The press headlines tell it all, don't they?
"The only signing Villa have made this month is a new chairman";
"Are the lights still on at Villa Park? If so, could they please illuminate us."
Indeed, the last quoted headline reminds me of the vainglorious installation of the illuminated Aston Villa Football Club name at the rear of the North Stand, not long after the owner took over. It - like his "Bright Future" slogan - looks woeful in retrospect as potentially new players barely gave Villa Park a glance in January as they sped north or south on their way to new clubs. It's almost as though they could see the weeds growing at the old ground more than we.
Gone are the days when Eric Houghton could nip across to Cardiff and buy a Gerry Hitchens, or Ron Saunders could quietly steal an Andy Gray from Dundee. Both those great players jumped at the chance of joining Villa, even when the club were not going great guns at the time. But the difference then was that the Aston Villa name still meant something - and player power was certainly not as it is now.
So, Remi Garde may have to rely on the club's carpenter, plumber and electrician to provide backup to the needs of his team. Even some of the stewards might get a game. And the tea lady?
But - hang on - would Newcastle's panic approach (e.g. the £21m rejected offer for the misfit Berehino) have been the better ploy? I can imagine such expenditures making the Geordie fans jump for joy, but does such an approach work? Well, if we go back exactly five years to 2011 it did work for Villa. In came Darren Bent at a club record fee of £18m plus, and his goals made the difference for Villa. He did, however, have the benefit of a couple of wingers already in place who could deliver his type of ball. So, if the squad is essentially of the right mix, and if the signing is well-targeted, the big money ploy can work.
In Villa's case today we sadly have a rather average ability to create goals, and so I doubt that bringing in a new striker would have had much effect. Unless, that is, such a player had the ability to create his own goals, but such a player may well have cost a fortune. And was there one available?
The other areas of the team that Villa were looking to strengthen were the goalie and defence. Well, I've been reasonably happy with the defence in the last few league games. The last Cup game - including Guzan - was virtually the reserve defence, so I don't count that match.
Summing up, therefore, unless any new signing had the ability to win matches virtually by himself via either scoring a few or keeping more goals out, I'm not that certain there would have been much advantage in new signings. Especially when you consider that new players sometimes take time to 'bed in'.
The current squad simply have to 'man up', believe in themselves, and put in the effort. If Villa can hammer the Hammers today then there will still be cause for optimism.
"The only signing Villa have made this month is a new chairman";
"Are the lights still on at Villa Park? If so, could they please illuminate us."
Indeed, the last quoted headline reminds me of the vainglorious installation of the illuminated Aston Villa Football Club name at the rear of the North Stand, not long after the owner took over. It - like his "Bright Future" slogan - looks woeful in retrospect as potentially new players barely gave Villa Park a glance in January as they sped north or south on their way to new clubs. It's almost as though they could see the weeds growing at the old ground more than we.
Gone are the days when Eric Houghton could nip across to Cardiff and buy a Gerry Hitchens, or Ron Saunders could quietly steal an Andy Gray from Dundee. Both those great players jumped at the chance of joining Villa, even when the club were not going great guns at the time. But the difference then was that the Aston Villa name still meant something - and player power was certainly not as it is now.
So, Remi Garde may have to rely on the club's carpenter, plumber and electrician to provide backup to the needs of his team. Even some of the stewards might get a game. And the tea lady?
But - hang on - would Newcastle's panic approach (e.g. the £21m rejected offer for the misfit Berehino) have been the better ploy? I can imagine such expenditures making the Geordie fans jump for joy, but does such an approach work? Well, if we go back exactly five years to 2011 it did work for Villa. In came Darren Bent at a club record fee of £18m plus, and his goals made the difference for Villa. He did, however, have the benefit of a couple of wingers already in place who could deliver his type of ball. So, if the squad is essentially of the right mix, and if the signing is well-targeted, the big money ploy can work.
In Villa's case today we sadly have a rather average ability to create goals, and so I doubt that bringing in a new striker would have had much effect. Unless, that is, such a player had the ability to create his own goals, but such a player may well have cost a fortune. And was there one available?
The other areas of the team that Villa were looking to strengthen were the goalie and defence. Well, I've been reasonably happy with the defence in the last few league games. The last Cup game - including Guzan - was virtually the reserve defence, so I don't count that match.
Summing up, therefore, unless any new signing had the ability to win matches virtually by himself via either scoring a few or keeping more goals out, I'm not that certain there would have been much advantage in new signings. Especially when you consider that new players sometimes take time to 'bed in'.
The current squad simply have to 'man up', believe in themselves, and put in the effort. If Villa can hammer the Hammers today then there will still be cause for optimism.
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