The Inspiration

Did Alberto Moleiro go anywhere in the end?

2 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Saudis were quoted 52 million and he agreed to move for 330k a week.

He isnt coming here

Shit the bed, didn’t realise that

Yeah that’s a non starter then

3 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

I think the high line will have to go now.  Without Mings organising it, let alone without his pace, it'll be nigh on impossible to implement.  I just hope whichever way we go, Unai can get the right system.  Maybe Kamara could drop back into defence and Tielemans partner Doug in midfield.

Kamara dropping back is possible but he might struggle with the high line too, at least in terms with being in tune with the other defenders in the line. Pretty sure he played someone on yesterday when dropping in

I’d have a sniff around mitrovic, with diaby running in behind you don’t have to worry about his lack of pace and ollie is dogshit at winning crosses into the box, mitrovic thrives on it. We need a different option up top

Also there’s not enough “nasty” in the team with emi and Ty out

1 hour ago, useless said:

A deep lying playmaker is still an holding midfielder, all three of Luiz, Palhinha, and Kamara wouldn't work in Emery system, only need two holding midfielders. Point is we have two very good holding midfielders in Luiz and Kamara, and Dendcocker is a decent enough back up option, Iroegbunam can play as an holding midfielder as well or as an eight, so potentially another good option whenever he's ready.

 

Doug would do well in the free role off the left in this system IMO. Emery did such with coquelin I believe

Heard from a mate he had surgery on a hand injury on Sunday just gone, unsure how serious/major this surgery was but we may be left with chambers filling in if true

5 hours ago, messi11 said:

Marseille signed Guendouzi for 9 mil just 6 months ago..... and Villa now prepared to pay a x4 for him. 
Why didnt we just sign Guendouzi for 9 million last July? Now why not look for the next  Guendouzi instead of paying him x4 in the summer transfer. 
Villa just falling into old traps.
Warren Buffet needs to replace Purslow and Lange for me
 

Pretty sure Marseille had a buy option in the loan agreement, guendouzis stock was fairly low when he went there initially hence the low price I believe and why we wouldn’t have been able to get involved even if we had wanted to (which with gerrard in charge at the time I doubt anyway)

2 minutes ago, M_Afro said:

I’d be amazed if he is still in charge by the time we play Fulham. I am genuinely sad about that because it’s not good to change managers in less than a year but he can’t argue. It’s simply not been good enough.

I worry about what will come next though. I don’t fully trust our board to make a solid decision. Whatever happens though, our fans need to show more patience. A small minority were against Gerrard from the beginning and it’s not helpful. Whoever comes in is going to find it hard because quite frankly, the players aren’t good enough.

You’ve got a point of people being against gerrard from the off, it’s likely the only good legacy he will leave behind, I imagine everybody will initially at least support the new manager when they arrive with blind faith given how much most want this clown gone

In the right tactical set up with the right combination of players around and ahead of him both he and buendia will look better but the team selection and tactics it’s clear won’t change with gerrard at the helm 

17 minutes ago, WallisFrizz said:

A new manager also isn’t going to score goals. Finishing is abysmal. 

The patterns of play in attacking areas, general shape and tactical substitutions would likely improve though, there’s every chance this creates more clear opportunities but to your point the finishing has composure of final balls has been shit lately

5 minutes ago, Condimentalist said:

That's because his love child Gerrard was getting stick from the crowd. 

Probably accurate

Just now, lexicon said:

I'd really like to see/hear their interactions at the moment. Be interesting to see who thinks what and whether it is just Purslow sticking his neck out. 

Yeah it would be interesting. There comes a point where someone like purslow has to protect themselves regardless of feelings towards gerrard, he’s gave him plenty of rope but if he isn’t careful he’s going to hang himself too with it at this rate

Todays first half should allay any fears of “firefighting” like was rumoured about pochs potential hang ups on coming in, there’s enough hear for a competent manager to do well

6 minutes ago, messi11 said:

I think it was Gerrard who pulled the deal

Yeah, remember that being reported. Froze out all the wingers too, it’s like it’s deliberate sabotage after watching todays performance with pace and wingers out wide. Mental

2 minutes ago, messi11 said:

Cant hit a barn door, but played much better on the left today! We work better as a team without coutinho
We should of signed Sarr

Yep, baffling decision to pull out of that

21 minutes ago, May-Z said:

What Ings offers is getting shots on target at the goal. 

The play when Kepa pulled out three good saves was because Ings created movement and got a left foot shot away from a tight angle...whereas Watkins would still be trying to control the ball.

Accurate on all accounts

He won’t be gone tonight. Poor optics, they played ok albeit with Chelsea substandard, purslow won’t do that to his mate. If he goes it will be post Brentford I imagine if we don’t pick up a minimum of 4 points from them and Fulham.
 

As an aside, the decision to pull out of the sarr deal and bin off all of our wingers has proven to be another of his many **** ups given how much better we played today with players playing as wingers. Who would have thought it, utter chancer.

2 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

Everytime we get the ball in the box, only Watkins is there, an that's of we are lucky.

Does Gerrard know how to coach a through ball, cause I have never seen us try that, although I don't think Watkins would see it.

Gerrard doesn’t know how to coach full stop clearly mate

The effort is there tbf to them but this system is dogshit and Ramsey and McGinn are both frighteningly inept at the minute 

2 minutes ago, calcifer said:

Well looks like the lights could be off early at Villa Park. Really can't see anyone coming in now. Maybe the board don't want to give Slippy G any more money!? 

You could be right but it’s flawed logic if so, there’s gaps in the squad with the outgoings and injury to Carlos that even if they bin gerrard they are hindering the new man. Short sighted view if so 

Just now, stewiek2 said:

So £30m is the new £20m for Brentford now?

My bad I always thought the default Brentford value was £30m. It’s been a while since we dealt with them

If potter bides his time and continues to do well he could probably get the England job when that Concorde nosed freak leaves the job. 
We are an attractive proposition in terms of perceived finances and club stature etc but the risk reward might not be there for potter right now.

28 minutes ago, RicRic said:

Nobody has mentioned the great Thomas Frank are we not a fan of him or is he just forgotten about. Excellent coach btw… very surprised he has gone under the radar with all this talk

Brentford will want £30 million for him knowing them

1 minute ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Bardell mentioned yesterday, that the " role " we have him playing, takes away from all the things he is good at.

Yeah. What is he actually good at these days though? I haven’t seen much that he does well over the last 18 months or so

2 minutes ago, AshVilla said:

A significant upgrade over Gerrard.

I'd take him.

He’s at least proven himself capable in a competitive league unlike this clown we’ve got