28 Nov 2021 21:26:26
It's interesting to see rumours around Chukwuemeka surfacing again. I think we all on here have applauded the club for the radical overhaul of the academy system and we are certainly picking up some talented kids from around the country, however if there is no obvious progression through to the first XI then it's hardly surprising that talented youngsters will look to move on, which in turn calls into question the need for an academy at all, as you are simply developing players for the benefit of other clubs. If Chukwuemeka is as stated one of the best midfielders for his age in Europe then surely he should be getting some game time even if it's only as a sub, as this doesn't appear to be happening it's hardly surprising he is considering a future away from Villa Park.

1.) 28 Nov 2021
28 Nov 2021 22:46:09
There is a clear path to the first team though Ings - Ramsey is a regular starter for the senior squad and our most celebrated academy graduate just became the most expensive English player of all time. Chukwumeka is clearly a talented player, one I fully expect to have a bright future for Aston Villa but if he's not willing to wait and work hard for his chance then let him go. I don't want the club to be held to ransom by our academy players, if he was pulling up trees in training he would absolutely be getting more game time so he has to take responsibility for his lack of minutes as much as the club does.

2.) 29 Nov 2021
29 Nov 2021 00:15:05
When he’s better than the first team players he will get more minutes, gerrard only being there 2 weeks and probably not seen enough to think he’s better than players that cost millions, why are we calling for the club to buy 2 or 3 more players in January if the academy guys are good enough, I think Steve has got it spot on so far and as long as he keeps getting results our first team players deserve to be on the pitch, all the substitutes he’s brought on have contributed to goals or done a job to protect a lead, under 23’s are doing ok in the U23 games but they are still losing some so if they ain’t better than other U23’s they sure as hell ain’t better than premier league players that we are coming up against, I have full faith that they will be integrated into the first team but not in Steve’s first 2 weeks in charge, there’s to much at stake.

3.) 29 Nov 2021
29 Nov 2021 09:09:55
I get the point about Gerrard only being there a couple of weeks so he needs time to assess the squad but most of the posters on here only a couple of weeks ago saying the team was crap you wouldn’t pay our two most expensive signings in bottle washers and now everything in the garden is rosy? strikes me as a bit fickle that. I am not saying the kids should be in there week in week out but they should be able to see a way through to the first XI if they can’t then they are going to move on and the academy proves itself redundant, we can’t expect owners to be shelling out £200 to £300 million every transfer window that model just isn’t sustainable never mind the FFP implications

4.) 29 Nov 2021
29 Nov 2021 10:12:19
The unfortunate reality at the moment is that we are still at risk of getting pulled into a relagation battle. We'll be lucky to get a point in the next three matches and with so much pressure on each fixture, I think Gérard and Smith before him can be forgiven for going with mainly senior pro's rather than rookies.for now.
As for new signings blocking the path to the first team, the noises coming out of the club are that players are likely to be moved on and then maybe one or two (rumoured to be cb, lb and/or dm) brought in, so I'd be surprised if the actual squad size grows.most of the talent pushing for first team call ups seem to be midfield and in attack.
If Carney doesn't sign a new contract it will be annoying, but this happens to most clubs at times.Pogba at Utd comes to mind.I'm sure there's a lot going on behind the scenes though, so let's just wait and see.

5.) 29 Nov 2021
29 Nov 2021 20:20:29
I get where your coming from lord but the fact of the matter is that the team he picked done the job that was asked, he brought on gazhi and buendia and they both had a hand in the second goal, gazhi came on last week and also played a part in our second goal, young came on last week and played well and also had a hand in the goals, so guys are performing at the min and they were 2 must win games when you look at upcoming fixtures. I don’t rate buendia tbh but this week he had an impact, now if he had brought on chuck I wouldn’t of complained but if we had dropped points after bringing him on then gerrard would of being slated for leaving 30 million players on the bench instead of a youngster that has showed glimpses but yet to set the place alight, I still think we are a better team when Buendia is not on the pitch, hopefully the younger guys get a chance in the cup but other than that there are not to many teams in the top flight starting youngsters whilst leaving big guns out, so if chuck wants regular first team minutes he will either have to light up the U23 league and the training pitch or settle for a championship team. or keep his fingers crossed that first team players start under performing and then we will all be calling for the younger guys to get a start. Ramsey has shown that there is a path to the first team. I wouldn’t say everyone thinks things are now all rosey but things have improved and no manager is going to risk that just to keep an unproven player happy.

6.) 29 Nov 2021
29 Nov 2021 21:25:45
For me Whack it’s about balance and I agree with Gerrard that the balance of the squad isn’t right so if in January we get rid of two or three wide players and some fringe players to bring in a couple then that might free up some places for the academy youngsters which in my opinion is no bad thing. The really interesting thing will be if Chukwuemeka decides to go where he goes if he goes to City, Utd or Liverpool that says to me he sees a clearer path into the first team with them than with us and that has to be a little worrying for the future.

7.) 29 Nov 2021
29 Nov 2021 23:01:40
Or they are willing to pay him significantly more than we are Ings, don't discount the commercials in this particular case, I don't buy the "route to the first team" chatter around Chukwumeka personally. We've 18 months before we really need to worry about him leaving though right? Contract to summer of 2023 or am I wrong?

8.) 30 Nov 2021
30 Nov 2021 00:51:44
If we get rid of 2 or 3 wide players that only leaves us with 2, what happens if they get injured? We have 5 or 6 CM players we can’t play them all, I’m interested to see what gerrard does in January, it will give us a good indication of his overall plan, I don’t believe a word from any of these reporters either way, my guess is he is holding out for a better deal, if he wants to leave that badly just let him go, we for sure are not going to bend over for a guy who can’t make the first team