MessiWillSignForVilla

That link you've provided says that the Guardian is the most reliable when it comes to transfer rumours. Also, whilst some journos will make shit up, there must be 100s of deals every window that fall through for one reason or another, just because they get reported and don't come off doesn't mean it's baseless.

I was so disappointed when Bellingham had his chance blocked, imagine being torn between celebrating a youth products first goal for England and not celebrating because a Villa player would've got the assist.

Just read that on their forum, possibly one of the most deluded things I've ever read, and I've been gobbling down Arsenal fan reactions the past week. They've only ever won 2 League Cups and they're highest ever finish was third. In a season we finished above them...

To be fair, I do think the credit for Watkins' development goes to the fella that signed him from Exeter for Brentford, not Deano.

For me I think it will be a 433 with Luiz as the DM, McGinn and Sanson as box to box players linking with the front three and getting in to the box with Buendia and Grealish creating from the wings.

There's one guy on there convinced we're favourites for relegation with the bookies, despite every single one of them having us at 11th at worst.

Just when you thought you couldn't love the man any more

If we could follow this up with the Smith-Rowe rumour being true, I would be so **** happy!

Mitre being replaced by Puma as the EFL official ball, a sad day Mitre is THE ball of the football league and league cup, it just won't be the same with a Puma ball.

The grand irony is that when these troglodytes boo the players kneeling, they actually give it a purpose. It's no longer performative, it's a **** you to the fans booing, and you keep doing it until they shut the **** up and actually listen to what you're trying to say.

For me that's the only reason I can see why they would sell him, even if the chance is slim to none. If Arsenal feel his contract demands are too much, or can't guarantee the game time he wants, they might decide to cash in as there's no guarantee his stock will be as high next summer, similar to the Martinez situation last summer. It's not likely imo, as he's still young and I can't see Arsenal not wanting to tie him down, but they've made some **** dumb decisions before so who knows. Then again, Man City showed their intent by taking Arsenal's brightest players every season, maybe we're just following their blueprint

Now that Morecambe have been promoted, they are the team that has gone the longest without promotion or relegation in the EFL, along with Derby. 2008 must've been a great year for Forest fans.

Only because he was used as a makeweight in the Solano deal as Souness didn't rate him. He was set to join us permanently, but then Newcastle pulled the plug as Roeder wanted him to stay. That's not quite the same as loaning someone out for experience, e.g. like with Grealish.

The real difference is that Chelsea have spent over £2bn since Abramovich bought them. Don't need stability when you can blow every other team out of the water financially (bar Man City or PSG).

They must mean Jed Steer.

Because Martinez and Watkins were more pressing priorities, so by the time they were wrapped up, Buendia may not have been available or Traore/Barkley may have been seen as better alternatives as they were cheaper, allowing us more maneuverability to get our key targets. I think you're right that Sanson was the right price at the right time, which is why we went for him, but it seems to me that Buendia may have been right price at the wrong time so we didn't go for it.

I think it's to do with GDPR from a few years ago, ever since I don't think I've seen an official announcement for a signing that includes the length of the contract. Edit: Other than Grealish now I think about it...

I mean JPB's gear is 56, which isn't his squad number.

Doesn't he play the same position as Buendia? If Atléti are after de Paul, then that would clear the runway a bit more for us with Buendia.

It's not, JPB was 52 and his gear is 56. I mean, it's odd he would have such a high number that isn't his squad number, but again it suggests they were just given whatever gear was available (looking at Wikipedia, seems like it was Cameron Archer's before he went on loan) rather than stuff made for them.

Or, instead of making a load of training gear with 60 on it, he was given whatever gear was spare? Training numbers don't always correspond to squad number, plus, why give out new training gear with next season's numbers when they'll no doubt be releasing a new training kit soon and have to replace it all anyway?

Southampton's effort for next season is a beauty, though not 100% on the collar. Then again, I'm a sucker for Southampton's classid Red and White stripes for some reason. Would be even better if it has stripes on both sides and not a plain back as is the trend now. Plus I hope we go back to Hummel when the Kappa deal expires, they've been killing it the last few seasons.

No wonder Villarreal took first and in front of their fans, why would you not take the first penalty?

Does Rashford not want to play in the Euros or something? Trying his hardest to get unselected tonight.