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

Patser

And that's what a poor preseason gets you.

Morgan Rogers only 1 really up to speed. Would have been good to see Buendia instead of Barkley. And those Watkins misses...... again! If up to speed

Bounty Hunter

I saw enough today to still be able to be positive and think what could have been, that it was against one of the teams that will finish in the top 2 most likely and we have some far easier games to come even if that was at Villa Park but you still have to be a bit dissapointed.

Looks like Rodgers could be a big player for us this season. Let's hope Watkin's can get back to being who he was last season.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540078#Comment_122540078

I don’t think this is fair. Villa were good and had the better chances. Arsenal had the better finishing. Maybe Ollie having limited pre-season affected him today, but more likely I think he just had a sh*t the bed day that he likely won’t happen too often this season.

Patser

No, I'll stand by my comment - and its not just about Watkins, although even forgetting the misses he was way off the pace and running that he'd normally provide. Bailey was also off pace, and Tielemans.

Looking at preseason, Archer and Rogers were are highest scorers, and Rogers are most played player. We've got rid of Archer and Rogers really stood up today, but a lot of the midfield and forward line were off the pace, passing not crisp, link up a bit poor.

Arsenal were the better team the vast majority of the game, played the game higher up the pitch and played a lot of intelligent balls in behind or back line. Most of our chances came from catching out an isolated Arsenal player and pouncing on a loose ball, rather than linked up play through them

Patser

Also just to add Onana was v good, and Konsa - that gives me a lot of hope we'll stop shipping sloppy goals.

If we can get Buendia, Ramsey, Bailey, Watkins right up to speed, hopefully that'll lead us more wins

Bounty Hunter

Cash out for a month. Obviously he won't be sold now (probably wouldn't have been anyway) but I am still holding out hope for a RB to be signed.

More players being moved off the wage bill might help as Iling jr is off to bologna on loan and Barrenechea has been linked with a loan to Lazio. Still surprised nobody has moved for Dendoncker. He is completely surplus to requirements and some lower side could get him for a bargain price cos we would just be happy to get him off the wage bill.

LeBash

He might be on a silly wage. SG had no problem signing lads on stupid money.

Bounty Hunter

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122546741#Comment_122546741

iirc he is on far more than he should be. I believe it was something like 90k per week

LeBash

Yeah, we are stuck with him or at least 50k of his wage. Even if a club was badly stuck for a DM, there's better and cheaper options unless we are off loading on a free.

circadian

The upside to the hangover of the SG stint is the owners should have a good idea of what kind of manager they need, should Unai ever move on. Anyone walking into those discussions asking for big money should be shown the door immediately, plenty of managers and coaches are showing that they can do it within reasonable budgets.

Bounty Hunter

I’ve seen a few saying these guys are usually on point/reliable but I’ve no idea about these journos personally … that said Matt Maher & Graeme Bailey among others are reporting that we are pushing hard to sign Gertrude with some saying a deal in principle is done/ personal terms are agreed.

I’d much prefer it to be the likes of Ornstein / Romano but this is the exact type of player profile I’d want us going for and if we go him while keeping Cash (the injury should see to that) and Carlos we would be pretty stacked defensively. I mean arguably or b teams back 4 would be Cash, Carlos, Mings, Digne

CSF

Really does seem like Gertruida will sign and that may be it for ins and outs. We haven’t really been a team that pop up wheeling and dealing late in the window under Emery.

CSF

Apparently need to get rid of some of the Carlos/Dendoncker deadwood before the Geertruida deal can be completed, which would certainly lend itself to the idea that will probably be it.

Forest have been rejected by a number of strikers, so don’t be surprised to see them make a Duran charge.

Bounty Hunter

I always thought that they might be signing Geertruida when Carlos leaves but links have dried up for the big Brazillian. Maybe they will still make the move if enough fringe players are moved from the wage bill, then in January Carlos or Cash might move on.

Was reading Wolves want Dendoncker back on loan and although that'd most likely not be covering all of his wages… still do it imo. No point in having him around & not even making the squad, if we can get even 50k a week off the wage bill.

Enzo Barrenechea seems to be off to Valencia on loan too. I think he has more chance of coming back and being involved next year but both himself and Iling Jr (Bologna - actually in the CL) will put themselves in the shop window and should at least be able to be sold for a decent amount next year.

Hause might be the only real surplus player then but I sadly think he will just be a forgotten possibly injured man until his contract is up.

OneColdHand

We are away to Wycome in the Carabao Cup. They are currently 19th in League 1, so should be a good chance to rotate/rest players.

Alonzo Mosley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122556620#Comment_122556620

We might just get a good cup run if we get a kind draw (Assuming we beat Wycome).

OneColdHand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122558214#Comment_122558214

Yeah it would be great to get a handy run to the quarters. From there anything can happen. But knowing our luck we will draw one of the big boys away in the next round!

artanevilla

Illing JR and Barrenecha will possibly never play a competitive game for Villa. They are essentially just cash assets to be moved when the time is right.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122558465#Comment_122558465

Maybe, but they’re also going to the kinds of places where a good season could fire themselves into first team contention. It’s not quite KKH at Huddersfield where the gap remains massive even if he performs well.

OneColdHand

Am a little bit surprised that Barrenachea is going. Thought he might get some game time before Kamara is fully fit.

But i guess if Unai feels their game time will be limited, and therefore their development slowed, it probably makes sense to send them out for a year.

Bounty Hunter

I'm hoping that if we get our man from PSV his versatility might make more sense of the loan move as he could also be a backup DM while Kamara is absent.

If both can get their games at the clubs they are going to (they would have to impress somewhat to be starters) then they would either return as proper squad members or we would be able to sell them next summer for perhaps twice their book value now (which would have already have had one year of amortizisation also).

Iling Jr for example would be returning as a 21yr old Englishman who would have just played around 8 champions league games (if as mentioned he could make himself a starter) on top of whatever he did in Italy. Considering how much some English youngsters have gone for there is no way he wouldn't be valued at well above the 10.1m steerling he was valued at in the deal for Luiz. People seem to rate Barrenechea higher but he was only valued at 8m euro in the deal so it'd be hard to see his valuation do anything but go up if he does anyway well at Valencia.

Again nowhere reputable but the likes of HITC reporting a deal is done in principle with PSV for 35m including all add ons.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122559042#Comment_122559042

Which is a lot when he’s out of contract next summer, so he’d better be the next Cafu

OneColdHand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122559171#Comment_122559171

And not the next Scottish Cafu...

Bounty Hunter

Bayern Munich and Leipzig at Home

Bounty Hunter

Away to Club Brugge & Juve at home (Luiz of course)

artanevilla

Bayern & Juve at home. Very tasty.

pavb2

Dougie coming back to VP

artanevilla

No idea what's happening. I'm just going to wait for it to be done.

Bounty Hunter

Young boys away and Celtic at home :)

Bounty Hunter

Bayern Munich and Leipzig at Home

Away to Club Brugge & Juve at home (Luiz of course)

Young boys away and Celtic at home

Bologna home and Monaco away

artanevilla

I would call that a plum (plumb?) draw.

Bounty Hunter

Big nights vs Munich, Juve and Celtic

Except for Munich (you never know) Villa on their day could take points from most teams there and I'd be confident going in against sides like Brugge, Young Boys, Celtic and Bologna.

Not sure how good Monaco are atm

LowOdour

Some great home matches, would be fun to bag a ticket for any of those (Juve esp)

Bounty Hunter

One slight issue might be that a lot of the winnable games are away but you still have to be happy enough with that draw in terms of potential progression.

Bounty Hunter

"Battle of Britan" vs Celtic

What happened last time we played Bayern Munich in the CL?

The return of Douglas Luiz w/Juve

Iling Jr's new side come to Villa park

Yeah our home games are definitely interesting :)

CSF

Definitely got the nicest draw of the English teams. Have a look at Celtic’s draw though. They could barely have picked better (us away the exception in pot 4)

Bounty Hunter

Dendoncker apparently in talks with another of his old sides in Anderlecht. Also RB Leipzig have just sold a CB for big money and want Geertruida to replace him…

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122559686#Comment_122559686

Talk that our deal is in trouble over funds anyway. I’ve never seen this player play and I’m far too emotionally invested in getting him.

OneColdHand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122559669#Comment_122559669

And at the other end of the scale is Liverpool. Their draw looks really tough. I could see us finishing ahead of them.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122559785#Comment_122559785

With Cash and Nedeljkovic as the only available RBs, and no CB to allow Konsa push out, it’s hard to see Villa pushing on to a European level. Really feels like Villa need to get a quality deal done, at a time in the window when the deals tend to be rushed and low-quality deals.

OneColdHand

Yeah Geertruida is gone to Leipzig.

I really hope we can get some in to bolster the numbers at the back, as I totally agree that we are very light in that area. The likes of Chalobah on loan would seem to do a job, and could cover both RB and CB.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122560129#Comment_122560129

It’s probably gonna be Chalobah or Gomez, but you’ll ultimately end up in the same position next summer, trying to find the guy for the future, with the guy Unai appears to have identified no longer on the market.

Quite worrying that Archer, Iling Junior, Barrenechea going off the wage bill weren’t enough to fund a signing in a priority position, and that it’s been so hard to get rid of the likes of Carlos, Dendoncker and Cash. It probably doesn’t get easier to get rid of these guys when they’re completely out of the picture.

Bounty Hunter

Would not be shocked to see Chalobah on loan as I'd imagine Gomez would be too expensive / want to be a starting CB but I would prefer if we were going for an actual RB not someone who can fill in there.

Interesting to see that most projections have around 8pts being enough to progress to the next round in the CL. They are away but you would hope Villa could pick up a few wins from Brugge, Young Boys, Celtic and Bologna at home. Getting even a point against the likes of Monaco or Leipzig could be a big result too.

CSF

Reports that there will be no incomings today. Can only imagine financial situation in terms of compliance is worse than expected. The talk was that investment would happen once the financial calendar moved on, but I don’t think there has even been a net spend since then, considering Diaby went out.

OneColdHand

Yeah we are worryingly light at the back. I've been saying it for a while. Cash and Carlos both out for Leicester. So that leaves us with 6 fit defenders, 2 of which are Ned and Bogarde.

I know there isnt long left, but I still think we need some sort of utility player on loan. Even if it was just for 6 months.

basillarkin

Very poor from the club not to get the issue at RB sorted, it looks like emery has seen kosta is an out and out CB and he hopefully stays there for the season.

RB is the weak spot no doubt, for some reason they have refused to address it.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122563180#Comment_122563180

Maybe Nedeljkovic is going to be a superstar and we will feel silly for doubting, but right now at his age, that feels very hard to predict, and we know what Cash is.

basillarkin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122563317#Comment_122563317

alot to put on his shoulders, he will need to step up now, hopefully he will

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122563497#Comment_122563497

The mere pressure of that tends not to be a help.

OneColdHand

Woah Bogarde starts. Not sure if thats a RB, or at CB with Konsa at RB.