tricella

McClaren? :winkold: I think you are a little bit hard on Owen. I understand what you mean but still...he is a very skilled attacker. He has had a couple of seasons now that hasnt made him or anyone else especially happy...but then again...injuries can halt anyone in development and self confidence. If he can get a full pre season and feel strong to start the season he will surely be one of the best. He has that within him.

Sam Allardyce wants Michael Owen out....at least that is what I think when I look at the reason to why he goes out in the press talking about that Michael Owen has a clause of approx £10m that could force them to sell him. I always think that Sam is a very smart business man and I do think he wants someone to trigger that clause...its just a feeling I got. In any other case it seems very strange by him to go out and show the world there is a sell clause in his contract. If he wanted to keep Owen he could easily say to him.."Ok...I offer you a new improved contract in a few days that I hope you´ll sign" and then he either take away the clause or ups it to a level where there are very few that would consider bidding. MON could do good business here...Michael Owen is quality and he would be a very good asset for the club, especially as it looks like we might not be interested or can get Bent. Defoe has been rumoured, but it seems like a paper thing at the moment. £10m for Owen is a good price... Big Sam admits Owen fears

Happy we won but with a bitter taste...in the game. The league wasnt won in only one game...it is 37 other games that has taken us in that position and of course the club is as worthy the title as anyone...even though one goal was "from God". I wouldnt like it and I would condemn the goal and the player...but still...you cant win the league if you havent been very good in the 37 games before.

You are such a child. Grow up and come back and talk in a respectful manner...I cant see why you need to insult me? What have I done to you? It doesnt matter if you wont lose sleep over that we might have lost the signings of Sidwell and Distin. That is hardly what I am talking about. I do think that MON was interested and that is why I count it as signings we lost. I said it first that I havent any proof of this but you didnt read all of my post...obviously. And you dont have proof to show otherwise...so what are you going on about? Is this the thread of Truth, Facts and Signings or is it the thread of Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions? Read the headline...what does it say?

You can write what you think but i think it looks a bit silly talking about players rejecting us when there is not a single piece of evidence to suggest it. You could look at the list jez posts every so often and moan about eveyone of those players rejecting aston villa when in reality there has only been evidence to suggest we are interested in NRC I'd stick to the facts when it comes to transfers. Yeah yeah whatever....you never speculate LukeMoore? You know it all? Everyone knows that there were much rumours around that Sidwell was a target for Villa and it would surprise me very much if MON didnt try and get him for free. The rumours wasnt from me and almost everyone believed it on this site...or at least wanted to believe it! Distin was a favourite among many visitors on this site and we was connected with him in rumours before..I think it was january...and the rumour kept coming after the season...and consistent rumours like that tends to have som truth in it. Based on this I have had a feeling that we has been in contact to buy them or at least try. They have obviously chosen other teams and that is not so strange. If you believe that MON will be 100% successful in his hunt for new players you are fooling yourself big time. He will lose some...and he will win some... Facts facts facts...everyone seem to be demanding facts about things when they too speculate their asses off in various kind of discussions. I dont complain about that because this is a thread in this forum where everyone is allowed to speculate and to suggest whatever falls into mind. Dont try and stop me...it is not your call.

Tricella, don't ever go on a quiz show. When you get the answer wrong, I don't think 'I'm positive that's the answer' will cut it. Just be honest, you have no proof that any player has rejected us. I understand that you have problem with what I write if you only read half of what is said. I wrote that my prediction is the same as saying we havent had a go for them. It is pure speculation from both sides...so how can you say that your version is the right one and mine is wrong? I dont have any proof we´ve been rejected...no...but you have no proof we havent...so as far as I am concerned we are both allowed to write what we think.

Proof please. Backup what you say or stop the wild assumptions. Football Manager has got zero link with real life. Do you mean I need to stop because you say so? well...you´re heading for a surprise little boy...

They went under Ellis era because they were fed up with his promises. They went for a more ambitious club (at that time) and they went for the money..yes.

Well...you´re missing my point and you are clearly trying to wind me up so there is no need for me to keep on argue with you. To insult me with words like I am sitting with Football manager and making all things up is quite embarrasing low level of discussion from your side. Grow up and discuss things in a respectful manner or just dont do it..ok? If you want me to name players I will give you these: Steve Sidwell. (I am positive MON tried) Sylvain Distin. And these are just players going to English clubs.

Why do you think it is stupid statements? Ok it is not grounded on facts, just speculations...but to be perfectly fair...so is the idea that we havent missed out. What I mean is that I do believe that MON has contacted players and they´ve said that they didnt want to go to Villa. I also do believe that we have missed out on player/s that has signed for other clubs already. This has nothing to do with MON or Lerner, simply the fact that we arent a big club...yet...and we arent playing in Europe. We feel proud about Lerner and MON...and we should...but so far they havent proved to the world outside Villa that they are a force to fear. All they know is that Villa has a new owner with reportingly high personal wealth, but this doesnt say anything about how much a threat Villa is in transfer market really. A big profile signing would turn everyones head to Villa...but as it stands now...we are not the most attractive club around. In Europe we might be in the top 20-30 club area. I think it is very easy for us to go blind and think that we have such a huge attraction level...but that is simply not truth. It will change, but the way Ellis has been destroying the reputation and the attraction factor it will take either time or huge high profile signings to regain our worthy place in the transfer arena.

Would anybody here take this as confirmation that we have actually made signings, as the General doesn't refer to potential signings? ..or perhaps I'm just reading too much into it You are reading too much into it. He has stated before that he isnt involved in that because it is solely on MON and Lerners shoulders. Of course he would know what signings we´ve made, but he wont comment on them until it is confirmed by the club. I doubt very much that we´ve made signings yet because it would easily be found out that someone is having a medical at Villa Park. I do think that we would´ve had one or two signings onboard but I believe that we have missed out on a couple of players. Just a feeling that it hasnt been easy for MON and Lerner because there is a few moneybags out hunting too. It doesnt matter if you are loaded with money...the transfer arena is still tough because players might not want to come...they might not be available and so on.

I think that it is an easy target to place every midfielder in Tottenham folder...especially if the players are dutch! De Jong and Sneijder is upcoming and great players so really it isnt big news that a few clubs would challenge Villas bid or interest. If Villa did get these players it would be absolutely remarkable signings! The club would change from being a mediocre team to a very talented and promising team!

The dutch national team has a reputation of fights and groupings within the squad. There are still many players in that squad that were grouped in colours...whereas van der Saar incident involving Seedorf after a game is well known. The team celebrates the win jumping tight together and van der Saar comes to Seedorf and hits him right in the face. There were groupings and Seedorf were said to lead the black group whereas van der Saar was said to be leader of the whites. Irritation was high and sometimes still are because the white group see themselves as the better... If this hasnt left the Holland team then Bouma would be in the black and Sneijder in the white... It is shameful that this can go on in 21st century...however...it does...

Dont get fooled that we are such a attractive club...we are not! We all love AVFC...but we do stand behind many because we cant offer european football. There is no panic, but there is concerns...and they are motivated because we all know that Villa had a small squad before and if MON wants to bring quality along with quantity he must get 10-12 players in now. That would surely be an all time record for Villa...

Think a little bit wider than that... We have been strongly linked with: Jagielka Reo-Coker Sneijder Bellamy I do think that these rumours are more than just rumours... Other rumours that pop up for one day and then fade is another thing, but these players has been rumoured to Villa for quite a while now.

They are reportedly preparing to lose Chimbonda, and I'd say our first choice right backis Delaney, not Hughes. Laursen is also a million times better than Ledley King. He is better yes...but also more fragile...

Are we losing battles? Jagielka has choosen Everton before Wigan and Villa because he would like to play in Europe. Jag to Everton Today it also is suggested that we are on the way of losing the battle for Sneijder... Maybe MON has had a very sad month by losing out on several targets already?

So are we...and West Ham. These teams are just easy target as West Ham and Villa have new owners with suggested big budgets. Spurs has always been active in transfer market...everywhere. It seems they have a bite at everyone before they finalize deals...

Their defence is one of the worst in the league and as such we lost less games than them so your suggestion that their defence is "more promising" is rubbish, and i don't think people need to be schooled about the Spuds team either as i'm sure everyone knows about them in here by now!!. If you dont like my opinion...dont read. To answer it like you did is in some way your opinion but you add on a slightly disrespectful ending...and I recent that. Spurs was way more attacking than Villa and if you attack more you are bound to open up for other teams to get chances to score. Martin Jol has calculated that he had a strikeforce that would win them games anyway and he wasnt wrong. Spurs attack was awesome at times. I´m not trying to school anyone about Spurs, but I try to weight in a realistic analyze on why Sneijder would prefer to choose Spurs before Villa as the clubs stands now with the squad. Many on this forum overrate the excisting squad of Villa. If we didnt get Carew, Young and Maloney in january together with a brightly playing Berger we would have had a hell of a time avoiding relegation. It was there for everyone to see...

I think that rumour was on last week or so...not mentioned very much though. He plays for Hamburg SV in Germany and as I understand it he wont be that expensive to buy. He is skilled, but it is a long time since I saw him play. NdJ is a hard working midfielder with an eye for goal and that would suit our midfield well.

If Spurs and Villa are fighting for Sneijder I am convinced that Spurs has the best chance of getting him. They have playing in Europe as an attraction, London, Martin Jol...and maybe a more exciting squad at the moment. Strikers as Berbatov, Defoe, Keane outplay our strikeforce in of Carew, Moore, Agbonlahor, Young. Our strikeforce might be more potential, but their strikers are better and have a much better big name profile. The midfield has the similar status and that applies to goalkeepers as well. The defence of Spurs do seem a little bit better or more promising then Villas even though I would say we have the upper hand on big name profiles in that area and the fact that Bouma plays at Villa. Villas biggest attraction lies in the future signings and that the club is on the up big times. However...if Sneijder are the first signing as a big profile it might be to tough to get him onboard not having more to show than the ambition to sign big players together with his arrival. Our chance to get Sneijder if the clubs are head to head is at the best 20%...

So whats up? Bored with the silence? :winkold:

The old fart smells even worse than yesterday...good try though. :winkold:

I really think we already have him in the squad...Luke Moore...but I would like Defoe to come because he is a good striker. Bent would be great, but I really think he is bound to either Spurs or West Ham. I think Curbishley has the lead here...

I´ve seen Harewood many times and one thing that he has is that he never seems to give up and he is quite physical. He is limited in technique and skills, but he outshines many because of his "never say die"-mentality. If you ask me if I want him to Villa I would say no...but that is based only on his limited skills. I dont think there is many other strikers in Premier that outshine him in effort and determination. Yet...I would like us to bring better players in...and for back up we could use what we already have in our younger players such as Moore, Agbonlahor, Young and Maloney. I would like to see us getting Defoe. If we get Defoe and not lose younger players I will be quite satisfied if we even signed Harewood because he would give us some options up front. We would have Hulk mark I and Hulk mark II...what can bring us down?