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

LeBash · 15-08-2023 5:38pm

I have no idea how old Acuna is but he looks about 45 in the face. He was pretty good for Argentina in the World Cup though.

CSF · 15-08-2023 6:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982484#Comment_120982484

Not being Lucas Digne has to be an attribute in his favour. Wonder whether he would be behind Moreno in the pecking order when both fit, or if he could even be an improvement.

circadian · 15-08-2023 7:30pm

Acuna has the aggression we were missing on Saturday and is a decent player. Looking at some of the goals and it came down to a combination of being unable to match the physicality of Newcastle and then making a mess of the high line.

Don't mind seeing Digne going, he's a decent player but not worth the drain on wages. With Mings missing it would be good to have someone with a bit of fight. Would be keen on Zaniolo for the right price, he could still have a bit of magic and is another player with fight.

Panrich · 15-08-2023 9:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120982658#Comment_120982658

Morenos injury might be worse than they are letting on. Hamstring surgery for a player that relies on his pace does not sound good. The fact that we've already one serviceable replacement in Digne lends more credenece in my eyes, especially when Cash at rb was rancid at the weekend but has no specialist competition.

CSF · 15-08-2023 10:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983325#Comment_120983325

There were reports today that Moreno will be back later this month. A RB signing is a must. Cash has not been good enough for some time. Young was better than him last season and will feel hard done by. Saturday doesn’t happen with Young there.

LeBash · 15-08-2023 10:37pm

Just heard Fergies comments on the game at the weekend. I didn't see the game, just highlights. We're we really bossing it at any stage and did Newcastle just bury every half decent chance or was it the ramblings of a man who hasn't a clue anymore?

CSF · 15-08-2023 10:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983679#Comment_120983679

Just read it. It’s the most bizarre take. We were truly annihilated in every way.

LeBash · 16-08-2023 10:36pm

Just saw a picture of Zaniolo doing his medical.

Necro · 17-08-2023 12:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120983707#Comment_120983707

Tbf I thought Villa were well in the game till the Mings injury. Wasn't really a contest after that.

CSF · 17-08-2023 12:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120988726#Comment_120988726

I thought Newcastle were well on too early in the game aswell, but it didn’t reach the farce it turned into until Mings went off for sure. But Mings did also go off after 30 mins, so that’s a lot of the game we were battered for.

Hoping for a reaction performance on Sunday, I’m heading over.

Bounty Hunter · 17-08-2023 6:50am

Acuna with a nice swinging cross assist against Man City for Sevilla last night has apparently agreed terms with Villa and is being tipped to be a Villa player by the start of next week.

You would usually want a younger player signed but if he is a replacement for Digne and won't cost anything when you factor in the fee we should get for Digne then I will be happy enough with that switch as it just hasn't really worked for Digne at Villa and one thing we were lacking vs Newcastle was an attacking threat from our full backs. Cash isn't the greatest at it and Id like to see a RB brought in but Moreno is usually the one given the freedom to roam forward and Acuna would be a good backup / rotation option. It would be no harm to get his reported wage off the books too.

Zaniolo is supposed to be in Birmingham too for his medical today.

The Newcastle result combined with the double whammy of long term injuries for Mings and Beundia has obviously put a real damper on things but Tielemans, Torres, Diaby, Zaniolo and Acuna coming in, is a huge improvement on the squad. and I'd still wager we could see more given the talk of Archer leaving and the potential need for RB (cover at least) being exasperated by the CB injury.

Speaking of Archer - according to reports Villa turned down a bid worth around 10m from Sheff Utd for him. I'd wager you would need to add at least (probably more) another 5/6m and insert a buy back clause / sell on fee.

LeBash · 17-08-2023 12:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120988941#Comment_120988941

Somebody in Seville threw the dummy last night saying we had agreed terms with Acuna before contacting the club. They mentioned nothing was illegal but its really unprofessional.

I take Acuna isn't cup tied after last night? Is that even a thing anymore?

CSF · 17-08-2023 11:19pm

Hibs away Wednesday at 5:45

artanevilla · 18-08-2023 9:25am

Fairly early for a weekday in Scotland, you'd imagine locals will be rushing from work. Maybe that's the idea, there could be potential for trouble.

artanevilla · 18-08-2023 9:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120990118#Comment_120990118

As far as I remember, he wouldn't be cup tied until he played in the competition proper.

CSF · 18-08-2023 10:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120993998#Comment_120993998

It’s because you can’t have games on at the same time as when CL games are on.

artanevilla · 20-08-2023 1:03pm

Pau in for Mings the only change from the Newcastle drubbing.

Two keepers on the bench.

OneColdHand · 20-08-2023 1:06pm

Ugh. Bailey starts again. Bench is very weak.

LeBash · 20-08-2023 1:14pm

Bench is surprising. Duran and Bertie are only back in training this week. Did think Archer would be involved at all with the transfer speculation.

artanevilla · 20-08-2023 1:17pm

Youngy starts for Everton.

remoteboy · 20-08-2023 1:43pm

Will be interesting to see if we play the high line without Mings, or whether there’s a tactical tweak in the offing. Think today will be scrappy enough. A lot of pre-season work has been derailed by injuries.

artanevilla · 20-08-2023 2:21pm

1-0 Meatball. Line looks high enough but we'll have enough possession so it's not exposed as much I suppose.

artanevilla · 20-08-2023 2:26pm

2-0 Douglas Luiz from the spot. Pickford booked for delaying the kick.

Bounty Hunter · 20-08-2023 2:57pm

Everton, the perfect team to play after what happened last week.

Panrich · 20-08-2023 3:05pm

Decent first half. Can't see Everton giving Digne the same amount of space in the second half.

artanevilla · 20-08-2023 3:19pm

The much maligned Bailey makes it 3. I think like the Newcastle game, this match will not really show were we are at this point.

OneColdHand · 20-08-2023 3:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121003845#Comment_121003845

Fully agree. Everton are so poor. We are somewhere between the 2 games.

artanevilla · 20-08-2023 3:42pm

First goal for Duran, assisted by Young. Took it well.

artanevilla · 20-08-2023 3:51pm

Looks like another serious injury. This time for Coutinho. Hamstring gone I guess from how he's moving off the pitch.

OneColdHand · 20-08-2023 3:52pm

Coutinho injured. The injury list continues to grow.

While he wasn't going to be a starter, he's great for games like this.

LeBash · 20-08-2023 4:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121003931#Comment_121003931

No chance of him being sold and off the wage bill was my first thought.

Bounty Hunter · 20-08-2023 4:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121003931#Comment_121003931

How bad ? might it affect his potential move to the middle east ?

My stream crapped out on me before it happened.

artanevilla · 20-08-2023 4:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121003962#Comment_121003962

I'd say best case couple of months if it's a grade 2 strain but could be a torn hammy. Didn't look like the knee.

OneColdHand · 20-08-2023 4:09pm

I think Bailey might be injured too. Seemed to be hobbling at full time.

Seeing mention of Philogene to Hull. Not sure we can let him (or Archer for that matter) go with all these injuries.

Anyway, great win. Good for the confidence. And onwards to Europe midweek!

remoteboy · 20-08-2023 4:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121003979#Comment_121003979

Yeah. Saw mention of that too. Appreciate the need to raise funds through transfers and the Ramsey deal with the buy back clause is smart, but we really need numbers right now. Squad looking very stretched and we’re only two games in.

CSF · 20-08-2023 6:13pm

Excellent today against a very weak Everton team. Digne and Bailey much stronger than last week, but I thought Cash still looked off it.

remoteboy · 20-08-2023 6:52pm

Everton are in serious trouble. Thought we were ok today. Didn’t really get out of second gear. Didn’t really need to tbh. McGinn was great. Really dynamic. Digne looks great when given the freedom of the pitch. Never seemed to occur to Everton to mark / track him. Diaby’s snap shot was beautiful. Great assist from Ashley for Duran’s goal.

pavb2 · 20-08-2023 7:02pm

Don’t think we’ll have a more comfortable home game this season Everton were miles off it we couldn’t have asked for a better response after last week, all in all a great team effort.

Nice to see Ashley Young acknowledge the Villa fans at the end, they were clapping when he took corners and singing his name early in the first half so apart from the result from his point of view a nice send off

OneColdHand · 20-08-2023 10:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121004400#Comment_121004400

Agree with this. For some reason Digne was given acres of space. He won't get that amount of space in most games. Glad to see Bailey doing well as we will need him. After 2 games, my assessment is that Emery will have to pick and choose who he plays Bailey against. The likes of Everton at home we can play him. But the likes of Newcastle away, we need someone a bit more solid, who is calm on the ball and can pick a pass.

Cash looked very poor. I will be stunned if we don't get someone better than him in before the end of the transfer window.

LeBash · 20-08-2023 11:28pm

There some accusation that Bailey pushed a fan to the ground in the box after the game.

CSF · 21-08-2023 12:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121005383#Comment_121005383

Only now realising that this means corporate box and not the penalty box

orourkeda1 · 22-08-2023 12:26pm

Anyone manage to bag a ticket for the game tomorrow?

CSF · 22-08-2023 1:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011450#Comment_121011450

Not tomorrow, but heading next week to the home leg

CSF · 22-08-2023 1:29pm

On that topic actually, how many changes do people make to tomorrows team? This game is obviously important but if we’re planning on competing in everything this year, we will have to accept that rotating is going to be a part of that.

For me, it’d be Konsa, Kamara, Diaby and Watkins out, to bring in Carlos, Tielemans, Duran and Archer (Zaniolo if he’s fit, but I don’t think he is)

Bounty Hunter · 22-08-2023 2:37pm

With regards Zaniolo, not sure he will start but Emery thinks we will see him and he is fit.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121011766#Comment_121011766

Asked if Zaniolo could feature at Easter Road, Emery said: "Hopefully yes I think so. Of course, we closed his signing on Friday, and on Saturday it was impossible to take his registration.

"He is fit because he was training with his team and of course, we will need players helping us. He has experiences. He won the Conference League with Rome and we are happy with him."

I'm actually expecting a pretty strong side in the first leg (hopefully get the tie won) with more rested in the 2nd leg which comes just a few days before a game against Liverpool. Maybe something like this with Zaniolo coming off the bench or maybe even starting ahead of Bailey. Maybe Cash (with Chambers moving into DM) or Luiz come on and give Kamara a rest at some point too