Stottie

Gordon has won some tackles that led to big chances and goals recently. He's definitely contributing more on the eye test. He needs a league goal from open play though, just to get that stat off his back and move the conversation on. He gets a pass from me for the first half dozen league games, because playing CF screws him up. Our other attackers get a pass too due to the Isak debacle. Our xG until October 1 (first six games) was under 1 a game. Since then, its been 29 in 15, with 28 scored. Top scorers in that period, Man City, only have three more. We've scored eight more than Liverpool in those fifteen games.

Paul Cannell!

We also won a penalty shootout for is that the second time under Howe? All praise the King!

Darren Ambrose on commentary said it was worse than Woltemade's which wasn't on target.

Man City got 10 BUT WE GOT 10 TOO!!!! (eventually)

Wow! It's the wubble U special!

Got to play Wissa in this so Woltemade can play Man City. They couldn't handle him in the league game.

I think he's come in and done great. He also gets heavily fouled. Maybe needs to learn how to make more of this. Most players would go down clutching the face after the Gabriel elbow. Regarding interplay with others, we've not had a settled team and have seen others struggle, so its harsh to judge him on not being the glue that bonds it all together. Its all been a bit dysfunctional. For Howe, he will need to press more, but will take time to learn.

The last three games have improved it but the Chelsea game was another poor second half from us. Here's the season table. 19 second half goals conceded. First half is this, including losing to Leeds last night. 8 goals conceded, up with the best.

Twelve fewer than last season would be 54. Opta now has us on 58. We're pretty much over the Isak disruption now Wissa is playing, and presumably won't be in four competitions from March onwards, so I'm quite hopeful of getting around 60 regardless of what the remaining fixtures are. Results in specific fixtures often echo across seasons though, so this is interesting analysis. I suppose the main difference this season is that Leeds and the mackems have been much better than your average promoted club.

It extends back to the Man City home win. Just off top scorers, despite the two 0-1 defeats.

FARKE OFF!

Bruno with that fucking runup again. I could barely watch!

Slipped. Its happened a lot tonight.

Ref could have blown a second or two earlier for Calvert Lewin catching Schar's face with his hand.

If there is contact on Joelinton, it cannot be simulation. You'd have two dozen simulations a game otherwise. Its merely insufficient contact for a foul. Close game. Stick it at and its there to be won.

I don't want him back, but 4 goals in 9 games of minutes wasn't bad from him. That's for a team third bottom and looking adrift. Here's a graphic none of you asked for but you might enjoy. PL stats 25/26 season. One was the record UK signing, the other was free.

We are living in an evolving time for football management where we have DoFs, data people and AI driven by live stats with increasing power over player conditioning and tactics, transfer committees, and ever higher financial stakes. However, I see both Chelsea and Man U as essentially shitshows, so there is not much to be learnt from them in objective terms. These sackings have been driven as much by ineptness and non footballing priorities by the two clubs than by any kind of universally applicable "thats the way football management is now" type new developments or pressures.

I may be wrong but my impression was that the "sell Gordon" stuff came out after Bruno's transfer clause expired with no-one activating it. Selling Bruno was Plan A. My reading of the situation is that Man City dropped the ball by not signing him. Hindsight following the Rodri injury makes it doubly so.

Looks great, the player we bought. Like Harvey Barnes, you might have to pay more than you'd like, but you get something that is proven and just works. Him "just working" is of course due to him fitting the way we play. Early days and only one game, but Brennan Johnson also looked the player Palace bought. His rep at Spurs was "scores the odd goal but does nothing else". Let's see if Glasner can do something else with him.

Going over old history, but it seems like the Staveley plan to get through PSR was to sell Bruno to PSG or Man City. When it didn't happen, it cost us the Geordie Maradona and Minteh, but I think not losing Bruno was more important. It would have fucked us as a team.

Great performance and result. Nice to get a clean sheet and unlucky to not score more than two.

Best crosser and likely best attacker of crosses on the pitch from the start. Bring it on! Good to see the other lads coming back from injury too. Its a big month ahead.

The first was also shit goalkeeping and the second was a lazy loss of possession. This is on top of every else in earlier Villa games, its not just about this match.

Fuck me Villa are the spawny-est team in the league.