Final Sunday transfer window round up – Beye
The transfer window closes on Monday and I think it is very unlikely we will see any links in or out of Villa Park in the Sunday papers. Of course if there are any be assured they will appear here.
One piece of loan news that Shane Lowry has gone to Leeds until the 31st March
No new updates tonight from the NOTW which has just gone out online
Sunday Mirror updated online and no new links
In fact checking all the major newspapers as predicted not a single rumour or link
SUNDAY
Again no links whatsoever so I think it is safe to say apart from Gardner leaving it will have been a very quiet window for Villa.
Finally at 18:00 a link !
An old one though saying Sunderland will look once again at Habib Beye as other right back options have failed, well there is faith in a player !
What would you give for a goal – Gabby please deliver
Since the Arsenal game on Wednesday the talk of Villa fans is the 4 goals without a goal.
It has been well publicised that we have not gone four games without a win for a few years now a few managers ago ! Yet the shocking thing about this Villa team is that we hardly lack players for creativity in Downing, Young & Milner.
So has we head into the Fulham game on Saturday at a very difficult venue and one we have failed at many times the big question is whether we can actually score ? Because if we do score with a very good defence then the chances are we can certainly win games and therefore progress and keep up the battle for the top 4, which we have slipped behind a bit.
The problem is at Villa MO has a past record for this, every season has seen a slump at this time even when we are actually playing quite well as I believe we are. The slump usually coincides with Gabby’s winter slump and we are well and truly within that. Gabby is vital to how we play we need his pace but if he can not score it appears it affects the whole team. We need somehow to get him to play in the winter but no one can deny the effort so what is it ?
Anyway for tomorrow, guess same starting team as against Arsenal, where we did actually play well and really a draw is a decent result but Fulham are missing players through injuries and games like this are a watershed for us.
Joaquín Boghossian, Razak Boukari and other transfer window rumours
We enter the final week of the transfer window when I really do not expect much action from Villa but I will update this page of any rumours in the Sunday papers (as you may know Newsnow no longer carries some of the papers).
Craig Gardner on the verge of leaving and we have seen links this week with Curtis Davies and NRC on loan to Celtic and an intriguing one with Joaquín Boghossian of Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina.
Boghossian is a U21 forward whose record in South America is very good and tracked by a number of clubs in Europe and we have been linked with him. Of course this is not the model type of signing that MON does but would excite quite a few fans, can not see it myself, MON prefers proven forwards and preferably PL experience.
Sunday Mirror reports we are battling over Lens 22 year old Razak Boukari who is a Togo attacking midfielder and rated at £3m, Everton are also interested in Lens apparently 2009 player of the year.
NOTW reports we are after Mike Pollitt the Wigan reserve keeper to cover for the two Brad’s of course if they had done their research properly they would know we have Andy Marshall for that.
Also the NOTW reports that MON has ruled out any possible loan deal for Curtis Davies (never believed it myself)
O’Neill said: “I wouldn’t be in a position to loan out players at this stage of the season
The link below rounds up all the links this winter.
Young guns fire Villa to 5th round of the FA cup
First to say a great thanks to Villa and Brighton to agreeing to a such a low ticket price of £10 and £5, great crowd of nearly 40,000 and so many kids in Villa colours. Fantastic support from the Brighton fans and showed the cup romance is still alive if the price is right.
You would have read elsewhere about the game and it showed that the reserve strength in depth is so much better than than it was 12 months ago. The first half was lacklustre and Brighton deserved their draw at half time. However for the second half we stormed it and could have been 6 or 7 with Delph very close to a hat trick and Delfouneso nearly scored a fantastic 2nd goal. However it seems Warnock may have picked up a hamstring injury and you have to feel for Albrighton who set up the first goal with a great cross to only then pick up an injury, the whole ground felt for him, he was shaping up to have a very good game.
However we saw the future of Villa today. I firmly believe our future is tied up with the likes of Delph, Delfouneso and Albrighton. In fact if everything goes well I can see all three playing for England because I rate them that highly. Add to them the likes of Clark who could also play for England, Milner and Ash Young and in two years time I almost can see that team actually challenging at the very top.
It always dangerous to predict the future of young players but what we saw today showed that if nurtured right, with the right attitude they can become top class Premier and maybe international players, all that is required is patience from the fans.
MON denies any Boyd link, HURRAH
Great news from today’s press conference
O’Neill said: “I don’t know if players are at football games but the other part I can definitely comment on. I was quite surprised to see the story that he is signing for us.
“Of course, I know the player very well indeed. He was in Scotland when I was in charge of Celtic – but there isn’t any truth in it.”
I must say that gets a big cheer from me and allows the Blues a clear run at best an average player, at worse a total waste in the PL
However today it appears that Habib Beye and Craig Gardner are very close to leaving Villa Park when this happens will this leave space for another signing ?
Will Habib Beye Leave
According to Frenchvillalova on Villatalk
Habib Beye will sign for Sunderland. It’s a Done Deal.
I’m no ITK-his agent’s just confirmed it on French radio.
Not a big loss if IMO.
Would make some sense if true, hardly getting a look in
Get READY
There are no excuses for anyone not to shout and sing their heads off tonight and that includes you lot in the Witton and Trinity !
There is no excuse for anyone slagging off our players during the game.
In just a few hours we go into one of the most important matches since May 2000, we want and desire a cup final and the only way we can influence what goes on the pitch is to create such a raucous atmosphere of such intensity the Blackburn players will not know what has hit them.
Clearly for the Blackburn fans this game is not important only 1500 are bothering to come down, never in a semi final at home will we have such superiority in numbers, make this Tranmere revisited.
Any setbacks tonight should be brushed aside and from first whistle to last just 100% for the team, anything less is unacceptable.
Finish the road from Villa Park to Wembley
90 minutes stands between us and a Wembley visit since the none event of 2000 and after the 1st leg last week we should be very confident of finishing the job.
We played so well last Thursday that the tie should have been over and done with and tomorrow a mere formality. However due to the lack of a class goal poacher we go into the 2nd leg with a lead but one that can be wiped away by one single silly mistake. The key tomorrow is to ensure we get the early goal, we get the chance to put it away early and make it a fairly easy tie.
Not sure what attitude that Blackburn will bring to us, if they come on the attack will suit us down to the ground but we are more than capable of dealing with their rather limited attacking play but we simply have to put away chances which we have missed the last few games we can not afford to miss such easy chances.
I am confident we will be Wembley bound tomorrow evening but not cocky about it and understand that all ties are hard but we have the quality and desire to succeed. The only thing that will hold us back is our lack of creativity and being too relaxed about it.
Biggest game for a few years and a sell out night crowd should provide a raucous atmosphere.
enjoy, if you can !!
World class quality, names please
Today’s game did not really tell the Villa fans and management anything we did not already know. We ar a fantastically hard working team, we never give up and have a fair amount of quality. However in tight games as we saw against Arsenal & Liverpool we lack the ultimate top quality to seemingly take us storming into the top 4 places.
Sometimes when you go to Villa Park you know things may not pan out as you think they should. News that Reo-coker was not even on the bench suggested that he may have another club lined up but MON denied this and apparently he injured an ankle in training. The game though from our point of view started very slowly and it was not until we got to the second half we started to play like the team we know we are but unfortunately for Gabby he lacked the quality to put three quality chances away. The last chance was typical of his game today, I think when he does not have time to think he is very good as he has shown against the ‘sky 4′ and local derbies. However after Carew’s flick on he had time to think, last minutes and frankly he messed up the chance.
That sums up what I mean by the title of this post we have seen how quality hurts us and makes the difference between three points and one. However it does seem that maybe money like at the vast majority of clubs is rather limited so to get this attacking quality and fit our team spirit and play I am open to names on who it could be.
Weekend Transfer Links – Gardner bid rejected
As you may be aware, Newsnow has now been blocked to linking to a few of the papers (please see the ‘right to link’ image on the left of this blog), thus a lot of the Sunday speculation does not get publicised. So therefore please keep checking this post for the weekend updates as they happen.
Usually on a Saturday night the NOTW is first up with any links and today we have none (it has been a quiet window for speculation). Instead the paper is reporting that there is little money to be spent and we have to sell to buy, this is a story been around for a while in other papers. MON is quoted as saying
O’Neill said: “I would like the squad to be stronger if possible but that might not be possible.
“Randy Lerner is very enthusiastic but he isn’t going to be reckless.
“Do I share his principles? I am a football manager. At every single club I have been at I have worked to the budget I have been given. I haven’t changed here.
“If we had to pay a bit more money for some player I would make sure he proved his value like Ashley Young has or I would make sure we would get recompense in some other direction.
So not exactly saying no money but we need to have value, MON goes onto to say the financial climate is very tight and teams have to ‘take stock’.
SUNDAY
No further links at all, trawled the newspaper sites and nothing at all, would indicate no incoming moves at Villa
As I just got back from the game I heard that Villa have officially rejected a bid from Blues for Craig Gardner but I am sure that this deal will happen for around £4m.
Hammer them
The games are coming thick and fast now and West Ham on Sunday (KO 13:30) gives us a great chance to extract revenge on the shirt stealers after they stole the game from us last November. This game comes on the back of two defeats over Xmas of which damaged our league chances but clearly not our morale as witnessed on Thursday.
Even though we have three games in 6 days, the players have had a 2/3 week break and a few will miss the FA Cup game against Brighton so I fully expect a full strength side against West Ham. The only debate is whether Luke Young will return in the place of Cuellar who will replace Collins. There may also be a change up front with Carew possibly replacing Heskey but I would not put much money on that !
As we showed against Blackburn with some very good fluent passing football in the first half we are creating chances and just need to take them and get more convincing wins. West Ham are clearly going to be struggling against relegation all season and with injury problems all over the field (Franco the latest now) then a convincing win is required to set us up for the game against Blackburn.
The vats majority hate early Sunday kick offs nad the crowd could be low (sub 35,000) so lets get behind the lads and roar the Villa onto a much needed victory in the league.
One foot in a Wembley final, seal it at Villa Park
Great performance, should have been more but anyone would take 1-0 away win for the 1st leg and you could tell this game meant something to Villa, just magnificent support.
Villa came out for the game looking like they meant business and after 15 minutes of possession we created a fair few chances without actually managing to breach the net. Then total dominance from Villa with chance upon chance until Milner from his own breakaway scored a great goal to put us up one – nil, great credit to Downing with brilliant link up play.
For the rest of the half Villa totally dominated, created chances but Clattenburg refuses two absolute stonewall penalties to make the score very unfair to Villa.
The second half started off much like the first half, two great chances carved out but Blackburn missed a clear chance to post up warning signs, despite the domination, the tie is not over. Blackburn continued to start to pile on the pressure with long balls, the Villa defence continued to stay firm under this pressure as Kallinc hits the post twice and forces a great save from Guzan,
Villa after 70 mins made a change with Sidwell on for Heskey, going 4-5-1 as the Blackburn storm was weathered somewhat and Young missed a great opportunity. Has the 2nd half came to a close, Blackburn’s attacks became less frequent and we created further chances.
As the full time whistle blew, we got a very good 1st half performance and score and at Villa Park i front of a full house should seal the tie and get to Wembley.
Stats
Posession 55% to Villa
Shots on Target 9 to Villa, 2 to Blackburn
Corners 13 to 9 in Villa’s favour
Text Updates (Villa biased) – Blackburn vs Villa 0-1 FT
COME ON YOU LIOOONNNSSS
21:55 – FULL TIME – Should have been more but will take that, good game and advantage Villa
21:53 – Last minute corner kick to Blackburn, just headed over
21:51 – three mins injury time
21:50 – Fantastic save by Robinson from Gabby
21:49 – More good play from Young wins yet another corner
21:45 – Scrapy period but milner’s shot takes a deflection, guess what ? corner and panic in Blackburn’s defence
21:39 – Villa let Emerton run at us and force a save from Guzan, yet another corner, end to end game
21:36 – Young dragged a shot wide of the post from a good position
21:31 – Villa sub, Sidwell on for Heskey, clearly going for the counter attack
21:30 – From the corner yet another great breakaway, Young an inch taller would have surely put it away
21:29 – Yet another Blackburn corner and once again great defending
21:25 – Got to say great effort by Kallinic as he hits the same post again
21:22 – Blackburn long balls causing problems, corner again
21:20 – From long throw, blackburn corner, great clearance by Dunne
21:18 – Blackburn getting more into it as Dunn fired wide.
21:15 – First real chance for Blackburn as Kalinic hits the post, should have scored
21:13 – Young earns yet another corner, from the corner, just how did it not go in ?
21:11 – Blackburn more up for it, got to keep door shut
21:10 – Another great counter attack, Young fires it across but noone there to tap it in
21:08 – Great news from the Youth Cup as Villa win 2-0
21:06 – 2nd half kicks off, Villa players chatting with the ref, no question over Gabby’s yellow, Milner straightaway shoots directly at Robinson
20:49 – Best half by Villa for such a long time, fantastic stuff, fantastic domination. One up and could have been two or three more with two pens denied
20:48 – goal disallowed for Heskey handball, never Heskey was Samba !
20:48 – Fantastic save by Robinson from Petrov, near post
20:45 – Yet another corner, another goal will kill this game
20:43 – Gabby yet again beats Samba for pace, at the other end fantastic challenge by Dunne on Kalinic
20:40 – Gabby booked for diving, clear penalty !!!!!!!!!!!! Believe Gabby is now suspended for the West Ham game, disgrace of a card.
20:36 – Fluidity all over the field has Blackburn in knots at time
20:34 – Further good news from the Hawthorns as Villa 2-0 up in the FA Youth Cup
20:30 – Vital goal, away goals do count double if we need it.
20:28 – Is this a home game for Blackburn all Villa on and off the field
20:23 – The GOALLLLLLL we deserved, fantastic from Milner on counter attack.
20:22 – Yet more great play and Gabby shot straight at the keeper, totally dominant
20:19 – Quiet period but Gabby and Young combined for a corner, Cuellar then had a shot deflected over.
20:13 – Chances for Heskey and Milner, all over them !!
20:12 – Chance for Downing with his head
20:10 – Brilliant lay off by Heskey to Gabby, CORNER, short corner Young curls shot over
20:07 – Great ball by Downing – CORNER, shot way over by Young
20:05 – Dunn shots wide, deflected for corner, dangerous delivery came to nothing
20:04 – SALI SALIFOOOUUU
20:02 – SHIT SUPPORT M’lord, EMPTY SEATS M’lord
20:01 – KICK OFF TIME, VILLLA, VILLLA
19:57 – Teams out, Villa look confident, Villa fans loud and proud
19:50 – Tem minutes before the Villa boys come out
19:40 – Butterflies yet ? Defintely for me
19:20 – Very touching to watch Martin Laursen on SS1
Villa’s Team as expected except Luke Young on the bench
Guzan;
Cuellar, Dunne, Collins, Warnock;
A Young, Milner, Petrov, Downing;
Heskey, Agbonlahor.
Subs: Friedel, L Young, Sidwell, Carew, Delph, Reo-Coker, Beye.
Wished we could find space for Nathan on the bench
Blackburn, do we care ?
Robinson
Jacobsen, Samba, Nelsen, Chimbonda
Emerton, Dunn, Pedersen, Nzunzi, Salgado
Kalinic
Blackburn semi final is ON
Confirmation from Blackburn that today’s Semi final is definitely ON, KO at 20:00, for those of you not going (like me) it is on Sky Sports 1.
Sunday Transfer Talk – Milner and Heskey
As the latest batch of Sunday papers and their sometimes ludicrous transfer talk start to be published it seems MON at yesterday’s press conference once again indicated few moves for Villa.
This quote is the most significant one
Players generally these days know before managers and if there is someone adamant about leaving, then I’d have to take that as I find it. Would I rule out buying anyone? I’d have to answer ‘yes’ at this moment.
It would seem from this we can rule out moves for players as MON seems to be happy with the current squad. But it does back up a recent quote that the only moves will be if someone leaves and that is not ruled out with the above statement.
MON also ruled out that he had bid for any player when specifically asked about the Robbie Keane speculation.
With possible fixture congestion it would show he has some faith in the backup quality we have, especially Fabian Delph and Nathan Delfouneso to carry more of the burden than in the first half of the season.
First up today is the News of The World with a story that James Milner may be offerred a new and improved contract by Villa to ward of interest, from guess who – Liverpool, yep that team that has no money, dear me.
The Guardian has a story about Heskey ot Chelsea to cover for Drogba as he is frustrated by the lack of first team chances at Villa. I guess if anyone at the Guardian had done their checks they would have found when fit Heskey is now first choice, would he be like that when Drogba returns from the ANC, ha ha ha
Keep up to date with the transfer news on this blog and the following page
Aston Villa – From a Fans Perspective
Lee Baker has produced the following website after attempts to publish as a book was declined. The site is a collection of fans interviews (including one for myself !!) and I find it very fascinating to read other Villa fans views and you find you often have the same shared experiences. As Villa fans no matter our own personal lives we all have the one common bond that connects us all.
Lee would welcome any futher contributions and can be contacted through the website.
Wigan game on, cold opp north
Excellent news from Wigan today and confirmed by Villa that because of strenuous efforts around the ground to clear the ice the game is on, unless there is further worsening of the weather, which is not predicted to happen at the moment. Good luck to the 3000 who are going and make sure you wrap up warm.
So what can we expect ?
Wigan as they showed against us, Spurs and Chelsea are a right mixed bag of a side and you can not be sure of the type of performance they may put out. For Villa after two disappointing defeats and in one case very undeserved it is a great chance to bounce back at a ground we have a decent record at, better than at Villa Park !!).
With the run of games to come, baring any postponements it is not likely we see some changes from the team that started against Liverpool. Maybe one change may be that Carew starts instead of Heskey who may start against Blackburn three days later.
This is a game I expect us to win, it is the type of game we have slipped up on in this season so we have to go there with confidence we can win and not let the past two games affect the high confidence levels we have built up.
Make it Villa a red hot game for the fans who will make a dificult trip up there.
Players in and out – Sunday Transfer round up
“We are hoping to get a couple of players in because it is a long season ahead of us.”
This quote is from MON on Sky Sports today which for me is a contrast to the quotes he gave a few weeks ago.
“I wouldn’t see at this minute us being active in bringing players in January. Things change, but as we speak I don’t think we will be bringing people in unless somebody left the club”
So we go into the next few weeks with maybe a clearer indication of what could happen, maybe more outs than in but I am certain we are looking strongly.
There are further strong rumours of Gardner leaving Villa Park and his absence today seems to confirm these, I hope he has the sense to go to wolves and not the dark side ! Of course Shorey yesterday had his loan deal to Forest extended yesterday which will be likely to result in a permanent move.
MON also said yesterday that he takes no notice of the rumours linking Heskey with Liverpool however if he is looking to bring players in then you have to suspect that as per his previous statement that maybe the rumour is stronger than we and MON may lead us to believe.
Especially as links with Liverpool and Chelsea are in the News of the World and Daily Mail tonight.
The Daily Star has now linked Carew to a move to Liverpool.
Of course please keep up to date with all the rumours here.
Progress to our destiny with squad strength
Lets get the negatives out of the way first. Guzan in my view will be a top class keeper but he has to cut out the silly mistakes like today and the other one was that we have to more clinical in front of goal.
However today was about the positives in what was a very comfortable game against a 10 man Blackburn who never gave up. Guzan yet again proved what a fantastic penalty saver he is, he seems to be able to react after the ball has been kicked and few penalty takers can be confident they can score. The performance of the two young kids Delph and Delfouneso impressed especially in the first half and both showed that they can be big stars for Villa in the future. The game also showed unlike the previous years Carling cup games that now we can rest players and not have a depreciation in results. What MON has done in the summer has ensured we can compete on all fronts has we have quality of player to replace what we would call the first team starters.
However the two outstanding performances were from two ‘old stagers’. I am not Reo-Coker’s biggest fan at all but he was immense today and though his passing at times can be better he seems to be learning that and maybe realises he has to because he can be a success at Villa.
For the future of this season it has to be said that Ash Young’s performance was the most encouraging. He obviously had a week off and some criticism of his diving and today he answered these critics in style. The performance was the Young of old, a performance where every cross was dangerous and created trouble, that is what we would like to see, if we ignore the glaring miss !
One final word and to those around me in L4, Lower Holte, when you are playing against 10 men to keep the ball like we did in the last 15 minutes is good, it is the correct way to do it. To start moaning about possession football is madness and not understanding how football works.
So now we go into tomorrow’s nights cup draw, knowing we can end 53 years of hurt, bring it on !
Transfer Window opens in 24 hours
The fun and games that is the transfer window opens in less that 24 hours.
Keep up to date with all the rumours linking Villa here in one handy link.
Already a fair few names have been linked, the latest being Scott Parker. In this window I expect a few to leave (Gardner & Shorey being obvious names) not so sure as MON said a weeks or so ago for any new names in.
We shall see as the usual mixture of truth, half truths and downright lies start to swing into full action
Snow joke at Villa Park
Sorry, obvious title, used many times the past few hours and totally sums up how I feel today.
Snowy Villa Park
We was robbed, to use an old saying, for 90 minutes, given the conditions and negative position of Liverpool I thought we did really well but the luck deserted us, none more so when Downing only had to be an inch wider to score. Then Torres who had done nothing all game, the defence had played well, took advantage of a Dunne slipped that fell perfectly to him to produce a world class finish that Gabby a few minutes earlier in the same position had failed to do.
What we have seen the past few days is the quality needed to challenge for the top 4, we can compete with the top sides but we just lack the final quality to seal the games and in tight games to take the few chances that are on offer.
At this point I will comment on John Carew, last night certainly around myself in the Lower Holte the love affair is over. I thought he had a very poor game (disagreed with mates in the pub afterwards !) and the effort is simply not there and nor is the first touch to control the ball. This is now a position we need to strengthen and if we get the right player in over the next 4 weeks there is no reason we can not finish top 4.
The last two games are a setback not a disaster for our ambitions. Some fans have now pressed the panic button far too early !
Snow will not stop a win against Liverpool
If the weather is not too bad tomorrow then we will have a very interesting game. Against Arsenal, there was a problem with our creativity and a couple of players looked like needing a rest, Downing in particular but with Young out they may prove to be difficult.
Martin O’Neil has to prove he can rotate the team and still get results because a defeat tomorrow will prove to be the catalyst for a lot of fans to fear a repeat of last season’s fade out. With Young definitely out then we presume Milner will revert to the right but neither NRC or Sidwell can provide the creativity we will miss from him, so is it an impossibility that Albrighton could start ?
Liverpool will come to Villa Park, knowing a win is vital for them to retain serious hopes of a top 4 position but it is unlikely that both Torres and Aquilani will both play and their reserves are clearly not good enough for a ‘proper’ Liverpool team. Therefore a win is more than possible, a win in fact is what we should expect but our record is so poor at home to them, there is understandable anxiety over the game.
A win tomorrow will ease the fears and once again raise the hopes of what is at times a fickle ad negative crowd if one game goes badly.
As a Villa fan I am well used to that !
Villa roasted by Fabregas
That was clear today, that a world class player comes in, not fully fit and totally changed the game with a fantastic 27 minute cameo. Up until Fabregas’s introduction I felt we were comfortable in the game with looking dangerous on the break but one moment on world class brilliance changed the whole tempo of the match in Arsenal’s favour.
For 60 minutes the defence looked comfortable, midfield controlled and managing to snuff out the majority of the danger from Arsenal and Gabby and Heskey combined well to cause problems. However it is clear to really make the next step up we need to find what I call a game changer attacker and we lack that. Carew will never be that against decent teams and Young when he has an off day like today leaves us with little creativity.
Problem is those players are few and far between and cost the Earth and unlikely to sign for a team outside of the current ‘Sky 4’. With the games coming fast then young being suspended with a few others on the edge will stretch the squad and I would like to think in the winter transfer window this can be resolved.
So we have to start a good run again and Liverpool on Tuesday (snow permitting !!) provides a very good chance to get back on track again. At the halfway point in the season we are 4th, we have played well at times and a defeat should not mean all is wrong but rather point us to where we need to get to
Sunday Transfer rumours and made up stories
First off the block, the NOTW linking us with a defender – Marcel Schafer from Wolfsburg for £8m after we sent to scouts to recent games. Right then, tell me the strongest part of our team and the place we need no cover. Made up would you reckon ? By the way he is a leftback, we have a far better one in our team at present.
They then resurrect the Heskey link with Liverpool and a stranger one linking Heskey with a move to Stoke. I could see Heskey leaving only if we could get Kenwyne Jones
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