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Thank God That It’s Over

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Thank God that is over. Now down to business!

I am sure that I am not the only person glad that the ongoing emotional rollercoaster of the transfer circus is over. Now we can get down to business.

In reflection nobody can deny high expectations were set, and I don’t believe any of the signings we have made are ‘top players’, ‘stars’ or ‘world class signings’. So from a PR point of view the club would be better advised to set the right expectation. It helps preventing the Christmas morning ‘what the f**k is that’ scenario.I said I wanted a Dukes of Hazard race and chase set. Not a bloody eagle eye action man.I am not saying I don’t like the action man.but it’s not what I asked for and it’s not what I was expecting.

As for the right back scenario..no excuses. This is a huge error. We can cover this up by playing players out of position, but we shouldn’t have to. Luke young was in the offing but was only paper talk. There was talk of Glen Johnson and I do believe we made a bid for him but given his loan season at Pompey, he was always leaning that way. As for Hoyte and Bosingwa, well again just paper talk.

Olly can play right back, he does for his country and when we bought him from Santander he was playing right back. The obvious knock on is the relationship with Laursen. But you don’t pay £9million for a player and not play him. So once Davies is fit that is how I see our backline. Olly, Davies, Laursen, Bouma. Besides it looks like Olly may be gone by Jan, if we are to recoup some money on him and it will be just before the MLS season starts!

Now the GK is a different story. He watched Gordon last season against Kilmarnock. Yet he never made a play until the end after Sunderland had but the leg work in. The price was £9million and Madvlad was never going to reduce the price. Gordon being a lad from his hometown club and what seems, a good lad, bought into the time spent pursuing him by Keane and the Sunderland family club vibe. If O’Neill had wanted him he should have sorted it quick smart!! ( I reckon Carson will come in the end as he is playing first team football and will not be happy on the bench or Boruc in the summer after Tommy goes)

The lesson I can see here is. If you want a player get him. If the club say it is £6mill, pay it. Because as highlighted by O’Neill, the next day it was more, etc.. All in all we don’t know the work that was put in, the conversations that were had or who was in the equation. As with any journey, it always seems longer if you are the passenger and not driving.

What we have got is 8 England U21’s, in the main a squad of young talented ambitious homegrown players. A foundation being built and a team being moulded for the long term future. It’s up to O’Neill to use the tools he has bought himself to the job he is employed to do. I am a big fan of O’Neill, but he only has himself to blame for any shortfalling. He is in the game of getting results and we are in the game of demanding results. All I want is the team to perform.If he has a short-sighted, one legged midget that will score 15-20 goals a season, I will be the first the clap ‘stumpy magoo’. As long as he performs and helps us get results.

I will give 100% at every footie game, and I will gauge this by leaving the ground hoarse from shouting and supporting the lads.

So..the time for talk is over and for actions to speak!!

Up the Villa

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Walking Where Angels Fear To Tread