zapbranny

3 minutes ago, Rob182 said:

The league will only allow you to count the positive figure for FFP in line with market rate. So a £30m sponsorship will get reduced in the accounts to a £3m (for example) income, in line with what other top 6 championship clubs could get for the same deal.

Interesting.  So do you know how Wolves managed it this season?

Start selling players like JG and may as well pack up.  If XIa is a fan there is no way he sells him.

I don’t understand this.  Doesn’t he just start some creative accounting as per Man City and Wolves.  I.e RECON or another subsidiary sponsor the stadium for £30m a season and no need to worry about FFP.  Sounds like he doesn’t have the money to do it.  Worrying times. 

As bad as anything I've seen.  Painfully obvious needs more control in midfield.  Why no adomah? Why abgonlahor? Why Hutton at all?  I'd rather play with ten men, he has zero ability on the ball. Westwood back to his anonymous best!

Kodjia and Ayew were shite, trying to do too much and losing the ball.  

We are going nowhere near the playoffs, and we would be humiliated by anyone in a final.

Bruce is going to have to show his worth in the transfer market, there is literally nobody that I couldn't justify selling.  

He needs to have 15 games in a row and I think we will see what he is about.

He has a rare talent and I really noticed it against Leeds, it is the ability to receive the ball with your back to goal and be marked and to be able to turn and get motoring towards goal.  This is not an easy thing to do, and once in this position it creates space for everyone else and leads to defenders retreating, deciding whether to asssist the tackler or track the runners, it is this half yard that will give kodjia and Adomah and McCormack if he plays the space to get in on goal.

I Think David Silva ( not saying he is as good) is the type of player Grealish can become.

Compare him to Westwood (who I thought was ok) he receives the ball back to goal and 90% is forced to play the way he is facing.  

I've got to be honest, this thread needs to be deleted.  I am massively concerned with the state of the squad right now.  We were relegated with 17 points last season!  With pretty much this squad - Gueye probably gone, who was one of our better performers.  I have a horrible feeling without serious investment this squad could be in a relegation battle again.

its not been a good start from Xia I don't think.  He needed to make a statement, get some bodies in for pre season for RDM to work with.  Pleased with the signings generally, however these will not be the difference on their own to getting promotion.  This is not the season to be taking chances atmlooks like a very big gamble from Xia at this stage in the window.  Admittedly at this stage it could all change, but he's going to need to get a move on.

I hope to god My assessment is wrong.

To note, I was very wrong last season, I was quite optimistic after FA semi final and new signings, meanwhile I predicted after LCFC appointed Ranieri that they would be relegated.  

He would get a free transfer from me.  He's an idiot and whilst I might tolerate someone's questionable mentality if they are talented and put in good performances; however Bacuna is none of those.  Extremely limited player with a poor attitude.  

Get him out soonest.  Leicester have shown what a decent attitude and team spirit can achieve.

Forget about £6mil.  He's on £40,000 per week!  I like the guy, quiet, inoffensive however I'd let him go for free to get his wages off the books.  He's a bang average championship player.  He contributes no actual effect on games, he doesn't intercept/ tackle, not a physical presence winning headers, doesn't score goals or create lots of chances.  He's exactly the same as bannan.  Some people used to rate him, God knows why.

Clearly there are others that I would get rid of first, bacuna, richards, gabby, lescott, Clarke, however Westwood is Symptomatic of everything that was wrong with villa during that phase, happy for all of that era to be gone.

1 hour ago, Woodytom said:

I honestly find it very hard to get angry with the guy. I really do.

I obviously recognise his failings but I don't agree with the vile abuse he receives.

Ive always been in the mindset that he's the owner. He can do what the hell he likes with it. And I continue to be confused when people disagree with this. Sure I get the frustration with having to accept that but we don't really have a choice. 

All this protesting 'our club' nonsense is a waste of time imo. He ain't gonna sell because we've attempted to make life difficult for him by holding up a bit of paper reading a message he's no doubt already familiar with. He can't wait to get rid of it and has probably been in that mindset for 3/4 years.

I don't see anything that he gets as a reward for being the aston villa owner and is no doubt as **** off as we are. He probably would just like to be able to hire a group of people that can do their jobs in an adult fashion, without thinking they know best and be able to come to an agreement as a team. 

He probably also expects players on extortionate wages to do as they are bloody well told, act as professional athletes and shut the **** up. 

Like I say, I recognise his failings and he shoulders a fair proportion of the blame. It's just pointless 'attacking' him as I'm certain he is wanting rid.

You can understand why that has taken so long too. I mean who in their right mind will want to buy this crock of shit?

Got to agree, he has not made great decisions.  However the fact that people are worried who we ar sold to makes me believe that he is not as bad an owner al a Vincent tan Venus etc.  People are keenly aware that there are much worse owners out there.

in defence of him, it looks as though he has spent £300 m of his own money, the debt has not been leveraged on the club as the glazers have.  He paid for the redevelopment of the training ground, the hole hotel etc.  

He employed people to run the club effectively and wanted the club to move onto a self sustaining model ( seems sensible).  These people failed.  Now Bernstein and King resigning doesn't look good, but until I know the reasons I am going to withhold an opinion.

He hasn't been a successful owner, but he has backed the club. Let's hope he doesn't just give it to the first Cowboys that show interest as long as he does that he will continue to have my respect.

if the asking price is £50m - could a fan supported consortium not buy the club?

This is my theory:

Bernstein has been here about a month.  Probably just enough time to do a Root and branch review of the club, analyse the issues and write a paper and submit it to Hollis and Lerner.

There is a board meeting attended by vtc by Lerner, he is uncomfortable on some of the changes and wants to adopt some but not all of the suggestions.  Hollie later tries to get Bernstein and King to compromise the suggestions.  Bernstein and King realise that Lerner is not really relinquishing control and resign.

who knows what it was about though.  It could be Lerner wanted to appoint Moyes and give him a chequebook.  Bernstein and King have disagreed and want a sustainable model.  It will probably come out in the wash, but until we know the area of disagreement it is silly to pillory Lerner.

5 minutes ago, YLN said:

It's a tabloid paper. They aren't concerned with educating the populace or appealing to the higher intellect. It's stuff that will make the great unwashed buy their paper. So sex and fear. This time it's sex. That's why there's a picture of those girls. The implication is that Gabby did laughing gas and had it off with those girls. Yeah it wouldn't make the front of the Financial Times, but The Sun and FT don't have the same readership. 

So sex and fear. Front page news differs between papers. And in my opinion, most papers try to appeal to the sex and fear thing on their front page, it's just some are more eager to hide it than others. The Sun are pretty shameless. 

Saying it's not front page news is like going onto Porn Hub and complaining that they don't do enough videos on The Solar System.

Uranus

Uranus!  I heard that the club wanted to let gabby go, but the cost would be Astronomical

1 minute ago, KSV said:

Surely this is a sackable offense. After the season he's had on and off the pitch... ffs what a prick.

What's sackable about this? You would need to be guilty of gross misconduct to be summarily dismissed.  Nothing about being photographed messing about off duty is gross misconduct.

Playing devils advocate here for a minute:

he has recently split with his missus, he has kids, can't be in a great place at the minute.  No family to fall back on, maybe lonely

proffessionally your game is falling to pieces, and it feels there is no way back, he might have even been told that's it and he's out.  He is Subject to intense speculation and ridicul.

your club has just been relegated, 

has nobody ever been on a destructive cycle when it has all gone to rat shit.  He's not even out, but in a house with some friends ( some friends that would release the photos).  Hippy crack, really!  Much better than booze or cocaine even cigarettes.

Gabby is not a bright lad, and maybe not the actions of a stable family man that one would expect of Lauren, mellberg etc.   but there is not much in this story to get excited about.  Bigger problems, much more worried about Bernstein and King leaving.

Not impressed from what I have seen and heard.

"this club spent £60m pounds"

so what?  A net spend of £8mil after decimating the squad year after year. Is massively behind the curve compared to all other sides.

 I was open minded about his appointment but the fact that he thinks he knows what the problem is after being here for 10 minutes, tells me that he knows **** all.  I had some hope before his appointment, but this guy has just nailed that shut. An amateur on damage control.  

If we do go down I hope Randy gets his fingers burnt severely and a consortium of fans buy the club in a fire sale it's the least he could do.

He's going to have to sit on the bench and learn from Gil for a while I think.  Not the best of games to have in front of a new manager.  Mind you thats exactly where he should be, pleased to be getting on  and getting 20 minutes, developing.  He's not good enough player to be a 10 that has to do nothing off the ball ( and Villa aren't a good enough side to carry anyone)

My Man of the Match last night.  Thought he showed exactly what he is capable of screening the back 4 nicking play and passing on.  He really covers some ground, is quick strong and the only midfielder we have that can win a header.  I'd like to see Sanchez and Gana as the regualr pairing in Midfield.  He can lose the ball occasionally but I accept that as a part of him not immediately trying to launch it upfield but give us posession to Counter, it can happen trying to find a teamate in a crowded area.

I wouldn't mind seeing a system like this:

Guzan

Hutton          Richards        Okore       Amavi 

   Sanchez

Gana 

               Ayew       Gil         Sinclair                 

Gestede / Ayew

This system would let the full backs push up and Sanchez to cover across when required.  The bench would provide options/ replacements.

I'd love to see the lineup we had against nots county.  As in grealish, Gil and Traore together.  However grealish doesnt work hard enough winning the ball back, even Messi will bust a bollock closing down.  I don't think we can afford Gil and grealish, so Jacky is going to spend some time on the bench.

Remi just needs to be able to pick the best players, I think no one on here would have put that side out, so he kmac be a shite manager, thanks for nothing.  I've no idea what the hell that was Kmac put out! Still struggling to decide if haws making a point, what was it?  That he can't pick a team... Well done, now take your leave.

That's the problem though, real players that will fight for the team wouldn't have gone off, just shook it off cleared your head and carried on.  You can't seriously believe that was a heavy knock?  He wasn't knocked out, not even a broken nose, it was half a forearm swung backwards, no elbow or fist.    I think he has nice ability, he just doesn't have any positive effect on the team,  I'm sure I've said this before, but he's not a defensive midfielder, so he should be contributing something offensively..... What is that contribution?  What is more damning is that Bacuna is no CM and he didn't look any worse than Westwood.

my worry is that after Leicester he got stick trom fans and media re poor substitutions.  My fear is that he deliberately put out a poor/ dysfunctional side and tactics so he could make changes to improve it, I don't think any fan would have picked that first half 11.

The first half has to be up there with the worst performance I've ever seen from a Villa side, the only reason we didn't go in behind because SHA had no teeth.  Tim could have admitted he got it wrong and tried to go back to what he wants to do, but to come up with this line that it was deliberate tactic and it went well, I find staggering.  The first half had no bearing on the second unless he was deliberately trying to show that he can make positive changes which I find worrying.  There is nothing wrong with admitting trying something that didn't work.

I never ever ever want to see that first half line up and tactics again.  Second half they looked good against a weak SHA side.  Grealish, Ayew, Richards a positive. Also Clark cannot play DM ever again that was one of the most incompetent half of football I've witnessed, up with JLoyd Samuel home against Reading. Fair play to Tim for sticking him back in at CB there was a diffeRent player (I'd all but sent him on loan).

thought Gestede (goal apart), Sinclair & Bacuna all nowhere near good enough.

worse.  This is the bad days of Lambert without benteke