catanzaro

1 minute ago, Steero113 said:

You f**king what?

I was going to ask the same… Really???

Having managed people for thirty years, I would say that when things are going very wrong you need to relate and communicate with the team and build a solution to the problems together.. if he comes out and blames the players again… well… that would be very bad news for us. In my humble opinion.

Managers normally play injuries down after a match.. so I think this is going to be a bad one.. I really feel for him if it is, he definitely had something about him,, another Laursen..

1 minute ago, srsmithusa said:

It's a good day when you could argue that Ings (a goal) Watkins (two assists) Buendia (a goal and changed the match) Kamara (f'ing brilliant all day long) Even Ramsey, Mings and Martinez in with a shout for MOTM.   I will take Kamara.  But I get so, so irritated by fans that sh*t all over our players that I wanted to take Watkins whose movement and pinpoint balls into the center created both goals.  (although if you read some on the match thread you would think he was useful and should be sold tomorrow.  I've come to find some of the posters on her more maddening that bruno fernandez and kevin friend.

You’re not alone..

It was a brave decision to take on the job of villa manager. In years gone by if he failed, he would be given a free pass due to lack of investment (..and other excuses). Now however, if he fails, not even his close pals in the media will be able to soften the blow. Its clear to all that he has been given plenty of support and I reckon he'll have to go to the lower leagues to start again if things don't work here.

This also makes me think that Purslow must recognise the risk for Gerrard, so I think he'll be given the January window (unless of course, we're at the foot of the table by the start of the WC). The games from Feb onwards will be where Purslow will be looking for a genuine lift in the quality of our football and obviously the points total. 

1 hour ago, Herman22 said:

Looking at the players we have I wonder would a back 5 work well? It seems the only way we can get some width is to get the full backs forward. I’d even consider Kamara as the centre of that 5. 

Martinez 

Cash Carlos Kamara Mings Digne

McGinn Luiz

Couthino Buendia

Watkins

This allows us to get two 10s on the pitch and gives the full backs the chance to overlap! 

I’m with you on this… Basically these are the players that need to be on the pitch.. and I’d interchange JJ with one of the 10s

1 hour ago, Midfielder said:

I wrote a mega rant a while back about Carney, so I've already said my piece but now he has gone / going.... well:

1- It'd be fake for me to wish good luck, I wouldn't mean it, so I guess, "Bad luck mate," enjoy the loans out to Vitesse or wherever you bullsh1tting mercenary. Your word means nothing, Rebekah Vardy's word is worth more than yours. You played this club, mugged it off and I get the feeling this behaviour won't be a one off and will rear its ugly head in the future. You're that type in the game, that much is already clear. Glad that will be somebody else's headache. 

2- Hurry up and p1ss off, get it all wrapped up tomorrow and don't you dare fail that medical. I just want to say, bloody hell Villa... absolutely well done. Villa could only play on with the hand dealt, a player with 11 months left on his contract, who was playing a game and using us, who could leave for <£500k next summer and even finalise a move abroad in Jan '23... to price him at £20m and GET the £20m. Well, hats off. Even if one day in the future he moves for Pogba money (I doubt it) then so what. We got £20m out of it and got rid early. Well done to Purslow and Lange for having the balls and the acumen to go all-in and play that hand, to Gerrard for having the balls to not pander further and isolate him out of the first team, to force Chuk's hand too. This is a fantastic deal for Villa. We are rid of a bad egg, who would have F'd us over in the future in some way for sure. Very often, the outcomes of situations like this, don't work so favourably for the selling club. The scumbag gets the 30 pieces of silver he wanted and we get £20m, win-win, again, well done Villa. Carney, pack your bag and f off out of it.

May be it’s because I’m southern Italian.. but I get you

This would be my starting eleven.. solid with plenty of scope for big impact subs

                    Martinez

Cash      Carlos     Mings    Digne

          Kamara            Luiz

    JJ             Coutinho     McGinn 

                      Watkins

I imagine it's a lot less important than we think.. 

I think it is because we are trying to transition from plucky underdogs to balanced top 8 team and deep down we all know it will come with discomfort, plus we have a manager who is also trying to prove themselves...

In short, I'm not surprised this is how you feel   

6 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Maybe, if it was only me but it’s not and that’s fairly evident speaking with Villa fans.  There is a fairly mixed view of the upcoming season, more so than usual.

One more win and four more draws than last year and we would be there or there about.. so 7th seems a reasonable target in my opinion

3 minutes ago, a m ole said:

It’s definitely lower on Ings, you can see it in relation to the chevrons. It’s the only one that seems to be that be low, too

Oh yeah.. I see what you mean

8 minutes ago, Beastmix said:

What's going on with the layout on these shirts?

On Kamara's shirt, the 'O' on the Cazoo is way closer to the badge than it is on the shirt Ings is wearing.

Ings' one looks far more normal as a layout. Kamara's one looks too high and bunched together. Would be good to know which is the proper layout.

 

I think it is just where the seam sits on their shoulders.. just a body shape thing

can you imagine this thread if the next first team incoming is Aug 24th (obviously a Wednesday) 

The way I read the situation is this is simply a case of shipping one of the midfielders out to make way for a top quality replacement, which would bring more competitiveness for places. So I think, if they can find someone to buy Sanson they would improve their offer to Luiz and keep him..

Well that's my hopeful theory, based on the fact I think he is a better prospect than Sanson. In my opinion a top 6 side has someone like Luiz in the team even if they are playing from the bench.

25 minutes ago, VillaHatesMe said:

I was afraid saying "American football fan" would be too confusing.

Also it’s a totally English word

45 minutes ago, duke313 said:

He's a LB and CB, why would he need to play in midfield?

I should clarify.. I’m trying to understand what type of player he is.. I’m not expecting him or want him to play in midfield.. is he  the type of player who might have the capacity to play elsewhere other than LB or CB

I’ve never seen him play.. does he have the ability to play in midfield?

So… Critchley

Any good??

I trust Gerrard to know what good coaching looks like.. So I feel ok about him getting the right person for the team

6 minutes ago, chappy said:

Got to that classic pre match beers stage where I’m convinced we’re going to win. 3-0 UTV Mings Cash Coutinho

 

(see you all in the 0-2 R&R thread)

I’m at that stage as well..

In the Birmingham mail

It's important that leadership is retained in the group so, when I decide who's captain at the end of the season, they'll have a very important part to play and a very important role to play because we need to turn this team into a more consistent team."

Gerrard added: "Ty was really appreciative of the opportunity to continue with the armband when I first arrived. I made it abundantly clear to him first before we put it public that that was what we were going to do.

"We needed time, with my staff, to find out who can lead. Tyrone's in with a good shout [of retaining captaincy next season] without a doubt. We've been happy with what he's given so far. But now's not the right time - with eight games to go - to pick the long-term captain of Aston Villa.

"I'll make a decision on the captaincy at the end of the season, beginning of next season, which is what I said when I was first asked about it [at the unveiling press conference in November]. I think it's always important to get in amongst the group to see what they're like every minute of every day. See who's the glue of the team; see who leads in the right way; see who leads through adversity - not just when the sun's shining. To see who's prepared to go above and beyond; see who sets the right standards on a daily basis.

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"We're still working that out and I still won't rule out the option of someone coming in who I know, who's also capable of being in the running for it so it's something I'm really analysing closely now. I'll make a decision some time during pre-season before the [new] season starts."

Interesting comments regarding the captaincy from Gerrard.. suggesting he might bring in someone he knows to lead the team..