Stottie

For Villa in PL P101 W25 D26 L50 F98 A164 Pts 101 1.00 Pts/game Since Villa, for Blackburn/Wolves in Championship P30 W10 D8 L12 F31 A31 Pts 38 1.27 Pts/game P30 W12 D5 L13 F35 A37 Pts 41 1.37 Pts/game He may do okay, but his record does not point to it.

Five Thirty Eight now have seven teams finishing on 38 points or fewer. 36 points and second worse goal difference will save you. I would normally think that was low, but with so many poor teams this year, there may be fewer "opposition on the beach" points to be had in April and May. They're usually a gimme with mid table opposition. A classic example would be Carver's last game against Fat Sam's West Ham.

Just saying but there is probably 50M in Lascelles and Merino that I hope Amanda's people are accounting for in their valuation. I bet Southampton's valuation didn't count on them getting 75M for a player in the near future.

Re: his goal scoring, does he ever get in the box? Does he ever take shots from positions like the Dummett one? Nice, if not difficult, ball over the top for Perez, but otherwise he was poor. The checking back all the time is frustrating and kills attacks.

My comment was before the game, and he certainly can't blame the service yesterday. fwiw, most of those six yard goals were with his feet. I don't think he's ever beaten an in-position keeper with a shot from outside the box, so the other chance was not one he was likely to take. This wouldn't matter so much if he did better closer in, but the headers were woeful. Ayew's was straight at Darlow, but had enough power to get a second chance. It sounds like Rafa would have happily traded up on Gayle in the summer but the transfer people were too stingy and inept to do it. He can even do wheeler dealing to make the most of what little resources we have.

Darlow won the challenge, which I think he was favourite to win, but like their goal, simply pushed it back into the danger area. I think he does it too often to call it unlucky.

Poor second half. Darlow nearly gave the point away at the end there. Other than that, lacking quality across the board. We started the season well partly thanks to good set pieces, but they've totally gone to pot.

That free kick was SHITE

Note that when he gets nutmegged by a shot that goes in, Mowson suddenly becomes "the defender".

If the expected goals stat is calculated properly, I think our chances so far today will add up to more than some of our entire games earlier this season.

Re: contentious decisions, I thought the Ritchie high boot was a red. He kicked the guy in the face. The same for Huddersfield against us.

Three bad misses from us, Gayle x2 and Ayoze, but a probable pen for them. If we keep creating the chances, one will go in sooner or later.

As for today's game, I just want us to end the winless streak at home. One in off someone's arse and then hanging on will do.

Thanks Groo. England have taken players to the WC on reputation alone before, a ridiculously young Walcott for example, so Abraham going wouldn't be that mental given the territory. It's good to know someone who's seen him play's opinion. Kane was clearly knackered after that season going into the Euros, so England's fourth striker, after Kane, Vardy and Rashford, might end up getting some game time.

Watching his goals from the Championship again, about two thirds seem to be from the six yard box or very close by. Against the better defences in the PL, we've not been able to get in behind anything like as much, so those goals have disappeared.

Let's face it, they will be terrified of further racism or sexism (see UK cycling) from the women's coach. That will be more important than coaching experience or ability.

Mbemba is only 23. There is plenty of time for him to come good, given how hard it is to play CH.

Sorry to cherry pick one statement Groo, but you don't think Tammy Abraham has worked out? I've seen articles where pundits are putting him on the plane to the WC. (I personally think it would be a good idea for us to sign Sturridge or Carroll, assuming they're up for grabbing their last WC chance)

That's what his contract is on Transfermarkt. fwiw, Ayew and Carroll are summer 2019, so their value will be dropping too. Sakho's numbers in the PL are 18 goals in 3700 minutes, almost identical to Dwight Gayle. Like Gayle it's been slim pickings since 14/15 with a few injuries in there. If six months of Barkley are worth 15M, six months of Sakho will be worth much less. The striker I'd want from West Ham is the prodigal son AC9.

It's been said many times, but loans in the same division are the biggest problem.

8 out of our 12 defeats so far have been by a single goal. Huddersfield have lost 9 out of 10 times by at least two, 5 of them by at least three. fwiw, Boro conceded one or no goals 22 times last season, but only managed 5 wins all season.

Depressing as feck. The hope with Mitro is that his international performances will determine his value.

Swap him for big AC. He'll be one of the few out there who might accept a pay cut, especially if he's out of contract anyway in summer 2019. Chuck Mitro in if need be. Not that swap deals ever happen of course.

20M! Who are they trying to kid? It's not so much the player he is but the fact that they've signed up to pay him 100,000 a week till 2021. Aging non-first teamers on long tasty contracts are liabilities, not assets. The fee has to reflect that. As a player he'd improve us, but the fee would have to be low and he'd have to take a pay cut. If that's not on, Watford can merrily continue giving him five million a year and he can continue sitting on their bench watching his "Watford legend" status evaporate and generally stinking the place out, which he will if he's on that much and not playing.

The first Deeney red card against Huddersfield was actually appealed, so the folks at Watford must have reviewed it and thought it wasn't that bad. I didn't myself, though my judgement might be clouded by what people get away with against us. The Huddersfield player definitely makes the most of it.