When it comes to football, the more outrageous the opinion, the more it seems to spark a reaction from the fans and we all know this – Talksport are one of many who’ve made a business out of it, and they again haven’t disappointed this week as Alan Brazil welcomed Danny Mills to the microphone to talk about Aston Villa’s start to life as we return to the Premier League for the 2019/20 campaign.
Utilising the well-known skill of failing to do any research whatsoever and simply relying on their own headlines (as they remember them), whilst there is a sense to the three players they picked out as being key to head coach Dean Smith this year, fans were incredibly quick to point to their errors.
"I think McGinn, Grealish and Mings are 3 of their top players." ⬆️
"Dare I say, the rest are bordering on average."
Alan and Danny discuss the quality in the Aston Villa squad.
Will #AVFC beat the drop? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/jVfVo7IjjQ
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) September 17, 2019
Given we’ve shown we can at least compete, and compete well, even if results haven’t exactly been stellar so far, ‘the rest’ is a bit of a broad statement to say the least. A few in the squad are yet to really impress fans, that’s just the truth and even the more optimistic would accept that, even if they caveated the comment with the phrase ‘still adjusting’.
But others have certainly impressed and shown themselves to be above ‘bordering on average’ but that seems to have missed Talksport as they go for the easy headline.
John McGinn, Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings are undoubtedly three of our top players, but we’ve seen strong performances from Bjorn Engels. Fred Guilbert, Douglas Luiz and Mavelous Nakamba are three more who have certainly shown fantastic signs that they could be great additions. We’re also missing Tom Heaton from the conversation here, and there are others like Trezeguet and Jota who have been a bit more mixed, but have still shown glimpses as they make the step up.
The ‘will we survive question’ is a valid one, but four points from five games as we find our feet isn’t too bad when you take the full reality of our situation into the question, and given we are seeing slight improvements (and if Wesley had been sharper our points tally would’ve been greater), I’d rather be in our position than those immediately above us, and below us, and I doubt I’m alone as we’re definitely not firing on all cylinders yet.
It wasn’t just Villa fans who felt it was a daft comment to make.
Clearly not watched Engels
— Samuel Peacock (@_peacock_s_15) September 17, 2019
Engles top top draw how we managed to get him for 8/9 million I’ll never know absolute steal
— Tom King (@thomasavfc12) September 17, 2019
Never watched guilbert then lads????????♂️
— shaun willans (@swillans1980) September 17, 2019
I agree that McGinn, Jack and Mings are our top players.
I’d put Heaton and Engels as good, then I’d say at the moment the rest are bordering average Premier League players, but that’s not a bad thing.
Certainly think Gilbert, Luiz, Marvelous and Trez all have potential.
— Gary Smith Jnr (@GarySmithJnr) September 18, 2019
No exciting players outside of the top six? What a narrow minded point of view..
— Oliver White (@OliWhiteMOT93) September 17, 2019
Where does Alan's shirt finish and his head start? ????????♂️
— Ollie Waite (@ollie_waite) September 17, 2019
Engles has been class and is on the verge of a call up for Belgium an Guilbert and heaton are top class.
— Wayne Turner (@turner295) September 17, 2019
Heaton ( Englands 2nd keeper). Engels will be playing for Belgium very soon…one of the bargain of the seasons. Think defensively we are quite sound… just concerns as to the scoring ability of front 3 at the moment.
— SteveAVillan (@crowhurstsr) September 17, 2019
If you have a group of 'average' players, and 3 above average, then the sum has to be above average, therefore they will finish above halfway ….. unless the 'average' players are, in fact, below average #justsaying
— Pollardinho (@RealMikePollard) September 17, 2019
The only 3 they know.
— Stuart Loversidge (@StuLoversidge) September 17, 2019
Engels has been absolutely superb and at 9m looks a snip.
Too early to say regarding the likes of Luiz and Nakamba but I think our front line does look lacking and not getting in another striker is a real worry
— Nick (@sandbrook10) September 17, 2019
Heaton is decent !
— Phil Hanton (@PhilHanton) September 17, 2019
Alan Brazil now looks like an over inflated balloon. I hope he doesn't pop on air????.
He never got over Villa beating Ipswich to the title in 81.#avfc #utv @AVFCOfficial— Crypto Adam AVFC???? 12/15er is BACK!! (@BoscoJankovic1) September 17, 2019
The same man who says that Sheffield United play boring defensive football.
Does he watch football or just read twitter posts from top 6 clubs and reflect their ill informed views?
— Ian James ???? (@IanJamsie) September 18, 2019
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“Squashed In The Dressing Room” – Jack Comments On Villa’s Unfortunate Flashpoint Against West Ham