Press-ing along

[dave.woodhall]

Points to ponder.

https://thebirminghampress.com/2022/04/aston-villa-and-the-stopped-run/

[MplsVilla]

A fair assessment of where we are at as a club. I have the same nagging doubts about Coutinho working for us and him actually wanting to be here next season.

[darren woolley]

Great read Dave.

[dave.woodhall]

Great read Dave.

Thanks Big Daz.

[gpbarr]

Balanced read over a morning cuppa!

[Legion]

Done.

[SaddVillan]

A fair assessment of where we are at as a club. I have the same nagging doubts about Coutinho working for us and him actually wanting to be here next season.

Clearly Coutinho is a class player but his performances have been up and down.

Given a) his age, b) his wages, c) the transfer fee and d) his inability to track back/work rate; is he in reality an expensive luxury/distraction?

Would we be better trying to get Buendia fully integrated into the team? His work rate is much higher in terms of the gritty stuff. He has more longevity in terms of career years ahead of him?

For the rest of the season are we better off starting off with Buendia and bringing Coutinho on for the last 20 mins when we've run the opposition into the ground?

Are we better building a team/system into which players can be slotted - a la Liverpool and Man City; or build a team/system that is wholly reliant on one genius?

We're looking to renegotiate the deal with Barca - recognition perhaps that he's overpriced, given what he can give us?

[nordenvillain]

Seconded

[tony scott]

Good read Dave, a little disquiet is creeping in into the SG project

[lovejoy]

I agree with the Coutinho comments and think Buendia should be given a proper go. Your mid table rhetoric is positive but surely a nagging doubt of relegation hasn't fully been extinguished. That, if nothing else, in an indictment of SG's tenure. yes give him a summer and a kitty but his honeymoon period is over and without improvement and a strong start next year I'm not sure he'll last post Christmas.

[ROBBO]

Will Gerrard try different formations and players? for me this is the biggest disappointment, I thought he would be a modern manager and make changes to get the best results and yet no matter how many disappointing performances he gives Luiz is always on the team sheet. At the moment he seems like many of his predecessors, slow to act slow to react, We have (the owners that is) spent a fortune trying to assemble a decent squad and yet I see very little reward.