I’ve been waiting a week since my last post for something more solid to happen, but sadly I’m reduced to speculation again.
I’m sorry, but I find it difficult to wind myself up about speculation these days, as I’ve had my fill of it over the years.
But that said, some of the speculation raises some decent points for discussion.
The fist one is Hamburg have apparently bid £8 mill for Jordan Ayew, if you believe the Daily Mail.
I find this an interesting one, as although we can pretty much get our money back here (and get rid of more fat wages), Tony Xia has come out on Twitter and said the player is staying.
The report comments that Ayew has scored 3 goals in 2 games, but what does that mean, given the opposition played?
I suspect the only way Ayew will be leaving is if we have a seriously better prospect lined up, as his versatility in being able to play anywhere up front or just behind makes him quite valuable to us, given the supposed lesser opposition we’ll be facing this season.
I have a feeling he’ll be staying, unless he really, really wants out.
Then RDM is apparently willing to let Brad Guzan go on a freebie, to Middlesbrough.
This one makes much more sense, seeing as we’ve just signed Gollini, as although I fail to remember what sort of wages the former no 1 is on, you can bet it’s way too much.
So yes, I suspect there may be something in this story.
There’s other stuff, that talks about Vertout’s advisors not fancying his move to Marseilles.
Oh, what’s that agents?
A player wants to move for maybe less money, which doesn’t suit you?
What a shame and F*** you, is my opinion there.
If the lad isn’t happy, wants to move and thinks he has better opportunities elsewhere, even if it costs him money, then he has my blessing. Regardless of my opinion of him as a player.
I actually find this story quite refreshing and wish him all the best if he does leave. 100% fair play to the lad.
And then there’s the news that we’ve sold out our 2,000 ticket allocation and have asked for more, for the Sheffield Wednesday game.
I’d have asked for a boycott at £42 a ticket normally, but I also knew that it would be a waste of time.
I watched the Villa play there around 1979-80 and the ground is very high on my list of football experiences.
For those of you who have yet to experience Hilsborough, but are going, fill your boots; as no doubt while it’s not quite what it used to be 30 odd years ago, it’s still a brilliant ground, I’d guess.
Massive stands and nearly on a par with VP, in it’s heyday.
Only nearly, mind.
In the meantime, we might be in for some players, if you believe the rumours.
But we have to get rid of some first.
And I seriously think this might lead to a few unpleasant surprises.
Comments
127 responses to “Ayew to Hamburg, Guzan freebie to Boro, Villa sell out Sheff Weds and other stuff”
ravel morrison what do we think off this guy ??? seems like we are close to signing him, bookies have cut our odds on him signing. iam not sure about his temperament didn’t harry redknapp have problems with him
He seems a bit wayward Nath, but take a look at him on youtube. Amazing talent. Saw an interview with Rio Ferdinand where he said that Alex Ferguson took him over to watch Morrison who he said was the best 14 year old he had ever seen.
On the other hand he reminds me of Balotelli!!!
yeah ur right, his talent has never been in doubt. but he might be a balotelli like you say. his club record isn’t that impressive, never settled anywhere. RDM will be the first to get a tune out of him or join the long list that haven’t
big gamble if we part with money and big wages, but if its free and medium wages its a gamble worth taking
That’s my take too Nath. He is a player that could be worth the ticket price on his own though.
I agree with you both: could be fantastic if he grows-up a bit and learns some discipline – as long as we’re not spending a fortune on him..
Everything says that he’s got fantastic talent, and has had quite a bit of experience at Championship level during his loan spells; at the same time he’s still immature at 23 and seems to have that unfortunate comparison with Ballotelli hanging around his neck!
From Dr. X on Twitter –
‘Ayew and Amavi will definitely stay! We’ll get striker but be confident with the manager team knowing what to do!’
Good news if true. I’ve got a feeling that both Gestede and Ayew will profit from Amavi being in the team as he was our best crosser of the ball before he got injured.
Looking forward to the game tonight!
I registered in the week and a soon as I did it they prompted me to sign up on the contract which I did not do……
Today I have logged on and no sign of the match tonight ???…probably a good thing as it sounds like a defeat coming.
I found this link but then again I’m signed in.
https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2016/07/23/pre-season-fcnantes-live
thanxs pat for the link. i also had signed in earlier but just took me to a pay for contract page and duration. but i used the link u posted and i see the screen ready for kickoff. cheers bud i thought i was gonna miss this game lol
Cheers Pat 57 ….got it with your link …just hope its still there later. Feels strange that its only 2 weeks to big KO……just cant see us getting anywhere this season…..hope tonight convinces me otherwise.
Didn’t know was only 2 weeks for ko shows how bothered I am. We’ve no chance with team we’ve got more or less the same crap as last year. Mid table finish at best unless we sign some more players. But Dr X dosnt seem to have funds to make is half decent again
Oohah, go back to bed mate, I’ll let you know when to get up.a gentle reminder we’ve not started yet but it won’t be long. :-).
Ha ha. You know I’m right 🙂
Time will tell oohah, but up till now and with todays game you are not wrong.
have a little faith crapgame ( please allow ) its off kellys heroes always with those negative waves.
lerner has gone, new dawn is upon us the king is dead long live the king VTID
According to Twitter the team is –
Gollini, Hutton, Elphick, Baker, Cissokho, Bacuna, Westwood, Gana, Veretout, Ayew, Gestede.
nantes stadium looks like a non league, please tell me this is a training ground and not their stadium
What stadium?
Don’t want to be negative, but looking at that team its more like last years team selection. We really need new faces in.
Good save by our new goalkeeper, not a lot to say at the minute.only 8 minutes in .
We look terrified of the ball
Watching this it feels like RDM could be making a last check on a few players before allowing them to go.
Truth, we are negative, pass pass no taking on, this will not please us fans, same problems i can see.
There’s nothing new in an offensive way in this lineup is there? Seen it all before. Most worrying is we still haven’t found a way of supplying the ammo for Gestede.
Bacuna looks lively.
less said about the first half the better, lmao only glad we never had to pay for it.
First half over, im worried in seeing what we offered, this spells Park parks park football, no desire to play the man, its pass the ball , in other words i dont want it you have it. Thats not football to me, am i old fashioned now and dont see the game as we had years gone bye? Sod it im changing to cricket if thats the case.
Goal Gestede, well we are winning.
Remember last time we won away with Gestede scoring….what happened next……HELP.
Only good thing I saw was the Captain trying to organise the defence at a corner in dying mins…the last 5 years we would have let a goal in…….see Mr Grealish is still a tosser.
can anybody tell me when the french league starts. they looked much fitter and stronger than us. better second half, who’s next ?? we need another testing game before start of championship
Surprised at the above comments – were we watching the same match?
I thought we played with a purpose and quite a lot of commitment. There was actually a shape to the team, a little defensive perhaps, but given out previous frailties in that area I’m not surprised.
We deserved the win against a good top division French side. Gana was absolutely immense and the best player on the pitch by a mile and (dare I say it) Hutton also played his socks off.
I think this is one of the best games I’ve seen Villa play for quite some time.
Roll on the Wednesday game!
Yes you did watch another match…I watched one with no penetration.
Pat57, im surprised at what you’ve seen? Sorry my mate but lay off the Guinness for a while.
Yes there was no penetration but we won didn’t we? As our defense was the major problem last season it was nice to see us stay in shape and give no last minute goals away. Don’t forget that we’re still very much a work in progress.
It was a friendly but we won. What the f*** do you want?
No need to get upset and start swearing just because some don’t agree with you.
Now calm down before you have a heart attack.
What the fuck do I want,? Well pat57 a game of football would be nice for a change, ok the goalkeeper played well and we did keep the shape in defence, but sod this passing to get rid and not creating chances, if you like to see that in a match I don’t, its all about attacking defences not tip tap football. I would not want to pay to see that every week, would I he’ll.
i have to side with bill & div3, but that said doesn’t make my opinion right. i just can’t say the match was anything but boring first half. second half got alittle better, but we offered nothing in attacking sense.gestede was isolated which is a worry.
our defensive shape was good and goalie looked a save pair of hands but i thought the french team wasn’t that much better than us. two poor sides going forwards. i know it was pre season and its about fitness. thats why i will say it was a decent workout and needed, we will improve for this game.
Quicker Di Matteo goes the better
Typical negative Italian.
Italian!?, he’s Swiss. He may’ve played for Italy but he was definitely born in Switzerland!
Two bad teams playing this evening. We played bad and won not a bad thing. There must be major improvement in the next game. I keep repeating myself we need new faces in ASAP. Last seasons players get rid. Except Ayew and Amavi.
Some simple observations on the best use of Gestede. He reminds me a bit of Fellaini, and a little of Heskey. He is not the sort of forward you can lob long balls up to and expect him to take then out of the air and shield the ball until colleagues run into position. Therefore if we are playing long balls forward we need another forward to do this task. Or – more likely – we need to get the wingers on the ball. Crosses into the box for Gestede need to arrive on his head from an angle of less than 90 degrees from the direction he is going to head it. I.e. the winger gets to the goal line and crosses back towards Gestede. I have also noticed Gestede is much more likely to score with his feet if the ball comes from his right than from his left.
Let me know when this penny seems to have dropped.
Absolutley right. We haven’t had a real center forward since Peter Withe. He would get the ball and nobody could take it off him.if we are going to play a 4-2-3-1 system then you need your #9 to control the ball and keep it.
gestede is a problem, he does need crosses which we rarely deliver. he doesn’t give you a starting point,somebody you can feed or punt the ball too and he holds it up and feeds midfielders coming on to the ball. in fact hes poor at holding the ball up. yesterday he was invisible until he scored
if he is the main attacker, we need to see more from him, we also need a better plan to getting him into the game. causing trouble for defenders. he is easy to mark outside the box.
this is why i didn’t mind Gil leaving he wasn’t a winger that crosses and stays out wide giving the team a option. he always drifts inside. to get the best out of gestede. we need players like green that love to run the line and cross inviting balls into the area of danger and this is where gestede comes alive
Morning Nath, I don’t think I was out in saying that game apart from the defensive point of view was petty much a reminder of last season’s games, why can we not find a player in midfield that’s solid and penetrates other defences? Did we not stay in our own half for most of that match, how many times we lost the ball, but have to agree we got it back most times, but shots on goal? 3 at the most.
with the ball we did nothing bill adventurous, which is a massive disappointment as it was a friendly. surely you try to attack and take the game to the opposition without fear. ur correct we stayed in our own half. passing from right to left and back, but we never worked the ball in their territory under pressure.
i don’t want to be to critical of the performance, cause number of things contributed. but like you and most villa fans we want to get back into premiership. to achieve this we will have to score goals and last night we created nothing.
good points we worked hard out of possession, goalie looked like he gave the defense confidence that he was there if they messed up. and defense looked organized.