It’s another quick one, where I’m wondering what fans think.
The fantastic news is that after Steve Bruce warned us Kodjia might miss the early months of the upcoming season, so that advice has proved to be wrong and the player is already back in training;
Given that this was supposed to be a broken ankle, the recovery is remarkably quick, seeing as he only had the OP on May the 4th, which is a month and 10 days or so.
Early predictions were 3-4 months, with Bruce saying a possible 6 months.
So either Bruce was guessing or the quacks don’t know what they’re talking about.
God, do we need a clear-out in the medical department too?
I suspect not, as the crew we have are supposedly highly regarded, but I do wonder why there’s such a disparity between the prediction and reality?
Whatever, it’s good news and should relieve us of the need to get another striker in.
Or should it?
We currently have Kodjia, Hogan, McCormack and Gabby, with back up from RHM and Keinan Davies.
Which sounds reasonable until you consider Gabby is finished, RM is still very much up in the air and Hogan has still to prove himself for the Villa.
The young lads seem promising, but we’ve seen it all before, haven’t we?
It strikes me (geddit?) Gabby’s wages are eating far too much of the striker’s part of the squad’s budget and there’s no chance we’ll get another major striker in while he remains with us.
But my opinion says we could definitely do with one.
And we really need to try and get rid of Gabby to any mug that will take him.
Sadly, I don’t see even the Chinese doing so and we’re stuck with him.
In short, thank god Kodjia’s back.
As it stands, if the midfield don’t start doing their bit, he’s about the only one I have serious faith in.
Partly because he can do it for himself. Which is the main reason he gets moaned about, in being too selfish.
It’s a funny old game.
Funny old game indeed.
If Kodjia wasn’t so greedy, how many goals would we have got?
I recall that massively mised pass to RM, but that apart?
Yes, I think we need one. I don’t trust McCormack at all to be back to his best in Football again. Even under special training and such, you don’t get over depression that easily. Gabby never had it so losing it… Something he can’t really have done. Nowhere near his mediocre best of 10 years ago. Two kids, it’d be great to see our youth finally given a chance but I have no hopes we’ll ever pursue that under current management. So yes, a striker is a must, after a few positions are finally filled.
Don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before but a Fulham fan friend of mine told me last week that McCormack’s ‘issues’ we’re well known amongst fans, which begs the question, why the hell dos we buy him? (Allegedly etc)…
“you don’t get over depression that easily”
You never get over depression. It is something to learn to manage but NEVER get over it.
My understanding is that it’s not depression as such and it’s more to do with his relationship problem.
If that’s true, it will be temporary and he could get over it.
It depends on what’s actually happened and none of us know the facts.
More or less what I meant, Savo. I know one never gets rid of it, but some do get over it as in are able to control it. My brother went through it, and after ten years he’s a hell of a lot better. Of course it still impacts him, but it’s far more manageable
My problem with McCormack is his age. If he was 20-25, I’d say yeah, keep him. Decent player and he’ll be able to have it under control where he can play again for us. Unless this training regime actually works, which I doubt, at his age, I don’t think he’ll play well enough again. And it sucks to say, we should try to get rid. Not to be an arse about it, because I 100% feel for the guy, and wouldn’t wish this on anyone, and I hope he gets better, but if he doesn’t… .
If we’re going to have 4 new player’s to which Ive doubted from the off, get that midfield sorted, sod central strikers they cannot get goals if they don’t get that service,, up till now we are being told nothing.I’m seriously worried now.
agree totally bill. striker position is sorted. we have two top strikers in Hogan and kogjia. McCormack and gabby are good enough to fall back onto, if they fail murphy and davis can be called on. how many do you need ??? barring a mass injury jinx we should be sorted upfront
we need to sort the midfield out, their has been no creativity for years, since young and downing left. no width no supply. so get midfield sorted and a centre half and a left back
Only if one of our existing strikers leave
So kodjias on the market now,he’ll be linked to God knows how many clubs.lets see if he stays
It’s simple to me Hitch , pay off Abonglahor to move elsewhere, he’s been a thorn in Villa for yonks, we cannot keep making excuses on players contracts, get rid of dead wood now i say. I wonder how many fans have made a move to buy seats up till now, not many I’d say.
Wouldn’t argue with you there Bill but I think Bruce sees Abonlahor as an impact player in the Championship – I’m not so sure and who would want him anyway on his wages?
I see that saggy chops has offered Terry a contract. Not sure that I really want him at VP. We need a CB but one that can provide a stable partnership with Chester for the next few years and hopefully in the Prem. Terry will be a one year wonder at best and, at worst, ripping too much cash out of the club.
I’ll agree with that Hitch, think Villa are dragging feet at minute and not thinking of putting mistakes right for the fans, i would just realish one solid buy knowing they mean what they’re saying.
Bill, we’ve been told there will be no business in June.
Probably because Bruce himself isn’t interested and the game generally is on holiday.
We’ll get players in, I’ve no doubt about it.
Don’t worry 🙂
Badger I do worry, other teams do business so why do we hold back, you have to agree Villa have not shown its fans by personally admitting whats true and just a load of codswalop, ok Bruce made that statement how does he know what he will have in June when other clubs do busines and build a team, what’s he waiting for?, you know I know what out team lacks, does he that’s my question.
Pretty sure we all know what we need, we may differ on who should be those to fill in the positions, but it’s pretty easy to tell what positions need players in. The four mentioned by the media and such are correct, a Center Back, midfielder, Winger and attacking midfielder. (and a couple others obviously but if we’re getting four players then I’d be happy to fill those positions) and the obvious one, goal keeper. Which I’m not including in the 4 because I think it’s fairly obvious that’s the big 1 we need.
I agree with Badger as well, I don’t think we need to be that worried we haven’t gotten anyone in yet. It’s only midway through June. Very few clubs have gone out and done the early business. Milan mainly, Everton just screwed Sunderland who are going to be in trouble if they can’t replace Pickford with someone adequate.
We have plenty of time. If it’s mid-July and we’re still not signing players, I’d be worried.
There’s claims we decided to sign Richards and Lescott over Lindeloff 2 years ago. So we decided to sign the two center backs who had a giant hand in our relegation instead of one of the best young center backs at the time. We really know how to pick our managers. Our scouts said sign him up as they were impressed. But we went for those two experienced Brits, and look how well that turned out. Now if only we ever listened to our scouts, we’d have won the Premier League with the amount of talent we decided to go for crap home grown players for instead of the talented foreigner.
All lessons learn Andrew, think that was fans influence, I for one didn’t think he would be that much of a disaster and as for Richards ,well words fail me. Just remember Andrew Bruce wasn’t involved then. I know by your posts your not a fan of Bruce but you have to give him that chance by letting him have 10-12 games in the championship, that’s my opinion.
I don’t blame him at all for that. In fact I have nothing but praise for what he did with Lescott and Richards, and signing Chester was a great move as well as making Baker his partner. I’ll praise Bruce where I see he deserves it, and center back’s is definitely where he deserves it.
Villa away to Colchester in the league cup.
Week commencing August 7 and it’ll be a midweek game.
Televised I hope Badger, Colchester no pushover, beside we have to show our determination in going forwards in the championship with that being our home game .
I’m going barmy thought it read home game, doing two things at once here , still we do have to beat them even at their ground, they might even they have the tv rights for that game.
Middlesbrough 7/1
Aston Villa 15/2
Norwich 9/1
Fulham 10/1
Hull 11/1
Sheff Wed 11/1
Derby 14/1
Leeds 14/1
Reading 14/1
Sunderland 14/1
Wolves 16/1
Cardiff 22/1
Birmingham 22/1
Sheff Utd 22/1
Brentford 25/1
Bristol City 30/1
Nottm Forest 33/1
QPR 40/1
Preston 40/1
Millwall 75/1
Bolton 80/1
Barnsley 100/1
Ipswich 100/1
Burton Albion 175/1
Fans of sides lower down the English football ladder will have to wait a little longer to know when and where they will see their team next season.
The fixtures for the Championship, League One and League Two will all be released on Wednesday June 21 at 9am – a week later than the Premier League.
I’m surprised at the odds for Sunderland, although they are going to be seriously weakened.
They should have plenty to spend, but momentum is very much against them, as it was for us.
Villa second favourites?
I’ll take that, as it means promotion, but it’s the Villa isn’t it? and we all know things never go as smoothly as we think they should.
Sunderland have lost their two best players already and Sunderland’s owner seems stingy. I wouldn’t be surprised if they do worse than we did last season.
And that’s the thing Bill, is we haven’t learned from them. All started when we never went through with signing Roberto Carlos which we easily could’ve had him. O’Neill made 100 transfer mistakes, who knows how many McLeish, Sherwood and Lambert made. Bar Houllier and who knows with Garde, we haven’t had a manager with balls in 20 years.
On the other hand, Bruce could be signing a Barcelona youth center back as a free agent after they rejected to offer him a new contract. I’ll give him a lot of credit if it goes through, whether he does well for us or not, that’s at least trying. Because we’ve been far too afraid in the market, from Cavani to Falcao, Sneijder and Van Der Vaart, etc just under O’Neill alone we could’ve won the league if we simply had an above average manager.
No arguments there Andrew, glad you see it as i do on Bruce, believe me ill be the first if things dont improve with him, will be flying the flag next month in Russia, shirt packed and ready for the season to start.utv.