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6 hours ago, VillaChris said:

Is he back for Saturday?

Available I believe, think Chester is the only one not available as he'll be playing for the U23s (Monday?) to getting match fit.

16 hours ago, barry'sboots said:

There's a difference between parking the bus and tweaking our team to respect two of the best sides in Europe.  The changes can be subtle - changing Hourihane for Lansbury or Dougie L changes the set up slightly and makes us better, I would argue, without the ball (where we will probably be a lot for these two games!) and El Ghazi for Trezeguet who has a bit more pace and, as such, is more of a threat on the counter (again where we may well be for these two games!).

Exactly we could get hammered in those 2 games and lose the GD we've built, no way do I want to lose 5-0 even trying, we need to tweak it's the sign of a good manager who can make adjustments depending on the opposition.

7 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

They have a knack of grinding our goals no matter the situation. If the strikers are struggling they always pop up with a set piece goal. 
 

I have noticed Mane seems to be scoring a lot of key goals for them this season. Need to some how keep him quiet.

Need TM to kick him in the air early doors!

14 hours ago, Keyblade said:

Not expecting anything against Man City. Keep it below 4 and we're good. But how great would it be to be the first team to take points off Liverpool (assuming they win the next 2)? VP would be absolutely rocking.

I can see us scoring against them but they would just grind us down and put 3 past us. To take a point off Liverpool would be huge!

Liverpool fans are unbearable, as much as I hate manure I really hope Liverpool never win the PL. 

Bit of interest in young Nathan Ferguson at the baggies, having a decent season so far was a CB but has been playing at FB only 19.

2 hours ago, Dave-R said:

He prob knew he was almost ready to get it sorted. Getting hospital appointment for these things take months if not a year or more of waiting. We do not know that the injury hadn't been disclosed to Smith, Purslow or Jesus, it may of been discussed on arrival and they felt they would take him anyway it does happen.

I just hope once he is back we see a much improved player, I'm hoping that was the reason all along that Jota was lacking, once he has rested recovered and is back playing, he needs to improve on speed, acceleration and start showing us who he really is.

It will be much tougher now we have given the left to Jack for a winger to get in, before the change we were still needing wingers, now it's a case of we have just enough to fight for the right flank. The current set up I like better than having two wingers, Jack higher up the pitch is much better and I feel our subs are being utilised better.

I'm not so sure we will see much more tbh, he'll play a small part this season in places but very much doubt he will play a part next season should we stay up.

5 hours ago, djdabush said:

Are hernia's not the sort of thing that show up on medicals then? Assuming we didn't know about it before he signed, I'd be extremely irritated if I were Dean Smith that he kept that a secret.

Lots of players continue to play with hernias and get the OP at a convenient time, pretty sure the club would have known all along.

6 hours ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

Those opinions were as idiotic as it could get. Stick with the core of a squad that finished 5th in the Championship? No thanks. We'd be looking a record for lowest points ever in the Premier League sticking with that lot. Norwich are currently proving a good case study of where failing to invest properly gets you at this level.

We were fortunate in not winning the league in that getting the windfall from coming up via the play offs was an absolute blessing, I'm not sure that level of funding would have been forthcoming from the owners own pockets. And we are in a much stronger position for it.

16 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Don't think Jota will make it in this league because of his lack of pace, but at the same time he cost peanuts.

Decent squad player who has/will play a part at times this season. Better squad option than a lot of teams have got and cost FA. But should we stay up can't see him playing a part next season.

Bet Maupay scores!

6 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Would anyone be happy or content with a point against Brighton?

I'd take it with a solid performance, but begrugdingly as we need 3 to take into the next 3 PL games really.

16 hours ago, It's Your Round said:

We’re only 8 games in and lot can happen yet but I have to agree with the above. I think Watford won’t survive this season, Norwich seem the most likely out of the promoted teams to drop, given their injuries and lack of investment. I hope that Newcastle will go down with them, I really do want to see Bruce keep his job throughout and take them down. That’d be sweet. Sweet potato sweet. 

Norwich are shipping goals at a faster rate than any team in Premier League history, relegated or not. Not a good stat to see if you are a Norwich fan!

1 minute ago, villalad21 said:

Yes i think Lampard and Smith have similar styles.

I've kinda come to terms with it by now.

If we can score enough to keep us up i honestly don't mind conceding many goals.

I take that any day of the week compared to the depressing Lambert days.

Same here there are times I would like to see a 4-2-3-1 but I've accepted it's unlikely with DS, so I'm just going with the flow and hope the goals go in. 

21 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

We have a decent defense but playing this way will result in us leaking lot of goals.

We are in the top 2 in shots conceded.

As long as we score more than we concede then all is well, Chelsea are 5th and conceded more than us but have obviously scored more than they have conceded.....................nature of the beast when play this type of football as a lower end of the league team.

Don't get the bit in bold there are 7 teams that have conceded more goals than us?

Sorry shots conceded. Doesn't really matter as long as they don't start going in.

On 15/10/2019 at 01:29, KevinRichardsonsMoustache said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-7571345/Manchester-United-star-Jesse-Lingards-model-ex-cosies-football-rival-Jack-Grealish.html
 

’The model ex of Manchester United star Jesse Lingard was snapped cosying up to his football rival Jack Grealish this week.’

 

I have no idea who Jena Frumes is, but her Instagram account is...enlightening. 
 

I’m also v confused by this big eyebrow thing. 

 

The young uns probably say that about your tache!!

14 hours ago, Enda said:

One controversial thing I will say is that if we do go down this year, selling Mings, McGinn and Grealish would cover the £100m+ shortfall.

Obviously the team would be gutted, but we're well stocked in defence and Marvellous and Luiz would still tear up the Championship.

We'll cross that bridge should it ever happen, but in won't this season.

5 minutes ago, romavillan said:

When we were 18th I think we had a goal difference of close to -1, every team around us and in the places above us were closer to -7. In like 6 games, that showed we were doing something right and our position looked a little false because of it. Now we've got a positive goal diff, in the current table only teams in mid table have zero or positive goal difference.

On the defence, Mings will continue to improve, Engels is a very classy defender and it's early days in his career. I like Engels a lot, he's a clean shorts type, no fuss, gets there early. Plus Konsa we've not seen enough of in the first team but all the signs look good there too. We are light in cover for the full backs possibly, or at least we could strengthen further there. I like us with Marvelous in front of a four. Even at the back though it's early days and we can only get better, cut the mistakes out and we might go on a run of clean sheets.

Palace in 6th are on the same goal difference as us! Even if we had only put 2 past Norwich we'd be well ahead of any of the teams below us. We are moving in the right direction I feel. 

3 minutes ago, romavillan said:

I don't see why we won't be keeping that up, it's Smith's game and we will get better at implementing how he wants us to play the longer he works with the players.

And a strong defense to back it up so we don't leak to many goals. I know it is early days but our goal difference compared to those below us is fantastic. 

11 hours ago, Jareth said:

Have to say, Mings and Heaton being England level doesn't feel much like the defence of a team destined for relegation. I think Norwich are in big trouble given their long list of injuries, NUFC well enough said there, aaaaaand Watford. Think we'll be ok. 

Throw in Engels who must be on the periphery of an international call up and we do look decent.

8 hours ago, sne said:

Whelan starting at CM  

Thought he had retired.

McCarthy is shocking!

1 hour ago, VillaChris said:

All in for a new striker, mentioned him before but would be more than happy with Batshuyai on loan with option to buy.

Would imagine we'll look at getting in a winger from somewhere given the apparent interest in Sisto on deadline day.

Only played 36 minutes this season all as a sub. Not sure if he has been injured. 

15 hours ago, tomaspg said:

shouldnt we be past the point of looking at championship players? We dont need to rebuild the whole squad just add a couple of quality signings.

Championship and abroad is exactly where we should be looking lots and lots of talent available for a fraction of the PL prices, at a fraction of the wages until they prove themselves.

Misplaced just four of 89 passes for a 96 per cent completion rate in the England game.............that's a damn good statistic.

Started for Eygpt last night on the right of the midfield in a 442. Beat the mighty Botswana 1-0