Cizzler

Smith out. He’s clearly taking us down, so he needs to go. No shape, no clear way of playing. We don’t press well, we’re not compact, we don’t keep the ball, we can’t defend set pieces. What is he actually doing? The less said about our summer recruitment the better. £100m spent and yet Grealish, McGinn and Mings are still our best players. Heaton the only half decent signing amongst them, and any one of us could’ve picked him. If our owners have any ambition/sense - both Smith and Jesus will be looking for new jobs in January. Useless.

I agree that we should continue to challenge the rhetoric we use day-to-day - and I can see why the use of “beast” has been challenged, as historically black players have been subject to monkey noises, and the like. But I disagree that this description is never used for players that aren’t black. I’ve seen that narrative regurgitated before and I just think it’s incorrect. For example: Ramos hails Cristiano Ronaldo as a beast Burki labels Harry Kane a “beast” Jon Parkin, known as “The Beast”

Can we push to ban those involved? There’s clear video evidence of them singing it, that I’m sure you can ID from. The chant is disgusting; “McGinn’s his master”? I thought the Konsa one was a racist stereotype - but this is just another level. A minor, slightly related, tangent - but is there any reason our fans are so desperate to lazily rip-off the England Maguire chant anyway?

Not sure it really weakens Burnley at all - unless Pope gets injured again. Heaton/Pope is 1a/1b, with Hart the clear #3. Pope was out injured for all that time period too. Pope is younger and was given a 5 year contract recently. Burnley selling Heaton is them picking Pope as their number one.

The premise that Taylor has been better for us than Amavi and Cissokho? How on earth is that a pointless thing to say in the Neil Taylor thread.

Do you need someone to convert it to goals per game for you?

Not sure there was anyone else who could’ve played there. El Ghazi hasn’t played a minute of the last two friendlies, so must be injured.

Surprised by so many on here saying Engels is playing excellently, haven’t really noticed him. Remember him spaffing a diagonal ball aimed at Green straight to the keeper, and some simple passes but that’s about it. I must’ve missed something. Agree with everything else. Green has been poor and Hourihane is not having his best game. I think Connor has to play in Lansbury/McGinn’s role in this formation - his best asset is his shooting. He is slow to turn and so one-footed. He’s also just not a great defensive player. Wes and Jota looking good. Mings more like his old self. Guilbert and Targett look a big improvement going forwards, holding my breath until I see them tested defensively though.

I wonder if he might actually become a striker? I remember last pre-season (or maybe even pre-season before?), where he was forced to play up top through a lack of options - and actually played well, scoring a few good goals. He wasn’t an effective winger in the Championship, so I don’t hold out much hope for him in that position this season. But I do wonder if he can play up top. Callum Robinson was an even less effective winger through our academy and he’s made a similar transition.

Kante was their best player, yes - but you're doing Vardy a disservice. Kante left in 2016. Yet in the 2017-18 season Vardy scored 20 goals (4th best in the Prem behind Salah, Kane and Aguero) and last season he scored 18 (5th best in the Prem behind Salah, Mane, Aubameyang and Aguero). I think we can all agree Vardy's Leicester team is way behind the quality of Liverpool, City and Spurs. He's clearly not reliant on Kante to score "all those goals". It's not a case of just putting a "pair of good strikers" up there and getting the same results. He's an excellent player. It was a freak season, anyway. Arsenal and United were in decline, City and Liverpool in full rebuild mode and Spurs just not good enough. 81 points won it. City and Liverpool both lost 10 times, it's just a different league now. The point that was originally made that "why can't this Villa team win the league because that Leicester team did" is a little ridiculous. Admittedly, I've never seen Wesley, Luiz or Hassan play - they could be the next Vardy, Kante and Mahrez. I just doubt it very much.

I think this current Villa team is a lot worse. That team had Kante, Mahrez and Vardy - who are streets ahead of any player we currently have. Kasper Schmeichel is also a lot better than any of our current keepers.

Yes, it does make sense. You said it's no coincidence Chester didn't play in our ten game unbeaten run - yet we started 3 of those 10 games with clearly inferior centre backs. And yes, I do think he'd be kept on. As I've said earlier in the thread, I think he was our second best player the season before last. I think his reputation has been tarnished for playing poorly (albeit through injury) at the end of the Bruce reign when the whole team was shit. Then being injured so not available to be associated with our winning run under Smith. Sure, he's not going to be the best defender in the Prem - but I'm hoping he surprises a few people on here because I expect him to start at Spurs away.

Jedinak started two of those 10 games at centre back for God's sake, and Elphick started another one. Clearly that's no coincidence either and we've made a huge mistake letting both of them go. Just because it's not short-term thinking, doesn't mean it's sentiment.

£8m is the price we paid for Engels. I’d be gutted if we’d just swapped the two of them. What would be the point? We have three centre backs with potential and two more experienced centre backs with questionable injury records. Seems a good mix to me.

He was our second best player the season before last, just behind Jack. The overwhelming opinion on here was that he was playing better than Terry, and people were gutted last summer that Stoke were going to pinch him off us for a pittance. He played through injury for Bruce, and yes, wasn’t as good. No one on the team was by the end. He then missed Dean Smith’s turnaround and our form with said injury. He’s obviously a huge figure in the dressing room, previous captain who Jack made sure he lifted the play-off trophy with. But besides squad continuity, I think he’s earned the right to be here next season for his performances. No one on here knows what the impact of his injury will be, so it’s pointless speculating. Not sure why Chester starting is such a negative indictment of our summer recruitment policy either. He’s played very well for us before and he’s got great experience. Hause/Konsa will make a lot of mistakes, something we can’t really afford at the start of this season. They have the physical tools, but have been bought with the future in mind. I also highly doubt Engels is going to start either - he looks about 8 stone soaking wet.

And through it all, he offers us protection/ A lot of blocks and deflections.......

When put like this, we’re really not that much better despite all this transfer business. Right now I’d take Tammy and Axel over Wesley and Konsa. But I’ve never seen Wesley play. Elmo or Guillbert seems 50/50 and I wouldn’t be shocked if Elmo starts the season. But to be honest; I’ve never seen Guillbert play before either. So in my opinion we’ve only really clearly strengthened at left back and right wing (albeit with two players who themselves have played the majority of their football in the Championship). After Luiz, Engels and Trezeguet come in, I’d still argue we need a GK and more RW/FW depth. I also hope we start peddling off the dross (Tshibola, Hogan, etc). I think we’ll be busy all the way until deadline day.

I agree that he should go out on loan again - sounds like he did okay in League 2, but seemed to have nowhere near the impact Grealish did at County - and Grealish still took a few years to break though properly after that. Devil’s advocate, but Pochettino is against loaning out his more promising youngsters (probably why he had no problem sending out Onomah ) - Guardian article here. Essentially he says it’s better for their development to train and be around better players. It’s definitely an interesting antidote to the “play as much football as you can, wherever you end up playing” attitude that is routinely accepted at the moment.

Fair enough if he is highly rated, but that’s not exactly an inspiring list, is it.

Of all the players out of contract this summer, I am most inclined to keep Whelan. I truly believe signing him and Jedinak, and Hutton stepping up helped change the losing mentality that rotted our club. I remember hearing about how the Stoke dressing room fell apart after Whelan, Walters and Bardsley left that window. Obviously not the greatest players technically, but they helped hold their teammates accountable. It’s an oversimplification, but ours and Burnley’s fortunes vs. Stoke’s since that transfer window do help evidence that. On a reasonable, squad-friendly contract, I think keeping Whelan makes sense. Unfortunately Jedi and Hutton just aren’t comfortable enough on the ball to play in Smith’s system. Especially in the Prem.

I think this is a fair assessment. Although I would say another centre mid is essential rather than a ‘maybe’ and we need three centre halves. Hopefully we can tie up Mings and El Ghazi quickly, and Hause as well as back-up. I would hope to do this for under £25m. I doubt Tammy or Tuanzebe will be affordable, but I wouldn’t be against loaning these two in again, and I think it will probably happen - just later in the window. I imagine Axel is going to get a fair crack at United this pre-season - although if they sign De Ligt, he will be surplus to requirements again, and they will want him to play first team football. Coming back to us would make sense. I also just don’t think Tammy is good enough for Chelsea right now, transfer ban or not. He has a long way to go. He’s a young striker with a lot of potential and another season with us could suit all parties. Chelsea still have Giroud, Batshuayi and Morata. He’s 4th choice there. That leaves LB, two wingers, a striker and a hopefully a holding DM.

Eh. Am I missing something? Is there another Robertson who plays for Liverpool?

I woke up this morning as if it was any other Friday. Then I checked my instagram and my heart broke inside. For I foresaw we are going to lose on Monday. It is written. DRAKE CURSED. THE FRIDAY OF THE PLAY OFF FINAL. If you are reading this, it is too late.

At Hull he signed Andy Robertson and Harry Maguire. If you tried to buy those two now it would cost you £100m. Bruce wasn't terrible in the transfer market at all. Every manager signs duds. His failings lay elsewhere.

Did you watch the game? The ball didn’t go through our midfield. Whichever one of Jedinak, Hutton or Nyland were unfortunate enough to have possession would smash it down the pitch. Kodjia was scrapping with their CBs, but it’s obviously not his game. He barely won anything, actually gave away a lot of free kicks for grappling with them and generally didn’t have a chance (minus on one set piece) except for his goal. Jack is clearly our best player. He looked it today, Ipswich found it so hard to get the ball off him and if he had any half decent players around him this would be useful, but in reality he’s just creating space for shite. The two things I’ve said really aren’t mutually exclusive anyway.