Indigo

Isn't this the same fella that posted something about Villa being interested in Tielemans after he'd already been announced a few days before? Has to be on a wind up surely.

I think stats for centre backs are often flawed when viewed in isolation, even more so than other positions. They're largely indicative of the style of play/quality of the team that they play in.

A couple of guys from Relevo have said as much apparently, not sure about the guys individually but as an outlet it tends to be quite reliable.

Did David Cameron write the piece.

I think it's fair to say that the issue over the captaincy ordeal was just that - Gerrard made a commotion out of it in an entirely unnecessary manner. Removing it from Mings in such a public way + the later quotes about him left a sour taste and then brought needless heat on McGinn in the process by extension. It was the handling of it as opposed to the literal choice of captain, which in this day and age isn't of huge significance anymore. I don't care who has the title but I don't see much reason in now taking it back from McGinn.

Neither will you I'm guessing with the amount of mileage you've gotten out of it mate

But surely Levy wouldn't have not been telling the truth when he apparently told Simon Jordan that Spurs weren't in for Maddison?!?!?!

Only speaking for myself it's not that they can't play together it's just that you don't really ever see it happen, and a lot of coaches etc that work in the game would say playing a left-sided CB on their "wrong" side is something they'd actively avoid doing. As there's such a larger amount of right-footed players, it's perfectly normal for them to have played as a LCB all through their life and be more comfortable in the role, whereas due to being more of a rarity a left-footed defender will have been utilised as such throughout their career from youth level up, and wouldn't have the same comfortability on their weaker side.

Agreed. I love Mings, probably my favourite player if I had to pick one, but in the hypothetical world we sign Torres I can't see them partnering each other (without opening that can of worms), and if Torres ends up being the better player then that's just how it is. If we're going to make good on the ambitions then no player outside of probably Martinez is safe, and that's a good thing.

Definite Asensio vibes.

Apparently the guy those quotes are coming from is pretty legit when it comes to Villarreal stuff.

Yeah I believe so, at least for that first "big" move. I just meant it seemed a no-brainer generally, not a specific criticism of Villa or anything.

He's a lovely player, in the hypothetical world Villa signed him he'd be great in the right of midfield position that Bailey often occupies. Has to add more goals to his game next but otherwise has pretty much everything to his game you'd want of a player in his position. £8 million for him was a steal, seemed such a no-brainer at the time too but has only looked even more the case since.

Assuming he is gettable relatively cheap - which outside of the admittedly large Levy factor seems plausible - I think Lo Celso would be a handy signing. As said above Emery obviously likes him and he's quite a versatile player in this system. He's more of a facilitator and we don't exactly lack for them at the moment, but given what should be a big increase in the number of fixtures next season he'd be a handy addition to the squad along with the one or two more game-changing signings to lift the burden of end product off of Watkins a bit more.

I know you hate speculation but I wasn't baiting anyone lol, it's literally a report that's relevant to the thread and I made a light-hearted remark re: the general negativity around signing him. Chill out. In any case that's several credible people now that have said we're at least interested in Barnes, as much as folk want to fight the mere idea of it. Nobody has said we're definitely signing him.

Mentions it in his piece about Spurs going for Maddison apparently.

I've been expecting you.

Percy saying Barnes is a target. VillaTalk in ruins.

Of the three signings made thus far under Emery you've got 1) Duran who by all accounts was more of a Lange/scouting department choice 2) a left back in Moreno that many were surprised to see us linked to in the first place given Villa already having two senior players in that position and had supposed more pressing needs elsewhere in the squad to address, and 3) Tielemans, who so many were writing off as a "lazy link" that was apparently never going to happen. I don't really get why folk are so confident about exactly what Emery and Monchi are going to want and not want in this window when there's such a limited sample size of track record at the club to work with.

Tayls normally expects us to be relegated to be fair, he's incredibly positive so far this summer by his usual standards.

I thought he'd played at right back way more than he actually has according to Transfermarkt. 4 times in the Bundesliga and then about 10-15 more times across MLS and international friendlies.

A part of me really enjoys the thought of us just signing players that people are initially writing off as "lazy links" because it's funny. Evans mugging off VT one transfer at a time.

I think the shirt is fine, nothing to be too up in arms over in either direction really. Just dislike the sponsor quite a lot for varying reasons. The whole situation with the badge seems daft though, to make such a song and dance about changing it only for this to happen.

I think Postecoglou is a good appointment but it's a tough job for anyone to take on in the short term. Their squad was assembled specifically for Conte and now looks terribly unbalanced for more or less any other coach out there, especially one like Postecoglou who is almost the opposite to him in terms of playing style. They have specialist wing backs with not much history at all of playing in a back four, a load of naturally holding midfielders with minimal creativity about them, a mess at centre back and then the Kane and goalkeeper situations to address. It's a lot to manage in one summer.