barry'sboots

I think it all stems from not having a proper DCM. Get that, free up SJM and one of JJ or DL to be more progressive and Ollie will get better supply/the opposition will be more stretched. A proper DCM is critical to the way we play and getting the balance right.

Agreed. Man U seem to over promote too quickly and then end up in a position where they need to offer huge new contracts to keep these players. Citeh, Chelski and Plop do it much more discreetly - may be easier to do I suppose if you have better experienced players so don't need to rush the better kids through. It must be particularly hard at Man U when you are living under the shadow of their noisy neighbours and constantly hoping for talent to come through to allow you to compete.

Lots of talk of new strikers. Personally, unless we are selling a striker, I don't see us needing anyone in that position. Assuming that Coutinho signs, the key positions for me are: CDM - Bissouma, Phillips or Kamara would be great (in that order for me) Back up left back - Hickey Back up keeper - Olsen or someone else if he is off Beyond that, I would only be signing anyone if we are upgrading/selling, especially with the progression of Kessler Hayden, Iroegbonum (maybe a season on loan?), JPB and Carney. If we are upgrading, my priorities would be at CB.

I think many of us were surprised by the effect Stevie G had when he first came in deploying Marv as the 6. Who knows how we might have progressed had he stayed fit. Better still, as you see, how we might progress with an even better version of Marv in the team! Works well for Brighton and West Ham, neither of whom have the threat of a goalscorer that we have. Square pegs in square holes is always the way to go for me. I would rather play an inexperienced player than play someone in an uncomfortable position that also upsets the whole balance of the team. It would be interesting to see what we would look like with Tim behind SJM and one of JJ or Luiz.

Personally, I think you can judge SJM from his international performances ... play him in the right position and he is consistently the best player on the park. I am looking forward to us getting this sorted and seeing the best of SJM. It baffles me that there are Villa fans who would want him sold in the summer, but I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion!

I think he showed both in his goal (intelligence - great instinctive movement) and assist (good technique). He is not Harry Kane but he is better than 90% of no. 9's in the PL imho. And he can get better. If we can work on a system that feeds him. Such a shame that Jack moved on as those two had real chemistry and Jack's passing was made for Ollie's runs. He is also a great presser from the front. There is talk of us upgrading in the summer - if we do we will be buying some player!

Completely agree with your analysis and comments about SJM and the ability to rotate the midfield according to the opposition and the requirements of a game. I am not so sure about switching your CBs according to the opposition - I think there is uch more benefit in seeing a settled CB pairing.

Still am ... its just that they're just the same age as me now!!

I guess that's what happens when you play 3 cb's - you look stronger defensively but effectively take a man out of midfield/attack? Ollie looked pretty good in England training with some very sharp finishing. I am hoping that we go with Ollie up top and PC and Bailey (now had a couple of 90 mins and some positive reports) in behind, knowing that Emi can come on and make a difference. The biggest issue for me is in CM - I know most share this view - but it is not the personnel so much but how we end up playing. Heat maps I have seen from a couple of recent games show DL - the supposed sitter - further forward than SJM and JJ!! We need to get this shape right as either JJ or SJM or both of these need to be further forward and DL needs to sit a little deeper and shield the CB's. Obviously, the full backs need to be a bit more disciplined as well. Clearly, with Nakamba (or, hopefully next season, a better version of Nakamba) sitting in, this is easier to do as he is much more defensively minded, disciplined and energetic. I think the fact that Jiminez and Neves are both out should mean that this is a highly winnable game. It may well depend on whether we view them as a team around us (that we seem to beat more often than not under Stevie ... Brighton, Southampton, Leeds, Everton, etc.) or a team above us/in the "elite" (that we seem to lose to more often than not ... Arsenal, Wet Spam etc.). Maybe the latter is what Gerard was referring to after the Arsenal game - that the team/some of the players don't seem to believe in the plan when they play the better teams.

Oh ah me lover!! I went to Exeter University - a long time ago - and that must have been the most used phrase from the dinner ladies when I was in hall!

You live in the South West though so you're used to being miles away from where it is happening! Most of these boys have never been away and living in Germany would be a huge cultural shock at the age of 18-19. Sure, it has worked for Sancho and Bellingham - to an extent (Sancho is hardly ripping up trees at Man U) BUT staying has also worked for Foden and JJ and staying with your parent and getting good loans has certainly worked for Mount and Gallagher. I don't think there is a right or wrong way to go. It will depend upon the individual and their own preferences. I would think, for most, Villa is as good a place to be as anywhere at the minute ... great owners, seemingly good hierarchy, great resources, seemingly good team mates, a team that is progressing but without the pressure of, say, Man Utd and a manager that demands instant respect after what he has done in the game but also seems like a good manager to work under.

I saw that article as well. He looks a real prospect. Our academy must be an exciting place to be at the minute. I think this ties in well with buying older players as well, as the academy players can see an opportunity to come through whilst also rubbing shoulders with star players on the training ground. If we buy De Vrij for example and you are Josh Feeney or Smith Kerr, by the time you are looking to up your first team minutes, assuming they continue to develop as we all hope/expect, then a gap can open up. If we buy Gomez and he sits alongside Konsa, its much harder for the two younger players to see a pathway and maybe they are encouraged to look for a move earlier. Difficult balance I guess but nice problem to have.

It is also a great bargaining chip for him with Stevie G to getting game time. Substitution time. JJ looks knackered. Stevie is thinking Sanson or Chukie?? ... Sanson is probably off in the summer and I need to keep Chukie happy so he signs a new contract (Christian loves him and he is the posterboy for our academy!!) ... no brainer who is coming on!

He certainly got paid enough by Barca that he can probably afford to buy all of the pitches in South America!

He'll have to fight off El Ghazi! I hope not!!!!!

January's business suggests that was his aim. I think experience is a good thing if correctly merged with the right blend and ensuring pathways are not blocked. Indeed pathways can be clearer if you have some ageing players as there is a natural progression/replacement cycle. We are the 4th youngest squad according to https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/ranking-the-20-premier-league-clubs-by-average-age-of-their-squads/. West Ham are up at 18th at 28.6 and it is clearly working for them. Alternatively, Arsenal is the youngest at 24.9 and it is also working for them at the minute. There is no right or wrong and it is clearly about the quality, whatever age, of the squad members.

Anybody who watches youth football know how Chukie (obviously we have seen glimpses of him for the first team and he seems to be the most advanced but didn't know if that was just a size/physicality thing?), Aaron Ramsey, Tommy O'Reilly and Fin Azaz compare. And are they all 10's or are they capable of playing at "8" as well? Which ones do you think will find there way at Villa and which ones will eventually move on?

I think that's bullish to expect a profit on Trez (I assume you mean we'll get back more than we paid?). I think El Ghazi is really tough. I don't think the loan to Everton was very smart without an obligation to buy (unless they paid us a huge loan fee which I doubt) as his lack of appearances for them have probably reduced his value. I think his skill set is much more suited to a slower more technical league like Italy or Spain.

The challenge is who will take Trez and AEG?? They are on decent money for a Turkish buyer for example. I have always liked Davis and wouldn't be selling him unless we are going to bring in a worldie striker and keep Ollie and Ings?? He gives you something different off the bench, especially if we are going to play a diamond. It also allows Cam to go on loan for another season as we don't need a third striker back which I think would be beneficial for his development. Equally, I wouldn't be selling Bailey just yet. I think his speed also gives us an option. He has had bad injuries (not historically a problem) and a settling in period, having come in quite late as well. I think/hope that we will see the best of him next season.

Was thinking the other day how good it would be if we got both Phillips and Bissouma. Sell Dougie and Sanson. Net spend £50m? Our starting midfield would be: ------------------------- Phillips ----------------------- ----------- Bissouma --------------------------------- ------------------------------------------ SJM ---------- with Nakamba, JJ and Chukie as the changes/options. That would be some midfield?? Top 6? Am I in FM land again though?

I think its really hard to judge him until he can play regularly as an "8". And bear in mind, he is still pretty young. I am really not sure what we are doing at the minute - I see DL as our CDM but the heatmaps I have seen for a couple of the games show him as the furthest forward of the three? We need a strong DCM and then I think we will see the best out of DL (if he is still with us).

Is that Wills or Leon?

The good thing about older players, as well as the experience and maturity they bring, is that they do not block pathways for younger players and can be great mentors. Can you imagine Chukie, Aaron Ramsey, JPB, Fin Azaz and Tommy O'Reilly (I can't claim to have seen enough of these to know which are the better) pitching up and learning from Coutinho whilst knowing that his powers will wane over the new two to three years just as they are looking to start regular first team football. The ideal scenario, for me, is to have a blend of older players (still have to be good! with good experience and ability to mentor the youngsters) and younger developing players with even younger (17-20 year olds) looking to come through. I think we were a bit too far in the young camp to be a really successful team but we are now starting to get a blend.

We seem to beat the teams around us - Brighton, Palace, Leicester, Leeds etc. - but lose to the top and bottom teams. The big question is are Wolves a top team or a team around us?? I think they will massively miss Neves and Jiminez so I would hope we can get 3 points. I think Stevie will go with the same team as Arsenal with Digne replacing Ash if fit. Personally I would rest JJ and bring in either Sanson or Bailey (moving to 4-2-3-1).

Including Arsenal who appear to be in first place??