Zhan_Zhuang

Correct @Follyfoot Remember also Traore had no pre-season last year as he was a later acquisition and had an injury. I think a good pre-season this year will help him.

Absolutely, good first-half and the disappeared after about fifty minutes. We should have subbed him at sixty minutes.

Very good against Everton. Anyone see his skill when he looped the ball over a player closing him down?

You saw the second-half right? They just carved through him every time and he kept getting caught in possession and giving it away!

@VillaChris I agree. Davis just isn't savvy enough, doesn't have the nous for it. But then again even the commentary mentioned he had no service against Everton. However, I still like him. He holds the ball up, has some skill, strength and a bit of pace, he's just so raw. I'd like him to stick around, work on his game and watch the aforesaid clips of Cavani.

Very poor again... Looks mentally shot or drained? Camera focuses on him after his subbed and he's muttering to himself. His confidence must be in bits. He'll be at the Barcodes next season fighting relegation.

I'd like to say McGinn was better but that would only be true for the first-half. Second-half he tired and was outdone a few times, a bit sloppy again and still gave the ball away far too much for my liking. Thought Luiz looked better to be honest.

A tough match and Everton had more to play for, we were better first-half they were better second-half. I just hope we can scrape tenth now.

Must admit, my friend I have no idea what that is? Sorry.

Keinan Davis, I'm rooting for you big fella! UTV

Every summer window Villa seem to be in the position of having to wait for other teams to do their business first to set the wheels in motion. This summer with the Euro's I wonder if that will impact on signings once again... It would be great if we could get business done so we have a pre-season with all new players present.

Harry Macguire must be some sort of marker here in the sand and I hope Villa stick to it. I know finances change due to Covid but that's not our fault, £85 million for Maguire set a precedent. Which is why Burnley wanted £50million plus for Tarkowski. Foden and Grealish are the two most talented English players, how much for Foden in comparison?

All well and good but can they pay £150 million at least?

You are all forgetting. McGinn started last season lively enough but he struggled with his form even before the injury against Southampton. One decent game in ten isn't what we need, needs replaced. He invites so much pressure on us constantly giving the ball away, we need more reliability. I compared the stats of him and Ward-Prowse. JWP has way better more recoveries (quicker), is a better passer, makes more tackles and is way better attacking with more assists and goals.

Absolutely agree, we need an improvement in the middle. This would also protect Traore and Cash. This was exactly my point previously and lost on most it would seem. Someone who all-round is a step-up on what we have but is capable from set-pieces. I defined Ward-Prowse as that player, his stats this season and last in comparison to McGinn are better from his recoveries per game, to his ability on the ball and retaining possession. He gets more goals and more assists than any other player we currently have in CM yet he is supposedly rubbish according to the masses. Ward-Prowse maybe is unrealistic but the sentiment remains. It's ok to agree to disagree but it's not that simple when the statistics tell you differently. And I'm out...

For the fourth time Ward-Prowse was an example of a player who I think we need who is PL quality. Villa lack creativity from the centre and a dead-ball specialist. He was/is a player I think who would have improved us this season and he is improving every season in terms of statistics. De Paul and Buendia yes of course they are cheaper but they don't play where Ward-Prowse does. My point is we are poor in the middle of the park in giving the ball away, inviting pressure and creating. £60 million was just a number I picked it doesn't mean anything, Transfer Markt has his current value at just over £25 million.

Traore ~ 6 goals 5 assists 32 appearances this season. A good pre-season and he improves on that next season and becomes a very important player for us. We just need a bit more steel in the centre of midfield to complement him.

It's ok to say signing PL proven players is 'a tired and outdated' model but as yet under Smith we haven't actually really done it. Ok maybe Barkley was supposed to be that player but it hasn't worked out, however the writing was already on the wall with him had we listened to Everton and Chelsea fans before. For the third time Ward-Prowse or someone like him is my drift, Phillips, Ndombele are others mentioned. I'd like us to take a player or two from PL rival and also continue the model of signing young players like Cash, Konsa to develop. Someone like Olise for example. Yes I'm aware players for English players or PL players are inflated but there's a reason: because they know the league we are in. Sooner or later we have to act in accordance with our intentions and money unfortunately is the way it works. I saw a frightening list of how much Guardiola had spent on defensive players alone. We can have delusions of doing it the Villa (Lange) way and continue to sign the players for developing and 'under the radar' types but I seriously believe we have to commit on one or two big guns along the way too.

Ok no worries. I agree we need a wide-player but I still think we are lightweight in the middle, especially at retaining the ball under pressure. Ndombele was mentioned, good shout by the way. I was just throwing a name out there, but yeah £60 million is a lot of money but perhaps my point got lost. I think we have to look at signing that next-level player; to do to others what City did to us all those years ago i.e, signing Barry. Perhaps our approach will be different but I worry about some of the names mentioned; many of them are coming from other leagues and take time. Again my point which seems to have been lost is to sign a player who already is familiar with PL football and most importantly is performing. It's easy to throw figures around but presumably you are talking upwards for £40 million for that PL player. A Ward-Prowse as club captain and favourite of Southampton way more £ for sure. Just looking over Ward-Prowse statistics over the last three seasons and he looks better than McGinn, for example better defence and attacking statistics combined. Ward-Prowse also retains the ball way better, McGinn costs us by inviting pressure so often. Ok I know he's an unlikely signing but Villa need someone like him desperately in the middle. Sanson Ward-Prowse Luiz

Yeah don't let the statistics get in the way. Hey, I dunno how much would he cost? Considering the two facts that he is an established PL player and that Burnley wanted £50million for Tarkowski! I wouldn't disagree the money could be spent in possibly a better way, but would it go on an established PL player and how much would they cost in relation? It's a forum, debate it please rather than throw insults!

Re: Ward-Prowse still think he'd improve our midfield. So I looked at his stats to wonder as to why many of you thought it so laughable, but yet haven't found out why you would think it so? Premier League stats - JWP 34 appearances 8 goals 6 assists JM - 33 appearances 2 goals 5 assists Comparing the two, JWP has better defensive and attacking stats also. One could argue the case JWP would have more assists and goals at Villa this season than at Southampton too. Time for Villa to sign a PL tested player from a rival or two rather than a hit and hope from Belgium, Ligue 1 or the SPL. Who better than a current England international.

£60 million on James Ward-Prowse. He would give us a threat from set-pieces and more legs in the middle. Bench McGinn.

Not good today, did you see him sprinting for the ball today? Man can't even run, it's a shame but he's hindering us. I thought he was better against Everton but two steps back again. Villa aren't signing him for £20-30 million, he also has no resale value. Signing Barkley would be madness. Chukwuemeka would have offered us more today than Barkley.

No he was not, currently Traore and Targett have more votes for MOTM. McGinn was better the last two games though, I'll give you that.

In short, if Watkins was a Manure player it was a penalty.