Jon

I agree with the first bit, which is why i voted Yes. He is the sort of signing that DOL would like to see 4 more of. Not a squad filler, but a probbale improvement on the first 11 who would be highly lilkely to go straight into the team. Do I want him at VP? Not especially. Dislike him intensely, as a person. I'm also not too sure what he offers over and above the Dazz Vass meister. His scoring record/ratio is no better. :shock: But, If DOL wants and rates him, then Yes, he would be a quality signing, in as much as it shows we have some ambition to go and get some of the bigger name, better players in the Prem and pay some significant transfer fees and wages. Still think there were/are better options out there though, other than bellendamy.

It is based upon both, SO FAR, David. AS YET, we have brought in nobody who we could reasonably assume we're part of DOL's "LIST OF 4" Quality Costly players. past experience says they won't be coming. this year's facts have done little to persuade me that they are coming. There's a big difference between allegedy "being in the mix" for a player, and actually signing the cheque for his purchase.

I can see a nail. ..... and it's just been hit on it's head very, very hard. here's another good question also: "should we be looking at better strikers than Phillips"? If so, why aren't we? ah! .......

no, it was written in invisible ink :wink: personally, i don't think any of the signings made so far particularly strengthen our fully fit first 11, meaning that i don't think any of them woulod necessarily walk stright into the first team in the way that a Yakubu, Distin, Bellamy or Parker would have. Stuart Taylor will probably prove to be OK and could well be challenging Tommy for the keepers Jersye very quickly. Delaney, when fit and not blabbing to the press, at right back is widely regarded as one of the better players in the premiership in that position - Hughes was not even getting many games last season - and for me has not "shone" when i've seen him play anyway, so to suggest that he is going to walk straight in ahead of Delaney is a bit premature. Can't see who Phillips will get in ahead of (this is a player somewhat past his best who was being kept out of the Saints 11 by Crouch and Kamara). Ditto Berger - he'll be a bench option for me. So for me, all signings so far are very much List B, and are not from the "A List" of players who DOL said the "substantial funding" would allow him to bring in. could still happen that we will bring in 4 from the A list. In my mind, there's more chance of hell freezing over first though.

So do you think that we'll end up with 8 or 9 players in? Think? No. Possible? Yes. Under an Elies regime :shock: that would go aginst all previous Elies history and thinking.

some people would convince themselves that us signing the Binman from down the street would mean Champions League. I've yet to be particularly excited by any signing so far, although i was happy with the purchase of Taylor.

seems a bit obvious this one Trickie? If DOL had any genuine money ay his disposal he would not be going for freebies and bargain basement players. He is clearly aware that since Bruce's departure the "promised" funds have disappeared. LIST A left the club in Langham's back pocket.

not sure he's a fan, but he played for them, amongst other clubs. Thinking about it, if he WAS a Nose fan, then maybe he realises just what a big Club Villa is, far Bigger than SHA, and so realises the true worth of the club and it's potentail, and knows that the current Ellisian version of AVFC is not a true reflection of what Villa could be ........

Voted for Esther. would be a very nice Xmas present.

change years for weeks or months, and i'd agree completely

went for option 1 :shock: from what i've seen of him he is top notch. also, that choice is based upon the fact that i don't rate Tommy S very highly, so i believe, if given the opportunity (big IF) Taylor could be our number 1 sooner rather than later. If Tommy makes some of the howlers he made last season , i think DOL will be quicker to put this guy in than he was with the Postman.

but his scoring ratio is no better than that of the Dazz Man :?

Voted for Dazz Vass too. For precisely these reasons. However, it would be quite nice to have the pair of 'em in the same line up - the pace of those two would scare the sh*t out of almost any premiership side ....

Voted an emphatic YES. of course he'll sign. It just won't be for us .........

went for bellendamy. for the simple reason that we need A striker. almost ANY striker would do TBH ..................... apart from Carlton Cole, obviously.

above us i would expect to see: Chelsea, ManUre, Arse, Liverpool, Spurs, Boro. So, for me, dependant upon injuries and any signings, i can foresee anywhere from 7th to say 15th or so. :wink: Evernot had a bizzare season and may also be distracted somewhat byt he CL before they get knoced out, which in turn could effect their results .... Notlob - don't know what to expect. Could finish 7th, could finish 17th. Citeh: had a good run of results towards the end of last season under Psycho Pearce. But they have no money to spend and have 1 quality player in SWP, and 1 less if they sell Distin to us :roll: . Mid table for them, I would say. Chartlon - always there or thereabouts in mid table. I'd lump us in with this midtable bunch ........ sadly now already being left behind by the 2nd teir of Spurs and Boro. EDITED: sorry - forgot about barcodes - going nowhere under Sourness - midtable finish.

centre left. Just like Gareth Barry

Chocolate soldiers. Mmmmmmmm ...... Chocolatey ..... are they like that chocolate money stuff you can get

Hey Nick. I think i agree with you on a political issue for once! :shock: :winkold: the government can't do this if said "industries" have been largely privatised, as has been gradually happening over the years in both sectors you mention here, and is likely to continue apace. again, largely agree Nick. I've never been involved in a strike and never had the opportunity to do so, but in principle i think it's wrong. If i have an issue with my employment and employment conditions, then i seek talks with my bosses, and on the outcome of that either get on with what i've got, or look for employment elsewhere. I'm just not a fan of Trade Unions. They try to hold industries/sectors to ransom, anmd it is often the general public that suffer. OK, so if the workers are being trampled upon, then a collective voice is often required, but for me some of the justifications for many of these strikes are very weak indeed. Job cuts happen in many industries all the time. T'is the nature of a modern economy i'm afraid. I'd back Moylesy on this one .....

just bought 2 pairs myself. both look ok and both cost about £15 each. don't see the point in spending shed loads of money on something that you'll wear 5 times a year or when driving your car.....

fookin 'ell. This is a very difficult one to call. almost all of the players on this list have had a worse season this time than last. Nobody has really shined and whilst some players have had good spells, none of them have performed consistently well. I'm gonna go for Davis again, from this list, with an honourable mention for Barry for the 2nd half of the season. Solano does ok at home, but can't seem to play well away. Hendrie played OK for the first bit of the season but nothing since .....

thought you were going to bed :wink: anyway, erm ....... dunno really. i think they do ok, but are unlikely to win any seats in parleimant due to the first past the post constituency voting system that we have. I think nationally they would have a reasonable share of the vote. I'd hope it would be more than BNP, but i couldn't be sure .......

so that leaves the Greens, UKIP, BNP, Veritas, some welsh and scottish national parties (depending where you live), and the Jam Wrestling Party. Or as Blandy has already pointed out, they could well be the CONSERVEatives in disguise ooops - sorry Grant :winkold:

Can I take it there are only 2 parties competing at this election. :? TBH, it seemed quite clear that labour would get back in before the election campaigning started, given their lead in the polls and the constituency boundaries that favour 'em Having studied politics (policy and party) at Degree and Masters level, and with one of those elements being the degree of voter swing during an election campaign, it has been generally found that the amount of swing from one party to another in any direction during the campaign could only be in the region of about 3% max (or thereabouts - bit rusty as it was 10 years ago now). The very great majority of people will have made their minds up before campaigning started which way they would vote. There is a very small minority (like i say, about 3% or so of the voting population - figure may have changed though in the last decade - dunno) who can be actively persuaded one way or another during an election campaign - the "floating voters". don't be fooled by the number of don't know's in an opinion poll. These people either do know and don't want to say, are not 100% sure but have a party in mind, or have no real interest and are unlikely to vote anyway. election campaigns mainly serve to reinforce which way voters intended to vote before the campaigning started. See our three election threads in sticky for an example of this.

went for 4. the number of extra/additional players dol will be bringing in in the summer