OxfordVillan

I find the tone of your reply condescending, however it’s a view that you’re entitled to bring to the table. I don’t think you win hearts and minds by using your type of approach, but each to their own.

I’m not sure you see the end of the nose on your own face! UTV

Here’s Kenji putting himself as a higher being than the ill educated, thick, knuckle draggers who don’t agree with his every thought. Bravo, my friend…….that’s the way to win them over!

Wow, just wow! I can’t fathom the words right now to describe your position. You’re heading towards totalitarian, my friend.

Yes I do understand the message behind defund the police, and I don’t agree with it. Just because someone doesn’t agree with you, doesn’t make them any less intelligent, any less a person. Everybody is entitled to an opinion. It’s sections of society’s increasing inability to accept differing views that is causing increasing separation.

The organisation that taking the knee originated from is BLM, who are a political Marxist organisation. In a democracy it’s perfectly acceptable for the electorate to display their disapproval of such organisations, organisations that forward agendas such as defunding the police. There’d be no booing/opposition to the players/movement had they adopted a different group/name than BLM, it’s the attachment to that group that results in 99% of opposition to it. Of course there are a small amount of actual racists, but you shouldn’t conflate racists and political movement dissenters. I hope the authorities, along with players like Tyrone, can work together over the summer to come up with something that pulls everyone along with the movement.

Maybe it’s just me, but I just don’t see what people rave about with Maguire. I don’t think he’s that good, certainly not £80m good, and if you offered me a swap deal with Mings I wouldn’t take it. Leicester arguably improved with Evans and Syoncu, they certainly didn’t get worse.

I’m not sure why so many Villa fans are keen to replace Traore? He’s just had his 1st season where he’s shown more than just a glimpse of outstanding talent. I’m excited to see him next season after a full pre-season and having had a year to get settled. With one or two upgrades behind him we could have a more consistent and exceptional talent in our team. Some of his forward play and finishing has been sublime. If we were watching him do what he’s done in a relegated Fulham team we’d be screaming to get him signed up! I’d say as a priority we need to sign a cracking left sided forward and CDM. I see Grealish wanting to play the No10 role next season, which is a huge upgrade on Barkley. So I think we need 2-3 expensive players that can go into the starting eleven, and if we have any budget left then we might get another one or two in with good potential but young enough to wait for their 1st team chances. This could be our last season of big recruitment, as we’ll have a starting eleven that is good enough and young enough to stay together for a few seasons, which should allow some of our currently outstanding youth players the time to filter through into our 1st team and save us an awful lot of money, whilst maintaining a position up amongst the best teams. We look to have an exciting few seasons ahead of us. UTV

29yrs old at the front end of next season, would likely cost in excess of £45-50m. Ar5ehole of a player. Not for me, thanks.

I think I’ve probably been a little unfair on him with some criticism over the last season, when he’s predominantly been played as a holding CM. It’s quite clear that he’s very much better suited to playing the more advanced midfield role, and very capable in that position. So in hindsight, he has been taking one for the team, so to speak, by playing the more defensive role. The positive to take from this is that with the purchase of a good DM Villa should be able to look forward to a continuing exciting and winning team next season.

I want to see players with pace & power arriving this summer. A general of a DM and a dynamic No.8 as priority. The rest can fall into place around that.

Unfortunately we’ll get out muscled in midfield again, and I’m expecting a loss by a couple of goals. Spurs are too big and physical for our little weaklings, whilst we’ll play the neater football we’ll ultimately lose to power. We’ve maybe an outside chance of a surprise element if we bring in one or two fringe youngsters later in the game that could catch Spurs unawares. I don’t envisage that, though. I’d like to see Raikhy, Barry, and Chukwuemka all make the bench…….but again, can’t see that happening. Those 3 would be my pick of the youngsters who could surprise Spurs with 20-30min cameos.

Wesley will have a role to play next season, I’m certain he won’t be moving on this summer. And rightly so. I think part of our building process of the club is putting into place an emphasis on loyalty, and standing by Wes is another part of that. The treatment dished out to various players post 2010 did not show the club in a positive way, various bomb squads wouldn’t have made the club attractive to many players. We have to make the club more like a family, loyalty is a two way street. We have to stand by Wes and give him the best opportunity to make it.

The 60min mark yesterday was crying out for additional legs and strength, in midfield especially. Ramsey was unfortunately a passenger against Palaces increased physicality and pressure. The subs to make at that point were to hook Ramsey & Traore, replace with Davis & Nakamba. Go to 4-1-4-1 with Nakamba the covering DM, Davis to the right of the middle 4, ElGhazi left, Luiz and McGinn central. Who knows if it would have worked, but nobody can say we didn’t have options. We did. Sometimes it’s not about pretty football, it’s about matching up individuals to nullify an area you’re struggling in. Doing the dirty work. Not exciting but when you’re 2-1 up away from home you need to start nullifying teams. Or at the very least you TRY to nullify teams. It was a mistake to bring a clearly not match fit Jack Grealish on when he did, and a bigger mistake to then not change anything else until you go 3-2 behind with 5 minutes to play. The palace goals were clearly coming, it’s not like we were putting on a defensive masterclass and they weren’t getting attempts at goal.

I couldn’t care what happens or what gets written on social media by players, unless they break an actual law. It’s not the real world. Its what they do on a football pitch in a Villa shirt that matters. I couldn’t give 2 fucky fuck5 about the court of social media opinion. Anyone else hear the booing at the cup final as the players took the knee?

Good post. I think it is worth remembering that Dean wanted Phillips, it’s an indicator of the type of player he wants in that position. I do think Luiz is more of a 7 or 8, rather than a 6. That’s where any new record fee needs to be spent this summer. A Declan Rice type signing.

That would add up, for me. I thought we’d have circa £150m this summer, so add on a £100m Jack Grealish sale and you’re there. Nothing would surprise me in football.

They’ve put the money up thus far. All the noises being made indicate they’ll put the money up again this summer. And when they do they will not expect a return of points/form that we have seen over the last few months, which is bottom 3 type of form. And that’s fair enough.

The 21/22 season will be pivotal for Dean Smith, I think. But then saying that, every season is pivotal for most managers in the Premier League. Most managers, generally, have the opening 8-12 games of the season. If things aren’t going as expected then you’re vulnerable to being replaced. But I do get the feeling that our owners will now feel that we shouldn’t get drawn into any early season scuffles at the lower end of the table, I think we will be expected to be in and amongst the top 8 all season. So we’ll need to start well, very similar to this season.

He’s doing much better, he’s starting to turn a corner for himself at Villa. I think he’ll be at the club next season, he’s proving himself to be a very useful squad member, and he seems to be highly regarded by the other players and coaching staff. It looks to me like the coaching staff have been working hard with him, working on the decision making and confidence. Long may it continue.

Deans achilles heel is the midfield and a seeming inability to recognise when it needs altering. This must be improved next season.

My feeling (without yet having the summer transfer window) is that the target for the 21/22 season will be 7th. I’m basing that on the noises being made by the club about our summer transfer ambitions, which they’re not exactly playing down! So if we do have what looks on paper like a better transfer window than the likes of Everton, West Ham, Leeds, Arsenal etc then we should realistically target 7th. Finishing a bit lower (say 9th) would probably be acceptable if accompanied by, perhaps, a league or FA Cup. Let’s wait and see what happens in the summer, it’s quite possible one or two other clubs have a blinding transfer window that makes the landscape look different once again. As you rightly point out, most clubs hit that wall around 7th. That’s when you need owners who hold their nerve and try to keep spending to break into the next level. I think there are currently a few clubs above us that we could target to finish above next season…..Leeds, Everton, West Ham. They’re clubs that it wouldn’t be a surprise if we finish above them. Of the so-called big 6, I think Arsenal, Spurs, and Leicester could be more susceptible next season to a challenger or two. I think next season we could be looking at the old school big 4 of Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool. Leicester perhaps could have a similar season, but I certainly see Arsenal and Spurs continuing to struggle.

I think some here getting confused between physicality and tackling. When I call for more physicality in CM I’m talking about someone big enough and strong enough not to be knocked off the ball, someone that can lean into an opposition player and ease them off the ball if required. I think we all mostly know that the hard tackling many of us knew has almost been officiated out of the game. The best CMs now need positional acumen to intercept, and if you happen to have one of those with physical attributes then you’re in a good place.

I’m extremely meh about McNeill.