JulieB

I'm sure I read something about Ford Focus somewhere - now a Cortina made in Brazil

I looked this Brazilian up when whispers 1st started. He's not a striker he's an AM isn't he according to Wiki?

Exciting, dribbles with ball at feet & gets bums of seats - oh that should be good. We saw a bit of that off Charles on Saturday

more please.

Keep seeing links to this Audi - Boomerang guy - he's a Striker..

If Lambert gets Coutinho to come here I will be amazed. I think what would amaze me more is if Lambert could do it without a Man City or Barcelona beating us to the punch, we may be willing to pay €10m but those two would pay double if not triple that for a player of his quality.

Maybe Henke might come up trumps again? One of the first things Lambert did wasn't it was bring in a Euro coach.

Lambert said he was watching KEA when he was at Norwich - he was his first signing. He was in their affordability range.

It's taking him the longest maybe to settle - but then he would have had been in a strong MF, who'd played together for a long time.

Benteke & Vlaar bought later in the window have looked good, so maybe this window Henke might find another young talented Euro player again??

No one can post ITK anyhow because if agents, clubs, middle men mess Paul Lambert about he walks away

He said that about players & deals in B'ham Mail - players were coming to the club but agents screwed it up & he won't have it.

He walked away from Dempsey deal cos he was dithering wondering what to do.

However IF anyone posts any ITK & it doesn't go through they get rounded on!

Now people are moaning no one is posting any ITK?!!

Talking of ITK -

Do any of you remember what MM posted on here last year - "There are some poisonous players in our dressing room and one day it will come out"

So anyone else noticed the timing of that article that Matt Law posted in the Mirror about if Villa get relegated it will cost them £17 Million because they didn't have relegation clauses put in their contracts - idiots.they are. What a badly run club from an unnamed Villa Source

Do any of the bigger clubs have relegation clauses in the contracts? Is that how you attract players into the club. Do you think we'd have got N'Zogbia or Bent in the first place if we'd had a relegation clause inserted. They'd have thought what - I'm not signing, is that their ambitons, do I wanna be relegated - I'll go elsewhere.

So that means surely NOW any club with a player we want will screw us over for the fee even moe because they've got ammunition that it's going to cost us millions in wages if we go down without said player!!!

Oh nice timing the tool or tools in the dressing rooms who want to leave but won't go until we pay up their contracts because they won't put in a transfer request

So he/they thought it might be clever to leak that info just at the rignt time, hoping the club will cave in - not only that but it puts more pressure on the club the more negative press they recieve.

I think we know who the main Villa Source is or represents him/them because Matt Law included his wages & when a fan said on twitter "but Darren Bent's on more than that so it's must be rubbish" - He tweeted straight back - "No he's not he's on £65K plus bonuses" It's on my timeline I've retweeted it unless he's deleted it

Oh well then that tells us who the Villa Source is then Matt - it must be him or his spokesman then I take it - otherwise how would you know how much a player is on

basic and bonuses?? He never answered that one. So we all laid in to him straight!

Methinks this is emotional blackmail - but I'll know who will win! Whoever leaked that info knew exactly what they were doing because Matt Law is the journo who Paul Lambert asked at the PC after the Stoke game if he'd swallowed a negativity pill - and still smarting he decided it might be a bit of payback cos he doesn't get any titbits. Not sure if he's aware he's been used as a porn but who knows?

Lambert & the club do not give out snippets very often - & even then maybe a couple were red herrings Defoe, Jones - what happened? We signed Benteke who no one was expecting! They don't like it - not like Ol Harry their best mate who feeds em every day

Look at QPR & all the players they bort - if they go down there going to have a huge bill - What about Newcastle - Flip Pardews on an 8 yr contract if they go down!

Any big club who got relegated would have a problem with bigger players - it's a nothing story BUT the timing is crucial in the window.

If the Mods think this post is a bit extreme then please feel free to delete but the rumours abound and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out

why that sniping article was printed today when we're in the January window. Trying to force Villa's hand - however Villa can't come out & say anything

because then maybe another club wouldn't buy the player.....

The buck stops with Randy Lerner & Paul Faulkner - they allowed these players to be bought & they sortd out high wage contracts - but it's not fair

to not back a good manager because there's a previous mess to clean up - he should be given a clean slate & not be incumbered with this rubbish.

I see Lambert has praised one of our players up today in the paper - smart move - he scored yesterday in an FA Cup game fit again all of a sudden - that maybe makes him more saleable. With Benteke, Weimann, Gabby & Bowery back Bent makes 5 strikers - Wer rumoured to be after another too..that would be nice,

Someone at the club leaked that info to Matt Law they must have because he knew exact details -and if it wasn't him or them - who else at the club would feed that info to the press? When our backs are to the wall?

Flip with all this going on is it any wonder we've struggled for years? . We've heard rumours of troublemakers but I didn't think they'd stoop to these levels no wonder Lambert prefers better characters..... Get rid!

OOoh another negative spin about Villa wages & contracts - I wonder who the "Villa source" might be?

Answers on a postcard please

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-face-17m-wage-1519589

Funny there's been a few leaks over the past few months over clauses in contracts & wages et al.

Yeah attitude and to send a message to bent i think.

But there's no way lambert thought bowery was a better player.

Couldn't agree more - thought he showed Bent exactly how to run at a defence in the channels and frighten them. I was a bit shocked how well he played TBH

Got a standing ovation when he went off - or was that for Gabby? He got an extra cheer when he came on so I presumed all the claps were for Bowery.

Nice move that from Lambert when he was starting to really play well - to let him hear that ovation cos he obviously needs alot of encouragement - Lambert gave him

a big hug when he came off!

Bent was awesome at Charlton apparently - used to work his socks off like that. Now he seems to work only when there's a scoring chance. What a shame because he's

lethal

I actually thought Bowery looked pretty tidy against wigan. Certainly worth his place on the bench at the moment.

Bennett just looks a bit lightweight - although it is still early days for him.

He is skinny bit for a FB - maybe send Bennett up to Stoke's Gym cos they've all beefed up by the looks of things.

People forget he had no preseason as he got injured & he's picked up a knock since he arrived. So I don't think he's quite there yet but getting better.

Showed some lovely skills again but also made a couple of errors.

Interesting that the other LB who Lambert was interested in signing - the one the press knew about at least - Aaron Cresswell played today & played well too.

I was told Bowery was gash at Chesterfield TBH - Bambi on Ice they called him apparently - Surprised me today if I'm honest played much better than I thought he would.

What was nice to see today after all the discussion about lower league players over the past few days was actually yet again they looked pretty decent.

Joe Bennett was MOTM & his cross for the goal was top draw

& Bowery who played wide left with him got a standing ovation when he was substituted.

Albeit only against Ipswich.

I wouldnt want to come here if i was Lescott tbf

Oh well then nothing to see here because according to press we were preparing a bid.......Everton & QPR wanted him.

Pay off covering the difference in wages. Just like Given when he came here for example.

Dunne, Given & Ireland did the same to come to us, so surely a deal could be worked out because they are on alot more than £30K at Villa,

but if he's not interested in coming for the reasons Trent gives even though he's not such a regular as he was in the team -

then Lambert will just have to find a player who does want to play for Aston Villa.

16 appearances at the half way point of the season isn't hardly playing in my book. As for what he loves doing I'd imagine winning matches and trophies is high on the list and he will do more of that there and yes earn more money. Why the hell would he want to leave?

Joe Cole? Yeah right. He went to Liverpool on a Bosman for £80k a week, he has now gone back to WHU with them picking up £30k of his wages and Liverpool paying the rest.

I thought Joe Cole had been sold to Wham - not loaned? How could Liverpool be substituting his wages if it was a sale?

looks like lescott is not intrested http://www1.skysport...Manchester-City

He's hardly played this season! How can he not be interested in playing football - isn't it what they're supposed to love doing? - or is it all about the money?!!

Like I said before .......the proof of the pudding will be if he decides to come back & help out the club he supports.

Now compare that to Joe Cole who was in a similar situation, if admittedly perhaps not on such high wages as Lescott - he's gone back to the club where he

learnt his trade. I saw a snippet of his PC with Big Sam & a journo asked him if he was happy to be back and his reasons for leaving Liverpool

and presumably taking a paycut I would think.

He just paused and said............"I just wanna play football"

1st half - We played the usual pretty tippy tappy sidie to side football until we went behind, then it all went to pot & we looked dross.

We need a tough tackling CM for sure - we're shipping goals like Man Utd & sure enough they have exactly the same problem as us - they haven't got

a tough tackling CM to protect the defence. However with RVP up front - does it matter?!!! We haven't so we're struggling.

On this evidence NRC isn't the answer! I completely forgot he was playing TBH.

2nd half - What the hell did Lambert put in their HT cuppa? Much better off everyone.

Played 4 - 4 -2 & although Delph did OK - we looked vunerable all game and some of the players looked like reserves.AGAIN!

If it hadn't have been for at least one world class save from Shay Given - we could have been off to the Tractor Boys or worse!

Interesting today - cos both LBs Lambert was interested in signing in the Summer were on display & actually Aaron Cresswell played really well.

for them.

However I think he got the better quality one in Joe Bennett - he IS a really talented Eng U21 footballer as we're starting to see.

Yes he made a couple of errors & he should have marked better for the 1st goal no doubt - however he didn't let his head drop he

passed, tackled & ran his socks off esp 2nd half. Showed some lovely touches & actually him & Bowery linked up well on the left.

He's just getting up to speed - he had no preseason hardly cos he got injure, which is one of the reasons the transfer dragged on for ages

so give him a chance.

Peach of a cross for Weimman's fantastic header - James Nursey tweeted earlier "good finnish from the man Lambert rates as the best finisher at the club"

Hat's off to the other lower league no mark we signed in the Summer as well - Jordon Bowery - he showed Darren Bent how to run the channels for sure

& outmuscle the opposition & everyone round us thought the longer the game went on the better he played. He should have scored 1st half no doubt.

Tidy with the football at his feet & quite quick for a big lad and he made himself a nuisance today for sure. He got a standing ovation when he was taken

off 2nd half - which I think was Paul Lambert's confident booster & he got a big hug off him for his efforts!

N'Zogbia was just different gravy today - He is such a talent & the pass for Bent's very Bentesque finnish was just quality.

Got a standing ovation when he went off. I really hope Lambert can get the best out of him because he could be lethal.

Nice atmosphere today - not a big crowd but lots of families with their children in LH & was great that we got a win, cos they all went home with a smile

on their face.

One little lad sat on his Mum's lap aged about 6 behind us - had a voice like a foghorn for such a little person

and when he bellowed "Av him for dinner" in the second half it was just priceless!

I'm not quite sure what you spect of a discussion forum. Perhaps you think that everyone must have the same opinion as you for it to be a good one. That's what this seems to imply.

What this thread really needs perhaps is more posts from teenage bullshitters on Twitter pretending to be 'in the know' claiming the likes of Peter Whittingham are about to sign and will do when he's back off holiday.

Lovely!

Morning Pilchard..

I don't really get involved in many arguments/debates on here because it's pointless but I had to laugh when I read this... "Vlaar looks at a similar level to Collins"

Wow. Just, wow!

It's awesome - I'm not quite sure which is the most depressing - listening to a WM football phone in or reading a few pages on Villa Talk

Priceless......

Signing players from the Lower Leagues stinks they'll never have a re-sale value.... ...sheesh Lambert Out!

Spurs signed Gareth Bale from Southampton

Spurs signed Darren Bent from Charlton

Arsenal signed Oxelaide-Chamberlain & Theo Walcott from Southampton

And the irony of it all which team did Everton sign Joleon Lescott from? - Wolves who were in the Championship

Oh wait a minute...isn't he the subject of this entire circular debate how Lambert shouldn't be signing no marks from the lower leagues?!!!

You forgot Bowery and claiming Holman as a lambert signing is ridiculous.

Like I said, why are no other clubs doing the same then? It's cheaper so surely all clubs would do it.

Of course it's about the player and like I said there are clearly gems in those leagues but I think it's unrealistic to think we're going to somehow find them all.

I forgot Bowery but then he's only really been bought as a youngster to fill the ranks. Man Utd & Aresnal both bought players off Crewe

He's hardly played.

And PL clubs do contain players from the lower leagues

Look at Ricky Lambert & where he came from? Took him about 20 mins didn't it to get used to the pace of the Prem League & score.

His goals are a big reason because why Southhampton aren't struggling that much.

I think I read West Ham had a bid turned down for his services already - hardly a surprise is it?!!

We've all been brainwashed by Sky that it's simply unacceptable to even look down into the depths - their darling Premier Lgue is the stand out league in the world.

The Championship & below hardly matters... that's rubbish IMHO

The point is lower league players have been promoted to the top divison since I was first watching football. That was how it used to be

The bigger clubs bought the better players off the smaller clubs. Surely that's how it should be Then some of the obscene PL money

finds it's way downwards.

David Moyes signed the odd few players from the lower leagues not the majority of his signings.

So far he's signed 3 Bennett, Lowton & Westwood.

He's also signed Benteke, KEA & Vlaar + Holman who forced on him admittedly

How is that the majority of signings?

Who cares where they came from ?.........It's the player you sign..NOT the club they play for!!!!

Stephen Ireland came from Manchester City!

What he did with Norwich was very impressive. What he's doing here is so far not.

All up for a clear out and astute buys. I just don't think all astute buys need to be lower league players on cheap wages.

But up to now they haven't have they? Vlaar, KEA, Benteke

And Benteke surely looks more than an astute buy!

Besides Lambert had a bid accepted for Dempsey on final day of window - so he can't be against signing PL players!

Sounds to me like a mixture with 2 of his signings coming from Lg 1 who actually look very good - better then our existing squad!

I asked in the summer. But if our transfer policy is so great why are no other clubs doing the same? So far the majority of lamberts signings have come from the lower leagues, if we signed Chester and Dale which some seem eager for us to do that would be 6 players signed from the lower leagues. There are obviously gems to be found in those leagues but surely we're not going to be lucky enough to uncover them all.

I just hope we sign quality players this window.

Surely Moyes has been doing similar to Lambert for 10 years?! eg Jagielka came from Sheff Utd same place as Matt Lowton

Everton know full well that dipping into the lower leagues pays dividends Big John look where they had Moyes from - Preston North End!

It's took David Moyes 10 years to build this squad wheeling & dealing at a club who don't have the resources of AVFC cos they ain't got a wealthy owner

who can dip into his pocket if absolutely necessary.

I don't know why the big teams bother spending all that money when it's so easy and cheap to get success.

Well Lambert proved at Norwich it could be done...they were going nowhere till he walked through the door..

56 places he moved them up the divisions in one go.....to the Premiership!! If that's not success I don't know what it is

In the words of the Express journo Mick Dennis........

In his first two seasons at Norwich, Lambert’s team never lost two consecutive matches. There were reverses, but each was followed by a resolute performance, inspired by a manager who is simply the most positive man I have ever known.

The problem here is Lambert was asked to persisit with an existing squad that has struggled under about 5 managers in 3 seasons to cut a massive wage bill.

He's kinda proved that the existing squad simply isn't up to scratch whoever is going to manage them! Time for a rethink and a wake up call which as

James Nursey said earlier - these Xmas stuffings might actually have done some good!

What's needed is a clear out & some astute buys surely?

Yet if he came here and took a pay cut it would show he wasn't so what's the problem?

Exactly - and what more of an incentive would you need with a headline like "Your Homeclub needs you Jolean"!!! when we're doomed to relegation

Is he going to take a pay cut & move to a lesser club?...well we'll wait and see on that one...

Pat Murphy says it's not happening & Mat Kendrick concurs

John Carew & Ian Taylor both tweeted after Wigan if they could get fit enough - they'd come back & get stuck in to make sure we stayed up for free!

Think they would too!

Been busy unpicking the stitches on your "Welcome home Whittingham banner"?

Welcome back.

Actually someone tweeted me that according to someone on H & V there's another rumour he's coming back!!

Nowt to do with me at all....

So there!!

Lambert is an admirer - but we couldn't shift some,.... If players leave I wouldn't at all be surprised to see him back

For his freekicks & corners he'd be worth it.... Could teach Barry Bannan a thing or two about passing with your left foot that's for sure

And besides.... just as payback for all the stick I got lads - just to say I knew darn well that we were after Joe Bennett for ages as LB

as some know!!

He's looking a bit raw but he is a very talented wingback as we saw at Chelsea with his sliky skills - he's one to develop so be surpised if we let him go TBH

C'mon Julie, catch up eh?

Sorry - Been so busy past few months hardly even looked on VT so didn't realise he'd got his own thread!..

Okay

Jimmy Rimmer - Arsenal Reserve

Nigel Spink - Chelmsford City

Kenny Swain - Chelseaa Winger we converted to Right Back

Allan Evans - Dunfermline Striker we converted to CB

Ken McNaught - Big Money Siging at time from Everton but was 28 so old

Gary Williams - Youth Squad

Colin Gibson - Youth Squad

Des Bremner - Came from Hibs Not sure how ell known he was

Dennis Mortimer - Coventry

Gordon Cowans - Youth Squad

Eammon Deacy - Irish League Not sure what Team. Wrote in asking for Trial

Tony Morley - Div 2 player at Burnley

Gary Shaw - Youth Team

Peter Withe - Journeyman 28 yrs from I think Div 2 Newcastle but our record Signing

David Geddis - Ipswich Reserve

The above players were involved during 1980-1982 where we won the league and the European Cup. If that team/squad was put together now the majority here would be writing them off for relegation.

Its not about buying big names etc it is about building a team and that can be done by buying players from anywhere. If they fit in and do a job for the team, the team is stronger.

Exactly but you forgot one thing.... where did that manager come from who didn't assemble a squad - but built a team!!....Norwich!!

Seen Highlights and know a few United fans who think they shouldn't have let him go!

Also used to live in Cumbria about 20mins from Carlisle so had a few Carlisle supporting mates rave about him.

Yeah I remember when he played for em - thought he was the best thing since sliced bread!

He wasn't asked to leave Man Utd apparently - it's just like Cahill situation - a team came in for him & he decided to take the plunge & move.

Fair play to him - it shows he's got a genuine hunger for the game prepared to forego his WAG lifestyle & no doubt pay packet & play for Hull City.

Where have I heard those words before??!!! - young & hungry

Complete opposite situation of Lescott who seems happy to be rotting in their reserves earning his billions!

Ironic!