Monkeypuzzle

9 minutes ago, Villatillidie95 said:

Looks like this ain’t happening, nothing about it online….i doubt we will try to reintegrate him into the squad unless absolutely necessary given his insistence on leaving, but it would be amazing if he stays and then decides to stick around. However I don’t think we should give him any game time if he stays, we need to give players who are committed to us that time and someone like Kellyman can have the minutes bidace would have got 

1 minute ago, Villatillidie95 said:

Wow they kept the progress on that one quiet, good luck to him!

From "screw him!" to "Good luck!" in 7 minutes.

Will he? Won't he? Any news?

Apparently we are in talks with Caleb Chukwuemeka's representatives to mutually end his contract?

I thought it was also no more than two at a time. 4 allows you to change the two at New Years?

Just seen a report that if we move on Traore and possibly Coutinho tomorrow we might make a cheeky bid for Cherki from Lyon. Now that's a deal I could get behind. Traore didn't play tonight so there might be a move in the works, which would leave us a right winger down. Maybe Kellyman steps up, he looked good enough tonight, but Cherki would be a direct replacement for Bertie.

No glaring issues but night and day between him and Cash tonight.

He seemed comfortable on the ball tonight, passing well under pressure. I was impressed as he didn't look like he hadn't played much recently. More happy playing possession football compared to last season. Good to see.

52 minutes ago, Monkeypuzzle said:

We are not short of players anywhere. Even with Mings and Buendia removed and Coutinho sold we have two players in every position.

                                    Watkins/Duran

McGinn/Ramsey       Diaby/Zaniolo         Bailey/Traore

                Luiz/Tielemans      Kamara/Dendoncker

Moreno/Digne                                           Cash/Chambers

                  Torres/Lenglet          Carlos/Konsa

                                    Martinez/Olsen

 

Are there players there that can be upgraded? Certainly, especially by returning Tyrone and Emi. But one window at a time.

Maybe in January or next Summer we will look to upgrade players such as Olsen, Chambers, Dendoncker and Traore? Hopefully Duran will have developed more and we will be happy with him up top. Hopefully Bailey will have become more consistent and showing the quality we know he has. Maybe Digne will have proved himself indespensible by that time, despite his wages. Otherwise they might be replaced too. Who knows at this point? A very positive season ahead I am sure though!

When Buendia is back though he returns to the left, where he was playing in preseason so well and McGinn moves across either to the middle or the right. With Diaby and Zaniolo taking up the middle and right roles most games anyway it means that we have Ramsey, Buendia and McGinn fighting it out for the last spot on the left and two of them plus Bailey as back up with Traore probably out the door next Summer. Not really any weak spots at all.

Seems to be pretty much what Philogene-Bidace is, except this guy is a year older. Not sure I understand this one as he's basically what e have been selling all summer.

Pooh Pooh, not poo poo! Think about Winnie the Pooh.

46 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

 

I must admit, that is impressive. 

Why do they always put such god awful music over these clips?

On 28/08/2023 at 10:02, CVByrne said:

I feel we're light on Loans out this season. Tim being injured obviously. I feel a few more of our team are worth loaning out. 

Isn't that because we are selling them instead?

2 hours ago, Tom13 said:

My Dad, who's not a Villa fan, commented that Carlos has an aura about him whenever he's seen him, that he just looks confident. He's definitely the kind of player you feel you can trust.

Don't worry, I'm the only Villan in my family or friends group/colleagues! This is the only place I get to chat with other Villa fans

26 minutes ago, ender4 said:

I agree with you on Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea.  

However Man Utd are surely a little stronger now? 

Spurs simply have a better manager which will make a massive difference. 

I guess we have to include Newcastle now who are also stronger?

 

So IMO  in summary:

Arsenal - Stronger

Spurs - Stronger because of manager

Man Utd - Stronger

Liverpool - weaker

Man City - weaker but still insanely strong

Newcastle - stronger

Chelsea - much weaker

Brighton - weaker

Villa - much stronger

I'd agree that Newcastle are stronger, but not a huge amount better.

Brighton I would also agree, but we say that every year and they seem to have a couple of players who step up and bring them back to the same level so I'm not 100% sure.

I'm not sure how Man Utd are stronger? Hojlund is not an improvement on Martial yet. He needs lots of time to settle and develop. Maybe one day. Mount is a straight swap in the starting eleven for Eriksen. They don't both play. Obama is replacing the keeper with the most clean sheets last season. If there is any improvement it is microscopic in my opinion.

I can't agree on the Tottenham arguement though. Not yet. Yes the manager makes a huge difference, we above anyone recognise that, but they have lost Kane and apparently will lose Hjojberg too. That is two of their three best players. They have brought in Maddison but he is not going to contribute nearly as much as those two did. Regarding Postecoglu, I am yet to be convinced that he is anything like a top manager. He might be, I just haven't seen any evidence yet. I certainly don't think he's an upgrade on Conte. He's just less nuts! Anyone can succeed at Celtic and he has never managed in a big league before. You might be right but I can't agree yet.

Thanks @mjmooney. I assume @Tomaszk that comment was supposed to be humour?

6 hours ago, LxYoungAVFC said:

Translated into the Universal Unit of Measurement for Football Players:

Still don't get this joke since he never looked short playing for us and is down at 6'2" on Wikipedia and transfer market?

Mind you, I still don't get the "clearing in the woods" thing either.

Not quite sure where to put this but I guess this thread is as good as any.

I've noticed that a lot of the "big 6" clubs have been selling or releasing a lot of their older better players this window, mostly to Saudi Arabia, but not all. They have been replacing them with promising youngsters who still have quite a way to go. In a few years I am sure most of these younger players will be world class but right now they are not. In fact they wouldn't even get into our team. This has resulted in the best teams in the league getting temporarily weaker whilst we are getting stronger. I can't see a better chance for us to blow the "big 6" apart than this and next season. We have much better depth (barring our current nine player injury list) than any of these teams! Look at these ins and outs for certain clubs.

Arsenal are the one exception here I think. Their ins have really strengthened them and there have been no major outs other than Xhaka, Kovacevic and Tierney, who have been replaced by better in my opinion.

Chelsea out: Havertz, Kovacic, Mount, Pulisic, Koulibaly, Mendy, Aubameyang, Azpilicueta, Kante, Lukaku, Arrizabalaga, Ziyech - 12 excellent players

Chelsea in: Disasi, Jackson, Nkunku, Sanchez, Caicedo, Ugochukwu, Lavia, Washington, Petrovic - 9 players, half of whom I've never heard of before this window.

Chelsea verdict: Weaker. So much quality has left. World class quality. The sort of players that make you a top team. Replaced by promising talents from Southampton and Brighton. Give them time they may be world class but there's surely no arguing for the here and now, which list of players are better?

Liverpool out: Henderson, Fabinho, Firmino, Keita, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Salah (maybe) - They have relied on some of these players for a long time.

Liverpool in: McAllister, Szoboslai, Endo - good players but it feels like right now they have replaced Champions League players with Europa League ones.

Liverpool verdict: Weaker, especially if Salah does leave. They now lack any depth in quality.

Man City out: Mahrez, Laporte, Gundogan, Cancelo - Amazing players that are hard to replace, especially with DeBruyne out too.

Man City in: Doku, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Nunes - All good players, but none are the quality of those they are replacing. Yet.

Man City verdict: Weaker. They have virtually no depth any more other than at centre back. A few injuries and they will really struggle. Nine injuries like we currently have? They won't make Europe next year.

Man Utd out: De Gea, Fred - actually they can probably cope without these guys no worries.

Man Utd in: Mount, Onana, Hojlund - I can't believe how much money they spent on Hojlund. He is nowhere near ready to lead their attack.

Man Utd verdict: No change. They are not really any weaker or stronger compared to last season. They need to stay in form though as their quality isn't good enough to get Champions League if they have to carry a few starters.

Tottenham out: Kane, Winks, Moura, Hojbjerg (rumoured), Lloris (rumoured), Reguilon (rumoured), Died (rumoured), Ndombele (rumoured) - lots of rumoured outs but the heart of this team has already been ripped out with Kane's departure.

Tottenham in: Maddison, Vicario, Solomon, Porro, Van de Ven, Johnson (rumoured) - Solomon was free and the rest cost 1.5 Harry Kanes! Not counting the £25.5 million they paid to keep Kulusevski.

Tottenham verdict: So much weaker! Teams will not fear them any more. Champions League is surely out of reach for them this year?

Has anyone mentioned the Mandalorian yet?

Liverpool having internal discussions about signing Douglas Luiz as well apparently. The disrespect of these rumours is unbelievable. As if our wishes, or even Dougie's, don't factor in to it.

57 minutes ago, jacketspuds said:

Yeah I don’t know why I said footed. Should have just said a left winger, not too bothered whether he’s left or right footed, as long as their natural position is on the left.

Feels like we have a lot of left footed right wingers.

Now that makes much more sense! Left sided attacker is a real possibility. Although as I've previously said, we tend to use more of an attacking midfielder than winger on that side. Someone like Ramsey, Buendia or McGinn, who cuts inside more than running down the line. That is semantics though i guess. TLDR - I agree!

30 minutes ago, jacketspuds said:

Id love us to sign a left footed winger to balance the squad out. Diaby can play anywhere, but he can’t play everywhere.

It will give us options and excellent squad depth, especially when Ramsey returns.

Would still like a backup keeper who is much better than Olsen with his feet, but it’s not a priority.

Is this said in jest? All our wingers are left footed. Bailey, Traore, Diaby, Zaniolo.