Fairy In Boots

What have we done to our game with VAR and the offside rule, absolutely robbed Coventry there and robbed the competition of a great story so we can watch City dick United again. Who cares? 

2 hours ago, Reluctant Striker said:

Yes, Pau & Kamara have been particularly big absences. Them 2, Douglas Luiz & Emi Martinez, in particular, get into most sides. Certainly very limited players who can be considered as better.

On one hand, the top 5 look fairly clear. And feels like it would take a big turnaround for a side outside to catch up. So, Villa probably are firstly looking at staying ahead of Spurs or Arsenal.

But then, this a very new Villa, which I can't quite decide what is realistic. But I think it is in a better position than signing Championship strikers in January. 

We won’t win the league, that will be City or Liverpool and it will be a 90 point tally. I think we’ll end up about 10 behind as will Arsenal and Spurs so it’s just who finishes top 4 really

On 31/12/2023 at 06:40, Reluctant Striker said:

Villa still not really finding the early season form. But, a win is a win. Looking through the league fixtures to early March, home matches with Newcastle, Man United, Forest & Spurs . Away games with Everton, Fulham, Sheff United & Luton. Probably the way round you would choose them & will be the final 10 after that. Which will include Arsenal (a) Man City (a) Liverpool (h) West Ham (a) Brighton (a) Chelsea (h)

December is a tough month, so many games in quick succession that you need to grind out results and we’ve hung in there arguably despite injuries and suspensions. I think we’ve done well. I think we need to have another run of 5-6 wins on the spin to get top 4 though 

10 hours ago, Danny said:

Honestly Watkins and Villa need to clear this up because the vagueness of this whole situation is completely killing his standing at the club.

I don’t believe that a player ever owes his entire career to a club but Watkins would have struggled to find a club that would have given him the development time that we did. If it was just general stick then he’s overreacted and ruined his standing amongst fans who still love him, if it’s something much more serious then that needs to be explained because Villa are asking for a fan to be investigated yet no one will say what for.

Just a confusing mess to add to what seemed to have become quite a chaotic game.

Yeah it is vague, I think it was more to back Ollie out of the gate. I agree it’s weird.
If it’s racist abuse then they should say that, but on the flip side it could tar the whole fanbase so I get the logic of not going into detail. Headlines would just be “Watkins racially abused at Brentford” when the statement specifically says it respects the majority of Brentford fans 

Ben Mee is a disgusting player

On 10/12/2023 at 21:33, N U F C said:

We are out on our feet again but fair play to Spurs and Postecoglu, they look a proper team again.

It’s the performances against dross like Bournemouth and Everton that have been concerning, need bodies back but Howe’s reluctance to make subs is quite irritating.

I think we’ll be decent again back at home but January can’t come fast enough.

Bournemouth are one of the best teams we’ve faced this season, Dyche has got Everton firing too, it’s just the league you come against some tricky teams on their day, I’d describe neither side as dross

26 minutes ago, RandoEFC said:

Is Doku unavailable? I'd have thought he'd be the best option here. Grealish and Bernardo are massive cut inside and re-beat their man merchants which gives Luton time to get their men behind the ball.

We've defended and battled well but we've been holding on for a lot of that half. Maybe time to get Onana on for Gueye if he's up to it.

Souness was right about Grealish, the game has moved on from two years ago and he’s not direct enough now.  Will go Saudi or Italy in the summer

12 hours ago, Reluctant Striker said:

Yes. Depends on what teams below & maybe above do. But draws at Wolves & Bournemouth. The loss at Forest. The really successful sides find ways for it to have been 2 wins & 1 draw. How the title points bar keeps getting close to 100 in so many recent seasons.

It is still that kind of thing could make a difference to where Villa finish this season.

But maybe not a bad run for the rest of December. Avoid defeat to Zrinjski to advance to UECL last 16. Brentford (a), Sheff United (h), Man United (a) & Burnley (h)

 

That point against Bournemouth doesn’t look so bad, they’re well coached now and will do well this year. 
 

Great result, leggy at the end but we got it done. Brentford away will be tough though 

1 hour ago, OrangeKhrush said:

villa can win the league, they have avoided injuries well and have enough quality.   Their squad has been built for 5 years so they are deep into their cycle now.  

Villa should be focused on winning now

We won’t the league but definitely in the Top 4 hunt now

I’ve said many times over the years we are potentially a massive club. We’re just waiting for the spark, it’s here 

On 27/10/2023 at 15:10, The Palace Fan said:

If Manchester United approached Emery I think he'd go. In terms of club size in England there's Manchester United and then there's everybody else.

That said I don't think it would be the right decision. Ten Hag has disposed of a lot of problematic characters and now there appears to be a wave of new problems. The players who filled holes last season are becoming issues this season. Then there's the inevitability of all the Emery meme's resurfacing after his first decision.

V Sports which owns Villa are  purchasing a significant stake in Real Union which is the club Emery owns in Spain and his Brother is president of, think City and all the restaurants he gets as sweeteners for being at City. This is the game now, United are being left way behind 

10 hours ago, Reluctant Striker said:

The weird bit of TNT coverage is Robbie Savage being assigned as the Villa matches co-commentator. I can only presume he was signed up well before the sides were known. He has, for many years, for whatever reason, given an impression of thoroughly enjoying Villa being nowhere near as 'The Big 6' term was formed. Now, he resorts to questioning why it is Man United do not have a playing style, as Villa have & Spurs have. i.e. How to get things back how to how they should be.

The European competitions are often such an insular thing, the broadcasters would be as well to wait & see, and then find a partisan former player. You may aswell. I imagine many Villa fans could & would listen to someone like a Dion Dublin or Andy Townsend a lot easier than a Leicester - Birmingham pundit.

I don’t mind him, it’s sweeter when we win and he has to commentate on it

On 24/10/2023 at 12:53, OrangeKhrush said:

the biggest loss to villa would be Emery and if ten hag is sacked i think Yanited will come calling

I genuinely don’t think he’d go, he’s in complete control here with the keys to everything, his mission is to build us up so we can fulfil our potential. Why would you go to a situation where you don’t have complete control? He declined Newcastle because of work life balance, I don’t think money is an issue it’s a passion project for him at this point in his life

On 07/09/2023 at 15:53, Bluebird Hewitt said:

Fair play. I was a little surprised when he went to Hull as I had him as at least a higher Championship (maybe lower premiership if developed correctly) player.

He was inconsistent to begin with, but showed his worth in the latter stages of last season and was simply too good for us really.

Him Archer and Ramsey are all buy back clauses, it helps with FFP as we are selling academy players so counts as pure profit

On 02/09/2023 at 13:39, Bluebird Hewitt said:

Didn't notice Philogene was sold. How much did he go for in the end?

£5m but with a buy back clause

Think Everton will do a Burnley and put a run together near the end of the year

17 hours ago, Reluctant Striker said:

Really surprised at this one. I did think they would have both Archer & Duran as Watkins backup/rotation options.

Buy-back clause as with Aaron Ramsey. But, yes, both kind of surprising to me.

Perhaps already looking to get some money-in, on the books while they are still able to spend without much restriction.

For FFP academy players are classed as pure profit so we’ve generated £160m profit in the last two years with Jack, Chuck, Ramsey & Archer which allows us to spend. Buy backs on the later two and maybe JPB if he leaves this window, it’s how City have circumvented FFP now that they have a stockpile of players. They got to that position to do this illegally but once you’re there selling academy players is within the rules 

9 hours ago, Reluctant Striker said:

I had watched Hibs & Hearts in the earlier qualifying round that was on. Was a much closer match. And, yes, the presenters do seem good. Or maybe a refreshing change from the Lineker-Shearer & guest.

There's certainly a few Scottish clubs would make the top English divisions even more competitive. But I doubt it's part of the plans really.

Anglo Scottish league cup would be fun at least 

1 hour ago, Reluctant Striker said:

if anyone is interested: Hibs vs Villa is on BBC Scotland. Which is a channel hidden away for me here in the English West Midlands.

First time I’ve watched a BBC Scotland game and tbh it’s not a bad set up, we really need to just merge leagues and have a British League system, some big clubs in Scotland who just can’t compete with us at all, we were in 1-2 gear really 

Her dad pressured her to drop the charges because Mason is the meal ticket and she has his kid. He’s always been a scumbag, we’re not talking about a good bloke wronged here. There’s loads of stories about him being a right little C word.  
 

Now it’s PR spin but in reality, it’s about money, from United perspective and hers, she gets that baby daddy money if he goes on to have a successful career hence charges dropped and United don’t want to write off an asset, if he’s not sold it will be a loan in the hope that he goes away the hate dies down and he can be sold for a decent sum. United don’t give a fuck about public opinion in reality, they haven’t since day 1, this has always been about recouping losses. 

the term “yesterdays chip paper” is used a lot in football with regards to negative headlines with players, they underestimated the staying power of this story. 
 

34 minutes ago, Reluctant Striker said:

Yes, the injury did have an impact. Even at 3-1, Cash had a chance he would usually take. They really do need to regroup & refocus. Everton (h) & Burnley (a) so important now after that start.

We’ll be fine, just need 4-5 games to get new partnerships formed.

Think Mings injury two days after Buendia’s shocked our players, as you could see from Konsa mistake for the third, normally you had Mings barking at him and Pau didn’t as that’s the first time they’ve played together no shout and Isak pinches it and it’s 3-1. After that the just looked shell shocked as you would two top players gone in 48hours for the year. The game was over our heads drop as they’re distraught. They’re not like the squad of yesterday there’s so much work going into the players socialising together, families socialising, kids play together etc so they’ve taken injuries very hard.
 

3-1 down Newcastle are overrunning us in midfield and they just wanted to go home you could see it. 5-1 looks like we got pumped all game we were actually quite competitive in spells. 
 

the club is cursed, last year ACL first game, this year ACL first game plus Buendia in training, we are fucked squad depth in tatters

Won’t pretend I know anything about him, expect a back up GK and a Striker now, would like to see a RB to challenge cash too

On 23/06/2023 at 22:52, Dr. Gonzo said:

What’s the winning badge look like?

Villa have historically had some of the best looking club crests in the history of British football, so I’m always interested to see what they do next.

@Fairy In Boots - does your pal’s company still have any contracts with the club?

It’s to do with Chris Heck, he’s new to the role and had success with the 76r’s rebrand, this was launched before he came in.