Wezbid

Only £16m?! That's a shed-load for a player they were already taking a gamble on and he showed nothing in terms of ability or even effort to even try and repay that faith in their gamble. Benteke had a poor run of form after a bad injury, Balotelli has had a huge run of bad form because of the amount of effort he puts in. He's quite simply a waste of potential. He only had a half decent record at City because they created so many chances. I'd rather have Borini to be honest! (I don't want Borini, just demonstrating how shocking Mario has become). His career was on a massive slide and a club as big as Liverpool gave him a final chance to show he still had somethingbut he just simply doesn't care. He'd get the ball, lose it easily and show zero lack of desire to rectify this, he'd stand there with his hands on his hips instead of closing down. That's nothing to do with feeling loved or an arm around his shoulder, that's straight up laziness and other players having to carry him. I'm sorry but what a complete load of bollocks these two statements are. He is obviously a very talented player and he showed that at City, the goals weren't just placed at his feet as you seem to be suggesting. Also he scored 26 goals in 43 appearances for Milan, hardly a career on a massive slide. Yes he has a bad attitude that is clear to see but there is no reason why he won't be able to do it again at another club, like he has at every other club he's been at aside from Liverpool. Rogers needs to take a fair portion of the blame for not finding a way to utilise him IMO; it seems strikers either fit in with his strategy and are excellent like Suarez and Sturridge or they don't and they are completely ineffectual like Lambert and Balotelli. I said at City they created/create so many chances, I didn't say they were placed at his feet. I don't think it's wrong to say he scored as many as he did because he was surrounded by a wealth of talent. His record at Milan was good but that's in a league far different to the Premier League, the pace of the Premier League is on another level to the Italian league. I was wrong to say his career was on a massive slide but his rep in England wasn't too hot after his displays before leaving City, people were calling him a gamble even after a good scoring ration for Milan and so it's proved. I could see him going to Italy again and being fine but I don't think he has the work ethic or attitude to do it over here in a team where he's not surrounded by players creating plenty of chances (that doesn't mean tap-ins) or where other players aren't able to help make up for his lack of effort. I'd be happy for him to prove me wrong but from day 1 at Liverpool he seemed a liability and like playing with 10 men.

Only £16m?! That's a shed-load for a player they were already taking a gamble on and he showed nothing in terms of ability or even effort to even try and repay that faith in their gamble. Benteke had a poor run of form after a bad injury, Balotelli has had a huge run of bad form because of the amount of effort he puts in. He's quite simply a waste of potential. He only had a half decent record at City because they created so many chances. I'd rather have Borini to be honest! (I don't want Borini, just demonstrating how shocking Mario has become). His career was on a massive slide and a club as big as Liverpool gave him a final chance to show he still had something but he just simply doesn't care. He'd get the ball, lose it easily and show zero lack of desire to rectify this, he'd stand there with his hands on his hips instead of closing down. That's nothing to do with feeling loved or an arm around his shoulder, that's straight up laziness and other players having to carry him. Isn't that the case with Berbatov though? Although admittedly Berbatov pulls it out the bag more often than not. But if we were to sign him there would undoubtedly be a lot of games where players would be carrying him, mostly due to his lack of closing down. I highly rate him but I couldn't count how many times I've seen him with his hands on his hips. Yeah, absolutely but Berbatov wouldn't be expecting the same sort of wages or fees as Balotelli though. I'm not completely sold on Berbatov but at least he offers some decent link up play. Balotelli showed pretty much nothing last season. I don't like Liverpool and am happy to see them struggle and lose but watching Mario actually took a gloss off it he was that painful to watch.

Only £16m?! That's a shed-load for a player they were already taking a gamble on and he showed nothing in terms of ability or even effort to even try and repay that faith in their gamble. Benteke had a poor run of form after a bad injury, Balotelli has had a huge run of bad form because of the amount of effort he puts in. He's quite simply a waste of potential. He only had a half decent record at City because they created so many chances. I'd rather have Borini to be honest! (I don't want Borini, just demonstrating how shocking Mario has become). His career was on a massive slide and a club as big as Liverpool gave him a final chance to show he still had something but he just simply doesn't care. He'd get the ball, lose it easily and show zero lack of desire to rectify this, he'd stand there with his hands on his hips instead of closing down. That's nothing to do with feeling loved or an arm around his shoulder, that's straight up laziness and other players having to carry him.

That will be my face when I see it's signed for villa Ade's beautiful grin?

Balotelli is another level of lazy, Adebayor doesn't get near him. There's a bit of talent there but if he didn't have the eccentric off the field personality he'd have already been on the scrap-heap. He couldn't even justify his lazyness with goals last season. Hugely over-rated.

How do you know this? At the request of fans or just printing them ready?

Absolutely no link or basis for this but how would Villa fans feel about making a move for Victor Valdes? Not quite sure why Van Gaal is treating him like absolute shite. Get Utd to pay a portion of his wages on a season long loan. Yes please. I'm not a Guzan hater but Valdes is a step-up and not such a crazy propsect given how poorly he's being treated and he doesn't seem to be a player happy to just take his wages and sit on his arse. Do it Tim, please.

Time to go on a massive bender!

I think Alan Wright's probably the most handsome left-back we've ever had, Staunton's also right up there, don't give up Joe, you'll get there one day.

You'd knock a pint over just so your glass wasn't near being half full.

How good is that Timo Horn we were allegedly scouting? Sometimes I judge players on how cool they look rather than ability. Veretout for example has that cool beard that doesn't need sculping to look good, I then think, yeah, would like to see him in the shirt. Horn looks much cooler than Guzan so I'd like him in too. Anyone else slightly prejudiced on signings based on looks?

We better sign Zlatan. I still remember finding out Sneijder wasn't signing for us. Don't play with my emotions Ibra!

Looks like he's filled out a bit.

The header at 1:28 is fantastic. Some quality crosses in too.

She is indeed Sign for Villa Benzema. No, sorry. Ahhhh go on go on go on go on go on go on go on go on.

You've peaked too soon. We'll expect that calibre from now on. I might just retire before I become the next Michael Ricketts.

http://www.foxestalk.co.uk/forums/topic/101661-jordan-veretout/page-21 Haha. Poor souls.

I've got more likes than posts now, I've gone all giddy. Just need Veretout confirmed so I can crack open a can.

His hand holding the shirt is white and I'm pretty certain Adebayor is a lot taller than Veretout so I'd be amazed if it was him as they both look the same size in the pic.

That certainly looks like him. As don't_do_it_doug suggested. Check out the footwear. Looks nailed on.

Yessssssssssssssssssss!

Where's the dislike button?

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3636521,00.html lol Haha! "Maybe when I'm 36"

He's got 3 years left on his deal and amazingly he'll only be 31/32 when that ends! I honestly thought he was around that age now. If he's planning on being at Villa for the rest of his career then he's either going to retire pretty young or he'll after take a huge pay-cut come 2018. Given that he's 28 you would have thought that he'd have pushed on more and developed as a player. I'm not sure if he was just comfortable and coasting but now he has a real fight on his hands to even make the bench if Adebayor and Gestede are signing, with Ayew and Grealish now establishing himself, Gabby is way down the pecking order. He's still at an age where he should have something to offer, given his wages and lack of pulling up any trees the past few seasons he won't be easy to move on so I think our best hope is that all this new competition gives him a massive kick up the arse and forces him to step his game up to the sort of promising levels he was showing in his early 20's. If he really does want to end his career here, for the first time in a good few years he's going to seriously have to work for that outcome. I would love him to retire here but it's not going to be handed to him on a plate any longer.