MaVilla

hey, genuine question of interest if you dont mind. Do you live in Qatar for work or is it your country of birth etc?

Carss reflects on Young Lions' season so far https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/november/29/carss-reflects-on-young-lions--season-so-far/

for me it boils down to this comparison. Ronaldo is a machine, Messi is an artist. Although i appreciate the machine, you just cant overlook the beauty of true art and expression. Messi for me, and its not even close imo.

Can't findeth it but a mateth messag'd me that gent's done an int'rview in the england campeth wh're that gent sayeth one is most wondrous thing since slic'd veg

4 of our next 5 games will be at Home, let's hope we can make that count.

Villa vs Stevenage.

its amazing how the QPR forums look eerily familiar as to when Gerrard left us lol.

i think this list is still up to date for a "Brexit" work permit: Copa Libertadores is Band 1, so basically the South American Champions League type thing, but includes the "top teams" from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay, Chile, Ecuador etc. Copa Sudamerica is Band 2, which i think is kinda like the South American version of the Europa League, covers the same countries etc. So basically, if a team from any of the main South American countries is in one of those completions, which is basically all the decent teams, Band 1 is effectively a nailed on Work Permit, where as band 2 is highly likely, so really we should have complete access to almost all and any top talent playing in South America if we wanted it. Probably how Brighton got Caicedo for 5m from Independiente in 2021 etc.....im amazed we havent made moves in the South American market tbh, we should be all over the South American talent..... the new Brexit Work Permit requirements have made it much, much...much!! easier, to shop in the South American market.

was it him that refused to join us in the Jan of the 2019/20 season?

that goalkeeper we were linked to, Yassine Bounou (Bono) is in the Morrocco squad, he played the last game, but doesnt seem to be in goal today, or in the squad, is he injured? the initial reported lineup said he was playing, but it looks like Mohamedi is in goal now?!

not sure where you have been already, but Cyprus is a lovely place, great weather and very friendly people. (by Cyprus, for BOTs i mean Akrotiri or Dhekelia, but also Cyrpus itself is nice) Not a BOT or Crown dependency, but its a boat trip away, Isle of Wight is lovely, great beaches, if the weather is good its super, i was on IOW for our heat wave this summer and it was a super holiday. never been there, but i guess the classics like British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands or Gibraltar would be goods shouts, depending on your money/chosen travel time etc.

tbf i think McGinn only started the second league game as Bailey and Watkins were sick, so the players had to be juggled. I think if that hadnt happened, he would have only started the B Team run-out in the cup. I agree that he wont be sold in jan tho. not sure i can see us offloading nakamba for a fee, and i can only see Sanson as a loan, as again, who is going to pay the wages he is on with us permanently when he hasnt played hardly in the last 2 years?

i always get amazed...well...many things amaze me about Southgate's selection, but anyways, my point was that i dont know how Sterling gets picked all the time. The guy really is just a useless forrest gump, he runs really fast, but he's a really poor footballer imo. I cant even believe Chelsea paid 55m for him, terrible business, tbh tho, i can believe it. i could go on about the selection for England of other players, but eh, i dont rly care, i cant see me ever enjoying England with that complete numpty in charge.

so, it looks like either Cash or Martinez will be going out in the group stage?

i cant decide if Argentina are semi hindered by the spectre of Messi (ie: its like they cant express themselves unless Messi is at the head of it - like a self-fulfilling trap), or whether Messi has carried an Argentina side that isnt quite as good as ppl think they are. Argentina certainly dont look very good over 1.5 games now.

Assuming those players are signed, this for me:

i guess the easiest rule would be: played for one of our youth teams, at any level, for any length of time, prior to making a full senior debut. ?

that is really excellent, we really should be all over ideas like that if we intend to build one of the best youth systems out there. Not sure what we do, but i guess we dont do something like that?

ye not far off, 6ft 2, fairly physical when needed, covers the pitch well, i would say from watching that he's like Donk but with slightly less defensive capability, but more passing capability and more mobile.

i did have to check lol!, but Benitez was their manager for the time period.

funny to think he was at Newcastle for 2 years, wonder what happened there.

oh didnt know that!, thats interesting, seems he might be off for that big move then..... I do wonder what will happen keeper wise at Villa, i know we all love Martinez, but i can also see why Emery might approve of offloading him for the right fee, Emery afaik is very keen on his keepers passing/linking/sweeping with the defence, and tbh i think if we are honest we can admit that for all Martinez's strengths, sweeper keeper isnt one of them, quite possibly why Emery preferred Leno over Martinez at Arsenal? Not saying we should cash in on Martinez, im just saying i wouldnt be entirely shocked if Emery did want another keeper.

Oblak is a funny one, he has been touted around for big transfers for literally years, but he has been at Atletico Madrid since 2014, so 8 years! I wonder if he will ever get that "big move".