HardyBarlow
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 8 Aug 2008
- Messages
- 287
Had a few beers, so forgive the long post...
It would seem most of the Villa support seem to have accepted Barry was off, but the fact that he's come to us seems to have stuck in the throat a little. Sure, I can understand them being unhappy about Barry saying he would only leave for a CL club, only to tip up at our place after 10 years. However, it would also seem most of them think he's taken a step backwards for the dosh. Villa, Eh????
Don't get me wrong. Villa are a solid Premier club with an half decent Manager, Chairman, support and stadium who've had a good season. They also have a fantastic history, but we are not exactly Wigan, are we? I'm sure the dosh helped, but by all accounts Villa offered him £70K and he would have got 80 bags a week at Skiverpool. I don't think £10K extra would be making that much difference in him joining us...
I actually believe Barry has seen what's going on at both clubs and thought: I'm havin' a bit of that at City. Villa had a great start to the season, but then a number of things happened. They signed Heskey, Laursen got injured, they gave up on Europe and finally crawled over the line.
Signing Heskey (and Harewood before) shows MON's style. Big lads up front with a pacey foil, good delivery into the box and good counter. Not long ball exactly, but effective British football. To me, I think show's MON has not progressed. I suspect Heskey's signing had a similar Benjani effect at the Villa.
Laursen was massive for them, he held them together defensively and scored a good few. Any kitty they do have, which I'm sure is decent, has to go on a replacement for him first. They are effectively starting from behind when it comes to summer dealings.
Fancy giving up in Europe? Villa finished better in the league than us, but we did better in Europe and gave it the respect it deserved. Villa fans are at pains to point out that they are in Europe and Barry has left to join a club that are not. What's the point of being in it if you give up on it? That showed lack of ambition from Villa and MOM basically saying that his sqaud is not up to it. I think Barry agreed.
If the season had gone on another month or two, we'd have finished above Villa. Their paper thin squad caught up with them, and when o.g. stop scoring in the 90th minute they looked on the ropes. We returned the favour and tore them a new one out our place later on in the season. They looked knackered, but our team was nearly totally different from Villa Park in August whilst they had the sameish 11 out. They needed 5 players on top of what they had, without Laursen and Barry it's now 7.
So Villa took the £12M and Barry signed up. I think that speaks volumes on the clubs respective postions. Top clubs keep thier better players and the better players want to play for top clubs. It's clear both teams need to buy, and I'm sure both will, but I fully expect our additions to be on another level from Villa's. Without the distraction of the Europa league, which Villa and Barry clearly have no regard, I think it would be foolish not to back City to surpass Villa in the Prem next seaon..................Burp.
It would seem most of the Villa support seem to have accepted Barry was off, but the fact that he's come to us seems to have stuck in the throat a little. Sure, I can understand them being unhappy about Barry saying he would only leave for a CL club, only to tip up at our place after 10 years. However, it would also seem most of them think he's taken a step backwards for the dosh. Villa, Eh????
Don't get me wrong. Villa are a solid Premier club with an half decent Manager, Chairman, support and stadium who've had a good season. They also have a fantastic history, but we are not exactly Wigan, are we? I'm sure the dosh helped, but by all accounts Villa offered him £70K and he would have got 80 bags a week at Skiverpool. I don't think £10K extra would be making that much difference in him joining us...
I actually believe Barry has seen what's going on at both clubs and thought: I'm havin' a bit of that at City. Villa had a great start to the season, but then a number of things happened. They signed Heskey, Laursen got injured, they gave up on Europe and finally crawled over the line.
Signing Heskey (and Harewood before) shows MON's style. Big lads up front with a pacey foil, good delivery into the box and good counter. Not long ball exactly, but effective British football. To me, I think show's MON has not progressed. I suspect Heskey's signing had a similar Benjani effect at the Villa.
Laursen was massive for them, he held them together defensively and scored a good few. Any kitty they do have, which I'm sure is decent, has to go on a replacement for him first. They are effectively starting from behind when it comes to summer dealings.
Fancy giving up in Europe? Villa finished better in the league than us, but we did better in Europe and gave it the respect it deserved. Villa fans are at pains to point out that they are in Europe and Barry has left to join a club that are not. What's the point of being in it if you give up on it? That showed lack of ambition from Villa and MOM basically saying that his sqaud is not up to it. I think Barry agreed.
If the season had gone on another month or two, we'd have finished above Villa. Their paper thin squad caught up with them, and when o.g. stop scoring in the 90th minute they looked on the ropes. We returned the favour and tore them a new one out our place later on in the season. They looked knackered, but our team was nearly totally different from Villa Park in August whilst they had the sameish 11 out. They needed 5 players on top of what they had, without Laursen and Barry it's now 7.
So Villa took the £12M and Barry signed up. I think that speaks volumes on the clubs respective postions. Top clubs keep thier better players and the better players want to play for top clubs. It's clear both teams need to buy, and I'm sure both will, but I fully expect our additions to be on another level from Villa's. Without the distraction of the Europa league, which Villa and Barry clearly have no regard, I think it would be foolish not to back City to surpass Villa in the Prem next seaon..................Burp.