Aston Villa appoint Unai Emery as manager

[FootballHQ]

How has Onana been recently? Felt like he would sort out his consistency issues when he stepped up but perhaps that's not the case?

I've been o.k with what I've seen. Don't think he's ever going to be a dominant ball player like Luiz or Tielemans but he's done well off the ball in plenty of away games.

Big problem is he just keeps picking up knocks that makes him unable to complete games. Think we've subbed him in about four games at half time so far which is disappointing for the fee we played and now he's out injured from an injury he picked up with Belgium.

 

[FootballHQ]

Do you think so? I felt he was a good player being opportunistically picked up, I just didn’t realise at the time that they weren’t going to do much more than that.

I definitely wouldn’t rule out PSR stuff though, because he certainly wasn’t a manager buy by the looks of things.

I've been disappointed not to see Maatsen play more tbh. Just giving him one start a month is really odd. Digne has been really good for us in last 12 months but he's in his 30s and is solid rather than being able to expand the play.

We've not really good the ability to stretch teams currently with Bailey and now Rogers off form so Maatsen at LB for a run of games would be good. He was starting the CL final six months ago so not like we just picked him up straight from Burnley.

Hopefully it will be like Lewis Hall at Newcastle who barely played last season but now looks the part.

 

[Chipper]

Predicted them to finish 9th before the start of the season. Doesn't look like a bad shout right now.

Thought they might struggle with having to deal with Europe. I'm totally kneejerk though, the way they started I was thinking I'd got it very wrong. Looking back, playing West Ham, Everton, Wolves and Leicester early was a kind opening indeed.

My predictions are also crap, had West Ham down for 8th.

 

[Wonder Pigeon]

They'll pick up and end about where you expect. They always going to regress after last season but don't think most of their transfer dealings in the summer being PSR slop has helped.

 

[Maluco]

I've been disappointed not to see Maatsen play more tbh. Just giving him one start a month is really odd. Digne has been really good for us in last 12 months but he's in his 30s and is solid rather than being able to expand the play.

We've not really good the ability to stretch teams currently with Bailey and now Rogers off form so Maatsen at LB for a run of games would be good. He was starting the CL final six months ago so not like we just picked him up straight from Burnley.

Hopefully it will be like Lewis Hall at Newcastle who barely played last season but now looks the part.

What do you think about the whole Watkins/Duran thing too? Do you think there is a way to fit them both in the lineup?

 

[FootballHQ]

What do you think about the whole Watkins/Duran thing too? Do you think there is a way to fit them both in the lineup?

Nah we've looked terrible playing both at the same time. Happened last season aswell as they both like to drift left and play on shoulder of the CB that side so get in each other's way on the pitch.

Perhaps it's time to cash in on Ollie. Had a brilliant five years for us and will continue to be involved for England. West Ham would kill for a Ollie Watkins as their striker when you look at them still having Antonio upfront so they'd be at least one club sending 40m + our way if we circulated his name.

 

[red woppit]

We're selling most of them due to PSR currently.

Aaron Ramsey (15m) to Burnley
Cameron Archer been sold twice in the last 12 months.
Tim Iroegbunam went to Everton for 10m Signed him from West Brom when he was 18.

We sold Jaden Philogene to Hull for 7m and then activated the buyback this summer which is looking a big mistake. Would've been a better move for him to go to Ipswich.

Louie Barry currently ripping it up at Stockport. Not quite a youth prospect as he came through at West Brom aswell when he was 18 and then moved to Barca but talk Boro are interested so they could easily be a loan with permanent inserted if they're promoted.

Like many I'm not a fan of it at all as young players need security rather than being traded all over the place to meet financial requirements but ultimately it's the loophole that so many clubs have exploited in recent years.

I see.
Chelsea seemed to be the standard for developing youth players, and then selling them on, city also have adopted that policy, and it looks like United are going down the same path. I can understand, as PSR dictates a lot of what goes on behind the scenes with young, talented and possible top players being moved on, but I take your point that it's probably not in the interest of the player.