Reluctant Striker

With Villa I think it's mostly the transfer activities that have been finally impacting. Duran was getting lots of attention for his multiple late winners off the bench. Rogers has been getting England potential type reviews. But it's often been a whole new midfield pair & plenty of the others just not quite performing yet. Palace (h), Juventus (h) & Chelsea (a) feels like a point where something needs to start properly clicking. If we are going to stay in & around the race for a top 4 spot.

Liverpool vs Villa ? Feels like the wheels are in danger of coming off the extraordinary Unai wagon. He's taken us so far, so quickly, I think he will be immune from too much pressure for some time. But today, at very, very best Villa find a bit of form & squeak a narrow win, or battle for a point. Or, it gets embarrassing. Almost Man United style.

Ask any Wolves / West Midlands fan whether West Ham or Forest got their last manager appointment right, it would be 70%-80% for Forest.

The more I look into internal trading standards, the better it seems there has not been the right alignment of US President & UK PM to do some kind of enhanced trade deal. I was watching a documentary recently on lots of American sourced snack foods & soft drinks being seized from small UK shops, because the ingredients used are known to cause diseases, such as cancer. The US is that far behind on regulations. And many US toothpastes contain peroxide, way above any level the EU would sanction. Plus, if it was ever a Trump deal, which does at least seem off the menu now, he would bend the UK over a big one. Even if he does prefer the UK (which he can just about understand the language of) over a number of other places. But, honestly can not say I will miss the Biden, Macron, UVDL cosy up at all the 'diplomatic' get togethers. Maybe that's their approach with China, Russia, North Korea, etc. In my opinion 'the left' these days seem to forget how many people just are not hard wired into looking for anything but the others. And so often it feels like that's a significant part of the sales pitch.

1st to 8th in one match! 1 of the toughest away Premier League matches next. Hope they start finding form again soon.

For suggesting in a press conference that bleach may be an answer to Covid, it's absurd he's been re-elected. For that reason alone. A generation back just any 1 of the scandal of talking such nonsense, or being impeached, or found guilty of any crime.. it would have been political career ending. There must be some hope that he is a 1 off phenomenon though.

Can't really complain. Diaby was not really replaced. Bailey has had minor knocks / form issues. Buendia is still on the comeback path. And defensively Onana & Tielemans are not quite Kamara & Douglas Luiz. Form vs the lower half of the table had been suggesting beatings vs the better teams. Anfield next weekend.. At this point I'm mostly trying to decide what exactly it is that James Maddison said or did to Ange..

You may have noticed I tend toward feelings & instincts rather than tactical analysis. But, on this occasion, I have to say Unai's line up, with the level of players Villa have, beats Ange's line up, with the level of players Spurs have. Ange needs to change something soon, or get bailed out by an individual moment or 2. Would not put it past them. But right now, the match is being decided by the 2 coaches.

I still can't help but feel that the cups are worthwhile winning. Our 2nd choice was never going to win through. Just the same as our 1st choice will likely fall short to some extent in the priority competitions. It doesn't sit right with me, but 4th in the league beats a cup win. From the money men down.

I've not been suggesting they should not get rid of ten Hag. West Ham won a first trophy since the early 80's & got rid of their manager soon after. It is the way football is these days. The main point I was originally making was that winning what the Fergie era considered the lesser trophies is just perhaps as good as it gets for Man United for some time. Explain how this is factually incorrect Mr Ineos? No club will ever be a happy place unless it can celebrate what it achieves.

BBC News using images of Dalot to break the news was subtle, but appreciated.

More recently & relevantly the 2020/21 season featured Arsenal finishing 8th after spending an extended part of early season much lower, with all kinds of angsty fans & fairly sure had Xhaka giving some back to the fans. With Arteta as manager. To follow in your more avant garde style, Huw Edwards was the Welsh & white Trevor McDonald that recently..

Being 14th after 9 games is taking Man United to depths they just can not accept. And just so much seems so wrong at the club. On the other hand, in an era of Man City, with Liverpool & Arsenal as nearest challengers, is 1 league cup & 1 FA Cup, regardless of performance, playing style & league position, sort of good? Would things be easier for a manager at Spurs or Chelsea with 2 trophies? I'd give it 50-50 if a new manager gets them moving back up, or continues to stagger around feeling deeply unsatisfied with only challenging for the lesser trophies.

The way the match went, Bournemouth's late goal should really have been a consolation. A few of this type match mounting up now. I obviously still take this over the bottom 6. But, plenty to feed into the go-to punditry that Villa are not really in with much chance of anything. On all the others, Slot at Liverpool is impressing me. I think there is a tradition of clubs doing well before a manager change, suffering a dip. But it's not going that way at all. I do see the amusing side to Brighton & Forest being where they are. It's early, but that Big 6/7 just are not where they are supposed to be. I think Southampton & Wolves could make it a 1 spot race for the others. Though both did well in different ways on Saturday.

If anyone had not noticed, Villa vs Bologna was the Spaghetti derby. The home of Spaghetti Junction vs the home of Spaghetti Bolognese. There were some twists & turns, and Bologna did look quite tasty at times, but the crazy Villa ride continues. It's just 2 years since Unai arrived, 3 points above the Premier League relegation zone.

Was another win for Villa. But also another where they had to come from behind & really could have gone either way. It is the sort of run good teams have. Just slightly worrying as to how it will go when we start playing more of the top half. Having played 7 of the 12 sides from Fulham down, I do think Wolves have seemed the weakest team. If it does not turn around soon, changing manager could help. But, perhaps the lack of stability of maintaining players is starting to catch up with them.

It would not surprise me at all if Leicester finish closer to Europe than the Championship. Certainly 9th down is a very close & competitive group.

I will give him a chance. If Klopp & Pep were off the table & Premier League managers content or contracted, he may be ok financially. I can imagine people will find it quite endearing to see a German having any meltdown he may or may not have, on England's behalf. Don't know too much about him tactically, but Chelsea of recent past years perhaps would play wingers as wing backs?

Much more sensible looking England line up & a much better performance. Not exactly top gear England. But maybe as much as it needs in this UEFA Friendly but with possible implications League. I think that formation with the available players that tactically fit it best is as good as it can get. Perhaps a bit lucky Teemu Pukki is 34 & only came on as a sub. He still looked Finland's best attacking player.

Thankfully did not have to watch this one in full. Crazy looking starting 11. Yes, many were craving a return to the days when England fielded line ups that intended to win by outscoring the opponent. But, Rice as the only midfielder? Saka, Gordon and Palmer all starting? It's a tough choice, but there really is only space for 2 of them. With Bellingham & Foden still together? Again, I think the tough choice is one or the other. Watkins or Solanke (or Kane or DCL) ahead of Foden. Gomes or Gallagher (or Mainoo) ahead of Palmer. Because tactics. Would be bold & sensible choices to me. Carsley's just dropped drastically for me. School boy team selection is not going to cut it.

On the Burn vs DCL incident, for me, Burn is mainly just on the wrong side of DCL. The normal position is for a defender to be between the goal & the striker. But as he's behind DCL & further out from goal, for me he just still looks to block the shot. Perhaps more than play the ball. It does seem a bit clumsy. But I do think any side having that given as a penalty against them would feel harshly treated.

There were worries / predictions European efforts could affect Villa. 2 Premier League draws either side of beating Bayern will do little to hush up that narrative. Konsa going off is very worrying.

Sadly I was not there. But wow... if Unai can add a trophy of any kind, there will be no debate left.. the best Villa side I've known of. (since the early 90's) Martinez does not tend to get the credit he warrants. Part because Villa. Part because, yes, he can be a wind up merchant. Tielemans was frustrated this time last year. And now we see why. Making the loss of Douglas Luiz seem a far more trifling side note than it could have been. And Duran. He just needs to keep his feet on the ground. He can be near enough anything he wants to be, if he works for it.

I have to say, if Diego Carlos was playing CB for Man United or Liverpool or whoever, there would be Twitter meme's all over the place. Guaranteed 1 really dodgy pass (vs Wolves) or non challenge (today) at least once a match. And even against lower table sides, that's often all that is needed. Sooner Konsa is back at CB the better. It is worrying that while 1st choice RB Cash has been out, Unai has seemed reluctant to rotate Nedeljkovic & Bogarde. Leaving Konsa at CB. As Unai gets everything spot on, I can only assume they must look like they have more errors in them in training.

Disappointing draw. But on form, it had been coming.