Bloxwich Owl

Sounds like Brentford performed well at Villa yesterday so I wouldn't want to 'rest' players unless it was absolutely necessary. Villa Talk in total meltdown - lots calling for Bruce to go. Post from Villa Talk..... Brentford are a small club with no money at all. They have just had to sell their best three players in the last week of the transfer window, and yet they totally dominated us in front of an angry and embarrassed Villa Park crowd. They didn't have to play brilliantly, they just had to do the basics properly. They passed and moved in support of each other. They got forward in numbers when they had the ball, and they pressed when they didn't have the ball. They appeared fitter and much better organised than us. Dean Smith said before the match that they'd spent the past couple of weeks bedding in five new players. Getting them used to the system, developing an awareness of where their team mates were going to be on the pitch with the ball and without the ball in relation to them etc etc. What did we do in the last couple of weeks? We were knackered and needed a well earned break according to Bruce. We only had five players away on international duty, so we could have put in some valuable work on the training pitch with our large squad, but we decided not to. Bruce complacently said he was delighted with our performances in the last two games and that he thought we'd played really good football going into the international break. Brentford knew what they were doing yesterday, and it showed. Villa didn't have a clue, and it showed. The buck stops with Bruce, Calderwood and Clemence. Villa fans are so arrogant.

Odds on him signing for Colin before the deadline and scoring against us in two weeks time??

Newcastle United midfielder Jack Colback is talking to Wolverhampton Wanders over an initial loan move. The Molineux club are keen to sign the 27-year-old, who has fallen out with Rafa Benitez and is surplus to requirements. Hull City had been discussing a move but Wolves' ambitious project is appealing to the former Sunderland player.

Nottingham Forest's Ben Osborn is a target for Leicester City, according to today’s Sun. The Reds are said to want £10m for the 23-year-old midfielder, who has played over 100 games for the club after rising through the ranks. Osborn, who has previously attracted interest from Newcastle United, has started every Championship match for Forest so far this season.

According to the Birmingham Mail, Wolves could be set to try and bring Brazillian striker Tiquinho Soares to Molineux before the transfer window closes tomorrow. The Brazillian striker signed for Porto in January on a four-and-a-half year deal from Vitória de Guimarães following a strong start to the season where he managed to score seven goals in 16 games. Soares’ move to Porto has been an incredible one so far for the Brazilian with him netting 12 times in 15 games and making his debut in the Champions League against finalists Juventus in the Round of 16. Wolves are desperately searching for a striker and have been linked with a number of names this summer including Sheffield Wednesday’s Jordan Rhodes and Preston North End’s Jordan Hugill.

Exeter City winger David Wheeler has joined Championship side QPR for an undisclosed fee Sky Sports sourcesunderstand. The 26-year-old registered a very impressive 21 goals and eight assists as City narrowly missed out on promotion to League One last season, as they lost 2-1 to Blackpool in the play-off final at Wembley. Wheeler started out at Brighton, before falling into non-league with Lewes, before moving to Staines Town where he would earn a move back into the Football League after scoring 23 times in 70 appearances.

Wolves now being linked with about 8 strikers....... Burnley striker Ashley Barnes is being allowed to leave the club before the closure of the transfer window on Thursday - and Wolves have emerged as a potential destination. Barnes has seen Chris Wood sign for Sean Dyche, and alongside Sam Vokes and Jonathan Walters he is quite the way down the pecking order at Turf Moor. Reportedly allowed to depart should the Clarets receive an offer that meets their valuation of the player, thought to be in the region of £10m, Wolves are one side who have been linked with a move for him.

Fulham are confident of beating Norwich to the signing of Grant Hanley from Newcastle, according to Team Talk. The report claims that the Championship duo are keen to sign the defender but it is Fulham who are most hopeful of securing a deal. It is said that Fulham came close to signing Hanley before his move to Newcastleand are now in for round two, whilst Norwich are looking to strengthen their defence.

Newcastle United outcast Grant Hanley is being touted with a Canaries’ switch ahead of Thursday’s transfer deadline day. Norwich City are in the market for defensive reinforcements after a woeful start to the new Championship campaign under Daniel Farke. Norwich shipped four goals at Millwall on Saturday to go into the international break with the leakiest backline in the second tier. The Newcastle Chronicle claimed on Tuesday morning the 25-year-old is surplus to requirements and Rafa Benitez needs to offload fringe players to generate funds to bolster his plans for the Premier League.

Fulham have launched a bid to sign centre-back Bjorn Engels, according to the Daily Mail. The Club Brugge defender was a target for Premier League side Stoke City, however it appears that the Potters are focusing their efforts on signing Tottenham's Kevin Wimmer following reports of a rejected £8m bid. Engels is a Belgium under-21 international, and can play in defence or midfield.

Wolves are in a late summer battle with Sunderland to sign Sheffield Wednesday striker Jordan Rhodes, according to a report. The Telegraph claims that the Owls are willing to sell Rhodes, 29,for £7million after he missed out on a spot in the starting line-up for their last three Championship fixtures. The Mirror previously reported the 14-times Scotland international would cost £12million, but Wednesday’s asking price is now understood to have been slashed by almost 50 per cent down to £7million with just two days left to go of the transfer window. Wolves appear to still be in the hunt for a proven goalscorer, and Rhodes’ Championship record suggests that he could be the man to lead their attack as they look to earn promotion this season.

Wolves are in a late summer battle with Sunderland to sign Sheffield Wednesday striker Jordan Rhodes, according to a report. The Telegraph claims that the Owls are willing to sell Rhodes, 29,for £7million after he missed out on a spot in the starting line-up for their last three Championship fixtures. The Mirror previously reported the 14-times Scotland international would cost £12million, but Wednesday’s asking price is now understood to have been slashed by almost 50 per cent down to £7million with just two days left to go of the transfer window. Wolves appear to still be in the hunt for a proven goalscorer, and Rhodes’ Championship record suggests that he could be the man to lead their attack as they look to earn promotion this season.

Harlee Dean is the latest centre-half to be linked with a move to Birmingham City. The 26-year-old Brentford defender is interesting Harry Redknapp, according to reports. He fits the mould of the experienced Championship centre-back Redknapp is looking for. He has already recruited Marc Roberts from Barnsley and has been linked with Aston Villa's Tommy Elphick after having two bids for Bristol City's Aden Flint turned down.

Villa throwing a lot of money at it and could be in trouble if they don't go up this season......... Aston Villa will pay around £42,000 a week towards the wages of Robert Snodgrass after he completed his loan move from West Ham, according to a respected Hammers transfer guru. In a column for The West Ham Way , a former West Ham staffer who goes by the name of 'ExWHUEmployee' online and has gained a cult following on Twitter for providing transfer insights, has claimed that Villa will pay 70% of the Scotsman's £60,000 a week wages.

If true the world's gone mad....... Reading have had an £8million bid for Leeds target Jordan Hugill rejected by Preston, Football Insider sources understand. The Championship club have snubbed the offer as they are reluctant to lose their star striker so close to the end of the summer transfer window.