Over the past week or so, we’ve seen a few changes in personnel at Villa Park. Andreas Weimann has joined Darren Bent at Derby County, and Micah Richards has become Tim Sherwood’s first signing since becoming manager.
The sale of Weimann in particular illustrates that this promises to be an era where the gloves are off. Whilst Bent was always likely to be exiting – despite reports to the contrary by some outlets – Weimann epitomised Villa of the present era, and for the wrong reasons.
Here was a player who did try hard for the cause but simply wasn’t good enough. Sherwood has been quoted as saying that the amount of goals scored by Weimann was simply not good enough for a top flight striker.
Put simply, it is hard to argue with such a statement. Villa have, for a fair while, been a team of hangers on, a team of less than stellar composition, even if we look back at the teams who finished sixth in the league under Martin O’Neill.
In fact, it is perhaps more striking that Villa were able to achieve such a feat under the Ulsterman when one considers some of the players who were purchased. Curtis Davies, Nigel Reo-Coker, Zat Knight, Habib Beye – a list stretches out into the distance of players who were paid too much considering who they were and how their abilities compared to those in the top flight.
As time has passed, less money has been spent but it has shown. Matt Lowton – now seemingly destined for relegated Burnley – was a prime example of the Paul Lambert era type of player. For the most part, these were players who – in any kind of well constructed Villa team – would be, at best, sat on the periphery as backup, and certainly not first choice.
If we’re honest with ourselves, Villa have been full of these types of players for years now – players who, despite a strong commitment to work ethic, were little more than mediocre, and seemingly out of their depth in the Premier League.
This isn’t meant to be some ascerbic swipe at players bought under trying circumstances, but this was a regular occurrence at Villa – players were bought, they appeared to be average and then ended up back out of the team.
For want of a better way of describing it, the past few years were spent wasted on buying lots of bargains with the hope of some of them paying off. The truth, despite it being uncomfortable to accept, is that far too many of these punts have ended up either as failures or as pale imitations of the sort of people who should be pulling on the famous claret and blue shirt.
It would be wrong, of course, to assume that Villa were capable of attracting top talent in recent times, but the signature of Micah Richards – even though his star is far less bright than at the start of his career – shows that Villa are at least investing in players who have proven they have enough to play in the Premier League.
This isn’t to suggest that Villa should go back to the era of buying the Richard Dunnes or Stephen Irelands of the world – players who have failed at other clubs but who come with significant wages and a less than ideal style of player, whether lacking pace or effort.
However, Villa must seek to find players who can – at the very least – contribute at a positive level beyond survival. In filling the squad with League 1 and League 2 players, Villa have come very close to relegation, and a repeat performance can not be risked again.
Instead, Villa must focus on building upwards with quality – true quality that can do more than simply perform at a Championship level.
Bent and Weimann may well form a fearsome partnership at Derby come next season, leading many to suggest that it was wrong for Villa to let them go.
That said, and the most clear marker of Villa’s lack of ambition, fans should not be impressed with players solely doing well in the Championship unless they fancy playing in the league in the not too distant future.
The Author
Matt Turvey
Matt is the owner of, and chief writer for, Aston Villa Life. He is also a columnist for the Wolverhampton Express & Star, appearing in the Kick Off pullout on Saturdays and the Final Whistle pullout the Monday after Aston Villa play, as well as every Thursday as a blogger on their website. He has previously been featured as a writer on Football365 and Life's A Pitch, and was a regular pundit for Sports Tonight TV on Sky.Comments 120
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Lovely “as it is” piece, Matt. 🙂
I think the case of Weimann is a sad one as 2 to 3 years ago I thought he was showing form and promise – some of his goals in 2012-13 were good.
In fact I would go so far as to say that he and Gabby both lost their way over the last 2 years, and Benteke as well, in parts, indicating to me at least that there was something very confusing going on for the players to take on board. I expected them to take off after such a finish in 2012-13 but instead their landing gear found mud.
It could well be that Andi will find himself at Derby and come back to the Prem a much better player.
Overall I share your view about the apparently general average level of ability in the team, though I have a hunch that was a lot to do with the inability of Lambert as a motivator. Mark King once suggested something to the effect that “Lambert knew what parts to buy but couldn’t assemble the car”.
We live in hope to see a side worthy of wearing the claret and blue.
Its an uncomfortable truth we have to face up to matt, times have moved on without us. since we won the league times have changed and the league has become a multi cultural hodge podge of the best and the seemingly worst of world football.
When Liverpool dominated it was with a mostly Brit/Irish team and a formula for success. everyone else pretty much were Brit/Irish too and as far as I can remember so were the managers. you could do OK with a good team, even the league winners were a team first before a collection of stars, these days those stars are a prerequisite of success.
We have to somehow step up and then step up again, working hard will only beat working smart on the odd occasion time to dig deep, who’s pockets it will be we will soon see.
I must admit that i think Weimann’s tally wasn’t bad for someone who was everywhere but where he should have been, if he’d have moved two years somewhere with a proper coach he’d have been twice the player he is now. Gabby, didn’t lose his way, he found the way to KFC, Weimann is ten times the player and actually puts the effort in.
Lowton was hard done by regarding the CF, he’s another one of TS’s new bomb squad lead by Gil.
Just working out what type of manager TS is, some are tactical maestro’s, some are good judges of players and others are motivators, number one isn’t his forte, with some of the names mentioned as targets number two is looking doubtful and from what i hear number three could be joining numbers one and two.
I’ve said before that i’d give him a year but if we get the right owner then we can/should do better.
I am still grateful to Lowton for one of the greatest Villa goals I have ever seen and to Weimann for his winner against City and how a jaded Holte End could be deliriously happy for a moment.
Football fans need to learn that the difference between good and good enough is measured over a season. We have had so many players that have been very good – for the price – but not quite good enough because they did not deliver for long enough.
We find it hard to say this of players we like who have shown great promise or occasional, lovable brilliance but not delivered enough for long enough.
Sadly, Weimann is one such player. Given the season we’ve just had – so are Westwood, Guzan, Richardson, N’Zogbia and Agbonlahor. I’d be ok with their leaving even though I like them.
Joe Cole, Ally Cissokho and Philip Senderos are finished – we have no place for any of them even though they seem to be great characters to have in the squad, we don’t need them anymore.
I’m hoping Bennett and Gardner can come back and succeed and that we get a new goalkeeper, attacking central midfielder and a left back.
I hope Gil stays and we use him. He is only a little experience and training away from being a very, very good player.
Good write up Matt,
It’s true, Villa had been crammed full of average players for years and, as Mark alludes to above, Villa have been left behind not just by the league leaders but probably by the mid tier of the EPL.
We are a shadow of our former selves and too be honest seeing th players we are being linked to doesn’t really make me think we will be any different any time soon (caveat coming)… And let’s be honest why would a good player really want to join us at the moment? Unless we pay extortionate amount of wages then there is no other reason to come to us. We lack ambition and have a squad that is destined for relegation if it’s not over hauled completely this summer.
Personally the only way out is for us to be bought ASAP with new life and money being breathed in because without that this squad has championship written all over it.
Ps and let’s not get started on our so called academy… I remember when this was being feted as our ‘future’. Only Grealish can even be described as a good player to have come through it….
Ian- I hope Gardner and Robinson prove you wrong but as you say they’ve yet to do it. the exceptions that can do a job and in some cases very well have been sold, we could certainly still use Cahill, Johnson, Davis, Whitaker and GG’s brother. All good solid pros, we have been poor at identifying talent since the 80’S how much money have we waisted?
The last 4 seasons have seen us having to scrimp and save and a stricter wage structure. As we have seen you get what you pay for in the main.
Steamer
Ts is pretty much a novice, richards was his first ever signing and we are banking on him overhauling our squad all under a cloud of uncertanty who are owner will be.
Brace yourself!!
Exactly that Mark.. So much money wasted at VP. Even in the last couple of years. I look at the rubbish we’ve bought in vs what others have and it is frankly embarrassing. Made worse that if we didn’t keep trying to be ‘a mile wide and an inch thick’ in our approach to a squad and spent more on less but better players than we’d be in a much better position… *sigh*
Yes Ian, regarding the academy, we never seem to have managers with a long term strategy who actually have the confidence to play two or three kids. Before my time but Eric Houghton who signed most of the Mercer Minors was probably the only one in my lifetime. Whether the Next Gen kids would have made a difference over the last three years is debatable but could they have done worse than Tonev, Luna, Bennett, Sylla etc ? Lambert may well have shot himself in the foot where they’re concerned.
Agreed Steamer, we seemed to let our best leave and got left with the players who realistically were only Championship level.
Then again as you say, I can’t see the point of the players we bought when we might as well have let the Next Gen boys have a chance…
I agree we are way behind the mid table pack, our squad is overflowing with very poor footballers and a massive overhaul is required. The awful fact is given how mant players need to leave/come in, we need to spend around £60m to even aim for 10/11/12th spot, and pushing on from that much much more. We should not underestimate just how crap this group of players are with a few exceptions. To hit mid table we will need 8 players to leave these being Cole, Cissokho, Senderos, Tonev, Sylla, Vlaar, Steer, Given added to the likes of Bent, Weimann, Lowton, Helenius who have already left. If we could get money for Nzogbia I would sell him also. There are others we would like to jettison but I believe they will be used as back up/squad players/impact subs. These would be a lot of our starting 11 from last season ie Guzan, Hutton, Bennett( unless we keep Cissokho then flog Bennett) Westwood and Gabby . It is a massive overhaul but necessary or we will end up in the championship.
Will it happen is the million dollar question, I honestly doubt it, Who is going to fund a massive out lay just hit mid table, RL certainly won’t , so we now pin our hopes on a multi-billionaire owner/group coming in with ambition to take on the top 6, and see it as a necessary stepping stone to progression. Attracting players will be a problem also, as we are now viewed as relegation favourites/candidates year in year out, backed up by the bookies who in some cases have us as low as 3/1 for the drop. I have massive doubts we will be taken over, and if we aren’t RL won’t fund us properly yet again and we will be lucky to survive, and either way we will fall further behind mid table. WBA are aiming to break into the top 10( according to Ben Foster on SSN) under Lerner we aim for 17th
B62,
Cissoko can get forward but has no end product, defensively he more than adequate, Bennett gets forward more but is pathetic defensively, you’ll always concede goals and penalties, but TS will choose JB over AC all day. Surely the priority is not to concede goals and let the attackers do their job.
The squad not only lacks talent it lacks guts and drive as does the entire club, i hope whoever takes over ( if ) is ruthless, clear out the playing staff and the admin too.
I agree with you both b62 & Steamer.
We unfortunately are rotten to the core, and that core is Randy Lerner.
Our squad lacks talent, guts, ambition & fight and has done for years. Our one bright light is Benteke and I wouldn’t blame him for leaving us if I was going to be honest. It’s a sad state of affairs when the website today is talking about how critical Westwood is to the AVFC squad… He’s top level Championship at best!!
Without a new owner our whole ambition as a club is not to get relegated year after year. I didn’t think we could stoop to new levels of embarrassment but the FA Cup Final proved that we could.
It’s very hard to be positive about the club we love, made harder that the supposed custodians are intent on doing more and more damage to our great club in front of our very eyes.
Steamer: “regarding the academy, we never seem to have managers with a long term strategy who actually have the confidence to play two or three kids. Before my time but Eric Houghton who signed most of the Mercer Minors was probably the only one in my lifetime.”
Wot about 1972-82 time and Little, Gidman, McDonald, Leonard, Deehan, Williams, Shaw, Ormsby, Birch, Walters, Daley … (etc)?
Steamer,
We continue to disagree about Gabby! 🙂
Well, that’s OK, but I think he’s suffered under the array of different managers in the last 5 years and being played in different ways.
I agree he lacks self-discipline enough playing-wise to make it as a great player, but I think he would have done better if O’Neill (say) or even Houllier had continued as boss.
He might still surprise us. Not greatly, but if he were to get back to his scoring level of 5 years ago I’d be happy.
I love Gabby, always have… Always will.
But he’s not the same player of 5 years ago, too many injuries in my opinion.
Watching him now is almost a little heart breaking. He has the first touch of a baby elephant and his shooting is for the most part woeful at best.
He is a prime example of a player we should have moved on years ago and not kept giving him bigger and bigger contracts because he’s a ‘Villa Fan’.
I like Gabby…But as Ian says, he has no real control. He’s best at running on to things. His pace and strength are assets, but overall, he just doesn’t help us hold the ball or put it in the net often enough. His strengths dictate a style of play we want to move away from.
Andi…same thing. Both he and Gabby benefited immensely from Benteke’s presence initially. But on their own, neither creates or finishes enough.
They’ve been great servants of the club…they’re loyal, they work hard. They’ve done everything asked of them. But we need more.
When it comes to the players we’re being linked with…God only knows how much truth there is to any of it.
I would think TS has to have an eye for a player. Maybe he doesn’t. Maybe the ownership uncertainty will prove disastrous if he does.
But it seems that if there’s anything to be gleaned from all the supposed links is that TS is looking for stronger, more athletic players and players who have the right mentality or been in successful set-ups. He wants a tougher team with more attacking intent that won’t fold.
Huddlestone, for example…If he’s fat and lazy, and can’t or won’t be any different, I really can’t believe Sherwood would bring Huddlestone in and allow the player to expect it to remain that way.
Well said John, personally Im trying to take the transfer links with a pinch of salt but if they are true it’s very worrying indeed. Today we’ve been linked with a player in French Div 2. What could go wrong there?
Forgot about that lot John. Saunders got 45k for Bobby Mac, excellent player but he preferred Gordon Smith. Most were signed by Tommy Doc or Vic Crowe.
I see Tessa Jowells been caught lying through her teeth again, she wouldn’t know the truth if it bit her on the arse. London deserves her.
Hope Corbyn wins the Labour leadership make a nice change to have a socialist in charge.
Steamer: “Forgot about that lot John. Saunders got 45k for Bobby Mac, excellent player but he preferred Gordon Smith. Most were signed by Tommy Doc or Vic Crowe.”
If I remember right Bobby Mac ‘did something wrong’ (an attitude issue I think) that caused him to be ejected. But didn’t his exit sort of prepare the way for Mortimer to come to VP?
Yes, it was mainly the work by Vic that stimulated the development of youth and – like Houghton – was ejected before he saw the real fruit of that.
Steamer,
The Labour Party is but a chimera compared to even the days of John Smith – now *there* was a leader! What a pity he went…
I think the days of the Labour Party are finished. Well, it’s their own fault.
People will only stand so much betrayal, the Labour Party was founded on principles, not by middle class careerists like Bliar or phonies like Kinnock and Prescott, Shirley Williams and her mob started the decline, these are the people who have destroyed the party not a change in society’s values, when a bloke like Eric Heffer is jeered at conference you may as well fold the deck, and the old geezer the other year who was manhandled by the stewards, shameful.
Steamer,
In my view there has been a *general* change in the values of society, which are to do with the general acceptance of Thatcherite illogicality: just going with the flow by recent generations because it seems a good idea for the pocket, with the young too often (not all) not aware of what hardship is really all about.
What Labour has failed to do is to say that “old is gold” (that *real* values never change!) and focus on that instead of also just trying to be popular by trying to be a moderate form of Thatcherism.
Yes, there has been a huge betrayal. And it seems that Kier Hardy forecasted the current demise by the takeover of book-learning politicians rather than people primarily drawing on life experience. But the decay really started when nationalisation for the sake of it and bowing to the unions began to be the theme … it’s been going downhill ever since.
There’s been more decay in the Labour Party over the last 50+ years than in the Houses of Parliament building!
Bobby mac ……….liked a drink …. thats what was doing the rounds ….
Mark “rounds meant rumours” not the ones you are scared of ))
Seems we keep being linked with players, but apart from Richards, none want to come, whereas all the players that want to get away from VP are signing contracts and going…..Start to wonder what we will be left with…..
Certainly not Ings, Milner, Trippier,Townsend, Huddlestone, and many others…Huddlestone says he would rather stay with Hull, Townsend would rather stay at Spurs…
Still a long long way to go before we see any light…
Villa were interested in Huddle around 2009 time and he cold-shouldered us then.
Now’s a good opportunity, instead of spending 8b pounds repairing the houses of parliament, just move government to the best place ….. Birmingham, what with cheaper housing and the savings on the MP’s allowances we could then build a proper National stadium, again in Birmingham.
Happy Dads day to all the dads on here and the ones who are up there somewhere ,
have a great day all
Steamer,
You’re dead right on the idea of putting important things in the centre of the country, but that’s too logical a solution for that lot! If the National Stadium was a bridge too far for them HP Sauce’s building would be far too much!
Just want to test because of no posts since yesterday
Hi de hi,
The new favourites are an American consortium worth billions, due to be announced in early July.
Hello mate, wheres everyone gone ?
More money than Abramovich, yeeeeeeh.
Rumour rumour in the sky….is this just another porky pie…….
everyone is going….going gone…….will anyone be coming…..coming….soon..
or is this the time for another madcap to take us to the moon…..
or even worse…
In turkey i see there is nothing to report. American bid would make sense with lerner though have a good week folks
Nice write up Matt
and the all matt has said is true in this post and right before our eyes the so called dead wood are leaving in droves
This is surely a sign that we will have a new look squad next season and if we continue in the vain of the first buy , we will have a heck of a lot more qaulity and know how
Steamer its looking good for arision and looks like the secret footballer is right yet again
went to the good vibes festival in devon iover the weekend and ST75 i did think of you when i walked passed the huge tent with hippies laying on the ground with colourful blankets over them meditating to the sounds of this women banging a metel drum letting the vibrations go through them — i thought thats right up ST’s street
we should know pretty close the 1st july where our great club goes from here – trying not to get excited and jump the gun until things happen just in case the new owner is just in it for himself and not the club
jenny hope you are ok
Afternoon lifers,
This is my first time on the site since the debacle that was the cup final. Dont even want to go into how much of a bad experience that was, didnt even look at a single piece of Villa or football news for weeks after.
However the birth of my second daughter last week has reiterated the fact that football is not that important in the grand scheme of things, I shouldnt take things like that so hard (as much as I tell myself that it still hurts!) and should move on with my Villa supporting life leaving that calamity well and truly in the past erased from my memory where it belongs.
That being said, good to see lifers still holding it down. Im catching up with all the Villa news. Some takeover talk, Weimann, Bent, Lowton and Sylla leaving and Richards joining. I think Richards is a good signing on a free tbh but I dont like him at RB, he has pace and power but little ability on the ball. What he does have is determination which is a good thing. I wish he was a little bit taller cos he would be an ideal CB, some people saying TS wants to play him there but at 5′ 11 he’s slightly on the shorter side.
We really need to make a few good signings this summer, esp if Benteke leaves, although Im not sure he will as I believe the clubs who can afford him dont want him. Imo he will be here come September and put in 1 really good seasons work and the top clubs will come in for him at the end. Cleverly leaving was predictable and understandable but Everton arent exactly a huge step up from us and I dont think he will get as much joy there as he expects. Lowton and Weiman leaving doesnt surprise me either, both put in work during their time at Villa and both came up with some great moments…. I wish them well on their journey. Bent leaving was a given as was Sylla.
Sherwood really has a job on his hands turning this club around. I really hope this takeover completes sooner rather than later so he can get on with the job, we are in limbo until then. Equally I hope we manage to sell to some decent owners who will put some money into the club to get some return not some investor pariahs looking to bleed the club.
Ree
And so say we all.
Congrats on the new edition!
Congrats on the nipper Ree.
Runtingz,
I was hoping it was the Chinese mob to be honest. Dunno if its Arison, talk of a consortium and a wealthy one at that, i’d like the ex Guggenheim executives who tried to buy Spuds, they seem realistic and would allow all aspects of the club to grow at the same time and same pace. Barring that they can throw a skip load of $$$ at us.
Steamer that is very interesting – the press don’t seem to have a clue who it is – which is shoking really as there buisiness is to know or find out
whoever it is i hope the can realise the clubs massive potentail
where is brazil – come in brazil – are you going to be in london for august bank holiday if so please let me know as i want to take you to the annual jazz refreshed event in central london and if i know you are around i can pick up a ticket for you in advance — its a mind blowing event every years with the very best bands in jazz/dance and broken beats — you won’t be disapointed
congrats trin bless up
sorry Ree the congrats are for you and you little one bless
Congrats ree all the best
Ree,
Many congratulations!
Looking into the future, Prince George might just be the right age and a suitable match for your new offspring, so perhaps if you start working on the right connections now it may come to fruition!
Anyway, via your daughter and looking at everything else happening at VP, I’m sure you have plenty to look forward to! 🙂
Nice snippet on the OS about John Gregory, ( see the music section ). Obviously has a lot of affection for AVFC. There’s a video of him doing some Springsteen songs at STFC in aid of Acorns.
Alright lads and ladies and all those who don`t fall into those categories.
Weiman gone,mediocrity out the door ,long overdue,yet some fans are complaining and sorry to see him go………………………..Jeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Runtingz,thank you,very kind,how much where when?
Will try to wangle the time off from work,thanks for thinkin of me.
If I can`t make it we must meet up anyway before I go home.Thanks and best wishes to all.
Hello all, you’ll be glad to know following my charity game on Saturday that finished 7 all and we won on penos 5-4 . Back to normal now I found my lungs again.
Been forced to comment on a number of different Facebook Villa pages because of some of the utter tripe being spoken around ownership/player movement. Matt has summed up Villa above and a new owner supporting TS or their own manager (who knows) is the only way to get Villa back and away from relegation.
Most of our players are sub-standard. Richards is a nice opening marker as a signed player but so much press is driven by agents creating links that don’t exist and what appears to be an unwritten rule with football clubs not deny any link unless it’s that Ched Evans lad.
I’m firmly in the camp that the player needs to be outside BMH with the jersey before saying anything and won’t pass judgement until they’ve actually played but I can only but trust TS that he has the clubs interest at heart or at least enough interest that he wants to win games and he can’t do it with this current squad. Equally I’m quiet happy to wish any player well that is leaving us because in some form they’ve contributed to keeping us in the prem.
Sorry very sit on the fence(ish) but the emotional rollercoaster ride that is the actual season is enough for my nerves, need to calm down in the off-season.
UTV
Trouble is…it is a massive off season for us. We have a squad imo that can only see prem survival as an achivement. And an owner who want out.
We need massive change and every day that passess seems a day wasted.
I hadn’t really thought about it until reading some of the later comments, but I have to think players leaving (without a bunch coming the other way yet) is a necessary pre-condition to getting players in. Clear the books, see who can be moved on, and what you’ve got after in terms of liabilities.
That isn’t to say other conversations shouldn’t be happening, but right now, I think the movement out is a good-enough sign of serious intent to remake the squad.
My thoughts too JC, that or a clearout before the coming sale? Either way the squads been accessed by the villa staff and maybe ts knows something but is not sure of his position yet. One player on a free is a no brainer and costs little. Could be some big moves ahead if sold and we need the wage space?
Yes, it looks like another sea change in Aston Villa transfer policy. We are going from in the main, a large quantity of less than mediocre players to (I hope) a smaller squad but with better players.
I hope Sherwood only buys quality and lets all the mediocre players leave. The quality players can be supplemented by former academy players (seems to be Sherwood’s way).
Pay whatever it takes to hang onto our quality players (Benteke, Delph, Vlaar and Clark) and save the transfer budget for players that will definitely improve our overall quality.
Players I hope we hang onto:
The above and Okore, Sinclair, Gabby, Guzan, Gill, Bacuna, Hutton and Grealish
Players I want to see gone:
Given, Richardson, Senderos, Cole, N’Zogbia, Cissokho, Herd, Helenius, Tonev, Luna
Players I don’t care whether they stay or go:
Baker, Steer, Bennett, Westwood, Sanchez, Kozak
Already gone are Bent, Weimann, Sylla and Lowton with just Richards coming in. A definite trend of quality over quantity so far. Let the youth supplement the quality and just get rid of the mediocrity.
Got to be happy about the summer transfer window so far and we’ve only just begun.
What players do we need? This will depend entirely on whether the takeover happens this summer or not. Presuming not and that TS is here as if there is no club sale imminent, then we need the following:
A very good left back
A very good central midfielder
A very good creative player
A quality striker
This could cost £50 million and I’m pretty sure that TS won’t have those funds available even with offloading our poor players. He will have to buy very well to get what we need with his budget.
New contracts are required this summer for Benteke, Vlaar, Clark and Bacuna.
If that can’t be sorted then they could all be off too. Benteke and Vlaar, if we are being honest will probably be gone anyway.
hey Brazil the festival will be on august bank holiday friday or has been the last 3yrs — line ups not confirmed yet – here is the site details – they do something there every thusday which i can’t useally make due to work the next morning http://www.jazzrefreshed.com/
No matter how we look at it we have a squad that isnt good enough for the lge going forward so it is only right that we start shifting people asap
Also good for the new owner who will need a clean a slate as possible to build on
Looks like no champs lge prem outfit can both give teks garrenteed first team football and pay the fee for him — he is a very talented player but has a lot to prove if he wants such a move , he could hovever prehaps get what he wants in spain or italy
Either way with new owners who want to progress the grass may not be greener on the otherside for him
My 22 man squad would be
Given/ New Gk
Bacuna/New RB
Richardson/LB
Clarke/Richards
Okore/CB
Delph
Gardner
Grealish
Sanchez
Westwood
Benteke
Kozac
Sinclair
Thats 4 players left to fill the squad. Id want 2 strikers and some pace for Midfield.
A top quality GK, Midfielder and some pace in midfield would be my targets
Like Droyd says less players bet better quality would be fantastic.
Just spend the money on a quality spine.
GK
CB
Mdfielder and a striker
Many thanks for all the well wishes!
My thoughts on our current squad is we need wholesale changes ultimately, but it wouldnt be prudent to make them all at once. We need to keep the core of the squad that played a decent amount of games last year and then improve on that.
The players we have to do our damn best to keep imo are:
Delph
Benteke
Clarke
Grealish
The players id like to keep in the squad:
Guzan
Bacuna
Hutton
Okore
Baker
Westwood
Sanchez
Gil
Sinclair
Gabby
Kuzak
Players coming back who should be given a chance:
Gardner
Bennet
Players that Im not bothered if they leave as long as we get in better:
Richardson
Senderos
Joe Cole
Nzogbia
Players I think we should get rid:
Given
Luna
Cissokho
Herd
Helenius
Tonev
Also hope that Sherwood will give the youth players like Callum Robinson more opportunities like he said he would.
Agree with Andrew over the types of players we need.
At the moment we don’t even have the core of a good team, Benteke, Delph, Grealish, Richards and Clark, possibly Guzan. Others may step up GG, Robinson and Baker, the rest just make the numbers up. I don’t think he rates Okore and definitely not Gil.
Apparently several deals have been set up awaiting the say so from the new owner(s), although, alarmingly, rumours are emerging that 1) the deal WON’T be completed 2) Lerner will stay. I don’t believe them.
If you live in a council house then you are liable for repairs and decoration of the property so why is the taxpayer having to stump up 150m to decorate Buck House when its inhabited by a multi billionairess ? same thing happened at Windsor Castle when a fire started while they were in residence. Put them on the list for a multi storey flat on Chelmsley Wood although its a bit too close to a job centre for their liking.
interesting info steamer
it would be suprising for the deal too break down at this stage baring in mind the are 3 serious bidders all wanting the club, but you never know this is villa we are talking
my gutt feeling is its gonna happen for what its worth , and i also fear for ts in all this as i am sure he is hungry too prove how good he is
but — would anyone say no to the likes of a klisman ect
klinsman even
It would take an exceptional offer to lure Jeerman away from the US, he’s married to an American and has built a team that would easily beat England.
Southgate is an example of why jobs for the boys rarely works, if they sack him they’ll probably give the job to Danny Mills.
Ray Wilkins is being touted as TS’s new assistant, with KevMac remaining in TS’s team.
the probem with the England coaches is that they always choose guys who’s face fit as appossed to managers that are strong willed with radical idea’s on the game
i was saying to some colleages yesterday , what qaulifies southgate to be the one developing or kids at such an important stage ?
steamer i heard a few rumors banding about that if a certain usa owner gets hold of villa that he would be bringing Jergun with him — i love tim but klinsman is a super tactician , motivator and most players woukld be happy to play for him — but like steamer says getting someone of that class seems unlikely
ray wilkins ! ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz yawn zzzzzzzzzz what buyer if there is one is sanctioning this tripe ?
Runtins lm sure my lot are at V festival on them dates , might fancy a trip down mate , will check ,
just had a wellman check up , nurse looked at me and l could see it in her eyes , l should be dead ! do you think they know when your stumbling on the amount of units you drink weekly , back next week for results , talking of drink whats happened to Prox ?
have a good week all , lm off to norfolk for a 50th ,
Wilkins
Mmmmm… Am not so sure it’s a bad move. He was well thought of by players at least at Chelsea (I seem to remember) and has a fair reputation.
Not sure why this has happened, though…
think Wilkins good appointment and the carnival park is getting closer see that they have just placed orders for the 4 biggest cruse ships that will carry over 6000 pass-angers each at 2 billion each so the half a billion stated he wants to invest in villa is chicken feed to them they will want carnival park to advertise there new ships as it has been stated they will all be on European cruse routes it is falling into place we will be buying some big players soon
I like the sound of carnival park!!!
Ray Wilkins is a great appointment imo. Really positive about that.
Even better when you think this time last year we had Keano!!
ST75 would be great if you could make it — if so let me know when you know and i will sort your ticket – have you spoke to jen ? , her n frem been missing a while – hopefully the are off sunning themselves somewhere
I don’t mind Ray Wilkins..
One thing is clear thou.. takeover or not.. the guy who will be in charge of our club come Sept 1st is sanctioning this..
No way would a new buyer suddenly come in and change the management team esp as we are adding to it..
Rumours abound of our apparent interest in Begorvic.. top keeper IMO.. would love this to happen..
Begavic would be a class signing.
Could be finally getting back the villa i started supporting. The last 4 or 5 years hopefully will be a distant memory.
Should know if were having new owners or not end of next week.
Lot’s of positive comments on most sites on the Wilkins appointment, which he has confirmed live on Sky sports just moments ago…..
Wilkins could be just what Tim needs to help with tactics which was something that needed to be addressed
has he actually joined the club or is it like the pending player deals we are hearing about subject to a takover or is this a plan b just incase the takeover collaspes ?
Wilkins would be ideal for Westwood he can coach him in how to pass the ball sideways.
AVFC
Wilkins means the clubs moving in a new direction, sideways.
He was good at chelsea tho and we need someone to bring the happiness levels down
Andrew: “The last 4 or 5 years hopefully will be a distant memory.”
I’d say (apart from 3 years, maybe 4) all of the last 15 years!!
We thought things were bad under DOL, did we not?… Or were we putting the blame just on HDE?
At least Wilkins will give the club a good press through his popularity with them.
Looked at the Stork Sentinel site and even Stork fans ( 1 Lge Cup in nearly 150 years ) are laughing at us for attempting to sign Begovich, bet they’re not laughing in 3 weeks time when the owners and our new signings are revealed.
Wanda have said that they’re adding three new clubs to their portfolio, will we be one of them ? I don’t think Lerner would deal with a far Eastern bid.
John percy rules out begavic bid
Bastard
A question to all in regards to FFP and any new owners of AVFC.
Will the new owners be able to spend millions improving our league position after three years of recording three straight losses in our accounts.
Ok two questions will the only way we can increase club revenue include perhaps stadium naming rights/sponsorship seeing as most of our sponsors shirts etc are tied into contracts and to be fair the club have lost the ability to attract any blue chip sponsorship deals.
In summary have new owners got their hands tied in respects of spend and does this mean we will not see much change for the foreseeable future.
AVFC
Rumors on twitter today that the club is now sold but the new will be kept quite for a few weeks to keep player fees down
news will
Swv there is talk they are slackening the rules. They are going back to the home grown player position though
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-find-out-how-9525575
IMO this Fairplay ruling isnt worth the paper it is written on
if you are rich enough there are ways around it as long as you can afforrd too write off the cash like citeh , chelski ect
citeh have abused the ruling to high heaven but are still yet to be punished and i won’t hold my breath for anything major to happen to them
Wish Harry Ballbagface would disappear, slagging off Grealish for having a gargle, the knob forgets that his hero, Bobby Moore was once sent home from Blackpool for drinking before a game, people in glass houses etc. He really is irrelevant, a nobody with far more relegations than trophies.
FFP no problem villa park becomes carnival park 300 mil for naming rights happy days
JD,
Hows things ?
Chinese are favourites today, taking it in turns, i don’t like the sound of Arison i’d sooner have Wanda. Apparently its sold, just not announcing it to keep transfer fees down. Glad to get rid of Lerner, the idiot was a disaster and i certainly don’t go with the theory that he’s ‘a great bloke who will sell to the best man to be our new custodian’.
Steamer,
I can’t see us being sold and keeping it quiet to keep the prices down on transfer targets, besides we haven’t bought anyone! JD I can’t see Arison buying villa, I honestly think we will be going into next season under the crazy old miser Lerner, my worry with this is that the squad needs a min £50m spending on it and if Tekkers goes( which looks very likely ), another £25m, which all know won’t happen
Delph has a 10 million release clause
Yep
Good old villa. A fucking disaster
If tonights story about Delpg going to Liverpool for 10m is true then Tom Fox should be booted and followed by TS who apparently agrees with the pittance of a fee. This club seems to be run by loonies.
And Lerner has rejected a wealthy Chinese consortium in favour of another US mob who will probably know even less about the game that these knobs, why do they bother with our clubs just stick with MLS.
I imagine delph put the clause in as a reward for being faithful better than jack shit we could of got
Tonev has a free with a tube of smarties clause
Delph
It’s all just press stories – until it happens!
Whether there’s a clause in his contract or not, I reckon through what Delph himself has said that he’ll be here for the coming season. If he backs down on what he’s said then …
JD
are them 4 new ships going to be painted claret n blue .
carnival park = happy days . you serious ? Its VILLA PARK ……
Dear lord….if we loose vlaar, delph and tekkers were screwed.
Dont want to panic but other clubs are active allready….and us being relegation fodder have lots more ground to make up.
Pull your fingers out new owners and get it done
Imagine we lose Vlaar, Delph and Tekkers in one transfer window…
Still at least we’re being linked in Championship and League 1 players still… We’ll need them for our inevitable relegation this season. Already a lot of news that we have missed the players TS wanted, can’t blame him if he walks as well like MON did.
What a mess of a club.
We never have signed every player we are linked with in my memory. We are not madrid. Long long way to go and the transfer window isnt even open yet. Loads of players on holiday still too. If ts has sell to buy hes doing it nothing to get upset about yet
Randy Lerner, like Herbert should be kept away from sporting institutions, having a few bob doesn’t qualify you to run AVFC. The only qualifications to work for Lerner seem to be 1) Scottish – 2) American – 3) a knob – 4) Yes man, any two out of four guarantees you a job. When you look at some of the folk that Lerner has employed during his time at VP then its amazing that the club is still in existence, that we’re still in the EPL must be an act of God. Now the club is filling up with cockenees and probably even more Americans, haven’t the ones we already have done enough damage ?
L&FFO.
From our strongest starting line up last season( I know strongest doesn’t cover how shit we were), there is a very real possibility we will soon be without Vlaar, Delph, Cleverley and Benteke. Add to that we have sold Lowton, Weimann and Sylla for around £5m( approx). To replace Vlaar, we have bought in Richards to replace clev, Fab and Tekkers for like for like or better will cost around £40m, with slightly less coming in from there sale( as I belive Tekkers will go for less than his clause). TS also wants/needs a keeper, another striker, winger, and two fullbacks. The transfer window opens jul 1st, then it’s 5 weeks until our opener on the south coast. If this takeover drags on throughout July( and continues to hamper recruitment) , and the exodus as expected happens we will be heading into the new season with a very very inexperienced side devoid of any real quality.
Guzan
Hutton. Richards. Clark Cisshoko
Bacuna. Gardner. Westwood. Nzogbia
Grealish
Gabby or Kozak
Subs, Bennett, Gill, Given, Steamer, ST75 and SWV
The fact so many are going says to me he’s confident he can replace them or its the worst recruitment ploy in the history of mankind. Wilkins is onboard he has some rep at least, should help recruitment. Something is afoot or none if this makes sense, especially richards signing for a sinking ship.
Mark
That is is the only thing that gives me a glimmer of hope, only a lunatic would sell everyone possible and hope to replace an entire team in little over a month, and expect it to work. Surely there has to be things going on in the background, although Lerner is running the show and he is to business acumen what Hannibal Lector is to dinner parties.
B62,
If you think i’m going sub while Gabby gets a game then think again.
Only a lunatic would appoint McKnob and not sack Lamebert after 6 months.
Steamer
Fair point I was gonna include Bennett in the starting line up, but feared it may send you over the edge, it shows how poor we could look for our opener in Bournemouth though.
Or we could be lining up with Austin, Townsend, Begovic/Heaton and a couple of others in the side.
I think we’ll be ok next season ( just ), but after that, dunno. I still don’t see an infusion of football knowledge around the admin.
B62,
A lot of folk seem to have confidence in Lerners ability to choose a new owner , i certainly don’t share it.
The way this club treats its fans is disgraceful, no class at all.
Guaranteed we’ll end up with Adebayor this summer… Urgh
And I thought Mr. Mainwaring didn’t panic! 😉
That Bournemouth game will be difficult.
JL,
People are panicking due to the lack of ANY information, not just on the takeover. Lerner hasn’t exactly covered himself in glory with his decision making and folk fear the worst and where AVFC is concerned, that’s usually what we get.
We are a prem club with millions riding on the team, i know ts likes to take risks but cant see him risking his career on sinking the club in his first full season. Richards and delph signed because they’ve been told we are on the up, others will follow. Unfortunately until the sale and funds are annouced we are battling with lesser clubs with similar ambition, we can but wait.
The prospect of losing Delph for £10m has not made my morning.
I can see why the clause would be there. He would’ve been gone on a free, and if the team can’t get it together, he’s got a price tag that makes it easy enough to move.
But I’m not sure we’d be able to replace him for that…would take some great scouting.
Anyway, nothing’s happened yet, and we’ll hope his gratitude extends past helping us stay up.
Steamer,
You and I weren’t around (quite) at that time, but during WW2 my granddad used to go to bed as normal, whether sirens were going or not!
Cor, where’s the bulldog spirit these days… 😉
I think he’ll get the players but not the time to really gel them considering our spine could be gone and i do mean the teams jl
I was talking to a friend today (Blackburn fan) and he made a very good point.
Why should we expect decent players to come too / stay at Villa Park. The club has the smell of death about it and can’t match players ambitions so we will only be left with youth, merc’s or players no one else want.
As he said unless something massively changes then it’s going to be a long summer for us. It was like the season they went down…….
Can fault the logic really.
Ian: “The club has the smell of death about it …”
If you’d asked me I’d have said “The club has the smell of re-birth about it …” 😉
Agreed John, he didn’t know about the potential takeover…
That’s the problem though without more news it’s still just a potential…
when will the wait be over new owner or stuck with randy lerner
as far as our squad is concerned sherwood has a lot deadwood to clear out ,not nearly as much as bin dippers when rogers sacked almost 30players and 250 m spent in just over 3 years
we need keeper begovic would be perfect even at 10 m soton paid celtic that for forster last year
right back stick with bacuna hutton for now not worst position at minute but needs up grade
left back liked siisko sherwood doesnt so we need decent left back
centre half clark okore baker richards hopeful get full season out of them only worry 4 injury prone players
so thats keeper left back straight into team
midfield
dont know what formation sherwood going to play
really like sanchez but sherwood so far doesn t
delph where is his position honestly poor tackler, not great passer ,none goalscorer ,injury prone ,prone to booking
grealish ,sinclair , yes
thats at least 2/3 midfielders wingers
stikers
benteke unless someone stumps up 32,5 m he s staying liverpool have paid almost 30 m on unproven from germany ,city paid over 25 for bony,
gabby as jd says needs to lose 2 stone
kosack is he fit
for me sherwood needs keeper,leftback,2 midfielders ,winger striker at least 4 to go sraight into team
bye bye to guzan/given,luna,sendross,cole ,tonev,sissko,westwood, vlar, helnius,zog,
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