Has to be. It would be idiotic in our situation not to.
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Has to be. It would be idiotic in our situation not to.
😂😂 hear this quite a lot with our new signings. What is it exactly that Unai says to them 😂😂!!!!
Yep the devil is in the details. There’s big changes in the List A from last Jan with Asensio and Rashford leaving amongst others so I suppose it depends on the relative cost of Sancho and Elliot. Hard to know but as you say the club will be all over this and will have no plan to risk a sanction.
Yes 👍 take your point.
But ultimately this is one of the issues of UEFA’s SCR. It is way less transparent to fans than PSR. I haven’t yet seen any really convincing calculation from publicly available info. We can have a good guess but you can even check it retrospectively to get a proper understanding.
Not sure about that. I get your point whether the players not named in the squad count towards SCR but the direct link is not clear in those regs. My understanding is the numerator includes all “relevant players” and is not just those players named in the squad. I don’t think it’s a get out on SCR.
Yup that’s my understanding hence thinking we can’t put 1 senior player into squad. Interesting to see who misses out. Probably Barkley atm ?
This is a brilliant article 👍 I struggle to understand why anyone pays any attention to the rumours written about Villa by a lot of the click baiters when we have a handful of really high quality journalists on our patch. Jacob’s stuff is pure quality 👍
Just thinking after yesterday’s deadline day, if I’m not wrong we now have a 1st team XI squad of 23+ a 3rd club trained GK? I may be I imagining things but don’t we have to lose 1 player out of the squad for Europe with that squad make up?
100% agree again! Must be a record! Never a good idea to cut your nose off to spite your face. I’d hope he’s given a bit of time to get his head together. McGinn and Mings are intelligent people and will realise their best interests are served by getting Emi back up and running.
….. but it’s just not like that. Stopped using FB for that reason and largely moved to Twitter. Great at the start then just poisonous especially with me doing PSR and finance stuff. I’m now trying to curate my Bluesky to the highest quality of people. You’re definitely on that list mate 👍
Ian I get it 👍 Particularly in a transfer window, this place hasn’t got the pace of X so plenty will have popped in to get the breaking stuff even if most of it is bollocks!! I’m the same as you. Naively I probably thought most people are the same when you chat rationally and politely……
Give him next game off and international break to get his head together. I’m convinced his family being settled locally plays a role in him not looking at Turkey or Saudi so he’ll look at what his options are now. They’re pretty limited in England so with a clear head I think he’ll knuckle down
Think that’s fair enough. Twitter’s always reactionary. Just block and move on.
😂😂👍👍
😂👍👍 glad I could be of help!
If we’re going down this line can I offer “Chug nugget” as another useful piece of vocab for dealing with Argentinian ex-world no1 goalkeepers?
Boom!!!! Another quality piece of old school profanity 😂😂😂 Excellent work Mrs O 👍
Yep. Whilst I’ve no huge opinion on Illing Jr, this seems to be a problem area and blind spot for us.
A favourite insult 👍 Excellent usage in this context!
Certainly possible. Saw Kosta making some runs last pre-season and getting badly out of position. Fans get excited because he’s taking people on but I’d imagine it drives coaches mad when planning a clear team strategy and structure and especially one like Unai.
Definitely unlucky. Can’t remember the exact circumstances but I thought at the time it was a tactical switch rather than any criticism of Emi.
Exactly as I thought it would go eventually. I thought sell Digne and sign a younger LB as back up to Maatsen then rebalance a bit at RB with a more premium signing there and Cash in the squad. May have been the plan but couldn’t get it to happen.
Totally agree and I don’t condone any of that type of behaviour but Birmingham is a big city and has some proper rough and nasty sides to it. Sadly it just doesn’t surprise me.
I’m pleased for little Emi. Thought he did well when he came on last night and I like players who want to stay for the fight. Had a rough time with injuries too. Hope he can do well this season.
I’ve seen some of our fans smash up places and try to set fire to the plane we were on. A small minority of course but nothing surprises me about some of our fans.
I’d agree with this. Whilst I’m not a fan of the blaming Cash for everything and in fact I think he’s not at all bad as a player, it seems strange we haven’t been able to improve that position to progress the side.
Where did you hear that? I hadn’t heard that at all and it was purely an injury as to the reason he was out?
Terrible 😞. Partly shite kick off time, opponents but not good to see
Don’t think any of that happens without Martinez being shifted.
Agreed.
Yep me too. I think if we get that over the line I will be fairly happy.
The problem for me is I see Aston Villa as the pinnacle of any footballer’s career. Any player that actively looks to move from the pinnacle of their career is clearly an idiot and not worthy of any further thought. 😬
Yep absolutely. Totally ridiculous. The one thing I would say is the fact he’s an idiot does not surprise me 😂😂 Has a huge ego!
I don’t think he will be. Southgate was the example. He was tolerated by the Holte End but the adoration was gone and his name wasn’t sung for the rest of his time at Villa.
What a truly remarkable turn of events. Almost farcical.
Football fans are not usually particularly forgiving. This is a really bad development.
Agree 100% with that. The fact they are discussing loans on the last day of a window shows what a crap window it’s been and it is a case of patching up an unbalanced squad. Part of that is circumstance, part is questionable decisions on how we’ve spent the money we did have.
I’d got Malen and Guessand in mind as more inside forwards than wingers whereas Sancho is more that as I recall. Take your point about a left footed option
But today’s another day!! The sun is out…. ahhhh oh bugger 😩😂
Understand the first and second points. 👍 Not sure about the third as he would basically be our only winger in the squad?
Come on Sue!!!!! You’re one of my go to’s for happiness and positivity!! 😂
Yep 👍 I don’t believe there is one iota of a chance Villa won’t comply with SCR this year. This is NSWE not Tony Xia.
I like this a lot 👍 Potentially a perfect fit for Emery’s structure. Villa also potentially a great fit for Sancho to enjoy his football again.
I don’t think so. MON was a total one off in terms of being volatile and quite emotional. Emery is the very antithesis of that and imo will see this season as part of the project and a challenging problem to be resolved. If the longer term plan isn’t there it may be a problem but not yet.
I’m speculating that given the family are very settled that side of Sutton (Four Oaks I think) and with the business, I’d reckon Saudi is a non starter for him. Manchester is quite commutable from there too so I can see him pushing for Utd if City or Liverpool aren’t open.
www.expressandstar.com/news/2025/05...
Agree with the right side comment. Bailey’s drop in form was huge for us. No doubt Emery was looking for a 10 with Asensio/Paqueta. To me CB is clear but it depends on who we play. It’s Konsa/Mings or Konsa/Pau in certain situations. Highly opposition dependant imo
Imo an awful lot more than we think hinged on Bailey’s poor form. Unai then created a new system based on what was available to get us functioning again 2nd half of the season.
It was huge. In Unai’s asymmetric formation that right winger is key as it pulls the whole opposition over and creates space for the LB when the LM tucks in. Then the RB stays home mostly and is less likely to be caught out of position. Maatsen was the perfect signing for that LB role.
Yep. Unlikely though given his wife’s new business venture
I think balance in the squad but the first XI has been fine apart from in my humble opinion a couple of tactical gaffs and some poor form in particular Bailey leaving us short out wide.
Blimey. It was full around us in the Trinity Enclosure. At least until 2nd half 😂
Think that’s a natural reaction and particularly for Villa fans. There’s always a negative atmosphere just beneath the surface with us!!
* also important to stay in touch and in Europa league until January window where there is the chance to act in the short term loan market if needed again. So mid table at Jan will not unduly concern me either.
Think it’s possibly more of a problem if he doesn’t leave now. Hope deal gets done today and by 7pm we have a new no.1
My confidence is around Unai’s consistent track record of making the tweaks necessary to get performances back when things looked bleak. He has done it several times before and I believe he’ll do it again. We still have good players and with a settled period after the window, I think we’ll come good
For sure he is cover and squad depth not a first XI player. Unai has consistently tweaked things in his time with us and he’s always got things back on track when we’ve looked like derailing. I’m confident given his track record, he’ll do exactly that again.
No!!? Really. Just 2nd half or the whole game? Where’s that in the ground?
Last night is now gone. No-one should underestimate what a good side CP are and they have Unai’s measure. I back Unai to get this right and although this season will be tough, I think we will still be top half and in the conversation for UEFA places. Too many good players and a quality manager.
😂 how the hell does anyone get angry about anyone selling some t-shirts 😂 “I’m so angry about this t shirt, I’m not going to buy it” is surely a more appropriate response!!
Glad to hear it 👍 you do a top job and I enjoy your content. Social Media is such a depressing window into how small minded, negative, vindictive and nasty so many people are in this world.
Bloke next to me left at half time to go back to the pub!! Turns out he possibly made the right call!!
Hope you’re ok Dan. Easier said than done for you as I get it’s a work thing but it definitely helps mentally coming off Twitter.
Haven’t seen that yet.
True but whatever the circumstances I can certainly understand the atmosphere in the squad being in a bit of turmoil
Whilst that’s true to an extent, Buendia looked good and we looked better on the eye, we still didn’t create much of real quality at all. Still the same problems imo. Too central and not decisive down the flanks.
Agreed 👍. What we don’t need is the atmosphere becoming overly negative and despondent after 3 games. It’s grim but we need to focus on the quality we have not the quality lost or haven’t signed.
Really disappointed with our approach after about 15 mins. But CP are our Kryptonite and I don’t believe for one minute we’ll be in a relegation scrap. Unai will fix the general tactical issues (CP aside) but clearly tomorrow is a very important day for us. The club needs a lift.
Rogers has looked a lost Championship player these past 3 games. Malen anonymous. Watkins isolated and feeding on scraps. Knowing CP have such a robust low block, why do we wait for both teams to get back into position? They don’t take the bait, so pointless waiting for them to come for us.
#avfc utter garbage tonight. So much to unpack. Why when faced with 3 CBs and 2 quality holding m/fielder do we insist on trying to play the ball through that area. Anything that came wide was slow and recycled back in most times? Same Crystal Palace and I didn’t see any real change in our approach.
Yep 👍 I think you’ve probably hit the nail on the head there. It’s frustrating that it’s at the end of the window and it feels all a bit of a shambles but I tend to think in the bigger picture it’s something that probably had to happen. Dying to see where we end up 7pm tomorrow!!
Blimey that’s a good memory!! Vaguely remember some noise at the time. Suppose it was all a bit of a farce as they were all tapping players up but it still irritates me when I see journalists writing stuff like that.
Wonder if that’s going to have to be done each week 🤷🏻♂️
Funny isn’t it that it always used to be an approach to the club first and then negotiations with the player once permission granted! Well at least officially.
😂 yep. Typical Villa isn’t it!? Always a loss or two away from a crisis.
Another good win for Barnsley yesterday 👍 Good stuff Conor
I’m finding a real struggle to get the enthusiasm to go up VP tonight given it’s 7pm on a Sunday and with all this going on. A loss and the atmosphere around the club could go unnecessarily toxic.
Had to delete app and reinstall!!! Bonkers 😂 Nothing seems to work with Villa these days
Yep brilliant 👍 all sorted! Last time it was only log out and log in. Now it’s delete the app and start again 😂😂
Intrigued that my tickets are on the app but no option to put them into Apple Wallet. Anyone else seeing that?
100%
Yep I’m totally in line with that comment Emma. Unai ultimately has to be the one to judge that but like you, the idea makes me very uneasy.
I don’t know what he’s said or done but I agree totally 😂
Yep huge doubts for me
Well I managed to totally miss those AI clues so it was a good spot!!! 😂
Undoubtedly!! Still amusing though 👍
😂 lump on!!! I know he will be 😂😂
Yep exactly that. I suspect this is what they’re trying to structure carefully.
No posts. No replies. No activity at all.
#avfc Obviously as a fan I totally reserve the right to do a full 360 turn, cheer and declare him the greatest player of the 2020s!! 😂However as it stands, I think this is nuts at the numbers being spoken about and as an obligation.
As much as I’d love to engage with you on this, I no longer engage in debate with strangers on social media unless it is related to Aston Villa FC. It is a complete waste of my time and effort discussing things with entrenched positions and those relying on simplistic Tu quoque arguments.
❤️❤️❤️ lovely!!!
Sorry, I’m not interested in any debate on social media unless it’s related to Aston Villa FC.
Grumpy old man syndrome number 367…… FB asking “what’s your vibe”? Wtf is that. I’m 53 not bloody 12. I’m in a smashing mood thanks right up until you asked me that 😂 Winds me up when some of the Villa podcasts use it too ffs “vibe”. Here’s some pictures of some Vibes.
Sometimes these more serious threads flush out the truly odd people amongst us!! 😂 The chap I was responding to here described my post as “hysterical” yet he simultaneously blocks any women 😂😂 Nowt stranger than folk!!
From someone that writes “women will be blocked” in his header 😂😂 Safe to say I won’t lose any sleep about your thoughts on anything!! 😂😂
From an organisation once headed by Sepp Blatter and now Gianni Infantino that first sentence rings pretty hollow!! 😂
I don’t mind as long as we get some come through eventually. The most concerning ones have been Kosta and Yacin though. Zero chance given for them to break through and look to be 100% financial
