Premier League 2021/22 Thread

[filbertway]

2 minutes ago, Leeds Fox said:

This. Most can’t seem to fathom that Grealish leaving has allowed them to strengthen massively.

 

They think he’s leaving a side that can challenge next season, but it’s one or the other (Grealish or spend big) IMO. 

This is kind of why I was hoping he wouldn't leave haha.

 

That'd make nearly a £300 million net spend in 3 seasons, which would sure lead to some puunishment

[Bert]

Villa fans crying because he signed the new contract. It’s what clubs do now when they know a big player is close to leaving - It gives them a greater sale value. We’ve done it with Mahrez, Maguire & we’ll do it with Tielemans. It’s how it works these days. 

[StriderHiryu]

4 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

I ain’t being funny but no way in a billion years is Grealish worth £100 million

He is and isn't worth that amount at the same time!

 

From a stats standpoint, no he isn't. Though he has posted great numbers 6 goals and 10 assists is miles off Riyad Mahrez's 17 goals and 10 assists that he got for us in 15/16.

 

But there are other factors. It prevents a rival like Man United, Liverpool or Chelsea signing him, he is a great player that will improve them. It will motivate the squad to up their game and stop people walking away. Shirt sales will increase and breaking the transfer record improves the Man City brand.

 

For me it's quite a lot like the Maguire signings for Man United. They have definitely over paid, but it might still be a good signing to have made overall and that will benefit them. The Manchester clubs operate on a totally different stratosphere in terms of spending and at that level, it's not the price that matters but rather the player you bring in. And in this case, the player is a very good one. 

[RowlattsFox]

I don't think Grealish makes Man City any better than they already are. good player but again its sickening to see a player go for that kind of money having achieved nothing of any serious note. I'm surprised Man City have gone all out on him to be honest. 

[kingfox]

Fans of North London clubs are a strange bunch

 

[Bert]

12 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

I ain’t being funny but no way in a billion years is Grealish worth £100 million

Just like Harry Maguire wasn’t worth £80m? To the selling club that’s exactly what he’s worth. 

[Fox92]

13 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

I ain’t being funny but no way in a billion years is Grealish worth £100 million

He's worth that to Villa.

[Foxes BC]

Do Man City really need Grealish? What does it mean for Phil Foden for example if Grealish comes in? 

 

Surely they would be better of going for Kane instead.

 

Have to smile when Guadiola was saying at the beginning of this window that they have no money to spend 😄

[Yes]

“Money’s ruined football” say the fans of a club who’ve spent all summer bragging about having the 3rd richest owners in the league. 

[Lambert09]

Don’t get clubs getting upset when they are actually spending the money received.

 

It’s only sickening when the owners take the cash and run with it.  Villa very clearly have been spending it all summer. 

[Langston]

37 minutes ago, yorkie1999 said:

I ain’t being funny but no way in a billion years is Grealish worth £100 million

 

Villa's record without him is obscenely bad - he's worth all that and more *to them*

[ealingfox]

Good grief man - I assume he means Birmingham City rather than Manchester City or this thread is surely an elaborate piece of performance art.

 

 

[STUHILL]

They've sold Grealish at his peak value IMO. A mixture of genuine talent but also a lot of hype too. 

Great business by Villa and covers some of their expensive buys this window. 

Also a huge loss for them though. They will have to learn to win without 100+ "freekicks" being awarded to them without Grealish 

[norwichfox]

1 hour ago, goody2028 said:

Villa fans taking it well then...

I guess he's forgotten Fabian Delph...

[don_danbury]

11 minutes ago, STUHILL said:

They've sold Grealish at his peak value IMO. A mixture of genuine talent but also a lot of hype too. 

Great business by Villa and covers some of their expensive buys this window. 

Also a huge loss for them though. They will have to learn to win without 100+ "freekicks" being awarded to them without Grealish 

half of those aren't even free kicks. no idea why the refs always buy his stupid dives. 

[SkidsFox]

13 minutes ago, STUHILL said:

They've sold Grealish at his peak value IMO. A mixture of genuine talent but also a lot of hype too. 

Great business by Villa and covers some of their expensive buys this window. 

Also a huge loss for them though. They will have to learn to win without 100+ "freekicks" being awarded to them without Grealish 

We've got our allocation of numpties, but at least our fans are generally mature enough to move on when we sell a big star like Mahrez, Kante or Maguire. Even when it looked like Vardy was going to Arsenal, most fans seemed to accept the situation. Seems to be a different type of fan at clubs like Villa or Spurs.

[st albans fox]

48 minutes ago, Bert said:

Villa fans crying because he signed the new contract. It’s what clubs do now when they know a big player is close to leaving - It gives them a greater sale value. We’ve done it with Mahrez, Maguire & we’ll do it with Tielemans. It’s how it works these days. 

100%

 

re european qualification - a villa without grealish and a spurs without kane makes our job easier.  making man city stronger is also not an issue for us - they are going to finish above us whatever happens.  but it harms the attraction of the league which in the end does affect us .....

[davieG]

There's probably an element of buying up a job lot of players before any potential PL punishment () and before there's any restrictive outcome from the Football Review ()

[STUHILL]

Just now, st albans fox said:

100%

 

re european qualification - a villa without grealish and a spurs without kane makes our job easier.  making man city stronger is also not an issue for us - they are going to finish above us whatever happens.  but it harms the attraction of the league which in the end does affect us .....

Absolutely. If Villa had done the business they have AND kept hold of Grealish, they would be seriously pushing us for 5th 

It's a big loss to them and a lot will now depend on them having their new star signings settling in quickly 

Likewise for Spurs. I think Kane will go and that will be a loss they can't come anywhere near to filling. 

[StriderHiryu]

I feel like every season I say this, but every season it stays the same; the spending power of the top clubs feels so unfair.

 

- Man United 50m for Varane, 70m for Sancho.

- Man City 100m for Grealish, possibly 150m for Kane.

- Chelsea have bid 100m Euro for Lukaku.

- Arsenal have spent 50m on Ben White.

 

For Leicester to have won the Premier League, FA Cup and finished 1st, 5th and 5th over the last 5/6 years is unreal given that level of spending.

 

[bovril]

We laugh at Villa, and generally this will help us maintain our position as 'best of the rest', but it's crap really isn't it. We mock US sports but at least they try and keep a bit of parity, allow smaller clubs to get a group of excellent players together. 

[StriderHiryu]

23 minutes ago, bovril said:

We laugh at Villa, and generally this will help us maintain our position as 'best of the rest', but it's crap really isn't it. We mock US sports but at least they try and keep a bit of parity, allow smaller clubs to get a group of excellent players together. 

Think Southampton and us have had it much worse when it comes to losing star players:

 

Southampton: Van Dijk, Mane, Lovren, Shaw, Wanyama, Bale, Walcott, Lallana, etc.

Leicester: Kante, Mahrez, Drinkwater, Maguire, Chilwell.

 

Admittedly Grealish is a homegrown player, but he's not won anything with them. That said had we have lost Vardy it would have probably felt similar to how the Villa fans are feeling right now. 

[mozartfox]

30 minutes ago, bovril said:

We laugh at Villa, and generally this will help us maintain our position as 'best of the rest', but it's crap really isn't it. We mock US sports but at least they try and keep a bit of parity, allow smaller clubs to get a group of excellent players together. 

Yep -bring in the draft picks asap.

[kingfox]

8 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

I feel like every season I say this, but every season it stays the same; the spending power of the top clubs feels so unfair.

 

- Man United 50m for Varane, 70m for Sancho.

- Man City 100m for Grealish, possibly 150m for Kane.

- Chelsea have bid 100m Euro for Lukaku.

- Arsenal have spent 50m on Ben White.

 

For Leicester to have won the Premier League, FA Cup and finished 1st, 5th and 5th over the last 5/6 years is unreal given that level of spending.

 

Maybe them fvcking off to a European Super League wouldn’t have been so bad after all.

 

Their greed continues to spoil the Premier League, and with those clubs throwing money around like that, it will only make it harder for clubs like ourselves to break into the top four.

 

We’re fortunate that Arsenal & Spurs have dropped a peg or two, yet them being bang average won’t last forever. 
 

I think Villa fans have a right to be disappointed, so what if they have spent a good amount of money this summer, they’ve spent £30-40 on players, we’ve done exactly the same in previous season’s, but what you won’t see from them is throwing 70-100 million on players, same with us.

 

Like ourselves, fair play to them for having the ambition to break the mould, yet like ourselves there comes a point where keeping your best assets just isn’t possible. In Grealish they are losing their best player, one of their own, I’m not surprised they are gutted. We still haven’t replaced Mahrez, Villa replacing Grealish may just be as hard. 
 

When you feel like you're on the precipice of building something, along comes a Man City or a Chelsea with a big load of cash, to take one of your best assets, it can be demoralising.

 

We’re fortunate that our recruitment team are top notch, that allows us to be there or thereabouts when it comes to top four, yet as I said above, that task will only get harder when they are throwing ridiculous money around like that.

 

Apologies for forcing this rant on you Strider  

[STUHILL]

34 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

I feel like every season I say this, but every season it stays the same; the spending power of the top clubs feels so unfair.

 

- Man United 50m for Varane, 70m for Sancho.

- Man City 100m for Grealish, possibly 150m for Kane.

- Chelsea have bid 100m Euro for Lukaku.

- Arsenal have spent 50m on Ben White.

 

For Leicester to have won the Premier League, FA Cup and finished 1st, 5th and 5th over the last 5/6 years is unreal given that level of spending.

 

It is crazy when you see the continued spending power of those clubs. 

What we have managed to achieve is quite spectacular. 

Another top 5 finish this season will be incredible. Wouldn't rule us out getting to the Final of the Europa too