Donyell Malen (Gone)

[PeterWithesShin]

I appreciate the difference between looking good in the lower leagues but giving Archer, Finn Azaz, Philogene a length of time with the first team, would they have been any worse than Guessand, Sancho etc?

Probably.

[eye digress]

Must be a bit shit for his kids. Sure Rome is almost as nice as Brum but they would have made pals from Sutton Coldfield and Solihull whom they'll never see again.

The Vatican is also an appeal.

[Tuscans]

Jacob Tanswell

Emery on Malen: “Obviously it’s a decision not easy. Tough decision, but making sense. The player was being important, helping us, scoring goals, not being consistent in the starting eleven but being very important. He knew it and I spoke about

Emery: "He was happy and was being a protagonist but not enough like he wanted. Players always have the possibility to change and he opened his door to leaving in case there was some team that can give him something better than us."

[London Villan]

Surely there is the " and it means we can bring in a player more suitable to how we are playing at the moment"

[PeterWithe]

All seems fair enough, he was important to us, but not £150k a week important.

[ChicagoLion]

Sure Rome is almost as nice as Brum

H

[Mellin]

Philogene and Archer didn’t do much with us or the clubs they joined at PL level. I’m no fan of Guessand but I don’t think it helps that he’s been asked to play out wide a lot of the time. I’d like to see if gets a chance coming on as a forward. But really I don’t think he’s suited for the PL.

He's not suited for the Prem is a very generous way of putting it.

[kippaxvilla2]

I loved Don.  I miss him already.

[eye digress]

Think the timing is quite odd for Malen, but you can’t be surprised when a full international who’s starting maybe 20% of matches decides they need more playing time. Equally, I wouldn’t really quibble with Emery’s preference for Ollie - even sub-par - despite the important contributions that Malen had made, mostly (but not solely) from off the bench.

So I’m not hugely shocked he’s moving on, and I wish him well.

I do find it odd however that at a time we seemed to be scenting Premier League blood (see Unai’s post match presser against Palace - “one point, it’s not enough”) we seem to be castrating the hounds…

I can only imagine then that we had no choice, or have a big surprise of our own up our sleeve.

[aj2k77]

Am I right in thinking Malen scored the last penalty we had? If so, does that mean Ollie is back on the job.......

[Ian.]

There are another nine players on the pitch.

[Sexual Ealing]

I’ve said this before, but we should put Martinez on penalties. The man don’t give a fuck.

[aj2k77]

I’ve said this before, but we should put Martinez on penalties. The man don’t give a fuck.

He'd definitely attempt a Panenka at some point.

[eamonn]

I’ve said this before, but we should put Martinez on penalties. The man don’t give a fuck.

You've got to tolerate all those people that you hate

[stevo_st]

I’m not in love with the Idea, but I won’t hold that against you