_AA_786 Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 The rest of the team largely picks itself at the moment (with the odd rotation) but Defence is where we still have questions. If Summerville goes to West Ham, it's better to have Konsa at CB than constantly having to deal with Summerville on his s shoulder trying to cut inside. I think someone like Ned with a bit more pace would be great at RB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said: Maatsen is listed as 5'10" - I think he's given himself a bonus three or four inches there. He's not big enough for a hybrid role - he's a full back/winger. EDIT: In fact, outside of wiki/google, there are lots of reports that he's 5'6", which seems a whole lot more likely. Don't read his aerial duel win % I think it's 0 or very close to that 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaVilla Posted August 1 Author Share Posted August 1 The thing is, we have spent something in the region of £140m, but at least on face value, only 2 of our signings are nailed on starters (could be proved wrong ofc). Onana and Maatsen are definite starters (probably), so 2 definite starters added, but we lost two high profile players also in Luiz and Diaby, so its probably a net neutral as of right now.. The others, Dobbin, Barkley, Barrenchea, Iling-Jr, Jaden, Archer, are either development players, squad players, to be sold or loaned, or maybe to push for a first 11 place if they can show their quality, but not nailed on as of right now. We prob arent flush with cash, and might need outgoings to spend further, but we certainly need at least 1 first team player, maybe two, to actually have improved the starting 11. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVByrne Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 11 minutes ago, MaVilla said: The thing is, we have spent something in the region of £140m, but at least on face value, only 2 of our signings are nailed on starters (could be proved wrong ofc). Onana and Maatsen are definite starters (probably), so 2 definite starters added, but we lost two high profile players also in Luiz and Diaby, so its probably a net neutral as of right now.. The others, Dobbin, Barkley, Barrenchea, Iling-Jr, Jaden, Archer, are either development players, squad players, to be sold or loaned, or maybe to push for a first 11 place if they can show their quality, but not nailed on as of right now. We prob arent flush with cash, and might need outgoings to spend further, but we certainly need at least 1 first team player, maybe two, to actually have improved the starting 11. It's a squad game though. We haven't weakened the starting 11 and we have improved the squad and we're not done making signings yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterw Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 Well we have weakened the starting eleven. Luiz is not there, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villan95 Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 7 minutes ago, peterw said: Well we have weakened the starting eleven. Luiz is not there, He didn't seem to be there from about December 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMcGrath_5 Posted August 1 Share Posted August 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomC Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 17 hours ago, Hank Scorpio said: As of today I don't feel our first 11 is any better than last season. It's arguably worse. Lots of unknowns. Fair enough, but it depends on what part of last season you're comparing. Compared to the end of the season, we've better off because Onana gives us the ball winner that we badly missed after Kamara got hurt. Compared to the start of the season, probably 8 of 11 are the same. The changes are: Onana instead of Kamara, maybe a little worse; Rogers instead of JJ as an attacking midfielder, maybe a little better (Tielemans was not starting early in the season); who will play Doug's role, the big unknown. Going beyond the first 11, we have a deeper bench, and we'll need it. We can challenge for the top 4 again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderball Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 (edited) On 01/08/2024 at 16:44, peterw said: Well we have weakened the starting eleven. Luiz is not there, If we sign Felix, the combination of a skilful, creative, attack minded #10 coupled with a tall defensive minded midfielder in Onana, on paper is more effective than Luiz and Diaby. If we don’t sign Felix, Baena or Goncalves could both fill the role more effectively than Luiz. We also need a towering CB. Then we are much much stronger, will evolve our style and hopefully concede fewer. Edited August 2 by thunderball Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaVilla Posted August 3 Author Share Posted August 3 (edited) Who do we have out of contract next summer?, is it only Olsen & Hause? then 2026 is Digne, Moreno, Mings, Carlos, Dendoncker & Buendia. Edited August 3 by MaVilla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders129 Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 Just thinking tactics…in Maatsen and Ned we now have two fullbacks who can invert and join the midfield. I wonder if that’s where Illing Jr and JPB fit in…they’re to provide the width in the event we go for an inverted set up? Also fascinating to see how Onana, Barkley and Tielemans will be deployed this season. Is Youri dropping back into the double pivot? He was great there against Arsenal. Will Onana drop into CB like Kamara does? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrythevillan Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 (edited) 1 hour ago, rodders129 said: Just thinking tactics…in Maatsen and Ned we now have two fullbacks who can invert and join the midfield. I wonder if that’s where Illing Jr and JPB fit in…they’re to provide the width in the event we go for an inverted set up? Also fascinating to see how Onana, Barkley and Tielemans will be deployed this season. Is Youri dropping back into the double pivot? He was great there against Arsenal. Will Onana drop into CB like Kamara does? I think Maatsen is technically much more advanced than Ned, so is more likely to invert. But I see us carrying on with the more lopsided approach, so if Konsa is RB Maatsen will push up like a winger and if Mings comes back, some games we might see Pau LB (tried it last pre season) with Ned/Cash high on the other side depending on opposition. The good thing is we have wingers that can invert or go on the outside so all possibilities are there for a plan B, if the new guys can get up to speed. I do wonder about the high line as we did get caught out a lot in the second half of the season conceding loads, and it’s not looking promising this pre season albeit with a makeshift defence. With Gallagher it seemed like maybe we would be more of a pressing machine, but doesn’t look that way in pre season. We’re such an anomaly with the way we have a high line but don’t press much. Scary to watch but worked so far, but I always expect us to get caught out more than we do. Edited August 3 by terrythevillan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted August 4 VT Supporter Share Posted August 4 (edited) All our new or recently returning from injury or loan players involved in preseason more or less. When you look at the list, it's instantly clear just how unfamiliar these folks are with on another. So many different club backgrounds, languages, football cultures, boot sizes lol. It's a massive amount of change to process. But I can't wait to see how the zurrukutuna gets cooked up by Chef Emery. These are just the new or newly in need of working-in players, with the active vets set aside. We have so many options on tactics! I don't care much about preseason game outcomes. They simply don't matter, despite wanting bragging rights. What matters is the process of rationalising a complex set of possibilities. Joe Gauci Lamare Bogarde Ian Maatsen Amadou Onana Morgan Rogers Cameron Archer Kosta Nedeljkovic Leander Dendoncker Alex Moreno Enzo Barrenechea Ross Barkley Jaden Philogene Jacob Ramsey Emi Buendia Lewis Dobbin Edited August 4 by Marka Ragnos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders129 Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 Watching the pre season match, interesting in our build up seeing Pau pushing out wide to left back and Maatsen inverting and surging with the ball up through the middle at pace. Think we might be seeing that a few times in 24/25! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted August 4 VT Supporter Share Posted August 4 (edited) On 03/08/2024 at 05:21, rodders129 said: Just thinking tactics…in Maatsen and Ned we now have two fullbacks who can invert and join the midfield. I wonder if that’s where Illing Jr and JPB fit in…they’re to provide the width in the event we go for an inverted set up? Also fascinating to see how Onana, Barkley and Tielemans will be deployed this season. Is Youri dropping back into the double pivot? He was great there against Arsenal. Will Onana drop into CB like Kamara does? Yes on Maatsen and Nedelkovic, but not sure Illing is up to Premier League standards or will be anytime soon, and JPB needs help making that second pass in terms of tactics. I don't think the issue is him as much as coordination of that entire side. It feels like they've not yet solidified plans for inverts and overlaps on either wing because someone rather important has been missing up front. Feeling doubts about Barkley at the moment. He just seems a bit ... I don't know ... ponderous and overly localised (does that make sense?) on the pitch. I think he will be third choice DM after the Big O and Bogarde??? Big O is definitely built like a CB. And we all know how he likes to be up close and personal with Martinez. Edited August 4 by Marka Ragnos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam2003 Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 On 03/08/2024 at 05:21, rodders129 said: Will Onana drop into CB like Kamara does? While Kamara is out I think yes, that’s partly why I think Emery was happy to see him playing as a pure CB against Leipzig after the DC red. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted August 4 VT Supporter Share Posted August 4 On 01/08/2024 at 11:14, MaVilla said: The thing is, we have spent something in the region of £140m, but at least on face value, only 2 of our signings are nailed on starters (could be proved wrong ofc). I think Bogarde is going to get some starts. He's excellent and Unai surely knows it. Check out this interview. Hysterically transparent, really, if you read between the lines. Can there be any doubt what Unai values in younger players? A bit of humility and eagerness to learn without the unnecessary bullshit. Duran is sounding a bit like that student who takes up a lot of the teacher's time lol. Quote What's role does Kosta Nedeljkovic have next season? "He is one of the players I am speaking about - his adaptation is going well, but he needs time to understand tactically of us. Of course, he is only 18 years old, which is very young, and I am very happy because he is a very good person, good professional. "In training and in matches, he is being very alert, how he can improve himself. This is the way. He needs time, but I am very happy with him." What is the plan for Jhon Duran? "He is coming next week after he played in the final for Colombia against Argentina and he has big potential," Emery said after Villa's final pre-season friendly in the USA on Saturday night. "I was always being close to him, helping his adaptation in Europe, in the Premier League. "Now he is coming again next week and I will work again with him like last year, trying to get progressively better with him. "Of course, his potential, he can exploit, but we will work in the future like the process we are doing with him being very demanding." How do you think Onana has adapted? "He is a player who is demanding himself, he is always trying to understand quickly what we are doing in every session we are doing and every meeting. He is only 22 years old, of course his potential is very interesting for us. "This is our challenge and his challenge, but his progress with us is going well. We want to add his quality and potential trying to progressively be stronger in our structure tactically with his skills and characteristics at the end." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 Wolves beat Leipzig 3-0 - who we seemingly struggled to even get a shot off against… 10 men or not, we were still awful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders129 Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 8 minutes ago, Tayls said: Wolves beat Leipzig 3-0 - who we seemingly struggled to even get a shot off against… 10 men or not, we were still awful. I just take that as more evidence of the unpredictability/unimportance of pre season football matches. Just chill and trust the process. This season is going to be torture for you if you’re stressing already about pre season results Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 10 minutes ago, Tayls said: Wolves beat Leipzig 3-0 - who we seemingly struggled to even get a shot off against… 10 men or not, we were still awful. Wolves also beat West Ham who according to some have had a great summer transfers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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