Adam2003

Yeah I’m not desperate for us to sign Tammy but I think it’s more that if we hadn’t had him before people would dismiss the idea of us being able to get him than us having had him before making him a nostalgia signing… I would guess he’ll go to Spurs to replace Kane.

You just get into definitions here though. I’d always describe Salah and Mane as strikers. Not traditional #9s but every bit as much a striker as, say, Thierry Henry or later-era Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s not like us popping Grealish up front (not that you’re suggesting it is) - whereas City do play that actually strikerless way sometimes.

He was a few years younger to be fair and lots of injuries if I remember right. Hadn’t realised how many games he’s played for Portugal since (and don’t follow French football at all so haven’t really noticed him establishing himself at Lille).

Is this the lad who was at Swansea?

I didn’t stop playing but I always remember a man, must have been about 30, snarling at me “I’ll break your legs” in my first season of adult football… I literally said back to him dumbfounded “I’m 15” and he said “I don’t care.” You’re right, some total filth out there.

Just saw Leeds have released Alioski which seems a weird one. Thought they loved him there. I’d have had him as back up left back but not sure we need that now we have Young back in the squad. Edit: Ah just saw they didn’t want him to go but Galatasaray doubled his wages on a pre-contract.

I’ll field this one: nothing has happened, journos likely chatting shit whatever their angle, Jack having what I imagine is a lovely break in Greece.

Nice - see how he does with/learns from big clumsy centre forwards/centre halves clattering into him every week. Any lower league/non-league move is useful for a keeper at his age.

He’s right, definitely not as many. I personally have no interest in reading another story speculating about him moving but will always read stories that suggest he will stay. That’s how media consumption works in the modern world, people read what they want to read…

Yeah I’ve seen nothing to suggest he is a PL manager. We will see though.

Eze is out until Christmas. I think they’ll drop this year.

This whole 4+8+10=22 Bellingham thing?

Actually only just realised he was going. Hmm. Good luck to him - would love a Villa Olympic gold medalist! Think we will cope with easing him back in but he’ll definitely need easing back in over the first few games… hope our fans are patient. Looking at Olympic squads I think some bigger misses (ie harder for their teams to cover) will be Burnley with Chris Wood, Brighton with Alexis Mac Allister, etc. Would be worried if I was a Burnley fan… and did Richarlison play throughout the Copa and is now going to the Olympics? That’s even worse than Dougie who wasn’t playing many games…

I get most of my loan info from @Hornso

You must be the best dressed guy on here.

I agree but I don’t think he will make a position his own as such - I think he’ll pop up as first choice back up across the front 3 or as an attacking full back. If we sent out a team right now I think it would be Grealish, Buendia, Traore behind Watkins but I think Young would be the first option if any of them were missing (ie if Traore was missing the Buendia would play right, Grealish central, Young left; if Buendia was missing then Young/Grealish/Traore etc).

Yeah… I was having this debate with someone today who said “well there have always been racists, you can’t blame social media for that.” I was trying to say “…well yes, but now they have a voice and all get to egg each other on. They used to have to go to a BNP meeting or Millwall game for that.” Hard to see how to put the genie back in the bottle but hopefully a firmer stance starts to be taken.

Wait… a stupid Bluenose? I’m shook

Well obviously the two forwards he brought on in the 120th minute were going to be amongst the takers. Absolutely agree on that!

Agreed but Mings is going to sort that now he’s taking over the government of the country.

Has anyone said that though? I doubt they would know before kickoff… I think it’s pretty obvious Southgate knew (based on their performances in training he says) but not the players. That’s why Southgate went round and said “you’re first, you’re second, you’re third” etc as broadcast to 31m people in the UK and many more around the world. Presumably at some point in that conversation, or if it was discussed earlier pre game or whatever, Grealish said to Southgate he was happy to take one (it’s a weird lie for him and others to tell otherwise) but wasn’t picked for it. There’s no “narrative” - there’s just what Southgate, Grealish and all the players say happened or what Roy Keane says happens, isn’t there? I think you’re overthinking this unless I am missing something…

This is an excellent post and I have laughed out loud twice.

Good lad Tyrone.

Anyway - for Jack - from being nowhere near the England squad a year ago to playing himself into it and becoming the only English Villa player in our long history to play in a major international final. He keeps on with the achievements even when things aren’t going quite perfectly.

Yeah maybe if someone said “I’m not feeling up to it gaffer” you might adjust. But demanding you go before someone else isn’t feedback is it. I doubt “he’s too young, take it off him and let me go before him” would play very well in any scenario. And no there wasn’t a ‘rough idea’ there was a written list which Southgate went and presented to the players in order of who was taking that was very clearly shown on TV. Didn’t see any of them say no. Grealish was asked if he would take #6 (a pressure penalty in itself as the first of sudden death) and he said yeah no problem. Anyway think it’s all been covered, just surprised how many people think the players would be picking themselves (not surprised by Keane of course, he knows but he’s stirring).