QldVilla

Agree with your comments John. I watched the game live in Australia, there last goal Defoe was offside clearly, so harsh that we dropped 2 points. I didn't think when Gabby was brought down was a penalty though, he played for it too much.

I keep harping on it, but again the inexperience of the young players again shone through. Brilliant to get up 4-1, but they dropped off after and were awful for the last 30 minutes. O'Neil needs to take a lot of the blame, as i wouldn't of made the substitutions until the last 10 minutes, if it's not broke don't fix it, and both harewood and Petrov were the wrong players to bring on at that time. (hindsight??) We sat too far back, instead of what was working well.

I thought we were going to get a touch up before this game, Tottenham looked prime to batter someone. For the first 50 minutes of this game, we looked like a Chelsea or Man utd, not playing particularly well against a good team, but taking our chances. It does show that this team is on the right path, but for two or three top class players, that game could of been 5-1 to the Villa, than 4-4. It's frustrating, but the positves far outweigh the negatives.

General,

Just to give you some positive feedback.

My wife decided that she was going to splurge on some Aston Villa gear for me on our 2nd year marriage anniversary. She ordered the gear on Tuesday 11th September (Australian Time) and arrived seven (7) days later on Tuesday 18th September. For the gear to be delivered from Birmingham to Brisbane in Australia, within seven days is great, and the club should be congratulated.

It's been hard to find the new Aston Villa gear in Australia, and far easier to buy online, and cheaper in the long run.

I agree with everything that has been said. I also am disappointed by the lack of a RB coming in but there is always January hopefully... i believe MON has seen that the defence lacked confidence with the clown Sorenson behind them, and wouldnt be bothered if he left next summer as long as we get a capable replacement(Carson permanently, hopefully). I do think we will have a steady progression up table this season maybe 2 place improvement would make me happy, or pushing for uefa spot at best. If we get a bit of luck and the squad is motivated and kept fit then i do think a top 7 finish is achievable but id rather we didng run before we can walk.

I agree. I think we'll finish somewhere between 8th - 10th, and maybe a little higher if a couple of teams implode during the season.

It is obvious that the Manager is going to give the young players every chance to develop this season, and if they don't meet the grade, will be replaced next season. I'll put my hand up and say that Gabby could be in that boat. He needs to start making intelligent decisions on the pitch or end up like Vassell.

I do think we needed to sign a RM to help provide width and variation in attack, as well with an AM who can play regularly and unlock defences. Gabby & Petrov aren't the players, and I think they may being looking elsewhere next season. But the Manager is giving them the opportunity, to prove me wrong.

It will be an interesting season, and hope we may nick a UEFA Cup spot, but I won't be betting on it.

Oh dear what a panic the writer of this article has got himself into! Its all for nothing though.

People seem to forget that the wage structure we have here at Villa Park under HDE and now under Lerner is set with the intention of keeping us out of debt. There is no point paying excessive wages (which is what the big clubs and most of those trying challange them are paying) to players that will accept a lower wage (refering to GB), or to past their prime players.

MON has adopted a very workable strategy of investing in young hungry players, young players at any level cannot expect to earn as much as proven players in their prime. Therefore our current wage budget is very workable. Second do you not remember Darren Bent turning down an £80,000 a week contract from West Ham to play for Spurs at £50,000 a week!

Another point is do we really want to be signing injury prone players, who are past their prime like Dyer on £60,000 a week contracts? West Ham are paying ridiculous sums in wages to secure players unlikely to take them further than mid table. Do you want villa to do that? Plus people must remember that Villa have spent 9.5 mill on Young and 8 mill on Reo-Coker, each one of those transfers is more than what West have spent on a single player, and in the case of Young he represents more talent than any of West Hams recent signings.

In comparison to Man City, their highest transfer fee was the 8.8 mill on Bianchi, very similar figure to Young and Coker's fee. Man City have also invested heavily in Youth, however their young players are from the continent which makes sense, as Sven's work for the England national side has shown his style does not suit that of the English player. We must remember that MON is a British manager who is excellent at getting the best out of British players.

Another point is that the hungry players, hungry to play football and win titles will alway chose the big clubs over the smaller ones even if the smaller one's offer more wages. The players that chose money over success are not welcome at Villa Park as far as I am concerned. In addition players that want to play football above all else would much rather come to a team like Villa where there is a greater chance of first team football then your Tottenham's and Newcastle's. Curtis Davies for example is likely to find himself stuck on the bench once Dawson and King return (if he were to go to Spurs) plus they have 4 other CB's, whereas at Villa we have Laursen (who won't be able to play twice a week) and Cahill who has yet to threaten Laursen or Mellberg for their places. So maybe, just maybe having a small squad makes us a more attractive option for young players as it means a little less competition and so a greater chance of winning a first team spot. As hungry players alway want first team football.

The first two seasons of the five year plan is surely to achieve european qualification, that will allow us attract a higher class of player and to invest in Young player that can become future greats, as the last thing we want is to be signing up average players to long expensive contracts and then not being able to unload them as they will not accept a drop in wages (Remember to problems DO'L had getting rid of players like Hadji). This is why the investment in Youth has been the focus, None of the players we have been linked with are over 25, with the exception of Defoe and Wright-Phillp's who are better than your average and still only 26.

We have every right to worry, but the fact remains MON and Lerner have done nothing wrong. The only player I was unhappy to see leave was Davis, but he didn't want to stay, he wanted first team football and was probably tapped up a little by Laurie Sanchez. All the rest that left were either not good enough (McCann), lazy (Djemba Twins), or whingers (Samuel). So we don't have a deep enough squad, at least we know the atmosphere in the dressing room is good, all the players want to play for Aston Villa and are hungry to do well. Getting the right players must be our focus, any players who are report to have a little class won't do. Almost every player in the Prem has class, but class means nothing without, hunger, desire and team spirit.

Remember you don't suddenly became a top four Team overnight. People seem to forget that Chelsea were already in the Champs League and had their to two most important players when Abramavich's money came along, not to mention the only other club that had big spending power at the time was Man Utd.

Judge the transfers situation on the 1st of Sept and stop bloody panicking! As that is our only real worry.

Well said!!

If there is a $45k salary cap, then it probably reflects our position financially. If the club carry out the plans they say they will, then further incomes streams will be found, and that cap (it it actually exists), will increase.

The club is being run professionally and as a business, like everyone I would like to see more signings, but if we finish 7th or higher this season, then I will be happy.

General,

With The Villa just completing a pre-season tour of the statea, and other teams from the premier league having been in asia on pre-season tours, is there any chance in the future that The Villa may have a pre-season tour n Australia?

As a Villa supporter since the 70's, it would be great to see The Villa up against some of the A-League teams from Australia, and they would get some great crowds.

all posters are requested to PLEASE read through previous posts or do a search to see if "your question" has already been asked/answered (as this one has about 5 times). [No plans at present] ta blandy

I've woken up in Australia to see the news that we're close to signing Harewood. I soon spat out my weet-bix and started to scatch my head, to come up with some reason why we are signing Harewood. Yes he has some positve attributes, and he is probably being signed as a back-up for Carew. Only the manager knows why he believes he can do a job for the Villa, and if we do indeed sign him, I hope O'Neill is proven right.

But as the days go on and we get closer to the opening of the new season, I would be lying to say that my confidence has not started to be shaking. there has been a lot of statements made by this club over the past few months, and in different areas they have delivered. But if the quality of player we are buying is going to be the Reo-Coker and Harewood (I do rate Reo-Coker, but that has to be proven), then Europe will be yet another seaon away. We still lack depth in this squad, and we still lack the quality to make the Top 6.

I think whatever formation the Manager decides to play, whether a back three or four, Reo-Coker will be sitting in the whole in front of them. I would question a back three though, as you need wingers who will be dropping back in defence. I don't see Wright-Phillips, if thats who where looking at fitting into a back three. But there are a few players who we we have been loosely linked too, who can perform that job with a back three, time will tell.

I think people are missing the point, O'Neill has his plan a, b, c and d. Whether Sneijder is in that plan, only O'Neill knows, and we are just guessing. But if O'Neill wants him, he will get him. As far as Nakamura signing, I think he might be a plan b behind Wright-Phillips. I am so confident that O'Neill will get the players he wants and can do a job for us. I can't wait!

Kewell grew up in Australia in the mid to late 80's when Liverpool were kings, hence his adoration for them. It is likely that he doesn't want to leave Liverpool as it was his dream move. But if as reported Benitez gets the players he's after, Kewell will be surplus to requirements. He he stays fit, and reports from the Socceroo physio say that he's never been fitter, then he would be a great addition. Kewell is Australian, and we don't particularly like to lose, so he won't be turning it up. One more thing is that I beleieve he will suit O'Neill's style of play far more than Benitez's style.

I think people are underestimating the attraction of playing for Martin O'Neill. Players across Europe know that he has been a success as a manager where ever he has gone. So they know if they come to the club, success should be just around the corner.

I like the fact that where not being linked to every man and his dog. Just going about our way quietly, and firming up those deals. Most of the sales so far are reactionary sales, because players are on frees, or they have been relegated. Managers making those sought of purchases have to be questioned. Martin O'Neill knows what type of player we wants, he's identified them, now it's just closing those deals, if they havn't already been confirmed.

In a few weeks time we'll be asking how the manager got him to sign for the Villa.

I don't know what people's thoghts are, but I have a lot of time for Frederic Kanoute. He's proven in the Premiership with West Ham and Tottenham, and would of gained a lot of experience from the 2 UEFA Cup triumphs with Sevilla. I think he would come back to the Premiership a far more experienced and well-rounded player, and be the 20 goal a season player the club has been looking for.