What’s new rumour-cat? Villa transfer targets from our UEFA Cup journey and more
Hands up those who think that being in the UEFA Cup this (is it still ‘this’ or is it ‘last’ now?) season was a waste of time? Come on, even you at the back, put your hand up if thats the way you feel. Don’t be shy, lets see your opinion.
OK, so I’m imagining that a percentage of you out there now have your hands up. Well at least metaphorically, you’d look a bit of a dillweed if you just sat there on your computer with your hand up! But I may have some news that will change your mind on the whole affair. Y’see it seems we did have a purpose in the competition after all. We were scouting. Come on, you cynics, we didn’t ‘throw’ the Moscow game, we used it to watch Vagner Love. And for many of us he was begrudgingly the best thing about the game. Who can tell me honestly that they didn’t once consider going down to the barbers and asking for some blue hair extensions.
He wasn’t the only one either, so I think we should have a look at him and Trochowski of Hamburg, as well as any other linakges that have been made with our boys in claret and blue.
- First then, Vagner Love (or Vágner Silva de Souza as he’s known to his mom) is a striker for CSKA Moscow, who you no doubt remember by his long blue hair if you don’t recall his football skills. He made a good impression on me in the UEFA Cup and his stats show that it wasn’t a one-off. His club career has seen him score more than 1 goal every 2 games, getting 60 in 111 for Moscow. He hasn’t done so well for Brazil, but he is still fairly young at 24. If you watch the video below you will some of his goals and see that he seems to be very much what we need; he can play off the last man, he can poach, he can get onto to crosses, get onto through balls, basically all the things we really need. I want him. Randy, get your cheque book out. Or send Luke Skywalker round to use Jedi mind tricks to convince Zico to swap him for Emile Heskey!
- Next up is Piotr Trochowski, who we’ll call Pete. Pete can play on the wing or at the front of a diamond, which could work well with Petrov deeper behind him. He is clearly being touted on the assumption that Barry is going. The word on the street is that he wishes to leave Hamburg for their lack of ambition and wants to play for a club that will win titles. This kind of puts us in the shade a little, especially as Arsenal are rumoured to also be interested. But so too are Spurs and we are as good a punt as them for success. Anyway, I’m in a video mood so here’s some of Pete’s action:
- Also on the rumourmill are some more that I’ll just brush over; Lucas Neill is an Australian defender who I’m sure you all know. He was at Blackburn for an age and joined West Ham 2 years ago. The rumour has sprung up because he has turned down his new contract, but I don’t think there’s anything in this.
- Argentinian Renato Civelli is keen for a move to the Premier League or La Liga, so our name has obviously come up as he is a centre back. The great thing about Civelli is that he would be as free as a bird when his contract expires this summer.
- Joleon Lescott is reported to now be on Arsene Wenger’s radar, which could make it harder for us to lure him. He doesn’t really strike you as someone Wenger would go for though, does he? Y’know, with him being English!
- Finally for today it’s back to the UEFA Cup links with the news that Thomas Vermaelen has expressed his happiness at being linked with us. I covered the defender last week or the week before but it seems now that he would very much like a move to the Premier League and is pleased with the rumours that are floating around.
Take a look, rub your eyes, blink a few times and look again. It hasn’t changed. We’re above Chelsea!
Don't try this at home
It’s pretty hard to believe but it’s true. Aston Villa are above Chelsea in the league, by 2 points, two thirds of the way through the Premier League season.
Before the season began I had hopes of us giving Everton a good run for their money and us finishing 5th. Being 3rd in February, above Chelsea and 3 points off top (shhh! don’t mention Man U and their games in hand, it spoils the fun), never really registered as a realisable dream.
It’s happening though. We can’t seem to stop winning. Read more
Blackburn v Aston Villa – Pressure is on to make Villa history
Brad Friedel returns to his old place of work today but there will be no room for sentimentality in a game that Villa will be gunning to clinch a club record string of away wins. Friedel will be mostly welcomed back with a cheer to Ewood Park, though a small contingent still feel animosity for him leaving not too long after professing his future to the club, but Friedel gave 8 years of loyal service to the Lancashire side and proved to be a sensational signing for them.
Making history
If Villa win it will be 7 away wins on the trot, which has never been achieved in the clubs proud 134 year history. We have won the last 6 away games Read more
Brad Guzan – will his chance come?
At Villa we have three first team goal keepers, a luxury not all teams have, most having two and an understudy. They come in the form of two Americans called Brad (Friedel and Guzan) and former Arsenal man, Stuart Taylor. Ex-Blackburn stopper, Brad Friedel is the first choice keeper and has been since his arrival, in the same transfer window as Guzan arrived, so the MLS keeper of the year has spent most of his time at Villa sat on the bench. But thats not a discredit to him, in fact making the bench shows a great amount of faith in him as he is being preferred to Stuart Taylor, who is an experienced and capable goalie. Read more
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