Villa Player Worth Every Penny

Martin O'Neill, please stop worrying about spending Randy Lerner's money!!

The Villa boss seems to have this thing about convincing everyone that the players he brings in are good value, well I think we trust him to bring in the players that are needed, personally I'd let the board of directors worry about financing the deals, they'll soon let him know when enough money has been spent. I know he has said he doesn't want to be a cheque book manager but there are limits. At the moment we are short of a right-back, don't have that good a goalkeeping cover (and lost both keepers last season ending up having to have a loan player) and a star signing or two had been expected to lay down a marker. Fine, the transfer window hasn't closed yet, but I can't help but look at the likes of Spurs who have done their dealings with time to spare and wonder at what point we'll see an influx? If it is at the last minute, will we then be told all season that the players haven't had time to settle in?

O'Neill told the Daily Mail today that he is sure former Watford player Ashley Young 'will prove worth every penny'. I'm not sure there are that many people doubting the fact, the lad looks a hot prospect and yes, he was expensive, but aren't all players in the Premiership? How many pennies are we talking about? Well, between £8million rising to up to £9.65m depending on contract trigger points.

O'Neill said: 'I would have liked to have paid less for Ashley in January but over the course of the next three or four years, he will prove worth every penny of the fee. I genuinely think that. It is not just because I paid for him and want to try to justify it. Hopefully the justification will come in the next couple of seasons.'

Adding: 'I've got no question that Ashley Young will be brilliant for us and he has been in good form in the build-up to this season. There is no question that he will be a top-quality player for us.'

Martin O'Neill is certainly a fascinating and complex character, that is for sure! Can't wait to see how the transfer window unfurls and more importantly, how the season ends. At the moment, in my very humble opinion, unless we are very lucky and don't pick up injuries, we are going to struggle to catch the chasing pack, let alone over take them!!

All those years of having managers say there wasn't enough money, now we have the money.... ?