MON: “I want five”

July 20, 2009 by Steve Orchard
Filed under: Aston Villa 

Unusually open about transfers this weekend, MON has stated that he’d like to bring in five quality players and won’t let anyone else leave until they have a replacement lined up. I presume that this also means that anyone leaving will be replaced by someone of a higher quality. So, for Zat Knight we’ll have Distan, for Harewood, we’ll have Darren Bent (just my opinion) and for Isiah Osbourne we’ll have, well, anyone really.

MON also said that Downing is not Barry’s replacement, we’ll need someone else for that. It also sounds like we’re going to have to be a bit patient as no transfers are likely to happen before they fly off to Spain for the Peace Cup. Already without Gabby, Milner and Gardner for that event, we’ll be short unless MON acts swiftly or things break very suddenly. I didn’t get the sense from the interviews over the weekend that anything is likely to happen this week and this leads me to think that we may be waiting on the movement of other clubs in buying who we want. Are we waiting for other teams to find their replacements first before selling to Villa? It’ll all come out in the wash, as my Nan used to say!

Apart from the Distan deal, other links have gone very quiet. Bentley, Huddlestone, Campbell, Naughton (Spurs bound) etc all went very quiet after an initial burst. That doesn’t mean to say we are no longer interested in any of them but I think the newspapers are beginning to run out of ideas. Bill Howell’s usual diatribe is also drawing a bit of a blank as we head into the end of July and usually the part of pre-season when thet transfer trail normally really gets going. I can’t say that we’ve been left behind by other clubs, Manchester City apart, as none of the other major clubs have gone spending barmy and brought in players that I feel we’ve really missed out on. One might put in the odd argument here and there, Thomas Vermaillen for instance but, generally, we don’t appear to have missed the boat for anyone. When MON talks about quality, there is always a nagging doubt at the back of my mind as to what sort of quality he means? His, or mine? What I mean by that, is that I’d like Carvalho from Chelsea, we’re more likely to end up with Bobo Balde!! Still, MON somehow manages to make it all come together and we can’t argue with the fact that despite some of the dross he’s bought, we’ve had two good seasons and have qualified for European football again.


Comments

9 Comments on MON: “I want five”

  1. Sheriff Kimbo on Mon, 20th Jul 2009 10:09

    2. Although there are a coupel of Spurs players I wouldn’t mind (Bent, mostly) part of me hopes we don’t do ANY business with them cause I’m sick of hearing about it!

  2. Sheriff Kimbo on Mon, 20th Jul 2009 10:09

    3. *couple, not coupel!

  3. Dazza on Mon, 20th Jul 2009 11:03

    4. Distin not Distan!

  4. kieran on Mon, 20th Jul 2009 11:05

    5. When did o`neill say he wants 5 players?Got to say that suprises me,I was thinking adding 3 to what we already have,Maybe moves are in the pipe line for a few of the lads.

    Can anyone direct me to the quote?Cheers.

  5. kieran on Mon, 20th Jul 2009 11:17

    6. Found it,5 quality prem players in would be great.

  6. Sean on Mon, 20th Jul 2009 11:22

    7. Clubs want to deal from a position of strength, so until Pompey’s takeover happens or Spurs buy a striker (Huntelaar or Negredo) then I can see a stalemate.

    Big money moves for Johnson and Crouch are one thing, selling your best centre back when Sol Campbell is also likely to leave is another!

  7. David Shepheard on Mon, 20th Jul 2009 11:24

    8. think you’re being a bit unfair on Isiah Osbourne. Saw him at Peterborough (yes I know it’s only Peterborough!) on Saturday and he was different class. Set up a goal for Sidwell with his first touch and looked in great form from there. I think it’s really tough to get into the Villa first team as MON plays what he thinks is his best team pretty much all the time

  8. Old Fart on Mon, 20th Jul 2009 11:37

    9. With respect to Osbourne. He looked vastly improved at Peterborough on Saturday. I know it was only Peterborough but his ability to hold onto the ball by shielding it with his body (a la Barry) was a revelation. His passing was also very neat and incisive. I’m not saying he’s the new Barry but he is a lot better than when he was first thrown into the first team.

  9. Steve Orchard on Mon, 20th Jul 2009 14:21

    10. Distin, not Distan, oops, sorry.

    Well done to England winning the crickett. Wahay!!

    Isiah Osborne, whilst much improved, really hasn’t done too well thus far at Villa and should be loaned out to a Championship club for a season to see if he cuts the mustard. Playing well against Posh is slightly different to playing well against the likes of Everton, Spurs, Arsenal etc.

    Like I said in the blog, we may well have to wait for other clubs to replace the players that we want to sign before they’ll let our targets come to us. Pompey is a good shout, they can’t afford to let Distin leave just yet.

    It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we have to wait until early August for our next man in. I hope I’m wrong.

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