Ep. 22 Villa's 'structural problems' addressed

Luke and Ian discuss the latest news and happenings around Aston Villa Football Club and the teams drastic spiral into poor form in recent weeks. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:02

Skillwise training. Training provider specializing in government funded leadership and management qualifications. Skillwise doesn't for more information. Wonderful. On today's episode, we're going to dissect Villa's alarming drop in form now that the dust has settled after poor results in the Premier League against Leeds, Wolves, and Chelsea, and going out of the cup, of course, to Newcastle. We'll look ahead to our away leg in Lille this week in the last 16 of the Europa League. Is Villa's season in danger of spiralling dramatically into disappointment? We'll discuss all after the very latest Aston Villa news. Villa is still waiting to register youngster Brian Majo, with FIFA currently blocking the move until he turns 18 in January 2027. The 17-year-old striker joined Villa from Metz this winter in a deal worth around£10 million, and FIFA classified his move as an international transfer, even though he was born in the UK. Villa's injury list ahead of Thursday's trip to Lille includes Matty Cash, who is expected to be sidelined with a calf injury, as Yuri Tielemans and John McGinn continue their rehabilitations. Harvey Elliott and Andreas Garcia are also sidelined along with long-term absentee Bubakar Kamara. Right, mate, let's talk about the recent form. We've been at all the games, haven't we? Me and you stood in the torrential rain at Molyneux on a vile Friday night. What's your opinion on the you know, what's been the catalyst, mate, for the dropping form? Is it as simple as the three obvious injuries? Or is it deeper than that?

SPEAKER_01 3:11

He's trying he's changed the formation, has he, completely? And people might not not notice that, but we we we've always built up with with three at the back.

SPEAKER_06 3:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:21

And he's just gone completely away from that. Um and we've always struggled when when he's had the defenders high up the pitch, the the the wing, the wing backs, uh full backs high up the pitch.

SPEAKER_06 3:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

Um when Kamara's in there, we we've it's been Kamara that's dropped into a back three and and and the the two in midfield would have been McGin tucking in with whoever else was in there, mainly Tillemans.

SPEAKER_06 3:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Uh full backs pushing on, wingers. He talks about this structure a lot, doesn't he? Yeah, he always uses that word. And and the wingers tucking in to make a three up front, and the the structure's just as you just said, the structure's completely gone.

SPEAKER_06 3:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

Um he's currently playing with with with with two, obviously, two centre halves. Um obviously doesn't trust Bogard in that centre midfield because Bogard can drop in and play as that third centre half from centre midfield. Yeah. So he's got the two central defenders, the the uh Dougie and Anana one of them tends to push on a little bit more and the other one tends to stay, and that that has just not worked.

SPEAKER_06 4:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

The full backs have gone high and high and wide, um and and and the two wide players have have tucked in, and it it it it it just ain't worked. Um the other option that that that we've had is one of the full backs will tuck in to make it a three, and then the two central midfields will stay where they are, but he's he's always had that it's always been a four-four-two. Um when when we haven't got the ball. Yeah. Um, and then a sort of a three-two-five when we have got the ball, um pushing high up the pitch. Yeah. Also, what we've pushed that high up, it it's it's against our normal pattern of play because what what is normally done is is we're really high against Chelsea, weren't we?

SPEAKER_02 5:11

It's ridiculous. Time and time again.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

That slip ball by it. You you and I have you know gone two and five about you said that Garnac Garnatural tore us apart, and I Leon Bailey would have tore us apart that night. We we were that bad um defensively, but what when we played four at the back and then were defending, normally with that structure, we have it ends up being a six because Rogers and McGinn or Bailey that that they took in to to help the defence, and it just hasn't happened.

SPEAKER_06 5:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:39

Whether that's be by design or not, I don't know. But but pulling Kamara out has been has been catastrophic for us. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:48

But then again, look, he hasn't played 30 yards for us ever. It's a major problem, isn't it? He doesn't ever complete a full season, does he?

SPEAKER_01 5:56

I I just can't see why he hasn't tried either Lindelof or depends on which side he wanted to pull in to make it a three. Lindelof at right back or Mings at left back to pull in to make that a three because when we're going forward, either one could tuck in to make it a three, and then and then he'd play cash, or obviously if it was if it was Lindelof at right back, he'd play Cash as as as a right winger, or if it was uh Mings at left back, he'd play Matson as a left winger. Yeah. Because it gives you that same sort of structure and shape, then where you've got three at the back, and then it gives Cash or and or Matson licence to go forward, but yeah, it it's just so the the formation's just so far different to what to what it has been, and and we've really struggled to adapt because neither one of those centre midfielders, Anana or Douglas Louise, can can sit in and play as that as that defensive.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

The blend's not been not been there, has it with them too? Why do you think it's been such a drop-off with them?

SPEAKER_01 6:58

I mean, on paper, if you if you're missing your centre midfielders, Anana and Douglas Louise, alright, it's it's not about the individual, it's about the system and and and the system's changed completely.

SPEAKER_06 7:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

It's it's it's so different to what to what it has been. That the midfield's been overrun. So it is his fullbacks are going high and wide, the the wingers are non-existent. The the two in midfield, and Irna and Douglas Lewis, have just been overrun because one of them's always been asked to push up.

SPEAKER_06 7:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:28

Uh, and they're just getting completely overrun. No one's tucking in to make it a three in midfield or a three at the back. It's become a back two and a middle two, and and and that's where we've faltered, I think. Normally we've got McGinn that'll tuck in to make that a three. Or whoever's played off Watkins has dropped in to make that three in the middle when we've not gone with a three at the back.

SPEAKER_06 7:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:58

We that we've either gone with a three at the back to build up or with a solid three in the middle. So Tillemans has played off Watkins, McGinn's played off Watkins, Barkley's come off the bench and played off Watkins, yeah, and that's worked, but you we we just haven't been able to do it with Bailey, Buendea, and Rogers. No, because Rogers, well, none of them can play that position, um, dropping in. It's not their game, but he's got to build up with three at the back or go with that one dropping into three in midfield because that is why we've been completely overrun, in in my opinion.

SPEAKER_06 8:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

So where do we go from here, mate, in your opinion? What is it is there is there a plan B? Emery's on quite often questioned, you know, about not having a plan B. How do you see us going from here? What would you what would you do first of all, and what what do you think that he will do going into the Lille game? Um he can't just keep doing the same thing. It's the definition of Magnus, isn't it? It's not working. Then there's there needs to be some tweaking somewhere, surely.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

I mean, I I'm the optimist, as you know, in in this, and I I can't see us getting anything out of Lille or Man United. I think we can go to Lille and get a draw, uh, uh, and I think Man United will beat us. Um, I don't think it'll change left to the international break. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:23

Um it's almost going to need the reset of that international break, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 9:28

I'll go with what I think he'll do to start with. I I think he'll continue as is. I think Martinez, Matson, probably Dean are actually away to those two. Um Ming's concert, cash won't be fitted with Beaugaard. Um he'll go in Arnor and Dougie and I'll be. I think I think he'll keep it the same. I think it'll be Rogers, Bailey, Buendia, Watkins. Uh yeah. Yeah, I don't I don't I don't think he'll change it. Um I think what he'll wait for after international break is is to get McGinn back. Um McGuinn will come in the place of of Bailey.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

Um do you worry that there's no plan B? Do you do you do you you know we we are always big supporters of Emory, aren't we? But we there there is this question being asked now. Have we been found out to a certain extent? Is if Morgan Rogers is is taken out of the game and and marked by man marked by one or two, is there no other ways of us winning a football match?

SPEAKER_01 10:36

We've gone really long the last few games. Yeah um we we have tried to play differently. Not many teams have a plan B, not you know when most teams are going to play. Um because it it it it's that build up to.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

Do we do we need to be able to adapt though to to accommodate the personnel better?

SPEAKER_01 10:55

I th I I I think we've tried to do it. I I think that just too many players have been have been out of form. Yeah, I mean what what I mean you asked earlier what would I do? I mean I'd I'd I'd go I wouldn't try and build up with a back three because I don't I wouldn't play Beaugaard, I think he's been way off it. So I'd I'd tend to go with that three midfield, so I'd I'd go Martinez. Um it's a toss of the corner between Matson and Dini, depending on whether we're home or a wire who we're playing. Um I'd get Torres on, although I'm a big fan of Ming's or would be playing Torres to get us on the ball.

SPEAKER_06 11:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Umza uh Cash, if he's not fit, I'll play Lindelof there. Yeah. Um centre midfield. Um has got to be an honor and and Dougie.

SPEAKER_06 11:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:43

Um but the the the player off Watkins, I'd go with Barclay at the minute. Seems reluctant to start him, doesn't he? Well he ain't got 90 minutes, has he? Um but I'd I'd go Barclay or or McGinn when he's back.

SPEAKER_06 11:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:58

Um I'd I'd go Rogers wide. I think Rogers is suffering from uh poor form at the minute, and I think pulling him out wide is better because it's easy to double mark him when he's in a central position. If you're going to play him in a wide position, it's a bit harder to double mark him.

SPEAKER_06 12:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

Um and then right wing, I mean when McGinn's back and Tillerman's back, that that that sort of solves it. You go Tilleman's off Watkins and and and McGinn wide, but at the minute I'd I'd I'd probably end up still sticking with Bailey as bad as he's been. I don't think you've got any other options. And and I'd I'd I'd change, I'll put Tammy up front. I think Watkins has been terrible.

SPEAKER_06 12:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:36

Um he's scored in six games this year. So just to just to little bit on that, Martinez, Matson, Torres, Conza, Lindelof, Anana, Dougie, uh, Rogers, Bailey, uh, Barclay, and Tamo. He's got he's got to change parts. But Buendier's been way off it. Yeah. But you can't have Buendier and Bailey in the same side at the moment. No, no, no. Because neither of them can tuck into that central missile.

SPEAKER_02 13:05

That's the problem, isn't it, as well.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

You can talk about Wendy's played centre mid in a couple of games. Yeah. When uh who do we have the centre-off against? Newcastle. Newcastle. You can't play centre mid. Yeah. Might have been Leeds. I can't I can't remember. He played centre midfield. It's been it's been quite a rapid quite a quick spiral, hasn't it? Did Brentford ever play a centre off against us?

SPEAKER_02 13:25

Oh sorry, yeah. Uh yes, they did, yeah. He played centre midfield that day.

SPEAKER_01 13:29

Yeah. Not from the start, but Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:31

Yeah, it's um uh it it's alarming, isn't it? The the the the it it's the form of Watkins Bailey's been it's just not happened for it's got no back.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

Watkins, it I said to you is a dad, and I've ever had that dream where you you're running away from something and your legs won't work. Yeah, yeah. And it's like you're running in treatly. It looks like it looks like that. Like he's getting to the end to pop his shot off at the end, and it's like he's spent all his energy.

SPEAKER_02 13:59

And it doesn't do enough either, does he? It hasn't done enough. I I heard somebody say he was he was hiding in plain sight on one of the other one of the other pods that we listened to, and I think it's right, he's he's he's coming to collect the ball off the centre arms in a really sort of easy, unpressured position, and just gives it the three or four yards sideways. You need more from your fifty million pound record signing, don't you? He's a big, big guy, big imposing guy.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

He's tried to play those splitting splitting the lines passes though, and he can't do them. Yeah. He needs to sit and protect the bat as it is at the minute, too, because that that's what he's playing. Then let Dougie get on the ball.

SPEAKER_02 14:37

I mean, even that bloody Chelsea huddle that they did over the ball at half time, he was the closest one to it. Wasn't he just bloody shove him over the room? We should have played through them, shouldn't he? And and and got them out of the way, show something, you know. This is our stadium that they're taking the Mickey out of us in. Like do you know what I mean? I imagine.

SPEAKER_01 14:57

Look at any one of them, Conser.

SPEAKER_02 14:59

Um He was he just happened to be closest, didn't he? And I know that's all, and he's a big six foot three guy, and I thought, uh do you know what I mean? Don't let them bully you. And they did. And they did. Right on the off. So just moving things on here and looking at the wider picture, uh, did the do serious questions need to be asked about Billers' recruitment uh policy? Does it need to be a complete overhaul in what what we do in the transfer market? I mean, have we me and you were chatting the other night, weren't we? Has there have we ever had a worse transfer window than the summer? Harvey Elliott has been a complete catastrophe, for not all his own doing, obviously. Evan Gesson now plays for another football club after six months of disaster. The the goalkeeper, as good as he's been in moments, is responsible for us leaving the FA Cup. Uh Lindelof has done alright. I mean, you know, you mentioned going back to the windows before that. Marlin has now left the club, they couldn't find a role for him. I mean, it has been a complete disaster, hasn't it, in terms of recruitment in the last 18 months, really?

SPEAKER_01 16:18

Yeah, it has. Um this was always my fear with Emory. I said it when when we when we talked when he came in, and I love Emory and I think he's a tactical genius, he's he's he's so good for us, and the people that are that are calling for his head, I mean, come on. Um everyone knows better, don't they? But uh he's the guy who spent 70 odd million quid on Nicolas Pepe. Yeah. And there's always one, as he was quick to point out to me. Yeah, Fergie had plenty of them if she looked back at him. He did, he did. Um but no, we haven't been good enough in the transfer window. Um our hands are tied a little bit, but we I think you you said to me last year, no, I come one of us posed the question at the start of the summaries would you would you sacrifice one or two stars and bring some more people in or keep the squad as it was? And I'll stand corrected if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure I said keep everyone and not bring anyone in. Um and I stand by that. I I think Which is essentially what we have done. Well well, yeah, but we we saw him guess on and then then got rid of him. Um I mean you you you look, I mean the summer the summer's gonna be massive, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 17:34

Yeah. Do you think there'll be an overhaul there or do you think it'll be fine church? I mean, what what where does it where do looking at the longer term picture, where do you think we go in the summer? I mean, I know obviously it's gonna be dictated if we qualify for the Champions League or not.

SPEAKER_01 17:50

Yeah, I I I think I think Martinez and all start, I think Bizlot will be number two. I'll see a young keeper coming in because we I don't know what the two youngsters are like that have been on the bench, but they are very young. Um so maybe an up-and-coming keeper coming in there. I I I see Diner and Matt.

SPEAKER_02 18:08

I think we've had this debate if you I think Martinez, I think Martinez will move on in the summer, but yeah, go on, carry on.

SPEAKER_01 18:13

I just struggle to see a replacing, but I don't think it'll be our choice if he goes. I I'd I I I'd cut elsewhere. Um I I think the centre arsenal stays they are. Um I I think Kons plays every game. I think Lindelof's a word it back up to him. What about Taro Mings? Do you think? I I think he stays. I think there are bigger priorities in the squad to replace than than than Torres, Mings, Konser and Lindelof. Where where are the where are the problem areas then? Uh we need a new right back to come in and and and support Matty Cash.

SPEAKER_02 18:48

We we talked the other day, didn't we? Like why did we why did we spend I mean how much was Garcia? Seven million and then and then we got Nadeljevich as well.

SPEAKER_01 19:00

So the best part of 20 million quid.

SPEAKER_02 19:02

So so why have we spent the best part of of 20 million quids on two players that are nowhere to be seen?

SPEAKER_01 19:08

Well they both need to go. Uh I don't I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 19:11

If we just if we'd bought one decent up-and-coming right back with that 20 million, surely that was a better option than buying two guys that are just they're just nowhere near it, are they? They're not they're nowhere to be seen.

SPEAKER_01 19:22

Well we we don't know because neither of them have been fit. Uh more so Garcia not not being fit. So we need a right back, yeah. Uh and that that'll be a cheap option. Uh I think we'll sacrifice Bogard. I see Bogard moving on. Yeah, he's not been good enough. I've been a massive advocate of Bogard, and I think for the last when he's come on and played the last 10-15 minutes of games, I thought he's got really assured. He's just been way off it, Luke.

SPEAKER_02 19:46

Yeah, is it a form thing though? A lot of them are out of form. Is it a form thing with Bobard? Bogard, can he get back?

SPEAKER_01 19:51

I just think he can get 20-25 million quid for him straight on the bottom line. I just think they'll take that. I I because it although he people will say he plays in multiple positions, but he ain't he ain't number two in any of them positions, maybe right back, and he's not a right back. Yeah, he ain't your second choice centre off or your second choice centre. It feels like too much of a drop-off for me when he comes in to replace. I have liked him, I think he's looked decent at times when he's come on, but I I think a top four team, which is essentially what we are and want to be, yeah, it's too far off it.

SPEAKER_02 20:24

Yeah, agreed. What happens with um in the attacking areas, mate?

SPEAKER_01 20:27

Um I think that well, if if you look at the centre midfield, uh Tillemans has been linked away. I don't I don't see Tillemans going. I see Tillemans, Kamara, and Anna, and and Barclay's got another year. I can't see us parting with any money for Dougie, if if I'm honest. It's just not worked, has it? No, no, I mean what's he had? Six games. I thought I thought he'd got better each game up until the Chelsea game, maybe. I know he scored in that game. Yeah, but I I don't see us signing him. I think it'll be those four that that that I mentioned. Um because Barclays looked better than Dougie Louise, but why we can't get 90 minutes out of Barclay, I I don't know.

SPEAKER_06 21:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:06

If anything if an offer came in from Saudi in the summer, I'd sell him.

SPEAKER_01 21:10

Would you? Yeah, I would. I'd sell him. But you've got to be mindful that Kamara won't get 30 games. Yeah. He's never played 30 games for us in a four has he been here four years now? He must have been because Gerard signed him and then we've done three. So he's never played 30 games. Ollie Watkins? Tell him. Um you think his race has run a little bit in a villa shirt? Yeah, I do. He looks he looks like he'd give up, um, if I'm honest. Um I would sell Watkins. I I said to you, didn't I? I'll just sold him last year for you.

SPEAKER_02 21:44

Yeah. I said to you, um, didn't I? I think with Watkins, I do think he's um someone that needs to feel the love from the fans, and I don't think he get like he's always kind of strangely divided opinion, hasn't he? Even when he's been, you know, when he's bit when he's had really good stuff, I mean he's had top Premier League goal scorer, I I just don't think that he feels that he gets the recognition of being here for those five, four years, through three and a half, four years that we've been decent.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Tammy Ibrand would be our record scorer, mate, or close to it.

SPEAKER_02 22:15

Yeah, it's harsh to say that. I know where you're coming from. I think you know it hasn't been him as it's been Ollie Watkins, and maybe he just feels he a little bit more respect should be put on his name.

SPEAKER_06 22:24

But I know where you are.

SPEAKER_02 22:25

Boo-hoo. I mean, uh for me, you'd go. Um Yeah, I'm not disagreeing with you on that. I feel it feels very much like he's coming to the end of his of his time with us, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_01 22:36

And we we'll we'd need to bring another forward in.

SPEAKER_02 22:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

Um the wide areas, obviously, you know, whether Rogers plays off what do they do with Bailey, mate, mate? No, there's no what there's no one gonna play Well well you your wide areas to start with are gonna be Rogers and McGinn, aren't they? He's not not gonna play either one of them.

SPEAKER_06 22:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:55

Um so he needs to bring um I think he needs to bring a number ten in. Um if he's gonna play Rogers wide. I mean he's he doesn't he hasn't been playing with wingers per se, really, has he? I mean I I I I think the best way of utilised pace is where Bailey's played up front or Dyobi's obviously when he was here played up front, and that's where we really utilise that that that pace. But but Buendier and Bailey need to go, and we may have to give them away. Um I mean Wendy you might get 10 million for because of his format starter last year.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

Yeah, I think you get some money for Buendier. I think we're quite easy it's easy to forget that he has come back this season and at times been really good. He scored a couple of really good goals. He's contributed way more than we thought that he would.

SPEAKER_01 23:46

For me, the the the priority area is uh uh a number ten, uh a centre forward. Yeah. Um probably two tens, to be honest. Two tens and a centre forward. I'd really like um Harry Wilson from Fulham to come in.

SPEAKER_02 24:00

Do you think Morgan Rogers is a Villa player next year? Yeah, I do, yeah. I think you'd I think you'd be regardless of if we don't get a Champions League or not.

SPEAKER_01 24:06

Yeah, I do, yeah. I think you'd be stupid to leave because he's got the best coach in Europe, yeah. Um he's played his best football. Um we've Emory's turned him, we Villa have turned him into you know someone that's potentially gonna start for England, and people always say, well no, that's Morgan Rogers that's done that. Yeah, he's gotta have had the ability, but he he's you know let's not forget he was he was in a poor Middlesbrough team 18 months ago, and and and I and I think he's a bit brighter than your average footballer who wants to move on and and and and you might you might say that as being you know you know, a little bit adventurous in terms of thinking that people think more of Villa than that than what they do in the uh in terms of he's got no allegiances to us, but I I do think that I do think he'll see that and I I think he starts, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:00

Yeah. Um I do think it's gonna be tough for us to keep him if he goes to if he goes to the World Cup and plays. Well it depends when they're watching him.

SPEAKER_01 25:07

If they've watched him in the last six weeks, we'll he'll still be with us.

SPEAKER_02 25:11

Yeah, I just think in a in a in a I hate to say it, but in a a team, a better team than what Villa currently have with other danger men in within that team, I think he gets more freedom to play, doesn't he? If he's playing for when he plays for England in the summer, he's not gonna be man-marked, is he? Because we've got Saka, we've got Carry Kane, we've got Bellingham, we've got all these other danger players that that can cause teams problems. And he's not gonna be the the marked man, is he? Uh that that's my yeah, that's the that's the concern. I I just think um he's gonna have some suitors come the summer, but we shall see where we stand in terms of whether we're in a Champions League, that's gonna be a major part of what who goes and comes.

SPEAKER_01 25:57

We've always carried too many players as well. Yeah. Um we we've got a really deep squad, aren't okay? That's being tested at the minute because we've got three or four out, yeah, long term out, but we we we do need to get rid of some of the French players, some of the under-21, you know. We like we're talking that Leno Sosa from Arsenal. It's like I can't remember where he's on line. He can't get a game online. I think is it Rotherham? Can't get a game at Rotherham. The lad Louis Barry, yeah, uh Redmond. Redmond, um Baron Cheer, I think's uh I think that's done. Yeah, Ilin Jr.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

I mean this I don't I I I know we're we're handcuffed, hamstrung, whatever you want to call it, but these these these signings do baffle me, I don't.

SPEAKER_01 26:42

Louis Dobbin, and I get I get the Lewis Dobbin one. We gave them 10 million and they give us 10 million for Irbagnum, I mean. But Irbagnum's playing for them in in a quite decent Everton team. Yeah. Um these fringe players that we we have we have to cash in however little we get for them, we need to get them off the payroll. Yeah. Um and and and and and and and be more focused. I mean I I read something um on I guess on you know him being more of a trans transition player than than good in tight spaces, and that's what we needed him to be because we've got most of the ball. I mean did did Emory sign him or I I don't know, but will will Palace want to take him as well? Has he done well enough to stay?

SPEAKER_02 27:34

Well he's certainly done better than he did with us, hasn't he? He's he seems to have been more involved, got a couple of goals.

SPEAKER_01 27:40

Um every time I've seen him, he's look he's looked half decent. Yeah. Um I wasn't massively against him at Villa, though, as you know. I he didn't do anything offensively, but again, you know, going back to that, we've asked him to do stuff in tight spaces, he ain't that type of player. Yeah, true, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:56

Yeah, would he have been better as a as a centre forward, as a target player? Yeah, I don't know. We never ever saw him, did we? We never never never had one opportunity to do that. Um yeah, but again, if you're gonna play players out of position like that, you've got to question you've got to question the recruitment, haven't you? Don't don't understand what we were trying to do with him, really. Um and he couldn't get out of here quick enough, could he?

SPEAKER_01 28:19

No, absolutely not. He wanted to go, and so did Marlon, he won, he wanted to play.

SPEAKER_02 28:23

Yeah, yeah. Just very quickly, mate, and I'm aware that this is a bit of a downbeat episode, um, but unfortunately that is the sort of feeling amongst the fan base, I guess, at the minute. Is Unay Emory Aston villa manager next season? Yeah. No no worries or concerns about him feeling that it it's it's an impossible job.

SPEAKER_01 28:46

Um not yet. I can't see how we're were that hampered by the the financial um squat cost ratio.

SPEAKER_06 29:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

Um I think it'd be interesting to see what happens in the summer. I mean we we've spent a net of what is it? It's it's the what's the lowest one of the lowest in the Premier League. I can't know exactly what the exact figure is, but it's it's it's certainly under a hundred million.

SPEAKER_02 29:14

Oh yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:15

Um over the last four years. Yeah. Where whereas you've got teams that have, you know, got a net of five or six hundred million. I know they've got bigger I I I understand all that, but you know, transfer fees is a big part of it. I can't see how we're that far off it. Um I think if it's the same again this summer and then into the next year, then then I'd start to worry.

SPEAKER_02 29:39

Um where does he go? Well, I think he uh I I I think he'd be on anybody's list. Madrid, Man United, Liverpool.

SPEAKER_01 29:50

I don't see him going to Madrid. I don't see him.

SPEAKER_02 29:53

He's not he'll be he'll be on there shortly. He will be on a short list of of ten managers though, but you know, for any big job that comes up, there's no doubt about that.

SPEAKER_01 30:02

I I think that he likes to build that family mentality within the club and control things and and and and he ain't gonna get that at at those big clubs, he's just not. Maybe City, if and when Pep goes, um he'd probably be given that reign to do that. Yeah. Um Liverpool, maybe. I don't I don't see Barcelona or or Madrid in doing that. I mean Madrid have only ever kept a manager for three years, I think, and that's recent history. Um it's normally a year to 18 months, isn't it? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:40

Um right, mate. Give me a give me a score prediction then for Lil. Let's uh I'm desperately trying to pick the conversation up, but it is tough at the minute. Gonna go, I'd take that, I'd take a draw if you offered it now. The only problem is we can't seem to buy a win at home these days, can we? We've gone from one extreme to the other. What are you going with? Um I'm gonna go for a to to be different to you, I'll go for a 2-2, but uh a 1-1 or a 2-2 a score drawer. I think I think uh everything considered at the minute, I think you'd take that all day, wouldn't you, at the minute? Man United. Man United, unfortunately, I think it's more I think I think the league may get slightly worse before it gets better. We've got the international break, haven't we, and then a run of inverted commas, more favourable fixtures. We may well have McGinn back, we may well have Tielemans a couple of weeks after that. And I think but I mean let's face it, even when we're we're flying, we never get anything at Old Trafford, do we? Um so I I do struggle to see us getting anything there, but what a surprise that would be if we didn't.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

I'm gonna be optimistic and say we're gonna win it 1-0. I don't believe it for a second. At Old Trafford, I'm gonna go for a 1-0 win. I'm gonna go for an Ollie Watkins goal.

SPEAKER_02 31:57

Wow, okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:59

That's how um brilliant optimistic on feelings.

SPEAKER_02 32:01

Right, well, we've finished on a positive note, then we'll wrap it there. Um, my turn to choose the um the song this week, Ian, to play us out. Uh, and this is for no particular reason at all, other than I heard it on the radio the other day and it brought back nostalgic memories of the start of the Premier League um back in 1992. Do you know what song it is, Ian? Can you remember what song they used on the Premier League advert for Sky?

SPEAKER_01 32:27

Was it a lot of in Kicking?

SPEAKER_02 32:28

No, it was the they used they did use that for something, didn't they? But they also used um this Queen song that I will play now on one of the ad campaigns. I'll have to Google exactly which one it was, but this was certainly used on one of the Sky Premier League ad campaigns. Uh, and it's OneVision by Queen. We'll see you uh in a couple of weeks' time. Up the villa. Up the villa.