TheLeftSide

It is curious how to get the additional 2k seats. I was wondering maybe if they’d look at tying it into the bigger picture (future phase 3)? Could they perhaps scrap the boxes out of the DE Stand, reprofile the stand as a single storey stand so that the rake matches the new north stand, and loops around the lower bowl nice, so lower Trinity, North and DE all link in nicely in a bowl. Looking at this it could possibly be circa 2k seats. Then the end game of nearly 60k that’s been quoted could be the expansion of the DE stand outwards so it can reincorporate boxes at same height as Trinity and North, larger concourse area, and accommodate the additional storey on top (circa 6k seats) ? Giving us a ground of around 58k - 59k or so. I’m no designer/architect but it’s what I’d be looking at doing after going to all this effort on the North stand - have a stadium that all ties in, just then the Holte as a stand-alone at the end.

Yeah full of it. I thought it was that bluenose troll account that had everyone waiting for a midnight exclusive, so looked through tweets. Last summer he revealed Barca were in for Neil Taylor, then not to worry he’s not going as Smith has promised him left wing position in front of Targett - oh and vice captain role. say no more.

Yeah I get that, but another train of thought is you don’t necessarily need to win headers in midfield, just make sure you’re first to the ball off whoever does win the header (something along with throw ins we’ve never seemed good at). Wolves as an example of a good passing team with relative success don’t seem to have tall imposing midfielders, maybe I’m wrong on that, but they don’t look it (what I’ve seen of them). Ball playing midfielders that keep hold of the ball/use it well can be far more effective than a Brute of a midfielder who’s second touch is a tackle, but get a tall, imposing, powerful, skillfull good passer then win win (hopefully we’re doing this) There’s also the set pieces and requiring enough tall players to chip in I guess so yeah he could be a bit short for us with the rest of our team taken into account - good call.

Exactly how I see it. Buendia CM, Jack left Rashica right. Some games they change around maybe we find Jack is better in middle and he prefers it (and sticks 2 fingers up at Gareth) then Rashica goes left and Buendia right or vice versus? Maybe we just do it ‘in game’ if a defender has one in his pocket then switch it round to see if our next attacking threat gives that defender something to think about. I recall we used to do this with Milner, Young and Downing. from what I’ve seen of Rashica and granted only YouTube vids he looks capable of playing left, right or CM/CAM. I could imagine some serious link up play with Ollie up top, 3 of them looking up to see Ollies movement in box instead of floating over a hopeful cross. It’s got so much potential in my head, but it’s probably totally flawed oh and all 3 look capable of coming deep to help in numbers when required and each could carry/drive the ball forwards on the counter. time for me to stop dreaming I think.

Can’t help feel that Buendia in CM with McGinn and Luiz would work well. He can tackle, break up play, turn dribble and break through opposition midfield lines turning defence into attack quickly and could feed Jack/Ollie/RW. For me he’s a CM not a winger/inside forward (but could prob fill in there ok if injuries to first choices). I just wonder why nobody’s gone in for him yet? perhaps he’s not as good as I think . Only 11 minutes but maybe others agree with potential? maybe not?

Would be good, but it looks like Darder played for Malaga yesterday - Malaga FC are currently in Columbia, they played deportivo Cali. Could be an agent possibly though - who knows

This is like a conversation with my mrs:- Me: bloody hell I've had a crap day Her: oh and you think mines been good? (In an angry sarcastic tone) Me: actually no, I didn't say mines been crap compared to yours, I said mines been crap. Me: I've felt rough all week Her: oh and I've felt great haven't I? (Same angry sarcastic tone) Short of it is, I'm not comparing, i'm just talking about my state, but there always has to be a comparative comeback. Can we not just we're villa, nothing much good. Seems to happen (these days). Any takeover news or gossip anyone?

It seems mad if the baggies get bought so soon and for an amount Randy would 'reportedly' accept (who knows?). But then again reading the earlier reports on income, although we bought in £25m more (I think I read, and in a funny way hope I've got it wrong as we made a £4m loss and they made a £12m profit?? That is crazy, especially when you think we've got rid of so many high earners and have been through the young and hungry, and foreign cheap and worth a gamble stages. What on earth are we spending on compared to them, we've had very similar seasons, they've pipped is in league us them in cup.

It does seem strange how a deal like this could be enforced, but the way I look at is:- He's very average at best, and clearly not helping or even hindering the team. We had the option to buy him in January which we didn't take, so either Lambert doesn't rate him or lerner won't fund it. If lerner won't fund it this can be moved to the randy lerner thread. If Lambert don't rate him then whys he pick him still? Let's face it if he thought he was good he'd have snapped him up before others are free to try and sign him in the summer. Option 3 I suppose, maybe cleverly thinks we're crap and doesn't want to play for us, but even so he'd have told the manager this so therefore is expect Lambert not to play a player who doesn't want to play for us. There's got to be a deal in place for me on this one.

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Suspected it would be maintenance, some size jet if it was for private business use

It was I, prompted by the above info about it I started to look it up. Yes it's Saudi based but the movements don't give anything away, maybe just in for maintenance at monarch engineering? It is interesting with previous poster linking Saudi (al Baltan?) whatever happened to that? And bidding 8m on cleverly - not saying 8m is absolutely huge but for cleverly it's a bit of a sum.

Just watched the lowlights on itv and worryingly they said Orient made 6 changes for this game and left out some big players for them

I've been reading TBAR and they're getting worked up about it even though a journalist has told one of them it's just a normal pre game press conference. I'm on both TBAR and here and I'd say they are getting nowhere near worked up, there are a few questions met with about a resounding it's just the weekly presser.

And tried to state a good reason to why our attendance may have been lower apart from the obvious unrest.