Your selection for Aston Villa (M) Strongest 11 this season.

[oldhill_avfc]

You’re probably the only Villa fan in the world that wouldn’t play Coutinho. I won’t comment on the other issues as my teas ready, but there are a few.

I think Buendia can improve over last season, so he'd start - if there's only 1 place up for grabs behind the forwards.

And I'm far from being the only one of that opinion ... you pays your money etc etc

Enjoy your tea

[Clark W Griswold]

You’re probably the only Villa fan in the world that wouldn’t play Coutinho. I won’t comment on the other issues as my teas ready, but there are a few.

Chuck for Phil

It also has to be the quickest and most unjust write off of new signings in the history of write off of new signings.

[Richard]

Back 5 picks itself, the front 6 has dozens of possible combinations/formations.

If you start with the possibility of the 5 subs brought on being
Bailey, Archer, Ings, Traore and Sanson I'd say we have a pretty good squad.

[Dave P]

                           Martinez

Cash            Carlos      Mings        Digne

                            Kamara

       McGinn                        Ramsey

         Buendia               Coutinho

                          Watkins

I love the look of this.

[oldhill_avfc]

You’re probably the only Villa fan in the world that wouldn’t play Coutinho. I won’t comment on the other issues as my teas ready, but there are a few.

Chuck for Phil

It also has to be the quickest and most unjust write off of new signings in the history of write off of new signings.

Not really.  It just reflects my opinion that our existing players are better than many give them credit for and the new players are unproven. 

[Clampy]

You’re probably the only Villa fan in the world that wouldn’t play Coutinho. I won’t comment on the other issues as my teas ready, but there are a few.

Chuck for Phil

It also has to be the quickest and most unjust write off of new signings in the history of write off of new signings.

Not really.  It just reflects my opinion that our existing players are better than many give them credit for and the new players are unproven. 

Coutinho unproven?

[ChicagoLion]

You’re probably the only Villa fan in the world that wouldn’t play Coutinho. I won’t comment on the other issues as my teas ready, but there are a few.

Chuck for Phil

It also has to be the quickest and most unjust write off of new signings in the history of write off of new signings.

Not really.  It just reflects my opinion that our existing players are better than many give them credit for and the new players are unproven. 

Coutinho unproven?

yeh we should send Phil on loan to Swindon to get some experience.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

                 Martinez
Cash  Carlos   Mings   Digne
         Kamara          ?
Buendia                           Bailey
               <Coutinho>
                  Watkins

Konsa as back up to the 2 cbs.
We need another player to fill the "?" role (like a Soucek)
Nakamba as back-up to either Kamara or "?"
With 2 full backs who like to get forward we need 2 proper dcms to fill in for them.
Coutinho to float right and left behind Watkins and occasionally to interchange with Buendia and Bailey.
Bailey is in for his pace, but he really needs to step up otherwise Ramsey to take his place.
Ings/Archer to back-up Watkins (who needs to return to the form of his 1st season in the pl).
McGinn/Luiz (if he stays) to sub-in for Buendia/Coutinho.
Jobs a good one, welcome home FA cup!

[Beard82]

                           Martinez

Cash            Carlos      Mings        Digne

                            Kamara

       McGinn                        Ramsey

         Buendia               Coutinho

                          Watkins

I love the look of this.

I do worry that Watkins doesn’t really suit emi and Phil .  I would be tempted to have Bailey in for Emi - or another CF in

[boozey182]

                           Martinez

Cash            Carlos      Mings        Digne

                            Kamara

       McGinn                        Ramsey

         Buendia               Coutinho

                          Watkins

I love the look of this.

I do worry that Watkins doesn’t really suit emi and Phil .  I would be tempted to have Bailey in for Emi - or another CF in

This is fair, but I think this could work to our advantage. I like Jim's setup, but the front three (maybe four) positions could involve any of Watkins, Ings, Archer, Davis, Bailey, Coutinho, Traore - maybe McGinn and Ramsey depending on the formation - plus hopefully a new signing or two and the kids that stick around. There has to be a few decent combinations in that lot. If Watkins with Emi and Phil isn't working, we can change it. There will be some CBs that don't give Ings an inch, but Watkins or Archer might be able to run ragged. We've seen Emi get kicked off the park before, so give Bailey a run at them. Even Coutinho has had periods where he's been pretty ineffective - we have options to change things if it's not working for him.

The onus is on the manager to set us up - hopefully changing it around depending on the game situation or the opposition. I don't want to go into this season with a 'strongest 11'. I want us to play the team that is going to win that week, and those two teams won't always be the same.

We're at a level where we aren't good enough to dominate any opposition that we play, like Liverpool or Man City. But we have a much deeper squad than a lot of our mid-table rivals. That's where we have an advantage, and that's what we need to use to get ahead of them.

[oldhill_avfc]

You’re probably the only Villa fan in the world that wouldn’t play Coutinho. I won’t comment on the other issues as my teas ready, but there are a few.

Chuck for Phil

It also has to be the quickest and most unjust write off of new signings in the history of write off of new signings.

Not really.  It just reflects my opinion that our existing players are better than many give them credit for and the new players are unproven. 

Coutinho unproven?

yeh we should send Phil on loan to Swindon to get some experience.

I'd answered the Coutinho point earlier in the thread.  But as you're bringing it up again, yes - I think Countinho's ability to perform for 90 minutes in the premier league for 30+ games a season is unproven.  The last time he played more than 30 league games for anybody was 2018-19.

[Risso]

                           Martinez

Cash            Carlos      Mings        Digne

                            Kamara

       McGinn                        Ramsey

         Buendia               Coutinho

                          Watkins

I love the look of this.

I do worry that Watkins doesn’t really suit emi and Phil .  I would be tempted to have Bailey in for Emi - or another CF in

That's my worry with Buendia and Coutinho as the support attacking players in a front three. They are both very similar and not especially quick, relying on nimble feet and pin point passing rather than out-and-out pace. That would be OK if Watkins didn't have the first touch of a baby elephant playing with a beach ball.

[Beard82]

                           Martinez

Cash            Carlos      Mings        Digne

                            Kamara

       McGinn                        Ramsey

         Buendia               Coutinho

                          Watkins

I love the look of this.

I do worry that Watkins doesn’t really suit emi and Phil .  I would be tempted to have Bailey in for Emi - or another CF in

That's my worry with Buendia and Coutinho as the support attacking players in a front three. They are both very similar and not especially quick, relying on nimble feet and pin point passing rather than out-and-out pace. That would be OK if Watkins didn't have the first touch of a baby elephant playing with a beach ball.

Yeah, and Ings has better technique and no pace

[The Edge]

Not convinced re new signings, so ....                   


                           Martinez

      Cash     Konsa        Mings          Digne
                   Kamara/AN Other     
          McGinn       Chukumeka      Ramsey         
                                   Buendia                       
                         Watkins   

       

Not convinced by the new signings who haven't started a competitive game for us yet? Fair enough.

[Axl Rose]

                           Martinez

Cash            Carlos      Mings        Digne

                            Kamara

       McGinn                        Ramsey

         Buendia               Coutinho

                          Watkins

I love the look of this.

I do worry that Watkins doesn’t really suit emi and Phil .  I would be tempted to have Bailey in for Emi - or another CF in

That's my worry with Buendia and Coutinho as the support attacking players in a front three. They are both very similar and not especially quick, relying on nimble feet and pin point passing rather than out-and-out pace. That would be OK if Watkins didn't have the first touch of a baby elephant playing with a beach ball.

Ha! That last sentence has tickled me.