The_Steve

Well we've had four shots on target compared to Everton's solitary effort. Both teams have been struggling in recent weeks.

well that is BS for a start, given magnificantly saved a bullet header from saha and then did the same again when warnock tried his best to score an own goal, both clearly on target and both against us.

Calm down. I was simply quoting stats from the BBC.

He'll bring Keane on for Bent at some point.

It had better be for Bent, because if it's for Gabby or Ireland we'll lose what little attacking sharpness we have.

EDIT: although as the man says, Ireland will probably come off anyway due to that knock.

No way bent comes off mcleish wont want to fuel the bent leaving rumours, he'll pull Ireland if anyone

Or, more likely, take Ireland off because he has a knock.

McLeish will be glad to see a rare 0-0 HT result at Villa Park. What an sick excuse of a manager.

Have you spoken to him recently then?

Well we've had four shots on target compared to Everton's solitary effort. Both teams have been struggling in recent weeks.

God, we're going to get booed off at half-time again, aren't we?

Yes we will be, but it should be directed at McClunge, not at the players...

So it's McLeish's fault Warnock is playing terribly?

He picked him, he manages him in training.

Have you ever played football? It's totally different in a game scenario. Warnock is letting everyone down, he's picked on faith and how he does in training.

Collins is so shit.

Good stuff Gabby.

Good leap Bent. Poor header.

God, we're going to get booed off at half-time again, aren't we?

Yes we will be, but it should be directed at McClunge, not at the players...

So it's McLeish's fault Warnock is playing terribly?

Unlucky Bent. Good link up followed up by a poor pass.

Felliani getting away with dissent.

The players have to take part of the blame. This isn't Fifa. McLeish can't pick up a controller and control his players on the pitch.

I've said for a long time we need new full backs. At least we've got Clark and Cuellar for centre backs.

I think they were both pretty tame.

Johnson gets the ball and is nowhere near the city player, in fact it is Johnson who gets stamped on after he has gone passed.

I think Kompany's was not a red either.

Whether you win the ball or not it's irrelevant. It's a shocking tackle and very dangerous even if he doesn't connect with the player. There is absolutely no reason for him to dive in off the ground two footed. There simply isn't. It's flat out dangerous.

The relevant part of the rule states:

Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the

front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force

and endangering the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.

Whilst it's open to interpretation it's clearly serious foul play and could easily be given red.

Bent's blog is going up on the OS tomorrow. Talking about: "It would be great to get in the Premier League 100 Goals Club and then it would be amazing to be top Villa goalscorer in it."

Funny how quick people are to judge. Look at Milner and Downing in the past. It takes time to adjust to new clubs. He's improved the last few games.

The papers are just throwing Bent's name out there. He was going to Liverpool last week.

Exactly... there is a huge anti Villa bias in the media which has been around for years which got worse after Saint Martin left.

I can just imagine it now, all these editors can think of is doing down Villa. Lets be honest Villa are a non-story. The club over the last few years has shown it self to be a selling club, so if we are selling Bent, it would be ‘typical’ and not out of character.

I would suggest that perhaps Bent’s representatives have been expressing their clients itchy feet, and the papers are simply reflecting it.

Almost every club is a selling one. Bent pledged his loyalty weeks ago, he doesn't strike me as a Downing. Stop giving paper talk credence.

So all the papers just happened to invent the same story using the same names at the same time?

Remarkable coincidence...!

Or it's an easy space filler. Generates hits, gets fans talking without any real substance like most transfer rumours. I'm just ignoring it all.

I'm still bemused how Nasri makes it into the top 100.

He was the best player, in the best league in the world (arguable) last year?

I fail to see how there can be 95 better players out there, even taking into consideration his mediocre performances since joining City.

Vital for Arsenal but a failure thus far for City. Van Der Vaart is so influential for Spurs, I'm surprised he's not higher.

Great topic of debate.

Couple of placings stand out for me.

1. There are 95 players in the world better than Samir Nasri?

2. Mario Gomez at 27 seems a bit generous.

3. I know who I'd take at Villa out of Aguero, Suarez & Ibrahimovic and it wouldnt be either of the last 2.

4. Di Maria seems a bit far down the pecking order at 44.

Gomez has 16 goals in 16 games this season for Bayern. 28 in 32 last season. If anything, he should be higher. As good as Neymar's potential is, he's still untested outside of Brazil. Internationally he was great against Scotland. To be ranked in the top 20 at just 19 without playing anywhere else in the world is generous at best. Still he has bags of potential.

Suarez 11th? Bags of ability but an awful finisher. I'm still bemused how Nasri makes it into the top 100.

100.Diego Lugano 99.Pepe 98.Marvin Martin 97.Shinji Kagawa 96.Samir Nasri 95.Vagner Love 94.Santiago Cazorla 93.Karim Benzema 92.Darijo Srna 91.Carles Puyol

90.Kaka 89.Rafael van der Vaart 88.Lucio 87.Andre Ayew 86.Roberto Soldado 85.Yoann Gourcuff 84.Nuri Sahin 83.Diego Forlan 82.Samir Handanovic 81.Artuto Vidal

80.Javier Mascherano 79.Daniele De Rossi 78.Pepe Reina 77.Joe Hart 76.Yann M’Vila 75.Sergio Ramos 74.Kevin-Prince Boateng 73.Mats Hummels 72.Danny 71.Nigel De Jong

70.Marco Reus 69.Marcelo 68.Maicon 67.Antonio Cassano 66.Alexandre Pato 65.Javier Hernandez 64.Fabio Coentrao 63.Thomas Vermaelen 62.Neven Subotic 61.Didier Drogba

60.Ezequiel Lavezzi 59.Edin Dzeko 58.Mario Balotelli 57.Robinho 56.Eric Abidal 55.Victor Valdes 54.Ashley Cole 53.Juan Mata 52.Patrice Evra 51.Hulk

50.Alexis Sanchez 49.Pedro Rodriguez 48.Gianluigi Buffon 47.Carlos Tevez 46.Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 45.Gareth Bale 44.Angel Di Maria 43.Hernanes 42.Andrea Pirlo 41.Nani

40.Vincent Kompany 39.Radamel Falcao 38.Javier Pastore 37.Gonzalo Higuain 36.Philipp Lahm 35.Thomas Muller 34.Antonio Di Natale 33.Mario Gotze 32.Arjen Robben 31.Xabi Alonso

30.Eden Hazard 29.Franck Ribery 28.Wesley Sneijder 27.Mario Gomez 26.Yaya Toure 25.Luka Modric 24.Dani Alves 23.Sergio Busquets 22.Manuel Neuer 21.Samuel Eto’o

20.Neymar 19.Iker Casillas 18.Cesc Fabregas 17.Edinson Cavani 16 David Villa 15.Sergio Aguero 14.Nemanja Vidic 13.Mesut Ozil 12.Gerard Pique 11.Luis Suarez.

10. Thiago Silva (AC Milan and Brazil)

9. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich and Germany)

8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan and Sweden)

7. Robin Van Persie (Arsenal and Netherlands)

6.Wayne Rooney (Manchester United and England)

5. David Silva (Manchester City and Spain)

4. Andres Iniesta (Barcelona and Spain)

3. Xavi (Barcelona and Spain)

2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid and Portugal) – 742pts.

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina)

link

Chosen and rated by 16 different football writers and journalists. Again, these kinds of polls will always create debate. Not sure I fully agree with the placements of some.

They didn't want to sell Downing either. But he was sold anyway.

Difference is though, Downing put a transfer request in. Bent has not.

Well no.

"We've not heard a thing from Liverpool," said McLeish told Sky Sports.

"I'm aware of the speculation. But there has been no contact with this club and I think you've had three parties telling you that."

"But, even if there was contact, we would not entertain that (selling Bent)."

"We wouldn't want to entertain selling our top scorer of last season. He is a prolific marksman."

link

So he has said he doesn't want to sell Bent. Your argument is void.

Sorry to be a pedant, but I think this is quite important - when was the second quote from? After the Bristol Rovers match?

Before. Either way, he's maintained several times the club doesn't want to sell.

Did Downing cut-inside onto his left hand this time?

Sunderland with another stroke of luck.