Monkeypuzzle

Apparently we are in talks with Caleb Chukwuemeka's representatives to mutually end his contract?

I thought it was also no more than two at a time. 4 allows you to change the two at New Years?

Just seen a report that if we move on Traore and possibly Coutinho tomorrow we might make a cheeky bid for Cherki from Lyon. Now that's a deal I could get behind. Traore didn't play tonight so there might be a move in the works, which would leave us a right winger down. Maybe Kellyman steps up, he looked good enough tonight, but Cherki would be a direct replacement for Bertie.

No glaring issues but night and day between him and Cash tonight.

He seemed comfortable on the ball tonight, passing well under pressure. I was impressed as he didn't look like he hadn't played much recently. More happy playing possession football compared to last season. Good to see.

Same for every team. Take Man City. They only have one right back. If Walker gets injured they have to play a centre back there, or a youngster. Kevin DeBruyne is injured. No one in the world can do what he can. Man City have to downgrade considerably to cover him. If Haaland gets injured they only have Alvarez who is nowhere near the same quality and more of a winger than striker. They are very thin in depth. Barely able to fill their bench with quality even when everyone is fit. You are asking for a ridiculous level of depth which will result in young players barely playing, stunting their development, squad players getting frustrated due to lack of games and a bigger squad than Unai has stated time and again that he wants. We have 22 Premier League quality players with each position covered. How much more do you want? More obviously but...

Maybe in January or next Summer we will look to upgrade players such as Olsen, Chambers, Dendoncker and Traore? Hopefully Duran will have developed more and we will be happy with him up top. Hopefully Bailey will have become more consistent and showing the quality we know he has. Maybe Digne will have proved himself indespensible by that time, despite his wages. Otherwise they might be replaced too. Who knows at this point? A very positive season ahead I am sure though!

When Buendia is back though he returns to the left, where he was playing in preseason so well and McGinn moves across either to the middle or the right. With Diaby and Zaniolo taking up the middle and right roles most games anyway it means that we have Ramsey, Buendia and McGinn fighting it out for the last spot on the left and two of them plus Bailey as back up with Traore probably out the door next Summer. Not really any weak spots at all.

We are not short of players anywhere. Even with Mings and Buendia removed and Coutinho sold we have two players in every position. Watkins/Duran McGinn/Ramsey Diaby/Zaniolo Bailey/Traore Luiz/Tielemans Kamara/Dendoncker Moreno/Digne Cash/Chambers Torres/Lenglet Carlos/Konsa Martinez/Olsen Are there players there that can be upgraded? Certainly, especially by returning Tyrone and Emi. But one window at a time.

Seems to be pretty much what Philogene-Bidace is, except this guy is a year older. Not sure I understand this one as he's basically what e have been selling all summer.

Pooh Pooh, not poo poo! Think about Winnie the Pooh.

Why do they always put such god awful music over these clips?

Isn't that because we are selling them instead?

Don't worry, I'm the only Villan in my family or friends group/colleagues! This is the only place I get to chat with other Villa fans

I'd agree that Newcastle are stronger, but not a huge amount better. Brighton I would also agree, but we say that every year and they seem to have a couple of players who step up and bring them back to the same level so I'm not 100% sure. I'm not sure how Man Utd are stronger? Hojlund is not an improvement on Martial yet. He needs lots of time to settle and develop. Maybe one day. Mount is a straight swap in the starting eleven for Eriksen. They don't both play. Obama is replacing the keeper with the most clean sheets last season. If there is any improvement it is microscopic in my opinion. I can't agree on the Tottenham arguement though. Not yet. Yes the manager makes a huge difference, we above anyone recognise that, but they have lost Kane and apparently will lose Hjojberg too. That is two of their three best players. They have brought in Maddison but he is not going to contribute nearly as much as those two did. Regarding Postecoglu, I am yet to be convinced that he is anything like a top manager. He might be, I just haven't seen any evidence yet. I certainly don't think he's an upgrade on Conte. He's just less nuts! Anyone can succeed at Celtic and he has never managed in a big league before. You might be right but I can't agree yet.

Thanks @mjmooney. I assume @Tomaszk that comment was supposed to be humour?

Still don't get this joke since he never looked short playing for us and is down at 6'2" on Wikipedia and transfer market? Mind you, I still don't get the "clearing in the woods" thing either.

Not quite sure where to put this but I guess this thread is as good as any. I've noticed that a lot of the "big 6" clubs have been selling or releasing a lot of their older better players this window, mostly to Saudi Arabia, but not all. They have been replacing them with promising youngsters who still have quite a way to go. In a few years I am sure most of these younger players will be world class but right now they are not. In fact they wouldn't even get into our team. This has resulted in the best teams in the league getting temporarily weaker whilst we are getting stronger. I can't see a better chance for us to blow the "big 6" apart than this and next season. We have much better depth (barring our current nine player injury list) than any of these teams! Look at these ins and outs for certain clubs. Arsenal are the one exception here I think. Their ins have really strengthened them and there have been no major outs other than Xhaka, Kovacevic and Tierney, who have been replaced by better in my opinion. Chelsea out: Havertz, Kovacic, Mount, Pulisic, Koulibaly, Mendy, Aubameyang, Azpilicueta, Kante, Lukaku, Arrizabalaga, Ziyech - 12 excellent players Chelsea in: Disasi, Jackson, Nkunku, Sanchez, Caicedo, Ugochukwu, Lavia, Washington, Petrovic - 9 players, half of whom I've never heard of before this window. Chelsea verdict: Weaker. So much quality has left. World class quality. The sort of players that make you a top team. Replaced by promising talents from Southampton and Brighton. Give them time they may be world class but there's surely no arguing for the here and now, which list of players are better? Liverpool out: Henderson, Fabinho, Firmino, Keita, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Salah (maybe) - They have relied on some of these players for a long time. Liverpool in: McAllister, Szoboslai, Endo - good players but it feels like right now they have replaced Champions League players with Europa League ones. Liverpool verdict: Weaker, especially if Salah does leave. They now lack any depth in quality. Man City out: Mahrez, Laporte, Gundogan, Cancelo - Amazing players that are hard to replace, especially with DeBruyne out too. Man City in: Doku, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Nunes - All good players, but none are the quality of those they are replacing. Yet. Man City verdict: Weaker. They have virtually no depth any more other than at centre back. A few injuries and they will really struggle. Nine injuries like we currently have? They won't make Europe next year. Man Utd out: De Gea, Fred - actually they can probably cope without these guys no worries. Man Utd in: Mount, Onana, Hojlund - I can't believe how much money they spent on Hojlund. He is nowhere near ready to lead their attack. Man Utd verdict: No change. They are not really any weaker or stronger compared to last season. They need to stay in form though as their quality isn't good enough to get Champions League if they have to carry a few starters. Tottenham out: Kane, Winks, Moura, Hojbjerg (rumoured), Lloris (rumoured), Reguilon (rumoured), Died (rumoured), Ndombele (rumoured) - lots of rumoured outs but the heart of this team has already been ripped out with Kane's departure. Tottenham in: Maddison, Vicario, Solomon, Porro, Van de Ven, Johnson (rumoured) - Solomon was free and the rest cost 1.5 Harry Kanes! Not counting the £25.5 million they paid to keep Kulusevski. Tottenham verdict: So much weaker! Teams will not fear them any more. Champions League is surely out of reach for them this year?

Has anyone mentioned the Mandalorian yet?

Liverpool having internal discussions about signing Douglas Luiz as well apparently. The disrespect of these rumours is unbelievable. As if our wishes, or even Dougie's, don't factor in to it.

Now that makes much more sense! Left sided attacker is a real possibility. Although as I've previously said, we tend to use more of an attacking midfielder than winger on that side. Someone like Ramsey, Buendia or McGinn, who cuts inside more than running down the line. That is semantics though i guess. TLDR - I agree!

Is this said in jest? All our wingers are left footed. Bailey, Traore, Diaby, Zaniolo.

That was my first thought too. Guardiola inspired? More the other way round I think, and that's not just me saying that with claret and blue tinted glasses. Guardiola is given way too much credit in football. He's not the Messiah (insert rest of quote), and until he even manages anything other than a team already light years ahead of the rest of the league they are playing in, I can't give him the same respect I give to people like Klopp, Ferguson or Unai. Don't get me wrong, he's clearly a great manager, but he's never been given a difficult job to find success. Klopp did that at Dortmund, Ferguson at Aberdeen (and to be fair Utd were not great when he took over) and Unai has built his career by doing it at multiple clubs.

Don't be silly! Kiwis can't climb trees! We're at it in the bushes!

Yep I agree with you on both those points too. The back four certainly seem less confident when he's in there, I just am not convinced it's near the top of Unai's priority list. I think his biggest problem though is that he obviously gets compare to Martinez all the time. Compared to the best in the world it's easy to highlight someone's weaknesses. I'd like to see a more confident on the ball and claiming the ball keeper. It's just that they tend to be first choice keepers, and unlikely to want a spot o the bench. If Coutinho does go, likewise I'd be happier with a new attacker coming in. But we will soon have McGinn, Ramsey, Bailey, Traore (who might still go if someone comes in), Diaby and Zaniolo competing for three spots. That's two quality (if sometimes inconsistent) players for each position. Then Buendia to return next season. Not vital but nice if we manage to bring someone in (as long as it's not Brennan Johnson, I don't know why, I just don't want him lol).