JamieZ

On 26/08/2021 at 11:44, sne said:

Just gorgeous. I even like the sponsor on it. It's got a real '90s look to it. I love it.

33 minutes ago, Xela said:

 

Thank you for making my point!

16 hours ago, Steero113 said:

He's starting because he's staying at Juventus. 

The manager has said he's staying and is in his plans. No idea why the thread is even open. 

Seriously? I'd put the chances he stays at 50/50 at best. Juventus are actively courting Axel Witsel, they've just brought in Manuel Locatelli, and they're aching for cash. I think it all comes down to getting the right offer. Spurs are playing Levy-ball, which means they're not going to offer Juve what they're looking for until the last minute at best, and there are three mid-tier Premier League sides (West Ham, Everton, and us) waiting to pounce if that falls through. Juve's transfer strategy involves planting rumors and then contradicting itself over and over until it gets the outcome it's looking for. I'll be shocked if the situation isn't entirely up in the air and doubt McKennie has any idea where he'll be in a month.

Is there some wishful thinking from me on my part? A bit. I want an American at Villa and I want to go back to being able to root for whomsoever is playing Juventus again. But I really don't think the matter is settled.

McKennie starting for Juventus today alongside Rabiot and Bentacur. I don't know what to take from it, if anything. I think you could argue "he's in their plans" and "they're putting him in the shop window" just as plausibly as one another and I'm not sure which one it is.

7 hours ago, Big Salad said:

Just as an FYI if we do sign McKennie and I don't login for a couple days don't fret.

 

I just either:

Fainted

Had a minor heart attack

Or am crying in joy in my room and can't concentrate to do anything else

 

(Yes I want us to sign him that much)

I've been wanting this to happen for years. I almost feel responsible that it won't because I just wanted it too hard.

[Insert Kenneth Williams GIF]

11 hours ago, the_eristic said:

Majority MLS players, most of the "names" played in the Nations League a month or so back. Miles Robinson player of the Gold Cup for me. I'd hate to lose him at Atlanta, but I think he needs to make the step up to a better league, as he's got ample pace and strength, just needs to improve technically, which is tough to do here.

I think there were several players who really helped their case over the tournament. Miles Robinson, as far as I'm concerned, should be in contention for the starting centerback spot next to John Brooks. I hope he moves to Europe sooner and not later. Matt Turner seems to be the best shot stopper we have at our disposal. It'll be interesting to see how things shape up for us at goalkeeper, with Ethan Horvath playing the hero in the Nations League final and Turner standing on his head during the Gold Cup. James Sands is raw still but looked a revelation in a back three moving into the midfield in possession. We have a couple/few players who work well in a back three (e.g. Chris Richards), but I can see him getting some looks in qualifying to see if he can make the next step up. Kellyn Acosta staked a solid claim to be the backup to Tyler Adams at No. 6 and a stopgap just about anywhere you need one. Gianluca Busio will have a year in Serie A to iron out some of the rough spots and hone his strengths, which are unique in the player pool. American Pirlo? That would be nice. And Matthew Hoppe is a battler. He's direct. He's got intangibles. He drops into midfield and finds the ball. A move to Arsenal or Everton, as has been mooted, could really put him in a position to break through. I wish Villa were in for him as well. He seems to have the kind of rough edges that made a player like Clint Dempsey better, not worse. Like when he let Gregg Berhalter know he wasn't happy about being subbed against Qatar. I'm usually not a fan of that, but with him, you can tell he just wasn't ready to stop fighting.

But most importantly, I think what we saw during the Gold Cup was the definitive return (in combination with the Nations League triumph) of the American identity. We lost that under Klinsmann and Arena 2.0 and Berhalter, whatever his weaknesses are, has instilled that back into the group, several layers deep. These kids fought for each other and you could see it in their interactions and body language. They referred to it as the "next man up" mentality. Gyasi Zardes even referred to it after his game-winner against Qatar, basically that "I want to thank all of the guys who tired them out for me. I just took advantage of the tired legs." So yeah, hopefully we can keep that mentality and dynamic of togetherness moving forward while taking advantage of the top talent we have breaking through all over Europe. I see no reason there might not be another player who breaks through before Qatar 2022. Hoppe? Daryl Dike (who looked good until he got injured, and then looked very not good)? Ricardo Pepi? Better days may be on the horizon.

I've watched every minute of this tournament. This group has so much to be proud of. We've just beaten Mexico twice in two months in two competitive finals. CONCACAF Champions.

58 minutes ago, sne said:

More black & gold/ gold & black.

I don't get it. Joy Division were from Salford.

But I like it.

14 minutes ago, mottaloo said:

I've just worked out how to use the pinch and zoom function on my mobile 

"Pinch and zoom" sounds like a euphemism if I've ever heard one.

52 minutes ago, fightoffyour said:

Any kits with Gralish already printed on? 

Only the factory seconds.

51 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

The shorts in this top picture are a massive upgrade. 

If Grealish starts wearing his shorts any tighter, that's effectively what we'll be dealing with.

The Venezia kit is so well done it took me a while to notice that it's the same damn template as ours. I don't even mind the collar as much.

I think the Port Vale and Utrecht are lovely. I think their kits show a lot more attention than some of the big clubs'.

This Charlton shirt is quite nice but I feel like the badge is flipping me off.

But what about these guys?

6 hours ago, El Zen said:

Damn. I really hate how those fash f***ers get fantastic looking shirts. 

There's a doctoral dissertation just waiting to be written about why fascists always get the best freaking uniforms.

On 23/07/2021 at 05:47, sne said:

Matthijs de Ligt clearly chose a shirt that he can grow into when he hits his next growth spurt. In Kappa sizing that would be an XXXXXL.

7 minutes ago, JamieZ said:

Extremely fascionable. Imagine that with claret instead of navy and that would have been a gorgeous Villa away kit.

Hell, if the damn eagle insignia weren't so large, I'd slap a Villa badge on it and wear it as is. White shorts, blue shorts, claret shorts, whatever. Classic is classic.

12 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

 

any one other than macron and lazio and that'd be on my shopping list

Extremely fascionable. Imagine that with claret instead of navy and that would have been a gorgeous Villa away kit.

Ja, kuhl. Mainz got more individual attention from Kappa than we did.

25 minutes ago, Rob182 said:

It’s very difficult to discuss these things whilst also remaining respectful for the player, the club and any other people who have been affected by the players actions.

On one hand, something has happened, or is rumoured to have happened, and if it’s something so terrible then it will not go away.

I know we’re not meant to discuss names of offences on here, but I do sometimes think that such serious disgraces NEED discussing, and that we just face the consequences afterwards.

So..

 

With that in mind…

 

I think everyone needs to know that a certain Everton player has done something utterly disgusting:

.

…

.

…

.

…

.

…

It’s… Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

I mean, just look at the state of that outfit. A tiny handbag, dressed like Snoop Dog with a pair of my grandads shoes on. We shall be censored no more! This needs discussing!

 

I don't know what he sounds like but I will not be purchasing his album.

4 hours ago, villa4europe said:

The Hamburg kit has a real classic look about it: it's simple yet distinctive, and the socks make it.

I find something about Sunderland Girl simultaneously compelling and unsettling—alluring yet unsavoury. The kit is kind of cool.

The West Ham shirt is what happened when Mark Noble tried on a protoype shirt over the polo shirt he was already wearing. It sounds like I mean that in a bad way, and I do.

On 13/07/2021 at 08:53, JamieZ said:

OMG. Internazionale Milano Football Club and Broadway Dance Troupe.

Just as a point of illustration, there are people sitting at home in their armchairs designing better kits than the actual designers at multibillion-dollar companies. I've been appalled by most of the offerings from Nike and Adidas, which show no creativity whatever and a lot of bad judgment, and Puma and New Balance, whose designs all seem cheap and often just second-rate if not ghastly. And what's with all of the collars? Crewneck, v-neck, collar, add pinstripes or a tweak here or there—is that so hard? But everything lately has weird notches or scoops and overlays that just make them awkward and distracting. Okay, I'm ranting now. I'm put out because I hate the new Villa kit and the new USA kit, and many of these kits aren't any better.

2 minutes ago, MNVillan said:

That’s the same template as our leaked kit.

I think the collar is much nicer on the Betis kit and the fact that the shoulders and that panel around the neck are the same color makes much more sense. That claret bit around the neck on the leaked Villa kit looks ridiculous and the collar is awkward and busy.

OMG. Internazionale Milano Football Club and Broadway Dance Troupe.