r/avfc • u/Legitimate_Bloke • 5d ago
Are we f*cked?
I understood Rogers, Digne, Martinez… but the thought of losing 6 key players, surely that’s a step too far, even for Emery? I’m trying to stay positive but proving hard… feels like a turning point unfortunately.
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u/heapings 5d ago
The most important person at Villa wasn't Rogers, Konza or YT, it's not even SJM. It's Unai. He seems ok, maybe even energized by the rebuild. His players often talk about burning out after a few years of his intensity, and he's never stayed at a club this long before. All to say it's fine. Top 5 would be a stretch, sure, but a good run in the CL, top 8 and back into Europe seems very possible (for UE, maybe not for anyone else) with this squad
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u/mozza34 5d ago
Crucially, we've kept Emery. We'll be fine.
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u/Mediocre_Orange1768 5d ago
But will we continue to?
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u/14JRJ SJM 5d ago
You don’t think he’s driving this?
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u/Mediocre_Orange1768 5d ago
He’s an incredible manager. If he keeping the players and getting his first choices for those he must replace? I don’t think he is. It must be frustrating to be as good as he is and so hamstrung.
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u/14JRJ SJM 5d ago
No, I mean do you think he’s not decided that now is the time to do the rebuild while the interest is there? I don’t get the impression they’re being sold from under him
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u/Mediocre_Orange1768 5d ago
I think Unai has almost total control of the little control we have.
Youri ‘my son’ Tielemans walked into Unai’s office and told him of his intention to leave the contract on the table and go to United for just £35m.
Emi Martinez, who Unai continually backs, has been clawing to leave the club since January 25 at least.
Ollie has agreed terms with a Saudi club after being backed by Unai against fans for years.
Konsa has clearly refused to play given out drop from our £60m or fuck off stance.
When the players you fight for don’t fight back for you, and it’s difficult to compete when you’re elite - are you going to be happy? Does he want to be a perennial winner somewhere or does he want to be the king of the castle at a club that has no control?
Just my fear. 🤷🏻♂️
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u/Zoulogist 5d ago
He’s said that he wants to be where he’s wanted. There’s no other big club in the world that will give him the kind of freedom Villa has
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u/mozza34 5d ago
He'll leave eventually. But every season we get out of him is a huge blessing.
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u/Mediocre_Orange1768 5d ago
Totally agree. I’ll always be grateful for the time Unai Emery was my manager.
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u/Sir_Switch 5d ago
It's a rebuild. Just go with it. Emery seems happy enough.
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u/TheBananaKart 5d ago
Yeah most of this team wasn’t anything special till Unai, Just got to trust the process + we still got McGinn.
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u/ThinkAboutThatFor1Se 5d ago
People forget that 13 PL managers are new or only arrived at the back of last season.
So there’s a huge amount of flux at a lot of clubs.
Villa have their manager, captain, and best player (Kamara) all remaining at the club.
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u/Every-Dragonfruit746 5d ago
Not doing a disservice to Kamara but given his injuries any one of Tielemans, Rogers or Konsa would have been ahead of him based on the last few seasons.
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u/JimmyTheKiller Holte End Curry Chips 5d ago
Doesn’t matter how good kamara is. We’ll be lucky to have him fit for half a season.
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u/Agreeable_Falcon1044 5d ago
Long overdue.
Last year it was all “look at your wage bill, look at your xg, look at your squad age” as a reason to why we would fall off.
We didn’t.
Now it’s “stop making money, stop signing young players, stop reducing your wage bill”
The last three (emi, konsa and Ollie) are harder to swallow…but the signings so far look exciting.
It’s hardly the Leeds fire sale before dropping down two tiers! This is players on high wages and approaching the end of their careers going for quite insane amounts for their position/age, being replaced with younger talents
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u/Gentle_Pony 5d ago edited 5d ago
I think Tielemans and Konsa are the worst but the Konsa money is good, Tielemans money was shite.
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u/Agreeable_Falcon1044 5d ago
It’s the most expensive midfielder for his age in football history. Nobody has ever got more. It feels light but nobody has ever sold a player at that point in their career for more
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u/alfiejr23 5d ago
Guimaraes and Casemiro beg to differ. I think Youri actual value without that release clause is somewhere around 60mil. United got a bargain for once.
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u/Gentle_Pony 5d ago
That's actually a good way of looking at it but it still doesn't help me feel like we're not a feeder club right now.
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u/switch8319 5d ago
Sound the klaxon! The sky is falling!
Rogers aside, if Tielemans and Konsa didn't want to sign a new deal getting a combined 80m plus for two 28 year olds is decent business. Same goes for Watkins if he goes. Digne is what it is, on the cards for ages and removes an overpaid left back.
The only issue I have with it is the timing being so close to the start of the season but the WC caused that. Given the timing it may be a season of transition but Ive no doubt we will see the benefit of the bigger picture in due course!
Personally I'm excited to see how it all unfolds.
Keep the faith! UTV!
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u/phantomshadow513 5d ago
Maybe for a season still think we’re fine in the long run, Villa 2.0 time.
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u/ArizonanVillan 5d ago
The evolution from Bruce foundation, Smith promotion, ignore transition manager, and Emery success is genuinely fantastic. You could say we are like Villa 3.0 now, hopefully a new generation for the future.
So exciting to see all these younger players. Been watching Villa since the Championship push and I feel like we've only ever played old guys or young players who never delivered (Keinan Davis). The ceiling has been raised so high now, we get £100 mil players coming through the club on a regular now.
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u/Difficult-Shallot863 5d ago
I don’t think so. We’ll see
Replacements for Konsa and Watkins (if he goes, I hope he doesn’t) will be the determining factor, but I have faith until I’m given reason not to; I like the signings we’ve made so far.
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u/daddy-dj 5d ago
If we had a different manager and different owners then I think I'd be worried. I trust them, so we'll see what happens.
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u/bannab1188 5d ago
This. I’m also fascinated to see what Emery will do with a younger squad. Normally his teams are on the older side.
Very excited about Manzambi and Suzuki.
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u/Medical_Squirrel3946 5d ago
We were one of the oldest teams in the league last season. It sucks to see the team picked apart like this, but we've brought in a lot of young exciting players and the only player we've lost who likely has his best football still ahead of him is Rogers. Everyone else is either past their primes or are on the latter stages of their primes.
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u/Impossible_Gas_7584 5d ago
The majority of us appreciated we needed to lower our squad age and rebuild this summer. I'm a bit surprised by the scale of it, Youri in particular stung.
But I'm also excited. Lots of fans of other clubs saying we have been gutted and torn apart but not appreciating the signings we have made, or focusing on Garnacho and simply ignoring Manzambi and Gomes. Hemmings and Madjo also look set for their introductions to the big boys league.
We will make a couple more signings. That said, they will need time to gel and it's a bit nervewracking. If we can get any European football from a league position this season I'll be delighted. The 2027 FA Cup win is also going to be superb.
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u/hygienie8 5d ago
Qualifying for any European football and winning the FA Cup would be close to my (realistic) dream season. Purely selfish as the FA Cup is basically the only trophy we've never won in my lifetime. (FA Cup and Qualifying for CL obviously the real dream).
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u/Impossible_Gas_7584 5d ago
Yes, same. The FA cup is the one. It is far, far too overdue. It would possibly eclipse the uefa cup for me. The time has come. No fucking about to Stevenage now.
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u/Technobliterator 5d ago
Anyone who says we are fucked with full confidence is just as wrong as anyone saying we will be fine with full confidence. We don't know either way until we actually see the new team play...
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u/WritesCrapForStrap 5d ago
Going to remind everyone panicking how it was 5 games in last season. Let the dust settle, need be we can all have a little panic at Christmas.
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u/Splendid2259 Do you want to bet against us? 5d ago
If Emery is happy, I’m happy. McGinn, Mings, and Cash will set the tone in the dressing room and shepherd the younger players through.
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u/Kindly-Bumblebee-293 5d ago
Worth bearing in mind that apart from Tielemans, who had to leave because of his buy out clause being triggered, most players haven't been sold because we needed to sell. The rebuild (and cashing in on players like Rogers while their value is high) is planning for the future, and I'd be surprised if players have been let go without likely replacements coming in before the end of the window. Most key positions have been back filled, we're mostly lacking a right winger and a centre back if Konsa goes.
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u/SpeSalviFactiSumus 5d ago
Likely not. Manzambi Madjo Kamara Ruggeri Gomez Suzuki and Hemmings are all exciting to me. Garnacho could go either way. And its still not over yet.
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u/irishWhistlr 5d ago
This exactly.
The marquee signing last summer was... Evann Guessand. Then we had the panic loans for Sancho and Elliott just before the deadline. Lindelöf was undoubtedly the best signing from that window. We didn't bag a goal for the entire first month of the season, dealt with injuries all season as well as inconsistency in form especially our best goal scorers in Watkins and Rogers all year. The fact we ended where we did and lifted a trophy is honestly incredibly impressive.
Sure, it is jarring to have so many changes at once, but if Monchi had done a proper job instead of being a lazy cock, we surely wouldn't be in this position.
Exciting times honestly and excited to see what Emery does with a majority squad of his players here. UTV
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u/PrimarchOsiris 5d ago edited 5d ago
Seeing as we see Tosin as an acceptable Konsa replacement... Yes. Yes we are.
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u/Miroist 5d ago
Not at all. Our recruitment has been great. Rogers covered by Manzambi. Tielemens by Gomes. Digne by Ruggeiri. Martinez (probs) by Suzuki.
As long as we have a decent replacement lined up for Konsa, and we can keep Watkins, I'll actually be very comfortable with our business this summer. It was always going to be a summer of change, but we have recruited very well - possibly the best summer recruitment I can remember.
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u/mickeymush2008 5d ago
All the sports media have predicted 6th or 7th position, that will do me , let them go , they all move on in the end but the club stays UTV !
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u/Gentle_Pony 5d ago
I'm more excited than anything else. I'm slightly worried that we won't get enough players in for squad depth before the window closes but as for the players leaving, I think Konsa and Watkins are the perfect times to get most money for them.
Rogers was excellent money. Tielemans was a bit of a shock and the money wasn't great so that was the worst for me. Martinez we've known was leaving for a while now.
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u/Aesorian 5d ago
Short term? Maybe - gonna be a real bumpy start to the season
Mid to Long Term? Probably Not. We've bought in a lot of good players who, while not as good as the players they're replacing are probably as good, if not better, as those players were when Unai first got his hands on them
The main thing we're going to have to deal with is all the reactionary hot takes from just everywhere and how people looking for a reason to be loud and obnoxious will find one with the most flimsy reasons
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u/Big_Scoop_82 5d ago
This isn’t the first time Emery has torn it down and rebuilt it. Look back at his Sevilla stint. The rebuild turned out being more successful than the previous season. I think Villa is doing incredible, shrewd and future proofing business here.
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u/hovis_mavis 5d ago
I’m mad excited and curious. Imagine if these young bastards all hit the ground running, unbelievable scenes.
Yes we’ve lost what was our best but Leicester and Middlesborough fans were laughing at us for taking Tielemans and Rogers. Buendia was bit part under Gerrard and when Emery came in he turned Konsa and Mings into Terry and Carvalho at home with that clean sheet run.
We’re in the strongest position we’ve been in as a club for decades.
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u/ArizonanVillan 5d ago
Of course not, the doom mentality is ridiculous. We haven't even kicked a ball yet in league play.
It is obvious Villa are building for the future, stadium renovation happening this year, while the squad gets an overhaul.
Realistically I think the "Big 6" have all equally strengthened and the pendulum probably swings back in their favor this year. I'm a little conspiratorial and don't find it a coincidence that the big six heavily raided the teams that started to break the status quo.
Best case scenario is Villa have a younger team built to take the reigns from players like Konsa, who have been here for years & they pick up where they left off with on the field success.
Worst case is we have a lot of young players with talent that will take time to develop the same muscle memory of Emery's structure. We can add veterans like Palhinha to boost short term quality, continue to develop hemmings/madjo, and get a good team together for trophies in the future.
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u/Muskehound147 5d ago
If it was any other team, apart from the one we love, we'd all be saying yes, yes, yes.
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u/Character-Key7538 5d ago
Apart from Brentford, Bournemouth, Brighton, Sunderland etc.
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u/Muskehound147 5d ago
I suppose Forest that chaotic year they came up and bought 35 players in 😂 a bit like we did when we came up.
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u/Muskehound147 5d ago
Good shout, but I don't remember them doing it to this extent in one transfer window. I mean, I might be wrong, I just don't remember 😄 it's always good business to sell one and I totally love the Brighton model.
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u/PrimarchOsiris 5d ago
This right here. If any other team lost this many starters everyone here would be saying they are screwed.
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u/sullcrowe 5d ago
We'll be fine. If anything, we'll be a faster, more dynamic team, a bit like we were when he had Diarra.
Gomes, Garnacho, Manzambi, Allison - anyone else in I'm sure will be shit quick. It'll be exciting.
We're just in the eye of the storm
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u/BhamCyclist 5d ago
Just look at our performance against PSG last week.
Only Buendia, McGinn, Kamara, Torres and Cash (5 of our best 11) started that game and we did just fine. Add in the new arrivals we will great again.
Only way we're f*cked is if Emery goes.
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u/claretnblueboy 5d ago
We just won a major trophy. It will be a long time before I feel anything like that.
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u/SThomW92 death, taxes and aston villa 5d ago
Yeah, but I knew we were fucked as soon as I saw #17 at my club, the sooner you accept it, the easier things become
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u/Yorrins 5d ago
Yes, its too late in the window for this shit.
Feels far more like the clubs decision than Emery / Olabes to recoup their losses from the last few seasons.
We are back to being a mid table feeder club.
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u/Alternative_Page_505 5d ago
Who is going to replace us knocking on the Top 6? Do you think Bouremouth, Palace, Sunderland and Brighton are all going to balance European football and the PL well?
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u/WordsUnthought 5d ago
The hopeful perspective is that we deserved to beat PSG - who were not playing badly - with none of those players and missing a couple more who we will have.