Thoughts and issues regarding the past and present of a great football club by "The Chronicler".

Thursday 25 July 2019

Interesting Stuff, But What About The Green Shoots?

I so much want to see the product of Villa's Academy succeeding, but going by the pre-season friendlies I'm afraid I can't see Green, Davis and O'Hare having sufficient impact in the PL. 

They are skilfull players, no doubt, but they have had the opportunity to shine and (to me at least) are just not taking full advantage of that opportunity. If Green had put his shot into the back of the net last night, instead of against the bar, I might be still on his side, but having worked the space to get in his shot, he missed a great chance to give a further lift to his name. For me, he seems to lack a degree of urgency, though he does work hard.

Having said all that the unavailability of El Ghazi gave RHM a surprise opportunity, and what speed and skill he has! Yes, perhaps he does have a couple of raw edges, but rather than put him out on loan I think he should be on the Villa's first-team bench and brought on as the occasion demands.

As to the performances of Villa's new acquisitions, I can't help but see the combination of Jota and Wesley with the added ingredient of Grealish developing a great understanding. Meanwhile, Guilbert strikes me as a fine raiding wing-back. The other new ones seem content just to do what's needed and are feeling their way as they go. I have no reason to think they'll do anything but settle in fine.

But the midfield is intriguing to me. McGinn, surprisingly, doesn't seem to have had so much of an impact and I'm seriously wondering whether Lansbury is a better link with Jack. Conor, meanwhile, has useful moments but I can't see him being successful in the hole in front of defence. Leastwise, not in the PL. Bikir? Mmmm... not sure; he's useful but, except as a late sub, doesn't seem to make a lot of impact.

Nevertheless, pre-season is building quite nicely, and I'm ready for more surprises in the remaining two pre-season games. And more signings, too!

UTV!

Wednesday 17 July 2019

The Purchasing Message Is That We Don't Intend To Concede Goals!

Bjorn Engels follows Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Kortney Hause to Bodymoor Heath, leaving James Chester, an £8 million signing in 2016, potentially a fifth-choice central defender. Yet Dean Smith seems to think that 30-year-old Chester has a part to play and wants to see him challenging for selection for the first match, at Spurs.

What an extraordinary situation. The acquisition of four new central defenders (though we already know two of 'em) seems to be wildly over the top. Two were needed for certain, and Mings was a priority, but I can't help but see Chester now playing a secondary role, with Hause as extra cover for left-back.

The situation for Chester could be said to be unfair as he stood alone, carrying what proved to be a serious injury, until defensive reinforcements arrived last January. So to have played his heart out under great pressure and now to be in this situation must be very disappointing for him.

However, the secondary role could be just as important, with the return to Villa of a genuine reserve side to draw from rather than the u-23 system. Chester would surely be an example for new players coming through the ranks, and perhaps should be the reserves' captain.

With the virtually certain imminent signing of midfield enforcer Douglas Luiz in the next few days, this has been an extraordinary summer of spending, which worries me a little, especially as I do not yet see an end to the expenditure.

My "worry" is more to do with the approach of spend-spend-spend as a policy for Villa. It rarely produces great results (though the top clubs of the last 25 years could say they can show otherwise) ... unless we have a proper youth basis in place. But I feel that Villa is - based on history - a different kettle of fish to most other clubs and why journalists often don't 'get it'.

The academy seems to have let us down somewhat, not able to reproduce what came through in the early 60s and then 70s, with the odd 'success' since then. Barry was not really one of our own deliveries, nor Ehiogu.

So, in my view that's what we need to keep an eye on if we want to maintain our 'special' character. AVFC's playing success was mainly due to what was developed within the club. The character of the club will not diminish if we build from youth. To start getting into big scale spend-spend mode and acquiring players who do not develop an attachment for the club - being more concerned about their careers - is something to be concerned about i.m.o.

However, I rather think that we are not 'doing a Fulham'. The kind of expenditure taking place has sense about it for the future, and perhaps there's more that's going on that is positive than I realise.


This post seems to suggest a lot of good thinking going on.

We shall see...!

UTV!