Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours/Champions League Thread 2024/25

Patser

Missed start, apart from losing hw are we doing?

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117752960#Comment_117752960

Not in it at all. Sarr causing big problems.

Patser

Ulllp 2-0

Very unlucky with deflection perfectly over Martinez,

But defensively we're being cut apart. Targett and Cash being pushed too far forward with Nakamab and McGinn not covering well

remoteboy

We’ve been so poor. Being bossed physically. Really need a proper DM.

JPA

Is it really ok to play a No 10 in the PL?

remoteboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117753024#Comment_117753024

Not one who spent his most productive period on the right for sure.

CSF

I didn’t have the highest expectations with that lineup, but that’s unforgivably bad.

Patser

Hard to pick positives there.

For all our wingers as options El Ghazi and Young are the weakest - pity Bailey and Traore aren't up to speed yet, and I miss Trez. Real absence is Watkins as it would've allowed Ings more freedom.

And DM is now the crisis point. Luiz would be a big help, but if it's Luiz and one of Nakamba?mCginn we still lack strength there

Esse85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117753024#Comment_117753024

Not when you have the likes of McGinn and Nakamba as the two holding midfielders, you won't get away with it then.

Esse85

A hiding here might be a positive to get the finger out and sign that DM we really need.

Targett off and Ramsey on, presume young goes to LB

Patser

Ramsey for Targett.... interesting as it allows a complete change around of personal.

Young to LB, El Ghazi to LW, Buendia to RW, Ramsay as AM rather than out and out 10.

So at least there's a thought process and a big change

Esse85

Too much long ball from Mings, fires it long way too often.

AEG just lacks any quality. Hopefully him and Hourihane are shipped out ASAP

Esse85

Leon Bailey coming on for AEG.

Patser

We're simply playing into Watford's hands. Throwing guys forward with no real plan except to try get in a cross to ???

Mean while Watford hitting on counter with speed and power, when we leave gaps

Patser

3-0.......

A screamer.....

From a break...

Esse85

3 0

What an embarrassment.

Panrich

Well this is spectacularly bad.

hold my beer

Going to be a long season....

remoteboy

Buendia’s been poor. Holding onto the ball far too long. Easily pushed off the ball.

Patser

Ohhhh hope McGinn with a screamer too

Panrich

There’s a long way to go this season but I’m trying to remember the last time we were this bad in the first game.

and there’s a nice goal from McGinn

Esse85

McGinn , AEG, Young and Nakamba should be no more than squad players for me this season if we are looking to get into the top 8.

Unfortunately all 4 started today and therefore to be 3 0 down to Watford shouldn't be that much of a shock.

Panrich

Lovely here’s Deeney

matrim

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117753281#Comment_117753281

TBF everyone on that list except McGinn are squad players. We’re just unfortunate that Luiz, Sanson and Watkins are out. And Bailey and Traore weren’t ready to start yet.

Patser

That's just a difference in luck.

Earlier Sarr hit a shot that deflected perfectly off Mings and in.

Bailey just hit a shot that almost knocked Ings out and went wide

Patser

Pretty awful all round.

Only positives is that we were missing some big players - Watkins and Luiz especially. Targett had one of his worst games ever, hopefully it's a once off.

Next game hopefully we can have Watkins, Bailey, Luiz, Traore in from start. Maybe worth an experiment of Tuanzebe at DM with McGinn given a chance more forward, he was much better in 2nd half when allowed to get forward

Patser

Penalty now to add gloss

3-2 Ings

matrim

3-2 Ings with a peno after a foul on Traore

circadian

Kind of expected a loss today, at least they kept going despite being 3-1 down. Something a few seasons ago that would never have happened.

It'll take time for the team to settle and hopefully go on a good run, we need a few more bodies in for the depth required for an extended run though.

Panrich

Some players may have played their way out of the team today. Targett and ElGhazi certainly were very poor and we were better off without them.

There were other worries though. Buendia looked ponderous. Ings looked a yard off it. Nakamba was very poor in possession. Cash was poor. Mings was reckless and as captain you can't have that. He was lucky he didn't injure Cathcart and he would have seen red if he did.

Bailey looked lively as did Traore. At least they tried. Ramsey was good as well and McGinn was all heart as usual.

CSF

That scoreline flattered us alot. Cash and Targett were diabolical. Desperately need to sign a midfielder who is a level above the ones we already have. Thought McGinn did well today, mind.

Panrich

Smith got it badly wrong today. It looks like we need three in midfield and we looked much better when Ramsey came on. We were totally overran in the first half by a midfield that included Tom Cleverly.

That will give Smith a big headache trying to shoehorn Buendia, Ings, Bailey and Watkins into the same eleven. One of these will have to be sacrificed to allow us play a third midfielder or else we'll see more of the same as today.

That leads to questions as to our recruiting.

Bounty Hunter

I've been wondering since Ings was signed if Villa were going to play with 2 strikers or would Watkins get pushed to a WF position, because if the latter happens I don't know if our 2 in the center are good enough.

I guess that is another reason why I was so surprised about the Ings deal (I mean everyone was as nobody was reporting it but...) as Bailey & Beundia should probably be our wingers (even though both would probably prefer to be on the right but are versatile) and McGinn can push forward to the head of a central trio with Luiz plus the person who I had expected that money to be spent on (at the time Ward Prowse). That team is not defensively as strong however with Ings instead of that CM as if you still intend to play all three of Watkins, Beundia and Bailey when all are fit then you are only left with 2 midfielders to do defensive duties in the middle and tbh despite having an engine that isn't where McGinn excels.

From recent links I'm starting to believe a CM like Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa from Fulham or Cheick Doucoure from Lens might come in. I'd still guess JWP would be the first choice but I surely Southampton wouldn't sell him after selling Vestergaard and Ings, that's be their spine of best players all gone.

It's a squad game of course, there should be rotation of course, those are the simple answers but without saying that I am trying to work out who misses out from the starting 11 from Villa. Surely Villa don't spend 30/30+m on a winger to have them on the bench, nor do they spend a similar amount on a 29yr old striker to not start them but also you would not expect our record singing until this year who was a big success last year to keep his place in the form of Watkins.

I get the impression most would say McGinn(now Vice-Cpt for whatever that's worth) but I just don't see him being dropped from the starting 11.

Ings CF,

Watkins LWF, Beundia AMC, Bailey RWF

Luiz & Prowse/NewDM

Esse85

Not sure we can afford to start with two up top with the current lightweight midfielders we have.

Similar to having Hourihane and McGinn as the two in the championship, that didn't work either.

Barry started and got 66 mins for Ipswich in their defeat to Burton Albion.

sc86

Ings was great purchase , you need 2 top strikers at this level now.

If watkins got injured we would be screwed otherwise.

Our pre season looked very relaxed , prob too relaxed , no proper warm up games

Esse85

This lack of a proper DM player is really disappointing and shows up Smith.

Its not a need that's developed overnight, since the championship we've been soft through the middle and it's not been addressed despite several transfer windows.

Money isn't the issue, our net spend this summer is nil, yet that spine of the team is affecting us at least 3 years now and hadn't been put right. McGinn is the one who suffers as he's playing out of position and Nakamba lacks the quality to be a starter.

This season is a buyer's market where cash is king. Shouldn't be hard to offload Hourihane be it on loan or permanent and bring in a top midfielder especially when so many clubs are struggling financially and ready to cash in on players. Villa should be taking advantage of this.

matrim

what I found frustrating a few times in the first half was that McGinn was the deeper of the 2 midfielders (probably to get the ball off the defenders). But that meant that in the more attacking role we had Nakamba and he doesn’t have the skills for that. Nakamba can only really play when he has to sit and break up attacks.

pavb2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117754624#Comment_117754624

Yes, Nakamba got on the ball a lot but doesn't have the skill to be a creative midfielder. Mings had lots of possession playing out from the back but was unable to get the ball through midfield and attack, no link up play between full backs and wingers. we did have some successful when Baily, Ramsey and Traore cut into the box but didn't do it often enough. Ings didn't see a lot of the ball 2nd half and really it was just a continuation of the way we play without Jack.

The game was lost in the first half but some positives Baily and Ramsey were good, Traore OK and Ashley Young didn't have a bad game.

LeBash

Staint-Maximin played a free role today and he was brilliant. Might be a job and a half to stop him next week. He was everywhere.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117759328#Comment_117759328

Targett will need to sharpen up.

They still conceded 4 though.

LeBash

The big brother, Caleb Chukwuemeka has signed for Villa for 300k initial fee.

Spurs were also in for him but Northampton accepted the Villa offer based on what was offered in add-ons that Spurs weren't offering.

sc86

I know nothing about him bar i see hes a striker with 1 goal in 22 games.

Can anybody shed more light on this guy

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117763955#Comment_117763955

The cynic would say he's bought to keep his highly rated brother happy.

LeBash

Its fairly public that Spurs were in for him, so with 2 PL clubs at least looking at him, the must be decent prospect.

Hes only 19, so there's time to develop.

Panrich

Reports that Traore scored and was injured in a behind closed doors friendly against Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield.

https://mobile.twitter.com/SuperVillaDad/status/1427338713714110466?s=19

Our pre-season looks to have been a bit of a shambles and we certainly looked very undercooked against Watford. Smith will need to get this sorted out very fast.

LeBash

Football Insider are saying Richard O'Kelly stepped down because he was moved to coaching the U23s. He hung on til Smith was back from isolation before quiting, which is admirable if true.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117773359#Comment_117773359

That website is meaningless.

JPA

James Ward Prowse signs a 5 year contract.... At Southampton.

JPA

Watkins and Traore out for the weekend. Traore out for 3 weeks.

Panrich

Big game today and we could do with picking up a win.

I see Smith saying yesterday that we have enough midfielders and that someone will have to go out before we could look at bringing someone else in.

There seems to be a change of policy or we expected at least one out to make room for the players we were linked with.

Looking at our options they seem to be all a bit of the same type. We have no real physical presence or pace in any of our current lot.