dont_do_it_doug. Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 That answer is fine I just get frustrated when I put effort into a response only for a tiny fraction of it to be used in an effortless riposte. I'm not just aiming this at you btw. As I said, it is happening more and more in here. I havn't been round here. Didn't realise it had gone so downhill without me :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad_Dog Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 And yes im obviously deluded and dont understand the facts that elevates Richard to a superior being amongst Villa fans. Think you need to seriously calm down a bit. I am a Villa fan expressing an opinion. One you may not agree with but an opinion nevertheless. Which would be fine if you did not insult other users for expressing an opinion you do not agree with....respect works both ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 29, 2005 Author Share Posted June 29, 2005 Show me the insult that comes close to one of yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 29, 2005 Moderator Share Posted June 29, 2005 Just a warning BEFORE this becomes an 'I said you said' thread and goes way off topic. Any private stuff can be done through PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted June 29, 2005 Moderator Share Posted June 29, 2005 The signings so far are all pretty decent I think. We clearly need a back up keeper with Postma going, and not particularly top quality. Like wise a right back - with Uli not really defensively solid, Delaney prone to injuries and the odd sulk. We also needed to have more options for the left of midfield with Hitz gone and clearly with last seasons woeful number of goals from the forwards, and the injuries and loss of form, as well as Can't Control and Stefan Moore going Philips was a necessity, and I think a very good signing indeed. As for which "list" - are there two? I think not. So far we have strengthened some of the areas we were caught short in last season, for maybe just over 3 million (or 9 million in Doug speak) I imagine that there's still about 5 or 6 mill left to spend, and that the areas in need of new blood are maybe left back, centre half and another forward. I doubt we'll get get all three places sorted, but if say DO'L was told you can have 10 mill plus any money from sales raised he may have decided to go for 2 players at around 4 mill each and some frees and low cost signings with higher wages. So far so good, but I'd love to see a couple more players at the right age and of real promise/quality come in. I think we'll still see a couple more signings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRL Posted June 29, 2005 Share Posted June 29, 2005 Do you think the list was written with a pencil....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 no, it was written in invisible ink :wink: personally, i don't think any of the signings made so far particularly strengthen our fully fit first 11, meaning that i don't think any of them woulod necessarily walk stright into the first team in the way that a Yakubu, Distin, Bellamy or Parker would have. Stuart Taylor will probably prove to be OK and could well be challenging Tommy for the keepers Jersye very quickly. Delaney, when fit and not blabbing to the press, at right back is widely regarded as one of the better players in the premiership in that position - Hughes was not even getting many games last season - and for me has not "shone" when i've seen him play anyway, so to suggest that he is going to walk straight in ahead of Delaney is a bit premature. Can't see who Phillips will get in ahead of (this is a player somewhat past his best who was being kept out of the Saints 11 by Crouch and Kamara). Ditto Berger - he'll be a bench option for me. So for me, all signings so far are very much List B, and are not from the "A List" of players who DOL said the "substantial funding" would allow him to bring in. could still happen that we will bring in 4 from the A list. In my mind, there's more chance of hell freezing over first though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-Copenhagen Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Lets assume that even the very negative on this board will accept that we have bids for Bellamy and Distin - worth 12. mill add to that the 4 signings so far and the total transfer kitty is around 15 mill - now that is substantional funds in my view. Now some will argue that we have not spend the money - don't bother yet it makes no sence to be whining now and you know it - get into the real world and accept that there are other agendas than Villa's and just because we have money we can be sure to buy/sign players. Now why do some people insist on judging this summer as a fiasko, when we are still 2 months awy from serious football??? Yes it would be nice to have everything in place now, but when have we ever had that - and how many clubs normally do that in general???? Now lets pass the judgment in 1 months time or 2 and be happy that the squad is already better in ALL departments - keeper, defender, midfielder and striker = 2 mill = good bizz = well done = accept it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-Copenhagen Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Richard I don't agree with that - of cource they are not the 4 top players, but they are a great addition to the squad and bassed on the last two years budget DOL would not have been able to buy them - remember he could not afford the loan fee for Forsell in 2003! He did not have any cash. Now we have signed 4 quallity players already, but I am sure we are not going to stop here. And I think that you can count Huges as one of the 3/4 top players DOL wanted to sign. Tha leaves 2/3 to go and we are still wainting for Distin and The Bell man. Richard do you blaime the club for not signing The Bell man already? And do you want DOL to back away from the players he wants, if he can't get them asap? Do you blaime the club for trying to get at lower price for Distin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-Copenhagen Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Just to add: Striding Forward Together Steve StrideDavid O'Leary last night paid tribute to Operations Director Steve Stride after Villa completed the fourth signing of what is proving to be a busy summer. Stride tied-up the deal for striker Kevin Phillips yesterday afternoon and, with Patrik Berger, Aaron Hughes and Stuart Taylor already on board, the build-up to the 2005-06 campaign is bang on course. Villa continue to pursue other targets as O'Leary prepares for his third season in charge, with Stride given the task of bringing in the new signings. And the Villa boss told www.avfc.co.uk: "Steve's done a fantastic job. He's got the players in for me and we're still working hard together. "I identified the players we needed and gave my list of players to the board. They've delivered four of them already and I'm delighted with the way things have gone so far this summer. "This can be a very frustrating time for managers. You know what you want to do, but it doesn't always go according to plan, but it's gone very smoothly for us so far and Steve deserves a lot of credit for that. "The chairman's illness meant he was left with a lot on his plate, but we've spoken constantly and he's delivered the goods." Now does this indicate that we have spend all our money or that we have more to look forward to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 30, 2005 Moderator Share Posted June 30, 2005 Lets assume that even the very negative on this board will accept that we have bids for Bellamy and Distin - worth 12. mill add to that the 4 signings so far and the total transfer kitty is around 15 mill - now that is substantional funds in my view. Now some will argue that we have not spend the money David, I do not doubt that we have made a £6m bid for Distin and a £6m bid for Bellamy, but you have to accept that it is very possible that this is the SAME £6m and that whichever one arrives first will mean the other gets dropped, and we go after a cheaper alternative. For example if Bellamy arrives, we go for Stubbs instead of Distin. Some would say that the fact Phillips arrived yesterday suggests the Bellamy thing has now been forgotten. I certainly can't see us having 5 strikers while we have 1 leftback and not a single top quality attacking centre-mid in the squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LancsVillan Posted June 30, 2005 Moderator Share Posted June 30, 2005 Bri - was just typing something like that (that's three times this week we'd have done that) On the five striker thing I could see us signing another and loaning Luke out for experience, could not should as I see Luke (and Gabby) learning quite a lot about being a striker in the box from Phillips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-Copenhagen Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 BOF you have a point, but then "just" Bell man and stubss on top would be good bizz for the summer - do you agree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted June 30, 2005 Moderator Share Posted June 30, 2005 I can't really, because that would mean we'd have brought in 1 player who noticeably improves the starting 11 - Bellamy - whereas DOL had been told (and had told us) that he had the money for 4 top quality players. My signature stays until the window closes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-Copenhagen Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Actually our first 11 does not need to much improvment to take us into the mix of clubs for Europe. What we desperatly needed last season was cutting edge in attack and cover in defence and midfield. So far we have started to bring in quallity cover for very little money - and still with the posibillity of adding 1 or 2 on top. I think what I am trying to say is that there are no reason to be negative just yet. And it is my feeling that the negativity is mainly due to previous experiences and not based on this years facts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 ... And it is my feeling that the negativity is mainly due to previous experiences and not based on this years facts. It is based upon both, SO FAR, David. AS YET, we have brought in nobody who we could reasonably assume we're part of DOL's "LIST OF 4" Quality Costly players. past experience says they won't be coming. this year's facts have done little to persuade me that they are coming. There's a big difference between allegedy "being in the mix" for a player, and actually signing the cheque for his purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-Copenhagen Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 There's a big difference between allegedy "being in the mix" for a player, and actually signing the cheque for his purchase. True but you can only blaime the club for not trying. and as far as I see it we a trying. It is not easy but there are many reason for that, but they have nothing to do with this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 And the Villa boss told www.avfc.co.uk: "Steve's done a fantastic job. He's got the players in for me and we're still working hard together. "I identified the players we needed and gave my list of players to the board. They've delivered four of them already and I'm delighted with the way things have gone so far this summer. What the hell are we arguing about then? If the managers happy so far then so am I, simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-Copenhagen Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 AS YET, we have brought in nobody who we could reasonably assume we're part of DOL's "LIST OF 4" Quality Costly players. Now I am not so sure about Taylor and Huges? Phillips and Berger was on since the winther, but the other two??? I fink DOL might have around 10+ mill left now and found room for Huges and Taylor on top of that. But lets see that is all I and several others are asking/saying - there are still plenty of time why so ancious to blaime the club! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villafan306 Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 This whole thread is a litle pointless now DOL has said that these players were on his list (see DOL on transfer situation thread and promises for spending sticky thread). There were not 2 lists, there was only one and these 4 players were on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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