Team shape, tactics and personnel

[Zatman]

13 minutes ago, jim said:

FTFY.

Looking at the table I can see what team, Palace that imo has a weaker squad than ours. So we are currently there or there abouts where we should be. 
 

Our bench last week had 6 internationals and 2 of the highest rated prospects in England 

[jim]

1 minute ago, Zatman said:

Our bench last week had 6 internationals and 2 of the highest rated prospects in England 

And? Could say the same about the majority of teams above us.

[Zatman]

1 minute ago, jim said:

And? Could say the same about the majority of teams above us.

Wolves had 3 internationals including Semedo and also John Ruddy on the bench

We also had a better bench than Arsenal when we played them a few weeks back

Its just excuses at this stage

[Davkaus]

Describing players as "internationals" when some of them have been uncapped since 2014 is perhaps technically accurate, but also rather disingenuous   Not to mention that I dare say the entire Wolves matchday squad would be internationals if they played for Burkina Faso, which I just had to look up to confirm it's a real country

We should be doing better against Wolves, I just think the "internationals" thing is every bit of a red herring as describing players as "champion's league players" when it includes both Messi, and some  lad nobody's ever heard of playing for Connah's Quay Nomads. 

[Zatman]

7 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

Describing players as "internationals" when some of them have been uncapped since 2014 is perhaps technically accurate, but also rather disingenuous   Not to mention that I dare say the entire Wolves matchday squad would be internationals if they played for Burkina Faso, which I just had to look up to confirm it's a real country

We should be doing better against Wolves, I just think the "internationals" thing is every bit of a red herring as describing players as "champion's league players" when it includes both Messi, and some  lad nobody's ever heard of playing for Connah's Quay Nomads. 

All of them except Buendia who made the provisional squad and Chambers have played in international tournaments

I think the point stands that we dont have a bunch of nobodies on the bench like some are claiming 

[hippo]

3 minutes ago, Zatman said:

All of them except Buendia who made the provisional squad and Chambers have played in international tournaments

I think the point stands that we dont have a bunch of nobodies on the bench like some are claiming 

Further evidence is those clubs reported to be eyeing up some of players.  Not good enough for Aston Villa - but good enough for Arsenal / Man U.

[og1874]

1 minute ago, hippo said:

Further evidence is those clubs reported to be eyeing up some of players.  Not good enough for Aston Villa - but good enough for Arsenal / Man U.

“Reported” is evidence of absolutely nothing though

[Davkaus]

6 minutes ago, Zatman said:

All of them except Buendia who made the provisional squad and Chambers have played in international tournaments

 

We're not sitting a 2018 England International Ashley Young on the bench though, are we, it's a 4 yea older version, who looks a liability, with no legs, and is absolutely nowhere near the international scene, what he was capable of in a former life is neither here nor there, IMO.

I'm splitting hairs though, and agree with your general point that there are more options in this squad than we seem to have any interest in using.

[jim]

9 minutes ago, Zatman said:

All of them except Buendia who made the provisional squad and Chambers have played in international tournaments

I think the point stands that we dont have a bunch of nobodies on the bench like some are claiming 

Here he is making stuff up again! Not one person has said we have “a bunch of nobodies”  playing for us

[hippo]

I wonder if the same people who are saying we don't have the players are the ones saying that we are really missing Nakamba.

[VillaParkAvenue]

5 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

We're not sitting a 2018 England International Ashley Young on the bench though, are we, it's a 4 yea older version, who looks a liability, with no legs, and is absolutely nowhere near the international scene, what he was capable of in a former life is neither here nor there, IMO.

This is true. What’s worrying for me is the possibility of Gerrard signing up more players like that, proven winners who were great when he played with them 5 or 10 years ago.

[Zatman]

17 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

We're not sitting a 2018 England International Ashley Young on the bench though, are we, it's a 4 yea older version, who looks a liability, with no legs, and is absolutely nowhere near the international scene, what he was capable of in a former life is neither here nor there, IMO.

I'm splitting hairs though, and agree with your general point that there are more options in this squad than we seem to have any interest in using.

The Young situation is self inflicted since we loaned a perfectly capable left back whose team might finish ahead of us 

Conte had no issue playing Young last season and he demands a lot more from his players physically 

[nick76]

31 minutes ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

This is true. What’s worrying for me is the possibility of Gerrard signing up more players like that, proven winners who were great when he played with them 5 or 10 years ago.

To be fair we currently have a bunch of players that last looked consistently great over 18 months ago.  I keep going back to those games early last season and seeing some vid's....how the hell have we regressed so much, not just one player here or there but more than most.  It just baffles me that we have added a few better players but before that and after that something has just gone.  Maybe it is just Jack not being in the team but feels so much more than that.

[Zatman]

11 minutes ago, nick76 said:

To be fair we currently have a bunch of players that last looked consistently great over 18 months ago.  I keep going back to those games early last season and seeing some vid's....how the hell have we regressed so much, not just one player here or there but more than most.  It just baffles me that we have added a few better players but before that and after that something has just gone.  Maybe it is just Jack not being in the team but feels so much more than that.

I do think Villa has always been an entertaining team with wide players that get the fans off the feet. Young, Grealish even at times Anwar or Traore last season. To sign a 30million winger who has been injured a bit but then we abandon width completely is bizarre mismanagement

[jacketspuds]

I know it won’t happen but I do wish that Gerrard would get us playing an attacking 4-2-3-1 formation once we have better midfielders. Playing Phillips and Bissouma in that formation, with Ramsey competing for the more attacking position with Coutinho, would be great. We already have Bailey, Traore and Buendia for some width as well.

Pretty sure I read that Gerrard signed 40-odd players in his time at Rangers though so wouldn’t be surprised if there was a lot of churn this summer.

Today’s game will be interesting, mostly to see if the players can actually put a performance in for more than 45 mins, or if Gerrard will once again be seething because they have put in a half arsed performance.

 

[TRO]

21 hours ago, hippo said:

Fair dos - I wasn't at the saints game. But yes heard it was a very good performance - my ommision.

Wasn't really discussing mitigating circumstances. The point I disagree with is "when we are good we are delightful to watch". ....to me that's only been a couple of games.

It's not like we are brilliant one week - then hopeless the next. - imo of course.

 

and to a large degree , I accept your reasoning....

[hippo]

I think he will start Chuk and Tim ibregham today

[TRO]

20 hours ago, MaVilla said:

the problem is, quite a few of our players arent actually very good......

I actually think, they are not that bad....but too samey.

We have too many the same, with the same attributes and the same attributes missing...........so certain jobs on the park, are not done.....coaching can't necessarily make up for that.

as the saying goes, " you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear"

Edited April 9, 2022 by TRO

[TRO]

20 hours ago, jim said:

Conte and Tuchel are elite managers who inherited some very good players, including a smattering of world class players that were under performing. 
Gerrard inherited a mid table squad that was staring at relegation, we are now around mid table…

He inherited a squad... without adequate defensive quality in midfield.

That is not easy to ignore or pass over....and try as he might, he cannot mask over it, with any consistency.

Its not going away, so the arguments against him, will remain, until he is able to remedy it.

 Imo Dean had the same problem, and had it of been fixed, i think he would still be with us.....I honestly believe that.

[TRO]

21 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Stressed the importance of Nakamba , to the way they want to play, in the presser.

I agree.

A high class DM goes a long way to transforming this team IMO.

Not sure if this has been said before

some of us on here, have been saying it for yonks..... way before Steven Gerrard arrived.....and you was one of them.