Aston Villa Banter

02 Dec 2025 11:13:48
Afternoon all.

When Villa sign a new player, I want that player to succeed with every bone in my body. I realise that it might take time for that to happen, there may be mistakes and disappointment along the way. But i'll cheer them on regardless. I also want them to feel loved and indeed wanted by the club and the fans. To feel welcome, to be met with kindness.

This is the principle I apply to Evann Guessand. And as such, I find it unfathomable that fans on this forum and at Villa Park are so quick to rip into him. Last week at the YB game all I heard was F this or F that directed towards him. If you want a player to succeed at your club, or at our club, help him, don't abuse him, moan about him or endlessly swear at him. How will that make him play better? How will that make him feel part of our club? He's only been playing for us for 4 months for christ sake.

I simply don't get it. I'm sure this will get the usual responses of 'they get paid enough' or 'i've been going to Villa for XX years so i'm entitled to say what I think' or 'this is what forums are for'. Which is nonsense. I'm talking about being supportive and decent to another human being - one who wears claret and blue.

We have three weeks of midweek and weekend fixtures. This will mean all players in the squad will get minutes. Guessand, Sancho, Maatsen, Bogarde etc. They need our full backing. All the time.

02 Dec 2025 17:09:23
Spot on Syston some are quick to jump on a bandwagon never ever looking at the bigger picture.

02 Dec 2025 20:44:39
Syston I was saying to Tom, when Guessand was at Nice, he was a completely different player, some need time to settle in, some just try to impress, but try to hard and that’s where it goes wrong UTV

30 Nov 2025 20:45:03
Not our best performance today but another 3 points fantastic commitment martienz was brilliant thought Torres stopped a certain goal aswell today. Only 11 goals conceded only Arsenal have a better defensive record. I said from the start of the season guestann is useless and I like that people are starting to see it now. Thank god!

01 Dec 2025 13:22:07
Tom have you ever see Guestand when he was at Nice, what a completely different player. Hopefully he’s another one who just needs time to settle in, sometimes it’s a case of just desperate to impress, it’s a wait and see. UTV

30 Nov 2025 16:12:08
I sign up at great expense to follow my team and yes through thick and thin, however I don't think what was served up Thursday and today is any where near value for money, the excitement has disappeared recently. People say a win is a win, you can't argue with that however football is an entertainment industry and personally I'm definitely not being entertained, I might be on my own but I genuinely think things were much better in Emery's early days.

Wolves could have quite easily won the game today unless Emy was at his best.So if the majority on here are happy just to look at the league table that's their choice, sadly I want exciting football.

30 Nov 2025 16:35:00
Fair comments. Today's performance was a grind. Local derbies can often play out like that. We did look flat and huffed and puffed without much end product. That said, we won, and there have been numerous games in recent seasons (Utd 0-0 at home last year, also the 1-1 vs ten man Ipswich) where we didn't take three points from this sort of game. Today we did. If you can't win pretty, win ugly.

I think we played some decent stuff on Thursday. Our issue is plain to see, we're missing a striker who can finish off chances within 18 yards of goal. We have that striker in Watkins but it isn't working out at the moment.hence why the Jan window is important to us.what loan magic can we come up with. Thursday went flat when we took Youri, Malen and Rogers off as they were ripping YB apart at will.

The gold standard this season, in my opinion, was Bournemouth at home. I'd love to see us play like that every match. But when we don't, I just want us to win.

30 Nov 2025 16:54:45
You have never once praised the team when they've lost, regardless of the circumstances. Stop pretending like you would be happy with us getting draws or 3-2 losses because we played exciting football. Tell us how your reacted to the 5-5 draw with Forest in the Championship (doesn't get more exciting a game than that) .


If it's impossible to make you happy without getting both every week then I'd at least rather get the win. It's easier to find games of enjoyable football from a team that knows how to win. Teams like Brighton, Bournemouth and Palace go through some god awful spells when they stop getting results but you don't see that every week.

30 Nov 2025 19:13:39
Here’s a question for you Scotty would you settle for a less entertaining brand of football which qualified us for European football regularly or more entertainment but mid table finishes?

01 Dec 2025 10:58:57
I would never settle for less entertaining football and why can't we have both, it's amazing what some fans will settle for, next people will be telling me me remember the third division and championship times. Things have moved on, we have had money, we have a top class coach and quality international players, it's not unreasonable to expect regular exciting football .

As I said if fans are happy to look at the league table no matter what is being served up they are fully entitled to their views it's not the way I look at football, unfortunately I respect others views but am not afforded the same courtesy by some on hear.

01 Dec 2025 13:05:29
I’m torn on this one scotty, I’m not overly impressed with the performances but delighted with the results, I do think we need to create more chances which might improve Watkins confidence, that said I think we might have to suck it up for a season or 2 while we get established as a regular European side, hopefully finances improve over the next season or 2 and we can attract 2 or 3 more top quality players, some tough games coming between here and the new year, teams that will come at us like Bournemouth did and that in turn will create space, these teams that just sit back and defend seem to be the teams we struggle against so I’m expecting some big performances in the next 5 or 6 games.


Emerys favourite word is consistency and at the minute that’s exactly what the players are delivering so I find it hard to complain (too much) .

01 Dec 2025 16:25:37
Whack as usual I agree with most of your comments, however my views are about my expectations which aren't to be confused with complaints. Our expected goals (XG) are one of the worst in the premier league and it is something that doesn't seem to be addressed, our slow build up and style of play is contributing to our poor striking performances and this is a fact not a complaint.

01 Dec 2025 18:54:51
For me it’s European qualification every time. European qualification means greater revenue, it enables you to invest in better players which should result in a better product so for me it’s a no brainier.

01 Dec 2025 20:43:05
We don't really have money, the rules guard against over reliance on owner investment.
We are 8th/9th in terms of revenue, 5 teams are double out revenue and we're only really on terms with West Ham because of European revenue.
Our revenue is not massively above the likes of Brighton and Fulham, one plays nice football without consistent results and the other plays functional football which has had them over performing their squad on paper.


Expecting both, like we have a team of Galacticos, is why your opinion is respected about as much as flat earthers and anti vaxxers.

01 Dec 2025 22:02:32
I think we are entitled to both

30 Nov 2025 15:51:27
Not a great performance but it's the result that counts last season we wouldn't have won that game so we take the positives and move on. For me I think Malen through the middle doesn't work working the centre backs and holding the ball up isn't really his game we wouldn't be better playing him off the left hand side which was where he tended to play with Dortmund, and move Rogers into the middle behind Watkins.


The one thing I hope we don't do in January is sell Martinez he is still worth 6 points a season in my view.

30 Nov 2025 14:00:15
We look a bit leggy.
Buendia in particular looks well off it.
I hope he doesn't take Malen off. He's had no service.
What price Watkins to come on and break his goal drought?