The Villa Times - 09/04/2008

Unoial Villa News...

Martin O'Neill was seen watching Bayern Munich v Getafe in their UEFA Cup game and so the press have pulled out a marvellous link to 31-year-old right-back Willy Sagnol. The price mentioned is £1.5million. Seems a funny one because apparently he wasn't even on the bench the other night, surely MON would be looking at a player who was actually on the field of play? ;o)

Another report has linked us with 29-year-old Getafe defender Cata Diaz. Liverpool and Spurs are also apparently interested.

Villa reserves play Portsmouth tonight at Villa Park. Kick off 7pm. Villa are top of the league and have two games in hand over the second placed team Reading. VILLA: Taylor, Lund, Lowry, Osbourne, Clark, Baker, Salifou, Routledge, Williams, Delfouneso, Bannan. Subs: Forrester, Bevan, Albrighton, Mikaelsson, Lichaj.

Craig Gardner, out since a thigh strain picked up playing for the England U21's, is pencilled in to return to training next week. Martin O'Neill told www.avfc.co.uk: 'He's coming on. I spoke to Roddy Macdonald (club doctor) yesterday and he thinks that if he keeps progressing he might be able to start training halfway through next week. That would maybe on the optimistic side, but Craig being Craig, he's desperate to get back. He's asking if he's ready to train every morning.'

John Carew is more likely to be fit for this weekends visit to Pride Park despite further aggravating his groin injury last weekend v Bolton. MON told the official site: 'He had the problem at Old Trafford, but he was determined to play against Bolton. He was a bit sore when he came off and he didn't train yesterday, but he'll be fine.'

Gareth Barry posted the highest score of the week in The Actim Index, the official player ratings system of the Barclays Premier League, and helped keep Aston Villa’s dream of European football alive. Click Here

Vital Villa are currently asking if we should (well, Villa, not us at Vital Villa obviously, that would be ridiculous) re-sign Peter Crouch. At the moment 55% are saying yes: Click Here

Vital Villa asked for your man of the match votes for Villa v Bolton. Gareth Barry won it by 1% over Stiliyan Petrov (39% and 38% respectively) Full results: Click Here

Flicking flick flick of a game: Click Here

The club have dismissed reports that Nigel Hokey-Cokey will now miss two games after picking up 10 yellow cards. Whilst NRC did pick up another yellow card against Bolton, it was his 9th of the season, not his 10th - so all is well in the world. There is an amnesty on bookings after next weekend's games so if NRC can manage to stay out of the referee's way against Derby his slate will be wiped clean.

Martin O'Neill has thanked the Villa faithful for the response given to Stiliyan Petrov at the end of the Bolton match. Full article: Click Here

Nigel Hokey-Cokey has told Sky Sports that he is happy to be doing a job for the team but admits he is frustrated at being a jack of all trades after being moved about recently as a utility player. Click Here

Thought for the day: If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.

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