Talksport broke it, that lad has got to be glacially slow at his age!
Robert Pires to join Aston Villa | Football | guardian.co.uk
Robert Pires to join Aston Villa | Football | guardian.co.uk
Pires to Villa!
- Thread starter evra
- Start date
Last season he still looked pretty useful in La Liga even if he couldn't last a whole game.
Thought we'd seen the last of that prick.
Don't get me wrong I think he was a terrific player and I'm sure his passing/vision will be as good as ever, it's just a bit of a strange move coming to the most frantic league in the world when you're his his age, Serie A would have suited him better.
Good signing imo. Alot of experience at the top level which should benefit their younger players. Id expect him to play in a central role for them aswell.
Bizarre signing imo 
Did you watch the Milan derby? The first half was one of the most frantic, end to end games I've seen in ages.
Could still do a job for someone in this league I reckon, even if it is just coming off the bench to open up tight games.
Looks like Villa kids needs some backup, though I can't see Pires staying too long.
I would imagine he's mostly there to help shape the young kids they are bringing up.
How dare you mess with lazy preconceptions attributed to a league hardly anyone here watches enough to know about.
Instant ban.
One of the most disgraceful divers I've ever seen in football, fantastic player in his prime though.
Must not be enough Frenchies at Villa for Houlier's liking...
Worse than Hernandez the other day? I bet it wasn't.
Hernandez's dive wasn't that bad in terms of diving. It was just a dive. It wasn't theatrical or OTT. He didn't even make the most of it. Stood right up, got a yellow and shamefully jogged back to his position.
Stop acting like an over defensive and paranoid mother every time someone mentions something possibly hinting to do with Arsenal.
I don't know. Maybe you get off on wumming like that. That's what the internet is for at the end of the day. Getting off one way or the other.
Hernandez's was particularly shit - a complete attempt to manufacture a foul where there was no contact whatsoever.
Unfortunately I missed it, although I've seen the highlights. One swallow doesn't make a summer though, I'm sure you would agree that Serie A (which I actually quite enjoy on occasion, especially now Lazio have woken up) is characterised by a more patient style of play, especially in the build-up.
There are a few teams that buck the trend, but I believe that even Allegri has recently given way to player power, specifically Gattuso, to play a more defensive, measured style of play and bring Ambrosini back into the fold.
That's strange. Reminds me a lot of Chamakh this season.
Yes, a basic dive. It's not really diving when there's a foul. You aren't conning anyone now are you? You pretty much just wanting the free-kick/penalty rather than keep going. That's your choice.
A dive is when you're conning the ref. You've got you basic dive, falling down. Then you've got your theatrical ones (Gerrard). Then the one's that defy physics and/or real life (for example clamping your legs together, very much like Deco). Then you got your OTT one where you either lay down in the grass without moving for hours or roll around to act as your in much pain (which really deserves two yellows).
By just diving you're conning once. By diving and pretending to be injured you're conning twice. How is that not worse? And surely you've seen that kind of dive a couple of times this season in the PL. Nani for example or Chamakh.
Fair point, well made.
Pretty much identical to Arshavin against West Ham (I think). Shit to see, luckily it's the only one thus far.
I think you'll find Arshavin was pulled over by the defender, I've yet to see him dive for us. I have seen him fouled in the box by Fletcher and get nothing though.
You would've done
And the Fletcher topic comes up again 
Guess he isn't as good at it as Pires himself against Portsmouth during your "invincible, but lost to half of Europe, United & Boro twice" season.
That is ridiculous, Pete. Are we talking about the same incident? You won't see a clearer dive.
Reminds me a lot of when Houllier took McAllister to Liverpool - he's similarly experienced and an intelligent player so I can see it doing Villa some good.
Easily worse.....It was against Ireland in Paris 5 or 6 years ago, happened off the ball, didnt get a free kick either way the ref missed it.
very skillful player back in the day, also a dirty diver
fecking hell, it was 6 whole years ago now. Let it go.
I bet pete will still be talking about Fletcher and his fouls 6 years from now
I don't know. If you took the corners/penalties/free kicks away from McAllister he wasn't that useful.
Pires could do well for villa right now. They have a lot of youth in their midfield and no experience. Petrov is out for a while I think. It's a no risk transfer really.
I'm not saying he won't do well, just saying he won't be similar to McAllister.
McAllister was a great shooter of the ball but Pires has way more to his game and was a much better player in his prime.
Houllier lining him up for a coaching role is the only possible reason for this bizarre signing.
There were rumors it might be a player coach role..
I saw him a few weeks ago along with Clichy and Djorou and some other footballer I didn't know. Terribly nice guys, all of them, especially him and Clichy.
His wife is feckING HOT! He'll need some money to look after that bird, good for him going to Villa.
His wife is feckING HOT! He'll need some money to look after that bird, good for him going to Villa.