Keener window-cleaner

I'm not convinced that he is good enough, one of the most important things in a CB is reliability imo. He has some standout qualities and at times pings some great passes and makes some great challenges/blocks. But at the same time his passing is also quite often risky, especially the ones straight in the middle where we often lose the ball and get a counter against us, he also misplaces passes frequently and thus gives the ball away. Defensively he is sometimes all over the place, the reliable positioning is not there. I think that with a proper reliable CB with his head switched on all game we wouldn't have let in one or two of the goals against Brentford. Didn't appreciate the constant ruffing with Sanka at the set pieces either, made both of them look silly.

Because ppl who have the full picture regard him as the best Swedish GK? Personally I don't know, don't know enough about the alternatives.

I read some quotes from him in Swedish media, he said that the new manager for Sweden has a new role for the GK and wants the GK to be more involved in the build up play, also said he feels comfortable doing that. Will be interesting to see if he keeps his place in the Swedish national team with more emphasis on passing. Good for him to have the same demands at club level as at international level. Not that it makes much of a difference to me though, still dont think he is good enough to be our no 2 and I guess his days are numbered anyways. Having said that I also feel the need to reiterate that he imo is a good international GK and a good pro who deserves respect, even if he has looked shaky most of the time for us.

I've been slightly disappointed that we haven't gotten to see anything of him yet, perhaps we may now if Cash is injured. I fully trust Emery and his assessment whether KKH is ready or not, but would have been fun to see him at least a couple of minutes at the end of games.

Trent to the rescue! Your posts are needed and missed on this forum as well @TrentVilla !

I'm a bit puzzled why Emery choses Rogers over Zaniolo, imo Zaniolo is much better and complete player. Emery sees them in training so he should know, but I think Zaniolo contributes more.

Thought he was great in the CM-role, at the beginning of the season I thought he and Luiz would be first choice as CM. Thought he and Luiz dominated the midfield the whole second half and the first 15 of the first half, and that against a very physical side. The 30 mins in the first where WH was better was more due to Lenglet and others being sloppy with the passing and the front four not showing up for passes enough. His passing is the same class as Luiz, it's like having two Luiz in the middle. His forward pass for our goal was top class. He also showed some good defensive skills tracking back, like the WH counter in extra time. Very promising. He looks up to speed now and playing like this he could be ahead of Kamara as CM.

And as I remind superiors at work - if you dont listen to feedback in consultations, we wont listen to you :- D

Yeah he was bad in that game, not up to speed. Agree he is not suited as a DM, but what I think could work against the lower teams is if Luiz takes the DM role and Tielemans takes Luiz role. But I fully understand Emery playing McGinn with Luiz instead of Tielemans.

Of course he is not, he is really talented, you don't play for Italy if you aren't. His technique is topp class, his reading of the game and his passing likewise and he has a piledriver of a shot. He hasn't adjusted to the physicality and the tempo of the PL yet, he falls over too much for being such a big guy, he loses the ball to much and doesn't impose himself enough. He has all the attributes and the talent to make it, if he has the right attitude and is rightly handled. Then there is of course always the risk that he will end up like Morgan Sanson and a large number of other players who simply never manages to adapt to the PL. I'd be happy to give him more time and see how it works out, but my prejudice about Italian players (with many exceptions of course) is that they quite often misses the life and culture in Italy, never really settles which brings a constant risk of them heading off back home at any time, which isn't very good if we want to build for the long run. So I wouldn't have much hope of him being a Villa legend. If he can contribute and score a couple on his year on loan here then great.

Against lower half opposition I think it could work with him and Luiz, both are sufficiently capable defensively, at least good enough at reading the game and at positioning to keep it tight. Their passing would boss the midfield. But agree that he is great also as a play maker no 10. The combination of Luiz, Kamara and Tielemans as a triangle in the middle is really well balanced.

I think he has been really good and solid, less impressed by his first games, but need to take into consideration taht it's always difficult to just be thrown in now and then and also in a new team. I think I'd pick him over Diego Carlos, feels more solid and reliable. He is probably on to o high wages, otherwise I'd be happy to have him here over the next years as well.

I think he looked better when he played in the wide role, the Bailey role. Haven't been convinced by him as a striker, though I understand that Emery want to have two fast forwards. Isn't winger/wide forward the role he has used to play before he joined us?

I'm following this thread with great interest, but I'm still a bit confused. Do we have any reliable sources of what the new badge will look like?

Is that Dawkins?

What's the chance of a rabbit popping up out of a hat in the late hours?

I think the quiet transfer window for most clubs in the PL is a sign of sanity. I'm quite happy with what we have and adding Rogers and Sousa.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13060012/morgan-rogers-aston-villa-agree-16m-deal-to-sign-middlesbrough-winger

I think it's an interesting one, I've rated Broja highly since his season at Southampton and his attributes are quite what we need imo, a big target player who is also quick and makes runs behind the defence and has a nose for goals. Bit of a work horse as well. Duran has some extreme raw attributes, like his powerful shot and his speed, but I have so far not seen the footballing brain needed to be a real top player. Many of the top top players you can see at an early age that they have that great footballing ability, the intuition, the passing, positioning, understanding with team mates. Duran from what I have seen is a bit more of the Marlon Harewood beating his chest/Grant Holt barging into opponents-type of player. And is a bit of a ticking bomb, never know what's gonna happen, if he will get a red card, score with a superstrike or just stand and sulk and complain. Of course, he is young and will probably learn, and we might regret it big time. But i wouldn't be totally against the swap with Broja, only a couple of years older and has shown more so far.

Sorry if said but when does the transfer window close? And I mean ze egzact time.

Yeah I agree that Big Donk is too much of a defensive specialist for our playing style. As I see it both our midfielders need to be exquisite passers, seems a perfect fit with Bouba being a bit stronger defensively and Luiz stronger attacking wise, but both more or less complete players. I'd love to see more of Tim! The few times i've seen him it seems like he is a really competent passer, and seems to have a good engine, box to box player. Only reservation I have is that I don't know how he copes with the tempo of the PL, if he is good enough defensively.

What do you mean with shit? A player who has 32 caps for the national team that has been ranked top in the world for large parts of that time, can such a player really be shit?

Fully agree that we need someone who is a better passer in that position and that he should be sold asap as he doesn't fit the style we play. Also far too slow as we need also the CM to be able to rush back and help out when we play the high defensive line. Only thing I don't agree with is positional awareness, at least the defensive part of it, I think he is top class at that. I'm thinking of the way he blocks space and passing alternatives and the times he has spotted danger and helped the CB out.

Big Donk! He is simply not a good enough passer to suit Emery ball, but is treated with too little respect by some on here. He is a specialist defensive midfielder, his reading of the game and positioning is top class, strong and good in duels and a solid work horse. He would not have strated so many games for Belgium under the period they were ranked no 1 in the world if he was not a very good player. But as said not good enough passer for us, also seems to be on a downwards trajectory in his career. All the best and good luck!

I haven’t followed Allsvenskan much up untill now when my hometown club VSK is back after 20 years, but I would be surprised if Elfsborg could afford Olsen. If he was to return home (which I agree is about time), I’d rather think he would go to Malmö FF or a Stockholm club. I dont mind us gambling on Hakon as one for the future, but I’d prefer us signing an experienced 30+ used to the PL or Championship as our no 2.