sir_gary_cahill

On 21/06/2023 at 21:32, useless said:

Yes presuming that we keep most of them, then this will probably be our most talented bunch of first year scholars since the FA Youth Cup winning team, and can add next season's U16s like Woody Burgess, Alfie Lynskey, and Vincent Haywood to those too, in fact I think we will have close to a team's worth of U16s capable of playing an group up, and there are usually two or three U15s capable of playing a couple of age groups up.

Whether it will translate to success on the pitch as a team I don't know, but as individuals there seems to be a lot of promise there.

According to soccerway.com, Hayward is born 14 October 2008, so he is only 14 and will be an u15 for this coming season and was an u14 last season. Does that make him even younger than Rushian Hepburn-Murphy was when he made his debut for our u18s? I think it might, Hepburn-Murphy was our previous youngest ever u18 player I think 

Have the club sent out any season ticket cards for next season yet?

7 minutes ago, useless said:

Harrison Miles of Southampton, fourteen and two months.

Alfile Lynskey is in the list as well, he made his debut same time as Hayward, at fifteen and one month, Lynskey was already playing for our U17s back in the autumn and that U17 team was made up mostly of first year scholars so was essentially a young U18 team rather than a U16 team.

Apologies, I thought you meant for us, does that make Hayward our youngest ever u18 player? 

1 hour ago, useless said:

Vinnie Hayward second youngest player to play in U18 league this season, was just fourteen and three months when he made his debut in February.

Who was the youngest and how old was he?

He’s on the bench for Southampton today against Manchester United, so I don’t think anything is close

3 hours ago, AshVilla said:

Can we sell him to Chelsea for 80m?

Haha, I am hoping that was a one off with Carney Chukwuemeka but you never know! 

5 hours ago, AndyClarke said:

Doesn't really look interested half the time.

I think this is a bit harsh! What if he reads this forum and sees that?

1 hour ago, useless said:

To be honest I've no idea, of the older academy players the obvious choices would be the likes of Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam, Bogarde, Aaron Ramsey, and so on, but then sometimes a player can come nowhere and do well put themselves into contention as was the case with Archer.

From the current scholars I have even less have an idea as have barely seen them play, the question for them is probably more can they emulate what the above did at academy age and if so take it from there, quite a few of them as individuals seems to be on the right track though.

Apologies, I meant from the current scholars, sorry I wasn’t clear!

Useless, who do you think realistically from the current crop has a chance of making it at Villa?

1 minute ago, Xela said:

Quite a new faces/names on there 

https://www.avfc.co.uk/teams/u18

no Triston Rowe? Or is he under 16 and they don't put youngsters online?

No Ewan Simpson either?

Triston Rowe is an u16 according to Useless, he’s played a few times for our u18s both this and last season I think 

25 minutes ago, Made In Aston said:

Everton has just announced Maupay. Hopefully Brighton want Ings as a replacement

I hope not, Ings has looked great so far this season, he’s our most natural goalscorer. I’d hate to lose him and see him thrive elsewhere

2 minutes ago, Xela said:

The next Drogba!

I don’t want to put too pressure on the lad but I’ve seen Shakpoke a couple of times now.  I’ve been hugely impressed by him without wanting to put too much pressure on the lad as he is only 18 (I think without checking). He looks to be a great finisher, the way he took his chance this evening, it just looked second nature to him. Delfouneso was brilliant as a kid but I’d go as far as saying Shakpoke looks even better!

He looked immense when he came on as a sub tonight, he’s quick, strong, has ability on the ball too. I am very excited by this lad, he even scored this evening, great finish too

4 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said:

No chance Watford will be paying his full salary.  We are down to 3  fit senior centre backs?

Feeney too don’t forget

19 minutes ago, nick76 said:

I’ve decided I love you SGC, you are positive about every player ever!

I try to be, do you rate Sarr nick76?

My thoughts on this potential signing are positive ones, he’s very quick, skilful and has good end product. He was linked with a move to Liverpool at one point, so he must have something about him. My initial thoughts when the news first emerged that we were first interested in him were happy ones as I’ve always been a fan of his. For me, he’s on one of the best young wingers in the league, he’s at a good age and hopefully, he’ll only get better, providing he stays injury free edit- if he actually signs that is

I think he’d be an astute buy, he’s at a good age. Whenever, I’ve seen him for Southampton, he’s been more than decent. I think without checking, he’s a Polish international. He’d add competition for places, he’s solid. I’d be for this potential signing definitely 

6 hours ago, villan501 said:

I'll call it were utter garbage, we have have so many quality players a squad on paper of a tip 7 side far better than leciester, wolves, Palace Newcastle Brentford, Brighton etc.

 

How on earth can we play so badly this is on the managers ala Smith and now Gerrard.

 

Let's get someone that knows what to do in ASAP.

I think we are quite far from the top 7, we have strengthened the squad considerably but so have all of the other teams. Chopping and changing manager won’t help anyone, for me, Gerrard deserves a chance, a full season with his own squad of players, he hasn’t had that yet

8 minutes ago, tinker said:

He has he poor moments but he's a brilliant header of the ball and that's where we was weak against Bournemouth. We want players that give us 100% and he does , he's one of the only ones as well and its a big weakness of ours.

If Gerrard let's him leave this window  then it will be a big mistake. Players like Ming's don't come along very often. He would be priceless In a team with a decent defensive midfield in front of him where he could concentrate on his better parts of the game and leave the weaker areas of to them.

I think it’s the same for every player, they all have good and poor moments, they just have to try and minimise the poor moments. I agree with you, if we do let him leave this window, it will be a big mistake and he will be very difficult to replace. From what I’ve seen of Boubacar Kamara so far, he looks to be a very decent defensive midfielder 

5 hours ago, Zatman said:

God has backed Mings

Gabby has backed the manager

 

Tough choice here on who I trust more

Mings is a God to me Zatman, he was unfairly stripped of the captaincy. Towards the end of last season, he was playing brilliantly. For the £20m we paid for him, I think he has been great value for money. Hopefully, he can strike up a great partnership with Diego Carlos now

On 03/08/2022 at 14:51, theboyangel said:

He’s no @sir_gary_cahill

Don’t forget useless and others!

2 minutes ago, dublinvilla2014 said:

Ah yes done that myself fair few times over the years  hopefully this times the one,  can't remember the last time I've been looking forward to a season with this much optimisim hopefully strong start and we can push on this season utv 

You have? Personally, I’d be quite happy with another mid-table finish but I don’t think Gerrard thinks like that at all, he probably wants Europe this season 

6 minutes ago, dublinvilla2014 said:

Ye Whelan done a good job for us but is a championship player at best, I'm Irish did the same for ireland for years always gave 100% , Think if we are to really push on this year we need to see if younger players are cut out for it at this level everyone saying great things about our academy needs to start showing in first team 

I remember Whelan being good for Stoke City in the Premier League in his pomp, he was a good, honest pro. We don’t want to put too much pressure on the young players. I have been guilty of it on here and in real life in the past and been made to look a fool on many occasions but I have a really good feeling about this current crop 

1 minute ago, dublinvilla2014 said:

Ye Whelan while limited knew his role. hopefully Tim gets more gametime this season  he does look a decent prospect, 

Whelan did a good job for us in The Championship and when we got promoted, we just discarded him, along with a host of others. I think they were unfairly treated at the time but that’s the harsh reality of football. As for Iroegbunam, I think I have only seen him once against Norwich City at home last season, he blew me away, he looks a great prospect

2 hours ago, Jas10 said:

I don’t think we did well at all. It was a poor season and we struggled to get the best out of our players. Only JJ and Cash were “unscathed” if you will…

To finish 14 was abysmal…

Plenty of reasons why it was so poor… but I can’t be. bothered to repeat them all now. Terrible start/preseason, so much disruption…

I still feel sadness over Deano’s departure and feel many things went against him but that’s all in the past and I’m backing SG but only because I want our club to do well.

I’m yet to be convinced or encouraged by him and don’t really see what he is doing or where he is taking us… not encouraged by the majority of what I have seen out there on that pitch since he arrived….

I’m… hopeful. That’s what I am.

I just want us to be an exciting and entertaining team that is a genuine threat and danger to the so called/perceived “big teams”. And stop putting in pathetic performances and getting poor results against obviously inferior opposition.

I don’t like being negative or pessimistic but… you have to be a realist too…

I like our squad, there is quality there and potential. But, again, we haven’t even come close to bringing anywhere near the best out of these players.

I really hope it will “click” this season but I would be lying if said I don’t have any reservations or doubts.

I love Buendia and want him to be a mainstay in the side, such a creative force.

Hate playing with two strikers & both have been pretty shite and underwhelming really. Must improve and I want SG to choose his preferred option, one CF.

Very excited and encouraged by Carlos and Kamara. If we can bring at least another signing in of that kind of quality, then I’ll be delighted and much more optimistic. Midfield needs sorting out.

As ever, we need to sort that midfield out. Must be better and so much less wasteful in possession.

I do expect an improvement and anything less than a top half finish will not be accepted or tolerated. It’s not a major demand on this squad…

The thought of most of these players improving is the main thing that has me enthused… I’m really looking forward to that and am expectant… I will be very disappointed if that doesn’t happen…

Let’s see how SG performs… no excuses now. as he loves to stay. Time to back up those words with actions…

Here’s hoping…

I think that is quite a negative outlook to have, Gerrard is still fairly new to the job, he has only been in charge for 9 months. This is his first full season, he has only just completed his first full pre-season. It is still too early to judge him,  just give him time, I know it is difficult. Gerrard is very young and inexperienced in management, he is learning on the job. I think fans expectations generally of managers and players these days are too high, they aren’t miracle workers. Gerrard was an excellent player, I think he will go on to be an excellent manager, whether it is with us or someone else. I can’t predict the future, I can just watch and enjoy the ride