Delphinho123

Yeh, exactly. The plan is clear, develop the youth, play a certain way, spend big on a couple of players each year to improve the team. Sell a player occasionally for a big profit to balance the books. Well, at least that's what Leicester do and it works. If we get rid of Smith, they will bring in another progressive manager rather than a Bruce, Allardyce type. It's not like days gone where we'd sack a manager and we'd have to start again, from the youth team set up, the backroom staff, the scouts etc. If Smith goes, who else leaves... Shakespeare? Maybe Cutler? That isn't a problem. Most managers will want at least two coaches of their own anyway. If Smith leaves, I'd trust the board to get it right.

He'll have to wait his turn and play extremely well if he wants to break into the team and keep his place. I'd argue Ramsey and McGinn have been our best two players this season.

But we've built that system so that we can remove the head coach with less disruption. Smith is the head coach and if we aren't performing, I think the board will pull the trigger and parachute someone in to the current set up. Where that bar is set, is anyones guess. You could be right, it could be serious relegation trouble but I have a feeling the bar wont be set quite that low. Personally, I hope Smith continues for a few more years yet, but let's not pretend that our owners wont have ambitions that match their investment. Smith is just a cog in a massively expensive wheel to them.

He has options and I'd bet the board want to improve on our 11th place finish. If we're struggling and hovering around relegation at Xmas, he'll be under pressure.

No.

Was it? Fair enough. I know Cash, Ramsey and Watkins were right up there. Thought I heard JJ but my point rests - he can run all day!

I’d love him to score in front of the Holte soon. Once he gets that goal, I think it will give him the confidence to go on and get more and add yet another attribute to his game. I could be completely wrong with this, but he strikes me as someone who doesn’t realise how good he is and could be. Once he figures it out, he could be an absolute baller for us for the next however many years.

Agreed.

He always works hard, but it’s almost highlighted by the fact he’s always blowing and covered in sweat etc. Whereas compared to someone like J. Ramsey (who I believe got the highest bleep test score at the club), running around non stop is just effortless. They’ve struck up a good pairing in there. If Luiz can keep playing well in behind, that could be our 3 sorted for the year.

One of the worst 'Villa' accounts out there. But. Mings does make a lot of mistakes. I do worry about him when he's on the ball and what he'll do next

This.

Kessler aside, these loan spells haven’t started great have they?

It doesn’t, but it might come good and it would be great if it did. It’s a tad concerning he’s not getting game time at the moment though, especially compared to Kessler who by all accounts has started brilliantly. Barry will be a footballer, whether it be L1, Championship or even conference. He’s almost definitely going to be able to make a living off it, I’ve just not seen enough from him to suggest he’s going to be a PL footballer in the same way I have from Carney, A. Ramsey and Kessler. We have some fantastic talent coming through and signings like Burchall, Feeney etc. have only added to the mix, but we have to be realistic. The academy will have done its job if only 1 or 2 of these players go on to make the first team and the others are sold for six figure sums. In an ideal world, we’ll be able to field a competitive PL XI in five years time with every academy graduate but that just doesn’t happen.

It really wasn’t. I think our midfield 3 have started well and deserve to keep their place but there are plenty of people on here who want to progress and finish higher than 11th so naturally they wanted to sign a player to improve arguably the weaker areas of our squad. We’re 4 games in and we have 4 points. Let’s see where we are after 20/30 games before labelling posters ambitions to improve as ‘ridiculous overreactions’.

I would like us to play a 4-3-3 with Watkins as the striker and Bailey/Buendia cutting in from the wings. Oddly enough, I actually think the midfield 3 of Luiz, McGinn and Ramsey has been the strongest part of the side this season. I’m all for changing the formation and what not but I don’t see how you play Bailey and Buendia in a 3-5-2. That’s 70 million pounds worth of talent. I don’t think Ings gets in our best team.

For what reason? He isn’t getting anywhere near our first team. Are you saying he should be loaned elsewhere because I can’t really disagree with that as he needs game time. He’s at an age now where I’d expect him to be doing well at the level he’s gone to, especially if he harbours ambitions of being a PL footballer. Personally, I don’t put him in the same category as Kessler, Carney and A. Ramsey. It’s way too early to tell but i’ll be surprised if he turns out to be as good as the aforementioned.

He’s supposed to be the better one! I’ve said it across a few threads but I think A. Ramsey is the best player in our academy. Him, Carney and Kesler will all be challenging for regular first team spots in the next 2/3 years.

I like Ings, think he’s a decent player, but I don’t think he gets in our best team. Controversial opinion I know.

Not sure how you fit him into a 3-5-2.

We really will. He’s an incredible player tbh.

They really have. Criminal we’re behind.

He seems to have a very high opinion of his son. Whilst commendable, I hope he doesn't end up criticising the club or our other players in the future if we're not performing well on the pitch. He's already labelled us as a stepping stone, which fans seem to be ok with (I thought it was a bit of an odd comment). Reminds me of the competitive dad chap off the Fast Show.

But it’s potentially their best 3 players. Most teams that play Chelsea this year, won’t have the luxury of doing so with them missing Kante, Lukaku and Havertz. Agreed that they’re still very strong though.

They’ll both be running pain free on the Friday.