Should we be surprised that the last week has changed a positive out look to one that ranges from measured to desperate?
A week might be a long time in politics but for Villa fans it’s just four days with ACL injuries to two key players and an embarrassing drubbing by our arch enemies from the North!
Whilst not all fans agree over Mings qualities he is a vociferous leader on the pitch and will be sorely missed. The stats don’t lie – when Mings doesn’t play we just don’t win . Since the arrival of Emery, he has probably played his best football for Villa and his partnership with Konsa was arguably the best centre back pairing in the EPL last season. Replacing him is a massive challenge for Emery and his staff
With Buendia and Mings out for the season, it also means Villa have to spend money on positions they thought were already filled which, due to FFP, may affect their ability to reinforce other positions.
Emery is on record as saying he wants two players for each position – is that now feasible particularly if FFP is a challenge and given that loan deals for players of sufficient ability may be difficult to achieve.
Take the Zaniolo deal for instance. According to reports Villa wanted a season loan and option to buy whereas Galatasaray are insisting on a loan with mandatory purchase and a share of any onward sale. Further reports suggest that Emery has insisted that Villa get the deal over the line.
Sky are suggesting Villa will let Digne, Bailey and Coutinho go if good offers come in for them to balance FFP although, it seems, we are also content to retain them in the squad – although I question that’s the case with Bailey.
It’s recently been reported that Monchi is looking at young La Ligua players for both full back positions – lower cost and lower wages with the opportunity to develop them.
In addition Villa are selling Aaron Ramsey on the basis of a buy back provision within two to three years – again is this a sign of needing to bring in money now to balance the books?
Whilst we have extremely wealthy owners who have been brilliant in funding Villa to date, the implications are that without the levels of revenue enjoyed by the ‘elite clubs’, attempting to challenge the top six is severely restricted by FFP.
So should we put away the euphoria of qualifying for Europe, Emery’s meteoric impact and the successful pre-season and be concerned about the season ahead?
I, for one, think overcoming Buendia and Ming’s injuries will have a significant effect on our season and it wouldn’t surprise me to see us struggling in the league – particularly with Ramsey and Moreno also out until late September at the earliest – as did West Ham last season for similar reasons.
Emery will, no doubt, go all out for a trophy and may now see this as the best opportunity to qualify for another European campaign rather than through the league.
See the Zaniolo transfer is being renegotiated because of concerns over muscle injury risk.
Who made the Anderton Esq. comment?
All my work Hitch (:
But seriously, have a gander at this, it’s not the best.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nicolo-zaniolo/verletzungen/spieler/392085
Yep – looked at that – think you posted the link previously.
“Even if Zaniolo has passed his medical, the English club fear that the Italian’s previous two knee injuries would affect his fitness in the long run, making him more exposed to muscle injuries.”
(https://football-italia.net/sky-aston-villa-put-zaniolo-deal-on-hold/)
Be very suprised if this happens.
Me too RSS.
Lots of mixed messages – one suggests the conditions to meet to convert from option to mandatory buy have been changed to include a minimum number of appearances.
A simple loan / option to buy wouldn’t be an issue.
Surely, there are better options the club can pursue? ‘Monchi has signed him before’ sounds like an extremely weak reason for Villa to sign him. We’re in the market because of injuries so to sign an injury-prone player to cover the injuries sounds like the bad decision-making is beginning to ‘infect’ the club again after so much progress. Do not sign this guy. Better off breaking the bank and signing Felix from Atletico (including his wages, which he’d have to reduce).
Good idea BFR – 2 problems – wages and he doesn’t want to join Villa 🙂
Just read this on Twitter 8 minutes ago Another in the bag for Aston Villa and Unai Emery, Nicolo Zaniolo is a fully signed up addition to their squad ✔️🇮🇹 #AVFC
Still not on OS Bill
I know there been some saying he’s injury prone Hitch and idiots playing silly sods about it, just got back from our static in Cornwall and bloody hell drinking with Steven Saunders played with David Platt at Crewe , Looking at wiki he in his day was with Bolton, you never know who your rubbing shoulders with , showed me pictures of him and platt saying they are mates still, the stories they got up to it’s a wonder they still ever played .
I was on holiday in Turkey a couple of years back talking to a fella that played with Platty as a kid…
He said he was truly awful, the worst player in the team!
Crazy how life pans out 😁
Might be the same lad RSS.
It’s official! Zaniolo has signed. It seems to take an eternity to get players through the door these days.
Zaniolo signs.
https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/august/18/Villa-announce-Nicol–Zaniolo-signing/
I suspect that there were some last minute demands from Villa. I suspect that Monchi is a little more hard nosed than others we’ve had.
Agreed 1874.
I suspect we played hardball with the medical and Zaniolo’s injury history particularly as Galatasaray have already got his replacement in!
My main concern is that he seems to have fallen out at Roma and there’s a suspicion that the same has happened at Galatasaray given he only signed for them earlier this year.
On the plus side he’s known to Emery and Monchi – only time will tell.
From the BBC –
‘Villa will pay a £4.25m loan fee and there is a “conditional compulsory purchase option” in the deal. If certain criteria are hit, they will pay £19.2m plus £13.2m in possible add-ons to make Zaniolo’s move permanent.’
As I said, some last minute demands. I’d guess that one of the criteria will be the number of games he plays. So, I’d guess that if he does get injured we should be able to sent him back to Galatasaray.
He’s supposed to be another level (if he can stay fit) so fingers crossed 🤞.
This is an interesting read; I like Emery’s honest appraisal and his refusal to accept injuries as an excuse.
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12942850/unai-emery-interview-tyrone-mings-injury-tactics-and-psychology-after-newcastle-and-why-he-is-still-aiming-high
What a truly wonderful human being Emery seems to be. Pragmatic. Paternal. Optimistic. Realistic. Positive. Professional.
We are so lucky to have him.
Watching Zaniola’s interview on AVTV, he was saying all the right words and his confidence in his own abilities shone through which was good. However, it was seeing him next to Emi Martinez (who is the very definition of a ‘unit’) that surprised me. I hadn’t realised that he quite such a physical presence. At 6′ 3″ and not far off 13 stones having someone like him in our attacking half might provide something that we’ve been lacking to date.
We’re not bottom of the league. Thank you Wolves 😏
Zaniolo might not be as bad as some of us might be expecting.
Certainly this article is encouraging;
https://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2023/8/19/23833815/what-can-aston-villa-fans-expect-from-nicolo-zaniolo-galatasaray-new-signing
More dodgy refereeing…
That Bin dippers pen?
A “Centurion throw him to the floor” moment.
An absolute joke .
Is it a must win game today?
I certainly think it’s a game we can’t afford to lose. With Hibs up next and then a tough game away to Burnley, we need to turn things round before the impatient section of our fan base start to get restless.
I hope Philogene gets the call ahead of Bailey because we can’t keep playing with 10 men every week. Personally I think we should stick with Cash and Digne for when we are expected to be on the offensive. You would expect Konsa to start so then it’s either Torres or Carlos. So probably Torres because of him being a left footed player who offers a natural balance. Also McGinn needs to play the number 10 role as he was wasted on the left hand side last week.
I think we can win this if we get on the offensive early so I’m predicting 2-1 🤞