Aston Villa v Brighton Post-Match Thread

[simon ward 50]

Tiredness and injuries were always going to be an issue as we don't have the biggest squad in the PL!

[aj2k77]

Since the injuries have struck we've kept 3 clean sheets in 6 matches so it's definitely a change up in plan of battening down the hatches a little and not being as open through the middle.

[Brazilian Villain]

A draw would probably have been a fair result last night, just as we should have got a draw against Everton and Brentford. In the end, we got the 3 points that our performances deserved.

[usav]

Agreed, but doesn't mean it's not frustrating to have lost those two previous games at home, imagine where we would have been now.....

[KevinGage]

Well summed up. The fluency isn't going to be there now for the next 6 weeks and so we're going to have to do it the hard way. If we end March still in the top 4 we've done well.

Exactly right.

[PeterWithe]

With regard to the injuries etc, I did think that the returning Barkley was very impressive when he came on, kept the ball, moved it forward at the right time and very unlucky with that left footed shot late on. Well done to him, Im not normally a fan and thought he was/is finished at this level.

[TheToffnar]

Struggling to remember the last time he had a bad appearance for us, if ever.

Very glad we have the option to keep him for another season. You'd struggle to find a more capable, confident player who's willing to spend almost every game on the bench. He's an excellent, stable option to have.

[Hookeysmith]

Struggling to remember the last time he had a bad appearance for us, if ever.

Very glad we have the option to keep him for another season. You'd struggle to find a more capable, confident player who's willing to spend almost every game on the bench. He's an excellent, stable option to have.

I would look to start him on Saturday as i think he will be very important over the next few weeks and will need minutes

[Dave]

Very glad we have the option to keep him for another season

Barkley himself seems to think that we don't have an option, that's he's here next year regardless.

[TheToffnar]

Very glad we have the option to keep him for another season

Barkley himself seems to think that we don't have an option, that's he's here next year regardless.

As in option to keep him on or sell him, rather then have him simply run out of contract.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Very glad we have the option to keep him for another season

Barkley himself seems to think that we don't have an option, that's he's here next year regardless.

Three year contract in 2024 according to the Athletic.

[RamboandBruno]

He’s got such a great touch and so much skill. Bit of a shame his legs are going and his head wasn’t right when his legs weren’t going.

[Dave]

Very glad we have the option to keep him for another season

Barkley himself seems to think that we don't have an option, that's he's here next year regardless.

Three year contract in 2024 according to the Athletic.

Yeah, various places reported it at the time as two years with an additional option in our favour, others as just three years.

Barkley said on Twitter (or similar) that he's here next year, so it's presumably the latter.

[eamonn]

Yeah, his touch is still there but I did wince a little at his movement, hoping that it wasn't as slow as it sometimes came across. I think he needs to start a game to really stretch those legs and get proper minutes. The game on Saturday is probably ideal.

He got injured in the West Ham cup game last season, a real shame he's broken-down a few times with us.