What do you want from life?

[Rigadon]

The Ings signing feels like the Bent signing.

Yup

[curiousorange]

Personally, I just want to get there in as short a time as possible. Abramovich and the City owners couldn't wait to spend. Look how little time it took them to win anything. This will be the fourth year of NSWE ownership and the third in the Prem, and while you can point to the pandemic as a cautionary factor, I want excitement now, not seasonal progression. I want silver.

I'm not criticising NSWE, by the way. They've been lavish. But call me selfish if you like, I'd like us to have been coming into this difficult period thinking it's not us being the team it'll be difficult for.

[eamonn]

An interview from Edens or Sawiris would be most timely (as long as they say exciting things).

[Rigadon]

I do wonder whether the lack of that statement signing could be manager related.  Maybe they don't trust Dean Smith enough to buy big now, and are waiting to see what happens.  I've wondered that for a while, which is unfair given the very solid job Dean has done so far. 

As for what I want from (Villa) life - I want Villa to play exciting football and be capable of beating any team we play.  We saw that for a few months last season and it was wonderful to watch.  Do that and the trophies will follow.

[curiousorange]

I do wonder whether the lack of that statement signing could be manager related.  Maybe they don't trust Dean Smith enough to buy big now, and are waiting to see what happens.  I've wondered that for a while, which is unfair given the very solid job Dean has done so far. 

That's a bit where I'm at too. I also wonder if part of it is the way Dean either prefers to operate or is used to operating, like preferring players who he can mould or come under the radar. In a way that's how Spuds reached the next level: lots of good German, Dutch and Spanish based players. But to me, you won't win the Prem always shopping at Aldi - sometimes you need to pick something up at M&S.

[Rigadon]

I do wonder whether the lack of that statement signing could be manager related.  Maybe they don't trust Dean Smith enough to buy big now, and are waiting to see what happens.  I've wondered that for a while, which is unfair given the very solid job Dean has done so far. 

That's a bit where I'm at too. I also wonder if part of it is the way Dean either prefers to operate or is used to operating, like preferring players who he can mould or come under the radar. In a way that's how Spuds reached the next level: lots of good German, Dutch and Spanish based players. But to me, you won't win the Prem always shopping at Aldi - sometimes you need to pick something up at M&S.

Exactly, they are doing most things right, but need to get to feckin M&S sharpish.   

[The Moose]

I want Aston Villa to win the FA Cup. Nothing else.

[Martyn Smith]

An interview from Edens or Sawiris would be most timely (as long as they say exciting things).

I remember Dave a while ago printing a distillation of what makes a winning team. One of the points read something like 'owners who do not interfere with playing matters and do not seek attention' 10 out of 10 for Messrs Edens and Sawiris so far on this score. TBH I don't even know what they look like and keep forgetting their names.

[Rigadon]

An interview from Edens or Sawiris would be most timely (as long as they say exciting things).

I remember Dave a while ago printing a distillation of what makes a winning team. One of the points read something like 'owners who do not interfere with playing matters and do not seek attention' 10 out of 10 for Messrs Edens and Sawiris so far on this score. TBH I don't even know what they look like and keep forgetting their names.

Abramovich?  Glazers?  Shaikh Monsoor?  These are hardly shrinking violets. 

We either buy into the fact that winning stuff consistently is predicated on fuck tones of money or accept we won’t do that (and try and ‘do a Leicester’). 

[cdbearsfan]

The respect of our peers, the fear of our enemies, the titles of our rivals, the blood of the Bourgeoisie and every day bringing new sexy wild times.

[curiousorange]

To be fair, even though you tend (or tended to) see those owners regularly at games, you heard from them relatively rarely. That's your ideal Prem owner: pockets open, trap shut.

The Leicester thing will do nothing for quite a number of ambitious mid-table clubs, and in its way is as short-sighted an approach as spunking all you have over one or two transfer windows. Leicester winning the title is a once in fifty years event - they were 5000-1 for a reason - but it will have convinced a bunch of romantic chumps that you don't have to break the bank to regularly win stuff,  so they'll spend a decade bleeding themselves dry rather than a couple of years.

[SoccerHQ]

With what was said, prior to the transfer window opening, I honestly thought that the time had come to make a couple of “name” signings. Instead, we ended up with the usual type of signings we make, bar Ings that is. I also think the majority of us were led to believe we had another couple of worthy signings to make, especially with Shinsplints being sold but, as usual, it all petered out.
Pre season was a total shambles and I’ve yet to see a league match were it has left me feeling that we are going to make any more progress this season. All pre season seemed to achieve was a few crucial injuries to our squad. Being Villa, these players will of course now have to “get up to speed”, “injuries to be managed”, etc.etc.

Leon Bailey imo is one of the best signings we've made in years in proven category.

Unless I've missed us signing in last decade guys who regularly hits double figures in top 5 league from wide position and has great expereince in europa and CL.

Sign 2-3 more of that type and we'll be qualifying for europa in next few years. Tricky part is to do that keeping what we have.

[Rigadon]

The respect of our peers, the fear of our enemies, the titles of our rivals, the blood of the Bourgeoisie and every day bringing new sexy wild times.

Mid table consolidation then, yeah?

[cdbearsfan]

Yeah, go on then.

[dave.woodhall]

An interview from Edens or Sawiris would be most timely (as long as they say exciting things).

I remember Dave a while ago printing a distillation of what makes a winning team. One of the points read something like 'owners who do not interfere with playing matters and do not seek attention' 10 out of 10 for Messrs Edens and Sawiris so far on this score. TBH I don't even know what they look like and keep forgetting their names.

Abramovich?  Glazers?  Shaikh Monsoor?  These are hardly shrinking violets. 

We either buy into the fact that winning stuff consistently is predicated on fuck tones of money or accept we won’t do that (and try and ‘do a Leicester’). 

The Ellis approach still casts a shadow over us in this respect. I don't want to hear from the owners. I don't particularly want to see them, unless it's in the royal box. I want them to employ people to do the sort of things that the travel agent used to pay himself to do and let them get on with it.