John McGinn

[paul_e]

I suspect we'll see him in different positions and roles to previously. His strengths - running with the ball basically - are much more suited to the wide-midfield roles occupied by Buendia and Ramsey than to the central ones of Doug and Donck.

I agree, I think he'll definitely be in those roles when he plays, having 2 more defensive players, who are more assured passers, in those middle roles is fundamental to playing how we did yesterday, McGinn will never be that sort of player.

[rob_bridge]

Hard to see where he's going to start though to be honest. His biggest weakness is giving the ball away, and yesterday showed that if you don't do that as a team, then you're going to have a lot more control in the match. Still, he can see the standards that Emery expects so if he can match those then the clean slate applies as much to him as anybody else and I hope he proves me wrong.

I think first goal lead up shows. Watkins drops deep forced deeper but doesn't lose it and doesn't look like losing it for a change. The rest is history. 3 weeks ago that is a best a half way line throw in to us. McGinn needs to show that kind of football brain - if Ollie can do it then anyone can

[Monty]

You could easily imagine McGinn and, say, Coutinho coming in for Ramsey and Buendia yesterday and perpetrating a perfectly respectable amount of havoc.

[cdbearsfan]

I reckon he will get some time on the pitch on Thursday as doubt they will want to rush back Kamara too soon and give him a full 90/120 minutes just yet.

[Toronto Villa]

He played markedly faster yesterday and in a slightly more advanced and fluid role. Still using his arse to good affect to keep possession. And not taking the captains armband was revealing and I thought liberating for him.

[Footy-Vill]

He played markedly faster yesterday and in a slightly more advanced and fluid role. Still using his arse to good affect to keep possession. And not taking the captains armband was revealing and I thought liberating for him.

McGinn is a captain for Bournemouth or Nottingham Forest, not Aston Villa.
His pedigree is the weakest of any midfielder we have in our first team.
As is his stamina.
No way a top 6 midfielder on a consistent basis. He'll be phased out once we bring in higher calibre of player in my reckoning.

Signing say Lo Celso would illustration the difference in quality and having Sanson well they are both much better players who have competed in the Champions League and are technically superior to the hustle and bustle of McGinn.
McGinn will never play Champions League football for a big club including oursleves because he is simply not at that level for any club of merit. This is my view.

I appreciated his efforts over the years, but as we look to top half football and beyond, he's nothing more than a squad player, and with the goal of improving our playing roster, he's someone I'd rather have on the bench than on the field if even in the squad.

I just don't see how he has any stamina or tactical awareness, as well as far too much of an old-school tendency in his playing style and attitude, to fit into our way of playing. He's a trier at best, and may that be applauded. I would think Emery and the coaches want more from their midfielders than this.

[Footy-Vill]

That will hopefully help him with a bit of confidence too, which I think he's been really struggling with.

We'll need everyone happy and ready to contribute if we're going to win both cups and qualify for the Champions League.

You could easily imagine McGinn and, say, Coutinho coming in for Ramsey and Buendia yesterday and perpetrating a perfectly respectable amount of havoc.

Hard to see where he's going to start though to be honest. His biggest weakness is giving the ball away, and yesterday showed that if you don't do that as a team, then you're going to have a lot more control in the match. Still, he can see the standards that Emery expects so if he can match those then the clean slate applies as much to him as anybody else and I hope he proves me wrong.

And he got a good reception as well

And rightly so - he had as big a role as the Rat did in getting us back up. He'd done a lot for us in his time here, but is off form and needs a break. Not hounding out of the club.

To emphasise  this point of how McGinn's lower level to where we are going and to debate what some above have said well simply I bring in a comparison to other midfield captain's who are way ahead of McGinn in all aspects of football.

So compare John McGinn our Villa Captain with Leicester and Wolves Captains. I argue they are of a higher calibre and proficiency of midfielders  and they have in recently season represented their clubs in European competition. That's the required level to me.

Belgian international Leicester Tielemans, Captain
Look at his passing, his impressive goals, and his talent.

Captain of  Wolves Neves, an international.
His talent, passing range, shooting prowess, and football ability and tenacious I would gladly swap for McGinn.

These are the types of midfielders Villa should be looking to have as essential to our progress. McGinn not at that level let alone a captain.

Theres no agenda it's just straight up observations on what level is needed and why Emery needs to look at a better type of midfielder to improve the overall quality of our midfield. So in my opinion, it's more than adequate and fair to highlight Tielemans and Neves in regards to abilities to show the weaknesses we have in McGinn.

Furthermore, I'm confident that a majority of us here and general football fans would prefer either midfielder to McGinn in our team let alone as captain.
That completely demonstrates how unsuited he is for our development, and I wanted to bring that up in relation to the discussion on McGinn and to those who might harbour hopes for improvement or for him to actually play a role in the future or him as Captain.

I rest my case.

[Monty]

Deleted for excessive meanness.

[brontebilly]

He was much better further forward when he came on yesterday. Don't think Emery will be dropping him back into a holding midfield role.

[Footy-Vill]

I'll trust Emery knows where to play him and how to use him best within the squad. I trust Emery complicity with how he will handle things and all players.

[Risso]

Most teams in the Premier League have got players that would get into almost every team though, for us Luiz and Martinez fit that bill. If you can get your first 1-11 to fit that criteria then you'll be challenging for thte title like Arsenal this season. McGinn isn't at that level but then nor are 80% of players in the Premier League. Let's see what Emery can do with him.

[Smithy]

The captain doesn't have to be the 'best' player in your team, just the player most suited to getting the 'best' team performance. I don't think Jordan Henderson gets in the top 10 of Liverpool's best players, but he's their captain.

McGinn has had a bad 12 months, I doubt anyone is going to dispute that, possibly going slightly backwards. But, like everyone else, he gets a clean slate now, and if he can perform well under a coach who doesn't see him primarily as cover for a marauding full-back, then who knows, we might have a really valuable player back on our hands.

[Baldy]

I'm with Footy-Vill. McGinn is too much of a 'bull in a china shop'. His passion is admirable but outweighs his control.

For now, he might have a role in the squad until Emery gets an upgrade. One example, 'man to man' marker. Next Thursday we play Man Utd again. This time they will have Bruno Fernandez who will improve them. Put McGinn on him, mark him out the game. SJM is more of a destroyer than a creator at this level of the game.

Currently, in my opinion, he is way down the pecking order from our existing midfield players and that area is also likely to strengthened within the next year. Cash in as soon as replacement found.

Great servant but time to move on and upwards.

 

[Mister E]

Horses for course: McGinn will get to make a meaningful contribution through the rest of the season.
Some on here have had the knives out for McGinn - and I am certainly no fawning advocate of his - but he can still be part of a successful Premier League squad.

[Drummond]

We've just got a new manager, a 3-1 win, McGinn came on and did a job and we're here devoting loads of time to sys how shit he is? Fuck me.