Mazrim

I'll be honest. I don't think Cash is good enough. Its definitely a case of wanting better, rather than better cover.

So, I'm 48 now. FFS... Anyway. My earliest memories were obviously the early 80s and winning the big stuff. But I was aware of the era before with Saunders, Little, Gray etc. I remember the tales of the return from the dark depths under Crowe. Yes, we floundered for a while in the mid 80s but the late 80s and early 90s restored that hope in spades. We had great teams under Taylor, Atkinson, Little, Gregory... Always just missing that one piece of the puzzle to make a true dynasty. Alex Fergusson often said he expected us to be their main challenge in those early 90s times. If we had a more visionary chairman to take advantage of the changing times in football we may well have been. O'Neill was overrated in my opinion. He squandered a big chance to break into the big time with some poor decision making and recruitment (letting Cahill go, buying a back 4 twice in 2 seasons, getting Heskey when we needed a goalscorer...) Nevertheless they were hopeful times and much more like it after O'Leary's dreary last season (we forget how good his first was mind). We all know what happened towards the end of Lerner's time and the up to NSWE. I guess my point is that we've had more good times than a lot of people realise, particularly in this artificially induced "SKY big 6" era. A myth. The likes of Spurs, Man City and Chelsea were not in our class for most of the time mentioned. Especially Man City and Chelsea. These are traditionally smaller clubs that got lucky with money and timing. Kids wont appreciate that and 10 years is an eternity to them. It doesn't matter. Now, with the immense wealth of NSWE and their obvious acumen, the good times might be coming back, or rather just another great new era in our storied history. All we ever ask for is a plan, a chance - and we have that. We have the right manager and backroom it seems, the right facilities, the right name. We still need a few stars to align and a bit of luck but who doesn't? We'll have to build the club up to create the revenue needed to recruit and retain the best talent. That's happening. Arguably we could regularly fill or nearly fill a 60,000 stadium. That reflects the fact that we're the biggest club in 100 mile radius in every direction. There's a LOT of people in that area and often our biggest rivals for support are (disappointingly) teams from London and North West and not local. Get a plane from BHX now and you'll see Villa shirts a plenty but also Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool etc. Far more than Blues or WBA or Wolves. Once I would have said good riddance, plastic rocket polishers etc but the sad truth is football is a business now and we need that massive local regional appetite for successful Premier League football to match up with Villa. That extra revenue is vital. But its happening. It will happen. Villa Park will expand. Revenue will follow. Success on the pitch will breed success off it and vice versa. As long as the clever people keep making the right calls, Villa has all the raw ingredients to be a top European club. A Giant. i don't know about "peak" Villa. But Villa can get (back) to the peak. It's the most optimistic I've felt in our off field set up in my lifetime. And yes, I'm pretty pumped about the on field situation too.

I think Emery will want a RB who can defend and support the attack. Not as aggressive as Moreno maybe but certainly not an auxillary centre half, rather a versatile mobile intelligent player. And I don't think Konsa can play right back except in emergencies. I think Traore will be off to be honest. Philogene will feature more. I love Bertie's outrageous moments and will be sad to see him go, but he just doesn't keep it up for a whole game, when fit. Aaron Ramsey will be knocking on the door soon too. I still wouldn't be surprised to see another winger / striker come in. I think we'll move between formations more this coming season. I'd love to see Coutinho show what he can do too but his lack of mobility may be the end of him in the PL so may well be off. Olsen is just shite. Sanson already leaving. So there's 4 of the 5 outs. Hause, Wesley, Davies... there should be a fair bit of room for more incomings.

I don't think we were ever in for Barnes. We still need another forward. A striker preferably, but maybe another winger who can cover both. Or better yet, two players. Definitely another right back. Dumfries would be nice maybe? And a backup GK. 3 or 4 more in. 4 or 5 out. Yes, I'm greedy but its what we need.

Sounds like a an early 2000s new metal band.

Sorry mate, it was a shit joke about a player named Bollocks. I know who Doku is.

Nay Sir. Never!

He was but not anelanga.

I don't know who he plays for but he doesn't sound very good.

Another few in I reckon. RB, FW, GK. Maybe a surprise. A few out too.

I think we're only half way done.

Twitter was never great but Musk has turned it into what our US cousins call a Dumpster Fire.

If he had, we wouldn't be chasing him.

Having "Saudi interest" is the latest media sheep trough now. Its for agents to use to get better deals, shit journalists to throw in and sometimes there might be something in it which is also Saudi skullduggery to get around the rules for their European assets.

Chances of Villa chasing a player that doesn't want to come here: Zero. Maybe 1% to be generous.

Mason Mount recently transferred for £60m. Mason Mount. Sixty. Million. Pounds.

When in Riyadh...

All jokes aside this is the reality. Championship Manager cheating bastards in real life.

No Traore either. We need 3.

Harvey Barnes will be bought for 40m and Saint Maximim will be sold for 400m.

He didn't tell Adrian how he will approach though. I would say it will be along a low wall, then between some cheese plants, crawling behind a shed before vaulting a shrubbery.

"Gregg Evans is transferring from Aston Villa to Golf, in a sign that the club cannot compete. This will come as a blow to supporters who had hoped to keep hold of their main reporter but reflects the reality of where Villa are at."

I'll say more than the odd bad word about Ben Mee, the dutty scrote.

In fairness, he could be referencing them muscling in on Golf, Boxing and so on too.

Are there no Villa supporting journalists who could do it?