ponsaelius

Woah

Debut? He was there last season.

It depends on performances of English clubs in Europe this season. Two extra place for the two best performing leagues in Europe THIS season. So we won't know if 5th is a CL place until later in the season - but I would say is very likely to be one.

Trent was like that Key and Peele Obama sketch there, moving from handshakes to high fives

Happens at other grounds too. As you say it's due to the amount of people in one area pulling from the network. Tends to be OK at smaller lower league grounds but big grounds I have issues. Couldn't get anything at Ibrox for example.

Seeing how some of these other clubs operate in the transfer market is like PTSD from the Ashley days. Makes me even more grateful and trusting of our current operation.

He was yes, but that's part of the problem. It makes it even less likely that cash strapped Championship clubs are going to invest money on him after his injury.

If he had a year left he'd probably go with the guarentee of a longer contract on lower wages - particularly with his injury record threatening his longevity. But 3 years guarentee on 50k a week he's not going anywhere. Even if we do move him on we'll be either paying a proportion of those wages for years or paying him off.

He wasn't much of one for Norwich last year. And no Champ club can afford his wages.

Signed a 6 year deal in 2020. Mike Ashley special.

Wait until you realise Hayden's contract runs for another three years

You're right that it's a departure from the standard 5 year rolling system from previous years which dictates not only league ranking (and how many places they get) but also each team's coefficient score. It's an oddity in this sense because it is based exclusively off the country's performance during the season in play to determine these two bonus places. Not a fan personally as it means that you don't really know whether that place will exist until late in the season (kind of how Fair Play places in the Intertoto used to appear randomly at the end of the season).

Soft I think

Good signing for the Ev that I reckon.

Definitely be going along to a few more U23 and Academy games this season like. Be really interesting to watch some of the younger players.

Zaniolo looked a sensational talent before his injuries. Real shame about him tbh.

There were large spells today where they looked really good tbh and caused us bother. Fell apart completely after Ming's injury and fatty Tielemans coming into midfield. High line was murdered and Emery will have to change that up IMO, just too easy to exploit.

He's looked like that for years. The man literally can't run.

That finish ffs

Diaby would have been a great signing like. Can't see how Villa don't get another one here so we will need more goals.

Think all our midfield has been sloppy tbh

Bench looks mad strong now. Really are a defender away from having great depth. Villa team also looks very good on paper.

We currently have around 30k season ticket holders. You really think we'd easily sell another 35k after the inevitable price hike next year? No chance IMO. 65k would be absolutely fine going forward. Another 13k STs sold through the increase and the rest going to general/members sale. Any more than that and it will be to the detriment of the atmosphere and leave the ground looking silly for things like League Cup ties.

He only landed yesterday evening, though. And they want him to play tonight. Hardly much time to put something substantive together. Plus if he'd signed for Real Madrid he'd have just got the 'Comunicado Oficial: Harry Kane' with two lines of text on a web page.

Yeah Martinell is no more of an Academy graduate than Yakubah Minteh would be for us. They signed him for £6 million as an 18 year old. Great piece of scouting but not an academy player.