SUPERTOON

If Fulham can stop Ritchie, then we have nothing coming from midfield, could be a long night.

Midfield is awful, think we will struggle to create much.

Equal parts dread and excitement for this, on paper we should win, but we don't do anything normally, and our away form over the last few years is a major cause for concern, albeit being in the premier league.

Our improved form under Rafa came when he didn't play and Anita played RB. That being said he should be fine in this league.

I saw that on Twitter and others are saying 10,000, anywhere to confirm the exact numbers?

Villa trying to hijack the deal.

Wouldn't have given him a 5 year deal tbh, not good enough if we go back up.

Diame deal not as advanced as the Clark according to Keith Downie.

Does Pritchard play in the same position?

Don't think Rafa is a fan of Shelvey at all, can't see him playing much at all and think he would be gone already if someone had bid for him.

Strange that he is turning down first team football at his boyhood club to be 4th choice here.

Villa fans on Twitter don't want him to leave which is a positive sign

Fwiw, villa fans on Twitter are running with stories of di matteo saying he is definitely staying at villa from a few days a go.

Saw him play twice, and he was absolutely awful both times, although decent in the air. Tbh Rafa at Liverpool made some terrible signings on paper, but always manages to mould a team, particularly within a defensive unit.

Think it's just a rehash of the Diame story.

http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/08/01/reports-hull-city-star-mohamed-diame-rejects-new-contract-as-45m/ This quotes the daily mail in saying he has rejected the contract offer from Hull.

He is still training with Hull today who are offering him a new contract according to Keith Downie.

Doesn't mean he isn't travelling up here today though, just because he's there currently. Caulkin's tweet said he was en route to Newcastle earlier, the bbc now saying that we have an interest as do a lot of other clubs, but Hull want to keep him. Hull don't have a choice if we've met his release clause. We haven't met it though, seems Caulkin is wrong on this one.

Doesn't mean he isn't travelling up here today though, just because he's there currently. Caulkin's tweet said he was en route to Newcastle earlier, the bbc now saying that we have an interest as do a lot of other clubs, but Hull want to keep him.

Hull local press saying he is expected at Hull's training and loads of Hull fans are saying they have seen him in Hull today, so it's rubbish from Caulkin.

I think Hayden played quite a few games at the back, might be wrong though.

The fans on Twitter said they have 12 fit first team players, and 6 of them have handed in transfer requests. Ridiculous that tbh, I feel for Hull fans. Diame is a decent player, plenty of experience of the championship at 29 and scored 10 goals last year but hes a CAM and I'm not he can play in a 2 in midfield Even though we brought Hayden in, we need to bring a specialist defensive midfielder to replace Tiote. Lucas would be a brilliant signing but a bit of a pipe dream Hull are already relegated tbh, absolutely pointless season coming up for them.

Exactly the signing we need, will be a major presence in our midfield. Wonder who the other one will be?

The fans on Twitter said they have 12 fit first team players, and 6 of them have handed in transfer requests.

Hopefully, certainly would be within the time frame of Thauvin being on the verge of going. Surely if we have gone in with that, it is the asking price because it's a pretty big jump from our starting offer.