Kwan

I don't think it's that Jamie turns bad but the circumstances are much different in the TV show than it is in the book.

More likely, they needed to find a way to create that division between Jamie and Cersei when he wouldn't come back as her champion. In the book, most of that reasoning is done via inner monolog up after he discovers she's been sleeping with Lancel, the Kettlebacks, etc. It's also close enough where he hasn't turned into his full white cloak status yet

To be fair, Kinsler and Cruz have both been on a downward trajectory for a while (and Cruz with the PED issue)

For better of for worse, a change is needed.

Let us hope for the former.

Club put out a statement from RL:

 

 

Following the point yesterday at Villa Park, there have been stories about my selling the Club. On a personal level, I had hoped the emphasis would have been on the amazing effort on the part of our manager and our players to regroup throughout a very difficult week. Injuries to Libor and Christian, compounded with the early loss of Jores and the difficult rehab of Charles have no doubt left Paul with far less to work with than is fair. Still, Paul Lambert has done nothing but work within the parameters I've set, put the Club first and continue to trust his players. As regards my personal role at the Club and the steady rumours of a sale, I will address these after the season. Paul Lambert, Paul Faulkner and I speak daily and remain committed to the immediate job of limiting distraction and confusion in order that Villa have the best chance possible of finishing on a strong note.

Pretty disappointing to read some of the posts in this thread. Marc had an awesome game. There's no debating that. Not sure if some are letting the strikers off the hook or what. The effort he put in should be praise enough.

He was our best player, I'm not disputing that.

BUT....

Several times Delph and Bertrand wanted to play it to him but ended up playing it nowhere because Andi was already trying to run behind because God forbid he has to do something without running onto the ball

Congrats to him. I'd like to see more of him instead of gabby

Not pretty but I'll take the point. Just need to get a win against hull or swansea

Not too many surprised but I think we might have a plan for once

Well she's not actually married to anyone but she is in Dorne.

It would actually go to Marcella or whoever married Marcella iirc

It's strange because both of my controllers are still going strong. Really depends from controller to controller.

Sample size

Lead role of transporter 4 or Daario? Somehow I feel like he made a poor career choice there.

Yeah, I can't imagine why they would cast such a normal looking actor for new Daario. At least I could recognize the old Daario as someone different and based from his episodes, he held a lot more of the 'swagger' that Daario is supposed to have. The new Daario strikes me as too Robb Stark-ish. Also, purple beard. Come on, a lot of them are supposed to have strange colored hair. What happens when they get to young Griff and his green hair?

Centered around a massively in form Benteke.

Besides, they've been figured out. Don't give them room to counter and they're pretty useless.

Neither of them are very good and the fact that we've had to rely of them has contributed to our lack of attacking threat this season.

I like Lambert - but realistically he will  go at the end of the season.  They were his coaching staff, but Lambert is accountable for performances and results. Could\Will anyone anyone else do better ? - personally I doubt it - but that alone isn't enough to save Lambert

Conversely, it might be the reason they keep him. Why sack him if they can continue running along the shoestring policy?

 

Has it been established who the Iron Bank is besides an entity in Braavos? Are they backed by a mercenary company or do they just pull the strings with their large coffers?

 

Just a very, very rich Bank I think, the richest in Essos (I don't think there are any Banks in Westeros).

 

Taken from the Wiki:

When princes or kings default on their debts or are foolish enough not to honor their agreements with the Iron Bank, the Iron Bank supports new princes and kings to appear. These new princes and kings then honor the previous debt along with paying back the money the bank loaned them in claiming their new power, lest they suffer the same fate as their predecessors.

 

AFAIK, mercenaries aren't typically used in Westeros, so they usually just back them financially.

 

Cheers. Was curious of their specific way to make sure they got paid back. Looking at you, Cersei.

Why is Daario Naharis a Stormcrow in the books but a Second Son in the show?

I think I read it was an attempt to try and avoid confusion with the multiple companies. There's like a hundred of them in the book and they didn't want the users to get confused as to which company Daario belonged to.

I'm still disappointed they didn't go with the purple beard and the gold mustache.

So Lambert is so disinvolved that he doesn't even know that his two closest staff members are acting inappropriately vis-à-vis the players under his watch and it took the reserve-team coach to step in?

I think trent's stated multiple times that PL tried to get them removed but the board didn't allow it

What happened to Jon's dog?

 

Seriously, if another dog dies, I'm out.

Ghost is still there. Guess they just haven't conjured up the CGI for it yet.

Has it been established who the Iron Bank is besides an entity in Braavos? Are they backed by a mercenary company or do they just pull the strings with their large coffers?

Just a thought, and I could be completely wrong (just for a change) but I wonder if Culverhouse's training methods have contributed to the spate of serious injuries this season?  If so, you could see why players would be pissed off with him.

On one hand, it's pretty hard to predict ACL tears. They happened in various circumstances and it might just all be bad luck. CNZ in training. Okore during an innocuous tackle in a game. Kozak clattered. Benteke with no one around him.

On the other hand.....

Culverhouse: "We're going with 5-3-2, mate"

Lambert: "Kwan warned me about this..."