peterw

Maybe more difficult as i suspect you wouldn't be able to get a work permit for an U-18.

new manager bounce? The lasted a little then we had a slump. Then when the slump returned after being sidelined with injury we won 10 on the bounce. because of one great player and some good coaching we;ve been able to mould a team that is getting better slowly but surely.

First season - wins 10 games on the bounce and gets us promoted. just enough? Second season - survive (unlike the majority of sides that have gone up through the play offs in recent years) and reach a major Cup final? just enough? third season - midtable and played some of the best football from a Villa team for many a year? Just enough? Blimey, tough crowd.

Its been a while since we had a player that I had no doubt would score with a penalty, also. Twice he's been asked about the pressure of taking a penalty (Wolves away and someone recently) and twice when asked if he felt the pressure he responded with an honest, "no, not really. We practice them all the time". As has been said, he's the first player most would probably mention in needing an upgrade, and until Wolves many (well me, at least) would have been surprised to have seen him anywhere near the squad never mind team. He's obviously put in the hard yards on the training ground and its reaping the rewards. Amongst all of that though - if someone was to offer 15m+ I think we'd sell.

It's not, you're right but I always worry when the ball is swung into our box at a corner due to the lack of presence we have in there.

How excited would you have been if Smith had said at the same time last year that he was brining in a forest midfielder to play at right-back, and Arsenal reserve keeper, and someone playing in france who failed the last time he was in the Prem league?

McGinn was the best player on the pitch against Everton and as we became overwhelmed yesterday it was by no means the worst player on the pitch - I thought he did okay as Palace looked to be more offensive especially with wide over loads (when did they become a thing and overlaps not?). Anyway, he will eventually have to be replaced but I think we'd have been okay yesterday if we had a fit Jack and a first 10 games barkley playing.

Hard to say that he has no faith in youth given that ramsey is playing and throughout the season they have made the bench every now and then. the biggest sign that he has faith in youth is how many are training with the first team squad. that is their first exposure to first team football long before making a matchday squad or being named in the 'starting' squad. Bottom line is - if they're good enough they'll get their chance.

maybe because he doesn't think kessler would be able to stand up to someone like Zaha given that one is a highly rated premier league footballer and the other someone that has not played first team football. This is in the same vein as your Chukwuemeka argument. It may have some validity and why not throw him in against Spurs? Maybe not if Son id playing? Chelsea? Maybe they'd be a better option given they're likely to rest players ahead of the CL final.

The issue being the desire just to see one youth player thrown in after another. The coaches see them all the time against men, not against other young players and know when they're ready. Whether you think Ramsey has done well or not really isn't the point. Chukwemeka may do well, he may perform terribly. The coaches know him and see him and judge it. What if after one game he plays really poorly, do you then say, "yeah. he's not that good. let's try so-and-so then"? At what point do you think we should rely on the judgement on those paid to do it? As for Barry - I don't think he's anywhere near being physically ready. nowhere near at all. Can you name one time (and this may be egg on my face time) where you/we/anybody has been clamouring for game time for youth players (because that's in effect what they are) and the fans have been proven right? Just one example. Spread the net to the wider football community? One time when fan's have wanted the youth players to have been given starts, they have got their way and that player has gone on to be a player of some description? If not, then your argument really does fall down at the first hurdle. that being, why not leave these decisions to those best placed to judge and call it?

martinez - 6 Elmo - 5 Konsa - 7 hause - 6 targett - 6 Luiz - 6 mcGinn - 6 ramsey - 5 Traore - 5 watkins - 6 El Ghazi - 6 either average or below average after a very bright opening 20 mins or so, then dipped unjtil they scored and responded well. Second half was poor but not sure what options Smith had to try and stem their pressure. You could argue nakamba to come on but he usually is the option for the final few minutes when we're hanging on to something. its easy to forget that as average as we were second half it wasn't until a deflected goal with 15 mins left that Palace got level. Until then the only change was a positive one with Jack coming on. That we conceded a very poor 3rd right after doesn't detract from the fact that until the 75th minute we were still in the box position. Disappointing end but i think Cash or Mings in the team and its a lot different.

What i'm not understanding is that you're all up for giving one kid a chance, but want us to replace another kid who has been given a chance because you don't rate him? That's not how it works. You earn your right to be a first-team player you don't get given someone's shirt simply because fan's aren't happy with results. The coaches and Smith will be seeing what they are doing in training and will pick accordingly. just because a player is ripping it up against kids doesn't mean they can do it against men. Similarly, just because 10 minutes might be great for their morale, it could also destroy it if they have a poor 10 minutes and aren't ready for it. That's the whole point of a coaching team, to assess and see who is ready and whent hey are ready. Every season we have fans saying - give that kid a try, or give this kid a try, and yet it rarely happens in football unless necessity calls or the youngster is top class and bursting their way through (Owen, Rooney, Greenwood, jack, Bellingham and so on). For all those that we have given minutes to over the past decade or so - most drift down the leagues or out of the game. We're a Premier league team where you have to fight to be noticed. Ramsey has managed to do that and for Chukwuemeka he will be encouraged that youngsters are given the opportunity by Smith. minutes here and there, and now starts. Whether you think he has done well is irrelevant. its what Smith and the coaches think. They, and Ramsey, Chukwuemeka, Barry et al will also see and know the hard work behind the scenes, and then on the training pitch with the first team that goes into getting onto the pitch for the first team. Its not easy. it takes a time. its a lot of hard work. And the worst judges are always fans.

I think that palace saw our right-back position as our weakness and exploited it. Elmo is no Cash and Traore gave him little cover in the first half, and similar story with El Ghazi second half. cash can usually make up for that with his speed and timing but sadly not Elmo. We got found out because of our lack of depth. We just move on.

You don't need to be a tackler to be a cdm as much as you need to anticipate and be able to read a game. The job is more about protection and covering gaps than it is about being able to tackle. if you look at Dennis Mortimer he was a reader and someone who anticipated rather than tackled but he was an ideal number 6. Also, in the modern game I don't think anyone receives the ball from Martinez and shifts it better than him. One of the oft overlook things from this season is how well we transition the ball from the defence and Luiz rarely loses it or misplaces it.

Well these stats suggest that he did improve. https://totalfootballanalysis.com/article/douglas-luizs-performances-since-the-league-restarted-data-analysis-statistics

Ndidi then - only a midget at 6'1 mind.

I rate Maddison but if Leicester would to get mad and allow us to pick a young up and coming English player from them it'd be Harvey Barnes. have him on the left and Jack as a 10 and we'd be very strong.

Claret shirt blue sleeves. Easy enough to remember. Away - white is a classic but also nothing wrong claret short, blue sleeves, blue shorts. Which we ALWAYS seem to wear away at Everton for some lovely reason. Third kit - couldn't give a shite except no navy blue as mentioned. or green.

That usually only sits when you have a match fit player that has only had a relatively short time out, or has felt a twinge in training. Let me turn it around to you, would you have started Wesley rather than put him on the bench to build up his match fitness?

Luiz was our best player after the restart last season, and up until the Covid break that we had he was one of our best performers week in week out this season. That he's had a rough run of games in terms of form shouldn't detract from the excellent performances that we have seen him capable of. I also disagree about his best position as I think he is ideally suited to CDM - that he also has an eye for a pass shows the levels he can get to. He needs extra help in there and a little more quality so that he can just get his head down and get on with his job. He's one player who definitely needs the summer break and then to come back fully recharged. I think he'll be firing next season and we'll have put him on a new contract in the summer.

If Football Insider were a fans forum it'd be TBAR.

I think Sanson will be seen more as the replacement for McGinn next season which still leaves us needing 2 more in there. Luiz will get better so i have no problem with him keeping his place but at set pieces at both ends we miss height in both boxes, so a midfielder with height is a must. I also think we need to have the attacking midfielder as one with prem league experience so can hit the ground running. We can't put the pressure back on Jack when the season starts.

Well after the way they largely stunk out the place I think its safe to say that their relegation (again) is a victory for football (again). Used to quite like Fulham now I wish nothing but ill for them.

I doubt that would be his only two options.

he wouldn't leave Marseille to sit on our bench. That said, he could be a useful left midfield/wing option.