barry'sboots

I hope you are right. I'd probably prefer Luiz-SJM-Ramsey unless Sanson has proven his fitness and replaces Ramsey.

Personally, its a really good time to watch the football and means that I have the weekend to do things with the kids. Hopefully, we can give them a good stuffing and then bask in the glory all weekend. It is still frustrating though ... if we had held on against the dogheads and won tonight, we could have been going in to the weekend in the top four (albeit having played a game more) without ever having managed to field our best XI (might do tonight) and having played four of the big six away from home in our first 9 games!

I think a 4-3-3 with the normal first choice back 5, Dougie and SJM with either Ramsey or Sanson in midfield. I would play Buendia on the RW, Watkins centrally and Bailey, if fit to start, on the left, but I think he will maybe play a diamond with Ings and Watkins as strikers and Buendia behind as a 10 - which could also shift to a 4-3-3 if Watkins goes out left and Buendia moves right - with Bailey and Bertie coming off the bench on 60. I am confident that we can beat these lot, especially if Leon starts.

I agree, but if Bailey and Traore are not fit then I would go with the 3-5-2.

It was. Grealish absolutely bossed the game as an "8" from memory and completely showed Neves up. Put us right back in contention and then we just fell away. So Brucie!!

You seem to have a good insight and have watched them a bit. I have only seen brief highlights and you don't see much of Tim in those as they are normally around the goals. What type of player is he? I know he is more of a "6"/"8" type but even within "6"'s there are different types. If you had to pick a PL player to compare him to who would it be? From what you have seen, what would you do with him next? Stay at u-23 level, look for loan in January or next summer or start to integrate into the first team squad?

The slick through ball to Cash for the first v Everton when he was playing further forward? Apologies, just seen above. Its only really fair to compare Luiz's stats for the minutes he is playing in a more advanced role. I like the look of JJ and have high hopes for him but I would much rather we had bought in, say, McKennie (or equivalent) and let JJ go out on loan to a strong Championship side and play 30+ games. I am keen for our youth to progress but I don't think they can be learning on our dollar if we truly aspire to reach the European spots in the next couple of seasons. If he progressed well there then he can come back and displace a proper player or maybe spend a season in the lower echelons of the premier league (as for Gallagher) - that's how the big clubs do it and I'd like to see us aspire to that.

I think he could have had an even better career if he had been used properly. He seems to have been recognised as an attacker and then pushed out wide because he is not big enough to be a "9". He doesn't have the pace or trickery to play as a wide player imho. The game we won at Liverpool showed that he is best as a second striker/"10" where he is able to use his energy to disturb the pivot/playmaker - he really upset Gerard's game that day - and then break quickly to support the "9".

To think that Mbappe mk II was playing at Solihull Moors last season and not really ripping it up is just bizarre! He looks like a real finisher. Let's hope that his development can continue and he becomes a top striker. The key now is what to do next - loan him out so he can get good game time or keep him around and in the Villa environment. He didn't really shine last year but the loan spell has obviously done him some good ... maybe made him realise how lucky he is to be at a top club and how he needs to keep showing development to stay there. Unless you know the boy really well - physically and, just as importantly, mentally, it is so hard to call.

I don't disagree but its not as if either of the two (or the two in combination) are playing particularly well. I do rate Danny Ings but I thought he was a strange signing - given we had Ollie and the rest of the team is not really suited to two up top as our main strategy - when we got him and I still feel that now. I would much rather we had spent £10m less on, say, Edouard - who would have come in as good back up to Ollie - and spent that money on upgrading El Ghazi with a Damsgaard or similar.

----------------------------------Martinez------------------------------------ ---------------Konsa----------Hause---------Mings-------------------- Cash------------------Luiz------------McGinn---------------Targett ----------Buendia------------Watkins----------------Bailey----------- I'd keep Hause in to compete with Jiminez in the air.

Isn't that the same for almost every away game in this division, as a fan, except maybe Newcastle and Norwich??

Particularly when we are just about to have an international break and probably only Emi and SJM will play significant minutes in that? I suppose some of the kids might play at U-21s?

Don't know why they haven't got him tied down on a new contract. Only 6mths left plus the option to extend for a year I believe. He must be one of the best and most reliable 3rd/4th choice in the division?? Maybe they are trying? And I agree, he should start. Harsh on Axel maybe as not his fault he came out but you can't be MOTM (or one of two candidates) and then get dropped the next game ... it just sends out the wrong message. Equally, he is really good header of the ball and they're potentially vulnerable to aerial balls - I think Austin might have a field day.

I wouldn't mind somthing similar but in a 3-4-3 (similar to Chelsea). Emi Konsa Hause Mings Cash Luiz SJM Targett/Ash Buendia Ollie JPB Ings and Traore on with 25 left.

It was a great performance and the two before weren't bad. That team was largely available to Dean last year - when Jack was out injured - with the exception of Ings who hasn't been that fantastic in any of those games (although admittedly he was involved in the build up for Cash's goal and with an assist for Bailey's final goal). I don't like the Jack bashing - I think Jack was great for "team" morale - and whilst I might not like the fact that he left us as he did, I think this team would be on another level still had he stayed. Can you imagine a front 6 of Luiz - SJM - Jack (10) behind Buendia - Watkins/Ings - Bailey!! I think the huge difference this year is in the area that many of us were afraid would be a problem - midfield. SJM has really sorted himself out and has got his fitness levels right back up; Dougie is back to the Project Restart Dougie; and JJ has matured beyond all hope (although I'm still not sure what he was doing when he fell over when one on one with the keeper - did he stay down because he was so embarrassed?).

He has been great. But I think it is more to do with the fact that he has focused on getting himself fit again - back to the levels when he first came/before the Southampton injury or better. He has said as much. He looks so mobile and is using his momentum to glide past people.

Is that the longest wifi code ever??

Agreed. He is definitely undercooked from being injured over the summer and missing pre-season. The challenge is how he gets "up to speed" now the season is up and running??

I thought it was a good game. Even first half. However, we didn't look right in the first half - Ings and Watkins were too far apart and they were often isolated with nobody up with them. And Everton were equally poor offensively, other than when they could play Gray into the game. Rondon makes Davis look a really good back up option! I was personally hoping that Bailey would come on earlier for a CB and we would switch to a 4-3-3. I felt that Bailey or Watkins would be able to get the better of Godfrey (a CB playing out of position). Bailey did this once he was on, albeit from LWB. We were lucky with the Konsa/Gray incident - could have swung the game massively to them. Not perfect by a long stretch but promising. If Smith can get his team right - and we can keep Bailey fit - it could be an interesting season.

I'm with you on this. I was very surprised when he came in. I would have gone for Edouard at 14m - cheaper (transfer and wages), happy to play second fiddle and much younger. That's not to say I don't think Ings is a very good striker.

We'd get massively overrun in midfield. You are the antithesis of Southgate! For me, Dougie with SJM and JJ alongside - earn possession/the right to go on the offensive!!

Me too. Excited ...

Looked much more like the Lescott we knew and did not like for Youngy's last goal!!

We have but without Bailey and Watkins for both (largely) and SJM, Ramsey and Mings v Brentford. Rip the heart out of any team and they will struggle??