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

CSF · 16-07-2022 10:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119347171#Comment_119347171

The midfield is the big worry as we stand. I'm not that concerned about going into the season with Watkins/Ings/Archer as the striker options. A back 5 of Martinez, Digne, Mings, Carlos, Cash does not worry me at all with Kamara sitting in front of them. Coutinho, Buendia and Bailey are great options in the spots behind the striker also IMO.

But there is no 2 from Ramsey, McGinn, Luiz, Sanson, (maybe we should include Chukwuemeka even though I don't think there is much chance he is staying) that I see as being capable of being a top 10 level partnership. This is absolutely the area that Villa need to get right this summer. I think Bissouma was the number 1 target and it'll have been a big disappointment to lose out to Spurs, but absolutely can't afford to not find the equivalent somewhere.

CSF · 17-07-2022 12:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119347171#Comment_119347171

On the stats alone, Watkins hasn't actually been too bad a finisher (only slightly behind his xG), and I think what he brings to the team outside of his finishing is very important, so I'm quite a fan of his, although I will acknowledge that he was defo better in season 1 than 2.

I think the defence should be helped by having Carlos in there and Kamara sitting in front of it (I thought Mings was much better last season than his first 2 PL seasons with the club), but I agree with you on the midfield. I don't think you can be a consistent team at PL level with those midfield options. Its the last piece in the puzzle that needs to be filled well IMO.

Panrich · 18-07-2022 5:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119283311#Comment_119283311

Well that was a disaster. The first hint was a few weeks ago when I checked my new Claret account only to see it was scheduled to run from 23/24 season. I got on to support who were very nice and they said it was because I had bought a membership for my son as a gift so mine went by mistake for the following season. Never mind that I had bought mine before his but in the end they sorted it and it showed as active for 22/23.

However, I was unable to get on at 5pm to buy a ticket but my son was ok. He couldn't book a ticket for me as I am not eligible. I am properly cheesed off as I was really looking forward to the weekend. My wife is in Birmingham for work that week so we are going over to meet her on the Friday and make a weekend of it. The two ladies are going shopping and it looks like I might be joining them now :-)

I'll be ringing in the morning but hopes of getting a ticket side by side now are obviously nil.

tldr: AVFC site cock-up means I can't get a ticket.

CSF · 19-07-2022 12:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119355068#Comment_119355068

Usually resale tickets go up every now and again (especially closer to the date). Getting 2 beside each other will be trickier but not impossible. You’ll just have to look on there fairly often.

CSF · 19-07-2022 12:46am

I still see loads of 2 seats beside each other by the way. If you can’t get sorted in the morning ringing the ticket office (I think you’ll be able), could probably give you a dig out and let you book under my claret membership as I’m not going to that one (heading to the West Ham one)

Esse85 · 19-07-2022 9:00am

Kamara looked impressive at the weekend, yes it's a friendly etc but first impressions for me were very good. Excited to see how he performs.

Bailey and Ings looked sharp too.

Panrich · 19-07-2022 3:23pm

They’ve put aside the ticket next to my son until they can resolve the issue. Very good service in the end.

Panrich · 19-07-2022 3:27pm

That game with Leeds certainly got a bit tetchy as most of our encounters with them seem to end up. I was also impressed by Kamara. Olsen had a good day in goals too.

The word is that Konsa might make an appearance against Brisbane. That’s a bonus.

CSF · 19-07-2022 4:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119359567#Comment_119359567

Good news

remoteboy · 20-07-2022 10:33am

Just spotted that the Brisbane Roar game is streaming for free on 10play.com.au

if you have a smart DNS service - I’m using getflix - you should be able watch it.

Esse85 · 20-07-2022 10:55am

Surprised how strong a line up we started with, thought there would be a younger cohort of players.

CSF · 20-07-2022 11:15am

It’s only 2 weeks til the start of the season this weekend I guess. Media reporting again that Villa still want a midfielder. It’s a huge priority IMO.

Panrich · 20-07-2022 11:42am

This is also on Premier sports for those of us who have that. 'Highlight' so far was a horror challenge from Digne that was red all day long. We have not been able to make any clearcut chances against an A-league side except from a long ball over the top from Chambers to Ings and also a bit of ping pong in their box that should have been converted.

remoteboy · 20-07-2022 12:12pm

Looking much better in the second half. Buendia offering so much more urgency than Coutinho. Archer looking good too.

remoteboy · 20-07-2022 12:14pm

Pitch seems poor too. Lots of players slipping.

remoteboy · 20-07-2022 12:23pm

Lovely finish by Archer. Makes up for his earlier miss.

Esse85 · 20-07-2022 1:08pm

Nice finish from Archer, awful fresh air shot from Watkins who should of scored, missed a 1 on 1 Vs Leeds in last game despite he working with a finishing specialist.

Esse85 · 23-07-2022 10:15am

Strong line up from Villa, wonder does SG consider this to be his strongest XI, Bailey and Buendia on bench.

JPA · 23-07-2022 11:04am

I like the away jersey, first time I've seen it.

Esse85 · 23-07-2022 12:08pm

Bailey pulls one back.

Away shirt is lovely, pro version is €125 and regular is €75

Esse85 · 23-07-2022 12:52pm

Bailey with another in I.T

Finished 2-2

Great second half performance.

I'll quickly lose patience with Coutinho starting and not contributing while keeping the effective Buendia is left out.

SG will regret sticking with Watkins, he's a poor player that won't spearhead the club to a top half finish. Him and misfiring Ings is a real concern.

Panrich · 23-07-2022 1:50pm

I'm concerned that Gerrards favourite players seem to be very out of form. Cash, Mings, McGinn, Ramsey, Coutinho and Watkins have all failed to impress at all during pre-season so far and yet all seem to be automatic first choices. I know that it is pre-season, but you'd have to be worried if he persists in picking players purely based on past reputation.

Bounty Hunter · 23-07-2022 4:59pm

Villa still seem intent on bringing in a CM and Sangare seems to be the most mentioned name atm so I don't know if Ramsey (I'd guess despite his huge potential and youth he would drop to be the one who comes off the bench not McGinn) is a guaranteed starter if we sign such a CM aka a CM of starter quality but yeah I'd be much more confident if some of those, especially Watkins as our main source of goals was tearing it up in pre-season.

That said United have been having a very positive pre-season so far and failed to beat us and the bench definetley looks strrong with the likes of Bailey, Luiz and Beundia all able to come on.

I'd wager Gerrard won't be starting all games with Ings and Watkins up front too, i'd say Bailey or more likely Beundia could start instead of one of them in many games. Most likely Ings

Also seems like Carney is not giving Villa any option, told the club he wants 100k a week from reports which despite his potential talent would be madness to give him and there are reports that although Villa slapped a 20m tag on him, they may have to accept more like closer to 25% if they don't want to lose him for as little as 300k compensation in January if he signs for a team abroad.

CSF · 23-07-2022 7:52pm

McGinn and Ramsey staying in the same together will remain a problem. Luiz is a more suitable partner for either one, but I’d only really play him if he signs a contract this summer.

In any other scenario, a midfielder with more of a passing range than McGinn or Ramsey will be an absolutely crucial signing that will ultimately determine the success of the team.

Would also prefer Buendia over Coutinho.

Panrich · 23-07-2022 9:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119378034#Comment_119378034

I agree with this. We never seem to be able to gain control of a match when McGinn and Ramsey are both starting. We can get away with one or the other. I think Luiz will stay or we'll get someone else in before the window closes.

CSF · 23-07-2022 9:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119378304#Comment_119378304

Both Ramsey and McGinn are good players. But should be in competition with each other IMO. I think Luiz will stay in this window too but unless he is actually signing a contract I wouldn’t be investing the season in him as a starter. Have to sign the replacement now.

JPA · 24-07-2022 1:44am

Can we please stop playing Ings and Watkins together, Ings will never be a support striker, we have so many better options.

Esse85 · 26-07-2022 10:10pm

Really wish Gerrard had of been more ruthless and sold either McGinn or Watkins, both are in crucial positions and their work-rate covers over the poor quality they have. Would rather keep Ming's than these two.

It clearly hasn't been easy offloading fringe players either.

Would still expect a CM but we're leaving it late.

It's really frustrating knowing Ings/Watkins will start the season as no.1 and no.2 strikers at the club given how badly they both performed last season and they mix as smoothly as oil and water too😞

CSF · 27-07-2022 1:25am

I don’t think there’s gonna be any more significant signings now.

artanevilla · 27-07-2022 10:01am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119359567#Comment_119359567

Only seeing this now, did you get sorted? If not you can use my Claret Club.

Panrich · 27-07-2022 1:37pm

I did thank you. We’re all sorted. I’ve also booked flights for November for the Utd match so hoping to get over a few more times this season.

CSF · 27-07-2022 5:08pm

McGinn as captain seems like an awful shout from Gerrard. If we sign the midfielder that we’ve all been talking about, he is probably not even guaranteed in the team ahead of Ramsey.

JPA · 27-07-2022 5:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119395298#Comment_119395298

Except he obviously is now.

Seems like a strange decision, but maybe it will take a weight off Mings shoulders.

Bounty Hunter · 27-07-2022 5:42pm

A little surprised that the change happened as I still expect Mings to be starting alongside Carlos this season but I do like the decisiveness from Gerrard and it is a much needed kick up the backside for Mings who is most certainly droppable if he does not step things up / cut out the errors, with the likes of Konsa breathing down his neck hopefully.

McGinn shouldn't be guaranteed of his place in the team but tbh I definitely expected even before this that if Villa sign that linked midfielder say Sangare for example it would be him and Kamara with McGinn Infront of them.

Ramsey's youth and long term contract (until 2027 iirc) means that Gerrard will be confident that he won't be going anywhere, will still think that he can improve more / be more willing to fight for his place and or accept coming off the bench in most games and he will definitely get a tonne of game time even if such a CM is signed (especially as if one is signed that means Luiz is out imo).

That said no CM has been signed atm but hopefully the arrival of a more dedicated DM will let us see the McGinn and Ramsey we only saw in a handful of games as I don't think our mid was ever really balanced and nobody was fully allowed play their own game. This would probably be the case even more so for McGinn if another CM was signed and I also think Mings should be improved with a DM Infront of him as well as Carlos beside him.

CSF · 27-07-2022 5:49pm

Alot about Villa at the moment screams to me that we’re actually a bit of a sh*tshow. This is similarly in that direction for me. It’s ridiculously unnecessary.

We’ve changed captain from an obvious leader who maybe shouldn’t be guaranteed a place in the team, to a lad who very rarely speaks seriously, who also shouldn’t be guaranteed a place in the team.

Yeah, someone can make the argument that maybe McGinn is a different man in the dressing room, but that argument involves a lot of blind faith. If it was Martinez I could kind of understand it.

Esse85 · 27-07-2022 7:19pm

The class clown getting captains armband is worrying given how poor a player McGinn has been. Sounds like he can do no wrong in Gerrards eyes.

Matty Cash would of been more deserving for me.

If nobody else is signed, we won't finish in the top 12, we'll struggle to score enough goals and Coutinho will drive us all nuts by showing glimses of magic.

CSF · 27-07-2022 7:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119395940#Comment_119395940

There is a real squad building problem at the club. There is a recurring trend of us signing a couple of players every window where people are thinking ‘wow how did they get him?’ and people talk about how we’ve won the window etc. Whereas in reality last summer we actually signed 3 players, apparently to replace Grealish, and neither of our managers last season thought it was a good idea to play even 2 of them in the same team very often.

Unfortunately we’re seeing a recurring trend of the midfield constantly being neglected in terms of balance, and the trend towards more experienced players in their prime being signed, as opposed to the next Coutinho, the next Digne; or the next Carlos, is a bit of a problem (probably driven by Gerrard IMO) if we’re not ready to take advantage of the quality of those players in their prime by making a push to achieve something specific now.

Im dying for us to change it in the remainder of this window but alot suggests to me, that we’re a poorly run club with a big enough budget to paper over the cracks.

Esse85 · 27-07-2022 7:55pm

We're not poorly ran, look at what's coming through the academy, some really good players emerging through the strategy put in place to attract the best young talent. That's paying off.

Commercially going to Oz will be a great move PR and marketing wise to increase brand awareness and win new fans to drive additional revenue, laying down ties as is done with Las Vegas and Egypt.

Plans to increase stadium capacity by 10k

Mistakes have been made in regards to panic buys e.g Coutinho and Ings, but no club is perfect.

Gerrard will be under pressure from the immediate start and rightly so given the players he's chosen to sign.

CSF · 27-07-2022 7:57pm

To clarify, I meant poorly run in terms of the mens first team football squad.

Panrich · 27-07-2022 8:06pm

It's a worry that Gerrard sees McGinn as his captain. He does come across as a character but I don't think he should be an automatic starter for a side with top 8 aspirations. Does this also mean that Luiz is off as he surely now is behind Kamara, McGinn and Ramsey?

CSF · 27-07-2022 8:18pm

Kamara, McGinn and Ramsey is not a top 10 midfield. I’m actually depressed at the thought of watching McGinn and Ramsey in the same team again. These 2 should be fighting for 1 spot beside a technical player.

Bounty Hunter · 28-07-2022 5:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119396206#Comment_119396206

Good thing it seems like the club agree with you given that all the chatter seem to be that they still want to sign one this window, in which case we will be left with Ramsey pushing our new captain and signing to perform or be replaced.

can’t say I’m confident that the club won’t end up saying that the quality of signing they wanted wasn’t available this window and that they will only sign someone if they see it as an improvement for the squad overall. However we still have a month and I’d say the club will ramp up efforts if Luiz is let go (Milan the most recent side linked to him).

Not going to jump to calling things a sh*T show just because McGinn is now Captain. Mings is getting the kick up the arse he needs and we have addressed the most glaring weakness in the squad by bringing in a top quality young DM and and a very good and experienced CB as well as a Swedish international to provide cover at LB.

Yes I’d like a CF as well and us to move for a CM earlier instead of waiting to sort out Luiz and Carney but i still see progress as we come to the end of July.

CSF · 28-07-2022 8:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119397477#Comment_119397477

The ‘the quality we wanted wasn’t available’ is exactly what I anticipate will happen.

To clarify, I’m not saying that I think we’re a sh*tshow suddenly because McGinn is captain. I’m saying that I think we do the footballing side of the project quite badly, and we’re able to compensate a little because of the fact that our owners invest quite a bit of money in the club.

My worry is that with Gerrard seemingly wanting to go increasingly more and more with ‘win now’ kind of signings over guys in their early 20s (which is what happened more often under Smith), is that the consequences for getting squad management wrong will become more and more pronounced.

Esse85 · 29-07-2022 10:09pm

Ings gets the no.9 shirt, if that means anything these days.

CSF · 29-07-2022 11:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119405713#Comment_119405713

I don’t think it does in this case tbh. Reckon Watkins is still first choice.

~Rebel~ · 29-07-2022 11:30pm

All the most important stuff a captain does is off the field really, so it might just be that behind the scenes McGinn is the guy people in the dressing room turn to, and the best ambassador for charities, hospital/school visits, chatting with academy players, dealing with sponsors etc - that's all the stuff where the choice of captain is more tangible. On the field, leaders will be leaders with an armband or not, and being a good leader on the field doesn't necessarily translate to being good at all the off-field stuff.

Panrich · 30-07-2022 8:21am

So the game against Rennes will surely see the current thinking from Gerrard as to his starting 11 next week.

The players that were put in from the start last week against Utd didn’t cover themselves in glory but to be fair, the conditions were terrible.

it will be interesting to see if Bailey starts.

Esse85 · 30-07-2022 9:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119406611#Comment_119406611

Bailey has impressed the most in pre season so far, he has to start against Bournemouth.

If it were me, I'd be starting with Ings, Bailey and Buendia as the three up top.

I think Gerrard will go with Watkins, Coutinho and Bailey.

Esse85 · 30-07-2022 4:28pm

No Buendia/Ming's in the squad.

Watkins, Coutinho and Bailey start.

Konsa and Carlos as CB's

Esse85 · 30-07-2022 5:22pm

Bailey equaliser after 15 mins.

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

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