Even The Papers Are Bored Of Villa?!

Le big Sulk for me. What a BIG let down it has been so far. one signing plus Harewood! I'm still holding out hope for a last minute signing. UTV

Nicolas Anelka is class JP but I would worry about him upsetting some of our established players, do you know what he is like in the dressing room, I don't mean in a 'oohh young man sort of way' but in is mannor with other players!

Anelka ?? he isn't what MON wants, I played for Forest in the mid 80's as a YTS and in reserves and share the menatality of MON that a close bonded unit of players is crucial to compete, be it in the league, cup runs or europe. Trouble makers, sulkers, or anyone basicaly who won't risk blood and bone for his team mates, destroy the dressing room. It gives you an edge. Anelka is a quality player, but won't fit in with our squads mentality. The players who have left, don't fit in with it, Sorrenson doesn't fit in with it. Laursen is world class when fit and he has it, Bouma is getting it, Reo-Coker has it in abundance, the youngsters are glowing with it....Hunger and the willingness to be part of a unit, not a one man wonder chasing personal glory. You have to be very careful when bringing in players, look at Spurs, already rumours of discontent. Man Utd are a good example, not huge senior squads but 22-24 in depth and some very good youngsters to call on when needed, how many times have you watched them on TV and all of a sudden so and so comes on ??? who ??? then next thing you know he's a regular on the bench. I could pick out 8 players now that I would like but they may be no good for the Villa dressing room as it stands, and as it stands I don't know anyone in the Villa dressing room from Adam !! Anyone who comes in will be well known by MON, on and off the field, maybe not personally, but well researched, by others. One thing is for sure, they will come, whats the betting WBA buckle on their £15m idiotic price tag next week, who wants a player who doesn't want to play for you ?? Porto may give in and accept £8-9m for Bosingwa, we may even see Hengeland appear.....one thing is for sure these players obviously fit the bill. Lets hope we get chance to pay the bill. Lets hope for a few surprises maybe....

Great insight Astonmilan. Thanks. Be interested to know why you think Thomas doesn't fit - his apparent arrogance?

I don't think it takes any inside knowledge to figure out sorensen is a pratt. He's a professional who plays his part when called upon and should take it like a man when his place is up for grabs. He is like any other player in the team, subject to rotation and replacement. If he can't do that quietly then clearly his ego is too big for the "team". I'm not suggesting that warrants being kicked out the club but he certainly needed bringing into line and reminding he's not bigger than the club. I certainly hope the optimists are right and that the signings come. I don't fancy saturday afternoons until that happens.

Sorensen has had it his own way for too long and obviously thinks he knows more about management than O'Niell, i.e: when he blouted out 'why does he need another keeper when he has two good ones already' .....no need to answer that one Tommy, remember December hotshot, and yes, his arrogance is quite obvious for all to see. He also knows he isn't as good as some of the prem keepers, so spouts off to assure himself and nobody else,...... Berger learnt his lesson with MON, reputations mean nothing....performance and hunger for the shirt in training does, combined with the ability to accept competition. You don't see Rino Gattuso chuck one when hes taken off and Ambrossini comes on for Milan, its part and parcel of being in a squad that wants to succeed. Dida lost his place at Milan last year for 6 games but fought back in training to gain his place again, no moaning, true professional. This is what makes you successful, not just buying names to keep fans happy short term. I'll put it this way, watch Man City closely till November and see how they are after the pace and tiredness, language barriers and tactical nonsense gets to them. As I said, whoever comes will be right for the squad, his name will be irrelevant, his commitment to his team mates and where this club is going is what will be required.....UTV

And second rate players.......let me think......Tevez out, Bellamy in......quality.......oh and Mascherano out, Dyer in.........outstanding........the way forward, no doubt.......clever people down there at you London minnows.......

Are you for real ?? 10,000 spare seats every home game ? more money than us ? our chairman has a personal, yes personal, not his business investments, of around £870m. His companies are worth around $17b. He owns our club, ground, in fact every facilty that we have personaly, no share holders or partners to please. Your guy has to wheel, deal, beg, borrow and steal to get funds together. The only difference is that Randy Lerner is a real businessman, very private and keeps his mouth shut about issues that don't concern others. He has also taken our club to heart over the last 15 years, not took over to make a quick buck, like Egg Head. your fan base is like your ground, a ****in joke. Check or attendance figures again, its only when the championship dreggs like you and Charlton come into town that they are lower than usual, and after watching you and Charlton last season, I can't blame some people for not bothering.

And if your fan base is sooooooo large, why don't you go talk to them all on your own site.........or is the Sheffield Utd site suing you for being a****oles as well as cheats.....

I know what you are saying astonmilan, but the old Brian Clough days, as undoubtedly brilliant as they were, are over, now you need strength in depth and quality. At the moment we are limited in both. Wasn't say that is who MON SHOULD go for, just who I'd love to see. I want to see - call me strange - a striker who can shoot and score! I take your points though, the manager is the one picking and his head is the one on the chopping block if he doens't get it right. Still for the life of me cannot see why the players aren't here already, the price they wanted at the start of the summer is the price they'll still want at the end. Hopefully all will be well and as you say, hopefully some surprises might arrive... maybe.

astonmilan - I used to play for Rapid Rangers in the Sunday morning Midlands works league. Our policy was to have a small squad because only the really bad players would hang around on the bench. If you had a car you were guaranteed a start though. Oh how things change...............

I don't know about that Fear, you need a well united dressing room mate, look whaqt happened at West Ham, Man City and a few other clubs in recent years, and I think he has achieved this thusfar, but I agree we are short on depth and quality, I think this will be resolved or is being resolved as we speak, before the 31st. This is why England fail at international level, too many ego's, Instead of concentrating on football, players are more concerned about celebrity status Real Madrid and Barcalona have struggled in recent years trying to manage 'me first, club second' attitudes, and it will happen at Chelsea sooner or later. I trust MON to make this club stable and competitive, maybe I won't feel the same next May, maybe we'll be in Europe, who knows, its only been twelve months....Although I'm Villa through and through and have been since I was four and a season ticket holder for 22 years, I've been going over to watch AC Milan eight or more times a season for the last 18 years (family ties), and they didn't get where they are overnight, or with a five year plan to be honest, so when I hear all these people harping on about 'world class' signings and Champions League football, I take it with a pinch of salt. What I do want is top eight consistancy over the next few years, a cup or two, a shot at the EUFA Cup and to establish Villa back in the top half of the league they founded. That should be the minimum this club achieves, if not, then only MON will be to blame.....

im bored of reading the papers

accordung to Aston Villa blog O'Neil has yet again wasted a chance to sign a right back and now has backed off because other clubs have come in for him.

http://talkingsoccer.blogspot.com/2007/08/villa-agree-8m-fee-for-west-brom-star.html

We should have faith in Martin O'Neil weve got 1 of the best managers in the premiership so let him get on with it. Hes aware of what we need and im totally behind him! Rght back Chelsea's paula ferreira and boswinga for competition Defence Metersacker or C Davies Left back Nickey shorey wud give bouma competition. Striker Martins or Defoe (dnt want Anelka)