I heard rumours he's gonna sign a bumper new deal at Villa, they're spending so he stays.
Grealish To City? | City bid £100M
- Thread starter Inigo Montoya
- Start date
- Status
Agreed. I love our window, impossible to complain. But, if I could have picked a transfer for this Summer that was (probably) attainable, he would be at the top of the list.
Feel free. Any reason why Grealish didn't shine until he hit 26 while Sancho has dominated a big league since 18? Any reason why despite being 5 years younger he's done far more in every single season they've played? Grealish is an excellent player, but he's not ahead of Sancho with his current level or potential. That's a completely baseless statement to make, because literally all the evidence and stats points towards Sancho.
Generational talent? He’s nearing 26 and has done feck all so far. 
My biggest issue is Grealish is simply hyped up by the pundits / fans. He's a good player but objectively he hasn't achieved anything. He's not a generational talent, it's yet to be seen if he has the capabilities to shine at a bigger club with increased pressure and expectation. He's for me in the mould of Zaha, it's not so much what he does for Villa that will define his influence but his next club.
Yeah. For his age he really hasn't achieved a lot. He didn't stand out much in the championship like someone like even Buendia did for example. His first season in the prem was decent but not much more. He had an excellent first half of the season but then got injured for much of the 2nd half.
He's a creative player with excellent close control and wins loads of fouls, sure, but he's literally not all that different to Isco (only with a really bad haircut). Isco was fantastic for a couple of seasons sure, but he's not some generational talent - neither is grealish. A very good talent but not an elite one like Sancho has shown since 18.
Up the Villa!!
It cuts both ways. How will he adjust to playing with better players, how will he handle not being picked every time, how will he handle not being given freedom to roam the pitch, how will he handle much bigger games and the criticism that comes with not having the protection of the fans? All these are why it is to early to crown him the best thing since sliced bread.
I feel like I've seen this same argument for every single player who's stepped up to a higher level. "He looks so good now, imagine how good he'll look when surrounded by better players." But it hardly ever pans out. Some Guardian (I think) writer made this exact argument about Zaha in the spring of 2013, leading to severe disappointment a few years later on my part.
I also remember this same argument being made in for another Villa attacker, Ashley Young. He had one good season with us, but otherwise his best years in terms of productivity were at Villa. He never made the PFA Team of the Year with us. The better players around him at United didn't magically elevate him or make him more productive.
My point is a player standing out among lesser teammates doesn't mean anything. Sometimes their strengths just don't translate well to a new way of playing. Sometimes too skills get found out at a higher level. His new City teammates may expect even faster speed of thought and movement than he's used to, and he may find it hard to adjust.
It's by no means guaranteed that he'd look as good for City as he does for Villa.
Last edited:
He played with better players in the England squad, and with the minutes he had was the most influential player on the field in terms of changing the game. That question can at least be answered in part by that sample size example. It also, in part, adds the question of dealing with pressure, also. The Euro's is a massively pressured environment, and given the criticism of the England team, perhaps even more so.
Best thing since sliced bread? I'm not sure who is saying that. Due his praise? Yes.
Nah. We've got the top 2 dream signings for me. Sancho > Grealish for many reasons, mainly for me being able to play RW but also because of the type of player he is and what he's proven and being 5 years younger. All of them surpass what Grealish has done so far, along with him only being able to play LW or CAM which happen to be our strongest positions. Varane easily the dream signing after Sancho IMO as the perfect partner next to Maguire with only Van Dijk being a more perfect/higher quality CB for us on paper but of course being unattainable.
Great player would have loved to see him here, but its not the right time. Bringing him at this point when we have other urgent positions to fill would be a total waste.
let’s face it, City are doing all they can to catch us up. Buying him is buying a top English player at the peak of his powers. He is very very popular and very marketable. People will follow him. It’s all part of their strategy.
for the attention and something extra he will bring he will be worth 100million to them.
Zaha was never going to be this incredible top class player. Whether at United or Palace, he always showed the signs of inconsistent decision making or poor first touch. He's a very gifted athlete with some tremendous physical gifts and decent technique. No one thought Ashley Young was a big shot. When we got Ashley most fans I communicated with understood that it was a good squad acquisition, nothing more.
But then, in the example of the above, which of these two were even close to being nominated for a PFA Player of the Year, like Grealish? Which of the above were key influential players in an international tournament? Praising Grealish and praising Zaha are entirely different because one truly had a PFA Player of the Year season (injury disrupting), and the other is/was a good player in a small team.
I don’t know where the Ronaldinho comparison comes from Ronaldinho is a legend and maybe the most skilful player of all time.
Jack Grealish is defiitely top 3 in the EPL, the only reason some don’t rate him is because he doesn’t score goals and of cours because he only plays for Villa
I just hate that he will sign for City, I love watching him play so I need to watch City games now but it is going to be painful.
Jack Grealish is defiitely top 3 in the EPL, the only reason some don’t rate him is because he doesn’t score goals and of cours because he only plays for Villa
I just hate that he will sign for City, I love watching him play so I need to watch City games now but it is going to be painful.
He's obviously a very good player but hilariously overrated by a select few.
I think you're forgetting how highly rated Young was between 07-11. He was regularly talked about as the best player outside the top 4 and would be the most accurate comparison to Grealish today. Maybe he wasn't hyped up as the next Ronaldinho or anything, but that says more about the overrating of Grealish.
And Grealish wasn't a "key influential player in an international tournament." He played 172 minutes, less than 2 full games. He's also never been close to PFA player of the year either. As you say he was injured for half the season so wasn't even shortlisted. Really stretching the definition of "truly" there and jumping to some pretty big conclusions based on half a season.
Last edited:
I doubt he'll be as fun to watch playing for City. Pep will make him more efficient most likely, but probably less expressive.
Cant see Villa accepting that
If Villa sell for that I'll weep. Bleed City dry, they've literally got a bottomless pit of oil money.
Premier league, English player in his peak going to a "bigger" team. I really think we should be in for him with whatever money we get from Pogba.
Can't argue, love our signings. I guess I have Pogba leaving in my mind as well. Grealish equals goals and would have love dthe spotlight of out immense Club. But, again, I love your points about our signings, no complaints of course!
He was far and away the best player in the Championship in 2018/19 (a season that included the revered Mason Mount, and Emi Buendia for example), and only bettered arguably by Ruben Neves in 2017/18.
75M Can we just bid 100M to wind them up
Can we just bid 100M to wind them upJust one poster said he's the modern day Ronaldinho. It's used mostly as a joke after that.
Generational talent? He’s nearing 26 and has done feck all so far.
Eric Cantona did feck all before coming to us. Bruno is nearing 27 and he did feck all before he joined us a couple of years ago. You do realize playing in a top team matters right?
More so now that he's not signing for us/signing for city
Those aren't generational talents. The likes of Messi, Zidane, Ronaldo and Iniesta were.
No chance I’d say, but City will find a way to make it 75m on the books but get a cool 120m to Villa I’m sure.
I've always maintained it so feel free to look back on previous posts. As I said, very good player but phrases like 'generational talent' being used to describe him are ridiculously hyperbolic.
If he goes to City and absolutely tears it up, then maybe there's a case to be made.
He is gonna overshadow De Bruyne if he goes to City and it will be funny seeing the amount of revisionism about him around here.
Not many people are suddenly going to start calling him a generational talent though? He's very highly rated on here, but there's a line that once crossed just makes it seem a bit of nonsense.
If he doesn't look great playing in that ridiculously talented team under a brilliant manager, it would be a bit baffling, its not going to shock anyone.
I don't really know what generation talent means to most people. It's like "world class" , everyone makes up their own definition as they go.
I think though people who only describe him as merely good will be shocked how great he is in a team like City.
Ronaldo, Rooney, Messi, Haaland, Mbappe.
A talent that comes around once or twice in a generation. It’s nothing like the iffy World Class bracket in which everyone has their own definition.
Of course Jack is a cracking player and could be incredible for City, but calling a 26 yr old Aston Villa player a generational talent is ridiculous.
Cantona was what 25/26 when he came to Leeds? Same age as Grealish?
Also saying he won Leeds the title is also incorrect since he played half a season.
The point still stands. Many players are not as successful by 25/26. (Especially when they are not playing for a top team)
Its ridiculous that some posters are mocking Grealish with this argument.
You obviously weren’t a United fan back then, too young? Eric absolutely won them the league, without him we were 100% catching them.
- Status