I’m being facetious of course. I don’t think for one minute that this is going to be easy.
I took the trouble to listen to Dean Smith’s presser today.
I don’t normally bother, as for some reason I’ve always preferred the printed word. But whatever, I did find it interesting and very informative.
First, it is noticable that Smith has genuine respect for Brentford, it’s owner and it’s staff and especially Thomas Frank. Frank has done well in getting Brentford promoted and Smith sung his praises, saying he has a good exuberant character, as well as just being a good tactitian and a really good coach.
I’m certainly not going to take anything away from Frank, but I do wonder how much of their recent success is more down to the staff doing the hard work behind the scenes? After all, they barely seemed to miss Smith when he left and things carried on pretty much as normal.
You can’t be a poor manager/coach if your club gets promoted to the Premier league though, so I’ll just leave that there.
Smith saved me some work, in that he explained that Brentford haven’t changed in the way they play since being promoted. They’re defensively solid, well organised and carry plenty of threat with Ivan Toney in particular.
So they aren’t going to be a pushover and have started the season pretty well, having beaten Arsenal (which made me laugh) and got a very decent point at Palace.
I would however think things will balance out over the season and while I actually hope they don’t go down, I think they will struggle.
It’s early days though and we know we had a poor pre-season, so we’re basically still gaining fitness.
Smith said he expects us to improve, particularly with the players we have due to come back and he does have a point.
Which leads nicely to squad news, where Watkins was due to train today and if he was okay, he’d be available. He’ll only get minutes at best then, in my opinion.
Bailey and Traore won’t be available, but should be ok to be selected after the dreaded international break. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword this break, in that they’ll be able to gain fitness without missing games. I just hate international breaks.
Sanson is training, but he’s had no match time, so he’s apparently going to play a couple of games this week. But he won’t be anywhere near the first team, you’d have to assume. I actually wonder if Smith rates him and while the Frenchman has had a torrid time, I do remember an article that suggested he’s a troublemaker. So much so that two agents dropped him. We know the manager can seemingly take a strong dislike to certain players and my guess is that Sanson will be one of those. No doubt we’ll see.
Keinan Davis is having his brace off tomorrow, so he’s a month away from even starting training. I predict a January loan for him, given that Smith thinks we’re okay with Bailey and Traore being able to play up front, if needed.
Which leaves Wesley, who’s had a medical at Brugges. I’m not sure if there is a clause to buy there, but I suspect Smith will be hoping there is and the Belgians take the option.
Smith’s comments on the Barrow game were interesting too.
People have apparently been on the phone asking about Cameron Archer.
I saw an article last night, which suggested that Walsall should take the lad on loan. I think that’s a great idea, but having listened to a few of their games, they don’t sound a very good side and they might not be the right sort of place. Still, I’d be happy to help Walsall out, as would Smith, but he was very non-comittal and hinted that the striker would stay involved with the first team squad.
Smith spoke highly about El Ghazi’s goal contribution last year and while that seems to suggest he wants to keep the wingman, I wasn’t at all convinced that he wouldn’t let him go. If Roma are happy to cough up a rumoured £15 million, I’d snap their hands off, but I don’t believe that figure in the slightest, if they have any interest at all. If they’re only going to hand over say, £10 million, I’d rather keep him as a squad player.
Likewise with Weston McKennie. Smith sort of poured cold water on us having any interest in him, but he could easily have flat out denied that. He quite simply didn’t so I assume we do.
Prediction time then and I’m struggling to call it.
Part of me sees a few goals, because both sides know how to score. But then both sides are pretty good defensively too.
Brentford are pretty good at setpieces and that’s something we’ll have to be aware of. Austin Macphee, who I’m relieved to see has NOT left the club, as I wrongly stated previously, will be well aware of that though and hopefully have the lads well drilled. I’m already seriously appreciative of what he brings to the table.
I think we’ll have enough to beat Brentford on our own turf, with what should be another full house.
A 2-1 Villa win.
Up the Villa!
What’s the situation with Martinez and Buendia? Smith has requested that they don’t go although I’m hearing they will be going despite them being on the red list! IMO it’s a bit hypocritical. With the high rate of Covid infections in this country they probably will be safer over there. After all it seems a lot of British clubs are without players because of Covid including Villa!
It can’t be Micah Richards because he wasn’t at the club when Keane was there.
My guess would be Gabby,as being one of them.
Confirmed Buendia and Martinez going to play for Argentina. I can’t blame them.
Of course as a Villa fan I am unhappy that we will miss them for at least 3 matches.
This compounded with COVID interrupted preseason and injuries feels like this season will be over for us before it has begun. I am probably over reacting. It is just when we signed Buendia, Bailey and Ings I was so optimistic. I think a high league place for Europe will have all but gone by the time of the next International break.
Should we use this season as bedding in the current new players and bringing through youth players. Then next season with a couple of great signings really fo for it.
Just feeling deflated at the moment. But as someone pointed out we got a draw yesterday, where previously in the last two years with all those absences we would have lost. Perhaps it’s not that bad.
I can’t believe that Martinez and Buendia are being allowed to play in red listed countries when the EPL have said players should not be released. Will other teams in a similar position release their players – I doubt it.
And it will be more than three matches given the extended break for Argentina to catch up on WC qualifiers. As Smith also points out with the 10 days hotel quarantine they will ‘de train’ which means they will have to effectively go through pre-season again.
If this is true it makes me extremely angry – why don’t we just hand a few points to other teams and be done with it.
This is starting to be a sh*t season where we won’t, for any number of reasons, make any progress.
Completely pi**ed off and in danger of losing interest.
It appears that I may have overreacted in that they have agreed not to play in the Bolivia game and will, therefore, only miss one match.
Nonetheless, why is FIFA persisting with these qualifiers given the current situation.
Who really cares a toss about the World Cup – or am I in a minority?
It’s okay saying it will only be one match. It just happens to be Chelsea away. You know….the current European champions.
Chelsea? Bunch of pussies.
Transition season incoming, but that doesn’t mean we can slump. I want minimum 12th place and that is if it’s guaranteed we beat our 55 points of last season, which unluckily took us 11th. I personally would take any improvement, and if we are below 13th by Christmas we could know where Smith stands, to be honest.
But I am feeling confident with half our squad still yet to come back, and I think considering our injuries a point at Brentford wasn’t the worst result, and even with our full squad I reckon we would have probably won but still I think Brentford are starting off fairly well.
Overall it’s a transition season but I think we will come 10th, 9th or 8th which I would fully take.
Alfie, 12th?
You’re easily pleased is all I can say.
Minimum 8th for me, given that we’ve spent the best part of £100 mill on players, even if we have lost you know who.
And agreed, if we’re as low as 13th or worse come xmas, he’ll be gone.
I don’t think that will happen though.
Looking at the fixture list, it’s going to be a very tough couple of months now, but things will get better.
Hitch, I’d be surprised if it’s not written into their contracts that they can play for their country.
And how resentful would they be if we did stop them?
They’re a patriotic lot, these South Americans and it’s still a massive honour for them.
Fair play to them and we shouldn’t begrudge them even if it isn’t good for us.
And there’s a strong argument that we’d have no chance against Chelsea anyway (the fact that we beat them last season aside, that is 🙂 )
I agree Badger but, effectively with lack of training, it will be more than one match.
The other question is ‘how many other clubs will release players given the collective decision of EPL clubs not to do so’?
It’s a transition season I think.
Also Martinez has said how much he loves Villa and no other club would interest him, not even Moneychester City.
And I know who? I know that Wesley’s gone to Brugge but I don’t remember anyone else who left… am I missing something? 🙂
I think 12th at the very minimum and as I said that’s if we beat our 55 points, because the standard of the league looks high this year so it could be another season where we look at our points and it does not match up to where we are in the league.
Alfie, it’s not a transition season. We’ve had two of those already. We have to establish ourselves in the top half of the league, minimum. And I don’t mean scraping 10th.
I suspect he means a transition season because of having lost you know who.
It’s a somewhat valid point. But Smith won’t be allowed that long for the team to adjust.
Why is everyone being so negative? We’re 3 games in FFS. Half the first team out injured and international break will give them chance to get back. Calm the f*** down, people. We’re 3 points off second and 2 off City. Good grief. Social media doesn’t half screw people’s perspective up! Judge after half a season. January will show where we’re at. And even then, we could peak in the second half of the season, which is much better – see last season – no good peaking at Christmas and then all down hill, is it?
p.s. MacPhee – note Chelsea corner v Liverpool. Copy it.
It’s about high expectations BFR, which have actually been raised by the hierarchy with their spending and Purslow telling us how things are improving.
It’s all good, but when things don’t go how you expect, the disappointment is heightened.
It could be worse, we could be Arse fans 🙂
Fwiw, I’m not too downbeat just yet, but you just expect more than 1 point from two of the teams that have just come up, for example.
Badger, I don’t think there’s many on here who have higher expectations that me. I’m always banging on about title challenges, CL qualification and signing ‘winners.’ Finishing 12th would be a disgrace and I’ve already said I hope Smith and his team have 4th place set as the target, with 6th as a ‘worst case.’ I just don’t get how people are writing the season off after 3 games!?!
I agree. A good win over Newcastle. Terrible Watford defeat and all in all this weekends game was a fair result.
All teams go through a dip during the season. This is ours. I personally can’t wait to see us gel! It’s gonna rock!
I wouldn’t mind one last sexy signing before the window closes. Technically we’ve not spent a penny in net/gross terms with Jack’s money coming in.
Oh, don’t get me wrong chaps, I’m expectant too.
But I always have that saying at the back of my mind;
keep your expectations low and you’re less like to be disappointed.
It’s just instinctive in me and is probably what makes me come across as overly negative at times 🙂
I will emphasise though, that I’m not worried yet and won’t be in a few weeks, I don’t think.
Disappointed, yes, but not overly worried.
Unless our performances are continually abject.
It seems Hourihane is going to Sheffield United on loan.
Sky are also saying that despite Smith saying he’s happy with the squad, Villa are still in the market for a mid fielder should a suitable deal arise before the window shuts tomorrow and that money is available.
A missed opportunity to use Hourihane’s move as leverage for the lad at Sheffield whose name escapes me? A 30 million midfielder apparently. Unless someone’s signed him and I missed it?
That’s about his level Hitch. He’ll probably do well for them and I wish him luck.
I don’t think the MF is a surprise. I’ve seen Witsel mentioned and it seems the price might be right.
He’s versatile, but I don’t think he’s the sort we need, as he’s more attacking really and we have enough of those types imo.
Imagine we splash out a shocking £60m on a stunner!!!! Cor!!!!!!
Dreaming
I actually think the owners might be thinking it’s a good time to sit back and have a look at what we’ve got before deciding anything. See where we are at Chrimbo before we sack Smith or push on again.
If you consider the money we’ve spent the owners are well within their rights to expect something back, imo.
Any lack of progression will be frowned upon.
Badger, the words ‘sack’ and ‘Smith’ together are completely inappropriate. I just don’t understand where this comes from. We’re 3 games in and mid-table. Every team has dropped points already, except one. The Brentford game was screwed because the team Smith had prepared was broken last minute. The Watford defeat was inevitable, if not regrettable. We’ve played two promoted teams which is the worst time to play them at the start when their tails are up. At least half our first team is out. He’s just lost his best and only world class player. What do you want from the man?
If and when the following get a run of games, then judge:
Martinez, THE back 4, McGinn, Luiz, Buendia, Watkins, Ings, Bailey
I believe that’s Smith’s first 11. Bert and Anwar coming on to cause chaos plus the kids as solid back up. Judge that 11 when they’ve had a run. Bert and Bailey interchangeable depending on form.
WHEN that team hits form, the majority of the league will be shitting itself. IF it doesn’t, then we can ask questions.
UTV
Badger, have they really spent? I know that’s provocative. The first season back we had literally no players due to appalling management of the club. They had to spend that to buy a whole team. Last year, fair enough, we bought some quality, but we’re a huge club in the PL, so that’s standard. This season, net spend zero, which is not a criticism, but fact.
I’m extremely grateful to our wonderful owners, but the ‘spending’ point is an interesting one. You wouldn’t buy a classic car that’s clapped out, then not refurbish it, would you? Nor a rat-infested penthouse in Kensington and not spruce it up. All the spending is great and appreciated, but they’re looking after their investment, and rightly so; that’s what good business men do. And I really don’t think the spend in players has been excessive in any way; it’s been calculated and necessary just to compete at this level.
BFR, I’m agreeing. It’s harsh to judge us up to now.
I think I might be able to answer both your questions in one.
Talk of sacking Smith is daft, I agree.
But it’s also innteresting that the owners didn’t spend £100 mill on top of the you know who money, which I’m sure they could have done.
It’s as I’ve suggested, I think, in that the hierarchy (probably Purslow) thinks we need to sit back and re-assess.
Do not think for one minute that Smith will get any leeway if Purslow thinks it isn’t happening.
He’ll be gone quicker than..erm.. something that’s gone very quickly 🙂
Have they spent?
Well, I get what you’re saying and yes, they’ve had to invest.
Did they have to spend as much as they have though?
It’s debatable, but i think they have.
Importantly, I think they’ll continue to spend too.
We should not forget that on top of the money for players NSWE have pumped 10’s of £millions into the club just to deal with the cash flow requirements of the day to day running costs.
They’ve done this through issuing shares rather than lending the club money.
Unlike United and Liverpool we are debt free.
We, as fans, owe them a huge debt of gratitude for saving and then rebuilding our wonderful club.
UTV
I totally agree, Hitch. I was merely suggesting a different perspective, in that it is in the owners’ interests to invest in their, well, investment. And yes, if the project is to be realised in full, more investment will be needed.
No disagreement from me BFR
Me neither 🙂
I actually forgot the equity part of it.
It’s even more impressive when you add that in.
And no doubt we’re still acting like a drain.
It seems some of the Twitterati are apoplectic because we won’t be signing Curtis Jones, which was always a made up story anyway, imo.
https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-transfer-rumours/aston-villa-fans-react-to-curtis-jones-latest/
You have to laugh 🙂
I’m not despondent but I like to think overall I’m realistic – if a little pessimistic at times.
Losing ‘he who should not be named’ is going to have an impact on the playing style of the team and it will take time for the new players to gel and find the ‘fluidity’ that Smith says is missing.
We’ve also suffered, possibly more than some teams (Brighton for instance), with pre season disruptions and injuries, now further exasperated by the International Break for players like Luiz, Martinez and Buendia – albeit it should help with some of our injuries.
After the IB we have a run of hard fixtures, the results from which will, IMO be a significant pointer as to what we can expect this season.
Whilst I agree with Badger’s comment on the owners position and further acquisitions in this window, I remain concerned that we are still light in mid field. Despite Smith’s comments (which did leave some wriggle room) I suspect we still have feelers out. Should the right player become available (which may well depend on deals done by other clubs) then I believe we will move for him.
As to our ambitions for this season, I think anything lower than 8th will be seen as a disappointment (I’m avoiding the use of words like ‘failure’) and might well result in a new manager coming in. Ideally we should see 8th as a minimum in terms of improvement over last season with a challenge for European places a real possibility.
UTV
Willian has terminated his contract at Arsenal where he was on £240k per week (claimed) and had two years to run.
Would you take him at Villa? No transfer fee and even at that wage would only cost around £25m for a two year contract.
Decent player, but not worth that wage, imo.
What’s going on at Arsenal?
Why would you walk away from that wage?
They reckon Arteta has somehow bamboozled the board and everyone just obeys him blindly because of his undoubted knowledge.
Knowledge alone doesn’t necessarily make a good manager though.
Ah, he’s gone back to Corinthians, his boyhood club.
Admirable, I suppose, but he must be minted now.
All the knowledge in the world is useless unless you know how to apply it to good effect.
I love the passion on this forum, we’re all so desperate for OUR club to be back challenging for honours.
We’ve had a strange and, let’s be honest, disappointing start to the season. That said, with all the disruption we faced ahead of the Brentford game, I suggest it was a point gained rather than 2 lost. They are a bogey team after all!
I think part of the frustration comes from our keenness to see Ings, Buendia, Bailey and a fully fit Watkins all on the pitch together…but it looks like we will have to wait until the Everton game on 18th Sep before that can happen.
Good luck to Conor at SheffU, mind you he’s going to have his work cut out to improve them!
Does anyone know the extent of Konsa’s injury, it didn’t look good from where I was sitting in the North Stand upper?
I really hope Smith/Lange/Purslow have got an exciting midfielder lined up to bring a smile to our faces during tomorrow…but I’m not holding my breath.
8th would be a great season, we have to keep reminding ourselves of how far we’d fallen, after all it was only 4 years ago that we finished mid-table in the Championship. It takes a lot longer these days to climb your way back up, and we’ve still got to go some to overtake any of the “big 6” plus the likes of Leicester, West Ham and Everton, none of whom have spent 3 seasons in the Championship in recent times like we have.
Keep the faith and UTV.
I haven’t seen a sniff about Konsa. I agree, it didn’t look good and probably a ligament if I had to guess.
I can’t see him being ready for Chelsea, but you never know.
At least we do have good back up.
What’s not been mentioned is that Mings’ cracked rib could trouble him for a long while. I’ve previously “bruised” my ribs and had the pain for weeks.
I also had a friend who broke a rib and could hardly breathe, let along do anything physical.
Whilst we do have decent back up in Hause and Tuanzebe, it woukd be a concern if both Mings and Konsa were missing for an extended period.
Injuries can easily derail a team and I’m concerned that we seem to be picking up more than our fair share at present.
I dont want to come across as negative or downbeat but I just dont see us finishing 8th or higher this season. In fact I’d go so far as to say we may be flirting with the relegation zone for a large part of the season. We should have 9 points now from those opening 3 games and we could quite easily lose the next 5 games, 6 if you include the cup game against Chelsea. So I am seriously worried. I dont even think we will have a full squad of players to chose from across those 6 matches, given the fitness of the team, COVID and the injuries we seem to keep picking up, plus players deciding to play for their country meaning they will miss a match or 2. IF and a big if that did happen we would likely be in the bottom 3 if not bottom, which leads to negative, scared football and saps all the confidence out of the players. So we really need to be careful we are borderline a catastrophe imo. I also dont think we will sign anyone else this window so, we need to pray all the lads come back from international duty injury/COVID free. I’m seriously stressing about us this season, its just started in a right mess. Fingers crossed we win the next 6 and we are sitting top of the league instead!
I would normally have agreed with you, but is it fair to expect us to win any game with half the team missing?
Me, it’s not so much anger, but disappointment that we haven’t got 9 points.
I have concerns too, because it seems our setbacks will hinder us for months but the reality will probably not be so bad.
Depending how things go, I’d expect us to have a better second half to the season than last year because we’ll have more depth and a better squad that will hopefully have blended well.
I hadn’t realised Hourihane is out of contract next summer so his loan with Sheff Untd means he has effectively left the Villa.
Quite sad about that as I thought he was a decent player that has contributed to our improvement over the last four years and scored some cracking goals.
I wish him the best and hope he finds a new club next season.
I’m very happy with the business we have done. He who shall not be named feels like it’s done and history already now. But I can’t help but feel a little disappointed there is a last minute deal coming. I love that s**t!
Transfer deadline day when it comes to Villa is nearly always an anti climax. It’s arguable that we have done better in identifying the players early doors and got them in before other clubs began sniffing around.
I would have liked an enforcer style midfielder as most Villa fans would. McNeill at Burnley would have been an improvement on any player we currently have in his position LW.
Our squad has more depth than any time since we got back to the premier league but a few internationals and injuries and suddenly our squad doesn’t look particularly strong. That leads me to say credit to Nakamba for turning his back on international duty to get himself ready for the Chelsea game.
It’s like hoping for that extra exciting present at the end of Christmas Day and being disappointed even though you know you shouldn’t be 🙂
Doing the business early must be right; look at Wolves and Newcastle scrambling around trying to do last minute deals without success.
As an aside, I see that Guilbert has gone back to Strasbourg on another season long loan. It seems he has no future at VP. Given our general lack of success when it comes to French players, I wonder whether Sanson will prove to be another disappointment.
My money says 100% guaranteed, but I hope he comes good.