egg

We were always selling him when he refused to sign. The issue was on who's terms. He never wanted Villa.

I think there's been a power play on both sides, and he's lost and ultimately had to go to Villa. How this has played out, the very canny Livramento deal, and the other business we've done this window, makes me confident that we now have some smart negotiators in the club.

@Matthew Le God, are you CollinsDic? Raging Bull is asking.

That's my experience too. In my diverse social group, race isn't a subject, we're just friends and our race, religion, or whatever is a non issue. If those subjects are topical though and come up, those better placed to understand the issue have views that we respect. What would never happen though is the white guys would try to speak for the black/asian guys on race issues as they simply can't. Bizarre that the white guys on here feel able to do that from a position of knowledge. Sure, we can seek to see things from their perspective, but in all honesty we can't speak from any position of real authority.

I think the rule is that it's not racist to have black friends, but it's racist to say that you have black friends, but if you say racism is rife and/or are otherwise pious, then it's not racist to say that you have black friends. I think. Someone will doubtless now tell me that I'm racist as I've now said I have black friends. It's very tough being white these days.

I think it's a very prominent and frequent poster, usually on the main board.

Ha!! Indeed...and I've also been told from black people how racism feels...but I'm not in any position to try to explain to anyone how childbirth, menopause or racism ACTUALLY feels.

Some black players experience some racism from some people. We all know and recognise that. Nobody - nobody whatsoever - on here has said otherwise. The problem is that people like you are getting all agitated because people have said a) that the knee won't solve the racism issue and b) that because some divs are racist, that doesn't mean that racism is rife in this country and c) that there is a systemic problem. What's weird to me is that white boys from leafy suburbs try to lecture other white boys from leafy suburbs on racism. What next, a lecture on how childbirth actually feels, or how bad hot flushes from the menopause are, or some other subject that you've no experience about thus know fuck all about? You pious idiots are irritating.

Christ no. Shocking player.

On that we agree. He's a very very good player. In my fantasy league team this year.

He's looked good when I've seen him. Pace, touch, finishing. If it's not him, my gut feeling is that we'll end that type of player, ie a young player from a big club who's not quite done it there.

Insane no, insane signing, yes.

How many starts Matthew? 16 goals in 17 England u21 games pretty impressive, yes?

Nketiah knows where the back of the net is though. Strikers attract a premium. None of that explains the price - people seem to pluck a figure from the air and believe that to be a players actual value. Quite odd.

Probably because he's ended up at Villa and ain't overjoyed that having aimed for the moon he's landed on a cloud.

Nketiah would be a very good shout, but where did you get that price from? Arsenal would want serious money for him - they dismissed £25m out of hand for Smith-Rowe and this lad is just as much a talent.

Fantasy

Case was close for me. I loved watching him play. Made the game look easy.

Yep. It's obvious that villa were never on his agenda, he probably wanted Spurs or City. They didn't want him, or at least not at our price. Once we knew what Villa were willing to pay I suspect we've been tough with him, possibly "stay and you ain't playing so good luck persuading anyone to take you next year". We've done well here and I couldn't give a monkeys which club gave us the money.

I agree with that, although I wander if the whole thing came out of discussions about JWP, ie Villa enquired about him, we said he ain't available but offered Ings, and it went from there. I think the Minamino deal happened in a similar way last season. The weird thing is I can't see where Ings will fit into their system, unless Watkins gets benched. Guaranteed starts here, a longer contract on the table, but he goes where he has competition and a shorter contract.

Here's a thought, why not ask Hypo whether he accepts that racism still exists rather than assume that he doesn't? I say that as I've followed the thread, and he hasn't said what you think he's said - his point was that the UK is not institutionally racist. That has nothing to do with organisations who have had racism issues. Regardless, sadly we'll always have racists amongst us. On the actual subject of the thread, the point many make is that footballer players taking the knee won't stop those racists from being racist. It's not doing any good, and it won't change the mindset of an idiot. Against, that background, what's the point of keeping on with it? What good do people think it will actually do?

Van Dijk and Shearer. Best defender and best centre forward I've seen in a saints shirt.

Rugby

You're a properly shit troll mate.