Aston Villa Women

[useless]

Seems like a decent enough appointment, has won trophies in one of the major leagues which is a good sign, also seems to have a good background with youth, managed Holland U17s and known for helping to develop young players at club level, including Van Domselaar at Twente, and looking at Bayer squad last season they had ten players twenty or under, given we've invested a lot in our academy I imagine that's something we were looking for

Hopefully we make some good signings now

[Farlz]

Glad this is all finally sorted. 

[villan95]

Bayer Leverkusen women got promoted and then finished 10th, 10th, 5th, 7th before appointing de Pauw. Since promotion we've finished 10th, 9th, 5th, 7th so almost identical points that he's joined both projects. He then led Leverkusen to 5th and 6th place finishes.

[ferguson1]

The more I think about this manager appointment, the more exciting it could turn out to be. Fresh coaching and tactical ideas away from the WSL, and hopefully tapping more into the European market when shopping for players.

It’s probably a little lazy of a suggestion re transfer targets but when looking at the Frauen-Bundesliga League, there are some really stand out teams, Bayern, Wolfsburg, Eintracht etc and I notice Man Utd are about to sign a free transfer defender from Wolfsburg by the name of Janssen. So could be a market we’ve not really explored but are now confident enough to venture into.

We do have a decent core of players currently but when we have injuries and suspensions like we always seem to have, the drop off in quality is clearly evident. I would expect at least five or six new players to come in before the start of the new WSL season on 21 and 22 September.

[useless]

I suspect if anything we're more likely to go for players that he knows from Holland via his work with U17s and U23 national teams, and FC Twente rather than from Germany, but in addition to that possibilty I also think we will be looking at WSL players still, in fact I wouldn't be surprised if that was part of the reason he got the job, so we didn't have to change transfer plans that will have been in place a long time already too much

I really liked the sound of Gunnarsdottir, am a little disappointed she didn't get the job, but from listening to her speak I think the opposite would have been true of her, by her own words she's a control freak and likes to be in control of everything, with the final say, including transfers. Basically I think De Pauw is more someone to come in and carry on what Ward started, with some improvements hopefully, whereas Gunnarsdottir would have been more someone to come in and completey change everything, which could have been fine in theory, but I think to do that and make it work in time for this season coming, we would have had to have had her in place much earlier

I watched a FC Twente game, or some of it, and some other highlights, from when De Pauw was in charge and they look very comfortable passing the ball and in possession of the ball in general, as well as being very aggresive without it, truth be told they looked like they would be top four challengers in the WSL, or in other words they looked a lot better than us and most WSL teams, made me wonder we should have signed a few of their other players beside Van Domselaar, maybe we will now

[useless]

I can only think Leat and Staniforth have been offered new deals but are thinking it over, if we'd have outright released them I'm pretty sure it would have been announced before July 1st when transfer window truely opens, to advertise the fact they're available to other clubs

Slightly concerned no news of a pro contract for Poor, one of the best academy goalkeepers in the country, should have been pre-agreed when signed, that she would get pro deal automatically upon turning eighteen, if she leaves will have been pointless bringing her in in the first place, imagine the boys' academy bringing in one of the best sixteen year olds in the country but with no agreement in place for them to sign pro deal when old enough, it wouldn't happen, hopefully all that moot and we hear she's signed contract soon

If we're signing Miri Taylor we should hear news of that soon, as as of today is a free agent and free to sign for a new club, really hope we go for a top class replacement for Blindkilde, Spurs trying to sign Grace Clinton, that's the kind of ambition our rivals for top six are showing, no idea who we could get though

Edited July 1 by useless

[useless]

 

[useless]

Excellent news, one of, if not our most underrated player, can honestly say I don't notice much of a drop off when she comes in for Hampton or Van Domselaar, and I think the stats show that too, obviously I hope Van Domselaar stays - I'll believe it whe I see it, but a few people have speculated that she might because of having already played for De Pauw, but if not I would have no conern if they gave Leat the No.1 jersey

Hopefully Poor is next for a contract, normally if an academy player is going to get a pro deal they sign it within days of turning eighteen, Mullett's was announced on her eighteenth birthday last year, hopefully the reason we havn't heard anything about Poor is just because we're in the off season, but hasn't stopped other deals being announced, my concern is that Arsenal are going to take her with Van Domselaar, as would make a lot of sense from their point of view, really don't want to lose another top youngster after losing Hampton, Rabjohn, Blindkilde, and McLoughlin, we need to get better at keeping these players and signing a few more of them ourselves

Edited July 3 by useless

[villaajax]

I won the FA's end of season WSL quiz and this morning received a signed Villa shirt. They must have got it signed early in the season as it has Laura Blindkilde's signature on it.

I'd upload a picture but it keeps failing

[useless]

A lot more of last season's squad have stayed than I was expecting, and I know people often say this about ex players, and more often than not it doesn't come true, but the women's game is a small world. less players and clubs to go around, that I wouldn't be surprised if Blindkilde ended up back with us at some point in the future

Staniforth is the one out of the out of cotract players I was most expecting to stay, but no news on her, as above we've probably offered a new deal, otherwise it would have been announced by now that she's been released, I wonder if Newcastle have made her an offer, she's famously a big fans of theirs, way too good for the Championship, but if they offer her a  longer deal with the idea they get promoted this coming season, might be an attractive proposition

As it stands we've got eighteen players contracted to the club, and two of those, Lehmann and Van Domselaar looking like they could leave, so even with the players that have stayed, and the possiblity of Poor and Staniforth signing new deals, still a lot of work to do, not saying we need a squad as big, but just looked at the Chelsea squad for comparison and they have thirty-seven players

[wishywashy]

Not related to Villa, but Brighton are signing Fran Kirby. Jeez.

[useless]

Kirby could have been of interest if Nobbs had have left, but with both her and Dali at the club, I don't think another attacking midfielder in her thirties was ever likely. We need Blindkilde replacement, a statement signing on her level would be good, similar to when we replaced Hampton with Van Domselaar, but if not then at least a top younger prospect with potential to be as good, and that can be used in Conti games, and off the bench should at least be brought in

I've mentioned her previously as a possiblity, but probably only a matter of time before Kirsty MacLean comes to the WS, only nineteen but some say already the best player in the Scottish Premier League, and full Scottish international, was very impressed with Mia McAuley from Rangers too, who is even younger

Maybe De Pauw will bring in a few he knows, going by his interview looks like he's been brought in partly with the academy in mind, at his previous teams he's not been afraid to give youngsters a chance, Estrella Merino (17) at Leverkusen and Wieke Kaptein at FC Twente (15) being just two examples from a bunch who were getting regular game time, no word on his backroom staff, but I presume Jessie van den Broek will be his assistant

Edited July 4 by useless

[useless]

Kirby to Brighton confirmed now, we're one of five clubs yet to make a new signing, but three of those, Manchester City, Leicester and Everton have moves lined up. I guess our first signing will probably be Miri Taylor, which won't really feel like a new signing, and if the slowness of news recently is anything to go by, we will then probably have to wait an age for something else to happen

Still wondering what's going to happen with Katie Robinson, with Magill gone and Lehmann reportedly leaving, would be a good fit for us, and is a similar profile to some our recent signings, but I think the links so far are suggesting either Manchester United or a move to the NWSL, and am starting to question whether Lehmann is actually leaving, not sure if anyone reliable has actually reported it

Pre-season starts later this month, so presumably will want to bring in a few before then, and i think they're going to Spain at some point, probably August

[wishywashy]

Welcome Baijings! Midfielder loaned from Bayern.

Edited July 5 by wishywashy

[ferguson1]

2 hours ago, wishywashy said:

Welcome Baijings! Midfielder loaned from Bayern.

Pleased to get one over the line and hopefully just the start of a further five, six or more arrivals. 

I did say only a couple of posts up that I thought we may take one or two from the German league. Exciting that we may get a couple of gems from that league but also casting the net far and wide.

Edited July 5 by ferguson1

[wishywashy]

Freya Gregory back on loan, this time to Southampton

[useless]

Megan Shaw has signed for Rugby Borough (formerly Coventry United), same path that Isobel Goodwin and Mary McAteer took, and they're now doing well in the Championship.

[Recircle]

On 05/07/2024 at 09:04, wishywashy said:

Welcome Baijings! Midfielder loaned from Bayern.

This might be wide of the mark, but to judge from Baijings' own description of the way she plays, she sounds to be in broadly the same mould as Miri Taylor, i.e. a sort of harrying-and-carrying midfielder who can offer attack support (she says she's capable of hitting a good shot with her left foot, and Villa should certainly benefit from a left-footer joining the team); i.e. a stopper and feeder more than a provider, but you could argue Villa are relatively okay in this department with Parker, Staniforth and Taylor if she stays. At risk of sounding like a stuck record, what Villa really needs in the wake of the departure of Blindkilde Brown is a composed playmaker midfielder. Dali is somewhat this, but she flourishes best when given the space to go on a run and the time to pick a cultured pass; her short/instinctive passing game in enclosed spaces isn't as good. I think they should be looking at someone like Hayashi, who's been let go by West Ham and who was one of three or four players who stood out in a Hammers team that otherwise struggled. (Shimizu, who's also leaving West Ham, would be a better choice, but I think it's strongly on the cards that she'll go to Man City, or if not there, then to Liverpool or United.)

[useless]

Baijings is an attacking midfielder, she plays as an eight or a ten, she can also play as a wide forward; hard to say what more needs to be done to the midfield as there are still a lot of ifs and buts, will Taylor sign, is Staniforth staying or leaving, as it stands she's out of contract, and will Parker be used in defence or midfield, if Staniforth leaves she's definitely going to need replacing as is one of our best passers and gives us more control in games in the sense of helping us keep possession better

 

[Recircle]

She seems indeed to be able to hit a good shot with her left foot (does almost everything with her left). Bit more attack-minded than the impression I'd formed.