Unai Emery

[eamonn]

It feels even more insane when you think of it in words, a quarter of the premier league will play in the Champions League next season.

.

Yep, 25% in the Chumps League, 5% in Europa (10% if FA Cup winners are in top 30% of Premier League), (5% Conference if League Cup Winners are in top 35% of Premier League or win FA Cup) and 15% get relegated. Something to play for for every team.

Yeah but what if you're Crystal Palace?!

Haha, I actually put 'Except if you're Palace' in the original post and removed it because they're about to lose Zaha and Olise.

Good point, actually! It won't be easy for them. Or rather if it ain't Eze doing it for them, it'll be difficult.

[jwarry]

I know we are all raving about our manager but I think this is the first year where I have seen active evidence that we have a manager who is  prepared to work with the kids, explain to them wheee they might fit and genuinely give them reason to work hard and break into the team.  Philogene the prime example , but Cam, Rev and Kellyman are obviously catching his eye as Kadan Young did did last year.  But, and here’s the but, they get their chance but if they don’t take it then it’s gone, but at least they now can see a path

[Footy-Vill]

In a 25-man Prem squad I think only Philogene, Archer and Duran will get the opportunities.  These other young players we see I expect to be loaned out or occasionally called up to a match day squad but will mainly be at under 23/21 level academy matches.

[jwarry]

In a 25-man Prem squad I think only Philogene, Archer and Duran will get the opportunities.  These other young players we see I expect to be loaned out or occasionally called up to a match day squad but will mainly be at under 23/21 level academy matches.

But here’s the thing Footy, there are plenty of rumours around Doku who is the same age as Philogene, but is he any better? I am pretty sure our owners were sold on Unai’s vision for the academy and to be fair we have been getting our act together for 3 years now so if nothing was coming through then he should spend spend spend, but I think he has spotted a few rough diamonds

[Louzie0]

In a 25-man Prem squad I think only Philogene, Archer and Duran will get the opportunities.  These other young players we see I expect to be loaned out or occasionally called up to a match day squad but will mainly be at under 23/21 level academy matches.

I think Unai might be a bit more flexible in approach than that, as he oversees their development and hears reports about individuals when he can’t see them play at first hand.

There are decisions to be made about the final squad, though, and it doesn’t make sense to keep a young player hanging around when they could be learning on loan.

Not to mention Jwarry’s point about more (possible) signings, as Sky reminds us there are god knows how many days, hours, minutes, seconds and micro seconds left in this ‘window’. 

They remind me of those adverts for furniture shops - Sale! Sale! Sale!

[Footy-Vill]

In a 25-man Prem squad I think only Philogene, Archer and Duran will get the opportunities.  These other young players we see I expect to be loaned out or occasionally called up to a match day squad but will mainly be at under 23/21 level academy matches.

But here’s the thing Footy, there are plenty of rumours around Doku who is the same age as Philogene, but is he any better? I am pretty sure our owners were sold on Unai’s vision for the academy and to be fair we have been getting our act together for 3 years now so if nothing was coming through then he should spend spend spend, but I think he has spotted a few rough diamonds

Very good points JW but Yes, Doku is well ahead and has the potential to become one of Europe's top players. There are no comparisons between Doku a member of the Belgian national team and Philogene. Look at the transfer tag of Doku.

I do think that the present ethos of the Aston Villa academy is that players are just being "fattened for slaughter." Few will ever succeed as first chocie first team members. It's the way Villa owners and operations have decided by  bringing in all these highly regarded and rising stars from everywhere and then make money force to let them go when the time is right.

Prediction:
We'll see a return to Aston Villa being made of a players from ceremonial counties of Warwickshire and the West Midlands. One of the chief reasons for this is when football gets more localised owing to environmental issues, but that's in the future. Starting by 2035

My estimate would be around 2040 or at least 2050 where significant and drastic changes to football and humans vs AI and robots would take place.
Tech will be the governing body and main factor within the sporting pursuits.

[Toronto Villa]

[Clampy]

I do have Footy blocked but I thought I'd have a look after TV's reaction.

Fucking hell. Which one them wrote that?

[PeterWithesShin]

FV is a genius before his time.

[dr.chekov]

I love this website.

[Bad English]

The great thing about football is that after all the chat, the analysis, the bollocks, the trolling, the googling and the talking of bollocks or otherwise, there is a fixture where a team chosen by the manager goes onto the pitch and plays the game.

I enjoy reading most of this on here but there is only one thing that counts, and that is when the Villa boys are on the pitch. But H&V is fun too. Mostly.

[VillaTim]

We have one of the best managers of the current era. I don't want to get too carried away though , been following villa far too long to know that.

[AV84]

If Arsenal had backed him do you think they'd have won the league by now?

[danno]

Didn’t expect to read a post of the year contender today. Robots? Awesome!
come on you villa borgs!

[VillaTim]

If Arsenal had backed him do you think they'd have won the league by now?

More than likely