Well it’s just all go isn’t it, lately?
The transfer activity is coming so thick and fast, I’m struggling to keep up, to be honest and it’s going to take me quite a while just to get all the new names sorted in my head.
I think we all knew we were going to have a bit of a clear out this summer, but not for one minute did I envisage that Tim Sherwood would be looking to totally change the team!
So what’s actually happened today?
Rudy Gestede and Jordan Veretout have both signed five-year deals, for, I believe, both undisclosed fees.
I really can’t say I know anything about Veretout apart from he’s a midfielder and frankly, don’t know much about Gestede; except that he was fairly prolific with twenty-two goals for Blackburn in the season just gone.
Perhaps I’m being slightly optimistic, but even with my lack of knowledge about pretty much any player we’ve signed, I suspect Sherwood has carried out some great business in this window.
Perhaps the big shock of the day is Nathan Baker signing a new five-year contract.
I know he’s Marmite to Villa fans, but whatever, that’s one in the eye for The Times, who were insistent that he was going to Burnley for a puny £2 million.
That said, the Times’ story did make a bit of sense where they suggested that Baker wanted to leave to play regularly. I wonder what Sherwood has said about that?
Another surprise was the story that the club bid for Joleon Lescott and seemingly had the bid accepted by West Bromwich Albion, but then overturned by manager Tony Pulis. I’d have loved to have been a fly on the wall watching that conversation between Pulis and Albion’s owner, Jeremy Pearce and it wouldn’t surprise me if Pulis had threatened to resign, as we all know he hates interference.
I’ve had a bit of mileage in that story, in winding a couple of Albion fans up, saying we’re going to get him.
The interesting point here, is that both the fans don’t want to lose Lescott. Serves them right for taking the proverbial and offering a stupidly low £2 million for Cieran Clark, in my opinion.
And finally, some of the papers would have us believe we’re still in for Denis Praet.
Like I said, it’s all go.
And I still don’t believe we’re finished yet.
Last point is that I read a blog in last night’s Birmingham Mail, where the writer voiced his concerns that with all these new players, the team might have a problem in gelling quickly enough.
He was ripped to pieces in the replies, but the truth is, I thought he made a very valid point.
We all know that some players can take a season at least to get used to the English game, after all.
I mean, Ligue 1 is a pretty decent league, but it isn’t the Premier league is it?
I’d personally expect a third of our signings to fail and the blunt truth is, it may be more, which does give me some cause for concern.
But then, I’d take the argument that wholesale change was desperately needed, as we were going nowhere with what we had.
I’m not going to let my slight concern put me off though and I’m still excited.
Oh, sorry, this is definitely the last thing.
Can someone tell me how many strikers we have now and if we sign another one, where do we think this leaves Gabby?
Only a friendly but a goal all the same……hes at it again….Benteke’s 1st goal…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdpbzBAFsco
He will bang in 25 plus this season if he stays fit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueRrQc4U-z0
Benteke has gone. He means nothing to me now.
Gestede will fill his boots.
who gives a bugger about the past now…..Can we all be positive for the future
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/595590/Stiliyan-Petrov-Aston-Villa-Dimitar-Berbatov-talks
What’s going on with this Lambert love in?
Admittedly he had to work within tight financial restraints and he did purchase a few good uns but the football was diabolical, he’s man management skills none existent (the bomb squad?) and last but not least – he would have taken us down last season had he not gone.
Lest We Forget.
We don’t know if he would have took us down as he kept us up the 2 seasons before. Sherwood had new manager syndrome which any manager would give tbh. It’s not a love in I wanted Lamberk out after we lost 8.0 to Chelsea you could see then he was out of his depth. Still not convinced about TS but will give him till Xmas to judge
I think it was a given had not been given his P45 we’d have gone last season.
His head had exploded, his back room staff had gone (all sorts of rumours involving boardrooms and white powdery substances), he’d obviously lost the dressing room, in fact the wheels had come off in every department.
Yea your right Tiny Tim did have the benefit of NMS and who knows how this season will pan out? Personally I think we’re looking like a tidy outfit and could be the surprise package of the season but then hey ho what do I know?
Fact, we would of been relegated under lambert last season,fact he broke more unwanted records in VILLA history.fact he’s now history why bother even discussing him.
Hear, hear.
Because it creates debate, Giddy 😉
Badger I’m a strong believer in moving on,discussing possibly one of the worst managers in VILLA history is totally pointless maybe I shouldn’t of commented on the bloke in the first place.we’re beginning a new chapter time to move on from the previous nightmare.
Ps this is a form of psychological rehabilitation to get my positivity back if you can get my drift. 😉
There’s something in that, I reckon.
After Lambert’s reign, it isn’t hard to get positive.
Possibly that’s a debate on it’s own MATE, let’s see what this season brings if it’s any worse simply we’re relegated.SHITE I mentioned the R word.