STM

Absolutely mint. We will tear them to shreds.

Battered them. Just get a goal.

Just coz I've seen it mentioned a few times... Howe will always say he wants to keep a player, unless it's obvious that he's nowhere near the first team Firstly, he wants all his players to feel valued and flogging them at the first opportunity could make him look fake in front of the rest of the players. Secondly, if you make it known that you want to sell a player, your player immediately becomes cheaper and you lose out. That said, I've no doubt that Howe was absolutely on board with getting the likes of Shelvey and Wood off the books, both players would have been on higher wages than Gordon and Longstaff for example. It's an absolute no brainer. If someone offers 20m+ for Murphy, we will 100% want the money, but we will go about it in the right way, I.e giving the Murphy the option to stay and making him feel comfortable about the choice.

I just don't see Murphy agreeing to leave.

Yeah I was way more fuming about Liverpool. I'm just so proud of the lads with regards to Paris. 5-2 on aggregate against PSG is class.

@Froggyexpected line up?

I'd have taken Isak off for Hall and moved Gordon up front. But in reality, fuck knows if it would have made a difference. I absolutely adore this manager.

Quite an incredible performance from a 17 year old in his CL debut. Just wait until he grows pubes. He's ready.

My biggest fear is the mental state of our players for the Man U game. Fitness wise, we can recover but to draw in the last minute must be a sickner.

Just beat Milan. I will take Europa.

Jesus.

Gordon was dead on his feet. Agree. 15 minutes and stick Hall to protect or even Richie.

Just so fucking proud man.

He plays in the Dutch league, unless he's absolutely tearing it up, it counts for very little. He's got potential, thats it.

Also, Froggy, love you babe.

Villa look a waaaay better side than Man Utd. I look at Man Utds top 4 push the same way I looked at the Spurs title push. They've had a few good results but ultimately they just aren't at that level. Man Us performances have been awful for ages and performances absolutely do count. They are the indicator for what to expect in the future. Out of Villa, Newcastle and Man U, which do you think are more likely to win home games against other top 6 sides? I'd back us and Villa any day over Man U.

If you asked me who I thought suited us perfectly and just feels like exactly who we'd go for, I'd say Bowen..... he'd be unreal under Howe. However he just signed a new deal. I wonder if he has a release clause.

Absolutely lush hearing people saying positive things about our players. I think it's a great point that reason Gordon is so good is because he can pretty much do everything to a good standard and mixes it up all game. Pressing Passing Crossing Dribbling Running in behind Shooting Tackling I'd say he's at least a 7/10 on all these markers. Compare that to ASM who was a 10/10 at dribbling but lacked in most other areas. Poor Harvey has his work cut out. Although I wouldn't mind seeing them together for spells in games.

OK but there's a big sliding scale of this, it's not like good technical ability = poor physical ability. Let's try and at least find players who might potentially be able to do both.

Or both.

He's not even THAT much weaker than Burn in the air, especially when modern strikers/wingers aren't exactly big lads, like they used to be. I honestly think he could have played CB in Lascelles position and still have performed to a high level. He's that good. Our right and left back roles are slightly different as we like to weight our play down the right. For him to step into left back and be as disciplined as he was, is incredible really. Can't say I've been this excited about a young player in a long time.

Miley's emergence has made CM less of a priority IMO. If Willock is back in January, we have 6 to choose from in 3 positions. If Botman returns, that's another area where I think they would wait until the summer. Personally, I'd be all over another attacking wide/forward. Someone like Ekitike, even if it's not him.

He's so clearly better than Burn IMO and I love the big fella. I'd say LB is his position to lose, right now. Livramento is the future. Someone who can play both fullback positions at such a high standard is gold dust. For me Southgate should have him as first pick going forward, on this basis alone.

There will be loads of average PL teams after him: West Ham, Brentford, Fulham, Wolves. It's up to him. If we sign another CB, it's hard seeing him getting many games. On the other hand, the return of the bubonic plague will likely occur again. I've no issue either way.

Hall Anderson Barnes Murphy Targett Burn Wilson All there supporting the lads.