The Villa Times - 25/08/2008

Unoial Villa News...

I'm surprised, with just a week to go in the transfer window, that there isn't more gossip about! Seems the journalists have grown tired and are coming up with less links by the day! According to various reports Martin O'Neill wants an answer from Newcastle United today over the proposed James Milner transfer. Full article: Monday's Aston Villa Transfer Gossip

The Sunday Mercury has an article quoting General Charles Krulak suggesting Villa might build a stand for fans to watch players practice at Bodymoor Heath training ground. 'We are building viewing stands in the back so that the fans will be able to watch the team practice. It will be much better than the current situation.' The paper also quote a Villa spokesman with a slightly contradictory quote: 'There are no stands under construction at the moment but that may well be something that we will consider in the future.' At the moment fans can only really go to a small car park at the entrance to Bodymoor where you can see next to nothing apart from the players driving to or from training with some stopping for autographs. I was there a few months back and drove down the drive, some fans were at the bottom hoping the car approaching them was a player. You can imagine how bruised my ego was when the look of 'what the f*** is that?' came on their disappointed faces! :o))

Ticket news for Baggies, Sunderland, Tottenham and Liverpool games, not to mention the team I can't spell the name of: Aston Villa Ticket News

Video highlights of Stoke v Villa: Click Here
O'Neill disappointed with defence (AUDIO) Click Here
Glensider away at Stoke: Click Here

Vital Villan: I'll try to not be too negative here, but Nicky Shorey believes Carew and Gabby compliment each other perfectly in attack. Speaking on the official site Shorey expresses how impressed he's been with the pace and power of our two frontmen since he joined the club, and he's sure they will have a massive influence on our season. 'They are a great combination. Gabby and John are two players that are tough to come up against in training! But I suppose training with them day in and day out will only improve my game defensively. John is so strong and holds the ball up really well. He is so powerful and such an outlet for us defenders. We can get it up to him and we know he will be able to keep hold of the ball and give us a breather. That's a big part of his game and I don't know anyone better at it than him.' Full article: Carew and Gabby - The Ideal Strikeforce

Vital Villan: Stiliyan Petrov is looking forward to a run in the UEFA Cup, but knows we must bounce back from the Stoke disappointment and hammer the Icelandic team in the second leg this week. Petrov, unlike most of our squad, is no stranger to European Cup runs and having seemingly found his form could be a very important asset to us as we hopefully progress further into the competition. Speaking on the official site Petrov is adamant that although we are hugely the favourites given our 4-1 lead from the first leg, there is still a job to be done and plenty of errors that we saw against Stoke to be rectified. It's hard not to look at FH as a competative training match, but that's exactly how we should. We spend the first half putting the match out of reach and we spend the second half encouraging the defence to gell. Full quotes: Petrov Looking Forward To UEFA

Vital Villan: I love it when the official site uses the word 'bouncebackability', but I am strange. Martin Laursen believes we have it and he aims to show it in the next two matches. Speaking on the official site Laursen talks about how often we 'bounced back' last season from disappointing draws or losses and with confidence still high in the camp he believes Villa are more than capable of showing that same character this season. Full quotes: Confidence Is Fine Claims Laursen

Vital Villan: The official site today carries a few quotes from both Martin Laursen and Curtis Davies as they wake up to the headache the Stoke result: Hard Work and Bouncebackability Required

Vital Villan: Cyrille Regis has told the official site that he believes Curtis 'the Terminator' Davies has all the necessary attributes to become a future Villa captain. Full article: Regis Tips Davies As Future Captain.

Murph: In what must be considered a protracted transfer arrangement, even by Villa`s standards, the deal to take Shaun Maloney to Celtic has finally been closed, having started more than likely the day after Maloney joined Aston Villa from Celtic. As the official site randomly wanders into contradicting itself, the 'versatile 25-year old' hasn`t quite had the versatility to settle in the West Midlands, with the Malaysian born midfielder/forward often being quoted as being homesick from those mysterious 'sources close to the player.' Full article and quotes: Lonely Maloney Returns to…Scotland

Vital Villa fantasy footie league standings: Click Here

Thought for the day: 'Don't worry; it only seems kinky the first time.' And a bank holiday bonus thought! 'Some days you are the bug; some days you are the windshield.'

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