Third Generation Villan has submitted the following. Cheers, TGV.
So we were beaten by a much better team on the day, I accept that but was disappointed with the performance and I think that will be most fans view even though we all hoped for a famous victory.
But rather than dwell on today’s disappointment I thought I would try to give an assessment of where we are and what to look forward to.
Its five years in August since MON left us, and Randy Lerner changed his investment strategy in an attempt to get back some of his outlay during the MON years. This period of under investment in the team has shown in the quality of the team and our form and league positions since then, as they say the table does not lie after a 38 game season you are where you deserve to be.
Now it does not matter if you blame MON or Lerner or anyone else over the last 5 years the quality of the team has declined steadily until the last few months of Lamberts time, Villa were the poorest in the premiership on nearly all fronts and we were certain to go down, and when we changed to Tim Sherwood we got the bounce or lift nearly all clubs get with a new manager and managed to stay up by the skin of our teeth, as I think the bounce had worn off after the west ham game and the players thought they were safe, and luckily we were.
So we come to a cup final against one of the premier league’s top teams with the same squad as under Lambert and with the bounce gone, the result was I suspect what we all feared may be the case but all hoped would not happen and we could pull off a shock win.
Now I am not having a go at Tim Sherwood, after all he did keep us up and I think he has earned the chance to build his own side over the coming season and then we can all decide if he is a good manager or not. And seeing some of the comments coming out tonight about changing the mentality of the players and a clear out during the summer etc. gives me some optimism for the season ahead. But time will tell.
But I think we have more reasons to optimistic now, then at any time over the last 5 years.
We are told we are close to being sold and hopefully will get better investment in the team
We are still in the Premier league, and with the money from the new TV deal should be able to cement our place there over the next few years.
We have a manager who likes to play attacking football, what most of us want (to be entertained) and will take the cup competitions seriously.
And has said already he has to rebuild the team and the way we play and the mentality of the players
Which all together means we will have lots to talk about over the next few months, a transfer window where we will probably be more active this year in and out.
if we agree or not with Tim Sherwood’s deals, if we like the new owners, the amount of investment etc.
So I think most of us will be optimistic, excited and hopeful about the future, and put todays result behind us. And hopefully look back in a few years’ time and say today was the end of the wilderness years for the villa
“Worth the entrance money just to see him play”
Over the years the above phrase applied to a string of Villans. Hitchens, Aitken, Little, Gray, Psycho, Gidman, Morley, Withe, Mortimer, McGrath, Daley, Saunders, Atkinson, Cowans, Laursen, Mellborg, I am sure you can add several more.
Of today’s squad – how many would you give that accolade to? I am sorry to say that only Grealish inspires me, for the rest I could not be bothered if they go tomorrow. So I am not getting worried by the exit of Benteke and Cleverley, and I will be pleased to see the back of most of the others. I think to myself if Tim assembles a squad at random, could they be any worse? I doubt it.
A lot of links today saying we are interested in Robertson. This rumour started a week or 2 ago, we might be interested but can’t see us paying the 10 million. But if we got him, Trippier on the right, Austin up front. A decent centre back and midfielder. It wouldn’t look too bad, would it?
It should be said as a reminder Sherwood has zero experience in the transfer market, so no one knows how well he can spend. He could be great, could be awful, but nerve-racking all the same.
I put my faith in Sherwood to take in the right players, as for benteke I would not except anything less than 35 mil. We hold the ace card 2years left on his contract, Sherwood and Fox are not stupid . As for that diabolical preformance on Saturday and seasons we had put that behind us . Starting fresh this summer with a new team and Sherwood to lead us. I HOPE WE HAVE MONEY TO SPEND.
Its NOT sherwood thats going to fuck this up, its dear old Randy……look out for yet another new manager this time next year! I guess we will be back to ‘Lambert mark one’…..the young, hungry and cheap poundland route,. Without ALL the Benteke money, plus at LEAST £30 mil on top we are well and truly shafted again!
Domingo…..I’m still praying mate……..but the almighty Randolph never listens to my prayers!
Gregg Evans has confirmed our interest in Robertson and said he is a target and that Hull will want double what they paid for, which was just under 3 million.
Sounds in our price range but I’m sure he’ll be 1 amongst a huge list of players that we’ll be linked with so until it’s a done deal I ain’t holding my breath.
I’m just worried that our transfer budget depends solely on the Benteke sale.
Lerner has always given 20M + sales.
That’s what I’m saying. And rather than spending that on quality, Lambert chose to spend it on getting bodies in.
Which given the clubs curse with injuries I agreed with Lambert’s strategy. I was hoping Sherwood would build on the current squad rather than gut it.
The cancer has to be removed otherwise it’s going to be terminal.
Lerner gave a total of £39 million over the 3 seasons Lambert had with us……13 mil per season on average….you get about 70% of ONE decent player for that!
I understand stopping the rot and changing the attitude of the changing room, but you have to admit there is an argument after this past season we didn’t have enough players in defense due to injury – yet it appears we are offloading most of our back line if rumors are to believed. I’m not arguing for starters but most of those in the current squad could be used as 2nd – 3rd options. If Sherwood is able to replace all those who are leaving I have no problem seeing a purge but given the past few season I will be shocked if we start the season with the depth we need.
As for transfer money, Lambert was known for not using all of the available money, but if you go back to GH Lerner has always backed his managers with at least 20M + sales. GH spent more because he probably knew Young and Milner would be sold, but NOT INCLUDING loan fees… GH – 32M, AMC – 18M, PL – 24M / 17M / 11M
Not as easy as we would hope but i’m assuming the Sherwood clear out would include he most of the following and what do we think we would get in fees and save on wages before we look to spend…
OUT
Brad Guzan 2m £25,000
Joe Bennett 1.5m £15,000
Ron Vlaar 0m £45,000
Andreas Weimann 2m £25,000
Joe Cole 0m £25,000
Philippe Senderos 0m £25,000
Chris Herd 0m £10,000
Darren Bent 0m £60,000
Christian Benteke 30m £60,000
Alan Hutton 1m £30,000
Aly Cissokho 1.5m £20,000
Charles N’Zogbia 1m £40,000
Matthew Lowton 2m £15,000
Enda Stevens 0m £5,000
Nathan Baker 3m £10,000
Yacouba Sylla 0.25m £10,000
Alexander Tonev 1.25m £10,000
Nicholas Helenius 0m £10,000
Antonio Luna 1m £10,000
46.5m £450,000
Appreciate people like N’Zogbia would be hard to get rid of, and some people may want to keep Baker and N’Zogbia – but lets be fair we can do better and think we should – theyve proven they arent that good!
On the problem with Baker. But lets say we start Clark and Okore. Who better than Baker will we get to replace him on the bench? Baker’s been class when he’s played this season.
JB – I’d forgotten we still employ some of that shower. My lord there is some work to be done this summer. When Benteke goes (I wish I still thought he might stay), I’d happily replace him with Charlie Austin (is Kozak still alive?) – then we simply need a gk, a left back, a right back, etc etc etc, some one who can cross, someone who can score from midfield, someone tough in midfield……….I hope Tim knows what he’s doing and that Randy let’s him do it.
And as for Cleverley, I’m sad because I thought he could have been really good under Sherwood, but in reality he probably never wanted to be here, and no one is bigger than this club.
I’m assuming people aren’t queuing up to sign Vlaar or Agbonlahor? Wishful thinking perhaps.
I’d say he’s good as gone the big question mark for how much???? Knowing our Yankee miser we’ll be lucky to get half the fee yet again I’m not holding my breath.
Charlie Austin has refused to comment on his QPR future and said he just wants to focus on the next two weeks and after that what will be, will be amid being linked with a move to Villa.
Could mean anything, but if he does end up signing. And we get Robertson, that would certainly make this summer light up a bit.
Throw in Heaton and Trippier and we’ll have to get the suntan lotion out!!
Townsend to Villa is doing the rounds, some say it’s a done deal, others saying he’s in advanced talks. Probably some itk bollocks, but talks of incoming players are certainly heating up.
Another rumour heating up is apparently 2 agents of 2 different players were at Bodymoor Heath. People are now saying that one of those was definitely Townsend. Some people suggesting the other is Trippier, but this looks more like wishful thinking to me.
Thought Townsend was at ITV as a pundit albeit a shite one!
Nice one OohAh; you do have a sense of humour after all. Good player for us though – could do with him now.
Great thing about the transfer window; all speculation! Will TS produce the curved ball in transfer terms – or perhaps not!
I don’t get the comments about TS ‘not being experienced in the transfer market’. His job is to identify the players he wants to improve the side – it’s Tom Fox’s job to negotiate the deals and he us certainly an experienced player. Thank heaven we’re not still relying on Fatty!
Just reporting the rumours as I see them lads, don’t shoot the messenger! 😛
Read that, Townsend would be an awful signing. Even Sherwood said he does something well one in ten times, so I don’t think he’d take him. Then again he is better than Sinclair and N’Zogbia, still an awful player though, especially at the money Levy wants for his awful players.
I see just about everyone is jumping on the ‘knock Villa’ bandwagon after the FA Cup Final. Add to that the doom and gloom on here and it’s enough to drive one to drink.
Even the optimists Giddy, Bill and Langford have joined the doomsayers of OohAh and his followers.
It seems just about everyone knows that RL is going to screw the club, TS will be a failure (having never operated in the transfer market) and Tom Fox is not the guy we thought he was.
Well guys I don’t need all this negativity so I’m off – hope you all survive the summer.
I haven’t got my followers though lol. There’s not much to be positive about its been a horrible season that has been sugar coated due to good cup run.
we can only go by what has happened the last few years . lerner has cut the spend , cut the wages and still we stand tall and proud , we are aston villa . we deserve better than what has been delivered . if you cant stand the heat then leave the kitchen . i pray tim sherwood can deliver us to the promised land ! until then VILLA TILL I DIE.
Sorry you feel that way Hitch, I speak as I see,, you pay money to see shite games Hitch and say nothing, I don’t , I know it will take time with the new man and I’ll give him that, but the club has to come clean with fans and spell out their intentions and not leave it to guess work, asking fans to pay with still same players ? No thanks, Sherwood, Fox , stand up and tell us fans what are you doing about the shite team we have. I’m waiting before I pay you good money.
Im not negative H60, Tim Sherwoods average points per game for the Villa is 1.3, give him the full season that would equate to 49 points (10th place).
We stayed up and got to the final of the FA Cup, imagine having a bet on that in January.
Randy or the new owners have to spend, I am confident it will not be the same as the last few years.
UTV
10th place whoopee something to look forward to mid table mediocrity. I’d rather fight relegation at least there’s something to play for
I will hold you to that ooh ahh – this contradicts a lot of what have said before but in the spirit of a fresh summer – let’s see where you go
I don’t know about others, but I’d spend 6m on Robertson. Really impressed me as a player at Hull, good defender, likes to bomb down the pitch like Sherwood likes. Better than Cissokho defensively and better than any of them attack wise. He and Trippier would be great. Would be a great start for under 10m for the duo. I say keep Lowton, can cover both sides and he really isn’t that bad.
Like the Robertson and Trippier links, solid full backs who like to get forward and entertain the crowd and this would surely be encouraged under Sherwoods remit. Combined £10-£12m would be good. Replace Bennett/Cissokho/Hutton/Lowton – leave Richardson (experience) and Bacuna as back Ups and may get £6m or so back and likely savings in wages.
Losing Vlaar i’d like to see Virgil van Dijk come in from Celtic for £8m-10m, good quality centre back who can play the ball out the back – his and Okores pace would benefit the higher line seen under Sherwood recently.
With the above back 4, really do need a combative defensive midfielder – an addition to Delph, Westwood and Sanchez needed – i like Sanchez and think he gets undone by the lack of movement ahead of him in trying to keep the ball and move it out from the back area. A fairly ambitious choice, but not out of the question if we paid decent wages (they’ll always go for money) is Stefan Reinartz who was although may not now be out of contract this summer. Against Arsenal especially, the lack of power and in particular pace in midfield which was constantly skipped past hurt us and he would help in this respect and can play center half when they are all crocked as happened this season.For free would be quality.
Don’t line the Townsend link, feels fairly MON esque of Sherwood going after purely English players and ignoring some flair form abroad such as Gil. Plus we have Sinclair who is somewhat similar. I think Gardner will get more chances but would like a goalscoring midfielder and striker to replace Benteke. I’d go Austin for £12m or so and chance on Bolaisie at £16-£17m – a double act for the Benteke fee which would get me off my seat at VP.
With a bit of cash left i’d try and fliog Guzan for a couple fo mill and get Heaon or Timo Horn for £6-8m. Overall £20m net spend, wages depends on how many freeloaders we get rid of but Vlaar, Bent etc equals good savings
Timo Horn
Andrew Robertson
Kieran Trippier
Jores Okore
Virgil van Dijk
Fabian Delph
Stefan Reinartz
Carles Gil
Jack Grealish
Yannick Bolaisie
Charlie Austin
Next years wishful lineup!
Drop Okore for Clark and that would be quality.
Right who’s going to volunteer to post this to Tim? Just tell him that if he’s a few bob short for some of the players we’ll have a whip round:-)
Steve Bruce saying Robertson won’t go cheap (12M), so 6M is out of the question. Are we capable to spend 15M+ for him?
talksport saying gil could be going back to spain with celta vigo. very disapointed hearing this 🙁
Much like Helenius I hope there was something going on behind the scenes which prevented him from playing rather than Sherwood’s disapproval. From the few appearances he looked a great prospect and if he goes I’m glad it is back to Spain rather than someone else in the league.
I’ve got a bad feeling about all this. The buzz about Villa is that players that we’d like to stay (including Cleverley) don’t want to be here. The players we want to get rid of will be hard to shift.
If I was a player with other Premier League options this summer I’d be thinking long and hard about whether Villa was the right option for me.
In Tim I trust though, for now.
Things are at last looking up. One of the papers is saying Vlaar will follow Cleverley out of the door.
Over rated and injury prone.
Does anybody think villa are clearing the decks before a SALE.
Hope so will be the highlight of the year if we get rid of vlaar completely useless
John Percy saying we have offered Vlaar a new contract, but he has other offers and he’s weighing up all the options.
Let’s hope he goes elsewhere knowing our luck he will choose us. Couldn’t beat another season with that injury/error prone lump in the team