CrackpotForeigner

We seem to have been very wise/lucky with finding a replacement for PL. It could have worked out a lot worse, which was why I supported him probably for too long. But, as you suggest, it's ironical that thanks to him we're now spending about three times as much per player and the squad is looking pretty good, and this makes him appear to have been incompetent in the transfer market (We're also able to offer proper wages to new signings because Lambert's signings aren't on high wages.) Closer to the truth is probably that he was just less competent at getting the owner to invest actual money in the squad. Westwood is a typical example of a Lambert signing: Good value, but not a world-beater because world-beaters just do not cost less than three million pounds any more.

Yeah, man, the nineties. THAT was the decade.

Yep, and in any case the backroom staff recruitment (or lack of) was one of Lambert's main and most obvious failings.

Would that team challenge now though ? The top teams and league as whole have really improved. What made it all the more unforgivable back then was that it was in January and we were in 3rd. Yeah, the other teams have improved since those days but hopefully we've learned from making the mistake of "why spend a heap of money on something that will do the job when you can save a bit of money buying something that won't". But I do get what PC is saying - that we don't have as much to gain by spending the money now as we did then.

We've done pretty well in the transfer window. We've got quality just about everywhere on the pitch, and all we really need is a decent striker. But we've really spent loads of money, so we need to be a bit sensible about it. Instead of spending another ten million or so on a really good striker, maybe what we'll do is spend about three million on someone cheap who doesn't score goals, like we did last time we had a decent squad.

We don't need to let him go on a free though. I almost would. Poor Sunderland. Proper, big club who are struggling for all the same reasons as us. If football weren't broken, they'd be one of the 10 or 15 clubs we'd be competing against for the title every year.

I don't know that he'll be on such a huge contract any more. He would have had to be realistic about his chances of finding another PL gig, and the club would have pointed to his age and his goal scoring record. Judging by the statement "It just wouldn't have felt right to pull on another team's shirt." he was offered less money and took the offer. Maybe I'm just reading too much into that. Anyway, imo Gabby has played well a lot more recently than people give him credit for. His performances recently have not warranted a place in the team, but I'd love for him to stay at the club, sort himself out, and have an Indian summer career-wise. He is good enough if his head is right and he's not overweight, which I think he currently is a bit.

And a clean sheet record of 9 in 10, right We're obviously on the same page on this. Get it done, Tim.

Writing 50, 4 and 499 would be equally infuriating.

All we really need is a CB with a decent goal scoring record of about 1 in 2.

...and Gestede for Agbonhlaor and we're sorted. With Gil also having a good role to play. Yep. Start Gestede, and bring a fresh-legged Gabby on when Rudy's tired (if you must bring him on). The extra bit of pace against tired legs might be what Gabby needs to actually do something for a change. But I agree with those who said Sinclair did okay v Man Utd. I thought there were moments where he showed proper quality, especially in his linkup play with the amazing Amavi.

I agree. Oulare looks like exactly the sort of player we should be taking a punt on, you ridiculous ugly son of a hamster.

I thought he made them look like Man United, the fecker.

Haha. Exactly. And there's the N'Zogbia replacement who, despite only having to be less flexible than a blade of grass to be an improvement, has actually played for Barcelona, There's the Cissokho replacement who will actually be playing for Barcelona in four or five years at this rate, and the Andy Weimann replacement, who only has to score a couple of goals to be an improvement, plus the Ron Vlaar replacement who only has to be fit every other game to be an improvement. Throw in Grealish and Gil and there's reason for hoping. But I wonder if Gestede is meant to be Benteke's replacement or if Villa are still shopping. Playing Gabby these last two games has looked like a good way of getting the owner to put his hand in his pocket to pay for a striker.

They were in the right place at the right time and we weren't. But that's okay. We were in the right place at the right time to sign Gana, Amavi and Traore. Swings and dodgems. I hope this Ayew of ours comes good. If he does, very well done to the scouts, because they can see things that many of us can't yet.

I agree. He's obviously a good player, but it wasn't a brilliant performance, and not tracking the runners isn't really okay, as hopefully he realised immediately.

I don't know. As others have said, our three trickiest players were all out today. It's fairly likely that our three biggest chances of unlocking a defence this season are going to be Grealish, Gil and Traore. On the other hand our midfield held its own today overall I thought. Add some creativity from that trio and we'll be winning games.

Well we've signed ten players. It would be amazing if there wasn't a dud in there somewhere. So far it looks like being this bloke. There's talent in there somewhere, though. Needs to make better decisions, which will hopefully come with experience.

You don't need one. Is that because you have heard that he is changing his name to CreamPieFacE? More because he's already a Villa fan, but if you've heard that then, well, all one can say is "how fitting".

Likewise. A week is much too bloody long to wait between matches at the moment. Even if only half these signings are as good as they look...

You don't need one.

Yeah, like nobody doubts the truth of The Lancet either, but they also have nothing on the Traore storey.

No.

Yeah and Neymar as well.

I liked Gestede's goal celebration - involving your team mates doesn't seem like too much to ask, but few do. Anyone else tickled by the cockney commentator going "Phwoar" when he watched the replay of the header?