Humanoid

Is there something like a football creche we can place him into, where someone can teach him the basics?

Careless memories

I didn't know Maddison wasn't fit. He chose Bellingham over Mount. If Bellingham is such a good all-rounder as it's claimed (and I've no doubts to the contrary), I'd say he would be a good replacement for Henderson and let Mount play behind the striker, or even as some pundits suggested, allow Foden to play there. I just dont understand the persistence with Henderson.

There never is a large selection of excellent English managers, but to be fair there isn't a large selection of excellent foreign ones who are open minded enough to want to take the job either. And it will remain that way for as long as Premier League clubs employ more foreign managers than English, and that's just the way it is. As for managers qualifying for the national job in the same way players do, I would imagine it would be up to Fifa to bring in the rule after a vote by all the national FA's. I don't think big footballing nations would be against it, but smaller ones could well be as they try to get the best they can from wherever. As for Southgate, it's not as if he has proved himself in the Premier League. No PL club would have taken him on before his appointment, imo. He's basically an in-house English FA manager, a guaranteed yes-man. And I think the FA will be very happy with the way it's turned out. A top drawer manager would get more out of the squad available, imo. I think in the past we've tended to over rate the England squad and make the manager the whipping boy to a certain degree (this isn't to excuse the managers). I think this time there's no doubt as to how good the squad is, and some are wondering if Southgate holds the players back.

You've hit two nails on the head there imo. Maddison not getting game time when we need a decent attacking creative center mid who can score freekicks, and persisting with Henderson, are two of a number problems I have with his decision making.

I think it's far more sensible that if good English managers are available they should be considered first. If a foreign manager is considered far the best choice above available English managers, then it makes sense to go for the foreign manager. It shouldn't be a hard and fast rule, but certainly one that should influence choice by virtue of the side being national. I think that's the current position of the FA anyway.

I think the only manager in my lifetime not to be a failure, whether English or not, was Bobby Robson, after getting England to a WC semi-final and taking an outstanding West German team to a penalty shoot out. And getting to a WC quarter-final in 1986 with Peter Reid in midfield is an achievement in itself. Venables may well have been good long term but for his resignation over allegations of dodgy deals. Hoddle was hounded out, so we'll never know. But all the others were poor. Southgate has been handed a golden opportunity with so many good players at his disposal, and I think thats what's keeping him in his job. He's likeable manager and I think the players respond to that, but not really a winner imo. Has tendancy to give too much leeway to his "faves". Could England do worse? Yes. Could they do better? Yes, although choices are limited as always. One thing wont change though, and that's the FA. They'll always want a yes man, if they can get one. And that's why we never got Clough.

And the week previous, Luiz played the whole game in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal, and that midfield was a shambles the entire game.

Those games were 5-3-2 under Smith, when most games were bad whether Luiz was playing or not. There doesn`t seem to me to be any conclusive evidence about the midfield turning into shambles when Luiz isn`t playing as the Palace and Brighton games show. If Gerrard can upgrade on him, then all well and good. If he can`t, then stick with him over Nakamba.

Was that the 2-1 win against Crystal Palace and the 2-0 win against Brighton?

What you do with a hog is none of my business

A new north stand like that would be cool, a bit more art deco rather than Victorian wharehouse style though.

Does the Holte End brick work look outdated to you as it is now? It used to look outdated to me as a youngster. Im still not that big a fan of it but it makes Villa Park unique. I certainly wouldn`t want to swap that unique character for a soulless Emirates or King Power stadium all steel and glass monstrosity. It was disappointing that the Emirates stadium didnt include an art deco design to at least one side of the stadium in the style of Highbury. If a new Villa stadium was built, those bricks in the Holte end could be reused in some way, perhaps in a slightly different design but reminiscent of how it is now.

His below average performances far outweigh his "stormers". Over rated imo.

I think you're getting him confused with El Ghazi. Easily done though, as they're both subpar wingers

I'm not a fan of AEG either. But I don't know if it's just me not being knowledgeable of the modern game, but it boggles my mind that we have a decent left footed player in Traore who either can't play or wont play on the left wing. I also would have thought Buendia would have enough fitness now to start games. If he doesn't start, he's not going to get up to full match fitness. We could theoretically be playing Buendia and Traore as wingers. The 3-5-2 formation change surprises me a bit, although I can't complain if it bring in results like at man u. I can't see it being used long term though. Would Bailey be good enough as a wing back? Still not convinced about the middle 3 (mcginn, luiz & ramsey) unless there is more creativity from the wings.

He's been great over the past year coming into the team when needed and doing a great job. Fantastic header today. Needs to be given a new contract. He's vital even just as a squad player

He's trying to get in the England team

Never seen such dog sh*te crossing. Poor first half, sunday league second half. They were as limp as a vicar's handshake

On the other side of the page were Lord Lucan and Rudolph Hess who were quoted as "shocked" and "saddened"

No doubt in my mind that the top managers of europe drool over some of things he does. That reverse pass was sublime. If only Olie had scored it would have been contender for goal of the month probably along with AEG's too.

He's kept more clean sheets at The Emirates this season than Leno

He needs to be put to practicing penalties for the next week with a coach shouting at him "hard and low" before he takes each one so he doesnt forget.

Why were they analizing for offside when the picture was clearly showing Watkins was being fouled? The defender had his arm around him

I hope so!!