DaveAV1

16 minutes ago, thabucks said:

Sleep tight 

Hope we don’t pull this back or you’ll have nightmares. People on here………….

18 minutes ago, rjw63 said:

**** this , I’d rather watch the Traitors

Ironically 

8 minutes ago, tinker said:

Would make alot of sense if Ramsey was injured for any length of time.........

Which he has been. 

1 hour ago, LondonLax said:

Ramsey replacement?

I’d hope not

36 minutes ago, KAZZAM said:

The deal either gets done or our good relationship with Boro is most likely finished.

Do we have one?

1 minute ago, Tom13 said:

From what I've seen of Rowe he's a very explosive but raw player, has quite an unorthodox style which sometimes looks a little clumsy. Rogers looks a much tidier player who has the ability to beat players without needing space in behind.

Thanks Tom, which one do you think would suit us best, if you were Unai/Monchi, which one would you get the cheque book out for? and why? 

9 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

Yeah but it’s not the clickbait that bothers me as much as the attention that fans are giving it and the actual consideration or even desire to sell him… it’s been considered and discussed for a while…

There are other ways around FFP, and we are trying to qualify for CL and increase our revenue in different ways (maybe we should be more on board with that rather than wanting our better players sold). We have (more) expendable players too… it would be a huge blow to lose him.

Why is he expendable all of a sudden?

When he was seen as indispensable not so long ago?

He got injured through no fault of his own and is now having a FOR SALE sign hung on him by some fans…

Battling his way back and trying to recover form - which he will.

Even in his cameo vs Brighton he scored a stunning goal… some seem to be forgetting how good he has been and what he is capable of…

Unai has always put him in the team when he’s been available too… I still think he favours JJ and McGinn at LM and RM when he can do it…

The lack of patience, faith and sympathy… FFS… he’s class.

 

I can’t wait to have the Moreno and JJ combo back again… we are going to tear through teams again!

You’re right and that’s probably what we’ve been missing recently, he just needs time to recover his full match fitness as does Moreno. 

9 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

He's not an alternative. Completely different players.

I’m not disagreeing Tom but how do they differ?

10 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

Yes but people had already been discussing or considering selling him with all the prior FFP talk, that’s been going on for a while… I find it quite disappointing.

The lad is so talented and still so young… one of the very best young players in the league with such huge potential… he should be a big part of our future and I’m taken aback but those who would be (more than) willing for that to be no longer the case… especially if he moved to another PL club. That would be DISGUSTING.

It would look bad too… selling one of our prized possessions… that’s what he is. A player who came through our academy, who has always loved and supported the club, who has demonstrated tremendous talent and ability and… like you say… is a key player. Short memories again… he was superb last season and this injury has just stalled him… watch how he thrives once’s he’s fit and firing again…

If we consider offers (that aren’t ridiculous) for such a player… it just makes us look like a selling club rather than an ambitious one imo… and invites more offers for more players… then how are we going to encourage and engender loyalty from our players to buy into the “project” or vision and stick around for the long term?

Will everyone be dispensable?  

Again, it’s all just speculation and noise, guesswork… I’d rather not give it too much weight personally…

I agree and don’t think we are seriously considering selling him. Fans, particularly on social media tend to always want a new shiny player and do will happily be prepared to sell an existing player regardless of how good he is to get a new shiny one, which is often madness, this would definitely be an example, in a week or two JJ will recover his full match fitness and we’ll have an excellent player back who’ll be one of the first on the team sheet and one of the last we’d want to lose. UTV!!!!!He’s the type of player we’re looking for! But probably won’t find in the January market, certainly not at any decent value for money. He certainly doesn’t appear to be wanting a move, so it’s just noise from elsewhere particularly as we’re playing Newcastle on Tuesday, lazy clickbait as usual! 

On 26/01/2024 at 21:59, sidcow said:

.  Seems fair.

Fair? You’re expecting fair? What is this madness you speak of? This is the Sky created and operated PL, let there be no more of this talk please! 

On 26/01/2024 at 16:17, sidcow said:

Highlighting the carriage return buttons.

You posted a pretty big post with a wall of unbroken test.  Makes it difficult and onerous to read.  I was just pulling your leg by pointing out you might like to insert a paragraph or two in it.  Sorry.

No problem Sid I do usually break down what a write into paragraphs, as others  not doing it bugs me too! So my Appologies and thanks! 

22 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Carlton? 

Jack or Bobby?

7 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I do wonder if some of you think he is meant to take the ball off the defence, beat 10 players and score?

He's been getting no support and not seeing the ball so I don't even think he's had the chance to be " poor " ffs

I agree with the first paragraph and don’t think that’s too much to expect at least a couple of times per half JV. 

Just now, DaveAV1 said:

Surely we must have scored at Keast a couple?

Or at least 

20 minutes ago, TheAuthority said:

Everyone wet the bed!! We’re not winning 4-0!

Surely we must have scored at Keast a couple?

1 hour ago, Villa87 said:

Kid is an idiot. 

Can anyone tell me what he has said?

2 minutes ago, Captain_Townsend said:

Our better players probably do though.

Call me greedy but I want both as much on practical terms and acceptance of the way the modern game / world is. However watching SJM lift the FA Cup is a memory that would last a lifetime for all of us and I think Unai wants us to win every game, so perhaps this season we can live all our dreams? 

7 minutes ago, Captain_Townsend said:

Our better players probably do though.

7 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

16 minutes ago, ender4 said:

Any good business manager would be trying to grow all revenue streams. I bet he could grow the Birmingham income by tens of millions if he put his mind to it. 

Just as an example, i bet he could get 70,000 locals to Villa Park every 2 weeks if he was inclined to really put his mind and resources into doing that.  I also think he could get an extra £10m from existing fans without them even knowing they were spending more at Villa - mainly food, drink, merchandise, etc... whilst also keeping those who want a budget experience happy.  It's about thinking cleverly and having great communications and bringing the loyal fans on a journey with you.

I’m sure he’s put his mind to it and the costs involved in doing that, as most things, it’s not that simple. Back in the day I had a scaffolding business and would sometimes be asked to build structures that would involve a huge and complicated design which sometimes wouldn’t be practically possible but the answer was often, “It can be built as nothing is impossible but how much are you prepared to spend? Was always the relevant question, regardless of who the client was and any other factors which would come into play. 

4 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

I don't think there's any chance of a move, probably in my lifetime - the opposite is more likely true = United don't really care that Old Trafford is falling down, it's not something that affects all but a very small number of their supporters - City don't care about empty seats, very few of their support base is interested in actually attending - the hard reality is that we're a brand, we're a TV programme with a live studio audience, 99% of the people who watch the Premier league don't give a monkeys as to whether I can get a burger or a seat for my bestie. The club will want to get the best yield they can from the asset - but it's not top of the list for ways to increase revenue.

I think you’re probably right, like it or not fans at football grounds are no longer deemed to be very important, lock down demonstrated that vey well not so long ago. Businessmen like Chris Heck and the men he works for, know this very well as do the people who run most clubs and this extends beyond this to loads  of industries too, as demonstrated by loads of people now working from home. Humans eh, who needs them they’re a nuisance and cost a lot of money to look after. Perhaps we should all invest in Subuteo? Although I’ve just probably demonstrated that I’m old and way behind the curve by forgetting computer based football games. I missed the bus again!!

23 hours ago, sidcow said:

 

 

I’m not sure I understand what that means Sid? Sorry. 

9 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

There's an absolute key in that statement - Heck isn't focused on people in Birmingham - there's a very limited amount of extra income that can be generated by people that go to games - the focus is on growing the wider fanbase, the people that won't ever go to games but will spend money watching us, buying Villa 'stuff' and so on - there are potentially tens of millions of those people out there - that's the focus. It's why there's this oddly growing gap between the opinions of fans that go to games and those that don't as to how well Heck is doing.

For season ticket holders, being able to afford to go and enjoying it when you're there are things that have almost as much influence as whether or not the team itself is successful - some of my favourite times following the club were in our last season in the Championship and I'd take watching us play in the Europa league from my seat in the ground over having to watch us in the Champions League on my sofa because I can't afford to go.

The club don't care about that, the club have to be successful, have to obey the doctrine of the times and the mantra of this league  - growth - and in the Friedmanesque nightmare in which we all live - the market says that the idea of community and of clubs being at the heart of a place and being a part of a community are anathema.

The adjustment that Heck is forcing us to accept is that 25,000 season ticket holders give him a lot less opportunity for growth than 200 million Indonesians or a US tyre manufacturer and that the club is going to prioritise the areas where it believes growth is most possible.

I think he can make us successful, he can promote the growth our owners want - I'm not sure those of us that sit in Villa Park are necessarily going to enjoy that ride.

 

Whilst I don’t disagree and my heart wants us to stay at Villa Park in B6 I can see the arguments for a move too. Since moving, with my family, 450 miles away, I’ve sadly given up my season ticket which I had for thousands of years and so I don’t see as many live games as I used to but still miss the creaky old place every matchday but into every life and all that, I put the love of family before my first love on this occasion, so perhaps the move from Villa Park wouldn’t be such a big thing for me. Perhaps if we’re thinking in practicable terms , I’d consider the NEC to have plenty of merits, I thought they should have built the new Wembley there, but expecting the FA to do anything remotely sensible was always a long shot, what do others think? 

2 hours ago, VillaChris said:

Next Liverpool manager is also going to have to replace Salah and VVD in next year or two and that won't be easy given their general levels in last five years.

I wouldn't say it's a poisoned chalice job but they're clearly going to drop down a few places unless they sign astoundingly well which isn't a given.

UE would probably feel it would be exactly like replacing Wenger at Arsenal and all those pitfalls.

Far more worried about Barca or Real Madrid eventually coming in for Emery as that's a far bigger pull.

When Unai followed Wenger to Arsenal he was on a hiding to nothing, Liverpool after Klopp would be similar, I’d imagine they’ll be keen on Alonso given his past status and the fact he’s doing well now as a manager. Step forward Stevie G would be hilarious though!

2 hours ago, TRO said:

73 on the 28th Feb......and Villa on form, make me feel 33......off form ( sheff Utd) 93

Spot on I hope you’ll be feeling 16 by the end of the season!!! Stay happy, be lucky and most of all be healthy mate!!

12 hours ago, Troglodyte said:

I was born in 1988 so I'm in my 36th year of life and I've lived in 37 years.  Doesn't change the fact I'm 35.

Glad to see you’re still bravely clinging to you youth mate. I’ll be only 61 on my next birthday in March which whilst that makes me slightly older than your good self I’m pretty sure I’m still much, much younger than @TRO