Starts for U23s: Fresh from playing in the #FACup on Saturday, @JacobRamsey28 and Indiana Vassilev start for the Under-23s against Sunderland tonight.Kick-off at Bodymoor Heath is at 7pm.#AVFC #PL2 pic.twitter.com/uvvMR2HKkM— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 6, 2020
Not messing around today... After making first-team debut for @AVFCOfficial in FA Cup on the weekend, American Indiana Vassilev, 18, scored twice in first 4 minutes of U23 match vs. Sunderland today— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) January 6, 2020 GOAL!!! Vassilev with a header. #AVFC 1-0— AVFC U23 (@AVFCU23) January 6, 2020 GOAL!!! Vassilev cuts in from the right and finishes low in left bottom corner. Cracking ball over top from Clarke #AVFC 2-0 5 mins played— AVFC U23 (@AVFCU23) January 6, 2020
17' | What a start from the Young Lions!Vassilev headed Villa in front after 67 seconds before doubling the lead two minutes later.@Cameronarcher_ made it three with a cool finish 😎🦁 3-0 🔴 #AVFC #PL2 pic.twitter.com/AGMsUAABCC— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 6, 2020
68' | Villa are in complete control of the game as they knock it around with ease.Vassilev and Ramsey are done for the night and have been replaced by Brunt and Hooper respectively.🦁 4-0 🔴 #AVFC #PL2 pic.twitter.com/RjWUOHMBmQ— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 6, 2020
With all the injuries Villa has suffered it is certainly possible we could see Indiana get minutes with the senior team in the EPL. Two more goals yesterday makes it 6 for the season in 14 U23 games.... he has two assists as well. These stats look even better when you consider that he has only started in 9 of these games. More likely that he has a chance to break out next season... especially if Villa is demoted... but I am still holding out hope that I get to see Indiana on NBC during the 2nd half of the season.
This is how we line up for the first leg of our #CarabaoCup semi-final! 🙌Presented by @eToro.#AVFC pic.twitter.com/BeyAzSsEJ7— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 8, 2020 Makes the bench for the first team
On in the '74 74' | Another change...18-year-old Indiana Vassilev replaces @AElGhazi7.🔵 0-1 🦁 #AVFC #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/LZUHJ0gt3A— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 8, 2020
Youth players breaking through in the EPL and even the Championship feel so rare I'm going to temper my excitement until the reality of it extremely obvious.
only saw a few minutes toward the end which mostly were made up of him standing just outside his own 18 and challenging for headers a lot he didnt win
I hear you, but coming into a cup (even if Carabao) semifinal when the score is close is a different order of magnitude than subbing into a earlyish round FA Cup game.
This is one of the more interesting under the radar YA things I've seen in awhile. An 18 year old American primarily developed in the ussoccer system with only so-so youth national team pedigree potentially breaking into the first team of an EPL club is fairly shocking.
Not to Jonathan Spector. But to most everyone else, yes. Work permits make the EPL off limits to most.
I don't know about that characterization...I feel like he was seen as one of the big prospects in his U17 cohort...U20 participation is lower I think because of the difficulty of bringing him in, I'd bet, and he seems to have taken a leap this season.
The shocking part is the part where he is actually playing first team minutes and seems like he might break into the first team in a substantive way at an EPL club. That has become preposterously difficult for youth players in England to do. That's why young English players popping up on the continent has become such a thing the last few years. The accessibility of first team football.
I wouldn’t get too excited about him belonging with the first team unless injuries continue getting him playing time. He didn’t have too much to do, but the times he did have the ball he gave it away each time. The 3 times he had the ball at his feet he made a Zardes first or 2nd touch and gave it away. The announcers also said Villa will definitely be upgrading up front during the transfer window.
After watching his substitution appearance yesterday I absolutely knew that there would be people criticizing him... It is harsh IMO. He came on in a game when they were up 1-0 and immediately the midfield and D choke. The remainder of the game was essentially Villa trying to hang on for the tie. He missed a couple of contested headers and didn't flash in his limited chances... but it wasn't nearly as bad as your bolded sentence made it out to be. LC had the lion's share of the ball during his appearance and almost every time Villa got the ball they were immediately fouled... actually, this happened to Indiana during one of his best chances to make a play. Not saying he looked good or anything... just think that the positive of him being called upon in these circumstances matters a lot more than the actual 17 minutes of scramble ball he was a part of to end the game...
Fair point. I hope the coach saw things more from your perspective than mine. If the kid goes back to the U23’s and continues dominating at 18years old then he should be able to force a loan or continue getting opportunities with the first team. Although a loan at 18yrs old is unlikely.
I wouldn’t say a loan at 18 is unlikely. It’s all about his club situation. If they fail to sign reinforcements up top, then they’ll hold onto him for depth. If not, then he may be able to get a loan in the summer.
Not many 18 year old players get to see senior team action anyways. He is a lot further ahead of the curve than I would have expected. Best case scenario is obviously that he gets playing time in the EPL during the 2nd half of the season... but the more likely very good scenario is that continues to play well for the U23s... maybe gets an appearance here and there before the summer and is starting somewhere next season... If Villa is demoted he could be playing in the Championship... which is a legit level for a 19 year old striker.
On the bench today as Aston Villa host Manchester City on the Premier League. A debut for Danny Drinkwater! 🙌Here is your Aston Villa team to face Manchester City... Presented by @eToro. #AVLMCI #AVFC pic.twitter.com/f48A1MsO8h— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 12, 2020 The game starts at 11:30 eastern on NBCSN, Telemundo, NBCsports.com, and Telemundo En Vivo.