SuffolkVillan

12 hours ago, terrytini said:

Having been this afternoon and thought we were very good, I’ve just rewatched the whole game, and all I can say is the critical comments are even more baffling to me now than they were an hour ago.

Deano did a great job today, we were in a real scrap and we kept our defensive shape, our desire, our energy levels, we created chances, especially second half, and we got 100% from every player.

More convinced than ever we will Win more than our fair share of games against sides in the mini League of 12.

Ps - saw virtually no sign of “sitting back” nor of hoofball. Nor of any sub standard “ game management”.

Id take an identical performance every game, and wed end up with a very good season.

 

Have to agree with this and I'm sure Deano will be planning to strengthen either 1st team or bench to provide players who can stiffen up the defensive work later on in games which is where we are currently a bit undercooked. We have been "in" every game so far and work rate, commitment and nouse is improving as we go. I predict a finish around 13th-15th.

20 hours ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

Very shaky today and almost put a goal on a plate with them with an awful pass and ultimately required an excellent goal line block from Mings. He did something similar against Arsenal and was all over the place early doors away to Norwich. He doesn't look the same player as he did in his first few matches.

I think in Konsa we have a top talent and it will only be a matter of time before he's in ahead of Engels.

I agree 100% early season composure seems to have gone. He has looked slow to react. Konsa will surely start v Wolves and could really put some pressure on Bjorn

He will have certainly learnt a lot from today.

45 minutes ago, MickeyC_UTV said:

3rd Kit now live on the Villa Store

https://shop.avfc.co.uk/stores/astonvilla/en/c/football-kits/third-kit

Will probably need to be quick as they might only have 5 of each size available

Its so horrible that should last them until the end of the season

1 hour ago, BOF said:

Has just been called up to the full Brazil squad.

 

Shout out for VillaChris who called this a few days ago. Lottery numbers Chris?

On 29/09/2019 at 17:21, MaVilla said:

This

This

This

Midfield trio should be nakamba, Luiz and Mcginn imo, with Grealish and trez as inside forwards/semi free role.

Couldn't agree more. Luis would add a bit more steel in midfield, particularly away games whilst still having passing/shooting ability better than Conor in my opinion. I wonder if he is any good at dead ball delivery?

On 26/09/2019 at 01:48, Skruff said:

                  Wes

      Trez, Grealish, McGinn

      Nakamba Hourihane(Luiz) 

I'd love to see this. 

Yup, I'd go with this with Targett and Freddie providing overlap/width.

4 hours ago, VillaCas said:

This time last year the team were 13th in the Championship under Steve Bruce and were booed off the pitch after losing 1-2 at home to Sheffield Wednesday 

Just 12 months later we have a young passionate manager who is a fan, a young developing squad who are trying to play attractive attacking football and we are playing in the PL after an amazing record breaking run and an incredible play off final victory

What a turn around - We should be eternally grateful to DS for the incredible job he has done in a few months and we should be right behind him as he tries to steer a path to safety in the PL - season after season we begged for a team that even if they didn’t win would at least play open, positive football - we’ve got one now and are we happy? Are we f***!!

Dean Smith has a free hit from me this season - and if we should go down ( which I don’t think we will) he will have my full support to bring us back up next season

Im absolutely shocked at the level of criticism after the Arsenal game and I’d be ashamed if DS or one of the players were to read the comments - unbelievable 

Couldn't agree more. Well said that man

On 20/09/2019 at 20:48, sharkyvilla said:

Definitely this team for me.  Just a couple of tweaks so not a massive panic change but enough to get Jack further forward with more options to his left than with Taylor at left back.  Gets the Elmo-Trez combo back on the right side as well.  Still could get stuffed, mind you.

Cant get the thinking of Guilbert as left back. Taylor better defensively and targett natural for attacking.

On 20/09/2019 at 18:11, ferguson1 said:

Don’t think this will happen, but would love to see the side below.  4-2-3-1, with our full backs pushing forward as much as possible, almost playing as wingers:

---------------------------------Wesley----------------------------------

-------Hourihane———Grealish———-McGinn--------

--------------------- Luiz --------- Marvelous --------------------


Targett ----------- Mings ----- Engels ----------- Guilbert

------------------------------- Heaton ---------------------------------
 

Going to be tough this game, but feel we can get a point.  1-1

I'm almost with you, would keep El Ghazi instead of Conor as he can cut in and cause problems.

6 hours ago, sne said:

Must have been that injury effecting him a bit because he played it very safe (as in taking no risks) the whole game.

Hoofed it on numerous occasions and was less involved in the build up play than he usually is.

His passing % was horrible. 58% which is really bad for a CB as they usually make more safe passes. Engels for example had 82%

Still he soldiered through the pain and helped keep a clean sheet.

Job done.

I'm sure I heard Deano say it was a plan to go long to Wesley to stretch Everton who were expected to press us high. So probably explains low percentage

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

Taylor and Guilbert had nothing to do with the goals or the defeat.

Sad how people keep bringing them up. We already have our scapegoats.

I thought them both especially Elmo had a good game.

It's nothing to do with them not playing well, I just think the whole team would be more balanced and get more out of our front three with more attacking full backs, especially at home against sides we need to beat.

I can't help thinking Smith's plan was to have EG and Trez more mobile around Wesley with the full backs providing width and crosses. At Spurs I could understand the more defensively solid Taylor and Elmo but I expected to see Targett and Guilbert against Bournemouth when we should have been right at it from the off. As others have said giving the ball away cheaply was again our main weakness. Its early days and there are enough positive signs for me to feel calm we will be safe this year...A goalscore in Jan would be nice though!

5 hours ago, useless said:

I doubt Wolves will be in for him, most of their signings are either Mendes agents, or play for one of the clubs that Mendes has big connections to. Besides, Phillips plays exactly the same position as Neves, so would be a strange move.

I have seen a piece about AC Milan interested in Neves, possible cash plus player deal

https://forzaitalianfootball.com/2019/07/ac-milan-propose-player-exchange-with-wolves/

46 minutes ago, Junxs said:

Another keeper on loan who will bugger off once the season is over.

Just use Jed Steer for crying out loud, hes older and more experienced. Use the limited funds we have to get in some defenders!

Have you watched Steer? Makes Enkelman look safe and assured

4 minutes ago, hippo said:

Really think you over analysing - a manager is appointed to win games - if he doesn't he gets the sack.  What you seem to be saying If Henry fails we should get another manager to come in to carry on his work ????? - personally when Henry fails I would hope we appoint someone to come in and do things differently.

Can I be first to say - "He would be a good manager - we just need a defensive coach"  

Twitter rumours suggesting Steve Bould would be his assistant

23 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Are we aware yet of how much of the club they've bought?

 

Reported on Bloomberg as 55% for $39 million about £30 million

36 minutes ago, omariqy said:

We were literally hours away from going bust. We need to focus on building a sustainable club moving forward. We will probably still need to sell Jack and Chester but at least now we can negotiate higher fees and actually build a squad with some of the money.

Both players contract run to June 2020 so we could easily wait until January. Bear in mind Premier League window closes 8th August this year so top teams dont have that much time. At very least we should demand a high figure.

36 minutes ago, Jareth said:

Seems an appropriate time to ask. Would you rather the new mega rich arabian fella -

A) Throw it all at promotion with two fingers up at FFP come what may

B - sell Grealish and Chester and Kodjia and build sustainably?

A conundrum indeed. If they are really, really rich A all the way. If they are Dr T clones definately B

43 minutes ago, GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS said:

Absolutely cannot sell.  Makes no sense either given that he'll be on peanuts and that we wouldn't get a great amount for him just yet.

His goals ratio will improve but he's so much more than that.  He's a perfect foil for either a second striker or a secondary line of attacking midfielders.  I've always imagined him to be ideal to use at the top of a 3-4-3-1 style formation (ala the way Chelsea play) if we could only find the right blend of players to sit behind him.

 

we would have a chace playing 3-4-3-1...........sorry couldn't resist! 

2 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

I think the statement makes sense and tells us something about where we are. I think we've spent ten years with plans that don't stretch further than the end of the season, whether those plans have been "stay up this season", "go up this season" or (a while back now) "get into Europe this season". I think that's going to end, I think we're about to enter an era where the plan is just to get better and grow from a starting point that makes sense - where the plan is as much about 2025 as it is the week after next.

I think we'll see Grealish go, and I think we'll lose some of our older players, I think for now we'll invest small amounts in younger ones and try to develop them.

I don't think promotion next season is part of the plan, I think it's a near impossible dream. FFP relates to losses over a three year period and I think it's going to take us three years to get to a position where our losses don't stop us trying something. I think we'll put in a stopgap team of younger players to see us through that period; with maybe the hope that one or two will be better than that.

I don't think this means an end to Dr Xia's investing in the club - but I think it means an end to not recognising the difference between investing and spending. Mile Jedinak is a decent player, Glenn Whelan is too - but they're bad investments. 

I think we're in for a strange time, one where the balance of the club and our eye for a player will matter as much as star names or reaching playoffs. I think the structure of the club is sound, but new - we've rebuilt scouting, we've rebuilt our youth set up, we've rebuilt most everything - now those things will need to produce.

I think it's going to take a little while to improve our underlying health and it's not going to be easy - but given where we are, it's not the worst plan and it may be the only option. I don't think it needs to be as extreme as that sounds and I'm hopeful we can keep the ride reasonably smooth, but it's the ride I think we're on.

 

Excellent post and if it is to be the plan, delivered thoughtfully, most Villa fans would be right behind it.

He has been poor for some weeks now, everyone has worked him out and that isn't hard to do. I would want a younger element going into next year so give Green a go

Is Dean Smith still available? Should be cheap enough and could coach our crop of decent U23's to supplement what we can keep of our current 1st team.

Got a horrible feeling it might come down to last game of the season with us needing a win at Millwall or hoping  sma get something off fulham at the sty.