I said in the replies midweek that I had no faith in the Villa as a team at the moment.
After a few days nothing has changed and even though West Ham are rooted to the bottom of the table on no points and not even having scored a goal, it means nothing to me.
We all know that if you’re a club that’s seriously out of form, Aston Villa will accomodate you and hand you all the points with minimal effort.
In fact it happens with such alarming regularity, that it’s probably the one thing that really annoys me about the club. Well, that and always losing to Man Utd, that is.
I have to be honest, I hardly care which side we put out, hence the squad matters very little.
That’s what Gerrard’s football has done to me I’m afraid.
When, oh when will we get a genuinely good manager, that can manage our great club, genuinely improve players in the way Pep and Klopp do and get us consistently challenging for things?
Apologies, I’m just thinking out loud, but I’ll bet it’s something we’ve all done at some time or another. It’s just so annoying isn’t it?
So we have to go with what we have and it’s the totally uninspiring Gerrard picking god knows who.
We don’t have any new issues and neither do West Ham as far as I can see.
This is a short preview, simply because I don’t really know what to say.
If we scrape a win, it’s probably the minimum we should have got against a team that’s obviously out of sorts, not scored a goal and conceded five in three games.
And if we lose, will it really be a big surprise?
Not for me and the only thing it would see is Gerrard closer to the exit door which contrary to what you may think, is definitely something I don’t want to see, because it means we’ll be slipping down the table with really tough games coming up.
In fact when you look at the next couple of fixtures, this game should probably be classed as the equivalent of a behind closed doors friendly.
I don’t want to predict a defeat, so I’m going to sit on the fence and go for a 1-1 draw.
Actually, I’d put a bet on it, but it turns out my Bet365 account has been audited (after several weeks) and they’ve decided to close my account and give me my money back. I think it’s something to do with the fact that the money can’t be proved as safe under the money laundering laws.
All £90 of it. You have to laugh, I suppose.
Yet again it’s a torrid time to be a Villa fan.
I was actually wondering the other day, which Birmingham club has really got that Gypsy curse.
I’ve just heard on WM that Bednarek hasn’t started today. Expect to see him in, in the next couple of days.
Actually, despondent might be a better word. 🙁
Like you Badger, I have absolutely no confidence in the team nor the manager.
We haven’t beaten West Ham since 2015 and have lost the last four.
Really can’t see much changing but like you I’ll plump for a draw – but heaven knows what the score will be! 🙂
Been watching the cricket and the emphatic performance of the captain Ben Stokes.
Interesting comment made – ‘it’s no good having a ‘nominated’ captain, he has to be a leader’
That’s what worries me about Gerrard’s decision to appoint McGinn – is he a true leader?
I’ve seen loads of fans saying he isn’t and I’ll admit he hasn’t looked good as a player, let alone a captain.
But then, who has?
Unless you think Mings has been specifically unsettled by being dropped as captain and player, even he has looked rubbish.
I think McGinn is perfectly capable of geeing the players up in better times.
And in fact, I’ve seen him do it.
But even so, I’d liked to have seen us sign someone really inspiring.
I’d take Ronaldo as a short term solution, for example.
Or is that completely nuts?
Perhaps I’m just desperate.
And no, Martinez, as much as I like him, is not the solution in my eyes.
Ronaldo??
£500k a week?
That ain’t gonna happen mate and he’d only be effective would the team make an abundance of goal scoring opportunities, let’s be honest we don’t!
It’d be like putting a thoroughbred in a donkey derby.
He’d probably make more chances on his own than our mob, but it was just an example.
I wouldn’t want us to sign him on that money! 🙂
Imagine the team talk – it’d be like Pele in Escape to Victory.
(-:
Ronaldo – a leader; absolutely not – quite the opposite imho.
But then neither was Grealish.
I don’t profess to know the answer but I think Mings was a better captain on the field than McGinn.
I’d have taken Suarez, though.
There’s definitely something wrong at the villa at the moment.
If you take the money from grealish sale and others villa haven’t actually spent anything from the owners now for 3windows.
Why are they suddenly stopped spending on the team?are they going to invest in the stadium more?
It’s like the teams who have built new stadiums the money for team building goes down.
Also think that the owners are not happy that more players are not getting into the first team especially after they’ve spent big on the youth system?
I think the spending has stopped and now it’s time to become more self-sufficient (re bringing in the youth and selling some that make it)
Have they realised that they just can’t keep up with the top teams and man.c Liverpool and now Newcastle are way ahead and would cost to much to catch up with them.
So best way is go with the youth and build a team rather than loads of individuals trying to play like a team. Hope this message not to long
Every one of those is a pertinent question Roy.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the owners think we ought to be doing a bit better than where their £250 million (?) outlay has got them.
Altough it’s not that large an amount of money in the scheme of things.
I suspect they’re not happy with the spending, but if that’s true, it would be an indictment of Lange and Purslow too.
We may well splash out yet, but I don’t see it, as much as we need it.
If we don’t, my guess would be they don’t trust at least some of the recruitment team.
Which might mean we have a very interesting few weeks coming up.
Agree, Roy. Feels like Lerner all over again. A monster like Haaland cost only 50ish million? If we can spend 30 mil on players, the only way to progress is to go that final step to get the best. It hasn’t happened. That final step was supposed to be this summer. Why hasn’t it happened?
I read that deal was nearer £80m with all the add ons, agents fees etc…£50m seems far too cheap…
His Papa playing for them maybe a factor but £375,000 per week may have been motivation to?
Bargain if you ask me, finishers like this fella are few and far between.
Bednarek on loan might not be a bad business as a short term replacement for Carlos. What you think ?
I don’t profess to know anything about him Bill.
But any player from Southampton doesn’t particularly inspire me, tbh.
As cover, he’s apparently ok, according to what I’ve read.
But I find myself wondering if he’s going to be any better than what we have in a team that has something seriously wrong with it.
I hope the wages are good (they will be) else he might seriously regret coming to us.
Wonder if Matty Cash had any influence??
Can’t see anything but a defeat tomorrow, it’s written in the stars, we all know how it plays out when you’re struggling and you play us.
2-0 West Ham.
Heh, agreed.
It just seems obvious, doesn’t it?
But as per usual, I continue to hope.
It’s the hope that kills.
If we win and then lose our next 3 games I think Gerrard will just about cling on, however, lose the next 4 and I could see him being shown the door, so tomorrow is going to be an interesting one because if we lose I certainly won’t feel as gutted as I normally do.
You can see that happening can’t you. Funnily enough a win would take us up to 7th.
Whatever the result I can’t see this being a particularly entertaining watch – two dull managers = two dull teams (imo)
Lol! I bet now you’ve said that it’ll be a cracking game.
Any streams???
You really need to think about IPTV mate.£60 a year or maybe even less.
Taxi for Gerrard 🙂
It seems that project youth has been blocked. Smith put Ramsey into the first team and now Gerrard is making him lose his mojo. Also Gerrard seems to be after players nearer 30 than 20.
As for the owners we aren’t seeing big spending on players and maybe that’s because of the investment in the stadium and infrastructure which is long overdue.
With Newcastle now well on course to create a super 7, then it looks like maybe there’s an acceptance from our owners to settle for a mid table premier league team with a few cup runs here and there. After all it is just being in the premier league with TV and sponsorships where the revenue really comes from. The fans are not the important factor they used to be.
I personally don’t give a damn if we sign anyone in this window. Gerrard as already made Coutinho look crap so any money on new signings will be a waste.
West Ham up tomorrow then and even though they have zero points and goals it doesn’t matter. Moyes must be thinking “thank goodness it’s that easy to play against, nice Villa team to end our poor run.” Of course we will be bullied and beat up and we will lose. I’m predicting a 0-2 defeat. If we lose the next 4 games which I would imagine is likely, that would be 5 defeats on the trot. Remind me how many Dean Smith had before being sacked?
As you can probably guess, I’m losing faith in the way our club is being managed. ☹️
Graeme Potter is now highlighting why it was probably a huge error to give Smith the bullet. The inevitable defeat tomorrow will see Villa back on Shit Street. Real shame.
Pochettino is that manager you refer to, Badger. The owners need to be ready to act if we have a poor September. I’d have sounded him out already.
I can think of two former Villa captains that were also excellent leaders – Denis Mortimer and Kevin Richardson – and they both played the very mid field role, in great Villa sides, that we are currently missing.
Coincidence?
Maybe we’re just lacking a player with a bit of intelligence and nous. Someone with all the qualities of a leader, so perhaps Mings and Meatball aren’t the full ticket.
Badger, I don’t know why but my last comment is under moderation
Without scrolling through loads of your comments, Holte, it would seem it’s because you used a Hotmail address that you don’t normally use???
If so, it’ll be okay now I’ve approved it 🙂
How much have we learned?
We need to mark by somebody good in the air Antonio, Souchek, and Agbonna at corners and free kicks, and track Bowen in open play. Up the other end there is no need to aim shots in off the goal frame and risk missing the goal against Fabianski. He is beatable by a strong shot anywhere on target.
Failures to learn these lessons should mean heads will roll.
Mings out through illness so down to two fit CB’s and Coutinho is preferred to Buendia – again!
Can I revise my forecast 0-2 West Ham
For the first time ever (I think), I have absolutely no interest in watching the game.
Mings has a high temperature, apparently.
Martinez; Cash, Chambers, Konsa, Digne; McGinn, Kamara, Luiz; Coutinho, Watkins, Ings.
SUBS: Olsen, Augustinsson, Young, Iroegbunam, Nakamba, Bailey, J Ramsey, Buendia, Archer.
I also loosing interest in watching villa can’t be bothered to look for a stream or follow on text.
And what’s happened to Mings I thought all fit??
And what about Bailey’s father coming out with comments that he should move?
Phil back in definitely a favourite or in his contract must play?
Players suddenly not joining either where’s Gerrard’s pull now then?
Owners definitely not spending on the team now it’s only what’s generated by the club that’s being spent?
Did the owners lose interest in getting back to the top when grealish jumped ship plus Terry and O’Kelly and bale?
I believe in conspiracy theories and there’s a lot going on at villa park at the moment.
Mid to bottom table team I think is best to hope for sad
Why can’t we get owners like man.c Newcastle, Chelsea??
BBC Gossip reporting that:
Aston Villa have reached an agreement to sign Southampton and Poland centre-back Jan Bednarek, 26. (Football Insider)
Villa are planning a move for West Ham’s Craig Dawson and will give the 32-year-old English centre-back a two-year deal.
At least there seems some sense to those two.
Villa to sneak it today, it won’t be pretty but you take what you can
As no one is watching the game. Villa are scruffy at the back and West Ham are awful at the front. Villa have one disallowed, how the linesman saw that the ball had crossed the goaline from a corner is hard to understand. A couple of other chances for Ollie and Phil is running midfield. Not too shabby at all.
We’ve certainly been the better side in the first half.
I missed the first 10 minutes so didn’t have a clue what the line ups were when I switched on. It was about 35 minutes into the game when I realised McGinn was playing. It looks like two teams out of form although the longer the game goes on the more I think West Ham will score. I’m sticking with my 0-2 forecast.
That’s not saying much. We’re terrible and West Ham are actually somehow worse.
Three touches in the oppo’s box says it all.
We’re so boring to watch I’ve only actually seen a few minutes of it because I can’t motivate myself to watch it.
Gerrard needs sacking just for that fact.
Just so bad.
No style, no substance, no chance.