pas5898

We had a goals per game ratio in our local power league of 6+

Agreed. If this doesn't work out, the chopping block will also fall on Purslow. Purslow will know this so he must have a lot of faith in Gerrard!

He's not alone. I was fortunate enough to work for a former board member at Villa (pre Lerner) who has still has close connections with the club and many others. As soon as NSWE came in the staff and any external parties with significant insight were NDA'd up to their eyeballs. That's the reason why when the secondary team keep quiet (Southampton, Ings), things come out of nowhere. The summer after promotion pretty much every signing was out of the blue. There's absolutely no media briefings, or leaks from within the club on transfers and definitely none on the manager search. Any Gerrard links will be coming from his camp or Rangers. That would indicate we have already approached the club or his representatives.

Same here. I think the majority will agree that although any manager is a guesstimate, Gerrard does post an increased a risk over Dean Smith.(The business risk being relegation). As soon as the decision was made to remove Smith, they should have kept him in charge until a suitable replacement was available (perhaps in the summer). Unless of course Purslow made this move with Gerrard in mind all along.

I'm really concerned at the managers we are linked with. I really hope something comes out of the blue and they are keeping things quiet (like most of our signings) Martinez Relegated Wigan Failed and hounded out of Everton after spending a lot Can't get an absolutely insane Belgium team to win anything Gerrard SPL is league 1 calibre football. If we does well, the second Klopp leaves (2 years) he is off, we rebuild again. Fonseca Turned down Spurs because of Tax issues, we won't be any different. Kasper Hjulmand Only club team he's managed you've heard of is Mainz, and was sacked after less than a year for winning 1 in 13 games.

Man U had the perfect chance to sack OGS after Liverpool. He will be there for a season or 2 yet now.

Levy wants to win something then retire as the self appointed greatest CEO of all time. Doesn't care about the future of Spurs. Conte will extract every single ounce from that squad for a season or 2, then leave tatters in his wake.

Apparently they are trying to get Unai Emery as their manager. That's a worryingly sensible and good choice.

There is an absolute shed load of cash to be made for one of those thirsty agents. Imagine Mendes, effectively teeing up nearly unlimited signings (commissions) for Newcastle with unlimited resources.

From a risk perspective, the club will be aware there's a chance Dean Smith will leave in the next few games, so I expect they already will be conducting due diligence on potential replacements. That doesn't mean Dean Smith will get sacked, but its preparing just in case. They quite simply won't sack Smith unless there is a better alternative both attainable and interested, otherwise its more of a risk to let him go without a suitable replacement. Unless of course Craig Shakespeare is so highly regarded they might feel he could do a good job in the interim.

This wasnt even referred by VAR last year., well it was, but only to disallow the goal.

He's still a great player, just having what makes him special coached out of him. I watched a fair bit of Man City. With us he was allowed to take on fullbacks and cause chaos. At city, he isn't allowed to "gamble possession" so he ends up dragging the ball a few times, turning, then laying the ball back to Cancelo. City love that ball played between the CB and full back and Grealish isn't that player, he wants to take on a full back but just doesn't happen in a Guardiola system. Buendia is the same for us. He is a really good player, Norwich fans lament him going to us, but just doesn't work in our system.

Targett is a limited premier league player. Grealish occupying 2/3 players made Targett to look better than he is, giving him space as the midfield / wide player would rarely engage him as they were so worried about leaving Grealish 1 on 1. Must replace him in the summer.

Might get battered for this. But with Nuno getting sacked, there is a decent PL manager available. Could this make the board jump if Friday doesn't go well? EDIT: FWIW I'm Dean Smith In. But think this might make the board go sooner rather than later.

That's a fair point. Happened with Arsenal when they paid Ozil 300k.

Kane and Ings aren't particularly strong, quick or skillful... But give them half a chance and the ball is in the back of the net. That's made them the top PL scorers in the last few years. Archer has that.

500k over 4 years is around 100 million. How much would it cost them + wages to replace him? A 50 million player and 250k a week is basically the same (admittedly a younger player could have a sell on though). Man City are skewing the whole market. The Man City group up could offer him 500k and a 5 year contract (at 33 he will go and play for NY or one of the other clubs).

1/3 group games kicking off around 10pm local time. Going to play havoc with sleep schedules for the players.

Lot of commotion around Ben Fosters YouTube Channel. Not sure how I'd feel about it if I was a Watford fan. Its entertaining and a good insight into the club, but could portray a lack of focus for a struggling club.

First expectation is to stay up. If Saint Maximin gets injured there's a very good chance they'll get relegated, they might anyway. Any big reputation manager will be steering very well clear and wait for them to stabilise in the PL. Presuming Watford and Norwich go down; Brentford are going to stay up. I wouldn't bet against Dyche keeping Burnley up, Leeds are Leeds, Palace playing well with Eze to come back. Maybe Southampton.

Bruce had a team of Grealish, Tammy Abraham, Mcginn, Bolasie, Hourihane, Jedinak, Chester, Adomah sitting 14th in the Championship getting played off the park by Wigan, Preston etc. We were told by his friends (and son), we should be grateful. Who are we going to get that's better? Villa fans should be realistic etc. Almost widely mocked for hounding him out. When watching a good team underperform week in and week out, yet get mocked by the media for wanting him gone causes a toxic atmosphere. Guy is an awful manager and its not bad to say so.

Problem is definitely his wages. He'd want 160-200k per week. That kind of money destabilises a whole dressing room. Jack was an exception, because he was a special player and the squad knew that. If we give Lingard that, then Martinez, Mcginn, Mings, Konsa, Ollie etc would all demand the same. Quite quickly 30 million a year is added to the wage budget.

Depends on their acumen. We've shown that we are happy to walk away if a club is trying for too much. If Newcastle overpay this winter (to stay in the league), then they'll be held to ransom forevermore

Derby fans would snap your hands off the be a boring, lower table premier league side at the moment. They'll get promoted, install Bruce as manager and sell.

Our u21 team (including 5x 17 year olds and a 16 year old), just comfortably beat a strong league 1 team in their own back yard. (Feeney is special by the way). Need to be dominating league 2 or playing well at league 1 at his age, to be near the first team at 19,20. Harvey Elliot played a starring role for Blackburn at 17 in the championship for example. There is hope of course, Archer wasn't exactly smashing records at Solihull Moors but has just moved up a level and his finishing is deadly. Big second half of the season for Barry, but I wouldn't say all hope is lost. He needs to show something in the next 18 months though.