KSV

yeah REO stepped up big time.. has the threat of Makoun and hes lifted his game. Very impressive performance in defence and attack.

Albrighton and Heskey will change the game. Gab and Downing off please. goto 442..

apparantly he wants to goto Newcastle. Alright then.. off you go chap.

thankfully its 'Australia Day' tomorrow. Public holiday! Good timing.. Australia playing semi finals of Asian Cup and Villa against Wigan.. would have been hard at work with 2 hours sleep !

I dont think Makoun will start either although hes not short of match fitness if he did. Petrov may be rested for Makoun.. or even Reo Coker. I think Houllier believes Petrov is lacking in fitness and may not play him from the start within a few days.

he will take time.. but then again he has played against Real Madrid.. Wigan will be nothing to him. Biggest problem for him will be communication and learning his team mates.

http://www.videosurf.com/video/l1-5j-psg-lille-0-1-makoun-8430043 Look at the height of the fella he out jumps for this goal.

im more excited about his debut than i was with Bents. Makoun can have a SERIOUS impact to how we play. He could dominate midfields where we wont have to sit back and defend leads for 30 minutes and cop late goals. Bent will change things too but Makoun could potentially be our best signing in a long long time. He will need time however. Unfortunately Bent signing has overshadowed Jean's.. but that will take the pressure off him and allow him to learn the language and settle in. He probably wont start for a while yet.

if im not mistaken he won the ball and started the quick counter attack for our goal.

he would need time there. Its a new position. Milner wasnt great instantly once moved there. Friedel Walker Dunne Collins Clark/New Signing Albrighton Makoun Downing Young Gabby Bent Could be the way forward?

What did everyone think of Stewart Downing at CM? I thought he was quiet in attack but i was very impressed with his work rate and the way he spread the ball across field etc. Could be a Milner type convert.. against easier sides he will have more time and space on the ball and may get more goals from a central position.

he looked bloody relieved in the video interview at soccernet.com haha

can you confirm he is the only signing today MM?

who cares we will be the best team ever to be relegated In all seriousness.. im still more excited by the Jean Makoun signing. We been crying out for a quality midfielder for a while now. Milner was the closest thing we had to a box to box midfielder who can start attacks and defend. Makoun could really be something.

Mick Mcarthy. French midfielder.

Sorry to seem like I am picking on you KSV but this kind of reaction really winds me up. We have moaned as a collective for God knows how long about us needing a striker, a proven goalscorer, one who costs a lot of money and not £4m like Marlon **** Harewood and we go and show this initiative and STILL people pick faults in it! Bloody hell mate, the guy won't need time to adjust to the English Premier League like all the foreign strikers do. He's proven and I don't give a **** if he goes on to sign for us and not score a goal, this signing would be amazing for our club at this time. How many goals does the amazing Fernando Torres have in the Premier League this season? 7 in 23 games. Bent has 11 in 23 games. The career stats are Torres 170 goals in 388 games = a goal every 2.28 games. Bent's are 153 goals in 362 games = a goal every 2.36 games. Yeah Torres' stats are marginally better but he has spent his hole career at Athletico Madrid and Liverpool surrounded by top quality players. Bent spent the first 220 games of his career surrounded by average players at Ipswich and Charlton! His last 142 games at Spurs and Sunderland have seen him score 61 goals = a goal every 2.32 games. His fee may seem astronomical to some but Torres would arguably cost a hell of a lot more but would he give us a hell of a lot more in terms of goals scored? People are so blinkered and fascinated in foreign players and names and it really winds me up. Since 2005 Bent has scored 81 league goals, second only to Rooney and Drogba who have apparently scored 82 each! If we were supposed to be signing either of those tonight how much would we be paying for them? A lot more than £18m I bet and for what? one more goal? Someone said to me that Bent doesn't do much except score goals. I tell you what, I don't care if the guy sits on his arse for 85 minutes of the game just as long as he keeps that scoring record the same during his stay at the Villa! I don't want Villa to go and spend £18m on some fancy foreign "star" just because he has a fancy name. Who knows whether that type of player will settle in England or adjust to our pace of the game etc? There are so many questions to answer and I would rather we didn't take those risks. I want Villa to sign me a striker who has proven goalscoring talent and who will give us a real goal threat and in Darren Bent I believe we will have that. By the way, I think all doubters should apologise to Mysteryman. He came on here on Friday and suggested that Villa were going to make a club record signing of a striker who would be almost guaranteed to score a lot of goals every season. He was proven right and for that he deserves an apology. Too many people are quick to dismiss people as bullshitters when they don't even know them and it's unfair. Cracking post VR, my sentiments entirely. The 'no money' and 'sell to buy' posters have disappeared too. I know what you mean but it depends how much we got left to sign. We need a left back another CM.. a goal keeper etc. If we blew out transfer budget on bent.. and god forbid he gets injured.. then what? But from what MM said.. with his chairs comment.. sounds like a few more are coming in... lets hope so.

I dont mind Bent but that is ALOT of money. Im just trying to think we could probably get a foreigner for alot less. But im really happy that Randy are supporting Gerrard. I think if we survive this season. Houllier will get us flying again.. if not a late run this season! We have a good run after January.

if we sell him. At least get 15 MIL.

that play from the Fonz.. i havent seen a villa striker do that in a while. Drogba like skill and a smashing shot. I want him to get 90 min against Manc City. Drop Gabby or play him upfront. HE AINT A **** WINGER.

442 with Bannan coming on for Petrov on the 65th.

why are people suggesting Clark is struggling. I thought hes defended him well. Hes been isolated due to no support hes marking two players.. but when hes one on one hes done well.

Gerrard needs to tell them.. we look good when we have the ball and use the wingers. Long balls = no result.

I dont know about you.. but my nails have been quite nice.

so glad we have Makoun next week. Hes what were missing. Our CM's have no fucken idea. Petrov has been woeful. Reo Coker good defensively but nothing in attack. Walker has been our best player in attack. He will end up like Bale as a winger. Carew has done okay but is too isolated. Gabby has been dreadful. Move him forward with Carew. 4-4-2 please Gerrard.

Bannan isnt suited to this type of game. It will be a war type feel.