I don’t know what it is, but I’m finding it increasingly harder to write anything about the Villa lately.
International breaks, where England get ridiculously easy draws in the qualifiers, yet crumble at the first sign of any half decent opposition don’t help things in the slightest and I’ve detested the things for years, but somehow there’s more to it than that of late.
I think a lot of it stems to our current position and our current form.
We’re in a position now where we cannot be relegated.
Obviously that’s great, but if you then consider how poorly we’ve been playing for literally months now, we’re not going to make Europe either. I’m sure many will think that’s a good thing, because it’s too soon and we haven’t got the squad.
I totally get that and it’s probably the majority opinion that we haven’t even got the squad for the Premier league, which shows even more how well we’ve done this season.
But I looked on in envy at Wolves last year when they were in Europe and I’m not convinced you should give up on trying to qualify, even if you might prove not good enough.
But that’s an aside.
It seems to me we’ve nothing to play for and our football is basically demonstrating that.
And it’s boring.
Go on, think about it. When was the last time you enjoyed watching a Villa game?
Where’s the free flowing football that we saw earlier in the season, where you actually expected a goal, not just hoped we’d get one?
Where’s the zest, the drive, the basic excitement about our game?
It hasn’t been there for ages for me and it’s beginning to tell on my patience.
Sky’s constant messing about with the kickoff times doesn’t help. Football at 4.30 on a Sunday just feels wrong to me and always will.
But if I’m honest, I don’t even look forward to a Villa game anymore, probably because I know exactly what I’m going to get.
The same tired tactics from a manager who doesn’t even like to sub, let alone bring new players in.
The same players who have persistently underperformed for weeks, yet hardly ever get dropped.
The same one up front, which for all the effort just isn’t producing results.
It’s just boring.
Smith would probably counter that he’s introduced Ramsay. Indeed he has, but has he looked anything like useful?
Be honest and not sentimental and the truth is no he hasn’t. At all.
So take him out of the limelight and get another youngster in.
What is there to lose?
We’re playing like we don’t want to achieve anymore this season, so we might as well just do SOMETHING different.
We’re playing Fulham. Put Davis right next to Ollie and hoof it to them. Just for the hell of it.
Does anyone even care if we win or lose this game? What does it matter?
We all know it won’t happen.
So what to talk about then?
There is nothing. We all know who is going to play and how we’re going to play.
The only possible thing to talk about is if Jack comes back in or not.
If he does, we might be a better team, although I wouldn’t expect him to hit the ground running.
And if he doesn’t, we’ll just be, well…..
I’m going for 2-1.
But I don’t have a clue who will win.
It’s just a case of which team is worse, to my mind.
Didn’t see that result coming. Davis made a huge difference and we actually got players in their penalty area and scored goals. Who would’ve thought it?
If Grealish is out for longer, then Smith should have learnt a lesson today. Watkins and Davis should be paired.
The game changed with Davis’ introduction. Looks like the plan B we have called for may become more regular.
Smith will come under a lot of pressure next season if the team serve up dross like the first 80 minutes. He needs to use more of the squad and be able to change the style of play effectively.
The trouble is Sid, Davis should have been brought in in a similar way, games back. Even I called for it before the game and what do I know?
It’s really not rocket science.
If playing Ollie up front alone isn’t working, change it. Particularly when you’ve absolutely nothing to lose.
Great to see Trez make such a quick impact and to answer your point Hitch, yes I like Trez for what he brings in energy and shots.
But even I’d lost some faith lately as he’d been as bad as many, of late.
We should make the most of being happy about the win today.
But the reality is we were abysmal for most of that game.
And it’s Liverpool up next.
Finding the art of winning again – that’s also important.
We had lost it, playing sterile, fearful football more about not losing than winning.
Even with Grealish back, I’d stick with Davis and Ollie up front.
Looking at the remaining fixtures and our recent form = 6 points. I hope I am wrong but don’t see many more.
I was thinking exactly the same, Sid.
I was about to start a new bomb squad. Smith the 1st name on it for lying about Grealish’s injury. As it is the airheads who comment on the Birmingham Mail imagine that Grealish has injured shins because he wears tiny shin pads, whereas that is the cart before the horse. Because he is prone to shin splints the pressure of full size pads will make him sore so he wears tiny pads that can hang loose.
Today’s result has spared Smith, that and the belief – I have no proof – that Lange bought Sanson, Smith didn’t want him. At least today the 3 under-performing players El Ghazi, Sanson and Luiz were taken off. From the bench Ramsay and Trez were automatic choices but Davis was an option. Smith at last gets it right. Luck or judgement – I think you can guess.
++++++
For Holte66. Try changing your email address and name to 66Holte. That’s like what I have done to get round the moderation.
I was wondering if you’d got round it somehow, OLL. That’s brilliant 🙂
How strange though.
As for Grealish, interesting thought. It would certainly explain why he wears them.
RE Sanson, I don’t buy this “he’s one for next season” at all.
In fact it’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard about a player who isn’t a kid and he’s either good enough or he’s not.
I don’t think Smith wanted Sanson either, but I think there’s a few Smith didn’t want. Guilbert springs to mind. He was signed under Smith’s watch, but I doubt he was involved.
Test from Holte
Agree on the Sanson theory. Something just doesn’t fit the by nature of the signings we made pre season.
It really feels like Sanson was that BLT sandwich that was on the clearance rack for 25p, after taking a few bites, you can’t help but feel you should have paid full price for the ploughman’s triple pack at £2:95.
Badger based on the comments regarding Sanson. Have we ever bought a decent French player? I’m racking my brains and I think they have all failed at Villa!
Dicier Six – odd moment
David Ginola – past his best
Mathiue Berson – sunk without trace
Didier Agatha – waste of ink on contract
Robert Pires – final payday for nothing
Charles Ngzombia – wasted tens of £ms on him
Ally Cissoko – a defender who could not defend
Jordan Amavi and Vertout- both contributed to our relegation
Frederic Guilbert- guaranteed yellow card
Morgan Sanson – I’ll reserve judgement until after next pre- season.
So basically, we have truly been shafted by the French. Perhaps Brexit and the need for more home grown players will stop us from shopping at the bargain basement across the Channel. Insanity is doing the same thing again and expecting a different outcome. 10/10 failures to date and one with the jury currently out.
i was thinking Ginola, but you named him and yes, probably past his best.
I quite like Guilbert, fwiw. He’s a solid defender if that’s what you need, imo and decent backup.
but otherwise struggling to think of any Frenchman who did well for us.
Ginola was past his best, but ‘past his best’ was better than most player’s best. Gregory’s massive ego deprived us of a great talent. Greg couldn’t take someone cooler and suaver than him at the club, so he insulted him publicly and marginalised him. Amataurish handling of a bona-fine world-class talent that we were lucky to have at VP. Full marks to Doug for signing him. Ancient history but a real shame.
I’m going to beg to differ – not that I think Sanson has shown any real quality yet but then neither has Luis nor McGinn of late. There seems to be something amiss with our mid field – and is it really just the absence of Grealish?
Whether Smith supported his acquisition or not is pure conjecture.
When Sanson left Marseilles for a knock down price it incensed Villas-Boas to the point where he openly criticised the club owners – albeit obtusely – by accusing Villa of making a derisory offer which subsequently led to his departure. To my mind, for a manager to publicly criticise his employers, suggests that Sanson is a much better player than we have currently witnessed.
Players do take time to settle at a new club and it’s important that they’re played in their best position within a set up that suits them.
I return to my opening point that something’s just not right with our mid field?
Barkley is a much better player than we’ve witnessed for months. But he’s still been awful and it’s a case of how long can you let a player be rubbish, yet still play him?
McGinn has been exactly the same.
Trouble is, there isn’t a single midfielder who’s played well for weeks.
It’s very odd that so many players seem to have gone out of form at the same time.
But I strongly believe poor tactics and sticking with the same players for too long has something to do with it.
I noticed that we’re having a proper clearout amongst the U23s at the end of the season. It’s about time. As a club, we’ve held on to too many players for far too long.
We need to get ruthless and get rid.
Hourihane is the first and I think quite a few more will follow.
I always thought Jordan Veretout could have been a brilliant player, was with us when we were at our worst. Isn’t he doing quite well now?
I’m glad there’s a discussion about our midfield going on. I was going to post before McGinn shone (again) in the internationals.
McGinn is not out of form. We have an exceptional player who is capable of goals and assists in double figures. His ‘engine’ is one of the best in the league. This is a player who should ONLY be deployed in THE FINAL THIRD. At the moment, Smith has a Ferrari in the garage but he’s using it to ‘drive Miss Daisy.’ This guy is in his prime now. His engine won’t last forever. Barklay and Sanson aren’t fit to lace his boots and should NEVER EVER occupy an attacking midfield position ahead of him. After the internationals, I think the penny started to drop with Smith and he played him further forward against Fulham. When asked if that was ‘an option’ he said yes but he can also play deeper. NO! No. No. No. Just because he’s a great footballer and a top professional, doesn’t give you the right to waste him. I have nothing more to say on McGinn. We have a gem but he’s wasted. Bin Barkley. Bin Sanson. Play McGinn in the final third in EVERY GAME with licence to shoot to score, play through balls and generally run the opposition defence ragged, creating space for the forwards. Very, very simple.
Next: Douglas Luiz. How is it that a player who’s capable of scoring from long range and goals in the box hasn’t scored a single goal in what’s supposed to be a good season? Again he’s played too deep.
The answer: Marvellous Nakamba. We’ve hardly lost any games when he’s played. Play Marvellous in front of the defence. Then play Luiz and McGinn behind the front three. The ideal front three would be Jack, Bert and Ollie. Job done. Our best players in their best positions. That front five would scare the shit out of most teams in the league.
So:
Emi,
Ezri, Mings, Cash, Targett
Marvellous
Mcginn, Douglas
Jack, Ollie, Bert
UTV
I’m with you 100% BFR. Mcginn been wrongly used so as 1 or2 more .Dean Smith hasn’t seen the woods from the trees and been playing safe . Our final third hasn’t been addressed and again it’s took someone else to show a players protentional. I don’t hold much in reading that the club is looking for a replacement ,but if it happens its Smith own fault. We have thrown games away because the managers not been skilled in seeing players skill and most probably made them play in positions not suitable to them.
A bit of speculation about Gerrard as new manager for next season. I don’t buy this but I genuinely believe that our owners will be considering this. I’m not slagging off Smith in any way, but they will have an opinion about how we play, where we are going and how we attract the best talent.
I really think we will have a new manager come the start of next season.
I’d be staggered if this proved to be the case, DS. I praise Smith when it’s due and am more than happy, like everyone else, to point out where I think he’s missing a trick. But to give him the bullet would be callous and, on balance, unwarranted. If we finish top 10, that’s a good season. So next season will need to be at least top 6, which is not beyond Smith IF the right players come in. I can’t imagine how Smith would feel reading that speculation. It will destabilise everything and we could fall away badly now.
I see the Jedi is back at VP as Loans Development Coach working with youngsters sent out on loan.
To demonstrate that our new approach / investment in the academy / U23’s is working, we need to start seeing the ‘highly rated’ younger players stepping up to the first team – including Louie Barry, Chukwuemeka and Kesler.
On Smith, I think it would be a poor decision to replace him at this time; not even sure why it’s being contemplated beyond lazy journalism. Be honest, at the start of the season how many of us thought we would be sitting 9th in the table with 9 games left and still being linked with Europe?
Yes, we haven’t been playing at our best for some time but that’s been exacerbated, first by the Covid outbreak then Cash being out and lastly JG’s extended absence.
Even Liverpool’s football has been massively affected by the loss of key players this season.
The Star is reporting that Grealish will be out until May 1st.
I’ve also heard a rumour this morning that a player has a serious drink and pills problem. Guess who was named?
Gerrard to Villa?
Not a chance, imo. What’s he done to justify a Prem position?
You can cite Lampard and Rooney etc, but they’ve done nothing either.
I’d definitely rather keep Smith over inexperienced managers who are just names.
I don’t believe the owners will be looking to replace Smith, but he will be expected to improve us.
Without new players, I’m not convinced he could do that, tbh.
As for Nakamba, he must be wondering what he has to do to get a run in the team. Not the only example of Smith’s poor handling of players though. As I’ve said before, I think that’s the thing that will see him sacked.
And yes, it’s no coiincidence that McGinn has looked poor since being asked to play deeper to accomodate Barkley.
So the club didn’t do their homework and paid a fat loan fee as well. Not good enough, is it? And Hourihane, a model professional and a loyal and capable servant, was ditched to make room. Very, very poor from the people upstairs at VP. I rarely say that and am usually full of praise for Purslow. But they’ve cocked-up on this one.
I do recall when we signed Barkley some of the comments on social media from Chelsea fans – the term ‘piss-head’ stood out. So why didn’t the board do their homework? Isn’t that what they’re paid to do?
It’s a real shame, as the player undoubtedly has plenty of talent, but it’s going to be wasted by the looks of it.
It wasn’t Barkley, if that’s what you’re thinking BFR.
Wasn’t it Grealish and Barkley that were pictured at some restaurant?
Probably all very innocent.
As for Hourihane, not good enough, imo, although to be fair, he did get a few goals.
He should at least get a nice last payday from Swansea.
Oh no, surely not Jack, Badger???! I’m aghast at the implication. Gutted generally, and for him personally, if it’s true.
🙁 🙁 🙁
I’m not sure if that’s a sarcastic comment or not. BFR?
Whatever, no comment, because I don’t really want to perprtuate what is an incredibly weak rumour.
Save to say, would you really be surprised, given the state that he looked to be in after he crashed his Range Rover?
Not sarcastic at all, Badger. Would be genuinely shocked and saddened IF true. Like Bill said, I hope to God it’s not true. I thought about the Range Rover incident, too, but let’s hope it’s an isolated one.
That’s correct Bagger it was them .
I’ve read sleeping pills, I honestly cannot believe it but there’s something seriously wrong somewhere. Time will tell and I hope to God it’s untrue.
A £99.2 million loss.
That’s painful.
https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/april/Aston-Villa-Publish-2019-20-Year-End-Accounts/
Oh and the U23’s lost 4-1 to Fulham.
Hmm.
All good news then Badger 🙂
BBC confirming JG will be out for ‘a couple more weeks’ having been ‘rushed back too quickly’. Is the Grealish injury a cover for something more nasty? I actually doubt that – that’s not to say there might not be other issues – who knows?
I’m assuming the rumour you refer to is the same one DS (I think it was DS) also posted a few days ago. Our magnificent press aren’t normally backward in coming forward with nice bits of juicy, career threatening gossip but not seen anything in the papers as yet.
I’ll have a butchers at the accounts – thanks for posting the link.
I hope Jack makes it back before the end of the season. But even if he does, is there enough time for him to make enough of an impact to make the Euros?
On a similar note, all the stick Gareth Southgate took for seemingly preferring Mason Mount to Jack now seems embarrassing. Mount is performing week-in, week-out and keeping top-line players out of the Chelsea team. He’s performing in the Champions League latter stages. Not to mention consistently producing the goods for England. And he’s several years younger than Jack. That’s the reality. Villa fans like to give the England boss stick, but you have to give him full marks on his judgment and for sticking to his guns.
That’s not to say Jack doesn’t bring plenty to the England fold, but to say Mount is inferior is now a ridiculous and laughable statement to make.
Here’s hoping they both start in the Euros, but Jack’s up against it and in a race against time.
Is anything in the year end related to the amortization issue?
I like your line up, Ron of the Biggest and Fattest.
Deploying the pit bull like Meatball in the final 3rd would disrupt the most organised of defences.
You’d expect amortization to be a large amount, wouldn’t you?
The amount of players we’ve paid a fortune for and got nothing back is shocking.
There’s no detail in the article, although it’ll no doubt come out later.
My understanding of the accounting rules are that clubs can write down the transfer cost of a player on a straight line basis over the period of their contract – one reason (with FFP) why we’re seeing players signing much longer contracts when clubs buy them.
However, when a club sells a player then the amount not yet written down has to be taken into that years accounts – offset by the whole amount of any income achieved through any fee received.
Hence why clubs are reluctant to sell players cheaply or terminate contracts, unless it’s towards the end of the players contract, even where those players are not contributing to the playing side. It’s all about ‘bean counting’ and satisfying FFP!
So the accounts will have fully provided for amortisation of transfer fees.
Hope that makes sense.
Hitch, my understanding is you can write down the costs as you say.
A £20 mill player on a four year contract at £2 mill a year gets written off at £7 mill a year if you give him away (Hogan, shudder).
Our problem to me seems to be we’re signing players on longer terms and inflated wages.
I know. It’s the strategy that Purslow talks about.
“Sign young players for the long term”
The trouble is, we’ve seen similar for years, in over-paying and are still paying the price.
It’s all well and good as long as the players don’t prove to be donkeys, but doing it with younger players is riskier, imo.
You can bet your boots we’re over paying for the U-23s too. That’s how we’re getting them in.
I hope NWES don’t prove to be fly by nighters.
I don’t think they will be, but the strategy needs to pay off sooner rather than later, else they’re going to find it incredibly expensive; way more than they thought.
Aren’t we playing Pool today?