Douglas Luiz - coming back?

[PaulWinch again]

Properly gutted that he’s going. He’s a massive loss.

[LeeB]

I'm trying to look at this as pragmatically as possible, because I've always been a big fan of Doug, right from the start really. He's the type of player you just love to watch - making everything seem so simple.

On the face of it, this deal doesn't seem great. We're basically swapping one of our most important players for two players that are unlikely to start every week, plus a bit of cash that won't get us a suitable replacement. So we end up weaker.

But there's a lot more going on here. First of all, there's the financial regulations. I don't know our exact position, but I would doubt that we would be in such a hurry to get this deal through (especially with the players dotted all over the world) unless we had to. So it looks like our hands are tied in that have to sell someone. Why Doug? I guess first off because someone wants to buy him, and he's open to leaving. Apparently he's had a contract offer on the table for 6 months, that remains unsigned. He was probably waiting to see how everything pans out, which is fair enough. I think he's a Champions League player, so it's natural he'd want to keep his options open. I don't think he owes us anything from a loyalty point of view.

Next is that I think of all the players that we could sell, Doug might be the one we miss least. I've tried to be careful with my wording there - I don't think we can replace him easily, as someone as good on the ball as him will probably cost what we're selling him for. But we can patch up the team without him in a way that might mean we don't miss him. For instance, when we have a fully fit squad (which must have happened once), his job is to sit next to Kamara and help us get up the pitch. His passing range is fantastic, so he's very good at this. But maybe there are other ways we could do the same job - maybe with someone like Gallagher driving us forward with a burst of energy? Beat the press by stepping past the first wave and then playing a simple pass into space? Giving Torres more options by moving quickly to receive the ball, or create space for others - not Doug's strong point.

In fact, Doug's physicality is the main thing that holds him back. He's not big, strong or quick, so in the Premier League you need a player next to him that compensates for this - or you get bullied (which has happened to us a lot with Doug in the side). He often makes up for it by being a second or two quicker in the head, but sometimes we just get overrun in the middle. Looking at the players we've bought and been linked to in the last couple of transfer windows, physicality is something we are looking to add to the squad. More power, height and speed. I think Unai is trying to evolve the way we play - or at least, he's trying to reduce the number of weaknesses in our team. Doug, for all his talent, has zero physicality, and team's target that. Doug isn't the only one, of course, but the middle of the pitch is where we desperately need something more.

The players involved in the swap can all have their value written off for FFP/PSR, apparently, so that all helps. The weird way the financial regulations work means that as soon as June is over, we can start spending money again, I think. So this month is just about getting some money in. I would expect we'll see a few more out the door in the next few weeks.

While I am pretty optimistic about this deal, I have to say that it's a fucking outrage that we have to sell someone. Over the last few years we've been around mid-table in terms of net spend. We've just had our best season for decades, out performing teams that have spent much more than us. We've finally arrived in the promised land, without breaking one rule and without going into any debt, but we have to sell off one of our best players to comply with the rules now. Meanwhile, Man City have broken 115 rules without any punishment so far, Chelsea seem to spend as much as they want and Man United have debt that could cripple some small countries.

Can anyone can honestly say that the rules are in place for 'Fair Play'? They are at best woefully outdated, and at worst, a carefully thought out plan to keep the 'Big 6' in place. To be fair, they need all the help they can get at the moment, because since Unai came, we've been much better than half of them. And we will be next year as well.

Well said!!

Yes, this is a really good post.

[PeterWithesShin]

He may want to leave and would be leaving anyway regardless of finances.

Serve him right when he's stood on the pitch watching us lift the CL trophy.

[The Edge]

I can't lie I am gutted by this. I think he's been a vital cog in Unai's Villa machine and we will definitely miss him. His pass with the outside of his right foot that curled right into Ollies path to score at the Witton End is one of the most sublime I've ever witnessed at Villa Park. But I'm not gonna cry over it. We have still got our amazing manager and Monchi out there doing deals. I'm trusting them to sort it out and make us even stronger after the dust has settled.

[LeeB]

Properly gutted that he’s going. He’s a massive loss.

He's a great player but I'm not sure he will be.

[Bully2345]

Sad he's going but you have to make tough decisions to be successful. He sounds as if he's had enough chance to sign a new deal and has opted not to. Villa are trying to box clever and this gets us a couple of interesting players in while balancing the books.

I still expect another centre mid to arrive, possibly Gallagher. It will just happen after 30th June

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Properly gutted that he’s going. He’s a massive loss.

Shit isn't it? That said we've progressed faster than planned and needs must. Plus, we're finally going to see if Monchi really lives up to his reputation. On paper the deal looks like we're getting our trousers pulled down, the Juve fans think we most certainly are but the McKennie valuation could and should be well under. Plus we have young Junior who again seems valued very cheap but has massive potential.

I can't see Unai agreeing to this deal unless he really wanted both players.

[PaulWinch again]

Properly gutted that he’s going. He’s a massive loss.

Shit isn't it? That said we've progressed faster than planned and needs must. Plus, we're finally going to see if Monchi really lives up to his reputation. On paper the deal looks like we're getting our trousers pulled down, the Juve fans think we most certainly are but the McKennie valuation could and should be well under. Plus we have young Junior who again seems valued very cheap but has massive potential.

I can't see Unai agreeing to this deal unless he really wanted both players.

I hope so, but on the face of it we’re losing a top end midfielder and getting in a guy who failed at Leeds and someone who has played very little. Hopefully it’ll work out, but I know which side of the deal I’d rather be on.

[Villan82]

One of my favourite players since promotion. I think he is massively under appreciated for his passing, skills, goals, and set pieces.

The system is broken if you can make top 4 and still have to sell a key player.

Over to Monchi now I guess

[jwarry]

I'm trying to look at this as pragmatically as possible, because I've always been a big fan of Doug, right from the start really. He's the type of player you just love to watch - making everything seem so simple.

On the face of it, this deal doesn't seem great. We're basically swapping one of our most important players for two players that are unlikely to start every week, plus a bit of cash that won't get us a suitable replacement. So we end up weaker.

But there's a lot more going on here. First of all, there's the financial regulations. I don't know our exact position, but I would doubt that we would be in such a hurry to get this deal through (especially with the players dotted all over the world) unless we had to. So it looks like our hands are tied in that have to sell someone. Why Doug? I guess first off because someone wants to buy him, and he's open to leaving. Apparently he's had a contract offer on the table for 6 months, that remains unsigned. He was probably waiting to see how everything pans out, which is fair enough. I think he's a Champions League player, so it's natural he'd want to keep his options open. I don't think he owes us anything from a loyalty point of view.

Next is that I think of all the players that we could sell, Doug might be the one we miss least. I've tried to be careful with my wording there - I don't think we can replace him easily, as someone as good on the ball as him will probably cost what we're selling him for. But we can patch up the team without him in a way that might mean we don't miss him. For instance, when we have a fully fit squad (which must have happened once), his job is to sit next to Kamara and help us get up the pitch. His passing range is fantastic, so he's very good at this. But maybe there are other ways we could do the same job - maybe with someone like Gallagher driving us forward with a burst of energy? Beat the press by stepping past the first wave and then playing a simple pass into space? Giving Torres more options by moving quickly to receive the ball, or create space for others - not Doug's strong point.

In fact, Doug's physicality is the main thing that holds him back. He's not big, strong or quick, so in the Premier League you need a player next to him that compensates for this - or you get bullied (which has happened to us a lot with Doug in the side). He often makes up for it by being a second or two quicker in the head, but sometimes we just get overrun in the middle. Looking at the players we've bought and been linked to in the last couple of transfer windows, physicality is something we are looking to add to the squad. More power, height and speed. I think Unai is trying to evolve the way we play - or at least, he's trying to reduce the number of weaknesses in our team. Doug, for all his talent, has zero physicality, and team's target that. Doug isn't the only one, of course, but the middle of the pitch is where we desperately need something more.

The players involved in the swap can all have their value written off for FFP/PSR, apparently, so that all helps. The weird way the financial regulations work means that as soon as June is over, we can start spending money again, I think. So this month is just about getting some money in. I would expect we'll see a few more out the door in the next few weeks.

While I am pretty optimistic about this deal, I have to say that it's a fucking outrage that we have to sell someone. Over the last few years we've been around mid-table in terms of net spend. We've just had our best season for decades, out performing teams that have spent much more than us. We've finally arrived in the promised land, without breaking one rule and without going into any debt, but we have to sell off one of our best players to comply with the rules now. Meanwhile, Man City have broken 115 rules without any punishment so far, Chelsea seem to spend as much as they want and Man United have debt that could cripple some small countries.

Can anyone can honestly say that the rules are in place for 'Fair Play'? They are at best woefully outdated, and at worst, a carefully thought out plan to keep the 'Big 6' in place. To be fair, they need all the help they can get at the moment, because since Unai came, we've been much better than half of them. And we will be next year as well.

Well said!!

Yes, this is a really good post.

That has actually made me feel optimistic, well done

[andyh]

Properly gutted that he’s going. He’s a massive loss.

He's a great player but I'm not sure he will be.

I agree.
While I do like him, I’m not exactly devastated that he’s off.
It’s an oh, well feeling.


Of it were Ollie, SJM or Emi leaving, that’s a different story.

[Monty]

Sad, I'll miss him, and I'll have to endure all kinds of fuckfacery from wanker Juve 'fans' (from famous bits of Turin like Treviso and Bari). I just really, really, really hope noted cigarette makers Weston McKennie and the son of Ilion Snr are amazing, and that this helps us to sign Gallagher. But I'm still sad.

[LeeB]

Properly gutted that he’s going. He’s a massive loss.

He's a great player but I'm not sure he will be.

I agree.
While I do like him, I’m not exactly devastated that he’s off.
It’s an oh, well feeling.


Of it were Ollie, SJM or Emi leaving, that’s a different story.

I thought it was just me, but yeah, exactly that.

I'd also add Bailey to that list now.

[PaulWinch again]

I think people are falling into the trap of recency bias and him performing a different role in the second half of the season. We don’t have that run in the first half of the season without him, he was exceptional. I hope we have some real quality coming in, because McKennie is massively unconvincing.

[AV84]

I wonder if he was told he was going a few months ago and that's what led to the fall off in play? I'm sure I saw before that Monchi or Emery let's players know if they're surplus to requirements a while before the end of the season so they have time to sort something new out. Maybe that was someone else, but Juve feels like a strange deal to have come out of nowhere.