Leon Bailey (out on loan to AS Roma)

[brontebilly]

Don't think there is anything wrong with what his agent is saying there. Gerrard doesn't want to play with wingers so Bailey is the odd man out. Just waking up European clubs, like the suddenly cash rich Ajax that he is available if they need a winger.

There's clearly talent there but just 2 goals for us including 1 at Bolton...It's not a good look for us for future signings from Europe....Bailey, Sanson, Traore all talented but failing while we let the likes of Coutinho and Ings top up their pension. Why can't we consistently improve players?

[Nelly]

We threw out 'the plan' for Gerrard so whichever plans we had for players (Smith alluded to this a lot) were just dumped I guess? Maybe the Villa owners have been a touch impatient in all this. It has been a massive gamble to bring Gerrard in at the cost of ripping up what we had been doing to half decent effect - certainly better than at any previous time in the Premier League - previously.

[aldridgeboy]

Whilst not agreeing with his dad saying that in public , I can’t really disagree with what he’s actually said. 

[brontebilly]

We threw out 'the plan' for Gerrard so whichever plans we had for players (Smith alluded to this a lot) were just dumped I guess? Maybe the Villa owners have been a touch impatient in all this. It has been a massive gamble to bring Gerrard in at the cost of ripping up what we had been doing to half decent effect - certainly better than at any previous time in the Premier League - previously.

Agreed the Gerrard appointment was a disastrous experiment. Smith really struggled badly without Grealish but surely the new coach had to buy into the philosophy of the club. Instead, Purslow and the board bought into the cult of the coach, a completely unproven one at that and it's gone to complete shit.

The one thing Deano (and Bruce to be fair started it with McCormack) they got rid of a culture of absolute charlatans stealing a living at the club. Gabby, Richards etc. Even the likes of Trez, AEG, Hourihane, Nakamba while not the most talented etc were well liked by supporters. The vibe between supporters, staff and players was in the main positive. That's unraveling very quickly and the club can't let it continue.

[tomd2103]

He did all right yesterday but hardly put forward an unarguable case for why he should start.

Not an easy situation to come on to, but I thought he was poor again.  His first contribution was to crab across the pitch and get relieved of the ball the way a child might be by an adult after doing one of the most telegraphed step overs I've seen.

Was excited when he signed and he might need a run in the side to get going, but he has just been miles off it every time I've seen him play and just looks nowhere near the level required at the moment.  The money we spent on him, Traore, Buendia, Ings, Watkins and Coutinho for the return we have got so far is a sobering thought.

[ROBBO]

Bit harsh on Buendia, he would be a great player in a better side.

[tomd2103]

Bit harsh on Buendia, he would be a great player in a better side.

I like Buendia, to the point where I wouldn't have brought Coutinho in permanently and given him more opportunities, but he's not had the impact we needed for the kind of money we paid for him.

[KRS]

We’ve seen flashes of what Bailey can do, but mostly he’s either been injured or not been good enough when in the team. If he can only shine against lower level teams like Bolton then there has to be question marks over whether he’s good enough for us in the Premier League, and we won’t find that out unless SG plays and uses him in the right position. There is clearly potential there but he’s very lightweight (he was literally thrown off the pitch in one challenge against Palace) and doesn’t fit in to the current system…so either SG changes the system (which clearly doesn’t work) or Bailey has to adapt to being a square peg in a round hole (which I don’t think he’ll be able to do).

[rooboy316]

His dad's message is correct. They way he's been delivering them is amateurish though.

[Scott Nielsen]

Bit harsh on Buendia, he would be a great player in a better side.

I like Buendia, to the point where I wouldn't have brought Coutinho in permanently and given him more opportunities, but he's not had the impact we needed for the kind of money we paid for him.

I feel the same way. He is a good player and I'm happy he is here but I did expect more.

[sid1964]

It is a Dad looking out for his Son, if he thinks it is time to move on then he should go.

[eamonn]

Only for the right price.

[Rigadon]

If we got our money back and a quality replacement in, I'd be quite happy to wave him and his dad tarrah a bit.   

[LeeB]

Gerrard seems to be sabotaging his potential successor. Get rid of him now before he sells every winger at the club.

I reckon he'll end up going with three centre halves, mark my words. The full back obsession almost demands it.

We'll sell all our wingers and end up with 5 at the back, and if that bloody hairline ever receded you'd see the mark of the beast on his head.

[cdbearsfan]

If we got our money back and a quality replacement in, I'd be quite happy to wave him and his dad tarrah a bit.

Yeah let's get rid of all the wingers we have at the club, sounds sensible...