Reluctant Striker

Resting starters: Cash, Pau Torres, Douglas Luiz, Diaby & Watkins. Perhaps also Ramsey & Moreno, now fit enough for the bench, which is great to see. Starting 11: Martinez, Chambers, Konsa, Lenglet, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn, Zaniolo, Duran & Bailey. 2-2 and not quite HT yet. Both times Villa equalised from behind. Perhaps different than what was expected. But, they are the big club of Poland. Fairly sure they have a track record of being awkward opponents in the lower level Euro competitions.

I think the general media narrative of Chelsea players downed tools last season needs to reassessed. Yes, there is an injury crisis. Yes, it's only Aston Villa next. There will be goals in that match.

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.

Feels like if Palace had held on for 0-1, or maybe even 1-1, then their plan would have worked. But, Villa found a big finish. It has been more customary for Emery-Villa to hit 2 or 3 early goals in the opening 15 minutes rather than the final 15. Looking forward to seeing exactly how far offside Diaby was in the first half. And exactly WTF was going on for around 5 minutes before the ref apparently refused to change his mind on the penalty. For me, promising to see Villa overcome some genuine adversity. And win in a different manner. Exciting phase of the season ahead, with European games regularly over the next few months. Legia Warsaw (a) midweek. Chelsea (a) next weekend. Poch assuring all Chelsea fans of European football next season..

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.

I posted about this in England thread ! Liked seeing Dunk & Guehi start. And how comfortable they were. Tomori & Colwill must be so disappointed. Maguire is on now. And scoring a beauty of an o.g. The first half made a mockery of 'The Rest is Football' view that there is no depth behind Maguire. Compared to bountiful choices in midfield. Not sure I like Bellingham as a 10. A 3 with him, Rice & one other. There are plenty for the 1 other. The obvious midfielders. Also Maddison. Foden. TAA. Grealish. Ramsey. Maybe it's the past sides with Platt-Gascoigne or Gerrard-Lampard. The rarity of seeing Ince-Batty. It is just difficult to imagine Southgate choosing a midfield that feels very forward thinking. But I don't think there are too many sides that justify needing both Rice & Phillips.

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.

I just read Flick is the first ever German national team manager to be sacked ! Things must be really bad.

North Macedonia 1 - 1 Italy Could end up 2 consecutive tournaments Italy fail to qualify for, right after winning Euro 20/21.

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

Toughest not-Italy match for England. A point not at all a disaster thanks to the start in the group. But really did feel lethargic from England. I presume the plan was for Maddison to cut inwards in possession. Letting Chilwell take the wing. But it really was not working. Rashford did stay wide when he came on, but always looks the worst passer in any England side. So many counter attacks were launched by Rashford trying a basic pass that just wasn't on. And did not seem able to pull something out of a hat. And just never really looked like doing anything special. The moment that really summed up England's below par showing was when Rashford did have a chance to run, jink & shoot.. he just kind of tripped himself up. Bit weird to take Bellingham off. But he wasn't at it at all. I can see Scotland being loads more up for the friendly than this England side.

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.

I'm still trying to decide if I perhaps underestimated this current batch of players, but I do remember having near zero expectations for the 2018 World Cup. And they got to a semi final. Yes, they lost twice to Belgium, were knocked out by Croatia & would perhaps have been embarrassed by France, but where you get to is where you get to. And they went that little bit further at the delayed Euro's. Then in Qatar got edged out by France. And I am equally starting to wonder now where the next generation are. Will they cover all positions adequately. But also with Bellingham owning being a Real Madrid superstar. Saka, Foden & even still Rice should be around for a few tournaments ahead. But if this modern England squad ever had as many pre tournament injuries as France had, before Qatar, I'm fairly sure they do not have the same depth of choice of backups. Personally I don't see them making a celebrity name appointment next. I don't think it would interest too many of those types. And it would be a really brilliant way to end, to get a trophy. They should have belief that is realistic. Whether they do or they don't, it does perhaps feel like end of the journey time.

I don't buy it. We had 'big club' Steven Gerrard at Villa. He did not rate our wingers 1 bit. El Ghazi, Trezeguet & Traore. 1st was a penalty taker. 2nd hit a sweet volley to help us survive 1st season back. 3rd had been playing 'Champions League' He wanted all 3 gone. To get Villa moving upwards, maybe he had a point. But Traore survived & sat half of Hibs defence on their bums the other week. Because that's the level of opponent that makes him look really good. I know it's not laziness that keeps Traore from winning matches vs Liverpool. It's the fact he's nowhere near the level of Diaz & Jota, let alone Salah. And Sancho increasingly seems a good distance off too. I just have to accept some level of peace with that, and hope Diaby stays around when enough realise he could just be 'good enough for a big club' and we can add more such players around him. And if Hojlund somehow does not work out to be anything more than a Haaland stunt double, that will not be him being useless & lazy either. You might well hear that & buy into that. But for me it will make it look silly to have spent that money on him rather than get Ferguson from Brighton.. or Kane.

Seems a typically OTT drama over a Man United player. Why the manager can't just phrase it different. If he is going to comment, just say that he personally rates Rashford, Garnacho & Anthony as ahead of Sancho. That is the choice he is paid to make. And should be open to Sancho earning his chance. There should not be any drama. Man United are nearly always like this. Conte was like it. Pep even gets like it.

Not sure if he ever had pace, but these days he does seem just a decent crossing & set piece option. Moreno seems to have more pace & the better in-play of the 2. And Ramsey would have been on that side. Cash & McGinn on the other. But, the pattern continues for now. If Villa get to dictate the game, they do so. If they have a fight on for the ball, against a good team, they're not showing too much sign of doing well in those matches.

An utter shambles from Villa from what I'm hearing on Radio 5 & reading from those on Twitter who were concerned about keeping Jacob Ramsey quiet.. People who predicted back to mid table looking correct right now. It's going 4 or 5 again.

I'd still expect Newcastle to start climbing the table. They do have easier looking fixtures ahead, over the next few months. Around Champions League games. But, whether the aim was to have title hopes, retain top 4, or top 7, there does have to be some concern that from Villa, Man City, Liverpool & Brighton, they just turned up big time for Villa. And threw it away against Liverpool.

Forest are getting plenty of stick for their transfer approach. But for me, they are 1 of those that somehow got left behind when the money kept getting bigger. And I do not see them being in trouble this season. Pity for them MotD last week was all about Man United, and you know in advance MotD & media in general will be all over Chelsea this week. But 3 goals scored, an even goal difference & 3 points.

So weird to me that Villa sold him.

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.

That ones so bad it makes me wonder if he had a bet on..

To most people I know 'leaving by mutual consent' is actually supposed to imply 'termination' The club lose enough matches, and ETH is paid up & sent on his way. I guess it's your club, if that all sits right with you.. But I would suggest they a) just do not want to pay up remaining salary in 1 hit. And b) at best may perhaps be contemplating a future transfer fee.

Yes, you would have assumed he's not still being paid his Man United salary & was free to go wherever would take him, but.. ?? He is apparently a Man United player on loan at Getafe now.. I'd imagine there will be another wave of reaction if it comes out they are still paying his wages. After announcing his departure. I did hear a bit of Simon Jordan soon after the 'leaving' statement suggesting Man United as separate business thing would be looking to maintain asset value, or something along those lines. Do they look for a transfer fee next summer? Or see if the vibes have changed it he does well in Spain & seems alright when you listen to him. etc.

Yes, I do think when you look at the 3 new teams, then Everton & Wolves, maybe Bournemouth, perhaps Fulham.. I am looking at Forest thinking lower mid table is doable. Not nailed on. But rather plausible. So I imagine people within Forest are thinking that way too. And then having reservations about strengthening anyone outside of the usual top 6-7 sides.