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!
Hitch, your never boring or repetitive. Is there a value number that is acceptable for us to spend. I worry at just how light we are up front. We now also have two forwards (Jaden Philogene and Morgan Rogers) playing extra games in the Under 21’s.
My main concern is Lenglet hasn’t been replaced and Mings isn’t ready. Is Bogarde ready to be the 4th CB? And don’t we need 5 anyway?
We are light in depth in defence and up front. I’m very disappointed with the lack of quality coming in. The sale of Luiz with two coming in and almost immediately going out on loan! Yet Chel$ea obviously have different rules to everyone else as they are trying to sign possibly another 3 with Sancho and talk of Toney going to Stamford Bridge on Sky Sports news. I dare say they will avoid punishment just like Citeh.
Emery talks about Mings and Kamara coming back but there is a big risk that they won’t be the same or even suffer injury relapses due to the seriousness of ACL’s. Matty Cash is out for a month minimum and that’s just after two games. What happens if Torres gets injured or Watkins? Our season could be over before it even gets started.
Carlos misses tomorrow’s game because of a small injury. Shocked not 😳
So down to bare bones in a critical position, as per my concerns weeks ago. Asking for serious trouble. Regardless how ‘small’ the injury is, Carlos has never been able to get through a season without missing significant periods. If we don’t get another CB we may well be f*****, come Christmas.
While I’m in moaning mood, just looking for bargains on the Villa store and what a monstrosity last year’s home shirt actually is – f****** ‘ell, dreadful.
Yeah I’m not happy. Maatsen Great and is an upgrade on an area of the pitch that wasn’t so important with Digne and Moreno. I don’t think Onana is quite the same alrounder as Dougy Luis either. Yes he may be better winning the ball back but dougy was outstanding at playing out from deep and then of course there is the set piece responsibilities he had. So that’s not an improvement there, not yet anyway. We have lost Zaniolo, who let’s for arguments say has been replaced by Barkley. We have also lost Langlet. The squad in my opinion is smaller, less versatile and in all fairness short of what we looked last season. Just remember Diaby has gone too! I don’t get why we didn’t go for Chiesa either. 12.5 mill Liverpool paid for him. If all we did was replace dougy , add a right back to battle with cash for and maybe a back up keeper. Then I would have been happy. I can’t believe we have another bloody left back!!!!!
Need a centre back! Ideally, two!
We’ve done what we can under the current (crap) financial rules!
Overall our transfer activity in this window shows a small profit of £7m but this is split between two accounting periods.
I think there may be room in January to strengthen the squad dependent on how we are doing in the CL. We have to realistic – this season is about consolidation and driving revenue upwards.
It’s frustrating but we are not the only club being stymied.
Is ‘stymied’ a posh word for buttf*****?