Kevin Hughes
@KevHughesie
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Content editor and copywriter for hire. Former Aston Villa writer for ESPN. FA-qualified football coach. Talent ID. Watcher of non-league football.
Lincolnshire, UK
Joined May 2011
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Villa’s last 10 PL matches away at Man City: LLLLLLLLLL Goals scored: 4. Goals conceded: 34.
#AVFC
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Emi, whispering: “….. and on matchdays, outside Villa Park, they have a man selling pork scratchings in big bags…. Pork scratchings, Leo….”
#AVFC
#EmiMartinez
#Messi
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Tomorrow we’ll know if a club that almost went bust in 2018, finished 5th in the EFL, has a squad sourced almost exclusively from outside the PL, and has been without its GK and CF since Jan, can avoid relegation over two established top flight clubs. Remarkable. Good luck
#AVFC
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The delirious joy of an injury time equaliser now replaced by me standing in my living room saying ‘it’ll probably be disallowed’... and watching lines drawn on a screen for several minutes before just nodding to myself. Football. Not the experience it used to be.
#avfc
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Bruno jumps in front of Martinez when he has the ball, chops down Targett, and tells the ref to ‘f*** off’, all in the space of 10 seconds. No card.
#avfc
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Could spend a week making a case for why Grealish should play for England. But I’ll just say: I don’t ever want to hear the lament that this country doesn’t develop technically gifted players again. A once in a generation talent and the national team are wasting him.
#avfc
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Outdated Emery’s Villa edging a lucky win over De Zerbi and his scintillating Brighton side, is it?
#avfc
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Ah, that’s one of the happiest moments I’ve had watching England. Watkins! Screamed that like a Villa goal. Reminds me of how I felt when Platt scored in 1990… 😀
#avfc
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Despite this being the only goal of the game to defeat the league leaders yesterday, it didn’t get much attention. Watch it through from start to finish - it’s a gloriously constructed team goal. Confidence, technique, movement. Rehearsed.
#avfc
#UnaiEmery
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That's why I rate Dean Smith so highly. Villa down to 10 men and losing 1-0, and he brings on a second striker, sends the team out on the front foot. Shifts the mentality. Knows what to do and exactly how to set up with a player less.
#AVFC
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Just a word on Martinez. He’s gained a reputation for his ‘antics’ during shootouts but I see a lot of other GKs behaving a similar way. Last night he was having objects hurled at him by the Lille crowd and yet he’s still cast as the villain…
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A year ago, a Villa starting X1 missing all of Watkins, Ramsey, McGinn, Kamara, Mings, Buendia and Cash would have been unthinkable, but here we are. Phenomenal effort to still be in the CL reckoning heading into the final stretch of the season.
Emery confirms that Ollie Watkins and Jacob Ramsey are not available to face Manchester City.
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A point about Dean Smith that I hardly ever see mentioned when his performance as
#avfc
coach is discussed: how many Villa players have improved while under his management? Answer: a lot, IMO. Don’t underestimate that as a huge strength of his. 1/2
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Villa away on the opening day of the PL season for the ninth year in a row? But of course, these fixtures are randomly generated.
#AVFC
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Gerrard: “One thing I’d like to instil and improve on is the structure of the team from a defensive point of view; out of possession, our distances, our shape..” 👀 He’s clearly been watching our games this season over the last few days…
#AVFC
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So,
#avfc
fans - any suggestions for a new assistant coach, now that Beale has moved on and Alonso ruled out? Ooops, that’s a pic of Olof Mellberg. Ignore that.
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I know the narrative for the next week is going to be ‘can Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard do his former club a massive favour in the title race?’ but I can tell you the answer now. No. Definitely not.
#avfc
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Let’s discuss Grealish’s impact here, within 20 minutes and very little of the ball… two lovely moments of class and composure.
#avfc
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@Jamorushton
Absolutely chilling, isn’t it? You can see he’s raging; that fixed smile and laugh is… 😱
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What should
#avfc
fans be worried about? Emery’s transformed this club from relegation candidates to top four challengers in 12-18 months. Analyse a poor performance by all means but using a bad 45 mins to reprise an old discussion seems like a big stretch.
Should Aston Villa fans be worried? 😟
@Carra23
and
@IanWright0
draw comparisons between Arsenal and Aston Villa under Unai Emery 🤔
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So if reported figures are correct
#avfc
covered purchases of Bjarnason, Bree and Lansbury just with Gestede sale. Excellent business.
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So in summary, so far: 1. We’re thinking about it (while people die). 2. We’re going to do the bare minimum. 3. We’ll look at it again - and then announce we’ll do the bare minimum still. 4. Ukrainians don’t want to come to the UK. 😤 😡
Deputy PM
@DominicRaab
just tried to justify his Government’s stubborn, petty and mean spirited response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis by telling
@BBCBreakfast
viewers Ukrainians probably won’t want to come here anyway!
This Government is completely without shame
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It’s not just about Villa, BTW. No club would be allowed to field such a seriously weakened team deliberately, as it affects the integrity of the league. Spurs are in the title picture; I’m certain their rivals won’t be pleased at them practically being given a walkover...
#AVFC
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#avfc
expectations this season: Aug - let’s push for top 8; Dec - top half would be good; Feb - 11th/12th is decent; March - please, let’s just stay up.
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Reports of Bielsa leaving Leeds. Just like Smith at
#AVFC
, shows that no matter how much ‘credit’ is in the bank, when results turn, the consequences are swift and decisive. Two coaches adored by respective fan bases, but football remains an unforgiving game at times.
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So, of the players
#avfc
have signed this summer, three were at the club last season; three played together at Brugge; two of them played under Dean at Brentford. Luiz joins a fellow Brazilian. Trezeguet joins Elmo. Can you buy team spirit? Maybe...
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Reading a few ‘takes’ from journalists in recent days and it seems pretty clear Mings is being lined up as something of a scapegoat already. Just seen him cover his right sided CB to force a Romanian shot wide, and now cover after Shaw misjudged a ball over his head. But, y’know.
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Thinking about the perceived late season Villa ‘wobble’. Last five PL games: won v Arsenal, Bournemouth. Draws with Chelsea and Liverpool. Defeat at Brighton. That’s with four Euro matches in between, too. Not brilliant, but not bad. The nerve held 👏
#avfc
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Oooof. Incredible effort from Villa, that. Duran deservedly gets the headlines for that finale - but I saw you, Calum Chambers, robbing MacAllister on the edge of his own box for that crucial second goal… 👀
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When
#avfc
said Martinez and Buendia would be back for the Everton match, I didn’t think they’d be flying back into the UK on the day of the game. Maybe they can travel in full kit and warm up inside the plane… 🙄
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Latest example is Ramsey, who is starting to look very good indeed at this level. But McGinn, Targett, Mings, Konsa, Watkins - maybe one/two more (Luiz, El Ghazi) - and that bloke who left, have all taken a stride or two forward under DS.
#AVFC
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BTW, even if you don’t think Luiz has what it takes to be a long term (or even mid term) part of our midfield, extending his deal at
#AVFC
for another three years is a significantly better outcome than losing him for free in January 2023, no?
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Emi, whispering: “….. and on matchdays, outside Villa Park, they have a man selling pork scratchings in big bags…. Pork scratchings, Leo….”
#AVFC
#EmiMartinez
#Messi
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Good, Villa. Been waiting for that since Bjorn Engels’ injury time slip three years ago…
#avfc
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One of football’s classic outcomes there. Team 1 dominant, misses chances, gets sloppy/casual. Team 2 stays in the game, takes its chances. Happens a lot. Lessons for us there but let’s remember the progress we’ve made since last season. We keep going.
#AVFC
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Of course, if Steve Bruce does leave Villa shortly, I can guess what happens next. Goes to a rival Championship club, takes them to promotion. That would be so Villa, wouldn't it?
#avfc
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🤔 Watkins…
#avfc
Darwin Nunez is the first Premier League player this season to reach 10+ goals and assists in all competitions ✨
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Farewell, Sweet Prince 🥹
#avfc
🚨🟡 Villarreal are closing in on deal to sign Bertrand Traoré from Aston Villa.
Agreement almost completed, as per
@javimatagil
.
Villa gave the green light today after Morgan Rogers deal.
@MatteMoretto
🤝🏻
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That
#AVFC
result was a kick in the teeth, no doubt. But I also know that it’s going to burn for a long time. Over the next 20 years I’ll be having a perfectly pleasant day and then suddenly, my eyes will glaze over and I’ll think: ‘damn, that Wolves game.’
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Of all the things to consider when evaluating whether Gerrard would be a good choice as
#avfc
head coach, him potentially leaving us for Liverpool in a few years’ time has surely got to be at the bottom of the list. Or not even on the list at all.
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Kodjia missed a pen v QPR, later scored. Tonight, missed a pen v Bristol City, later scores. I like him. He doesn't hide.
#avfc
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Exhausting, isn’t it? Energy bills off the scale. Food and fuel prices rocketing. NHS waiting lists soaring. Schools close to breaking. Millions of kids, families, in poverty. Highest taxes for 70 year. Brexit hammering trade, businesses. Yet, here they are. Still here, failing.
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He’s not wrong. From an
#avfc
point of view, Lille had a free weekend between their ties with us (we played away at Arsenal) and Olympiakos have had their league fixture this weekend postponed; Villa are away at Brighton. Other leagues try to help their clubs to succeed.
Klopp says fixture schedule in England responsible for so many PL teams bowing out of Europe early: "A bit of advice from an old man on the way out."
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Whatever your thoughts are on our deals with Juventus this summer, I’m not sure buying a 20 year old prospect (Iling Jnr) and loaning him out to one of Italy’s best clubs for the season, is that controversial, is it? Could be brilliant for his development.
#avfc
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This summer I thought we'd lose half our squad for pennies, possibly even see the club go into administration. So Bryan, who I've never seen play, apparently choosing Fulham over Villa? Doesn't really worry me.
#avfc
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It’s still very very very very very very very strange seeing Steven Gerrard standing there, with a claret tie on, speaking as Villa coach. Very strange.
#AVFC
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Interestingly (or not), if matches had been 80 mins in duration all season, Villa would now be on 31 points, with victories at Arsenal and over Liverpool in the bag. And I'd never have seen that Bjorn Engels error in the closing seconds v Spurs (which haunts my dreams).
#avfc
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Pretty much everything that could have gone wrong today has. The customary late injury withdrawals. Early injury sub in an already weak area. Red card, early enough to make a difference. Hitting the bar at 1-2 down. Decisions from officials that really hurt us. Tough times.
#avfc
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So ends a run of nine matches in 30 days;
#avfc
conclude their 2023 fixtures level on points with 1st place. Team understandably look tired with a mounting injury list too but hopefully a lighter January and maybe 1-2 incoming players gives all a lift. Great effort, Villa 👏👏👏
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The way I try to view the last few weeks is this: if we’d lost to City and Arsenal but beaten Sheffield United easily tonight, we’d think it about right. We’d have had three points; instead we have seven. Football doesn’t always work out as it ‘should’.
#avfc
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.... and Engels looked much better. Liking the Davis cameo when he came on. Would love to see him and Samatta as a pair to really work opposing defences. Now 11 more cup finals to come.
#AVFC
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Don't loan McCormack out for the season, Villa. He's 31 mid-August. This is probably our only chance to get some £££ back for him.
#avfc
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Very happy with Heaton, if the deal goes through. No, he won't be our 'keeper for the next ten years but you could argue what's missing from the
#avfc
squad is proven PL class. TH will give us that - he's consistent, experienced, a safe pair of hands and just a very good GK IMO.
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Bit bemused by that coverage of the
#avfc
penalty. Watched it over and over and don’t see a touch of the ball by Richards until he goes straight through Watkins… 🤷♂️
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Confession: find watching
#avfc
unbearably tense at times. Took the dog out on 60 mins; saw the game on in a neighbour’s window, looked in to see Cash smash in No.1. At 2-0, my son texts. ‘Don’t come home until full-time’. 😂
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@InvertTheWing
Praised for one good season - yes, this is voted for based on performance in that one season. That’s how a team of the season works.
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I just published Aston Villa: an exciting new era or another false dawn? A few thoughts on the appointment of Dean Smith and what it means for
#avfc
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Clearing out some stuff today and I found this… my first ever
#AVFC
shirt (yes, of course I’m keeping it)
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Without Pau and Kamara, Villa’s ability to control a match is seriously damaged. Rarely seen us so open from halfway line to our penalty area, all season. We were really poor for most of that. Onto the next one.
#avfc
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@johntownley11
How do you get consistency from a player if he mainly gets 20-25 minutes of game time? I think Buendia’s had two starts in 8 PL matches. He’s not being given the opportunity to be consistent.
#AVFC
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As the world’s best player is missing tomorrow, this is what I’d go with. A more compact midfield, but Nakamba provides cover for the CBs and potentially allows LB and RB to get forward. Traore with licence to move inside to support Watkins.
#avfc
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This was meant to be the season I tried to tone down, or at least better manage, my emotional investment in
#avfc
. I was awake at 2, 3 and 5am this morning fretting about Carlos’ injury, and my mind’s consumed with what we now do in terms of signing a new CB. Hopeless.
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@JackGrealish
Well done, Jack. When you were in the game, England were in complete control; no coincidence. We’re proud of you. 👏
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Like this. Watched Jota pull Villa apart a couple of times when he was at Brentford and he looked a class act. One of our lower profile transfers this summer but I think he's going to surprise a few people
#avfc
Richard O’Kelly: “Jota? He was Premier League class (at Brentford). It surprised me nobody came in for him, and he ended up going to Blues. Already this pre-season, he’s shown the quality and class he’s got. He’s right up there with the running stats everyday.” [avfc]
#avfc
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Just realised we're heading into the last few days of the transfer window. Also just realised this is the first transfer window in years I haven't been desperate to see
#avfc
sign players. Relaxed about it, happy with the squad.
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Sure. Play two DMs and keep both full-backs pinned back but also judge your forward players on defensive qualities. Why is it always about what he doesn’t do so well over what he does brilliantly? PS he actually does work very hard.
#avfc
Gareth Southgate does have concerns over Grealish’s work rate off the ball. He wants him to put more pressure on opponents when England are out of possession. The common suspicion within the dressing room is that Grealish is not starting for this reason. [
@TheAthleticUK
]
#avfc
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@LoveMcGrathpod
Every club’s entitled to place whatever value they choose on a player, surely? Think I read the Maatsen release clause was £35m so our offer’s in line with that. Omari has been tagged as a special talent for over a year by some non-Villa accounts, so…
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@villareport
Don’t want to see David Coote officiating one of our matches again anytime soon (or never).
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'16th. They're lucky I put them this high', should be stencilled on to the wall of the home dressing room this season as motivation.
#avfc
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Delighted for Hause. He was a low key signing, it’s his fourth season at the club, he’s had bad luck with injuries. Always has to wait and bide his time for any chance, and never lets us down. 👏
#avfc
PS set piece coach not looking such a daft idea now…
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Also - on a less moany note… Luiz in an 8 role. Not just the goal, the pressing, the calmness on the ball, the use of it. I’m having that.
#avfc
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Expecting Delph to accept the move, then reject it, then accept it again.
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So,
#avfc
. Winning ugly I can take. Mixed, mid-table form playing decent stuff I can accept. Losing points consistently playing poorly? No.
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Villa showing here that if you pick attacking players and let them get on with it, they can hurt teams.
#avfc
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Can't tell you what that feels like. Like four years of dejection just wiped away. There have been times when it's felt like everyone has been laughing at Villa, and us fans have just had to take it all on the chin. It's been a long road back, but we're back. Well done
#avfc
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Yes, I am keeping an anxious eye on the Leeds, Watford and Burnley matches tonight. You?
#AVFC
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Hope those who still think Emery is a pragmatic, everyone behind the ball and counter coach, watches some of these recent
#avfc
performances back. Other than a frantic 10 min spell after West Ham’s fortunate goal, that was almost total control v a very good team in form. 👏
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👇 Thought Ramsey’s performance on Sunday was one of the positives - just lacking that finishing touch (two chances missed) that we know he had pre-injury. Getting there, I think 👇
#AVFC
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Prediction: Pep to play Grealish in CM; within six months he’s a regular starter there for England and the whole world says ‘oh, he’s not just a winger?’ while
#avfc
fans nod to themselves, knowingly.
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Knew it was coming, and I know it makes a lot of sense for player and club right now, but I’m still genuinely gutted to see
@ConorHourihane
leave
#avfc
, as reported. A loan that may precede a permanent move away, you’d think. One of my favourite Villa players in recent years. 👏
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As a Villa fan, the last 5-6 seasons (at least) have been absolutely draining... and here we go again..
#AVFC
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When you find yourself pinning your hopes on the assistant head coach turning things around, you’ve answered the question.
#AVFC
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@FtblJoe
Villa haven’t been fully fit for the entirety of the season. Both clubs have suffered massively with injuries all season - it doesn’t have to be a ‘who’s worse off’ discussion.
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So VAR is there to overturn wrong decisions, but not all wrong decisions? If it's powerless to intervene in some cases it seems a selective rather than a conclusive system to me. Which then devalues it hugely, I think.
#avfc
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@AVFCTheReligion
Just the 11 trophies for Emery v a combined 4 for Pochettino and Arteta. Emery the ‘PSG flop’ won 7 trophies in France v Poch’s 3. 🤷♂️
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It’s inconceivable that Villa don’t have an alternative transfer target to Felix - considering the complicated nature of that deal - isn’t it? Isn’t it?
#AVFC
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That all looked very very familiar. And very very predictable. From selection to game pattern to substitutions. 😐
#avfc
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No, we should not sell Jack Grealish. Needs to improve his game in many ways but you don't give up on a talent like his prematurely.
#avfc
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Struggling to think of any clubs who've had as many out of favour players that aren't considered for selection, kept away from the squad, but can't be sold, as Villa in recent years. Here we are again, with McCormack the latest. Expensive, wasteful, terrible strategy.
#avfc
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Mahrez every time for me.
👊 “Would you have Grealish ahead of Sterling? I wouldn’t. Sterling’s better.”
✅ “I’d have Sterling ahead of Mahrez! In a big game I’d go Sterling over him.”
Danny Murphy insists Raheem Sterling is better than fellow
#MCFC
stars Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez.
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Coutinho, now Digne. Gerrard spoke just on Monday night of the need for
#avfc
to close that gap between ‘nearly’ and ‘good enough’ - both players can/should help to give us that extra 5-10% that turns narrow defeats into draws or wins.
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