Dirty Spurs, Transfers and a Week Off

Villa cruised to a two-goal first-half cushion that was enough to survive Spurs’ ramped-up second-half intensity and ill temper and go through to the fourth round of the FA Cup. And to be honest, knocking Spurs out with Frank in trouble and the team full of frustration was very satisfying. Following Palhinha’s cynical and injurious foul on Kamara, it was always going to be an emotion-based outcome.

I’ve no problem with professional fouls, but I do have a problem with cheap shots. Sticking a foot out and tripping someone up, low odds of injury. Being beaten dead to rights and putting a leg across a player in full stride…bad things can happen. I liked to be physical when I played. But I never wanted to hurt anyone. To me, that was a sign of my own deficiency (skill or character, take your pick). For Palhinha, it seemed to be the idea he was going to send a message. That message apparently was that he has no problem injuring you when you’re defenseless. And because it came so early, the ref wasn’t going to blow.

We’ve seen a lot of this under Emery given he likes to play through the middle. Countless tugs, pull-backs, and dangling feet in the middle of the park to stop us breaking. Ollie comes in for a lot of it, as do Youri and McGinn, Buendia. Anyone in that central spot receiving and looking to link play. Sometimes they know they’re going to make the turn and get fouled, and as long as it’s not dangerous, they understand it’s part of the game, no real harm done.

We all remember the “foul Grealish by committee” approach when he was at the club. So for me, there’s got to be a better way, and with Kamara on the ground, plenty of time for a VAR word in the earpiece. I also wouldn’t mind seeing some kind of accumulation, like 5th foul, whoever commits it gets a yellow.

Anyway. That’s done, we’re through for better or worse, and it’s a full week off before Everton and then the Europa midweeks come calling again. Kamara sounds like he’ll miss two or three weeks, fingers crossed. We’ll see if it makes the Key Match Incidents too-late-to-matter report, which at least confirms we weren’t biased in thinking Merino should’ve been sent off for Arsenal.

Transfers
Here we are again, trying to skirt PSR and whatever else, seemingly missing out on Connor Gallagher as a result. Spurs could pay the cash up front and Villa couldn’t. Whether that’s good or bad, I don’t know, but I was thinking his energy and work-rate would help fill a need. For £35m? Up for debate.

Elsewhere we’re being told we’ve lodged a bid for Ferran Torres, Donyell Malen might be off to Roma (sure seem to have quite the Bat Phone with them), and others are linked. Alysson and Madjo have been signed and both might well represent very good business. How or if they will help this season…? Not really Emery’s way, seem like buys for the future, especially Madjo, but we’ll see. Maybe they get some Europa or cup minutes. Maybe our hand is being forced and they play more.

Tammy is once again in the frame, wouldn’t really be a window without rumors of his return, but this one maybe adds up given the swap nature of the deal, with Malen going the other way and Tammy coming from Besiktas. Malen, I understand. He’s chipped in some really useful goals and fits certain moments. But he can also fail to provide much influence for long stretches and isn’t a good stand-in for Ollie.

Wouldn’t be unfair to say that we’ve struggled getting in a wide player for the right-hand side for a while now. Maybe the idea is that Sancho stays out there, Guessand provides cover/rotation. If you get a goal-scorer in, maybe it all evens out and you have insurance for Ollie.

But this will all have changed by the time I post this. Having trouble believing we can go full-price for what I’m seeing about Torres, but who knows what dark arts and deals could be employed.

The only thing I believe I could say for sure is that it must be more than a bit frustrating for all involved with the restrictions.

Over to you.