Philosopher

Yawn

Give the lad time. He's talented for sure, but Bailey when he first came looked a world beater from the bench! I think at this point he is better playing against tired defenses as a sub. My expectations for him are very high, however he still needs time. Let him improve his English, get to know his teammates better, and get his fitness up. Then I'm sure he'll be ready to tear it up.

Love Gabby. He's such a troll, and unashamedly biased towards Villa. He had major problems with his calves and hamstrings towards the end of his career. If you had millions in property and 3 baby mums you would certainly make sure to pick up your pay check.

For me Dendonker is better than Biling. This was probably a hame where Luiz or Buendia had to make way for Dendonker. He is better then them defensively, and aerially. I actually think the size issue was why Digne started, as he is bigger, stronger and better in the air than Moreno. Our ultimate undoing however was we were unable to track their runners. Whether it was in midfield or defense they were a step ahead of us.

Konsa is 6ft not 6,2

We do his name is Dendonker, unfortunately he doesn't have the technique or passing range Rodri does. Rodri is the best in the world right now probably at what he does.

Always expect City to beat us. However i thought we'd put up a fight. Pep's City don't lose consecutive matches. Mings being out hurt us. Chambers was getting slaughtered out there. He looked. like a child against Haaland! Digne was absolutely awful again. The ref gave them everything. Jack is Jack. Jack looks awful in that sky blue shirt. I thought Duran would be a big talent and he surely is. That Man City team is actually quite big a strong. Every corner was a worry. Probably needed Donkey as well as Kamara. Second half counts for nothing, game was long done!

I use my phone to post replies. However the reply box on VT is constantly bugging out on me so I compose my replies on samsung notes then cut and paste them to VT as quick as possible!

Which is why you hire a top manager and coaching staff. The motivation and desire are something expected of top athletes. The manager also needs to instill confidence.

I like Kamada, but he doesn't seem to have the raw pace Emery is looking for, which is why I believe Nico Williams is his preferred target so I'd go with him. I'd sell Traore and try to bring in Moleiro as he plays primarily on the left. Then we'd have 3 wingers two left footed right wingers, with Bailey who can also play as an orthodox left winger. And Moleiro for the left inside forward role. Having looked at Emery teams they are usually stacked with wingers for both sides. Having a left inverted winger like Moleiro give him some tactical flexibility. I agree on strikers 100% his squads only usually have 2 proper strikers, he is even known to play without a recognised striker on occasion. In regards to Buendia, he is currently playing the left midfield role, but I actually think he is better suited to the right midfield role. He is not a winger in Emery's system, as his ball carrying and pace simply aren't up to par. I think he is just reluctant to play both Buendia and Bailey on the same flank, as while Buendia works hard and gets stuck in, he is lightweight, Bailey is also lightweight, and so is Young. If we had a Wan Bissaka type or a CB that can play RB we might see both Bailey and Buendia on the right. I like all of your proposed targets, but Kamada I don't even think is on the radar. Frimpong and Livramento are both fine young players especially the latter. But I can't see an attack minded RB being brought in when we have Cash and KKH. I actually think Emery will like KKH. The only problem is Emery likes one of his fullbacks to be a defender first and foremost. I love Pau Torres, great player. But he will go to a top team. If we get him, it also means we will certainly move on Mings. And even if we sign Torres, I still think we need a RCB. For me RCB is the priority not LCB. Our two best CD's prefer LCB (Carlos and Mings). We probably need a RCB that can play RB for Emery's tactical approach. So are we going to sign two top centre back in the same window, I doubt it! For me we sign Guendouzi. He really makes so much sense. Is a more attack minded midfielder, has good defensive qualities, can carry the ball and pass. Has a good relationship with Kamara also. It's just a no brainer. So for it's Williams 45m (his release clause), Moleiro 10m - 15m, Guendouzi 30m - 40m. RCB who I don't know! Looks a 100m to 150m spend. We will sell few too, but only Sanson and Nakamba are certs. Coutinho will be hard to move on. Digne maybe sold, but he'd need replacing. Traore maybe sold if we get Williams, as 3 left footed right wingers is not a good idea. Chambers is a good utility player for me but he is slow! May go too.

I regards to selling players cheap mostly, it's what I'd expect a club like our to be doing. If we sell player at their maximum value, we'd be a selling club. Jack we were forced to sell, as he wanted to go and had a release clause in his contract. We could cash in on Luiz, Martinez and Kamara. We could make a profit on Watkins too. But they only go if we have no other choice, or they decline and we replace them. If you keep hold of your best players, you simply don't make a lot from sales, as you're only selling players deemed not good enough. The only exception to that is if you bring in a player better than a valuable first teamer. Then you can sell that first teamer for a profit. But we aren't at that stage yet. Now if you're a champions league team in the PL those not good enough are still good enough for most teams in the world. So you can still bring good fees. But if you're a team that previously finished 14th, only poor teams want your cast offs. In regards to scouting, those player Brighton bring are huge risks, they are also only going to Brighton as they're seen as a gateway to the riches of the Premier league. Those players when brought in aren't quite good enough at the time, but they develop them with coaching and an approach that many even hurt results a little. They have less expectation at Brighton, the fans aren't booing them after one poor half of football. When the manager, team, and fans want player that bring instant improvement, sign a talent to work on is low on priorities. The exception is a lad like Duran, such huge potential, every club in the world would consider them.

Cash can carry the ball well, and run into space well. If he was coached to look for cut backs and get to the byline he could do it. The passing though is a weak point. But he links up well, and loves a one two.

If Jack were in this team instead of Buendia that inside left of midfield box, we would be murdering teams. Jack is better than Ash as a winger. Both at their peak, Jack's goals and assists ratio in his last two seasons with us is every bit as good a Youngs if not better. Plus Jack controlled games on his own. Remember Ash had the advantage of a better manager and more competitive team. Jack kept a team up that would otherwise finish last, then got a team to 11th that should have been embroiled in a relegation fight.

Sorry, but to put Buendia in the top 5 is in my opinion putting the cart before the horse. Watkins, Mings, and Martinez are far more important to the first team than him. We can't compare ability of defenders with attackers, as they're totally different skillsets, so instead I look at importance to the team, of which he is probably behind Young, Moreno, and Ramsey as well. Is Ramsey a better player, in aspects yes in others no. But I'd argue his physicality and ball carrying are more important. But I don’t think there is much difference between the two. Bailey has put in many crosses and cutbacks that should have had a finish on. Claiming poor finishing or movement is simply pie in the sky. All teams miss more chances than they score. To blame his inferior numbers on poor finishing is laughable. Sorry, I usually agree with you on many points, but we have to differ here.

Cash absolutely has a future here. But much of that depends on whether, Emery rates KKH, and whether he is happy being rotated, and not being first choice. Cash can be an attacking force for Emery as what he asks his attacking fullbacks to do is bomb forward, play one twos, and get to the byline. Cash can do that. I hope he doesn't try to sign Juan Foyth as he is too slow. Whether he wants a more defensive right back or not, whoever it is will need some pace.

Sorry but Buendia has done nothing to deserve being in our top 5 players list, let alone being spoken of in the same breath as Martinez. You can probably count his good performances on one hand. He might have one man if the match award in one and a half seasons. He played well at the weekend, but it wasn't like he was unplayable, and we lost! Buendia isn't anywhere near being a nailed on starter, like Martinez, Kamara, Luiz, Mings, and even Watkins (who has done far more at Villa then Buendia). Bailey has more goals, assists, and man of the match awards, but gets constantly hammered on here. Seriously I like Buendia, he is talented, and he tries his best. But his lack of pace, strength, and not being a capable ball carrier hamper his effectiveness.

I don't remember that. But I do remember his step dad (Butler) to say that Bailey is a winger. His left foot is very good, he is very comfortable on the left. I can see him being used on both flanks depending on what Emery plans to target, and the respective form.of the wide players.

I disagree with you on two points. Firstly Emery's tactical approach is about overloading one side of the pitch a having versatility throughout the team so the team can shape-shift between different formations. As we have both said the team (once fully adjusted to his methods) will be able to seamlessly shift between 2 to 6 at the back, 2 to 4 central midfielders, and 1 to 3 forwards. This is also a coach that uses his subs to change games. Versatility and flexibility is what make his system work. He would absolutely look to target the right side of the pitch if a weakness was identified there. At Villareal he had Pino, Baeno, Chukwueze, and Danjuma 4 very different widemen and rarely did he play even 3 together. Baeno popped up on both wings. He also had Moreno up to who also can play off the right. That's without mentioning Nicolas Jackson. So the idea he will only play one way just isn't right. As for Duran you don't replace a 21 year old talented striker for a 19 year old because he less ready for first team football. Throw in he let Ings leave hints at his huge potential. The MLS is comparable to the Championship, where he excelled for a really poor team. So he isn't as far off as it seems at first glance. I'm not saying he is ready now, but this time next season I wouldn't be surprised if he was on the verge of cementing a place in the first team.

Well he could use Mings as an inverted left back (as there isn't much difference between a ball playing centre back that used to be a fullback and a 6 fullback cross) with Cash RB, and Duran right striker. Put Bailey left wing (where he is better suited), as left forward then have Buendia inside him. If Duran is good enough this could be extremely effective. A diagonal ball from Mings to Duran could be a nice little pressure reliever. Plus Mings carrying to ball into midfield from left back. Also if you have a big tall striker on the right having a left winger pumping in crosses from the left. Bailey can certainly cross.

If you look at Emery's system, the attacking left back and left striker work the left wing, and the left winger is a central midfielder. Then he has a more conventional approach of the right, with the right striker playing as a right forward providing plenty of width, that doesn't need to track back much. With a conventional defensively oriented full back. Essentially a lop-sided 4-4-1-1. He chose to favour attacking one side of the pitch (in this case the left). This concentrates our attacking threat on that side, but with one or two passes the ball can be switched to the right side with that wide forward in acres of space. John Duran is a left footed striker converted from a winger with pace and power. So it's highly likely he was brought in to do the same as Ollie only from the right channel. We also have Cash that can do the marauding fullback role. Also we can move Bailey to the left to play as a conventional winger for a very different attacking threat that keeps the two banks of 4 unchanged. You basically have a winger whipping in dangerous crosses into the path of a striker with the presence of a target man, but the pace and skill of winger. We can move Mings to left back and Carlos to left CB, then we can go to 5 or even 6 at the back without a single personnel change. Also Nico Williams is starting to make more sense. As I was a little confused as to why he want another left footed right forward, when we have both Bailey and now Traore back. But it makes sense if you consider Bailey to be more comfortable on the left and as a conventional winger. Traore and Williams are both very much inside forwards. Then he can even play Bailey as the left midfielder or as left forward, and there is plenty of competition at right forward, and left forward.

I always said Ollie is perfect for Emery's system. He has the pace and work rate to stretch teams, loves to work that left channel, and has enough strength to hold the ball up. Literally Ollie is made for Emery's tactical approach. So even if Emery decided that Ollie wasn't quite good enough for his first choice, he would certainly be good enough for now and a fantastic squad player if a superior alternative is acquired. If you look at Emery's system, the attacking left back and left striker work the left wing, and the left winger is a central midfielder. Then he has a more conventional approach of the right, with the right striker playing as a right forward providing plenty of width, that doesn't need to track back much. With a conventional defensively oriented full back. Essentially a lop-sided 4-4-1-1. John Duran is a left footed striker converted from a winger with pace and power. So it's highly likely he was brought in to do the same as Ollie only from the right channel. We also have Cash that can do the marauding fullback role. Also we can move Bailey to the left to play as a conventional winger for a very different attacking threat that keeps the two banks of 4 unchanged. You basically have a winger whipping in dangerous crosses into the path of a striker with the presence of a target man, but the pace and skill of winger. We can move Mings to left back and Carlos to left CB, then we can go to 5 or even 6 at the back without a single personnel change.

Ollie looks to be gaining confidence. Think he is finding his feet again.

Digne looks to cross, Moreno looks to get to the byline and either cut back or flash it back across the six yard box. Moreno is better in congested areas due to his superior pace and agility. For what he does Digne needs to do better defensively. Moreno gets further forward and links up very well but leaves space to attack as a result. We play with a double pivot and our wide midfielders work hard and want to be more central so we have ample cover for a marauding fullback. I felt Moreno gave us better balance going forward. We lost that Balance a bit when Bailey was taken off. Digne is more comparable to Targett. Targett wants to play like Moreno, but is to slow a cumbersome in comparison. Digne is a better crosser than Targett, they all have their defensive frailties. Targett gets murdered everytime he is left exposed one on one against pace. Moreno, lacks a defenders instincts, and Digne in rash, has poor communication.

I said it yesterday, we will need luck with VAR

He needed a good performance, shame it was marred by a loss!