WallisFrizz

Two Villa players starting tonight. I will be spending the whole match thinking “do us proud, don’t get injured” on repeat.

Yes and hopefully he will get tested at least a couple of times between now and then.

Yep

If Scotland qualify for the Euros tonight, it would surely benefit them if they then limited his game time after that as he is such an important player for club and country that they don’t want him getting fatigued by the time the Euros come round. I’d really like to think that Villa were able to have that conversation with Scotland where they ask for him not to play every minute or every game like last time. Obviously he will play tonight.

Isn’t it up to 35 mil now as they didn’t buy him in the summer?

Quite recently, last few weeks I think, he was asked about City and he commented that he doesn’t hear from them. I wouldn’t read anything into it either way. He wasn’t pledging undying allegiance to Villa or fluttering his eyelashes at City, he sounded like he was simply stating a fact. I think the one thing that might help in keeping Luiz is the Covid market. PL players seem to be holding their value but I think they could get a cheaper equivalent from abroad.

Conor will be getting plenty of minutes over the International break. Also we weren’t 3-0 up until late in the game so how much would it actually have helped them?

They appear to be resting Partey, Elneny, Aubameyang, Tierney, Lacazette and Saka...yay We should take it as a compliment really.

I think Southgate will pick him for the squad because he can’t justify dropping him but I don’t think he’ll play him, probably not even for the friendly as he won’t want the pressure to select him for the competitive games as he had before. He’ll be hoping the likes of Foden and Greenwood slot straight back in and the team perform well without Jack, then he can drop him next time. I don’t think it’s a Villa thing, I think he’s just not keen on him. I’d like to see Grealish and Mount (who is also excellent to be fair) have more game time together. I never really understood why Southgate kept spinning it as a choice between the two of them.

Excellent point

I’ve got a horrible feeling that tweet of his is going to backfire then used to embarrass us on Friday evening. Yes, we’re all enjoying our great start but some of our fans are getting a little big for their boots.

I’m sure they’ve tried that trick before as well. It wouldn’t surprise me if a few of their injury doubts recover to make it on to the team sheet.

It wouldn’t surprise me if both him and Mings feature on Wednesday which is not great for us. I’m pleased that the Leicester game has been pushed back a day. This international break has been a real inconvenience, the high and the confidence of the Liverpool result is going to feel like ancient history when they actually play again.

I actually agree that GS has done Mount no favours by twice now making him central to a perceived issue between himself and Jack. Mount seems like a nice lad who has done nothing wrong but now is the butt of many social media jokes as a result of this. To be clear, I do think Southgate was reluctant to get Jack involved initially but has warmed to him. I think he mainly seems resentful of the media hype around Jack and constantly being asked about him which he doesn’t always handle very well.

I agree Southgate is trying to protect him (and other debutants) but then I also thought that in his pre match comments before the Wales game when he said he would play him but for people to not turn on them if it wasn’t a perfect performance and mistakes were made because they had never played together before -or words to that effect. It would not surprise me if they actually had a decent working relationship.

I think Southgates comments are fair here. I also think, as great as he is, Grealish is getting hyped up to extraordinary levels both in the media and by our fans. The level of expectation when he next pulls on an England shirt will be huge and I don’t want people to turn on him (obviously Villa fans wouldn’t) if he doesn’t work miracles. I would like him to get some more minutes for England to cement his place in the squad but mainly just to return to Villa next week with fitness and confidence in tact.

That works in theory as long as he is getting the service but last night there was nothing for him to work with until he changed the game by going to the right to make an opportunity for DCL

To be fair Gareth’s comments re not putting too much pressure on him in his first full game are reasonable. I think he’s trying to manage the weight of expectation on him so he doesn’t get a load of grief if he is not 100%

I think we will regret it if we complete this window without strengthening our midfield. It is the priority area for me, along with competition for Targett.

I think you misunderstood me. My point, maybe badly made, was that OGS shouldn’t be using lack of pre season to excuse a poor performance especially when they played against us the week before and some of their players were involved in Internationals. My overall point was that we should also be fit and raring to go and I will be disappointed if we aren’t.

I don’t think we should be that far behind them in fitness. We played 4 pre season friendlies, two against prem opposition and one of those on the opening day of the season. The players that hadn’t been that involved in the friendlies were used in the cup game. OGS used their lack of pre season as an excuse for being piss poor. I would be annoyed with us if our fitness levels aren’t high. It will be a tough game though and a draw wouldn’t be the end of the world provided we beat Fulham.

For me, we’re desperate for left back cover, a strong physical midfielder and a left winger. In that order if I’m honest.

Think someone on Reddit said they’d heard it was happening. Gathered pace as a rumour with no one adding extra knowledge. Then people placing bets on it based on the speculation, then people getting excited as we are then odds on to make a signing. No journo has linked us.

Bournemouth away. Day before they all went off on their winter break. Not interested and it showed. Also, Southampton away before cup final.

I’d love it If Mings took number 5. He deserves it.