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Our odds have just been slashed to 10/3 to sign Tom Ince although Everton still 9/4 favs

I still think we will make another signing before the window shuts. I'd love it if the Fischer rumours were true, would be amazing. My my head says it just won't happen although Hellinuis's deleted tweet has made me hope a bit more! In regards to Shawcross, I personally dont think we will be signing but ruling him out because people thinks he doesnt fit Lamberts mould is wrong too. He has shown that he will go after experienced players to if he thinks they will fit. The Dempsey bid last year showed that.

but Scott Parker will definitely not be coming. He won't even be leaving spurs this window

I said about this the other day itt, just as pure wishing. Hope it happens

I've been seeing Lescott being linked with a few clubs. He was/is a Villa fan right? That could work in our favour as he nearing the end of his career (30 now). I doubt he is on Lamberts radar, but I think he'd be a great addition for us. Will take some of the pressure of Clark a bit and help him develop and we will have 3 top quality cb's (maybe 3 and a half if Dunne plays for us again) to choose from when we have injurys. Not sure how long he has on his contract, which would influence his price if it was longer but a loan with view to permanent deal seems possible

Love the video clip on page before as it just shows the top corner and fingertips lol - what a save! I was gutted when we let him go in the summer. Knew he was going to be a quality keeper. Thank god Lambert has sense and sorted that out quickly before he got snapped up

Was brilliant today and at Newcastle. They way he tries to close down and doesnt stop really adds to the team. Not only does it make it much harder for the opposition but it makes the other lads work harder to they dont wanna look lazy after he's running round like a blue ar*e fly!

If Chelsea sign the kid from Bayen L today then it looks like Sturrige would be available on a year loan. Liverpool interested but would also love to see us go head to head with them on this one as I think we would have more chance than the Dempsey situation. Also think Chelsea would rather loan him to us than potential rivals

theres an interview on the bbc website with McLeish talking about next season. I think he has been assured his job is safe for next season.

As long as it meant McLeish going at the end of the season, I would take just about anyone. Would be happy with one of Martinez, AVB, Cappello, Kevin MacDonald+Laursen as assistant with Laursen taking over after Mac....... ......but, wouldn't be surprised if we spent our transfer budget giving it Wolves as compensation for Terry Connor!!

Wow! At last! I've been waiting for this all season! We are actually having a go. Easily our best 45 minutes of football all season. I like the look of the team, shame Ireland come of but what an inroduction from Bannan, so close. Nzog playing the best game he's had for us, looks like the player we all hoping he would be this half. We've made Arsenal look poor. Brilliant first half, such a shame about the pen but if we play that good 2nd half we should get a result but if we don't I'll be much happier that we finally give it a good go and won't mind as much losing like this. Team selcetion has probably been forced with injuries etc which I'm glad about. Hope some of these players get a run in front of some of the people that are out (except Bent) - come on Villa, Keep it up

I 3would just like to see McLeish go, even if we haven't got anyone lined up. imo it at least shows a step in the right direction. I'd much rather see Kev Mac take over for the rest of the season if we couldn't get anyone in straight away and then try everything we can do to get Moyes next season - just doubt any of this will ever happen. I'm villa till I die but our current state and how our future is looking is really depressing

Makes it laughable now when only a couple of seasons ago people were calling for MON head. At least we could give any team in the league a game then and played exciting football. Now it seems like just a matter of time before we're playing championship football, if not next season, then it won't be far off unless we make some big changes sooner rather than later. To save this season we need to get some serious reinforcements in, hopefully survive (I even happily take mid table obscurity at this point just to save any end of season worries), then I hope and pray Lerner has the sense to change the manager (even though he prob won't) or sell up

I think he ended up winning that award. I haven't seen this kid play yet, I'll be watching the game tonight vs Spurs with interest. Alot of people seem to think very highly of him. I hope he does well - same kind of story as Delaney, that what it reminds me of and he turned out to be a great player for us.

In reality, it's one of our best starts of the season being unbeaten still etc but it feels like one of the worse. I'm not a moaner and I really think we have potential and I'd love it to come out, but the way we are set up to play, I just can't see that ever changing against anyone we play all season. Sure, maybe some of the players will be changed about through the campaign but our football is just painful to watch. Bent gets no service what-so-ever but he'll still score goals, but he'll know he can do better in a better team, which is why he left Sunderland to come to us before all our best attacking players left....

We should really be taking advantage of the state Everton are in at the moment and hopefully this team will do that, if not, I hope McLeish has the balls to make the substitutions needed ie take off the tired lads when the game starts passing them by after 65 minutes

I'm another that completely agrees with this

Looks like we're in talks with him. He probably wouldn't be my first choice signing at the moment, but will he improve our team - definitely

Just wondering what kind of reception you'll think he'll get at home this Saturday and what of reception you will personally be giving? He was happy with fans at the Fulham game. I personally hope it's a decent one to show we are behind the team, if reception is bad every home game then I'm sure it will effect players too.

Nowhere near as bad as some are saying on here. The first half was very promising and the 2nd half just seemed as they were a lot more match fit than us, which was to be expected considering the have already played competitive games this season. Given 9 - Brilliant, the best keeper we could of got. Brilliant signing. Young 6 - ok in the first half, didnt really notice him in second half too much. Dunne 6.5 - pretty solid, would of been higher if distribution was better Collins 5.5 - obviously always gives as much as can but his distribution too, is terrible, always wants to play the long ball and gives it to opponents defence way to much Warnock 7 - I thought he was our best defender today. Always tried to give Gabby an option, even it was a back pass rather than trying an overlap or coming inside. Made a brilliant block when all our other defenders went toward the ball at one point in game. Gabby - 6.5 - I was a bit disappointed how he got his yellow card, it was always going to happen after he give ref so much jip the first time. Always tries hard imo and will cause problems but I would still play him as a striker. We had Emile and Gabby as wingers at some points in first half with Zoggy playing off Bent - thats just silly imo Nzog - 5.5 - obv not match fit yet. I have high hopes for him though but probably started one or two games too early. Had a wayward shot and give the ball away in good spots a couple of times but showed a few glimpses of how exciting I'm sure he will be this year with a couple of nifty dribbles Delph 6.5 - Solid. I think he was told to play holding role as he was behind Petov all the time and didnt take initiative to go forward when he could of a couple of times, instead of electing to make himself available to the side of the ball to receive a pass. Another player I really like but will be wasted in this position Petrov 7 - Not sure why all the moaners - our best outfield player for 60 minutes - def needs to be subbed now at end of games but while everyone else tries to play bad long balls or lay it of as quick as possible if they have people around them, he seem to command time on the ball and is always calm, can create a bit of space for himself in tight spots and calm things down for us. Yes, he probably does play the ball sideways and backwards a bit too much but without him today it would of been like ping pong at times Heskey 6.5 - run his socks off for 60-65 mins but without really doing too much. Sure he will have better games if he puts in same effort as this but is another one who probably needs to be subbed towards end of games if he starts Bent 7 - Another one who had low marks today, but he did everything he could with the service he had. He prob got bad marks cause he got offside a couple of time but the second one was close and he tried to come back on. Always looking to make runs and space, even in 2nd half when we were the worse team. Used players around him too, set up Zog early and also made great run and cut back near end for Albrighton when it looked like it wasn't on for him. If he plays like that when we dominate teams then he score shitloads again, and probably get a few assists too

Sick thing is that if he does get made manager, then it is very likely we actually did tap him up - embarrassing!

I have never been so disgusted with a potential manager appointment before in my life, although there have been one or two over the years that I wasn't happy about, I have still supported them and supported my team but if this happens then I would hate it. I would feel confused and disappointed as it feels that everything we have been told by the board and even seeing the fruits of their hard work over the last few years - this would totally go against all of that. I'm putting the fact that I personally don't think he is a good manager, his 2 relegation's, bad signings, negative style etc to one side for a moment. What worries me more than anything is the fact that the villa camp will not be a happy one for the next year (unless we win every game). Of course there will be a massive fans backlash and the will be alot of people on his back from day 1. This in turn will filter down to the players and it will also surely effect them too. Players will not want to stay and players will not want to come. The pressure will be so intense that I fear even the best managers in the world would struggle to work to their best ability under these conditions so it will be a slippery downhill slop and come this time next year we will be in the same postion again looking for a new manager which will in turn halt our progress for the 12/13 season. I am still holding very slim hope that this will not happen. This could be one of the saddest days for me personally in my 30 years of supporting my team