Vancvillan

I'm referring specifically to the reactions to the line-up on Twitter. I think bed-wetting is a pretty common term for overreaction online, so maybe check your in tray.

The bed wetting over the lack of a CB on the bench is confusing. Mings is ill, not dead and we have Bouba to cover if the worst happens. I think we look too narrow against Spammers midfield where space will be tight, but if the plan is to hit them with Emi and Bailey once they're tired it's not a terrible idea. Not my first choice but if we can keep them at arms length in the first half we stand a chance. Would love to have two wingers to knock it long and wide to but these are the waters we're swimming in. That said, I thought the same Bournemouth game so what do I know.

I think McGinn and Ings are the only two up for debate in that lineup.

I think this is one of the reasons they signed CR to be honest. Take him out and how many kids outside Manchester will follow them? Bet you don't hear "I want to be Scott McTominay" at many playgrounds in London. Five more years of this and that global brand could look more like MySpace.

Ha - I remember White Van Man in The Sun, where they'd ask some blue collar guy about Ulrika Johnson's short skirt and he'd reply "cor, wat a stunna" or something more crude. But my point stands - especially in the states, if you have one thing about you (drive a pick-up, listen to country music, work in trades, don't like the idea of high federal taxes, question the practically of moving everyone to electric cars) you get a while bunch of baggage associated with that - you must also hate abortion, love trump, be a racist, etc. And the opposite is true if you drive a Prius. It's just one more way in which complex humans are reimagined as either right wing nut jobs or loony liberals and it's tiring, boring and frankly dangerous.

What's your beef with pick-ups? Some of us need to move dirty, heavy stuff that doesn't fit in the back of a Vauxhall Nova. I joke but there are certain tropes that make the "other side's" eyes roll. Own a pick-up? You're a gun-toting red-neck. Went to college? Oh you probably want want to ban hamburgers. Imagine if someone who's left wing and owns a pick-up. It's a minefield.

Nunez is the Latin Andy Carroll.

That's a fir comment.

This bit should be a sticky at the top of the forum. We are all so short sighted, and the blame often gets weighted by personal dislike if a player or manager. I think West Ham will finish between 6th and 9th, which shouldn't come as a shock to their fans if it is 9th in a competitive mid table. City is a free hit, and they were worth a draw vs forest. Bad day at the office.

I've seen nothing in senior level football to suggest this. Either way I can't see him breaking into the featured subs in anything other than cup games against lower league opposition.

For anyone who lived through the nightmare of mufc fans in the 90's, it's objectively hilarious. I'm loving every minute.

Even then, the amount of space he creates for runners is obviously a huge benefit. Man City weren't stuck for goals without him scoring.

Thought he had a decent game today. Some nice touches, some things that didnt work out. He was garbage last week, hard to think there's not an agenda if people were saying he was rubbish today.

I just watched the game and finishing aside I though he had some really tidy touches. And two assists. Not sure what people are expecting.

He definitely isn't taking the risks he used to be able to with us. I feel frustrated not so much for him, but because he's an exciting player to watch when he's being a bit of a wild card. But that's not the Pep way. I think he did well enough as part of their system, but he'll never be the entertainer he could be while at City. I wonder if he cares though.

I don't get why some words are so pleasing to say. It's the reason I've always wanted to be able to tell a story about "my friend from Marrakesh" or the time "I had coffee with Alan Yentob".

Joined in July 2012 when 606 shut down. We lost 1-0 to newly promoted West Ham at Upton Park in Lambert's first game. John Motson said: "Villa didn't have the inspiration or the drive up front to trouble a West Ham defence..." A decade and nothing's changed.

On the score sheet and has an assist so far, second half just kicking off. Anwar El Goalzie is back.

PSA for anyone in Canada - Dazn lost Premier League tv rights so all the games are on fubo, $200 for the year. Dazn gave me a refund on my subscription when I contacted them too.

I'm loathe to post and bump this thread again but let's just let this one slide into the abyss. I care about him now about as much I do any of the rest of the Chelsea U23s.

Yeah, just took a look at the Cherries forum. Not optimistic in any thread except the predictions, where only one person has them losing to Villa out of the first five or six posts. Cognitive dissonance at it's finest.

Think we'll try and hold them at arms length for the first half, keep the ball and take the wind out of their sails. Wouldn't be surprised to go in 0-0 at half time. Second half we start to stretch them, create a few chances and get a couple of goals. Got a decent bench to mix things up too. 2-0 Villa, Watkins and Carlos (Bailey assist).

Currently sat on the bog with a bad case of Balompedicas