Summer transfer window 2021

[Dave-R]

3 hours ago, TRO said:

I think your point about Ollie is right Dave, no issue with his off the ball work.....but the 2 wingers on a given day , don't do much in terms of stopping the opposition....that leaves midfield.

Emi B might make a difference, I will have to see.

I still think Midfield lacks a general.

Yes indeed it does lack a general. Don't get me wrong it's nice Jack is captain buthes not vocal enough to his players, Ming's is alot more Vocal to his area he commands. The only the we really see Grealish being vocal is mouthing off at player or refs lol. Because he spends the game being picked on and he's voicing his concerns about that it's really tough for him to be a captain as well I think. We need an organiser in midfield, someone like Ming's who can organise and strategies.

[WallisFrizz]

2 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

Yes indeed it does lack a general. Don't get me wrong it's nice Jack is captain buthes not vocal enough to his players, Ming's is alot more Vocal to his area he commands. The only the we really see Grealish being vocal is mouthing off at player or refs lol. Because he spends the game being picked on and he's voicing his concerns about that it's really tough for him to be a captain as well I think. We need an organiser in midfield, someone like Ming's who can organise and strategies.

I think Mings and Grealish compliment each other really well in the Captains role. Jack is exceptional, gives everything and you can tell how much they all look up to him. We all know Mings strengths. They seem to have a mutual respect for each other as well.

The midfield situation depresses me because it was so obviously our weakest area last season. I’d hoped we’d be inundated with midfield links this window but apparently not. I honestly don’t know how they can ignore it (maybe they’re not ).

[MaVilla]

Another thing i found interesting on WhoScored, is attacking area's.

We attacked down the left side 44% of the time (joint first with Palace - Zaha), we attacked down the middle 24% of the time which was Joint 14th (14th to 17th all had 24%), and down the right side 31% of the time, which was the lowest in the league (next lowest was 33%).

Shows how little we favoured Traore as an outlet.

 

Also, in terms of action zones, 41% of our action zone was our middle third, which is the joint lowest in the League with leeds.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2021 by MaVilla

[TRO]

51 minutes ago, sne said:

Southgate who played with Rice and Phillips but still could not control the midfield?

They did, until they came across a team whose players had world class ball control, drive, workrate, tenacity.....so generally they did control midfield.

Rice and Phillips did a good job, until they came up against better, players.

Those Italians were immense in the middle, we could not get the ball off them and they won the centre ground initiative.

Do you not see how often we (Villa)lose ball through forced and unforced errors?....Look, I don't want to labour the point, but if you can't see it.....thats ok.

we could sign a top CDM according to me and still be negated by a better opposition one on an occasion......that is not the point.

Edited July 26, 2021 by TRO

[sne]

Well both Grealish and Buendia can play through the middle and if we continue with the same formation we did last season and either of them is central that means that the 3rd spot in the team is currently held by either Traore or El Ghazi and I would certainly want an upgrade on that.

And since we have been comparing to the top clubs and the players they have Man C currently has Sterling, Foden, de Bruine, Silva, Torres and Mahrez who can play in the wide roles. And they are linked to Grealish and have signed 2 young South American wingers in Sarimento and Kayky. Obviously they and the other top teams play much more games a season than we do.

Obviously we also have other holes in the squad to fill. That the media and twitter are mostly focusing of attacking targets doesn't mean the club isn't also working on other areas. 

[Kiwivillan]

8 minutes ago, PieFacE said:

Whilst this stat in isolation doesn't look great, it doesn't really go into enough detail for it to really mean anything. For example, it doesn't state where on the pitch the shots are coming from. We could be setup defensively to allow the opposition to shoot from far out and to trust either the centre backs to block the shot or for Emi to save it. When changing the view of the defensive stats to 'Rating' we're 3rd best in the league. Though, i'm unsure how the rating is measured. 

Just did quick tally and we conceded 27 of 46 goals in the 17 games Barkley played significant minutes. Would take me a bit longer but would like to see shots conceded in those 17 vs our average for the season

[TRO]

7 minutes ago, WallisFrizz said:

I think Mings and Grealish compliment each other really well in the Captains role. Jack is exceptional, gives everything and you can tell how much they all look up to him. We all know Mings strengths. They seem to have a mutual respect for each other as well.

The midfield situation depresses me because it was so obviously our weakest area last season. I’d hoped we’d be inundated with midfield links this window but apparently not. I honestly don’t know how they can ignore it (maybe they’re not ).

Frustration is the word, I feel.

but the rest is my feelings entirely.....obvious to me and you, but not so obvious, i would hasten to add.

[alreadyexists]

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2021 by alreadyexists

[Jas10]

[sne]

8 minutes ago, TRO said:

They did, until they came across a team whose players had world class ball control, drive, workrate, tenacity.....so generally they did control midfield.

Rice and Phillips did a good job, until they came up against better, players.

Those Italians were immense in the middle, we could not get the ball off them and they won the centre ground initiative.

Do you not see how often we (Villa)lose ball through forced and unforced errors?....Look, I don't want to labour the point, but if you can't see it.....thats ok.

we could sign a top CDM according to me and still be negated by a better one on an occasion......that is not the point.

I can see it but we disagree on the main cause of why it's happening. We see football in a fundamentally different way in every aspect of the game.

Of course a specialized DCM would improve us in some aspects, but unless we get someone very, very good it is likely we would lose something in other aspects. And those players are likely not interested to come here yet or even financially possible yet. Mentioned tons of times that I'd liked us to get Soumaré, Kamara or Tchouameni for example, but these guys are still young and would need time. 

Edited July 26, 2021 by sne

[Dave-R]

3 hours ago, Jas10 said:

 

I don’t disagree with better forward players also helping out, but TRO always has a point when referring to that central midfield…

We saw again, later on in the season, how easily outmuscled and overpowered it can be. Our midfielders all seem a bit slight, small and lightweight. They have their qualities and when we are on it as a team, we press well and can be quite tenacious.

When it worked, it wasn’t just against Liverpool. I thought we were flying at the start of the season, everyone stepped up. We destroyed Arsenal and went toe to toe with Leicester too, at their place, and won the game in the end (cracking goal by Ross). We looked good against other “big” teams too such as Chelsea and Manure…

Until the Covid outbreak, we looked one hell of a team (let’s not forget that, it was really quite pleasurable at times A massive change and upturn after our “skin of the teeth” survival).

What I think is, each player was performing well within their assigned role. Ross was the CAM, even the SS at times, and making a major contribution. Linking up wonderfully with Jack and Watkins, even Targett at times. Working hard and giving us attacking strength and power. That long range shooting is a great weapon to have too or late runs into the box…

Doug & McGinn had to be extra disciplined. McGinn in particular wasn’t given as much license to roam and get forward so often (still occasionally did and contributed) but the attacking onus was on Ross and for him to help out our forwards… 

Doug was getting support and not being outnumbered at DM… the defence was getting some protection…

Unfortunately, after the Covid outbreak within the club/team, our momentum was halted…

Admittedly, we looked wonderful in that first half against Burnley… but that was the LAST TIME we saw THAT team…

Jack got injured, Ross got injured.

Upon his return, Ross was absolutely useless and couldn’t regain any semblance of form. So maybe McGinn’s thinking was, I better get up there and help out. Leaving Doug outnumbered, overpowered and outmuscled…

And we were forced to play a kid in Ramsey who displayed no outstanding attributes. Just for energy and legs…

McGinn’s form went off a cliff too. Slow, sloppy, sluggish, loose and careless in possession.

Ollie had barely any service but his relentless attitude, determination and workrate got him a few goals. Eg, dispossessing Holgate to score against Everton.

Jack returned, we played Nakamba who was fresher and better at tackled and interceptions than Doug (who was probably burnt out by now) and we finished the season well…

Ross, nowhere to be seen. Farewell…

 

So… hopefully it will be a much different story this season. The Covid season was crazy, hopefully things will be much more settled this time around…

The difference between last season's first half and second half was no doubt we were getters of the ball, fast responsive, pacey, unpredictive, fast thought process. We seemed to just go do it without to much thinking on things and it seemed to be natural and then the C scare came along. We come back looked sluggish, slow, passing was half assed and we thought to much on moves and it costs us, same as how passive we were on intercepting. We could actually get to the opposition final third have the ball removed from us and end up within one minute of play and all in one motion back at out box and in full retreat that's how bad it was mate. Smith seemed to eventually figure all this out and he started to have us play again like we did first half of the season. Smith must of gone looked at some earlier tapes and see that we were being way to passive aggressive and we were, we simply had no fight to take the ball off of the opponents. I remember one game shortly after Covid scare and I forgot who we played or who the pundits were, but the pundits were going berserk because of how much we just wouldn't go to take the ball off the opponents or wouldn't even try. Problem with being like that is you may pick up few cards but you are easily breached in all directions and allow the opponents to venture where they like untill you are backed up in defence. I also believe playing to passive aggressive and letting opponents get to you like we did does set your mentality up in the game and your more likely to let in leaks. Imagine being passive all game and the only place you defend in in your box, then that passive mentality creeps in also because you eventually forget to defend at all, it happened to us a few times in second half of season.

We just have to shut the ball down from moving and if you let opposition just get to your box thats your team not makeing it tough for opposition to move. You end up with inviting all sorts of dangers and I'm glad Smith before last season finished actually stopped us playing like that.

 

[alreadyexists]

Just now, Jas10 said:

 

[TRO]

12 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

Another thing i found interesting on WhoScored, is attacking area's.

We attacked down the left side 44% of the time (joint first with Palace - Zaha), we attacked down the middle 24% of the time which was Joint 14th (14th to 17th all had 24%), and down the right side 31% of the time, which was the lowest in the league (next lowest was 33%).

Shows how little we favoured Traore as an outlet.

 

Also, in terms of action zones, 41% of our action zone was our middle third, which is the joint lowest in the League with leeds.

 

 

you only have to return to the Southampton game at home....where they just poured forward and we had no answer until we just fouled them to get the ball and the rest is History.....Ward-Prowse and Romeu, just controlled the middle. until we was 0-4 down, it was pants...just one game to highlight the issue.

[Dave-R]

3 minutes ago, alreadyexists said:

 

 

 

I hope your right or I'll send the death ray to you

See

[alreadyexists]

3 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

I hope your right or I'll send the death ray to you

See

The Jedi’s are going to feel this one

[TRO]

5 minutes ago, sne said:

I can see it but we disagree on the main cause of why it's happening. We see football in a fundamentally different way in every aspect of the game.

Of course a specialized DCM would improve us in some aspects, but unless we get someone very, very good it is likely we would lose something in other aspects. And those players are likely not interested to come here yet or even financially possible yet. Mentioned tons of times that I'd liked us to get Soumaré, Kamara or Tchouameni for example, but these guys are still young and would need time. 

Thats ok to disagree, we might both learn something.

If we are to improve, its likely that the players we pursue are going to have to be very,very good....but other clubs similar to ours do get them.

We finished 11th in arguably the most sought after league in Europe our owners have financial wherewithal, we are ambitious.....The top 6 can't sign everybody.

Leicester are a provincial club, no disrespect to them, but they sign quality players, sure they ahead of us in terms of development, but they have been like this for some time, hence why they have moved forward.

I don't know all the best players in Europe, but we should be mixing it with the ambitious clubs like West Ham and Leicester. We did it with Buendia, we need a few more in alternative positions.

[Dave-R]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

You make a point , I am not dismissing Dave....its valid alright.

I just don't think its enough...on its own.

Keeping the ball is great and an important feature, but when we lose it, my concern is we get it back, too deep, we concede too much territory...we then have to travel too far to strike, back.

an example was Italy's goal, where we(England) retreated and retreated and they got a corner, chaos and confusion reigned and the 2 centre backs got the goal.....Burnley, West Ham just the same for us.

We cannot keep defending that deep and expect European football....we have to dominate the ball earlier on the pitch,i.e midfield.

Yes we have to be better at getting the ball back I totally agree my friend. Holding onto the ball is one thing but if when you lose it you can't get it back then what's the point. Like first half of last season we were ace at this but second half we just slowed down to secondary school intercepting, I think we was doing to much thinking on the ball the second half instead of just go go and go.

As much as I love Grealish at times he doesn't help, when we have a fast counter going on he slows things up but we need speed. Much is the same where we take the ball from opposition and were to slow, were waiting on players for support instead of everyone pouncing and moving as fast as they can. Intercepting to countering is a rapid response game and we showed two sides last season, one where we was on the ball on at it and was kick ass and the other wehere we was predictable, slow and easy to intercept off.

We have a young side, one that can go get the ball,we should be focusing on speed and drilling in intercepting and causing frustration, that's where the game I fear will be won this coming season. We have to be speed demons and if we can't efend as half as good as we did last and counter with speed, control and retain the ball but go rapidly if needed to retake the ball, we should be in a very good spot come end of the season.

We just need the right type of players and depth and quality and every position needs an extra one or two quality players to go make a challenge for as near top as we can.

Bailey would be perfect signings and my no 1 choice because he can be fit in as Centre Forward if Watkins does get injured. Having Bailey in as RW or LW gives options and speed. However if we don't get him, I keep thinking McNeil and Pereira in a team with Grealish, Watkins and Buendia, rapid side that and have Nakamba as CDM because he can speed also.

[TRO]

4 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

Yes we have to be better at getting the ball back I totally agree my friend. Holding onto the ball is one thing but if when you lose it you can't get it back then what's the point. Like first half of last season we were ace at this but second half we just slowed down to secondary school intercepting, I think we was doing to much thinking on the ball the second half instead of just go go and go.

As much as I love Grealish at times he doesn't help, when we have a fast counter going on he slows things up but we need speed. Much is the same where we take the ball from opposition and were to slow, were waiting on players for support instead of everyone pouncing and moving as fast as they can. Intercepting to countering is a rapid response game and we showed two sides last season, one where we was on the ball on at it and was kick ass and the other wehere we was predictable, slow and easy to intercept off.

We have a young side, one that can go get the ball,we should be focusing on speed and drilling in intercepting and causing frustration, that's where the game I fear will be won this coming season. We have to be speed demons and if we can't efend as half as good as we did last and counter with speed, control and retain the ball but go rapidly if needed to retake the ball, we should be in a very good spot come end of the season.

We just need the right type of players and depth and quality and every position needs an extra one or two quality players to go make a challenge for as near top as we can.

Bailey would be perfect signings and my no 1 choice because he can be fit in as Centre Forward if Watkins does get injured. Having Bailey in as RW or LW gives options and speed. However if we don't get him, I keep thinking McNeil and Pereira in a team with Grealish, Watkins and Buendia, rapid side that and have Nakamba as CDM because he can speed also.

such is Jacks overall ability, its hard to pin point these things, but you are right, he can slow things down at times, to our detriment....but he offers us so much more.

but I wouldn't swap him for anybody.

[Philosopher]

2 hours ago, thabucks said:

Very good point well made. Just watch Barca and Messi - they press from the front in swarms and try and get the ball back …. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/barcauniversal.com/barcelonas-pressing-intensity-over-the-years/amp/

Not sure how Bailey and Traore fit though into this system of high press … Suppose tracking back can be taught and worked on . 

I agree in regards to Bailey and Traore.

Just to point out tracking back is not the same as pressing. Tracking back is following the runs made by the fullback (in this case) they're up against. Pressing is pressuring the player with the ball. It's a real art to be able to effectively press high and track back, as they're somewhat counter intuitive. Takes great teamwork and organisation, as well and discipline and defensive awareness. To do one only takes effort, to do both is almost an art in itself.

[Amsterdam_Neil_D]

3 minutes ago, TRO said:

, he can slow things down at times

It creates space for others when he does this.  Opposition have to go to him,  sometimes more than one.