barry'sboots

Everyone was playing us off the park at that time. I think the Noses would've stood a decent chance!!

I think this is probably what Stevie will do. Personally I wouldn't. The main questions most are asking are: Konsa or Chambers? Its harsh on the latter to drop him, given the performance in the three wins in a row and the fact that he wasn't to blame for Wet Spam's goals, so I might stick with Chambers (injury permitting). I like the message that, if someone plays well in another's absence, the other doesn't walk back in and you keep the shirt until you play poorly - I think this is better for team morale. Although, equally Chambers could shift to DCM if DL is out?? Who comes in if Luiz can't play? Most people are saying Sanson but this is not his natural position and Iroegbonum is a DCM who is in the squad and seems to be highly rated. I prefer to see a player playing in his preferred position, even if he is young and inexperienced and I would like to see Tim get a chance - we aren't going down and aren't getting into Europe. I think it needs someone to stop Odegaard. Equally, this could be Chambers if Konsa is brought back in to CB. Does Young start if Digne is unfit, as he seems to be? Again, for the same reasons as above, I would love to see Chrisene start (did okay against Liverpool in the FAC last season). How do you play the three up top? I would go with your three as I like the way that Ollie works the back line and think Ings struggles in a lone striker role. Bailey and Ings (ideally for me as two strikers with Phil or Buendia at 10 behind them) after 60 minutes would really freshen it up and give Arsenal something different to think about. Sanson?? I might give Ramsey a rest and give Sanson a start. We need to see if he can play 90 a few times before the summer imho. He has looked good in cameos but can he play 90 (or 75 if subbed) against a decent outfit. Again, JJ coming off the bench if you need to go for a goal would be a great impact sub. I would probably go: Martinez Cash Chambers Mings Chrisene Sanson Iroegbonum * McGinn * assumes DL can't play?? Buendia Coutinho Watkins But expect Stevie to go with experience - and I can also understand this.

Probably better experience in terms of competing with PL defenders? I mentioned Saints, Brighton and Burnley - all of whom are established PL teams. Admittedly Burnley are scrapping this season but that may be largely down to the fact that they haven't got a goalscorer?

As many have said, it depends how we want to play. Two up top and he is fourth choice if he comes back - I think Bailey is in front of him if we stick with that. Could be a decent loan option for a Burnley, Brighton (will score more than Maupay and would this help get the Bissouma deal done?) or Saints (if they can't keep Broja). It would be great to see him in a bottom half PL team for 12 months (not us, I should add!) Getting PL experience before he comes back to us??

I didn't think Stevie would change his style/tactics but he has and it seems to be working - both Ollie and Ings are benefitting from Coutinho's freedom at 10 and we are starting to look good with the diamond. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Equally, Coutinho is pivotal to this and so retaining him would be key ... £480k p.w. will be tough but it would be for any PL side!

I don't think it is all the player's fault. I think Beale has got our shape a bit wrong! Luiz needs to sit a bit deeper and JJ and SJM need to push a bit higher up. The full backs need to get forward but not as consistently high as they have been. I personally wouldn't make any changes but wouldn't be surprised if Stevie did. We just need to release that front 3 but stay reasonably tight defensively.

I think we did last season. We went with a similar team (4-3-3 with same midfield) and lost 3-0 at home. We played Marv away, closed them down and won 1-0. I think you have to adapt to play Leeds but adapt in the right way and, as long as you are a better team (which we are) you will beat them 9 times out of ten?

I seem to remember Leeds playing an academy kid in at "6" (or "4" depending what era you come from) against us at VP last season and he did okay in a 3-0 win?? Always better to have experience I guess but rather have someone who knows how to play the position than an experienced player that doesn't?? Having said that, I think Dougie is fine for most games but Leeds is one where you do need a shield.

I can't wait to see how Gerard uses a fit Bailey in combination with Phil and Emi.

He makes Sanson look like Captain America!

Even if he did, they'd have no chance of understanding him??

Didn't they pay £50m for him though and probably wouldn't want to sell at a loss. I wouldn't look at him as a £50m striker??

He's made a great start imho. The only two disappointing results are Brentford and Leeds (after being 3-1 up). Yes, he's got issues to resolve but these are not things you can achieve overnight. Positives He's getting the best out of JJ and Buendia He's attracted Coutinho and pretty quickly got him back to a very decent level He's attracted Digne No-one is talking about Jack (although I personally would have him back in a heartbeat) We are looking up and not down We have an identifiable plan and style of play and are buying players to suit thatq Negatives We have underperformed what I would have hoped for in two games - Brentford away and Leeds home (the latter of which we lost 0-3 last year compared to a draw this time around) Things outside of his control He's lost the only true DCM he had - who he had majorly improved. This position is integral to his style of play and he tried to address it in January but couldn't get his no. 1 target so has, rightly, imho, waited until the summer to go again. He has been without a fit Bailey and Traore for all of his time here - our 3rd and 4th options at "10"' I'm excited moving forward with Stevie G. I would be happy if we can finish 11th again, having lost Jack in the summer and had a disruptive season so far. But I will be expecting big things in the summer and for us to come out firing next season.

Barry is still relatively quite small and has largely been playing out wide when I have seen him (u-23 and u-18 highlights). Whilst he has undoubted talent, I think he has a long way to go to make it at the Villa. I like Young - he looks like a fighter - but he would be way behind Cam and KD at the minute? Cam is the amazing one for me. Who would have thought he'd be where he is today 12 months ago when he wasn't exactly tearing it up for Solihull Moors??

I assume you are not talking about Ash and Gareth?? I think both have great potential but both need better loans next year at a higher level to see if they can deliver.

I love Watkins. I think he will come back when he gets a break. Importantly, his movement and pressing is fundamental to the way that Stevie wants to play. He created the space for JJs second goal v Leeds with his intelligent diagonal run. The three of Coutinho, Buendia and Ollie with JJ joining has looked very good in the last three games?? I would let Ings go - he doesn't suit Stevie G ball and is better suited to playing in a two. In would look to bring in a "Daka" type - mobile goal scorer - that can understudy Ollie. Or maybe a Lacazette on a free to give Cam and KD another year to progress. It depends how KD and Cam perform over the next couple of months but, at the minute, I would be looking to put both on loan to bottom 6/newly promoted PL teams and see how they do in this division. I have always thought there is a player in KD and he showed that against Leicester last week - he didn't look out of place v PL opposition and was a real nuisance, creating space for others. Ultimately he would give us a very different option off the bench. Cam looks really exciting and I hope his development continues on the same trajectory. He looks more of a direct Ollie Watkins competitor.

I don't disagree with much you've said but I'd rather get DL signed up (as a competing "8" who can cover "6" in games where he is more suited) and get Chukie out on loan next year. He/his team might not like this but it would be better for his development (imho) as we are seeing with JP, Cam and KD. He needs to be starting regularly. I am also not sure whether he is a "10" or "8"? We seem to be pandering to him ATM to get him to sign up? I think that there is a lot to come from Dougie as an "8" and he is still only 23. He can develop loads here under Stevie G - couldn't think of a better teacher?

We are looking at fine margins here, I accept that, to move us from a decent team competing for 7th to 13th to one challenging for, say, 4th to 8th. I think we have a pretty strong first XI - probably that which started on Wednesday, with some exciting attacking options in reserve. But if we are going to take the next step, which I am led to believe our owners want to and pdq, then we need to be fairly ruthless and look to upgrade in certain areas. In order of upgrades, I would say: DCM - we need a player that can do this role and relegate Marv to back up and Dougie to competing for an "8" shirt. Bissouma appears to be the favoured option. Cover at LB - Hickey is the name discussed. A commanding CB - as per discussion above. An upgrade on Bertie - someone more consistent to compete with Emi, Coutinho and Bailey for the two "10"s. Change Ings - whilst he is a good finisher he is more suited to a front two and I want someone who is more mobile and presses better. Alongside securing Coutinho. Maybe JPB and Cam and KD, if they continue their impressive loan form, can address 4 & 5?

I think 99.9% of Villa fans recognise this?? The vast majority, I would think, rate Dougie but know that we need a better "6", leaving Dougie to compete with SJM, Sanson and JJ. Equally, I do think that there are teams that you can play against (not Leeds!) where a defensive "6" is not as necessary, although if we went and bought Bissouma he would surely start every game if fit (until we have European football).

I'm not sure NSWE share your view? Gerrard has come here with promises re aspirations and transfer resources and I think they will have a proper go in the summer. Bissouma is not coming here to play mid table football ... He can do that at Brighton. I don't believe that we are as far away as you think. With the right recruitment - secure Coutinho, Bissouma, Hickey at LB and upgrade Mings - we can challenge from 4th down. Equally an upgrade on Mings would not represent a huge net spend as I think he would attract a decent fee in. As for Kerr Smith and Feeney, they might be great prospects (and I'll keep my just like all of us) but I can't see them impacting the first team picture for a good few years yet. CB is a tough position to break in to forma youngster, especially in an aspiring top half team. I am, of course, playing a bit of fantasy football here but that's what a forum is for and I do think, with our ambitious and wealthy owners backing Stevie G, we can do this?

Personally, I would start Sanson and push JJ in to one of the 10s if Emi is injured. Keep BT on the bench for last 30 if needed.

Mings is a decent PL CB but he is not top 6, which is where we are aspiring to be. He is blood and guts and a leader BUT he is also error prone - in games where he doesn't make errors he is "Virgil Van Dijk" but in games where he does suffer lapses you would take Kieran Clark ahead of him!! If we want to progress, he is a player we should look to upgrade imho. I think we would get a decent fee in for him as well, particularly if we could convince Eddie Howe to come back in for him. If we do upgrade though we need a 25 y/o plus replacement who is a leader. Whilst I rate Konsa highly he does need this alongside him as he still relatively young and inexperienced for a CB.

I would disagree here. I think those three midfielders are all good enough to be top 6 players but they need to be utilised correctly - that's why the big 6 clubs are sniffing around them - offers for Dougie and Man U's interest in SJM. We need a strong but fluent holding midfielder and, hopefully, we will get a good one in the summer. We will have six good midfielders for three slots then with two sitters - new signing and Marv as back up with Iregboneum hopefully coming through underneath - and two from SJM, JJ, Sanson and Luiz in front. Personally, I think Chuk needs to get his ass into the championship like JPB, Cam and KD to prove he is capable of playing at this level and for us to find out whether he is an 8 or a 10 but it seems his agent/team might disagree and we appear to be pandering to that ATM to get him to sign a new deal. I think Konsa is top level but needs a leader alongside him - not unusual for a CB at his age and experience. Mings is a leader BUT is subject to lapses as we saw again on Wednesday night. Mings would be the one I would look to upgrade but it has to be an over 25 y/o player with experience of leading a back line. If the links to his old boss - Howe - have any merits we might be able to bring in a sizeable fee to fund the new CB.

I'm seeing a lot of criticism of Ollie which I just don't get. It was his run that drew the defenders out and created space for JJ's second. His pressing and movement is fundamental to the way we play. Ings just doesn't offer anything like this. As for scoring goals, Ollie just needs a break and they will come BUT offensively we look good. The key for me was the CM. Leeds are a team that you need a shield in for (last season showed that) and DL is not that. Partnering DL means that SJM has to drop deeper against such a team and that also neuters his game. The dominance in possession that this creates for the opposition means that the defence is under more pressure and you are always liable to get mistakes out of Mings (alongside some brilliant moments) in such circumstances.

I don't disagree but I think we are pandering to Chuk ATM in the hope that this will get him to sign a new contract. For me, Sanson should have come on and JJ should have been pushed further forward. Chuk needs to do what JPB and Cam have done and get his ass into the Championship and get 30+ games under his belt to prove he can play men's football.