Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2025/26

Patser · 01-05-2026 08:04PM

Emery's Villa does seem to exist on a right now platform - as in we need players that can come in (either bought or on loan) and play right now; as opposed to develop from youth. There are a few exceptions; Rogers, Onana, Bogarde and Maatsen are pretty much them, but there's also a complete lack on 19 or 20 year olds getting time behind them.

Last night Forest brought in a 19 year defender - forced a bit by injury - but still trusted him, while Emery seems to be loaning/shipping out out anyone that can't step in right now. So I can see where CSF is coming from.

I still can't get my head around the Barrenchea deal; as part of Luiz's sale we get a highly rated, young Argentine defensive midfielder for £8 million, but never see him. He's immediately out on loan, with a deal done for him to leave for £15 million. Ok PSR wise, we're sorted but in the meantime team wise we were critically short of players due to injury, have to drag back Luiz on loan, and our age profile goes up again.

That said, the current Villa project is to grow the brand, increase revenue and make the club a giant. So we need results 'right now'. We don't have time to develop players just yet, when we want/need to keep getting into high profile European cups. We can't be a Brighton - find a good player, develop him, sell him, repeat; while having an ok season, decent season, ok season.

So we seem stuck on a small, fairly elite, highly paid squad with a few loans to fill in gaps to get results 'right now', and hopefully as revenue's continue to rise and PSR diminishes we'll get breathing room to also start developing players too. And with that strategy in mind Emery has been a genius. For the spend we've had relative to Utd, a Conference league charge, a Champions League campaign, a Europa League run and hopefully back in Champions League again next year. Those results are incredible! Especially when you look at Chelsea, Spurs and pre-this season Utd, spending but not really achieving

LeBash · 01-05-2026 08:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435759#Comment_124435759

I think Bogarde is a good player, hes still young and he got slaughtered on this thread from before he came on and im pretty sure you yourself would lose the plot if we sacrificed results for team building (you want Emery out now with good results for example). So what would actually please you? A bunch of 20 year old who win the league but this isnt Championship Manager.

This is the best period since I've been a Villa fan for results and we are doing it up against a PSR wall which seems to be designed to keep the greedy six happy and stop them pushing for a Super League again, and we are still pushing into that group.

CSF · 01-05-2026 10:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124436205#Comment_124436205

No, not a squad full of young players by any stretch. But there has to be some kind of balance between experience and development, and there has to be some kind of succession planning. I don’t think there’s a replacement in the squad for almost anyone other than maybe Bogarde and Maatsen.

All we seem to do these days is sign players and then Emery quickly wants nothing to do with them. Tammy and Luiz the latest. If you look at short term results, I don’t think the collapse will be immediate (Emery is an elite coach) and it’s not like the likes of Watkins and McGinn will suddenly become pensioners overnight.

But every thing about the way the club is operating, is set up to get a bit worse every year. Obviously I would prefer to be wrong about this and Emery completely transforms his transfer record (it has been truly abysmal) but obviously I’d need to see that before I start believing it.

cgorzy · 02-05-2026 11:05AM

I don’t think our transfer business overall has been that bad since Emery has taken over, plenty of misses but for the net spend we have done ok. Ideally we would have held onto some of the younger players who were performing like Ramsey and Duran but with financial restrictions that would have meant we needed to sell players like McGinn or Konsa or Watkins.

We have definitely prioritised keeping the players who have performed well meaning higher wages there and then have players signed of free transfers with higher wages too, Kamara, Tielemans and Lindelof.

I think overall it is wages combined with transfers and we have outperformed that in league placing every year under Emery.

I’d say Bailey is the only players who was unwisely given a high paying contract in Emery’s time, we are carrying less overpaid players than when he took over.

We’re definitely operating to a different model to most clubs but so far it is working well and I think Emery will be ready to change approach when it is needed and possible.

sbs2010 · 02-05-2026 11:11AM

The immediate issue though is coaching them/team selection/tatics to get them back to something like their pre New Year form.

Can he get the best out of the squad for the next 4 weeks?

I'm doubtful :(

But live in hope as ever !!

CSF · 02-05-2026 11:11AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124437177#Comment_124437177

It’s already needed imo. Watkins is clearly on the decline. Martinez is heading the same way. Tielemans has been playing 30+ game seasons for 13 years now and is not a strong candidate to be effective into his 30s. McGinn showing no signs of decline right now but he’s heading to 32 this year and relies heavily on energy. Buendia.

The problem is also that when you keep all your senior players literally until they visibly decline, then you’re not getting resale value to buy the players needed to cover the next 5 years.

Obviously I would prefer a change of strategy under Emery. Just don’t see him wanting to do that.

listermint · 02-05-2026 11:35AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124437177#Comment_124437177

That's a fair assessment tbh

Because it's reflected in how we've managed to bring the bills in and under the requirements in such a short space of time , whilst still out performing our peers who had no such obligations.

A feat in itself.

CSF · 02-05-2026 01:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124437217#Comment_124437217

Those other teams are signing players that will have value for them over the next decade. Even Newcastle who are in a very similar FFP position as Villa tend to focus on younger signings, and have also achieved 2 CL qualifications over the same period.

Emery or no Emery, there has to be a change of recruitment strategy, or Villa will be heading closer towards the end of an era. An era that we remember ridiculously fondly with some huge CL nights, but one that will be almost impossible to replicate with f*ckall resale value in an ageing squad.

Patser · 02-05-2026 05:03PM

Brighton loss, means Brentford now our closest challengers 7 points behind, with them only having 3 to play and away at City next.

Hopefully tomorrow we can put Champs League to rest, and with Utd playing Pool, also move up a position

CSF · 02-05-2026 05:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124438159#Comment_124438159

Brentford still have to go away to Man City and Liverpool. Bournemouth the only one who I reckon could realistically get enough points for if Villa somehow managed to get 0.

Patser · 02-05-2026 06:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124438223#Comment_124438223

Bournemouth also have City

Patser · 02-05-2026 06:18PM

If West Ham do go down, alongside Burnley, would that mean the we're finally the only Claret and Blue team in Premier League again

02-05-2026 07:00PM

Really feel like Spurs will get something tomorrow based on the West Ham result. Would love to be sending them down but we're looking a little slow and flat the last few games.

CSF · 02-05-2026 07:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124438347#Comment_124438347

Home though and they’re good at home. Ultimately Villa will be top 5 anyway. Not a hope that any of these teams win all their games and Villa win none.

CSF · 02-05-2026 07:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124438537#Comment_124438537

They’re fairly injury battered though. And they weren’t very good when fit.

pavb2 · 03-05-2026 01:10PM

There’s a lot of media talk about Spurs getting a win today if they do I think they survive. I don’t think the game will be won or lost on our team selection it’s whether the players turn up. Hopefully Unai has given them a rocket after the performance on Thursday. I’m pretty certain we’ve qualified for the CL next season hopefully we can all but confirm it today.

CSF · 03-05-2026 05:59PM

McGinn’s injury being reported as injury related.

LeBash · 03-05-2026 06:04PM

probably as rotated as is possible without getting silly. Id rather send Spurs down and get rid of 1 of the greedy six than win the Europa. Would take a team off our back for a couple of seasons for CL places