I am actually back home now, but not for long. I’m off to a training course tomorrow in Middlesboro, of all places. So I doubt if I’ll be able to see much of the game, as I’ll no doubt be stuck in tons of traffic.
Whatever, I’m hotfooting it back to Spain on Saturday to get away from this weather and back to my original holiday plan.
I heard a statistic on Sky sports news earlier and it shocked me.
We have only won one FA cup third round game in the last eight. That is frankly disgraceful for a team that has been mostly in the Premier league. But yet, so typical of Aston Villa.
Just like we’re going to be up against a new manager bounce after West Ham sacked Lopetegui and appointed Harry, oops, sorry, Graham Potter today. It’s a hard life for managers sometimes, isn’t it? Potter walked away with a rumoured £10 million or more payoff, had a nice 20 month break and then walks into the West Ham job, where I have a feeling he might do a decent job for them. Hopefully that turnaround won’t come too quickly though.
And to cap it all, it looks like we might have to face a new manager bounce when we face Everton too.
Anyway, can we change that shocking third round record? And does Unai actually care about the FA cup?
The main news for us is that John McGinn definitely won’t be available. Pau is out for weeks, but those two apart, we seem to be all good.
I’ve searched for West ham team news, but everywhere is dominated by Potter’s appointment and I don’t really care much anyway. I do know they have a couple of top players out, but that’s it.
Emery made out that he wants to win the game and I wouldn’t expect him to say anything otherwise. He also points out that winning the cup is a route to the Europa cup, which worried me slightly. Is that an admission that we won’t qualify for the Champion’s league? I prefer to think not and he just vies that as a worst case back up.
He also talks about how we’re trying to build a team and that sort of comment makes me think he might want to give some players a rest and some young players a game. I can see Maatsen coming in, but we don’t have a lot of room for many changes, I’d have thought.
Certainly Philogene won’t feature as his £20 mill plus signing by Ipswich will probably go through tomorrow. Does Kosta Nedeljković replace Cash at right back? Maybe, but apart from giving the lad game time, I can’t see why. Cash, as much as I don’t rate him, has hardly burnt himself out this season, I wouldn’t have thought. Duran is still suspended, so “Whack it wide” Watkins (thanks, whoever posted that one) is assured a start. McGinn being out leaves few options in the middle and the hope would be that quite a few of our players play themselves into some sort of form, which isn’t an ideal way of looking at games.
Thoughts then and the biggest plus for us is that West ham leak practically two goals a game and I don’t see Potter changing that by tomorrow night.
The problem is that we’re not taking our chances and our defence is nearly as abysmal as West Ham’s.
Will Potter change much at all? It’s difficult to see after just one day, so this is basically going to be all about the new manager bounce. And after what I’ve just read about Lopetegui and his relationship with the West Ham squad, their players are going to be at least in a more positive mood and will be all out to impress the new manager.
Which means things might prove probematic for us.
Everything about this game is a total guess for a fan, but surely we’re due an FA cup win, aren’t we?
Add in our home advantage and I’m going for a 2-1 win and a happy 150th Anniversary.
Heh, I remember the 100th Anniversary like it was yesterday. And that makes me feel really old 🙁
2-1 it is then and UTV!
Wet Spam offer £30 for Duran!!!!!!
Try £80m. I bet they’re kicking themselves for being tight in the summer. They did the same with Amorin.
According to football insider247 they’ve offered £50m?
Have they learned nothing form the last window?
But then again I heard Simon Jordan on Talk sport the other day saying dealing with the West Spam lot was like trying to nail a jelly to a door.
Looks like we’re getting Donyell looks like he will be a good addition hope we keep big jhon Duran would hate to see him leave
Malen deal appears to be done and dusted –
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/jan/13/transfer-latest-chelsea-renato-veiga-dortmund
Looking forward to seeing him play. Now for Mingueza and a CB and I will be more than happy.
Several outlets also reporting a fee agreed for an 18 year old CB (Yasin Özcan). Could be Diego’s replacement….
I think he’ll go straight out on loan.
Slight change of tack.
PL Fantasy Football are introducing a new ‘Assistant Manager’ chip from 1st February.
According to Talks**te Emery is valued below Fulham, Bournemouth, Brighton, Wolves and Spurs managers and the same as managers like Franks. In fact only Everton, Ipswich and Southampton’s managers have a lower valuation.
Bl**dy insult but if you play PLFP might be worth diving into Mr. Emery.
TalkSh1te were going on about Arsenal’s lack of striker and were saying ‘They should just go and Get Watkins or Duran from Villa’… We are not that selling club anymore. Still infuriating and patronising though.
What’s this about Buendia going to Brentford for £40m?
Not heard that Bum Bum but it seems we’ve agreed a deal to buy Ozcan – 18 year old CB for around €7million. Definitely one for the future who comes with a growing reputation.
Will stay with his current club on loan until the end of the season. Reported by TBR who seem to be ‘on the money’ with their information – at least so far.
Good question, that.
I’d give Watkins for the deal you offered, because I believe it would help improve the squad, which has to be the constant aim. Of course, it would depend on how much cash.
Likewise, I’d happily take 60+ mill for Duran.
Because I think that could be used to improve the squad too.
A young, left footed center-forward who can strike the ball as hard and as accurately as Duran. Have a look round the Champions league top clubs: how many of them can say
‘Yes, we already have one, thanks’. £60 million – you’re having a laugh if Grealish was sold for £100M, Duran isn’t going anywhere for less.
Watkins the Gooner for £50M is another story. He might appear in a red+white shirt.
BTW, what were the Gooners wearing against Manure? Wrong song lyrics used – that was “Their kit at first just ghastly, turned a whiter shade of pale.”
The right song “No colours any more, I want them to turn Black” as played at VP.
The white kit worn by Arsenal was part of the ‘No More Red’ anti-knife crime initiative.
Mixed views on Malen from Dortmund fans – but then I guess that would be true about almost any player given the diverse nature of football fans.
The two most concerning are inconsistency and poor tracking back – neither will go down well with Emery but he must see something in the player as he did with Rogers.
According to some reports Villa want ‘more than £100m’ for Jhon Duran.
That would suggest he’s not for sale.
Malen has good stats so hope he can hit the ground running for us
Talk of Watkins or Duran leaving this window is ridiculous. We have lots of games in the second half of the season and we need both players. It would take just one injury to leave us with a major headache. Arsenal can do one and let them go elsewhere to find a striker to replace Jesus!
Malen confirmed! Wicked stuff!!!!!
Citeh and Chelsea drawing tonight was good for us!!!
Will Malen make an appearance at Goodison?
Might be on the bench.
Emery suggesting McGinn might be back next week.
McGinn I hear is spending all his time at prayer when he’s not in the gym. He’s desperate to face Celtic!!!!
Emery reported as saying he’s not interested in selling Duran or Watkins.
When considered logically Villa have two top class strikers – how many other clubs would give anything for just one?
Expect a new contract for both with massive release clauses?
Haven’t you heard, West Spam are getting Duran for £30M and a packet of crisps, and Arsenal £15m for Ollie (and 2 packets of crisps).
Throw in a packet of jammy dodgers and they might be on to a winner!
In other news – Malen not eligible for this evenings game as not registered in time.
🙁
We’ll just have to hold onto him until the Arsenal game on Saturday! I hope there are a few ‘robust’ tackles by Spuds tonight!!!
I quote “Kasimpala’s manager has all but confirmed to Turkish media that Yasin Ozcan will be moving to Villa with a loan back to the Turkish side until the summer”
Reported as a small fee but with bonuses could reach around £8m. 18 year old CB with a growing reputation. Rumoured to have undertaken a medical in Birmingham yesterday. Good business if true.
Just going back to the Philogene transfer – Villa have made at least £28m in profit on the deal in less than 12months. Sold to Hull for £22m and bought back for £13.5m (triggered right to buy back plus the original transfer had a 30% sell on clause) and sold again for another £21+m. This is what Nawiris was referring to in that the EPL’s PSR rules mean football clubs are forced to play around with academy players to maximise profit.
Emery said he believed in him but I suspect the buy back was with a view to selling him again.
Massive opportunity tonight to kick-start the CL qualification push. It is doable, looking at the table and points. But we need to put 3-4 wins together.
I think Moyes will park the bus tonight, so our slow, play out from the back tactics will play into their hands. It’s time for some ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ football, but will it come?
I doubt it…