Saint86

Good business all in all. Tottenham would have fucked us around until the final hours of the transfer window and then paid £20m. Also, villa really don't need Ings. To spend that money with that short notice smacks of a panic buy by them.

We just got £25M-£30M for a player with a dodgy injury record, who is pushing 30, going into the last year of his contract, and didn't want to be here. That's great business. I get you're pissed off, but we've had a decent window so far, and we are going to sign Armstrong who looks a great replacement. When you wake up in the morning you'll realise this is a contender for absolute bed wetter post of the summer 🙃.

It could be an incorrect statement about the past and therefore not a fact. Equally, it could be an opinion of something that happened in the past, which still not a matter of fact 🙃

That doesn't fit with any evidence thus far re villa making bids or noises out of the club. Or is the entire media in cahoots to make it look like Villa have put in derisory offers, but that actually saints have accepted it? 🙃

Spot on.

Is the predictor league still running as well?

Unless i hate the job, why would you give less? You're either a hard worker who cares about his colleagues, or a lazy tosser who's taking the piss. Doesn't change until maybe the last afternoon etc. when everything is done 🤷‍♂️

It would be disappointing if he goes for anything less than £40M.

Yes precisely, you've nailed it! Now get on your knees and apologise for Britain. But whatever you do, please don't look at the government as it quietly makes personal transport and home heating unaffordable for the average person, kills off whole industries whilst transferring huge debt onto the taxpayer etc. Because that isn't important. What's really important is that the person next to you is different and therefore bad.

I think this is spot on to be honest.

We're beating Everton first game. No doubts.😎

Austrian you say? 🙃

Not sure why you guys all argue with him, he's full on Mr Negative about everything related to the club.

Yeah I agree. I keep seeing people assume thats the case without seeing it evidenced or demonstrated as such in another sale? It makes no sense to me as it defeats the point of a "buy back" clause if the value it stipulates isn't in effect real. I assumed they would be separate clauses with the sell on percentage not relevant to Chelsea buying him back. Is anyone able to definitely answer this one?

Are we still in for Williams?

Everything must be given a negative spin by certain posters. Unless ofc its already negative - in which case they double down... 😆 The reality is that he's a great signing at that money. Very good job well done by our recruitment team.

I'd be a bit surprised if we let him go. He has blistering pace, a decent touch, and can finish. He's been noticeable for what chance creation in preseason and adds something to our attack. In the past Ralph has criticised his training attitude and said he needs to be more serious, and i think if he were ever to get a run in the side that he'd prove a valuable player. If we are to lose an attacking player then surely it needs to be long first and foremost? Nothing against the guy, but he's far and away our worst attacker now. I could actually see us singing AA as a forward/CAM and using SA in the middle with JWP at times.

Best to just use the ignore function i find.

That's our choice though. If we could afford to negotiate a worthwhile deal and not have that clause we would do 🤷‍♂️ But if you banned these types of clauses we wouldn't get the player...

Why should it be banned? Look at it like a 3 year loan where chelsea pay us to develop their player? Do you want loans banned? 🤷‍♂️

In all seriousness.... Southgate is shit 🙄 Nice guy, built a team spirit etc etc. but tactically he's dire.

I don't think there is an awful lot of difference in value between Grealish and Sancho. Right now, for me, the key point is that you aren't tackling Grealish without giving away a foul 🤷‍♂️ - and on top of that he is a very competent attacking player - creativity, final product, dribbling, positioning etc. But its the mere fact that he's a walking free kick machine that adds so much to a team's play - opponents are scared to tackle him, his presence on the ball just builds pressure, and there is a very good chance he'll either directly create something or win you a direct/indirect free kick in a dangerous area. In the same way that Wilkinson added drop goals to England's rugby world cup team, Grealish adds a comparable tactical balance to the teams he plays for imo.

Our idea of defense is a better attack 😀

He isn't going unless we get a bid in the region of 45-50million and he decides he wants to go. Villa without grealish are worse than saints imo, certainly no better anyway. If you look at any of his interviews last season he was very happy at saints and was only thinking of his future with the club - he fits perfectly into the manager's plans here as well. Only way he goes this summer is for a top 5 club imo. I doubt very much that he's off to villa.

Don't get me wrong Tajuk, we aren't unique in mistakenly releasing players. But that era of management was an utter car crash that has tied several millstones around out club. If you ignore the damage done to the academy in terms of talent drain (and also the income that has cost the club - white being the latest)... you've also got players like Hoedt, Lemina, Forsters Contract, Carillo, Ely, Boufal etc... not to mention Puel, MoPe, and Hughes. That lot took a near champions league level squad and ruined the club inside 2seasons... here we are but a few years later with a £100m+ debt, still unable to shift all of those wasted signings / high earners, and unable to significantly strength. That management era make Lowe's look good 🤣.