Doctor Tony Xia is feeling chuffed with himself and rightly so, as Villa’s management team and CEO pulled out all the stops to practically rebuild a team in one single transfer window.

With Xia declaring the transfer window closed for Aston Villa, perhaps only Jack Grealish and Jordan Amavi will be first team starters left over from last season’s squad.

Naturally, with his visible social media presence Xia will attract the plaudits, as team Villa worked hard behind the scenes, but the first ‘proper’ fit and proper test of the owner in the eyes of Villa supporters has been passed. There’s leadership, proven Championship experience and ability throughout the Villa first team now.

Of course, what looks good on paper may not necessarily gel or work in real life, but at least Villa have a shot at promotion now and Roberto Di Matteo has the tools for the job in hand.

As for planning for the African Cup of Nations and the potential exodus of up to four Villa players in mid-January, Xia declared on Twitter there is a plan in place:

 

There’s no doubt a lot of Villa supporters on social media would have also enjoyed Xia’s openness and candidness to transfer news, even if he’s frustrated the officials at other clubs by jumping the gun a few times. 🙂

Mystery Potential Deadline Signing

A transfer deal that Villa eventually decided not to carry out on deadline day was a centre back that had been lined up to essentially replace Micah Richards, who was expected to be heading to West Ham today. The Hammers though went for free agent 33-year-old Alvaro Arbeloa, who’s Real Madrid credentials no doubt swung the deal for the eager to impress East London club.

Once that deal was done and Richards was going nowhere, Villa’s interest in the additional defender halted.

It should now be interesting to see how Richards’ career pans out this season at Villa. If he gets past January, it’ll be interesting.

We’ll analysis the transfer window at large later this week and also discuss it at length on the My Old Man Said podcast show, so make sure you subscribe to it for free on whatever format suits you the best –  iTunes / Soundcloud / Tunein / Acast / Stitcher / PlayerFM

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5 COMMENTS

  1. The likes of Mica can either show character and give his all in the reserves to fight for a right back place at best or do little to earn those grossly inflated wages and ride out his time until January depending if he is good enough to play during the African Nations or move out.
    I am just relieved that at last the most toxic personality ever to hang around Villa Park – one Paddy Riley who I suspect has a narcissistic personality disorder, we will never know or get a psychiatrists report on that, Why it had taken this long I still cannot fathom out for the life of me. I am so pleased that we have a few smart cookies in the biscuit tin to not only realise that Riley was a fundamental part of Villas downfall but keeping him on would have created all the other biscuits to go stale. He was kept well back from harms way. Despite the Richards/Gabby issue (only a few months to go on that problem) We can now say this is a NEW Villa new outlook new strategy and the best Chairman we’ve had since we won the European Cup. I am really looking forward to the games now. Yes Bristol City was a set back – Perhaps now its RDMs turn to be in the spotlight to make sure all that support he has been given works tactically and wholly as a team pulling together on the pitch. The season starts now.

  2. Not so interested in how Micah’s career goes, he earns more in a month than I do in a year, so it’s already doing fine. Want him to smarten up on the pitch, and he cannot be captain anymore. I fear though he will be thought of as a Center Back. He isn’t just as Bacuna is not a Right Back.
    And the final “transfer” announced by Dr T is concerning to me. Round was approached when Remi took over and was interested until he found out he wouldn’t be assistant coach, even stating he wanted to coach. So why now is there a change of heart. Also if he is indeed in charge of Villa’s Footballing ethos, well neither Everton nor Man U were regarding as beautiful footballing teams whilst he was there with Moyes. Nor did they make stellar buys in the transfer market. So where does his genius lie? Oh and how does Riley feel about this.

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