Well, I’ve thought more about the Leeds game and still think we were very average at best.
No, I’m going to say it as it is and say we were poor.
I suggested in the previous comments section that it looked like a men against boys game (with us looking like the men, if you weren’t sure) and some of the ratings I’ve seen on certain sites look well over the top.
My opinion says a better side would have beaten Leeds by four or five goals, no problem; they looked that poor.
Let me say, before you criticise me for being far too harsh, we were the better side and I do understand that we’ve had a gruelling schedule.
But surely that applies to every club in the Championship?
Then consider Leeds had around ten players out, as opposed to us having the vast majority of our squad available.
Still, none of this matters and I’ve always said that performances don’t matter; Points do.
We took all three and while it might seem that I’m complaining, I’m really not.
We got what was required and after a bit of a respite, move onto Ipswich, which I suspect will be a much tougher test.
And then I’m seeing reports that West Ham want £12.3 million or so for Robert Snodgrass.
How on earth do they justify that sort of money, when as much as David Moyes might want him, West Ham’s owner’s seemingly don’t?
Snodgrass was bought by West Ham as a Premier league player and didn’t cut it, at the end of the day. Ok, it might have been a personal thing, but it’s why he was loaned out to us, a Championship club. We were probably the only ones willing to pay his wages, in truth.
Don’t get me wrong, Snodgrass has done really well for us at this level.
And it’s that last bit that really counts.
As much as I like him, his cheating apart, the price is vastly inflated and there’s no way we’ll pay it even if we do manage to get promoted.
£5 million and add-ons is much more realistic, if you consider his age.
And if we don’t get promoted, just forget the whole idea, even at that price.
The concern will be more about which of our gems we have to flog off, let alone any we retain or bring in.
We’ve achieved the minimum of getting into the play-offs so I’m not going to moan. If Bruce can either get us automatic promotion or win the play-offs then he’ll deserve a chance in the Prem.
If we don’t make it then we’re in a better position than we have been for years and I’d expect that a new manager will take over who might be better placed to take us further.
Whatever happens I really believe that Bruce has taken the team from a bunch of individuals with zero confidence into a unit that can win games, although having said that a few more wins would have been nice.
As for Snodgrass I think he’s played well and if we do go up having a player with Prem experience could well be invaluable.
Snodgrass for 12.3m? Worth half that. Sure, he’d be worth that if we were a Championship side as he’s one of the best right wingers in the Championship, but in the Prem? No pace, solely revolves getting on that left foot for a cross or shot. No one really gets away with that bar Salah. Shaqiri is a very similar player, and he’s been pretty poor for Stoke. His experience doesn’t mean a whole lot if he can’t play well. You need pace, trickery and a cross or someone like Young who can cut in have a shot, but can do it with pace to beat a player. Not too mention Snodgrass’s wages are fairly high, and he’d want to keep them that high and we’d be paying all of them. We need somewhat of a revamp if we go up and we can’t waste 12m on him.
Other news, we had scouts in Portugal for the Benfica v Porto game Sunday. As we need almost every position, be interesting to see who we’d be scouting.
This is the biggest fear I have about Bruce being our manager when we get promoted. We’ve been linked with Jake Livermore also and Bruce, based on his previous record, is the kind of manager to go and squander the transfer budget on these types of player.
Don’t get me wrong, Snodgrass has been brilliant for us this season but as already mentioned this is his level. He won’t cut it in the prem for reasons Andrew has already mentioned. To be fair I don’t think it would be wrong to say teams have sussed him out to how one dimensional he actually is. His one strength is his delivery, that goes without question but in the prem that simply isn’t enough. You need to be able to get into positions to be able to deliver that quality, Snodgrass won’t be able to because of his lack of pace and trickery.
Interestingly I see Grealish is being linked with a move to Leicester for 20 million. All I’m saying is if Snodgrass is worth 12.3 million surely Grealish is worth a few quid more than 20 million.
I don’t think Grealish will go regardless of what division we are in next season. He has time on his side and to be fair to Bruce he has matured and improved his game under his guidance more than anyone else’s.
UTV.
Just got back off my allotment to see that B6, worrying to say the least and money talks, I’d like to think Jack would do a Garrard and stay with us, this is the time we get to know if our owner and manager will back the club by matching wages. As for Snodgrass I don’t think he’s worth more than 6 millions his age is telling now.
Snodgrass at £12M – err no thanks. Grealish – I think he will go if we don’t get promoted. Forget that he is a Villa fan. His dad will be muttering in his ear about cashing in, and I wouldn’t blame hime for going. It’s a short career and who wants to go through it winning nothing. He could probably do better than Leicester though (no disrespect to Leicester intended).
There will be a big change in the team/squad, regardless of what division we are in next season.
Picking up on the wider debate about transfers next season –
Priority is to sign Sam Johnstone – even if we’re in the Championship next season I believe that’s affordable by getting rid of some high wage earners like Hutton (that’s not a criticism but pure pragmatism), McCormack etc. And offloading Tshibola and our other loan players like Gollini (sic) and then bringing through some of our younger players
So assuming we’re still in the Championship we should also think about offloading Hogan and bringing in Grabben because I think he offers more to the team.
On Snodgrass it’s about what else we can afford but if a Prem side is willing to pay £12.3m for him it just shows how ridiculously overpriced that league is – perhaps we could do another cheeky loan deal?
One very important man you’ve missed Hitch him going would pay for Snodgrass alone, ABONGLAHORE shit did I spell that right only not seen him for yonks.
You’re right Bill but then he’s become easily forgettable LOL – I read he’s definitely not getting a new contract and about time. Another one is Micah Richards but I believe he has YET ANOTHER year on the equivalent of the ‘football dole’ earning alledgedly £60k per week! – he doesn’t even help polishing the bench.
A player that might want out if we don’t get promoted is James Chester and that would be a big loss.
I like Snodgrass but not at 12 million. Its all speculation time again for lazy journalism, and considering we don’t know what league we will be in next season, talk about who goes and who comes in is pointless. Focus is purely on winning all remaining games and then we definitely know we will be promoted. On a different note altogether, my work mate saw Gary Shaw totally drunk saying no one in the Holte remembers who he is. He was in a sorry state which is a shame. You hear of top players becoming alcoholics, bankrupt and homeless. Hope this is not the case for a Villa legend.
Holte66, I’ve heard a few stories about Gary Shaw and they boil down to the fact that he was very down to earth.
He got up to a few shennanigans, just the same as the rest of us of a similar age in the 80’s.
So it wouldn’t surprise me if his head is a bit messed up.
For him to suggest that no one remembers him, is indeed sad.
He was a bloody great player.
Has anyone noted date for playoff final. May 26th! Superstition maybe that it is same date as 1982 European cup final. Let’s hope it’s a good omen.
Holte – are the play off legs already scheduled or does that happen after the end of the season. Just have such a busy May and hoping not to miss any of the games.
Hitch,
“While no dates have currently been set for the 2018 play-offs, they generally kick off a week after the conclusion of the regular season.”
Definitely 26th May Hitch. Also it’s same day as champions league final. We can plan for that in a couple of years 😚
Thanks Guys – 26th in the diary. Love the prediction Holte!
i said earlier this season i can see grealish leaving after this season. even if we get promoted, we are miles behind most premiership clubs. thing is players like grealish need good players around him. he is wasted in the villa team. our players are bone idle most games. in a good side where they have good movement, only then will you see the other half of grealish game. he a has plenty vision just needs good runners. somebody who feeds off him will bring his game on to even another level.
as for us we need promotion. to cover the bad signings before bruce came where we wasted alot of the parachute payments on failed signings. sacking the manager after 10 games. surely having just bought the club the new owner should have made a better 1st appointment. bruce where you like or hate he has done a good job, playoffs we have the chance to save the clubs bacon.
hey if they sell grealish after the shit hits the fan and we lose in playoffs. ohare will get his shot to fill grealish’s boots. one consolation for the 99% of posters on here. 98% having not seen him play apart from the odd cup game this season.
snodgrass is a decent player, whether he is premiership its hard to say. he does lack pace and is so predictable. he could do a job for villa for a another season, not worth 10 million thou. most players bruce has loaned or signed are stopgap players, he took the job to get us promoted, so players like ohare who clearly isnt ready this season and maybe not next, he was never gonna be interested building two years down the road. come the end of this season promotion or not i see bruce leaving.
I don’t think Grealish would go if we get promoted. He’s Villa through and through. It would take an actual top 6 club to take him off us, not a Leicester. If we don’t go up, he’s the first one out the door. He’s about the only player we’ll make any money off of. Maybe unless another club from the Prem has been scouting like, O’Hare or such.
Unfortunately we have to wait for the playoffs. But this summer is the absolute most important summer we’ll ever have had if we go up. Do we keep Bruce or do we go for someone else? I hope he goes but we need a manager that’s 100% backed by Xia who will back any manager we have.
Grealish will not be leaving the Villa any time soon, certainly not at £20 million and certainly not to Leicester.
That’s whether we get promoted or not.
Xia will pay him the money to stay, simple, because it would be a loss of face to lose him.
That’s my very firm opinion and yes, I’m mindful of FFP.
FWIW I don’t think Grealish will leave at the end of the season. Even if we are still in the championship I would like to think he has unfinished business being a Villa fan. I know money talks but £20m to Leicester! I don’t think that is a good move for him or us, and I doubt that anyone bigger will offer more. Wolves and Fulham have better players to raid. Grealish has only been consistently good for less than half a season so still has a lot to prove.
Spot on Holte – particularly Fulham with players like Carney and Sessagnon (sic).
I’d like to think that Hitch, but Grealish as a certain something clubs look for, I like the way he floats past players, he can change directon in a instance, and most of all he can strike balls for goals. I don’t want him to go, I would build a team for him ,I think Xia would think twice on a sale becauce he wants premiership. Time will tell.
Does anyone else think that if Cardiff win at home to Forest, making it almost guaranteed that we won’t get automatic, that we should then rest our best players for last two games to prevent injuries, and also to play fringe players and a few youngsters. After all we have nailed on 4th place so nothing to be lost or gained. Players like Chester, Terry, Grealish, Adomah, Snodgrass and Kodja remain fresh for playoffs.
grealish is a decent prospect for another club, badger never rated him so highly at the beginning of this season. he said many times so. unless he now forgets that. if we don’t go up, then the club will have to find a lot of money unless the dr is willing to fund the players wages etc out of their profits lol it doesnt work like that. failure this season will see our best assets leaving. or are fans thinking we can sell our crap players for their value players like mccormack 10 mill never he will be sold for 2mill to a free transfer
even if we go up, it will only delay his departure, he looks like a really good player too good for us, it will only be a matter of agreeing a decent fee and he will be off to win cups play in europe.
he requires a good ball retention from the players around him. if we get promoted he will see 25% of the ball week in and out, no way would he settle for that, no way could he produce his best with so little of the ball. even if where is home club.you can only demand so much loyalty, the kid deserves to achieve his dreams and nobody dreams of staying up or getting out of championship
Very well remembered Nath 🙂
I 100% agree that I didn’t rate Grealish in the slightest at the Villa, because as much as I saw his skill and ability/potential, he was a liability to us because he didn’t do enough.
Since his injury though, I immediately saw a massive improvement in his work-rate, which has made him a much better all-round player.
I’ve always said that I don’t expect him to be all out defending, but he has to add something to the team effort and now he does, where he never before, imo.
I’ve also always said that his quick feet and movement will always get you a number of free-kicks, which is why I suspect Prem teams would be interested in him. That’s sadly the name of the game these days.
But it would make him a squad player, at best, at any top club.
Having said that, I don’t think his dad is that daft as to throw things away.
He’s canny and will go for the best deal he can get, while balancing what’s best for Jack.
Which is signing another 4 year deal on very good money, as our best prospect/potential profit earner.
Xia will not give him up lightly, as I suggested.
And he isn’t going anywhere yet, regardless of which division we’re in; you watch.
All imo 🙂
Badger I agree that Dr T will not let go of our best assets lightly unlike some of our previous owners / managers. The only point I think you missed in your post is that Grealish has also bulked out and become a much stronger player. When he first broke into the first team he was too easily muscled off the ball – not now and it shows.
The player I’m concerned we will lose if we fail to get promoted is Chester and imho he’s as important to the team as Grealish yet no one else seems to have recognised this.
I agree that Chester has been consistently our best player this season. Losing him if we don’t go up is a big worry. I would prefer to see Terry go and along with Agbonlahor off our books, we should be able to offer wages to keep players like Chester and Grealish. If we don’t get promoted and they go for premier league football, then we should be able to bring in top replacements on a championship level. After all we should command £30m for the two who are decent wage earners.
Holte66,
What do you rate Chester at?
£30 mill seems ambitious?
Not that I believe either will leave.
Ooh, agreed Hitch, Chester is very important to us.
But my take is that replacing defenders is easier than finding a pearl like Grealish.
Terry and Chester have been great for us, but do you think they’re the future, particularly if we do make the Prem?
I suspect not, as both don’t have the required pace.
To answer your question specifically, I suspect we’d keep Chester, as at the least good back-up in the Prem and still quality in the Championship.
He’s contracted until August 2020.
I believe he’s happy at the Villa too, along with most of the players, which is a nice thought after the last few years.
Badger, The £30m valuation was based on Chester and Grealish combined. I wouldn’t let Grealish go for less than £25m and Chester would easily be worth £5m
Do Centre Backs need pace? Just look at God…
I think Chester would be a shoe in if we made it back to the Prem. I was really surprised when we signed him. Bum Bum is right, Chester reads the game well and has a good positional sense which more than compensates for any (perceived) lack of pace.
AND he doesn’t get injured!
Chester was the start of our comeback to stabilize our defence, his 100% attendance should count in him winning player of the year for Aston Villa, I know your only assuming that Chester or Grealish might jump ship for bigger clubs but I don’t think they will, Both players love Villa, Both player will get increase in wage, but both player will stay because they know Xia will back Villa for future ventures, we have only 3 games to see if, we have 4 years to the games Villa park will be one of the club’s that get venues, and Hotels near the grounds. They probably get money from the organization to up grade Villa Park.
That’s my take on your post.
I still don’t get the McCormack purchase. As soon as our interest was made public, one of my closest friends and a Fulham fan called me to laugh at our immense folly. He said all the Fulham fans knew he had problems with drink (allegedly), and was trouble. He never thought anyone would take him on, let alone pay £11m for him. It’s a bit like knowing about Jimmy Saville in the 70’s, but less sordid obviously. What are these guys missing??? What a shocking waste of money!
Niaivity from the Doc which isn’t meant as a criticism. He made a poor choice of manager and then allowed him to spend big compounded by high wages and long contracts. I’ve argued before that long contracts are a direct result of FFP rules because they allow the transfer fees to be written off over a longer period thus reducing the impact on potential losses – the actual payment terms are irrelevant as it’s his contract length that determines the annualised cost for accounting purposes.
Now here’s a turn up for the Villa, Yes or No ?
Benteke sparks fan frenzy
Christian Benteke has sent Aston Villa fans wild after an Instagram exchange with former team-mate Jack Grealish.
Benteke scored 49 goals in 101 appearances during a three-year stint at Villa Park and remains in the hearts of claret and blues.
The powerful striker has struggled to replicate his Villa Park heroics at both Liverpool and Crystal Palace and could become available for transfer this summer.
While it appears unlikely, especially with the club in the Championship, Villa fans would love to see their former No.20 ‘back home’ at some stage.
And Benteke clearly still feels strongly about the club he left almost three years ago.
Today marks the third anniversary of Villa’s famous win over Liverpool at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Benteke and Grealish starred that day as Tim Sherwood’s side reached the final thanks to a 2-1 win.
And Grealish has posted a photo of him and his team-mates celebrating on Instagram with the caption, “one of the greatest days of my life”.
The 27-year-old Belgium international replied, “Good times”, and supporters immediately got excited.
“Time to come home big lad,” said one, while another added: “Are you coming back big Chris?”
Grealish was inundated with hundreds of replies from fans, most of which included a message to Benteke.
Benteke’s career at Crystal Palace is in doubt with reports suggesting Roy Hodgson is ready to dump the big money forward.
The 6ft 4in frontman has had offers from China in the past and could be used to raise funds for summer spending at Selhurst Park.