Reluctant Striker

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..

Yes, I tend toward the lagers. Budweiser quite good, but I do prefer Holsten. Bud has had a much better sales pitch over the years. Holsten is now owned by Danish Carlsberg, which is an awful drink. Strange how that worked out. Locally Fosters & the actually local Carling tend to be the most readily available from the barrel lagers in pubs & restaurants. Wines with meals. Spirits & liqueurs for special occasions. Any other occasion, a nice cold lager, or perhaps a Guinness.

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.

EastEnders blatantly has a buffet food sub plot going on:

Paula Radcliffe & Steve Cram commentate on mens & women's athletics. There's no reason football should be different. Culturally many are unprepared for it. Boys play football. Men watch football. Girls play with baby dolls & tea sets. While mum vacuums, irons, cooks & whatever. To some, it's just all mind boggling & a laugh if any do different. I imagine male TV chefs are essentially RU Paul's drag thing. Some of the women football pundits do talk tactical gibberish & partisan nonsense. Just as well as men. Eni Aluko is equally as capable of talking inane babble as Micah Richards. Emma Hayes can make very inciteful, against the grain observations. Like bluntly not dropping Mings because Maguire was fit again. Along the lines of how Sir Alex Ferguson called out the good he had seen in Villa, despite getting battered on the opening day. The un-needed bit is perhaps the 'battle of the sexes' & 'fight for equality' it often becomes. Paula Radcliffe does not keep banging on about such things. But then male football is also far, far, too political.

If any are interested, a bit of a season so far review & thoughts on upcoming January transfer window: It has exceeded my expectations so far. Diaby maybe slightly off the boil, but him, Pau & even now Tielemans, are contributing. I'm not sure we're at a stage of looking for a final piece to the jigsaw, and more kind of looking to fill out the squad, with young, high potential. Or just off the very elite bracket. Unai does seem to like the CB's at FB. We have seen Konsa there at RB. If Mings had not been injured, we may have seen Pau at LB-CB. We have only used Lenglet in Europe & cups so far. We hope to have plenty of such games in the 2nd half of the season, so I do hope Barca allow the loan to continue & that Lenglet himself is onboard with that role. It has felt a point of concern to me to have only Cash as proper RB & Digne & Moreno both 30s, as 2 LBs. Chambers has fallen off the radar as a RB & DM. Douglas Luiz & Kamara play very precise roles, where Kamara often drops back & Dougie is quite integral in the passing build up play. While both McGinn & Tielemans are playing hybrid midfield-attack sort of roles. Almost where we would use Ramsey & once fit (in Feb?) Buendia. So, it doesn't feel we have CM's to rotate. Dendoncker is a quality drop at DM. Chambers seems to have lost his chance there. And up top, Watkins with Diaby, or Bailey, is emerging as the choice. Duran often appearing from the bench. Personally, I would ideally like to see a young, high potential RB. Happy to take Chambers spot on the bench. Longer to middle term, 1 of Digne or Moreno switched out for someone similar on the left. I think we need a DM happy to be supporting Dougie & Kamara. And a further attacking player, who could start with Bailey, when it isn't Watkins & Diaby, etc. Duran often still the sub, whichever start. So, yes, for me, it's not crazy £'s on 1 monster signing. It's shrewd, intelligent, clever squad building. 3 January signings would be my hope. A young RB, ok to maybe start as Cash backup. A DM happy to support Dougie & Kamara. A forward ok arriving as Watkins backup. And probably next summer, an age reduction at LB. And what chances there are at that time to bring in starting 11 upgrades. Depending where we finish. If anyone is tempted away. etc.

Yes, West Ham & David Moyes does seem a confusing 'interim' sort of vibe & expectation. But then, my club are now getting towards where me & many think the aim should always have been. And many pundits & casual observers think is reserved for the more preferred & regular candidates of the last 15, 20 years. West Ham do have fans, I think, who feel they very much should be where Villa are, doing what Newcastle did, being like Leicester were for a few seasons. And with the Olympic Stadium & ability to spend reasonable money on transfers, I wouldn't like to argue against. But for me, given where West Ham have been during my life time, there surely should be some level of acceptance of comfortable mid table, in a division with a now long established Big 6, a resurgent Villa & Newcastle, and very possibly a returning Leicester next season.

There is definitely a problem for Man United that the players just aren't good enough. To be where Liverpool & Arsenal are. Although there are aspects (the midfields) of both of them I find unconvincing. For a few seasons I've genuinely felt I would not want to swap Douglas Luiz & McGinn for any United midfielders. Or too many others I've seen around. Can now also add in the goalkeeper position. And probably centre forward. Diaby, Bailey, Ramsey & Buendia vs Rashford, Garnacho, Sancho & whoever else? Tielemans vs Mount? A few YouTubers around (Mark Goldbridge) now suggesting Villa are where they are, on work rate. I guess everyone pulls for their own, but to not see era's changing around you, while wearing a Big 6 baseball cap, is what Roy Keane is often on about. Who, still biased & pulling for Man United, often makes more sense than some suggesting any from Maguire, Evans, Lindelof, Martinez & Varane are walking into Villa's side. And not seeing what is staring them in the face. They need the hunger to be changing an era, that is not theirs. Along with a better recruitment policy.

Yes, for me, all I hear of FFP, is just wired up wrong. It feels designed to stop clubs doing a Man City, Chelsea, or if you go back far enough, a Blackburn. Coming from mid table, or even further back & getting to the top. I don't have any issue with that, in theory. It's a part of what I liked way back decades ago. For me, the issue is broadly spiralling market values, where smaller or less currently successful clubs, find it very difficult to compete. To the extent Luton & Sheffield United have arguably not even bothered to try. Clubs that were able to win league titles & cups in the 70s, 80s & 90s are now nowhere near. Or get a once in a blue moon shot. And in the case of Everton, being harshly punished for essentially messing up an attempt to change that. I'm not sure what the rules should be. But a more American twist of the least successful having more allowance to place big bets / take first pick, really would not be too bad. And less allowance for Champions League regulars to splash out crazy money when they finish mid table. It does start feeling like a tangled complicated mess to get to something everyone can be happy with & also level out the playing field, at the same time.

It does all seem harsh, but then maybe not any more or less than being just about relegated by a small margin. Of the 20 sides in the Premier League each season, a slight majority do spend more time contemplating the bottom 3, than how near top 4 is. You would certainly hope certain other sides do get treated at least equally. But I'm not quite sure where the connecting comparison line to the European Super League is.

I do agree on how bad the direction has been since Brexit, with all those new chat-news TV channels. It does feel to me like things are regressing. I do hope the next election gets us heading in a better direction.

I don't know.. if people are still talking about it, then racism is still a thing, yes. And it is difficult to imagine any UK political side advocating for taking in civilian Palestinians. Rather than 'Israel needs to abide by international law' because they're not Russia. But I think Brexit must have had an amount of some levels of society wanting less white Europeans. It definitely wasn't anything to do with Asia & Africa. The ones that did want Brexit just moved onto them as the next thing. And the Conservative route to Britain for Ukraine was by a British person nominating they personally could house them. It wasn't like they were being welcomed on mass into hotels, pending a council property.

Seems it was some fake news. Also from BBC, apparently he is now no longer suspended & has been just warned.

Yes, from what I've been reading, Zaniolo seems to have everyone convinced in Italy, England & wherever else, that he was only betting on not-football things. But Tonali was betting on football. And I guess we all now know, in a situation like this, FIFA can globalise any agreed punishment ban.

Columbia does sound a very dodgy place. Andres Escobar was assassinated soon after scoring an own goal in the 1994 World Cup. And it is a celebrated source of drugs.

Seems harsh of Mainz to terminate Anwar El Ghazi's contract, for a Tweet, seen as pro-Palestine. And so for many.. anti Jew. You normally hear of minor fines, warnings on future conduct etc. But seems he refused to apologise for his comments.

Yes, with Emery a lot could depend how he feels at Villa compared to how it went at Arsenal. I do sense he will see & feel that he is a Villa man now. Barring any fall out or Martin O'Neill style lack of backing. But, I do think he could drastically improve Chelsea or Man United. And do things with any side, taking over from anyone. Even Pep & Klopp. If he was given time. Players will depend on who gets in their ear. Over the last 30 years Villa often lost players to Man United (Yorke) Man City (Barry, Grealish & others) or Liverpool (Benteke) & way back Southgate packed his bags & headed for bigger club Middlesbrough. One of the more unusual exits from Villa. While Villa have often taken their pick from many other clubs. It is just the way it all works. At the end of the day, unless a fan-Agbonlahor type, most players do take a move, if they feel it moves them in an upwards direction. Best possible case scenario right now is Villa pick up a trophy & finish ahead of at least 2 rivals from the Big 6, Newcastle & Brighton. Convince the leading names there is more to come where they are. And pick up another few Pau, Diaby, sort of level additions. I am convinced if any not Big 6 side can regularly be in the Top 6 & a regular trophy contender, Villa with a good manager is as much a genuine contender as any other possibility.

I don't know any certain detail, but the Villa in Europe evidence suggests a football shirt ban could well be an EU thing already in place. Legia Warsaw away being with blank Villa shirts. And today AZ Alkmaar away with Villa Foundation, as presumably free of charge shirt sponsor. So the Premier League decision was perhaps to follow the European wide change. Could be extra ££'s if Villa do well in Europe & a demand is there for a supply of Villa Foundation replica tops.

This was the announcement by the Premier League, as recent as April this year. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12856367/premier-league-clubs-agree-to-withdraw-gambling-sponsorships-on-front-of-shirts Villa were criticised by fans & neutrals for signing up with BK8 soon after. And for the remaining 3 seasons before the ban.

Yes, it's just going to keep happening. The conversation is exactly the same now as it was 30 years ago. Complete with the straight faced, no joke, car bumper sticker slogan 'guns don't kill people, people do' There is the US unique idea of constitutional right to bear arms. Here & I think majority of places, it's seen as a handle with care, by qualified people only. Over in the US, it is that entitlement, there for all to see, each & every time the latest proud gun owner goes bananas. And exercises his constitutional right.

I've been reading Tonali is the 1 potentially in deepest with Italian FA. Widely expected that Zaniolo gets a fine. And yes, as others above, if it's ok to be on a football shirt, it should really be ok for footballers themselves to use whatever service or product is on offer. Clearly something wrong if it's in conflict. The gambling firms are off the front of Premier League shirts in a couple more seasons. Will still be ok as the arm logo things, etc, as far as I know. Not sure how things are in Italy, but Villa have had to play in Europe with plain shirts. Depending on local rulings.

Fascinating run of games ahead: Chelsea (a), West Ham (h), Liverpool (a) & Arsenal (h) I was one predicting there may be drop off, but Mbeumo & Wissa have not seemed to be doing too badly. And it has seemed they have just been edged out in close games. I do think they will find a way to give a really tough game to most sides they play, but is now getting to the stage, the table is taking shape, Brighton & Burnley are equal points distance.

Villa are in a relegation battle..

Youri Tielemans.. I did look at him & genuinely wonder where he was getting into Villa's starting 11. Especially as we had seen such dramatic improvement with the 2 DM approach. And so far, he hasn't. Only a few European & cup starts. He was quoted Maguire-Phillips style when with Belgium, that he had gone to Villa to play. Their media would obviously have been asking questions. I put it all down to hot air of that type. But then after another international break.. unsourced suggestions he could be off to Spain in January. But, now, apparently with an English media interview, he is just disappointed not to be in ahead of Douglas Luiz, Kamara or McGinn (or maybe whatever other relegation fodder Villa player..) but is fighting for his place & getting on ok with Unai Emery. Learning & developing. I think this whole saga could very much be put down to being lost in translation. Yet also would not surprise me if he was sold on sooner than later. With a better fit option being brought in. And is kind of an issue the club could face. The club was apparently not wanted by Joao Felix. Or Federico Chiesa. According to rumour writers. Who are already going with Watkins to Arsenal in January. Again. Already. Realistically Villa has not been one of the cool names of the last 20 years. Which even Newcastle could still claim to an extent, before this last few seasons. Villa is maybe not a place right now that someone who thinks they are good, feels they themselves are an established name, wants to concede to being an occasional squad player.

I do think the BBC get their licence fee payer aim of neutrality fairly often. I do tend to notice 'left' moments of being very critical of Trump, of criticism of Conservatives doing routine media interviews with Union Jack flags, the coverage of racial tensions in America or India or wherever. And of extensively detailing the conveyor belt of Conservative & Boris failings. And the tone has moved on significantly during my life. They are being criticised right now for referring to Hamas as militants rather than terrorists. We now have Ireland's PM sometimes appearing on Sunday morning political talk show. Not Sinn Fein leaders voiced over if & when given any screen time. etc. But as a nation I sense plenty of Brits would generally look & sound 'right' to some. Many just tend to come across that way, I think. And all things recent history, even World Wars, some want to wrap up as all being 'right' I do tend to think of right & left as more societal directions. I think it does get a bit confusing when some apply it to continents, the world & historic nation borders. And at the end of the day every border in the world was put there by colonial deals, war, mutual defence, etc. None of them because good, friendly vibes..