A busy day in the league, and another important match for Villa. They’re all important of course, but, like Newcastle, we’re facing one of those games you sort of “have” to win to stay in the top half.

That said, Sean Dyche’s Clarets have started to wake up and lay claim to the their generally mediocre destiny. Which isn’t to say they don’t punch over their weight. They make the most of what they’ve got, as the Liverpool result shows. Not terribly attractive, a bit thuggish at times, and more so, occasionally (thinking our Wesley, here). Also occasionally rather churlish, which was Dyche in the run-up. Deano, as usual, was a quite a bit more complimentary. But the Villa players will have heard that, too.

I think we’ve all read the clippings about the last encounter and pretty much know what to expect. Obviously this match-up’s debate centers on Nakamba-Luiz-McGinn. And before I finish typing this, we’ll have our answer. Me, I’d probably bring SJM back in, as I don’t think you lose your place over a one-game accumulation suspension unless your replacement emerged as the new Messi, De Bruyne, or Beckenbauer.

But as part of this question, I think it’s fairly reasonable to expect players will tire more quickly after a long layoff and possible Covid infections, and perhaps more so in the second or third game than in the first. There’s no individual training that can really equal match-level exertions. You’re off, you go out and give everything against a rampant City, then you’re back and that’s where you start to feel it.

The Toon weren’t a big test, in the end, but we did what we needed to do, and also worked on a bit of containment and game management, as Smith said. I’m sure some of that had to do with tired legs, conserving energy, and keeping everyone on an upward curve back to where they were before the quarantine. Barkley looked a little better, Ollie got one for his confidence, and Traoré kept making a case for himself. Naturally, Marvelous Nakamba really shone for looking so much more comfortable and effective than he had previously.

But, as I thought, Deano seems to feel the way I do:

Starting XI
Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Luiz, McGinn, Traoré, Barkley, Grealish, Watkins

Subs
Heaton, Taylor, Nakamba, Engels, Elmohamady, Ramsey, Trezeguet, El Ghazi, Davis

It’s our best side, at the moment. If they’re healthy, that’s who you play. One game slightly off the boil does not relegate you to the bench. And you don’t get fitter by not playing if there’s nothing else wrong with you. But McGinn will be looking over his shoulder at Morgan Sanson. As might Ross Barkley, even. But, as I’m sure most are aware, all of Ollie’s goals have come with Barkley on the pitch (I believe). I’m pretty sure this is down to what having a second creative player who can hold on to the ball and present a scoring threat himself from the middle of the pitch can do for a lone striker.

One supposes El Ghazi might feel a little hard done by, but I’m sure we’ll see him at some point, and Trez, as well. This isn’t down to the players or Ghazi’s recent performances (obviously). It’s just down to system. And if Villa are to evaluate Barkley as a possible permanent addition, he’s got to play, get fit, and show he can stay fit. Traoré’s making his case with goals, but he’ll know that it’s the defensive element he’s got to keep addressing.

So there we go. A hard match and probably a very tight affair. I’d like a relaxing 3-0 lead at halftime, but somehow I don’t think that’s on the cards. But three points are if we play anywhere close to our potential.

Oh, and Welcome, Morgan Sanson! Glad to have you aboard.

Over to you.

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John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.

Comments 179

  1. Frem

    Mark l. Trezeguet doesn’t get in our best 11.

    If Burnley are going to score it will be from a corner or set play because they will take advantage of being marked by small players.

    They will overloaded the back post from corners

  24. Frem

    Burnley won’t be that bad second half.

    We create so many chances in games but our finishing let’s is down

    We need another quality forward

  25. Frem

    Hope Burnley don’t shithause a draw.

    Will be our luck

    Yes Barkley better mcginn pass to Watkins was brilliant but I don’t get his route to goal l.. He needs to Finish them with ease like Barry does

  26. John Clark

    Relax, Frem. Look at our goal difference, for a start.

    Teams don’t win 5-0 every week regardless of how many chances and opportunities they have.

    Good saves, blocks the player knows nothing about. Crossbar.

  28. Frem

    John. We should be scoring more goals than we do. We create more chances per 90 than any team

    Burnley xg was 0.08. Ours was 2.03

    We can’t concede to these

  29. Mark King

    Decent so far Burnley not in it, could of had 2-3, Traore not got his shooting boots on tonight so far or he could of had 3. We look a very very good side.

  79. Frem

    They are an awful team. That’s the last season Villa there tonight

    We need to stop this shit marking from corners.

    And we need to sign a striker

    We create so many chances

  80. John Clark

    Frem…again, you have to relax.

    Their second was a fluke. Third, fair enough, switched off. Lucky day for Burnley, that’s about all they had apart from Emi’s save.

  83. Frem

    Smith lost us that.. It was obvious we needed changes to freshen up.

    Our goals scored for what we create is criminal.. Watkins first touch needs massive improvement

    Go get us a striker Purslow

    And drop Mings

  90. Frem

    Games like that where Smith goes back to the old Dean Smith

    Make changes earlier. Affect games

    I hope the club realise where the issue is. We don’t score enough to what we create

    Davis isn’t good enough. Watkins is learning

    We have a few days left. Dk something

  91. Paul Pears

    Boys, boys, boys!!!

    Burnley are the form team. only the other day they stopped Liverpool from reaching 4 years unbeaten at Anfield. Like it or not, Dyche is the longest serving manager for a reason, and his team has England’s best goalkeeper between the sticks.
    I am very dis appointed again with our defence, but you could see there was tension between Konsa and Martinez early on, and they were having words. Mings is struggling to keep the back four working. I thought that Traore had some good moments, but other times he seemed unable to turn, where another player could. He is very one sided.
    Dean still has work to do, we just need to be a lot more clinical in the first hald of games and put them to bed.
    Have to compliment jack for his great goal, and his run which Pope again spoilt.

  94. r0bb0

    I’ll agree with one thing that Frem has said tonight. Unusually for me I’m going to blame Dean Smith for our loss tonight. With half an hour to go we were saying “take off Barkley and Traoré and bring on Trez and El Ghazi” twenty minutes later he did it . . . but it was too late.
    I was so impressed with Traore In the first half but in the second half the energy went and Burnley had free run of our right hand side.
    Barkley doesn’t seem to have the stamina and becomes casual so with those two players off the boil we desperately needed to inject some more extra energy from new legs.

    Sean Dyche in contrast made early substitutions and snatched the initiative from us

  95. r0bb0

    We created so many opportunities again and it’s not surprising that Pope was awarded MOM . . . he was outstanding.
    Ten shots on target is impressive and but for Pope’s amazing performance (again) we’d have won it.
    There was nothing wrong with our front men as an attacking force today . . . . unusually, we came unstuck at the back.
    The worst game for Martinez so far?

  97. r0bb0

    Again Frem, you’ve confidently asserted more than once that Luiz is tired snd needs a rest.
    Where’s your statistical evidence or evidence that he’s recovering from covid?
    If you have no evidence . . . . stop making shit up

  98. John Clark

    I don’t think it was “bad” for Emi…He had to respect the striker flashing who missed on their second goal, which ended up being a fluke. Maybe he could’ve been better positioned on the third, but no one inhibited Mee in the slightest, and he almost smashed his head on the post.

    I really do think it was overconfidence. Burnley really hadn’t posed any threat, and we were easily dealing with the lumped-in balls. Once we got back on top, it favored us with them having to come out. They might’ve been a bit fresher in terms of pressuring us, but.

    It’s one where we created far more, and but for the crossbar, some great saves, some stuff shot right at Pope, a couple of blocks we would’ve been long out of sight. What chances they did get were textbook Burnley, and they went in. Emi was only tested the once, I thought, from Wood. Really, a lot like the first game, but this time Burnley found the net at a sort of improbably high ratio for what they created.

    The only thing I will say in agreement about subs is that it takes Ghazi and Trez longer to really get involved than the last 10. And when you come on at that point you’re probably trying to do too much.

  99. replay

    Well that was tactically pathetic……everyman and his dog know how Burnley play so what do our coaches do NOTHING…no marking from corners and no stopping the lumped ball into the box…..Ross was breathing
    out of his backside after an hour so why was he kept on and really poor substitutions left far to late….time for Dean and his staff to sharpen up and not let this season fall apart

  102. Ian

    Against newcastle I said that was the best first 45 minutes I’d seen in a long time. Against Burnley we witnessed the same flair but only a 1 goal lead at halftime. That 1st half against Burnley was embarrassing for them and I think Dyche was personally embarrassed and got pissed off by Villa taking the Mickey. Yeah, overconfident but also rubbing it in. In retrospect they deserved to lose.

  103. John Clark

    Hi, replay.

    Well, it’s certainly a case to be made. Many have said Smith leaves subs too late.

    I’ve always said he wants them to play 90 and learn to manage the game throughout all its phases. I’m sure with Ross, in particular on the night and the last two games, it’s a case of fitness, getting him back.

    Me, I didn’t think Burnley ended up dominating anything, really, at any point. They looked ‘better’ for periods in the second than they did in the first, and, yeah, Smith could certainly have freshened things up. It’ll be a point of debate.

  104. Frem

    Robbo. It’s obvious to see when people are tierd

    I said in the first post Burnley will score from a corner from the back post

    We have to stop this shit way we mark from corners

    Southampton have a huge centre backs who will do the same

    Newcastle newrly scored from a corner against us with exactly the same way. Centre back at back post it’s worrying Smith and Terry can’t see this

  105. Frem

    Smith lost us that yesterday with tgw way we defend corners and the late subs. It was poor from him.

    Exactly the same will happen against Southampton

    Now go aign a striker.

  106. Frem

    Robbo. Of Grealish will go if we don’t get European football.

    He’s world class

    He won’t stay

    That’s why we need Europe but we won’t if we don’t add more quaiity

    Our finishing is awful

  107. Frem

    Unfortunately we won’t get a better chance than this season to get it but our final 3rd finishing will probably get us mid table

    I still can’t believe we conceded 3 goals to Burnley. They scored 5 at home all season

    That’s worrying

  109. Mark King

    Right heres my take, 1st half we created loads and Pope got in the way, 8 saves he made in that game that tells a story. Either poor finishing or great keeping take your pick. Konsa’s header early on was the biggest miss, Traore had loads of shots but didn’t work the keeper with them. Most of the others were straight at Pope bar a couple.

    Second half we get sucker punched and mainly because dyche targeted our right side overloading Cash whenever possible with Traore not tracking back well enough. We then also lost the midfield battle and they were up for it. We were still dangerous going forward and we got our reward on 68, question is should Smith have shut up shop and look to counter? I think he should have but thats not his style.

    Myself I would have taken off Traore and Barkley then and put either of ElGhazi or Trez on with Marv to stiffen us up or move Grealish to ten and put both wingers on. Unfortunately in the last ten we dithered about with the ball at the back and lacked the ability to pass through or dribble past their midfield, lumping it wasn’t an option, Davis was the receiver of the lumps late on and was way off the pace.

    As for subs, he left the team on as it looked like scoring and did, we then had to either look at who to bring on, should he have anticipate that , probably. Minutes later they scored which meant we had to remain attacking or go for a point by the time they had warmed up and the game stopped for subs they scored another.

  110. Mark King

    Frem- We have scored 33 goals so far, 4 less than Man utd who have the most, only 4 teams have scored more, we have also conceded less than all but spurs and city. Watkins is in the top ten.

    If Smith and JT cannot see we have a problem from corners I would be amazed, seeing it and stopping it however may be easier said than done. The answer may be Don’t concede free kicks and corners. that said Burnley only had 2 all night. Burnley got lucky on the night and took what little chances they had we didn’t, it happens, did against Southampton too.
    We are a young side and this is by no means our only chance to do well.

  111. Heroes-and-Villans

    frem

    hahah calm down man, we are going to loose games of footy. But that was a kick in the balls because I thought we were superb, especially first half. I sat there thinking I cant believe how far we have come. The first goal was beautiful.

    But Burnley are ultimate shit houses. Its what they do grrrrrrr

  112. Heroes-and-Villans

    what is great is what a few of us has said about targett getting his attack back. last two games, 2 assists for ollie. brilliant to see. Ollie could strike a great understanding with him because he puts in such a good cross.

  116. r0bb0

    I’m feeling a bit more balanced today. I do still feel that substitutions should have been made much earlier, but let’s face it, Dean Smith has left substitutions late all season and we’re not complaining about our overall results.
    There are also, only 4 teams that have a better goals for/against ratio than us for the last 15 minutes of games so it’s not as if we have a pattern of losing games to late tiredness.
    Having said that, the balance of yesterday’s game did seem to shift when Burnley made substitutions and we didn’t and I still reckon that the two things are linked.
    I wouldn’t mind betting that Dean Smith is an introspective manager when he needs to be so he’ll be reviewing his own performance as well as that of his players.

  117. r0bb0

    As others have said, in the first half yesterday we were just fantastic to watch!

    As with our last game against them, Burnley, and particularly Nick Pope did an amazing job of keeping us out. Yes we could be critical of Ollie, Traore, Barkley, Konsa and others for not being more clinical but let’s face it, keeping goals out is Burnley’s party trick.

    How about that run of Jack’s. . . . . . IF ONLY he’d scored. . . .it would have been goal of the decade!

  118. Mark King

    Looks like Louie Barry is in plaster 🙁

    Cash getting blamed for last night, wasn’t his best defensively but was exposed a lot. I like some of Traore and cashs partnership on the right, it just annoys me that going forward in good positions it grinds to a halt, usually as Traore doesn’t offer to go on the outside when cash has the ball. Even a quick give and go would be preferable to running 50-60yards up the pitch only to turn round and play it back to the defence. They need to sort it out between them because that right side is to much of a liability.

  119. r0bb0

    Tuanzebe has deleted his social media accounts after receiving ‘torrents’ of racial abuse after being blamed for United’s loss last night.
    I find it impossible to get inside the head of someone who would behave like that and despair that people are still so uneducated and lacking in basic empathy that they still have such thoughts and want to attack someone in that way.
    I suppose its good that it’s at least being discussed, but how long is it going to take for such feelings to die out.

  120. Heroes-and-Villans

    robbo I saw that. social media is madness. I only go on twitter but after years have followed the good uns but I stay off there after a defeat all the idiots come out and throw tantrums! Perspectice is always needed.

    We are the youngest team in the prem. Play the correct way. great to watch. vilans as manager and captain. and are only heading upwards.

  122. Paul Pears

    Sadly r0bb0, it is what life is about today, and almost part of some people’s DNA. However, it is not just about racism, as disabled, and many other minorities get attacked in the same way. it is how we have allowed social media to develop. I also blame normal media, virtual games and many other things, which have bought a strange virtual world into existence, like a parallel universe, where any thing goes, and there is no responsibility. You can say and do whatever you like with no recriminations.
    This is exactly what caused the attack on the Capitol Building in the USA, and people could not believe that they would we be called to account for their actions, because their leader had told them to do it!

    MK,
    Pretty well agree with all your comments, people need to accept that we will lose games, and that the Burnley’s of this world will win hard fought games, and Westwood and Lowton had points to prove to Villa and the fans. You could see the sheer determination in Westwood’s face. He would die for Sean Dyche for rescuing his career.

  123. runtings

    Well done to Burnley they are real street fighters

    First time in a while that I have found a bunch of negatives watching villa play
    First thing I didn’t like was seeing players smiling at the times we were in the lead to be it seemed a bit complacent giving the view that we think the game is won when the final whistle hasn’t gone yet
    2nd mings again unfortunately was lax on the ball and made a good amount of poor decisions one of which lead to a goal … the mistake are becoming more frequent so maybe some refocus is needed as he is clearly a good player when he fully focused

    We didn’t battle as much as I would like to see without the ball as a unit and the defending was possibly our worst defensive display in a while , cheap goals from set pieces is something I thought we had put to bed but obviously not

    We are a working progress and a very exciting one but we need to make sure we learn lessons from games like last night
    Some of the footy was off the scale but the end product of course is all important we need to become much more ruthless and quickly

    Looking forwards to the next game hoping to see a fully concentrated villa I am sure they are hurting from last night

    Pundits do get on my nerves constantly trying to sell jack to a so called bigger club do they not know who we are .. silly beggars

  124. Mark King

    Robbo- wankers will always be wankers mate.

    PP- As much as Trump can be a twat I don’t think he told anyone to attack anyone, there were also Antifa people at the capitol building that have been arrested that agitated things further , I’m not on either side they are equally stupid.

    Your right on the media front though because all summer long they more or less cheered on riots across the USA as did the democrats which also led to deaths. Yes people should be constrained but only by their own conscience, clearly the worlds losing the plot, extremes on both sides.

  125. r0bb0

    Mark, I don’t think we should use the ‘wankers will always be wankers’ argument. In terms of racism, I believe that there are fewer ‘wankers’ than there were when I was a lad (I’m not black in the UK so am not in the best position to judge mind you). Accepting that some people will never ‘get it’ seems to be throwing in the towel and in some ways legitimising their behaviour. We need to keep talking about it, exposing it where it occurs and prosecuting and shaming people who transgress .

  127. runtings

    I think the UK a pretty much an extension of the USA cousins in terms of attitudes within society // can only imagine what brexit would have looked like if we had the right to bare arms

    Attitudes towards racism for me are just as divided across the nation which ever way you view these things the views are mainly passed down though the generations / as its been said by wiser men than me that no one is born racist
    The internet is a great way for anyone to say things to or about anyone which in most cases they would have the balls to say to someone’s face
    racism is a deep thing that comes because of many different scenarios but the platform for it is a lot bigger because of the new ways of communication … I wouldn’t want people with these views banned but exposed

  128. Plug

    I can’t believe we lost to them. They are a bunch of journeymen welded together by Dyche to run their nuts off and kick anything with superior skill. Truly a tale of 2 halves.

    We schooled them first half and never reacted to their subs. Three points checked in the skip second half. Frem said how it would be from set pieces. It was. They got lucky with the second leveller but we didn’t prevent the crosses coming in. Every manager overloads down our right after half time because they know Traore fades from his defensive duties. I’d have brought on Guilbert for him and moved Cash into his slot. Also Naka for SJM would have helped.

    But others have already made the point about late subs and lack of marking at the back. At 6’5″, I’m expecting Emi to come and command his area, but he’s staying planted. Is this due to the coaching?

  129. Ian

    Plug,
    Regarding Emi, I’m thinking something changed during the game. Perhaps it was Burnley’s ability at set pieces and their heading that kept him rooted. He came out a few times, which I like to see in a Keeper. If you don’t all you are is a shot stopper. That 6 yard box is his to rule over and like you said at 6’5” he should be dominant. Villa players should be clearing opposition players and let Emi do his thing. He’s a big boy, opposition forwards should be wary of such a big body banging into them. Set pieces are the roughest plays in the game and I’ve mentioned before Villa does not have any real heavy weights like Richard Dunn was at 215 pounds. You can be as strong as an ox but if you are light in stature you will be pushed around.

    2 headers that Villa knew were going to happen at some point and the second when Emi got caught flat footed.

    I like the fact that Emi is used like an 11th outfielder as often as it does with Villa. It reminds me of a quarterback in American football. And talking of set pieces, with Emi’s distribution it could seen as a chance to create a set piece although from the back of the pitch. Several times his distribution has led to a quick counter attack. I see Grealish trying to organize an attack during set pieces but it appears (at least to me) that the connection gets lost once the ball is kicked. That one time he was calling out “blue” as a code for a set piece should be a common occurrence. Perhaps the person taking the free kick should be shouting instruction as he sees the pack in front of the goal just before he takes the kick. I don’t know maybe all this does happen.
    Sometimes I think coaches from other sports ie: American football, ice hockey, lacrosse, and basketball would have experiences that would fit right into football and could give different perspectives into developing play and execution of set pieces.

  130. Canadian Villan

    Not going to talk about the game, it was hard to watch that 2nd half, especially when Frems prediction came true ( behave Frem they are listening ). As for the other topic racism and the attitude of some it’s no better over here. Just like in Aussie we treat our aboriginals totally different with loads of disrespect at least in our neck of the woods. I here its even worse in Manitoba for the aboriginals. As for the media, most Canadians know why Don Cherry the host of Hockey Night got canned was over racial comments. I was out in BC in 1994 ( Ian’s neck of the woods ) helping out for a few weeks as the lads out there were over whelmed with work. Once they heard my still quite strong Brummie accent they said you can take the calls in Surrey, it’s little Delhi there, full of rag heads, That was the first time I had the derogatory term since emigrating and it actually shocked me to hear it. Over all we seem to accept multiculturalism better than over there but there is still a lot i don’t like to hear. If Tyrone don’t pick his socks up, maybe we have Alex back with us, never let us down when on lone.

  131. Ian

    Things haven’t changed regarding Surrey. My son works in Surrey quite a bit right now and says the people are the friendliest he’s met where as other areas of the Lower Mainland he gets nothing but abuse due the disruption his work does to a neighbourhood.

  132. John Clark

    MK,

    Sorry, but the “both sides are to blame” thing is simply not going to wash on the Capitol assault. Antifa had nothing to do with it. That’s the right’s favorite red herring.

    It was a bunch of stupid, scared, angry white MAGA and QAnon fuckers who’ve been told nothing but lies for four years. The election wasn’t stolen, there was no fraud. Covid is not a Democratic hoax to undermine Trump. It’s all fucking bullshit. That was sedition, pure and simple. There may have been a bunch of touristy dumb-fucks in the general mob, but the evidence is overwhelming that a core group of organized white nationalists and other fascists had organized, planned, and looked to take hostages.

    If that sounds ludicrous, there’s the Michigan precedent. Kidnap the governor. Bunch of fat, stupid, wannabe special forces white guys who can’t wrap their heads around the inevitable future. If you’re not white, conservative, and religious, you’re not American. That’s what it’s about, and that’s what Trump has been stoking for four years.

    The Senate may be too full of cowardly and sympathetic Republicans to convict on the impeachment, but it’s fully warranted and it will be a shameful stain on the party if they don’t summon the courage to put country before party and the animus that Trump has legitimized. He’s been whipping them up for months: The election is not rigged ONLY if “I” win. It’s the most dangerous thing a leader can say in a democracy.

    Trump is a tumor. Full stop.

    Sorry for the rant, but it’s a cancer in America, one that’s been with the country since its founding. There are two original sins: slavery and the attempted genocide of Native Americans. The US has addressed neither. The Republicans want to wave it away because they’ve enabled and supported the lies and dark hearts.

  133. John Clark

    And there’s a massive difference between protests to redress 400+ years of unabashed racism and a bunch of ignorant white assholes who’ve been doing the oppressing getting upset and trying to subvert the democratic process when it doesn’t go their way. They’re in favor of democracy only as long as it keeps them on top.

    You have to remember: America has only been a multiracial democracy since 1965. That’s how long it took. And black Americans have still been getting the shaft, regardless. Everyone’s just decided to ignore the Native Americans because they’ve been corralled into reservations, had everything taken from them, and we’ve all been taught that Manifest Destiny justifies it all.

    Americans have so far shown they’re incapable of looking in the mirror and seeing how monstrous the injustices have been. So, let’s blame “antifa,” which is nothing more than a loose aggregation of individuals who will actually show up and fight back against racist, fascist violence and intimidation.

  134. John Clark

    I’ll conclude by saying I don’t want to soapbox politics on a football blog. Never my aspiration or intention. I look to Villa (and sport in general) as an escape from exactly this sort of stuff.

    But, after all I’ve witnessed and know to be true, I just can’t let certain assertions pass without speaking up.

    That said, I don’t want to squash others’ voices. There never has been, nor ever will be, an AVL orthodoxy. It’s also fair to say, though, that certain subjects are going to be a lot more volatile than others. And at the moment, the US is basically in a state of national trauma, and talk of civil war is not some fantastical and impossible leap. It’s not hyperbole. What’s going on here makes Brexit look like a birthday party with some squabbling relatives, and the odd ex-wife and mistress going at each other.

    Anyway. I’ve said my peace, and I’m back to football.

  136. Plug

    We’ve signed Morgan Sanson. I wonder how long it will be before we see him on the pitch. Since Brexit kicked in, the movement (and ease thereof) between Europe and UK of footballers has become more complicated. Not to mention UK restrictions due to Covid.

    Previously, they just rocked up and played. I’m guessing the processing of paperwork is now more time consuming. Lange may have his eyes on some useful young European players, but getting them to VP now has a lot more hurdles in place.

  138. Heroes-and-Villans

    plug

    sanson is fit and travelling with the team tomoz so that good. Expect we will see him from the bench. Was on the lines of thinking mcguinn could be under threat, but not so sure about Barkley you know! I know he has been out a while but needs to be doing a lot better if we are to sign him. I think im going off the idea! Money could be spent better getting the new ross barkely

  141. r0bb0

    John,
    I’m ashamed to say that I was unaware of the implications of the 1965 Voting rights act until your post above prompted me to look it up. It was shocking to realise that even in my lifetime there hasn’t always been democracy for all in America.
    It was clear that prior, during and post the election, Trump was trying to disenfranchise specific groups of voters but you sense that there is going to be sufficient ambiguity in his actual words and actions for at least 34 cowardly and self-motivated Republican senators to hide behind.
    When Senator Lindsey Graham says that anyone wanting to dump Mr Trump from the Republican Party would “get erased” you start to get a sense of the pressures that are being applied behind the scenes on the Republican senators and it is going to take some bravery (and integrity) for them to vote to convict. I doubt that 17 of them have those qualities.

  142. r0bb0

    H&V, I’ll play your game. I think we’ve been a bit unlucky not to have more points so far this season, but my inbuilt caution and fear of injuries to key players brings me to an end season total of 54 points.

  145. Paul Pears

    Congratulations on your bravery JC!!! Well said. The only further comment I would make is that the statement from Trump about rigged elections started back in 2016, when he thought he might not win, and was ready to declare that the whole thing was rigged. In the end, he did win , but the rigging claims remained with him to use in this latest election.

    Disappointed that no one else seemed to note my earlier comment on Martinez, and how he had a very heavy collision with the goalpost early on in the game, preventing a certain goal from a cross, when he almost ended up in the net. I was surprised that the commentators did not spot it either!!!
    From then onwards Martinez was not the same, and did not come for the ball in his usual way.

  148. runtings

    PP I did notice the collision and didn’t respond to your note of it after the match but you are right it was the worst and only bad game he has had in a villa shirt .. him being hurt would go a long way to explaining why he for once wasn’t getting the basics right .. completely agreed with your point on the matter

  149. John Clark

    You’re also right, PP, about Trump’s claims going back to the previous election, even as he and his team were actively courting Russian assistance. The Mueller report, while saying it couldn’t prove ‘collusion’ explicitly, did make a point of noting that the investigation could not exonerate him from obstructing justice (“Russia, Russia, Russia”…again, the 2016 election). Charges were not brought because there’s a strange precedent, not encoded in law, that the Justice Department can’t bring charges against a sitting president. Then we went to the Ukraine effort to solicit foreign intervention against a domestic political opponent, and Trump refusing to testify or let anyone in his administration testify despite subpoenas from the House, and Senate Republicans backing him up and calling no witnesses.

    To r0bb0’s point, there are not 17 Republicans willing to stand on principle this time, either.

    It’s been the most sordid four-year record of any US president, and the most damaging to the rule of law. Bill Clinton testified in the Lewinsky scandal. Hillary Clinton testified before Congress multiple times during what was the actual “witch hunt”—Benghazi and her emails—a controversy whipped up and sustained to hobble her campaign.

  150. John Clark

    Also, r0bb0, as part of the Voting Rights Act, Congress had to approve changes to election law in states that had shown a pattern of discrimination. That was gutted by a conservative majority on the Supreme Court in 2012. Immediately thereafter, those very same states have implemented targeted efforts to suppress and disenfranchise voters, usually under the guise of combating “voter fraud,” which has been investigated endlessly and shown to be so statistically random and vanishingly insignificant as to be fairly labeled non-existent.

  151. Plug

    Ah RobBO you beat me to the draw. I’m going 54 points too. Based on reasonable injuries and no more Covid related issues for the remaining season.

    JC, I’ll stay out of the lively debates about American matters and racial issues there and anywhere else. Villa drain all my emotions as it is.

    So Sanson is a straight replacement for Conor. Comment must wait until we’ve seen him in action.

  152. Paul Pears

    Glad that Connor has settled quickly at Swansea , scored his first goal from one of his free kicks, and an immediate hit with the fans.

    Let’s hope that Morgan Sanson can do the same with us now!!

  153. Plug

    PP, if MS scores on debut he’ll be an instant hit with the fans. Personally I don’t mind who scores but I would definitely like to see him put a shift in.

    Bit worried about tomorrow night. Soton are a bit of a bogey team for us.

  155. Paul Pears

    Agree with you Plug, and hopefully we will never go b ack to the Sherwood days, over confident from beating Liverpool in the semi-final, and partying, instead of preparing for a serious game!!!
    I am sure the boys will be smarting from the Burnley defeat and go all out to rectify the situation!!

  158. Mark King

    JC- yep my bad the man arrested John Sullivan is not strictly Antifa although I think both BLM and Antifa have looked to distance themselves from him as he frequently attends marches and causes violence and arrests to occur. There is also law enforcement statements that at least two New York Antifa members were in the crowd, if so you have to ask why. Could be false Info from a police officer who knows.

    In Sullivans video footage of the door breaking and shooting of Babbitt there is also an Asian or latino guy and a black lad there plus Sullivan himself who’s obviously not white, doesn’t seem very white supremacist to me. I don’t think for one minute they are not trump supporters by the way except for Sullivan.

    The only likeness I would say there is with Brexit is how you describe Trump supporter’s, its almost exactly how Brexit voters are labelled here, Racist and Ignorant, might be true for some but the vast majority I doubt it.

    I don’t hold out much hope for America as people have been put into one box or the other whether they deserve it or not, there appears to be a mission in the west to commit seppuku.

    Wasn’t Hillary told by some computer bods and a lawyer that the 2016 election was fixed and they could prove it? 🙂

    https://www.opindia.com/2021/01/john-sullivan-storming-of-capitol-hill-fbi-donald-trump-antifa-blm/

  159. r0bb0

    Mark, There was every incentive for Trump supporters to find some antifa, left wing links to the riot but there’s been precious little evidence (symptomatic of all of Trump’s recent conspiracy theories) so the storming seems to be pretty well owned by the right.
    The question to be answered is whether there is enough evidence that Trump instigated it. It’s clear that he ‘wanted’ it to happen but with nearly half of the republican senators up for re-election in 2022 and fearful of erosion in their core support if they vote against Trump it’s easy to imagine that too many will have rusty moral compasses and will vote against the impeachment.

    I tend to believe that the vast majority of us are at heart good people, but tribalism is a powerful force and all too frequently clouds our critical thinking.

  160. Paul Pears

    Very much on the mark r0bb0.
    This is exactly what the drivers do behind these movements, they appeal too our inbuilt tribalism, which is what binds us together as football fans, wanting to defeat the enemy….the opposition, raising our temperature, mainly vocally, but definitely mentally, if only for the period of play. The togetherness works as the adrenalin pumps and we are drawn together in the emotion of the moment.

  162. Ian

    Hey r0bb0,
    You’re right, most people are decent but for a lot of them it’s only a fleeting quality. As soon as there is something to be gained things change. So be wary and if things turn out it’s a bonus.

    Oh, by the way, the folks inhabiting AVL look to be a great lot. 🙂

  163. Paul Pears

    I have not forgotten the media fuelled battles of the seventies between fans where there was at times no holds barred, especially when it came to clubs like Man Utd, Leeds Utd, and our personal battles across the city. The worst being when the expressway was being built.
    Radicalisation is only a further step down the line if all this continues unchecked.

  164. Ian

    I think guibert and engles sort of got the short end of the stick. Both did well at the start of last year and injury took care of that. I would have thought they would have been good off the bench.

  165. John Clark

    Yeah, I can’t say that I understand the Guilbert situation. Lansbury, pretty obvious.

    Engels…I’m guessing it’s down to not being as athletic as Smith wants. The three others are very fast, quick down to the ground, decent footwork. Mings does get a little too clever for his own good once or twice a match, clearly.

    Then with Engels there’s the Spurs error and injury. Something’s obviously gone on behind the scenes, but I think most of it has to do with Konsa’s emergence, Hause’s progression. They’ve just got more upside.

  166. John Clark

    Also, I think there’s always the issue of clearing space, wages. Elmo can cover for Cash, apparently can slot into the middle if there’s an emergency.

    Assuming Lange and Smith imagine they can get better potential players for less and develop them while they’ve got starters they feel good about.

    With Lansbury moving on a permanent, we just might see another surprise signing.

  167. VillaMD

    Apparently Lansbury is on £80k/week based on promotion add-ons. Hopefully with just 6 months left he’ll look at the bigger picture.

    Would love to see Mings go to Liverpool for £25m. I’ve lost faith in him, his mistakes is causing us a goal per game. If he hammered the ball out for a throw vs Burnley, who knows. At least I know that the last thing u want to do is give Burnley a corner. I’d be much happier with Konsa/Hause or Konsa/Engels

  168. VillaMD

    Who knows what goes on in the mind of players, but for me Lansbury is a far superior player to Hourihane, yet Conor has a better attitude and we cannot compare how much the lazy assed Lansbury served Villa vs the c$&t. I wish Conor all the best with his loan at Swansea, I’ve no interest in how the c$&t Lansbury does at Bristol C

  169. Paul Pears

    Well Lansbury and Guilbert are gone. Lansbury permanently, and Fred with a mission to improve ready for next season.
    Maybe, both of them did not quite fit Dean’s dressing room, but Fred now has the chance to reprieve himself.
    It also clears the decks ready for the summer, when there will be a further clear out and some fresh recruitment.

  170. John Clark

    It’s good business…Lansbury definitely had quality, but just never seemed hungry enough, like you say, VillaMD. Conor worked a lot harder, whatever his limitations. Feels like Henri’s been on the books and out of sight since the MON years.

    As we can see with Guilbert, there’ll be no more of that going forward.

  171. Plug

    I’m gutted to lose Freddie. There’s something going on at BH that we are not privvy to.

    Henri sadly just seemed to be counting his money. Happy to see him depart and see if he can do something elsewhere.

    Next maybe Elmo and Taylor in the summer as contracts expire. Should free up some space for an improved bench. Engles and House? Dunno.

  173. Paul Pears

    Surprise of the day so far, Bruce and his new coach changing to Villa tactics1 and taking the game to Everton, winning 2-0 , with Wilson getting both. Shelvey involved as usual, and Almiron, who I like, being one of the busiest players on the pitch.

    All geared up ready for tonight’s game, and my new away shirt (black one) has arrived in time for me to wear it for the match!!
    Conor scored for Swansea again, and also some player called Tishbola scored in the Scottish league! how’s that for a blast from the past.
    Amused listening to Stephen Warnock talking about Lambert not having a sense of humour as a manager, and not really engaging with the players, but as a pundit he does!

  174. Paul Pears

    Hause is definitely part of the future, and has improved dramatically since he arrived. I expect that Taylor and Engels will move on. Elmo is a different person, and may stay around at Villa for the foreseeable future, eventually becoming a coach.

  175. John Clark

    PP,

    Don’t think you’re far off there. Hause is a keeper, though he’ll want to start eventually. Taylor will go, likely Engels, too. Agreed about Elmo, Dean clearly trusts him, has a great attitude, good football brain.

  176. John Clark

    What Dean, Lange & Co will want is to have young starters, like we’ve seen. If they’re in for 3-4 years, you can find and groom replacements at good value. So you’d think you’ll see Taylor leave, and someone with potential scouted to be behind Targett. Then if he’s as good or better, and Targett’s reputation and value grow, we’ll sell.

    So, moneyball, but not because the purpose is to buy to make money. It’s about finding value, first. The money follows from that. If you keep finding value, then you keep growing your own replacements, can afford to let a player go and profit, and still always have money to make a couple ready-made, high-impact signings.

    Finding a player who’s 90% as good as a £45m LB for £10m-£15m, that’s how you do it. Likewise, being a little patient, it really reduces risk to get a Sanson for £15m rather than £30m.

    The big-spenders are buying at the height of a player’s value a lot, and that puts a lot of pressure on them over time for all those big bets to come good. That’s why they’re so desperate to hang onto CL spots and want to lock in their current advantage.

    Anyway, I need to get a fresh sheet up…

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