fortereliable

General, I think considering how notoriously difficult it is to sign quality players in Jan, you guys have done very well to get the players in you have. Summer time is when the major rebuild should take place and providing we have a decent second half to the season I am sure the real quality players ( Keane, Barton, Bent, SWP etc) could then be lured to Villa Park.

We have done well to get the players in we have. Everyone knows Jan is very very difficult to sign quality players as no one wants to sell good players as theere is still so much to play for. Providing we have a decent second half of the season and secure a top ten finish then recruiting the likes of SWP, Bent, Parker and Barton will be that much easier. Summer time is always when the big moves are done so to get the players we have in Jan is great business by randy and MON.

I guess on loan would do us no harm but I would much rather see us trying to get a creative midfield player in.

Where is this from?? I rate Lahm the best left back out there right now. Absolute quality! Sort of player hopefully who would consider coming in 2 to 3 years but I seriously doubt he would consider us right now..... Sneijder I haven't seen play enough...

WE should be looking to make a substantial offer for Joey Barton. He would be a superb signing for us and make all the difference to our midfield. He is also the sort of character we need in the team as we are definitely not vocal or nasty enough.

Its in tonight's Express and Star about Harewood. No doubt the guy on his day is destructive as he showe in last year's FA cup semi final at Villa Park but he has clearly not been doing it this season so if he were to come its a gamble.

I see we are now being linked with Marlon Harewood. Thoughts?

Bent or Keane for CF SWP or Kieran Richardson for wide role Curtis Davis for CB Bardsley or Luke Young for RB Joey Barton for midfield dynamo Get all or most of these and we are in business! Over to randy and MON to sell their vision for AVFC

SWP with lerner's money is realistic. Any player within reason should be. Persuading them to come will be the tricky part but that is down to O Neill and randy to sell their vision for Villa's future. I want to see SWP, Kieran Richardson, Keane or Bent, Curtis Davis Joey Barton and Luke Young. Don't want much do I!!

Bottom line is until they stop blurting in the press and actually sign a confidentiality agreement which would enable them to do the necessary due diligence which may allow them to formulate a bid they cannot progress. They only have nine days to do this so in reality they have an awful lot to do to be able to win now and I certainly hope they don't! They along with Neville should retreat gracefully. What is amazing is that in all the months where there appeared to be no interest in this Football Club why didn't one of these parties put a deal together then??? Rothschild have been appointed for months now.

Just from knowing Doug for so long I know that he can easily have his head swayed especially by cash!! Imagine if AV06 throw in "you can stay on the board Doug if you like" Just being devil's advocate here but until this is all completely done and dusted I will fret slightly. Whilst it was a level playing field on the bids ie the asking price Lerner was Doug's prefered option no question. Like I said I just hope for once in his life Doug does the right thing here... Honour the deal he has struck, the deal he wanted and ultimately the best deal for Aston Villa not necessarily Doug Ellis.

You see Richard we are not that far apart in our views...That's been my point all along "they will muddy the waters" Its something we don't need at the moment.

Richard BTW my family made its money in the Funeral business and I mentioned it as a joke!

Richard... Lets just forget it and get on with the debate. Ian, it would certainly be extremely unusual if Lerner did not now win having won the public backing of the chairman, chief executive (yes I know same person!) and the rest of the Aston Villa board plus the second biggest shareholder namely Petchey. It should still happen. AV06 throughout have annoyed me and today's antics is in keeping with their completely unprofessional loud mouth media statements. The fact that they have not even signed a confidentiality agreement which means they can't conduct any sort of due diligence says it all about them so I can't help wandering what is their motive behind today's statement. I know Doug only wanted to only consider Lerner whilst it was a level playing field ie they all bid the same price.. I just have a slight nagging worry that if they did come in within 21 days with a £70 million bid and could prove that they could provide massive backing to O Neill for the foreseeable then he may start to have a rethink. Hopefully for once in his life Doug will do the right thing and stick to the deal he has struck and the one he has always maintained he wanted.

Yes I am sure MON will have a big voice in all of this. He has come to Villa to work for Lerner..