WakefieldVillan

First I forgot Tim and Kesler, then Bailey, now I've just remembered Archer Think we need 3 x 30 minute teams

Yeah was always part of the schedule. I think it will be a case of giving game time to as many players as possible whilst trying to win this MASSIVE* trophy Probably two different teams for each half like we did against Leeds. I'd like to see something like - Martinez, Guilbert, Konsa, Carlos, Digne, Kamara, Sanson, Luiz, Coutinho, Ings, Buendia. Then: Olsen, Cash, Chambers, Mings, Augustinsson, Nakamba, McGinn, Ramsey, Watkins, Davis, Traore. Also a run out for Bailey / Tim / Kesler.. (Our squad is pretty big!) A nice mix. Win both halves, comfortably. No injuries. *only massive if we win

Correct. He seemed to want way to long on the ball and got robbed on more than one occasion for not playing the ball quicker. That said, 45 minutes in a pre-season game, building up fitness, I can (& will) give him the benefit of the doubt and not write him off. He did one lovely little run down the right touch line where the ref brought the ball back for a foul and Sanson was actually in the clear after evading three men quite nicely. Hope to see an improved 45 on Wednesday once he builds up his fitness.

I'd love for him to sign a new contract (don't we all?!), he's obviously a fantastic talent - but I think the club / Gerrard are right by leaving him back in the UK and it not being a distraction to the rest of the squad. I'll be honest and say I wasn't that impressed with JJ a couple of season's ago but he has come on leaps and bounds last season and I personally think Chuk has the potential to be better than JJ if he gets his head screwed on right. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it though, it's all about A.V.F.C not the player, and if he doesn't want to be part of our journey then so be it.

He doesn't though - his shot is fairly central! Yes, it's a decent save from a keepers POV but he shouldn't have been given a chance to make the save - and he wouldn't have if Ollie had placed it in the corner.

Yep, I agree - this is the most telling angle of why IMO it was a bad miss. So much room to slot it to the keepers right (left as we look). Open your body up, give the keeper the eye that you are going to his left then slot it low into the bottom corner. Easy. .

Only a friendly and the result isn't important but always nice to beat this horrible lot. Thought they started quicker/sharper than us but after around 15 mins we were the better side and should have gone in at the break 2-1 up after Philippe's poor penalty, Ollie missing the one on one and James really should have scored for them when he screwed his shot wide. Second half was a bit stop/start and we probably didn't deserve to win that half but I'll take a 1-0 and a clean sheet with no injuries all day long. Stand-out players first half were Olsen, Chambers, Bailey and Kamara and second half Olsen (again), Carlos and Ings. Biggest positives for me were Bailey & Kamara - Bailey looked much sharper, fitter, less hamstrung than he was last season and he hopefully will be like a new signing whilst Kamara played like he had 70+ caps for us, looked good on the ball, always available, physical and looks like he will be a great signing for us. There was a moment we lost the ball and Leeds broke with Dan James on the counter (who's pretty rapid to be fair) and Kamara tracked back and got a great tackle in to snuff out the danger - last season that would have resulted in a shot at our goal. Looking forward to Wednesday's game.

Looks a lot worse in slow motion. I don't think he went to "do him" though. Yellow card a right call. Shame it wasn't on Bamford or James. Hope the kids ok.

Martinez Cash McGrath Laursen Digne Kamara Ramsey McGinn Buendia Yorke Coutinho Vs Martinez Cash Carlos Mings Digne Kamara Platt Barry Buendia Benteke Coutinho The fact we have Coutinho, the only reason the none selection of JG. Can we have 6?

Me too. But he was absolutely dreadful the other night and his form hasn't been good since he returned from injury. I still think there's a player in there - but I wouldn't want us paying north of £60 mil.

Add to that, after they play us they have Man City (A), Arsenal (H) and Liverpool (A) is it too early to think/say that they will view ours as a must win! Of course not - But they could quite conceivably be - P4 W0 D0 L4 PTS 0 - by the end of August!

I agree, looks pretty decent to me. As long as we are better prepared than last season then there is no reason why we can't go to Bournemouth and win. I would hope for (expect) around 10 points from the first 5 which would set us on our way nicely. Also, playing Liverpool at home on Boxing Day could work in our favour.

Oh I agree that there will definitely be a couple of players left disappointed - I completely forgot about Sancho when I did mine! Though I personally wouldn't take him. I like Bowen, he may go and yes Rashford is a GS favourite. Will be interesting to see who does and doesn't makes the squad - But I don't think I am going to be happy with it.

Yes I agree he will definitely pick more defenders than I have selected. Especially to play with a back 5 and 2 holding midfielders I only chose 7 because I think we should play with a back 4 (Walker Stones McGuire Shaw) with (James, Tomori, Mings and Saka as back up) Ideally Saka would only be used further forward, but his versality would get the nod in the squad for me over Chilwell. At a push if there were lots of defensive injuries you could always play Rice / Phillips / Walker at CB - Not ideal but I wanted to get as many attacking players in that I could. I'm pretty certain all of Foden, Sterling and Grealish will go, now if it was Villa's Grealish well that's a different matter...

I don't think he will take Mings either, but as a natural left footed CB he would get on the plane for me, plus he's actually done ok when he's played for the national side.

Oh yes, without a doubt.

Great post. Yours is not too dissimilar to my preferred squad and that in bold - haha 100%, agree with you on that - That is what I am fearful of, and one of the reasons I dislike him being in charge of this talented squad.

Would be interested to see some of your squad selections for Qatar 2022. Going to be a few disappointed players when the squad is announced on 20th October. Obviously injuries/form nearer the time will play a part but here's mine FWIW: 1. Pope 2. Pickford. 3. Ramsdale. 4. Walker. 5. James 6. Stones. 7. McGuire. 8. Tomori. 9. Mings. 10. Shaw. 11. Rice. 12. Phillips. 13. Mount. 14. Bellingham. 15. Ward-Prowse. 16. Henderson. 17. Maddison. 18. Foden. 19. Grealish. 20. Saka. 21. Sterling. 22. Kane. 23. Abraham. I think Southgate's will be much different, for a start I am at least 3 RB's short, and I can't see him picking any of Mings, Maddison or Ward-Prowse.

That's exactly where I'm at. My wife's the same, she was cringing watching his "celebrations" last night.

Hope we don't embarrass ourselves, don't want City to win the league, but equally would hate Liverpool to win the quad - I think it will all play out pretty straightforward on Sunday with both teams scoring early and winning at a canter (especially City). Be nice if we could make it a game for them but not sure we have it in our locker. I would go 4-4-2 (diamond) - I don't think we have the team/players to soak the pressure up for 90 minutes and we need to stop the ball from inevitably coming back so I'd play 2 up top. Martinez Cash Chambers Mings Digne Nakamba Ramsey McGinn Coutinho Ings Watkins Or 4-2-3-1 Same GK/Defence Nakamba Luiz Ramsey Coutinho McGinn Watkins/Ings Realistically though, we could name 50 starting elevens and only our keeper would possibly feature in a joint Villa/City side.

I know it's a game of opinions but I didn't think Luiz did anything of note all game. He was better than Chuk but that isn't really much of a barometer. McGinn was our best midfielder by a distance and Mings and Buendia (stupid challenge aside) were our best performers IMO. Think it was a 6/10 performance, had a lot of the ball but huffed and puffed without creating a lot of real clear cut chances and of course Pope played very well. I wanted us to win (impossible not to in any game), but now the dust has settled it is nice to see Leeds back in the bottom three - Though after watching thuggish Burnley close up again I won't be overly disappointed if it was them that were to be relegated! I saw the 3 key decisions in the game (maybe with Villa specs on, maybe not) like this - Barnes elbow should have been a red. He knew exactly what he was doing and where Mings was. How a free kick wasn't given beggars belief. I thought that Lowton's was also a red. I think he has purposely left something on Chambers ( but if that had been given as a yellow, I wouldn't have been outraged - IE I have seen worse) and I don't think it was hand ball by Digne - and if it did touch his hand it would have been harsh when Barnes had his feet chest high!

If you don't hit it right in the corner then there is always a good chance the keeper will save it if they guess the right way so I think it's a poor pen though the keeper does take a bit of credit too for staying big. He scored the one that mattered though

Same as mine, but my formation went a bit skewiff!

Oops