This is how we have been Described by Rodney Marsh, stating that:
all the king horse and all the kings men couldn’t put Villa together again.
Are things really that bad at Villa? Looking at the surface YES!!!! Yes they are!
Benteke making waves with a release clause that looks set to be hit in the region of £30m, Cleverly as I type is expected to announce his signing at Everton, Vlaar still not having made a decision, still no significant news about a new owner, and a terrible end to the season culminating in embarrassing defeat in the FA Cup Final.
Where’s the good news going to come from? Who are we going to attract to the club when we’re in such a state of disarray? News from France is that PSG were willing to let Cabaye come to Villa on loan for next season, something the player refused. Not because he wanted to stay and fight for his place at PSG (which I could stomach) but because the player has his heart set on joined…. wait for it… Crystal Palace!!! What the actual F&@K!
We’re no more than a week since the end of the season and I’ve already bought the rope, picked a tree and tied the knot…
Without Sherwood actually confirming it, the club have told Lowton, Gil, Weimann, Bent, Bennett, Sylla, Hutton, Cole, Kozak, Cissoko and Senderos to find new clubs. One off Guzan and Given are set to be sent packing with a new keeper a “priority”. With so far only Scott Sinclair signed, a player that barely featured under Sherwood in the run in.
Are we to pin our hopes on Grealish, who no matter how much Claret and Blue runs through his veins, must be sat thinking what am I doing here? The pressure for him to perform week in week out from the Villans next season is going to be immense, I might be wrong but that pressure can break players, he’s not going to be given the time to develop as he should. There already seems a level of expectancy and consistency the Villa fans want to see from him every time he plays and that is impossible for a player so young with so little experience.
What about Gardner? Is he the shining light again? I think he’ll get games and do well but I fear he isn’t going to be the player we all wished and hoped for. I think he’ll be an able replacement for Cleverly but no world beater that he looked as a kid.
Irrespective of what happens, Sherwood needs at least £60m to spend on this squad, and if/when Benteke goes all of that money needs reinvesting too. Lerner needs to put his hands in his pockets one last time if no buyer is going to come through in the next couple of weeks. Protect his investment or lose it completely.
I just can’t for the life of me see how Sherwood is going to turn this around and get the players we need in.
Surely Gil is one of the player we need to keep. The only other player in the Villa squad that can do what Grealish can – create and go past players.
Can any of the Lifers talk be down from climbing this tree? Find any reasons to be positive? Or shall I save you a space… I’ve got plenty of rope…
The Author
Graham O'Gara
Follow me on @WorldClassAV A Football and Villa addict, opinionated and argumentative, I say what i see and you may or may not agree. I currently hold a FA Level 2 coaching badge, but have held the Uefa B License. I look forward to sharing some opinions and banter with you all....Comments 108
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top write up gog
yes the club have become a major embarrassment for a lot of fans and the butt of ridicule for many pundits and supporters of other clubs
the club is far from unfixable thou , all it needs is the right investment and guidance
no one is going to challenge constantly without cash but you can gain respect with a good philosophy
There is a little bit of hope right now which is the takeover does happen and the new owner does the right things to progress
Its all good.
Learner going ( new owners may be minted)
Lambo gone
Faulkner gone
Most of our crap relegation haunted squad are about to be booted.
Bright new manager who loves young players and the actual emergence of grealish and fingers crossed gardner is something to look forward too.
We have survived the dark lambert years….we can get through this transition shity bit whilst learner sells.
Patience
Nice to see your spark of optimism Andrew…..
Seamus Coleman was supposed to be having a medical today and joining us on a 3 year deal….
late whisper that Andros Townsnd was at Bodymoor Heath…courtesy of the Informer….
Good to see you again GOG, totally agree with everything.
Yes it was Townsend, surprise surprise, ex Spurs and crepe. Trippier and N’Doye are supposed to be having talks in the next few days. It looks positive for the take over if these are the targets they’re not going to be cheap unless CB has already been sold.
Unfortunately without wanting to be dragged backwards again into the negativity around VP, I can see this point of view completely.
Worrying times at VP… AGAIN.
Coleman ? surprised if he joins i thought all the top clubs were after him. Good FB pairing SC and Trippier. All it takes is persuading one or two names to join then every one can see TS is trying to build and then others will sign.
As i mentioned earlier, good signs for the TO.
Thanks for the post GOG was beginning lose hours scrolling 🙂
On Gardener, nobody thought much of cleverly until Sherwood got him attacking, he’d forgotten how. TS knows what Gardener used to do, he’d ghost into the box and I think he will again, plus he has the ability to hit 30 yard screamers like Charlton used to and takes fantastic free kicks, cant wait to see the lad finally get a chance in an attacking team not the negative shite we’ve laboured under.
If that’s the level we are after I’m amazed cleverly isn’t staying
FIFA are about to get broadsided by an ex federation leader from Jamaica
should be fun
Who is n doye?
Townsend i like, quick direct and scores goals. Any doubters just think of it this way….weiman out townsend in. Upgrade.
Trippier i like a lot
There is as much chance of coleman joining villa as scarlet johanson finding me on facebook, taking a shine to me, paying for me to go visit her and letting me have my wicked way with her then after seeing how amazing i am keeping me as her sex slave.
Andrew,
“Patience” – yes, that’s if folks, it’s the key word and thanks for the calm words in your response.
We’re all posting as we are just now because we’re in this hiatus and knowing nuffin’ of what’s really going on with regard to the sale of the club, money available and … most annoying of all perhaps … some sense of treachery on the part of Benteke and Cleverley. But, heck, we know most players are just concerned about the money and their self-assessed wonderful ability: it’s a players’ market and if they want to go then let ’em. Thank goodness for Delph’s attitude and the keenness of Grealish and Gardner.
Perhaps we should all go on holiday until this hiatus is over? One thing for sure, come August we *will* know summat!
Hahahaha you peeps…
So it not quite as bad as the write up but things need to start happening and quickly.
I heard a whisper from someone last night, who is usually not far off that Liverpool are trying to play Benteke’s agent at his own game, they’ve apparently but a sneaky big in for Bolasie – £15m.
United are apparently ready to meet Benteke’s asking price after it looks like Cavani is looking toward Turin.
We’ve also asked after Robinson at Hull.
Lots of rumour but as always with Villa won’t believe it until I see it. We’ve not been linked to Robbie Keane yet so it can’t be proper transfer season!!!
If we can get a couple of decent fullbacks, Keep hold of Benteke and add a Carbone or Merson type then we’ll have done well. I’d take Livermore at Hull too if we could get him in.
Who would be everyone’s choice to replace Benteke if he goes? Callum Wilson? Austin? … I’d really like to annoy them baggies and bid £20 for Berahino…
“O’Neill hints he’d take different approach to Sherwood over Jack Grealish”
Yes he would… He just wouldn’t play him, and buy in a mediocre winger on £50k a week to play ahead of him lol…
than probably sell him on the cheap and watch him move to Chelsea a year later for £20 million… lololol
Like me Murphy’s… I’m not bitter…. oh not wait I am….
Before people post I know the article I quote from is about Grealish’s international future…
Berahino has the same agent as Sterling, keep him away from VP.
You’d need at least two goalscorers to replace CB, no-one anywhere as good for our pocket.
All these names coming out reminds me of when Herbert was contaminating the club, Oliver Bierhof, Roberto Baggio etc were linked to sell ST and then we’d sign some third division reserve.
I see Martin Skyrtl has described LFC’s offer as “unacceptable” ye gods, Benteke destroys him every game and he still thinks he’s a player. That the scousers slag of CB and yet rate this clown is confirmation that they know sod all.
Looks like TS likes to get them in early, another five or six will do til January.
No axe to grind over CB, he’s been great for Villa and deserves a good move, Clev too, he overcame massive abuse to show he’s above average, i think GG has ten times the ability so he won’t really be missed, i think the travelling had a lot to do with his move ( if he signs ), good luck to him.
GOG,
Never rated MON as a manager at all, he raised expectation at VP to be fair but good manager, nah. I think his big gob has made JG’s mind up for him, what with the other joker, Keane, as well.
I originally though Ireland would be the better choice for him but the ego’s have taken over from the football.
Agree steamer. A lot of worry losing tekkers and cleves but not shocked.
Will be sad about tekkers but prob had a player of that quality long enough…at least he has kept us up and and leaves with lambert gone and hopefully new owners which will give us more of a chance of doing well without him than lambo at the helm.
Rather give Gards a chance than 50k a week cleves.
andrews quite since last night is he making breakfast for Scarlet?
Mons an antique and as much as lerner was a Muppet that man ruined this club through mismanagement of funds and staff, SAF he will never be
Austin for me 17 goals for a shite team can’t be bad, would look at watfords forwards too, Ighalo or deaney 41 goals between them
cleverly will park himself in cheshire with his other football mates and tekkers will be ok but probably a bench warmer for chelski.
I think it would be good for us as we would stop the Tekkers is the centre of the universe tactics
as for carbone/merson we have Gil
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4768566,00.html?
Andrew,
N’Doye, Hull striker.
Humpty Dumpty i suppose that term could fit a so-called striker who joined Man City in the late 60’s when they were walking away with the league, think they finished fourth, what was his name ? … oh that’s it Rodney Marsh.
Hello people. Austin plus one for me as well and if the plus one is the right one our front 2 will get more goals between them than the current pair. Benteke on form and interested is unstoppable as he showed for most of his season (before asking for a transfer) and for a quarter of this season (before getting his agent to ask for a transfer). Anyone else see a pattern.
Other than that it’s looked like him and Gabby have been playing musical statues. As Bibulus was singing in his beer last week “let it go, let it go, turn away and slam the door”. I think he was singing about Benteke anyway.
As long as we hold on to Delph I’m genuinely not bothered who goes. I certainly won’t shed any tears over Tom Cleverly. I think that for 50 thou a week we’re entitled to expect a fair bit more than 4 or 5 good games a season.
The really interesting stuff will be who comes in as this will tell us a lot about the future.
here’s something to take our minds off villa for a while
http://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2015/jun/04/jack-warner-fifa-corruption-i-have-kept-quiet-i-will-do-so-no-more-live
A lot depends on genuine durable prem league quality being brought in. The types who are willing to bleed for Villa. If Villa doesn’t get them, it’ll be more of the same next year. They’ll cost lots in fees and wages. That’s just the way it is.
We’re not talking about buying a title, we’re talking about mere survival and then a push for mid-table status.
Can Gabby be a genuine wide winger? Can he cross a ball well enough?
Well, a new broom sweeps clean, but a bird needs feathers to fly. Villa’s a bit like a bird without feathers. Only the income from selling players or investment from Lerner or new owners will save Villa from relegation next season, and put feathers back on the bird, or probably more aptly, in Villa’s case, teeth back in the lion.
Villa management also needs to make the physio clinic at BMH an unpleasant place to visit. Get the ugliest wart infested former East German physios with oak like forearms, I dunno:).
Trinity, you ever seen the film ‘Hostel’? Is that the sort of thing you had in mind?
Andrew P
Spot on about the forwards. We need another striker if we sell tekkers or not.
If we can get Austin and wilson as a partnership if we loose tekkers then overall as a team we might be better off.
Style of play may be better too….very frustrating when we just dont bother to play and aimlessly lump it forward. Which is most games!
Trin,
Just on my way to Chelmsley Wood, hundreds of them over there.
Rogenio Ceni just scored his 128th goal for Sao Paulo, he’s a goalie, are you watching Gabby ?
well whomever we end up buying better not be whiners as I don’t think
TS will tolerate losers from here on in.
This is a good thing IMO as I don’t think you should have to do the arm around the shoulder stuff to much with professional athletes. If they are not self motivated enough to get the best out of themselves feck them all.
Oh hang on they are footballers! what am I saying give them a great big cuddle and tell them its going to be all right.
cheers steamer
I know who he is now. Not a bad player, always a handfull when i seen him play.
bruce is talking shite £30m for robertson
http://www.london24.com/sport/football/clubs/arsenal/hull_manager_demands_30m_for_arsenal_chelsea_and_aston_villa_defensive_target_1_4101197
Strange that Robertson couldn’t get a game for Hull at the end of last season. Sit down potato head.
Bruce always does that – if we are able to offer between 10 and 15mil i am sure there board will snap our hands off
GOG…
Dude, seriously, untwist yer knickers, take a chill pill even swim with the dolphins.
Firstly without wanting to sound like a barrister, this is all conjecture and supposition.
Do a Raffa Benitez and deal with the facts, Who has left so far? who has handed in a transfer?
TBH if Cleverly does go, i think we may have dodged a bullet there, we only got a few decent performances out of him anyway, he’s not all that!
Yohan Cabaye, so what, if he don’t wanna come here then we don’t want him. Truth is you cant make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. this club needs rebuilding from the ground up. The players we have are not good enough, we are a shadow of our former self, and to think when Southgate left we all derided him when he said we lacked ambition. we have shown nothing since. Money is the key and if we don’t have it…we have nothing, this is an undeniable fact, Living on past glories is a pointless exercise. We are where we are and if we think we should be somewhere else then we are in denial.
TS needs our backing, he will do what he can with what he has, no more and no less, lets give hime a shot at least.
VTID
I think the tone of Graham’s piece has actually brought out a bit of realism in the subsequent posts, we don’t have to be swinging from the chandoliers on how great AVFC is, we know it isn’t.
But as above Lambert gone (worse than McLeish), Faulkner gone, useless prick, Lerner will go. While Fox needs to think before he speaks in terms of dealing with fans, we couldn’t have got better in terms of a CEO with commerical experience. Dafabet are gone and that was a crap deal for a crap time. We’ve the chance of 10m plus per season sponsor. Macron gone from 2016/17.
Benteke will go and boost the coffers, if he wants european football then i’d prefer he left England, can’t be dealing with muted celebrations (hate them). Cleverley is being reported as a loss to Villa, he was for a few games but he was only ever on loan with us so good luck to him, he won’t get the same treatment from us like he got from the Man U sheep.
I await TS’ return from holiday and then the real business will start, I expect he’ll want to stamp his name all over this team, look who he wants rid of, anyone disagree beyond Gil that TS is making the right decision.
Need to re-visit how AVFC treats it’s Lions clubs, positive announcements in this regard will go some way to repair the link between club and fan. The future isn’t yet bright but we’ve come from a very dark place.
Latest news from the Telegraph:
Delph is not interested in a new contract and will not sign for Villa again……
Wonder what his release clause level is??????
D’OR: “The future isn’t yet bright but we’ve come from a very dark place.”
Ooooooooohhhhh, yes. So true.
delph will be nearly 30 when his contracts up
you wont catch many of todays run of the mill players working after they retire unless they choose or have been stupid
http://sabotagetimes.com/football/25-former-aston-villa-players-with-surprising-jobs-after-retiring
an interesting view of the final and closer to the truth than is comfortable
http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=7518965
Mark,
Steve Wade I know his old writings in the very early Villa List going back to the early 2000s. He’s a great man with the pen and tells it as it is. As you’ve seen.
JL yes he’s very good, you have to hope all this outing the truth with FIFA goes a bit further, I’m sure all sorts of sporting entities are looking on nervously and shredding paper in the background 😉
Makes you wonder if Cleverly put the mockers on his £7m move in Jan? it doesn’t look like he was going anywhere but Everton. think he got the bus from wembley to liverpool. Wasn’t it one of the manc pundits that said he’ll go there?
Strange that now Clevs left Villa he’s in the London squad in Ireland, how humiliating though, a replacement for Ryan Mason !!!!
Cleverley signing for Everton not only is frustrating to lose a good player BUT shows the lack of ambition and the serious state we are in as a club. The quicker Lerner Foxtrot Oscars away from us the better. The man is a god damn disgrace!!!
Delph is only 25yrs old and I am sure he has a release clause,which could easily be matched if he performs well now for the 3 Lions.
Tom Fox, TS and Villa need to be coming forward in the next few weeks if we are going to be a force to be reckoned with.
are we really worried cleverly going to everton 38 games 3 goals 3/4 half decent performances remember everton spent 40 million last summer and went backwards big contract for barry loooks mad now,plus how many utd rejects bar god have done any good when they left ,
he was just better than rest of lamberts rubbish ,my only problem was sherwood playing him in final when he knew he wasn t going to sign same with vlar no contract no game
i hope sherwood has a list of decent players and they are out there at bargain prices we needed complete overhaul of scouting set up
we need a decent keeper 2 fullbacks a centre half 2 mids and striker, we can t expect sherwood to get them all in first window
as well i am pretty sure that sherwood is man enough to walk if he doesn t get any money, he hardly took job that willing we where in bad spot when he took over
James- its not how good we think cleverly is, its the fact he doesn’t see us as the right place to further his career, ditto Benteke. We looked like losers in that final and finished 17th that’s what people see. Granted we don’t need nob heads, we need players with character but looking like a sinking ship doesn’t impress anyone.
mark k
before the cup semi what rating would you have given cleverly
did you really want him i didnt
yes it looks like a sinking ship but times you have to through sink to survive
Cleverly, Wiemann, even Benteke for big chunks of last season were the problem not the solution.
You know the saying “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water”? Well we don’t need to worry about that, because there wasn’t a feckin baby.
We’ve had 4 relegation battles in a row under different managers for 1 very good reason. The players, Sir Fabian Delph aside, just aren’t good enough.
Far more important will be the players coming in. This one could come back to bite me, but I expect us to finish ahead of Everton. In the words of SWV, ITWT.
andrew p
agree i think we can finish above everton martinez is going to be found out,barry looked gone last year 2 more years of contract ,baines jakeilka distain will have to be replaced
Nice write up GOG
As for the speculation about players and contracts – what a load of hyperbollox. I care as much about the players as they do about me – i do however care about the villa.
Cleverly kept Pogba out of manure squad and Ferguson sold pogba to keep clev – there is clearly a huge slice of luck in all these professional analyses of players and what they will bring to the party.
IYAABBT …….
Good morning Graham and all .
The harsh reality of where we really are as a club was set before us in no uncertain terms with our last three games , including the Wembley non performance . Your article sums up what we kind if feared all along , even though we have been given hope with the handful of much better performances under TS – the bottom line is we are in an unholy mess and your article sums that up excellently Graham. Now that Teckers has decided no more for him, Clevers has been reunited with Martinez, the remaining players must be looking around at each other thinking “holy shit!”.
This is where we need a bright spark like Tim , as he will reframe the negative into a positive . How ?
The current crop of players produced about five great performances over four seasons. The only thing consistent about them was their ability to disappoint . With a good clear out we can really start rebuilding and TS can out his stamp on the team. I’d imagine the Teckers thing is no big surprise so hopefully they’ve been out there looking for his replacement some time ago. We may have to look further afield than the English leagues as our reputation is a “just survived again ” club. But maybe that’s not a bad thing . Look at Michu and Bony who Swansea managed to find . Who had heard of Bolassi before last season . (My favourite new comer )
This shoukd be a great and exciting opportunity and I can’t wait for TS to return from holiday so we can see who he has chosen to put this club back to where it should belong .
The toffee fans have been very hostile this season towards the style of play. I can see cleves getting dogs abuse if he just knocks it about sideways. Could regret that move
Jenny: “the bottom line is we are in an unholy mess”
Why are we *now* being so -ve, Jenny? The fact is that as things were in February this club was dropping like a stone but Tim came in ‘Tim[e]’ and shored up the defences so that we limped over the line showing some glimmer of the kind of football that should be played. Yes, we sagged badly in the last 3 games, but that may partly be due to over-confidence after the Liverpool success.
What I am saying is that TS came in and provided something +ve to work from. Yes, there’s a mountain to climb, but it can be achieved – we will soon find out.
Meanwhile I don’t see much point in harping on imponderables – it will be 2 weeks or more before we have anything much to chew on. Meanwhile we’re feeling -ve with the kind of news we’re hearing about Beks and Clevs, which was on the cards anyway.
Heads up lads and lassies! 🙂 … Enjoy the break!
Jenny: “This shoukd be a great and exciting opportunity and I can’t wait for TS to return from holiday so we can see who he has chosen to put this club back to where it should belong .”
Clealry I didn’t read your piece before your bottom line! My apologies – and your bottom line is exactly as it is. 🙂
“Clealry I didn’t read your
piece beforeyour bottom line!”James, I’m not having a pop but personally this is how I see it.
While I don’t think Cleverly is the greatest player I’ve ever seen he was a player of a certain standard that lost his way,and He was also on a free. He was loudly applauded by TS who told the whole world how much he wanted to keep him. Going on the premise that TS is going to buy 10+ players of an incredibly better standard than we have got seems nuts to me when one of the players he claims is his sort of player has
A: done a runner even after saying how wonderful TS is.
B: most don’t rate his idea of a top player?
C: the only player that looked decent in a poor side pre Tim Gil, is nowhere to be seen. yet Tim rates the one who underperformed with the rest?
How Clevs gets on in an attacking role we will find out at Everton because that’s what they want him for. He did start to show signs he could do it but we lost form and stopped playing that way, time will tell. we have probably failed to sign a player for £0 shortly to be worth £15m+ if he performs and gets back in the England fold.
On to what’s going to happen when Tim returns. Nobody knows if we are sold or not, no amount has been mentioned as transfer fund either, only that Tim has to prove we need that player to the board.
Meanwhile all around us players are being signed while Tim gets some rays. His fav player clevs who is still a manure player until the 30th has signed for Everton which suggests they have already spoken. which means clevs wasn’t impressed with our plans or what he was offered or loves the north that much he had to return because winter is coming.
JD says the entire crew of his cruise ship knew we have been sold so what are they waiting for? is there other interest Lerner is talking to? he’s already stated he will stand down if we are not sold which doesn’t suggest a done deal.
This great refit at Villa could yet again be done on a shoestring, remember all the players Lambert looked at and was told he couldn’t have by the board? the only plus I can see is we will probably get some money from selling lowton, weimann, et al but not a lot because we are desperate and the players are average. Tekkers is our only golden goose.
To add balance the players we are being linked with are not going to be cheap so if we are going to get 10 like them it will cost £80mil .
As everyone has said its a waiting game, I just feel in our position if things are changing for the better get the fecking trumpet out.
Good piece GOG that sums the situation up completely, as does this review by a Villa supporter in Daisy Cutter http://www.thedaisycutter.co.uk/2015/06/aston-villa-season-review-far-from-the-fabled-mid-table/
If, as seems likely, CB goes and Cleverley is gone for no cash, then TS needs to build on the money he has available. We do not know if the club will be sold in time or even if the new owners want to invest or just asset strip.
I’m sure someone gave me the old Chinese curse ‘May you live in interesting times’!
Like John and Paul, and a few more, I have seen Villa achieve and play disastrously over the decades. I am not going to give up supporting them because of a hiatus in their ability to win. I just hope the turn round occurs before we end up with the Blues!
Mark::
Your reference list:
A:[Cleverley has] done a runner even after saying how wonderful TS is.
B: most don’t rate his [TS, presumably] idea of a top player?
C: the only player that looked decent in a poor side pre Tim Gil, is nowhere to be seen. yet Tim rates the one who underperformed with the rest?
I’m not sure where all this criticism leads us to be honest. Not very far, I suspect… 😉
Point A: Cleverley can say what he likes about TS, but was TS able to fix his [Clev’s] career in an instant to satisfy his career targets? I agree that going to Everton may seem not such an improvement in prospects, but I suspect that some carrot has been offered that TS is unable to come up with – just now at least.
Point B: Not sure we even really know what TS’s idea of a top player is. He hasn’t made any signings yet, nor made a statement that really indicates his thoughts too much. My attitude is that he must know what a top player is as he was able to make Delph improve and Benteke to come alive, and even got more lif out of Zoggy and Clevs (for a while at least). TS was a very good player himself, so he must know.
Point C: The issue you make about Gil is related to the fact that the spectators liked him (and I also liked him). But that was under Lambert when the rest were pretty awful most of the time (not much to compare against). But clearly TS had a system he wanted his players to work to and it would appear that Gil has not fitted that system. So, unfortunately, if he has to go he has to go – no point in going on about it I think.
Andrew
LOl. Just watched this trailer for Hostel. The new BMH, going to the physio ain’t no back rub.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR5oL6qwszA
When TS came along, having seen some of Villa’s games and how Gill and Grealish played, he made a decision, and preferred Grealish to Gill, and therefore did not need them both.
He improved the side tremendously and got them fighting and having a desire to win, but then so did Pullis, Pardew and Pearson on a consistent basis, unfortunately TS was not able to do so. He managed to get the results which got us over the line…JUST..
I have said before, I wish him well and hope he can do the business, but he has a long, long way to go. We are back to where we were four years ago, but unfortunately with a worse squad. We really do need some serious in depth building, around a great captain…Let us hope we have one.
I think Cleverley leaving is a blow to our survival hopes next season, under TS he was much improved and scored a couple of vital goals, add to that he was FREE so wouldn’t have dented our transfer kitty. It is also a sign of how deeply we are in the shit, as we now only have Delph who has any quality about him and is of the required standard( given that Tekkers and Vlaar look to be off very soon). Do we honestly think RL is going to cough up the £60-80m to bring in 6-8 quality players?? Because that is what is required. No I don’t think I’m exaggerating either as we are going to offload or lose around 10+ players this summer. We are going to need at least one GK, 1 x FB possibly 2, 2 x midfielders, 1x winger and 2 strikers all of which need to be first team starters not more dross. This is an extremely important summer as the TV deal goes up again in 12-18mnths.
I honestly don’t think there will be a takeover, as the only people remotely interested don’t have any funds, on this basis I can only forsee another year of Lerner’s White collar robbery, and a relegation battle which I don’t think we will pull out of, as we seem to get closer to the drop each year.
Without a takeover we’re a dead duck, TS is a novice, he performed one miracle with the help of new manager syndrome, i doubt he can do the same next season, in fact unless someone comes up with some money i can’t see him being here at Christmas.
One of the things that pees me off is how the club keeps its fans in the dark about everything important, ignorant doesn’t cover it, possibly lack of common decency does. Tom fox has massive problems with his ego and lack of integrity while Lerner is just a laughing stock, the problem facing AVFC is not who comes in its getting rid of this pair.
The thing is if you were Cleverley, Benteke or any decent player why would you really want to stay / come to VP?
We have an owner who is not interested in the club and will not do anything to further the club now except to maybe stay in the PL.
We have a manager and team, who yes got over the line JUST, but we’re out thought and out played both in and FA Cup final and against both Southampton and Burnley.
If you were a player loking at his career why would you want to come to AVFC? I don’t blame Cleverly for getting out to be honest, he probably wants to be in a team that actually may get some success some time soon.
That leaves only the players who are after a final pay cheque or rookies from lower leagues that will struggle to make any impact… Both types that will mean we are floating around relegation till the inevitable time where we run out of luck and go down.
Personally I think we are an absolute shambles. One which without a change of owner and a HUGE change of personnel will do nothing to change but bring the same old crap in we see time and time again.
Sad times at VP.
JL its not criticism just an examination of the facts or things as they appear at the very least. I could wax lyrical of how TS has saved us and got us to a cup final and lets wait and see but as they are pretty economical with truth at VP theses days its hard to know what’s what.
TS definitely loved clevs, I remember after Delph turned in a MOM performance he spoke only of Cleverly and how wonderful he was? and elsewhere in my last post I said what we offered was obviously not good enough ( so no massive takeover, career progression?) and I would love to get over Gils impending departure too but I’m afraid it leaves me quite baffled and therefore gives rise to doubt. I’d add Cleverlys choice doesn’t paint us in a great Light.
B62 I’m with you, without investment and a lot of it we will be replacing half a squad with the U21’s whilst losing top performers from an already poor squad.
My last point…
TS etc keeps going on about our history and being a massive club etc as reasons to want to join AVFC…
History is only important to us the fans and if we’re such a massive club why aren’t people snapping Lerners hands off to buy us?
To me we can only be judged, from an outside perspective, by where we’re going and what we’re doing to get there.
Currently I think this is obvious… We are doing nothing.
To me AVFC will always be the biggest club… But then I’m a Villa fan and am obviously biased… 🙂
steamer
regarding lerner how many season tickets where villa down last season even with impressive start he can only fool fans once, if season ticket holders are getting phonecalls already doesn t look good,we had 4 years of bad press ,sherwood comes in media love him think lerners going to have to bite bullet sell quick or back sherwood because we can t stay up another season with squad we have, they have cut length of years of parachute payment so go down next year it will be for good
does anyone know what players sherwood wants yes he made noises about keeping cleverly but at over 13m wages to much,mon always complained we had to pay overodds for players
James G
he’s on £50,000 a week for 5 years apparently on par with Evertons 1st 11 the rest of the squad are on much lower wages. If we can’t afford that how will we attract any decent players? that I’m afraid is the going rate if we want to be in the top 8 clubs. He was on a free Better than a cleverly clone at £8mil and 30,000 a week
Ian
“To me we can only be judged, from an outside perspective, by where we’re going and what we’re doing to get there.”
exactly mate, our end to the season and loss of players says mediocre at best.
http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2015/6/6/8740403/aston-villa-transfer-rumours-saint-etienne-florentin-pogba-6-june-2015
mark k
i don t think hes worth the going rate and everton players are not all on 50k week mccarthy on 35k not happy with cleverly deal think mc carthy much better player
I worry that some at VP and some of the fans TBF, cannot see how bad we are and how deep in the shite we are. Unless there is a massive massive miracle, we will be one of the favourites for relegation, with possibly only the newly promoted clubs shorter odds. Although I believe AFC Bournemouth and Norwich could easily finish above us next season, because they seem to have a togetherness from the top to the bottom and are backed by their owners as much as they can. As a club we are a complete shambles, everyone pulling in different direction, and our only half decent players all looking to exit, no money to replace them, unwilling to pay the going rate and seemingly stuck with an owner happy to take what he can and finish 17th. Any hope I had when TS arrived has disappeared sharpish, after the way we were dismantled by Arsenal, Saints and looked clueless in defeats to teams like Burnley and having no money to spend and not being able to keep our better players. Unless a takeover happens we will struggle to stay up, there have already been Internet rumours TS will walk if he is made to look a twat over not being able to spend despite losing half his squad.
B62,
Think yer right about TS walking, he fell for the bs once and did his job, time for the clowns to back him or let him go to a club that has some pride and ambition. This could be make or break time for Villa, too many false dawns, no wonder you see Chelsea, Arsenal and Untied shirts in town.
Every time we get a little boost Fox and Lerner give us a boot in the balls, all we want is honesty and a little honesty for a change.
Regarding wages, at the time Bent signed i read he was on 80k a week with another 20k a week if we stayed in the EPL, thats gone so i don’t see a problem for a couple of decent players coming in, oh, sorry, i forgot we’re Aston Villa, the worst run club in the league and a national joke.
Oh well, time for a gargle and forget these knobs for a few hours.
Mark: “our end to the season and loss of players says mediocre at best.”
More glass-half-empty spin, Mark! 😉
Let’s up the tempo by my saying we’ll finish around half-way in the next season. *And* good runs in the cups.
… the point being that players like Delph and Grealish (and, hopefully, Gardner) will show up next season … just to name a few.
JL
I’m loving your optimism but I’m unsure on what it’s based on, we have our best players leaving, and seemingly not much to invest on our piss poor squad. The club is in turmoil and limbo until someone who actually has a clue what he is doing buys us.
B62,
I’ve just seen the full-backs Villa will sign I’m sure … Messi and Neymar. What a force that would be playing from the back! 😉
I don’t see “our best players leaving” at all. If you mean Bteke … yes, he’s the best in that position, but who knows who is to take over. Perhaps another Benteke!
Cleverley produced about 3 good games.
The beautiful game….a Cup Final…..amazing football….exhilarating enthusiasm….skills to dream of…team love and togetherness…breathtaking until the final minute….a standard of refereeing that is unquestionable…….This is the European Cup Final…and not just about money.. but about belief, desire…and tactics which can cope with every situation….and in the end the team in claret and blue win….3-1 on the night…….Thank you Barcelona for showing what it can be like…..
I will still always love my Aston villa…..and one day maybe I will see that commitment , skill and desire again……
This is what we all dream of….So please Tom, Tim and Randy take note……I am one of those that support you…and buy a season ticket every year…….
Can any of our Irish fans ,shed any light on rumours coming out of the Emerald Isle, that Clark has put in a transfer request?? I hope not as this would indicate we are imploding and at this rate we will have to play the ladies team come August
Give up
WBA are getting taken over by the richest man in China. 13 billion. That was the guy who was going to choose us or them.
Fuck you Randy
I suppose you couldn’t expect the biggest donor of the extreme right wing Republican Party to have anything to do the Communist China. The man is a pathetic gobshite, i’d take ANYONE as owner before Lerner.
The last two owners of AVFC have turned down Sheik Mansour and the wealthiest bloke in China, are they insane or just don’t give a monkey’s ? May as well close the club with leadership like that.
I just read frems last post then went to the wba news page and found info of ongoing takeover talks – with warnings to there fans that this may delay transfers but they will be lining p targets in the meantime
if only we could be kept in the loop a little bit by the club
FA ticket scam
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/dad-found-dead-solihull-home-9402750?
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-news/2015/06/04/west-bromwich-albion-edging-closer-to-takeover/
http://avillafan.com/site/18458/cheerio-cleverley/?
If and its a big if the Albion get taken by the Chinese billionaire instead of us, the must be something far more seriously wrong behind the scenes at VP, than even we feared. At this rate we might as well shut up shop and call it a day. W e are a national joke, we are never going to live down that FA cup final non performance, I hate what this club has become, the sooner Lerner goes the better, the bloke has been a cancer at our club.
B62- are books are shot, shouldn’t stop a buyer seeing the potential but we still made a loss of £4mil. WBA made £15m profit on a £86 m turnover
The only consoling thought is if a deal is already done with a better bid although knowing Lerner i think that is unlikely. If it stays as it is we could be the new Blackpool FC. Not to be too despondent though, the takeover could still happen, blow me, is that a pig iv’e just seen flying past my window ?
The decline of AVFC under Lerner is staggering, he couldn’t do a worse job if he was a nose, i really don’t know why Americans get involved with football and then attempt to run them like American rugby clubs.
Just seen the Engerland team, amazing that such low quality players are winning caps or even playing in the EPL, the last time England played in Dublin Le Tiss won his 3rd and final cap, i think it was taken off him due to the circumstances. Osgood, Currie, Hudson and Little won about a dozen caps between them while Wilkins won eighty odd and even the mediocrity that was Beckham won over a ton. No wonder the games gone to the dogs.
Stan collymore says beckham could be the person to turn FIFA round , jeez he really does come out with some shite , this is the bloke who was given a packet of Lardons and thought it was a pepper pig jigsaw,
what a lovely day to be sitting in a bar in Ireland and drinking real guinness, fuck the football,
what’s the least we can get away with buying everyone?
Based on the miracle that Benteke stays another year, I’d say 2 quality full backs a decent strike partner for tekkers and a right winger.
I think Gardner could come in and do cleverlys attacking role and probably better it if going by his previous standards. Bakuna can move up in the same position too cause he’s not a full back. keep the same centre halfs and westy,sanchez,delph, gil add robinson. give bennett a go as cover hutton keep as cover. keep given as cover and Guzan purely as it saves money and there not terrible. If TS can get a 40% win rate we will survive just on 45 points and I’m sure we could get a few draws to prop that up to maybe 50 points
There you go JL that’s as positive as I can get
MK
No way can we get 50 pts next season as things stand, this squad isn’t good enough and I have serious doubts TS is. 38 seems to be our limit, what happens if it’s not good enough or we don’t achieve it.
B62 we go down. I was just looking at the least we could possibly get away with but even that could cost £30 mil+ to get quality.
TS had a 47.73% win% with us thats close to 55 points if he could maintain that. Highly unlikely and he knows it but that’s what it is.
sorry its 43.75% which gives us 50 points
B62: “38 [points] seems to be our limit, what happens if it’s not good enough or we don’t achieve it.”
I don’t follow this logic at all! Lambert has gone!!!! Since TS came in we’re looking now more towards 50 points, as Mark says. Unless we sign replacements that are no good, I can’t see why that level (between 45 and 50 points) can’t be reached.
Mark,
I admire your attempt at positivity, but we’re all aiming in the dark!!
Let’s see what has happened by August and then let’s assess!
JL I cant win with you mate 😉
Mark,
Note that 48 points got us 9th place under Houllier, and I think that’s about the level we should expect this time around – minimum.
48 got palace 10th john so yes it should be our minimum considering the opposition. unfortunately it will be difficult if we continue to act like a small club.
When it comes to a takeover, the one thing I hope we can trust is that Lerner is good on his word that he’s wanting to sell to someone who will be a good custodian of the club. I know that’ll make a lot of people laugh.
Unfortunately in the modern game JC that might just hamstring us.
GG looks in good nick try not to look at the young ladies
http://hereisthecity.com/en-gb/2015/06/07/photo-gary-gardner-jack-grealish-on-holiday-together-the-future/?
Ings gone to the bindippers with Sturridge there does this mean they will give up on Benteke especially as they have Orgi out on loan.
AVFC
see the yank bid it is mr carnival carnival park is on the way this can not come out that villa park is going to be changed to carnival park the fans would go mad thats why it has to be kept secret until it is done as i said all the crew on his ships know its going to happen
Must be him its on wikipedia look up micky arison it says it is him
follow this like it is the carnival guy as i said 2 weeks ago and was mocked look for Must be him its o at this