Ole

Has to be given another season, would be like leaving your faithful dog on the road and driving off to sack him.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

He'll be gone in may.

Then he won't have got a proper chance.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

Not yet.

14 months. 10 months permanent.

Next Christmas, minimum.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

He'll be gone in may.

And you kept saying chelsea were going to score. Much easier being negative.

He's shown some interesting tactical flexibility with 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-1-2. Send like he's adapted according to the players and who we are playing.

Originally Posted by dunk

Grealish has done most of his best work for Villa off the left I think definitely need another creative option in the number 10 area. Too often we get ourselves 1 player for a role and think that'll do, then try and play 60+ games with the one option the same way

I don't believe we're in for Maddison tbh.

Desperate for a proper CM or 2 and a right sided attacker. Early days, but I'd accept a season of Ighalo as back up up front while we find a proper striker tbh.. We aren't getting 5+ players in a summer window with the Euros, and we probably can't afford it anyway.

Great another player that plays his best football from the left

Add him along side Rashford, Martial and James..

I get we need depth, but we also need better first team players in a number of other positions first. I’m starting to think that he’ll eventually go with a midfield two of Fred and Bruno with Grealish as the 10? I like Fred but prefer him as a box to box player rather than a 6 tbh

Disagree on the striker position, we’re desperate for a proper out and out striker. Martial has shown he’s unreliable over a season and the odd bit of quality doesn’t make up for it. Honestly I’d be selling him to fund other transfers..

If we can get a quality 6, RW (Sancho ), Grealish and a first team forward I’d be over the moon. I guess a lot will depend on if Villa get relegated so we can get Grealish on the cheap as to whether we get the other three positions done too?

What the £#%&! is a 6?

Originally Posted by AK14

Great another player that plays his best football from the left

Add him along side Rashford, Martial and James..

I get we need depth, but we also need better first team players in a number of other positions first. I’m starting to think that he’ll eventually go with a midfield two of Fred and Bruno with Grealish as the 10? I like Fred but prefer him as a box to box player rather than a 6 tbh

Disagree on the striker position, we’re desperate for a proper out and out striker. Martial has shown he’s unreliable over a season and the odd bit of quality doesn’t make up for it. Honestly I’d be selling him to fund other transfers..

If we can get a quality 6, RW (Sancho ), Grealish and a first team forward I’d be over the moon. I guess a lot will depend on if Villa get relegated so we can get Grealish on the cheap as to whether we get the other three positions done too?

Not reached his peak years yet, full of ability and currently being judged on ploughing a lone furrow in a team devoid of creativity. Deffo wouldn't be binning him yet.

We really need proper midfielders, 2 or 3, just options, players that can defend and play football. That's the priority. Solidify the middle and give the team the ability to dominate games, then build from there.

Originally Posted by believe

What the f*** is a 6?

My ex

Originally Posted by AK14

Great another player that plays his best football from the left

Add him along side Rashford, Martial and James..

I get we need depth, but we also need better first team players in a number of other positions first. I’m starting to think that he’ll eventually go with a midfield two of Fred and Bruno with Grealish as the 10? I like Fred but prefer him as a box to box player rather than a 6 tbh

If we can get a quality 6, RW (Sancho ), Grealish and a first team forward I’d be over the moon. I guess a lot will depend on if Villa get relegated so we can get Grealish on the cheap as to whether we get the other three positions done too?

At this point I don't really care about Grealish or Maddison. Great players, but we shouldn't be buying No.10 style players like them to fill in gaps on the wings just because we've been linked to them before and they're decent players. If we didn't buy Bruno then I'd be desperate for one of them, but now I think we need to look at maybe another midfielder in the mould of Fred or Bruno that would be a squad player and compete for a first team place, and next season start bringing through Garner and maybe another kid as fringe backup as well once Matic has gone.

Bruno, Fred, The Scottish Player, *New Player*, Garner and another academy lad would be OK with me.

If we're going to get a player who we want to play wide and supply the front line, then get a proper wide player like Adama Traore, or a forward player who can cut in on his left foot like Bernardo Silva. A proper wide right player. Keep it as simple as possible:

Is his natural position wide right?

Does he create and/or score chances?

Can we sign him?

If the answer to all three of those is 'yes' then it's on.

Originally Posted by AK14

Disagree on the striker position, we’re desperate for a proper out and out striker. Martial has shown he’s unreliable over a season and the odd bit of quality doesn’t make up for it. Honestly I’d be selling him to fund other transfers..

Agree. If we could bring someone in without selling him then I'd be OK with keeping him around, but we can't rely on him as our centre forward. Maddeningly inconsistent.

Originally Posted by Whip Hubley

My ex

Show off

Originally Posted by believe

Show off

Originally Posted by AK14

Great another player that plays his best football from the left

Add him along side Rashford, Martial and James..

I get we need depth, but we also need better first team players in a number of other positions first. I’m starting to think that he’ll eventually go with a midfield two of Fred and Bruno with Grealish as the 10? I like Fred but prefer him as a box to box player rather than a 6 tbh

Disagree on the striker position, we’re desperate for a proper out and out striker. Martial has shown he’s unreliable over a season and the odd bit of quality doesn’t make up for it. Honestly I’d be selling him to fund other transfers..

If we can get a quality 6, RW (Sancho ), Grealish and a first team forward I’d be over the moon. I guess a lot will depend on if Villa get relegated so we can get Grealish on the cheap as to whether we get the other three positions done too?

Then teams will be sailing right through our midfield the exact same they have done for years, we need a central midfielder desperately, someone that sits in the middle, breaks up opposition attacks and can pick a pass. Neves type player

Originally Posted by dunk

Not reached his peak years yet, full of ability and currently being judged on ploughing a lone furrow in a team devoid of creativity. Deffo wouldn't be binning him yet.

We really need proper midfielders, 2 or 3, just options, players that can defend and play football. That's the priority. Solidify the middle and give the team the ability to dominate games, then build from there.

Tbf I’m judging him based on the last couple of seasons and he’s just not consistent enough, He’s 24 now and is still being protected like he was when he first came in. Unless he ups his game then he can £#%&! off because loads of potential means £#%&! all in reality.

Agree on the midfield btw.

Originally Posted by Patty_b

At this point I don't really care about Grealish or Maddison. Great players, but we shouldn't be buying No.10 style players like them to fill in gaps on the wings just because we've been linked to them before and they're decent players. If we didn't buy Bruno then I'd be desperate for one of them, but now I think we need to look at maybe another midfielder in the mould of Fred or Bruno that would be a squad player and compete for a first team place, and next season start bringing through Garner and maybe another kid as fringe backup as well once Matic has gone.

Bruno, Fred, The Scottish Player, *New Player*, Garner and another academy lad would be OK with me.

If we're going to get a player who we want to play wide and supply the front line, then get a proper wide player like Adama Traore, or a forward player who can cut in on his left foot like Bernardo Silva. A proper wide right player. Keep it as simple as possible:

Is his natural position wide right?

Does he create and/or score chances?

Can we sign him?

If the answer to all three of those is 'yes' then it's on.



Agree. If we could bring someone in without selling him then I'd be OK with keeping him around, but we can't rely on him as our centre forward. Maddeningly inconsistent.

I’d take grealish if we could get him on the cheap if Villa go down, but not if it means it stops us getting players in in other positions. It’d be nice to see Garner get a few more games between now and the end of the season to see how far away he is from being considered as a first team squad option.

Originally Posted by dinger

Then teams will be sailing right through our midfield the exact same they have done for years, we need a central midfielder desperately, someone that sits in the middle, breaks up opposition attacks and can pick a pass. Neves type player

Agree.

But if we are looking at another attacking mid I’m just trying to figure out where our other two 50m players fit in and Fred has been used a few times this season as the DM. I hope Ole isn’t considering The Scottish Player there, because again he’s better as a box to box player too imo.

Originally Posted by AK14

Tbf I’m judging him based on the last couple of seasons and he’s just not consistent enough, He’s 24 now and is still being protected like he was when he first came in. Unless he ups his game then he can £#%&! off because loads of potential means £#%&! all in reality.

Agree on the midfield btw.



I’d take grealish if we could get him on the cheap if Villa go down, but not if it means it stops us getting players in in other positions. It’d be nice to see Garner get a few more games between now and the end of the season to see how far away he is from being considered as a first team squad option.


Agree.

But if we are looking at another attacking mid I’m just trying to figure out where our other two 50m players fit in and Fred has been used a few times this season as the DM. I hope Ole isn’t considering The Scottish Player there, because again he’s better as a box to box player too imo.

Martial can do one as far as I’m concerned. Great goal yesterday but his overall contribution was a usual pile of nothing. Can’t blame the service if he never makes any runs. That said, if he manages to bag a load of goals and assists for what remains of the season then happy to reappraise. But right now, and based on past seasons, nah.

Fred is not a defensive midfielder so hope we don’t try and shoe horn him into that position. Same with McT. We need a younger Matic.

Originally Posted by shenwen

Martial can do one as far as I’m concerned. Great goal yesterday but his overall contribution was a usual pile of nothing. Can’t blame the service if he never makes any runs. That said, if he manages to bag a load of goals and assists for what remains of the season then happy to reappraise. But right now, and based on past seasons, nah.

Fred is not a defensive midfielder so hope we don’t try and shoe horn him into that position. Same with McT. We need a younger Matic.

Yep agree.

It’ll be interesting to see how that Norwegian kid does at Sheffield United. Apparently he’s a younger matic (or so Twitter tells me).

Originally Posted by shenwen

Martial can do one as far as I’m concerned. Great goal yesterday but his overall contribution was a usual pile of nothing. Can’t blame the service if he never makes any runs. That said, if he manages to bag a load of goals and assists for what remains of the season then happy to reappraise. But right now, and based on past seasons, nah.

Fred is not a defensive midfielder so hope we don’t try and shoe horn him into that position. Same with McT. We need a younger Matic.

Martial will never change. He’s a good player when he really really really wants to be which can equate to about one game in every five. People talk about service bit just look at this from yesterday. 30 minutes in to the game and needing to score.

https://youtu.be/xpmB04kZpN0

Originally Posted by believe

Martial will never change. He’s a good player when he really really really wants to be which can equate to about one game in every five. People talk about service bit just look at this from yesterday. 30 minutes in to the game and needing to score.

https://youtu.be/xpmB04kZpN0

Yeah, noted that. Loves a light jog doesn’t he? Happened several times. There was one when - I think - Williams was breaking and it was crying out for a run from Martial. Instead he stood still, received the ball to feet and then lost it. Classic Tony. Rashford would have bust a gut to stretch the defence.

Martial doesn’t work nearly hard enough to be top draw. I’d keep him but he needs to be 3rd or 4th choice.

Originally Posted by utd99

And if we’re still saying that now, through 5 seasons and three managers, it’s never going to change. He just doesn’t do the things that top strikers do; there’s something wrong with him.

Last night summed him up: brilliant when he wants to be and half-arsed when he doesn't.

He's not as reckless on the ball as Pogba, but he's the same kind of luxury player.

With a partner and people to do the running, I think he's worth it. His goals return is good when he's partnered with Rashford. They combine well and their goals per game as a partnership is as good as anyone.

Neither can do the job of lone striker very well though, especially Martial.... but he got better as the game went on last night and he took his chance brilliantly.

I enjoy watching him when he's bang on it too.

We need a proper centre forward in the summer regardless.

Him, Radhford, new guy and Greenwood.