Ashley Young, over-rated?

[Hahnemann's Hairdresser]

Carew's goals per game ratio is 1 in 4 in the top leagues, i'd say a world class Striker should be looking at 1 in 3 or better.

Rosenborg have won the Norwegian league something like 14 out of the last 16 years.

Surely this detracts from your Carew arguement as they win the league without him, so as far as his record in Norway is concerned he is no better than the player who preceded him and replaced him.

Also you list the managers that have put him in their teams, what about the managers that have the money to buy him, but havn't - Ferguson, Wenger, Mourinho, Ranieri, Moyes, Strachan, Ancelotti, Lippi, Magath, Hitzfeld, Rijkaard to name but a few.

[Huntley & Palmer]

H&P, you really are a grumpy little fellow.

I think he is 'world class', Martin O'Neill obviously rates him, and I'd like to think that Fabio Capello, Hector Cuper, Gerard Houllier and Martin O'Neill are a little more knowledgeable when it comes to footballing matters than you are.

Grumpy, no. Bored of your constant moanings about Scandanvian players not being recognised as 'world class' players by the general HNA populace. Yes

O'Neill rates him because he is a big target man. He also rated John Hartson

If Carew is so 'world class' then why has he only ever spent more than two seasons at Valencia in his whole career.

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

Has everyone missed the fact that Villa actually offloaded Baros here and Carew came in for nothing?

If the lad pays off or he doesn't Villa won't have lost out on to much, and Carew definately has the pedigree IMO.

Good signing by Martin O'Neill

[Coppelled Streets]

H&P, you really are a grumpy little fellow.

I think he is 'world class', Martin O'Neill obviously rates him, and I'd like to think that Fabio Capello, Hector Cuper, Gerard Houllier and Martin O'Neill are a little more knowledgeable when it comes to footballing matters than you are.

Grumpy, no. Bored of your constant moanings about Scandanvian players not being recognised as 'world class' players by the general HNA populace. Yes

O'Neill rates him because he is a big target man. He also rated John Hartson

If Carew is so 'world class' then why has he only ever spent more than two seasons at Valencia in his whole career.

Is he a Pikey?

[papereyes]

Has everyone missed the fact that Villa actually offloaded Baros here and Carew came in for nothing?

If the lad pays off or he doesn't Villa won't have lost out on to much, and Carew definately has the pedigree IMO.

Good signing by Martin O'Neill

Nope, not missed at all.

Player who hasn't scored swapped with a player who might and who fits in with the manager's intended system.

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

Has everyone missed the fact that Villa actually offloaded Baros here and Carew came in for nothing?

If the lad pays off or he doesn't Villa won't have lost out on to much, and Carew definately has the pedigree IMO.

Good signing by Martin O'Neill

Nope, not missed at all.

Player who hasn't scored swapped with a player who might and who fits in with the manager's intended system.

Exactly? so why the hell is everyone moaning about Carew's goalscoring form when he has just replaced a man whose had one good Euro 2004 tournament and much worse scoring ratio?

[Hoop Blah]

Ashley Young: definately overpriced at £9m but if they are willing to pay it then its his 'market value.' IMO he's over rated too. Never been that impressed by him to be honest but he has got something about him and has a knack of scoring goals. He's also young and versatile too so a good player to add to most squads, but I don't see him being a really dangerous Premiership player over the next 5-10 years which is how he's been built up.

As for Carew, his record doesn't really matter, it's how is contributes to the team that O'Neil wants to build thats key, not his goals per game ratio. It might be worth looking at the goals his fella forwards and midfielders scored whilst he played (not to mention the defensive records of his teams also) to see his apparent worth. Either way, it's how he can do the job O'Neil wants him for that really matters.

Is he world class? Not in my book no. I'd say world class is one of a handful or so of the best players in their respective positions. I wouldn't put Carew in that category. If word class means can he play international football without looking like Paul Brayson, then yes, I suppose he's world class.

[alad]

The thing is the goals will have to come from him. Agbonlahor isn't a great goalscorer and neither is Ashley Young. They don't have anyone in midfield who can weigh with many either if you exclude Barry and his penalties.

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

The thing is the goals will have to come from him. Agbonlahor isn't a great goalscorer and neither is Ashley Young. They don't have anyone in midfield who can weigh with many either if you exclude Barry and his penalties.

Yeah i agree there will be more pressure on Carew to score at Villa due to the strikers they have. I just find it interesting reading everyones points making out its not really a great move for Villa swapping a lacklustre Baros for a potential bargain in Carew.

As i said if it doesn't work out it doesn't work out, but they wanted to offload Baros and they have done with a new striker and maybe better premiership equipped player coming in.

[Hoop Blah]

The thing is the goals will have to come from him. Agbonlahor isn't a great goalscorer and neither is Ashley Young. They don't have anyone in midfield who can weigh with many either if you exclude Barry and his penalties.

Don't forget they've added Petrov to the midfield this year. Obviously he's not scored that many yet, but he's the type of midfielder that likes to get in and around the box and has an eye for goal.

Long term the goals won't have to come from Carew alone. Agbonlahor will score his fair share of goals too, even from a wide position as he's played this season I think he'll chip in with double figures. Young will do likewise in a reasonable side.

Villa are obviously still short of quality throughout their squad, but Carew has been signed to do a job. I doubt that job is to score 25 goals a season playing upfront on his own. In much the same way as Drogba couldn't manage that in the two seasons he played upfront on his own, O'Neil will be looking for Carew to do a similar job of leading the line for his reshaped team, it'll just take a bit of time.

He's building a squad for the future, and I can see why he might think Carew is an improvement on Baros.

[papereyes]

The thing is the goals will have to come from him. Agbonlahor isn't a great goalscorer and neither is Ashley Young. They don't have anyone in midfield who can weigh with many either if you exclude Barry and his penalties.

Because, while Moore's injured, he'll be worse than Angel and Baros?

[Coppell's Right Footed 11]

As for Carew...It might be worth looking at the goals his fella forwards and midfielders scored whilst he played (not to mention the defensive records of his teams also) to see his apparent worth.

Exactly.

And also you'd have to consider what type of player he is, big target man type. I don't think there are that many of his type that are as good as he is. He's certainly better than Heskey, and he is very quick which sets him apart from many other target men types, and unlike the useless Crouch he is very powerful - Cannavaro couldn't even hold him back.

Also you list the managers that have put him in their teams, what about the managers that have the money to buy him, but havn't - Ferguson, Wenger, Mourinho, Ranieri, Moyes, Strachan, Ancelotti, Lippi, Magath, Hitzfeld, Rijkaard to name but a few.

Well that's just ridiculous and plain stupid.
You'll find there is a HUGE ammount of managers that have never signed Rooney as well..

Useless Crouch LOL...you not watch him v Chelsea? i for one am a big fan or Peter Crouch and for people to continuously slate him is laughable, he may not be prolific in front of goal but he contributes so much to liverpools side and has some fantastic qualities which many people seem to ignore and just jump on the bandwagon

[alad]

Not many had the chance. Only Mourinho really decided not to and that was when he had just taken over at Chelsea.

Arsene Wenger went on record saying that he would have signed him but he couldn't afford him.

Carew will do OK at Villa, a change may do him good but can't see him being a long term success.

[SpaceCruiser]

Arsene Wenger went on record saying that he would have signed him but he couldn't afford him.

Is this about Ashley Young? If it is, then the real reason is obvious and that "couldn't afford him" is an excuse to cover the fact that he'd rather not have an Englishman if he could help it.

[alad]

Arsene Wenger went on record saying that he would have signed him but he couldn't afford him.

Is this about Ashley Young? If it is, then the real reason is obvious and that "couldn't afford him" is an excuse to cover the fact that he'd rather not have an Englishman if he could help it.

It was about Rooney as I replying to Ideal.

[SpaceCruiser]

Arsene Wenger went on record saying that he would have signed him but he couldn't afford him.

Is this about Ashley Young? If it is, then the real reason is obvious and that "couldn't afford him" is an excuse to cover the fact that he'd rather not have an Englishman if he could help it.

It was about Rooney as I replying to Ideal.

I guess the same thing applies!

[alad]

As for Carew...It might be worth looking at the goals his fella forwards and midfielders scored whilst he played (not to mention the defensive records of his teams also) to see his apparent worth.

Exactly.

And also you'd have to consider what type of player he is, big target man type. I don't think there are that many of his type that are as good as he is. He's certainly better than Heskey, and he is very quick which sets him apart from many other target men types, and unlike the useless Crouch he is very powerful - Cannavaro couldn't even hold him back.

Also you list the managers that have put him in their teams, what about the managers that have the money to buy him, but havn't - Ferguson, Wenger, Mourinho, Ranieri, Moyes, Strachan, Ancelotti, Lippi, Magath, Hitzfeld, Rijkaard to name but a few.

Well that's just ridiculous and plain stupid.
You'll find there is a HUGE ammount of managers that have never signed Rooney as well..

Useless Crouch LOL...you not watch him v Chelsea? i for one am a big fan or Peter Crouch and for people to continuously slate him is laughable, he may not be prolific in front of goal but he contributes so much to liverpools side and has some fantastic qualities which many people seem to ignore and just jump on the bandwagon

Crouch is sh1t. All he has is a good first touch. Anyone half decent would score 10 league goals a season at Liverpool.

[TBM]

Arsene Wenger went on record saying that he would have signed him but he couldn't afford him.

Is this about Ashley Young? If it is, then the real reason is obvious and that "couldn't afford him" is an excuse to cover the fact that he'd rather not have an Englishman if he could help it.

It was about Rooney as I replying to Ideal.

I guess the same thing applies!

Out of interest, what country does Walcott come from?

[Hoop Blah]

As for Carew...It might be worth looking at the goals his fella forwards and midfielders scored whilst he played (not to mention the defensive records of his teams also) to see his apparent worth.

Exactly.

And also you'd have to consider what type of player he is, big target man type. I don't think there are that many of his type that are as good as he is. He's certainly better than Heskey, and he is very quick which sets him apart from many other target men types, and unlike the useless Crouch he is very powerful - Cannavaro couldn't even hold him back.

Cannavaro? You mean with that ever so powerful 5'9" frame?

Carew is decent, but he's not world class, although granted he is one of the better big lumps in world football, I don't think you'd get many managers selecting him in their first two or three squads if they had a free pick of the worlds footballers!

[SpaceCruiser]

Arsene Wenger went on record saying that he would have signed him but he couldn't afford him.

Is this about Ashley Young? If it is, then the real reason is obvious and that "couldn't afford him" is an excuse to cover the fact that he'd rather not have an Englishman if he could help it.

It was about Rooney as I replying to Ideal.

I guess the same thing applies!

Out of interest, what country does Walcott come from?

I did say "If he could help it".