The FM 09/10 Fantasy Football League – over £500 worth of prizes to win
The 09/10 Premier League season starts in 2 weeks and the inaugural Football Media Fantasy Football league is now open for business.
There are a host of prizes to win, it’s free to join and it’s based on the popular and very easy to use premier league fantasy football game.
How To Play
Now for the real stuff
Once again we beat a decent Italian team with only half a side. Great to see Fabian Delph thrown straight in and this would give him a real confidence boost. The other pleasing thing is that we still have lots of players not playing or injured and it shows us that we can be a real force when they are back, if we’re not already!! Fiorentina had their chances with the penalty and hitting the bar but so did Villa. A good workout with plenty of players getting a rest in readiness for the more important games to come.
We face Rapid Vienna in the Europa Play off with some decent prize money to be had for reaching the group stages and winning games once there. I’m sure MON would have liked easier opposition at this stage of the competition but he’s being a bit cautious by bigging them up a bit. Villa will have too much for them (I hope).
The league gets under way this Saturday with a home game against Wigan. I can only see three points for Villa here and see Martinez out of his depth in the Premiership at the moment. He’ll get them playing good, open football but I just can’t see them being as good as they were under Steve Bruce. They’ll struggle to score goals without Valencia and will do well to finish outside the bottom three. Cue Wigan winning comfortably then!!
I’d also be hoping that MON adds some more to the squad this week after adding Beye and Delph last week. Two solid signings in the bag and he’s also been talking openly about a certain Dutch player this week. Unusual for MON to be so open about his dealings, unless he hopes that his words of encouragement get back to Sneijder about him being wanted. The “surplus to requirements” quote was clever.
I hope that people don’t compare Delph to Ashley Young too often when it comes to settling in quickly. Young is a superb player, Delph, Like Young, is a player we have paid over the odds for and will take time to find his feet. We mustn’t think he’ll take to the Premiership as quickly as Ashley did, hopefully, he will, but they are different players and we can’t heap too much on him too soon. He is a massive talent though.
MON reckons that the new Captain hasn’t yet been selected. I wonder whether we’ve signed him yet. Petrov was the firm favourite but it could be a useful carrot to dangle in front of a potential signing.
It’s all coming together rather nicely!!
I’ve had the chance to calm down after the fantastic efforts of the players in defeating Juventus in the Peace Cup final. Ok, we were fitter than them because we start our season in two weeks and they don’t start for another four. But, we gave as good as we got and looked the better side in the first half. We struggles in the second but always looked dangerous on the break during extra time. Full credit to the penalty takers for having the bottle to put their necks on the line. Credit too for MON and his staff for getting the best out of some of the younger players.
Having agreed a fee for Leeds youngster Fabian Delph today, we look to have a great many quality young players at this club who will get better and better. Albrighton should step straight up and looks ready. Bannan will also be there or there abouts. Guzan and Lichaj didn’t let themselves down at all. I would like to see some of them go out on loan for the season. The likes of Herd, Bannan, Lichaj should go out on loan to give them some first team experience. I’m sure that they’ll receive lots of interest from clubs in the Championship or League One. Be nice for Walsall to come in for them so they can stay local.
I agree with waiting until we come back from Spain before the club starts to buy players. They had a tight knit group in Malaga and often, a couple of new faces can upset the great banter that they would have been experiencing. That said, now MON is back at his desk, I would expect two or three to come in very quickly this week with the likes of Delph, Beye and Distan being finalised. I would also like to see a quality signing such as Wesley Sneijder or Joe Cole come in too. Really set the club alight after raising their profile with the Peace Cup win.
It’s getting exciting. Only a week or so before the Premier League kicks off and we are finally making our move in the transfer market. I really hope it’s a case of “hang on to your hats” as we bring in the type of players that we can be proud of. I’m sure we’ll lose another couple but they will be replaced. Good times!!
We’re in the Final!!!
Villa won through the the Peace Cup Final with a great win over Porto. This was a bit backs to the wall, especially when Heskey got sent . off but we were outstanding at the back with Clark, on for the injured Davies and Carlos Cuellar in great form to deny anything Porto had to throw at us.
With a reserve side finishing the game, it was always going to be a tight affair and that’s the way it worked out with them getting a last minute penalty to grab a consolation goal. Guzan dealt with anything else they had to throw at us and is going to be a great stand in for his Dad, Big Brad.
Imagine the scene. I am holiday in Portugal at the minute. In a bar with my ten year-old Villa shirt wearing son, William. I should have told him not to cheer when Emile Heskey scored neatly from a Marc Albrighton cross. William screamed (his balls haven’t dropped yet so it’s hardly surprising!!). Then, Steve Sidwell grabs a second and he goes up again. By this time I’d moved to the back of the bar where I could make a quick getaway!!
We were excellent and the future looks good. Lichaj sometime looks a bit outdone for pace but did well tonight, as did Shorey. Guzan was great. Clark and Cuellar were no nonsense together and gave Porto nothing through the middle. Albrighton looks a natural. Reo and Sid were hard working and will form a good partnership if given the chance. Carew and Heskey troubled the Porto defenders up until the time they were either substituted or sent off.
This was a good preformance from the youngsters. I took great pleasure in telling one Porto fan (quite soft looking, I think I could have taken him!) that we had just beaten them with our Reserve side.
It keeps the pre-season games coming. The final is Sunday. The profile of the club is raised again. Well done all involved.
Peace Cup win
I watched the Peace Cup win against Atlanta and have to say I was very impressed with lots of the young lads playing for us tonight. Marc Albrighton looks like a star of the future and someone who can keep David Bentley at bay!! Why bother trying to sign him? Albrighton is a better, level headed prospect!
One down early on and playing quite poorly I have to say. We were sloppy for much of the first half, constantly giving the ball away to a slick passing side. We equalised through the impressive Albrighton after a quick free kick from Young was headed down by Carew. One all at half time, after Martin O’Neill was sent to the stand for telling a diving. cheating tart to try to stay on his feet. Er, I think he left his technical area and was harshly punished.
The second half was a complete turnaround. Cuellar and Davies were outstanding, as was skipper Reo Coker, deputising for Petrov, who left the field early. We went on to score just minutes into the second half through Carew, he neatley sided footed home and then Ashley Young headed, yes headed home a brilliant Albrighton cross. The rest of the game saw Villa send on reserve player after reserve player and we fully deserved to win the game.
Yes, I know it’s only a pre-season game but surely it lifts the profile of the club? Now, for goodness sake MON, go out and sign three or four players to make us a real force in the premier Division. I know they’re coming bit I am as impatient as the rest of the Villa fans.
This was a good win. Deserved, and with a lot of kids in the side. The furure looks pretty good for Villa but we need some class to join a paper thin squad. Quickly.
Be patient!!
A seemingly endless message from our leader as Villa allow Zat Knight to leave for Bolton. The signings will come with Villa working on “several fronts”
I have little doubt that we’ll have at least a couple of new signings in in the next week or so and we’ll raise a few eyebrows at who they are. The newspapers are rife with the Distin to Villa claims and no doubts we’ll get a few more links as they stories break in the latter part of this week.
I watched the Peace Cup game from Sunny Portugal. Name dropper eh? I’d describe it as a useful workout for the majority of the available squad. Good to see a few of the younger players rubbing shoulders with their international team mates. I was disappointed with the goal that we gave away and felt that Brad could have done a lot more to have prevented it but it is only a pre-season game after all and one would want to use their mistakes up in this type of game. It was also a helpful game in terms of our Europa intentions as they are the sort of team we may be playing later in the year.
Zat Knight was a useful 4th choice centre back. I wait with baited breath as to who we sign in his place. I quite liked him, if only for the fact that he was one of us. No doubts, we’ll bring in soem better quality in the next few days though.
MON: “I want five”
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.
Deal for Downing
Aston Villa make their first proper signing of the summer after agreeing a four year deal with Middlesbrough’s Stewart Downing. The fee is £12mill. He’s able to play down the middle or the left hand side and will offer MON some much needed squad competition.
Despite what some might be saying, I don’t see Downing as Barry’s replacement and I absolutely do not see him signing so Ashley Young can exit. No way to either. Instead, I believe that MON will bring in some quality this summer, even though we may be left with roughly the same amount, squad wise, as last season. For me, quality over quantity is always the best way. This might mean that Harewood, Salifou, Osbourne and Knight may be gone by the end of the summer but they will be replaced (maybe not man for man) by better players.
I think that the Downing deal is good business. I haven’t always been his biggest fan, particularly for England but his Boro performances have been very good and he looks a classy player.
I think that Distan might be next in. After that, who knows!!
Your thoughts? Is Downing a risky signing? Who would you like to see brought in next?
An exchange of treatment tables for Downing!!
They say a change is as good as a rest!! In Stuart Downing’s case this couldn’t be more accurate. Currently winging his way to Villa Park for transfer talks after Villa agree a £12m fee with Middlesbrough, it will be some time before we get to see him action. Future Villa captain Stilian Petrov was the cause for the damage to Downing’s ankle. Stan probably saw this transfer coming and didn’t want the extra competition!!
Personally, I see this as good business . I rate Downing very highly. Fabio Capello recently came out and said that this player was the one who impressed him most of all after becoming the England coach and having had time to work with his players. That’s good enough for me. Yes, Downing might be injured at the present time but it shows us that MON will take a bit of a gamble by putting in an offer. Hopefully, this will all be done and dusted in the next couple of days rather than drag on over the rest of the summer like the NRC and Sidwell moves seemed to.
Other links are still coming and going. John Robertson denies any interest in Miguel Veloso. Distan is still being linked fairly regularly. This would be a cheap, two year contract type of answer to losing Martin Laursen and another that I’d like to see get done, particularly as Distan can play on the left side of defence. Darren Bent has been linked this week and many people feel that he has spurned a move to Sunderland because he may be moving to Villa. We’ll see!! The newspapers seem to have gone a little quiet about Villa’s intended targets recently. I think that there are only a handful of people who know about MON’s targets, papers make it up, as to many of the so-called “in the know” people who’s best mate once spoke to an ex-Villa players Aunty’s sisters dog etc etc etc. The Kyle Naughton transfer seems to be rumbling on as well. I can’t see why there are suggestions that we buy him and then loan him back? Good player, but he’ll learn more from being here for the 12 months than he would by being back at the Blades on loan. All press talk though and I’m not even sure we’re in for him.
Villa are fast approaching their first pre-season game of the new season. I hope that we have a couple of press conferences booked in in between time!!
Players supposedly moving on. Salifou, Harewood, Knight are all expected to have gone by the end of the summer, if Salifou hasn’t already. I’m fairly sure that they won’t move until such time that we have replacements in place. Ashley Young’s proposed move to Tottenham, because they are a much bigger and better place to play football than us, hasn’t seemed to have happened just yet (and won’t!! Please note, I am being sarcastic, why the hell leave Villa for them?). The only way Young will leave Villa park is if we get offered obscene money for him. Manchester City would have to offer us at least 40mill before MON would think about it. Personally, I can’t see Young moving in the near future.
MON stated that he wants to improve the squad over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully that will be the case.
Who would you like to see at Villa Park?
Back in training
Aston Villa reported back to training today, minus the three England Under-21 players. No new faces as yet but surely there is a signing or three, imminent?
It appears from sources, websites and the tea leaves at the bottom of my cup that Steven Defour is not on the radar for MON, Distan will be a done deal by Monday and John Carew will not be joining Tottingham, even if he was to be swapped for Bentley, Huddlestone, Jenas, Hutton a bag of jellied eals and some pie and liquor from the bottom of ‘appy ‘Arry’s brief case. Oh, and Ashley is off to Manchester United for around £18m. Yeah, right!!
Still, we’ll know soon enough. MON has been very quiet this close season about comings and goings, perhaps he’s as fed up as the rest of us with the speculation and has decided not to bother. With the Peace Cup, and games against Malaga and Atalanta coming up at the end of the month, I would be expecting at least two to three new players in. The new season is just under five weeks away, starting with a home clash with Wigan Athletic. I’m sure that match will sell out anyway as it’s the first game. I’m even more sure though, that we’d probably get closer to 50,000, if the ground allowed, with a couple of good signings.
In the meantime, that F5 button is taking a hammering!
-
Categories
-
Archives
-
Links
-
Meta
-
Sponsors
Recent Posts
Partners
