Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Ads on June 29, 2019, 09:49:13 AM
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Being reported by Sam Wallace of the Telegraph that we've agreed a £14m fee, rising to £17m with add ons.
Deal for the left back to be completed this week.
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Welcome Matt
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Dumb money, thanks Yanited for distorting the full back market.
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Decent signing if it does go through. I thought he played well in the playoff final against us. Smith will get him playing, I'm sure.
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This one can be re-opened when it's a bit more definite.
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Club have just tweeted a picture of a target.
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Not exactly blown away by this signing but I do trust Smith to get the best out of him. Fingers crossed he's a success.
The silver lining of us giving Southampton the money to enable them to weaken Blues even further is good enough for me too!
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Bulls Eye, club confirmed signing now. Welcome to AVFC Matt
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Welcome Matt
Very good
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Welcome to the greatest club on Earth, Mr Targett.
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Welcome Matt. Hope you can justify the fee and help us stay where we belong next season! Please keep Taylor out of the team.
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Welcome Matt
Very good
One which will not be walked over hopefully.
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Just watched his interview after signing. Luckily he agreed that Villa are a massive club with a massive history and massive potential.
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Welcome to the Villa Matt
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Welcome MATT.... thread title change to confirmed as it’s official on club twitter and website with interview too ?
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Welcome Matt.
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Pleased to see us continue to make sensible signings.
I've mentioned this on here before, but it's pretty obvious that we're going for players with low wage demands and strong sell-on value if needed.
If we go down, they would likely by up for sticking around in the championship, or alternatively we can sell them on for decent money as they'll be a year more matured and have Premier League experience to their name.
Nice to see us being run responsibly.
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great signing now just get the other five done Dean!!
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Welcome Matt. You have moved up to a proper club now. Good luck.
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Good news, hopefully that's the problem left back position sorted at last.
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[quote author=Chipsticks link=topic=59905.msg3611060#msg3611060 date=1561978910
I've mentioned this on here before, but it's pretty obvious that we're going for players with low wage demands and strong sell-on value if needed.
[/quote]
Like SJM !?!?
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
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Welcome Matt. Hopefully a good solid signing and has to be an upgrade on Taylor.
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Welcome Matt. You have moved up to a proper club now. Good luck.
Indeed, Welcome. Just trying to think of the last player we signed from Southampton, i don't recall many that i can remember. We signed a good defender from Bournemouth some years back and are hopefully about to sign another from there.
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Good luck, work hard and we will love you. All the very best
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Welcome to another player I’d never heard of before a week or so ago
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Just trying to think of the last player we signed from Southampton,
Phillips?
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Welcome to the Villa Matt. Just one question, what exactly is your aim?
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Hopefully Matt will put a gloss on our defending.
😜
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Welcome Matt. You have moved up to a proper club now. Good luck.
Indeed, Welcome. Just trying to think of the last player we signed from Southampton, i don't recall many that i can remember. We signed a good defender from Bournemouth some years back and are hopefully about to sign another from there.
Super Kevin Phillips might be the last Southampton player we signed.
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
You wasn't much of a sprinter yourself, Mr Gage ;)
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Just trying to think of the last player we signed from Southampton,
Phillips?
Jim McCalliog.
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Now on the Beeb. Headed with a picture of him on the treatment table.
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Now on the Beeb. Headed with a picture of him on the treatment table.
shit, is he injured already?
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Welcome to the greatest club in the known universe Matt. May all of your tackles and crosses be..... on Targett! (Yeah, I went there! :) )
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Welcome Matt. You have moved up to a proper club now. Good luck.
Indeed, Welcome. Just trying to think of the last player we signed from Southampton, i don't recall many that i can remember. We signed a good defender from Bournemouth some years back and are hopefully about to sign another from there.
Super Kevin Phillips might be the last Southampton player we signed.
Ah yes. He's had that many clubs though it's hard to remember, i suppose he was best known at Sunderland.
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From what I saw of him last season, he looks very decent. People on about the fee - it isn't £17m, it is £17m (possibly) with add ons - those add ons mean if they come to fruition he will have been a success for us.
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Braces on his gnashers? Have we signed a ten year old?
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
You wasn't much of a sprinter yourself, Mr Gage ;)
It's about working smarter, not harder.
Particularly when you are a peroxide blond bombshell. Life is always easier for us.
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Seems like you got a good deal, they to charge us £20 million last year, before he had played in the premiership, so we nicked Joe Bryan from you, that worked out well for us!! It worked well for us because it released Ryan Sessegnon to go forward, you seems to be going in right direction signing players that have played nearly all their careers in English football
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He looks like he could be a son of Dean. Like Ron and Dalian.
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
We can only hope. Unlike Staunton, he's had very little experience. We'll need to be patient as he's still work in progress. Let's hope Dean and our coaches can develop the player into a first rate full back, something that Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino, Mark Hughes and Ralph Hassenhutti failed to do.
Welcome Matt.
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I don't know anything about him but the Saints fan I work with reckons he has the right attitude but lacks the pace and physical presence required by Hassenhuttl (have spelt that right?). And he was kept out of the first team by Bertrand. Don't shoot the messenger.
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I like it when we sign our Targett player. Welcome Matt.
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I don't know anything about him but the Saints fan I work with reckons he has the right attitude but lacks the pace and physical presence required by Hassenhuttl (have spelt that right?). And he was kept out of the first team by Bertrand. Don't shoot the messenger.
More worried by the lack of physical presence bit than the lack of pace. As a full back if you've been told "your job is to stick to your position and defend" then you can get by without pace; if you're set up to play with proper wingers rather than wing-backs. All you need as a full-back in that scenario is good positioning and upper body strength. Being able to tackle is a strong bonus.
Without the strength, though, you might as well just not be there. Or be Neil Taylor.
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Welcome to the greatest football club in the World Matt!
Be brilliant.
Please.
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
We can only hope. Unlike Staunton, he's had very little experience. We'll need to be patient as he's still work in progress. Let's hope Dean and our coaches can develop the player into a first rate full back, something that Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino, Mark Hughes and Ralph Hassenhutti failed to do.
Welcome Matt.
He was 18 when Poch left Southampton. Bit of a straw man argument.
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Full back was a massive weakness for us last year. The fact we had no-one who could successfully overlap meant that we consistently had to play wingers. Having progressive full-backs gives any team much more flexibility and we have the option to play an extra central player now.
Reading Fulham forums, they consider losing their full backs from their promotion season Fredericks and Targett a massive reason why they failed last year.
Good luck to him, I think it makes perfect sense with where we are now. Young, can fit right in and is an upgrade on what we have.
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
We can only hope. Unlike Staunton, he's had very little experience. We'll need to be patient as he's still work in progress. Let's hope Dean and our coaches can develop the player into a first rate full back, something that Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino, Mark Hughes and Ralph Hassenhutti failed to do.
Welcome Matt.
He was 18 when Poch left Southampton. Bit of a straw man argument.
Luke Shaw had made 25 first team appearances before his 18th birthday. Shaw is two months older than Matt.
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Welcome to the Villa Matt, have a stonking career with us.
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Welcome
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
We can only hope. Unlike Staunton, he's had very little experience. We'll need to be patient as he's still work in progress. Let's hope Dean and our coaches can develop the player into a first rate full back, something that Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino, Mark Hughes and Ralph Hassenhutti failed to do.
Welcome Matt.
He was 18 when Poch left Southampton. Bit of a straw man argument.
Ah! I was wondering who the fuck Mauricio Pellegrino was.
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Ah! I was wondering who the fuck Mauricio Pellegrino was.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauricio_Pellegrino
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
We can only hope. Unlike Staunton, he's had very little experience. We'll need to be patient as he's still work in progress. Let's hope Dean and our coaches can develop the player into a first rate full back, something that Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino, Mark Hughes and Ralph Hassenhutti failed to do.
Welcome Matt.
He was 18 when Poch left Southampton. Bit of a straw man argument.
Luke Shaw had made 25 first team appearances before his 18th birthday. Shaw is two months older than Matt.
So to he clear, Poch couldn't get him to be a first rate full back at 18, so we're to infer that Smith will struggle to get anything out of the now 23 year old. Gotcha.
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
We can only hope. Unlike Staunton, he's had very little experience. We'll need to be patient as he's still work in progress. Let's hope Dean and our coaches can develop the player into a first rate full back, something that Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino, Mark Hughes and Ralph Hassenhutti failed to do.
Welcome Matt.
He was 18 when Poch left Southampton. Bit of a straw man argument.
Luke Shaw had made 25 first team appearances before his 18th birthday. Shaw is two months older than Matt.
I'm not really sure what relevance that has, Shaw is bigger and faster, at 18 that makes a massive difference. His lack of technical ability and positional sense (along with a couple of injuries) are why it took 4 seasons with united before he was trusted to play regularly. Targett is a very different type of player so judging their progress against each other under the age of 21-22 is pointless.
I don't know how Targett will get on but I wouldn't write him off because he wasn't playing under Poch when he was 18.
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From my saints supporting mate (pretty knowledgeable fan):
He is worth about 12million, never shown a defensive weakness but not necessarily a big strength either. But attacking is a strength, good crossed and lots of good running. Good team player too but all the players say he is intellectually challenged!
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
We can only hope. Unlike Staunton, he's had very little experience. We'll need to be patient as he's still work in progress. Let's hope Dean and our coaches can develop the player into a first rate full back, something that Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino, Mark Hughes and Ralph Hassenhutti failed to do.
Welcome Matt.
He was 18 when Poch left Southampton. Bit of a straw man argument.
Luke Shaw had made 25 first team appearances before his 18th birthday. Shaw is two months older than Matt.
So to he clear, Poch couldn't get him to be a first rate full back at 18, so we're to infer that Smith will struggle to get anything out of the now 23 year old. Gotcha.
I don't particularly agree with what Rudy is saying, but Southampton have had 5 managers since Poch, so your response doesn't really stack up either.
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Ah! I was wondering who the fuck Mauricio Pellegrino was.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauricio_Pellegrino
Right. So why is Ads on about Poch? I’m confused.
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Ah! I was wondering who the fuck Mauricio Pellegrino was.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauricio_Pellegrino
Right. So why is Ads on about Poch? I’m confused.
I think we all are. Unless a post has been edited somewhere?
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I don't particularly agree with what Rudy is saying, but Southampton have had 5 managers since Poch, so your response doesn't really stack up either.
True, but they've also had Bertrand who has been on the fringe of the England squad for most of that time.
To have as many appearances as he's had, with a half season loan away suggests Targett was pretty highly rated there for a long time. A five year deal 2 years ago backs that up. Hassenhuttl clearly doesn't like him, which is why he's with us, but I don't think that means all that much as he's the only manager who's been totally against him being there.
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It may just be one of those things where they felt they could use the money to reshape the squad in other areas, and as he was in demand it was an easy move.
Like we did in reverse with Crouch many years ago. Hopefully it works out the same way.
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I don't particularly agree with what Rudy is saying, but Southampton have had 5 managers since Poch, so your response doesn't really stack up either.
True, but they've also had Bertrand who has been on the fringe of the England squad for most of that time.
To have as many appearances as he's had, with a half season loan away suggests Targett was pretty highly rated there for a long time. A five year deal 2 years ago backs that up. Hassenhuttl clearly doesn't like him, which is why he's with us, but I don't think that means all that much as he's the only manager who's been totally against him being there.
I'm not making any comment on his abilities - I'm hoping he'll be just fine.
But ADS' facetious comment "So to he clear, Poch couldn't get him to be a first rate full back at 18, so we're to infer that Smith will struggle to get anything out of the now 23 year old. Gotcha" doesn't really respond to the point Rudy was making.
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Don't know a fat lot about him but welcome. Hope he does well.
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I don't particularly agree with what Rudy is saying, but Southampton have had 5 managers since Poch, so your response doesn't really stack up either.
True, but they've also had Bertrand who has been on the fringe of the England squad for most of that time.
To have as many appearances as he's had, with a half season loan away suggests Targett was pretty highly rated there for a long time. A five year deal 2 years ago backs that up. Hassenhuttl clearly doesn't like him, which is why he's with us, but I don't think that means all that much as he's the only manager who's been totally against him being there.
I'm not making any comment on his abilities - I'm hoping he'll be just fine.
But ADS' facetious comment "So to he clear, Poch couldn't get him to be a first rate full back at 18, so we're to infer that Smith will struggle to get anything out of the now 23 year old. Gotcha" doesn't really respond to the point Rudy was making.
Well it does when the comment before it specifically states that Shaw had 25 appearances under poch when he was U18 (I agree that the first comment makes no reference to Poch though). 70 appearances in 4 1/2 seasons, with a fringe England international in front of him isn't evidence that 5 managers didn't rate him, it's evidence of a player who was breaking through until the current manager arrived who decided he didn't want him.
Or, to put it another way, both points are pretty meaningless in terms of deciding how he'll do at Villa. From what I've seen (mostly at Fulham) he'll give us enough going forward to allow our left winger to tuck inside but works back well enough to not see us getting exposed. My very low bar is someone who can cross a moving ball because I'm utterly fed up of seeing Taylor get the ball in space and take 4-5 touches before playing a short pass inside or hitting a stopped ball 5ft over the heads of our players in the box.
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Agreed. I'm hoping he will be one of the better fullbacks we've had for some time and am looking forward to seeing him.
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It appears that his transfer to Villa has given the opportunity for some tabloid newspapers websites to print/post pictures of his girlfriend Jasmine Buckle in her bikini.
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As Poch is the beat manager in the league pound for pound and he managed Southampton while Targett was there, so I referenced him rather than the journeymen quoted.
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I don't particularly agree with what Rudy is saying, but Southampton have had 5 managers since Poch, so your response doesn't really stack up either.
True, but they've also had Bertrand who has been on the fringe of the England squad for most of that time.
To have as many appearances as he's had, with a half season loan away suggests Targett was pretty highly rated there for a long time. A five year deal 2 years ago backs that up. Hassenhuttl clearly doesn't like him, which is why he's with us, but I don't think that means all that much as he's the only manager who's been totally against him being there.
When you say the manager clearly doesn't like him, has he told you that himself Paul E? Perhaps they have had discussions and the manager and player have come to an agreement that he could leave to get more playing time. Can't find any quotes from the Southampton manager that he doesn't rate Matt Targett.
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y
It appears that his transfer to Villa has given the opportunity for some tabloid newspapers websites to print/post pictures of his girlfriend Jasmine Buckle in her bikini.
That's appalling frankly, utterly sexist behaviour.
Did you get a glimpse of her snatch?
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Pleased with this signing, £11m upfront is modest by current market norms (which are bonkers). He will be a better player than Taylor and we now have two left backs plus Hause to cover.
He will fit Smiths system quite well and he looked good at Fulham. We can't spend huge on every position, this will do fine.
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I dont think it's a case of not being liked, from what I gather they needed to raise funds for a centre half and others. It was either him or Bertrand going.
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I dont think it's a case of not being liked, from what I gather they needed to raise funds for a centre half and others. It was either him or Bertrand going.
That's what a south coast reporter just said on Talksport a few minutes ago. Not much difference in ability but Targett more valuable due to age, so they sold him, and used the funds to buy Adams.
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I dont think it's a case of not being liked, from what I gather they needed to raise funds for a centre half and others. It was either him or Bertrand going.
That's what a south coast reporter just said on Talksport a few minutes ago. Not much difference in ability but Targett more valuable due to age, so they sold him, and used the funds to buy Adams.
Good to hear he rates them similarly. I thought Bertrand was a good player for us at first before he was Lamberted.
There's a stat going around that he was the 3rd or 4th most creative full back out of those who made 10 starts or more. We're not going to bore our way to survival.
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I can't understand why anybody isn't pleased this with deal. We needed an upgrade on Neil Taylor, and now we have one.
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I can't understand why anybody isn't pleased this with deal. We needed an upgrade on Neil Taylor, and now we have one.
is very simply what I thought too
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Agreed I’m struggling to remember the last time we had a decent LB, Bouma perhaps?
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
We can only hope. Unlike Staunton, he's had very little experience. We'll need to be patient as he's still work in progress. Let's hope Dean and our coaches can develop the player into a first rate full back, something that Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino, Mark Hughes and Ralph Hassenhutti failed to do.
Welcome Matt.
He was 18 when Poch left Southampton. Bit of a straw man argument.
Luke Shaw had made 25 first team appearances before his 18th birthday. Shaw is two months older than Matt.
So to he clear, Poch couldn't get him to be a first rate full back at 18, so we're to infer that Smith will struggle to get anything out of the now 23 year old. Gotcha.
Stop being so silly.
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At £11 million for a PL fullback you're almost talking about a bargain in the current loony market.
Concerned about the lack of pace, but Stan Staunton would never have been mistaken for a sprinter. His good qualities (particularly in his first spell) negated the other issues, so hopefully this lad will do the same.
We can only hope. Unlike Staunton, he's had very little experience. We'll need to be patient as he's still work in progress. Let's hope Dean and our coaches can develop the player into a first rate full back, something that Ronald Koeman, Claude Puel, Mauricio Pellegrino, Mark Hughes and Ralph Hassenhutti failed to do.
Welcome Matt.
He was 18 when Poch left Southampton. Bit of a straw man argument.
Luke Shaw had made 25 first team appearances before his 18th birthday. Shaw is two months older than Matt.
I'm not really sure what relevance that has, Shaw is bigger and faster, at 18 that makes a massive difference. His lack of technical ability and positional sense (along with a couple of injuries) are why it took 4 seasons with united before he was trusted to play regularly. Targett is a very different type of player so judging their progress against each other under the age of 21-22 is pointless.
I don't know how Targett will get on but I wouldn't write him off because he wasn't playing under Poch when he was 18.
I would hope Shaw was at least bigger than Targett, what being a centre back. The "relevance" is they were both products of the Saints' youth system, same age, same team, what's interesting is Targett was seen then as the one they expected to be the star. For whatever reason(s) he never took advantage his opportunity when given the chance, Shaw did.
More encouraging and more recent is the glowing references he got from his time at Fulham. Not only did he help them get promoted (what was that mental unbeaten run they went on - 21 games?) they also thought highly enough of him to make a £10m offer to buy him but Southampton wanted £20m.
I'm certainly not writing him off though I do think he's a risk. Sometimes players need to move on from a club they've been at since a kid to improve and develop. I think Targett falls into that category. Time will tell but I wish him every success.
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Is there much disgrace in not being able to dislodge Bertrand ?
Southampton in recent years have been battling relegation, it's understandable they'd want their older heads at the back.
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Let’s just wait and see, his credentials look promising, as did a couple of his highlights on MOTD at the end of the season when he was playing further up the pitch.
Welcome Matt.
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I can't understand why anybody isn't pleased this with deal. We needed an upgrade on Neil Taylor, and now we have one.
upgrade on Neil Taylor is a very low benchmark to be applying in fairness. Wouldnt mind Hause being our backup left back to be honest and seeing if a championship side (Swansea maybe) might pick up Taylor off us.
Targett's lack of pace is a really worry and has very little experience really. Struggling to get into a rubbish Southampton side doesnt exactly set the pulses racing.
Not impressed with this one I have to say, nor Jota either.
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I thought Shaw was a left back? And he's half an inch taller than Targett according to Google.
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I thought Shaw was a left back? And he's half an inch taller than Targett according to Google.
Same size as Jota then?
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I don't particularly agree with what Rudy is saying, but Southampton have had 5 managers since Poch, so your response doesn't really stack up either.
True, but they've also had Bertrand who has been on the fringe of the England squad for most of that time.
To have as many appearances as he's had, with a half season loan away suggests Targett was pretty highly rated there for a long time. A five year deal 2 years ago backs that up. Hassenhuttl clearly doesn't like him, which is why he's with us, but I don't think that means all that much as he's the only manager who's been totally against him being there.
When you say the manager clearly doesn't like him, has he told you that himself Paul E? Perhaps they have had discussions and the manager and player have come to an agreement that he could leave to get more playing time. Can't find any quotes from the Southampton manager that he doesn't rate Matt Targett.
Does "doesn't like enough to keep and sell Bertrand instead" or "doesn't like enough to not consider expendable" cover it better? I think he's wrong and that he'll do well for us but this deal just doesn't scream that they're reluctant to see him leave and with him getting 20ish games for them last year I'm not sure he'd have been pushing for a move either. There was also a comment earlier in the thread that suggested Hussenhattl thought he was too weak and slow.
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Is there much disgrace in not being able to dislodge Bertrand ?
Southampton in recent years have been battling relegation, it's understandable they'd want their older heads at the back.
I just hope he's better than the Bertrand we saw a few years ago at VP.
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I know nothing about the lad, but gives me an excuse to post this:
https://vimeo.com/8663142
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This signing reminds me of when Brian Little bought Alan Wright. I wasn’t really aware of him before we signed him, as he was playing second fiddle to Graeme Le Saux at Blackburn. I used to love having him and Gary Charles as wing backs. His goal at WHL was truly stunning. Hopefully Targett will be as good a signing as Wright.
I realise that, like an old bastard, I have just used a vague similitude to reminisce about something from my youth.
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Multiple Saints "sources" stating he's as thick as pigshit, maybe they're just sore that they've lost their nice but dim one.
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Well he looked a nice lad with his parents, partner and Deano before. Sort of young man you'd let your daughter out with.
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Appalling interview on the OS, like the interviewer is teeing him up to make constipated-sounding "massive club" quotes. It doesn't have to be this way.
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Welcome to Aston Villa Matt. I don’t know if you’re any good or if you’re genuinely thick as fuck...but please give your everything and don’t be shite.
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Appalling interview on the OS, like the interviewer is teeing him up to make constipated-sounding "massive club" quotes. It doesn't have to be this way.
i was waiting for the interviewer to ask him what he’d had for his tea
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Our interviews are horrible to listen to. I gave it a shot and lasted a minute or so. Syrupy bollocks.
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We're a massive club though. And Dean Smith? Working under him will be great won't it? I was going to ask you that next actually -
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I agree. It's getting a bit ridiculous now - the brief is make sure they say massive club, great history fantastic fans. I really hope if we get Kalvin Phillips he doesn't keep pumping him to say how excited he is to be at such a massive club with such great fans as I think it would make him very uncomfortable coming from Leeds.
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Massive club
Great set of lads
Huge fan base
I wanted to be a part of what the manager is doing here
Great history
Can't wait to get started
Fantastic stadium
Back to where this club belongs
We really should move away from this wank style of questioning meaning we always get the above set of standard bingo answers. It's absolutely shite and a waste of their 'effort' producing the interviews.
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Isn’t this just about the case for every footballer interview ever though? It’s rare that you get someone who says what they really think, and the ones that do tend to get negative press from newspapers/fans, so you can see why most would avoid it.
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I agree. It's getting a bit ridiculous now - the brief is make sure they say massive club, great history fantastic fans. I really hope if we get Kalvin Phillips he doesn't keep pumping him to say how excited he is to be at such a massive club with such great fans as I think it would make him very uncomfortable coming from Leeds.
Leeds are a big club, but we are bigger in every comparable way. We are also not notorious for having some of the worst behaved fans in the country and for allegedly not winning in the 'right way' during our most successful period. So he could say it and if it makes him feel a bit more comfortable he could put a little side note in that he cherished his time playing for another big English club. Personally though, i probably won't watch it either way as it will just be like watching all of the other new player interviews and will probably send me to sleep after 60 seconds, as others have said.
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Are you expecting and Andrew Neil style grilling? Maybe a tearful confession of some traumatic event that drives him?
It's the same stuff up and down the land. A fluff piece.
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So, Matt, could you give us your thoughts and criticisms on Descartes 'Discourse on the method'?
How do you see it's points as applying to a football philosophy? Is such a thing possible?
Discuss.
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I agree. It's getting a bit ridiculous now - the brief is make sure they say massive club, great history fantastic fans. I really hope if we get Kalvin Phillips he doesn't keep pumping him to say how excited he is to be at such a massive club with such great fans as I think it would make him very uncomfortable coming from Leeds.
Leeds are a big club, but we are bigger in every comparable way. We are also not notorious for having some of the worst behaved fans in the country and for allegedly not winning in the 'right way' during our most successful period. So he could say it and if it makes him feel a bit more comfortable he could put a little side note in that he cherished his time playing for another big English club. Personally though, i probably won't watch it either way as it will just be like watching all of the other new player interviews and will probably send me to sleep after 60 seconds, as others have said.
Exactly. There's no comparison to be made between us and Leeds. They're not even remotely as big or successful. They're where they belong.
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I agree. It's getting a bit ridiculous now - the brief is make sure they say massive club, great history fantastic fans. I really hope if we get Kalvin Phillips he doesn't keep pumping him to say how excited he is to be at such a massive club with such great fans as I think it would make him very uncomfortable coming from Leeds.
Leeds are a big club, but we are bigger in every comparable way. We are also not notorious for having some of the worst behaved fans in the country and for allegedly not winning in the 'right way' during our most successful period. So he could say it and if it makes him feel a bit more comfortable he could put a little side note in that he cherished his time playing for another big English club. Personally though, i probably won't watch it either way as it will just be like watching all of the other new player interviews and will probably send me to sleep after 60 seconds, as others have said.
You've missed the point though. A player who is a life long Leeds fan won't want to say this and fans of the club won't want to hear it. It would be like Grealish going to Liverpool and being forced to bang on about what a huge club they are - it's unnecessary and just rubs salt in the wound all round.
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Dont talk soft. I'm Villa mental, but if somebody bigger than us was going to be trippling my wages I'd have no qualms of telling the truth about joining another club.
It's not like he's a teenager being forced to go to his grandmothers for Sunday lunch. The player likely wants the move.
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It seems a bit of a mental thing to get yourself into a state over. A player is hardly going to come in and say "didn't even know where Aston was, but they have offered me a pay increase and the missus says there are lots of fancy shops in a place called the Mailbox so this will do for now".
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I agree. It's getting a bit ridiculous now - the brief is make sure they say massive club, great history fantastic fans. I really hope if we get Kalvin Phillips he doesn't keep pumping him to say how excited he is to be at such a massive club with such great fans as I think it would make him very uncomfortable coming from Leeds.
Leeds are a big club, but we are bigger in every comparable way. We are also not notorious for having some of the worst behaved fans in the country and for allegedly not winning in the 'right way' during our most successful period. So he could say it and if it makes him feel a bit more comfortable he could put a little side note in that he cherished his time playing for another big English club. Personally though, i probably won't watch it either way as it will just be like watching all of the other new player interviews and will probably send me to sleep after 60 seconds, as others have said.
You've missed the point though. A player who is a life long Leeds fan won't want to say this and fans of the club won't want to hear it. It would be like Grealish going to Liverpool and being forced to bang on about what a huge club they are - it's unnecessary and just rubs salt in the wound all round.
I agree with you Chris, if any player wants to say these things about Villa unprompted then I'm delighted to hear it, but I don't need to hear platitudes about the club that might as well have been thrown up on a vidiprompter for someone to read off. As you say, it's even worse when the player is clearly uncomfortable in the moment.
There's plenty of other questions to ask if he ends up signing for us. I'd go a bit cheeky with it personally. "You'll have seen the passion of the players, the fans, the manager and coaching staff first-hand last season - were you surprised to get the call, and what does it mean to be signing for a Premier League club after the rollercoaster season you've had?"
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Easy there Paxman.
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Easy there Paxman.
Well I'd prefer that over the usual nonsense, might aswell tease out some personality and character from the new signings or else what's the point. Do it well or don't do it at all. Targett looked like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world than sitting on that chair talking to that eejit, so I'd rather see the interviewers have a bit of fun with it. Generally someone who isn't completely out of their depth asking questions will be able to toe the line appropriately while raising the mood a little bit. I mean it's not rocket science either is it
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Maybe Tyrone's will be along the lines of 'the missus thinks Birmingham is a bit of a shit hole but I talked her into it.'
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It seems a bit of a mental thing to get yourself into a state over. A player is hardly going to come in and say "didn't even know where Aston was, but they have offered me a pay increase and the missus says there are lots of fancy shops in a place called the Mailbox so this will do for now".
I'm not in a state over it I'm simply commenting on a forum post that someone else has raised that I happen to agree with.
And why is everything so black and white with you? So either a player has to fawn over a club in an entirely insincere way or be massively disrespectful? You seriously can't envisage somewhere between these two poles?
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I'm not mad, you're mad. Classic.
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It's all part of the 'game' around transfers, isn't it?
Yadayada massive club, great history, great fans, nice shirts, lovely badge, cool ground, yaaawwwwn.
Just ignore it.
I can't believe anyone watches OS interviews expecting to hear anything illuminating.
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It's all part of the 'game' around transfers, isn't it?
Yadayada massive club, great history, great fans, nice shirts, lovely badge, cool ground, yaaawwwwn.
Just ignore it.
I can't believe anyone watches OS interviews expecting to hear anything illuminating.
just once you would love to hear the player call the previous manager an arsehole for not picking him
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It seems a bit of a mental thing to get yourself into a state over. A player is hardly going to come in and say "didn't even know where Aston was, but they have offered me a pay increase and the missus says there are lots of fancy shops in a place called the Mailbox so this will do for now".
I'm not in a state over it I'm simply commenting on a forum post that someone else has raised that I happen to agree with.
And why is everything so black and white with you? So either a player has to fawn over a club in an entirely insincere way or be massively disrespectful? You seriously can't envisage somewhere between these two poles?
You do sound a bit in a state, to be honest...
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Grow up, the pair of you
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It's all part of the 'game' around transfers, isn't it?
Yadayada massive club, great history, great fans, nice shirts, lovely badge, cool ground, yaaawwwwn.
Just ignore it.
I can't believe anyone watches OS interviews expecting to hear anything illuminating.
Pick questions from Off Topic on here, I'm sure we'd get more insight into someone's character from "Who's the last celebrity you saw, and were they any good", "Weather", and "Three word chain story" than we do from the banalities they currently get asked.
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I’d buy that internal club interviewer a copy of Richard Herrings Emergency Questions.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
What’s the strangest thing you’ve found in the embers of a bonfire?
Would you prefer a hand made out of ham or an armpit that dispensed sun lotion?
Much more interesting.
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I think we should do a version of the Peoples Front of Judea 'Romans' test.
Q Listen. If you wanted to join Aston Villa you'd have to really hate the Blues.
A I do!
Q Oh, yeah? How much?
A A lot!
Q Right. You're in.
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Welcome to Aston Villa Matt let's hope we have some Matt finish this season I'll get my coat.
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Welcome to Aston Villa Matt let's hope we have some Matt finish this season I'll get my coat.
No need to start getting all emulsional.
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Welcome to Aston Villa Matt let's hope we have some Matt finish this season I'll get my coat.
No need to start getting all emulsional.
I'll gloss over that comment!
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Welcome to Aston Villa Matt let's hope we have some Matt finish this season I'll get my coat.
No need to start getting all emulsional.
I'll gloss over that comment!
This is like walking on eggshell(s) 😇
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Why are people priming these set ups?
Roller on the next signing we can coverall
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We're definitely doing more than just (wall) papering over the cracks with this signing.
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We're definitely doing more than just (wall) papering over the cracks with this signing.
Should be able to brush off a number of teams.
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He's what we need. Will stay out on the left ploughing his own furrow and ball player to boot.
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I’d buy that internal club interviewer a copy of Richard Herrings Emergency Questions.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
What’s the strangest thing you’ve found in the embers of a bonfire?
Would you prefer a hand made out of ham or an armpit that dispensed sun lotion?
Much more interesting.
RHLSTP......rhlstp
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Welcome to Aston Villa Matt let's hope we have some Matt finish this season I'll get my coat.
No need to start getting all emulsional.
Love it lol.
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Thought it was a promising first league appearance, playing his part in a good first half performance today. Him going off injured certainly wasn’t helpful, compounded by Taylor having his worse game of the season.
Hopefully just a case of not being up to speed/fully fit from his first injury rather than being a bit injury prone.
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Thought it was a promising first league appearance, playing his part in a good first half performance today. Him going off injured certainly wasn’t helpful, compounded by Taylor having his worse game of the season.
Hopefully just a case of not being up to speed/fully fit from his first injury rather than being a bit injury prone.
Yes, it was really encouraging to see him so far up the pitch and offering an attacking threat. A clear upgrade on Neil Taylor for that alone.
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he was highly instrumental in the build up to SJM's first goal. I like him.
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I think he had cramp so should be ok.
I thought he did well and an improvement on Taylor.
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I think he’ll be good.
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I think he had cramp so should be ok.
I thought he did well and an improvement on Taylor.
Where did you hear cramp? I'm hoping that's all it is as we need him next weekend.
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DS said in his post match interview "I thought Matt Targett played really well. He felt his other hamstring. We're hoping it's cramp more than anything else."
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The lad was good however only about 100% improvement on Taylor. Did anyone notice his little play at halfway line that led to VAR disallowed goal?
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I didn’t think he was any more than adequate in his general play but what did impress me were the forward positions he took up, it meant we had width and numbers much higher up the field than we have had previously.
Promising.
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I didn’t think he was any more than adequate in his general play but what did impress me were the forward positions he took up, it meant we had width and numbers much higher up the field than we have had previously.
Promising.
If Grealish is going to be used in that more advanced role, then it is key we have a full back on that side who can make those overlapping runs and put a decent ball into the box.
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Yeah. I don’t think targett is a particularly great player but he’s the right type of player to help Smith set the team up the way he wants which goes a long way. We looked a lot better with him on the pitch.
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Agreed. Think it is key to the way that Dean Smith wants to play that we have two good attacking outlets from full back.
Was a lovely cross for McGinns header in the first couple of minutes as well.
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The lad was good however only about 100% improvement on Taylor. Did anyone notice his little play at halfway line that led to VAR disallowed goal?
No. Please describe.
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The lad was good however only about 100% improvement on Taylor. Did anyone notice his little play at halfway line that led to VAR disallowed goal?
No. Please describe.
He beat two players having received the ball from Marvelous. In fairness he got a bit lucky but it was a nice bit of play overall. He’s a massive upgrade and 3 inches taller which leads me to believe outside of basic ability he would have defended their first and second goals better than Taylor did.
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I'm really glad Targett is breaking into the team now, a couple of changes (Luiz for Houri and Trez for AEG) and I think we're at our strongest side now. I'd play Mcginn on the right cutting in and Trez on the left cutting in, get the fullbacks bombing forward to provide width and crossing and then have Jack in a free role as an 8 with Luiz and Nakamba sitting in behind as defensive cover and to get the ball from the defense to Jack so he doesn't come too deep. We couldn't play that way with Taylor in the team because he just isn't a good enough crosser and can't get up and down the pitch well enough so he is always 10-20 yards behind play.
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Thought he looked very tidy.
Worried by how easily he gets twinges and knocks - he's only been with us since the summer and that's two hamstring injuries with just 60 odd minutes of League football under his belt.
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Might just be a case of him starting two games in four days, having only played forty minutes of football in near enough two months before that.
Don’t think it was a problem at Southampton last season or Fulham before that, so hopefully not a major concern.
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My worry with Targett is that he was an "obvious" transfer target (sorry) like Nicky Shorey was under O'Neill. An English left back with a reputation for playing decent football that a few other teams were sniffing around, who then turns out to be desperately disappointing. I really hope this isn't the case, but a £14m player taking this long to dislodge the extremely average Neil Taylor isn't a great sign.
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He was a definite upgrade and we are left to wonder why he was left out for so long when he went off his replacement was dreadful.
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He was injured for the previous 2/3 games prior to Saturday, so it took him three games (where Taylor played reasonably well) to take his place.
I Smith’s logic behind starting Taylor the season as left back was to do with keeping some consistency within a new team, given he played the last half of the previous season next to Mings and behind El Ghazi.
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My worry with Targett is that he was an "obvious" transfer target (sorry) like Nicky Shorey was under O'Neill. An English left back with a reputation for playing decent football that a few other teams were sniffing around, who then turns out to be desperately disappointing. I really hope this isn't the case, but a £14m player taking this long to dislodge the extremely average Neil Taylor isn't a great sign.
Isn’t a large part of the reason he’s taken so long to get into the team because he’s been injured and in the meantime Taylor has performed well? Making signings just because they appear obvious doesn’t appear to be a Smith trait based on business so far so probably more likely that he rates him.
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I thought he played well until his injury forced him off hope it's nothing serious.
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I didn’t think he was any more than adequate in his general play but what did impress me were the forward positions he took up, it meant we had width and numbers much higher up the field than we have had previously.
Promising.
Agreed. He was rarely tested defensively which is ideal when you're making your home debut. In front of him both Conor and Jack were busy and helped out a lot, a massive improvement on the left side (compared to Taylor/AEG) which allowed him to advance every now and then. His determined run leading to the VAR goal was great to see. He can also swing a decent cross.
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An udder of fresh milk. Haha.
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The free kick attempt he had was woeful but he's up in the penalty box in the 94 minute and lashed home the winner !! The clear value of an attacking left back.
Attacking wise he's a udder of fresh milk !
As we know Taylor short comings in his attacking forrays .
By all accounts defensively Targett wasn't brilliant and will likely have a torrid time in defense next Saturday against Man city.
However it's the right side of the fullback and position that is more concerning regards chances given up and that Guilbert despite many good things is found wanting both in positioning and being beaten or preventing crosses.
But what I enjoy about Targett is his movement forward and his providing of opportunities in his crosses , which though mixed, is offering an attacking contribution .
Brilliant goal and I can't help thinking what Tayls would have done in the 94th min.
But I think he wouldn't even be in the pen box!
Well done Matty ! Hopefully he stays fit and can actually be a contender for England left back once as he develops
Has all the attributes!
Great signing!
Not having a pop, genuine question, I’m curious if are you basing your analysis of both full backs on having watched the whole game? (Just the the ‘by all accounts’ suggests maybe not, and seems a very full opinion if you didn’t?) Not suggesting it’s not necessarily valid either.
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He was mostly crap on Saturday in an all round play sort of way, but he does get forward to join in attacks. He's got an assist and a goal in his last two games, which will do for from a left back. I'm certain his general play will improve once he's fully up to speed, and then we'll have a very good player on our hands. As john e rightly said earlier, the days of the likes of Taylor "not doing much wrong" are hopefully behind us. I'd be getting Hause on the bench now, because he seemed to like going forward as well. I hope that Taylor isn't picked against Man City for supposedly being better defensively.
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Kyle Walmart!! 😂
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Kyle Walmart!! 😂
That Asda be the best auto correct ever.
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https://www.walmart.com/store/4130/kyle-tx
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https://www.walmart.com/store/4130/kyle-tx
When on holiday in America, I like to walk around a Walmart taking photos of all the products called "cream pie" eg
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Yoplait-Light-Boston-Cream-Pie-Fat-Free-Yogurt-6-Oz/10320986
A man's got to have a hobby.
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Still probably not fully fit just yet. Reminds me a bit of Lowton when he was with us.
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So want him to be the man but was way short on Saturday bar the goal of course. Would play Taylor or hause at city
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So want him to be the man but was way short on Saturday bar the goal of course. Would play Taylor or hause at city
Neil Taylor? Against Manchester City? What are you smoking?
The last game Neil Taylor played for us was his substitute appearance vs Burnley when he came on for Targett around the 62 minute mark. 5 minutes later he was culpable for their first goal via some terrible marking against Rodriguez who out-muscled him as if he were a schoolboy to head home. He was culpable again for their second when Lowton made him look a mug and crossed the ball as if he weren't even there for Wood for finish off.
If he can't defend against the likes of Rodriguez and Lowton he will get eaten alive by the quality of City's attack. The same might happen to Targett for all I know, but at least he won't look like one of the chuckle brothers in possession.
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So want him to be the man but was way short on Saturday bar the goal of course. Would play Taylor or hause at city
Neil Taylor? Against Manchester City? What are you smoking?
The last game Neil Taylor played for us was his substitute appearance vs Burnley when he came on for Targett around the 62 minute mark. 5 minutes later he was culpable for their first goal via some terrible marking against Rodriguez who out-muscled him as if he were a schoolboy to head home. He was culpable again for their second when Lowton made him look a mug and crossed the ball as if he weren't even there for Wood for finish off.
If he can't defend against the likes of Rodriguez and Lowton he will get eaten alive by the quality of City's attack. The same might happen to Targett for all I know, but at least he won't look like one of the chuckle brothers in possession.
Agreed, on top of which Hause hasn't even been in the squad at all this season. I'm more than happy with the way Targett is progressing, and I think his introduction to the squad has really helped Grealish flourish.
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So want him to be the man but was way short on Saturday bar the goal of course. Would play Taylor or hause at city
Neil Taylor? Against Manchester City? What are you smoking?
The last game Neil Taylor played for us was his substitute appearance vs Burnley when he came on for Targett around the 62 minute mark. 5 minutes later he was culpable for their first goal via some terrible marking against Rodriguez who out-muscled him as if he were a schoolboy to head home. He was culpable again for their second when Lowton made him look a mug and crossed the ball as if he weren't even there for Wood for finish off.
If he can't defend against the likes of Rodriguez and Lowton he will get eaten alive by the quality of City's attack. The same might happen to Targett for all I know, but at least he won't look like one of the chuckle brothers in possession.
Agreed, on top of which Hause hasn't even been in the squad at all this season. I'm more than happy with the way Targett is progressing, and I think his introduction to the squad has really helped Grealish flourish.
We just look a better team in general and it's in small part down to the fact that teams can't just ignore our fullbacks getting the ball. Throwing that away on the basis that Taylor is a marginally better defender is the sort of thinking that saw Bruce still getting support right up until he got his P45.
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Hause must be wondering why he's swapped Wolves bench for not even getting on ours. I know it's a squad game but LB is his best chance of a run in the team so if Targett struggling defensively is a recurring theme, I'd want Kourtney to get a chance in a few weeks time.
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To be fair, he wasn’t actually getting in their team in their last season in the Championship either.
I think he is probably viewed predominantly as a centre back by Dean Smith now anyway. He played his part in our winning streak there last season and has played both cup games in that position. I’m not sure he offers enough going forward to play as a premier league full back either.
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To be fair, he wasn’t actually getting in their team in their last season in the Championship either.
I think he is probably viewed predominantly as a centre back by Dean Smith now anyway. He played his part in our winning streak there last season and has played both cup games in that position. I’m not sure he offers enough going forward to play as a premier league full back either.
Hause offers presence though, particularly in the air. We are very vulnerable from set pieces with our first choice eleven. Wouldn't rule him out seeing game time at left back or cover for Mings.
Neil Taylor was nowhere near good enough for the championship, defensively or attacking. I'm not sure what came over Smith to make him first choice starting this season, the kind of decision Bruce or McLeish might have made and got dogs abuse for. Having Targett's ability on the ball on our left side has made us a much more coherent attacking force.
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I know it’s very simplistic terms to look at it in, but Brighton’s was the first goal we have conceded indirectly from a free kick/corner wasn’t it?
Hause definitely has useful attributes but I don’t think they really fit into how Dean Smith wants his fullbacks to play. I don’t think it’s unrelated that we are unbeaten since Targett and Guilbert were in the staring XI together.
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Neil Taylor was nowhere near good enough for the championship, defensively or attacking. I'm not sure what came over Smith to make him first choice starting this season, the kind of decision Bruce or McLeish might have made and got dogs abuse for. Having Targett's ability on the ball on our left side has made us a much more coherent attacking force.
Because he did well there?
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Did well again last night, his overlaps are definitely creating space for Grealish and their link-up play has been a real positive.
He puked last night didn't he? Was he ill or get a punch to the throat or something?
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Did well again last night, his overlaps are definitely creating space for Grealish and their link-up play has been a real positive.
He puked last night didn't he? Was he ill or get a punch to the throat or something?
Think I read he took a knock to the throat .
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He was night and day better last night than he was against Wolves.
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He was like a winger at times last night. Steve Staunton-esque the way he kept getting out onto the wing.
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Did well again last night, his overlaps are definitely creating space for Grealish and their link-up play has been a real positive.
He puked last night didn't he? Was he ill or get a punch to the throat or something?
Thought he was a lot better. Puked right by where I was sitting and made me feel queasy the rest of the game!! It was projectile sick so guessing illness!!
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He was night and day better last night than he was against Wolves.
True but last night, defensively and to my great surprise, he had very little to do. Pre-match I was very concerned he'd be up against Saint-Maxmin. Fortunately Bruce had him up against Freddie who could cope with his speed. As Mr Mullet says, Targett was allowed to get forward throughout the game, possibly because Newcastle were more concerned with Jack playing on the left.
It was an ideal game for Targett but away from home against stronger sides, I'd be tempted to bring in the superior defensive qualities of Taylor. All that said, Targett looked the business last night and seems to finally fitting in.
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How this idiot only got a yellow card for this disgraceful tackle (https://streamable.com/ortd7) is beyond belief.
He should have received a straight red card. Further proof that VAR is a load of shit.
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How this idiot only got a yellow card for this disgraceful tackle (https://streamable.com/ortd7) is beyond belief.
He should have received a straight red card. Further proof that VAR is a load of shit.
Are you absolutely sure you support Villa mate? Because you seem to fucking moan a lot about us.
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How this idiot only got a yellow card for this disgraceful tackle (https://streamable.com/ortd7) is beyond belief.
He should have received a straight red card. Further proof that VAR is a load of shit.
Disgraceful, my arse.
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It was a poor tackle and I doubt many would have complained about a red for it but your post is just a tad OTT.
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It was a poor tackle and I doubt many would have complained about a red for it but your post is just a tad OTT.
Not really. I'm watching the game back now and it's worse than I thought it was.
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How this idiot only got a yellow card for this disgraceful tackle (https://streamable.com/ortd7) is beyond belief.
He should have received a straight red card. Further proof that VAR is a load of shit.
Disgraceful, my arse.
If any of our players were on the receiving end of that we'd be fuming, don't lie to yourself.
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Gotta say it was a very poor challenge. Ricardo was a pain all game (from our perspective) and there was definite needle between him and Jack too (especially after the penalty claim).
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Horrible tackle, red card for me. VAR looked at it, so I got it wrong.
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Nah, clear cut yellow card. He's in more pain from landing on the track around the side of the pitch.
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How this idiot only got a yellow card for this disgraceful tackle (https://streamable.com/ortd7) is beyond belief.
He should have received a straight red card. Further proof that VAR is a load of shit.
Disgraceful, my arse.
Mine too, especially if I’ve had too much fruit.
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Yes, it was a poor tackle and luckily he only got a yellow. Nothing else to be said really.
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It was a poor tackle and I doubt many would have complained about a red for it but your post is just a tad OTT.
Not really. I'm watching the game back now and it's worse than I thought it was.
The fact that you're "watching the game back" when we lost four one is probably going to confirm a lot of opinions about you...
The tackle was borderline yellow/red, to be fair. But I think your post just drifted into hysterical, as usual.
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It was a poor tackle and I doubt many would have complained about a red for it but your post is just a tad OTT.
Not really. I'm watching the game back now and it's worse than I thought it was.
The fact that you're "watching the game back" when we lost four one is probably going to confirm a lot of opinions about you...
You know what they say about opinions and arseholes..?
I watch all the games back - win, lose or draw.
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It was a poor tackle and I doubt many would have complained about a red for it but your post is just a tad OTT.
Not really. I'm watching the game back now and it's worse than I thought it was.
The fact that you're "watching the game back" when we lost four one is probably going to confirm a lot of opinions about you...
The tackle was borderline yellow/red, to be fair. But I think your post just drifted into hysterical, as usual.
In fairness, we don't play again until Saturday. He has to have something to moan about in the meantime.
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It was clearly a yellow, yes his foot was raised but it was across the front of the player rather than into him and was him trying to get a flick on the ball in passing. If you give that as a red then you could give 2-3 a game. Both the ref and VAR official looked at and agreed with that.
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Definite red. Horrendous tackle.
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Should have been a red in my opinion, that was an awful 'tackle'. He catches their player on the calf/shin - midway up his lower leg.
I still to this day hate Carlos Bocanegra for ruining Mark Delaney's career.
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On a side note I never have time to watch games back. And I certainly never watch a game back when we’ve lost 4-1. I do still occasionally watch Tranmere at home again though.
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Horrendous tackle and a straight red all day long. Must say it didn't look as bad sitting in the crowd, but a lot of things don't - barring the overall performance.
We sure seem to like a Left-Back with a vicious tackle in his repertoire.
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Definite red. Horrendous tackle.
I've just watched if for the first time and agree, definite Red.
If VAR was used then VAR was wrong
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May be remembering this wrong but didn't Targett take real exception to a tackle on him in the first half? I think he issued a receipt.
He'd have had no complaints if it was a red. Although I'm not really sure what the fuss is about, him and Ricardo will have shaken hands at the end of the game and moved on. It's not ballet.
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Yep, red for me too.
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May be remembering this wrong but didn't Targett take real exception to a tackle on him in the first half? I think he issued a receipt.
He'd have had no complaints if it was a red. Although I'm not really sure what the fuss is about, him and Ricardo will have shaken hands at the end of the game and moved on. It's not ballet.
Nor is it UFC. I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy seeing players getting their legs broken.
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May be remembering this wrong but didn't Targett take real exception to a tackle on him in the first half? I think he issued a receipt.
He'd have had no complaints if it was a red. Although I'm not really sure what the fuss is about, him and Ricardo will have shaken hands at the end of the game and moved on. It's not ballet.
Nor is it UFC. I don't know about you, but I don't enjoy seeing players getting their legs broken.
And nobody had their legs broken.
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The more you look at it the worse it gets
I would be raging if that was done to our player and it was not a red
I don't think it was malicious but certainly reckless and dangerous
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That challenge isn't a leg breaker in any way.
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That challenge isn't a leg breaker in any way.
Certain red all day, no excuse for being that high and late. If an tackle like that was put in on Grealish or one of our players, this forum would have gone into meltdown.
I have my strong suspicions on Targett's character already I must say. Seemed a touch convenient his injury v Wolves when he was getting destroyed. That tackle on Ricardo was looking for a red, in a get me off the pitch type effort. Again he was getting destroyed at the time. Didnt he pick up a yellow against Chelsea in another petulant type late effort when getting torn a new one. Bit of a regular theme for our 16m left back...
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Unfortunately I agree. This player seems to lack moral fibre and comes across as a bit of a wimp. We overpaid for him by at least 100%.
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i like him
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That challenge isn't a leg breaker in any way.
It was late, high, with studs showing and excessive force on a player's shin. So, naturally, "not a leg breaker in any way". Unfortunately this is about the level of analysis I've come to expect from you.
Watch it again and tell me people haven't had horrific breaks from similar. It was a dangerous tackle and he should've walked for it.
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There's some pretty harsh comments on Targett here.
I agree it could have been a red, but not that it was deliberately nasty.
I think he's mostly been pretty decent for us and can't really understand this negativity towards him. It seems some people just aren't happy unless they're slagging off our incumbant left back, whoever thast may be.
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His delivery is very good, he links up well with Grealish, he over laps well, I like what he offers us going forward.
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There's some pretty harsh comments on Targett here.
I agree it could have been a red, but not that it was deliberately nasty.
I think he's mostly been pretty decent for us and can't really understand this negativity towards him. It seems some people just aren't happy unless they're slagging off our incumbant left back, whoever thast may be.
Irrational hatred of left backs? Or maybe we have had a stream of utterly useless ones? Bouma had a solid season or two before his injury but I can't recall another one that was passable until the Stan and Alan Wright days.
The latest vintage has a decent left foot on him but that's it. Dreadful defender at this level. Scouting for this one is on Dean Smith.
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There's some pretty harsh comments on Targett here.
I agree it could have been a red, but not that it was deliberately nasty.
I think he's mostly been pretty decent for us and can't really understand this negativity towards him. It seems some people just aren't happy unless they're slagging off our incumbant left back, whoever thast may be.
The latest vintage has a decent left foot on him but that's it. Dreadful defender at this level. Scouting for this one is on Dean Smith.
Probably best if you understood how our scouting network now works before going on rants.
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His delivery is very good, he links up well with Grealish, he over laps well, I like what he offers us going forward.
For what it's worth I agree, and I don't think the tackle was malicious, but dangerous nonetheless.
And however good he may be going forward, he is at least that bad at the back, and that's where the concern comes in for me.
Personally I'd give Hause (were he match fit) a shot at left back ahead of either Targett or Taylor.
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That challenge isn't a leg breaker in any way.
It was late, high, with studs showing and excessive force on a player's shin. So, naturally, "not a leg breaker in any way". Unfortunately this is about the level of analysis I've come to expect from you.
Watch it again and tell me people haven't had horrific breaks from similar. It was a dangerous tackle and he should've walked for it.
Lets do some analysis then. It's late, given he's sliding in there's not much he can do about that. It's high but if you watch he raises his foot to try to block the ball when it's clear he won't make the tackle, it's not high because it's misjudged or malicious. Studs showing isn't irrelevant because his studs aren't aimed at the player (due to the timing and angle) and don't make any contact, the actual contact is the inside of his heel going across the guys shin. You only have to have a basic understanding of how forces work to know why the angles and impact here make a broken leg a highly unlikely result.
Compare it to something like this - - where Taylor has studs up straight on to Coleman's shin and you can see what a true leg breaking challenge looks like. The only way a leg break happens in a side on challenge is if the tackled player has his foot planted and the tackle goes into his leg from the side instead across the front.
If Targett is half a second later or if his 'line' is 3-4 inches to his right then yes, red card and potentially a serious injury but that's just not what happened.
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Targett's understanding with Grealish is fantastic for me. Going forward on the left-side we look great, particularly with Conor in there.
For me it has to be Nakamba, Hourihane, Grealish and Targett - I think when Luiz comes in or Hourihane isn't there we look weaker down the left side defensively.
Luiz lacks the defensive nous and Hourihane smells the danger a little better.
Do agree Targett lacks defensive positional sense too though, which short-term may be a problem but he needs to improve.
Much like with Wesley upfront I think our squad lacks experience generally, we lost a lot of that in the Summer, we could do with one or two wiser heads in January.
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Not quite sure how you can say it's 'not a leg breaker in any way' Paul. People have had their legs broken by exactly that kind of tackle. The fact of the matter is that it didn't break his leg, but if Targett had been sent off i wouldn't have been surprised. He seemed to have a slightly insane grin on his face about it just after as well, not quite sure what that was all about.
As for the big picture, like most of the signing's we've made, he's young, inexperienced but looks promising in a lot of ways. I think he'll go on to be a decent signing.
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Not quite sure how you can say it's 'not a leg breaker in any way' Paul. People have had their legs broken by exactly that kind of tackle. The fact of the matter is that it didn't break his leg, but if Targett had been sent off i wouldn't have been surprised. He seemed to have a slightly insane grin on his face about it just after as well, not quite sure what that was all about.
As for the big picture, like most of the signing's we've made, he's young, inexperienced but looks promising in a lot of ways. I think he'll go on to be a decent signing.
I can say it because no professional footballer would suffer a broken leg in that impact, there's nothing like the concentrated force required. The way he made the tackle could've been a leg breaker in different circumstances, and I've never said it's not a bad tackle, but in context there was no risk of serious injury from it and there is no way to say that he made the challenge intending to hurt him so a red card would've been harsh, a view that the ref and VAR official quite clearly agree with. Again compare it to the Taylor/Coleman one and you'll see the difference between a poorly timed tackle and a leg-breaker.
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Jesus Paul, you don't half talk some shite at times. Unless you've got some extremely hi-tech gadgetry at home, you've absolutely no way of knowing whether there was enough force to break his leg. Look at the other player's foot at the moment of impact, it's bent at a very odd angle and he was extremely fortunate in my opinion to escape injury. And what's this nonsense about a "difference between a poorly timed tackle and a leg breaker"? It's completely possible for a tackle to be both.
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Jesus Paul, you don't half talk some shite at times. Unless you've got some extremely hi-tech gadgetry at home, you've absolutely no way of knowing whether there was enough force to break his leg. Look at the other player's foot at the moment of impact, it's bent at a very odd angle and he was extremely fortunate in my opinion to escape injury. And what's this nonsense about a "difference between a poorly timed tackle and a leg breaker"? It's completely possible for a tackle to be both.
Spot on.
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That challenge isn't a leg breaker in any way.
It was late, high, with studs showing and excessive force on a player's shin. So, naturally, "not a leg breaker in any way". Unfortunately this is about the level of analysis I've come to expect from you.
Watch it again and tell me people haven't had horrific breaks from similar. It was a dangerous tackle and he should've walked for it.
If Targett is half a second later or if his 'line' is 3-4 inches to his right then yes, red card and potentially a serious injury but that's just not what happened.
You do know you can get sent off for "intent" don't you? Just because the opposition player wasn't seriously injured doesn't mean it's not a red card offence. I suggest you take some time and look at the fa.com website because you clearly need it.
SENDING-OFF OFFENCES
"A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force"
Key word there being endangers. You said it yourself "if Targett was half a second later or if his 'line' is 3-4 inches to his right"
It's a red card offence, just accept you're wrong and move on.
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Do you know what, you all believe that the ref and VAR don't know the laws of the game as well as you and carry on thinking we got lucky with it, it's really not worth arguing over, he's not banned, I don't think he should be, you lot seemingly do.
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Yes, it's not like the VAR refs have been an unmitigated disaster this season is it.
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Jesus Paul, you don't half talk some shite at times. Unless you've got some extremely hi-tech gadgetry at home, you've absolutely no way of knowing whether there was enough force to break his leg. Look at the other player's foot at the moment of impact, it's bent at a very odd angle and he was extremely fortunate in my opinion to escape injury. And what's this nonsense about a "difference between a poorly timed tackle and a leg breaker"? It's completely possible for a tackle to be both.
I'm with Risso on this.
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Jesus Paul, you don't half talk some shite at times. Unless you've got some extremely hi-tech gadgetry at home, you've absolutely no way of knowing whether there was enough force to break his leg. Look at the other player's foot at the moment of impact, it's bent at a very odd angle and he was extremely fortunate in my opinion to escape injury. And what's this nonsense about a "difference between a poorly timed tackle and a leg breaker"? It's completely possible for a tackle to be both.
I'm with Risso on this.
It really doesn't need 'hi-tech gadgetry' to have a basic understanding of conservation of momentum and be able to apply it to a real world situation but again, it really doesn't matter enough for me to care if people disagree.
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Jesus Paul, you don't half talk some shite at times. Unless you've got some extremely hi-tech gadgetry at home, you've absolutely no way of knowing whether there was enough force to break his leg. Look at the other player's foot at the moment of impact, it's bent at a very odd angle and he was extremely fortunate in my opinion to escape injury. And what's this nonsense about a "difference between a poorly timed tackle and a leg breaker"? It's completely possible for a tackle to be both.
I'm with Risso on this.
It really doesn't need 'hi-tech gadgetry' to have a basic understanding of conservation of momentum and be able to apply it to a real world situation but again, it really doesn't matter enough for me to care if people disagree.
Haha fucking hell
I'm sure that's exactly what was going through Matt Targett's mind when he saw Pereira about to do him for pace (again): "Okay, time to absolutely burst this fella, but remember: conservation of momentum! If I go in a half-second too late, or I'm 3-4 inches to the right, it might be a dangerous one!"
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Well I've calculated the trajectory of Targett's leg, allowed a degree of uncertainty for the density of his shin pads, multiplied it by the number I first thought of, adjusted it for the Black-Scholes derivative pricing model, and concluded that it was still definitely a red card.
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What about the Duckworth-Lewis formula?
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This thread is similar to the Alan Hutton one after his tackle on Shane Long.
Unpopular player getting slated for a tackle.
Hutton, was absolutely hammered with comments like ‘Definitely a red’ ‘Animal’ ‘Should never wear Villa shirt again’ . All for a perfectly good, hard, tackle.
Difference being Targets was a foul. The ref deemed it a yellow, VAR didn’t disagree. Did he get lucky? Perhaps he did, but, maybe the ref was right in this instance.
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I bet no one insinuates these two support another team for saying exactly the same thing I did. ::)
Skip to 32:32
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He was reckless but not malicious, it happens in football. It was probably a red and I’m sure there would not of been too much argument.
However he’s alright, I like him, he’s better than anyone we’ve had their for a while. His link up play further up the pitch has been very good.
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The worst thing about the tackle for me was that it was one of those cowardly ones, knowing full well that his opponent was in no position to take evasive action or put in a forceful challenge of his own - in effect an unmissable target (pun intended). He was an 'extremely lucky boy' to have not been sent off and to have risked a 3 match ban for such a pointless gesture does him little credit.
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Two wrongs don’t make a right but if I remember correctly Targett was the victim of an equally bad tackle very early in the game where the Leicester player looked more out of control. Seeing the Targett tackle video it looks really bad but it was very close to me and did not look that bad at the time. Could easily have been a VAR red.
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A very disappointing start to his Villa career.
I've seen better full backs in the Championship.
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He's just very average. Not the worst footballer given he can cross and link up with Grealish but not a great defender at all. 14m for a Southampton reserve, we could've done better there.
Also seems to be wanting new year off given he's picked up three yellows in last three games with rash challenges.
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Yeah. I’ve been happy for him to be in there because he’s better than Taylor, but that’s a very low bar.
I have a mate who is a season ticket holder at Southampton and he told me he didn’t think we should sign him last summer. He actually described him as crap.
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He's good on the ball, but just too slow to be consistently good as a Premier League full back. Anybody with pace in their side pinpoint him, and he just can't handle it, see Wolves, Man U and Leicester for recent examples.
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He's good on the ball, but just too slow to be consistently good as a Premier League full back. Anybody with pace in their side pinpoint him, and he just can't handle it, see Wolves, Man U and Leicester for recent examples.
He certainly got targetted today (excusing the pun). Norwood and SheffU absolutely blitzed their right hand side.
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Yeah. I’ve been happy for him to be in there because he’s better than Taylor, but that’s a very low bar.
I have a mate who is a season ticket holder at Southampton and he told me he didn’t think we should sign him last summer. He actually described him as crap.
Your mate was right. Targett is crap. Serious lack of bottle too.
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He had a hard time today, overall I haven’t been that impressed
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Guilbert has been decent and has the pace to be a success in the Premier League. It's a mark of how inconsistent our transfer dealings were that we got a good young player like him for relative peanuts, but then spent three times as much on crap like Targett who wasn't wanted by Southampton.
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Completely and utterly useless.
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Championship full back for me. Can't believe we spent so much on him really.
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That's twice now in a matter of months Southampton have taken the piss.
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In a sea of dross he shone out as absolutely woeful. Whatever did anyone see in him? Shite.
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He's dross. Just as bad as all of the other dreadful left backs we've had in recent years. Rubbish.
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In a sea of dross he shone out as absolutely woeful. Whatever did anyone see in him? Shite.
He reminds me of a Steve Staunton, but without defensive ability, attacking ability, shooting
and bottle.
Waste of money.
That money should've been invested in a cliff top apartment, on the Amalfi coast, for me.
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He has looked poor recently
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That's twice now in a matter of months Southampton have taken the piss.
Very good
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He's never a left back, hes soft, lacks any defensive positional sense and cant defend. Despite all that I still think he offers us something going forward, left wing back or left midfielder maybe but no chance is he a left back.
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You can play Target as LB as long as you build in protection for his defensive frailties.
We don’t, we leave him exposed.
There are some games he should not start.
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You also need pace and a good engine to play wing back. He’s slow as all hell and appears as fit as an asthmatic chain smoker.
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You also need pace and a good engine to play wing back. He’s slow as all hell and appears as fit as an asthmatic chain smoker.
So it’s the asthmatic Lilly liveried chain smoker or the bloke who plays like he has put his boots on the wrong feet.
Tough call.
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Load of shit. Smith basically said he’s unfit the other day. Defensive liability and not even that good offensively imho certainly not enough to offset his other many weaknesses. He’s one 10th the player Guilbert is for 3 x the money.
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He does not look great. Like most of our players he doesn’t look like he does any fitness work.
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Saints fans on his side of the pitch must have been bowling over with laughter yesterday at the sight of their discombobulated former player and his new team.
Surely Suso could have found someone from the continent twice as good for half the price.
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Surely Suso could have found someone from the continent twice as good for half the price.
Based on his other finds? I'm not so sure.
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Load of shit. Smith basically said he’s unfit the other day. Defensive liability and not even that good offensively imho certainly not enough to offset his other many weaknesses. He’s one 10th the player Guilbert is for 3 x the money.
Targett specialises in getting himself out of position, and then running back into said position at about the speed I reach when headed for the front door on a Monday morning.
He is not the only one, but he definitely looks unfit, too.
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The other day Dean Smith suggested Matt Targett could one day play for England. What I think he meant to say was he will again be playing in England when we play our next PL game. Because if he meant to say what he actually he said he needs to carted off to the fucking nut house. Matt Targett at 14m is a back up LB at best and I'm being mightly generous.
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He’s in a competition with Marv, Wes, Trez and AEG for being the worst signing of the summer. Absolute waste of space and money the lot of them.
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This lad is garbage. Up there with Cissokho, and well, all of the rest of our less than stellar left backs of recent years.
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On about 85 minutes, Targett gave the ball back to Norwich really casually, and Jack absolutely lost his shit with him. Proper bollocking.
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At the minute I'd actually prefer Taylor in the team, which says it all really.
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The other day Dean Smith suggested Matt Targett could one day play for England. What I think he meant to say was he will again be playing in England when we play our next PL game. Because if he meant to say what he actually he said he needs to carted off to the fucking nut house. Matt Targett at 14m is a back up LB at best and I'm being mightly generous.
He also said his fitness was appalling when he arrived and even now he has to remind him of the level he needs to be at. It does explain why he’s slow and always blowing out his arse, but just maybe if he listens Deano might be right
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On about 85 minutes, Targett gave the ball back to Norwich really casually, and Jack absolutely lost his shit with him. Proper bollocking.
I saw that Risso, I actually thought it was good leadership from Jack as it raises expectations, live on the field of play. Something I think has been sorely missing this season.
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As I said in the summer transfer thread before we signed him . I watched him a few times for Soton and his positioning was awful and he gave the ball away so much , so I thought I can not see anything to justify signing him for £7 or £8 million , the fact we signed him for the price we did is shocking and who ever sanctioned that needs a boot up the ass.
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He just hit it without giving it much thought. Jack was making the point that he was in space so if he had kept a cool head, we could have kept possession, relieved the pressure and maybe have done something with it on the counter.
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Hause is much better. Remember, he couldn't get in the Southampton team, that's the Southampton team that aren't very good and have spent most of the season in the bottom 3.
Terrible value for money as one day, when we sell him, he'll go for around £2-3m.
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When Mings is fit, move Hause yo left back and have Konsa and Elmo on the right hand side. More of a solid base to build from and all comfortable on the ball.
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When Mings is fit, move Hause yo left back and have Konsa and Elmo on the right hand side. More of a solid base to build from and all comfortable on the ball.
Elmo? Not in a million years for me. Was awful yesterday and never should he be playing ahead of Guilbert
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I didn't think Elmo was that bad. Nothing special, but not a car crash. Guilbert started the season quite well, but was spectacularly awful against Southampton. I guess the trick with players like Guilbert is to spot when they're having a dip in form and get them out of the side, like Smith did yesterday. A bit like Amavi when he was here. Clearly talented, but very inconsistent.
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The other day Dean Smith suggested Matt Targett could one day play for England.
Really?
What sport at?
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I didn't think Elmo was that bad. Nothing special, but not a car crash. Guilbert started the season quite well, but was spectacularly awful against Southampton. I guess the trick with players like Guilbert is to spot when they're having a dip in form and get them out of the side, like Smith did yesterday. A bit like Amavi when he was here. Clearly talented, but very inconsistent.
He was poor against Southampton for sure, but then they all were. Elmohamady gives me no comfort in defence so I guess it comes down to personal preference, but I'd certainly prefer Guilbert as I think there's more to come from him. We know there's nothing more to see from Elmo. Sorry Elmo.
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Hause is much better. Remember, he couldn't get in the Southampton team, that's the Southampton team that aren't very good and have spent most of the season in the bottom 3.
Terrible value for money as one day, when we sell him, he'll go for around £2-3m.
He did well at Fulham so I'd presume plenty of championship clubs would be willing to take a punt on him. But he is miles out of his depth in the top division.
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The other day Dean Smith suggested Matt Targett could one day play for England.
Really?
What sport at?
Beat me to it.
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When Mings is fit, move Hause yo left back and have Konsa and Elmo on the right hand side. More of a solid base to build from and all comfortable on the ball.
Elmo? Not in a million years for me. Was awful yesterday and never should he be playing ahead of Guilbert
Elmo’s positioning yesterday was spot on and so were some of his balls up the line. Whilst we are currently leaking goals like they are going out of fashion he’s a much safer bet to have at right back. I do like Guilbert though but it was right to take him out of the team yesterday.
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Agree Elmo was fine yesterday, reliable and leads by example. Annoying that we have to drop one of our few decent new players to accommodate him. Freddy on the wing?
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When Mings is fit, move Hause yo left back and have Konsa and Elmo on the right hand side. More of a solid base to build from and all comfortable on the ball.
Elmo? Not in a million years for me. Was awful yesterday and never should he be playing ahead of Guilbert
Elmo’s positioning yesterday was spot on and so were some of his balls up the line. Whilst we are currently leaking goals like they are going out of fashion he’s a much safer bet to have at right back. I do like Guilbert though but it was right to take him out of the team yesterday.
I agree entirely. You talk about experience - Elmo is one of the few in our squad who has it. He wasted 2 very good opportunities yesterday with poor crosses but he is always steady as opposed to the erratic Guilbert.
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Targett is in the Irish Times team of the day for yesterday's games!
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Excellent. A few more reviews like that should help us get rid of him.
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When Mings is fit, move Hause yo left back and have Konsa and Elmo on the right hand side. More of a solid base to build from and all comfortable on the ball.
Elmo? Not in a million years for me. Was awful yesterday and never should he be playing ahead of Guilbert
Elmo’s positioning yesterday was spot on
Byram completely lost him for his back poster header that he should of buried.
Elmo is a solid Champuonship level player, I really dislike it when we play him.
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The other day Dean Smith suggested Matt Targett could one day play for England.
Really?
What sport at?
Beat me to it.
Read and weep chaps
But Smith believes there is more to be done if Targett is to fulfil his true potential. “There is potentially an England left-back there but he has to go and push himself,” said the boss.
Full nonsense
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2019/12/20/dean-smith-hard-work-can-put-aston-villas-matt-targett-in-england-frame/
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Was talking about the full backs yesterday, and how they’re getting caught out too far forward.
If they’re going to push on so far up we need to play with a 3-5-2 sort of formation.
You choice from Mings, Chester, Engels, Hause & Konya
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I think he's form has been scratchy, but the absence of Mings next to him hasn't helped.
His panicked pass out yesterday was symptomatic of a player devoid of confidence, like many.
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The other day Dean Smith suggested Matt Targett could one day play for England.
Really?
What sport at?
Beat me to it.
Read and weep chaps
But Smith believes there is more to be done if Targett is to fulfil his true potential. “There is potentially an England left-back there but he has to go and push himself,” said the boss.
Full nonsense
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2019/12/20/dean-smith-hard-work-can-put-aston-villas-matt-targett-in-england-frame/
You mean a manager is defending one of his players? How absolutely appalling - sack him immediately.
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Defending your players shouldn't mean talking out of your arse.
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Defending your players shouldn't mean talking out of your arse.
I suppose he should start slagging them off becasue that's what somebody on the internet thinks.
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I think he's form has been scratchy, but the absence of Mings next to him hasn't helped.
His panicked pass out yesterday was symptomatic of a player devoid of confidence, like many.
This is why I think a back 3 would help him, and Gilbert.
With a defensive mid in place I suppose you’d be looking at a 3-1-4-2 ish formation.
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Defending your players shouldn't mean talking out of your arse.
I suppose he should start slagging them off becasue that's what somebody on the internet thinks.
Is the alternative to slagging your players off just talking out of your arse? Several stages in between I'd say. Saying Targett is potentially England material is daft because it could be said about any England player and because it's not even clear at the moment whether Targett is a half decent Villa player.
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Defending your players shouldn't mean talking out of your arse.
I suppose he should start slagging them off becasue that's what somebody on the internet thinks.
Is the alternative to slagging your players off just talking out of your arse? Several stages in between I'd say. Saying Targett is potentially England material is daft because it could be said about any England player and because it's not even clear at the moment whether Targett is a half decent Villa player.
I'll bow to your superior experience on the subject of talking out of your arse.
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Dean Smith was given a new four-year deal for getting Villa into the bottom half of the bottom half of the table. I'm not surprised he's rewarded an erratic performer with a glowing reference for a future England call-up.
This is the new Villa - where potential is valued higher than actual end product. See also Moraes, Wesley; Trezeguet, Mahmoud Hassan; etc.
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Dean Smith was given a new four-year deal for getting Villa into the bottom half of the bottom half of the table. I'm not surprised he's rewarded an erratic performer with a glowing reference for a future England call-up.
Yes he has been rewarded with a new contract for getting us in the bottom half of the table in the Premier Legaue. Having taken over a mid table Championship side 12 months ago that nobody, following us getting trashed 3-0 at Wigan, saw promotion as coming any time soon.
This is the new Villa, the 5th best 2nd division side last year having just dipped into the bottom 3 in a very competitive top flight.
Quite the achievement. Yet your post implies we've fallen from grace, rather than done rather well to pick ourselves off the canvass and yesterday secure lire first top flight double in 6 years. Context is key.
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ATL you need to calm down mate.
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ATL you need to calm down mate.
Yeah sorry, I'm out of control - bucket of ice needed for rephrasing what so many others have said about our manager and our left-back...
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Defending your players shouldn't mean talking out of your arse.
I suppose he should start slagging them off becasue that's what somebody on the internet thinks.
Is the alternative to slagging your players off just talking out of your arse? Several stages in between I'd say. Saying Targett is potentially England material is daft because it could be said about any England player and because it's not even clear at the moment whether Targett is a half decent Villa player.
I'll bow to your superior experience on the subject of talking out of your arse.
I have a different view to you and Smith that's all. No need to have a pop at me.
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Defending your players shouldn't mean talking out of your arse.
I suppose he should start slagging them off becasue that's what somebody on the internet thinks.
Is the alternative to slagging your players off just talking out of your arse? Several stages in between I'd say. Saying Targett is potentially England material is daft because it could be said about any England player and because it's not even clear at the moment whether Targett is a half decent Villa player.
I'll bow to your superior experience on the subject of talking out of your arse.
I have a different view to you and Smith that's all. No need to have a pop at me.
But it's perfectly alright for you to say someone's talking out of their arse.
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I don't see anything all that controversial in saying that a guy with 22 England age group caps, many earned under the current england manager, could get senior caps if he works for it. That seems a pretty obvious challenge to him to find his form and put the work in for us.
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But it's perfectly alright for you to say someone's talking out of their arse.
I could point to any number of posts on any thread on any day which express stronger opinions than mine. Why single me out?
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Defending your players shouldn't mean talking out of your arse.
These are the comments “ There is potentially an England left-back there but he has to go and push himself,” said the boss.
“Matt knows that and we have had regular conversations about it. His fitness was not where I wanted it at the start of pre-season. He was made aware of that and he agreed.
“He has worked really hard to get to where he is now but there is still a lot of work left for him to do.”
Targett, who was a member of the Saints academy from the age of eight, has undergone extra gym sessions in order to build up his physical strength.
Smith added: “He is getting stronger. Technically there are no questions. He is a very gifted footballer. Sometimes it is that other little bit of pushing him”
He’s talking about what he “could” achieve not saying he is currently at that position. Perhaps people have responded to the headline rather than the content.
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I haven't got a problem with anyone defending his players, or bigging them up, and some of what Smith says is fair enough. But - in my opinion - the England bit is wildly OTT and, in the context of Targetts recent performances, bound to provoke a few snorts of derision. Just as it has on here.
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Targett gets some grief on here and much of it reasonable. He does get skinned regularly and seems to over-commit leaving the wingers up against him a free run into our box.
However, with the system we play he needs help. If he is expected to bomb forward then anyone else on his side needs to cover for him and this is often lacking. El Ghazi is particularly culpable.
Maybe a 3 centre back system would work better if our full backs are pushing forward to guarantee that cover.
I'm not sure that Targett's failings are by any means solely down to him.
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I'm reserving judgement on him. But he needs to stop so many crosses coming into the box. The amount of times a winger does him on the outside is concerning. Same goes for the other full backs we have - even when the wingers are attempting to cover we look susceptible.
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I haven't got a problem with anyone defending his players, or bigging them up, and some of what Smith says is fair enough. But - in my opinion - the England bit is wildly OTT and, in the context of Targetts recent performances, bound to provoke a few snorts of derision. Just as it has on here.
Didn’t stop Geoff Thomas
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Bought a dud.
He's crap in his main position and he's also a coward.
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Like so many, he's not what you need when battling, scrapping and giving everything is required.
No doubt Taylor is a better defender, yes, he offers nothing at all going forward but we needed much better than Targett.
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Biggest wimp I've seen play LB in all my years going to Villa Park.
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I was relieved when he went off injured.
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Biggest wimp I've seen play LB in all my years going to Villa Park.
He is rather weak.
Doesn't sound too tough just in his interviews not that should be some judgement.
I'm all for footballers rather than destroyers and enforcers but Targett seems to struggle with physicality.
I suggest he builds up his muscle mass
I was thinking less 'muscle mass' (it's probably more fat with him) as I feel he's too slow for a left back who needs to get up and down.
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When Mings returns Hause has got to play at LB.
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Dean Smith was given a new four-year deal for getting Villa into the bottom half of the bottom half of the table. I'm not surprised he's rewarded an erratic performer with a glowing reference for a future England call-up.
Yes he has been rewarded with a new contract for getting us in the bottom half of the table in the Premier Legaue. Having taken over a mid table Championship side 12 months ago that nobody, following us getting trashed 3-0 at Wigan, saw promotion as coming any time soon.
This is the new Villa, the 5th best 2nd division side last year having just dipped into the bottom 3 in a very competitive top flight.
Quite the achievement. Yet your post implies we've fallen from grace, rather than done rather well to pick ourselves off the canvass and yesterday secure lire first top flight double in 6 years. Context is key.
I stand by what I said.
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Biggest wimp I've seen play LB in all my years going to Villa Park.
I despised Stephen Warnock for the same reason but the more Targett plays Warnock appears Stuart Pearce esque in comparison. Targett is a complete charlatan of a defender. I just don't get who possibly could have authorised spending that kind of money on him, about the third of the price of Guilbert.
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As others have said, he’s not one for the fight is he? Reminds me of that kid who pissed himself in American Pie or whatever it was. Wimp.
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I’d try him as a left winger before we write him off.
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Our full back called Nicky was bad enough. It always made him sound like a hairdresser.
He was like Norman Hunter compared to fucking Matt Targett.
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My pal reckons he cried wolf going off at Wolves with a head injury because he was getting such a roasting off Traore.
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He blocked loads of crosses yesterday. He defended well for once.
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Couldn’t tackle a fish supper
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He just looks like a little boy lost to me. Loved it on the tranquil south coast. Remember all his family coming up the day he signed. All very nice and all but he’s a bit of a mummy’s boy and it shows on the pitch. That said I saw enough of him going forward last season to think he has something in a more advance position.
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I’d be much happier to bring House in to play left side of a three. By all means play Targett further forward, as his crossing isn’t bad at all, and he won’t have to tackle those nasty wingers either.
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He has been ok but he stands off attackers far too much for my liking.does have a good cross on him. Definitely a step up from taylor, cissoko.
Think amavi qss alot better than targett though
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I’d be much happier to bring House in to play left side of a three.
Our House, on the left side of a three. Could be a hit.
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I’d be much happier to bring House in to play left side of a three.
Our House, on the left side of a three. Could be a hit.
Clappy thingy.
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I do wonder whether he’s been 100% fit at any point this season; he missed plenty of our early games with a hamstring injury and it seems to keep reoccurring.
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I don’t mind him and think he’s more suited to a 352 system but I wish he got up and threw his body on the line when Watford powered forward and scored. I hope I’m wrong and not being too cynical but I wonder how hurt he was?
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Not as hurt as I am
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I don’t mind him and think he’s more suited to a 352 system but I wish he got up and threw his body on the line when Watford powered forward and scored. I hope I’m wrong and not being too cynical but I wonder how hurt he was?
About as hurt as he was earlier in the season v Wolves I reckon.
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The evidence being...?
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Oh, and Targett's still out.
So, perhaps he wasn't play-acting after all...
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Taylor played like he was injured today. Slowed every ball down, thought really hard and then gave it away. Shite. Hurry back Matty for that wing back slot.
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Taylor played like he was injured today. Slowed every ball down, thought really hard and then gave it away. Shite. Hurry back Matty for that wing back slot.
That's by far Taylor's biggest weakness. When we break forward, the moves break down so many times because Taylor receives the ball, traps it, waits for two seconds, then passes it to whoever is closest to him 10 yards behind.
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I actually think he did really well last night, especially the second half and got into some very dangerous forward positions. His shot set up the equalizer and we've already seen in this new system Freddie score. Not saying at all he's the answer but by being able to push up he puts the opposition more on the back foot.
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One of his better games. In all honesty I didn't think he was that great at the game but watching the highlights he looked half decent. Like many of them, we should see an improvement next season when they will have that bit more experience.
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Did well.
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Best I’ve seen him play last night, seemed really up for it.
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Played quite well and seems to have a good understanding with Jack
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He did play well and he pushed up very high, aided by the system.
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Agree about the system - wing back seems to help with his shortcomings. There is enough defensive cover when he is slow to track back or gets beaten by a winger. And it allows him to get further forward to help with attacks.
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I thought it was his best game for us,
He did really well with a header on goal right at the start of the second half.
But, his technique with the cross shot for our equaliser was excellent.
He could easily have blasted that high, wide and handsome but he got it on ‘target’ and gave the keeper little chance to do anything but palm it away.
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Apart from a lack of pace I think he's a decent player. Trouble is 13 million doesn't go far, and he's about that level. I'd like him to be a bit more dynamic, but with a bit of confidence I think he can be a useful asset.
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Is he an upgrade on Taylor; a definite yes as Taylor offers nothing once he crosses the half-way line.
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To be fair all of our players have been under pressure to get results pretty much from day one this season. The Villa side that struggled after promotion in 1988 looked like a different side to the one that played with such confidence the following season.
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To be fair, most Southampton fans said he had a great left foot but was a bit slow and a bit weak, and not that bright. All of those things are accurate.
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To be fair, most Southampton fans said he had a great left foot but was a bit slow and a bit weak, and not that bright. All of those things are accurate.
appears to be better as a wing back, with three centre backs - it means the left sided centre back gives him a bit more cover. Better going forward than the defensive stuff.
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To be fair, most Southampton fans said he had a great left foot but was a bit slow and a bit weak, and not that bright. All of those things are accurate.
I'd say he seems bright, he links up very well and has developed a good understanding with Grealish; some of their interplay has been really clever.
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I said on here before the Brighton game I was looking forward to his return. Perfectly suited for wing back. Hope he kicks on from here. Very good on the overlap when confident.
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He is also the possessor of a very long pass.
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Great again tonight. What a difference playing him at wing back, him and Jack were telepathic at times. Superb performance from him.
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Targett and Jack tore Leicester apart.
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Exceptional tonight, best left back/wingback performance by a villa player in years in my opinion. Linked really well with Jack and gave us an outlet but also did a good job keeping Perez and Ricardo pretty quiet. The latter was fucking knackered by the end from the run around he got and that tiredness was why he looked glued to the floor for the winner. Also put in a couple of very good crosses.
As with a few other players I think the pressure and sheer amount of games in a short time got to him and he was strugglnig but a couple of decent performances and the confidence from them and he suddenly looks a different player. I'm really pleased for him, I think he's taken a lot of stick (some pretty unfair at times) so it's great to see him get some credit now.
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His best performance for us by a mile and like with pretty much all these youngsters we’ve signed you can see that there is plenty of ability.
It’s so important we stay up this season because apart from the strong financial position to build this squad you also look at these players and know that they’re going to improve with time and persistence.
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He’s too slow in a flat back four against real pace, but the new formation gives him license to get forward.
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It’s a very different player to the one who played against Watford last year. The same can be said about a fair few of them though I suppose. Confidence does wonderful things.
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Repeating myself he was really good tonight but what was he doing when Leicester scored?
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Best game for Matt so far that was. His understanding with Jack is a real asset we should use more of
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Brilliant attacking duo and seem to read each other very well but Targett was at fault for their goal as playing it back he was well positioned but was ball watching and didn't have a clue that player was behind him otherwise by far his best game.
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Great tonight. Him and jack are a great complimentary combination
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He’s improved massively the last few games.
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Aside from benefiting from 3 at the back he does look fitter and sharper. Fair play to him
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Best game since he joined.
He has toughened up and is so much better for it.
The understanding between him jack is superb, and every single ball jack played to him was perfection.
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He was fantastic tonight. Looks like a different player lately.
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The pass from jack for the goal was deceptively brilliant. But also, not many players could be relied on to get hold of a ball at that height as well as targett. They are a great combo
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I’ve been a critic of his and Matt Targett won’t be the best LB ever to play for us, but there’s actually a really decent chance he could make the Euro’s squad simply due to a lack of depth at that position. He’s got some pretty good attacking stats so used in the right system could be a solid back up option to Chilwell.
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He's improved a lot and is a good asset going forward.
Can't see him getting anywhere near though - I think Shaw or Rose would be the back-up.
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Rose has barely played all season and Shaw is so average. You’re probably right but I know Southgate likes Targett so who knows
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Rose has barely played all season and Shaw is so average. You’re probably right but I know Southgate likes Targett so who knows
I know that and you know that. But as things stand, even Jack hasn't had a chance yet over bog-average players from the top 6 so what chance do others have?
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Oh great, another Villa player you've found to castigate.
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Some people need structure around them or they don't function the same. I'm assuming Matt is one of those. I suspect he won't be the only one across all the teams and I also suspect injuries are going to also happen across all the teams as you essentially need pre season training again and it can't be done to the same level as it normally is.
Still football needs to be played so lets force it through and risk lives and careers to finish off a season most people can't be arsed with.
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Some people need structure around them or they don't function the same.
I thought you were going to say Vill I An
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My take on what he says is that he's been following the programme the club have given him but it's worlds apart from being ready for elite level competition. Even training where you have experienced coaches pushing you to get the most out of you is going to be a big step-up to lockdown programming.
It sounds like there's only so many drills you can do on your own with a ball too.
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Matt Targett on sky sports doesn't sound or look he's been that fit over the lock down.
He's started making excuses already.
"You're going to need a good five or six weeks to get into any sort of shape,' he said. '[In the first session on Tuesday] I felt so much heavier running around.
'You do different sorts of runs (in training) which is completely different to running around a park. It's a lot more intense.
'It's very different. We've been sent our individual programmes. It just felt so weird having a ball at your feet.'
This is the same Matt Targett who came to Villa unfit. Has ongoing hamstring issue .
Targett who been injured several times and then sat our extended period after he pulled his hamstring in December
Dean Smith said :
"His fitness was not where I wanted it at the start of pre-season. He was made aware of that and he agreed."
I can imagine he'll be getting injured again when he tries to push himself.
I mean don't know his personal circumstances but fitness wise he seems rather unprofessional and needs monitoring and guiding as well as better strength and conditioning.
He could prevent his injuries with being far more robust and physically fit but it's probably too late now and he's stuck with having issues with his hamstring for his career.
I'm sure Smith and team will take him to task with these comments about being heavy as this is the second time since pre season Matty Targett hasn't been up to playing standard.
Certainly looked rather bloated in face on sky sports news.
My biggest fear was exactly this. That some of the Villa players being lax with their attitude to personal fitness programmes.
Targett clearly has form with this and he'll be one of the first to pull his hamstring when he starts up with any rigor.
Really I recommend hot yoga or pilates and to get greater flexibility.
He clearly has an issue with warm and cool down as well as flexibility so he's gonna be a 14m liability and we'll have to go back to Neil Taylor for the remainder of season
It's really disparing, it really is.
I was going to suggest you are very much a glass half empty man but I suspect you are more of a totally empty glass that is broken man. Please never volunteer to be a Samaritan. ;)
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It’s a bit like home schooling. It’s not quite the same as being in the classroom.
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Can we give it a fucking rest on battering our own players? Just for a little bit while the world is falling to pieces and though much less importantly, we have one foot inside the PL relegation trapdoor.
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It just felt so weird having a ball at your feet.'
That explains a lot.
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In fairness Targett has always been a bit of a whimp.
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Can we give it a fucking rest on battering our own players? Just for a little bit while the world is falling to pieces and though much less importantly, we have one foot inside the PL relegation trapdoor.
Seconded.
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Has to be a first, players being derided after a couple of days training because he looked a little round faced on a Tv interview.
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Well actually Dean Smith said way back when
"His fitness was not where I wanted it at the start of pre-season. He was made aware of that and he agreed."
So there is a lot of substance
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I'm just providing educated insight and foresight that Targett Chas fitness concerns and that he'll be pulling his hamstring
It's likely to happen with the new work load and far more intense training the strain will be a lot and that just fore warning folk he likely to miss some of the run in or not be at 100%
Played much at the top level, Vill I An?
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I'm just providing educated insight and foresight that Targett Chas fitness concerns and that he'll be pulling his hamstring
It's likely to happen with the new work load and far more intense training the strain will be a lot and that just fore warning folk he likely to miss some of the run in or not be at 100%
Played much at the top level, Vill I An?
Educated might mean eg Physiotherapy degree or Sports Psychology etc, not necessarily pro football experience. Right?
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Every player in every team will have lost match fitness and sharpness. How many have really not bothered and totally taken the piss remains to be seen. Personally I would have thought most footballers have fitness equipment in their home and big back gardens and I would imagine most of them have kept themselves pretty fit during the break, even if they just kept fit to relieve the boredom.
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I'd also imagine that the club would be monitoring the work they were doing while at home. I'm sure that alarm bells would have been ringing if X player's daily data wasn't as they expected.
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I saw the Targett thread had been bumped and assumed he had died. I am (somewhat) relieved that isn't the case.
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Can we give it a fucking rest on battering our own players? Just for a little bit while the world is falling to pieces and though much less importantly, we have one foot inside the PL relegation trapdoor.
'Battering' LOL.
And as you quite rightly say, the world is falling to pieces, in which case what's the fucking point getting all mardy because some people are suggesting the players who have got us with one foot in the relegation trapdoor aren't up to much.
Oh and I notice it is generally ok when it's you doing the battering.
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Every player in every team will have lost match fitness and sharpness. How many have really not bothered and totally taken the piss remains to be seen. Personally I would have thought most footballers have fitness equipment in their home and big back gardens and I would imagine most of them have kept themselves pretty fit during the break, even if they just kept fit to relieve the boredom.
Some players live in apartments actually with no gardens
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Being fit and being match fit are two completely different thing. So eight odd weeks away from training with team mates most days and playing competitive games takes it's toll. It does take time to get match fit again as there is only so much fitness training you can do by yourself.
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I'm just providing educated insight and foresight that Targett Chas fitness concerns and that he'll be pulling his hamstring
It's likely to happen with the new work load and far more intense training the strain will be a lot and that just fore warning folk he likely to miss some of the run in or not be at 100%
Played much at the top level, Vill I An?
Educated might mean eg Physiotherapy degree or Sports Psychology etc, not necessarily pro football experience. Right?
An educated guess is a coomon phrase and I suspect this is what Footy is referring to. You don't need to be an expert in a field to make an educated guess, you just look at the facts in front of you and take a view. In this case the facts Footy has worked on are:
He wasn't fit at the start of the season after a summer off
He was shit at the start of the season after a summer off
Deano has said he was unhappy with his fitness at the start of the season after a summer off
He is injury prone
He has just had the equivalent of a summer off
He has gone on record saying he'll probbaly need 5-6 weeks to get fit, which is more than others seem to think reasonable
He looks a bit lardy in the interview.
So I don't think Footy's educated guess is as much of a stretch as others may think.
Whether critisising playesr for something they haven't yet done is fair is of course another thing.
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An educated guess might cover most of what you've mentioned there.
Educated insight (and foresight, no less) suggests personal expertise about the fitness (or lack of) of elite level athletes. Ie not guesswork and not internet bobbins cobbled together from a few reports on Sky Sports News, Pop Bitch, or whatever.
I'm just curious about this expertise.
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An educated guess might cover most of what you've mentioned there.
Educated insight (and foresight, no less) suggests personal expertise about the fitness (or lack of) of elite level athletes. Ie not guesswork and not internet bobbins cobbled together from a few reports on Sky Sports News, Pop Bitch, or whatever.
I'm just curious about this expertise.
It must be pretty obvious to you that English isn't Footy's first language, so maybe give a bit of leeway on phraseology rather than trying to be a smartarse.
And a direct quote from Dean Smith and another from the player himself is hardly internet bobbins from Pop Bitch is it?
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So that's no expertise then, got ya.
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So that's no expertise then, got ya.
More smart arseing.
Footy backed up his view with direct quotes and examples.
I look forward to you never posting again on any subject you don't have expertise in. Please ensure you never put forward any conjecture or opinion unless it is backed up by at least degree level education or personal first class experience or expertise.
Cheers.
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We could go the route of trying to decode this gibbersih as per a Paul Lambert post match interview and say "when he said this, he actually meant this..."
But I pay him enough credit to accept he meant what he said.
It's not the first time we've been blessed with this sort of thing. He was educating us last year about the danger of McGinn missing the back end of last season due to too many yellow cards and was concerned that no one else could see this possibility apart from him- despite most of the match threads saying the exact same thing.
More recently it's about Wesley's patchy form pre injury or our defensive woes that - again - he was somehow ahead of the curve on.
So in isolation, I'd have agreed with your first post. But taken together it's consistent with the earlier approach.
Players being more susceptible to injury to to a high volume of games in a short period? Players being at different levels fitness-wise due to the lockdown? Amazing.
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Every player in every team will have lost match fitness and sharpness. How many have really not bothered and totally taken the piss remains to be seen. Personally I would have thought most footballers have fitness equipment in their home and big back gardens and I would imagine most of them have kept themselves pretty fit during the break, even if they just kept fit to relieve the boredom.
Some players live in apartments actually with no gardens
Are you defending Targett now?
If only Eastie was here he would know the accommodation details of the team along with the Alarm code and how easy it is to place hidden cameras.
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KevinGage - just do what I do. Scroll through any post he makes. It makes for a much better experience
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Yeah scroll on if not interested but let me enlighten you a lot of premier league players and associates read their own player threads on forums. Even more so at this time.
That ever occurred to you? The amount of free time pro footballers have ! And even more so during lock down.
And if it didn't occur to you it's another reason to me being useful round these parts to let people know these things happen.
Thanks for letting me know that. Can you do tax returns?
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Yeah scroll on if not interested but let me enlighten you a lot of premier league players and associates read their own player threads on forums. Even more so at this time.
That ever occurred to you? The amount of free time pro footballers have ! And even more so during lock down.
And if it didn't occur to you it's another reason to me being useful round these parts to let people know these things happen.
Has it ever occured to you that people have the access to do the same if they wish, but probably don't because they're not in the slightest bit fucking interested?
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Can we give it a fucking rest on battering our own players? Just for a little bit while the world is falling to pieces and though much less importantly, we have one foot inside the PL relegation trapdoor.
'Battering' LOL.
And as you quite rightly say, the world is falling to pieces, in which case what's the fucking point getting all mardy because some people are suggesting the players who have got us with one foot in the relegation trapdoor aren't up to much.
Oh and I notice it is generally ok when it's you doing the battering.
You’ve done plenty of that yourself over the years. And then criticized others for the same. I think you’ll find the glass on your house and everyone else’s for that matter on an internet forum for football fans is a little thin.
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So that's no expertise then, got ya.
More smart arseing.
Footy backed up his view with direct quotes and examples.
I look forward to you never posting again on any subject you don't have expertise in. Please ensure you never put forward any conjecture or opinion unless it is backed up by at least degree level education or personal first class experience or expertise.
Cheers.
Oh dear.
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Yeah scroll on if not interested but let me enlighten you a lot of premier league players and associates read their own player threads on forums. Even more so at this time.
That ever occurred to you? The amount of free time pro footballers have ! And even more so during lock down.
And if it didn't occur to you it's another reason to me being useful round these parts to let people know these things happen.
Oh dear dear.
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Yeah scroll on if not interested but let me enlighten you a lot of premier league players and associates read their own player threads on forums. Even more so at this time.
That ever occurred to you? The amount of free time pro footballers have ! And even more so during lock down.
And if it didn't occur to you it's another reason to me being useful round these parts to let people know these things happen.
Oh dear dear.
Everyone loves a self-appointed oracle.
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I’ll argue with anyone about anything
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No you won't.
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Anyway, is Matt Target an athlete or a sugar plum fairy ?
Discuss.
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Matt is sporting a JPA style hairband now.
Doesn’t look overweight at all though, at least in the official pics.
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Anyway, is Matt Target an athlete or a sugar plum fairy ?
Discuss.
Well i'm going with the sugar plum fairy, that wants to be an athlete.
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For the life of us give Targett some protection!
What is disappointing with Dean Smith having watched all the matches again is that he hasn't found a balance for the left hand side defensively and attacking wise.
This season over 400 crosses conceded on left side of our team. Compared to 288 on the left.
Aston Villa are averaging 13 crosses a match to the right sided attack of the opposition.
That is the most in the league.
We are top for conceded chances on left side of the pitch
The only team to have 400+ crosses conceded from either side of the pitch
Left side -Bournemouth are second worst with 396 conceded.
This highlights the imbalance with the amount of crosses coming in on the villa left is concerning. And has been all season.
26 crosses against Chelsea ! Just on that side. Villa gave away 11 on the right.
Targett is being targeted !!
Maybe have Nakamba in to afford him some protection
V Sheffield United had 13 crosses conceded compared to 7 on the right side.
Something will be done Vs Newacstle because Smith and Villa can't allow that to continue
The space and room given on our left side either because Grealish is given too much freedom or /and doesn't cover is affording too many opportunities.
The system and player be it Grealish or el- ghazi seems to continuosly give up chances to the right sided attack of opposition.
Our right side is 13th of 20 for crosses conceded so a lot stronger than our disjoined left side.
Conversely the same side of Targett and Grealish is our strongest for creating chances
And to end with some good news .
Today's opposition Newcastle Utd right side is the worst in the league having conceded the most down that side of the pitch !!
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We monumentally overpaid, as most suggested at the time.
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Certainly needs help/protection over there, not sure if it's all because of the system though. Time and time again I see him getting dragged into the middle and then he's left with too much ground to cover outside. Not convinced at all.
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We monumentally overpaid, as most suggested at the time.
This is the problem when clubs know your're deperate, have a pocket full of cash or both.
Look at the prices we were quoted for Maupay and Webster compared to what they were ultimately sold for. I bet both would have preferred to come to us.
It will be same when we are flush with the Grealish money.
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What is he thinking with that hair don't? He's like Ray Parlour's uglier younger brother.
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What is he thinking with that hair don't? He's like Ray Parlour's uglier younger brother.
Or sister.....
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Anyway, is Matt Target an athlete or a sugar plum fairy ?
Discuss.
certainly not an athlete, so I'll go with b
our left back hall of shame over the past 20 years is hideous and he is as bad as any of them
Simply miles off the required standard in terms of conditioning and frankly, bottle
No defender at this level should require the amount of cover he seems to need
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Not a massive fan from what I've seen of him so far this season but I didn't think he was too bad today actually.
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Vs Newacstle (and everyone else) No surprise the goal conceded cane from our left hand side ! Yet again
And also we scored from that side via a set piece!
All very predictable
Fearing the worst with Doherty and Adama getting field day down the left hand side Saturday morning.
You cannot in any way blame Targett for that goal.
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Vs Newacstle (and everyone else) No surprise the goal conceded cane from our left hand side ! Yet again
And also we scored from that side via a set piece!
All very predictable
Fearing the worst with Doherty and Adama getting field day down the left hand side Saturday morning.
You cannot in any way blame Targett for that goal.
Yes you can, he was shoved off the ball and should have been stronger.
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I'm just providing educated insight and foresight that Targett Chas fitness concerns and that he'll be pulling his hamstring
It's likely to happen with the new work load and far more intense training the strain will be a lot and that just fore warning folk he likely to miss some of the run in or not be at 100%
Like I said
Congrats.
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Won't be missed. How we managed to spend 12m and get a worse left back than Taylor beggars belief.
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Not one for a scrap is our Matthew.
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Not one for a scrap is our Matthew.
Mr Crisp, because he snaps like one!
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I'm not saying that his injury isn't genuine, but nobody seems very surprised when he left the field of play after a few minutes.
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Twice this season he's managed to escape a proper game against Adama. Just feel like this bloke isn't particularly up for the fight.
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I'm not saying that his injury isn't genuine, but nobody seems very surprised when he left the field of play after a few minutes.
Probably saw Traore's first warm up sprint down the touchline!!
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Realistically, how much of the £12m we paid would we get back on him?
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Realistically, how much of the £12m we paid would we get back on him?
Who would want him and his wages. Another shit left back, only this time I fear we'll be stuck with him.
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Realistically, how much of the £12m we paid would we get back on him?
Who would want him and his wages. Another shit left back, only this time I fear we'll be stuck with him.
We jus don't seem to fucking learn do we?
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I think he is barely adequate but not our biggest problem.
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I thought Taylor, and particularly Duggie, did very well against Traore.
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Realistically, how much of the £12m we paid would we get back on him?
Who would want him and his wages. Another shit left back, only this time I fear we'll be stuck with him.
We jus don't seem to fucking learn do we?
Absolutely we don't. If I were Purslow I would have asked Pitarch and Smith, when it was first proposed, "Why do you think it's a good idea to pay £12m for a defender who is not first choice in a struggling team?".
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Left back has been an absolute graveyard for us as a team in the last 10 years, we haven't had a consistently decent one since Bouma. Warnock had one good half season, and Luke Young did OK playing out of position for a bit, but since then, absolute shite with no exceptions. Bennett, Luna, Cissokho, Richardson, Taylor and now this complete plant pot.
(Actually, I supose Amavi looked the part at times, but very obviously didn't want to be here.)
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An unwanted, third choice left back from a side that were tipped to struggle, for £12m, why?
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Left back has been an absolute graveyard for us as a team in the last 10 years, we haven't had a consistently decent one since Bouma. Warnock had one good half season, and Luke Young did OK playing out of position for a bit, but since then, absolute shite with no exceptions. Bennett, Luna, Cissokho, Richardson, Taylor and now this complete plant pot.
(Actually, I supose Amavi looked the part at times, but very obviously didn't want to be here.)
Valencia finished Warnock in that cup final. I genuinely hated watching him in our shirt after that. His confidence in bits and had a touch of the Targetts too in the courage department.
Don't forget Nickey Shorey, I know many have! Amavi showed promise early on but eventually was so poor he lost his place to some of the luminaries mentioned above.
With Targett, it beggars belief that Smith and Suso thought he would fit the bill.
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Ok, so I couldn't help myself, I listened to Talk Sport on the way home from work and they were talking about Targett. Being a hamstring injury waiting to happen especially as Dean Smith played him four times in 11 days, therefore, bringing the injury upon poor Matt. Also, talking about Targett as a potential England International because Adrian Durham doesn't rate Ben Chilwell. At least they weren't talking about Liverpool I suppose.
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I actually think Targett is okay.
I think he's better in a wing back role and suits a 3-5-2 sort of formation.
When you have this type of player you have to have players fill in behind when they are up field. This hasn't happened and it leaves him exposed when we lose the ball.
It was exactly the same with Joe Bennett. It wasn't until Delph started covering behind that he started to get a bit of confidence. He had a great game vrs Chelsea and was pretty good for the last few games.
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I don't mind Targett, he isn't a world beater but he's good enough for a non-relegated Premier League team which puts him in the upper echelons of current Villa players.
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I don't mind Targett, he isn't a world beater but he's good enough for a non-relegated Premier League team which puts him in the upper echelons of current Villa players.
Wasn't good enough to get in Southampton's side and they were aa lower table side when he was there.
In all fairness, his attacking play probably is of that standard, but his defending and his overall commitment to the cause this season have left a lot be desired.
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He's shit and vastly overpriced. Another player who will see out his contract with us whilst contributing the minimum.
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He's shit and vastly overpriced. Another player who will see out his contract with us whilst contributing the minimum.
Eh? He's hardly fucking Ross McCormack.
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He's shit and vastly overpriced. Another player who will see out his contract with us whilst contributing the minimum.
Eh? He's hardly fucking Ross McCormack.
Ross McCormack contributed fuck all. Point still stands, he's nowhere near good enough and no one will take him from us.
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I actually think Targett is okay.
I think he's better in a wing back role and suits a 3-5-2 sort of formation.
When you have this type of player you have to have players fill in behind when they are up field. This hasn't happened and it leaves him exposed when we lose the ball.
It was exactly the same with Joe Bennett. It wasn't until Delph started covering behind that he started to get a bit of confidence. He had a great game vrs Chelsea and was pretty good for the last few games.
Yep.
He's become the scapegoat for the collective clusterfuck that this squad has been over the course of the season.
He's no world-beater, but he ain't the worst we've seen.
And, yes, we overpaid for him!
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Has looked good at times going forward, links well with Jack, but not a good defender.
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If we go down, he will be ok in the Championship. For a Premier Division player though, he needs to improve.
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Out for 3 weeks
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Out for 3 weeks
and then back to square one fitness wise for the last few games.
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Out for 3 weeks
and then back to square one fitness wise for the last few games.
Last few games? Our final match is 26 July, bet he doesn't play again this season.
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Out for 3 weeks
Confirmed? That’s not good news if that is the case.
We do seem to have been one of the least fortunate teams with injuries. Currently missing (arguably) four of our first choice back five, our main striker and have a half fit John McGinn.
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I'm not a huge fan of him at this level but worth remembering he started at left back for Fulham when they beat us in the play off final so he obviously played his part in their mass winning run.
Fulham didn't take up the permanent option (if there was one) and pinched Joe Bryan off us last minute although judging by his prem games he's of a similar standard to Targett.
Last reliable one was Bouma. Took a year to settle in but showed his quality defensively for the following two seasons. Saw a few of those classic euro games and you forget Holland were calling up Bouma for major tournaments before we signed him.
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As much as I , and others , lambasted this chap I have to hold hands up and applaud him both today final day and decent few final games in as much as the fight and effort he showed.
The match v Everton (let's just say glad I was on break from here) I was livid with him and Walcott heading that goal.
Don't care now though so we eh villa followers !!
But today though he was again, like v Arsenal, soild and battle hardy. When needed. And I even remember him winning a few booming headers and being determined.
Immense
Appreciated his interview afterwards v Everton as he seemed genuinely distraught and he actually stepped up.
Matt Targett well played for all the flak I gave so pleased to say well bloody done hanging in there and proving me wrong (Dean Smith phrases.)
Cant always think I'm so foresight so defo holding hands up and applauding him
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He's been better of late, and is decent going forward but a good defender he is not. Gives the ball away cheaply when you'd really rather he didn't, like all match today.
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Agreed, he's one player I'd like to see made a squad player with a better LB coming in this summer. It's SUCH an important position in the modern game. God knows who's available though...
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As much as I , and others , lambasted this chap I have to hold hands up and applaud him both today final day
Thank you for doing that.
I think Targett has had a very good mini-league despite his muscle strain and the Everton ball-watching.
We now need another LB to replace Taylor and put pressure on him.
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M6/M1 Twitter doing its nut that Leicester want him to replace Chilwell.
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So do I.
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So do I.
We need our replacement in situ first before we slam Leicester for £25m
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I think Targett’s decent enough.
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I'd rather keep him. Very good going forward and improved defensively after lockdown in a more solid side. If they want to throw the majority of that 50m our way then that's a different story.
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I like him.
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I like him.
Me too
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He's good going forward and linked up with Grealish really well. I imagine his youtube highlights would be pretty good.
Defensively I don't think he's good enough yet, the opposition seem to be able to cross at will. But there was an improvement towards the end of the season and hopefully that continues. There's absolutely no way I'd consider selling him at the moment. Fullbacks have been one of our hardest positions to fill over the last few years and it would be madness to weaken ourselves there right now.
I'd like an upgrade on Taylor to push him though.
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I think he has a yellow streak in him that pops up when the going gets tough, same as ElGhazi.
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He's not one I was looking to bomb out at the end of the season but if we could turn a reasonable profit I'd bite. Anything in excess of £25 million and it makes sense to do the deal.
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I like him.
Me too
And me. He has been decent over the season and looks to be getting better by the game.
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Bloody awful defender.
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I think he has a yellow streak in him that pops up when the going gets tough, same as ElGhazi.
That game at Wolves early last season was when those question marks first appeared. His injury that day did seem a tad convenient considering the way he was playing. Something, limited and all that he is, you couldn't accuse Taylor of in fairness. He'll battle anyway.
Douglas Luiz had a shocker the same day at Wolves with an utterly gutless performance in midfield, Traore brushing off him for the second goal was the pits. But the penny seemed to drop for him that his fitness and conditioning needed marked improvement during the lockdown. Hopefully Matt Targett has also taken the same hint over the break. If he hasn't, then he will remain a huge liability in our defence.
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I don't particularly dislike him, he's decent with the ball at his feet but its one of the most important positions these days and I dont think he has the strength, speed or stamina to be a tophalf left back.
Id see if Amarvi fancies coming back.
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I like him.
Me too
And me. He has been decent over the season and looks to be getting better by the game.
Me too, he’s improving all the time and his link up play with Jack is very good
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I like him.
Me too
And me. He has been decent over the season and looks to be getting better by the game.
And me as well. Some of his link up play with Jack was ace.
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I like him.
Me too
And me. He has been decent over the season and looks to be getting better by the game.
scored a couple of goals too...
UTV
The Doc
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I like him.
Me too
And me. He has been decent over the season and looks to be getting better by the game.
And me as well. Some of his link up play with Jack was ace.
it’s a yes from me to
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I like him.
Me too
And me. He has been decent over the season and looks to be getting better by the game.
And me as well. Some of his link up play with Jack was ace.
it’s a yes from me to
I like him. We strengthened post lockdown and he looked better too. If he's wanted by Leicester then he can't be as bad as people may think?
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It's a no from me.
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I'd be more than happy if we could get our money back. To his credit he stepped up after lockdown but overall he looked way out of his depth. The only reason to keep him is the thought of having to integrate one more player assuming we're going to bring in at least 3 first teamers.
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We've got more pressing priorities than trying to find a suitable replacement. He'll do for now and if he can keep getting better then there's no rush to sell.
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Keep him, we're already struggling to get people in so the last thing we need is another position to fill unless we're offered something daft like £30m.
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Keep him, we're already struggling to get people in so the last thing we need is another position to fill unless we're offered something daft like £30m.
Although I agree to keep him, but what makes you think we’re struggling to get any one in? We have absolutely no idea what’s happening behind the scenes do we?
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Because we finished 17th, have no forwards of any note, the worst defence in the division, our keeper is out for at least a month in to the season and we have a couple of weeks until kick off yet we've added no one.
I'm almost 100 percent sure this situation isn't by design or our choosing.
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Because we finished 17th, have no forwards of any note, the worst defence in the division, our keeper is out for at least a month in to the season and we have a couple of weeks until kick off yet we've added no one.
I'm almost 100 percent sure this situation isn't by design or our choosing.
But apart from that you are happy? Jesus, I really wonder why people bother to support us.
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I don’t understand why worry about anything that hasn’t happened yet or worry about such negative speculation that we are struggling to make things happen. I don’t get it. I know we’re all different but after surviving last season and adding additions surely gives us more hope, not less.
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I don’t understand why worry about anything that hasn’t happened yet or worry about such negative speculation that we are struggling to make things happen. I don’t get it. I know we’re all different but after surviving last season and adding additions surely gives us more hope, not less.
This is it. Smith has already said that 'wheels are in motion' which obviously implies that they are working on deals but for some, that's not enough.
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I don’t understand why worry about anything that hasn’t happened yet or worry about such negative speculation that we are struggling to make things happen. I don’t get it. I know we’re all different but after surviving last season and adding additions surely gives us more hope, not less.
This is it. Smith has already said that 'wheels are in motion' which obviously implies that they are working on deals but for some, that's not enough.
We have the extra week off too. Although, I would prefer any new players to be in at least a week before the first game, learn from last season when Duggie walks in two days before kick off.
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Because we finished 17th, have no forwards of any note, the worst defence in the division, our keeper is out for at least a month in to the season and we have a couple of weeks until kick off yet we've added no one.
I'm almost 100 percent sure this situation isn't by design or our choosing.
But apart from that you are happy? Jesus, I really wonder why people bother to support us.
Because I have been and always will be in love with the club that I started supporting when I was 6, standing on the Holte End to watch a poor, midweek game against Watford as we slid towards relegation. The same team that I watched trounce Man Utd less than a decade later at Wembley with my old man, one of the happiest days of my life.
It doesn't make me oblivious to the problems we have or are having and I give credit just as fairly when it's due.
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I don’t understand why worry about anything that hasn’t happened yet or worry about such negative speculation that we are struggling to make things happen. I don’t get it. I know we’re all different but after surviving last season and adding additions surely gives us more hope, not less.
I'd have a bit more confidence in them if they hadn't botched the last two transfer windows, especially January. It was obvious that we needed reinforcements, and they brought in Drinkwater who actually made us worse.
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Because we finished 17th, have no forwards of any note, the worst defence in the division, our keeper is out for at least a month in to the season and we have a couple of weeks until kick off yet we've added no one.
I'm almost 100 percent sure this situation isn't by design or our choosing.
But apart from that you are happy? Jesus, I really wonder why people bother to support us.
Because I have been and always will be in love with the club that I started supporting when I was 6, standing on the Holte End to watch a poor, midweek game against Watford as we slid towards relegation. The same team that I watched trounce Man Utd less than a decade later at Wembley with my old man, one of the happiest days of my life.
It doesn't make me oblivious to the problems we have or are having and I give credit just as fairly when it's due.
But what problems are we having? You are just assuming we are having trouble bringing players in with no proof of that whatsoever.
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I don’t understand why worry about anything that hasn’t happened yet or worry about such negative speculation that we are struggling to make things happen. I don’t get it. I know we’re all different but after surviving last season and adding additions surely gives us more hope, not less.
I'd have a bit more confidence in them if they hadn't botched the last two transfer windows, especially January. It was obvious that we needed reinforcements, and they brought in Drinkwater who actually made us worse.
It seems that they recognised that and reacted by potting Pitarch and bringing in Lange.
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I don’t understand why worry about anything that hasn’t happened yet or worry about such negative speculation that we are struggling to make things happen. I don’t get it. I know we’re all different but after surviving last season and adding additions surely gives us more hope, not less.
This is it. Smith has already said that 'wheels are in motion' which obviously implies that they are working on deals but for some, that's not enough.
We have the extra week off too. Although, I would prefer any new players to be in at least a week before the first game, learn from last season when Duggie walks in two days before kick off.
Wasn't that down to his work permit though?
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has Drinkwater definitely gone now never to return?
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I don’t understand why worry about anything that hasn’t happened yet or worry about such negative speculation that we are struggling to make things happen. I don’t get it. I know we’re all different but after surviving last season and adding additions surely gives us more hope, not less.
This is it. Smith has already said that 'wheels are in motion' which obviously implies that they are working on deals but for some, that's not enough.
We have the extra week off too. Although, I would prefer any new players to be in at least a week before the first game, learn from last season when Duggie walks in two days before kick off.
Wasn't that down to his work permit though?
Absolutely Clampy, but it still happened and wasn't the greatest prep is my point.
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I don’t understand why worry about anything that hasn’t happened yet or worry about such negative speculation that we are struggling to make things happen. I don’t get it. I know we’re all different but after surviving last season and adding additions surely gives us more hope, not less.
I'd have a bit more confidence in them if they hadn't botched the last two transfer windows, especially January. It was obvious that we needed reinforcements, and they brought in Drinkwater who actually made us worse.
I guess the bosses thought the same as Pitarch as been sacked. So hopefully we won’t make the same mistakes this season.
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Because we finished 17th, have no forwards of any note, the worst defence in the division, our keeper is out for at least a month in to the season and we have a couple of weeks until kick off yet we've added no one.
I'm almost 100 percent sure this situation isn't by design or our choosing.
But apart from that you are happy? Jesus, I really wonder why people bother to support us.
Because I have been and always will be in love with the club that I started supporting when I was 6, standing on the Holte End to watch a poor, midweek game against Watford as we slid towards relegation. The same team that I watched trounce Man Utd less than a decade later at Wembley with my old man, one of the happiest days of my life.
It doesn't make me oblivious to the problems we have or are having and I give credit just as fairly when it's due.
But what problems are we having? You are just assuming we are having trouble bringing players in with no proof of that whatsoever.
Playing devil's advocate, you could say the lack of signings is at least an indicator that may be the case.
Just saying, like.
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I’ve got no doubts they are struggling to bring players in
that’s just the nature of the beast at the moment
but I’m sure it’s not for the want of trying
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Because we finished 17th, have no forwards of any note, the worst defence in the division, our keeper is out for at least a month in to the season and we have a couple of weeks until kick off yet we've added no one.
I'm almost 100 percent sure this situation isn't by design or our choosing.
But apart from that you are happy? Jesus, I really wonder why people bother to support us.
Because I have been and always will be in love with the club that I started supporting when I was 6, standing on the Holte End to watch a poor, midweek game against Watford as we slid towards relegation. The same team that I watched trounce Man Utd less than a decade later at Wembley with my old man, one of the happiest days of my life.
It doesn't make me oblivious to the problems we have or are having and I give credit just as fairly when it's due.
But what problems are we having? You are just assuming we are having trouble bringing players in with no proof of that whatsoever.
Playing devil's advocate, you could say the lack of signings is at least an indicator that may be the case.
Just saying, like.
Not necessarily. It doesn't really indicate we are having problems at all. Maybe that's just what some fans want to think.
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Bar the odd Benteke one our permanent transfers have generally been a shambles since 2010 under countless managers and owners. Ironically one of the best ones was 2015 but we completely botched the key positions (Richards/Lescott/Gestede) so the other decent ones faded into the same gutless tripe served up by those. Pretty much all of them have done well since and would improve us considerably if we got them back.
Would be lovely to have a 95 transfer campaign again when we improve 3-4 positions in one window. Lots to do when you think how bad our striking options are compared to pretty much every other team.
January was a bit of a warning. Assuming we'd get a decent striker in on the last day and then Borja Baston was plucked from the depths of Suso's contact book.
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I’ve been one of his harshest critics but another player who has been excellent this season. Just looks really steady. And as part of this back four they all look very settled with a top keeper behind them all.
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One of his best performances for us tonight and I'm one of his biggest critics usually. Bit more aggression shown too.
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Well done Matt.
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He was very good against Liverpool as well where defence had to work hard.
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I’ve been one of his harshest critics but another player who has been excellent this season. Just looks really steady. And as part of this back four they all look very settled with a top keeper behind them all.
Agreed - But I'd say his form has clicked into place since the Liverpool game. He was garbage against Sheff Utd and Fulham, but these last two games he's actually got his head down and performed. Thought he put a monumental performance in last night.
Well done Matty for making us eat humble pie - Long may it continue! UTV
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Hopefully the last few games will have stopped the ridculous clamour for Guilbert to be played at left back!
Keep up the good work Matty.
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I'm neither enthused or pissed off with Targett and I like the fact he sometimes links well with Jack but there was a point in the game where he made a tackle, lost the ball then immediately put a block that encapsulated our approach as a team recently. Committed, stoic, determined and with ceaseless effort.
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I'm neither enthused or pissed off with Targett and I like the fact he sometimes links well with Jack but there was a point in the game where he made a tackle, lost the ball then immediately put a block that encapsulated our approach as a team recently. Committed, stoic, determined and with ceaseless effort.
There were a few occasions last night when I had to do a double take to see it was him that had just done that, and I'm not one of his detractors.
I thought he was mustard last night.
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All of the defence played well including Target. I’d take him off free kick duty though. He must be great in training to keep getting the job. Has he made a keeper save one yet?
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All of the defence played well including Target. I’d take him off free kick duty though. He must be great in training to keep getting the job. Has he made a keeper save one yet?
Agreed but when Hourihane doesn’t play we are short of left footers.
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Have been very critical of Targett, but have to admit he is playing well this season. Very happy to be proven wrong.
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Thought he played very well last night. I think when you bring quality in as we have this season there are often players who have struggled previously that raise their games. Seeing that with Trez also.
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He doesn’t tend to get a lot of love, but thought he was excellent again on Sunday. He offers us a hell of a lot going forward, and links so well with Jack and Ross.
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I like him... links up real well on that left side.
UTV
The Doc
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He’s certainly looking better recently and our left side looks great.
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chips in with the rare goal too...
UTV
The Doc
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He was very good and is looking much more the part. You can see what they've been working on in training when he bursts forward.
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A player that is definitely improving, long May it continue.
What I like is that he plays with his head up so when he comes on to the ball he is looking for options.
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Crazy but brilliant bit of play when he was the most advanced of the three with Jack and Ross.
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He’s certainly looking better recently and our left side looks great.
Interesting to see if Lampty does any damage for BHA. the treats have all been down our right over the last three games and I think Cash has coped reasonably well.
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When people talk about players who have improved since lockdown and mention Konsa, Luiz and Trezeguet, I think he's close to be added to that bracket of players.
I'm sure I read an interview with Smith during the summer where he said that he was happy with how Targett was improving and thought he could start being considered as an option at left back for England before the end of the season.
With Taylor's contract up at the end of the season it will be interesting to see what they do next summer.
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As paul_e knows, I am a critic of Matt Target. In fairness to Matt he is improving and has improved things. His attitude is much better. Long may it continue.
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Continuing to improve, he's no world beater but a steady pair of feet so far... keep it up Matt!
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Big defensive improvement this season along with his great partnership with Jack he’s becoming an important part of the team
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Agree WDV. This boy is improving with every game.
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In my opinion we paid over the odds for him last summer. But he’s worth all of it now. He’s a very steady player now and looks really competent.
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I thought one bad pass aside, he had a really good game yesterday. Much, much stronger defensively, but still getting into good positions higher up the pitch alongside Jack.
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I think Matt Targett gets way too much criticism, or praise that's with some caveat.
I like him, I think he's the best left back we've had in a while, and i think he'll get better. Time will tell, but I think he'll be looked on as an absolute bargain in a few years time.
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Seems to have grown a big pair of balls.
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He did well against Traore. Fair play
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Seems to have grown a big pair of balls.
He has clearly benefitted from coaching and strengthening, so long may it continue
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He’s done well over the last few games. Another one getting to grips with the level he is playing at.
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He's a good player, but I think we forget he was still relatively inexperienced for a defender when he joined us - he was almost 24 at the time, but only had 60 first-team appearances, 20-odd of those for Fulham in the championship. And inexperience is a much bigger factor for defenders than elsewhere on the pitch.
The point being, his defending was always likely to improve compared to where it was when he joined, it's whether it improves enough, or fast enough, to make it as a first-choice left-back in the top half of the premier league.
He's not blessed with the blistering pace or physicality you see with some young fullbacks when they emerge, so recovering from mistakes is a bit more difficult for him, but he's definitely making fewer mistakes this season, and still looks as good going forward.
I'm not sure he's the long term answer, and he definitely needs some proper competition for his place, but like a lot of last year's recruits, he's already a much better player than when he joined and long may that improvement continue!
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I thought one bad pass aside, he had a really good game yesterday. Much, much stronger defensively, but still getting into good positions higher up the pitch alongside Jack.
He certainly benefited by having SJM in front of him yesterday. Whether he can cope on his own against tough wingers in the future is still to be decided, he's certainly had it easy this season compared to Cash with teams attacking with tricky wingers down our right. What I liked yesterday was the number of crucial blocks he put in.
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He's doing well, he has a good understanding with Grealish and seems to be getting in the right places at the right times too, which was a previous issue.
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I thought one bad pass aside, he had a really good game yesterday. Much, much stronger defensively, but still getting into good positions higher up the pitch alongside Jack.
He certainly benefited by having SJM in front of him yesterday. Whether he can cope on his own against tough wingers in the future is still to be decided, he's certainly had it easy this season compared to Cash with teams attacking with tricky wingers down our right. What I liked yesterday was the number of crucial blocks he put in.
I think we've got the balance of the left and right sides pretty decent this year. Most teams spend time and manpower trying to contain Jack, which often gives Targett less to do in terms of defending and also more opportunities to join in attacks. On the right, Trez does a lot of the hard yards, which gives Cash the opportunity to get forward a bit. That side needs work and more attacking input from Trez, but it's probably the best it's been in a long time. Targett has certainly moved himself away from the top of the list of players to be upgraded next.
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His overlap ability has really made a difference to Jacks game. His runs cause indecision in the defenders and that instant allows Jack to shimmy past them
He made 2 terrific tackles on Saturday also and where he bottled it and went off last year this year never gave Traore a look in
Well done Matty
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Just shows, yet again, that you have to be patient with players, especially in the situation we were in last season.
When you recruit well, and you have coaches that can genuinely improve players over time, things can turn out well.
That £15m fee isn't looking too bad now, is it?
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He continues to improve, his approach is more conservative As he is choosing his moments to support attacks, his defending is much better and he looks stronger in challenges.
Great to see.
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Just shows, yet again, that you have to be patient with players, especially in the situation we were in last season.
When you recruit well, and you have coaches that can genuinely improve players over time, things can turn out well.
That £15m fee isn't looking too bad now, is it?
It's not just a question of patience, or else Jota and Samatta would still be here.
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I agree he's improved this season. Always thought there was a player in there - he's always been very tidy on the ball - but he looked a bit frightened at times.
Also thought he had a good game on Saturday. During the match, there was a moment when he'd been involved in a tackle, was on the floor and a Wolves player accidentally caught him full-on in the face with his knee. I remember thinking that, had that been last season, he'd have gone off after it. There just seems more about him this year. Stronger, more experienced, more confident.
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His overlap ability has really made a difference to Jacks game. His runs cause indecision in the defenders and that instant allows Jack to shimmy past them
He made 2 terrific tackles on Saturday also and where he bottled it and went off last year this year never gave Traore a look in
Well done Matty
What we also saw on Saturday was McGinn drifting onto the left side, and there were a couple of great interchanges between him, Targett and JG. Having Ramsey in Right MF gave McGinn a little more licence to drift, and I think that really benefitted both Targett and JG.
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Just shows, yet again, that you have to be patient with players, especially in the situation we were in last season.
When you recruit well, and you have coaches that can genuinely improve players over time, things can turn out well.
That £15m fee isn't looking too bad now, is it?
It's not just a question of patience, or else Jota and Samatta would still be here.
It plays a big part though, there were more than a few of us on here saying Targett looked like he was forming a good partnership with Jack and that they would become a good pair down that side but because he wasn't playing well right then we got argued with about how a new left back was a top priority.
There's been a few mentions about how the job of scouts for a club where we are is to spot a player who is coming towards a big jump in performances, of the current squad I'd say Konsa, Targett, Luiz, McGinn and Trez were all signed just before that and Cash, Martinez, Watkins and Mings were signed just after and combined that's why we've seen such a jump in overall performance. What the strategy means though is that patience is important.
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You can be as patient as you like, but if the player hasn't got the basics to be a success, it's never going to happen. Jota wasn't strong or quick enough to be a success in the Premier League, and that was evident from the beginning. Targett was always good enough going forward, and as that's a large part of a modern left back's role the building blocks were there. The same with Konsa, you could see he had all the attributes and just needed experience. For that reason, I don't think Davis will ever make it, as he hasn't got a key part of being a forward, and that's an eye for goal. I don't think you can learn that, so patience probably won't be rewarded with Keinan.
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Sorry Ross but I'm not sure that makes sense. Davis has plenty of good attributes. If Targett can learn defending as a defender, then what couldn't Davis do the same as an attacker? He holds the ball up well, causes problems for defenders and brings others in to the game. It's the lack of goals that's the issue but I'm pretty sure I've read je knocks them in for fun in training so it's more likely confidence issue.
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Just shows, yet again, that you have to be patient with players, especially in the situation we were in last season.
When you recruit well, and you have coaches that can genuinely improve players over time, things can turn out well.
That £15m fee isn't looking too bad now, is it?
It's not just a question of patience, or else Jota and Samatta would still be here.
Not the point you were making but arguably you could say that there was no need to sign Jota and (possibly) Samatta in the first instance considering how many games they played. It’s a fine line but I prefer a squad where each member is only an injury away from being picked. It ensures everyone is involved and drags up youth players.
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I was one of the gang berating Targett last season/start of this season, but credit where credit's due, the lad has stepped up and is probably the most improved player this season.
I think back to his performance earlier this season against Fulham, and thought we were going to get torn a new one against Liverpool with him facing off against Alexander-Arnold. That was the turning point - He's got stronger defensively ever since that Liverpool game, and looks a solid proposition now. Still need another LB (either to improve the first choice spot or back up), but VERY impressed with the improvement he's made. Well done Matty - Long may it continue.
UTV
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Yep, also admit to being pleasantly surprised by Targett's inlroved defending this season. It must have been conditioning, fitness and a bit of confidence. Would still like competition for him when we're in Europe next season.
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Sorry Ross but I'm not sure that makes sense. Davis has plenty of good attributes. If Targett can learn defending as a defender, then what couldn't Davis do the same as an attacker? He holds the ball up well, causes problems for defenders and brings others in to the game. It's the lack of goals that's the issue but I'm pretty sure I've read je knocks them in for fun in training so it's more likely confidence issue.
The main problem with Davis is fitness. He shows a lot of good attributes which means he should at least be a decent squad player, but he seems to consistently be injured unfortunately
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Sorry Ross but I'm not sure that makes sense. Davis has plenty of good attributes. If Targett can learn defending as a defender, then what couldn't Davis do the same as an attacker? He holds the ball up well, causes problems for defenders and brings others in to the game. It's the lack of goals that's the issue but I'm pretty sure I've read je knocks them in for fun in training so it's more likely confidence issue.
I'd bet any money you like that in a year's time, Davis will either have left, or will still be nowhere near the first team, probably having scored zero goals. Not going to happen for him. But anyway, this is the Targett thread so I'll leave that there.
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On 4 yellows so one away from a suspension
Its imperative to bring in an attacking left back as cover and competition
Neil Taylor will be out of contract come end of season so a competitive player for the squad would be decent to have.
Targett played every minute this season fair play to most of t being improved play
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I just don't understand why anyone would bring Jota and Samatta into a discussion on Targett.
Matt was obviously brought in to be a first-team regular; Jota was a squad-filling, bit-part player; Ally was a forced signing to fill a shirt that was completely empty when he arrived, because of injuries.
They are three entirely different types of signings.
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Agreed, Matt was obviously brought in to be a first-team regular, how else can you justify the price? Same goes for Traore.
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Most improved player of the season for me.
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Considering he struggled to qualify as a footballer last season..
He's doing okay but I'd still love an upgrade.
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Considering he struggled to qualify as a footballer last season..
He's doing okay but I'd still love an upgrade.
Need to get Taylor off the books before that happens so one for next summer rather than next month I think.
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Most improved player..at least he's not Taylor? ;)
Yup, there's some squad building to do next year.
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Much improved, but hope we can do better if we continue to progress.
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He’s having a great season. Would love to see another left back come in January though. If Targett gets injured, we’d hugely miss him.
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Did alright again last night, seems to improve every game at the moment.
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He tried to be too clever with two absolutely terrible passes in the first half that went nowhere near their intended recipient, leading to promising moves breaking down, but other than that he was pretty good. He's improved a lot, and isn't a priority for an upgrade in my view. Unless he cuts out the fannying about that leads to chances, that remains Tyrone Mings.
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Bloody brilliant today.
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Absolutely loving Targett this season. Superb
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MOTM for me today.
Most improved player this season.
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Think he and the coaching team deserve recognition for the huge improvement he has shown, pleased for him.
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He has manned up, reading the game much better. Excellent today.
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Brilliant performance from Matt today defended really well.
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He’s having an excellent season!
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10/10 display that today Matty boy, absolutely brilliant defensive display. Nothing got past him today at all, fan-bloody-tastic.
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10/10, didnt put a foot wrong. Other than Liverpool, who have £200m full backs, Who else has a better pair of fullbacks than us?
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I have eaten so much humble pie over this guy I’m close to throwing up. I would have ditched him as a dud in the summer, but boy, was I sooo wrong ? !
Magnificent performance again, seasons most improved player for me. Well done son.
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Absolutely outstanding today. Well done Marty
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Was brilliant today.
Easily our most improved player of last 12 months.
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Paulo Mattdini
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Glad to see it as I thought he was one of our weakest links last season. He's put the effort in as has Anwar and it's to the benefit of the club. They should both be be very proud of their efforts.
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First goal started with him winning a very good header from a crossfield ball. He's played every minute of every league game as part of a defence that's kept 8 clean sheets. With the paucity of outstanding left backs about these days, I don't know about replacing him, we might be beating a few potential suitors away from our door.
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Forget about replacing him. Look for a promising young player who can be an understudy to him while he develops.
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Roberto Targlos.
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Superb performance today
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I was one of his biggest critics on here, couldn't stand watching him for a finish last season and he carried that form into the season opener ....but transformed so far this season . Physically fitter and a lot tougher
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I'd still want to see better quality competition than Taylor for that left back spot. But with Targett's form since the Liverpool game onwards it's not a priority now.
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Lost count of the tackles/blocks/interceptions he made today
Fantastic performance
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Excellent again. Most improved player.
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Couple of things..at least for me..
I always thought he'd got off lightly this season and has never really been tested.
He couldn't defend. Ace riding on Jack's coattails, but anybody can do that.
Today he became a man. That's what I expected from a Villa left back and he had it in buckets. I've got a feeling it wasn't a one-off and he has finally matured to the be the player many thought he already was. He wasn't. But today he was invincible. Loved it. Long may it continue.
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I watched the game again this evening. He blocked everything. It’s not a fluke anymore. He did it to Traore recently also and he’s improved as the season has gone on. Like all players he will have off games but his average performance is so much better than it ever has been. He’s now a very solid PL left back.
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Couple of things..at least for me..
I always thought he'd got off lightly this season and has never really been tested.
He couldn't defend. Ace riding on Jack's coattails, but anybody can do that.
Today he became a man. That's what I expected from a Villa left back and he had it in buckets. I've got a feeling it wasn't a one-off and he has finally matured to the be the player many thought he already was. He wasn't. But today he was invincible. Loved it. Long may it continue.
I can't talk for anyone else but I've defended him for a while because I could see him becoming this player if we were patient with him and worked in training on his defensive positioning. I found it very interesting in commentary today when they mentioned that we split the defensive dills as Mings/Targett and Hause/Cash instead of CBs and FBs. I'd never thought about how they'd done it but I've said a few times that we're defending better since the restart because the full backs haven't looked as isolated as they were this time last season.
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I didn't envision him being this solid defensively - even when up to speed.
I pegged him more as a Steve Staunton-type (ver 1) - a left back not blessed with pace and who could be got at, but provided quality and attacking threat on the ball.
At both Southampton and Fulham he was seen as a more attacking fullback. We might see that again at some point. But with the way we're set up at the moment, he needs to be able to sit in, defend and be switched on for 90 minutes. He's shown he can adapt to the needs of the team. Long may it continue.
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Couple of things..at least for me..
I always thought he'd got off lightly this season and has never really been tested.
He couldn't defend. Ace riding on Jack's coattails, but anybody can do that.
Today he became a man. That's what I expected from a Villa left back and he had it in buckets. I've got a feeling it wasn't a one-off and he has finally matured to the be the player many thought he already was. He wasn't. But today he was invincible. Loved it. Long may it continue.
I can't talk for anyone else but I've defended him for a while because I could see him becoming this player if we were patient with him and worked in training on his defensive positioning. I found it very interesting in commentary today when they mentioned that we split the defensive dills as Mings/Targett and Hause/Cash instead of CBs and FBs. I'd never thought about how they'd done it but I've said a few times that we're defending better since the restart because the full backs haven't looked as isolated as they were this time last season.
I've defended Taylor in the past from the finger pointers who failed to see Saint Mings was to blame on the left. Hause today owned the position but that's nothing to take away from Targett. He was brilliant.
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He was superb yesterday. For me over the 90 mins he was our MOTM, but Watkins in the 2nd half was brilliant
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He’s been bloody brilliant this year.
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He is a rock at the back, becoming a steal at the price we paid.
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Hope his injury isn’t too serious, he was excellent tonight.
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Outstanding, fingers crossed he is back for the weekend.
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Hope he's back for Saturday, don't want Taylor anywhere near the starting 11. Such a liability.
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Yes the drop off to Taylor is massive.
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Targett was one of those who got Covid.
You’d never have known considering how outstanding he was tonight!
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Surely the most improved player in the squad? Just shows the importance of patience before judging a player.
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Was he injured or just tired?
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Hope he's back for Saturday, don't want Taylor anywhere near the starting 11. Such a liability.
To be fair that's exactly the what people were saying about Matt Targett so you never know!
Most improved player award does go to Targett though.
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Was he injured or just tired?
He tweeted that he had tested positive for covid
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Looked like a knock on his leg though the way he was wincing. Really hope he's fit for Saturday. He's been excellent all season. Last night was just block after block and as Risso said, Sterling got nothing out of him and was subbed off.
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Surely the most improved player in the squad? Just shows the importance of patience before judging a player.
Not all players deserve such patience and Targett was defensively very poor last season. That said, he's turned into a bloody good defender, directs the winger to go wide rather than cut in, tackling is a joy to watch and he's very neat with his feet. Basically the opposite of what he was last season. He deserves to be one of the first few names on the teamsheet. Massive respect for his and I imagine the coaches hard work developing his potential. Long may it continue.
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We have two full backs to be proud of. Targett is the best left back since the last good one we had.
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Must admit I'd all but written him off after last season. But he's improved loads and now looks a proper left back.
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We have two full backs to be proud of. Targett is the best left back since the last good one we had.
Which was so far back in the mists of time I can't actually remember who it was!
I can of course, but just think of the shit show we've had there in recent years, Cissokho, Luna etc.
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I will eat my words about Targett . I thought he was a complete waste of money but last night he looked a 30 million pound player .. What an improvement . We have 2 excellent full backs at the club and may it continue.
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We have two full backs to be proud of. Targett is the best left back since the last good one we had.
Which was so far back in the mists of time I can't actually remember who it was!
I can of course, but just think of the shit show we've had there in recent years, Cissokho, Luna etc.
Bouma
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We have two full backs to be proud of. Targett is the best left back since the last good one we had.
Charlie Aitkin?
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Surely the most improved player in the squad? Just shows the importance of patience before judging a player.
What I love about our current squad, is that deciding on the most improved player is a genuine debate. Compared to a year ago, who has improved the most - Targett? Luiz? Konsa? All of them are measurably better.
It makes such a difference to see us buying younger players with potential, who then actually start to develop INTO that potential - rather than the wilderness years where we'd repeatedly buy players at - or just past - their peak and watch their powers wane for the duration of their contracts with us, only to leave for free or pennies.
I am very much enjoying watching this version of Aston Villa develop.
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Even for the decisive goal Taylor was easily brushed-off by Silva. I wonder if Targett would have done better.
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Taylor is a strictly Championship level player. We urgently need an upgrade because he's by far the weakest of the subs we have. If Targett is out for any length of time I'd play either Mings or Hause at left back instead, like we did with Konsa at right back after the restart last year.
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True but in fairness to the chap, no league minutes all season and he faces that baptism of fire! If Targett is out for Saturday I wouldn't be too worried about Taylor against Newcastle (unless they have Saint Max back).
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True but in fairness to the chap, no league minutes all season and he faces that baptism of fire! If Targett is out for Saturday I wouldn't be too worried about Taylor against Newcastle (unless they have Saint Max back).
Taylor worries me against anybody. He was crap against a load of rubbish Championship teams, so even Newcastle will be at him down their right if he plays, especially as even Bruce would realise that that was our weak spot.
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I haven't got any problem with Taylor slotting in either. He's ok defensively but his weakness is he offers nothing going forward. We will need an upgrade eventually though.
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I thought Target was outstanding last night. Given defending used to be the weaker part of his game we now seem to have a very good leftback indeed. Hope he's fit for the Geordies.
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Looked just like fatigue to me rather than him pulling anything unless DS said anything in his interview?
Might be a doubt for Newcastle but should be o.k for games after that.
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I haven't got any problem with Taylor slotting in either. He's ok defensively but his weakness is he offers nothing going forward. We will need an upgrade eventually though.
He isn't OK defensively though. He might be better at defending than he is going forward, but he's still pretty bad at it.
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Looked just like fatigue to me rather than him pulling anything unless DS said anything in his interview?
Might be a doubt for Newcastle but should be o.k for games after that.
He said he'd been positive for Covid19
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He was having a barnstormer before going off. What an improvement in him this season.
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I said on Post match thread
A measure of Targett is that previously i would squirm everytime there was a 50/50 as he seemed to bottle it at times
Now i am shocked if he does not win them all - he really throws himself into everything and when we play the weaker sides and he can attack adds a different dimension to the left side.
Who is the reserve / U23 / Youth left backs? I would look to promote one of them as understudy
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I don't even see the 'ok defensively' bit that so many people comment about Taylor, if he was rock solid and stopped things happening from his side of the pitch I'd be fine with him playing but that's just not what happens. When he plays teams create plenty of chances through his part of the pitch. He's a trier and has a decent attitude but he's just not very good. I'd say he's the weakest player in our 25 man squad by a very long way (Lansbury is about on a par if you count him in).
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I don't even see the 'ok defensively' bit that so many people comment about Taylor, if he was rock solid and stopped things happening from his side of the pitch I'd be fine with him playing but that's just not what happens. When he plays teams create plenty of chances through his part of the pitch. He's a trier and has a decent attitude but he's just not very good. I'd say he's the weakest player in our 25 man squad by a very long way (Lansbury is about on a par if you count him in).
This is exactly my view. With the progress we’ve made this season there should not be room anywhere near our squad for a player of Taylor’s level.
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I don't even see the 'ok defensively' bit that so many people comment about Taylor, if he was rock solid and stopped things happening from his side of the pitch I'd be fine with him playing but that's just not what happens. When he plays teams create plenty of chances through his part of the pitch. He's a trier and has a decent attitude but he's just not very good. I'd say he's the weakest player in our 25 man squad by a very long way (Lansbury is about on a par if you count him in).
Completely agree.
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Taylor is a strictly Championship level player. We urgently need an upgrade because he's by far the weakest of the subs we have. If Targett is out for any length of time I'd play either Mings or Hause at left back instead, like we did with Konsa at right back after the restart last year.
I'd stick Mings there, especially given how good Hause looked at centre half. I reckon he'd enjoy it as well, and would be quite handy.
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I don't even see the 'ok defensively' bit that so many people comment about Taylor, if he was rock solid and stopped things happening from his side of the pitch I'd be fine with him playing but that's just not what happens. When he plays teams create plenty of chances through his part of the pitch. He's a trier and has a decent attitude but he's just not very good. I'd say he's the weakest player in our 25 man squad by a very long way (Lansbury is about on a par if you count him in).
Completely agree.
All about opinions at the end of the day. I don't think he's as bad as some make him out to be.
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I don't even see the 'ok defensively' bit that so many people comment about Taylor, if he was rock solid and stopped things happening from his side of the pitch I'd be fine with him playing but that's just not what happens. When he plays teams create plenty of chances through his part of the pitch. He's a trier and has a decent attitude but he's just not very good. I'd say he's the weakest player in our 25 man squad by a very long way (Lansbury is about on a par if you count him in).
Completely agree.
All about opinions at the end of the day. I don't think he's as bad as some make him out to be.
What is he good at though? and if you could replace 1 player in the squad this window who would you say is a better candidate?
When he signed he was ok, not terrible but just about good enough for the top half of the championship but that's not where we are any more and him and Lansbury are the last remnants from that squad which need to be moved on. We have a couple of other players who are probably out of their depth now we're looking at the top half of the premier league but those 2 are the ones that I can't imagine any other premier league team being interested in.
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I don't even see the 'ok defensively' bit that so many people comment about Taylor, if he was rock solid and stopped things happening from his side of the pitch I'd be fine with him playing but that's just not what happens. When he plays teams create plenty of chances through his part of the pitch. He's a trier and has a decent attitude but he's just not very good. I'd say he's the weakest player in our 25 man squad by a very long way (Lansbury is about on a par if you count him in).
Completely agree.
All about opinions at the end of the day. I don't think he's as bad as some make him out to be.
What is he good at though? and if you could replace 1 player in the squad this window who would you say is a better candidate?
When he signed he was ok, not terrible but just about good enough for the top half of the championship but that's not where we are any more and him and Lansbury are the last remnants from that squad which need to be moved on. We have a couple of other players who are probably out of their depth now we're looking at the top half of the premier league but those 2 are the ones that I can't imagine any other premier league team being interested in.
He'd lost his place to Hutton in the Championship, until Hutton had to play centre half.
He's a good lad and has actually fared better than I thought he would when he's had to play at this level, but I'd agree that he's the weakest player in the 25.
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I don't even see the 'ok defensively' bit that so many people comment about Taylor, if he was rock solid and stopped things happening from his side of the pitch I'd be fine with him playing but that's just not what happens. When he plays teams create plenty of chances through his part of the pitch. He's a trier and has a decent attitude but he's just not very good. I'd say he's the weakest player in our 25 man squad by a very long way (Lansbury is about on a par if you count him in).
Completely agree.
All about opinions at the end of the day. I don't think he's as bad as some make him out to be.
What is he good at though? and if you could replace 1 player in the squad this window who would you say is a better candidate?
When he signed he was ok, not terrible but just about good enough for the top half of the championship but that's not where we are any more and him and Lansbury are the last remnants from that squad which need to be moved on. We have a couple of other players who are probably out of their depth now we're looking at the top half of the premier league but those 2 are the ones that I can't imagine any other premier league team being interested in.
Well, I've already said that we need an upgrade on him but seeing as we haven't and if Targett is out on Saturday, I've got no problem with him coming in.
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Surely the most improved player in the squad? Just shows the importance of patience before judging a player.
What I love about our current squad, is that deciding on the most improved player is a genuine debate. Compared to a year ago, who has improved the most - Targett? Luiz? Konsa? All of them are measurably better.
It makes such a difference to see us buying younger players with potential, who then actually start to develop INTO that potential - rather than the wilderness years where we'd repeatedly buy players at - or just past - their peak and watch their powers wane for the duration of their contracts with us, only to leave for free or pennies.
I am very much enjoying watching this version of Aston Villa develop.
Agree with that, the transformation of Targett has been remarkable. Credit to Dean Smith and the coaches, looks like they're doing a great job.
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Taylor is a strictly Championship level player. We urgently need an upgrade because he's by far the weakest of the subs we have. If Targett is out for any length of time I'd play either Mings or Hause at left back instead, like we did with Konsa at right back after the restart last year.
I'd stick Mings there, especially given how good Hause looked at centre half. I reckon he'd enjoy it as well, and would be quite handy.
Not a bad shout.
When does Taylor's contract expire?
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Target was my MOM until he went off last night.... he was awesome!!
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Taylor is a strictly Championship level player. We urgently need an upgrade because he's by far the weakest of the subs we have. If Targett is out for any length of time I'd play either Mings or Hause at left back instead, like we did with Konsa at right back after the restart last year.
I'd stick Mings there, especially given how good Hause looked at centre half. I reckon he'd enjoy it as well, and would be quite handy.
Not a bad shout.
When does Taylor's contract expire?
At the end of the season I think.
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Bloody brilliant again. He’s been tremendous this season - an assist and an excellent defensive display.
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I used to wince when he was up against any pacy, tricky wide playesr ie the likes of Salah, Adama Traore and Sterling etc. This season, they've all been in his pocket along with Matt's car keys, some lint and half a packet of chewing gum.
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There were at least 3 or 4 moments when I shouted well done, brilliant, great etc as he intervened or played a good ball and to think he was stupid scary not so long ago. Our and Premier League's most improved player this season.
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Our most improved player this season and probably not far off in the league in general
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I agree he's the most improved player in our squad even though I liked him last season, he has taken his game too the next level.
Its just dawned on me that we could realistically keep this settled back line together for a good 6/7 years if we choose too.
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I agree he's the most improved player in our squad even though I liked him last season, he has taken his game too the next level.
Its just dawned on me that we could realistically keep this settled back line together for a good 6/7 years if we choose too.
And more, playing till they're 40 like the Milan lads.
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How good is Matt Targett at the moment! I have complete confidence in him where headers and tackles are concerned and he seems to have developed extra pace to his game. That's without mentioning his attacking strengths. Watching him last night I wondered whether Soton regretted selling him for what appears to be a bargain price now. Keep up the good work Matt!7
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He's not the player they sold though. Our coaching staff and him being a regular has really allowed him to develop. Credit to the recruitment and coaching staff for seeing something in him that we didn't. I don't know anyone who didn't think we had overpaid for him at £17m. A lot of our players kicked on after lockdown but he's really kicked on since the start of the season. He's become a fantastic player and deserves to be in the conversation for an England call-up, along with Konsa.
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Top lad, really came on. Part of a posse of ours that have come on leaps and bounds with additional top flight experience.
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He'll be in the England squad soon. Cash is going to struggle simply for the level of competition. Think there's just Chilwell on the left?
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Saka too. Shaw maybe. Targett and Saka are certainly better than playing the right footed Trippier there.
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Cash needs crossing practice, too many poor ones.
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Our most improved player this season and probably not far off in the league in general
I doubt there's a player in the PL that has improved so much in a season as Targett. He looked the biggest waste of money last season, a defender that couldn't defend. This season defending is his greatest asset, so focused and rarely beat or out of position. That has come at the expense of his attacking game where he's not getting forward as must as he used to but he still manages to get up there when the opportunity arises. Big difference is, now he can work both effectively.
Like Cash, he needs to work on his crossing. Too often he just just pumps it in the box without looking to see who is available. Do that and we'll have the best left back in the country. His ball to Jack in the lead up to the goal was poetry in motion, so perfectly measured Jack never had to break stride, just hit it first time. As fluid as it gets.
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Our most improved player this season and probably not far off in the league in general
I doubt there's a player in the PL that has improved so much in a season as Targett. He looked the biggest waste of money last season, a defender that couldn't defend. This season defending is his greatest asset, so focused and rarely beat or out of position. That has come at the expense of his attacking game where he's not getting forward as must as he used to but he still manages to get up there when the opportunity arises. Big difference is, now he can work both effectively.
Like Cash, he needs to work on his crossing. Too often he just just pumps it in the box without looking to see who is available. Do that and we'll have the best left back in the country. His ball to Jack in the lead up to the goal was poetry in motion, so perfectly measured Jack never had to break stride, just hit it first time. As fluid as it gets.
His two recent assists against Newcastle and Burnley suggest he's doing ok.
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You're a generous man, hipkiss. Agree on the Ollie goal against Burnley - slide rule cross. Not sure he gets an assist for Newcastle, Schar set Ollie up perfectly for the header.
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Just looking at his stats and they have him on 1 assist. To take the Newcastle assist off him is harsh, but to take the Arsenal assist off him because it was an own goal is ridiculous.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/matt-targett/leistungsdaten/spieler/250478
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His improvment defensively is incredible.
I think attacking wise he really benefits from Jack, but he works really well around him marking darting runs and Jack has the ability to find him. His crossing when he drives into the box is good, but his longer range crossing still needs work.
It's the first time in a long time I've been happy and confident in both our fullbacks, although I'm concerned teams are starting to tarhet Cash.
As for England, Trent is head and shoulders abouth Cash. Targett may have a chance, particulalry if Chilwell starts struggling for game time.
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His improvment defensively is incredible.
I think attacking wise he really benefits from Jack, but he works really well around him marking darting runs and Jack has the ability to find him. His crossing when he drives into the box is good, but his longer range crossing still needs work.
It's the first time in a long time I've been happy and confident in both our fullbacks, although I'm concerned teams are starting to tarhet Cash.
As for England, Trent is head and shoulders abouth Cash. Targett may have a chance, particulalry if Chilwell starts struggling for game time.
There's also Reece James, Wan Bissaka, Trippier and Kyle Walker to still get past at right back. Targett has a much better chance as Saka is a forward for me.
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Matt Targett, from Villa fans’ punching bag to ‘f***ing brilliant’
There’s a crunch time in every player’s career, a period when they sink or swim, when they kick on and achieve their full potential, or peak and then spend the rest of their playing days wondering where it went wrong thereafter.
For Matt Targett, that make-or-break moment was during the 2020 lockdown. As part of the worst defence, statistically at least, in the Premier League, the Aston Villa left-back was often labelled the weakest link.
The perception at times was that he was fragile, both physically and mentally, as he drifted in and out of the team during the first half of 2019-20. Supporters poked fun at him on social media when had to be withdrawn in both games against Wolverhampton Wanderers through injury; the threat of jet-heeled Adama Traore supposedly too much for the full-back.
But football fan “banter” often goes too far. The individual criticism of Targett was harsh and unjustified. Players see such vitriol and have to rise above it, but when it comes from their own fanbase, it tends to cuts deep.
So to see the 25-year-old now at the other end — from the turnaround during Project Restart to this season’s transformation which reached new heights against his old club Southampton at the weekend — is not only pleasing, but a testament to his character.
If Targett was as soft as some suggested, he wouldn’t have been able to return as a stronger and more rounded individual who has become a big part of this battle-hardened Villa side.
Look at how he frustrated the life out of his old side on Saturday night by showing an unrelenting desire to stop them in their tracks, or how his perfectly-weighted pass allowed Jack Grealish to set up Ross Barkley for the match-winning goal.
What also went unnoticed last season was that when Targett was forced to watch from the sidelines, Villa’s results and performances were actually worse.
They picked up fewer points (an average of 0.7 per game compared to 1.0 when he did play) and also conceded more goals (2.1 per game compared to 1.6 when he played).
There was a similar trend at promotion-winning Fulham in 2017-2018. Before he arrived midway through the season on loan, Fulham’s win percentage stood at just 43 per cent, yet it increased to 72 per cent in games that he appeared in.
Still, to say that he didn’t need to improve on a rocky start to his time at Villa following a £14 million move from Southampton would be missing the point.
His side struggled to keep out goals before the first lockdown and Targett had to shoulder his share of the blame. Picked apart way too easily and vulnerable every time the opposition attacked, Villa were error-prone and porous. There was a realisation that things needed to change to avoid relegation.
Head coach Dean Smith set up video sessions for the group to review and critically analyse their shortcomings back in April and May 2020. Each player vowed to improve their own individual performance and take on board a new way of working. Targett spent time building up his body to become more durable. He’s noticeably tougher and more resilient. Crucially, he now also believes that he’s a valuable asset too.
Touching on his personal challenge in an interview with Villa TV recently, he said: “Last season, I don’t think I was consistent enough but this season I think I’ve grown in each game.”
There was also the mention of Adama, who he shut down to such effect in this season’s corresponding fixture that the winger lost his place in the starting XI in the matches thereafter.
“I love those challenges,” Targett added. “I just want to prove to everyone that I can handle players like that and put on a good performance.”
Where he is now, almost a year on from a time where his name was dragged through the mud among some sections of supporters, shows that the hard yards have paid off. Having started every league game, he deserves a share of the credit now that Villa have kept 10 clean sheets from 19 games, a huge improvement on last season.
The game on Saturday left many of those close to him with mixed emotions. Family members and friends follow Southampton, the club he was a part of from the age of eight. His father is a particularly big follower, but of course he supports his son over his club. Targett sure knew how to pick a game to produce one of his most resolute displays of the season.
Since moving to Villa, he has embraced the Birmingham life. Moving into a property close to the club’s training ground with his long-term girlfriend, he’s often shunned the opportunities to return home when they were presented, instead focusing on settling into the new surroundings.
Smith likes what he’s seeing from Targett now. While it was Jesus Garcia Pitarch, Villa’s former sporting director, who pushed hard to sign the defender, Smith has helped iron out some of the creases in his game.
“We as coaches can take great pride when looking at Matt Targett and the way he is playing,” the manager said. “The robustness he has got in his game and the strength. He’s more powerful now, he’s quicker. He’ll be the first to admit that he’s mentally stronger. He pushes himself a lot harder than he did when he first came into the club. I think we’ve got a very good footballer on our hands now.”
There’s a blossoming relationship with Grealish down the left-hand side that often throws up magic. It’s the way he has become so tough to break down that has made this season such a success, though. James Ward-Prowse, Theo Walcott, Nathan Redmond and Moussa Djenepo all failed to get the better of the left-back, the latter so vexed by the end that he started jumping and flapping his arms in rage.
To think, his wholehearted performance was also produced while walking a suspension tightrope. One more booking would have resulted in a one-game suspension at a time when he would be sorely missed. Fortunately, the threshold for a ban now moves up to 10 bookings so, injury-permitting, Targett will continue to feature heavily in the weeks ahead.
Maybe the most telling difference is the reaction from those alongside him on the pitch. The words from all angles are of encouragement rather than direction.
In one passage of play at St Mary’s, Targett first refused to let Walcott past, then raced up the other end to put in a teasing delivery like the one that set up Ollie Watkins for the opener at Burnley last week. “Tigs, that was fucking brilliant,” roared Tyrone Mings in response.
It’s clear that he’s a valued member of this side now and a big part of the way Villa want to play in the future. No doubt the club will look to renegotiate his contract in the summer as he enters into the final two years of his current deal. Back-up left-back Neil Taylor is coming to the end of his deal and there are no suggestions that he will be offered an extension at this stage.
The full-back areas will need to be addressed in the months ahead as on the right side of defence, Ahmed Elmohamady is also out of contract in June and Frederic Guilbert is heading back to France with Strasbourg on loan this month.
For now, though, Villa have got a good thing going on at the back and Targett is a big part of it.
Source - https://theathletic.com/2356048/2021/02/01/matt-targett-from-villa-fans-punching-bag-to-fing-brilliant/?source=dailyemail
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Well earned praise indeed. He has been brilliant, he pops up all over the place and is as good a left back as I've seen in the Premier Division this season.
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I think his massive improvement has also helped Jack no end this season. You rarely see Jack getting back to pick up the ball in our own half these days, because he just doesn't have to.
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The quality and the confidence he had for the ball he played to Jack for the goal at the weekend is indicative of the form he is showing now.
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He’s been exceptional - a complete left back.
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He's improved and must take a lot of credit for that.
I also think having a forward that can stretch defences and be a threat in behind has helped him massively too.
I'm sure teams defended higher up the pitch against us last season, because we had very little pace in the side and couldn't keep hold of the ball.
E.g, against West Ham last season our front three was El Ghazi Wesley and Jota.
With a midfield three of McGinn Grealish and Nakamba.
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This made me chuckle
https://twitter.com/stanstaunton/status/1366156743865204742?s=21
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He's up there a tiny bit after Jack and Martinez as one of our three best players.
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He’s been incredible. I actually always liked him as an attacking outlet and his link up play with Jack has always been great. I thought he was a bit unfairly criticised at times but I did think he was a bit lightweight with his defensive duties. This season though he’s as hard as nails, his reading of the game is superb and some of his last minute tackles and interceptions have stopped any attack going past him.
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He's up there a tiny bit after Jack and Martinez as one of our three best players.
I agree. He's so much more solid than he was last season. Southgate could do a lot worse..........
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He's a much better defender but his attacking play and particularly, crosses, are shocking. Forget any talk of England until he starts getting that right too.
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He had one tonight. Woeful passing and crossing and thought he should've done better for the goal. Proper 2019 level.
Had a good season so hopefully a one off.
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That's the first bad game he's had, and I can't think of many others in the first team who that applies to.
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He had a bit of a nightmare for sure, as did most of them out there. Passing was woefully bad and the movement off the ball was non existent.
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He didn't have any defending to do but my word, he was abysmal with his delivery tonight.
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Good players have off nights. Even Messi misses penalties. Targett has been superb all season but he needs to work on his crossing this week. Very unlike him.
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Was quite obvious tonight that his link-up with Jack is what gives him the time and space to put good crosses in. He didn't have that link-up tonight, which meant most of his possession in the final third was pretty static and with a defender in front of him, and his crossing was well below his standards as a result. He's much better on the run, going into space created by Jack.
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I don't think he's offered as much going forward this season in general. Can't think of any tasty crosses and with Jack in front of him, he seems to have taken a bit more of a back seat this season. Just seems to have done more short passing interplays like what he did with Jack and Barkley against Arsenal.
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Was quite obvious tonight that his link-up with Jack is what gives him the time and space to put good crosses in. He didn't have that link-up tonight, which meant most of his possession in the final third was pretty static and with a defender in front of him, and his crossing was well below his standards as a result. He's much better on the run, going into space created by Jack.
Agree with this. He looks a lot better going forward when his play links with Jack.