mrfahaji

This. There's a reason we have a "Morgan sized hole", because we have essentially replaced him with another forward!

Chris Baird? Right position as well

I have been thinking that an area we are lacking a bit is a wide midfielder. Obviously our core tactics don't want for one, but if we want to play Mane through the middle we probably need someone who can play on the left and give more cover to the full back. Tadic is quite attacking but can still do a job, but not when you have Rodriguez or Long on the other side. a LCM makes sense - someone who can play that role when needed, but is equally at home in the centre when we deploy our usual formation.

Good article, easy to read and valid points. As you have asked for feedback, should "Glenn Whelan's and Damien Delaney's" have apostrophes?

"Those fans who purchase tickets for this game will be given priority for any future UEFA Europa League away fixtures this season." Does this mean people with a ticket for the away leg get priority in future games? Or does it include attending the home leg? I went to Vitesse at home but am on holiday for Midtjylland, hoping this won't affect my already slim chances of getting a ticket for any future Europa League games should we reach the group stages.

Van Dijk now odds on to join Southampton. Whether this is because the bookies have some inside knowledge or they are simply responding to a sudden surge of forum-inspired betting, who knows.

It's not a bad shout that he would do well in a Championship side - it's all very well saying he could play for a club further down in the Premier League, but if he struggles to impose himself in this division, it's going to be the same story at West Brom or Norwich, possibly moreso because they will (probably) be controlling games less than we do - rather he was sat on the Saints bench than another team's. But MLG does have a point about the additional Europa games, wouldn't make sense to thin the squad this year.

A key problem against Newcastle was our lack of control in midfield because we played Mane as (or instead of) a third central midfielder. We could manage if we had a left midfielder rather than a left winger to bring in, but neither J-Rod nor Schlong fit that billing. Davis was arguably MOTM against Newcastle yet you'd drop him unless he plays LM. Push Mane out to the left but let him roam inside and Davis in the middle and we look much more likely to control the game.

I wouldn't disagree that he "is" mustard, i.e. generally speaking, but I just can't see how you can say that about his performance today. He had moments of brilliance but for me was way below his recent standard for most of the game.

Really? I didn't think so. I'm with mcbendy in that he showed glimpses of why he has to start, but for a lot of the game he gave the ball away cheaply or ran into trouble. On another day his control would be better, his tricks would come off and he would be unplayable, but I would say that he was below par today. He seemed to come alive in the last few minutes, and then fluffed the chances. He's effective through the middle but not sure we can accommodate him there at the expense of losing control of the midfield. Sometimes it was like watching 5 a side, when one team loses the ball and the other team runs the entire length of the pitch for an attack of their own! Colback & Davis near the end springs to mind in particular!

Unfortunately I have to agree, a silly booking to pick up so early. But at least he's set up a goal...!

Think they are the Danish champions, could be a tough game. But in terms of travel it must be the best (or second best) possible tie.

The only thing I'd add to this was that Vitesse also had good opportunities in the first leg. I know it's hard to go an entire game without the opposition having a chance, but for a large part of the second half (particularly when Clasie went off, even though he didn't appear to have a good game), it seemed Vitesse were controlling the game. Hopefully it is just a mix of pre-season and complacency, I guess we will find out on Sunday!

Well seeing as you've brought them up, surely a song of "Mane, mane, mane, mane, maaaneeeeeee" would work pretty well?

Most goalkeepers can save shots, I think it's equally, if not more important to be a good decision maker and have a good command of the area.

Especially when the team he manages also happen to be playing in Holland tomorrow.

Second half we looked a bit tired, hopefully we're still getting up to speed. Mane in particular went from being the main danger man to being a bit sloppy. I really think an in form Tadic is crucial to this team, his creativity and willingness to create are invaluable and different to others (perhaps Juanmi can offer this too, his composure for the third goal was superb). However, in the second half Tadic showed the other side of his game - looking for a free kick rather than getting the ball under control, dwelling on the ball for too long etc. In hindsight it was a mistake to put on Juanmi for Clasie - not because of the individuals, but because we completely lost control of the midfield. Some people around me were clamouring to "go for it a bit more", but actually having four forwards on the pitch counts for nothing if you can't build attacks. As soon as Reed came on we looked assured again. Clasie didn't really DO much of note, but he tends to take up good positions and plug gaps - it's like his main role was to shoo players into the path of Vic - a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone! Wanyama was brilliant, Fonte oozed class. Targett grows in confidence with each game. Thought Soares looked encouraging first half but lost his edge second, looked symptomatic of lacking fitness. Absolutely delighted with the score, although feels like it flattered us a little. Thoroughly enjoyable evening, the points above are more of a critique rather than being negative. First half we really played with confidence at times which gives me hope for the season ahead.

I always go with "Life on Marsden".

Same - I chose the 'Print at Home' option, but then the second ticket on my Dad's account didn't give me that option. Fortunately both our membership cards turned up today so have avoided more calls to the ticket office - when I spoke to them last week they said that the last memberships had just gone out (this was Tuesday), so you should get it soon, unless you only purchased membership last week.

I think players should only be put on the banner once they have stopped playing for us, that way the decision is a bit more objective, rather than clamouring for the latest starlet and then regretting it later. How many people wanted Lallana on the banner 18 months ago? I know Fonte SEEMS to love the club, and his importance to the side cannot be understated, but no-one can be 100% sure he is going to join Spurs next month... Ron Davies should be ahead of him in the pecking order. From my generation, I think Benali is the best shout - a true cult hero and now a great ambassador for the club.

I believe so, I was looking through the Official Fantasy Football list and he wasn't on there. Bearing in mind Nathan is still on there for Chelsea despite being loaned to Vitesse, I would assume he has gone. I always liked him but it sounds like Villa fans aren't too sad to see the back of him and think his mistakes and form cost them lots of points last year. But then, perhaps all our dropped points last year were due to Clyne and Schneiderlin...?

Just had a look at the odds - shows how unpredictable the division is that apart from Rotherham, the best odds you can get for any team is about 20/1. I remember thinking the same last year when I was going to bet on Bournemouth and Boro for promotion but the odds seemed so short for what I thought were two I fancied teams. Brighton 9/1, aren't they relegation candidates?! I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the League 1 promoted sides in the race, it is a division that momentum often takes out the other end, up or down, as we can testify. Boro Brentford (strange decision to oust Warburton but their board have seemed pretty astute up to now) Preston Relegation: Villa Leicester Watford

Yeah I know, if we can't beat Vitesse then we're not worthy of getting to the group stage anyway. But just from a bad luck perspective, last time we drew Steaua Bucharest and now Vitesse! It will certainly be a stern test, because a good way to ensure our players are up to speed before the Premier League kick off.

It's good in terms of travel for the team and supporters, but we don't have much luck in terms of tough opponents, do we? Vitesse are the highest ranked unseeded team in the third qualifying round!

Exactly! If you spend money in the Premier League, you have more chance of staying up but the future of the club is at stake if you go down. As much as it would have been nice to invest, I always felt we were at least in a stable position when we were relegated because we hadn't blown the budget. Then the fans turned on Lowe, Wilde came in and spent loads of money in a bid to get promotion and we failed. We gambled and lost. Once the real damage to the club had been done, Rupert came back in and tried to find success through an alternative business model. He wasn't successful, but ultimately did lay the foundations for a business model that is. But because he was at the helm for the two relegations people hold him responsible for the demise.