So Jhon Duran has got the move he, or more likely his agent, has longed for and signed for Al Nassr in the totally meaningless Saudi Arabian desert league.
There’s only one reason you’d want to go there and we all know what it is. Money. Boatloads of it.
I’ve seen talk of £300k a week as the basic wages. Get your head around that, just as I am as I type it. Let’s say he’s signed a 3 year deal. That would be just shy of £48 million tax free. While it’s easy to say that he’ll be a rich man wherever he goes or even if he stayed at the Villa, consider that he’ll only be 24 or so when that contract is done. Then the money is earned and he gets the choice of doing what he wants.
Seriously, would you turn that down? I’m not sure I could or would have, looking back at that age.
It is an odd one though. The Saudis are throwing money at all sports to try and improve their image, but when it comes to footy, they generally target superstars who are nearing the end of their career. Are they signing Duran because they believe they can keep him for many years or have they simply seen him as the big name throughout Europe over the last six months? If it’s the latter, we should be grateful just for that extra exposure he gave us, I suppose.
Whatever, while I quite liked Duran as a striker and much better finisher than Ollie, I have no qualms about him going.
To my mind he’s a petulant sort who will never be happy with his lot. I’m guessing that he caused Emery a world of grief with his moaning, which is why we’ve let him go. If Unai couldn’t control or mould him, I pity any other manager who has to try. On the other hand, he was seen handing out gifts to the mere low life staff in the tunnel after the Celtic game and that makes him much more my kind of guy.
While I think he’s made a mistake, where he risks his reputation (any decent striker can score lots in Saudi, surely?) I wish him well. Where he goes from here is a good question. I honestly believe that if he applies himself as much as he can, he’ll become another Harlaand and score loads wherever he ends up. But I’m inclined to think he’ll become complacent and just fade away.
The really big question is who are we looking to spend it on? I’m seeing loads of talk about attackers, but I don’t see it. Maybe one striker , but way more important are defensive players. We’re apparently interested in Rashford and I don’t see that either. Good grief, why would we? Yes, on song, he’s a great player. But he seems to have serious issues and I wouldn’t touch him with a bargepole. Then again, there’s been a few instances where I’ve thought Unai was wrong, but ultimately he’s doing a stunning job and you can’t argue with where we are.
Which is 8th in the Champion’s league table. I’m still struggling to get my head around that too. For a neutral, we’re brilliant to watch, but for a fan, we’re a nightmare. It’s a roller-coaster and while we play well at times, so we are awful at others, which leads to me being probably overly-critical. It’s just the frustration in not getting what we want and I guess that’s the difference between a fan and a more knowlegable manager who sees the bigger picture better.
And so onto the Dogheads tomorrow.
Again I’m laughing to myself, as it’s another where I don’t have a clue as to how it’s going to go.
Squad news first and Matty Cash will be out for around a month. If that doesn’t lead to us getting a Right Back in, I doubt anything will, I’ve said all along that I see this as by far the most important position that needs shoring up, but it hasn’t happened. I’m not convinced it will in this window either.
Tyronge Mings is apparently close to being available, but this game is too soon, which contradicts a report I saw saying we’ve underplayed his injury. Ross Barkley is still training on his own and is about a week away from rejoining the squad.
As for Wolves, striker Jorgen Strand Larsen is out and Joao Gomes is suspended after a red last weekend. Carlos Forbes is a big doubt and they have another three or four players unavailable.
Despite a good start under the new manager, Wolves have lost their last four games, with a GD of 1 for and 10 against, which would indicate that having a striker injured doesn’t make much difference.
This ought to be easy really, but it’s a game of jeopardy, where we’re a gift to any team on a terrible run.
I’m tempted to think we’ll tear the heads off those dogs and beat them soundly, say 3 or 4-1.
But I think we’ll look really tired again and will do well to get a win at all.
I’m going for a safe draw. 1-1.
And while I don’t think that is enough for a team aiming at CL qualification, I do think it’s about as much as we can expect if I’m trying not to aim too high. Hence I’d take it as better than nothing.
UTV!
Sod Duran, that’s now old news.
The points are more important.
Watkins hat-trick…
I like that thinking 🙂
Sod Duran, that’s now old news.
Harsh 😂
We look like we’ve found our mojo and given how poor the Dingles are…
0-4.
UTV!
Local Derby – form means nothing.
I’ll be reasonably happy if we come away with a point. so 2-2.
I won’t. Need 3 points, Ardent.
Said all I want to say about Duran on the last thread – time to move on.
Villa is bigger than any individual.
Of course now we’re awash with money the click baiters have gone into a euphoric spin and we’ve been linked with about every player in Europe 🙂
Saturday – what to think? Our record at the ‘golden palace’ is truly awful and that will give Wolves and their supporters a lift. Add to that the ‘come down’ from the high of Wednesday and one would have to take the view that this is a game Wolves should be looking to win.
I’ve got a sneaky suspicion we might just surprise them. With the pressure of CL lifted for a month, we might just go out and play with some freedom. Rogers and Tielemans are on fire; Kamara is just brilliant and JJ is starting look like the JJ of old and Ollie will want to prove himself once and for all.
Sorry about this chaps – given my awful prediction record – but I’m going for a win and a top Villa performance.
UTMV
The Rashford loan is gaining traction.
I’m not at all sure about this!
Local derby seems such an old fashioned name. It was once everything and the highlight of many a season. I wonder how many of the the current squad know where Wolverhampton is. Just JJ as far as I can tell. Konza and Watkins came from the south and rest from the Football Zoo. I wouldn’t back any Premier side to beat Villa. I agree Hitch that the relief from Wednesday might just return us to a free flowing game. We can be absolutely amazing at times with football that is a real pleasure to watch. Maybe take Rashford on a one game contract.
With you Badger on the “nightmare as a fan” but right now we are living the dream.
Hitch
I’m in your camp in this one. When Rashford is on form he is very talented. However, reports indicate he has an attitude that could be compared with Duran? Would Emery be swapping one for another?
Rashford plays left wing or forward. With JJ and Rogers both able to fill that position Rashford needed? Malan can also play centre forward, so is there cover there? Malan is not an out and out right winger. Is this where Villa need to strengthen?
Still 2.5 days to go in the transfer window. Let’s see who we bring in.
Badger, I was curious about the Dogheads name. Its Saturday by the way. The only explanation came from an Article about the local derby between WBA and Wolves.
West Brom fans call the other lot ‘dog-heads’ and ‘dingles’ — ‘because wolves look like dogs’ and resemble a scruffy family from Emmerdale, according to a fan who knows. And that’s his printable explanation. Wolves fans taunt Albion fans as ‘the carrier bags’ — comparing their blue and white shirt to something cheap that you’d carry out of Tesco.
WBA probably had the worst football shirt for their female fans. OK it is a local company who were the main sponsor, and a manufacturer not a betting site, so brownie points for both. However walking around with your tits tagged as ‘IDEAL Boilers’ was an invitation to write your own punchlines.
😆
Unai would be good for Rashford, but is the reverse true? Rashford can play as a centre forward, though not as a back-to-goal type of hold-up man. Were Watkins to be injured or need a rest Rashford could cover. I don’t know how much Rashford’s attitude derives from the toxic nature of the Old Trafford outfit. If he is prepared to leave the baggage behind in Manchester and start in Brum with a smile on his face – he could do well.
OLL I agree. Playing in the toxic environment that has existed at Man U for the last few years may have taken its toll. I firmly believe that Rashford loves his club which may be part of the problem. Watching ‘The Rest is Football’ they hinted that there may also be some personal issues in the background that he is wrestling with. No doubt that Emery will be well aware of this.
However, there is a 30 goals a season player in there somewhere and, if Emery can leverage even half of that, he’ll be a real help in our push for a CL place. If Emery thinks that he’s worth a shot then I think we should welcome him to the club and see what happens.
Still no new signings 😡 Please remind me again how great Monchi is 😏 We are very good at selling players and making huge profits but…
It looks like loans only despite the fact we are still heavily involved in 3 competitions. The Rashford link is one of desperation having failed to get our first choices IMO.
We need a CB more than a striker and it’s going to cost us a Champions League place if we don’t act in the next couple of days. Letting Swinkels go out on loan when we don’t have a left footed CB available is bizarre.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Mings hardly plays for the rest of the season. His knees are knackered and I can see him having to retire before long.
The dingles at the custard bowl will be a tough fixture. Our form after Champions League is piss poor and the Celtic game cost us another injury and would have taken its toll. I think a draw is likely but we need 3 points with Forest winning comfortably.
What has happened to Brighton this season?
The only good thing about the Forest score is Chris Wood in my FF team 🙂
Just need Watkins to deliver!
People over-estimated how attractive the proposition of joining Aston Villa is. Hours from the capital, hours from the coast, training ground in the middle of nowhere, ground in a doghole. It’s emerging as a problem in my opinion, we were lied to by fan pages years ago, our transfer pull is really nothing special.
The ground is a doghole? While I know what you mean in certain parts (North stand isn’t great and nor is the Witton lane) I certainly would go that far. Many clubs would love VP as their home and it’s still near the top of grounds that other team’s fans want to go to.
As for our appeal, that’s overly harsh too. Players always mention our iconic status and our history, for instance. It’s a fair point about the location though. I was in Manchester yesterday and the level of investment there is leagues apart from Birmingham.
Even so, you forget the over-riding factor that decides where players go and that’s money. We pay better wages than most clubs.
As for the game, I really thought it was on Sunday for some reason?????
Re Rashford, I’m not keen on that one, especially if it has an obligation to buy.
I could see him doing okay at first, but then not bothering, exactly as it seems he has done at Man U. For me, I don’t think he has the desire or even interest anymore and I’m firmly of the belief that the problem is with him.
Amorin has raved about him as a player, but has said he wants high standards for all, which suggests that he is bad for the dressing room.
I’ve experienced similar when I’ve been a supervisor at work. If you have a bad egg like that, who’s probably slating all and sundry at the club, he has to go.
And if you can get a decent fee and his monster wages off the books, that would be a great result for Man U.
Far too risky to buy imo., but until the end of the season, yes.
As long as any buy element of the loan deal is an option and not an obligation, I’ll go with it.
Rashford is clearly a talented footballer, a winner and has mountains of ‘big game’ experience which will be vital for the next round of CL games.
Would he be able to play in the CL?
Oh I forgot,cause he would, Man Utd aren’t in it are they 🤦♂️
😂🤣
“Ground in a doghole”. It’s in a doghole area I mean. And rememeber Duran has just come out and said he has watched Al Nazza since he was a child so I really do not trust what new signings say upon joining.
Rashford will do well under Emery’s coaching.
I wouldn’t spout that nonsense in a pub full of Villains Alfie me old china, might not go down too well son.
Just for the record my comments been completely misread. “In” does not mean “Is”.
Thought this part was obvious? Have you seen what the ground is surrounded by.
Not confident for a win today, but I’d love to be proved wrong. Couldn’t get a ticket so the comfort of my own home it is. 1-1 to be on the safe side, but realistically after Sunday we’ve got to be looking at winning this one…
Blimey Alfie – what’s happened to the positive you?
I really don’t think your summary of our attractiveness as a team / club in the transfer market is either fair or balanced.
Can we have the real Alfie back please 🙂
I was thinking the same, Hitch!
I think perhaps my negativity in some areas has rubbed off on him, but excessively so.
Some good comments regarding Rashfordloan on the BBC Site.
Makes sense, United fans already think Rashford’s a Villain..
It is getting some legs though. Utd pay part of wage but Villa looking for a loan/buy option.
Rashford’s a top player, if he’s right?
But there in lies the question?
Well 60% of a 300k per week wages is a lot of money! So I truly hope we get this one right. As it stands, I’m genuinely not happy with this deal at all. Feels like we have done United a favour here.
If Rashford is coming to Villa, it’s a make or break move. If he doesn’t deliver at Villa, then there’s no place for him to go after the season ends. His wages will prevent all the top clubs taking the risk and possibly the only destination could be the Saudi league. If Emery is fully behind this, then there’s no better coach to turn his form around. If it’s an attitude problem, then no-one can help him.
I’m not a Rashford fan far from it , another Jamaine Genus if you ask me here to to give us nothing and throw the towel in on injuries no thanks. Badger not getting notifications on post haven’t for a long time can you advise please. As for the Baggies they’ve been in the doldrums about the Villa for donkeys years and never moved on in being a footballing club. Wolves how ever we’re once a great footballing club and never been able to advance over the years. We will always be the number one in the Midlands .
2-0 to the bin dippers and as much as that pains me it’s a good result for us.
And Newcastle lose at home to Fulham
If there was ever an opportunity to make an upwards move it’s today.
See Garcia starts – Emery must trust him
Be interesting to see if he’s an upgrade on Cash?
(and I like Cash, overly criticised IMO).
Agreed RSS on Cash
What do you make of Rashford Hitch?
Personally I think if the guys on it, he’s a class act and Ten Hag, he couldn’t motivate a worm to wiggle in the garden?
Now we have a class player under a class manager.
Could be something special?
We need an upgrade on Cash. Hope this guy is the one. He looks better going forward and has a decent cross on him. Emery must be confident to throw him in so quickly and let Ned go.
Alfie, you haven’t tried living in London or having it in the way of where you want to go. I live 40 miles South West of the centre now. I can get from my armchair to a seat in Trinity Rd (129 miles) faster than to Spurs or West Ham, by any form of transport other than a helicopter. Manchester has a good city centre but it has some very grim suburbs. Aston isn’t in the top half of Birmingham districts – it never was before Asian immigration which naturally headed for the cheapest housing.
Star footballers will look at: the squad, the gaffer, the owners when weighing up a possible transfer.
What a load of f***ing crap – first shot on goal AGAIN