Hiney

Based on suspected injuries and who has had minutes in preseason I'd go for something like this.

...................Martinez ......................

Cash.....Konsa.....Mings.....Targett

............McGinn....Nakamba...........

Traore............Buendia ............Young

........................Ings.......................

Bailey as an impact sub if we need something to happen later on in the game. 

Really hope we get off to a good start but the disjointed preseason worries and Watford being at home I don't think it will be straight forward. Watford will be well up for it, with their home fans behind them and we saw what happened with Brentford last night, it would be naïve to think this will be walk over.  

Head says draw, heart says narrow 2-1 Villa win 

11 hours ago, QldVilla said:

I don’t necessarily agree with this. There’s a lot of Villa fans around the world and always been a lot in Australia.

The club hasn’t done anything to engage with its world wide base, ever. We’ve had Manure, Everton, Liverpool, Spurs and Man City out here in the past few years before COVID, City even bought a club in Melbourne.

My primary schools football jersey was based on Villa and dated back to the 1950’s there’s also a club in Bundaberg called Brothers Aston Villa which dates back to the 1960’s.

I look at the Championship play off and there was no way as a fan from outside of England to buy a ticket for the final through the club. It was only because I was able to buy a ticket through the Wembley club that I was able to go to the game and a 24hr flight.

The club needs to look at ways to engage with its fans outside of England because it’s mostly all one direction at the moment.

As a Villa fan living abroad I totally agree with this.

I'm based in Thailand and football is huge here. Leicester are Thai owned so you'd expect to see a big presence for them but you also have football academies run by other clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea. 95% of the shirts you see the locals wearing are the obvious Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea & Leicester 

It's near on impossible to find any Villa merchandise here or anything promoted by the club. I'd imagine it's similar all around the region (India, China, Japan, Korea etc) and is a really untapped market.

Increasing the fan base globally will have an effect on direct revenue such as shirt sales and merchandise but the main benefit is we would be more likely to attract larger sponsorship deals if we had a truly global fan base, this is where the big money is. 

Losing our best player and talisman shouldn't be over looked. While I think our additions have been good and we will go on to be a stronger team overall, there will be some adapting to life after Grealish and the new lads will need time to bed in and gel with each other.

If we can keep key players fit (Martinez, Buendia, Watkins, Minga/Konsa etc) then we have to be aiming for top half of the table. I think it's a bit optimistic to be expecting top 6 at this stage . I mean it's possible but there's lots of variables which would all need to fall into place 

Congrats Doug!  

Starting for Brazil in the Olympic Final vs Spain in 30 minutes time.

I'm really hoping he can push on this season as there's definitely a player in there.

Frustrating

I fear if we can't find a replacement we are going into the season massively under prepared and lacking match fitness. With our relatively kind start to the season it's important we start well 

Would love to play Napoli 

Will Bailey be available for selection? I was under the impression he was in Jamaica until recently. 

Would be great to see all the new signings involved 

A lot of city fans giving him shit before he has even put on the shirt and saying they should cancel it and sign Messi.

To go from a club where he is idolised to that. Sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's gone eh Jack 

11 minutes ago, Spoony said:

Absolutely, categorically no. He wants money and medals and to grow his personal brand. That’s his choice. Good luck to him but that’s it for him and Villa forever and it’s a clean break. That’s literally all there is to it. 

This is the long and short of it 

Well wasn't expecting that when I woke up this morning! Really came from nowhere and makes you wonder what else they have up their sleeves 

Can't imagine he will have signed to sit on the bench so maybe Smith is thinking of playing two up top or move Watkins to the left? Personally I'd prefer Watkins up top and another wide player to come in but it certainty gives us options and some quality in the squad.

Overall a solid signing 

I've slept on it, again. I'm now firmly of the belief that this is the right decision all round.

I'm disappointed with Jack leaving us now, when it seems we are really pushing on and have a genuine chance of making that next step and competing in the upper echelons of the league, and hopefully not too far away from some silverware. That as Villa fan, Jack doesn't want to be a part of that is sad and I thought he was different. Leaving us with a week to the start of the season is bad timing and will be a set back for sure, even despite the exciting new signs who will take time to bed in and gel. 

That said, I think the reported 100m if spent well gives us a real springboard to accelerate our growth. I've been happy with the signings so far, I think as a squad we look so much stronger with hopefully a few more top quality players to add. 

We have been too reliant on one player for too long, when Jack was injured our form dipped massively and teams knew how to play against us by doubling or tripling up on him. With the squad we are putting together we have so much more quality across the pitch that I believe we will be better for it. And lets also face it, there are major questions regarding his ability to play a full season without those shins flaring up again which also has to be considered

 As for Jack, he has shown that he doesn't want to be here and isn't on board with the project so there's the door. Thank you for the memories and what you have done for us over the past 4 or 5 years, but I have no room for sentiment. I don't wish ill on him but I won't support him, follow him or wish him well. He becomes just another ex player, albeit a very good one I really hoped would spend his career here and help take us  back to the glory days.

All of this talk about how he doesn't owe Villa anything and can leave with his head held high, can't begrudge him the move etc. 

This is same guy that was regularly getting in the press for all the wrong reasons.. pictures of him collapsed on the pavements abroad, laughing gas, drink driving, leaving the scene of a crime, pictures with dodgy birds etc and we stuck with him. He always had the talent but we have nurtured that and molded him into the player and professional he is today, when he could have quite easily gone off the rails.

Without Villa he would be nothing and the disrespect he has shown year on year whoring himself to other clubs can't be forgotten. 

I will have fond memories of him on the pitch but I certainly won't wish him well given the manner of his exit. Villa legend my arse 

Lets face it the writing has been on the wall for days, it was blind optimism that made us think otherwise. 

Reality of the situation is he has been pushing up a move every summer for the past 3 years. All this talk of being loyal, my club, my city is absolute horseshit, he is just another mercenary.

Leaving a week and a half before the season starts is an absolute rat move too, really tarnished his legacy at the Villa unfortunately. 

Time to move on and support the players who actually want to play for our great club 

I've taken some hope from the training photos, I just don't think they would have bothered if it was a done deal. Especially if he was going to have his medical today as reported, just doesn't add up. 

I'm still resigned to him leaving, but maybe not as certain as I was at the weekend. It seems there's still some twists and turns to this saga

1 hour ago, DCJonah said:

Couple of questions. Does AVTV work OK on mobile? And will I be able to access it abroad? 

I'm pretty sure it does work on mobile but I haven't used it for a while, I normally use it on desktop. I can confirm you can access it from abroad though 

My friend who is a Norwich City season ticket holder is absolutely gutted he is gone. She said he's the best player she has ever seen play for them and makes a bold claim he is better than Jack! 

I'm not sure on that but I'm very excited to see him and Jack on the same pitch as each other 

From games I attended the Tranmere semi without a doubt. I was 9 years of age up the Holte end with my Dad and Uncle sat on the crash barrier and still remember it vividly. I'd been to a few games before that but that was the game I think really cemented my love of the club and the passion I still carry today. 

For years gone by, would have to be the Rotterdam final 

I don't recall feeling this nervous about a game in my entire 35 years on the planet. 
 

2 hours ago, Villan_of_oz said:

I agree, at least it's a reasonable hour in NZ, here I have to watch in absolute silence on my own...... Oh and I remember Young's winner like yesterday too, 3-2 the end result no?

I am in Bangkok and that winner last night went in around 4.30am.. running around my front room trying not to wake the mrs up! 

Absolutely massive 3 points.

Nakamba man of the match for me, he was everywhere 

5 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

I have a lot of respect for Milner, but I think Jack's a much better footballer. Especially compared to Milner when he was with us. 

 

I too think Jack is a better footballer but he will be hard pushed to have as good a career as Milner has had. 

Definitely could have done better with their goal but that save from Maupay in the second half was class and saved us a point