Okay, so it’s just a quick one, basically so we can move on from the last post, where the subject has become a little out of date.
I said in the previous batch of comments that I’d take Grealish at £30-40 million, but he’d have to be willing to cut his wages to suit our wage structure. Although in fairness, you might expect that we’ll have to step the wages up to what would be commensurate for a Champion’s league club with aspirations of staying there. Still, it won’t be anything like the £250-300k a week he is supposed to be getting at Citeh.
It turns out that the rumours are that Greasy is going to Bayern anyway, so this probably won’t happen, but it’s a nice thought, because there’s no doubt that he’s a Villa fan, as much as many fans felt he’d let the club down. My stance is that quite simply, I don’t blame him for going for the money. He has his future to think about, after all. But now he’s ensured he’s banked millions, he could afford to look at more than the wages side of things, although I’m not sure I’d like to see my wages reduced, even at my lowly level unless there were big plusses to balance things.
Whatever, why would I take him?
Well, I believe he would give us options.
Many of you probably know I think fullbacks will always favour defence or attack. It’s exceptional to see someone who’s good at both, although Kyle Walker springs to mind, yet it’s his pace that helps him out.
I get where the doubters come from when they say that Pep has knocked the spontaneity out of his game. But I think that’s actually a plus, because now Jack can play to a plan, which we all know Unai very much believes in.
My thinking is that whereas we currently have Digne or Moreno marauding down to left to often good effect and producing dangerous crosses, so both in my opinion are poor defensively and it’s worse when they’re caught out of position.
Hence we could play Grealish on the left, in a forward position, which would allow us to bring in a better defensive left back who doesn’t get forward as much.
I think we’ve already got that sort of thing on the right, where we have Cash (albeit not quite good enough imo) linking up with Bailey or Diaby.
Taking Grealish would allow a similar thing and make us more balanced.
Plus then, we could get Grealish moving in from the left or just simply playing in the hole.
Options, as I said.
I won’t even mention his ability to win a free kick.
I know he has a checkered history outside the game, but I’d suggest that the press chasing him would reduce because of his lower profile and he’s likely to just grow out of his clubbing etc quite naturally anyway.
So there you go, those are my thoughts.
Feel free to tell me why I’m wrong.
Comments
133 responses to “POLL: Should we take Grealish?”
I don’t get the ‘Saka on back pages after defeat’ storm, but I daren’t go there. Can someone explain what the fuss is about, please?
Me neither BFR.
I see the Villa website has published the prices for various packages.
It falls under the title General Admission (GA+) season ticket
The Lower Grounds: A1, A2 , A3 & P2
Adult: £2,700 Under 14: £2,250
The Terrace View: K2
Adult: £1,860 Under 14: £1,550
The Cells: R2
Adult: £1,560 Under 14: £1,300
There is a full description of what each package offers.
Is Dougie on his way out? Personally, I’d be gutted to see him sold. Entering his peak years and plenty more to come. A mistake if avoidable.
I hope Dougie going is one step back and two steps forward.
I actually will feel a little relieved to get a few players out the door before the month is over, comply is ff-F-p and then we see some quality come in next month. Dougie would have been a keeper for me but the difference now is I trust Emery and Monchi to get it right. If Dougie has to go, let him go abroad as I couldn’t bare to see him in an Arsenal shirt
Agreed Tom – if he goes to Juventus fair enough but not to the Arse – please.
If he has to go, then at least it’s not to a local competitor. And who knows what possible buy-back clauses might be applied to the contract.
Not so sure about the supposed part-x involving “Samuel Iling-Junior and Weston McKennie” as per B’ham Live, though. While I know that we have to trust that Emery & co will get the right players in, McKennie wasn’t over-impressive at Leeds a couple of years ago.
I’m reminded of the great Bill Shankley’s comment when watching Luiz –
Is he a good player having a great game or is he a great player having a good game?
I’m a big fan of Luiz. It was only the last month or two when is form dipped a little. It would be a mistake to let him go unless we signed a quality replacement. Maybe Gallagher could be but I doubt we are likely to compete for his signature.
Only the Villa hierarchy know how much money we need to raise to comply with FFP or whatever bullshit rules are in place currently. Convenient for the big 6 to maintain their status.
The media are desperate to see the likes of Villa lose their big players to the clubs they are attempting to challenge. You can be certain that all the Villa lads involved in the Euros will be tapped up as we have experienced in the past.
Sky reporting that a deal with Juventus is close.
The two Juventus players named are (according to Sky) not in a part x deal for Luiz but part of the same negotiation. So, if this is true, for FFP reasons expect Juventus to buy Luiz before 30th June and for Villa to then buy the two Juventus players after 1st July. The way the actual cash is paid is irrelevant it’s all about qualifying revenue before 30th June and expenditure after 1st July.
I wonder if Villa tried to structure a similar type of deal with Arse (around Gallagher) who refused to play ball because the last thing they would want to do is help Villa with FFP – just a thought!
If the EPL want to run with crass financial regulations then they have to expect teams to find ways around them and, if we want to play with the big boys, we can’t afford to be nice – nor will our owners to achieve their ambition for the club.
Oops – confusing Chelsea and Arse – easily done.
Principle remains the same though.
Still rumoured Chelsea want Duran and Villa want Gallagher as part of the deal!
Don’t sell Duran! At 20 years old, he’s an unbelievable talent. In 6-7 years, he has the potential to be one of the best strikers in the world, in my opinion, and worth 3-4 times what we’re hearing. This could be a mistake as big as Chelsea selling Salah and De Bruyne. And Villa selling Cahill. The talent is raw but it’s clear for all to see. If he wants to go, he’s a fool – doesn’t Champions League football mean anything to him?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13518843/Aston-Villa-owner-Nassef-Sawiris-legal-action-Premier-League-PSR-rules.html
From an interview in the FT today.
Bloody hell! Our owners are simply speaking the truth when they say the existing rules cement the status quo…
Good for them – our owners are not going to mess around and the EPL needs to start realising their protective financial rules are not fit for purpose.
Badger, we need a new thread. This is huge. Mr Sawiris, we salute you! It’s about time somebody took it to the bent PL! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
It’s beyond a f****** disgrace that we’re being forced to sell players after last season’s effort and success. Ridiculous. And it seems Sawiris gave them a chance to do the right thing with the more than reasonable request to raise the amount off loss allowed within very logical parameters, factoring in inflation. They said ‘no’.
OK, have it your way. See you in court d***heads…
The Champions League coefficient stinks. ManU are allowed to spend a fortune becuase of their performance over the last 20 years even though the last few have stunk.
Rigged. And bent.
Sawiris has said as much albeit in coded language.
I don’t really understand what Citeh have to complain about – surely it’s teams like Villa and Newcastle that are affected the most?
I think with City it’s more a “back off and don’t f*** with us” thing, rather than a legitimate, valid grievance – giving the PL something to think about before the November hearing. Why November when Everton and Forest were dealt with in double-quick time?
We shouldn’t be selling Luiz at 26 years old, in my opinion. Two more years and we’d still get a very good price for him. He’s at his peak and the club have nurtured his talent for half a decade. Why cash in now when he’s about to repay all that work at the highest level of club football? If we’re being forced to sell, it’s tragic. If not, it’s foolish. Either way, I for one will be very sorry to see him leave VP.
Just how on earth are Chelsea able to offer £42m for Duran and yet we can’t do a bloody thing yet until we get some out the door.
I think I’d let that sale go through and quickly the pull the plug on dougie going out.
Quote from John Townley on X:
“The Premier League claim their financial rules “promote aspiration of clubs”, yet debt-free #AVFC are selling a key player following UCL qualification and after spending less than every ‘big six’ club over the last four years.
Douglas Luiz’s transfer proves the system is broken.”
Exactly. And if we lose Dougie because of it, I hope Villa take the PL to the cleaners and claim damages. P***ed off.
DON’T GO, DOUGIE!!! 🙁
Would hate Dougie to go one of my favorites,think his best years are ahead of him
We are creatures of habit. We often start off not liking a player and then love them and do t want them to move. Dougie would be a classic example of that.
We all agree that PSR rules are warped and protect the established elite. It we are going to gate crash the party and overcome all these pathetic obstacles in our way. I believe NSWE, Emery, Monchi and Heck are the real deal to deliver.
And now the transfer window is about to open. To me it all boils down to faith in Emery and Monchi to improve the team through key transfers.
Look what Emery has done. He has basically taken an inherited team and over the last 18 months improved every player. He has maximised the players resell values and taken this particular team as far as it can go.
This summer is the first evolution of his team. It is very likely Luiz, Duran, Coutinho, Cash, Dendokar, Chambers and Archer will all leave. Only Luiz was a nailed on starter. But he has had a new contract put in front of him sometime ago and not signed. Time to cash out. The perverse football punative financial structure means Villa cannot allow valuable players to run their contracts down. Luiz has to be sold. Cash was not trusted and Durán has real promise but his attitude is not right. Similarities to Chuckamaka – who he can join at Chelsea.
I can’t wait to see who comes in. The new improved Barkley for £5m is a great deal. Whose next? Will McKennie come to Villa – I’m not worried about his previous Premier experience, he was just returning after an ACL and playing for a relegation Leeds team. Iling- Junior looks a great prospect. I want go beyond these players, but Monchi and Emery will surprise us. And I bet that whoever they buy and the players coming back from long term injuries will leave us better as a team than the end of last season.
Thank you, Sid. You’ve somewhat calmed me with that very well reasoned analysis of the situation!
Just watched a 3 minute highlight reel of Adam Wharton. The first time I’ve seen him play. Stunning. His link up play and vision are unbelievable for his age. I’m gonna put the cat among the pigeons: if Palace keep that team together, they’ll challenge for top 4 next season…
And look no further for who should start alongside Rice for England. Although Trent would be a decent shout as well. Looking forward to Sunday’s game…