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!”
Hello, is anyone out there? 🙂
Yes and its my diamond anniversary today and getting inebriated. Cannot wait for the season to start and full of hope the signings play their part in giving us hope of winning something this year. Im not bothered that players turn us down I just hope they regret what they do. hope your problems are solved Badger and your regenerated for the new season.
Congratulations Bill – man 60 years that’s a hell of an achievement. Jan and me celebrate our Golden in a couple of months time and that seems a long time 🙂
Perhaps this coming season we will start to see a Villa back at the top of the tree – it’s been a long time coming.
Have a brilliant day.
I’m late to this Bill but I hope you and the wife had a lovely day.
Blimey, I didn’t expect a reply that quickly.
Congrats to you and the good wife on your diamond and have a great night, Bill!
Good to have you back badver
I’m sorry for spelling mistake Badger
A belated congratulations to you Bill. You have beaten me by 50 years so far! 10 years was more than enough for me.
Onto the mighty Villa, I am genuinely excited by what the season ahead might bring. We have top class owners and a forward thinking manager who knows our passion. Buendia will prove to be a great acquisition I reckon and the only worry is Jack leaving. If he stays then we will have as good as most clubs in the attacking third. The crop of youngsters coming through look capable of breaking into the first team and can save the owners a lot of money. All in all a real cause for optimism. I see no reason why we can’t break into the top 6. Looking at the clubs who finished above us, there are two with new managers and a rebuild. Arsenal, West Ham and Leeds are all catchable. Just a few weeks before it all begins again and with full crowds. 🤞
I did see that we were predicted to finish 11th. If we don’t lose Grealish, I’d be confident in saying we’ll finish higher than that. The right signings and 6th might indeed be possible, Holte.
Otherwise, anyone got any thoughts on this Bailey bloke?
I read somewhere that another club has pulled out of chasing him because he has an attitude problem.
Us being interested in him is possibly rubbish, but it seems we’ve had a £30 bid knocked back.
Well Badger its one of them situations, he certainly knows where the goals are been on tube watched the videos of him and liked what I’ve seen, big problem is he’s from one of the dangerous parts of Jamaica so he might have that nasty attitudes from his childhood, it’s one of those things take a chance and hope its the right thing or not. He has the willingness to beat players and skills to match not like some that switch on and off in a match. At 23 he’s still in that funny years of getting there or not. I’d say yes on his abilities.
There were two Villa fans callers on TalkSPORT this week with Andy Goldstein and Jamie O’Hara. Both fans had the temerity to hold the view that Villa would have a good season this year and a good chance of Europe. Both presenters slaughtered our fans.
It reminds me when we won the league and European cup, the media dismissed our achievement. I am firmly of the belief of the false dawn under Randy Learner that we now have the ownership who truly want success and are equipped to deliver it. I really look forward to us sticking it up the noses of the ‘experts’ who like to deride our club.
Sid my old mate them are jobs for the boy’s on talk sport and go after reaction to promote the program. I’m like yourself Villa to the core,a bunch of idiot will be sitting their at the end of the season not admitting they have said it. If anybody came back at them they would switch them off. Villa till I die me sod them.
TalkSport – TalkShite more like.
Not sure why anyone listens to it unless their Blues or Baggies fans of course!
Normally I don’t take a lot of notice of friendlies soma 2-0 defeat at Stoke is meaningless (they always seem to beat us anyway! Except Wesley managed to get himself red carded after 7 minutes on the pitch – in a friendly.
Not sure what the sanction is in respect to game suspension(s) but, once again, Wesley raises serious doubts over his value to us?
Apologies for the typos etc.
I’ve never rated him in the slightest, Hitch. Get rid, for me.
Same as Davis, fwiw.
Which means we need a back up striker. Tammy isn’t going to come to play second fiddle and nor is any top rated striker, so we most likely have to look at an old warhorse.
Someone like Pukki. 66 goals in 120 appearances for Norwich isn’t to be sniffed at.
To think we paid £22 mill for Wesley. Just wow.
Have you seen the red card handed to Luiz after VAR upgraded it from a yellow?
Really VAR is a joke and football is becoming a parody of itself. If anything Gradel should have been yellow carded for the worst acting ever seen in a football game 🙂
JT leaves Villa to continue his career and quest to become a manager. He’s not taking a managerial appointment but is looking for further experience around Europe.
Good luck to him; he’s been a good servant of the club for the relatively short period he’s been at VP
I’d like to shorten one leg of whoever bought Wesley by 3 inches. HTF did he pass a medical? Hopalong never made a match-winning performance before he was crocked and the red card is the final straw for me. Out please.
FWIW suspensions in friendlies only count in friendlies so Wesley must miss 3 for Villa.
Absolutely and we won’t miss him in the remaining friendlies.
Sadly we’re stuck with him as no one else would be daft enough to buy him!
We need to send him back to S. America – do you think River Plate would give us £5 as part of a deal for Alvarez 🙂
First of all good luck to JT in his future management roles. His influence as a player and leader have contributed to our climb from championship to where we are now.
For my sins I paid for Villa TV and watched the Stoke game. The first goal was impressive from a Stoke point of view but Steer made a pigs ear of his positioning. In fact he has looked dodgy in both games so far which makes another goalkeeper a must. Stokes second goal however was real quality so no blame on anyone.
I agree with the general mood that Wesley isn’t a backup / alternative for Watkins. It looked like Wesley was limping immediately after coming on as a substitute or is it his one leg being longer than the other? Whatever it was, he simply isn’t good enough. If we have to offload either Wesley or Davis on loan or sold, for me it has to be Wesley because at least Davis contributes despite not being a goalscorer. Maybe Smith can get another striker and consider Louie Barry or Brad Young getting some game time.
Holte / OLL – I wonder whether his crucial ligament injury has accentuated his limp? Was it the same leg?
Just a thought – if so maybe we could claim the transfer fee back on insurance
🙂
On a serious note though, I wonder whether that injury will ultimately end his career which I wouldn’t wish on any footballer.
Maybe the club or Wesley himself should sue that prick Ben Mee for the assault at Turf Moor that caused the injury?
Didn’t Paul Elliot take Dean Saunders to court for ending his career? I’m surprised no one’s done something similar since. Pickford should have been done for GBH for what he did to Van Dyke last season. If there were more severe consequences, shit players would learn to control their tackles, as a proper tackle should be made, rather than the demented ‘rush of blood’ which so often leaves some poor sod out for a year and never the same player again.
Maybe Wesley isn’t good enough. But I believe he nutted the guy at Stoke for a bad tackle. So his reaction is completely understandable. He’s suffered a career-threatening injury and looks to be still feeling the effects, despite making a comeback, so it’s no surprise that he lost his shit when he felt someone went in OTT, especially in a friendly.
More protection for players, please, and more consequences for shitheads like Ben Mee.
I thought Wesley was crap on the pitch and should never wear a villa shirt again but was justified in butting and grabbing for what I thought was a dangerous OTT tackle I also paid to watch it. VTID
Good points BFR / Warrior.
Has anyone else read JT’s brilliant message to Dean Smith posted on Instagram (AV Official I think but instagram’s a bit beyond me!) if not then it’s really worth a read – 75,000 likes says it all.
He was a god at Chelsea but Villa fans will, I believe, have taken him to their hearts as a true Villan who has contributed to the rise in the club over the last four years.
See we’ve been linked with Will Hughes at Watford (formerly at Derby) – 26 attacking mid fielder, likes to run at defences and good passer of the ball.
Always liked him as a player – mottled price £12m which seems decent value.
Stalled contract talks at Watford and has been ‘bomb squadded :-)Watford’s GK Foster recently tweeted ‘don’t go to Villa’ so maybe something in it – replacement for Hourihane?
*mooted price – duh!
Hitch, I thought it was Leon Bailey we’re in for, €30 million turned down they want €35 .whats that!, £25.5 million? I’d go for that. As for Wesley a right cock up on having him from the start, get rid and be done with players like him .I said it last season him and Davis don’t fit in at Villa Park.
Bill, apparently so. Hughes seems to be a new addition to the list and one that has a ring of reality to it.
I’m getting more concerned over these Grealish to ManC rumours though.
Can’t help feeling a bit sorry for Wesley – much of what’s happened is not really directly his fault.
Still think it’s wishful thinking Hitch on City fans part, the lad been at Villa since six , it’s a big move from home in my mind. I’ve screamed his abilities from day one and yes he needs honours in his footballers career. But I’m betting he will give it another twelve months because of the love to the club . I hope.
Hi everybody the Warrior here got my new villa shirt today for the new season and I got to thinking how many supporters bought their shirt with Grealish on the back especially if he ends up being a Man City player And could anyone tell me we’re Mungo Bridge is heard nothing about him. Warrior VTID
Listed in U23’s and not heard of any loan for him
See Revan has gone to Grimsby on loan – useful left back.
Funny bit of business though singing Azaz (20) after being released by Albion and then sending him out on loan! Apparently Mark Harrison knows him from his time at Albion and must rate him.
Described him as a ‘clever, technically astute, attack minded mid field player who enjoyed a successful loan spell with Cheltenham last season’.
Not released by Albion – free transfer. Apologies thought I had corrected my original post
Beginning to look like Grealish is going then.
If he does, I think he’s making a mistake that he might come to regret. Money and trinkets over leading his club back to Europe.
I agree with you Hitch it doesn’t look good losing JT and Jack in the same week let’s hope we can get Bailey, and a couple more good signings, and make top six £100 million can buy us top players so goodbye Jack and thank you for the good times and happy memories. VTID
Reputations: Built over time and destroyed in an instant. Only one good reason why NSWE would sell Jack and that is because his shin injury is evidence of a permanent weakness. Otherwise the goodwill the new owners have accrued will be trashed. Anyone who gives a leg up to the Manchester duo is admitting for the future we play not even second fiddle to them but somewhere up the back. Also establishes them as weak owners.
Correct tactics even if Jack submits a formal request is to say you are here for 4 more years and can play in the reserves if your attitude is wrong.
Understand your thinking OLL but it’s not going to happen.
The owners have already stated they want Grealish to stay and they want to build a side around him. They will do everything to persuade him (including another new contract less than 12 months after his last one) to persuade him. If Grealish has decided he wants to go to pursue ‘cheap’ trinkets then he’s no use to them or to Villa and as good business men they will look to cash in (which is what I would want them to do). It’s Grealish’s call.
Perhaps Grealish should look to that great Italian Totti who played his whole career at ‘his’ club Roma and said ‘helping Roma to win one Serie A title is worth more than winning ten with Juventus’.
Up to you JG.
If you believe all the press talk we won’t have any of our ‘first eleven’ by the end of the transfer window. Grealish, McGinn, Martinez, Watkins and El Ghazi all linked with other clubs. I’m surprised Buendia hasn’t been mentioned because after all, Villa are a nursery club for the big six and the rest of the European elite.
Personally until it is announced officially by Villa, then i won’t be taking any interest in it whatsoever.
Just seen our away kit and it does look good, not that i would ever pay extortionate amounts for it. It will be interesting to know how many fans have had Grealish on the back of any new shirts purchased. Massive refunds possible i wonder.
Goodbye, Jack hello Leon and Tammy and Todd thank you VTID
So what city have offered £100 million. NSWE don’t need the money.
This is down to Jack and whether or not he wants to lead villa back to the top.
if he doesn’t it will set us back massively.
This is ‘THE STATEMENT’ are we on the up or not. if we can’t keep our best players others will follow (martinez, watkins) and we become less attractive.
The next few days are massive.
Steve, you’ve pretty much summed it up. We all like a bit of hyperbole, but your statement is what it boils down to.
It should be a case of do you want to win honours with Villa – your club, of City. Very simple. Because if he’s good enough for them, that means he’s capable of winning honours. Does he want to lead that at his club, or be a supporting act at a random club, which has been proven to cheat financially. He knows NSWE will and are funding a squad that can and will challenge for honours. He can have more money if he wants it. So I don’t see any reason why he should choose to leave, other than one more year without European football. City should be banned from Europe anyone, so they dodged that bullet very well.
Dodgy shins or not, everyone would be gutted if he left – fans, players, staff, owners. We can’t afford to let him go. I hope his chums in the England setup didn’t turn his head in the summer.
My point entirely BFR – this is Grealish’s decision and his alone. If he decides to go then he’s taking the easy option.
Steve, it will be a setback if Grealish decides to abandon ship and, I for one, will feel he’s let every single Villa fan down. BUT our owners are winners and they don’t want players not willing to fight for the cause.
Look what Eden’s has achieved in the NBA after persuading one of America’s top players to stay and fight the cause. The polar opposite to Randy!
If he goes they will invest in top, top players and I don’t see a procession of players leaving.
No one – not even Grealish – is bigger than our club.
UTV
Completely random comment: Umbro are still knocking out some very nice kits, looking at some of the new ones for this season. Love the Kappa gear, but would be nice to go ‘back to the future’ some day. Would like to see a yellow and sky blue third for us; the one in the early nineties was nice.
Apparently, Man City don’t expect to get Grealish for £100 mill. It’s an opening bid and they’re expecting to have to pay more.
Which is in line with my previous thoughts where £130 mill would be enough.
I get that selling Grealish at any price is really not a good thing, but any team isn’t about one player.
Personally, I think the Villa hierarchy will want to hear what Jack wants and that will dominate any decision. If it’s a question of wages and we can get near what City will pay him, he’ll stay. But if it’s about winning things, he’ll go.
Let’s face it, if he goes, he’s odds on to be a title winner this season.
£100+ million is not to be scoffed at and as much as you might not want him to go, the question has to be would a significant chunk or even all of that money spent on new players improve the team?
The answer is of course it would. It gets you 3 or 4 £30 mill players.
As much as the thought of Villa without Jack isn’t pleasant.
Yes 3 wesley’s would be fantastic
While three Ollys would be better Tom.
I don’t rate Wesley in the slightest and have said so plenty of times.
But fair’s fair and Smith/Lange’s signings have mostly been good.
Haha! Well played Badger. But did Grealish bring out the best of Ollie?
Badger, this is the point I keep trying to make. It’s Grealish’s decision and his alone.
If he wants to go the owners will respect that but will drive the hardest bargain they can – quite rightly – and I agree they will heavily reinvest the team. The only thing they will insist on is a quick decision and negotiation to give then plenty of time to invest in the team.
Like you, I hate the idea of Grealish leaving and him staying would make a far greater statement than securing a £130m fee reinvested.
No way is this going to rumble on to transfer dead line day.
Yes, agreed. If he does go, we’ll need to sign players fast.
I’d expect this to be done and dusted in a fortnight either way.
So Man City has made a bid of £100million if our owners are loaded whitch they are carry on building a team capable of completing in Europe and let JG play in the reserves for the next 4years that sounds horrible but I’m feeling like I have just been kicked in the nuts he’s been at the club since the age of six and we have grown to love him as one of own family I know he hasn’t gone yet but I feel let down so I hope he makes the right decision VTID UTV