macandally

4 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

I really like JJ so inclined to agree somewhat. However, both are much better than Buendia who is slow, weak and careless in possession. 

Beundia is played to find that “number 10” pass, I would expect his pass success figures to be lower otherwise he is just another centre mid, defence splitting passes fail more than they succeed, but you win or lose on the minority that work.

The game today was a prime example, lots of possession, little penetration 

Just now, Delphinho123 said:

How bizarre? Oh how Bizarre?

Gallagher is energy without purpose, runs everywhere without cohesion or understanding, surprised he is has achieved where he is, personally think that this is his ceiling and for me, not a patch on JJ

53 minutes ago, striker said:

I’d be ringing Roy Hodgson and inquiring asking price for both Eze & Olise? Then a quality RB to keep Konsa at CM.

Owners have to show that type of ambition to take advantage of Villa’s start to the season. 

I don’t often agree with you Striker, but Eze would be a game changer for us, when we beat them 3-1, he was head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch

5 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

Gallagher going to spurs by the looks of it. Shame. 

How you see value in the headless chicken that is Gallagher and still diss Beundia is beyond me.  
 

Bizarre to me 

On 29/12/2023 at 11:23, TRO said:

If he could do that at the time, he would have been at Liverpool....I don't think Bremner, was known for his silky passes, or his ball control, but was in a team that won the top prize...its horses for courses.

Every team in the Prem has one...I just picked those names for reference to the point....not to be taken as literally as you have taken them....having said that, if we want to be at the top table, thats the quality, we need to aim for.

Every team wants a Son or a Salah, which is unlikely, (but not impossible) so do we all just give up?

World football, is a pretty wide open space, and I would be surprised, if there are not some, players of pretty good quality out there to do a job for us.....thats why we employ, top class recruitment teams and analysts to scour the networks.

A slight down grade from Rice of Rodri, would still strengthen our team, from Dendoncker...that was the specific point....we simply cannot rely soley on Kamara in such a key and demanding role for us, in all competitions.

Where players are hard to find, is players good at everything, like Bellingham.....There are limited players in the Prem, giving us a hard time, like at Sheff Utd or Luton or Forest...so don't be too dismissive of them as just journeymen.

I believe we can find players, with not too much financial clout required to fix, some of our problems, and strengthen the overall.

Our technical players have got us to 3rd, they need some help to stay there...else they will be negated by teams who target them...they need some form of protection.

I believe Unai, will find such players, moving forward, to upgrade our peripheral players.

I get the analogies back to 81 and 82, but the game has changed so much that you cannot have one trick ponies anymore, you need the full spread of attributes to play in the Premier League, look at McGinn/Luiz, both have had to evolve and they are not in isolation.

13 minutes ago, TRO said:

Thats what we did, on Sunday, with technical players...we lost the ball at an alarming rate, and showed little urgency.....these elements of a game are a pre-requisite.

You can still sign central midfielders with aggression and muscle, and with technical ability....Rodri, Rice, Bentancur, are such players.

We were the creators of our own downfall at Old Trafford, the crowd had turned against them, booed off at half time, we then conspired to let them back in via a gift and then couldn’t stem the crowd induced tide.  

Unai would be pulling his hair out and I am not sure any side or player introduction can turn that back around once OT is pulling in the same direction. 

3 hours ago, TRO said:

so, are you telling me one quality CDM in a squad of 25 is sufficient to launch an ambitious assault on the Premier league? and other competitions.

No one has suggested you buy a player, soley based on a 3 match ban or form dip.

The suggestion is based on an eye test, to witness how a young CDM facing an Arduous league campaign and a European cup campaign, and a possible domestic cup, might need some help in a position, that is extremely demanding.

CDM is one of the most crucial positions on a football field....and it requires a combative and robust approach, which attracts suspensions and injuries, not to mention form challenges.

To have one, is a squad weakness imo.

I think you are answering a different question, originally poster was talking Ramsey, a player in a position where we are well stacked 

On 27/12/2023 at 16:18, RicRic said:

Stop mentioning last season ffs  look at the position we are in you think we got time to wait until he gets back to last seasons levels NO we need someone playing there who has momentum and full energy, never said hes a bad player hes a top player when operating at the levels he did last year… we cannot afford to drop out because we are waiting for him to hit full speed. 

We cannot buy another player everytime one gets injured or has a loss of form, this is not a video game 

Referee so inconsistent it’s untrue, cards for fun until it mattered! 
 

Martinez kept us in the game, so by miles the MOTM.  Dug it out when not at our best, same as Spuds, a year ago we are losing those games, sign of progress

Eze Eberechi for me, he will cost a whack, but best player on the park Saturday

1 hour ago, striker said:

Origi now available on a loan deal. Could be the second striker Villa need?

Nobody is biting anymore mate

1 minute ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Neil with good breakdown, analysis and sensibility as usual. I've really warmed to this :

 

 

 

His Marcus Alonso one was enlightening too!  Didn’t realise Alonso is 6’ 2” and had similar aerial duals won as Tyrone Mings.

If nothing else, you can see why he came into consideration 

No brainer at that price, progressive signing too as a ball playing centre back, not a big lump who “puts his body on the line”

1 hour ago, CVByrne said:

By trying you get double that. I means it's easier to move players on and loan players out if they aren't winning the battle for mins on the pitch vs the others. 

On those wages?  You have basically signed your meal ticket for life, apart from professional pride (which isn’t always in the modern footballer) there is very little incentivisation  to a) push or b) leave.  
 

I think the model is horrible 

45 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

You do realise they are putting the players on relatively low wages. Mudryk cost £90m and is on £89k per week base salary. The players are on incentives, where base salary goes up with total appearances and goal contributions. They also get bonus at end of season based on the teams success and that is shared out based on what individual players contributed. 

So the players who join and don't perform will get little more than their base salary. It's a very smart way to motivate players and manage the wage bill. I'm sure we are moving to similar type contracts ourselves in terms of more incentive based than base salary.

So £4m a year for 8 years without too much effort?  £32m guaranteed and contracted whether I play or not?

Still not seeing the inventive to actually try! 

1 minute ago, KMitch said:

You could say the same thing about Bailey and Traore.  Johnson's decision making is horrific and has been downright awful for Forest so far this season.  He wouldn't improve us, IMO. 

I rate Steve Cooper as a coach, but he is nowhere near Emery.

All our players were making bad decisions early last year, they are far better (not perfect) now.

As I said, Pace is natural, the rest can be coached 

What the hell are Chelsea doing?

Proper basket case, thinking players on 8/9 year contracts are actually going to be motivated to play for their wages.  They must think they have found the golden goose! 
 

Pochetino is decent, but I don’t think that Bohly idiot is helping him! 

1 hour ago, TRO said:

Yeah...but without other attributes, of equal strength,  its limited.

Adama Traore is a good example......our own speedster Gabby scored 3 goals in the last 3 seasons on his tenure....Julian Joachim, was another speedy Gonzales, with a hit rate of 3.6 for us.....not good enough for top flight.

Personally, In an overall sense, I don't think Johnson is good enough.

You are looking at the individuals stats, look at the impact the individual has on those around him?

No defence likes people running at them at pace, so they sit deeper which brings others into play.  
 

Look at the overall effect

3 minutes ago, TRO said:

I don't see the prudence in the Johnson interest.

• Firstly he is not prolific enough to warrant such a lofty transfer fee.
• Secondly, we want diversity, he is too similar to what we already have.
• Thirdly we have young players, not far behind him in terms of goal threat, and one has just been sold.

I think we are entering a zone, where Johnson, is not consistent enough for us....I could be wrong of course.

Two words, raw pace!

You can coach the rest, pace you either have or don’t 

11 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

Bailey is more a left attacking winger.

Johnson is of a attacking central / right midfield?.

I'd take someone like.. I don't know.. say Cheisa for arguments sake - over Bailey - every day of the week.

That way you're adding more quality to the position and adaptability too, and he would be seen as an upgrade on Bailey, rather than spinning the same money on Johnson.

Just my opinion though.

Bailey plays as left footed right winger cutting in, Brennan Johnson would play other side as right footer cutting in off left.

That said, Emery wants that fluidity and flexibility up top.  Cash inverting inside Diaby yesterday a case in point.

Think we would all take Chiesa,  just not sure how realistic it is to get him?

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

I'm not sure Brennan is a great fit for us - he'd be back up to Diaby you'd have thought. He's a decent fit for Spurs though, they need to replace Son.

 

We played Cash over Bailey yesterday?

Would take Johnson over Bailey every day of the week.

2 hours ago, Jas10 said:

Already shared the comment but it’s been put online again today, Unai says there are 4 days left and we are ready for players leaving and joining…

Monchi will be relentless…

I don’t think anyone’s expecting more than a couple of signings but more would be welcome for sure, depends on who is leaving.

Once again, quality not quantity.

Despite the suggestions, there isn’t a single person here who wants signings for the sake of it - nor is there anyone at the club who wants that.

Unai will continue to elevate and strengthen this squad and team over time… we want to keep pushing, progressing and competing. No standing still or accepting mediocrity.

Jas I love your energy and commitment to this forum dude, but there is nothing in this post that most sensible people cannot see.

This is a different Villa, whereby Emery/Monchi are in lock step in what they want, not just buying for the sake of it! (I am not saying anything new here either! )

Good times! 

2 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

Why the hell would i move diably from a position he is absolutely thriving under?? Diaby looks brilliant in his current position movong him would be madness!

Because Emery had said on countless occasions he wants tactical flexibility.  Cash as a winger yesterday? McGinn playing in several positions across the midfield?  

He has also stated that Diaby and Zaniolo offer him that.  I don’t think Emery has players in “set” positions, he wants options.  Get this idea of fixed positions gone, it’s legacy thinking. 

10 hours ago, Tomaszk said:

Not read anything that comprehensible up to now.

Definitely don't overall the whole squad in a window, no one has asked for that.

Today though, we didn't even fill the bench. And we had two keepers on it. If that doesn't show we could do with one more, I'm not sure what does.

It simply shows we have 8/9 players injured, the bigger question is if you go nuts and buy players, what do you do with the 8/9 when fit again?

Think 1 or 2 max to come in for me, Emery seeing the bench far healthier after international break.

Interesting shout in Cash over him?  
 

Could have been carrying a knock, maybe interest from outside but one thing for sure, the link up between Cash and Diaby for the 2nd goal was superb.