gabbygabbygabbygabbygabby

We can improve our squad with MON type signings and I would be happy with that.

An example:

Out: Heskey, Sidwell, Shorey, Beye, Young

In: Richards, Doyle/Rodallega, Ireland, Parker, LB cover.

That would be a very good window in my opinion for a net spent of around 15-20 million.

He has his targets already. I predict a good summer.

FORLAN - just buy him!

If this had more than a 1% chance of happening I would be going on and on about signing him. Fantastic player, could be better than any striker we have had in my memory.

Unfortunately it will never happen.

I was of a similar opinion on Keane. But maybe all the transfers and talk about him just unsettled him, I thought Bellamy was done after he went to Celtic but he is now 31 and he would be a fantastic signing!

AVFC-POB your name is a nuisance to type out but you do speak sense. I would add Rodallega to the list of the type of player we need.

Joe cole is **** miles better than Damien Duff. No surprise you included an Irish player in there though ey?

I've always liked Cole, I actually think he's a great player. but agree he isn't worth those wages and we won't be paying them so don't expect to see him here anytime soon.

Not better than Duff at Chelsea. Completely different style of attacker but Duff was so dangerous for those 2 seasons.

I have to agree with the other posters, Carew can offer something for at least another year, if we're going to sell ant striker it should be Heskey. Although yes, he hasnt been as consistent (well he never has been), on his day he in unplayable, Big, strong, and skillfull with a deadly finish. ON HIS DAY!. So useful enough to have as at least an option, I think when the team gets better overall we will start to see the best out of our top players.

Completely agree. We just need to have a bit more patience, and enjoy the cup runs and flirts with 4th place in the mean time.

He can and has made a big impact off the bench in the past. I want 1 new striker to partner Gabby, and Heskey sold.

Gabby and new signing to start with Carew and Fonz the options off the bench.

Fair enough. If you rate him so highly then I can understand your objection to MON. I would take Richards or Miguel over Young pretty quickly. Not that he is terrible at all just that he is only an above average player for me. Do you feel the same way about NRC?

Richards or Young?

We know that MON has been after Miguel for a number of years, perhaps this is the year we finally get him. Should MON still walk if he signs Miguel and sells Young?

I would much prefer our RB options are Miguel and Cuellar to Cuellar and Young.

Young is nothing special, the berating of Cuellar seems to of made people think Young is a world beater.

I'll be disappointed to see him go, he is versatile and solid enough. He is not brilliant though so won't be a great loss. If we sign a RB and have Cuellar who can cover I'll be happy.

I am confident he will be with us next season along with a couple of quality signings.

James Milner keeps referring to the growth of Villa and what we will look to improve next year. Surely an indication hes staying

I'm pretty sure he is. We would only sell him if a ridiculous offer came in and if he wanted to move, I would be very surprised if he pushed through a transfer(yes, even to United).

I hope he stays as I like him and I wouldn't be able to forgive him for pushing through a transfer.

So another season with MON :-(

would hope I was a bear, so I could take me a nap on a year around until he was gone

summer transfer hell, boring football season ahead

Mind you, I don't doubt Randy.. only MON

So another season with MON

Another window where we can once again strengthen and add to our talented squad.

I wish you were a bear too, then you wouldn't be able to post here.

Bellamy + Ireland plus £10 million = Jimmy Milner

I would hate for Milner to leave but if this was the deal I could be swayed!

That's brilliant steve.

I only breezed through the article as I was sure it was untrue anyway but you have really picked it apart and showed how poor it is!

If he pushes for a transfer I wouldn't be able to forgive him. He has been looking for regular football at a stable yet ambitious club all his career and now he has found one he should acknowledge what it is and settle here for a large chunk of his career. We are a good side with a good manager and there is every chance that we could get better.

Barry is forgiven in my eyes, he could have gone on to become a huge legend here but he fancied a change in scenery and a whopper pay cheque, he did spend 12 years here so he is entitled to want to it. Milner though has only been here 2 years and it would be unforgivable for him to push a transfer to City through.

That is all hypothetical, I personally think he will stay and I love him to bits!

Wembly should be for the final so I'm more excited about being in a semi final than that we are playing at Wembly. But I'm not going so I guess that might take something away from my enthusiasm.

Very excited by the game though!

Good assessment, in spite of popular Heskey has had some good games for us.

Maloney left because he got homesick, not MON's fault.

If MON starts rotating his squad more and we sign a couple of good players in the summer I think we'll have a really good chance next season.

Totally agree with the theory but will he? I'd say it needs to be a couple of very good players. Couple that with getting rid of the mediocre players / no hopers (about six at my count) and I think that sounds like a plan.

MON is certainly not a bad manager but probably not as good as everyone thinks he is. His biggest fault is not learning from his mistakes.

I think so.

I said this already but I think we might start to see a new MON. I might be wrong, I might be right, only time will tell.

I think we will. He is trying to change our style of football from being a counter attacking side to one more comfortable in possession with an interchangeable front 5, with 1 always holding the line. The rotation is something that comes with the right squad. Don't forget Spurs/Everton/Pool have been building their squads for many years, MON is starting from scratch.

I think the reason he hasn't rotated is because we don't have the squad to challenge for 4th, we have the 1st team but little else. If we were having a mediocre season in 10th place we would have seen more of our squad play but since we have always been in the running for 4th he has little choice but to pick his strongest side.

I would expect around 25 million for transfers next year, and if MON can't do it on that, then it just goes to show what a poor job he has done, because that should get you 2 class, or 3 good players - and surely after 4 yrs, that should be all you need,

I think we are just 2 class players away from having a really good go at the CL. How many players do you think we need?

Depends how long it takes for the likes of Ashley Young and Gabby to get pissed off with falling short every year.

I would be surprised if we sold any big names this summer and I think we will sign 2-3 players fighting for a 1st team place. If we finish 7th and make a significant improvement on our squad with 2-3 players would you still consider this season 'falling short'

I think it also shows how hard it is to take that final step. Spurs have barely moved in that time, Everton either, it's relatively simple to climb into a position where you're in the top eight to ten of the Premiership. Any club with about £100m to spend can manage it over the course of a few seasons.

It takes a lot of luck, a bit of nous or another couple of hundred million to make that extra step.

I think we're about where we should be on our spend and with the players in our squad. Things are changeable at the moment, City are just getting underway and things are tightening up a bit, I suspect that once we have more than four clubs regularly capable of a top four finish then things will open up a little more.

I think it'll be possible to take the extra step without spending the £300m it's taken Chelsea and will take City and I think we've got a reasonably good foundation.

It's been a bad week, but it's been a pretty good couple of years.

Yup, thats more or less my thinking as well.

Very true, there is no secret formula to get 4th spot. I have no idea if MON will get us 4th however long he is here but I think he is giving it a good go.

I would expect around 25 million for transfers next year, and if MON can't do it on that, then it just goes to show what a poor job he has done, because that should get you 2 class, or 3 good players - and surely after 4 yrs, that should be all you need,

I think we are just 2 class players away from having a really good go at the CL. How many players do you think we need?

I think we will be lucky if he stays with us after reading through this thread. It appears that the only opinion worth having here is one pinpointing change when stability is often what is needed. He has improved us year on year so far so he automatically deserves another season to see what can be done in the next.

His record in the transfer market is pretty good since our entire 1st team has been signed by him apart from Gabby but MON developed him so deserves credit for it. We need more strength in depth if we are to challenge regularly for 4th place but I'm sure he knows this more than anyone. He is building a squad from scratch and that takes time. His squad has brought us to a CC final, FA cup semi and within touching distance of 4th this season, imagine what could happen with some more quality signings!

He has overachieved this season and last with the squad he has and the media hype surrounding us has the fans expecting success in every area resulting in outrageous comments suggesting that we would be better off without him.

I can assure you if the fans force him out of the door after what he has done for us his replacement will not be Mourinho or Bilic or Jol or Benitez because why would they touch a club whose supporters turn on their manager so quickly.

Here's hoping no one at Villa Park reads this website!