ChicagoVillan1983

I see your offer, and I raise you Ian Taylor and a punch in the balls as our best offer.

The success of this transfer window will not be made or broken by signing or not signing Rashica. We've made numerous improvements. More importantly, we've made more improvements than most of the teams that finished around us, and those that were promoted (other than arguably Leeds). There are always more holes to fill (even for Liverpool there's weakness somewhere), but we have made some big steps forwards. I strongly feel we are a 10-14 position club now, and that we'll be making gradual improvements at each successive transfer window to get better. I'm excited...

I think Mings was blocking Emi’s view for the non-goal. So don't even hold that against him.

That little spin Mcginniesta did towards the end of the first half. What a joy. Watkins does what we've been trying to get out of a forward since the start of last season. Turns nothing into holding the ball up as threading it - but he looks like he'll score a fair few to me. All you can do is beat the team in front of you: we did that well.

Fulham was the last away match I went to before I moved to the US in 2012. Miss the old Prawn Sandwich Brigade and that away end that would move if you bounced up and down enough after a goal...

Such a bad offseason for most clubs with COVID concerns. I think we’ve done enough to push several clubs below us in the table. West Brom and Fulham look nailed on to go down to me. West Ham are imploding. Burnley have added one player, and may yet lose their star defender. Southampton have net spent 10. Sheff Utd don’t seem the same since the lockdown - albeit that they’ve moved a few bodies in. I think Leeds will be top 10 by Christmas and fade below us. Anything else in the door from here is a bonus. I think one more, and keep some powder on the table for January depending on the evolving shape of the squad and what’s working out. I think we’ve done enough to 14th or better this season. Max upside of 10th.

Don’t think we want to rush the kid.

Can’t believe he signed when the thread was only up to about 70 pages! Poor effort really. Excited to see him off the bench on Monday?

Very promising. Sure the performances weren't great, but we started a lot of fringe/ squad players to give them a run out. No Mcginn, Konsa, Cash, Trez, Targett, Luiz (other than 20 mins). New signings a plenty to come as well (Traore/ Rashica / Martinez + more). It's an exciting time to be a Villan. We got a result with several players that may even struggle to be on the bench this season...

... People complaining about Watkins missing sitters. Our strikers weren't even getting into positions to miss goals last season. This guy is going to be an absolute beast.

Been awake since 4am here (10am UK) thinking about this. It’s been a long night so far. Hopefully I get sleep right before kickoff, miss the game and wake up with the prospect of another season at the top!

She is - she’s dating a Villa fan!

Ha... I’m in finance, and we shorted millions to mm!

Agree that he is gone whatever the outcome - but staying in the league gives us way more leverage on the up front price plus add ones. Easily could be a 10mm difference here.

I agree. Players at WTF-ord have lost all interest in playing for this owner after the crazy sacking. Pearson will walk into another job after a month into the new season when someone is struggling.

I’m in a hotel in Milwaukee (weekend break from Chicago), and am going to sit and watch this in bed before checkout at noon. Given the ownership, I think this is Villa’s new spiritual home in the US! The Mrs can just lay around in the nude waiting for me to celebrate on her after the game.

Our hands are pretty tied up with FFP. This is sensible. He will put in a shift and his the second/ third choice striker. 2 year contract might be being a little hopeful, but let’s say max 3 year.

Well actually not every goal is equal... Routs inflate your goal tally. Three 4-0 wins with three losses without scoring has the same number of goals as six 2-0 wins. I’d take the latter!

Don’t if this racist chanting crap is going to continue!

Forgive me for being naive... but we are tied for 6th in terms of goals scored (even if you knock off 3 goals from that tally given the rout on Saturday, we are top half). Feels to me like we are doing more than enough up front to stay up. The real question for me is what is missing that we’ve been unable to maintain leads. Is that just experience and time - I think so?

4 in 8 for Wes, is 19 goals a season pace... Yes please... Penalty aside, he did his job. It doesn’t need to look pretty, or composed. He just needs to thread the ball in from 6 yards... In fact, he should’ve had an assist if AEG could’ve scored that sitter...

Mings was immense in the first half - sounds like you missed that.

Marvelous is the silent assassin in midfield. The guy is a sponge - anything sloppy he’s there to suck up the moisture. It could be really easy to miss him in a game, but felt like the majority of attacking plays come from him mopping up the ball and playing out a simple but purposeful pass. Mings was behind every ball in the first half. I think we go in 2-1 or even 2-2 without him. He’s deserving of an England cap at this rate. Defending seemed far better in the second half.

Villa absolutely bossed the first half, really creative - looked solid middle table/ top 8 team. Second half they (again) sat back and tried to cushion a 1 goal lead. Lost all the creative spark except for Jack/ John. Burnley basically scored almost every chance they had. Marvelous is everywhere in the middle of the park without doing anything other than a 5 yard pass (he’s a boss). But we keep putting in second half shifts like that and we’re relegation fodder.

That’s a first half performance by a top-8 looking team. Dominant.