Jack Grealish

horsechoker

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Easy when the opposition don't even bother to get within 2 yards of them. Almost every Arsenal player is there around the box, not one of them tried to defend.

A full 6 seconds Barkley just stood there with the ball ,14-20 seconds in that clip.
That is some terrible defending, standing there like a glitched player in a video game. A token leg thrown out to stop the through ball, no idea what's going on at the back post either.
They were too tired from giving it their all against United.
 

harrington

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Bit gutted we missed out on him, but Villa wanted far too much.
Precedent can mess with your head, possibly leading people into thinking it might not be impossible to get for Grealish something approaching what was paid for Maguire.
 

Raees

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Umm we signed the best attacking LB from the same league we got Bruno from. I dont know why you`re talking as if we have squat at LB
We have Telles
Nothing against Telles but I just think with Grealish - a faster more energetic left back on the overlap would be a better fit chemistry wise whereas I see Telles as more of a Marcus Alonso type who needs a faster winger type player to get best out of him.

Wouldn’t be an awful fit by any means with Grealish - just saying me preference would be the aforementioned names if paired with a Grealish.
 

Winzaghi

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Nah, they just wanted what they knew he was worth. Now everybody knows how much he is worth, but sometimes it takes balls to get it over the line. Besides, if you sign a defender like Maguire for 80M, the next club isn’t selling a much more talented attacking player for half the price. I’ve said it a few times before, but that particular signing has haunted us for both Sancho and probably Grealish too.
Also now, you'd imagine that price has gone up even further. Since then he's gotten a couple of England caps and has somehow performed even better than last season. He could end the season with something silly like 15 and 15 g/a. There's also the Euros between now and next summer window, and you wouldn't bet against him lighting that tournament up if Southgate eventually pulls the finger out.
 

TsuWave

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If the rumours about Greenwoods "issues" outside of the pitch is true I agree. There have been a lot of similar rumours about Sancho and two young boys like that could easily have negative influence on eachother.

I know there has been issues with Grealish in the past too, but considering the level of performance and how fit he looks there cant be much question about him today.

Someone said we need more players like Fernandes. Grealish could have a similar impact.
So off field issue rumours with Sancho? No go

Reported, factual, off field issues with Grealish? We should get him.

:confused:

I like Grealish by the way. I’m just trying to understand this post, it’s reasoning and justification.
 

MyOnlySolskjaer

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Love this guy. Would sell Pogba in a heartbeat for him.. only issue is where would he fit in. I wouldn't trust Ole to know how to create an effective system where both him and Bruno play at the same time.

If we had signed Reguilon or Chilwell... and someone more progressive as an alternative to AWB, we could play a 4-2-2-2 and that would enable them both to play together but not with our current full backs.
I don't think he's a hard player to put in the same lineup as Bruno Fernandes. One of Grealish's strength is his ball retention ability, something a lot of our forward line lacks. The bigger question is how you fit him in a squad that has Rashford and Martial, which are two players who predominantly hover to the left side of the pitch just like Grealish. One argument is you let Martial and Rashford battle it out for the #9 spot. Then we haven't even started talking about how Van de Beek fits in...

Also wouldn't rule Telles out.
 
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andersj

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So off field issue rumours with Sancho? No go

Reported, factual, off field issues with Grealish? We should get him.

:confused:

I like Grealish by the way. I’m just trying to understand this post, it’s reasoning and justification.
I have never heard that there has been issues with Grealish effort or professionalism. In fact, my understanding is that he is very professional, dedicated and hard working?

I know that he has been some stupid incidents with Grealish, but that has been during periods where he has had time off I believe?
 

Bobcat

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I don't think he's a hard player to put in the same lineup as Bruno Fernandes. One of Grealish's strength is his ball retention ability, something a lot of our forward line lacks. The bigger question is how you fit him in a squad that has Rashford and Martial, which are two players who predominantly hover to the left side of the pitch just like Grealish. One argument is you let Martial and Rashford battle it out for the #9 spot. Then we haven't even started talking about how Van de Beek fits in...

Also wouldn't rule Telles out.
Grealish is comfortably better than Martial so the question would not be where to fit Grealish, it would be where to fit Martial.
 

amolbhatia50k

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He really is a quality footballer. Much more the player we need than VDB. I'd happily take him as a Pogba replacement. Would be even better if he can transition to an AM instead of LW but his ability and consistency are there. But will be a hard player for anyone to sign given the fees demanded by PL teams.
 

Winzaghi

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He really is a quality footballer. Much more the player we need than VDB. I'd happily take him as a Pogba replacement. Would be even better if he can transition to an AM instead of LW but his ability and consistency are there. But will be a hard player for anyone to sign given the fees demanded by PL teams.
He's an AM. He played LW last season due to necessity, given that our wingers we're not up to par in the PL. This season, it's to accommodate Ross Barkley, and he's still comfortably our best left winger anyway. With pace either side of him and in front of him in the #10 role, he's absolutely devastating. It's probably not going to happen at Villa in the foreseeable future, but I can't wait to see him play there for England. He's have a field day feeding Rashford/Sterling/Sancho/Kane etc.
 

RashyForPM

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Grealish is comfortably better than Martial so the question would not be where to fit Grealish, it would be where to fit Martial.
I agree. Although they play in different positions and are different players, Grealish just has far more good influence on his team's game than Martial, who drifts in and out. What's more, he makes that impact while being extremely tightly marked. Forget Arsenal as they were just appalling after raising their game against us, but look at his performance against Southampton two weeks ago. Two men, Romeu and KWP, were tracking him all game, but he still scored a goal, assisted two and drew a load of fouls as usual, a very useful asset when you need a goal or to relieve pressure. So, in an ideal situation where we bought Grealish next season, I'd use:

DDG

AWB CB Maguire Telles

DM

Bruno VdB

Rashford Greenwood Grealish

Why? Grealish, Rashford and Greenwood are all players with a higher ceiling than Martial imo. Also, we'd be able to play Grealish in his favoured position as an inside left. Therefore, if he came, Martial would have to be the fall guy. People won't like it but it would be best for United.
 

gajender

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I agree. Although they play in different positions and are different players, Grealish just has far more good influence on his team's game than Martial, who drifts in and out. What's more, he makes that impact while being extremely tightly marked. Forget Arsenal as they were just appalling after raising their game against us, but look at his performance against Southampton two weeks ago. Two men, Romeu and KWP, were tracking him all game, but he still scored a goal, assisted two and drew a load of fouls as usual, a very useful asset when you need a goal or to relieve pressure. So, in an ideal situation where we bought Grealish next season, I'd use:

DDG

AWB CB Maguire Telles

DM

Bruno VdB

Rashford Greenwood Grealish

Why? Grealish, Rashford and Greenwood are all players with a higher ceiling than Martial imo. Also, we'd be able to play Grealish in his favoured position as an inside left. Therefore, if he came, Martial would have to be the fall guy. People won't like it but it would be best for United.
That would be some front three if you can ignore the fact two of them are expected to flourish in the positions which they have seldom played at this level let alone excelled.
 

Feed Me

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Grealish is a very good player but people don’t half overreact about what – in the grand scheme of things – is a purple patch. Villa won’t be sustaining their form over the course of a season. I also don’t think having Grealish would address any of the fundamental issues in need of resolution at United.
 

RashyForPM

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That would be some front three if you can ignore the fact two of them are expected to flourish in the positions which they have seldom played at this level let alone excelled.
Greenwood's natural position which he's played in all the youth teams while scoring hundreds of goals is upfront. Also, he's only 19. Being so talented, he will be able to develop into a top striker. Rashford on the right is obviously a worry, but honestly, what threat do we have now from the right anyway?
Greenwood has essentially been dropped (should be reinstated soon), so Mata is first choice now. It's shocking.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Grealish is a very good player but people don’t half overreact about what – in the grand scheme of things – is a purple patch. Villa won’t be sustaining their form over the course of a season. I also don’t think having Grealish would address any of the fundamental issues in need of resolution at United.
Doesn't seem to be a purple patch. He was excellent last season too. He would make us a pretty press resistant team even though I agree he's not an absolutely crucial player like a RW or DLP would be.
 

Classical Mechanic

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I have never heard that there has been issues with Grealish effort or professionalism. In fact, my understanding is that he is very professional, dedicated and hard working?

I know that he has been some stupid incidents with Grealish, but that has been during periods where he has had time off I believe?
He went through the same issues Greenwood is now, heavy partying hippy crack etc. He's also got a court case pending at the moment for leaving the scene of a minor car crash during lockdown.
 

Feed Me

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Doesn't seem to be a purple patch. He was excellent last season too. He would make us a pretty press resistant team even though I agree he's not an absolutely crucial player like a RW or DLP would be.
I don’t think one player would make us a press resistant team – there’s far more to it than that, not least the ability to pop the ball around corners between combinations of players.

He had a good season last term for Villa, but his numbers were nothing extraordinary, and we should be looking for our own cast of midfielders and forwards to be providing the desired productivity.

You’ve hit the nail on the head for me, United need a proper deep lying playmaker who can progress the ball through to the front end of the pitch with more speed and precision, and a good right winger to balance our line up, give us threat down both flanks and ultimately stretch the opposition more across the pitch.

I personally think Donny has done more in his career up to this point but is being roundly shit on because he is having a period of acclimatisation.
 

amolbhatia50k

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I don’t think one player would make us a press resistant team – there’s far more to it than that, not least the ability to pop the ball around corners between combinations of players.

He had a good season last term for Villa, but his numbers were nothing extraordinary, and we should be looking for our own cast of midfielders and forwards to be providing the desired productivity.

You’ve hit the nail on the head for me, United need a proper deep lying playmaker who can progress the ball through to the front end of the pitch with more speed and precision, and a good right winger to balance our line up, give us threat down both flanks and ultimately stretch the opposition more across the pitch.

I personally think Donny has done more in his career up to this point but is being roundly shit on because he is having a period of acclimatisation.
I don't think numbers are anything. I think someone who carried the ball as well as Grealish will be much more helpful than these seemingly second striker type AMs like VDB who I'm sure is a good footballer but Grealish seems more what this team needs - more fire, more responsibility, more leadership, more ability on the ball.

I think we're on the same page as to what this team needs. And hence I can't say we should sign for a monster fee. But I do think he'd be great for us and quality players always lift the collective although top class management/coaching is a ore requisite, as always.
 

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I don't think numbers are anything. I think someone who carried the ball as well as Grealish will be much more helpful than these seemingly second striker type AMs like VDB who I'm sure is a good footballer but Grealish seems more what this team needs - more fire, more responsibility, more leadership, more ability on the ball.

I think we're on the same page as to what this team needs. And hence I can't say we should sign for a monster fee. But I do think he'd be great for us and quality players always lift the collective although top class management/coaching is a ore requisite, as always.
I just think VDB is getting the thin end of the wedge, unfairly. Based on my viewings of him for Ajax, he looked pretty good at retaining the ball under pressure while a number of reports noted his character in respect of the (eventual) leadership you refer to. I don’t think everything has to be reduced to having fire when you talk about the sort of people you want in your squad. For example, you would do well to have a few ice cold players who cope well in a shit storm.

On Grealish, I seem to recall him being completely indifferent after the lockdown was lifted last season, and was not integral in the final games as Villa stayed up. He’s had a great start to the season, but you are basically talking about a third of a good campaign last season and then 7 games this time round so far.

Prior to that, we were looking at a player whose attitude had been roundly questioned.
 

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He went through the same issues Greenwood is now, heavy partying hippy crack etc. He's also got a court case pending at the moment for leaving the scene of a minor car crash during lockdown.
I stand corrected.

But it looks like an issue of the past and that the car crash happened during lockdown as you say. It does not reflect well on him, but it might not say much about his effort as a pro. Arriving tired to training repeatedly is less serious for him as an individual but maybe a bigger concern for the club?
 

RkkMan

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I agree. Although they play in different positions and are different players, Grealish just has far more good influence on his team's game than Martial, who drifts in and out. What's more, he makes that impact while being extremely tightly marked. Forget Arsenal as they were just appalling after raising their game against us, but look at his performance against Southampton two weeks ago. Two men, Romeu and KWP, were tracking him all game, but he still scored a goal, assisted two and drew a load of fouls as usual, a very useful asset when you need a goal or to relieve pressure. So, in an ideal situation where we bought Grealish next season, I'd use:

DDG

AWB CB Maguire Telles

DM

Bruno VdB

Rashford Greenwood Grealish

Why? Grealish, Rashford and Greenwood are all players with a higher ceiling than Martial imo. Also, we'd be able to play Grealish in his favoured position as an inside left. Therefore, if he came, Martial would have to be the fall guy. People won't like it but it would be best for United.
The bolded part will never work. Rashford RW is something of a football manager fantasy IMO in real life it simply wont work
 

RashyForPM

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The bolded part will never work. Rashford RW is something of a football manager fantasy IMO in real life it simply wont work
It is something of a stop gap until a new RW (Sancho, Dembele, Coman etc) comes in or Diallo somehow accelerates his development. Since Mason was dropped, Mata has been first choice. Let’s be honest, Rashford would be better there than Mata.
 

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as well as a very talented player he's a leader and strong personality on the pitch

we could do with a few more of these in our squad
 

Adam-Utd

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How is Villa playing like this:

the difference is their players aren't forcing it or rushing. Whenever we get the ball it's run straight at them and try to beat 2/3 players, or play a 1-2 through a tight crowd no matter how many players are there.

They're patient, wait for the 3rd man run to drag the defenders out of space and create room for Grealish.

It's really nothing that special, just a simple triangle pattern play which we used to under LVG quite regularly. We seem to have lost that though.
 

TsuWave

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I have never heard that there has been issues with Grealish effort or professionalism. In fact, my understanding is that he is very professional, dedicated and hard working?

I know that he has been some stupid incidents with Grealish, but that has been during periods where he has had time off I believe?
So not professional then?
 

Highfather_24

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He will provide us a lot of creativity from wider areas, which we lack. Has nothing to do with replacing Pogba though, as Pogba plays in a midfield 2 for us, and we will need a different type of player to replace him. Grealish's competition will be Rashford, Greenwood, Mata, James etc. Also Bruno, because he can play as an AM too.
 

RuudtheRed

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I think on current form, Grealish is one of the league's best players. He's even being touted as Villa's George Best :lol: in some circles.

He's got that rare ability of dribbling in tight spaces and creating something out of nothing to win games. He would have done well at United but sadly that ship appears to have sailed. He didn't play well against us at Villa Park last season but he deserves to be starting ahead of Rashford for England at the moment.
 

andersj

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So not professional then?
It might make him a poor human being and less of a role model, but him consuming alcohol (and making a stupid decision after consuming alcohol) does not affect his football for Villa much (or at all), does it?

You could label it «not professional» if you want. The most important thing from a coach perspective is that the player takes care of himself in a manner ensuring that he can perform at his best every day - both in training and in matches. And I’m under a strong impression that Grealish do. If that is wrong, we should stay clear.
 

Scroto Baggins

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Do we have a chance of getting him in January?
Absolutely zero chance, in fact id go further and say unless Villa get relegated he isnt going anywhere anytime soon. He is the Harry Kane of Villa, boyhood club, been there since he was 6, born just down the road.
 

Cloud7

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Do we have a chance of getting him in January?
Do we have a chance of getting him at all, is the better question?

The price he'll cost now will be even more than he was priced at before, and that's if you can even wave enough money at them to make them consider selling such a valuable player. Definitely looking at an upwards of 100 million figure for him IMO.
 

FootballHQ

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Do we have a chance of getting him in January?
Would cost more than what you wanted to pay for Sancho. Plus he'll want to see where this season will lead anyway after the promising start we've had.
 

Becks00

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Would cost more than what you wanted to pay for Sancho. Plus he'll want to see where this season will lead anyway after the promising start we've had.
Are you serious, more than a 100m pounds!!! He is a baller I give you that but seriously.
 

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Yeah, I don't think there is a better midfielder than Grealish in both talent and performance.
Agree. He's unique too, especially compared to our other central options, with his playing style. His nimble-footedness and ability 1v1 alone should really cement his place in the England's 11.
 

FootballHQ

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Are you serious, more than a 100m pounds!!! He is a baller I give you that but seriously.
We wanted 80m in the summer and since then he's signed new 5 year deal and getting better as we make ourselves comfy in top half of league.

No different to Palace wanting 70m for Zaha and Jack is younger and simply better.