NOT a Villa match thread

This is nonsense. He wouldn't make their bench today.

Haven't seen it but based on the bits I've seen, I'll be interested to see what motd concludes but I don't expect it to be in Emery's favour.

I don't disagree but if he has a good season as a number 6/8 and (say) gets a call up whether he makes their team or not they might buy him back on the relative cheap. We signed him for £30m the buy back is probably not more than £60m (could be considerably less). That is an easy commercial opportunity for them, whether they see him as good enough for them or not. See what they did with Trafford's buy back for example to Burnley. That was £31m, they activated it (probably with no intention that he'd be their number 1) and sold him for £15m profit to Leeds 12 months later.

They are basically the same age (8 days different). Trafford is a goalkeeper and went back there a year ago. It's a completely different circumstance and simply isn't going to happen.

Now I've seen it. It's a cynical foul to stop a break. A clear booking and no more. You've got 5 subs to make, probably best to not use them all up in the 63rd minute. Someone might get injured.

Thanks to Forest being on TV eleventy billion times last season (and generally losing when they weren't) the last time I watched Match Of The Day was one of the last two times we won at Liverpoo. I remember it was delayed by The Last Night Of The Proms overrunning.

Guess what?

Having watched MOTD - laughed when there were only 2 clips from the 1st half. Semi shouted 'pick that out' for Delap's goal, Felt that the closing down of the cross and the failure to anticipate said cross for the equaliser was poor. Thought that McAtee's challenge on Maaaaaatsen was high, but 'covering' rather than 'contact'. Didn't look like a red card.
And let's face it - at the end of the day you don't lose to a building site.
First win at Villa since 1994 I think. I rather like removing Albatrosses. Hopefully we will address our 100% record at The Emirates and The Hill Dickinson Stadium when it comes round to it.

Edit - it seems it wasn't McAtee's high leg that was the problem - it was contact from his other foot. Clumsy, but still not a red card.

I also couldn't help smiling at the xG lunatic being reduced to a MOTD studio pundit alongside Ashley Williams.
I guess xG now stands for 'expected guest appearances'.

With respect, I don't think you seem to be appreciating my point.

If McAtee were to be player of the month multiple months, get a call up, and be heralded as the new Wharton or Anderson (none of which is beyond the realm of possibilty) in today's market he is likely to be worth a lot more than the 2025 market buyback clause. He might even already be, depending on how high that clause is, because of his good start and the kirsty and phil effect as reported in the Guardian.

That doesn't mean City will want him for their squad (although they might try him if they ruin Anderson/Bouaddi/Enzo). It does mean as a profit making proposition they would probably want to take advantage of a contractual option that allows them to sign a player at substantially below market value and sell him for profit. It's exactly why they included the buy-back clause.

This is hypothetical but if he continues as he's started this season I'd put it as not unlikely, unless there's some contractual way out of it. Commercially they are a lot smarter than Newcastle.

Maybe being optimistic is ok now and again

But Jesus nicked all the points off them so we''ve got a bit of devilment in us.

It's the hope that kills you, etc...

Not seen any mentions of him but did anyone see the whole match can give an opinion on Diomande?