Philosopher

At Norwich he took the set pieces. That's the difference.

What you are saying is Buendia would be better if he had an inferior striker in front of him. Pukki not good enough, neither was Ings. They are both a bit slow, so had to make runs where by they peel off into space. Watkins is on the shoulder of the last defender trying to get in behind. This is how Emery wants his strikers to play. Emery like quick striker that can stretch the opposition. A striker like Pukki or Ings will not be signed. Buendia just isn't good enough technique wise. He struggles to get his head up when under pressure carrying the football, so he either overplays or he hopeful passes into space. The Norwich team he excelled in was a championship quality team. They were last in the Premier league, he was the third highest chance creator in the league. But he took all the set pieces. He is a good player, but not a top player. He isn't good enough to be a first choice for a premier league team that has European football. Doesn't matter how much we like him, just isn't that good! Unfortunately the same can be said for Bailey. Bailey's problem is he isn't an intelligent footballer. He has pace, skill, a lovely striker of a football, but lacks the footballing IQ. Buendia on the other hand, has a reasonable football IQ, good touch and eye for a pass, but completely lacks any athletic ability, and he doesn’t have the required top level technique to make up for that. He also lacks composure.

Well I feel for the right winger as they don't get a lot of support in this system. Bailey's been out for 3 or 4 weeks, to pick on him is unfair. Traore however, was it 4 or 5 crosses with loads of time and overtime every one. Or Buendia not getting his head up enough when under pressure and overplaying as a result. We don't possess the technical ability and intelligence to breakdown low blocks. Our best player going g forward today was Ramsey, but he lost his man on the corner and he scored. McGinn lacks technical ability. Bailey goes from the sublime to ridiculously bad.

McGinn and Buendia seem to be peoples favourites for MotM, but they were amongst the most culpable for the poor showing infront of goal.

Well Emery got it wrong today. Dendonker would have given us more presence on set pieces. Traore was poor. Buendia wasted all his good work with poor passes and crosses, and overplayed at time. Moreno got little joy. Watkins missed the easiest chance of the game, and Wolve.scored with their only meaningful attack. It was just one of those days! They did to us what we did to a number of teams like Brighton for example.

Buendia's final ball has been poo. Shame as otherwise he's been fine.

This! We'd have scored by now if the final balls were better.

Traore is giving a lot of ball away cheaply.

Buendia finding the space but not the pass.

There are far more players that are more logical, but will never happen. I could put never going to happen after 99 percent of the transfers links and I'd be right in 99 percent of those. Vlahovic is struggling at Juve, and they would surely sell if they could recoup what they paid. Outside of Italy the only top team that would make sense for him is Bayern. Premier league would be tough for him to adapt so the top prem teams will be reluctant to take a punt on him. PSG, Barca, and Real all have better strikers. So outside of Bayern that only really leaves, the Milan teams, Newcastle, Villa, and Tottenham if they sell Kane. And the Milan teams probably can't afford the fee!

Not in terms of entitlement. As someone that has had to struggle for everything, barely had anyone to rely on, that entitlement stuff is idiotic in my eyes. You get what you earn, and if you don't work to earn something, you won't get it! If you are lucky enough to be given everything you want and need, then the giver is potentially spoiling you for life. I mean in terms of seeing any player as a possibility, and discussing them on their merits, and not 'never going to get them' (as that is the reality of most players links anyway). In terms of hope to see a top four challenge from next season and so on. Being positive, not negative. Believing we belong at the top, rather than whingeing that we should be at the top.

I do believe the club are looking for a statement signing. I feel a big name will be coming in! The attention appointing Gerrard garnered was the perfect example a huge name can have is regards to media attention.

Probably right, but we need to start behaving like we are fans of a big club!

Salah had played in the prem before, and he flopped. Haaland came from Germany which is a stronger league. Plus he is a special case. He literally has everything you want a goalscorer to have, his father was a premier league footballer and he spent his early years in England. He was always going to be a premier league footballer.

I agree with most of this, but the SPL is weaker than the championship, and Rangers are so superior to every other team bar Celtic, it's simply too easy for him up there.

Anything above 7th is a big ask. 7th isn't going to be easy. We HAVE to beat Tottenham. Brighton got 9 minutes of injury time, we got 4. What the f....!

I rate Vlahovic, but there is no guarantee he can succeed in the Prem. Strikers that have played most of their career in Italy tend to take time to adapt to the prem. The Premier league is a level above Italy.

Nowhere near key player. He has made some positive contributions, but far from key player. He has a role to play, but he MUST be improved on, or he needs to improve dramatically.

I'll have to disagree. Rodri at City plays most games and all the important ones. Fabinho at Liverpool is the same. The reality is the top teams all have 5 or 6 players that play most games so long as they're fit. Those players only really get rotated for league Cup games, early rounds of the FA Cup. And the weakest prem and champions league opposition. And even then unless its the league Cup they don't rest more than 2 or 3 of them at once. This is true for the defensive positions even more so. If Kamara is fit he would start every prem game. That leaves his alternative with scraps at best. We need to put our resources in to other areas. Right wide forward is the most pressing. Then another wide midfielder as we only have 3 suitable players for these 2 positions. The right back as I can see Youngs limitations the more he plays. Right centre back as I don't rate Chambers as a centre back, and Konsa is someone I think we can improve on. A better no 2 keeper. If Iroegbunam isn't deemed ready to back up Doug then a Doug backup. All this for me trumps a dendonker replacement.

I can't see us being able to any better than like for like replacement, until we get champions league football. If we have a player a similar standard to Kamara, one of them.is going to pissed if they aren't getting enough games.

People citing Kamara's injuries this season as a reason for a player of similar quality are wide of the mark. He's been unlucky with injuries, he's not an injury prone player. His record at Marseille is testament to that. Dendonker is more that sufficient in a back up role playing playing weaker teams in Cup matches, and filling in for injuries and suspensions.

I too see Kamara as our Casemiro type. And I see Dendonker as sufficient back up to him for now. Luiz we can easily play McGinn in his role, he would be as good a distributor, but would be a better ball winner. Also I really rate Iroegbunam. Physically and technically, he is the complete package. Has a bit of pace, strong, tall, fit. Can carry the ball, is a good passer both long and short (needs to pick his passes better though), has a good touch, can tackle. He is also composed, but aggressive. He is a lot like a young Steven Gerrard (who broke into the team as a DM). We really shoukd look to give him a shot as Luiz back up.

I'd be cool with Christiansen, he is a good ball player, would be good alongside Mings. Wage probably a stumbling block. I see Konsa as a weak ball player, and think we need a better ball player in his position. Add Christiansen to what we have a CB and we'll look very well stocked there. I like Kessie, think he is made for the prem, but I see him a very similar to McGinn. And not really an upgrade (particularly as a wide midfielder). Williams for me looks like a future world class winger, I'd love him at Villa. Quick, good injury record, reasonable stature for a winger. Excellent dribbler, keeps his head up, can play a through ball, and finish. What not to like? I think Alemeny makes free transfer signings more likely. I expect he'll see it as an opportunity to make a quick profit at the very least.

Feel he deserves a start ahead of Buendia.

Buendia is such a likeable player. But he also has some severe limitations. For me he is a backup no10 at best. Does have an eye for a through ball, works hard, presses relentlessly. But on the flipside, doesn't take in the game situation when deciding what to do with the ball, tries to shield the ball with his small frame. When the through ball isn't on tends to overplay, as he holds on to it too long looking for the penetrative pass, instead of keeping the ball moving. Defensively he is a nuisance, rather than having any real ability to defend. There simply isn't enough thought to his game, for someone his size and speed to be a consistent threat to opposition defences. The reality is when the much maligned Bailey is fit, Buendia only starts half the games. Why, because neither of them have done enough to make that place their own. Buendia huffs and puffs, but when the defences are solid he just runs into bricks wall all game. He lacks that extra bit of quality. Ironically another much maligned player in Coutinho is easily superior to him, but is injury prone and so even less reliable. If we get that quality wide forward we are obviously after along with the wide central midfielder we also seem to be after Buendia will simply be a squad option.