GarryBarry

How useless would you have to be to finish outside the top two managing Celtic or Rangers?

Eh Alex?

Moyes has got the Celtic job. Gutted.  

Not sure how quickly it will be announced but if true we have missed a chance of a cracking manager

Ok someone own up

Someone called "Scubasteve" with three posts to his name has posted on the leicester forum in their Veretout thread claiming they should sign Ethan Moore instead.

http://www.foxestalk.co.uk/forums/topic/101661-jordan-veretout/page-22

Had me crying with laughter for some reason.

I'm loving this window. I have only the vaguest idea who most of our signings are. Sheer volume means it could be brilliant or we could bomb. It is the schrodinger's cat of a window.

I don't imagine he'll worry too much either.  Some of the comments are idiotic, but some of them are comedy gold:

"Tom, would you rather face a Gorilla with a cricket bat or a Polar Bear with a Taser?"

Can't get the link to work but it's from Metro and Yahoo news story.  Google Tom Cleverley Twitter abuse.  In the Mirror and a few others now too

Poor Tom,

Some choice comments from his Premier League Q&A on Twitter today:

"Do you think Villa will survive relegation now that you have arrived with your sideways and backwards passing?"

"What's it like knowing a completely new set of fans are going to hate the way you play football?"

and the old classic

"Why are you so shit mate?"

Reminds me of the Going Live 5Star phone in!

Just about to set off for the gruelling 19 min drive.  The little un's first away game so let's see what he makes of it!

Liverpool have signed Lovren and Koeman quoted as saying he's close to signing a replacement. Should see one way or another whether Vlaars the target soon

Immense performance at the weekend. And this article shows it wasn't the only game. I couldn't understand Lambert dropping Bent but the impact on the team as Bentekkers comes through has been fantastic.

Benteke's importance to the side is eminently visible in the statistics. Having fired off 45 shots this season, the most recent of which came in his imperious double goalscoring display at Anfield, the Belgian has had 23.3% of Lambert's youthful side's shots despite starting just 12 times, and his five goals account for 33.3% of Villa's overall tally.

The fact that only Berbatov, Rooney, Suarez, Tevez and van Persie have averaged more touches per game of strikers in the league (42.9) is the greatest indication of the huge role Benteke will have to play if Villa are to survive.

Football365.com

I'm surrounded by blades fans at work. They can't believe we spotted him and came in so early. Thought they had him for a few more years before he 'did a walker'.

a scout's view on him is 'he will be a real handful. big and strong, backs in to defenders. very raw rather than the finished article. sounds like a lot of our signings this window. just hope lambert can get them playing at the right level quickly.

Opinion on Bennett from my mate who's a scout for a Premier League club:

'quick, good going forward, good quick feet and good delivery'.

However he's a bit lightweight (in terms of build) and not great defensively. This guy also rates Lowton:

'Good athlete, can also play centre half, right side and even defensive midfield. Great lad and just needs time to adjust. Always liked him'

I think, with the warnings about taking time to adjust, we could have done a great bit of business on these two.

Partial confirmation from Charlton manager Chris Powell.

“There has been contact from one club regarding one of my players.

“At the moment there is no movement.”

And with no deal done yet, Powell admitted he would be more than pleased if nothing were to happen between now and 11pm tomorrow.

“On one hand I would be very happy because I don’t want to lose a good player but on the other there is a chance a deal may be done,” he said.

“But we will see.”

Clickety Clack Moo

Lambert clearly still a fan - from football365

Ireland was left out of the starting line-up for the weekend defeat by Everton but produced a man-of-the-match performance in the 3-0 home triumph over Tranmere in the Capital One Cup last night.

The former Manchester City player set up the opening two goals for Fabian Delph and Chris Herd and also linked up effectively with Darren Bent.

Ireland has not always shown his true form since signing two years ago, although he is the current supporters' player of the year, but Lambert is keen to rectify that situation.

"Stephen is a naturally gifted footballer, really naturally gifted," he said.

"I don't know what happened to him the last bit (of his time here), but it is up to us to get the best out of him.

"He is a really talented player, really clever. We have to pull together what he is capable of as a team. The team is always more important than the individual.

"You are only as good as the person next to you. I'm a great believer in that.

"We need Steven and Steven needs the team to help him but he is a really talented footballer."

Lambert is prepared to give Ireland a free type of role.

"I think the way Stephen plays you try and give him licence to make things happen," he added.

"To be creative is a really hard thing to be and he has got that creativity in his armoury."

Skipper Bent scored his first goal in nearly seven months against Tranmere after registering his 100th Premier League goal in February.

But Lambert is adamant the greater good of the team is more important than any benefits Bent may have derived from finding the net again after recovering from ankle ligament damage.

"It is more important we win regardless of who scores. We are in it together and the team is always more important than the individual," he said.

"The third goal against Tranmere was excellent with really good movement and the finish from Darren was top class.

"But I'd rather win and Darren scores rather than get beat and he scores. If we win, that is the main concern."

Lambert is continuing his attempts to bring in Genk striker Christian Benteke and Middlesbrough left-back Joe Bennett before the transfer window closes on Friday.

Villa have already had one bid rejected for Belgium international Benteke and are close to making an offer for England Under-21 player Bennett.

Lambert admits Villa have received little interest so far from other clubs in out-of -favour defenders Alan Hutton and Stephen Warnock.

"If your phone doesn't go, you have to wait and see. Maybe their agents are doing things, I don't know," Lambert added.

clicky

Strange that he left him out against Everton but the 'you're only as good as the person next to you' comment is spot on with Ireland I think. Needs time to develop a partnrship with Bent and also KEA

Love the quotes. A bit more genuine and considered than the usual guff that gets spouted - particularly like the southgate link and acknowledging the club that gave him his professional debut.

I know people have doubts about recruiting from the lower leagues and the risks associcated with buying players for the future but Lambert has a clear gameplan in signing young, committed and talented players. I'd be willing to suffer through another transition year to see this come to fruition. I expect a few more hammerings by the Evertons, Tottenhams and Liverpools (not to mention Man City/Man Utd) but so long as the team are committed, attacking and showing signs of improvement I'll stay behind them all the way - as part of building an approach for the long term

Alan Biggs reckons Bowery is strong, fast and has lots of potential.

However, also reckons Newcastle and Everton are in for him

Biggs is now a daily mail journalist but worked for BBC and formerly Sheffield Telegraph so well connected at Chesterfield

Sounds like an absolutely cracking appointment and part of a long-term 'project'.

Can't wait to see the him unearth the next Laursen (without the dodgy knee)

Confirmed on official site now - talks at advanced stage about a season long loan

I don't care whether PL moves on after a huge success so long as he leaves us in a sustainable, healthier position than we are now.

I can't wait for the season to start. Last season was so dire my five-year old summed it up best by saying 'Aston Villa used to score goals didn't they' while watching MOTD.

This season planning his first trip to Villa Park and bloody looking forward to it.

Yep, on the BBC now

Link

Apparently, just after his appointment on meeting the guys behind the academy and youth scheme, Houllier said 'you have a decent set up here, but I can make it better'.

Didn't go down well. Whether true or not.

Bear in mind though that NZogbia has only remained behind because he's been given two days off for training so hard.

Oh, and there are lots of other bidders, except they have to find the cash from somewhere (so presumably haven't bid)

And Whelan doesn't know where £9 million has come from. He's always asked for £10 million (er except for the well publicised and confirmed £9 million bid accepted last season)

What a complete bullshi**ter and/or deluded fool

So that's why he never got going here...

HE DIDN'T HAVE NUMBER 7!!!

Actually, in the bizarre world of Ireland, being given the no 7 shirt might make a really big difference. Clearly with him his mental state is key to his performance. If he is wearing his 'lucky' shirt that he has preferred from childhood we might start to see some of the near-misses from last season go in.

His comment about things not going off with the bang he wanted at the start of his career at Villa are also telling - let's hope he turns it around.

Hilarious, semi literate statement from the Sty! Best thing about this whole shambles.

IT'S AN EXCLUSIVE FROM TALKSPORT THEY ARE CERTAIN THEY WOULDN'T LIE ABOUT THIS OR THEIR REPUTATION WOULD BE IN TATTERS. IT'LL BE ON SSN IN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES. A SAD DAY FOR AVFC, AND THOSE ITK NUMPTIES.

Feck off and take your Caps lock with you.