Emiliano Buendía

[Wezbid]

If people want to crack one off to his passing % then stick him in Nakamba's position and have him passing back and forth with Konsa, Mings and Dougie. 

Or we can accept a lower % further up the field trying passes that will split defences and create chances. 

Edited December 6, 2021 by Wezbid

[Paul33]

His main failing for me is his lack of pace and sharpness which is not something I recognise from his Norwich days. No doubting his skills but without the pace and sharpness, you'll get nailed by the opposition before you can put it to good use. Whenever he tries to make the big transitional runs that so typified his Norwich days, it looks like he is running in sand and I have no idea why that is.

He has been better in the last couple of games but really, to my eyes, he has just been mediocre as opposed to embarrassingly awful which I guess is an improvement but is still way short of where he needs to be.  

Strangely, I see similar issues with Grealish who this time last year had the skills AND the blistering pace and sharpness to race away from players he had just beaten whereas after Shin Splints Mk2 and since arriving at Man City, he can't do it anymore and is also getting nailed due to lack of pace and sharpness. I genuinely believe Grealish is labouring from his injury so maybe that is the case with Emi too.

Edited December 6, 2021 by Paul33

[PieFacE]

I think Buendia is starting to look better but he just needs to be a bit more careful with some of his more ambitious passes in the final third. There's a time and place to try and them and when he seems to misplace a key pass we seems to get countered incredibly easy and we're wide open. This could be a fault of the rest of the team, I'm not sure. 

Fundamentally I have no issues with creative players trying to be creative even if it means losing the ball from time to time. But when it consistently leads to a chance for the opposition it becomes a problem. 

Edited December 6, 2021 by PieFacE

[Steero113]

My favourite player.

Works ridiculously hard.

He's a risk taker. Sure passes don't come off a lot of the time but its much better than watching sideways/backwards dross. Gerrard has set us up to protect behind him for that exact eventuality anyway. 

Don't underestimate the mental burden of such a massive price tag, he's improved game on game and will reach a ceiling far higher than any of our other creative players (except perhaps Chukwuemeka)

[Delphinho123]

15 minutes ago, PieFacE said:

I think Buendia is starting to look better but he just needs to be a bit more careful with some of his more ambitious passes in the final third. There's a time and place to try and them and when he seems to misplace a key pass we seems to get countered incredibly easy and we're wide open. This could be a fault of the rest of the team, I'm not sure. 

Fundamentally I have no issues with creative players trying to be creative even if it means losing the ball from time to time. But when it consistently leads to a chance for the opposition it becomes a problem. 

This is the frustrating part of his game. He'll give the ball away and we get exposed time and time again. 
He's the kind of player you want on the ball in and around the opponents box but not in the middle of the park. If I was Gerrard, I'd be telling him to play it simple until he's in a position where losing the ball won't hurt us as much. 

I'm his biggest critic on here, as you can probably tell by now, but he has shown glimpses and I'm holding onto the positive moments in the hope that long term he comes good. At £38m, we need him to be better than what he has been I'm afraid. 

[bobzy]

1 hour ago, Delphinho123 said:

This is the frustrating part of his game. He'll give the ball away and we get exposed time and time again. 
He's the kind of player you want on the ball in and around the opponents box but not in the middle of the park. If I was Gerrard, I'd be telling him to play it simple until he's in a position where losing the ball won't hurt us as much. 

I'm his biggest critic on here, as you can probably tell by now, but he has shown glimpses and I'm holding onto the positive moments in the hope that long term he comes good. At £38m, we need him to be better than what he has been I'm afraid. 

This shouldn't really happen, though, as he played as a wide forward.  If giving the ball away in that area exposes the team as a whole then we have much bigger issues than Buendia giving the ball away.

He's a high risk player.  The only one (from team yesterday) who runs with the ball.  When you're doing that, you're much more likely to lose possession - particularly as you'll be passing at pace, which is much harder to do (and where Grealish was incredible, FWIW).  We haven't seen his best yet, but he seems to be growing in confidence to me.  It's also worth noting he hasn't been pinned down to any particular position.  According to WhoScored, 5 apps as AMC, 3 as FWR, 2 as FWL, 1 as MR (and 3 sub).  So he's new to a squad and hasn't been given "a position".  That will slow progression down whilst adjusting.

I sort of agree with the £38m sentiment - but the only person who is mentioning is price tag is you.  I think somewhere earlier you said people "are wanting him to come good because of the price tag" whereas I think the opposite is true.  He perhaps isn't being afforded time to settle into the team properly because he cost so much.  The critics are more aware of the price than those affording him more time.

[avfc1982am]

Had a great game yesterday. Those mentioning the price tag can look at it 2 ways.....If your buying a/any AM type player at PL level and expecting the finished product for 38m, then they aren't elite, probably on the way down, or have issues. Similar to Barkley for instance. 40m appeared a good deal until we realised he was a lazy shite but until then most would've just paid the money. If you are spending 38m on a work in progress, and unfinished player and one with plenty of potential then 38m is probably about right. I think we spent 38m on a player whos value we expect to rise significantly over the next few years. I would rather have a player that takes time to settle, gradually getting better than a player who starts well and gradually gets worse. 

[sparrow1988]

2 hours ago, Wezbid said:

If people want to crack one off to his passing % then stick him in Nakamba's position and have him passing back and forth with Konsa, Mings and Dougie. 

Or we can accept a lower % further up the field trying passes that will split defences and create chances. 

I always find these the most satisfying ones to be honest. Does this mean that I have a problem?

[Indigo]

Just to add to the point of dispossessions almost being part of the territory when it comes to the position he plays in, the players in the top 10 this season for being the most guilty of it includes Salah, Mane, Zaha, Saint-Maximin, Sarr, Trossard, Jimenez, Antonio and so forth.

[WakefieldVillan]

I like him.

He has given the ball away way too much for my liking since he's been here. I think part due to fitness, part confidence and part trying too hard to impress.

Along with settling into a new city, a new club, with new team mates, a new manager (well, 2 new managers) I think he has done ok but will only get better.

Anyone with half a footballing brain can see that he has talent, whether it be picking a pass or a bit of trickery, he has shown glimpses of this and his work rate can't be faulted either IMO so I think it really bodes well moving forward with his Villa career. 

[TomC]

20 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

Judging by his stats in the division at Norwich, I genuinely thought we had someone of the same ilk as Jack (obviously not as good). 

 

7 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

This is the frustrating part of his game. He'll give the ball away and we get exposed time and time again. 
He's the kind of player you want on the ball in and around the opponents box but not in the middle of the park. If I was Gerrard, I'd be telling him to play it simple until he's in a position where losing the ball won't hurt us as much. 

I'm his biggest critic on here, as you can probably tell by now, but he has shown glimpses and I'm holding onto the positive moments in the hope that long term he comes good. At £38m, we need him to be better than what he has been I'm afraid. 

And I've been one of his biggest defenders, but I think that we agree to some extent...he's all about what he does in the final third, the killer ball, the cleverness to find a way through the defence. He is no Grealish bringing the ball forward (not to say that he can't dribble at all). A more forward position benefits him...not as a striker, but feeding others by playing in the hole, or cutting in from the wings. He's certainly no regista.

I don't think the club ever expected him to be a player of the same ilk as Grealish. I think Bailey was brought in to replace Jack's abilities carrying the ball through midfield, and Buendia to replace his abilities passing in the final third.

 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Rewatching the game 

You start to realise that alot of his " stray passes " seem to actually brilliant ideas which just aren't coming off with the precision he would like.

Hopefully that will come as the season progresses.

Also, gutting that he didn't get the goal really, very good header, Konsa barely touched it. Never changed the direction of it at all IMO.

Edited December 6, 2021 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[sparrow1988]

1 minute ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Researching the game 

You start to realise that alot of his " stray passes " are actually brilliant ideas which just aren't coming off with the precision he would like.

Hopefully that will come as the season progresses.

Also, gutting that he didn't get the goal really, very good header, Konsa barely touched it. Never changed the direction of it at all IMO.

This and some players not being on the same wavelength as him and not understanding what he is going to do. Ings always looked a bit more on his wavelength. It’ll come with time. 

[Dodgyknees]

Just now, sparrow1988 said:

This and some players not being on the same wavelength as him and not understanding what he is going to do. Ings always looked a bit more on his wavelength. It’ll come with time. 

Couldn’t agree more.

[useless]

He gave the ball away a few times and it wasn't just because he was playing difficult passes, sometimes he could have should have done better, but a lot of it was also down to how well Leicester were pressing, especially in the first half, they forced us into a lot of mistakes, sometimes have to give the opposition credit. But as well as giving the ball away a few times he also did a lot of good stuff, some of it none of our other players can do, especially his play in the build up to Ramsey's chance, he also works hard and covers a lot ground.

One thing I think we need is more goals from midfield and the wide attackers, as too reliant on Watkins and goals from set-pieces at the moment, hopefully that's something Buendia and a few of the others can improve on.

[Kiwivillan]

13 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Also, gutting that he didn't get the goal really, very good header, Konsa barely touched it. Never changed the direction of it at all IMO.

It was Sutton robbing Osbourne debut goal all over again

And it was going in off the post without the Konsa touch. Anyone saying otherwise is talking rubbish

Edited December 7, 2021 by Kiwivillan

[The Rosk]

22 hours ago, avfc1982am said:

Had a great game yesterday. Those mentioning the price tag can look at it 2 ways.....If your buying a/any AM type player at PL level and expecting the finished product for 38m, then they aren't elite, probably on the way down, or have issues. Similar to Barkley for instance. 40m appeared a good deal until we realised he was a lazy shite but until then most would've just paid the money. If you are spending 38m on a work in progress, and unfinished player and one with plenty of potential then 38m is probably about right. I think we spent 38m on a player whos value we expect to rise significantly over the next few years. I would rather have a player that takes time to settle, gradually getting better than a player who starts well and gradually gets worse. 

Couldn't agree more with this.  

Whether we like it or not, £38m doesn't buy you finished articles nowadays. 

James £25m, Konate £36m, Sancho £76m, Willock £25m, Gil £23m, Vlasic £35m - all came to their PL clubs at the same time - and even Super Jack who went for £100m is on the same G/A as Emi but with more games.

What I have seen is that Emi is going to be a real diamond for us.  The vast majority of players take time to get accustomed to a new club, particularly if you are the fulcrum of the attack - and when form comes, the love from the fans will rise, and he'll really enjoy playing in the shirt. right now I sense he's playing with some nerves but that will fade too.

[Stevo985]

15 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Also, gutting that he didn't get the goal really, very good header, Konsa barely touched it. Never changed the direction of it at all IMO.

I agree, but it's quite fitting that it was Konsa who did that, given what happened with his goal vs Watford where Mings got a slight touch.

[Vive_La_Villa]

Yes he is light weight and it’s something he needs to work on but you can clearly see how talented he is. He sees passes that nobody else does. Yes we’ve spent a lot of money but the more he grows and settles in this league I think he’ll be a very valuable player.

[PaulC]

18 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Rewatching the game 

You start to realise that alot of his " stray passes " seem to actually brilliant ideas which just aren't coming off with the precision he would like.

Hopefully that will come as the season progresses.

Also, gutting that he didn't get the goal really, very good header, Konsa barely touched it. Never changed the direction of it at all IMO.

Me too I really wanted it to be his goal to give him that boost.