HalfTimePost

They posted 5 seconds before I grabbed it and came... How did you possibly beat me

I like Nakamba, he's worth keeping around. His break up play is good. But he also gives it away a lot. His second touch is a tackle too often. He did a good job Vs Liverpool but also we were all further back so he had more options Round him when he won the ball, he was a touch rusty but that's expected. Vs Palace he put us under pressure too often, wasn't involved as much and we were more expansive in our positioning (as we should be) he struggled. He made 2 interceptions (actually more than Vs Liverpool) and a couple of tackles but his overall play was back to his Smith era-performances. We need someone who can do what he did Vs Liverpool but also make simple passes. Ideally they need to be better at progressive carries and progressive passes. His passing is poor for simple passes. One good thing I will say about it is he lays it off quick if he does get it further up the pitch. He doesn't slow down play and tries to keep the ball moving. But he pretty much will always go sideways, even if the player has only just given him the ball. He shifts the play and the ball quickly but almost as though he's shifting the responsibility (that may be harsh). In more defensive positions, he doesn't release the ball for the counter, he doesn't carry the ball forwards, his forwards passes often seem to be haphazard and without a target. As i said, we need someone who can do what he did Vs Liverpool but also move play forwards and be smarter with his possession of the ball. It may be said that as the DM he doesn't need to - but he puts us under pressure too often because of how he is Final part, he just looks clumsy, refereeing is poor in the Prem and that's not his fault. But he looks clumsy and it gives the ref's decisions to make - they aren't good enough to do that and so we give away too many freekicks in important areas when he's on the pitch (although the same can be said about Dougie, comes in from behind with his hands up too often)

Nakamba is a DM but not a very good one. Iroegbunam played further forward for much of his youth career but will probably to develop into one. The comment you replied to (not mine) said 'if only we had a proper DM'. They were right, as no, we did not have a proper DM. We didn't have Nakamba and Iroegbunam is, first of all, a child and second of all, needs to be developed into the DM he'll become.

Nakamba was out for 6 months of the season and Iroegbunam is 18

So after all of that. Kamara, Suarez, Tarkowski and an outside shot at Belotti are the only ones I can really see us going for. Grillitsch maybe, but can't see it

So whilst much of Gerrards conference was standard fare, the bit about '1 or 2 are close' and the 'free market being quicker' We know there'll be atleast one free agent joining. Or atleast targeted. Here's the top value (Transfermarkt) freebies and what's expected. No Chance (Grey = Confirmed) Mbappe (RM/PSG), Pogba (PSG/Juve), Kessie (Barca confirmed), Rudiger (RM Confirmed), Christensen (Barca Confirmed), Ousmane Dembele (Barca/Chelsea), Romagnoli (Chelsea, Barca), Mazraoui (Bayern Confirmed), Luis Felipe (Betis Confirmed), Di Maria (Juve), Tolisso (Liverpool, RM, Man U), Onana (Inter), Mbemba (Leaving Porto as he's lied about his age) Very Unlikely (but limited links) Dybala, Bernardeschi (Wants to stay at Juve) Optimistic Targets Kamara (Atleti/AVFC), Belotti (Roma/West Ham), Others (links) - Possibilities for us Lacazette (Lyon), Tarkowski (NUFC/AVFC), Lingard (WH, Nufc, AVFC), Denayer (NUFC), Grillitsch (Arsenal) David Brooks Eriksson (Brentford) Anybody else falls.below £11m of Transfermarkt Value, bizarrely including: Luis Suarez (Avfc), Modric (RM Confirmed), Origi (AC Milan),

Pretty much the lot of the starting XI

Champions League group stages of they win tonight. Would imagine they'd want to give that a run. Money talks but they'd have found their way to the CL the hard way,

Champions League group stages of they win tonight. Would imagine they'd want to give that a run. Money talks but they'd have found their way to the CL the hard way,

Ryan Kent with the composure of a bull in a China shop

Part of me thinks we'd be silly to sell McGinn. Consistency in the squad, his quality when he's on it and the minimal amount he cost us mean he'd cost most of what we'll get for him to replace him and they may not work and we know he does (mostly, although should be more rotational moving forwards). The other part of me thinks £50m would allow us to sign Belotti and Kamara on frees, paying them and Coutinho £150k a week and have those wages covered for the next 2 years. I know that's not how it works. And even if it did there's bonuses, sign on fees, agent fees etc. But I can see why it's something some people would consider

They are easy targets for fake links. They could conceivably attract and sign either Champions League or Championship talent. So they suddenly can be a name thrown in for almost anybody - particularly as they have needs at CB, Fullback, midfield and up front Throw in a London location and the media attention that comes with, they'll be tacked on to every link.

It's massively worth listening to the Athletic Football podcast this week. It's pretty much entirely focused on Rangers and their European final journey. It's hosted by Dan Bardell - massive Villa Fan - so naturally as a result there's a lot of discussion about the change for Rangers since Gerrard started and how their style has adapted with MvB since Gerrard left. The Rangers journo is a big rangers fan too so is a touch biased and there's a bit of Villa-bashing but I thought it was a really interesting listen

(If anyone looks at his FBref, switch him to Vs Forwards to see his stats, they are very impressive, the initial view is Vs Wingers and Attacking mids, which naturally isn't quite as impressive for a striker in terms of pressures, interceptions and tackles)

Terrier would be a good buy. His pressing stats are up there with the best in the world. Has also scored a good chunk of goals this season and isn't a name often banded about. He's linked to Spurs but would be ideal for us. He had a 'big' move to Lyon earlier in his career but just wasn't able to make the step that they'd anticipated. He Was there for 2 seasons, scored 10 goals in that time and then they moved him on again. He's now hitting his prime and has been on fire for Rennes. 30 goals in 70 apps (Vs 10 in 55 for Lyon). At 25 he's looking like the player that was anticipated he may turn out to be at 20-odd. Because of the 'failed' Lyon experiment, it may be other CL clubs don't make that jump yet, making him hugely possible for us. It could also be that another move for him doesn't work out. But his stats are hugely impressive, particularly as a Firmino-esque presser from the front bringing others into play.

Just can't see it happening, as great as it would be

Any chance of sharing them?

Yes and an online legend because of how fast he is on FIFA. Believe he hasn't been quite as good this year, but he has a lot of potential and is absolutely rapid for a CB. Which is always a plus as helps not get caught on the counter, but also you don't want to rely on a CBs pace to defend, otherwise an injury can ruin them, not a CB but a bit like Bellerin could always rely on his pace to get him out of a bind and just can't anymore. Haven't seen a lot of him but believe he's pretty good at playing out from the back. Dirty word but I think similar to Maguire in that he likes to step into midfield and carry the ball. Interesting to see what those who watch the Bundesliga more often think on his ability to play out from the back.

It's something Andy Street should be all over. TFL becomes such a hot topic here in London and most know it's the mayor's job to sort out. It doesn't always mean things go as you'd hope but there just seems to be much more focus on the transport system here, and it's a hot political topic - for lots of reasons we don't need to get into here, not just because it comes under the mayor's workload. But the transport in and around the city is such as focus and it just never felt like it was when I was in the Midlands. The local newspaper outlets need to make it a political choice for the the Mayor to have to either fix or ignore, it needs to be an important topic. Then the football clubs can piggy back on that. Wes will be used to in America being able to negotiate with the city / market his team are in. It happens and awful lot in US Sport (although more in NFL than Basketball I believe) to get the best terms out of the local authorities. Would really work in NSWE favour to have those negotiations and have it also be a hot political topic in terms of getting us the best terms / result

Where has this been said?

We have to. We aren't going to convince every one we go for. We will be in this situation for years where we have to compete for top talent and we'll lose out on most of them. The more that find it a really tough call between us and the Elite clubs the better. Every now and then we'll convince one and be a better team for it and it'll make the next one a little bit more likely. We either need to convince the top players to join us like this, or develop our own. Both are a lottery in their own right and it looks like we're having a good crack at both. If it doesn't happen for us it won't be for lack of trying.

Who do we think he goes for if we lose Beale to Charlton?

Two year deal and sell him to Vegas Villains next summer for a minimal, yet still inflated fee