Stockbridgehibby

Phew!

I am a believer.  I believe Emi is such a good goalie that even without his so-called “antics” he could have saved these two pens and maybe even some of the others.  Pity he can’t play for the first leg of the next tie. 

Come on Fulham 

19 hours ago, Tom13 said:

It’s a bit odd for Unai to suggest he reached this conclusion after analysing the match “deeply”:- he subbed SJM after 65 mins!  I suppose it could have been a tactical substitution, but it’s more likely Unai had belatedly realised SJM had been playing too much football, having played him in midweek against Legia Warsaw, and Spurs the weekend previously, straight after the international break in which John played both games for Scotland. 

It’s important to put Emery’s comment in context too.  He was being asked about McGinn’s current good form, and was probably keen to dampen down the interviewer’s excitement.  SJM himself has always known he has to work on his consistency (see his interview with Stan Petrov shortly after arriving at Villa Park).  

I’m sure Emery wouldn’t have wished to appear to be singling SJM out for criticism - the whole team was flat in that game, and but for Emi and Ollie would have been as well beaten as Bournemouth’s 4 other most recent league opponents.  Emery himself would presumably also want to shoulder some of the responsibility for the Bournemouth result.  Over 80% of voting Villa forum fans said his performance was average, poor or even very poor.  

No player enjoys public criticism but there’s no chance the captain will allow this to affect his motivation.  I just hope his having to come on in the second half in Bosnia to bail out Unai’s starting 11 with another MotM display doesn’t affect his performance tomorrow.  

On 09/12/2023 at 05:39, Nickel said:

The secret is out....

  Reveal hidden contents

"Dougray on Villa midfielder John McGinn: I think he will end up at Manchester City, Liverpool or Manchester United - or he will go to Real Madrid or Barcelona; he is that good."

Not sure whoever Dougray is he actually knows very much about "Sir Super John McGinniesta" to give him his full title.

Am pretty confident Dougray Scott, as a mental Hibby, will have been keeping a close watch on SJM at Villa.  One thing that’s not often mentioned is McGinn’s ambition.  He has won trophies with both the Buddies and the Hibees, and in an early interview at Villa Park he mentioned how much he wanted to be part of bringing success back to this club. I admit there was a while when it seemed to me that half the Villa fans had fallen out of love with him. He mentions in the post-Arsenal Sky interview how much closer are the defenders to the midfield now, and I had flashbacks to Gerard’s Villa where SJM ran about like a headless (Christmas) turkey, trying to fill the gaps between defence and midfield and between midfield and attack.  I wondered then whether he might do himself a favour by moving on.  Perhaps he won’t always be as influential as he has been recently in games, but you could never underestimate his loyalty and determination to win a trophy with Villa.  

11 minutes ago, Follyfoot said:

Does anyone know what the yellow card was for. All I saw him do was win the ball or is my eyesight deceiving me

A lusty but quite fair challenge imho.  Ref let himself down

We’re coming back into this

Meatball won that challenge fairly

Tired from meatball

That’s one - they’ll get the next one

Meatball is on fire

Super John McGinn!!!!!

Fans (those actually at the match) playing a blinder, by the sound of things 

24 minutes ago, Villaphan04 said:

I don't think he would be easy to replace, at all. My point is that hypothetically replacing Ollie Watkins or Douglas Luiz (and what either of them bring to the team) will be a lot harder than replace than John McGinn. *this is not me saying that I want to sell McGinn at all

 

Getting the CL revenue is a game changer, but if we don't I don't know exactly what we do. From that group of players, we probably only get money back for Dendonker and maybe Sanson and Chambers. But then, if we get rid of all those, we need to build a squad and we get a higher quality one by signing new starters that push current ones down. 

 

hypothetically, if we sell McGinn this summer i'd expect. 

a) 50-60m

b) I'm sure Emery + Monchi could come up with options. Some off the top of my head- -- Pino, Almada, Moleiro, Veiga, Reyna etc. They all have different qualities but can play that attacking wide midfield role. 

C) No clue what they would cost

 

If we were to make it, then they do have a more stringent FFP we would have to comply with. 

 

Cannot like this post enough. We probably have too many players for that advanced wide attacking midfield role (especially if the Zaniolo move becomes permanent). I think Bailey is probably going to be sold in the summer and that will be the first team player who gets shifted (and maybe Cash but that's another story). 

Interesting post.  
 

b)  Very promising talent, mostly quite raw, with a corresponding element of risk, but if they worked out, could last 2/3 years until Villa fans insisted they be “upgraded”.  
 

c)  This is a key part of the equation.  They are currently valued by Transfermarkt as being at least as expensive, if not more so, than SJM.  

I think it’s helpful to be specific.  May I ask, of those who propose to sell McGinn, the captain:

a) how much they think they will get for him next summer (assuming he continues his largely good form; I understand it’s not being suggested that he should be sold in January);

b) who, among those who might realistically be available, would they wish to replace him; and

c) how much they consider that such a replacement is likely to cost?

Just to be clear: I am not saying McGinn shouldn’t be sold.  Although he has pledged himself to Villa (what price that in today’s market?!), loyalty is a two- way street.  

4 minutes ago, Don_Simon said:

Did I watch the same game? Spurs were good in the first half and we stood off a little too much. 

"Terrific onslaught" - I did not see this.

That’s ok. We can be allowed to see things differently.  I thought Spurs had control of the match up until about 5 mins before HT, were first to almost every second ball, and created a number of excellent chances, which admittedly they mostly wasted.  My main point was that Villa deserved credit for sticking in, equalising, then taking control and finishing, in my view, the better side. 

1 hour ago, Aston_Villan4 said:

 

“We never stop”, was Ange’s mantra at Celtic

“Calma, calma, calma” - I take it that was Unai!

Not sure how much more of this I can take.  Good news is that it’s still 0-0.  If it settles down, I think we will come on to a game

I thought Spurs had been enjoying more than their share of good fortune this season.  Got their comeuppance today against hungrier wolves

Now why did we not get the benefit of defending like that?!

Go Josh Kerr! - At least something good came out of Edinburgh tonight!