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Author Topic: 22/23 season expectations.  (Read 25401 times)

Offline Steve kirk

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #165 on: August 02, 2022, 04:37:33 PM »
What I want:

More game time for Buendia, Archer to be given a go, more Sanson, less Doug, SJM 20 yards further up the pitch, Konsa back to his best.

What I fear:

Coutinho playing regularly for who he is rather than what he does, Doug at No6, Archer on loan somewhere, Sanson frozen out again, Watkins struggling, McPhee to the fore.

If something similar to the former transpires I hope for top ten and a cup run, I hope for the same with the latter but although I can see a cup run, I can only see us finishing in roughly the same place as last season.

A good summary, pretty much how I’m feeling

Offline Richard

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #166 on: August 02, 2022, 10:34:10 PM »
8th, just behind West Ham and the usual suspects, just ahead of Newcastle and Palace.

Leeds or Everton to drop along with Bournemouth and Fulham or Forest.

Online AV82EC

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #167 on: August 03, 2022, 11:11:24 AM »
Looking at the current squad make up and barring any major transfer activity in the coming weeks I’d say we’re looking at 7th to 10th. I think we have a slightly imbalanced Europa League level squad (that probably true of at least 6 other teams as well) so being competitive in that mini league will be interesting. Cup runs are a must for us this year to generate excitement and interest and hopefully end this quite frankly embarrassing last quarter of a century.

My overriding impression though is we’re moving in the right direction both on and off the pitch though Gerrard hasn’t quite worked out how the on pitch jigsaw pieces fit together.

Offline Hookeysmith

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #168 on: August 03, 2022, 12:02:39 PM »
Looking at the current squad make up and barring any major transfer activity in the coming weeks I’d say we’re looking at 7th to 10th. I think we have a slightly imbalanced Europa League level squad (that probably true of at least 6 other teams as well) so being competitive in that mini league will be interesting. Cup runs are a must for us this year to generate excitement and interest and hopefully end this quite frankly embarrassing last quarter of a century.

My overriding impression though is we’re moving in the right direction both on and off the pitch though Gerrard hasn’t quite worked out how the on pitch jigsaw pieces fit together.

Good summary - especially the last paragraph and exactly my thoughts also

Offline john2710

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #169 on: August 03, 2022, 07:31:00 PM »
With the additions already made, the development of younger squad players & Gerrard having a pre-season with the squad. I can't believe we'll be the pushovers we've been.

Then include the abandonment of last season's 5 at the back & Bailey/ Cash taking long throw-ins. I see no reason why 7-8 place is not a serious target.

Obviously we've got to be lucky with injuries, but assuming we are, a European place is there.

Offline Risso

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #170 on: August 03, 2022, 07:42:52 PM »
Looking at the current squad make up and barring any major transfer activity in the coming weeks I’d say we’re looking at 7th to 10th. I think we have a slightly imbalanced Europa League level squad (that probably true of at least 6 other teams as well) so being competitive in that mini league will be interesting. Cup runs are a must for us this year to generate excitement and interest and hopefully end this quite frankly embarrassing last quarter of a century.

My overriding impression though is we’re moving in the right direction both on and off the pitch though Gerrard hasn’t quite worked out how the on pitch jigsaw pieces fit together.

Good summary - especially the last paragraph and exactly my thoughts also

It's a similar position that Sir Brian was in. Took over mid season following a popular manager getting the sack, then struggled to get a tune out of the players he inherited. Got in his own players in place in the summer, took a few matches for them all to settle, then really saw the team up to speed by the autumn.

Offline villabear

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #171 on: August 04, 2022, 10:14:59 AM »
From The Torygraph. Copied and pasted from paywall so apologies if any mistakes. 😬

How Steven Gerrard is planning to realise Aston Villa's European dream

Gerrard has made changes to the squad and received the financial backing of Villa’s board, with further spending planned


Steven Gerrard’s standards as a player were always dizzyingly high, so the final months of last season with Aston Villa will have been excruciating. 

As he emerged from a lap of celebration following Villa’s final home game of last season, a 1-1 draw against Burnley, the frustration was clear to see.

“Moving forward, this club cannot finish 14th again. We need to change things and come back better and stronger next season,” he said.

After being appointed last November, and introducing a new playing style, this is the season in which Gerrard can now be truly judged as Villa’s manager and he is in no mood to tolerate another underwhelming campaign. He is targeting a top-half finish, at the bare minimum, and European football remains the ultimate aim for owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.

A drastic summer shake-up was inevitable, with five new signings including Philippe Coutinho and Diego Carlos, while Tyrone Mings has been replaced as captain by John McGinn. It was a ruthless, calculated move which underlined Gerrard’s determination to stamp his own imprint on the squad, and has led to comparisons being drawn between the manager and his former boss at Liverpool, Gerard Houllier.

The Frenchman was confirmed as Liverpool’s permanent manager in November 1998 and used the remaining seven months to scrutinise the squad, assessing who he could rely on and who was dispensable, a process that led to Paul Ince being replaced as captain in the summer. Gerrard’s move to take the armband off Mings is a similarly big statement. In a mature and cordial conversation, Mings took the decision well and accepted the reasons for it.

Gerrard has made changes to the squad and received the financial backing of Villa’s board, with more than £45 million spent so far. He has also been permitted to overhaul the transfer policy by signing older, more experienced players: Coutinho was 30 in June while Carlos and Lucas Digne are both 29.

Carlos already appears a very promising buy, producing impressive performances during Villa’s pre-season tour of Australia. The club were initially told to pay more than €40m (£33m) by Sevilla for the centre-back and other alternatives were briefly considered, including James Tarkowski, with Gerrard even making a presentation to the former Burnley defender at his house.

Yet after three days of intense negotiations, a fee of £26m was agreed for Carlos. He has already been named as joint vice-captain.

There is also genuine excitement over the capture of midfielder Boubacar Kamara, who joined from Marseille on a free transfer. He was viewed as a young, high-potential Ligue 1 star, and is already a full France international.

Gerrard is still targeting a ‘No 8’ midfielder before the transfer window closes, and possibly another forward, while there are also plans to extend the stays of some of the current stars: constructive talks are ongoing with Douglas Luiz over a new contract, with the Brazilian’s deal running out next year. The midfielder has interest from Champions League clubs but Villa remain hopeful that he will stay.

There are also high hopes that Leon Bailey, the £25m buy from Bayer Leverkusen, will have a big season after a first season ravaged with injuries.

Trimming the squad remains a priority, with a number of players up for sale including Bertrand Traore, Anwar El Ghazi, Kortney Hause and Frederic Guilbert.

Carney Chukwuemeka, the England under-19 international, also departed this week in a £20m deal to Chelsea. Villa offered to make him the best paid teenager in England and dangled a regular starting place during a frustrating contract stand-off which was unresolved for nearly a year.

But Chelsea’s offer was regarded as too good to turn down for a player who, despite his undoubted ability, made just two league starts - with one of them a disappointing 57-minute appearance in that Burnley match.

But there are homegrown talents that Villa are building their future around, including Jacob and Aaron Ramsey, Cameron Archer and Tim Iroegbunam. Under Mark Harrison’s leadership, Villa have built the largest academy site in the Premier League from scratch, lifted the FA Youth Cup in 2021 and had three players in the England under-19s team who won this year’s European Championship.

Gerrard is fully on board with the academy set-up, and this summer persuaded Neil Critchley, one of English football’s most highly regarded coaches and a long-term target of Gerrard from his time at Rangers, to leave Blackpool as his new assistant after Michael Beale’s appointment at QPR.

A fee of more than £1.2m was required to bring the 43-year-old to Villa Park, and he is seen as a modern, progressive coach who is eager to embrace modern methodology.

They have a few problems to solve ahead of the new season: who starts in defence, with Carlos, Mings and Ezri Konsa competing for the two centre-back positions, while the Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia issue remains a hot topic for supporters.

Buendia is Villa’s record signing and always has some degree of impact when he plays. Coutinho, meanwhile, did disappoint on a number of occasions during his loan spell from Barcelona despite his undoubted ability.

Not many loan players would have completed a permanent £17 million move after his performances in the latter months of the season, but Gerrard has total faith in him.

In pre-season, Villa have set up in either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 and Gerrard seems to have built the foundations around being harder to beat and more disciplined in defence, despite the array of attacking talent at his disposal.

It all starts again for Gerrard at Bournemouth on Saturday, and he knows the spotlight will be on him. Expectations will be high, but the pursuit of perfection remains the driving force, just as it did when he was a player.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2022, 10:20:14 AM by villabear »

Offline ROBBO

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #172 on: August 04, 2022, 10:52:43 AM »
I hope Coutino can show the form he showed in his first few games, we cannot afford to carry passengers no matter the pedigree. Concerned that the two main strikers didn't show much improvement in pre-season games. The big positive is that we have a stronger squad which may yet get stronger, so please Mr Gerrard pick players on form.

Offline Scott Nielsen

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #173 on: August 05, 2022, 04:27:28 AM »
Agree on Coutinho. He needs to do more and consistently so.

Offline simboy

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #174 on: August 05, 2022, 05:44:17 AM »
Gerrard has had his pre season, got who he wants in early and is trimming the first team squad slowly. You would hope that will lead to a better start than last term, when Smith had all sorts of problems both on and off the pitch, which ultimately lead to his sacking.

For the season? I expect a positive goal difference, we’ve only had one season where that occurred in the top flight since 2009; beating a couple of the “big six” as well as a run in the cup. I really do not want to be looking at the fixtures in April/May next year and thinking we have nothing to play for with a guaranteed finish between 13th and 15th, or worse.

So I expect us to finish between 7th and 11th with a cup run. Some steady improvement and consistency I suppose.

 

Offline Meanwood Villa

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #175 on: August 05, 2022, 06:43:18 AM »
Looking at the current squad make up and barring any major transfer activity in the coming weeks I’d say we’re looking at 7th to 10th. I think we have a slightly imbalanced Europa League level squad (that probably true of at least 6 other teams as well) so being competitive in that mini league will be interesting. Cup runs are a must for us this year to generate excitement and interest and hopefully end this quite frankly embarrassing last quarter of a century.

My overriding impression though is we’re moving in the right direction both on and off the pitch though Gerrard hasn’t quite worked out how the on pitch jigsaw pieces fit together.

Good summary - especially the last paragraph and exactly my thoughts also

It's a similar position that Sir Brian was in. Took over mid season following a popular manager getting the sack, then struggled to get a tune out of the players he inherited. Got in his own players in place in the summer, took a few matches for them all to settle, then really saw the team up to speed by the autumn.

Took so many matches for them to settle that we were 3-0 up against the eventual double winners at half time in the first match!

If the Little comparisons are anywhere near accurate I will be cock a hoop but I am sceptical personally.

Offline ozzjim

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #176 on: August 05, 2022, 06:48:36 AM »
I would say the target has to be 8th minimum. SG has had half a season, bought in some very decent players, and should be expected to get more consistency. Smith got 55 points, the target this season should be 59-65, upper mid table region. There are 6-7 sides that to me look nailed on for the top 6 and bottom 6. That leaves 5-6 clubs battling for 8th-13th, so coming top of that league has to be the target.

Offline RamboandBruno

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #177 on: August 05, 2022, 08:12:58 AM »
I would say the target has to be 8th minimum. SG has had half a season, bought in some very decent players, and should be expected to get more consistency. Smith got 55 points, the target this season should be 59-65, upper mid table region. There are 6-7 sides that to me look nailed on for the top 6 and bottom 6. That leaves 5-6 clubs battling for 8th-13th, so coming top of that league has to be the target.

Splitting hairs, but don’t think Man Ure are nailed on top 6. Otherwise agree with what you say.

Online Astnor

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #178 on: August 05, 2022, 09:24:26 AM »
1-5: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, M city, Tottenham
6-10: Aston villa, M united, Newcastle, West ham, Wolves
11-15: Brentford, Brighton, Crystal p, Everton, Leicester
16-20: Bournemouth, Fulham, Nottingham, Leeds, Southampton

Offline Allan C

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Re: 22/23 season expectations.
« Reply #179 on: August 05, 2022, 09:54:21 AM »
I think with the squad as stands at this moment we’re looking at 10th. If there are other buys we should go higher maybe 8th. Going against the grain somewhat but I don’t really care what we do in the cups. The club doesn’t  care so why should we.

 


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