The Palace Fan 3,400 Posted December 30, 2023 Share Posted December 30, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reluctant Striker 134 Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 (edited) Some of the injuries & suspensions have been adding up recently. Pau & Kamara very pivotal to the defensive part of the team. They have felt like big absences in recent games. I would like to see Konsa & Pau back at CB, with Kamara returning, soon. Other combinations feel weaker. Hopefully injury prone Moreno can stay fit with Digne out. Or we may end up seeing Pau or Lenglet as LB-CB. Edited December 31, 2023 by Reluctant Striker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reluctant Striker 134 Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 The badge story keeps rolling on. The 80's-early 90's round badge has only been used on current season kits & clothing. And a new one, for the 150th anniversary year is now set to be released. Based on responses & feedback on the round badge. Rumours are now floating around of next seasons badge being a sharp return to a very recently familiar looking big yellow lion in a blue background crest. And more shockingly some fan representatives now taking concerns to The FA.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reluctant Striker 134 Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 Sad for Castore. But it was a ridiculous problem & terrible look for a company trying to build up an image. Not sure they recover & grow as a football kit option. Apparently Newcastle are exiting their Castore deal too. But, years after deciding it was never happening, I do look forward to seeing Adidas design 3 stripe claret & blue Villa shirts. And all the away, 3rd, keepers, training tops, etc. Hope they put some effort in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reluctant Striker 134 Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Leander Dendoncker to Napoli on loan, with option to buy for around 10m Euro's. Good business, and rumours are Villa academy product Tim Iroegbunam could be set for that 3rd DM spot in the squad. If McGinn & Tielemans are not dropped back there. Kosta Nedeljkovic as an 18 year old right back with a high bar protential from Red Star for undisclosed, but mooted to be around £10m, also seems smart business. Via one of the numerous fan-podcast shows on YouTube (UTV) I encountered a finance expert suggesting Villa's typical match day revenue is around £16m. While Man United's is around £130m. Among many other mind boggling gaps with numerous clubs. He was also critical of the choice to not redevelop the North Stand (the behind the goal that isn't The Holte End) An alternate show (Holy Trinity) suggesting that maybe some faith should go toward the owners & the staff they are setting in place. But, I do remember the Randy Lerner years. I was buzzing as we assembled a midfield of Young, Milner, Barry, Downing. To see them all sold on, as we apparently hit a wall & replaced them with Charles N'Zogbia, among other significantly lower quality players. The financial stuff is a worry. Whichever way you look at things. In terms of a season like this becoming an expected & regular thing. Which for many fans, is the objective. And a return to a living memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reluctant Striker 134 Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 Slow January for everyone it seems, but Villa picking up pace, in a restrained way I was expecting, particularly after Unai's hints. Red Star Belgrade's 18 year old RB Nedeljkovic has signed up, but stays with RSB until actually joining up with Villa in the summer. Arsenal teenage LB, Lino Sousa supposed to joining. 2 of my boxes ticked there. 23 year old Australia goalkeeper Joe Gauci close to signing. Many do feel an upgrade on number 2 Robin Olsen is another ideal box ticker. And, the biggest, perhaps straight to first team action, seems Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough. Born in the West Midlands & was very keen for the move. Sounds like he could play where Jacob Ramsey (with ongoing injury problems) would play. Buendia is nearing his return. They have used McGinn & Tielemans over on the left. For some reason I don't quite understand we haven't seen Bailey or Diaby as old fashioned left footed left wingers. So Rogers arrival & Buendia's return should start freeing McGinn & Tielemans as deeper midfield covers-competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan 18,369 Posted January 31 Administrator Share Posted January 31 1 hour ago, Reluctant Striker said: Slow January for everyone it seems, but Villa picking up pace, in a restrained way I was expecting, particularly after Unai's hints. Red Star Belgrade's 18 year old RB Nedeljkovic has signed up, but stays with RSB until actually joining up with Villa in the summer. Arsenal teenage LB, Lino Sousa supposed to joining. 2 of my boxes ticked there. 23 year old Australia goalkeeper Joe Gauci close to signing. Many do feel an upgrade on number 2 Robin Olsen is another ideal box ticker. And, the biggest, perhaps straight to first team action, seems Morgan Rogers from Middlesbrough. Born in the West Midlands & was very keen for the move. Sounds like he could play where Jacob Ramsey (with ongoing injury problems) would play. Buendia is nearing his return. They have used McGinn & Tielemans over on the left. For some reason I don't quite understand we haven't seen Bailey or Diaby as old fashioned left footed left wingers. So Rogers arrival & Buendia's return should start freeing McGinn & Tielemans as deeper midfield covers-competition. Rogers is a decent signing. Middlesbrough's loss definitely Villa's gain there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Palace Fan 3,400 Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reluctant Striker 134 Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 There were fan groups contacting the FA too, specifically about the 150th anniversary badge plans. And many split opinions on this Chris Heck changing most decisions set in place before he had arrived. The Badge changing. The North Stand redevelopment delayed. And more. Centre back injuries now building. Mings out since 1st match. Pau Torres on bench the last 2 games, after injury problems. Konsa out for a few weeks. And now Diego Carlos injured. So, heading into Fulham (a) it's on loan Lenglet, the frozen out Chambers & gradually returning Pau Torres. Getting dangerously near an emergency - crisis. Then add that Kamara is out with his 2nd long term injury in the last 2 years, and it's either young Tim Iroegbunam next to Douglas Luiz, or dropping McGinn or Tielemans deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6666 1,310 Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 Aston Villa report £119.6m loss for 22-23 season - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68476722 Could be in trouble soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan 18,369 Posted March 5 Administrator Share Posted March 5 4 minutes ago, 6666 said: Aston Villa report £119.6m loss for 22-23 season - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68476722 Could be in trouble soon. Shame that non top-six clubs seem to suffer more than top six clubs when it comes to this kind of thing. They can try and break the top 6 but they get punished. Who do they end up selling their best player(s) to? Top 6 clubs. How are they ever meant to compete? The rules are skewed so much that it'll become impossible for a non-top six club to ever have sustained success any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6666 1,310 Posted March 5 Share Posted March 5 1 hour ago, Stan said: Shame that non top-six clubs seem to suffer more than top six clubs when it comes to this kind of thing. They can try and break the top 6 but they get punished. Who do they end up selling their best player(s) to? Top 6 clubs. How are they ever meant to compete? The rules are skewed so much that it'll become impossible for a non-top six club to ever have sustained success any more. The main issue is that the loss limit is outdated. £105m in 2015 is not the same as £105m right now in football. Transfer fees for players went up significantly in that time. Diaby on his own cost Aston Villa over £50m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subscriber RandoEFC+ 7,644 Posted March 5 Subscriber Share Posted March 5 They're changing the limit to almost double from this summer I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reluctant Striker 134 Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Yes, it's confusing to know what to make of it all. To me, it doesn't feel they've been splashing around crazy money. In 2023/24, Diaby the one £50m+. Pau was £30m+. Plenty of academy players sold. The owners are stating this 2022/23 news is just all part of the plan. But certainly growing concern we may be one of the 1st clubs to get Champions League football & be in a position that we have to sell 1 or 2 star players. To bring in lower value signings. And avoid any points deduction. Presumably it's getting into the problem of Villa not selling out as many directors boxes, pre match dining, etc. Which is having more options being made available at Villa Park. And of course sponsorship. Global merchandise sales. Oddly, even with a 10 point deduction right now, they'd still be 6th & 1 point ahead of Man United. Which again, for me, just questions where is the reward for doing well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Stan 18,369 Posted March 6 Administrator Share Posted March 6 44 minutes ago, Reluctant Striker said: Yes, it's confusing to know what to make of it all. To me, it doesn't feel they've been splashing around crazy money. In 2023/24, Diaby the one £50m+. Pau was £30m+. Plenty of academy players sold. The owners are stating this 2022/23 news is just all part of the plan. But certainly growing concern we may be one of the 1st clubs to get Champions League football & be in a position that we have to sell 1 or 2 star players. To bring in lower value signings. And avoid any points deduction. Presumably it's getting into the problem of Villa not selling out as many directors boxes, pre match dining, etc. Which is having more options being made available at Villa Park. And of course sponsorship. Global merchandise sales. Oddly, even with a 10 point deduction right now, they'd still be 6th & 1 point ahead of Man United. Which again, for me, just questions where is the reward for doing well? Exactly - the reward is actually punishment in the long term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.