I mean no disrespect to Liverpool, but Barry isn't going anywhere

Probably because his mate Gerrard who is the same age has won a European Cup, a UEFA Cup, 2 FA Cups, 2 League Cups and has played against Milan, Inter, Barcelona, Juventus etc.

In the same time Barry's won nothing and in spite of what you say he's FAR more likely to win something at Liverpool than Villa.

That's probably why.

"he's got as much chance of winning the UEFA Cup with us next season as he has winning the Champions League with Liverpool"

The same Liverpool who have been in the semi final 3 years out of the last 4, and 2 Finals. Right then.

As for not closing the gap on the top 3, Liverpool have cut the gap from the top from 21 to 11 points this season compared to last season. If they'd beat United twice instead of losing to them twice theyd have won the league, the gap isnt as big as some think.

No disrespect to you or Villa but if Barry wants to win trophies you have to be honest and admit he has more chance at Liverpool.

The more I think about this situation, the more I'm inclined to believe that this is about Barry getting the best possible contract. Given that Liverpool have tabled a derisory offer, you would expect that Barry leaving wasn't close to being on the cards, and I firmly believe this will be the case up until someone came in with a serious offer, ie. upwards of £20 million. Everyone involved (with the possible exception of Liverpool and Benitez) must grasp this simple economic fact. That serious talks are therefore taking place now, in the absence of a serious offer, means that the agenda must be a new contract, coupled with assurances that Villa will continue to make strides next season. Assuming that we are going to put ourselves in contention for a top four spot, and that we are willing to pay Barry what he's worth, then he'll stay.

"he's got as much chance of winning the UEFA Cup with us next season as he has winning the Champions League with Liverpool" ???
Liverpool have been to 3 CL semi finals in 4 years, winning the trophy in 2005.We won the FA cup in 2006, the Uefa cup/FA Cup /League cup treble in 2001.We are up against the 2 richest clubs in the world in the EPL which is why we find it so tough to win but we have won EVERY other trophy available in the last few years.How in the name of God can you say he has as good a chance of winning the UEFA (Who cares) cup with Villa. Villa are a mid table team and that is where they will stay. If GB has any real ambition other than a top 10 finish every year he will leave villa for Liverpool, a true world giant, not the second biggest team in Birmingham.

MB has hit the nail on the head there well and truly,

Damo your usually make sense mate, but that was the biggest pile of dung that i feel ive ever read, why are you not his biggest fan, whats that about?

Im not even gonna go into the Liverpool being a biggger club debate cos MB just dealt with you on that count.

MB you should take over the reigns of the site, Damo has been sniffing glue in the AVFC blog parking lot judging by the pile of dross he just inflicted on the VP massive

Its funny how biased fans really are towards their own teams. Why would Barry want to leave a club who have not played in the Champions League in its current format, and havnt won a major trophy for about 35 years to play for a side that are in the Champions League every year and have been in 2 Champions League Finals in 3 years, winning one and also winning the FA Cup. Yeah, why in the name of god would Barry want to do that? Some fans really are so biased, that they become stupid!

Ciaran Mac

i'm not saying liverpool are not a bigger club

i'm not knocking their success from 2001 to 2005 but its 2008 and we've gone from 16th to 6th

i'm just saying, if barry was going to leave why liverpool - i just cant see it happening moving from 6th to 4th and maybe next year we're 6th again but liverpool could be 5th

can you really see liverpool beating arsenal, manchester united or chelsea in the league?

How exactly have you got Uefa football? aren't you getting ahead of yourselves. He probably wants out because he'll end up with no holidays because of the joke intertoto that you're so proud of making.

Aston Villa are going in one direction and Liverpool are going in the other. What a joke!

Villa havent won anything since the intertoto cup in 2001 since then Liverpool have won every trophy obviously with the exception of the EPL.Thats the difference in the caliber in the teams.

Barry is a half decent player and as a Liverpool fan not my first choice but he is better than what we have wide left so he could be a good piece of business.

No Aston Villa fan can honestly think its better for his career to stay at villa!

Liverpool dont offer anything more? quite clearly do!

Liverpool only as likely to win champ league as Villa are the Uefa cup = wrong as Liverpool always do well in Champ league. Villa have not even qualified. And if it was tongue in cheek, still a stupid comment to compare uefa to champ league.

Villa gaining on Liverpool whilst Liverpool losing ground on leaders. mmmm didnt Villa finish more points behind liverpool this year than last. Whilst liverpool halved the points gap on Utd.

And somewhere else, maybe.. Liverpool no?? why would he want to?.... do your homework and you will find GB and Stevie G are very good mates and it stems back to youth Level.

As for Rafa's comments.. mmm have you seen him say anything?? I havent!! I have only seen him refuse to comment. I have however seen MON on sky sports news almost daily.. saying "rafa said this, rafa said that... liverpool are very bad men.. bla bla bla"

Stop being blinkered.

And I am not excited by the prospect of GB joining Liverpool as he is not as good as Stevie or Masch but I cant stand crap.

And our record in the Champions League hasnt been too bad mate. No disrespect guys but if decides to leave it will be to go to a bigger and more successful club. If not congratulations.

Any way good luck next season.

I think Damian has rattled a few cages there with the mickey mousers leaping to their team's defence (if your unsure of the future - quote a bit of history!!) Gareth will still be at Villa Park next season because of two things, Martin O'Neill and his desire to win at Aston Villa

personally i think 9/10 players would go to liverpool if they had a chance, but with so much uncertainty around the place even the most ardent of liverpool fans couldnt blame him for not going

theres no guarentee of rafa staying beyond xmas, theres no guarentee that if he does he's going to stay in centre mid every other saturday

personally i think if he goes he's pissed his england chance up the wall, rotation and playing at left back wont do him any favours

MB is spot on. Barry wants to win more than nintertoto honours.
He will be a LIVERPOOL player within 7 days- subject only yo a medical

Scouse fans have got to be the most short sighted in the world, they feel they have a divine right to win everything.

They all need to get over the fact that they are the 3rd best team who play in red in England. (well done scousers a bronze medal) let alone being able to challenge for the title!

You got a manger who can't work out how to win an english league.

Why every year do you think your in with a chance of winning the premier league, it ain't going to happen. I'll give credit where credits due you do alright in the Champs league but your nothing compared to Chelsea, Arsenal and man u and never will be.

U ain't going to break the top 3. your glory days are over, you can't and won't ever dominate England like you used to. Learn to live with it!!!!

Gerry, you really are a plank!!

"Not the second biggest team in Birmingham"

What??

Do you mean second to a team who yo-yo's between Prem and Championshit every other season?

Might have taken you seriously if you'd not signed off in such a stupid manner! Like me saying Barry is more likely to move to Everton than Liverpool. Lets face it, they are hot on your tails.

At Liverpool he'll probably just be rotated with Mascherano. He's certainly good enough for Liverpool, I can't see him going though. I'd like to think he's a one club man, perhaps because he's been here since I was a kid but it's always nice for a team to have a Ryan Giggs, a Maldini, a Totti etc; players who show the utmost dedication to there clubs. It probably helps that they all play for huge clubs but I still hope Barry falls into that category.

Damo, The point is that i cant see us beating them either, your right about our rise in the table and whilst its great the top four are a whole new ball game, if they can sign torres and still not make it past the others then who do we need to sign????

January taught us that as villa fans we should wait until the players are signed before we start saying we can beat Liverpool to fourth, i think the key issue is what MON can say to Barry in regards to the players we are gonna bring in, if he can convince barry to stay it will be because mon has outlined amazing transfer plans, not because of empty ideals such as we will beat liverpool because we rose from relegation to intertoto in one season.

Great piece Damian, and as a lifelong Scouse Red I may be able to help you with why Barry might opt for us. Even if you disregard everything that happened before 2000 (And I'm sure you will agree we have a slight edge over Villa in what we have won prior to this)Mr Barry has only lifted the Intertoto cup. While Mr Gerrard has lifted the League cup twice, the FA cup twice, The UEFA cup once, The European Super cup once, The European Champions League once. I haven't mentioned the Charity Shield as it is pretty much like the Intertoto, quite worthless. If you add to that our consistantly higher league positions and annual visits to the Champions league finals and semi-finals it seems Mr Barry may have a decent alternative to the mighty Villa. Oh and before you go on about all your good young players (which are admittedly good)Didn't we just beat you in the national league play off final? and since your win 02, we have won the youth cup twice.There you have it Mr Barry, Carson (oh no he's ours aswell)or Reina, Petrov or Mashcerano, Reo-Coker or Gerrard, Harewood or Torres. Mmm that's a real tough one.........No disrespect

liverpool are not really going rapidly downhill, but they aren't closing the gap on the teams above them. villa are taking great strides in the right direction. sure, barry has more chance of winning something at liverpool (at the moment), but he has a chance to become a big part of something very special at villa.
in addition, villa play far more attractive football than liverpool. also, at liverpool he may be forced to play in defence or on the left - not his favoured central midfield berth - which surely wouldn't help his england prospects.

By the way, I never go on other teams blogs, am I missing something here? Just seems slightly sad to me.

I'm afraid I cannot agree with Damian's comments on choosing Villa over Liverpool, however the comments annoy me as they are indicative of why the Premier League is so predictable lately. Of course he would want to go to Liverpool if he is a trophy whore, they have won all of those trophies because they can tap up players from smaller clubs and thus never allow the smaller clubs to catch up.

The big fish eat the little fish, it's a ridiculous state to be in and one that should be left to the world of business not sport.

Incidentally, how many of you are actually from Liverpool, I am much prouder saying I'm a Villa fan than I would be saying I'm a Man U or Liverpool fan, we are a much more unique club without the ridiculous glory grabbing mass support.

lets get the maths right here if barry goes.
frank lampard is valued at £25 million therefore subject to their internation performences Baryy is worth at least £30 million.

I've read Bill Howell's article and nothing in the content supports his headline.

Also, I think what Damian has written is quite fair, contrary to the comments above. I think if this had happened last summer, or if Rafa didn't have a ridiculous rotation policy, or if the club wasn't on such shaky ground at the moment, Barry would probably go. But, in the current circumstances, it won't be that simple for him.

Liverpool don't have the same clout as Chelsea, Man U and Arsenal, whichever way you look at it, and they are in danger of going in the wrong direction. If and when they have some more stability and a larger stadium they will be back in contention, but I don't see them being as successful in the next 5 years as they have been in the past 5 years.

That all means it isn't such a cut and dry decision for Barry to make.

hmmm...play with gerrard, torres, mash, alonso and carra champions league or stay with carew and reo coker ??? . I'd rather liverpool bid for ashley young than gareth barry as he's the better long term prospect. Fact is whenever one of the top four(and it'll remain the same four teams for YEARS) whistle the player will come running.

Two games last year showed the difference one was even the other was decided by the ref, thats how close. Barry wants assurances from MON that money is going to spent this closed season. He was promised it two seasons ago and it aint really happened, as we all know. Lerner and MON now have to show Barry, the fans and all the big clubs plus L Pool ;) he means business.

L Pool fans. Its no good coming on here saying how big your team is when the whole lot stands on the edge of a very big cliff with two massive ego's fighting around it and Rafa AKA - Max, "can you hear me now" shouting his mouth of trying to unsettle other teams and soon to be challengers, players.

4 champions leagues spots and 3 almost certain qualifyers leaving the other 4 or 5 teams to fight it out, who will rafa want next Cahill, Berbatov, Bently and Defoe!

L Pool you can revel in the past, but the futures Claret, claret and Blue. I know cause I have seen it, felt it and dreamt it ;) UTV

MON end of, Rafa is a two loses away from the sack

I personally think it's like that time o'Neill was linked with the England job and Lerner came out saying he wouldn't stand in his way but we all knew he wasn't going! I will say the interest is probably a bit stronger but as you said as much chance of winning UEFA with us a champs league with them!

[quote]As for not closing the gap on the top 3, Liverpool have cut the gap from the top from 21 to 11 points this season compared to last season. If they'd beat United twice instead of losing to them twice theyd have won the league, the gap isnt as big as some think. [/quote]

How the league finished

1 Man Utd 87
2 Chelsea 85
3 Arsenal 83
4 Liverpool 76

How the league would of finished if Liverpool beat Man U twice instead of losing to them

1 Chelsea 85
2 Arsenal 83
3 Liverpool 82
4 Man Utd 81

Closer but they still wouldnt of won the league, but as we are playing fantasy football if Villa beat all the teams in the top 4 this year it would of ended like this

1 Man Utd 81
2 Chelsea 84
3 Arsenal 79
4 Villa 78

Az, your missing a lot yes and when this comes up on Newsnow LFC feed obviously it will be read by Liverpool fans.

Ps. Theres a reason Giggs, a Maldini, a Totti etc have stayed with one club - theyve WON something. Like Carragher and Gerrard.

And laminted fish obviously cant read - "aren't closing the gap on the teams above them." As has already been mentioned, Liverpool cut the gap to United in half this season.

As for the comments about LFC fans thinking we have a divine right to win things, thats not the case but clearly we are much more likely to win anything than Villa in Barry's career.

Damian I think that piece is way off the mark. You say "sure theyv'e got champions league football and are a top 4 team" well what else is there to aspire to in the premiership other than those? I think Barry will go and I think it will show that what RL and MON have got planned isn't good enough for our captain and will be a very very bad indication of the way he sees the club going.

Reina

Arbeloa Skrtel Agger Aurelio

Mascherano Barry

Kuyt Gerrard Babel

Torres

Alonso is going back to Spain, Lucas will be used with Plessis to rotate for injuries and suspensions, therefore Barry would play most games and do his England chances no harm. I think he would be a wonderful signing for the Reds, he is a much better all rounder than Alonso, shown clearly by his opta stats this season - 9 goals 10 assists....

I appreciate where Villa fans are coming from, it is after all a similar scenario to the one we experienced with Stevie G 3 years ago and Chelsea, but LFC are an improving outfit and with the right signings this summer we could easily reduce the deficit from 11 points to 5 or less after all 3 less draws at home would have got us there.

Big up MON & all Villa fans - Great club

moaning scousers, suprise suprise.

Taglor - How did I guess you were going to come out with something positive!! ;D

Barry is a good lad and he does a kw-ality job for Villa. i can see why they dont want lose him. There is no comparison between the clubs - Liverpool are behind United, Chelse, Arsenal but they are a damn sight closer than Villa. Liverpool may not win something every year BUT the odds are MUCH greater.

Its about the player and what he wants - at Villa he could become a legend and win nothing (perhaps) Or he could become a squad player at liverpool perhaps win something but lose his England place.

Its about what suits the player imo.

Too few players now are prepared to be squad members and want to play week in week out and hog the limelight - to compete at the top you need a large squad - something neither Villa nor Liverpool have.

I doubt livepool can afford Barry anyway tbh, the Americans have chewed up their credit options and no funds are available.

As a villa fan the question I am asking about Barry is not whether or not he has more chance of winning things at Liverpool because I think we can all agree he probably will. But instead will he leave Liverpool to play in a variety of different positions that Rafa has already said in public interests him with Barry, or instead stay playing in the centre with Villa and not going back to being a utlility player. Liverpool fans think he could fill at left back, or on the left wing as well a centre mid when Mascherano or Gerrard isn’t playing. We at Villa know that he is best in the middle and needs to be given the chance to play there. If he was to go back to being a utility player this he will almost certainly lose his place in the England Team. Add to this his desire to win something at villa I think just maybe we could hang on for him for one more year. With there being no world cup next summer he could cement his place as a centre midfielder in the England side then if we haven’t won anything he would move. The more i think about it I think Barry will sign a 1 year extension and have a huge pay rise. That way he and the club will still be in the same position next year. People need to remember how much England means to him as well after being unbelievably ignored for 6 years he won’t go to Liverpool if he thinks it will harm his chances of starting for England.

I am a Villa fan and yes Liverpool are a Big club, but times do change and yes times are changing. The Big 4 may well be turned in to the Big 6 next season, who knows. I for one can see a club in turmoil and Liverpool may end up in the Uefa Cup, who knows! Lets see what next season brings, to be honest I do not think Barry will go to Liverpool. He will not want to become just another rotation player, playing 20 games a season.

I think at the end of the day it boils down to, would Barry want to go to the Derby County of the top four? :)

Well done Alex Hill, this is what this Blog is all about.... honest [u]opinion[/u], not trying to wind everyone up!!

wow, certainly a few red scouse cages rattled here!!

if i were in barry's shoes i'm not sure how attractive a prospect it would be to be one of the players in tracksuits at the back of the line waiting to have a medal hung around my neck.

yes i'm biased, but personally i'd rather be an integral part of the exciting things happening at villa park than a bit part player amongst the turmoil at anfield.

i've said from the beginning that i don't see barry leaving and so far i've seen nothing to convince me otherwise... if i turn out to be wrong i'll be astonished if it's liverpool he chooses to join.

Lovin the Liverpool fans getting wound up! ;D

I think Damo is just trying to wind you up like Rafa is Villa. Rafa is bang out of order publicly tapping up a player. If Liverpool are really such the big club you lot make out then why is Rafa dragging you through the mud like this? It's disgraceful and just adds insult to injury with the boardroom palarva which is going on.

You won as much as Villa this season and only finished 2 places above us. How close you are points-wise to Arsenal/Chelsea/Man Utd is irrelevant; it's about where you finish.

I'm sure you'll win something soon and maybe sooner than Villa, but then again we might keep Barry, spend big and have the quality to challenge you for 4th. It's up to MON and Rafa to prove it to Barry really.

However, you'll probably find Barry won't be going to Liverpool because Rafa's conduct will mean that MON and Randy will not sell to you now. If Rafa wanted Barry he should've done things properly - like you'd expect from a big club like Liverpool.

You don't mean any disrespect to Liverpool, but I certainly do.

They're a slapstick football club, with a joke of a manager, a Laurel & Hardy act as the owners, and have spent countless millions during the entire history of the Premiership trying to get within touching distance of the title, to fall flat on their face at every attempt.

They spent £40 million on two players last summer, trying to turn what was regarded the previous summer as a Championship-challenging team into... a championship challenging team. They were out of the race by November.

Their owners, their CEO and their manager are all at each others throats, and given the fact that Gillett & Hicks look more and more like the image of men who have taken on a job far bigger than they can handle, all of them could quite easily be working somewhere else 6 months down the line.

And to top it all off, it's doubtful given the vast amount of debt taken on by the owners to purchase their toy and fund Fat Rafa's outrageously eccentric spending, it's unlikely they could afford to meet our valuation for Barry in cash anyway. We [i]certainly[/i] don't need or want their vastly overpaid cast-offs and bench-warmers.

MB, Matt L

Support your local teams, we do!

As a Villa fan for the majority of my life and a big Gareth Barry fan we have to be honest. Liverpool are a much bigger club then the Villa and have been for many years now.
Yes we are going in the right direction but we have a long way to go. Gareth has the chance to join a very big club which will be challenging for the title next season where as we will be happy with a run in the Carling Cup.
Lets be honest and give the lad a chance to win something as it is very unlikely he will ever win anything here.
Liverpool in my opinion are going to win the league next season and as usual probably win the champs league too - now come on lads lets all just get on and bounce!

I think a lot of people here are underestimating massively what is positive about villa in these comments. Fair enough liverpool have won and will continue to win things and have a fantastic heritage and history. Villa have also not won anything major for some time, and there are reasons for that.

There are also darn good reasons why barry could happily choose villa over liverpool, as damian has highlighted. To some people, winning isn't the be all and end all. To some, it's being a part of something, ie. what is being created at villa.

Sure liverpool have reached the semis in teh champions league 3 of last 3 years, but you also have just been bought by a very vocal pratt who likes to air his dirty laundry in public, just like their manager does with transfers. It creates a whole negative image of a place and i personally in the plae of barry would sooner stay at a club that i knew was going places.

He's asked for re-assurances, if he gets them, fair play. If he goes, then fair play still. Villa have a proud heritage, a big stadium with excellent modern training facilities, they have a sound manager at the helm who has far more integrity than the likes of benitez and is adored by his fans. That would be a lot for him to give up... You scousers really are arrogant and short sighted and have the dim wit to accuse people here of it.

villa have a half decent season and all of a sudden their fans are claiming it will be them who step up to the promised land. LOL, my advise to villa fans is take a ticket and get the line, with spurs and everton fans, marked "We'll be in the top four next season based one one half decent season, honest guv' watch us go we're the next big thing."

PS Barry aint worth 5 million. Villa is his level I wouldnt be surprised to see him sign a new contract, on a vastly increased wage and take the money whilst villa slip back to mid table.

Wow, damian you seem to have hit a nerve with a lot of scousers.
while i agree with some of what you say i disagree with some aswell, my thoughts on whether barry stays keeps swaying from go to stay and back again, but i do belive he is better off staying at the villa and heres why.
1. regular football, look at how much they spent on torres and how much he played early on in the season and with players like crouch wanting to go because he cant get enough footy how long will it be before barrys no longer flavour of the month.
2. he is a true villa hero and i hope will be a legend one day, think about what would have happend to giggs if he had left manure, he would not be seen with the same respect as he is.
3. trophys, ok so i agree that l'pool have the chups lg (for now) and will be more likely than us to mount a title challenge next year, but when it comes to the FA and fizzy pop cups its any bodies guess (just look at this year) he can and (i certianly hope) will win silverware with villa in the next few years, and he even said himself he would rather win trophies at villa than anywhere else.
4. top 4, its only a matter of time before everyone else gets a go in the top 4, with everton, villa, pompey, blackburn, wham, newcastle, spurs and manc all wanting to push for europe next year they are going to have to invest big, this will only make them stronger and start looking at top 4, and at the moment l'pool are the most likely to fall out of there.
5, stability, he said this and she said that so im throwing a tantrum, not my words but probably one of the yanks who own l'pool said it.
MON and Mr lerner get in like a house on fire and all us villans know that our club is in safe hands for the long run, whereas l'pool have the least stable ownership in the prem, if rafa aint happy with them then why should barry be, lets be honest the whole prem is laughing at this soap opera that is tom and hicks.

Ive said my peace and hope i havent ruffled to many feathers, l'pool is an atractive club but it would take some smooth words from rafa to convince baz that everyones getting along.

To set the recors straight about Liverpool being in decline, they finsihed further ahead of Villa this year than they did last and closer to Man UTD.

ANYWAY At the end of the day if Liverpool harbour ambitions to close the 11 point gap on utd next year then we need to sign better plaeyrs than Gareth Barry. He isn't good enough for Liverpool. He wouldn't get in Chelsea or UTD's team and they are the bench mark. He isn't as good as Mascherano and is no better than Alonso. Lucas is only 20 so he is one for the future. We don't need another midfielder. We need pacy wingers. I'd rather we pick up Young and Agbonlahor from Villa.

L'pool, in that song you sing, that you robbed off some Greek club, you say "we're not famous anymore".....well you should stop the song there.

All that money and no prospect of any significant trophys.

Raf or MoN....you lot know the answer to that!

Hmm.. Right, lets have a think about this one. At the start of the season I had Liverpool down to win the league (i must have been caught up in the hype)They struggled against Villa on the opening day, only a last minute wonder goal after Gerrard was brought down with a phantom tackle, ensured Liverpool were to take the win. Then at Anfield (minus GB) a late Crouch mis-cued shot earnt the reds a draw. Id say in terms of head to head, this season Villa have shown they can compete with Liverpool.
The revenue CL football generates is staggering compared to the Uefa Cup. And so players are dazzled by fortune and trophies. I hope Baz takes a leaf out of Le Tissier's book, who will always be a player of legendary status. I have no interest in what Liverpool or any other club do. Villa's biggest obstical in my book is Man utd. The team we cant seem to compete against. We've taken points off all the top 5 bar Utd. They are our benchmark.

[quote]
taglor said:
Damian I think that piece is way off the mark. You say "sure theyv'e got champions league football and are a top 4 team" well what else is there to aspire to in the premiership other than those? I think Barry will go and I think it will show that what RL and MON have got planned isn't good enough for our captain and will be a very very bad indication of the way he sees the club going.
[/quote]

Go away. You are such a loser, I hate that you are a Villa fan and that other fans find your comments slightly amusing. Your a loser, go away and eat a veggie burger.

Good article Damian, it was especially good reading after annoying myself reading Bill Howells ridiculously headlined article.

I love how many stupid Liverpool fans come on this ASTON VILLA blogsite and claim that we have a biased opinion of things. They say this and the reel off a biased view of their own about their beloved Liverpool.
They talk down to us saying things like:

"Why would Barry want to leave a club who have not played in the Champions League in its current format, and havnt won a major trophy for about 35 years to play for a side that are in the Champions League every year and have been in 2 Champions League Finals in 3 years, winning one and also winning the FA Cup."

Ok, great. Villa won the European Cup and Liverpool won some things. It doesn't matter. What matters is that Villa are a team in transition. If he stays at Villa he will form the core of a team that WILL be challenging for, and in, Europe in the coming years. He will be able to achieve just as much with Villa when the masterplan comes together. England? He's playing for England NOW anyway!? So that isn't a factor either. He's loved by our fans and he won't get that at Liverpool. Benitez is a man that's clearly losing the plot, your board is all over the place and Liverpool are on a slippery slope. Why would Gareth Barry go to a club that's not together!?

I think this all boils down to a popular phrase:

"All that glitters is not gold"

humorous debate, almost as funny as O’Neil loosing hair and doing an impression of a steam engine over the whole affair.

Whatever happens, Barry will choose what’s best for him or be forced to stay and be unhappy. What O’Neil is doing is more interesting as he is fighting to keep a player by attacking another club, without much of a foundation. He has been attacking Rafa on the bases of headlines and not bothering to read or hear the interviews proper. Is this a calculated strategy to create an impossible situation with Liverpool or just anger at headlines?

From a personal point of view, I don’t think Barry would be an exciting acquisition for Liverpool fans; it’s certainly not for me!

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL OLOLOLOLOL
AV Are shit...
You got NO chance of getting 5th or 4th in the PL.. Coz you have to much crap.. not enough supports and a tight fisted owner..

Players like GB need to move to bigger teams to win something which the fact is NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AT A SMALL CLUB LIKE AV

LOL

The scousers on here are just showing us why GB should not move. Its been a common trend with every Pool fan ive talked to about this. Basically he majority of pool fans believe GB is nowhere near good enough for their team. Why would anybody in thier right mind want to move to a clib like that. Joke!

More Liverpool fans than Villa fans commenting, that's always a bad sign.

Situation is simple. Not once has Barry complained about life at Villa Park, so he's clearly happy here. He also never asked for a new contract, or a transfer, so again, no reason to think he wants to leave. Liverpool managers, players and fans (and even a former player) can talk about him joining them all they want. Clear fact is, he has never shown any intent of joining them.

Damian, I think you should take a closer look at this Liverpool side before saying they are going in the wrong direction, because that's just wrong. You've just got to take a look at some of the promise there is in this side, Torres 24, Mascherano 24, Reina 26, Agger 23, Skrtel 23, Babel 21, Lucas 21, mate they've got a frightening spine for the years to come. And, I don't know if you follow much of the reserves league but they've completely destroyed Villa who won the southern reserve league 3-0 and that with Harewood, S. Taylor, Maloney, Routledge all included in the Villa side while Lucas was their only first-teamer. Steve Heighway even went as far as saying this generation was better than the Carragher, Owen, gerrard one. I'm sorry but that is the most impressive liverpool side I've seen for a long long time.

villa = the new spurs.

LOL @ meangene, I couldn't hear you as you tongue is so far up Damian's ass. I am Villa fan whether you like it or not hahaha. I am a vege as well so bang on but that's only because I am in the esteemed company of Leonardo Da Vinci, Einstein, Van Gogh etc and we are light years ahead in evolution. I think the Liverpool fans on here is a wake up call as to how Villa are perceived and that is NOT as good as we like to think, are we a real threat to top 4? Liverpool are my least favourite top 4 team by the way. Why do you always sing you'll never walk alon? what does it mean exactly? they are playing football not walking.

i agree with you Damian, why would he go der. like you said he wont win the league there and if he gives us another year we will be on a par with liverpool simply because their 2 yanks are goin in the same direction unlike our Randy who is pushing this club forward. there is better out there than barry but he is our best player at the minute and should be kept, i think he will see the plans MON and RL have and he will stay. good article again today dammo!!

Redscouse have actually declined from being Liverthird to Liverfourth over the past couple of years, just as the Villa have gone from mediocre (Thanks, Dave and Doug!) to knocking on Europe's door. Team on the decline, or team on the rise? Who would you choose?

I'm not sure it's as clear cut as that, but then I'm not sure you do either :)

There are a few things that might pull Barry to Liverpool, but I think they'd mainly be historical - like the opporunity to play for such a famous and historic club.

But I think you're right in your conclusion that he won't go. I think if he wanted to he would've gone by now.

I share your opinion of Barry but one thing that does concern me is that not only the manager but the players are waxing lyrical about him. I wouldn't mind if he went, but I almost respect what MON thinks so much that it must be the best thing for him to stay.

Unless MON is trying to big-up the transfer fee, but it's not just him syaing it - many of the players (Coker, Carson, Mellberg)have come out and said we need to keep him if we want to be the best.

I am going to have to agree with Damian here. While Liverpool do have chumpians league secured, we can guarantee playing time, captaincy, and the potential of living up to MON's label, a demi-god. Can you imagine what would happen if Barry stayed and in two years time we were in the Champions League semi's? He would be an instant legend for having faith in the MON effect and staying on board. Playing alongside the likes of Miguel, Sidwell, Crouch, & Farfan in the Champions League is not something a player like that would ever pass up. Barry is staying, big signings are coming, and so is champions league football. It's a sign of the times that our captain is being linked to such a big club. We are clearly a threat to the top four. Have faith and up the villa.

The Liverpool fans on here have really let their club down. No class what-so-ever.

For a team that barely beat us this season they don't half talk some shit.

"he's got as much chance of winning the UEFA Cup with us next season as he has winning the Champions League with Liverpool."

Think you answered your own question

Look who is talking about being in decline. ;D Villa have been midtable average team for more then 2 decades now Its easy to determine why barry wants to move.
if he has any ambition he will turn down new contract and throw it to O'Neill's face and join club like liverpool.

i cant believe the number of villa fans who seriously believe that we are anywhere near catching liverpool! club on the rise vs a club in decline? we've had one good season! this time last year liverpool were in the CL final

that arguement wont stick and i seriously hope its not one MON is trying to present

the only arguement for villa is 9/10 of our fans love him (compared to seemingly only around 5/10 pool fans), we have more stability and he's guarenteed 2 seasons of playing every game in his prefered position before going to a world cup

Damian - this post is ridiculous. Barry has far more chance of winning every trophy over the 8 years or so he has left in his career than he will have of even winning the league cup with villa in that time.
Um have you watched the champions league over the past 4 years - liverpool, won it once, runners up and losing semi finalists. pretty clear he has more chance of winning the champs league with them than the uefa cup with us. Get real mate!!!
And to be honest liverpool could evry soon be challenging the top 2 now benitez has realised he must play his main players every game.

Reading all the comments, I think we should not lower ourselves to the scouse mentality. History proves what kind of people they are.

Hope Barry stays but we will be ok without him and the fact is, will he really improve those lot??

G

REDONE Liverpool are a cup team. The Spurs of Europe. No disrespect.

Pennant or Young? Kuyt or Carew? Agger or Laursen? Hmmm. No disrepect but take out Gerrard and Torres and you're looking quite ordinary.

The fact that your best player and captain will be a mere benchwarmer for our first choice next season says it all. Anyway as soon as a proper job comes up, O'Neil will be off behaving like a lunatic on somebody else's technical area. You can have Voronin in a straight swap for Barry if you like?

Nice post BBB. Liverpool Football club is run like a joke at the moment. Why their fans have got nothing better to do than read a Villa blog is beyond me. As a side issue, Steven Gerard is a diver. The fact is, Villa founded the football league and will always be better than Liverpool, simply because we are. I would have thought that much was obvious. And what kind of damn fool tries to argue against the obvious?

OK everyone. Calm down, calm down... ;)

All 'pool fans smell of poo!

Up Man United and well done Chelsea for knocking out them "Remember the days of Shankley & Paisley & it's our divine right to win stuff every year (like in the seventies) & every player's dream to play for us, because we're the most important team in the world" arrogant poo faces!

Villa (and a few others like EVERTON!!!!) are coming to get you, with or without Barry.

And yes, Barry would be mad to leave us. There is nothing like playing on the bench in the Champion's League.

Aston Villa, Spaghetti junction
Martin O'Niel forgot his funtion
Interoto, back door team
Not in Europe with the cream

See him panic, watch him worry
Randy Learner in a hurry
2009 and still no cup
O'Niel's time is surely up

2010 it's now too late
Just how long can these fans wait
Learner's got another name
O'Niel's got just one more game

2011, here it is
Villa fans are in a tizz
Gareth Barry doth wonder why
That his new gaffer's Barry Fry

Ok, a small part of me wants him to go now just to prove to the Scouse fans how much better a player he is than they think, he would push their team on and is twice as good as the dead weight which makes up half of their team at the moment. Stay where you're appreciated Barry.

Oh and face it Liverpool fans, your Champions league win was a fluke, plain and simple.

Wow, heck of a pot being stirred here!
Lets start with GB. Lacks pace, often looks disinterested and finds it hard to inspire others. Not his best season by a long way and really didn't perform Jan-March. On the other hand when he is ticking over the team play incredibly well. So is he our Talisman or should we take the money while we can get it? His international performances where there is more time on the ball suggest he could be better suited to Liverpool's midweek team than to our Saturday side.
Now what about Liverpool?Points For: crowd passion/great history over past half-century/scare the daylights out of most European opposition.
Against:About to implode financially or will sell out to another bidder to permanently become a rich man's plaything [OK we have a Yank owner but at least it looks sensible and stable for the moment]/rotation is the only way to keep 'stars' happy [if then]and GB will join the circus=frustration of becoming the small fish in the big pool/in spite of RBs words they are not interested in the League and are only competing for a CL slot therefore are always going to be vulnerable domestically/too many star signings haven't worked, all is not well at Anfield/RB is not popular amongst the squad, no problem though because whoever the owners are will do a Man City and sack one a year.
At the end of the day if the lad wants to leave, he'll leave and we'll just get on with life.

To all the Liverpool fans:

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Get your handbags out.

Yes you are a big club, yes you have won in Europe more recently than us, but come on. You cannot deny there is a certain 'instability' at your club at the moment. This could go either of 2 ways, tits up or stay as you are, 4th of the top 4 with other teams, Everton, Villa and others breathing down your necks.

As for complaining about Villa fans thinking that we are or could be as big as Liverpool, what do you expect?

Criticise us for many things, being fickle,(sometimes), but to get so het up and pre menstral about us loving our club and thinking, (an abstract process by which humans evolved above mere instictual animals to use tools, grow crops etc), our Captain should stay with us because we are on the way up is a little silly, don't you think?

By the way, some of the posts sound like Man Utd fans used to sound in the 1980's, 'We are a still title contenders, we are still title contenders'.

With Liverpool, very simple really: A club that's tight at the back, well-suited for tournament-type games, less so for the league. Part of this is also down to Rafa's tactics and his rotation policy. So yes, they've won things obviously and fair play to them. Not particularly attractive football, but better than Chelsea's. Hang on, counterattack. They and Arsenal are the two precarious sides in the top 4.

Obviously there's an inbuilt advantage in being a perennial CL team...money & allure. These sides are desperate to maintain that advantage. It's much harder to re-capture than it is to maintain.

But, and here's why Damian's not so far off: Villa are scoring the goals, moreso than Liverpool, the supposed chasm in quality notwithstanding. The main difference between the two is at the back. If Villa concede fewer goals, they're in with a shout for the CL, simple as.

We can all recite the points dropped at the end of games Villa should've won, or the games where Villa massively outplayed the opposition and didn't finish enough chances. Between the Arsenal ( 2), Chelsea ( 2) and Liverpool ( 3) matches, Villa could quite easily have taken another seven points total and three off Liverpool's total (Villa 67, Liverpool 73), meaning the chasm between Liverpool and Villa this year, in the end, could easily have been no more than two games: Sunderland, Wigan. Now, everyone can play "what-if" point total games, but the point is that the disparity is not that great, in the end. The only time Villa looked outclassed was against Utd. Certainly not against Liverpool or Chelsea.

Villa play more positive and exciting football at the moment. Naturally, there's a learning curve as several disappointing results this season showed, and getting 4th one season and staying up there are obviously two different things. But as the infusion of new owners and cash in the rest of the EPL plays out, points should be more difficult to come by all round, meaning that while Utd. and Chelsea may remain unassailable, I do think that Arsenal and Liverpool may...and I say MAY...find themselves in more of a dogfight, and the 3 & 4 slots could become much more fluid. SAF will retire, Wenger and Arsenal are struggling to win things and players are leaving, Liverpool is in turmoil at the top. Head to head, Liverpool aren't that much better than Villa. It will all come down to Villa tightening up at the back, really. That's the difference.

So, Liverpool fans, you can be indignant, but you know there's really there's not that much of a gap, and Villa have spent far less, and are relative latecomers to the Spurs/Everton/Blackburn pack of chasers. This is why Villa fans are optimistic. MON's a brilliant manager who has quite simply set out to restore Villa to the elite, and based on results so far, there's no reason to believe he can't do it. This is why Barry would not be a fool to stay in a team that's built around him. Yes, Liverpool will immediately offer him CL football, but no guarantees of winning anything. And if a 4th-place finish in the EPL equals out to CL seminfinalist quality, then Barry could easily be looking at some very big games at Villa.

Aren't Liverpool fans a bunch of whiney pathetic contradictions of themselves. They whine on about how they should win the league and how far away they are from actually doing that, yet the minute someone makes a fair comparison between a team going places (Villa) and a big (cup) team faltering (Liverpool) they get all defensive and hark on about how great it is to support a bunch of spaniards!! Barry would be foolish to join Liverpool due to their boring negative defence orientated tactics, i would be happy to see him play for arsenal or chelsea.

Barry needs to seriously consider the risk of switching clubs. Firstly, Liverpool are a real mess at boardroom level (reminds me of us a few years ago, in fact worse!).

Secondly, I think we will finish higher than them next year - brave prediction I know but there we are.

Thirdly, even if we didn't beat Liverpool, Barry would seriously put his England place in jeopardy. He is a confidence player and I don't think he will be suited to being rotated regularly (which he almost certainly will be).

Lastly, something special is happening at Villa and we are already starting to reap the rewards. We have a great manager and, perhaps more importantly, a great owner who has and is building a firm foundation for future success. He might still decide to go but personally I think he'd be taking a big risk. Imagine how gutted he'd be if we won stuff next year and he lost his England place in the process!!

I'm a beleiver, that if a players heart isn't 100% in playing for his club, then that club then should find the best possible deal for the club not the player.
To all the Liverpool supporters that have voiced their opinions regarding Gareth Barry, you haven't a clue, that or you are blind. When Barry plays along side Gerrard when playing for England they are a great partnership, probably hence why Raffa is chasing him, but for 10 million, is he having a laugh, i think so!
I think 20 million is more a realistic price in todays market, Chelsea, Arsenal & Liverpool have all shown an interest and my mate who is a Man utd fan thinks Barry is one of the best players he has seen play Man Utd this season.

What i crap post. The thing i like about this blog is that i have hardly ever had to listen to crap like this from wankers (except Taglor).......When i saw some of these pathetic names and even more pathetic posts i knew something was up. Honestly....Liverpool have been a good club but now with claret and blue in the rear vision mirror they are all shitting themselves. All they can talk about is the past, because the future looks shite.....I would rather go to another site than scour throught this tripe....

I support Liverpool but I also like Man U. I am from China. Up the reds..

Ps what is a scouse?

Barry to stay at the villa, i love reading th 'pool comments with their bloated squad and still only 4th place to show for it
(which is 2 places away from villa)

Wait till next season, raffa has done himself no good by acting like a pre-pubesant child around the barry issue, you cant deny liverpool are a good club but i dont get how you think you can come on here and slag the villa off when you lot spent half the season protesting against your owners cuz things werent going your way for once

Pathetic

most liverpool fans have to get over the fact that they will never win the premiere league i believe again and as things for us are on the up things for you are on the down. just take a look at villa: good board, godd manager, has risen over the last 2 years after the remarkable change and is a proper ENGLISH side with 12 first team ENGLISH talents. whereas for liverpool: disrespectful manager ( i mean your having a joke 10m for carson and 15m for crouch. does this man even know what his doing.), crap board , over the last 2 seasons showed nothing of winning the title finishing 21 points and 11 points off winning it and to cap it all off only having 4 first team ENGLISH players.
take it the year is arriving where you going to be scrapping it out for europe and to reduce that chance trying to buy lower teams better players. strong comments but i believe this.
now leave our blog and go back to your own. you load of glory hunters. id say only % of the liverpool comments on here are from actual liverpool fans.

UTV

kohoutek - I do agree that our defence is our biggest weakness and O'Neil has already made it clear we concede too many so I think this is something that will be resolved over the transfer window. However I don't think that's the only thing that separates us from Liverpool or the rest of the top 4. I personally think we lack that bit extra quality in midfield, which is evident in our passing and in the way we give the ball away far too much. I actually think this is part of the reason we concede so many, simply because we can't retain possession like the top 4. Lets face it, you look at our defence and okay we don't have a Vidic or Carragher but it's still a pretty decent backline.

Also, we may have got a lot of goals this season but I don't think we can really rely on set pieces. I just read on skysports that Kanoute is interested in playing in England again. Suppose we'd be very lucky to land him but if Tottenham are after Eto'o then why the hell not?

As much as we want Barry to stay, if he wants to go then that should be that! No point keeping a player whose heart isn't really there. O'Neill and Lerner can negotiate all they want but this is about more than just money.

If he does go, then I really do hope we have a quality replacement lined up of international class. Someone like Schweinsteiger would fit the bill or maybe Kim Kallstrom. Both would be good to bolster the midfield. We shall see what happens after the EURO.

A few points...

1. If Liverpool have such great PROSPECTS why was Gerrard -YOUR CAPTAIN- on the verge of leaving until your lovely 'fans' threatened him and his familys life?

2. You closing the gap eh!? Whats this?>:

11-21-9-37-30-19-7-11-24

Its the points you were away from the top team the last few years.. That looks like a yo-yo'ing team to me... You were closer 3 years ago!! If you were going to give a pattern next year you will be what, 27 points behind? :)

3. Winning the Champions League was a GREAT achievement -really- but lets be honest it was a fluke, done with no style and you deserved it as much a Greece did when they won the Euro's - ie no-one but your fans thought you were worthy winners.

4. Without Gerrard and (now) Torres you would be a mid to top table team - you know it and THATS how close it is.

And finally can everyone stop calling them 'scousers' half of the posters on here probably couldn't find Liverpool on the map nevermind live there!

rafa is an idiot with a dodgy goatie, if i was barry id rather join derby than liverpool. especially the way rafa has gone about all this is a bit sneaky and i wouldnt be able to trust him. any other team would have been punished for tapping up barry.

Cilla Black
She's on crack

to all them silly robbing b*stards from everton.stop moaning!! your team isnt great!,yes you might get barry but only because you broke his window and stole him!go back to your sh*t little ground and rob your players when there out! why compare harewood with torres!? would you rather have ashley young or kewell? exactly calm down calm down :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

something special for you liverpool fans

LINK

I don't agree or disagree with the article, and the comments are handbags from the majority of both sets of fans.

But sorry Damien, to say that we have 'UEFA Cup' football already is a bit arrogant, or have you forgotten about such teams as Varteks, Helsingborgs, and we should probably speak to Blackburn fans about a small team called Larissa!

Reasons why GB will not go to Liverpool
1) Not guarenteed to play. It took Rafa half a season to realise how good a player Torres is. Even then he has this stupid rotation system that is more detrimental than beneficial (CL semi?)
2) GB is a decent bloke a bit like Lucas Neil (remember him....the one that told Liverpool where to go and you never stopped bleating about it for months!
3) GB speaks english and will probably need a settling in period to learn how to speak incorrectly.
4) who wants to go tom a team where nobody knows who is in charge, who owns it or where they are going.

Q.E.D.

are you gonna rob are barry?? u rob everything else!!

Hi.
If he joins LFC it'll be for over 15m for sure. Now if you take that money you can buy 2 players who can do more for you than Barry is doing for you now.
If he makes the best decision of his life and signs for LFC, he'll play alongside his mate Gerrard and they'll terrorise teams week in week out. I don't see Gerrard ever being rotated. The only players who are rotated are the ones who ain't good enough, or they can't handle the rigour of the Premiership, which Barry certainly CAN. Barry looks like Gerrard and Owen used to 5 years ago, they used to look around the pitch and wish they had more quality. That's exactly the look on Barry's face.
Imagine him alongside Gerrard with Torres and another Top newly signed striker upfront, a solid defence consisting of Carra Agger/Skrtel, with the best keeper in the league behind them. They'll be unstoppable. If we don't get Barry then we'll get someone foreign who is just as good or we'll do with ALonso who's class in his own way and use the money for a right back.
For you lot to actually think he's better off at Villa is funny. I mean our captain was going to Chelsea a few seasons ago to get a championship winners medal, i think he would have gone if LFC had no chance of winning the league. The truth is though, we have a massive chance of winning the league next year, with or without Gareth Barry, while Villa will be lingering between 10th and 6th place.

Liverpool fans, please remind me how much you have spent over the last 5-10 years compared to Villa? I think you will find that you have spent more in 2 seasons than Villa have in 10! We are catching you up without seriously spending a significant amount of money. O'Neill has spent around £15mill in two seasons, and you weren't too far away from us in the league. We drew with you at Anfield, and you got a last minute goal at Villa park too - either result could have gone in our favour (draw at home, win away). Yes, you've got a good recent history, but you've spent to get there. We haven't had that chance, but now we do, so lets just wait and see hey?! The days where you were signing Diouf for £10mill, we were signing Kinsella for the heart of our midfield - it's a different AVFC now, and if you can't see that, you are seriously deluded. Barry wouldn't hesitate leaving 3 years ago, but Villa are a very different club now. We have a serious manager, a serious owner, and serious ambitious. The club is full of winners now.

I really hope those words barry isint going are really really true

Our young players look up to him and that's what we need a real leader and someone the players look up to

I do think if barry decides to stay then it will cancel out any chance of of us signing riise or crouch (If those players are targets that is )

Pedro mendes being linked with us again to today i would say sign him but not being able to see him this season due to pompey's strong team im not to sure about him now.

f*** off 'pool fans villa are going to break into the top 4 next season so you better forget it and go home.

i rest my case

cough cough

>:(

ok scousers relax a bit now or we'll set salifou on you all...... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

shame the pool fans feel the need to read our site who are they trying to convince? i thought that the offer was cash player swaps,rather have £25m cash than have to take gerrard and torres lol. up the villa!!!

WTF...
some bas***d has pinched some of the words off my post.

Why can't the red twats go bact to grunting on their own site and leave the serious debate to us.

Barry has a CONTRACT for another 2 years, and he is the type of bloke who is honest enough to honour it.

Az_

Agreed there's a difference in quality there, too, and I agree that Villa do need to hold the ball better. We do give it away too much (hello Nigel), and often don't work as well off the ball. But I do think we can do better than Mellberg, Knight and Bouma back there. Obviously Olaf's gone, and they're not terrible, especially with Davies, but not as steady as you'd like. I think the gap in quality rises dramatically when it comes to the other top 4 sides.

I'll be curious to see if Petrov continues in the deep role, and how much more he comes on. If Barry stays, that could be a pretty good partnership. And I'd like to see NRC learn to look up and make a good simple pass quickly.

I'm also not convinced Carson should stay. Maybe it's growing pains, but he doesn't help anything back there, and doesn't really produce many jaw-dropping saves from what I can tell.

With set pieces...I'd love to add a natural 20-goal striker, but I think we get so many because MON has added size, and because they get good service. I think the open-play goals will increase.

browney's point way back makes more sense than any artical posted on this subject. we have become very blinkered on this issue

mon is starting 2 look desperate and the only card he seem 2 be able 2 play is attempting 2 turn barry in2 a le tiss type - calling him a demi-god is totally over estimating his ability. i agree we really need to keep him, but this pathetic dispayed of trying 2 put public pressure on him 2 stay out of loyalty wont work, it'l be trnsfers and a high wage if anything. i dont blame mon for trying tho...

simon said:

"All that glitters is not gold"

but if it did you'd scousers would probably nick it…

There's not much between our teams and with some quality signings they will be even closer. Look at the money you have spent and you are still nowhere near the kind of quality that's needed to win the premier league. You finished 4th this season and were 2nd best in the semi final of the Champs league, like us, you didn't win a thing. I seriously doubt you have and money left which is why your manager is playing dumb games with the media and trying to offload your has been players in part exchange for Barry.

One thing is for certain, if you want Barry you'll have to pay for him, not swap 5 marlies, a flat screen telly, 5 bob and some Woolies pick n' mix. Even if Barry wanted to go, MON is not going to let him go unless it's for a serious price, he's our captain and a regular starting England midfielder, keeping Lampard out of the side. Now whether you think our club is worth anything is a non issue, you wouldn't get Lampard for less than 20mil and you won't get Barry at a bargain price either.

You may have closed the gap on Man Utd, but you are still the 4th best team in the league with no trophies this season. If you think that's leagues above what we have at Villa you are sadly disillusioned and we'll prove that next season.

watch out, if we are not careful there will be a minutes silence, a march, a protest, banners and black armbands at the next liverpool home game about this article. things will never change, self indulgent scousers..... get over it and write on your own blogs about just how brilliant you really are. no body cares. (apart from you of course)

very artistic rush back, but we've improved by ten points and 5 places in why year, your little gay poem doesnt quite fit in.

I just want to comment on some of the Pool fans. Sorry, but we are looking at the current state of things and as it is Damien has some very valid points. What I'm trying to understand is what point are you trying to make? It would have been a good move 10 years ago? Well if we beat Man U both games we'd be close. Ok, but you didn't and you are miles from it. Ask anyone. Liverpool are the bigger club and the better club at the moment yes, not deny that at all. It's about the current state of things and the direction of each club. Everyone at Villa is thrilled with the season we have had and the massive improvements that have been made this season. Tell me you can say the same about your club? That's what I thought.

well damian you opened up a full can of worms there, its about time mon told rafa to take his 10mill and shove it where the sun dont shine if barry goes it wont be to lpool as soon as barry says he wants to leave i wouldnt be surprised to see arsenal or chelsea showing an intrest and it will be for a lot more then liverpool want to pay.

"No disrespect to Liverpool" - why? I'm not a Villa fan, I'm a West Ham fan and although Benayoun is not quite the player that Barry is to Villa, Liverpool used the same dirty underhand tactics to sign him. I mean every disrespect to Liverpool when I say that they are a disgrace in the Transfer market, and this is just another example. It's just a shame that clubs like Liverpool will never get punished because they are one of the untouchables.

"if we beat the United twice we would have won the title"

Well you didn't cause your not good enough. So get over yourselves.

Benitez only wants Barry to stop us overtaking them next year. He scared, real scared!

Sorry fellow Villa fans but if we are trying to say that we are a bigger and more attractive club than Liverpool then we are living in LALA land. Liverpool are one of the biggest clubs in the world and if you asked any player in the spanish or italian leagues who would they like to join - 100% would say Liverpool. Talk of club in turmoil is irrelevant - its still Liverpool, they are still challenging for all the big trophies and unlike us show ambition in the transfer market.
Of course we strive to pass them out and that ultimately is the success factor that MoN will be judged on - consistently geting into the champions league.
For all the romantics who say that football is not just about winning trophies, part of the 'taking part is more important than winning' brigade - winning and trophies are everything. I want/dream/believe/hope that villa can win the premierleague over the next 7-8 years. I want the Liverpool captain to be linked with villa for a change.
In one sentence we say that we are going in different directions to Liverpool while in the next say that our best player and captain would be a 20 game bit part player for them..

How the league finished

1 Man Utd 87
2 Chelsea 85
3 Arsenal 83
4 Liverpool 76

How the league would of finished if Liverpool beat Man U twice instead of losing to them

1 Chelsea 85
2 Arsenal 83
3 Liverpool 82
4 Man Utd 81

Closer but they still wouldnt of won the league, but as we are playing fantasy football if Villa beat all the teams in the top 4 this year it would of ended like this

1 Man Utd 81
2 Chelsea 84
3 Arsenal 79
4 Villa 78

If we are then going to talk about if Liverpool beat the rest of the top four instead of drawing both games to Arsenal and Chelsea and losing to Man Utd, the points table would have looked like

1 Liverpool 90pts
2 Chelsea 83 pts
3 Arsenal 81 pts
4 Man Utd 81 pts

The fact is that Liverpool's average squad age is 23 (or there abouts) and we have some very exciting talent. As well as our world class talent, being Torres, Stevie and Masch, we have exciting young talent in both our first team squad and also our youth and reserve ranks. We have Reina who since he has arrived has been the best keeper in EPL for every season, that's 3 consecutive golden gloves. Reina is still only 23-24. We have Babel who has been touted by his national coach as the next Thierry Henry. Lucas who is the youngest player ever to win the Brazilian Golden Boot, an award that has been previously won by Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Zico, Tevez among others. Lucas has also been captain of the national under 21's side and has broken into the senior set up. Both Babel and Lucas are 21. Then we have some of the reserve players and youth players, Emiliano Insua, our future left back who has a great attacking flair. Damien Plessis who has already cracked into the top side. Krizstian Nemeth who has simply been on fire for the reserves and has been widely compared to one of the greatest natural finishers of all time, Robbie Fowler. We have a 17yr old kid that we got from the Barcelona academy named Daniel Pacheco and another 17yr old kid from the Real Madrid academy named Gerardo Bruna (in spain they call him the Messi of Madrid), we have to future stars who play as attacking midfielders. Not only that but the fact that we bought one of the best buys of the January transfer window in our defender Martin Skrtel, who is again only 23 and Daniel Agger coming back next season and we have a very bright future. Aston Villa are already lining up Steve Sidwell as a replacement for GB, which you have to see as all but raising the white flag. It's not that GB is a trophy whore, it's more that he wants a challenge, he is the first name on the team sheet of a side that although have admittedly improved in the last 2 seasons, isn't going to crack into the top 4 in the next 10 years at least. He wants to challenge for his place, because when there is competition for your place, it brings you up a level, not only that, playing year in, year out against the best teams Europe have to offer and that is a huge temptation to him, maybe too big. And for those that say Liverpool is a boring team, Liverpool this season have scored 118 goals, more than any other team in England. I don't dislike Aston Villa, but I do believe they are not in the same ballpark as Liverpool, although they have around the same money in the transfer kitty, players would rather come to Liverpool because of the history and because they see a greater chance of replicating that history. How many world class players do Aston Villa have? None. How many do Liverpool have? At least 3. Aston Villa last pre-season bought Ashley Young for $12mil, (exchange $ sign for pound sign) Marlon Harewood for $6mil I believe, Nigel Reo Coker for about the same. Stilian Petrov for $8mil. That's $26mil so far. Liverpool bought Torres for $20mil, but had to add Garcia into that trade, also had to sell Bellamy for $9mil. Liverpool also bought Babel for $11mil, Lucas for $6mil and Yossi Benayoun for $5mil. And if you give Garcia a price tag of $4mil, which is pretty reasonable that's a net spend of $29mil. That is only a 9mil difference, which isn't that great. It's the difference of the players, the difference of the manager and the difference of the the team. As manager, what has MON won? SPL? As manager what has Rafa won? Everything bar the EPL, considering he has only been at Liverpool for 4 years and had to take over from Houlier, that isn't a bad result, he is building an empire at Liverpool, little by little and on restricted funds. Rafa has the pedigree over MON and Liverpool have the pedigree over Aston Villa. That's not disrespect, that's just fact. Thanx

A lot of good points have been raised and no one would deny Liverpool's history they truly are a global club. But the truth is that as long as Raffa is there they will never win the league, he doesn't know how!!
Couple that with the unrest at boardroom level and the fact that half the team are being auctioned off and you have a very unstable future.
Also apart from a few players the rest are all bit part anyway, so to say that Barry would only be that, is not down to his ability or the that of the squad, thats just the way it is there. Things are a lot closer than you think between the teams and that's why they are on here whining so much, we are coming and they dont like it!!!

Reddownunder, that's a good post.
Basically Villa fans, although you have a great club and manager, the fact still remains that you are still a long way behind Liverpool in terms of potential. Please don't feel bad but that's the truth.
GB has a great chance of furthering his career with trophies, and thats what every footballer wants. SG is his best mate and I'm sure he has a great influence on whether he'll join or not.
All of you are talking about Rotation but did SG get rotated? No. WHy? Because he's class and he can handle the physical nature of the premiership...and I'd go as far to describe GB in the exact same way.

benitez has seriously gone down in my estimation, an not jus because of the whole barry thing. he made stupid comments about arsenal spending loadsa money on youngsters. the guy is a prat.

News is coming in that Torres is being allowed to leave L Pool in a swap deal involving a lolly pop and three bags of crisps.

not reddownunder that when you said 'How many world class players do Aston Villa have? None....torres for 20 million' all the players named were english par 1.

I agree with Hitman 100%!Yes i am a die hard Villa fan but i truly saw 4 myself this season that villa -on their day can beat anyone.2-0 against Chelsea -what a game!And draw AWAY from home at LFC 2-2 & 1-1 at the gunners (80th something min equaliser from Bendtner!)And 4-4 at Chelsea -coming from behind! We would have always lost to these clubs in the past away from home.So my point is it seems like there is a changing of the gaurd at Villa only UTD (it seems)are now our only nemesis(2 loses 8-1 agg against them -PL)Yes it's only been this season but one has to start somewhere!So maybe GB will stay given the fact that Villa may very well be on track to winning some silverware,maybe not the most coveted in the world but like I said one has to sart somewhere.Crawl-walk-run-sprint!Nuff said!!

Whinging Scousers here are the facts:

Aston Villa run by Doug Ellis for 25 years = mediocre club.
Liverpool run by the Moores Family for four decades = very successful club.

Aston Villa run by Randy Lerner = Potential return to greatness as pioneering, all-conquering football institution.
Liverpool run by Hicks and Gillet = Potential return to natural historic origins: a joke of a club in second tier football.

What comes around goes around ...it's all cyclical ...it's not who is BIGGER than who...it's about true class and place in history. At this present moment in time Aston Villa are the better long-term bet.

By the way, boasting of your recent success is a bit like Westlife going up to Bob Dylan and showing him their latest gold disc. You know and I know that that ain't classy and deep down it is gloss covering the truth. Aston Villa were winning trophies long before Liverpool's conception and they'll be winning trophies long after Liverpool's demise. It's the way it is with institutions of genuine pedigree. They're timeless.

Now take your pathetic, small-time whines elsewhere. You're boring.

Dannymac
Smokin Crack

Dannymac, [i]"boasting of your recent success is a bit like Westlife going up to Bob Dylan and showing him their latest gold disc. You know and I know that that ain't classy and deep down it is gloss covering the truth."[/i]

It's more credible than arguing that villa are going to be potentially more successful than Liverpool in the near future just because you won most of your trophies 2 centuries ago and these things go round in circles.

You lot are the whiners, you and your manager have done nothing but whinge on about Gareth Barry now for a month, all the poor lad want's to do is leave villa and go and play for a big club

Potential btw, does that include our recent reserve win over you even though your team included a host of experienced players against our 16 year olds?

[i]"it's about true class and place in history"[/i]

Correct

18-7-7-5-3

do you know what! im fed up with the liverpool fans thinkin they have the right to win everything. Bet u wish u were in the chmp league final but thn u would lose anyway. liverpool are no the club they used to be. the club is being ran terribly and the likes of villa and everton are hot on ur tales. so watch out.

flaming scoucers think they no it all but they just dont realise they ent 1 bugger all this season because they bloody crap they had to cheat to beat villa but when they dont cheat they have to be jammy to get a draw because they crap

reddownunder - ha ha ha

Too much coffee chap?

I dont care to be honest. Liverpool are a better side than Villa at the moment, but Villa and Everton are closer to Liverpool than they are to utd and Chelsea.

If Barry goes, Barry goes. He wont win anyhing there though. I think its embarrassing to see how much money 'rafa' has spent in winning nothing this year and the previous champions league win was literally incredible.

Torres is a fantastic player but not unplayable as Curtis Davies demonstrated at Anfield.

so

Walk on.