Keener window-cleaner

I bought tickets in the North Stand for Saturday's game a week ago, first time for me in the North Stand. I'll make sure I take a wee before going to the game!

Can this Hauseman play LB? edit: I would like this Hauseman to play LB for us.

I don't think that was a bad performance, I think us being critical is a testament of how far we have come. We were much better than them, played ok football and created many chances. They hit us on the counter and scored two goals. We seem to have lost a bit of a spark compared to before christmas, but that I'd say is mostly because of fatigue, especially in midfield. Our midfield looks knackered and is carried by McGinn. The problem is that we have first and foremost Grealish injured, but also that the ones that could come in and rotate like Jedi, Lansbury and BB are or have been injured. I dont know if it would have been better but I would have liked Doyle-Hayes to get a run in the side. So on the whole, we are hampered by injuries in midfield and it's taking it's toll. I think DS and the management team is doing almost everything right at the moment, it's not much else they can do. I can hardly see us buying a lot of new midfielders while having Jedi and Lansbury on the wage list.

We deserved to win that one. Their time wasting was just pathetic, adding on time isn't enough, more players should have been booked or sent of, it was a disgrace and they should be ashamed of themselves.

You can see he has had a run of games, he looks assured and confident. Early signs that he and Chester can can be a good CB pair. As I wrote in the match thread it's nice to he how both of them are constantly givning directions and talking.

Love they way Chester and Elhpick are communicating, pointing and giving instructions!

Very happy with that line up! Bree RB and Kodjia and Adomah in just like I wished, very good!

I think I've read most pages on here and the articles published about him over the last years, but I still haven't understood what it is he has done to be regarded as a persona non grata at the club. The gate incident is the only concrete example I have heard about where he has missbehaved, but that itself wouldn't be enough to get that status. From what I have seen in his interviews he has conducted himself fairly professionally, not critizicing the club or manager too much. I have heard rumours about drinking problems, mental health issues, attitude problems, weight problems etc, and I guess some of it must be true (weight problem for sure), otherwise we would have had one of the best strikers in the division on our books. If however the current situation was caused by mental health issues, if his divorce(?) took a knock on him, injuries, that freak facial operation etc is the explanation, then I have some sympathy for him. It could as well be that he is a big arse, happy with the big pay day and didn't care about anyhting else then him self, but I would like to know what the story is here, and not just rumours. A year ago I still had hope that he could come back into the fold, playing under a new manager and contributing, I really liked him as a player. But now I have given up any hope I had, quite sadly so.

And add to this agents putting out baits just to pump up interest in their players.

Both Hepburn-Murphey and Andre Green are really talented players if they are the players in contention. I would prefer both getting time in our first team, but if they don't a loan would be good. Reason too feel optimistic if you get any of them I'd say!

The Sun and Talk sport can go *** themselves.

I think he has been like that from the first game, and we discussed that on here earlier in the season. If anything I would say he has been complaing less on his team mates lately, Preston perhaps being an exeption. I generally don't like that attitude towards team mates, but at times I understand him. He makes great runs and it must be frustrating not getting the right passes. Against Preston for example El Ghazi had a golden opportunity to just pass it sideways to Tammy in the penalty area in one moment but decided to shoot for himself, Tammy was livid and I accept that, it could be the difference between 3p or not.

So do we expect Steer and Elfie to start?

Good decision! Welcome back Jed, now steer out of trouble and injuries please.

Nice! Villa Talk goes medical science, I'm learning so much from this forum!

It's posts like this that makes me love this forum!

I think he is definitely good enough for Chelsea, not first choice, but good enough. At the beginning of last season he played very well for Swansea in the Premier League and got called up for England. Then Swansea declined, and he with the team. Just imagine how good he would be with Hazard and Willian etc feeding him with the right passes and picking out his runs. Both his physique and technique is good enough for the Premier League imo. He also has potential to improve further. What I'm hoping is that he doesn't fit into Sarri's system, he tends to play with false nine's in attack, and Tammy is more of a target player (though I think he has attributes to play other roles as well). I'm getting quite worried that they will recall him. If they do it to sell him they would be stupid though, give him a full season with a good team in the PL and he will be worth loads of money. If they need a striker, hope they recall Batshuayi instead, he should be ahead of Tammy.

Valid points, though I think we are getting the best we can out of Bolasie. Imo we should cancel his loan if we can, he is too much of a show pony and plays for himself and he doesn't contribute enough to justify his reported wages. He is fun to watch, but he doesn't make the team tick. Perfect to have as an impact sub, but he's too expensive for that role. For his wages we could probably cover the wages of Barbet, Sawyers and Maupay together and they would probably collectively add much more to the team.

He is simply a £1M player playing like a £1M player.

I thought he was out best player today. Going forward we need to replace him, he is too slow and weak, but you can see that he is a very good midfielder, he has that footballing brain, knows where to be all the time, calm on the ball, takes the right decisions. Can see why Stoke played him despite forking out millions and millions on different other midfielders. Hardly put a foot wrong today.

I thought we played good in the second part of the second half, it's promising that we were the one's pressing for a goal. Otherwise a below par performance. Must say Daniel Johnson was really good, his through-balls was a threat all game, we need a player like him.

Same here, hadn't expected the same line up in so few days. Fully trust DS though!

I'm nervous about our defence, Elmo, Bree and Hutton, but worked out last game so fingers crossed it will today as well. Just score more than them and it's done!

Good move! Welcome back Elf!

He has represented England on all youth team levels, playing quite many games as well, and even captained the England U17 side. He is clearly very talanted and promising, you don't get there otherwise (unless you are Micah and get there because of monster physique or Reo Coker because of running and grit). Hopefully DS and the new management team handles him properly and developes him the right way. I have no idea why he hasn't kicked on, perhaps he was an early developper and has stalled, perhaps doesn't mentally have what it takes, but many things happen in teenagers lifes (as an example look at Zlatan Ibrahimovich first time in the Netherlands and the problems he had, didn't turn out too bad). It could as well be that with the right treatment and circumstances he can fulfill his potential. I trust DS to be the one who can do that. So I still have high hopes for the kid and he should definitely not be written off yet, but supported instead!