Pre-season has come to a close and Aston Villa have gone through a massive squad overhaul. Aston Villa have sold 11 first team players for a combined fee of around £45.3 million while bringing in a total of 9 players for a total of £43.55 million. At the same time Adebayor is still rumoured to join Villa on loan sometime this week.
Aston Villa played a total of 6 games, winning one (Swindon 0-2 Aston Villa [Sinclair, Stellars]), drawing four (Braga Vs Aston Villa, Walsall 1-1 Aston Villa [Robinson], Wolves 2-2 Aston Villa [2 Kozak] & Nottingham 3-3 Aston Villa [3 Sinclair]).
Results on paper might not look great but the main concern for Aston Villa was to build up fitness and start to gel as a team. Most players admit that the team never tries 100% because they’re worried about injuries so results shouldn’t be a large concern.
During pre-season Sherwood stuck to two types of systems, 4-4-1-1 and a 4-4-2. In the first few games, Sherwood played a 4-4-1-1 with Carles Gil playing in behind of a forward, this was usually Agbonlahor, Kozak or Robinson. However as Gil picked up an injury, Sherwood reverted back to a 4-4-2 with Kozak partnering a different forward, in most cases this was Agbonlahor, Robinson or recently Ayew. On the wing, Bacuna often played on the right hand side with Sinclair on the other side. However, Gil, Ayew and Grealish can also play out wide.
The back 4 has been widely consistent, it seems as though Aston Villa will most likely start with Guzan in goal, Hutton at right-back, Clark and Richards as centre defenders and Amavi at left back. New signing Crespo can play anywhere at the back and will be used as a utility player should Hutton or Amavi pick up an injury. With Okore and Baker most likely used as back ups for centre-back pairings.
One of the most outstanding players during pre-season was Carles Gil. Gil was a revelation in Portugal even earning Sherwood’s praise. Sherwood admitted that Gil will play a big part this season after being left out of favour during his tenure last season. Gil linked up play very well, had great technical ability and created a host of chances for Agbonlahor. Another stand out player was Libor Kozak who returned to the first team after missing the entire 2014/15 season through injury. Kozak scored two goals against Wolves and looked very lively. He will have to compete with Gestede, Ayew, Agbonlahor and most likely Adebayor next season, but early signs show that Kozak is on form and will make an impact. Sinclair had a great game against Nottingham Forest and hopefully its a sign that Sinclair can take his goal scoring form to the game against Bournemouth.
From the new signings, Amavi stood out immediately. Amavi is a very attacking left back and he was often bombing down the wings providing some quality crosses. He provided an assist to Sinclair with a lovely cross during the game against Nottingham Forest. Amavi also showed some quality in defense but that will be an area where he will have to work at. Some of his last ditch tackles were good as well. Gueye is another player brought in to replace Tom Cleverly. Gueye held the ball very well and was a good all around midfielder. He had received praise from many Villa supporters as he doesn’t shy away from having a shot at goal.
During pre-season a number of young players were given a chance in Tim Sherwood’s side. The most impressive was Jerrel Sellars who scored in the game against Swindon and provided lots of energy in the back. He is a highly rated midfielder who has caught the eye of Tim Sherwood. Gary Gardner also featured in pre-season, but despite picking up an injury he did look solid and may play a part this season, amid fierce competition in midfield after bringing in Veretout and Gueye. Callum Robinson also played very well, he scored and and assisted a goal during pre-season, hopefully he’ll play a part but it might be best to off-load him on loan as I don’t see him starting ahead of 4/5 other first team forwards.
But there were also some poor performers in the side, notably Cissokho did not impress Sherwood enough and since Portugal has failed to feature in pre-season. Tonev often misplaced passes and is also one of the players that will be overlooked this season.
Currently, Carles Gil, Jack Grealish, Crespo, Gardner and Agbonlahor have all picked up injuries and may miss the first game of the season against Bournemouth
Overall the main concern was fitness and gelling the team together. Despite many players making a claim for the starting spot this season most Villa fans aren’t sure of how the squad will line up against Bournemouth. With our squad introducing 9 new players there may also be a few first team players that will miss out on the 25 man squad list for this upcoming Premier League season.
As you rightly remark Adam, the results in pre-season friendlies do not matter. In fact the “results” of away games against lower league sides are about as straight as TV Wrestling, or Formula 1.
You also make the point that our players don’t go in 100% for these games. Therefore it is worrying that in 6 half hearted matches we managed to injure 5 players. Some players are injury prone, Gardner and Agbonlahor are familiar sick-notes, it is to be hoped that Gil Grealish and Crespo are just unlucky.
Bearing in mind that pre-season indeed doesn’t matter, from the little I’ve seen, I think I’ve learned that our defence isn’t sorted yet.
Amavi does look very good going forward and is probably about as good as I personally wished for, albeit I prefer fullbacks to be defenders foremost.
And I think I’ve learnt that we’re in for a rollercoaster ride this season.
Although, selling Benteke and Delph was a huge loss, it has no doubt enabled us to strengthen the whole team in general, so much was wrong on the pitch that it can only end up as fantastic close season business. I would only worry that it will take time for the players to Gel but this will improve with each game played, so in that respect not a lot has been learned from our pre season friendly’s.
Looking at the squad in general there is now cover and options in every department, tactically we can swap and change in every area, my only one area for improvement would be defence, that area is still dependant on players of old with the exception of Richards and Crespo and that worries me slightly fearing we will leak goals.
I would love to see us breaking the bank on a proven quality Centre Half, enabling Tim to put Richards at right back occasionally if needed.
UTV. VTID
Defence still needs alot of work to get it right. I think Villa should try and get Ashley Williams from Swansea personally.
Richards Williams Clark Amavi … Looks a strong back 4 to me. Williams has good PL experience, is good on the ball and has kept most of the PL strikers relatively quiet for a number of seasons!
I just feel as though Richards would be better at RB than CB. Because that way Okore/Baker can partner Clark and have Crespo/Richards as back up.
but i think richards was signed on the understanding he would be played at CB . if we suddenly say to him your not playing at CB and your going to be our RB he may throw his toys out of the pram. we all know what players are like!.
Defence worries me the most too. Not looking like We will sign anyone now as benteke Delph money has been spent and Lerner won’t spend much more
The more the team plays together the better we will get.
I am expecting a rocky start and improving towards christmas.
We’ve lacked strength in depth for a long time; even when MON was manager, the squad looked thin if we lost any of the regular 13 or 14. This pre season it seems to me we have created the strongest squad of players for several years – I don’t subscribe to ‘this player is a replacement for ….’ theory. You build a team not have two ‘super stars’ and expect everyone else to play around them (even Barcelona with Messi is still a team of highly talented players). Reminds me of Warwickshire winning everything at cricket through having no ‘stars’ but a great team. So now all TS has to do is get them playing like one!
You have to have some that can play, as the late great Bill Shankly put it “A football team is like a piano. You need eight men to carry it and three who can play the damn thing.”
I’d forgotten that BWS – Shankley, great man for the one liners
think richards after his run of injurys at citeh, lost a lot of his speed and knows he cant run up and down the wing now and has re-invented himself as a cb.
Spot-on H60!
In the last couple of years as soon as Benteke was injured or off-form [and that was pretty-often] there was panic before and during the games.
Even on those [rare-] occasions when he and Delph were both on-song at the same time, the cleverer teams realised that isolating either of them would stop Villa in their tracks.
Seems much more sensible to have more options, even if any single one isn’t going to guarantee getting 15+ goals a season individually.
I really dont know if we are going to play 4-4-1-1. I think with the new players, it may be more of a 4-3-3 with either Kozak or Gestede in the middle with Ayew right and Sinclair left. 2 defensive mids (probably Gueye and Veretout) and a more attacking mid in front of them (Gil, Grealish…). You could also play Sanchex in there to be more defensive.
I hope Gil gets back to fitness soon, as feel he really merits a run in the team
I’ll be honest I have absolutely no idea who might be playing where. I just hope that Tim does!
I agree with Steve that it may take a while for our best XI to make themselves known but it should be an interesting ride and hopefully not too bumpy.
UTV
Are we never going to hear the end of it . Benteke scored a goal for Liverpool against Swindon and Sky Sports are having a wankfest already and all because he plays for Liverpool now. The media is why I hate that club so much.
My son in law supports Liverpool – my whole family support the Villa. He doesn’t stand a chance and, frankly, the media can wank themselves silly, I’m only interested in my team UTV
Should add, his son and daughter, my grandkids, will support the Villa ‘cos that’s what my daughter wants! Actually, he’s a decent bloke – well almost 🙂
Do you have to hide the family silver when he visits? 😉
Slipped up there Hitch, when my daughter first brought home a boy friend I said you better support Villa mate ?, and he did, now two kids all Villa…
Difficult to argue with that Bill – but to be fair he’s not your typical bin dipper. Decent local lad obviously led astray in his formative years! We all go down to Villa Park together as a family and he’s pretty objective so we have some good discussions. Interestingly (and he’s watched Benteke quite a lot) he’s not totally convinced he’s worth the money they paid for him – reckons we got a decent deal!
Anyway all the rest of the kids / partners and grandchildren solid Villa through and through! Took the young’uns 4,5,and two 6 year olds at Christmas – nailed on.
“Interestingly (and he’s watched Benteke quite a lot) he’s not totally convinced he’s worth the money they paid for him – reckons we got a decent deal!”
Typical Pool fan then, whose general opinion is still that he only scores headers from the ball being bombed in; even though the fact is that he scores less with his head.
And pretty much opposed to the technically very good goal he scored against Swindon.
I’m sorry.
I know I really shouldn’t mention him and we should move on.
But the truth is, I think we’ve lost out big time here and I for one will be watching his progress, as he moves to a proper top level club.
And we got the decent deal?!!
Wrankle, is the word 🙁
Not sure that’s really fair Badger but understand your point. I’ve only ever followed the fortunes of two (ex) Villa players – one being my namesake, the other is Milner. Always rated him highly and really gutted when he left for the Mancs. Always hoped he would re- sign for us.
And the best non transfer – when Brian Little didn’t sign for the scum.
H60, he’s a Brummie Red, as we used to call the Pool fans before Man U got so popular.
Anything is fair, in that case.
Nowt worse than glory hunters, when you have very decent clubs on your doorstep, imo.
I’d rather debate with a nose than those that don’t follow a local club.
I blame his parents, myself.
Just my opinion (which may or may not be in jest) 🙂
You took kids aged between 4 and 6 to see Villa last Christmas Hitchens? It’s a good job you post under a pen name or the NSPCC might come calling. Villa in full cold-weather slump mode. Lambert busting up with Keane. It would be X rated at the cinema. Could be worsre but only just. At least the kids weren’t nailed on at Easter
LOL – hardy lot us Midlanders! Kids loved it – only the adults suffered.
Stand out player was Sinclair
JD where you been mucker???welcome back
Still sends shivers down my spine that my hero nearly signed for small heath,would have too if it wasnt for a mystery back problem.
Off topic but I thought what a top fan, Michael capputtita a Canadian villan will be travelling 4000 miles to watch VILLA play UTD whilst over here he’s donating 4 season tickets to youngsters who can’t afford to go to matches.lovely gesture top draw I’d post the link but fuck knows how to do it,it’s in the brum mail if anyone wants to worth a read.UTV
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-fan-make-4000-9774042
Here it is, nice story
Great story and a really good guy – hope the Villa give him a day to remember like a once in a lifetime win against United!
Cheers PAT yes hitch it makes you proud to be a villan, I thought what a lovely story to wake up to.UTV top fans in the world.
Makes you believe in the human race again that, our millionaires could take a leaf out of that story, nice one Michael.????
Reports in Spain that we have agreed a deal for Adama Traore (Barca – 19 year old). Apparently another ‘wonder kid’ with a reported €15m buy out clause. Not sure what to make of this as other papers reporting he’s going to Liverpool. Also Times saying Adebayor deal has been concluded.
Adebayor hasn’t put pen to paper yet and he’s already pissing me off so stealing a quote from Oohah – ” Mr Adebayor, shit or get off the pot.
Agreed BWS
Adebayor is boring me before he has even kicked a ball why is everything being so long winded with a loan deal….. Is it him thinking he is a rock star, if so lets pull out !
Also newspaper Marca is saying Traore is coming over to speak to a number of clubs…. lets hope Tim does his magic on him, as he looks an amazing prospect !
I’m guessing Levy is to blame for this delay. We should tell them to do one – we hold all the cards over Adebeyor, they need him gone so it seems like we’re prepared to tough it out to get the best deal. If it doesn’t happen they’re going to be stuck with him.
Traore does look good – as long he is an upgrade on what we have I’d be happy to see him in claret and blue.
I agree saddened bored shiteless now with adebeyor, time to move on to another possible target.FUCK you levy.
I don’t get why we are going after Adebeyor we all know he’s a player that is erratic and plays when he feels like it. He may start of well but he will never sustain it. Spurs fans I know can’t believe we are stupid enough to take him.
Hey that’s plagiarism lol
ESPN reporting barca want €10 million for Traore, with the Catalan club looking to include a buy-back option in any deal for the winger before sanctioning his departure.
well for me it would depend on how much the buy-back option is.
would rather spend the money on a decent rightback as i think that’s the weakest area of the squad.
Sky saying he will talk to Liverpool, Stoke and Villa before deciding. Wants game time so that, I guess, will be an important factor in his decision.
He will choose us if Stoke then he won’t get much at Liverpool. Pointless signing makes mistakes at our expense for a season or two then goes bk to bar a as the new messi typical
My thoughts exactly a ch and RB are top priorities now
http://www.espnfc.co.uk/story/2547589/adama-traore-set-for-€10m-villa-bid-amid-liverpool-link?
ESPN link on Traore
also talk that Senderdross could be on his way to turkey 🙂
Hurray
still no takers for Aleksandar Tonev, Aly Cissokho, Kieran Richardson and Charles N’Zogbia.
i think we will see cissokho leave but the others are looking unmovable loaning them out maybe our only option .
I think Richardson could still fill in when needed so that isn’t a terrible to have him sitting around as backup. As for Tonev and Cissokho, I definitely could see them getting at least a loan move before the end of the window.
As for N’Zogbia, the guy is crazy if he thinks any major club would be interested in him and I could honestly see him declining a loan move to a Championship club. Personally, I think his best move would be to get a transfer to a European club where he could at least compete in the Europa, because if the club signs 1-2 more this window I honestly don’t know if he will make the squad.
I wouldn’t mind keeping cissoko with our luck Amavi is bound to get injured and he would be good cover. Think Cossokho isn’t a bad player tbf
I agree – we are now talking about substitute players here and I know he may not make as many runs forward as Sherwood would like, or have a great cross, but he is still a good option.
Decent option but we still need rid of players if we are to sign more due to the amount we currently have, or Villa will be paying wages of players they can’t register due to having more than 25, and if teams want Cissokho then he should be sold as no one seemingly wants N’Zogbia, Tonev, Richardson and such.
The Spain Under 19 international is represented by the same agents who look after Jose Angel Crespo, the right-back Villa signed from Cordoba last week.
Villa have discussed paying a fee to take the winger on loan for the season, while a permanent £7million deal – with buy-back clauses included – is also an option.
So basically if he’s shit we are stuck with him if he’s good he goes bk to barca and we lose another good. Player
Yep, welcome to how Barcelona do business for their youngsters. They have that with Delfelou, had it with Bojan, they have it with everyone of their youth players, and why shouldn’t they?
He looks and sounds like a quality signing on loan or for a few seasons, although my only concern is where does he play? (yes, on the wing) I am starting to get confused on who might be in the starting 11, plus I would have thought after preseason the one area we looked weak was in defense. I definitely would have thought we might be in for an extra defender instead. I suppose if we outscore teams it doesn’t matter though…
Probably are in for a defender, but it doesn’t hurt to get an extra wing option, especially one you don’t have to register. He and Grealish supporting Gestede? Would be quality. Especially after Sherwood said Gestede’s better in the air than Benteke, I would think wingers top his list right now.
You’re right – getting the ball up to Kozak or Gestede will probably be a large part of how we play this season, although given our options in midfield it will be interesting to see who Sherwood picks this weekend. I’m just not that sure Grealish is even a guaranteed starter now (regardless of injuries right now). Every position up front will have to fight to earn their place, which is encouraging.
He’s not guaranteed, definitely not. Just thought an attacking duo as young and talented as Grealish and Traore sounded great. Agreed Sherwood’s far from easy to read on how he’ll set the team up.
Also supposedly Sherwood wants Baker to go on loan for experience, meaning a CB has to be coming in if Senderos goes too.