As per usual of late, I’m struggling to keep up with our signings.
It’s all come thick and fast and it’ll probably take me weeks, if not months to get my head around what will probably be the first eleven, let alone the whole squad.
Never mind, at least it’s way better than us not signing anyone.
I still have concerns that possibly more than a few of our signings, while good on paper, are going to struggle at Prem level, not because they’re not good enough, but it just takes some adapting too. The likes of Vertout back up my point.
But hey, it’s a time for optimism and even cautious me is doing his best to suppress any such doubts.
I’m drooling at the thought of 30,000 season tickets meaning near sell-out crowds with the entertaining, attacking footy that Dean Smith has promised us and demonstrated previously.
It’s going to be entertaining, just like it was in the seventies and eighties, whatever happens and that’s a good thing.
Anyway, the reason for the post is that I’ve seen an article that suggests Kalvin Phillips has been offered a package from Villa that will increase his wages from his current £10,000 a week to £60,000 a week over five years.
Now obviously that’s a big jump, but let’s really put that into perspective.
The difference is £2.5 million, as opposed to £15 million over that five years.
Of course, Leeds are doing their best to hold on to him, but the same article suggests they can’t match the £40,000 a week that they pay their highest paid players.
So if we guess they’re offering him £30,000 a week, he’ll still seemingly double his wages if he comes to us.
In fairness, it seems Phillips really wants to stay at his club and that’s admirable.
But hands up, who could resist doubling their wages in what might prove to be a short term career?
Of course, most of us would be happy with the £10k a week, which would set us up for life, in the first place.
But money is a strange thing.
I remember my first payrise that took me from £24 a week to £29 a week and thought it was a massive boost.
Then realised that the £29 rising to £37 seemed not so good a jump. Then the £37 rising to £49 seeming even smaller.
And…. well, you get the idea.
When you’re already earning decent money, it takes a bigger rise to impress you, I’ve found.
Hence while £40,000 a week and feeling the love at Leeds would probably satisfy Phillips, that £60,000 is going to prove pretty irresistable.
At least Phillips is continuing to do his job and train as he’s contracted/paid too.
As opposed to Marvelous Nakamba, who’s supposedly gone AWOL at FC Brugge and refuses to train, which is absolutely disgraceful in my opinion.
Ok, register your disdain at a club that is seemingly holding you back from probably a similar increase in wages, but you should at least turn up to do the work that you’re being paid for.
Don’t get me wrong, his actions will result in us getting the player at a cheaper price than Brugge want and that’s good for us.
But I do feel some sympathy for the Belgian club and Nakamba really ought to be playing the game that the club want him too, in hiding his feelings, to maximise Brugge’s leverage.
He signed a contract, after all.
But I guess that’s how the Premier league gulf can affect people.
It’s not the first time this sort of thing has happened, but I still don’t like it.
Dean Smith or at least someone at the club must really rate Nakamba, because signing him seems to go against all that Smith has told us about the type of player he wants.
He’ll certainly have to prove himself as a really good player before I’ll be referring to him as “Marvelous”.
The Leipzig game will be shown on Premier sports 1, which is free for two months on Virgin (channel 551) 🙂
But £9.99 a month on Sky (channel 412) 🙁
The game won’t be shown live on Youtube, but highlights will be available.
In Germany it’s being shown on DAZN.
For anyone who can’t access any of these, I’d strongly suggest you do a search for a program called “Mobdro”.
It’s difficult to find the actual download link, but it’s worth the hassle, trust me.
Looks like I won’t be able to see the game live then. If anyone’s watching can they update those of us who can’t.
Thanks
Currently 1-1. Villa scored first after 11 mins (Hourihane) and Leipzig equalised after 28
How are we playing?
According to Bham Live Heaton’s just made a great save. Anyone see it?
Villa 2-1 up Conor again!
Villa 3-1 Super John!
We win 3-1. Is there anyone out there who actually saw the game?
3.McGinn
I half saw the second half (I was busy) and we were under the cosh for most of it.
As said, great save by Heaton, followed by another just after (or was it before?).
He looks really sharp.
McGinn’s goal was good, one touch and then a controlled shot.
Hourihane’s second apparently took a big deflection, but I couldn’t see it on my little phone picture.
There was a shot of Leipzig’s manager just after we got the third and he really looked like he was uncomfortable and really not expecting this result.
Make no mistake, while this was only a friendly and they mean little, it’s a brilliant result against a quality side on their own turf.
Badger, I’d expect something similar against the better teams in the Prem, us sitting back and hitting them on the counter. In that respect it was a good exercise for us.
Looking forward to seeing the highlights.
In fairness, Pat, they had at least 5 or 6 chances in quick succession and a more clinical team would have punished us.
It’s not so much we sat back, more they put us under pressure and the defence didn’t really look convincing.
Wesley never got into the game and the one chance I did see of his was a pretty feeble shot. Not his fault though.
To be expected though and it’s early days.
The big plus for me was McGinn. While he didn’t do anything special, his goal apart, he in no way looks outclassed at this sort of level.
His goal is worth a watch, although I hear CM’s first was class.
I’m reasonably confident and think we will nick some games in a similar manner to the way we did today.
keeper had a magic game. some great saves!!
heaton is some deal. the man looks the real biz lads
Agreed David.
From what I saw, he’s going to earn us some points this season, just as the Burnley fans said.
It really wouldn’t surprise me if Burnley go down and we survive, purely because of the goalie, such is the nature of things.
Yes I think that Heaton will be worth at least ten points to us this season.
So all pre-season games won and you can’t do more than that. It couldn’t have gone much better but the acid test will be next Saturday. We need to be patient as it might take us a few games to get going but I think we might do a little bit better than survive.
COYL
BTW Just watching Adomah play for Forest. Hope he has a good season and also knocks a few in against the Baggies this evening.
All in all, a very good game. Perfect end to pre-season. Dont forget this team finished third in the Bundesliga, and we went toe for toe with them on their own ground. No doub there are some improvements needed, but I thought we did really well today.
McGinn’s goal was quality, as were some of the other chances we created. Really like the look of Mings and Engels together, and finally we have two fullbacks who look good going forward. Heaton might also turn out to be our best signing!
Would like to see us pick up Maupay before the window closes, as I dont think we can rely on Kodjia or Hogan. Would be nice if we could sell a few of the squad fillers too, and find good loan spots for O’Hare and Davis. And lets be honest, the way this window has gone, that could well happen!
Happy days!
If Heaton gets us 10 points then that is huge…only 30 more to get..
one week to go and my expectations are through the roof. yesterdays last warm up couldn’t have been tougher.but just what they needed. heaton showed the fans what he is about, with some great shot stopping one man show. mings in his usual man mountain defending. not to forget protector of all his team mates. in trouble have you met my mate Mings
the opposition they hunted the ball down well , allowing little time for villa to get their neat passing game going. but villa kept with their game, relying on heaton at times.but villa also worked them hard and it was a close encounter. more like a cup game with everything riding on it.brilliant last warm up game. great prep for next week.
Some on FB were saying we were “saved” by Heaton and that’s a bad thing…rewind to May 1982….Mr Spinks….
Well it’s certainly no ‘bad thing’ for a goalkeeper to be in good form, however it must be remembered who we were playing. RB Leipzig finished comfortably in third place 8 points clear of Bayer Lebekusen in fourth. They had the lowest goals against in the whole league, just 29, whereas Bayern in top spot had 32 against. We scored three against them.
Leipzig are a decent team who finished third and next Saturday we are playing a decent team who finished fourth. Go figure.
Good result yesterday. Not sure where Leipzig are with their pre-season, but we had a team with six new players starting. We should be in good shape once the players get used to each other and the style of play. Here’s hoping that happens sooner rather than later
Just a comment on away kits. I watched the Baggies yesterday and I thought their away kit (yellow and green stripes that made my eyes go funny) was the worst until I saw Leeds just now. It’s like a browny-grey with bright pink, quite horrible.
Thank God that we chose right and got a classy and classic claret and blue away strip. Can’t see Leeds selling many of theirs.
Looks like the Benrahma rumour might be true, with Maupay going to Brighton;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1161677/Brentford-transfer-news-Neal-Maupay-Said-Benrahma-Exclusive
Given that the rumours are either (Maupay plus Benrahma) or one of them and a real top class striker, I’m actually quite excited.
I do think we need another top class striker. I expect either Kodja or Hogan to be sold / loaned out. Davis is another who would probably benefit from a loan move.
Wesley shows promise and hopefully he will plug the void left by Abraham. With Maupay destined for Brighton, will there be a surprise in store before the weekend? Exciting times ahead possibly with maybe 2 more incomings and quite a few outgoings I would imagine.
We’d better get a move on, as the window closes on Thursday at 5pm.
“Marquee” striker was the word I was looking for, but couldn’t think of.
If we get one, it seems we’ll have spent all the Prem money straightaway.
According to the Express and Star – “The two clubs also met in a behind-closed doors friendly yesterday before Villa returned to the UK, with Smith’s men again finishing on top courtesy of an 87th-minute strike from Jonathan Kodjia. Midfielder Marvelous Nakamba also featured in an XI which included Birkir Bjarnason and Henri Lansbury.”
So we beat Leipzig not once but twice!
I’ve been wondering about Kodjia and I’ve got a feeling he might surprise us all this season.
Building from the back is a sensible strategy but you win games by scoring more goals than the opposition so a top quality striker with back up is essential. We have, on paper at least, a mid field capable of creating chances but I’m concerned that we are light in the striking department – not really confident that any of Davis, Hogan or Kodjia are going to provide the striking power we need – so much rests on Wesley’s unproven shoulders.
We’ve spent an awful lot of money; I just hope there’s enough left in the kitty to get a striker in – preferably with experience either in the Prem or one of the European Cup competitions (at a high level).
On the Maupay connection – £20m for another striker unproven at the highest level (when we’ve already gambled on one) is step too far for me but I really don’t know what the alternatives are?
I personally feel we’ve been holding out to the very last minute for Tammy. Most of the press have reported Wesley came in for Tammy, but I never really believe that. He’s a completely different type of player. If we don’get Tammy, I can see that kinda money being redirected elsewhere. I’ve seen rumours of Andrea Belotti popping up in several locations with one itk suggesting an unnamed Italian is definitely joining the club. Beyond that I expect either Berahma or Harry Wilson to join. I still think we’re a little light in the flanks. Not long till the curtains open!