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Written by Administrator
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Monday, 18 February 2008 |
No game related activity as the Villa take their annual winter break, courtesy of being previously knocked out of the FA Cup.
It does, however, give the squad time to relax a little and recharge their batteries for the run-in. With the smallest squad in the premiership that is very much a necessity.
Martin O’Neill took the opportunity to take the players to Spain for some warmer weather and team bonding.
The weather did not co-operate and rain in Spain was pretty much the order of the day.
Perhaps it gave Mellberg and Petrov time to make up after their half-time spat in the tunnel during the Toon game.
O’Neill has stressed that a Euro place is the ultimate target and recognizes the fact that it is definitely a huge ask because of the squad size. A strange statement given that the numbers were not increased during the January transfer window.
If a Euro place is not attained by normal means then MON is contemplating an InterToto cup application.
This would involve a July start to competitive games and the squad size for a 9 or 10 month campaign will need to increase considerably.
No news though on the availability of Gabby Agbonlahor for the upcoming game at the Madejski Stadium. Let’s hope he has gotten over the hamstring injury to make a welcome return.
The Peter Crouch rumours have started again with O’Neill planning a “transfer swoop” early in the summer. Crouch, meanwhile, is supposedly exploring avenues to find a loophole in his contract that would allow him to leave for a bargain price.
Portuguese full-back Bosingwa, a long-rumoured target, is now being tracked by Man Utd as a replacement for Neville. We won’t get a sniff then if they’re involved.
Joey Barton, got away with punching Shaun Maloney when the Premier league refused to get involved saying the evidence was inconclusive. A blind man on a galloping horse could see what what happened.
In other news the 39th game, planned so ridiculously by Scudamore and his money-grabbing cohorts at PL headquarters, now seems to be dead in the water.
You’ve gotta’ love the hub-cap thieves getting beat at home by Barnsley and their fans are blaming the owners. After giving Benitez 46 million to squander he complains of lack of investment. Heh, heh, heh.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 19 February 2008 )
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