Manchester City new boy Gareth Barry under fire from Aston Villa fans
AVFC456: Why is anybody suprised? Why do fans still believe there is loyalty in football? Barry has been offered apparently 80k a week, double his wages, I'd be gone like a shot, I don't see what the problem is
He's been a very good servant to us, and we will be making £12million for a player in the last year of his contract
Good luck to him.
Rickmeister: Barry was supposedly offered £70k a week by Villa so, although money may come into it, I think (rightly or wrongly) he sees Man Citeh as a more ambitious club and that we have very little chance of getting in the top 4.
On that I have to reluctantly agree with him. Citeh will get in the top 4 in the next 2 or 3 seasons as the odd bad £20 million signing is neither here nor there when you have that many billions. They will keep buying until they find the right manager and team to get them into the top 4.
Unfortunately we look likely to have to settle for mid table mediocrity, which hardly makes next season look something to get excited about.
Mossa: This isn't such a big deal that it's being made out to be. Fact of the matter is Barry and Petrov are too similar, top quality midfielders both of them but TOO similar... they both read the game well, keep the ball well, spread the ball well, can tackle, and have great vision for the game. At the same time though they both lack pace, can't penetrate the opposition defence from midfield, and should score more goals but don't.
There is only really room for 1 player of this type in a 2 man engine room (granted both could play in a 3 but I'm not sure MON is intending anything but 4-4-2 going forward), and Petrov was the better player this season, so as long as he stays fit and maintains the same form theres no drama.
This is an ideal chance for Sidwell to step up to the plate, or for MON to look for another dynamic scoring midfielder from the open market.
£12m is good business, I was expecting £10m, and when Man City show up at Villa Park I for one won't be booing or deriding a guy who pulled on the claret and blue over 400 times. Hiss choice of club seems strange but ultimatly is neither here nor there to us now, eyes forwards to our signings.
