I’ve left this until the last minute as I’m not sure what to think really. Arsenal are many people’s prediction to win the title and I actually think they’re more likely to win the league than Citeh, in my opinion.
Yet many Villa fans I’ve spoken to are very confident that we’ll win today. I’m not so sure. Apparently Arsenal are making an extra effort to win this one so they can get revenge for us doing the double over them last season. Whatever, we know we’re going to face a very good side and it’ll be difficult.
One conversation involved us agreeing that if you really take it to the Gunners and give them a bit of “treatment” straight from the off, they don’t like it and are likely to back off. Here is where I’m going to be watching Onana very closely, as I think his physicality will contribute massively over this season. McGinn can get stuck in a bit too, although the same conversation led to us agreeing that his is a position that if we’re being ruthless, could do with upgrading. It’s a sacriligious thought really, as I love the bloke, but if we’re being pragmatic, nobody is safe.
Squad news and it’s pretty good. It’s unchanged this week and Unai has spoken about Kamara and Mings coming back. Kamara is a few weeks away from training with the team and Mings too sounds even closer.
As for Arsenal, well, it’s probably easier if I just post the teams;
Arsenal: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, Rice, Partey, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Havertz.
Subs: Ramsdale, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Calafiori, Jorginho, Nelson, Nwaneri, Trossard, Nketiah.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Pau, Konsa, Digne, Onana, Tielemans, McGinn, Bailey, Rogers, Watkins.
Subs: Gauci, Carlos, Maatsen, Nedeljkovic, Barkley, Buendia, Jaden, Ramsey, Duran
Same team as last week, I think, which is how Emery likes it and who can blame him? Last week was a good performance after all , so why change it?
As previously mentioned, I think if we get at them we can win this, but they’ll be up for it too and the question will be can can make the better start? Whoever does, will probably get the early goal and it’ll make a very favourable difference.
I predict goals and a 2-2 looks most likely to me.
UTV!
I think so, if Ollie isn’t right and has looked a literally a shadow of himself and Duran is clearly known to be chomping at the bit. …Play Duran!!! That first chance Ollie missed, Duran wouldn’t have just finished, he would have broke the net from that distance! The boy is fire!!
I agree with the comments about Ollie. He is low energy and looks like he’s just going through the motions. There were many passes over the top that last season he would have chased and bullied the defenders but it was the other way around for both games.
If he was unfit, he wouldn’t be playing and, if he’s having other problems, he still wouldn’t be playing. This might sound nuts but is Ollie on the way out?
If he as being sold then that might explain it. If we cash in on Ollie and buy young players with potential and a similar age profile to most of our squad, I’m not sure I’d be against it.
Anyway, I’m probably way off the mark but something is definitely up with Ollie.
Arsenal deserved the win for taking their chances, but I can’t help but see a link between Arsenal being the team that wrote to the Premier League over the treatment of their player, and then getting a free-kick just because McGinn kicked the ball in open play and it just happened to accidentally hit one of their players, ref hadn’t a clue what to do there, panic decision, and one of the worst I’ve seen in the modern game.
I think that McGinn meant to hit the player but only to glance it off him for a corner. Agree rubbish decision.
I thought he was going for a corner too.
Toney not in Brentford squad again. On his way for sure. But where to? Could the Villa be in the running? I’m not sure I’d want him at VP, based on his history…
And not at £50m+ thank you.
Didn’t see yesterday’s game but OLL called it with Oliver as referee. Still, rather disappointed we didn’t manage to get anything from the game.
Watkins seems to be taking most of the criticsm but didn’t Emi make a mistake allowing them their second? If it had stayed at 1-0 might it have been a different outcome?
Watkins hasn’t had the best of starts but talk of Duran starting ahead of him is laughable. As far as I’m concerned the Colombian has a lot more to do to win back all the fans he upset. First and foremost he needs to knuckle down in training and when he gets an opportunity, he needs to take it. Watkins hasn’t had an ideal preseason but he got into goalscoring positions yesterday. He isn’t a natural finisher and a lot of his goals come from his work rate. Duran probably is a better finisher but he doesn’t have Watkins work rate, yet!
I think we will be busy in the transfer market this week and I still wouldn’t be surprised if Duran is sold and someone new comes in.
It’s always disappointing to lose a game but we played better than we did last season when we won 1-0.
Football is a funny old game!
The way I look at it is that (hypothetically) if Grealish wore a Man United shirt on Instagram live video stream in 2018 and said come on the Red Devils, we’d all have still been wanting him to start, let’s have double standards here and do what’s best for the team, Duran has got goals in a lot of the games he’s played in, and Watkins looks unfit
After the (superb) goal against Holland, the plaudits and acclaim, it was only natural and inevitable that Ollie would have a slump. Beware the perils of glory and success, for the only way is down after the camera lights stop flashing and the hysteria moves to another ‘hero’. Ollie needs to ride it out, refocus, get fit (mentally and physically), and he’ll be fine. Be patient.
Yeah I agree with Ollie but with Duran people have to get over themselves I think
Not sure, Alfie. What you said about Grealish is inaccurate in my view. If he’d (hypothetically) done that, Villa fans would have turned against him, in my opinion, and he would have received torrents of abuse, online, at VP, and generally wherever he went. Duran has some credits in the bank from last season and last week, but he needs to earn the fans’ trust, within reason, over a period of time.
Duran scored the winner against Palace and suddenly he deserves to be ahead of Watkins in the starting XI?
He has a good record when coming on as a substitute but it’s harder to start a game and get a goal when defenders aren’t tired. I hope Duran stays and fights for his place because Watkins needs competition. I think Duran could be the better finisher out the two but there’s a lot more required of Emery’s number 9 than putting the ball in the net.
Right full back Oscar Mingueza is playing a blinder for Celta Vigo right now. He’s ex-Barcelona, 25 years old and valued at around 10 million.
Well worth a punt I’d say.
Sorry but I can’t look at a match these days without checking out the right back 🙂
Illing Junior season long loan to Bologna
Moreno’s salary also off the books and there should be a couple of loan fees involved.
Anyone else going out / do we have room for an extra player?
Emery doesn’t like taking players on loan other than in extremis so we’ll see over the next couple of days.
Various sources reporting we’ve agreed a 34m deal for Lutsharel Geetruida. If that’s so, then I think a very versatile and smart signing. A player who can cover RB and CB is a very shrewd signing.
Saw that Texas and I agree with you – smart piece of business if true.
One report saying the deal’s all agreed and he’s due at BMH tomorrow for a medical.
Had a look at Geertruida’s stats on the ‘Let’s Talk Villa’ YouTube channel. He looks like a really good buy and, as he has been selected as captain at Feyenoord, another leader at the back.
For me just one more needed but if we don’t sign an attacker I won’t be too disappointed. Getting a good right back is far more important.
Random one: Scott McTominay will be available for free next summer stage 28. Interested?
He’s just gone to Italy!
Was it Lambert’s actions at Villa that originally coined the phrase ‘bomb squad’ when he forced a number of high earning players to train away from the first team squad?
Seems it’s a phrase that’s become universally adopted and has now attracted the attention of FIFA and the PFA – probably the only thing he’ll be remembered for 🙂
…and the appalling treatment he received from Lambert making him the scapegoat. I remember writing a piece about his mistreatment. It was so well written Badger took it down thinking I’d nicked it from somewhere! 🙂 (I must have been sober at the time!).
Who??
Alan Hutton I’m guessing?
I actually meant the way Lambert was treated by Lerner.
Lerner’s reign, MON days aside was horrific. Awful, awful days.
Barrenechea off to Valencia on a year long loan according to Romano
Are we clearing wages for a couple of signings?
Geertruida and now Raphina rumoured to come in before the deadline. I suspect Geertruida would only happen if Carlos goes out.
Brum Live are saying Emery is still keen on bringing in a replacement for Diaby and, having missed out on Felix, is targeting Raphina!
Raphinha?
What a player, now that would be a marquee signing.
I’d guess that the gossip about Raphinha has come about because of Olmo’s arrival at Barcelona. Can’t see this one though. Raphinha’s playing well at the moment and he’s a real asset for a team aiming at winning the CL. He can play both wings and yesterday played as a ten. Can’t see Barcelona letting him go.
Barca are buggered financially. They may not have a choice! How the worms have turned! Look at Guindogan being allowed to return for free to Citeh…We have always had a good connection to Barca for some reason. Even better with Monkey! (Monci).
Tripitaka!!!!!!
Sky now saying we’re interested in Nicholas Jackson at Chelsea – might be more realistic. I’d prefer Raphina!
No doubt we’ll be linked with about ten more players before the window closes!
Didn’t realise that under FIFA rules the maximum number of players a club can loan out is six – a direct response to Chelsea’s original ‘loan army’!
Together with PSR / FFP or whatever else you want to call it, it encourages clubs to sell younger players (which adds put profit to the bottom line) adding a buy back clause to the deal to protect their original investment.
It seems to me that Chelsea are in a bit of a pickle and will be forced to fire sale players in the next three days!
It would serve Chelsea right if they were stuck with players and ended up with a huge points deduction after breaking rules. All clubs should get together to ensure they don’t do them any favours.
As for Villa I’m a bit concerned that we have left it too late to strengthen. We desperately need a RB/CB plus another forward. Players prices will be inflated due to time left in transfer window. It’s about time the window was closed before season starts because it’s ridiculous players heads are still being turned when they are meant to be focused on the club paying their wages.
I don’t see how the young Argie going to Valencia helps with depth. Where’s the depth in centre midfield now? I assume Dendonker won’t be involved, although I’d have no problem if he was, assuming he played at his best, as he did when he started in the 3-0 pasting of Newcastle in arguably Unai’s best performance. Anyway, I would have liked to see Enzo start in the League Cup and given some sub time in the league against lesser teams.
BFR I suspect this is all about trying to meet EUFA rules for the CL – squad ratio costs and home grown players – on the assumption Villa want to bring in one or two more experienced additions before Saturday.
Villa don’t have a record of significant deals (lots of very strange deals though) on deadline day – it may be different this year?
According to this –
https://sportwitness.co.uk/aston-villa-pause-outgoing-transfer-at-last-minute-due-to-internal-reasons-injury-concerns-mentioned/
Villa have paused the loan deal for Barrenechea at the last minute. No reasons given.
As BFR suggested they may be trying to move Dendonker out so Emery decided he needed more cover.
I see that Marc Albrighton has retired from football. He always gave 100% when playing for us and I liked him a lot. Why we ever let him go is a mystery to me but I guess that he had the last laugh.
I wish him all the best.
Hear! Hear!
Anyone else feel we have been completely shafted on the Douglas Luis deal now both lads are heading out
Not really. The club made it clear that Tielemans was brought in last season to replace him – knowing Luiz wasn’t likely to stay beyond the end of the season. People keep commenting that Onana was brought in to replace him, but it’s clear he’s an additional CM with a different profile we didn’t have before, to compete with the position Kamara has occupied; likely on the understanding that many folks coming back from an ACL really struggle for 1-2 years. I actually think CM is our strongest unit in on the park right now. I’m more concerned about competition for Ollie and forward line and reinforcements in defence.
CL draw on now. Fingers crossed!
Bayern Munich will play ASTON VILLA. Plus Paris St-Germain and Barcelona. No messing then.
Now been amended and thats not correct although they are saying that we will play Bayern
We are Bayern and Liepzig from pot one so far pretty decent compared to who else is in there