Greenfly

Yeah I should point out that wasn't directed at you. I was just a little taken aback by your comment but you've addressed that already. It's a general comment that I've been thinking about for a bit now. He's not a Villa legend by a long shot, but his contribution to the cause cannot be understated and the amount of money he left for may well have left us in a much stronger position than before he left, with enough left over for us to even turn a profit. That could well be brilliant news in the next transfer window, allowing us to strengthen even more over a shorter period of time. Nobody needs to be his fan anymore obviously, but the hate he's getting is just sad as far as I'm concerned. I'll remember his time here fondly.

The reaction to the things he's been saying is wild. It's really not that bad, and I don't see how it's disrespectful to suggest that the quality of player at City is higher than here. Is that wrong? And is it surprising he'd say it in a city interview, on their YouTube channel? The hate he's recieving overall is way over the top. Just before he left the general consensus was that he was handling the whole situation really well, not kicking up a fuss and treating the club with respect. Now suddenly the script has flipped and he's some sort of evil traitor and people are hoping he gets seriously injured. It's completely unnecessary. Yes, it's unfortunate that he left and we have every right to feel bad about it, and we have a right to voice those feelings. But Jesus Christ, he's not suddenly turned on us, hating us or deserving of actual serious injury. We used to love him and he did a lot of good for us, is that all going to be forgotten? There's a large difference between not being a fan anymore and actively hating him. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

We should kick them out of our town pubs.

No worse than about three quarters of the Premier League, to be fair.

That second picture is pure grace.

All good things come to an end eventually, that's just how life works. Don't worry about what might happen in the future. Just enjoy what's happening now.

Third for non-penalty goals, behind Kane and Salah.

I'm pretty confident Buendia is Grealish 2.0 and I'm guessing Smith is too.

I've pointed out before how Norwich fans insisted he was better than Grealish. They were absolutely adamant, even last season. We scoffed then, but now I hope they're right.

I suppose you could argue that carries don't necessarily mean the ball was being carried forward.

The thing about players switching leagues is you can never tell for sure what will happen. We could sign this guy and find he's perfectly suited to our system in this league. There's just no way of knowing. But from what I've read so far, his profile suggests he has the attributes we need and that's good enough for me.

I'd like to think they'd be capable of beating Watford at this stage of our progression. It would be nice to see some of our second string proving we have legitimate squad depth these days, and I've seen enough to believe they are capable. I'd be surprised, honestly. I reckon he'll make an appearance though.

This just proves most fans have no idea what they're talking about. Anyone who knows anything about the PL rates Ings as a striker. My Wolves fan friend insists he's washed up and overrated and I have no idea how he's arrived at that conclusion.

How the hell did I forget about him? It's a shame he's on loan because that would've been perfect.

Well that settles it then.

"Bailey to the left of him, Emi to the right, Danny Ings, stuck in the middle with Lou" Just need to sign someone called Lou and that'll work. Also need to play Bailey on the left and Emi on the right. It'll all be worth it though.

I suppose we'll find out if that's true when that actually happens. Until then, it's a pointless hypothetical. The fact is, Ings is proven at this level, has a far better track record, is a more rounded and complete player and brings that vital wisdom and experience that comes with age. Tammy, as much as I love the guy and would always be thrilled to see him here again, just isn't the player we need right now. Ings could genuinely elevate us into the Europa League, and I don't think that's an unreasonable suggestion. I'm not sure Tammy would, not yet at least.

Combine this mentality with Buendia's penchant for passing into space rather than directly to a player, and it could be a devastating combination.

He's one of ours now, so you're probably safe. There's a lot he can teach Ollie going forward, too.

I imagine in a competitive match he would've made the pass. I've seen him enough to believe he wouldn't be selfish in that situation. I absolutely don't blame him for having a go in a friendly though. I've wanted Ings at Villa for ages. I'm so thrilled we managed to get him.

It seems like he's not that bad, but they didn't want to risk him in a friendly. I would understand if that's the case, but it's not ideal that we'll be starting the season proper with two of our potentially most important players nowhere near ready.

But hopefully not solely.

Of course we would and I'd be more than happy if we did. I'd just like us to have other options, which seems to be the case with the signings we've made.

I agree with you mostly, except the bold bit. This was the problem I was referring to. I don't want us relying on any single player because it limits us, makes us easier to work out and hamstrings us when they're injured. I get that we should utilise their strengths, but we should absolutely not rely on them.

Still did a fair few fun things, like the pass to El Ghazi before his cross that nearly led to a Hourihane goal. He's an entertainer, and I'll always respect that.