Let me say straight off, I’ve never seen first games as really meaning much.
They’re sort of in-between, as not really a friendly, but not really a proper game, where you can judge much at all.
You only have to look at some of the opening day results to see that.
But if I’m going to judge, I have to say that I thought Hull were awful and we weren’t much better.
Was I alone in thinking Jack was playing generally way to deep, to keep him out of any real trouble? Maybe.
I thought Steer had a pretty good game and I wouldn’t blame him for their goal. He did all you could ask in getting the ball away, only for our defenders to be half asleep.
But the MOTM for me was easily Hutton.
He’s the only one that I saw actually drive at the opposition and when you consider that’s not really his job, you have to wonder what’s going on?
Isn’t that exactly what Hourihane was bought to do?
Don’t get me wrong, he does get up there occasionally, but it’s nowhere near often enough.
And although I keep hearing he does the dirty work, I don’t see he does that enough either.
He’s far too anonymous for my liking, as much as the stats might say otherwise. Ok, he got a decent return, last season, but how good could that be if he was given his head?
Elmo produced the goods, but I wasn’t impressed overall.
Kodjia was greedy, yet again, but I’ve previously said I can live with that. But he looks out of sorts.
I seriously suspect he’s just not up to speed and it’ll come back.
And those players apart, I’m struggling to see anyone else as being anything more than total average.
Taylor? Oh dear.
Interestingly, Bruce is just saying that things are going to change, in that we need to go with a younger side.
Which is just as well, because I don’t see the new owners living with Bruce for long if things don’t change.
Hull, as poor as they were, made a couple of driving runs, straight down the middle, that had me thinking “why don’t we do that?”
And there lies Bruce’s problem for me.
His midfields are far too much designed to be an extension of the defence and they offer nothing in the middle.
Yes, Bruce brought on a couple of kids, but they need to be thrown in quicker, as much as I’m cautious.
It’s just that I see the current midfield going nowhere fast, especially against better sides.
Ok, we got three goals today, which is great.
But I just see us as frankly average and Bruce’s defensive attitude will not win him any favours from the owners.
Unless we’re top two, come October, Bruce will be gone.
It’s as simple as that for me.
As much as I think he’s been our best bet in giving us stability during some torrid times.
Have we got a CB lined up? I think this position is even more important than LB. We can then switch Hutton to LB and De Laet at RB. Another striker as well and hopefully Grealish staying and I think we can have a serious go this season. I would be surprised if we have a stand out team like Wolves this season. Could be several teams pushing for top 2 this time round.
Tuanzebe
According to Sky Jack was promised he could leave before the new owners took over and that’s why he’s now ‘unhappy’.
I find that I’m agreeing with Hitch and wondering if we’d actually be better off without him if he’s going to start becoming a prima donna. We’ve had far too many of them.
Before the new owners came in the best offer villa had was apparently £3m + onamah. So i think Jack should take a good look at Levy for
1) valueing him so low and
2)trying to stitch up his beloved ? villa when in dire straiits.
£20 m 3 weeks ago Jack and you would have been a spurs player with our blessing.
If you go now there will be a bad taste but are you bothered.
Spot on Steve plus he was told he could go if an acceptable offer was made – it hasn’t been and Grealish should be mature enough to accept that.
Give him a new contract with a sensible (£35m?) Release clause and see what happens?
Now being reported that JG will sign new contract with release clause. Don’t forget folks you read it here first LOL
Hitch – ‘According to the Birmingham Mail, Jack Grealish has accepted that he will not be leaving Aston Villa in this transfer window. His loyalty will be rewarded with a bumper new contract.’
Whew! Now I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season.
That if true gives me hope. To me he is the Villa and we need him bad. Liverpool had their Gerrard we have Grealish, it’s England’s lost to not pick him because he’s Championship player. Thanks to whoever’s changed his mind.
Bill I don’t think that Southgate will think any less of Jack for playing in the Championship. The problem for the World Cup was he was injured for so long and that’s what put him out of the running.
He’s just the type of player that we sorely missed in Russia and I’m sure that Southgate knows this.
Carlos Sanchez to WHU – really and Gold made a sour face over signing Snodgrass.
Hope we,get Snoddy back on loan
Daniel Levy is a man with deep pockets……….but unfortunately he has short arms………. so he never quite comes up with all the cash he has on him!
Meanwhile consider this. Had Grealish gone for £25M how many of the current Spurs team would they be happy to sell for the same money? That tells you many players he would not have been replacing. He has done the right thing, a big fish in a small pond is better than the reverse.
Really can’t understand Spurs. If they wanted Jack they could have had him if they’d offered what he’s worth in the first place. Another £10 million or whatever is chicken feed to them. So now, with half an hour left, they’ve signed no-one.
They won’t get anywhere near being champions this season, the only chance they’ll have is if they stay totally injury free all season and how likely is that?
As for Jack, if he carries on as he is, by next season I honestly think he’ll be able to do a lot better than Spurs anyway.
Rumors: Bjarnasson interest in Italy? Bryan still in limbo? Adomah in touch with multiple clubs? Snodgrass loan? Success loan? Missing out on this player and that?
Official: Grealish to stay – new contract with double pay and release clause? Gardner off to Blues.
Sanchez to West Ham.
Just for fun… obviously there is still the loan/loan-to-buy market, but still.
“Tottenham have become the first ever team in #PL history to not sign a player in a summer transfer window.” #BBC5Live Twitter
And what a bunch of wankers!
and this gem from a Spurs fan at 5pm. “Today, I’ve spent more on my lunch than Spurs have on players.”
Official Bryan to Fulham.
A lot of speculation in the last day or two, but I hope we get to know the truth about how he was able to leave. Clerical error or broken words? Given how long his transfer to Villa was being talked about in the press, I would be shocked if the club didn’t have his signature on something.
Not at all biased but F*** Fulham and F*** Bryan UTV
It does not matter what the old owners of Villa promised Jack. Dr Xia and gang are no longer in charge.
I am impressed with the start our new owners have made. Sensible buys, who are likely to have higher resale values in the time to come. I especially like McGinn addition, there to replace Hourihane?
There will be incoming loans before the end of the month, surely a left back will be included.
Finally, we have the dynamism of Jack Grealish, who will down tools or sulk, as he is Villa through and through.
Sid – may I add the word that I think is missing – will NOT sulk or down tools – UTV
Spent all day watching the rain fall at Lords and am pi**ed as a newt BUT over the moon Grealish still with us; angry at Fulham – ba***ds but believe we have done well in the window and will add a couple of good loans before end of month.
At last we have owners with the wealth, muscle and business acumen to lead us back to the top of the Prem.
Have faith, the future is bright, the future is claret and blue. UTV
Hitch
Thank you for the proof reading. You are right. I have full faith in Jack To deliver this season.
I was just reading about Spurs being first club never to buy in a summer transfer window.
Is it possible Spurs did not have significant funds for new players. Has the cost of their new stadium limited their financial clout in the short term?
No probs Sid,
That’s a good question (re Spuds) but I wonder whether it’s more to do with Levy being an ‘Ellis clone’ albeit with more clout?
Levy an Ellis clone? No way. I’ve seen Deadly smile when we win.
jack is still here lol well wonders never cease, if a top clubs had come in for him it would have been curtains, lucky for us it was spuds wannabe big club phew. hope jack can forgive us for not wanting to part. if he can rediscover last season for this one. we and more importantly he will be in the premiership at a real big club . much bigger than arsenal neighbours
looking at the summer window overall, we have ended up doing great. we snapped up a real jewel in mcginn. hearing hib fans talk about him and his old managers. clearly he will have no problems coping with the championship. also he is carbon copy of grealish, so double trouble if bruce can incorporate them both into the team.
only disappointed was that left back who looked also decent buy, albeit for 6 mill. talk of Tuanzebe starting left back, i would rather he started central then the defence has speed and can condense the play better.looking at the team this and last year i think the potential is better in this, if grealish can hit last years heights.
no striker thou. big questions over kodjia. hogan is injured davis injured, rhm looked better than kodjia when introduced, but he has massive question marks about his injuries jinx.
i will stick to us going up prediction and i reckon as champs, even with no new striker or left back
I still think we need to ‘attack’ the loan market as we need to :-
Unload Tshbola and McCormack – Richard is the ultimate and stupidly expensive sick note! so going nowhere – sadly
Find a new LB and reinforce our attacking options – it would be brilliant if we coukd bring in Abrahams and Snodgrass but nonetheless we need additional fire power up front.
no sure snodgrass is needed, he is good but he is one dimensional. he wants to cut in all the time, no pace to beat his man. just my opinions. but i agree with need a striker and left back taylor is a massive bright attack this side beacon. while kodjia i doubt will ever regain his confidence to trust his body again. all the friendlies he was dumped to floor and took a age to get up. same against hull he isn’t fully fit or he doesn’t want to injury himself again and therefor wont ever be the same player. also is massively greedy twat who never notices anybody but where the goals are. no matter how many players are between him and the goals he will try to dribble his way through them
Richards is a disgrace to the game and his once highly rated reputation. Remember Hanson predicting a future England Captain? No idea why his career has turned into absolute diarrhoea, but he has to take responsibility for a large part of this. He will only ever be remembered as a money grabbing failure. From an Aston Villa perspective, please Micah, just F*** O**, and stop bleeding us dry. You’re as bad as Gabby.
A final though, are both of these leeches Union members??? Surely it’s the only explanation.
No one wants him and he knows his career is over so just sits there taking the money – who the hell gave him a five year contract ‘cos they should be sued for gross negligence. He’s supposed to have ongoing knee problems so we should declare him unfit to play, terminate his contract forthwith and get the insurance company to pay him compo.
Worst sick note ever!
I’m very happy with the transfer window. Can’t knock Bryan for joining Fulham and premier league because he had no allegiance to us. Still maybe a chance to reinforce with the loan system. Still think we could do with a CB because Tuanzebe is untried although Jedinak can play there. A LB would be good although Hutton is okay there. A striker as well if someone with quality like Abraham comes in. And most important JG stays which is vital to our promotion hopes. So another up yours to Tim Sherwood who was promoting a last minute transfer to Spurs. And good luck to Agent Gardner on his mission to Small Heath.
Tuanzebe will be good enough at centre back i would say 100% than suliman i would bet my car and house on it. but he isn’t a full back or wing back thou he can play them he is a cb by trait thats his role. we complain because we defended our box last year, if he plays cb we can push the fook up and if a fulham type team, tried to get in behind we have the pace to recover the situation. the guy is fast and strong and i doubt their are many who will beat him for pace.
lets get to work lmao
really no need to say anything, fans will overlook whats happened as long as he performs.
looking at the squad now and what i thought it would be before new owners bailed us out. we have no excuses this season. we should really be up their at the top end, i think its stronger team so top two nothing less will do.
no need for talk. lets do the talking on the field for once.
Thrilled that the club was actually able to not only keep players (all star players) but actual do business in the transfer market… although I can’t help but think in a months time we will possibly see Hutton at LB, McGinn in CM, and Snodgrass on the right… a Scottish form of Connect 4. Majestic it could be.
Don’t forget that our transfer business might not be finished as we could still get some players in as loans. Tammy Abraham would do for me.
However, even if we don’t, I still think we’ve got enough to do it this season.
even if you don’t like bruce or don’t think hes the man. get behind the club because bruce has no backers inside the club like last season. he too will be on trial. he messes up he will go. stay positive new owners want premiership today, this meets our desire we also want premiership. this squad is good enough to win that .its all down to manager now no pressure
When Jack was out at the beginning of the season it was all too clear that the major failing of the team was its inability to create anything in mid-field. We got better when Jack returned but we were putting all our creative eggs in one basket.
With the arrival of McGinn we should now have two players who can make things happen in mid-field. I’m really hoping that they can gel as a partnership and, if they do, I think you’ll see some of our attacking players improve as well as the quality of the balls they’ll be receiving will be better too.
While we still have some deficiencies in other areas I honestly think that it will be Jack and McGinn in mid-field who will ultimately be responsible for getting us promoted.
UTV