Marka Ragnos

Anyone else having weird Slabhead feelings? I just don't see how he fits -- and I feel nervous about the money.

You sound like a good dad. It's funny ... reading your post totally takes me back a decade. Oh, so many model trains lol and "Thomas Town" a few years before that, and the zoo, etc etc. etc. I remember running around sometimes, esp. during school hols, keeping him engaged etc. and sometimes he was just like "I want that one" like on Lou and Andy, and all he wants is to play around with some tin foil lol after I've bought tickets to some big event. You can only do what you can do. Important thing is you're obviously showing him you care --- all far more important than whether this or that "works" in terms discipline. Boundary-setting, limits, days out, heart-to-heart talks. It all counts as healthy engagement.

In my own experience, this would normally call for a change in tactic. I might come down to his level (physically getting down face to face, too, instead of standing above) and try to have a seriously rational discussion about choices and everyone's feelings and needs and consequences. It sounds like weak sauce, but it does sometimes break up an impasse. Sort of a "OK, we need to stop and talk" parenting move, and then lay out some new realistic choices but get him to invest in the process of working them out, if that makes sense? Anyway, best wishes. I sympathise! It's so awesome your kid isn't welded mentally to digital stuff and likes to go outside. Well done with that! You're doing something right, that's for sure.

Seems to be enjoying a bit of a resurgence lately. Saw it had caffeine in it yesterday. Not sure it's made much of an impression on me in the past, but I need to try again.

In the States, there's a bit of a trendy movement on both the left and right to talk about "how not everyone needs to go to college" (which means generally uni also here). There are some jobs that needn't require degrees that have in the past. That's a good thing to (re)examine as an economic issue, I agree. I get that. But it's a much more complicated thing than many of our politicians and media commentators acknowledge, especially when you have industrial leaders who have absolutely zero grasp of what it means to be working class telling working class kids not to bother with uni. Irks me, that.

I think with Carlos and Torres playing RCB LCB and Cash and Dinge as full backs, there is some flexibility, too. But as in even the Valencia match, we've been getting exposed again and again on our wings and it's got to stop. It seems like many are worried about the high line, but I feel like regardless, we keep inviting wing pressure that ends up killing us.

Woops! Forgot McGinn. Can't really decide whether Kamara and Dougle should play as a pair of CDMs as a 2 or offset in a line with Dougie or Kamara in front. Also, Diaby and McGinn OR Diaby and JPB could switch out here, too. __________________Emi__________________ ________Carlos___________Pau___________ __Cash__________Kamara___________Digne ________________Dougie__________________ ______Diaby_____McGinn_______JPB_______ __________________Ollie________________

It's about 24 hours later and my VT counseling sessions are working wonders. Still sad, but feeling more hopeful. Almost ready to get off the floor and go back to standing up now ...

Would be suicide for Palace. They can't afford the loss.

I really hope someone starts a band called this, or perhaps writes a quirky children's book with this title. I do enjoy meeting oddly hyper-negative people myself, I guess because sometimes it seems like a normal response in our difficult, strange world. All that said, maybe just some fear and disappointment talking, too? For many Villa fans, I suspect the Mings injury felt much bigger than one of our players doing an ACL. It hits like a sledgehammer in the knees for a fanbase that was just getting on its feet again for Europe after years of crawling. A lot of emotions are out of whack. "Oddly hyper-negative" seems normal -- as does your response in trying to reel the feelings back in, which I also appreciate. It's almost as if Villa supporters need each other at times like this.

I will never view him in the same way -- that much I can say for sure. It's ... not bad and sort of a fun vibe? And as you say -- remarkable.

__________________Emi__________________ ________Carlos___________Pau___________ __Cash__________Kamara___________Digne ________________Dougie__________________ ______Diaby_____McGinn_______JPB_______ __________________Ollie________________

I know many people love. Dunno why it hits me the way it does. Worth it then … great guitar band. Same as I feel.

Quite possible. We'll see. Torres is nothing like Mings, of course. The single biggest standout skill of Pau Torres is his ability to keep the ball glued to his feet as he avoids tackles and dribbles or passes forward. He does this over and over and over and over again. He was doing it a bit on Saturday. The man is hard as **** to successfully tackle, and he progresses balls reliably. He has a host of lesser talents, too, but his ball retention is the crown jewel.

Hate ... lyrics give me chills of embarrassment.

No one needs to relax for my benefit, if I may add? Anxiety is the bread and anarchy the claret-coloured jam that I eat here daily.

My ManYoo mate says we should go for Maguire. I told him I thought Villa fans would revolt and that he's totally wrong for us in terms of style. Somehow, it just kind of bothered me, the suggestion, but am I being too thin-skinned?

I don't find myself agreeing with your opinions much, but as long as there are no personal attacks, I support a diversity of perspectives here, and well, it's just football. I'm never interested in an echo chamber where everyone agrees with everyone and there are orthodoxies you can't question. STILL ... THAT SAID ... you've got a hurting fanbase here right now, you know? Speaking for myself, I'm not sure how prepared I feel to contemplate our midfield shortcomings after that mauling yesterday. I don't think it's a focus in terms of recruitment. It may be in terms of tactics.

Yet another thing to be be positive about ... We're not financially broken, and we seemingly have reasonable owners with big ambitions but also a long-view perspective --- and, we're not tied to an ethically repulsive state that crushes and murders dissenters. Nassef Sawiris is a very clever man, too, it has to be said. So many clubs wish they had our owners. They will be able to see clearly as we work through this situation, and not be influenced by stupidity or ego.

I actually have been thinking about Anwar a lot lately. He could sometimes impress ... but feels like a lifetime ago now.

Yup. Bruno said it well: "Obviously it hurts a lot, but it's just one game."

Couldn't Sheraldo help us out? Out of contract next year, experienced, price is right, can keep up with Moussa ...

Abso-****-ing-lutely. He isn't Tyrone -- very different personality -- the "eco-system" of the squad is going to adapt in terms of leadership, but no reason to think it won't.

Five thoughts about how to think about yesterday, after some reflection. Just my tuppence and FWIW ... #UTV Remember that the Villa we saw after the Mings horror injury was a squad who had just witnessed a truly traumatising event. They simply were not themselves. We must not read too much into what happened vs. Newcastle after the injury, especially for an away match against a CL-level club. We'll get past this. Support our squad. In considering our squad, we do need to separate the players who were probably off their games yesterday due to the Mings loss from the players who have consistently disappointed. Most have not disappointed. But make no mistake: the squad as a whole needs mighty support now. We have some amazing players on our squad who need to know that the fans will be there for them. Ollie, Bouba, Emi Martinez, McGinn, Youri, Diaby, Digne, Pau, Konsa -- they comprise a strong core we should feel good about. Change can be good. It's absolutely not how any of us would want to see Torres or Carlos integrated into Emeryball, but there are many reasons to think that both Torres and Carlos have the capability of being as effective as Tyrone in a system adapted to their unique defensive skill sets. Some version of this was likely going to happen anyway. It's just been forced upon on, sadly. The injuries do totally clarify our transfer needs and bring urgency to the search. Again, not how any of us would want it to happen. There can be no leisurely stroll through the global transfer-market mall now. But NSWE will now know who we need -- and fast. Hang on to the bright spots: There were some: Diaby's goal, Martinez's incredible save, Ollie's frustrating but very close almost-goal, Digne's dignified journeyman efforts, before the Mings injury, we had been responding pretty cooly to being down. We were very much still in the game. Cash's miss did kind of throw things. (We can't miss those!) But we were holding it together, and that counts for something!