Philosopher

This is Zaniolo's best game for us so far. Battled hard. Provided an outlet. Needs to keep it up for the rest of the game.

We've carried Diaby the whole game. Needs to come off.

1 minute ago, zab6359 said:

Moreno won't get that pace back he's the wrong side of 30.

Not necessarily. After a hamstring surgery like he had that is often true. But a lot it is mental.

Also hamstring injuries are common amount sprinters for example, but most get back to running just as quick. The demand on footballers are different as they need flexibility and endurance not just straight speed. As a result it tends to take longer to get fully up to speed.

I always thought  goal scored from the rebound after a keeper saves a shot count as an assist for the shooter.

10 hours ago, Shaun Teales Moustache said:

Talk of selling Kamara is absolute madness.

When everyone is fit, he's about the fourth name on the team sheet behind Martinez, Watkins and Luiz. You don't get better by selling your best players.

We don't even have cover for him in the squad as it stands, because the highly experienced Premier League and international player that we signed to rotate in that position was woefully inadequate at the role. Tim has been given a great opportunity to step up, but was poor in the one game that he got time to impress, and obviously hasn't done enough to deserve a bigger chance. We have had to move McGinn out of his best position to plug the gap, and even that will be problematic in games where we're not going to dominate.

He's a genuine top class defensive midfielder - one of the best young players in the world at the position, who is just entering his prime years. DMs are going for over 100m for now, because of the lack of top class options available. A guy who is not only great defensively, but also athletic and brilliant on the ball is gold dust.

We watched our midfield get dominated for about a decade because we had a string of players who were not great, but could "take up an effective place in our system".

If we were so screwed by FFP that we needed to sell a key player, we wouldn't be spending significant sums of money on guys like Nedeljkovic and Rogers for the future. And if we did have to sell someone, guys like Cash, Ramsey, Digne, Tielemans that are valuable, but not necessarily in our best eleven would be far more sensible than selling a guaranteed starter when fit.

And in practical terms, no team is paying big money for a player coming off an ACL without seeing how they have recovered from it first. Kamara wouldn't even be fit enough to pass a medical this summer. No-one is coming in with bids for Mings or Buendia either.

I agree with pretty much except, that Tim hasn't had enough time to make an impact in the two sub appearances he made.  You comment on Tim was unfair. 

Otherwise, absolutely have to keep our best players. I have said the same time and again.

1 hour ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

As much as some dislike Gregg Evans, he made a good point on the last 1874 podcast with Bardell.

He said that, Villa have to be weary that it seems Kamara does get a number of injuries, and usually long ones.

Missed 35 percent of last season, and is set to miss 50 percent of this one ( Or something like that )

Also said he feels like his properties can be adequately replaced, or are easier to replace in our team.

Some may be up in arms, but I've come around to the fact that I probably agree 

I say all this to say that, with all the talk of " Needing a big sale for FFP ".Kamara may actually be one I'd be more willing to sell for good money than any of the others mentioned. ( Ramsey, McGinn etc )

I do feel we could get midfielders in to not necessarily replicate him exactly, but who could take up an effective place in our system.

Also feel less of an emotional connection to him than many of our other players ( Not that this matters obviously )

This isn't me advocating for selling him either by the way.

Only problem is he may not be fit before the summer deadline! So who will buy him?

He's nowhere near fully fit so he can't be in contention anyway.

However I actually believe Unai can improve him, and he'd be better than Chambers.

Will never stay fit enough to see it though.

I can't vote as I just don't know. A lot of it will  come down to support from the owners and success on the pitch. If he is as successful as I dare not to hope we could see over a decade with multiple titles. 

On the flip side if we fail to get champions league over the next 3 seasons he'll be gone within those 3 years. 

The project he has here is perfect for him, for now and his future ambitions. So I don't really worry about him leaving for a Bayern. Maybe if he gets us into champions league for two or 3 seasons but can't transform us into title challengers and trophy winners he might look at The 'bigger' jobs but for now we are good with him and vice versa.

2 hours ago, CVByrne said:

I wonder how the UEFA squad rules will play into our transfers this summer. We will have a maximum squad of 21 and then 4 club trained players. Ramsey is one. Then we need to maybe bring Archer back, Philogene back and keep Tim maybe and have those 4. Sinisalo might be our 3rd keeper he qualifies too.

I can't see Archer having much of a role in our first team squad. He will probably be sold if we have buy him back.

Philogene is an interesting one as I would have kept him at Villa as I believed (and still do) that he's ready for the Premier league.  But we have bought Rogers and have Buendia coming back. As a result I'm not convinced bringing him back is the best option. We almost certainly have a sell on clause there and premier league teams will be interested.

Tim will be kept and be in that squad I'd expect. Sinsalo as the third keeper makes sense, but we may sell or loan him out as I don't see how he is ready for this level.

Kellyman might qualify next season, if so I think he'll be in there. 

Otherwise I don't see any that are ready. Maybe Kadan Young? How has he been getting on this season for the u18's and u23's?

1 hour ago, CVByrne said:

You really need to study more how we build up. Torres has to be LCB of a back 3 in build up. It because of the angles of pass left to right. We want him to get balls into feet of one of the 10s or to our right winger bypassing opposition midfield. The central CB is more the safe passer and recycling play. Torres is not suited to playing as that CB as it takes away his passing gifts and he doesn't have high recovery pace ala Mings/Konsa

That's only when passing out from the back. When defending we are a flat 4. When attacking in the opposition half we have a lop-sided 4. 

We don't play a back three. When the ball goes to the  left back (when playing out) Pau goes more central. When it goes to the right back the RCB goes more central. However the centre point in our playing out is actually Martinez. In addition previously Kamara would drop into the RCB position allowing the RCB to go central adding a deep passing option. Now Doug is dropping into the Centre of our two CB'S.

When defending having the pace in the wide CB positions is better for defending against pacy wide forwards which is probably the weakest part of our defence outside of set pieces currently.

Mings also likes to play those long diagonal balls. What you’re highlighting backs up my belief that it's difficult to partner up Pau and Mings. 

It's horse for courses. Unfortunately in a back four Pau and Mings isn't practical.

In a back 3 whether or left or centre they're interchangeable. With Pau central of a 3 it gives him the freedom to move into midfield and create overloads in the middle of the park which is the point of our current formation. Of course he can also do that from the left although it becomes a little more complicated that way as the positions of players have to make bigger adjustments every time he moves forward with the ball.

Now if we have an RCB like Pau then what your saying would work a treat. We can have Pau and Said RCB pinging balls and making runs into midfield, with Mings doing the covering.

I'm interested to see what he can do in that Tielemens position. 

1 hour ago, MWARLEY2 said:

Ollie is i think going to be one of those players that will go well into their mid thirties before slowing down. He will get better and better f0r another 5 years or so. He has been blessed with a physique that is equal parts explosive and stamina. So his tecnical skills have another 5 years to get better and better

As a player that relies on pace and workrate going into his mid 30's will be tough. But at 32 - 33 he will still be a very good player.

He can certainly maintain he current level for another 4 or 5 seasons so long as he stays injury free. But he will have to start changing his game a little once he hits 32.

1 hour ago, CVByrne said:

Mings won't be because they will perform different roles in the team. We need a LCB like Torres who is a build up player and attack minded and progressive passer. 

Mings is a central CB for recovery pace, aerial and physical defending. He's perfect for the central of the back 3 the same one Carlos plays. 

When you see further than we need two left footed CBs and think of things in terms of the role they are playing in the team. You see how different Pau and Mings are

You make good points. But if we are playing a back 3 then for me you put Torres in the middle. Where he can influence the game more, also with Moreno left you need good cover for him. As he won't get as much protection from midfield.

Thing is a back 3 is something we won't see often. Essentially we have a very traditional back 4 in terms of shape. Our right winger is practically a second striker so we require more defensive grit at right back. And our left winger is playing in the half space between left wing and central midfield and is far less offensive which means the left back receives better defensive cover.

22 minutes ago, fightoffyour said:

Kosta and Sousa right? 

That's a leap, but fullback is a position where younger players can breakthrough easier. They are also huge talents so I wouldn't right it off. Unlikely,  but I'd love to see it. 

56 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

Just too much in this post I disagree with to be worth trying to explain in detail why 

Firstly the savings are miles off as doesn't factor in players being on loan hence wages being paid.

The idea we'd go with only two untested RBs and Konsa for a Champions League campaign.

The triviality of simply just replacing Carlos with someone better. Not to mention how bizzare the view that Carlos is some kind of issue we need to solve too. 

Carlos is a highly paid player that so far hasn't contributed what one would expect from a player of his standing and value. Hence saleable. Of course we only sell him if we can replace with better.

Of the players I mentioned the ones currently on loan are Dendonker and Sanson. And we are probably contributing to Sanson's wages, and Dendonkers loan is only for 5 months.  Also the wage saving don't take into account appearance fees and so on. As well as going by the lowest figures quoted for wages. Obviously I'm not privy to the intricacies of the clubs accounts so they're inherently speculative. The point wasn't to provide an in depth analysis but to show that lots of money can be saved and brought in without selling important players.  

I really find the talk of selling the likes of Luiz, Watkins and JJ extremely unpalatable. Plus I don't believe for one minute we'd sell any of those players unless the players themselves insisted on it.

As for the right backs, if you have a player in Nedeljovic whom is considered the best right back prospect in Europe there needs to be opportunities for him. In regards to Cash, Carlos and even Digne I don't think we should definitely sell, rather that they are more on the fringes of our squad, who we could improve, who could also bring in funds from their sale.

In regards to transfer policy we should be planning for the future, while looking to bring in one big signing in a key position. I would go for RCB or RB. With DM in the back of the mind. For me aggression, pace, and strength are qualities we need to add to the squad in those positions.

1 hour ago, MSvillain said:

Just to add a bit of detail on this, Newcastle estimated to have received around €34m from their group stage, including the win bonuses, so would be closer to £30m all in. 

https://swissramble.substack.com/p/champions-league-revenue-202324-after

 

RB Salzburg made 44 million from the group stages! But Newcastle only 34m

1 hour ago, MSvillain said:

Just to add a bit of detail on this, Newcastle estimated to have received around €34m from their group stage, including the win bonuses, so would be closer to £30m all in. 

https://swissramble.substack.com/p/champions-league-revenue-202324-after

 

Does that include gate receipts? They only won one game if I remember rightly.

He is now the ideal Emery right winger. Unplayable at his best. So exciting. 

I knew he come good.

His goals and assists so far this season are already world class numbers. He is worth at least 100m. Irreplaceable.

16 minutes ago, fightoffyour said:

Agree with your whole post, but haven't you just described Mings here?

I have but a a 30 year left footer at rcb that's always played lcb is questionable. I also feel that we need two such centres halves. But if Mings can step up to the rcb role with Konsa right of him that would be amazing.

12 minutes ago, paul514 said:

How on earth do you know? Are you watching Serbian football and non professional football for Sousa?

Even without extensively watching Serbian and u23s football, the scouting reports on those 2 are extensive. With Sousa I have said we need to see how he gets on at Plymouth. Sousa in in the championship currently. We can have a good look at him. Go watch Nedeljovic's performance v Man Cith in the Champions league.

1 hour ago, Captain_Townsend said:

Ramsey and Moreno down our left were a key pairing second half of last season.

We haven't had them available as a pair for the first half of this season (not to mention Mings, Buendia etc) yet for some bizarre reason we aren't allowed to say Villa have had injury problems all season!

They're still not upto speed yet. Moreno is still half a yard short of pace compared to before his injury. Both are still adjusting to adaptation of our style.

The right ide seems to be firing now. If we can get the left side back to what it was last season, then we are going to be giving out a lot of hidings. 

34 minutes ago, MakemineVanilla said:

I think he lost confidence in his body after he tore a muscle, which took a while to heal.

It always seems that when players are at their absolute peak of fitness, they are vulnerable to muscle tears.

Exactly right. When you are at your peak physically, it's very easy to push yourself a step to far and end up overworking or training. If that happens injuries are more far more likely. When you're as explosive as Bailey is that gets magnified even more.