StriderHiryu

Like minds! I'm working on my analysis video / post from yesterday's game. I have a section called "Soliditity versus creativity" ^Here's an example of why Cooper started the 3 you mentioned, as well as Ayew. In the previous two games we had less possession and sturggled to get going against the opposition. Yesterday was the first time we had more possesion and were able to start building. One big reason is because snapped into tackles and wanted to win the second contacts and 50/50s. The downside is that though we achieved this, the stats show that we didn't do enough with the ball in terms of generating quality chances. This was rectified when Cooper brought on the 3 subs, with El Khanouss already scheming and starting to pull the strings. I imagine that his thinking was that with BEK only having joined on Thursday, he needed to give the side a platform to win territory and possession and then start asking questions. ^ After this sequence, Emery subbed his right back because he could see it was a huge issue for Villa. What happened yesterday is that when we made mistakes, we were punished heavily, something we know happens in the Premier League. And in fact if it were not for Mads, Villa could have punished us even worse, despite IMO not being great themselves. I think we now have a squad with the pieces to be competitive and give us a chance, but with Palace and Everton next, we must start taking big points. Everton already feels like a must-win.

We've got better as the season has progressed. There are some encouraging signs but overall we aren't creating enough high quality chances. However, we've just signed a highly creative player and think there are huge signs for potential. Next 7 games might define the season.

Going live at 17:15 if anyone wants to join:

The game is won over 90 minutes, not 60. In the last two league games we've struggled to get going early by losing the midfield battle. Villa use a box midfield by moving over McGinn to try and create an extra man. Skipp and Winks can play through traffic and under pressure, Ndidi will give us some bite to try and snap and win the ball back. If we can keep in the game, we start bringing on our creative players in the second half. Villa under Emery are a properly good team so as pragmatic as our team lineup is, I can understand it. The things that surpise me more than the midfield 3 are the use of Okoli over Vestergaard and keeping in JJ. Ollie Watkins is great for Villa so perhaps Okoli is there to help contain him, but Watkins is also a great presser and Okoli hasn't looked so great on the ball so far. Maybe his job will be to follow Morgan Rogers who is a ball of energy and moves between the 9, 10 and 8 positions? JJ I thought had a bad game against Fulham, but even if he hadn't, as McGinn likes to drift in field, it would make more sense IMO to have Ricardo to follow him who is good on the ball and could help circumvent the midfield superiorities that Emery tries to create. Villa finished above Spurs last season, so on paper this is our hardest test so far.

Nope. But (and this might come as a shock), as a middle aged man on a Friday night, I do NOT have social plans on transfer deadline day

Will be going live at 9PM here to talk about this signing and the window in general: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMVvDOM8xaU Here's how Edouard compares to other strikers that we were either linked to or whom went to teams in the relegation battle. He's no Fotis Ioannidis, but as a "dry loan", seems better than the others.

I think Skipp and BEK, we are stronger in midfield now. We also have Buonanotte on loan who has been pretty good so far too. I can't disagree with Striker though. Iheanacho right now would start for sure given our injury problems.

I agree with you, but looking at the window in general, who have we missed out on? The club made an offer for Fotis Ioannidis but it was rejected. Would it be worth us paying 35M for a new stiker? To be fair, maybe it would be, but as it stands I don't see a stand-out player that I think we missed out on. Liam Delap, Cameron Archer, Bereton-Diaz? Maybe Sammie Szmodics depending on how he gets on.

That's what I expect too. Villa compress the game centrally, so having Ndidi to win the ball back makes sense. We are now in a position where we've got a much stronger squad than in pre-season, so what's nice is that we have multiple options that we could use dependant on the approach Cooper goes with.

^ A big feature of Emery's style of play is the use of a fairly insane high line. Look how compact they make the game! This seems super high risk in modern day football, but he is so good at drilling it into his players that it makes them defensively sound. ^ To aid the high line, Emi Martinez is the best sweeper keeper in the league. The ball over the top (or through) is something we will try during the game for sure... ^ So expect to see him rushing out to try and stop that from happening. Shame we don't have a peak Jamie Vardy, he would be soooooo good against a team like this. ^ Emery also uses an interesting system when in possesion: They only use one out and out wide player in Leon Bailey to stretch the opposition back line. John McGinn (7) starts out wide, but drifts in midfield to play as a 10, usually with Tielemans, but in recent games, Morgan Rogers. Their left back then acts an the wide player. similar to how we use Kristiansen. It's been Digne so far, but Villa have signed Ian Maatsen from Chelsea who I really rate. In general with the high line and box midfield, Villa try to compress the game into the middle of the pitch and win the war there. I expect Skipp and Winks to start for this reason, as we need to be able to compete there.

Soule was saucy but IMO this is the better signing. Soule did most of his work in the Fatawu position last season. He has played as a 10, but IMO it was more of a gamble that he would work in the Cooper system, and adapt to English football. Khannouss has the technical ability and positional awareness to play centrally and has been doing that regualrly for a while. The Belgian league isn't as tough as Serie A, that has to be said. But this player can speak English and is used to more of a physical game. For me at the start of the window, El Khannouss would be up there for ideal KDH replacements. Honestly, it's a signing I am surprised we were able to make and thought other clubs would be in for him. I think he's better than Sara and Gronbaek, and the respective fees represent this. Maybe Cameron Puertas who was also playing in Belgium could have been better, but he's older so wouldn't have the resale value. They don't always work, but this is more of a Fofana / Maddison signing than a Praet / Perez for me.

@kingfox what was your agent fee for giving Glover the information on this player? As crazy as this sounds, this player I think has the potential to be signing of the season. I suspect that either Gundogan or Merino will take that crowd come the end, but thinking about realistic KDH replacements, this was one of the best. In fact I did not think this was a realistic signing, whereas Gronbaek and Sara were. So despite it taking till nearly the end of the window, to get such a promising player is a coup. Of the promoted teams, has anyone signed a player better than this? We shall see. Bilal is the current Belgian young player of the year, and he is keeping some good company here:

Welcome Bilal! Time to rock the King Power!

Professional troller, not footballer

Let's be honest, there would be pelters if I didn't!

Could see this one happen. We were linked with Maupay a while ago when he was in the Championship with Brentford. He presses hard from the front and puts a shift in. I don't think he's a striker that keeps you up but having another player in the 9 position is better than having no one in at all. We'll definitely bring in a striker, but it's hard to see it being anywhere near an elite one.

@AjcW Thanks so much, I had no idea of any of that, so really interesting to hear it.

Can you share any more on this? It seems kind of crazy what Ipswich are doing, as they have gone over £100M spent this season now. Fair play to him he got them from League One to the Premier League, but these over reaches always feel like they are destined for failure eventually. Which I suppose happened to us.

With the older players, their current performance levels also have something to do with the negativity. Ayew looked decent against Fulham and scored a banger against Tranmere. All of a sudden he's not looking too bad at all and a useful squad addition. De Cordova-Reid has been starting ahead of Mavididi and looked poor both in pre-season and in real games. Perhaps he will still come good, but he's not got off to a good start. Fans are more patient with younger players, older ones are expected to hit the ground running.

We ran an Instant Match reaction if you are looking for something to listen to with regards to tonight's game.

Ndidi has been sublime today, you've got to say!

100%. I imagine he will share minutes with Buonanotte. In fact the plan I imagine is that Facundo starts games with BEK coming on at 60 for the first half of the season, then maybe flip them around, as Buonanotte will go back to Brighton, whereas BEK is here for a few years. It's a tough league to just be thrown in, that's for sure. Exciting signing for sure! Hopefully more of a Maddison or Fofana than a Daka or Soumare.