Well, it’s the middle of winter and it looks like we have a good chance of snow early in the week.
Fortunately it’s early twenties here in Fuerteventura, so I don’t have to worry about that rubbish for another ten days.
I’m taking the proverbial. Apologies, but I can’t help gloating.
So over the last week or so I’ve been asking myself if I’ve been expecting too much from the Villa and have come to realise that I definitely am.
It’s as though I’m expecting us to go through the whole season winning every game and we all know that just doesn’t happen. Even the very best teams get beaten sometimes.
Yet, even so, I don’t see what’s wrong in wanting the best. The trouble is it leads to bitter disappointment when we do lose.
Will I change my thinking? I doubt it, but I can at least try to calm it down somewhat.
Which leads to the game against Everton. Put simply, I fully expect us to win this game, but also realise we could easily lose it, because it’s what we’ve done for decades.
Mind you, I remember years of us all saying we’ll never amount to anything if we can’t beat the top 6 and can only beat the “lower” clubs.
It seems things are totally the opposite now.
Maybe it would be better if we were facing an Everton in the top 10 of the table?
Everton currently lie 17th in the table on 16 points. That’s dangerously close to bottom three, which would probably make them an even more difficult task for us. They would have been twelfth without their 10 point deduction, which shows they’re not doing too badly although their form seems to have dropped off a bit and they lost their last game 3-0 to Wolves.
Squad news and we have Pau, Tielemans and Olsen available to be assessed today, which is definitely good news.The downside is that Lucas Digne is still out, but may be available for our next game.
Bertrand Traore is at the African cup of nations, which doesn’t really bother as a player, but he’s about the only asset worth any money and if his country do well, he might not even be available in this window. Which could be a real blow, because Emery has specifically said we’re having to work with a “one in-one out polcy”. So definitely no big name signings this month, which seems to be a real missed opportunity.
However, what we can we do if our hands are tied?
As for Everton Abdoulaye Doucoure could feature, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has had his 3 match ban overturned and Ashley Young is back in training. Idrissa Gueye will also be at the African cup of Nations.
Unai has said himself that basically Everton are not a bad side and they have many facets to their game. He also makes the point where they do try to attack you which should suit us better. He also says they work hard at winning the second balls and we all know we give those chances far too often.
So we’re going to have to press them and I feel that’s what the whole game is going to be about.
Can we outwork them in the midfield and basically, well, outpress them?
I have concerns, because we look tired and lacking sharpness lately. It’s obviously the same for Everton, but you would think they’re playing with more of a “survival” approach which can make players work harder.
That said, we have to tools to punish Everton and I see goals. Three of them.
Villa to win 2-1 in a very tight, probably scrappy game, with hopefully a couple of flashes of brilliance.
UTV!
All very straightforward then.
Except it’s probably not.
It’s a weird place we find ourselves in where we’re looking forward to every game rather than filled with indifference.
I though 2-1 too. But then again I’ve still not won the lottery yet!
Just got to schedule Sunday dinner in for before or after the match…Everton are dangerous. Dyche has got them well drilled. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he is a bloody good manager. Look at what he’s achieved with the same squad others struggled with. A bit like our Unai, but on a lesser scale obviously š.
I donāt understand FFP and like most believe itās geared to keep the established big teams at the top. Why are Villa treading FFP water with European football and Chelsea can spend from the ripe money tree that they have. If we qualify for the Champions League you would assume we donāt need to sell anyone. I was surprised that Emery said we might sell in the summer a big name. It feels like an open invitation to Arsenal, Citeh or whoever to come and buy Luiz or Kamara. These two are in their prime and have developed a great on field partnership. Losing either of them would be a massive blow.
As for tomorrow, I would feel a lot more confident if Calvert-Lewin and Doucoure wasnāt available but it looks like they both are available. If we are to finish in the top 4, then this is a game we need to win. Iām thinking it could be a draw though and 2-2 sounds likely to me.
Holte, I think it was more of a case that we might sell if the offer was too good to refuse, rather than just folding to a “bigger” club.
If Emery deems that sort of sale would be necessary to improve the squad, I wouldn’t be happy, but would probably agree with the thinking.
Badger, Itās understandable that we would sell if silly money was offered. Every player has a price after all. I would assume Luiz would have a sell clause in the latest contract he signed. Kamara having bought on a free would be pure profit so again this would make sense if a big offer comes in. Itās this reason why I think the likes of Villa or any of the non Sky 6 will only ever flirt with success before we are unceremoniously kicked off our ladder because of the way FFP is structured to hinder our long term success. Itās only a matter of time before Emery gets linked with Real Madrid or Barcelona.
Unfortunately itās the pessimism that is hard to shake off after many years in the doldrums.
FFP was and is designed primarily to protect the top, most wealthy, sides in Europe which obviously includes the top 6.
Other managers have already said FFP only allows those outside the gates to flirt with real success. But thatās not enough for teams like Madrid and Barca who want guarantees of ever increasing uncontested wealth.
If we can keep Emery and our owners then we have a chance to build something over the next two or three years but we will, undeniably have to trade some of our assets to do so. Itās how we reinvest the financial margins created by selling an asset thatās going to be the key.
Iāve forecast a draw for tomorrow but itās a game that could go any one of all three results.
If the government want to know why mental health problems are rising exponentially, I suggest they do a study on the impact of VAR since 2019. The numbers will be blanketed by COVID, of course. But I guarantee you watching PL football is hazardous to mental health. Seriously passed off.
Pissed
Holte, there’s one big difference now. We have the ability to tie players down to big contracts and are looking to go places and improve.
Man city are being investigated and although I expect them to get away with little/no punishment, they’re at least being closely watched. Likewise Chelsea.
And it’s known that Arsenal can’t spend, which is probably the same as Pool and I suspect Man U too.
Even the massively subsidised clubs like Real and Barce have had to start cutting their cloth and hence don’t hold the same appeal that they used too imo.
I don’t things are now as bad as you’re portraying them.
The Mail highlighted that if buyers were to come in for Luiz or Kamara, they’d both have an asking price of Ā£100m EACH! Who can afford that? Just 4 or 5 teams in the world, but do they need that position filling?
The papers seem to forget how well we’re doing. We are not 11th in the table. We’d still be 3rd if it wasn’t for that bloody late winner at SJP yesterday! Grrrrr!!!
I think it’ll be a right old fashioned blood and guts scrap later. A farewell to Goodison. Shame really…
Our best players like Martinez, Kamara, Luiz, McGinn, Tielemans and Watkins are all now on the books at zero cost so any sales will be 100% profit.
That’s a lot of financial upside so I can see why Emery says that we might have to sell one to fund team improvements (remembering transfer costs can be written down over the length of the players contract). So a Ā£120 million spend would ‘cost’ Ā£24m per annum for FFP purposes meaning the first 4 years is essentially covered by a Ā£100m profit posted from player sale(s).
So any sales would not be because a ‘bigger’ club forced us to sell but more a rational financial decision – what a difference to our financial position in previous years.
Hitch, I’m not convinced by your argument. You don’t sell your best players. You don’t break up the team. Especially if they’re on the cusp of something special. We’ve been there. It’s damaging. Pissed off. š š š
line up – Martinez, Carlos, Lenglet, Konsa, Moreno, McGinn, Bailey, Kamara, LuizDiaby, Watkins
No Cash, Tielemans or Torres.
Don’t have subs yet
Pretty much how I see it, Hitch.
The days of “bigger” clubs forcing us into anything are over. For now, at least.
Cash & Tielemans on subs bench but Torres still out
There’s a rumour that Pau has got injured again š
Coincidentally re the “bigger” clubs thing, Heck is talking tough and saying basically what we’ve just said. Well worth a read.
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2024/01/14/aston-villa-not-there-for-the-taking-as-chris-heck-makes-worldwide-claim/
Team;
Martinez (GK); Konsa, Carlos, Lenglet, Moreno; Kamara, Luiz, McGinn, Bailey; Diaby, Watkins.
Subs: Marschall (GK), Wright (GK), Cash, Tielemans, Zaniolo, Duran, Dendoncker, Iroegbunam.
Ramsey also missing – Emery says heās injured but hoping itās not serious.
At least thereās a decent break after the Everton game – we need to get Torres, Ramsey and Digne up to fitness.
Yesssss!!!!!!
Yet another example of VAR doing everything possible to disallow a goal.
Ruining football
This var check is shocking!!! Reminds me of the ManU decision last season.
Scream into a fucking pillow.
Or smash the TV.
Or just give up on football.
VAR is an absolute farce, killing the game and has to go.
Here’s an idea. Is there a national fans’ group that represents all football fans in the UK? Organise a strike. One weekend. No fans in PL grounds. None. Keep doing it until these bastards bin VAR. FUCKING SICK OF IT.
What ever happened to active and passive?
Do you think for one second had Man City, Liverpool, Man U scored that it would been ruled out?
No chance.
And we have a Homer ref as well. How is that header by Watkins a yellow card – absolute rubbish – not even a foul.
I want to know how he was interfering with play?
I’m sure they make these rules up as they go along.