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

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118906373#Comment_118906373

In seriousness, I don’t actually know what we should be doing with the striker situation. We’ve 2 who are clearly very talented and yet neither has been any good this year.

I know we spend money, but can we really just go out and sign another in that scenario?

Easy Rod

I’m really disheartened by the whole situation from a personal perspective, there was such a good story with Smith as manager a likeable young team, and investment in our underage setup. Just seems we’re throwing that all away for quick success which is a much riskier strategy.

That being said, a few wins in a row towards the end of the season would probably cheer me up!

pavb2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118905977#Comment_118905977

We also started Bailey against Wolves, i think at the moment there is an element of trial and error with SG’s approach. I think there’ll be quite a few out in the summer

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118906812#Comment_118906812

I really don't think there should be quite a few out. It would make me worry about Gerrard, and I don't think I'm as negative on him now as some in here seem to be.

Sure, there may be 2 or 3 players that Gerrard just does not fancy (either in terms of attitude or how they fit into his style), but Villa have now recruited a squad full of talented players who would generally get into the teams we're competing with in the table. Villa's squad problems are about the players that weren't signed rather than the ones that were.

No problem to shed a couple, and sort those DM and LW weaknesses. But it shouldn't be an overhaul. How many of Martinez, Digne, Mings, Konsa, Chambers, Luiz, Nakamba, Sanson, McGinn, Ramsey, Coutinho (not sure I'd pay the money for him if him and Buendia can't play in the same team though), Buendia, Bailey, Ings, Watkins aren't good enough for a team of the level of Villa? Its a really decent bunch now with a couple of glaring holes that need filling.

Esse85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118907518#Comment_118907518

Disagree with most of this.

I'm all for a multiple playing staff changes, there has to be, these are not Gerrards players and many are not good enough to get to where Villa want and expect to be. They've proved they are not good enough.

It's not a decent bunch, as Villa fans commenting on our clubs players, we always think they are far better than they are. We are 3 points off 16th or 3 points off 10th, whatever way you want to look at it. What players have over performed this season?

But there's a losers mentality throughout the team, fourth biggest losers the stats say. It's a poor return given all the money spent.

Both our CBs have been dodgy for a while, midfield is terrible and has been for ages, it's unbalanced and invisible. Neither forward is effective in the system Gerrard plays. Davis should be sold. I'd flog Ings to Brighton in a deal that sends Bissouma our way. Watkins has regressed massively and needs upgrading.

Then you have the squad players who should be moved on like El Ghazi, Traore. Target, Trezeguet and Guilbert will go.

There's doubts whether Luiz, Sanson, and Chukwuemeka and Coutinho will be here next season.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118908149#Comment_118908149

Yeah. I really disagree with this. You can’t be in constant overhaul without essentially bleeding out money. Some of the players you mentioned are England internationals. Others are in Argentina and Brazil squads.

I can only imagine Gerrard and the club sat down and discussed the playing staff before him being hired. If the conclusion was that like half of them didn’t sync with his playing philosophy then he really shouldn’t have been hired.

There is plenty of quality in that squad. Unfortunately many of them are not playing very well right now. Examples like Konsa and Watkins in particular. I’ll readily accept that they have not been good. I struggle to accept that they’ve become bad players overnight though.

Esse85

If players are regularly under performing like many of our players are, or else they lack the quality to begin with, how many more chances do you give them?

The likes of Watkins, Mings, McGinn have more than had their chances and it's worse they are getting.

So what if Luiz is a Brazilian international, he's been poor this season and his contract situation suggests he's off.

I haven't made my mind up yet on Gerrard but he'll of had plenty of time to assess who he thinks is up to the quality he demands and if players aren't delivering, as many haven't, he's got every right to want to replace them and so he should.

CSF

I actually think Mings has been pretty good this season and that McGinn has been fine enough. Watkins has been poor, but I’m not immediately ready to accept that what we’ve seen from him this year is the real him and not the top class striker we saw the season before. I’ve every faith he can find his way back to that if he stays. Same for Konsa who has also gone south big time this season.

Luiz I would be happy enough to see go. Wouldn’t cry if we could recoup even half of the Ings money back. Other than that, I’m happy to keep most of the guys who have played a reasonable amount of minutes this season. Even someone like Bailey. How often do we see lads coming in from abroad finding their feet in year 2.

pavb2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118909214#Comment_118909214

Agree about Bailey if he could consistently play like he did against Everton at home he’d be great, I’d give Sanson another season but I don’t see Traore staying.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118909614#Comment_118909614

Yeah I’d say with the amount of minutes Traore has played this season, he barely even figures in the conversation and is almost certainly on his way. Would be fine with Sanson staying also, but that’s one where you wouldn’t really know what will actually happen.

Panrich

I still struggle to see how we’ve let 2 summers pass by without addressing midfield especially DM while at the same time loading up on wingers and then hiring a manager who doesn’t play with any.

Bounty Hunter

I still think it might be Bissouma (now only 12 months left in his deal and we bid last January) but Villa simply have to sign that illusive DM.

Okay thats not exactly a hot take but perhaps if we had one of those, a top quality one, some of our under performing players might look a lot better than they have this season. It's not so long since Martinez was getting clean sheets every week and obviously if that was the case our defenders must have been doing well. Hell even when Gerrard first arrived and Nakamba was playing we were looking so much better.

An upgrade on him and the CBs are under less pressure, the WBs can get forward more knowing someone will be covering them and in general Gerrards system will just work better.

I don't see it working out for Ings at Villa. Hope I'm proven wrong but it's just not going that way.

Hope we keep Coutinho but oddly I'm not too worried if we don't. It seems he is happy, starting week in week out with his mate managing though so maybe he could just tell Barca I want Villa and not anyone else so if you wanna shift on my wages you will have to lower the agreed fee. They would probably be okay with that tbh as the last thing they want is him back on the wage bill.

I'd honestly be more annoyed if we failed to sign Carney up long term but the longer things go on without a signature the more I think thats less likely than the Brazilian.

CSF

If Bissouma is signed, you’d imagine that’s in addition to a DM. Because he isn’t the DM that’s needed in the team. He’s basically a box to box player, and that’s not going to do anything at all to help Digne and Cash have that cover when they play high up the pitch.

Id say it’s McGinn’s place at threat if Bissouma joins.

sc86

Gerrard is getting a free pass in all this?

Same win percentage as frank lampard at everton

Last summers money has been waisted it looks , bailey has been a disaster , way to many wide players bought

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118914666#Comment_118914666

I don’t think he has a free pass at all. For me, I’m kind of in a similar position to where I was with Smith this time last year.

Starting to have doubts whether he is the man for the future, but I also know he isn’t getting sacked in the summer. So will give him the window to try and make the team the way he wants it, but similar to Smith this season, I won’t be buying into much of a ‘oh he needs time to develop his brand new team’ business.

If Gerrard does a big shakeup of the playing squad this summer then he needs to hit the ground running to avoid the inevitable pressure that comes with an entire calendar year of poor results (essentially what got Smith sacked).

JPA

Ings to Brighton, Bissouma to Villa linked today. Would work for both sides you would say.

Esse85

Back to the south coast for Ings, I'm sure he'd be happy with that.

LeBash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118914666#Comment_118914666

I wouldnt be too hard on Bailey, he's been injured and he's playing in a team that doesn't use wingers anymore.

I'm not sold on Gerrard though. It's still early in fairness but I think we might lose some serious talent on the cheap because they don't fit into his new system.

sc86

So we give gerrard a huge war chest this summer and let him sell some of our best players ? its very risky to say the least. I wonder how convinced the owners are.

Hes show nothing really , if he didnt sign his mate in jan and he wasnt a famous ex brittish player id say he would be in line for the sack this summer if season finish as it looks like it will.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118919176#Comment_118919176

Agree with most of this. He hasn’t shown a lot to convince that he should be allowed overhaul an expansively assembled squad to rebuild it in his own image.

A couple of changes here and there, sure. But we shouldn’t be talking in September about how we need to be patient because it’s a new team and needs to bed in.

Bounty Hunter

Ings for Bissouma would be a great swap. Wouldn’t mind Ginter on a free too which I’ve seen liked. Not sure about the sell our best players business but if we could pull off deals like the above we’d still have a fairly hefty budget despite an increase in wages (though I doubt Ings is on a low wage). Maybe then we just cut our loses on one or two like Traore to try and bring in another starter level player at least. With Ings gone another CF would be needed to at least rival if not partner or replace Watkins.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118926356#Comment_118926356

Do we reckon Archer and Davis have any chance of being a meaningful part of the first team squad? Both doing great in the Championship but the level gap is big.

Bounty Hunter

They are both doing well but I doubt if we parted with Ings, Gerrard would want to rely on either as our 2nd striker and unless there is an injury I doubt either would see much game time if we kept Ings or signed someone else.

El Ghazi, Trez, Wesley maybe Traore and that’s just for a startmight be moved on before things like Luiz not resigning and being sold might happen. Could be plenty of money there for additions and if another CF was signed it wouldn’t be a shock for the club’s loaning those lads to try to keep them next season.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118927733#Comment_118927733

I think Archer should be involved in the squad next season, Davis should be sold. Davis is 4 years older.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118930471#Comment_118930471

Yeah, probably good to sell Davis while his stock is high. Is Archer gonna come back to be number 3 striker in a club that more often plays 1

Bounty Hunter

Noni Madueke, English RW 20 at PSV

Kondogbia, DM 29 at At. Madrid

The most recent players I’ve seen linked

Esse85

Davis out for the season with hamstring injury, pity as he was getting a good run of games and increasing his transfer value. Big blow to forests promotion hopes.

remoteboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118944304#Comment_118944304

That’s harsh. Was delighted to see him playing and scoring for Forest. He’s a decent player just not the standard we need. Always felt he could do well elsewhere given the right opportunity. Cooper is doing a fantastic job with Forest.

LeBash

Spurs looking at O'Hare is doing the rounds. I thought he was way too good to let go on a free, I think we had the option ofa 1 year extension as well.

Esse85

Sanson and Traore both out injured again.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118958980#Comment_118958980

He is nearly 24 now and he wouldn’t have seen any football at Villa post-promotion. From what I’ve seen, I can’t imagine he will be Spurs level, but if he ends up being that, it’s just one of those things you can’t do much about.

Esse85

The usual in midfield.

Had hoped Buendia, Nakamba and Ings would start.

Bailey gets the nod.

Leicester side is weakened.

pavb2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118965457#Comment_118965457

Thing is we’ve played poorly with the same line up before. Given the amount of games Leics have played and involvement in Europe we should be looking to win this. Another poor performance like Wolves and more questions will be asked about SG’s managerial credentials

circadian

Only a matter of time for a Leicester goal if the defence keeps backpassing like this.

remoteboy

Not a lot to be positive about in that half. Here’s hoping we turn up for the second half.

Esse85

6 points behind Newcastle, let that sink in.

Bounty Hunter

It feels like the season is already over

remoteboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966234#Comment_118966234

Feels like it’s been over since February

Esse85

I'd happily move Coutinho on, he's holding back Buendia who's our future. Villa just can't afford to carry luxury players like Coutinho and Bailey.

How many good games has Coutinho had versus games where he's done nothing. For a "world class" player, he doesn't deliver enough for me and given his age and the huge money required for him, I'd rather Buendia be given the game time.

Doubt he'll want to stay anyway but I definitely think we're better off moving him on. No doubt he'll be sensational for half a dozen games for whoever he signs for but he'll be missing for the other 30+

remoteboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966290#Comment_118966290

Couldn’t agree more. Utterly pointless signing that derailed our season. Buendia needed those games. Just when he was starting to show a bit of form he was dropped.

Honestly feel like Gerrard has taken us backwards. Hasn’t improved any of the players (not giving him credit for Ramsey - this was always going to be his breakthrough season). In fact players seem to be going backwards under him. Regularly throws the team under the bus and thinks he can buy his way out of trouble. He’ll be gone by Xmas. And if they’ve any sense they send Purslow packing too.

CSF

This summer is absolutely huge now. Gerrard seems to have been making it clear that he’s going to put his stamp on the team this summer.

That could end up a success or we could end up with our old team dismantled at further cost, and still fairly sh*t after all of it, and will ultimately end up pursuing a new manager then who will also want to change the squad around.

pavb2

Yes it’s a bit disappointing how things have worked out with this group of players, with another rebuild in the summer we can probably write off any notions of European football for a couple of years at least.

Panrich

We surely have a squad of players that we should not be looking over our shoulders with a handful of games left.

Several players have regressed badly since last season.

Konsa, Targett, Luiz, Watkins for sure. Martinez, McGinn, Traore (very limited game time) also affected.

Sutely the loss of one player cannot be the whole story. We started the season poorly and have rarely risen above mediocrity.

The big worry now is that incoming players soon become affected by the general malaise that permeates the team. Look at our new shiny toys like Ings, Bailey, Digne and Coutinho. It hasn’t taken long for their form to hit rock bottom.

Whats to say any new summer signings will fare any better?

pavb2

I think your right, though I think Martinez has been OK and Newcastle seem to like Targett. But this regression of existing players together with the minimal impact of the new players is a concern.

To be positive though Cash and Ramsey have improved.

Esse85

And Ramsey signed a new long term contract this week.

Couldn't argue with what Panrich said.

I'm on the fence with Gerrard, but in fairness to him, these aren't his players and it's not his system so I am prepared to give him a preseason at least including the summer transfer window and January 2023 window.

Digne and Coutinho if he signs could be really good players with a pre season behind them. I wouldn't write off Bailey yet, he hasn't had enough game time to judge.

I do really want to see Buendia in the side, not sure there's room for him Coutinho and Bailey.

pavb2

Deano will get a good reception today though Norwich will be relegated if results go against them.

I think we just need to be a bit more adventurous today I’d start Ings, Watkins & Buendia and try and repeat the first half performance against Spurs.

We were far too cautious against Leicester though I’m sure the fear of losing 5 in a row played into SG’s thought process.

remoteboy

Would love Emi to get a start. Can’t see him benching Coutinho though. Would love to see Marv back on the pitch too.

remoteboy

No Emi but Tim starts and Chambers comes in. UTV.

DBIreland

Iroegbunam gets a start in place of Luiz, Buendia on the bench.

Game is live on Premier Sports 2 (Sky Ch 421)

Esse85

Gutted for Buendia not getting to start against his former club.

Hopefully Bailey justifies his selection.