OxfordVillan

The problem with the constant stories surrounding a potential transfer for Grealish is that it’s creating a media circus, a distraction for everybody else. And not a good distraction. It feels inevitable to me that there will be a separation of ways before next season and that, actually, it may prove to be liberating for both parties. We shouldn’t forget that the model our owners are looking to implement is to polish younger talent to move on at as near to peak sale value as possible, similar to Dortmund I suppose. Grealish is now in that category. It’s unfortunate but I feel the sale of Grealish for big money will help us improve enormously as a team if we utilise the market well. And that’s always the key.

Ramsey could have a part to play this season, I’d have him in the match day squad for our remaining games. Vassilev too. The exuberance and natural fitness of youth could play a big part in the forthcoming 10 game mini season. Both would be on my bench.

Exactly this. I heard Uwe Rosler talking on the radio this morning, basically saying that the home advantage is almost completely wiped out. I still maintain that no team should be relegated under the restart proposals. We’re losing an advantage in 60% of our remaining games that the opposition has already enjoyed.

Agreed. It would be a huge lift if he had got fit, but I just don’t think we’ll see him. I thought I’d heard 9mths mentioned when it happened?

My Starting 11 & bench for Sheffield Utd, not sure how many players they’ll allow on bench having increased allowance to 5 subs during a match; .............................Nyland.......................... Guilbert.........Engels.....Mings......Targett ..........................Nakamba......................... ........McGinn.........Luiz.......Grealish.......... ....................Samatta.......Davis.................. Bench; Reina, Vassilev, Ramsey, Konsa, Elmo, Hause, Drinkwater, ElGhazi, Hourihane.

I wouldn’t exclude Southampton or Newcastle from the relegation battle. 2-3 losses on the bounce and they could easily be hauled into it. Both were slow to get going this season, Bruce teams at Villa were slow at season start.

Following season Leicester were Premier League champions.

Leicester City, 2014-15.

I’ll not change my mind, if the league cannot complete under exactly the same circumstances as it started then I don’t think anyone should be relegated. Anyone.

Bring. It. On. Fitness preparation will be key. I can forgive us not being technically amongst the front runners, but I’ll be fuming if we get found wanting with our fitness. I really hope they’re all ready to try and get to levels of intensity that they’ve not been to before. Sheffield Utd first game back, we must win that game and show we are drilled and ready to go up against anyone. It will be totally unforgivable if we’re found to be behind others fitness levels.

@sharkyvilla for manager!

Some ppl are so quick to forget, aren’t they?! When Dean Smith took over Jed Steer had once again been bombed out on loan, Tuanzebe was being deployed at RB, Mings wasn’t even being thought about by anyone (and signing questioned by many when he arrived), Whelan was being widely derided. Hutton is now a club legend! Villa were mid table and had won 1 in 10 from what, on paper, was a comfortable opening that many of us had expected would result in us being sat in the front runners at the top of the league. Fast forward 7mths or so and Mings is a “must sign” player and club hero, Grealish is Captain fantastic, Tuanzebe is a club hero at CB with his own chant, Jed Steer is our No.1 GK and semifinal hero, Whelan rolled back the years and became an important cog. Grealish was nearly gone before last season started, for what would have been around £25m. Today Grealish has a figure of around £80m placed on him, with many arguing it should be more. Jed Steer would have ended up leaving on a free, today he’d surely be worth something in the region of £5m or so? Maybe more, and has been seen to be a very decent GK. Dean Smith turned us around last season, not with simply a “new manager bounce”. He changed the personnel and the style of play and achieved what managers in the previous seasons couldn’t do and won us promotion. The club went on a record equalling win streak. We’ve been to a league cup final. We COULD yet finish this season in what would look a relatively comfortable position. And this will be after losing 3 integral 1st teamers for half a season from what was already a fairly thin Premier League squad. A squad that had to be filled out with around 13 summer signings due to lack of numbers. We’d lost what was our top scorer because he was a loan player, ditto the other half of our CB pairing. We lost our Midfield anchor and 1st choice FB due to age and being out of contract, we had to move on. Dean Smith deserves everyone’s backing. That’s not to say mistakes haven’t been made, but we’re all on a learning curve. And Dean Smith has earned the time to become the manager we all should want him to be.

Exactly this. Reina is entitled to his opinion, and ppls opinions should neither exclude them from a team or earn them special favours into a team. Judge them on their ability. In which case he shouldn’t be seen in a Villa shirt unless absolutely necessary!

That scenario won’t happen, so don’t lose sleep over it. One club will not stop the other 19 getting on with things, if they refuse to play they’ll have points deducted. It’ll take 7 clubs to stop the restart in a vote. If there is no restart THEN we’re in a spot of bother.

It’s probable that Chelsea will look to offload Danny Drinkwater this summer, possibly letting him go on a free due to his wage and circumstance. We’re in pole position to possibly pick him up, and imo if Dean Smith thinks it’s worth it then I’d be fine with that.

On the left is, for me, undoubtedly his most effective position.

There are two standout clubs in the premier league this season, Liverpool & Man City. After those two there isn’t a single team that any other premier league team should be in fear of. As I said previously, of our remaining fixtures it was only the Liverpool away tie that induced a feeling of anxiety. The break in play came at a good time for us. The way some of you go on about the fear of playing the likes of Arsenal, Everton, Sheffield Utd etc is laughable, you’d think they were the cream of European competition! We’ve beaten Everton and Newcastle already this season, and should have had all 3pts at Arsenal were it not for poor officiating. We got a draw at Old Trafford and was a matter of 5mins from beating Liverpool, without Grealish. So whilst we’ve had some poor displays and lost games we perhaps shouldn’t have, we aren’t nearly as dire as some of you are painting us to be. Thank god those of you with the beaten attitudes aren’t involved with the team!

I wonder what we might do tactically/formation when we restart? Will we try and get Keinan Davis up top as a bit more of a target man to hold the ball up? If we do will we look to get Samatta playing off of Davis? Could it be something more like a 4-4-1-1? I’m not sure we’ll see 3 at the back again, though it can work well against certain opposition. As it stands I think my starting 11 for the “opening” game might be; Nyland, Elmo, Targett, Engels, Mings, Nakamba, McGinn, Grealish, ElGhazi, Samatta, Davis. I do wonder if 3 at the back might allow us to be stronger in midfield and suit us with the personnel we have?

Every game is winnable. The only fixture we have remaining that I thought “we’ll get nothing there” was at Liverpool, and even the dynamics of that fixture could change if they’ve wrapped up the title by that time. You can’t tell me you’re overly worried about home fixtures against Sheffield Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Man Utd, Wolves? None of those teams exactly tearing up the league, are they?! And we have two very winnable away ties at Newcastle and West Ham. We should have McGinn back and also Keinan Davis. Compared to where we were when the football stopped it’s all positive.

This One or two here need to get their head around the fact that relegation will happen, complete season or not. We must get ourselves out of the bottom 3 ASAP, by playing and winning points. That is our only hope. Accept it, quickly.

Accept the situation as it is and try to work it as best you can. Whether you agree or not, football is starting back up. We’ve all been told that “no relegations” is not an option, so let’s get on with backing ourselves to play our way to safety. No Villa fan should be “not bothered” about relegation, or reliant on stopping the restart to save us from relegation. We are where we are now, it’s game on time again. We have to save ourselves on the pitch, so let’s get behind the team and make sure that they ALL understand the importance of being ultra ready for that 1st game back.

Oh shut up.

I’m not sure about the loan situation and whether he’s available, but I’d think that there could be a role to play for Jacob Ramsey? Young, energetic, talented. These upcoming games behind closed doors could be an ideal situation to get players such as Ramsey and Vassilev in and around the first 11. These last 10 games are going to be a sprint, fitness and energy will be vital. Two young and exuberant players could be just the extra bit of fizz we need to give us an edge.

Whilst I can agree the league is a farce, I can’t agree about not giving 5hIt if we go down. Whether we like it or not the league is intent on starting up again. Villa must be amongst the front runners of fitness when it does start up, amongst the best prepared for the situation ahead.

Interesting to note comments from interview yesterday, he says players will need good 5-6wks to get fitness back.