With the Euros well and truly picked over, and a bit of uncertainty mounting about Villa’s next moves, it seems about right to finally get into the usual and incessant transfer speculations doing the rounds.

Rather than wade into a bunch of individual “targets,” I want to briefly touch on what we’ve seen so far, and what might yet occur.

Obviously, signing Emi Buendia and Ashley Young covered some gaping holes. Buendia is pretty obvious: creativity, ball control, and tenaciousness in the midfield. Young, too, for his part. Cover for Targett, and another wide option. No idea how much he’ll actually be used, but despite his age, he still looks fit, and brings a wealth of experience and nous to the team.

Elsewhere, well, we’re seeing all sorts of things: Alvarez still bubbling around, Sarr being very expensive, and Bournemouth’s left-sided Dutchman, Arnaut Danjuma. Dwight McNeil has resurfaced, as has Will Hughes. Now it’s Leon Bailey and Todd Cantwell.

Without getting into the specifics of each player, the pattern from the links doing the rounds is pretty clear: attacking options and perhaps a strengthening of central midfield. Additionally, there’ll almost certainly be a backup CB and GK brought in. I don’t expect Axel Tuanzebe to return as he’d want to start, and I’m sure Smith is quite happy with Konsa and Mings.

Supporters wondering about the next moves are probably going to have to wait until Jack Grealish’s situation is resolved. Me, I still think he’s staying. If that’s true and he signs what will likely be a very handsome new contract, then the other pieces will fall into place. Targets are going to want to know whether Jack will still be a Villan.

Many want to see the kit release as a clear indication of Jack’s decision, and it might be. The other factor is that being Villa through and through, I think with each passing day it becomes less likely he departs and leaves Villa in the lurch this late on. I don’t think Compass are the sorts to leave this sort of thing dangling without a pretty good idea of where Jack’s head is. We keep hearing now that he will sign a new contract, perhaps by week’s end.

While it may have seemed a waste to pursue Emile Smith Rowe or consider an offer for James Ward-Prowse, these may have been signals to Jack, and/or preliminary explorations about the feasibility and cost of taking City’s money and replacing Grealish.

Assuming he is staying, we see a couple different things shaping up. If we do sign a £35m left winger, seems a pretty fair indication Jack would move to the middle—which may be something he wants. Since CAM midfield links seem to have dried up a bit, this could very well be the route. If someone like Alvarez or Bailey comes in, then that’s probably our clue that Jack stays left and Buendia is central.

And while a player like Will Hughes isn’t necessarily exciting, he wouldn’t cost much and would add some bite and dependability to central midfield. He had a lot of impact at Watford. Value, attitude, and depth. Likewise, McNeil could be seen as more of a left midfielder than winger.

Those looking for a replacement for Luiz or Nakamba are probably going to be disappointed, but I don’t think they should be, particularly in Luiz’s case. We still have to see whether Sanson has a role to play, and it’s the same with Jacob Ramsey and Carney Chukwuemeka.

Then there are the dominoes: Traoré battling it out with Alvarez or Bailey. Ghazi with someone like McNeil, Cantwell, or Danjuma. Whoever loses, that’s where you start to build bench depth with experienced players we know can make an impact but might not be who you want starting most matches. The left side is a little more shored-up already with Young back at Bodymoor. That could make Ghazi third choice most of the time, just like Trezeguet would probably be third choice if we sign a left winger. Then, depending on results and how the newcomers fare, Villa look at the market again.

Up front? I think there’s still some waiting there. One, it depends on what’s happening with the attacking midfield situation, which should resolve itself fairly quickly one way or the other. Two, no idea about Wesley. We know he can’t and won’t be a direct replacement for Ollie. The question is whether he has something different and reliable to offer, moreso than Keinan Davis, as well as whether he’s permanently crocked. And maybe it’s a big summer for Louie Barry. Me, I still don’t think Tammy Abraham is realistic. Villa can afford him, but he’d want to start, and maybe that’s where Arsenal will spend their money.

While we expect a number of the youth knocking on the door to go out on loan, if Barry shows the necessary physical maturity to mix it up, he could find himself in Davis’s shoes. It seems like Chuk will be staying around the first team.

If it’s gone a bit quiet on the first-team front, Villa have been busy stocking and reshuffling the Academy cupboard, living up to the two-pronged approach. Buy in the instant-impact talent now, develop a pipeline for the future.

We know Villa aren’t averse to spending. But they are averse to spending willy-nilly. We know they prefer players with PL experience, the best indication of what they’re getting. We know they want work-rate and character. We know they want the pieces to fit. We know they’d like to add creativity, and feel pretty good about the the back six.

Once the Grealish saga is resolved, we should see some other deals falling into place quickly. And if what we’ve heard about the contract is true, it may well be sorted already.

With the Milwaukee Bucks winning their first championship in 50 years (seven years after Edens arrived), I think the doubters should relax a bit and realize that Compass mean business and perhaps know what they’re doing.

Over to you.

Comments 79

  1. JC, thanks for that . . .a really handy summary of where we’re at and a timely reminder that it’s still all to play for. Transfer windows never deliver everything the fans are calling for, and if they did you could guarantee that it would be more than the club needed.
    Isn’t it interesting that we’re now assuming that some players that we’d like won’t come to us because they’re not guaranteed a regular place. That has to be a sign that the first team quality is steadily improving.
    We fans can clearly see the progression of the club and outsiders must be noticing it too (Arsenal fans certainly seem to have things to say about us now, which wasn’t happening before). This must play enter into the psyche of potential new recruits, who will be excited about the prospect of being part of something exciting.

  2. JC I am with you re Jack I have very little concern about Jack not loving what is happening at his club right now …. lets showing Gareth what jack can do with real quality around him
    Personally i think Ings or a striker of that calibre would really enhance the team … due to his fitness record you would have to be used sparingly which means Ollie would still get lots of game time … also Ollie being adaptable mean we could have him as a wide option also
    excited to see chuck in the first team and also Barry w, bit early but they look like potential world stars to me
    My mate is a gooner and yes they have had a serious debate about our club on there blog .. some of the more balanced posters have enlightened the others about our owners and to start taking villa seriously

  3. Adding to JC’s message about Buendia. Two magnificent passes putting Ollie in. Ollie is going to be in the goals this season assuming no injury jinx.

    Complete team change at half time and 0-2 became 0-4. Sure it’s only Walsall, and the purpose is to gain match fitness. But I am looking forward to seeing Buendia on a regular basis when we kick off.

  4. Runts, your mate is a gooner so you are able to get a balanced view from him about AVFC. Unfortunately, I have several gooner fans in work who have given me a real pasting over the years. Not any more though. Yesterday they were combusting at the news of Arsenal’s bid of £30 million being prepared for Ramsdale. Selling Emi to us for £20 million and wasting an extra £10 million on a lesser keeper…..Kroenke was getting all barrels. Pissed myself laughing so much, I had to change my shorts.

  5. haha Plug no my gooner mate is only just starting to wake up and smell the coffee he still believes the reason we that we got Buendia is because they didn’t really bid …I saw a funny clip from Arsenal tv recently were they were saying Jack will raise his profile massively by joining thee big club

    We cant discuss Smith Rowe without it kicking off but how i left it was he will probably stay but they will have to at least double the current offer on the table to be able to keep there youngster .. things that are not going down well

    But he forwarded a post from thee blog were a gooner basically broke down the background and history of our owners , the bucks link and how cleverly that franchise as been handled with a warning that villa are only going to be making more noise

    The boys looked good last night ,its amazing how few players have the vision and capabilities to thread a threw ball for fun we now have Buendia , this will not only assist jack but properly make him better in these areas too

  6. JC,

    I think that one other is Leon Bailey. Looks amazing from YouTube clips. Primarily left footed but can shoot with right. Great pace and close control. Alvarez will be a nice sub with Bidace. If I could bet my money would be on Bidace being our super sub this year.

    It was nice to see Wes Edens wear the Villa crest during all Milwaukee Bucks games during NBA series win

  7. My Villa 25 man panel to battle for 4th:

    Emi/Jed

    Cash/Kessler

    Mings/Konsa/Hause/ another

    Targett/Ashley

    SJM/Nakamba/Luiz

    Jack/Buendia/Sanson/Traore/Chukwuemeka/Bidace/Alvarez/Ramsey junior

    Ollie/Wesley/Leon Bailey/Louie Barry

  8. I’m sorry but if we sign Mcniell for 30 million over Bailey it’s single handily the worst bit of business ever.

    Bailey is a phenomenal player.

    And apparently he isn’t top of our list, Alveraz from Argentina is or Mcniell.

    Shocking that Lange or Smith don’t have Bailey top. We will watch someone like Everton sign him

  9. Yep, I don’t fancy McNeill either Frem. Bailey and/or Alvarez, I can’t comment as I know nothing about either player. But it does seem that we are now prepared to let El Gassy go. And with Trez also missing until next year, our wings need sorting.

    For me, it’s Jack and Buendia in the middle behind Watkins, whose movement should provide plenty of opportuntities for them.

    I’m also not bothered about Everton. The FSW is buying from the bottom shelves as Ancellotti emptied their bank last year.

  10. Frem…

    As has been pointed out a number of times, there are tons of metrics applied to targets. They consider the full package (pass completion rate, xG, key passes, retention, tackles, interceptions, distance covered, and so on), along with researching the player’s playing and injury history, character and the like to gauge their adaptability, how they respond to adversity. They also analyze their relative performance across different levels of competition.

    You can’t get every single transfer right, but it does mean that they are weighing up each player very carefully and aren’t just getting excited about names. While we might look and say “Cantwell and McNeil aren’t good enough,” the numbers may very well tell a different story.

    Also, Alvarez doesn’t necessarily exclude Bailey. Villa want a very fluid three behind Watkins, and they want options. Ghazi and Trez will probably end up third-string or may even be gone. Traoré will likely be a second-string player. If you’re gunning for the top, you’re going to have £15m-£20m players on the bench

    This is why Lange was brought in. Same principles, different budget.

  11. And, as always, you have to consider whether the player wants to come, how much the selling club wants, and whether the ultimate figure fits the risk/reward estimates.

    A “report” claims we’ve lodged a first bid of £30m for Bailey, and Leverkusen have knocked it back.

    So stay tuned.

  12. I’ve been thinking about Jack. I love watching him play, but there is a nagging thought in the back of my mind. Was his limited play during the Euros due to Southgate or lingering effects of his shin injury? Is Jack one more shin injury away from retirement and a life of punditry? He’s had 2 injuries already that have been lengthy. Is a third only a matter of time? Or against Watford? Perhaps MCFC should take that risk. As wealthy as NSWE are, 100 mil is nothing to sneeze at and with no guarantee of no more shin problems….well perhaps. Obviously the opposite is true and Villa would look like chumps but with the talent on the way up I’m thinking NSWE are thinking too.

  13. Fair question, Ian.

    They’ll obviously know more than we can. There’s an old saying about players: “Better to let them go a year early rather than a year late.”

  14. It’s like horse racing. The owner loves watching his/her horse win but loves the years of steady income from breeding way more. An injury kinda spoils that. And there is another horse on the way up.

  15. Compass have not put a foot wrong yet. You just have to trust them in any decision they make knowing it will be in the best interests of our club. I’m certain all angles will be considered.

    Whatever the outcome of Jack’s employment, I’m sure an assault on the top 4 is coming this season or next.

  16. Ner man I can’t believe this club if this is true

    But apparently

    We want Dan James over Leon Bailey

    Man it ls enough to make you cry

    Shocking

  17. It’s mad why we aren’t interested in Pierrera from wba. He’s a quality player.

    I went to Walsall o. Wednesday night and Ghazi just isn’t good enough. He doesn’t do anything. He never stands out on a pitch. We really need to be selling him and getting top player like Bailey

    Wesley and Davis also poor. Not good enough. Hourihane and Guilbert will go to I think

    We are still a good striker, 2 wingers and CDM away from being good

    Brazil fans also don’t rate Luiz what so ever which I’m not surprised at.. Marvelous is a much better DM

  18. Phillip Bodince though looks a cracking winger. Fast and direct, everything Traore and Ghazi aren’t. At 19 he should be getting into the starting line up more often now. He’s going to be a very good player but i think Smith isn’t brave enough to use him. Much rather Ghazi play and watch him do nothing

    Both Ramseys are good players to.

    Sanson been injured since April and no update on him. Another Engles/ Guilbert situation.

  19. The ‘Jack to City’ rumours are gathering pace again, as would be expected. Let’s face it, the only way we’d avoid the rumours would be if Jack was no longer marketable. In the meantime, let’s assume that it’s just Jack’s agent playing the same game as ESR’s . . . . we’ll know one way or another in a few weeks’ time, if not before. I’ve seen some people asking why Jack doesn’t just come out and squash the rumours. That’s unlikely to happen because a) his agent possibly wants to build a little pressure b) if footballers always said when they were definitely ‘not’ gpiong to move, then we’d all know when they kept quiet that they were genuinely considering moving on.

    Ian, your thought about Jack and injury had crossed my mind too, but if our medics knew that was a problem then I imagine that city’s medics would identify it too.

    There have been rumours that Marv may be a target. . . .he’s one player I really don’t want to see go. He played well last year; our results were better when he was on the pitch; he still seemed to be steadily improving . . . . .and he seems a nice friendly guy, who is doing some great work with under-privileged kids back in Zimbabwe.

    The Cantwell links continue and that’s one transfer I’d like to see. Ive been an admirer of his for a while and he already knows how to link up with Buendia which can’t be a bad thing. You’d have to feel a bit sorry for Norwich fans though if that were to happen.

    Talking of feeling sorry for fans and apologies in advance to those who think I’m going soft in the head, but I do feel a bit sorry for Baggies fans as we seem to be completely denuding their academy of its best talent. It’s great for our future prospects, but I’ll admit that it does make me feel slightly uncomfortable. I wonder when we’ll see a real breakthrough season for our young stars and which ones will make a significant number of appearances this year. Chukwuemeka and Philogene-Bidace seem to be the ones most talked about at the moment, with Kesler just behind. can we see all 3, plus some others such as Ramsey(s) getting significant playing time this year?

  20. R0bb0,

    Good comments. I don’t read any of the Jack reports anymore. Just media fluff in my view. I watched Norwich a few times last year and never noticed Cantwell. This could be because I was focusing on Buendia, but I don’t rate him. I watched Swansea a few times and their CM that played beside Conor looks class.

    I think we’ll see a lot more youth this season, especially in cups. Bidace is a great option for last 30mins of games. Carney is so young, but good enough. If Wesley is not up to it then throw one of the U23 strikers on the bench

  21. I’d also like to see DS use the subs more and hopefully we can start to give Ollie some rest. If anything happens to Ollie we’re screwed. I think it’s getting to a point that Ollie is more important to us than Jack

  22. Re Jack: Now Talksport starting to walk back the “deal is done” talk based on Jack being impressed with incomings and his England experience. So much shite being talked by people who know nothing. Business as usual, in other words.

    Likewise, Bailey. Hearing £25m or £30m knocked back. Then that others weren’t interested because he has “attitude problems,” and that we’d also already agreed personal terms. So, again, who knows.

  23. VillaMD,

    Yeah, Ollie’s pretty integral. I’m guessing that’s part of bolstering the attack. Not only looking to upgrade both ‘wings’, but also in getting players there that could move to striker.

    In that department, not great that Wes got a straight red today. Not a lot of preseason left for him to make a showing. Curious to see what happens there.

    Also a poor outing today. Couple sucker punches on the goals, but seemed a bit leggy and less cohesive. I only had one eye on the match, though.

  24. A very poor and underwhelming performance by Villa today.
    Nkamba was one of the few who shone again today, along with a few youngsters, including Chukwemaka. I also thought Davies put in a good performance, as did the young keeper in the second half.
    Very disappointed with Wesley, and his failure to control his temper.

  25. Dougie picks up a red card in Japan after 14 minutes of the Brazil v Ivory Coast game. No contact, three paces further on the guy goes down like a sack of spuds. Ref waves a yellow card. VAR get involved and ask the ref to review it. Then red card.

    I thought it was only the EPL that had no idea what VAR was meant for. It was a clear and obvious joke.

  26. Crap performance indeed yesterday PP. Our defence decided to give the opposition the freedom of Stoke. But I guess we’ll have a better idea of our status after the Sevilla match.

  27. Plug, it’s the Olympics. Every judge, ref or adjudicator has a nit to pick. Check out the ice skating scandal from a couple games back. There’s a reason why they throw out the highest and lowest score in judged events. It’s the event were the term homer was invented.

  28. Wow!
    John Terry has quit the club, giving excuses of spending time with family and not wanting to start a new season when he may not be there for the end of it.
    Smells a bit to me. Has there been a fallout t the Park? Is that why Shakespeare was in charge at Stoke, when it should have been Terry, as the no2..
    Is he unhappy with some of the future planning, after tightening up our defence so well last season?

  29. PP, it seems that he has decided that he’s now ready to go into management and has done the right thing in giving the club time to find a new defence coach in time for the new season rather than leave part way through.
    In the absence of any other information I’d be happy to take his words on this at face value and see it as the right action for him to take both for himself and Villa

  30. I see that the government is considering making double vaccination a requirement for attending certain events including football matches. It seems a sensible approach to me, for the safety of fans attending and also the public at large. This would reduce the risk of further outbreaks here, but more importantly would reduce the risk of the UK being the largest Petri dish in the world for the creation of yet more variants

  31. On JT – Part of me wonders if he was being primed up to take up the Villa job once DS faltered which didn’t happen. Hence the need to go look for jobs outside.

    In any case, wasn’t my favorite person before he joined Villa but has been completely professional as a player and coach. Wish him the very best.

  32. I would disagree r0bb0,
    from the point that Terry should inform the club of his intentions, and the club would issue a statement first. He has really compromised the club’s position, which to me, is unusual, and not in line with protocol.
    Agree on vaccinations.

  33. Agree with comments on Terry. It certainly is unusual for the club not to announce it after 3 years. Anyway, I much prefer Shakespeare as #2.
    Bailey didn’t start for Jamaica last night when Fulham, Championship and MLS players made team. Hmmm, maybe YouTube compilation is not the best source 🙂

  34. JT, I wish you the very best for the future and you’ll always get a great reception from the VP faithful whenever you return.

    In the meantime, we shall watch with interest to see which way your career develops and no doubt in time, we may find out a little more about your sudden departure.

  35. First off I would like to wish JT all the best, how ever I have never been his greatest fan. As a footballer I respect his skills and knowledge of the game. That is clearly evident in how he has helped mould our defence and what he did for Gary Cahill’s game.
    As a man though I am not so impressed, I refer to his treatment of Wayne Bridge and Anton Ferdinand. The first of which he tried to suppress via the courts, the latter a disgraceful act of racism.
    I know sometimes we say things in the heat of the moment, I’m not proud of it but have been guilty of it myself. But if I am going to call some one an ass-hole or worse, I don’t need to add the guy’s colour or race before hand, he’s an ass whether Black, White, Brown, Polish or here in North America a Native Indian. To be honest and I immediately asked for forgiveness from God or who ever just recently, as my wife called from the office to tell me our Catalytic Converter had been sawed off while our SUV was parked on her company parking lot, leaving the remainder of the system dragging on the ground. My reason for needing forgiveness, I answered ” oh that’ll be over at the rezza by now”. For you guys back in blighty, the rezza is our local 6 nations Indian Reserve, again terms not native to me but picked over 30 plus years living here. When I stopped to think about it with all that’s going on the world, I realized that this too is some what racist although that was not my intent. Local law enforcement have no jurisdiction on a reserve, only the Mounties so a lot of petty criminals will sell their ill gotten gains over there when they go to pick up the illegal carton’s of cigarettes, and a lot of their own shady characters come in to town and nick cars for chop shops over there. There is a lot of work to be done and if taking a knee is the first step in making us all think about our words and actions then I’m all for it.

  36. come on the villa. class cm and attacking mid needed.

    like cantwell but having signed buendia is all a bit to norwichy.

    league is going to be tough. palace are making some very good signings.

  37. First, good luck, JT.

    Hated him at Chelsea, loved what he did for us. No idea about the announcement or reasons…I’m guessing it’s nothing more than him now seriously entertaining one of the management opportunities that could be available.

  38. So, JT finally pulled up sticks. I would have liked him to stay at least one more season but being a competitor at the top level and a desire to prove himself it was obvious he was destined to go. Villa knew this and I’m sure they weren’t caught flat footed by his announcement. He’ll do well where ever he lands. He didn’t give me the warm fuzzies as a person. Perhaps very private. I’m looking forward to his replacement. Villa have been very progressive with their on field staff and I expect the same here.

  39. Hi folks been a bit to busy to get on for bit, not a great deal has happened bar Beundias link with Watkins and JT going, I have heard he is going abroad to broaden his knowledge so good luck to him.

    The Stoke game I am putting down to the very hot weather with fitness training in progress and the 1st game being played in the week. Also Stoke like all champs clubs ahead in their preparation, Forest will be similar.

    Robbo- not surprised to see your in favour of the double jabs despite there being 60% of the people in hospital with 2 jabs and getting them doesn’t stop the spread. I believe its something like 240 under 30’s have died from Covid likely all with comorbidities.

    So I think its a pointless invasion of privacy and a waste of time not to mention the heart problems/ blood clots that have cropped up in the young after the jab, time to nut up and get on with life.

    Talking about lives lost I see the stabbings have carried on unabated over the weekend, still if we wish a bit harder it might stop.

  40. Mark, I don’t think either of us are surprised that we have different outlooks on vaccination.
    I’ll pick you up on one point, 60% of people entering hospital with covid are UN-vaccinated, but it didn’t help that the Government’s chief scientific advisor, Sir Patrick Valance himself quoted the wrong number before going back and correcting himself.
    I’m with you in feeling uncomfortable with anyone being forced to be vaccinated and don’t think that should, or will, be enforced in this country. We do however now know that vaccination dramatically reduces the risk of infections and deaths so it seems reasonable to me that if people want to enjoy the benefits of being part of a civil society they may sometimes be asked to accept some of the responsibilities.
    Nobody will be forced to go and watch Villa play Watford, but it seems fair that the club, or the FA or the Government may ask that those that DO want to go are able to do so in as safe an environment as possible. Asking that only vaccinated people are in the ground isn’t unreasonable in the same way that it wasn’t unreasonable to ensure that fans were protected from breathing in other people’s cigarette smoke.

  41. The biggest talent Covid or any of its variants have is the ability to lurk in people undetected, the asymptomatic ones. Unfortunately that includes vaccinated people. The only thing that’s true about being vaccinated is if you get infected you are much less likely to suffer severe symptoms. And like Mark said, co-morbidities play a big part in the seriousness of infection and your ability to come out the other end relatively unscathed. So, with the number of cases of problems by getting the vaccine is low, similar to any vaccine, then everyone should get it barring a few for medical reasons not to help you survive an infection but to help others by cutting off most of the routes the virus takes in infecting people.

    I suppose it’s your right to do what ever you want to your body but it’s my right not to be affected by you either. Like r0BB0’s smoke analogy.

  42. I am with r0bb0 too,
    If you wish to be at a football match, then ensure that you are safe to be there.
    The removal of smoke from public life has been life changing for the majority of people.

  43. PP. if you were right and there was something else going on behind the scenes with JT then it would be really sad to hear. At least everyone is now putting on a professional face so unless we hear something definite I’m happy to remain in blissful ignorance and just remember what a good job he and the rest of the team have done for us over the past 3 years.

  44. I’m in the camp that believes something has happened concerning JT and the coaching team. Due entirely to the timing, a couple of weeks or so before the season kicks off. If he was doing it to pursue a managerial post as stated, he’d have resigned around the end of June latest, but more likely at the end of last season.

    The club and JT himself are putting on a very professional and respectful face, but something doesn’t fit. None of these thoughts change my views about him or the remaining coaching staff. He’s put in some years with Villa and I’m grateful for his valued input. He’ll always be welcome at VP.

    Strangely enough, my overriding memory of him at VP was when he was playing for Chelsea under Mourinho. The Holte End was baying and laying into Mourinho big time. The ball ended up in the back of the Chelsea net in front of the Holte and JT furiously kicked the ball back into the net with venom as it bounced out. I was in the band of rabid supporters behind that goal bating him at the time.

  45. Oh well no need for the passport the games been called off at the last minute, covid in the forest camp.

    Now then, as it looks like the effects of the vaccines wears off over time as far as transmissibility it will mean a new one every 6 months to keep your freedom passport legitimate. Those that were jabbed in Jan are down to 17% transmissibility vs 75% for a recent jab. Hopefully you still get protection for a better outcome. And of course testing positive is not an indicator of viral load or even having the disease.

    Also all the countries that had quick roll outs are seeing higher cases despite the jab where as the ones that haven’t are looking more like they have herd immunity which basically makes you immune pretty much for life and 700% less likely to pass it on apparently. Who’d of thought that involving the whole of your immune system would give better results eh.

    Next on the agenda is cases are dropping in this country over the last week by the 1000’s. Also the governments web site has not changed to reflect the change in symptoms which are more like a cold than a flu now. This happens when a virus moves to being endemic, its much more transmissible while being nowhere near as virulent, that’s the delta variant. Also it seems that people are still catching it in Hospital because it is there and they are ill.

    Now when this began the Chinese reported 20% hospitalisations the reality is at its worst its 2% of those infected (tested). Everything they did was to stop the hospitals being overwhelmed, so far that has not happened. They generally operate at 95% anyway in the UK and still are because of the mess caused by delaying treatments.

    We built hospitals and did not use them even though we could of isolated the sick in them from those with Covid and kept it away, just the same as the old folks homes were not protected as a matter of course.

    So none of this was done to stop people dying, just to slow the rate down enough to cope. They won’t have an enquiry at the moment because the facts don’t look good for the policies put in place.

    So the idea that this is all about someone not infecting you and saving you is false, it never has been . If someone said to me I can take this vaccine which may have long term consequences to save you from a Flu like virus that will not kill 99.7% of people I would tell them not to be so stupid. The fact I took it myself might actually make me stupid or at least gullible.

    Chuck in the loss of life from lockdowns, The loss of life to come from lack of treatment, the loss of quality years from the ensuing poverty caused by the Lockdowns, The mental problems and suicides, the social upheaval, the continuing segregation and thought police, the rise in Drugs and drug overdoses etc……..

    Bit selfish to demand others risk their lives for yours isn’t it? even if that risk is minimal its still unknown as yet, not a worry if your old, if you have hardly started life?

    Last thought, I wonder how many people we have all infected over the years?

  46. JT things seems odd but in the grand scheme of things could not give a toss, might even mean we get a better coach. We seem to be buying umpteen teenagers but no 1st teamers, and I would rather get 10 vaccines than see another will he won’t he Jack expose.

  47. Mark. . . I’ll agree with one thing in your post. It does seem that our government seems to be viewing success as slowing things down enough to enable the NHS to cope.

  48. I don’t think the JT walk out is necessarily sinister, but maybe the result of an internal bust-up, which happens, maybe the reason things seem to have gone very quiet at the moment.

  49. A lot of Villa fans reckon Terry helped attract defenders. So has JT helped sign the starting 5:

    Emi – no
    Cash – no
    Konsa – no, he said he joined for bargain £12m to work with DS
    Mings – no
    Targett – no

    Who did JT influence to join Villa? Danny Drinkwater and Barkley

    He did influence Tammy, who’s worth a £20m punt. Only issue with Tammy is he needs 4 chances to convert one

  50. VillaMD,

    It’s a good point. I’m sure JT has been good for the players, the dressing room, helped bring along the defenders. But yeah, that’s not why players join a club, really.

  51. Robbo- yep they have stated it many times, here’s a video from today showing the waning effect of vaccines on transmission, we are seeing it in Israel as they have a lot of people jabbed, the CDC are miles behind and our government have definitely not told the public the symptoms have changed, probably as they are coercing kids into getting the jab and being told its now more cold like isn’t scary enough. Also the case numbers are likely much higher and the infected jabbed vs unjabbed is about the same. Things however look on the up. Watched this and then tell me how much more you agree with me on 🙂

    vaccine passport pretty pointless bar than you won’t die which the young won’t anyway.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM5NUnXboO0

  52. Robbo- I see that Vietnam one of the countries touted as getting all the measures right is now not getting them right. Just makes me think we know very little about Virus’s and how they spread and conditions they spread in.

  53. Rumours that Terry could be in line for the Toons, replacing Steve Bruce….. a maybe..
    Grealish to Man City, getting stronger by the minute….
    Steve Downing from Bristol City to replace Terry, if Dean Smith has his way, but Purslow not keen, preferring a bigger name.

    Another young midfielder signed on a four year contract from the Baggies!

    Bailey, Cantwell still on the list of possible Villa signings. If Grealish does go, I can see a flurry of incomings to Villa, and a few departures.

  54. PP- I have never been so bored by a pre-season, Beundia is it really.

    Terry meeeh, the Purslow/ smith angle has been done to death.

    If Grealish is going and we haven’t sorted out a load of replacements with 15 days to kick off they have not only dropped the ball but lost it down the drain.

    I still think if he was going it would of been done by now. Its to massive you would think to leave until the last minute.

  55. Looking like covid could also upset this season, as nothing is anywhere near back to normal, with Man United having problems now with cases and could affect their first fixture!

    Villa really seem to be having a problem, or are just not wanting to go public about the new season and what it will hold for the club.

  56. According to Percy in the Torygraph, Man Citeh have formally offered £100 million for Jack. Percy is normally quite reliable.

    We therefore watch and wait to see what happens next week. It’s the old story. Never mind what anybody says, let’s see what they actually do. Actions will tell us everything we need to know. Compass have been rock solid to date. We will know soon if that remains the case.

  57. PP- Apparently the CDC are phasing in a new PCR test that differentiates between sars 2 and other corona viruses. That means the old one does not, meaning millions upon millions of Covid cases could be nothing but colds and flu’s., this would not surprise me in the least.

  58. Heroes, we already know what Compass are made of. They shunted Levy in to touch when they first arrived and I’m sure they’ll do the same to Sheik Rattle n Roll. If Jack goes, we can safely say it would be down to Jack deciding for himself. Personally, I think he will see “Project Villa” through to its climax.

    You have to laugh. £100 million for the best footballer in England. And Beaky thought he had plenty of others to pick who were better than him. What a plank.

  59. Well, MK, you won’t like the new headline, then. 🙂

    I had to weigh in the on the frenzy, because frenzy. Fresh page up (though it doesn’t say much anyone hasn’t already thought and said).

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