LancsVillan Posted December 9, 2007 Moderator Share Posted December 9, 2007 by drat01 OK just in case the good lady is reading this or the kids, I do actually want more and you know where I have left my list for all to see. Getting that out of the way with Christmas comes a time for the club where a couple of very important things are happening. A whole series of matches that will go a very long way in determining if this is to be a successful season, one just of rebuilding or a damp squib. We have to make do though with the squad we have and that what brings me to my Christmas wish list (Villa vsn.). Let's get the obvious statements out of the way first to avoid any confusion. MON is a very good manager who has got us looking like we are a club going in the right direction. MON's record to date in the transfer market has been frustrating, IMO, and it's been the one area that I can find real fault with him. By his own admission the squad is too small and has been for some time. The signings to date, again IMO, have been a mixture of good and pretty poor. Ashley Young is like your main present, the Nintendo Wii. OK you pay over the odds for something that is pretty new to the scene. You know it should be good because it cost a lot of money, it;s new and offers something that we haven't had for a long time. Let's hope the novelty doesn't wear off though, but for the moment it's a great present. Harewood and Knight have been like one of those Buy one get one free deals that you often see at this time and you usually get as a gift from the Aunty that you only see at this time of year usually accompanied by a glass of Advocaat. OK it makes the number of presents look bigger and we got them from the equivalent of BHS and Wilkinson's, but are they really what we wanted or what we actually needed? Reo-Coker, has all the things on the packaging that suggest that it could be a great present. But at the moment we are struggling to get it to work as we expect and there is a real danger that the novelty will wear off pretty quickly and will be banished to the cupboard. Petrov, the gift that was apparently all the rage, well it was in other countries. At first it looks like it has everything but then you notice it needs a special UK adaptor to work correctly. Carew, is like the table football game. Old style in so many ways, frustrating sometimes, not a lot of subtlety to it but when you are in the mood is great fun. Maloney, another present from the relatives. You wind it up and let it run around, highly entertaining for small amounts of time but you can never see it being the first one out of the toy cupboard. Still it didn't cost a lot so you can't really grumble Add to that a couple of one's that you have paid a deposit on and you have told the shopkeeper you will buy assuming they offer good credit terms. So for this Christmas MON and Randy Claus what I would like is the following - Stuff from the bigger shops, even some from abroad. - Please don't wait until the end of time sales as the goods on offer aren't always the best - Some gifts that come with great reviews and will make the other kids that bit jealous of what we have got - 4 or 5 would be fantastic That's all not a lot to ask really. We have all been good boys and girls and we promise to keep turning up to watch the new presents. Come on MON make this a good 'un you know you want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QldVilla Posted December 10, 2007 VT Supporter Share Posted December 10, 2007 I'm sorry, but I feel your article is off the mark. Outside of Harewood, and I'm still not convinced that he is a bad signing, I believe the Manager has made some astute purchases which the club will benefit from in the long-term. Too often people are quick to complain, without looking and tempering their assessments with the long-term future of the club in mind. Knight has been a good purchase because he adds experience to the team, your concerns with Davies are misdirected, because the Manager has a long-term view to his career, and doesn't want to spoil him by throwing him in the deep end. This season is about educating the lad to help him develop without the pressure of first team football. His time will come in the new year when the Manager believes he has made the appropriate progress. With regards to Reo-Coker, I don't think you understand what he does on the field, he does the things that go unnoticed, but he does a lot of these little things every game that contributes to the performance of the team. He's unfashionable, and not going to score 10 goals from the midfield every year, but he probably prevents that many and more from being scored against us every season. Petrov has been a little disappointing, but I beleive he has started to turn things around, and should be given more time. Carew is a good player and has started to show over the past few weeks his worth, considering he missed 6 weeks through injury at the start of the season, I think your assessment is unrealistic. Maloney, good player shown very little time on the pitch. The one thing most of these players have in common is their young age. They are going to make mistakes, and develop their game at different speeds. I believe all were bought for the future of the club and the Manager is prepared, unlike yourself, to let them make mistakes, as long as they learn from them and grow as players. Both Davies and Maloney were bought for the future, Young and Reo-Coker where bought as first teamers but knowing that they would take time. Carew and Knight are good experienced first teamers. The Manager is prepared to spend money for the sake of it, he will wait until he gets the player he is after. I see the merit in this, its a long term plan, and we need to be patient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 you forgot the Davies present Ian. One of the most expensive presents in the shop, and had to work very hard to persuade the shopkeeper to sell at a realistic price. Once home, was eager to use the new toy, but upon use the end result was hugely dissapointing. Was put back into the box, re-sealed and has not effectively been taken out to play with again. Bought on hire purchase from the shopkeeper with the "promise" of big bucks changing hands next year. Purchaser may me hastily looking at purchase agreement for escape clauses. The Cahill: Lend one of your best presents to the poor kids from the other street, then wish you hadn't as it was actaully a good present and you want it back as, thinking back, it was better than the more recent presenst you bought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drat01 Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Qld - I think you have not read one word of the post mate. You are jumping into defend at all costs mentality. Can I suggest you read what was written? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahamaad Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Its not often I agree with Ian but that article is spot on IMO (except the bit about MON being a great manager). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awbenny Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 great post mate.....made for great reading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaretMahoney Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 Great post Drat. Maybe mention that MON needs to take his great classic games (SNES, NES and Sega Genesis) to the toy repairman and get them updated! (cough sign new contracts for the trio of defenders). Other then that, spot on. And to Jon, Drat addressed the loan of Davies and Carson with: "Add to that a couple of one's that you have paid a deposit on and you have told the shopkeeper you will buy assuming they have good credit terms". Good point made about CAhill and lending to the poor kid, very true. Ooo and by the way this was my 666th post. Devilish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RA19 Posted December 10, 2007 Share Posted December 10, 2007 And if we believe the rumours (I rarely do) the school bullies are trying to nick our iPhone. Quick run & tell mum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QldVilla Posted December 11, 2007 VT Supporter Share Posted December 11, 2007 Qld - I think you have not read one word of the post mate. You are jumping into defend at all costs mentality. Can I suggest you read what was written? Drat01, I read the post, I just don't agree. I like the sarcasm in the piece, but I don't agree with the analogies. I agree we need to look at real quality now being brought into the squad, but not at the expense of those who could be really good long-term for the club. To use another analogy, will you be buying a ready made diamond ring for your wife/girlfriend this Christmas, or will you be buying the sum of the parts of the ring, and slowly bringing those parts together yourself. Just because its harder to make, doesn't make it any less valuable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-Copenhagen Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 I think you are very close Drat, a good read and I share your hopes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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