VillaFaninLondon

I think Ward Prowse is useful for set piece deliveries and free kicks (Grealish wins a lot on the edge of the area when he's fit), but would cost an awful lot and I don't think he's all that great in his general gameplay. Plus he's a short arse and we already don't have enough height in midfield. Plus he'd cost a fortune. Also why I can't for the life of me understand the links with McNeil, who I not only think isn't actually that good but would also cost an awful lot of money. Someone like Neto would be good but again would be costly and Wolves wouldn't wish to sell to us. The Prem (and even the Championship now) may be slightly lower risk but is very overpriced. Still think there's lots of value to be found overseas, even in the so-called lesser leagues like Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Portugal. Obviously need to be looking at the best players in those leagues (or best young players) but we'll still pay less for them than an established, average PL player I think. I'd imagine we'll be scouting players at Euro 2021 too as a lot of players there will be playing in those European leagues.

Going on yesterday's performance, I really think we need a big summer buying players at that next level if we're to move from 11th/12th to 7th/8th next season. The positions we need to improve are in areas where our general gameplay is poor - midfield. So: CAM - we basically need a better version of Barkley, some have mentioned Oyazarbal but I think he's unlikely, Dani Olmo has always impressed me but again unlikely, someone like Majer at Zagreb or as also mentioned de Paul at Udinese could be realistic, those are the sort of creative players we need but would obviously cost RW - we aren't the quickest team so I would be targeting someone rapid here with decent end product (like a young Aaron Lennon, only with better delivery). Again Leon Bailey has been mentioned and I'd love him but it will be tough to pull it off, I actually would take Sarr from Watford as he is really quick and I think will be a big talent, only issue is Watford would be reluctant to sell now they've been promoted, Berardi would be a phenomenal signing but again would be a coup to pull that one off CDM - we basically need someone tall, physically strong and who can tackle. Leicester signed Ndidi when he was 19, he took a couple of years to settle but now is one of the best in the league, we probably need to scout a similar type but ideally a bit further along in their development. We really should have scouted Soucek and got him before West Ham did, he would have really improved our midfield. Smith has played Luiz and McGinn out of position all season, neither are holding midfielders as neither can tackle particularly well, we should play one of them slightly further forward alongside an actual holding midfielder - both Luiz and McGinn should be rotated next season as both are good squad players but not good enough to be starters So to summarise - we need creativity with a no 10, pace with a winger, and protection with a physically imposing DM. We also need a LB and CB and possibly a striker, but they'd be below the above for me. I really hope the scouting department do a fine job this summer because if we can find the right quality of player in those positions with the right attributes we will improve an awful lot.

But then you've got players like Suarez, Van der Vaart, Wijnaldum, Van Dijk, Van Nistelrooy, Hasselbaink, Bergkamp, van Persie, and so on and so on who have come from that league (not always directly). There are always examples of failures from any league, but the Dutch league is renowned for its young talent. Koopmeiners is just one of many really good young players at AZ who have already broken into the Dutch national team and plays in a position we need improvements. It's a market we should be exploring.

Given we've been in the top half for most of the season to end up finishing outside there, particularly at the expense of Leeds who have lesser players than us and who are playing their first season in the PL in 16 years, will be disappointing. Of course I'd have taken that at the start of the season but it's the way the season has unravelled that's disappointing - particularly when teams like West Ham have kept going for the whole campaign. I think someone said we're a midtable team without Jack - wrong, we're a relegation battling team without Jack. 1 point on average a game since he's been out. And the comms surrounding his injury have been terrible. Clearly we need better players in the summer to be more consistent next season but I'm hacked off that when we go 1-0 up these days against the better teams (and even against the weaker teams) we just capitulate. That's not just players, that's a weak mentality.

Makes too many rash tackles in dangerous areas and it's cost us on many occasions this season. I like other aspects of his game but defensively he's a liability.

Season's gone down the drain really. We'll finish bottom half, Leeds and Arse have easier run ins than us and it's clear we still have a p*ss poor mentality against bigger clubs. 11th is best we can hope for. This whole saga with Jack is ridiculous, no idea what game he'll be back for even now and it's been 3 months. Last few games we've gone 1-0 up against Plop, Cit£h and Man Ure and lost all of them. Simply ain't good enough and shows a weak mentality. We can blame corrupt officials all we want, we still defended absolutely appallingly today. Martinez is no longer performing at the level he was and our whole back 4 have not been good enough for some time, that's why we can't keep a clean sheet or defend properly when we go in front. I'll be hacked off if we don't buy at least one starting defender in the summer. Going on that performance we need 4-5 first team players close to Jack's quality in the summer if we want to be anywhere near top 6 next season.

Our defending is so bad these days too. I'd worry if we don't buy any defenders in the summer as we have poor defensively for a while - no clean sheet in 8 games now.

Right, TV going off. Thanks Villa for ruining my day again. Rubbish.

Man Ure will go on to win now, especially as all we're doing is giving the ball away and defending. Typical Villa

Luiz always fouls in stupid areas, absolute idiot.

Luiz you f***ing liability

We've got to get our tails up again, our passing has been woeful since we scored.

We are so weak down our right side though and a lot of that is because of Traore.

What a finish, get in.

I wonder how that cheating rat face Fernandes will try to buy a penalty against us today. One of the worst decisions I've ever seen in last season's game and how on Earth VAR didn't overturn it still angers me today. Horrific record against them but we played well at Everton (probably our best performance in 2021, particularly in the first half) so we need to perform similarly today. Cit£h's result yesterday doesn't change an awful lot as quite frankly they're still gonna win the league, but no doubt Man Ure will play a strong team against us and a weak one against Leicester. Last win against them was 1-0 at Old Trafford in 2009 and our last home win in 1995. It's a dire record but I hope the players don't let it be a psychological barrier for them. I remember Spurs had an awful record against them that was even worse than ours up to a few years ago but in recent years have beaten them a few times so we have to try to get over this bad record against them. I don't just want one win in isolation, if we're going to become the team we want to be (a consistent European chasing team in the top 6-8 positions) we need to be competing against these sides every season and taking points off them. But we are well overdue a win against these that's for sure. Same team as the last 2 games I'd imagine. No Jack again but as Dean says it's not a long term injury

Yes, we still need a stronger squad, that much is clear. It is not only about the manager and I really hope the likes of McGinn (as much as I love him for what he has done for us) and Traore are merely squad players next season as not consistent enough to be playing week in week out and are two of the biggest culprits for us losing the ball so easily. Midfield would be the area to really pinpoint in the summer (DM, RW, creative mid) as that seems to be the area where a lot of our play comes undone. For me, assuming we finish 11th or 12th this season (which I think is looking most likely), these need to be our goals for the next 3 seasons: 21/22 - top half finish (e.g.8th, 9th, 10th) 22/23 - Europa League qualification 23/24 - qualify for European competition + go far in Europa This assumes continual investment into the playing squad. These are ambitious targets, but not far off what the owners probably are looking for in their 5-year plan. With the Greedy 6 + Leeds, W'Ham, Leicester, Wolves & possibly 1 or 2 others, those challenges won't be easy which is why we need a really good summer window imo. One positive from last night was having Wesley back in the squad. With Davis finally scoring a PL goal, we may actually have a few options up front for the rest of the season.

Exactly my thoughts. Our ability to give the ball away is really concerning - we may have had 70% possession last night but seeing the likes of McGinn and Traore lose the ball so cheaply was agonising.

This is a very good point, there is obviously a lack of quality in certain areas (out wide in particular) but we have all seen Luiz, Barkley, McGinn (look at his form for Scotland), Mings play better. These were all some of our best players earlier in the season (along with Jack and Ollie obviously). Whether you blame Smith for player performance or not, he's certainly responsible for late subs (last night another example of that), for favouritism (e.g. McGinn - never takes him off), for never changing his rigid formation and system. And in my opinion he's got to take at least some of the blame for these players form falling off a cliff since January and not recovering that form.

A point against a team in the bottom 3 isn't much to celebrate despite the late goal. 2 wins out of 10 for our manager now without Jack. Everyone harps back to our form pre-January but that's irrelevant. Our form since January is shocking. I think he'll get next season, but I really feel we've hit a glass ceiling under Smith. I'd be very surprised if he could take us any further and we could actually go backwards next season which is what I'm worried about most of all.

If we've got any ambition whatsoever we need to be looking to upgrade this manager.

The form in the last 10 games is awful and once again tells you everything about our manager and his reliance on one man. The performances are woeful too and there seems a lack of motivation - a motivated Villa would beat Boggies. That's on the manager. For all those defending him, to lose to some of the poor teams we've lost to this season is unacceptable This will be our third defeat on the trot. A win tonight would have put us top half. The inability to keep the ball game after game is mind boggling. I just think Smith is out of his depth for where we want to go as a club. They should be keeping their eye out on possible available managers this summer imo - if there's a better candidate go for it.

Another game we've scored first and then concede 2, but this time to a poor team in the bottom 3. Not good enough and 2 wins out of 10 most mnagers would be in trouble. Smith is testing my patience.

Once again we've been poor.

Barkley and El Ghazi have got to perform tonight. No more half arsed performances from them.

Surely we'll be sniffing around the Eredivisie this summer as there's plenty of exciting, young players there who would improve us. Koopmeiners/Sangare (DM), Stengs/Madueke/Neres (winger), Ihattaren (CAM), Malen/Boadu (striker), Wijndal (LB), Schuurs (CB) - quite a few players there in the positions we need to strengthen.