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

Bounty Hunter

Brian201888 wrote: »

Left winger is so important, hope we've someone suitable in mind for when/if Rashica doesn't happen. If we can get to the stage where we've 2 threats on the wings and allow Grealish move to the 10 we've got the makings of an attack that anyone outside of the top teams would be happy with.

Well if say Barkley was signed maybe Jack would stay on the LW but ideally we should be signing a LW and it'd seem from the Rashica situation that has always been the plan.

Can't take more than 1 player on loan from a premiership team otherwise I'd be suggesting an interest in Odoi as I've seen him linked with a loan exit recently as despite them giving him a big contract to keep him last year he has struggled to find form post injury.

Similarily I think that Ryan Sessegnon who we were linked to at one point could be worth looking into. As I thought he was quality but does not seem to be getting any chances at all under Jose.

Still not entirely sure why we seemed to go off Benrahma all together too.

LeBash

Frank said nobody else would be leaving Brentford unless the offer was way over the top so I guess Benrahma deal is dead.

Wouldnt blame them, they've got ambitions and they have been gutted several times.

Theyre clinging onto him like we cringed to Grealish.

listermint

LeBash wrote: »

Frank said nobody else would be leaving Brentford unless the offer was way over the top so I guess Benrahma deal is dead.

Wouldnt blame them, they've got ambitions and they have been gutted several times.

Theyre clinging onto him like we cringed to Grealish.

:eek:

Brian201888

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Well if say Barkley was signed maybe Jack would stay on the LW but ideally we should be signing a LW and it'd seem from the Rashica situation that has always been the plan.

Can't take more than 1 player on loan from a premiership team otherwise I'd be suggesting an interest in Odoi as I've seen him linked with a loan exit recently as despite them giving him a big contract to keep him last year he has struggled to find form post injury.

Similarily I think that Ryan Sessegnon who we were linked to at one point could be worth looking into. As I thought he was quality but does not seem to be getting any chances at all under Jose.

Still not entirely sure why we seemed to go off Benrahma all together too.

I think if we get him central we become far less predictable, if he's playing lw we may as well be realistic and say our attacks will be focused down the left, get him central bringing two capable wingers into play and our threat increases hugely in my opinion

Bounty Hunter

So today's new link is Wylan Cyprien, Nice AMC who scored 7 and assisted 3 in 20 appearances last season with foot mercado in France claiming that Villa have made a €17.5m (£16m) bid for the Frenchman. That said I've just read that Smith has said that there was ‘nothing in Villa link‘ (although I'm seeing far more places reporting the bid than that) when queried at the pre-Fulham press conference about the matter. Weirdly other articles have him also linked to Newcastle and say that teams are now interested in him as his pricetag was dropped from 20 to 10m

Meanwhile it seems everything was agreed with Rashica but he wanted double his current wages €40k to sign and villa left the contract discussions over this demand. Maybe a compromise will be found if an alternative isn't found closer to the deadline. €60k for example isn't crazy in this day and age for a play like him.

Nakamba is now being linked to Turkey but I'd like to see him kept, think he could be a useful squad player and could still improve in his second season in the premiership.

LeBash

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

Nakamba is now being linked to Turkey but I'd like to see him kept, think he could be a useful squad player and could still improve in his second season in the premiership.

I wouldnt let Nakamba go myself. Luiz gets injured or if we are going into a fixture where we expect a spanking he will be needed.

Esse85

In Smiths press conference pre Fulham game, Smith suggests only 1 more coming in and a couple more going out.

When pressed for the position he's looking to recruit in, it sounded like someone who could play a few positions.

CSF

Esse85 wrote: »

In Smiths press conference pre Fulham game, Smith suggests only 1 more coming in and a couple more going out.

When pressed for the position he's looking to recruit in, it sounded like someone who could play a few positions.

For me, the window hasn’t been a home run by any means. Most of us on here talked about at least one signing of intent, and while I’m happy enough with the players we did get, I don’t know if any of them fit the bill.

Still think we will be able to stay away from the bottom 3 this year though. Keeping Luiz and Grealish was huge.

Panrich

CSF wrote: »

For me, the window hasn’t been a home run by any means. Most of us on here talked about at least one signing of intent, and while I’m happy enough with the players we did get, I don’t know if any of them fit the bill.

Still think we will be able to stay away from the bottom 3 this year though. Keeping Luiz and Grealish was huge.

It must be easy enough to please Grealish if these were the plans that the owners told him about that got him all hyped up about the future at Villa.

CSF

Panrich wrote: »

It must be easy enough to please Grealish if these were the plans that the owners told him about that got him all hyped up about the future at Villa.

Yeah, these aren't the grand designs I expected when I heard that quote. Maybe football being without fans for the season impacts the amount we planned to spend.

chases0102

What are people expecting/hoping for tomorrow?

Would love a win and a Watkins goal, but I’m cautious. Were lucky last day against SU, more innovation in attack needed.

pavb2

chases0102 wrote: »

What are people expecting/hoping for tomorrow?

Would love a win and a Watkins goal, but I’m cautious. Were lucky last day against SU, more innovation in attack needed.

Obviously hoping for a win but early days and we don’t know what our level is. I think the new signings are an improvement on last year so let’s hope we aren’t in a relegation scrap again

listermint

chases0102 wrote: »

What are people expecting/hoping for tomorrow?

Would love a win and a Watkins goal, but I’m cautious. Were lucky last day against SU, more innovation in attack needed.

3 Nil Villa.

JPA

Fulham have conceded 7 in 2 games, so we need to attack them. But I thought we were poor last week in attack.
Hopefully another week of training will have improved them.

artanevilla

These are the games to be winning early on

JPA

artanevilla wrote: »

These are the games to be winning early on

Absolutely. It gets a bit tougher...

Esse85

Anything less than 3 points will be a disappointment.
Would expect Traore to start.

Patser

listermint wrote: »

3 Nil Villa.

Davis hattrick

Patser

Liking the new 3rd kit


https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2020/september/GALLERY-Take-a-closer-look-at-our-new-third-kit-/

There is something about the pattern though, as if it's a map of Parishes in Laois in 1790s or Birmingham voting districts 1980s. Maybe its just the cartographer in me

Edit: found a better link, and guess what, that's exactly what it is. Birmingham districts, with Villa Park located where the crest sits

CSF

Esse85 wrote: »

Anything less than 3 points will be a disappointment.
Would expect Traore to start.

Reckon it’ll be an unchanged side from last Monday if everyone fit

Patser

CSF wrote: »

Reckon it’ll be an unchanged side from last Monday if everyone fit

Correct.

Traore on bench

Patser

Grealish. Great start,and McGinn with lovely assist

Patser

And almost 2!!!! Fulhams defers all over the place

OneColdHand

Super Jack!

basillarkin

Targett is a liability

LowOdour

Boom! Great goal

Patser

2 - 0 Hourihane!!!!

Grealish tearing their defence apart again.


Fulham having a lot of ball, their full backs getting lot of space but Villa defence is good, Fulhams is woeful

LeBash

I dont feel so bad about moving Bowen to the bench this week in fantasy football now.

basillarkin

Good move that

Patser

Should have been 3, Watkins an inch short...... Davis would have made it (and probably hit the post)

OneColdHand

I'd love Watkins to get a goal - that would be icing on the cake. We need our striker to be scoring and confidence is everything

Patser

McGinns skill...... absolute FIFA football

LowOdour

Best McGinn has played in a long time...hope he keeps it up for the season

Patser

There'll be a red in this, ref is giving a good few yellows

JPA

OneColdHand wrote: »

I'd love Watkins to get a goal - that would be icing on the cake. We need our striker to be scoring and confidence is everything

If the game continues like this he'll have a good chance. But that was a strange header.

Neil3030

Watkins is a real live wire, runs and runs, gets into decent positions. Finishing isn't the finished article but I feel that's an aspect of someones game that can be improved, while his strengths (awareness, graft) are harder to coach.

matrim

Neil3030 wrote: »

Watkins is a real live wire, runs and runs, gets into decent positions. Finishing isn't the finished article but I feel that's an aspect of someones game that can be improved, while his strengths (awareness, graft) are harder to coach.

It's one of the things I've realy liked about his play so far. He's always looking to run towards space. He'll lay off a ball and then turn and try break into space. It's something we were missing from our strikers last year.

Panrich

If there was ever a performance at 2-0 away from home that you could be worried about, this is it.

They have a lot of space on the wings and our pressing is a bit half hearted to stop them getting crosses in. Targett is looking a bit dodgy defensively. We might have got a bit of luck with their right back going off.

On the plus side Grealish, McGinn and the workrate of Watkins is great to see. A pity that we've retreated so much out of possession that even if he wins a header, he has nobody to traget.

matrim

Panrich wrote: »

They have a lot of space on the wings and our pressing is a bit half hearted to stop them getting crosses in. Targett is looking a bit dodgy defensively. We might have got a bit of luck with their right back going off.

Would like to see Traore on early in the second half because Trez hasn't been up to much. He's gotten into some good spaces but final ball has been poor

Panrich

Well I'm no longer worried

Patser

Mings!! 3 - 0

Their defence is just woeful

Patser

Into Champions League spot.....

Patser

Fulham so bad that Trez is now tackling Watkins on edge of Fulham box to help out

Patser

Oh oh 3 - 1 Martinez mistake dropped ball to forward

Edit: Disallowed by VAR for off the bll foul!!! VAR is still our friend this season! Wow

Panrich

Patser wrote: »

Oh oh 3 - 1 Martinez mistake dropped ball to forward

VAR is great

basillarkin

Got away with one. That is poor keeping either way

matrim

Right call there. Gotta love VAR

LeBash

I'd pull McGinn off, bring Nakamba on and move Luiz up. These are winning a lot of ball and we might be in trouble if down to 10 men.

JPA

Patser wrote: »

Into Champions League spot.....

With a game in hand. Or more realistically just 34 more points required.

Patser

Cash is good