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

We have cover but Carlos was going to dramatically improve us. Massive setback.

Terrible news about Carlos. That's a tough injury to fully recover from too. Absolutely rotten luck.

Fortunately we have numbers in the squad but maybe not the quality to sufficiently replace him. The 20m received for Chukwuemeka should go some way to getting a replacement.

The game on Sat was a good result but it told us nothing new about our team really. Buendia Is a much better option than Coutinho at this stage. Watkins is vital to the team for what he does well but his finishing and decision making on the ball at times is appalling.

Ings is our best finisher but doesn't offer much else in general play...if he contribute with regular goals he worth his place for sure.

McGinn and Ramsey both have something to offer but we need one of them to kick on now to higher level in terms of goals and assists to nake that a viable midfield.

Kamara looks a good player. Exactly what we have been missing.

Our backline continues to look shakey and nervous. I think Gerrard could be a very harsh manager behind closed doors. That might not help with the jitters we're seeing back there.

Our defending at set pieces is abysmal. If we go Man to Man then they need to be more dominant and commanding in the air. I think we need to mix up the zonal man marking personally. I feel we're also short one tall player between midfield and forwards to help out at set pieces. The Onana type player (height wise) we saw from Everton. I had hope Carney might have been that player for us long term. A pity.

Martinez coming off his line is our best chance at the moment of defending set pieces.

I'd like to see more of Archer and I was dissaspointed Kesler Kaine was sent on loan. I thought he was ready to contribute now but it won't do him any harm to have regular football.

What worried me when Konsa came on was a couple of his attempts to win the ball in the air, he barely got off the ground, we need more aggression in attacking the ball from him.

It's alarming how Konsa, McGinn, Watkins and Luiz have all stagnated, in fact went backwards. Under two different managers too.

Top half finish looking less and less likely.

I doubt it, has signed a new contract.

And Liverpool have a few injuries.

Not sure what you mean, Joe Gomez is not available anyway.

I mean, that if they have Van Dijk, Konate, Matip, Fabinho and Phillips all fit at the end of the window, they might look at a loan deal differently if they want Gomez to get some football, somewhere that are less likely to want to take him permanently.

Sanson apparently in talks with Besiktas

It's not great but they have money and AFAIK the tax system there allows the players keep way more than say France.

Every day without hint of activity makes me worried by the club’s overall strategy.

I listened to Gerrard's interview today, he was asked a lot about transfers, his stock answer was that the club are always looking to improve the squad and if the right player becomes available etc etc.

Absolutely, wishy washy language, but I guess you can't show your hand too much either and nor can you be saying signings are complete, just standard game playing from a manager.

Not sure about Bednarek, is he much better than Hause? Don't want to get lumped with a guy for 3 years etc.

Front 3 of Buendia, Watkins and Bailey. Excited to see how they do.

2-1 down now.

poor from mcginn there, ball watching. should have been put out by kamara intillay i think but in any case ruled out for offside, 2nd best here

Ramsey is seriously overrated as a CM. He has all the abilities of a winger, and thats it, he should be transformed into a winger, because he doesn't seem to have the abilities for what you need in the CM. Goes missing for most games in there.

As for Leon Bailey... time for the club to accept was a terrible signing and try to get rid and cut their losses and bring in a new wide player. He disappeared after the first 10 mins and hasn't been seen since.

No pace on the bench at all.

Hollywood manager. Hollywood signings. No plan. No improvement of players. He needs to go.

some goal that, villa so so so poor, ripped open

Diabolical.

We've been dominated since the 5th minute and no change to the system.

This is what kills me. He just swaps like for like as if it’s the player’s that are the problem and not the system. Palace have posed some very specific problems and we haven’t addressed any of them.