The Rosk

Also - I frankly think our results since the break have disguised a lot poorer form. We really did not deserve a point from Brighton at all. 3 points against Arsenal and Southampton, where a point arguably would have been fair for both sides. Burnley we should have got something for sure. Newcastle is the only team we've played where we've played comfortably better. West Ham battered us. Through sheer defensive effort/goalkeeping masterclass we have managed to get 10 points there from 7 games, when on reflection we probably should have had 6. That's near or around relegation form, stretched out across the season. And a lot of that comes down to the midfield - arguably the only clear weakness across that entire time. IMO this needs sorting, and sharpish. Just to be clear. I am delighted with where Villa are going, and we are unbelievably lucky to be in the position we are in given the last 10 years of dross. However, last season all we were calling for was a bigger squad, more strength in depth etc - now we've spent a lot of money on it, we don't seem to be using it.

El Ghazi must be wondering what he has to do to get a look-in when he scored five bloody goals in December in LF, Jack can play in the No.10 role and Barkley has not had a good run of games for a while now. Surely the blinkers must be taken off to let the rest of the team have a go. Even Nakamba has arguably done better in minutes-to-performance than any of the other midfielders, and he can't get back in. If we play to the same level we did against Brighton vs Leicester, we will get humped. I do love the upside of Barkley (clearly a ferocious talent when on fire) but he has to sit this one out and prove his work rate/fitness levels - the tracking back/tackles/assists numbers are pretty shocking, so we need to figure out whatever it is that is stopping him contributing at the moment.

It's a bit mad really if you think about it. There is nobody in the current squad I'd rather have take a shot just outside the area, and there's nobody in the current squad I'd rather take a set piece than Conor. It's a shame that his style doesn't work with the fast pace style that Smith is looking for (and succeeding in) but I do think there's a good acquisition there for a few PL clubs for sure.

I've loved Conor. He has been a great signing for us and it'll be a shame to see him go. He's just not fitting in the way Smith wants us to play. I can imagine his immense set pieces could lead to Andy Carroll getting a few goals up at Newcastle. If he does go he leaves with his head held high and nothing but the best of wishes from us.

If Barkley doesn't play in this one, he will only have one PL game available to play in until the 13th January. For me he has to start if he is fit, especially as we have a game two days after which we will need to be incredibly fit and raring to go for. El Ghazi and Traore played well against a ten-man Baggies, but both will likely be needed to start against Chelsea 48 hours later given Trez isn't back. Let's not look a gifthorse in the mouth here...

We need to get Louie Barry out playing proper football.

Luiz didn't play well for the first half of the season. I assume now you'd marry him.

We have the Brighton game and then nothing for 9 days. Let's ensure the boys get rest in the days leading up to it and then give their all for this before a well-deserved break, hopefully after a win. My biggest concern is on McGinn who looked shattered vs Leeds and has arguably had a much tougher time of it flying all around the place and giving his all in actual competitive games for Scotland rather than Jack who has had basically two friendlies where he took the piss in both.

I really don't think we can judge Wesley entirely on one half season where the team around him were utterly shite. Replacing Hourihane and El Ghazi in the XI behind him with Barkley and an advanced Grealish, not to mention Luiz 2.0 over Nakamba, will give him a lot more opportunity than just the hoofball rubbish we ended up doing in the first half of last season. The lad scored a few goals, started looking decent after acclimatising to British football and then got taken out. Watkins has been fantastic yes, but IMO Wes provides a very different option which, on the couple of occasions we have lost/not played well this season, underlines a major importance on having a Plan B.

Sheff Utd fan I know says they've simply been figured out this year and that they are playing very similar to last season. I think this year could be an all time low for points to stay up. 34pts is the record (WBA). 4th from bottom is currently tracking at 19pts...

I agree. If he comes back knackered it will ruin our flow. I don't think it helped in the Leeds games at all. Ridiculous that certain "name" players can sack off games at international level and the engine of our team comes back knackered every time.

It is not his fault. Someone has to be the 26th best player of 26 players.

Anyone looking to criticise Jack for anything is literally looking for perfection. IMO he's the best player in the PL on current form and he's still got his prime to come. Arguably now he is the Villa GOAT of the last 20 years, on a level reaching McGrath and Yorke for what he's done for us.

Well, thanks very much for Barkley. I hope we can take him off your hands for a somewhat reasonable price at the end of the season..! Even if he has a stonking season at VP I can't see him getting regularly into the Chelsea lineup, can you?

No blame on Lansbury here. If I was in a job and they said I could stay and figure out what I wanted to do next with no time pressures for a few months of course I'd take it. Especially with kids of school age. Hope he goes to a decent Championship club and finds the form that made us buy him in the first place. Always seems to be a good character in the dressing room.

The good thing is that we've got Shakespeare. He's been there during a time when Leicester went on a run and kept their heads. I'm not saying we have any realistic chance of winning the bloody title let alone Top Four, but having a wise head around at this time should hopefully calm any jitters. A win against Leeds alone would be wonderful.

I'd be thrilled with a point here. They smashed us in the league last year and have a ton of great players. But my God, just imagine if we could get a win. This forum won't have seen anything like it.

Alan Nixon saying we are still trying for an outlandish expensive striker and have held talks, but it's unlikely. My only guess at this stage would be that it's Edouard, given he is seemingly on the outs at Celtic and we are trying to get a decent rate for him now that we don't "need" a striker. Having said that, I'd bloody love that. Watkins can play ST or LF, Grealish can play in CAM or LF, Traore can play a few positions... so it's not like we have a bunch of players who are stifled by where they can play. There are also no guarantees that Wesley will come back and be suddenly great either. Would we sign him now in this window if we hadn't last year? Probably not, right? Not to say I'm losing hope in him to do well, but if the option is there to get someone like an Edouard then bloody hell we should rip their effing hands off. Edouard and Watkins as part of a front three would be utterly ridiculous.

Bloody hell. Didn't see this one coming.

A great performance, and I have to say I love what Watkins brings to this team. Endless running and strength, was impressed by his hold up play, and he's got goals in him. Once one goes in, the rest will flow. Love his attitude.

I would lose control of my bowels if Milner came back. Fittest player over 30 in the league, he's a phenomenal athlete and I utterly adored the man when he was with us. He did love his time at Villa, but I'd assume the next step would be at his hometown club and ride into the sunset. What a great asset in the locker room he would be too. This is almost as bad as Edouard in the dream category.

McGinn is one of our best talents. Give him time to get back to the form we all know he is capable of.

It's the first real game of a brand new season. Burton (A) doesn't count, particularly as it had half the team. Sheff Utd already had their first PL game, so had a pretty decent advantage. We got three points. Looked comfortable, if not immediately threatening. We would have absolutely ripped arms off for this last year.

I knew this would never come off. It literally would be too good to be true.

"We've written 310 pages about you, I fainted three times!"