crossman

Emotion is great, but personally I feel it needs to be tempered with some form of 'sense check'. Otherwise, you can just write any old rubbish in the heat of the moment and destroy your credibility for future discussion. Once you write and post it is there for all to see. That's fine if you don't mind people then viewing you as a 'hot head' and treating future comments as such. But only IMO!

Great post. I agree 100%

The beauty of a web forum when it is working well is that it allows people with a common interest to engage in healthy debate wherever they are in the world. And, in my experience, that is largely what VT has proven to be over the years. The problem comes when people don't have the desire or ability to enter healthy debate, but rather use forums to pour out pure emotion which they cannot back up with constructive or reasoned arguement

So when we sign 4-5 quality signings by the end of this window (remember that in the Jan window basically no club did as well as Villa in their signings) what will you say then?? "I always knew it would happen??". Or will we have this worried/frustated thread(s) every single window for the next few years?

AFAIAC MON is building his squad. Getting rid of players HE doesn't value and getting ready to bring replacements in. Anyone who thinks there won't be replacements for those who have left is crazy, as MON would hardly want to limit his own chances for success.

We may be bored with nothing happening right now in terms of transfers but that doesn't mean nothing will...we just need to accept everything won't happen when it suits us...rather when it suits MON/Randy. If nothing has happened by 11th August and we lose 3-0 to Liverpool then I'll be pissed off. Till then, I'll let the professionals do their job and wait and see...

But it's still Nike, so surely it will still be sold in a Nike store, as was the point I was making wrt the shirts being stocked in the Barca store. Please read the thread before you post.

You are so wrong. As Fulham's deal is with a 3rd party, that 3rd party would have to negotiate with Nike to get them to stock a Fulham shirt in their store. As they are doing Villa's kit themselves, it's in their interests to sell Villa shirts in their stores as they make all revenue from sales. No losing out on margin due to any 3rd party costs.

And I have read the whole thread. Good of you to assume otherwise

Fulham's deal is a 3 party distribution deal, not direct with Nike I believe. Always worth checking your facts before you post...

I'd have Barton. He's a nasty piece of work but a great player...so long as MON felt he could 'handle' him I'd be happy to see him at Villa Park

Can't we keep this topic to discussions about transfer rumours and speculation...is it just me or isn't really boring reading a load of stupid, premature comments about how we're doomed 'cos we haven't signed anyone?? It's not even the end of May yet FFS and it feels like deja vu reading this after all we went through in Jan!

Especially as we probably did better than any other Club in the Premiership then in terms of making signings who went on to make a big impact in the 2nd half of the season

Can't see Owen leaving Newcastle for us even if we did offer 9million - why would he do that when we are very unlikely to be able to offer European football next season as well. I think he'll stay there for at least another season...won't do his reputation any good if he leaves after a handful of games

"The Weir and the Wonderful" isn't it?

Fair enough - guess it isn't too far really up the M40. As long as he wins matches i couldn't care where he lived!

Does he still live down there? Would have thought he'd have a place in or around Birmingham by now

Hope we don't get Bellamy - he's a nasty piece of work with shit knees. I just don't think he'd be worth the money, or has the fitness to play a major role for 3-4 years.

Can't believe Lennon would cut it in the Premiership either at his age - he was an average-decent player at leicester 6 years ago. Probably just a lazy MON/Celtic story

parker, barton or nolan would be perfect...

Parker hasn't exactly set the world alight up in Newcastle. He's kind of like a poor man's Petrov...

Fair enough - would be good if we could find the 'next Tim Cahill' this summer. Got to have been one of the best signings by anyone in recent seasons. Any suggestions??

Of course we will need a replacement, but why not Sidwell or Barton for example?

I don't really see what all the fuss is about Barton. He's decent but surely not good enough to put up with all the baggage and trouble that follows him around?

Even Tevez is looking a bit more like it tinight

I thought Tevez played really well tonight. Great goal and he worked his socks off, tracking back etc. Looked a handful and something like the player everyone thought he was when he signed. I'd like to see him at Villa Park. One South American out, another one in...

Darren Bent scored an amazing goal yet again this weekend, great composure and excellent strike. Worth 10M easily, I would like us to pay even 13-14M

I'd rather see us spend big on a central defender than 13-14M on Bent - we seem to have more options up front in the current squad than at the back, so would rather strengthen there as a priority, if we have to choose...

Gardner did really well today - i just don't think he's a long-term fix on the right. Now, as a good alternative for central midfield, maybe...

I meant that i'd like to see them play together as a front 2. think they could be really effective. Be interesting to see that with a midfield of Maloney/Berger, Young, Petrov & Barry

Gabby played really well today, and stepped up to take on the responsibility of 'leading the attack'. Not just with the goal which was a great finish, but in the way he put himself about, gave Samba a real physical battle even though he was half his size, and just seemed to push and be up for it.

TBF, I thought he did the same in the 2nd half against Everton as well. Hopefully he'll get a run playing up front now, even when Carew comes back

I'd rather put 15million towards a top quality centre back or centre Mid. Strengthen the 'spine of the team'.

I may be missing something, but I just don't think Bent is that good, or why everyone seems to rave about him. One good season, fair enough, but I think paying 15 million for him would be crazy. Just don't think he's that good

Foster would be a great signing IMO. I'd even be happy to have him on loan for a year if Man Utd want to do that again when Watford go down..give us a chance to convince him that his future lies at Villa Park!

We need to strengthen our 'spine'. New keeper (Sorensen just isn't commanding enough for me. Decent shot stopper but terrible from set pieces), a big hairy centre back and a dominant central midfielder. None of them will be cheap though, because all the best teams need the same.

Wonder what sort of attendance he'd get for the game? Depends on the opposition to a large extent of course, but I'm not sure that many Villa fans would turn out for him...