AvfcTheObsession

If he's going to be more of a DM, that could mean we potentially need two more advanced CM's, baring in mind we haven't replaced Cleverley yet. I'd say Cherry from Gronigen is likely, hopefully we land Praet too.

Not sure it is worse than ours tbh. They had injuries last season but with everyone fit, and one or two more players adapted to the pace of the league, I think it's OK. Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini (getting on a bit now though), Sissoko, Cabella, Siem De Jong, Perez. All very decent players and some with great potential. I like Krul but he was like Guzan, got worse as the season went on with saveable shots going past him. Yeah Jammaat's alright, I'd accept that one. Sissoko- Not better than Delph for me (still our player for a few hours!) Think he's a bit overrated as he still gets in France squads over players like Schnderlein. Cabella- you're having a laugh, overrated show pony. Siem- injured for pretty much all season so difficult to say how he'll do in the prem. Perez- Scored a few goals but faded after. I do like a young player they have called Roland Aarons though. I was meaning more when they play people like Williamson, Colback, Gouffran, Anita, Abeid, all were pretty regular for them end of last season. I rate Sissoko quite highly, and think he'll do well when he moves on to a bigger club and prove himself. Cabella I think will adapt to the Prem this year so could potentially have a good season if he does. De Jong as a player was very good at Ajax, as you say jury is out in the Prem but better to be signing players like that from abroad as oppose to a lot of what we've gone for in recent seasons - KEA, Tonev, etc! You mention Colback, I think he is a decent starter for a mid-table side, better than Westwood tbf.

The why is because we are saving about 30-40k a week off the wage bill with Bunn sat on the bench instead of Given. I just hope those resources are used elsewhere.

Vlaar and Delph out, Richards and Gueye in. Admittedly replacing Benteke if he goes will be a tougher task, and we also need to replace Cleverley. If we can bring in a good CF, Cherry or preferably Praet as the ACM option, and add players like Amavi and Townsend, we'll have a better season than the last.

Stayed at home, the reason given was apparently that his gf is pregnant.

No sale close apparently. Howard Hodgson adamant we were never in exclusivity with anybody, John Percy begs to differ. Either way sounds like the most likely outcome is Lerner still being our owner come the new season but with a new chairman in place.

Not sure it is worse than ours tbh. They had injuries last season but with everyone fit, and one or two more players adapted to the pace of the league, I think it's OK. Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini (getting on a bit now though), Sissoko, Cabella, Siem De Jong, Perez. All very decent players and some with great potential.

Youtube compilations are pointless, Tonev looked good in one of those.

Werent you just a minute ago in another thread saying we were already spending the Delph and Benteke money?

Spot on. His birthday is June 24, 1988. Meaning he turned 27 last month, however, as we completed the signing of him before this date on the 20th June, this may be where the confusion arose, as he was still only 26 at that point.

Is he a defensive mid, or more of a box-to-box player? I'm hoping the latter so he compliments Sanchez.

Yep, it's a poor ratio. Gabby has a 1 in 4 league goals to games ratio for us, and I think most of us agree he's not been prolific enough over the years and we need a better CF in the starting lineup.

Very sad times for all involved and the families dealing with the repercussions.

Guzan is part of the suspect defence though with some areas of his game - distribution and communication to name two. His shot-stopping seems to have dipped somewhat from his usual high standards in the last 12 months too, although he is still more than adequate in that department. Overall I think he can be improved upon.

I can't see him going anywhere until next summer at the earliest. Don't see why he'd go through the whole 'this is my club, I love it here routine, I'm loyal' only to leave 6 months later. I think the clause was an insurance in case we got relegated in the season just gone.

If he was that good West Ham wouldn't be selling him. He's nearly 31 and hasn't got the legs to play wide anymore. They've just brought in a 10m winger (Payet) who got 21 assists last season, albeit in a lesser league, if they get 7m of that back with the Downing sale, that's great business.

Sherwood is willing to stick his neck on the line and make the big decisions certain other managers wouldn't. He obviously thinks to get up the table we need a better first-choice goalkeeper, fine, go get one.

I just think he's been disrespectful in not laying his intentions out earlier, if he'd said in May 'once the season ends I will not be renewing my contract, I want a new challenge', then fair enough. However, he strung us along, made some comments to try and hint that he might stay, so that he'd get a contract offer from AVFC, which he has had on the table for weeks now simply as a fallback incase he doesn't get offers he prefers elsewhere. However, he probably realises that now he's antagonized the fans by saying he can 'go a step higher', he won't be welcomed back to Villa Park next season, so has to consider sideways/backwards moves like Sunderland.

I don't mind keeping him for another season, then accepting around 20m next summer when he only has a year left on his contract. Feel we need to improve a few areas of the team before we can afford to lose him, so getting say 10m less for him might not seem ideal, but we need to get a squad capable of pulling away from the relegation mix first.

Hmm I think there is a noticeable difference between Begovic and Guzan. Distribution there's a massive difference, and shot stopping I'd say Begovic was definitely better too.

It feels similar to any other pre-season. I know people say that it has to be business as usual, which I guess is true to a certain extent. But I'm having my niggling doubts. I wouldn't worry about what I think though, luckily it has no bearings on what will actually happen. I'm not saying that we're definitely not going to be bought, just that I'm not as confident of it at the moment as I once was. But every pre-season is similar. Players get bought and sold, contracts come to an end, loans finish, new staff are hired, etc.

He's lingering now, like a turd that won't flush. Or put another way, like the girlfriend you thought you'd dumped, so got with a new girl (in this case Richards). Only to find your ex is still considered your girlfriend by many, even though you don't.

Does come across as a bit pompous and patronising at times. However, you really can't argue with his pedigree in the game, should be a very good appointment.

Liverpool also linked with Cousins according to that, last time we both did battle for a Charlton youngster (Gomez), we lost, as expected. I also hope it's only 3 players 'for now' we are after, I don't see that being enough between now and the start of the season, unless they are 3 bloody good ones.

It does feel like he's a bit of a coup, especially for us as a club with where we are at in this moment in time. However, I can also appreciate comments such as 'I don't think he'd get a mention if Villa were doing well'. I think part of the reason he stands out is because of how shoddily we've been run over the past few years.