Number 6

In the same team he got the same G+A as Ndidi, Ayew, and Mavididi. He did slightly better on xG + xA, until you put it on a per 90 basis where again he doesn't stand out. He might not have been expected to deliver lots for a team who struggled as much as we did, but he only ended up delivering as much as players much less revered.

That assessment seems fair. I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that he goes, but he's clearly one of the more talented members of the squad. I think a Championship season could do him great, but he may get attractive offers from abroad that would be equally good for him.

Aptly feels like a bit of a sideways pass of an appointment.

Nice closing montage there with all of the goodbyes. Lineker saying goodbye to MOTD. Vardy saying goodbye to Leicester. Trent saying goodbye to Liverpool. KDB saying goodbye to Man City. Forest saying goodbye to Champs League.

So much is going to change between now and the start of the season. Surprised the market is even open at this stage.

Exactly, but this is why you'd just say "hey, if you wait until June for your payment we'll give you £x extra". He doesn't want to be here and it would be a month's wait for a little extra money, shouldn't be hard to agree.

I fail to see how this would be the case as we'd just agree something mutual with Ruud so he gets his payout in the next financial year.

If we insist on trying to replicate Man City then surely we'd have more success getting some decent loan players from them.

I'm much less convinced that Ipswich romp to the title next year given the way they've limped through the last leg of the PL. They carried a lot of momentum last time around, but could carry the opposite this time. Ourselves and Saints probably start with a new manager in charge and a refreshed squad. Don't think the same will be true for Ipswich.

Our equaliser costing them is great.

Point enough for Villa now

Get in!

Apparently Forest Chelsea is the first and only game this season where neither side had a shot on target in the first half.

You can see how this is gonna go: Forest going to have to push for a goal at some point but a Chelsea goal on the counter would then kill them. Knife edge.

Not looking great for Villa now. Were being dominated before and now down to 10. A point very unlikely to get them CL.

Looks like a 523 type set up, though very disjointed. He's played Thomas left of 3CBs before and he's done ok, though it still seems strange. Odd the be so unambitious when the result doesn't really matter.

I'd have preferred Sheffield Utd promoted just as I think that would make our job next year a tad easier, but if you remove that aspect I think this is a great result. Wow they've got a busy summer ahead though. Sheff Utd are miles off a team that stays up and yet looked fairly dominant in that final.

Is it just me or do the football TV set ups often choose to show replays over live action these days? Really infuriating.

I do think a Rohl appointment would have a higher ceiling and be more exciting, but with that does come more uncertainty and chance of it blowing up in your face. You can see the appeal of Martin given that he's available and was promoted out of this division just a couple of years ago, plus we have the core of a squad that would suit how he wants to play. The worry about him not being able to handle the Prem is a little moot given we're not in that division and ultimately right now it would be nice to have that problem in 12 months' time.

Date of sacking: October 5th Position when sacked: 10th Points: 3 Last game in charge and result: Newcastle (H) 0-3

I think this does logically make sense. Allowing transfer of jurisdiction and the then expedited process would mean any 23/24 punishments would be handed out THIS season. That seems fairer than clubs dropping in and out of leagues and potentially being hit by the punishment many years later. The spanner in the works this time is the delay. If it weren't for the timescales I'd have thought a deduction which has us finish the season 19th would help all parties draw a line under it.

I don't like the guy as he seems very ego driven, but there would be *some* positives. They had a long unbeaten run in the Champ and did achieve promotion. Ok they finished 4th, but did amass points of a 2-3rd placed finish. The big red flag for me would be mentality. Our squad has already showed itself to be weak in this regard and I don't think Martin would help that. I think the very first game against Sheff Weds in the Champ showed all you needed to see: some very good football at times but mentally fragile and almost didn't get the win. I think RVN needs to go whoever we go for. The stink needs washing off. But JFC drop all the respect BS, we need to be talking to candidates for the job NOW.

Well you quote replied to somebody who did. And presumably the article writer did.

Thought Jonathan Wilson's piece made a really good point: we've all been assuming Utd and Spurs are 16th and 17th in the league partly due to focussing on Europa. But last night looked like 16th vs 17th. Huge summer for both.

Gross