mwj

http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2016/aston-villa-offer-for-claudio-beauvue/ Transfer-listed Lyon striker... makes sense

Pat Murphy is an absolute prick... I think if he'd mentioned Nigel Pearson's name once more on Monday night he would have creamed his pants

Who with?

Loves a dive, but quick off his line and some good shot stopping here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0lULhrz4XY

While I love reading about the history of VT soap opera in the transfer speculation thread... This seems promising http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/01/05/report-suggests-aston-vila-may-have-chance-of-landing-hadjuk-spl/

Also this (you'll need google translate though): http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/L-ol-roi-de-la-formation/516393 The same academy Remi was in charge of for a few years before becoming manager

We know how last season's Ligue 1 ended up, but still a good read https://www.onefootball.com/magazine/the-rebirth-of-lyon-sam-mcguire/

Faulkner (and Sherwood more latterly) are the root causes in my opinion 18 months is not enough time for a CEO to turn a medium-sized enterprise around IMO, especially when it had been run hopelessly by Lerner, Faulkner and co for 8+ years previous to that

Could we? Yeh another nutcase that turns up for 1 game in 10 is just what the squad needs

Anyone know more on this? "allegedly Richards doing impressions of him is the current rumour." https://twitter.com/shelley_ozzy/status/684069204031606789

Sorry you're right... the year I was thinking of was 07/08

Pretty sure this is it. I think the "new" management structure (ie. everyone since Faulkner) made a calculated risk of rebuilding with youth ala Borussia Dortmund, and it hasn't paid off. Although to be fair Dortmund also spent a year relegated in Bundesliga 2 so maybe they are following the plan a little too word for word...

I would argue the scouting program IS working. Ayew, Veretout, Gana, Amavi, Traore are all good or will be good purchases. The only failures I see so far are Gestede (to an extent), Crespo & Illori. Richards & Lescott fall outside the "scouting" network for me, I have the impression they were Sherwood's purchases, rather than the recruitment structure. The problem I think lies with the application of the purchases... ie. Sherwood

I just don't subscribe to this. I think Lambert was sacked when it was looking hopeless. Sherwood kept us up so that decision was vindicated. I think Sherwood was the wrong appointment but that easy in retrospect. In theory the transfer committee has done a good job - Ayew, Amavi, Adama, Veretout, even Gana seem decent signings. With the budget available and the number of players we needed who else were we goin to buy? Salaries and transfer fees of existing PL players would have been far higher. We needed 4-5 £20m players to stop the rot. It's the year on year of under investment, the poor player contract management and wasted funds on unknown shite due to penny pinching that has fu cked us over. None of that was on Fox's watch. Didnt Fox do the deal with Delph last January when he could've walked for nothing? At least he saved the club £12m, whatever you think of that one. *** end quote Bang on. I think his only real mistake so far was hiring Sherwood, the knock on effects of which (poor preseason, hiring Wilkins, no tactics, chopping and changing 11, loss of confidence) have **** this season.

How about the fact that he led one of the most respected youth academies in the world, and then took them to the Champions League 2 out of 3 years while on budget restrictions...

Yes, from all his interviews and press conferences I definitely get the impression he doesn't suffer fools lightly... eg. "professionals shouldn't need a kick up the ass" from last week

Nice assist and 1 or 2 other crosses today, but ALWAYS stops and waits for the defender before trying to beat him again which is a **** waste of some of the positions he finds himself in.

Guzan - 4 - Another mistake, beaten near post. Needs to the replaced ASAP Cissokho - 6 - Solid considering first game of the season Lescott - 5 - Fine but his speed cost us for the second goal Richards - 5 - Positional play is always poor Hutton - 3 - Allowed ANOTHER goal from an opposition full back coming forward unchallenged. 2 in 4 games, plus the De Jong chance in the Newcastle game plus I think there was another chance against Norwich. Utter liability Gana - 6 - Ok, wins a few tackles here and there but his distribution is not that much better than Sanchez Veretout - 6 - Not up to his recent standards Bacuna - 7 - Started well, faded in the second half. Drove forward which is something we've been missing Grealish - 3 - Utter passenger today. Should have been taken off at HT Gil - 6 - Nice goal. Gets pushed off the ball too often and when he didn't he wasn't influential enough, delivered about 1 ball into the box that I can remember. Gestede - 4 - One trick pony, can't hold up the ball with his feet which makes him pointless as a lone striker Traore - 6 - Nice assist and 1 or 2 other crosses. ALWAYS stops and waits for the defender before trying to beat him against which is a **** waste of some of the positions he found himself in. Kozak - 6 - Wasn't really on long enough, but held up the ball well once or twice Sinclair - No rating

Is not available according to the official site.

As painful as it is to watch, I believe we have to do it until all 38 have been played. Blame the FA. If it means we have to debate foreign vs local players after each and every one of them then I'm outta here. See you in the Championship

yawn, are we really doing this again?

Will be available AFTER Sunderland http://mobile.avfc.co.uk/default.aspx?s=news-display&aid=5227242

I got the impression it was a "back injury". Seems a bit of a coincidence that he was out with a hamstring or calf a few weeks ago, last week Remi said he was back but needed more training to be considered for the first team, then the UAE stories come out and now he's "struggling with his back".

No he didn't. I watched the entire press conference a few hours ago He said there are others that aren't of this league but is confident they are of the required level.

Just watched the Sunderland press conference and have to say, he impresses me more and more every time I hear him speak.