Benck

FT 0-3 Bournemouth made 8 changes, looked cohesive, front foot and attacking. Looked like a team. Villa looked reactive, passive and something not often said about an Emery team, disinterested. The League Cup & FA Cup should always be on the Villa radar, both are realistic trophies for where Villa are. That key players were rested, even with a busy schedule is false economy. The League isn't going to be won, neither is Champions League, but both are being managed now, well. So resting in form players in a winnable Cup makes no sense. Disappointed for the 1000 odd travelling Villans, can't say it often in the Emery era but they weren't rewarded with even 50% of a Villa performance.

Someone said "watch Mobland". I've never watched Sopranos, Breaking Bad etc because watching 200 episodes rather than a 90 minute film is a lot of concentrating. So I watched episode 1 at 8pm and went to bed after episode 10 around 4am. It's mind blowingly good. Anything similar, please let me know! Tom Hardy is 👏🏽👏🏽

Aston Villa 6 Fenerbahce 0

Villa incomings, overall rating ( immediate and future potential, age, resale value) out of 10. Mbaye 9( 18, huge potential, huge resale potential, comes from a winning culture but patience needed as the Premier League is unforgiving, so consistency and plenty of time is key) Manzambi 9( 20, good experience at World and club level already, silky, direct running midfielder. Every attribute needed in his position and some ) Suzuki 9 (23, a baby in goalkeeping terms but a real presence, confident, already used to having a high profile in Japan. Kicking is elite and particularly on away days can turn defence into attack with one drilled ball to an Mbaye/Jackson/Garnacho etc) Gomes 8( 25, impetuous, but there's a very good "ratter" in there who'll get through a ton of work. A few bad habits need clipping, symptom of a player coming from a relegated team but Unai will straighten him out ) Jackson 7( 25, approaching peak striker output years, always neat and tidy outside of the box, needs to now get in in it a lot more and be supplied. Can't underestimate Unai influence on him) Harwood-Bellis 7 ( 24 so plenty of development left. Steady, dependable. Exactly what's needed alongside Pau) Ruggeri 8 ( You don't play for Simeone unless you've got ultra work rate and dependability. Looks like his arrival has already brought an uptick in Maatsen, so win win.) Goretzka 7( people talking about him as if he's 44. He's 31. Senior international, been there, done it. A much needed dressing room leadership figure after losing 3 if the leaders group) Garnacho 3 or 8( Last chance saloon at 22. Doesn't work here, it'll be the Saudi /USA payday circuit. If we get the player for Chelsea at VP last season, it's an 8. We'll see..) AWB 6 ( 28, experienced, personally not a fan of relegated players, they often come with the standards and habits from whence they came. One for Unai to get into)