CLINT DEMPSEY!!!

[ReadingCanary 0]

I''m just as surprised as everyone else that he''s going for such a big transferHe''s apparently the USA Captain so guess that has something to do with it.Dunno where the MLS getting all this money from though!

[AJ 0]

The logic says unless they''re an exceptional talent or on really low wages, signing an older player makes little sense

Under O''Neill and before that we signed so many with no resale value it was ridiculous. John Gregory specialised at it

Given is a great keeper, and I visualised him seeing out his contract and doing a Friedel. But then none of us saw Guzan coming on so strong since he resigned. Then you find yourselves with a second choice keeper on 60k or whatever a week. Bonkers business sense so he''s got to move on

[Alfie54 76]

Delighted that he isn''t coming here, I never rated him and he also looked a miserable sod. I also think that it shows a lack of ambition leaving the Premiership and going to The States.

[AJ 0]

Amen.

[Juggy 0]

[quote user="AJ"]The logic says unless they''re an exceptional talent or on really low wages, signing an older player makes little sense

Under O''Neill and before that we signed so many with no resale value it was ridiculous. John Gregory specialised at it

Given is a great keeper, and I visualised him seeing out his contract and doing a Friedel. But then none of us saw Guzan coming on so strong since he resigned. Then you find yourselves with a second choice keeper on 60k or whatever a week. Bonkers business sense so he''s got to move on[/quote]

No, Given is complete and utter deadwood after having a terrible world cup, destroying his confidence, and then having a terrible start to the season. Forcing Lambert to drop him for the number 2 keeper who transpired to actually be pretty good. Given is shot now, once you have a crisis that deep as a keeper you never get back to where you were. Paul Robinson at Blackburn all over again. 

As for ''resale value'', are you saying that you look forward to the day where Randy Lerner orchestrates another asset stripping of your playing squad when they reach their potential? Is that the plan? Let Lambert build a top 6 team like O''Neill, and then Westwood can be the Barry, Weimann can be the Milner, Benteke can be the Downing, Lambert will walk citing a lack of ambition, and you can begin the process all over again? 

''Resale value'' = small club mentality. I''ll tell you what makes money...... success. If you pack out Villa park (without giving away free tickets, like you did against us), reach a cup final or two, play in Europe, sell more shirts, you make money. You don''t make money by asset stripping and turning yourself back into a relegation threatened team. That''s what ''resale value'' really means, isn''t it? 

Of course buying primarily young players and developing them is a good strategy, it is the only way for a team like Villa to reach the higher echolons of English football, but not everything that Lambert has touched has turned to gold.

Ahmadi has been pants and Joe Bennett was signed from the Championship and looks like he needs to go back there, what does the ''resale value'' forecast say about those two? 

Ron Vlaar was bought for his experience, not for his resale value. I''d even argue that if you seriously want to break the top half this season then a little more experience wouldn''t go amiss.... I think you need another Ron Vlaar alongside Westwood in midfield at least. Neither one of Ahamdi or Sylla offer the bite that you need in midfield.

Are you actually going to go into this season having not addressed your need for a quality tough tackling ball winning centre midfielder? Because if you are, then I don''t see top half for you. 

As far as I''m concerned it doesn''t matter whether that player is 32 or 20, you either obtain one and do well next season or you don''t obtain one and you don''t. 

[AJ 0]

In a word yes, if a player is good enough to attract the interest of a bigger club they will eventually be sold. That''s just common sense

It happens to almost every club on the planet. There is a chain of command as everyone knows

I have to disagree completely about Given too. Guzan made far more mistakes the previous season in cup games than Given did last season. It didn''t do him any harm. In fact stat wise I think he was ranked #1 on almost every facet by opta last season

[Juggy 0]

[quote user="Alfie54"] I also think that it shows a lack of ambition leaving the Premiership and going to The States.[/quote]

It doesn''t really though, does it? He had seven seasons in the Premier League, had his best season in 2011/12 by finishing 4th in the PL player of the year awards, won the Fulham player of the year in 2010/11 and 2011/12, scored 57 Premier League goals, played 30 times in European competition over three seasons, won the UEFA Europa League. He has played 99 times for his country. 

He is thirty years old and realistically his next move within England would have been a downwards one for a couple of years. Perhaps back to Fulham or to a team like us or West Brom.  What else was there left to achieve? Proved himself as a quality players for seven years, played in Europe three times, and is never going to win anything better than the UEFA Cup. 

He has spent three seasons in the US and seven seasons in England, perhaps he just wants to go home and play in his own national league. He hasn''t won the MLS or the MLS cup, so perhaps that would mean more to him than playing for a mid-table team.  A move back to Fulham or to a Norwich or a West Brom would also have been a backwards step. 

Winning the MLS with Seattle would probably be a greater achievement then just going somewhere for a top half finish. 

[Juggy 0]

[quote user="AJ"]In a word yes, if a player is good enough to attract the interest of a bigger club they will eventually be sold. That''s just common sense

It happens to almost every club on the planet. There is a chain of command as everyone knows

I have to disagree completely about Given too. Guzan made far more mistakes the previous season in cup games than Given did last season. It didn''t do him any harm. In fact stat wise I think he was ranked #1 on almost every facet by opta last season[/quote]

So I said that he had a terrible World Cup and has been shot to pieces since, and then you want to talk about the 2011/12 season which preceded the World Cup? 

Everybody knows that Given''s confidence has been shot to bits, he isn''t a shadow of his former self, which is why the only offer on the table is a loan move to Doncaster. I think that Guzan is a quality little keeper, one of the most underrated players in the league, but Given has had his day and is well past his best.

[Juggy 0]

[quote user="AJ"]In a word yes, if a player is good enough to attract the interest of a bigger club they will eventually be sold. That''s just common sense

It happens to almost every club on the planet. [/quote]

Your club achieved three successive top 6 finishes, and then auctioned off the team. I''ve seen Villa fans talking about giving Lambert a ten year contract..... I can tell you that the minute that Lerner orders the sale of a Benteke or a Westwood he is gone. 

[Juggy 0]

[quote user="The New Boy"][quote user="AJ"]In a word yes, if a player is good enough to attract the interest of a bigger club they will eventually be sold. That''s just common sense

It happens to almost every club on the planet. There is a chain of command as everyone knows

I have to disagree completely about Given too. Guzan made far more mistakes the previous season in cup games than Given did last season. It didn''t do him any harm. In fact stat wise I think he was ranked #1 on almost every facet by opta last season[/quote]

So I said that he had a terrible World Cup and has been shot to pieces since, and then you want to talk about the 2011/12 season which preceded the World Cup? 

Everybody knows that Given''s confidence has been shot to bits, he isn''t a shadow of his former self, which is why the only offer on the table is a loan move to Doncaster. I think that Guzan is a quality little keeper, one of the most underrated players in the league, but Given has had his day and is well past his best.

[/quote]

My bad, I''m an idiot, I mean Euro 2012..... not the World Cup. DUH! 

[Indy_Bones 441]

[quote user="Alfie54"]Delighted that he isn''t coming here, I never rated him and he also looked a miserable sod.[/quote]Just like I don''t rate your posts, think you''re a miserable sod and I''d be delighted if you showed the same lack of ambition and took your posts elsewhere...Dempsey is a top quality player who has performed consistently throughout his time in the premier league, and if you can''t see that, you''re either blind, deluded or simply on a wind-up and regardless of which of those three is correct, your opinion on the subject carries about as much weight as a fart in a colander...So kindly do one sunshine...

[Alfie54 76]

Just like I don''t rate your posts, think you''re a miserable sod and I''d be delighted if you showed the same lack of ambition and took your posts elsewhere...

Dempsey is a top quality player who has performed consistently throughout his time in the premier league, and if you can''t see that, you''re either blind, deluded or simply on a wind-up and regardless of which of those three is correct, your opinion on the subject carries about as much weight as a fart in a colander...

So kindly do one sunshine...

So the essence of your reply is that you don''t share my opinion, presumably yours carries more weight than mine as you have so many posts? so your ideal forum would be everybody agreeing. I think he failed at Spurs, I don''t think that Harry would have signed him and I didn''t want him coming here.

I will continue to express my opinion and would welcome adult debate, not the childish petulance that you have displayed!

[AJ 0]

[quote user="The New Boy"][quote user="AJ"]In a word yes, if a player is good enough to attract the interest of a bigger club they will eventually be sold. That''s just common sense

It happens to almost every club on the planet. [/quote]

Your club achieved three successive top 6 finishes, and then auctioned off the team. I''ve seen Villa fans talking about giving Lambert a ten year contract..... I can tell you that the minute that Lerner orders the sale of a Benteke or a Westwood he is gone. 

[/quote]

Correct. When Man Utd, Man City and Liverpool come in for your better players, and more importantly when they come in with BIG money players will be sold. I''ve got absolutely no problem with that either.

If a bigger club had come in for Benteke this summer and had been willing to pay the price I''m sure he''d have been sold to. Everyone has a price

In fact I''m reliably informed Lambert had already got his replacement lined up if Benteke had left

That''s football

[Indy_Bones 441]

[quote user="Alfie54"]So the essence of your reply is that you don''t share my opinion, presumably yours carries more weight than mine as you have so many posts?[/quote]The post count has nothing to do with it, the fact that you''re speaking utter tripe is what I''m focusing on...[quote]I think he failed at Spurs,[/quote]Perhaps you can try explaining how you think that maintaining a 1 in 4 goal ratio as well as having virtually the same assist ratio, whilst competing for a slot occupied by a guy on the verge of a world record move as well as being given used in a variety of different roles rather than a set position is a failure...(I can save you the time and say that in truth - you can''t).I''ll also point out that he''s averaged a goal every 3.7 league games during his entire time in the prem, which equates to double figures every season if you split them evenly, and if you genuinely think that this represents failure, then my initial thoughts regarding your potential level of delusion appears to be far nearer the mark than I initially believed...[quote]I don''t think that Harry would have signed him[/quote]And WTF relevance does that have???In many cases Honest ''Arry was more concerned about looking after his dog''s bank account when considering a signing than whether or not they were a top class player...The fact that Brendan Rogers also wanted Dempsey (as well as him getting glowing praise from previous managers) seems irrelevant in your view, all because you hold an opinion (without any evidence in support) that Redknapp wouldn''t have been interested in signing him - ridiculous tbh.[quote]I will continue to express my opinion and would welcome adult debate, not the childish petulance that you have displayed![/quote]Continue expressing your opinion as much as you like, but if you keep posting complete tosh then expects posters like myself to respond accordingly to it, and not in a positive manner either!

[Alfie54 76]

I am obviously comfortable with disagreement and negative responses, I think that''s what these discussion forums are supposed to be about. However, as I said childish, offensive personal remarks, devalue the forum. Whatever statistics you choose to churn out, I don''t like Dempsey, I think we can do better than him, and I don''t think that after making ''the big step up to Spurs'' leaving after one season constitutes success.