samjp26

When you take into account the rest of the year (games from the latter end of last season too), we’ve won 8 league games in 28 matches I believe. That’s relegation form and that’s essentially what we’ve been in since Jack got injured and we became clueless. Problem is we’ve spent £100m and we’re still clueless. Something has to change, I appreciate what Deano has done and he’s forged a legacy for reviving us, but where do we go from here?

The bottle thing is true but I think Sanson threw it at Shakespeare not Deano. He has a right to not be happy, he’s not been given a chance and he actually looked really good on his last outing. Can’t help but start to think about what a different manager could get from our squad.

Part of me thinks that we really didn’t think Jack was going to leave. I know that the move to City eventually happened pretty quickly and he was set to sign a new deal with us, so yes Purslow has told us the likes of Buendia etc. were to replace Jack but I don’t buy it. There is no chance we’ve bought these players with the plan in mind to play 5-3-2, I think Buendia would have been on the right and Jack on the left. Now we’re trying to figure out a plan while also trying to get new players bedded in with a new coaching set up, whilst also having only one fully experienced player in the dressing room who is also a new player (Young).

Tongue in cheek mate (Buendia can go make it in MLS). I think Buendia just needs playing out wide, Norwich fans were all in unison in saying he’s pretty useless in the middle. Just don’t get why we’ve bought these players but seemingly have reverted to a back up plan? What was the actual plan?!

Carles Gil is doing bits in America now to be fair.

I like Mings but under pressure he loses his head and gets rattled easily. He needs the calm temperament to go with the aggression, telling Cash to **** off after making a mistake himself is daft. I know we can look into body language of players on the pitch too much at times but Mings isn’t the type of player to drag us out of a hole, when he’s in a hole he digs deeper. I think the fact we have no real senior players besides Young doesn’t help also.

Worried that there’s a level of stubbornness appearing and I’m not sure it’s just Deano, we have to remember he has a new coaching set up now too. Square pegs in round holes just to play 5 at the back is just strange, especially because it’s not what Deano usually does. Losing 3 on the spin could become 4 on the spin with West Ham in form, with Bailey back there’s no excuses not to revert to the formation and style that has seen us progress so far.

The blue in the corner is literally just him shielding the ball using his arse. Even the way the line fades towards the corner reminds me of how he runs. Really unique player to be honest

Italian press linking us to a €15m move for Aaron Hickey (Scottish left back). Plays for Bologna

Not sure why people are laying into him, he’s a very talented footballer, perhaps just not a striker. His hold up play is some of the best I’ve seen since we had Benteke, he’s also surprisingly agile and very good with his feet considering his frame. Even if it doesn’t work out for him here, there’s no need for shooting him down.

There’s a lot going on down at Ipswich at the minute. IMO he has made a good move but he’s unfortunately gone at the wrong time. They’ve signed about 20 players and their manager is shite.

Nice comment from the Burton manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: “The boy that scores, Archer, is a quality player - he’s with the first team, he’s a Premier League player and you see the difference.” Wasn’t too bad on his day either to be fair. When ex-pros like that see it, you know it’s real, because these are guys who have been in and around the best of the best.

I don’t think he’s finished, far from it. But it was never going to be simple or straight forward, he’s playing with world class players now. And against them in the Champions League. On a personal note it was nice to see him on the pitch with Messi, moments like that we wouldn’t be able to give him.

Of course we know how incredible he can be on his day, but for Villa we always made it HIS day. Our entire game revolved around him. This will not happen at Citeh. As I previously mentioned, we saw how a change in Benteke’s role being not as pivotal for Liverpool as it was for us completed ruined him there. Being “the man” brings out a different beast in some players. It’s all good wanting to make this step up but it’s never quite that simple.

Imagine we actually have a squad. Villa life is crazy right now

When asked what this win will do for team confidence, Hause said that’s all down to the gaffer. He tells them they’re just as good as anybody in the league and they believe in what he says. Think that summarises how good Deano is tbf.

I’d argue that moving here has also given him a huge confidence lift. The way the fans have taken to him, the way Deano has taken to him, he must feel on top of the world.

He knew Bruno would take it, but he tried to make him feel small by telling Ronaldo to take it. It worked. Guys an absolute machine, beyond his theatrics/mind games, the way he comes out for the ball, the way he commands his box. I never shit myself at set pieces any more, never worry about daft goalkeeper antics, he’s an absolute monster between the sticks and he loves it here too. I genuinely have never loved a squad like this, starting from the #1 down to our back up defenders. Best keeper in the world.

0-0, commentator says that we’ll be happy with the point away from home despite us dominating the entire game. Deano puts a 19 year old striker on with 10 minutes to go. love this bloke

Way more than a £100m player

Absolute baller. Mad to think he only just turned 26 the other day, I thought he was a little older for some reason, probably because he seems to have been in the sport for ages.

I could see/hear him going nuts for a lot of the game. Quite like him to be fair

Mark Noble is also white

Missed two good chances against last seasons UCL winning keeper who cost nearly £100m. Still pushed on, still made runs, still tried to hold up play, still kept his head up, in fact he went one further and put his head on the end of a Polish Cafu cross to score an absolute beauty as we all saw. Can’t be understated the type of minerals you need to really give your all and his perseverance last night was duly rewarded. Love it.

Clearly got skills but I can’t help worrying that he might not get over these injuries.