It’s not just because Amadou Onana signed today, but it has got me thinking. It’s got me thinking that next season could or should be better than the season we just had. This isn’t me saying we’re going to finish third, this is me saying, it could be better.
And what’s football all about? Yes, you got it. But this isn’t me saying we’re going to win something, it’s me saying we will have a better chance this season.
Last season felt a little like we ran out of steam and that ultimately comes down to minutes played. It comes down to numbers. The players ended the season playing a different way to the way they started playing the season. I don’t think there was one match where we saw it change, but it changed.
And there will be someone out there that can create a nice visual and if I had the time, I’d do it, but someone somewhere will have an optimal number of minutes that every player should be playing at stages in the season and if we can get to that number, we are creating the best possible chance.
But it isn’t just about number of players, there is an element of quality and style. And if you look at our squad today, we have more quality in it and these are players the manager and his team want. And they’ll have that visual and they’ll know exactly the type of player we need.
Look at it this way. In a League season, there are 3,420 minutes of football and for eleven players on the pitch, that’s 37,620 minutes of football. Divide that by the eleven on the pitch and it’s 3,420 minutes per player.
Based on position, formation and opposition, some players wont be able to play all those minutes and all the other minutes in the other competitions and be expected to finish the season the way they started.
We saw that last season.
But look at our squad today, it’s really quite impressive and I’m not writing that as an Aston Villa fan, I’m writing it in awe, looking at the squad. We have two players for every position and some. And it’s not just the new ones. We have Buendia, Mings, Archer and Kamara coming back.
And I added Archer there because I was a little sad when we sold him but I’m very happy he’s back and I hope he gets his chance, as backup and support to Ollie, like Duran should be happy doing. I’m convinced that Archer, playing the Ollie role, can deliver.
And the quality of player throughout the squad is high. They’re not all Champions League winners, but before a player becomes a Champions League winner, they are managed by a manager that has the ability to get the most out of them, if they listen and follow instructions and give 100% for the minutes they are on the pitch.
And it’s really looking good right now. Because we have that manager. There are not many of them and we have one.
There you, a slightly longer post to welcome Amadou Onana. And yes, I’m feeling optimistic.
Finally, if you haven’t signed up to the FPL league, click here to do so now!
