villaglint

18 minutes ago, Eastie said:

Divock origi an interesting  option , felix very unlikely now though Emery was keen 

Imagine spending the whole summer looking for a striker and that is the best we can do. 

Just now, Hibsfan said:

Really enjoyed both our games,  Villa on a different stratosphere to Hibs so shame it wasn’t a competitive tie but I still enjoyed it.

fwiw this is a terrible Hibs team, hence why we sacked the manger.  I’d have liked us to have played a poor premiership team while we were at our best.  As it turns out though, we played a really excellent side while we were struggling.  If we had a good side just now you would have just moved into second gear and the outcome would have been the same.  No bitterness from my end, just the realities of our situations when you have so much more money than us.

best of luck for the rest of the season, I’ll be supporting you as the season goes on.

PS. loved seeing John MCGinn again, what a player he’s turned into!

cheers

Hibs fans were best I’ve heard at Villa park in many a year. Left me with a smile on my face and wanting to put together an album of great football songs from around the world.

If anyone knows of one that already exists let me know. 

If we are spending time trying to get Alvarez with one day of the window left then we aren’t signing anybody. If true sounds like we’ve spent all summer waiting for Felix and ended up with nowt. Hopefully that isn’t the case. 

4 minutes ago, villan95 said:

Surprised Brighton are paying Fati's wages or even half. Didn't think they had players on big money.

Got serious money burning a hole in their pocket. Might as well do something with it. 
 

It is an interesting divergence from the “model”. Will be interesting if it can kick them on as I’m sure they’ll be hoping. 

2 minutes ago, romavillan said:

Haven't we got an u21/u18 RB? I'd protect Cash after his heroics the other day, need him for Liverpool!

Can't think of one who has featured in 1st team at all under Emery. 

I'd agree it would be better to protect Cash but he's probably one of the fittest players at the club and once everyone is fit I dont see him starting every game this season. Think away especially we will often go with Konsa RB. 

17 minutes ago, villan95 said:

GK: Martinez*, Olsen, Marschall**

Def: Cash*, Konsa*, Chambers*, Carlos, Torres, Lenglet, Digne, Moreno

Mid: Kamara, Douglas, Tielemans, Dendoncker, McGinn, Coutinho, Ramsey**

Att: Watkins*, Diaby, Zaniolo, Bailey, Traore, Duran

*Trained in nation **Trained at club

I think that's pretty much everyone if we sign Lenglet, so yeah 1 player would need to miss out to meet the homegrown quota. Coutinho leaving seems like the strongest possibility? But then makes me think we're less likely to sign another attacking player unless we're leaving somebody else out like Traore

Don't we need 2 more ** trained at club players in this list? 

My reading is the squad must contain 8 players trained in nation or club and four of those minimum must be trained by the club. I notice Feeney and Revan were on bench against Hibs presumably for this reason. 

9 minutes ago, villabromsgrove said:

We play our fifth game of the season tonight and the season started just eighteen days ago. We need Lenglet or someone just like him.

Just in case you were planning to go to the game a day early. Its tomorrow not tonight. 

I'm going with this. 

                     Olsen

Cash     Chambers   Torres  Revan

          Tielemans      Dendoncker

Traore          Kellyman        Bailey

                    Duran

1st team players on the bench in case they are needed. I dont see Feeney being used and we dont have many other options. Think they will be wary of overloading Carlos' gametime in these early weeks and I'd expect him to start again Liverpool. 

IF there is anything at all int he Felix rumours it seems we are gambling that Barcelona cant make it happen and we are first in line if that is the case. Reports seems to suggest Saudi's would be ahead but who knows. 

It seems very high risk strategy from us as I cant imagine we'd have any other fall back options as I am sure Barcelona will be working to the wire to make it happen. 

Would have prefered it if we moved on for someone who WANTS to play for us. 

That said as much as a bell as Felix seems he is a very gifted player and I could see him thriving in our system. Maybe these "top end" players are what can make the difference for a top 4/5 finish and thats why Unai is happy to wait it out. 

3 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said:

To be honest with you, I think if we sign that missing piece of the puzzle on that attacking left side, with a player who can play that role and also adapt as a second striker then that will be all we need imo.

That would then give us:

       Ollie, Duran

*New*, Zaniolo, Diaby, Traoré - all of whom can fill any striker void left by Ollie, and/or the added bonus to be able to change things up in games too if ever necessary.

I like what Unai is building here.

You missed out Bailey. 

19 minutes ago, alreadyexists said:

I think put Olsen on for Martinez and that’s not far off the starting line up. 
 

I know Hibs are crap but I feel like it'd be a bit disrespectful to only field 10 players. 

Think they will be thinking the same about Diaz, Nunez, Jota, Gakpo, Salah against Diego and Torres.

Torres obviously not the quickest and even Burnley managed to get clear through from simple through balls a couple of times. 

4 minutes ago, Adam2003 said:

I like the look of that Jacob Ramsey lad at Villa for this role. Would be cheap as well.

He’s obviously first choice but we need a backup. Right now that’s McGinn but he’s leaving a hole on the right, hence Cash playing there against Burnley (to great effect). Ideally we’d have McGinn and Bailey/Zaniolo for right and Ramsey plus one more for left. Personally I think we’ll go with what we have in midfield. 
 

Really need a striker though. 

2 minutes ago, omariqy said:

Think we need someone for the left hand side and that’s about it for me

I’d agree that is a key area but also a striker. If Watkins gets injured we are really screwed. 

Strangely though loads of teams play two up top now which is what he needs to be successful. Just not the team he signed for. Moyes is very rigid with his tactics. 

Hospitality is full of the biggest idiots you will ever meet. Money and booze is a bad combination. Also it’s now massively expensive but booze is all included so club are effectively asking punters there to get as pissed as possible to try and extract any kind of value from it. 

Spent the weekend with a good friend who is a die hard Barcelona fan. His opinion on names we’ve been linked with.

Fati - brilliant player no idea why Xavi doesn’t trust him more. 
 

Ferran - average, not bad but not good and not good enough for Barcelona. 
 

Abde - good player doesn’t see him leaving. 

Interesting we haven’t gone back in for Guendouzi. Does Tielemans mean we don’t need him. I had in my head he was more advanced and would play the McGinn/Ramsey role. Losing Buendia, Coutinho I feel like we need one more player there. Think I saw a quote from Unai saying we won’t replace Buendia which leaves us light in that position for me. 

1 hour ago, Delphinho123 said:

Chiesa, Torres, Fati, Johnson. These are all players we’ve been linked with that haven’t moved yet. I’m sure there’s lots more.

I keep harking back to when we were linked with Alemany and all of the reports were that he was to be given a ‘blank cheque’ when it came to signings. Not only that, reporters like Collomosse have been saying we’re in for another attacker/midfield option throughout (perhaps Zaniolo was one of these). It doesn’t feel like we’ve had a ‘blank cheque’ style Summer and I still think we’re light in the left side of attack. 

I’d be very surprised if we didn’t bring at least one more big signing in considering it’s likely Coutinho will leave and players like Philogene, Archer are moving on. 

Would love to sign a really high profile left sided midfielder to compete with Ramsey and a top quality right back. We’d be in such a strong position. 

Blank cheque was never going to happen for us. 

Fiorentina are my second team after living there last summer. 
 

Seems fitting that they get knocked out to Rapid. I’d fancy them to do enough to get through in the second leg though. 

1 full match - 1 assist.

Welcome back Diego. 

We lose a lot with Mings being gone but I expect us to be more dangerous from set pieces now. Mings was poor in an attacking sense given his size. Both Carlos and Torres are more dangerous from corners I think. 

34 minutes ago, zab6359 said:

Absolutely not! Watkins needs to be starting we need to get this tie over and done with today.

Could do with getting his season going with a goal as well. 

2 minutes ago, bickster said:

Depends on who fills the vacuum 

What about a world police/Iraqi style interim government that will allow democracy to flourish like a beautiful flower. Worked really well last time! 
 

According to big Tony anyway. 

Hypothetical question - if someone manages to get a bullet in Putins head does the world become a better or worse place?