Cizzler

Need him back pronto to sustain the charge. 

My post history is littered with me lambasting Watkins (and his "inability to finish") - so only fair I swallow some humble pie. He's been absolutely fantastic since the World Cup.

He's playing at a level I didn't think he was capable of. Probably a lesson for me to weigh in how much impact a good manager actually has on a player (as I was similarly slating McGinn who's also been brilliant post-Emery).

He's a centre back's nightmare when he plays like this. He's still not a natural finisher in my opinion... However, can't argue with his record at the moment.

5 hours ago, sidcow said:

Whoa. You are suggesting that Phil Couthino played in that game.  The one where people universally accept that we could easily have got a point and played exceptionally well against the best team in the league. 

THAT my friend does not compute. 

He started the Arsenal game well, but was a non-entity in the game by half-time.

Technically he's obviously a fantastic player - but he's just so physically limited. He's slow, weak and he's knackered after 30 minutes. I can't see how he fits into our current team, unless it's as an option off the bench to chase a game (which, if that's his role, he would be being incredibly overpaid to do). 

On 01/04/2023 at 20:47, Frodo said:

So the player recruitment has been fine, its just been the wrong managers

The below is completely subjective, and always difficult to know how much input he had on each signing (e.g. was Watkins pushed by Smith, Moreno led by Emery, etc.), but (as I'm bored this morning) - signings since he started:

Exceptional: Martinez, Watkins, Kamara

Good: Cash, Buendia, Young, Moreno

Average: Traore, Bailey, Ings, Chambers, Dendoncker

Flops: Sanson, Digne*, Coutinho*, Augustinsson, Olsen, Bednarek

TBC/too early to say: Diego Carlos, Duran

*Digne and Coutinho's performances are probably more comparable to the Average signings - but weighed against the £30m and £20m fees and astronomical wages, they're a flop so far.  

So a very long-winded way of saying I agree with the post you made three weeks ago . Obviously our current form is making this look more rosy, but that's not bad recruitment at all. Three exceptional signings.

1 hour ago, av1 said:

Take Kane and Son (admittedly the latter hasn’t had his best season) out of that team and they aren’t even mid table. 
 

Those 2 have carried Spurs for years, they are in serious trouble when they leave. 

They'd considerably worsen (as would every team if you take out their two best players) - but worse than mid-table? Fighting relegation then? Nonsense.

Still have loads of good PL players; Lloris, Romero, Bentancur, Kulusevski and Richarlison would improve most teams in the league. I liked Spence at Forest and I think there is surely more to come from Bissouma too.

They're miles off the Poch era though. That team was exceptional in comparison to this one.

12 hours ago, GeordieVillan said:

I am worried that both Arsenal and Man Utd will be both come in for him in the Summer. I believe it’s well documented that he’s an Arsenal fan, so that might be attractive. But I think he would be a starter in both of their teams, not just a squad player.
 

But, there is always going to be a risk of that when players are performing as he is. The price of success.
 

If we can keep momentum and spirit, then I think a lot of these players will give us at least one more season to see what Unai can do with us.

I think Kane -> Man United makes too much sense this summer (providing United get Top 4). Kane wants to stay in the PL to get the all-time goals record and I think he's done at Spurs.

I'd be surprised if Arsenal went in for him. He plays the same position as Jesus, would be an incredibly expensive acquisition for someone not guaranteed to improve their first XI. 

56 minutes ago, Tomaszk said:

Plus there's potentially going to be players like McGinn, Buendia, Traore, Bailey, Philogene, Kaden Young, Patterson competing with him as well.

I don't disagree with the need for a signing (or two) - but come on, he's miles ahead of K.Young and Patterson. They're both 17, without a first-team appearance. Ramsey has just had two very good loans in the Championship.

Hopefully it will be be McGinn, the two Ramseys, Buendia + a couple of new faces competing for the advanced three midfielders positions. 

9 minutes ago, Rightdm00 said:

Yeah, think so   My memory only goes back to the PL with 38 games and I know no one has it hit it since then. 

Benteke got 19 and then missed last game of the season (vs. Wigan?) after getting suspended. Don’t remember anyone else doing it (definitely not since!). Think JPA did 20 in all comps on year though.

10 hours ago, WHY said:

So he should have had 2 assists according to that. That looks about the average based on 24 chances created. 

xA would weight the quality of the chance created, as not all chances are equal.

He's put Watkins through (vs. Palace and vs. Bournemouth) for two easy one-on-ones, a clinical striker converts both of them. 

On 21/01/2023 at 21:04, VillaParkAvenue said:

He’ll most likely improve after only being in the country for a week, but he really had a hard time defensively in the second half today. I know Digne isn’t popular these days but for me he could still be first choice.

Oh well, we’ll see.

I agree. Both of Southampton's good chances (the Armstrong save from Martinez & the JWP disallowed goal) came from his flank. The first started from his really heavy touch when he was trying to intercept, which he lost and then was massively out of position. The second one was from Walker-Peters beating him all ends up (even though Walker-Peters squares him up from a stationary start, he still dribbles around him). He's then five yards away from blocking the cross.

I agree he needs time, definitely not writing him off and hopefully he'll improve as he adapts. It's still better than anything I ever saw from Augustinsson - but Digne is ahead of him for me.  

30 minutes ago, useless said:

 

Future at AVFC is looking tough for him. He's a year older than someone we've just bought for £18m and he's struggled at League 2 and the Scottish Championship now.

I wish him all the best, was fantastic during that FA Youth Cup run. 

I wouldn't bet against him carving out a career in the football league, at all. Weimann had a great '21/'22 season in the Championship - and they're similar strikers, both industrious and can finish. 

5 minutes ago, Genie said:

That’s the weakest Chelsea side I’ve seen in a long time

That is pretty much a second XI  - and is still easily a mid-table team. 

Their team that is injured/suspended:

Mendy

Chillwell - Fofana - James

Pulisic - RLC - Kante - Zakaria - Sterling

Joao Felix - Broja

(with Mudryk to come too)

11 hours ago, messi11 said:

Most touches on the whole pitch (80) despite playing less Minutes. Welcome to da club

Also lost possession the most on the pitch… (27 times).

I’m surprised by how positive the comments are to be honest. Not writing him off at all - it’s a huge challenge to come off the bench and debut in the PL, obviously he only got here a few days ago.

I thought first half he was really poor, gave the ball away a lot. Missed a completely rash challenge flying in. Played Rodrigo onside for the chance that was eventually cleared off the line (which was great tracking back by him, so fair play - maybe got a bit lucky with where the deflection went though, as it was off his trailing leg).

He was slightly better second half. I remember a nice pass into the box he picked out. He seemed to think he had an extra second - but I guess that’s PL vs La Liga. I was surprised Leeds didn’t stick Gnonto on him 1:1.

Hope the Digne injury isn’t too serious, and this guy can be given a fair period to adapt. However, he is 29, so hardly one for the future.

He reads the game excellently, he’s defensively very good. He wins the ball back a lot and is sound in the air.

But then he’s also impossible to press. He can pass of both feet, he’s always composed and his feints always seem to leave an opposition player on the deck at least once a game.

Best CM we’ve had at Villa Park for a long, long time. I think this season he’s been the best defensive mid in the league (close with Casemiro).

7 hours ago, Hornso said:

Summary from the weekend - Kesler-Hayden's Komeback

Kaine Kesler-Hayden (Huddersfield) 23rd/24 [Championship]
Home to Rotherham (2-0) - Played 90 minutes. 69 touches, 80.9% pass accuracy, 2 key passes. Assist. WhoScored.com rating of 8.03. MOTM.
Home to Luton (1-3) - Played 90 minutes. 51 touches, 60.7% pass accuracy, 2 shots, 1 shot on target, 1 key pass. WhoScored.com rating of 6.52.

 

It might be a case of too little, too late for KKH. I think HTFC have signed Lowton on loan (yes, that Matt Lowton), if so he will be fighting for minutes and may well be sent back.

Think he was only getting games again as their first-choice RB (Turton) got injured. However, by all accounts has had a couple of excellent games post-WC, so Huddersfield may keep him around after all.

6 hours ago, Kiwivillan said:

He's like the in his prime Idrissa Gueye player we needed but we're not a compete basket case of a team like when IG signed for us

He’s much better on the ball than Idrissa.

I slated him on here post-Liverpool - so only fair I recognise it was a great pass for the assist.

Would still prefer Ramsey starting when he’s fit - but has a role as a squad player.

Unreal today. Is always good - but was the best player on the park.

Atrocious second half. Killed so many attacks. Has zero quality on the ball. Never want to see him start again. 

4 hours ago, BOF said:

Nice. Gave Cucuracha a torrid time. No mean feat at that age.

Is that a torrid time? Looked like he was forced backwards at least 6 times and cleanly tackled 3 times. The last clip is the only time he actually beats Cucurella.

Not knocking him as a prospect at all, he's 16 and up against a £60m defender - but a torrid time seems a bit hyperbolic. 

2 hours ago, Zatman said:

Just like Japan yesterday its condescending that people consider them pluck underdogs

Hakimi is probably the most expensive full back ever, Mazraoui plays for Bayern and Bounou has won the Europe League. Ziyech is also a match winner for them with solid players like Saiss, Amrabat and El Neysri in there

It's not condescending. They were clear underdogs. They're starting people who play for Standard Liege, Besiktas and Angers (bottom of Ligue 1). They have Burnley and QPR players in their squad.

They're a well-drilled team, who deserved to win. Hakimi is class, best RB at the World Cup - but apart from the few, half-decent players you mentioned (who wouldn't start for a Brazil, France or England, let's be honest) - they're miles off the typical "powerhouses" on paper.

Love that they got through, breath of fresh air seeing a less-established team make a run and it's well-deserved. But if France/England lose to them, it would be a massive upset. It's not condescending to say that.

1 minute ago, BOF said:

McGinn has been poor so far.

Christ that’s an understatement 

McGinn? What the actual hell? First time pass to literally no one.

He’s utterly dreadful 

Watkins drifting around like an empty bag of crisps.

How is their CB allowed to fall over in the box and then get up still under no pressure

9 hours ago, Villaphan04 said:

thought he was decent tonight. Didn't stand out (in either a good or bad way) and it's not on him that we failed to score. Crucial block right at the end as well

He was fine/average. Nowhere near our worst performer (Watkins). He's better on the left of midfield, than on the right. 

I wish he'd stop shooting from distance though. He struck two today when the pass was a better option. He wouldn't have score either with 100 attempts.