avfcinwales

I'm very interested with all these views on how Carew will fit ina nd be the ideal target man and a 'bruiser' able to rough up opposition defences, scoring goals for fun.

Looking at his stats, looking at his CV, reading and talking to fans who have seen him, some regularly I can't see where these views are coming from. He's not a younger Sutton that's for sure, I doubt he was even O'Neill's first choice, I'm worried he will stay motivated beyond the first few weeks or months.

That doesn't mean he's not more suited to us than any other, Sutton excluded, as a striker but I'd remind everyone Petrov has allegedly taken time to find his form and he came across Hadrian's wall not the Channel

I'm excited by the signing, we need someone with a shot like his, especially from a dead ball, I'm encouraged by his size and potential aggression too, I'm pleased O'Neill has a big man up front, he doesn't seem to be able to manage without one, and he's added a real attacking wide player with tremendous skill who will help

If he could find a tackling hard man in midfield and a fit version of Laursen we really would be cookin

6 million for Upson, what a snip go and get the him !!!!!

I'd love Davies at Villa. If it doesn't happen I'd like Distin. In fact DIstin may be a more realistic option

I agree Distin would be a gem

Trouble is didn't he and his manager say they were in love and he wouldn't be going at any cost ?

I agree PB, which is strange in itself.

I also think you still have to have high ambitions, think positively, strange I know, and most importantly take advantage of any advantages that come your way.

Our start to the season was an advantage we may have nearly frittered away although some decent signings may still recover part

The other point is to fund this rebuilding you keep on about needs fans through the turnstiles and the General is right in my opinion to try in some small part to build up impetus, realistic impetus though, and I feel he did. I also feel we have to allow the owners some leeway until they get up to speed, only so much can be done on intelligence, you also need first hand experience and the General's more recent comments do I think reflect this.

Where we may also differ is in our evaluations of the ability of the squad and the manager.

One I feel is much better than you do, the other not yet as good as the adverts said

Superb post, brilliant and spot on, another one of your immaculate articles long may they continue, I'm sure O'Neill will sort it soon, or hopefully in time.

Patience may be your key PB new players and several of them is mine.

General Krulak here:

I wrote that comment because there are other threads on other sites that mention the "R" word and I want everyone to know that is nothing but bull shit and I stopped swearing when I left the Forces!!!!!! We have a great Manager, a superb, supportive, Owner, a solid team that is ONLY going to get BETTER, and a Fan base that is second to none and knows when we have a good thing going.

Sorry General I don't believe you

well about the swearing anyway

I don't think you can compare our situation to Everton & Man City. They have not been taken over. They do not have money they didn't have last year. There are no promises from their board that there's a new direction afoot. In that sense the only club we can be compared to in some way is West Ham. And they've been doing far more media brain-farting than we have. So I suppose in that way MON feels obliged more than most premiership managers to justify himself every few days and to reassure people that he is doing his best.

Hang on I was doing nothing of the sort BOF.

I was comparing the way O'Neill is bitching about the transfer window, complaining about how he's getting gazumped and generally having a whinge in comparison to other Premiership managers who aren't, managers who may have more reason to whinge not having any money and are giving a more upbeat message.

Its got sweet fa to do with a comparison of how great or not each club is or how their board is building a new hotel or paying for coaches to away matches

I'm not looking for O'Neill to fail either, I keep saying I see no reason even though O'Neill obviously does, why he won't get some decent players.

I hear all the excuses for him, but the fact remains we have this new wonder regime, this superb manager and all I'm hearing now is excuses and in my view, nothing more, my view some of them are pathetic.

I repeat, where has the happy smiling, joking Martin with the little quip gone, why is he being gazumped, can he not negotiate can he not do what other managers have/are.

Can people on here stop thinking I have a vendetta against him I don't, but I don't see him or Lerenr as this God like figure who can do no wrong, sorry all.

Looks like we lost Becks then

Perhaps we couldn't pay the 1 Million a week, surprising that

Still another star missed, dear me here's hoping the Baros / Shevchenko deal goes through :roll:

I saw MON yesterday talking to Henril Larsson......... are we all going to cream ourselves at the though of him signing at the end of the seasn?

Can I anyway Dennis.

Larsson is one of those players who you just want to see just in case he's still got it, and I thought his play yesterday suggested he had.

As Brian Little said the biggest problem Villa have now is there recent form doesn't encourage the best, even better players to drop in.

I suppose Figo is too old even for us isn't he ?

If he was Peter Crouch's height he'd be shit at headers too, he's got no neck - important for power & direction

I accept since he left us he has improved by leaps and bounds which is understandable, as he's several years older, but good with his head ???

For his height advantage he's awful, he never attacks the ball always deflects it

There you go again TRO we are agreeing nearly 100%

If you play 10 men behind the ball at home its very, very hard for strikers even highly talented ones to score goals, especially those who cost what seems to be small sums we have available

One of the major problems since Everton, has been the way we have conceded goals and mostly its coincided with younger players who most likely are tired, not physically but mentally because of having to be played when they should be rested in a side which we have to admit hasn't won that many matches in the last season and a half

Seem to remember last weeked - people were saying 'the window isn't even open yet' - this week they are saying 'the window has only been open 5 days' - whats the betting that come jan 31 ....its 'we always knew the main activity would be in the summer' ..................

Lovely comments spot on

My remaining hope, despite the slight downturn in the Generals optimism, the obvious to many, negativity in O'Neills recent statement, the desire to sell and not use quality players, the Dream Team will mange to find the odd useful addition, be they big names or well past it stop gaps.

Why, well I'm a wee bit concerned about the dramatic fall down the league, the increase in errors especially amongst the kids and the now weary and somewhat desperate look about O'Neill of late.

I for one aren't to keen for this organic growth thing to be done from a lower division not that it will ever happen of course, not under O'Neill

Despite the odd rumour to the contrary, I'm sure O'Neill has been given exactly what he wants in funds and no restrictions have been placed on the type of player he will eventually be allowed to bring in.

I just wish he'd get on with it, maybe the ploy is to hang on until fans get so desperate they'll accept any bozo without question

Religion in off-topic please.

Oh I'm sorry mods, but

OldFart

Mate, we've played that system since the Everton away game, that's why people are getting itchy......................

We played with sutton and angel upfront against wigan in the next game

we played with angel and baros upfront against man city

we played with baros and gabby upfront against pompey

we played with baros and sutton upfront against sheff utd

we played with baros and sutton upfront against bolton

we played with gabby and baros upfront against spurs

we played with angel and gabby upfront against charlton.

In your eyes maybe, (have to be careful) perhaps you saw it so Luke, some others did not, certainly against Man City, Bolton, Spurs and Charlton, anyway.

I'm sorry Luke but I've already explained the answer at length, its not my fault its been removed

BBC Football report that Spurs & Manchester United have had bids turned down by Southampton for Gareth Bale. Newcastle, Arsenal & Liverpool have also been reported as having made inquiries. Is he waiting for Chelsea or us? But, I hope we can follow Spurs lead and sign some good young players like Barnes at Derby, if not Bale who have real potential.

Us obviously, why join the second top club in the Prem, in the top part of the country on the best wages when he can come and play for Martin, no contest.

Have we signed anyone yet ?

Obviously 4 weeks in January might not be enough time to bring in any decent players, Harewood excluded of course

Beckham at Villa what a waste of a good rumour, Defoe, and Keane were bad enough SWP even but Beckham, we need players who can play in defensive point grabbing formations, accept high balls all day long, left wingers who can play at right back, left backs who can play as centre forwards surely, although his free kick expertise would certainly be an asset

Well considering we started the new year of 2006 with an away win, a home los, which was the last straw for O'Lleary in many eyes, even though we then had an away draw at Spurs, home draw against Chelsea and a 4-0 trouncing of Boro at Boro.

Considering we then went on to just avoid relegation with the worst season in history I was wondering how much needed to change results wise to get us back up the points table.

General Krulak here:

3. We are currently looking into a possible move into our own TV station production.

I wish you would and soon, it can be a lifeline for overseas fans able to get cable and satellite.

Thanks for the other confirmations too ,)

So you'd all prefer a side full of worn out, inexperienced kids to fight for our existence just so that we can wait until the century arrives when the players O'Neill really wants are available.

Dear me

Thank the stars O'Neill doesn't have the same view, at least he's got a set of balls between his thighs I wonder about some fans

I wouldn't pay much for Balde now either poor sod just broke his leg

I'd say someone has got it wrong above about players who won't be coming though

Can't wait to see the tables after todays result BOF when will they be ready ?

anyone notice who wasn't picked to play

Bouma, Angel, Baros.

we had Davis, acknowledged by all apart from the nintendo crowd here, as one of the best players last season on the left wing, Barry acknowledged even by the nintendo crowd as our best player at left back and a forward line headed by an injured partly fit old man, and a kid who is being ruined and overworked whilst he's still learning, the only player to play every minute all season.