chips'ngravy

As he trains with the u23s at Bodymoor rather than plays with the first team out in Australia, it must be dawning on him that this might not work out quite how he'd have hoped. You have to say his team played a good game in getting him thrust into first team action last season, even if it was tantamount to blackmail. But where does he go from here? It appears they've overplayed their hand. I don't give much credence to the Barça, Man City, PSG, A N Other big club links. Read the article in Mundo Deportivo about the possibility of him signing for Barça but it was very speculative based on nothing other than the fact someone else had mentioned Barça as a potential destination. It suggested that if they did sign him they'd most likely loan him out to get some minutes. So where would that leave him? Playing for Granada or someone similar for a season? How is that a step up from playing for Villa in the PL and the exposure that guarantees? The same would apply to any of the other big clubs. So the reality is he'd almost certainly end up at a lower ranked club than Villa for at least a season, albeit with a slightly enhanced bank balance. Like i said, i can't see any of them making the move at the price Villa are asking and for his wage demands (if true). So that would leave him sitting out the final year of his contract not getting a sniff of first team action at a crucial stage in his development. Stranger things have happened but it would be a massive own goal if that were to be the case.

The man that kept them in the PL with his goal line clearance vs Burnley. Classy bunch

I don't think it's ridiculous. What should she be earning? It's reflective of the level of play and the interest in the Women's game in general. Certain sections of the media are intent on giving it the same coverage as the men's game but the reality is the interest is nowhere near as high. The average attendance of the Women's Premier League is less than 1,200.

Don't get the Young love in. Was good back in the O'Neill days but subsequently spent almost twice as long as a Man Utd player. Last season he was clearly not up to the standard so i certainly wouldn't want him back next season. Heard him on 5Live a few months back and he came across as your typical cliche-ridden footballer, so not really an inspirational character I'd be desperate to see given a backroom staff role either. Let's go forwards, not backwards.

Won't be coming to Villa and at that price i wouldn't want him. He's a 1 in 3 striker, which considering he's been playing for City is pretty poor. 8 and 9 league goals in the last 2 seasons and he got 4 in one game last season. Much better value out there, I'm sure.

Surely a chant of 'You're just a shit Joey Barton' is warranted when he comes on for the last 10 minutes?

Evened it up given their goal came from a player who shouldn't have been on the pitch.

Can we open the voting for that fat little biased word removed already?

Right. Strange this 'brilliant man management' has been noticeable only by its absence up to this point in Gerrard's tenure.

Terrible midfield line up from Gerrard further hamstrung by picking an unfit player and wasting a sub.

To be fair, he was as big a contributor as anyone else to the poor play in midfield, making plenty of loose passes. Thought Ramsey was comfortably our best player but he needs better quality around him.

Can't see there being more than a couple of changes. 4 or 5 would seem like a last throw of the dice from a man who doesn't know what to do next. When it doesn't work, then what? Bring back the ones you made scapegoats? It quickly unravels from there on in as Smith found out to his cost. Hause and a change in midfield would probably be my choice. I wonder if we might start to see Coutinho just playing the home games? Nothing against Everton or Newcastle

I noticed he pulled Buendía back up on his feet after he was appealing for a foul (which wasn't), so there might be something in this. Maybe he's had his head turned by the Arsenal speculation? Who knows? Could be a hundred reasons why he's not performing as well as he was.

I echo your comment but given I've hardly seen a soul wearing a mask at any UK football ground, that would seem unlikely to be the approach for the vast majority. I find it staggering that even now this simple precaution is ignored.

Clumsy from Mings, but in his defence we've been backs to the wall the whole match and he was up against one of the best players in the world.

We're going to have to be a bit braver coming out of defence with the ball at some point. Hoofing it back to them at every opportunity is unsustainable

To be fair, he was asking him to put Phil Collins on.

Gutted. Deserved to be cut more slack if only for the paucity of alternatives

The first half was shockingly poor but it stemmed from conceding such an early goal, which had a fair bit of fortune to it. Being on such a bad run of defeats, to be 1 down a couple of minutes in shattered the confidence of what must be an already fragile group of players. The second half was just bloody frustrating. Lots of huff and puff but little quality when it mattered. The added time display just rubbed salt into the wounds, very similar to the Spurs game. Struggled to get the ball then contrived to give it back to them through a series of poor passes and naive challenges. A point could've been the basis on which to turn the ship around. Instead the pressure builds on the next game. This doesn't look like a mentally tough side, exemplified by Buendía going off so easily, so it's hard to see us getting anything from the next match either. I still support Smith, however.

Was angered by the Young for Ramsey sub but he's actually been better than McGinn and Buendía. Which says more about them than it does him. The dropping of Mings had the air of a manager under severe pressure making a rash last chance decision. Didn't think it was at that stage but maybe it is.

Another shocking refereeing performance

Very impressive nd unexpected first half performance from us. A travesty we're losing. Stream cut out midway through first half so forced to switch. So much better with Le Saux on co-comms than anti-Villa Alan miserable Smith. Sky commentator couldn't get past patronising praise either. More of the same second half, Villa.

Just out in time to go back for the next set of qualifiers

I do like a challenge

I don't think we'll be anywhere near European qualification this season. To do so would be to argue we had a more competitive squad than 5 of Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, Leicester, West Ham, Everton, Leeds and Arsenal....yes, even Arsenal, who however shit they are I'm sure will still finish above us. Whereas last season's signings had a sense of synergy to them I get a different vibe this year. Bailey and Buendía seem like sound enough recruitments bug by no means premier league guarantees. Ings may well be that but would seem at odds with how Smith likes his sides to play. Young should be no more than a back up left back but has already found himself playing in 3 different positions in 3 games, and none of them particularly competently. I haven't lost the faith but I do feel this season will struggle to come close to some of the highs of last season.