Should we be relying on him to score most of our goals for three more years? Because that’s what we’re doing if we gave him a massive new deal. We’re not assessing his past. We’re predicting his future. He’d have eaten up a lot of budget and with no indication that his output will get better. As has been said, this was the only option. I’m glad it’s done now and they can start finalising a replacement. This is what I’ve been trying to impart for months. I’m pretty confident we can find one or two forwards to come in and outdo the 12 goals he managed last year (only 3 more than Adams by the way). How many does Ings get this season as a relief pitcher for Watkins?
I know it won’t factor in his build up play but how many points did Ings gain us last season from his goals ? Does anyone know ? Edit: I counted 13 points if his goals are removed. But i didn’t have the data for assists Obviously puts us very close to relegation. But doesn’t factor someone playing instead Probably useless info really
Just had a look at a Villa forum, they don’t seem too pleased with the signing. Admittedly they are saying pretty much exactly what we were saying when we signed him. He is a couple of years older now and has cost them an extra £10m on what we paid so seems understandable their response
Always interesting to get outsider perspectives For example they are really keen on JWP whereas he tends to be really underrated on Saints boards
I have a sneeking suspicion that JWP will end up at Liverpool at some point in his career. Cannot see the attraction of Villa for him.
Didn’t Barkley really fade for them in the second half of last season? The biggest factor for them in my opinion was the great goalkeeper and pretty much no injuries in the defence. Unsure if the latter will be the case this year . Odds suggest no?
Pretty sure that's precisely all our owner is interested in: not getting relegated while spending the minimum amount possible.
Not sure what that proves other than reaffirming that we've just sold the only natural finisher at the club?
I'm 100% sure you are right. However it isn't a dig at him. He bought us with a view to move his money from China and make a profit, then the Chinese govt pull the cord on that and now he has circa £150m tied up in a club that he can't invest more in (as can't get it out of the country) and can't sell (at the moment). Yep first world problems, but it isn't all "nasty Gao he is ripping us to shreds" (not saying you meant that btw). In the circumstances, he has behaved quite well (no not in blue) as he could have just dismantled us and taken all the transfer kitty money out.
TalkSPORT were talking about Grealish to City on my way home and the football food chain. It's true. City buy players from clubs like Spurs/Villa. Spurs/Villa buy players from clubs like us. We buy players from clubs like Birmingham/Blackburn/Brest. The cycle goes on. We are where we are in the food chain and that will never change. Even if we get a billionaire splashing the cash, players will still want to leave (refer back to Grealish leaving Villa and Kane leaving Spurs).
I was just replying to someone implying that leadership wouldn't think in that way when plenty actually do. As for Gao; **** him. Bloke's a ****ing scumbag. A crook turned grass resulting in his co-defendant being executed is not the sort of person I want associated with my club. LD Sports happened under his watch, so did us deciding to partner with a dodgy gambling firm using cryptocurrency. Hope he gets hit by a bus quite frankly.
From Hampshire Live: Hasenhuttl has said: "It is not a shock for me. We are well informed about what is going on behind the scenes. "It is clear that we had a player that did not want to sign for us anymore. It is fantastic that we have got a lot of money for him. "He scored a lot of goals for this club. It is a pity that he leaves but that is the business. I just want to say thank you to him for what he did here. "We can replace him with the money we have got," he said. "We know that we need two more players so we must be looking, still to buy them cheaper and sell them for more. "We lose an important striker who scored a lot of goals and we must split the goals he scored amongst our player, on their shoulder. Three more goals, four more goals from them and they can maybe replace him. "We will hopefully get two or three more in and I am sure that we will replace him. We must have a look at what striker we need but we have a few alternatives, in Che, Longy, Obafemi and Redmond can play up front."
