striker

After watching that this evening I feel it may be in Villa's best interests not to get promoted this season. Even with a few new additions just imagine the bulk of that squad in the Premiership next season. Sure fire relegation again and possibly the lowest points total ever. Not sure the club could recover from that in it's present condition?

Bruce needs to be given time to not only rebuild the squad into a competitive unit but to rid the club off the shower of shite that is currently there. It is certainly going to take more than one January window to do that and it may actually take two seasons in the Championship before Villa are ready to face the elite again and stabilise in the Premiership.

This is not easy for me to write because since I've joined this forum it is Villa's result I look for first now rather than Everton.

I was also very moved by the tribute to former manager Taylor from both Villa and Wolves fans. Both sets of fans did their clubs and indeed Taylor proud. Now we need the players to do the same.

This really is awful. 

Changes. Not before time.

Pretty poor again.

Sorry but Jedinak really is an awful player. Totally useless.

How Bruce thinks Villa can get by with McCormack and Gabby up front this month is beyond me. 

Considering the amount of time it has taken Amavi to get back up to speed (and some might say he hasn't got there yet) it could be even longer than suggested to see Laet back to his best.

It is therefore imperative than Bruce signs a decent RB this window.

Just something to consider. I understand the feeling that he has been less effective than most Villa fans hoped going forward but when played out wide he has a shit load of tracking back to do to help cover for the FB.

In today's game being effective going forward while constantly having to track back is a very hard thing to do stamina wise.

If Villa sign better midfielders this window who can actually hit a through ball for Ayew to run onto but also have good positional sense to sit when needed to help negate Ayew's defensive duties then you might see a more effective Ayew in the run in.

19 hours ago, Eastie said:

Truly believe he would have built a great dynasty at villa had the  England job not taken him away .

My thoughts exactly and truly a very sad loss for anyone connected to the Villa.

In my neck of the woods there's a saying that the good always go first. RIP.

One thing I noted concerning Gollini was his kicking. Johnston's first game against Spurs showed how weak Gollini's kicking really was.

Another poor signing and better to move him on now if a better replacement can be found.

Need to win not only for the points but to be a more attractive proposition for the players Bruce wants to sign.

8 hours ago, Junxs said:

Listening to the WM football phone, there were a couple of Wolves fans calling in saying they've heard Wolves are after him

If this is true ffs Bruce don't play him on Saturday.

10 hours ago, tonyh29 said:

Take the £25m from China for Amavi and give it to Palace for Benteke 

 

Bringing Benteke back would mean having Westwood back in the team to hit those floating corners. 

7 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

and everyone would climb over her to get to you

Made my night that. Thanks mate. 

1 hour ago, One For The Road said:

12 million is nothing these days. If the Dr wants to spend that sort of money on a Premier league winning player then that's fine by me.

Plus 6m in the bank already from the Rudy Gestede sale.

And wore an I luv u Taylor Swift t shirt. No thanks.

Awful puns. Just too cheesy.

Reading through this thread in particular it's very clear to see from a fan perspective where Villa need to strengthen and with Villa's mooted interested in Lansbury the manager has also indentified that weakness so both are singing from the same hymn sheet. One would hope Bruce is thinking of more than just one midfielder though as Villa's midfield needs a complete rebuild.

I also feel Villa need to invest in another forward. Agbonlahor isn't going to create on his own. He hasn't been prolific even with a better midfield behind him. McCormack isn't really an striker in the true sense of the word and to get the best out of him he needs to play in behind a forward who plays on the shoulder of a defender. So far Bruce has been reluctant to play that way with Kodjia positioned out wide. To me this is one reason why Villa's forwards haven't been firing as they should.

So if Bruce is going to persist with Kodjia as a wide forward when he comes back and Agbonlahor is clearly not up to the job of scoring on a regular basis then even with a better midfield in place I think it's imperative that Bruce brings another forward in. Rhodes would be ideal on loan or someone of his ilk just to give Villa a better option than Gabby to make Villa less predicable going forward.

Since the rumoured 25m bid his performances have taken a nose dive. Either his mind is elsewhere or the expectation on his shoulders now is weighing to heavily on him?

It might be better to move him into a left midfield position with Ciss more solid defensively at LB?

Never going to be a player is he. Over the next two transfer windows Bruce will get rid along with several others.

You won't get the best out of McCormack until Kodjia is played centrally or Villa buy a forward that makes runs off the shoulder of the defender.

Tish looked marginally better than either Westwood or Gardner but offensively it's hard to judge him without having a forward to pass to.

23 hours ago, Eastie said:

Don't think jedinak will be replaced or needs to be - he will sit in front of the back 4 and we will hopefully have 2 competent midfielders to complement him one of whom looks likely to be Lansbury.

  Matty James or hourihane would be ideal.

I would like to think either this window or the next Bruce will replace Jedinak with someone who has defensive attributes but can also distribute to a team mate rather than constantly heading or passing to the opposition.

With the exception of maybe one or two games Jedinak has been awful while being part of probably the worst midfield that has represented the Villa.

20 minutes ago, Michael118 said:

Seems like the standard reply to one my posts.

Jedinak and Westwood are Premier League quality midfielders in my eyes. Jedinak has slowed down but would still be good enough for a team aiming for survival and Westwood's confidence is at rock bottom but if he can build that back up there is a quality player there and that would come out if he is paired alongside players which compliment him.

 

Both Jedinak and Westwood are struggling in the Championship and will be replaced by Bruce so how on earth are they Premier League players?

Very odd post.

Not sure how many games you would get out of Delph in the Championship due to him being injury prone?

15 minutes ago, tismyk said:

Yea, what world are you from, the majority of professional footballers I have met, and its a lot are as thick as s##t, easily manipulated.

Of course a player can be manipulated but it is ultimately the player and his families decision whether any contract is acceptable.