Davies awaiting new arrivals

Tue, 16 Jun 13:10:23 2009

Curtis Davies is expecting Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill to bring in half a dozen new signings this summer to bolster a push for a Champions League spot next season.

Villa were on course for a top four place in the Barclays Premier League in early March before an end of season fade-out saw them eventually finish sixth.

Central defender Davies said: "I expect a lot of ins. We had one of the squads that has used the least players again. I am sure the gaffer will want to be building the squad rather than to be breaking it apart. It will be an interesting summer."

O'Neill has already lost the services of the retired central defender Martin Laursen and midfielder Gareth Barry following his £12 million move to Manchester City.

Villa have been linked with the likes of Newcastle striker Michael Owen and Tottenham winger David Bentley as possible signings.

Davies added: "Last summer I think we signed something like six players and I can imagine something along similar lines.

"If people see the progression we have made as a team, and we get the right names here, they could help push us into the top four."

Davies refuses to blame the small size of the Villa squad for their poor finale to the season.

He said: "The size of the squad can be talked about but we got to February and were still flying. People can say we then petered out but we were out of the UEFA Cup then and had no more of those games to worry about.

"We were playing Saturday to Saturday. We just didn't keep our form up. Obviously, if you have a bigger squad, you can freshen things up but the players who were there never really complained about it and kept going."

 

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  1. Fresh off the presses.....

    Juventus confirm that they­ received bids for Swedish defender Olof Mellberg.­ "We have received two bids. One from Panathinaikos­ and one from a club in the Premier League,"­ Juve's Alessio Secco told Greek media. It is­ unclear who the second club are, although Manchester­ City, Aston Villa and Fulham have all been linked to­ the burly centre-half, who can also play right-back.

    From eamon c, on Wed 17 Jun 12:06PM

  2. the half dozen should be owen, jenas, martins, bentley,­ huddlestone and upson

    From matteos.maserati, on Wed 17 Jun 6:40AM

  3. defour would be a great sigin to replace barry he has­ the spped strength and can score goals jus like barry­ he proved already he can do it against english teams­ and he is young aswell we def need a centre back maybe­ lescot and a striker

    From paul, on Wed 17 Jun 5:42AM

  4. i would love to see mellberg back at the villa we need­ a captain and his name fits. i think we need to spend­ well to finish top 6 again. im not really a big fan of­ jenas or bentley but MON does seem to get the best out­ of the english lads and there both going to be looking­ to getting in the england squad next summer.

    From upthevilla, on Tue 16 Jun 9:30PM

  5. *back four*

    From eamon c, on Tue 16 Jun 7:19PM

  6. You're right about Lescott being a Villa fan. He­ would be a good addition as he can defend and score­ goals as well in the style of Laursen. Anything to add­ to our back for would be a plus.

    From eamon c, on Tue 16 Jun 7:18PM

  7. all the players linked with villa are all rubbish

    From rahul s, on Tue 16 Jun 7:03PM

  8. Lescott, Micah­ Richards, Wes Brown, Huddlestone ,­ Huddleston, Steven Taylor &­ Wheater & bentley

    From rahul s, on Tue 16 Jun 7:02PM

  9. Lescott, Micah­ Richards, Wes Brown, Huddlestone

    From rahul s, on Tue 16 Jun 6:58PM

  10. How about Lescott from Everton? Is'nt he a life­ long Villa fan? Up the Villa!

    From friz f, on Tue 16 Jun 5:35PM

  11. Agree with all of you. Huddleston, Steven Taylor &­ Wheater defintely would take. Bentley could be good,­ think he just needs to be taken under someones wing -­ Petrov could be good for him? Speculation is saying­ Jenas? Not so sure, we seem to be looking at a few­ Spurs players, they want Ashley Young, hoping he wont­ be used as bait to get them, if so my season ticket­ will be on ebay. We cant afford to lose our 3rd best­ player in the space of a month. Don't agree with­ bringing Mellberg back, players are never the same­ & lets not forget he wanted out to go to Juve'.­ Think we should look at Jo from Man City, Everton­ can't afford him & think Gabby needs a kick up­ the backside, if someone were to offer us £10million­ for him I would drive him there myself if his last half­ a season was anything to go by. VILLA FOREVER!!!!

    From Ryan, on Tue 16 Jun 5:16PM

  12. How bout Whether of Boro? or Dawson or Turner of Hull,­ we could use Harewood as an exchange or­ "bait". than there's Steven Taylor of­ Newcastle, or MON could just bleed young blood from the­ villa youth academy. Theres a few whom has won the­ reserve title with...

    From Sick of it all, on Tue 16 Jun 4:33PM

  13. The theme of O'Neills transfer policy has to be to­ sign more leaders. Having lost Laursen & Barry they­ were not that vocal but led by example, something­ lacking when looking around the Villa team.

    Whether­ we get them or not, but players like Lescott, Micah­ Richards, Wes Brown, Huddlestone etc... might be­ available at the right price, have ability and would­ add some steel to Villa..

    From stuartplant2003, on Tue 16 Jun 4:29PM

  14. I thought that about Mellberg as well, but often­ players don't go back to a club they've been at­ before, its often considered a step backwards as far as­ thier career goes. Not that I agree with it and I­ really wish he would return!

    From Steve, on Tue 16 Jun 4:13PM

  15. Mellburg leaving Juve, get him back he's a Villa­ favorite, he could come back as captain, give steel to­ the heart of the defence and score goals, a perfect­ replacement for Laursen.

    From gary, on Tue 16 Jun 4:02PM
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