Writer: J P Fear 
Date:Saturday August 8 2009
Time: 8:22AM
Well here is a quick one for us to look at!
I'm not sure if Arsene Wenger who is a master along with Sir Alex Chewalot at mind games is trying to 'play' with Mark Hughes at Manchester City or whether he does see Villa as their main threat?
The Arsenal manager has claimed in an interview for The Mirror that Aston Villa are the team he would worry about when it comes to keeping their top four spot, not the new big spending City boys.
The Frenchman, renown for his spats with Sir Alex and Chelsea's special one questions whether it is just about money and says it is also about 'the right balance'.
'If you do not find your balance straight away it can be difficult. At some stage a club has to make history.'
'For me I would say we are looking at a top six with Aston Villa - and you could have one surprise. There is always one unexpected team that fights but we can’t discard Aston Villa. Yes, last season they collapsed in the last 12 games, but at some stage looked like they could fight for championship.'
He also says, much like he did about Chelsea, that Arsenal will continue to be run properly and 'live with our natural resources' and says when they make money from transfers it is because they've worked hard at it and made the right decisions adding that living within your means does make it far more difficult.
Not unlike what Martin O'Neill was saying a few weeks back about the unbalancing effect these massive transfer spree's have and how 'disappointing' it can be having tried to build a team from scratch.
So, do you fancy Villa's chances of competing for the top four again or do you think that Man City have blown away all comers. I'm not asking for responses with the claret and blue specs on, when I put those on I think we'll win the world cup let alone anything else! City have to be a worry to all teams surely? Chelsea were drifting before Abramovich, now they expect top four every year, will Man City be the same? Makes you wonder if they are, at what cost and to whom?!![]()
The Villa Times - 23/05/2013 (Thursday May 23 2013)
The Vital Villa Player Of The Season Is... (Thursday May 23 2013)
Bumper Transfer News - SOME Inward! (Thursday May 23 2013)
New Contracts? Better Deals? It's Only Money!! (Thursday May 23 2013)
Petrov Delighted With Assistant Coach Role (Wednesday May 22 2013)
Broadcasting Revenue For AVFC For 2012/13 Season (Wednesday May 22 2013)
N'Zogbia Exit And £5m Given To Keeper? (Wednesday May 22 2013)
Villa's Pre Season Schedule (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Vlaar Pleased With First Good Touch Of The Game (Tuesday May 21 2013)
Villa Season Ticket Help Sessions (Tuesday May 21 2013)
| 1. | Pride of Lions | 1003 |
| 2. | The Fear | 775 |
| 3. | BodyButter | 509 |
| 4. | kefkat | 417 |
| 5. | CDX_EIRE | 344 |
| 6. | ClivetheVillan | 331 |
| 7. | Villan57 | 245 |
| 8. | thefacehead | 241 |
| 9. | DeanoVilla | 230 |
| 10. | holtelower | 202 |
| Latest Results | ||||
| Wigan | 2 | - | 2 | Aston Villa |
| Aston Villa | 1 | - | 2 | Chelsea |
| Norwich | 1 | - | 2 | Aston Villa |
| Aston Villa | 6 | - | 1 | Sunderland |
| Man Utd | 3 | - | 0 | Aston Villa |
| Aston Villa | 1 | - | 1 | Fulham |
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 12. Fulham | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | -10 | 43 |
| 13. Stoke | 38 | 9 | 15 | 14 | -11 | 42 |
| 14. Southampton | 38 | 9 | 14 | 15 | -11 | 41 |
| 15. Aston Villa | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | -22 | 41 |
| 16. Newcastle | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | -23 | 41 |
| 17. Sunderland | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | -13 | 39 |
| 18. Wigan | 38 | 9 | 9 | 20 | -26 | 36 |
| Stoke reject Nzonzi transfer request
» Stoke : 24/05/2013 00:46:00
|
| 10th or Else
» Newcastle : 23/05/2013 21:52:00
|
| Liverpool: Reds To Iago For Aspas
» Liverpool : 23/05/2013 19:51:00
|
| Saints Elite Centre Still Has Places Available
» Southampton : 23/05/2013 18:47:00
|
| The Villa Times - 23/05/2013
» Aston Villa : 23/05/2013 18:07:00
|
| Managerial Odds Update
» Stoke : 23/05/2013 18:01:00
|
| Pulis Thanks Fans
» Stoke : 23/05/2013 17:53:00
|