Pau Torres

[Dave]

Daniel Story called out Pau and was spot on on the Totally Football Show.

F365 on it too.

Premier League winners and losers:

Pau Torres

Even without the apparent contagious knee deficiency affecting the entire Aston Villa squad, Torres would be their most important player. With it, and the loss of Boubacar Kamara, Tyrone Mings, Emiliano Buendia and Ezri Konsa to such issues, he has become entirely indispensable.

It is no coincidence that Unai Emery’s side have suffered half their overall defeats in the six Premier League games Torres has missed this season. He is that crucial to their approach.

Back in the side against Fulham, the difference was clear. Beyond his unerring composure in defence, the Spaniard brings an air of control and authority Villa otherwise lack. There are precious few defenders better on the ball under pressure and Villa have sorely missed that progressive style.

Emery has been forced into picking more central defensive partnerships than he would have hoped this season; the only choice he has now is between bubble wrap and cotton wool for what he uses to wrap up Torres until May.

[john e]

If he stays fit i reckon he’ll get player of the season in his first campaign
Which would be a big achievement as there will be lots of other outstanding candidates

[London Villan]

My only criticisms of him is that he sometimes loses the physical battles and get caught a little flat-footed at times. I can cope with that with the massive benefits he brings to how we play though.

[nigel]

If he stays fit i reckon he’ll get player of the season in his first campaign
Which would be a big achievement as there will be lots of other outstanding candidates

Pau, Leon & Ollie are probably the 3 front runners.
Ezri and Boubaca would have been in there, too, but their injuries have kissed their chances goodbye.

For me, at the moment, it’s Ollie.

[Risso]

My only criticisms of him is that he sometimes loses the physical battles and get caught a little flat-footed at times. I can cope with that with the massive benefits he brings to how we play though.

To be honest, I can't remember him getting out-muscled that much recently.

[Dave]

If he stays fit i reckon he’ll get player of the season in his first campaign
Which would be a big achievement as there will be lots of other outstanding candidates

Pau, Leon & Ollie are probably the 3 front runners.
Ezri and Boubaca would have been in there, too, but their injuries have kissed their chances goodbye.

For me, at the moment, it’s Ollie.

McGinn and Luiz probably aren't out of the conversation either. Shows how good the season has been, in spite of the (comparative) wobbles of the last couple of months.

[brontebilly]

If he stays fit i reckon he’ll get player of the season in his first campaign
Which would be a big achievement as there will be lots of other outstanding candidates

Pau, Leon & Ollie are probably the 3 front runners.
Ezri and Boubaca would have been in there, too, but their injuries have kissed their chances goodbye.

For me, at the moment, it’s Ollie.

McGinn and Luiz probably aren't out of the conversation either. Shows how good the season has been, in spite of the (comparative) wobbles of the last couple of months.

Those two and Watkins have been our three best again for me so far. If any of those three were out injured for a number of games then that would be it for CL qualification. McGinn had a flat spot form wise around Xmas and afterwards for a while but playing well again lately. Constantly changing position too. Martinez as always very solid and Torres after he settled has been very strong too.

Bailey has improved hugely but took a good while to get a regular spot in the team to start with. Kamara's form pre injury was a bit mixed at times I thought, Konsa was going very well at CB too, less so at RB. Need him back as his pace is a huge addition.

Think Moreno and Ramsey will be key for us down the final stretch of games. Just starting to get back into their rhythm.

[Brazilian Villain]

Leon for me, we all love a good redemption arc.

[PaulWinch again]

My only criticisms of him is that he sometimes loses the physical battles and get caught a little flat-footed at times. I can cope with that with the massive benefits he brings to how we play though.

To be honest, I can't remember him getting out-muscled that much recently.

Yep that was an issue early, but he’s adapted to the league.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

Shows how bloody well we’ve done when no one mentions the World’s number one goalkeeper in a player of the season debate.

[SamTheMouse]

My only criticisms of him is that he sometimes loses the physical battles and get caught a little flat-footed at times. I can cope with that with the massive benefits he brings to how we play though.

To be honest, I can't remember him getting out-muscled that much recently.

Yep that was an issue early, but he’s adapted to the league.

The sheer speed of his adaptation was incredibly impressive. Whereas someone like Bailey took ages to get going, Torres managed it within a handful of games and has performed incredibly consistently. Although Pau arrived from a better league, I suppose.

Anyway, the term gets chucked about with abandon, but he and Martinez really are world-class.

[Drummond]

Torres was also working with Emery before he joined Villa, so it was easier to adapt to his methods.

[Hookeysmith]

McGinn and Luiz probably aren't out of the conversation either. Shows how good the season has been, in spite of the (comparative) wobbles of the last couple of months

It seems a world away when the fans took the piss out of their own club and voted Stephen Ireland as player of the year

[Dave]

McGinn and Luiz probably aren't out of the conversation either. Shows how good the season has been, in spite of the (comparative) wobbles of the last couple of months

It seems a world away when the fans took the piss out of their own club and voted Stephen Ireland as player of the year

If memory serves, that wasn't an end of season vote - it was just given given to the player who had been named man of the match most often in that season.

The fact that Ireland was that person still doesn't reflect well though.

[TonyD]

A long way to go.
When the going gets tough........