The Villa Clearout

[ChicagoLion]

I think Martinez is over rated on here.

And presumably by his Copa America winning international manager

He has had some pretty poor performances particularly after flying back from International duty. He has failed to save a few that a world class goalkeeper should.
I am not saying he is a poor goalkeeper just that he is revered beyond his actual performances.

[itmustbe_it is!]

I think Martinez is over rated on here.

And presumably by his Copa America winning international manager

He has had some pretty poor performances particularly after flying back from International duty. He has failed to save a few that a world class goalkeeper should.
I am not saying he is a poor goalkeeper just that he is revered beyond his actual performances.

Maybe that reflects what's in front of him though. Either way doesn't belong on a Clearout thread, he's the best keeper we've had for many years

[ChicagoLion]

I think Martinez is over rated on here.

And presumably by his Copa America winning international manager

He has had some pretty poor performances particularly after flying back from International duty. He has failed to save a few that a world class goalkeeper should.
I am not saying he is a poor goalkeeper just that he is revered beyond his actual performances.

Maybe that reflects what's in front of him though. Either way doesn't belong on a Clearout thread, he's the best keeper we've had for many years

Agree, he is not a clear out candidate.

[ASHTONVILLA]

I'd shift on the players not involved, as if they can't get a game now then they never will under Gerard.

Trezeguet, El Ghazi, Traore just don't fit his system and are not getting game time, neither does Bailey but think he needs longer to be given a go in other positions. Hause, Guilbert, Hause, Steer, Sanson and Young could all go and have no impact on the squad given how little they feature.

Targett will go, as he won't want to play second fiddle.

Luiz should go. His contract is running down, and he is rubbish. Watkins I would sacrifice to generate funds.

Mings, Konsa, McGinn, Nakamba, and Ings I would keep as squad fillers, unless we get big offers for them. In which case would take the cash.

Martinez, Ramsey, buendia, Martinez and cash I would build around.

Archer, Davis, Tim, Kessler-Hayden, and Chukwuemeka I would introduce more next season.

Edit forgot our best player! Obviously would keep Coutinho if at all possible.

[tony scott]

I don’t think we will see more than 4 of the squad moved on possibly two of the wingers a keeper and a midfielder .

[Ivo Stas]

There's a very good article by Matt Maher on the Express & Star (quick aside: unlike Birmingham Live, the Express & Star actually report Villa news/opinion and avoid click-baiting) on why clear-outs just aren't possible any more:

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2022/04/15/matt-maher-pressing-the-reset-button-is-easier-said-than-done/

This is one of my fears about Gerrard - aside from all the defeats at the hands of teams like Arsenal and Spurs who then go on to lose to Brighton - that he intends to be a chequebook manager when what we really need is someone (Bielsa comes to mind) who can get more out of the current squad.

[Ivo Stas]

Personal opinion but Ings, Watkins,Luiz, Konsa and Mings can all go for starters.
All five have been given ample game time and are not of the quality needed if we want to kick on.
Bailey, Troare and Sanson I suspect are all duds but without decent game time it's difficult to confirm.
Either way we need to start getting our wage bill down and improve the quality or I fear next season we'll really struggle.

Konsa and Mings were excellent last year (occasional Mingstake aside), kept a lot of clean sheets.

Watkins is a good player, perhaps 15 goals a season is his ceiling but he is young and (assuming we are to be a pressing-from-the-front team) fits our style of play.

Luiz, I feel, should play as an 8 rather than a 6 (with Nakamba behind him).

I wouldn't clear out any of those four.

The Ings signing felt wrong from the start. He was too old at 29 to be spending $30m (although perhaps we can hope to recoup some of that by using him as a makeweight in a deal with Brighton for Bissouma) and we had to change our system (from 4-3-3 to 5-3-2) to accommodate him.

...and changing to a 5-3-2 (under Smith) and now a 4-1-2-1-2 diamond (under Gerrard) has meant no room for wingers hence Traore (who was starting to rack up the goals and assists towards the end of last season) and Bailey look redundant. (I just can't get my head around spending £30m on both Bailey and Ings when they both can't play in the same system - unless Smith had it in mind to play Bailey as a wing-back).

Sansom has looked too lightweight from the start. He's had plenty of chances now and not registered a single goal nor assist (unless you count assisting the opposition scoring).

[Ivo Stas]

I think Martinez is over rated on here.

He's certainly not the best Villa keeper ever nor of the Premier League era, as I've heard many say. Bosnich for one was superior. I'd rank Martinez about the same level as Spink (although I started watching Villa in the Venglos season so I only saw late-period Spink).

[Beard82]

There's a very good article by Matt Maher on the Express & Star (quick aside: unlike Birmingham Live, the Express & Star actually report Villa news/opinion and avoid click-baiting) on why clear-outs just aren't possible any more:

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2022/04/15/matt-maher-pressing-the-reset-button-is-easier-said-than-done/

This is one of my fears about Gerrard - aside from all the defeats at the hands of teams like Arsenal and Spurs who then go on to lose to Brighton - that he intends to be a chequebook manager when what we really need is someone (Bielsa comes to mind) who can get more out of the current squad.

Very interesting, but throughly depressing read.

Basically we have well over 100m of "talent" that we wont be able to sale, and want to upgrade. 

I think in reality we will probably by 3 or 4 good players - and maybe cash in on some more marketable ones like Luiz, Targett and maybe McGinn.  It kind feels like you have 1 chance to sale these players, at the point where they stop becoming first choice players.  With Targett, it probably worked, with AEG it certainly didnt.

Conversly though - shoudlnt this mean there are a load of good value deals to be done?

[eamonn]

Kalinic is contracted til 2023? 'kin 'ell...nice "work" if you can geddit.

[algy]

There's a very good article by Matt Maher on the Express & Star (quick aside: unlike Birmingham Live, the Express & Star actually report Villa news/opinion and avoid click-baiting) on why clear-outs just aren't possible any more:

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2022/04/15/matt-maher-pressing-the-reset-button-is-easier-said-than-done/

This is one of my fears about Gerrard - aside from all the defeats at the hands of teams like Arsenal and Spurs who then go on to lose to Brighton - that he intends to be a chequebook manager when what we really need is someone (Bielsa comes to mind) who can get more out of the current squad.

Good, if depressing, article. It is the worry, that we've got several players we'll struggle to give away (Kalinic, Guilbert, Wesley) cos honestly, they're getting paid huge sums of money and must know there's next to zero chance of them seeing that again. We've also got a group of players (AEG, Trez, maybe Sanson) who it'll be difficult to shift as they're not likely to improve any team that can actually afford their wages.

[Beard82]

There's a very good article by Matt Maher on the Express & Star (quick aside: unlike Birmingham Live, the Express & Star actually report Villa news/opinion and avoid click-baiting) on why clear-outs just aren't possible any more:

https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2022/04/15/matt-maher-pressing-the-reset-button-is-easier-said-than-done/

This is one of my fears about Gerrard - aside from all the defeats at the hands of teams like Arsenal and Spurs who then go on to lose to Brighton - that he intends to be a chequebook manager when what we really need is someone (Bielsa comes to mind) who can get more out of the current squad.

Good, if depressing, article. It is the worry, that we've got several players we'll struggle to give away (Kalinic, Guilbert, Wesley) cos honestly, they're getting paid huge sums of money and must know there's next to zero chance of them seeing that again. We've also got a group of players (AEG, Trez, maybe Sanson) who it'll be difficult to shift as they're not likely to improve any team that can actually afford their wages.

I guess there is an element of why the clubs find it so hard to turn down big offers.

For example, if you look at the 100m for Joe as paying off every failed transfer (probably in the last 5 - 10 years).

Playing devils advocate, I guess though it makes the "signing players with resell value" pretty pointless, as it looks like that doesnt actually happen often.  I guess the key is there salary is cheaper than those at their peak.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

I think Sanson has looked tidy on the very few opportunities he’s had and certainly deserves a longer run in the side. He obviously wasn’t Smith’s cup of tea and the same goes for Gerrard which is a pity as he was highly rated but it just hasn’t worked for him.

[Allan C]

I think Sanson has looked tidy on the very few opportunities he’s had and certainly deserves a longer run in the side. He obviously wasn’t Smith’s cup of tea and the same goes for Gerrard which is a pity as he was highly rated but it just hasn’t worked for him.

That’s the key for me with Sanson. Two managers appear not to rate him and to be honest, when he has played he is no better than the player he’s replaced.

[Beard82]

I think Sanson has looked tidy on the very few opportunities he’s had and certainly deserves a longer run in the side. He obviously wasn’t Smith’s cup of tea and the same goes for Gerrard which is a pity as he was highly rated but it just hasn’t worked for him.

That’s the key for me with Sanson. Two managers appear not to rate him and to be honest, when he has played he is no better than the player he’s replaced.

The fact 2 managers don’t like him must tell us something - but I think he looks good and would probably have got a lot more football if Ramsey had come on so much