Trickster

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I find anyone that starts a post with 'Slightly controversial opinion....' knows what they are doing. This is not 'criticism', and it's a tired excuse to say it's part and parcel of the game. That's just making it much more ok to do. It's full on abuse, and a lot of it pretty despicable. Telling someone to get out of a club if they 'can't handle it' is outrageous and disgusting tbh. If people always bring up the 'wage' reason why they should have the right to direct abuse, then I wonder why they bother with professional sports at all to be interested in, it's obviously making lots pretty bitter, miserable beings.

Still have the money for Josh King though right?

I think you are being finicky about the word 'support'. Of course it's nothing new, as is opinions on that criticism.

Not surprised to see the criticism so early doors, was a few on here already made their mind up before he even joined from reading Lyons fans on Twitter. Looking forward to seeing him in a run of games with better quality players who can actually consistently complete a pass and bring wingers into the game. People love to have that 'I predicted it back in.....' or the 'I called it back then and was criticised' ego massaging type posts, just dying to get invisible 1 ups on a message board. Give a player a chance, hasn't even played 90 minutes yet. Surely supporting players is of better value than these little sad 'I'm a sage' negative predictions on a bloody message board.

Palace are meant to be the front runners for him. If they miss out on Brewster, I think they'll fast track their move for him.

I think they are more finding it funny that he has 'downgraded' from Chelsea when he left Everton to play at the highest level, which is fair enough I think.

I like Preece but he has had very little before anyone else so far. I know a lot don't like Nixon, but he does seem to have contacts with agents. He gets a lot of Champ -> Prem stuff right, even though some pretend he gets nothing right. I'm not a big fan at all of how he tweets but he definitely gets info, maybe nothing at all about Villa of course. Percy is of course the main guy. Did anywhere have the Barkley signed story before the official site this morning btw? Didn't see any.

Reports tonight that Greenwodod and Foden are expected to be left out. Even with them in, Jack should be in the squad.

Brewster doesn't play across front three either.

It's almost as if different transfers take different amounts of time. I'm not saying all of the Rashica stuff was true, or any of it in fact, but judging against length of other transfers makes no sense. So many variables included.

Whether he ends up staying or going, I personally hope he stays, it's very refreshing to see a player openly wanting to stay rather than the swathes of players we've had that couldn't wait to leave. For me it tells two things, 1) we have a player who is committed and likes being at Villa and 2) there's a good atmosphere and general togetherness at the club at the moment that allows players to want to stay. Fred has also been open in criticising his own performances when he has had a poor game etc. He's a guy I genuinely want to see do well here.

Love his reliability at times and more than happy to have him around the squad but he does have a few of the times he switches off like Burton's first goal the other week. Happy to have him to do a job in games like this though.

I don't think Benrahma has been on Villa's radar at all this summer, a real lack of solid links unlike Watkins. Palace seem to be only team in for him, or at least only one close to the price Brentford might want. I think he'll end up joining Palace in the end, they seem to have a bit of money to spend as well, especially after sell on fee from Sorloth.

Thats what not 'all' were saying in fairness, a very specific thing for all to be saying. Hourihane usually plays centre, I wouldn't really call it pseudo LM. Despite his free kicks, he actually isn't that great of a crosser from general play. The one thing that I feel McGinn brings around the box, or even in midfield generally, is urgency. Hourihane will never be consistent threat at CAM because he simply doesn't have this and his foot speed to line up things is frustratingly slow. Someone on here had a very good term for it now that I can't remember.

I think some of the McGinn criticism is a bit over the top and seems to be judged quicker than other players for whatever reason, maybe because he got so much praise before that it's some sort of evening out? I don't know. The argument of Hourihane v McGinn I find especially baffling, McGinn's average game in general play is almost always better than Hourihane's. This is especially shown up when we don't get many dangerous free kick positions for Conor to put one in. McGinn does quite a bit of harrying, breaking up things and quicker passing (a big Hourihane weakness) that isn't usually mentioned as highlights of a game etc, but it's there.

Most teams in the league are a 'couple of injuries away' from it affecting their results. Some positions, squad wise, will be a bit weaker than others when window closes, it's almost impossible to fill all gaps for now. I'd love a centre back, left back, centre midfielder, left winger and a striker but it's unlikely all those will happen. It's more about being smart with use of squad and getting the 'not as good' players to step up and perform.

I wouldn't take much notice of 'lack' of links etc. The Traore link popped up when the deal was practically done. The closer we get to the window I imagine cards are being kept much closer to chest. The same way the media make up stuff, they also have no idea of actual stuff being done until it gets out nearing completion.

To say there isn't any fans would like to see him fail is underestimating the bitterness that exists on social media etc. I am in absolutely in no doubt that some who didn't want him appointed in the first place is holding this chip on their shoulder and just waiting to perk up like a viper and whinge 'I told you so'. Whether they are 'true' Villa fans is much of a muchness etc but I have no doubt there are fans like this.

I don't think any of us have a clue whether it's the payment structure that's a problem or not tbh. There's been 'developments' in this saga without there being actual developments. I've no doubt this is complicated but bar knowing vague movements in the transfer, I certainly don't think we know info like that.

Loftus-Cheek not injured confirmed by Lampard, just left out of the squad. Worth keeping an eye on his involvement from here on out. Sarr would cost a fortune, Watford looking for around £40m. Plays more on the right so can't see any interest there.

The thing about Trez is the one thing that would improve him a lot imo is if he just makes it harder for players to nick tbe ball away from him, he doesn't protect the ball anywhere near strongly enough. The anount of times he is on the wing and the defender just nips in and puts it out for a throw, or dispossess him completely is quite frustrating. I'm hoping the season in the PL will make him stronger in that regard, and less of the hail mary kick it and try to run passed tbhe opponent which failed about 90% of the time. Still rooting for him though.

I hate that Elmo sometimes gets the 'experience' excuse when talking about right back options. He is clearly getting slower and it's actually frustrating to watch him act as if he is playing the ball fast but ends up getting nowhere. Guilbert should be given a fair crack imo. People seem to forget Elmo's poor performances a lot faster than Guilbert's, and I genuinely think it's because Elmo is boring and 'experienced' and Guilbert is spiky and more aggressive.

I think even if we are overpaying, maybe we aren't and be'll be really good? Who knows, but i think we certainly aren't hugely overpaying etc. This guy was not going to be sold for £10-12m, we just signed a full back from Championship for more. If we are overpaying it's not by that much where people should freak out and undervaluing the current market to try and prove a point.

Oh it can absolutely work both ways, but imo it's more unfair in a negative way. Positivity is what we all crave to be able to say about Villa, well most anyway :P, so I can see why some go over the top in that regard. Like I said, neutral is best way to go, with either reservations or expectations attached as suited. But writing players off isn't a direct comparison to ott expectations imo. The negativity also brings more of the dire 'I told you so' stuff during the season too.