Reluctant Striker

It does seem odd seeing Joe Biden & friends batting for the other side.

Yes, I do think there must be a reason why West Ham let Lehmann go, Everton did not make a loan permanent & Villa were able to get her. And then important players for Villa from last season, like Staniforth, Nobbs, Corsie & Daly are all over 30, so likely to be dipping sooner than later. Feels like, if 5th & higher is what the aim is, as a long term, regular thing, a batch of highly promising younger players will be needed. Right now, if that was a mens Villa team, they would look a bit too MLS really.

Yes. 0-1 at Half Time. But was starting to look more like an attack vs defence training session. Will they do a Leicester ?

Horrible start by Villa women. Last minute loss to Man United. Lost away to Liverpool. Would not have got zero points last season, when they got their best ever finish, in 5th. And now 3rd match is away to Arsenal. Who have been teasing Beth Mead could be ready to return. And are nearly filling The Emirates now. I did watch the Villa vs Man United opener, and have to say, if Lehmann played like a star footballer rather than a star Instagrammer model, she should really have scored at least 1. Perhaps Lehmann's recent long term contract is a sign of something going wrong in strategy.

I'm no expert at all, and do not actively follow half of what goes around the world, etc, so forgive me anyone if this does not sound correct enough. I just don't like seeing & hearing this kind of stuff going on. But it seems to me that perhaps some countries where 'multiculturalism' has been an approach to life. Maybe it has kind of worked. But is usually where other cultures have actively chosen to move in, of their own will. And even then there are still issues & tensions in America, Britain, France, etc. The issue with Israel, to Hamas & everyone sympathetic to them, is how Israel was formed. By colonialists who thought they knew best.. and so is a huge political hammer to bash people with. And presumably feels very justifiable to those holding it. Israel was formed even more recently than Northern Ireland. And as a side note there, a different northern part of Ireland historically had been Ulster. And at least one of its political parties still wants Ulster Unionism. Never mind choosing between UK or Ireland. It's perhaps the 2 most comparable nations - regions. And there may perhaps be a case that a bit more of a 'multiculturalism' approach from all sides could have improved things. Arrived at better tension levels this long after. Especially when the goal for so many is, at this point, to revert back to the days of great, great grandparents, or further. Or just rip it all up & literally do away with any ideas contrary to their own. It's definitely a question of how to do away with the pretty much totalitarian xenophobic mindsets. On both sides. Suggestions of multiculturalism just unlikely to have much impact. When the other side seem legit crazy.

Really do not need any complications here. Zaniolo only in on loan as a necessity, due to Buendia long term & Ramsey still struggling. Still, at least Villa will have an easier route to look for an alternative in January. And as an emergency available loan option he was, he's unsurprisingly looked a weak link. But, if it is an Italian thing only, could it just be international careers punished?

So, 2 podcast-vlog things started up recently. Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer & Micah Richards started a while back, 'The Rest Is Football' I've tried a few, but it's just not my thing. I did already feel a little bored of the Lineker-Shearer thing. Always preferred hearing what Alan Hansen thought of things. Without any BBC balance at all, it's totally Big 6 + Newcastle orientated. And Micah Richards, well, he seems devoid of any good humour at all when it comes to Aston Villa. He was at a terribly declined shadow of Villa between 2015 to 2019. Through form & fitness managed to play a grand total of 26 games. And any stories or anecdotes of his time at Villa never ever acknowledge his career had gone on a similar trajectory to that of the club. There seems genuine resentment toward Villa, staff, colleagues & fans, that he did bugger all for 4 years while still picking up a footballers wage. The fact he was recently voted Aston Villa's worst ever signing suggests I'm probably not alone. Joleon Lescott only managed to get 6th place in that vote. The one that Tweeted a fancy car pic after getting hammered by Liverpool at Villa Park. The other is Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane, Jill Scott & Ian Wright (so more diverse..) have more recently launched 'Stick To Football' Not really got through one of those yet, as none of the first 3 have ever been among my favourites to hear from. I find I very much enjoy a few Villa fan efforts. One Canadian guy in particular, with his 'Holy Trinity' show is almost a professional game by game review, from a Villa point of view. And I think he was an actual TV presenter type person in Canada.

Yes, he can have a quiet run of games. And he's not really the penalty taker & 6 yard box poacher type. But, he really does well in many other ways. It has looked very exciting at times, the way he & Diaby are complimenting each others compatible styles. And hopefully J Ramsey will be linking in with them fairly soon. Watkins league record for Villa is 44 goals in 116 games. He is now ahead of a few of Villa's leading Premier League scorers. Such as 42 in 89 games Benteke. And top right now is Gabby Agbonlahor on 76. Easily within range over 5 years. There have been on off rumours for a while of other clubs having an interest.

Good to see Watkins called up. Not a penalty taker, but a good line leader. Could deserve a chance ahead of Nketiah & Wilson, if anything happens to Kane. Ezri Konsa must wonder why he is always missing out. He must be at least on par with all except Stones.

Sounds like a total farce ! Not really a surprise, but still shocked at how bad it sounds ! They clearly need to tighten up the conversations. Clear & simple. Standardised expected comments, requests, statements, etc. VAR should never, ever, be vaguely agreeing with things looking ok. It needs, Offside-no goal. Or Onside-Goal is good. etc. Everything freezes on field until the magic words either way are spoken. It really is shocking that is apparently not how it works right now.

I do suspect the ownership being an ongoing issue, probably gives him time. That & perhaps wrongly that Chelsea are worse off. I'm not sure what is. You could easily question the signings of Onana & Mount. But if they had gone to Brighton or Newcastle or Spurs, etc, would they be looking as bad? I doubt it. It just kind of often feels like Man United is just not a happy place. Perhaps because it's not Fergie Man United? And that's just something always in the room at the club. Something no other club has to contend with, except perhaps the not-Roman Chelsea. But, yes, it seems to me he just can't have all the squad happy & onboard. However much his own doing. However much that the club's name effects everything & everyone. As a direct comparison, Villa have recently won a combined 9-2 vs Palace & Brighton.

A couple of bits of gossip-news: The noticeably extra sweaty 1st choice / home shirts - the club have complained to Castore & are wanting them to resolve the problem of them trapping all the sweat. The men do not like them. The women's team start their season soon.. Not a great look for Castore, the men & I can easily imagine the women using the 2nd white & 3rd blue tops in the cause of decency, if they are less damp & clingy. The new badge - voted for last season. From a limited choice. Is to be replaced next season with a 150th memorial edition. Rumours that it could be a lone white lion, with no crest around it, similar to on Unai Emery's suit jacket vs Chelsea & noticed by some as a random thing on some of the interview background advertising boards.

Difficult to say anyone other than ETH right now. With most other clubs being vaguely around where most would be expecting to find them. With exception of perhaps Newcastle, with a more mitigating fixture list. Would Man United 's ownership saga allow ETH the luxury of finishing where Arsenal & Chelsea have in the last 2 seasons? And as ever, the Chelsea manager can not be ruled out. Poch is talking of assuring European football. Presumably it is the expectation. But it feels like for all the money & 8 year contracts, others have caught up. And Chelsea just do not look or feel like quite the same beast they have been. Europe is still very possible for them, but I only see 4 as guaranteed, and that's Man City, Arsenal, Spurs & Liverpool. Probably the favourites for Top 4. That would leave 3 spots. Without considering Man United, Newcastle, Brighton, West Ham.. etc. Yes, I imagine many Chelsea fans have 5th circled as the objective. But I don't see Top 7 as a nailed on certainty for them.

I do think it is sad when clubs who have known being a 'big club' and have not known success for a long time are supposedly hampered by FFP. Not sure you can even quite claim to be biggest club ruined by bad management - ownership though. Everton still are one of 6 to never be relegated from the Premier League. I do think it's fair to say there have to be plenty of questions that have never been answered as to how Leeds, Aston Villa & Newcastle have fallen, risen, fallen. Ok, Newcastle right now are closest to attempting a Man City revision of who is a big club. Perhaps it is as easy as 'London' as to how & why Arsenal, Spurs & Chelsea are who they are, where they have been over the last 20 years, ahead of any combination of Leeds, Villa, Newcastle & Everton. But I doubt it. Bad or weak ownership has done plenty of damage to clubs that could have been so very different. And perhaps still could. Though FFP seems more built around maintaining status quo than it ever has been.

Scotland vs England. 150 year anniversary friendly. Lots more like it again, so far, from England. 2-0 at half time. Largely controlling the game. A number of incisive moments. Foden with an incredibly quick reaction finish to knock in a Walker shot. Robertson absolutely gifting Bellingham England's 2nd. Dunk & Guehi looking comfortable in centre defence. Bellingham still mostly playing as 10, ahead of Rice & Phillips. Got his gift goal, but a few times when he's dropped deep, he's showing how capable he is of dazzling past opposition players. Or just maintaining possession in a tight pocket. I do think Rice, Bellingham & 1 other, in more a 1 goes & 1 stays type 3 would better suit. Whether it's TAA, Ward Prowse, Henderson, Maddison or Foden. And Grealish was used there. Ramsey could be used there. Mount? Whoever else breaks through.

Coutinho (still currently with a hamstring injury) loaned for full season to an Al. But a Qatar Al, for variation.

The biggest problem for England, for Southgate & whoever comes next, is when certain clubs let 3 England internationals leave. And replace them with Japanese, Argentinean & Hungarian internationals. It's been happening gradually over the last 20 to 30 years. And Kalvin Phillips & Harry Maguire are the perfect examples of where it is all going. Villa have a Swedish international goalkeeper as number 2. He still gets picked by Sweden. Every club in the league has had players like that for many many years. Ireland always used to have players you had heard of. The Irish, Welsh & Scots have not had the same club chances to develop that they had in the past. Gary Neville has often had things to say about it all & gets disagreed with. I'm fairly sure French, Spanish, German & Italian managers would have a far bigger selection pool. And for me, it all just leads me much more toward having little interest in following the Man City vs Liverpool vs Arsenal vs maybe, maybe, maybe Man United ! Or the Alan Shearer club. Even Villa's minor accomplishment still leaves me a bit m'eh about the bestest league in the world.

In: Torres, Tielemans & Diaby. Loans in: Zaniolo & Lenglet Out: Ashley Young, Aaron Ramsey, Keinan Davis, Cameron Archer, & Jaden Philogene -Bidace And Seb Revan, who played LB vs Hibs is loaned to Rotherham for the season, with Moreno set to return. From memory, unless I missed any, I think that's the lot. 5 in. 5 out. Definitely higher quality coming in than going out.. and still so nice to still be seeing that after recent history. My concern is letting 2 strikers go. With just Watkins & Duran as number 9s. I have a feeling Davis may do well in Italy for Udinese as Beto's replacement. But he never looked like a Premier League goal scorer. Cameron Archer, will probably get lots of game time for Sheffield United. A few getting back to full fitness. Moreno will likely be rotated with Digne. Dendoncker was back for Hibs (DM or CB) And DM is where Tielemans has been used so far. J Ramsey back soon who along with Zaniolo in on loan & academy prospect Kellyman offer some depth for the wing-CAM spots. The spots currently being occupied by McGinn, Diaby & Bailey. Early on, but the manner in which the side controlled the matches with Everton, Hibs twice & Burnley was a pleasure to see. And was very important after such an awful start. The next test, as we become less of a surprise package, is how we do vs the established sides. However we go in Europe, keeping a spot in a highly competitive top half is also on the menu.

It is a sad state of affairs that Maguire, Phillips & J Henderson are still in. But the obvious replacements do not exactly spring readily to mind. Perhaps Konsa, Ward-Prowse & Loftus Cheek ? Not exactly the next promising generation though. Plenty of full backs still around. Plenty of wing-CAMs. Watkins being kept out. But, midfielders in particular do seem few & far between. I guess the positive is that the midfield 3 for the next few tournaments should be Rice, Bellingham & one other. There is talk of TAA being used in midfield. If Maddison continues dropping deep for Spurs, does he come into it? But the days when England mens side is asking players to play out of position. Or looking to the Championship really do seem to be nearing. The England side itself becoming the place some players breakthrough. What many of the more concerned have been worried of for a while.

I agree with what @Stan suggested in other thread. Challenging for a VAR review should be like in cricket & tennis. 3 challenges each. Lose 1 if the challenge is rejected. Keep the challenge if challenge is approved. May even have a side effect of improving behaviour toward the officials. Focus more on questioning each other if a review is worth it or not. It certainly seems a significant grey area when reviews & challenges are just among the refs. With varying takes on what is clear & obvious.

Yes. Newcastle always seemed a dangerous mix of a side both capable of that & also quite motivated to do that. Feels like they still see Villa as a rival, or a side to make a point against. If all had been fully fit, I'd have expected Ramsey ahead of Bailey for Newcastle (a) I feel sure both Diaby & Bailey in same Newcastle (a) line up would not have been Plan A or B. Both capable of looking impressive going forward, but very much a front 3. Which hasn't actually been the case for most of the good run with Emery. More 4-2-2-2. I have been wondering why Tielemans was not starting. Emery seems so switched on, I kind of assume it must be fitness level issues. Apparently Villa want Zaniolo with option to buy, but Galatasaray wanting straight sale, or obligation to buy. Rumours already around before Mings injury was a RB that could cover CB. As they do have 4 fit CBs, I do think the original plan may still be best. Lots of random suggestions of Maguire around, but not from anyone official looking.

I read 1 article suggesting he could pick up a few medals & still return for the Premier League scoring record. It would be possible if only stays 2 seasons & he's 1 that plays well past 35. Maybe dips a level, 10 to 15 a season. But, I think he already looks to be constantly carrying so many ongoing pulls & strains that I question if he'll last the full 4 year contract.

You were not asking me, but there are 3 distinct types of English obsessions on Germany. The first is Hitler & WWII The modern opposition to the first type are those that think Germany 2023 should be what we aspire to be. While doing away with a whole political party. And then third are those that just like Adidas, Puma, BMW, Mercedes Benz, hot dogs & so on. I am wearing an Adidas item today..

Very good point. Yes, being a serial winner tends to get post career opportunities of Hansen & Lawrenson. Neville & Keane. etc. etc. But nobody remembers Shearer as anything other than the Newcastle & England striker that scored lots of goals & lost 2 consecutive FA Cup finals. I'm not saying he would ever match Kane for Spurs. But they do have that guy who generally is used as a winger. Seen as slightly overrated. Unless he's playing for his nation, Brazil. And then he starts bicycle kicking & keepy-upping on the biggest stage possible. As a striker. If he can't help Spurs get over Kane, there's not too many other options. Especially when you consider Man United & Chelsea's never ending striker searches.

If he rejects, he must want the Premier League scoring record & perhaps hoping an English title contender wants him for free next summer. Going to Bayern for a few guaranteed winners medals would surely save his esteem with Spurs fans, much more than having a try with Man United, Chelsea, whoever next year.