penguin

We needed two midfielders and we got none. Disappointed

 Needed or wanted?

How can you make that definition in football really though? We couldn't really be much closer to "needing" an AM but whilst we have enough players to field an 11 is it always going to be wanted?

Our team is obviously crying out for quality in the middle of park.

This window and this thread:

I'm actually am finding his very amusing, it has delicious potential to bite them on the arse.

Piotr Parzyszek has signed for Charlton.... Christ!!! 0.0 good signing for them!!!! =/

Brilliant goal scoring record but then again so did Jozy Altidore in Holland...

That said, can't say I've seen him play.

Shocking if Hoolahan was the only realistic target lambert had for AM, a position which has been in need of filling for god knows how long.

Only ourselves to blame.

One of the posters on an Albion forum says they've signed him on loan

Just finished an exam, and come back to 17 new pages. An update from anyone would be greatly appreciated

You have missed absolutely nothing

Consistency will hopefully come with experience, very promising player, especially like his versatility always useful to have a player that like in the squad

I can see Lambert walking at the end of the season, and if as a club we can't even find the pennies to buy a Norwich bench warmer I don't think I could really blame him.

 

Ehhhhh....we have the money. Norwich are refusing to deal with us.

Do we? Then why haven't/hadn't we moved on to another target instead of the bargain basement Hoolahan? Seems pretty obvious to me that there is very little money available.

Journalist logic:

Choose random player -

Is it a midfielder? Link with Spurs.

Is it a striker? Link with Villa.

Even though it points towards there not being any signings, it'd surely make sense for Lambert to have his backroom staff around him to discuss which player they should possibly sign, if an offer or two was accepted?

Unless no offers have been tabled

Right lets play a game.

I am Randy Lerner. I have invested £200m+ into Aston Villa. I've paid off 3 managers in 3 seasons, and now (I think) have the manager that suits my agenda. After a horrorshow last season my club is now comfortably sat 10th in the league.

Explain to me why I should invest more money into Aston Villa today.

Well firstly I don't think your past **** ups are relevant reasons as to not to spend now. Also as 'the plan' is to spend what we can afford, we could build on our 10th place, finish higher up in the league and secure more TV revenue. With a world cup coming up in the summer we could find an increase in fees and wage demands of some of our targets and finally it gives players a chance to bed in and allows the team to have a better chance of starting stronger next season.

Of course his past **** ups are relevant! It's not a **** game, it's real money that he has spent. That's money down the drain that he has lost, whether that's his own fault or not is a whole other matter.

So we fans should suffer because the owner made mistakes. Forgive me for not worrying that a billionaire might lose some money.

 

It is that attitude that makes you sound like a spoilt child.

 

We don't have any right to expect a sugar daddy owner to spend their own money on the club. The money we earn needs to be reinvested (Ellis didn't even manage that) but the extra money Lerner puts in every year on top of that is a bonus, not something to take for granted.

Whilst I do understand your point, no one is forced to own a football club. So expecting an owner, a billionaire at that, to put money in doesn't really sound like a spoilt child attitude to me.

Have just seen that Osvaldo's leaving Southampton for Juve. With Cabaye gone from Newcastle that could weaken two of our rivals for the top 10 places.....

Cabaye yes but can't see losing Osvaldo particularly affecting Southampton, he's hardly been setting the league on fire and seems a complete arse.

I'd be extremely surprised if we got anyone but Hoolahan but fingers crossed.

Loved his finish, couldn't do it again if he tried.

I can't stand Argentinian football, every other game is 0-0.

Has there been an interview with him then?

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Jack-Grealish-Villa-Benito-Carbone-home-Notts/story-20493153-detail/story.html

TUCKED away in a small room overlooking Meadow Lane, Jack Grealish greets journalists with the kind of exuberance which has illuminated Notts County's season.

Unlike many young professionals whose confidence wanes when facing the press, it is comforting to hear the winger speak like he plays.

He is a hugely entertaining interview thanks to an endearing boyish charm which makes him impossible not to like.

It is soon reflected in a question about his career and in particular where he would like this exciting journey to take him.

"My biggest ambition is to play for Real Madrid," he smiles.

"It would be a dream come true, but realistically I want to play for Aston Villa in the Premier League."

Naturally, Villa feature prominently in Grealish's career plan and his story behind his rise is quite a remarkable one.

He was a season-ticket holder in the Trinity Road at the age of four thanks to his father Kevin who has the club coursing through his DNA.

But little did he know that aged six, he would be signing for them after his wizardry caught the eye for Shirley Town under-8s.

His brother Kevan played in the same team, but despite the gulf in age and size of opposition, Grealish had the scouts flocking.

"I've had a season ticket at Villa since I was four so every time we don't have a game, I'll be there watching them," he says.

"This is the first season I've missed every game because I've been here at Notts.

"But I love the club and my idol is Gabby Agbonlahor just because he is always scoring against the Blues (Birmingham).

"Benito Carbone was another of my favourite players. My family are all Villa fans and my dad has been going since he was 17 when he went to watch them play in the European Cup final in Rotterdam.

"So when I then signed for Villa it was mad for him because he's such a big fan.

"But there were lots of clubs who came to watch me – Manchester United, Crewe, Walsall, Birmingham, but Villa was always the one.

"I was playing in my brother's team and my dad tells me I was running round people but I don't really remember it.

"They are good times when you are little though aren't they?"

Grealish is yet to start a game for Villa, but he was included in the first-team squad which lost 4-2 to Chelsea in 2012.

The 18-year-old's description of the day still burns brightly in the memory which came complete with Frank Lampard's shirt.

But his football education has now brought him to Notts County who have benefited from his incredible sleight of foot.

His goal against Peterborough on Tuesday was his fourth of the season in a performance which underlined his potential.

Tomorrow they will be looking for more of the same when they welcome play-off chasing Walsall to Meadow Lane.

There is no question Grealish will be a key figure in the club's survival bid, with boss Shaun Derry having spoken fondly of his talent.

Grealish is here until the end of the season, but didn't rule out another loan move next term if Villa boss Paul Lambert thinks it is beneficial to his development.

"I've only been involved with the first team at Villa for one game which was against Chelsea and that was crazy," he says.

"I was speechless.

"It was one of the best feelings I've ever had.

"I managed to get hold of Frank Lampard's shirt and it is in a frame in my house.

"That was a great day. I'm just hoping next season I can be around the first team.

"Obviously that is up to the gaffer.

"If he doesn't think it's the right time then it may well be that I come out on loan again.

"But I'm really enjoying my time at Notts.

"It was always the place for me despite having other clubs to choose from.

"I have the right management here and I get on with all the lads.

"The main thing is to be happy where you are playing and that's exactly what I am.

"I'm here for the rest of the season and the only way is up for us at the moment.

"We've just won three games on the bounce before the Peterborough defeat, so we'll be looking to get back on track tomorrow against Walsall"

How am I whinging? Im simply stating an opinion, I'm sure if I had the time I could search the internet and football manager and find other options but I don't so it was simpler to use past data.

Surely this isn't the only attacking midfield player we could get.

 This! Would rather we just moved on and left them paying his wages, seems a dime a dozen AM to me surely lambert must have other options

A dime a dozen? Go on then name, decent AM with premier league experience fairly cheap and would likely come..

 Doesn't seem too far fetched to suggest there will be plenty of attacking midfielders around the world that could do a job for us on a par with a 31 year old player who cant even get into the Norwich side to be honest, i'm not the one with a scouting network.

 Name 3 of them then.

Kagawa joined Dortmund for €350,000, Michu Swansea for £2 million and Arteta Everton for £2 million.

Wes Hoolahan is obviously not the only attacking midfielder in the world that could do a job for us, as I said I don't have scouting network. So don't really see how my knowledge of world football players is relevant in the slightest.

 

 

Surely this isn't the only attacking midfield player we could get.

 

This! Would rather we just moved on and left them paying his wages, seems a dime a dozen AM to me surely lambert must have other options

A dime a dozen? Go on then name, decent AM with premier league experience fairly cheap and would likely come..

 

Doesn't seem too far fetched to suggest there will be plenty of attacking midfielders around the world that could do a job for us on a par with a 31 year old player who cant even get into the Norwich side to be honest, i'm not the one with a scouting network.

Surely this isn't the only attacking midfield player we could get.

This! Would rather we just moved on and left them paying his wages, seems a dime a dozen AM to me surely lambert must have other options

 

 

Can someone make up som roumors please? I keep on faking loo breaks to check if something new is up and its too silent. Soon ill have to resort to working, cant have that..

Well, if you take it as a given that we are/were definitely in for Hoolahan, you could probably build up a rough profile of the kind of player we might (I stress, might) have on the reserve list as a second choice.  Purely assumptive work, but you'd be looking for:

 

•Creative midfielders, '#10s' and the like.

•An experienced/older player.

•Cheap transfer fee (i.e. someone nearing the end of their contract or unwanted by their current club).

•Low-to-reasonable wage expectations.

•Preferably someone the manager knows/has worked with previously.

 

Hardly any candidates that satisfy every criteria, especially domestically.  If you looked abroad, somebody like Aaron Hunt is probably as close as you're gonna get.

 

 

A plan B to Hoolahan? That will go down really well!

 

David Dunn 

Hopefully lambert will just move on to another target and leave them paying the wages on a player they don't even play and if the transfer request stories are true, unhappy and not wanting to be there.

I would love us to go all out to try and get Micah Richrds, he has made 9 appearences in the last 2 seasons. Even on a loan our defence would look so much better, Bacuna and Lowton are liabilities, Lowton can't defend and Bacuna can't pass a ball.

 

-------------------Guzan----------------------

Richards---Vlaar------Clark------Bertrand

Agree he would strengthen the team and has the potential to be a great player but is he ever not injured?