Rich192

FFP profit is more important to us than just recouping some of the fee, so it’ll either be a £10m sale (highly unlikely) or a loan. A loan to Gala would not be ideal as they finished 13th last season and aren’t in Europe. We’ll see. Gut says it’s just speculation at this point.

Excellent commitment and dedication from Ollie, and makes me content if we don’t sign another striker this summer. He’s acknowledged the poor season he’s had, and is doing everything he can to improve. Love the attitude. If the sessions go well, I’d like to see us appoint the guy full time. He’d be able to add something to all of our attackers games.

People forget that traders need access to DDDIIIXXXOOONNSSS.

I’m also interested in the pedestrianisation of Witton Lane (I’ll be honest, I’m dead against it). It says from Traffic Island down to the stand, does that include the length of the stand, or just up to the stand? If it’s including the length of the stand, where will the traffic go? I guess it gives an indication of whether they’re able to rebuild the Witton Lane Stand, too, as if there’s no road then there’s much more space to expand than before.

Very excited by this. @OutByEaster? I’m sure you’ll get inundated with questions, but have they given an indication of when the stand will actually be complete? They say it’s a 2023-25 project, so I’m assuming it’ll be ready for the 2025-6 season? Will the Villa Live (agree it’s not a great name) be completed sooner, as I imagine it’s a much simpler project?

Juventus are probably going to sign Zaniolo for €50m or so, and with Veretout also not in Mourinho’s plans, I can see the move for Dougie happening, now that they’ll have the funds for it.

Soucek is bang average. He looks good if you look at his goals column, but he’s not a good technician, isn’t quick and isn’t agile. It’d be a really poor signing. I don’t for one second believe we’re interested, luckily.

I’ve never really liked any of our badges to be honest. I don’t mind the current one, but also happy for them to change it, I’m confident they’ll come up with something top quality.

An assist in the 5th minute.

Worst type of first game, promoted team away. By my reckoning, that’s the third time in six seasons we’ve had that? Bournemouth in 2015/6, Watford last year and now Bournemouth again.

I managed to move my wife’s season ticket from two rows behind to next to me. It took about 90 minutes (fitting) in total. Pain in the arse, but it can be done.

Was really hoping to have seen some plans by now. Don’t suppose any in the knows know when it could be?

Really like the Sergio Gomez links. Can’t say I’d ever heard of him, but his returns look great, and looking at a video of him he reminds me of a young, quicker Digne. Get it done.

Can’t imagine Brighton are in a hurry to sell a player to the club that poached Ashworth. Would say it makes it far more unlikely that he goes there.

With no data available on Fbref, don’t suppose there’s any other type of analytics floating around about him? Other than WhoScored. As backup left back, I think he interests me more than Hickey, not sure about as centre half though. Only seen him a few times, but he does seem to have something about him. I’m quite wary of buying from the SPL, which is pathetically snobby, I know.

Can’t say I’ve seen much of him, but from what I’ve read, I’m not totally on board. Yes, that is me turning my nose up at a Brazilian centre half who’s played regular European football for a top 4 La Liga team.

Soucek is not what we need at all. He makes McGinn look like Verratti with his passing. If he didn’t score so many goals from corners, and wasn’t alongside Rice, he’d be known as very average.

Can’t see us being interested. I hope not, anyway. Headless chicken, when not injured.

Not sure whether he’s attainable, but Barcelona want shot of Depay. Can’t say I’ve seen much of him in recent years, but he’d be a good signing, no?

Tom Collomosse is pretty reliable for us. That’s more than I was hoping for.

I am warming to this more and more, to be honest. His defensive qualities were never in question, for me it was all about distribution. However, others saying that he was known as a ball player for Brentford, and perhaps even more importantly the signing of Kamara, who takes the ball from the defence regularly and consistently almost makes the ball playing centre half less important. I’d feel very comfortable with Mings and Tarkowski in defence, with Kamara and one of Bissouma/Phillips there too, who also take the ball from the defence often. If this also frees up funds to go huge on a striker, then I’m very keen.

Please not Coady. Wonderful bloke, but definitely not what we need.

Out of the ones we’ve been linked with so far, my preferences are: CB: De Vrij (still feel this is unlikely), Lacroix (never seen him play, but like the look of him), Tarkowski (just because he’d be a safe bet) CM: Bissouma (him alongside Kamara and Ramsey would offer us a lot of pace and quality), Sangare (like Bissouma, but more of a risk due to the league he’s in), Phillips (think he’s well overpriced, personally, but would still walk in to our midfield). ST: Neither David or Suarez strike me as good enough to be our main striker. Ekitike sounds exciting, but again, bit of a gamble to have him as first choice. Already a great start to the summer though.

I’m sure I’m not alone in not liking this formation, either the two 10s or the diamond. It seems like whichever one we play, we’re easy to play through, and without much attacking fluidity. We actually play better with the diamond, but that means dropping Buendia or Coutinho, and we must find a way to play them both. I’m also sure that we’ve all got an opinion on who to sign, who to retain in the first team, etc. Well here’s the formation and current players I’d be happy with for next season: —————————Martinez———————— Cash———NEW————Mings*———Digne ——————NEW————NEW——————— Buendia—————Coutinho—————NEW ———————Ings/Watkins*——————— *If someone better is available on the market, then absolutely fine by me, bring them in, but I don’t see it as urgent for this window. I think it was Delphinho who said they could see Ramsey in that AML role, and I agree, which would solve us finding a place for him in the team, and also not needing to find someone new there. The midfield two need to be players who can defend, and also pass. Two of Kamara, Bissouma, Sangare or Phillips would be great. I haven’t seen Kamara or Sangare, so one with Prem experience would probably be prudent, and my preference would be Kamara and Bissouma. It does show that we’re only a few players away from a good side. It’s also irrelevant, as McGinn will be in any midfield next season. That’s my tuppence, anyway, for what it’s worth.

Keep seeing these links to De Vrij, and as someone who also supports Inter, it’s great and bad. He’s top class, and very good with the ball. I just can’t see there’s any way he’d ever sign for the Villa. He’s got Spurs and a Conte reunion written all over him.