John P

The issue with this (if it's true) being that we don't play with wingers and it sounds like he's an out and out winger? Would end up being a classic case of the club buying players for the manager/above the manager's head which don't fit the manager's system or plan.

Precisely the sort of loan he should have been sent out on in the last couple of seasons. Hope he gets lots of game time.

Even if we do get another couple in (very debatable) they'll have absolutely no time to settle in with the club / city / players / coaching staff / system before being chucked into a premier league game. Just horrendous mismanagement once again.

First touch today - easy pass back to Lazaar from a throw-in - shanks it and gives ball away. Welcome home Jack.

That Frankfurt side ripped apart already.

I would be devastated if we spent even 5 million on him. Football really is fucked if he's going for that. You obviously aren't aware of the transformative effect he had on us. He was phenomenal for us last year. In fact, his arrival was just as influential as grealish returning on us winning ten in a row and getting promoted. He's brilliant on the ball, brings it out of defence superbly, never resorts to hoofing it, almost always completes his pass (and I am not talking about to someone stood five yards from him), commanding in the air, and it was his leadership that changed our defence from being a mid table comedic mess to one that barely conceded for a large chunk of the season. You will not find a villa fan who disagrees with that. During one game, the guy who sits next to me turned to me and said "I know this sounds nuts but he reminds me of Paul McGrath". Obviously, comparing a mere mortal to a deity is not acceptable, but I understand why he said that. I CGAF if he cost 20m (20m being the new 5m), I am extremely relieved we've signed him. The caveat to all this being it was done in the Chmapionship, where Fitz Hall, Tamas Kadar and Mike Williamson looked good. It's a risky fee but at least you're having a fucking go, unlike some.

Dan Storey wrote an article (a very good one) on the whole mess at the club at the minute and said Longstaff was 'likely to leave.' I tweeted him to ask if that was his knowledge or just speculation and his reply was - "As far as I know, he's keen, Man United are keen and Newcastle are prepared to sell. Which suggests it will get done." Doesn't sound good.

So they've been bullshitting all along?

Jesus fucking christ. Incredible. Even for Ashley, this is incredible. What is the fucking point in this football club?

If I was him I wouldn't worry, Lossl is shite.

How the fuck does this shit take 3-4 days?

if rafa fucks off i'd like to think he'd do the same for the good of his career, whoever the next pardew is could see him disappear from existence Aye, this is on the assumption that Rafa might stay. If Rafa goes I wouldn't begrudge anyone wanting to leave tbh.

I don't reckon he'd go there. He's a local lad, loves the club, only been in the team a few months and seems very sensible. Last thing he needs is to go and sit on the Man Utd bench. They're not exactly a massively attractive proposition at the minute either.

Odds slashed overnight apparently on him becoming Celtic manager. Often means fuck all though obviously.

Love how in the Radio Newcastle commentary for the Bournemouth game they get excited when we're defending the corner and the ball breaks to him on the edge of our own box. Very few players who can drive 60 yards upfield with the ball from there to win a free kick on the edge of the opposition box.

Anyone else think the game looked rigged? Mark Wright basically gave the Germans a penalty and their second goal by passing the ball directly to a German player when under no pressure. Then England stormed back to win it by just walking through the German defence. I know they're all old now but it looked scripted to fit the show to me.

Weirdly, I watched the Dortmund v Hoffenheim game the other week - this guy really stood out and I remember thinking he'd be perfect for our system under Rafa. He looked an absolute beast in that game.

I noticed this too, several times in the first half Almiron made a good run into space in the left channel and the pass was on, and Ritchie just completely ignored him. Was very strange. Maybe he's jealous of all the love the new boy is getting. Or he hates South Americans.

Feels like a good time to share this: https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/30-hilarious-kevin-keegan-quotes-therell-be-no-siestas-in-madrid-tonight/

We made a sub in time-on, which is an automatic 30 second addition. You could see the ref look at his watch in the 94th minute (the commentators mentioned it) and think "one more phase" - perhaps that decision is questionable but the refs union would agree 100% with that decision. The goal went in at 94.37 didn't it? 7 seconds "over". Whether it's a foul or not, whether Almiron was fouled or not, whether Moutinho should have been on the pitch - these are all different questions. But I don't think we can quibble with the time-on. One more phase ? As much as I want rugby style officiating in football that's too much. A ref isn't going to blow the final whistle when one team is almost in the other team's box like No. Nobody expects them to. It's the previous ball that was defended and pinged well near the touchline when he should've blown -- around 4-7 seconds before the goal came. This is when a normal human would expect the final whistle to go, as the last "attack" had come to nothing, and we were already over the allotted time. This. They had what should have been their last attack and it was cleared. He then gave them another one and they scored.

I've lost count of the number of games where we've been behind in injury time and then subs have been made during injury time / goalkeepers have taken the best part of a minute to take a goal kick etc and as soon as the clock ticks into the 'minimum amount of time added on' the ref blows the whistle immediately, regardless of whether an attack has been started or not. It's fucking sickening the number of vital decisions that have gone against us in the last few seasons. Add that to the fact that it's a clear foul and it makes it even worse. Keepers are protected more than outfield players for a reason - if you interfere with a keeper's arms or body it's a foul because it's preventing him from catching the ball, and if he doesn't then more often than not it'll result in a goal. This useless cunt just didn't care about that last night for some completely inexplicable reason. No doubt he'll be refereeing his next game and blowing for a foul as soon as anyone goes near the keeper.

A left back and a defensive mid. Great. Get some fucking attacking players in you fucking useless cunts.

As shit as he is, we can't afford to let him go. He's cover for right and left back and we simply don't have anyone else to cover those positions. Even if we bring in that lad from Monaco we still wouldn't have right back cover if Manquillo goes.

Incredible how far he's fallen this season. Just looks like he doesn't have a clue what to do with the ball when he gets it and quite often just ends up doing some daft flick or nutmeg which hardly ever comes off. So disappointing after what he showed last season.

Is he any good?