Stevo71

I don't listen to TalkShite etc but I'm bracing myself for the narrative that he isn't going to a "big" club because none of those clubs came in for him. That way they their belief persistence is undisturbed. And the clickbait / outrage generation can continue. You cannot win with these plonkers.

I remember the height of Sir GT Mk I, Big Ron, Little, Gregory, MoN - it's so hard to think of how it would end, or why, when you're in the midst of the good times. Of course, it does end, nothing's forever, and we eventually know why and how. Many a varied reason. Of course I don't know what Unai has in his contract - maybe there's a few clubs he insisted he could speak to, who knows; I'm thinking Barca and Real Madrid here, not Bayern. But Unai didn't come here on a whim. Whatever went on in that interview, I just don't think Nas was looking to hire "just" a manager. I genuinely think he was presented with the vision, the possibly decade long project to get Villa amongst the world's top clubs and stay there. And Unai was the man they wanted to do it. Incidentally I also think this is why Poch bottled it early - too big a job and responsibility. But that's just my hunch. Grealish turnaround lesson and contract conditions aside, I simply don't see Unai going anywhere in the short or mid term. There is a path before him, a well thought out, incredibly well funded and fully backed path. He's ours.

Lest we baguette.

The swine. It reminds me of this...

Tough question. Man City was absolute dominance, a game for the ages, but at our place and some key player missing for City (accepted we have too). Arsenal at full strength, at their place, against the club that so disrespected Unai and Emi, a masterclass strategically and individual performances were 9s at least across the board. So in summary, I dunno. City might just edge it.

Bang on. It was eye-watering at times. And the commentary team simply didn't mention it which, even if just from a causal football fan observation never mind paid professionals, I found bewildering. It was spectacular at times. Clearly so far off script it couldn't be processed by Drury & Neville.

It's going to be a tough game, but if we aspire to higher competition then a good bunch of these players will be playing then too, so we need testing. I've decided I'm going to view the Brentford game as a nick-of-time kick up the ar$e for us that will sharpen our senses going to the final straight of the league and Conference. Yes, it's a cope!

And maybe a soupçon of derby pride? I don't really view games against Wolves that way, but get the feeling they do, and find an extra 10% from somewhere against us. Maybe a bit of that to get us the points (no suspensions or injuries either though please!)

During the England game on Saturday, I was struck that the commentators were speaking about Villa....because they were speaking about Watkins and Konsa, and that they were speaking of them because they had been selected....because of how Unai has developed them. He's improving players across the board, in some cases to the level of national team selection. and this in turn is raising our profile. All these moving parts, pieces of the puzzle. Phenomenal. As said, relish him while we have him.

Wow. Strong, fast, technical, good football IQ, driven, single-minded but also willing to lay off. An absolute handful. Right up my street this guy. I look forward to Brentford poaching him...

But he's not dry and boring either, very passionate - celebrates goals strongly and with the staff and players near him. Just a fabulous manager. Under "driven" in the OED, just stick a picture of Unai there.

Which one?

Just to be a geek - sports like American football, rugby football etc are called football as they are played on foot rather than horseback. Doesn't necessarily relate to the appendages used to control the ball. Don't ask why this doesn't include things like basketball, netball etc. On the kit, would kill for Adidas, but get the complications for NS. Nike would be fantastic. Puma I would also like and does provide a nice symmetry to Adidas.

Just to clarify - every player except Digne is involved in that build up. It's simply shocking. If either of the two teams we've just dispatched played that move the press would be short stroking it around as a new type of football. Genius at work.

Yeah that's the game I meant - I didn't put it very well