Richard Dunne

[TrapAPony]

Enough time to get rid of Dunne anyway.

Well if it does happen, at least he got us Clark from his time at Villa.

[tricky_colour]

Looks like the trip has been a success if it has cleared the air.

[shakermaker1982]

I was reading on the guardian comments page last night that the Villa forums been buzzing about Dunne hitting the booze the last few months.

An open bar for a bunch of footballers = jager bomb time.

The club does sound like a mess though. I was reading somewhere last night that they weren't allowed to practice defending set pieces yet they continue to concede this way.......baffling.

[Noelys Guitar]

Oldest trick in the book when you want to get rid of certain players. These disagreements/rants happen at every club and it is usually kept inside the ropes. Houllier wants Dunne out and is using the media to sway Villa fans. Houllier was blaming MON last week for Villa's recent defensive errors (as if Houllier is not really the manager now). Some rubbish about zonal marking under O'Neill. Laughable stuff. I'd say Dunne will be delighted if he gets away from Houlllier and Villa. Houllier has Villa rocketing towards the championship. And their head scout has quit after only 3 months in the job. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Aston-Villa-scout-Jeff-Vetere-is-leaving-club-after-failing-to-agree-transfer-targets-with-Gerard-Houllier-article713550.html

[SwanVsDalton]

Oldest trick in the book when you want to get rid of certain players. These disagreements/rants happen at every club and it is usually kept inside the ropes. Houllier wants Dunne out and is using the media to sway Villa fans. Houllier was blaming MON last week for Villa's recent defensive errors (as if Houllier is not really the manager now). Some rubbish about zonal marking under O'Neill. Laughable stuff. I'd say Dunne will be delighted if he gets away from Houlllier and Villa. Houllier has Villa rocketing towards the championship. And their head scout has quit after only 3 months in the job. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Aston-Villa-scout-Jeff-Vetere-is-leaving-club-after-failing-to-agree-transfer-targets-with-Gerard-Houllier-article713550.html

It's not that simple. Rumour is the club are furious because there's someone, likely a player, leaking a lot of stuff to the press, and it doesn't make sense for Houllier to be giving the media any more Villa scandal than he needs to (not that he hasn't already given them plenty with his nonsense quotes). Besides, he doesn't have to sway the Villa fans much, Dunne's performances haven't exactly endeared him much this year...

Regardless the incident, while not uncommon in football clubs, is still about Dunne getting blind drunk and slagging a bunch of people off ie being totally unprofessional. He's 31-years-old and should know better.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Except he's not the first and won't be the last.

Maybe some of you have also forgotten his nationality??

[shakermaker1982]

I'm with you Swan. It cannot be Houillier because these kind of stories make him out to sound like a manager who has lost the dressing room. He's gonna be hounded about this all week by the press and it is the last thing he wants before a crunch game with Wolves.

[Noelys Guitar]

Who went to the press last week and blamed Martin O'Neill for Villa's current defensive problems? And it has to be said Dunne is only one of many players at Villa who have had run ins with Houlliers style of management (or non-management). Warnock, Collins, Petrov and others. And the table is not lying. I bet Dunne (and Collins)will have a completely different take on what supposedly happened last week. And Dunne was brought back into the Villa side after the first row and looked their best player.

[SwanVsDalton]

Who went to the press last week and blamed Martin O'Neill for Villa's current defensive problems? And it has to be said Dunne is only one of many players at Villa who have had run ins with Houlliers style of management (or non-management). Warnock, Collins, Petrov and others. And the table is not lying. I bet Dunne (and Collins)will have a completely different take on what supposedly happened last week. And Dunne was brought back into the Villa side after the first row and looked their best player.

Don't get me wrong Noely, I'm no Houllier supporter. His comments on the team have ranged from baffling to infuriating. He's alienated half the squad. And it seems certain Villa's training regime, and lack of focus on defending set-pieces, is causing serious problems for the team. I have no problem with Dunne (or any other player) raising these issues, forcefully if needs be.

Unfortunately doing so while drunk during a team jolly was not the time or the place.

[Noelys Guitar]

Don't get me wrong Noely, I'm no Houllier supporter. His comments on the team have ranged from baffling to infuriating. He's alienated half the squad. And it seems certain Villa's training regime, and lack of focus on defending set-pieces, is causing serious problems for the team. I have no problem with Dunne (or any other player) raising these issues, forcefully if needs be.

Unfortunately doing so while drunk during a team jolly was not the time or the place.

I certainly agree with you on the drunken part SvsD.

[CraftyToePoke]

Unfortunately doing so while drunk during a team jolly was not the time or the place.

True, but if they were given an open bar as has been suggested it wasnt intended to be an evening of high culture. Though, I find it very strange to see Houllier and open bar in the same sentence even.

I wonder what Dunne said to Fabian Delph? I bet it was priceless.

[seanfhear]

Houlier is a useless spoofer and I have only had one bottle of cider !

[cornflakes]

You could of drank ribena to figure that one out

[EastTerracer]

True, but if they were given an open bar as has been suggested it wasnt intended to be an evening of high culture. Though, I find it very strange to see Houllier and open bar in the same sentence even.

It does sound very unlike Houllier. I remember McAteer lambasted him soon after he arrived at Liverpool after he banned the players' morning ritual of tea and toast before training at Melwood. Maybe Richie has got some similar views about the training methods.:beer:

[Noelys Guitar]

Still touch and go whether he makes it. http://www.examiner.ie/sport/soccer/dunne-in-race-against-time-to-make-euro-qualifier-148641.html

[Sullivinho]

Christ I hope he does. If not I'd have him stationed on the PA system, issuing instructions and organising the defence from there.

[gastric]

Christ I hope he does. If not I'd have him stationed on the PA system, issuing instructions and organising the defence from there.

after he has downed 12 pints! Would make fascinating listening!

[Kingdom]

Times this morning indicating that he's a goner. Disappointed but perversely I'm excited to see what Trapatoni will do now.

[Noelys Guitar]

The Times article suggest to me he will make it. Houllier seems willing to let Dunne travel (very good sign)and as Houllier says himself the injury could be better in a week.
Irish Times
Dunne was only able to take a limited part in training this week and will not be fit for the visit of Villa’s midlands rivals to Villa Park tomorrow afternoon. Gerard Houllier, however, has not closed the door on his central defender travelling to Dublin after suggesting the injury “could be better in a week.”

[Kingdom]

The Times article suggest to me he will make it. Houllier seems willing to let Dunne travel (very good sign)and as Houllier says himself the injury could be better in a week.
Irish Times
Dunne was only able to take a limited part in training this week and will not be fit for the visit of Villa’s midlands rivals to Villa Park tomorrow afternoon. Gerard Houllier, however, has not closed the door on his central defender travelling to Dublin after suggesting the injury “could be better in a week.”

Maybe we're reading different versions?


....The loss of the 29 yr-old will come as a cruel blow to Trapattoni who is already without Shay Given and likely to be missing Richard Dunne for the Macedonia match...

[SwanVsDalton]

The Times article suggest to me he will make it. Houllier seems willing to let Dunne travel (very good sign)and as Houllier says himself the injury could be better in a week.

Houllier might be hoping Dunne doesn't come back.

[The Fly]

Houllier might be hoping Dunne doesn't come back.

I'd say that it's a near certainty that Dunne will be signing for another club in the summer time.

[SwanVsDalton]

I'd say that it's a near certainty that Dunne will be signing for another club in the summer time.

Yup. I'm gonna go out on a limb and plump for Wolves, should they stay up.

[geysir]

Dunne has been fined 2 weeks drink money by AV for his part in the bonding session.

Houllier said he "doesn't take anything personal" and claimed that Dunne and Collins, who are injured and will miss the Wolves game, still have a part to play at the club. "I've got a long capacity for forgiveness, which is very useful in football. I trust players, I trust people. I think I can be tough but I'm a nice man. I don't bully, I don't shout. [But] trust is always two-way."

[SkStu]

Dunne has been fined 2 weeks drink money by AV for his part in the bonding session.

Houllier said he "doesn't take anything personal" and claimed that Dunne and Collins, who are injured and will miss the Wolves game, still have a part to play at the club. "I've got a long capacity for forgiveness, which is very useful in football. I trust players, I trust people. I think I can be tough but I'm a nice man. I don't bully, I don't shout. [But] trust is always two-way."

thats pretty fair, all things considered. I find Houllier infinitely more likable since/because he left Liverpool.

[geysir]

What Houllier is saying, is that he's perfect, he trusts the players to realise that he's perfect and only bad things happen when they are dumb enough not to appreciate his wisdom.

Houllier knows he has no alternative but to be offering overtures of peace and forgiveness towards Dunne and Collins. Judging by that first half against Wolves, Villa are a shambles at the back without both of them.

[Noelys Guitar]

The commentator informing us that MM was delighted that Dunne wasn't playing. And that MM gave Dunne his debut for Ireland. Hope Wolves hang on.

[EastTerracer]

The commentator informing us that MM was delighted that Dunne wasn't playing. And that MM gave Dunne his debut for Ireland. Hope Wolves hang on.

The commentator is getting his facts from Mick McCarthy's press conference yesterday. (http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11699_6822131,00.html)

[Noelys Guitar]

Villa fans giving Houllier some serious stick. He might be gone before Dunne leaves.

[rebelmusic]

Another OG today.. :(

[TrapAPony]

Jamie Carragher was looking on enviously

[cestlavie]

Sure he couldnt do anything about it.

[rebelmusic]

Didn't see it now myself, the stream i was watching swapped over to some weird indian music channel. Well it's not like Dunney doesnt know how to pick himself up after scoring one of these

[SkStu]

he was MOTM apparently. Kept Villa in it. Own goal schmown goal.

[Colbert Report]

I saw the match, nothing Dunne could have done about the own goal, totally not his fault.

[paul_oshea]

He has 9 own goals now.top own goal scorer in the league.

[tetsujin1979]

he was MOTM apparently. Kept Villa in it. Own goal schmown goal.
was announced as the MOTM seconds before the goal by Sky Sports. Real "commentator's curse" moment.
George Hamilton would have been proud of it.

[Wolfie]

He could do nothing about that one - seemed almost an involuntary action.

When you're that committed a player and you ensure you're in the thick of the action, you'll always run the risk of shipping the odd own goal.

[tricky_colour]

I think he gets an own goal about once every 40 or so games, however he also scores goals at about the same rate so he has no net own goals, unlike Jamie Carragher who is 2 or 3 goal in deficit I believe.
When you play hundreds of games in central defence you are bound to pick up the odd own goal here and there.
The only own goal I can recall scoring myself was in the one match I played for the school team so it does happen to the best of us ;) I did get an assist in that match though so no harm done overall :p

[TrapAPony]

Just scored against Westwood

[drummerboy]

Dunne had a superb game tonight against Arsenal. Didn't deserve to be on the losing side.

[drummerboy]

Dunne linked with Bolton

http://www.footybunker.com/bolton-wanderers-to-use-cahill-money-on-aston-villa-defender

[EastTerracer]

Great to see - a Robbie Keane assist for a Richard Dunne goal at the emirates.

[DannyInvincible]

Just gave away a penalty with a bad sliding tackle.

[BonnieShels]

Henry coming on... worth a red card?

[tricky_colour]

Just gave away a penalty with a bad sliding tackle.

I am not so sure he gave it away as I saw it he took the player out because otherwise he
would have scored.
I've only seen it once but to me it look as if giving away a penalty was the best option.
Maybe Given was getting there first because of a heavy touch but Dunne can't really know that in advance and really has to commit to the tackle. I guess the defending was not great all round. I think he was trying to stop the ball being cut back for the Walcott goal.

[Charlie Darwin]

The entire defence was a shambles in the second half and he has to take responsibility as the chief organiser. He was awful for Walcott's goal.

[Scooby Doo]

Henry coming on... worth a red card?

"I'd waited long enough. I f*cking hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you cu*nt."

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/01/27/article-2092848-019A05D90000044D-527_634x506.jpg

[Colbert Report]

Five Irish players on the pitch for Villa at once - Given, Clark, Dunne, Ireland and Keane. When was the last time this happened in a match between two Premiership teams?

[DannyInvincible]

Last week. Or the week before. :)

There were six Irish players on the field in Villa's game last week against Wolves; Given, Dunne, Clark, Keane, Ward and Foley. The week before, there were even more. Given, Dunne, Clark, Ireland, Keane, Duffy and Gibson were all on the pitch together at one point when Villa played Everton.