jackbauer24

This has draw written all over it for me.

Away, newly promoted team, Villa still unsure of lineup with debutants as well.

The optimistic will claim progress as we lost to Watford last season, they'll point to it being early in the season and that xyz looked good and will only get better when they 'gel/ get up to speed' and that we're only a player short of being top 8.

The negative will claim stagnation, they'll point to largely uninspiring pre-season performances and that xyz looked poor and have shown no signs of improvement from last season or coping with the Premier League and we're only a player or two from getting injuries that will see us fight relegation.

The truth probably being somewhere slap bang in the middle with average performances leading to average results leading to an average league position - 10th!

Was world class... Not sure he is now. I also think Gerrard has given him zero reason to fight for his place and has assured his mate he will always play.

I don't think there are many people who would say, based on current levels and form, that Coutinho is performing better than Buendia and yet he's guaranteed to start. This has been the case at the end of last season and through pre-season and yet Gerrard has clearly implied Buendia is seen as the second string; either being the sub or not featuring today.

For the figures discussed, it was a good piece of business, but I'm not sure he should be basically guaranteed a start! His form has been average to poor, outside ten seconds of skill per match.

What surprises me most is how weak he has become. The number of times he let's the ball bounce and then tries to shield the ball but loses it is incredible.

Same again today, fortunately he tracked back and made the recovery but it all came from him losing the aerial ball near the half way line.

Based on preseason alone, which is obviously ridiculous really, but I'd put him as our weakest CB as it stands.

1 minute ago, vazquez said:

Looking forward to seeing something like this on next half

 

Martinez

Kessler              Konda                        Mings                Ludwig

            Luiz                           Tim                    Jacob

                                           Buendia

                             Archer                    Watkins

 

then getting some minutes for Aaron, Feeney and Chrisene

What are the lottery numbers this week?!

Spot on!

If, and it's a massive if, there was any truth in this whatsoever then not only would I obviously say he can do one, I'd also suggest he won't make it as a top quality footballer at all.

At this age, with the limited experience he has, he's at best got poor taste in advisors or, at worst, is fully deluded and focussed purely on money. This isn't some final payday at the end of your playing contract, this is show your quality on then pitch and then earn the big contract. People don't get stuck on 'low' value contracts if they're pulling up trees.

If this is about money, let him go. If this is about guaranteed playing time, let him go. If this is about wanting a better footballing education or a fresh start or whatever, then I have no issue with it. Basically, he just needs to go now in my opinion as I'm not getting worked up over a kid who's done next to nothing in his career so far. Potential counts for very little.

If first team and (direct backup) and kid/utility

GK Martinez (Olsen) Marschall

RB Cash (Guilbert) Kesler

CB Carlos (Konsa) Hause

CB Mings (Chambers) Feeney

LB Digne (Augustinsson) Young

CM Kamara (Nakamba) Chukwuemeka

CM McGinn (Luiz) Iroegbunam

CM Ramsey (Sanson) A. Ramsey

AM Buendia (Traore) Philogene-Bidace

AM Coutinho (Bailey) El Ghazi

ST Watkins (Ings) Archer

In my opinion, we still look like we need another senior option in central midfield as none of those four are consistent and we need two of them to be in form at any one time. Defensively, we seem ok as long as we're prepared to drop underperforming players sometimes... Naming no names... TM. Attacking wise there are questions over Bailey and, more so, Traore. Up front we do seem a little short, especially if Archer isn't deemed ready. Some talented kids help pad the squad out further.

Personally I'd be looking for that elusive midfield engine who can tackle (fairly McGinn!) and create and then a striker.

Bought the training wear using the code to make it bearable (Training Pants from £40 to £60 and training tops from £32 to £48 is scandalous) but am going to have to send back.

I'm normally a medium in most clothes. With Luke I was a small. With Under Amour/Kappa and all other sports brands I'm a medium. But with Castore, it'll be back to small it seems - the T-shirt is too big.

The training pants are weird! They look like yoga pants with a really big waistband and the cut is all over the place - tight in some places, baggy around the ankle. Disappointing as colour is nice.

Kappa and Under Armour stuff all fit really well.

I was flicking through various pics on Instagram and saw Elmo with the players, carried on flicking through and went about my day...then about two hours later my brain said "are you not going to comment on what you saw then?!" as it suddenly dawned on me he shouldn't be there! Like when you see an old colleague at work and it takes a while for you to click to the fact they no longer work there!

He's in coach wear so highly doubt he's training with us to get fit. Must be coaching or ambassadorial.

Passion is one thing. Being aggressive and a little bit of a trailblazer is another. But these people need to be slightly likeable. There is NOTHING about Kyrgios that is remotely praisable. It irritates me that there is even any support for his 'entertainment' value, this behaviour should not to be encouraged or accepted. Without being that guy; I hate the idea of kids trying to mimic this character.

He is absolutely vile to his own team and the tone and approach is almost abusive. Can't say I'm shocked he's due in a criminal court next.

He's a bully and a thug frankly. He's not a fictional character, he's in a professional sport.

Sainz will be delighted. But Ferrari screwed that up badly, multiple times.

The team shouldn't be happy with that at all as they could have had a lot more from the race with just an iota of racing tactics or awareness.

3 hours ago, Stephen_Evans said:

I can't help thinking that if we go with a round badge, it has to be the old round badge (which I would favour).  It's not that I want a round badge for its own sake, I just want THAT round badge, the one I grew up with.  It can't be improved upon (in my opinion).  Any other round version would always jar for me.

This kind of sums up the issue really, in a couple of ways.

First, the clamour for the old badge is nostalgia, so in another 10-15 years time will there be desire for a stripy shield like we had when we won the Coca-Cola Cups and the one lots of people grew up with.

Secondly, unless you replicate the old badge basically, it's going to look like a poor replica in most people's eyes and no-one is happy.

Smarten up the current badge, add Aston Villa or redesign completely if you must - but some walking on egg shells redesign of the old badge seems pointless.

I will repeat.

The Aston Villa 'crest' has only been round for about 17 years in our 148 year history. Therefore, a round badge is not traditional. It is nostalgic about TWO seasons. It would look like most other football team 'logos' these days however impressive we make it.

So disappointed it's nearly a given we're going back to a circle badge, Aston Villa should be shield.

3 hours ago, WallisFrizz said:

What’s wrong with loaning out adult players that aren’t getting game time? Loads of players fall out of favour at their current clubs and seek game time elsewhere  and these often result in permanent transfer. With your u21 rule Coutinho and Mings wouldn’t be with us now (but Targett and Trez would). It basically stops players from becoming depressed in limbo at a club that hasn’t got a current use for them (due to loss of form at that level, change of manager/ system etc).

I don’t agree with most of your points either. I would like to see a wage cap though, maybe a fee cap, and maybe a limit to how many players you can own that hit the top fee and wage gap (I’m thinking how to avoid the total domestic dominance of the likes of Man City, PSG etc). Don’t know how any of that would work though, think football is already too far gone to reign it in.

Whilst obviously sometimes there are benefits, I personally believe over 21s shouldn't really be loaned and I think, overall, it's a poor system.

It's a way of keeping good players on your books or making smaller teams do your rehabilitation or for fiddling finances.

If a player is unhappy they should be able to leave during windows. You'd have more permanent moves. When a decent player comes in there is always a strong chance you don't keep them which only benefits owning team. Lots of clubs use loans to balance books. There has to be a limit - Chelsea have some players on perpetual loan!

Experience for U21s in lower leagues yes. Holding on to Henderson (GK) or Batshuayi etc is wrong and stunts growth and is purely a financial thing.

Or, maybe I tweak it, and say you can only have 1 loan out in a five year period as a over 21.

I just think loans should be for youngsters.

2 minutes ago, paul514 said:

I don't agree with any of those points.

1. There is no issue with that.

2. Why on earth do we need a formula for a transfer fee to be set? The club values this player at X buy him or don't works completely fine. Mandatory buy out fees I think it fine.

3. Terrible idea, lots of players haven't developed how you want them by 21. It serves no useful purpose for the club, and would damage the career chances of many professionals.

4. I can see why some people would want this but again I see no problem with Chelsea's system. On the contrary I think it is a great revenue stream for a club that successfully invests in people to become pro footballers.

5. No need for this either, you can only register so many players so realistically they aren't going to be at your club if they aren't registered or don't need to be due to current age.

Well we disagree, but I just went to do some research and actually a fair bit of this shake up to the loan system is coming apparently! 

Personally, I'd bring in a whole raft of changes to the transfer market:

1. Only one window a year (Winter one is largely pointless and just helps desperate big clubs avoid relegation/ panic buys!)

2. Transfer fees set by given formula (contract remaining/experience/caps etc) so all players essentially have buy out clause that's same for everyone.

3. Loans can only be used for U21s

4. Teams can only loan OUT five players (no hoarding 100s of youngsters)

5. Total owned players (including not named in squads) also capped

On 27/01/2018 at 03:41, jackbauer24 said:

My biggest issue with reverting to the circular badge is that it just perpetuates the belief that we're stuck in the past, living off one former (albeit amazing) glory. Going back to a circular badge with a star in it doesn't strike me as very forward thinking.

Furthermore, if you're a traditionalist, then badges/shields are by far the most authentic route to go as they have been our crest for a majority of our history. 

Finally, apparently the simplicity of the badge is vital in today's digital age as it is clearer for viewing on tablets/phones etc at varying sizes.

Personally I'm fine with the badge, clean, simple, Villa colours and unique.

I might as well just quote my own message from 4 and a half years ago. My view is the same.

A star signifies our greatest achievement. We don't need to replicate the whole badge. Traditionally, Villa have a 'shield' not a round 'badge'. We had a circle badge for a few years in our whole history.

But looks like we're going back to it and I'm just disappointed that Villa's history is being reduced to focus on one year.

1 hour ago, foreveryoung said:

Cancel it, like someone has said, 11kw to 7kw is a big deal. Have they adjusted the payments to justify a 7kw. Deposit would be less and the monthly payments?

It's all in the wife's name and she's had to deal with them mostly. When they changed it they definitely down played the significance but suggested it would add six months plus to the delivery date if she insisted on it or cancel the whole thing - but we'd already agreed this months before. As her car will just be for the commute to and from work, she didn't kick up much of a fuss and when she spoke to them about it they, again, just shrugged their shoulders and said they wouldn't change the cost. She didn't sign anything to approve the change though. Same with the colour. Research suggests the car is about £1k cheaper so,over a 3 year lease, I'm guessing that equates to a minimal deduction in cost. It's a Vauxhall Corsa-E for the record. Oh, and like everything else, the cost is up a lot since we signed this deal - top spec and free charger for £275pm - considerably more now. Doesn't excuse broken promises and poor communication.

My EV, a KIA EV6, is due in January and that will be our main car.

Fuming.

Ordered a car (lease) for Mrs. Bauer in March from Vanarama. Two weeks later and they say the colour isn't available so would we change. Reluctantly agree. Then a few months later they say the car is actually a 7kw not the 11kw version we order. Like it or lump it they say. Then they phone three weeks ago and say car is in country and should be with you imminently but no later than 24th June. So we sell current car which is picked up on Saturday. They've just phoned to say it's delayed til at least 14th July as car has only just arrived in country after all. They are full of crap. And on complaining it's basically a 'good luck but it's nothing to do with us'.

So now stuck and with no recourse apparently. 

Well the season is basically over as a competition.

Ferrari had built up a healthy early lead but there was the feeling that when the Red Bulls sorted their issues they would win more than the Ferrari. The hope being that Red Bull's fight back would be gradual and tense. But then Ferrari Ferraried the whole thing and imploded.

Max to have this sewn up in near record time I reckon.

Ferrari have Gerrard type star pull.

Ferrari have Gerrard type tactical awareness.

If I was Lincoln City playing Real Madrid, I'd still find it unacceptable to concede three goals in less than five minutes. Pathetic and weak, there are no excuses for that regardless of how solid you are for the rest of the game.

What makes it worse is that none of us are really surprised, Villa are a mentally and physically weak team who buckle under the slightest push.

Incredibly poor and, arguably, unacceptable SINCE Gerrard took over.

Smith could argue we were still dealing with the transition of Grealish's departure and new players bedding in. We also had a few injuries at that point I believe and ongoing Covid issues. I think he left at the right time as it would be horrible if that relationship had gone sour.

Then in comes Gerrard with the almost inevitable bounce. But, since then, have we really done any better or had sustained periods of success or an improved style of play? Instrumental in bringing in Coutinho, small bounce then back to mediocrity at best. So many poor results, playing awfully against bad teams when we had a full strength squad that had been playing together much longer.

We will finish this season 14th. Howe massively improved Newcastle who could actually finish top half and they were dead and buried. Everton, who have just secured safety could, possibly, finish the season three points behind us. They too were doomed only a few months ago.

The more you look at the season, the worse it looks. Multiple runs without wins and poor home form.

I'm more worried we're going into next season with a downward trajectory.

I was in the decline camp because I saw two major issues. First was the finances involved and value for money, the second was whether he was untouchable because his mate is the manager.

The first one I feel a lot happier with, it seems a very solid if not fantastic deal now.

However, the second one is up in the air still.

Good start to the summer though.