juanpabloangel18

Jesus

I think most sensible fans agree that it's fine to rest players for cup games. And Emery has consistently said the most important competition we're involved in is the PL - you can look this up if you want. The rest, I cba

The vast majority of fans advocate rotating the team for league and FA cup games to keep the team fresh to play in the PL. Every single PL team does it, it's routine. If smaller trophies were so important, this wouldn't happen. Everyone knows finishing as high as possible in the PL is the priority, and that's absolutely fine. There is also nothing wrong with keeping an eye on whether 5th in the PL gets CL football (and I find it odd that people seem to take issue with that). It's an entertaining side show and adds another dimension of interest to high level games that otherwise have nothing to do with us - and what a privilege that is!

Although we'll get both, Champions League qualification over a UECL trophy all day for me. The UECL is cute little tournament, but it has no history or prestige. It was invented in 2021. It would be brilliant to win it, but, see below. There's no qualification round in the UCL next year. Once you're in, you're in a massive group and we'd be in the worst pot of teams, so we'd definitely be drawn against some European giants. Villa in a competitive match European match against Madrid, Barca, Bayern? Beating one of those teams at VP under the lights? Imagine! People saying 'it'd be a footnote of history' - I just disagree. Villa have not been in Europe's elite competition for over 40 years. It would be a historic achievement to be in it. And I definitely remember when Spurs got in under Redknapp, Leeds got in, Newcastle got in, etc. If our squad get the experience of playing in the CL against elite European opposition, think about what that could do for their development under Unai. Who knows where that could take us. We'd probably be able to keep all of our players, whereas we probably wouldn't if we don't. Revenue, long term club health, all improved. People ignoring this fact are the same ones that will be moaning if we have to ship off Jacob or Dougie in the summer if we don't get in. Unai will win a trophy at Villa. We may not have a better chance of UCL qualification than we have this season, for several years. But yeah both

Jhon Duran Duran Our crazy Columbian He might get a 3 match ban Jhon Duran Duran

Something is just off with this lad, and I won't miss him. The vibe just isn't right. Was incredibly thirsty for a goal at first (to the detriment of the team), his body language is consistently bad, waving his arms around in frustration like a petulant child. Silly fouls in good attacking areas too. And don't get me started on him running into the crowd to celebrate an equalizer at home when there was time on the clock to go for a winner.

Yes he's not been his normal self, but he's been out for a long time with a serious injury, and his sharpness hasn't quite returned yet. There have been glimpses. It'll click soon

PS check out this 20 year old Portugese regen I just signed:

Beginning to think this pre-season tour of China was a bad decision

Ah, JP: the incel professor. A sad indictment of the current lack of spiritual, intellectual and moral leaders in the English speaking world that so many people (men) idolise this disingenuous freak and genuinely think he is an intelligent person. Enjoy:

But the way we are playing, we're extremely patient with the ball in our own defensive third. We pass and probe and then only transition forward with numbers very quickly once there's an opportunity to break through the lines. I think he looks perfect for that approach, personally.

Fair to say my 25/26 pre season is going quite well

Didn't we get one of the hardest possible Brexits?

Probably already been mentioned but in England, if the circumstances are right, you can get £1m tax free inheritance. E.g, parents own a £1m house. Parent 1 dies - £325k universal allowance passed onto spouse, plus £175k main residence nil rate band Parent 2 dies - total allowance £325k x 2 = £650k plus 2 x main residence allowance (£175k x 2 = £350k) = £1 million, tax free.

What do we think Pau's arrival means for Tyrone's season?

Nah I was talking about FM, which I think it's fair to say - a lot more accurate for player ability? Pinch of salt required still obviously but professional clubs definitely use it. Potential numbers taken from here:

FM23 max potential ratings: Mings - 71 Konsa - 73 Carlos - 77 Pau - 84

Increased Tories +2, lol. I'll have whatever they're drinking Side note - I grew up there (Shirley), and was lucky to as obviously it's affluent. But always thought people there were generally quite mean and small minded compared to other areas of Brum. Nowadays it's basically just assisted living homes for the elderly. I could never move back. Anyway, good day for despising the Tories eh.

Thanks, but I thought the impact of the new legislation was that you have only committed an illegal act under UK law by crossing if a) you don't claim asylum on arrival or b) your claim has been rejected? Or is it this that hasn't been tested yet?

In the resulting media furore following Abbott's misguided & clumsy letter I've seen basically zero mention of how it minimised discrimination suffered by Irish or Traveller people. All the commentary has been about how the letter was anti-Semitic. For example, Starmer said her letter was anti-Semitic with as far as I know, no mention of Irish or Travellers. Funny.

Interview video - Guardian Braverman's been on Sky saying that all people crossing the channel on small boats are "criminals". Unless I missed something, it's not illegal to cross the channel if you seek asylum when you get here, and the UK still has an international legal duty to not criminally penalise anyone seeking protection as a refugee. A reminder that Braverman has a KC after her name and she's a former Attorney General.

Digne: £160k per week Coutinho: £120k per week Bailey: £100k per week Dendoncker: £90k per week I'd try and ship them all to free up those wages. Source: https://www.spotrac.com/Premier League/aston-villa-fc/payroll/

In which it was made clear that anti-Semitism was weaponised by Corbyn's political opponents, and that media reports of him blocking investigations into AS (which triggered the EHRC investigation) were 'entirely misleading'. Was going to point out how incredibly disingenuous this is but can see you have backtracked.

How bizarrely reductive. It's an 860 page report by a legal expert commissioned by Starmer himself. It's not exactly a vox pop from Steve in Shirley.

Saw a few Tw@ts about this recently: