Chelsea/Real Madrid or Liverpool, although I hope he doesn't go to the latter as it would ruin a possibly great career. Just look at all the misfortunes attackers from Liverpool has suffered, the list is endless. I want us to emulate the Leeds-team from 5-6 years ago. (Team not club!) English players and great attacking passion, they made the semis in the CL and that's just admirable.

This isn't a suggestion, merely a question: What about Jonathan Woodgate? I know he is injury-proned, but what if assured he would not stay that way? Worth a shot?

If West Ham don't win at home to Watford they are doomed. If they do win, there is a 50/50 shot I believe. I desperately want them to relegate, just as bad as Birmingham the previous season. And now it might also look like Brum is struggling in the Championship!

1) Liam would never play for Birmingham, he is very much in the pack at Villa Park. Why leave? It's not like Cahill is miles better (if better at all) 2) If he went there he would not be welcomed back 3) Martin O'Neill wouldn't allow it 4) He hates the Blues and they hate him

I rather fancy the partnership of Ashton and Bent myself, but it would rock our squad though. It would be the end of Sutton and Angel for sure, as well as Moore, Carew, Young or Gaby, as well as Maloney..... just too many players alike.... What luxury that would have been

We do however have a target man already in Carew. Neither Carew or Ashton would score 20 goals on a regular basis as Bent would do. He carried out 19 in his first season for Charlton, and was on his way half through this season when he became injured. Imagine him at a better club

Darren Bent for me still, he is the best alternative our there for Villa, and he would be available.

At least I hope they are I was only joking about his age, I don't want Diop at the club. That being said, a club does not need to have a DM in the first-XI. Petrov and another solid player would be enough. Solid and attacking that is. Fabregas isn't a DM, but Arsenal cope well without Gilberto who is. Not saying we are signing anyone of Fabregas' calibre, but we don't need a DM for sure. Carrick is sort of a DM, but he doesn't have a single defensive gene in his body.

What you are saying is?

Diop is actually younger than McCann, but only 18 days though I agree with the limited avaiable players in the Prem, but what about abroad? We are not experts, this is not our job. Surely there must be good enough players outside of the country we could get a hold of?

Strongly disagree there. Young and particularly Carew are players fit for the European stage and are the first phase of our push to the next level. I love the signing of Young, but what does he seriously give us this season? What do you really know of him other than seeing him perhaps four times? It's not like United, Arsenal and Liverpool were head over heels to sign him? He has been good this season, and will become a very good player, but as of now he is rather unproven. Carew has always been good due to playing with good players. Now the level of ability has sunk immensely, and he is not a goal-poacher, leaving us with NO real goalscorers. I am sorry to say so, but Carew will not give us many goals. How do you know I've only seen Young "perhaps four times"? To say that Carew has only "been good due to playing with good players" is, quite frankly, nonsense. It didn't look as though he needed their help when he destroyed Madrid and Cannavaro. Anyway, back on topic... I am a total PL-addict, I watch almost every game, I know shitloads of useless information about teams and players. What I mean to say is that I don't really know much about Ashley Young other than the few games Watford have played this season, as well as the promotion-game last season. If you are from Watford, go to their games or know something we normal fans don't, then I excuse myself. Other than that, how can you know much about him? From what I have seen, he is pacy (not Ronaldo/Henry-pacy) but lacks a bit self-esteem. When he dares he tries to beat players and gives a decent cross even though it is hard to judge when he had to pass to Watford-players!! Like I said, a great prospect and a future-star, but as of right now he isn't better than let's say Shaun Wright-Phillips. We have to differ current ability with potential ability, or else the pressure will crack the poor boy. He is only 21 or something. When people speak of Carew it's always that one challenge against Cannavaro, just that game. Fair enough, he has has many good games. So has Darren Fletcher. John Carew disappears for large parts of games (thus Lyon has already went out and criticised him for it and glad they are rid of him) and he doesn't work well for his team. A good player due to his strength and height, but not a goal-poacher and not a 15 per season. Why do you think he has changed clubs more than anyone else? Why has he never scored more than 10 goals in a top league? Because he just isn't that good. And hear me out, I am not slagging him off, I am just trying to lower your expectations. Carew isn't getting swingers from Vicente or Totti anymore, they are coming from McCann and Barry. He must rely more on his own abilities, which will be an exciting challenge. Let's hope he succeeds, it's not like I'm hoping for the other way around.

I think replacing McCann is essential for top 4 but not so much for top 6. I agree though with a left back and right back (assuming either a. Bardsley is not good enough or b. he leaves at the end of his loan) are necessary for Europe. Not so sure about needing a striker anymore, it would certainly help but I think a top class central defender is necessary if Laursens injury problems persist is even more important. Who would score the goals for us then? If Moore then good, because I hope he will become our poacher. Gaby a bit young I think to be relied on.... Carew clearly won't give us 20-a-season....... Sutton and Angel ? I do however not hope that Carew turn out to be another Angel, a player who performs for one season and then stays on purely on old reputation

and the attitude he will still have as a reserve would be GREAT for a club pushing Europe..... a hard-working Englishmand with burning desire, even though not a starter.

Strongly disagree there. Young and particularly Carew are players fit for the European stage and are the first phase of our push to the next level. I love the signing of Young, but what does he seriously give us this season? What do you really know of him other than seeing him perhaps four times? It's not like United, Arsenal and Liverpool were head over heels to sign him? He has been good this season, and will become a very good player, but as of now he is rather unproven. Carew has always been good due to playing with good players. Now the level of ability has sunk immensely, and he is not a goal-poacher, leaving us with NO real goalscorers. I am sorry to say so, but Carew will not give us many goals. Edit: Oh, I was talking about this season though. So not bringing in a couple of stars now doesn't matter (as long as we get them in the summer)

I do however think we should be aiming to replace Gavin McCann with a better player, making him the cover. Don't you agree he would be happy to stay at Villa, giving his best, even though he wasn't a starter? Like some of us assessed in the "McCann for England"-thread: There are as many as 10 players better than McCann in the central midfield position, shouldn't we aim to get one of the players who are better? Even invest in player from other countries who match those players? I like his tackling, eagerness and love for Villa, but it counts for nothing when his lack of attacking abilities springs out. I don't know Maloney a lot, but his attacking skills would do good when we meet shit sides like Watford and field McCann to attack. Oddly enough, he was the one to unleash the shot that led to the goal against Watford, but I hope I am not the only one who think that was a fluke..... For us to challenge the top European sports, we need a new left back, a new central midfielder and a new attacker. Perhaps even a right back as Bardsley most likely will leave. Easy as that, players like McCann and Bouma in the first-XI won't give us European football and I am sorry to upset some of you with that.

We haven't signed players good enough to challenge for Europe anyway, so no biggie really. We will challenge better in the summer when the market is normal again.

Yup, Ashely Cole, Carlos, Bridge all want to come to replace them. So replacing a "flop" (yes Bouma has been a flop in my eyes. Always injured, dipping in form, never showing stability, AS OF NOW..... my view might change) is worth making stupid replies? I have a vision for this club, it does not involve Samuel or Bouma. It doesn't involve Hendrie, Gardner, Delaney, Djemba-Djemba, Taylor, Berger, Sutton, Angel or the other fringe player who don't even cut it as replacements. I don't want players who are always injured, they disrupt any kind of stability around them, always making the manager suffer when picking the team, even in training! If you don't even think we are able to replace Bouma with someone obviously better I am glad you're not head of our vision making or transfer-negotiations. Not having a dig at you, just trying to clarify the need of better player to take a new step.

JLS is worth 500K, Nolan is worth around 8-9M in today's market. Would he want to leave for Villa? I doubt it Would Allardyce accept anything under 12M? I know he wouldn't Is the deal going to happen? No. End of. Edit: I think Allardyce rates Nolan exactly like we rate Gareth Barry. Is that at 5M?

Samuel clearly is the kind of player we want to get rid of now that we are trying to become big. Ship him out, bring in someone better than him and Bouma.

SO THE FUN HAS STARTED Let's hope we bring in some players, we need it to push upwards the table

So the Darren Bent bid of 18M never happened? Good, because the fee mentioned would have been absolutely wrong. Still leaves us with a shot?

Charlton will get 12-15M after this season anyway, and won't have any time to buy another forward as of now anyway. So why not refuse every offer? Easy

18M!!!!! Damn they at least got the money that's for sure. 18M! That is toooo much, obviously they are just pushing the price. 18M will get him eventually, 15M as well

Why do people rave about Dica? One bloody youtube-video and you're hooked!

Jagielka wouldn't bring us forward, so no thanks. We should have gone for Lauren. Bring in quality that makes McCann and Davis fillers, not the other way around.