Pau Torres

[TRO]

1 hour ago, allani said:

I think the world and its dog will be trying to sign Branthwaite this summer.  But I agree if we could get him he'd be a superb fit.  He seems to be pretty good on the ball (so would fit in with our desire to play the ball out from the back) and is also good in the air.  My Evertonian mate says that he needs to move from Everton asap because he could be a Rolls Royce type player but Everton will turn him into a tractor because of the way they play.  He'd be great here but we'd face a huge battle to land him.  That said Emery and CL football (if we can make it) should be two pretty big ticks on the "why go to Villa" checklist.

If we can sign Pau Torres, Moussa Diaby and Boub Kamara.....we can sign just about anyone.

We have the one of the best goalkeepers around, one of the best strikers......we need to have more confidence in ourselves, when we go for well talked about players.

[TRO]

6 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Of course we can. My response was to someone that mentioned Tarkowski who certainly doesn’t have both. 

Look, I understand the view, why he wouldn't be wanted by us.....but he is a bloody good stopper....it's not by chance Everton have a good goals against record, they have 2 strong centre backs.

It might be remembered we have had them in Ken McNaught, Shaun Teale and Martin Laursen, in the past....sure the game has changed, but not to the point, you don't need a defence.

I understand that we are playing a style, that lends itself to playing out from the back, and to do that you need ball playing players.....but I still maintain, if you said to UE that the defence is going to take a back seat, as a result, he would say No.....I want both.

There are centre backs in the top 3 who can do both, that's the challenge......I don't see Pau being dominant in the air, but I do see a partner for him, who is.

 

[TRO]

17 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

Christ, no thanks.

Pau and Konsa will be a quality pairing.

so will Pau and Mings.

[Vive_La_Villa]

19 minutes ago, TRO said:

Look, I understand the view, why he wouldn't be wanted by us.....but he is a bloody good stopper....it's not by chance Everton have a good goals against record, they have 2 strong centre backs.

It might be remembered we have had them in Ken McNaught, Shaun Teale and Martin Laursen, in the past....sure the game has changed, but not to the point, you don't need a defence.

I understand that we are playing a style, that lends itself to playing out from the back, and to do that you need ball playing players.....but I still maintain, if you said to UE that the defence is going to take a back seat, as a result, he would say No.....I want both.

There are centre backs in the top 3 who can do both, that's the challenge......I don't see Pau being dominant in the air, but I do see a partner for him, who is.

 

I personally think having a player that is dominant in the air and a good defender but poor in possession would hinder us more than you like to believe. We’d have to completely change the way we play. Think Dunne and Collins. Superb under Mon, fell apart under Houllier.  I don’t care how good a player is at ‘defending’. If he is not good on the ball under pressure he won’t play for Villa under Emery unless no alternatives.

Also think you’re doing a bit of an injustice to Pau. The man can defend !!

Edited March 1 by Vive_La_Villa

[chrisvilla4]

2 hours ago, Jareth said:

Against Luton I'd go Pau first half, Konsa second half, Chambers locked in a cupboard. 

That you Julie? Basement full? 

[Tom13]

27 minutes ago, TRO said:

Look, I understand the view, why he wouldn't be wanted by us.....but he is a bloody good stopper....it's not by chance Everton have a good goals against record, they have 2 strong centre backs.

It might be remembered we have had them in Ken McNaught, Shaun Teale and Martin Laursen, in the past....sure the game has changed, but not to the point, you don't need a defence.

I understand that we are playing a style, that lends itself to playing out from the back, and to do that you need ball playing players.....but I still maintain, if you said to UE that the defence is going to take a back seat, as a result, he would say No.....I want both.

There are centre backs in the top 3 who can do both, that's the challenge......I don't see Pau being dominant in the air, but I do see a partner for him, who is.

 

Everton are also the third lowest scorers in the league. It's the Dyche way.

[TRO]

5 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I personally think having a player that is dominant in the air and a good defender but poor in possession would hinder us more than you like to believe. We’d have to completely change the way we play. Think Dunne and Collins. Superb under Mon, fell apart under Houllier.  I don’t care how good a player is at ‘defending’. If he is not good on the ball under pressure he won’t play for Villa under Emery unless no alternatives.

Also think you’re doing a bit of an injustice to Pau. The man can defend !!

I think you are barking up the wrong tree.....that is clearly not what I am suggesting.

If you cast your eye over the top 3's centre backs, they can all do both.....Schar at Newcastle can too....Micky Van der ven is no slouch either.

I am equally, not saying Pau can't defend, but that is not his standout forte, is it?......He needs a balancing player, like we had Evans & McNaught. That partnership complemented each other, thats, what I am getting at.

Torres and Konsa or Torres and Mings is fine for me, but maybe another dominant centre back for cover would br nifty, as their combative style can encourage injuries.

I suspect Josh Feeney, can't be too far away, from knocking on the door.

 

[Vive_La_Villa]

2 minutes ago, TRO said:

I think you are barking up the wrong tree.....that is clearly not what I am suggesting.

If you cast your eye over the top 3's centre backs, they can all do both.....Schar at Newcastle can too....Micky Van der ven is no slouch either.

I am equally, not saying Pau can't defend, but that is not his standout forte, is it?......He needs a balancing player, like we had Evans & McNaught. That partnership complemented each other, thats, what I am getting at.

Torres and Konsa or Torres and Mings is fine for me, but maybe another dominant centre back for cover would br nifty, as their combative style can encourage injuries.

I suspect Josh Feeney, can't be too far away, from knocking on the door.

 

Sorry. I misunderstood when you praised Tarkowski and thought you were suggesting one great stopper regardless of his ability on the ball would be ok alongside someone like Pau. My bad.

 

[Leeroy]

Branthwaite is going to the top IMO. Don't think he's far off an England callup. Personally I'd have him in the Euros squad with Konsa, Stones and Tomori and discard Maguire and Dunk but Cock Nose won't do it. 

 

Doubt we're going to sign him though, Everton will ask stupid money. Rather go for Todibo if we move Carlos on who will be available at a much lower price I'd imagine. 

[TRO]

14 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

Everton are also the third lowest scorers in the league. It's the Dyche way.

Football is not one or the other, that's what the teams do who are in the lower echelons of the league.....or have a mixed bag of quality players.

If you have any notion of ambition, you simply cannot rely on attack or defence as one entity......you have to have both.

The reason, I highlight defence as much as I do, is because there I see very little reference towards it.

I am over the moon with our offensive contributions, but I am equally aware our ambitions will be thwarted, if we don't tighten up, on the avoidable goals against.

I simply do not believe, its UE style to ignore defence at the benefit of attack.....I do not buy in to that theory, it's his style.....I think he is as keen as me, to tighten up.

 

Edited March 1 by TRO

[Leeroy]

Wrong thread, sorry.

Edited March 1 by Leeroy

[villa4europe]

5 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

Not great sources but I'm seeing us linked with Gloukh and Dumfries a lot in recent weeks. Would be two good signings for us but I think the priority has to be a holding midfielder.

gloukh and gourna douath double signing

throw in konate and mellberg's lad while we're at it

[TRO]

11 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Sorry. I misunderstood when you praised Tarkowski and thought you were suggesting one great stopper regardless of his ability on the ball would be ok alongside someone like Pau. My bad.

 

Having said that....I am equally not in favour of deploying every available soul to attack......my clamour is for sensible balance, between the 2

To have players who can do both is the ideal world, so inevitably compromises have to be made in reality.

Edited March 1 by TRO

[Vive_La_Villa]

3 minutes ago, TRO said:

Having said that....I am equally not in favour of deploying every available soul to attack......my clamour is for sensible balance, between the 2

To have players who can do both is the ideal world, so inevitably compromises have to be made in reality.

So out of interest. Would you be ok with a partnership such as Pau and Tarkowski?  BTW we have the 5th best defence in the league. 

Edited March 1 by Vive_La_Villa

[TRO]

11 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

Branthwaite is going to the top IMO. Don't think he's far off an England callup. Personally I'd have him in the Euros squad with Konsa, Stones and Tomori and discard Maguire and Dunk but Cock Nose won't do it. 

 

Doubt we're going to sign him though, Everton will ask stupid money. Rather go for Todibo if we move Carlos on who will be available at a much lower price I'd imagine. 

The view that he is going to the top, should not deter us, on the contrary, it should encourage us.....but thats down to Unai.

This is just a forum, for airing views.....He is the man.

He could think, Feeney, will be as good.

[TRO]

15 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

So out of interest. Would you be ok with a partnership such as Pau and Tarkowski?  BTW we have the 5th best defence in the league. 

No because, I think Tarkowski is in the twilight of his Career, and is a bit lumbering and crass, for our set up.....but I would not be adverse to a player, who is dominant in the air, with decent feet, who could stop goals like he can...and can engage in our style.

We are developing in to a wonderfully crafted side, but that does not negate us from being miserly and organised, off the ball.....Denying the opposition from gaining any foothold in the game, is our next challenge for me.....and that means, when we are in front, not letting them back in and rolling over.

I was well pleased, with our final result against Forest....but I am not going to pretend, i was happy, with our approach to the conceding of the 2 goals, which could have been 3 if we are honest with ourselves......we saw that against Wolves, which I was disgusted with at the time...and not overly chuffed at Old Trafford....its avoidable with the right approach.

The crux of my disdain in some of these incidents, is purely down to half hearted attitude to engage and get a foot in to disrupt, just standing off, and not challenging, is poor.

I know as much as anyone, we are WIP....but some of the stuff as pointed out, is making our task all the harder.....I am not asking for anything way beyond the reach of our capability, its well within us, to do what, irks me.

Edited March 1 by TRO

[Wainy316]

Pray for Pau Press Conference day 

[Leeroy]

18 minutes ago, TRO said:

The view that he is going to the top, should not deter us, on the contrary, it should encourage us.....but thats down to Unai.

This is just a forum, for airing views.....He is the man.

He could think, Feeney, will be as good.

I’d love him here but I think he’s out of our price range given the supposed FFP constraints and the fact we need a holding midfielder and a right back probably more urgently than a centre back.

 

But I agree on your general point that no one should be out of reach for us if the money is there, under this manager and this squad of players the sky is the limit and any player would be excited about joining.

[TRO]

19 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

So out of interest. Would you be ok with a partnership such as Pau and Tarkowski?  BTW we have the 5th best defence in the league. 

so why are we conceding such sloppy goals, when we are in the ascendency?....While I accept that, it doesn't seem to correlate with my main point.......conceding avoidable goals....or as some say, sloppy goals.

I guess against City and Arsenal, we demonstrated admirably, that we can defend and can contain.....so could it be consistency? or simply, certain types of attack, spook us.....I would suggest aerial balls, do seem to be a trend, towards our achilles.

[Sulberto21]

7 minutes ago, TRO said:

so why are we conceding such sloppy goals, when we are in the ascendency?....While I accept that, it doesn't seem to correlate with my main point.......conceding avoidable goals....or as some say, sloppy goals.

I guess against City and Arsenal, we demonstrated admirably, that we can defend and can contain.....so could it be consistency? or simply, certain types of attack, spook us.....I would suggest aerial balls, do seem to be a trend, towards our achilles.

We have conceded such goals because our first choice defenders have hardly played together. We have also had to chop and change. On top of that the chances you allude to against Forest happened when Pau went off. 

It’s no accident our offside trap is immaculate when he’s on the pitch. Last season we had a settled defence and we didn’t concede ‘sloppy’ goals except the Leicester game at home. 

Pau is going to get better. But I hope someone clatters Yoann Wissa - the challenge which injured Pau was dirty and malicious. Imo.