Philosopher

Ramsey and Moreno still not sharp. Moreno not back to top speed yet. Duran looks like he wants to go.

Traore's contract is up in the summer too. Those two off the books should reduce wages by at least100k per week.

All of this seems like bs. He was unprofessional and whatnot at Dortmond but they're loaning him back. They also kept him for an extra season because Man U wouldn't offer an extra 10m to meet their 100m valuation before the set deadline. Doesn't sound like they wanted rid of him. It would make more sense to me that his level dropped after they refused to let him go. Which is hardly surprising. If we do everything needed to get a promotion at work, but we get blocked, would that affect our motivation? Vidic retired long before Sancho became a man u player. So how was he in the dressing room? Some players need an arm round them, and to feel appreciated, other respond better to a kick up the bum. Sancho clearly had more potential than he has shown, but he's had to deal with a shit environment at Man U. And quite frankly average managers. So I wouldn't write him off. I also wouldn’t label him a bad egg, because he was depressed and lost motivation, we are talking about a man in his early 20's suffering his first major setback in football. Nobody's perfect.

If that is the new badge, then I makes Heck look like an idiot, and will piss every fan off. It was also make us a bit of a laughing stock. I simply can't believe that's the new crest, it would represent a real failure. Somehow they took the Lerner crest that no one likes, and made it worse!

I give to Luiz because he has a number of very important goals and assists as well as his general play orchestrating things in the middle. But I could probably name 8 or 9 that could be chosen as well. Watkins, Martinez, Pau, Konsa, Digne, Bailey, McGinn, all right up there.

Barca can't afford him!

I want him!

We were poor in possession in our own half. That was our downfall. So I don't think an adjustment like that would have made a difference. We simply misplaced too many passes.

He's lacking a bit of confidence, needs a goal or two.

At 60 minutes we needed changes. It was clear. On 75 minutes I was still wondering why there weren't any changes. The problem last night was that the players under performing were the likes of McGinn, Ramsey, and Luiz, and we just didn't good alternatives on the bench. We needed Tielemens and Kamara last night.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. There is a top in there. He has bundles of ability, it's a case of adaptation, recovery (from cruciate ligament injuries), and confidence. Two goals in 3 games the confidence is coming up. Still adapting, but this guy is brave, he doesn't hide, and always tries to make things happen.

I have to be honest, I don't particularly like it. The colour scheme is fine for such a badge. 150 years probably should be gilded. It just looks a bit squiggly and illegible!

To be honest I think there is a good player in there, in regards to Chambers. He has a lot of good qualities. But he seem very nervy passing the ball around on the edge of his own area. Plus the team needs pace at the back. I think struggles with the pressure, maybe a lack of belief!? So ultimately (if he was fit) I'd pick Hause over Chambers at centre back, which says it all about his future at the club!

I agree RB is where we can find an immediate improvement in the first team. So this makes RB a bigger priority than a back up anything! Cash is good when teams come at us, as his energy and movement will see him exploit the space that leaves. However he is an average crosser at best, and he struggles to beat a man one on one. We also need genuine recovery pace in his position. In regard to a back up for Watkins, i feel Duran is perfect. Watkins almost never gets injured. Now there is always a first but, the reality is his Back up will be lucky to pick up even one premier league start. Duran has HUGE potential. This lad (so long as he works hard and listens to those trying to help him) will be a star. For me his raw potential is world class complete striker. Pace, power, technique, work rate, touch, all the best raw materials are in him. Now if we decided to loan him out to get him more game time, then a striker coming in on loan would make sense. But who would go on loan to a club where he probably won't even get to start in the Premier league?

The majority of our goals come from creating space via drawing teams onto us, or through winning the ball back and hitting teams hard a fast before they can fall back into their defensive shape. If we take out the inferior opposition we faced in the ECL we have scored 11 goals against low blocks. Prem teams that employed low block we have faced are; Palace, Luton, Forest, Brentford, Wolves, and Bournemouth. That's 1.83 goals per game against low blocks. Against teams that didn't employ a low block we have scored 28 goals in 11 games at a ratio of 2.5 (these 11 games include our hammerings at the hand of Newcastle and Liverpool). So there is a clear discrepancy between the two. 1.83 goals per game against low blocks is respectable. I'd say and we don't have a major problem there as the point of a low block is to prevent conceding goals. However I'd also say that ideally this ratio should be higher than 2. The other factor here is against those low block teams I mentioned we have conceded first to all but Luton. So 5 out of 6 low blocks have scored first against us. This means in order to win we need to score at least 2 goals against said low block teams. But our goals for versus low block teams is slightly less than 2. Also all of the low blocks teams have scored against us. This points to a vulnerability in transition and that's at least in part down to our high line, but also to poor pressing at times. The only way to improve here is to be more defensive (but we'd then score less goals) or find a way to score more, while not weakening defensively. Part of the vulnerability of our highline is that you need pace in the back line to recover when the offside trap is broken through. Moreno and Konsa (currently) are the only defenders we have with a genuine turn of pace. And Moreno has been injured most of the season. This why I advocate a speed merchant right back (our right hand side is usually the source of the breach when it come to our defense). I also feel that this season our attacking of the left side has been stunted by having to shoehorn the likes of Tielemens and Zaniolo in there. So threat there has been reduced in Ramsey and Moreno's absence. On the right we have been stunted by Cash just being limited going forward, or by playing Konsa at RB. The final piece of analysis is that Emery expects the player that partners Watkins to be left footed. (Hence why we signed 2 left footed fowards in the summer). I believe part of his tactical plan is having the strikers work the channel on their side, and part of this is the forwards having their stronger foot on the inside of the channel they're operating in. So if we sign any midfielders or forwards, they would ideally need to be fast and relentless in the press. And any defenders have to be able to pass and have pace. The positions that will most likely be looked at in the near future, are right back, Left midfielder (no 8/10 type that can carry the ball - assuming Buendia doesn't have much of a future with us and is a current long term absentee), Right footed striker, and younger left back as we have two 30 years old there.

He is talking in relation to low blocks. However it can be argued that that is the point of low blocks. They're hard to break down. I'd like to see someone like Frimpong who can also defend. For me we need speed merchants in the fullback positions. We have Moreno left, but for me Cash isn't quite at the level going forward. If Cash was bringing what Moreno brings Brentford would've been battered. I like Digne as his touch and delivery is first class and offers something different, but bringing in a young left back in Moreno's mold makes sense.

He clearly isn't sharp, but doesn't look far from it. A few more games and will will he be firing again.

I wouldn't write off Buendia or Zaniolo. They takes 2 seasons to properly come back from a cruciate ligament injuries. Plus adapting to a new country and league. I expect to see Zaniolo improve as the season progresses. Buendia has a long road back. I don’t believe he is top tier, but he has attributes that can help us. Plus he won't be sold until he is able to prove his fitness, so I expect to see him here next season. Traore is a real wildcard, but we need consistent performers to compete at the highest level.

He really needed that!

How was that a yellow, wasn't even a foul this ref is terrible.

Dendonker is looking clumsy tonight!

I'm already confident Marsahall is better than Olsen

I'm glad to hear that! I'm wasn't insinuating antisemitism, but rather the bad blood between Israel and Egypt (Israel invaded Egypt and stole some land).

What do people think of Oscar Gloukh of RB Salzburg, who we have been linked to? I remember him being very impressive in the u20 euros a couple of years ago. Not sure what Swaris would make of us signing an Israeli though!

Martinez 80m vv 100m Cash 30m vv 30m Konsa 50m vv 50m Torres 70m vv 100m Carlos 25m vv 25m Mings 20m vv 20m Digne 15m vv 25m Moreno 15m vv 25m Ramsey 80m vv 100m Dendoncker 10m vv 10m McGinn 50m vv 80m Kamara 70m vv 100m Luiz 110m vv 110 Tielemans 50m vv 50 Bailey 75m vv 100m Diaby 75m vv 100m Buendia 25m vv 25m Watkins 80m vv 120m Duran 20m These are my realistic valuations. With their value to Villa (vv) next to them. Players like McGinn, Watkins, and Kamara are far more valuable then the price we could get for them.