FOOTBALL!

[John M]

Dave W - what do you reckon would be an acceptible season for us? Obviously finishing 4th (or higher) is a must but do you reckon people will start get on Rafa's back if we go out in the next round of the Champions League?

I've just read that we've been linked with Darren Huckerby, surely no-one outside of the Huckerby household thinks that's going to happen.

[Dave w.]

i think, given the injuries we've had, and the fact that it's benitez's first season, and the fact that we've been playing better football and had a couple of "glory" games against arsenal and olympiakis that will live in the memory, that provided we finish 4th that will be an acceptable season.

we ought to get to the league cup final, so i suppose if we didn't, and also lost to burnley or bournemouth in the fa cup, and went out of the champions league people would moan. but it looks as though we should get to the fa cup 5th round, league cup final and maybe the champions league quarter finals. if so, that's got to be pretty good, and anything on top would be great.

that's not to say people won't get on rafa's back if things don't go right. just my view. there have been some pretty dire performances this season, but nothing like as often as last season. so benitez had a bad starting point, and lost owen as well, so i think we doing ok overall.

i'm assuming we won't get morientes, as it said on teletext that the sun said we would. but who knows who it will be? anelka, johnson? wouldn't have thought it would be huckerby... but stranger things have happened. did you read that houllier had dion dublin on his shopping list for last summer if he didn't get sacked?!

[John M]

Obviously I haven't seen many games this season but we seem to be doing alright in the big games, we played well against Chelsea and Arsenal I thought but we obviously need another striker asap. I reckon we're moving in the right direction and they'll probably be a clear out in the summer as he brings in his own players, however I'm not sure how much money we'll have to spend given that we made a loss last year and I don't think we'll get millions for Biscan and Henchoz

We should get to Cardiff in the league cup, and if we can get thru the next round of the Champions League then, cos of the draw has worked out, loads of the big teams will be out, if we get a British team in the next round then we could go even further.

I wouldn't go for Anelka and Johnson could just turn out to be this years Marcus Stewart, I suppose he might be worth a go though. We need Rafa to unearth some genius 17 year old Spanish striker who's cheap and great. Dion Dublin always seems like a nice bloke when he's on a Question of Sport and is therefore OK by me.

[Setareh Juventina]

I am a Villa fan.

Love & Peace
_________________
Man is the only animal clever enough to build The Empire State Building and stupid enough to jump from it.

[Dave w.]

i'd say the big games have been mixed. we were poor at old trafford & stamford bridge (& goodison, if that counts). but better at home.

a clear out would at least reduce the wage bill, even if/though we can't get fees for most of the deadwood.

a cheap spanish genius of a striker would be good, but seems a bit unlikely. i've nothing against dion dublin as a person (as long as i don't have to see him being pally with ray stubbs), but i don't think he was quite what we needed as a player last summer! did you see the goal he gave away at the weekend. probably not i guess. it was bad.

[Dave w.]

[Setareh Juventina]

Well yes, Juve all the way, but in England I am a Villa fan.

Love & Peace
_________________
Man is the only animal clever enough to build The Empire State Building and stupid enough to jump from it.

[Dave w.]

[John M]

I suppose Houllier was trying to repeat the 'buying an old player, rejuvenating him and inspiring the rest of the team' trick that he pulled with Gary Mc. I couldn't have seen Dion having the same effect though. I'm surprised Houllier hasn't got another job yet, he's a decent manager although I suppose with the pay off he got from us he doesn't need the hassle of managing Wolves or Southampton.

[Dave w.]

i think houllier could do with a break from management, although maybe he doesn't see it like that. some of the stuff he was coming out with at the end of last season made me worry about his state of mental health. it must be hard when there are lots of people wanting you out of your job, but he seemed to be cracking under the pressure.

roy evans wasn't a bad manager either, but he's had no luck getting a manager's job. maybe if he does well as toshack's assistant with wales... or maybe ex-liverpool bosses are just seen as damaged goods, as any shortfall from our high standards looks like failure.

[John M]

Did Toshack get the Wales job? That totally passed me by.

Hew/Setareh/Doug Ellis - why are Villa always broke? You've got a massive stadium, have been in the top flight forever and yet O'Leary is always moaning that he has no money to spend. Apart from Angel I can't remember any massive signings you've made. And while we're on the subject of money, why am I always broke?

[Hew]

Well we had to pay out alpay's contract and Bosko Balabans contract which cost alot. We spent 5.5 million on Peter Crouch and then sold him for 2 million. We have raised no money through selling players. Most have left on free transfers. And Doug Ellis is a tight arsed bastard. Apparently we will have more money in the summer. Our seasons over now anyway. I heard we have made a 3 million bid for Andy O'brien at newcastle. He is shit and if we spend 3 mill on him then we deserve to have no money. We need a left winger, a striker, a creative centre mid and cover at the back. That'll cost a fair bit. On another note that new Football Manager 2005 game by the old CM blokes is really good.
_________________
Martin O'Neill's Claret And Blue Army

[Hew]

[John M]

I'd forgotten about the Dion Dublin headbutting Robbie Savage. We should sign him and name our new ground after him.

[Kris]