Sentences with phrase «few clubs in the world»

Arsenal, like very few clubs in the world, is an institution based on integrity, respect and class.

Yes he is brilliant at getting the best out of top players and can assemble a team quickly when given funds that only a few clubs in the world can offer.

Arsenal is always one of the few clubs in the world that never sees quality in the market.

Very few clubs in the world would be able to leave Marquinhos on their bench and not suffer, but very few clubs have centre - backs of the quality of Thiago Silva and David Luiz.

There are currently few clubs in world football that could potentially attract a player of Kane's standing within the game.

There are few more glamorous locations than Paris and few clubs in the world capable of matching PSG's huge spending power, but Ligue 1's low international profile — coupled with the absence of European football at Parc des Princes in the second half of the season — has frustrated the club's efforts to attract the kind of players who generate global interest.

Coutinho now wants to leave Liverpool for Barcelona, one of the few clubs in the world with more financial might than the English side.

Not exact matches

it is sad that so many people are indoctrinated into religion in the world, but thankfully in westernized countries, religion has evolved into little more than a social club for all but a few extremists.

Dancing, world - class live entertainment, and plenty of bars make up the fabulous scene at Pechanga Resort & Club, in addition to the thrill of placing a few lucky bets on table games at the casino.

So how and why is the gap not bridged????? The other important thing to remember is that in the last ten years Wenger has won NOTHING of note so his repuatation amongst the world elite players is less than it was a decade ago and there are few of them that actually WANT to play for the club now our reputation for having no ambition is paramount now rather than our repuatation for winning competitions.

The other important thing to remember is that in the last ten years Wenger has won NOTHING f note so his repuatation amongst the world elite players is less than it was a decade ago and there are few of them that actually WANT to play for the club now our repautation for having no ambition is paramount now rather than our repuatation for winning competitions.

I remember a few years back when the media had many fans believing Wanyama was the only DM in the world and if a club missed out on him they would be screwed for years.

there's only a few strikers out there that are «world class» and they are all in big clubs... I do nt see city selling aguero to us, or bayern selling Lewa to us, or suarez leaving barca... etc..

Imagine the situation; you play brilliantly for a French club that never gets close to a trophy and then concede the fewest goals of any keeper in the World Cup finals and this gets you a dream transfer to the Premier League and Arsenal.

He is our stand out player and would grace ANY side in world football.The fact he chose to remain with us shows his love of the club as he could have moved but London and Arsenal are now rooted in him.Plus the fact he gets to earn a few bob.Who cares - He has signed and that was all that mattered to us supporters

We, Man United and a few other big clubs in the world are truly self sufficient because no matter what the external environment is regarding owners etc the club will still be able to function.

Mertz should never have been our captain in the first place... who has ever heard of a team that makes 11th hour transfer buys (Arteta & Mertz) then seemingly places those same individuals into prominent leadership positions from the get - go... indicative of the problems that have permeated our clubhouse for the better part of 7 years under the Kroenke & Wenger... what is wrong with the players chosen and / or the management style of Wenger that doesn't develop and / or encourage strong leadership from within... Mertz was the fine collecting lackey from year one... this is what happens when you don't get world - class players because many times they want to have a voice on and off the pitch and this can't happen when you play for a fragile manager who has developed a coddling wage structure where everyone is rewarded for simply wearing the shirt and participating in the process... not enough balance between performance and pay, combined with the obvious favoritism shown to some players regardless of their glaring lack of production... remember that Ramsey has played in positions that make no sense considering his skill - set (out wide) and has forced other players off the field or into equally unfamiliar positions with little or no justification (let's remember when you read articles about how Ramsey's goals this upcoming season being the potential X-factor for our success that this is the same individual who didn't score a goal until the final week last season)... this of course is just one example of many... before I hear another word from Mertz I want this club to address the fact that no former player of any real consequence has any important role in the management structure of this club, yet several former Gunners have expressed serious interest in just such an endeavor (Henry, Viera, Adams, Bergkamp... just to name a few legends)... there is only one answer: an extremely insecure manager!!!

De Gea has been one of the club's consistently top performers for much of the last few years, becoming established as one of the best «keepers in world football during his time at Old Trafford.

Up front we have a few world - class players surrounded by some serious pretenders... Sanchez is by far the most accomplished player in our attack but the controversy surrounding his contractual mishandling could see him go before the window closes or most definitely by season's end... obviously a mistake by both parties involved, as Sanchez's exploits have never been more on display than in North London, but the club's irresponsible wage structure and lack of real intent have been the real undoing in this mess... Lacazette, who I think has some world - class skills as a front man, will only be as good as the players and system around him, which is troubling due to our current roster and Wenger's love of sideways passing... Walcott should have been sold years ago, enough said, and Welbeck should never have been brought in from the get - go... both of these players have suffered numerous injuries over their respective careers and neither are good enough to overcome such difficulties: not to mention, they both are below average first - touch players, which should be the baseline test for any player coming to a Wenger - led Arsenal team... Perez should have been played wide left or never purchased at all; what a huge waste of time and money, which is ridiculous considering our penny pinching ways and the fact that fans had been clamoring for a real striker for years... finally Giroud, the fact that he stills wears the jersey is a direct indictment of this club's failure to get things right... this isn't necessarily an attack on Giroud because I think he has some highly valued skills, but not for a team that has struggled to take their sideways soccer to the next level, as his presence slows their game even more, combined with our average, at best, finishing skills... far too often those in charge have either settled or chosen half - measures and ultimately it is us that suffer because no matter what happens Wenger, Gazidis and Kroenke will always make more money whereas we will always be the ones paying for their mistakes... so every time someone suggests we should just shut - up and support the team just think of all the sacrifices you've made along the way and simply reply... f *** off

its not like you turn on the button on a conveyor belt and you play consistent all your carer, there are only a few players around the world that can play consistently and you can count them on your fingers on your two hands, lets not forget when Aaron was playing well there was interest from all the top clubs if he was consistent player he probably would of been sold to cash in on him by his agent and club

In other news, our team seems to be rounding nicely into form, with a productive off - season and several new additions already settling in, there seems to be a renewed sense of confidence in the air... our well - oiled machine has conducted business again early this year, so we can just sit back, kick our feet up and watch all those other suckers scramble to make panic moves in the 11th hour... of course, we need to tie up a few loose ends but our team of savvy negotiators, under the tutelage of our faithful leader, will perform their usual magic with ample time to spare... I have to laugh when I look around the soccer world and see all those teams look upon us with envy and scorn as they struggle to mimic our seemingly infallible business model... thank goodness the powers that be had the foresight and fortitude to resist the temptations of the modern football era... instead of listening to all the experts and simply taking the easy way out by making the necessary improvements on the field and in the front office, we chose the path never traveled... we are truly pioneers in our field... sometimes you just have to have faith in the people that have always conducted themselves in a respectful and honest fashion... most fans aren't so fortunate, they will never know what it's like to follow a team that treats everyone in and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow GunneIn other news, our team seems to be rounding nicely into form, with a productive off - season and several new additions already settling in, there seems to be a renewed sense of confidence in the air... our well - oiled machine has conducted business again early this year, so we can just sit back, kick our feet up and watch all those other suckers scramble to make panic moves in the 11th hour... of course, we need to tie up a few loose ends but our team of savvy negotiators, under the tutelage of our faithful leader, will perform their usual magic with ample time to spare... I have to laugh when I look around the soccer world and see all those teams look upon us with envy and scorn as they struggle to mimic our seemingly infallible business model... thank goodness the powers that be had the foresight and fortitude to resist the temptations of the modern football era... instead of listening to all the experts and simply taking the easy way out by making the necessary improvements on the field and in the front office, we chose the path never traveled... we are truly pioneers in our field... sometimes you just have to have faith in the people that have always conducted themselves in a respectful and honest fashion... most fans aren't so fortunate, they will never know what it's like to follow a team that treats everyone in and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunnein, there seems to be a renewed sense of confidence in the air... our well - oiled machine has conducted business again early this year, so we can just sit back, kick our feet up and watch all those other suckers scramble to make panic moves in the 11th hour... of course, we need to tie up a few loose ends but our team of savvy negotiators, under the tutelage of our faithful leader, will perform their usual magic with ample time to spare... I have to laugh when I look around the soccer world and see all those teams look upon us with envy and scorn as they struggle to mimic our seemingly infallible business model... thank goodness the powers that be had the foresight and fortitude to resist the temptations of the modern football era... instead of listening to all the experts and simply taking the easy way out by making the necessary improvements on the field and in the front office, we chose the path never traveled... we are truly pioneers in our field... sometimes you just have to have faith in the people that have always conducted themselves in a respectful and honest fashion... most fans aren't so fortunate, they will never know what it's like to follow a team that treats everyone in and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunnein the air... our well - oiled machine has conducted business again early this year, so we can just sit back, kick our feet up and watch all those other suckers scramble to make panic moves in the 11th hour... of course, we need to tie up a few loose ends but our team of savvy negotiators, under the tutelage of our faithful leader, will perform their usual magic with ample time to spare... I have to laugh when I look around the soccer world and see all those teams look upon us with envy and scorn as they struggle to mimic our seemingly infallible business model... thank goodness the powers that be had the foresight and fortitude to resist the temptations of the modern football era... instead of listening to all the experts and simply taking the easy way out by making the necessary improvements on the field and in the front office, we chose the path never traveled... we are truly pioneers in our field... sometimes you just have to have faith in the people that have always conducted themselves in a respectful and honest fashion... most fans aren't so fortunate, they will never know what it's like to follow a team that treats everyone in and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunnein the 11th hour... of course, we need to tie up a few loose ends but our team of savvy negotiators, under the tutelage of our faithful leader, will perform their usual magic with ample time to spare... I have to laugh when I look around the soccer world and see all those teams look upon us with envy and scorn as they struggle to mimic our seemingly infallible business model... thank goodness the powers that be had the foresight and fortitude to resist the temptations of the modern football era... instead of listening to all the experts and simply taking the easy way out by making the necessary improvements on the field and in the front office, we chose the path never traveled... we are truly pioneers in our field... sometimes you just have to have faith in the people that have always conducted themselves in a respectful and honest fashion... most fans aren't so fortunate, they will never know what it's like to follow a team that treats everyone in and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunnein the front office, we chose the path never traveled... we are truly pioneers in our field... sometimes you just have to have faith in the people that have always conducted themselves in a respectful and honest fashion... most fans aren't so fortunate, they will never know what it's like to follow a team that treats everyone in and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunnein our field... sometimes you just have to have faith in the people that have always conducted themselves in a respectful and honest fashion... most fans aren't so fortunate, they will never know what it's like to follow a team that treats everyone in and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunnein the people that have always conducted themselves in a respectful and honest fashion... most fans aren't so fortunate, they will never know what it's like to follow a team that treats everyone in and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunnein a respectful and honest fashion... most fans aren't so fortunate, they will never know what it's like to follow a team that treats everyone in and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunnein and around the club as if they were an extended member of the family... all for one I say... so when you wake up this morning, please try not to gloat when you see rival fans pacing back and forth waiting for their respective teams to pull the usual panic buys, just say nothing and be thankful that it isn't you... like I've always said, this is why you stay the course... this is when the real benefits of having someone in charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunnein charge for over 2 decades really pays off... have a great day fellow Gunners

It is the last place in the world you might expect to find armies of fight fans, but when France's Algerian - born Robert Cohen and Thailand's Chamroen Song - kitrat fought there a few days ago for the world's bantamweight championship, little old Bangkok yielded up a crowd calculated to make the International Boxing Club turn treasury - green with covetousness.

Hopefully Sanchez will be professional and give 100 % as hes one of our only few top class players but got ta say it sickens me how an Arsenal player could be distracted because a move to (Man City) fell through, yes they have all the money in the world and are ambitious but that club has absolutely no history, I remember not so long ago they were playing in division 2..

Are some of you on here missing a few brain cells as fans There is nothing Arsenal or Wenger can do with the Sanchez situation He wants to leave and has been offered 400k a week in wages who in their right mind is going to turn that down as a player As for blaming wenger who has been our most successful manager helped us build a stadium gave us 20 years of cl football and some of the best teams the ol has seen Including the invincible and you all have the Gaul to trash the man as if he has done nothing for the club I suggest you should look at the plastic fans in the Arsenal blogs that have created a toxic atmosphere at the club They attack their own players in a daily basis why would any top player come to s club where the manager the owners and players are shamelessly attached constantly Yet Wenger wins trophies regularly even them that is derided Look at Spurs Liverpool they win fuk all every year yet their fans back then Look at yourselves and all the negativity that you have created striking the club before you blame Wenger for everything I have been a season ticket holder since the 70s and never have I seen our fanbase been so full of entitled morons who have stopped backing the club and constantly deride the club snd attack it We have the worst fanbase in football you have made this great club a lagging stock in world football All you now us fans constantly moaning If you don't like Arsenal fc then buy out kronke and run the club or fuk off and support someone else You won't be missed Coyg

I realise there were a few sensible readers who kept asking why he would even consider leaving one of the best clubs in the world for Arsenal, but it usually fell on deaf ears.....

This club went from one of the best in world football to a basic team showing up in competitions and disappearing after few rounds because it is not the objective anyway.

Xhaka never impressed in bundesliga but was in their team of the year and also captained his club at the ripe old age of 22 similarly ozil was one of the best players in the world when he was in real but here he is being ridiculed match after match i won't be surprised when people start to criticize kolasinac after a few matches Over the last few years Wenger has developed the ability to turn quality players into crap aka arshavin, ozil etc

Just a few hours before his first match in the $ 25,000 World Series of Squash, a tournament he won last month at the Yale Club in New York City, Michael Desaulniers stood on the floor of the commodities exchange in the World Trade Center 3 1/2 miles away and proclaimed, «I love this place.

Hey SoOpa AeoN you got a cool but yoy don't talk cool at all along with rkw.I didn't like the way Chicarito's name was rubbed in the mad and what pains me is that you all think Giroud is better.The fact that you are a team reject does not mean you aren't good enough or can't be world class.Do you want me to name a few rejects who have become world class or have come back to haunt their teams.If I was to choose between sticking with Giroud or Chicarito for thousand years we all know who people would go for.The over hyped average players in our club is unbelievable and it's just sad.The club is also over hyped at times and we feel like we are so so big.It's a shame.The mentality of this club is so so bad and trust me with this characters success will be far away for centuries to come.

Arsenal are one of the many clubs in the Premier League and around Europe that have been linked with the possible signing of the Real Madrid and France international star Raphael Varane, but with the young centre back regularly being talked about as one of the most talented and promising young players in the world over the last few years I never really took much notice of those Arsenal transfer rumours.

Nothing like one underachiever blowing smoke up the ass of another... we know that Ozil has some incredible technical gifts, but to be considered the best you have to bring more than just assists to the table... for me, a top player has to possess a more well - rounded game, which doesn't mean they need to be a beast on both ends of the pitch, but they must have the ability to take their game to another level when it matters most... although he amassed some record - like stats early on, it set the bar too high, so when people expected him to duplicate those numbers each year the pressure seemed to get the best of our soft - spoken star... obviously that's not an excuse for what has happened in the meantime, but it's important to make note of a few things: (1) his best year was a transition year for many of the traditionally dominant teams in the EPL, so that clearly made the numbers appear better than they actually were and (2) Wenger's system, or lack thereof, didn't do him any favours; by playing him out of position and by not acquiring world - class striker and / or right - side forward that would best fit an Ozil - centered offensive scheme certainly hurt his chances to repeat his earlier peformances, (3) the loss of Cazorla, who took a lot of pressure off Ozil in the midfield and was highly efficient when it came to getting him the ball in space, negatively impacted his effectiveness and (4) he likewise missed a good chunk of games and frankly never looked himself when he eventually returned to the field... overall the Ozil experiment has had mixed reviews and rightfully so, but I do have some empathy for the man because he has always carried himself the same way, whether for Real or the German National team, yet he has only suffered any lengthy down periods with Arsenal... to me that goes directly to this club's inability to surround him with the necessary players to succeed, especially for someone who is a pass first type of player; as such, this simply highlights our club's ineffective and antiquated transfer policies... frankly I'm disappointed in both Ozil and our management team for not stepping up when it counted because they had a chance to do something special, but they didn't have it in them... there is no one that better exemplifies our recent history than Ozil, brief moments of greatness undercut by long periods of disappointing play, only made worse by his mopey posturing like a younger slightly less awkward Wenger... what a terribly waste

of course no team wants to lose but I can guarantee you that the reaction by the Chelski fans after today's results are nowhere near what would have occurred if we shit the bed on opening day... the difference is they have tasted EPL success on more than one occasion recently, they have won the Champions League and they have done it with 3 different managers in the last 12 years with a similar, if not smaller, wage bill than us... in comparison, we have been experiencing our own personal Groundhog Day with nothing to show for it but a few silvery trinkets that would barely wet the appetite of a world - class club... so it's time for Wenger to stop gloating over our week one escape act and make some substantial moves before this window closes or I fear that things will take a horrible turn when the inevitable happens... living on a knife's edge is no way to go through a full season of football and regardless of what side of the argument you fall on, you could feel high levels of toxicity in the air and that was friggin week one... I would much rather someone tried their best and failed, than took half - measures and hoped for the best

Just a word for our W, O, B friends: don't be over the moon with this meaningless poll.A sample of few hundreds of voters don't represents millions and millions of fans over the world and even the opinion of these millions are pointless since, as it's the case in any club of the world, the BOARD members are here to take decisions, not the fans.In our club, as we all know, no one will DARE to say a word to wenger let alone sack him....

The Argentine star has never commanded a high transfer fee due to his development from the Barcelona youth team, but after his world class displays over the last few years, in which he has helped the club win every trophy possible, he would be valued at around # 105million in today's transfer market.

when but for a few additions we could really be there and rejuvenate the clubs reputation in the eyes of the footballing world.

Currently at Porto, he has been watched by Manchester United and other top clubs, and looks destined to be a world class performer in the next few years.

which is certainly not a slight on the young french national player; like him or not, Sanchez has provided some real world - class performances for club and country in recent years... if you do this move, you need to really clean house or face some serious consequences for the foreseeable future... half measures are rarely rewarded, that's how we got here... tear down the wall... we need to get rid of Giroud, not because he isn't a talented player, his skill - set simply doesn't make sense if we hope to maximize the offensive potential of a quick passing, one - touch scheme... we need to evolve, like Barcelona, who realized you needed to have clinical finishers or face a mind - numbing future of horizontal passes and largely ineffective crosses... Barca went and got Suarez, even though they had Messi and Neymar on the roster (just imagine the possibilities — another in the litany of Wenger «what ifs»)... we need to be as clinical in the boardroom as on the pitch... accept nothing less or move on... personally I would move on from Welbeck, Giroud and Walcott, even Ox if he isn't all in... I think the most intriguing player might be Perez, which runs counter to the thoughts in my head when he arrived late last summer... we need a deep lying DM with quick feet and long ball potential, midfielders who can counter quickly even when they are spread out and 4 or 5 players who know how to attack the lanes (kind of a cross between Barca, Dortmund and Monaco)... this is seriously an achievable goal, one that logically should have been achieved quite a few years ago... did no one in the Arsenal organization see the financial restructuring of the football universe... think of the players we could have had but we weren't willing to cough up the dough only for those individuals to have their value double or triple within a 12 to 24 month period... even if just from an investment perspective these «no deals» represent a failure of monumental proportions... only if you cared, of course

A club that had world class players in every position a few years back and one of the proudest fan base in the world!

I think Wenger is ready to show the World that not being in the worlds football trophy winning party these past few years is not at all due to his inability as a coach but the clubs» inability due to the financial constraint of having to service their debt.

How about most on here have never seen their club ever finish outside top 4 in their lifetime stop talking like were the worst club in the world with no hope of moving forward we our only a few pieces of the jigsaw to be a great team again but it don't happen overnight weve only had 2 years of beign able to really compete financially and with all our players leaving beforehand it will take time to build a team of wc players again we are now able to start building a proper team is what I'm trying to get at and it won't happen overnight Coyg

However, in the last few days, it has become evident that the Italian club are resigned to losing the 26 - year - old, who was a massive hit at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Manchester United yearly revenue has been steadily increasing over the past few years and now they are the most valuable football club in the world overtaking both Real Madrid and Barcelona.

A club who, only a few years ago, was promoted into top flight football was now welcoming some of the biggest names in the world at their doorstep.

about time, something is amiss, especially when we have the likes of Walcott now qualifying for the Fran.Jeffers Award for non-playing I do wish M Grenouille would put an end to all the press speculation on transfers, it is obvious to me he needs a BIG striker and a BIG centre in order to compete on the on the search for Tin Mugs I get a bit pissed off when i read «Le Rouge Hareng» about all the various «goings on», it's time M.Grenouille spilled a few beans and helped our nerves, we are, after all, what makes the Club survive Regards to World - Wide Gooners

Few would have even dared to dream that Blackpool would spend 2010/2011 in the Premier League, competing against some of the country's most decorated clubs and mixing it with some of the world's most extravagant of talents.

Manchester United are one of the biggest clubs in football, but despite being world - renowned for their status that touches the hearts of millions, a team of just a few handle the running of the club on a day - to - day basis.

He has broken the appearances record for both club and country, has been a steadying influence in the dressing room, and is one of the few players left from the World Cup winning 2006 side.

Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann has established himself as one of the finest attackers in the world over the past few years and it goes without saying that the French international is a player of desire for a host of top clubs around Europe.

Barcelona is regarded as the Spanish giant club which used to compete in every season of Spanish top football competition named La Liga since the beginning.According to Barcelona Live Stream, it has achieved the 24th title of this top league competition.it is one of the few most popular football clubs throughout the world as well.

The mega-rich Manchester club have been flirting with Milner for some time now, before the summer World Cup in fact, and it appears the only stumbling block is Aston Villa's mammoth asking price for a player which only a few seasons ago cost them a third of what they're asking City to pay for the former Newcastle and Leeds United player.