tomsky_11

Nope. Gana this season: - 85.5% pass completion (2nd highest for anyone at villa with 30+ passes per game) - avg passes per game 53.6 (most at villa this season) - 1.9 unsuccessful touches per game (not terrible given he sees the ball more than any other player on the team) - dispossessed 1.0 times per game - 4.3 interceptions per game (highest in premier league this season) - 4.1 tackles per game (4th highest in league, 3rd if you discount Debuchy who has only played twice this season) (As for Amavi, yes a couple of poor mistakes, but statistically was doing more defensively than anyone in the back line before his injury, 4th in league for interceptions, 6th for tackles if you exclude players with 3 or less games. And he looked an offensive threat with couple of assists in his few appearances)

... so I guess now we know who was on the other end of that webcam.

"...it highlights the wretchedness of the rest of the Villa team." This. And I'd throw Sherwood in here as well. Saw a stat knocking around that read something like "mistakes by Richards, Lescott and Guzan have led to 24 points dropped this season." These players and a few others are most culpable for our demise this season. And I get the impression the likes of Richards and Lescott were signings Sherwood pushed for. As the article highlights, we recruited some decent players in the summer, who I think would have excelled anywhere else. These are those French league players mentioned in the article: Gana, Ayew, Veretout, Amavi. But I don't think Sherwood was fully behind these signings, and I don't think he knew what to do with them. On Gana, agree that he'd probably deserve Player of the Saeson if we had one. Close between him and Ayew, but the latter's stupid cards in the Norwich and West Ham games which put him out for critical games let him down here, I think.

5 mins on google would suggest this pretty misleading. Article states the scouts have "no experience of professional football" which suggests they've had no involvement at all. But nearly all seem to have plenty prior experience of scouting and academy work with other premier league clubs. And I don't believe most scouts at most clubs are top level ex-pros either. The chap supposedly doing a journalism degree appears to have graduated in 2011. And is now based in Madrid. Based on the above I'm going to suggest the Australia thing is being made to be more than it is. And as a couple of others have suggested, have our best players this season not been those that supposedly Riley and the scouts were responsible for? And have the players that have let us down most not been Sherwood signings according to the man himself? And wasn't Riley supposedly involved in bringing Benteke to the club, who basically kept us up for 3 seasons? i get the vitriol for some others at the club, most of whom have now gone, but I think Riley tends to get unfairly lumped in with them.

This. Won't happen though. Out of the names on the poll, Moyes, if only because I don't want any of the others.

Could be argued we did attack more than Sherwood had this season, at least up until Feb (and I think the distinction needs to be made with Garde before and after the end of the transfer window) In Garde's first 12 games (up to WBA away) vs. Sherwood this season, we had: better possession (51.4% vs. 50.4%) more shots on target per game (3.8 vs. 2.9) and more shots in total (just, 11.1 vs. 11.0) more play in final 3rd (28% vs. 24.5%) Main issue was this was not converted to goals, as we scored 0.7 goals per game to Sherwood's 0.9, but the above suggests this isn't down to a lack of attacking intent on Garde's part, at least compared to Sherwood this season (who most would consider a more attack-minded manager, I'm assuming). Regarding the distinction between Garde before and after the end of the transfer window, I think many in the forum have recognised the major drop off after this point, and the various reasons behind it. Comparing Garde pre vs. post West Ham away on 2nd Feb (I've excluded West Ham game due to early sending off anomaly), the difference is fairly dramatic. We had: worse possession (41.6% vs 51.4%) fewer shots on target (2.0 vs, 3.8) and in total (8.7 vs. 11.1) less play in final third (26.7% vs. 28%) conceded more shots on target (6.0 vs. 4.2) and in total (13.7 vs. 11.6) conceded more goals per game (2.6 vs. 1.5) and scored fewer (0.6 vs. 0.7)

Pretty sure we would not have conceded if he hadn't gone off. He was playing well. And as soon as he went off we lost shape in midfield and a real defensive presence. Having said said that, we looked as good without him second half as with him first. But the timing of him going off was a killer.

Right cb

Recall on Bennett or Cissokho not an option... "Neither Bennett nor Cissokho were included in Aston Villa's 25-man squad in September and that likely precludes them from joining the club now. From the Premier League's 2015-16 handbook comes this: U.1 A Player shall not play for a Club in a League Match unless that Club holds his registration (which shall include, in the circumstances set out in Rules U.3 and U.12, confirmation that he is eligible to play for it) with effect from at least 75 minutes before kick-off and for League Matches to be played between the close of the First Transfer Window and the end of the Season either: U.1.1. his name is included on the Squad List; or U.1.2. he is an Under 21 Player A little further down we do get this: U.6. Changes to a Squad List may be made: U.6.1. during the period of a Transfer Window; or U.6.2. at other times only with the permission of the Board So there is the tiniest glimmer of hope in U.6.2, but historically, exemption to the squad list has been reserved for goalkeeper situations. That's not what Villa have, obviously. Don't get caught up on that, we're not going to get it."

N'Zogbia??

Got injured just prior to going.

Aston Villa: Watkins, Webb, Kinsella, Calder, Donacien, Lewis, Barton, Carruthers, Robinson, Burke, Grealish Subs not used: Bateman, Grant, Toner, Crooks, Lyden, Abdo, Crowley Most of the next gen team are still under 21. Grealish is first team and rumoured to be on verge of England squad at 20. Calder looked decent preseason and doing well on loan. Lyden is our u21 captain. Robinson not had much of a look in at Bristol afaik but did well with Preston year before. A few like Toner and Abdo are still quite young and in u21 team, but seem to be rated. Of those that have left, Crowley on verges of Arsenal team and still only 18 I think. Carruthers seems to be doing well in championship. Burke scored a worldy against us this season. Not a bad return from that team. They've hardly disappeared. As well, we have younger lads like Green, Suliman, RHM who have been in first team squad, that would have been 14-15 when we won next gen.

Welcome Remi!

Whether he's 27 or not, whenever he has been played he has scored at a good rate. 4 of last 5 seasons have been around 180 mins a goal or better. Last two seasons have been more like 135 mins per goal. Really don't care if he's the same type of player as Benteke or not, so long as he's scoring.

Need a few out. Squad requiring registration will be at 30 once the three proposed deals go through.

Yep. The reservations about the level he's played at I understand. But his goal scoring record has been pretty damn good for a while now. As pointed out earlier... With Blackburn in Championship 14/15 - 135 mins per goal (20 in 39 apps, 4 asst) 13/14 - 131 mins per goal (13 in 27 apps, 3 asst) With Cardiff in Championship 12/13 - 182 mins per goal (5 in 27 apps, 3 asst) 11/12 - 789 mins per goal (1 in 25 apps, 3 asst) With Metz in Ligue 2 10/11 - 188 mins per goal (3 in 11 apps)

Harsh. Blackburn in Championship 14/15 - 135 mins per goal (20 in 39 apps, 4 asst) 13/14 - 131 mins per goal (13 in 27 apps, 3 asst) Cardiff in Championship 12/13 - 182 mins per goal (5 in 27 apps, 3 asst) 11/12 - 789 mins per goal (1 in 25 apps, 3 asst) Metz in Ligue 2 10/11 - 188 mins per goal (3 in 11 apps) I'd say his goal scoring rate has been pretty good for 4 of last 5 seasons. The one bad season he was a sub for 20 of his 25 appearances. And he got an assist every 263 mins that season which isn't too bad. And he barely played in France prior to this.

Well I'll be damned. So we're not being predicted for relegation by the press now? Finally something positive. Not sure it's a case of the press taking note. Isn't Martin Laurence a Villa fan? At least it's someone in the press on our side.

As well as barely misplacing a pass, his work rate and fitness levels were very impressive. He must have covered so much ground during the game. Remember seeing him 89th minute just after went 2-2, he made very good interception then burst forward to set up an attack. Looked like he was still in the 1st minute of the game when others were flagging.

What makes you think that Gueye, Amavi and Ayew are tat? Genuinely wish to know. Firstly, it is now being reported the fee is around €10m which is around £7m. This piece has been posted before but is written by Gary Al-Smith. Apparently a very knowledgable guy on African football and footballers plying their trade around the world. So not all people who watch French football think hes shit. He seems pretty raw to me. Has talent but needs to be finessed. http://www.myjoyonline.com/sports/2015/July-24th/al-smith-what-aston-villa-get-from-12m-jordan-ayew.php Stats from last season seem to back most of this up. More shots per game than any of our players. Goal every 218 mins vs Benteke every 183 mins. Equal or better in the air than our midfield and forwards (except Benteke and Sanchez). Dribble success (55%) similar to gabby (54%) but Ayew attempts twice as many. Worse % success than Gil, Grealish, Delph. Better than N'Zogbia (shock!) Decent passing at 80%. Gabby at 75%, Benteke 67%. N'Zog 81%. Most of our midfield and defence between 80% and 90%. 1.2 key passes per 90 mins about average for us, better than Gabby and N'Zog. Gets fouled a lot (2.4 times per 90) more than anyone at Villa bar Grealish (4.3 per 90) as article suggests. One significant negative, which seems to contradict the article, is his possession stats. He is dispossessed (when not dribbling) 4.3 times per 90 and has 4 "bad touches" per 90. These stats are a fair bit worse than our worse last season - Grealish and N'Zog were around 2.6 bad touches and 3.4 times dispossessed per 90.

Tonev and Gil? Gil is there between Sanchez and Zog youre right about Tonev though, I guess he's so bad my subconscious just wanted to forget him I think Donacien is past the under 21 cut off by a month. And Amavi is under so will not be to be included. Still means we have full 25 at present so one out for every one in.

That's his problem, he is made of glass. Quite how he managed to get a new contract I will never know, he is injuered more often than Darren Anderton! Not really his fault. It looked a pretty shit tackle at the time. Think most players would be out after this one.

Mate at swindon ticket office seems to think will be ok to get away end tickets on day. Worse case scenario there will deffo be home end tickets. Under-21s have a game the following day at Forest Green so would have thought it'd be first team squad tomorrow.