Apologies.
I didn’t realise that comments had closed on the previous article. The site does that because old posts attract lots of spam and it’s just more work for me having to get rid of it.
The truth is I don’t really have much to say, but thought some of you might like somewhere you can continue to comment to each other, if you haven’t forgotten about the site that is.
You all know that I’m not in the slightest bit interested in speculation about who we might sign and it’s a view backed up by Smith-Rowe having signed a new contract with Arsenal after our signing him was in the bag.
Likewise, Grealish was a cert to move to Citeh and while I guess he still might, my opinion says it’s looking less likely. That’s after even I fell into the trap of posting that it was a done deal.
What is factual is that we beat Walsall last night either 4-0 or 4-1. I genuinely don’t know because I couldn’t even be bothered to read about it. Friendly results mean nothing to me after Villa players looking poor in pre-season, the year we won the league!
Am I just a tight git, or am I correct in saying watching the game on VillaTV for a fiver is bloody expensive?
I can understand a fiver if you’re going to watch at the ground, but…
Anyway, I actually found a site that was streaming it and started to watch it. Until every time I went fullscreen I was bombarded with adverts. I turned it off after a few minutes.
Buendia seems a great signing. I wasn’t at all convinced about us signing Ashley Young, but my son-in-law(ish) has convinced me that his versatilty will prove to be a big plus. It’s a very good point and apparently he looked the part last night. From the little I’ve read about his signing, he jumped at the chance to come back to Villa and didn’t want to go anywhere else. We also apparently aren’t paying him a massive wage.
The cynic in me wonders if he still owns a house around here, meaning the move doesn’t disturb much for him.
I think a big part of me was annoyed that he left us, but along with Barry, Delph and others, I don’t suppose you can’t blame him.
I’ll wish him luck. He does now play for us again, after all.
Elsewhere, we’re going to sign the world, as per usual.
August the 14th can’t come quick enough.
Comments
159 responses to “Roll on the football season!”
Holte, I really don’t think it’s the same as when Barry etc. left. The owners don’t need the money and I’m sure they have weighed up the pros and cons. I’m sure they would be happy for JG to stay (whereas Lerner wanted the cash) but also see the bigger picture. Villa is bigger than Grealish and if he doesn’t want the opportunity to lead his club to Europe and possible cup silverware then we’ll take the £100m, thank you.
When you analyse it, £100m is daft for a player that three seasons ago was playing in the Championship, has only played 2/3rds of a season in four of the last five and, by his own admission, failed to ‘turn up’ in Project Restart. It’s ManC collecting trophy players because they can.
Grealish will never attain legendary status at Villa, he will just be a good player that went somewhere else. More likely he’ll continue to push the ‘film star /celebrity’ status that he seems to covet.
The saddest part is the loss of identity. There is so little legacy in football and having a very good footballer and Villa fan as captain together with Dean Smith as manager provided something rare and important to the club brand.
Grealish’ great grandfather Billy Garraty played for the club and won an FA Cup medal; just think what it would mean if Grealish had stayed and led Villa to an FA Cup win – hypothetical I know.
I don’t wish him ill but he doesn’t go with my blessing.
Don’t get me wrong Hitch, i will not be chanting his name going forward. At least it’s done and dusted before season starts. So much for the ‘My club, my city’ bullshit. He’s decided on massive wealth and silverware at a soulless club over club legend status. He will be one of the many glory hunting cockroaches whose names will be easily forgotten in the Mancs memories.
I’m guessing when Cite$h sign Kane for £150m or whatever that they won’t be investigated for FFP. Remember how the super 6 were going to be punished for their attempts to enter the European Super league?
We will have to adapt to life without Grealish. One good thing is we won’t be so predictable going forward. Also it was getting to the point where the club was going to be re-named Jack Grealish FC with all the media circus that surrounded him. From now on it will be more of a team and not an individual.
I still think this is our best chance to break into the top 6. There are only 4 clubs which i would say are almost certain to finish above us. Cite$h, Man Ure, Pool and Chelski. Spurs and Arsenal are still in transition although Leicester remain strong with continuity. Everton could falter with a change of manager but Leeds will grow stronger unless their best players get raided. West Ham could also be strong again as they continue under the radar. Next season if we don’t make Europe, we could well be seeing our best players being picked off and back to square one again.
Holte,with the owners we have, I really don’t see our best players being picked off as in recent years. Of course players will come and go that’s the nature of football.
What the media haven’t yet got into their thick heads is we’re no longer a ‘feeder’ club, we’re serious competition. I think some clubs may just be starting to realise it.
Assuming Grealish goes, there are going to be some worried fans around as our owners go out and take their best players to restructure and strengthen the team.
Hitch, unfortunately we will not have the pulling power of the top clubs until we are playing in Europe, preferably the Champions league. If at the end of the season we don’t get a European place, there’s no doubt that our top players will be gone. Our owners can pay big bucks but the lure of silverware and playing in Europe will prove the main factor. Grealish would have listened to the players when in the Euros saying “you’re too good for the Villa” “Come and join us and win things” The same will happen with the likes of Konsa or Watkins or even Buendia if they are in the same position next year as Grealish was this year. It’s really difficult to break up the Sky 6 long term. London and the North West seem more attractive to players than the dour Midlands.
I’ve seen our club get to the ‘nearly there’ countless times before slipping back to mediocrity. Our owners have done all the right things up till now but forgive me if I don’t get too excited just yet. A case of I’ll believe it when I see it.
Apparently we have signed Danny Ings. That is great news, I really rate him.
Does that mean Watkins on the left, Buendia in the middle and Bailey on the right and Ings up front?
Even better I really rate him and Iwork with a scummer who can’t contemplate Saints without him.
Hi Sidforever I agree with you Danny Ings is a good signing and I hope we keep Ollie Watkins out of Liverpool’s clutches and prey they both hit it off scoring loads of goals we have the making of a team capable of crashing the top six and Europe So bring on the good times again. VTID UTV
New post up lads
WARRIOR here again a fellow Villan phoned me a couple of minutes ago and asked me why we signed a 29-year-old which is unusual because we have been buying younger players to build a team for the future and going forward so why did we buy Ings over Tammy Abrahams who is a lot more suited to our dream And I couldn’t give him an answer so could anyone out there answer for him. VTID UTV
Because Ings is 15 million cheaper and will score more goals over 3 years, Warrior. And more experienced, more nous. The next 3 years are key in the owners’ plans. So I don’t think they will mind if they don’t make a profit on Ings. At 40 million asking price, they would’ve struggled to make a profit on Tammy anyway, despite his age. Good business and good decision making for me.
Many thanks BFR I will relay that message on VTID AVFC