So I’ve been watching the Villa news avidly, as per usual, but you guys have been quicker to the mark which means I’ve mostly been getting the news from you lot, hence I’ve little to add at the moment.
You’ve done an excellent job in keeping me informed, so please keep it up!
It’s frankly a case of me just posting something new for the sake of it so we move the headline forward.
If I have something different to add, I’ll do so.
I have to say, I’m loving the business we’ve been doing (the Mings price apart, as much as I like him) including the players we’re still linked with. Douglas Luiz particularly seems a very good bet, given the buy back clause. If Pep wants him, you’d have to expect he’s a good player.
But even though it appears we might get him in as our defensive mid, who does Dean Smith have in mind to back him up?
I’ve seen it said that Hourihane is the answer.
And that’s just wrong to my mind, as he’s just too lightweight, even though I praised him for getting stuck in during the play-off final.
Maybe Bjarnason is the backup DM?
I don’t know.
And then I see here that Steve Bruce has resigned from Sheff Weds.
On the face of it, that seems quite treacherous, given that the Owls took him on when to my mind he’s demonstrated how he’s a yesterday’s man (albeit a safe choice).
But it’s obvious he’s going to Newcastle and it’s a management choice he just can’t resist.
Just like Dean Smith, who could resist managing “their own” club?
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, but I suspect Bruce might have made a big mistake here.
The barcodes want to watch attacking football and from what we’ve seen with him managing the Villa, he’s far too pragmatic and just won’t play like that.
Of course, the fans will give him the benefit of the doubt for a while, but I see him as only a survival-type manager and it will ultimately go badly.
That said, I do appreciate how he stabilised us and wish him all the best.
Except I expect them to be one of our major competitors this season, where I hope he seriously struggles.
Keep posting the updates guys, they’re much appreciated by me in yet another torrid time at work.
UTV!
Whereas I was previously aiming at 17th this season, I now suspect we might be able to aim slightly higher.
I know that’s unambitious, but survival will do for me.
Anything above that is a bonus and then we can look to push on.
Well with Bruce at the Toon I’d guess we should at least be aiming for 16th now.
Bruce doesn’t have it in him to play expansive football and, more importantly, he doesn’t have the squad to do it either. Rafa did wonders with what he had but IMHO Bruce is several leagues below him.
I predict a season where Bruce’s team try to play percentage football and fail miserable. They’ll be in the bottom three after 12 games and he’ll be sacked after fifteen.
Let’s see if I’m right.
I don’t dislike SB and think he did a fine job for us under the circumstances – but he was never the long-term answer to our problems. I don’t think he’s ever been Premiership material – as was evidenced by the fact even if he was a “Championship promotion specialist”, he never got further than getting people back and lasting anywhere. I think Newcastle are in real serious trouble if they give him the job – but I think that even if they don’t, and it’s possible that they know this and are planning for next season already.
It’s also likely that Ashley knows they don’t have the investment to strengthen the squad to attract a better manager and so SB is the best he can hope for. It speaks volumes if they do appoint him and if I were a Toon fan, would be very depressed. I don’t see SB getting a job after this if it goes as we all are expecting.
As for Hourihane – I think he’s a useful back up and no more. I appreciated his contribution of goals and assists but always felt like when he played it was at the expense of a more complete midfielder, who can really tackle or drive forward with strength (neither I saw him do). Maybe that’s the thing about him – and if we have more strength behind him, he’s more able to flourish. So for me, he’s now backup for Grealish.
The new season is going to be very very interesting, with all these new purchases and facing top opposition. I’m personally happy with Dean Smith and the senior coaching staff; they’ve got their heads screwed on and they’re hungry.
I am really hoping that we’ll surprise some faces (in a positive way), this first season back and I seriously think we have the managerial staff to make that happen. Should be very very interesting!
UTV!
I’m hearing that both Luiz and Engels are with the team in Minnesota and are done deals but there’s no official confirmation of this as yet.
Well at least they’re getting to know how Smith wants them to play.
Engels has been spotted training (apparently). 7500 to Holte are saying Luiz has been granted a work permit but they’ve been known to get ahead of themselves on occasion.
Luiz may well be our most exciting transfer of the window – if it happens.
Hitch, I’ve watched Girona quite a few times last season as I was sort of following them as they’re a Catalan club. Three players stuck out for me – the striker Stuani, the winger Portu and Luiz. I was really surprised to hear that Luiz is only 21 as he looks quite an assured player.Unfortunately for Girona the rest of the team weren’t as good and the defence was definitely getting on a bit. They eventually ran out of puff and got relegated.
So I agree, I think it’s possible that we might have found a real bargain at £15 million.
Thanks Pat – your comments reinforcing reports about this lad – sounds exciting. Let’s hope we get him in.
Brum Mail reporting that Luiz IS in America with the squad.
Can anyone confirm that Villa game is on utube tomorrow, be great if true.
Hi Bill, we definitely are on you tube via Villa site. Don’t know what time though but I expect it will be a time when I’m in bed.
I think it’s on the opposition’s YouTube channel. I was hoping to go up to the game but the mrs had a bereavement last week.
Yep, it’s on Minnesota’s U Tube channel at 1am Thursday morning (UK time)
Urgh – pressed the wrong key so G is me 🙂
I can’t knock Bruce for wanting to go to Newcastle because it’s his dream job. One thing Bruce does reasonably well is to make home grounds a fortress. Trouble is he is too cautious playing away from home so will be reliant on getting good results at St James! I wish him well and hope he finishes runners up to Villa next season. 😂
Bjorn Engels confirmed by official site, welcome to the Pride.
UTV
What does Engels signing mean for Chester? If Engels is signed as a CB, we’re overloaded aren’t we? Notable that players who can play more than one position are coming in. Hause is solid at left-back, and Engels can play the holding role. I’m inclined to believe that he’ll be back up for Douglas Louiz and I hope Chester is a member of the squad when the season kicks off…surely, no more CBs to come in now?
4 more still to come, me thinks:
complete Luiz deal
a new number 1
a winger
a striker (I hope)
Also, surely at least one of Hogan, Kodjia and Keinan will be leaving before the start of the season? And what about Thor and Lansbury? Do they have a part to play?
Apparently Scott Hogan rushed off unexpectedly early from training today.
I wonder if he’s had an offer?
Let’s hope so, Badger! Not PL material…
BFR, Deano said he needed 5 CB’s for the upcoming campaign so that’s what he’s now got although, as you say, a couple of them can easily slot into alternative defensive positions. I suppose consideration of Chester’s dodgy knee comes into the equation.
I agree with you on no more CB’s surely but then we’re being heavily linked with this Chelsea youngster with the hair, Ampadu, who plays at CB or holding mid field role which would be a loan without a buy option – completely against Purslow’s philosophy – so who knows.
Still think there has to be some outgoings but probably not until we’ve completed the squad to Smith’s (or the owners?) liking.
Ah, didn’t realise the gaffer wanted 5 CB’s – that clears it up, then! In which case, we still need a second holding mid as back up for Luiz, assuming we complete the signing. But as you say, why develop a player for Chelsea when there’s nothing in it for Villa?
Looks like it might be ‘Marvelous’ competing with Luiz for the holding role. No pressure with a name like that! His mum would’ve helped to name him ‘Bangaverage’!
I’m bored on a quiet Tuesday eve’ so trawling YouTube for Villa memories. Worth a watch this; Gabby did a decent job of tainting his legacy, but if you put all the shenanigans aside, he’s actually a Villa legend isn’t he?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8p5htxOT-M
The decline at the end of his career has tended to hide just how good a striker he actually was and so totally committed to the Villa.
Scourge of the Blues and the Baggies – spot on BFR – he is a Villa legend
What odds Wesley breaking his record within 3 years? And how did Gabby get ahead of Dwight Yorke for the PL record??? Yep, I’m definitely bored!
Well it looks as if Engels is definitely no last minute signing. Smith had admitted that he’s been watching him for the last 18 months. Hope he’s as good as Smith thinks he is.
Just been looking at some photos of Engels and JT together –
https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2019/07/16/gallery-bjorn-engels-arrives
Is it just me or does Engels look a little like JT’s younger brother? If he’s half as good as JT then he’ll do for me.
How the hell is the Trippier fee so low..
While Trippier is a decent player his gaffe strewn season probably took a big chunk off whatever he was going to be sold for. He certainly wasn’t a favourite with some Spurs fans and many of these would seem to be grateful to see the back of him.
Personally I still think that he’s still a decent player and, in Atletico’s solid defensive set up, I think he might shine. Barcelona did something similar a while back when they let Dani Alves go to Juventus. It was a bad move as they still haven’t found a decent replacement for him and Spurs could well find themselves in the same boat.
Just read an excellent article from an interview with Mr Purslow. Not only did he confirm the 30,000 season tickets had been sold but there are 7,000 fans on the waiting list. With these types of numbers it won’t be long before our great owners will expand Villa Park.
Sid, yes, I saw that.
And I’m not sure what to think of it.
From memory, we’ve long had a ST limit at around 23,000 just so fans didn’t feel locked out from getting a ticket, as and when they wanted to go.
A deliberate Ellis thing, iirc.
That number does seem a bit under-ambitious though and 30k is probably about right.
I’d hate to see us selling every seat possible as an ST, but can also see that you create demand these days, simply because it’s something that’s difficult to get.
As for the article, I can strongly recommend reading it.
Indeed, I was going to copy it (with a hat-tip of course), while adding my thoughts.
But I don’t have time.
In short, Purslow talks the talk and while some of it is what you’d expect a CEO to say (ie typical corporate bullshit), I suspect he means quite a bit of what he says.
I quite like the site too. It seems proper Villa.
https://underagaslitlamp.com/2019/07/17/christian-purslow-there-are-two-or-three-more-to-add/
Thanks for posting the article Badger – makes for interesting and scary reading. To think AVFC was that close to being the next Portsmouth and, it seems, due in the main to inexperienced owners.
Nothing is given in football and the Prem is one hell of a mountain to climb – let’s just hope that Purslow’s confidence and optimism is well founded.
And ….. a big, big thank you to our owners, Mr. Sawiris and Mr. Edens for saving our precious club.
UTV
Just watched a game from early on in the season where Girona managed to get a draw with Barcelona at the Camp Nou, a feat indeed.
Douglas Luiz came on with 20 minutes to go and really helped to steady the ship. He even got an honourable mention from the commentator as being one of the few Girona players who could relive the pressure by passing it sensibly out of defence.
He looked good.
Mr Purslow repeated what Dean Smith said about our approach to the Premier League. We are going to adopt the Bournemouth method and set out to attack in every game. On the plus side the Cherries have played some great football, made a lot of new fans and – most importantly – stayed in the Premiership. On the minus side, they have taken some real hidings and exposed both their poor goalkeepers to pressure neither could handle.
Since I don’t rate Steer either i wonder if Villa should be concentrating on getting the best keeper they can buy with what is left in the kitty.
On Bruce it turns out that he wasn’t even on the original short list for the Newcastle job. Ashley must have been desperate when no-one else wanted the job.
Apparently #Bruceout is trending on twitter and the Toon fans have already sent in a letter calling him ‘not even a safe pair of hands’.
Who’d be a manager?
The XI Smith has selected for the game at Allianz Field: Steer, Bree, Hause, Konsa, Targett, Hourihane, Grealish (C), O’Hare, Jota, El Ghazi, Wesley.
Half time MUFC 0-1 Villa
Steer looks fairly sharp in goal and the defence looks fairly solid although Konsa and Hause did get split a few times by through balls. Targett always seems to be looking for the forward ball out of defence which is good.
El Ghazi looked bright and got a few crosses in but Wesley was a bit subdued. Jota was putting himself about and was trying to play little subtle passes into the box. He looks okay to me.
Hourihane and Jack dominated the game however with Jack scoring from a great shot.
So far, so good..
Team for the second half – Kalinic, Guilbert, Chester, Mings, Taylor, McGinn, Lansbury, Bjarnason, Davis, Green, Hogan.
MUFC 0- 3 Villa Full Time
This defence was quite a bit tighter with Mings looking classy as ever. Nice to see Chester back who made a good interception and could have had a goal.
Lansbury had a good game and scored as did Thor. McGinn was everywhere as usual.
The attack wasn’t as good as the first half, although we scored two, but they were both from mid-fielders. Having said that Kienan put himself about and should have had a pen.
Minnesota 0-3 Villa
Overall the players who stood out were Tyrone, Conor, John and Jack as you might expect but I’d also put Jota in that bracket. I also thought that Lansbury played well and Chester had a solid game.
For the new players Guilbert, Konsa and Targett were fairly solid but they weren’t asked too many questions. Hause looked fairly secure at the back. As for Wesley didn’t seem quite sure where he should be at times but physically he’s got everything he needs to be a good number nine once he gets used to the system.
The player I’ll be keeping an eye on though is Jota who seemed comfortable on the ball at all times and played some really nice passes including a terrific through ball for El Ghazi. I know it’s very early days but he looks like he could be a good creative foil for Jack.
All in all a very pleasant game to watch.