Tim Sherwood is poised to open contract talks with Tom Cleverly after identifying him as a key player in his rebuilding plans. Cleverly’s contract with Manchester United expires at the end of the season and it’s understood that Man. Utd aren’t going to offer him a new deal. Aston Villa are reported to have offered Cleverly a long-term contract with a wage of £40,000 a week to convince him to stay at the club and fend of interest from Everton.
Cleverly has massively improved under Sherwood and with ongoing dialogue between Sherwood and Cleverly, it looks as though Cleverly is more open to the idea of staying with Aston Villa for the long term. That would signal a massive turn of form for Cleverly after struggling under Lambert. With Sherwood as Villa’s new boss, Cleverly has been a solid player for Aston Villa and has paired well with Delph in central midfield.
“He’s brought belief and a bounce into people’s strides. That’s no disrespect to Paul Lambert, I liked him,” Cleverley said.
“Tim has given people confidence and made everyone feel a part of it. The manager wants all the lads to be more positive.
“He has the mindset that winning one and losing one is better than drawing two. He likes to play football with a bit of a gamble and it’s certainly paying off.
“Around January, I wasn’t pleased with my form. I didn’t do myself justice, but now I feel like I am getting back into a good rhythm.”
Tom Cleverly has played more football than any other midfielder at Aston Villa this season, making 30 appearances for the club. Despite not scoring or providing a single assist Cleverly has the 4th highest passing success rate at 86.3% with an average number of passes of 44.6 per game and second most number of tackles per game (2.6).
Additionally, Scott Sinclair will most likely move to Aston Villa in a £2.5 million deal from Man. City if Aston Villa avoid relegation. Darren Bent will also have talks with Sherwood at the end of the season and may sign a short-term contract after a successful spell with Derby. Ron Vlaar will most likely leave Aston Villa at the end of the season with no progress in contract talks and Vlaar has recently lost the captain’s armband to Fabian Delph.
A lot of the Liverpool fans seem to think they are already in the final! Id love to wipe the smirks from their faces on sunday. Most biased set of fans going!…and NO fairytale ending for Steven Gerrard please!
Dont worry the ref will make sure they get through. Hopefully arsenal will stuff them in the final
Liverpool fans honestly think they still have a top team, and can sign almost anyone. By some way the most deluded around.
Liverpool are still a better team/squad than us.
I apologise in advance for this post, it will be a bit long, oohah and probably a few others may slate me for it, but here goes. I love the F.A. Cup, there you go I said it. It seems fashionable these days to say that the Premiership is the be all and end all, and the F.A. Cup is just a sideshow. Being relegated is treated like a disaster on a scale of the Titanic sinking. Then, when you are at the top table, like the mighty Villa have been since it’s inception, just being there isn’t good enough, you’ve got to qualify for the Europa league by finishing in the top 6 or winning the League cup, then, when and if you achieve it, that will soon not be enough, you will have to strive for the Holy Grail of the Champions League. It’s all bollocks in my opinion, and whilst various clubs and various rich owners have been scrambling over each other to reach this Sky funded Nirvana, we turn around and see that football has eaten it’s own soul.
To me, the F.A. Cup is a shining light in this greedy pool of darkness. I was born in 1964 and became a Villa fan in 1971. Living in darkest Herefordshire, Birmingham and Villa Park seemed a million miles away as a kid growing up in the 70’s, and I didn’t attend the shrine that was and is Villa Park until I was 18. I instantly fell in love with the Holte End, and have been countless times since.
Of course, the only thing we haven’t won in that time is the F.A. Cup, that burns inside me. I’m now 50, and although none of us know how long we have left, if I go to my grave without my beloved Villa winning the damn thing, I’d be gutted.
So this Sundays match means so much to me, has I’m sure it does to thousands of Villans, I would take a F.A. Cup win over premiership survival, I really would. Not that I think we will go down by the way, but surely football is about glory, not just surviving.
I have a 17yr old son, who I’ve been taking to the Villa with me for the last 8 yrs. When I asked him the other day what is fav memory of the Villa is. He didn’t say finishing outside the bottom 3 the last 4 seasons, he didn’t even pick the 3 top 6 finishes. No, he said the day at Wembley v Man U in the league cup final. I replied that we lost and he was heartbroken when we left the stadium, he said that he loved being with so many thousands of Villa fans, and the reason he was so upset was he knew how happy he’d have been if we’d won!
So, that’s it really. The Cup may’ve lost some of it’s lustre, but to me it still shines bright.
If I’m lucky enough to live to a ripe old age, I want to be able to sit with a grandchild or two at my knee and not tell them about the time Villa finished 17th, or finished 4th, but about the time I took their Dad to Wembley to see Villa win the F.A. Cup.
Come on you Lions, make my dream come true!!
Good post Dave C. Yes I agree it’s the only trophy iv never seen us win either. Having said that I was fortunate to see us win the big one in 1982 and how many clubs fans can say that. Yes I’d rather win the FA cup but not at the expense of going down. The FA cup no longer defines a club anymore even Wigan and Portsmouth have won it in recent years. I feel your lad will be disappointed in Sunday really can see us beating Liverpool tbh it will be close but in the end they will be too strong for us.
Dave C….good post mate. Your right, the FA Cup is indeed a great trophy and to win it would be amazing. I was alive when we won it in 57. But alas too young to remember anything about it.
People can call me crazy but I would honestly get more pleasure now from winning the FA Cup than the Champions League. For me, the Champions keague has been devalued because of its current set up which is mainly about TV revenue. The fact that if you finish 4th you still qualify is for me a complete nonsense. I am in the ‘if your not champions of your own league, then how can you be champions of Europe’ camp? Then you have the ridiculous seeding system where the only aim is to ensure the ‘biggest, or richest’ club is almost guaranteed to get through to the knockout out stages. For me, the Champions League stinks and will until such times that its returned to the simple knockout competition that it was when won it. But we know that TV companies and the money men will never let that happen! By contrasr, the FA Cup is still very special in that its more of a level playing field where anyone can still have their day (Bradford).
Dave, I do hope that you get your FA Cup win that you desire……maybe its this year….you never know!
Keep the faith!
BTW…I dont fear Liverpool, I fear nobody! The might of Villa is about to rise to the top again!
Press conference! Given to remain in goal…..Gabby is touch and go….I believe Tim is playing it clever here and Gabby will be fit! No word on Ciaran Clark yet!
Playing it clever? Lol it’s not like Liverpool will be scared of him either way in fact we probably have a better chance without him
Clark is out according to the BBC.
I’d bet that Gabby will at least be on the bench if he doesn’t start.
No so nervous about this one –
– lose and we’ll have had a good cup run and a trip to Wembley for a change and we could then concentrate on staying up
– win and it might be a champagne year after all and who’d have thought that a few months ago?
What I don’t want is to win the cup and go down. Happens too often that.
UTV
Agree I’m not nervous either way I fully expect us to lose but still a good run though we have had piss easy home draws tbf
Dave C, nice post mate straight from the heart, I’m one of the lucky ones that’s seen them glory days, maybe Sunday will be kind to us all and you can share the times I’ve seen, I’m 76 and believe me Dave proud to be Claret and Blue, he’s some of them great players, Johnny Dixson, Joe Rutherford, Amos Moss Dicky Dorset, Peter Aldis, all them was great players for the Villa, I do hope you will see the good days again.
Hi Bill…how dare you not mention my all time Villa favourite…..Charlie Aitken 🙂
Sorry Langford, you know he’s a god , I will ask forgiveness.
Ivor Linton anyone???? 😀
Ivor hardon 🙂
Remember him thought he was going to be the new Pele eventually lol
Thank you, Bill and Langford, I’ve seen some good times Bill, don’t get me wrong.
Graham Taylor, the first time, loved the way we played under big Ron. We also did well under Brian Little and for a short time Gregory. I just wonder what good times my lad might experience with them.
It drives me mad when people say the F.A. Cup’s not what it was. There are only 3 domestic honours you can compete for, whichever league you’re in, the League Cup and F.A. Cup. If you can win one of them that’s a good season in my book. I’d rather Villa have a full trophy cabinet than a full bank account, but then again, the two should go hand in hand.
Did you ever see Gerry Hitchens play, Bill or Langford, I’ve heard he was a bit special.
Dave yes seen him but did miss a few was doing my army stint at the time, great player for the Villa,.
Hitchens was fantastic only one player better IMHO – the great Peter MacParland. Used to watch him as a kid hanging off those little railings as he belted up and down the wing. Seen him on the telly a few weeks ago – still my hero. What a player!
Dave C…..yes saw Hitchens play many times before he moved to Inter Milan. He was a great goalscorer. He didnt many England caps as I recall which was a real travesty IMO.
Injury update….Westwood and Sinclair (that will please Andrew) both fit. Clark definitely out and Gabby touch and go……taken from the OS
All those doubters saying benteke won’t leave. Well here we go ooh ah right agsain already angling for move. http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/aston-villa-s-benteke-tells-belgian-press-he-will-decide-on-futur
“Right again” lol okay…
And angling a move. Doesn’t mention leaving, doesn’t mention staying. He mentions he’s ready to play and he wants to go on vacation, and in the end he’ll do what he wants and not listen to others. But then again you do like making things out of nothing when it comes to him “wanting to leave” garbage.
Trust me as long as he’s not injured he will be off assuming someone comes in for him
Haha, I know Sinclair’s gonna play. Although after an injury wouldn’t be smart to start him, but he’ll continue to get games. I’m well aware.
Bag of bollox…he CANT decide on his future until his contract expires. Until then we hold all the cards!
Rubbish contracts arnt worth paper they r written on. If a player wants to leave then they shall leave
Contracts are definitely worth the paper they’re written on. Could be like Mainz or Zenit and hold Benteke like they did Tuchel and Spalletti, which both have done nothing since losing their manager positions but both are still contracted.
If a player wants to go they will go contract or no contract
Then there’s this which most don’t get is he is under contract. Can put any fee on him we want too and if no one pays, he stays.
Delight yorke and downing were under contract too. He was under contract at genk. If a team like Utd or arse come calling it will just be a matter of when he goes and how much we can get for him
Oh I agree, if United or Arsenal came in, we’d struggle to keep him. However United nor Arsenal will come in for him. Benteke’s going to go where he can start and Wenger likes Giroud and Van Gaal has an endless amount of money in which he can almost get who he wants. Nor will Benteke be happy playing back up to Rooney.
If we get silly money for Benteke compared to Downing, so that was 20m for Downing so around 40m silly money for Benteke, of course he’ll go. I have no doubts. However what I do doubt is anyone of worth maybe bar Dortmund will come in for him.
Maybe I Should rephrase my statement as if a decent club comes in for Benteke he will be off like a shot. If they then fair enough he will stay. I still think someone like Spurs would take him especially if they lose Kane. Also man city need a striker though bony is too similar to CB but maybe a part ex might be on the card with us getting bony
That’s the thing I don’t think he’d go to Spurs, I think it’d be a CL club like Arsenal, or abroad to a Dortmund, Valencia, etc, or it’s staying with us.
He wanted to go 2 windows ago. He wants to play in London remember and Spurs have a bit of a chance of CL. If he goes to a CL team he will only be a bit part player but will be in double salary so can’t blame him tbf
Depends on the team, he’d start at Arsenal as he’s better than Giroud, although don’t think Wenger would start him. But other than that I don’t think a CL side would come in for him. He also wanted to go to Arsenal, not Spurs.
I watched the actual interview that oohah linked. In his interview he was very positive and seemed to edge more towards extending rather than leaving. Like any top player, he wants to assess the ambitions of the club. Lets face it, if next season is anywhere near as bad as the last 4 then I wouldnt blame him if he wants to leave.
P.S…..oohah…stop the scaremongering bollox
Which is interesting as he has 2 years left anyways. Either way would be brilliant to see him extend again. I don’t think anyone should blame him if a bigger club came in. Would make sense to better his career.
Sherwood said he wouldn’t stand in the way if Benteke wanted to leave, but has never got the implication that the striker has. He doesn’t want him getting down to 18 months so it looks like another sell or extend kinda summer. I’m going with the latter myself.
Your going to look stupid when he goes in summer do t forget my apology
Good thing I won’t feel stupid if he leaves.
It sounds like OohAah is more in love with Liverpool than Houllier was.
If Villa win on Sunday well add it to the list of things he’s ‘always’ right about.
Have some optimism man.
Told me all season last season on here how they were going to win the league, which he was wrong about.
he’ll tell you he wasn’t surprised, despite claiming on here we’re going to lose to just about everyone.
I hope he’s wrong for the very “first” time ever on Sunday. UTV
Oohah, can you please shut the fuck up for a few days? You are bordering on the ridiculous now…
Why because I’m realistic. Mark my words we will lose on Sunday and benteke will leave in the summer. Stop burying your heads up your arse and accept it
Or you’re overly negative and seemingly hope he leaves so you can finally look right after the last 2 years of he’s leaving comments.
Look BENTEKE wanted to leave in season 1 and wanted to go to spuds. When they didn’t bid for him he back tracked and stayed. Last season I would have been proven right if he wasn’t injured.
Might have been proven right. Might. Not would have, might have.
Arsenal winning looks like they will win cup tbh hope they stuff Liverpool in final
Benteke will extend his contract in the summer and he is quoted as saying ‘oohah, my agent desperately wanted me to leave as he has now been wrong 100 times in succession. I am not leaving this great club who have been extremely good to me. Where could I go that is better, nowhere is the short answer’
p.s……..ignore oohah, he only ever talks complete and utter bollox…..I am NOT going ANYWHERE
Lol yeah I really believe that Langford next you will be saying Messi and Ronaldo are desperate to join us
I think Sanchez will be a big loss for us, he stays back and allows Delph to do those box to box runs of his. Without him I can see Delph sitting and Villa being fairly impotent in midfield.
If Liverpool dominate us there I fear the worse. With S.Gerrard’s birthday falling on cup final day I’ve just a feeling they’re fated to win it, hope to God I’m wrong. What chances a Villa Reading final!!
Fully agree, Sanchez is a giant miss for us. Delph and Cleverley are going to get over run. Need to play 3 in midfield again, but that means forcing Westwood to start when he’s just back from injury again.
OohAah, I’m guessing a villa victory tomorrow would ruin your theory so I’m guessing you’ll be rooting for the Scousers – you wouldn’t want to be wrong would you?
Dont you mean a Villa victory will ruin his life? 🙂
I am not expecting much tomorrow with the absentees we have, in fact if Liverpool get lucky early it could be a rout.
However this is a chance to watch Given against a decent attack. I am not a fan of Guzan, Earlier in this post I said a right winger is #1 priority, but completely forgot we need a better keeper. Try this experiment, list the EPL #1 keepers and rank them in order of merit as a keeper. I think come the end of the season your list won’t vary much from the league table of their clubs. Last year only Arsenal (better than the keeper) and Stoke (worse) stood out.
What keeper do you think should be signed?
Off subject worth putting a bet on Utd for league next season especially as they’ve a couple of hundred mill to play with to buy league. FFP working on behalf of Utd at last.
Maybe, I’d still put money on Chelsea though. Largely depends on if Untied can attract what they need and Van Gaal has to get them playing well right from the start.
Andrew….I see what you done there but I worked it out because I’m ultra intelligent….. Am I right? Is untied an anagram of United?….please tell me I’m right….statiscally, I must be right sometime! Unlike oohah who is never right! 🙂
Hahaha. You’re clearly intelligent. I am not unfortunately for not being able to spell United.
True but the team they have now could easily finish top 2 IMO and they will get at 2-3 world class players to add to that. Plus they are in CL so should get players now
Maybe. They need at least 1 quality CB, 1 RB, 1 midfielder, a future replacement for Carrick, 1-2 wingers, and a striker if they don’t sign Falcao and let Van Persie go. And they all have to be top, top notch to challenge Chelsea who will do their usual signing of a quality player or two, allowing 1-2 leave and still perform incredibly.
True but they are bound to get those players must be great just to go out and buy 3-5 players for £200m and not even blink. FFP is so unfair it’s untrue
FFP is so unfair, sadly. Although it’ll cost more than 200m depending on who they wanna get as teams are now pricing players far and above and every summer. Be interesting to see who they can get. I’ve seen a few United fans realistically admit they have no chance at getting the likes of Pogba, that they’ll have to settle for a step down.
Didn’t they let pogba go in the first place lol
Yeah but you get a lot of them claiming with Fergie gone, he’d instantly rejoin them, he loves them, would leave Juventus instantly for them. But then they still think they a majority think they can get anyone with a flick of the wrist, and a huge pile of cash.
They probably can most players want to play for Utd and they pay obscene wages too