Reo- Coker Agrees Terms

Maybe NRC wanted to delay so as to have an extended summer break so he didn't have to go to USA and spend an extra couple weeks with his family.

Lets all do the conga
With Nigel Reo-Coker
Da Da Da Da
Da Da Da Da - ooh

Bluddy 'eck, we are becoming Villa in disguise.

He's one of those under used players that we will just have to wait and see.

Best of luck to him.

I always ridiculed him but he's got a great name for chants and I remember he did okay for Villa in the second half of this season when he played. Not sure if he drastically increases the quality of our midfield but a good signing on a free. Happy with him and Pratley for both frees.

I've never been his biggest fan either. Can't believe Villa paid £8.5m for him in 2007.

I think he is a good signing especially on a free an improvement on Muamba

I think this is a great signing. Really pleased with the quality in central midfield now.. Together with the two lads from our feeder club, it's looking a fuller squad now.. IF NRC comes, still think we need 2 strikers and a replacement for Cahill should he go....

1 x Loan Striker, 1 x £5m Forward, 1 x £5m defender and £10m for Cahill...

Those figures make sense to me!!?'

NRC is a good player. A better Fabrice Muamba.

With Pratley, NRC and Holden fighting for places, we have a very combative midfield, yet all of the keep the ball well.

Coyle has always been harpin' on about keeping posession and we have struggled to do that without Holden. With these 2 new signings now, that should be achieved and keeping posession will lead to more chances created and less pressure on the defence.

I expect to see us keeping the ball in the opposition half better next season, we just need someone to stick it in the back of the net now

Competition for players is always good and NRC can do a decent job too. This could allow us to play 4-5-1 for some games as well which I think we need to, especially when playing away from home. This also puts pressure on Muamba which might actually improve him as he hasn't had much competition for that 'holding' role before.

In response to the OP I think Villa tried to talk to him about a new deal first so that's why OC had to wait a bit. Once it became clear the Villa were willing to let him go several clubs were interested here and abroad and I think OC handled it as well as it could be handled. He's quoted as saying on Sky Sports that he 'has several players in the pipeline but until the deals are signed and sealed I won't make a song and dance about it" which is a big improvement IMO on the nameless one's days when we claimed to be in the hunt for big names but they never materialised.

Owen seems to be more interested in getting the business done than he is in making press releases and I for one am fine with that.

With Eagles and Mears likely to come as well and with Pratley already aboard I think the squad is starting to look a lot stronger than it did a few weeks ago and I have a genuinely optimistic outlook on the coming season. I agree we still need at least one more striker and that the Cahill situation needs to be resolved ASAP but in all truth I feel much happier this term than i did two years ago.