Philosopher

Once he gets up to speed this may well be what happens. I like and rate Barkley but I don’t see him as top tier and he is injury prone. Sanon and Mcginn together will be able to make up for the loss of a dedicated CAM and we will end up with better pressing and more defensive cover (which helps when you Jack and Traore on the wings).

Podcast 36 is the first Villa Talks podcast where I have been disappointed with the analysis. Simply put if you score 2 goals away from home you should be winning! Not taking your chances should never be the main talking point in this situation. The main talking point should be the conceding of sloppy goals. First goal 2 errors. The first was Mings trying to shepherd the ball out with Wood on his back. Should have cleared for a throw in. The second was not one of our centre backs anywhere near their centre backs or the ball on a corner! Second goal fluke and sloppy, too easy for McNeil to get that shoot / cross out (same for third goal), and on the third goal why was wood allowed a free header?

I hear you and you are right. However if we weren't so sloppy in those four matches we'd be in the top 4 with games in hand with eye on the champions league! It's feeling like a missed chance. The traditional top 6 are all looking beatable bar Citeh. We really could be looking at champions league football if we weren't this sloppy against teams the performances otherwise show we should have beaten easily. We won't get top 8 being this sloppy.

That was not a fluke. Southampton, West Ham, Brighton, and now Burnley all defeat due to conceding sloppy goals. That is also a pattern!

If you concede goals that sloppy you don't deserve to win! We keep giving away these sloppy goals against teams we would've beaten easily.

I agree. Not sure about Ollie. I think if he was going to be world class he'd already be that by now or at least on the verge. Going by his performances this season, he could develop onto that bracket just below. That wasn't my point though. We could buy a world class operator but we would need champs league to attract and afford the wages and spunk an entire seasons transfer budget on the fee. Not worth it currently.

Would love Mount. But anyone can see he will be a top top central midfielder in 3 or 4 years time.

I don't agree with your analysis it's to simplistic and not factually correct, but the point you make I agree with. Spurs have tried to bring in quality deputies for Kane almost every season. When you have a world class striker all you can really do is bring in a squad player to cover and rotate in for Cup matches. They brought in Janssen three seasons ago. They brought in Carlos Vinicus this season. They have also brought in Llorente previously all as cover for Kane. Not to mention they have Son Heung Min who regularly covers the CF position when Kane is out to good effect. In comparison Watkins isn't a world class striker. He has Wesley behind him who the people at the club seem to believe has a high talent ceiling (I agree btw) . We have a talented but goal shy Davis who will certainly work hard, work the channels and hold the ball up. Plus we have Traore who can fill in there. Apart from Watkins not being world class the situations are similar, however that's quite a big thing. We really should be looking to have a world class operator there. I get what you're saying and I too don't think we will look at signing another striker in the summer or this window (the only exception is if we can bring in a world class operator). I think the club will want to see if Watkins can maintain his performance levels and up them over the next 18 months. I also think they will want to give Wesley a chance to show what he can do, as he represents a significant investment. When you play 1 up top 3 strikers in your first team squad is plenty. If you have a Barry on the cusp of the first team squad, and a Traore who supposedly is equally good upfront you only need 2 strikers.

Exactly but what makes it worse is first he bad mouthed Villa with what was pure lies as it turned out they had basically (they just had to have the lawyers iron out the finer details) accepted a bid already.

Wow Vilas-Boas is being a prick! Firstly lies about villa bid being pathetic, then throws his toys out the pram because the truth gets leaked that a bid has been accepted then tries to turn Sanson into a villain (before he become and Villan) simply because he is on the verge of a move and doesn't want to risk injury (which is standard practice).

Won the treble and scored 18 and then 22 goals in a season did he not! Also scored 65 goals in 147 games for united.

I love Benteke, but as it has been said before, we need a dynamic hard working centre forward with the pace to work the channels and get in behind as part of our plan A. Benteke would only offer us a plan B option so we would still probably play Traore up top as his qualities better fit our plan A. The plan B option is Wesley, who works hard and is more mobile than Tekkers. Now Tekkers going to Baggies for the run in would suit Big Sam to a tee. They would lump it forward bypassing midfield, getting Diangina, Pereira, and Grant close to him to feed off the lay offs and flick ons. Could work well for them as big Sam has already got their defense to defend. It could turn out to be a masterstroke for them.

But just for one minute imagine Jack on the left and Messi on the right!

On Tammy I don't believe he's worth it. I don’t see him as an improvement on Watkins. In fact Watkins hold up play, pressing, and aggression is all far superior. In terms of goals they are actually evenly matched. 6 in 16 for Tammy who has actually been Chelsea's first choice striker this season. 7 in 17 for Watkins. I also believe Wesley will show he is of a similar class as Tammy. So for me Tammy isn't worth it. If we sign a forward it has to be one with a very high talent ceiling or an experienced player on loan. Tomori would be the ideal replacement for Engels. He and Hause would be a very quick pairing with good defensive abilities (as our second choice pairing). Gray for me is similar to El-Ghazi in terms of quality. Doesn't make sense, we should be going for superior quality. Left back has to be priority. This window Sanson and a left back should be priorities. Striker 3rd for me. This window left back and Sanson. Next window I'd like Buendia, Grujic, Barkley, and Tomori. Grujic would cost 15m max. Buendia 25 to 35m. Barkley 20 to 25m. Tomori 20m. First choice line up Martinez Cash Konsa Mings Targett Luiz McGinn Barkley Buendia Grealish Watkins 2nd 11 Heaton Kesler Tomori Hause LB Grujic Sanson Ramsey Traore Trezguet Wesley Back ups - Revan, Nakamba, Philogene-Bidace, Barry. On loan - Rowe, El-Ghazi, Davis, Bridge. Sold - Conor, Guilbert and Engels. Released - Elmo, Taylor.

End product just hasn't been up to scratch.

Ayew, Benteke, and Batshuayi are all average. Mateta is totally unproven in this league. Not convinced.

We need at least 16 first team quality players in the squad. 3 wingers, 4 central midfielders, 3 centre backs, 2 strikers, and 2 goalkeepers, and two full backs. Then you basically rotate these players, with another 6 or 7 to come in for when we pick up a number of injuries and cup games. That is the ideal make up of a squad. With Sanson coming in, the midfield and goalkeeping positions should have the required depth. For me the winger position still need improving. I haven't seen enough from any of our wideman bar Jack to say they are good enough to demand a first team place. Up front currently is a problem, much depends on Wesley's recovery from injury and whether he can convert his potential to performances. Hause for me is not quite good enough to be playing every week so we need a quality cb (probably to replace Engels). Sanson provided he can live upto his billing is a step in the right direction.

343 needs wing backs.

If Wesley can come back and get up to speed he will be a really good option. Against a smaller centre back pairing he'll create havoc. Against any team that will look to sit deep against us his combination of strength, good link up play, good pressing, and composure in the opposition box could really make a difference. Next season he could make a good partner for Barry in Cup games. Plus Watkins is bound to get injured. I'm looking forward to his return. I reckon he will come hungrier, and ready to really fight with Watkins to get into the first team.

Personally I think he is closer to Mcginn if we are comparing him to our existing players. Him and Mcginn in front of Luiz is a very hard working tough tackling midfield unit, that can carry the ball, (all three of them), play in tight spaces with good short passing and lots of one two.

Looks like the Sanson deal is happening. Reported on BBC sport. From what I have seen looks a similar type of player to Mcginn only quicker feet.

Eze is 21, Traore is nearly 26, so Eze definitely has the higher ceiling for me. He was bossing games in the no10 position for QPR at 18 -19 years old. Eze is a huge talent. Plays off the left or in the middle. Would have been a decent replacement for Jack if we sold him. Skillful, intelligent, excellent balance, good weight of pass. He is just getting going in the Premier League.

I tend to lean toward this perspective. Only a world class striker will improve us. So it's almost impossible to improve us in that area in a Jan window. We have 4 players in the squad all capable of doing a job upfront in Watkins absence. We aren't really that reliant on a striker to score our goals. I see this window as an opportunity to fill up holes in the squad. We don't have anyone capable of coming in and offering the team what McGinn does so Sanson makes makes sense. We will only have one specialist left back come the end of the season and Taylor is at best a championship player. RW and CF are best addressed at the end of the season imo.

It's like I said we are very reliant on that Luiz McGinn axis. When one of them are tired or off their game we lack drive. They're the engine of the team. They have to work very hard so a player of similar qualities and ability is necessary for what is a very packed schedule for the reminder of the season. In attack El Ghazi, Traore, and Trezguet have all shown they can fill in on the right and when Barkley is out. We also have Ramsey in the CAM position. Jack is virtually impossible to cover without spending 100m. Left back is the next area of concern, we have loaned out Rowe so we are left with Taylor and Hause.

This. I also think as they both have problems with muscle injuries number 8 is the worst position for them particularly if your talking box to box. As I see Barkley as the better number 10, I definitely favour him.