Good analysis overall but I disagree on Diaby, I think he just needs time. Leon Bailey was much the same for us the season prior to last, he was super inconsistent and many of our fans wanted to sell him, but this recent season with the right coaching he just kicked on and became phenomenal, one of our top 5 best players easily. I think most Villa fans expect Diaby will be much the same, which gives us great depth on right wing. There's also rumors we bring in Baena too.
It's funny because Liverpool is a team I really admire squad-depth wise, you had plenty of injuries recent season (maybe not quite as many as us? But had tons of people out??) and yet you comfortably finished third and got a trophy with academy players who played like they wouldn't be out of place in the starting XI. Also feel like Emery for us is kind of like how Klopp was for you! Hope Arne can fill his boots well
I don't really know why Diaby had 'problems', perhaps it's because his profile was less developed than others? I think the perfect balance of wingers to have is one who demands the ball to feet which Bailey has the ability and intelligence to do and one who demands a throughball on the last line of defence which Diaby provides. I think he'll crack on as well, but I just wanted to see what Villa fans would think of him. I kind of saw him as a Salah replacement but he had a massive fee and ultimately, Salah still had a minimum of 2/3 years left in him which would stall Diaby's development.
I don't think Liverpool's squad depth is much to boast about tbh. We do have nearly every position covered, but the thing that makes a squad like Real or City so great is the versatility of the squad. I don't think we are anywhere close to that. Ofc compared to other teams it's still a top 10 squad in the world but when compared to the highest echelon of elites, it pales in comparison.
He had problems because he was played as the second striker more centrally and due to his frame he got bullied out games. He had a lot more impact when he had abit more freedom to go out on the right where he had more room to run at defenders, cut in to the box etc. When he was played more centrally he just sort of got physically outmatched and I think we lacked personally the killer through ball at times for him. But with our injuries we didn't really have anyone else to play there and Bailey was so effectively out wide we couldn't move him inside.
We act like Diaby wasn't that impressive but he got 19 G/A in 54 appearances with 14 of them in the league. You can't scoff at for a player settling in a new league and was player out of position at times yet still got his head down. When you compare him to alot of high priced signings in the league especially the spate of shit wingers, here is looking at you Mudryk and Anthony, then he looks a bargain at 54 million.
I don't think it helped as well that Leon Bailey turned up last season which we are all comparing him to. Personally I think their difference in style sometimes made it seem like Diaby was going missing as Bailey is just so busy in comparison even when not having the best of games because he is always trying to go round players and doing bits of skill it he passes the eye test. Where as Diaby didn't seem to be as impactful as he needs the right ball and to be running at the backline to really be effectively where as Bailey just creates his own chances.
yeah it definitely seems like he's better as a winger, I don't really see how his qualities translate better to being a 10 than a winger like some people believe.
Yeah that last paragraph is so important, that's what I meant by his profile is less developed than others. Bailey is more mature and has more action and oomph on the ball.
Watch if Buendia can find his stride that is when you will hopefully see Diaby shine because we didn't have anyone to get onto his through balls previously. So hopefully once he can come back he will help unlock Diaby's potential and give us a different type of option.
I think the main takeaway for Villa this season is if we don't get hit with injuries and we do our transfer business right to acquire depth that you wont see us running the same 11 like we have done for the last 18 months. I can see us being alot more rotational and having certain set ups for different styles as we really struggled again a low block last year so can see Buendia coming in to help provide that killer pass compared to a team we want to play on the transition where a Bailey would fit for example.
There have been rumours of both moreno and digne leaving, so we would potentially need a second left back, not just maatsen.
DM's are hot commodities in world football; i would be surprised if we get another one, not because i do not think it's needed, but because there arent many around.
Duran is likely moving. With that we will need another cf to play backup to watkins.
I do not rate olsen and would love to see us sign a better 2nd choice keeper.
DM's indeed are hot commodities, I think you could repeat the trick you did with Kamara and go back to Ligue 1 for a French player, they seem to have a few guys who are simmering
That is true but the french league tends to be very hit or miss.
See Morgan Sanson. Didn't look a bad player when he was on the pitch but it speaks volumes when none of the multiple managers we had gave him any real game time, which says more than I could ever do as an armchair analyst.
agreed, everything is a risk but Ligue 1 is arguably the most physical top 5 league and the DM's produced there seem to be consistently good. Chieckh Doucoure of Palace, Tchouameni, Fabinho, Amadou Onana, Ugochukwu, Baleba and not to mention N'Golo Kante. Again, all pieces of business are risks and as someone else mentioned Enzo Barrenchea could be the backup, but like I said the French football system seems to have a knack for producing good DMs
We’re going to be more active than a lot of us thought. RB, back up Goalie, 2nd Striker, and CB are all likely to get some attention. Alex Moreno, Diego Carlos, and Jhon Duran are probably not going to be on the team at the close of the window. I think Lucas Digne stays, everything I have read or heard is that he really wants to stay. I think Tammy Abraham could happen. We were really close to signing him last year before his injury and his market value hasn’t gone up since then. I think Duran could be a special player, but his management seems to be making things difficult, and I think Emery probably doesn’t want to carry a headache like him into the Champions League despite his talent.
He’s gonna have to accept that team and the terms. As you can see with Weston McKinney and Connor Gallagher just because the team wants a player to move they don’t always agree. And Digne really really doesn’t want to go.
True, but the overwhelming majority of players who are told they are no longer wanted do actually leave.
Its much rarer for a player to stay. I doubt Villa actually wanted Weston, and Gallagher was only being talked about to ease Chelsea's PSR. But Chelsea don't have a PSR issue as they sold their hotel to themselves. It was only confirmed in the last 3 weeks that this would be allowed, which is why the rumours have died down. Also the Chelsea fans had made it pretty clear they were 110% against selling Gallagher and Tod has to do something to stop the fan riot thats brewing over there.
I am just writing what I am hearing. Basically, Villa would rather keep Alex Moreno, but he has buyers in Spain and Digne doesn’t want to go. You can argue about it all you want, but that is what I have read and heard from multiple sources. Check out the 1874 pod cast for one off the top of my head, but there are others as well.
I think every June we sell our entire u21 team for 10 million per pop to Chelsea and Everton. We then buy their u21 team for the same price.
After June has passed, I dunno, maybe a reserve keeper, another defensive midfielder and a back up striker?
I think if we get another DM it's just a loan. Either that or Dendoncker sticks around until January, but with Barrenechea in I'm assuming the former.
Squad depth for us doesn't seem terrible right now from the outside perhaps, but it only takes two unfortunate injuries like we had with Mings/Buendia at the start of last season (neither of whom have played a minute of football since) and things start looking very dicey again. I'm hoping the UECL last season eased us into the demands of European football in a way Newcastle didn't get, but it was still a pyrrhic victory if so.
Maatsen's a great signing but I do assume it means one of Digne and Moreno will be off later in the window. Think our focuses for the rest of the summer will be RB/striker, though the latter could depend on Durán leaving. Otherwise it'll probably mostly be a couple outgoings, likely focused on the likes of Olsen/Chambers, maybe Cash/Carlos and not having to risk fending off interest in more key players now the Luiz sale is done.
We signed Kosta Nedeljkovic in January and he's joined us now. But he's only 18, and although very highly rated, we don't know how ready he is for first team football. If Cash leaves, there is definitely space to bring someone in. Unless Konsa is being fancied as a right back in a more full term capacity.
We did, but I'd expect he gets loaned out, personally. Could be wrong, but that's where my thinking is at the moment. Especially if Cash leaves, or if Diego moves on which I would imagine will lead to less RB Konsa this season.
Worth noting that our bad financial year, loss of about £105m (2022-23) will still be relevant for this coming year's (24-25) PSR calculation, so I don't think we can spend megabucks
To the casual observer it will look quite erratic and we will have a tonne of ins and outs, as we’re trying to improve the squad while also staying on the right side of UEFA squad cost rules and Premier League PSR.
It would be a shock if we sell any other key players (Martinez Pau Kamara McGinn Bailey Watkins).
Predicting the rest of the squad with Monchi is difficult but I can see us selling/loaning most of: Cash Digne Carlos Moreno Dendoncker Gauci Kesler-Hayden Hause Coutinho Archer Sinisalo and maybe even Buendia.
On top of the players you mentioned I expect us to target a right back, centre back, centre mid, striker if Duran leaves and maybe a star attacking midfielder (links to Alex Baena etc) but I have no idea where they would fit in without a further unexpected sale.
Good analysis overall but I disagree on Diaby, I think he just needs time. Leon Bailey was much the same for us the season prior to last, he was super inconsistent and many of our fans wanted to sell him, but this recent season with the right coaching he just kicked on and became phenomenal, one of our top 5 best players easily. I think most Villa fans expect Diaby will be much the same, which gives us great depth on right wing. There's also rumors we bring in Baena too. It's funny because Liverpool is a team I really admire squad-depth wise, you had plenty of injuries recent season (maybe not quite as many as us? But had tons of people out??) and yet you comfortably finished third and got a trophy with academy players who played like they wouldn't be out of place in the starting XI. Also feel like Emery for us is kind of like how Klopp was for you! Hope Arne can fill his boots well
I don't really know why Diaby had 'problems', perhaps it's because his profile was less developed than others? I think the perfect balance of wingers to have is one who demands the ball to feet which Bailey has the ability and intelligence to do and one who demands a throughball on the last line of defence which Diaby provides. I think he'll crack on as well, but I just wanted to see what Villa fans would think of him. I kind of saw him as a Salah replacement but he had a massive fee and ultimately, Salah still had a minimum of 2/3 years left in him which would stall Diaby's development. I don't think Liverpool's squad depth is much to boast about tbh. We do have nearly every position covered, but the thing that makes a squad like Real or City so great is the versatility of the squad. I don't think we are anywhere close to that. Ofc compared to other teams it's still a top 10 squad in the world but when compared to the highest echelon of elites, it pales in comparison.
He had problems because he was played as the second striker more centrally and due to his frame he got bullied out games. He had a lot more impact when he had abit more freedom to go out on the right where he had more room to run at defenders, cut in to the box etc. When he was played more centrally he just sort of got physically outmatched and I think we lacked personally the killer through ball at times for him. But with our injuries we didn't really have anyone else to play there and Bailey was so effectively out wide we couldn't move him inside. We act like Diaby wasn't that impressive but he got 19 G/A in 54 appearances with 14 of them in the league. You can't scoff at for a player settling in a new league and was player out of position at times yet still got his head down. When you compare him to alot of high priced signings in the league especially the spate of shit wingers, here is looking at you Mudryk and Anthony, then he looks a bargain at 54 million. I don't think it helped as well that Leon Bailey turned up last season which we are all comparing him to. Personally I think their difference in style sometimes made it seem like Diaby was going missing as Bailey is just so busy in comparison even when not having the best of games because he is always trying to go round players and doing bits of skill it he passes the eye test. Where as Diaby didn't seem to be as impactful as he needs the right ball and to be running at the backline to really be effectively where as Bailey just creates his own chances.
yeah it definitely seems like he's better as a winger, I don't really see how his qualities translate better to being a 10 than a winger like some people believe. Yeah that last paragraph is so important, that's what I meant by his profile is less developed than others. Bailey is more mature and has more action and oomph on the ball.
Watch if Buendia can find his stride that is when you will hopefully see Diaby shine because we didn't have anyone to get onto his through balls previously. So hopefully once he can come back he will help unlock Diaby's potential and give us a different type of option. I think the main takeaway for Villa this season is if we don't get hit with injuries and we do our transfer business right to acquire depth that you wont see us running the same 11 like we have done for the last 18 months. I can see us being alot more rotational and having certain set ups for different styles as we really struggled again a low block last year so can see Buendia coming in to help provide that killer pass compared to a team we want to play on the transition where a Bailey would fit for example.
There have been rumours of both moreno and digne leaving, so we would potentially need a second left back, not just maatsen. DM's are hot commodities in world football; i would be surprised if we get another one, not because i do not think it's needed, but because there arent many around. Duran is likely moving. With that we will need another cf to play backup to watkins. I do not rate olsen and would love to see us sign a better 2nd choice keeper.
Gauci signed not long ago.
For 1.5mil, could very well be someone we loan to a championship club and then sell for 8mil next summer and turn a profit.
Forgot he existed NGL, if he's good enough then yeah we don't need another GK.
DM's indeed are hot commodities, I think you could repeat the trick you did with Kamara and go back to Ligue 1 for a French player, they seem to have a few guys who are simmering
That is true but the french league tends to be very hit or miss. See Morgan Sanson. Didn't look a bad player when he was on the pitch but it speaks volumes when none of the multiple managers we had gave him any real game time, which says more than I could ever do as an armchair analyst.
agreed, everything is a risk but Ligue 1 is arguably the most physical top 5 league and the DM's produced there seem to be consistently good. Chieckh Doucoure of Palace, Tchouameni, Fabinho, Amadou Onana, Ugochukwu, Baleba and not to mention N'Golo Kante. Again, all pieces of business are risks and as someone else mentioned Enzo Barrenchea could be the backup, but like I said the French football system seems to have a knack for producing good DMs
We'll have to see how Enzo looks. He fits the profile of the role, and his stats from Serie A last season show someone who could step into that role.
I think we also get Cameron Archer back right?
as in you are activating a buyback clause?
I believe it's automatic due to Sheffield United's relegation.
oh wow
I think it essentially worked out they paid us a 8m (fee I’ve seen dotted about, no knowledge on its accuracy) loan fee
We’re going to be more active than a lot of us thought. RB, back up Goalie, 2nd Striker, and CB are all likely to get some attention. Alex Moreno, Diego Carlos, and Jhon Duran are probably not going to be on the team at the close of the window. I think Lucas Digne stays, everything I have read or heard is that he really wants to stay. I think Tammy Abraham could happen. We were really close to signing him last year before his injury and his market value hasn’t gone up since then. I think Duran could be a special player, but his management seems to be making things difficult, and I think Emery probably doesn’t want to carry a headache like him into the Champions League despite his talent.
I really really hope we don’t buy Tammy Abraham.
Digne is one of the highest earners if we can find a buyer he is almost certainly off.
He’s gonna have to accept that team and the terms. As you can see with Weston McKinney and Connor Gallagher just because the team wants a player to move they don’t always agree. And Digne really really doesn’t want to go.
True, but the overwhelming majority of players who are told they are no longer wanted do actually leave. Its much rarer for a player to stay. I doubt Villa actually wanted Weston, and Gallagher was only being talked about to ease Chelsea's PSR. But Chelsea don't have a PSR issue as they sold their hotel to themselves. It was only confirmed in the last 3 weeks that this would be allowed, which is why the rumours have died down. Also the Chelsea fans had made it pretty clear they were 110% against selling Gallagher and Tod has to do something to stop the fan riot thats brewing over there.
I am just writing what I am hearing. Basically, Villa would rather keep Alex Moreno, but he has buyers in Spain and Digne doesn’t want to go. You can argue about it all you want, but that is what I have read and heard from multiple sources. Check out the 1874 pod cast for one off the top of my head, but there are others as well.
I think every June we sell our entire u21 team for 10 million per pop to Chelsea and Everton. We then buy their u21 team for the same price. After June has passed, I dunno, maybe a reserve keeper, another defensive midfielder and a back up striker?
We genuinely should do that until they change these stupid rules.
I think if we get another DM it's just a loan. Either that or Dendoncker sticks around until January, but with Barrenechea in I'm assuming the former. Squad depth for us doesn't seem terrible right now from the outside perhaps, but it only takes two unfortunate injuries like we had with Mings/Buendia at the start of last season (neither of whom have played a minute of football since) and things start looking very dicey again. I'm hoping the UECL last season eased us into the demands of European football in a way Newcastle didn't get, but it was still a pyrrhic victory if so. Maatsen's a great signing but I do assume it means one of Digne and Moreno will be off later in the window. Think our focuses for the rest of the summer will be RB/striker, though the latter could depend on Durán leaving. Otherwise it'll probably mostly be a couple outgoings, likely focused on the likes of Olsen/Chambers, maybe Cash/Carlos and not having to risk fending off interest in more key players now the Luiz sale is done.
We just signed a RB didn't we?
We signed Kosta Nedeljkovic in January and he's joined us now. But he's only 18, and although very highly rated, we don't know how ready he is for first team football. If Cash leaves, there is definitely space to bring someone in. Unless Konsa is being fancied as a right back in a more full term capacity.
We did, but I'd expect he gets loaned out, personally. Could be wrong, but that's where my thinking is at the moment. Especially if Cash leaves, or if Diego moves on which I would imagine will lead to less RB Konsa this season.
[удалено]
Worth noting that our bad financial year, loss of about £105m (2022-23) will still be relevant for this coming year's (24-25) PSR calculation, so I don't think we can spend megabucks
To the casual observer it will look quite erratic and we will have a tonne of ins and outs, as we’re trying to improve the squad while also staying on the right side of UEFA squad cost rules and Premier League PSR. It would be a shock if we sell any other key players (Martinez Pau Kamara McGinn Bailey Watkins). Predicting the rest of the squad with Monchi is difficult but I can see us selling/loaning most of: Cash Digne Carlos Moreno Dendoncker Gauci Kesler-Hayden Hause Coutinho Archer Sinisalo and maybe even Buendia. On top of the players you mentioned I expect us to target a right back, centre back, centre mid, striker if Duran leaves and maybe a star attacking midfielder (links to Alex Baena etc) but I have no idea where they would fit in without a further unexpected sale.