Dorset Seagull
Once Dolphin, Now Seagull
Challengers for what? Europa qualification?
To start with yes.
Challengers for what? Europa qualification?
Gerrard has not proved himself anymore capable than most other PL managers. Rangers or Celtic winning the league in Scotland means feck all when compared to the PL. I am not swallowing Gerrard is special and on his way to Liverpool in a few years. Yes he has contacts from his time at Liverpool and was a fine player. He is certainly nowhere near as good as he is being touted imo, turning Villa around is no big deal and that has already stalled, they were underachieving under Smith given the money spent.
I will be genuinely shocked if Biss ends up there.
Now let’s see what happens tonight
Other opinions on how impressive Gerrard has been as a manager are available.
I’ve been sleeping on this one. If they are genuinely interested at 50million I’d bite their hands off. He will go somewhere, either now or the summer or for free next year. He’s too good not to.
£50mill is a HUGE amount for someone with such little contract left. And as much as he will be missed, and I do think he will go on to be one of the very best players in the World, £50mill is £50mill.
And let’s be honest, we don’t play too badly without him.
Dont under estimate Villa. Decent manager starting to put together a decent squad. They could well be challengers if they sign the likes of Biss and more of the same
Other opinions on how impressive Gerrard has been as a manager are available.
Indeed, shocking number of easy to please Liverpool sycophants, even this far south
I remember similar about Lamptey when he first took over at Chelsea
I’ll wait and see how he does over a season in the PL before I fall at the Gerrard altar
I'd be very surprised if Bissouma moved to Villa not because of any rose(blue) tinted specs but because it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for him to do it.
Undoubtedly he'll earn more but he'll undoubtedly earn more whichever club he moves to(or indeed if he stays with us). He'll be 26 in the summer so he's coming into his peak years making his next contract the big one for him. For that reason I don't expect him to sign an extension with us but likewise why would he sign away four or five years at Villa?
Bissouma is good enough to play in the champions league and has the potential to walk into any club in the world. Villa are a long way off being the best team he could play for. They might be on an upward trajectory but they're not a top four club, they're not even a top 6 club. Why waste four years on a team that might,but probably won't, get into the champions league as an also ran in a few seasons time when he can go to a genuine contender?
Of course, if Villa are the only option then it becomes a completely different proposition.
Old Tariq eh?
Agree about the nauseating 'Smug Gerrard' love-in though. Enough already.
villa would no doubt pay same wages as a top 4 club, but I suspect an ambitious player would want both top 4 wages AND to play in Champions League
Man City would have won Champions League final with a decent holding midfield player
Their first team is outstanding when all fit. Add Biss and Digne to the mix and you have a top 6 first 13 or so players.
I don’t think he will go to Villa, but there’s no denying how formidable they could become.
It really is not outstanding. Bissouma to City is the one that has the greatest chance of happening because he is their Fernandinho replacement
If Gerrard and lampard are such great management material it makes their total inability to have ever sorted out how to play together all the more mystifying.
But is he a Pep player? Look at the trouble Grealish appears to be having settling into City - and knowing what we know about Bissouma professionalism at times off the pitch, would it be the right environment?
It really is not outstanding. Bissouma to City is the one that has the greatest chance of happening because he is their Fernandinho replacement
Several reasons why Villa might appeal to him!
3). Impressive young manager going places (Rangers project completed [tick]; Villa project (trophy of some kind , entry into Europe) - give it two or three years [tick] - followed by move to Liverpool, taking Biss with him.
Hang on, that's a lot of predictions.
They should concentrate on looking behind them first in my opinion.
Seen it all before, they are far more likely to do the classic Villa/Everton/Leeds overreach and implode, than 'break' into the top 6. Gerrard is the new media darling and it's just a story with lots of fluff and little substance.
You have to admit Digne & Couthihno is an impressive coup. They already have 'the answer to all our problems' Ings & Watkins up front. Sort out the defenders and on paper it is an impressive project underway
Who said anythig about top 6? Just you - not me. You can win a trophy and gain access to a European competition (there is more than one) without 'breaking in to' the top 6.Hang on, that's a lot of predictions.
They should concentrate on looking behind them first in my opinion.
Seen it all before, they are far more likely to do the classic Villa/Everton/Leeds overreach and implode, than 'break' into the top 6. Gerrard is the new media darling and it's just a story with lots of fluff and little substance.