This is my why Villa are bad now take. Looked better at Everton & Brentford by going wide earlier to open central space. Sunderland didn't open & we can't utilise the wide space well, a death sentence in this tactical meta. Maatsen has to start, RB loans should be explored in Jan.

How is go in for today. Concerned about how many minutes McGinn is having to play though. With the number of injuries there, including youth, I wonder if it's nessisary for Buendia or Elliot to sub in there. Without Pau or Tielemans Maatsen has to start for me; Digne probably starts for Unai.

Very glad to see some pushback against Starmer's spineless transphobe loving government from... [Checks notes] Capitalist enterprises!? Wow this makes the May & Johnson years look competent.

Looked better last night with some pieces learning our game still, Guessand raw but exciting. Saw the vision of when we could be though, wider earlier; Cash's long pass to Guessand got them turned around & Sancho hit the post from his cutback. In the PL it would be Rogers taking that shot 👀

To all the users of {worldfootballR} and the amazing connections I’ve created through that vehicle, I’m sorry to say that {worldfootballR} will no longer be maintained. I’m incredibly proud of it and incredibly thankful all the support I’ve received over the years! github.com/JaseZiv/worl...

I think a large part of Villa's attacking issue is that our highest useage guy, Rogers, is lacking space & burned out. I did a thread on that, what exactly usage is, & how we could use our good end of season run tactics to right the ship somewhat.

Aston Villa end of 2024/25 run to the start of 25/26.

Shot, chaser Young men more likely to vote Green than Reform. Young men second most progressive group of any demographic. Combined right-wing vote barely bigger than Green vote alone for young men

You heard it here first & it happened earlier than I thought! He was good. Highlight of a meh performance. Do think one way of keeping McGinn in the side, which Unai seems desperate to do is giving Rogers a rest. Guy played 4000+ mins, he's burnt.

My somewhat spicy take is that by the end of the season it will be Bogarde rather than McGinn taking up the DM spot when Kamara is out. I think McGinn has lost a couple of yards off his legs & not being able to cover as much space cost us the first at Palace, concerned about that space with Grealish

There should be two tiers of penalties. 90% of them are not deserving of the 79% chance spot kick, which should be reserved for actual denying of a goal scoring opportunities. If not then it should instead be 90s MLS style pens. 1v1 vs a nutjob goalkeeper, 35 yards, 5 seconds.

I've been thinking about 'that guy's in the current tactical meta. High useage is the term I've used (useage is an NBA stat for possessions ending with X player). Progress, create, & score in one guy, increasingly they're wingers; Saka, Olise, PSG's entire front 4. That guy for Villa, Rogers, isn't.

The take home of my Rogers useage thread. Get Rogers space to be efficient & effective, England managed that last night. Maybe enjoy your Monday lunch with some football data analysis.

The take home of my Rogers useage thread. Get Rogers space to be efficient & effective, England managed that last night. Maybe enjoy your Monday lunch with some football data analysis.

I've been thinking about 'that guy's in the current tactical meta. High useage is the term I've used (useage is an NBA stat for possessions ending with X player). Progress, create, & score in one guy, increasingly they're wingers; Saka, Olise, PSG's entire front 4. That guy for Villa, Rogers, isn't.

I put Elliott on the right in my preseason possible transfers thread (the club actually got a guy I liked!). Looking at how we're playing & Cash still being deep until we're in the box, I think it's more likely Elliott plays out the 10 & Malen/Guessand generate cutbacks from the right.

Ultimately why I think Villa struggled to recruit one. Pacey, 1v1, shot production RWs are the hottest commodity in a transfer market & we didn't have the financial headroom to get one. Got to find a different way between Elliott, Sancho, even Malen who is a back post guy; big season for Cash.

I don’t think these pricks realise how a significant chunk of the population’s political outlook is basically this now

My needle not moved on 5th spot chasers. Villa - back line lacks quality in places; lots of 8/10s for Emery to figure out an attack from. Spurs - ageing star for potential star & lack depth in midfield & defence. Newcastle - star for more attacking depth, quality drop off in midfield & defence.

Getting Woltemade + Wissa for the same price they sold Isak for is an L for Newcastle imo. Remains strange that both they and Liverpool couldn't sort this out 6 weeks ago so Ekitike could sign for Newcastle.

The one I've been manifesting all summer!

3-0 Result feels worse than we deserved. I don't think that penalty occurs if Kamara or Onana are there to cover the space, after that it's a different game. No issues with the set up, good aggression, Maatsen/Guessand looks to be a very interesting combo. Buendia was good when he was on.

Just going to keep my mouth shut until the window closes, Monchi woke up today & chose violence.

There's so players I'd rather Villa spend this money on. Just play Tielemans further up, they're basically the same guy!

Why? We just got Dendonker off the books. Would be an awful signing, a really Gerrard era braindead one that we won't be able to move his high wage on next year when we realise he's a .2 xG + xGA guy. 🤦

How I line up Vs Palace with Onana out. We've played Digne as a conservative choice against Munoz several times now & paid for it. Got to get behind him & force him back. Rogers & last chance saloon Buendia need beat the DM to pull a outside CB out & allow Watkins/Malen to attack the space.

man this is a great deal for Villarreal I really don't understand why the market locked in so hard on some forwards but not others

If Tottenham somehow walk out of this window with Xavi Simons, a very good signing, after trying really hard to sign Eze (an ok signing but quite expensive for his age) and Morgan Gibbs-White (a bad signing at the price) it will be very very funny.

Annoying, Spurs seemed determined to overpay for average peak age PL experience but have been forced into a good signing against their will. I hope the 'only wants Chelsea' thing actually plays out

That 5th CL spot may well not be going to the PL this year. Real, Barca, & PSG all look really good, while 2 of our top 3 are in transition. Kompany is another coach on Fraudwatch but the idea of Kane dropping & Jackson getting behind puts them on a similar level to Arsenal for me.

The Spurs curse - slam Mings & Pau together in a lab & that player is at City or Real not Villa. Got to perform for 3 points but also develop talent. Spend €25 on 2 risks or €50m on 1 'sure thing'. Same for players, do you want Rogers to get assists from the right or shots and central progression?

Noone really liked Rogers out on the right; there some case for it however, if he's needed to create chances. He's struggling to do from the left so far. My rolling mins KPI analysis showed drops in shots, xG, & progressive actions but increases in shot assists & xA. bsky.app/profile/1874...

So the 2nd attacker has to come from our right width, surely Malen or Guessand have to come in with Kamara out right? Guessand has played more RW recently, but Malen has a slightly better history of carries & take ons that will be nessisary against Guehi; get behind Sosa, force them back.

On to Palace next week, assuming Kamara is injured, but Kinda will be back a DOGSO red is only a one match ban. This is how I go in. Get ball progression & width from Maatsen, possession from Onana/McGinn, Tielemans creative final third passing could come from the left though so why Rogers there?

On to Palace next week, assuming Kamara is injured, but Kinda will be back a DOGSO red is only a one match ban. This is how I go in. Get ball progression & width from Maatsen, possession from Onana/McGinn, Tielemans creative final third passing could come from the left though so why Rogers there?

No goals from 1.43 xG in the two matches so far is about as damning an stats as you can throw at Emery. Really conservative line ups, really toothless. Might just be time to accept that shoehorning McGinn into wherever costs you. Rogers too just can't seem to be able to step up as the 2nd attacker.

Emery's recent selections are betting big on Rogers taking this shit production step from the left. The other possibilities are Roger steps up in progressive numbers to be more 8ish. Stays at the same level & is more useful as a squad player. Getting Cash up is also a bet on Onana eating space.

Had the feeling Villa's attempts here were getting overblown (reports suggest we were some way apart on the loan fee) by an agent trying to get his client out. Newcastle would be silly to turn their nose up at a guy with .7 xG+xA/90 in the PL. Next to Kane dropping off puts Bayern into CL final favs

The odd thing about a lot of this inter-Premier League business is that it's certainly making a bunch of the midtable clubs weaker, I'm far less certain it's making the big buying clubs much stronger.

🚨🟡🔴 Leon Bailey to AS Roma, here we go! Verbal agreement with Aston Villa for €2/3m loan fee plus €22m buy option clause. Bailey only wanted Roma as priority as reported last week, deal now agreed in principle. Medical authorization expected next. 🇯🇲

Leon Bailey looks like he's half out the door already & Moreno rumours are picking up, have to wonder what Villa were asking & if these guys would have been out sooner. The right creator right wing & rotation CB to pair with Pau could put Villa's talent to next best outside the top 4.

Couldn't be me, never, not at all

Thoughts about this one, happy with 5 midfielders at St. James' Park, less so at home. Come away with some credit for the post-red performance though.

Gave my opinion on Ramsey at £50m, if the 40 reported can be turned into a CB (improving Bogarde's development) and a needed RW then 👍 from me. Creates UEFA squad issues this year but I got high hopes for Jimoh-Abola or Hemmings with the right loans. The latter could be kept with Barkley's injuries

Me looking at the Theresa May 2.0 UK government under Starmer' Labour.

I'll trot this out again, if PIF want to hand Villa another fiddy so Howe can replace talented but injured, club trained for UEFA, Willock for talented but injured Ramsey, sure. But if we can't register a replacement for UEFA comps then I don't see a reason to sell a guy with 2 years left for less.

Seen Tielemans/Onana for 10 mins, should have been tested more. Rowe filling Garcia mins; L1/L2 calling. Iling Jr as RW may be worth keeping for EL mins until Jan? Hemmings 🫶; will get pushed out of deep lying roles in the Champ/L1; Primeira, Secunda, Juniper or Eredivisie would be better for him.

Like the new physical stats from Fotmob, Bailey being 18th on Villa speed list expaioa lot about his season tbh.

Caught up on preseason thoughts: I'd be ok with Buendia stopping, Buendia fills a passing 10 niche we don't otherwise have. Bailey; high ceiling, low floor & he's on too much for 4/10 performances. Could spread that across 2 players. 1 should be a rotation CB, harms Bogarde to be playing there.

Guessand covers this role quite nicely, plenty of mins as the central & inside forward as well a box crashing AM. Srewd squad cost in this market for a tall 21 g+a (0.5 xG+xGA per 90) forward when clubs pay €80m+ for a 22 g+a (from 0.4/90) guy because he is 2 inches & 2 years younger.