So Long, Dougie, Moussa and Jhon

All been rather interesting (and a bit tiresome, as well) as the transfer sagas of Moussa Diaby and Jhon Duran have progressed, which made me forget all about the machinations of the Luiz deal. Diaby, it seems, wants a bigger pay packet, and Duran thinks he should be starting. At least that’s the way it looks. Dougie? Dunno, really. I guess he wanted a change of scenery.

Diaby first: I know I’m echoing everyone in wondering why you’d turn down Champions League football for a stint in the desert, and yes, money is the most obvious element. I’m also wondering, though, if his time at Villa wasn’t a little sobering. While he had his moments and showed flashes of true quality (he did have 10 goals and 9 assists across all competitions), he didn’t really have the season-long impact one might’ve expected. While fast, it’s not world-record speed; while dangerous, he seemed gun-shy; while decent on the ball, no wizard. Add to that his slight stature and the way he needs to be played to to get the most out of him, I can see why, along with PSR, Villa didn’t stand in his way, and why he might’ve come away with his confidence a little dented. We all saw the hesitation that had crept into his game.

Duran: Well, he’s kind of been a pain since he arrived. Young, yes, but lacking the right mentality. Amadou Onana in extended comments detailed his conversations with Emery. How Unai pointed out his strengths and weaknesses. How Unai wanted to go about making him a more complete player. Onana, for his part, said yes, he wants to get better and Unai’s the coach he believes will take him forward.

Contrast that with Duran. A specimen, no doubt, a chaos agent for sure. But moody and for all appearances not really a team player. He wasn’t buying into Emery’s system and the work required. He wasn’t positionally disciplined. He had the nerve to remonstrate senior players who didn’t play him in. Always on the edge of a yellow from the minute he trotted onto the pitch. Signs of youth? Sure. But for a purported £30m+ fee and Lewis Orford, good business to get rid.

Can’t forget Dougie, either, who, once again, appeared to want the move and Villa sanctioned it after getting ~£50m and two players. Having thrived under Emery it seems a little odd, but there you go. Maybe it was the grind, maybe Italy was more appealing. I think Barkley, Barrenechea and Onana will more than make up for him.

So, seems to me Villa have been boxing smart with Monchi wheeling and dealing and he and Emery getting young players in whom they see potential. They’ve cleared the PSR hurdle and strengthened in depth.

They’ve also added height and strength, which were needed, and don’t seem to be done yet. While I’m as skeptical as the next fan about Felix, for example, I have to believe Emery knows what he’s doing. Naturally, it seems to be another difficult deal to get over the line, so might very well not happen at all. There’ll have been a new development before anyone reads this.

Overall, the first couple of preseason outings looked good for the new signings. Obviously fairly soft opposition, but I liked what I saw in terms of rhythm, quality on the ball, and range of passing. In particular, I really liked seeing Ross pinging smart little one-touch passes, the kind that keep possession and avoid stagnation. He looked very at ease. Given the senior players missing and all the new and young faces mixed in, I thought both matches were encouraging.

So, a fair amount of turnover, and we might all wonder if we gained more than we lost. But if the newest Duran wrinkle works out, I think Villa will have turned a profit on the summer, which was clearly needed, and I’m trusting Emery’s eye. The team had to get deeper and more robust, and it’s also getting younger, bigger and stronger. To me, that bodes well for the grind ahead.

Over to you.