M1tche

Big miss on paper, but I feel we have enough in there to not miss him too much in the closing stages of the season, if he is missing. Would prefer him to be playing though

I'd say it's pretty obvious, we've only seen him given real minutes there in experiment type games, Bromley FA cup and Liverpool in the weird league set up. other then that it's all RW, even when we've needed someone to come on and play CF

I don't think anyone has a really easy run in: Us: Brighton (A) - We hate it here, but they aren't in the best form Chelsea (H) - Ill take us home against anyone, tough game though Arsenal (A) - Only 1 most would put down as loss, but we're 3-0 up on games against them this season Everton (H) - Solid, but not great and will be with Tarkowski, would take a poor performance for us to lose Man City:- Wolves (H) - They are 6 from 6 in the league, only team in better form than us in the last 6 games Southampton (A) - Easy as it gets tbf Bournemouth (H) - Not in the best form, but still not easy with the way they play and players they have Fulham (A) - Are a pretty good side Chelsea we all agree have a pretty hard run in:- Liverpool (H) Us (A) Man U (H) - Only 1 on paper you'd say should be a win Forest (A) - Massive game Forest which I keep hearing is an easy run in:- Brentford (H) - Play direct and defend quite deep, not what forest like Palace (A) - Play a back 3 and defend well, will be buzzing after today Leicester (H) - Easy as it gets West Ham (A) - Never an easy place to go, but also easyish on paper. Chelsea (H) - Massive game Villa - Fulham (H) - Pretty good side, can Villa pick it up again after another disappointment Bournemouth (A) - Tough game, although not in great form Tottenham (H) - Weirdd side, but pretty poor Man U (A) - Another weird team, but away here is never a given Positions wise I reckon we all finish where we are now, but I'd hope for Chelsea and Forest to switch just because I dislike Chelsea more

Win this and it leaves us in an great position for top 4, a few of the others in the race have a hard game next weekend as well.

If he's not seen as a 9 by the club, it's like comparing Gordon or Barnes to Wilson. Do some feel he might do a better job, yes. Is a he a square peg in a square hole, no! The second part of that is the key part.

Good to have you back big man

Can we stop with tne better than Wilson stuff. We've seen why Wilson comes on as a 9 before him, and that's because he's seen as a RW but the coaching staff. Maybe, when he's more polished they'll use him through the middle again, but right now they don't see him as that.

Looks about as tall as Burn now.

Im going to keep banging the Miley drum. Comes on after very few minutes this season, doesnt force anything, keeps the ball, a few very nice passes, and makes pretty much all the correct decisions. Next season will be the full breakout season.

Looks technically off it, but his athletic attributes are still there. Plus, he never has and never will be a played that looks great against a team that sits deep.

Based on this showing, we'll see him a lot more next season, which adds another number to the usable squad.

At 30-40mil. Id say that's a great signing. We need to raise that ceiling at CB, and we need pace. As much as his long range passing is not even close to Schars, he breaks the lines better with short passing, and his balls into the box for mid range crossing areas are better.

25 mins in, and im now of the thinking that we should be adding Delap to the squad.

Have to agree with this, this is the 1st of 2 must wins that are coming in the next few weeks. This one and Chelsea are the must wins for me, win them both and it leaves us in a great positions still. Lose either and we'll have a hard task getting Champions League football

Loans should only be used for emergencies and to delay paying bigger fees for players, like we did for Hall. Otherwise it's not a longer term way to build a squad. With Botman back, we need to raise the ceiling at GK, RCB and RWF, then if there are funds left also get people that raise the floor at CM, CF, and LB. If we cover all of those our squad will look ridiculous going into next season

Welbeck does normally get the goal, but I feel that Pedro is the difference between then being a problem going forward, to being predictable. He does things that aren't the normal, dropping into hard to mark spaces to create space for the others

The Joao Pedro suspension is massive for the Brighton, which I think swings it our way. Also, bare in mind that Sven is due back in the next few games, so we'll be able to change the back 4 a little if required, or go to 3 against Arsenal. Don't forget that he is by far our best CB as well. I think we win the next 3, which will calm all the nerves in here, and give us breathing space. The mentality of the squad is different to last time we were in this position, they'll be looking at finishing 3rd rather than just making the Champions League

At what point did I say he wasn't? The Ipswich game is a week away, not tonight!

After today, I'll be shocked if he's not back at the club by Ipswich, he may not be on the touchline, but he'll want to be much closer things.

Perfect game to go into after today. Win the home games and we're back in the champs league

Im confused by so few getting that the rotation needed to come in the games at home against bottom half side, or even away to relegation fodder. So, we could go full strength, and full pace, away to top 5 contenders

Ive seen a few posts of Villa depth, so this isnt aimed at you but yours was a good post to quote tbf. Villa have better depth, but are also in a position that even without the loan ages they NEED champs league to not have a fire sale, they're backs to the wall with no way out. They had no choice but to gamble again in Jan to go as deep into the Champs league, and FA cup as possible, whilst also making charge for qualification next season. It'll be an absolute fire sale if they dont make it, and all the good work will be undone in 1 summer, or they face wherever reprocussions come with going over every single spend to turnover rate going.

What is even the point of posts like this? Can we not just have a football discussion?

I have not once mentioned Wilson, as i think he's done. Onto the others, Willock and Longstaff would both start for Leicester, so start them in that game. Willock and Miley both start for Manu and Palace, so why not give them a game? Kratfh has played is good wins over the last few years, use him, and straight up Gordon should have stated for Murphy today, or at the least been on at HT

I don't care if this place is up in arms, if players aren't capable of giving the required energy levels they don't play, or they come off. The fact is the rotation should have happen before today. It's the hardest of the run after playing 1 relegation fodder team and 2 teams in the bottom half. We need to be better at it, that is a literally fact