I have to say straight off, I didn’t see it.
It would seem Stoke were the better side and my Stokey mate (who’s very reasonable in his judgement) said we were lucky.
If that’s so, I think this was a decent result, although obviously not the one we wanted.
We all know drawing games is no good if you want to get promoted.
But I looked at the run of games up until Xmas a few weeks back and feared for us.
The reality is that while we haven’t got as many points as we might have wanted, so we we’ve done pretty reasonably too.
Let’s not forget we’re unbeaten in five games.
And after Leeds, I think we have a much easier run of games, which will hopefully lead to a decent accumulation of points.
Will our run-in be good enough to be promoted?
I still firmly believe so, because of our squad depth where it matters.
If you consider that our defence is considered poor, I believe we’re doing better than I expected and Smith will improve us, come the winter window.
I don’t know about you, but I thought Nyland should have saved the penalty, seeing as he dived to the correct side.
He needs replacing, simple. And he surely will be.
I continue to find it disappointing that it seems we were quick to blame Hutton for the other goal, when it wasn’t really his fault.
I agree, he gets caught out far too much postionally, but he also seems to get stick when it’s not totally fair, in my opinion.
Two full backs, a centre back and most importantly, a goalie should sort most of our problems out and we’ll be good to go for the second half of the season.
I’m quite comfortable with where we stand, for what it’s worth, as much as it seems many of us are panicking.
It’s a long, tough season and I suspect that given our squad, particularly up front and in midfield, coupled to some decent aquisitions, we will see us at least challenging.
Is that overly optimistic?
Maybe.
But at least I’m enjoying watching the football.
When I get a chance, that is.
Here’s hoping.
UTV!
I watched on AVTV and observed that…
…we missed Grealish’s creativity. I was hoping that McGinn would fill the gap but he wasn’t near his best and, dare I say it, I think he missed Grealish too.
…Kodja is a super-sub but Hogan isn’t. I’ve given up with the short Irishman. I wish O’Hare had been brought on instead.
…we have to stop giving the ball away in dangerous areas. Yes, it’s fucking wonderful when we reclaim the ball in our half and neatly pass it up-field, but when we screw up it’s disastrous. As soon as Hutton showed the ball I knew we were just about to get punished.
I am still unsure as to whether or not we’re going up this season. We may have a great squad and coaching staff, but we have to play better than we did last week.
Injuries – I didn’t see the game but we shouldn’t lightly dismiss the number of injuries we currently have in key positions.
Hutton was playing out of position at left back and we only had three fit mid field first team players to chose from.
Given that, I think a draw was a creditable result whereas we should have won against both Forest and Albion – that’s where key points were dropped (not meant as a criticism, just an observation).
Flying home back to the cold weather today but looking forward to actually seeing the new Villa play.
UTV
Man utd sack Manager the chosen one gone.
Is this True.
Love Kalinic Goalkeep signing for Villa ? apparently having medical in Birmingham today.
Lovre. ..
Found it Lads.
Aston Villa look set to make their first signing ahead of the January transfer window, with Gent goalkeeper, Lovre Kalinic edging ever-closer to a move to Villa Park, according to Birmingham Mail reporter Gregg Evans.
Journalist, Gregg Evans broke the news about the latest transfer development and this isn’t the first time that Aston Villa have made a move to sign the Croatian international.
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––
Villa were linked with a move for Kalinic three years ago, but a move didn’t materialise.
However, Dean Smith looks set to make the shot-stopper his first arrival through the door at Villa Park, ahead of what could be an interesting transfer window for the club.
I seem to remember that Kalinic deal fell through as he hadn’t played enough internationals to qualify. That makes no sense as he is Croatian and therefore an EU citizen. I would have thought that means he should have been able to move under FoM, unless for some reason football is treated differently.
The daily Telegraph is quoting the Kalinic will cost £7 million. I’m really intrigued with the previous discussions of FFP If he does sign for this amount – wow. A clear intent by our new owners. But what are the implications:
Is it any of these:
*spend and pay fine if rules broken
* sell asset to finance this and a number of other deals – has Grealish’s £30m sell on clause been triggered?
* financial fair play limitations mentioned by Dr X were not as bad as thought. Was the issue more about cash flow than amount of losses?
* new owners have managed to find effective ways system of injecting capital into the club, without breaking FFP rules.
* some of the fringe players will be sold
Interesting times ahead I believe.
Interesting turn of events Sid. Purslow recently quoted as saying that FFP wasn’t a major issue following substantial cash injection by owners.
All will become clear in March (next year end accounting period for FFP)
Kalinic move failed cannot get a work permit due to not playing enough games. What a let down.
Bill the Telegraph is saying this –
“Kalinic is expected to have a medical at Villa’s training ground on Thursday with the two clubs in advanced talks over a permanent deal.”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/12/19/aston-villa-close-signing-croatia-goalkeeper-lovre-kalinic-7m/
Hi Pat,
It seems that article been withdrawn Pat 57 , the one I read was he’d only played so many games and accordingly breaking FA rules, now every bit of news saying medical today. thanks for your link have to believe your right Pat..
Bill there was an article in the Mail explaining why the Kalinic deal fell through 3 years ago. Think it could have been that?
Was that the Birminghamlive mail Live Pat? …
Yes Bill I think it was
Tremendous signing if it goes through. Why go for PL rejects when you can sign a World Cup semi-finalist with his best years ahead of him? The lack of fuss and swiftness of the deal is particularly impressive. Anyone else think that Purslow appears to be a class act?
More on Purslow: he’s also taken the decision to take KMac out of dealing with our youngsters. Sounds like it should’ve happened long ago. The stories coming out about him and McAndrew are disgusting and shameful. How many kids get bullied at school and it affects the rest of their lives? You’d think they’d be safe at an organisation like Aston Villa – not exactly an inner city state school is it? Education is the key. Yes, KMac and McAndrew were qualified coaches, but were they qualified to work with vulnerable youngsters? Obviously not. I hope this case brings massive changes to how youth football is governed.
I’ve often heard posters on this site moaning about how our youngsters don’t make it through to the first team and then how well they play when they go out on loan.
Kind of explains that doesn’t it?
Pat 57, funny you saying that , last night my old gaffer and friends rang me and in the conversation mentioned Green asking what’s he like, told him he’s a up and coming player and he’s an asset to any club, he replied he’s on the bench week after week and not getting game time. Why don’t we use those players he’s not learning much sitting on a bench. It’s something I’ve never understood , lots of our young players are doing well in the first sides for other clubs yet we don’t and sell.your right some do become good players.
players we have coming through are not superstars or finished articles most think they are, bruce ignored most of them and now smith is doing the same. this doesn’t mean they wont make it. but its a good indication that they are not quite ready. youth football is so weak and poor a oap would probably look like a prospect amongst them,so shipping them out to play at lower league real football is the answer to bringing them on faster to reach our first team standards. yeah we could fill our team with these hopefuls and sacrifice our season blooding them. but then isn’t the target promotion
Whoa, I think we need to slow down here, with the comments about KMac.
Purslow has taken the decision to take him out of the loop, because that’s what he has to do to, to stay neutral.
I think there have been similar complaints about KMac before, but they’ve never been proven, POSSIBLY, because at the time, it was accepted stuff, albeit no longer acceptable now.
Which to my mind, makes it all very tricky.
I’ve already stated that you need to cajole kids to get the best out of them.
Of course, this doesn’t involve anything physical and I would never condone that.
The point is, that KMac is innocent and that’s the club’s stance, until proved otherwise, as Purslow has correctly said.
My stance is that if KMac has physically bullied kids, he deserves everything he might get.
But if it’s more mental bullying, I think times have changed and he (and me and no doubt many other older folk) are totally out of date.
In which case, there will be some sort of slight reprimand and he gets the bullet.
Probably with a payoff on the quiet, just the same as MP’s get, when they mess up.
We should also consider how many complaints have been made over the years.
I really wouldn’t know this, but I wonder how we compare to any other club?
I’d suspect this sort of complaint is endemic in the game, simply because that’s how it is.
If you can’t handle “stick”, how can you possibly be expected to play the game, given the way you’ll get it all through a game?
Of course, anything more than that is not right.
Although there might even be a reason for putting the boot in on a player like Grealish, because that’s what he should expect, with the way he plays.
Would that be bullying?
Just saying 🙁
I’m going off at a bit of a tangent though and don’t know what KMac is actually accused of.
The Guardian reporting that more people are coming forward with complaints –
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/dec/20/aston-villa-bullying-allegations-tony-mcandrew-kevin-macdonald-players
Badger, at best, I would say KMac is accused of shit, outdated coaching. It’s Mourinho but with youngsters. It doesn’t work.The superstars can look after themselves and get Jose the sack, but at that age, many youngsters crumble, because at that time, they’re ‘nothing’ in football and trying to make it.
At worst, it would appear that he is accused of mental abuse of vulnerable youngsters in his care.
If you read the Guardian story, the Premier League found Macdonald guilty of bullying in 2016, and Villa swept it under the carpet.
Exactly DS. That latest article confirms that KMac was found ‘guilty’ but the club didn’t act. We all know nobody had a clue what they were doing in 2016, hence my original point about Purslow actually acting on the evidence.
So Badger, it looks as though it’s not a case of ‘innocent before proven guilty’ but ‘innocent despite proven guilty.’ Thankfully, the club has finally acted. Too late for those whose careers were hampered or extinguished by messrs McAndrew and MacDonald.
Fx#$ Pat I’m in some trouble then, I was a squad NCO in the RASC training recruits does it mean tipping beds up and shouting in the face I was a bully, we had to turn boy’s into men in 8 weeks , got me waiting for the MPs to take me away. For God’s sake they must be weak minded footballers if they didnt understand that’s the way life is. Piss them off to Russia then they would understand what its all about.
Bill and Badger, I appreciate what you’re saying but all kids at that age are ‘weak minded’; that doesn’t give anybody the right to ‘break them’ mentally in the name of preparing them for the real world. Sorry Bill, but your point is not valid because the context is football; they are not going to war, as much as we might like the analogy. They are young footballers. If they’re not good enough, that’s fine. But mental abuse is worse than physical; it breaks a person’s spirit and has life-long effects. When young men and women go to the army, they know what to expect. Young footballers should expect quality coaching and encouragement, and yes, if they mess up, a bollocking. But not systematic and pointless abuse, which is what was happening, according to the stories coming out.
BFR, it was meant as a joke and not to take it as read, we dont at this time know what’s gone on do we, I hope to God that Kmac is not a person to suppress young footballers. We have to see what’s what.