Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Fulham pip Wolves to Steve Sidwell
Thursday 6th January 2011, 5:00PM GMT.
Wolves have been left reeling after midfield target Steve Sidwell opted to join Fulham in the latest dramatic twist to his transfer.
The 28-year-old had twice agreed to move to Molineux either side of his protracted switch to West Ham falling through and attended Wolves’ 1-0 win over his former club Chelsea last night, with a view to joining permanently.
Indeed, sources said he had actually signed for Wolves.
But, with the club having agreed a deal with Villa as well as personal terms with the player, he had a change of heart when Fulham, near his family home in Surrey, came calling.
The Cottagers are understood to have offered a long-term deal rather than just to the end of the season.
West Ham couldn’t agree personal teams with as many as 15 deals expected in and out at Upton Park this month.
Geography appears to have ultimately won the day for Sidwell’s signature, with the Wandsworth-born former Arsenal trainee also turning down more money from an unnamed club further north than Wolves.
Wolves have also distanced themselves from the prospect of signing another Villa player after being linked with Carlos Cuellar.
Cuellar has apparently told his agent he wants to leave Villa Park and Wolves have had the Spaniard on their radar, but have now moved on to other targets.
McCarthy has also been blocked from signing Richard Dunne – at least for this month – because he’s back in Villa’s team.
And they cooled on his team-mate Curtis Davies because of concerns over the fee.
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Good Signing and just the sort of player we need. I hope he can rediscover the form that took him to Chelski.
40k a week is a lot of money though and wonder if it will upset others at the club!
One or two other quality signings and I think the season will keep on turning!
I am also pleased that a baggies fan mocked us a few weeks ago saying they were ten points clear and the prem was easy! Not so smug now i bet!
If we can win 2 of the next 5 against the teams we have coming up i think that would be an excellent result. Although obviously dreaming of 5 out of 5 and why not!
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nice one wolves 3ms strike again
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I dont care if some of you moan about this signing, its an excellent signing for this stage of the season. Well done Wolves.
Defender and a striker and jobs a goodun.
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I find it strange that Villa are happy to loan a player to us that may improve our chances in staying up when they are in such a worrying position.
either they dont rate Sidwell or they’re overly confident about their own survival chances.
Anyway – i’m happy with this signing. A good player who will settle quickly.
Well done everybody at Wolves for the past couple of days works.
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Great signing and if Cuellar can come in aswell we will survive as comfortably as last season. Can Villa really afford to get rid of players?
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Gud signin!!!
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Outstanding signing, exactly what we need! Only concern is will Mick pick him ahead of Henry and foley?
Getting a really good feeling about the lifted spirits around the club especially after last nights result!
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Not sure sidwell is going to come in a do a decent job. He`s only played 24 times since chelsea so its fingers crossed. Hope to hear about a expirenced prem defender comming in soon!
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Sidwel is a good signing as long as Milijas isn’t dropped!
Away from home, 4-3-3 would suit us best as it allows for us to be attacking but also provides extra protection for the back four. Sidwell would be good in a midfield three, of Milijas and another.
Cuellar would also be a great loan signing as he’s a good CB but will Villa let him go on loan to us?
A left back is also a priority, I know Elokobi played well last night but he has to do it consistently which I don’t think is possble just yet. I’d like to see us go for Bridge on loan.
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Thats got to be good news, shows we are trying.
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Great signing, just the prem experience we need
And if the other rumour is true, he will be very welcome
UTW
KTF
Wolvesforever
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Great signing. Cheers for helping us strengthen as well Villa, its not like you’re in any danger!!!
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See Sidwell as a very good signing. He has a fair bit of skill and not frightened to put his foot in….as, unfortunately, Guediora found out.
Sign Long from Reading as a striker who will challenge what we currently have up front and we could have a full house of Hoops.
The West Ham (ex blouses) board prove themselves bunch a clowns…yet again. Wonder if Avram Grant will still be manager when they move into the Olympic Stadium ? AAaaaargh !
I thought MMs tactics were spot on last night. Particularly liked pairing Doyle and Fletcher to start and then switching to a fresh pair in Seb and Ward to put pressure on that suspect Chelsea back line. Pity Seb took a knock, hope it’s not serious.
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Excellent news. Good luck to the lad and the team/club. Second bit of excellent news after last night’s epic win against Chelsea (delighted mostly for Sir Jack and then for the rest of us). If things come in threes dare we hope for a win at Man City on Saturday?
Happy New Year all Wolves fans, officials, players and loyal supporters worldwide!
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Good news, especially as a loan deal, both club and player can make sure they like each other (unlike Van Damme!!!), before any permanent moves.
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Good signing!!! very happy with this one.
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Great signing get Cuellar in too these would really strenghten the team should settle straight in, no moving houses or sleeping in hotels.
Last night was a night to remember and now hopefully the first of many. Great display.
UTW
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A decent loan signing, i persoanlly would struggle to drop our current first team players, but a drop of form for someone and im sure he can do a decent job for us. I think a defender should now be a priority, but it seems as though our defence are improving especially with hennessy in goal who was immense last night.
I think it would be amazing to see Lescott back, as hes got the experience and hes a class act, its just a shame that it will not happen at least for this season. I also would have liked dunne, but that now isnt going to happen. I think what we really need is someone who will take charge of our defence and prevent them from switching off for the entire 90 mins, and preferably someone who could be a decent captain to the team. The problem is i cant think of anyone who fits that mold who we could genuinely get.
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We are desperately short of midfield bodies and with Guedioura being out for the season, the Sidwell deal is a good one. Cuellar as a centre half would be even better.
Now let’s look at a winger – Hamill? – and a left back. Saying that big George was excellent last night as was all. A great gamble by MM and he has shown that he can be ruthless by dropping Milijas, Ward and SEB who have recently played very well!
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Steve Sidwell always does well for Wolves in the “Championship Manager” PC game – now we’ll see if reality can trump fantasy!
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Awesome signing! Great news. . . for once we beat another team to a signing. Its directly related to the result last night, that must be what sealed the deal.
A couple more signings and i think things are looking up for us.
Lets hope that we can play as well as b4 against Man City and Liverpool’s luck continues to be dire, we could max out points over the period that everyone thought was going to be the worst!
Common wolves and well done MM for being strong and looking at the bigger picture amid supporters calling for your sacking!!!
Its all about the wolves!!
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Cuellar would be an awesome signing. Dont know if Villa would sell or loan him though?? Why help us out, we are a direct threat to their survival.
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So we have finally broke our wage limit of 30 grand let there be more! to be honest if villa are saying he is worse then reo-coker and 3 of their youngsters who are ahead of him in midfield then i dont really rate him, wonder how adelene will great him haha, i agree with the comments above he is better then what we have.. but who will he drop? nenad? henry? defo not foley, also agree cueller is a much better option then davies who stated he was glad martin o’neil left villa as the club would be better without him hmmm he must have 1 brain cell
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does this mean marcus bent has gone at last?! as we can only sign 2 players from prem at a time?
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Is this premature?
Wolves web page says we’re in talks about signing him – not loaning him.
Permanent seems more likely – dont think Villa will loan him in our similare league positions. If there’s proper cash on the table and he’s off the books permanent then its a bit different.
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This is the kind of player we should be signing,he may not have played many games in the PL. But im sure he can play at this level on a regular basis,given a run of games. I would also love to see Cuellar in a Wolves shirt, having said that if Berra/Stearman,and its a big if maintain their form, then they will be hard to shift. I would still like to see Kriss Commons given a chance in the PL. And if we need another CF why dont we go for another Reading player Shane Long, the lad looks useful? UTW:
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Good addition to the squad. baggies sweating now.can we play the top club’s every week please.
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Not a bad signing. Hopefully more to follow :)
WOLVES AY WE!
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Yes sir!!! Great signing. Now a winger and a defender and we are ready to fight for our life…in Premier.
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Is it bye bye David Jones?? Were moving in the right direction as Sidwell has more quality IMO. Not too many positions to get improvements on now
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Excellent result well played the WOLVES!
Mick is not ruthless,dropping MILIJIAS and SEB is not an act of ruthlessness its more of a case MICK does not rate these boys!
No one can say that SEB as not been contributing any less than DOYLE,as DOYLE again looked as if he is never going to SCORE.Milijias is the best passer of the ball by some distance and he as also added graft to his play,and as done some damage to the opposition,yet Mick drops him at the first oppurtunity.
SIDWELL is a very good signing.
Dave Jones is going to a club in the FIZZY POP league may be to WEST BROM!!
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good signing!! just hope milijas isn’t dropped like others have said…
1 question though – is that rhonaldinho sitting next to him? hahaha
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So it looks as if we are bringing in 3 players utilising the clubs transfer policy..no not young and hungry!!!
either……
Ex Reading (Sidwell)
Ex Sunderland (whitehead?)
Irish (Dunne?)
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Sidwell is a good addition to the squad and also demonstrates that the club are fully committed to do all it can to stay in the Premiership.
It would not surprise me if we did not hear in the next few days that the changes to the Molineux would now proceed.
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I was thinking of a left back with an eye for goal. Herman Hreiderson from Pompey worth a good shout too. Tall and willing to put a shift in…;)
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Good addition i think but i hope sidwell has been told he is only second fiddle to ward as all propper fans no (not happy clappers)
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This isnt even a done deal and its unlike wolves to talk like this before a transfer is completed.
Would be a quality signing if it happens, another workhorse but with that extra bit of quality. I would like to see wheater or cuellar. Cant think of a left back off the top of my haed but thats why we have scouts.
Please please please get robbie keane then just to top it off. Whats wrong with having 4 strikers if we are going to play 2 up front. Keane, doyle, fletcher and ebanksblake would be enough to fire us to safety.
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A bit of good news and yet one or two of my fellow Wolves “fans” STILL have a dig at MM!!(MCR & Eire).
The boys played out of their skins last night, we rode our luck a little but hey, we were due a bit, eh?
I don’t want Richard Dunne at Wolves, he’s 5 years past his best and has been one of the main reasons The Vile are where they are.
So, come on 3M’s lets ride the tidal wave,get in a couple more new faces, get our injured players back and watch West Ham, West Brom and The Vile slip into the lower divisions!!
UP THE WOLVES!!!
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We need a pacey striker with a good shot. Doyle is great but 1 goal in 18 games………………………
Blake now injured…………..
Ward has done well recently but not a goal scorer as such.
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this would be a quality signing.
box to box midfielder who can score, run the ball and win the ball.
not scared to put his foot in and a proven premiership footballer, more of this and we’ll be finishing top half of table before we expected, just think if we play 4-3-3 it would look good in the middle, sidwell, henry, guedioura(when fit).
UTW.
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I did say that we should have signed him at the start of the season.
We definitely need a left back though Elokobi played his best game for Wolves.I can not believe that people are still critical of Karl Henry and hope all you idiots are hanging your head for the abuse you have given Stearman.
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Wanderer in Eire………….
whats in the air in Eire….sorry but ya statement just doesnt add up..it was taactical & proved it thru the result…so glad they dont have you as a scout….
Let Jones go as hes stalling on contracts, Sidwell a dam good signing but would agree, who would you drop at the moment although we still have the hardest & most telling part of the season to come so great news we could have him on board & also have space for a quality signing…
Neamad has been a revelation but Foley needs to do something quality with the ball once he has it…not just panic n hoof it n let the pressure build again.
Brilliant team effort n well done MM n the backroom guys re. tactics…spot on
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What a diffference 24 hours make.. Come on me babies
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he’s gone to fulham well that was quick!!! U,T,W
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Am I the only one who thinks this is a lucky escape?
24 games in how many years? He may have some quality but he clearly hasn’t settled in the Midlands so what is the difference between playing for us and playing for the Vile?
Obviously prefers the easy life and wants to go home.
A good miss I think. Saves him being another Van Damme.
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Well done Jez.
Mighty Fulham out bid you this time.
Makes a change from the BIG clubs like Birmingham City.
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Can any of you clowns read, it clearly says he has signed for fulham not wolves!!
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Get lost Moxey, you clearly dont have the skills required to acquire targets .As soon as another club shows any interest we lose out on the player and we will be left with the dregs at the end of the transfer window once again
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Wolves have been left reeling after midfield target Steve Sidwell opted to join Fulham in the latest dramatic twist to his transfer.
excuse excuse excuse…….
was steve sidwell even considering coming to the wolves??
and to be honnest a player like that who’s gonna mess about on having his choice of club dosn’t deserve to wear a gold and black shirt, he would just turn out to be another van damme and we dont need that we need stability in this wonderfull club…
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Good deal we did not get him. Vastly over rated too light weight and inconsistant. Anyway why do we need players from clubs lower than us in the league. Welcome to the real Premier League Villa. We also need to sign the following …. LB/CH/CM/CF and agood captain ….
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Come on Steve Morgan and Jez Moxey,stop letting down the manager and fans.Start delivering our manager’s priority signing targets.You can only get blood out of a stone for so long.
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he’s gone to fulham can nobody read
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English Exile –
Good escape, not sure he wanted to come to us, seemed destined for London and back to where he lives.
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46 – English Exile
Did you read the article?? Fulham closer to his family home?? agreed personal terms with Wolves??
Morons like you spread negative bile without any foundation or basis.
Do you support Wolves or just enjoy undermining the club?
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I take back what I said (13) He’s a ginger near-do-well who should have been sent off for that tackle on Guediora.
Halsey was the referee mind !
Well done Express and Star for being on the ball and nice one English Exile for your usual ignorant comments
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I was confused: read all these tags enthusing about our signing of Sidwell having just read that he had opted for Fulham. I take it the postings belonged to an earlier story and that we have indeed missed out. Perhaps I prefer being left in the dark until it is a “fait complis”, or whatever the French for it is.
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tut tut express and star!!
I said this was premature, also he hasnt actually signed for fulham yet. Lets just wait and see what happens instead of reading e and s guess work.
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If he doesn’t want to come then I for one say thank goodness he hasn’t come. Much better players will come, trust in Mick Mac!
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