piav_k4

It's been a pleasure to watch Benteke over the last few years. I started really watching football in 98 and he's the best forward I've seen in a Villa shirt. His movement is superb and he manages to get himself unmarked so often, i just can't help but feel with the better service at Liverpool, he'll score a a hatful. Movement, pace, power and finishing. It's sad to see him go.

Off topic and to commend Comolli a bit as it's often forgotten. Liverpool swapped Torres for Carroll and Suarez so looking back it's wasn't such a bad deal after all...

There was obviously something in it... Michah Richards confirmed as much. Plus the club could have denied rumours about 3 weeks ago when the clause rumours surfaced, Here come the old 'i didn't post what i was thinking so i'll bash those that did' brigade. Congratulations, you score 1 point! Regardless, i am chuffed.

Another case of how despicable the modern footballer is. A club which has set up this lad for life. Where is the loyalty? The club should hold more power. A player should not be allowed to behave like this imo.

I didn't see Gower play, but is there anything more beautiful than an Ian Bell cover drive? Moeen being a left hand bat also looks exquisite when playing the cover drive. Still, I don't mind Stokes top edging everything for 6 if the runs are coming. Let's post 400 and the game is set up.

Good back up keeper. Welcome Mark. Tony Parkes in!

The age thing is debatable as Freidel was 37 when he signed and i bet he was on a similar wage. It was admittedly a 3 year deal but it took him up to 40. Given would have also been 40 at the end of his deal.

I can't say I remember him being particularly dreadful under McLeish and I don't think he had a chance under Lambert. He's always been a very good keeper, and he's still not as old as Friedel was in his last season for Spurs. On top of that no one really rated Guzan at the time, we needed a keeper. The fact he played less than 40 games makes it bad business. I remember he was awful at the Euros and didn't start the season well. At his age there were serious questions to be asked and he had to br dropped imo. He did have a bad Euros I'll give you that.

We are good at home, that red ball will swing. Clark saying saying that Johnson is bowling quicker than ever, and swinging it. Alright Michael, we'll see. 2-1 England, get your money on.

I can't say I remember him being particularly dreadful under McLeish and I don't think he had a chance under Lambert. He's always been a very good keeper, and he's still not as old as Friedel was in his last season for Spurs. On top of that no one really rated Guzan at the time, we needed a keeper. The fact he played less than 40 games makes it bad business.

Good point. By all accounts City have invested heavily in the youth system. It'll just take time to come to fruition into suppose. It's just ridiculous seeing talented players go for the money, probably being fed horse shit by City 'Yeah Fab of course you'll play!' only to see them fester on the bench.

But for gods sake Fab don't go there and start 20 games all season! Man City desperate to sign home grown players. I'd like to ask Dyke how the home grown rule is a positive for the national side? Man City will sign an England International and not play him. How does this strengthen the England team?

I must be one naive bloke. Really took to heart what Delph said in January as well. Gutted at the news that he is considering a move away.

Rodders is right, and the figures will be in that ball park if my many years in football management (PC version) are anything to go by. I would have to disagree with Trent though, when McLeish signed him he had every intention of making Shay his number one for the duration of his contract. If he'd have played close to 200 games for us we'd be saying it was fantastic business. Lambert clearly had one eye on the wage bill when making Guzan number 1 imo. He was an honorary member of the bomb squad.

Absent chairman - who wants out but has indicated that even if the club doesn't sell, a chairman will be appointed to run it with Fox. Star Striker - reportedly wants out but not available for less than 32.5m which could be used to improve the squad. Player of season - can walk for a knockdown price but has recently signed a new contract and reiterated his loyalty. Rookie Manager who did expectationally to lift the whole place and keep us in the league when all looked lost. Goalkeeping situation is healthy due to us having 2 very experienced keepers. tatty north stand, which no one seems to even have the nous to clean\paint which doesn't detract from Villa Park looking imminence inside a group of injury pronce CB'S but with a few months left to strengthen No full backs if you don't include Hutton, Bacuna, Richardson, Bennett or Richards.

Enrique and Lambert both out of contract at the end the season. I'd be surprised if they started more than 10 Prem + CL games between them last season. Enrique cost them 5m from Newcastle. 5m for the pair is over priced!

Is Liverpool a risky move for Benteke? They have a better, more creative squad than us. In principle it means more chances for Benteke but the opposite could be true. Liverpool like us to believe that that play a more patient, footballing, possession style game. Paul Lambert tried it, Benteke looked like a fish out of water. Goals dried up and his confidence not long after. His first touch deserted him and he was toothless leading the line in that system... Liverpool's system. I can't see them changing it to accommodate him. Admittedly, Coutinho and co will me more adept at putting him clear than Cleverley and Westwood but a better, more creative squad could well mean less goals for him imo.

yes he has scored some big goals for us but whats he done to suggest he cares? to say he cares about the villa would surely means he gives 100% in every game he players whether it be on ST or Wing? hes non exsistent in too many games,,goal ratio over each passin season is poor..assists?not checked that im sorry but i dont get that he cares..yes he does alot for Acorns but i would say the Wage is more appealing to him and giving his kids a good start in life..and fair play to him for doing that i have no problem with him doing that i would just prefer it wasn't wages Aston Villa was paying him I don't disagree strongly with either post, but he really does get a hard time from the Villa fans. An overly hard time imo.

Gabby getting a hard time again. Yes he frustrates, no he isn't Messi. He has though, scored some big goals for us and he actually cares about the Villa. The current squad would be weakened if he left. He can hardly be blamed for the amount of money he earns!

I'm not sure the signing of new players offers any clues about how close a take over is. There will already be a budgets in place, probably set by Fox.

People who post congratulatory posts on Facebook on behalf of their kids getting 19 out of 20 on their latest spelling test or similar. **** off!

He'll cost them around 20m over the 5 years in wages and fees I would imagine. His wages would make him one of our highest earners if we were to match the offer from Everton. The logic is that you build your team around your highest earners and best players. Is he good enough to be one of our highest earners/key players? For the next 5 years? I personally don't think he is and would trust Tim if he thought their was better value else where. If they get a Sherwood Cleverly then he's worth every penny, if they get a Lambert Cleverly or anything in between then he's a gamble.

Can we give the bloke a bit of credit for keeping us up and providing us with some superb results/moments? We even got to enjoy MOTD a few times. It's been a vast improvement on the previous few regimes. Just compare the two sides on Saturday. How many of ours get into theirs? Their entire subs bench walks into our team? The reason Reading nearly got a result is because Arsenal didn't turn up. They didn't move the ball any where nearly as quickly as they did against us. We tried to press them and they moved the ball as if we weren't there. Please judge Sherwood from the Stoke game right up until the Arsenal one - Not just from the Southampton one up until the Arsenal one as a few seem to have.

An on fire Villa side couldn't have beaten the on fire performance Arsenal produced on Saturday I am sad to say. They murdered us going forward and defended so well that we didn't get a sniff.

The negativity is understandable and annoying in equal doses. Of course it’s a giant task but Blues beat Arsenal in a final, Wigan beat Man City. Let us have some faith and dare to dream. Arsenal have struggled badly in recent appearances at Wembley. The Semi Final v Wigan last year only just scraping through on penalties. Fortunate for a magical free kick from Cazorla to get them back to 2-1 in the last final and even then, Aluko should have got Hull back in it. They were also fortunate to beat Reading this year, thanks to a bad one from Federici. And when the pressure was on v Monaco at home in a game they simply had to win, they lost 3-1. It is not going to be easy, and we will need a little luck. But we can win this Final and we can lift this cup!