MrBlack

2 hours ago, sidcow said:

WHAT DID HE SAY FFS!? 

Ask Delphino, he started it

Would prefer a 20-25m gamble on Watkins than a 40m gamble on Edouard.  I said many pages ago that I think the gap in quality between Scotland and the Premier League is so vastly different that I question how quick he would make the step up. 40m is too much in our position for such a gamble. 

Regardless, at this stage so close to the start of the season, I'd welcome either. And that's in addition to King (assuming we're in for him), whose experience in the PL could help either of them settle more quickly

So many posts, so little content. 

King is meh for me. PL player, more experienced than what we have, and reportedly fast which we are definitely missing.

However, his record isn't great. Also, being part of a team that got relegated and wasn't good enough for the league isn't filling me with confidence. Given how many of their team have already made it back to the PL it does make me wonder which one of their players it was that caused their terrible performances.

Hope he is the King that the Bournemouth fans seem to think he is, and not the King I know nothing about but assume is rubbish. 

Is there any proof spurs are even in for him? I just assumed it was Brentford playing the media card and leaking a fake story with no quotes to get us to up our bid?

For that matter, is there any actual proof we're in for him ?

7 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I might have just been told he is going nowhere unless an 80 million pound bid comes in for him and he is loves the club to much to kick up a fuss about it.

Well that is also true. He wont demand a transfer, even in my nightmare scenario.  But may encourage a bid to come in that otherwise might not have.  Fingers crossed its a fear that turns out to be wasted energy

16 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Whilst the window is disappointing so far surely everyone is happy we look to be keeping Grealish

Definitely, although no further signings, a poor start to the season and I wouldn't blame him for leaving at the end of the window. I'm sure he's been sold a vision, I just hope that whatever they sold him is close to the truth we're currently experiencing.

If he's been told that signings will arrive late in the window we should hold on to him, as I'm convinced our owners won't let us end the window without at least a further 2 first team signings

Gareth Barry playing in the soccer aid match,  looking faster than he ever did in the PL. Guess it goes to show that even "slow" plays aren't actually slow in normal terms. 

2 hours ago, Vancvillan said:

 

Honestly you have to go back a long way to find a time when players didn't dive or weren't rude to the ref. I'm 40 and I can always remember it in one variant or another. Maybe it's more frequent or cynical now.

I can also remember me and my Dad being chased by opposition fans when I was 8 after a game, so harking back to "the good old days" is really a bit of a misnomer.

Football's always had its issues. Southgate is just one of many.

I agree, but that doesn't make it right (in my opinion). Football would be much better if players didn't dive. I accept that referees miss too many cynical fouls which helps contribute to the need to dive though. 

Edit: bringing this back on topic,  I'm of the view that Grealish goes down easy, but invariably when a cynical foul has been committed that would otherwise go unpunished. Can't recall a recent blatant dive by him but know there has been the odd one.  Just a nature of the game he's been brought up on and been a part of.

2 hours ago, Johnnyp said:

So because Canos ( who couldn't even get into Brentfords side regularly last season ) is looking like a world beater in first round of the carabao cup ( it's effectively pre season, the pace is way off ) you think we should by him ? Jota looked like David Silva in pre season last year. Jesus wept.

Guess the sarcasm didn't come across.

Watching Brentord Wycombe. Toney looking really quite bad. Canos looking very handy however, should save ourselves 20-30m on Benrahma and just buy his replacement in Canos.

Brentford obsessions aside, I'm not at all upset about missing out on Wilson, and looks like there are some perfectly legitimate reasons why we shouldn't feel bad if he picked Newcastle over us (assuming he even did).

Back to brentford...Watkins to spurs could have been leaked by them to get us to up our offer.  No quotes or confirmation any of it actually happened so could well be the case.

9 hours ago, KentVillan said:

Gareth Southgate is literally the shittest England manager of all time. He's worse than all the usual candidates - Graham Taylor, Steve McLaren, etc. At least they had some achievements in the club game.

Perhaps he's let down slightly by defensive options, but in midfield and attack he 100% has a Golden Generation and he's going to **** it all up because he's a stubborn, useless **** melt who doesn't understand any of the decisions he makes. Why on earth are we playing 2 DMs against a side that would struggle in League Two? Whose designated penalty taker couldn't get in the Villa side in the Championship?

Southgate is loved by the sort of people who hate football because the players are always diving and being rude to the ref and because he's a "breath of fresh air" with his polite interviews. **** them, he's a breath of old dogshit.

Lovely summary. Although, being honest,  those points in your last paragraph aren't far off describing the things about football that piss me off, but I still can't stand Southgate being England manager.

Assuming my speculation that it was a matter of who blinks first in this transfer window (given the unknowns brought about by covid-19), it seems its going to have to be the buying clubs that do the blinking.  Selling clubs will now presumably want more as there's less time for them to get replacements, and so the market is going to be as over priced as it ever was.

Cash coming in isn't enough with a week to go. Maybe our delayed match against man city (what a farce that is with Sterling and Foden playing for England) gives us a bit of an extended grace period, but still not leaving signings any time to settle.  Hoping for 2 more this week in the positions we need, and that they hit the ground running. 

Concern level: moderate

52 minutes ago, Dom_Wren said:

Henderson

TAA

Gomez

Mings

Trippier

 

Phillips

Foden

Grealish

 

Sancho

Sterling

Kane

 

Thats what id go with for Denmark.

Foden (I really like him and hes a genuine talent imo!) and Sancho (if hes poor against the Danes, id sub greenwood at half) were poor today, but have genuine talent, get Jack in between the lines driving and slipping. With no recognized left back, Tripper has to play. Also wouldn't have Gomez in, but hes better than all the other right sided center backs.

 

As an aside JWP was nominated for MOTM. HAHAHAHAHA and he got 18% of the vote!!

Like the look of that team, although I'd start Greenwood over Sancho. Sancho has now performed poorly numerous times in an England shirt. Foden was indeed not good tonight, but gets another chance as it was a debut and he definitely is a talent, but his consistency is a concern. Tbh, without Henderson we don't have a more suitable option anyway.

Despite it being blatantly obvious,  I still don't see Grealish starting against Denmark thanks to The Nose

1 hour ago, stewiek2 said:

So, Southgate bemoans Grealish not playing in his natural position for club, then plays Dier at CB, Trippier at LB. He picked 3 right backs in the squad and left arguably the best on the bench, along with TWO goalkeepers.

He's out of his depth.

Just proves he's lying to mask the real reason he wont pick him.  Either has a personal grudge against him,  or has no clue how to utilise a player with creativity. Probably both

Just now, villan-scott said:

Wilson did his ACL in one knee came back and did it in the other knee. Wasn’t a repeat injury, just desperately unlucky. Likelihood of it reoccurring is very slim I’d say. It’s not like a thigh strain. Plus he’s played nearly every game for about 2 and a half seasons now. I’d say he’s over the injuries. 

My bad, didn't know. Whilst bad luck,  I know Villa and our history with luck so dont see the two mixing well. Putting superstition aside, an ACL injury in both knees is arguably even more of a concern. 28, that scar tissue still in existence,  just screams to me that its a case of when, not if.

If he stayed fit though, we're still only getting someone who only scored 8 goals last season. I would back Watkins to score 8 and offer more.

Sancho, Foden, and Ward-Prowse were all bad. I don't recall Foden touching the ball. Greenwood was ok in his short cameo, but did nothing of note. 

If Grealish doesn't start the next game Southgate should be sacked. Won the game by luck, doesnt mask a terrible team performance.

Would prefer a gamble on the unproven than a gamble on someone that has proven to be "ok". Especially when that ok includes a serious length of time on the sidelines with a repeat cruciate injury (even if it hasn't recurred recently, you now it will and it will with us).

If Wilson signs for Newcastle and has a great season, I'd stand by those comments. If he signs for us i won't be upset, but will be praying he doesn't get injured and hoping he has his best season ever. I know he's better than what we've got, but would prefer Watkins or even Edouard (even though the scottish PL is trash).

Not thrilled by any of the options, but for where we are i understand them. Just hope whoever we end up with is signed soon.

Just now, villan-scott said:

Oh dear, Noble not happy that Diangana allowed to leave. They’ll likely be in the relegation mix this season. 

if that's legit that's some serious anger.  To the point I would be surprised if he's still there by the end of the transfer window.

McGinn subbed off without injury.  Decent run out for him to get some fitness

1 hour ago, Baldricks Cunning Plan said:

Coady has played in a back 3 for the last 3 years and prior to that was used in centre midfield or as an emergency right back. To my knowledge he hasn't played centre half in a back 4 in his professional career and the only way I can see him being picked is in a back 3 or 5.

I'd pick...

--------------------------Pope-----------------------

-----------Gomez---Coady---Mings---------

TAA---------Rice---------Foden----------AMN

Sancho-------------Kane-----------Sterling

 

I think that Southgate will go with...

 

--------------------------Pope-----------------------

TAA-------Gomez-------Mings--------AMN

------------Rice----Mount---Dier--------------

Sancho-------------Kane-----------Sterling

Can see your second team being what Southgate goes with as well,  although AMN may be swapped for Walker. Although the logic you're applying to Coady would surely mean he won't be picking Dier in midfield? Against weaker opposition it should still be enough anyway. 

Mount just shouldn't be in the team but you know he will be. 

17 hours ago, LondonLax said:

That girl now has a very successful rap career. Her music videos get hundreds of views on YouTube 

 

I'm old and that is s#!t

6 minutes ago, brummybloke said:

But we also want to create a solid team spirit, getting someone in on a loan without an option to buy seems something we would only do in desperate times.

38 premier league games plus cup games plus internationals means we need 4 forwards. Davis doesn't score so he needs to be discounted and moved on.

But signing too many such that we have a player sat around doing nothing when he turns from injury is worse for morale i'd argue. Either way,  agree that the quality of Davis is not sufficient,  and Samatta is a big question mark.

4 minutes ago, brummybloke said:

As it stands, we have samatta and Davis as our forward line up. Neither have shown they can score regularly.

We have a crocked wes who again hasn't shown he can score regularly.

Games will be far more densely packed with less recovery time. Also the 5 active subs thing will mean far greater chance of match time.

We need 2 forwards this window.

 

We do need 2, but only until Wesley is back,  unless we have written him off.  A loan, alongside a signing  would make a lot of sense if the right type of player was available. If not,  signing two, one of whom has played as a winger most of his career is perfectly sensible

9 minutes ago, Adam2003 said:

We might think that but pretty sure Smith sees him as the single DM with two midfielders ahead of him.

I would be on board with that against the lower half of the table. We would get ripped a new one against better opposition 

1 hour ago, Wainy316 said:

Fully expect he'll start tomorrow looking at the other CB options in the squad.

Same here. Aside from the options for the front 3 it looks like an incredibly terrible selection of players to pick from.