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

pavb2

They look like signings to ensure survival rather than push us on.

I always thought Dendoncker was ok for Wolves and if Luiz does leave in January or the summer at least he’s be bedded in

CSF

Carragher out defending Gerrard in the media now. Embarrassing.

LeBash

Theres a few places saying Nakamba had offers from Forest and Fulham. Didn't say what the breakdown was though.

circadian

Gonna get slaughtered today. Be surprised if Haaland doesn't get a hat trick.

Would love to have a surprise but I don't see that happening.

Patser

Luiz McGinn Ramsey Kamara midfield?

Bailey and Watkins.... is he going 4-4-2 or is Ramsey or McGinn being pushed to a wing, or is it pure pack the midfield and hold on for dear life?

Esse85

Is it wrong to hope we get spanked 5-0 in the hope the owners say good riddance to Gerrard Monday morning?

pavb2

Anything less than a 4 nil defeat will be a victory

Patser

Let's see how long we all last here before we tap out and stop watching the game

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119565671#Comment_119565671

Eh I’d rather win, but if we have to lose then it may aswell be one that gives us a better chance of winning our next few games

Patser

Ollie is doing ok alone up front, Luiz is looking fired up in midfield and Mings ok in defence - but a lot of others look exhausted/slow/uninterested Bailey and Digne especially.

Patser

Oh crap, Cash looks fecked - going off after trying to limp on

CSF

Weird feeling watching Villa and feeling pretty much nothing. Obviously I want to win, but having read Gerrard throwing his players under the bus again in that Sky interview, it’s a muted enthusiasm considering how much I want him gone.

pavb2

Yes Luiz having a good game we need to get the ball out to Bailey a bit more . Buendia has to come on earlier today

Patser

Bailey just isn't doing much to get the ball - maybe it's that Ollie naturally seems to go left and look for the ball, or possibly that with Cash off Young isn't getting forward much to help, but Bailey just isn't doing much at all

Ramsey is definitely trying to get up and help on the left and make runs behind the defence, Bailey seems to prefer to saunter over to get the ball and think he can then beat the defender

OneColdHand

How have we gotten to the point where our back up right back is 37 year old left back?

Patser

Feeeeckk..... so easy again. Martinez should have been able to follow that better. Tap in

Alonzo Mosley

Yesssssss

JPA

Well well

Panrich

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119566446#Comment_119566446

Gerrard in

listermint

City have one 31 out of 32 games they've gone one nil up in.

Result.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119566489#Comment_119566489

Never in doubt was it.

Panrich

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119566213#Comment_119566213

Shout for Ashley Young today. He had Foden in his pocket and outsprinting DeBruyne as well. Lots of calmness and good decisions on and off the ball.

CSF

That was alot better today for sure. Interesting to see how it’ll be against Leicester now when being solid and competitive isn’t enough by itself. Felt like the lack of that kind of pressure (almost like a free hit) almost suited us today.

JPA

I have no issue with going defensive or playing that same lineup next match.

We have to stop losing before anything else.

pavb2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119566676#Comment_119566676

Given Man City’s possession game I didn’t think we were anymore defensive than usual we showed more attacking intent than we did against Arsenal and didn’t mess around with it at the back as much. Luiz had a great first half, him and Kamara need to start, McGinn gave the ball away a few times and was rightly subbed.

Coutinho’s disallowed goal was his one meaningful contribution, I think the solid performance of the back four today was simply that none of them made their usual howler.

All in all a better day than any of us expected

sc86

Great draw , bit hard done by over the disallowed goal.

Hopefully this is the turning point

Patser

Typical, missed end of game, but delighted with point, even if for pure psychological thing of not being in relegation zone

circadian

What a surprise!

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119566676#Comment_119566676

Not sure it would actually work the same way. What works against City isn’t hugely transferrable to other teams that won’t play in anything resembling the same way. The key thing is to figure out how Leicester are going to play and find a way to deal with that similarly, and for the lads to play with the same intensity as yesterday.

artanevilla

City weren't really at it either so that helped. No use drawing with the likes of City if you lose to Palace and Bournemouth.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119568598#Comment_119568598

Yeah, but those are done now, so it’s all about how we can adapt to Leicester.

pavb2

If Gerrard learnt anything from yesterday he should realise that his style of possession football is too slow, lacks urgency, intensity and only serves to put us under unnecessary pressure. We looked sharper when we played the ball forward up to their box a lot quicker, with the players he’s got I’d go back to using wingers which would also give more cover down our flanks.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119568598#Comment_119568598

That's very negative.

Villa controlled them as best they could but City still had an xG of 2.1.

JPA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119568458#Comment_119568458

What I really mean is, playing a lineup that allows some kind of control in midfield, ie a sitting 2 of Kamara and Luiz should always be employed IMO, whether that's against City or Leicester or Bournemouth.

It gives a base for the attacking players to have more possession.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119569233#Comment_119569233

Yeah definitely

remoteboy

Looks like Chelsea are in for Potter. Apparently his release clause is 16m. No wonder we’ve not gone for him.

Esse85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119585891#Comment_119585891

Always amazes me that clubs are reluctant to splash out on managers yet burn £GBP after £GBP on below average players who regularly don't work out.

A manager has far bigger impacts and responsibilities than a single player.

These days most £16m players in the PL are simply squad players.

pavb2

I read that Tuchel got £13 mill compensation

Esse85

I heard this morning (Talksport) that Rogers is in line for similar compensation should he get the bullet.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119586336#Comment_119586336

Whoever loses this weekend will surely be sacked. Interestingly, both outcomes could lead to Rodgers leaving Leicester.

Esse85

Wonder if Tuchel could be persuaded to join Villa.

pavb2

It’s a pity our game against Leicester was called off as there was a bit more positivity after the City game.

it’s difficult to know the boards feelings towards Gerrard they are obviously willing to give him a bit more time but would a loss against Southampton on Friday be enough for them to make a change.

Matt Cash won’t be playing for Poland due to his hamstring injury hopefully he’ll be back for Leeds 2nd Oct but more likely Forest on 10th.

matrim

Looking at the team news for tonight there's a possibility that both Martinez and Olsen are out and we will be down to a youth keeper.

Hope to see a midfield of kamara and Luiz sitting deeper, with mcginn or Ramsey in front of them

Doodee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119624935#Comment_119624935

Can Ashley Young play in goal?

OneColdHand

Probably, but we need him at RB to cover Matty Cash!

Looking like a patched up defence.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119624935#Comment_119624935

I think everyone hoped to see this. Did anyone really expect to though? Gerrard makes it exceptionally difficult to like him.

Esse85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119627786#Comment_119627786

He's just so set in his ways it's damaging.

Must be infuriating to be Luiz or Buendia.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119627838#Comment_119627838

Pretty much all our internationals have lost their spot since he came in. I can only imagine how many of them resent him.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119627838#Comment_119627838

I didn’t realise that he was so unlikeable. As a player he seemed dour and a little sullen at times, but I just never saw this aspect of his personality.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119627906#Comment_119627906

I don’t know if this is recency bias or he is genuinely more dislikeable than Bruce