Tony Xia has been very chatty on Twitter this week, which can only be a good thing, although I have a nagging feeling it won’t last that long, because as is the way of things with Twitter, something will be taken the wrong way or the criticism will be thrown about should we not be doing as well as we all hope.
Until it does go pear-shaped though, I find his willingness to answer questions and keep us informed, very refreshing and we should make the most of it.
In today’s main tweet, our owner has revealed that he expects 3-4 players gone in a week or so and of course everyone is wondering who they’ll be.
“Trimming is needed & then will be new signings till window closes. 3-4 be informed next week to farewell the old days.”
It’s been noticeable that Gabby, Richards and Lescott are all supposed to be carrying injuries, but I’ll bet I’m not alone in guessing that at least two of the three will be on the list; if it’s not all 3 of them.
I’d guess the others might be Sinclair or Bacuna, although the latter has apparently played reasonably well during the friendlies and might have won himself a reprieve, as although he isn’t liked, the fact is he can play in a few positions, which makes him quite useful. Whether he’s any use in those positions is of course another subject altogether.
Then again, I could be totally wrong and we might simply be talking about fringe players who just aren’t going to make the grade.
We can hope the much maligned suspects are the ones, but whatever happens, it surely means we’re going to see a few players coming in, as Xia suggests.
One of them has to be a striker and I feel we should be pushing the boat out somewhat for this particular player because we need a bit of quality there; someone who can hold the ball up and be a focal point.
We also need someone who can get the ball into the box to take advantage of Gestede. Which is where you have to wonder where the service is going to come from.
Hence surely we’ll see another midfielder or two coming in?
I reckon the next 3-4 players coming in could well make or break our season and RDM has to get them right.
But we all know this, don’t we?
Indeed, I’ve seen a few comments where people think we won’t do any good until the team is mostly different to that we witnessed last season.
And it’s something I can’t disagree with.
It should be an interesting run-up to the start of the season.
Fingers crossed it’s who we want gone, eh?
After last season, I have 9 names in my bomb squad, none of whom have gone yet.
Meanwhile a player I hope stays – Amavi – is being touted as a target for the Scouse Gits. You would think they might have learnt by now. We always skin them for the full asking price and the players promptly turn out to be a square peg in a round hole at Liverpool.
I hope we don’t lose Amavi. Him and Bennett are probably the two best crossers of a ball we have at the club (though Green looks to have ability there). It bothers me that Amavi hasn’t kicked a ball for us this pre season. I get the “trying not to rush him” comments, but surely pre season friendlies are just what he needs. Are we protecting him to ensure he is saleable? Hope not.
Never thought of it like that before, I really hope we don’t lose him either!
Looks like we are still a selling club then
Gabby, Gabby and Gabby please
According to some reports, Sunderland are thought to be still interested in signing Richards for £5m – hope it’s true. We don’t need Richards or Lescott in the side so hope both go along with Flabby.
5 mil, that would be a right touch if we get that
Sell sell sell!!!
No sign of Traore so far this pre season. Is he still injured?
It really is time for Gabby to go. If he ever had a sell by date he is well past it. Richards and Lescott – Championship is probably about the right level if they had the motivation. I doubt that they do and there is too much baggage there so probably best for all concerned to have a clean break
The thing with Richards is if he plays 2 games in a row he seems to be out for a month with injury
If we can get 5 mil I’d defo take it
£5M? You would need a mask and a gun to get that much for him 😉
I forgot about Traore, he must be injured there is no sign of him. I agree with Badger our next signings will determine where we finish in the league at the moment we are mid table.
I am a little bit surprised that there are only 3 singings so far with the league starting at the end of next week. I am of the thinking get your players in first then get rid of the deadwood. Then again what do I know.
In other words exactly the same as Lerner we have to sell to but. Dr X is potless
No, it means we have far too big a squad to continue bringing in players. The wage bill is still quite high. 26 players 21 years old or older in the senior squad, then Lyden, Grealish and Traore are 20. Not too mention the 4-5 youth training with the first team. You can’t have 34ish players and just bring in more before letting anyone go. That would be considered… Well STUPID.
In that case why do we always get rid of our best players to trim squad and not the rubbish ones that we’ve got loads off?
Come on OohAh – that’s just a silly statement – even you want rid of some of our squad. Wait and see who goes / comes in before making a judgement.
I want rid of 95% of our squad but we will sell the 5% worth keeping
The problem is we know they are crap. If other people know they are crap they will be difficult to sell. The best players are always the ones other teams want. The trick is not to buy them in the first place.
Ooha a classic case of having a dig with absolutely no foundation, he’s trimming the squad down plain & simple. Do you want the deadwood gone???we’ve got enough.
Yeah you gotta get your squad assembled and ready for the start of the season first then after that turn your attention to getting rid of the deadwood!
That makes sense. Add more numbers to an already large squad and run the risk of not being able to get shot of the deadwood.
Ok then, let’s just gamble and stick with the same shit that relegated us last season and see how we do yeah!!! 🤔
Please do explain to me how signing more players and adding to an already horrendous wage bill is the way to go?
There is no bottomless pit of money. There is no guarantee we will be able to shift the deadwood. From a business point of view it makes perfect sense to shift what we can first then sign some players.
Football is now a business.
We don’t need to sign loads but we need a decent striker and another centre half desperately. Then get rid of Lescott Richards bacuna etc. Gana of to Everton so that’s one out the door
Because if you do want to get out of this really tuff league, you don’t have a choice but to get new players in. Cause if you stick with the same bunch that put us in this mess what do you thinks gonna happen ??
Mate look at the bigger picture, it’s really not rocket science.
I do understand what your saying Stubbs and your totally right, BUT for the money it’s worth being promoted back to the prem we really need to get back up there first time of asking and to do that we need new players in and be ready from the get go. That way we can start a winning mentality and breed that thing that got shot to pieces last season
CONFIDENCE!!! Imo
If RDM dosnt know who the deadwood are now he never will. Ask any villa fan and they will fill him in!
Yes he knows who’s SHITE unfortunately also every other friggin club knows there SHITE.it ain’t that easy
We are playing tonight away against Cambridge Utd .
Another negative performance on the agenda.
😴💤
Yep 2-0 up after 10 minutes – absolute nonsense from you as ever!!
0-2 up at halftime keep the negativity up lads.
It’s a friendly ffs against a crap team. Eng won 10 on the bounce and failed miserably when it mattered
Please correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Tony say
1, we would do our buisness early? No real sign of that.
2, we would have upwards of 40/50 mil to spend?
3, the trouble makers would be removed.
4, DeMatteo now saying two years for promotion.
The more I see the more I question the above statements.
The team the consists of the majority of last season players.
They weren’t good enough then and won’t be now.
The additions are questionable. New keeper looks a prospect but not tested.
Elphnic wasnt not good enough for Bournmouth we only spent 3 million. Is that really the answer to our defensive problems?
Tish another cheap purchase with hopefully potential.
Where are the established players with ability to move us forward?
Tony please explain.
I agree Ted, but then there’s the usual Muppet’s on here who continue to fall for whatever comes out of the owners/managers mouth.
You can’t educate pork.
Spot on Ted I thought I was the only one thinking that
if we had been run correctly over the last 5 to 10 years, we would av bounced back straight away. but cause lerner bled our club, asset stripping all the internationals we used to have, replacing with second class players.
saying we will get rid of players we don’t want is one thing actually doing this is very difficult. most the squad are on good wages, much better than their footballing skills they offer in return.
i heard sunderland pulled out of signing richards, it doesn’t surprise me one bit. hes living in cloud cuckoo land, he still believes hes the player that burst on the scene as a powerful rightback at city.
for villa to go up this season is a massive ask, both norwich and newcastle are much better bets than us. would take more than 50 million just to get close to newcastle.
so lets all sulk or get behind the club. allow them to sort out the mess we are in, from the melt down which happened on lerners watch
We will be lucky to stay up this season mid table at best
The point is Why say things and then potentially not deliver?
Ffs give him chance
they can deliver, just not in he timescale most fans want to hear. how can you justify spending 40 50 million on championship players that might still not get you promoted and further in debt, so you will end up like a leeds utd.
its not like we are are attractive proposition at present. we can offer championship football come join us. we need to earn our place back in the premiership not buy
40/50m is sod all for a club like ours anyway. Most prem teams can spend that nowadays
There’s still 36 days of this window left,start whinging in 37 jeez
i never heard a new manager or owner come into a club and say. don’t worry we will get promoted in 10 years after we struggle to correct massive wages and sell all the donkeys that former owner had purchased.
great times ahead maybe one day. make sure you stick with us, don’t forget the buy your ST and replicas Tshirts.
Anyone that buys a st or merchandise is bonkers imo
my porridge is too hot 🙁
any links for tonights cambridge game 🙂
ASTON VILLA TEAM NEWS
Team to play Cambridge: Gollini, Lyden, Okore, Toner, Bennett, Bacuna, Gardner, Tshibola, Grealish, Hepburn-Murphy, Sinclair
Subs: Idem, Suliman, Abdo, Sanchez, Green, Veretout
Cant find any Nath.
me2 i will watch ssN 🙁
Villa 1-0 up Sinclair
Villa 2-0 up Hepburn-Murphy!
We are sooooo negative!!
murphy is the future. hes better now than gabby has ever been
That’s not saying much
Won’t be long before a prem team nick him then