Uno
ial Villa News…
All is pretty quite on the gossip front, only bit I’ve seen lately was in The Sun claiming Villa will test Leeds resolve in the summer and try to bring in midfielder Fabian Delph (who was also linked last summer and January. I tell a lie, here is another snippet, this time from Sky Sports. Apparently Villa are interested, along with Blackburn, in Serbian Nikola Zigic. The striker is apparently not wanted at Valencia and has been on loan at Racing Santander. Valencia’s sporting director Fernando Gomez said: ‘Some clubs have already asked about his situation. The subject is on hold until the end of the season, but Zigic is interesting many clubs in Spain and abroad.’ Full article including MON calling for more funds: Villa Transfer Talk To Enter Hyperdrive!
The Sunday Mirror says that Alan Shearer wants to bring Aston Villa medical chief Roddy MacDonald back to Newcastle United after they let club doctor Ian McGuinness go last week. They say that Shearer wants to shake up the backroom staff… but didn’t Shearer say he was only at Newcastle until the end of the season? Doesn’t quite add up that does it?
Nathan Delfouneso should feature tonight as Villa take on the Baggies reserves at Villa Park (7pm ko). A win would clinch the title for Villa (or if Spurs lose we get it regardless of our result) Log on to AVTV to listen to Jack Woodward and Bobby Bridgeman’s live commentary from the encounter. Villa: Parish, Lichaj, Baker, Hogg, Clark, Roome, Albrighton, G Gardner, Collins, Delfouneso, Hofbauer. Substitutes: Mikaelsson, Bevan, Forrester, Blythe, Grocott.
Glensider at the Reebok: Click Here
Villa stats v Bolton Wanderers: Click Here
Manager post match reaction: Click Here
Video highlights: Click Here
Vital Villa asked in our last poll: Where Will Villa Finish? Looks like the majority have faith as 54% voted ‘5th and I’m happy at the improvement.’ Another 13% believed we’d finish 5th but they voted ‘MON blew it’. 20% were a bit more glum voting ‘6th and I’m gutted’. 9% are on the ultra opti pills voting ‘4th, I’m a true believer’ and 4% ‘6th and that is ok’
The Holte End lower season ticket renewal deadline is upon us: Holte End Lower Deadline Looms
Congratulations to Ashley Young for becoming the third Villa player (following on from boy wonder Gary Shaw and Andy Gray) to win the PFA Young Player of the Year. Young beat off competition from Gabby Agbonlahor, along with Jonny Evans and Rafael Da Silva of Man Utd, Aaron Lennon of Spurs and the one I thought might push Ash the closet Manchester City’s Stephen Ireland. Martin O’Neill told the official site he was ‘absolutely delighted’ for the wing wizard. Full article: Congrats To Ash, PFA Young Player Of Year
Something for the Weekend: Click Here
Zat Knight has told the Birmingham Mail that Villa will not let go of 5th place without a fight. The Villa defender said: ‘We want to finish in that fifth position. Fourth has gone now, I think everyone knows that. It would take a miracle but we can still fight for fifth. I know it is only one place better than last season but we would have taken fifth at the start of the season.’ He also says that Villa have to learn to kill teams off and admits that the run of 12 games without a clean sheet has cost the Villa.
That was the week that was summary by Sheriff Kimbo: The Week In Villa #35 (17/4/09 – 23/4/09)
Vital Villan: Gareth Barry has called on fans to look at the bigger picture, and not our disappointment at slipping from 4th Place when we evaluate the season. Speaking to the Express and Star Barry says that although we’ll keep battling for a 4th Place finish, if we only achieve 5th then we would have had a good season again. ‘Would fifth be progress? I think it definitely would be. No matter what you say, if you get to fifth from sixth then that is an improvement. Given we were minutes away from going eight points clear at one stage it`s so easy to look at it now and be disappointed. But for the fans it`s important to look at the bigger picture. We will keep battling for fourth but if we do end up fifth the club has had a good season again.’ Full article: Barry Happy With Improvement And 5th Place Happy enough to stay?
Carlos Cuellar has told the Sunday Mercury he is happy with his first season adding he realised it would be a difficult one. The 27-year-old central defender, who has played large parts of the season at right-back said: ‘I expected it to be difficult because you know you are joining the best league with the best teams and players. You have to go into every game 100 per cent focused. There are no easy games in the Premier League. I`m very happy with how things have gone. We have had some tough moments recently but I think we have a big chance to finish the season strongly.’ He also says he feels strong and believes his performances are improving ‘I have been playing all my life at centre-back and now I feel I`m improving because I`ve played more in this position.’
Emile Heskey says Villa fans have been fantastic this season: Click Here Heskey Says Villa Fans Are Fantastic but Gabby not so much.. Villa Fans Name Dragged Through Mud AGAIN
Former Villa right-back, now youth team coach, Mark Delaney has told the Birmingham Post he is sure Villa are building and can challenge the top four. The 32-year-old, who sadly had to retire early due to a long line of injuries, says Villa have taken ‘another step forward this season’ saying it has been ‘brilliant’. ‘They may not finish in fourth – it`s going to be difficult now – but if they finish in fifth or sixth it will still have been a great season and will also guarantee a spot in Europe again.’ Full article: Mark Delaney Says Villa ARE On The Up
Martin O’Neill has told Sky Sports News that he won’t be paying any attention to the press talk about Villa and England midfielder Gareth Barry saying the situation remains the same, the player is wanting to wait until the season is over before looking at contracts and possible moves. MON also says the situation isn’t like last year, he knew it would arise this summer and so it isn’t an issue for him. He also says of the tug of war between Villa and Liverpool last summer, ‘I’m not bothered. From the experience of last year I don’t think that will materialise.I really have not got an issue with any of this here come the end of the season.’ Full article: MON Happy With The Gareth Barry Situation
Martin O’Neill has spoken to Sky Sports News and says he would be ‘delighted’ if Stiliyan Petrov would commit to a new contract at Villa. He also says talks are going ‘pretty okay’ but warns ‘Of course, nothing is ever okay until someone has actually signed on the dotted line. But we would like him to stay.’ Full article: O’Neill Wants Petrov To Commit
Thought for the day: Man goes to the doctor, with a strawberry growing out of his head. Doc says ‘I’ll give you some cream to put on it.’
