Daholteend

I suspect he meant to say there's another game before his extension. Meaning he's one game shy of some clause in his contact and he's suddenly out of the team. I am just guessing of course but it sounds more logical that way. While the economics of running a club are important, if this is were the prime reason for not playing him it is a sad but necessary part of the business of football as it exists in the Premiership today. As long as money and economics is the primary focus at Aston Villa and the current regime I fear that we will need to lower our expectations as supporters and players like Tony Moon may have to either adjust to the realities at B6 or be prepared to move to clubs that put football first and economics second. Having witnessed AVFC relinquish an all out effort to gain Silverware from the FA Cup and League Cup this season in order to concentrate on Premier League survival, if I were Tony Moon I know what I would be telling my agent. A word to the wise though Tony, don't hang your washing and feelings out in the public eye, do what you have to do to keep your football career alive, even if sadly it would mean you leaving our beloved Aston Villa. Personally I like "The Barber of Seville" and I hope he recovers from his injury and comes back so strong that he gets back into the team once again. Watch this space! UTV

I have for many years said that Villa Park must be cursed because someone in the distant past refused to buy the lucky heather or wooden clothes pegs to hang out the players gear on a Monday washing day to dry. Whatever the reason there is no doubt in my mind that what you say TRO is almost true. This club of ours hasn't had "some" funny periods, Truth is that we are always having a funny period. Once we get used to this foible of AVFC, it makes everything else so much easier to understand. We support an extremely eccentric club. A club that in one half of a game makes you think they are beyond brilliant and then in the next half makes you think that they are a club of toddlers that can't kick a ball or make a tackle even if their life depended on it. I for one don't think that Hoolahan was the answer for our #10 needs and I am just as happy that Lambert and Faulkner didn't pay over the odds for a player that more than likely would have been massacred by the fickle ones at B6. Perhaps we all dodged a bullet in that respect. This "funny period" you refer to that we are in now reminds me a lot of the time when after losing to Donny Rovers in the League Cup, DOL was unable to bring in the oft injured Erik Bakke. Funny how often history gets repeated at B6. All we need now is for a sighting of Groundhogs at Villa Park and the circle of exasperation will continue. You don't have to have a sense of humour to support Aston Villa, but it helps if you do. Otherwise you'd be a victim of forlorn hopes and expectations. I feel sorry for Hoolahan though. He missed an opportunity to join a great club and one has to question the ethics of those that prevented such a player from practicing his craft at a club that wanted to play him as opposed to a club that would just keep him warming a bench.

Ahaaaa!! Your fiance is an ITK ToffeeKnows?

Can't disagree with that. I was one that wished for Frank Rijkaard to replace Houllier. Koeman would be a good choice also.

Thanks for the input. Oh Dear! Next choice ?

I never thought that I would even think this but today I asked myself "What would Deadly do ?" . Mr Lambert would be out of a job well before now wouldn't he ? The next question was "What would deadly and Steve Stride do to stem the tide of failure?" and some one (like me) might have said "Roberto Di Matteo lives down in Leamington Spa as far as I am aware. Get on down to Leamington before New Years Day and find out if there is any interest because if something isn't done quickly there is no way in heck that we will be able to accumulate 19 more points this season, and even if we did get 19 points this season I dont think that will be enough to keep us in the Prem." The flaw in my suggestion though is this . I don't believe that Mr Lerner or Mr Faulkner have the balls to make the changes that they need to. I don't think that Paul Lambert simply has the qualities to be able to steer this club anywhere else right now but oblivion without a brake! Of course that task doesn't require any other strategy than to keep doing what he has been doing all along, saying unintelligible things and occasionally "We go again!" But now I know where we are going if we don't make changes and quickly......nowhere but down, and if they keep him on as manager we might even be finding our way to Portsmouth again in a couple of seasons time! The only glimmer for redemption might be if Ron Vlaar gets fit enough and Benteke magically heals up and finds his form but sadly something tells me that if Atletico Madrid comes up with an half way decent offer or some one like them, even Benteke will be gone to pastures green.

Yes, too bad those rumours of Kiyotake and/or Wijnaldum don't seem to have any legs at this stage. It's early days yet and we have yet to see how some of the new signings like Helenius and Tonev will add to our creativity. WE also don't yet know what will happen with Nzog if and when he returns. Who knows, once the window closes perhaps even Bannan might make it back to contention. Delph is still growing and so too is el Ahmadi and even though Westwood's game wasn't sparkling today it is just one game and a lot of players might gel into quite a creative force once they get a few games under their belts together.

For an old fat man Gerrard had a good game today. He marshalled his team well enough to win the game. You cannot overlook the blocked passes , the boot aways from Benteke that are critical attributes of Gerrard's play today. With Gerrard, Toure and Agger all being solid today only something special was going to get us a win and it just wasn't there today, not because we have a lack of talent, but because old fat men can still play good football and do just enough to stifle our young lions.

Gabby Agbonlahor's slip in the first minute prophesied the end result. To be fair to Aston Villa's youngsters we ought to remember that we started the week at The Arse and Chelsea and played two hard fought games at both. Liverpool on the other hand beat an ordinary Stoke had had a week to stay fresh and were ready for this game coming in with fresh feet and a controlled rehearsed strategy to press quickly for the first and as it turned out only goal. Liverpool's football was very crisp and made us run for the ball and tiring us out in the process particularly in light of the games we played earlier this week. Ex Villa youth's Sturridge's goal was a piece of artistry and allowed Liverpool to sit back and defend which they did by keeping possession under the generalship of Gerrard. Gerrard playing deeper than he usually does was able to move the ball around and he did so with precision which made it very hard for us to gain possession . In the first half Villa's control of the ball was lacking touch and too often when we gained the ball we gave it away predictably to a sharper Liverpool midfield. Second half we played much better. Delph was sharper and also Tony Moon on the left showed touches and a great deal of promise. It can be argued that El Ahmadi might have started the game but I don't think that he alone would have made much difference to the way that Liverpool started. However with El Ahmadi and Delph in the midfield we seemd to find more space but the ball just wouldn't fall to us where we could really make the penetration that would allow us to have players in strong goal scoring positions. Weiman looked tired and off his usual game which is no doubt why He got subbed. I don't think Bacuna deserves the stick that some have given him. He actually looked quite good at right back when Lowton left the game. Lambert did the right thing by keeping him in the game. You don't want to discourage a young player on his debut and to say it is the worst debut that you have seen at Villa Park means that you haven't been down the Park too many times. I have been an Aston Villa fan for a good many years and I can tell you that there have been many worse and Bacuna's wasn't one of them so give the bloke a break. He has some touches and with experience will prove the early biters incorrect. Tony Moon and Okore were pretty solid for me. I like what I see in Okore . He has pace, he has strength, he reads the game and he has guts. I would expect Okore to become a permanent fixture. When Baker and Clark are fit Vlaar will be hard pressed to keep his place. I think a case that Vlaar didn't follow Sturridge through the middle could be argued which allowed Sturridge to score. Mind you Sturridges touch for that goal would have been hard to deal with by any defender so again I won't rest the blame on any one player in particular. Looking at Liverpool's CB's they played Agger and Toure and they were able to keep Benteke in check but when Benteke did get an opportunity in the 85th minute Mignolet brought off another game winning save. The result was disappointing but AVFC can bring a lot of good things forward from this and should have no shame in the way we played today. We Go Again!

Yow've nevver bin to Caldmore 'av yow! it's Toe Kneeeee Moooooooooon! not Toe Kneeeee Moo INN

From the videos I have seen Kiyo reminds me of Modric and perhaps a little faster. We have been sadly lacking for set piece plays since Barry and Young left and there is no doubt that Kiyo has some talent there. The one thing I have liked about him though that stands out for me is the exuberance and joy that he shows in his play. However, at the moment he is still under contract with FCN and understandably they don't want him to leave. They allegedly put a valuation on him that would discourage a number of teams from pursuit. Rumours abound about Kiyos own wishes but regardless of social media anecdotes, the question to settle is whether Kiyo would add much more to what we may already have on our squad. Tonev may already be an option as a No. 10. Delph seems to be an older wiser more confident player and Sylla keeps improving every game. We haven't seen the top side of Westwood for that matter. So what would tip the balance if we assume there could be a Villa interest? For me it is probably going to be down to being able to negotiate with FCN for a fair valuation on the contract side of things. On the playing side I would think that the addition of Kiyos set piece skills would tip the scales. So for me, If the rumours that we are in for Kiyo and he is interested are true then I would applaud Lambert if he signs the lad. There may well be a few other irons in the fire apart from Kiyotake. I wouldnt be surprised if we signed a couple more players before the window ends. Maybe even sooner if the possible Bent sale is concluded.

I agree. We sometimes forget that when he was injured last season he was badly missed. The signing of Okore, if fit, should go a long way to helping the defence but in my view we still should be looking for another CB because it's a long season and with our injury history with CB's we need more back up.

would you take a pay-cut in your job? This... I'm seeing a lot of this at the moment. Why doesn't he get realistic with his wage demands?etc etc All the players can see the market has diminished significantly. So why would they lose the good contracts they are on? Even if they go elsewhere and get game time and be successful it is still open to debate whether they would get future contracts that are better than what they currently have. Point is not a single person on this site would take a pay cut to join a rival company so why would they. I get that its frustrating for us the fans but I'm sure that hasn't entered the players heads too much. Since you brought it up, I DID actually take a 20% pay cut to join a rival company a few years back and I was earning substantial money at the time. My reasons for doing that were because the future at the company I was working for would have limited opportunities for future growth. . It turned out to be one of the best moves I ever made. Within a short amount of time I gained back the salary and through hard work was given more responsibilities that led to better opportunities on my next appointment. I realise that I may be one of the very few that did that but because Barry is so young and has a fair degree of talent he should not let money alone dictate what his next move should be. It is possible that there are a few more clubs for him to explore before the transfer window closes. Don't forget its only the end of July and he still has a few more weeks left to make a decision. It's a BIG decision for Barry Bannan. Just because there are a few fans that would like him to move on doesnt mean that he has to oblige them. After all, what does he owe them and how much are they going to contribute to his future welfare? ... oh wait a minute...it's nothing isnt it! I love AVFC as much as anyone but lets not be too hasty and harsh when a lad who has put in 14 years service to the club is being shown the exit door. As fans we can choose to respect players who have worn the claret and blue. I wish the lad well and hope that when he is ready he makes a choice that makes sense for him and moves to a club where he has a future career. If the right opportunity comes along I would hope that BB takes it and is willing to take a pay cut that may reap a bigger reward in the future. I did , and I have never regretted it.

Hindsight is 20/20 . Reality is that we would have been so much better off just taking ₤25M from Citeh and not having anything to do with Ireland. There can be no value placed on the angst created at AVFC and among the fans who have collectively spent hour upon hour of discussing the pros and cons (mostly cons) of this former talented player. The writing was already on the wall for SI when Mancini sent him to play with the reserves saying ."I don't know what he is thinking about his future but, for me, Stephen is a fantastic player and if he can change his head I think he can start to play like last season [2008–09] again" Problem is he didnt appear to change anything except his training shoes on a daily basis. At the time of leaving the BBC quoted Ireland as saying "I've kind of forgotten the feeling of what it is like to come off after a game feeling tired, winning or losing. I'm not used to sitting out for so long," said Ireland. He certainly is used to sitting out now. I can't help feeling thats it's all been a waste for everybody involved including Ireland himself. It writes like a football tragedy. Yes, I know that some will say that the lad is making millions but really? How many millions can make up for the fact that here is a football player who never lived up to the expectations of everyone in the business. . So much latent talent unused. So much money expended. If I were in those same training shoes I would be massively depressed, but thats just me. We will never know just how much having SI as a makeweight for James Milner played in MON's departure unless of course any of the parties involved decides to write a memoir. Of course it wasn't Irelands fault that the next two managers struggled to get a team together that could compete at the level that MON had achieved. Some might argue that had Ireland played immediately the way he did when he was Citeh's Player of the Year, things might have been different. To that I would say that "If the Queen had testicles she would be the King!" IIRC he has one more year left on his contract with AVFC. I hope for his own sake that he just doesn't spend the year in the Bomb Squad. There is a lot more football to be played by SI.. it's just not going to be at B6 .Additonally in a month's time he will be 27 years old... still young enough to enjoy what is left of a football career that badly needs salvaging.. for his own pride if nothing else. Ireland still has a chance to make it to the World Cup. Stephen Ireland still has a chance of making that team but it depends on him having a strong worthwhile season to achieve that. SI has windows of opportunities ahead of him. I hope that he takes them and finds that talent that he has. Sometimes in life, the money becomes irrelevant. Sometimes the personal satisfaction that you have accomplished all that you are capable of becomes paramount. Stephen Ireland, if you are reading this, I sincerely hope you understand this and grab the opportunity that still lies before you. Don't let money pre-occupations get in the way of having a happy life!

If he can guarantee more goals like that do we care what position Lambert plays him in? And more to the point does he ?

The thing to look forward to about having Helenius and Benteke on the pitch at the same time is that defences can't afford to double team both of them. Add in the Gabby and Weimann factor and we might have something if all goes to plan.

"Tony Moon" also known as "The Barber of Seville" is destined to be a great signing by Paul Lambert. When fully fit I am certain that his defence will be much tighter. Shame about the disallowed goal. We would have all been over the moon ! Tony Moon" también conocido como "El barbero de Sevilla" está destinado a ser una gran firma de Paul Lambert. Cuando ajuste completamente estoy seguro de que su defensa será mucho más estrictos. Qué pena que la meta no permitida. Todos estaríamos en la luna!

Charming! Haha I didn't mean for it to sound like that, I'm just lazy! I'd blame it on the phone. If the post is too long ( like mine can be) the tendency on the phone is to skip to the short concise ones. I should take my own advice, but where is the fun in doing that ? Us old uns want you to do as we say , not as we do.

He may have had a fair game tonight and thats always good to see. However, defencively speaking would you rather play KEA over Sylla or Delph assuming that all three are fit? Our problem last season was that we leaked too many goals starting from giving the ball away from midfield positions or not being able to control the midfield. The situation improved with the arrival of Sylla and Delph came into his own also. It's good to have a creative scheming midfielder but that player must also have some grit and strength in defence while also having the ability to win and to hold the ball and then distribute it effectively. Of the three of them who does this the best?

The thing that stinks about that walk is that the fastest way to get there is via Cherry Orchard, Roman way etc and IIRC there are no pubs along that route and certainly none that would be open if you arrive at Lichfield City after hours. Of course if you aren't pushed for time you could have walked past Cherry Orchard and on to the Duke of York Pub and then onto the Anchor at Streethay. I would celebrate each goal with a pint and use the walk between pubs to burn the calories ! Then on the other hand if you don't go to Pubs...just enjoy the walk! Better walking it after Crewe than doing it after Luton!

Oh did I mention ? the roulette ball fell solidly into Black 13 ! What a terrible shame

Don't misunderstand me, I would rather keep Benteke for one more season. None of us wants to see Beneteke go, but if a player whether by poor advice or his own foolhardiness is bound and determined to go then let him go and in that respect I take my hat off to Paul Lambert for dealing with the matter in a sensible way that benefits Aston Villa. I dreamed the other night that we sold Tekkers to Spuds for 30M. Spurs missed out by one point at the end of the 2013/14 season to get into the Champion's League falling to 5th again behind the Arse. Tekkers finally figured out that Spuds werent Arsenal and then went on strike in next summer's transfer season and ended up signing for Arsenal for 15 M ! Tekkers made the Belgium WC squad but never played a game because Lukaku was brilliant. So CB moved to the Emirates and just couldn't find any form and ended up being sold to Antalyaspor ! Meanwhile a players agent who shall not be named took all his gains to Las Vegas and bet it all on the red....and that was that! Instant Karma! Then I woke up and realised.. Villa might well receive 30M. Aston Villa FC is a business. 30M is not to be sniffed at.

Rumours abound that Spuds are going to test Lerner's resolve of asking 25M for Benteke by coming in with an offer at 20M. I would love to be in Randy Lerner's shoes on this one. Spurs transfer dealings are almost as detestable as Benitez and Parry's! He happily stood by his valuation of Gareth Barry where Benitez and Parry offered 15M for Barry and did not meet the 18M asking price and rejected them outright. Why would Spuds waste their time and ours by not stumping up the 25M? If it were me every time the chiselers offered something below my asking price I would add an additional premium on top next time they called equal to the amount of the shortfall. So if they offered 5M too low, next time they come in the price would be 30M and so on. Someone this summer will pay the 25M or more. Call me crazy or whatever but in this market and the current Premier League, Benteke is worth every penny that Tottenham, Chelsea or any other club will offer over 25M ! Spuds!! Please stop wasting Lerner's and Faulkner's time and making yourselves look cheap. Pay the Piper! On this one Randy is definitely calling the tune and bless him for it. Kudos Randy Lerner!

Depends on his contract surely? Personally I hope we do a "Barry" and say "you're under contract son! We will sell you when WE are ready." I agree with you Mike! What's the point of signing a contract for four years if your intention was to break it. However, none of us is privy to all the facts and probably only Benteke, his Agent and the Management of AVFC know , or think they know, what the situation is. There is no onus on AVFC to change the terms of the contract as it stands. From a legal standpoint they can let it run the full four years barring there being any terms in the contract that provide Benteke with a way out. However, if AVFC did a "Barry" then it is fairly certain that the player will be gone at the end of the 3rd year because that is the last opportunity to get significant money for him. On the other hand from what we have already seen of Benteke's upside, here we have a player who IMHO is the most significant Striker since Gerry Hitchens bar none! If Paul Lambert;s belief is that success can be built on Benteke's broad shoulders then it is easy to see why there is a crack in the door where Lambert and the AVFC board is willing to sit down and talk about Benteke's long term future with the club. If Benteke shows that he is 100% on board with Villa's future plans they will have a contract improvement signed and sealed. If he baulks all bets are off! It will be an interesting summer.

There will be a million of them. Mine's going to be chanted to "That's Amore!" as follows:- When the ball hits the wall and a Villan whose tall - That's Okore! He's better than Dunne and our Number One! That's Okore! The signing of Okore is exciting enough by itself, but when you add in the other signings a lot of Villa fans can't wait to see Okore and the lads ITSOTP ! On that level excitement I agree with the sentiments in this article. http://tinyurl.com/m597aoj Apologies if this has already been posted.