NIVillan

Martinez was excellent last year and as important to the team as Jack.

The defence excelled due to the confidence they had in Martinez and as mentioned here Martinez organising the defence.  With the Defence being confident the Midfield and Attackers felt more freedom to attack.  The Previous Season we held back more to stop the other team scoring.  I feel that was because of the lack of Confidence in the Goalie.  A big character like Pepe coming in changed that for our final run in, even if his goalkeeping skills were not what they used to be.

In a way I feel the team could survive losing Jack more than Emi.

The Test is that Second Season Syndrome.  I know Martinez has been around a while but the best Goalies (As an Oldie thinking Shilton, Clemance and JIMMY JIMMY RIMMER) they were very consistent week in, week out.  EM announced himself as a top quality goalie at the end of that season with Arsenal, showed he could do it for a whole Season with us. 

Its looking good at the moment.

Are we see Villa Merch in Morrisons instead of Liverpool , Manu Utd etc?

This and the ESR links at Arsenal could all be a smokescreen to help with the work permit for the Alvarez.

Rules might have changed but if you could show that a similar talent was far more expensive it would help your case.   Alvarez is being quoted at 15 million while these pair are quouted North of 35 mill.

Villa could just be playing the system.  Also unsettling other teams just like they have done to Villa in the past.

On 29/06/2021 at 01:02, Jas10 said:

https://onefootball.com/en/news/aston-villa-julian-alvarez-could-be-the-new-gary-shaw-33264255

 

   Gary Shaw one of my all time favourite Villa Players

though

Julian Alvarez, Julian Alvarez, Julian, Julian Alvarez, When he gets the ball he is bound to score

doesnt quite go.

Luiz is only worth 5 million really not worth Man City buying him back

The time out may help Wesley in another way.  He will now have over a year training in an Premier League Environment not Belgium (is it Juniper) League.  Time away from the sniping to build up the strength and develop the skills he needs.

Also as said last season we were a different team and sat back a lot (something one of the players mentioned recently in an interview), perhaps being more attack minded Wesley may come good.

Im hoping for a physical presence from Wesley that can dovetail with Watkins.  I like Watkins but he seems a bit lightweight at times.  Wes sometimes battered defences last season but as we know didnt have his shooting boots on.  Maybe together than become the perfect partnership.

Or maybe Im too old and living in the past where having a Big man was always partnered with a smaller/more mobile forward.

Growing up 70/80s the big Derbies were Albion and Blues. 

Wolves was a local rivalry but it didnt feel the same as Albion and Blues.   Albion felt bigger as late 70s/80s they were competitive.  Blues was just seen as a brawl for 90 mins.

Thats about it really.  The Newcastle and Leeds thing bores me.  Their fans trying to big themselves up to be a big club.  Leeds at least won something in recent memory unlike Newcastle.  Both are one club cities.

Leicester and Wolves has only built up since both of those teams have done well.  They have gone all bertie big bollocks crowing at Villa who were seen as the big dogs of the Midlands.   

In the early eighties I had subuetto for Xmas.  The Villa 82 side and I was also bought Blues and Albion (No Wolves though the Birmingham one could also be Leicester) so I could hold Derbies.  So there you go scientific proof that Albion and Blues are our main rivals.

2 hours ago, TrentVilla said:

Sometime goals blind people, his first half wasn’t great. I didn’t catch what Deano said after so that is interesting.

Personally I do like him but think some games such as Leeds and Southampton he needs a physical presence alongside him. 

Big man/little man might eb lost to the days of Withe and Shaw but for some matches it is needed.

The thing I noticed in the Leicester game that we didnt have to rely on Emi too much BUT the defense does seem more relaxed and playing with freedom.

It is as if they dont have to protect a dodgy Keeper

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

That would really be amazing.

Villa in CL. Really hope i get to see it in my lifetime.

oh that was so 38 years ago.

Still remembering with the eyes of a 10 year old a Gary Shaw hattrick at home in the European Cup

One of my early games was an European Tie against Dynamo Bucharest.  

We were European Champions and this was the first game we could Villa at home defending that title a first round was behind closed doors.

Gary Shaw scored a hattrick and was replaced by Mark Walters who also scored.

Also remember Walters scoring a great goal against Moscow I think in the UEFA Cup.

Sad when we sold him to Rangers but I was there on his return with Liverpool.  He scored and from my distant memory made the outline of a lady in front of the holte end.  Shame Deano ruined that home coming

Another one but I cant remember the year.

Sports Argos (Remember that, bombing down to Newsagents at 6pm to see if you could grab a copy) were celebrating an Anniversary not sure what.  They promoted having a big exclusive for the front page in the lead up.

The Exclusive - Villa were going after Trevor Sinclair

I think I still have a copy somewhere

and he didnt come close to signing it was horse dung.

On 20/08/2020 at 22:35, brummybloke said:

Gary Lineker, he went to spurs instead. The reason was he would cost 1 million or whatever and would have taken our entire summer budget.

Sigh.

 

Just Google checked... it was eveton he went to not spurz.

 

No you were actually sort of right.

Not sure if it was just after we got promoted or the season after so summers either 88 or 89.  Lineker wasnt getting games at Barca and there was a big splash on the back of the Evening Mail (In the Days before they became click bait r us) about Graham Taylor wanting to bring young Gary to the Villa.   Not sure how far it went but one of the reasons for not going ahead is as you said would have wiped out the transfer budget and Taylor said it gave Doug heartattacks.

6 hours ago, ciggiesnbeer said:

Also, nice to see Wesley!

My thoughts on seeing the photo.  It is great to see Wes part of this instead of being isolated away from the squad.

A thing Bruce did right was bringing in John Terry and then rooming Grealish with him.  We are seeing the results now. 

Apart from lockdown brain fart we are seeing a fine Captain in Super Jack who represents the club so well and inspires those around him.

Last season could have broken Jack as he carried the club on his shoulders most of the season, dragging his team mates along but it didnt kill him and made him stronger (as Arnie would tell you).

Now with other players like Barkley I think Jack will take another step towards greatness.

But it was all harnessed and started with him sharing a room with John Terry.

47 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Peter Withe was famously the last piece in Ron Saunders' jigsaw. I wonder if Ollie will be a similar talisman for Deano? 

Wouldnt that be Barkley then?

He also took one for the team, made my eyes water

Sheff United had the 4th best defense last season, it was never going to be easy.

My view of the game is that we did look a lot more solid and Watkins movement helped a lot.  Target looks a weak link, as does Trez.   Grealish didnt have one of his better games but still had chances to score 2 or 3 games.  He did slow some attacks down thinking he had to take the United Defense on himself.

Reminded me a lot of some old European games, especially under Gregory where we couldnt break through but stayed patient and finally nicked a goal.

I saw improvements to last season. 

We have by the looks of it a solid Goalkeeper and Centerback partnership.  Cash looked good if a bit out of sync, so the defense is coming on nicely. 

Luiz looked calm and controlled in defense and did his. job well, no bombing on leaving. holes behind.  At one point he recieved. the ball with 3 of. their. players around, some nice shuffling of his feet and he was free and laid the ball off nicely.

Mcginn though. not at his best had a couple of flashes of what he is about, hassling their midfield to get the ball and breaking through on an interception.   Hopefully not too long before back to the full mcGinn.

We passed the ball around quite nicely but we need to speed it up.  We need to be able to up a gear to catch out the opposition.  Watching bits of the Man City game against Wolves they were tearing them apart, not by spectacular play but by quick short simple passing.   The old Liverpool sides of the early 80s used to talk about passing in trangles to get around teams.  Man City do that a breakneck speed.

If Davis can start scoring some goals hin and Watkins up front would be dynamite in my opinion.  Davis batters the opposition defence and helps keep the ball to relieve our defense and provide an outlet to the midfield.

I hope he is as good as a previous  Arsenal reserve goalkeeper we signed, and I am not talking about Stuart Taylor!

52 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

Mmmmmm this picture for me says alot. On one hand you have the player saying thank F*** you come to your senses boss, on the other hand you have Southgate saying make it count because it's the only 15 minutes you'll ever see while I'm England boss.

The man is like the devil behind that smile, dressed in that suit, I tell you he could be a bond Villain right now Southgate could be.

Southgate is certainy no longer a Villan

Saw Troy Deeney mentioned, and I know no chance as he is a blue nose but I think he would be useful as a mentor to Davis.  Perhaps teach Davis to be a bit meaner.

50 minutes ago, Fox1884 said:

Main reason I want us to sign him is that the Celtic fans will have a complete meltdown

They still despise us and get proper salty after we took Rodgers

Talking of Salty and taking Managers.  I began working at a college in Leicester not long after Little had moved from Leicester to Villa.   I walked out of the staff room drinking from my Villa mug right into a group of students.  

Few shouts of abuse and turn around and walked back into the staff room.

Was an interesting year

12 hours ago, soezetoc said:

Forgive me if im mistaken.

When this guy first joined wasnt there observations that the liverpool fans thought he was crap because he couldnt get deals over the line. 

Ie wasnt he trying to sign Barry for Liverpool.  Which as we know was unsucessful. 

Im sure Barry has said that after Liverpool had wooed him and he went to speak to him, Benetez told him he would be playing left back.  Barry wanted to continue playing midfield which Man City offered (plus loads of cash).

He was nothing to do with whoever was talking about the contracts

Just now, tonyh29 said:

Southgate really is a cockwomble isn’t he 

 

yes

2 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

Well I don't really care about that. Whoever designed it, they're the nicest kits we've had in 30 years, imo. My admiration of the kits has nothing to do with Luke. In fact I see Luke as a very chavvy clothing brand (no offence anyone) so my admiration of the kit is in spite of Luke, if anything.

Well I disagree. Whilst those kits are iconic I don't actually think they're that nice. But even if they are, that's one set of kits from 30 years ago so not a bad estimation.

 

It's all about opinions isn't it? I don't see anything special about this year's kits at all. The home kit is almost identical to half a dozen kits we've had over the past 25 or so years but with weird fits, weird sleeves, and weird sponsor/badge placements. 

The away kit is nicer but again I think the collar is very weird and the blue pinstripes don't really work. Blue and black isn't a great combination, again in my opinion

Im undecided about this years kits as I have not seen them up close.   I liked when it released the yellow Macron Shirt and my son wanted it but up close I went straight of it and the material just felt so cheap and thin.

Personally feel some of the 2000s kits were far better than that Luke Kit, just they are associated with total shite teams.