Uno
ial Villa News…
Ok, I’m back from my break and ready to get back into our regular Villa updates in the Villa Times, you lucky lucky people.
First off, a great night out for any Villa fan and all in a great cause. A night at the dogs with the Villa legends, who can say fairer than that? Full details: Villa Legends Going To The Dogs!
That was the week was by Sheriff Kimbo: The Week In Villa #38 (8/5/09 – 14/5/09 )
Monday’s transfer gossip including one link supposedly signaling the end for John Carew. Full details: Monday’s AVFC Transfer Gossip
Sochaux defender Rabiu Afolabi, who is a free agent this summer, has been linked to Villa in a lazy report on Sky Sports which also saying that Blues and Wolves are interested.
Sunday transfer gossip, apparently Villa are in a race for Boro’s Stewart Downing. Hope Gabby is the runner for us! : Sunday’s Press Villa Transfer Talk
Newcastle striker Michael Owen looks set to miss their crunch game v Villa on Sunday with a groin strain. The Toon are waiting for scan results to see the extent of the damage to the former Liverpool and Real Madrid strikers injury.
Gareth Barry told the Express & Star that ‘a few words’ were said at half time v Boro and that is why they came out and dominated in the second half. Shame the words weren’t said before the game then?! (JOKE… calm down!)
Villa’s reserves play Sunderland in the FA Premier Reserve League play-off final this Thursday night at Villa Park with a 7pm kick off. I believe entry is free and the Villa are asking for fans to get down to support them. Full details and quotes from Marc Albrighton: Cheer The Reserves On To Glory
John Carew has told the The Express & Star he was delighted to score again and says the fans have been ‘fantastic’ this season adding, ‘Their support at The Riverside Stadium was amazing. I could tell by the costumes and the noise that they were loving every minute.’ He has set his sights on winning our final game at Villa Park against relegation threatened Newcastle United. “Newcastle are really struggling and fighting to stay up – just like Middlesbrough. It certainly makes for a very interesting game.”
John Carew walked the man of the match vote with 59%. Gareth Barry was next with 12%, the rest were basically also rans. Full results: Click Here
Oooh Ahhh, Paul McGrath told the Sunday Mercury that Martin Laursen was at least as good as he was, ‘if not better’. Paul ‘God’ McGrath, who also suffered greatly from knee problems, told the Sunday Mercury: ‘I think I’d put him a little bit above me. And that’s not me trying to be modest. I never scored the amount of goals that he’s scored so that’s where I fall down a little bit against him because I didn’t score enough goals. Defensive-wise we were pretty similar really to be honest. We were both good in the air. I’m going to be a bit cheeky here and say I might have had a bit more pace than him in my younger years. But where he was better than me was his goalscoring and his leadership.’ Full article: God Says Laursen Was Better Than Him!
Oh bugger, the silly season has started and so has our season long transfer window thread on the front page: Click Here and forum: Click Here
Former Villa striker (and sometimes defender!!) Dion Dublin has backed Curtis Davies to come good and says the player is too hard on himself. In an interview in the Birmingham Mail Dion says he was ‘harsh’ calling himself a pub player adding: ‘He is a kid who has come back from injuries and is playing again in a very, good football team who are fifth in the league. Hes not doing that badly! He is a good enough footballer to go out with confidence. He is a good enough defender and he has got to believe in himself.’ He also warns you can’t be a kid in this division. Full article: Dion Warns Davies He Can’t Be A Kid In The PL
Glensider at The Riverside: Click Here
MON post Boro verdict: Click Here
Boro stats: Click Here
Vital Villan: Martin O’Neill is hoping that Ashley Young will recover from his knock in time to face Newcastle in our last match of the season. Ash limped off with a calf injury in today’s draw against Middlesbrough which saw us drop to a prioritised 6th place in the league. Speaking on the official site, MON said: ‘Ashley got a kick in the calf. He was really sore when he came off and it has tightened up since. But I am hoping he will be fine in the next few days but I am not sure yet.’
A tribute to Martin Laursen by the bard of b6, Steve Wade: Click Here
Vital Villa asked in our last poll: Are you happy to have Blues derby back? Seems a fairly decent split amongst all options with the largest vote (34%) going to the ‘Hate them and wanted them to stay down’ option. 28% were chipper and voted ‘6 points, great news!’ …. gulp… That left 26% saying yes, they love the derby games and 12% remained not really bothered.
Our latest poll asks for your young player of the year in our end of season awards… how very exciting.
Martin O’Neill has revealed that he believes it will be incredibly difficult to replace Martin Laursen. Speaking on the official site O’Neill had nothing but praise for the ‘colossal captain’ and has no doubts he will have to dig deep in the transfer market in order to secure a capable replacement. ‘It’s a major blow because he has been fantastic here. I am delighted on the one hand that the Villa crowd got to see the real Martin Laursen. The real Martin Laursen stood up and was absolutely fantastic.’ Full quotes: O’Neill – Difficulties In Replacing Martin
Gareth Barry has said that the early retirement of Martin Laursen should remind all players to not take their time on the pitch for granted. Speaking on the official site on the retirement on Laursen he called it devastating for both the player and the club, calling on Martin to look back at his time in claret and blue with a ‘great deal of pride’. ‘It is devastating news for Martin and for the club. He has performed magnificently – not only this season but in previous ones too. He has been really immense. I had a quiet word with him just before he announced his decision on Friday. You could tell he was very emotional and very upset but I told him all the lads wished him well for the future. I told him he has had a great career and that he should get his feet up now and enjoy the rest of his life.’ Full article: Barry – Football Shouldn’t Be Taken For Granted
Thought for the day: A man takes his Rottweiler to the vet. ‘My dog’s cross-eyed, is there anything you can do for him?’ ‘Well,’ says the vet, ‘let’s have a look at him’ So he picks the dog up and examines his eyes, then checks his teeth. Finally, he says, ‘I’m going to have to put him down.’ ‘What? Because he’s cross-eyed? ‘ ‘No, because he’s really heavy’
