Wezbid

When you've got 7 players on the bench I don't think there's anything wrong in having Gestede AND Gabby on there. The problem for me is that with Gabby, to the media, they still see the speed merchant down the left who had defenders terrified. He'll chip in with 6 or 7 goals maybe but his overall game doesn't justify his inclusion any longer, nor has it for a long long time. If it was a player who hadn't come from the youth team and wasn't a Villa fan, someone serving up Gabby's performances over the years would have been hounded out long ago. I understand to a degree why people still want to give him a chance, he has the tools in his locker to be a very good player, despite seemingly being around forever he's not long turned 29, he should be in his prime but his prime is seemingly his early 20's. In the past 5 seasons (not including this one) he's averaged 5.4 league goals. That's pretty poor. We scoff at the likes of Jon Walters but over the same 5 year period he's averaged 6.8 goals per season and a hell of a lot more work-rate overall at I would imagine half the wage. Gabby is a Villian through and through, you would expect him to be working his balls off to get back into this team but it seems like he's being going through the motions for years. I don't doubt he loves the club but a huge wage and his position in the squad never under threat regardless has bred complacency and it's only now with Garde that he's really paying the price for it. I think he thinks he could coast and retire here mid-30's regardless but his performances and wage just don't warrant him being around still. There is still time on his side to prove people wrong and earn a place as he should be at his best now but he's nowhere near it. If it was a player with no ties to the club he'd have been long gone many moons ago, sentiment has its place in football but when it seems to be to the detriment of the club for a long time then it should go out the window. Either he puts the effort in now or he should be gone. I wouldn't call him fat but he's been carrying excess weight for a long time too. There's a difference between being fat and being in-shape as a player. He's still an athlete but if he dropped half a stone to a stone would he really be that worse off for it? He'd still be well built and powerful but I would suspect far more agile. Straight sprints and a tough shoulder barge just don't cut it any more. I'd have him on the bench but I don't know what condition he's in anymore and what goes on behind the scenes. He should realise it's make or break for him now though.

I wouldn't call Wilson terrible at all. He's not a name or anything to get the loins going, nor a signing that would make you feel, right, we're giving this a bloody good go but he's been a solid enough player of a Stoke side who have finished comfortably mid-table to upper-half for a while now. I'm not advocating signing him but all these sorts of players the fans don't want can't be that shocking. Your Marc Wilson's, Glen Whelan's, James Morrison's, Chris Brunts, Danny Drinkwater's, Glen Johnson's, Huth, Shawcross, Dann etc etc, they're reliable in the main yet many have been linked over the past few years and people have said no. Charlie Austin is another a decent number didn't fancy, well the teams like Southampton do think he's decent enough. I bet if Deeney or Ighalo had signed in the summer the response wouldn't have been that positive from plenty (ignoring the blue-nose part of Deeney). I'm not trying to suggest Marc Wilson is going to keep us up or is a game changer but he's a decent enough player. Terrible? I think not.

I would cry, or well up and come close to crying if he left. I know he's got his limitations, he needs to work on when to release the ball or not, make better runs off the ball and such but he's one of the most explosive players I've seen at any club, not just Aston Villa. There's a diamond in the rough with this kid and the coaches and manager are there to help un-earth that massive potential that he has. It's been a frustrating start to his Villa career but I think both him and the club need to show patience, a season in the Championship (if we don't stay up could be the making of him). I assume his wages would drop in the Championship but with such limited game time and injury issues so far this season he's not likely to get a big wage elsewhere either so stick with us, kid, listen to Remi and his crew and everybody will benefit long term. That was my 100th post. I was saving it for something special. I believe Adama could be for us. Don't make me regret it or I'll sprint after you.

Sounds like balls to me!

This discussion has randomly had me thinking about Jonathan Pearce unable to comprehend goal-line technology during the world cup and highlight the fact it was a German system that was being used. It's the closest I've ever come to head-butting the tv screen.

I can completely understand why he was left in no man's land for the goal, the defence was in a far worse position which left Bunn on the edge of whether to come out or not. Far from utterly stupid. The first one was a bad decision as Vardy was going out wide and it needn't have happened but the one for the goal I completely understand it. The save and reaction to nearly keep out the rebound showed plenty of promise. Overly harsh criticism imo.

Every fecker in France is called Jordan or Lamine. Lazy foreign gits.

What a load of absolute twaddle!

Think I'll give him and the other new signings 10-15 games before seriously starting to form conclusions about their ability. Nothing wrong with commenting on what we've seen so far but I'm not going to draw any major conclusions yet.

He's sitting in a wheel-chair.

What happened to the tweet like daz confidence and giddy excitement. Still no announcement I see.... Thankfully your pessimism is usually misplaced.

Can I borrow your pen please?

No that's Afflelou Fedcom plays for Monaco What's he like on Football Manager in 2019?

Anyone see the attached picture with the BBC thing? Pretty sure that isn't Traore, idiots.

We're going to be like a much better Blackpool under Holloway. I don't think we'll be last on Match of the Day too often this season.

If we don't get Llorente now I'm going to punch myself in the stomach and blame this forum.

Say there is a buy-back clause, he is with us for 2 years and signs a new 4 year deal with us, does the buy back clause then run out at the end of the 3rd year with us or would it just constantly be there? I assume nobody could answer that with any validity, just wondering if something similar has happened elsewhere. Edit: Just realised it was asked as I left it on this topic for about 20 minutes without it updating. Oops. I'm not too arsed about a buy-back clause providing it's actually for good money. Hopefully only applicable at the end of the 3 years too.

Not sure where to put this, anyone notice the over the top (literally) fan celebrating the Villa goal. Please excuse my foul language. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMFgxkm-Emg

I set my alarm for 5am so I could get Gustede in for free rather than use my waiver pick in my draft league (draft fantasy football rules). He cost me nearly 5 hours of sleep overall but it was so worth it.

Why on earth do people just make up a load of bollocks as if it's some sort of fact?

GTFO Con.

Villa bias out of the way, Stoke are a good club on and off the pitch these days, miles ahead of Leicester.

I'd never heard of him or seen him before this thread. As far as youtube videos go, his was very impressive. His turn of pace is absolutely frightening. He seems to have it all, pace, power, composure, the ability to put in a good cross whilst actually getting his head up to see where players are in the box, releasing the ball at the right time rather than hogging it. At 19 years old, very impressive, albeit against some dodgy defending but his pace and directness will also make decent defenders look stupid. I notice the article mentions no fee but also states a buy-out clause, not really contradictory as it doesn't mean he'd be leaving only if the clause was met, they could sell for less. An exciting signing if it comes off. I know Stoke have signed a few ex-Barca but do they need another winger?