Delphinho123

Every fan base tends to think their youngsters are the next big thing and that they’ll bring through a Messi at some stage. The harsh reality is, only a few go on to make it, even fewer at the top level. Remember our team that won the FA youth cup previously, with the Moore brothers in it? How many of those players became regular premier league players? I don’t doubt our current crop might be the best we’ve had in a long, long time, but I’d be very surprised if more than 2 of them cut it as genuine top half premier league players. I think the ones who have a chance are Kessler, Carney and A. Ramsey. My point is, if we rely on the kids, it could go very wrong (cue the Hanson quote). I agree that there isn’t anything better than seeing a kid come through and killing it for the first team. I’m really hoping Jacob Ramsey goes up a gear this season.

Enjoy your rest, mate. Let’s reconvene at a later date

‘Claiming the season is over’. Of course the season isn’t over. We could have an amazing season and I could be wrong in my predictions. Thats the beauty of live sport - anything can happen right? Im merely suggesting that I don’t think we’ve had a good window and I think we’ll go backwards this year. Don’t worry though mate, I’ll still be supporting the team

I didn’t reference the part where you said Smith losing his job was Hyperbole did I? I won’t change either, don’t worry

I don’t think the board will stand for a lower finish than last season and I think if we are hovering around 13th/14th at xmas, the board might act. Again, all healthy discussion on a messageboard and of course, speculation on what may or may not happen.

Loving the positivity!

What is this black magic?

Again, quit with the hyperbole. People are just discussing our transfer activity and whether we’re stronger or weaker than last year.

Can’t see it happening but he is absolutely the kind of player we need. A nasty midfielder who sits deep but doesn’t panic under pressure. If there is a younger version of Witsel out there, get him instead, but if not, bring this lad in for a season or two to sure us up and protect our very strong back 5.

Oh yeh, totally agree. I’m just speculating on how I think we’ll perform given the players we’ve brought in. Hopefully we absolutely smash it!

Not sure really. Lack of links, smiths comments, noise around us being done. Guess I’ve subconsciously bought into us being finished. Hope I’m wrong!

Of course it would, but to discuss that, on a forum is blasphemous and you get labelled a moron

My comments are based on the assumption it’s stopped (which I think it has). If we go on and sign a midfielder or two then happy days!

We realise that, I just wanted to see us improve is all. I don’t think we have done enough to do that.

Here he is! How did you sleep?

Grealish will have helped take the pressure off our defence, for sure. He could receive the ball in tight spaces and win a free kick or find a pass that other players couldn’t. We’ve lost that world class ability now. I think Martinez is in for another busy year. Let’s hope he is as good as he was last season.

It really is. It’s not just that for me, it’s the areas we’ve spent money. Had Grealish have stayed, I’d have argued we’d have needed two central midfielders. He’s gone for a record amount of money and whilst we may have replaced his output, we still haven’t spent money on the one area of the team that needed improving the most. Like I say, this window is chalk and cheese with last years. I think on balance, it’s been a very poor window for the club. (Tin hat on).

Then we’ll be waiting a while for success.

Some of our clean sheets were absolutely down to world class saves. Without Martinez last season, we’d have finished 13th/14th. The best way to protect him is to buy a decent defensive midfielder, if not 2, and if we don’t, we’ll suffer the consequences - a lower finish in the table.

Yep. Luckily we have two right sided attackers who can fill in for Buendia.

If it didn’t happen so often, why do the stats suggest it did? I remember teams like Leeds, Palace and Brighton carving us open on numerous occasions. If you think we protect our back 4 and goalkeeper enough, then fine, but the stats suggest we don’t and it will continue to be a problem for an 11th placed team without Grealish.

That’s fine. If he doesn’t want to play one, that’s his prerogative. However, I can see it costing him his job, I really can.

Lol. Signing a top class keeper has nothing to do with it. Martinez is great. Martinez faced 135 shots last season (from what I can find online), that puts us 17th in that regard. You can dismiss it all you like, but just because we have a world class keeper, doesn’t mean we can rely on him to make a ridiculous amount of saves every match. A large part of the reason his goal is peppered is because teams cut through us. Surely you see this? We haven’t addressed that with our transfer activity and it could come back to bite us.

How many shots did our keeper save?

Again, what makes you think we’re not supporting the lad? We are! Stop thinking people don’t support the team/players just because they don’t have a positive opinion of them. There is nothing I would love more than to see Sanson do well and prove me wrong. I just don’t personally think he will. Im not so foolish as to think proving a point on VillaTalk is more important that Villa winning. He’ll get my full support.