Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2019/2020

JPA

Awful lot of naivety about this team.

Patser

All over.

There are good signs, the general play was good and we created a lot of chances. And we can score .Definitely the better team.

But Wesley either isn't doing anything, or we haven't figured out how to use him. He's offering very little of anything up front. And of course we conceded 2 soft goals, fairly easily. And we're now still stuck in relegation zone

JPA

CSF wrote: »

This is one seriously mentally weak team right now.

Yep, mentally weak is right.
Coming out in the 2nd half on the back foot shows it, can't seem to handle any kind of expectation.

Corholio

Very bad 2nd goal to give away after just scoring. Will be disappointed that Burnley scored two typical Burnley goals. Targett going off and Taylor on cold for the goal didn't help.

Needed to add a 2nd when on top and playing very well in first half. Set pieces were quite disappointing today as well. Hourihane played fine but his free kicks were pretty poor today. Trez played well when came on. Wesley struggles to get into games, I don't think we are using him well either, often too isolated.

Can see why Burnley have annoyed teams over the years, playing every trick, hacking down and getting away with it.

JPA

Hourihane offers little in the 2 in midfield, just the potential for decent set pieces. Luiz must not be doing it in training, fallen down the pecking order.

basillarkin

Thats 8 points dropped from winning positions hope they won't live to regret them later on this season.

Corholio

Thought Nakamba played well today, looks a composed player and plays the ball simply and quickly. Harries players fast too.

CSF

Corholio wrote: »

Thought Nakamba played well today, looks a composed player and plays the ball simply and quickly. Harries players fast too.

Me too. Think primarily our game management has killed us again. Burnley move to have 3 big aerial threats up front and we keep Grealish as a winger.

LeBash

Sorry lads, my fault. I seen we went 2-1 up on flash score and hit the notification to see who scored it. The second I hit it I got notification of 2-2.

JPA

The 2 best teams in the country, known for their attaching full backs, consistently play at least 2 defensive minded midfielders.
Smith needs to wise up to this league.

We have Nakamba, Luiz, Hourihane and Lansbury to choose from in the 2. This gives a base for everything else to start from, maybe we're getting there with today's selection.

remoteboy

Mings needs a kick up the hole. He’s too casual lately. Making bad decisions that he would have got away with in the championship.

sc86

If john mcginn continues in this form we will struggle to keep him unless or league position improves

CSF

sc86 wrote: »

If john mcginn continues in this form we will struggle to keep him unless or league position improves

He’s not been THAT good. I’m very happy with him and he has picked up some goals but City and Liverpool won’t be knocking on the door just yet.

Grealish remains the prized asset even if he isn’t firing on all cylinders just now.

basillarkin

CSF wrote: »

He’s not been THAT good. I’m very happy with him and he has picked up some goals but City and Liverpool won’t be knocking on the door just yet.

Grealish remains the prized asset even if he isn’t firing on all cylinders just now.

mcginn is on a different level to grealish imo, better all rounder

pavb2

Trezeguet was good when he came on he needs to start along with Targett. We are seeing with Jack that he isn’t the finished article, hangs on to the ball too much outside their box and he must have been the only person in Villa Park who didn’t see Trezeguet clear as he blazed over the bar.

Lots of positives such as Nakamba who’s playing himself into the team but it’s not going to get any easier Wesley needs to find his shooting boots sooner rather than later.

CSF

basillarkin wrote: »

mcginn is on a different level to grealish imo, better all rounder

Jesus no

Patser

Just seen someone on twitter make a good point:

When Targett went off injured, if Hause comes in instead of Taylor, Villa would have won. If only for the simple fact Hause is taller than Taylor and would have reached the 1st cross for the equaliser.

But I agree more than that. I've no idea where my complete dislike for Taylor comes from - he has been a model professional- but he offers so, so little now. He's frequently at fault for goals, has no speed going forward or a great cross that leads to loads of assists, he doesn't offer the physical presence that Hause could or athleticism.

I understand Targett was injured and could be again, but Hause, even Guilbert at lb (with Elmo right) has to be a better call than Taylor.

basillarkin

CSF wrote: »

Jesus no

grealish is all flair with very little end product, he holds on to the ball for far to long and picks the wrong option to many times for my liking. goes down way to easy as well. have had this argument with many villa supporters and i have seen little to change my mind in the first 7 games or so this season. mcginn all day everyday over grealish for me.

GHOST MGG

Not being able to hold onto a lead is relegation material im afraid..unless something drastically changes and soon we are going to stay in the relegation zone

artanevilla

Waiting for MOTD highlights, but you'd want to be beating the likes of Burnley at home, particularly being up twice. Relegation would be the death of the club I'd think.

sc86

CSF wrote: »

He’s not been THAT good. I’m very happy with him and he has picked up some goals but City and Liverpool won’t be knocking on the door just yet.

Grealish remains the prized asset even if he isn’t firing on all cylinders just now.

course not city or liverpool , some of the top 8 clubs he would be perfect for , and hes improve all the time.

give me mcginn over grealish any day

LeBash

sc86 wrote: »

course not city or liverpool , some of the top 8 clubs he would be perfect for , and hes improve all the time.

give me mcginn over grealish any day

At the moment McGinn is the form player without a doubt but when Jack came back from injury last season he completely changed the team. McGinn's going to out score him though. Jack wont get 5 goals in the PL is my guess, he barely broke that figure in the Championship.

If McGinn keeps playing like he is now, no way we keep him even if we stay up. We will get huge money for him though.

Corholio

basillarkin wrote: »

grealish is all flair with very little end product, he holds on to the ball for far to long and picks the wrong option to many times for my liking. goes down way to easy as well. have had this argument with many villa supporters and i have seen little to change my mind in the first 7 games or so this season. mcginn all day everyday over grealish for me.

While I agree that McGinn is probably more influential now, the end product thing with Grealish I don't agree with, even if he does need to up his goals. He was in top 4 players in whole league for key passes before the game. Simple fact is if team were winning he'd be getting lot more praise, but because people aren't finishing off a lot of the good work he does, it doesn't get seen. His ball retention is second to none too. He is still very important for what he brings to the team, very few players as comfortable with ball at feet than him, you'd see it big time if he wasn't playing.

pavb2

Corholio wrote: »

you'd see it big time if he wasn't playing.

I must admit I didn’t appreciate Grealish’s influence until he was out last season and to a lesser degree the previous season. When he came back we were a completely different team and whatever about assists, possession and goals scored you can’t argue with the results we got when he was in the team. I’m happy we’ve got him and McGinn and not too bothered who’s the better player.

CSF

GHOST MGG wrote: »

Not being able to hold onto a lead is relegation material im afraid..unless something drastically changes and soon we are going to stay in the relegation zone

This is hugely over the top. It’s 7 games in and I’m hugely frustrated with some of what has gone on, but I’m much more worried for the future if we’re being outclassed in games, than I am with the nature of most of the points being dropped so far.

Fully expect to be in a relegation battle but hopeful to get out the other end of it.

Corholio

pavb2 wrote: »

I must admit I didn’t appreciate Grealish’s influence until he was out last season and to a lesser degree the previous season. When he came back we were a completely different team and whatever about assists, possession and goals scored you can’t argue with the results we got when he was in the team. I’m happy we’ve got him and McGinn and not too bothered who’s the better player.

Ya I agree. Don't care about comparing them and they are both vital. Problems lie elsewhere in the team, although I feel finally creeping towards the best XI.

Corholio

Targett back training on Wednesday and should be fit for Norwich game. Kodjia back training and also available for the game. Hopefully he can add a different option if Wesley continues to struggle a bit.

Corholio

Kodjia misses out on weekend. Targett, Mings and Lansbury all fit and available.

GHOST MGG

CSF wrote: »

This is hugely over the top. It’s 7 games in and I’m hugely frustrated with some of what has gone on, but I’m much more worried for the future if we’re being outclassed in games, than I am with the nature of most of the points being dropped so far.

Fully expect to be in a relegation battle but hopeful to get out the other end of it.

I dont agree with your CSF about the comment being over the top..yes we are playing some good football,but good football does not put points on the board and points are what we need to stay up.
We just cant seem to hold onto a lead or to close down games or to play for 90 mins,The next 2 games are must wins for me against a weakened norwich and a middling BHA as the next two after that are city and liverpool,Norwich are weakened but they have the players to really hurt us especially at carrow road so i dont believe it will be a easy game like everyone thinks or brighton for that matter.

CSF

‘Unless something changes drastically and soon we are going to stay in the relegation zone’

This is the quote I was referring to as over the top. It’s not drastic changes required. The margins have been so fine in numerous games. Team need to develop a bit of a more ruthless quality to them and better at grinding out results, but poor refereeing decisions in Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Arsenal games have hugely influenced league position also.

So there is a bit of luck involved too. If Billing is sent off in the first half against Bournemouth, Lansbury’s goal is given against Palace and the clear peno given against Arsenal our conversation leading up to Norwich game is entirely different.

They say these decisions balance out over the course of a season so hopefully that’s the case here and a bit of luck can come along with improved performances.

Corholio

Unchanged team today.

https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1180467742195044352?ref_src=twcamp%5Ecopy%7Ctwsrc%5Eandroid%7Ctwgr%5Ecopy%7Ctwcon%5E7090%7Ctwterm%5E3

Esse85

3 points would be a massive bonus for us should we win.

Esse85

Big Wes
1-0 Villa

artanevilla

Goal Weso

Corholio

1-0! Wesley.

Great cross from El Ghazi. Take down from Wesley and slots home.

Villa started well, plenty of the ball.

Patser

That was a pin point cross by El Ghazi, while turning, so top credit for it.

Corholio

Steer out doing a warm up. Hopefully Heaton isn't injured.

El Ghazi with a decent shot tipped away.

Headed off the bar from El Ghazi from the corner. Probably should have scored.

McGinn with a lovely curling shot just wide.

Corholio

2-0! Wes again.

Great work from Targett and Hourihane who crosses in and Wesley taps in near the goal.

Patser

Mings was great in the scrum there on our line, could use him in Japan

Esse85

Big Wes x2 now.

Surely we'll keep this lead now.

Corholio

Penalty from Wes, but it's saved.

Tries to score rebound but out for a corner.

Should have been the hat trick.

JPA

Who's our penalty taker?

Patser

JPA wrote: »

Who's our penalty taker?

You'll always let guy on a hattrick take penalty

Corholio

Hope that doesn't come back to bite. Would always prefer a chosen penalty taker, but least Wes was confident to want it I suppose.

Esse85

Wes scored a peno against Walsall in pre season.
I presume he's been the designated taker since Tammy left.
Hopefully he completes the hatrick in the second half.

Patser

Corholio wrote: »

Hope that doesn't come back to bite. Would always prefer a chosen penalty taker, but least Wes was confident to want it I suppose.

Yep, with Villa it's always the hope that gets you. Last week we were ahead against 10 men and blew it.

This week, 2-0 up, El Ghazi misses an open goal from 2 yards, Wesley misses the penalty, chances to be way out ahead and clear. Just that worry we blow it again, because Norwich are getting chances.

Corholio

Very good half. Nakamba and Hourihane have been great when on the ball. Norwich have had chances too and Villa midfield a little light in that regard when Norwich get forward, they get to Villa box too quick imo. Targett a big upgrade on Taylor going forward, him, Hourihane and Grealish linked up very well.

Second half is when it has gone funny for Villa so hopefully lessons learned from previous games. A 3rd will probably be needed.

Esse85

Patser wrote: »

Yep, with Villa it's always the hope that gets you. Last week we were ahead against 10 men and blew it.

This week, 2-0 up, El Ghazi misses an open goal from 2 yards, Wesley misses the penalty, chances to be way out ahead and clear. Just that worry we blow it again, because Norwich are getting chances.

And its generally the second half when the team caves in and runs out of steam, particularly in midfield.

Hopefully DS will use his subs and not leave it till the 85th minute to bring on fresh legs.

CSF

Corholio wrote: »

Very good half. Nakamba and Hourihane have been great when on the ball. Norwich have had chances too and Villa midfield a little light in that regard when Norwich get forward, they get to Villa box too quick imo. Targett a big upgrade on Taylor going forward, him, Hourihane and Grealish linked up very well.

Second half is when it has gone funny for Villa so hopefully lessons learned from previous games. A 3rd will probably be needed.

This is a new dynamic though. This is the only time Villa have been 2 up this season other than the last couple of seconds against Everton. Should really be seeing it out from here.

Norwich will adjust at half time and hopefully this time Smith is well able to adjust accordingly also to continue controlling the game.

Corholio

CSF wrote: »

This is a new dynamic though. This is the only time Villa have been 2 up this season other than the last couple of seconds against Everton. Should really be seeing it out from here.

Norwich will adjust at half time and hopefully this time Smith is well able to adjust accordingly also to continue controlling the game.

Yes for sure, but 1 goal will change everything. If Norwich get it, it could mean Villa falling back again.

I think it's just about being patient, on and off the ball. There'll be chances at both ends this half, hopefully can keep a cushion by taking them.