Greenfly

5 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

Great signing.

No option to buy though?

I don't think it really matters. Even if he's here just to plug a gap while we're still in transition, hell be a massive help to us.

Oh nice, I didn't actually think this would happen. This might be the very thing we need to give us a kick on this season.

57 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

I thought Taylor was a dodgy buy and at best of times I've found him wanting but have utmost respect for him for the journey and job he's done for us. I think Hutton getting injured helped us getting promoted. That's it pretty much

He's far below the level we need now, I know that, but I hear a lot of people calling him useless and I just don't see it. Maybe I let the respect I have for him cloud my judgement, but I can't help but like him.

15 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

It's amazing to me how Taylor played the last 9 games in unbeaten run in promotion push and the rest to promotion final and people shit on him constantly and talk about absolute garbage defender Hutton being a Villa legend

Hutton's story as a member of the bomb squad who, through sheer determination, became a first team regular and scored a beauty against SHA makes him a cult figure. He wasn't brilliant, but he was always committed to the cause and we can never ask for more from anyone.

To me, Taylor is much the same. Doggedly professional and steadily reliable, he always looks committed even if he's not really at the level we need right now. I like the guy. I feel like the team is more balanced defensively with him instead of Targett.

13 hours ago, GingerCollins29 said:

Thiago's got the rona. Will it affect our title challenging 6 pointer on sunday?

He wasn't playing against Arsenal either, so probably not unfortunately.

Then again, Roy Keane said they were sloppy, so it must be ours to lose.

5 hours ago, Trickster said:

Reports tonight that Greenwodod and Foden are expected to be left out. Even with them in, Jack should be in the squad.

Tomorrow, I believe.

6 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

There are lists showing different things - the "one" you're looking at it is in the "number of seasons scored in" list.

Oh right. I see that now.

This is a really impressive list. It must've taken a lot of effort.

Trez has scored more than one goal for us.

25 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

tbh traore looks good, this vid is all his touches etc versus Bristol, would love to see a similar vid for Fulham.

You can see instantly how much more potent/useful he is than Trez or Ghazi going forward, we need him on the other wing to complement Grealish badly imo.

 

 

He seems to have a good sense of when to travel and when to just lay the ball off fast. I like the amount of times he just passed it with his first touch, and they tended to be good, brave passes too. Even Jack doesn't do that very often.

1 hour ago, TRO said:

I really like him, he has added a dimension to our front running.

I also found it interesting listening to Jamie Carragher, talking about Firmino and highlighting his lack of goals, but still keeps his place due to his workrate and pressing and other attributes other than scoring.

We are all sometimes pre-occupied by strikers scoring and that is understandable and helpful.....but as long as the team is scoring, we've cracked it.

This is why I think the term "striker" should be retired. It implies emphasis on goalscoring, but a well rounded centre forward offers so much more than that.

8 minutes ago, gwi1890 said:

Don’t forget the Gardner’s

Who?

1 hour ago, mikeyp102 said:

When was the last time we had a Cm come through the academy? I’m thinking Davis or Barry? Such a hard position to break through in. If he establishes himself in the role he’ll have done well. 

Surely it'd be Grealish?

1 hour ago, MrBlack said:

If he could be more selective about when he gets them that would be ideal. Way easier said than done to change your whole mindset and approach, but in a game where every tackle is going to matter and the game will be very heated (like we can expect vs Leeds), or a game where we need to be fighting for every ball (like Liverpool or leicester) I dont see him being able to avoid getting a yellow card.

The one last night,  when we're 3-0 up,  was a poor decision.

Still my MOTM, but worth calling out to see what others think.

I agree. He could find himself with a red at a very inopportune time if he's not careful.

2 minutes ago, dubbs said:

Surely we can bring this to the attention of the PR team at Villa Park.

Maybe it could be raised the next time there's a fan consultation meeting. They have those fairly regular, or at least they did before covid.

1 minute ago, Rightdm00 said:

Is there a bet I can get on with the Rashica gang. I would love to help them make some easy money. 

Imagine these guys at Villa Park. I bet they could create a hell of an atmosphere.

It's a great podcast. I've tried to get into quite a few, but most of the time I can't listen to an episode all the way through. I'm yet to have that problem with this one.

Gonna settle in and listen to the Fulham episode in a bit

13 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

So do i. I think biesla is the difference. 

I'd argue it's more to do with how long they spent down there. They've always been knocking around the top of the Championship, and they've been slowly building the team that got them up for ages now. Bielsa obviously has a major role, but they've essentially done what Sheffield did.

All they need to do now is survive, then consolidate their position. Can they do that?

9 hours ago, Wainy316 said:

Inagine this being your existence, absolutely **** tragic....

https://www.smallheathalliance.com/read.php?1,2916921
 

Aren't they the ones who are one mediocre season from financial disaster? We've got the fifth (?) richest owners in the country, and they're talking about us going under?

Weird.

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

Championship must have been proper shit last season considering how much out of depth WBA and Fulham are looking

I think it's less that the Championship is crap and more that the gulf in quality between it and the PL is just too massive. Most teams aren't ready for it, and don't have the backing to properly prepare.

9 minutes ago, Woody1000 said:

If I have to debate why Liverpool in a league game is a free swing, I think I’m done before I’ve started.

I'm not saying I expect us to win or anything, nor am I implying that I'd be disappointed if we didn't. I know what people mean when they say a game is a free swing; they outclass us, the odds are stacked against us and nobody would have us down as winning.

Still though, going into any game already knowing you'll lose is not how to approach them. You need to try and win every game, no matter how David-and-Goliath it might seem. They're very good, but they're not invincible.

To that end, we shouldn't use the game to blood a raw midfielder for 90 minutes. We should use the team that is working so far, and if the game is lost by the 80th minute, then it wouldn't hurt to let Ramsey have a go, see what it's like playing against world class players.

1 minute ago, Woody1000 said:

I’d start him on Sunday against Liverpool. I’m sure it’s not the approach that DS would take, but I’d blood him properly in that match as it’s a free swing, especially after winning the first 2 games. More likely start against Stoke and another cameo on Sunday.

I don't agree that any match is a free swing. We gave them a really good game last season with a worse squad than this, so why not try and get the win this time?

55 minutes ago, Mjvilla said:

Promotion after a record breaking winning streak. From absolutely nowhere.

Survival despite building. Whole squad and losing the spine to long injuries.

A cup final.

Best start in 21 years in premier league.

Still, people complain that we didn't win well enough last night. I'm literally lost for words.

This is the sort of thing that happens when you show patience and allow a culture to show through. Villa have lacked an identity and basic stability for so long, and now we have it. We're reaping the rewards, and we could continue to do so for ages.