What went on at Villa Park and what didn’t.
The final week of pre-season starts with Villa being linked with a few defenders, one or two forwards, including Romelu Lukaku for some reason, and a handful of FA inquiries. Not because we’ve done anything wrong, but because we’ve thought of a way round the rules that were introduced to keep teams like us in our place.
Talksport visited Bodymoor, where they had a word with Unai and Monchi before talking a lot about Chelsea. When they could get a word in, our heroes said we can’t sign anyone else because of you know what. The idea that there are rules stopping you from buying players must have got Doug spinning in his grave, although one player we have signed is Sunderland’s giant 17 year old Mason Cotcher, who just for a change has never played for the Albion’s Academy team.
Then after spending days trailing the news that a surprise guest will be opening what we’ll still call the club shop, the ribbon’s finally cut by Astonian legend Sharon Osbourne. With her old man and his mate from work on the new shirt film, the US tour and the Times Square advert, it seems we’re aiming for the American market. Time will tell.
Some things never change. The first pre-match press conference, and Unai says Ollie Watkins might be a doubt for Saturday. You know what that means.
Friday sees Cameron Archer making his annual photo call with a new club. Scarely before he’s unpacked, Southampton are paying another undisclosed fee and this time there’s no buy-back. Good luck to him; a couple of years ago he’d have been in the team, now he isn’t good enough. Neither is Felix, who’s moving to Chelsea apparently. Not since Robbie Savage signed for Small Heath has a player been so right for a club.
Saturday heralds the new dawn and with it comes three points. Ollie Watkins is the first Villa player to be a doubt then play since the abolition of the maximum wage, although truth be told he didn’t have one of his brighter games. Amadou Onana makes a dream start and carries on like he was born to the part, we should have had the match won by half-time but a combination of missed chances and shite refereeing means it takes the arrival of Jhon Duran and his inevitable winner to wrap up the points.
If we can carry on like this, Onana can stay away from the tendency that the better the debut, the worse the rest of their Villa career (Ross Barkley this means you) and surely to God we can’t have as many injures as last season, then we’re in for another nine months of fun and merriment.
The reaction to the match was enjoyable as well, summed up by one West Ham supporter who said “What do we expect? They’re a top four club and they played like one.” This is the Villa he was talking about. We’d better get used to it.
