Philosopher

Echo this. But to start the season I expect the back four that started the Brentford game. Cash, Konsa, Mings, Torres.

Schade is one of the fastest players in the world, I don't blame Torres for losing him, it was his first game at left back. Still believe he was offside. I think it was deliberately glossed over by the broadcasters, because the lineman didn't flag. Guess it doesn't really matter anyway, it was just friendly. But that first half we had Brentford on the ropes. Their 2 goal lead wasn't deserved. Their first was against the run of play (and offside), the second was a 1 in 10 moment at best for DaSilva, and the second half was utterly pointless.

I haven't seen any replays that show this! Point me in the right direction please!

I've yet to see a proper slow mo replay of the pass to Schade for the penalty. I'm convinced it was offside. I've watch all the highlights I can find and no replays. The game live they showed the replay once and he looked half a yard off to me.

Don't believe it was.

On the game. Was entertained. We bossed the first half. Their first goal Schade was offside. VAR would have given us a free kick for offside not a peno. Their second was a stunner though. Some nice passing and ball retention, while being threatening. Our goals were very good. The second half was a disjointed affair due to the numerous subs. Can't really blame the players that came on much. Ollie should have scored a brace, good link up play. Diaby is a real threat. Took goal well again. JPB is ready, composed, worked hard, tenacious, skillful. He is ahead of Buendia and Bailey for me. Midfield 3 ticked over nicely, Kamara looked a frustrated figure at times though. Starting back four was good. Archer looked lively, but maybe trying too hard. Buendia was poor, so was Bailey (but this was Bailey's first appearance for us this preseason, and hasn't been back with squad long). Coutinho is still getting upto speed, he really needs to stay fit this season, if so could be a big player for us. Big if though! Tielemens is not quite in sync yet. Konsa goal WOW! Starting to come together, looking forward to the new season.

He looks ready. Looks so comfortable.

I personally would sell any of the aforementioned players. Our squad simply won't have the depth to compete in Europe and the prem otherwise. They are all decent squad players at the very least. Bailey is inconsistent, but he has brilliant moments, and contributed to 9 goals last season. Same with Buendia 8 goal contributions. Now if Diaby proves a good signing, and Bailey doesn't show improvement replace at the end of the season. If Buendia doesn't show improvement, and JPB and AJ continue to progress then I'd sell Buendia. Dendonker was very reliable when called upon last season (with the exception of the Stevenage game), he cost 15m and we would struggle to replace him for that price. Konsa's synergy with Mings has been fundamental to our two best league finishes since we got promoted, He is still young and has his best years ahead. Mings and Carlos are 30 they are also CB'S that rely on their athleticism, so 3 more goods seasons and they will need replacing, so keeping a good young CB like Konsa is a no Brainer. McGinn is so versatile, works hard, and is such a good option to call upon (although I'd start Ramsey and Tielemens ahead of him). Having said that they are all replaceable (Konsa less so), so if a good offer comes in it would have to be considered. 25m + for Bailey would have to be considered. Similar for Buendia. Dendonker I'd sell at 20m, McGinn I'd sell at 35m +. Apart from McGinn maybe, we wouldn't get anywhere near those figures currently. Because anyone signing them would have to match the wages in order convince the players. BTW + is with performance and appearance related add ons.

A focused Jack Grealish is one of the best in the world. But he's worth at least what we sold him for now. Not gonna happen. But I'd welcome him back if it ever did (so long as he isn't a spent force).

Seems strange as last season they got 70 odd million for selling Carlos and his cdm partner Kounde. They have an aging squad and need to bring in younger players. Probably selling the older higher wage players is needed to have funds to reinvigorate the squad.

I get you, but Jack was at Villa in the first team at 20. Jack was at Notts County at 18. Defenders take longer to mature, as they need experience to improve. So a 20 year old right back with a full season in liga 2 and being the best rb in that league, points to a lot of potential. Maybe sign him then loan him out to a lower half team in la liga for a season and get him an English teacher would make sense. They are saying they want 8 mill for him. Do it, it's cheap (probably get him for 6 mill). Speculate to accumulate!

Archer has goals in him, but he needs a partner. Archer could play with Diaby if Diaby was playing as a striker not a right winger. But I think Archer and Duran would be a good back up strike partnership. Preseason is not a time to judge a lot of players. Particularly someone like Kamara who has to play with aggression and most of his work is about closing down and making tackles. On the flip side someone like Luiz, who's main strength is ball distribution, actually looks better as he gets a bit more time and space on the ball than normal. I'm itching to see a midfield 3 of Kamara in the middle, and Luiz and Tielemens either side of him. The ball retention, passing ability, and positioning of those 3, as well as all 3 protect the defense well. The potential of that midfield is frightening.

Coutinho is class, the problem is keeping him fit!

Could you imagine if we had both!!!!??? Bring Jack back!

On Archer, his movement was good. Missing a peno isn't a big deal, Watkins also misses penalties (we need a good penalty taker actually). Archer needs a strike partner. Playing as a lone striker with Mcginn and Buendia behind him, probably doesn't suit him, unless we are dominating possession in the opposition half.

He has a manager that knows how to utilise his skillset. To think Gerrard felt he slowed down things too much and wanted to sell him.

The only sense I can make of it is he wanted to play champions league.

So Zaha has just gone to Galatasary for a 2 mill signing in fee and 100k a week. That's a cheap deal in today's market. I think we should have offered to match that!

Oh the trials and tribulations! I'll give you a quick summary of what's to come. 'Impossible it'll never happen!' 'Why is it impossible, just because you said so!?' 'He's a greedy punk who is too full of himself! We should stay well away.' 'Can't afford him, because of FFP.' 'Of course we can afford him got 2 billionaires!' 'He's shite!' 'He is the best player ever and Emery can make him even better!' 'But is he as good as Jordan Bowery?'

Not so much more power as more money. The Saudi royal family only have all that wealth because the Americans keep them in power. And they only do that to keep their oil companies in the country, and to ensure they have a steady oil supply. China are allies with Russia so they are paying sanction prices! Although China still get oil from Russia and Iran!

The current Felix reminds me of Grealish before Terry came to Villa. All the talent in the world, but lacked a little focus, and maturity. I feel his current struggles could make or break him, but with a manager like Emery, who has a clear plan, and understands his qualities as well as anyone. Emery is a manager that is a proper coach, and will already have an idea how to tweak his game to get the best out of him. So I think a loan with an option to buy, would be a fantastic opportunity for him and the club. He would get the best chance to establish himself in the Premier league, and we would get a player whose quality is little above our current station, with little risk if it f's up, as we can send him back to Athletico.

Young creative players like Felix need to be given some creative freedom, and be allowed to mess up occasionally, it's all part of the learning process. I don’t think matters who is at fault, because usually both parties could have handled things better when thing escalate to the current situation. We all know Simone played dirty, he is no angel. Felix is / was young and inexperienced. That's just life.

I do give credit to Bruce. We had a very fractured dressing room. I was his masterstroke that brought John Terry to the club. Terry and Bruce sorted out that dressing room, and Terry showed Grealish how to become a top player. Those two were important. I also think those 3 seasons in the championship were good for the club. If we had bounced straight back up we would have gone straight back down, we also may have been stuck with Tony Xia longer, which would've harmed us more. Since we were promoted that first season back up was a lucky one (we lacked a solid foundation on the playing side, but a special player, and good work ethic, and a good dressing room kept us up). While I don't rate Smith as anywhere near a top manager, he is very competent, and fostered a very good dressing room spirit, him being a Villa man (along with Grealish), kept us fans onside. We hung in there and stayed up by the skin of our teeth, but that was a torturous season. The following season was at first ecstasy, the disappointment, then the 14th place not really going anywhere. But those three seasons lead us to last season and the hugely positive outlook we currently have. What I'm trying to say was all that was part of the process, and gave us a foundation to build on, and Bruce was part of that. For all his tactical ineptitude, he is astute at man management.

They're both turning 30 this year. Fullback is a high energy position,.

Well in Emery's system the right winger was used to provide width when coming out of defense, but then they get forward in into narrow right just behind the striker. At least that is how Bailey was being used. Emery rarely player a no 10 and a right winger. If he played a no 10 then he had McGinn as a right midfielder. If he played a right winger then McGinn played as a hybrid 8 / 10. Also if you look at Villarreal they had 3 wide forwards that all got games. So I believe 2 wingers / wide forwards / no 10's are wanted.