mikeyjavfc Posted January 31, 2021 VT Supporter Share Posted January 31, 2021 People keep asking what would happen if Watkins gets injured now. It would clearly derail our season to some degree (look at Wolves) but we would certainly have enough to avoid relegation now, so would it really matter (beyond being frustrating)? Clearly the club have weighed up the cost of another striker vs risk of an injury to Watkins and decided the loss of form that would follow an injury would be acceptable this year. Doubt the fans would ever agree with this stance, but we do not see the finances behind the scenes. I think it is probably a case that there is no value in the January market so it is not worth spunking our FFP allowance at this stage when we are so comfortable in the league this year. I don’t think the club wants to spend money on temporary solutions any more. I would expect a proper striker cover signing in summer. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mottaloo Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 8 minutes ago, mikeyjavfc said: I think it is probably a case that there is no value in the January market so it is not worth spunking our FFP allowance at this stage when we are so comfortable in the league this year. I don’t think the club wants to spend money on temporary solutions any more. I would expect a proper striker cover signing in summer. Jizz Hornkamp says hi 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 5 minutes ago, mikeyjavfc said: People keep asking what would happen if Watkins gets injured now. It would clearly derail our season to some degree (look at Wolves) but we would certainly have enough to avoid relegation now, so would it really matter (beyond being frustrating)? Clearly the club have weighed up the cost of another striker vs risk of an injury to Watkins and decided the loss of form that would follow an injury would be acceptable this year. Doubt the fans would ever agree with this stance, but we do not see the finances behind the scenes. I think it is probably a case that there is no value in the January market so it is not worth spunking our FFP allowance at this stage when we are so comfortable in the league this year. I don’t think the club wants to spend money on temporary solutions any more. I would expect a proper striker cover signing in summer. For me, it’s risking an European place. I’m amazed I’m even saying that but being a real optimist for a second. The amount of money that would bring in along with being an attraction for better quality players who generally only go to Europe playing teams. Maybe no value at the moment around but I have to believe if the right striker was available we would be after them, we definitely have a need. So you are probably right that there isn’t value at the moment. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Stepping in to this debate that we appear to not need healthy squad depth.. Continuing with the formation we have largely used this season, we have the following players to select from outside our strongest XI: Heaton Elmo Engels Hause Taylor Nakamba Sanson* Trezeguet Ramsey El Ghazi Davis (Wesley) Apart from Sanson* (who has only just joined us), How many of those players do we feel confident in turning towards to bring on and change a game or see a game out? If we qualify for a European competition, how many of these players would you field? They may all individually have good games when any of them are playing in amongst the first 11 on the odd occasion, but as a whole I feel we can improve on these players over the next 2 seasons. Replacing them with atleast as good as what we already have in the first XI, or better! is the scenario we're most likely heading towards and I am not against it. Qualifying for Europe will ensure the type of player we do bring in will go up a grade. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 10 minutes ago, nick76 said: For me, it’s risking an European place. You're going to get slaughtered for suggesting it is in grasp, and that we should try our best to take advantage while the iron is hot, and that there are fine margins in gaining extra points and places. You're either with us or against us. Lol That bein said, I think we could do it without a signing as long as we stay fit. We are not overly reliant on our striker for goals. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Minutes so far this season, we have 9 players who have played close to 90 minutes in every game they've been available which is perhaps not ideal. But we also have a young squad who are likely well equipped to handle it and you can't argue with the results. Sanson coming in will ease the load going forward but if we are to push on next season we will need to create a better squad with more options. Can't expect the starting 11 to carry such a heavy burden without risking a MON situation going into the final stretch of the season. PLAYER POSITION APPS DECISIVE FIRST CONT SPREAD H/A SPLIT AVG RATING Emiliano Martínez GK 19 1710 0 0 0 0% - 6.9 89 Ollie Watkins S (C) 19 1710 8 1 3 32% 5:3 6.9 84 Jack Grealish AM (LC) 19 1708 6 1 1 53% 3:3 7.7 97 Matt Targett D, M (L) 19 1695 0 0 0 5% - 6.6 81 John McGinn M, DM (C) 18 1620 1 1 0 17% 1:0 6.7 75 Douglas Luiz M, DM (C) 18 1586 0 0 0 11% - 6.7 75 Matty Cash D (R) 18 1585 0 0 0 11% - 6.7 81 Tyrone Mings D (C) 18 1575 2 0 0 18% 1:1 6.5 82 Ezri Konsa D (CR) 16 (1) 1485 2 1 1 13% 2:0 6.4 80 Bertrand Traoré AM, W (R) 11 (6) 933 4 1 1 45% 2:2 6.5 74 Ross Barkley M, AM (C) 10 (2) 816 3 2 2 44% 1:2 6.8 82 Trezeguet AM (RL) 8 (3) 738 0 0 0 11% - 6.6 75 Anwar El Ghazi W (R), AM (L) 5 (7) 520 5 3 2 67% 1:4 6.8 75 Kortney Hause D (CL) 4 360 1 0 0 25% 1:0 7.0 74 Conor Hourihane M, DM (C) 3 (1) 227 1 0 0 33% 0:1 7.1 76 Marvelous Nakamba M, DM (C) 2 (4) 193 0 0 0 0% - 7.0 68 Jacob Ramsey M, AM (C) 1 (6) 147 0 0 0 0% - 5.6 N/A Ahmed El Mohamady D (R) 1 (4) 129 0 0 0 0% - 6.7 69 Keinan Davis S (C) 0 (5) 48 0 0 0 - - 6.0 63 Neil Taylor D (L) 0 (1) 15 0 0 0 - - - 64 https://www.footballcritic.com/premier-league/season-2020-2021/player-stats/all/decisive/minutes-played/2/41756 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Silvers Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 8 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said: Stepping in to this debate that we appear to not need healthy squad depth.. Continuing with the formation we have largely used this season, we have the following players to select from outside our strongest XI: Heaton Elmo Engels Hause Taylor Nakamba Sanson* Trezeguet Ramsey El Ghazi Davis (Wesley) Apart from Sanson* (who has only just joined us), How many of those players do we feel confident in turning towards to bring on and change a game or see a game out? If we qualify for a European competition, how many of these players would you field? They may all individually have good games when any of them are playing in amongst the first 11 on the odd occasion, but as a whole I feel we can improve on these players over the next 2 seasons. Replacing them with atleast as good as what we already have in the first XI, or better! is the scenario we're most likely heading towards and I am not against it. Qualifying for Europe will ensure the type of player we do bring in will go up a grade. Don't think any could change a game to be honest and Dean picks who he picks because they are significantly better, that said when we get to 85 minutes leading 1-0 against a team very much on top, I think fresh legs and for just breaking play up and stop starting, I'm making 3 subs every time. Unless there is a very good player available for the right price right now, O think we have to wait for the summer and I'd be surprised if we weren't very busy again, especially if we do the unbelievable and finish in the euro spots. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 37 minutes ago, mikeyjavfc said: People keep asking what would happen if Watkins gets injured now. It would clearly derail our season to some degree (look at Wolves) but we would certainly have enough to avoid relegation now, so would it really matter (beyond being frustrating)? Clearly the club have weighed up the cost of another striker vs risk of an injury to Watkins and decided the loss of form that would follow an injury would be acceptable this year. Doubt the fans would ever agree with this stance, but we do not see the finances behind the scenes. I think it is probably a case that there is no value in the January market so it is not worth spunking our FFP allowance at this stage when we are so comfortable in the league this year. I don’t think the club wants to spend money on temporary solutions any more. I would expect a proper striker cover signing in summer. Well if it costs us from coming about 8-9th to about 13-14th then based on last season that would be about £10 million lost in revenue straight off the bat. Looks like Sky will be flogging a dead horse on Monday as nothing is going to happen. Kind of apt as we are in Lockdown 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 12 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said: We are not overly reliant on our striker for goals. But for me we are reliant on Watkins being the focal point and we don’t have somebody else who could do that role and that allows others to do what they do. Without that I think we won’t be as effective but if he stays fit and avoids suspensions then great but for me that’s a risk. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 22 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said: You're going to get slaughtered for suggesting it is in grasp, and that we should try our best to take advantage while the iron is hot, and that there are fine margins in gaining extra points and places. Haha, I think top ten would be phenomenal season for us I really would. As for European places, just such a strange season for results and teams getting mix of results. Spurs losing Kane and Bale being ineffective, Arsenal are just bang average, Chelsea could be anything under new management, Everton are having wobbles and we are the same. If we could go on a run then who knows and we know we have it in our kit bag to go on a run. Who knows! At least relegation if off the table. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 2 minutes ago, nick76 said: Haha, I think top ten would be phenomenal season for us I really would. As for European places, just such a strange season for results and teams getting mix of results. Spurs losing Kane and Bale being ineffective, Arsenal are just bang average, Chelsea could be anything under new management, Everton are having wobbles and we are the same. If we could go on a run then who knows and we know we have it in our kit bag to go on a run. Who knows! At least relegation if off the table. I think this season could very well go down to the wire from 10th place upwards. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotoMkali Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 41 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said: Stepping in to this debate that we appear to not need healthy squad depth.. Continuing with the formation we have largely used this season, we have the following players to select from outside our strongest XI: Heaton Elmo Engels Hause Taylor Nakamba Sanson* Trezeguet Ramsey El Ghazi Davis (Wesley) Apart from Sanson* (who has only just joined us), How many of those players do we feel confident in turning towards to bring on and change a game or see a game out? If we qualify for a European competition, how many of these players would you field? They may all individually have good games when any of them are playing in amongst the first 11 on the odd occasion, but as a whole I feel we can improve on these players over the next 2 seasons. Replacing them with atleast as good as what we already have in the first XI, or better! is the scenario we're most likely heading towards and I am not against it. Qualifying for Europe will ensure the type of player we do bring in will go up a grade. I'm confident in 7 (once wesley is back) of them. 8 if you add engels staying fit but that is unlikely. We don't have man City or Liverpool depth but we don't need it. We have better depth than 15 teams in this league. We could probably do with another striker but once wesley is back that will probably be redundant. El Ghazi and Trez have both been important parts of victory this season. Nakamba has some of the best defensive stats in the league. Ramsey has potential and seems to get better very time he plays. Elmo is an experienced head (I'd prefer guilbert but oh well), Heaton is a good keeper and Steer is even better imo. Hause showed he had the quality against Chelsea. I'm confident in sanson. My only concerns are Taylor, Davis Engels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazmonkey Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I believe top 10 is achievable and if someone said at the start would you take it id snap their hand off. However, we are in a really great position to make top 8 even Europe and we should grasp the opportunity...not let it go and say well we finished 10th thats an improvement. Higher in league = more money = more attractive to players = more likely to keep Jack. Last nights game and burnley highlighted acouple of flaws that may prevent this. 1. Burnout of players, Smith's reluctance to change it up when we we are getting battered. Slow the play the down a bit...relax...reorganisation of the defence. 2. Defensive problems from last year. Now it could be down to tiredness....or just quite good enough. At the start of the year we were more organised. Lately the defending has been caototic, all over the shop...full backs at centre half....centre halves retreating to 6 yard box...midfielders in the box....under 10 stuff. There were 8 villa players in the 6 yard box when Wood scored for Burnley and last night it was the same...ok they didn't score ...bodies everywhere...no out let as midfielders are too deep. Get this right...rotate a bit more when needed and we won't keep holding on or losing games like we have recently. Europe is possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I get the want for a striker, but the issue is top players don't come to teams like us to be back up. Watkins was too expensive and is too important to how we play to be rotated. He's our number 1 striker and we need stronger depth but it's tough. Outside the top usual 5 or 6 clubs, not many have quality back up forwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulberto21 Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 6 minutes ago, DCJonah said: I get the want for a striker, but the issue is top players don't come to teams like us to be back up. Watkins was too expensive and is too important to how we play to be rotated. He's our number 1 striker and we need stronger depth but it's tough. Outside the top usual 5 or 6 clubs, not many have quality back up forwards. Agreed It's usually an ageing experienced pro or a young left field striker that would come to us. Very unlikely that we're going to get anyone in anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 3 minutes ago, Sulberto21 said: Agreed It's usually an ageing experienced pro or a young left field striker that would come to us. Very unlikely that we're going to get anyone in anyway. I think we'll give Wesley a chance and know that Barry will probably be pushing more next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 2 hours ago, nick76 said: But for me we are reliant on Watkins being the focal point and we don’t have somebody else who could do that role and that allows others to do what they do. Without that I think we won’t be as effective but if he stays fit and avoids suspensions then great but for me that’s a risk. Watkins is so good at drifting around and creating space. I wouldn't say his hold up play is top notch yet but it's early days. The problem with him out for a few games and as it stands Davis having to start is we know Davis can't score and while his hold up is probably slightly better than Ollie's the play would be more static as he wouldn't be moving as much from left to right and pulling back 4s around, it would be all more central and condensed. I'd still love a different type of striker in the squad, that Bent type box player we could throw on in games that are 1-1 with 15 minutes left and which we're swinging in loads of crosses but looks like we'll have to wait until the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 If Watkins gets injured then we would be entirely reliant on our midfield to keep scoring or we will not win games. It's as simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Milot Rashica 'in talks' over late move after Aston Villa transfer claims - Birmingham Live (birminghammail.co.uk) Quote Milot Rashica 'in talks' over late move after Aston Villa transfer claims But the Kosovo international could be on the move imminently, with Sky in Germany reporting Hertha Berlin have opened talks over a loan deal for him. How do they get away with this shit - Birmingham Live? Pretty sure you know how I initially read this when I saw it pop up in the Newsnow feed ffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaVilla Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) 2 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said: Milot Rashica 'in talks' over late move after Aston Villa transfer claims - Birmingham Live (birminghammail.co.uk) How do they get away with this shit - Birmingham Live? Pretty sure you know how I initially read this when I saw it pop up in the Newsnow feed ffs. Personally, however good their story titles look (alongside the clear bait crap), on principle i never click on a Birmingham Mail/Live story now.....ever. Completely trash rag, if i were heading up that rag i would be embarrassed, 95% of their "journo's" should be too. Edited January 31, 2021 by MaVilla 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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