Red Herring
As MOMS suggested yesterday, Jordan Veretout starting against Shrewsbury Town had ‘red herring’, in terms of him staying, written all over his appearance.
To his credit, Veretout gave hints of what could have been with the odd cross field ball and spark in the midfield, but ultimately we saw why there is nothing we’re going to miss.
It’s also possible that playing in that Villa team against Shrewsbury, finally made up the Frenchman’s mind, that he had to get out asap!
There might have been a player there for Villa, but he’s done nothing to lose any sleep over. The concept of Veretout (a cultured midfielder) based on the evidence in a Villa shirt, was always better than the reality (disinterested and unlikely to ever fit in).
While there have been disappointment at the reported £4.5m or so, transfer fee being a little south of what you’d want for him from St Etienne, it probably covers the majority of the cost of John Terry and the incoming Ahmed Elmohamady. Also, the fact that Villa over-paid for him in the first place, should be factored in.
Now it’s up to the likes of Conor Hourihane to step up and banish the memory of the French Villa misfit.
Villa Rejects
With the event of Tommy Elphick joining Birmingham City looking more and more likely, the news that ex-Villan Stewart Downing may join him, this would certainly spice up the local derby even more this season.
To be fair, both signings could be good moves for the Blues and should improve their league position on last season (not hard).
There had been talk about Downing to Villa, but it’s time to look to the future. Andre Green is good enough to start on the left, he just needs to improve his decision-making on the final ball, but that will come with games.
Not Another Gabby!
There have been stories doing the rounds about Villa being interested in signing former Villareal and Atletico Madrid midfielder Gabriel Kunda Jr.
But, ask yourself, do Villa really need another midfielder?
Also, the arrival of Elmohamady as an option on the right-hand side of the midfield, would further lessen any need for the 24-year-old Zambian, who can also play there, as well as more centrally.
Villa bought heavily to solve their midfield woes in January and it’s likely the only extra personnel considered there will be the following…
Watch this Space
Ahmed Elmohamady and Glenn Whelan in this week? Definitely maybe…
Update: One in…
UTV
Follow MOMS on Twitter on @oldmansaid for more transfer reasoning
NEW PODCAST EPISODE:
Yes I meant to agree it’s clear to see why Veretout wants to get out of it ASAP
Elmo and Whelan, have we completely lost it, this is total nonsense, did anyone watch last nights game against Walsall if so isn’t it patently obvious that just like last season we desperately need a goal scorer. No Kodjia no threat, and definitely no promotion on this basis, if Kodjia gets injured again we’re likely to finish mid to bottom half mark my words. It just seems that Bruce is intent on wasting more money on his old over the hill buddies who would likely play in positions where we already have loads of cover. Terry looked a class of his own way better than anything that we have playing along side him, and also our only player to put the ball in the net, says it all for our so called strikers, and I know he’s only young but I didn’t rate Green at all no control and definitely can’t pass, might have some potential but not up to it yet, we need much higher calibre players if we’re talking about promotion, and sadly I believe a higher calibre manager I think Bruce is living in the past and we need to be looking at the future. Promotion. Cloud 9 more like it.