barry'sboots

3 minutes ago, MWARLEY2 said:

Theres talent in there. Massive talent. Whether that translates into the prem is another question. I hate to say it but i can see this loan going tits up for him as its the same situation as Louie Barry at Ipswich. Lots of competition for places and most of them older than him .i truly hope he succeeds though as he has such brilliant skills and is more of a team player than you would imagine 

I wouldn't disagree. It would probably have been better to get him to, say, Derby (if they could sign loan players) or a league one club for his first loan, let him prove himself and earn a loan to a better championship side next season. Having said that, I hope that he can force his way into the Stoke team and smash it there.

1 hour ago, bobzy said:

It's a real interesting one, because I just don't understand the criticism of him, really.

Does he play at his very best every single game?  No.  Does any player?  No.  What he does is something that none of our other midfielders do - get the whole team up the pitch whilst offering a real tenacity at winning the ball back.  McGinn is the one constantly looking to run with the ball or spray passes forward or take on long range shots.  He's the only one constantly hassling opponents in the middle of the pitch.  Our other midfielders are completely passive by comparison (probably a bit harsh on Ramsey, who I think is a cracking player).

And if you don't want to do the eye test, take in these stats:
- He has scored more than anyone other than Watkins and Ings.
- Only Luiz and Buendia have assisted more than McGinn.
- He averages more key passes per game than anyone else in our squad.
- He averages more crosses per game than anyone else in our squad.
- He averages more tackles per game than anyone else in our squad.
- Only Traore and Sanson average more dribbles per game than McGinn.

For what it's worth, McGinn also averages more through balls than anyone else and more long balls than anyone other than our goalkeepers.

 

He's the most complete midfielder we have and, for me, is done a massive disservice by some of our fans - particularly when he's summarised as "using his arse well".  The guy is a very good midfielder.  Not world class, but certainly good enough for a team chasing European football in the Premier League.

 

And I think he will get better as more quality comes in around him - as it is doing currently. If he can play off Buendia, Coutinho, Digne, Bissouma/Zakaria, then he will only get and look better!

54 minutes ago, VillaJ100 said:

Sod it lets just get all these 

We'd rip the heart out of Holyhead Hotspur if we did that!!

4 hours ago, Jareth said:

Not sure if anyone has noticed (sarcasm) but the traditional top 4 stay at the top by consistently purchasing the better players from the clubs below them and keeping said clubs right where they want them. That was why Jack going was so utterly numbing and I swear it was as much about improving Citeh as it was keeping us pegged back. Selling SJM at this juncture in NSWE's trajectory for Villa, is neither logical or desirable, or even likely.

No different to us taking Konsa and Watkins from Brentford. If they still had them plus Benrhama they might be challenging for Europe?? However, like us with the sale of Jacky boy, without those sales they might also be struggling with ffp!

Welcome to the football pyramid - just be glad we are much closer to the top than the bottom and even more so now we have NSWE on board!

I think we are in a great position now where we don't need to sell but if we do it will be on our terms.

4 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

Hause situation is tricky. He won't be sold in Jan no matter what as we have no cover and even if we signed a CB why take the risk of then selling a proven back up like Hause to go back to 3 CBs with one of them new to the club.

When it comes to the summer. We'll extend him for 1 year regardless. He will want to get more game time and when we sign another CB (to ideally push for a starting place) then Hause is in same situation. 

For him as a player he should move to get the first team football he is clearly talented enough for. So 8-10mil in summer seems fair. 

Agreed. I think he is excellent back up but deserves a chance to go and be a starter. I could see Nat Philips coming in for, say, £12m this window as right sided back up/3rd or 4th choice and then Hause leaving in the summer and a very good CB coming in to challenge Ty. However, if we could extend Hause's contract I would be more than happy to see him stay a lot longer.

16 minutes ago, allani said:

2 months ago I genuinely thought that JJ should be going out on loan and might not make it back.  But he was immense in the second half against Man Utd.  And honestly if he plays like that more often than not - then it will not be long before he gets McGinn's place in the first XI.  A lot of ifs and buts in that statement I know.  But JJ has a more complete game than McGinn (or at least one more suited to the way it looks like we will be playing) - and once / if he nails it he could end up being on a different level.  It has taken me a long time to get to that opinion because I thought the JJ hype was being overblown - but he's really showing glimpses under Gerrard.  It will not happen overnight and there will no doubt be some frustrations along the way but by this time next year I think JJ has the shirt.  That said if / when we sign a new CM that allows McGinn to play a bit further forward and do his high press (at which he is really, really good) then I expect to see his performance levels jump because he's not being played in the best way at the moment.

Loving JJ but he is a very different player to SJM imho. I too was, last summer, hoping to see him playing in the championship and getting 30+ starts but it looks like he will get those with us now. I think they work well together in a midfield alongside a DCM ( come on down Yves!! Subject to the rape charges being cleared of course ).

Two from four out of SJM, Sanson, JJ and Dougie is a really good place to be, with Bissouma/Zakaria (hopefully) behind and Marv as back up.  Question is: do we let one of them go (lots of interest potentially in Luiz and he has yet to sign a new contract as I understand it) to create a space for Chukie to get regular game time and would we need to in order to get him to sign a new contract/convince him to stay? Probably need to unless we can secure European games?

But SJM would be the last one I would let go and certainly not for the £40m that the press keep discussing!

5 hours ago, Thug said:

Jack + £100m

Then the season after we’ll sell them JJ for EMI + £100m

Ladies and Gents, I give you our business model going forward.

 

Purslow, you are a genius!

28 minutes ago, TomC said:

Doesn't matter, we're not selling him!

 

Agreed. Unlike Jack, I can't imagine that there is a release clause in Emi's contract.

6 hours ago, villalad21 said:

I much prefer Buendias style of play to Grealish slowing the game down trying to win free kicks. 

I can't agree. I would love to see Jack back at VP and mixing it with Coutinho, Buendia and Bailey - that would be some four options for Stevie's two "10's" and would allow for really exciting rotation/subs. Maybe in the next summer window - a cheeky £50m bid and Sasha in his ear telling him to get himself back to Brum!

Still, loving Buendia as well and think his game is now starting to progress in the way we all hoped it would.

21 hours ago, TRO said:

I too would go with Watkins....but he has to improve his timing.

He tends to start runs at times, fractionally before he receives the ball and subsequently loses it, looks tentative at times....needs to read the game better.

Danny looks lost to me...not effective.

Ings is a fine finisher but is not mobile enough for Stevie G Ball imho.

5 hours ago, kevpants said:

I'm content rather than happy.

Let's not let the comeback detract from the fact that was a 2/10 perfromance from Watkins. He can't keep starting.

He has to start for me but with two from Buendia, Coutinho and/or Bailey flanking him and Ings on the bench.

52 minutes ago, rodders0223 said:

On the other hand I think he's one of the worst footballers I've ever seen represent us.

There have been times where he just looks like a rabbit in the headlights and appears to have completely lost any footballing talent he ever had. So much so, it is almost comical.

I think that there may be a real player in there somewhere but that the PL may just be too big for him?

42 minutes ago, gwi1890 said:

zero intelligence 

I think that probably describes him/his time at Villa as good as anything. Hard working - and that buys you time with fans - but rarely showed any football nous.

I had such high hopes when he arrived on the back of an AFCON where he was described as having outperformed Salah!

2 hours ago, CVByrne said:

We need to be selling players not loaning more out. So hopefully it's a loan with obligation to buy or a straight sale.

I guess it depends what kind of loan fee you are getting.

I saw AEG has a buy clause at £8.6m, which doesn't correlate with our supposed £15m valuation, unless they paid a £6m loan fee?

7 minutes ago, HalfTimePost said:

I think it's very likely but only because Gerrard said he hopes we'll have more attacking options by the end of the window.

It's possible he meant Coutinho but that was all but done by time he said he wanted more options. 

I'm fairly confident we move for someone once Trez is confirmed gone. No idea who and I'm not sure we need it either but I think we will. 

Probs Firmino.

The way we are looking to play, Digne is probably considered an "attacking" option??

Loving this signing and thinking he will fit perfectly with Coutinho as the inside left in front of him.

I thought Targett was great last year but is struggling to play Stevie G's way/without Jack. He's still a decent player but I expect him to move on next summer to a team that plays with wingers - maybe Citeh could give us £50m for him

In my dream/fantasy football scenario we bring in Hickey in the summer as Digne back up!!

54 minutes ago, A'Villan said:

It will be interesting. A big reason that Coutinho didn't work at Barcelona was that he was signed to eventually replace Iniesta in central midfield. Even when it came time for that to happen, whoever the coach was at the time continued to play him wide in a wingers role, which is not where Coutinho does his best work, it's not foreign to him, having played there as a young buck for Inter, the role that got him the move to Liverpool. However the player who was signed for record money was so different to the player at Inter. 

I don't know the ins and outs of it but I read that Coutinho is so polite, humble and accommodating that he never spoke up to Barcelona's president or manager about the fact that he was not being given the role that was his by right, the role in which he'd discussed and been promised would be his. 

I can't wait to see Buendia and Coutinho on the same team, for me, Coutinho in a deeper role in central midfield but with license to get forward and be a threat in the final third, and Buendia ahead in an attacking role, with license to occupy whatever space he feels is going to benefit the play in that moment.

Whatever the format and tactical approach, I don't think there's many if any team in the division who would say no to that duo on the pitch together. 

I'm not saying we will, but I won't be all that surprised if we see our team thump some of the bigger clubs again. Maybe not Liverpool 7-2 or even Arsenal 3-0, but thoroughly make our presence felt.

I think the signing of Digne could be perfect for Coutinho. I feel like we can now play the Gerard way with Digne and Cash comfortable operating as the wide players (Targett has struggled without a conventional winger to play with) allowing Coutinho and Buendia to drift in to the space behind Ollie's running (I do thin it's has to be Ollie in front). I also think Bailey is a great option to change it up on either side as he offers a completely different challenge for the opposing defenders with his pace. Just need a decent fourth option in the summer. Dare I say it, come back Jack for £50m! That would be a Champions League team four options for Stevie G's two "10's" imho. I do like the look of JPB as well but would love to see him given 12 months with a top Championship side to get 30+ games under his belt.

I'm really surprised that people saw El Ghazi as a "favourite". For me he is a bit of a one trick pony - comes inside and shoots - but he does have a good shot on him and takes an ice cool penalty. Good, well coached PL defenders will deal with this predictability comfortably.  He was our wide version of Hourihane in my mind and, whilst he has played his part over the last few years, like Conor, I am glad he has now moved on and hope he doesn't return.

I struggle to see him getting much game time for the toffees as Gray looks very decent on their left hand side and seems robust. I do feel he has done the wrong thing by staying in the PL - imho he lacks the intensity for our league and would have been much better suited to a more technical league like Serie A. I thought he could have done well at Roma when linked. I wish him well though - just not so well that he helps Everton get above us!

2 hours ago, villaslash said:

Anyone know if there is a purchase clause? Good the wages are gone but seems we often keep loaning people out till the contract is done.

end of season he will have one year left right? Hopefully gets some game time, ups the price and we can sell.

thanks AEG! Some great memories.

Saw an article that said they had an option to buy at £8.6m.

Hopefully we got a decent loan fee in?

Just got to get rid of Trez and Bertie now for me!

On 11/01/2022 at 09:58, ferguson1 said:

McGinn will be a big loss to us make no mistake.

What we need to do is make Villa Park as hostile and electric as possible, like it was when we beat Everton on our return to the Premier League.

Can’t see Coutinho starting but a decent cameo from the bench should spice things up a bit.

SJM gets replaced by Sanson.

McTominay probably replaced by Magic.

I think we have lost less than them??

15 hours ago, nick76 said:

Better team lost

We don’t know how to score!

Don't you mean: We don't know how to score and not get the perfectly legitimate goal ruled out by a corrupt officiating mechanism!

2 minutes ago, The_Steve said:

Don’t know much about him - is he any better than Steer?

Maybe keeping steer and letting the two kids go out. We need three first team keepers.

4 minutes ago, Lochheads twin said:

And so has Jack without Targett

Targett to Citeh for £50m then???

1 minute ago, TRO said:

I have always viewed the cynicacism of players JUST wanting money.....There are so many examples like this, where the player just wants to get that magical form back.

In my earlier life I was close to a top level player.....and I can assure folk, they just want to play well and win the hearts of the crowd....sure the money comes in to it, but in the main, its the glory.

And many examples the other way ... Bale, can't remember the name of the Chelski defender a few years back and we've had a few e.g. McCormack/the infamous bomb squad.

However, I don't think you can blame these players - the club's sign them on those contracts, they want the protection of the contract when things work and conversely have the downside when they don't.  If we didn't have this the big club's would be free to go around offering stupid contracts to every signing with no risks attached so it is a useful balance.