Philosopher

He does track back, he's not shit. He is a funny man. But he isn’t a good decision maker on the pitch. Doesn’t play the situation well. Positionally ill-disciplined.

As was pointed out, Robertson is Scotland captain. They lost to a bang average Ukraine team. I don’t care about who scored. BTW if I wasn't and England fan, I'd support Scotland. I love the Scots, I have a little Scottish blood in me also. McGinn I love, but don't rate him beyond average Premier league player. Everytime I watch Villa I struggle to understand the hype. He was brilliant when we were in the Championship. Since we became a premier league team, he's been average. His poor positional discipline, constant hoof the ball out without looking. Playing direct balls forward and giving the ball away when we have been under pressure for ages and need to just slow things down. The list goes on. He isn't that good. I haven't seen a leader in him, ever! I haven't seen good management from Gerrard either. He is a draw, and handles the media expertly. But the actual playing football stuff leaves a lot to be desired. You can have your opinion, and I can have mine. We look at it from different perspectives.

He captains a shit Scotland team, well liked as the dressing room joker, all action that has been rather ineffective since we got promoted, and leads from the front by continuously abandoning his position and having opponents exploit the space that leaves! I guess it's a matter of perspective.

Prove it.

I don't believe Mings is responsible for a losing mentality. The same defence kept 15 clean sheets the previous season and had a fantastic record of seeing out games. Mings may not have been captain then, but he was the real leader. I would say that's more a reflection on the management. However Mings tries to do too much sometimes, so not being captain may help him.

Those poor performances were mostly under Smith. McGinn was average all season. Did very little to write home about. McGinn is not anywhere near being our best, or most undroppable player, or a natural leader, he is just a well liked guy that puts himself about. I don't mind appointing a new captain if he would be a better captain, but I don’t see it. My problem with this is purely McGinn isn't a leader and shouldn't even be a starter if everyone is fit. I actually think we should be cashing in on him.

The captain is there to lead and inspire on the pitch, not a spokesperson, otherwise any idiot could do the job.

I reckon Mings has spoken up against Gerrard or his team on something. This makes no sense otherwise.

I do love him though!

Lack of leaders is a problem with this team. Carlos and Kamara both strike me as leaders, (so will be a big help) as do Mings,Ings and Martinez. McGinn is the dressing room joker, not a leader!

There is nothing about this guy that suggests he's a leader. Bad decision.

Yeah and I can't see Gerrard being manager for long.

Really poor decision, he's not captian material. Also he isn’t suited to possession based football, and is as a result far from undroppable. Gerrard has gone down in my estimation with this.

No, another inconsistent central midfielder, that has shit defensive stats!

Traore is very talented. But he only really show flashes. He'll go on a mazy run beat 3 players and nearly score, then won't complete a pass for 30 minutes. I find him very frustrating. I wouldn't say his first season was excellent, the goals and assists figures were solid. But the performances were a mixed bag. That season the team's best form was with Trezguet on the right, keeping Traore out until Trez got covid. When Jack got injured, Traore wasn't able to get anywhere near filling the void. He never bossed a game, or even looked a consistent threat for 90 minutes. He got dropped at one point so we could play Trez and El-Ghazi. I think people have selective memories when it comes to certain players.

I agree about the press. I do feel we are better equipped to deal with the press now, but it will take time. I Think Luiz would help with that as we would have another midfielder capable of dropping deeper to help play the ball out. This isn't just about players, but coaching too. KKH is a complete footballer. He's going to be a top player. I disagree about plenty of creativity. McGinn is hit and miss, JJ is more of a keep the ball moving type of player that will score goals from midfield. Ings has flashes, only Coutinho in the 4-3-1-2 offers any real creativity. We have more creative players, but they can't be accomdated in that formation. Top players adapt, but how many top players do we really have? I make 5 outfield players at the very most. Top managers and coaches, find the best way to extract the most performance out of their players. If a player is weak in one on ones you don't play them in a way or system that sees them getting exposed to lots of one on one situations. Players need a structure, and system that get the best out of them. They need coaches that understand their game and know how to make to most of their strengths and negate the weaknesses.

I agree about consistency, but that 4-3-1-2 I just don't like. We simply don't have the creativity in our central midfield, and both strikers are primarily grafters, when we need one of them to be a focal point for holding up the ball, creating, and a bit of unpredictability. That team with JJ, McGinn, Ings, and Watkins, with one of Coutinho or Buendia, doesn't have enough creativity or penetration. There is only Coutinho, who is a real provider, the rest just work hard really. JJ has a good shot and finish (and McGinn to a lesser extent), he can carry the ball out too, but he passing is primarily safe. McGinn tries, but his technique lets himself down at times and this is the heart of his consistency. Both JJ and Mcginn want to get in the box, but are also expected to cover the fullbacks. It only really makes sense to have one of them in the team at once. I firmly believe our best midfield is Kamara, with Luiz and JJ in front. Luiz offers more control and better defensive cover than McGinn, JJ is the better goalscorer and he safer passing will help us control the ball (but McGinn would also thrive with Luiz alongside him). We could have Luiz playing as 6-8, as dropping in the make two 6's when defending, but then recycling and distributing the ball higher up when in possession. JJ playing one twos, carry out the ball, and getting into the box. to me this give us the best balance. In attack I'd Go with Bailey on the right and Coutinho or Buendia left (depending on the opposition), With either Ings or Watkins as the CF. With Bailey, we will alway have pace, and can push him higher up if alongside Ings. Bailey is the only direct threat we have, without him, we are much easier to deal with. I am conviced Kamara and Luiz would be very complimentary to each other. And Luiz as a defense oriented 8, give the likes of JJ, and McGinn the freedom to play their natural game. Bailey gives us something every attack should have which we lack without him. If the balance isn't right the performances will be inconsistent. Kamara and Luiz can really run things for us.

He is a good crosser, be we rely on our fullback to cross the ball, but I guess we could convert him to a left back.

Going from the Premier league matches last season, Chambers looks like he can be got at (even though he quite well). Defensively Chambers is our weakest centre IMO. Preseason means very little. People are saying that Leeds friendly was competitive, but in a competitive game Leeds aren't going to give us as much time as they gave us in that friendly. But Chambers ball playing ability is probably the best. pace and power will leave him floundering. Hause defensively solid, beast in the air, quite quick, but fragile, and poor ball playing, lacks composure when playing the ball and when defending. Konsa, when one on one is our best defender, but, makes mistakes when asked to be a ball player, doesn't take only any responsibility beyond his own specific requirement to defend the goal. Needs to show more before he can be considered a quality centre back. For me.Mings takes on too much, but he hasn't had the choice. Now we have Carlos he finally has a partner that can take some of the weight off his shoulders and provide proper support.

Mings is at least our second best centre back (only Carlos can be consider better and that's unproven). Selling him would be silly. Last season he was constantly trying to cover for everyones mistakes. Yes he makes mistakes, but he takes on most of the responsibilty in that defense. He is the ball player and the stopper (both roles which necessitate taking more risk). He also somehow manges to almost always be the last man as well. He is second only in speed to Bailey in the whole squad. He is the captian, he is vocal and organises the defense. He gives his all for the team, and does more than any other player for the team, and takes on the hardest jobs a centre back can take. Out of all the players i have seen in a Villa shirt in my 41 years, this man is one of the few that truely deserve respect and admiration for being a real man, and a real leader, never hiding, always giving his all, and always take responsibility. Mings gets far too much disrespect on here! McGinn, I agree with, not because i don't like him or think he is shit, I just think he lacks a little in terms of technique and intelligence to play the football we are trying to play, and also want to see.

I don't know his character, or what people are telling him. I only know the figures reported are nuts. How can a 19 year old who has even proved himself capable in men's football. Ask for even 1k per week let alone 100k?!?!? Even if you look at the current state of things 100k is just ridiculous. The money is ridiculous. But put that aside even then he isn't worth that. 40k maybe! 100k no way.

This is spot on. Taking my Villa hat off and looking at it objectively, the most important thing for Carney is to play a high level of football on a regular basis. When you are 19 and have his talent, money will come so long as you stay fit, and play regularly. He also has to think about which league he wants to play in. Because those young English lads playing Germany, have to make a big transition when they come back to England (look at Sancho). The same applies to Spain. Carney ideally needs to be getting regular football in the Premier league. If not the PL, then in Ligue 1, even in the championship he would learn a lot. Going to a bigger club and being sent on loan would be good for him if the loan club was right for him. But we can do that here. In fact I think he could thrive here at Villa, in the Premier league. Regardless the money he makes on his next contract sets him up for life, 40k over 4 or 5 years is still 8 million minimum. But the next two contracts is where the really big dough is!

If he is playing as an 8 he has more leeway if he does give the ball away. Usually Doug gives the ball away because he is trying to retain possession instead of giving the ball away. In a DM role this is problematic when it happens. When it happens is key. As when he retains possession in these situations, conversely we benefit. And in actuality we have benefited a lot from his ability to retain possession and play out. When he didn't play last season our control of the ball was poor, and we were lucky to see 40 percent possession. For me having a b2b player give the ball away because he is trying not give the ball straight back to opposition is fine, as these events are rare occurances anyway. Mcginn however gives the ball away because of lax short passing, going for overly ambitious direct balls, or just plain hoofing without even looking up. I know which I prefer. Going forward Mcginn acts like a 10 when he isn't good enough to play 10. He should focus more on keep the ball, and keeping it moving. Doug will do this. Doug is also good a fouling! He is very good at disrupting opponents with fouls that don't get himself booked. This actually alieviates a lot of pressure and stops dangerous moments. He has that dirtiest in his game. He will protect our defense much better than Mcginn, because he can tackle too. He tends to come a cropper when trying to stop bigger, stronger, and faster players but thats the same for most midfielders. As an 8 he can be a more defense oriented and allow JJ or even Mcginn to play as offensive 8's. He will be a very important player for us if he stays, which I expect. Mings on the ther hand has been playing as both a stopper and a covering defender at the same time as doing all the ball playing. Now we have Carlos we can spread some of the risk out between them, and Mings will be all the better for it I'm sure.

Everyone has their favourites. I always felt Tammy was good, and too good for the championship, but had his weaknesses. Nothing has changed in a season, apart from confidence levels. Sentimentality, in regards to Tammy, and anxiousness in regards to Ollie cloud people's judgement.

Yes one is 6 foot the other is 10mm under six foot.