villaglint

Think a lot of that is fair. He’s very good at what he’s good at and he’s very bad at some real basics at times. He’s a very odd player but overall a big asset.

Seems odd to mention Traore and Chambers by name unless something was close to happening. Maybe reading too much into it but not great for them to be specifically name checked (or advertised!) by a manager in a press conference if there is no clubs currently in for them.

On the one hand I'd quite like it if we all had one set of rules to play for and the club that was run the best had the biggets advantage. This is what we would have now if not for the distorting effects of the CL. On the other hand I think if an owner wants to invest it seems silly stop them as long as the club/fans/community is protected. That said if that rule came in I'd like to see a ban on any state linked investment vehicles being involved in PL.

Also allows you to talk about a mid block as an alternative which is a tactic more commonly used these days. Sitting in middle or parking bus in middle again doesn’t really work.

Fully agree. Like most I can see that there is something about him but there is still a long long way to go before he’s a reliable PL striker. His temperament is clearly an issue he has caused good chaos in some games and been a liability in others. He might come good but feels like a hell of a project right now.

Yes also VAR did more to stop us winning that game than Archer.

It was a poor pass but wasn’t lazy. The midfield offered the defence nothing in the second half. No screening, no cover, no options for a pass. They were cooked every one of them.

Be interesting what the contractual terms are on that. Is it 20 starts or 20 appearances? Either way we are in a sticky spot with tiredness, games, injuries, suspensions we need the squad to step up. He’ll get his chance to show he’s worth the money. Let’s hope he is.

I don’t think we were good first half but looked like we could control periods of the game and keep a very poor Utd team doing what we wanted for the most part. Second half the legs went big time in a very concerning way.

I couldn’t shake that nagging “Villa” feeling going into Fridays game but I feel very confident for this one. Not only do I think we win the game but I think we control it. A changing of the guard.

I don’t think the clear and obvious has ever been implement since VAR came in. It was a massive error bringing it in as a phrase in the first place as what they really wanted to do was ref the game to the millimetre. It’s a farce and just needs scrapping.

Is there a chart anywhere showing the variability in league winners/finishing league position etc pre and post champions league? Given this could go across different leagues and multiple years I feel it would make a fairly decent data set. Would seem like an apt time to be looking at this type of information. If it is demonstrated that funneling money into a small number of clubs makes the league more predictable and less interesting to watch do we want to double down on that and funnel even more money into a small number of clubs.

On the transport issue it'll be interesting to see what impact this new Transport Manager for the club can have. I feel like so many of the problems could be solved but putting in place some simple rules for matchdays only. For example where we come off the motorway on to Victoria road there is always miles of tail backs. Massive reason for that is people turning right at the traffic lights which basically means one car and go through the lights on each green light. A simple rule like no right turn on match days would make that whole section work so much better.

Klopp having a go at his own fans after the game last night. Difficult to think of a manager who’s taken such a nose dive in terms of being Mr Nice guy, funny and reasonable to someone who just comes across like a bell every time he opens his mouth. Not sure but I feel like something happened to his father a few years ago and he’s been increasingly horrible ever since.

Yeah it was posted above too thanks. Hadn’t realised it was so high. I actually like him and think there is a player there but he’s a long long way from being a 40m euro player right now.

Do you have a link to the 38m figure. Not sure I’ve heard that before and it sounds crazy high.

Despite how incredible we’ve been the past year I’m with you a bit. It’s impossible for me to go into these games with confidence you should do. That said the life long expectation of disappointment has taken a battering by the relentless demand for success from Mr Emery’s these days I go into most games not having a clue what will happen. Then we win.

It was odd that the interviewer asked about the North Stand and mentioned how excited the fans were about it only to be told it wasn’t happening. Almost like the interviewer had no idea! Given that was probably the major reason for the video seemed odd that wouldn’t have been discussed beforehand.

Presumably all the other clubs do this as well? I’ve no idea. Feels like we are forever drawing up plans spending ages working on them and then not doing them. Do other clubs waste their own time as much as we do?

I swear we seem to rebuild Bodymoor Heath every 6 months what more could the players possibly need. On the North Stand - over riding initial feeling is dissapointment. As a member and someone who goes to 80% of home games knocking down the North Stand would have effected my directly for the next 2 years. It would have been especially cruel if that had coincided with us getting back in CL. However if we want to kick on as a club we need to start competing with the big boys, we have the support to sell many more seats and I was salivating with the thought of Villa Park being even louder than it is at times now. Be interesting to see what the new plan is there but his interview makes it sound like we will be 42k for a good long while to come. A step backwards in my view even if good news in short term for me. BTW everyone talking about not wanting to lose North Stand for CL surely that can't be part of this decision. Yes fans can talk, dream etc but there is such a long way to go on that front surely it cant have been part of any official decision making by the club.

Yeah there’s a bit of rust which is to be expected. That said he could have easily had a goal and assist in that first half. Like Diaby he struggles a bit in tight spaces with low block defence.

I think a little bit of it is form and a little bit of it is teams have tweaked the way they set up against us. Most sides have figured out if they press us high we play through them and create chances/goals so a lot of sides give us our own half and sit in a mid block or low block like today. That narrowing of the space removes some of Diabys main weapons (good decision making when running at pace).

Is it 3 games?

Nearly fell off the sofa when the commentator said Mee had never been sent off in his career before. How can that be possible?

Don’t think we’ll be complacent because everyone knows how good we have to be to keep in touch now. That said we’ve got a lot of injuries so it’ll be really tough test for us.