nick76 Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 1 minute ago, foreveryoung said: We will coast to midtable, which is how we are playing, so you and a few will be happy then. Attaining 50+points in the PL can never be considered coasting but on the journey we are going would be acceptable. Of course I would like that European football but I’m not convinced we have the squad yet to get that place. We are battling against some heavily invested clubs. The top five are huge and some of the group behind will take time to break. They have many seasons of major investment, we have tried to catch up quickly in the last few summers but we need more time as we are still short compared to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 4 minutes ago, foreveryoung said: We will coast to midtable, which is how we are playing, so you and a few will be happy then. That's good isn't it? Isn't that why people follow football, for enjoyment and happiness? If it makes you miserable find something else to do. Life's too short 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indigo Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 40 minutes ago, villa4europe said: Its like a broken record, some people can't or won't see it, the majority of PL squads cost a lot of money, Leeds aside the teams above us last season all cost more, in most cases a hell of a lot more, arsenal for example who we apparently have to finish above this season put out a £500m team in their last game, including 5 £50m+ players This really is such an important point if spending is going to be such a deciding factor for people in terms of where we "should" be. Context is key and when considered you see how much of a mountain it is to overtake these sides, even when they're flagging as Arsenal and Spurs have, the head start they've had is absolutely enormous. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfc1982am Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 (edited) Personally I think Smith is in a catch 22 position in his thoughts. Stick with the 433 and have a lighter central midfield. Or 352 push your FB's into a more centrally wide position, tightening the centre and allowing the 2nd striker to be adopted. The problem is, we are easily exposed from wider areas under a 352. Centrally we are better but we've lost creativity and wide cover. Neither Traore or Ghazi getting a real sniff is a big loss imo as they were both responsible for a large chunk of our creativity and goals last season. I don't see Ings and Watkins working in the current format and I think Watkins is the more unsettled and restricted in this new role. I'd like to see Smith go back to the formation the players are used too in the 433. Even if it means sitting one of Ings or Watkins on the bench. We have better players to switch, more pace and and more settled squad. We need to utilise it. Playing continually with 3 CBs is stifling us especially at home and we are leaking goals that we shouldn't be. And as I have said before, I also think Cash and Targett will be f***ed by the new year if we continue this way at home and away. Edited October 17, 2021 by avfc1982am 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 35 minutes ago, foreveryoung said: We will coast to midtable, which is how we are playing, so you and a few will be happy then. Another midtable finish after having lost Grealish would be an acceptable accomplishment IMO. We are rebuilding the team on the go. We will have bumps in the road. Consolidate our position and push on from there. If we challenge for 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th, great. If we end up in 11th place again, it won't be thrilling but it could be so much worse. Renember?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 (edited) 9 minutes ago, TRO said: Thanks. But I have to say, I would not get rid of Dougie, I would play him in a more advanced role You can see the difference with West Ham. Rice and Soucek are so solid. We play them next at home as well. Edited October 17, 2021 by PaulC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 1 hour ago, foreveryoung said: I'm not sure of that. I think there expectations are higher than most on here, as I don't think they would have invested so much money. I doubt they will spend 100 million a season to stay still, they will want a return on the investment sooner rather than later, we are not owned by oil. I don't know the precise figures. But considering we crash landed in the prem with virtually nothing once the loans had gone. We've spent approx £200m since then. I'm grateful for that investment and the millions they pump in each month to keep us afloat However that expenditure doesn't scream of a club hell bent on getting Europe imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 5 minutes ago, hippo said: I don't know the precise figures. But considering we crash landed in the prem with virtually nothing once the loans had gone. We've spent approx £200m since then. I'm grateful for that investment and the millions they pump in each month to keep us afloat However that expenditure doesn't scream of a club hell bent on getting Europe imo. When you view what we're doing and the investments in the academy kids, you can see its a long term plan. There's no impending disaster if we don't qualify for Europe this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 26 minutes ago, TRO said: Thanks. But I have to say, I would not get rid of Dougie, I would play him in a more advanced role Agreed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwi1890 Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 10 minutes ago, villalad21 said: Just guess work here and I might be wrong but I think the owners aim was. Season 1: Survive Season 2: Establish ourselves midtable Season 3: Challenging for Europe It sounds like very rapid progress agreed but you can't ignore the 300 million spend No we cannot as it was necessary to establish ourselves as a premier league club, your beloved Leeds spent £95m last season and £60m this season , given they are a year behind us coming to the PL our net spend is only £10m higher that’s their 2 season spend vs our 3 season spend. they are also managed by the messiah and currently looking like relegation candidates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 Just now, gwi1890 said: No we cannot as it was necessary to establish ourselves as a premier league club, your beloved Leeds spent £95m last season and £60m this season , given they are a year behind us coming to the PL our net spend is only £10m higher that’s their 2 season spend vs our 3 season spend. they are also managed by the messiah and currently looking like relegation candidates. Funny how the comparisons to Leeds and Biesla have gone quiet. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picicata Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 2 hours ago, The Fun Factory said: Looking back on Purslow's comments after Grealish was sold I am getting a faint whiff of bullshit. How can Bailey, Ings and Buendia fit into the side together? Should Buendia be played out wide? Can Ings be used properly with Watkins? Were these the genuine players we lined up after we knew Jack was off, or just players on the shortlist who were available? Recruitment is critical, and how they will fit together in a team. We got in wrong in 2019, right in 2020, and the jury is still out for 2021. Easy. 433 with Bailey left, Buendia right leaving the decision to play Watkins or Ings up top as form dictates. I maintain that 352 is not for us and sucks balls. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_avfc Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 (edited) 5 minutes ago, DCJonah said: Funny how the comparisons to Leeds and Biesla have gone quiet. It’s Potter who is flavour of the month now. Could be Vieira or whoever can put a 3 game winning run together next. The rule is that you always compare Dean Smith to whichever manager is having a purple patch at any time regardless of any context. Personally I’d stick with the plan that seems to be working so far. If we finish mid table without Grealish it wouldn’t convince me that we’re not progressing as a club. Edited October 17, 2021 by tom_avfc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 28 minutes ago, DCJonah said: When you view what we're doing and the investments in the academy kids, you can see its a long term plan. There's no impending disaster if we don't qualify for Europe this season. Agreed. This season was always going to a struggle (ish) after loosing Jack. I do hope the academy kids are used to supplement what we acquire in the transfer market and not instead of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villa87 Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 6 hours ago, Jas10 said: Sick to death of back 5. Relying on Cash and Targett to create - so limited and poor. Look like Stoke when we can’t create and start relying on long throws. The back 4 was fine and working well, Mings and Konsa working well together. Our captain has lost his discipline in this back 5. Tuanzebe dross, Hause inconsistent and unreliable, poor on the ball. We don’t need to play with 5 bloody defenders. All because we want to shoehorn in two CFs who don’t work well together. Damaging us. Stop messing around and experimenting, return to a back 4 and allow our best players such as Buendia & Bailey (absolutely key for us and need to play regularly) to create and attack. I’d rather play Traore with them than continue to force Ollie & Ings to play together. They hinder each other. I know we’ve had injuries and absences but I still don’t see an excuse or validation for this formation. We’ve gone backwards. Ramsey’s place is on the bench. Still pissed off after yday, we were poor against Spurs too. Exactly by thoughts. Well said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 1 minute ago, hippo said: Agreed. This season was always going to a struggle (ish) after loosing Jack. I do hope the academy kids are used to supplement what we acquire in the transfer market and not instead of it. I think they will. A lot of them are still years away from potential regular first team players. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Griffin Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 2 hours ago, TRO said: The fact remains is......We are very good at certain things......and bloody poor at others. And to make matters worse we are inconsistent with both the good things and the poor things. It is really pissing me off these days that I have no idea which Villa team will show up each game. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 When did players signalling they want to come off become a thing ? I wonder if players ever signalled to Ron Saunders or Brian Clough that they wanted to be subbed ? In the 70s same 11players , played 3 times a week ! I despair at the modern game at times ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 I'd be very surprised if we play 3 at the back Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picicata Posted October 17, 2021 Share Posted October 17, 2021 6 hours ago, Jas10 said: Sick to death of back 5. Relying on Cash and Targett to create - so limited and poor. Look like Stoke when we can’t create and start relying on long throws. The back 4 was fine and working well, Mings and Konsa working well together. Our captain has lost his discipline in this back 5. Tuanzebe dross, Hause inconsistent and unreliable, poor on the ball. We don’t need to play with 5 bloody defenders. All because we want to shoehorn in two CFs who don’t work well together. Damaging us. Stop messing around and experimenting, return to a back 4 and allow our best players such as Buendia & Bailey (absolutely key for us and need to play regularly) to create and attack. I’d rather play Traore with them than continue to force Ollie & Ings to play together. They hinder each other. I know we’ve had injuries and absences but I still don’t see an excuse or validation for this formation. We’ve gone backwards. Ramsey’s place is on the bench. Still pissed off after yday, we were poor against Spurs too. Exactly this. Dean needs to find the chutzpah to move one of either Ings or Watkins to the bench 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts