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

remoteboy

listermint wrote: »

Gway will ya

You think he’s contributing?

matrim

1-1 nice build up play

JPA

matrim wrote: »

1-1 nice build up play

Lovely play.

Corholio

Great build up to that goal, even if it was messy going in. Midfield a bit off tonight, mostly due to own doing. Hourihane has had quite a poor half, nearly cost a goal with clumsy pass earlier. Mings has done alright I thought, surprised some think he's not played well, has cleared up a good few breaks when have got through midfield.

basillarkin

Nice buildup for the goal even if the finish was lucky. The workrate and closing down has improved also. Conor has been poor tonight but Wesley isn't even related to a footballer.

matrim

I'm not going to blame Conor for that Chelsea break away. It was a very poor pass to him from nakamba

Corholio

matrim wrote: »

I'm not going to blame Conor for that Chelsea break away. It was a very poor pass to him from nakamba

The one where he tried a little looped flick? If it's that one it was suicidal play to do that.

basillarkin

Grealish taking free kicks and corners ahead of conor now.

JPA

FFS

rebelomar

Any chance of the two lads putting in a tackle there. Christ above

basillarkin

Mount 2-1 William all day to cross it. Target wouldn't commit to tackle. Nice assist from tammy.

Corholio

Sloppy goal to give away. McGinn a bit static picking up Mount there, probably too easy for Tammy to chest it off on Konsa's part.

basillarkin

Mings ****ing hell. His passing can be so poor

Panrich

Wesley very poor tonight.

sc86

Really hanging on here

Corholio

Wasting a good few decent crossing chances. Trez and Elmo with two poor ones there.

CSF

Mings is becoming a real problem. Can’t believe I’m thinking that never mind typing it.

Corholio

CSF wrote: »

Mings is becoming a real problem. Can’t believe I’m thinking that never mind typing it.

Konsa has been a good bit poorer imo. Hasn't been able to handle Tammy at all tonight. Engels in for next game I'm pretty sure.

matrim

Really good save from Heaton

listermint

Save

Corholio

Lot better last 10 min or so. Luiz had good header saved by Kepa right by the post.

matrim

We were poor and outplayed for a good bit of the game but never gave up and could have gotten back into it near the end

Corholio

Tough night overall. Some players looked a bit off, leggy even. May have nicked one, undeservedly of course.

I guess perspective is it's a 2-1 loss away to Chelsea. Trez put in a good shift again. Wes just isn't working there, it feels like the team's potential isn't quite fully realised with Wes just not clicking.

rebelomar

Luiz played really well when he came on. Thought McGinn was very good too.

Wesley is way off the pace. His skill levels are very poor

JPA

Only 2-1 is the best you could say.

tonytiger81

Would Wesley and the team both benefit from giving him a break I wonder. You’d think they’ll be looking for a striker in the next window.

CSF

McGinn has been very poor of late.

Esse85

Not many positives to take from tonight.

Defending from Hourihane and Targett for the second was dreadful.

Luiz was tidy when he came on.

Good to see Jota back.

Mings keeps on gifting mistakes game after game.

3 games in a week is too big an ask with our limited squad.

pavb2

Major problems for Smith to sort out the cycle from day one goes something like this:

• Ball goes up to Wesley who can't hold it up or get a knock down
  
• Opposition come back in waves of attacks, we fail to clear our lines
  
• Pressure is too much and results in a goal for the opposition

Nakamba was decent tonight but with every game you feel Wes just isn't going to cut it. Ultimately we didn't deserve anything tonight their quality was just too much for us.

Panrich

pavb2 wrote: »

Major problems for Smith to sort out the cycle from day one goes something like this:

• Ball goes up to Wesley who can't hold it up or get a knock down
  
• Opposition come back in waves of attacks we fail to clear our lines
  
• Pressure is too much and results in a goal for the opposition

Nakamba was decent tonight but with every game you feel Wes just isn't going to cut it.

And with the only alternative being Kodjia who would be even worse at holding it up, we are really struggling.

I've been willing to give Wesley a chance to settle in but there are some things that are basics like competing for 50-50 balls without falling in a heap looking for frees.

CucaFace

How Dean Smith thinks we can go to a top 4 club and play Coner Hourihane in the CM is just beyond me.

The guy more often then not outplayed by midtable championship sides over the last few years, he is just a total liability against anyone of decent ability. What does he bring to the table bar free kicks and corners (which now he doesn't even seem to always take)?

His pathetic attempt to block the cross for the second goal is just an example of why he cannot be played away in this league.

Also, all season long we have been shocking at defending any crosses into the box. Both goals last night and also last Sunday came from this.

pavb2

We all want Wesley to succeed and the discussion is that he is too isolated up top which may be the case but Norwich aside I haven't seen anything positive from him to suggest that there is a decent player there.

matrim

pavb2 wrote: »

We all want Wesley to succeed and the discussion is that he is too isolated up top which may be the case but Norwich aside I haven't seen anything positive from him to suggest that there is a decent player there.

Some of his general play is good but he seems to be missing that extra something to bust his gut to get back into the box after doing a lay off.

I think part of the problem is that we have nobody else. If we had someone else then at least when he starts to tire or it's not working we could change it up.

CucaFace

pavb2 wrote: »

We all want Wesley to succeed and the discussion is that he is too isolated up top which may be the case but Norwich aside I haven't seen anything positive from him to suggest that there is a decent player there.

Yes have to agree. He is a bit isolated, but he always seems too slow in getting out in front of his man and this is leading to him not holding the ball up. The fact he has no actual competition for his spot also doesn't help. I have to admit, I was also complaining about this last season with Tammy Abraham, so maybe it is down to the set up by Dean Smiths sides, as I really didn't think he would make in the PL and he destroyed us last night.

The shame is if we can get it right up top with regards to holding the ball up, this side would improve hugely going forward.

Not sure who we could go for in Jan.

Benteke. If he could get back to how he played for us, this would be a great signing, but it could be a massive gamble due to his poor form since he has left us. Still might be worth a loan deal though....maybe the fact the fans love him here would be enough to get him back to his true ability.

Bradley Dack at Blackburn could be another option maybe? I know he offers nothing with regards to physical size, but in reality we rarely cross the ball into the box anyway, and he is a really gifted technical player who could link the play much better and maybe help get our wingers and Greslish and McGinn in behind the last defenders with quick interplay?

Esse85

pavb2 wrote: »

We all want Wesley to succeed and the discussion is that he is too isolated up top which may be the case but Norwich aside I haven't seen anything positive from him to suggest that there is a decent player there.

Regardless of whether he's isolated.

He should still be doing better in terms of holding the ball up, bullying defenders, being a threat when the ball gets crossed in. He does none of the above well.

I've asked several times on here, very early on, what are his actual strengths because from a few weeks in, I failed to see what he's actually good at in this league.

I'd rather Mitrovic at Fulham.

To date Wesley has been a donkey. Circumstances aren't easy, lone man up top in a promoted side, new to the country, big transfer fee relative to the club, no replacement so hard to take him out of the firing line.

CSF

Esse85 wrote: »

Regardless of whether he's isolated.

He should still be doing better in terms of holding the ball up, bullying defenders, being a threat when the ball gets crossed in. He does none of the above well.

I've asked several times on here, very early on, what are his actual strengths because from a few weeks in, I failed to see what he's actually good at in this league.

I'd rather Mitrovic at Fulham.

To date Wesley has been a donkey. Circumstances aren't easy, lone man up top in a promoted side, new to the country, big transfer fee relative to the club, no replacement so hard to take him out of the firing line.

Donkey is so harsh. He has been below par, but not by that much. He does a lot of positive work up there, but when he isn’t setting up or scoring goals I can see why he takes criticism.

Esse85

CSF wrote: »

Donkey is so harsh. He has been below par, but not by that much. He does a lot of positive work up there, but when he isn’t setting up or scoring goals I can see why he takes criticism.

Davis, if fit, would do a better job holding up the ball, bringing others into play, being a handful, being an aerial threat. And we all feel he could do with an extended run in the first team of a championship club. What does that say about Wes.
Neither will score enough goals.

CSF

Esse85 wrote: »

Davis, if fit, would do a better job holding up the ball, bringing others into play, being a handful, being an aerial threat. And we all feel he could do with an extended run in the first team of a championship club. What does that say about Wes.
Neither will score enough goals.

I don’t agree with that. Wesley hasn’t been up to scratch for a record transfer striker, but he is still a clear level above Davis.

The job that Wesley is being asked to do is really difficult. A lone striker with no number 10 playing in a new league coming from Belgian football. He hasn’t taken like a duck to water but if Smith can manage to get players closer to him and with time to develop, I’m not especially worried about him long-term.

Would still like to see some competition signed in January mind you, as I don’t feel Davis and Kodjia are good enough for this level at all.

Easy Rod

CucaFace wrote: »

How Dean Smith thinks we can go to a top 4 club and play Coner Hourihane in the CM is just beyond me.

The guy more often then not outplayed by midtable championship sides over the last few years, he is just a total liability against anyone of decent ability. What does he bring to the table bar free kicks and corners (which now he doesn't even seem to always take)?

His pathetic attempt to block the cross for the second goal is just an example of why he cannot be played away in this league.

Also, all season long we have been shocking at defending any crosses into the box. Both goals last night and also last Sunday came from this.

Where in the world have you gotten the idea of being a top 4 club?

Hourihane is limited and can be a passenger at times but he’s a decent option for now. His goals and assists record is excellent and despite his lack of pace he has an excellent work rate.

CSF

Easy Rod wrote: »

Where in the world have you gotten the idea of being a top 4 club?

Hourihane is limited and can be a passenger at times but he’s a decent option for now. His goals and assists record is excellent and despite his lack of pace he has an excellent work rate.

He is talking about Chelsea

CucaFace

Easy Rod wrote: »

Where in the world have you gotten the idea of being a top 4 club?

Hourihane is limited and can be a passenger at times but he’s a decent option for now. His goals and assists record is excellent and despite his lack of pace he has an excellent work rate.

I was clearly talking about Chelsea.

Horihane is always a passenger. Until we get a set ball outside of the box which is maybe once every 2 games, are we this good now that we can afford to carry a CM for this?

The guy can't even get a guaranteed spot in one of the worst Irish teams of all time, where its CM's are probably the weakest part of the side.

We cannot afford to play a midtable level CM like Horihane in the PL away to top teams. Its like starting with 10 men.

CSF

CucaFace wrote: »

I was clearly talking about Chelsea.

Horihane is always a passenger. Until we get a set ball outside of the box which is maybe once every 2 games, are we this good now that we can afford to carry a CM for this?

The guy can't even get a guaranteed spot in one of the worst Irish teams of all time, where its CM's are probably the weakest part of the side.

We cannot afford to play a midtable level CM like Horihane in the PL away to top teams. Its like starting with 10 men.

I agree with this, but then he goes and scores 2 goals in a game against a lesser team and Smith probably feels harsh dropping him. Think he has to be ruthless like that though.

Easy Rod

CucaFace wrote: »

I was clearly talking about Chelsea.

Horihane is always a passenger. Until we get a set ball outside of the box which is maybe once every 2 games, are we this good now that we can afford to carry a CM for this?

The guy can't even get a guaranteed spot in one of the worst Irish teams of all time, where its CM's are probably the weakest part of the side.

We cannot afford to play a midtable level CM like Horihane in the PL away to top teams. Its like starting with 10 men.

Sorry, I get you now. I don’t necessarily disagree with you but I do understand why Smith played him.

Esse85

With a striker like Wesley who never looks like scoring, it's easy see why Smith plays Conor.

Apart from free kicks, long range efforts, Conor is a passanger, must be so easy play against him, hopefully in January if we get a striker that scores, we can afford to leave Conor out as time after time again our CM just get over ran and dominated by teams.

Chelsea cut through the middle several times last night.

Esse85

Newcastle and Brighton both unexpectedly won tonight, we could really do with an unexpected win ourselves at the weekend.

CSF

Esse85 wrote: »

Newcastle and Brighton both unexpectedly won tonight, we could really do with an unexpected win ourselves at the weekend.

Gonna be tough. But we need to start finding those kinds of wins.

Our only wins have been against Norwich, Newcastle, Everton and Brighton and there are only so many of those games in the season.

Esse85

CSF wrote: »

Gonna be tough. But we need to start finding those kinds of wins.

Our only wins have been against Norwich, Newcastle, Everton and Brighton and there are only so many of those games in the season.

And Everton have sacked Silva, the new guy who comes in can't do any worse than him.

CSF

Esse85 wrote: »

And Everton have sacked Silva, the new guy who comes in can't do any worse than him.

Yup, after Leicester it’s Sheff United, Southampton, Norwich, Watford and Burnley.

If this isn’t a strong run of form I fear the worst.

listermint

CSF wrote: »

I agree with this, but then he goes and scores 2 goals in a game against a lesser team and Smith probably feels harsh dropping him. Think he has to be ruthless like that though.

We get set balls outside the box every game.


And I'm struggling to understand where you lads think those goals are going to come from.

Il let you in on a secret.


No where they'd be gone

CucaFace

listermint wrote: »

We get set balls outside the box every game.


And I'm struggling to understand where you lads think those goals are going to come from.

Il let you in on a secret.


No where they'd be gone

Not one free kick in any position against Man Utd or Chelsea where he could have shot from. If we got 20 corners in the last 2 games, he maybe took 6/7 and half he probably took short to someone and then we messed it up.

So is it really worth carrying a passenger like this for 90 mins for the hope of a free kick around the box? I mean we are not Barca or Man City where we can control games with 6/7 world class players, we just don't have this calibre of player to afford to have a CM (probably the most important position in the side) who is basically a passenger until a dead ball arises.

I can understand the logic of playing him at home against teams in the mid to bottom half where we should be on top of them over the 90 mins, but against good teams or most teams away from home, he shouldn't be starting.

I mean do people not remember him being dominated in the bloody championship by average sides? Because in reality he is basically a midtabled championship standard footballer and we think we can successfully stay up with him starting in the PL?