Gallowgate Toon

Wasn't Arteta absolutely fizzing with us a few years back when we did some dark arts at their place? I'm presuming Arsenal's team cost more and has similar-ish wages to PSG? Pretty embarrassing imo that they had 1 shot on target considering the investment + their supposedly elite coach.

Big challenge for Iraola. He can't do the no days off thing with Liverpool. Interesting that a CL club has rejected a possession manager to want to go back to a high pressing transition team too.

I think it's pretty good value for us but I do also agree that he'll simultaneously do really well there in Flick's system + the environment which might make him look a bit cheap in hindsight. We probably could've got a bit more out of them but I think the time benefit to us getting on with it this window is potentially worth a lot more than the extra £10m we might've been able to squeeze.

Elanga-Anderson swap deal. Everyone's happy.

PSG have done alright since sacking Neymar & others off. Enrique's blueprint is a good shout for us. Lots of similarities with what Howe wants from his teams, but they have the fairly massive benefit of being able to play a third XI in the league while still winning.

Excellent deal and absolutely crucial we get it done early imo. He'll have a good first season imo. He's good when he has a point to prove.

Also, can we please do some fucking transfer business early for once? Every year, we say get as many in as possible before preseason. It feels like it never materialises. The league could be wide open next season - small gains like that could be really big for us.

He was never bought with value in mind so let's not piss about. Hopefully, he scores a few in the WC to soften the blow.

Didn't folks want him to experiment? I was alright trying a 3-5-2 in the first, our wingers have largely been shit all season. I felt that would be Hall's best position too as he's definitely still a work in progress defensively. He was as poor LWB as he was elsewhere. Regardless of what happens with Howe, this summer needs to be sharp for recruitment. We need some strong characters through the door - we are piss weak. Clear the busted flushes/wantaways and get 3 or 4 really good buys and we'll see a massive difference imo. I like that we're targeting young profiles again but we do need to keep a mix imo. Hope we don't go too far the other way.

When's the last time someone qualified for Europe with a negative goal difference?!

Their fans will be in dreamland.

Of course I'd be delighted. But I look back at our cup win and the teams we had to get through to especially in the latter stages- it made the win that much sweeter. This feels a bit hollow to me from the outside. Same as with Chelsea winning the Conference - it'd be a massive failure if they didn't win it.

Villa fans won't give a shit, nor should they, but from the outside this does feel a bit like winning the Intertoto

I like how they admitted to a couple of occasions where they lost They've blatantly been doing this every week.

Midfield is stacked but lacks balance. Willock is surely off but it still leaves 5 mids, plus you've got the likes of Hall and Woltemade who can fill in there too. Main thing for the midfield for me is moving away from the Joelinton-Tonali axis for lots of games next season. Bruno of course has to play, and I think Miley's development is really important for us next season if he can stay fit. I just don't think we need both Tonali and Joelinton in there together.

The thing with Ramsey is that his game is very flexible, possibly too much which gets in the way of establishing himself more. He can fit into a possession approach as he has a good touch & pass, but he's also got the athleticism to be a more transitional player. We've seen with Willock, it's all transitions - his game just isn't consistent enough when you need to sharpen up the passing. He seemed to relish that free role yesterday.

Something is clearly not right to not even get a minute yesterday for a send-off. I think an agreement has been reached for all parties to protect interests - we want to hold his value, he wants to protect his fitness for WC and next move. Honestly, a pretty sad end to his time here, but I don't think he'll give much of a toss.

He is maturing really well. He has that element of chaos still which is what we need up top considering how bland our wingers are, but he does seem to be balancing it all well with smart runs, tidy forward play, and cracking pressing. Oh and goals! I think he could make a fantastic wide forward in this league, but no harm in him doing well up top too.

It was sort of like a weird 424 in the first half enjoyable chaos ball imo. It did lead to some great central exchanges but I felt we were narrow too often as the game went on and we struggled to work it out. Moving to a back 3 was smart.

Wolt loves the left channel, Osula loves the right. Think we've sacked off the wingers in a 352.

I'm very pro Howe on lots of stuff, but he's developed a strange blind spot for Gordon. I think it's been one of his biggest mistakes over the last couple years. The management of him in the first 18 months was bang on - he made him work for his place, kept him hungry etc. But it was like a 180 after that Summer. Maybe that's not true but it's how it's come across. Gordon is a good player but not a great one. Should he go, I do think we'll be better off in the long run.

Liam Kennedy's arrogance rubbing off on Scurr now as well then? The other lad in the trio is canny, at least. Well, doesn't evidently love the sound of his own voice.

Gutted for him.

Villa under Emery are just a weird side. Current GD of 4, last year it was 7. Whenever I watch them, they just aren't very impressive but they seem to be very good at just getting things done. They've scored less than us this season too. Transfer record is very patchy as well.

I'd really like to see us push him up the pitch, tbh. He's improved a lot defensively but I still just don't feel he's a totally natural defender. He'd be an amazing LCM for us imo.