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HolteExile

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Everything posted by HolteExile

  1. We won't be selling Digne this window. And prob not in Jan either, if we get to the latter stages of the ECL. Too much disruption already in the backline.
  2. That's fair. Maybe the bids we've seen mentioned are opening salvos and we do a deal with a higher loan fee and obligation to buy (if he features in 15+ games for us). There are concerns over his injury record, so can understand our club being cautious. But can understand Gala not wanting to give him away for a song either. If they think they can get anywhere near €30 million this window they're right to hold out. Good that Gala fans would be sorry to see him depart. Better that than the alternative.
  3. That's the Chinese lads getting their own back on John Trewick's 'seen one wall' line. When you've owned one shite football club, you've owned them all.
  4. Reina looked like he was slowing down when he was with us - and that was three years ago. But his persona and off field strengths were as useful as he onfield contribution during that run in. The better keepers are usually a bit tapped. He's definitely that. I'd prob take someone like him (or someone fitting his description) over a younger 'project' keeper anyway.
  5. Could be just agent jizz, looking to flush out a better deal from Juventus or whoever.
  6. Agreed. There may have been some naivety about Australia's change of midset post sandpaper scandal and all the rest of it. But they've shown time and again they are the cricket equivalent of Argentina. The 'spirit of cricket' thing only really works if you're playing against India, NZ, West Indies or whoever and there's a shared set of values. It falls down when you are up against pick pockets.
  7. I like the Allez Allez song. But it isn't really 'ours.' So a bit weird to devote a whole shirt as tribute to it. Better if we had the old AV floodlights or Doug Elllis' cheery face on repeat.
  8. I'm not a designer. But if you're going to have a loud sponsor logo like that, maybe don't go wth the WAVS and excess detailing on the shirt. Like wearing pinstriped trousers and a checkered shirt. One or t'other. Not both. A plainish white logo like Cazoo or the Mita Copiers of old would prob make this effort a bit less sh*t.
  9. That's a fairly monumental issue, in fairness.
  10. Ron Bendall and co have to feature more prominently in this conversation, Shirley. Mismanagement of the North Stand building project to the point that the rozzers were even called in at one point. All paving the way for Ellis to return as a solid hand at the tiller (ha!). And robbing us of the chance to push on from a position of strength.
  11. There's clearly quality there with Tielemans. But if we were looking to boost that area of the park, a player with a bit of edge might have suited us better. With Ash gone Emi is our only real shithouser now. Guendouzi or similar are the sort of players that get under the skin of the opposition. And get the side firing if we are up against it. Vibe I get with Tielemans is he's fine if we're on top and dominating possession but goes missing for the hard yards. We'll see. Lange et al have watched him for a while so must know what they're getting. And how it fits with the overall plan.
  12. Loads of supporters from other clubs were happy to see us drop. Prob for the novelty of it, as much as anything else. And the fact that we stank the league out for about five years before we did go. Don't actually mind Lesta. A league title and FA Cup bagged in the last seven years. And none of this 'mind the gap' nonsense we get from some of our other neighbours. Their fans give us a bit of stick when we play (as it should be). But don't have the obsessive tendencies of the other lot.
  13. Young was reportedly on £25k a week, apparently. Which seems mad for the current era.
  14. Hmm. These 'no brainer' free transfers aren't so if the new guy gets more than Martinez, Mings, Ramsey, Luiz and Watkins etc. You very quickly have 4-5 players banging on the CEO's door looking for parity at least. So either wage bill banjaxed or a heap of unsettled players. I'd trust if the club have pushed for this one they know what they're doing and Emery is fully on board. He was mentioned as one of the main targets we had last summer (along with Conor Gallagher) so it's prob not a total shot in the dark from that point of view. But your higher wage earners should be amongst your very best players. It's not the case with Digne and Coutinho (post 2018 version we have) and I don't think this bloke comes in as an immediate upgrade for the first team either.
  15. Gerrarrd doesn't belong anywhere on this list, BTW. Hopelessly out of his depth, but not a wrong 'un. Chelsea 'wipe the floor with us' oddness apart - he usually spoke well of the club. O'Neill (for the manner of his walkout) and O'Leary from fairly recent history would be stand out arsewipes. The latter edges it in the drip, drip drip effect his negative comments had on the morale of players and fanbase over an extended time. Houllier came in in part time consultant mode and thought he was doing us a favour just turning up. Herbert missed many opportunities to cement the club truly amongst the elite. I'm sure he loved the club, in his own special way. I would probably love any entity that made me £30 million richer, too. It's not the same as true fan devotion. As his stints at B-lose and Wolves confirmed. He was just one of those Ken Bates-types that needed the kudos of being associated with a football club. Xia engineered a state o' chassis so grave the words 'Aston Villa' 'unpaid tax bill' and 'administration' all appeared in the same sentence. So he takes the cake. The shit-shoed barsteward.
  16. He's a bit of an arse. But the mild disdain he seems to have for the club post 91 doesn't diminish his impact on the pitch for us between 88-91. He's just got that standard Manc misplaced swagger coupled with delusions of grandeur from his time in Italy. The kind of sad middle-aged tryhard Engish bloke who would sit next to you in a bar and bore you about correct serving suggestions for farfalle (whether you asked or not) and the magic of Umbria. On the plus side, he now looks like the back of a spoon. Mother Nature always finds a way to even things up.
  17. Aye, that should rule him out in any sane analysis.
  18. Greggg just looking at the overnight odds and banging a story out. We might be in for Tielemans, but nothing in Evans' previous suggests he'd know.
  19. I get that Lesta fans have been critical of his performances this season (as they have been for most of their players). But - aside from the goals and assists he has managed these past three seasons - anytime I have seem him against us he has been a nuisance. Don't think workrate will be an issue.
  20. We owe Neil Cutler a lot. He's the one that pushed for this deal. Dean Smith was so so on the idea initially, but was convinced to act. Says a lot about both men. Emery is obv a more 'out in front' coach who does the lot and is a bit of a control freak. But there's a lot to be said for Deano's collaborative approach too.
  21. Not overly fussed about the Kyle Walker links (from Football Insider anyway, so most likely rollocks). But if we're looking at aging Citeh types, wouldn't say no to Mahrez. Even that lot have to tip the wink to FFP occasionally, so there might be a deal to be done. Him and Harvey Barnes would give us that bit of guile in the final third we sometimes lack. Al Musrati at Braga might be a decent shout as defensive midfield cover. Linked with FC Porto amongst others.
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