Okay, so it’s just a quick one, basically so we can move on from the last post, where the subject has become a little out of date.
I said in the previous batch of comments that I’d take Grealish at £30-40 million, but he’d have to be willing to cut his wages to suit our wage structure. Although in fairness, you might expect that we’ll have to step the wages up to what would be commensurate for a Champion’s league club with aspirations of staying there. Still, it won’t be anything like the £250-300k a week he is supposed to be getting at Citeh.
It turns out that the rumours are that Greasy is going to Bayern anyway, so this probably won’t happen, but it’s a nice thought, because there’s no doubt that he’s a Villa fan, as much as many fans felt he’d let the club down. My stance is that quite simply, I don’t blame him for going for the money. He has his future to think about, after all. But now he’s ensured he’s banked millions, he could afford to look at more than the wages side of things, although I’m not sure I’d like to see my wages reduced, even at my lowly level unless there were big plusses to balance things.
Whatever, why would I take him?
Well, I believe he would give us options.
Many of you probably know I think fullbacks will always favour defence or attack. It’s exceptional to see someone who’s good at both, although Kyle Walker springs to mind, yet it’s his pace that helps him out.
I get where the doubters come from when they say that Pep has knocked the spontaneity out of his game. But I think that’s actually a plus, because now Jack can play to a plan, which we all know Unai very much believes in.
My thinking is that whereas we currently have Digne or Moreno marauding down to left to often good effect and producing dangerous crosses, so both in my opinion are poor defensively and it’s worse when they’re caught out of position.
Hence we could play Grealish on the left, in a forward position, which would allow us to bring in a better defensive left back who doesn’t get forward as much.
I think we’ve already got that sort of thing on the right, where we have Cash (albeit not quite good enough imo) linking up with Bailey or Diaby.
Taking Grealish would allow a similar thing and make us more balanced.
Plus then, we could get Grealish moving in from the left or just simply playing in the hole.
Options, as I said.
I won’t even mention his ability to win a free kick.
I know he has a checkered history outside the game, but I’d suggest that the press chasing him would reduce because of his lower profile and he’s likely to just grow out of his clubbing etc quite naturally anyway.
So there you go, those are my thoughts.
Feel free to tell me why I’m wrong.
Badger and Hutchins I agree with your comments. However, by not leaving Villa Park for a new stadium with all the purpose built commercial opportunities, then changes to experiences and costs associated with prime seats are inevitable. To be fair, as someone who is registered for a season ticket at just over 30,000 in the queue, those who have a season ticket are the lucky ones. I moved to the South coast for work reasons and gave up my season ticket. Under Emery I am prepared to make this long journey to Villa Park. I would seriously look to buy one of the ‘new expensive seats’ if it guarantees entrance. I guess I am a living example of how Heck expects a certain % of Villa fans to react. My other choice is to wait in the long queue hoping for a season ticket to become available- very unlikely with the success we expect. Further, Every time, I have tried to buy on line, I have not been able to get two seats together for me and my son. What choice do I have?
Good news in the Heck increasing revenue today. The sleeve sponsors Trade Nation have extended for a further 2 years. Apparently the original deal was worth £2m per year. As Heck is on record as saying our commercial deals were poor prior to his appointment, I would expect this deal to be worth more. How much more I do know. But every million goes towards meeting the financial limitations being placed upon us.
So let me get this right Sidney –
to accommodate you, you being someone you readily admit threw the towel in on your season ticket? Some individual that held a season ticket for donkeys years should be displaced?
There’s everything wrong with modern society in a nutshell.
Don’t think many will argue with you RSS but before we start throwing rocks around I would like to hear – from the horse’s mouth so to speak – how the club manages the 900 ‘displaced’ ST’s.
Like Sid, I used to be a ST following them through the third division and back to the first. Getting tickets now is nigh-on impossible so I might be inclined to pay for a ‘premium’ seat on occasion. However, I may well feel differently if the ST’s losing their seats are poorly compensated.
Ron
I think you have placed an emphasis on my meaning that is misplaced. “Throwing the towel” is an emotive phrase. The reality was that my wife and I spent our all on purchasing a new house, due to me changing job; the cost of nursery fees for a young child and my wife seeking employment. Against that back drop if you call that ‘throwing the towel’, I disagree.
With regard to being displaced. Villa keep back 9,000 tickets per match. I would assume that once season tickets have been sold – these seats and those where previous season ticket holders have not renewed, then the displaced will have first call. I doubt they will have to watch the match outside Villa Park or with a restricted view.
I think it’s best if we agree to disagree.
And “those who have a season ticket are the lucky ones” is that not emotive?
Regardless, this (imo), is simply the process of gentrifying Villa Park.
Gentrification – “Changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent, attracting new businesses, often displacing current inhabitants in the process”
Sounds about right?
What next on the terraces – prawn sandwiches and wine instead of burgers and bovril 🙂 🙂
I’m partial to the hot chocolate that’s go no chocolate in it!
You can’t beat those curry pies!
https://x.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1796436453221687794/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1796436453221687794¤tTweetUser=AVFCOfficial
New badge is official. What do we think?
https://x.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1796436453221687794/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1796436453221687794¤tTweetUser=AVFCOfficial
Link not working. Anyway, a very snazzy video on Villa’s official X page which shows the origins of the new (old) badge. Worth watching. Could the badge be a grower? Still not convinced with yellow lion on light blue background.
Perfectly fine, BFR. I’m not rushing out for a tattoo, but neither does it make me angry!
Must admit, I’m never one for paying that much attention as long as it’s not all ‘England woke’ rubbish.
Agree it’s not bad. Seems to be a grower. Maybe should have gone for a darker yellow for a classier ‘gold’ effect to contrast the light blue? Anyway…
It’s basically the same badge as the one we have had previous to last season, which was terrible and looks like a primary school project. Chris Heck has totally disregarded and disrespected the fans who overall voted for the round badge.
Any decisions made by Purslow have been reversed. The North Stand rebuild for one is a short sighted decision. For the sake of a couple of years pain, we would have gone from 42,000 to 52,000, which would have massively helped reduce the season ticket waiting list.
He’s managed to improve the sponsorship deals but most of the credit is down to Emery bringing European football and also Sawris for the Adidas deal.
I’m not a fan of this bloke. I think the Holte End upper terrace and lower grounds plus the issues with the North Stand show that he doesn’t care about what the fans want.
Holte, bottom line is, this is modern football. Like it or lump it.
Have you seen the new Real stadium? It’s vile in every aspect but is geared towards sustainability without dodgy oil money, whether from the Middle East or Russia.
The alternative is less income and less to spend. I agree, it’s horrible but what can you do? I’m at a loss!…
The North Stand is a tricky one. I understand that having a hole in the stadium when we start CL football is a bad idea. But the plans did look excellent and it would have been a superb improvement and modernisation of the stadium. If what Heck says is true and there’s no plan to move from VP, then the question must be, when? When will VP, especially the North Stand, be developed? When will capacity be increased to meet demand? Purslow’s plans shouldn’t be binned, rather shelved. The images looked fantastic; to realise those designs would be a big boost to VP and the club as a whole.
And Doug Ellis had no such issues. If anything he went too far in tearing down listed building to develop VP. How ge got away with that is still a mystery to me!
And don’t forget the time they had a fire in the old part of the building BFR that was a mystery all the records went up in flames.
RSS, I’d gently suggest you were a bit harsh on Sid there.
Season ticket holders are indeed the lucky ones, imo, given the comparitively low prices combined with CL footy. I believe that’s what he meant and wasn’t looking for any favour.
I’m similar.
I had to give up my ST years ago because I’m a subby and that often means I just can’t attend games. I also watched us go from Div 3 to Champions, yet it gives me no entitlement.
It’s all about the now and why the likes of Sid are in a better position to pay more to take those last minute, premium sort of seats.
That’s the Capitalist way isn’t it?
You offer premium and those who can pay take advantage over those who can’t.
I don’t like it, but how many fans could we pull in if we were to draw Real or similar at home?
70k fans? Maybe.
Hence it creates a massive demand, which then leads me to worrying about how CL pricing would go.
Not looking for a row mate, by the way, it’s just how I see it 🙂
Whatever, as for those wanting 2 seats together they are available and I’ve booked for a friend and his son 4 or 5 times this season gone via my daughter’s membership. They’re just not available in the best parts, hence having to look around.
Off topic but I hadn’t realised that Moreno only made 11 starts this season – primarily due to injury! That’s not good news and suggests he may be too lightweight for the Prem.
Thank goodness we didn’t sell Digne to the Saudis last summer and I hope Emery isn’t looking to see this summer either.
I’m beginning to wonder, however, whether we might be looking at removing some high earners – if so, I suspect Digne will be one?
*sell this summer …
He never really recovered from injury. I find it all the more staggering that we did as well as we did this season with so many players out. Incredible. Same with JJ. I’m sure Tielemans and Pau were playing with knocks too just because we were so low on numbers. Digne was great.
I like this…No idea why Spurs are on the plane though. Will it be us in the final this time next year?🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
https://x.com/bandanasavos/status/1796194560063767026?s=48&t=yXBTYtNGb2Pkf-d-aUpPzw
Or Chelsea or Utd.
Waiting for signings…waiting for kit reveal…
I’d be gutted if Dougie went to Juve. Yes, he tailed off towards the end of the season, but I’d say we need his skills set in the Champions League. And if it’s 60 million, that’s 20 million short, in my opinion.
I find McKennie a bit….’Tony Daleyesque’. Runs with purpose but not really in the right direction… £60M is a bit cheap considering if the Luiz reports are correct.
Would love to know who’s on Monchi and Emery’s radar!!!!!
See there’s some speculation about Inter looking at Cash (although the B’ham Live story looks a bit ‘speculative’ on their part). If they made a really decent offer I think Villa might be tempted to sell.
While I’ve always thought Cash gives us plently of effort and drive, it sometimes seems as if Emery only plays him when he has to. Possibly Konsa is seen as a regular RB, although it doesn’t quite feel his best position – but I doubt whether we could currently afford a real upgrade on Cash?
Ardent Villain, Konsa did well last night Horse face moved him around and I have to say right back Left back centre back so to me it looks as if he will be on that plane. as for Cash his heart is in his game but stamina seems to be his problem, I like Cash for his efforts in the game but feel sorry how Emery been using him lately. I think Watkins will miss out he was unlucky players didn’t feed him the way Horse Face played the game. Yes we could do with a Left back and one that is versatile.
Lazy journalism is gathering full momentum as the month goes on. If reports are true and I doubt it, we need to make one big sale, hence the Luiz and Watkins links. I’m hopeful we can make do with clever signings to bolster squad depth which was seriously lacking last season. Next season we will have the Champions League and hopefully we can make a better fist of our two domestic cups than last season. That means we need to hope Mings and Buendia will be back plus Ramsey and Moreno with both playing only a handful of games last season. I still think Digne because of his wages could go plus I can’t see Lenglet or Zaniolo coming back which allows new loan signings. Barkley will improve the squad depth but we need a new striker or two if Duran goes. Maybe keep Archer and bring in a loan striker.
Whatever happens, we have to trust in Emery and Monchi to make the right decisions. Despite the disastrous off pitch situation with season ticket holders being treated badly and our club badge being decided without fan feedback, at least the people who matter know what they are doing on the pitch.
No way will Lenglet be at Villa next season – he’s not good enough.
I seriously struggle to believe England don’t have a better alternative than Konsa at RB. We all know he’s much better in the middle, although I do get that the squad will need some versatility.
As for Cash, I don’t think he’s good enough for the Villa and it’s why Emery plays Konsa there instead at times, for his defending.
I’ll be amazed if we don’t get a better RB in this season. We should have got one last year, imo.
Birmingham Live seem to be suggesting that Luiz is happy and won’t be going anywhere. And why would he? He hasn’t finished this current challenge yet, which is supposed to be the reason he wants to go (he’s looking for a new one).
Harsh on Cash, Badger. Very harsh. if Inter are interested, he can’t be too bad.
Do you honestly believe Inter are interested? I don’t.
Cash doesn’t even play regularly for Poland, does he?
I admire his effort, but bottom line, he crosses poorly, is often caught out of position and can’t really defend, which is why Emery plays Konza, I think.
Apart from that, he’s ok 🙂
Back up right winger?
He began as a RW, BFR, then got moved to RB.
That probably answers the question, for me.
Back up RB to a better one, is my ideal. I’d be happy to have him as fresh legs.
Of course, it all depends on what funds and Emery’s thoughts allow.
Pre season friendlies announced:
Walsall (July 17)
FC Spartak Trnava (July 20)
Columbus Crew (July 27)
RB Leipzig (July 31)
Club América (August 3)
Athletic Club Bilbao (August 7)
Dortmund (August 10)
With the likes of Dortmund and Leipzig in there, it looks like the players are being calibrated for CL football, and rightly so…
Frank Lampard in talks to become new Birmingham City Manager.
Oh please say Yes! It would be hysterical!!!