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

What a save Martinez, absolutely unreal.

Chuck and Sanson on for Luiz and Buendia.

He still should be scoring a 1 on 1 like that.

Great win, and a very good performance all round. Creating chances, while controlling a lot of the game. Martinez's save was one of the best I've seen.

Interesting stats on BBC.

Won 3 out of 11 under Smith, 3 put of 4 under Gerrard.

Also 1st time to win from being behind all season.

Also we've never lost on 5th December in Premier League

When you get in a 1 vs 1 with the keeper in this league and your a £30m striker, you should be scoring. That's the type of chance your staying back in training to practice on week in week out.

Of course it was important, but it means little if he's not finishing it off. Even Gerrard mentioned in his interview that he should of lifted it over the keeper and it would of took the pressure off for the last 10 mins.

No mention of, oh he did great to setup the chance, let's give him a free pass then.

I was afraid to mention that one in case you or anyone else jumped on me to say I was too critical of Ollie.

Anyway, Nakamba was my MOTM, I thought he was excellent at nicking the ball and just being a nuisance when the opposition have the ball. His transformation under Gerrard has been amazing so far.

Credit to Young too, he didn't look out of place at LB and his leadership was there to see.

Carragher interviews Gerrard here for about 20 mins, there's a real sense of determination when Gerrard speaks.

I'd say a mixed bag of a performance again with the right result for us.

It's encouraging that we are getting good results while it's still obvious we're inconsistent in the games themselves.

I thought Leicester were well on top first half but we still posed a real threat and should have gone in ahead at HT. I think the disallowed goal was a poor decision. I felt Buendia in particular gave away the ball too easily first half and they broke very dangerously each time.

The second half started much better. We went ahead and missed two clear cut chances and a couple more decent ones. Buendia and Luiz were more consistent on the ball and it gave us a good platform.

I felt Cash played well in general but his final product was abysmal today.

We defended reasonably well for the rest of the game but it's another area that needs work, particularly once we lose the ball high up the pitch. As Gerrard and others have said. We need to be cuter/cynical on occasion.

It's 9 points out of 12 now for Gerrard and still lots to improve on performance wise. Sanson and Luiz back fit. Carney and Buendia showing glimpses of real ability with others to come back in.

A lot to be positive about looking forward.

He should of scored, even his manager said it after the game.

Is Gerrard talking nonsense too?

Yeah, I was never too sure about how his personality would translate to management from when he talked as a player, but since he retired, he's always sounded great when speaking in longer form interviews like these. He did a great one a year or so ago on Carra's podcast which is well worth a listen, particularly when they get onto the second half and talk more about management.

No one has said he shouldn’t have scored. The point people are making is that boiling down the entire passage of play to ‘shocking miss’ isn’t a fair representation of the quality of the opportunity or the work done beforehand. I agree that Watkins will be kicking himself for not scoring.

I saw the Watkins chance as a great save and the Ramsey chance as a shocking miss.

Pity Ole wasn't still in charge.

At least we've won there already this season.

Trezeguet scored for U23s tonight, and played 60 mins on way back from injury.

Davis also scored

Gerrard said it so there’s no debate? Gerrard was singing his praises a couple of weeks ago while you were on here calling him a disgrace.

In fairness we were missing our three best defenders - Bogarde, Swinkels & Feeney. Good to see Trez get a run but if we got a decent offer in January I’d take it, not sure he’s a player that will take us to the next level.

I'd be in favour of shipping him out on loan and putting him in the shop window for a summer transfer.

How's Guilbert doing I wonder? Wesley can't get a game for his team in Belgium at all.

If he's not getting his game he should be taken back and sent to the Championship or even league 1. Half a season at any level will be better than nothing and he's worth nothing to sell on as it is, so theres no loss.

A fit Wesley in the current team would be an asset even if its off the bench. The first season in the PL was backs to the wall stuff and no striker would have done well.

Draw today would be fantastic

Ramsey, Targett and Young all start.

Trez and Ings back on bench.