Villarocker

As it stands I would predict this: League Position 16th Total Goals Scored 54 Total Points 40 Top Scorer Gestede (14) Most Assists Ayew (7) POTY Gestede YPOTY Amavi Surprise Package Crespo Biggest Disappointment Micah Richards But, if we sign a decent CB and another right-sided attacker I would go with: League Position 11th Total Goals Scored 59 Total Points 50 Top Scorer Gestede (16) Most Assists New right-side attacker (8) POTY Gestede YPOTY Amavi or Traore (if he signs) Surprise Package Scott Sinclair Biggest Disappointment Micah Richards

10, 16 & 20 look likely to be filled next.

Come on lads enough of these puns now. Just let it be.

..in the.....? (You dirty lot can add your own endings )

Well, I think we can ask for that back? Total Spent = £47m - Total Received = £35.2 = 11.8m I obvs missed something He must have added in his loyalty fee

That's some pretty impressive maths right there!

I think Ian Taylor was the 'club captain' last year. They've done it this way in case Micah Richards as a stormer and Citeh want him back again. This way, we don't lose our overall leader. The club Captain - Gabby Mr Aston Villa Agbonlahor - will still be here to help Richards' replacement - Jordan Mangetout - settle in to the club and then, after he impresses and moves on to a top four club, Mr Aston Villa, who will be here longer than the club badge and the Doug Ellis stand, will then help his successor to settle, and so on....... What about when we all die and the sun burns out? We will be Premier League leaders because Arsenal will have sunk to the lowest of lows following Wenger's retirement many years earlier and we will be first in the league alphabetically - obviously, the cataclysmic event takes place in the close season!

I don't think that many, if any, will doubt that Clark was the best Villa defender last season. In fact, he would have been player of the season for many too. But, I do have my reservations about him. He looked great and a real prospect when he first burst into the first team but he then spent the next few years churning out error-stricken displays. The pessimist in me wonders whether last season was all about earning a new deal and not being left to rot and being offloaded to the Championship which, to be fair, is where a lot of us would have seen him going until last season's improvement. The optimist in me hopes that last season's improvement was down to the penny dropping for him and him realising the potential we all thought he had. I really hope it's the latter after signing him on a 5 year deal!

They've done it this way in case Micah Richards as a stormer and Citeh want him back again. This way, we don't lose our overall leader. The club Captain - Gabby Mr Aston Villa Agbonlahor - will still be here to help Richards' replacement - Jordan Mangetout - settle in to the club and then, after he impresses and moves on to a top four club, Mr Aston Villa, who will be here longer than the club badge and the Doug Ellis stand, will then help his successor to settle, and so on.......

I think we will concede 2 or 3 against Bournemouth and it will force his hand. Not that I want us to lose or concede loads. I just think that we got a bad draw for first game and it would have been the same for any team.

Not sure if you are for or against all the "unknown" signings. They were all unknown to me too and, I am guessing, many others also. But, that might be the beauty of it. Unknown to us and unknown to many other teams who have no idea as to what to expect from these guys when faced with them. That's what I am hoping for anyway!

Defence? Timothy Sherwood knows of no such word and he has even barred the use at Villa Park and Bodymoor Heath. When questioned upon it he said, and I quote: "Attack is the new defence. Why do we need to defend when my players will only ever have the ball and only release it when it hits the back of the opposing net or my players make the odd incorrect pass? Of course, the opposition will have the ball back for kick-offs and throw ins etc but, believe me, we WILL win back that ball before it goes anywhere near our goal. Hence, I have stopped looking for a new goalkeeper because we don't need one. In fact, I have been deep in discussion with the coaching staff as to which outfield player would be best suited to that position. We had considered Emanuel Adebayor but we think he may struggle to get down to any potential shots so, instead, we are turning our attentions to Dimitar Berbatov. Not only is the right height but he also has a rounded frame, more suited to being between the sticks. He will also spend most of the game in the opponents half trying to get on the end of Amavi's pinpoint crosses." Nah, defenders are old school. What we really need is a right winger and two new strikers, of which, one has to be Berbatov.

Seriously makes a Brummie Villa fan very proud when you see something like this! I am glad that you have joined this very famous football club, Michael.

I agree Trent. I'm hoping he gets the striker role. Had his best ever season last season so I'm hoping we allow him to start from the off to see if his form continues. Putting him on the bench may halt his progression.

It's interesting to read the comments on this last page. A guy I work with is an Albion season ticket holder and he cringed when they brought in Pulis. He hates him with a passion and is fuming that they took him on because, he doesn't like his "anti football style of play". He said he knows Albion will not challenge for anything so all he wants to see is entertaining football whether they win or lose. Under Lambert last season we were playing boring stuff and looking like going down. Sherwood came in, got the ball to the beast quicker and we were saved. Now, the beast has gone and it's allowed Sherwood to build his own team. It could be a huge success, some people even suggesting we could be a surprise package this season. Or, it could be a massive failure with so many new faces, many without any experience of the so-called hardest league in the world. People are suggesting that so many new players will take time to gel and are questioning their ability as many of them are relatively unknown. The boring thing about Paul Lambert was you always knew what he would say and do next. The fun thing about Tim Sherwood is that you never know what he will say and do next. This has been a summer of highs and lows but, more importantly, it's been fun to be a Villa fan. It's given us something to talk about and allowed us to be interested in our club for a change. Whatever this season brings - highs of a top ten finish, mid-table safety or, the low of relegation - it should at least be exciting and, for a lot of us, will be enough to keep us happy.

I would like to see this for the first game: Guzan Crespo Richards Clark Amavi Veretout Gueye Gil or Grealish Ayew Gestede Sinclair If we can fit Grealish and Gil into the same starting eleven, surely we need a song for them that can go to the nursery rhyme Jack and Jill? I am sure some clever folks out there can beat this effort! Jack and Gil are Villa's best and they both walk on water. They'll put your defence to the test before they go and slaughter.

Maybe Collymore's coming back to Villa? He recently said on Talksport that he offered his services to Tom Fox. He said he offered to help the club with scouting and contract negotiations etc. Maybe they've offered him a job?

Welcome to the Villa Rudy big lad. Who needs Benteke when we've got Gestede!

Welcome to the greatest team in England Jordan. Show us your gallic flair and lay the ghost of Matthieu Berson to rest.

I think it should be pointed out that all he did was release knowledge of the release clause to the general public. Actual football teams would have known already. Benteke knows the contract he signed, so his agent knows the contract too. His agent would have been telling every club that was sniffing around exactly how they could get their hands on his client. Within the industry that clause would not have been a secret. I personally think that Sherwood knew the score regarding money and was worried that he may not be able to replace the deadwood (losers) with around £20m. He probably thought to himself that he could replace Benteke's goals with the £28m we will get from the deal so decided to announce that clause in order to attract a buyer. Yeah, I think he planned it so he could get his own players in and sold Benteke for what he saw as a greater good.

Don't worry mate! It'll happen some time today when you see him *AVPWTSPNTTEC* *At Villa Park with the shirt posing next to the European Cup*

I'm liking the name, the beard and the fact Gil has a fellow countryman to keep the happiness going. All we need now is for Jose to break some legs and I'm a happy bunny. **EDIT** Preferably not the legs of Kozak, Ayew, Gestede etc ala Clark! Opposing players from other teams please Jose.

Liverpool were were also linked with this lad for a while. In two years time, when he's had two great seasons for us and we're lodged in the top 10, those bin dipping mofos are gonna have to give us another £32.5m towards building our team for our assault on the top 6!

Leicester got their replacement for Veretout - his name is Kante lol

Is meltdown happening?