blunther

If we talk about Grealish for £25m then I don’t think it’s unreasonal to ask the same for McGinn. I think he’d be a highly effective premier league player. In fairness we can put whatever price tag we want on him while he’s under contract. Hopefully our owners won’t piss around

Once again, does something good then **** it up by being a greedy bollocks. Not squaring it to one of the three players waiting and instead booting it out for a throw in is unforgiveable. And it keeps happening. Not happy.

I hope not, but if he does it should be for a massive massive profit. I assume he’s got a few years left so we shouldn’t be letting him go unless it’s for daft money, tens and tens of millions.

That’s how I read it. It certainly wasn’t a denial that he’d been identified as a target, but Deano batted off the question as he doesn’t actually do the negotiating, as you’d expect. Sounded like there’s legs in this one to me.

He’s been poor this last few weeks. And awful today.

Bit of a scrappy match in appalling conditions. Freezing, dark, wet and windy second division match against Stoke. It was what it was. Happy to get the point after going behind twice. Top two is looking unlikely but I fancy us to match anyone in the playoffs, which is where I think we’ll end up.

Chuffed to see his defensive work today. Is there definitely a buy option here?

That was a classy performance.

Have been keeping half an eye on Solihull in the conference just as a fairly local team I don’t hate. Until they were just singing shit on the villa. **** em. Come on blackpool. Never liked the town. Shithole full of words removed.

Chester struggling (from his performances), McGinn half fit, we don’t have the defensive grit of Adomah, Cafu is out and we can’t defend. Pulis and his set pieces against whichever keeper we decide to field... I think we’re gonna ship a lot. 5-3 loss for me.

I get the feeling we’re going to be picked for TV a lot this season.

**** ridiculous. Missed some sitters there. Elmo at the death. Keeper should have done better with their fifth. Farcical. Fun though I suppose.

Little prick

Bad miss that. Would have been nice to have the lead for a couple of minutes.

Red button still not offering match choice for anyone else edit: never mind, working now.

Both teams to score seems a sensible bet.

His end product has been sorely lacking this season so it’s great to see him get a part in three goals. Hopefully just a knock, but I’d be very surprised if he plays the next two games. Time for Bolasie to get a chance, thoigh I do worry about his defensive work.

Funny how people see different things. I think replacing him with Bolasie would be disastrous for us. IMO Codger is twice the player. But who knows....

We’ll struggle defensively if that happens, which is why he isn’t starting I’d imagine. Never seen such lazy defending from a bloke who’d been on five minutes. I hope Smith tears him a new one.

Good stuff. I gave MotM to McGinn for his ridiculous workrate and steel ass. Thought Tuanzebe and Chester were solid. Hutton had some decent attacking forays. I liked Kodjia tonight (can we stop with the ‘doesnt pass’ stuff, it’s just not true). Grealish... goal and assist, great to see and hopefully he can kick on from here. Negatives... nothing Adomah tries comes off recently, but he is a trier so I don’t want to get on his back. Tammy is a strange one... looks the complete player and you wonder what he’s doing at this level but the fella misses a few chances. Cracking player though for us. Hourihane was a bit off tonight at times but never hid. Bolasie... I don’t rate him. Good tricks and he’s exciting, and I know some players don’t defend as well as others but he doesn’t even pretend to try. At one point when he’s been on five minutes he stood and pointed at an overlapping player and they had a decent chance from it. If you can only play 20 minutes then do some running mate. And a a clean sheet always seems unlikely. We all know why Surprised at the ref ratings. I thought he was poor, missing blatant free kicks and giving some weird decisions both ways. Onwards and upwards hopefully!

I’m glad Smith has a month to work with the players before that December run. If we can keep in touch till then then it’s all on that month. We’d have to beat those teams anyway to get automatic... if we can put a winning running together in December it’s all to play for.

I love this bloke. The sort of player I can really get behind. Plus his shot today was the closest the ball’s come to my seat right st the back of the lower holte in the twelve years I’ve sat there ? Hourihane is a good player to have waiting to come in, but we’ll miss him tuesday.

Elmo is the only real odd one with Bolasie on the bench. You’d think Bolasie was a starter and if he’s not fit yet then I’m wondering what the **** he’s doing.

If Steve Bruce played that team I’d be having a right pop. Fuckit, let’s see.

Usually when I’m looking forward to a match this much the villa teach me why I’m generally not an optimist. Hopefully that changes today.