I don’t know why I find this one intriguing, but I do.
Last season I’d probably have described it as a run of the mill win for us, but this time, I wonder if Moyes can have a new manage bounce effect on the game and couple it with how awful we are at times and I think anything might happen tonight.
Let’s start with the good news and it is that we’ve signed Donyell Malen, who looks to be predominantly a right sided player in Unai Emery’s thinking, because the manager has talked about this being a “one in, one out” policy, adding Jaden Philogene into the mix, who seems to be an almost certain goner.
Or did he mean that this will be the policy for the whole of the window and all players involved?
Whatever, things are seriously starting to warm up now and we seem to have moved on from the 100% guesswork that we usually get at the beginning of the month.
Diego Carlos is apparently being chased by Fenerbache, if Mourinho doesn’t get the sack and my feeling there is that it’s probably the right time all round to do that deal. He could do a very decent job in Turkey and we recoup some much needed PSR cash. It’s win-win. I think probably a more salient point here is that Emery has said Carlos has a small injury. The player says he is not injured at all.
Things are not 100% happy in the camp, it would seem.
Not wanting to dwell on that, squad news and it isn’t great.
On the plus side, we should have Emi Martinez back and Jhon Duran has finished his suspension, meaning he’s available. Will he start? is another question and I suspect not, which will surely add to his frustration. It’s a tough life for a young lad on 100k a week or whatever it is, isn’t it? It would appear he’s going nowhere though and we’ve stuck an £85 million pricetag on his head, which, while putting pretty much all clubs off, might prove a disastrous mistake for them if he ends up as another Haarland.
Pau is probably going to be out for 2 months and McGinn is a week away from training again, if I read things right. I’m not sure how much that concerns me, to be honest, as neither have been great and they probably need the R&R.
And then, Ross Barkley is at least two weeks away from being fit, which is bad news, because as much as I didn’t fancy him when he came, he has done a very decent job and he’s being managed well and used sparingly to good effect. He’s a miss and the sooner he’s back, the better.
As for Everton, they’re not in great shape.
Dwight McNeil, James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam are all out., as is Armando Broja who was stretchered off after an innocuous challenge in Thursday’s FA Cup match against Peterborough.
The good news for them is that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back in contention, although he’s only scored two goals all season.
What to think then and I ought to be hopeful, I feel. Everton play pretty decent stuff from what I’ve seen of them and have often been unlucky, I feel. But they can’t score for toffee and that costs them some serious points.
I’d normally go for a very straightforward win here, but my money says we won’t get one.
At best, we’ll scrape one and I just hope it isn’t as dire as the first half of the West Ham game.
But I’m going for a 1-1 draw if I have to choose. I just can’t trust us to get a win, I’m afraid, although our record is actually better than I make things sound.
As per usual, UTV!
Apparently that excuse for a referee Kavanagh booked Emery for kicking the ball.
Emery kicked the ball back to the players smiling – his words – and didn’t feel the yellow card was appropriate. Emery’s response – that’s fine I’ll watch from the stands.
It’s clear that ‘the establishment’ don’t like upstarts like Villa / Newcastle upsetting the status quo and despatch their minions to do the dirty work for them!
Wolves / Bournemouth watch out – you’re next – don’t you love a conspiracy theory 🙂
I think there maybe some traction to that argument…
Today I thought the ref gave us absolutely nothing whereas appeared to award those Goooners every contentious decision he possibly could?
Maybe the powers that be wanting a two horse race to maintain the interest? 🤔
Love Emery’s retort, has a touch of the Spartan about it…
“Then we will fight in the shade”
😁
Kavanagh is a homer. 44 yellows to the away side and 34 to the home side in his 20 games.
I’ve always advocated that some referees are collecting cards for future sales if you ask me or memorabilia. If I was in the position in the FA I’d be asking some questions over that .78 cards in 20 games ? He needs looking at .
He’s a poor referee Bill – he yellow carded both managers for pretty much nothing. Emery made his feelings quite clear on that score.
If he had anything about him, he would be able to control the game without resorting to multiple cards and you can add Anthony Taylor to the list.
On transfers – reading a couple of reports it seems Emery is willing to let Buendia go. He’s on record as saying he needs more game time to get his confidence back after such a long lay off – so it could either be a loan or a sale if the right offer comes in.
Shame. Top class player with a skills set no other player in Villa’s squad has. I think there’s room.
Not published a comment in a while, but have been to a good chunk of matches recently, home and away. Very tired from Everton & Arsenal, arriving back home very late for both! But totally worth it, great week for the Villa.
I think both performances were solid for points of the game, we had our ups and downs. Everton was positive in turns of off the ball, Arsenal more positive on the ball, whilst showing relatively nothing off the ball until Tielemans’ goal.
Don’t ask how, but found myself in pocket after predicting Tielemans as first goal scorer on the coach to Arsenal, no idea how I pulled that one off!
Overall, a positive week for the Villa? Definitely. Remember Arsenal have gone unbeaten at home all season. We did well to come from behind. Also note both goals come from crosses as opposed to mucking about on the edge of the box for five minutes waiting to be counter attacked 😉
That’s a good point about crosses. I thought to myself a couple of times that we mess about too much.
We’re also slow in getting forward sometimes. That one run from Watkins who had to wait about 5 seconds had me perplexed.
But, yes, it’s been a great week. If you’d have offered me 4 points beforehand, I’d have snapped your hand off.
Yes, the trajectory and speed of the cross is vital. Too many players hit them too flat and too hard. Digne, like several other Frenchmen puts more loft on the cross which then drops to the target colleague – but is too high as it passes over a defender to be intercepted. We saw an example of Cash being able to do the same.
Ian Wright didn’t even have the grace to give Tielmans credit for his header, just said it came off an Arsenal boot…
Regarding Buendia, he is the perfect replacement for the McGinn. Just now he needs a pace of footbal that will allow to recover. Please keep him and loan if necessary. He is a Villan of the future
I hate to disagree, but nobody can complete with the Mighty John McGinn’s Arse.
Little Emi would need to get to a joke shop and buy a big rubber bottom!!! 🙂
Wet Spam offer £57m for Duran.
No thanks.
Not even close and Villa have no intention of selling
Are West Spam playing dirty my making the offer public knowledge, trying to unsettle Duran and just before our game against Monaco?
Yes, probably.
Typical porn king type tactics. Use any method possible to weaken the opposition.
West Ham fans must be cringing with their owners bargain basement attempt to buy an outstanding player.
“Firstly the reason why West Ham have tried again has been made clear by journalist Graeme Bailey.
Speaking exclusively to Hammers News, Bailey says Duran still wants the move.
“Duran wants to come to West Ham, we have known that since last summer,” Bailey told Hammers News.
“West Ham are kicking themselves for not doing when they should have then.”
Well now Hammers News can exclusively reveal what West Ham are planning to do next.
Because the top spokesman close to the owners has confirmed the situation and the £57m offer.
“Offer turned down,” the West Ham spokesman told Hammers News.
“We have to accept defeat and move on.”
That’s the end of that then, although I now expect him to be sold in the summer when we’ve had time to find some sort of replacement.
Why the f would Duran want to go to West Ham??? If he really does, the Villa might want to get him ‘checked’. Does he have any old school reports with ‘learning difficulty’ stamped on them? Might explain things…
West Ham??? I don’t get it. This is Mr Bigbollox who behaves as if he’s the best striker the world has ever seen. But he wants a move to… West Ham??? Really??? (add snigger and scoff sounds). 🤦🤷♂️
Mirror reporting that Emery thought West Ham’s offer was so far off that he refused to discuss it – also there’s anger at Villa who feel the information was deliberately leaked to de-stabilise them before their key match with Monaco.
Likely to add spice to the fixture on Saturday.
Deep down I think Duran will be leaving in the summer. Just like with Grealish when he signed a long term contract to enable the maximum fee. Probably a figure around £75m will force our owners to agree a sale. As good and promising he is, he sounds like a hothead who is difficult to manage. If we can sign a quality replacement before next season starts, I think it would be in our best interests. Let him become someone else’s Mario Balotelli. Not West Ham though because they can’t afford him.
Agree Holte. A hothead is a good description.
The biggest joke of all so far in this transfer window is Man.City wanting to buy Douglas Luiz from Juventus.
Firstly, he was a City player until we bought him and they had an option to buy him ,back dirt cheap, which they allowed to lapse. However, the most laughable and ironic thing is that Villa sold him to Juventus in order to avoid breaking those bloody annoying PSR rules and now the club, who have 115 charges for breaking the same rules, have the audacity to bid for him.
With regard to Duran. If it is that, despite only recently signing a new and obviously vastly improved contract, he still wants to leave then let him. It shows a distinct lack of commitment and loyalty in my own personal opinion.
Spot on MatK
I think the thing with Duran is he’s young and thinks he’s the best striker at the Villa.
A lot of fans wouldn’t argue with that, imo
Yet he still can’t get regular starts, which is all he wants and thinks he deserves.
I don’t think he’ll lose that mindset and that’s why I think he’ll go. To any club that will guarantee him at least a season as their no 1 striker. West Ham could do that, as much as we might think it would be a poor choice.
You have to consider top clubs will already have very decent strikers and going to them would leave him no better off than he is now.
And then you have to add in that he’s being flogged around all over the place by an agent who is probabably only interested in his cut and not the best interests of the player.
Duran’s behaviour sounds a bit like many other 20 somethings I know. They think they’ve reached the top and know everything there is to know.
Whatever the outcome, it is what it is. Going to Wet Spam would be idiocy for him. I agree, they’re just trying to unsettle us before Saturday. Watch it backfire big time 😁.
I hope this time tomorrow we’re all celebrating a further 3 points in the CL!!!
Apparently we had 40 clubs call us and ask about Duran in the summer.
I can’t say I’m surprised.
As someone has said, top strikers really are rarer than rocking horse proverbial.
And the kid could be another Haaland in the making.
And we have Jhon and Ollie! Like the days of Withe and Shaw, or Atkinson and Saunders.
Olllie has reached his peak. Don’t sell Duran. All the greatest players were ‘hotheads’, Zidane quite literally on one infamous occasion. His behaviour and attitude simply matches his age and is magnified by his status. I don’t see how we replace attacking talent like that. Sell him at 28 when he’s peaked and worth over 100 million. Not now. Give him game time.
He was on a great run then got banned through a very dodgy decision. Now he’s back. Just get back in the groove for a big season finish. All to play for. Talk of selling is madness.