fightoffyour

The first games can be a bit of a lottery, with new players bedding in and teams settling down. It's got to be in our interest to be the underdogs in these early games and possibly cause an upset. In the unlikely event that we do lose all 3, then yes it could knock the confidence but that's what you have to deal with.

Now I've never seen Helenius play, but I can tell you know I'd rather have him than Carroll, and that's regardless of the cost - probably 10% of the fee and wages.

Hope he scores soon enough and we can all sing Bacuna Matata

We probably need 5 strikers around our 1st team if we're starting 3 of them most games. 4 is enough if you're playing 2 up front but not 3. I think Bowery will still be involved if Bent goes.

That would leave the expected English players to come in later being GK (Steer?), LB (Cresswell) and possibly Murphy (not sure if needed).

Don't think he should even be on parity with Gabby - our all time top PL goal scorer and loyal servant. Double the rumoured £20k to £40k. However I put his valuation at something like £40m, but that's a reflection on his potential and our strong position (3 years left).

I thought I'd come back from a few hours away and we'd have signed at least 1 player. I am disappoint.

Laursen

surely signing Okore goes some way to shoring up the defence? we now have 4 CBs for 2 positions. I think we still have Herd right? not his best position by miles but assuming he's not in a CB pair with Lowton he can prob do a job, same goes for Lowton, so we have 4 CBs and 2 players who can cover in an emergency. I'd expect cover/competition for Lowton and Bennet to get signed too. As for goals from other areas of the pitch, he's grabbed Bucana and Tonev already to add to the midfield mix. So it looks to be something he's thinking about at least! I think Okore, Bacuna and probably Herd too could cover RB so I don't see that as a priority, unless we bring in someone very young as an understudy.

Looks awesome with the sponsor logo - xl boys for me! and the pink goalie kit is **** brilliant

hopefully it's not on 2 lines on the shirt. They'll want @D logo on there so with any luck it'll be in front or after the dafabet word. Then it could look decent enough - probably better than gentings which I don't like. Obvious joke to be made at our expense about villa being a daftbet? Like the Cows thing.

Logo looks quite plain and might look okay on the shirts. If not, I'll get a kids top.

Eh? So if you earned £20k a year then £2k wouldn't be a lot of money to you? I think not.

the badge or the kit?

People were saying exactly the same when we got linked to Christian Benteke last summer. With respect there is no comparison. Bentekke was the rising star of the Belguim national team - his current club Genk were very keen to hang onto him, a fee of £11m was mentioned at one stage. I think the only reservations that were expressed was if he could adapt to the premier league - most people on here were pretty excited. Ive never seem him play - but his CV doesn't seem a patch on Bentekke's. If he comes in and has a similar impact to Bentekke, I will happily admit I was wrong. I don't see us doing this deal in anycase. I can't find the post, but I distinctly remember some Belgian guy giving his opinion on Benteke before we signed him - saying that he was hit and miss and probably wasn't ready for the step up to the Premier League quite yet. Look how that turned out.

But Ashley Young was very much an expensive punt. That could easily have been a waste of big bucks. And we probably will buy 1 or 2 players this season in the Benteke price range, as well as 3 or 4 cheap punts.

Didn't Blues have a black and pink number?

He cites a source as Tonev's agent and that he acquired these sources in Poland working at the Euros. Certainly seems as credible as one can on twitter.

Same philosophy, no experience. I'm all for it, but it will probably annoy many on here!

Titus Bramble, Nicky Shorey, Florent Malouda and Arshavin please. All on £50k for 4 years.

Have we? only thing I heard is Lambert makes the worst performer in training wear a yellow jacket or something and that when Bent was awarded it he stormed off and had a big ruck with Lambert over it not heard anything about his team mates though He didn't want to wear Bannan's jacket?

Yes, they go into the 2nd qualifying round and then a 3rd qualifying round before the groups. They're currently 2nd seeds in the 2nd qualy round behind BATE Borisov and assuming all goes to form would be 2nd seeds in the 3rd round too. So they should go through if there are no surprises. EDIT : There's a FOURTH qualy round! They'd be 2nd seeds in that too but it's not exactly full of muppets. Likely to be sides like Dinamo Zagreb, Partizan Belgrade, Austria Vienna, Legia Warsaw. Sides capable of upsetting Celtic. where does the 4th placed English side enter? I could look this up myself of course, but it seems like you've done your homework.

I want them all to make it! Yes I think loans are key. There are guys younger than this group of players who have dozens of first team games at lower level and are better for it.

But we'd potentially make a net profit on their transfers, more than half the wages (for the player) and have someone 5 years younger with resale value. Also, since we're being linked with wingers, maybe we're looking to have a plan b.

Jesus he's got two feet like traction engines.