Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: IFWaters on March 19, 2017, 06:21:50 AM
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Sell :
Gollini (technically on loan but won't come back)
Gil
Sanchez
Veretout
Cissokho (in effect done)
Mccorfat (I wish)
Bunn - end of contract
Kozak - end of contract
Elphick
Buy :
New #1 Keeper
New #2 Keeper - John Ruddy is available
New #2 Centre Back
New striker - we need 3 as Hogan will most likely get injuries
Loan
Mccorfat - as far away as possible
Lyden ?
Bjarnason - or is it too soon ?
Bomb Squad
Richards - no-one will go near his wages & attitude
Gabby - like a member of your family who let himself go
Mccorfat if no other option
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Bruce does not do Bomb Squad I am pleased to say. Apart from anything else Keith Wyness is too shrewd to have players bleeding us dry when they can dumped on somebody else.
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If you've got players contracted to you, there's little.merit in ostacising them as they may be called upon.
For me we need a new keeper with more experience.
A left footed centre half for Baker's inevitable injuries and another holding midfielder. Gardner can have good games, but I'm struggling to recall anything positive he's done away from.home, one looping header in Mordor aside.
Green will play a big part nect season, but I feel another pace merchant outwide is necessary.
We don't need surgery, more a handful of additions. It will be the first time we've supplemented a squad rather than revamp it in many a window.
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You're not a Hutton fan, then, IFW?😏
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Out
Hutton
Richards
Elphick
Bunn
Gollini
Bacuna
Sanchez
Adomah
Gardner
Try out
Veretout
Gil
Buy
Experienced keeper
Centre half
Winger
Holding MF
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Sell a song manyas possible of those older players we've shipped out on loan. Plus elphick and Gardner if we can get better quality in those positions
Priorities: 1) keeper 2) centre back 3) alternative holding midfielder to Jedinak as I'm not convinced hourihane and Lansbury is solid enough
If we're going to play a version of 442 then I reckon adomah, green, grealish, Bacuna is enough. But I wouldn't at all mind getting a better wide player in and ditching Bacuna
Strikers, full backs, should be fine
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Bruce likes Johnstone so I guess he is staying.
Hutton has an extension so he will be still here.
Need to remove Richards, Agbonlahor, MCormack, Elphick etc somehow.
Just sign one good centre half and that will do.
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If you've got players contracted to you, there's little.merit in ostacising them as they may be called upon.
For me we need a new keeper with more experience.
A left footed centre half for Baker's inevitable injuries and another holding midfielder. Gardner can have good games, but I'm struggling to recall anything positive he's done away from.home, one looping header in Mordor aside.
Green will play a big part nect season, but I feel another pace merchant outwide is necessary.
We don't need surgery, more a handful of additions. It will be the first time we've supplemented a squad rather than revamp it in many a window.
iagree with your point Ads, of supplementary purchases in the summer, as opposed to a clearout. That's just happened in Jan. Get rid of a bit more of the deadwood and bring in 2 or 3, including a solid keeper in the summer and we are good to go.
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I think Amarvi will go which will leave us light at LB, we also obviously need a defensive midfielder and another striker, if Green continues to progress then the need for another wide players is less clear. We don't require major changes but I think we might see interest from other clubs in some of our players we want to keep like Kodja and Chester.
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I am with Aftab. Goalkeeping cover (Ruddy?) and a centre back. Minimum of tinkering. RHM can play wide. He and Andre Green have plenty of pace.
I expect more bigging up of Gabby, Richards and Fatmac as Bruce and Wyness seek to lubricate the exit door in the summer. Gabby to Wolves, Richards to Glasgow Rangers and McCormack to Palmolive.
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Doubtful we'll get any takers for McCormack. He was booed by Forest fans yesterday. I fear we're stuck with him.
Out
Baker
Amavi
Gardner
Verrtout (I'd like to keep but if he wants out so be it)
Bunn
Richards
Gollini
Gabby
Elphick
Gil
Sanchez
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there's no way Adomah deserves to be sold - he might not be a worldie but he's chipped in with goals and a fair few assists.
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Out:
Bunn
Steer
Amavi
Cissokho
Elphick
Richards
Tshibola
Gil
Veretout
Gardener
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I'd be surprised if Bacuna doesn't go. Bruce thinks his attitude stinks.
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Why would anybody get rid of Adomah? He played poorly again yesterday and still got an assist. He will create tonnes for Kodjia and Hull nextube season.
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Forgot about him. I'll add him to my list.
Next season I'll go with
Begovic
Bree
Chester
Kolo Toure?
Taylor
Vaz Te/judge
Sanchez/Jedinak
Lansbury
Mehmet Ekici ( half decent but good enough for our level)
Kodjia
Hogan
For back up...
Darren Bent...
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I think we need to do this
Goalkeeper -
Release Bunn, Sell Gollini, Sign Johnstone (If we think he is good enough) and Ruddy
Defence - Sell Ally and Richards and Tommy and buy 2 defenders and replace Jordan Amavi if we get silly money for him.
Midfield - Bring back Gil, Vertout and Sanchez from loan and sell one we don't fancy, look out for a Patrick Viera type player.
Strikers - Sort out Ross, release Kozak, sell Agbonlahor and look for a striker to increase compeition upfront.
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Look out for a Patrick Viera type player? I think you've cracked it. Whilst we're at it I think we should also look out for a Thierry Henry type player, an Overmars type player, a Paul McGrath type player, and maybe a Neuer type player. They must be out there somewhere and not spotted by anyone else.
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What I mean a powerful heavyweight player in midfield to boss the game. I use Patrick as example.
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Just have it in my head that Bruce doesn't fancy Baker so he will be off.
Need to sort out the goalkeeping situation out - I think Johnstone has improved and is more confident but we need an adequate back up.
Someone wide on the right and not that useless bean stalk out there now.
Am leaving the central strikers out as I have absolutely no idea how Bruce is going to deal with that situation.
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Just have it in my head that Bruce doesn't fancy Baker so he will be off.
Need to sort out the goalkeeping situation out - I think Johnstone has improved and is more confident but we need an adequate back up.
Someone wide on the right and not that useless bean stalk out there now.
Am leaving the central strikers out as I have absolutely no idea how Bruce is going to deal with that situation.
If anybody I think it's Elphick he doesn't fancy. He was the logical choice to replace Baker in the last two games but chose a midfielder ahead of him.
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Just have it in my head that Bruce doesn't fancy Baker so he will be off.
I've not checked but have it in my head that he's picked him pretty consistently when he's available, only dropped him once and I can't mind which game it was?
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Sell - Bunn, Hutton, Elphick, Richards, Cissokho, Gil, McCormack, Kozak, Gabby, Bacuna,
Loan - Gollini, Veretout (would be happy to bring him back if he wanted), Tshibola
Squad of:
GK - New Signing, Steer, whoever our current Reserve keeper is as backup
DF - De Laet, Bree, Amavi, Taylor, Baker, Chester, New CB, New CB
MD - Lansbury, Houlihane, Jedinak, Sanchez, Veretout, Adomah, Green, Grealish, Bjarneson, Gardner, Lyden
AT - Kodija, Hogan, New Signing, RHM, Davis
Possibly too many midfielders there but I'm not convinced about Bjarneson and it's unlikely both Sanchez and Veretout will come back.
4-5 signings at most, a CB and GK being the priority. I'd like to see Lyden given a chance as Jedinak's understudy.
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Forgot about him. I'll add him to my list.
Next season I'll go with
Begovic
Bree
Chester
Kolo Toure?
Taylor
Vaz Te/judge
Sanchez/Jedinak
Lansbury
Mehmet Ekici ( half decent but good enough for our level)
Kodjia
Hogan
For back up...
Darren Bent...
Is that just the new way to spell 'Nathan Baker' now?
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I pretty much agree with Ads.
Four signings at the most. Keeper, CB and probably another striker and probably another wide player. Will use the loan market I'm sure.
For the first time in a long while we don't need major surgery on the squad....when confident as they are now what we have at this level is good enough so it's just a case of keeping them fit and also working pre season on stuff like our mentality on when we go behind in games.
It would be good to win a big game before the end of the season after falling behind...let's say give SHA an early goal and come back and win 5-1.
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I hope RHM can step up so that we can be confident about him as the back-up for Hogan and Kodjia, McCormack is probably finished.
I think we'll be alright for wide options with Grealish, Green, Adomah, Bjanarson plus Amavi and Bacuna if those two stay. I think the loanees are probably gone, but I think we only need to add cover to central midfield - the starting three are set, a player to slot ahead of Gardner, who can be the emergency option, and hopefully Lyden or Tshibola can fit themselves into squad roles.
A solid GK and CB are the keys though, get those in and I'll feel pretty good about promotion.
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there's no way Adomah deserves to be sold - he might not be a worldie but he's chipped in with goals and a fair few assists.
# Player Assists
1. Conor Hourihane 13
2. Albert Adomah 10
Albert is behind only Hourihane for assists in the entire division, he won't be sold, we'd be silly to do so.
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I think in a decent team Gil could contribute a lot in the championship.Maybe coming off the bench to change things around. Too many players last season must have been totally disheartened and looking for the exit door. Then Black came along and they probably became positively suicidal.
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If fact looking back on last season I think more harm and damage was done to OUR club by a number of individuals than at any time I can remember. The more I think about it the more scandalous the actions of a number of individuals was...Fuckin criminal springs to mind.
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Look out for a Patrick Viera type player? I think you've cracked it. Whilst we're at it I think we should also look out for a Thierry Henry type player, an Overmars type player, a Paul McGrath type player, and maybe a Neuer type player. They must be out there somewhere and not spotted by anyone else.
Tbf, you've got Begovic as our goalkeeper!
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Bunn won't be going anywhere he's just signed a new contract
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there's no way Adomah deserves to be sold - he might not be a worldie but he's chipped in with goals and a fair few assists.
This.
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I would like to see a squad next year of:
GKs - new first choice, Steer, U23 keeper
RBs - De Laet, Bree
LBs - Taylor, new back up
CBs - Chester, Baker, new first choice, new back up
DMs - Jedinak, Lyden,
CMs - Lansbury, Hourihane, Bjarnason, Bacuna, Tshibola, Gardner
AMs - Adomah, left sided new signing, Green, Grealish
STs - Kodjia, Hogan, new signing, RHM, Davis
That's a squad of 28, which is more than enough. I would look to add a target man type of striker who can hold the ball up, as we are missing that type of player.
I think we should be looking at moving the rest on, though I doubt it will be that easy. If we were able to, then we shouldn't really be looking at too much of a net spend.
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there's no way Adomah deserves to be sold - he might not be a worldie but he's chipped in with goals and a fair few assists.
This.
From what I have seen so far, he looks like what you would expect from a second tier level player. No great shakes, but works hard and can produce the odd bit of quality here and there. He's fine for where we find ourselves at the moment.
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It must be far easier just to list who you'd keep. We've still got far too many players who are overpaid and/or useless, and have to be sent out on loan because they don't want to play for us.
Keep:
Bree, Bacuna, one of Hutton or De Laet, Taylor, Baker, Chester, Lansbury, Hourihane, Jedinak, Adomah, Grealish, Kodjia, Hogan and our youth players.
Everyone else is dispensible.
Biggest need is for a quality keeper - possibly Smithies from QPR?
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Look out for a Patrick Viera type player? I think you've cracked it. Whilst we're at it I think we should also look out for a Thierry Henry type player, an Overmars type player, a Paul McGrath type player, and maybe a Neuer type player. They must be out there somewhere and not spotted by anyone else.
No need to be rude, you've ostracised half our team for unlikely/irrational choices like Begbie and KokaKola. What's wrong with Hourihane anyway?
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I think top of my summer transfer list would be to sign Wigan's match day DJ.
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there's no way Adomah deserves to be sold - he might not be a worldie but he's chipped in with goals and a fair few assists.
This.
From what I have seen so far, he looks like what you would expect from a second tier level player. No great shakes, but works hard and can produce the odd bit of quality here and there. He's fine for where we find ourselves at the moment.
Most assists in a season from a Villa player since Ashley Young.
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How is Bedeau shaping up as possible CB cover for next season?
Where does Grealish fit into all these wished-for comings and goings?
Re left-back, is Suleiman (?) likely to be an option?
I'd like Bruce to persist with Tshibola but I suspect he'll be going.
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Look out for a Patrick Viera type player?
Oh no, we're signing Isiah Osbourne?
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Who was that Seria A player we randomly bid for right at the start of the season....pretty sure he was a midfield powerhouse.
Doubt we'll revisit that but just wondering if he actually amounted to anything or he'd have been another massive RDM waste of money....think he played from Bologna from memory.
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Diawara, getting better but still very raw. At Napoli now.
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Amadou Diawara - signed for Napoli. Second in Serie A. Seems to be getting a few games without being a guaranteed starter, but then that's pretty impressive for a 19 year old.
We'd probably have not played him, and then loaned him out somewhere.
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Devils advocate time....
Ok, if you are Steve Bruce who likes playing two up top would you expect that he wants to keep Kodjia in the summer? Or would he be quite happy to cash in if one of the middling Prem teams like Watford come in with the 20m loose change & replace him with the likes of a Chris Martin who might work better in a partnership with Hogan for say 5m - would balance the books as well?
Personally I think he has done brilliantly to score the goals he has but I just don't see him as a team player, he is totally off the cuff but just does not work hard enough for the team, he has to step up his work rate if we are to improve as a team.
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I've seen Adomahs impressive stats, he's created loads of chances. I still think he's terrible, I'd play Bacuna over him every day of the week.
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seriously?
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Yeah, he seeems to have Gabby levels of intelligence, always running into areas he shouldn't.
He probably pisses me off more than any current player, just because he could be so much better f he listened to instructions.
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Devils advocate time....
Ok, if you are Steve Bruce who likes playing two up top would you expect that he wants to keep Kodjia in the summer? Or would he be quite happy to cash in if one of the middling Prem teams like Watford come in with the 20m loose change & replace him with the likes of a Chris Martin who might work better in a partnership with Hogan for say 5m - would balance the books as well?
Personally I think he has done brilliantly to score the goals he has but I just don't see him as a team player, he is totally off the cuff but just does not work hard enough for the team, he has to step up his work rate if we are to improve as a team.
It would be difficult to sell Kodj but I think Hogan and AN Other would work better than Kodj and AN Other. So if we were to cash in I think it would benefit the team as long as the other players already bought, or that we plan to buy are built around the same plan. No point planning for a season of Kodj and then selling him.
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Diawara, getting better but still very raw. At Napoli now.
Ah no chance then unless he has a long lost aunt in Perry Barr!
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I'm sorry but there's no way we should be selling Koj
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Why do we always talk about selling players that make a positive impact in our team? Cashing in on our best players is part of the reason we now reside in this cesspit of a league. It's about time we looked onwards and upwards again. Absolutely no benefit in letting Kodja go. None.
We're not Barnsley, Preston, Brentford, that load of toss up the road or even the yo-yo outfits heading back through the Premier League trap door.
This is Aston Villa and we should be planning to rip this league up next season. No play offs, not even 2nd place. We should be aiming for top spot and 100 points.
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Devils advocate time....
Ok, if you are Steve Bruce who likes playing two up top would you expect that he wants to keep Kodjia in the summer? Or would he be quite happy to cash in if one of the middling Prem teams like Watford come in with the 20m loose change & replace him with the likes of a Chris Martin who might work better in a partnership with Hogan for say 5m - would balance the books as well?
Personally I think he has done brilliantly to score the goals he has but I just don't see him as a team player, he is totally off the cuff but just does not work hard enough for the team, he has to step up his work rate if we are to improve as a team.
They had this exact debate on WM last week. The only one worth listening to when the subject of Villa comes up, Mark Regan, said that if an offer of around £20m came in for Kodjia then he would sell and look to bring in a left winger and a striker with the money. His reasoning was that the way Kodjia plays means that he might get 20 goals a season, but he doesn't bring others into play so there won't be many goals from elsewhere. He said that if we were able to bring in a striker who could not only score goals himself, but work to create chances for others as well, we would be a stronger outfit overall.
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I think we're massively overcomplicating shit to think about selling Kodjia unless our hand is really forced. We finally seem to have gotten some stability, and largely filled the gaps in our squad, sans a couple of bits here and there, and now we're thinking about selling our top scorer just because his decision-making is erratic? Absolutely we should make contingency plans, but fucking hell.
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total madness - buy a player who can score and then sell him and disintegrate - where have we seen that happen before? The only regret about Kodjia is that we didn't pay the initial £2m that Bristol did.
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Totally agree with Mr Underhill, we need to keep Kodjia and build up the squad around him.
He and Hogan have barely played together yet so hopefully they have a good run until the season finishes to strike up a partnership.
We need to cut loose on a fair few, gabby, Richards, McCormack, Gardner and elphick and then look at those who come back from loan.
I think with som elf the loan players though even if we want or would like to add them to the squad next season the majority won't be interested, Veretout and Sanchez I think will want to play at a higher level, and I would question if Gil is strong enough for this league.
I would say a lot more need to go than be brought in though, with such a high turnover of players in the last two windows the squad needs a period of settling now, with just a few key additions, centre back, experience keeper (but I think we will have Johnstone on loan again), left winger and a third choice striker.
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Summarising my thoughts vs what I have read on this thread thus far.
Baker - I think Bruce rates him as he seems to play him when fit, and he seems to be better for having a good run in the team.
Amavi - I "think" he'll go as he has a reputation, but he really hasn't shown the quality we thought he would this year, but I'd certainly keep if we don;t get a silly offer
Kodjia - Just no, keep and I think Dr Tone will resist.
McCormack - Well, wtf. We won't get anything for him, so Brucey needs to get him in for one of HIS pre-seasons and try and make something of him. We all though Darren bent was finished two years ago and he has had a decent season for Derby.
Adomah - effective lots of assists and a few goals but worth their weight in gold in this league. Keep.
Keeper - Johnstone looks like he's playing up to the potential he has, if United are willing to sell him then buy him - of it's another years loan tell them to do one. And then we'd have to buy a keeper. I fear Begovic would be a pipe dream!!
Bunn- new contract, not seen that, why would we do that???!!!
Do whatever we can to get Gabby and Richards out of the club. Brucey is abviously talking Richards up to try and get rid, elase why hasn't he had a sniff with our injury list!
Gil, Veretout, Sanchez - just draw a line under it and get rid. I'm not aware fo Bruce being reported as going out to watch them and it's the sort of thing that gets picked up if it happened and Dr Tone has been pretty conclusive in his tweets about the first two.
Everyone else can stay as part of a decent championship squad - buy a CB and CDM cover for Jedi and we are good to go up next season I reckon.
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Devils advocate time....
Ok, if you are Steve Bruce who likes playing two up top would you expect that he wants to keep Kodjia in the summer? Or would he be quite happy to cash in if one of the middling Prem teams like Watford come in with the 20m loose change & replace him with the likes of a Chris Martin who might work better in a partnership with Hogan for say 5m - would balance the books as well?
Personally I think he has done brilliantly to score the goals he has but I just don't see him as a team player, he is totally off the cuff but just does not work hard enough for the team, he has to step up his work rate if we are to improve as a team.
They had this exact debate on WM last week. The only one worth listening to when the subject of Villa comes up, Mark Regan, said that if an offer of around £20m came in for Kodjia then he would sell and look to bring in a left winger and a striker with the money. His reasoning was that the way Kodjia plays means that he might get 20 goals a season, but he doesn't bring others into play so there won't be many goals from elsewhere. He said that if we were able to bring in a striker who could not only score goals himself, but work to create chances for others as well, we would be a stronger outfit overall.
I'd agree with the rationale above
Getting rid of that sack of sh*t McCormack will be more problematic, back to Ibrox with him
Elphick, Bacuna, Baker, Richards, Amavi, Cissokho will all be off in the summer and that's just the defence !!
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I think top of my summer transfer list would be to sign Wigan's match day DJ.
This. Absolutely.
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I think we're massively overcomplicating shit to think about selling Kodjia unless our hand is really forced. We finally seem to have gotten some stability, and largely filled the gaps in our squad, sans a couple of bits here and there, and now we're thinking about selling our top scorer just because his decision-making is erratic? Absolutely we should make contingency plans, but fucking hell.
You do realise that not one person has or is advocating selling him?
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I think we're massively overcomplicating shit to think about selling Kodjia unless our hand is really forced. We finally seem to have gotten some stability, and largely filled the gaps in our squad, sans a couple of bits here and there, and now we're thinking about selling our top scorer just because his decision-making is erratic? Absolutely we should make contingency plans, but fucking hell.
You do realise that not one person has or is advocating selling him?
It's been advocated in other threads, and the highest I've taken it in my post is that people have been entertaining the thought of selling him, as opposed to outright advocating his sale. I think even that's crazy talk.
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Why? Everyone that isn't Ronaldo or Messi has their price.
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Why? Everyone that isn't Ronaldo or Messi has their price.
and I think everyone accepts that if we got a silly offer for anyone they'd be sold but suggesting that we should be trying to sell our top scorer who has been the 1 big positive in an poor/indifferent season is far from accepting that everyone has their price.
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Again who said we should be selling Kodjia? The question was if someone was daft enough to pay 20m would you sell? i'd definitely sell because he's not worth 20m and we could replace him and add at least another player for that type of money.
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No, I wouldn't sell. Sends the wrong message and I think he will score goals in the top flight too.
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My original question was more whether we thought Bruce would be happy to sell him?
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At the right price, yes.
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and what is that price for you and what should we do with the money?
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I'm not the manager but it would be more than what we paid for him, especially if we're selling to Premier League teams with lots of money. What should we do with the money? Eh? other than re-invest in other players? Or do you mean specifically?
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Every player has his price. However, when you have as few top quality players as we have, currently one, you have to offset the price you get for your player with the net damage to your playing performance. Half a season of bedding in a replacement player has a very quantifyable financial effect. For example, we got a lot of money for Benteke but if we had been able to retain him the value of the club would be higher by a larger amount if he had kept us in the Premiership again. If Kodjia's goals get us back in the Premiership it makes his value to us on a par with Pogba or Hazard.
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Who are we going to get that's better?
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We may have him in hogan. or bruce may think that Kodjia in the team means that the team are too reliant on him and building around him means we lose something from somewhere else. There are plenty of players that can do what Kodjia has done - he's only a Championship striker after all, and as our very own history has taught us losing one talismanic spearhead could help not hinder the team. Again, I'm not saying I want us to sell him but if the right money was offered, then we'd be silly not to seriously consider it.
For those that won't sell...not for any price? 20m? 25m? 30m? 35m? Everyone has their price.
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but Peter you're missing the point, the default should be 'not for sale' and then if a club offers silly money and he wants to leave it becomes a discussion. Your comments about Bruce are the same problem as the Black thread, you're creating a scenario to support your argument that doesn't appear to exist.
The most recent 'talismanic spearhead' that we lost probably cost us our place in the premier league and every time we've lost our best player in the last 5 years we've gone backwards. You're right that it doesn't always happen but given that recent history I find you being so ambivalent towards it when talking about a season where we cannot afford to fuck things up to be a very strange outlook, and it appears a lot of other people agree. It's not that anyone thinks you (or anyone else) is calling for him to be sold, it's that we don't really understand the apathy towards the idea.
Oh and as for how to use the money I think there needs to be some specifics, who would be a reasonable replacement that would improve us as a team or at least not set us backwards. I ask that because it has a bearing on what his value is. If the replacement is someone that will cost 15-16m and he'll be about the same is it worth it for less than 25m? For example.
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Oh here we go. I'll pass.
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A much more stimulating topic for the eminent participants on this thread is not how much for Johnny but how little for Gabby. My guess is that the two arch pocket pickers of the unwary, Bruce and Wyness have put a value of £2 million on Gabby but could have their arms twisted down to £500k. It will be to Wolves, a because they have a stupid manager and because Gabby will not want to leave Château Agbonlahor with its 24 TV screens on a loop of his favourite goals in every room.
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I agree Brian, How much can we get back on:
Richards
Elphick
Bacuna
Gardner
Gabby
Sanchez
Fat Ross
Gollini (I'd rather keep him but it's seems pretty certain that's he's off)
Gil
Gabby
Just to name a few.
If we sell most of them and use that money to fund a keeper, a central defenders (given we have 3 right backs of whom De Laet can cover centrally), a defensive midfielder, and a left winger I'd be pretty happy. Add another striker who offers something different and we'll be well set without really having to sell anyone we want to keep and without spending a huge amount. 4-5 signings this summer really should be the limit, we need a quieter window in terms on incomings.
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I agree Brian, How much can we get back on:
Richards
Elphick
Bacuna
Gardner
Gabby
Sanchez
Fat Ross
Gollini (I'd rather keep him but it's seems pretty certain that's he's off)
Gil
Gabby
Not just how much we can get back in transfer fees, but how much that lot is costing us in wages per week for very little contribution is astounding. Even assuming the loanees are having part of their wages covered by the clubs they are at, that must be £250k per week in wages at least or to put it in other terms £12 million per year.
I also like your idea of selling Gabby twice just in case he doesn't get the message the first time.
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I genuinely think Steve Bruce and Keith Wyness are focussing behind the scenes on shifting the deadwood. If the playoffs become mathematically impossible we can expect some industrial showcasing of our remaindered merchandise.
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I genuinely think Steve Bruce and Keith Wyness are focussing behind the scenes on shifting the deadwood. If the playoffs become mathematically impossible we can expect some industrial showcasing of our remaindered merchandise.
Fergedaboudit.
If Gabriel's representatives scent a whiff of sellers stakes type shenanigans, he we will go down like Buddy Holly with a bad case of vertigo.
Micah in a roving roll against inferior opposition might rekindle memories of the player he could have been, but don't hold your breath.
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I agree Brian, How much can we get back on:
Richards
Elphick
Bacuna
Gardner
Gabby
Sanchez
Fat Ross
Gollini (I'd rather keep him but it's seems pretty certain that's he's off)
Gil
Gabby
Not just how much we can get back in transfer fees, but how much that lot is costing us in wages per week for very little contribution is astounding. Even assuming the loanees are having part of their wages covered by the clubs they are at, that must be £250k per week in wages at least or to put it in other terms £12 million per year.
I also like your idea of selling Gabby twice just in case he doesn't get the message the first time.
Oops, I wrote the list and then thought fuck , for got gabby and added him at the bottom but I'm leaving it as is as a show of how important it is to get rid of him.
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Normally I would agree Adreno but as Anne Widdecombe said about Michael Howard, there is something of the night about Keith Wyness. After the Westwood robbery I think he has demonic powers.
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Normally I would agree Adreno but as Anne Widdecombe said about Michael Howard, there is something of the night about Keith Wyness. After the Westwood robbery I think he has demonic powers.
You could well be right, Brian.
Stranger things have happened and are happening around us by the moment.
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With Gabby and Richards, I would suggest not playing them in the hope of finding suitors. As fans, we tend to think more of players when they've not played so we can hope the same for other clubs and I expect them playing would only remind other clubs why they should leave well alone.
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With Gabby and Richards, I would suggest not playing them in the hope of finding suitors. As fans, we tend to think more of players when they've not played so we can hope the same for other clubs and I expect them playing would only remind other clubs why they should leave well alone.
I suppose the other way you could look at it is that some half-decent performances against teams already on the beach might convince a team more than wrapping them in cotton wool would.
I think they're beyond salvaging though, although if I have to choose, I think Richards could potentially put in a couple of performances where he dashes forward and looks mad busy at right back (though that would be stupid - give the game time to Bree at the very least)
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I'm not convinced there will be many teams seeking to pay an acceptable fee for Kodjia and meet his wage demands; so, the above views may well be academic. I'd also add that the prospect of having Hogan, Greeen, RHM, Kodjia and Grealish as the pool for a front 3 is actually quite exciting, assuming they all get a full close season to work together.
I'm hopeful that Brian's view prevails: i.e. that Wyness takes strong and decisive action to finally offload the deadwood; after all, I don't think we can fully move on from our past until the squad is shaped for its future (as opposed to hobbled by its legacy).
And, as Paul and others have pointed out, the final cauterisation of the squad will free up buying and salary funds for targeted incomers.
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Shame football can't do NFL style cut as we can get rid of players. We need to stop having a squad of 35 players as it is not good business sense.
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I'm not convinced there will be many teams seeking to pay an acceptable fee for Kodjia and meet his wage demands; so, the above views may well be academic. I'd also add that the prospect of having Hogan, Greeen, RHM, Kodjia and Grealish as the pool for a front 3 is actually quite exciting, assuming they all get a full close season to work together.
I'm hopeful that Brian's view prevails: i.e. that Wyness takes strong and decisive action to finally offload the deadwood; after all, I don't think we can fully move on from our past until the squad is shaped for its future (as opposed to hobbled by its legacy).
And, as Paul and others have pointed out, the final cauterisation of the squad will free up buying and salary funds for targeted incomers.
Some good talent there I agree, but still think there needs to be a focal point up front who the others can work off.
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I agree Brian, How much can we get back on:
Richards
Elphick
Bacuna
Gardner
Gabby
Sanchez
Fat Ross
Gollini (I'd rather keep him but it's seems pretty certain that's he's off)
Gil
Gabby
Just to name a few.
If we sell most of them and use that money to fund a keeper, a central defenders (given we have 3 right backs of whom De Laet can cover centrally), a defensive midfielder, and a left winger I'd be pretty happy. Add another striker who offers something different and we'll be well set without really having to sell anyone we want to keep and without spending a huge amount. 4-5 signings this summer really should be the limit, we need a quieter window in terms on incomings.
Richards £1.5m (rising to £2.5m fitness/appearances permitting)
Elphick £500k
Bacuna £750k
Gardner £1m
Gabby £250k
Sanchez £500k
Fat Ross £3m rising to £4.5m subject to performance-clauses met
Gollini ( £1.5m with sell-on clause
Gil £500k
Sweet fanny adams then but as mentioned above, it's the wage-drain lifted that would make a real difference.
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I agree Brian, How much can we get back on:
Richards
Elphick
Bacuna
Gardner
Gabby
Sanchez
Fat Ross
Gollini (I'd rather keep him but it's seems pretty certain that's he's off)
Gil
Gabby
Just to name a few.
If we sell most of them and use that money to fund a keeper, a central defenders (given we have 3 right backs of whom De Laet can cover centrally), a defensive midfielder, and a left winger I'd be pretty happy. Add another striker who offers something different and we'll be well set without really having to sell anyone we want to keep and without spending a huge amount. 4-5 signings this summer really should be the limit, we need a quieter window in terms on incomings.
Richards £1.5m (rising to £2.5m fitness/appearances permitting)
Elphick £500k
Bacuna £750k
Gardner £1m
Gabby £250k
Sanchez £500k
Fat Ross £3m rising to £4.5m subject to performance-clauses met
Gollini ( £1.5m with sell-on clause
Gil £500k
Sweet fanny adams then but as mentioned above, it's the wage-drain lifted that would make a real difference.
Dont disagree with any of the figures, the issue is wages
Mcfatso will be on 40 grand a week and unless he gets close to that he wont be going anywhere
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I agree Brian, How much can we get back on:
Richards
Elphick
Bacuna
Gardner
Gabby
Sanchez
Fat Ross
Gollini (I'd rather keep him but it's seems pretty certain that's he's off)
Gil
Gabby
Just to name a few.
If we sell most of them and use that money to fund a keeper, a central defenders (given we have 3 right backs of whom De Laet can cover centrally), a defensive midfielder, and a left winger I'd be pretty happy. Add another striker who offers something different and we'll be well set without really having to sell anyone we want to keep and without spending a huge amount. 4-5 signings this summer really should be the limit, we need a quieter window in terms on incomings.
Richards £1.5m (rising to £2.5m fitness/appearances permitting)
Elphick £500k
Bacuna £750k
Gardner £1m
Gabby £250k
Sanchez £500k
Fat Ross £3m rising to £4.5m subject to performance-clauses met
Gollini ( £1.5m with sell-on clause
Gil £500k
Sweet fanny adams then but as mentioned above, it's the wage-drain lifted that would make a real difference.
Dont disagree with any of the figures, the issue is wages
Mcfatso will be on 40 grand a week and unless he gets close to that he wont be going anywhere
Yep. Those driveway gates will be remaining well and truly shut.
Most of the above (with the exception of Gollini) would be looking at a fairly hefty drop in wages if they move on, so I wouldn't be expecting any of them to go easily.
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Isn't Gollini's loan for 18 months?
If so, one would imagine there wouldn't be a permanent transfer discussed until the end of that.
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How the hell do you think anyone will pay for Richards or Gabby? Absolute fantasy.
But then I think we should prob get c£5m for RM. To be honest if Bruce could get him fit and firing over the summer I wouldn't mind keeping him as we wont get any value selling as things stand.
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I think suggesting that people who got £10m for Gestede and Westwood are going to get less than that for the list i gave is overly pessimistic.
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Players we'll sell will surely be Gil, Sanchez and Veretout.
Veretout's been playing very well and the other two are figuring regularly aswell.
It's important we balance the books, our wage bill for 2nd division football is absurdly high still. Those 3 and McCormack are probably on close to 200k per week combined.
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Hmm, so just going off what has been reported on his loan, Fiorentina have to buy Sanchez for 2.6 million if he appears in more than 50% of their games, which seems very likely given that he's made 30+ appearances already. Think that's a very good price for someone with a year left on his contract after this, and who is already 31.
As others have alluded to, hopefully the fact that we squeezed out the sort of fees we got for Westwood and Gestede means that we can get something decent if we move on others as well.
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Isn't Gollini's loan for 18 months?
If so, one would imagine there wouldn't be a permanent transfer discussed until the end of that.
Had a look Dave and it is for 18 months. Didn't realise it was for that long and agree that it is unlikely he will be sold before that loan expires. Someone mentioned on here that Bunn recently signed a new deal as well, but I can't find anything about that.
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The point I was trying to make albeit flippantly is that Keith Wyness appears to be a good businessman, somebody we have needed very badly for a long time. The definition of a good businessman is one who can clinch the difficult deals. Veretout, Sanchez and Gil sell themselves. It is the hard rump of players like Richards and Gabby who will be hardest to move out but there must be an end to N'Zoggery and bomb squaddery at the club and Keith Wyness may just be the man to do it. With the cooperation of Bruce and Round.
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We did have Richards all but sold until Allardyce took the England job. With any luck he'll take him to Palace.
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I'd get rid of the following, from first team,reserves and academy;
Bunn (*),Hutton (*),Richards, Gabby, Kozak(**), Cissokho , Sanchez,McCormack. (*)= One year extension, (**) = Retiring.
B.Watkins, T.Leggett, J.Linley, B.Swift, J.Abdoul, N.Mason, C.Blackett-Taylor, R.Hale.
J.Finnerty, J.Humphries,E.Idem, V.Johansson, M.Clark, J.Sundman, L.Hall, A.Prosser, J.Pastorek, J.Doyle Hayes, J.Clarke. J.Coates, J.Cox.
Most of the above reserve and academy players have poor ratings in pretty much all data streams available, so need to go now, not later.
Getting rid of the above would save the club more than £250,000 a week in wages alone, then we can restart Vic Crowes dream academy for a start!!!
I'd keep Tshibola, Gollini, Gil and Vertout as I think all will come good, even if we only give them half the time we gave the likes of Westwood.
I'd tell the likes of Elphick and Grealish to they need to start showing why they're getting paid, as I 'd get rid for the right money.
We then need to look at buying an experienced GK, a CB as cover, a young future replacement for Jedinak, 2 decent wingers and a youngish goalscorer as cover for our sparce forward line.
My thoughts only....comments please!!
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That's well-harsh on some of those kiddies, yo.
What did they do to offend you so?
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Always thought Eddie was a blues fan.....
Well reasearched on the young ones there
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I'd get rid of the following, from first team,reserves and academy;
Bunn (*),Hutton (*),Richards, Gabby, Kozak(**), Cissokho , Sanchez,McCormack. (*)= One year extension, (**) = Retiring.
B.Watkins, T.Leggett, J.Linley, B.Swift, J.Abdoul, N.Mason, C.Blackett-Taylor, R.Hale.
J.Finnerty, J.Humphries,E.Idem, V.Johansson, M.Clark, J.Sundman, L.Hall, A.Prosser, J.Pastorek, J.Doyle Hayes, J.Clarke. J.Coates, J.Cox.
Most of the above reserve and academy players have poor ratings in pretty much all data streams available, so need to go now, not later.
Getting rid of the above would save the club more than £250,000 a week in wages alone, then we can restart Vic Crowes dream academy for a start!!!
I'd keep Tshibola, Gollini, Gil and Vertout as I think all will come good, even if we only give them half the time we gave the likes of Westwood.
I'd tell the likes of Elphick and Grealish to they need to start showing why they're getting paid, as I 'd get rid for the right money.
We then need to look at buying an experienced GK, a CB as cover, a young future replacement for Jedinak, 2 decent wingers and a youngish goalscorer as cover for our sparce forward line.
My thoughts only....comments please!!
Do you mean Football Manager?
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I'd get rid of the following, from first team,reserves and academy;
Bunn (*),Hutton (*),Richards, Gabby, Kozak(**), Cissokho , Sanchez,McCormack. (*)= One year extension, (**) = Retiring.
B.Watkins, T.Leggett, J.Linley, B.Swift, J.Abdoul, N.Mason, C.Blackett-Taylor, R.Hale.
J.Finnerty, J.Humphries,E.Idem, V.Johansson, M.Clark, J.Sundman, L.Hall, A.Prosser, J.Pastorek, J.Doyle Hayes, J.Clarke. J.Coates, J.Cox.
Most of the above reserve and academy players have poor ratings in pretty much all data streams available, so need to go now, not later.
Getting rid of the above would save the club more than £250,000 a week in wages alone, then we can restart Vic Crowes dream academy for a start!!!
I'd keep Tshibola, Gollini, Gil and Vertout as I think all will come good, even if we only give them half the time we gave the likes of Westwood.
I'd tell the likes of Elphick and Grealish to they need to start showing why they're getting paid, as I 'd get rid for the right money.
We then need to look at buying an experienced GK, a CB as cover, a young future replacement for Jedinak, 2 decent wingers and a youngish goalscorer as cover for our sparce forward line.
My thoughts only....comments please!!
Wow - what on earth are data streams?
Clearing out the academy of goalkeepers I see...
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Read somewhere today that Bruce is looking at signing Sam Gallagher in the summer either on loan or on a permanent deal. Just the type of striker we need.
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A 19-year old centre back from Chester too.
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I'd be stunned if we don't have a Gallagher / Chris Martin type amongst our centre forward options next season-in much the same way as Bruce likes two up top he also likes a big lad amongst them. Kodjia / Hogan / Gallagher & RHM or Davis (with the other out on loan) would be a decent set of options.
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I'd get rid of the following, from first team,reserves and academy;
Bunn (*),Hutton (*),Richards, Gabby, Kozak(**), Cissokho , Sanchez,McCormack. (*)= One year extension, (**) = Retiring.
B.Watkins, T.Leggett, J.Linley, B.Swift, J.Abdoul, N.Mason, C.Blackett-Taylor, R.Hale.
J.Finnerty, J.Humphries,E.Idem, V.Johansson, M.Clark, J.Sundman, L.Hall, A.Prosser, J.Pastorek, J.Doyle Hayes, J.Clarke. J.Coates, J.Cox.
Most of the above reserve and academy players have poor ratings in pretty much all data streams available, so need to go now, not later.
Getting rid of the above would save the club more than £250,000 a week in wages alone, then we can restart Vic Crowes dream academy for a start!!!
I'd keep Tshibola, Gollini, Gil and Vertout as I think all will come good, even if we only give them half the time we gave the likes of Westwood.
I'd tell the likes of Elphick and Grealish to they need to start showing why they're getting paid, as I 'd get rid for the right money.
We then need to look at buying an experienced GK, a CB as cover, a young future replacement for Jedinak, 2 decent wingers and a youngish goalscorer as cover for our sparce forward line.
My thoughts only....comments please!!
Wow - what on earth are data streams?
Clearing out the academy of goalkeepers I see...
I would agree with most of Eddie's assessments of the first Team.
Bearing in mind that it is true that nearly all the players in every academy will never play first Team football, I would not like to be the one to tell (Jake Hayes) the 17 year old captain of the Youth Team who gets picked for the U23 side every week that He is surplus to requirements.
I would also be very upset if I were Mitch Clark, who might argue that every coach, player and person that watches the Youth Team if asked who was the best player in the Team would probably say his name.
Johansson is also the best Goalkeeping prospect we have had for a long time although we have not actually had a GK from the youth team establish themselves in the First Team in my lifetime.
A lot of the young players Eddie has mentioned have been released anyway and are looking for new clubs for next season.
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Spot on about Mitch Clark Larry.
From what I hear, he's the next one they have really high hopes for.
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Larry, thanks for the insight, but part of me would like you to end all of your posts abruptly mid sentence, in keeping with your wonderful username.
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Larry, thanks for the insight, but part of me would like you to end all of your posts abruptly mid sentence, in keeping with your wonderful username.
He's tremendous fun. However, for some reason I hate Dick Burns.
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I have to admit when I saw Mitch Clark on the list I thought it was at odds with everything I'd heard about him so I'm glad to see Larry's comments.
Spot on about Mitch Clark Larry.
From what I hear, he's the next one they have really high hopes for.
Depends what you mean by 'next one' all the buzz I've heard is about Suliman and I'm hoping we might see him get a look in towards the last few games of the season. When I've seen the U23s this year he's been head and shoulders above anyone else so I think he needs to be pushed to either a good loan or into the first team soon.
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I'd be stunned if we don't have a Gallagher / Chris Martin type amongst our centre forward options next season-in much the same way as Bruce likes two up top he also likes a big lad amongst them. Kodjia / Hogan / Gallagher & RHM or Davis (with the other out on loan) would be a decent set of options.
I agree and I think the proposed move of Jedinak to CB could maybe pave the way for either a new defensive midfielder coming in or a change in formation.
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I have to admit when I saw Mitch Clark on the list I thought it was at odds with everything I'd heard about him so I'm glad to see Larry's comments.
Spot on about Mitch Clark Larry.
From what I hear, he's the next one they have really high hopes for.
Depends what you mean by 'next one' all the buzz I've heard is about Suliman and I'm hoping we might see him get a look in towards the last few games of the season. When I've seen the U23s this year he's been head and shoulders above anyone else so I think he needs to be pushed to either a good loan or into the first team soon.
Suliman has been a regular for his England age group teams as well.
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He was wank on loan at Cheltenham.
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I liked the look of the foreign keeper who played in the U 23 last season. Not impressed by Suliman - no pace.
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Is that the Swiss/Austrian midget goalie? Can I say midget?
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Is that the Swiss/Austrian midget goalie? Can I say midget?
Only if you are referring to classic British cars Brian. Or Alan Sugar. Or Bernie Ecclestone.
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Is that the Swiss/Austrian midget goalie? Can I say midget?
He left a while ago. Think he's playing in Bundesliga 2 now.
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A lot of the young players Eddie has mentioned have been released anyway and are looking for new clubs for next season.
Can you let me know where you got the info that a lot of the young players I mentioned have been released, cos nowt has been said on the club website. Cheers!
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Is that the Swiss/Austrian midget goalie? Can I say midget?
No, not that one. He looks a decent size and looks impressive the two times I've seen him. begins with S I think. I'll google him.
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I think ... Matija Sarkic
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A lot of the young players Eddie has mentioned have been released anyway and are looking for new clubs for next season.
Can you let me know where you got the info that a lot of the young players I mentioned have been released, cos nowt has been said on the club website. Cheers!
It is no big deal or big secret Eddie. All clubs release loads of players at the end of every season and never or very rarely report it on their website. The decisions have already been made and after Christmas you usually find younger players playing on a Saturday morning. I know because I watch the Youth Team in most home games and I ask the question if I get the chance. The parents are the best source of information usually.
I could give you a list of players that I have heard have been released but I won't.
I know of 5 from your list but there will be a few still playing that will probably be released as well.
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Mitch Clarke is a great prospect in my opinion.
He is "competitive" shall we say. Not sure of his record but He seems to be booked or sent off in most games I see him play.
He plays at Centre Back and is Hard as Nails, very quick and brilliant in the air. Only problem is that He is very small to play that position. I have stood next to him and I reckon He is about 5'7" Can you play centre back in the premier league at that size ?
Des Walker or Perry from Wimbledon did it but it is a tough ask.
He plays Right Back and maybe that is where He might make it. But he is not technically great.
A bit taller and we would have a great defender. He might shoot up.
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I'm pretty sure Des Walker was about 6ft.
5'7" is surely too small for a central defender though. Cannavaro at 5'9 is probably the shortest great one though - so perhaps it might work if he could grow another couple of inches.
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Well you can take Alex Prosser off eddie munster's list, he's just signed his first professional contract. 'Twas on Twitter.
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How tall was Paul parker? He played centre half for years.
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How tall was Paul parker? He played centre half for years.
Did he? I only remember him playing right back.
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How tall was Paul parker? He played centre half for years.
Did he? I only remember him playing right back.
Source - http://manchesterunited.y2u.co.uk/MU54_Paul_Parker_Football.htm
Quote - "Parker, a central defender, started his career with Fulham before joining QPR, where he made his name as a nippy and incisive defender, even though he lacked the height normally associated with his position. His prowess was noticed by England coach Bobby Robson who, establishing he could also play at right back, gave him his international debut against Albania in 1989.
Parker continued to play centrally for his club while deputising for the first-choice Gary Stevens on the right side of defence for country. He was selected as Stevens' back-up for the 1990 World Cup in Italy but, with Stevens putting in a disappointing display in the opening 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland, Parker was put in the team, just five caps into his career..."
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Hopefully Mitch Clarke will get taller. It was last season when my 5'9" frame towered over him so He would have been an U17 that year. Not sure when you stop growing.
But He is really good in the air and gets a big leap in.
Prosser has done well and is a ball winning midfielder. The sort of player you wouldn't notice, his passing lets him down I would say.
Suliman is a nice defender but I don't think He is strong enough and has never had the impact at Junior Level that Kevin Toner did. I hoped Toner would make it here but his performances on Loan have suggested that He won't.
Youth Team have got some good players but no one like Grealish, who a blind man could spot after watching him for 5 minutes.
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What's you take on the Russian, Larry? Reckon he is able to make the transition to the first team?
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How serious is the Moscovite's injury? A run in the first team to see what he can do is the only thing we've got to look forward to this season.
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What's you take on the Russian, Larry? Reckon he is able to make the transition to the first team?
Russian Larry sounds like a good bet.
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He was wank on loan at Cheltenham.
So was Kane at Leicester and Norwich so not sure how much you can read into that. How much do the players round the loanee influence whether it's a "good" loan or not?
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Does anyone know if/when the club publishes a list of players being released at the end of the season/year?
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Does anyone know if/when the club publishes a list of players being released at the end of the season/year?
I think they submit a list to the FA of players who are no longer under contract with us.
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Mitch Clarke is a great prospect in my opinion.
He is "competitive" shall we say. Not sure of his record but He seems to be booked or sent off in most games I see him play.
He plays at Centre Back and is Hard as Nails, very quick and brilliant in the air. Only problem is that He is very small to play that position. I have stood next to him and I reckon He is about 5'7" Can you play centre back in the premier league at that size ?
Des Walker or Perry from Wimbledon did it but it is a tough ask.
He plays Right Back and maybe that is where He might make it. But he is not technically great.
A bit taller and we would have a great defender. He might shoot up.
Given his height, would he make a better DMF?
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Mitch Clark could turn out to be a really good player, very brave, too.
He does pick up a few bookings, though!
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so the vultures are starting to circle round Mr Kodjia with both Everton and Stoke reported to be keen. If a PL club like Everton does come calling, he's not going to turn them down is he?
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so the vultures are starting to circle round Mr Kodjia with both Everton and Stoke reported to be keen. If a PL club like Everton does come calling, he's not going to turn them down is he?
Thanks Paul. What's on the show tonight?
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you tell me, Dave, you seem to know everything else.
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so the vultures are starting to circle round Mr Kodjia with both Everton and Stoke reported to be keen. If a PL club like Everton does come calling, he's not going to turn them down is he?
He won't get the chance if they don't match the price we put on him.
In my opinion, we'd want a big mark up on what we paid, as he's been an unqualified success, and I'm not convinced the clubs interested would pay it for a 28 year old that hasn't played at the top level.
So he'll stay. I could be wrong of course, but I haven't ever been in 40 years so it's unlikely.
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There is talk of Wyness stating the building of 3 teams, one to get us up, one to consolidate and one to establish as a top six side, that could be very dicey and very expensive, I would like to see Bruce or whoever start to put the foundations next season to a team that would get promoted, but in that mix have players that would be capable with the correct coaching of stepping up, you look at some of the youngsters Everton had on the pitch yesterday, they were comfortable at the level they are playing, we need to have some of these within the starting 11 next season, grow a few more through the academy and have a requirement of maybe 3 or 4 players max if we were to go up, that we could hope we would be comfortable mid table prem, then build from that.
With the money we spent this year, how many of them would we be happy to see in the prem if we had off gone up this year.
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so the vultures are starting to circle round Mr Kodjia with both Everton and Stoke reported to be keen. If a PL club like Everton does come calling, he's not going to turn them down is he?
Thanks Paul. What's on the show tonight?
Can't be him. Didn't mention Albion buying him.
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What would you accept for Codg - £10m and Gueye and Barry fog-marched back to VP ?
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There's no way we will even consider selling Kodjia, unless the money is simply too good to turn down. And by that I'm talking £25m.
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25mill? Yup, that'll buy the left leg, but how much for the right? If they really want him, the bidding starts at 35. He's coming up with Villa though imo.
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Who is going to pay silly money for an almost 28 year old who has never played in the Premier League and who misses every January to play in Africa? Nobody's going to offer what he's worth to us.
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Who is going to pay silly money for an almost 28 year old who has never played in the Premier League and who misses every January to play in Africa? Nobody's going to offer what he's worth to us.
West Ham paid 20m for Andre Ayew last summer which is probably the going rate for idiocy at mid table top division clubs. They nearly spent huge money again on Scott Hogan in January. I'd say they are certs to bid for Kodjia in the summer and there is bound to be interest from a few more.
Whatever money we make on Kodjia is likely to be balanced out by the loss on Big Mac
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if that plays out, we have big problems in the summer balancing the squad and mounting a serious challenge. The prospect of Kodjia and McCormack going, which, given the loss we will inevitably make on Ross, will wipe out most if not all of the profit on Kodjia, leaves just Hogan as first choice striker; more than a little galling, given the latter's current form and injury record. Irrespective of who leaves, Bruce needs to bring in at least one striker in the summer, a pacey midfielder, a goalkeeper and a new centre back as a minimum. I can see eight or nine going out, but I'd try and retain Veretout.
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I think Kodjia will be too expensive for the sort of clubs who might be interested. You don't spend £25 million on a 2nd Division player.
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I hope you are right - but I can see a middle of the table PL club trying, and we all know that the power lies with the players - I dare say we're paying Kodjia as if he is in the PL, but a firm offer to actually do so and earn even more money, might prove irresistible.
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He may well get sold if the money is right, and then SB et al will need to entice Chris Wood from Leeds or some other proven scorer to join Hogan (who will come right, I'm sure) and RHM and an other.
It's the way the game works these days ...
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He may well get sold if the money is right, and then SB et al will need to entice Chris Wood from Leeds or some other proven scorer to join Hogan (who will come right, I'm sure) and RHM and an other.
It's the way the game works these days ...
If the money is right then of course he'll go.
It's just that it's unlikely we'll think the right amount as the same as what Watford or Stoke might see the right amount.
We paid between £11m - £15m, for him, he's going to score more than 20 goals in his first season so it's safe to assume that we're going to want a substantial mark-up if he goes.
And I'd be amazed if anybody threw that amount of money at a 27 year old who has never played top division football in any country.
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If he wants to go I'm pretty sure that a bid of £18-£20m and the player agitating will be enough.
Like others have said, I can't see a £25m bid coming in for him. There's plenty of players who have scored bucket loads in this league and they almost never command those sort of bids.
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Like others have said, I can't see a £25m bid coming in for him.
Nor can I. Which is why I fully expect him to stay with us.
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If he wants to go I'm pretty sure that a bid of £18-£20m and the player agitating will be enough.
Like others have said, I can't see a £25m bid coming in for him. There's plenty of players who have scored bucket loads in this league and they almost never command those sort of bids.
True, but Kodjia's recent international record has been good as well.
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I really want him to be with us next season, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if he isn't. The one real success of this season, and for that alone RDM/the club should be congratulated.
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I don't think he is going anywhere but, for the sake of argument, Everton might pay the going rate. If they make a massive pile on flogging Lukaku to Chelsea they might be inclined to meet our demands.
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Knowing us we've put a daft release clause of £16m on him
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Knowing us we've put a daft release clause of £16m on him
He may well get sold if the money is right, and then SB et al will need to entice Chris Wood from Leeds or some other proven scorer to join Hogan (who will come right, I'm sure) and RHM and an other.
It's the way the game works these days ...
If the money is right then of course he'll go.
It's just that it's unlikely we'll think the right amount as the same as what Watford or Stoke might see the right amount.
We paid between £11m - £15m, for him, he's going to score more than 20 goals in his first season so it's safe to assume that we're going to want a substantial mark-up if he goes.
And I'd be amazed if anybody threw that amount of money at a 27 year old who has never played top division football in any country.
Chinese club would pay stupid money for him I reckon. One of them actually bid for a Scunthorpe player in the last window so they do look at players below the premier league.
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I think Kodjia will be too expensive for the sort of clubs who might be interested. You don't spend £25 million on a 2nd Division player.
they dont need to either as the players generally force these moves if they really want to go
we have been through it with far better players than Kodjia when we had a far better team
I cant think of a single 2nd division club in recent years who held onto a player who was in demand in the tier above
Newcastle somehow got 30m for Sissoko last summer from Spurs! so there is always someone mental enough.
we might still pay decent wages but we play at a woeful standard so you couldnt blame any of them for wanting a move
West Ham, Leicester, Palace, Bournemouth to pick some likely contenders for Kodjia, all have players who could help us next season
Scoring a shedload of goals at perennial crisis club Villa, carries more column inches for Kodjia than lets say Abraham (Bristol) or Jerome (Norwich) too.
We'll get a good deal on him towards the end of August I reckon and....also score at least 20 more league goals next season as a TEAM
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If that carthorse Jerome scores one in off his arse from 2 yards it should be front page news.
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As I said earlier I think the pertinent point is that we may pay Kodjia as if he's in the PL but we play a standard below it - at his age, if a PL club bids for him he'll more than likely go , as he'll see it as his best chance to play in the top league. We can't guarantee that we will go up next season so I wouldn't blame him.
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I think Kodjia will be too expensive for the sort of clubs who might be interested. You don't spend £25 million on a 2nd Division player.
they dont need to either as the players generally force these moves if they really want to go
we have been through it with far better players than Kodjia when we had a far better team
And in pretty much every case we have held out for the value that we'd set for the player.
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The brilliant Kodjia needs to stay and Bruce needs to build a forward thinking team around him. He doesn't need to join also-ran teams in the premier league where the quality is no better, there's just more money, which our Tone can match. I can't see Tony sanctioning a Kodjia move in the summer, not while there's a January transfer window. He'll do what he did with Ayew, ignore any moves for Kodjia in the summer and if we are not looking like promotion or play-off contenders in January, reluctantly sell then. Over to you Bruce! As for Kodjia, keep doing what you're doing please!
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If we imagine we are a side finishing 16-8th in the top flight and we're looking at Kodjia, is the financial risk worth it?
It's all well and good saying the league is awash with money, which it is, but the consequence is that fees, wages and agents commission inflates in proportion. The rich are still the rich, it's just everybody is spending more on average players and cash is leaving the clubs at the same rate it has since 1992.
Kodjia has 3 years left, is on 40k per week, so is already commanding wages that likely put him in the highest earner bracket at a number of clubs.
Wages only go up, so assuming he's offered a 10k increase, with a £25 million fee, you're looking at a £35 million package, not including agents fees and signing on fee.
For a 28 year old who has never played top flight football. I can't see many clubs taking the plunge.
If they do, we will have enough money to replace him. I'd be surprised if he goes.
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Even if a mid-lower table Premiership club come in for Kodja at £25 million we can quite easily reject it. Is he really going to kick up a fuss and demand a move to a Watford or a Stoke? You'd imagine Bruce could convince him that Villa stand an excellent chance of getting promotion next season.
It may be different if a top 7 club came in for him, but I think that's unlikely. The only scenario I can imagine him leaving is if Everton sell Lukaku and try to buy a couple of strikers to replace him, but even then I'd be surprised if they were willing to gamble on somebody unproven at the top level.
Obviously if we don't go up next season it's a different proposition.
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Even if a mid-lower table Premiership club come in for Kodja at £25 million we can quite easily reject it. Is he really going to kick up a fuss and demand a move to a Watford or a Stoke? You'd imagine Bruce could convince him that Villa stand an excellent chance of getting promotion next season.
It may be different if a top 7 club came in for him, but I think that's unlikely. The only scenario I can imagine him leaving is if Everton sell Lukaku and try to buy a couple of strikers to replace him, but even then I'd be surprised if they were willing to gamble on somebody unproven at the top level.
Obviously if we don't go up next season it's a different proposition.
Problem is, at his age can he afford to wait another year for the possibility of a crack at the PL or would he want to take any chance offered to him now?
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Kodjia has 3 years left, is on 40k per week, so is already commanding wages that likely put him in the highest earner bracket at a number of clubs.
Not many in the Premier League I'd wager. Bear in mind we're in a world where Middleborough, Swansea and Palace all have at least one player on £100k per week or more.
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A few years back West Ham tried to spend ten million quid on Grant Holt.
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at least they didn't actually end up paying him, like we did. FFS- Grant Holt being paid to wear our C&B!!
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Even if a mid-lower table Premiership club come in for Kodja at £25 million we can quite easily reject it. Is he really going to kick up a fuss and demand a move to a Watford or a Stoke?
Probably not however if a London Club like West Ham or Palace came along he will be tempted.
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We always over value our own players. If he wants to go I'd be amazed if we didn't accept £20m
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We always over value our own players. If he wants to go I'd be amazed if we didn't accept £20m
We got £5 million for Zat Knight, £6 million for Gestede, £20 million in the Great Scouse Downing Heist, a capper so great it would have made the Lufthansa heist crew stand and applaud.
If he wants to go, he will, but not cheap.
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Two potential summer signings getting a run out in Spain ;)
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/12/tony-adams-granada-trials-kieran-richardson-nigel-reo-coker
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Two potential summer signings getting a run out in Spain ;)
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/12/tony-adams-granada-trials-kieran-richardson-nigel-reo-coker
Granada are screwed.
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Johnny Kodjia might want to resume his studies at the Sorbonne. It would be nice to think he might complete his degree while still with us. Brilliant pub quiz question. Who is the only Chartered Accountant playing in the Football League/Premiership?
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Johnny Kodjia might want to resume his studies at the Sorbonne. It would be nice to think he might complete his degree while still with us. Brilliant pub quiz question. Who is the only Chartered Accountant playing in the Football League/Premiership?
Following in the footsteps of another legendary, goal getting bean counter, Ian Olney. And Risso.
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Johnny Kodjia might want to resume his studies at the Sorbonne. It would be nice to think he might complete his degree while still with us. Brilliant pub quiz question. Who is the only Chartered Accountant playing in the Football League/Premiership?
Following in the footsteps of another legendary, goal getting bean counter, Ian Olney. And Risso.
Dicier Drogba studied accountancy at university. There's a player for Reading Women FC called Melissa Fletcher who is a qualified accountant.
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Two potential summer signings getting a run out in Spain ;)
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/12/tony-adams-granada-trials-kieran-richardson-nigel-reo-coker
Bloody this has disaster written all over it, but then Adams being in charge indicates that.
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Two potential summer signings getting a run out in Spain ;)
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/12/tony-adams-granada-trials-kieran-richardson-nigel-reo-coker
Bloody this has disaster written all over it, but then Adams being in charge indicates guarantees that.
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He is truly bonkers.
The Ray Parlour stories about Adams after he stopped the booze are hilarious.
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Johnny Kodjia might want to resume his studies at the Sorbonne. It would be nice to think he might complete his degree while still with us. Brilliant pub quiz question. Who is the only Chartered Accountant playing in the Football League/Premiership?
Following in the footsteps of another legendary, goal getting bean counter, Ian Olney. And Risso.
Dicier Drogba studied accountancy at university. There's a player for Reading Women FC called Melissa Fletcher who is a qualified accountant.
I think Alex McLeish is too, although I doubt that he's kept up the relevant CPD over the years!
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I'd never hire Alex McLeish as an accountant. He's shit with numbers. If he was any good he'd have realized having more points was better than having less points than other teams in a division. Also that spending almost £10m on N'Zogbia, agreeing on a 5 year deal with Given was fucking nuts.
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it was nuttier than nuts - nuts with nuts on top.
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Bacuna and Amavi. Neither should play another minute for us.
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Amavi still has the words "twenty five million" ringing in his ears.
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He's not a winger and he's not a full back. After today I'm unconvinced his actually a footballer.
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Agreed totally egregious today. Lots of restructuring to do in the summer, again.
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Let Amavi go to balance the books.
We have Taylor and De Laet for LB next season.
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Amavi still has the words "twenty five million" ringing in his ears.
I hope he recorded it because it will never be said again
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Amavi is managing to get progressively worse match by match, get rid
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Bacuna and Amavi. Neither should play another minute for us.
Sad but true.
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Amavi looks, to me, like a guy who's been fucked about a bit. he was playing well for a few months up to Christmas but then he had a dip in form that coincided with ours before coming back in to a position he's not familiar with and hasn't worked on enough in training and then just when he was starting to get into it got dropped then put back into his original position.
His positional sense was always his weakness and moving him into different positions isn't going to help that develop. I still think there's a very good player in there though but probably not for us under Bruce because he just isn't a Bruce style player.
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with respect, I just see a total charlatan - he isn't a very good footballer, end of. Why we paid what we did remains a total mystery to me. Time for him to return to France - and for Veretout to return.
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The statement that he is not a Bruce type of player, if that is the case why the hell does he keep picking him!!
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I think a fair few questioned the acquisition of Neil Taylor, but my word he's a far better player than Amavi. Still work to be done for Bruce in the summer. Hopefully, the likes of Amavi, Bacuna, fatbonlahor and Richards are pushed out.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Warnock is nowhere near the worst left back to play for the club.
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There are many contenders. It has been a cursed positon at the club ever since Bouma broke his leg.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Warnock is nowhere near the worst left back to play for the club.
He was better than Shorey for one
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Warnock back in MON's final season was basically the last time where you could count on the left back to put in a solid 7/10 performance every week. Been shocking otherwise - even Ryan Bertrand started looking pretty shit the more he played for us.
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he looked very shit to be fair but many a promising career has floundered on the rocks under the good ship Villa - the only player this year with a reputation that hasn't is Johnny Kodjia.
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Plus Chester.
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Apologies yes, Chester too, but not to the extent that Kodjia has been. All our problems yesterday came down the left side and collectively we contrived to make their No 9 (Mendes?) look far better than he is.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Warnock is nowhere near the worst left back to play for the club.
Spot on, Warnock was a decent player for most of his time here. The Bouma adulation always confuses me as well. I never rated him and was left scratching my head listening to fans waxing lyrical about him.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Warnock is nowhere near the worst left back to play for the club.
Spot on, Warnock was a decent player for most of his time here. The Bouma adulation always confuses me as well. I never rated him and was left scratching my head listening to fans waxing lyrical about him.
He was very solid and that allowed Ashley Young to attack/develop without fear his left back would let him down. That said he's hardly the best left to play for the club and I imagine the waxing lyrical has as much to do with how it all ended (a bit like Nilis) as it is to do with some of the utter gash we've had in the position since.
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Definite outs for me
Any of the ones currently out on loan, none of them wanted to stick around and help us recover so fuck em all
Bunn
Amavi
Hutton
Richards
Bacuna
Gabby
Kozak
Elphick
Gardner
McCormack
and Grealish. I've finally accepted he's never going to be the player we all hoped, and will forever been known as the kid that played a blinder in the semi final two years ago that everyone except us has already forgot
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Definite outs for me
Any of the ones currently out on loan, none of them wanted to stick around and help us recover so fuck em all
Bunn
Amavi
Hutton
Richards
Bacuna
Gabby
Kozak
Elphick
Gardner
McCormack
and Grealish. I've finally accepted he's never going to be the player we all hoped, and will forever been known as the kid that played a blinder in the semi final two years ago that everyone except us has already forgot
Agree with practically all of the above apart from Grealish. I still think he'll be a top player and we shouldn't allow the baby to be thrown out with the bath water. It'd come back and haunt us, I'm convinced.
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Agree with practically all of the above apart from Grealish. I still think he'll be a top player and we shouldn't allow the baby to be thrown out with the bath water. It'd come back and haunt us, I'm convinced.
I can't see any point. He's offering zero when he does get a look in and yesterday was another short cameo of bottling it and nothing else. I don't even remember him playing well anymore, it's been that long
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Yep I really thought Grealish would be a major player for us at this level but he's just fizzled out and is just an afterthought when the team gets announced now e.g. there's no great outcry when he's named on the bench now.
He's still young but I worry he's going to be one of these young players that just tries to live on a great game he played two years ago (Liverpool cup semi) and just never amounts to much. Similar to someone like Macheda for example.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Your obviously much to young to remember Gordon Smith when he first signed for us.
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I would cash in Grealish whilst he is still worth a bob. He has struggled at this level let alone the premiership. All this inflated hype over 5 or 6 good passes in the semi.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Your obviously much to young to remember Gordon Smith when he first signed for us.
Fk all wrong with Gordon Smith.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/fVLeLk/smith.jpg) (http://ibb.co/fVLeLk)
look at the badge.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Your obviously much to young to remember Gordon Smith when he first signed for us.
Fk all wrong with Gordon Smith.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/fVLeLk/smith.jpg) (http://ibb.co/fVLeLk)
look at the badge.
I did say when he first signed for us, an absolute nightmare - like McNaught.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Your obviously much to young to remember Gordon Smith when he first signed for us.
Fk all wrong with Gordon Smith.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/fVLeLk/smith.jpg) (http://ibb.co/fVLeLk)
look at the badge.
I did say when he first signed for us, an absolute nightmare - like McNaught.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/eJG3fk/mcnaught.jpg) (http://ibb.co/eJG3fk)
outside, now!!!
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Those shirts are great.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Your obviously much to young to remember Gordon Smith when he first signed for us.
Witton Warrior at 60 years old I saw plenty of Gordon Smith including his start, Gordon settled down to become a very solid defender something Amavi will never do at VP, get rid at the first opportunity.
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Amavi is giving Warnock a run for his money at being the worst left back to ever play for our club.
Your obviously much to young to remember Gordon Smith when he first signed for us.
Witton Warrior at 60 years old I saw plenty of Gordon Smith including his start, Gordon settled down to become a very solid defender something Amavi will never do at VP, get rid at the first opportunity.
By the way WW I'm not saying I was 60 years old when I first saw Gordon Smith play for us. :)
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No conversation about rubbish left backs is complete without the name Nicky Shorey. A player so bad his team mates would rather hoof the ball into touch as far upfield as possible than risk passing it 5 yards to him.
Jlloyd Samuel wasn't that great either.
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No conversation about rubbish left backs is complete without the name Nicky Shorey. A player so bad his team mates would rather hoof the ball into touch as far upfield as possible than risk passing it 5 yards to him.
Jlloyd Samuel wasn't that great either.
Bouma had a solid season or two before his injury. But we have had some awful left backs "specialists" in recent times , Samuel, Shorey, Warnock, Cissokho, Amavi... I'm definitely missing a few, Kieron Richardson
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No conversation about rubbish left backs is complete without the name Nicky Shorey. A player so bad his team mates would rather hoof the ball into touch as far upfield as possible than risk passing it 5 yards to him.
Jlloyd Samuel wasn't that great either.
Bouma had a solid season or two before his injury. But we have had some awful left backs "specialists" in recent times , Samuel, Shorey, Warnock, Cissokho, Amavi... I'm definitely missing a few, Kieron Richardson
The late Bernie Gallagher was always my tidemark, but several recent imposters have made him look like Andy Brehme
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Really? he's still the absolute benchmark for me. Rubbish. Although, to be fair, Cissokho does give hima run for his money. Actually, now that I've thoguht about him, it's Cissokho. Gallacher was limited but game. Cissokho is - well how did one poster put it? Like a puppy chasing a balloon.
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Nicky Shorey is by far the worst left back we've had. Then again, it's a huge field isn't it? Just looking at some of those names depresses me.
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Colin Gibson, Gary Williams, Alan Wright, we must have had a decent left back since these but I'm buggered if I can think of him.
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Colin Gibson, Gary Williams, Alan Wright, we must have had a decent left back since these but I'm buggered if I can think of him.
Staunton?
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Colin Gibson, Gary Williams, Alan Wright, we must have had a decent left back since these but I'm buggered if I can think of him.
Staunton?
Staunton and Alan Wright are the only decent ones I've seen in my lieftime. Bouma was average.
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Wouldn't mind Carrick next season
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Wouldn't mind Carrick next season
Yeah, adds a bit of much needed pace to our team.
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Wouldn't mind Carrick next season
Yeah, adds a bit of much needed pace to our team.
Along with jedinak and gardner on mobility scooters
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Wouldn't mind Carrick next season
But we had the next Carrick and sold him in January :-)
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Colin Gibson, Gary Williams, Alan Wright, we must have had a decent left back since these but I'm buggered if I can think of him.
Staunton?
Staunton and Alan Wright are the only decent ones I've seen in my lieftime. Bouma was average.
Alan Wright got dogs abuse a lot of the time he was the 'scapegoat' player of his day
he is also my eldest lads favourite Villa player not best player just his favourite
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Colin Gibson, Gary Williams, Alan Wright, we must have had a decent left back since these but I'm buggered if I can think of him.
Staunton?
Staunton and Alan Wright are the only decent ones I've seen in my lieftime. Bouma was average.
Alan Wright got dogs abuse a lot of the time he was the 'scapegoat' player of his day
he is also my eldest lads favourite Villa player not best player just his favourite
I remember the end of season "video" that year and the abuse Wright and Gary Charles got. Then wondered if everyone else happened to notice just how many goals the set up?
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John Percy is reporting that Ross McCormack hasn't trained at Forest for 3 weeks. He's definitely on the 'get rid' list, if anyone will take him.
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No-one in their right mind will take a risk on him.
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Those gates must be well and truly knackered.
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John Percy is reporting that Ross McCormack hasn't trained at Forest for 3 weeks. He's definitely on the 'get rid' list, if anyone will take him.
To be fair to him, he has been consistent about his attitude to training. He just doesn't like it.
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Ross McCormack’s troubled season has taken a fresh twist after it emerged he has not trained at Nottingham Forest for three weeks.
McCormack, Aston Villa’s £12 million striker, has been unavailable for Forest’s relegation battle due to “personal issues” and is unlikely to play again this season.
It is understood the Scotland international was struggling with an Achilles injury last month but he has not reported for treatment at either Forest or Villa, his parent club.
Forest have declined to comment or clarify the reasons behind his absence, but it is believed the issues are both personal and health related and serious enough for him to have been away from the club for nearly a month. Sources allege he was recently back in Glasgow, nearly 300 miles away from Forest’s City Ground.
Forest are paying a huge chunk of his £48,000-a-week wages, after agreeing to sign him on loan on deadline day, but he has not featured in Mark Warburton’s match-day squad since the 2-2 draw with Derby County on March 18.
McCormack’s absence is the latest incident in a difficult campaign for the 30-year-old, following his spectacular fallout with Villa manager Steve Bruce in January.
He failed to report for training after insisting the electric gates at his home were stuck, infuriating Bruce, who then exiled him from the first-team squad.
Bruce also said he would not pick him again until he apologised, shipping him out to Forest on loan hours before the transfer window closed.
Villa will move to sell the former Fulham striker in the summer but his problems come at a bad time for Forest, who are fighting to avoid relegation to League One.
His arrival was seen as a major coup for the Championship strugglers, as McCormack scored 23 goals for Fulham last season. But he has scored only once, in the 5-1 defeat at Norwich shortly before Warburton’s appointment.
Forest’s defeat at Cardiff on Easter Monday left them just one point above the bottom three, ahead of Saturday’s home game against Reading.
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John Percy is reporting that Ross McCormack hasn't trained at Forest for 3 weeks. He's definitely on the 'get rid' list, if anyone will take him.
To be fair to him, he has been consistent about his attitude to training. He just doesn't like it.
Hint of a Berahino situation about big mac now. No-one will take him and the club is nowhere near strong enough to contemplate rehabilitating him through whatever issues he is going through.
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If it's off the field stuff and he's not mentally fit to play are we still stuck with paying up all of the remainder of his contract?
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Sorry to skip past the training and attitude and fitness issues but something from that article jumped out at me.
Forest are paying a huge chunk of his £48,000-a-week wage
HOW MUCH???!!!! Bloody hell, that surely can't be right?
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Sorry to skip past the training and attitude and fitness issues but something from that article jumped out at me.
Forest are paying a huge chunk of his £48,000-a-week wage
HOW MUCH???!!!! Bloody hell, that surely can't be right?
Yes it is a ridiculous amount of money but not surprising at all.
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Sorry to skip past the training and attitude and fitness issues but something from that article jumped out at me.
Forest are paying a huge chunk of his £48,000-a-week wage
HOW MUCH???!!!! Bloody hell, that surely can't be right?
Yes it is a ridiculous amount of money but not surprising at all.
I found it surprising.
Of course players who have come down with us like Gabby or Richards would be on that kind of contract but I didn't think anyone in the Championship would be paying that kind of money to new signings. Wow.
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An obscene an amount of money being paid to someone that refuses to go to work let alone do his job properly. The day can't come soon enough when players can be sacked or have their contracts cancelled.
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Sorry to skip past the training and attitude and fitness issues but something from that article jumped out at me.
Forest are paying a huge chunk of his £48,000-a-week wage
HOW MUCH???!!!! Bloody hell, that surely can't be right?
Yes it is a ridiculous amount of money but not surprising at all.
I found it surprising.
Of course players who have come down with us like Gabby or Richards would be on that kind of contract but I didn't think anyone in the Championship would be paying that kind of money to new signings. Wow.
He is the classic second level mercenary tart, each move has got him another signing on fee and the guilable Villa come to town and its bonanza time just as his personal life fucks up.
I guess his ex will get plenty of the dosh though and another washed up footballer will give the red tops a few Page 3 headlines.
Fuck him.
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Linked with a couple of players in the last few days, Flint and Abrahams among them. Lots of players out on loan to be sorted too. Could be another busy summer for Bruce.
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We have been shopping far too much in the Championship for my liking...we should and need to be making a few quality signings from Premier League clubs to provide a strong spine and experience in the team. It's obviously easier said than done, however there should be some players out of contract or that can't get a game at their Premier League clubs that would come to Villa.
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I'm sure I heard Bruce say he was hoping for a busy summer in one of the post-match interviews yesterday.
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I'm sure I heard Bruce say he was hoping for a busy summer in one of the post-match interviews yesterday.
Sounded like he was preparing for the mother of all clearouts.
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We need it. Get only a few more in but cut a lot of the driftwood.
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The clear out this summer needs to include the U23 squad as well. Judged on their mediocre performance in the U23 Premier Division 2 and the failure of any of those out on loan in Leagues 1 & 2 to establish themselves in the first teams of the club's they are at. The exception being Niall Mason at Doncaster.
Professional Footballers are a group of employees who should be subject to "Performance Related Pay". In most other ordinary work places PRP is a crock of shit designed to keep the remuneration of the workers as low as possible. Well that's my opinion and experience.
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Bruce will need to deal with all the players currently out on loan. Gollini will continue with his loan period in Italy, but I would imagine Bruce will be looking to permanently offload Cissokho, Gil, Sanchez and McCormack if he can find any takers. Personally I'd keep Veretout to see if he could be integrated into the current side, but I don't get the feeling this is going to happen and I imagine Bruce will do a deal with St Etienne in due course. Given the standard of some of the recent performances I'd say he needs an entire new 1st XI, but realistically he still needs to sort out that midfield. I thought we were making progress when Bruce shipped out Westwood and brought in Lansbury and Hourihane, but I'm underwhelmed by the latter two, and it is deeply depressing to see Bacuna and Gardner finishing the game on Sunday. Can Bruce not see how limited these players are? So still new bodies required in midfield to provide genuine drive and energy, plus an upgrade on the right hand side to replace Adomah, another slow, lightweight, unimaginative plodder.
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John Ruddy released by Norwich.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39780816
Experienced former (briefly) international keeper, 30 years old, on a free. Might well be on the goalkeeper shortlist.
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Presume for goalkeepers Bruce will first of all be trying to get Johnstone for another year on loan if he can't get him permanently. Guess that would all be dependent on what Man Utd want, if there is a chance DeGea will be off to Real will they want Johnstone as number 2 to whoever they bring in as number 1? What we can't afford if that might be the case is to be sat around waiting if DeGea becomes the on/off saga of the summer.
If we could get Johnstone on another years loan or permanent with Ruddy as number 2 that would be great business and would allow the younger keepers like Sarkic to go out on loan to get games even if it is to the better non league clubs.
Not sure how Gollini has been doing at Atalanta?
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Gollini has been dropped and is reserve keeper now.
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I say dropped, he's started twice and been on the bench 13 times.
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Presume for goalkeepers Bruce will first of all be trying to get Johnstone for another year on loan if he can't get him permanently. Guess that would all be dependent on what Man Utd want, if there is a chance DeGea will be off to Real will they want Johnstone as number 2 to whoever they bring in as number 1? What we can't afford if that might be the case is to be sat around waiting if DeGea becomes the on/off saga of the summer.
If we could get Johnstone on another years loan or permanent with Ruddy as number 2 that would be great business and would allow the younger keepers like Sarkic to go out on loan to get games even if it is to the better non league clubs.
Not sure how Gollini has been doing at Atalanta?
I doubt Mourinho would leave himself short for goalkeepers and also doubt he would entrust a young and still relatively inexperienced Johnstone as being number 2 as they chase trophies again next season. The talk is that they will sign Kasper Schmeichel from Leicester, they already have Romero and also have 3 other youth/reserve keepers. It wouldn't surprise me if they also sign another experienced keeper rather than recall Johnstone.
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Presume for goalkeepers Bruce will first of all be trying to get Johnstone for another year on loan if he can't get him permanently. Guess that would all be dependent on what Man Utd want, if there is a chance DeGea will be off to Real will they want Johnstone as number 2 to whoever they bring in as number 1? What we can't afford if that might be the case is to be sat around waiting if DeGea becomes the on/off saga of the summer.
If we could get Johnstone on another years loan or permanent with Ruddy as number 2 that would be great business and would allow the younger keepers like Sarkic to go out on loan to get games even if it is to the better non league clubs.
Not sure how Gollini has been doing at Atalanta?
I doubt Mourinho would leave himself short for goalkeepers and also doubt he would entrust a young and still relatively inexperienced Johnstone as being number 2 as they chase trophies again next season. The talk is that they will sign Kasper Schmeichel from Leicester, they already have Romero and also have 3 other youth/reserve keepers. It wouldn't surprise me if they also sign another experienced keeper rather than recall Johnstone.
Then hopefully we are talking to them about a loan / permanent deal for next year :-)
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I see that four of the list I posted have been shown the door;(shown in red) new contract (shown in blue)
Bunn (*),Hutton (*),Richards, Gabby, Kozak(**), Cissokho , Sanchez,McCormack. (*)= One year extension, (**) = Retiring.
B.Watkins, T.Leggett, J.Linley, B.Swift, J.Abdoul, N.Mason, C.Blackett-Taylor, R.Hale .
J.Finnerty, J.Humphries,E.Idem, V.Johansson, M.Clark, J.Sundman, L.Hall, A.Prosser, J.Pastorek, J.Doyle Hayes, J.Clarke. J.Coates, J.Cox
Plus J.Sellars
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By all accounts Hale walked away after disagreements over his first team chances. There was plenty of suggestions that Bruce rated him so I doubt he's 'been shown the door', Abdoul appears to be a similar case.
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Maybe there should be a different colour font for those who have left without having "been shown the door".
Might I suggest Green after the Shakin' Stevens poptastic record disc.
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was that a poptastic charidee single mate?
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Huddleston, Cattermole. Two players I expect us to be linked with in the coming weeks.
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Huddleston, Cattermole. Two players I expect us to be linked with in the coming weeks.
I'd add Michael Dawson & Curtis Davies to that list...just pray the name Sen Larsson doesn't one up linked with us
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Presume for goalkeepers Bruce will first of all be trying to get Johnstone for another year on loan if he can't get him permanently. Guess that would all be dependent on what Man Utd want, if there is a chance DeGea will be off to Real will they want Johnstone as number 2 to whoever they bring in as number 1? What we can't afford if that might be the case is to be sat around waiting if DeGea becomes the on/off saga of the summer.
If we could get Johnstone on another years loan or permanent with Ruddy as number 2 that would be great business and would allow the younger keepers like Sarkic to go out on loan to get games even if it is to the better non league clubs.
Not sure how Gollini has been doing at Atalanta?
I doubt Mourinho would leave himself short for goalkeepers and also doubt he would entrust a young and still relatively inexperienced Johnstone as being number 2 as they chase trophies again next season. The talk is that they will sign Kasper Schmeichel from Leicester, they already have Romero and also have 3 other youth/reserve keepers. It wouldn't surprise me if they also sign another experienced keeper rather than recall Johnstone.
Agreed. I wouldnt be surprised if he became permanent. He is what he appears. A third rate premier league keeper and a decent Championship one. Nowhere near good enough for them but just about good enough for us. Seems like something that could happen.
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Johnstone is pretty shit. He looks worth about half a million, there's better keepers to be found out there around Europe, rather than take the easy option of over paying for a Manure reserve reserve.
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I'm no great Johnstone fan, but there's something to be said for keeping faith with a young keeper. Stockdale, Pickford, Butland, Heaton...none of those were Shilton-esque. However, it's too important to make the wrong choice. Look at Man City's bollocks season because of that hologram they stick in the net.
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He's got better definitely, but to me he's still no better than Gollini.
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I must be watching a diffferent game then. I think Johnstone has been superb since the Derby home match.
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I would like to see the back of Richards, Agbonlahor, Bacuna, Gardner & Amavi
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I must be watching a diffferent game then. I think Johnstone has been superb since the Derby home match.
I agree
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I would like to see the back of Richards, Agbonlahor, Bacuna, Gardner & Amavi
Definitely, gash the lot of them, get anything for them and move on.
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A massive amount of deadwood to get shifted.
Gollini
Steer OR Bunn (don't need both if we get a first choice keeper)
Elphick
Richards
Cissokho!
Gardner
Sanchez
Veretout
Tshibola
Gil
Agbonlahor
Kozak - already gone
McCormack
Bacuna might be worth keeping for versatility, but not bothered if he goes.
IN
First choice keeper - Smithies at QPR?
Left back
A better central defender than Baker.
Another defensive midfielder to backup/challenge Jedinak
A wide player
A creative midfielder
A target man to play with either Hogan or Kodjia
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Quoted instead of modified.
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so musical boots again this summer - 12 out seven in. FFS!! Why can't we ever get it right!
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I would like to see the back of Richards, Agbonlahor, Bacuna, Gardner & Amavi
Is the right answer
However there is a stumbling block of them being shit and still having time left on their contracts
I really hope im wrong but can see all of them being here next season
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They'll be interest abroad in Amavi I reckon.
Elphick will be moved on, just not of the standard needed and other clubs lower down the championship will take him.
Think Gardner will be moved on if we get in another CM.
Gabby will be kept for his annual testimonial against SHA.
I was just about to go in the forgotten Villa players about Richards. When did he actually last play a game? Probably one of the highlights of the season we've hardly seen him waddling around the pitch manufacturing all sorts of defensive chaos and then blaming others.
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They'll be interest abroad in Amavi I reckon.
Elphick will be moved on, just not of the standard needed and other clubs lower down the championship will take him.
Think Gardner will be moved on if we get in another CM.
Gabby will be kept for his annual testimonial against SHA.
I was just about to go in the forgotten Villa players about Richards. When did he actually last play a game? Probably one of the highlights of the season we've hardly seen him waddling around the pitch manufacturing all sorts of defensive chaos and then blaming others.
Do you think? He has got another 2 years left at a decent whack so he is another donkey i can see us being lumbered with
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QPR put in a 3m bid in January but we rejected it apparently.
We signed him from that amount and he came from Bournemouth so he's hardly on McCormack/Gabby type wages so think we can move him on as he obviously hasn't been of the required standard.
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Anyone wanting Elphick needs their bumps felt. He can tonight and we'll get the taxi. An absolute bomb scare of a player.
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Im sure i heard jedinak is on 50k a week, lansbury 40, hourihane 28 so what would elphick be on? 25 ish?
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There is still so much work to be done for Bruce. I guess we should only judge him once he's got his own squad of players. I just hope to hell he manages to get most of the shit out of the door. Some of those named in this thread really are dross players and it still makes me wonder why the likes of Fox and Dim Tim gave them new contracts. What the hell were they thinking?
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Anyone wanting Elphick needs their bumps felt. He can tonight and we'll get the taxi. An absolute bomb scare of a player.
Did he not start the season as captain? And choose the entrance music? He's a shoe-in for a while yet. :-[
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I guess we should only judge him once he's got his own squad of players.
Never understood this statement. A decent manager should not have to rip up a squad when he comes in. Granted there will be a few replacements by virtue of the fact that the team is probably not doing very well when a new manager is brought in. If a manager doesn't generally suit the majority of the players already at the club, he is the wrong choice as manager.
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Gardner just signed a contract though God knows why we offered that
Agree with the list above. Have pretty much given up on amavi
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I guess we should only judge him once he's got his own squad of players.
Never understood this statement. A decent manager should not have to rip up a squad when he comes in. Granted there will be a few replacements by virtue of the fact that the team is probably not doing very well when a new manager is brought in. If a manager doesn't generally suit the majority of the players already at the club, he is the wrong choice as manager.
Yes we should not wait till he has "his own squad". A Manager is selected by a business to manage it's resources and assets and yield the best results out of those and by adding a few changes. A Manager is not hired to start a new business and scrapping the old one.
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I guess we should only judge him once he's got his own squad of players.
Never understood this statement. A decent manager should not have to rip up a squad when he comes in. Granted there will be a few replacements by virtue of the fact that the team is probably not doing very well when a new manager is brought in. If a manager doesn't generally suit the majority of the players already at the club, he is the wrong choice as manager.
Yes we should not wait till he has "his own squad". A Manager is selected by a business to manage it's resources and assets and yield the best results out of those and by adding a few changes. A Manager is not hired to start a new business and scrapping the old one.
Easy boys. Unfortunately, it looks like Bruce will be staying. Against my wishes, so the club now have little choice but to back him with his own squad of players. I don't like it either, as I can't trust him not to coach them properly, however, he has a ready made excuse in that some of them are shit, some of them are NOT his players, therefore, he HAS to be backed and will only get sacked when he's got his own squad, in readiness to get sacked and start the whole shebang again.
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Well that's fucking suicide. He's shown us fuck all. We can forget being a big club again if that's the case.
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Bruce isn't going to be the long-term manager - if we're not in the Promotion race at Christmas, he'll be gone.
If we don't get promotion, he'll be gone.
If we get promotion, we'll struggle in the Premier League, and he'll be gone.
I can't envisage the other option - that he'll get us promoted and we'll be a comfortable mid table or better Premier League team.
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Gardner just signed a contract though God knows why we offered that
Agree with the list above. Have pretty much given up on amavi
In all fairness, it was probably with the view (like Westwood) that when he does go (hopefully this summer) we'll get somewhat of a fee for him.
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Getting players out will be just as important this summer as bringing some in. Far too many who are no real use in terms of playing and need to go. As the past few years have shown, it is harder said than done, but effort has to be made to move them on.
I think Bruce has really got to decide on how he wants to play and buy accordingly. With Baker at the back and Jedinak in midfield, we are never going to be a build from the back side, so if they are part of the plan going forward, we desperately need a physical striker who can hold the ball up. I think having that kind of striker would make a difference. Jedinak is a bit of a problem in that his international commitments have proved a burden and as a result, we've missed a key player or he's not been quite right on quite a few occasions. Midfield as a whole remains a problem and Bruce simply has to get more attacking threat from Lansbury, Hourihane and Bjarnason.
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I wrote it on the Bruce out page, Dean Saunders was quoted on Talkshite as saying
Bruce likes his defenders who can tackle, head the ball away and really enjoy defending,nothing else, then he gets a couple of forwards and that's it, I know I played for him.
Which I think how he has mismanaged the midfield that has been in place this season means we can probably look forward to his son, Dawson and any 6ft 6 centre forward that comes on the market, he is not going to change his mantra now, god help us.
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Definite move ons
Bacuna - I like his versatility but after yesterdays petulance he has to go
Gabby
Bunn
Richards
Elphick - truly awful
Hutton - forget the faux cult status - awful footballer
Amavi
Gil
Sanchez
Tsibola
Adomah - no pace / no tackle / cant head / poor final ball - there are lengthy periods in the game I actually forget he is playing
Not bothered if they stay or not
Jedinak - only keep to close games out - not as a starter
McCormack - would actually give him a chance
Kodjia - we played more fluidly yesterday with a kid up top!
Johnstone
Veretout - would like to give him a chance as think he has great potential
Hogan - I fear he is being let down by Bruce not playing him correctly
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Did Richards even play for the U23's/Reserves in the last few months when apparently he was back fit? Beggars belief that he's spend 9 months doing naff-all and is probably our highest paid player. At least Gabby was busting a gut to atone for his cardinal sins of the past.
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Adomah isn't amazing, but he's second in the Championship for assists - 10. The only one who got more assists was (not for us) Hourihane.
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I'd like to give Gil a go in this division. We can always sell or loan him at the end of August if he doesn't look any good.
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I'd like to give Gil a go in this division. We can always sell or loan him at the end of August if he doesn't look any good.
I just can't think of a position where he'd be particularly effective in the current setup, and we're not going to fiddle around the setup just to get him in the lineup as a no. 10 - he's not good enough to warrant that. Meanwhile, he's inferior compared to Adomah and likely Green as well as an out-and-out winger; and there's no evidence he can be a central midfielder who springs forward; nor as a second striker type who can play off/together with Kodjia.
I wish it would've worked out, but given the struggles we've had trying to get a tune out of Jack, it'd only be worse with Gil.
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We spent fifteen million on a centre forward who is supposed to be lethal in the air. We need wingers. Green, Adomah, Grealish and Gil would provide a good mix and give us options to bring on a dangerous player or two against tiring legs.
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He's not really a winger in the whips-crosses-in sense though, isn't he? More of a guy who cuts in and plays quick one-twos, rather than someone who stretches the field. Certainly, I don't seem to remember too many brilliant deliveries into the box, even in that initial period after signing for us.
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he wants out and the last thing we need are disaffected players constantly bleating and moaning. The real worry about him and Veretout, is that their loan clubs haven't got a pot to piss in to buy them - Sanchez might be the exception.
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he wants out and the last thing we need are disaffected players constantly bleating and moaning. The real worry about him and Veretout, is that their loan clubs haven't got a pot to piss in to buy them - Sanchez might be the exception.
You'd be right on the last one as he's already gone.
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Way SB was talking everyone on loan will be sold so that's Sanchez already gone, Gil, Veretout, Tishbola, McCormack all to follow and maybe a few of our young players will go aswell like Mason.
From the existing squad think Elphick will be moved on and probably Gardner.
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With the loan players, we have a squad of around 35. Mason, Kozak and Sanchez are gone already. We might need another 10 out if Bruce wants to bring in four quality players. They'd better start the wheeling and dealing quickly and effectively. Given that many of our players are wasters, we will have to work really hard to move them on.
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Whose contracts are up this summer?
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I don't know but knowing us we'll put in a Bid for Rudy and Brian G's favourite!
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Bunn, Hutton and Gardner should be amongst those who need to go. I have said the same in previous posts.
In saying this, i'm sure that Bunn was given a new contract not so long ago (sure I saw it mentioned on this site). I'm also aware that Hutton got a one year extension and Gardner signed a new contract till 2020.
I don't know if Bruce was taking the "P" or if he's been on the wacky baccy, but as well as talking about Gabby being given yet another chance, he's also prepared to give the "Gatekeeper" another chance as well.
Promotion next season......I don't think so.......
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Id get rid of Bunn, Elphick, Bacuna, Richards, Gardner, Gabby, McCormack. Would love to see the loan boys introduced, especially Gil and Tish.
Can't see it happening.
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I read somewhere that Joe Ledley's contract is up this summer. Would be a good option to rotate with Jedinak.
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That would be a great signing imo.
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Id get rid of Bunn, Elphick, Bacuna, Richards, Gardner, Gabby, McCormack.
yes but how? They are all sitting on fat contracts so going nowhere.
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Id get rid of Bunn, Elphick, Bacuna, Richards, Gardner, Gabby, McCormack.
yes but how? They are all sitting on fat contracts so going nowhere.
Some kind of Jumble sale ?
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I have only watched about fifteen minutes of the European under-17 Championships, form gambling purposes, but have been sufficiently impressed with French winger Hakim el Mokeddem.
We should sign him.
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Id get rid of Bunn, Elphick, Bacuna, Richards, Gardner, Gabby, McCormack.
yes but how? They are all sitting on fat contracts so going nowhere.
Correct
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We could easily shift Elphick, Gardner and Bacuna, if we were so inclined.
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Agree, Elphick & Bacuna might need a bit of financial inducement as I doubt they'd get equivalent contracts elsewhere, Gardner would have options because of his age & the fact he was highly rated before his injuries
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Don't forget our bet Mr U that if "my favourite" does not finish up in two years with a team in the Champions League I will buy you lunch. Being a gambling man I will double up on another favourite of mine Remi Garde being a Premiership manager in two years.
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I am off to throw some German towels in the pool in a minute so I will make my bet a treble by adding that another favourite of mine, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy will be in the Premiership before we are.
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I have only watched about fifteen minutes of the European under-17 Championships, form gambling purposes, but have been sufficiently impressed with French winger Hakim el Mokeddem.
We should sign him.
He's a bit of a little shit for diving but Germany have a winger called John Yeboah who looks like he's going to be something special, he's been superb in both of their games so far (other than going down far too easily if a defender touches him).
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Bakary Sako, anyone? , he's a powerful wide midfielder / winger and a proven success at this level, he scored 36 goals in 111 league games for Wolves, and was that club’s joint leading scorer in his last season. Apparently he could be available and, given that Palace got him on a free, the price may be be reasonable . Wolves & Derby allegedly interested . ..........................Godzvilla!.
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We could easily shift Elphick, Gardner and Bacuna, if we were so inclined.
unfortunately, I would guess its more a case of if THEY are so inclined.
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Id get rid of Bunn, Elphick, Bacuna, Richards, Gardner, Gabby, McCormack.
yes but how? They are all sitting on fat contracts so going nowhere.
No they're not. Bunn is out of contract.
http://astonvillacentral.com/squad/contracts/ (http://astonvillacentral.com/squad/contracts/)
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I have only watched about fifteen minutes of the European under-17 Championships, form gambling purposes, but have been sufficiently impressed with French winger Hakim el Mokeddem.
We should sign him.
He's a bit of a little shit for diving but Germany have a winger called John Yeboah who looks like he's going to be something special, he's been superb in both of their games so far (other than going down far too easily if a defender touches him).
I'd be quite happy with a diving shit at Villa Park. He plays for Wolfsburg though so not sure he would be tempted. My recommendation is only at Toulouse.
My phone just tried to change that to Toulouse-Lautrec.
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I have only watched about fifteen minutes of the European under-17 Championships, form gambling purposes, but have been sufficiently impressed with French winger Hakim el Mokeddem.
We should sign him.
He's a bit of a little shit for diving but Germany have a winger called John Yeboah who looks like he's going to be something special, he's been superb in both of their games so far (other than going down far too easily if a defender touches him).
I'd be quite happy with a diving shit at Villa Park. He plays for Wolfsburg though so not sure he would be tempted. My recommendation is only at Toulouse.
My phone just tried to change that to Toulouse-Lautrec.
Indeed, was just mentioning how good he looked. He didn't play today but the striker who got a hat-trick for them (Arp) looked good as well, having looked him up his scoring record at junior level is very good as well.
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Bakary Sako, anyone? , he's a powerful wide midfielder / winger and a proven success at this level, he scored 36 goals in 111 league games for Wolves, and was that club’s joint leading scorer in his last season. Apparently he could be available and, given that Palace got him on a free, the price may be be reasonable . Wolves & Derby allegedly interested . ..........................Godzvilla!.
We definitely need another wide player, so he wouldn't be a bad shout.
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Whose contracts are up this summer?
The following have contracts that are due to end any day now, unless anyone knows different;
C.Blackett-Taylor, B.Watkins, J.Sundman, B.Swift, K.Abdo, R.Calder, H.Cowans, E.Idem, V.Johansson, M.Clark, L.Hall, J.Clarke, J.Cox, J.Doyle-Hayes, J.Finnerty, H.Knibbs, J.Coates, J.Humphries. All from the reserves or academy.
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I do think we should also be looking for someone else to play in the Jedinak role. The defensive midfielder isn't just there to break up play but should be the player who takes the ball from the back four and sets the tempo. get a pass out and make sure his defence move when he does further upfield to make sure the gaps aren't too big between defence and midfield, and attack. jedinak's passing is awful - he's no centre half either - so for me he's not good enough to play the role. That means one of Lansbury, Hourihane, or AN Other have to sit deeper to try and get the ball, thus losing shape and by then the long ball forward is the only real option.
He's go to go - or sit on the bench - for me.
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So you keep saying but as long as Bruce is here, Jedinak will play when fit. It's clear that he loves him.
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I do think we should also be looking for someone else to play in the Jedinak role. The defensive midfielder isn't just there to break up play but should be the player who takes the ball from the back four and sets the tempo. get a pass out and make sure his defence move when he does further upfield to make sure the gaps aren't too big between defence and midfield, and attack. jedinak's passing is awful - he's no centre half either - so for me he's not good enough to play the role. That means one of Lansbury, Hourihane, or AN Other have to sit deeper to try and get the ball, thus losing shape and by then the long ball forward is the only real option.
He's go to go - or sit on the bench - for me.
He'd be perfect next to Chester, despite you arguing the toss with me after the Wigan game when I'd watched him for 90 minutes and you'd seen 30 seconds highlights.
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True, I can't pretend to have seen him as much as anyone who goes to the games - but those highlights showed him being hopelessly out of position which a better team would have taken advantage of. That's not arguing the toss as its not set in stone that he plays in defence. I think he'd be terrible there long term.
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True, I can't pretend to have seen him as much as anyone who goes to the games - but those highlights showed him being hopelessly out of position which a better team would have taken advantage of. That's not arguing the toss as its not set in stone that he plays in defence. I think he'd be terrible there long term.
On the contrary, a momentary mistake can happen when you switch to a position you don't play in every week, and a few games playing there consistently should sort it out.
His head is like a ball magnet in our box, he's utterly dominating in the air.
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It was more than once though. It may have been a momentary lapse but to me it looked more like someone who can easily get pulled out of position because its not a position natural to him. Easy to head the ball away when its in front of you and I don't think at Jedinak's age you can teach a new position in terms of naturally reading a game and being able to cover the gaps when the ball isn't coming down on his nut. As I said, I'd keep him on the bench when a game's crying out for an extra defender. but we need better.
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He was imperious throughout that game, we'd have lost it without him. In fact, the main reason we were struggling was down to his absence in midfield.
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It was. How depressing that one defensive midfielder 'missing' and we were struggling to overcome an all but relegated Championship team.
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It was. How depressing that one defensive midfielder 'missing' and we were struggling to overcome an all but relegated Championship team.
I won't disagree with that, even more so when you're watching it live and absolutely piss wet through.
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To fill the jedinak over reliance gap I'd suggest getting Mooy on loan from city (if Huddersfield don't go up and sign him)
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He was imperious throughout that game, we'd have lost it without him. In fact, the main reason we were struggling was down to his absence in midfield.
He played well at CB against Sheffield Wednesday as well. I would rather look at him back there next season (where it will be easier to cover him) and bring in another defensive midfielder in the summer who won't have the burden that Jedinak's international commitments bring.
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I would have liked to have thought injuries aside the plan would have been to use Jedinak to mentor Lyden into that def MF role...rather than continually spend develop one from within.
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To fill the jedinak over reliance gap I'd suggest getting Mooy on loan from city (if Huddersfield don't go up and sign him)
Which one? Leicester? Chester? Brechin?
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To fill the jedinak over reliance gap I'd suggest getting Mooy on loan from city (if Huddersfield don't go up and sign him)
Which one? Leicester? Chester? Brechin?
Manchester
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To fill the jedinak over reliance gap I'd suggest getting Mooy on loan from city (if Huddersfield don't go up and sign him)
Which one? Leicester? Chester? Brechin?
Manchester
Ouch!
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To fill the jedinak over reliance gap I'd suggest getting Mooy on loan from city (if Huddersfield don't go up and sign him)
Which one? Leicester? Chester? Brechin?
Manchester
Say that then. Other than being mancs with a superiority complex they have done nothing to have earned the right to be known as 'City'. hate them or hate them their rivals have done more than enough to be the team known as 'United'. Man City have done nothing and fans shouldn't buy into their manc 'Cit-eh' nonsense and so I will pull up anyone, and do - especially man City fans - who expect me to know who they mean when they say 'City'.
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To fill the jedinak over reliance gap I'd suggest getting Mooy on loan from city (if Huddersfield don't go up and sign him)
Which one? Leicester? Chester? Brechin?
Manchester
Say that then. Other than being mancs with a superiority complex they have done nothing to have earned the right to be known as 'City'. hate them or hate them their rivals have done more than enough to be the team known as 'United'. Man City have done nothing and fans shouldn't buy into their manc 'Cit-eh' nonsense and so I will pull up anyone, and do - especially man City fans - who expect me to know who they mean when they say 'City'.
I agree with most of that but I don't accept United either and I used to work with a Blarkburn fan who would always say Rovers which used to annoy me as well. As I said to him something like 'Villa' is fine because you could say that to anyone in the country who follows football and they'd know who you mean but things like united, rovers, city, albion, etc are very much dependent on where you are and who you're talking to.
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oh i agree wholeheartedly I never refer to them as United but if anyone can go by that moniker then it's the biggest club. I was thinking of Blackburn as well but those that call them Rovers have tended to have lived there for all or most of their lives when there is no other club around (in Blackburn), so for them it is natural to refer to themselves as Rovers when in conversation with others. Its not the same superiority complex as seen with man City fans.
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"Villa were shite today."
"Which one? SC, Mohun Bagun, the French pop group?"
"..."
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To fill the jedinak over reliance gap I'd suggest getting Mooy on loan from city (if Huddersfield don't go up and sign him)
Which one? Leicester? Chester? Brechin?
Manchester
Say that then. Other than being mancs with a superiority complex they have done nothing to have earned the right to be known as 'City'. hate them or hate them their rivals have done more than enough to be the team known as 'United'. Man City have done nothing and fans shouldn't buy into their manc 'Cit-eh' nonsense and so I will pull up anyone, and do - especially man City fans - who expect me to know who they mean when they say 'City'.
I agree with most of that but I don't accept United either and I used to work with a Blarkburn fan who would always say Rovers which used to annoy me as well. As I said to him something like 'Villa' is fine because you could say that to anyone in the country who follows football and they'd know who you mean but things like united, rovers, city, albion, etc are very much dependent on where you are and who you're talking to.
I don't mind when people, even Man U fans, do it when talking about their own team. If I'm talking to a Bluenose and he refers to "Blues", I can be fairly certain he's on about the Young Offenders' Institute on the Coventry Road rather than, say, Chelsea, Everton, Rangers or the Cardiff Rugby team.
What does annoy me, and there is no excuse for it, is people with no affinity for either team referring to clubs from the Seventh City as just "City" or "United". Any broadcaster who does this when they are playing another team with the same nickname should be sacked on the spot. ******.
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oh i agree wholeheartedly I never refer to them as United but if anyone can go by that moniker then it's the biggest club. I was thinking of Blackburn as well but those that call them Rovers have tended to have lived there for all or most of their lives when there is no other club around (in Blackburn), so for them it is natural to refer to themselves as Rovers when in conversation with others. Its not the same superiority complex as seen with man City fans.
I'd say, of the two, Man City have more right to just be known by the their second name as, I believe, there were first to adopt said monicker.
There were millions of Uniteds by the time Newnton Heath changed their name.
I'd like to see us adopt a US-style rule where you are only allowed one team per nickname and all the tediously unoriginal Citys, Uniteds and Towns who copied other teams were forced to change their names.
I think Sheffield may have been the first United... not sure who the first Town were.
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Mansfield
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It was either Sodom or Gomorrah.
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Or that bunch of wankers from Onan.
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They weren't Mansfield Town until 1910.
The answer seems to be Saffron Walden, who added "Town" sometime between their formation in 1872 and their first entry into the FA Cup in 1877.
Then again it could just be Wiki listing them under their current name in error, I can't find out conclusively when they adopted "Town".
If it's not them, it's probably Grimsby, who became "Town" in 1879, one year after their formation.
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what a load of old cods-wallop. Sounds fishy to me.
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Macclesfield Town 1874
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Founded in 1874. Weren't known as Macclesfield Town until the Second World War.
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I must say that I'd love to go out for a drink with you lot. First we could scour the room looking for people who shorten the name of their football team in an imprecise way, give them a good telling off, and then round off the evening with an educational quest to find out the first team to have Town in their name! Where do I sign up? *winking gent*
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I must say that I'd love to go out for a drink with you lot. First we could scour the room looking for people who shorten the name of their football team in an imprecise way, give them a good telling off, and then round off the evening with an educational quest to find out the first team to have Town in their name! Where do I sign up? *winking gent*
^^
Angry because he can't think of an older team called "Town".
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Rushden & Diamonds
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Maidenhead apparently.
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1992! FFS.
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Stop making me consult Wikipedia when I'm supposed to be being sociable at a barbecue!
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Stop making me consult Wikipedia when I'm supposed to be being sociable at a barbecue!
Exactly! Some sausage-eating prick might be saying 'Celtic', completely ignoring Stalybridge, the meat-chomping, IRA-loving, Champions League scum. Shoe him!
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You say Seltic I say Keltic.
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I'm not sure you're treating this issue with the gravitas it deserves.
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"Villa were shite today."
"Which one? SC, Mohun Bagun, the French pop group?"
"..."
Pelsall
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You say Seltic I say Keltic.
This could start all Manor of problems
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Telegraph and Mirror reported a cash freeze and sell to buy for Bruce for next season according to newsnow. Due to FFP apparently.
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Telegraph and Mirror reported a cash freeze and sell to buy for Bruce for next season according to newsnow. Due to FFP apparently.
mi
Bruce might well be better working to a budget rather than given the green light to spend spend spend. So far with the exception of Taylor he hasn't raised the bar with his buys.
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A few things struck me about that. First, good that we will use the loan market more. It is the best way to get good players in this division, Atsu at Newcastle was a prime example. Using our 4 loans is a must as they are free hits at getting premier league players into the squad. Secondly, there are some very decent free transfers out there. Finally, I reckon we have around 20-25m in sales to make, that will be more than enough money to give Bruce. We need a couple of keepers, a winger, a holding midfielder and a fast forward. Most of those can be found free or on loan. Spending fortunes did not work last season. Round et al have had a year to get this summer right. Players like Marley Watkins on a free look useful, and I am sure there are many more on frees that are worth looking at while we sell others.
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Our squad is way too big anyway. Around 35 or so with the loaned out players. Get rid of as many as possible with only a handful really likely to beat a cull, if it's a cull we need. Chester, Jedinak, Kodjia, (hopefully a resurgent) Hourihane and Lansbury, Bree, Taylor. After that, I wouldn't care too much if the bones of the rest were picked on by other clubs.
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Well the money was fun while it lasted.
Disastrous news that we won't be investing.
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Well the money was fun while it lasted.
Disastrous news that we won't be investing.
Hardly a disaster. We will still spend £20-25m this summer IMO. We have almost an entire side out Loan that can generate cash. Article is already outdated as we have just got £2.5m for Sanchez. Plus other players like amavi (£10m), Richards and elphick to leave too.
I'm quite comfortable at the thought of us spending the above on 4 players and also
Using our 4 loans. Johnstone for another year, Tammy Abraham possibly? Then free transfers like Watkins from Barnsley.
Despite our league position we still have a strong squad who should be good enough for play offs at least even with no investment
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Well the money was fun while it lasted.
Disastrous news that we won't be investing.
Hardly a disaster. We will still spend £20-25m this summer IMO. We have almost an entire side out Loan that can generate cash. Article is already outdated as we have just got £2.5m for Sanchez. Plus other players like amavi (£10m), Richards and elphick to leave too.
I'm quite comfortable at the thought of us spending the above on 4 players and also
Using our 4 loans. Johnstone for another year, Tammy Abraham possibly? Then free transfers like Watkins from Barnsley.
Despite our league position we still have a strong squad who should be good enough for play offs at least even with no investment
Amavi 10 million - at the moment not worth bus fare home - on paper would love Tammy Abraham, problem is would we play to his strengths
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The article states we have to reassess the plans. If we're waiting on selling a load of tat then clubs with money will.pick the cream and we will be left gubbing around.
We tried this nonsense in the big boys league. I don't need to say more as to how well that turned out.
Yes, we cannot retain a load of none contributing rubbish, but why do we care about a possible sanction that may take place at the end of the season after next? We're not going to he here- unless we stop investing in the squad.
Welcome to 2nd Division obscurity. So much for the Doctor being a gazillionnaire.
No spinning can make this news look anything other than awful.
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The article states we have to reassess the plans. If we're waiting on selling a load of tat then clubs with money will.pick the cream and we will be left gubbing around.
We tried this nonsense in the big boys league. I don't need to say more as to how well that turned out.
Yes, we cannot retain a load of none contributing rubbish, but why do we care about a possible sanction that may take place at the end of the season after next? We're not going to he here- unless we stop investing in the squad.
Welcome to 2nd Division obscurity. So much for the Doctor being a gazillionnaire.
No spinning can make this news look anything other than awful.
Couldn't disagree more, the Dr's wealth has nothing to do with it & it doesn't need to be 'awful' news...the business can only lose a certain figure over a certain period of time, that's the rules that at this time we should be working to stay within.
The article, as ever has a headline to look dramatic, the basic drift was books need to be balanced, that doesn't need to mean you have to sell a player on Monday to buy one on Tuesday it is balancing over the entire window.
Whose to say that stories like that aren't leaked so that the clubs we are dealing with don't continually think they can pull our pants down fee wise - example would be if for instance Bruce wanted Flint from Bristol City, we call & Bristol think we paid 11m for Kodjia so they want the same again...this tells them that won't happen.
As for departures, Bruce should be fully working on shipping out deadwood and if that is going to affect his budget all the better, he wants his own players then get the Amavi / Veretout / Gil / Elphick / Bacuna / Richards etc through the exit door....
This attitude that we have to keep throwing more and more money at it isn't necessarily the way forward.
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And how many articles did Xia rubbish that were believed on here last year.
I reckon, as ever, the truth will be somewhere in the middle, but 15m ish spent this summer should be enough. We already have a pretty good squad as it is, Johnstone coming back on loan gives a bit of continuity at the back which is good. We then have Chester, Taylor, Bree and maybe need an upgrade on Baker, but have a solid unit there. Samba as backup is no worse than Elphick who I think will go.
Amavi, Richards and Elphick to go from the defence. Maybe then a loan in of a versatile defender across centre half and left back. 12m ish in.
Midfield wise we are desperate for another holding midfielder. Ledley at Palace is out of contract, and played well with Jedinak, knows Taylor and would be worth a shout. George Boyd on a free from Burnley out wide. Watkins from Barnsley. All would improve our options, which are already pretty good and then have Green to come back in when fit, who I think will be a huge player for us next season. Tsishbola might be worth another opportunity if he impresses in pre-season. Centrally Hourihane, Lansbury and Jedinak are all good players.
Sell - Veretout, Gill, Gardner if a decent offer comes, Sachez - 10-15m income.
Forwards - we can't give Gabby away, Kodjia will be out till maybe October but is excellent. Hogan, with a pre season and a couple of wide players around him will come good I am sure, he has good movement and makes so many runs. McCormack is a complete unknown, but if he knuckles down and is in shape is a very decent footballer and could play behind Hogan easily. Davis also looks like he is ready to come on and be a useful player. So striker wise, short of getting a cheap target man we are pretty set. We need some pace out wide desperately though. Adomah and Grealish are useful but not much more, we could do with a player that will stretch teams and take the game to them. It is where I would look to spend decent money. Getting pace into the side.
Overall though, even without additions, I would look at our squad and expect a minimum of the play offs after a pre-season and Bruce having had this season to work with them. And I think he will be of the same opinion. We need to find a way of getting the best from Hogan and Hourihane. Do that, we will be flying, and I though there were signs with Hourihane against Brighton that it was coming. Not spending fortunes, but getting 2-3 loans and 2-3 frees that are right and we will be up next season.
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Football is always a business when times are hard. We will run our club as business, meanwhile.our competitors stride ahead.
Good.luck with competing with Boro, Hull and Sunderland for players while we run our business and wait on selling garbage l, if we can, before we buy somebody.
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January showed you don't have to spend a fortune to improve your squad, just spend your money sensibly and no more Gategate type purchases.
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Football is always a business when times are hard. We will run our club as business, meanwhile.our competitors stride ahead.
Good.luck with competing with Boro, Hull and Sunderland for players while we run our business and wait on selling garbage l, if we can, before we buy somebody.
1. If over the entire transfer window we spend what we should be able to generate in fees in we should damn well expect to be in the top 6.
2. yes, it is a business that should be run properly.
3. I'll take my risk competing with Boro, Hull & Sunderland for players because in the real world it's balancing books not selling to buy....you can't honestly believe that Wyness & co will be sat waiting for cheques to clear??
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The article states we have to reassess the plans. If we're waiting on selling a load of tat then clubs with money will.pick the cream and we will be left gubbing around.
We tried this nonsense in the big boys league. I don't need to say more as to how well that turned out.
Yes, we cannot retain a load of none contributing rubbish, but why do we care about a possible sanction that may take place at the end of the season after next? We're not going to he here- unless we stop investing in the squad.
Welcome to 2nd Division obscurity. So much for the Doctor being a gazillionnaire.
No spinning can make this news look anything other than awful.
It quite clearly states that this is due to FFP so I don't know how you've made a connection to Xia's wealth. I'd obviously not want this restriction but I reckon we can raise some sales (tho not sure it will be 20-25m). Maybe:
Sanchez 2.5
Veretout 3.5
Gil 2.5
Amavi 5
Elphick won't raise much
Tshibola 2-3
McCormack probably will have to go on loan - what chairman would sanction that purchase given what we now know?
My main criticism is that this was entirely foreseeable - so quite what we were doing spending 13 on hogan is a big question. I wonder if extra kodjia and hogan payments will be triggered and need to be accommodated within spending plans
But overall, I always though we needed 3-4 signings and to focus on coaching. If we can use the loan
market well we don't need to sign too many more
I think it should be possible to get promoted within that framework. But we'd be looking horribly short with basically the current squad in the premier league
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Basically another disaster of a season. We're sure to have made huge losses again this year so it's not going to be pretty in 2 years time
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My point is that we're concerned about a sanction that ought to never effect us if the intention is to go up automatically this season. If Xia is as wealthy as he says and willing to fund £17 million for McCormack and Tshibola, to offer very little, then why is there concern for a fine?
I am not against trimming fat from the squad, but that this is the objective rather than going out and getting the three-five we want will affect our promotion chances.
It's all well and good putting an arbitrary price tag next to a player, it doesn't mean there's any interest out there to purchase them.
This article to me suggests we're less likely to be promoted. We will not be competing with the relegated clubs in the transfer market and we will struggle to compete with many of the others if our spending is reliant on shifting a list of players who've contributed nothing to us. Given the large wages we festooned on them, it would seem likely that we will be needing to pay up contracts too.
The chances of us being in the 2nd Division again in 2018/19 will increase because of such a disastrous approach.
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This is pretty ominous news, if true, because that implies that we don't have a lot of confidence that we'll be going up any time soon. Think it also makes it a lot more likely that we'll flog Kod.
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It would appear to be true given the Doctor's tweets.
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If it is true, it's even more important that we have a manager who can coach.
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It would appear to be true given the Doctor's tweets.
What's he said?
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The Dr has confirmed everything this morning.
The reason their is a concern is that the new rules mean that they can ban you getting promoted if you exceed FFP.
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Dr. Tony XiaVerified account
@Dr_TonyXia
We need well prepared for the FFP as we inherited heavy burdens.If we get more ins but can't succeed in outs, we'll have headache with FFP.
Even not bothered by FFP issues, we won't burn money 2try getting success. We need build sustainable model &have2learn 2be smarter anyway.
We only need strength in 2/3 positions, so it is nothing2worry about. Need change the culture 'getting xx' but building consistency!#UTV
Bottom line is that we won't have panic buys or sells any more! #PlannedSystem
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In the past it was only ever a fine, now it can be a points deduction or denied promotion even if you win the division.
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We're probably in quite a lot of trouble then.
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Someone tell me how much Brighton invested then to get promoted??? I'll wait
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Didn't we know this anyway?
Wasn't it pointed out that if you have a new owner, you could spend heavily, although that was only permitted for 1 season under FPP?
I'm sure this was discussed on here and elsewhere at the time.
With the money we have spent, and the squad we have assembled, this 'shouldn't' really be a major issue for us.
We can't buy another team AGAIN, this summer.
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Agreed AndyH
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Yes but unfortunately we've assembled a squad that is pretty deficient. We bought a goalkeeper who we're already getting rid of, a captain who isn't deemed good enough to play, a striker for £11 million who we loaned out within 6 months and so on. The squad needs rebuilding again because we made a mess of recruitment. There are successes like Kod, but he turns into one of our few sellable assets.
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Meanwhile, Man City, Man Utd and Liverpool spent a combined £70m between 2nd Feb 2016 and 31st Jan 2017. Just on agents fees.
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Spot on. Spunking £££££ on players has got us to 13th in the championship
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money alone isn't the answer and Bruce probably operates more effectively when he hasn't got much to spend - we need to utilise the loan/free transfer market as astutely as possible and sell off anyone who isn't going to make a meaningful contribution. No need for a list here as we all know who they are. In reality we only need four or five players but this time they have to be the right four or five.
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money alone isn't the answer and Bruce probably operates more effectively when he hasn't got much to spend - we need to utilise the loan/free transfer market as astutely as possible and sell off anyone who isn't going to make a meaningful contribution. No need for a list here as we all know who they are. In reality we only need four or five players but this time they have to be the right four or five.
Can we have a bit of pace and energy added. Christ, we are pedestrian.
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If you look at things, Sanchez is going to be sold to Fiorentina for 2.5 million. Likewise, Gil will be sold somewhere for between 1-2 million. Veretout is more difficult to value, but he was highly-regarded in France before he moved to us, and by all accounts has had a good season over there, so particularly if a big French club like Marseille or Lyon is interested, I don't see why we can't get a fair chunk of our initial investment back - maybe 5-6 with add ons? Decent chance Amavi gets moved on as well, and if so, I don't see why we couldn't get at least half of the 8 million back.
Add on whatever we can scrape together in fees and wages saved for various other players (Bacuna, Gardner, Cissohko possibles; Elphick, Richards, Agbonlahor unlikely), and that still should be well over 10 million pounds to spend if we're to sell in order to buy. Frankly, if that amount of money isn't enough to supplement a perfectly decent Championship squad, we've got a fucking problem.
Internal improvement is by far the most important thing - if we don't take steps forward there, even if we get promoted, it'll be straight back down.
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Money alone of course isn't the answer. Better players are and they'll cost money, which we now cannot or won't spend until we've shopped out a lot of bilge.
We need a keeper (I'd be happy with Johnstone again)
A centre half
A more energetic holding player
A winger with real pace
A central forward that can play with his back to goal
I'd imagine Johnstone on loan is doable, which leaves four positions to be filled. With no money.
Grim.
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The shirt sponsor deal will also raise revenue too, which I understand affects income to evidence sustainability under FFP rules? I have no problem with having to wheel and deal, we are still a big pull as far as salary is concerned. The loan and free transfer market is ripe with good pickings. Coaching the players properly may be more the issue though!
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It's not though. Loans and frees are out there that can supplement the squad, and goods scouting can find all the above will under what we will bring in this summer. Brighton paid 2m for Knockaert. Abrahams was on loan at Bristol City and scored 26 times. There are some very decent bosmans out there this summer too. Watkins from Barnsley a great example. Mooy on loan at Huddersfield another. They must have spent less than 10m to be 4th. Reading likewise. Bruce spent bugger all getting Hull up 2 seasons ago. Money is not the answer. Clever dealing this summer is. We do need a keeper, a couple of players with pace and a reserve/ different holding option for Jedinak (although Hourihane can play there well) but we don't need to sorted another 30 million getting there. This summer is a test a Steve Round and what impact his scouting overhall has had.
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Money alone of course isn't the answer. Better players are and they'll cost money, which we now cannot or won't spend until we've shopped out a lot of bilge.
We need a keeper (I'd be happy with Johnstone again)
A centre half
A more energetic holding player
A winger with real pace
A central forward that can play with his back to goal
I'd imagine Johnstone on loan is doable, which leaves four positions to be filled. With no money.
Grim.
But spending money isn't the only way to fill those holes. If the club's good enough to coach up its players (the fact that one suspects they isn't is the bigger concern, arguably), and if it uses loans smartly, it's perfectly workable. I mean:
Keeper - loan, as you said
Centre back - fair enough, spend the money, or loan in a centre back, don't really see in-house replacements.
Energetic holding player - I don't see it as necessary, but if so, isn't that what someone like Lyden should be capable of, if only as a backup when Jedinak needs to rest?
Winger with pace - Green. Though I suspect there's plenty of kinda shit, pacey wingers available for not too much, if that's what you're into.
Centre forward - again, I think playing another one alongside Kodjia creates problems elsewhere, but Davis looked like he could do a little of it.
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Fulham also sold their 2 star players last summer. And reached the play offs. Bruce needs to make the midst of pre season and show why he has been promoted 4 times from this division. If not get Jocanovic grim Fulham in. Seems a very good coach to me.
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I don't think we can afford to have both Jedinak and Baker in the team next season if we want to see the best from our creative players. We might see far better recruitment this summer if give Bruce a limited budget.
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Just thinking aloud with the squad;
Keepers: Bunn (1 year extension?), need a number 1 (Johnstone loan again)
RB: Hutton, Bree, De Laet
Very strong here. Hutton's pace makes him genuinely look like Cafu in this league. He cannot cross the road mind while Bree looks a very good prospect. Feel sorry for Del Laet.
LB: Taylor, Amavi
Taylor is excellent and easily the best left back in the division. Amavi I'd cash in on as he's useless in defending. There's cover from RB to get away with just Taylor.
CB: Chester, Baker, Elphick, Jedinak
I've included Jedinak as I suspect he will get some game time here. Chester is one of the best again in the division, while Baker's pace and critically turning speed let's him down (along with slow distribution) but he's a solid player nonetheless. Elphick is terrible and if we could get rid, we ought to.
We need one more left sided centre half to compliment what already is one of the best defences in the division. A summer of Calderwood and Bruce injecting a bit more into them may see further improvement, as how many goals did we gift sides?
Central Midfield: Jedinak, Hourihane, Thor, Lansbury, Gardner, Bacuna, Tshibola, Veretout, Lyden
Realistically the latter two won't feature. I can't quite work Tshibola out; 6 foot 3, good on the ball, quick, he's got what it takes to excel there but I feels there are other issues at hand.
We're embrrassingly strong here for this league, the last three names notwithstanding. I wouldn't sell Gardner or Bacuna, as they can offer something with their energy as substitutes, but they're never starters.
Lansbury and Hourihane need to, like we did against Brighton, operate a lot closer to our 18 yard box and they will get the 6 or 7 chances on goal they both did (against the best defence in the league) which is going to lead to more goals.
Jedinak is a defensive collosus, even if he couldn't pass water. Somebody more mobile to cover for him, as I think we can do without 9 times out of 10 at home and you'd be hard pressed to find a better midfield clutch in the league.
Width: Adomah, Grealish, Green
Adomah got worse as the season went on, but the goals he created are hard to argue against. Despite some iffy performances, he'd still stick a ball in that would lead to something. Green I like very much indeed and I hope we see a lot more of him. Grealish is not a winger. He doesn't have the pace and he's too easily isolated, he needs to play closer to the front man to have any effect on the game.
We lack pace and I'd like to see another winger. This is perhaps where we're weakest as Adomah drifts out of games, or doesn't get into them, Grealish gets isolated and poor Green got an injury while making his breakthrough.
Pace covers a multitude of sins in the top flight, but here it propels you to another level (see Hutton).
Up top: Kodjia, Hogan, McCormack, Gabby, RHM, Davies
Dealing with the youngsters first, Davies needs loan time, while RHM, when fit, needs more involvement. We ain't getting rid of Gabby so we have to accept his presence for another year. Quite how we recoup anything on McCormack is beyond me.
Hogan is a good player. We have the midfield to support him, but we play by and large too deep and isolated him. He will score goals if we set it up right and he can play with Kodjia too, who is a brilliant player for this level. We need a brute to play with his back to goal to.complement this.
That's where I come to my conclusion on 5 being necessary, but I actually feel a bit better about things having taken stock. There's a tonne of quality for this league and if we don't give sides an 11 game head start we will be in the top six mix and really ought to be challenging for an automatic spot.
How much money can be generated from sales I'm not sure. Veretout and Amavi seem our best two bets, but after that it's drips and drabs.
Excuse any spelling, I've tapped away on my phone.
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Money alone of course isn't the answer. Better players are and they'll cost money, which we now cannot or won't spend until we've shopped out a lot of bilge.
We need a keeper (I'd be happy with Johnstone again)
A centre half
A more energetic holding player
A winger with real pace
A central forward that can play with his back to goal
I'd imagine Johnstone on loan is doable, which leaves four positions to be filled. With no money.
Grim.
Those are the exact players I would be looking to bring in as well. By the sounds of it, it is going to take some real nous in the transfer market this summer to get things right.
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In Jan we brought in Johnstone, Bree, Hotlips, Angela, Taylor, Hogan and Bjarnson. We got rid of Rudy, Westwood and Ayew, plus Tish and McCormack out on loan. We spent about £5m in real money (plus wages obviously). You don't have to spend £30m in this division to improve your squad, you just have to spend your money wisely. And definitely stop buying milk bottle players like McCormack.
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Round et al have had a whole season knowing this summer will have to be a creative one. No harm in a couple of gambles especially out wide. Dutch league, German etc there might be the odd bargain in. Just takes good scouting!
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good scouting is vital, and the first thing to note is whether Villa still use the Moneyball system. They tried and at one point the European scout lived in Australia and just watched stats on his computer. It did not work. So do the club actually have real scouts?
However the big issue with this story is FInancial Fair Play Rules. Did the club not know what the rules were? One report is that vila lost £81.3 million and the limit is £83m So that is why Bruce only has about £1m to spend, mainly on loan players,
And if it is true he has to spend to buy and we have paid premiership wages on tat, then the future is not only grim but the ability of the club to spend money is limited and bad judgement is everywhere. So how did the club get here? Its not Bruce's fault if Xia signed cheques knowing it was getting near to breaking the rules,
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Its not Bruce's fault if Xia signed cheques knowing it was getting near to breaking the rules,
I wonder if the clubs true financial position was made out/given to the Doctor before he took over?
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The following players are out of contract as of end of June;
Abdo, Calder, Cowans, Swift, Watkins, Johansson, Blackett-Taylor, Sundman, Knibbs, Finnerty, Humphries, Doyle-Hayes, Clark, Idem, Clarke, Coates, Hall, Leggett, Linley, Hale, Sellars, Abdoul. All reserve or academy players.
Players going/gone;
Mason, Sanchez, Kozak.
Loan players I'd sell; Cissokho (going?).
First team squad I'd sell;
Steer, Bunn, Gabby, Richards, Elphick, Gardner, Adomah, Bacuna, Amavi.
Players who I'd say shape up or get out;
Grealish, McCormack.
Would save a shed load on wages and would generate a fair amount of money .
I'd then try and get the following on loan, with a clause to buy;
Goalkeeper, left back cover, left sided centre back, defensive midfield cover, a couple of pacey wingers and cover for Kodja!
My opinions only, yours???
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Villa have never used the Moneyball system. They use sabremetrics, which was the data used to find the actual Moneyball players, the same as just about every professional sports team in the world. What Villa have tended to do is pretty much the exact opposite of Moneyball.
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Anyone that bothered he won't get more money to waste? Can't even name a player i'd be particularly worried about being sold that he's bought or any other recent manager for that matter. Another 5 or 6 non-entities not turning up from championship sides this summer is hardly a disaster especially if we're mid-table come the autumn
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We'll have money to spend, it's only a few months ago we got £11m for Westwood and Rudy, players that a fair few on here would have given away if anyone wanted them.
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It's the wage bill that's the problem as it always was under Lerner.. We have an enormous squad on top wages and you just can't run that on Championship income
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That's different to having no money to spend though. I'd imagine the rough idea will be to bring in 1 player for every 2 we shift out to get/keep the wages under control. And if it isn't, McGrath help us!
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Don't think this should come as a massive surprise. Too often in recent seasons we've turned to the cheque book to try and solve problems and look where it's left us. The squad is far too big with too many players not good enough and on huge wages. Not just in the last 2 windows, but the infamous Paddy Reilly era as well. It's simply not sustainable outside the Premier league, even with the parachute payments.
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Have no qualms at all about Steve Boof not getting another small fortune to waste.
I am concerned that sell to buy publicly becomes the narrative. We've seen how that kind of image endures.
Instead of looking like a club looking to get back to the top flight as soon as, we look like we're prioritising good housekeeping.
Which is fine, on one level. But it does impact on our attractiveness to ambitious players. Even if they are still available by the time we have shifted Veretout, Sanchez and co.
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That's different to having no money to spend though. I'd imagine the rough idea will be to bring in 1 player for every 2 we shift out to get/keep the wages under control. And if it isn't, McGrath help us!
Look they didn't start parachute payments because they wanted to give the relegated clubs an advantage. It was because they didn't want the embarrassment of every relegated PL team going to the wall in 12 months. We need a squad of about 25 of which a good 5 of them should be youth players on very little. What is it at the moment? I'm not sure what the last wage bill published was but it wasn't good and i doubt its improved much with our spending. If you're losing 15m a year on wages then it makes sense to use any income earned from sales to off-set that, at least from a non-playing point of view.
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Its not Bruce's fault if Xia signed cheques knowing it was getting near to breaking the rules,
I wonder if the clubs true financial position was made out/given to the Doctor before he took over?
Sure he's gone on record already as saying the state of the club was worse than he expected. Comes from having a detached owner who shut himself away after getting bored with his new toy, and leaving his gaggle of sycophants to do whatever they wanted.
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Steve Boof
Deliberate mistake?
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I agree with all the foregoing including Ads comprehensive summation. I would only differ on Davis (Davies?) whom I would keep, especially if we do not get a proven hold up player.
Not having money to chuck about in the summer could be a blessing in disguise because Bruce will be forced to bring on the home grown players who deserve their chance. We have to have a centre back for when as some wag on here put it, Baker has a bruised vagina and a direct running wide man with speed and courage.
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The £13m limit for the 2015/16 season is in line with the losses permitted under the new regulations which will permit a maximum loss of £39m (compared to an equivalent figure of £105m in the Premier League) over a rolling three season timeframe measured from March 2017. A club that moves between the Premier League and Championship will be assessed in accordance with the permitted loss in the relevant divisions played in during the three-year period in question. For example, a club that had played two seasons in the Championship and one in the Premier League would have a maximum permitted loss of £61m, consisting of one season at £35m and two at £13m.
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I'd say this was hastened by the injury to Kodija. I think we would have cashed in on him this summer to fund transfers.
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I really don't get the concern. We WILL spend money. Just need to clear some out that don't contribute at all currently. All very logical. We will generate £15-£20m in sales and possibly even more of Amavi, Richards, Elphick (QPR offered us £3m for him in Jan)
Loan wise we should use the 4 deals we are allowed. Johnstone, Abraham, Mooy and another. Throw in Watkins from Barnsley on a free to add wide competition.
Further from that, Green will be more involved this season alongside RHM and maybe Beadeau will be involved for centre half competition.
If you look at our squad as things stand, there is no reason why they cannot get us to where we need to be IMO
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We must be able to get 15-20m for Amavi & Vertout alone; we shouldn't be losing money on either.
Use the market sensibly and we've got more than enough to get out of this league.
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Amavi's valuation will have taken a battering, not being a guaranteed starter for a Championship side is a hard one to explain away.
I could see a scenario where he might end up back in France on loan.
Vetertout did well at St Etienne so a deal there or with another side in the same league looks possible. Gill has done well at Deportivo too. But outside of the very top teams in France and Spain, there isn't a whole pile of money kicking around. So if deals are done at all, it could be towards the latter stages of the window.
It's absolutely fine to plan on the basis of that lot not being part of the rebuild. But we could be hamstrung if we limit ourselves to incoming deals only after the loan stars and other dross have exited the building.
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There isn't a cat in hell's chance of getting 15-20m for Amavi and Veretout. Realistically most french clubs don't spend big sums and neither will be going to a Monaco or PSG. We will do well to get close to £10m for the pair.
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I reckon it will be £10-15m for the pair if we sell them, which in a world where Westwood and Rudy raise £11m isn't too far fetched.
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Let's say it's ten. Spend that on Sako from Palace and Murphy at Newcastle. We would be much stronger with them alone. Get Irvine from Burton by swapping for a couple of loans if you want another central midfielder. Watkins on a free from Barnsley gives you more wide options. The top Premier League clubs might have a central defender worth loaning. Flint from Bristol City wouldn't cost the earth. Nor would Mooy from Man Citeh or Woods from Brentford as Jedinak cover. De Laet can play centrally and has a throw in like a shell. That should add goals to us. We don't have to spend a shit load of cash to balance the squad. And apparently we are borrowing Johnstone in goal again. Notwithstanding thar Ruddy is on a free.
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Perhaps Risso could help us out but am I reading the rules correctly above? In that in the following three seasons we cannot declare more than a consolidated £39m? This year we will declare a big loss i would have thought meaning we need to balance the books over two seasons?
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While I see the arguments 're Amavis valuation falling, I think the wider context of rising fees will still see us get 5-6m for Vertout and around 10m for Amavi. Add in 2 for Elphick, 2.5 for Sanchez, a shotgun for Richards and Gabby etc. Or cash in on Grealish.
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Let's say it's ten. Spend that on Sako from Palace and Murphy at Newcastle. We would be much stronger with them alone. Get Irvine from Burton by swapping for a couple of loans if you want another central midfielder. Watkins on a free from Barnsley gives you more wide options.
That's assuming we'd get the £10 million relatively early in the window.
Which will be great for us, but what if clubs aren't smashing the door down on July 1st to land Veretout, Amavi and co. Even the modest talents you have mentioned there could be long gone by mid/late August.
Usually it's the players that have done well for you that other sides will make a beeline for. So if we do any early business at all, it's more likely to be the likes of Chester attracting attention.
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http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-manchester-united-mourinho-13033075
Looks like the keeper is staying for another year
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We must be able to get 15-20m for Amavi & Vertout alone; we shouldn't be losing money on either.
Use the market sensibly and we've got more than enough to get out of this league.
Nurse!
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Meanwhile, Man City, Man Utd and Liverpool spent a combined £70m between 2nd Feb 2016 and 31st Jan 2017. Just on agents fees.
Anything goes in the premier league I'm afraid.
Get back up there again and we can start spending silly money again on rubbish players.
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I'm surprised people were seemingly expecting Xia to donate 60m every season we remain outside the premier league.
Say we lose play off final this time next year....would people then expect yet another 60m war chest for whoever the manager would be then? Of course not as parachute payments would be running dangerously low and our wage bill would be off the scale.
I thought Xia would scale back his investment in season 3 if we weren't premier league by then but looks like it's happening a year earlier as it seems FFP has been tightened when in the past Leicester and Bournemouth have made fun of it at this level.
We just need promotion. It shows what a mess we've made of this season that people actually assume you need to spend 50m to get promotion from this league, you really don't as evidence by all the teams who've been promoted from this level through the years who aren't called Newcastle.
Sadly things like belief and never say die attitude in games we cast aside as unimportant when it is those traits that can win you plenty of games at this level.
I still think we have a decent spine, Chester-Jedinak-Kodjia. Top centre half for this level, 20 goal a season striker and DM who divides opinion but simple factor is our record is always better with him in the team so he plays 40 games next season and I imagine our record will look decent.
We need to add of course but as others have said you can do that with loans quite easily.
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Who is going to pay £10m for Amavi? There's only one club in the world who would do that and it's us. He's had about 5 good games, had a bad injury and been dropped from a second tier side for very poor form, I see someone paying £3m ish for him.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/12/28/aston-villa-transfer-news-club-reject-25m-bid-jordan-amavi-china/
From the same author of the FFP article. Pretty sure Xia put a tweet out that confirmed this.
So put the feelers out to his agent that if the same Chinese club come back they can have him for at least half what they were offering at xmas.
Of course knowing us we'll have the only squad in football where none of the players want to move to China.
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The concept of Amavi - speedy French U21 international full back is great, but there's a fucking big gap between that and the reality.
He's really underwhelming. I can't believe even insanely rich Chinese clubs would want to be that stupid with their money.
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I think in Taylor and Bree we could have comfortably the best full backs in the division. Bree really needs to be given a proper chance next year and I thought when we signed Taylor he'd be good and he's proven that so far.
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Taylor has this rare quality for a full back of actually being able to defend... and attack.
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I'd imagine it's now more likely we won't give Hutton a new contract. With Bree, RDL, plus Bacuna and Richards as cover I doubt we'll go for another contract for a RB unless Hutton agrees to 1 year at a decent wage (for us to pay). No doubt we'll try and shift Richards but that's easier said than done.
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I thought Hutton's contract automatically added another year, maybe based on appearances. He's played well these last few months but I'd like to see Bree given a go and there's De Laet to come back.
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You're right, I forgot about that in the excitement of the season!
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I'm not losing my mind then! Still means having 3 right backs next season unless someone wants to buy him.
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Would like to see Joe Ledley in the side. Perhaps as a diamond with Jedinak at the base and Lansbury at the tip. Ledley and Hourihane next to each other. We can't afford to buy wingers but being able to bring Grealish, Green and Adomah on to change the sharp might not be as bad as we think. Having a diamond will also allow us to play two up top and push the full backs on.
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In fairness I think Green and RHM might solve some of our pace issues, we were unlucky to have them out so much this season.
Agree on Ledley but Palace will offer him a new deal you would think?
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The concept of Amavi - speedy French U21 international full back is great, but there's a fucking big gap between that and the reality.
He's really underwhelming. I can't believe even insanely rich Chinese clubs would want to be that stupid with their money.
Can you please shut up. I think he's fucking amazing and worth every penny of the £30m the Chinese think he's worth. I'll be gutted to see him leave but I understand the business side of things.
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They can have Gabby for 5m too TV. He is still fast!
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In fairness I think Green and RHM might solve some of our pace issues, we were unlucky to have them out so much this season.
Agree on Ledley but Palace will offer him a new deal you would think?
Now they are staying up they might was upgrades. They'd be mad to let him go for nothing.
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The concept of Amavi - speedy French U21 international full back is great, but there's a fucking big gap between that and the reality.
He's really underwhelming. I can't believe even insanely rich Chinese clubs would want to be that stupid with their money.
He's a really poor defender, even at Championship level. I was hoping that he would have a Balesque transformation into at quality left winger, but that hasn't transpired either. Would definitely move him on if a decent offer came in.
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In fairness I think Green and RHM might solve some of our pace issues, we were unlucky to have them out so much this season.
Agree on Ledley but Palace will offer him a new deal you would think?
Now they are staying up they might was upgrades. They'd be mad to let him go for nothing.
Seen him play a lot for Wales and I'm not sure he is what we need really. He's a similar (but better) type of player to Hourihane really in that he's not a defensive type of midfielder and he's not really an attacking one either. He plays alongside Joe Allen in a midfield three for Wales with Ramsey just in front of them.
I do think we need a strong defensive midfielder who is a bit better on the ball than Jedinak, but the more advanced midfield options of Lansbury, Hourihane, Bjarnason, Bacuna along with Tshibola hopefully coming good, might have to be enough.
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In fairness I think Green and RHM might solve some of our pace issues, we were unlucky to have them out so much this season.
Agree on Ledley but Palace will offer him a new deal you would think?
Now they are staying up they might was upgrades. They'd be mad to let him go for nothing.
Seen him play a lot for Wales and I'm not sure he is what we need really. He's a similar (but better) type of player to Hourihane really in that he's not a defensive type of midfielder and he's not really an attacking one either. He plays alongside Joe Allen in a midfield three for Wales with Ramsey just in front of them.
I do think we need a strong defensive midfielder who is a bit better on the ball than Jedinak, but the more advanced midfield options of Lansbury, Hourihane, Bjarnason, Bacuna along with Tshibola hopefully coming good, might have to be enough.
That lot really should be well enough for the Championship. Obviously, Bjarnason still has a lot to prove, and Bacuna isn't ideal, to put it lightly, but if he's the fourth-choice CM who can provide some energy, that's acceptable. Suspect we might sell him back to Holland for something under a million though.
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Completely forgotten about Bjarney.
He's another it's fair to say didn't cover himself in glory in his appearances but think he found the pace of the championship a bit of a culture shock.
Expect much better next season as he looked a decent player to me at the euros and did fine for Basle.
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Completely forgotten about Bjarney.
He's another it's fair to say didn't cover himself in glory in his appearances but think he found the pace of the championship a bit of a culture shock.
Expect much better next season as he looked a decent player to me at the euros and did fine for Basle.
he looked more suitable for a role in 'the Last Kingdom' than in midfield
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even more cartoonish than Noggin the Nog
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Can we have Carrick or Barry ;) as If
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I think with 1 millions pounds budget, plus moving on 6-8 players we could possibly afford to buy 2 x 8 million pounds player and maybe 1 4 millions pounds players and get 2 on free and 2 on loans. I think we also need to make our players stronger and tougher to reduce injuries on young players like Green, Davis, and Hepburn Murphy and Hogan. But it can only happens if we can sell one player for 10 millions or more.
We can't afford to spend 15 millions on one player these days unless we manage to hookwink Liverpool to spend 25 million. Dr Tony Xia might ask one of his friend in superrich Chinese club to spend silly money to get round fair play rules.
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How's Danny Ings injuries now Worth getting him on loan if available? See if Chelsea will loan Loftus-Cheek, try and get Steven Davis back from Southampton, the Burton centre-half, and if they don't go up cairney from Fulham.
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I think with 1 millions pounds budget, plus moving on 6-8 players we could possibly afford to buy 2 x 8 million pounds player and maybe 1 4 millions pounds players and get 2 on free and 2 on loans. I think we also need to make our players stronger and tougher to reduce injuries on young players like Green, Davis, and Hepburn Murphy and Hogan. But it can only happens if we can sell one player for 10 millions or more.
We can't afford to spend 15 millions on one player these days unless we manage to hookwink Liverpool to spend 25 million. Dr Tony Xia might ask one of his friend in superrich Chinese club to spend silly money to get round fair play rules.
When I look at the current squad, realistically, I think we should have the players capable of making a challenge for the top 2 next season. I agree that the addition of 3 maybe 4 very good players would make all the difference, however, they all have to be paid and again we go into 'FFP' territory, so it goes without saying we must get rid of quite a few to make room . Of those 3 or 4 there could be at least one 'Free' ( Watkins ?, Samba ?) plus a Loaner, which, given the money we should take in ( according to Salsa Party Animal ) should give us more than enough to buy 2 class additions.
Here is our current squad ( 33 incl loanees ) , you would have to pare that down to about 21 in order to do so, I've hi-lited those who I either doubt will be with us, or those who I would prefer to see gone..............Godzvilla!
ASTON VILLA 1st TEAM SQUAD ( 33 MAN )…….MAY 2017
Goalkeepers
Jed Steer
Mark Bunn
Matija Sarkic
SamJohnstone
Gollini....loan
Defenders
Nathan Baker
Neil Taylor
Micah Richards
Tommy Elphick
James Chester
James Bree
Alan Hutton
Jordan Amavi
Ritchie de Laet
Cissokho...loan
Midfielders
Henri Lansbury
Leandro Bacuna
Conor Hourihane
Andre Green
Birkir Bjarnason
Gary Gardner
Mile Jedinak
Corey Taylor....should be loaned out to get experience.
Callum O'Hare.....ditto
Albert Adomah
Jordan Lyden
Keinan Davis
Jack Grealish
Carles Gil....Loan
Aaron Tshibola.....Loan
Jordan Verrtout.....Loan
Strikers
Scott Hogan
Gabriel Agbonlahor
Jonathan Kodjia
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy
Ross McCormack......Loan
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They weren't Mansfield Town until 1910.
The answer seems to be Saffron Walden, who added "Town" sometime between their formation in 1872 and their first entry into the FA Cup in 1877.
Then again it could just be Wiki listing them under their current name in error, I can't find out conclusively when they adopted "Town".
If it's not them, it's probably Grimsby, who became "Town" in 1879, one year after their formation.
Brigg Town were formed in 1864 and as far as I know were "Town" from the beginning.
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Following on from my previous posts, and posters on here, I thought I'd look at how much the club could save by getting rid of certain bomb squadders;
(I have used FM data for wages per year and loyalty bonuses, based on length of contract)
Bunn total wages till end of contract (TW) £ 910 Loyalty bonus (LB) £ 235k
Richards (TW) £ 5.2m (LB) £ 1.1m
Elphick (TW) £ 2.6m (LB) £ 350k
Cissokho (TW) £ 1.248m (LB) £ 525k
Gil (TW) £ 2.912m (LB) £ 650k
Gardner (TW) £ 4.056m (LB) £ 350k
Vertout (TW) £ 4.368m (LB) £ 725k
Gabby (TW) £ 2.86m (LB) £ 950k
Bacuna (TW) £ 3.9m (LB) £ 600k
Amavi (TW) £4.68m (LB) £ 900k
Sanchez (TW) £ 1.924m (LB) £ 925k
Kozak (TW) £ 1.3m (LB) £ 525k
Add to that, the money saved on reserve/academy players already gone, and you come up with;
£ 36.41m in wages saved
£ 7.9m in loyalty bonuses saved.
Before anyone laughs off the above figures, just remember the figures put out for how much the club lost in the last year.
On average paying each of them £ 3.5 million for their time. WTF???
God knows how much Learner spunked up the wall during his tenure based on figures like these eh?
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We do need to utilise RHM and Green, as Ozz says, they can massively help us I think.
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We do need to utilise RHM and Green, as Ozz says, they can massively help us I think.
Definitely. We also need a central midfielder who can drive forward with the ball. We are so static at times that not only are we very easy to set up against we're bloody awful to watch. Where would we be without Kodija creating silk purses.
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We could do with Delph driving us on through midfield. Bloody waste of a career for the last 2 years.
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Let's just hope he wants to swap his current situation for a team languishing half -way up the Championship. And one where the fans have been mostly anything but negative towards him.
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I dreamt last night that Gareth Barry gave an interview to the Sun admitting he was torn between the choice of going back to Villa to finish his career and atone for any misunderstanding brought about in the past or being Jose Mourinho's first choice for the left back position since Luke Shaw has shit for brains.
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Let's just hope he wants to swap his current situation for a team languishing half -way up the Championship. And one where the fans have been mostly anything but negative towards him.
With good reason to be fair. No way he would drop to the Championship though, as he would have plenty of offers in the top flight.
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We do need to utilise RHM and Green, as Ozz says, they can massively help us I think.
Definitely. We also need a central midfielder who can drive forward with the ball. We are so static at times that not only are we very easy to set up against we're bloody awful to watch. Where would we be without Kodija creating silk purses.
I think a target man who can hold the ball up is the key for us. If we did have that type of player, it would allow the likes of Lansbury, Hourihane and Bjarnason to come on to the ball in the final third, with a defensive midfielder sweeping up behind them. Add a good winger to rotate with Green and Adomah and I think we would look a lot better going forward.
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We desperately need the ball to stick up front. I would be amazed if we didn't sign a lump the rest can play off in the summer.
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If Derby are happy to sell Ince I would make him a priority. 8 to 10m maybe, but scores goals from out wide and would walk into our team.
Agree on a target man. We were linked heavily with the lad Blackburn have from Southampton. Davis looked capable against Brighton though.
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I'd rather get Jack firing than having to manage another erratic, young attack-minded player.
Has Carlos' move/fee to Fiorentina been confirmed? I'm pretty impressed if we got £2.5m for him. Added to whatever loan fee we received last summer, we must have recouped our spend on him and he's in his 30's now, I think. That and the fees we got for Gestede and Westwood make me a lot more confident in negotiations with clubs we are selling to, unlike under Lerner, where we took a haircut on a host of players when they left.
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very true. I think Gil and Sanchez will be off for sure (think Sanchez is a done deal as he played enough games). I'd try to keep Veretout but it sounds like he is the one who has played really well while away - hopefully that means we get £4-£5m for him. Those 3 alone should fetch nearly £10m.
If we can get rid of Richards, Gabby, Gardner and one of Hutton/De Laet (shame on De Laet if it's him), maybe cash in on Amavi then we should have a few quid to spend on A GK, DC, CM, Winger - although probably not enough so might need to supplement with loans/frees
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why should we consider selling a player who suffered a season long injury? Surely De Laet should be given the opportunity to see what he can do?
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Watched a bit of the Monaco - St Etienne second half yesterday, and I've caught some glimpses of recent St Etienne games on the TV. Last night in particular, but other games too have seemed to pass him by. He's been playing further forward in midfield but has done next to nothing in any game I've seen. Really disappointing. St Etienne have a really fast right winger who looks decent on the ball and can create a chance - but not yet ready for England. To be honest if I was to pick one St Etienne player to join us, based on the bits I've seen it wouldn't be Veretout.
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More than happy to see the back of Richards and Elphick but presume we would need to replace as that would only leave us with Chester and an injury prone Baker at centre back.
The problem is we have a totally lopsided squad so the areas where we would want to get rid e.g the two named above + Gardner + Amavi are all going to need replacing as only have Chester/Baker + Jedinak + Taylor as cover
In short we're in a bit of a mess!
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More than happy to see the back of Richards and Elphick but presume we would need to replace as that would only leave us with Chester and an injury prone Baker at centre back.
The problem is we have a totally lopsided squad so the areas where we would want to get rid e.g the two named above + Gardner + Amavi are all going to need replacing as only have Chester/Baker + Jedinak + Taylor as cover
In short we're in a bit of a mess!
Wouldn't go that far!! Not sure what is happening with Samba, but if Jedinak's future is seen at CB then we only really need to get one more in on the proviso that Richards and Elphick go.
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why should we consider selling a player who suffered a season long injury? Surely De Laet should be given the opportunity to see what he can do?
I still see De Laet as the starting RB to be honest. Hutton is the one who needs to be moved on.
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Some suggestions Samba could be off to Small Heath but that might just be Arry trolling us.
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why should we consider selling a player who suffered a season long injury? Surely De Laet should be given the opportunity to see what he can do?
I still see De Laet as the starting RB to be honest. Hutton is the one who needs to be moved on.
100% - trying hard is not enough - you either have a full back who bombs on and does occasionally create a chance or one who does the primary job of defending properly - neither of which are Hutton's strengths. He is essentially a pacemaker, runs around at the front but never finishes
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I'd completely forgotten about Thor
Look fwd to him keeping green and grealish out of the team
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I'd rather get Jack firing than having to manage another erratic, young attack-minded player.
Who cares if he's erratic, for the last 3 seasons Ince's form has drastically improved. 15 goals, 7 assists at the close of 16/17 is not to be sniffed at.
I would offer them Grealish in some sort of deal with clauses in a heartbeat.
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I'd rather get Jack firing than having to manage another erratic, young attack-minded player.
Who cares if he's erratic, for the last 3 seasons Ince's form has drastically improved. 15 goals, 7 assists at the close of 16/17 is not to be sniffed at.
I would offer them Grealish in some sort of deal with clauses in a heartbeat.
He's also 4 years older than Grealish and at 21 was entirely reliant on his pace. There's not really much point comparing the 2. Green is a more realistic comparison to Ince but is still very young.
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I wouldn't see Ince or Grealish being a discussion, if Bruce wants Ince then we would want both.
The long and short with Jack is that he has to earn his shirt, if this time next year he is still fannying around on the periphery he will begin the descent through the divisions to find his level-if he knuckles down he still has a chance as that ability to drift past players is so rare. He has to persuade the manager to trust him on the pitch, balls in his court
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We should also be quickly knocking on Exeter's door and signing up Ollie Watkins.
-
why should we consider selling a player who suffered a season long injury? Surely De Laet should be given the opportunity to see what he can do?
I still see De Laet as the starting RB to be honest. Hutton is the one who needs to be moved on.
De Laet is going to take a while to recover from an horrific injury, while it would be madness to put too much pressure on Bree by expecting him to play every game.
I'd keep hold of Hutton until De Laet has proven his fitness.
Plus, I like Hutton and reckon he has got better since Bree turned up.
-
why should we consider selling a player who suffered a season long injury? Surely De Laet should be given the opportunity to see what he can do?
I still see De Laet as the starting RB to be honest. Hutton is the one who needs to be moved on.
De Laet is going to take a while to recover from an horrific injury, while it would be madness to put too much pressure on Bree by expecting him to play every game.
I'd keep hold of Hutton until De Laet has proven his fitness.
Plus, I like Hutton and reckon he has got better since Bree turned up.
To be fair to Hutton, he did have a good run of games towards the end of the season. I would guess he is on the most money out of the three though and that would factor in for me. I think he has the option on another year though and I would imagine he would take it.
-
We should also be quickly knocking on Exeter's door and signing up Ollie Watkins.
Knocking on their door?......we should be beating the bugger down !, the only way we should miss out on this guy, is maybe to a Premier Lge Club.
Marley & Ollie Watkins ( not related) in the same team ?............................Godzvilla!
-
wouldn't it be better to see if Davis can cut the mustard?
-
The season starts ten weeks today. Doesn't seem long.....lots to do.
-
its dragging already - in work on a saturday has killed me today
-
Watkins does look like one well worth adding to the squad.
-
If its between leeds and us, Ollie wont have a problem, who to choose. it will be clarey blue.
-
Blues want Elphick as Harry's first signing
-
Blues want Elphick as Harry's first signing
I would also like Elphick to be 'arry's first signing...
-
I second that suggestion, good ol arry, £4.5m mate.
-
God if we could get our money back on elphick I'd be laughing
What a disaster the new spine we bought last summer was: Gollini elphick Tshibola McCormack
The buys at the back end were better for whatever reason
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He only cost 3m didn't he?
Shouldn't be that difficult. We're not talking about a McCormack deal here.
-
God if we could get our money back on elphick I'd be laughing
What a disaster the new spine we bought last summer was: Gollini elphick Tshibola McCormack
The buys at the back end were better for whatever reason
Elphick had a decent few games to begin with and then he just fell apart. He looked physically shot, devoid of confidence and looked capable of making a howler at any moment.
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I second that suggestion, good ol arry, £4.5m mate.
and no receipt.
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God if we could get our money back on elphick I'd be laughing
What a disaster the new spine we bought last summer was: Gollini elphick Tshibola McCormack
The buys at the back end were better for whatever reason
Elphick had a decent few games to begin with and then he just fell apart. He looked physically shot, devoid of confidence and looked capable of making a howler at any moment.
That's what personal tragedy does.
-
Blues want Elphick as Harry's first signing
Holds a prayer position and recites "please please let it be true"
-
God if we could get our money back on elphick I'd be laughing
What a disaster the new spine we bought last summer was: Gollini elphick Tshibola McCormack
The buys at the back end were better for whatever reason
Elphick had a decent few games to begin with and then he just fell apart. He looked physically shot, devoid of confidence and looked capable of making a howler at any moment.
That's what personal tragedy does.
What happened?
-
I would wish him on them, but I wouldn't wish them on him.
-
yet another RDM signing that should never have happened.
-
I was not aware that he had had a personal tragedy. Perhaps we are being too hard on him.
-
I see Edna Stevens will be back at Villa Park next year in a Sheff.Utd kit
-
I heard that he had a family bereavement even though it was not reported widely.
-
I heard that he had a family bereavement even though it was not reported widely.
Well that could explain it then.
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alex bruce has been let go by hull...
-
alex bruce has been let go by hull...
Don't even joke about it!!
-
alex bruce has been let go by hull...
What was he in for?
-
fraud and deception.
-
If Elphick goes to the Blues, we could do worse with bringing Alex Bruce in. Obviously need another centre back too. Links emerging for the latest Barnsley skipper on clickbait, er, I mean Newsnow.
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alex bruce has been let go by hull...
What was he in for?
Impersonating a footballer.
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If Elphick goes to the Blues, we could do worse with bringing Alex Bruce in.
Well yes, we could bring Lescott back. Or find a place for Kieran Richardson.
We *could* do worse. But Bruce jnr would still be a rubbish signing. Nowhere near being a first team regular at his recent championship clubs -even with the dad advantage.
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You could do worse than crashing into a tree but that doesn't make it something you should consider doing unless literally every other option you have is worse.
If he's still a free agent at the end of August, we still need a defender and we don't have time to find anyone else because all of our scouted options have fallen through then we can consider it, before that it's exactly the sort of unimaginative signing that we should be avoiding.
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You could do worse than crashing into a tree but that doesn't make it something you should consider doing unless literally every other option you have is worse.
If he's still a free agent at the end of August, we still need a defender and we don't have time to find anyone else because all of our scouted options have fallen through then we can consider it, before that it's exactly the sort of unimaginative signing that we should be avoiding.
Somebody is bound to mention Marc Bolan in relation to collisions with trees.
I take your point, though.
-
Gloria Jones should have drove with more care.
-
As comments go, that a bit tainted, love.
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You could do worse than crashing into a tree but that doesn't make it something you should consider doing unless literally every other option you have is worse.
If he's still a free agent at the end of August, we still need a defender and we don't have time to find anyone else because all of our scouted options have fallen through then we can consider it, before that it's exactly the sort of unimaginative signing that we should be avoiding.
Somebody is bound to mention Marc Bolan in relation to collisions with trees.
I take your point, though.
Purple minis, white swans, love vampires ... dangerous stuff.
-
As comments go, that a bit tainted, love.
Soft Cell, surely?? Wrong Marc ?
-
As comments go, that a bit tainted, love.
Soft Cell, surely?? Wrong Marc ?
Marc Bolan's girlfriend and Mini driver Gloria Jones recorded Tainted Love well before Soft Cell.
-
As comments go, that a bit tainted, love.
Soft Cell, surely?? Wrong Marc ?
https://youtu.be/LSv9LOMDhbU
-
When does the list of retained and released players come out?
-
I don't think they have recorded it yet.
-
I don't think they have recorded it yet.
I thought for years that in the song Suspicious Minds, Elvis was singing "recording a track" and not "we're caught in a trap".
-
I don't think they have recorded it yet.
I thought for years that in the song Suspicious Minds, Elvis was singing "recording a track" and not "we're caught in a trap".
A mate at university used to think Elvis was singing: "We can't go on together, if we twist and smile."
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I don't think they have recorded it yet.
I thought for years that in the song Suspicious Minds, Elvis was singing "recording a track" and not "we're caught in a trap".
A mate at university used to think Elvis was singing: "We can't go on together, if we twist and smile."
University you say?
-
I don't think they have recorded it yet.
I thought for years that in the song Suspicious Minds, Elvis was singing "recording a track" and not "we're caught in a trap".
A mate at university used to think Elvis was singing: "We can't go on together, if we twist and smile."
A friend of mine thought Blur's 'End of a Century' said, "We kiss vaginas when we say goodnight..."
-
Those can be dry lips too.
-
have we signed Alex Bruce yet ?
-
I don't think they have recorded it yet.
I thought for years that in the song Suspicious Minds, Elvis was singing "recording a track" and not "we're caught in a trap".
A mate at university used to think Elvis was singing: "We can't go on together, if we twist and smile."
A friend of mine thought Blur's 'End of a Century' said, "We kiss vaginas when we say goodnight..."
You sure he wasn't thinking of Cuntry House?
-
I don't think they have recorded it yet.
I thought for years that in the song Suspicious Minds, Elvis was singing "recording a track" and not "we're caught in a trap".
A mate at university used to think Elvis was singing: "We can't go on together, if we twist and smile."
A friend of mine thought Blur's 'End of a Century' said, "We kiss vaginas when we say goodnight..."
You sure he wasn't thinking of Cuntry House?
Tracey Gash.
-
I don't think they have recorded it yet.
I thought for years that in the song Suspicious Minds, Elvis was singing "recording a track" and not "we're caught in a trap".
A mate at university used to think Elvis was singing: "We can't go on together, if we twist and smile."
For years I thought Hound Dog lyrics were: You ain't nothing but a hound dog, crappin all the time.
-
I don't think they have recorded it yet.
I thought for years that in the song Suspicious Minds, Elvis was singing "recording a track" and not "we're caught in a trap".
A mate at university used to think Elvis was singing: "We can't go on together, if we twist and smile."
For years I thought Hound Dog lyrics were: You ain't nothing but a hound dog, crappin all the time.
You ain't nothing but Paul Lambert
Yapping all the time
-
One to cross of the list of possible signings.
Marley Watkins joins Norwich
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40120240
-
good signing for them
-
I think they'll be a strong contender in the up coming season, unless I put some money on them.
-
When is the list of released* players announced?
* - useless sacks o' shite
-
I'm concerned by how badly this FFP issue might impact us. If nothing else needing to sell to buy delays us against our competition.
-
Wednesday fan on another forum I post on reckons that Hot Lips hasn't settled in West Mids and might end up at Hillsborough.
No idea how true it is.
-
Wednesday fan on another forum I post on reckons that Hot Lips hasn't settled in West Mids and might end up at Hillsborough.
No idea how true it is.
Not saying that it's not true, but it's not like he's Yorkshire born-and-bred and is pining for his family home and his school friends.
He spent three seemingly contented years in Plymouth, having grown up in Ireland surely six months away from Barnsley isn't going to have him crying into his lamb chops (couldn't think of anything else with Barnsley in the name).
-
No idea. Maybe his partner is from there?
-
I'm concerned by how badly this FFP issue might impact us. If nothing else needing to sell to buy delays us against our competition.
How definite is the points deduction aspect to it? Is it entirely arbitrary or set in stone?
I have only heard Dr Xia mention it, which -with my cynical nature- suggests it is a convenient excuse for someone who has already got bored of his new toy and wants to make films in America or rest up for a bit after his recent health scare.
I full expected some belt tightening if we hadn't made it back after two years, but one year in exceeded even my gloomy forecast.
That's not to say we shouldn't be moving players on. I'll be quite happy if we see 10-12 go out and only 3-4 come in. But delaying our business until players are off the books is folly. If the desire was really there to make Aston Villa one of the top 3 teams in world football (his words) a minor obstacle like FFP can be navigated.
Didn't Citeh cut some ludicrous sponsorship deal to get around it a few years back? Their mistake was it was essentially one arm of Sheikh Mansour's business enterprise paying the other, so it was pretty obvious (and might have even been blocked?).
But Xia being the mover and shaker he is could shirley find 3/4 businesses in China that he has regular dealings with (yet doesn't own) to help out with some inflated stand sponsorship deal or similar nonsense. £8-10 million a pop for the Witton, Trinity and Herbert stands and a similar figure for the shirt sponsorship. Piece of piss.
-
Christ, Sunderland have received more "prize"/TV money for the season just gone than Leicester did for winning the league last season. We got £40m in parachute payments.
-
Interesting set of tweets here....
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
11h
Henry Cowans and Ricardo Calder are the next young players to leave Villa with mass youth development over the summer to take place. #avfc
4
1
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
11h
Agbonlahor, Richards and Mark Bunn seem to be the names circling around at the moment. Unclear how board will act. Stay tuned #avfc
2
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
23h
Unsure. Quite possibly he's involved won't know until morning. Stay tuned peeps #avfc
1
1
1
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
31 May
I'll find out details of who excatly caused these disruptions - major action could take place. Not what Villa need going into next season.
1
1
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
31 May
Long discussions have been taking place of futures regarding many players at Villa. Disagreements appear to have upset board big time. #AVFC
2
1
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
31 May
11pm
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
31 May
Been a dispute over at Aston Villa today. I'll update on the story later tonight. Controversial movement. #AVFC
-
This guy is an agent.
-
This guy is an agent.
"Part time model and football league agent based in Leicestershire" with 48 followers?
Let's be honest, his cred is somewhat questionable, isn't it?
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Never looked at that much detail to be fair. Not saying its fact. Just interesting.
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Got to say that seems a stream of messages saying very little.
-
This guy is an agent.
"Part time model and football league agent based in Leicestershire" with 48 followers?
Let's be honest, his cred is somewhat questionable, isn't it?
A quick google of that name comes up with Tyler Joseph of a band called 21 Pilots- the picture on the twitter account is of this musician also. So its football agent, part time model and musician.
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This guy is an agent.
"Part time model and football league agent based in Leicestershire" with 48 followers?
Let's be honest, his cred is somewhat questionable, isn't it?
A quick google of that name comes up with Tyler Joseph of a band called 21 Pilots- the picture on the twitter account is of this musician also. So its football agent, part time model and musician.
Is there no beginning to his talents?
To be fair, he spans the genres, like Harvey Moon.
-
Wednesday fan on another forum I post on reckons that Hot Lips hasn't settled in West Mids and might end up at Hillsborough.
No idea how true it is.
They were in for him in January, Wednesday fans were proper mad on Twitter that he chose us over them (money, I'm guessing), so I'm happy to assume it's a talking complete shit thing at this point.
-
Wednesday are stuck in this league at least for another year and we both start on zero points in August, so run along and be happy you nipped in to get your new hero Jordan Rhodes ahead of us.
-
Wednesday fan on another forum I post on reckons that Hot Lips hasn't settled in West Mids and might end up at Hillsborough.
No idea how true it is.
They were in for him in January, Wednesday fans were proper mad on Twitter that he chose us over them (money, I'm guessing), so I'm happy to assume it's a talking complete shit thing at this point.
Straight swap for Tom Lees & id consider it but in the real world hope Hourihane grows into the club as there is obv ability there but he looked a bit overawed so far
-
Apparently we've signed this bloke. No idea if it's true
Vergard Forren (http://readastonvilla.com/2017/06/02/villa-agree-deal-to-sign-international-defender)
-
We don't need no more Forren round here, eh Merse?
-
Forren was really highly rated in Norway a few years ago but he's struggled at both Southampton and Brighton. I'm not sure about this one.
-
Presumably he's joining on a free, won't be on big wages and will be used as back up, so it doesn't seem like a huge risk.
-
Is Chris Samba still training with us?
-
The 4th choice centre half? Presuming we sign another to knock Bakerbauer down to 3rd.
-
Looking at the photo, he appears to be cross-eyed. That can't make being a footballer any easier.
-
Looking at the photo, he appears to be cross-eyed. That can't make being a footballer any easier.
(http://www.thekettering.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/marty_football.jpg)
"If you guarantee I'm getting in ahead of Elphick I'm in".
-
Looking at the photo, he appears to be cross-eyed. That can't make being a footballer any easier.
(http://www.thekettering.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/marty_football.jpg)
"If you guarantee I'm getting in ahead of Elphick I'm in".
We're signing Ozil?
-
We are about to sign Vegard Forren. A free agent and Norwegian player. Centre Half.
-
Looking at the photo, he appears to be cross-eyed. That can't make being a footballer any easier.
(http://www.thekettering.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/marty_football.jpg)
"If you guarantee I'm getting in ahead of Elphick I'm in".
"Well, why isn't it "Froaderick Fronkensteen"?
-
I'm getting too old for this. Either that or I'm simply going blind.
-
I'm confused as to what is the difference between this thread and "Summer Sells, Buys, Loans, Bomb Squaders".
-
Good point well made Bully.
-
I think this one has an actual potential signing in it.
-
Presumably he's joining on a free, won't be on big wages and will be used as back up, so it doesn't seem like a huge risk.
I think the CB situation depends on whether Bruce sees that at Jedinak's position going forward, if he does then Chester, Jedinak, Baker and this guy will probably be enough. If Jedinak is still going to be seen as a midfielder then I think we will need him and another (think it was reported Bruce was after two CBS this summer).
-
I wonder if he'll be as good as Vegard Heggem.
-
Interesting set of tweets here....
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
11h
Henry Cowans and Ricardo Calder are the next young players to leave Villa with mass youth development over the summer to take place. #avfc
4
1
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
11h
Agbonlahor, Richards and Mark Bunn seem to be the names circling around at the moment. Unclear how board will act. Stay tuned #avfc
2
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
23h
Unsure. Quite possibly he's involved won't know until morning. Stay tuned peeps #avfc
1
1
1
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
31 May
I'll find out details of who excatly caused these disruptions - major action could take place. Not what Villa need going into next season.
1
1
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
31 May
Long discussions have been taking place of futures regarding many players at Villa. Disagreements appear to have upset board big time. #AVFC
2
1
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
31 May
11pm
joseph tyler @josephtyler22
·
31 May
Been a dispute over at Aston Villa today. I'll update on the story later tonight. Controversial movement. #AVFC
Not sure how a dispute would happen at the club when gabby is currently in Dubai and Micah in the states
-
Or Firgard Choklut.
-
Is Chris Samba still training with us?
Apparently he's been invited back for pre-season training for assessment.....................Godzvilla!
-
Or Firgard Choklut.
Ah, the son of the famous Tipot.
-
Move along please, there's nothing to see here ............Godzvilla!
( Today, from the' Meaning Evil' )
Aston Villa owner Tony Xia has poured cold water over any recent transfer speculation with his latest tweet.
The Chinese businessman, who is recovering from heart surgery, said:
"I can tell the percentage of the truth of all the transfer news related to us no matter showing where: 0%!"
-
Glenn Whelan anyone?
-
Apparently, they really rate him ( Whelan) up in the Potteries , this from the 'Stoke Sentinel ' :
"And Whelan's many fans - which should be just about the entire fan base after nine years and more than 300 games - would also say it is no coincidence that Stoke have lost only one of the last 10 games in which he has started ".
Added to the fact that Whelan cites 'God' McGrath , as his hero , what's not to like ?, would be a good addition, imo...........Godzvilla!
Read more at http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/stoke-city-midfielder-glenn-whelan-can-even-surprise-his-own-supporters/story-30061506-detail/story.html#2mT7r0LobeLOdJzo.99
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Whelan looks a bit like Jedinak last summer, solid pro that would probably make us a better team unit when on the pitch. Not really got an issue with this one. Lyden is not going to be hampered by it, we need another body in that area of the pitch and have Angela and Hotlips to do the attacking element.
I was reading the stuff on Johnstone this morning. If the fee is £5m we should just get it sorted out and do the deal, missing out on him would be a pain in the arse and long term if he stays steady that will be a snip. We need 5 I reckon, keeper, centre half, midfielder, winger and a back up left back if Amavi goes.
I also agree with the Bham mail guy that suggested Max Gradel. Him or Tom Ince to give us genuine pace and threat from out wide to help Green would be ideal. Beyond that there is no reason why we can't end this summer in profit and be a better team.
-
Whelan looks a bit like Jedinak last summer, solid pro that would probably make us a better team unit when on the pitch. Not really got an issue with this one. Lyden is not going to be hampered by it, we need another body in that area of the pitch and have Angela and Hotlips to do the attacking element.
I was reading the stuff on Johnstone this morning. If the fee is £5m we should just get it sorted out and do the deal, missing out on him would be a pain in the arse and long term if he stays steady that will be a snip. We need 5 I reckon, keeper, centre half, midfielder, winger and a back up left back if Amavi goes.
I also agree with the Bham mail guy that suggested Max Gradel. Him or Tom Ince to give us genuine pace and threat from out wide to help Green would be ideal. Beyond that there is no reason why we can't end this summer in profit and be a better team.
I'd sign Johnstone in a heartbeat too but with teams in the Prem circling as well as us & Sunderland it won't be that simple
-
I think we start the season with Bunn as number 1 keeper which isn't good
-
Johnstone makes sense in that he knows the way in which we are set out, can now come in and do what he is paid for goalkeeping without the new boy nerves.
Wheelan, what extra does he offer?
Tom Ince at a drop of the hat I would have him on board. He was one quality missing from the rest of the squad pace.
-
Glenn Whelan? Fuck, I get enough of him watching Ireland. Still, it's not 2009 anymore and he's not about to destroy our Champions League dream at Villa Park after we've gone 2-0 up.
-
Johnstone for 5 million seems steep. On the plus side he should settle right back in very quickly.
Could this be the year that we finally sign Benni McCarthy ?
-
I do think Johnstone is not a £5 million goalkeeper, but it's also true that most people have no idea of a good goalkeeper's worth. To me, it's worth paying a premium for a decent keeper for the points they will save you.
-
Whelan would give us more legs in midfield than Jedinak currently provides (not hard) but for the type of midfielder he is, you'd have to be concerned about age/ miles on the clock.
If we were raiding Stoke, I'd be more interested in Walters. Again, not one for the future. But should be well suited to the way Bruce sets up.
-
Shay given on a free as backup for a year? Got his coaching licenses too so one for the coaching side too?
-
A player at the arse end of his career looking for one last payday no thanks
File under lescott, cole, richardson, given, pires, senderos
-
Shay given on a free as backup for a year? Got his coaching licenses too so one for the coaching side too?
Been there, done that. I'd rather we didn't.
Charlie Adam? Instead of Whelan. He only played 21 games for Stoke last season and is likely to play less with Fletcher joining?
-
He played well whenever I saw him last season, Adam that is, although he too is surely on his last big pay check.
Shame tshbola hasn't worked out as he looked to have the makings of a very good young box to box player, may come back at preseason and be given a second chance I suppose.
I wonder who we will get loan wise, there must be loads of talent sat in man cities/Chelsea etc reserves. loftus cheek and Mooy come to mind and Chalobah?
-
I do think Johnstone is not a £5 million goalkeeper, but it's also true that most people have no idea of a good goalkeeper's worth. To me, it's worth paying a premium for a decent keeper for the points they will save you.
Thing with Johnstone for me is he dosen't look a match winning keeper.
He looked a bit better when we put 10 men behind the ball and restricted shots on target but when we played decent teams like Fulham and Reading who could shoot a bit better the goals flew past him. It would've been nice to see him tip a few of those past the post rather than them going into the bottom corner, Barnsley at home is another game.
I just think there's better out there particularly for 5m. He does the basics like say Kuczazek at SHA who got him on a free.
I wouldn't be against giving Jed Steer the first few games to see if he's capable and also sign an experienced back up just in case he isn't.
-
I do think Johnstone is not a £5 million goalkeeper, but it's also true that most people have no idea of a good goalkeeper's worth. To me, it's worth paying a premium for a decent keeper for the points they will save you.
Thing with Johnstone for me is he dosen't look a match winning keeper.
He looked a bit better when we put 10 men behind the ball and restricted shots on target but when we played decent teams like Fulham and Reading who could shoot a bit better the goals flew past him. It would've been nice to see him tip a few of those past the post rather than them going into the bottom corner, Barnsley at home is another game.
I just think there's better out there particularly for 5m. He does the basics like say Kuczazek at SHA who got him on a free.
I wouldn't be against giving Jed Steer the first few games to see if he's capable and also sign an experienced back up just in case he isn't.
To be fair he improved from the first few games, 5m is nothing these days, is he better than say Kuczazek NO. Are there better keepers out there perhaps but we won't get a steal. The one I would look at is Smithies or even Green (the latter for a season or two).
The Boss wants Johnstone and there is nothing better than feeling wanted for performance.
-
Shay given on a free as backup for a year? Got his coaching licenses too so one for the coaching side too?
Maybe he could play for free, help pay back the huge wages we paid him over a five year contract.
-
Agree eamonn. We have too many skeletons in the cupboards of the last six years to let another one out. Besides I can never forgive Given for the defeat at Millwall. His kicking made Danny Shittu look like Vincent Kompany that horrible night.
-
Glenn Whelan? Fuck, I get enough of him watching Ireland. Still, it's not 2009 anymore and he's not about to destroy our Champions League dream at Villa Park after we've gone 2-0 up.
Milk turns faster than Glenn Whelan
-
Apparently 'Virgil is on the verge' (of a move to Liverpool.) I know, I should be a sports headline writer. Here is another one. 'Liverpool buy a player from Southampton for the first time ever'.
-
50 million I saw for that one? Fees have gone full on looney this summer. I am sure I read Sunderland want 30 for Pickford. 15 for Gibbs! Over 50 for Kyle Walker I saw too. The world has gone utterly bonkers if these fees are actually paid.
-
We can't be too far away from the first million pounds a week deal! Ridiculous.
-
Still can't believe Barcodes got £30m last summer for Sissoko, he's mince. Funded their promotion pretty much. The only ropey equivalent we might be able to fleece someone for appears to be Amavi.
-
Why haven't we signed anyone yet? :)
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Still can't believe Barcodes got £30m last summer for Sissoko, he's mince. Funded their promotion pretty much. The only ropey equivalent we might be able to fleece someone for appears to be Amavi.
Amavi is shocking. Really hope we can fool someone into thinking he's worth £20m+
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Amavi really is a terrible player, and is well behind Taylor in the pecking order now. I would rather see Cissokho in the team as back up as at least he can defend. Amavi is a liability in defence and manages to contribute zero going forwards despite flashes of skill every now and then.
TBH I would not value him above £2m, and think the club will be very lucky to get £5m for him given how poorly he has performed for us. £20m seems fanciful, but I would be delighted if we got it. I just hope he goes.
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I vote that ASHTONVILLA takes no part in the selling process of Amavi!
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I vote that ASHTONVILLA takes no part in the selling process of Amavi!
Yeah well if I were Wyness I would be trying for as much as possible, but lets face it how much would you want Villa to pay for him if we were buying him from Leeds for instance?
Like I say, I hope we get top dollar but just can't see it.
Ditto Veretout and Gil who I think we might manage £5m between them. The clubs interested in them are skint and will want a low fee to cover them picking up what will be quite high wages (to them).
With this in mind I am not sure £5m for Man Uniteds fourth choice goalkeeper is good value. I keep looking at teams that finished in the play offs, and they spent peanuts and had better teams.
We seem to have pieces from 3 different jigsaws, and are trying to make a picture out of them. That's what happens when you have too many changes in managers I guess. I just hope the 2-3 that come in help the players we have look more cohesive.
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I vote that ASHTONVILLA takes no part in the selling process of Amavi!
Yeah well if I were Wyness I would be trying for as much as possible, but lets face it how much would you want Villa to pay for him if we were buying him from Leeds for instance?
Not as much as the figures being mooted, sure.
But then based on what he did for us I wouldn't have wanted us to spend the £6m Middleborough gave us for Gestede on him, or the £5m that Burnley gave us for Westwood.
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Still can't believe Barcodes got £30m last summer for Sissoko, he's mince. Funded their promotion pretty much. The only ropey equivalent we might be able to fleece someone for appears to be Amavi.
Amavi is shocking. Really hope we can fool someone into thinking he's worth £20m+
lets hope we can get Dick Turpin to do the negociations on our behalf then.
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I vote that ASHTONVILLA takes no part in the selling process of Amavi!
I also vote that he has no say in the selection of a left back next season. Cissokho is a total liability and should never - ever - see the inside of the home-team dressing room at VP again.
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Amavi really is a terrible player, and is well behind Taylor in the pecking order now. I would rather see Cissokho in the team as back up as at least he can defend. Amavi is a liability in defence and manages to contribute zero going forwards despite flashes of skill every now and then.
TBH I would not value him above £2m, and think the club will be very lucky to get £5m for him given how poorly he has performed for us. £20m seems fanciful, but I would be delighted if we got it. I just hope he goes.
I don't think it is going to happen for Amavi with us, so would definitely cash in if there are any buyers. I don't know if Bree or De Laet have covered on that side before (Bacuna has and did OK), so not sure if we would need to buy another back up option for Taylor.
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Still can't believe Barcodes got £30m last summer for Sissoko, he's mince. Funded their promotion pretty much. The only ropey equivalent we might be able to fleece someone for appears to be Amavi.
Amavi is shocking. Really hope we can fool someone into thinking he's worth £2m+
Fixed
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Have we signed Tammy Abraham on loan?
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Have we signed Tammy Abraham on loan?
Brighton look favourites to sign him on loan
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Have we signed Tammy Abraham on loan?
Brighton look favourites to sign him on loan
Micky Quinn, the font of all knowledge, said he's going to the Barcodes this morning.
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Sampdoria want Amavi
have they any money
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Have we signed Tammy Abraham on loan?
Brighton look favourites to sign him on loan
I only asked because I thought I'd seen a photo of him stretching the shirt.
Must have been a fake photo
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500k for Curtis Davies is a bloody steal for Derby. Considering we need a centre half I would happily have him back alongside Chester next season.
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Will make Hull less of a contender at least.
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Have we signed Tammy Abraham on loan?
Brighton look favourites to sign him on loan
Micky Quinn, the font of all knowledge, said he's going to the Barcodes this morning.
He doesnt want to move that far North apparently............
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500k for Curtis Davies is a bloody steal for Derby. Considering we need a centre half I would happily have him back alongside Chester next season.
Agreed.
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Can't believe having bought him and got the best out of him at Hull that Bruce would not be in for him at that price. Strengthens Derby.
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You're right - would have made sense on pretty much every level.
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33 next season I'm not so sure, would prefer someone younger with greater potential.
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Was convinced Curtis would be back this summer, just made sense
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I like Davies, but he seems to be injured a lot and isn't a youngster.
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Curtis to Derby? Really? Meh! That's their level. Might seem good business but only at that level. I'm sure we're aiming higher.
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Sampdoria want Amavi
have they any money
Article i read said we are looking tf recoup the 9 million we paid but sampdoria are keen on a loan deal
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Exactly - I haven't seen him play this or last season, or ever since leaving us, but if they only takers were Derby at £500 000 I think it speaks volumes.
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Can't believe having bought him and got the best out of him at Hull that Bruce would not be in for him at that price. Strengthens Derby.
Weakens Hull though surely? Half their team was on loan last season and Davies was one of their reliable core players like Dawson and Huddlestone.
I really don't see them or Sunderland challenging.
Boro probably will if they appoint Garry Monk but even then I don't see them dominating like Newcastle did.
Good news for us surely if the three relegated clubs aren't doing much.
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Sampdoria want Amavi
have they any money
Article i read said we are looking tf recoup the 9 million we paid but sampdoria are keen on a loan deal
Oh bollocks
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Sampdoria want Amavi
have they any money
Article i read said we are looking tf recoup the 9 million we paid but sampdoria are keen on a loan deal
I think we need to be getting rid not loaning out, the more people see him play the less likely we are to sell him. The last thing you want with the likes of Amavi is a shop window. Doubt £9m is achievable but with a bit of luck we rinse someone for between £2m and £5m.
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Seen it reported we have agreed £2.5 for Carlos Sanchez with Fiorentina.
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/06/07/report-aston-villa-agree-25m-deal-with-fiorentina-for-carlos-san/
I was quite pleased when we signed him as he looked good for Colombia in the World Cup, but never showed much for the Villa. Also says we are looking to get about £10m each for Veretout and Gil, tbh I think that much would get the pair of them!
Still if we can get upwards of £15m for the surplus to requirement players and get the wage bill down by shifting donkeys like Richards out then Bruce should be able to get 2-3 decent signings in.
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Seen it reported we have agreed £2.5 for Carlos Sanchez with Fiorentina.
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/06/07/report-aston-villa-agree-25m-deal-with-fiorentina-for-carlos-san/
I was quite pleased when we signed him as he looked good for Colombia in the World Cup, but never showed much for the Villa. Also says we are looking to get about £10m each for Veretout and Gil, tbh I think that much would get the pair of them!
Still if we can get upwards of £15m for the surplus to requirement players and get the wage bill down by shifting donkeys like Richards out then Bruce should be able to get 2-3 decent signings in.
I thought Sanchez had already gone!
Mind you, I thought we had signed Johnstone on loan again with the option to buy too
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Sanchez left ages ago.
Deal was done as soon as he played 20 games for them.
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Good - he was shit.
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See I read the article as we are "trying to get 9-10million for both of them" (Gil and Veretout) as meaning in total for the two.
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In a world where Southampton apparently want £50-60m for van Dijk, anything is possible.
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See I read the article as we are "trying to get 9-10million for both of them" (Gil and Veretout) as meaning in total for the two.
Can read it either way, but that would make more sense.
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I'm sure I've seen the Norwegian guy on Bullseye.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/iCfPdF/IMG_20170608_190734.jpg) (http://ibb.co/iCfPdF)
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I'm sure I've seen the Norwegian guy on Bullseye.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/iCfPdF/IMG_20170608_190734.jpg) (http://ibb.co/iCfPdF)
Are you sure? Take your time. No rush. Take your time.
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Yaya Sanogo anyone?
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Yaya Sanogo anyone?
Isn't he Batfink's arch nemesis?
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Yaya Sanogo anyone?
Isn't he Batfink's arch nemesis?
Yes!
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Nothing to do with transfers but I have just read that Hull have appointed former Russia boss Leonid Slutsky as head coach.
Childishly made me chuckle. Sorry, carry on as you were.
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Nothing to do with transfers but I have just read that Hull have appointed former Russia boss Leonid Slutsky as head coach.
Childishly made me chuckle. Sorry, carry on as you were.
They went for Paul Trollope first, I hear.
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Nothing to do with transfers but I have just read that Hull have appointed former Russia boss Leonid Slutsky as head coach.
Childishly made me chuckle. Sorry, carry on as you were.
They went for Paul Trollope first, I hear.
Marvellous.
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Oh first tweet from Tony of the summer!
1%. 📞📩📤#UTV
Here we go.
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Made our first contact by phone and email for someone.
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Are the arrows significant ? Does it mean we have contacted a club about someone, or has a club contacted us about one of our players?
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£500k bid for Glenn Whelan rejected apparantly
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Good. Whelan is 33 years old.
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Good. Whelan is 33 years old.
He could be the player that finally fills the Mark Kinsella shaped hole we've had for so long.
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Agreed, Joe Ledley is available on a Free? Played with Jedinak before, could be a cheap option although I'm sure his wages would be hefty
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Tony upping his game in transfer slang. Ya gotta love 'im.
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Whelan is on offer, but first bid of £0.5 million rejected. £0.8m will get apparently. The summer is going to be dominated by the financial problem FFP rules say we could run up an £83m debt and Xia allowed £81.3m so Bruce has £1.7m to spend, not his fault. But we are in the bargain basement, lets hope he gets some bargains,
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If we signed Jo Ledley, I'm not sure I could tell him and Jedinak apart when both on the pitch. I'd be happy to take that gamble though.
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£81m is our net spend under Xia? Seems too high.
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£81m is our net spend under Xia? Seems too high.
I think it is losses posted in the accounts
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£81m is our net spend under Xia? Seems too high.
I think it is losses posted in the accounts
So Tom Fox's payoff should be our new centre back?
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Whelan is on offer, but first bid of £0.5 million rejected. £0.8m will get apparently. The summer is going to be dominated by the financial problem FFP rules say we could run up an £83m debt and Xia allowed £81.3m so Bruce has £1.7m to spend, not his fault. But we are in the bargain basement, lets hope he gets some bargains,
Not really sure where Whelan would fit in the midfield set up we used last season. He's not really a defensive midfielder and he's not going to be one of the more attacking midfielders if we still play with a three. I could see him playing in a two man midfield though, which would point to a change of formation perhaps.
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Alternating midfielder with Jedinak perhaps? I expect a lot more from Hourihane/Lansbury this season.
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Looking at potential free transfers, we could consider
Junior Hoillett (Cardiff) - looked great at Blackburn before he left for QPR. Played pretty good for Warnock last season.
Peter Whittingham (Cardiff)- Well proven at this level, and would add width and good dead ball delivery.
John Ruddy (Norwich)- Better than Bunn, Steer, and better than spunking £5m on Johnstone.
Joseph Mulumbu (Norwich) - Was excellent at WBA, injured a lot at Norwich but just what we need in midfield.
Danny Guthrie (Blackburn) - Decent player with pace and energy.
Stephen Warnock (Wigan) - Yeah I know, but better than Amavi and Cissokho as back up to Taylor and can play defensive midfield as well.
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Looking at potential free transfers, we could consider
Junior Hoillett (Cardiff) - looked great at Blackburn before he left for QPR. Played pretty good for Warnock last season.
Peter Whittingham (Cardiff)- Well proven at this level, and would add width and good dead ball delivery.
John Ruddy (Norwich)- Better than Bunn, Steer, and better than spunking £5m on Johnstone.
Joseph Mulumbu (Norwich) - Was excellent at WBA, injured a lot at Norwich but just what we need in midfield.
Danny Guthrie (Blackburn) - Decent player with pace and energy.
Stephen Warnock (Wigan) - Yeah I know, but better than Amavi and Cissokho as back up to Taylor and can play defensive midfield as well.
I wouldn't want any of those, other than possibly Ruddy.
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Alternating midfielder with Jedinak perhaps? I expect a lot more from Hourihane/Lansbury this season.
They are very capable of delivering a great deal more based on general opinion, both of the professional and spectator variety.
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Looking at potential free transfers, we could consider
Junior Hoillett (Cardiff) - looked great at Blackburn before he left for QPR. Played pretty good for Warnock last season.
Peter Whittingham (Cardiff)- Well proven at this level, and would add width and good dead ball delivery.
John Ruddy (Norwich)- Better than Bunn, Steer, and better than spunking £5m on Johnstone.
Joseph Mulumbu (Norwich) - Was excellent at WBA, injured a lot at Norwich but just what we need in midfield.
Danny Guthrie (Blackburn) - Decent player with pace and energy.
Stephen Warnock (Wigan) - Yeah I know, but better than Amavi and Cissokho as back up to Taylor and can play defensive midfield as well.
All championship tat. How about we go for some of the players released from the Premier League instead.
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What a depressing list!
Ruddy is worth having, but that is about it.
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Warnock?! Jesus wept.
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Warnock?! Jesus wept.
Whittingham? Jesus sobbed
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That list needs burning. Quickly
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I haven't seen a funnier list of freebies since the Election
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We must be the new Leeds if anybody other than Ruddy on that list was given serious consideration.
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Come on, Pete Whitts is quality at this level. He probably still loves us too.
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List is only Championship freebies (from the list in the Evening Mail), so not huge quality on offer. Not suggesting Villa buy all of them, but one or two of them to help round out the squad wouldn't harm.
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Looking at potential free transfers, we could consider
Junior Hoillett (Cardiff) - looked great at Blackburn before he left for QPR. Played pretty good for Warnock last season.
Peter Whittingham (Cardiff)- Well proven at this level, and would add width and good dead ball delivery.
John Ruddy (Norwich)- Better than Bunn, Steer, and better than spunking £5m on Johnstone.
Joseph Mulumbu (Norwich) - Was excellent at WBA, injured a lot at Norwich but just what we need in midfield.
Danny Guthrie (Blackburn) - Decent player with pace and energy.
Stephen Warnock (Wigan) - Yeah I know, but better than Amavi and Cissokho as back up to Taylor and can play defensive midfield as well.
All championship tat. How about we go for some of the players released from the Premier League instead.
Hoilett was decent, not sure his attitude is great though
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In my local in Stafford last night I spoke to a bunch of Stoke supporters who rated Glenn Whelan. Thought that at 33 he still had the ability to drop down a division and do a good job esp for us in defensive midfield, whether that is the priority is another matter. For what it is worth, they spoke well of him
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From the Premier league free agents we could think about these
Willy Caballero - Unlikely, but would be a definite upgrade.
Mathieu Flamini - Should be more than good enough in the championship
Charlie Adam - Good player. Little slow and we need pace and energy, but would definitely add a little quality and nous.
George Boyd - Been linked already, and has played for Bruce before. Not exciting but a solid player to compete with Adoma.
Arouna Kone - Think he would bully defences at this level.
Lucas Leiva - Bit fanciful but would be a great signing.
Joe Ledley - Just what we need.
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Kirkoff from Sunderland is also apparently out of contract.
He had a great spell under Fatboy Sam towards the tail part of 2016.
Played in a defensive midfielder role.... Got the same stature of jedinak.
Always liked Kone... although I'm not sure we'll be taking chances on people with his injury record.
Bruno Manga is also out of contract...Did really well last season for Cardiff..tough and solid.
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From the Premier league free agents we could think about these
Willy Caballero - Unlikely, but would be a definite upgrade.
Mathieu Flamini - Should be more than good enough in the championship
Charlie Adam - Good player. Little slow and we need pace and energy, but would definitely add a little quality and nous.
George Boyd - Been linked already, and has played for Bruce before. Not exciting but a solid player to compete with Adoma.
Arouna Kone - Think he would bully defences at this level.
Lucas Leiva - Bit fanciful but would be a great signing.
Joe Ledley - Just what we need.
I'd be pretty happy with Adam and Ledley. Probably Lucas as well. The others might turn out to be hit and miss. I call it the John Fashanu/Joleon Lescott factor. One move too far.
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We should have signed Adam three years ago. He would do a job for us now though.
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Burnley have released Richard George Junior Pingling.
Great name. No idea who he is. But get him in.
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From the Premier league free agents we could think about these
Willy Caballero - Unlikely, but would be a definite upgrade.
Mathieu Flamini - Should be more than good enough in the championship
Charlie Adam - Good player. Little slow and we need pace and energy, but would definitely add a little quality and nous.
George Boyd - Been linked already, and has played for Bruce before. Not exciting but a solid player to compete with Adoma.
Arouna Kone - Think he would bully defences at this level.
Lucas Leiva - Bit fanciful but would be a great signing.
Joe Ledley - Just what we need.
Flamini - yes but he wouldn't come and we couldn't afford his wages
Adam - yes
Boyd - yes
Kone - yes
Leiva - Who he?
Caballero/Ledley - no idea.
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If we can shift out Amavi, Richards, Veretout, Gil, Elphick, Golini, Tsibola and Agbonlahor that will make the wage bill look a bit better and maybe bring in £10-15m in fees.
Bring in Adam, Boyd, Kone, Ledley, and Ruddy on frees and we would be looking more solid with a lower wage bill and closer to sorting out FFP issues.
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If we can shift out Amavi, Richards, Veretout, Gil, Elphick, Golini, Tsibola and Agbonlahor that will make the wage bill look a bit better and maybe bring in £10-15m in fees.
Bring in Adam, Boyd, Kone, Ledley, and Ruddy on frees and we would be looking more solid with a lower wage bill and closer to sorting out FFP issues.
It comes to something when I had totally forgotten that one or two of them you have named were still with us.
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Jesus! some of the names being mentioned are awful. Lower half Championship players are not going to get us promoted. I'd sooner stick with what we've got than buy players like Steven Warnock and Peter Whittingham.
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What we have to rely on is that over the last year Round has overhauled scouting with the likes of Atkins, we need to be the club that unearths the Ryan Woods, Lasse Vibe, Aaron Mooy of this world, the mgmt team have been in place for 8-9 months so should have given requirements for positions that need to be filled and that list of targets drawn up. What we don't want to be doing is the same as last summer where it is quite clear they used the goal scored list in Championship to recruit McCormack & Kodjia...no one can have watched the two play & thought they would make a partnership.
As for Kodjia I am still convinced that Bruce was absolutely gutted when he was injured because he wanted to sell him so he can buy a target man like Sam Gallagher or Chris Martin to play alongside Hogan.
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...Chris Martin
Behave yourself
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...Chris Martin
Behave yourself
Wouldn't surprise me in slightest
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Alternating midfielder with Jedinak perhaps? I expect a lot more from Hourihane/Lansbury this season.
I just hope they're let off the leash as it were. If they're not, expect more of what we saw last season.
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Alternating midfielder with Jedinak perhaps? I expect a lot more from Hourihane/Lansbury this season.
I just hope they're let off the leash as it were. If they're not, expect more of what we saw last season.
I'm sure Bruce is rethinking his lifelong beliefs as we write.
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Ideal world I would shift on:
Golini - Doesn't want to play for Villa so he can piss off
Bunn - Not good emough
Cissokho - OK at this level but would sooner lose the wages and have a kid as back up.
Amavi - Terrible player
Elphick - shame thought he was a great signing at the time
Richards - Wanker of the highest order
Gardner - Pity, I thought he would shine at this level.
Tsibola - Didn't work out and was equally poor at Forrest
Bakuna - OK at this level but we can find better on lower wages and would bring in a fee.
Veretout - Meh player that tinks he is too good for us.
Sanchez - Not suited to British football.
Gil - I actually like him, but dn't think he is up for returning and not a Bruce type player.
Agbonlahor - Needs no explanation.
I would be keeping
Hogan - Needs service
Kodjia - Unless a massive bid came in
RHM - Needs game time
McCormack - Hopefully he will come good with a run of games at the start of the season with Hogan (Kodjia is injured anyway).
Lansbury - should play better when Bruce gets the team balance right
Hourihane - same as Lansbury
Jedinak - Really important player for us
Green - Needs a chance
Adomah - Good player when on form
Baker - One of our better players last season
Chester - Good player
De laet - Hopefully will see more of him this season
Hutton - One of our best players last season
Bree - Like the look of him so far
Taylor - Good player
That leaves us needing
Goalkeeper - Suggest we go for Ruddy on a free rather than £5m for Johnstone.
Reserve left back
Centre back cover x 2
Central midfielder that can tackle - too reliant on Jedinak currently. Suggest Joe Ledley or Lucas on a free.
Winger
Centre forward - Need a big lump for Hogan / McCormack / Kodjia to play off.
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In my local in Stafford last night I spoke to a bunch of Stoke supporters who rated Glenn Whelan. Thought that at 33 he still had the ability to drop down a division and do a good job esp for us in defensive midfield, whether that is the priority is another matter. For what it is worth, they spoke well of him
I suppose if Steve Sidwell can be the lynchpin of a title winning side in this division it's not to far fetched.
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Whelan, no thanks, maybe we coach and train the players we have at the club, go on Steve I dare you
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...Chris Martin
Behave yourself
Correct
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I see that we are one of the few teams not to have produced a retained/release list at present, yet all of the premier league sides from last season have.
Wonder why that is?
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Nail on head Three Spires. Never were truer words posted.
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Whelan, no thanks, maybe we coach and train the players we have at the club, go on Steve I dare you
What is this coa-ch--ing you speak of?
Are you a witch
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Whelan, no thanks, maybe we coach and train the players we have at the club, go on Steve I dare you
What is this coa-ch--ing you speak of?
Are you a witch
You chaps are being very glib.
Coaching is a very complicated business. Attacking and defending in units. Ball control, spacial awareness, movement, creating pockets of space and so much more.
Is it any wonder we appear not to bother?
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I see that we are one of the few teams not to have produced a retained/release list at present, yet all of the premier league sides from last season have.
Wonder why that is?
This is curious. The Premier League teams were, AIUI, obliged to release their retained lists by last Friday. I have no idea if/when we have a deadline. Waiting to hear what's going to happen to our 47,000,000 players out on loan. The only definite news I have heard about any major players is that the permanent crock Kozak is finally off the books.
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Isn't Mark Bunn out of contract too ? ( please ) and isn't Sanchez now off the books as well ?
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Whelan, no thanks, maybe we coach and train the players we have at the club, go on Steve I dare you
What is this coa-ch--ing you speak of?
Are you a witch
You chaps are being very glib.
Coaching is a very complicated business. Attacking and defending in units. Ball control, spacial awareness, movement, creating pockets of space and so much more.
Is it any wonder we appear not to bother?
Other teams seem to manage coaching fairly easily such as the top 6 who we were a mile off
Having said that picking a formation and sticking with it along with playing people in their right positions would be a good starting point
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Jon Walters is a leader we should strongly consider getting in, superbly led the line for Ireland yesterday again.
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My OneFootball app I use for score checking popped up with Terry for Villa?
As Terry is the only player I know who was carried off the field with a serious leg injury and booed incessantly as he left, I doubt it will ever happen.
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My OneFootball app I use for score checking popped up with Terry for Villa?
As Terry is the only player I know who was carried off the field with a serious leg injury and booed incessantly as he left, I doubt it will ever happen.
It comes from Terry and his brother playing golf with Steve and Alex Bruce a few weeks ago. There's a picture somewhere.
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My OneFootball app I use for score checking popped up with Terry for Villa?
As Terry is the only player I know who was carried off the field with a serious leg injury and booed incessantly as he left, I doubt it will ever happen.
"John Terry, we know what you are"
Only player i've ever known to be down and obviously badly injured at VP and be abused non stop, including as he was stretchered off. Certainly the only time i've done it. Then after the final whistle applauding Lampard as he walked across the pitch in front of us to the tunnel.
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My OneFootball app I use for score checking popped up with Terry for Villa?
As Terry is the only player I know who was carried off the field with a serious leg injury and booed incessantly as he left, I doubt it will ever happen.
"John Terry, we know what you are"
Only player i've ever known to be down and obviously badly injured at VP and be abused non stop, including as he was stretchered off. Certainly the only time i've done it. Then after the final whistle applauding Lampard as he walked across the pitch in front of us to the tunnel.
Me too. And embarrassingly, I felt no remorse at the abuse I used. I also applauded Lampard too, so feel better that I was not the only one on here to do it
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Ashtonvilla - You say we need a goalkeeper, yet you left one out of the squad list
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Walters is the kind of battering ram/hold up player that Hogan could well play off.
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Now we have SKY Sources saying we are interested in John Terry...good grief
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I saw him in his Porsche Cayenne Chelsea tractor in Esher a couple of years ago and managed to catch his attention long enough to give him the Kenco coffee bean hand signal. I also have no remorse.
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Now we have SKY Sources saying we are interested in John Terry...good grief
*searches for pitchfork*
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Now we have SKY Sources saying we are interested in John Terry...good grief
*searches for pitchfork*
And all because SB had a chat with him on the golf course. He will probably be off to the USA or China.
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Terry is a cnut, pure and simple.
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John Terry personifies everything I hate about modern footballers.
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John Terry becoming a Villa legend, stranger things must have happened in the history of football, thinking about it there can't have been.
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Maybe we are too nice. Signing John Terry, Joey Barton and Louis Suarez could change that. Do you think those two nice chaps Noel Blake and Robert Hopkins would come back to play for us?
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The John Terry news has us trending on twitter. Very good defender, but he's a cock isn't he?
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Sign him up, the big cnut.
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The John Terry news has us trending on twitter. Very good defender, but he's a cock isn't he?
He was, what I saw of him last year looked a lot like his legs had gone.
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I would be mortified if we signed that racist cock.
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We're trying to get rid of the twats, not sign them.
The guy is a fucking bellend.
I don't want him anywhere near Villa.
Signing him would put me off watching us. He's that much of a ******.
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I will go as far to say that I will return my season ticket if we sign that prick. I cannot support a club that employs him. He's an awful human being and represents everything that has made me hate all non-Villa related football.
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My OneFootball app I use for score checking popped up with Terry for Villa?
As Terry is the only player I know who was carried off the field with a serious leg injury and booed incessantly as he left, I doubt it will ever happen.
"John Terry, we know what you are"
Only player i've ever known to be down and obviously badly injured at VP and be abused non stop, including as he was stretchered off. Certainly the only time i've done it. Then after the final whistle applauding Lampard as he walked across the pitch in front of us to the tunnel.
Me too. And embarrassingly, I felt no remorse at the abuse I used. I also applauded Lampard too, so feel better that I was not the only one on here to do it
I applauded him, too. Wasnt it his last game for Chelsea and he'd also broke a couple of goal scoring records that day if I remember.
Lampard, along with Berkamp, we're my favourite non Villa players.
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Can't stand Terry either but he'd breeze the championship alongside Chester.
Don't see him dropping down to the championship in any case.
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So let's see; he's past his best, on ridiculous wages and would instantly destabilise the team. It does tick all the boxes for our usual transfer strategy, so I expect him to sign an 8 year contract with us for £250k a week.
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One less disabled spot behind the north stand.
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The John Terry news has us trending on twitter. Very good defender, but he's a cock isn't he?
He was, what I saw of him last year looked a lot like his legs had gone.
He would still beat Richards over 100 yards even giving Richards an 80 yard start
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There's no way Terry will end up here.
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The John Terry news has us trending on twitter. Very good defender, but he's a cock isn't he?
He was, what I saw of him last year looked a lot like his legs had gone.
He would still beat Richards over 100 yards even giving Richards an 80 yard start
Doesn't mean he's any good though, just means Richards has gone from promising youngster to nothing and doesn't seem to have even realised it.
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Terry has MLS written all over him. Mid-table Championship... not a chance.
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That scumbag isn't worthy of our shirt and i'd be really pissed off if we signed him. There's only one club in the Midlands where a ****** like him would feel at home.
John Terry, we know what you are.
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He ain't coming.
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Ah, it's over the web. Maybe he is. I'm up for it... I'll get my fleece
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There's no way Terry will end up here.
Stranger things have happened........Terry to join!
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Good player, even if he is a scrote.
Rather see Terry and Chester, with Baker and Elphick as back up, than Chester and Baker with Richards and Elphick as back up.
Don't think it is real, but wont be gutted if it is.
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He'll end up at Bournemouth
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Joe Coral likes to know where he is.
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I loathe John Terry.
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I loathe John Terry.
So do I, but if he signed for the Villa I'd love him!
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I have a horrible feeling that somebody, somewhere, thinks he's the right man for us.
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I have a horrible feeling that somebody, somewhere, thinks he's the right man for us.
Clearly. Bruce is gambling on the old man route this summer with him and Whelan added to Jedinak etc. I think Whelan is a decent signing, but Terry has looked a long way short for a long time.
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The thought of him in a Villa shirt sickens me. I really do detest the twat.
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The thought of him in a Villa shirt sickens me. I really do detest the twat.
With you all the way PWS. In fact I am sure I have been looked on dimly for my ranting about St John previously. A bigger knob in football you won't find. Who pre-arranges to go off on the 26th minute just to milk the crowd. All about him as ever. C*nt.
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Terry? Surely there's smarter, more suitable free-agent signings out there - especially if we're prepared to shell out a lot on wages? This smacks a bit of the Micah Richards signing, for me. He'd probably be made skipper straight away and everything media-wise would centre around him and his profile. I have no idea if he is any good or not these days as I tend to only watch Villa games but, regardless of that, as PeterWithesShin says, the thought of Terry in an Aston Villa shirt is enough to make me want to throw up.
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Stupid disruptive signing if it happens. The novelty of it will bring in the media but it would be to detriment of team. Avoid.
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Blimey I was only joking about him signing for us the other day when PWS was saying he was unconvinced by Cahill for England.
Terry and Richards at the back...Sherwood must be gutted he isn't manager.
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I have a horrible feeling that somebody, somewhere, thinks he's the right man for us.
Clearly. Bruce is gambling on the old man route this summer with him and Whelan added to Jedinak etc. I think Whelan is a decent signing, but Terry has looked a long way short for a long time.
It is only clear if it is true.
If it is true, then I would share your misgivings.
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I would burn my season ticket.
I haven't had one for 15 years, but I would buy one just so I could burn it.
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Terry will be new Lescott if we sign him. I don't see the point of signing him apart from his leadership skills
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I would burn my season ticket.
I haven't had one for 15 years, but I would buy one just so I could burn it.
You should have kept one of your old ones. Paper is much easier to burn than plastic.
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I will say John Terry was one of the best distributors of the ball out of defence I have seen.
Emphasis being on the "was" of course. I dont think he would add value to us now.
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With all these older players we are being linked with, maybe music that should be played when the team comes out onto the pitch should be the theme from "Dads Army"
Old fashioned manager with old fashioned ideas!!
If Terry signs for us he would be the highest paid player in Aston Villa's history
Is there no one in the reserve team who is ready to start playing for the 1st team??
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Why would Terry join Villa?
I can't believe he won't be offered mega bucks to play in China or the US.
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On the plus side: I have hopelessly been trying to wean myself off the Villa for the last few years. This might just be the deal to do it.
*If* there is any truth to this at all, it would seem that the Dr has looked at the latter years of the Lerner ownership playbook and decided that is the route to go.
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I loathe John Terry.
My sentiments exactly. He is the epitome of a c u next Tuesday.
Don't want him anywhere near our club. He isn't even very good anymore. I'd rather get Bedeau involved, or with all our so called scouts apparently back working again, unearth a gem from home or abroad.
John Terry? Fuck off.
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I'm a bit surprised to the reaction about this. He is a cut above the other old men and has been playing at the highest level until very recently. I would have thought he could add a huge amount to our team in terms of leadership and experience. Of course it could go wrong and it would have to be a sensible contract, but this is a different level of player we're talking about here.
But don't worry it won't happen when China and USA beckon.
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One of the reasons that I fancy doing more games this season is the vast reduction in arseholes like John Terry that you encounter in the Championship (well, it's not going to be the football is it?).
Along with the lack of wankers in the stands, you know, half scarfers, tourists,"fans" of the EPL and general soulless, empty hearted glory hunters, the fact that you don't have to watch the likes of Rooney getting away with murder every week, or Arsenal players strutting around like peacocks while doe-eyed officials run after them just waiting to award a free kick and issue a caution to the horrible Villa player.
If we did sign the likes John Terry, complete with barrel of poison destined for our dressing room, I will think twice.
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I'm a bit surprised to the reaction about this. He is a cut above the other old men and has been playing at the highest level until very recently. I would have thought he could add a huge amount to our team in terms of leadership and experience. Of course it could go wrong and it would have to be a sensible contract, but this is a different level of player we're talking about here.
But don't worry it won't happen when China and USA beckon.
I rarely bother watching the tainted Premier League, so I don't know whether he has been playing well lately. My suspicion is that he would probably be the best defender at Villa if he signed, even given his age.
My objection to his potential arrival isn't based on his playing ability, it's based on the fact that he's a massive racist ******.
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My objection would be that he is a massive racist cxnt and is also at an age where expecting 40 plus games at a reasonable standard has all the makings of a horror show.
And if we weren't looking at getting 40 plus games out of him, what exactly would we be expecting for our money?
A 'leeda'? That worked well with Richards. And Elphick last season demonstrated that you can do all the tub thumping you like, but if the legs have gone, teammates and fans alike won't pay you much heed.
Good for the young players? Professional footballers are instinctively selfish; 99.9 per cent pre-occupied with their own game (which you probably need to be, to make it to their level, in fairness). Even a JT on the way out will see John Terry as priority no.1, 2 and 3.
It would be a hell of a lot cheaper just to get some good coaches in.
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Terry is a leader. He's spent most of the past 15 years winning FA Cups and league titles and having first dibs on lifting the trophy.
He's certainly a horrible specimen, but I would have taken him to the Euros as he was still England's best centre half. He's always been one paced, so I'm not sure it matters whether his legs are gone.
Anyway, I think he will do a year or two in the MLS.
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Wouldn't be surprised if he signed for us and then turned up in his full Chelsea kit for the press conference. No thanks.
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Terry is a leader. He's spent most of the past 15 years winning FA Cups and league titles and having first dibs on lifting the trophy.
It would be great if we could just sign his FA Cups and league titles then. See also Joe Cole.
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He'd spend a lot of the season injured or on the bench - then want to be the only one in the pictures if we win something.
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Good player, even if he is a scrote.
Rather see Terry and Chester, with Baker and Elphick as back up, than Chester and Baker with Richards and Elphick as back up.
Don't think it is real, but wont be gutted if it is.
I can't see it either, as I think he would probably have takers in the Premier League and abroad. Personal feelings about him aside, we really need a settled back line next season and although you cannot always legislate for injuries and suspensions, I would be looking to sign a CB who is likely to be available week-in week-out.
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Wouldn't be surprised if he signed for us and then turned up in his full Chelsea kit for the press conference. No thanks.
Hello Chico made me laugh this morning.
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Personally as a footballer I'd be happy to see Terry alongside Chester however if names like Terry, Whelan & Boyd are to be believed it shows that the summer is starting in the same way as last however many years....just looking at names again rather than finding the diamonds - Terry has been a great player & still probably has more than enough for this team, Whelan is ok & Boyd is another in the long list of players too poor to get a game for Scotland.
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QPR fans must have thought the same thing (footballing wise) when they signed Rio Ferdinand and look how that turned out.
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At least we won't have to argue about the match day entrance music anymore, we can just come out to the Dad's Army theme tune.
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Not sure about that. I can't see Terry liking songs that mock Hitler.
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Fair point
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See I can see the value of George Boyd and Whelan. Cheap relatively and both add to our squad in areas we are not blessed, but Terry. No. Buy a centre half that has a bit of pace not that lumbering over the hill twat.
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Terry is a leader. He's spent most of the past 15 years winning FA Cups and league titles and having first dibs on lifting the trophy.
It would be great if we could just sign his FA Cups and league titles then. See also Joe Cole.
Joe Cole spent the majority of his club career captaining one the most successful sides over that time and captained England?
The man is odious but why contrive reasons to dislike him or object when there's so many real ones to choose from.
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As much as I dislike him he'd be an improvement on Elphick and Baker even though now he posesses very little pace. He'd quickly become be a leader in the dressing room or, at least command respect there, players do look up to him. That's as much as the good stuff about him can be.
Purely on football his experience would be welcome to any side at this level. Can't see it happening though as there will be more attractive geographical destinations (in his mind) where he would also be wanted.
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The official shite was reeling off a list of league, FA and European cups when Joe Cole signed, as if that was indicative of the type of quality a 32 year old injury plagued Joe Cole would be giving us.
A similar in depth summary suggesting that 37 year old John Terry would be a good signing -based on his contribution when he could actually complete a game many years ago- is also flawed.
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See I can see the value of George Boyd and Whelan. Cheap relatively and both add to our squad in areas we are not blessed, but Terry. No. Buy a centre half that has a bit of pace not that lumbering over the hill twat.
I can see Boyd fitting in as we need a wide player, particularly on the left hand side. Unless he is going to come in as a defensive midfielder, I can't see how Whelan fits in really, because if we go to two in midfield, that isn't going to suit Lansbury, Hourihane or Bjarnason.
I think Chester needs more of a physical type of centre half next to him.
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Leedzzz look like they're in a mess (again) so a bid for that blonde bombshell at the back might be a better longterm investment.
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Just refer to the Joleon Lescott thread
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Personally as a footballer I'd be happy to see Terry alongside Chester however if names like Terry, Whelan & Boyd are to be believed it shows that the summer is starting in the same way as last however many years....just looking at names again rather than finding the diamonds - Terry has been a great player & still probably has more than enough for this team, Whelan is ok & Boyd is another in the long list of players too poor to get a game for Scotland.
Bang on, Gareth my son!
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all these links to players about to pick up bus passes joining us are just media bollocks - or they'd better be!
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Id like to see Bruce try and actually coach some of the youth we have and make them better, instead of spunking money old players with large wages....not gonna happen though.
The only older player id like us to get is Barry.
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I thought that we'd sold Sanchez, but according to the retained players list, we haven't! WTF???
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I thought that we'd sold Sanchez, but according to the retained players list, we haven't! WTF???
Is that because Sanchez is under contract and we get a fee for him when his loan expires?
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One of the reasons that I fancy doing more games this season is the vast reduction in arseholes like John Terry that you encounter in the Championship (well, it's not going to be the football is it?).
Along with the lack of wankers in the stands, you know, half scarfers, tourists,"fans" of the EPL and general soulless, empty hearted glory hunters, the fact that you don't have to watch the likes of Rooney getting away with murder every week, or Arsenal players strutting around like peacocks while doe-eyed officials run after them just waiting to award a free kick and issue a caution to the horrible Villa player.
If we did sign the likes John Terry, complete with barrel of poison destined for our dressing room, I will think twice.
It's funny but I actually think there's just as much time wasting and cheating that goes on in the championship (look at the amount of games that have 5-6 minutes added on due to time wasting) but as you say the players are more low profile.
Forest right at the start of the season were one of the worst teams I've ever seen for disrupting the game, they had a player going down injured every 3 minutes with that dreadlocked guy who got sent off for going into the crowd chief instigator.
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I thought that we'd sold Sanchez, but according to the retained players list, we haven't! WTF???
Will go through on July 1st.
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Apparently we earned £6.9m in prize and TV money from Division 2 last season. Plus the £40.9m parachute payment.
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John Terry is a thoroughly loathsome human being.
But f**k me, are we really going to complain about having his type of attitude in the dressing room. We've been moaning on this site for years about the lack of fight, spirit and general apathy shown by players In Villa shirts. Surely the likes of John Terry wouldn't stand for that. comparing him to that also ran Micah Richards is frankly ludicrous.
It's never gonna happen though.
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Apparently we earned £6.9m in prize and TV money from Division 2 last season. Plus the £40.9m parachute payment.
Bloody hell. Promotion really is a requirement. Thats not much.
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Seems that SHA have signed a decent goalkeeper on a free. Have to ask the question, why the fek didn't we???
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Because we already have enough mediocre keepers?
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Seems that SHA have signed a decent goalkeeper on a free. Have to ask the question, why the fek didn't we???
Who have they signed?
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Stockdale, the Brighton keeper that literally let the title slip by him at VP.
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The player who seemed responsible for every goal Brighton conceded last year.
Utter shite.
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All this talk of coaching is fine but if we don't have the players there then we have to look at getting players in. That we are looking at loanees is more indicative of the ruinous state of the Academy; it also highlights what is needed to get out of this division.
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Can't believe we've missed out on Benni McCarthy again. Apparently he's going to be the new Cape Town City head coach.
http://tinyurl.com/yaxvdjd9
Carlton Palmer and Steve Bull better be waiting by their phones methinks.
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Can't believe we've missed out on Benni McCarthy again. Apparently he's going to be the new Cape Town City head coach.
What would we do with a coach other than travel to away games.
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Stockdale makes one cock up and suddenly all the 'know it alls' think he is shit. Very good keeper at this level.
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Apparently we earned £6.9m in prize and TV money from Division 2 last season. Plus the £40.9m parachute payment.
Bloody hell. Promotion really is a requirement. Thats not much.
33 million next season and 14 million in season 3.
Next season is one of the biggest in our history
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Stockdale makes one cock up and suddenly all the 'know it alls' think he is shit. Very good keeper at this level.
A bit like the 'know it alls' that think he's very good? Or maybe it's just an opinion some people have, same as yours is an opinion.
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Brighton fans down here have been unhappy with him all season.
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I doubt very much his name would have even been mentioned had he not signed for Small Heath.
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He seems to either be excellent or dog awful from what I saw of him. But no better than Championship. Hence Brighton have let him go.
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Can't believe we've missed out on Benni McCarthy again. Apparently he's going to be the new Cape Town City head coach.
This is typical of our club and no wonder we are down in the pits of division 2. Our decline in intrinsically associated with Benni's career away from us.
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Are PWS and Clampy the same person?
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Are PWS and Clampy the same person?
Are you having trouble with people having a slightly different opinion to you? It does sound that way.
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He seems to either be excellent or dog awful from what I saw of him. But no better than Championship. Hence Brighton have let him go.
They offered him a new contract.
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Are PWS and Clampy the same person?
Why don't you ask him?
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Stockdale makes one cock up and suddenly all the 'know it alls' think he is shit. Very good keeper at this level.
A bit like the 'know it alls' that think he's very good? Or maybe it's just an opinion some people have, same as yours is an opinion.
Everyone Brighton were in the box he seemed to cock up.
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This mornings Times suggesting that Harry Redknob is about to hijack John Terry's move to Villa. Redknob is looking to sign 5 players on free transfers and Terry. I'll get the popcorn out.
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He seems to either be excellent or dog awful from what I saw of him. But no better than Championship. Hence Brighton have let him go.
They offered him a new contract.
Did they? I take it back. Although there is no way he is going to leave Brighton for blues unless he was not going to be first choice.
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Terry and Blues - now there is a match of personalities.
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I would seriously doubt Terry would ever consider a move there and equally seriously doubt they have enough wedge to keep him in petrol money let alone pay him. Still a match made in heaven - two pricks with a side order of bollocks.
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I would seriously doubt Terry would ever consider a move there and equally seriously doubt they have enough wedge to keep him in petrol money let alone pay him. Still a match made in heaven - two pricks with a side order of bollocks.
Maybe they have and maybe he will, but it all smacks of Harry using the media to big up himself and his club to me. We're going to hear an awful lot about them for the first few months of the season until the media inevitably get bored of them.
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SHA will be top half next season just like the two full seasons under Rowett.
We really need to get our act together. The drop in income from this point is frightening and I'm really not sure what the direction will be from Dr Tony if we don't go up next season, we're already having to tighten our belts as it is.
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I would seriously doubt Terry would ever consider a move there and equally seriously doubt they have enough wedge to keep him in petrol money let alone pay him. Still a match made in heaven - two pricks with a side order of bollocks.
Don't underestimate the lure of 'arry - particularly if they have given him the keys to the safe, he'll offer Terry the earth if it's not his cash to offer.
Seems to me that Terry's agent is getting the auction going - if it's £'s he wants he will find a Premier League home, if he can't possibly play against Chelsea then he may want to try out the. Championship - can't see him going abroad as China / USA would have been done already for mega bucks
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Harry ruined Portsmouth and QPR, is it too much to ask that he repeats the task?
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Harry ruined Portsmouth and QPR, is it too much to ask that he repeats the task?
Did a job on Southampton too.
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Apparently West Brom in for Terry, too.
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He's a sucker for the west mids.
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Harry ruined Portsmouth and QPR, is it too much to ask that he repeats the task?
Spurs?!
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This mornings Times suggesting that Harry Redknob is about to hijack John Terry's move to Villa. Redknob is looking to sign 5 players on free transfers and Terry. I'll get the popcorn out.
I was only just speaking to a Bluenose about the awful news we were being linked to Terry and I did say he was more your type of player.
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Harry ruined Portsmouth and QPR, is it too much to ask that he repeats the task?
Spurs?!
Not through lack of trying. If they didn't have a reasonably savvy CEO and the luck of Bale being moved to left wing....
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Apparently Blose dismissed the Terry rumour earlier today...unfortunately we haven't yet.
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I think he'd be a good short term signing.
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I think he'd be a good short term signing.
Me too..... For someone else preferably
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Yeah no doubt he'd do a half decent job in the Championship but I'd much rather he didn't ever play for us. Once a ******, always a ******.
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Yeah no doubt he'd do a half decent job in the Championship but I'd much rather he didn't ever play for us. Once a c***, always a c***.
Absolutely.
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Even by our standards of signing absolute Jeremy Hunts in the last few years, Terry would be head and shoulders above. He'd stroll into the dressing room and act like he was Henry the 8th. Odious fucker and he'd manage about 20 games at best, and not look very good. He cares about Chelsea. That's not in doubt. He gave it everything even when his legs had gone. He'll come here, not give two fucks, and his legs have gone. We've seen this before. We know the result.
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Well The Shot have offered him a contract. A marriage made in the gutter they both live in.
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Well The Shot have offered him a contract. A marriage made in the gutter they both live in.
Aldershot?
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Even by our standards of signing absolute Jeremy Hunts in the last few years, Terry would be head and shoulders above. He'd stroll into the dressing room and act like he was Henry the 8th. Odious fucker and he'd manage about 20 games at best, and not look very good. He cares about Chelsea. That's not in doubt. He gave it everything even when his legs had gone. He'll come here, not give two fucks, and his legs have gone. We've seen this before. We know the result.
This for me.....let SHA break their budget on him and suffer. Theres a circus round him and Harry already, we don;t need any of that.
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Redknapp learning very quickly that the quickest way to a Sty dweller's heart is to try and get one over the Villa. Some things never change.
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Harry has a good track record of buying old players on sky high wages,almost bankrupting the club then buggering off when the money has gone. I hope he gets Terry and a few old players on high wages then watch the fall out in a few years.
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I honestly can't see any logic in signing Terry.
Is he a great player ? Yes, but on a downward spiral
Do we need another starting CB? In my humble opinion no, i'm more than happy with Chester & Baker as starters
Do we need a back up CB or two ? Yes
Should they cost 100k a week ? Fuck no
Our defence was something like the fifth or sixth best in the division last year, despite having goalie problems and injuries. It's not an area of the team i feel needs major tweaks
It just smacks of a desperate 'name' signing, but with little logic behind it
Let's look at players that can take us forwards for years to come not short terms fixes yet again
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I honestly can't see any logic in signing Terry.
Is he a great player ? Yes, but on a downward spiral
Do we need another starting CB? In my humble opinion no, i'm more than happy with Chester & Baker as starters
Do we need a back up CB or two ? Yes
Should they cost 100k a week ? Fuck no
Our defence was something like the fifth or sixth best in the division last year, despite having goalie problems and injuries. It's not an area of the team i feel needs major tweaks
It just smacks of a desperate 'name' signing, but with little logic behind it
Let's look at players that can take us forwards for years to come not short terms fixes yet again
Is he a great player ? Yes, but on a downward spiral - Agree
Do we need another starting CB? In my humble opinion no, i'm more than happy with Chester & Baker as starters - Baker not good enough if we are looking to be challenging
Do we need a back up CB or two ? Yes - Agree. Need a starter and a back up
Should they cost 100k a week ? Fuck no - Agree. There should be plenty of options out there for a reasonable sum
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Is he a great player ? No - he was a very good one but he's not anymore
Do we need another starting CB? Yes, Baker is still prone to mistakes and picks up too many injuries
Do we need a back up CB or two ? 1 if we get someone to genuniely compete for starts
Should they cost 100k a week ? Fuck no - agreed
Our defensive record was good but that, for mean, doesn't necessarily mean our defence was good as a unit. As a team we played a very rigid structure and didn't give teams much space to work with but it came at the expense of us getting players into the box. If we want to be promoted we need to keep that defensive record without relying on getting 8-9 men behind the ball.
I agree that Terry would be a shit signing made for the wrong reasons though.
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This would perhaps be a dilemma if we were talking about the Terry of even 2-3 years ago. Past his best, but still a bit to offer.
36 year old Terry, with the legs gone and all the baggage that invariably comes with him shouldn't even be on our radar if we have any pride or self respect at all. We're still a big club -regardless of our current malaise. We don't need to resort to gimmick signings. Let some other mugs top up the FKW's pension fund.
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36 years old and way way way past his best and wanting sky high wages....can't believe we are even contemplating how this would be a good signing and a way forward for us.
If Blose want him and think they've got one over on us..well, good luck with that....
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Even by our standards of signing absolute Jeremy Hunts in the last few years, Terry would be head and shoulders above. He'd stroll into the dressing room and act like he was Henry the 8th. Odious fucker and he'd manage about 20 games at best, and not look very good. He cares about Chelsea. That's not in doubt. He gave it everything even when his legs had gone. He'll come here, not give two fucks, and his legs have gone. We've seen this before. We know the result.
This for me.....let SHA break their budget on him and suffer. Theres a circus round him and Harry already, we don;t need any of that.
Hear, hear.
I agree with every syllable and word in both of these posts.
I have spent too much time and effort building up an intense hatred of that racist fucker to see it wasted.
I hate and detest Terry, and frankly if he was still a highly capable footballer, and was available on a free, I still wouldn't want him at our club.
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Even by our standards of signing absolute Jeremy Hunts in the last few years, Terry would be head and shoulders above. He'd stroll into the dressing room and act like he was Henry the 8th. Odious fucker and he'd manage about 20 games at best, and not look very good. He cares about Chelsea. That's not in doubt. He gave it everything even when his legs had gone. He'll come here, not give two fucks, and his legs have gone. We've seen this before. We know the result.
This for me.....let SHA break their budget on him and suffer. Theres a circus round him and Harry already, we don;t need any of that.
Hear, hear.
I agree with every syllable and word in both of these posts.
I have spent too much time and effort building up an intense hatred of that racist fucker to see it wasted.
I hate and detest Terry, and frankly if he was still a highly capable footballer, and was available on a free, I still wouldn't want him at our club.
Couldn't agree more.
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Surely we don't know if his legs are gone - Cahill and Sideshow would have kept out most defenders in their prime, given their record last season.
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Is he a great player ? No - he was a very good one but he's not anymore
Do we need another starting CB? Yes, Baker is still prone to mistakes and picks up too many injuries
Do we need a back up CB or two ? 1 if we get someone to genuniely compete for starts
Should they cost 100k a week ? Fuck no - agreed
Our defensive record was good but that, for mean, doesn't necessarily mean our defence was good as a unit. As a team we played a very rigid structure and didn't give teams much space to work with but it came at the expense of us getting players into the box. If we want to be promoted we need to keep that defensive record without relying on getting 8-9 men behind the ball.
I agree that Terry would be a shit signing made for the wrong reasons though.
You obviously can't factor in injuries and suspension, but I think that adding a solid keeper and CB to a defence containing De Laet, Chester and Taylor would make a very solid defence, especially with a good defensive midfielder like Jedinak in front of them. My main issue with Baker is his distribution and we are never going to be able to play from the back if he is playing there.
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I know I'm in the minority here but for about 5 years or even longer we have needed a c#*#*. We have been too nice for too long and as much as we all hate him there is no doubt he would give us an edge we haven't had in God knows how long, legs or no legs. There I've said it ....
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why on earth are we debating this? There's no way on the planet he'd sign for us...
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I know I'm in the minority here but for about 5 years or even longer we have needed a c#*#*. We have been too nice for too long and as much as we all hate him there is no doubt he would give us an edge we haven't had in God knows how long, legs or no legs. There I've said it ....
I'm happy to have someone who is "a c***", in terms of the way he plays. Indeed, I wouldn't have minded if we'd signed Robbie Savage.
Terry is a racist scumbag though, and has no place in proudly multicultural Birmingham. Or London for that matter, but Chelsea have always been scum. His playing abilities don't come into it, he's not the sort of person that we should be signing.
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I know I'm in the minority here but for about 5 years or even longer we have needed a c#*#*. We have been too nice for too long and as much as we all hate him there is no doubt he would give us an edge we haven't had in God knows how long, legs or no legs. There I've said it ....
Yes but we need a cnut on the pitch - not just a gobshite wanker who is generally regarded as being a cnut of a human being. Big difference.
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Full kit wanker. No thanks
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I know I'm in the minority here but for about 5 years or even longer we have needed a c#*#*. We have been too nice for too long and as much as we all hate him there is no doubt he would give us an edge we haven't had in God knows how long, legs or no legs. There I've said it ....
How about a cxnt who we can actually get out on the pitch and might still affect them game in a positive way instead?
We had Mad Tom with all the fist shaking and heatbutting the crossbar last season. If you can't actually deliver on the pitch and lead by example, those histrionics are worth the square root of fcuk all.
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Full kit wanker. No thanks
Spot on.
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Isn't Lansbury supposed to be our c***? He certainly was when he played in the 2-2 for Forest at our place.
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Not sure about this tourettes method of selecting a football team. Seems a bit blokey and lacking in substance or indeed any evidence that it has any validity at all. Don't think Saunders, Barton or Taylor bothered with it.
And anyway, some of you seem to be confusing your c**ts. The on the pitch c**t and the off the pitch c**t (or p'raps Terry achieves both). I don't think a decent football team needs either of them.
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Various sites saying we are in for this guy from Barcelona:
"Aston Villa have been linked with a move for 19-year-old Spanish centre-half Eric Montes.
The teenager has been let go by Barcelona U19s this summer and is said to be considering a move to Villa, according to sources in Spain. Montes is a right-sided defender who has also played at full-back during his time at La Masia."
http://readastonvilla.com/2017/06/16/aston-villa-set-sign-eric-montes/
His full name is Eric Montes Arce, which may bring back some memories of a certain Oscar Arce. He does a good line in own goals, apparently http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3tt2t1 ...........Godzvilla!
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I'm sure Adama can give us a glowing reference.
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Various sites saying we are in for this guy from Barcelona:
"Aston Villa have been linked with a move for 19-year-old Spanish centre-half Eric Montes.
The teenager has been let go by Barcelona U19s this summer and is said to be considering a move to Villa, according to sources in Spain. Montes is a right-sided defender who has also played at full-back during his time at La Masia."
http://readastonvilla.com/2017/06/16/aston-villa-set-sign-eric-montes/
His full name is Eric Montes Arce, which may bring back some memories of a certain Oscar Arce. He does a good line in own goals, apparently http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3tt2t1 ...........Godzvilla!
I prefer his brother Chris. C'mon lets dance! (I know its spelt differently but hey its Friday so cut me some slack)
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Ronaldo wants to leave Spain, get in there Tone and trigger his 1bn Euro release clause.
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Ronaldo wants to leave Spain, get in there Tone and trigger his 1bn Euro release clause.
It looks like we've just avoided signing one knob without you sticking your oar in.
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Ronaldo wants to leave Spain, get in there Tone and trigger his 1bn Euro release clause.
It's only a matter of time before Redknapp tells Talksport he's made him a very good offer.
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Ronaldo wants to leave Spain, get in there Tone and trigger his 1bn Euro release clause.
It will be another sign of how far we have fallen if we don't put a bid in.
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I know I'm in the minority here but for about 5 years or even longer we have needed a c#*#*. We have been too nice for too long and as much as we all hate him there is no doubt he would give us an edge we haven't had in God knows how long, legs or no legs. There I've said it ....
I'm happy to have someone who is "a c***", in terms of the way he plays. Indeed, I wouldn't have minded if we'd signed Robbie Savage.
Terry is a racist scumbag though, and has no place in proudly multicultural Birmingham. Or London for that matter, but Chelsea have always been scum. His playing abilities don't come into it, he's not the sort of person that we should be signing.
I wonder if he's prepared to leave London?
Could be he won't and commute in for training.
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Seen us linked with Adnan Januzaj from Man Utd for £6m, not sure it isn't rubbish but would be pretty pleased with that as a signing.
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bit like the bid for Robbie fowler many years ago
lpool want 12m ellis bids 9m
good on ya deadly
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Seen us linked with Adnan Januzaj from Man Utd for £6m, not sure it isn't rubbish but would be pretty pleased with that as a signing.
Would be hugely excited with that.
So, it won't happen.
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bit like the bid for Robbie fowler many years ago
lpool want 12m ellis bids 9m
good on ya deadly
Frank Lampard from West Ham weren't it?
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I'm pretty sure we had Januzaj on our books as a kid?
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Januzaj has been awful for 3 seasons since breaking through. Would be a gamble but if we could get him anywhere near his best one well worth taking.
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Januzaj has been awful for 3 seasons since breaking through. Would be a gamble but if we could get him anywhere near his best one well worth taking.
NO NO he's awful. The thing is though is that agents know we have a small pot to spend. Got to leave this one well alone.
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Januzaj has been awful for 3 seasons since breaking through. Would be a gamble but if we could get him anywhere near his best one well worth taking.
A gamble, just what we need!
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I thought he had injury problems and an attitude problem, sounds good for us then.
Another link is the ginger nut at Newcastle, not good enough for them and also injury prone. Another perfect fit.
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Another picture today has gone up on John Terry's instagram. Pictured playing golf with Alex and Steve Bruce, but also this time Terry's agent is pictured.
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Another picture today has gone up on John Terry's instagram. Pictured playing golf with Alex and Steve Bruce, but also this time Terry's agent is pictured.
I don't want him anywhere near our club, because I think he is a vile human being, but I shall still be irrationally annoyed if he goes to Blose in preference to coming here.
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You can see why Bruce would like a player like him at the club. Not keen on him as a person but if he comes, then i'll get behind him. If he doesn't, then I won't lose too much sleep over it.
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Another picture today has gone up on John Terry's instagram. Pictured playing golf with Alex and Steve Bruce, but also this time Terry's agent is pictured.
I think it was taken on the same day as the other pic unless they havent got a change of clothes
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You can see why Bruce would like a player like him at the club. Not keen on him as a person but if he comes, then i'll get behind him. If he doesn't, then I won't lose too much sleep over it.
that's where I am. I actually think "brand JT" won't allow for him to not give a fuck. He would love nothing more to be thought of as the reason why we get promoted. With JT it's always about JT, but with it comes commitment and leadership. There's no doubting though that he's a massive cock but right now, I want us to be playing PL football and being nice, ethical and everyone else's doormat is something I have little patience for.
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You can see why Bruce would like a player like him at the club. Not keen on him as a person but if he comes, then i'll get behind him. If he doesn't, then I won't lose too much sleep over it.
that's where I am. I actually think "brand JT" won't allow for him to not give a fuck. He would love nothing more to be thought of as the reason why we get promoted. With JT it's always about JT, but with it comes commitment and leadership. There's no doubting though that he's a massive cock but right now, I want us to be playing PL football and being nice, ethical and everyone else's doormat is something I have little patience for.
I was indifferent to it all until I saw how exited the noses got at being mentioned in the same sentence as him. I now want him for the comedy of it.
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Thing is he is the sort of player who has 'will only be success at one club' written all over him. It'd be another Schmeical.
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Hey, Schmeichael scored a goal for us! No other goalie did (right?).
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The 2 pics I thought Bruce had a very slightly different t shirt on, although this was on a phone on twitter so may not be right.
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The 2 pics I thought Bruce had a very slightly different t shirt on, although this was on a phone on twitter so may not be right.
Maybe he sweats a lot in the heat so took a spare.
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He's horrible, I don't want him at our great club.
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Does beg the question why he would put the picture with his agent in a week after the first one with his brother. Seems odd knowing it will cause even more speculation.
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Does beg the question why he would put the picture with his agent in a week after the first one with his brother. Seems odd knowing it will cause even more speculation.
I agree with you. Very odd.
I don't want him here, but I feel he's going to.
Him and Harry seem the perfect match, however. Both tosspieces of the highest accolade.
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As a player he has the profile of a Lescott or a Richards which is worrying - in that they were good players in their time. Terry was a better player of course but he hardly played the past 12 months so his match day fitness levels will be low. We may need his organisation skills at the back but football is not cricket, the game does not allow for passengers.
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You can see why Bruce would like a player like him at the club. Not keen on him as a person but if he comes, then i'll get behind him. If he doesn't, then I won't lose too much sleep over it.
that's where I am. I actually think "brand JT" won't allow for him to not give a fuck. He would love nothing more to be thought of as the reason why we get promoted. With JT it's always about JT, but with it comes commitment and leadership. There's no doubting though that he's a massive cock but right now, I want us to be playing PL football and being nice, ethical and everyone else's doormat is something I have little patience for.
I was indifferent to it all until I saw how exited the noses got at being mentioned in the same sentence as him. I now want him for the comedy of it.
There is no need to cut off our faces to spite the noses.
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Very droll.
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No
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There's a lot of things within football that is making me slowly start to loose interest, even in Villa.
John Terry would definitely quicken up that process.
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It's a very high risk move from Bruce. Paying out 120k a will to a nearly 37 year old would have to result in promotion or it looks utterly stupid. Problem with that is Terry is not likely to make that difference, we are already ok ish in defence but don't score enough goals. If we were shelling out a fortune on 2 of the best wingers we could possibly get I would think it made sense as it would significantly improve our side. Adding Terry simply makes us cry slightly better, if that on his more recent displays.
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Terry is looking for a player assistant role.
The wages may not be as big an issue for whoever is prepared to give him his first step towards becoming Chelsea manager.
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It's a very high risk move from Bruce. Paying out 120k a will to a nearly 37 year old would have to result in promotion or it looks utterly stupid. Problem with that is Terry is not likely to make that difference, we are already ok ish in defence but don't score enough goals. If we were shelling out a fortune on 2 of the best wingers we could possibly get I would think it made sense as it would significantly improve our side. Adding Terry simply makes us cry slightly better, if that on his more recent displays.
We don't know he would be offered that amount.
My guess is we wouldn't, I think DrT and Wyness are a bit more shrewd to go down that line.
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It's a very high risk move from Bruce. Paying out 120k a will to a nearly 37 year old would have to result in promotion or it looks utterly stupid. Problem with that is Terry is not likely to make that difference, we are already ok ish in defence but don't score enough goals. If we were shelling out a fortune on 2 of the best wingers we could possibly get I would think it made sense as it would significantly improve our side. Adding Terry simply makes us cry slightly better, if that on his more recent displays.
Sure I read he was "only" on 50k a week at Chelsea last season (obviously gets way more in image rights and all the commercial stuff he does).
I can't say I have much more love for him than many on this forum but ultimately there's been plenty of players putting on our shirt I've disliked for various reasons over the last 10 years (likes of Heskey, Pires etc) but you have to get on with it and hope they prove you wrong which plenty of them haven't.
I think playing wise this makes sense. I can't believe from the standard I saw last year the championship will cause him much bother as most teams just hit it long which he will cope with ease.
We know Baker struggles to stay fit and manage 3 games in a week so they'll be rotation between the two. Chester also prefers an aerially dominant CB next to him so he can step back and read the play.
Only think I hope we don't do is over indulgence and give him the captaincy as that would be stupid and p*** off a lot of our squad which we wouldn't need.
Ultimately I want us back in the premier league as soon as possible. We have more chance of a quick return with Terry in our squad than not I reckon particularly as the other options are Elphick and Richards.
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It's not about disliking players though, it's about disliking a player because he is an absolute ******. There's no way we should be signing a racist.
And Elphick and Richards aren't the only alternatives. We can sign somebody better than them who isn't a racist.
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Agreed SHQ. There's little no pace in this league and he's more than a match physically to cope.
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I want to get promoted and right now I'm not far from selling my soul to get back up. I hate the Championship. I hate what has become of us so bring in "J Fucking T" put some fire and drive back into the club and let's get back up. I will separate the man from the player and for a year in the Championship he'll be more than fine.
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Couldn't have put it better TV
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Terry can go fuck himself. A player so popular at Chelsea he had to organise his own guard of honour. He's an utter scumbag and we'd become the EBJT show. It's not like it's a choice of a racist or no one, there's plenty of other players out there that aren't scum and won't look at us as a step down and a final pay day.
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I think he could be a positive influence in the dressing room, the other players will be in awe of him and won't give a shag about his past. Being nice is boring, we get bullied by the FA and bullied by opposition at this level. Terry would cut down on that just by dint of his being here. If his wages are sensible and we are confident of off-loading one from Mad Tom, Richards or Baker, I'd get him in.
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I want to get promoted and right now I'm not far from selling my soul to get back up. I hate the Championship. I hate what has become of us so bring in "J Fucking T" put some fire and drive back into the club and let's get back up. I will separate the man from the player and for a year in the Championship he'll be more than fine.
Smack on TV. I do not care about the player, just what they can do for this team. And I think he will be great for other players like Bree, Grealish, Green etc. And will be a leader we are in great need of .....
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I would be prepared to hold my nose for the season if JT propelled us back to the holy grail of the Premier League. The one big positive I do see is that he's a winner at a very high level and he isn't going to stand for some of the shit performances we have witnessed over the last couple of seasons.
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I think he could be a positive influence in the dressing room, the other players will be in awe of him.
Our best player is black. Several of our players are black. Why send a message out that we don't care about racism? How is that going to improve dressing room relations?
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I didn't ses any issues when Terry played alongside Drogba, Willian or Obi Mikel to name just 3
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I didn't ses any issues when Terry played alongside Drogba, Willian or Obi Mikel to name just 3
Maybe It's not that type of brown ones he doesn't like?
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Dead set against it from every possible angle but if he comes he comes.
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I think he could be a positive influence in the dressing room, the other players will be in awe of him.
Our best player is black. Several of our players are black. Why send a message out that we don't care about racism? How is that going to improve dressing room relations?
Well he's worked with plenty of black teammates since, none of whom seem to have had a problem playing alongside him. The Ferdinand comment was disgraceful, but like Big Ron and his racist remark at Desailly, I would give both the benefit of the doubt in that when insulting someone in the heat of the moment, it's often the most distinctive characteristic that is referred to in an attempt to hurt the other person.
Both comments were racist but I don't think that makes either person inherently racist.
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I think he could be a positive influence in the dressing room, the other players will be in awe of him.
Our best player is black. Several of our players are black. Why send a message out that we don't care about racism? How is that going to improve dressing room relations?
Football dressing rooms work completely differently to society. Likes of Drogba and Ashley Cole didn't seem to mind much at Chelsea.
If you're winning games regularly players will let pretty much anything pass.
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Rio Ferdinand was a teammate and quite clearly had a problem training with him. I suspect others have kept their mouths shut rather than sacrifice a big pay packet, as he was effectively managing the club, under some of their weaker managers. It doesn't mean he's any less of a racist ******, though.
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One good thing about signing Terry is you may go full time onto the Clyde forums you absolute Drama Queen.
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I think he could be a positive influence in the dressing room, the other players will be in awe of him.
Our best player is black. Several of our players are black. Why send a message out that we don't care about racism? How is that going to improve dressing room relations?
Football dressing rooms work completely differently to society. Likes of Drogba and Ashley Cole didn't seem to mind much at Chelsea.
If you're winning games regularly players will let pretty much anything pass.
Or maybe they don't consider Terry a racist.
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I think he could be a positive influence in the dressing room, the other players will be in awe of him.
Our best player is black. Several of our players are black. Why send a message out that we don't care about racism? How is that going to improve dressing room relations?
Football dressing rooms work completely differently to society. Likes of Drogba and Ashley Cole didn't seem to mind much at Chelsea.
If you're winning games regularly players will let pretty much anything pass.
Or maybe they don't consider Terry a racist.
They're idiots, then?
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One good thing about signing Terry is you may go full time onto the Clyde forums you absolute Drama Queen.
Sorry, who are you?
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Ideal scenario for me is still he goes to the shit, is rubbish while contributing to them getting relegated, gets sent off at villa park and generally looks like a bullet dodged. However you know if you had the sliding door either way it will work out in the wrong way for us as it seems to always do these days.
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I think he could be a positive influence in the dressing room, the other players will be in awe of him.
Our best player is black. Several of our players are black. Why send a message out that we don't care about racism? How is that going to improve dressing room relations?
Football dressing rooms work completely differently to society. Likes of Drogba and Ashley Cole didn't seem to mind much at Chelsea.
If you're winning games regularly players will let pretty much anything pass.
Or maybe they don't consider Terry a racist.
They're idiots, then?
The only incident I know about is the Ferdinand one.
Have thier been other incidents?
By the way I am not defending Terry I think he is a ****.
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Not that I'm aware of. One incident is enough.
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Ideal scenario for me is still he goes to the shit, is rubbish while contributing to them getting relegated, gets sent off at villa park and generally looks like a bullet dodged. However you know if you had the sliding door either way it will work out in the wrong way for us as it seems to always do these days.
Surely the ideal scenario is that he signs for us, we win the league by 10 points & he goes coaching before we start again in the Premiership. What happens with them down the road is totally irrelevant
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I want to get promoted and right now I'm not far from selling my soul to get back up. I hate the Championship. I hate what has become of us so bring in "J Fucking T" put some fire and drive back into the club and let's get back up. I will separate the man from the player and for a year in the Championship he'll be more than fine.
See for me, what we would have become if we start relying on people like Terry is far worse than being a very average Championship team. I appreciate that everyone goes down to watch Villa for a variety of reasons; one mine has always been a (perhaps blinkered) view that we are the good guys. Standing up to Nazis, donating shirt sponsorship to charities; that sort of thing. If we were to sign this prick, there is no way I could possibly spin it to make us to be the good guys. It would be like that Mitchell and Webb sketch where the Nazi soldiers realise they have skulls on their uniforms.
I hate the way footballers can act like dicks and suffer virtually no repercussions. There is no way any of us could racially abuse a fellow professional at work and then go on to have the successful career Terry has (there was the abusing American tourists about 9/11 as well, not sure why this gets overlooked). They get away with it, because generally fans and boards don't care as long as they help their team to win. It's so depressing. And there is no way that things will ever improve with so many people actively supporting horrible people. (Don't get me started on the vomit-inducing 26th minute substitution...)
So I won't go and watch Villa if we sign him; my season ticket will go unused. I have been so vocal in my dislike of him (and Suarez, Vardy etc) that I would be faced with the decision to either stop going or becoming a massive hypocrite. I'd much rather we just weren't in for him at all, obviously.
One positive thing could come from this though: if you would get far less enjoyment from watching Villa with John Terry playing for us, then let the club know. They might not care and sign him anyway, but on the off chance we make them reconsider, how great would it be to be the club that told John Terry to "fuck off"? You never know, it might start a trend. The fans could have a bit more power in a game overrun by spoilt dickheads.
John Terry will never be good enough to play for Aston Villa. We should never, ever be that desperate.
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Rio Ferdinand was a teammate and quite clearly had a problem training with him. I suspect others have kept their mouths shut rather than sacrifice a big pay packet, as he was effectively managing the club, under some of their weaker managers. It doesn't mean he's any less of a racist c***, though.
Didn't realise it was Rio, I thought it was his brother he had the pop at?
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Ideal scenario for me is still he goes to the shit, is rubbish while contributing to them getting relegated, gets sent off at villa park and generally looks like a bullet dodged. However you know if you had the sliding door either way it will work out in the wrong way for us as it seems to always do these days.
Surely the ideal scenario is that he signs for us, we win the league by 10 points & he goes coaching before we start again in the Premiership. What happens with them down the road is totally irrelevant
Because then John Terry was involved. And I would sooner he wasn't for us and I could ridicule and loathe him elsewhere!
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Rio Ferdinand was a teammate and quite clearly had a problem training with him. I suspect others have kept their mouths shut rather than sacrifice a big pay packet, as he was effectively managing the club, under some of their weaker managers. It doesn't mean he's any less of a racist c***, though.
Didn't realise it was Rio, I thought it was his brother he had the pop at?
It was his brother that was abused. Rio was Terry's teammate for England and stopped playing for them as a result (if I've remembered it correctly).
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People in glass houses and all that. I wonder how many people have never made a racist comment. Even it it was in jest or just 'banter'. With Louis Suarez I know he was being racist as there is a perfectly acceptable/friendly Spanish phrase for a black guy. But it certainly wasn't the word Suarez used.
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The only barrier for me about Terry joining is a moral one based on his questionable past. There is no doubt, in my opinion, that he is good enough.
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The only barrier for me about Terry joining is a moral one based on his questionable past. There is no doubt, in my opinion, that he is good enough.
He came out with a racist comment, he got pissed on a very sad day and he cheated on his wife. In his defence I think a lot of people could tick all those boxes too.
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I'm struggling to think of many examples where signing an ageing "great" has worked out well for us. Certainly not Ginola nor Pires. Perhaps defenders last longer, although Lescott didn't. Maybe Ronny Johnson worked out okay (until he refused to play in our last game of the season and we missed out on Europe). Also Schmeichel was decent. And going further back, Cyrillic Regis. Who am I missing..?
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* Cyrille Regis, I meant. Got him confused with his orthodox cousin who played for Warsaw Pact Albion.
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Mind you Cyrillic Regis was terrible at right back.
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I do not want John Terry. Sha are welcome to him. It'll be all about him. And he won't be able to play two Championship games a week. He will also more than likely bankrupt us if we don't go up.
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I do not want John Terry. Sha are welcome to him. It'll be all about him. And he won't be able to play two Championship games a week. He will also more than likely bankrupt us if we don't go up.
This for me
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I'm struggling to think of many examples where signing an ageing "great" has worked out well for us. Certainly not Ginola nor Pires. Perhaps defenders last longer, although Lescott didn't. Maybe Ronny Johnson worked out okay (until he refused to play in our last game of the season and we missed out on Europe). Also Schmeichel was decent. And going further back, Cyrillic Regis. Who am I missing..?
You missed out McGrath!!
JT at his best wasn't good enough to fill His boots.
If he does come I think he'll do a decent job for a season, maybe two. Promotion, first season, Consolidation, second season, job done.
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Wasn't Terry found not guilty in a court of law, and it was the FA who decided to ignore the ruling and instigate their own kangeroo court. Also, I believe Bridge's ex-wife sued a number of papers and won over the allegations of an affair with Terry- she certainly denied they had an affair. I think he's still good enough for us and if you take away all the media bullshit that's the only thing that matters
Just saying...
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Not that I'm aware of. One incident is enough.
For all I know these overpaid primadonas might consider this being about as serious as wearing the wrong type of designer watch, owning the wrong colour Lamborghini or having an ugly girlfriend.
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I'm struggling to think of many examples where signing an ageing "great" has worked out well for us. Certainly not Ginola nor Pires. Perhaps defenders last longer, although Lescott didn't. Maybe Ronny Johnson worked out okay (until he refused to play in our last game of the season and we missed out on Europe). Also Schmeichel was decent. And going further back, Cyrillic Regis. Who am I missing..?
You missed out McGrath!!
JT at his best wasn't good enough to fill His boots.
If he does come I think he'll do a decent job for a season, maybe two. Promotion, first season, Consolidation, second season, job done.
McGrath was 29 or 30 when he joined us and went on to play for us for seven full seasons. He played more games for us than any other club and he went on to play for two more clubs after leaving us. This John Terry situation is analogous to Paul McGrath joining Derby County in 1996.
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If we are to sign Glenn Whelan and John Terry then in my opinion it's pretty safe to say that next season we are fucked, Bruce will be gone within 12 months and we can enjoy a prolonged stay in the dregs.
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Fuck signing John Terry. Guy's a prick and we shouldn't even be considering signing him.
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I'm struggling to think of many examples where signing an ageing "great" has worked out well for us. Certainly not Ginola nor Pires. Perhaps defenders last longer, although Lescott didn't. Maybe Ronny Johnson worked out okay (until he refused to play in our last game of the season and we missed out on Europe). Also Schmeichel was decent. And going further back, Cyrillic Regis. Who am I missing..?
You missed out McGrath!!
JT at his best wasn't good enough to fill His boots.
If he does come I think he'll do a decent job for a season, maybe two. Promotion, first season, Consolidation, second season, job done.
McGrath was 29 or 30 when he joined us and went on to play for us for seven full seasons. He played more games for us than any other club and he went on to play for two more clubs after leaving us. This John Terry situation is analogous to Paul McGrath joining Derby County in 1996.
McGrath still had a bit of mileage left at that stage -to the extent that his performances and ratings in the top flight for Derby led many to question Sir Brian.
This is more like signing McGrath when he went to Sheffield United in the Championship and was definitely on the slide.
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If we are to sign Glenn Whelan and John Terry then in my opinion it's pretty safe to say that next season we are fucked, Bruce will be gone within 12 months and we can enjoy a prolonged stay in the dregs.
This for me, dread to think what Bruce is thinking if any of this is true. Last big pay day for ageing players.
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Maybe we could get Kieran Richardson back.
Or see what Joe Cole is up to.
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please let this Terry shit be fake news.
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Maybe we could get Kieran Richardson back.
Or see what Joe Cole is up to.
I think Joe Cole is now playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League (which I believe is Division 2 over there).
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This John Terry rumour is depressing. It smacks of trying to make a statement but also of no real planning - just buying some 'quality' names.
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Maybe we could get Kieran Richardson back.
Or see what Joe Cole is up to.
I think Joe Cole is now playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League (which I believe is Division 2 over there).
Shaun Wright-Philips and Didier Drogba are also still playing at that level
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Maybe we could get Kieran Richardson back.
Or see what Joe Cole is up to.
I think Joe Cole is now playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League (which I believe is Division 2 over there).
Shaun Wright-Philips and Didier Drogba are also still playing at that level
Get them all, we could be the Chelsea pensioners.
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The only barrier for me about Terry joining is a moral one based on his questionable past. There is no doubt, in my opinion, that he is good enough.
He came out with a racist comment, he got pissed on a very sad day and he cheated on his wife. In his defence I think a lot of people could tick all those boxes too.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/24/police-sun-john-terry-mother-nick-parker
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10202106
You see it differentely from me.
He's not a rascist. he's a well bought up lad. You defend him.
I will not.
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The only barrier for me about Terry joining is a moral one based on his questionable past. There is no doubt, in my opinion, that he is good enough.
I bow to nobody in my loathing of John Terry, but those two links are about his parents. It's hardly his fault if his mum and dad are dickheads.
He came out with a racist comment, he got pissed on a very sad day and he cheated on his wife. In his defence I think a lot of people could tick all those boxes too.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/24/police-sun-john-terry-mother-nick-parker
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10202106
You see it differentely from me.
He's not a rascist. he's a well bought up lad. You defend him.
I will not.
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Whelan and Terry and other established names worry the crap out of me to a certain extent.
This is Bruce (and Redknapp) all over. To me it smacks of being unable to coach or manage players to their full potential or being able to set the team up right and get them playing.
Instead it's very much a "our players are better than yours" scenario and hope it gets us up. We shall see what happens but I'd question our scouting policy if so.
I don't care of we only sign a centre back or two. I'm still waiting for Bruce to get the best out of or set these lot up right....
Hourihane, Lansbury, Grealish, McCormack, Adomah, Bree, Taylor, Amavi, Green. RHM, Hogan, Thor....
I don't think he can...I hope he does but I think he'll be gone by November.
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This John Terry rumour is depressing. It smacks of trying to make a statement but also of no real planning - just buying some 'quality' names.
I don't think we've done any planning since Dr X arrived. It could have severe consequences for our club.
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The only barrier for me about Terry joining is a moral one based on his questionable past. There is no doubt, in my opinion, that he is good enough.
He came out with a racist comment, he got pissed on a very sad day and he cheated on his wife. In his defence I think a lot of people could tick all those boxes too.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/nov/24/police-sun-john-terry-mother-nick-parker
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10202106
You see it differentely from me.
He's not a rascist. he's a well bought up lad. You defend him.
I will not.
Fuck me. The Sun and the NoTW. Quality journals of record both.
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Gil is off to Real Betis it seems, with them close to agreeing a fee.
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Agree 100% avfcpg. I am very deeply suspicious of Bruce's outpouring about where we are being totally unsatisfactory then going on with more of the same old time management. Pinning your hopes of promotion on the drafting in of players like Whelan and Terry is basically the acceptance of mid Championship mediocrity. We have talent in abundance in our squad both players already bought and young home grown players. Used properly and intelligently by the manager and his staff we should win the league at a canter. Bruce has to raise his game.
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Good post Brian
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I have just seen a post in which 71.2% wanted Terry, 19.55% no, 9.25% undecided. I was in the NO category. I don't think old players are what we want. On the other hand, Stoke and Chelsea fans rate Whelan and Terry, and the core problem we have is that the squad doesn't perform. Too inconsistent. I can see that these players do work a shift consistently. And that is what Bruce has to get the team to do.
Having said that, Terry as Captain and replacing Baker would be negative moves. And expensive too. But he would raise the profile of the club and make an inconsistent bunch of players sit up, so perhaps he could work. I remain to be convinced.
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I think Baker is adequate at championship level and doesn't need replacing. Big if, but if he can go through next season relatively unscathed, he should have enough quality to help us get back up. I really don't want John Terry at VP next season.
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I think Baker is adequate at championship level and doesn't need replacing. Big if, but if he can go through next season relatively unscathed, he should have enough quality to help us get back up. I really don't want John Terry at VP next season.
Baker's positional awareness is shocking. He's a mid table Championship defender, useful squad player but is very limited.
There is no doubt Terry is good enough. If he stays fit he will be a superb addition. I don't like him as a human being, but you can't knock his playing career. No brainer for me. It's a yes.
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Agree 100% avfcpg. I am very deeply suspicious of Bruce's outpouring about where we are being totally unsatisfactory then going on with more of the same old time management. Pinning your hopes of promotion on the drafting in of players like Whelan and Terry is basically the acceptance of mid Championship mediocrity. We have talent in abundance in our squad both players already bought and young home grown players. Used properly and intelligently by the manager and his staff we should win the league at a canter. Bruce has to raise his game.
Totally agree
Assess what you have and work out what formation best suits them and stick to it
It shouldnt be that difficult a concept to grasp although having watched us aimlessly lumping balls up to hogan against the unwashed it obviously is
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Agree 100% avfcpg. I am very deeply suspicious of Bruce's outpouring about where we are being totally unsatisfactory then going on with more of the same old time management. Pinning your hopes of promotion on the drafting in of players like Whelan and Terry is basically the acceptance of mid Championship mediocrity. We have talent in abundance in our squad both players already bought and young home grown players. Used properly and intelligently by the manager and his staff we should win the league at a canter. Bruce has to raise his game.
Totally agree
Assess what you have and work out what formation best suits them and stick to it
It shouldnt be that difficult a concept to grasp although having watched us aimlessly lumping balls up to hogan against the unwashed it obviously is
we all have our opinions- I find Terry very unlikeable. Maybe he can do a job for us, maybe not. I'd rather we didn't sign him. If we do and it works out, fair play.
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Sorry I fkd up the quote there as usual. Meant to quote quote Holte L2
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Radio Talkshite this morning discussing possible( rumoured ) Terry destinations, Villa not even mentioned, Swansea favourites, allegedly.
Recent focus on Samba could be a clue, personally, he would be my preference..........Godzvilla!
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Agree 100% avfcpg. I am very deeply suspicious of Bruce's outpouring about where we are being totally unsatisfactory then going on with more of the same old time management. Pinning your hopes of promotion on the drafting in of players like Whelan and Terry is basically the acceptance of mid Championship mediocrity. We have talent in abundance in our squad both players already bought and young home grown players. Used properly and intelligently by the manager and his staff we should win the league at a canter. Bruce has to raise his game.
Totally agree
Assess what you have and work out what formation best suits them and stick to it
It shouldnt be that difficult a concept to grasp although having watched us aimlessly lumping balls up to hogan against the unwashed it obviously is
we all have our opinions- I find Terry very unlikeable. Maybe he can do a job for us, maybe not. I'd rather we didn't sign him. If we do and it works out, fair play.
I get it. I also find him unlikeable. But he's a winner. He could be a great addition. Just like Barton proved to be for Burnley in the Championship.
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Agree 100% avfcpg. I am very deeply suspicious of Bruce's outpouring about where we are being totally unsatisfactory then going on with more of the same old time management. Pinning your hopes of promotion on the drafting in of players like Whelan and Terry is basically the acceptance of mid Championship mediocrity. We have talent in abundance in our squad both players already bought and young home grown players. Used properly and intelligently by the manager and his staff we should win the league at a canter. Bruce has to raise his game.
Totally agree
Assess what you have and work out what formation best suits them and stick to it
It shouldnt be that difficult a concept to grasp although having watched us aimlessly lumping balls up to hogan against the unwashed it obviously is
we all have our opinions- I find Terry very unlikeable. Maybe he can do a job for us, maybe not. I'd rather we didn't sign him. If we do and it works out, fair play.
I get it. I also find him unlikeable. But he's a winner. He could be a great addition. Just like Barton proved to be for Burnley in the Championship.
The key difference is Barton was a wanker signed at his prime. Terry is a 36 year old wanker who played 14 games last season and looked well off the pace in both of those that I saw. Our biggest problem is that we play at a ridiculously slow tempo and have no pace. signings like Terry aren't going to fix that.
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Even if you ignore what a scumbag he is, he'll be 37 a few months into the season. He'll make Vlaar's appearance record look like Charlie Aitken's.
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Even if you ignore what a scumbag he is, he'll be 37 a few months into the season. He'll make Vlaar's appearance record look like Charlie Aitken's.
Plus you would have to play a certain way to incorporate him. We would basically have to set up our defensive line on our own 18 yard box to ensure there is no space in behind him. Marc Roberts, the CB from Barnsley we were linked with earlier in the season, seems to be attracting some attention.
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Even if you ignore what a scumbag he is, he'll be 37 a few months into the season. He'll make Vlaar's appearance record look like Charlie Aitken's.
I remember Vlaar. One of 'The Lambert Generation'. Mr Woodhall could write a very big book along the lines of 'where are they now'?.
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Just had a look and Vlaar lost the cup final with AZ last season. One of the Vitesse players is the splendidly named Marvelous Nakamba.
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I think Baker is adequate at championship level and doesn't need replacing. Big if, but if he can go through next season relatively unscathed, he should have enough quality to help us get back up. I really don't want John Terry at VP next season.
Baker's positional awareness is shocking. He's a mid table Championship defender, useful squad player but is very limited.
There is no doubt Terry is good enough. If he stays fit he will be a superb addition. I don't like him as a human being, but you can't knock his playing career. No brainer for me. It's a yes.
Agree with that assessment and would also add that he is also poor on the ball, meaning that we will never be able to play from the back with him in the side. Like you, I would be more than happy with him as a squad player, but I think we need a better partner for Chester next season.
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I think Baker is adequate at championship level and doesn't need replacing.
I agree that baker is adequate at Championship level, but that's exactly why he does need replacing.
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Outside football, he's proved what a mooncalf he is.
However, if he sees getting a club promoted as a good challenge, I'd be impressed. He certainly could make more money elsewhere.
Is he up to it? The only doubt is his pace and we all witnessed what that did to our Jolean.
I'm firmly in the couldn't give a toss camp.
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Agree 100% avfcpg. I am very deeply suspicious of Bruce's outpouring about where we are being totally unsatisfactory then going on with more of the same old time management. Pinning your hopes of promotion on the drafting in of players like Whelan and Terry is basically the acceptance of mid Championship mediocrity. We have talent in abundance in our squad both players already bought and young home grown players. Used properly and intelligently by the manager and his staff we should win the league at a canter. Bruce has to raise his game.
Totally agree
Assess what you have and work out what formation best suits them and stick to it
It shouldnt be that difficult a concept to grasp although having watched us aimlessly lumping balls up to hogan against the unwashed it obviously is
we all have our opinions- I find Terry very unlikeable. Maybe he can do a job for us, maybe not. I'd rather we didn't sign him. If we do and it works out, fair play.
I get it. I also find him unlikeable. But he's a winner. He could be a great addition. Just like Barton proved to be for Burnley in the Championship.
The key difference is Barton was a wanker signed at his prime. Terry is a 36 year old wanker who played 14 games last season and looked well off the pace in both of those that I saw. Our biggest problem is that we play at a ridiculously slow tempo and have no pace. signings like Terry aren't going to fix that.
Barton was 33 when he signed for Burnley. For a box to box midfielder, that is way passed his prime.
Terry might have only played fourteen league games games for Chelsea but 3 of those appearances were in the last month of the season. Plus his 25 minute farce.
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It's hard to disagree with either point of view really. I get why people would like him here but I can also understand why some think that we shouldn't touch him with a very long bargepole.
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I can understand why people may be concerned about signing somebody at the end of a career. I don't think a comparison with Terry and Richardson or Cole is valid though and equally do not understand why signing him would be a signal of mediocrity.
Terry's pace has gone, but then it went five years ago. I'd have certainly taken him to the Euros and to be honest, I'd pick him over Stones for England now.
Terry has had a brilliant career. He's won a shed load and has every domestic medal Going, having captained Chelsea for nigh on all that time. He has a legacy to protect and I think that is a difference between a jobbing player like Richardson and to some extent Cole, as Terry was apart of that title winning squad last season, but understandably played second fiddle.
Will he be motivated? Unless it's to the MLS or China, he's not going for the money; he's already earnt his fortune out the game and there's no reason for him to continue unless he wanted to play football.
I think he'd be the best centre half in the league and he'd be playing alongside another one of best centre halves in the league.
With Baker injury prone and liable to dips in form, I think for 12 months it makes sense.
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Agree 100% avfcpg. I am very deeply suspicious of Bruce's outpouring about where we are being totally unsatisfactory then going on with more of the same old time management. Pinning your hopes of promotion on the drafting in of players like Whelan and Terry is basically the acceptance of mid Championship mediocrity. We have talent in abundance in our squad both players already bought and young home grown players. Used properly and intelligently by the manager and his staff we should win the league at a canter. Bruce has to raise his game.
Your key point is absolutely spot on: I'd like to see a progressive and intelligent coach get to grips with the talent in our squad: assess what have, decide on where the strengths lie, bring in any glaring omissions and coach the f**kers to play to an overarching plan. I'm pretty frustrated with the same old mediocrity and I do not believe the game is as complicated as some make it out to be.
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Agree 100% avfcpg. I am very deeply suspicious of Bruce's outpouring about where we are being totally unsatisfactory then going on with more of the same old time management. Pinning your hopes of promotion on the drafting in of players like Whelan and Terry is basically the acceptance of mid Championship mediocrity. We have talent in abundance in our squad both players already bought and young home grown players. Used properly and intelligently by the manager and his staff we should win the league at a canter. Bruce has to raise his game.
Totally agree
Assess what you have and work out what formation best suits them and stick to it
It shouldnt be that difficult a concept to grasp although having watched us aimlessly lumping balls up to hogan against the unwashed it obviously is
we all have our opinions- I find Terry very unlikeable. Maybe he can do a job for us, maybe not. I'd rather we didn't sign him. If we do and it works out, fair play.
I get it. I also find him unlikeable. But he's a winner. He could be a great addition. Just like Barton proved to be for Burnley in the Championship.
The key difference is Barton was a wanker signed at his prime. Terry is a 36 year old wanker who played 14 games last season and looked well off the pace in both of those that I saw. Our biggest problem is that we play at a ridiculously slow tempo and have no pace. signings like Terry aren't going to fix that.
Barton was 33 when he signed for Burnley. For a box to box midfielder, that is way passed his prime.
Terry might have only played fourteen league games games for Chelsea but 3 of those appearances were in the last month of the season. Plus his 25 minute farce.
He play 4 games at the end of the season but they were for 6mins, 4mins, 90mins and 26mins so it's not like he was suddenly trusted to be a regular. In the 90mins (agianst watford) he was awful.
I'll hold my hand up to thinking Barton was a year or 2 younger than that but even still 33-36 is a big change.
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The progressive Brighton and Newcastle you mean? Functional meet cynically functional? Terry is a good player. Better than Dunk or much of what was/is in this league.
While it may be short term, much of the business clubs do in this league has to be if you're aiming for promotion and especially if you achieve it.
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Terry is a good player or more poignantly the worry on the football pitch is that you can now replace 'is' with 'was'.
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if there is a god, make sure this doesn't happen, please. Thank-you.
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It's hard to disagree with either point of view really. I get why people would like him here but I can also understand why some think that we shouldn't touch him with a very long bargepole.
I still can't see it happening, but the experience with Joleon Lescott sets alarm bells ringing. All things considered, I think the risks outweigh the potential rewards.
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Leacotts attitude more than his turning circle let him down.
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It's all a bit Rio Ferdinand going to QPR for me. He managed 12 games playing like shit. And that is before you get away from the playing side to what a despicable human he is.
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Let's hope this is true.
A source told Telegraph Sport: “John has had a lot of offers and is understandably taking his time making a decision.
“Aston Villa are trying really hard to persuade him to drop down into the Championship, but the biggest obstacle to that happening is that John is tempted by offers from abroad and could well decide that is the best option for him.”
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John, take yourself to warmer climes.
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It's hard to disagree with either point of view really. I get why people would like him here but I can also understand why some think that we shouldn't touch him with a very long bargepole.
100% agree
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Just feels like another disaster in the making for me.
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After all the dressing room upheaval and in fighting of the last few years, introducing a deeply provocative player like Terry would be a very big risk. I can't see an articulate black French speaking player like Kodjia welcoming John Terry with open arms.
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After all the dressing room upheaval and in fighting of the last few years, introducing a deeply provocative player like Terry would be a very big risk. I can't see an articulate black French speaking player like Kodjia welcoming John Terry with open arms.
Few of the Chelsea players seemed to care he was in the same dressing room?
I'm not bothered either way, on a pay as you play deal I'm sure he'd do ok for us but if he's after a mega bucks deal I'd prefer he went down the road and helped bankrupt them.
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Don't want Terry anywhere near our club, besides he only has two good seasons left in him at the most. Don't think we need to touch the defence anyway.
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We definitely do need to touch the defence and to be fair I'd expect bruce and Calderwood to be able to observe a centre defender and assess his suitability to the season ahead.
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Don't want Terry anywhere near our club, besides he only has two good seasons left in him at the most. Don't think we need to touch the defence anyway.
If he's got two years left he'll be a great signing. He's still a twat.
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A racist bigoted twat.
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and that's on a good day
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Don't want Terry anywhere near our club, besides he only has two good seasons left in him at the most. Don't think we need to touch the defence anyway.
If he's got two years left he'll be a great signing. He's still a twat.
Well that's the thing. I just think we need to take a moral stand on this one. And I stand by what I said I think the defence is our strongest area right now. Chester was a great signging and towards the end of last season the defence started to gel and I think the keeper is looking good on the whole too. I think we need another striker to take the heat off Kodja, and a bit more meat in midfield.
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I think we need to get rid of the twats that are still on the payroll and not sign another one.
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On a non-John Terry related subject, there are growing links with Joe Ledley. I think he'd be an ideal signing. Younger than Glenn Whelan (and free), plays with Taylor and Chester in the Wales set-up and has played alongside Jedinak for Palace. Can play in the holding role or further forward, and would generally represent an upgrade on most of our midfield.
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Kodjia's a difficult one because as much as we'd like to keep him he doesn't help the team shape. So we need to find a way of getting him and Hogan working better together. If kodjia is to play up top by himself, then we need a 4-5-1/4-3-3 with either the wide players or the number 10 as Paul lambert liked to call them, getting into the box as soon as he receives the ball in a wide area. Then one of the midfielders makes the decoy run into the channels on his side of the pitch to drag defenders away opening up space for the shot or the pass/cross into the box. We need runners to do that and last season we didn't have them. Possibly Green is one of them, but we need better than Albert on the right.
If we aren't going into the season with that as the planned system then we have to go 4.4.2 with Hogan up top and Kodjia in a free Henry floating role. Then we need deeper wide players who can go up and get back. But that needs pace or the ability to hit a pass to feet to the centre forward allowing runners to get involved.. Again, I don't think that's Albert. I think we have the personal minus just 1 or 2. What we didn't seem to have last season was much of a system.
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If Terry signs then I'm fine with that as he will short term improve that defence which needs another pickable centre half as an option as Elphick & Richards are not up to the task.
Equally if Terry doesn't sign I won't be gutted as I think there are other options for that position that would also improve the side.
It shows it wouldn't be the marquee signing the club obviously think it would be, it would be if anything a bit dull, kind of supporting the theory that Bruce would want to buy a finished team rather than try and find the Aaron Mooy / Ryan Woods of this league.
Personally my choice for centre back once we have generated a few quid in sales would be Tom Lees from Sheff Wed - would be very happy with Chester / Lees / Baker as first three with Jedinak & Toner or Suliman as back up options.
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Another rumour that would build on the theory that Bruce only wants what he knows not trying to find the next generation.
Aston Villa are close to landing Hull right back Ahmed Elmohamady in a £3m switch.
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We definitely need to improve at centre back it's only good enough against lower half teams
I just don't like Terry and don't want to see him in a villa shirt
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Another rumour that would build on the theory that Bruce only wants what he knows not trying to find the next generation.
Aston Villa are close to landing Hull right back Ahmed Elmohamady in a £3m switch.
I guess that with only Hutton, Bree, De Laet and Bacuna we are looking a bit light there.
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Another rumour that would build on the theory that Bruce only wants what he knows not trying to find the next generation.
Aston Villa are close to landing Hull right back Ahmed Elmohamady in a £3m switch.
He's not a right back.
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Another rumour that would build on the theory that Bruce only wants what he knows not trying to find the next generation.
Aston Villa are close to landing Hull right back Ahmed Elmohamady in a £3m switch.
I guess that with only Hutton, Bree, De Laet and Bacuna we are looking a bit light there.
And Micah
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Supposedly the bitters are also interested in EBJT. We can but hope. Speaking of them they are apparently going to offer Jonny Evans 100K a week and are after £12m rated Jay Rodriguez. That's £12m for a striker that has scored 5 league goals in the last 2 years.
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Supposedly the bitters are also interested in EBJT. We can but hope. Speaking of them they are apparently going to offer Jonny Evans 100K a week and are after £12m rated Jay Rodriguez. That's £12m for a striker that has scored 5 league goals in the last 2 years.
Of which he's been mostly injured. It still looks a better bet than spending the same amount on a 29 year old with suspect eyebrows that's never played in the top flight.
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Supposedly the bitters are also interested in EBJT. We can but hope. Speaking of them they are apparently going to offer Jonny Evans 100K a week and are after £12m rated Jay Rodriguez. That's £12m for a striker that has scored 5 league goals in the last 2 years.
Bit harsh PWS as he has suffered a serious injury. That said £12m seems steep.
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Supposedly the bitters are also interested in EBJT. We can but hope. Speaking of them they are apparently going to offer Jonny Evans 100K a week and are after £12m rated Jay Rodriguez. That's £12m for a striker that has scored 5 league goals in the last 2 years.
To put that into perspective does that make Gabby worth twelve million?
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Rodrigues was a very good player before his injury, think he's still feeling his way back. A good price in today's market if he can get fit and confident again.
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Another rumour that would build on the theory that Bruce only wants what he knows not trying to find the next generation.
Aston Villa are close to landing Hull right back Ahmed Elmohamady in a £3m switch.
I guess that with only Hutton, Bree, De Laet and Bacuna we are looking a bit light there.
If true, then I can only guess that he doesn't rate three out of those four or there are some issues there. Those options are more than good enough for Championship level.
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His bad injury was back in 2014. The 5 goals in 2 years doesn't include the year he was out as he was back playing in August 2015.
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I feel we have quite a few to shift before bringing in anyone
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Diving wanker
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His bad injury was back in 2014. The 5 goals in 2 years doesn't include the year he was out as he was back playing in August 2015.
I think the following are now surplus:
Gollini - doubt we will sell and he will be loaned
Bunn - should be takers if his wages are not too high
Richards - going nowhere unfortunately
Hutton - has he signed his year extension?
Elphick- will be on a good wage so might be reluctant to move
Amavi - should have offers
Veretout - - should have offers
Tshibola - like him as a player but there obviously seem to be issues. Might sell at a reduced price or send out on loan.
Gardner - time for him to move on. Should have offers.
Gil - should have offers
Agbonlahor - see Richards (anyone know if he has an option on his contract next summer)
McCormack - might get a taker at a vastly reduced price or send out on loan, but more likely to be in the same category as Agbonlahor and Richards
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Diving wanker
Good work, I'd forgot about that.
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Diving wanker
Good work, I'd forgot about that.
If I recall correctly that was the game where it was clearly and thoroughly explained by Ricky Lambert after the game - it was the defender's fault as he shouldn't have given him the opportunity to go down. Cnut.
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Aston Villa are close to landing Hull right back Ahmed Elmohamady in a £3m switch.
I hope that is lazy journalism rather than lazy managment by
Bruce. Terry, Whelan and this fellow, how bloody depressing.
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His bad injury was back in 2014. The 5 goals in 2 years doesn't include the year he was out as he was back playing in August 2015.
Yeah but he only played 12 games that season.
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His bad injury was back in 2014. The 5 goals in 2 years doesn't include the year he was out as he was back playing in August 2015.
Yeah but he only played 12 games that season.
Which doesn't make spending £12m on him any better value.
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His bad injury was back in 2014. The 5 goals in 2 years doesn't include the year he was out as he was back playing in August 2015.
Yeah but he only played 12 games that season.
Which doesn't make spending £12m on him any better value.
He was highly rated till his injuries, he's still young, and £12m these days for a player seems cheap.
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Aston Villa are close to landing Hull right back Ahmed Elmohamady in a £3m switch.
I hope that is lazy journalism rather than lazy managment by
Bruce. Terry, Whelan and this fellow, how bloody depressing.
And 30 year old Joe Ledley apparently!
Feck my old boots!!!
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Being highly rated in 2013/14 and being worth £12m in 2017 are very different things. And that was my point, that a player that has done nothing for 3 years is probably going to be sold for £12m and few bat an eyelid shows how ridiculous things have become.
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Aston Villa are close to landing Hull right back Ahmed Elmohamady in a £3m switch.
I hope that is lazy journalism rather than lazy managment by
Bruce. Terry, Whelan and this fellow, how bloody depressing.
And 30 year old Joe Ledley apparently!
Feck my old boots!!!
I'm not sure where he would fit in the system we used last season though. I could see him and Whelan as a holding pair with either two up front or Grealish / Lansbury as an attacking midfielder in front of them. Where that would leave Bjarnason and Hourihane though is another question.
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Let's have a fantastically creative midfield of Jedinak, Gardner, Whelan and Ledley.
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Let's have a fantastically creative midfield of Jedinak, Gardner, Whelan and Ledley.
Never mind the creativity, we'll run through them with pace
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Let's have a fantastically creative midfield of Jedinak, Gardner, Whelan and Ledley.
Stick four giant centre halves behind that midfield & play the 'Pulis'
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Let's have a fantastically creative midfield of Jedinak, Gardner, Whelan and Ledley.
Stick four giant centre halves behind that midfield & play the 'Pulis'
Go and get that big lump off Leeds up front while we're at it.
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We will have the pacey attacking wing backs though.
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According to the Sun we've won the race for Terry's signature.
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We need to sign a winger this summer as a priority. The lad at Palace who they signed from Wolves would be just fine. I think Ledley on a free, couple of million on a centre back and a lump up front in the Kevin Davies mould will also come in. I am presuming Johnstone resigns otherwise we need a goalie as well.
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According to the Sun we've won the race for Terry's signature.
How does one go about returning a season ticket?
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We need to sign a winger this summer as a priority.
I think we are more than covered on the right wing now.
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According to the Sun we've won the race for Terry's signature.
How does one go about returning a season ticket?
Serious?
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Supposedly 60K a week, 2m bonus if we go up as well further add-ons depending on the number of games he plays. If he does sign I can't remember any signing we have ever made that will piss me off as much.
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We need to sign a winger this summer as a priority.
K
I think we are more than covered on the right wing now.
Very good
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According to the Sun we've won the race for Terry's signature.
How does one go about returning a season ticket?
Serious?
He is despicable excuse for a human being and I won't tolerate us signing racists. So yes.
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According to the Sun we've won the race for Terry's signature.
How does one go about returning a season ticket?
Serious?
He is despicable excuse for a human being and I won't tolerate us signing racists. So yes.
Count me in for returning mine too. I will not support a club that employs him. I'd be a humongous hypocrite if I did.
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According to the Sun we've won the race for Terry's signature.
How does one go about returning a season ticket?
Serious?
He is despicable excuse for a human being and I won't tolerate us signing racists. So yes.
Count me in for returning mine too. I will not support a club that employs him. I'd be a humongous hypocrite if I did.
We're football fans, we're supposed to be fickle.
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Yay. What a coup for Villa. A signing that will make everyone see how serious we are. Brilliant. So why am I more than just a little downbeat? Also, if he ends up as our player of the season will I stop caring about who he is?
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According to the Sun we've won the race for Terry's signature.
How does one go about returning a season ticket?
Serious?
He is despicable excuse for a human being and I won't tolerate us signing racists. So yes.
Count me in for returning mine too. I will not support a club that employs him. I'd be a humongous hypocrite if I did.
We're football fans, we're supposed to be fickle.
I'm not fickle. I just don't like him.
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For me there's a difference between being 'fickle' and a hypocrite. For me to welcome that scumbag to my club would be hypocritical of me.
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If he fucks his mates wife then he is a prick. But I wouldn't send my season ticket back. Abuses Yanks whilst pissed about 9/11? Dreadfully off colour (chortle) but I can still live with him playing for us even if I have to hold my nose. The JT show and forcing his way into photos? Clearly an egotistical twat but, you never know, maybe a winning attitude in the changing room will make a difference.
A racist ******, who abused the brother of his pal, who he had played 50 odd games together at international level with? And then paying him lots of money, to be well beyond his prime, play less than half of our games?
I can't fucking stand Suarez either. But if we signed him tomorrow then I could at least get the footballing reason. This wanker?
I couldn't attend in all good conscience nexy season if that shitbag was captaining us.
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Welcome JT. A leader and great organisor in defence.
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The on field presence we've been missing since Lescott went and the kind of moral fibre not seen in B6 since, I dunno, Robert Hopkins?
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Such a leader and popular player at Chelsea he had to organise his own guard of honour the egotistical twat.
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I would attend the first match of the season if there were enough people repulsed by him to arrange a mass walk out. On the 26th minute. Maybe we could get one of the players to kick it out for us so it would have extra poignance...
At some stage football fans are going to start holding players responsible for their behaviour. Why can't that be us?
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Maybe the idea is that since we can't seem to get shot of Richards, Gabby and Bacuna, we'll sign an absolutely enormous shit to make them seem more palatable. Which would at least make more sense than signing him for football reasons.
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We need to sign a winger this summer as a priority. The lad at Palace who they signed from Wolves would be just fine. I think Ledley on a free, couple of million on a centre back and a lump up front in the Kevin Davies mould will also come in. I am presuming Johnstone resigns otherwise we need a goalie as well.
Agree, though I hope next season will be a breakthrough one for Andre Green. Green, Adomah and another winger, with Grealish and Kodjia able to play out there if needed.
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Welcome VBJT.
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John PercyVerified account @JPercyTelegraph 43m
#avfc make contract offer to John Terry. Not done yet but Villa have taken a step forward in past 24 hours #avfc
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If Johnstone resigns we'll definitely need a new keeper.
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Like I say bankrupt us.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/06/21/aston-villa-make-concrete-offer-john-terry/
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has boris resigned then
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the jt offer equates to about 80k a week
how many times have we read on here that if we want to be a big club then act like one
if he helps us up then 4 miil a year is peanuts
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the jt offer equates to about 80k a week
how many times have we read on here that if we want to be a big club then act like one
if he helps us up then 4 miil a year is peanuts
I take your point, but it's a lot of money for a 36 year old.
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take your point clampy but what players are out on loan who"s wages would equate to 80k a week that we are still paying? veretout sanchez, gill etc etc et
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if he helps us up then 4 miil a year is peanuts
And if he doesn't, then it's not. And it's then not helped that the four million quid has been given to a massive prick.
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take your point clampy but what players are out on loan who"s wages would equate to 80k a week that we are still paying? veretout sanchez, gill etc etc et
That doesn't seem like a good reason to sign another player on a lot of money that won't play very often for us. And is an unrelenting prick.
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what player have we signed on 80k a week then ??
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and bruce is going to sign a player that wont play very often for us
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sorry guys but you either love him or hate him
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Hello John Terry. Good bye Steve Bruce.
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Hello John Terry. Good bye Steve Bruce.
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And if Bruce does get the sack Terry would probably be our next manager.
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brian green
blame the heat
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sorry guys but you either love him or hate him
I hate him. But bloody hell, a few clean sheets and a couple of nodded goals from corners and I'll soon change my mind.
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if he helps us up then 4 miil a year is peanuts
And if he doesn't, then it's not. And it's then not helped that the four million quid has been given to a massive prick.
Its a gamble, if he gets us up next season it's fine and dandy if not its another 4 million spunked
A bit like mcgate, fine if he gets the goals that get us up in two seasons fine if not youve spent the best part of 15 million on a 32 year old with limited resale value
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Any damn fool can do old time mid Championship football management.
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Any damn fool can do old time mid Championship football management.
And any damn fool can write off a signing a few weeks before the season starts.
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Of more concern is it is the same old Villa never learning from previous mistakes. Has beens after a last pay cheque and another one stuck here on £60k a week.
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Any damn fool can do old time mid Championship football management.
And any damn fool can write off a signing a few weeks before the season starts.
And any damn fool can change their mind about a fundamental belland because of a few clean sheets and a couple of nodded goals from corners.
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This damn fool does not want to keep him out of the Villa side for what he might do but because he is who he is.
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Seems like a poor bit of business to me. Even worse it shows how out of touch Bruce is if this is his idea of an exciting signing to Villa fans.
But as Taylor said. A few good performances and I will happily be singing his praises. Help us actually win something and I will buy his shirt.
A crumb of comfort is I thought Robbie Keane was too old when he came on loan to us but I was well wrong. Hopefully the same here.
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Once again the Aston Villa compulsion to roll the dice kicks in.
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Any damn fool can do old time mid Championship football management.
And any damn fool can write off a signing a few weeks before the season starts.
And any damn fool can change their mind about a fundamental belland because of a few clean sheets and a couple of nodded goals from corners.
Ha, ha. You're probably right.
The truth is when I heard that JT was coming to villa, my initial reaction was please no, but seeing as it now looks likely, I'm tying to convince myself that i'ts a risk that may just pay off.
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I personally think he has a lot to offer and he'd be the best centre half in the league, along with Chester. He's not going to play every week, but with Baker to supplement, who equally cannot play every week.
He's a winner and a leader who would add to the dressing room. I cannot imagine Terry tolerating a first half like Cardiff, Norwich, Wolves, Brentford and suffering a limp, half arse display.
I don't like him as a human being, but I'll never meet him. He's to add to the squad.
Yes there's a risk, his age is the concern naturally. But take a look at last summer and the flops we picked up. Look at Taylor and the fact he was an apparently an awful player, yet turned out to be bloody excellent.
If it is a mistake then it's one we won't suffer for any length of time.
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Robbie Keane was 5 years younger, here for 2 months and wasn't a scumbag. Terry could score the winner in the FA Cup final and i'd never sing his name, unless it's followed by "we know what you are".
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Seems like a poor bit of business to me. Even worse it shows how out of touch Bruce is if this is his idea of an exciting signing to Villa fans.
But as Taylor said. A few good performances and I will happily be singing his praises. Help us actually win something and I will buy his shirt.
A crumb of comfort is I thought Robbie Keane was too old when he came on loan to us but I was well wrong. Hopefully the same here.
Whooooah there fella, I never said I would buy his shirt!!! Maybe if he let me have a go on his yacht.
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I personally think he has a lot to offer and he'd be the best centre half in the league, along with Chester. He's not going to play every week, but with Baker to supplement, who equally cannot play every week.
He's a winner and a leader who would add to the dressing room. I cannot imagine Terry tolerating a first half like Cardiff, Norwich, Wolves, Brentford and suffering a limp, half arse display.
I don't like him as a human being, but I'll never meet him. He's to add to the squad.
Yes there's a risk, his age is the concern naturally. But take a look at last summer and the flops we picked up. Look at Taylor and the fact he was an apparently an awful player, yet turned out to be bloody excellent.
If it is a mistake then it's one we won't suffer for any length of time.
Alternatively he's a self absorbed wanker that will split the dressing room, is past it even at this level and costs us at least £4m we can't afford to waste.
A one club player at the very end of his career, especially from a (sadly) very successful club, has potential disaster written all over it.
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Why would he split the dressing room?
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Absolutely right PWS. Every word.
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Any damn fool can do old time mid Championship football management.
And any damn fool can write off a signing a few weeks before the season starts.
And any damn fool can change their mind about a fundamental belland because of a few clean sheets and a couple of nodded goals from corners.
Ha, ha. You're probably right.
The truth is when I heard that JT was coming to villa, my initial reaction was please no, but seeing as it now looks likely, I'm tying to convince myself that i'ts a risk that may just pay off.
Fair enough, and thanks for taking it in the spirit intended.
I'm normally the same; I try and see the positive side of things. For example when we hired Remi Garde I wrote an impassioned post about how he was going to save us and how our board finally were working through an actual plan...
But this is a deal breaker for me. To make this dickhead one of our highest paid players of all time means that the club is no longer the club I grew up supporting. We're not the good guys any more. I don't like most of the players, the manager and now it seems the board who's values are clearly polar opposite to mine. If this goes through, I'm basically just supporting a colour scheme. The best colour scheme in the world, but I can't justify investing so much energy to get behind it. It turns out, we might just be like every other club; whatever it takes to win. How depressing.
My positivity is solely invested in the fact that there might be enough supporters who detest this guy to try and block the move. Tweet Dr Xia and Wyness. Send an email to the ticket office. It might not change anything, but doing something is better than just waiting to see that monumental shit wearing the shirt.
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Even at 36, he's better than any defender we have. He's a vile, nasty bugger, but he knows how to lead, knows how to organise and how to win. Split the dressing room? I don't think so.
Thumbs up
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Another thing to consider is if his heart will really be in it. He's played for the same club all his career, has a few medals to show for it and was the main bloke there, well 'Mr Chelsea' as he was fondly known. It'll be a comedown for him wherever he goes. That said, he doesn't need to carry on so why is he? If he's got the hunger for more success, then fair play to him.
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Even at 36, he's better than any defender we have. He's a vile, nasty bugger, but he knows how to lead, knows how to organise and how to win. Split the dressing room? I don't think so.
Thumbs up
Absolutely.
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Seems like a poor bit of business to me. Even worse it shows how out of touch Bruce is if this is his idea of an exciting signing to Villa fans.
But as Taylor said. A few good performances and I will happily be singing his praises. Help us actually win something and I will buy his shirt.
A crumb of comfort is I thought Robbie Keane was too old when he came on loan to us but I was well wrong. Hopefully the same here.
Whooooah there fella, I never said I would buy his shirt!!! Maybe if he let me have a go on his yacht.
Well this is awkward. I had you down as holding up the other side of the "John Terry, Aston Villa, Leader, Legend" banner I was having printed up.
I keed I keed
;D
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Terry is everything that is wrong with modern footballers.
Self serving, bigoted, greedy, disrespectful and obnoxious.
A role model for tossers.
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Why would he split the dressing room?
Because he's a scumbag. You spent years slagging him off like most of us on here, you think some of our players may not think the same of him?
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Even at 36, he's better than any defender we have.
We don't really know that though do we, the Terry of a few years ago was, we don't know how the 37 year old version will perform.
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Why would he split the dressing room?
Because he's a scumbag. You spent years slagging him off like most of us on here, you think some of our players may not think the same of him?
I slagged him off as he's a massive whopper. I still think he's a good player and I'd have had the horrible wanker here to supplement the other less horrible, but over indulged wankers already at the club.
I think players will look up to him and he will have a positive influence.
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He hardly played last season, how do you know he's still a good player? And you don't think some players think he's scumbag, the same as we do?
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Why would he split the dressing room?
Because he's a scumbag. You spent years slagging him off like most of us on here, you think some of our players may not think the same of him?
To be fair, most the players already on the team get slagged off, so he'll probably fit right in.
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Won't he be expecting the captains armband as well? Sure that'll please Chester no end.
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ok guys you are right
lets go out and buy 4 players from lower level teams on 20k a week the " young and hungry type" like joe Bennett, westwood etc etc etc
and if I had a crystal ball 5 years ago I wonder if could of seen that I would on my way to preston Barnsley etc for away games
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If only there were some options out there other than a 37 year old scumbag or a 20 year old player from division 3.
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He hardly played last season, how do you know he's still a good player? And you don't think some players think he's scumbag, the same as we do?
With all due respect, how do you know he's not still a good player? I still think it is a massive risk and is one not worth taking.
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He hardly played last season, how do you know he's still a good player? And you don't think some players think he's scumbag, the same as we do?
With all due respect, how do you know he's not still a good player? I still think it is a massive risk and is one not worth taking.
I don't, which is why I haven't said he isn't, just that it's a distinct possibility for a 37 year old that was rarely fit last season.
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Won't he be expecting the captains armband as well? Sure that'll please Chester no end.
That would be a massive mistake imo. We shouldn't be over indulging him like that. He has to prove himself as a worthy Villa defender first regardless of what he's done in the past.
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Won't he be expecting the captains armband as well? Sure that'll please Chester no end.
That would be a massive mistake imo. We shouldn't be over indulging him like that. He has to prove himself as a worthy Villa defender first regardless of what he's done in the past.
You did watch us last season right? A worthy Villa defender? What the heck is that?
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Chester is fine for this level and would be fine with the right partner in the premier league.
I meant worthy Villa defender in the tradition of God, Southgate, Ugo, Mellberg, Laursen.
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John Terry has massive warning lights flashing all over him, we really don'y need a slow, 37 year old here. I'm convinced this is a huge mistake.
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Imagine if we drew Chelski in the cup!
"...John Terry is on of our own..."
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the jt offer equates to about 80k a week
how many times have we read on here that if we want to be a big club then act like one
if he helps us up then 4 miil a year is peanuts
I take your point, but it's a lot of money for a 36 year old.
I read something that said it's around £50k plus bonuses, including a big 'If we get promoted' one
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this has got clusterfuck written all over it
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Imagine if we drew Chelski in the cup!
"...John Terry is on of our own..."
Though not impossible, the odds on that are slim.
Far more likely is he'll be asked about Chelsea in every bastard pre match press conference he does.
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Maybe, just maybe, he will be able to "advise" the coaching team on some of Contes' methods?
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Usually, when we're all 'over the moon' about a potential signing, it turns out to be a terrible one. Having seen all of the negativity towards JT I'm now quietly confident that it'll turn-out to be a master-stroke!
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Looking at other options - the JT-fest is already tiring me! - here is a list of players currently making the new (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/jun/22/football-league-players-premier-league-fulham-ryan-sessegnon-leeds-charlie-taylor). Combining a couple of these with the experience we now have in the squad might make some sense.
On the JT thing, Bedeau, Suleiman and Toner may benefit from his experience in addition to that of Chester (Am I clutching at straws?).
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yes.
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Won't he be expecting the captains armband as well? Sure that'll please Chester no end.
That would be a massive mistake imo. We shouldn't be over indulging him like that. He has to prove himself as a worthy Villa defender first regardless of what he's done in the past.
You did watch us last season right? A worthy Villa defender? What the heck is that?
I don't think any of the defenders were that bad last season, maybe Elphick apart.
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Only four teams conceded fewer goals than us. We would probably have had a better record still, had Elphick not been given an extended chance early in the season and had Baker not spent swathes of the season injured.
Only three teams scored fewer goals than us, two of whom were relegated.
We probably need cover in defence, but nobody thinks Terry would be coming to add cover.
It is, quite clearly and demonstrably, our ability to create and score goals which need to be addressed, though.
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I think the depth of field we adopt is key to that. Brighton showwed where Hourihane and Lamsbury should be pressing from when out of possession, 20 yards higher up. We created more on that game than we had done in several home games combined.
Add a fast wide player to supplement Adomah and what will hopefully be Greens breakout season, be bolder with our pressing and positioning, get closer to the front men and we will score more.
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I think the depth of field we adopt is key to that. Brighton showwed where Hourihane and Lamsbury should be pressing from when out of possession, 20 yards higher up. We created more on that game than we had done in several home games combined.
Add a fast wide player to supplement Adomah and what will hopefully be Greens breakout season, be bolder with our pressing and positioning, get closer to the front men and we will score more.
Yes. We hopefully will see the best of Green and RHM next season. Furthermore, if we could teach Grealish to either move the ball more quickly and be more incisive with his running, and if we can give the cover in MF to allow Hourihane and Lansbury to get forward, we will see more finishing.
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I think the depth of field we adopt is key to that. Brighton showwed where Hourihane and Lamsbury should be pressing from when out of possession, 20 yards higher up. We created more on that game than we had done in several home games combined.
Add a fast wide player to supplement Adomah and what will hopefully be Greens breakout season, be bolder with our pressing and positioning, get closer to the front men and we will score more.
You seem to be assuming some level of tactical competence from our manager.
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I think the depth of field we adopt is key to that. Brighton showwed where Hourihane and Lamsbury should be pressing from when out of possession, 20 yards higher up. We created more on that game than we had done in several home games combined.
Add a fast wide player to supplement Adomah and what will hopefully be Greens breakout season, be bolder with our pressing and positioning, get closer to the front men and we will score more.
Agree Ads, particularly at home. I think the key to it is having a centre forward who can hold the ball up and allow our midfielders to come on to and make runs beyond the ball. It would also allow s to press a bit higher and keep teams contained in their own half.
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I assume that's what Hogan is supposed to do. We can only hope.
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I don't see Hogan holding the ball up. He is a finisher. It would help if the f'ing ball wasn't constantly played up to him about three foot above his head.
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I assume that's what Hogan is supposed to do. We can only hope.
Can't see it having watched him last season. He plays more on the shoulders of defenders and would be better utilised in a team that build from the back and playing with someone who can slip the ball through to him.
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gary Gahill seems to absolutely love him.
Bring Cahill with him and then it is fine with me :)
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To make me feel better about us signing a racist old fucker, any danger we can go and get the lad from Exeter?
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Stewart fucking Downing?!
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Stewart fucking Downing?!
He doesn't play for Exeter and isn't young!
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Apparently we bid for him in January.
It's beginning to look like, having taken away any lingering hope we may have had, Steve Bruce is trying to get rid of every last supporter, too.
Are Enoch Powell and Robert Hopkins available?
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Sorry, wasn't related to your post! Just saw Mat Kendrick linking him on Twitter.
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We'll be shit hot on FIFA 2008 at this rate.
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Stewart Downing or Ollie Watkins?
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I'm not sure who's replying to who anymore.
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Ian Atkins is looking at a few young lads in Poland at the moment
mind he just seems to be sunning it a lot on the sun bed
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Surely the Polish season is over? We should send our scouts to Greenland.
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The Downing thing is a joke, surely. It HAS to be a joke. The club cannot be that stupid. Right.. right?
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Steve Bruce doesn't care or know much about players we've had before or the type we're weary of. Just gotta embrace the misery.
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On the potential Terry signing...
Remember the last two transfer windows where we were all happy that we were signing the captain's of the teams are were buying them from eg Lansbury, Chester, Hourihane, Jedinak..to give us the on field leaders we didn't have.
So why do we need to spunk huge wads of money in Terry to do that. Clearly we didn't get the leaders we thought we were?
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Let's see what happens now. Josh Scowen who I actually thought was Barnsleys best player last season has left them today and is available on a free. He's a defensive midfielder. So will we sign him or Glen feckin Whelan.
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I am undecided on Terry, it is a short term move that could or couldn't work depending on the role he played.
As for Downing an emphatic NO.
He could not get out of here quick enough.
F**k him the gutless twat.
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Let's see what happens now. Josh Scowen who I actually thought was Barnsleys best player last season has left them today and is available on a free. He's a defensive midfielder. So will we sign him or Glen feckin Whelan.
Was v impressed with him and the rest of the Barnsley team when I watched the Barnsley v Leeds match just before we signed Hourihane - to get some idea of what we were signing.
He scored that evening, but most of their side looked nimble and good in possession. Compare and contrast to us with Jedinak in midfield who-despite his other qualities- can barely move and feels more comfortable booting the ball out of play even with a relatively simple pass on.
That's the thing with signing supposed leaders: If they can't do the main thing they're put on the pitch to do, the rest pales into insignificance.
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Surely the Polish season is over? We should send our scouts to Greenland.
The European U21 Championships are being held in Poland.
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Ah, fair enough. Dziękuję Ci.
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Surely the Polish season is over? We should send our scouts to Greenland.
Knowing our luck they would end up in Poundland.
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And we would pay twenty quid for each item.
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Knowing our luck they would end up in Poundland.
Well we've already been to Iceland...ba dum, tish.
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yes I'd already forgotten about the Iceman. Has Bruce buried him under it?
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Surely the Polish season is over? We should send our scouts to Greenland.
Knowing our luck they would end up in Poundland.
How much is this Mcormack? A pound, cheers, here is 12 million.
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Steve Bruce doesn't care or know much about players we've had before or the type we're weary of. Just gotta embrace the misery.
He's ok, he's in Portugal. Paddy McGuinness has put a pic of him on Instagram.
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Paddy and Peter Kay's roadtrip with Downing? You can just see Kay ripping the piss out of Stewie for being such an insufferable bore.
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The Doc has said we are not in for Weasel Boy.
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The Doc has said we are not in for Weasel Boy.
Well that is a relief.
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The Doc has said we are not in for Weasel Boy.
Well that is a relief.
[/quote
No more sleepless nights, phew
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has he actually said that or was it done through hieroglyphics?
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has he actually said that or was it done through hieroglyphics?
He tweeted an emoji of a rat and then two fingers sticking up at it.
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This is what he posted
(http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/images/content/rat.jpg)
(http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/wanker.jpg)
(https://stronglang.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/sean-bean-sharpe-two-fingers-gesture.png)
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The worrying thing is the lack of departures which is going to affect arrivals i presume. 30 odd professionals on the books with 2 thirds of them being utter cack
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I've no idea why people got their knickers in a twist over the Downing link. That's all it was, a link and a lazy one at that.
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We are stepping up our efforts to sign Whelan apparently.
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This is what he posted
(http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/images/content/rat.jpg)
(http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/wanker.jpg)
(https://stronglang.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/sean-bean-sharpe-two-fingers-gesture.png)
Is the bottom picture Tim Sherwood taken on the day he left the club?
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Surely the Polish season is over? We should send our scouts to Greenland.
He's here to scout players from the under 21s
Spain v Portugal the other night. Also did Germany on live stream he said
Gdansk we are at
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We are stepping up our efforts to sign Whelan apparently.
Is Whelan the Future?
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We'll be Whelan him out he's that old..
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Villa make bid for former Leeds stalwart Noel Whelan.
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Watching the Confederation Cup New Zealand had a couple of decent looking relatively youngsters, Thomas and Rojas. Both creative forward looking midfielders with pace.
Failing that we might consider a bid for Sonny Bill Williams to add some strength, he seems pretty adaptable.
In fact anyone but Whelan.
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I doubt any New Zealand youngster would get a work permit.
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I just long for a couple of players with pace. We are the slowest side in history.
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I read somewhere earlier that Derby have had a £1m bid accepted for Whelan
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I just long for a couple of players with pace. We are the slowest side in history.
We're so slow, we already are history. Our midfield is a tear in the space-time continuum, and that's why so many of our midfielders go missing.
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I find us ponderous. We are slow in thought and execution. You don't have to lightning quick to be effective. Our midfielders don't move quickly into open spaces which I find more annoying than the lack of overall pace in the side.
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I find us ponderous. We are slow in thought and execution. You don't have to lightning quick to be effective. Our midfielders don't move quickly into open spaces which I find more annoying than the lack of overall pace in the side.
I've thought this since the days of Young and Milner leaving us for pastures new. We are a slow and pedestrian team and have been for years.
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I doubt any New Zealand youngster would get a work permit.
Haven't all New Zealander's got a Scottish Granny ?
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Twitter reckons Tommy E to Derby 3.5 M
Also apparently we are trying to sign a young Brazilian striker from Gremio - as he hasn't been listed on their rosters for 2 years, I think that's somewhat dubious...LOL
Clive Forshaw @ForshawClive
BREAKING: Aston Villa set to announce a double signing tomorrow. Fantastic bit of business done by Bruce. #avfc
"rolls eyes"
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I would certainly give credence to the words of an employee of Forest Echo News.
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Former employee..... ;)
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Terry deal is supposed to be very close.
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Terry deal is supposed to be very close.
Source?
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Sweet chilli
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McDonalds curry.
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AVFC Transfer medical bloke. Nothing booked yet medical wise but he says it's close.
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AVFC Transfer medical bloke. Nothing booked yet medical wise but he says it's close.
He's normally right on the money.
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Yep, I think he's been spot on everyone.
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As he is lightening quick it makes me happy. Oh no. He is not. Just "mildly" racist, self absorbed and an utter cock socket. Brilliant signing Bruce.
Anyhow, the way it looks we need a keeper, winger, Jedinak cover and a quick, tricky forward before the window closes. And possibly a left back cover/ competition for Taylor.
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Not massively overjoyed but can't be worse than Baker and experience and winning mentality could help some of the younger players.
If true, welcome JT.
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I am probably just clutching at straws but I think the AVFC transfers guy tweeted that a while ago (Wednesday maybe?) so I don't think anything has changed.
What is worrying is earlier Wyness 'liked' a tweet from a journalist that suggested that we are hopeful of completing it this week... So I imagine we must be pretty confident. I am clinging to the hope that Terry is just using us to attract better offers from elsewhere, but no other club seems to want to bite at the moment. I can't understand why.........
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Watching the Confederation Cup New Zealand had a couple of decent looking relatively youngsters, Thomas and Rojas. Both creative forward looking midfielders with pace.
Failing that we might consider a bid for Sonny Bill Williams to add some strength, he seems pretty adaptable.
In fact anyone but Whelan.
Rojas isn't that great a player. He has played in Germany and didn't impress over there, then came back to the A League to play for Melbourne. He's 25 by the way.
Ryan Thomas is only 22 and currently playing in the Dutch League. He would certainly be the more promising player.
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Bournemouth are going to spend 20m on a 22 year old Chelsea defender with barely any games to his name. Fuck me
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Bournemouth are going to spend 20m on a 22 year old Chelsea defender with barely any games to his name. Fuck me
If that's the lad who looks like Gullit, he played the first half of the season for them and the previous one for Watford. He's very, very good.
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You basically just add on 10m to transfer fees from a decade ago.
Imagine us signing Sidwell and Reo Coker for about 30m combined now!
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It was bad enough at the time!
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As he is lightening quick it makes me happy. Oh no. He is not. Just "mildly" racist, self absorbed and an utter cock socket. Brilliant signing Bruce.
Anyhow, the way it looks we need a keeper, winger, Jedinak cover and a quick, tricky forward before the window closes. And possibly a left back cover/ competition for Taylor.
Basically, your posts mirror my exact thoughts. Terry-fucking hell.
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It's possible that Terry will go elsewhere
-NOT THERE ;D
It's possible that the 'Golf Trip' was an actual holiday a weekend break from the stress of not being snapped in a Chelsea shirt, that confused and mis-directed the stay-at-home' journos... that it was a jolley-jape amongst the "elite" :D
Naah...this is...imo ... a non-story.
Agent fodder that soothes both Terry and Bruce's ego.
I feel we can cross him off. ;D
HOWEVER... with 2 Sales that could raise money, very close, it seems
- July 1st
We may get Whelan rather than Terry.
I'd prefer that ;D
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Your posts make me chuckle alf'.
I'm just glad I'm not your milkman
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It's possible that Terry will go elsewhere
-NOT THERE ;D
It's possible that the 'Golf Trip' was an actual holiday a weekend break from the stress of not being snapped in a Chelsea shirt, that confused and mis-directed the stay-at-home' journos... that it was a jolley-jape amongst the "elite" :D
Naah...this is...imo ... a non-story.
Agent fodder that soothes both Terry and Bruce's ego.
I feel we can cross him off. ;D
HOWEVER... with 2 Sales that could raise money, very close, it seems
- July 1st
We may get Whelan rather than Terry.
I'd prefer that ;D
WTF are you talking about?
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MCcarthy tops Bruces list really
and rodwell Ross swap possible?
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MCcarthy tops Bruces list really
and rodwell Ross swap possible?
Juan Pablo, It's a mistake, It should read Linda McCartney is on Bruce's shopping list 👍
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MCcarthy tops Bruces list really
and rodwell Ross swap possible?
Juan Pablo, It's a mistake, It should read Linda McCartney is on Bruce's shopping list 👍
I'll be delihted if we bring to an end the longest transfer saga in our history and finally bring Benni in.
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Rodwell! Ask any Sunderland fan their opinion......stay clear.
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nailed on then.
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Rumours of Johnstone going to Boro for 2.5m. Great deal for them if true. Have to hope it is rubbish though.
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Rumours of Johnstone going to Boro for 2.5m. Great deal for them if true. Have to hope it is rubbish though.
That would be a bargain.
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Rumours of Johnstone going to Boro for 2.5m. Great deal for them if true. Have to hope it is rubbish though.
Where are the rumours? You'd think if that were true we'd have bitten their hand off at £2.5m, and then the choice is do you want to play in the Championship at a chemical outpost, or for the biggest club in the division where you've already established yourself as first choice.
It's a tough one.
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As of this weekend we won't actually have a senior Goalkeeper on our books!
I can't imagine that Utd would let Johnstone go that cheaply, but in the horrifying event that he does go elsewhere we should be snapping John Ruddy up.
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As of this weekend we won't actually have a senior Goalkeeper on our books!
Has Jed Steer gone?
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Rodwell! Ask any Sunderland fan their opinion......stay clear.
Had a tough time a Sunderland (don't know exactly what happened there), but, the Rodwell of Everton would be a good deal, especially if it shifted Ross off our books.
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Rodwell! Ask any Sunderland fan their opinion......stay clear.
Had a tough time a Sunderland (don't know exactly what happened there), but, the Rodwell of Everton would be a good deal, especially if it shifted Ross off our books.
It doesn't end well when Sunderland buy a player from Manchester City does it?
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Rodwell! Ask any Sunderland fan their opinion......stay clear.
Had a tough time a Sunderland (don't know exactly what happened there), but, the Rodwell of Everton would be a good deal, especially if it shifted Ross off our books.
The Rodwell of Everton was 5 years ago, remember we've been there and done that, repeatedly, signing players who used to be good half a decade ago but now are shit, hoping to get one more tune out of them.
The tune we get from them always sounds like a wet fart. Avoid has beens.
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As of this weekend we won't actually have a senior Goalkeeper on our books!
Has Jed Steer gone?
Good point, although I think he's still injured...?
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As of this weekend we won't actually have a senior Goalkeeper on our books!
I can't imagine that Utd would let Johnstone go that cheaply, but in the horrifying event that he does go elsewhere we should be snapping John Ruddy up.
I thought Bunn was on the retained list when it was published.
Wouldn't be remotely surprised to see a new 6 week saga begin now for getting Hart on loan for a year as I'm not sure there are many options for him in Premiership now.
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Can we go and buy the Spanish lad Saul? Seems decent.
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I would gone for Joe Hart on loan to sort the goalkeeper situtation out.
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I don't think he would.
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We lost vital points due to having a constant state of flux in goal. If Johnstone is going elsewhere we need to find another option fast. Ruddy on a free might be worth a shout.
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Can we go and buy the Spanish lad Saul? Seems decent.
Hmm, we need a good man to counter-act Terry's arrival, not sure Saul would be the right choice though.
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Rodwell! Ask any Sunderland fan their opinion......stay clear.
Had a tough time a Sunderland (don't know exactly what happened there), but, the Rodwell of Everton would be a good deal, especially if it shifted Ross off our books.
The Rodwell of Everton was 5 years ago, remember we've been there and done that, repeatedly, signing players who used to be good half a decade ago but now are shit, hoping to get one more tune out of them.
The tune we get from them always sounds like a wet fart. Avoid has beens.
Well said.
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Can we go and buy the Spanish lad Saul? Seems decent.
Better call him then...
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Would be disappointed if we didn't sign Johnstone at that sort of price.
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We lost vital points due to having a constant state of flux in goal. If Johnstone is going elsewhere we need to find another option fast. Ruddy on a free might be worth a shout.
Ruddy on a free with Steer as number two would be fine. Honestly think that would be a better option than spending money on Johnstone.
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We lost vital points due to having a constant state of flux in goal. If Johnstone is going elsewhere we need to find another option fast. Ruddy on a free might be worth a shout.
Ruddy on a free with Steer as number two would be fine. Honestly think that would be a better option than spending money on Johnstone.
I agree. Although even though Johnstone was no more than middling to good last season, £2.5m seems a very reasonable price if we did want him.
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Ruddy on a free with Steer as number two would be fine. Honestly think that would be a better option than spending money on Johnstone.
Agree.
Johnstone blew hot and cold, and I am not convinced he was much better than Gollini. Bunn is awful, and Steer is no better than back up.
You need experience in goal, we don't need other clubs youngsters learning on the job with us. Ruddy is a solid choice, McGregor wouldn't be a bad shout either.
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He looked more comfortable towards the end of the season, but he was no better than Gollini.
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Not sure about Johnstone, but agree with those saying Ruddy on a free
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Is there not a good reason why Ruddy is available for nothing? Has he become a kind of carrot-crunching Brad Guzan?
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He's not very good is a chief reason.
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Johnstone improved as time went on last season. I think he's worth a go.
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Johnstone improved as time went on last season. I think he's worth a go.
I agree. He looked good in the latter part of the season.
Where's this Boro link come from?
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Could it be we don't have £2m to spend until we get rid of a few? Would also explain why the Whelan offer hasn't been increased too? Slightly worrying if I'm right, but we can afford £60k a week?!? I think I need to understand FP rules better
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If we've missed out due to not having 2-2.5m to spend then it's time to start worrying. He's easily worth that much
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Could it be we don't have £2m to spend until we get rid of a few? Would also explain why the Whelan offer hasn't been increased too? Slightly worrying if I'm right, but we can afford £60k a week?!? I think I need to understand FP rules better
You do. The rules relate to transfer fees rather than wage spend as I understood it.
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Heard a rumour Bunn is on his way back to Northampton
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Johnstone improved as time went on last season. I think he's worth a go.
I think he is worth a go. He is better than Gollini in my opinion. But if Bruce thinks he can find better then fine.
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I love this time of year when rumours from the most spurious of sources will cause some to spontaneously combust.
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Heard a rumour Bunn is on his way back to Northampton
Can but hope. He's awful.
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it's a load of cobblers
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It may be but I would carry him over six fields to get shot of him
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we need to get rid of so many players, the list is almost endless!
I would imagine that Bruce has been told that players need to be out the door to raise money for any transfers
If the rumours were true of him only having a £million pound to spend.
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we need to get rid of so many players, the list is almost endless!
I would imagine that Bruce has been told that players need to be out the door to raise money for any transfers
If the rumours were true of him only having a £million pound to spend.
For me a squad for this league should, at most, have 23-24 senior players and 4-5 youngsters as backup. We're well above that right now.
FFP might be looming in the background but sell-to-buy is actually just the right thing for us to do right now. Ignoring Gollini as out on loan and Sanchez as already sold the current squad is:
GK – Bunn, Steer, NEW*
RB – Hutton, De Laet, Bree
LB – Taylor, Amavi, Cissokho
CB – Chester, Baker, Elphick, Richards, Terry*
CM – Jedinak, Bacuna, Gardner, Lansbury, Tshibola, Hourihane, Bjarnason, Veretout, Lyden
RM – Adomah, Gil
LM – Grealish, Green
ST – Kodjia, Hogan, Agbonlahor, Mccormack, Davis, RHM
If we get rid of all the ones I've crossed out (who appear to be the ones he wants rid of) that still leaves 21 senior players (counting Terry and a new keeper, I'd have put Johnstone there until yesterday) and 4 kids that I expect to see play a bigger part next year which would leave us with a bit of wiggle room to pick up 2-3 more.
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we need to get rid of so many players, the list is almost endless!
I would imagine that Bruce has been told that players need to be out the door to raise money for any transfers
If the rumours were true of him only having a £million pound to spend.
For me a squad for this league should, at most, have 23-24 senior players and 4-5 youngsters as backup. We're well above that right now.
FFP might be looming in the background but sell-to-buy is actually just the right thing for us to do right now. Ignoring Gollini as out on loan and Sanchez as already sold the current squad is:
GK – Bunn, Steer, NEW*
RB – Hutton, De Laet, Bree
LB – Taylor, Amavi, Cissokho
CB – Chester, Baker, Elphick, Richards, Terry*
CM – Jedinak, Bacuna, Gardner, Lansbury, Tshibola, Hourihane, Bjarnason, Veretout, Lyden
RM – Adomah, Gil
LM – Grealish, Green
ST – Kodjia, Hogan, Agbonlahor, Mccormack, Davis, RHM
If we get rid of all the ones I've crossed out (who appear to be the ones he wants rid of) that still leaves 21 senior players (counting Terry and a new keeper, I'd have put Johnstone there until yesterday) and 4 kids that I expect to see play a bigger part next year which would leave us with a bit of wiggle room to pick up 2-3 more.
Gabby stays?
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I went with who i think Bruce wants to get rid of this window, not who I'd be looking to sell.
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
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I went with who i think Bruce wants to get rid of this window, not who I'd be looking to sell.
Toner and Bedeau in defence?
Keep Gardner?
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I see a report that Amavi will go for £10m. I thought we might have got more.
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Better be £10 million plus a sell on fee. I guarantee he will go for more money in the future.
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Anybody paying above 5m will not have seen him play last season - potentially a good player in there but until he rediscovers the courage to put his body on line in tackles he is a totally liability as a defender
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Anybody paying above 5m will not have seen him play last season - potentially a good player in there but until he rediscovers the courage to put his body on line in tackles he is a totally liability as a defender
He was the same before his injury. I do think with experience, he'll be a good player.
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Anybody paying above 5m will not have seen him play last season - potentially a good player in there but until he rediscovers the courage to put his body on line in tackles he is a totally liability as a defender
I think that matches my own assessment of Amavi. He definitely has potential but as a defender he reminds me of JLloyd in that i don't think he would ever take 5 stitches to sop a goal. I remember his first few games, notably away at Palace, and i was convinced he was a good footballer, but i haven't seen him do enough to be a nailed on starter.
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Anything over £5m is good business for a left back not good enough to be first choice in a mid table Championship team last season. The bad business was done earlier when we paid over the top for him and took a punt on him becoming a decent player.
On a different note, I see Simon Grayson is talking to Sunderland about the managers job. He has done a fine job at PNE, and will make Sunderland more of a threat unfortunately.
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I went with who i think Bruce wants to get rid of this window, not who I'd be looking to sell.
Toner and Bedeau in defence?
Keep Gardner?
Do you mean not keeping Toner? He barely got off the bench at Bradford.
Need an all round upgrade in midfield.
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
I still want rid of him, doesn't matter how good he is, each time I see mention of his name I get bloody Bohemian Rhapsody in my head.
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
I still want rid of him, doesn't matter how good he is, each time I see mention of his name I get bloody Bohemian Rhapsody in my head.
Nah
We will not let him go...
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
each time I see mention of his name I get bloody Bohemian Rhapsody in my head.
Now I have !!
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Anybody paying above 5m will not have seen him play last season - potentially a good player in there but until he rediscovers the courage to put his body on line in tackles he is a totally liability as a defender
Amavi was a bottler before he got injured, case in point where he bottled it against the bitters at home which led to their goal
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
I still want rid of him, doesn't matter how good he is, each time I see mention of his name I get bloody Bohemian Rhapsody in my head.
Nah
We will not let him go...
Let him go....
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Sampdoria now being linked with Amavi. Get the auction going, but hurry up about it.
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
I still want rid of him, doesn't matter how good he is, each time I see mention of his name I get bloody Bohemian Rhapsody in my head.
Nah
We will not let him go...
Let him go....
We paid 5 mil, but he's gonna leave the club for free, for free...
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
I agree and he reminds me a bit of Delph when he first came from Leeds. Jedinak or Lyden (or a new signing) holding with two out of Lansbury, Hourihane, Bjarnason and Tshibola in front them looks fine on paper. There is obviously some other issue with Tshibola though.
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
I agree and he reminds me a bit of Delph when he first came from Leeds. Jedinak or Lyden (or a new signing) holding with two out of Lansbury, Hourihane, Bjarnason and Tshibola in front them looks fine on paper. There is obviously some other issue with Tshibola though.
It's the fact that he's rubbish, mostly. That midfield would see the team finishing midtable at best. No pace, no creativity.
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I'd rather give him more than a season to prove himself.
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
I agree and he reminds me a bit of Delph when he first came from Leeds. Jedinak or Lyden (or a new signing) holding with two out of Lansbury, Hourihane, Bjarnason and Tshibola in front them looks fine on paper. There is obviously some other issue with Tshibola though.
It's the fact that he's rubbish, mostly. That midfield would see the team finishing midtable at best. No pace, no creativity.
Have to disagree there Risso. The brief glimpses of Tshibola we did see suggested to me that there is some quality there, but as I said earlier I'm guessing there must be some 'issues' off the field going on with him.
As for the rest, I probably that we would need to sign a centre forward who can hold the ball up to get the best out of them. I don't think Lansbury and Bjarnason were anywhere near fully fit when we signed them and along with Hourihane, I don't think they were utilised properly.
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I hope he keeps Tshibola, think there's a good player in there.
I agree and he reminds me a bit of Delph when he first came from Leeds. Jedinak or Lyden (or a new signing) holding with two out of Lansbury, Hourihane, Bjarnason and Tshibola in front them looks fine on paper. There is obviously some other issue with Tshibola though.
It's the fact that he's rubbish, mostly. That midfield would see the team finishing midtable at best. No pace, no creativity.
Have to disagree there Risso. The brief glimpses of Tshibola we did see suggested to me that there is some quality there, but as I said earlier I'm guessing there must be some 'issues' off the field going on with him.
As for the rest, I probably should have added that we would need to sign a centre forward who can hold the ball up to get the best out of them. I don't think Lansbury and Bjarnason were anywhere near fully fit when we signed them and along with Hourihane, I don't think they were utilised properly.
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Hourihane had provided the most assists in the league when we signed him. That was normally a big part of Lansbury's game at Forest and West Ham too.
Thor apart (he just looks bobbins) the players themselves are fine. It's the defensive straightjacket they were forced to operate under in the second half of the campaign. Getting less from more, as we have specialised in for years now.
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Hourihane had provided the most assists in the league when we signed him. That was normally a big part of Lansbury's game at Forest and West Ham too.
Thor apart (he just looks bobbins) the players themselves are fine. It's the defensive straightjacket they were forced to operate under in the second half of the campaign. Getting less from more, as we have specialised in for years now.
And there's the rub.
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Again Thor has played barely any games so it's a bit early to judge.
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Gabby and Dross McCormack will stay
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Again Thor has played barely any games so it's a bit early to judge.
I think he'll come good. It takes time with some players when they come over here.
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Gabby and Dross McCormack will stay
It's nearly the weekend you miserable git. Think happy thoughts and maybe they will go away.
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Agbonlahor will see out his last year on big money, and no one will buy McCormack after last season's shenanigans. We may as well try and utilise them. Gabby will want to impress in his final year and if McCormack wakes up and realises he's a footballer at a the biggest club he'll ever play for he may just turn it on for us.
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This, Both of these in good shape and head in the correct place could do some serious damage this season and be key to getting us back up.
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Done some research on Jonstone this morning, and linked with loads, including Prem clubs....don;t think we'll be seeing him back here!
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If he was linked with Premier League clubs who saw him as a backup, he might well decide he'd rather sign for us.
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Re: The McCormack and Agbonlahor situation. This is where I hope having John Terry would help. Whatever his faults may be as a man, I can’t imagine for one second that he tolerates any dicking around from his team-mates.
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Re: The McCormack and Agbonlahor situation. This is where I hope having John Terry would help. Whatever his faults may be as a man, I can’t imagine for one second that he tolerates any dicking around from his team-mates.
Just perhaps dicking around with his team mates partners....
There is a guy at work whose cousin is big mates with Terry, and is adamant that he is actually a nice bloke (Terry, not his cousin).
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Ruddy linked now. Plan b? Not a bad plan to be fair.
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Ruddy linked now. Plan b? Not a bad plan to be fair.
Solid and experienced. Won promotion from this league twice and called up for England. Also seems to have said some very positive things about coming to Villa.
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Ruddy linked now. Plan b? Not a bad plan to be fair.
Solid and experienced. Won promotion from this league twice and called up for England. Also seems to have said some very positive things about coming to Villa.
I think we need to delve a little more into his political viewpoint though before we say yay or nay.
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Re: The McCormack and Agbonlahor situation. This is where I hope having John Terry would help. Whatever his faults may be as a man, I can’t imagine for one second that he tolerates any dicking around from his team-mates.
Just perhaps dicking around with his team mates partners....
There is a guy at work whose cousin is big mates with Terry, and is adamant that he is actually a nice bloke (Terry, not his cousin).
In fairness wasn't it team mates Ex partners?
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Re: The McCormack and Agbonlahor situation. This is where I hope having John Terry would help. Whatever his faults may be as a man, I can’t imagine for one second that he tolerates any dicking around from his team-mates.
Just perhaps dicking around with his team mates partners....
There is a guy at work whose cousin is big mates with Terry, and is adamant that he is actually a nice bloke (Terry, not his cousin).
In fairness wasn't it team mates Ex partners?
It was, but jumping into bed with your mates ex partner will really annoy your mate. It will also annoy your wife even more I would imagine.
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I can't stand Terry but I know two long time (proper) Chelsea supporters who for all his faults say he's the one player at the club who would go out of his way to help new signings and engage with supporters etc. Probably because there was a bit of cash in it for him or a wife to pursue.
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Re: The McCormack and Agbonlahor situation. This is where I hope having John Terry would help. Whatever his faults may be as a man, I can’t imagine for one second that he tolerates any dicking around from his team-mates.
Just perhaps dicking around with his team mates partners....
There is a guy at work whose cousin is big mates with Terry, and is adamant that he is actually a nice bloke (Terry, not his cousin).
In fairness wasn't it team mates Ex partners?
It was, but jumping into bed with your mates ex partner will really annoy your mate. It will also annoy your wife even more I would imagine.
Lol, I'd actually forgot he was married ;D
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I see the Doc is tweeting again, is the fact the he must announce, announce, announce mean that we have three players being announced?
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****** flap is signing it appears.
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I see the Doc is tweeting again, is the fact the he must announce, announce, announce mean that we have three players being announced?
I presumed it would be new kit, new sponsor, John Terry.
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I see the Doc is tweeting again, is the fact the he must announce, announce, announce mean that we have three players being announced?
I presumed it would be new kit, new sponsor, John Terry.
I have heard the same on that score.
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I see the Doc is tweeting again, is the fact the he must announce, announce, announce mean that we have three players being announced?
I presumed it would be new kit, new sponsor, John Terry.
Yeah. It's looking that way.
He's the new Custodian of the Net too.
Defender. Skipper. New Goalie. Potential next Manager. What's not to dislike ?
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Ruddy linked now. Plan b? Not a bad plan to be fair.
Solid and experienced. Won promotion from this league twice and called up for England. Also seems to have said some very positive things about coming to Villa.
Happy with this too. I think he'd be really decent signing.
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Ruddy linked now. Plan b? Not a bad plan to be fair.
Solid and experienced. Won promotion from this league twice and called up for England. Also seems to have said some very positive things about coming to Villa.
Happy with this too. I think he'd be really decent signing.
100%, Just what we need
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John Terry agrees to join Aston Villa on one-year deal
http://talksport.com/football/john-terry-agrees-join-aston-villa-one-year-deal-reports-170630244971
New player, new Captain, new problems???????
Welcome Mr Terry
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Simon Grayson is a fine appointment by Sunderland
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Welcome Mr Terry.
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Feeling of impending disaster, dear me, if the wages are true, its a lot of money
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This pre season should be a feel good one, I can't help but feel more dread.
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Simon Grayson is a fine appointment by Sunderland
Agree. I think he's making a mistake, however.
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how so? He'd taken PNE as far as he could, surely?
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Simon Grayson is a fine appointment by Sunderland
Agree. I think he's making a mistake, however.
I'm not sure. They definitely had to go down and start again. Similar to us they had stunk out the PL for too long. Plus he has similar experience with a similar sized club in Leeds.
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Anyone's else worried by the lack of outgoings so far? I know it only officially starts today but normally a few deals are already agreed by how. Particularly when you think of how many we need to ship out.
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I see the Doc is tweeting again, is the fact the he must announce, announce, announce mean that we have three players being announced?
It looks like he's announcing the winner of some film award to me, judging by the accompanying photos.
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how so? He'd taken PNE as far as he could, surely?
I live in Preston,he has done a fine job with them. I think he would have the playoffs with PNE this season had he stayed.
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how so? He'd taken PNE as far as he could, surely?
I think he'd have a better shot (this season) getting Preston up, than Sunderland. New challenge, I guess.
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Josh Scowen signs for QPR. I think that's a great signing.
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Looking around I think outs going to be a bloody tough season. Sheff Wed are strengthening again, QPR ended the season well and are buying, the noses will have a good season under Twitch and have bought a good couple of players in already, Rowett has sombre money at Derby although Hughes and Ince going may harm them, Boro will be very strong with Monk, Fulham were excellent last season and have a good manager, Brentford finished the season well and Jota looks a player. All in all we are a decent way off at the moment I reckon.
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Apparently Wolves are spending twenty million Euros on someone.
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Ruben Neves. The Jorge Mendes thing at Wolves is as dodgy as it comes.
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How so?
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Neves is one of the biggest midfield prospects in Europe, and Wolves are about to get him for a relatively cut-price fee. Of course Mendes' fingerprints are all over it, it's basically his MO to orchestrate off-kilter moves for his clients.
A similar sort of thing happened at Valencia - Nuno got appointed as manager there, they managed to pick up a few good players who were Mendes clients relatively cheap, then they orchestrated a power grab after a season or so.
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Anyone's else worried by the lack of outgoings so far? I know it only officially starts today but normally a few deals are already agreed by how. Particularly when you think of how many we need to ship out.
Yes I am.
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Even worse, I cant help thinking that we might move to a back three which includes Richards, Chester and Terry.
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Anyone's else worried by the lack of outgoings so far? I know it only officially starts today but normally a few deals are already agreed by how. Particularly when you think of how many we need to ship out.
Yes I am.
LOL it's July 1st
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Looking around I think outs going to be a bloody tough season. Sheff Wed are strengthening again, QPR ended the season well and are buying, the noses will have a good season under Twitch and have bought a good couple of players in already, Rowett has sombre money at Derby although Hughes and Ince going may harm them, Boro will be very strong with Monk, Fulham were excellent last season and have a good manager, Brentford finished the season well and Jota looks a player. All in all we are a decent way off at the moment I reckon.
Didn't QPR end with 9 defeats out of 11 or something.
I honestly don't see anyone out there on the level of Newcastle or even Brighton.
Sunderland still have a really poor squad so up to Grayson to wheel and deal a bit, Hull are an unknown quantity and Boro should be top 6 but their squad dosen't scare me like Newcastle's did as half of them used to play for us of course!
Of course teams like Derby and Sheff Weds should be up there again but history of championship tells us we should be more wary of teams who finished the previous year fighting relegation as promotion candidates. Which brings us to SHA....
No excuses for us not to be top 6 at the very least. I'd be really disappointed if we don't have a proper go at top 2 aswell.
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Anyone's else worried by the lack of outgoings so far? I know it only officially starts today but normally a few deals are already agreed by how. Particularly when you think of how many we need to ship out.
Yes I am.
LOL it's July 1st
At the end of last season we would have been praying we could ship out shite like Agbonlahor, Richards, Bunn, Sanchez, Gil etc.
Lol.
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Looking around I think outs going to be a bloody tough season. Sheff Wed are strengthening again, QPR ended the season well and are buying, the noses will have a good season under Twitch and have bought a good couple of players in already, Rowett has sombre money at Derby although Hughes and Ince going may harm them, Boro will be very strong with Monk, Fulham were excellent last season and have a good manager, Brentford finished the season well and Jota looks a player. All in all we are a decent way off at the moment I reckon.
Didn't QPR end with 9 defeats out of 11 or something.
I honestly don't see anyone out there on the level of Newcastle or even Brighton.
Sunderland still have a really poor squad so up to Grayson to wheel and deal a bit, Hull are an unknown quantity and Boro should be top 6 but their squad dosen't scare me like Newcastle's did as half of them used to play for us of course!
Of course teams like Derby and Sheff Weds should be up there again but history of championship tells us we should be more wary of teams who finished the previous year fighting relegation as promotion candidates. Which brings us to SHA....
No excuses for us not to be top 6 at the very least. I'd be really disappointed if we don't have a proper go at top 2 aswell.
I think we are a pacey forward away from challenging for the top 2. Newcastle had Gayle and Atsu that gave them the out. Brighton had guile and creativity in Knockaert. We don't have either to set ourselves apart.
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We absolutely have to find a forestieri type player in midfield. It's worrying we don't appear to have been linked with any such player. At the same time we are letting Gil leave.
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A player like that won't be a perfect panacea that turns us into the team we want to see and too many managers in the last few years have failed to understand that. You have to know how to set a team up to make those players stand out and get the ball in the areas where they can go damage. We have Grelaish, McCormack, Lansbury and Hourihane who have all done that job to varying degrees of success in the past but have looked lost in this team.
A bit of pace out wide would help because it masks shit tactics pretty effectively and is probably the the simplest solution. My concern, as I've been saying for months, is that I don't like the idea of quick fixes to get back up and then worry about staying up and changing the club once we're there. I think that's an arse about tit approach that will force us to speed horrific amounts of money to stand still.
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McCormack will never play under Bruce again.
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McCormack will never play under Bruce again.
Real shame. The bloke is talented. I dont blame Bruce but I wish they could somehow make it work.
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We absolutely have to find a forestieri type player in midfield. It's worrying we don't appear to have been linked with any such player. At the same time we are letting Gil leave.
I agree. Grealish should be that type of player for us, though I don't think he's busy enough.
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A player like that won't be a perfect panacea that turns us into the team we want to see and too many managers in the last few years have failed to understand that. You have to know how to set a team up to make those players stand out and get the ball in the areas where they can go damage. We have Grelaish, McCormack, Lansbury and Hourihane who have all done that job to varying degrees of success in the past but have looked lost in this team.
A bit of pace out wide would help because it masks shit tactics pretty effectively and is probably the the simplest solution. My concern, as I've been saying for months, is that I don't like the idea of quick fixes to get back up and then worry about staying up and changing the club once we're there. I think that's an arse about tit approach that will force us to speed horrific amounts of money to stand still.
A striker who can hold the ball up is the key for me. A player like that would enable some of the names mentioned above to play off him and I think we would see a lot more from them.
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A player like that won't be a perfect panacea that turns us into the team we want to see and too many managers in the last few years have failed to understand that. You have to know how to set a team up to make those players stand out and get the ball in the areas where they can go damage. We have Grelaish, McCormack, Lansbury and Hourihane who have all done that job to varying degrees of success in the past but have looked lost in this team.
A bit of pace out wide would help because it masks shit tactics pretty effectively and is probably the the simplest solution. My concern, as I've been saying for months, is that I don't like the idea of quick fixes to get back up and then worry about staying up and changing the club once we're there. I think that's an arse about tit approach that will force us to speed horrific amounts of money to stand still.
A striker who can hold the ball up is the key for me. A player like that would enable some of the names mentioned above to play off him and I think we would see a lot more from them.
I agree. My choice would be Walters at Stoke - available for nowt too I think?
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everyone we've been linked with are the wrong side of 30. Not a good policy imo,
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Looking around I think outs going to be a bloody tough season. Sheff Wed are strengthening again, QPR ended the season well and are buying, the noses will have a good season under Twitch and have bought a good couple of players in already, Rowett has sombre money at Derby although Hughes and Ince going may harm them, Boro will be very strong with Monk, Fulham were excellent last season and have a good manager, Brentford finished the season well and Jota looks a player. All in all we are a decent way off at the moment I reckon.
Didn't QPR end with 9 defeats out of 11 or something.
I honestly don't see anyone out there on the level of Newcastle or even Brighton.
Sunderland still have a really poor squad so up to Grayson to wheel and deal a bit, Hull are an unknown quantity and Boro should be top 6 but their squad dosen't scare me like Newcastle's did as half of them used to play for us of course!
Of course teams like Derby and Sheff Weds should be up there again but history of championship tells us we should be more wary of teams who finished the previous year fighting relegation as promotion candidates. Which brings us to SHA....
No excuses for us not to be top 6 at the very least. I'd be really disappointed if we don't have a proper go at top 2 aswell.
I think we are a pacey forward away from challenging for the top 2. Newcastle had Gayle and Atsu that gave them the out. Brighton had guile and creativity in Knockaert. We don't have either to set ourselves apart.
I'd give Hepburn-Murphy his chance
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If we get it right I thinks RHM and Green could be hugely important for us.
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A player like that won't be a perfect panacea that turns us into the team we want to see and too many managers in the last few years have failed to understand that. You have to know how to set a team up to make those players stand out and get the ball in the areas where they can go damage. We have Grelaish, McCormack, Lansbury and Hourihane who have all done that job to varying degrees of success in the past but have looked lost in this team.
A bit of pace out wide would help because it masks shit tactics pretty effectively and is probably the the simplest solution. My concern, as I've been saying for months, is that I don't like the idea of quick fixes to get back up and then worry about staying up and changing the club once we're there. I think that's an arse about tit approach that will force us to speed horrific amounts of money to stand still.
A striker who can hold the ball up is the key for me. A player like that would enable some of the names mentioned above to play off him and I think we would see a lot more from them.
I agree. My choice would be Walters at Stoke - available for nowt too I think?
I would take him. A good two season signing to help get us up and keep us up.
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McCormack will never play under Bruce again.
Real shame. The bloke is talented. I dont blame Bruce but I wish they could somehow make it work.
The only way anyone will know whether he'll play for Bruce again is if he's sold or loaned out again before the end of August. At the moment you can only be guessing.
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everyone we've been linked with are the wrong side of 30. Not a good policy imo,
I know, we need to worker harder with our rumour and conjecture.
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Yeah I heard we were looking at a couple of 18 year olds from Stourbridge Town. Should balance it up a bit.
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everyone we've been linked with are the wrong side of 30. Not a good policy imo,
And that's just what they are, links. Being linked with a player is not a club policy.
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If we get it right I thinks RHM and Green could be hugely important for us.
Yes, plus Davis imo
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If we get it right I thinks RHM and Green could be hugely important for us.
Yes, plus Davis imo
I agree and the 3 of them are why I don't want us to sign another striker. If we sold RM and Gabby then 1 extra in to replace them would be fine and I'd be ok with it being someone who can hold the ball up (I'd prefer someone blindingly quick to force their defence deeper and give us more space to play in).
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If we get it right I thinks RHM and Green could be hugely important for us.
Yes, plus Davis imo
I agree and the 3 of them are why I don't want us to sign another striker. If we sold RM and Gabby then 1 extra in to replace them would be fine and I'd be ok with it being someone who can hold the ball up (I'd prefer someone blindingly quick to force their defence deeper and give us more space to play in).
Suspect there isn't really anyone out there who can tick both boxes to an adequate level; more about (a), I'd say, as our Gabby is an example of a speedster who wasn't able to use that trait to push a defence back - even when he was still good, he never played well when up front on his own
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Some of the fees being set for distinctly average players in the Prem is just plain ridiculous. £30 million for Josh King ! Crickey we are going to have to dig deep if we get promoted. Footballs gone mad if players like that are going for a third the price of buying an actual prem club.
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Is there official confirmation that Sanchez has gone, as I can't seem to find any, although he was supposed to have signed for Fiorentina? And has Cissokho gone to Olympiakos, cos I seem to remember that they had the option to sign him at the end of his loan?
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Is there official confirmation that Sanchez has gone, as I can't seem to find any, although he was supposed to have signed for Fiorentina? And has Cissokho gone to Olympiakos, cos I seem to remember that they had the option to sign him at the end of his loan?
It is like 'The Disappeared' victims from the old Argentinian military regime. So many players from the last five years seem to have just disappeared off the planet.
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Is there official confirmation that Sanchez has gone, as I can't seem to find any, although he was supposed to have signed for Fiorentina? And has Cissokho gone to Olympiakos, cos I seem to remember that they had the option to sign him at the end of his loan?
It is like 'The Disappeared' victims from the old Argentinian military regime. So many players from the last five years seem to have just disappeared off the planet.
I wouldn't complain in a few of them were pushed off a plane.
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Is it a case that no transfer is "official" until the transfer window opens if a player was under contract?
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Cissokho was back at bh yesterday but is reported to be flying to Turkey tonight to complete a move out there. No sign of Sanchez anywhere.
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I'm pretty sure Sanchez has firmed up his koce to Florence
Lucky bastard
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Sanchez has moved as they reached the must buy after he plays so many games mark.
Cissokho going, hope that's true.
Stoke's Jon Walters now being linked. Honest player, works hard. It's a yes from me.
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Walters won't sell season tickets, but I'd take him over Whelan.
Bruce's tactics usually require a big lump up top to make the ball stick. I'd sooner we moved on from 1988 personally. But if we must play that way, better to get players who fit that mould, rather than boofing the ball up to Kodjia, Hogan or McCormack.
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Whelan and Walters would be good signings. One of the biggest problems with Villa for a while now is plain and simple graft. Our stats in the premier league final season and I would bet last season will show we were out worked and out fought on many occasions. Terry I loathe, but accept he brings a level of commitment that we simply don't have enough of, Walters in just the same, as is Whelan. They are not spectacular but if they buy the likes of Hourihane or Lansbury time and space to get on the ball, or Green, Grealish and Kodjia to get the ball in areas they can impact the game I am all for it. Experience we need. Bruce needs to blend that with some youthful pace and power.
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I wouldn't complain in a few of them were pushed off a plane.
Alway's in are heart's
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I think Walters would be great in the Championship and a decent alternative to Kodjia. Hope it happens.
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Is there official confirmation that Sanchez has gone, as I can't seem to find any, although he was supposed to have signed for Fiorentina? And has Cissokho gone to Olympiakos, cos I seem to remember that they had the option to sign him at the end of his loan?
A work colleague has just told me that Sanchez has been sold to a Chinese club by Fiorentina. He follows Italian football and says he will confirm what he read tomorrow. We can only have sold him on 1 July so I find it hard to figure out, but if they did it's no doubt for a profit...
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I really hope Walters and Whelan are just made up. I didn't want Terry but at least he's been a top player at some point. Whelan has never been good for anything other than breaking up play and Walters is both shit (he averages about 7 goals a season) and a cheating knob.
I just don't get the mentality of people being pissed off at losing so wanting us to sign wankers. I'm pissed off at where we are but I want us to sign good players and coach them properly, not just sign a bunch opf thugs who'll kick people until we get promoted.
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Is there official confirmation that Sanchez has gone, as I can't seem to find any, although he was supposed to have signed for Fiorentina? And has Cissokho gone to Olympiakos, cos I seem to remember that they had the option to sign him at the end of his loan?
A work colleague has just told me that Sanchez has been sold to a Chinese club by Fiorentina. He follows Italian football and says he will confirm what he read tomorrow. We can only have sold him on 1 July so I find it hard to figure out, but if they did it's no doubt for a profit...
Can you sell a player you've literally just bought?
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We did with Unsworth I think.
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They changed the rules so that you can only sign for one club per year, except with special dispensation. Loan deals don't count, so you can always just agree a loan with a guaranteed permanent deal at the end.
I've no idea what the criteria are for special dispensation other than that we wouldn't be granted it, if we wanted it.
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We did with Unsworth I think.
True. I thought the rules had changed now though. Eg you can't have more than so many clubs in a specific time frame
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I think you can't play for more than two (or is it three) in a calendar year. I my, however, be talking shit.
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I don't think Everton had actually presented our cheque for Unsworth.
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I think it all relates to how many clubs you can play for in the same season. Theoretically you could sign for 20 different teams in the same season, as long as you only play for 2 of them.
I may be wrong on that though.
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Is there official confirmation that Sanchez has gone, as I can't seem to find any, although he was supposed to have signed for Fiorentina? And has Cissokho gone to Olympiakos, cos I seem to remember that they had the option to sign him at the end of his loan?
A work colleague has just told me that Sanchez has been sold to a Chinese club by Fiorentina. He follows Italian football and says he will confirm what he read tomorrow. We can only have sold him on 1 July so I find it hard to figure out, but if they did it's no doubt for a profit...
Bought for €3m sold for €7m according to Quotidiano Sportivo.
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Did we have a sell on agreement? And if we did the cynic in me is saying it's a way round FFP.
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Heard yesterday from someone who has a reliable contact that Joe Hart was next.
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Heard yesterday from someone who has a reliable contact that Joe Hart was next.
That would be fantastic. Maybe the JT effect could influence things. Pep reckons he can't kick a ball. Neither could Mark Bosnich but he was good at keeping the ball out of the net.
I was going to say he had played under Bruce at SHA but then remembered it was McLeish who took him there.
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Heard yesterday from someone who has a reliable contact that Joe Hart was next.
Can't see that happening. He is still first choice for England and will have a lot of Premier League clubs after him, so why would he drop down a division on lower wages...I can't see him saying "because I'd rather not play against Man City" like JT has said about Chelsea. I guess the only option would be a loan move but still can't see that happening either if he wants to be in contention for his England shirt.
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Heard yesterday from someone who has a reliable contact that Joe Hart was next.
That would be fantastic. Maybe the JT effect could influence things. Pep reckons he can't kick a ball. Neither could Mark Bosnich but he was good at keeping the ball out of the net.
I was going to say he had played under Bruce at SHA but then remembered it was McLeish who took him there.
Couldn't see the Terry one happening, but definitely can't see that one happening. He would be first choice at most Premier League clubs. Bit of a difference between his and Bosnich's kicking as well. Bozzie literally could not kick the ball off the floor when he started with us, yet to his credit he definitely improved that aspect of his game over the years.
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John Terry, Joe Hart?
At a championship club. No doubt on huge wages.
It's all sounds a bit Harry Redknapp, doesn't it?
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It does, but we'd be a fair way to pissing this league if it happened.
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I'd be pretty happy with Joe Hart. He's still pretty young for a goalie, too.
I doubt it'll happen, won't bother getting my hopes up.
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Hart is going to Newcastle isn't he?
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Sounds like it.
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That's kruhl.
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That's kruhl.
Erm... Isn't he sort of their player already?
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That's kruhl.
Erm... Isn't he sort of their player already?
Er Dave... I think it was an attempt at humour.
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You're almost certainly right, but then I am very tired.
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That's kruhl.
It's a Given.
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Quality keeper Krul
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Lulz.
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That's kruhl.
It's a Given.
Have a hart will you!
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That's kruhl.
It's a Given.
Have a hart will you!
David Soul singing Don't Give Us On Us Baby might be a good intro song given SB's current activities.
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Ruddy as a replacement for Bunn would make sense surely and then Johnstone and defence is sorted.
I still think we need another striker as way too reliant on Kodija and Hogans fitness is suspect.
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Heard yesterday from someone who has a reliable contact that Joe Hart was next.
Can't see that happening. He is still first choice for England and will have a lot of Premier League clubs after him, so why would he drop down a division on lower wages...I can't see him saying "because I'd rather not play against Man City" like JT has said about Chelsea. I guess the only option would be a loan move but still can't see that happening either if he wants to be in contention for his England shirt.
Didnt Cesar play for Brazil even though he was in the Champsionship at QPR? It can happen.
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According to Wyness only 2 - 3 more players to join and not for big transfer fees, I should imagine that there will be more of a need to get players out of the club and off the wage bill.
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Does anyone know the full squad of players who have travelled to Portugal? It might give an indication as to which players don't have futures here. The OS usually prints it every summer but can't see anything there. I wonder if last year's loanees are all there.
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Alan Hutton being linked to Shef Wednesday today.
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Please lord let it be true about Alan Hutton!, they can also have Gabby as part of the deal as well (2 for the price of 1)
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We need Gabby just to win the two derbies. As for Hutton, I could argue that he has been our best player for the last two seasons. Also, certainly one of the most committed.
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I like Hutton. I'd rather wait until the next transfer window, by which time De Laet should hopefully have proven his fitness, before letting him go.
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We need Gabby just to win the two derbies. As for Hutton, I could argue that he has been our best player for the last two seasons. Also, certainly one of the most committed.
Which is a very sad indictment on our team, Hutton is committed and runs around a lot but he is dreadful in both the attacking & defensive thirds of the pitch-doesn't close down defensively and for all the time he is bombing forward creates next to no chances.
Unless you have high class full backs who can cross a ball like Baines etc I would prefer they first and foremost defend and keep a defensive shape rather than run 60yds to do nothing and leave acres behind them.
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Please lord let it be true about Alan Hutton!, they can also have Gabby as part of the deal as well (2 for the price of 1)
People need to get over the Hutton hate. He was a very decent player for us last season and frankly one of our better performers for the last few seasons. He is no world beater but I'm not sure why we should be in a rush to give ourselves another problem position by rushing him out the door.
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There are half a dozen players I'd want rid of before Hutton. If this mob had shown a fraction of his application in recent seasons, we wouldn't be fucking around where we are right now.
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Please lord let it be true about Alan Hutton!, they can also have Gabby as part of the deal as well (2 for the price of 1)
People need to get over the Hutton hate. He was a very decent player for us last season and frankly one of our better performers for the last few seasons. He is no world beater but I'm not sure why we should be in a rush to give ourselves another problem position by rushing him out the door.
It's not a problem position and wouldn't be if he left, we need to sell one of our right backs, Bree has just joined and looks like a good prospect so he's going nowhere so you left picking between De Laet or Hutton to move on. For me De Laet wins on versatility. On top of that Richards probably isn't going anywhere and neither is Bacuna and they're both arguably at their best at right back as well.
Aside from that it's not about hate, I don't hate Hutton in the slightest, I just don't think he's very good and a handful of decent performances in the last 6 months haven't changed my mind about that. He offers nothing going forward, gets caught out of position regularly and always has a red card challenge in him. What really makes me laugh about this is that at Chrsitmas he'd been shit and didn't deserve his spot whereas Amavi had been playing well but this summer you've got people desperately wanting to sell Amavi and leave us with 1 left back but wanting to keep Hutton so we don't end up short at right back.
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Please lord let it be true about Alan Hutton!, they can also have Gabby as part of the deal as well (2 for the price of 1)
People need to get over the Hutton hate. He was a very decent player for us last season and frankly one of our better performers for the last few seasons. He is no world beater but I'm not sure why we should be in a rush to give ourselves another problem position by rushing him out the door.
It's not a problem position and wouldn't be if he left, we need to sell one of our right backs, Bree has just joined and looks like a good prospect so he's going nowhere so you left picking between De Laet or Hutton to move on. For me De Laet wins on versatility. On top of that Richards probably isn't going anywhere and neither is Bacuna and they're both arguably at their best at right back as well.
Aside from that it's not about hate, I don't hate Hutton in the slightest, I just don't think he's very good and a handful of decent performances in the last 6 months haven't changed my mind about that. He offers nothing going forward, gets caught out of position regularly and always has a red card challenge in him. What really makes me laugh about this is that at Chrsitmas he'd been shit and didn't deserve his spot whereas Amavi had been playing well but this summer you've got people desperately wanting to sell Amavi and leave us with 1 left back but wanting to keep Hutton so we don't end up short at right back.
This
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Agree that there are several players we could do with getting off the salary bill. Unfortunately getting rid in a preferred priority order is stretching our ability to control.
There are a minimum 4 RBs; Hutton, De Laet, Bree & Richards. Double what is required I would have thought.
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Richards should obviously be moved on as soon as possible. While De Laet is likely to take a while to recover fully from a horrific injury, and Bree is still learning his trade, I'd be reluctant to see us reduced to just two right backs. So keep Hutton for now.
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Richards should obviously be moved on as soon as possible. While De Laet is likely to take a while to recover fully from a horrific injury, and Bree is still learning his trade, I'd be reluctant to see us reduced to just two right backs. So keep Hutton for now.
This was my thinking really. I never rate De Laet much before his injury and we just don't know what player we will get this season. I don't even consider Richards a contender. So potentially all it would take is for Bree to be injured or take time to bed in and yeah, it could pretty quickly become a problem position.
Unless Bree excels in pre-season I suspect Hutton will start as first choice right back this year anyway.
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I think Bruce will use Richards if need arises. Right back or centre back. That said, play three at the back, as suggested to Bruce at the PC yesterday, does he need Hutton to stay? Not for me. Adomah or Bree will do the job.
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What did he say when three at the back was suggested? I hate the idea.
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He said he will be experimenting during pre season with Terry central, Chester on the right.
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So, potentially:
Hutton to Sheffield Wednesday
Gil to Spain
Veretout to France
Cissokho to Greece
Bunn to Northampton
Amavi to Sevilla
Kozak, Sanchez already gone.
Elphick to QPR? Was linked previously.
Johnstone, Whelan in?
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We better sign some exciting players. Preferably those who can run past people.
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He said he will be experimenting during pre season with Terry central, Chester on the right.
Baker on the left, I take it?
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Just to add to the right-back conversation; in my opinion the stand-out performances in that position last pre-season were by Jordan Lyden!!
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If we could get money for Hutton, and get his wages off the books as well it'd be a stroke of genius.
I know he tries hard, and I know he supposedly 'cares' as well (although some of his half arsed tracking back shows otherwise) But lets be honest, he's not that great defensively and he's absolutely garbage in the final third of the field as well.
I'm more than sure Bree or De Laet can offer better in terms of football
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He said he will be experimenting during pre season with Terry central, Chester on the right.
Baker on the left, I take it?
I presume so mate.
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Well, that sounds abysmal. We were okay at the back last year but had no creativity going forward whatsoever.
Solution? Add an extra centre-half.
Genius.
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Well, that sound abysmal. We were okay at the back last year but had no creativity going forward whatsoever.
Solution? Add an extra centre-half.
Genius.
All good teams start with a strong back line inc a keeper.
All I wanted last year from Bruce was to understand where he was going - he changed his formation (if that's what we call it) with such regularity it seemed to be akin to throwing enough dart you will eventually hit the target. It was his biggest failing - no shape no method.
He tried a 4 at the back with Jedinak in front which made us so defensively minded the strikers and midfield became very isolated.
He claimed to have wanted to play 352, as he did at Hull but probably realised he did not have the personal to do it.
Maybe he is now sticking to a formula and picking / buying players to fit into that system
At least I bloody hope so
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If he wants to play 3-5-2, why buy two fullbacks in January?
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Isn't he on record as saying that 442 is what gets you promoted out of this league? He looks to be increasingly clueless.
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If he wants to play 3-5-2, why buy two fullbacks in January?
I might be wrong but i'm pretty sure Bree and Taylor can play as wing backs.
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Well, that sounds abysmal. We were okay at the back last year but had no creativity going forward whatsoever.
Solution? Add an extra centre-half.
Genius.
Wasn't the main problem that for anything to move forward, the midfield had to come and take the ball from the defenders, (as they couldn't pass toffee), therefore no midfield as they are so far back the other end. At least we now have CB that is not too shabby at passing the ball to a team mate.
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As for future players coming in, a goalkeeper, a left back to replace Amavi if he goes and possibly a holding midfielder to cover Jedinak should be enough I think. We don't need too many really.
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As for future players coming in, a goalkeeper, a left back to replace Amavi if he goes and possibly a holding midfielder to cover Jedinak should be enough I think. We don't need too many really.
So no additions in attacking positions despite us being one of the lowest scoring teams in the league?
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See sheff wed in for Cafu
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As for future players coming in, a goalkeeper, a left back to replace Amavi if he goes and possibly a holding midfielder to cover Jedinak should be enough I think. We don't need too many really.
So no additions in attacking positions despite us being one of the lowest scoring teams in the league?
I don't think so, not for me personally anyway. We've got Kodjia, Adomah, Gabby, McCormack (if he stays) Hogan, RHM and Davis. Grealish can also chip in with goals and create and you've got Andre Green to give a chance too. That should be enough without buying anyone else.
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If he wants to play 3-5-2, why buy two fullbacks in January?
I might be wrong but i'm pretty sure Bree and Taylor can play as wing backs.
So what do we do with Adomah, Green, Grealish?
If you look at our current squad you'd expect a combination of those three to provide the bulk of our creativity.
Not picking any of them so we can have an extra player in the only position we were consistently good in is insanity.
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I think Bruce just wants to have 2 strikers on the pitch at all times. I don't think he'll commit to playing a 3-5-2 week-in, week-out, I think he wants to be able to switch between that and 4-4-2. Grealish can play behind the strikers in a 3-5-2, Adomah can play as and out-and-out striker. Green will be largely used as an impact sub this season, I'd imagine.
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I think Bruce wants two up top. So, 3-5-2 is a natural formation if you want at least a little width. A narrow 4-4-2 can work equally well if they press as a unit. I think the formation is less of a problem than the mentality of the players, and arguably, the way they are coached. Don't sit so bloody deep, press from the front. Let Lansbury and Hourihane get forward much more.
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As for future players coming in, a goalkeeper, a left back to replace Amavi if he goes and possibly a holding midfielder to cover Jedinak should be enough I think. We don't need too many really.
So no additions in attacking positions despite us being one of the lowest scoring teams in the league?
I don't think so, not for me personally anyway. We've got Kodjia, Adomah, Gabby, McCormack (if he stays) Hogan, RHM and Davis. Grealish can also chip in with goals and create and you've got Andre Green to give a chance too. That should be enough without buying anyone else.
I think I'd like to see someone on the left and another striker but then I'd be trying to get rid of Gabby and McCormack so numbers wise I guess we're even, I just don't think that pair have got much to offer us.
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I don't know Paul, but hopefully Gabby will work harder for a new contract and the chunk will want to sort himself out. I'd rather keep chunk than Gabby to be honest.
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I would think
A Keeper
Chester Terry Baker
Bree Lansbury Hourinanne Thor Taylor
Grealish
Hogan
To start
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No Green, no Party.
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Heard yesterday from someone who has a reliable contact that Joe Hart was next.
Nurse he's here
Season leading up to a world cup and fighting for his place so he drops down to the championship? Really?
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I don't know Paul, but hopefully Gabby will work harder for a new contract and the chunk will want to sort himself out. I'd rather keep chunk than Gabby to be honest.
I sort of agree but I still don't see RM fitting in anywhere. It's the same reason I didn't want him in the first place, you have to let him be the main man up front and build everything around him and I don't think that's the right thing to do if you want to get promoted. There's a reason why his teams haven't really struggled when he leaves despite all the goals and assists he provides.
Gabby is a waste of space now unfortunately, his reading of the game and timing of the run has never been good but his pace masked it, now he's giving defenders 2-3 yards and doesn't have the pace to make up for it because he's spent too long bulking up so he needs 7-8 strides to get up to speed rather than the 2-3 he used to need.
Last season we were the worst of both world in that slower teams could defend deep and we didn't create enough chances to punish them, especially if they got the attacking players to press us, that was caused by us being so shit at passing in the back 5-6. Terry will help there but it's something we can, and should, train for. Training players to hit 60 yard cross field passes under pressure is impossible, 1-2 touch passes with accuracy and zip shouldn't be. The flipside/addition was that teams with a bit of pace at the back could press even further and just crowd us out (Brentford did this superbly against us in January) because they trusted their defenders to get back and cover the breaks because Kodjia isn't a 'break in behind' player and whilst Hogan is he's only got the pace to be effective if he's breaking around their third, expecting him to break from halfway won't work. Green looked good for a few weeks because he gave us that bit of pace and meant we could push teams back but it's a lot to pile on him to expect him to be that outlet for an entire season. Especially when he'll probably be given defensive duties as well.
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My choice of formation would be as follows, back-ups in brackets:
GK new goalkeeper (Bunn, Steer.... assuming they are still here)
RB Bree (de Laet, Hutton)
CB Chester (Toner or cheap young new signing)
CB Terry (Baker)
LB Taylor (cheap young new signing)
RW Exciting new mercurial genius signing (Adomah)
CM Hourihane (Lansbury)
CM Jedinak (Bjarnason)
LW Green (Grealish)
CF Kodjia (Hepburn-Murphy)
CF Hogan (experienced but decent hold-the-ball-up merchant eg Crouch)
That's assuming Amavi leaves and McCormack and Tshibola are either loaned or sold. Would loan Kienan Davis and try to get rid of Elphick, Richards, Bacuna and Agbonlahor.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
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Or Hart?
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Hart isn't going to join a Championship club in a World Cup season.
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Can't see it being Hart to be honest. Not sure I'd want it, either. I can only see Hart's career declining from here. There are so many good young English keepers about, it can only be a matter of time before Butland or Pickford take his England spot. Granted, he's still a decnet Keeper, but I can see him morphing into Paul Robinson from here on in. Would be hugely expensive to boot.
I'd rather someone like Johnstone who's only going to improve from here.
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He's 29. If he was as good as Paul Robinson at 29 we'd be getting an excellent keeper.
Unlikely, admittedly.
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If I was joe hart I would rather play for the top club in Brum than the second team in Turin
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
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If I was joe hart I would rather play for the top club in Brum than the second team in Turin
Yes but I'm not sure he'll be restricted to that choice.
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My choice of formation would be as follows, back-ups in brackets:
GK new goalkeeper (Bunn, Steer.... assuming they are still here)
RB Bree (de Laet, Hutton)
CB Chester (Toner or cheap young new signing)
CB Terry (Baker)
LB Taylor (cheap young new signing)
RW Exciting new mercurial genius signing (Adomah)
CM Hourihane (Lansbury)
CM Jedinak (Bjarnason)
LW Green (Grealish)
CF Kodjia (Hepburn-Murphy)
CF Hogan (experienced but decent hold-the-ball-up merchant eg Crouch)
That's assuming Amavi leaves and McCormack and Tshibola are either loaned or sold. Would loan Kienan Davis and try to get rid of Elphick, Richards, Bacuna and Agbonlahor.
I more or less agree. Think Bruce does want to play 442 or 4411
But this does beg some big questions. Can we afford to play with two wingers in a Four man midfield? Can jedinak cope in such a midfield? How to get the best out of kodjia?
And that's all before the more general questions of form - especially re hogan and Lansbury - and readiness of the kids
This is what pre season needs to sort
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
Great. I will be at Villa Park in the morning to buy a keepers shirt and getting 'The Cat' printed on the back.
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Can't see it being Hart to be honest. Not sure I'd want it, either. I can only see Hart's career declining from here. There are so many good young English keepers about, it can only be a matter of time before Butland or Pickford take his England spot. Granted, he's still a decnet Keeper, but I can see him morphing into Paul Robinson from here on in. Would be hugely expensive to boot.
I'd rather someone like Johnstone who's only going to improve from here.
I would like the current England keeper at the Villa I don't know why you think his career will start declining from here. We have gone down the route of young keepers in the past and probably the one key position where you need experience is the keeper.
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We sound deluded talking about signing the England number 1 when we are a mid table Championship club. It isn't going to happen it's probably John Ruddy the Norwich reserve.
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We are deluded. But I don't think dropping a division and finding his mojo again will harm his England place. Interestingly Terry was partly swung through having a huge respect for Steve Round who worked with England for a while. He and Tone have to sell the club's long term vision. A player like Terry coming could kick start that vision by raising the profile for others to follow. Still not happy with Terry in a Villa shirt mind.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
Phil Parkes, 6`4 and a quarter.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
Phil Parkes, 6`4 and a quarter.
With a wonderful seventies porn star look.
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Richards should obviously be moved on as soon as possible. While De Laet is likely to take a while to recover fully from a horrific injury, and Bree is still learning his trade, I'd be reluctant to see us reduced to just two right backs. So keep Hutton for now.
This was my thinking really. I never rate De Laet much before his injury and we just don't know what player we will get this season. I don't even consider Richards a contender. So potentially all it would take is for Bree to be injured or take time to bed in and yeah, it could pretty quickly become a problem position.
Unless Bree excels in pre-season I suspect Hutton will start as first choice right back this year anyway.
De Laet is a very good championship RB , lets hope he recovers . he was a lot of my leicester mates fave player in the championship , they rate him
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i see Lovre Kalinic is going for a lot of money , leicester has offered 18 million but gent want 22 million , Bloody FA blocking his move to Villa ...
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We should really have made more of a fuss over that. Utterly ludicrous that a board member of a club that was competing with us to avoid relegation was allowed to have the casting vote.
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Was indicative of the general mindset around that period.
Roll over.
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i see Lovre Kalinic is going for a lot of money , leicester has offered 18 million but gent want 22 million , Bloody FA blocking his move to Villa ...
I watched him in the two games Gent played v Spurs and he was woeful on crosses. Not sure he's ready for english fooball yet.
Odd Leicester are getting him unless they're selling Schmeichel.
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Can't see it being Hart to be honest. Not sure I'd want it, either. I can only see Hart's career declining from here. There are so many good young English keepers about, it can only be a matter of time before Butland or Pickford take his England spot. Granted, he's still a decnet Keeper, but I can see him morphing into Paul Robinson from here on in. Would be hugely expensive to boot.
I'd rather someone like Johnstone who's only going to improve from here.
I can't see it being Hart either, but I would be absolutely ecstatic if it was.
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Can't see itCan't see it being Hart to be honest. Not sure I'd want it, either. I can only see Hart's career declining from here. There are so many good young English keepers about, it can only be a matter of time before Butland or Pickford take his England spot. Granted, he's still a decnet Keeper, but I can see him morphing into Paul Robinson from here on in. Would be hugely expensive to boot.
I'd rather someone like Johnstone who's only going to improve from here.
I would like the current England keeper at the Villa I don't know why you think his career will start declining from here. We have gone down the route of young keepers in the past and probably the one key position where you need experience is the keeper.
I don't know why you think his career will start declining from here. We have gone down the route of young keepers in the past and probably the one key position where you need experience is the keeper.
would like the current England keeper at the Villa I don't know why you think his career will start declining from here. We have gone down the route of young keepers in the past and probably the one key position where you need experience is the keeper.
His career's already on a pretty steep downward trajectory. In the past 12 months he's gone from a Premier League title winner to be seriously linked with a side who finished 13th in the Championship. The fact that there weren't suitors lining-up to take him last summer, or seemingly this, must tell us something. As for being England's number 1, I honestly can't see that being the case for too much longer. You talk about experience being key for a goalkeeper. I would argue that form is much more important.
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No wonder villa fans have an awful rep for being deluded and unrealistic. People are seriously suggesting it's realistic Joe Hart will sign. For a mid table 2nd Division club.
In a world cup year. Stop being silly.
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No wonder villa fans have an awful rep for being deluded and unrealistic. People are seriously suggesting it's realistic Joe Hart will sign. For a mid table 2nd Division club.
In a world cup year. Stop being silly.
Deluded and unrealistic? Villa fans are the complete opposite in my experience.
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I see Mr Bruce has confirmed his offer for Whelan. He sounds confident he will get him. Great.
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We should really have made more of a fuss over that. Utterly ludicrous that a board member of a club that was competing with us to avoid relegation was allowed to have the casting vote.
Other than appeal against it, which we did, there wasn't much more we could have done.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
I would be fine with this. Or Joe Hart.
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Joe Hart as back up is ok I suppose.
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We should really have made more of a fuss over that. Utterly ludicrous that a board member of a club that was competing with us to avoid relegation was allowed to have the casting vote.
Other than appeal against it, which we did, there wasn't much more we could have done.
We should've made it common knowledge that a Sunderland Board member was involved to embarrass those making the decision. It might not have helped on that occasion but anything that lessens our reputation as a soft touch can only be a good thing.
They might not have banned Bacuna for seventeen years for brushing the shirt of an incompetent official if they were scared of us.
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We should really have made more of a fuss over that. Utterly ludicrous that a board member of a club that was competing with us to avoid relegation was allowed to have the casting vote.
Other than appeal against it, which we did, there wasn't much more we could have done.
We should've made it common knowledge that a Sunderland Board member was involved to embarrass those making the decision. It might not have helped on that occasion but anything that lessens our reputation as a soft touch can only be a good thing.
They might not have banned Bacuna for seventeen years for brushing the shirt of an incompetent official if they were scared of us.
Common knowledge such as everyone in football knowing? Which is what happened.
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It should've been broadcast to anyone in the media who would listen, put pressure on them in the same way that the likes of Mourinho do.
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No wonder villa fans have an awful rep for being deluded and unrealistic. People are seriously suggesting it's realistic Joe Hart will sign. For a mid table 2nd Division club.
In a world cup year. Stop being silly.
Where's this reputation you talk of come from, Small Heath? Villa fans are no more deluded than fans of any other club in the land.
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Ask fans of most clubs and you will get that answer. It is what it is!
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Last summer's Marcus Rashford is this summer's Joe Hart
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No wonder villa fans have an awful rep for being deluded and unrealistic. People are seriously suggesting it's realistic Joe Hart will sign. For a mid table 2nd Division club.
In a world cup year. Stop being silly.
Where's this reputation you talk of come from, Small Heath? Villa fans are no more deluded than fans of any other club in the land.
Exactly. I remember Leicester fans arguing they would be a better bet for Veretout to join than us in Summer 15. Deluded morons.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
Phil Parkes, 6`4 and a quarter.
With a wonderful seventies porn star look.
And born in Sedgley.... (also I don't want to kick off another scrap but I think Joe Corrigan was 6'4 and trumped all for height).
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Bad news folks. Lionel has agreed contract extension with his Spanish club till 2021 which of course means we will have to think of an offer well above £200million to snare him away. :-\
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No wonder villa fans have an awful rep for being deluded and unrealistic. People are seriously suggesting it's realistic Joe Hart will sign. For a mid table 2nd Division club.
In a world cup year. Stop being silly.
Where's this reputation you talk of come from, Small Heath? Villa fans are no more deluded than fans of any other club in the land.
Yes all fans are deluded to an extent and nowt wrong with that and he has more chance of being at the WC playing twice a week rather than sitting on the bench some where.
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Bruce sounds confident of completing a deal for Glenn Whelan in the next week or 2.
I have to say, I don't really get this one. I know we need more aggression and energy in midfield, but he's 33 now. Granted that's 3 years younger than Terry, but playing in the centre of the park in the Championship is a much bigger ask. Just look at how many games Jedinak missed last season, and he's much less energetic than Whelan anyway.
I'm honestly not sure why we're not looking at Joe Ledley on a free, for the same role. Or a youngster like Chalobah, who Terry could probably influence.
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I think if the squad looks something like;
Johnstone ?, Bunn, Steer
De Laet, Bree
Terry, Chester, Baker, Samba ?
Taylor, New LB ?
Toner
Green, Adomah
New LW ?, Bjarneson
Jedinak, Lansbury, Whelan ?, Hourahane
Bacuna
Kodjia, Hogan, Grealish, McCormack, Hepburn-Murphy.
We should be fine, although we need to make sure the new winger is top quality for this division.
That means offloading Gill, Hutton, Amavi, Veretout who I think are ok but rumours suggest they are going, and Richards, Gardner, Tsibola, Agbonlahor who I think are toss or tossers, or both.
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Bruce sounds confident of completing a deal for Glenn Whelan in the next week or 2.
I have to say, I don't really get this one. I know we need more aggression and energy in midfield, but he's 33 now. Granted that's 3 years younger than Terry, but playing in the centre of the park in the Championship is a much bigger ask. Just look at how many games Jedinak missed last season, and he's much less energetic than Whelan anyway.
I'm honestly not sure why we're not looking at Joe Ledley on a free, for the same role. Or a youngster like Chalobah, who Terry could probably influence.
Glen Wheelan is an odd one. He must have a job in mind for him but hope its a short contract.
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The squad should be good enough
But the key is the team and There's a lot of work to do to get that right. I was prepared to accept a mid table finish this year but I was hoping that by the end of the season we'd be closer to a good side than we were.
Still don't really know what formation, midfield and striking combinations and style of play are going to be
All sortable but the proof is in the pudding
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The squad should be good enough
yes that squad should get us promoted . Just hope SB knows how to set the players up as he had no idea last season.
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That squad is not good enough, no goals other than Kodija.
It still looks like a bunch of misfits and with a manager that has a very limited method.
When does the clear out begin?
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The squad should be good enough
yes that squad should get us promoted . Just hope SB knows how to set the players up as he had no idea last season.
This is what worries me. Bruce needs to know the system/s that he wants to play, based on the personnel that he has / wants to sign, and have the conviction to play that way, in training and in matches.
Last season, he was reactive at the first sign of teething problems. If he really wants to play a back 3 then go for it, but make sure you're targeting players who are comfortable in that system, and then use pre-season for them to perfect it. When talks about "experimenting with a back 3 in pre-season" it makes me think that he's no nearer to knowing his best shape / starting XI than he was when he joined.
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That squad is not good enough, no goals other than Kodija.
It still looks like a bunch of misfits and with a manager that has a very limited method.
When does the clear out begin?
Have to disagree with this. There are goals in the squad, as long as Bruce uses the players effectively. Hogan, McCormack, Hourihane, Lansbury are all proven goalscorers at this level. Terry is a proven scorer from set-pieces. Adomah and Hourihane are prolific providers of chances. Grealish and Green are more than capable of doing the same.
The squad is good enough to get promoted. As long as it's coached and managed properly.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
Phil Parkes, 6`4 and a quarter.
With a wonderful seventies porn star look.
And born in Sedgley.... (also I don't want to kick off another scrap but I think Joe Corrigan was 6'4 and trumped all for height).
And still owes me a lot of beer, round shirker
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We could do with a younger Jedinak. Someone who will allow Hourihane and Lansbury to play further up the pitch. I like Jedinak a lot but fitness and age are question marks over him.
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That squad is not good enough, no goals other than Kodija.
It still looks like a bunch of misfits and with a manager that has a very limited method.
When does the clear out begin?
Have to disagree with this. There are goals in the squad, as long as Bruce uses the players effectively. Hogan, McCormack, Hourihane, Lansbury are all proven goalscorers at this level. Terry is a proven scorer from set-pieces. Adomah and Hourihane are prolific providers of chances. Grealish and Green are more than capable of doing the same.
The squad is good enough to get promoted. As long as it's coached and managed properly.
Yes, the goals will come if the football starts flowing, which brings us back to the formation / playing style being the issue that needs resolving. I'd like to see our Jack used in a 'Teddy Sheringham' role, I think he could be well suited. He's not fast enough and doesn't get to the by line enough to be a winger and he doesn't compete enough to be in midfield but in a more advanced central role just behind a main striker he could be effective. That said I'd still start the season with Kodjia and Hogan.
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That squad is not good enough, no goals other than Kodija.
It still looks like a bunch of misfits and with a manager that has a very limited method.
When does the clear out begin?
Have to disagree with this. There are goals in the squad, as long as Bruce uses the players effectively. Hogan, McCormack, Hourihane, Lansbury are all proven goalscorers at this level. Terry is a proven scorer from set-pieces. Adomah and Hourihane are prolific providers of chances. Grealish and Green are more than capable of doing the same.
The squad is good enough to get promoted. As long as it's coached and managed properly.
Yes, the goals will come if the football starts flowing, which brings us back to the formation / playing style being the issue that needs resolving. I'd like to see our Jack used in a 'Teddy Sheringham' role, I think he could be well suited. He's not fast enough and doesn't get to the by line enough to be a winger and he doesn't compete enough to be in midfield but in a more advanced central role just behind a main striker he could be effective. That said I'd still start the season with Kodjia and Hogan.
Certainly at this level I think Grealish could do some damage in a free role. The way Alan Ball got the best out of Le Tissier.
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So how many did Hogan Landsbury fat Mack Hourihane score for us last season?
Maybe it is the way they have been played and that problem has not been resolved either.
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So how many did Hogan Landsbury fat Mack Hourihane score for us last season?
Maybe it is the way they have been played and that problem has not been resolved either.
They didn't score enough and they all need to weigh in. We missed chances last season to have put more games to bed.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
Phil Parkes, 6`4 and a quarter.
With a wonderful seventies porn star look.
And born in Sedgley.... (also I don't want to kick off another scrap but I think Joe Corrigan was 6'4 and trumped all for height).
And still owes me a lot of beer, round shirker
Paul Cooper, short-arsed Brierley Hillbilly penalty specialist
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We have more than enough goals in our squad, the question is whether Bruce can get the best out of them. Just about any side in the division would cream themselves to have Kod, Hogan, Fatgate, Jack, Albert, Hotlips and Angela in their squad.
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We have enough creativity and goals in the squad, SB needs to dramatically improve on what he told them to do last season. Getting the whole team to move up ten yards may be an improvement on last season, hopefully Terry can see this if Bruce doesn't.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
Phil Parkes, 6`4 and a quarter.
With a wonderful seventies porn star look.
And born in Sedgley.... (also I don't want to kick off another scrap but I think Joe Corrigan was 6'4 and trumped all for height).
And still owes me a lot of beer, round shirker
Paul Cooper, short-arsed Brierley Hillbilly penalty specialist
He was at Small Heath before his Ipswich years.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
Phil Parkes, 6`4 and a quarter.
With a wonderful seventies porn star look.
And born in Sedgley.... (also I don't want to kick off another scrap but I think Joe Corrigan was 6'4 and trumped all for height).
And still owes me a lot of beer, round shirker
Paul Cooper, short-arsed Brierley Hillbilly penalty specialist
The Wolves version of Phil Parkes was born in West Brom. Hadn't realised until this thread but the Black Country provided more than its fair share of good but not great goalkeepers in the 70s.
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The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.
It's Peter Bonetti.
Phil Parkes, 6`4 and a quarter.
With a wonderful seventies porn star look.
And born in Sedgley.... (also I don't want to kick off another scrap but I think Joe Corrigan was 6'4 and trumped all for height).
And still owes me a lot of beer, round shirker
Paul Cooper, short-arsed Brierley Hillbilly penalty specialist
He was at Small Heath before his Ipswich years.
Paul Cooper played for Sutton Coldfield FC as well.
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Afobe being linked with a move back to Wolves in some papers today. Would be a decent signing for us.
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Afobe being linked with a move back to Wolves in some papers today. Would be a decent signing for us.
Thought he'd struck up a reasonable partnership with King so would be surprised at that.
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John Percy (who's usually very reliable) is reporting that Jonathan Walters is on the verge of joining Burnley, so we can chalk that one off.
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The more I seen of Hogan last year, the more I was puzzled that we sank so much £ on him.
The way we play, he wasn't the type of forward that was going to come in and get the 10-12 goals required to give us a serious chance of the play-offs. Particularly with the ground we had to make up.
Now it has left us seemingly short of funds this summer, when the likes of Afobe (potentially) or Assombalonga are available.
Hogan has quality, and in a busy, slick passing side that creates plenty of chances you'd back him to get on the end of things more often than not. But with the way we play, we need closer to a low rent Benteke who does a bit of everything (Afobe) or a monster who can hold the ball up well (Assombalonga).
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We could do with a younger Jedinak. Someone who will allow Hourihane and Lansbury to play further up the pitch. I like Jedinak a lot but fitness and age are question marks over him.
We already have Jordan Lyden ready to step up into that role. I'd hoped last season Bruce would have given him the chance to replace the tiring Jedinak with 20/15/10 minutes to go. Then again, I'd hoped for lots of things from Bruce last season. Lyden is "looking for a fresh, new start as the Gaffer hasn't seen much of him until now". After all the injuries he's suffered, nothing would make me happier than seeing the lad finally show what he can do.
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I don't think that this coming season is one where we could/should rely on rookies.
It is far too important.
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Yeah. You will win nothing with kids
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Is using Lyden, who didn't look out of place in the premier league as an 18year old, as cover for Jedinak really 'relying on rookies'?
I think buying cover for positions where we have have good youngsters is just wasting money, it's how you get into a situation where you've got about 5 right backs in the squad.
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There's plenty of goals in this side. They just need to play 10/15 yards higher up the park, such as Brighton where Hourihane and Lamsbury could have had 5 or 6.
Pace will make a difference and being bold enough to play 2 centrally and on the front foot.
We comfortably have the best squad in the league.
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Glenn Whelan may be 33 but he was as instrumental with Stoke last season as any of their other players. He is still an ROI international and well thought of by the Stoke fans. We need to shed this thought process that once they get to 32/33, their legs are shot. I bet that John Terry is fitter than most posters on this board and for a footballer, he is ancient!! I'll take Whelan in a heart beat, just like many would take Gaz Baz back. Whelan has know how and is a dirty little so and so. Just what we need. I reckon Whelan and Johnstone will both be Villains by the end of July. I hope for a marquee signing too (not, that was NOT John Terry!).
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Stoke had a pretty turgid season last year, so I'm not sure that being instrumental in that is much of an accolade.
As for his legs going, I would suggest that there's a reason why Stoke are selling in the first place.
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Glenn Whelan may be 33 but he was as instrumental with Stoke last season as any of their other players. He is still an ROI international and well thought of by the Stoke fans. We need to shed this thought process that once they get to 32/33, their legs are shot. I bet that John Terry is fitter than most posters on this board and for a footballer, he is ancient!! I'll take Whelan in a heart beat, just like many would take Gaz Baz back. Whelan has know how and is a dirty little so and so. Just what we need. I reckon Whelan and Johnstone will both be Villains by the end of July. I hope for a marquee signing too (not, that was NOT John Terry!).
Why is it what we need? Our problem is that we can't pass the ball so how does a niggly fucker who can't pass help us improve? The nonsense belief that we just need to fight a bit more and be a bit nastier to get promotion is years out of date, we need to use the ball better, it's really that simple.
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The more I seen of Hogan last year, the more I was puzzled that we sank so much £ on him.
The way we play, he wasn't the type of forward that was going to come in and get the 10-12 goals required to give us a serious chance of the play-offs. Particularly with the ground we had to make up.
Now it has left us seemingly short of funds this summer, when the likes of Afobe (potentially) or Assombalonga are available.
Hogan has quality, and in a busy, slick passing side that creates plenty of chances you'd back him to get on the end of things more often than not. But with the way we play, we need closer to a low rent Benteke who does a bit of everything (Afobe) or a monster who can hold the ball up well (Assombalonga).
Bruce's buys: hogan, hourihane, Lansbury, bree - all suggested he wanted to build a passing side. Performances suggested the opposite thus far. Let's see what work the can do in the summer. Unlike lambert or Gregory, Bruce has always been clear when he thinks we've not passed the ball well
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I bet that John Terry is fitter than most posters on this board and for a footballer, he is ancient!!
I think you're almost certainly right.
Annoyingly though, he and Whelan will have to play football against a bunch of even fitter 23 year olds, not a bunch of tubby, middle-aged people off the internet.
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He can sign as many forward thinking players, who like to play an attractive passing game, as he wants. If he won't let them in the final third, we won't score enough goals to go up.
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There's plenty of goals in this side. They just need to play 10/15 yards higher up the park, such as Brighton where Hourihane and Lamsbury could have had 5 or 6.
Agree, but that requires the back four holding a pretty high line which is something we won't be able to do with Terry in the side.
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I bet that John Terry is fitter than most posters on this board and for a footballer, he is ancient!!
I bet he can't post a Mick McCarthy gif as quickly as I can though.
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I can't be arsed to learn how to do it so you will have to do the same with new shirt later!
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There's plenty of goals in this side. They just need to play 10/15 yards higher up the park, such as Brighton where Hourihane and Lamsbury could have had 5 or 6.
Agree, but that requires the back four holding a pretty high line which is something we won't be able to do with Terry in the side.
Not necessarily. If our full backs press their opposite number and one remains disciplined, if we press from the front and have pace outwide ourselves, then we'd dominate territory as much as possession.
Against Brighton, the side with more to play for than not, we showed that you don't need somebody screening necessarily at home. Hourihane and Angela left space in behind but we didn't suffer.
I also think you're making too much of Terry's absence of pace. He's never had it and Baker is no quicker.
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The advantage we had against Brighton home and away is that they played a pretty flat 442
Whereas wolves' 433 really had us caught out badly home and away. So I'm not so sanguine about why you say - and the better we get the more teams would make specific plans for us
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So also not a coincidence grealish affected both games. He could play between the lines pretty freely
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I think there should be plenty of goals in this squad if Bruce gets them playing right. Green needs to play a significant part this year.
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It's horses for courses. Brentford away we needed Jedinak in that hole. Teams that come to sit are crying out to be boxed in and dominated territorially. With Terry we can play more percentage football around the box.
There's a reason we're 6/1 on and it's not because this squad is nowhere near good enough.
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McCormack has shifted a lot of timber. I wonder if he's going to knuckle down? He would seem the ideal partner for Hogan while Kodjia gets match fit.
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A fit firing McCormack would be a huge asset. Let's not forget he has a very very good record at this level.
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Wyness has said the olive branch has been handed to him and his attitude has been very good so far this summer.
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Wyness has said the olive branch has been handed to him and his attitude has been very good so far this summer.
He loves olives. Drizzles the oil onto his kebabs.
It does sound promising, and if Bruce can get going he will be a useful asset.
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The oil he needs is WD40.
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so terry , possible Whelan , johnstone and who else then ??
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Not Walters he is off to Burnley
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Not Walters he is off to Burnley
what position to fill though ?
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It's horses for courses. Brentford away we needed Jedinak in that hole. Teams that come to sit are crying out to be boxed in and dominated territorially. With Terry we can play more percentage football around the box.
There's a reason we're 6/1 on and it's not because this squad is nowhere near good enough.
We can't possibly be 6/1 on, i.e. 1/6, surely?
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Probably more me not knowing about betting. We're favourites why even I can work out.
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Fair enough. We're 8/1 on oddscchecker.
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I'm really bemused why people think we don't have good enough players for this level. We have a 20 goal a season striker, a back 4 that probably would be quite decent in the prem as it has the well drilled look about it and a pretty decent midfield.
Our big problem is mentality. I know I bang on about it but it really was a joke every time we conceded first last season we seemed to lose. Get a few comeback wins from 2-1 down to 3-2 up in last 20 minutes and that's the missing link for at least a play off finish.
I'd be really disappointed if we don't make top 2 tbh. Last season I thought that was a pipe dream with what Newcastle were signing and just the general state of us coming down from disarray. I never thought at any point last year we'd go up.
This season I don't see anything to scare us so SB must release the shackles and make us play like the dominating team in this division. Just grimly hanging onto 1-0 leads against bottom half team will not be good enough for me or I suspect the owner.
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This DaveJenkins56 on twitter has said we have offered to take Hart on loan and it's down to him. I think I've heard DaveJenkins56 being mentioned on here before...bit of a say it and see guy isn't he?
Anyway, I think Hart is crap.
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Our squad is good enough our manager is not getting the best out of it.
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Our squad is 2-3 players short. The manager has a proper pre season to work with them now. No excuses come November if we are not right up there. We still need cover for Mile, a pace option up top somewhere and a reserve left back. I am assuming Johnstone will sign in goal. Or Hart of course.
Bit of a worry, no sign of RHM on any of the training photos.
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Glenn Whelan may be 33 but he was as instrumental with Stoke last season as any of their other players. He is still an ROI international and well thought of by the Stoke fans. We need to shed this thought process that once they get to 32/33, their legs are shot. I bet that John Terry is fitter than most posters on this board and for a footballer, he is ancient!! I'll take Whelan in a heart beat, just like many would take Gaz Baz back. Whelan has know how and is a dirty little so and so. Just what we need. I reckon Whelan and Johnstone will both be Villains by the end of July. I hope for a marquee signing too (not, that was NOT John Terry!).
Why is it what we need? Our problem is that we can't pass the ball so how does a niggly fucker who can't pass help us improve? The nonsense belief that we just need to fight a bit more and be a bit nastier to get promotion is years out of date, we need to use the ball better, it's really that simple.
Because Whelan is strong, wins the ball and keeps things ticking over. If we cannot retain possession for longer periods of the game we will not be allowing our better players to do what they do best. Hourihane and Lansbury need to play further forward knowing that they can trust what's behind them. Whelan is a decent player, especially at this level. I think he'd be an astute signing.
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It's horses for courses. Brentford away we needed Jedinak in that hole. Teams that come to sit are crying out to be boxed in and dominated territorially. With Terry we can play more percentage football around the box.
There's a reason we're 6/1 on and it's not because this squad is nowhere near good enough.
We can't possibly be 6/1 on, i.e. 1/6, surely?
They both mean the same thing
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Bit of a worry, no sign of RHM on any of the training photos.
Is the Russian even in Portugal?
I've been looking for a squad list of who is at the camp but can't find any. Veretout, Amavi and Samba are all there according to the Mail. Sevilla are in talks over Amavi.
Gil instagrammed a pic of himself at an airport yesterday apparently.
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Joe Hart is ruhmored to be coming have heard he is at 3-1 to come!
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Joe Hart is ruhmored to be coming have heard he is at 3-1 to come!
5/2 now
Some Twitter sources saying a loan deal has been agreed
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Is that on skybet ? They are famous for their " Sky sports understands" link a player to a move, then wait for folk to bet money on the move.
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It's horses for courses. Brentford away we needed Jedinak in that hole. Teams that come to sit are crying out to be boxed in and dominated territorially. With Terry we can play more percentage football around the box.
There's a reason we're 6/1 on and it's not because this squad is nowhere near good enough.
We can't possibly be 6/1 on, i.e. 1/6, surely?
They both mean the same thing
He knows that, hence he wrote "6/1 on I.e. 1/6".
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It may be hopelessly optimistic, but I wonder if Terry might be our Ruud Guillit signing, a case of "Join us and you'll be playing with him".
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The odds on us signing Joe Hart have come tumbling down.
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1 year Loan deal agreed according to a lot of twitter posts
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Sam Gallagher from Southampton linked for £7m
Scored against us at VP for Blackburn last season
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Whilst it's showing our intent by signing Terry and potentially Hart. They are both short term fixes, what's the long term plan if we get promoted?
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Whilst it's showing our intent by signing Terry and potentially Hart. They are both short term fixes, what's the long term plan if we get promoted?
Let's get promoted first before we worry about that, eh.
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Whilst it's showing our intent by signing Terry and potentially Hart. They are both short term fixes, what's the long term plan if we get promoted?
Let's get promoted first before we worry about that, eh.
this
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Apparently the Hart transfer has been held up because our Whatsapp Executive is on leave.
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Whilst it's showing our intent by signing Terry and potentially Hart. They are both short term fixes, what's the long term plan if we get promoted?
Let's get promoted first before we worry about that, eh.
Well not really no. Appreciated it's very early in the transfer window, however its a valid point
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Sounds like bookmakers stirring up some interest. Can't see Hart being an achievable target. Btw doesn't he look like Russ Abbot.
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Sign Joe Hart on a permanent deal. Buy a new centre half. Buy better players in general I'd imagine.
Easy peasy.
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Should we get promoted we will have access to a whole plethora of players that are currently unavailable.
We need to get there, first. If we could sign the best keeper in the division, that would be a pretty decent start.
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Whilst it's showing our intent by signing Terry and potentially Hart. They are both short term fixes, what's the long term plan if we get promoted?
Let's get promoted first before we worry about that, eh.
Well not really no. Appreciated it's very early in the transfer window, however its a valid point
How is Hart, on the deal being described, a short term fix?
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I don't want us to sign Hart on the basis that the back of his head is too flat. He looks liked he doesn't even have a head, just one long neck. He should advertise for neck and shoulders shampoo the headless bastard.
That aside it's highly unlikely. Between signing JT and Hart, it wouldn't leave us much budget left for new players in other positions. I'd be happy with Johnstone but we still need more creativity, more cover in CM and left back, and possibly another fwd depending on who goes. Hart, at his age will want even more money than Terry.
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Whilst it's showing our intent by signing Terry and potentially Hart. They are both short term fixes, what's the long term plan if we get promoted?
Let's get promoted first before we worry about that, eh.
Well not really no. Appreciated it's very early in the transfer window, however its a valid point
How is Hart, on the deal being described, a short term fix?
Because unless I've heard differently, a one year loan is the offer?
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Whilst it's showing our intent by signing Terry and potentially Hart. They are both short term fixes, what's the long term plan if we get promoted?
Let's get promoted first before we worry about that, eh.
this
this
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I don't want us to sign Hart on the basis that the back of his head is too flat. He looks liked he doesn't even have a head, just one long neck. He should advertise for neck and shoulders shampoo the headless bastard.
That aside it's highly unlikely. Between signing JT and Hart, it wouldn't leave us much budget left for new players in other positions. I'd be happy with Johnstone but we still need more creativity, more cover in CM and left back, and possibly another fwd depending on who goes. Hart, at his age will want even more money than Terry.
I'm not sure that's true. I've not seen a suggestion that wages are a particular worry in regards to FFP. Obviously we don't want to go crazy with them but I don't think they're a major limiting factor.
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Sam Gallagher from Southampton linked for £7m
Scored against us at VP for Blackburn last season
Yes please. Just the type of centre forward we need.
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He seems to be being linked with Small Heath, rather than us.
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He seems to be being linked with Small Heath, rather than us.
Would love to see Twitch's face if we steal this one too.
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I don't want us to sign Hart on the basis that the back of his head is too flat. He looks liked he doesn't even have a head, just one long neck. He should advertise for neck and shoulders shampoo the headless bastard.
That aside it's highly unlikely. Between signing JT and Hart, it wouldn't leave us much budget left for new players in other positions. I'd be happy with Johnstone but we still need more creativity, more cover in CM and left back, and possibly another fwd depending on who goes. Hart, at his age will want even more money than Terry.
I'm not sure that's true. I've not seen a suggestion that wages are a particular worry in regards to FFP. Obviously we don't want to go crazy with them but I don't think they're a major limiting factor.
I thought the FFP rules were based on losses overall and not just related to transfers.
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If we go up, then I am pretty sure we would be in pole position to sign Hart permanently and FFP would no longer be an issue.
Can't believe people here are moaning about signing the current England goalie rather than a Man Utd reserve keeper that was a bit Meh for us last season. It would be a real coup, and would represent us starting to throw our weight around in the Championship.
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I would be staggered if Hart joined, it's a World Cup year and all his competition will be starting for clubs in the top flight.
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I don't want us to sign Hart on the basis that the back of his head is too flat. He looks liked he doesn't even have a head, just one long neck. He should advertise for neck and shoulders shampoo the headless bastard.
That aside it's highly unlikely. Between signing JT and Hart, it wouldn't leave us much budget left for new players in other positions. I'd be happy with Johnstone but we still need more creativity, more cover in CM and left back, and possibly another fwd depending on who goes. Hart, at his age will want even more money than Terry.
I'm not sure that's true. I've not seen a suggestion that wages are a particular worry in regards to FFP. Obviously we don't want to go crazy with them but I don't think they're a major limiting factor.
I thought the FFP rules were based on losses overall and not just related to transfers.
It is, but what I'm trying to get at is £3m on wages is less of a problem than £10m in fees and £1m in wages because the short-term impact is much less.
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Whilst it's showing our intent by signing Terry and potentially Hart. They are both short term fixes, what's the long term plan if we get promoted?
Let's get promoted first before we worry about that, eh.
Well not really no. Appreciated it's very early in the transfer window, however its a valid point
How is Hart, on the deal being described, a short term fix?
Because unless I've heard differently, a one year loan is the offer?
The deal that pretty much everyone mentioning it has stated is a one year loan becoming permanent (with an agreed fee) if we're promoted, sounds like exactly the type of deal we should be looking at to me.
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Whilst it's showing our intent by signing Terry and potentially Hart. They are both short term fixes, what's the long term plan if we get promoted?
Let's get promoted first before we worry about that, eh.
Well not really no. Appreciated it's very early in the transfer window, however its a valid point
How is Hart, on the deal being described, a short term fix?
Because unless I've heard differently, a one year loan is the offer?
The deal that pretty much everyone mentioning it has stated is a one year loan becoming permanent (with an agreed fee) if we're promoted, sounds like exactly the type of deal we should be looking at to me.
Agreed, much better deal than what I thought id heard
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That would be some deal if we pulled that off and retained him in the PL. He's got his faults but at 30 he has many good years left and he's still a very good keeper.
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If you weren't a Villa fan, would you hate us? Manspreading our largesse all over the place on bloated relics. Quite unsightly.
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I'd rather look at it as trying to improve and get promoted. I don't care if others hate us. I'd much rather that than receive pity or attract ridicule.
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I can think of a club not a million miles away that based their recent 'success' on loans.
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Just looking around at the ridiculous fees and wages being paid (Lukaku £75m, Sanchez asking for £400k a week for example) I'm almost relieved we are not on the PL hamster wheel. Can't help thinking it's only a matter of time before a PL club disappears down the plug hole never to be seen again
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http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-elmohamady-closing-13292789
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Surely right side is the one side we are relatively well stocked up. That said the one thing we have lacked is pace so maybe that's why he is an option.
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John Percy (who's usually very reliable) is reporting that Jonathan Walters is on the verge of joining Burnley, so we can chalk that one off.
Phew, close call that one...
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http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-elmohamady-closing-13292789
Don't get this one unless he is going to play as a wide midfielder or we will be reverting to 3 at the back.
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I thought Elmohamady looked decent in the PL so he should piss it in the Championship. Plus Bruce obviously knows and likes his character.
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I thought Elmohamady looked decent in the PL so he should piss it in the Championship. Plus Bruce obviously knows and likes his character.
The problem is regardless of his character we just don't need to be adding another right-back/right wing-back to the squad, we have 4/5 players for that spot already and he's not a huge improvement on them, he's just ok.
We really need to get away from signing players because we can and focus on what we need and work to a plan. If he, or any of the right backs we have, could play on the left it's still be unnecessary but you could justify it but this just smacks of adding to the squad for no benefit.
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Unless we have plans to sell a couple of the players already here it does seem a bit of a strange signing.
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http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-elmohamady-closing-13292789
Don't get this one unless he is going to play as a wide midfielder or we will be reverting to 3 at the back.
Proven at this level but we shouldn't attempt to play with 3 at the back again
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I am not sure there is anything in that rumour. Maybe a bit of truth in the Joe Hart one though.
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I haven't seen much of him but to me it's a player Bruce obviously trusts and it's common for manager's to go back and sign players they've worked with before. It is another right sided player though which is the one downside.
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I haven't seen much of him but to me it's a player Bruce obviously trusts and it's common for manager's to go back and sign players they've worked with before. It is another right sided player though which is the one downside.
It's the only downside but it's one that can't be ignored. Bree, Hutton, De Laet, Bacuna and Richards are all best in that role, even if you write of the last 2 to be sold you've still got 3 options who are all similar quality to elmo. If you're selling Hutton/RDL as well then it becomes acceptable but is a lot of effort for very little improvement to the squad when there are other areas where we clearly need to improve our options (left wing being top of the list).
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More convinced that he might play Bree on the right of a back 3 all the time. We need pace in the back 3 if we play it, and Bree could step out too into midfield. Not sure he's been signed as a right back long term.
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Elmo can cross a ball from memory.
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More convinced that he might play Bree on the right of a back 3 all the time. We need pace in the back 3 if we play it, and Bree could step out too into midfield. Not sure he's been signed as a right back long term.
I think De Laet can play centre half too.
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Stop signing defenders you boring bastards... we can't score!
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Maybe we plan to fool everyone by playing 11-0-0? Feckers won't be expecting that, Bruce is a genius!
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Maybe we plan to fool everyone by playing 11-0-0? Feckers won't be expecting that, Bruce is a genius!
Mourinho has been doing that for years
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Evening Mail do think he's really considering 352. I can see the logic - two strikers, could suit Jedinak and grealish, and obviously elmohamady
But I find it hard to summon much enthusiasm. I find 352 pretty boring. And not sure where green fits in (nor adomah).
I'd prefer the diamond
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http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-elmohamady-closing-13292789
Really don't understand this one. How many right backs do we have?
I know the guy can play wing back or whatever but he's never struck me as anything more than a bog standard wide player at either level for Hull.
What was the point of signing Bree?
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Evening Mail do think he's really considering 352. I can see the logic - two strikers, could suit Jedinak and grealish, and obviously elmohamady
But I find it hard to summon much enthusiasm. I find 352 pretty boring. And not sure where green fits in (nor adomah).
I'd prefer the diamond
I actually think aswell it will benefit the squad we have.
Problem was pretty much every time we played it last season it was a disaster, Newcastle at home, Forest away etc.
That's what pre season is for to drill the system into the players heads. He did get Hull playing it to a good standard and that was in the prem.
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I hate 352. I like wingers.
We are fine at centre half. We sign a centre half.
We have loads of right backs. We sign a right back.
Our most promising youngster is Green. We plan in a formation designed to exclude him.
This season is going to be fun.
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Evening Mail do think he's really considering 352. I can see the logic - two strikers, could suit Jedinak and grealish, and obviously elmohamady
But I find it hard to summon much enthusiasm. I find 352 pretty boring. And not sure where green fits in (nor adomah).
I'd prefer the diamond
It appears to be back in vogue, Chelsea won the title with it last year. As long as the players are comfortable with it and you can play on the front foot then it is great, the problems obviously start if you allow yourselves to be pushed back and it turns into 532.
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Chelsea are full of amazing, creative players in midfield. That's the area we are most lacking.
It's lunacy to base our game around the worst element of our team.
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Facebook says "Hart close to perm deal". Makes a change from shampoo.
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Who plays left wing back? Taylor? Looks like a conventional left back to me
Terry also is seen as not suited to the formation
I just don't like so many defenders. Under John Gregory we used to play 8 players whose primary job was defending or winning the ball. I worry we'd be similar under Bruce
Johnstone
Chester terry baker
Elmohamady Jedinak whelan Taylor
Lansbury
Kodjia hogan
Yuk
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Yuk indeed
Johnstone
Bree - Chester - Terry - Taylor
Jedinak
Adomah - Lansbury - Hourihane - Green
Kodija
And that leaves plenty on the bench....even I could get a tune out of that lot I reckon.
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Evening Mail do think he's really considering 352. I can see the logic - two strikers, could suit Jedinak and grealish, and obviously elmohamady
But I find it hard to summon much enthusiasm. I find 352 pretty boring. And not sure where green fits in (nor adomah).
I'd prefer the diamond
It appears to be back in vogue, Chelsea won the title with it last year. As long as the players are comfortable with it and you can play on the front foot then it is great, the problems obviously start if you allow yourselves to be pushed back and it turns into 532.
No they didn't, they played 3-4-3, which although they involve some of the same numbers, are tactically very different.
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We will need to sign cover for Taylor whichever we play. We can't go into the season with 1 left back and 4 right backs.
3-4-3 can only work if you have a ball playing centre half that steps up and a holding midfielder than can do the job of 3 men. Kante is a machine.
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De Laet will cover LB I reckon, he played there regularly for Leicester when they went up apparently?
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Elmohamady has been a certain signing since the sages of punditry let their soothsaying masks slip when we signed El Ahmadi.
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Why sign a right back when you have loads of right backs, on the basis that one can cover left back? Why not just sign a left back and make do with the multitude of contenders we already have for the right back position?
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Who plays left wing back? Taylor? Looks like a conventional left back to me
Terry also is seen as not suited to the formation
I just don't like so many defenders. Under John Gregory we used to play 8 players whose primary job was defending or winning the ball. I worry we'd be similar under Bruce
Johnstone
Chester terry baker
Elmohamady Jedinak whelan Taylor
Lansbury
Kodjia hogan
Yuk
Taylor has played left wing-back for Wales for some time now, but I don't think it really suits him. For me he is a old style kind of left back who works best with a winger playing in front of him.
I guess one of the number of right backs we have could cover on the other side if he is injured or suspended. I remember Bacuna covering there a couple of seasons ago for a few games and doing OK.
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We're now being linked with Joe Hart
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-tipped-sign-england-13292247
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I'm not that keen on Hart but, being from Shrewsbury, he'll at least have an idea that we're a big deal of a club, even in reduced circumstances.
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Yuk indeed
Johnstone
Bree - Chester - Terry - Taylor
Jedinak
Adomah - Lansbury - Hourihane - Green
Kodija
And that leaves plenty on the bench....even I could get a tune out of that lot I reckon.
That's what I would go for and if a target man comes in up front, we could always use Kodjia out wide. He was poor in his few appearances last season, but I'm hoping Bjarnason can show more this coming season and can offer some much needed goals from midfield.
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I'm not that keen on Hart but, being from Shrewsbury, he'll at least have an idea that we're a big deal of a club, even in reduced circumstances.
Everyone has their own opinion and are entitled to it, but I cannot honestly believe that people are quibbling about us potentially signing Joe Hart. When you look at who we had in goal for us last season, I would be absolutely ecstatic if he came to us.
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Me, too.
He's so good, he's even united me and Tom!
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Me, too.
He's so good, he's even united me and Tom!
Splitter! I was born in Shrewsbury and still I've turned my back on my own, just so that I can carry on disagreeing with Tom! I feel like Yanis Varoufakis, Alexi.
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I can never think of Yanis Varoufakis without being reminded of the good old days watching Czech Republic hoof the ball up to Jan Koller, while Baros waits lustily for the scraps.
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I can never think of Yanis Varoufakis without being reminded of the good old days watching Czech Republic hoof the ball up to Jan Koller, while Baros waits lustily for the scraps.
That's because you SOLD OUT.
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Shouldn't I have some money on that basis? Ben Elton isn't short of a few quid.
I'm not even any good at selling out. 😔
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Just come back with me now. The party will look after you.
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Will there be cake?
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The best cake. The biggest cake. Cake like they wish they had. And you'll eat the cake. What cake do you like? Chocolate? That's what we have. We call it 'chocolate cake'. We love it! Our cake wins.
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I'm in. Sorry Tom, sorry Joe.
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I'll pm you my bank details.
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Sorry, I've cut up all my bank cards and stabbed my bank manager.
It's was Sexual Ealing's fault!
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Come on, Lynn. Let's go to Sprowston.
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I hate 352. I like wingers.
We are fine at centre half. We sign a centre half.
We have loads of right backs. We sign a right back.
Our most promising youngster is Green. We plan in a formation designed to exclude him.
This season is going to be fun.
Bruce wont last til Xmas if we go with three at the back. There is no way Terry was signed to play at three at the back, then again Bruce has previous here back in Jan. Hate to be cynical but this signing is straight out of the Redknapp/Chimbonda school
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I like Elmohandy and think he's an ideal overlapping full back for the coming season. I also think that there is still place for a back 4.
Keeper
Elmo
chester
terry
Taylor
In midfield I like to see Grealish in a more advanced role. I'd also be in the minority and would replace jedinak and think Whelan is a better placed to o the protection job as well as keep the ball moving which is where jedinak falls down significantly. I'd only play one up front and that would be Hogan. Hourihane and Hansbury are fine but I don't really rate the latter. I think the lack of pace is going to need to be addressed which is why I'd improve on the Adomah/lansbury/hourihane trio.
A pacy wide player or attacking midfielder is required. 4-1-3-2 or 4-1-3-1-1 is best suited to the players that we have. I'm also struggling to fit Kodjia in.
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I'm really set against 352 too.
Doesn't suit Terry. Definitely doesn't suit Baker who just doesn't have that mobility or quality on the ball. I remember him playing there against Ipswich last season and repeatedly giving the ball away. Also think doesn't suit Taylor
I don't mind Elmohamady at all - but I'm worried it's a signal we will play 352 and I think this will be a big mistake
Hopefully I'm wrong one way or the other
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Hull fans appear to think Elmohamady leaving will strengthen their defence 🤔 Also say he has been rubbish the last couple of years because of his messy divorce 🤔
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Amarvi looks like he's out of favour. We need a decent left back and that's it for the defence. Obviously we need a quality keeper. We need to concentrate on midfield. I think Jedi is a great enforcer but too slow. A player with his defensive qualities coupled with pace and a great passing range would make us a team I could start to feel genuinely excited about.
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Hull fans appear to think Elmohamady leaving will strengthen their defence 🤔 Also say he has been rubbish the last couple of years because of his messy divorce 🤔
Might be true or it might be classic football fan response once a player looks like leaving a club. I thought he was instrumental in their promotion a couple of years back.
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I hope we sign Elmo. St Elmo is reputed to cure abdominal swelling. He can get to work on Gabby and McCormack.
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He is not a right back in a 4 4 2 though. He will either play wing back or right midfield in a 4.
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Hull fans appear to think Elmohamady leaving will strengthen their defence 🤔 Also say he has been rubbish the last couple of years because of his messy divorce 🤔
Might be true or it might be classic football fan response once a player looks like leaving a club. I thought he was instrumental in their promotion a couple of years back.
You only have to consider the wide range of opinions on here on players to know that comments such as "Hull fans think.." should come with a massive health warning.
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I've always thought Joe Hart is massively over rated and over hyped, including by the England management. Pep knew it and it didn't take him long to ship him out. If he was anywhere near as good as some people think he is he wouldn't need to be considering dropping into the Championship. He may be ok at Champo level but then so is Scott Carson, another former England Keeper who was massively over rated for a while.
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Scott Carson was only ever overrated, briefly, by Liverpool. Everyone else agreed fairly quickly that he was shite.
He's nowhere near the class of Joe Hart.
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Is it just me who thinks Elmohamady is crap and a really lazy signing?
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I dunno if he's crap, but he plays in a position we don't need to strengthen.
Bruce has no idea what he's doing.
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I dunno if he's crap, but he plays in a position we don't need to strengthen.
Bruce has no idea what he's doing.
This is the problem.
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http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-elmohamady-closing-13292789
Really don't understand this one. How many right backs do we have?
I know the guy can play wing back or whatever but he's never struck me as anything more than a bog standard wide player at either level for Hull.
What was the point of signing Bree?
He's a right winger in previous years, which, is strange, as Adomah is decent
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Wing back is a pretty specialist position and perhaps Bruce feels he needs a tried and trusted specialist to play that way
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If we play wing backs we won't get promoted.
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He will sign his son next to play alongside Terry with Almondcrappy wing back.
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Elmohamady if not true is hopefully lazy journalism. If true then for me it is yet another reason to think that Bruce is clueless and this is lazy managment. Whatever role he sees this fellow playing he is not significantly better, if at all, than what we have now.
Missing not added
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Whelan I understand, Hart I understand, but I don't understand Elmohamady so hopefully last journalism as you say
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I would like it if we sign Hart and Whelan would be good signings for us it would make us stronger for a promotion push that's for sure.
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Scott Carson was only ever overrated, briefly, by Liverpool. Everyone else agreed fairly quickly that he was shite.
He's nowhere near the class of Joe Hart.
Spot on. Carson was a fuckin car crash of a player and I think the whole of the Villa fan base was a nervous wreck everytime the ball went anywhere near him.
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In fairness, he wasn't too bad before he played for England. Nowhere near the laughable valuation of £9 million that Liverpool put on him, though..
He was utter gash after that England game and I was delighted we weren't stupid enough to pursue our interest in him.
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Carson was poor before and after the England debacle. Hart reminds me of Carson every time he faces a free kick.
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I thought he was reasonable before the England game... hence why he got called up.
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Carson was fine, then something happens and some Goalkeepers don't seem to recover see Guzan B.
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Carson was fine, then something happens and some Goalkeepers don't seem to recover see Guzan B.
Exactly right, if you lose confidence in yourself as a keeper it's really obvious and some of them never really recover.
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I dunno if he's crap, but he plays in a position we don't need to strengthen.
Bruce has no idea what he's doing.
Let's say we want to play with wing backs (which this lad can)
Can Bree play as a wing back ? I've no idea
Can De Laet play as a wing back ? I've no idea
Can Hutton play as a wing back ? HAHAHAHAHA
Can Richards play as a wing back ? HAHAHAHAHA
Can Bacuna play as a wing back ? HAHAHAHAHA
Just having players on the books that can *in some cases* play at right back it doesn't mean they can play at wing back clearly
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Bar Richards, any of them can play there. At least, you'd hope Bree could play they... or why did he sign him?
The sheer number of available options is a reason why we should be looking to offload players before bringing them in there.
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Bacuna and Richards are not bad wing backs. I would have bacuna in any day over Adoma. He can do one thing adoma cannot manage - cross the ball
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Is it just me who thinks Elmohamady is crap and a really lazy signing?
Me too, feels like a manager doing that thing of re-signing players because they don't rock the boat - it would be a lazy & boring signing - poor mans Kachloul for me
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I dunno if he's crap, but he plays in a position we don't need to strengthen.
Bruce has no idea what he's doing.
Let's say we want to play with wing backs (which this lad can)
Can Bree play as a wing back ? I've no idea
Can De Laet play as a wing back ? I've no idea
Can Hutton play as a wing back ? HAHAHAHAHA
Can Richards play as a wing back ? HAHAHAHAHA
Can Bacuna play as a wing back ? HAHAHAHAHA
Just having players on the books that can *in some cases* play at right back it doesn't mean they can play at wing back clearly
If Elmo was a massive upgrade in quality then maybe get him and worry about clearing people out later but I honestly don't think he is, in which case we need to seel some of the right sided players we have before we buy more.
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Bacuna and Richards are not bad wing backs. I would have bacuna in any day over Adoma. He can do one thing adoma cannot manage - cross the ball
yep, wingers appear right at the top of the assists table 2 years running because of their inability to cross.
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I think Bacuna's crossing flattered to deceive for a few seasons simply because Beneteke was so good in the air. The goal CB scored at White hart Lane springs to mind. The cross was practically behind him, making the header even more impressive.
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I think Bacuna's crossing flattered to deceive for a few seasons simply because Beneteke was so good in the air. The goal CB scored at White hart Lane springs to mind. The cross was practically behind him, making the header even more impressive.
The ball through for Cleverly against Everton was pretty good though.
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Bacuna and Richards are not bad wing backs. I would have bacuna in any day over Adoma. He can do one thing adoma cannot manage - cross the ball
yep, wingers appear right at the top of the assists table 2 years running because of their inability to cross.
Beat me to it.
Was stood next to a bloke at Wigan, nice fella, but he was giving Adomah pelters about his crossing around 30 seconds before he placed an inch perfect ball onto Hogan's head.
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Yeah, but you can be good for five seconds and crap for 92 minutes. Speaking of which, I wonder how Benty is doing, still at Derby I guess.
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I have a few concerns with Bruce. Is he planning on playing 2 wings backs beacuse its now in vogue after Conte won the league doing it? If so surely he knows we don't have the midfield to allow it to be a tactical plan that will gain promotion.
Why did we sign Bree? Did we sign him as a right back or a wing back? If it's the former...then again we have no overarching tactical plan or style of play in mind. Sign a player to play one way, never play him and then completely change tactics meaning a signing is effectively pointless.
So annoying..
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Yeah, but you can be good for five seconds and crap for 92 minutes. Speaking of which, I wonder how Benty is doing, still at Derby I guess.
Of course you can, but Adomah put in enough crosses which led to goals or missed sitters that saying he can't cross can only be considered as factually incorrect. You can argue that he should get in more than he does, or that his delivery isn't as consistent as it should be but those are different arguments.
The simple truth is that Kodjia and Adomah are the 2 attacking players we had last season who were effective, before we talk about dropping/replacing either of them I'd like to see 2-3 other players having an influence with any regularity.
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Carson was poor before and after the England debacle. Hart reminds me of Carson every time he faces a free kick.
That's honestly not how I remember it.
I thought he was very good prior to the England mess.
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Carson was poor before and after the England debacle. Hart reminds me of Carson every time he faces a free kick.
That's honestly not how I remember it.
I thought he was very good prior to the England mess.
I agree. I thought he was doing well for us but never fully recovered from that England game. Even though he was playing well I was surprised to see Steve MacLaren throw him in. I think it was David James who was dropped for him wasn't it?
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Carson was poor before and after the England debacle. Hart reminds me of Carson every time he faces a free kick.
That's honestly not how I remember it.
I thought he was very good prior to the England mess.
The only thing I recall about Carson's time with us is that every time the opponents had a free kick inside 40yds it was going on.
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Bacuna and Richards are not bad wing backs
:o :o :o :o :o
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I think wing back would suit Bacuna more than any position to be honest. He's got the pace for it and a decent cross.
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Bacuna and Richards are not bad wing backs
:o :o :o :o :o
"They ain't half bad." "No. They're all bad."
Waldorf & Statler.
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Wing back is a pretty specialist position and perhaps Bruce feels he needs a tried and trusted specialist to play that way
That's the thing. If we're going to play wing backs, then why sell Amavi? He would be far more suited to that position than Taylor.
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I think wing back would suit Bacuna more than any position to be honest. He's got the pace for it and a decent cross.
I'm quite happy with Bacuna on the right as a wide midfielder or a wing back. To me he is one of a number of our players who should shine in this division.
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I've rarely seen Bacuna have a good game in midfield - all his best performances have been as full back or wing back in my view
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I've rarely seen Bacuna have a good game in midfield - all his best performances have been as full back or wing back in my view
I'd go with that. Like Ulises de la Cruz before him, he gets stick for playing in what isn't his best position.
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Bacuna has all the technical attributes to be a very good central midfielder but the open spaces seem to confuse him and he looks lost. When he's out wide and his options are limited he looks a much better player. On top of that I think the differences between a good wing back and a good box-to-box midfielder are pretty small, the understanding of space and ability to cross are the main things.
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He's too limited to play within tight confines, but coming onto the ball in space he can use his pace and crossing ability
I'd have him at right back a lot more than we do. I know Hutton gets forward but his crossing is almost unbelievably bad. He just can't get any sort of shape on the ball.
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I've rarely seen Bacuna have a good game in midfield - all his best performances have been as full back or wing back in my view
I'd go with that. Like Ulises de la Cruz before him, he gets stick for playing in what isn't his best position.
Every squad needs a Bacuna type player. Not brilliant but does a job where's he's asked.
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Bacuna has all the technical attributes to be a very good central midfielder but the open spaces seem to confuse him and he looks lost. When he's out wide and his options are limited he looks a much better player. On top of that I think the differences between a good wing back and a good box-to-box midfielder are pretty small, the understanding of space and ability to cross are the main things.
That's probably why he's a wide player and not a centre midfielder. I can't think of too many wide players who would suit playing in the middle, unless anyone else can.
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We've seen glimpses of ability from Bacuna but my main criticism is that he has big lapses of concentration and will go missing at crucial times.
-
Plays a great through ball every now and then though. That killer ball taking out our entire defence for Shane Long to score against us was top notch.
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He may have some ability, but lacks footballing intelligence.
Like pretty much all Lambert's signings bar Benteke, the ability they did show was fatally undermined by their flaws, hence why they were cheap and no other fucker wanted them.
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Looks like the lad from Hull is going to happen.
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Is he not a winger?
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Looks like the lad from Hill is going to happen.
It's been an uphill struggle.
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Looks like the lad from Hill is going to happen.
It's been an uphill struggle.
The fuck are you on about.....
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Looks like the lad from Hill is going to happen.
It's been an uphill struggle.
The fuck are you on about.....
Ta da.
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Looks like the lad from Hill is going to happen.
It's been an uphill struggle.
The fuck are you on about.....
Ta da.
******
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Ha ha
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Bit camp, Hill.
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I've rarely seen Bacuna have a good game in midfield - all his best performances have been as full back or wing back in my view
I'd go with that. Like Ulises de la Cruz before him, he gets stick for playing in what isn't his best position.
Every squad needs a Bacuna type player. Not brilliant but does a job where's he's asked.
He would be fine as a bench option for us next season. He's looked most at ease when playing right-back and I think that would be his best bet going forward.
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Going back to the back 3, I could see Jedinak dropping back into the middle of a back three if Whelan arrives.
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Looks like Bruce is hopeful Sam Johnstone will sign soon. 24/48 hours apparently
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Is he not a winger?
He is.
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Looks like Bruce is hopeful Sam Johnstone will sign soon. 24/48 hours apparently
Which presumably ends the talk of Hart coming in.
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Looks like Bruce is hopeful Sam Johnstone will sign soon. 24/48 hours apparently
Which presumably ends the talk of Hart coming in.
Might bring both in.
Hart as number 1 with Johnstone his understudy.
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No that won't happen in a million years
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Looks like Bruce is hopeful Sam Johnstone will sign soon. 24/48 hours apparently
Excellent excellent news, thought he was very good once he settled, he will develop hugely having Terry in front of him also.
Guess it's a loan, if so hope there's a clause that it's permanent if we get up this season.
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No that won't happen in a million years
Probably not, but, never say never ;)
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No that won't happen in a million years
Probably not, but, never say never ;)
Never
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Amavi sold
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Amavi sold
A real shame, initially showed huge promise if still a bit raw, but the injury was bad and at a bad time.
All the best to him though, he seemed a good sort.
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Amavi sold
A real shame, initially showed huge promise if still a bit raw, but the injury was bad and at a bad time.
All the best to him though, he seemed a good sort.
how much ??
-
Where's this confirmed?
-
Amavi sold
A real shame, initially showed huge promise if still a bit raw, but the injury was bad and at a bad time.
All the best to him though, he seemed a good sort.
how much ??
Couldn't see but he's gone to Sevilla by looks of it. Probably go somewhere else in two years £50m.
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Aston Villa FCVerified account @AVFCOfficial 16m
Breaking news: #AVFC and @SevillaFC agree the transfer of @JordanAmavi, subject to medical testing...
Good luck for the future, Jordan.
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£16m is decent business, even in these crazy days.
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Where's this confirmed?
OS, official facebook, official twitter, so everywhere that matters really.
€9m apparently, that isn't confirmed though.
I'm not sure what it says about Bruce if we sell 1 of our 2 left backs and use the proceeds to fund his 2nd new right back in 6 months and the 5th in the squad.
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That doesn't seem much.
-
Where's this confirmed?
OS, official facebook, official twitter, so everywhere that matters really.
€9m apparently, that isn't confirmed though.
I'm not sure what it says about Bruce if we sell 1 of our 2 left backs and use the proceeds to fund his 2nd new right back in 6 months and the 5th in the squad.
That '16m' in PWS quote is the fucking time, isn't it?
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It is. €9 million seems low.
-
about £7m so not much less than we paid really.
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I suppose you can look at it that we got about £8m for a bloke that couldn't hold down a regular place in the shittest Villa side for over 40 years.
And he'll go from not being able to hold down a place for a mid table Championship side to playing in the CL this season.
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After an awful injury. I still think he'll go on to be a very good player and I hope we have a sell on fee.
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Powderpuff defender. Glad he's gone. One out for a fee.
Villa using out of contract player signing and a Goalie loan signing as well maybe.
Well done Villa.
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So do I on both counts. But when it comes to transfer fee how much can you genuinely expect for someone that was pretty shit at times when they played in Division 2, and missed most of the previous season through injury. He hasn't played well for a number of consecutive games for 2 years now.
Put it this way. if Amavi had spent the last two years at say Norwich, with the same injury and performances etc, how many would want us spending £8m+ on him?
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I am absolutely convinced he will go on to be a great player. But yeah, just wasn't happening with us.
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[/quote]After an awful injury. I still think he'll go on to be a very good player and I hope we have a sell on fee.
This. How many times have we sold low and bought high and never seem to get sell on fees ? Peter Crouch springs to mind, didn't we buy him for £5m from Pompey, Sell him for £2m to Saints who sold him for £9m to Liverpool with us getting sweet nothing! I hope Keith is Mr 20%
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Middlesboro have made two very solid signings, Howson and Christie. Darlow looks off too, better than Brad Guzan anyway, surprised Newcastle are getting rid of him.
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Bruce did an interview here
Anyway he said they are trying to get Sam Johnstone signed in the next few days. That would work for me.
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We have not enquired, and have zero interest, Joe Hart.
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Any other nibbles?
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Bruce did an interview here
Anyway he said they are trying to get Sam Johnstone signed in the next few days. That would work for me.
Say what you like he does come across well and thoroughly likeable, just hope a pre-season is all he needed
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That is the problem, he is eminently likeable and easy to relate to. Which makes his tactics, style of football and certain transfers so bloody difficult to fathom.
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Now we've got rid of Amavi, in my view the following need to be got rid;
Gollini
Bunn
Steer I've put all three on my list, as apart from Gollini still having a year left on his loan, can anyone see either of the other two making it, even as decent cover ?
Richards **
Elphick Seems slow,and now we've signed Terry,can't see him figuring so if we can get some of our money back, get rid.
Cissokho was supposedly on a plane to Turkey last week, anyone know anything?
Gil *
Vertout * both have been rumoured to (a) not wanting to play for us (b) be leaving, anyone have any updates?
Tshibola rumoured to be another on a plane to Turkey last week, and rumoured that Bruce doesn't rate him.Any updates?
Bacuna **
Agbonlahor **
McCormick **
** players who in my opinion have took the piss and leeched a living out of our great club, for next to the square root of F All return.
I would also tell Grealish to quickly start justifying his place in the team next season, otherwise I'd get rid.
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Agreed - but can't see any takers for Richards, gabby or McCormack given finances involved
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McCormack will end up on a heavily-subsidised loan. Rangers or Fulham.
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I hope we start McCormack with Hogan this season, he looked good at the start of last season and think if he gets a solid run of 10 games he will start scoring.
There is no question he has the ability to score 20 plus goals in this league given the chance and the right attitude from him.
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If McCormack is in a better place mentally I'd keep him. We paid a lot for him and if he's putting the effort in he could be a useful player. We need options and we don't want to overhaul the squad again.
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I don't think we will get rid of RMC. He will actually get a pre-season now, he looks in much better condition so you just hope that he's sorted his personal issues out.
Wyness said an olive branch had been extended and that he had grasped it and was working very hard. End of the day he's scored more goals than anybody going these past few years.
No point subsidising somebody else's promotion push.
One of Hogan, Kodjia and RMC will be on the bench. Nobody else can boast three 20 goal a season strikers in their squad. With the defence looking in good nick, it's critical those wide areas are straightened and Jedinak gets some cover.
We have a very strong squad.
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That is the problem, he is eminently likeable and easy to relate to. Which makes his tactics, style of football and certain transfers so bloody difficult to fathom.
Precisely!
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Bruce did an interview here
Anyway he said they are trying to get Sam Johnstone signed in the next few days. That would work for me.
Say what you like he does come across well and thoroughly likeable, just hope a pre-season is all he needed
Steve Bruce "I've been working in management for 20 years to get an opportunity like this, I'm not going to give it up lightly"
He certainly knows the importance of the upcoming season.
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Looks like Bruce is hopeful Sam Johnstone will sign soon. 24/48 hours apparently
Which presumably ends the talk of Hart coming in.
Would have thought so. Johnstone with Steer and maybe even Bunn would be enough.
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Looks like Bruce is hopeful Sam Johnstone will sign soon. 24/48 hours apparently
Which presumably ends the talk of Hart coming in.
Would have thought so. Johnstone with Steer and maybe even Bunn would be enough.
Hasn't Bunn gone to Northampton?
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Looks like Bruce is hopeful Sam Johnstone will sign soon. 24/48 hours apparently
Which presumably ends the talk of Hart coming in.
Would have thought so. Johnstone with Steer and maybe even Bunn would be enough.
Hasn't Bunn gone to Northampton?
No, that was a spoof.
-
Now we've got rid of Amavi, in my view the following need to be got rid;
Gollini
Bunn
Steer I've put all three on my list, as apart from Gollini still having a year left on his loan, can anyone see either of the other two making it, even as decent cover ?
Richards **
Elphick Seems slow,and now we've signed Terry,can't see him figuring so if we can get some of our money back, get rid.
Cissokho was supposedly on a plane to Turkey last week, anyone know anything?
Gil *
Vertout * both have been rumoured to (a) not wanting to play for us (b) be leaving, anyone have any updates?
Tshibola rumoured to be another on a plane to Turkey last week, and rumoured that Bruce doesn't rate him.Any updates?
Bacuna **
Agbonlahor **
McCormick **
** players who in my opinion have took the piss and leeched a living out of our great club, for next to the square root of F All return.
I would also tell Grealish to quickly start justifying his place in the team next season, otherwise I'd get rid.
I would keep Elphick, Bacuna and McCormick. I would give another chance to Vertout (if he is interested in giving it a go) and Tshibola. Cissokho, Gabby and Richards sum up our last few years for me. Stealing a living. I don't rate Gollini or Steer but I have no problem with Bunn as a back up keeper to Johnstone.
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I would love McCormack to settle and prosper at Villa. There's something a bit Saunders-ish about him.
If we can sort out the supply from midfield, we'll do well.
-
Bruce did an interview here
Anyway he said they are trying to get Sam Johnstone signed in the next few days. That would work for me.
Say what you like he does come across well and thoroughly likeable, just hope a pre-season is all he needed
Steve Bruce "I've been working in management for 20 years to get an opportunity like this, I'm not going to give it up lightly"
He certainly knows the importance of the upcoming season.
Lets hope he does and can actually decide on a formation and employ some tactics after the abomination of last season
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My concern is he mentions experience being brought in.in my world that means more journeymen from prem.
He is a really nice bloke and I would love him to do well. But TSM was as nice a man you could wish to meet and there are a few parallels bètween both of them, regrettably the biggest one is negatively defensive football.
-
Bruce did an interview here
Anyway he said they are trying to get Sam Johnstone signed in the next few days. That would work for me.
Say what you like he does come across well and thoroughly likeable, just hope a pre-season is all he needed
Steve Bruce "I've been working in management for 20 years to get an opportunity like this, I'm not going to give it up lightly"
He certainly knows the importance of the upcoming season.
Lets hope he does and can actually decide on a formation and employ some tactics after the abomination of last season
That was a very good interview , if he can put that talk on to the pitch, we are in for a good season. Steve Bruce claret and blue army.
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Bruce did an interview here
Anyway he said they are trying to get Sam Johnstone signed in the next few days. That would work for me.
Say what you like he does come across well and thoroughly likeable, just hope a pre-season is all he needed
Steve Bruce "I've been working in management for 20 years to get an opportunity like this, I'm not going to give it up lightly"
He certainly knows the importance of the upcoming season.
He talked the same talk last season. As did McLeish, Sherwood etc. Lets not be fooled, the proposed signing of another right back suggests he hasnt learned one iota imho
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Bruce did an interview here
Anyway he said they are trying to get Sam Johnstone signed in the next few days. That would work for me.
Say what you like he does come across well and thoroughly likeable, just hope a pre-season is all he needed
Steve Bruce "I've been working in management for 20 years to get an opportunity like this, I'm not going to give it up lightly"
He certainly knows the importance of the upcoming season.
He talked the same talk last season. As did McLeish, Sherwood etc. Lets not be fooled, the proposed signing of another right back suggests he hasnt learned one iota imho
He has not had a full season yet.
Before that he did 'learn' as he got Hull promoted.
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Bruce did an interview here
Anyway he said they are trying to get Sam Johnstone signed in the next few days. That would work for me.
Say what you like he does come across well and thoroughly likeable, just hope a pre-season is all he needed
Steve Bruce "I've been working in management for 20 years to get an opportunity like this, I'm not going to give it up lightly"
He certainly knows the importance of the upcoming season.
He is. Smart, sane, ambitious, thoughtful, likable. I just hope the football he has us playing next season matches his character.
-
We have a very strong squad.
I agree - it's a squad almost every other manager in the league would kill for.
-
Over to you then Me. Bruce, just don't be so defensive. I think it's a very decent squad
-
Now we've got rid of Amavi, in my view the following need to be got rid;
Gollini
Bunn
Steer I've put all three on my list, as apart from Gollini still having a year left on his loan, can anyone see either of the other two making it, even as decent cover ?
Richards **
Elphick Seems slow,and now we've signed Terry,can't see him figuring so if we can get some of our money back, get rid.
Cissokho was supposedly on a plane to Turkey last week, anyone know anything?
Gil *
Vertout * both have been rumoured to (a) not wanting to play for us (b) be leaving, anyone have any updates?
Tshibola rumoured to be another on a plane to Turkey last week, and rumoured that Bruce doesn't rate him.Any updates?
Bacuna **
Agbonlahor **
McCormick **
** players who in my opinion have took the piss and leeched a living out of our great club, for next to the square root of F All return.
I would also tell Grealish to quickly start justifying his place in the team next season, otherwise I'd get rid.
I would keep Elphick, Bacuna and McCormick. I would give another chance to Vertout (if he is interested in giving it a go) and Tshibola. Cissokho, Gabby and Richards sum up our last few years for me. Stealing a living. I don't rate Gollini or Steer but I have no problem with Bunn as a back up keeper to Johnstone.
Yep, that's pretty much how I see it apart from Elphick who I would worry about if he had to play so I'd get rid. Samba might be up to it so we'd have 4. I agree on Veretout but I'd say it's extremely unlikely he'll stay.
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Looks like Bruce is hopeful Sam Johnstone will sign soon. 24/48 hours apparently
Which presumably ends the talk of Hart coming in.
Would have thought so. Johnstone with Steer and maybe even Bunn would be enough.
Hasn't Bunn gone to Northampton?
No, that was a spoof.
No, it was Risso.
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Looks like the incomings are going to be tied up soon - Johnstone, Terry, elmohamady and either MacArthur or Whelan. At least I'm guessing that's it for permanent transfers. Although a loan on top of Johnstone from the likes of arsenal or chelsea wouldn't go amiss.
After several trolly dashes I think this is welcome. Now we need to focus on fitness, shape, pattern, tactics.
On paper I think we've got the best squad in the league. But on the pitch performances last year were so poor that there's a lot of work to be done. I'm coming round a bit to the 352 idea, though it's still not a formation I really like. And I think we'll be weak down the left hand side with baker poor on the ball and Taylor looking more of a standard full back to me. I wonder if we'll see de Laet or bree in the back three, or bjarnason or even green at LWB
Or we may ditch 352 after losing our opening three games!
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Looks like the incomings are going to be tied up soon - Johnstone, Terry, elmohamady and either MacArthur or Whelan. At least I'm guessing that's it for permanent transfers. Although a loan on top of Johnstone from the likes of arsenal or chelsea wouldn't go amiss.
After several trolly dashes I think this is welcome. Now we need to focus on fitness, shape, pattern, tactics.
On paper I think we've got the best squad in the league. But on the pitch performances last year were so poor that there's a lot of work to be done. I'm coming round a bit to the 352 idea, though it's still not a formation I really like. And I think we'll be weak down the left hand side with baker poor on the ball and Taylor looking more of a standard full back to me. I wonder if we'll see de Laet or bree in the back three, or bjarnason or even green at LWB
I agree with the general squad strength. But we didn't punch our weight last season. Teams are up for it against us. As a veteran home and away supporter from 1987-1988 they all love Villa rocking up in town or them having a day out at Villa Park. I remember lots of good away days and I also remember a lot of teams turning up at Villa Park as if it was a cup final.
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I would love McCormack to settle and prosper at Villa. There's something a bit Saunders-ish about him.
If we can sort out the supply from midfield, we'll do well.
Jennifer presumably ?
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I would love McCormack to settle and prosper at Villa. There's something a bit Saunders-ish about him.
If we can sort out the supply from midfield, we'll do well.
Jennifer presumably ?
Do you want to bet against her? ;)
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Bruce did an interview here
Anyway he said they are trying to get Sam Johnstone signed in the next few days. That would work for me.
Say what you like he does come across well and thoroughly likeable, just hope a pre-season is all he needed
Steve Bruce "I've been working in management for 20 years to get an opportunity like this, I'm not going to give it up lightly"
He certainly knows the importance of the upcoming season.
Lets hope he does and can actually decide on a formation and employ some tactics after the abomination of last season
That was a very good interview , if he can put that talk on to the pitch, we are in for a good season. Steve Bruce claret and blue army.
Ifs ifs ifs
A bit like when he said we werent trying hard enough away from home about 8 times and did sod all about it
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I would love McCormack to settle and prosper at Villa. There's something a bit Saunders-ish about him.
If we can sort out the supply from midfield, we'll do well.
Jennifer presumably ?
I flipping hope so. What a joke.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3976873/aston-villa-peter-crouch-stoke-john-terry-steve-bruce/
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3976873/aston-villa-peter-crouch-stoke-john-terry-steve-bruce/
Yes please.
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Please don't give links to the Sun.
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I like Crouchy but we're already struggling to fit Hogan in, McCormack could well get another chance and I really hope Hepburn gets some opportunities. Presumably Bruce guaranteed him at least a run of games to make him finally sign that contract he was stalling on. And Kodjia is obviously still top dog.
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It looks like he wants to turn us into Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough. To be fair, they went up. Hopefully he's sacked before we come down again.
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It looks like he wants to turn us into Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough. To be fair, they went up. Hopefully he's sacked before we come down again.
Genuine question, what was Robson's Boro like? I never really followed them that closely.
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It looks like he wants to turn us into Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough. To be fair, they went up. Hopefully he's sacked before we come down again.
Genuine question, what was Robson's Boro like? I never really followed them that closely.
They went down and signed bloody Paul Merson in his pomp. I don't think even our largesse matches that.
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https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/3976873/aston-villa-peter-crouch-stoke-john-terry-steve-bruce/
Yes please.
Yep. Exactly the kind of player we need.
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It looks like he wants to turn us into Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough. To be fair, they went up. Hopefully he's sacked before we come down again.
Genuine question, what was Robson's Boro like? I never really followed them that closely.
They went down and signed bloody Paul Merson in his pomp. I don't think even our largesse matches that.
They also signed Clayton Blackmore, Gary Pallister, Emerson and Nigel Pearson.
I think, to be fair, that Emerson was signed once they were up.
Also, I don't like disagreeing with you, LeeB. Can you say something pithy about the tories that I can say 'this' to.
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It looks like he wants to turn us into Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough. To be fair, they went up. Hopefully he's sacked before we come down again.
Genuine question, what was Robson's Boro like? I never really followed them that closely.
They went down and signed bloody Paul Merson in his pomp. I don't think even our largesse matches that.
They also signed Clayton Blackmore, Gary Pallister, Emerson and Nigel Pearson.
I think, to be fair, that Emerson was signed once they were up.
Also, I don't like disagreeing with you, LeeB. Can you say something pithy about the tories that I can say 'this' to.
Thanks both :)
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It looks like he wants to turn us into Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough. To be fair, they went up. Hopefully he's sacked before we come down again.
Genuine question, what was Robson's Boro like? I never really followed them that closely.
Signed the likes of Juninho, Barmby, Ince, Merson and Ravenelli and still managed to be rubbish.
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The Amazing Adventures of Captain Marvel
So pissed he forgot his boots:
(https://www.imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/07/09/Pisshead2.jpg)
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The Amazing Adventures of Captain Marvel
So pissed he forgot his boots:
(https://www.imageupload.co.uk/images/2017/07/09/Pisshead2.jpg)
I presume the jacket and tie/football kit combo is to highlight he is a player manager. Although there is something about that picture that slightly unnerves me.
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Big no from me on crouch, we have kodija, hogan, rhm, mcormack and gabby
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Yeah I don't see why we need another striker
Also surprised if we let Hutton go
Though Alan Nixon one of the more reliable journos
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Hutton himself said he was going nowhere. Surprised at the Crouch link. I think we will.look for an awkward forward potentially on loan but I can't see it being Crouch.
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Crouch would be as awesome signing. He's still a quality player and would add a dimension we just don't have. He would bring others into the game too in a way we have not got capacity for currently. Means to an end.
Simple question is would he help us get promoted. Answer is yes. Same goes for Would Whelan? Probably. We need more grit in there.
One I would love to see us go and get would be Gradel at Bournemouth. Apparently available for 2.5m and has done it at this level before.
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Of course he's staying. What other club is dumb enough to pay him £30k-a-week?
Roll on 2018/19... Barring extreme stupidity, garbage like Hutton and Gabby will be gone forever!!
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Agreed wholeheartedly. Gradel has bags of pace too so would love to get him in.
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I do rate Crouch still, as he is a much better player than he gets credit for. My main concern would be how Bruce would intend to use him if we were to sign him.
I can't help but fear we would resort to a long/high ball team with a single target man. We need to be making better use of the squad we already have, not bypassing them.
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Crouch will be 37 in six months time and will probably only drop down a division for a two-year deal.
No thanks!
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It depends how its used. if the ball up top is desgned for the forward to hold onto the ball to bring in runners then its a valid tactic. If we just launch it hoping for flick ons then its a premier league defensive tactic that you see from bottom teams against the top ones.
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Spending £8m a year on wages for Crouch and Terry would be madness. Randy Lerner madness.
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It looks like he wants to turn us into Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough. To be fair, they went up. Hopefully he's sacked before we come down again.
Genuine question, what was Robson's Boro like? I never really followed them that closely.
They went down and signed bloody Paul Merson in his pomp. I don't think even our largesse matches that.
They also signed Clayton Blackmore, Gary Pallister, Emerson and Nigel Pearson.
I think, to be fair, that Emerson was signed once they were up.
Also, I don't like disagreeing with you, LeeB. Can you say something pithy about the tories that I can say 'this' to.
Didn't they sign Lake and Palmer as well?
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Against Hull we may well have a starting XI of;
Johnstone
Taylor
Terry
Chester
Bree
Jedinak
Hourihane
Lansbury
Adomah
RMC
Hogan
With Kodjia to come back and maybe one or two new faces and plenty of depth.
I think that side looks very strong, possibly a wideman with pace short (who would come in for Jedinak).
Compare that with;
Gollini
Cissokho
Baker
Ekphick
Hutton
Bacuna
Westwood
Gardner
Ayew
RMC
Gestede
That's how we lined up against Wednesday. I think what we have now compares strongly against that.
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All on paper though isn't it? The reality has underperformed
Anyway I reckon we'll start
Johnstone
Chester Taylor baker
Elmohamady Jedinak whelan Taylor
Lansbury
Hogan crouch
Subs: steer bree Bacuna hourihane grealish adomah Kodjia
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It doesn't look like a side good enough for promotion. A totally untested forward line with little pace and the grand total of 4 league goals for us between them last season. And the same lack of pace, creativity and width in midfield. Top 10 at best with that team.
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Yeah it doesn't inspire much does it. Although 352 would have width
Obviously Kodjia to come in and hopefully green and grealish to add some guile
But yeh I'm not expecting thrill a minute
This league is very mediocre though. I don't think we have to be that good to go up.
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All on paper though isn't it? The reality has underperformed
Anyway I reckon we'll start
Johnstone
Chester Taylor baker
Elmohamady Jedinak whelan Taylor
Lansbury
Hogan crouch
Subs: steer bree Bacuna hourihane grealish adomah Kodjia
I think I'd play Terry in the defence rather than expecting Taylor to cover 2 positions, but otherwise I quite like that team. Obviously Kodjia will have to come back in when fit but who he partners would depend on who we're playing. Usually Hogan would be the better but Crouch would be good when his height is required or coming off the bench. I think we'd win a lot of games 1-0 with that team.
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All on paper though isn't it? The reality has underperformed
Anyway I reckon we'll start
Johnstone
Chester Taylor baker
Elmohamady Jedinak whelan Taylor
Lansbury
Hogan crouch
Subs: steer bree Bacuna hourihane grealish adomah Kodjia
We won't concede many with a back seven like that.
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Crouch is still Stoke's best striker.
I did think we'd get another striker but that was before McCormack was thrown an olive branch (hopefully he hasn't eaten it) With him and Gabby still around I really don't see how we could justify getting another one, Kodjia should be back in September aswell.
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All on paper though isn't it? The reality has underperformed
Anyway I reckon we'll start
Johnstone
Chester Taylor baker
Elmohamady Jedinak whelan Taylor
Lansbury
Hogan crouch
Subs: steer bree Bacuna hourihane grealish adomah Kodjia
I think I'd play Terry in the defence rather than expecting Taylor to cover 2 positions, but otherwise I quite like that team. Obviously Kodjia will have to come back in when fit but who he partners would depend on who we're playing. Usually Hogan would be the better but Crouch would be good when his height is required or coming off the bench. I think we'd win a lot of games 1-0 with that team.
Yeah. That and baker being suspended 😐
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Even by SB's standards playing a back 3 and Whelan and Jedinak in a home game is taking things a little too far I suspect.
Template was last home game even if Brighton were on the beach. A mobile DM with Hourihane and Lansbury being given licence to push forward as much as possible.
Can see Jedinak being played more in the back 3 this year (probably for the games Terry is rested for) and a signing like Whelan filling his role.
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I think the team I'd like to see though is;
-----------------Johnstone-------------
De Laet------Chester----Terry---Taylor
Elhammody--Jedinak---Whelan--Green
------------Hogan----Kodjia-------------
Subs:
Steer
Bacuna
Baker
Hourahane
Lansbury
Grealish
Crouch
Based on current squad and strong links. That's 3 good attacking options on the bench if we need a new approach during the second half.
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Against Hull we may well have a starting XI of;
Johnstone
Taylor
Terry
Chester
Bree
Jedinak
Hourihane
Lansbury
Adomah
RMC
Hogan
With Kodjia to come back and maybe one or two new faces and plenty of depth.
I think that side looks very strong, possibly a wideman with pace short (who would come in for Jedinak).
Compare that with;
Gollini
Cissokho
Baker
Ekphick
Hutton
Bacuna
Westwood
Gardner
Ayew
RMC
Gestede
That's how we lined up against Wednesday. I think what we have now compares strongly against that.
That's the same side as the second half of last season and it wasn't good enough. There's no pace in the side and no naturally left sided midfielder so we'd end up pushing Lansbury out there, looking shit and not playing to his strengths.
We need to inject a bit of pace in the side, have players playing in their natural positions 1-11 and get some cover for Jedinak who will miss games next season.
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I think the team I'd like to see though is;
-----------------Johnstone-------------
De Laet------Chester----Terry---Taylor
Elhammody--Jedinak---Whelan--Green
------------Hogan----Kodjia-------------
Subs:
Steer
Bacuna
Baker
Hourahane
Lansbury
Grealish
Crouch
Based on current squad and strong links. That's 3 good attacking options on the bench if we need a new approach during the second half.
glad we bought that new midfield in January !?
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Well we still have around 35 first team players, waaaaay too many, we need to trim that by something close to 10 players.
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Snigger.
Yes, they've not set the world on fire but I haven't given up in them to be fair. If they all play to the standards we hoped they could all break back into the team if the others are not a great improvement.
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I think the team I'd like to see though is;
-----------------Johnstone-------------
De Laet------Chester----Terry---Taylor
Elhammody--Jedinak---Whelan--Green
------------Hogan----Kodjia-------------
Subs:
Steer
Bacuna
Baker
Hourahane
Lansbury
Grealish
Crouch
Based on current squad and strong links. That's 3 good attacking options on the bench if we need a new approach during the second half.
That midfield is rubbish even for the second division. If Whelan does sign it should only be to rotate with Jedinak. On the evidence of last term Kodjia and Hogan look unsuited to playing up top together too. Need to get our best footballers into the team from early on.
----------------Johnstone
Bree, Chester, Terry, Taylor
--------Jedinak, Hourihane
Green, Lansbury, Grealish
-------------Kodjia
Adamoah, De Laet, Baker, Hogan
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Crouch would be excellent alongside Kodjia. It's a yes from me.
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Big no from me on crouch, we have kodija, hogan, rhm, mcormack and gabby
As we saw last season, none of those players can hold the ball up and bring others into play. We need that sort of striker this season and Crouch fits that bill (though there are others who do as well of course). I still think the 4-3-3 formation we used when we went on that winning run last season is our best bet, with a line up of something like:
Johnstone
De Laet Chester Terry Taylor
Jedinak / Whelan
Lansbury Hourihane
Adomah ? Kodjia
Subs: Steer, Bree, Baker, Whelan / Jedinak, Bjarnason, Green, Hogan
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Well we still have around 35 first team players, waaaaay too many, we need to trim that by something close to 10 players.
Shit, it's not that much, is it?
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How can any team gain promotion with the likes of Adomah? May as well put a kit on myself. He is awful, no real pace, looks ungainly and can't cross.
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It depends how its used. if the ball up top is desgned for the forward to hold onto the ball to bring in runners then its a valid tactic. If we just launch it hoping for flick ons then its a premier league defensive tactic that you see from bottom teams against the top ones.
Agree Peter, there is a big difference between the two. One involves just hit and hope to big man up front and then contesting the knock downs. The other way involves playing balls up to a front man's chest and feet, him holding it up and allowing others to play off him in the opposition's half of the pitch. You then have a holding midfielder sweeping up behind them.
I think the latter would certainly bring out the best in the likes of Lansbury, Hourihane and Bjarnason.
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How can any team gain promotion with the likes of Adomah? May as well put a kit on myself. He is awful, no real pace, looks ungainly and can't cross.
Didn't Adomah have the highest number of goal assists last season?
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How can any team gain promotion with the likes of Adomah? May as well put a kit on myself. He is awful, no real pace, looks ungainly and can't cross.
We should ask Boro.
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How can any team gain promotion with the likes of Adomah? May as well put a kit on myself. He is awful, no real pace, looks ungainly and can't cross.
Didn't Adomah have the highest number of goal assists last season?
Yes, and the season before I believe.
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How can any team gain promotion with the likes of Adomah? May as well put a kit on myself. He is awful, no real pace, looks ungainly and can't cross.
I disagree wholeheartedly.
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I think the team I'd like to see though is;
-----------------Johnstone-------------
De Laet------Chester----Terry---Taylor
Elhammody--Jedinak---Whelan--Green
------------Hogan----Kodjia-------------
Subs:
Steer
Bacuna
Baker
Hourahane
Lansbury
Grealish
Crouch
Based on current squad and strong links. That's 3 good attacking options on the bench if we need a new approach during the second half.
That midfield is rubbish even for the second division. If Whelan does sign it should only be to rotate with Jedinak. On the evidence of last term Kodjia and Hogan look unsuited to playing up top together too. Need to get our best footballers into the team from early on.
----------------Johnstone
Bree, Chester, Terry, Taylor
--------Jedinak, Hourihane
Green, Lansbury, Grealish
-------------Kodjia
Adamoah, De Laet, Baker, Hogan
Nah, that team's shit. 1 up front? And you don't have enough subs. I know we're going to trim the squad but that's ridiculous.
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It's the same players as last season as we've only signed one. The squad we finished with ought to have been good enough to go up.
We need additional pace and to get Hourihane and Lansbury closer to the opposition box. SHQ is right when he says Brighton is the template for how to play. The midfield looked like scoring which is something we've lacked.
Away from home is where our automatic promotion aspirations will live or die. We need to be more robust mentally and grind games out that we were drawing or losing.
Add some width and pace and we'll go very close.
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If we are going to go 352 then for me it should be;
----------------------Johnstone-----------------------
Chester, Terry. Baker
De Laet. Taylor
Jedinak
Adomah. Hourihane
Hogan. Kodjia
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I don't think we will play 352. If Elmo comes in it will be to play on the wing.
-
442 Diamond would suit our squad too. Could play Ross/Jack/Lansbury in the 10
-
We lack height and strength in the squad and were rolled over by too many physical teams last season. At least Crouch would provide height. Imagine Crouch and Terry going up for set pieces. Worth a few goals I reckon.
-
Crouch not happening according to Doc Xia.
-
Hourihane looked a different player when he went centre mid, last game of the season against Brighton.
I'd love to see him get a decent run in that position and see if he can become the playmaking midfielder we desperately need.
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Crouch not happening according to Doc Xia.
Hoo bloody ray.
-
It's okay having players but unless we get them working into a system then we'll see more of the same. With Adomah/Kodjia we became to much of a one trick pony. We had no other, or at least offered, no other threat and if Adomah wasn't delivering then the threat lessened. With Kodjia also drifting out wide it also meant that we too often had nobody running the channels for any other ball to try and turn opposition defences. The midfield only had one out - the ball to a wide kodjia and we became too predictable. That's why we need to do a great deal more. I'd drop on of the midfielders for mccormack or grealish to get us moving forward quicker. Whelan/jedinak as the holding player with Lansbury/Hourihane/Thor as the the next 2 to be used on rotation or just on performance then Grealish/McCormack/green to get the attack linked to the midfield and have us moving as a unit on the front foot.
We were dull and predictable all too often last season and that's what needs to be addressed.
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Hourihane looked a different player when he went centre mid, last game of the season against Brighton.
I'd love to see him get a decent run in that position and see if he can become the playmaking midfielder we desperately need.
Agreed 100 % - esp the last sentence.
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Hourihane looked a different player when he went centre mid, last game of the season against Brighton.
I'd love to see him get a decent run in that position and see if he can become the playmaking midfielder we desperately need.
Agreed 100 % - esp the last sentence.
I just want the midfield to look like they've trained on the same pitch, get that bit working and they'll naturally get on the ball in better positions and start showing some form.
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Currently our scouting for this summer seems to consist of watching sky sports 'Premier League Years' on a loop - just signing old men who you know is dull.
Going for players like Whelan / Elhomady is just saying it's all about defending - this team needs energy, pace, power not 8 behind the ball scrapers all the time
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I'm not liking this 'we want experience as we must get promotion' thing the Dr and Steve seem to be endorsing
Nothing guarantees you promotion other than being the best side in the division. Some old duffers that have played in the Premiership before don't make a jot of difference to my mind
I hope we aren't going to put all our transfer eggs in one old basket this summer. If we do i can only see tears come May
We should be building the best possible footballing side regardless of experience and age / past history for me
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Currently our scouting for this summer seems to consist of watching sky sports 'Premier League Years' on a loop - just signing old men who you know is dull.
Going for players like Whelan / Elhomady is just saying it's all about defending - this team needs energy, pace, power not 8 behind the ball scrapers all the time
`This team needs energy, pace, and power` exactly what is needed. Two top quality wingers. Who are constantly splitting the opponents defence and making chances for our goal scoring strikers .....
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Hourihane looked a different player when he went centre mid, last game of the season against Brighton.
I'd love to see him get a decent run in that position and see if he can become the playmaking midfielder we desperately need.
Agreed 100 % - esp the last sentence.
Agree this is the top priority - a massive failure last year
In fairness we've replaced the whole midfield in a season, with three new midfielders arriving in January. So it was unlikely to gel straight away. But I do think we might have expected it to be a bit better than it has
I'm not that keen on 352 but in theory it should allow us to get hold of the ball better, protect Jedinak, get some width and play two strikers. But it's a hard system to play so they'll need to practice A LOT over the next few weeks. And I don't think we'll be strong down our left without a new signing or two. Baker and Taylor just doesn't feel right to me
I just want the midfield to look like they've trained on the same pitch, get that bit working and they'll naturally get on the ball in better positions and start showing some form.
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Crouch not happening according to Doc Xia.
Good.
-
Well we still have around 35 first team players, waaaaay too many, we need to trim that by something close to 10 players.
Shit, it's not that much, is it?
4 goalkeepers
Bunn
Steer
Johnstone ? Possibly signing within 48 hours
Gollini (On loan forever, we may still be covering a portion of his wages)
11 defenders
Richards
De Laet
Hutton
Bree
Terry
Cissokho
Taylor
Baker
Elphick
Chester
Toner
13 Midfielders
Bacuna
Lansbury
Gardner
Hourihane
Bjarnason
Jedinak
Green
Grealish
Veretout
Gil
Adomah
Lyden
Tshibola
6 Forwards
McCormack
Agbonlahor
Hogan
Kodjia
Hepburn Murphy
Davis
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Adomah is no good. He should never be ahead of Grealish or Green for team selection.
-
That squad is way too big. A squad of 18-20 senior pros backed up by younger players is about right. Something like:
Johnstone, Steer, Sarkic
De Laet, Bree, Chester, Terry, Baker, Toner, Taylor
Jedinak, Lyden, Bjarnason, Lansbury, Hourihane, Bacuna, Adomah, Green, Grealish,
Kodjia, Hogan, RHM, Davis
Add a new striker and possibly a holding midfielder to the above and that would be enough.
-
Likes of Toner and Lyden are miles away from first or team contention and no doubt will be loaned out or sold.
Same for Davis and possibly RHM although more likely loan route for them.
Edit: As for the bleeders dry sorry senior pros well it's a pipe dream trying to shift likes of Richards and Gabby as we've tried that plenty of times.
More likely Elphick will be moved on as don't see him having many opportunities with what we have.
-
Apparently,Burnley are willing to pay 2.5M for Whelan - sounds fishy as I'm sure 1M would be enough
-
Likes of Toner and Lyden are miles away from first or team contention and no doubt will be loaned out or sold.
Same for Davis and possibly RHM although more likely loan route for them.
Edit: As for the bleeders dry sorry senior pros well it's a pipe dream trying to shift likes of Richards and Gabby as we've tried that plenty of times.
More likely Elphick will be moved on as don't see him having many opportunities with what we have.
Both Lyden and Toner have already played for the first team, as have Davis and RHM. Agree that we are lumbered with the likes of Agbonlahor and Richards, but I wouldn't have them near the first team set up though.
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Adomah is no good. He should never be ahead of Grealish or Green for team selection.
He has a great habit of finding a final ball. The other 2 need to develop that, until which he is the more productive.
-
read that the journalist A Nixon has tweeted that Villa want £1m for Hutton and Wednesday want him on a free transfer, this could be 1 of the outs that Dr Tony is referring too?
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Adomah is no good. He should never be ahead of Grealish or Green for team selection.
He has a great habit of finding a final ball. The other 2 need to develop that, until which he is the more productive.
He was 2nd to Hourihane in number of assists last season and top the season before that in helping Boro get promoted. Yet is keeps getting shouted on here that he is no good. He is clearly very effective at what he is in the team to do at this level, so why would he not be in the team ahead of two promising yet unproven players?
-
I think the main floor in Adomah's game is that he's not the quickest and he could weigh in with a few more goals but I thought he did ok overall last season. I definitely wouldn't call him no good.
-
I think the main floor in Adomah's game is that he's not the quickest and he could weigh in with a few more goals but I thought he did ok overall last season. I definitely wouldn't call him no good.
He's a very good player at this level but I think the Championship is his ceiling.
-
I think the main floor in Adomah's game is that he's not the quickest and he could weigh in with a few more goals but I thought he did ok overall last season. I definitely wouldn't call him no good.
He's a very good player at this level but I think the Championship is his ceiling.
I agree; he works hard, creates chances and never shirks responsibility.
-
Whoosh.
-
he's an architrave short of a fenestration.
-
read that the journalist A Nixon has tweeted that Villa want £1m for Hutton and Wednesday want him on a free transfer, this could be 1 of the outs that Dr Tony is referring too?
I saw that tweet, but I'm very confused by it. We are trying to sell a player for 1million whose contract apparently expired at the end of June?
-
E signed a one year extension.
-
read that the journalist A Nixon has tweeted that Villa want £1m for Hutton and Wednesday want him on a free transfer, this could be 1 of the outs that Dr Tony is referring too?
I saw that tweet, but I'm very confused by it. We are trying to sell a player for 1million whose contract apparently expired at the end of June?
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/alan-hutton-line-new-contract-12690764
Alan Hutton is set to prolong his Aston Villa stay after triggering a contract extension.
Steve Bruce revealed the news at his press conference today ahead of Villa's Championship trip to Rotherham United.
Hutton has experienced an eventful claret and blue career, falling in and out of favour since being signed by Alex McLeish in August 2011.
Bruce said: "What he sees is what you get. He has done very well and has triggered a point in his contract for another year. I am delighted for him."
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Well we still have around 35 first team players, waaaaay too many, we need to trim that by something close to 10 players.
Shit, it's not that much, is it?
4 goalkeepers
Bunn
Steer
Johnstone ? Possibly signing within 48 hours
Gollini (On loan forever, we may still be covering a portion of his wages)
11 defenders
Richards
De Laet
Hutton
Bree
Terry
Cissokho
Taylor
Baker
Elphick
Chester
Toner
13 Midfielders
Bacuna
Lansbury
Gardner
Hourihane
Bjarnason
Jedinak
Green
Grealish
Veretout
Gil
Adomah
Lyden
Tshibola
6 Forwards
McCormack
Agbonlahor
Hogan
Kodjia
Hepburn Murphy
Davis
makes depressing reading does that squad, not a lot there worth getting excited about
That's the spirit (wrote it myself before someone else did)
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I think the main floor in Adomah's game is that he's not the quickest and he could weigh in with a few more goals but I thought he did ok overall last season. I definitely wouldn't call him no good.
He's a very good player at this level but I think the Championship is his ceiling.
Haha, very good.
-
Apparently,Burnley are willing to pay 2.5M for Whelan - sounds fishy as I'm sure 1M would be enough
I trout that story is true.
-
read that the journalist A Nixon has tweeted that Villa want £1m for Hutton and Wednesday want him on a free transfer, this could be 1 of the outs that Dr Tony is referring too?
I saw that tweet, but I'm very confused by it. We are trying to sell a player for 1million whose contract apparently expired at the end of June?
He had a clause allowing him to extend for one year which he invoked and SB said he was happy about it and that "Alan Hutton picks himself'. That was what was reported anyway.
-
Nursey from The Mirror saying Rednapp 'keen' on Elphick on Twitter. They'd all love his pre match post heading/kicking/whatever he does ritual.
-
Apparently,Burnley are willing to pay 2.5M for Whelan - sounds fishy as I'm sure 1M would be enough
I trout that story is true.
Now you're just talking pollocks
-
Nursey from The Mirror saying Rednapp 'keen' on Elphick on Twitter. They'd all love his pre match post heading/kicking/whatever he does ritual.
I saw Elphick in Knowle this afternoon. He didn't look very happy tbh.
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Nursey from The Mirror saying Rednapp 'keen' on Elphick on Twitter. They'd all love his pre match post heading/kicking/whatever he does ritual.
I saw Elphick in Knowle this afternoon. He didn't look very happy tbh.
Does that mean he's not in Portugal with the rest of them, or are they all back?
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Nursey from The Mirror saying Rednapp 'keen' on Elphick on Twitter. They'd all love his pre match post heading/kicking/whatever he does ritual.
I saw Elphick in Knowle this afternoon. He didn't look very happy tbh.
Does that mean he's not in Portugal with the rest of them, or are they all back?
He's meant to be there but he's miles out of position.
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It takes some kind of mind to envisage a dream-team midfield pairing of Glenn Whelan and Ashley Westwood.
I know they need to replace Joey Barton but surely Sean Dyche would rather resurrect a Mark Kinsella-Oyvind Leonhardsen combo than Westy and Glenn?
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Apparently,Burnley are willing to pay 2.5M for Whelan - sounds fishy as I'm sure 1M would be enough
I trout that story is true.
Now you're just talking pollocks
agreed cods wallop
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I think we should skate over this rumour
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Nursey from The Mirror saying Rednapp 'keen' on Elphick on Twitter. They'd all love his pre match post heading/kicking/whatever he does ritual.
I saw Elphick in Knowle this afternoon. He didn't look very happy tbh.
Does that mean he's not in Portugal with the rest of them, or are they all back?
He's meant to be there but he's miles out of position.
*standing ovation*
Very good, squire.
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Nursey from The Mirror saying Rednapp 'keen' on Elphick on Twitter. They'd all love his pre match post heading/kicking/whatever he does ritual.
I saw Elphick in Knowle this afternoon. He didn't look very happy tbh.
Does that mean he's not in Portugal with the rest of them, or are they all back?
He's meant to be there but he's miles out of position.
*Applause*
-
Chinchilla gets to keep the thread.
-
Nursey from The Mirror saying Rednapp 'keen' on Elphick on Twitter. They'd all love his pre match post heading/kicking/whatever he does ritual.
I saw Elphick in Knowle this afternoon. He didn't look very happy tbh.
Does that mean he's not in Portugal with the rest of them, or are they all back?
He's meant to be there but he's miles out of position.
*Applause*
.
Are you sure it wasn't Gollini?
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if he was flapping his arms, yes
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Nursey from The Mirror saying Rednapp 'keen' on Elphick on Twitter. They'd all love his pre match post heading/kicking/whatever he does ritual.
I saw Elphick in Knowle this afternoon. He didn't look very happy tbh.
Does that mean he's not in Portugal with the rest of them, or are they all back?
He's meant to be there but he's miles out of position.
*standing ovation*
Very good, squire.
Yes, absolutely top drawer.
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
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Please please sell elphick
Disaster zone player
-
We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
I hope there's a porpoise in us signing him
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
To be fair I was fishing for them when I posted it.
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
To be fair I was fishing for them when I posted it.
If he shows promise we should throw him in.
-
We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
To be fair I was fishing for them when I posted it.
If he shows promise we should throw him in.
I just hope we don't play him too deep. He'd be better running the channels.
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I can't wait to sing "Sea, Give Us A Wave".
-
Here we go, sinking to new depths...
-
We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
I've heard he has oceans of talent: when he scores the crowd bays for more, waving as it does. The opposition rarely turns the tide when he's playing.
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What a shame Ebbe Sand his retired.
-
We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
To be fair I was fishing for them when I posted it.
If he shows promise we should throw him in.
I just hope we don't play him too deep.
We could if he was a sub.
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
Strange signing, can't fathom that one out.
-
at the moment we are leagues ahead of his ability
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
Strange signing, can't fathom that one out.
What can't you fathom out? we've signed a young player. The same as we do all the time for the academy/youth sides.
-
He's French, but eligible to play for Whales.
Sorry.
-
his favourite food is Dauphinoise potatoes, apparently.
-
We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
Strange signing, can't fathom that one out.
What can't you fathom out? we've signed a young player. The same as we do all the time for the academy/youth sides.
Whoosh.....
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
Strange signing, can't fathom that one out.
What can't you fathom out? we've signed a young player. The same as we do all the time for the academy/youth sides.
Whoosh.....
It's amazing isn't it?
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The boy will have a Mer with our youth coaching
-
Not shore about this kid.
-
Some of these comments are a bit salty.
-
We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
Strange signing, can't fathom that one out.
What can't you fathom out? we've signed a young player. The same as we do all the time for the academy/youth sides.
Whoosh.....
Well done, a put down and a pun in one word.
-
That'll teach me ... :-X
-
I've heard he's like a young Brine Little.
-
We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
Strange signing, can't fathom that one out.
What can't you fathom out? we've signed a young player. The same as we do all the time for the academy/youth sides.
Post of the month
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
Glad to see us seal the deal but I'll be harbouring doubts until I see him perform.....
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
At least at 16 he will soon be in his brine
-
Hopefully he won't cost a fortuna.
-
I can't beleive Gil's name has not been mentioned yet. Perhaps its all a bit of ah-baloney.
-
We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
Glad to see us seal the deal but I'll be harbouring doubts until I see him perform.....
It is probably as stupid a move as when we signed a teenage kid who played well against us in a pre season friendly. I think we wasted ten grand on him. Although to be fair he did play a big part in winning us a trophy and I think we flogged him to United for about ten million.
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
Glad to see us seal the deal but I'll be harbouring doubts until I see him perform.....
It is probably as stupid a move as when we signed a teenage kid who played well against us in a pre season friendly. I think we wasted ten grand on him. Although to be fair he did play a big part in winning us a trophy and I think we flogged him to United for about ten million.
Did you just post that for the halibut?
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We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
His name may inspire a few puns....
Glad to see us seal the deal but I'll be harbouring doubts until I see him perform.....
It is probably as stupid a move as when we signed a teenage kid who played well against us in a pre season friendly. I think we wasted ten grand on him. Although to be fair he did play a big part in winning us a trophy and I think we flogged him to United for about ten million.
Did you just post that for the halibut?
I sea what you did there, but it was a fairly poor attempt at attenchion.
-
Hope he waves....
-
The worse this thread descends into shame and embarrassment the crabbier I get.
-
Cod we just pack this in?
-
this thread is ruined , you are all shellfish
-
He'll have a whale of a time & keeps away from the sturgeon injury free, Bruce will get a tuna out of him.
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this thread is ruined , you are all shellfish
Oy! Winkle! I hope you ain't trying to take me for some kind of pilchard?! Copyright Mike Reid. Circa 1970's and occasionally a few references slipped into Eastenders.
-
Burnley have put a Cork in it, presumably reducing the competition for Whelan / MacArthur
I never really saw the fuss with MacArthur or McCarthy, but I know others liked him
-
We've signed a young French kid called Dimitri Sea only 16 so clearly one for the future. The internet knows nothing about him so he's a young attacking player, that's about it.
Whether he holds down a plaice will depend on the service he gets to net a few. As a French philosopher once said: "When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea."
-
We will now lose the Playoff final on penalties, Dimitri missing the crucial kick.
Sun headline: seasick steve.
Poor but I had to have my input.
-
The Sun say we're interested in Peter Crouch, but Tony has denied it. Pity it would be great to have Rodney Otter return to us.
-
no it wouldn't, unless we re entering a wheelchair football league. He's now about 90. The only good thing about Crouch was his reply to the question 'What would you have been if you weren't a footballer'? Crouch: 'A virgin'.
-
"Dimitri, Give us a wave, Dimitri, Dimitri..."
-
Crouch might be a good option. Up front we'd have the Old Man and the Sea.
-
Burnley have put a Cork in it, presumably reducing the competition for Whelan / MacArthur
I never really saw the fuss with MacArthur or McCarthy, but I know others liked him
Isn't one of those Mac or McC's a walking red card waiting to happen?
-
Crouch might be a good option. Up front we'd have the Old Man and the Sea.
Clever. Great book too.
-
So he will be a Sea Lion?
-
So Gil's gone on loan again.
-
So Gil's gone on loan again.
Gill surely?
-
Old Gill don't need this.
-
Surprised we haven't gotten a Mark Fish mention yet.
-
Surprised we haven't gotten a Mark Fish mention yet.
I preferred his older brother Billy-The.
-
Surprised we haven't gotten a Mark Fish mention yet.
I preferred his older brother Billy-The.
Or his father, Michael
-
Surprised we haven't gotten a Mark Fish mention yet.
I preferred his older brother Billy-The.
Or his father, Michael
I'm sure they'd all take to our new signing swimmingly.
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Surprised we haven't gotten a Mark Fish mention yet.
I preferred his older brother Billy-The.
Or his father, Michael
I'm sure they'd all take to our new signing swimmingly.
As long as he doesn't put on weight.
The last thing we need is another bloater on the books
-
The fin is, with Gil gone we still need someone to float between the lines.
Let's hope that Graylingish is not angling for a move.
-
This thread has turned into a load of old codswallop
-
Are we turning into Grimsby Town?
We only sing when we're fishing.
-
any more of it , and you'll be sleeping with the fishes.
-
Eel never be good enough.
-
any more of it , and you'll be sleeping with the fishes.
Enough of that, the plural of fish is fish. Fishes is a verb in the second person singular.
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any more of it , and you'll be sleeping with the fishes.
Enough of that, the plural of fish is fish. Fishes is a verb in the second person singular.
Luca Brasi will be turning in his watery grave to know that reports of his demise were grammatically incorrect. I will leave it to you to let them know.
-
no such thing as a fish
-
Looks like some folks have had a whale of a time thinking up stuff
-
This is a mare
-
I'm sick of trawling through fish puns trying to find some transfer news.
-
Let's hope we net someone soon.
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This is a mare
You mean Mer!
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This is a mare
You mean Mer!
No, I went to Bishop Vesey :)
-
Bishop Vesey? Is that a school of fish?
-
This thread has deteriorated into a shoal of pollocks.
-
we're looking at teaming Sea with John West
-
Bishop Vesey? Is that a school of fish?
lots of people go to the bishop Vesey, Monday nights the best.
-
People will be trawling this thread for fish puns.
-
According to the Daily Star (so make of it what you will) both Derby & QPR are interested in Jedinak, but his £38k a week wages are putting them off
-
I went to the Vesey on Wednesday.
What did I miss on Monday?
-
According to the Daily Star (so make of it what you will) both Derby & QPR are interested in Jedinak, but his £38k a week wages are putting them off
That would be scary to not have Jedinak in the centre
-
For £38k a week we could probably do better but I'm not sure I'd trust Bruce to replace him well. Probably end-up with tubby Huddlestone.
-
I like Jedinak, but if we want to play 442 then we will struggle to play him as he really isn't good in a two man central midfield. So if he went and we got in a more mobile replacement I can see the sense in it.
-
I like Jedinak, but if we want to play 442 then we will struggle to play him as he really isn't good in a two man central midfield. So if he went and we got in a more mobile replacement I can see the sense in it.
Can Jedinak play in a back three alongside Terry and Chester? Two good engines in the CM with proper wing backs trying to provide service to two front men and a no.10 playing in Mick McCarthy's favourite position.
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I would think that he's far too slow to play in a back 3 with terry. Instead of, maybe..?
-
Bishop Vesey? Is that a school of fish?
lots of people go to the bishop Vesey, Monday nights the best.
It sounds like a gay bar. Let me dig out my most flamboyant T-shirt/top and I will meet you there at nine o' clock.
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... So if he went and we got in a more mobile replacement I can see the sense in it.
What, like Tsishbola you mean?
-
BBC: "Aston Villa have made their second summer signing by bringing in Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on a season-long loan."
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No a good one
-
Jedinak is vital. Don't let him go please. We need to be able to battle and scrap when the going gets tough. Without him we simply don't do it.
-
Like we didn't for a a lot of games he was playing in last season?
-
No a good one
Sorry was relying to the comment about Tsibola who is not as good as Jedi yet.
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Tshibola is an odd one. 6 foot 3, big, strong, pretty quick, good passer and change of pace... it must have been an attitude thing with him; young player away from his normal surroundings at a big club, as he has everything bar experience to do well at this level.
He has the mobility that Gardner lacks. I hope he has a good pre season and take the opportunities that come his way.
-
I'd definitely favour Tshibola over Gardner for all these reasons. But he'd still be down the pecking order
-
Tshibola did a lovely little rollover against Telford to create space and play McCafu in but in general he showed a lack of application. For a player who is playing for his place at the greatest club he will ever play for it didn't bode well. Bruce, having almost certainly having had the chat should probably f##k him off.
-
He did one against Kiddie too. If he can manipulate time and space like this he's going to be invaluable!
-
How fat and bloated is the squad?
LB: Taylor, Cissokho Amavi
RB: Bree, Hutton, De Laet
CB: Chester, Terry, Baker, Elphick, Richards, Toner
CM: Hourihane, Lansbury, Bjarnason, Veretout
DM: Jedinak, Gardner, Tshibola
Wide/Attacking: Adomah, Green, Grealish, Bacuna
CF: Kodjia, McCormack, Hogan, Gabby, Davis, RHM
Could do with 4 or 5 of them going.
-
We could sell a back four-worth from that lot and not miss any of them.
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He did one against Kiddie too. If he can manipulate time and space like this he's going to be invaluable!
Ha, thanks Woofles. I wanted it to be the mighty Telford because Kiddie are shite. He did manipulate space. That's what I was referring to.
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How fat and bloated is the squad?
LB: Taylor, Cissokho Amavi
RB: Bree, Hutton, De Laet
CB: Chester, Terry, Baker, Elphick, Richards, Toner
CM: Hourihane, Lansbury, Bjarnason, Veretout
DM: Jedinak, Gardner, Tshibola
Wide/Attacking: Adomah, Green, Grealish, Bacuna
CF: Kodjia, McCormack, Hogan, Gabby, Davis, RHM
Could do with 4 or 5 of them going.
All the struck out players here could go without making any difference to the team and its prospects this season. Finances would be a lot better for FFP too. Pity that most of them are on the best contract of their career and may choose to sit put.
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Is there any way we could flog Gabby and get him back on loan for the two games against Small heath?
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No a good one
Sorry was relying to the comment about Tsibola who is not as good as Jedi yet.
Don't really see Tshibola as a defensive midfielder. I see him more as one of the two midfielders who would play in front of a DM in a midfield three.
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Rumours of Betis being in for Veretout on loan. Don't loan him Villa. Either keep him and play him or sell for 6m ish and put in a massive % of the next sale to get a bit more. Loaning him is just pointless.
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Don't see the point of loaning him out again, sell him if we receive a good offer otherwise use him in the team and squad as he's an improvement on most of the midfielders we have.
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Rumours of Betis being in for Veretout on loan. Don't loan him Villa. Either keep him and play him or sell for 6m ish and put in a massive % of the next sale to get a bit more. Loaning him is just pointless.
It's all well and good saying play him, he doesn't want to play for us! At least that what I keep seeing reported.
I am starting to develop a Micah Richards sized dislike for Vertout. Decent player that is reported to not want to play for us in the Championship despite being paid silly money to do so. Wont drop wages for a move, and expects us to keep loaning him out until he gets a free transfer when his contract runs down.
We have never done such poor business as bringing in Vertout / Amavi/ Ayew and Traore.
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Rumours of Betis being in for Veretout on loan. Don't loan him Villa. Either keep him and play him or sell for 6m ish and put in a massive % of the next sale to get a bit more. Loaning him is just pointless.
It's all well and good saying play him, he doesn't want to play for us! At least that what I keep seeing reported.
I am starting to develop a Micah Richards sized dislike for Vertout. Decent player that is reported to not want to play for us in the Championship despite being paid silly money to do so. Wont drop wages for a move, and expects us to keep loaning him out until he gets a free transfer when his contract runs down.
We have never done such poor business as bringing in Vertout / Amavi/ Ayew and Traore.
I don't know where this not wanting to play for the club came from. I thought that the Club said it was best for all concerned that he went out on loan last season. He had a difficult first season with injury and confidence. I thought he looked good in that short spell when Garde brought him into the team.
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I thought the club pushed through the loan last season. I don't recall him kicking up a fuss about not wanting to play.
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I don't recall reading about him not wanting to play for us, either.
However, if he goes, I hope it is a permanent deal - I'd been hoping watching expensive contracts run down while the players in question are on loan prior to moving for nothing might be over
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I don't recall reading about him not wanting to play for us, either.
However, if he goes, I hope it is a permanent deal - I'd been hoping watching expensive contracts run down while the players in question are on loan prior to moving for nothing might be over
If he is committed then I would like to see him given a chance. If the FFP rumours are true the we may need to lighten the wage bill a bit and loaning him would do that.
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Obviously it was only a pre-season friendly, and against a non-league side as well, but even acknowledging all that, it was pretty evident how capable he is in possession - always looking to move the ball forward along the ground, but understood when to keep things simple as well.
Unfortunate thing is, as people have already raised, there just aren't a lot of obvious paths to cutting down the size of the squad (and with it, the wage bill), given we seem to be having difficulty shifting the proper deadwood (Richards, Elphick, Agbonlahor) and a great deal of the squad was purchased either last summer or in January.
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You'd imagine any loans come with a fee which may well work out better, "pro-rata", if sold at the end of the season instead of the player being sold and signing a four year contract for the new club. For example we may end -up doing better out of the Gil deal with Depor that way.
Cash up-front and a clean slate for player and club seems a little less the norm now.
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Read today again, after a similar report 10 days ago, that Sunderland could be interested in McCormack.
The report I read 10 days ago, suggested that a good deal for both clubs, would involve Rodwell coming to Villa, either in a full, or part exchange deal for McCormack.
I'd go for that, I believe Rodwell would give our team most of what is missing from our central midfield.
I know Rodwell has some problems but, they are surely not as big as RM's.
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I believe Rodwell would give our team most of what is missing from our central midfield.
Somebody to hoover up money while they recover from another injury?
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I believe Rodwell would give our team most of what is missing from our central midfield.
Somebody to hoover up money while they from another injury?
Exactly, Rodwell has done nothing on the pitch of any value for a long time.
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Rodwell? Might as well get his name engraved on one of the treatment room beds.
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Like we didn't for a a lot of games he was playing in last season?
He missed most of our terrible run in January/February didn't he?
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I believe Rodwell would give our team most of what is missing from our central midfield.
Somebody to hoover up money while they recover from another injury?
Indeed. Another one gathering dust.
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Read today again, after a similar report 10 days ago, that Sunderland could be interested in McCormack.
The report I read 10 days ago, suggested that a good deal for both clubs, would involve Rodwell coming to Villa, either in a full, or part exchange deal for McCormack.
I'd go for that, I believe Rodwell would give our team most of what is missing from our central midfield.
I know Rodwell has some problems but, they are surely not as big as RM's.
If Sunderland want McCormack then great, but no way should we be looking at bringing Rodwell here.
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We need to cut our losses on McCormack. Just get whatever cash we can and him off the wage bill.
Veretout turning up and playing fairly well in 2 pre-season friendlies does not match up to the desperate to not play for us tag either. I fail to be convinced that he offers less than Gardner, Tishbola or indeed Whelan. The former 2 should be moved on and I think we would get offers for them at a couple of million each.
Disappointed Samba did not come on today. Finding a solution that enables Micah Richards to be ex Aston Villa asap is bloody vital.
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Chris Samba on one leg would be a better option than Micah Richards.
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Didn't they say on the commentary that Samba was listed as a sub but wasn't at the game?
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I genuinely hope he's not going elsewhere. As said above on one leg he's better than Richards and Baker is made of glass.
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I like what little I have seen of Samba, hope we sign him. How long is Richards contract? Think we are stuck with him until it expires.
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I like what little I have seen of Samba, hope we sign him. How long is Richards contract? Think we are stuck with him until it expires.
Until summer 2019.
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Fucking hell. By then he will need a new training ground to himself to accommodate his spread.
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Thing with McCormack is that you just know if he went to Sunderland he would score 30 goals and pip us to second place.
I still think he is a good player, but maybe does need to play 4-5 games to find his groove. I seem to remember Fulham fans saying as much when we signed him.
I just think we need to provide better service and both RM and Hogan will score plenty.
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I like what little I have seen of Samba, hope we sign him. How long is Richards contract? Think we are stuck with him until it expires.
Until summer 2019.
What moron gave him that long a contract? Guess that's one of the ones Tony was tweeting about then.
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Which is why we either need to sign natural wingers either side if playing 4 4 2 or use a different formation quickly. Green is literally our only outlet at the moment. We are desperate for pace out wide.
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A 4 year contract is pretty standard, although it seemed obvious at the time it was a risk with him.
As for Hogan and Fat Ross, hard to score when there is no service. We seem to have no idea how to connect the midfield and attackers, or play to our attackers strengths. Far too often we literally just seem to hope someone pulls off a bit of individual magic and scores, and without Kod that's severely lacking.
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Green aside no one even got the ball in the box! Veretout played 2 or 3 lovely balls into the channels buy then there was no one coming in to back up the man on the ball. Mauve Elhomady will give some service from wide right but unless we move the ball around faster he won't have the space.
I did think surely Hutton must be sold if there is genuine interest in him too. Tries but good god you forget how shit he is.
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Which is why we either need to sign natural wingers either side if playing 4 4 2 or use a different formation quickly. Green is literally our only outlet at the moment. We are desperate for pace out wide.
I rate Adomah as one of our better players, him and Green would be a good pair of wingers (hopefully the injury isn't too bad). Problem is no combination from our plethora of mediocre central midfielders seem capable of playing as a central midfield pair.
Maybe we have to go 433 again with Kodja wide, but RM and Hogan don't suit that.
On a different note I see that the genius Bruce seems to think Baker and Green are good options at left back. Bit worrying that.
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The man is starting to worry me a lot. He seems to have less tactical plan than MON, who I always thought to be the most tactically inflexible buffoon known to man. Clearly the affable Bruce is trying to wrestle that accolade away.
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The man is starting to worry me a lot. He seems to have less tactical plan than MON, who I always thought to be the most tactically inflexible buffoon known to man. Clearly the affable Bruce is trying to wrestle that accolade away.
At least MON had a tactic to not be flexible with, and it was reasonably effective most of the time. Bruce doesn't seem to have any tactics at all, he just pulls 11 names out of hat at random!
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No that was Tim nice but dim. Bruce has 4 4 2. Or at least thinks he wants to play 2 strikers because that is how you very promoted from this division. No one had told him his Hull side played a 3 5 1 1 type formation yet. Worried he might eat them.
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Such a nice bloke, says all the right things and I really want him to do well. Not convinced he will though.
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Oh genuinely like him. Which makes it so much harder to watch his team.
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Anyone know if the Russian is injured or what?
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He's in a secret meeting with some idiot with a wig in the USA.
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Rumours of Betis being in for Veretout on loan. Don't loan him Villa. Either keep him and play him or sell for 6m ish and put in a massive % of the next sale to get a bit more. Loaning him is just pointless.
It's all well and good saying play him, he doesn't want to play for us! At least that what I keep seeing reported.
I am starting to develop a Micah Richards sized dislike for Vertout. Decent player that is reported to not want to play for us in the Championship despite being paid silly money to do so. Wont drop wages for a move, and expects us to keep loaning him out until he gets a free transfer when his contract runs down.
We have never done such poor business as bringing in Vertout / Amavi/ Ayew and Traore.
Signed Richards and Lescott in that transfer window too. Disaster!
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£38 million from Benteke and Delph and we couldn't sign a forward, winger, central midfielder or centre half worth a damn.
The summer of madness and we lapped the Kool-aid up here in Jonestown.
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Reports saying Sunderland are interested in McCormack.
I can't see them giving us our £12m back but, give us £4m and Rodwell and I'd be happy, especially if we spent some of the cash replacing MacCormack with Millwalls Lee Gregory.
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If Sunderland want McCormack then I would want £8million cash, they have only just come down so have plenty of cash, also they will be one of the favourites to go back up so why sell cheaply to a rival if at all.
Wouldn't want Rodwell, too injury prone.
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Rodwell is just Richards or Jenas all over again. Don't touch!
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Rodwell will be yet another injury prone poorly coached sap who we will pay over the top wages for. No better than anything we currently have. Then again, it's not like Bruce has any imagination is it?
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There is absolutely no point in signing anymore players and filling the pond of mediocrity to the brim. We need to make a team out of what we have now.
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Isn't the Rodwell McCormack swap a made up rumour from a few weeks ago?
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worrying If Kodja don't play , you can not see where the goals are coming from . Bruce has a great squad to be fair just hasn't a clue how to use them. He talks such a good game and seems a great bloke but soon as the whistle starts he has a football brain like my girlfriend .
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Amavi to Liverpool on loan ? WTF?? He's not good enough for us!
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Liverpool are signing Robertson from Hull for 8m who's a left back.
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Considering some of the prices being paid, £8 million for Robertson seems fairly reasonable.
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I like what little I have seen of Samba, hope we sign him. How long is Richards contract? Think we are stuck with him until it expires.
Until summer 2019.
What moron gave him that long a contract? Guess that's one of the ones Tony was tweeting about then.
Dim Tim and Tom Fox, football manager dream team
McCormack may be a good footballer, debatable as has only shined at second tier clubs going nowhere, but is a diabolical professional. In saying that, he is better suited to a partnership with Kodjia than Hogan. Playing him on the right or up top by himself as Bruce did on occasion is not going to work.
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Hogan is quite a distinctive forward - small, not that strong but a 6 yard box player who's quite mobile
Bruce must have had a plan for him to shell out that much money. But I can't work out what it is at the moment
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Stick him up with a big man is my guess.
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Stick him up with a big man is my guess.
They why sell Gestede to pay for him?
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Stick him up with a big man is my guess.
Based on the end of last season "mistake him for a big man and launch sixty yard punts in his general direction" was the vibe I got.
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Stick him up with a big man is my guess.
They why sell Gestede to pay for him?
Because he was fucking rubbish?
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Since when has that prevented someone playing for Villa?
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Hogan is quite a distinctive forward - small, not that strong but a 6 yard box player who's quite mobile
Bruce must have had a plan for him to shell out that much money. But I can't work out what it is at the moment
There has been no evidence of a strategy or plan behind any of Bruce's signings thus far. A cursory look at the goals or assists table in January seemed to be what prompted the signing of Hourihane, Lansbury and Hogan.
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Hogan either needs to play up with Grealish in behind as a front 2 a la Cole and Beardsley (I know I am stretching a long way there) or we need to sign a Crouch type that can indeed take those 60 yard punts and allow the team time to get forward in support. Alternatively play 4 3 3 and play Kodjia and Green out wide and Hogan central, but don't fucking lump it. And if we do play that - which actually we probably should as it suits our personnel better than most other formations, stop messing about and buy some more pace for those wide areas for when we need it. Gabby Kodjia and Hogan can all play the 1. Only Kodjia and Green can play the wide men really. We are desperately short out wide.
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Adomah can't play the wide role? I didn't see enough of Bjarnason to see if he can too.
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Bjarnason isn't suited to it. Forgot Adomah existed. He's not very quick though.
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Bjarnason isn't suited to it. Forgot Adomah existed. He's not very quick though.
Bruce doesn't seem to mind small details like that. He played Lansbury and Hourihane out wide a few times last season.
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As evidenced with 3 right backs on the pitch when conceding goals at the weekend too. I actually like Hourihane deep as he can actually play a long pass but it needs to then be in a 3, and with targets in the final 3rd that can do something with it.
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Bruce still hasn't got a clue what to do with the players he has. Sweet.
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As evidenced with 3 right backs on the pitch when conceding goals at the weekend too. I actually like Hourihane deep as he can actually play a long pass but it needs to then be in a 3, and with targets in the final 3rd that can do something with it.
It's true he was very comfortable on the ball and what is overlooked is until we substituted or changed most of our back 4 we were very comfortable, but by Hourihane dropping deep, it meant there was no-one looking to break forward from midfield to link the midfield and attack, or trying to burst into the box.
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I still think that we need to sign another centre-back. If Bruce is even contemplating playing 3-back then he needs to sign another mobile defender, as currently Chester is the only CB who ticks that box. I appreciate that we'll need to move Richards and probably Elphick on first, but - if we can't - I'd much rather we look at a different player to Samba to bring-in at the back.
I heard one of the pundits a few weeks ago saying that a lot of mangers prefer to convert full-backs into CBs to suit a back 3, as they're much more comfortable when dragged-out to defend in the wider areas of the pitch. He pointed to Azpilicueta's success there for Chelsea, but thinking about it 2 of the most comfortable players that I've seen for Villa there were Steve Staunton and a young Gareth Barry.
I often though that Cissokho might have been a decent bet for that position, as he was fairly solid defensively, just useless going forward. From what I'd seen of Vegard Forren, he's another that would suit that role, and is still a free-agent by the looks of things...
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Cissokho was a total friggin nightmare positionally.
We have plenty of options at CB (as we saw on Saturday - ha, ha).
The concern is still in the goal-scoring dept; creating and taking them. If Hogan is to play, I'd offer that he should play alongside Davis with McC or Grealsih in #10. It's who plays in MF that is the real issue.
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Cissokho was a total friggin nightmare positionally.
We have plenty of options at CB (as we saw on Saturday - ha, ha).
The concern is still in the goal-scoring dept; creating and taking them. If Hogan is to play, I'd offer that he should play alongside Davis with McC or Grealsih in #10. It's who plays in MF that is the real issue.
We don't have options to convert to a back 3 though - which is the point. Neither Samba, Elphick or Terry have the mobility to play in the wider positions, and Baker has also looked a liability there. Richards just looks a liability wherever he plays.
The attacking shape of the team will be defined by how set-up defensively. Bruce clearly wants to play 2 strikers so it's either going to a back 3 or a 4-4-2, in which case the midfield becomes more of an option.
In either case, in mid July he should not only be fairly certain in his mind which way/s he wants to play and be well on the way to instilling this into the players. The next few pre-season games are going to be interesting. You can pass the first few off as being "all about fitness" but we really do need do need to see some performances- for at least part of the matches - from now on.
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Cissokho was a total friggin nightmare positionally.
We have plenty of options at CB (as we saw on Saturday - ha, ha).
The concern is still in the goal-scoring dept; creating and taking them. If Hogan is to play, I'd offer that he should play alongside Davis with McC or Grealsih in #10. It's who plays in MF that is the real issue.
We don't have options to convert to a back 3 though - which is the point. Neither Samba, Elphick or Terry have the mobility to play in the wider positions, and Baker has also looked a liability there. Richards just looks a liability wherever he plays.
The attacking shape of the team will be defined by how set-up defensively. Bruce clearly wants to play 2 strikers so it's either going to a back 3 or a 4-4-2, in which case the midfield becomes more of an option.
In either case, in mid July he should not only be fairly certain in his mind which way/s he wants to play and be well on the way to instilling this into the players. The next few pre-season games are going to be interesting. You can pass the first few off as being "all about fitness" but we really do need do need to see some performances- for at least part of the matches - from now on.
When's De Laet back? I thought he was supposed to be a RB/CB hybrid.
Of course, if we're relying on him, it sorta proves your point about getting another CB in.
I think we've reached critical point in terms of getting some players out before thinking about bringing another in though.
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I agree the comments above about mobility in the back three. Only Chester could really play one of the wide positions out of our centre backs
I think Samba may be able to (as ehiogu did). And as said above, perhaps de Laet or bree could
Or maybe in the championship it just doesn't matter as much?
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Have seen Sunderland again linked with Ross McCormack and now also Elphick.
If we got £10m for the pair of them then found a suitable big lump centre forward it might help. Sadly I think McCormack is too good a footballer to flourish under Bruce. We need someone to that Hogan can play off.
Pity Elphick didn't work out, thought he and RM were really good signings at the time.
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Have seen Sunderland again linked with Ross McCormack and now also Elphick.
If we got £10m for the pair of them then found a suitable big lump centre forward it might help. Sadly I think McCormack is too good a footballer to flourish under Bruce. We need someone to that Hogan can play off.
Pity Elphick didn't work out, thought he and RM were really good signings at the time.
Don't start spending the money until we have it!
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Cissokho was a total friggin nightmare positionally.
We have plenty of options at CB (as we saw on Saturday - ha, ha).
The concern is still in the goal-scoring dept; creating and taking them. If Hogan is to play, I'd offer that he should play alongside Davis with McC or Grealsih in #10. It's who plays in MF that is the real issue.
We don't have options to convert to a back 3 though - which is the point. Neither Samba, Elphick or Terry have the mobility to play in the wider positions, and Baker has also looked a liability there. Richards just looks a liability wherever he plays.
The attacking shape of the team will be defined by how set-up defensively. Bruce clearly wants to play 2 strikers so it's either going to a back 3 or a 4-4-2, in which case the midfield becomes more of an option.
In either case, in mid July he should not only be fairly certain in his mind which way/s he wants to play and be well on the way to instilling this into the players. The next few pre-season games are going to be interesting. You can pass the first few off as being "all about fitness" but we really do need do need to see some performances- for at least part of the matches - from now on.
I don't disagree - I was being a little sarcastic about the CB.
If we play a back four, the critical bit for me will be that the FB are able to cover back and inside (since I would imagine good oppo managers will see our CB as relatively immobile), which means Hutton (if playing) not bombing upfield with gay abandon. Also in MF, who will have the mobility to play up the field and also offer cover defensively when required.
If we play back three, I'm struggling to see who would be the three players that could provide the appropriate positional competence and pace - your point. Also, the same point about the MF: who will have the mobility to play up the field and also offer cover defensively when required?
All a bit depressing, really.
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Have seen Sunderland again linked with Ross McCormack and now also Elphick.
If we got £10m for the pair of them then found a suitable big lump centre forward it might help. Sadly I think McCormack is too good a footballer to flourish under Bruce. We need someone to that Hogan can play off.
Pity Elphick didn't work out, thought he and RM were really good signings at the time.
Might have helped if he had actually turned up at training last season.
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Have seen Sunderland again linked with Ross McCormack and now also Elphick.
If we got £10m for the pair of them then found a suitable big lump centre forward it might help. Sadly I think McCormack is too good a footballer to flourish under Bruce. We need someone to that Hogan can play off.
Pity Elphick didn't work out, thought he and RM were really good signings at the time.
McCormack isn't a better footballer than Christophe Dugarry or Robert Snodgrass so it can't be as simple as that
He is however a luxury player
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Have seen Sunderland again linked with Ross McCormack and now also Elphick.
If we got £10m for the pair of them then found a suitable big lump centre forward it might help. Sadly I think McCormack is too good a footballer to flourish under Bruce. We need someone to that Hogan can play off.
Pity Elphick didn't work out, thought he and RM were really good signings at the time.
Just to clarify:
RM signed in his prime, for a fortune, played shit, was over weight and refused to train to the point we sent him on loan and you think he's too good for us.
Amavi signed as a 21 year old played well for a few games (but made a few mistakes) before suffering a career threatening injury and then worked his way back to fitness and happily played out of position for us for a few months and he's one of the worst players we've ever had.
I don't quite know where to start with that.
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Elmohamady release clause activated
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Elmohamady release clause activated
yep joining tomorrow
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That villa transfers guy reckons we'll announce whelan alongside Elmo
Not exciting and I'd have preferred a younger player, but he played the majority of games for a pretty good side last season. And we definitely need cover for Jedinak
I am a bit concerned we might see a back 5 with Elmo as wing back, plus two defensive midfielders. Not seen such a negative set up since the John Gregory days!
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Cissokho was a total friggin nightmare positionally.
We have plenty of options at CB (as we saw on Saturday - ha, ha).
The concern is still in the goal-scoring dept; creating and taking them. If Hogan is to play, I'd offer that he should play alongside Davis with McC or Grealsih in #10. It's who plays in MF that is the real issue.
We don't have options to convert to a back 3 though - which is the point. Neither Samba, Elphick or Terry have the mobility to play in the wider positions, and Baker has also looked a liability there. Richards just looks a liability wherever he plays.
The attacking shape of the team will be defined by how set-up defensively. Bruce clearly wants to play 2 strikers so it's either going to a back 3 or a 4-4-2, in which case the midfield becomes more of an option.
In either case, in mid July he should not only be fairly certain in his mind which way/s he wants to play and be well on the way to instilling this into the players. The next few pre-season games are going to be interesting. You can pass the first few off as being "all about fitness" but we really do need do need to see some performances- for at least part of the matches - from now on.
Unfortunately, Bruce appears to agree.
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Elpnick to SHA according to the gospel that is Twitter.
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Elpnick to SHA according to the gospel that is Twitter.
Oh please let this be true, he'd be the agent to end all agents.
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Elpnick to SHA according to the gospel that is Twitter.
Oh please let this be true, he'd be the agent to end all agents.
Cue their new keeper suddenly having sleepless nights
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Elpnick to SHA according to the gospel that is Twitter.
Oh please let this be true, he'd be the agent to end all agents.
Wouldn't be surprised to see his form turnaround elsewhere. Had some fine games for us at the start of last season. Think it was Wolves he had a particular horror show and his confidence never recovered. Horribly slow on the turn but might have done ok next to Terry as I expect our offside line won't be far off the 18 yard box next season.
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Assambologna off to Boro. Gary Monk is making good signings there.
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Good signing but very injury prone. My mate is a Forest fan and loves him but is glad he is going due to so many games missed
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Yeah assombalonga looked like he'd lost a bit of pace last season
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Elmohamady release clause activated
Activated by Hull City.
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Have seen Sunderland again linked with Ross McCormack and now also Elphick.
Sunderland need players with Championship experience as they aim to not get promoted.
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Elmohamady release clause activated
Activated by Hull City.
Lol
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We must have a squad of 30+ how many more do we need?
The only players that seem to leave are on free transfers when there contracts expire (and even then we offer them a new deal to keep them)
Surely we cannot keep doing this, the wage bill for a Championship side must be incredible.
If we do not get promotion this season what will happen next summer when we get in a new manager and he does not want the Bruce signings, and again we cannot get rid because they are being paid far too much for any other championship side to want them?, so they sit on there backsides collecting there pension money for another 2 years.
I do wonder if Bruce has to justify to the board why he needs a particular transfer target?
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Assambologna off to Boro. Gary Monk is making good signings there.
He is on paper. I think Ramirez is their ace in the pack though. A bit like Knockaert was for Brighton. Think Boro will be top 2.
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Boro's squad does look the longest in the league
But I don't know if the likes of de roon, turner, adama, Forshaw and friend will be there next season?
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Boro's squad does look the longest in the league
But I don't know if the likes of de roon, turner, adama, Forshaw and friend will be there next season?
I am suprised no one from Prem has come in for Gibson .
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Boro's squad does look the longest in the league
But I don't know if the likes of de roon, turner, adama, Forshaw and friend will be there next season?
I am suprised no one from Prem has come in for Gibson .
They have, but they've been told to cough up £30m
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Boro seem to be doing what we (Newcastle) did last season. Spend a lot on some good proven Championship players, and gamble on an immediate return to the top flight.
I thought you would have done more business by now, that the reports of little available cash was just pre-transfer window posturing by the club so you had a stronger negotiating position, but do you think you'll have to sell before you buy?
If so, who are you going to sell that will give you plenty of cash, but won't damage your promotion bid too much?
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I think it's FFP hurting us more than anything. Once 4 or 5 wages are off the bill, we might see a couple more come in.
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Yeah I meant Gibson boy turner sorry
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I'm not sure, we have a first team squad of about 34 players, that's just far too big, 24-25 is much more reasonable so even if money was no object we'd need to start selling the players that just aren't wanted. The problem seems to be that Bruce quite likes the players that the fans want rid of.
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I would want rid of:
Top priority
- Richards (who on earth wants him)
- Elphick (hopefully is going)
- Gabby (see Richards)
- Veretout (for the money - we're trying to sell)
- Amavi (ditto)
Next priority
- Bacuna (not sure who'd want him)
- Gardner (but Bruce does seem to like him)
- Hutton (don't think he'll go)
- Maybe Tshibola just because something's obviously wrong there
- McCormack (but only for a good fee which I doubt we'd get)
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There is the problem, that team on paper could / should be good enough to do well in this division yet they either stink the place out or don't want to know.
This sums up the malaise that has become this football club and until we deal with this we will continue to under achieve and under perform.
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There is the problem, that team on paper could / should be good enough to do well in this division yet they either stink the place out or don't want to know.
This sums up the malaise that has become this football club and until we deal with this we will continue to under achieve and under perform.
I don't think that team on paper would be anywhere near good enough even if their attitudes were all on point.
Elphick and Gardner are poor players.
Hutton and McCormack are both past their best, similar story with Gabby and Richards although less due to age.
Tshibola has a bit of potential but isn't good enough currently.
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the latter players you mention could all end up leaving, which would free up huge resources wages wise, and one or two might even command a fee. Bruce has to come out of the blocks like he's got a huge dollop of mustard on his bollocks to avoid RDM's fate come the early autumn.
-
Boro seem to be doing what we (Newcastle) did last season. Spend a lot on some good proven Championship players, and gamble on an immediate return to the top flight.
I thought you would have done more business by now, that the reports of little available cash was just pre-transfer window posturing by the club so you had a stronger negotiating position, but do you think you'll have to sell before you buy?
If so, who are you going to sell that will give you plenty of cash, but won't damage your promotion bid too much?
Possibly Amavi but Sevilla may have made other clubs wary after the so-called failed medical.
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I would want rid of:
Top priority
- Richards (who on earth wants him)
- Elphick (hopefully is going)
- Gabby (see Richards)
- Veretout (for the money - we're trying to sell)
- Amavi (ditto)
Next priority
- Bacuna (not sure who'd want him)
- Gardner (but Bruce does seem to like him)
- Hutton (don't think he'll go)
- Maybe Tshibola just because something's obviously wrong there
- McCormack (but only for a good fee which I doubt we'd get)
Agree with all except Bacuna, who's versatility could come in handy over the course of the season.
-
Boro seem to be doing what we (Newcastle) did last season. Spend a lot on some good proven Championship players, and gamble on an immediate return to the top flight.
I thought you would have done more business by now, that the reports of little available cash was just pre-transfer window posturing by the club so you had a stronger negotiating position, but do you think you'll have to sell before you buy?
If so, who are you going to sell that will give you plenty of cash, but won't damage your promotion bid too much?
The difference for you guys was that you had the likes of Sissokho to sell for huge fee that paid for 2/3 recruits....I wonder if Boro have Gibson lined up for an exit but are spending before accumulating.
-
Boro seem to be doing what we (Newcastle) did last season. Spend a lot on some good proven Championship players, and gamble on an immediate return to the top flight.
I thought you would have done more business by now, that the reports of little available cash was just pre-transfer window posturing by the club so you had a stronger negotiating position, but do you think you'll have to sell before you buy?
If so, who are you going to sell that will give you plenty of cash, but won't damage your promotion bid too much?
Hey Fish, you should spread it around Newcastle that Villa have two accomplished Premier League and International players that are yearning to rip up the Premier League again.
Micah Richards and Gabby Agbonlahor are far too good for the Championship and I don't think that the club would stand in their way if Newcastle came in with a reasonable bid.
I don't like to annoy my fellow supporters by suggesting they leave but hey, you have to think of the players' futures.
-
I would want rid of:
Top priority
- Richards (who on earth wants him)
- Elphick (hopefully is going)
- Gabby (see Richards)
- Veretout (for the money - we're trying to sell)
- Amavi (ditto)
Next priority
- Bacuna (not sure who'd want him)
- Gardner (but Bruce does seem to like him)
- Hutton (don't think he'll go)
- Maybe Tshibola just because something's obviously wrong there
- McCormack (but only for a good fee which I doubt we'd get)
Agree with all except Bacuna, who's versatility could come in handy over the course of the season.
I've only really seen him play well at right back and we've plenty of those
-
I would want rid of:
Top priority
- Richards (who on earth wants him)
- Elphick (hopefully is going)
- Gabby (see Richards)
- Veretout (for the money - we're trying to sell)
- Amavi (ditto)
Next priority
- Bacuna (not sure who'd want him)
- Gardner (but Bruce does seem to like him)
- Hutton (don't think he'll go)
- Maybe Tshibola just because something's obviously wrong there
- McCormack (but only for a good fee which I doubt we'd get)
Agree with all except Bacuna, who's versatility could come in handy over the course of the season.
I've only really seen him play well at right back and we've plenty of those
He's had the odd decent game at left-back, in midfield and out wide as well. I certainly wouldn't be too disappointed if he left, but his versatility makes him somewhat useful.
-
I would want rid of:
Top priority
- Richards (who on earth wants him)
- Elphick (hopefully is going)
- Gabby (see Richards)
- Veretout (for the money - we're trying to sell)
- Amavi (ditto)
Next priority
- Bacuna (not sure who'd want him)
- Gardner (but Bruce does seem to like him)
- Hutton (don't think he'll go)
- Maybe Tshibola just because something's obviously wrong there
- McCormack (but only for a good fee which I doubt we'd get)
Agree with all except Bacuna, who's versatility could come in handy over the course of the season.
Yeah, but his versatility is being equally piss poor in every position he plays.
-
Has Bacuna featured in any of the friendlies so far? I've not heard his name mentioned unless he's injured.
-
Elpnick to SHA according to the gospel that is Twitter.
In the Birmingham Mail today as well. Also adds that money from the sale of Elphick could be used to offer Samba a contract.
-
Bacuna has been at the CONCACAF Gold Cup playing for Curacao.
-
Bacuna has been at the CONCACAF Gold Cup playing for Curacao.
Is their kit blue by any chance?
-
Bacuna has been at the CONCACAF Gold Cup playing for Curacao.
Ah, ok thanks.
-
Curacao no less!
-
Bacuna has been at the CONCACAF Gold Cup playing for Curacao.
Is their kit blue by any chance?
Strange you should mention that - yes and no. It's mainly white but with blue according to the truth that is Wikipedia.
-
Any chance of us hijacking the Derby bid for Lawrence we should. Any sort of creative influence is desperately needed!!!
-
He was really good for Ipswich last season, can play through the middle or out wide.
Only problem is I saw Derby were apparently bidding 10m for him last week which I suspect rules us out given what we've spent on forwards in last 12 months.
-
We have spent very little this summer. We need someone like him. Still think we will bid for a big lump of a forward before the window shuts too.
-
We have spent very little this summer. We need someone like him. Still think we will bid for a big lump of a forward before the window shuts too.
SHA bid 2.5m for Hugil. Guy caused us loads of issues last season for Preston. Still a bit raw technically but still scored 12 goals last year.
-
Hughil is shite.
-
Watching the subs at half time you do think there must be massive strain on the wage bill with so many high earners not starting and needing to go.
-
Starting to think it's a bit early to pin so much hope on Andre green
I'd really be in favour of a loan or buy who could play wide or no 10 and score a few goals
-
Elpnick to SHA according to the gospel that is Twitter.
In the Birmingham Mail today as well. Also adds that money from the sale of Elphick could be used to offer Samba a contract.
what I have liked about Samba is he is no nonsense which Elphick never was. i know some people like their center backs to play a bit of football but i dont want to see mistakes with the likes of Amavi , Hutton and richards fumbling on the ball , go samba style , boot it 1000 yards .
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I thought he looked very good - obviously only v Walsall but got to be better than Richards or elphick
-
I thought he looked very good - obviously only v Walsall but got to be better than Richards or elphick
true but there was players who did not look good against Walsall
-
We have spent very little this summer. We need someone like him. Still think we will bid for a big lump of a forward before the window shuts too.
Sam Gallagher at S'oton would be the one I'd be going for. Did a very decent job on loan at Blackburn last season and still a youngster. We need a striker who adds balance to the team. One who can play with his back to goal, hold the ball-up and add an aerial presence.
We seem to be adding players to the squad who can cross the ball now but, Kodjia aside, don't have many players who can attack the crosses effectively!
I'm hoping that with a bit of cash in their pocket, Forest might come back in for McCormack. if they were to offer £5m or so, it'd probably be worth us cutting our losses.
-
We have spent very little this summer. We need someone like him. Still think we will bid for a big lump of a forward before the window shuts too.
Sam Gallagher at S'oton would be the one I'd be going for. Did a very decent job on loan at Blackburn last season and still a youngster. We need a striker who adds balance to the team. One who can play with his back to goal, hold the ball-up and add an aerial presence.
We seem to be adding players to the squad who can cross the ball now but, Kodjia aside, don't have many players who can attack the crosses effectively!
I'm hoping that with a bit of cash in their pocket, Forest might come back in for McCormack. if they were to offer £5m or so, it'd probably be worth us cutting our losses.
I doubt they would as he was largely garbage for them wasn't he?
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It's a long season and some variety up front is no bad thing
I can see a case for McCormack and a hogan type poacher in the squad. What we don't have is a proper target man (e.g. Chris wood, or that guy from Brighton, etc).
Gabby is the odd one out for me, but we'll have to wait a year to get rid
Is expected RHM to have had more of a chance by now. He's raw, but he offers real pace and penetration
Anyone know what's going on?
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Rushian was tweeting in support of the England Under-19s a lot recently, was he out there with them? I saw he was also retweeting a lot of well-wishes for the new season at Villa and he appeared in the promo for the new kit so I'm hoping his absence is due to injury or on international duty.
-
We have spent very little this summer. We need someone like him. Still think we will bid for a big lump of a forward before the window shuts too.
Sam Gallagher at S'oton would be the one I'd be going for. Did a very decent job on loan at Blackburn last season and still a youngster. We need a striker who adds balance to the team. One who can play with his back to goal, hold the ball-up and add an aerial presence.
We seem to be adding players to the squad who can cross the ball now but, Kodjia aside, don't have many players who can attack the crosses effectively!
I'm hoping that with a bit of cash in their pocket, Forest might come back in for McCormack. if they were to offer £5m or so, it'd probably be worth us cutting our losses.
I doubt they would as he was largely garbage for them wasn't he?
He scored one goal in 7 appearances for them, so certainly wasn't great. However, for a team / club in Forest's position they're unlikely to be able to attract anyone else with similar Championship pedigree.
I'm clutching at straws, clearly, but if we could get some cash back for him, and bring in a striker with some physical presence I'd be all for it!
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RHM & Green were kept out of England duty over the summer to give rest for long standing muscle injuries weren't they? Presume the physios have a long term plan for them that means RHM hasn't figured yet....guess come August he'll go out for 6 months on loan to get some proper football.
-
Barry or McCarthy
Before Whelan.
-
Barry or McCarthy
Before Whelan.
Look, I know we'd all love to see Benni McCarthy finally in a Villa shirt, but he's too old now and I doubt he'd have been suitable for a defensive midfield role in his prime.
-
I see we are using reverse psychology now . We are being linked with a Greek Centre forward that didn't score last season. It's the opposite of last summers approach when we signed McCormack. Genius Bruce genius.
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It's a long season and some variety up front is no bad thing
I can see a case for McCormack and a hogan type poacher in the squad. What we don't have is a proper target man (e.g. Chris wood, or that guy from Brighton, etc).
Gabby is the odd one out for me, but we'll have to wait a year to get rid
Is expected RHM to have had more of a chance by now. He's raw, but he offers real pace and penetration
Anyone know what's going on?
I think a target man type of player, Kodjia, Hogan, RHM and Davis would be a good pool of forward options for a Championship side. McCormack and Agbonlahor are surplus to requirements.
-
So - no idea who (doesn't need to be a gestede lump, just someone who can hold up play and win headers in the box)
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I see we are using reverse psychology now . We are being linked with a Greek Centre forward that didn't score last season. It's the opposite of last summers approach when we signed McCormack. Genius Bruce genius.
Linked dosent always mean it's true.
-
Murphy from Newcastle.
-
Murphy from Newcastle.
If it's Daryl Murphy that's one for the future!
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It's a long way from one for the future but the kind of lump that might make the ball stick and let the midfield cross the halfway line I suppose.
-
It does sound like the Glen Whelan signing is more or less done.
-
That'd been the case for nigh on a week now. It will happen.
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Sam Gallagher at S'oton would be the one I'd be going for. Did a very decent job on loan at Blackburn last season and still a youngster. We need a striker who adds balance to the team. One who can play with his back to goal, hold the ball-up and add an aerial presence.
We seem to be adding players to the squad who can cross the ball now but, Kodjia aside, don't have many players who can attack the crosses effectively!
[/quote]
I'm with you on this. Gallagher reminds me of Keith Leonard if you're old enough to remember him.
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Sam Gallagher at S'oton would be the one I'd be going for. Did a very decent job on loan at Blackburn last season and still a youngster. We need a striker who adds balance to the team. One who can play with his back to goal, hold the ball-up and add an aerial presence.
We seem to be adding players to the squad who can cross the ball now but, Kodjia aside, don't have many players who can attack the crosses effectively!
I'm with you on this. Gallagher reminds me of Keith Leonard if you're old enough to remember him.
[/quote]
I'd def be happy with this I think. We'd need to move out McCormack I reckon though
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I reckon that'll be it now, unless we give Samba a contract.
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So - no idea who (doesn't need to be a gestede lump, just someone who can hold up play and win headers in the box)
We have been linked with Sam Gallagher and like others have said, he would be a decent buy. I'll probably get pelters for this one, but I think Crouch would be a good target man for us for a couple of seasons.
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It's a long way from one for the future but the kind of lump that might make the ball stick and let the midfield cross the halfway line I suppose.
Yes will be another not popular due to his age but he scores goals at this level and can bring others into play so as soon as Newcastle made him available I wondered if he was one who'd be on our radar.
Surely means McCormack will be loaned out as we'd have too many forwards again.
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It does sound like the Glen Whelan signing is more or less done.
Pictures of him with Terry and Gabby at BMH watching the u23s.
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is it me or do we still have a lot of players to shift ??
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It does sound like the Glen Whelan signing is more or less done.
Pictures of him with Terry and Gabby at BMH watching the u23s.
Probably reminiscing about the days they could run faster than a dead wombat.
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Sam Gallagher at S'oton would be the one I'd be going for. Did a very decent job on loan at Blackburn last season and still a youngster. We need a striker who adds balance to the team. One who can play with his back to goal, hold the ball-up and add an aerial presence.
We seem to be adding players to the squad who can cross the ball now but, Kodjia aside, don't have many players who can attack the crosses effectively!
I'm with you on this. Gallagher reminds me of Keith Leonard if you're old enough to remember him.
I'd def be happy with this I think. We'd need to move out McCormack I reckon though
[/quote]
Hasn't he just signed a 4 year deal with Southampton......pity really
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I reckon that'll be it now, unless we give Samba a contract.
I reckon there will be 2 more after Whelan. A lump of a striker and some kind of creative winger come forward. Bruce will realise we can't go into the season without them. Murphy or Crouch as the striker are cheap options you would think. Crouch would be my choice as her can actually play football. Lawrence would be my other, but happy with anyone that can create.
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Didn't we say '2-3' more after Terry, so imagine that'll be it.
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Try as I might to get all "Rita Hayworth" about our signings, I just can't.
The likes of Whelan, Elmo and even Terry don't excite me in the slightest but at the same time I'm not appalled either. More than ever I think the Championship needs teams that are "greater than the sum of their parts" to get promoted and out of the tools available one would hope Bruce can do the job. I watched a bit of the Shrewsbury and Walsall games and was bored, like I have been with PSF since I started watching football. They are only fun if you're their drinking and soaking up the sun.
Roll on 5th August.
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The difference for you guys was that you had the likes of Sissokho to sell for huge fee that paid for 2/3 recruits....I wonder if Boro have Gibson lined up for an exit but are spending before accumulating.
To be fair, you spent more than us. Not having a go, or on the wind-up or anything.
Boro are spending a fortune (£30m already), as are Wolves (£20m), but I still fancy you for the title because I don't think you're anywhere close to being done.
Surprised Sunderland and Hull haven't spent more, neither club can really afford too many seasons outside the money pit.
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Hey Fish, you should spread it around Newcastle that Villa have two accomplished Premier League and International players that are yearning to rip up the Premier League again.
Micah Richards and Gabby Agbonlahor are far too good for the Championship and I don't think that the club would stand in their way if Newcastle came in with a reasonable bid.
I don't like to annoy my fellow supporters by suggesting they leave but hey, you have to think of the players' futures.
Tell you what, if you buy Colback and Dummett off our hands for, say, £15m, we'll take those two out back and hobble 'em for you. That way you get the insurance pay out and we get rid of the Ginger Pirlo and the player who gives me the most nightmares.
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The difference for you guys was that you had the likes of Sissokho to sell for huge fee that paid for 2/3 recruits....I wonder if Boro have Gibson lined up for an exit but are spending before accumulating.
To be fair, you spent more than us. Not having a go, or on the wind-up or anything.
Boro are spending a fortune (£30m already), as are Wolves (£20m), but I still fancy you for the title because I don't think you're anywhere close to being done.
Surprised Sunderland and Hull haven't spent more, neither club can really afford too many seasons outside the money pit.
We def spent more and because of how bad we were the year of relegation we didn't have likes of Sissoko, Wijnaldum or Townsend to bring in £60m+ which in all fairness to Rafa was invested well.
Think the outgoings will dictate any other signings for us whereas the relegated clubs will still have some £'s to wield before the window closes, hopefully their recruitment will be as bad as ours was last summer
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Boro are spending a fortune (£30m already), as are Wolves (£20m), but I still fancy you for the title because I don't think you're anywhere close to being done.
Unfortunately, in terms of incoming, we probably are done, maybe one extravagant signing at a push if we manage to get a few out the door. The size of our squad is unsustainable.
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Boro are spending a fortune (£30m already), as are Wolves (£20m), but I still fancy you for the title because I don't think you're anywhere close to being done.
Unfortunately, in terms of incoming, we probably are done, maybe one extravagant signing at a push if we manage to get a few out the door. The size of our squad is unsustainable.
Still waiting for the mother of all clear outs.
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Boro are spending a fortune (£30m already), as are Wolves (£20m), but I still fancy you for the title because I don't think you're anywhere close to being done.
Unfortunately, in terms of incoming, we probably are done, maybe one extravagant signing at a push if we manage to get a few out the door. The size of our squad is unsustainable.
Still waiting for the mother of all clear outs.
Kinda like the morning after a chicken phall.
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We must have more footballers at our club than there were extras in the original film Ben Hur!
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I think we will have one big £10m signing to come but we need to get rid 4 or 5 players.
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We have the players. When we bought Lansbury, McCormack, Hogan, Hourihane etc they are all scoring goals for their former teams. They all have more than enough quality for this league. If Bruce stopped being so fucking conservative and just lets them play a bit we'll be fine. We don't need any more big money buys. We need to trim the squad, find a system that works and get fucking on with it.
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We have the players. When we bought Lansbury, McCormack, Hogan, Hourihane etc they are all scoring goals for their former teams. They all have more than enough quality for this league. If Bruce stopped being so fucking conservative and just lets them play a bit we'll be fine. We don't need any more big money buys. We need to trim the squad, find a system that works and get fucking on with it.
I'd mostly agree other than to add that, if we sell Amavi, we'll need cover on the left and I'm not sure I like the idea of that being a combination of bree/de laet/bacuna/baker.
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How can you forget we still have super Cissokho!
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How can you forget we still have super Cissokho!
He's been practically sold for about 2 weeks hasn't he?
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It was tongue in cheek, hence the "super" bit. Still not convinced anyone is stupid enough to take him off us mind.
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It was tongue in cheek, hence the "super" bit. Still not convinced anyone is stupid enough to take him off us mind.
IOh I got that, I just honestly thought he was sold already or I'd have reluctantly included him, much like I include Richards as a right back option.
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I reckon that'll be it now, unless we give Samba a contract.
I reckon there will be 2 more after Whelan. A lump of a striker and some kind of creative winger come forward. Bruce will realise we can't go into the season without them. Murphy or Crouch as the striker are cheap options you would think. Crouch would be my choice as her can actually play football. Lawrence would be my other, but happy with anyone that can create.
Tom Lawrence? Seen him play for Wales a few times and he is more of a drop off striker, as opposed to a target man.
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I sometimes bring Lawrence on as replacement for Bale in FIFA. Never let me down.
-
I'm amazed we actually gave Cissokho a 4 year deal.
Awaits the replies of a 28 year old one cap French international who once failed a medical at AC Milan wouldn't move for anything less....:)
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I'm amazed we actually gave Cissokho a 4 year deal.
Awaits the replies of a 28 year old one cap French international who once failed a medical at AC Milan wouldn't move for anything less....:)
Didn't we give Bacuna a 5 year deal? Unbelievable. No wonder we can't get rid of him.
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
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I think the Westy and Bacuna five year deals were with the view of having them as sellable assets if they didn't "kick on" being that their wages were modest. We ended-up getting £5m for Westwood and him being on a long contract was reflected in the price.
-
but that theory completely breaks down on the other one.
-
Blues are being linked with Sam Gallagher on loan. I can imagine he would want to play most weeks and I'm not sure we could guarantee that?
What about ulloa if we did have some cash to spend? Would give us that different option .
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Blues are being linked with Sam Gallagher on loan. I can imagine he would want to play most weeks and I'm not sure we could guarantee that?
What about ulloa if we did have some cash to spend? Would give us that different option .
Would be a good signing, but likely to be expensive?
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Gallagher on loan and play around him...
nothing better than pissing on Harry's chips
-
After all of these signings, surely the van will be backing up to BMH soon to take away all of the dead weight....
Please?
-
are there any abattoirs near BMH?
-
but that theory completely breaks down on the other one.
Leo might still come good. He could still become that Champions League player he knows he can be.
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but that theory completely breaks down on the other one.
Leo might still come good. He could still become that Champions League player he knows he can be.
Yes he has the hair, the tats, the swagger, the arrogance and the grin.
All he needs now is some talent.
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Cissokho "closing in" on a move to a club in Turkey is every bit as quick as he closes in on an opposition with the ball.
-
As Bruce is only target premier league experience players then here are players could move for loans or full signings -
Left Defender
Gibbs
Creative Midfielder
Wilshire
Adam
Midfielder
Andy King
Marney
Leon Britton
Colback
McArthur
McCarthy
Barry
Even delph on loan
Winger
Max Gradel
Jordan Ibe
Routledge
Lennon
Sakho
Downing
And ash young
Striker
Ulloa
Crouch
Afobe
Danny Ings
Robson Kanu
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As Bruce is only target premier league experience players then here are players could move for loans or full signings -
Left Defender
Gibbs
Creative Midfielder
Wilshire
Adam
Midfielder
Andy King
Marney
Leon Britton
Colback
McArthur
McCarthy
Barry
Even delph on loan (Ha.brilliant)
Winger
Max Gradel
Jordan Ibe
Routledge
Lennon
Sakho
Downing
And ash young
Striker
Ulloa
Crouch
Afobe
Danny Ings
Robson Kanu
Sorted.
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Rumours are that Delph going to replace Whelan at Stoke and Downing is off the SHA (pleeeease let this happen!!)
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football.
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Dr Tony says he's agreed to get to squad down to 20 plus 5 kids. Even if Green and Bree count as kids that sounds a big challenge
I reckon we'll try to shift
Elphick (going it seems)
Cissokho (ditto)
Richards (can't see it)
Either Hutton or RDL
Amavi (big questions)
Tish
Gardner
Bacuna
Maybe one of the strikers too (can't see that either really)
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game.
Fixed.
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Tish could count as a youth player?
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Yeah except Bruce hates him
-
Can see McCormack being loaned out again.
Even though he's knuckled down I don't think he's rated much by the coaching staff and SB would rather use Gabby off the bench.
-
By my reckoning this is our current senior squad, not sure if Bunn is still with us, Sisko and Veretout seem likely to leave. Still leaves a fair few to shift. I don't class Grealish, Tish and Bree as kids, Tony may do though.
Sam Johnstone
Nathan Baker
Neil Taylor
Micah Richards
Henri Lansbury
Tommy Elphick
Leandro Bacuna
Aaron Tshibola
Scott Hogan
Gabriel Agbonlahor
James Chester
Jed Steer
Conor Hourihane
James Bree
Jordan Veretout
Birkir Bjarnason
Alan Hutton
Gary Gardner
Jordan Amavi
Mile Jedinak
John Terry
Ritchie De Laet
Aly Cissokho
Mark Bunn
Albert Adomah
Jack Grealish
Ross McCormack
Christopher Samba
Jonathan Kodjia
Ahmed Elmohamady
Glenn Whelan
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Veretout is leaving, Amavi should've already and maybe someone else will come in before September.
31 names there which is miles too big for a senior squad. I'd say an ideal number is 20 senior pros and then the next 5-10 are young lads wanting to break in so likes of Lyden, RHM and Green.
Just shows our fragmented our transfer windows have been the last few years. Constant windows of signing 5-6 and in some cases adding another 5-6 when we haven't even moved on the original players.
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game, and only away from home
Fixed.
Fixed.
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game, and only away from home (as long as it wasn't March or April)
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed.
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game, and only away from home (as long as it wasn't March or April) . Or threatening to finish 6th in the Premier league.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game, and only away from home (as long as it wasn't March or April) . Or threatening to finish 6th in the Premier league.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed
You guys have a fixation about something ...
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game, and only away from home (as long as it wasn't March or April) . Or threatening to finish 6th in the Premier league.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
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Threatening?
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game, and only away from home (as long as it wasn't March or April) . Or threatening to finish 6th in the Premier league.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game, and only away from home (as long as it wasn't March or April) . Or threatening to finish 6th in the Premier league.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
'Bruce The Builder'. Can he fix it?
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This is getting daft. Stop it now.
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game, and only away from home (as long as it wasn't March or April) . Or threatening to finish 6th in the Premier league.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
'Bruce The Builder'. Can he fix it?
Like Coldplay sang I will fix you.
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Elpnick, Tish, Gardner & McCormack haven't travelled with the team apparently. Unless they're injured presume they have moves in the offing.
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Steve Bruce is following Martin O'Neill rules book :( but without exciting football for 5 minutes a game, and only away from home (as long as it wasn't March or April) . Or threatening to finish 6th in the Premier league.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed.
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
'Bruce The Builder'. Can he fix it?
Like Coldplay sang I will fix you.
About as exciting as a Coldplay song
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i need a fix after reading through this fixed shit
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Elpnick, Tish, Gardner & McCormack haven't travelled with the team apparently. Unless they're injured presume they have moves in the offing.
Gardner apart, that is the bulk of our new 'spine' signed little over 12 months ago.
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Elpnick, Tish, Gardner & McCormack haven't travelled with the team apparently. Unless they're injured presume they have moves in the offing.
Gardner apart, that is the bulk of our new 'spine' signed little over 12 months ago.
A jolly good reason why we're still in this league.
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Elpnick, Tish, Gardner & McCormack haven't travelled with the team apparently. Unless they're injured presume they have moves in the offing.
McCormack's gates broken again maybe?
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Ross didn't travel as he was told there were no Greggs over there.
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Even a sweaty would have known Germany harbours no Greggs, bizarre statement.
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Even a sweaty??
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Some sorts of racism are expected to go uncommented on.
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Even a sweaty would have known Germany harbours no Greggs, bizarre statement.
They have Greggs in Belgium. A Belgium I know was surprised they had them here, thought they were local. Don't know about Germany, but wouldn't rule it out.
Maybe we have an offer for McCormack, would make sense to cash in and reduce the wage bill if possible given Bruce has no use for him. Seems a shame to sell a clearly talented player and keep Gabby though. Perhaps if he does go then another forward will come in.
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Even a sweaty would have known Germany harbours no Greggs, bizarre statement.
They have Greggs in Belgium. A Belgium I know was surprised they had them here, thought they were local. Don't know about Germany, but wouldn't rule it out.
Maybe we have an offer for McCormack, would make sense to cash in and reduce the wage bill if possible given Bruce has no use for him. Seems a shame to sell a clearly talented player and keep Gabby though. Perhaps if he does go then another forward will come in.
Can't say I've seen anything to suggest he's that talented. If he was he would have been snapped up by a leading premier league club earlier in his career. Fact is he's scored a few goals in the Championship, that's all.
From what i saw against Walsall he bottles every challenge so he clearly doesn't fit what Bruce is looking for and dont forget he's a troublemaker. Up there with one of the worst signings we've made if you ask me. Get rid now
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Bruce expected to trim first team seniors to 20 with 6 youth players in the squad...
Seniors;
Johnstone,
Bunn,
Bree,
De Laet,
Taylor,
Terry,
Samba,
Chester,
Baker,
Jedinak,
Hourahane,
Lansbury,
Adomah,
Bjarnasson,
Elhamody,
Whelan,
Hogan,
Grealish,
Kodjia,
New forward.
Youth players
LB...?
Toner,
Green,
Hepburn Murphy,
GK...?
Another...?
Off
Hutton, Amavi, Bacuna, Richards, Elphick, Cissoko, Veretout, Tshibola, Gill, Sanchez, Gardner, Agbonlahor, McCormack....?
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Jacob Bedeau ?, hope he's still part of the set up. Whats the latest?
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Jacob Bedeau ?, hope he's still part of the set up. Whats the latest?
I did remember him but with 4 senior centre backs I can see him being part of the youth system next season and if he looks the part he could be the man to replace Samba or Terry in the squad in a year or so,
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Bruce expected to trim first team seniors to 20 with 6 youth players in the squad...
Seniors;
Johnstone,
Bunn,
Bree,
De Laet,
Taylor,
Terry,
Samba,
Chester,
Baker,
Jedinak,
Hourahane,
Lansbury,
Adomah,
Bjarnasson,
Elhamody,
Whelan,
Hogan,
Grealish,
Kodjia,
New forward.
Youth players
LB...?
Toner,
Green,
Hepburn Murphy,
GK...?
Another...?
Off
Hutton, Amavi, Bacuna, Richards, Elphick, Cissoko, Veretout, Tshibola, Gill, Sanchez, Gardner, Agbonlahor, McCormack....?
I would keep Hutton, Bacuna, Elphick and McCormack. I think Gabby and Gardner's time is up at the club. As for the others, that is the problem with the transfer windows. We either get rid or are stuck with them till January.
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I think it depends on how serious Xia is about trimming to 20, but I'd have no problem keeping Bacuna and McCormack if he'll accommodate more than is being suggested. Hutton depends on how Bree and De Laet are looking, if he thinks Bree could do with a loan out for a bit or if De Laet is struggling to get over the injury id keep Hutton for another year but if they're both looking good I'd say we're covered at RB. Elphick i'd definately ship out, I think he's already been replaced. Shame as he seems a good sort and I was surprised he struggled.
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that just-before- kick off post thing did it for me.
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Alan Nixon reckons Hutton is off to Wednesday
Not my favourite player at all, though I'd have thought that ideally we'd want de Laet fit and for Bree to have ripened a little more
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His crossing is woeful. Having Hutton get into advanced positions and routinely hit the first man or over hit the cross.
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He'll keep Hutton because he knows he's reliable. The jury is still out on Bree and De Laet (we can't expect too much from him too soon following that injury). And once Amavi inevitably goes I would expect to see one of those three right backs covering on the left occasionally. Likely Hutton.
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De Laet is the most suited to covering lb
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Alan Nixon reckons Hutton is off to Wednesday
Not my favourite player at all, though I'd have thought that ideally we'd want de Laet fit and for Bree to have ripened a little more
We'll still have Elmohamady and Bacuna who can cover at RB if those two aren't available.
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Bruce expected to trim first team seniors to 20 with 6 youth players in the squad...
Seniors;
Johnstone,
Bunn,
Bree,
De Laet,
Taylor,
Terry,
Samba,
Chester,
Baker,
Jedinak,
Hourahane,
Lansbury,
Adomah,
Bjarnasson,
Elhamody,
Whelan,
Hogan,
Grealish,
Kodjia,
New forward.
Youth players
LB...?
Toner,
Green,
Hepburn Murphy,
GK...?
Another...?
Off
Hutton, Amavi, Bacuna, Richards, Elphick, Cissoko, Veretout, Tshibola, Gill, Sanchez, Gardner, Agbonlahor, McCormack....?
I would keep Hutton, Bacuna, Elphick and McCormack. I think Gabby and Gardner's time is up at the club. As for the others, that is the problem with the transfer windows. We either get rid or are stuck with them till January.
I can see the case for keeping Bacuna because of his versatility, but if the other three are nowhere near the starting team then we might as well move them on if possible as they'll all be on decent wages.
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I'd bite the bullet now with Hutton, but I supposed I'd understand if we wait to see how Bree and De Laet are shaping up, and then re-explore the matter in January.
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If anyone offers any kind of money for Hutton we have to bite their hands off. ANY money.
He's pony.
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Hard working pony
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Holte End would go into mourning if he left.
Sat there for the QPR game and was amazed at the hero worship he was getting, about 70% of the chants were directed at him!
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Hard working pony
A hard working Pony is still a Pony at the end of the day
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Holte End would go into mourning if he left.
Sat there for the QPR game and was amazed at the hero worship he was getting, about 70% of the chants were directed at him!
I know, but rest easy knowing the same folks that sing about him still sing about Gabby as well.
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Hard working pony
I'd work hard too if I played right back for Villa
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The rhyming slang still works. Hard working pony and crap
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The rhyming slang still works. Hard working pony and crap
Pit Pony
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Hutton is Tom Tit.
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Hutton will do for me. I like his commitment and I think the criticism of his quality/game is over the top. At least he shows some passion and some bollocks.
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Hutton will do for me. I like his commitment and I think the criticism of his quality/game is over the top.
Hutton and quality are two words that should never appear in the same sentence. A Hutton cross is a replica of a Rugby Union try conversion attempt.
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Hutton will do for me. I like his commitment and I think the criticism of his quality/game is over the top. At least he shows some passion and some bollocks.
He just runs head down for about forty yards before either:
a) delivering a massively overshot or underhit cross
b) passing to a defender
c) literally just runnning straight into the opposition
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I guarantee the first thing he will do when he plays against us is to crock Kodjia.
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His crossing is woeful. Having Hutton get into advanced positions and routinely hit the first man or over hit the cross.
yep then out of position while the other team attacks
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I hope de laet gets fit , hes a very good player for this level.
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Hutton will do for me. I like his commitment and I think the criticism of his quality/game is over the top. At least he shows some passion and some bollocks.
He just runs head down for about forty yards before either:
a) delivering a massively overshot or underhit cross
b) passing to a defender
c) literally just running straight into the opposition
Hard to argue with any of that if you've spent the last 5/6 seasons watching him. I can't think of a player that's literally made me want to pull my hair out as much as good old honest Alan
I'd love someone to give me his Villa career stats. The assists one would make for fun reading i'm sure.
I will however miss the comical stampedes up the pitch and the inevitable shit cross/ball loss leading to all kinds of chaos behind as he trudges back down the field
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I remember he scored once but I don't remember an assist - who scored reckons he's got 4 in his villa career
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Hutton will do for me. I like his commitment and I think the criticism of his quality/game is over the top. At least he shows some passion and some bollocks.
He just runs head down for about forty yards before either:
a) delivering a massively overshot or underhit cross
b) passing to a defender
c) literally just runnning straight into the opposition
All of that has some truth but he lifts the team and the crowd with those efforts. If we had 10 others showing a similar level of commitment then he would not stand out but unfortunately we don't, or at leat haven't had, and that is why he is appreciated.
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And the 'Scottish Cafu' chant is in no way ironic.
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We def spent more and because of how bad we were the year of relegation we didn't have likes of Sissoko, Wijnaldum or Townsend to bring in £60m+ which in all fairness to Rafa was invested well.
Think the outgoings will dictate any other signings for us whereas the relegated clubs will still have some £'s to wield before the window closes, hopefully their recruitment will be as bad as ours was last summer
I was shocked at Boro's largesse and expect them to do well, but just through knowing a few I know that the mackems have sod all to spend. Even though they've sold Pickford for a big fee, and shifted the likes of Borini and Mannone, their owner seems to be putting those sums towards managing the debt.
Where have Wolves found all this money from?
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I think that could well be it until later on in the transfer window, possibly the last day. The focus over the next couple of weeks will be on getting a side together for the start of the season.
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Wolves are owned by one of the richest companies in China - if they get in the Premier League, they could blow most teams out of the water with their spending power!!! I would imagine that only the Sheikhs at Man City have more money than them?
When are we going to see some of these players leaving us? - I doubt any will leave because we overpay our lot, and it is too easy to stay with us!
Gabby my guess is that he will sign a new 2 year deal by the end of September - he is Steve Bruce's golden boy!
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Hutton for all his commitment provided one assist last season. As a player who often gets caught out too high up the pitch, that's bloody awful.
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Hutton for all his commitment provided one assist last season. As a player who often gets caught out too high up the pitch, that's bloody awful.
He just can't cross the ball properly
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
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Hutton for all his commitment provided one assist last season. As a player who often gets caught out too high up the pitch, that's bloody awful.
He just can't cross the ball properly
Exactly, so he should stay in bloody defence.
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Hutton will do for me. I like his commitment and I think the criticism of his quality/game is over the top. At least he shows some passion and some bollocks.
He just runs head down for about forty yards before either:
a) delivering a massively overshot or underhit cross
b) passing to a defender
c) literally just runnning straight into the opposition
All of that has some truth but he lifts the team and the crowd with those efforts. If we had 10 others showing a similar level of commitment then he would not stand out but unfortunately we don't, or at leat haven't had, and that is why he is appreciated.
I'd rather he just controlled the ball ans passed it to someone who can play. He's an attacking right back, who whenever he attacks, I already know the attack is five seconds away from breaking down
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Rumours hotting up about McCormack to Sunderland
Not sure if we need to show a net income from
Here under FFP? But I imagine we'll get another forward - hopefully someone who can play back to goal and be a threat in the air, even if someone who's "very championship"
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McCormack's drop-off was pretty spectacular last season.
Didn't he have something like the highest chance creation stats in the division until about mid October?
Both he and Ayew struggled to make much of an impression under Bruce. Decent players, but if the manager isn't going anywhere it makes sense that McCormack follows Ayew out the door.
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He didn't make any impression under RDM either - I always thought we bought him simply to stop someone else buying him, without any plan as to how to utilize his skill set.
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If McCormack does go, I hope we can get another striker in - ideally someone with some height - Gallagher at Blackburn would be my shout.
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If McCormack does go, I hope we can get another striker in - ideally someone with some height - Gallagher at Blackburn would be my shout.
Paul Gallagher? Bit old even for Bruce don't you think?
Sam Gallagher, the Southampton striker on loan at Blackburn last season might be a better bet.
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If McCormack does go, I hope we can get another striker in - ideally someone with some height - Gallagher at Blackburn would be my shout.
Paul Gallagher? Bit old even for Bruce don't you think?
Sam Gallagher, the Southampton striker on loan at Blackburn last season might be a better bet.
You thinking of Kevin? Kevin Gallacher.
Monumental fail on both counts...
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If McCormack does go, I hope we can get another striker in - ideally someone with some height - Gallagher at Blackburn would be my shout.
Paul Gallagher? Bit old even for Bruce don't you think?
Sam Gallagher, the Southampton striker on loan at Blackburn last season might be a better bet.
Kevin Gallagher would probably still be in better shape than Gabby or McCormack.
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If McCormack does go, I hope we can get another striker in - ideally someone with some height - Gallagher at Blackburn would be my shout.
Paul Gallagher? Bit old even for Bruce don't you think?
Sam Gallagher, the Southampton striker on loan at Blackburn last season might be a better bet.
Kevin Gallagher would probably still be in better shape than Gabby or McCormack.
See also: Gallagher, Liam/Noel
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If McCormack does go, I hope we can get another striker in - ideally someone with some height - Gallagher at Blackburn would be my shout.
Paul Gallagher? Bit old even for Bruce don't you think?
Sam Gallagher, the Southampton striker on loan at Blackburn last season might be a better bet.
You thinking of Kevin? Kevin Gallacher.
Monumental fail on both counts...
In Rudy's defence, there was a Paul Gallagher who played for Blackburn and I think he is still plying his trade somewhere. Unless of course he meant Liam and Noel's brother.
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If McCormack does go, I hope we can get another striker in - ideally someone with some height - Gallagher at Blackburn would be my shout.
Paul Gallagher? Bit old even for Bruce don't you think?
Sam Gallagher, the Southampton striker on loan at Blackburn last season might be a better bet.
You thinking of Kevin? Kevin Gallacher.
Monumental fail on both counts...
Ha! How many Gallaghers can one club have?
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What's the collective noun? A Gaggle of Gallaghers?
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Wolves think they are going to sign Sam Gallagher despite us, Boro and wait for it.. the Rags interested in him.
Edit: Strange if true as he's just signed a new four year deal with Southampton.
Double edit: They want him on loan.
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If McCormack does go, I hope we can get another striker in - ideally someone with some height - Gallagher at Blackburn would be my shout.
Paul Gallagher? Bit old even for Bruce don't you think?
Sam Gallagher, the Southampton striker on loan at Blackburn last season might be a better bet.
You thinking of Kevin? Kevin Gallacher.
Monumental fail on both counts...
Ha! How many Gallaghers can one club have?
Wasnt that the family in shameless??
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What's the collective noun? A Gaggle of Gallaghers?
An Oasis?
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What's the collective noun? A Gaggle of Gallaghers?
An Oasis?
Obvious but top points :)
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Wolves think they are going to sign Sam Gallagher despite us, Boro and wait for it.. the Rags interested in him.
Edit: Strange if true as he's just signed a new four year deal with Southampton.
Double edit: They want him on loan.
Clubs will do that just to ensure they maximise the price on a player. The closer they are to the end of their contract, the lower the price.
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I would like it if could get Gallagher in good player.
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
I'm also surprised we don't have 'Recon' on the shirt, with them pumping some money in so that we can increase our spending a little.
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
I'm also surprised we don't have 'Recon' on the shirt, with them pumping some money in so that we can increase our spending a little.
we do, on the back of the shirt.
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
I'm also surprised we don't have 'Recon' on the shirt, with them pumping some money in so that we can increase our spending a little.
A direct link to the sponsor is frowned upon, certainly as far as getting around FFP is concerned.
But if Xia is the big hitter he is meant to be in China, Shirley one of his peers could throw him a bone on the sponsorship front whilst he puts business their way to the same value.
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I think Crouch would be the best bet up front if we could get him. Would easily play with Hogan or Kodjia, and provide an easy target man. Good feet for a big man too.
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I think Crouch would be the best bet up front if we could get him. Would easily play with Hogan or Kodjia, and provide an easy target man. Good feet for a big man too.
Has he?
I've never heard that mentioned before!
;)
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Hutton will do for me. I like his commitment and I think the criticism of his quality/game is over the top. At least he shows some passion and some bollocks.
He just runs head down for about forty yards before either:
a) delivering a massively overshot or underhit cross
b) passing to a defender
c) literally just runnning straight into the opposition
-
We def spent more and because of how bad we were the year of relegation we didn't have likes of Sissoko, Wijnaldum or Townsend to bring in £60m+ which in all fairness to Rafa was invested well.
Think the outgoings will dictate any other signings for us whereas the relegated clubs will still have some £'s to wield before the window closes, hopefully their recruitment will be as bad as ours was last summer
I was shocked at Boro's largesse and expect them to do well, but just through knowing a few I know that the mackems have sod all to spend. Even though they've sold Pickford for a big fee, and shifted the likes of Borini and Mannone, their owner seems to be putting those sums towards managing the debt.
Where have Wolves found all this money from?
Wolves have very rich owners and are being used as a vehicle by Jorge Mendes to move his young players around Europe, the theory being they have a year / 18 months at Wolves then get moved on at a profit for Wolves & more importantly a profit for Mendes. It might work but it also has a future FA inquiry written all over it.
Hopefully Sunderland are punch drunk like we were last summer & spend what cash they have stupidly....McCormack would be a start, if they fancy an Elphick, a Richards or a Bacuna it can be arranged.
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
Personally I prefer the route we seem to be taking of trying to work within the regulations rather than trying to fool them.
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When he's not been on the sauce, Liam Gallagher gets up at 5.30 for a 10 mile jog most mornings around Hampstead Heath, apparently. Gets home and eats a full box of jaffa cakes with a cup of tea before waking-up Lennon and Jude and packing them off to school /Eastie
-
And then pops in the Phantom Coach in Coventry to have a pint.
-
And then gets his Ladybird book of nursery rhymes out for lyrical inspiration for his next collection of underwhelming tunes.
-
Hutton will do for me. I like his commitment and I think the criticism of his quality/game is over the top. At least he shows some passion and some bollocks.
He just runs head down for about forty yards before either:
a) delivering a massively overshot or underhit cross
b) passing to a defender
c) literally just runnning straight into the opposition
All of that has some truth but he lifts the team and the crowd with those efforts. If we had 10 others showing a similar level of commitment then he would not stand out but unfortunately we don't, or at leat haven't had, and that is why he is appreciated.
I'd rather he just controlled the ball ans passed it to someone who can play. He's an attacking right back, who whenever he attacks, I already know the attack is five seconds away from breaking down
Well if attacking is meant to be his strength God help us because his defending isn't up to much either. I really don't understand that he should be appreciated for effort and commitment. That should be an absolute minimum for a footballer being paid (I won't say earning because that implies he deserves it) well over a million a year. Plus those who think he is committed should check how committed he is to bombing back to cover when his "forays" inevitably end in conceding possession. It is absolutely pointless being committed if your contribution amounts to little or nothing. As for lifting others and the crowd, well some people must be easily pleased. He doesn't lift me when he gets the ball and ambles forward - I just inwardly groan and wait for the inevitable fuck up. If we had 10 others showing the same level of commitment and ability we'd be relegated. Persistently.
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
Personally I prefer the route we seem to be taking of trying to work within the regulations rather than trying to fool them.
Sadly that won't work, if everyone is doing it then you either follow suit or get beaten by them. Remember good guys always finish last.
Unfortunately if you can't beat them you have to join them
-
I'm also perfectly happy to do it the way we are
-
Maybe Recon are paying squillions to be our back of shirt sponsor.
-
How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
Personally I prefer the route we seem to be taking of trying to work within the regulations rather than trying to fool them.
Sadly that won't work, if everyone is doing it then you either follow suit or get beaten by them. Remember good guys always finish last.
Unfortunately if you can't beat them you have to join them
Can see your point but would have to disagree....we have tried the throw money at it approach where no one cares about the wasted millions, working to a budget means all decisions have to be thought about.
Guess we'll know in 2/3 months whether this approach works
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
Personally I prefer the route we seem to be taking of trying to work within the regulations rather than trying to fool them.
Sadly that won't work, if everyone is doing it then you either follow suit or get beaten by them. Remember good guys always finish last.
Unfortunately if you can't beat them you have to join them
Can see your point but would have to disagree....we have tried the throw money at it approach where no one cares about the wasted millions, working to a budget means all decisions have to be thought about.
While a very honourable approach, the exact same words could have been said when Lerner decided to turn the money tap off.
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
Personally I prefer the route we seem to be taking of trying to work within the regulations rather than trying to fool them.
Sadly that won't work, if everyone is doing it then you either follow suit or get beaten by them. Remember good guys always finish last.
Unfortunately if you can't beat them you have to join them
Can see your point but would have to disagree....we have tried the throw money at it approach where no one cares about the wasted millions, working to a budget means all decisions have to be thought about.
While a very honourable approach, the exact same words could have been said when Lerner decided to turn the money tap off.
Indeed, however on the flip side with Lerner it wasn't just the cash that stopped it was the interest and inclination to compete, that flooded through the place like a plague - I don't see any interest waning amongst those at the top just a realisation that we have to cut our cloth accordingly.
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I have no problem with our owners (whoever they are) spending way beyond what they can afford on our club.
Football is a high risk business that requires cash to succeed. Spend and spend. If you cant spend any more then sell.
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How are Wolves not falling foul of FFP they spent a fair bit as well last year didn't they?
They are now sponsored by the company that their owners have.
Makes you wonder why Dr Tony hasn't done that if he's so concerned by the FFP doesn't it
Personally I prefer the route we seem to be taking of trying to work within the regulations rather than trying to fool them.
Sadly that won't work, if everyone is doing it then you either follow suit or get beaten by them. Remember good guys always finish last.
Unfortunately if you can't beat them you have to join them
Can see your point but would have to disagree....we have tried the throw money at it approach where no one cares about the wasted millions, working to a budget means all decisions have to be thought about.
While a very honourable approach, the exact same words could have been said when Lerner decided to turn the money tap off.
We're still paying out incredible decent wages for this level...Terry it seems is on 50K +, Whelan was on 30-40k at Stoke so I doubt he's taken much of a reduction.
Big difference is Lerner was paying out bargain bucket wages in the second half of his reign. 2012 when we signed Bowery, Lowton and Westwood from bottom 2 divisions, 2013 when Helenius, Okore and Tonev were coming from Danish and Polish leagues respectively and then 2014 when Senderos and Joe Cole were coming on (probably) pay as you play contracts.
Shows how badly run we were that even in those times our wage bill was probably still top 10 in the premier league.
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I have no problem with our owners (whoever they are) spending way beyond what they can afford on our club.
Football is a high risk business that requires cash to succeed. Spend and spend. If you cant spend any more then sell.
Indeed
What harm did this do under Lerner?
🤔
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I think the biggest waste of money during the Lener era wasn't on players. It was every single penny we paid that useless arsehole Tom Fox.
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Lerner didn't just turn the money tap off or lose interest. He failed to form a decent management structure with industry experience to run the club in his absence. 2 things Xia did early on was to appoint Wyness as Chairman and Steve Round as Technical Director. That's immediately more than Lerner did in terms of putting a structure in place.
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I think the biggest waste of money during the Lener era wasn't on players. It was every single penny we paid that useless arsehole Tom Fox Martin O'Neill.
Fixed.
Now if we'd hired him in 1985..
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I agree with Gareth. It was not the turning off of the money by Lerner that did such damage to us. It was his half arsed now-you-see-me-now-you-don't approach to owning the club. He was a messer. It spread right through the club and right through the chain of managers from McLeish to Black and right through the players from Ireland to Richards. We have just paid £1million for Elmohamady. How much did Charles N'Zogbia cost us? That is the difference between what we were and what we are now. Yes, we wasted a huge amount on Ross McCormack but at least that lesson has been learned and hopes can be allowed to rise that we are finally on the long march back.
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Vertout having a medical at Fiorentina so looks like he's off.
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He can tell them how good Richards is.
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I agree with Gareth. It was not the turning off of the money by Lerner that did such damage to us. It was his half arsed now-you-see-me-now-you-don't approach to owning the club. He was a messer. It spread right through the club and right through the chain of managers from McLeish to Black and right through the players from Ireland to Richards. We have just paid £1million for Elmohamady. How much did Charles N'Zogbia cost us? That is the difference between what we were and what we are now. Yes, we wasted a huge amount on Ross McCormack but at least that lesson has been learned and hopes can be allowed to rise that we are finally on the long march back.
I don't think it was any of that, I think all of the other issues come as a consequence of him hiring the wrong people for the wrong reasons and then letting them have total control because that's what mon insisted on and therefore must be part of being a good manager. McLeish sums it up perfectly, Lerner met him when we played the blues and thought he was a nice guy and then when we were struggling to find a replacement had the genius idea to hire him. Hiring Fox because he'd been at Arsenal but had nothing to do with football matters was another low.
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I think, respectfully, Paul that you are strengthening my point. Lerner's naivete allowed the appointment of inferior quality employees. What he allowed to happen in his custodianship of the Cleveland Browns is not coincidence.
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I think the biggest waste of money during the Lener era wasn't on players. It was every single penny we paid that useless arsehole Tom Fox.
I must confess when he first arrived I thought he did everything right-turned out I was wrong on that one. Reflects our track record for the last few years.
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I think, respectfully, Paul that you are strengthening my point. Lerner's naivete allowed the appointment of inferior quality employees. What he allowed to happen in his custodianship of the Cleveland Browns is not coincidence.
I think they're other sides of the same coin, he was naive when it came to appointments and then he didn't know how to fix the mess that created so he buried his head in the sand. Both come down to the fact that he was out of his depth.
The bit I disagree with is the idea that it was about cutting the money or that he lost interest, I think both of those are easy accusations to make that again don't get to the core of why it didn't work out.
I don't know the guy but everything that happened, and how it happened, makes me think he just wanted people to like him so he surrounded himself with nice guys without really caring that they didn't have the skills or experience needed to do the job. When he eventually realised that competence was more important it was the last few months and he got them in to sell the club rather than run it.
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He can tell them how good Richards is.
they already know.
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Twitter is linking us to Robert Snodgrass today. Would be a top player in the Championship, but the fee being talked about is £7m plus, which is an awful lot for a player who'll be 30 in September. Bruce has previously admitted to wanting him though, so there's every chance it's a genuine link. Veretout's fee + McCormack's wages (and possible fee) would probably about cover the outlay too.
As an aside, I still think we need another centre-back. We've no idea about the durability of Samba, or how many games we'll get out of Terry. Sadly, we know all too well about Baker's durability (or lack of). Granted the 3 of them (and Jedinak) should all be able to cover each others' absences, but my big fear is what happens if/when Chester gets injured. A back 2 containing any combination of that 4 would be so slow it'd force our defence to set-up so deep it would hinder the whole team.
None of the younger CBs that we have look to have the physicality to play in the Championship yet (Suliman in particular looks to be very lightweight). Did somebody previously say that De Laet can play as a CB in emergencies...?
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We can't have more than four senior centre backs surely.
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Snodgrass, hasn't he had more clubs than McIlroy in the last couple of years?
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We can't have more than four senior centre backs surely.
I don't think we need any more centre-halves. In fact, all I think we really could do with is a target man style centre forward and a left winger (Snodgrass would fit the bill for the latter).
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Snodgrass would be an excellent buy if we could get him - I get the impression (from Twitter admittedly) that West Ham fans aren't keen on him - maybe he's not settled? Hope so!
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Snodgrass, hasn't he had more clubs than McIlroy in the last couple of years?
Another average footballer that we could do without.
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If we play 3 at the back we need more cover (unless he thinks Bree or de Laet can do it)
If not we don't
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is there any good target man out there we could try to sign. We want someone like Benteke/Les Ferdinard/Alan Shearer/Gerry Hitchens/Pongo Waring ;) . Don't want Peter Crouch. I know C Ronaldo could be ideal but that is about likely as Walsall winning the Champions League.
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I think, respectfully, Paul that you are strengthening my point. Lerner's naivete allowed the appointment of inferior quality employees. What he allowed to happen in his custodianship of the Cleveland Browns is not coincidence.
It is a tough one for me. Because of my stuff with the Trust I have got to know some former senior figures in a personal capacity.
You couldn't meet a nicer bloke than Paul Faulkner but he was woefully out of his depth running a football club. He got the gig as Lerner likes him and he was instrumental in bringing Sir Flouncealot to account (and that was because Lerner didn't have the bollocks to just sack him).
As a businessman, Fox was a much shrewder operator. He quickly tried to right the ship from a commercial perspective (we were actually losing money on merchandise given the half headed nature of some of the deals Faulkner agreed). He knew they needed a proper management structure. He just didn't have the football knowledge to get the right people in place.
Hollis was the brightest of the lot and would have been a sound Chairman had he stopped around longer. I get the impression he never really fancied it long term though.
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The problem with Snodgrass is that it'd be yet another 30 year old and is just another one we'd need to replace next summer. It might work and get us promoted but it just feels like we're putting everything on promotion with no thought for what happens when we get there.
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I think, respectfully, Paul that you are strengthening my point. Lerner's naivete allowed the appointment of inferior quality employees. What he allowed to happen in his custodianship of the Cleveland Browns is not coincidence.
It is a tough one for me. Because of my stuff with the Trust I have got to know some former senior figures in a personal capacity.
You couldn't meet a nicer bloke than Paul Faulkner but he was woefully out of his depth running a football club. He got the gig as Lerner likes him and he was instrumental in bringing Sir Flouncealot to account (and that was because Lerner didn't have the bollocks to just sack him).
As a businessman, Fox was a much shrewder operator. He quickly tried to right the ship from a commercial perspective (we were actually losing money on merchandise given the half headed nature of some of the deals Faulkner agreed). He knew they needed a proper management structure. He just didn't have the football knowledge to get the right people in place.
Hollis was the brightest of the lot and would have been a sound Chairman had he stopped around longer. I get the impression he never really fancied it long term though.
Faulkner and McLeish were the 2 really bad appointments (and I say that as someone who didn't dislike PF as much as many on here) both were totally out of their depth but they always came across as good guys. Fox as a commercial manager with a sporting manager on the other side would've been fine I think but getting him to do everything was just stupid.
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In the last 3 years Manchester City have spent something like £340m. On goalkeepers and defenders.
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In the last 3 years Manchester City have spent something like £340m. On goalkeepers and defenders.
Fucking amateurs. The four eyed bottler did that every summer!
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Snodgrass is an excellent player. But he plays on the right and we've just signed Elmo to play there. (he has mentioned that one reason he wasn't happy at West Ham is he was asked to play on the left). I really like him but £8m for a 30 year old in a position where we have Elmo & Adomah doesn't sound like the right deal for us at the moment.
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In addition to the comments above, is it worth repeating that the biggest mistake Lerner made was letting Steve Stride go and the second-biggest was not dragging him back off whatever golf course he happened to be playing the minute O'Neil walked out?
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In addition to the comments above, is it worth repeating that the biggest mistake Lerner made was letting Steve Stride go and the second-biggest was not dragging him back off whatever golf course he happened to be playing the minute O'Neil walked out?
Stride is exactly the sort of person he needed and yes he should never have been thrown out so quickly. That's the biggest difference now for me Wyness is the first attempt to replace Stride with someone remotely like-for-like.
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In addition to the comments above, is it worth repeating that the biggest mistake Lerner made was letting Steve Stride go and the second-biggest was not dragging him back off whatever golf course he happened to be playing the minute O'Neil walked out?
The trouble always was that they thought they knew it all. "Don't worry your pretty little heads about the finances, Randy will cover that". "McLeish a shit appointment? Nah, think what he can do with Randy's money". "Football experience on the board? We need business experience not football".
It was annoyingly arrogant then and only changed towards the death throws of the Fox regime when they were that shell shocked they did anything we shouted for pretty much.
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is there any good target man out there we could try to sign. We want someone like Benteke/Les Ferdinard/Alan Shearer/Gerry Hitchens/Pongo Waring ;) . Don't want Peter Crouch. I know C Ronaldo could be ideal but that is about likely as Walsall winning the Champions League.
Sam Gallagher is that type of player if not in the calibre of players you mentioned!
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In addition to the comments above, is it worth repeating that the biggest mistake Lerner made was letting Steve Stride go and the second-biggest was not dragging him back off whatever golf course he happened to be playing the minute O'Neil walked out?
Totally correct, Steve Stride was the biggest loss to Villa since SGT in 1990.
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If we play 3 at the back we need more cover (unless he thinks Bree or de Laet can do it)
We've not played 3 at the back all summer so we're not likely to now (IMHO)
As for Snodgrass, isn't he a RIGHT winger ?
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No, he's a wrong'un.
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In the last 3 years Manchester City have spent something like £340m. On goalkeepers and defenders.
They still can't bloody defend.
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If we play 3 at the back we need more cover (unless he thinks Bree or de Laet can do it)
We've not played 3 at the back all summer so we're not likely to now (IMHO)
As for Snodgrass, isn't he a RIGHT winger ?
yes he it.
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I thought he was a left winger. I agree we probably don't need a righty
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Twitter is linking us to Robert Snodgrass today. Would be a top player in the Championship, but the fee being talked about is £7m plus, which is an awful lot for a player who'll be 30 in September. Bruce has previously admitted to wanting him though, so there's every chance it's a genuine link. Veretout's fee + McCormack's wages (and possible fee) would probably about cover the outlay too.
As an aside, I still think we need another centre-back. We've no idea about the durability of Samba, or how many games we'll get out of Terry. Sadly, we know all too well about Baker's durability (or lack of). Granted the 3 of them (and Jedinak) should all be able to cover each others' absences, but my big fear is what happens if/when Chester gets injured. A back 2 containing any combination of that 4 would be so slow it'd force our defence to set-up so deep it would hinder the whole team.
None of the younger CBs that we have look to have the physicality to play in the Championship yet (Suliman in particular looks to be very lightweight). Did somebody previously say that De Laet can play as a CB in emergencies...?
Could actually see this happening. Think Snodgrass would be a great fit for us even if it is another short term move.
Actually a wide player who can score and takes good free kicks. He was great for Hull last season but it just hasn't worked out for him at West Ham so they'll probably look to move him on with all the money they're spending.
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I have never met Randy Lerner but my son has. He was invited to join him at a restaurant table. My son is more than capable of recounting the meeting should he ever choose to do so but I have always thought the kindest impression I could hold of Lerner is that he was a very rich, well meaning buffoon.
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Like Dudley Moore in Arthur, but without the vast amounts of alcohol.
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Wolves surely must be up there possibly even above us in terms of potential promotion.
This season the league is much much harder than last season.
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Twitter is linking us to Robert Snodgrass today. Would be a top player in the Championship, but the fee being talked about is £7m plus, which is an awful lot for a player who'll be 30 in September. Bruce has previously admitted to wanting him though, so there's every chance it's a genuine link. Veretout's fee + McCormack's wages (and possible fee) would probably about cover the outlay too.
As an aside, I still think we need another centre-back. We've no idea about the durability of Samba, or how many games we'll get out of Terry. Sadly, we know all too well about Baker's durability (or lack of). Granted the 3 of them (and Jedinak) should all be able to cover each others' absences, but my big fear is what happens if/when Chester gets injured. A back 2 containing any combination of that 4 would be so slow it'd force our defence to set-up so deep it would hinder the whole team.
None of the younger CBs that we have look to have the physicality to play in the Championship yet (Suliman in particular looks to be very lightweight). Did somebody previously say that De Laet can play as a CB in emergencies...?
Could actually see this happening. Think Snodgrass would be a great fit for us even if it is another short term move.
Actually a wide player who can score and takes good free kicks. He was great for Hull last season but it just hasn't worked out for him at West Ham so they'll probably look to move him on with all the money they're spending.
Snodgrass would be a brilliant signing for anyone in this division. Wolves can sign the Neves, Costa, Jota etc, but if we can add a player or two that can add goals from out wide and the middle of the park while giving us a tiny bit more creativity, I think we will be top 2. We are so solid through the spine now, you cannot argue with Bruce for achieving that. Add in a Snodgrass and Ojo on loan and we are brilliantly equipped. With Hogan, Kodjia, RHM, Gabby and Davis we probably have enough.
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Wolves surely must be up there possibly even above us in terms of potential promotion.
This season the league is much much harder than last season.
I think it's easier
Newcastle were certs to go up last year and Brighton has been consistently top four
Boro look strong but not as strong as newcastle. Don't think Wednesday are any stronger. Hull and Sunderland will do well to compete at the top of the league
Wolves could be a threat I agree, but it's unknown and even if they do I still think there are more places up for grabs. If not sure Leeds or reading will have the same sort of season
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Wolves surely must be up there possibly even above us in terms of potential promotion.
This season the league is much much harder than last season.
Really don't see it.
Two of the relegated teams will be no higher than mid table and will have sort of season we did last year imo (Hull and Sunderland).
Boro will be up there but I'd be amazed if they dominate like Newcastle did.
You'll get surprise teams but that's the case in any season.
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Twitter is linking us to Robert Snodgrass today. Would be a top player in the Championship, but the fee being talked about is £7m plus, which is an awful lot for a player who'll be 30 in September. Bruce has previously admitted to wanting him though, so there's every chance it's a genuine link. Veretout's fee + McCormack's wages (and possible fee) would probably about cover the outlay too.
As an aside, I still think we need another centre-back. We've no idea about the durability of Samba, or how many games we'll get out of Terry. Sadly, we know all too well about Baker's durability (or lack of). Granted the 3 of them (and Jedinak) should all be able to cover each others' absences, but my big fear is what happens if/when Chester gets injured. A back 2 containing any combination of that 4 would be so slow it'd force our defence to set-up so deep it would hinder the whole team.
None of the younger CBs that we have look to have the physicality to play in the Championship yet (Suliman in particular looks to be very lightweight). Did somebody previously say that De Laet can play as a CB in emergencies...?
Could actually see this happening. Think Snodgrass would be a great fit for us even if it is another short term move.
Actually a wide player who can score and takes good free kicks. He was great for Hull last season but it just hasn't worked out for him at West Ham so they'll probably look to move him on with all the money they're spending.
Snodgrass would be a brilliant signing for anyone in this division. Wolves can sign the Neves, Costa, Jota etc, but if we can add a player or two that can add goals from out wide and the middle of the park while giving us a tiny bit more creativity, I think we will be top 2. We are so solid through the spine now, you cannot argue with Bruce for achieving that. Add in a Snodgrass and Ojo on loan and we are brilliantly equipped. With Hogan, Kodjia, RHM, Gabby and Davis we probably have enough.
I wouldn't go as far as brilliant, but he would be a good, solid signing for us or anyone else for that matter. Add him on the left and a target man to the team and it begins to look strong:
Johnstone
Bree / De Laet Chester Terry Taylor
Elmohamady Whelan Lansbury/ Hourihane Snodgrass
? Hogan / Kodjia
Plenty of options on the bench as well.
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Boro were dire last year in part because there was a 30 yard gap between their midfield and often lone frontman.
They've added Asombalonga and over paid for him given his injuries and the time it takes the chunk to get match fit. But he is decent and quick when he actually is fit. They're solid at the back and unspectacular in the middle of the park.
I think they're the only relegated side who will trouble the top six and I would imagine their aim is automatic promotion.
I think Wednesday and Derby will be where they usually are, although I think Leeds and Reading will drop away. Readings lack of a decent striker made it a surprise they finished as well as they did.
Norwich's manager is a complete rookie. They're obviously hoping that being German and having worked in Dortmund is all that's needed. They really ought to have done better with the players they have, but could compete for the play offs.
Wolves have followed the same route last season; 20 and 21 year olds as part of Mendes stable. Another unknown quantity, but getting rid of Batth from their starting XI has to be a positive for them.
Cardiff are likely to be competitive. Fulham too.
Hull and Sunderland in particular would shock me if they finished top half.
Man for man or unit for unit we have the best squad. No excuses for anything but automatic promotion.
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Man for man or unit for unit we have the best squad. No excuses for anything but automatic promotion.
Sounds about right to me.
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if we don't get promoted this season - Bruce should never be allowed to manage a football club again! - he will have zero excuses for me!
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Do people genuinely think we have the best squad in the league?
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Who has a better one?
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This season the league is much much harder than last season.
Do you mean last season it was easy for Newcastle and Brighton and this season there are no outstanding teams?
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Do people genuinely think we have the best squad in the league?
Not sure about the best but we probably have the oldest.
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For what it's worth, I've had the piss taken in the last week or so by a forest fan and a QPR supporter- mainly about the JT signing, but neither expects we'll go up next season. Call it jealousy if you will, but the signings have been underwhelming to say the least. No idea how we'll fair, but my own thoughts are the transfer dealings have been fairly dismal so far.
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If someone would like to suggest a club with a better squad I'd be interested. Maybe Boro for me, can't see it otherwise (unless wolves just keep buying)
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They've added Asombalonga and over paid for him given his injuries and the time it takes the chunk to get match fit. But he is decent and quick when he actually is fit. They're solid at the back and unspectacular in the middle of the park.
I don't think they've overpaid for him in the current climate, prices rising every season. He cost the same as Kodjia cost us last summer, is 2 years younger, and has got a 1 in 2 goals to games ratio for 2 seasons in this division, Kodjia had only done it for one season. Also only 3m more than McCormack, who was turning 30 when we signed him.
I expect Assombolonga to be top scorer or not far off this season and think Boro will be our biggest promotion rival.
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Do people genuinely think we have the best squad in the league?
Player-for-player yes. Who else has the same number of current Internationals in their squad, let alone a Champions League winning Captain to boot?
Kodjia, Chester, Taylor and Whelan are all comfortably Premier League players. I'd say that Hogan is too. Terry, Jedinak, Elmohamady and Samba all have PL pedigree, even if age isn't on their side. The likes of Green, Grealish and Bree should all be improving again this year. Adomah, Lansbury and Hourihane are very good Championship players. No other side in The Championship has that kind of strength in depth.
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The difference with many teams last season was that they had more settled line-ups than we did. That was true from Aug - Dec and then after a rash of purchases the same again from Jan - April. Not having to buy virtually a whole team during a transfer window (twice) will no doubt make us stronger.
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Who has a better one?
All the teams that easily finished above us last season?
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Who has a better one?
All the teams that easily finished above us last season?
You think that Preston, Cardiff and Reading have better squads than us....?
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Yes, that's why they finished above us. If we were better than them, we'd have finished above them.
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On whether we have the best squad in the division, we are up there in terms of top 3/4.
On whether we are the best 'team' in the division, little evidence of it so far. Chemistry is virtually non-existent, compare that to a team like Norwich who were thumping teams for 5, 6 and 7 regularly at Carrow Road last season, despite not finishing top 6.
I do think we overrate a few of our players though, based on their pricetags (Hogan) or what they have done for previous teams (Hourihane and Lansbury), both looked good in mid-table or lower teams, doesn't necessarily mean they are good enough to form a Top 2 team.
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Yes, that's why they finished above us. If we were better than them, we'd have finished above them.
Correct I agree
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Yes, that's why they finished above us. If we were better than them, we'd have finished above them.
Correct I agree
You're confusing squad and performances.
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Yes, that's why they finished above us. If we were better than them, we'd have finished above them.
By which logic they'll all finish above us this season too?
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Yes, that's why they finished above us. If we were better than them, we'd have finished above them.
Correct I agree
You're confusing squad and performances.
They're also ignoring any transfer-business or squad development that's happened since the end of the season. Not to mention confusing past and present tense.
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Yes, that's why they finished above us. If we were better than them, we'd have finished above them.
Correct I agree
You're confusing squad and performances.
Remember when Leicester won the Premier League?
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you can quite easily have the best squad and not get promoted .
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So the inferior squad on paper played better as a team. How did it go for them the next season against all those better squads?
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So the inferior squad on paper played better as a team. How did it go for them the next season against all those better squads?
Exactly. they were also extremely lucky with injuries and had no European football to deal with. No-one can argue that they deserved to win the League, but similarly no-one could argue that they had the best squad, either.
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We didn't have the second best squad when we finished 2nd under SGT. Which is why the season before and the season after we were nearly relegated. Things like manager, tactics, team spirit, confidence, momentum, luck etc all play a part.
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We're being linked with Ojo from the red scouse. If that's the case I hope it's a no no for Ojo. He was on loan at Wolves and was shite. He wouldn't give us anything we haven't got already.
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So the inferior squad on paper played better as a team. How did it go for them the next season against all those better squads?
Exactly. they were also extremely lucky with injuries and had no European football to deal with. No-one can argue that they deserved to win the League, but similarly no-one could argue that they had the best squad, either.
Well, there's the thing. I wouldn't say we were massively lucky or unlucky with injuries last season, it was about average. Our "best squad in the division" looked totally incapable of scoring on several occasions when Kodjia was out, and sometimes even when he was playing.
We've strengthened at centre-half and right back, but we weren't lacking in these positions anyway. Looking at it so far, Whelan is the only acquisition that strengthens us in an area in which we were lacking. We still lack quality creative players, which is why I struggle to see the argument that we have the best squad.
The "best squad" would have had enough attacking and creative options to ensure that we scored far more goals last season.
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They've added Asombalonga and over paid for him given his injuries and the time it takes the chunk to get match fit. But he is decent and quick when he actually is fit. They're solid at the back and unspectacular in the middle of the park.
I don't think they've overpaid for him in the current climate, prices rising every season. He cost the same as Kodjia cost us last summer, is 2 years younger, and has got a 1 in 2 goals to games ratio for 2 seasons in this division, Kodjia had only done it for one season. Also only 3m more than McCormack, who was turning 30 when we signed him.
I expect Assombolonga to be top scorer or not far off this season and think Boro will be our biggest promotion rival.
He's only played 32 games last season, missed nearly all of the previous season and didn't play 30 games the one before that. Given he's a tubby fellow, I cannot think that helps when he's coming back.
I think he'll do well up there, no worse that Forest, I just think they've over paid for a player who has a habit of missing a third of a season.
Forest on the other hand have flogged their goal threat and their captain in 6 months and replaced them with Murphy. I'd be surprised to see them stop up this time.
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So the inferior squad on paper played better as a team. How did it go for them the next season against all those better squads?
Exactly. they were also extremely lucky with injuries and had no European football to deal with. No-one can argue that they deserved to win the League, but similarly no-one could argue that they had the best squad, either.
Well, there's the thing. I wouldn't say we were massively lucky or unlucky with injuries last season, it was about average. Our "best squad in the division" looked totally incapable of scoring on several occasions when Kodjia was out, and sometimes even when he was playing.
We've strengthened at centre-half and right back, but we weren't lacking in these positions anyway. Looking at it so far, Whelan is the only acquisition that strengthens us in an area in which we were lacking. We still lack quality creative players, which is why I struggle to see the argument that we have the best squad.
The "best squad" would have had enough attacking and creative options to ensure that we scored far more goals last season.
I'd agree that we weren't 'massively unlucky' but we definitely suffered with injuries. Kodjia and Hogan being the main 2. Don;t forget the AFCON as well. That definitely disrupted us.
The main thorn in our side though, was how unsettled the squad was. A change of Manager (and coaching staff) and a shed-load of new players in January. Players that had only joined the club in the summer going out on load in January too. Bruce is mainly to blame for this, IMO, but it definitely didn't help.
This season SHOULD be a completely different story. Settled(ish) squad, full pre-season together, cover in most areas, no AFCON. I'm convinced we have the best squad, and there can be no more excuses.
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Leicester went up, stayed up, won the Premier League and then had a good Champions League run. I would settle for that for us in the next four years.
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This season SHOULD be a completely different story. Settled(ish) squad, full pre-season together, cover in most areas, no AFCON. I'm convinced we have the best squad, and there can be no more excuses.
You are missing one major factor
Plan / Method / coaching / players allowed to express themselved
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We've got the best squad on paper. It's just a shame football's played on grass.
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yep - speed or coke would be better.
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The concept that the best squad doesn't necessarily finish top doesn't seem that hard to get your head around to me!
Atletico?
Leicester?
Man City should win the league most years on paper
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The hope I am clinging to is that Bruce has spent the last 8 months building his squad, but he just did it in the wrong order. In January he added the decorative bits (Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan) which will provide flair and creativity*, and this summer has added the foundation (Whelan, Samba and Elmo) to provide graft and stability. We desperately needed the foundation in January, and we didn't/couldn't get it, so we were incredibly fragile and had to play in a negative way. Now there are absolutely no excuses for Bruce to fail. He's been backed and he's had time. This is his squad now. It should be enough to get us promoted automatically, and anything else must be seen as a catastrophic failure.
*As much as a Bruce team can have flair and creativity
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I'm not sure promotion through the play-offs would be 'catastrophic failure'.
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This season SHOULD be a completely different story. Settled(ish) squad, full pre-season together, cover in most areas, no AFCON. I'm convinced we have the best squad, and there can be no more excuses.
You are missing one major factor
Plan / Method / coaching / players allowed to express themselves
Exactly.
Looking at player-for-player comparisons is only half the story, it's as important to look at the way in which squads gell, the way that individuals' talent blends with the complementary talents of others and the way in which teams learn from defeats. And, the way in which teams exploit set pieces and operate to an agreed winning gameplan.
The quality of the manager, coaches and support staff comes into this equation.
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Leicester went up, stayed up, won the Premier League and then had a good Champions League run. I would settle for that for us in the next four years remainder of my life-time.
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This season SHOULD be a completely different story. Settled(ish) squad, full pre-season together, cover in most areas, no AFCON. I'm convinced we have the best squad, and there can be no more excuses.
You are missing one major factor
Plan / Method / coaching / players allowed to express themselved
You've listed four!
I presumed the response was deliberately disingenuous for the purposes of the debate. The individual quality of the squad is/was a lot higher than most of the teams in the league.
The wrong choice in RDM to craft a revolution, significant influx of players, the lack of balance, the time it took until a side became settled, the fragile mentality born from the circumstances we found ourselves in the league in the first place, all ultimately hamstrung us.
I'm hopeful this time that the intangible quality that Premier League players and utter winners like Terry will bring, will prove a uniting and significant difference. I suspect Whelan, another Premier League player, and his additional mobility and distribution over Jedinak, will be the key to unlock the talents in our midfield to actually get men further forward, get width to the game and have a player like Hogan receiving the ball facing their goal rather than him having his back to it.
I think we will perhaps go for one more, potentially a Tom Lawrence style player and that will be us done.
I wouldn't swap our squad for anybody else's and its up to the players to prove it.
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I'm not sure promotion through the play-offs would be 'catastrophic failure'.
Maybe if we sneak up it won't be catastrophic, but I think it would still be a failure. So much is at stake this year, I think that going through the lottery that isn't the playoffs will not sit well with the owner. If it looks like that's the best we can hope for, I reckon we'll be looking for another new manager.
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The hope I am clinging to is that Bruce has spent the last 8 months building his squad, but he just did it in the wrong order. In January he added the decorative bits (Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan) which will provide flair and creativity*, and this summer has added the foundation (Whelan, Samba and Elmo) to provide graft and stability. We desperately needed the foundation in January, and we didn't/couldn't get it, so we were incredibly fragile and had to play in a negative way. Now there are absolutely no excuses for Bruce to fail. He's been backed and he's had time. This is his squad now. It should be enough to get us promoted automatically, and anything else must be seen as a catastrophic failure.
*As much as a Bruce team can have flair and creativity
It's an interesting point, and perhaps he was forced to do it that way round because of the availability of the players. You can imagine Hull not wanting to release Elmo, Stoke not releasing Whelan and Terry of course would never have left Chelsea.
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I'm not sure promotion through the play-offs would be 'catastrophic failure'.
Maybe if we sneak up it won't be catastrophic, but I think it would still be a failure. So much is at stake this year, I think that going through the lottery that isn't the playoffs will not sit well with the owner. If it looks like that's the best we can hope for, I reckon we'll be looking for another new manager.
I'm not sure it could be deemed as failure, after all, we'd earn more from the Play-Off matches and the outcome would be the same, we'd be promoted.
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But if we have the best squad in the league who takes the blame if we fail? Did we have a bottom half squad last season?
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I'm not sure promotion through the play-offs would be 'catastrophic failure'.
Maybe if we sneak up it won't be catastrophic, but I think it would still be a failure. So much is at stake this year, I think that going through the lottery that isn't the playoffs will not sit well with the owner. If it looks like that's the best we can hope for, I reckon we'll be looking for another new manager.
I'm not sure it could be deemed as failure, after all, we'd earn more from the Play-Off matches and the outcome would be the same, we'd be promoted.
If you offered anyone promotion by the play offs right now, they'd be mad not to bite your hand off.
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But if we have the best squad in the league who takes the blame if we fail? Did we have a bottom half squad last season?
Come on Paul, you know the answer to that. Last year was shit, but there were mitigating circumstances. This year there's no excuses. If we fail Bruce will be out.
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It should be enough to get us promoted automatically, and anything else must be seen as a catastrophic failure.
WTF? Offer me promotion via the play offs now and i'd bite yer arm off never mind your hand, as would Tony, Steve or anyone else connected to the club i'm sure
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I'm not sure promotion through the play-offs would be 'catastrophic failure'.
Maybe if we sneak up it won't be catastrophic, but I think it would still be a failure. So much is at stake this year, I think that going through the lottery that isn't the playoffs will not sit well with the owner. If it looks like that's the best we can hope for, I reckon we'll be looking for another new manager.
I'm not sure it could be deemed as failure, after all, we'd earn more from the Play-Off matches and the outcome would be the same, we'd be promoted.
If you offered anyone promotion by the play offs right now, they'd be mad not to bite your hand off.
And it would mean a win at Wembley!
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I'm not sure promotion through the play-offs would be 'catastrophic failure'.
Maybe if we sneak up it won't be catastrophic, but I think it would still be a failure. So much is at stake this year, I think that going through the lottery that isn't the playoffs will not sit well with the owner. If it looks like that's the best we can hope for, I reckon we'll be looking for another new manager.
I'm not sure it could be deemed as failure, after all, we'd earn more from the Play-Off matches and the outcome would be the same, we'd be promoted.
If you offered anyone promotion by the play offs right now, they'd be mad not to bite your hand off.
To be honest, if we were guaranteed to win the Play Off Final, I would take it as well, probably even over automatic promotion (even though it gives you less time to prepare for the following season). A great day out at Wembley would be just the lift the club has needed for some time.
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The point is that our aim has to be top two, not top six. There would still be a lot to do to go up via the play-offs and a chance we should not see as a guarantee.
Promotion by any way would be a success but scraping through would not set us up well for next season. Teams that go up and do well have belief in the football they play.
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I don't think my heart could take the somewhat lottery of a play off run and finals. We need to go up automatically.
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I think we need a bit more quality and creativity in the final third for automatic promotion.
Tom Lawrence mentioned above I think by Ads would be a good shout on a season-loan or permanent if possible. Scored 9 in 34 from AM for Ipswich last season.
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Yes, that's why they finished above us. If we were better than them, we'd have finished above them.
Correct I agree
You're confusing squad and performances.
They're also ignoring any transfer-business or squad development that's happened since the end of the season. Not to mention confusing past and present tense.
Quite. Our squad last season was as good as most squads. This season we will have an improved squad which will be better than all in the division. Getting the best out of it is the challenge.
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This season SHOULD be a completely different story. Settled(ish) squad, full pre-season together, cover in most areas, no AFCON. I'm convinced we have the best squad, and there can be no more excuses.
You are missing one major factor
Plan / Method / coaching / players allowed to express themselved
You've listed four!
I presumed the response was deliberately disingenuous for the purposes of the debate. The individual quality of the squad is/was a lot higher than most of the teams in the league.
The wrong choice in RDM to craft a revolution, significant influx of players, the lack of balance, the time it took until a side became settled, the fragile mentality born from the circumstances we found ourselves in the league in the first place, all ultimately hamstrung us.
I'm hopeful this time that the intangible quality that Premier League players and utter winners like Terry will bring, will prove a uniting and significant difference. I suspect Whelan, another Premier League player, and his additional mobility and distribution over Jedinak, will be the key to unlock the talents in our midfield to actually get men further forward, get width to the game and have a player like Hogan receiving the ball facing their goal rather than him having his back to it.
I think we will perhaps go for one more, potentially a Tom Lawrence style player and that will be us done.
I wouldn't swap our squad for anybody else's and its up to the players to prove it.
I didn't read Hookey's response as disengenuous. As I said above, looking at player-for-player comparisons is only half the story, it's as important to look at the way in which squads gell, the way that individuals' talent blends with the complementary talents of others and the way in which teams learn from defeats. And, the way in which teams exploit set pieces and operate to an agreed winning gameplan. The quality of the manager, coaches and support staff comes into this equation.
Last season, many people questioned Bruce's capability, his coaches' effectiveness and the tactics and gameplan. That's the real point.
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I was on about the original point not Hookeys
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I was on about the original point not Hookeys
oh, okay. Apologies for misinterpreting it
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It should be enough to get us promoted automatically, and anything else must be seen as a catastrophic failure.
WTF? Offer me promotion via the play offs now and i'd bite yer arm off never mind your hand, as would Tony, Steve or anyone else connected to the club i'm sure
Yeah, if I was offered promotion now, I would also take it. The problem is, we won't get offered that. If we finish 3rd, the short term future of the club depends on three matches. You need some luck (or at the very least an absence of bad luck), as one bad decision could cost literally millions of pounds. My point is, that with the resources and backing that Steve Bruce has, it would be a failure to have to enter into that lottery. Even if we end up winning.
Maybe catastrophic failure was too strong, but finishing lower than second isn't good enough this year.
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It should be enough to get us promoted automatically, and anything else must be seen as a catastrophic failure.
WTF? Offer me promotion via the play offs now and i'd bite yer arm off never mind your hand, as would Tony, Steve or anyone else connected to the club i'm sure
Yeah, if I was offered promotion now, I would also take it. The problem is, we won't get offered that. If we finish 3rd, the short term future of the club depends on three matches. You need some luck (or at the very least an absence of bad luck), as one bad decision could cost literally millions of pounds. My point is, that with the resources and backing that Steve Bruce has, it would be a failure to have to enter into that lottery. Even if we end up winning.
Maybe catastrophic failure was too strong, but finishing lower than second isn't good enough this year.
It is if we're in the Top 6 and get promoted.
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It should be enough to get us promoted automatically, and anything else must be seen as a catastrophic failure.
WTF? Offer me promotion via the play offs now and i'd bite yer arm off never mind your hand, as would Tony, Steve or anyone else connected to the club i'm sure
Yeah, if I was offered promotion now, I would also take it. The problem is, we won't get offered that. If we finish 3rd, the short term future of the club depends on three matches. You need some luck (or at the very least an absence of bad luck), as one bad decision could cost literally millions of pounds. My point is, that with the resources and backing that Steve Bruce has, it would be a failure to have to enter into that lottery. Even if we end up winning.
Maybe catastrophic failure was too strong, but finishing lower than second isn't good enough this year.
It is if we're in the Top 6 and get promoted.
We would all take it, but I don't think it would mean that Bruce has done a good job.
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The aim will be for automatic promotion. If we were to go up through the play offs, I'd take that as well.
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Ramirez is off from Boro so that weakens them.
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A couple too many vowels in that one, Carol
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I saw some rumours about someone offering real money for that fat useless tub of shite Micah Richards. Is there anything in it?
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I saw some rumours about someone offering real money for that fat useless tub of shite Micah Richards. Is there anything in it?
Sounds more far fetched than a a Chris Nolan sci-fi epic.
In fact I think Inception would be the only way we'd rid ourselves of Richards.
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What club? Only hope is an ex-manager who thinks he can make him whole again.
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Forest.
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Forest.
They can have him and we'll throw in Gardner too.
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The concept that the best squad doesn't necessarily finish top doesn't seem that hard to get your head around to me!
Atletico?
Leicester?
Man City should win the league most years on paper
No it doesn't but I'm happier with our squad than most others in the Championship. Now if they click into a team I'll be even more happy.
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Yep me too (I'm arguing against those that say we can't possibly have one of the best squads if we finished 13th)
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Too much risk with the play offs. We've had plenty of no shows at Wembley so I really wouldn't fancy us holding it together for the 200m game.
Automatic promotion has to be the target and go all out for that.
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I saw some rumours about someone offering real money for that fat useless tub of shite Micah Richards. Is there anything in it?
I'd be stunned if he could pass a medical anywhere, he doesn't seem to be able to do 45 minutes without injury.
Think the only way he goes is with a wallet even fuller than it is now
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Yep me too (I'm arguing against those that say we can't possibly have one of the best squads if we finished 13th)
We can't possibly have one of the best squads if we finished thirteenth and struggled to score goals.
A team with a better squad than us would have more than one goalscoring option. As many do.
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From Day 1 of the season we should be setting up and playing football to get us into the top two. This will then give us a bit of security of a play-off place if we fall a bit short.
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Of course we can. We finished 2nd under SGT and the following year with a near identical side were nearly relegated. Despite battering Inter. Manager, confidence etc can all have an effect, positive and negative. IMO Bruce held us back as an attacking force, which is still my worry. Doesn't mean we don't have a squad that nearly any club in the division would want just because they underperformed last season.
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Too much risk with the play offs. We've had plenty of no shows at Wembley so I really wouldn't fancy us holding it together for the 200m game.
Automatic promotion has to be the target and go all out for that.
My brother in law is a Hull fan, and well versed in Bruceism.
His prediction is that we'll have a really good first two thirds of the season, be top or second, then collapse, scrape into the play offs and go up that way.
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Too much risk with the play offs. We've had plenty of no shows at Wembley so I really wouldn't fancy us holding it together for the 200m game.
Automatic promotion has to be the target and go all out for that.
My brother in law is a Hull fan, and well versed in Bruceism.
His prediction is that we'll have a really good first two thirds of the season, be top or second, then collapse, scrape into the play offs and go up that way.
It might not be the final third but he generally has patches where he struggles to get points (mainly because the team can't score), runs of 5-6 games without a win really aren't uncommon if you look through his record.
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Too much risk with the play offs. We've had plenty of no shows at Wembley so I really wouldn't fancy us holding it together for the 200m game.
Automatic promotion has to be the target and go all out for that.
My brother in law is a Hull fan, and well versed in Bruceism.
His prediction is that we'll have a really good first two thirds of the season, be top or second, then collapse, scrape into the play offs and go up that way.
So logically we should calling for Bruce out when we are top of the league. Tricky. Tricky.
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Too much risk with the play offs. We've had plenty of no shows at Wembley so I really wouldn't fancy us holding it together for the 200m game.
Automatic promotion has to be the target and go all out for that.
My brother in law is a Hull fan, and well versed in Bruceism.
His prediction is that we'll have a really good first two thirds of the season, be top or second, then collapse, scrape into the play offs and go up that way.
Because Hull did that once?
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We will have a blip of some sort along the way, all teams do. It's how we respond to it that matters.
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We will have a blip of some sort along the way, all teams do. It's how we respond to it that matters.
Newcastle and Brighton lost a few games but I wouldn't say either had bad spells last season.
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Newcastle would go three or four games, especially at home where they wouldn't win, manage to win 6 or 7 on the spin.
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We're the kings of at least 1 bad run in a season. Anybody want to guess the last time we didn't have a run in the league of 1 win in 7, or worse?
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Newcastle would go three or four games, especially at home where they wouldn't win, manage to win 6 or 7 on the spin.
They twice went 3 games without a win, and once went 2 home games without a win.
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We're the kings of at least 1 bad run in a season. Anybody want to guess the last time we didn't have a run in the league of 1 win in 7, or worse?
1891?
No I'd guess 95-96 maybe?
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Correct on 95/96, and we still managed a 2 in 8 run. And only a few times since then has the bad run not been 1 in 8 or worse.
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Correct on 95/96, and we still managed a 2 in 8 run. And only a few times since then has the bad run not been 1 in 8 or worse.
It seems part of our DNA now. And it's contributed largely to a few nearly not quite seasons. O Neill in particular and his March meltdowns. Gregory a couple times, like when we were top for a month or two in 98-99.
In fact we probably had similar runs under Big Ron, and SGT1 (And obviously the Doc).
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You cannot afford to have these spells if you are going for the top two positions.
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Correct on 95/96, and we still managed a 2 in 8 run. And only a few times since then has the bad run not been 1 in 8 or worse.
It seems part of our DNA now. And it's contributed largely to a few nearly not quite seasons. O Neill in particular and his March meltdowns. Gregory a couple times, like when we were top for a month or two in 98-99.
In fact we probably had similar runs under Big Ron, and SGT1 (And obviously the Doc).
As much as BFR's first season was a massive improvement on the previous Dr Jo season, I remember us going a couple of months in the New Year when we couldn't score, let alone win. I think it was February and March. We finished seventh as I recall.
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Slides are avoided by not giving away soft goals and by scoring goals. Bruce has corrected the former and must address the latter if he is to last the season.
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Yep, 1 league goal in 11 games, a 1-0 win at home to Oldham.
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Yep, 1 league goal in 11 games, a 1-0 win at home to Oldham.
Did big Cyril get the goal?
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Yep, 1 league goal in 11 games, a 1-0 win at home to Oldham.
Did big Cyril get the goal?
He did indeed, also scored our goal in the game before that run started, a 2-1 defeat at Norwich. So we were 2 goals in 12 and Cyrille got both. The run was ended with Staunton scoring in a 1-0 win at home to Norwich.
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Yep, 1 league goal in 11 games, a 1-0 win at home to Oldham.
Did big Cyril get the goal?
He did indeed, also scored our goal in the game before that run started, a 2-1 defeat at Norwich. So we were 2 goals in 12 and Cyrille got both. The run was ended with Staunton scoring in a 1-0 win at home to Norwich.
Straight from a corner IIRC.
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Which was the season when our slide coincided with Alan McInnally's goal drought that ended at Derby with the ball going in off his arse?
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I remember Staunton scoring direct from a corner when we beat Palace 3-1 on the day Big Ron took to the pitch with a microphone to tell us Doug was opening his wallet and going to be buying someone (Deano) but don't remember him scoring direct against Norwich.
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Which was the season when our slide coincided with Alan McInnally's goal drought that ended at Derby with the ball going in off his arse?
Would have to be 88/89 wouldn't it? He was only here 2 years from my memory.
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Which was the season when our slide coincided with Alan McInnally's goal drought that ended at Derby with the ball going in off his arse?
It would have to have been '88-89. He was only with us for that season and the previous promotion season.
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I remember Staunton scoring direct from a corner when we beat Palace 3-1 on the day Big Ron took to the pitch with a microphone to tell us Doug was opening his wallet and going to be buying someone (Deano) but don't remember him scoring direct against Norwich.
I thought that was 3-0, not 3-1 but I might be wrong. If it was 3-1 was that a game when the ginger midfielder Hopkins scored a good goal for them?
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Just checked, it was 3-0. I was one of the lucky 17,000 in the ground that day.
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McInally never scored against Derby for us. In 88/89 he was on 13 league goals by mid Jan and in true Villa fashion scored once in his last 14 league games, a 2-2 draw an Norwich.
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Staunton scored directly from a corner away at Norwich, but it was on the final day of either 1993-4 or 1994-5 as I remember. Probably the latter.
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Staunton scored directly from a corner away at Norwich, but it was on the final day of either 1993-4 or 1994-5 as I remember. Probably the latter.
It was in a 1-1 draw at Norwich, final day '95. I think the last relegation spot was between us and Palace. We got a point and Palace got beaten at Newcastle. Nobody else cared as it was the day Blackburn pipped United to the title.
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I remember Staunton scoring direct from a corner when we beat Palace 3-1 on the day Big Ron took to the pitch with a microphone to tell us Doug was opening his wallet and going to be buying someone (Deano) but don't remember him scoring direct against Norwich.
My memory is a bit hazy these days, but I'm pretty sure he scored from a corner at the Holte End that ended that goal drought.
Edit - my memory is hazy - it was at the Holte End but it was a miss hit cross rather than a corner!! 59.00 on this (check out George Gavin's tache!!)
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Nope, it was a lob from open play
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4 clubs interested in Ross Mc. according to B'ham Mail
Sunderland, Hull, Reading and Derby
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Don't we just love a bidding war?
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Newcastle would go three or four games, especially at home where they wouldn't win, manage to win 6 or 7 on the spin.
They twice went 3 games without a win, and once went 2 home games without a win.
That's my point isn't it? Like at the start, lose two, win 8 and quarter of the season is done.
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Staunton also scored directly from a corner at home to Palace when the Hotle was being built.
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
By far.
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Newcastle would go three or four games, especially at home where they wouldn't win, manage to win 6 or 7 on the spin.
They twice went 3 games without a win, and once went 2 home games without a win.
That's my point isn't it? Like at the start, lose two, win 8 and quarter of the season is done.
Came across as you meant they did it a fair few times not just twice.
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
Colin Gibson was the best LB, IMHO. Little to choose between him and Staunton, though.
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Newcastle would go three or four games, especially at home where they wouldn't win, manage to win 6 or 7 on the spin.
They twice went 3 games without a win, and once went 2 home games without a win.
That's my point isn't it? Like at the start, lose two, win 8 and quarter of the season is done.
Came across as you meant they did it a fair few times not just twice.
Also, 3 games is hardly a bad spell. Winning 1 or 2 in 8 is what I worry about.
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
Colin Gibson was the best LB, IMHO. Little to choose between him and Staunton, though.
Gibson was great but Staunton's sweet left foot made him a better player in my opinion.
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Staunton scored directly from a corner away at Norwich, but it was on the final day of either 1993-4 or 1994-5 as I remember. Probably the latter.
It was in a 1-1 draw at Norwich, final day '95. I think the last relegation spot was between us and Palace. We got a point and Palace got beaten at Newcastle. Nobody else cared as it was the day Blackburn pipped United to the title.
I am sure it was a header scored by Staunton vs Norwich....
I will check
UTV
The Doc
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Staunton scored directly from a corner away at Norwich, but it was on the final day of either 1993-4 or 1994-5 as I remember. Probably the latter.
It was in a 1-1 draw at Norwich, final day '95. I think the last relegation spot was between us and Palace. We got a point and Palace got beaten at Newcastle. Nobody else cared as it was the day Blackburn pipped United to the title.
I am sure it was a header scored by Staunton vs Norwich....
I will check
UTV
The Doc
I am fairly convinced it was a direct corner. It's one of those weird things when I can remember where I was (playing in a 5-a-side tournament in Nuneaton as a 12 year old) when I heard on the radio that he'd scored. It helps that I used to watch the season review videos over and over again, even the ones for crap seasons like 1994-5.
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Newcastle would go three or four games, especially at home where they wouldn't win, manage to win 6 or 7 on the spin.
They twice went 3 games without a win, and once went 2 home games without a win.
That's my point isn't it? Like at the start, lose two, win 8 and quarter of the season is done.
Came across as you meant they did it a fair few times not just twice.
Twice is half a season. Being a bit spluttery but managing to bag consistent wins is why they went up, without ever really impressing.
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I meant go a few games without winning a number of times.
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Staunton scored directly from a corner away at Norwich, but it was on the final day of either 1993-4 or 1994-5 as I remember. Probably the latter.
It was in a 1-1 draw at Norwich, final day '95. I think the last relegation spot was between us and Palace. We got a point and Palace got beaten at Newcastle. Nobody else cared as it was the day Blackburn pipped United to the title.
I am sure it was a header scored by Staunton vs Norwich....
I will check
UTV
The Doc
I am fairly convinced it was a direct corner. It's one of those weird things when I can remember where I was (playing in a 5-a-side tournament in Nuneaton as a 12 year old) when I heard on the radio that he'd scored. It helps that I used to watch the season review videos over and over again, even the ones for crap seasons like 1994-5.
Direct from a corner was Palace at home at start of 94/95.
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I am fairly convinced it was a direct corner. It's one of those weird things when I can remember where I was (playing in a 5-a-side tournament in Nuneaton as a 12 year old) when I heard on the radio that he'd scored. It helps that I used to watch the season review videos over and over again, even the ones for crap seasons like 1994-5.
Short corner headed in by Staunton. 1hour 29m in.
&t=1863s
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EDITED....damn you PWS beat me to it :)
Staunton was also Captain that day...
UTV
The Doc
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You snooze you lose Doc! :P
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You snooze you lose Doc!
I'm ashamed for myself and my family...must do better...
UTV
The Doc
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Go and sit on the naughty step and think about what you've done!
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
Colin Gibson was the best LB, IMHO. Little to choose between him and Staunton, though.
Gibson was great but Staunton's sweet left foot made him a better player in my opinion.
I remember when Big Ron used to move him to left wing and bring Bryan Small in at left back when the opposition had a quick right winger (against Manchester United and Kanchelskis in particular).
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Nope, it was a lob from open play
Loved this era
No grass so we dyed it green !!!
Great kit
Great players
Good football
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It's amazing how the mind plays tricks. I always had that Staunton direct corner down as the game at home against Norwich when we hadn't scored for something like 9 hours
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I remember Staunton scoring direct from a corner when we beat Palace 3-1 on the day Big Ron took to the pitch with a microphone to tell us Doug was opening his wallet and going to be buying someone (Deano) but don't remember him scoring direct against Norwich.
I thought the BFR on the pitch with microphone game was one where Staunton scored a 30 yrd screamer
I struggle to remember last week so I could be wrong
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
By far.
Charlie Aitken for me, by a country mile
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
By far.
Charlie Aitken for me, by a country mile
I liked Dorigo and Wright and Warnock started well then ended up poor. But Staunton was the best for me.
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I remember Staunton scoring direct from a corner when we beat Palace 3-1 on the day Big Ron took to the pitch with a microphone to tell us Doug was opening his wallet and going to be buying someone (Deano) but don't remember him scoring direct against Norwich.
I thought the BFR on the pitch with microphone game was one where Staunton scored a 30 yrd screamer
I struggle to remember last week so I could be wrong
You are right. Just before Staunton's goal he had tried a shot from a similar distance and struggled to get it between the corner flags so when he lined up to shoot again I was screaming at him not to.
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Just cheated and looked it up.
Palace was 3-0. Yorke, Staunton (30 ish yards) and Frogatt.
That is not how my memory has it at all! I can see the Staunton corner, whipped fast and hard beating the keeper at the far post. Must have been a dream...
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Did he score from a corner on the season opening 4-1 against QPR as well?
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
By far.
Charlie Aitken for me, by a country mile
I liked Dorigo and Wright and Warnock started well then ended up poor. But Staunton was the best for me.
I admired Alan Wright's technical ability. You could ping a ball to him at a variety of pace and angles and he'd bring it under immediate control. Excellent footballer.
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Did he score from a corner on the season opening 4-1 against QPR as well?
Doubting my memory now, but pretty sure he scored a screamer in that game.
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Did he score from a corner on the season opening 4-1 against QPR as well?
Doubting my memory now, but pretty sure he scored a screamer in that game.
He scored a great goal at Old Trafford too - the first in 1-1 draw in the first season of the premier league. I was in the Stratford end & jumped up. Got a load of grief from a steward but non from united fans!
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We drew 1-1 at home to Palace or was it 2-2, either way we didn't win.
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Did he score from a corner on the season opening 4-1 against QPR as well?
Doubting my memory now, but pretty sure he scored a screamer in that game.
Top corner job
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Did he score from a corner on the season opening 4-1 against QPR as well?
Doubting my memory now, but pretty sure he scored a screamer in that game.
Top corner job
For some reason I have in off the post and directly from a corner in my head.
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He scored a belter against Sheff Wed that hit the top corner post and went in, from about 30+ yards.
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
By far.
Charlie Aitken for me, by a country mile
I liked Dorigo and Wright and Warnock started well then ended up poor. But Staunton was the best for me.
I admired Alan Wright's technical ability. You could ping a ball to him at a variety of pace and angles and he'd bring it under immediate control. Excellent footballer.
He tailed off a bit later in his Villa career but as a wing back in Little''s first couple of seasons he was awesome.
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
By far.
Charlie Aitken for me, by a country mile
I liked Dorigo and Wright and Warnock started well then ended up poor. But Staunton was the best for me.
I admired Alan Wright's technical ability. You could ping a ball to him at a variety of pace and angles and he'd bring it under immediate control. Excellent footballer.
He tailed off a bit later in his Villa career but as a wing back in Little''s first couple of seasons he was awesome.
Agree, but he was useless in that ferrari.That injury caused the tail off?
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Might have missed it but didnt Bunn's contract run out ? or was it extended ?
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Correct on 95/96, and we still managed a 2 in 8 run. And only a few times since then has the bad run not been 1 in 8 or worse.
It seems part of our DNA now. And it's contributed largely to a few nearly not quite seasons. O Neill in particular and his March meltdowns. Gregory a couple times, like when we were top for a month or two in 98-99.
In fact we probably had similar runs under Big Ron, and SGT1 (And obviously the Doc).
As much as BFR's first season was a massive improvement on the previous Dr Jo season, I remember us going a couple of months in the New Year when we couldn't score, let alone win. I think it was February and March. We finished seventh as I recall.
It was around the time we got the green sand for the pitch.
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
By far.
Charlie Aitken for me, by a country mile
I liked Dorigo and Wright and Warnock started well then ended up poor. But Staunton was the best for me.
All the afore mentioned are good shouts but it is Colin Gibson for me. For a season or two he was the best English full back IMO.
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Anyway, i doubt we'll be bringing anyone else in this summer.
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Bouma was good under O'Neill until his injury, absolutely rock solid.
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Anyway, i doubt we'll be bringing anyone else in this summer.
I reckon we might get one or two more in at the end of the window, maybe a loan. Probably all depends on who leaves.
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Anyway, i doubt we'll be bringing anyone else in this summer.
I reckon we might get one or two more in at the end of the window, maybe a loan. Probably all depends on who leaves.
I agree. A few have gone already and a few more are lined up to go. I think we will see a striker and another wide player come in.
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Liverpool Echo reporting that we - along with others - have agreed terms for loan of Sheyi Ojo
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Liverpool Echo reporting that we - along with others - have agreed terms for loan of Sheyi Ojo
Never heard of him. Is he any good?
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Liverpool Echo reporting that we - along with others - have agreed terms for loan of Sheyi Ojo
Never heard of him. Is he any good?
Still young and raw, but very quick so could at least stretch a game.
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Hope we sign him, I've already thought of a song for him. Not all of my Villa songs catch on, but I'm pretty certain I'm onto a winner here.
"Ojo, where you goin' with that gun of yours?
Ojo, I said where you goin' with that gun in your hand, oh
I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messin' 'round with another man
I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messin' 'round with another man
And that ain't too cool
Huh, Ojo, I heard you shot your mamma down
You shot her down now
Ojo, I heard you shot your lady down
You shot her down in the ground, yeah
Yeah
Yes, I did, I shot her
You know I caught her messin' round, messin' round town
Yes I did, I shot her
You know I caught my old lady messin' 'round town
And I gave her the gun
And I shot her
Alright
Shoot her one more time again, baby
Yeah
Oh, dig it
Oh, alright
Ojo
Where you gonna run to now, where you gonna go?
Ojo, I said
Where you gonna run to now, where you gonna go?
I'm goin' way down south
Way down to Mexico way
Alright
I'm goin' way down South
Way down where I can be free
Ain't no one gonna find me
Ain't no hang-man gonna
He ain't gonna put a rope around me
You better believe it right now
I gotta go now
Ojo
You better run on down
Goodbye everybody"
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Liverpool Echo reporting that we - along with others - have agreed terms for loan of Sheyi Ojo
Never heard of him. Is he any good?
Was on loan at Wolves in 15/16
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Liverpool Echo reporting that we - along with others - have agreed terms for loan of Sheyi Ojo
Never heard of him. Is he any good?
Still young and raw, but very quick so could at least stretch a game.
Let's hope he's not just the Hemel Hempstead Adama
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Rumours of Baker going to Brizzie City on a perm deal...
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
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Liverpool have told the Barcodes to cough up £10m if they want to sign him.
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Hope we sign him, I've already thought of a song for him. Not all of my Villa songs catch on, but I'm pretty certain I'm onto a winner here.
"Ojo, where you goin' with that gun of yours?
Ojo, I said where you goin' with that gun in your hand, oh
I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messin' 'round with another man
I'm goin' down to shoot my old lady
You know I caught her messin' 'round with another man
And that ain't too cool
Huh, Ojo, I heard you shot your mamma down
You shot her down now
Ojo, I heard you shot your lady down
You shot her down in the ground, yeah
Yeah
Yes, I did, I shot her
You know I caught her messin' round, messin' round town
Yes I did, I shot her
You know I caught my old lady messin' 'round town
And I gave her the gun
And I shot her
Alright
Shoot her one more time again, baby
Yeah
Oh, dig it
Oh, alright
Ojo
Where you gonna run to now, where you gonna go?
Ojo, I said
Where you gonna run to now, where you gonna go?
I'm goin' way down south
Way down to Mexico way
Alright
I'm goin' way down South
Way down where I can be free
Ain't no one gonna find me
Ain't no hang-man gonna
He ain't gonna put a rope around me
You better believe it right now
I gotta go now
Ojo
You better run on down
Goodbye everybody"
<applause>
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
If Beckenbaker goes to BC and Mad Tom goes to the lesser BC, Villa are short of Central Defenders.
I know that there's now Samba but that still leaves Micah as fourth choice, which is far too close to first team action
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
If Beckenbaker goes to BC and Mad Tom goes to the lesser BC, Villa are short of Central Defenders.
I know that there's now Samba but that still leaves Micah as fourth choice, which is far too close to first team action
I'd suggest it means either:
nobody wants Richards because he's on too much dollar and is too rubbish
Bruce thinks Bree, De Laet, Jedinak, Richards is good enough cover as 4th choice centre back
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I think it must mean Jedinak is fourth choice?
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Ojo
Where you gonna run to now, where you gonna go?
Ojo, I said
Where you gonna run to now, where you gonna go?
"I'm gonna run down this wing here,
I said I'm gonna run down this wing here,
And then I'm gonna balloon a cross into the Holte..."
Possibly harsh, for all I know he might be very good.
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
If Beckenbaker goes to BC and Mad Tom goes to the lesser BC, Villa are short of Central Defenders.
I know that there's now Samba but that still leaves Micah as fourth choice, which is far too close to first team action
I'd suggest it means either:
nobody wants Richards because he's on too much dollar and is too rubbish
Missed out injury prone as well.
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
If Beckenbaker goes to BC and Mad Tom goes to the lesser BC, Villa are short of Central Defenders.
I know that there's now Samba but that still leaves Micah as fourth choice, which is far too close to first team action
I'd suggest it means either:
nobody wants Richards because he's on too much dollar and is too rubbish
Missed out injury prone as well.
v. true but I would suggest that is probably an advantage for us, not a disadvantage!
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Liverpool Echo reporting that we - along with others - have agreed terms for loan of Sheyi Ojo
Never heard of him. Is he any good?
Still young and raw, but very quick so could at least stretch a game.
Haven't we just got rid of one of them (Adama Traore)? No thanks I'd rather we gave experience to our own prospects.
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I think it must mean Jedinak is fourth choice?
this
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
If Beckenbaker goes to BC and Mad Tom goes to the lesser BC, Villa are short of Central Defenders.
I know that there's now Samba but that still leaves Micah as fourth choice, which is far too close to first team action
Terry has replaced Baker, and Samba has replaced Elphick and we have Chester. That is a massive upgrade from last season. Bruce has talked about Jedinak moving there, maybe that will happen this season. We also have some good youth players, and De Laat who can play there. I doubt there is a team in the league with a better set of central defenders than Villa right now. So with FFP looming I can see why we would take cash for Baker (although I like him he is not going to be first choice).
I think Jedi is going to get limited game time in midfield if we are playing 4-4-2, so can see him being used as a sub to shore up defence or midfield late on in games.
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Liverpool Echo reporting that we - along with others - have agreed terms for loan of Sheyi Ojo
Never heard of him. Is he any good?
Looks like one to get you on your feet, just what we need
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
If Beckenbaker goes to BC and Mad Tom goes to the lesser BC, Villa are short of Central Defenders.
I know that there's now Samba but that still leaves Micah as fourth choice, which is far too close to first team action
I'd suggest it means either:
nobody wants Richards because he's on too much dollar and is too rubbish
Missed out injury prone as well.
v. true but I would suggest that is probably an advantage for us, not a disadvantage!
Not when it comes to trying to shift him!!
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Staunton was a cracking player for us. Best left back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
By far.
Charlie Aitken for me, by a country mile
I liked Dorigo and Wright and Warnock started well then ended up poor. But Staunton was the best for me.
All the afore mentioned are good shouts but it is Colin Gibson for me. For a season or two he was the best English full back IMO.
He had a good four or five seasons for us on the bounce at left back and in midfield and then looked good in midfield for BFR's Manure. Until he got a bad injury (against us at Old Trafford I think) that he never really recovered from. Actually I think he had already had a bad injury at United and then got badly injured again against us.
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
I would keep Baker and Elphick. I think the latter gets too much criticism. As for Richards, he comes into the category of 'I would drive him to a new club and not even charge him for the petrol'.
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So we have managed to shift out:
Veretout
Tsibola
Baker
Sanchez
That must have brought in about £10m and knocked about £4m off the wage bill (if they average £20k a week).
Still circling the toilet bowl are:
Cissokho
Golini?
Hutton
McCormack
Elphick
It looks like Cissokho will happen, McCormack will reduce the wage bill, Elphick would bring a fee, don't what has happened to Golini, and can see Hutton going as there is interest from Sheff Wed and we have a lot of right backs.
Lets say that lot generate another £6m and knock another £4m off the wage bill. We are starting to look more financially viable.
Pity Amavi didn't happen, and that we can't shift Richards.
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
I would keep Baker and Elphick. I think the latter gets too much criticism. As for Richards, he comes into the category of 'I would drive him to a new club and not even charge him for the petrol'.
We can't keep both of them, if you add Richards as a centre back we need to get rid of 2 and none of those 3 are pushing the first 11 so we take what we can get.
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Liverpool Echo reporting that we - along with others - have agreed terms for loan of Sheyi Ojo
A winger, just had his 20h birthday. However, he is only 1.67m (5ft 5ins) tall. Does Bruce sometimes sign shortarises like him? Thought he went for the big and physical for this level. Hope this one is just paper talk.
Never heard of him. Is he any good?
Still young and raw, but very quick so could at least stretch a game.
Haven't we just got rid of one of them (Adama Traore)? No thanks I'd rather we gave experience to our own prospects.
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So we have managed to shift out:
Veretout
Tsibola
Baker
Sanchez
That must have brought in about £10m and knocked about £4m off the wage bill (if they average £20k a week).
Still circling the toilet bowl are:
Cissokho
Golini?
Hutton
McCormack
Elphick
It looks like Cissokho will happen, McCormack will reduce the wage bill, Elphick would bring a fee, don't what has happened to Golini, and can see Hutton going as there is interest from Sheff Wed and we have a lot of right backs.
Lets say that lot generate another £6m and knock another £4m off the wage bill. We are starting to look more financially viable.
Pity Amavi didn't happen, and that we can't shift Richards.
I think Gollini is still on loan.
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Veretout was £6m and Sanchez £2.5m and Baker apparently £4m. Tshibola's wages/most of them being paid by MK Dons, I doubt they'd be paying much in the way of a loan fee.
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Veretout, Sanchez, Gil, Kozak, Mason, Tshibola, Baker, Gollini all gone so far, three for money.
Only 2mill spent, one each for Whelan and Elmo in terms of actual transfer fees paid out.
Elphick, McCormack must be next.
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Veretout, Sanchez, Gil, Kozak, Mason, Tshibola, Baker, Gollini all gone so far, three for money.
Only 2mill spent, one each for Whelan and Elmo in terms of actual transfer fees paid out.
Elphick, McCormack must be next.
Plus Gardner, Cissokho, Amavi and possibly Hutton.
If Amavi does go then we need a backup left back. Bruce was talking about using Baker there, but he has gone now so that option has gone (thankfully as Baker would be bloody awful at left back).
I hope we manage to sell Amavi whilst we can still get a fee for him.
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Veretout, Sanchez, Gil, Kozak, Mason, Tshibola, Baker, Gollini all gone so far, three for money.
Only 2mill spent, one each for Whelan and Elmo in terms of actual transfer fees paid out.
Elphick, McCormack must be next.
Plus Gardner, Cissokho, Amavi and possibly Hutton.
If Amavi does go then we need a backup left back. Bruce was talking about using Baker there, but he has gone now so that option has gone (thankfully as Baker would be bloody awful at left back).
I hope we manage to sell Amavi whilst we can still get a fee for him.
We could bring in a CB who can cover left back as well.
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Veretout, Sanchez, Gil, Kozak, Mason, Tshibola, Baker, Gollini all gone so far, three for money.
Only 2mill spent, one each for Whelan and Elmo in terms of actual transfer fees paid out.
Elphick, McCormack must be next.
Plus Gardner, Cissokho, Amavi and possibly Hutton.
If Amavi does go then we need a backup left back. Bruce was talking about using Baker there, but he has gone now so that option has gone (thankfully as Baker would be bloody awful at left back).
I hope we manage to sell Amavi whilst we can still get a fee for him.
We could bring in a CB who can cover left back as well.
Yes, there's a lad at Bristol City - Nathan Baker. He could do a job for us
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Veretout, Sanchez, Gil, Kozak, Mason, Tshibola, Baker, Gollini all gone so far, three for money.
Only 2mill spent, one each for Whelan and Elmo in terms of actual transfer fees paid out.
Elphick, McCormack must be next.
Plus Gardner, Cissokho, Amavi and possibly Hutton.
If Amavi does go then we need a backup left back. Bruce was talking about using Baker there, but he has gone now so that option has gone (thankfully as Baker would be bloody awful at left back).
I hope we manage to sell Amavi whilst we can still get a fee for him.
We could bring in a CB who can cover left back as well.
Yes, there's a lad at Bristol City - Nathan Baker. He could do a job for us
He didn't do a great one over the past number of years.
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I still think our squad is short 1 quality, reliable, non-fat centre forward
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I still think our squad is short 1 quality, reliable, non-fat centre forward
Crouchy?
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Veretout was £6m and Sanchez £2.5m and Baker apparently £4m. Tshibola's wages/most of them being paid by MK Dons, I doubt they'd be paying much in the way of a loan fee.
Where has the 4 million for baker come from?
Both clubs and the bbc reporting undisclosed
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Veretout was £6m and Sanchez £2.5m and Baker apparently £4m. Tshibola's wages/most of them being paid by MK Dons, I doubt they'd be paying much in the way of a loan fee.
Where has the 4 million for baker come from?
Both clubs and the bbc reporting undisclosed
It must be a decent fee. I doubt we'd have sold him for 1-2m.
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Saving in wages goes about 40% towards what we are paying Terry. Would be so much easier if some mug would come in for Gabby or Richards.
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Veretout, Sanchez, Gil, Kozak, Mason, Tshibola, Baker, Gollini all gone so far, three for money.
Only 2mill spent, one each for Whelan and Elmo in terms of actual transfer fees paid out.
Elphick, McCormack must be next.
Plus Gardner, Cissokho, Amavi and possibly Hutton.
If Amavi does go then we need a backup left back. Bruce was talking about using Baker there, but he has gone now so that option has gone (thankfully as Baker would be bloody awful at left back).
I hope we manage to sell Amavi whilst we can still get a fee for him.
To get down to the figure of 19 to 20 seniors + 5 youngsters for a first team squad quoted by Dr Tone as having been agreed with SB then a few more need to go such as Bunn or Steer, Bacuna, even Adomah.
BTW the team at Tamworth tonight is;
Villa line-up as follows:-
Sarkic, Clark, Toner, Suliman, Borg, Clarke, Doyle-Hayes, O’Hare, Cox, Davis, Hepburn-Murphy. Subs: Idem, Taylor, Knibbs, Mooney, Prosser, Bedeau, Pastorek
Leading 1-0 at HT. Scorer O'Hare.
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Good to see The Russian getting a run out
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Veretout was £6m and Sanchez £2.5m and Baker apparently £4m. Tshibola's wages/most of them being paid by MK Dons, I doubt they'd be paying much in the way of a loan fee.
Where has the 4 million for baker come from?
Both clubs and the bbc reporting undisclosed
It must be a decent fee. I doubt we'd have sold him for 1-2m.
So pure speculation then :o
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Noooooooooo! Get rid of Elphick and Richards not Baker!
I would keep Baker and Elphick. I think the latter gets too much criticism. As for Richards, he comes into the category of 'I would drive him to a new club and not even charge him for the petrol'.
So you rate Elphick?
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Good to see The Russian getting a run out
He has just been subbed - injured!! On the receiving end of at least 1 crunching tackle.
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I still think we need another centre-back. If Chester gets injured / suspended we face a pairing of Samba and Terry. We'd have to set our back 4 up on the edge of the 6-yard box.
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What about that Baker at Bristol City? I reckon 10m will get him.
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What about that Baker at Bristol City? I reckon 10m will get him.
Bargain and he doesnt get many head injuries either
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Good to see The Russian getting a run out
He has just been subbed - injured!! On the receiving end of at least 1 crunching tackle.
Fuck sake, was really looking forward to him getting a run but he's the new Nathan Baker.
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Good to see The Russian getting a run out
He has just been subbed - injured!! On the receiving end of at least 1 crunching tackle.
Fuck sake, was really looking forward to him getting a run but he's the new Nathan Baker.
I'd be happier if he was the new Steve Bull.
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You have to wonder whether Toner Sulliman and Bedeau have impressed enough for Bruce to accept Baker wanting to go for first team football. De Laet and Bree can also play there as can Jedinak in an emergency. I think we have enough cover. If Elphick goes then maybe we will go for someone else but even then Chester is pretty robust and Terry/ Samba can manage themselves through the season.
I am much more concerned with the need for a bit more flair and imagination going forward. There has been links to a young attacking mid in Germany who looks very decent but doubt they are true.
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ozzyjim, would have like Baker as back up, but totally accept he knows he is nowhere near first choice CB. We will sell Elphick (who I was pearled for us to buy after speaking with mate who is Bournmouth season ticket holder). I will probably get knocked back here, but think Elphick with confidence is better than Baker with confidence
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
I think Micah Richards is the worst centre half I have seen in a Villa shirt.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
I think Micah Richards is the worst centre half I have seen in a Villa shirt.
He may well be one of the worst players in a villa shirt I have ever seen.....?
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I excused the perambulating lump aka Micah Richards because he is only a centre back in the fevered brains of himself and Tim Sherwood. In my hall of infamy his certification as the worst right back ever to dodge the African Car Reverser is Rawlplugged to the wall.
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I excused the perambulating lump aka Micah Richards because he is only a centre back in the fevered brains of himself and Tim Sherwood. In my hall of infamy his certification as the worst right back ever to dodge the African Car Reverser is Rawlplugged to the wall.
... and to think that I was really pleased when we signed him, turned out to be one of the worse signings in our history!
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My main worry when we signed him was if he'd be fit enough to play very often. Now my main worry is if he's fit enough to play but for different reasons.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
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I excused the perambulating lump aka Micah Richards because he is only a centre back in the fevered brains of himself and Tim Sherwood. In my hall of infamy his certification as the worst right back ever to dodge the African Car Reverser is Rawlplugged to the wall.
... and to think that I was really pleased when we signed him, turned out to be one of the worse signings in our history!
I was quite pleased when we got O'Leary as manager. So it could be worse.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
...just behind Paul Elliot.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
...just behind Paul Elliot.
Ivo Stas.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
He wasn't terrible though, just looked shit compared to the other centre halves we had, as did almost every other centre half in the league.
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Both Brighton and Newcastle had a winger who bagged over a dozen league goals last season
I think this is now the glaring gap in our squad.
Snodgrass is one option though he does play right side and I think we'd be better off buying / loaning a number 10 or left winger.
Sone Aluko and Forestieri did spring to mind. Not sure who else. And suspect we won't be making another big purchase due to FFP
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reading want BAcuna
yes please
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
...just behind Paul Elliot.
Ivo Stas.
Did he ever get to play for us? Thought his injuries prevented it or am I thinking of Neale Cooper or both?
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
...just behind Paul Elliot.
Ivo Stas.
Did he ever get to play for us? Thought his injuries prevented it or am I thinking of Neale Cooper or both?
I saw him score for us. Great header - keeper had no chance.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
I forgot.....Steve Foster.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
...just behind Paul Elliot.
Ivo Stas.
Did he ever get to play for us? Thought his injuries prevented it or am I thinking of Neale Cooper or both?
I saw him score for us. Great header - keeper had no chance.
Remind me, I didn't think he ever got to play a competitive match. The most limited centre back I remember was Fred Turnbull who headed or kicked everything into touch. We moan about the poor distribution of our recent crop, wasn't an issue back then, just clear it and job done.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
...just behind Paul Elliot.
Ivo Stas.
Did he ever get to play for us? Thought his injuries prevented it or am I thinking of Neale Cooper or both?
I saw him score for us. Great header - keeper had no chance.
Remind me, I didn't think he ever got to play a competitive match. The most limited centre back I remember was Fred Turnbull who headed or kicked everything into touch. We moan about the poor distribution of our recent crop, wasn't an issue back then, just clear it and job done.
Nope, you're quite right WV. He did score an OG playing for Banik Ostrava against us though in a UEFA Cup tie. I think that's what prompted Dr Jo to buy him!
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
...just behind Paul Elliot.
Ivo Stas.
Did he ever get to play for us? Thought his injuries prevented it or am I thinking of Neale Cooper or both?
I saw him score for us. Great header - keeper had no chance.
Remind me, I didn't think he ever got to play a competitive match. The most limited centre back I remember was Fred Turnbull who headed or kicked everything into touch. We moan about the poor distribution of our recent crop, wasn't an issue back then, just clear it and job done.
Nope, you're quite right WV. He did score an OG playing for Banik Ostrava against us though in a UEFA Cup tie. I think that's what prompted Dr Jo to buy him!
Ah, an own goal header, with you now. One of many new players who I hoped would make a difference but didn't really get the chance.
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Steve Bruce has 'moved to reassure fans that Alan Hutton isn't going anywhere,' apparently.
That is a relief.
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For a spell Ridgewell was massively out of his depth in the premier league (2005). Went through a run where he conceded a penalty 4 or 5 games running.
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Steve Bruce has 'moved to reassure fans that Alan Hutton isn't going anywhere,' apparently.
That is a relief.
If true,that's a distressingly out of touch as making Richards captain in pre-season friendlies.
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Said it in the match thread but we are a couple of players away now IMO from top 2. Defence is solid, as is the midfield. We have to find a role for Hourihane over Lansbury, the latter being a pretty boy who does very little for me. But crucially I think we are a goal-scoring creative wide player and a target man away from being certain automatic. At the moment I think we will get in the playoffs through sheer bloody minded result grinding boredom, but with a target man and a a quality wide player I think we would win a lot of games comfortably. Crouch and Snodgrass would be my top choices if we could get anywhere near them, but there must be other options too. Green is very talented but will need times out of the side, Grealish is quality but not consistently and likewise Adomah is very in and out. Snodgrass has had a failed move to West Ham but was excellent before that for Hull and Bruce knows him well. Crouch would be the best target man in the division at his age and could play alongside any of our forward line.
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Said it in the match thread but we are a couple of players away now IMO from top 2. Defence is solid, as is the midfield. We have to find a role for Hourihane over Lansbury, the latter being a pretty boy who does very little for me. But crucially I think we are a goal-scoring creative wide player and a target man away from being certain automatic. At the moment I think we will get in the playoffs through sheer bloody minded result grinding boredom, but with a target man and a a quality wide player I think we would win a lot of games comfortably. Crouch and Snodgrass would be my top choices if we could get anywhere near them, but there must be other options too. Green is very talented but will need times out of the side, Grealish is quality but not consistently and likewise Adomah is very in and out. Snodgrass has had a failed move to West Ham but was excellent before that for Hull and Bruce knows him well. Crouch would be the best target man in the division at his age and could play alongside any of our forward line.
As I said before, I agree about needing a left winger and a target man striker. Seeing that today, Lansbury, Hourihane and Bjarnason concerned me a bit in that they all looked a bit sluggish and one paced.
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Bjarnason looked crap to me.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
I think Micah Richards is the worst centre half I have seen in a Villa shirt.
My vote would go to Brendan Ormsby or Paul Elliott.
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Bjarnason looked crap to me.
I just don't see him as being a wide player. Got caught in possession quite a few times today as well.
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Elphick is the worst Villa centre half I have ever seen. He will hold that prize until we sign Alex Bruce next week.
Carl Tiler must be up there
...just behind Paul Elliot.
Ivo Stas.
Did he ever get to play for us? Thought his injuries prevented it or am I thinking of Neale Cooper or both?
I saw him score for us. Great header - keeper had no chance.
I saw Ivo Stas score for us at the right end. Away to Witney Town pre season 1991. Although I am pretty sure the ball sneaked in through the outside side netting and shouldn't have been allowed. When I tell people I have seen Ivo Stas play for and score for Villa they usually look at me as if I have claimed to have been abducted by aliens, taken to their home planet and had invasive medical procedures performed on me!
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Said it in the match thread but we are a couple of players away now IMO from top 2. Defence is solid, as is the midfield. We have to find a role for Hourihane over Lansbury, the latter being a pretty boy who does very little for me. But crucially I think we are a goal-scoring creative wide player and a target man away from being certain automatic. At the moment I think we will get in the playoffs through sheer bloody minded result grinding boredom, but with a target man and a a quality wide player I think we would win a lot of games comfortably. Crouch and Snodgrass would be my top choices if we could get anywhere near them, but there must be other options too. Green is very talented but will need times out of the side, Grealish is quality but not consistently and likewise Adomah is very in and out. Snodgrass has had a failed move to West Ham but was excellent before that for Hull and Bruce knows him well. Crouch would be the best target man in the division at his age and could play alongside any of our forward line.
As I said before, I agree about needing a left winger and a target man striker. Seeing that today, Lansbury, Hourihane and Bjarnason concerned me a bit in that they all looked a bit sluggish and one paced.
And we have spent over 20 mill on McGate and Hogan, which would get you Crouch and Snodgrass,
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Steve Bruce has 'moved to reassure fans that Alan Hutton isn't going anywhere,' apparently.
Just like all of his crosses. How apt.
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Bjarnason looked crap to me.
Bjarnason looks like one of those weird players that while looking utter shite can get themselves in very dangerous positions. I would not be shocked to see him get 6-7 goals this season, while being poor most weeks.
Hourihane needs to just be allowed to sit in front of Whelan and play. Watched him a few times for Barnsley last season and he was genuinely quality, always looking to make something happen, but then had willing runners and freedom to play.
Not sure on Lansbury at all. I fear he is a MOTD show pony type.
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Bjarnason looked crap to me.
[/quoteBjarnason looked crap to me.
Did everything right until he got the ball.
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Bjarnason looked crap to me.
Bjarnason looks like one of those weird players that while looking utter shite can get themselves in very dangerous positions. I would not be shocked to see him get 6-7 goals this season, while being poor most weeks.
Hourihane needs to just be allowed to sit in front of Whelan and play. Watched him a few times for Barnsley last season and he was genuinely quality, always looking to make something happen, but then had willing runners and freedom to play.
Not sure on Lansbury at all. I fear he is a MOTD show pony type.
Don't know what Bjarnason is like centrally, but I think I'd rather have him there than Lansbury based on what I've seen so far. Whelan and Hourihane providing the guile from deeper (with the latter getting opportunities to move forward wherever he sees fit), and Bjarnason to provide energy and movement if not necessarily quality. Don't know whether Green or Grealish would be better out left though - Jack might make better use of the space that Bjarnason theoretically opens up with his running, but I'd be worried about being one-paced if it's just Elmo with any real pace in the lineup.
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I'm afraid Barney is my current pet hate, he just seems so technically inept, unable to master the basics of controlling the ball.
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Bjarnason looked crap to me.
Bjarnason looks like one of those weird players that while looking utter shite can get themselves in very dangerous positions. I would not be shocked to see him get 6-7 goals this season, while being poor most weeks.
Hourihane needs to just be allowed to sit in front of Whelan and play. Watched him a few times for Barnsley last season and he was genuinely quality, always looking to make something happen, but then had willing runners and freedom to play.
Not sure on Lansbury at all. I fear he is a MOTD show pony type.
Hourihane playing alongside Whelan might give us a bit more balance seeing as he is left footed.
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I'm afraid Barney is my current pet hate, he just seems so technically inept, unable to master the basics of controlling the ball.
We need to give him a chance given the injury and the fact he hasn't played for months when he joined. And he does have good energy and movement. But his touch and passing has made Jedinak look like Sid Cowans so far. Shockingly bad. If we're going to play him as a ten I think I'd rather just play gabby and hogan and ask one of them to drop deeper when we don't have the ball.
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I remember when Jedinak first came in. The number of times he gave the ball away in his first few games was ridiculous but after a while he settled in. Hopefully it'll be the same kind of scenario with Barney.
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I'm afraid Barney is my current pet hate, he just seems so technically inept, unable to master the basics of controlling the ball.
We need to give him a chance given the injury and the fact he hasn't played for months when he joined. And he does have good energy and movement. But his touch and passing has made Jedinak look like Sid Cowans so far. Shockingly bad. If we're going to play him as a ten I think I'd rather just play gabby and hogan and ask one of them to drop deeper when we don't have the ball.
I remember Mark Reagan saying on WM when Bjarnason signed that Bruce was very pleased to have got him and was talking him up quite a bit.
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I'm more than happy to give him a chance. I like that he regularly gets into the box. Maybe if he scuffs one in, he'll get a bit of a confidence boost and settle in.
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But it's his passing and control not just his finishing
We'll see I guess
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I'm afraid Barney is my current pet hate, he just seems so technically inept, unable to master the basics of controlling the ball.
We need to give him a chance given the injury and the fact he hasn't played for months when he joined. And he does have good energy and movement. But his touch and passing has made Jedinak look like Sid Cowans so far. Shockingly bad. If we're going to play him as a ten I think I'd rather just play gabby and hogan and ask one of them to drop deeper when we don't have the ball.
I remember Mark Reagan saying on WM when Bjarnason signed that Bruce was very pleased to have got him and was talking him up quite a bit.
Wouldn't surprise me, he runs about a lot and that gets him in positions where he get s chances. Yes he misses a lot of them and doesn't do anything to help us build pressure or keep the ball but I honestly don't think Bruce cares about that. Of the 3 midfielders we signed in January him and Lansbury make sense to me (as Bruce signings), Hourihane feels like he's one that an analyst/Round pushed for and Bruce doesn't really know what to do with him. Hogan feels like another one that was picked up to play a different style to what I'd expect from Bruce.
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I agree it's hard to see where Hogan fits in at the moment
Hourihane is a centre mid and needs to compete to play alongside Whelan - I don't think he can play further forward
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I agree it's hard to see where Hogan fits in at the moment
Hourihane is a centre mid and needs to compete to play alongside Whelan - I don't think he can play further forward
Agree, though I think you could play a three man midfield with Whelan holding and two of Lansbury, Bacuna, Hourihane and Bjarnason in front of him.
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Agreed. Just think Bruce wants to play 442 or 4411
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Agreed. Just think Bruce wants to play 442 or 4411
It certainly seems we will start the season playing that way, though we might need an extra player in central midfield in certain games.
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I think he thought he was buying Shane Long again in Hogan.
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I think Hogan can be a very good player and I think Elmo can supply him with chances.
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I think Hogan can be a very good player and I think Elmo can supply him with chances.
Agree.
I reckon his will be his season.
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I can honestly see us letting Hourihane go if the right offer comes in. Just a hunch.
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This soon? Nah. Unless those rumours of his homesickness are true. Anyone at Wednesday we could swap him for?
Whelan might help him settle. Fatty Mac and Amavi will be the main ones out the door.
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I hope you're right. Elphick, Cissokho to go this week I reckon. I'd like to keep Hourihane. I read today that an unnamed club have bid for Aluko of Fulham. I wondered whether it's us. I don't know much about him.
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This soon? Nah. Unless those rumours of his homesickness are true.
Not sure if Bandon AFC can cover his wages never mind the transfer fee.
He'll be fine.
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This soon? Nah. Unless those rumours of his homesickness are true.
Not sure if Bandon AFC can cover his wages never mind the transfer fee.
He'll be fine.
If we got a decent fee for him and it meant we could bring in someone of similar quality to Whelan with it then I would be fine with that. Him, Lansbury and Bjarnason are a bit of a concern.
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This soon? Nah. Unless those rumours of his homesickness are true.
Not sure if Bandon AFC can cover his wages never mind the transfer fee.
He'll be fine.
Well, quite. Corkonians are a strange breed.
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Need to get a creative player in - I thought so before jack was injured
I don't think our wide left or behind the striker options at the moment are good enough to think we can get promotion
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I hope you're right. Elphick, Cissokho to go this week I reckon. I'd like to keep Hourihane. I read today that an unnamed club have bid for Aluko of Fulham. I wondered whether it's us. I don't know much about him.
43 goals in 253 games. Bruce managed him at Small Heath as a youngster and bought him for Hull. I didn't realise he was as old as 28.
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Got 10 or so last year I think?
I always thought he looked quite good
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i still wouldnt be surprised if letting Baker go is a little ruse to create a space for Alex Bruce especially if Elphick goes as well
the blokes unwanted, 32 years old his only hope is if his dad could sort him out with a 2/3 year deal and he could sit around the place no matter what happens in the future to SB,
i know the blokes next to useless but his dads in charge
Alex did tweet some time ago that its not going to happen but that was before the changes
yes i'm a bit cynical i find it helps to be at the moment
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You just know if that happened Terry and Chester would both get bad injuries as soon as the September games started and we'd have Alex Bruce week in week out up to xmas.
It's a signing SB really shouldn't be making as he knows people will be on his back quickly if we don't start well.
It's like MON signing Heskey or Lambert getting in Grant Holt, lazy signings that won't help us at all.
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I don't see it. I think he will use Samba and Jedinak as backup to Chester and Terry.
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Suspect Alex Bruce will end up at Bolton, he's been on trial there and my Bolton supporting father in law seems to think it's going to happen.
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I don't see it. I think he will use Samba and Jedinak as backup to Chester and Terry.
Agree.
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Id go and get Crouch at the right price i.e next to nothing and spend some money on a attacking midfielder/winger, ideally youngish (22-24yrs).
Such as:
Iwobi- if hes not in the 1st team plans at Arsenal (Loan)
Musonda- same as Iwobi (Loan)
Lennon- I hate to say this, as I've always hated the bloke not the player, but he could be an option to buy and surely isn't going to get a game at Everton.
Ojo- Looks like he is off somewhere on loan!
Nkoudou- same as Iwobi and Musonda (Loan)
Barrow- unsure on him but has lighting pace
Snodgrass- at a push, but will certainly compete at Championship level.
Aluko- 2nd best on the assist table last year i think.
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Id go and get Crouch at the right price i.e next to nothing and spend some money on a attacking midfielder/winger, ideally youngish (22-24yrs).
Such as:
Iwobi- if hes not in the 1st team plans at Arsenal (Loan)
Musonda- same as Iwobi (Loan)
Lennon- I hate to say this, as I've always hated the bloke not the player, but he could be an option to buy and surely isn't going to get a game at Everton.
Ojo- Looks like he is off somewhere on loan!
Nkoudou- same as Iwobi and Musonda (Loan)
Barrow- unsure on him but has lighting pace
Snodgrass- at a push, but will certainly compete at Championship level.
Aluko- 2nd best on the assist table last year i think.
What's Aaron Lennon done to deserve your hatred?
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I found that a bit strange too.
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Id go and get Crouch at the right price i.e next to nothing and spend some money on a attacking midfielder/winger, ideally youngish (22-24yrs).
Such as:
Iwobi- if hes not in the 1st team plans at Arsenal (Loan)
Musonda- same as Iwobi (Loan)
Lennon- I hate to say this, as I've always hated the bloke not the player, but he could be an option to buy and surely isn't going to get a game at Everton.
Ojo- Looks like he is off somewhere on loan!
Nkoudou- same as Iwobi and Musonda (Loan)
Barrow- unsure on him but has lighting pace
Snodgrass- at a push, but will certainly compete at Championship level.
Aluko- 2nd best on the assist table last year i think.
We should definitely sign 'Barrow'. Surely by law of averages one of their squad will turn out to be good enough.
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Id go and get Crouch at the right price i.e next to nothing and spend some money on a attacking midfielder/winger, ideally youngish (22-24yrs).
Such as:
Iwobi- if hes not in the 1st team plans at Arsenal (Loan)
Musonda- same as Iwobi (Loan)
Lennon- I hate to say this, as I've always hated the bloke not the player, but he could be an option to buy and surely isn't going to get a game at Everton.
Ojo- Looks like he is off somewhere on loan!
Nkoudou- same as Iwobi and Musonda (Loan)
Barrow- unsure on him but has lighting pace
Snodgrass- at a push, but will certainly compete at Championship level.
Aluko- 2nd best on the assist table last year i think.
We should definitely sign 'Barrow'. Surely by law of averages one of their squad will turn out to be good enough.
I doubt that sort of deal would be smooth sailing.
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Id go and get Crouch at the right price i.e next to nothing and spend some money on a attacking midfielder/winger, ideally youngish (22-24yrs).
Such as:
Iwobi- if hes not in the 1st team plans at Arsenal (Loan)
Musonda- same as Iwobi (Loan)
Lennon- I hate to say this, as I've always hated the bloke not the player, but he could be an option to buy and surely isn't going to get a game at Everton.
Ojo- Looks like he is off somewhere on loan!
Nkoudou- same as Iwobi and Musonda (Loan)
Barrow- unsure on him but has lighting pace
Snodgrass- at a push, but will certainly compete at Championship level.
Aluko- 2nd best on the assist table last year i think.
We should definitely sign 'Barrow'. Surely by law of averages one of their squad will turn out to be good enough.
Is he Wheely good?
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Crouch would probably break our wage structure, he's near the end of his career and still getting enough game time at Stoke on great money. See Gareth Barry. Nice in theory but unlikely to happen. You can have Reo-Coker or Samuel (Sweet Boy) if you want though.
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I'm up for Sonny Aluko
Second striker or winger - pushed out wide last year to accommodate Cairney
8 goals and 12 assists last season
Worked with Bruce before
We'd need to sell to buy but I'd be pretty happy based on the admittedly little I know
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If we are going to play Elmo on the right & Green/Amavi on the left the squad could do with a target man who can actually challenge crosses in the air.
Still wouldn't remotely surprise me if he comes back in next couple of weeks if Kodjia is sold before the window closes, you looked at Watford on Sat and they are desperate for a striker as Deeney apart they have nothing up top....there are other Prem sides who could do with more fire power too....Swansea, Stoke, West Brom, Newcastle etc etc. As 20m is the new 5m 'punt' signing of the past I'm not sure any of those would blink at paying 20m for him.
In terms of FFP selling Kodjia for 20m and for instance buying Sam Gallagher for 7m would make perfect sense...& for Bruce if he wants to play 442 sure he'd like a target man with Hogan or Gabby of him with RHM and Davis as deputies.
At the start of the summer the 'assets' to try and make a few quid back into the pot were Veretout, Amavi & McCormack....with Amavi being mugged off by Sevilla & McCormack looking like his exit isn't going to be permanent we have already let Baker go so I think they'll consider selling anyone if the £'s are there.
Not saying I want Kodjia gone by the way.
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If we are going to play Elmo on the right & Green/Amavi on the left the squad could do with a target man who can actually challenge crosses in the air.
Still wouldn't remotely surprise me if he comes back in next couple of weeks if Kodjia is sold before the window closes, you looked at Watford on Sat and they are desperate for a striker as Deeney apart they have nothing up top....there are other Prem sides who could do with more fire power too....Swansea, Stoke, West Brom, Newcastle etc etc. As 20m is the new 5m 'punt' signing of the past I'm not sure any of those would blink at paying 20m for him.
In terms of FFP selling Kodjia for 20m and for instance buying Sam Gallagher for 7m would make perfect sense...& for Bruce if he wants to play 442 sure he'd like a target man with Hogan or Gabby of him with RHM and Davis as deputies.
At the start of the summer the 'assets' to try and make a few quid back into the pot were Veretout, Amavi & McCormack....with Amavi being mugged off by Sevilla & McCormack looking like his exit isn't going to be permanent we have already let Baker go so I think they'll consider selling anyone if the £'s are there.
Not saying I want Kodjia gone by the way.
Very scarey but very true.
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We don't need any more small strikers. Our problem up front is holding the ball up and playing others in. We simply don't have enough aerial presence up there either.
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Davis held the ball up excellently in the second half against Brighton.
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I'd like to think that SB has the balls to put a youth on the bench if Gabby gets the nod over Hogan. No need for another striker.
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Aluko and Crouch would provide decent options. Just one more winger on top of that and I'd be happy. Plus a left back if Amavi leaves.
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We need Crouchy if at all possible. You know exactly what you'll get. An intelligent player who can bring others into the game and decent in the air (yes I know, he was dreadful in the air when with us).
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We need Crouchy if at all possible. You know exactly what you'll get. An intelligent player who can bring others into the game and decent in the air (yes I know, he was dreadful in the air when with us).
Shoot me down, it may have been a time in my life, but I hardly remember him playing for us.
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We need Crouchy if at all possible. You know exactly what you'll get. An intelligent player who can bring others into the game and decent in the air (yes I know, he was dreadful in the air when with us).
Shoot me down, it may have been a time in my life, but I hardly remember him playing for us.
The only player I've ever seen in my life who used to descend/shrink as he 'rose' for a header. He used to be mercilessly bullied by centre halfs. He's a different proposition now of course.
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I'm up for Sonny Aluko
Second striker or winger - pushed out wide last year to accommodate Cairney
8 goals and 12 assists last season
Worked with Bruce before
We'd need to sell to buy but I'd be pretty happy based on the admittedly little I know
Not for me, had a good year last season but was a fringe player for Hull 2 years ago and has never looked anything special.
I don't have a better option in mind but I'd rather see someone a bit younger who can improve, we already have 6-7 first team players who need to be replaced if we go up, if we do make a couple more signings they have to be guys who offer something now but can improve with us.
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There's a lad at the Boggies called Jonathan Leko who is very quick, can beat defenders for fun, but very raw. Tiny really rates him, but maybe a season's loan an outside possibility? Plays wide right I know , but maybe could give an option on left cutting back inside a la Ashley Young. Come to think of it , reminds me of him a bit.
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I seriously doubt they would loan a player to us. And why should we help develop one of their players?
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I seriously doubt they would loan a player to us. And why should we help develop one of their players?
Because it could be a win / win. Every other Championship side takes good youngsters on loan from Premier clubs bar us. They would get a talented youngster developed, he could make a difference to us. Look at Chelsea and Izzy Brown last season. As for whether they would loan a player to us, it's the way professional football mangers think , us fans don't react the same way.
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I seriously doubt they would loan a player to us. And why should we help develop one of their players?
Because it could be a win / win. Every other Championship side takes good youngsters on loan from Premier clubs bar us. They would get a talented youngster developed, he could make a difference to us. Look at Chelsea and Izzy Brown last season. As for whether they would loan a player to us, it's the way professional football mangers think , us fans don't react the same way.
Sam Johnstone is on loan from a Premiership team.
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Good point - you got me there :) ! But a bit different I think because we seem to have wanted to buy him and they wouldn't sell.
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I think the general point I was trying to make is that we don't seem to use the loan system as creatively as some sides . I don't have any particular axe to grind over Leko, I just used him as an example because I've seen him play at first hand since he was 10 and know he's a very talented young player.
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I seriously doubt they would loan a player to us. And why should we help develop one of their players?
Pulis shows symptoms of the 'obsessed with Villa' bug that seems to inflict anyone employed at the clubs in Small Heath and Sandwell, so not sure it would be a possibility anyway.
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Good point - you got me there :) ! But a bit different I think because we seem to have wanted to buy him and they wouldn't sell.
:-)
I agree by the way, last summer I was banging on that I wanted to see Solanke on loan, Chelsea in particular are stock piling players and there are definite gems in there, likewise Man City....Leko might be a fine player one day but he plays for a club that doesn't really scores goals either so you'd presume if he has it he'll be nailed on to be in their 18 every week
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Think the last time we would've done that was Kyle Walker under Houllier, and that loan went very well for all parties. You could argue Bertrand but I think he was pretty much surplus to requirements at Chelsea by then, and wasn't exactly that unproven a youngster.
As long as they're good enough to fill a genuine need in the squad that can't conceivably be filled by existing options, I really don't see why you wouldn't bring in and develop another team's youngster, outside of some misguided sense of pride.
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There's a lad at the Boggies called Jonathan Leko who is very quick, can beat defenders for fun, but very raw. Tiny really rates him, but maybe a season's loan an outside possibility? Plays wide right I know , but maybe could give an option on left cutting back inside a la Ashley Young. Come to think of it , reminds me of him a bit.
If it's the kid I'm thinking about then I believe Pulis dropped him from the squad because he developed a bad attitude in the mold of Berahino?
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I hadn't heard that but it wouldn't surprise me. Sadly these days for every one 'boring' James Milner there seems to be about 10 Saido Berahinos.
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There must be kids at the top premier clubs in particular who could add creativity while jack is out in particular
But the clubs might want assurances on them starting games which could be tricky unless they're genuinely stellar
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There must be kids at the top premier clubs in particular who could add creativity while jack is out in particular
But the clubs might want assurances on them starting games which could be tricky unless they're genuinely stellar
We had two of those at the club at the start of the summer in Gil and McCormack. It points to poor planning and preparation by Bruce if we are left short in that area.
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There must be kids at the top premier clubs in particular who could add creativity while jack is out in particular
But the clubs might want assurances on them starting games which could be tricky unless they're genuinely stellar
We had two of those at the club at the start of the summer in Gil and McCormack. It points to poor planning and preparation by Bruce if we are left short in that area.
A bit unfair considering Grealish only got injured 3 days ago. As for Gil, he's been out of favour for a while and McCormack is not a Grealish type player anyway. Besides, the window does not close for another month.
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I do agree that we don't seem to use the loan system enough, Johnstone aside. Some of the best players in the Championship last season were on loan from PL clubs.
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There must be kids at the top premier clubs in particular who could add creativity while jack is out in particular
But the clubs might want assurances on them starting games which could be tricky unless they're genuinely stellar
We had two of those at the club at the start of the summer in Gil and McCormack. It points to poor planning and preparation by Bruce if we are left short in that area.
A bit unfair considering Grealish only got injured 3 days ago. As for Gil, he's been out of favour for a while and McCormack is not a Grealish type player anyway. Besides, the window does not close for another month.
Maybe, but if you are going to play a certain formation though, surely you ensure that you have enough options that one injury isn't going to throw your plans into turmoil. There might be other factors involved with Gil and McCormack that we don't know about, but I would say in both cases that the 'number 10' position is really the only role they are going to be effective in, so it would have been worth having a look at them. As it is, Bruce seems to have stumbled across the idea of playing a 'number 10' in the last couple of weeks of pre season and now don't seem to have many options there with Grealish's injury.
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There must be kids at the top premier clubs in particular who could add creativity while jack is out in particular
But the clubs might want assurances on them starting games which could be tricky unless they're genuinely stellar
We had two of those at the club at the start of the summer in Gil and McCormack. It points to poor planning and preparation by Bruce if we are left short in that area.
A bit unfair considering Grealish only got injured 3 days ago. As for Gil, he's been out of favour for a while and McCormack is not a Grealish type player anyway. Besides, the window does not close for another month.
Maybe, but if you are going to play a certain formation though, surely you ensure that you have enough options that one injury isn't going to throw your plans into turmoil. There might be other factors involved with Gil and McCormack that we don't know about, but I would say in both cases that the 'number 10' position is really the only role they are going to be effective in, so it would have been worth having a look at them. As it is, Bruce seems to have stumbled across the idea of playing a 'number 10' in the last couple of weeks of pre season and now don't seem to have many options there with Grealish's injury.
Grealish being out is not ideal but it's hardy going to throw any plans into turmoil. Green has played most of pre-season so he can come in and play wide. McCormack has played a couple of pre-season games so it's not as if he's been totally ignored and Gil possibly didn't want to hang around anyway. Now we know how long Grealish is out for, he may well bring somebody in.
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I seriously doubt they would loan a player to us. And why should we help develop one of their players?
Because it could be a win / win. Every other Championship side takes good youngsters on loan from Premier clubs bar us. They would get a talented youngster developed, he could make a difference to us. Look at Chelsea and Izzy Brown last season. As for whether they would loan a player to us, it's the way professional football mangers think , us fans don't react the same way.
Izzy Brown? Wasn't she in Hollyoaks?
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I do agree that we don't seem to use the loan system enough, Johnstone aside. Some of the best players in the Championship last season were on loan from PL clubs.
I always thought that when he was at Small Heath Steve Bruce always used the loan system well. He was usually pretty smart in the January transfer window too.
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There must be kids at the top premier clubs in particular who could add creativity while jack is out in particular
But the clubs might want assurances on them starting games which could be tricky unless they're genuinely stellar
We had two of those at the club at the start of the summer in Gil and McCormack. It points to poor planning and preparation by Bruce if we are left short in that area.
A bit unfair considering Grealish only got injured 3 days ago. As for Gil, he's been out of favour for a while and McCormack is not a Grealish type player anyway. Besides, the window does not close for another month.
Maybe, but if you are going to play a certain formation though, surely you ensure that you have enough options that one injury isn't going to throw your plans into turmoil. There might be other factors involved with Gil and McCormack that we don't know about, but I would say in both cases that the 'number 10' position is really the only role they are going to be effective in, so it would have been worth having a look at them. As it is, Bruce seems to have stumbled across the idea of playing a 'number 10' in the last couple of weeks of pre season and now don't seem to have many options there with Grealish's injury.
Grealish being out is not ideal but it's hardy going to throw any plans into turmoil. Green has played most of pre-season so he can come in and play wide. McCormack has played a couple of pre-season games so it's not as if he's been totally ignored and Gil possibly didn't want to hang around anyway. Now we know how long Grealish is out for, he may well bring somebody in.
Turmoil might have been a bit over the top - disrupted may have been more suitable!! If you are going to play a certain way (ie. with a number ten) it hopefully involves work on the training ground in that particular shape and a number of games to get used to it. To have to abandon it due to one player getting injured is not ideal at all really and will involve more work. Lansbury or Bjarnason might well step into that role (they did on Saturday but were not overly impressive) and as you say there might have been other issues with Gil and McCormack that meant they needed to be moved on, but it does hint a bit at a lack of real planning.
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Given where and how Bruce seems to put a 10 think Gil is a loss but RM isn't really, I don't think he plays the role in the way we want/need which is why Bruce is looking to move him on. Gil fairly obviously wanted to go so I don't fault him for that either. I just hope he tries to address this before the end of the month but I think he sees Bjarnason as the main cover for the left wing and maybe even the 10
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It's a shame about Gil, as a little bit of guile goes along way in this league. Look how effective the likes of Forestieri and Knockheart have been in the previous few seasons. This is exactly the type of player we should be focusing on now.
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It's a shame about Gil, as a little bit of guile goes along way in this league. Look how effective the likes of Forestieri and Knockheart have been in the previous few seasons. This is exactly the type of player we should be focusing on now.
In any other formation, I would say him and McCormack would be ineffective in this league, but 4-4-2 with them as a second striker type of player is the formation to best utilise them. I would have liked to seen Gil given a run of games if we are to play that formation, but not to be.
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It's a shame about Gil, as a little bit of guile goes along way in this league. Look how effective the likes of Forestieri and Knockheart have been in the previous few seasons. This is exactly the type of player we should be focusing on now.
Exactly this, the theory that you can't use these type of players in this league is a lazy stereotype.
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I agree, I think Gil in behind Hogan or Kodjia would've been effective but he made it very clear that he wanted to go back to Spain so I don't think Bruce really had much option there. I would like to see him bring in a left/central player like him though. I don't think RM is busy enough to do the job, he seems like a less talented, and much shorter, version of Berbatov in that he has talent but only wants to get involved when he feels like it. That might be harsh but it's the impression I got last year and nothing this summer suggests a change in attitude despite him looking much fitter. It also explains why he has fitness problems, if he can't be that arsed in a game he's probably a terrible trainer.
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It's a shame about Gil, as a little bit of guile goes along way in this league. Look how effective the likes of Forestieri and Knockheart have been in the previous few seasons. This is exactly the type of player we should be focusing on now.
Can't say I ever saw anything in Gil to suggest he was anything like as good as Forestieri or Knockhart, both of those you carry when they are doing nothing because they have the ability to turn a game with a power dribble or an incisive pass - in the games I saw him play for us & the couple on tv last year Gil moves nicely sideways but that was it.
I said it the day we signed him and stand by it, Valencia don't sell you a lot for 3m.
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It's a shame about Gil, as a little bit of guile goes along way in this league. Look how effective the likes of Forestieri and Knockheart have been in the previous few seasons. This is exactly the type of player we should be focusing on now.
Can't say I ever saw anything in Gil to suggest he was anything like as good as Forestieri or Knockhart, both of those you carry when they are doing nothing because they have the ability to turn a game with a power dribble or an incisive pass - in the games I saw him play for us & the couple on tv last year Gil moves nicely sideways but that was it.
I said it the day we signed him and stand by it, Valencia don't sell you a lot for 3m.
Um, this entire video is basically him beating a man and then moving it quickly on, and this all happened, remember, at the very peak of the Lambert anti-football era:
If he could do it against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, there's no reason why he couldn't have managed it against some of the chancers at this level. I can understand us getting rid on the grounds of mentality/tactical fit (especially the latter - he's not a right winger to play in a 4-4-2, and I doubt Bruce would be up for giving him a free role with no defensive responsibilities), but talent is absolutely not the issue.
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There's a lad at the Boggies called Jonathan Leko who is very quick, can beat defenders for fun, but very raw. Tiny really rates him, but maybe a season's loan an outside possibility? Plays wide right I know , but maybe could give an option on left cutting back inside a la Ashley Young. Come to think of it , reminds me of him a bit.
If it's the kid I'm thinking about then I believe Pulis dropped him from the squad because he developed a bad attitude in the mold of Berahino?
Or with Pulis because he probably was not a centre half or a brick shithouse
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It's a shame about Gil, as a little bit of guile goes along way in this league. Look how effective the likes of Forestieri and Knockheart have been in the previous few seasons. This is exactly the type of player we should be focusing on now.
Can't say I ever saw anything in Gil to suggest he was anything like as good as Forestieri or Knockhart, both of those you carry when they are doing nothing because they have the ability to turn a game with a power dribble or an incisive pass - in the games I saw him play for us & the couple on tv last year Gil moves nicely sideways but that was it.
I said it the day we signed him and stand by it, Valencia don't sell you a lot for 3m.
Um, this entire video is basically him beating a man and then moving it quickly on, and this all happened, remember, at the very peak of the Lambert anti-football era:
If he could do it against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, there's no reason why he couldn't have managed it against some of the chancers at this level. I can understand us getting rid on the grounds of mentality/tactical fit (especially the latter - he's not a right winger to play in a 4-4-2, and I doubt Bruce would be up for giving him a free role with no defensive responsibilities), but talent is absolutely not the issue.
Where is the other montage of him losing the ball, being caught in no mans land and shrugging his shoulders and not running back
Video as we know can be deceiving
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It's a shame about Gil, as a little bit of guile goes along way in this league. Look how effective the likes of Forestieri and Knockheart have been in the previous few seasons. This is exactly the type of player we should be focusing on now.
Can't say I ever saw anything in Gil to suggest he was anything like as good as Forestieri or Knockhart, both of those you carry when they are doing nothing because they have the ability to turn a game with a power dribble or an incisive pass - in the games I saw him play for us & the couple on tv last year Gil moves nicely sideways but that was it.
I said it the day we signed him and stand by it, Valencia don't sell you a lot for 3m.
Um, this entire video is basically him beating a man and then moving it quickly on, and this all happened, remember, at the very peak of the Lambert anti-football era:
If he could do it against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, there's no reason why he couldn't have managed it against some of the chancers at this level. I can understand us getting rid on the grounds of mentality/tactical fit (especially the latter - he's not a right winger to play in a 4-4-2, and I doubt Bruce would be up for giving him a free role with no defensive responsibilities), but talent is absolutely not the issue.
Where is the other montage of him losing the ball, being caught in no mans land and shrugging his shoulders and not running back
Video as we know can be deceiving
Right, because I'm sure every no. 10-type who's done a decent job at this level never lost the ball, was always in the right position, always had a top attitude, and always worked their bollocks off defensively.
I don't deny that he had his faults, but I simply don't agree with the assessment that he didn't have the talent to do well at this level. I'm much more receptive to the suggestion that providing him with the platform to shine as an individual probably wouldn't have benefitted the team as a whole though, results-wise.
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Do you really want a 10 who's working his bollocks off tracking runners all game? The only defensive contribution I want is for them to target the defensive midfielder and deny them space. A big concern for me is that our wingers and our 10 end up 20-25 yards from our own goal far too regularly.
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We can't keep making excuses that every time we lose a player with talent that it some how always down to said player.
Let's face it, there seems to be a pattern.
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I wish I hadn't watched that video. To me, it just reinforces how effective he'd have been for us this season. When you compare the impact that Gil had when he fiorst arrived to the impact that Bjarnason's had so far, in a similar role, and then realise that Bjarnason is probably more expensive (and older) it's a difficult to swallow.
Also, when you think about how (in my opinion) a fairly average payer like Tom Ince is going for £11m and we've let Gil go for a fraction of that.
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Do you really want a 10 who's working his bollocks off tracking runners all game? The only defensive contribution I want is for them to target the defensive midfielder and deny them space. A big concern for me is that our wingers and our 10 end up 20-25 yards from our own goal far too regularly.
That's the thing Paul. I don't think either McCormack or Gil would work as the attacking midfielder in a three man midfield or in a diamond formation, because you do need to be mobile and do defensive work in that role. Playing as a second striker or a 'number 10' in a 4-4-2 is a bit different though as you are essentially a striker, but you just drop off between the opposition midfield and defence when your team has the ball. It is the formation that would have most suited both Gil and McCormack, but it wasn't to be.
I think Bruce does have to decide what type of striking set up he wants though (number 10 or target man to go with Kodjia and Hogan) and buy accordingly.
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It's a shame about Gil, as a little bit of guile goes along way in this league. Look how effective the likes of Forestieri and Knockheart have been in the previous few seasons. This is exactly the type of player we should be focusing on now.
Can't say I ever saw anything in Gil to suggest he was anything like as good as Forestieri or Knockhart, both of those you carry when they are doing nothing because they have the ability to turn a game with a power dribble or an incisive pass - in the games I saw him play for us & the couple on tv last year Gil moves nicely sideways but that was it.
I said it the day we signed him and stand by it, Valencia don't sell you a lot for 3m.
Um, this entire video is basically him beating a man and then moving it quickly on, and this all happened, remember, at the very peak of the Lambert anti-football era:
If he could do it against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea, there's no reason why he couldn't have managed it against some of the chancers at this level. I can understand us getting rid on the grounds of mentality/tactical fit (especially the latter - he's not a right winger to play in a 4-4-2, and I doubt Bruce would be up for giving him a free role with no defensive responsibilities), but talent is absolutely not the issue.
Where is the other montage of him losing the ball, being caught in no mans land and shrugging his shoulders and not running back
Video as we know can be deceiving
We're not talking about a top international standard player here, but many of those things happened because he was often played out of position. He wasn't quick and strong, but he had a very good touch and was able to make space for himself in tight areas. He was also decent at threading balls through defences, but I think he was unfortunate to play under managers who didn't really know how to utilise him properly.
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Do you really want a 10 who's working his bollocks off tracking runners all game? The only defensive contribution I want is for them to target the defensive midfielder and deny them space. A big concern for me is that our wingers and our 10 end up 20-25 yards from our own goal far too regularly.
That's the thing Paul. I don't think either McCormack or Gil would work as the attacking midfielder in a three man midfield or in a diamond formation, because you do need to be mobile and do defensive work in that role. Playing as a second striker or a 'number 10' in a 4-4-2 is a bit different though as you are essentially a striker, but you just drop off between the opposition midfield and defence when your team has the ball. It is the formation that would have most suited both Gil and McCormack, but it wasn't to be.
I think Bruce does have to decide what type of striking set up he wants though (number 10 or target man to go with Kodjia and Hogan) and buy accordingly.
True but we're not playing a 433 or 451 or any other derivative of those, we're fairly clearly playing a 4411 right now and in that formation the guy in the hole (starts timer) has to be given the freedom to do very little defensive work or it quickly becomes a 451 and for that to work you have to have some real pace in the middle which we don't have. That's why our striker gets isolated so regularly.
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Paul, I understand what you are saying about the defensive duties of the number 10, particularly in relation to asking them to do more offensively than defensively. But, why can't we find a player who can do both and contribute so much more to the game? I appreciate it is very difficult to purchase these players, so it is a bit of a mute point, but, if we could find that type of player, I want them to be better than Grealish and have far more impact than being a match of the day highlights player, which, sadly, Grealish is.
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Do you really want a 10 who's working his bollocks off tracking runners all game? The only defensive contribution I want is for them to target the defensive midfielder and deny them space. A big concern for me is that our wingers and our 10 end up 20-25 yards from our own goal far too regularly.
That's the thing Paul. I don't think either McCormack or Gil would work as the attacking midfielder in a three man midfield or in a diamond formation, because you do need to be mobile and do defensive work in that role. Playing as a second striker or a 'number 10' in a 4-4-2 is a bit different though as you are essentially a striker, but you just drop off between the opposition midfield and defence when your team has the ball. It is the formation that would have most suited both Gil and McCormack, but it wasn't to be.
I think Bruce does have to decide what type of striking set up he wants though (number 10 or target man to go with Kodjia and Hogan) and buy accordingly.
True but we're not playing a 433 or 451 or any other derivative of those, we're fairly clearly playing a 4411 right now and in that formation the guy in the hole (starts timer) has to be given the freedom to do very little defensive work or it quickly becomes a 451 and for that to work you have to have some real pace in the middle which we don't have. That's why our striker gets isolated so regularly.
That's what I was saying Paul. After having Gil and McCormack at the club for a period of time and not really playing to their strengths (I'll readily admit that neither have really helped themselves at times), we are now playing probably the only formation that would suit them and one is gone and the other is on the way out!!
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Paul, I understand what you are saying about the defensive duties of the number 10, particularly in relation to asking them to do more offensively than defensively. But, why can't we find a player who can do both and contribute so much more to the game? I appreciate it is very difficult to purchase these players, so it is a bit of a mute point, but, if we could find that type of player, I want them to be better than Grealish and have far more impact than being a match of the day highlights player, which, sadly, Grealish is.
Let's not forget that he's still 21 years old many players who are very highly rated don't make their break-through into the first team until they're his age (Harry Kane being a good recent example). On top of that a 10 who scores, creates and puts in a shift defensively isn't going to playing in the championship. Given that I want a 9 and 10 who score goals and create chances, we can have 8 other players who look after the defensive side on things first and foremost but we need at least another body in the final third.
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Good debate Paul. I agree in the main. I guess the missing ingredient is that we want Grealish on the ball much more, therefore affecting the game more, particularly offensively. I wonder if Bruce is building a side for this exact type of player. Given we have purchased Whelan and the plaudits handed out by Bruce to Jedinak.
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Yes it's Twitter, but a fair bit of chat about Hernandez being linked...?
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He's just signed for West Ham.
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Apologies - I'm on about Abel from Hull not the little pea
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Sorry, it's me being thick. I'd forgotten all about him. We certainly need some firepower.
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Clicked on the link and it seems to come from a Uruguayan radio sports twitter account.....
https://twitter.com/TIRANDO1010
Was going to say do we really need another striker but with Jack's injury I imagine that makes it an easy decision for SB to go 4-4-2. Maybe we're giving them McCormack or Hogan?!
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I read somewhere that Derby had put a £7m bid in for Tom Lawrence. He is someone who can play wide left or as a second striker.
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I hope not Hogan, that bloke with the right set up behind him will score goals in the premier league should we ever get back there. Trouble is our forwards feed on utter scraps at the moment, so Kodjia who can fashion his own is always going to be more of a threat. I actually reckon Hogan in DiMatteo's side would have been a brilliant signing last summer. As it is, his workrate and willingness to keep making the runs mean I would hate to see him go this early. I also think he could play alongside a Hernandez type much more effectively than McCormack. I am sure Bruce sees him as his Shane Long signing.
Hernandez is proven at this level and clearly a decent striker, but won't solve our creative problems, and we will definitely need another winger on loan if we are buying him.
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I read somewhere that Derby had put a £7m bid in for Tom Lawrence. He is someone who can play wide left or as a second striker.
Would be a great signing for us. Perfect in fact. But won't fit the Bruce formula.
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No more players please. Just work on making a team that is effective from the current squad.
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We need at least two more players.
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who is Scott Hogan's partner for Brentford ? Is he any good
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who is Scott Hogan's partner for Brentford ? Is he any good
More of a 4-5-1 there with passing football
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We need at least two more players.
Striker and left winger definitely and I would say that we might even need a central midfielder as well.
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We need at least two more players.
Striker and left winger definitely and I would say that we might even need a central midfielder as well.
I think a striker and a winger. A winger on loan would be fine, but if we are intent on 4-4-2 then we have to get one in.
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who is Scott Hogan's partner for Brentford ? Is he any good
Sheringham
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We need at least two more players.
Striker and left winger definitely and I would say that we might even need a central midfielder as well.
I think a striker and a winger. A winger on loan would be fine, but if we are intent on 4-4-2 then we have to get one in.
Those two are a priority Ozz, but I think it could emerge in the first few games that we need a bit of athleticism and mobility alongside Whelan in central midfield and although Bacuna might provide that, his all round game is not quite good enough for a long spell in that position.
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Club have released the squad numbers
Squad list
1. Sam Johnstone
2. Ritchie De Laet
3. Neil Taylor
4. Chris Samba
5. James Chester
6. Glenn Whelan
7. Leandro Bacuna
8. Henri Lansbury
9. Scott Hogan
10. Jack Grealish
11. Gabriel Agbonlahor
13. Jed Steer
14. Conor Hourihane
15. Mile Jedinak
16. James Bree
17. Micah Richards
19. Andre Green
20. Birkir Bjarnason
21. Alan Hutton
22. Jonathan Kodjia
23. Jordan Amavi
24. Tommy Elphick
25. Gary Gardner
26. John Terry
27. Ahmed Elmohamady
31. Mark Bunn
37. Albert Adomah
44. Ross McCormack
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Have we retired the number 12 shirt?
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So long as Julian Joachim is still with us I don't think so.
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It seems like we've retired the 7, 11 and 17 shirts! I still can't believe that we're starting another season with those 3 chancers in the squad and 2 being close to the 1st team.
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Swap Kodija for Gabby in the 11 shirt and that's a decent starting line-up...
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Club have released the squad numbers
Squad list
1. Sam Johnstone
2. Ritchie De Laet
3. Neil Taylor
4. Chris Samba
5. James Chester
6. Glenn Whelan
7. Leandro Bacuna
8. Henri Lansbury
9. Scott Hogan
10. Jack Grealish
11. Gabriel Agbonlahor
13. Jed Steer
14. Conor Hourihane
15. Mile Jedinak
16. James Bree
17. Micah Richards
19. Andre Green
20. Birkir Bjarnason
21. Alan Hutton
22. Jonathan Kodjia
23. Jordan Amavi
24. Tommy Elphick
25. Gary Gardner
26. John Terry
27. Ahmed Elmohamady
31. Mark Bunn
37. Albert Adomah
44. Ross McCormack
Still a squad of 30 senior players. I see the five in bold as ones who are currently surplus to requirements, but we would need to trim a further five to get the squad down to the number of senior players reportedly wanted by those in charge at VP.
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Cissokho has now gone.
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Club have released the squad numbers
Squad list
1. Sam Johnstone
2. Ritchie De Laet
3. Neil Taylor
4. Chris Samba
5. James Chester
6. Glenn Whelan
7. Leandro Bacuna
8. Henri Lansbury
9. Scott Hogan
10. Jack Grealish
11. Gabriel Agbonlahor
13. Jed Steer
14. Conor Hourihane
15. Mile Jedinak
16. James Bree
17. Micah Richards
19. Andre Green
20. Birkir Bjarnason
21. Alan Hutton
22. Jonathan Kodjia
23. Jordan Amavi
24. Tommy Elphick
25. Gary Gardner
26. John Terry
27. Ahmed Elmohamady
31. Mark Bunn
37. Albert Adomah
44. Ross McCormack
Still a squad of 30 senior players. I see the five in bold as ones who are currently surplus to requirements, but we would need to trim a further five to get the squad down to the number of senior players reportedly wanted by those in charge at VP.
As I've said before I'd let Bunn go, I don't see the point of him as 3rd choice and it's clear that he still wants to sell Amavi, so that's 23. I think you'd then have to consider that he's probably counting Green and Bree in the 'kids' so down to 21.
I personally think that would be cutting a little too deep and we'd be very short on the left so if Amavi goes he'll need replacing and I'd like a senior left winger in the squad putting us back to 23-25 (with Bree and Green) and I think that's ok.
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Club have released the squad numbers
Squad list
1. Sam Johnstone
2. Ritchie De Laet
3. Neil Taylor
4. Chris Samba
5. James Chester
6. Glenn Whelan
7. Leandro Bacuna
8. Henri Lansbury
9. Scott Hogan
10. Jack Grealish
11. Gabriel Agbonlahor
13. Jed Steer
14. Conor Hourihane
15. Mile Jedinak
16. James Bree
17. Micah Richards
19. Andre Green
20. Birkir Bjarnason
21. Alan Hutton
22. Jonathan Kodjia
23. Jordan Amavi
24. Tommy Elphick
25. Gary Gardner
26. John Terry
27. Ahmed Elmohamady
31. Mark Bunn
37. Albert Adomah
44. Ross McCormack
Still a squad of 30 senior players. I see the five in bold as ones who are currently surplus to requirements, but we would need to trim a further five to get the squad down to the number of senior players reportedly wanted by those in charge at VP.
As I've said before I'd let Bunn go, I don't see the point of him as 3rd choice and it's clear that he still wants to sell Amavi, so that's 23. I think you'd then have to consider that he's probably counting Green and Bree in the 'kids' so down to 21.
I personally think that would be cutting a little too deep and we'd be very short on the left so if Amavi goes he'll need replacing and I'd like a senior left winger in the squad putting us back to 23-25 (with Bree and Green) and I think that's ok.
I wouldn't be selling Amavi at this point either Paul unless a replacement left winger (who might be able to cover at left back) had been lined up.
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Disappointed Whelan wasn't given the Number 10 shirt. It very much suited him against Watford and reminded me of great former midfield players that donned the shirt.
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Seems the FFP thing is getting used more and more in interviews by Bruce / Wyness etc - I wonder if it's a ploy to a) generate interest in our fringe players and b) plead a bit of poverty so we can make a bit of a splash with one decent fee signing before the deadline without being held to ransom.
I would hope 5/6 more will depart with perhaps 1 permanent & 1 more loan in & then its Tommy Mooney's job to get some of these academy lads out playing proper football - some of them like RHM / Davis / Toner / Suliman spells with league one clubs and the next batch like McKirdy / Doyle-Hayes / O'Hare with league two / national league sides - 1/2/3 month loans actually playing will do those lads the world of good.
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Where's RHM?
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Cissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
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Cissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
Not as happy as me seeing the news!
-
Cissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
Not as happy as me seeing the news!
[/quotCissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
Not as happy as me seeing the news!
Set you up there didn't I? I'll cross it and you nod it in!
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Cissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
Not as happy as me seeing the news!
[/quotCissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
Not as happy as me seeing the news!
Set you up there didn't I? I'll cross it and you nod it in!
;D
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Apparently we got 1.5m euros for Cissokho. That's a pretty amazing bit of business if so.
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So what's that make us about £8 million in credit on transfer fees now?
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About 10 I reckon. 6.5 on Vertout, 4 on Baker, 1.3 on Cissokho, 2.5 on Sanchez. Must be 10 ish in the black.
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We won't be spending it on Hernandez after he ducked us about last summer.
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What happened there, then? I only vaguely remember us being in for him.
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Weren't we prepared to pay close to £20m or something insane? Can't remember if we got Kodjia instead.
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We wanted Hernandez but his agent was a twat and held things up for ages. We agreed a large fee with Hull finally (something not far shy of £20m) and then got pissed around on personal terms.
Twice we offered what the agent asked but, after considering those offers for weeks at a time, decided we couldn't sign him for less than 70k a week plus various add ons. We fucked it off and signed Kodjia 3 days later.
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Ta. I hardly know the bloke. If we were close to £20 million sounds like a bullet dodged.
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And then was when Bobby D was running the ship. I reckon he would be here and on more than Neymar if Bruce were in charge. *
* I appreciate that was a cheap shot.
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Have we sorted Fair play problem out yet ? Just want to know when it is time for us to make one big money deal.
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Have we sorted Fair play problem out yet ? Just want to know when it is time for us to make one big money deal.
No. I think at most it will be net neutral for the remainder of the window
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Have we sorted Fair play problem out yet ? Just want to know when it is time for us to make one big money deal.
Going off the rules of FFP on this website http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/financial-fair-play-explained.php (http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/financial-fair-play-explained.php) we are allowed to make combined losses of £61m for 3 seasons including this one.
2014/15 we lost £27.3m
2015/16 we lost £79.6m (including the confusing writing off of 'tangible fixed assets' £44.8m and 'intangible assets' £34.8m)
I'm not sure how that affects FFP or how it will affect this years accounts
That's a total of over £100m worth of losses, not sure really how we can avoid breaking the FFP rules and getting an embargo unless A. We get promoted or B. there was some accounting trickery last years regarding the writing off of assets.
It's doesn't look good to me but what do I know?
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Have we sorted Fair play problem out yet ? Just want to know when it is time for us to make one big money deal.
Going off the rules of FFP on this website http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/financial-fair-play-explained.php (http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/financial-fair-play-explained.php) we are allowed to make combined losses of £61m for 3 seasons including this one.
2014/15 we lost £27.3m
2015/16 we lost £79.6m (including the confusing writing off of 'tangible fixed assets' £44.8m and 'intangible assets' £34.8m)
I'm not sure how that affects FFP or how it will affect this years accounts
That's a total of over £100m worth of losses, not sure really how we can avoid breaking the FFP rules and getting an embargo unless A. We get promoted or B. there was some accounting trickery last years regarding the writing off of assets.
It's doesn't look good to me but what do I know?
According to that link, if I've read the table correctly then we were permitted a loss of £83m.
It would be £61m if we'd just finished our second season in the Championship. So if we don't go up this season, next season the three-season loss would be a maximum of £61m.
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It al makes last summer's profligacy a real fuck up
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Bristol Post is reporting Baker cost Bristol 500k so looks like we were a bit out on what he was sold for.
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Bristol Post is reporting Baker cost Bristol 500k so looks like we were a bit out on what he was sold for.
Both clubs said undisclosed and yet 4m was being bandied about which was quoted by the mirror
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Bristol Post is reporting Baker cost Bristol 500k so looks like we were a bit out on what he was sold for.
No way did Baker go for 500kHave we sorted Fair play problem out yet ? Just want to know when it is time for us to make one big money deal.
Going off the rules of FFP on this website http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/financial-fair-play-explained.php (http://www.financialfairplay.co.uk/financial-fair-play-explained.php) we are allowed to make combined losses of £61m for 3 seasons including this one.
2014/15 we lost £27.3m
2015/16 we lost £79.6m (including the confusing writing off of 'tangible fixed assets' £44.8m and 'intangible assets' £34.8m)
I'm not sure how that affects FFP or how it will affect this years accounts
That's a total of over £100m worth of losses, not sure really how we can avoid breaking the FFP rules and getting an embargo unless A. We get promoted or B. there was some accounting trickery last years regarding the writing off of assets.
It's doesn't look good to me but what do I know?
According to that link, if I've read the table correctly then we were permitted a loss of £83m.
It would be £61m if we'd just finished our second season in the Championship. So if we don't go up this season, next season the three-season loss would be a maximum of £61m.
The rules were changed so the actual current season is taken in to account as the 3rd season for FFP rules so on that basis doesn't that make our limit £61m?
Even if it's £83m having posted loses of £107m I don't see how this season we will make a £24m+ profit unless there was some kind of financial trickery last year that accounted for such heavy losses that affects us positively this year. Doesn't seem likely to me. Financially if we don't go up we are in big trouble.
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I doubt very much that we let a 26 year old Championship centre half leave for £500k.
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Cissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
Not as happy as me seeing the news!
[/quotCissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
Not as happy as me seeing the news!
Set you up there didn't I? I'll cross it and you nod it in!
;D
With this double headed quote fail, I'd say Villabear hit the crossbar when it was easier to score, and in exile put the rebound into the upper Holte.
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And now, after the ref spotted an infringement and gave a penalty, I've skied it over the bar.
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We have a habit of getting crap money for players so maybe 500k for Baker is true but then again Bruce was happy to keep him so it must have taken a decent offer.
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I think we've been doing well selling players since the new regime took over, at least judging off the ones with fees more widely reported - Sinclair, Westwood, Gestede, Veretout, so, yeah, 500k seems out of place with those.
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Been getting decent fees under the new regime, do don't think 500k is likely. Hopefully Elphick and Gardner next out.
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Cissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
Not as happy as me seeing the news!
[/quotCissokho has now gone.
He looks happy
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mKG5Pk/IMG_2022.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mKG5Pk)
Not as happy as me seeing the news!
Set you up there didn't I? I'll cross it and you nod it in!
;D
With this double headed quote fail, I'd say Villabear hit the crossbar when it was easier to score, and in exile put the rebound into the upper Holte.
Does that make me Ronny Rosenthal?
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How does loaning out players effect the FFP rules please?
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How does loaning out players effect the FFP rules please?
Receiving a loan fee, and not having to pay the wages - limiting our losses at the end of the season/accounting period.
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Baker will not have been sold for 500k. It's not like his wages were an issue.
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Baker will not have been sold for 500k. It's not like his wages were an issue.
I agree. Maybe someone down there got the wrong end of the stick and the cost as in his wages will be 500K. £10,000 a week sounds plausible doesn't it?
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Baker will not have been sold for 500k. It's not like his wages were an issue.
I agree. Maybe someone down there got the wrong end of the stick and the cost as in his wages will be 500K. £10,000 a week sounds plausible doesn't it?
I'd be surprised if they were as low as that.
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We're being linked with Jefferson Montero at Swansea this morning. Would be a cracking signing if fit and able to reproduce his form of the season before last. Would also have a natural link with Taylor down the left handside. Only 27 too, which surprised me.
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We're being linked with Jefferson Montero at Swansea this morning. Would be a cracking signing if fit and able to reproduce his form of the season before last. Would also have a natural link with Taylor down the left handside. Only 27 too, which surprised me.
Really quick, fast as an airplane
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We're being linked with Jefferson Montero at Swansea this morning. Would be a cracking signing if fit and able to reproduce his form of the season before last. Would also have a natural link with Taylor down the left handside. Only 27 too, which surprised me.
Really quick, fast as an airplane
He usually impresses me when I see him play. I would be very happy if we got him.
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
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Baker will not have been sold for 500k. It's not like his wages were an issue.
I agree. Maybe someone down there got the wrong end of the stick and the cost as in his wages will be 500K. £10,000 a week sounds plausible doesn't it?
I'd be surprised if they were as low as that.
Just speculating Dave. I just can't see us having sold him for that amount so wondering if the figure was in relation to something else. I'd say £10,000 would be a fair whack at somewhere like Bristol City to be honest.
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We're being linked with Jefferson Montero at Swansea this morning. Would be a cracking signing if fit and able to reproduce his form of the season before last. Would also have a natural link with Taylor down the left handside. Only 27 too, which surprised me.
Really quick, fast as an airplane
If we pull this white rabbit out of a hat, he could be someone to love.
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
Can we not word filter this? Twice in two days its cropped up. Belongs in the "don't tell me show me" category.
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We're being linked with Jefferson Montero at Swansea this morning. Would be a cracking signing if fit and able to reproduce his form of the season before last. Would also have a natural link with Taylor down the left handside. Only 27 too, which surprised me.
Really quick, fast as an airplane
If we pull this white rabbit out of a hat, he could be someone to love.
Really Slick player.
He has plenty of pace too. I really like him.
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He has plenty of pace too. I really like him.
3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
Can we not word filter this? Twice in two days its cropped up. Belongs in the "don't tell me show me" category.
Seconded.
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
Can we not word filter this? Twice in two days its cropped up. Belongs in the "don't tell me show me" category.
I don't think it's a controversial statement - I mean, where'd you like to begin?
According to Squawka, he made one start in the Premier League last season and a bunch of sub appearances, although I think he might've been injured for a fair chunk of it. The season before that, he managed 14 starts and 9 appearances off the bench, for a total of 26 chances and 2 assists. And remember, chances created is basically any pass that leads to a shot at goal, no matter how hopeful or threatening it actually is, so we're not necessarily talking good chances here. He did well in his first season, but that's a while ago now. Most damningly, he's managed a single league goal in three seasons at Swansea.
If we can get him for around the same amount we paid for Elmo, and the wages aren't too bad, I wouldn't mind the gamble but I'm not sure how the above description doesn't apply in this situation, unless you want to say you've actually seen him enough to offer a more qualified view.
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
Can we not word filter this? Twice in two days its cropped up. Belongs in the "don't tell me show me" category.
Seconded.
Thirded.
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
Can we not word filter this? Twice in two days its cropped up. Belongs in the "don't tell me show me" category.
Seconded.
Thirded.
Richard the thirded?
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
Can we not word filter this? Twice in two days its cropped up. Belongs in the "don't tell me show me" category.
It's a hallmark H&V phrase though and is one that I literally never see used anywhere else. The Texas version of it is "all hat, no cattle" so maybe that could be an alternative.
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
Can we not word filter this? Twice in two days its cropped up. Belongs in the "don't tell me show me" category.
Seconded.
Thirded.
Motion carried. We need to cut this shit out, mkay.
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I think it was him who ran us ragged down our right when Swansea beat us with a late goal when Timmy was in charge.
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I think it was him who ran us ragged down our right when Swansea beat us with a late goal when Timmy was in charge.
Yes, he looked more than useful.
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Looks like Harry is struggling to get his usual multi-millions down the sty http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11694/10972498/birminghams-ravel-morrison-offer-take-it-or-leave-it-says-harry-redknapp
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Looks like Harry is struggling to get his usual multi-millions down the sty http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11694/10972498/birminghams-ravel-morrison-offer-take-it-or-leave-it-says-harry-redknapp
He was on talkshite today, they've offered to pay £3k a week of his wages to Lazio while he's on loan.
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
Can we not word filter this? Twice in two days its cropped up. Belongs in the "don't tell me show me" category.
Sorry, I don't get the sensitivity towards this saying. Could someone explain, please? It seems a perfectly good phrase to capture one's impression of a player's ability, or lack thereof.
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Always looked an all fart no shit kind of player to me, but I suppose it'd be easier for him down at this level
Can we not word filter this? Twice in two days its cropped up. Belongs in the "don't tell me show me" category.
Sorry, I don't get the sensitivity towards this saying. Could someone explain, please? It seems a perfectly good phrase to capture one's impression of a player's ability, or lack thereof.
I dont think its sensitivity. Its just an over used insult that could use a break. Its a bit like "schoolboy defending" etc. Its just a bit of a yawn the thousandth time you hear it.
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Boring, clichéd or a different opinion. I don't believe it's fair to try and control a posters use of language. Unless it's offensive, of course.
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Is it the lack of incoming player activity thats leading some posters to troll others ?
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As a chap I used to work with always said...he's all dick and no bollocks.
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As a chap I used to work with always said...he's all dick and no bollocks.
It was all cock and no balls where I grew up.
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It was all fields round here when I was growing up.
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All fart and no shit.
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All cock and no balls.
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It was all fields round here when I was growing up.
😂
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Montero would be a very useful player in this division. If we can get it done we should.
As for 500k for Baker, that is a pile of tripe. It will have been between 3 and 4 million or there would have been no need or appetite to sell.
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It's an insult and a right load of bollocks trying to tell people what words to use. This isn't North Korea.
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End of.
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Montero would be a very useful player in this division. If we can get it done we should.
As for 500k for Baker, that is a pile of tripe. It will have been between 3 and 4 million or there would have been no need or appetite to sell.
Where is 3-4 million coming from as both clubs said umdisclosed
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I can't speak for anyone else who doesn't like it. For me, however, I'm not offended - it's just a really horrible image that makes me a bit queasy.
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Boring, clichéd or a different opinion. I don't believe it's fair to try and control a posters use of language. Unless it's offensive, of course.
It's as funny as why didn't Barry take the penalty and Agent ........
Hilarious.
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Ryan Kent from Liverpool linked on Twitter.
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Doc had tweeted about iminent signing announcement, I think !?
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Boring, clichéd or a different opinion. I don't believe it's fair to try and control a posters use of language. Unless it's offensive, of course.
It's as funny as why didn't Barry take the penalty and Agent ........
Hilarious.
I think you should be allowed one f**k and one w**k a week. But enough about my marriage, what are we allowed to type on H&V?
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Liverpool press are reporting it to be close. Interesting one Kent. Looked brilliant in their pre-season and had some good games for Barnsley last season. We need a wide option so it is a welcome addition. Performs anything near to his potential he could be a genuine outlet for us. Plus Hourihane and Bree already know his game.
If McCormack goes then I can see a target man type striker arriving before the deadline and that being that. Again on loan, which actually I don't care about when we need to hit FFP. I am sure that is why Johnstone was only a loan in the end to help us on that front.
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How many loans are we allowed?
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Kent would be an amazing signing.
I've never heard of him. No, wait, is it the county we're signing?
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How many loans are we allowed?
Not sure there are any limits in the football league are there or certainly didn't used to be. I seem to remember Hereford getting promoted years ago using something like 10 loan players and them all leaving at the end of the season leaving them with hardly any players left.
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How many loans are we allowed?
Not sure there are any limits in the football league are there or certainly didn't used to be. I seem to remember Hereford getting promoted years ago using something like 10 loan players and them all leaving at the season leaving them with hardly any players left.
Weren't most of Huddersfield's squad last year loanees?
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How many loans are we allowed?
Not sure there are any limits in the football league are there or certainly didn't used to be. I seem to remember Hereford getting promoted years ago using something like 10 loan players and them all leaving at the season leaving them with hardly any players left.
Weren't most of Huddersfield's squad last year loanees?
Even though they only spent about £3m strangely not. Just the 5 but they were clever ones.
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Liverpool press are reporting it to be close. Interesting one Kent. Looked brilliant in their pre-season and had some good games for Barnsley last season. We need a wide option so it is a welcome addition. Performs anything near to his potential he could be a genuine outlet for us. Plus Hourihane and Bree already know his game.
If McCormack goes then I can see a target man type striker arriving before the deadline and that being that. Again on loan, which actually I don't care about when we need to hit FFP. I am sure that is why Johnstone was only a loan in the end to help us on that front.
If the feeling is that Green isn't ready / good enough then I could understand bringing in a young player on loan from another club. If Green is deemed good enough but maybe not ready to play week in week out then maybe a more experienced option would be more suitable.
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All right, so I hear everyone about the entire usage thing, but is anyone actually going to offer an argument as to why Montero shouldn't be collared with that particular label?
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Kent would be an amazing signing.
I've never heard of him. No, wait, is it the county we're signing?
How can you not have heard of him? He's super, man.
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How many loans are we allowed?
Not sure there are any limits in the football league are there or certainly didn't used to be. I seem to remember Hereford getting promoted years ago using something like 10 loan players and them all leaving at the season leaving them with hardly any players left.
Weren't most of Huddersfield's squad last year loanees?
Didn't Watford get up one season with a team more or less full of loans or was that allowed because they were mostly from abroad?
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A quick Google and Huddersfield had 5 players in on loan. 4 joined in the summer and 1 in Jan all on season long loans.
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Also linked with Josh Onomah from Spurs, who is an attacking midfielder. Not sure how reliable either link is
If we do play 4411 it's the no 10 and LW positions we look weakest in to me
Grealish won't play till the new year and green isn't going to play 40 odd games and I'm not even sure he's ready to start week in week out
Don't know much about either player but both seem the type we should be looking at
We seem to have promising kids in the 18-19 year old bracket but less so in the 20-21 bracket that should be more ready
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A quick Google and Huddersfield had 5 players in on loan. 4 joined in the summer and 1 in Jan all on season long loans.
Quite impressive to sign someone on a season-long loan in January.
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Still classed as season long if it's to the end of the season funny guy! :-*
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Also linked with Josh Onomah from Spurs, who is an attacking midfielder. Not sure how reliable either link is
If we do play 4411 it's the no 10 and LW positions we look weakest in to me
Grealish won't play till the new year and green isn't going to play 40 odd games and I'm not even sure he's ready to start week in week out
Don't know much about either player but both seem the type we should be looking at
We seem to have promising kids in the 18-19 year old bracket but less so in the 20-21 bracket that should be more ready
Agree about LW, but there is always the option to switch to a more traditional two up front, negating the need for a number 10. Unless we sign someone, it's finding out who would work as the best partnership up there.
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Hugo! Hugo! Hugo! At least we get a chant back. Finger crossed this is a rumour only, oap Villa FC
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Onomah? Sounds like an illness.
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Onomah? Sounds like an illness.
It sounds like what it is describing.
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Onomah won the U20 World Cup this summer
People may say it holds back our kids, but
a) we've got to get promoted so whatever it takes
b) our best kids seem to be 18-19 and presumably less ready
c) there are plenty of games so will still be opportunities
d) these are positions where we lack cover (not say holding midfield or strikers where hopefully the existing kids are the reserve options to play here and there)
Don't know either player but I'm encouraged by this
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The Rodallega thing is a wind up surely? Isn't he about 50?
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The problem for Bruce will be that loaning the young players from Spurs etc.. , is these clubs will expect these youngsters to play a lot of games (and not just the last 20 mins of a game)
I think that it is disappointing that we have no youngsters in our reserves who cannot step up and play in the 1st team.
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Just watched a couple of Youtube videos. Kent looks like what we need and straight replacement for Jack. Onomah looks more like a standard up and down midfield player of which we have plenty but he's probably better than we have
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I agree on our kids - but the older ones were either released (from memory Cowans, Calder, Sellars) we sold too early (Robinson) or got injured for fricking ages (grealish, Lyden)
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I think Onomah played centre mid for England but I watched a couple of YouTube highlights of Spurs pre season games (parental leave, loads of time free!) and he seemed to play quite high up the pitch, maybe even a winger. Looked quite a trickster
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Looks like Onomah is happening, lots of papers reporting the same link which is always a sign news has been leaked from one end.
Not sure he's a wide player, if he's centrally you'd have to think we'll let someone go from that area which made it odd we rejected the Bacuna bid.
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The problem for Bruce will be that loaning the young players from Spurs etc.. , is these clubs will expect these youngsters to play a lot of games (and not just the last 20 mins of a game)
I think that it is disappointing that we have no youngsters in our reserves who cannot step up and play in the 1st team.
Green will play plenty this season.
Rusian Hepburn-Murphy is permanently injured it seems.
Likes of Toner were found out of their depth on loan in league one so you really can't throw them into the championship.
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Kent would be an amazing signing.
I've never heard of him. No, wait, is it the county we're signing?
How can you not have heard of him? He's super, man.
Lex look at this more closely luthort we were signing the county?
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Kent will be really useful , post brexit, especially when we need to park the bus...
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How many loans are we allowed?
Not sure there are any limits in the football league are there or certainly didn't used to be. I seem to remember Hereford getting promoted years ago using something like 10 loan players and them all leaving at the season leaving them with hardly any players left.
Weren't most of Huddersfield's squad last year loanees?
Didn't Watford get up one season with a team more or less full of loans or was that allowed because they were mostly from abroad?
Yes, Watford had a season with loads of loanees, most of them from foreign clubs owned by the Watford owner. I think Coventry had quite a few loan players a season or two back.
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We're not really signing Rodallega are we? Desperate stuff if so.
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Independent reporting Onomah is joining http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/tottenham-transfer-news-josh-onomah-aston-villa-loan-mauricio-pochettino-loan-deal-a7876226.html
Apparently his best position is box-to-box CM rather than out wide where Spurs used him a bit last season (off the bench mainly). Could give us that energy and speed we've been lacking in there.
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Independent reporting Onomah is joining http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/tottenham-transfer-news-josh-onomah-aston-villa-loan-mauricio-pochettino-loan-deal-a7876226.html
Apparently his best position is box-to-box CM rather than out wide where Spurs used him a bit last season (off the bench mainly). Could give us that energy and speed we've been lacking in there.
And see either Lansbury or Hourihane go?
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Independent reporting Onomah is joining http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/tottenham-transfer-news-josh-onomah-aston-villa-loan-mauricio-pochettino-loan-deal-a7876226.html
Apparently his best position is box-to-box CM rather than out wide where Spurs used him a bit last season (off the bench mainly). Could give us that energy and speed we've been lacking in there.
And see either Lansbury or Hourihane go?
Don't think either have been any great shakes for us so far (showed a lot more at their previous clubs), so I'd play Whelan, Onomah and let those 2 fight it out for the last place depending on who wants it more and is in better form.
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Independent reporting Onomah is joining http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/tottenham-transfer-news-josh-onomah-aston-villa-loan-mauricio-pochettino-loan-deal-a7876226.html
Apparently his best position is box-to-box CM rather than out wide where Spurs used him a bit last season (off the bench mainly). Could give us that energy and speed we've been lacking in there.
What we need alongside Whelan in a 4-4-2 in my opinion.
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Onomah official on twitter now - great.
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we have lots of midfielders !!
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What type of player is Onomah then? Any good?
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If he can show more energy and skill than Lansbury then he'll do for me.
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He's fantastic, will be one of the best players in this division.
*Hopefully, as i've never heard of him before.
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think it means bye-bye for Gardner?
What about Lyden....will he go out on loan to return as Onomah returns to Spurs?
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Onomah will be Gardner's replacement which makes it a good deal . We could have signed a carrot and it would have been an upgrade on Gardner.
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8 years ago today Delph officially signed for us. Irrelevant but showed up on my "on this day" on Facebook so thought i'd mention it.
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Just had a look at this Ryan Kent kid. Bloody hell, he looks exactly what we need. Hogan will love him.
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Of the 2 being linked last night, Kent was the one I was hoping to see signed today, Onomah looks a decent prospect but Kent sits full backs on their arses. If we can get him in too we are all set.
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Of the 2 being linked last night, Kent was the one I was hoping to see signed today, Onomah looks a decent prospect but Kent sits full backs on their arses. If we can get him in too we are all set.
Kent + a target man for me and we're good to go.
Really don't want to see Gabby involved up front, he could play all 46 games and he'd be nowhere near double figures for goals.
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think it means bye-bye for Gardner?
Well he'll be no loss.
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If we are playing 1 up though, Hogan is actually decent in that role, and Kent/ Green/ Elmo from wide with a 10 behind him could see him really shine. Just a winger for me.
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Of the 2 being linked last night, Kent was the one I was hoping to see signed today, Onomah looks a decent prospect but Kent sits full backs on their arses. If we can get him in too we are all set.
Agree, Kent is what we need
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If we are playing 1 up though, Hogan is actually decent in that role, and Kent/ Green/ Elmo from wide with a 10 behind him could see him really shine. Just a winger for me.
I didn't see anything from Hogan last season for us when he was up front alone, he just looked isolated, frustrated and lacking service.
Hopefully the fact we've bolstered the supply line (Elmo, Onomah and even Whelan from deeper) will mean he gets the service to be effective.
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Of the 2 being linked last night, Kent was the one I was hoping to see signed today, Onomah looks a decent prospect but Kent sits full backs on their arses. If we can get him in too we are all set.
Kent + a target man for me and we're good to go.
Really don't want to see Gabby involved up front, he could play all 46 games and he'd be nowhere near double figures for goals.
Agreed on all fronts. Two more signings in the positions mentioned and I'll stop whinging.
For a bit.
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Of the 2 being linked last night, Kent was the one I was hoping to see signed today, Onomah looks a decent prospect but Kent sits full backs on their arses. If we can get him in too we are all set.
Agreed. Kent could be the difference between automatic promotion and play-offs. The kid has the skills of a Brazilian and the speed of a sprinter.
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That Nixon chap thinks we are not in the race particularly for Kent which would be a shame. Need a winger still.
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think it means bye-bye for Gardner?
What about Lyden....will he go out on loan to return as Onomah returns to Spurs?
Different type of midfielder if the descriptions of Onomah are true. Lyden would be more like cover for Whelan.
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That Nixon chap thinks we are not in the race particularly for Kent which would be a shame. Need a winger still.
I'm not sure Nixon gets too much right when it comes to inside knowledge of the Villa.
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Yeah he was adamant Hutton to swfc was done
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That Nixon chap thinks we are not in the race particularly for Kent which would be a shame. Need a winger still.
I hope he's wrong. I thought he only specialised in Blackburn ITK?
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If we are playing 1 up though, Hogan is actually decent in that role, and Kent/ Green/ Elmo from wide with a 10 behind him could see him really shine. Just a winger for me.
I didn't see anything from Hogan last season for us when he was up front alone, he just looked isolated, frustrated and lacking service.
Hopefully the fact we've bolstered the supply line (Elmo, Onomah and even Whelan from deeper) will mean he gets the service to be effective.
Yeah, same for me. He could barely even hold the ball up in the games I saw. Not even convinced he'll start tomorrow.
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Hogan is a conundrum. Lone striker for Brentford but looks lost playing that role for us
Playing three nippy types behind him and cutting out the log balls would bring us closer to that Brentford style
I'm still not convinced about his all round game though
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Blimey he's a bit good - passes better than anyone we've got as well! Get him NOW!
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He played 44 times for Barnsley last year. Did anybody else notice him?
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Kent looks good I agree
Three assists last season so let's not get carried away tho
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Well, he was no Bree or Hourihane. Wonder what happened to them.
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He played 44 times for Barnsley last year. Did anybody else notice him?
You don't remember his goal in the Barnsley - Leeds classic the week before we signed Hourihane? Absolute class goal.
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I didn't see anything from Hogan last season for us when he was up front alone, he just looked isolated, frustrated and lacking service.
I think that was more down to the complete lack of service to him last season than himself thankfully
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SSN - they've literally just said "Aston Villa are one of the biggest spenders this summer".
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Nothing like facts to get in the way of SSN OR Talk shit. Both spout an incredible amount of daily lies without getting picked up for it particularly.
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He played 44 times for Barnsley last year. Did anybody else notice him?
Kodjia twice went close for Villa, either side of Barnsley's Liverpool loanee Ryan Kent having a free-kick tipped away for a corner by home goalkeeper Johnstone.
He started in the Villa Park game. I saw a bit of him at Coventry in league one and he was a good player at that level.
I agree we could do with another wide player although would prefer a more experienced championship player although guess budget may rule that out for now.
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Marseilles reported to be after Amavi. Maybe explains why he's not in the squad today.
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Marseilles reported to be after Amavi. Maybe explains why he's not in the squad today.
They need to make a statement in reply to PSG signing Neymar.
That statement being "Look, we can sign players with blind barber's too"
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Marseilles reported to be after Amavi. Maybe explains why he's not in the squad today.
They need to make a statement in reply to PSG signing Neymar.
That statement being "Look, we can sign players with blind barber's too"
Hyperlol!
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Left winger, target man striker and box-to-box midfielder still required.
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We disagree but Hourihane would be fine with Whelan if you put Onomah where Lansbury was.
Agree on a winger and a target man. Both needed ASAP.
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On the way out if any offers come in - Richards, Amavi, Gardner, Lyden, McCormack, Elphick,
What about Adamoah, Bacuna even Hogan?
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I reckon we're set in midfield once we've got everyone back fit. I also can't see him buying a striker with Kodjia back soon. I think we could possibly do with another winger but with Adomah to come back in and Elmo signed, I doubt we'd spend the money. I'd like to see this Ryan Kent loan happen but he still seems to be in and around their first team squad at the moment.
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We disagree but Hourihane would be fine with Whelan if you put Onomah where Lansbury was.
Agree on a winger and a target man. Both needed ASAP.
I'd be willing to give Hourihane a try and the fact he is left footed should provide some balance. I would still have concerns about the lack of pace in there with those two though. A target man is the priority I think Jim. If we can only get one more player in this window then it should be that type of player.
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It's not Jim, it's Rich.
I want Hourihane back in but he ain't no winger.
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It's not Jim, it's Rich.
I want Hourihane back in but he ain't no winger.
Can only go off the username mate!!
I don't think anyone is suggesting playing Hourihane out wide are they?
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On the way out if any offers come in - Richards, Amavi, Gardner, Lyden, McCormack, Elphick,
What about Adamoah, Bacuna even Hogan?
Wouldn't be entirely stunned if Wednesday or similar come in for Hourihane.
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It's not Jim, it's Rich.
I want Hourihane back in but he ain't no winger.
Can only go off the username mate!!
I don't think anyone is suggesting playing Hourihane out wide are they?
Fair point.
Thought Conor on the left was being mooted.
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On the way out if any offers come in - Richards, Amavi, Gardner, Lyden, McCormack, Elphick,
What about Adamoah, Bacuna even Hogan?
Adomah isn't going anywhere, he's been injured and just lacks match fitness. We have few wide players in the squad so he'll be back inthe 18 before long if maybe more as a impact sub this season than regular starter.
Amavi is going Marseille isn't he, 10m fee mooted.
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I would piss myself laughing if someone paid £10m for Amavi.
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Saw a link to Joe Lolley on the Twitter - he could play wide left couldn't he?
If we sign a striker I'm guessing it will be a loan and contingent on shifting McCormack.
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It's not Jim, it's Rich.
I want Hourihane back in but he ain't no winger.
Can only go off the username mate!!
I don't think anyone is suggesting playing Hourihane out wide are they?
Fair point.
Thought Conor on the left was being mooted.
Saw that a couple of times last season and don't want to see it again.
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Watch Gary Madine for bolton v Leeds exactly sort of striker the villa need to hold up play and offer Ariel threat. It was embarrassing seeing Samba put in to lead the line and Madine would be ideal at this level as a go to option if Bruce has to fall to that sort of tactic . I also hoped Walters would have been signed as he's solid and again provides physical present which lacked yester . Either would work very well with Hogan . I was frustrated after a great first half seeing the rails go and despite a rally towards maybe 70 + my minutes the performance wasn't good enough. As we all know should have been out of sight by 20 mins let alone half time and someone like Madine or even crouch needed as physically need a striker with presence . I only talk like this due to Bruce and situation the way to plays and also as a plan B as evidence as to samba coming in to fray and being put up front .
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Watch Gary Madine for bolton v Leeds exactly sort of striker the villa need to hold up play and offer Ariel threat. It was embarrassing seeing Samba put in to lead the line and Madine would be ideal at this level as a go to option if Bruce has to fall to that sort of tactic . I also hoped Walters would have been signed as he's solid and again provides physical present which lacked yester . Either would work very well with Hogan . I was frustrated after a great first half seeing the rails go and despite a rally towards maybe 70 + my minutes the performance wasn't good enough. As we all know should have been out of sight by 20 mins let alone half time and someone like Madine or even crouch needed as physically need a striker with presence . I only talk like this due to Bruce and situation the way to plays and also as a plan B as evidence as to samba coming in to fray and being put up front .
Welcome back footy.
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Watch Gary Madine for bolton v Leeds exactly sort of striker the villa need to hold up play and offer Ariel threat. It was embarrassing seeing Samba put in to lead the line and Madine would be ideal at this level as a go to option if Bruce has to fall to that sort of tactic . I also hoped Walters would have been signed as he's solid and again provides physical present which lacked yester . Either would work very well with Hogan . I was frustrated after a great first half seeing the rails go and despite a rally towards maybe 70 + my minutes the performance wasn't good enough. As we all know should have been out of sight by 20 mins let alone half time and someone like Madine or even crouch needed as physically need a striker with presence . I only talk like this due to Bruce and situation the way to plays and also as a plan B as evidence as to samba coming in to fray and being put up front .
Welcome back footy.
Oh hello hope you are having a good summer. And welcome back footy itself !!
Let's hope AVFC arrive in first place ! And to stop these draws .
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Watch Gary Madine for bolton v Leeds exactly sort of striker the villa need to hold up play and offer Ariel threat. It was embarrassing seeing Samba put in to lead the line and Madine would be ideal at this level as a go to option if Bruce has to fall to that sort of tactic . I also hoped Walters would have been signed as he's solid and again provides physical present which lacked yester . Either would work very well with Hogan . I was frustrated after a great first half seeing the rails go and despite a rally towards maybe 70 + my minutes the performance wasn't good enough. As we all know should have been out of sight by 20 mins let alone half time and someone like Madine or even crouch needed as physically need a striker with presence . I only talk like this due to Bruce and situation the way to plays and also as a plan B as evidence as to samba coming in to fray and being put up front .
Agree we need a target man but think Madine is a bit of a head case - assault, prison and all that stuff.
Sam Gallagher on loan would be my choice
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Bolton fans think Madine is rubbish and nowhere near championship standard.
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With something approximating a scouting structure in place, I would have hoped for more than links to Crouch or other well past it forwards.
Bristol City have signed Diedhiou from Angers; the same club they signed Kodjia off. Fulham have signed Aboubakar Kamara from Amiens. Maybe both of those will fail, but if they do, at the fees they have gone for will mean minimal damage in the grand scheme of things. Unlike £12 million for McCormack or £15 million for Hogan et.c.
The midfielder B-lose signed on a free from Angers (Ndoye) was highly rated last season in the French top flight. There are plenty of smart deals out there that wouldn't ruin us financially.
I'm just not convinced the football knowledge in key positions has been vastly upgraded post-Lerner.
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Skillz!
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With something approximating a scouting structure in place, I would have hoped for more than links to Crouch or other well past it forwards.
Bristol City have signed Diedhiou from Angers; the same club they signed Kodjia off. Fulham have signed Aboubakar Kamara from Amiens. Maybe both of those will fail, but if they do, at the fees they have gone for will mean minimal damage in the grand scheme of things. Unlike £12 million for McCormack or £15 million for Hogan et.c.
The midfielder B-lose signed on a free from Angers (Ndoye) was highly rated last season in the French top flight. There are plenty of smart deals out there that wouldn't ruin us financially.
I'm just not convinced the football knowledge in key positions has been vastly upgraded post-Lerner.
I don't know, we've signed a few highly rated youngsters so I think the knowledge might be in the club but I don't think Bruce wants to add players like that to the squad. It's very much the 'solid pros who've done a job in the prem' approach but given the finances and the gap between the 2 leagues it'll mean we only really get players who've been relegated or who are getting on a bit. If we do sign more players I suspect it will be loans or players like Crouch. As I've said a few times it's very much a promotion or bust strategy that will leave us looking at 7-8 new signings again next summer regardless of which league we're in.
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With something approximating a scouting structure in place, I would have hoped for more than links to Crouch or other well past it forwards.
Bristol City have signed Diedhiou from Angers; the same club they signed Kodjia off. Fulham have signed Aboubakar Kamara from Amiens. Maybe both of those will fail, but if they do, at the fees they have gone for will mean minimal damage in the grand scheme of things. Unlike £12 million for McCormack or £15 million for Hogan et.c.
The midfielder B-lose signed on a free from Angers (Ndoye) was highly rated last season in the French top flight. There are plenty of smart deals out there that wouldn't ruin us financially.
I'm just not convinced the football knowledge in key positions has been vastly upgraded post-Lerner.
We tried all that summer 2013....
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So the key is probably not to fill the whole squad up with risky bargain basement buys from a lower standard of football, as per Lamberk.
But for where we are now -as a Championship side- I don't see how a player signed from Ligue 1 is coming from a lower standard.
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So the key is probably not to fill the whole squad up with risky bargain basement buys from a lower standard of football, as per Lamberk.
But for where we are now -as a Championship side- I don't see how a player signed from Ligue 1 is coming from a lower standard.
Well we got in Okore who was a very highly rated CB who Chelsea wanted the previous season.
Helenius was highly rated aswell as an upcoming striker.
Bacuna had some pedigree with Holland under 21s capping him although the problems KEA had the previous year maybe should've showed the gulf from Holland to England.
Tonev was a terrible choice considering he hardly stood out in Polish league.
It's strange when you look at SB at previous club he's always signed players from abroad. Signed Hondurans at Wigan, couple of South Americans at Sunderland etc.
Whether those scouting networks have been much better at previous clubs or he's been directed from above to go down the foreign route I don't know but he's not allergic to signing foreign players like MON was here if you look at his previous record.
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So the key is probably not to fill the whole squad up with risky bargain basement buys from a lower standard of football, as per Lamberk.
But for where we are now -as a Championship side- I don't see how a player signed from Ligue 1 is coming from a lower standard.
Plenty of people thought Amavi, Veretout and Ayew weren't good enough for us despite them all being highly rated in that league.
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Well we got in Okore who was a very highly rated CB who Chelsea wanted the previous season.
Helenius was highly rated aswell as an upcoming striker.
Bacuna had some pedigree with Holland under 21s capping him although the problems KEA had the previous year maybe should've showed the gulf from Holland to England.
Tonev was a terrible choice considering he hardly stood out in Polish league.
All those were coming from a weaker domestic league than the English top flight, so unless you are one of the genuine leading lights from that league (as Okore prob was, in fairness) the gulf is too big to chance. Certainly if you are looking at those players as ones to come in and compete for a staring berth right from the outset.
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Quite good business been done through the exit door thus far. If we can see the back of Elphick, Gardner, Amavi, and Bacuna in the next week or so then we will be in better financial shape and it will have zero effect on the squad. In a ideal world we would also get shot of Richards and Gabby as well, but I can't see anyone being stupid enough to take them off our hands. That would leave us with a more sensible squad size and wage bill, plus balance the books a bit.
If McCormack goes then we need another striker, and if Amavi goes we need someone that can be back up for Taylor. I think we need a left winger, preferably on loan so Green gets a chance to develop.
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We need to find a striker that others can play off and that will hold the ball to let us get men forward.
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We need to find a striker that others can play off and that will hold the ball to let us get men forward.
To be fair two we've been linked with this summer, Crouch and Gallagher, can both do that. Think that type of forward would bring the best out of Kodjia and Hogan as well.
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We need to get one of them in asap now. I would argue there must be a fair few big lumps that can do it round Europe worth taking a punt on too. Is Bentekes brother any good at Palace?
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We need to get one of them in asap now. I would argue there must be a fair few big lumps that can do it round Europe worth taking a punt on too. Is Bentekes brother any good at Palace?
There's got to be a lump somewhere that can do the basics well, that's all we need. Look at Wood last season, wouldn't get a sniff in the top division, but scores for fun down here.
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We need to get one of them in asap now. I would argue there must be a fair few big lumps that can do it round Europe worth taking a punt on too. Is Bentekes brother any good at Palace?
There's got to be a lump somewhere that can do the basics well, that's all we need. Look at Wood last season, wouldn't get a sniff in the top division, but scores for fun down here.
We've already got our big lump target man. Chris Samba.
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Would've been in for Murphy when Newcastle put him up for sale. Forest got him for 2m.
I'd actually try for someone like Mitrovic. Newcastle probably won't be interested in a loan though. He's a raw forward but he's got something to his game, scored 12 the year they went down from the prem although Benitez dosen't rate him. Had a good pre season.
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I'm another one in the Gallagher camp would be ideal for us.
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Steal Grosicki from Hull. Too good for them. A starter usually for Poland. Good crosser of the ball.
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Apparently Wolves have had an 8m bid for Gallagher rejected.
We'd probably be able to bid something higher than that if we hadn't wasted 12m on an overweight, over the hill McCormack last summer.
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Apparently Wolves have had an 8m bid for Gallagher rejected.
We'd probably be able to bid something higher than that if we hadn't wasted 12m on an overweight, over the hill McCormack last summer.
Hindsight is wonderful, but I was delighted when we signed him.
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Wonder if Gallagher is one Soton don't want to sell (unless they are waiting for Liverpool to bid!) but will maybe loan out again if it gets to end of August. Looked a big handful to me in a dire Blackburn side, will only improve with age.
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Apparently Wolves have had an 8m bid for Gallagher rejected.
We'd probably be able to bid something higher than that if we hadn't wasted 12m on an overweight, over the hill McCormack last summer.
Hindsight is wonderful, but I was delighted when we signed him.
I was mortified. 12m for a 30-year-old who'd never played at the top level, and can't even make Scotland's squad.
Also only ever does well in struggling sides to the detriment of the team (Fulham and Leeds when they had him finished around 17th-18th), whereas since he's gone they are both much, much better sides.
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With our side and style of play now we'd have been better off keeping Rudy for another 12 months.
A loan for Gallagher looks a good shout if we can do it, but I maintain that for 4 or 5 million there is some 22 year old in Europe that is 6 4 ish and better than Chris Samba up top.
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With our side and style of play now.
We have a what now?
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With our side and style of play now we'd have been better off keeping Rudy for another 12 months.
A loan for Gallagher looks a good shout if we can do it, but I maintain that for 4 or 5 million there is some 22 year old in Europe that is 6 4 ish and better than Chris Samba up top.
Nah, Rudy was genuinely awful at holding the ball up and had no idea how to actually work the centre halves, outside of when there was a cross to attack.
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With our side and style of play now we'd have been better off keeping Rudy for another 12 months.
A loan for Gallagher looks a good shout if we can do it, but I maintain that for 4 or 5 million there is some 22 year old in Europe that is 6 4 ish and better than Chris Samba up top.
Nah, Rudy was genuinely awful at holding the ball up and had no idea how to actually work the centre halves, outside of when there was a cross to attack.
I'd agree with that, but would add that some of the times we looked most dangerous last season were when Gestede and Kodjia were up front together.
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With our side and style of play now we'd have been better off keeping Rudy for another 12 months.
A loan for Gallagher looks a good shout if we can do it, but I maintain that for 4 or 5 million there is some 22 year old in Europe that is 6 4 ish and better than Chris Samba up top.
Nah, Rudy was genuinely awful at holding the ball up and had no idea how to actually work the centre halves, outside of when there was a cross to attack.
That's a good point, actually
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With our side and style of play now.
We have a what now?
Well yes. Lump n hope from out wide was my thinking on that.
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What happened to the fellow at Exeter, Watkins, we were linked with? I thought he was a big mobile target man.
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What happened to the fellow at Exeter, Watkins, we were linked with? I thought he was a big mobile target man.
Signed for Brentford this summer I think.
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£120m for Coutinho, bargain!
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£120m for Coutinho, bargain!
Pity we didn't get him when Lambert reportedly bid the same as Liverpool back in the day...
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£120m for Coutinho, bargain!
Pity we didn't get him when Lambert reportedly bid the same as Liverpool back in the day...
And he'd be a RB worth about £3m!
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I give it 48 hours before Lambert emerges in an interview banging on about how he wanted to sign him.
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At least liverpool wont be raiding us for players with their windfall.
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They can have Richards, Branca, and co ;) I wonder why Steve Bruce haven't tried to buy a South American for Villa yet. I love them :(
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At least liverpool wont be raiding us for players with their windfall.
They were linked with Amavi in the most improbable rumour of the year.
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At least liverpool wont be raiding us for players with their windfall.
a problem if you are a southampton supporter
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L'Equipe reporting that Amavi is off to Monaco. Can we not bump up our price five-fold to relieve Monaco of some of their summer windfall?
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How can a side who played such scintillating football as they did last season think that Amavi will be an adequate replacement for anything? Please let it happen.
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Looks like Elphick to Blues for a loss (say 2m), McCormack to Sunderland for a loss (say £4M), and Amavi to Monaco for a loss (loan and then £9m next season has been mooted).
That brings in £6m now, £9m later and knocks a fair bit off the wage bill. Should be enough to bring in striker and maybe a left back as cover for Taylor).
Hopefully Bruce sees sense and Bacuna and Hutton go too.
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Amavi cost us less than £9m didn't he? Plus a loan fee would surely be at least a £1m so at worst we're evens on that one.
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good business for a player at times that has looked awful , mind Aly Cosko went for 15 million once.
Just hope Elphick , fatty Mac and Bacuna sod off before the window and Richards if our dreams come true but I reckon SB rates him ..
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Really hope the Snodgrass talk confess to something. Head and shoulders better than most our squad.
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No chance, he's not 30 for another month so we won't sign him for a few more years yet.
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We're shifting a lot on and making some decent cash. The biggest indictment is that we won't miss a single one of them.
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£120m for Coutinho, bargain!
Amazing deal for Liverpool, which will be made instantly less amazing if they spend half of that on virgil van dijk.
Insanity.
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£120m for Coutinho, bargain!
Amazing deal for Liverpool, which will be made instantly less amazing if they spend half of that on virgil van dijk.
Insanity.
Even worse if they spend even more on the lad at Red Bull Leipzig.
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It's not just the fee for van Djik but the rumoured 200K a week wages as well. It's been ridiculous for ages but now it's gone to a whole new level.
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No chance, he's not 30 for another month so we won't sign him for a few more years yet.
Slow enough to fit in well. Ideal man to supply our big man up front too
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It's not just the fee for van Djik but the rumoured 200K a week wages as well. It's been ridiculous for ages but now it's gone to a whole new level.
There must be 20 centre halves you could buy in Europe tomorrow for under 15 million that are every bit as good as Van Dijk, who makes a lot of mistakes and lacks concentration when I have seen him. To add on that Keita at Leipzig is not really rated that highly by their fans but could cost 80 plus million, the world of mad fees has finally left the planet and gone off to bonkers town. Coutinho is worth, pre the start of this summer, 35 million ish maybe. But does not effect enough games to really justify that. 120 million is just plain stupid. Messi must be worth 500 million on these prices.
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Speaking of Messi ... I'd like villa to get a savvy loan on creator in chief Patrick Roberts . Roberts was on loan last season at Celtic very decent and would be just the job for villa. However don't see that happening with Bruce in charge far too traditionally English to have such flair. I find it staggering BB and Hourihane have been pushed on to achieve things as they are flair players exciting and offer goals threat. BB can get into box and is energetic and Hourihane has magic left foot. Stick him in middle of park and watch him go . Hope they play 2mrw.
Anyway yes Patrick Roberts on loan from man city would be a treat and Lookman from Everton or
Oluwaseyi Ojo from Liverpool this would really help provide goals and creativity
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I do admire your optimism FS with Bjarnasson and Hourahane but I'm not sure about this goal threat you speak of, they haven't managed one between them yet. Bjarnasson is energetic and gets into the box, we could hire an excitable Labrador to do that, would be as effective on the ball. And watch Hourahane go where, sideways?
I think they're another couple of shit signings in a half decade of shit signings, might be Ok to bring on for more attacking players to see a game out as they'll both get stuck in (to an extent) but that's about it.
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I do admire your optimism FS with Bjarnasson and Hourahane but I'm not sure about this goal threat you speak of, they haven't managed one between them yet. Bjarnasson is energetic and gets into the box, we could hire an excitable Labrador to do that, would be as effective on the ball. And watch Hourahane go where, sideways?
I think they're another couple of [edit] signings in a half decade of [my work computer doesn't like rude words] signings, might be Ok to bring on for more attacking players to see a game out as they'll both get stuck in (to an extent) but that's about it.
Hourihane scored against Bristol City.
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I do admire your optimism FS with Bjarnasson and Hourahane but I'm not sure about this goal threat you speak of, they haven't managed one between them yet. Bjarnasson is energetic and gets into the box, we could hire an excitable Labrador to do that, would be as effective on the ball. And watch Hourahane go where, sideways?
I think they're another couple of shit signings in a half decade of shit signings, might be Ok to bring on for more attacking players to see a game out as they'll both get stuck in (to an extent) but that's about it.
I fear you are correct.
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I do beg his pardon, 1 in 13 plus a few subs appearances. I think if we're going up this season we need better than that though.
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He does need to be playing within 30 yards of the opposition goal to have any chance of scoring.
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It seems that in the world of football, £50 million is the new £5 million.
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It seems that in the world of football, £50 million is the new £5 million.
Yep, I think the additional money is now kicking in. Middlesbrough turning down £20m for Ben Gibson?
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I saw that Leicester apparently turned down £20m for Demari Gray. It's all gone a bit ridiculous this year.
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See Daily Fail are reporting we want Snodgrass on loan and hold an interest in Jordan Rhodes :-)
Snodgrass is a decent player who has done it consistently at this level but can't quite see why we keep looking at wide players when we don't have strikers who convert crosses. Thought he was older than 29 also.
Rhodes is not a player I've ever rated, needs everything put on plate - like McCormack he's a Scot who can't get a name in a frankly awful national side.
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See Daily Fail are reporting we want Snodgrass on loan and hold an interest in Jordan Rhodes :-)
Snodgrass is a decent player who has done it consistently at this level but can't quite see why we keep looking at wide players when we don't have strikers who convert crosses. Thought he was older than 29 also.
Rhodes is not a player I've ever rated, needs everything put on plate - like McCormack he's a Scot who can't get a name in a frankly awful national side.
Ain't that the truth. If we go anywhere near Jordan Rhodes it will show we've learnt nothing from the whole McCormack saga.
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It seems that in the world of football, £50 million is the new £5 million.
Was thinking the same. Every year we say football has gone nuts but remarkably it appears now in the PL and other prominent leagues in Europe that actually spending £5-10m on a player puts you in the tramp category of clubs.
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Rhodes, again? I thought we'd established that where we're going we don't need 'em.
Although, would you swap McCormack for him? Our Jordan quota has been decimated lately, at least he'd tick that box.
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Need to get Rhodes in if Amavi goes. We would be very light otherwise, only Lyden would be left.
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Snodgrass down the left would be a pretty good upgrade. Always looked pretty effective and we def need some options down that side as I don't think Green is ready to provide any consistency.
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I like Snodgrass. He puts a shift in and has been consistent wherever he's played. What I am concerned about with that kind of link is that we'll become just an inferior Martin O'Neill squad, full of triers with not much idea past outrunning the opposition. I already don't like our style of play, though I'd give a left nut to see us in sixth place in the top division.
Incidentally, it was seven years ago today that Pubehead walked out.
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Internal Jukebox: '...that Sergeant Pepper taught his band to play'
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Snodgrass down the left would be a pretty good upgrade. Always looked pretty effective and we def need some options down that side as I don't think Green is ready to provide any consistency.
I thought he played on the right? But yes a big upgrade on what we have on the left if he can play there.
It sounds like the deal would be similar to that of the outgoing Amavi - loan and then permanent for similar fee.
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'...that Sergeant Pubehead threw his toys away...'
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Snodgrass down the left would be a pretty good upgrade. Always looked pretty effective and we def need some options down that side as I don't think Green is ready to provide any consistency.
I thought he played on the right? But yes a big upgrade on what we have on the left if he can play there.
It sounds like the deal would be similar to that of the outgoing Amavi - loan and then permanent for similar fee.
Might be wrong, but I'm sure he's left footed.
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Snodgrass down the left would be a pretty good upgrade. Always looked pretty effective and we def need some options down that side as I don't think Green is ready to provide any consistency.
I thought he played on the right? But yes a big upgrade on what we have on the left if he can play there.
It sounds like the deal would be similar to that of the outgoing Amavi - loan and then permanent for similar fee.
Might be wrong, but I'm sure he's left footed.
I don't care either way so long as we don't sign any more who appear to be club footed.
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Are we the only team in the division who insists a player has to have a bus pass before joining? FFS, it's all getting a bit Dad's Army.
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Are we the only team in the division who insists a player has to have a bus pass before joining? FFS, it's all getting a bit Dad's Army.
I blame the fans, pushing a players peak age up, numerous times on here recently I've seen Baker referred to as a 'prospect' - he's 26.
I'm sure it was similar with Clark when he went to Newcastle aged 26.
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Snodgrass down the left would be a pretty good upgrade. Always looked pretty effective and we def need some options down that side as I don't think Green is ready to provide any consistency.
I thought he played on the right? But yes a big upgrade on what we have on the left if he can play there.
It sounds like the deal would be similar to that of the outgoing Amavi - loan and then permanent for similar fee.
Might be wrong, but I'm sure he's left footed.
Think he is right footed but plays predominantly on the left a la Ashley Young. Can play the 'number 10' position as well I think.
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Are we the only team in the division who insists a player has to have a bus pass before joining? FFS, it's all getting a bit Dad's Army.
Insert Fraser's catch phrase here...
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or even Corporal Jones....
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andre Gray going for £17 million
I use to watch him play for Hinckley wtf
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Are we the only team in the division who insists a player has to have a bus pass before joining? FFS, it's all getting a bit Dad's Army.
I blame the fans, pushing a players peak age up, numerous times on here recently I've seen Baker referred to as a 'prospect' - he's 26.
I'm sure it was similar with Clark when he went to Newcastle aged 26.
young pups then compared to the oap's that replaced them
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Rhodes and Snodgrass aren't exactly Balotelli and Wesley Sneijder but are great moves at this time in championship. These 2 Patrick Roberts and maybe a centre back who can also play left back then we re very good to go
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Snodgrass down the left would be a pretty good upgrade. Always looked pretty effective and we def need some options down that side as I don't think Green is ready to provide any consistency.
I thought he played on the right? But yes a big upgrade on what we have on the left if he can play there.
It sounds like the deal would be similar to that of the outgoing Amavi - loan and then permanent for similar fee.
Might be wrong, but I'm sure he's left footed.
Think he is right footed but plays predominantly on the left a la Ashley Young. Can play the 'number 10' position as well I think.
Omg he's 100% left footed that's what he's about and his best place is on right side but definitely left footed
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See Daily Fail are reporting we want Snodgrass on loan and hold an interest in Jordan Rhodes :-)
Snodgrass is a decent player who has done it consistently at this level but can't quite see why we keep looking at wide players when we don't have strikers who convert crosses. Thought he was older than 29 also.
Rhodes is not a player I've ever rated, needs everything put on plate - like McCormack he's a Scot who can't get a name in a frankly awful national side.
Ain't that the truth. If we go anywhere near Jordan Rhodes it will show we've learnt nothing from the whole McCormack saga.
They Leigh Griffiths then ! I thought at wolves villa should have moved for him . Boy does he take a free kick !
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Really hope the Snodgrass talk confess to something. Head and shoulders better than most our squad.
I agree with first bit but there are a few on par with him skills wise . Takes a great set piece though !
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andre Gray going for £17 million
I use to watch him play for Hinckley wtf
Unusual team name.
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Snodgrass down the left would be a pretty good upgrade. Always looked pretty effective and we def need some options down that side as I don't think Green is ready to provide any consistency.
I thought he played on the right? But yes a big upgrade on what we have on the left if he can play there.
It sounds like the deal would be similar to that of the outgoing Amavi - loan and then permanent for similar fee.
Might be wrong, but I'm sure he's left footed.
Think he is right footed but plays predominantly on the left a la Ashley Young. Can play the 'number 10' position as well I think.
He is left footed but likes to play on the right. He has put his poor West Ham form down to being forced to play on the left so I can't see him joining us to do the same.
Excellent player, but not for us now we have Elmo surely?
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andre Gray going for £17 million
I use to watch him play for Hinckley wtf
Unusual team name.
cd would approve.
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Are we the only team in the division who insists a player has to have a bus pass before joining? FFS, it's all getting a bit Dad's Army.
It's the new strategy, buy players that may die during their contract.
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andre Gray going for £17 million
I use to watch him play for Hinckley wtf
Unusual team name.
Although somewhat appropriate for the town itself.
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andre Gray going for £17 million
I use to watch him play for Hinckley wtf
Unusual team name.
did you ever watch hinckley :)
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Too busy watching Fucks sake Villa.
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Apologies if it has been mentioned elsewhere but my son says L'Equipe reported yesterday that Amavi is off to Marseille on a 12 months loan with an option to buy for €10 million.
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being reported as a permanent move for ten mill and it looks like Bacuna is off to Reading
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being reported as a permanent move for ten mill and it looks like Bacuna is off to Reading
I'm surprised he's not off to a champions league team.
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being reported as a permanent move for ten mill and it looks like Bacuna is off to Reading
Bruce just confirmed that in his post match interview, though he said it was an unnamed club in for Bacuna.
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being reported as a permanent move for ten mill and it looks like Bacuna is off to Reading
Bruce just confirmed that in his post match interview, though he said it was an unnamed club in for Bacuna.
Did say it was another Championship club
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Played ok tonight despite the conditions. Good to see Hogan score and Villa win on telly! Onomah looks a talent as does O'Hare. Green is a frustration, Thor is pants, Samba is like Bambi. Good from Steer apart from his kicking. Pleasing overall. Best news overall is the potential transfer of Bacuna!!
(Yes, wrong thread! Hopefully no one noticed before I modified my post!!).
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Played ok tonight despite the conditions. Good to see Hogan score and Villa win on telly! Onomah looks a talent as does O'Hare. Green is a frustration, Thor is pants, Samba is like Bambi. Good from Steer apart from his kicking. Pleasing overall. Best news overall is the potential transfer of Bacuna!!
(Yes, wrong thread! Hopefully no one noticed before I modified my post!!).
Don't worry it'll have been noticed!
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Played ok tonight despite the conditions. Good to see Hogan score and Villa win on telly! Onomah looks a talent as does O'Hare. Green is a frustration, Thor is pants, Samba is like Bambi. Good from Steer apart from his kicking. Pleasing overall. Best news overall is the potential transfer of Bacuna!!
(Yes, wrong thread! Hopefully no one noticed before I modified my post!!).
I think it is clear that Green would be better served coming on here and there this season as opposed to being a regular starter. We are going to need a left winger before the window closes now though.
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and a left back if jordan's going and a mean fucker up front
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andre Gray going for £17 million
I use to watch him play for Hinckley wtf
Unusual team name.
did you ever watch hinckley :)
I did Juan Pablo! I grew up in the village of Barlestone which isn't far, and as a youth worked nights at the big Tesco depot. Have had some good laughs in Hinckley over the years in pubs watching Villa, including the Cahill blues game.
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...a mean fucker up front
Doug?
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...a mean fucker up front
Doug?
If we can't get anyone in Bruce can always stick Samba up there. ;)
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...a mean fucker up front
Doug?
We would see a lot of bicycle kicks from the originator of the technique.
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Pipe down, Danny. You'll never 'ave it so good! Having to google signings...mate, you want to be a Villan circa 2013. Tonev and Bowery had every search engine known to man stumped, we even had to ask Jeeves!
Full-back Danny Rose has questioned why the squad has not been strengthened.
But Pochettino told BBC Radio 5 live: "It's not easy to find the right profile but I'm sure we'll add some players in the next few weeks."
In an interview with the Sun on Thursday, Rose, who joined from Leeds in 2007, said he would "love to see two or three well-known players" arrive, adding: "And not players you have to Google and say 'Who's that?"
He also said he would consider moving "back up north" but specified: "I'm not saying I want out, but if something came to me that was concrete, I'd have no qualms about voicing my opinions to anyone at the club."
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Tit.
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The interview with Rose was from a few months ago, it's only a couple of days before the Prem League kicks off that the papers put it in print.
Ulterior motive? Possibly.
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Spurs are better keeping to the tried and tested Deli Alli format rather than the Bale money spunkathon
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The interview with Rose was from a few months ago, it's only a couple of days before the Prem League kicks off that the papers put it in print.
Ulterior motive? Possibly.
Sun Sport editor must be a Gooner. That Lewis chap at the Mirror is a big Spurs head, lots of them tabloid fellas probably are.
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The interview with Rose was from a few months ago, it's only a couple of days before the Prem League kicks off that the papers put it in print.
Ulterior motive? Possibly.
Exactly what Talksport were saying earlier. I think Cascarino was one of them saying it. Suggesting the timing was a combination of the interests of the player, his agent and whoever is interested in buying him.
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Spurs are better keeping to the tried and tested Deli Alli format rather than the Bale money spunkathon
Nothing wrong with that. Why we're talking about Spurs is odd. Must be no scraps of speculations anywhere.
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We now need a left back, winger and a striker before the window is out.
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Sod Spurs. Thanks for Onomah though.
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Evening standard credited us with an interest in Snodgrass.
Can see that being an 11.59pm August 31st move.
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Would like it if it's just a loan move, maybe with a small loan fee. No thanks if it's a permanent.
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He made a decent impact for Hull in the topflight last year, so I'd say at least one of the recently promoted/ likely relegated sides will take a punt on him.
He's only made the top division in the latter stages of his career, so don't think he'll be looking to take the drop down again so suddenly. Whereas a younger player with time on his side might chance it.
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Snodgrass at West Ham as been total shite, no thanks and can we afford £65k a week??
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He made a decent impact for Hull in the topflight last year, so I'd say at least one of the recently promoted/ likely relegated sides will take a punt on him.
He's only made the top division in the latter stages of his career, so don't think he'll be looking to take the drop down again so suddenly. Whereas a younger player with time on his side might chance it.
Not sure that really comes into it any more and it will be a case of where offers them the most money. He's played for Bruce before so that might factor in. Read a couple of reports that suggest we will be after a season long loan.
I would definitely go for him, whether on loan or on a permanent basis. We need a left winger and also badly need a bit more quality in the side. He would bring both.
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Snodgrass at West Ham as been total shite, no thanks and can we afford £65k a week??
Well he wasn't shite at Hull up till then, and we've already got players being paid more or less that.
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Nice to see Levy in meltdown though isn't it? Koeman wading in now after Spuds pursuit of Barkley
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Barkley is shite.
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Snodgrass at West Ham as been total shite, no thanks and can we afford £65k a week??
Well he wasn't shite at Hull up till then, and we've already got players being paid more or less that.
I hope not. Terry aside maybe, the top earners after relegation should be, what, £40k?
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Barkley is shite.
Even better then!
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Barkley is shite.
Yep, the proximity to the two Nuclear Power Stations is what make it an unattractive place ;)
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good castle though, unless you were Edward 2nd
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Barkley is shite.
Yep, the proximity to the two Nuclear Power Stations is what make it an unattractive place ;)
True dat, but on the other hand if you stay there long enough you start to glow in the dark which can have its benefits.
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Barkley is shite.
Yep, the proximity to the two Nuclear Power Stations is what make it an unattractive place ;)
True dat, but on the other hand if you stay there long enough you start to glow in the dark which can have its benefits.
I have actually been inside it. And Sizewell B. And I've never been run over at night.
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Barkley is shite.
Yep, the proximity to the two Nuclear Power Stations is what make it an unattractive place ;)
True dat, but on the other hand if you stay there long enough you start to glow in the dark which can have its benefits.
I have actually been inside it. And Sizewell B. And I've never been run over at night.
Spooky!
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I see Leeds have lined up some big German lump to replace Wood if Burnely reach their asking price. Makes me even more frustrated that Bruce and Round etc have had a year knowing how they want to play to find a forward that can function in that role. Need to sort that, a left winger and a cheap left back cover out pronto. Are there any free agents left out there that could function as back up left back.... Ashley Cole busy?? Right age this summer.
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I see Leeds have lined up some big German lump to replace Wood if Burnely reach their asking price. Makes me even more frustrated that Bruce and Round etc have had a year knowing how they want to play to find a forward that can function in that role. Need to sort that, a left winger and a cheap left back cover out pronto. Are there any free agents left out there that could function as back up left back.... Ashley Cole busy?? Right age this summer.
Leeds possibly selling their top goal scorer and replacing with him with someone who might not work out is good news for teams fighting it out at the top.
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I watched Cole in the Portland v LA game last week, he wasn't very good.
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Wood is awful. The fact that him and Chris Martin look vaguely competent in this division shows how shite the league is. We really should be battering everybody.
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and yet oddly we never do. Shite or not, Leeds scored for fun last season , we didn't.
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Wood is a natural goalscorer at this level.
I would have him on a heartbeat.
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https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2017/08/11/press-conference-bruce-on-cardiff-city-game
In the press conference yesterday Bruce made reference to having a team able to stand up to the likes of a Neil Warnock Cardiff, and at the end said by the end of the transfer window he would like see some additions up front.
Should we be worried thinking we are going to sign a big centre forward and play route one, or is it what is needed in this division, to be able to mix it up against different opposition.
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https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2017/08/11/press-conference-bruce-on-cardiff-city-game
In the press conference yesterday Bruce made reference to having a team able to stand up to the likes of a Neil Warnock Cardiff, and at the end said by the end of the transfer window he would like see some additions up front.
Should we be worried thinking we are going to sign a big centre forward and play route one, or is it what is needed in this division, to be able to mix it up against different opposition.
I think different options has to be a good thing. If plan A is not working in a game then a different type of forward gives the opposition something else to worry about.
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Having a plan A would be a good start ;)
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I took that as meaning that we should have a more hard working team that are prepared to get stuck in...whether that comes from signing more players or changing the mentality of the players that we already have remains to be seen. If he does make more signings then he needs to make sure that they can actually score goals or create chances otherwise its going to be another season of frustration.
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Stand up to Cardiff? Cardiff are are lower table potential relegation candidates so that would suggest Warnock or no Warnock they are not a very good team and most teams who play them beat them. Surely we should be aiming somewhere else?
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Stand up to Cardiff? Cardiff are are lower table potential relegation candidates so that would suggest Warnock or no Warnock they are not a very good team and most teams who play them beat them. Surely we should be aiming somewhere else?
I think their home record under Warnock has been pretty good and you have to be able to stand up to the physical challenges his sides always present. Particularly at this level where you cannot always trust the ref to keep on top of it.
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https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2017/08/11/press-conference-bruce-on-cardiff-city-game
In the press conference yesterday Bruce made reference to having a team able to stand up to the likes of a Neil Warnock Cardiff, and at the end said by the end of the transfer window he would like see some additions up front.
Should we be worried thinking we are going to sign a big centre forward and play route one, or is it what is needed in this division, to be able to mix it up against different opposition.
Absolutely is needed in this division in my opinion, especially in sides like us that aren't exactly free flowing. I really think a player like that could bring out the best in Kodjia as well.
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Wood is a natural goalscorer at this level.
I would have him on a heartbeat.
Scott Hogan.
Ross McCormack.
Just being a natural scorer at this level isn't enough if you don't incorporate them in to a functioning team properly.
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I get what you're saying but Wood is far more combative and Holds the ball up, compared to those two, plus McCormack (libellous accusations removed - you're welcome).
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If route one gets us promoted i dont care.
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If route one gets us promoted i dont care.
If it sows the seeds for us coming straight back down again it's a problem.
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If route one gets us promoted i dont care.
If it sows the seeds for us coming straight back down again it's a problem.
I agree but Wyness seems well aware of this and has talked about building 3 teams. One to get us out of this division, one to consolidate in the PL and then another to push on from there.
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We need someone that does the big lump job well, but can play at the higher level too. Someone in the mould of say Brian Deane would do well for us, no idea who though.
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We need someone that does the big lump job well, but can play at the higher level too. Someone in the mould of say Brian Deane would do well for us, no idea who though.
Give Davis another season and he can do this. Wouldn't want anyone coming in and getting in the way of his development
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If route one gets us promoted i dont care.
If it sows the seeds for us coming straight back down again it's a problem.
I agree but Wyness seems well aware of this and has talked about building 3 teams. One to get us out of this division, one to consolidate in the PL and then another to push on from there.
That's fair enough to a degree, the worry being a squad that requires too much changing out again. We've seen the consequences of too much churn the last two seasons and it's not pretty.
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https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2017/08/11/press-conference-bruce-on-cardiff-city-game
In the press conference yesterday Bruce made reference to having a team able to stand up to the likes of a Neil Warnock Cardiff, and at the end said by the end of the transfer window he would like see some additions up front.
Should we be worried thinking we are going to sign a big centre forward and play route one, or is it what is needed in this division, to be able to mix it up against different opposition.
I think different options has to be a good thing. If plan A is not working in a game then a different type of forward gives the opposition something else to worry about.
Giroud last night FTW.
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Wood is awful. The fact that him and Chris Martin look vaguely competent in this division shows how shite the league is. We really should be battering everybody.
Ads?
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If we want to play hoof ball then we need to have some fucker to hoof it too.
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Said before but to me Daryl Murphy would've been a decent fix until Kodjia got fit.
He want to Forest for 2m and scored for them today.
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If route one gets us promoted i dont care.
and how's that short sighted nonsense working out for you so far
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Let's not buy anybody, just sack the manager.
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If route one gets us promoted i dont care.
and how's that short sighted nonsense working out for you so far
Route one football is effective if you have the right players. We haven't though, that's the problem.
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Problem is if direct/basic/route one football doesn't work, you have sod all else to try. Apart from sideways goal kicks to the fullbacks.
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The first time Johnstone pinged it down the pitch to Hogan it led to a big chance. By the fifth time he tried it, I think the Cardiff defence could see they were in for a quiet afternoon.
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If we played with an intelligent, strong centre forward, being physical and holding up the ball or knocking it down to Hogan or mccormack then long ball would be fine with me. Launching 50 yard passes to a 5'9" striker is nonsense.
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Let's not buy anybody, just sack the manager.
This.
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If we played with an intelligent, strong centre forward, being physical and holding up the ball or knocking it down to Hogan or mccormack then long ball would be fine with me. Launching 50 yard passes to a 5'9" striker is nonsense.
Exactly this! I sound like a broken record on this but we signed Hogan on the back of him banging in goals for Brentford via good midfield build up play, we fucking wack the ball upto him and wonder why he looks shit.
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If we played with an intelligent, strong centre forward, being physical and holding up the ball or knocking it down to Hogan or mccormack then long ball would be fine with me. Launching 50 yard passes to a 5'9" striker is nonsense.
I cannot for the life of me fathom why Bruce uses this as his main tactic. It's baffling.
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You lost me at "play with an intelligent".
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You lost me at "play with an intelligent".
I was lost at "play".
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Well he has only been here 6 months... the penny will drop eventually...
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If we played with an intelligent, strong centre forward, being physical and holding up the ball or knocking it down to Hogan or mccormack then long ball would be fine with me. Launching 50 yard passes to a 5'9" striker is nonsense.
I cannot for the life of me fathom why Bruce uses this as his main tactic. It's baffling.
To be fair to him, he has modified it a bit this season. The 50 yard balls are now launched in the direction of Elmohamady. It usually works the first couple of times, until the opposition realise every ball is going there and just put someone in front of him to win every ball. Doesn't stop us doing it though.
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So we are faced with a decision. Give Bruce 10 million now to address the centre forward, left back and left wing deficiency, or pot him and give it to someone else in the last week.
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He's already spent £14m ish on a left back and centre forward. Outlandish amount for a Championship club, the pot is empty.
He shouldn't be given any more money. He should be sacked.
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Bruce won't be given a penny more, I think that is a certainty. And rightly so.
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Possibly Bruce thought they could muddle through without Kodjia, assuming he would be almost ready by now, well , we all know about assuming too much.
In fairness, we lost Jack.G. and despite the pre season hype ( BS!) McCormack's much vaunted ' re-birth' has'nt happened, now it looks like Elmohamedy will be out for a few games having just had surgery on his mouth. What's up with Ritchie De Laet, is anybody's guess.
On the plus side , Andre Green has only a short term injury, & Jedi should be back in a couple of weeks. Gardner could be on his way and Bacuna is almost gone. With all those players gone or going , there must be some money in the pot, FFP Rules, notwithstanding.
In praising Alan Shearer last week , Bruce said "hopefully by the end of the transfer window we’ll have something like that up-front for ourselves,” hopefully he means a loan move for Sam Gallager from Southampton.....hopefully not a move for Jordan Rhodes!, as always, we live in hope !................Godzvilla!
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pointless Bruce bringing in anyone else, he's proved beyond doubt he can't get a tune out of the players he's already bought.
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If we played with an intelligent, strong centre forward, being physical and holding up the ball or knocking it down to Hogan or mccormack then long ball would be fine with me. Launching 50 yard passes to a 5'9" striker is nonsense.
Exactly this! I sound like a broken record on this but we signed Hogan on the back of him banging in goals for Brentford via good midfield build up play, we fucking wack the ball upto him and wonder why he looks shit.
We even signed better midfielder players to create such play and yet still hoof.
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Tom Lawerenson leaving Leicester to Derby 7million now villa should go for this guy . Looks dynamic at this level and can provide some energy and goals . Good move for derby but hoped villa would be interested in him
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For all of the tinkering that's gone on this summer, the squad still looks horribly unbalanced to me. 3 right-backs and one left-back. Absolutely no cover for James Chester. No striker who can play with his back to goal.
I know we've got key players to come back from injury, but we're still 1 or 2 injuries away from a crisis. I honestly don't know what we'd do if Taylor or Chester got injured.
There was some talk on Twitter this morning of Shane Long being available from Southampton. I'd be going all out to get him if I was Bruce. Has absolutely everything that we need up front.
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Shane Long will be going for £10m+ I reckon in these days of crazy, crazy prices. Way out of our price range. Bruce, if he survives this week will be looking for loans I think.
Xia has spent £30m+ on Strikers.
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Shane Long will be going for £10m+ I reckon in these days of crazy, crazy prices. Way out of our price range. Bruce, if he survives this week will be looking for loans I think.
Xia has spent £30m+ on Strikers.
Exactly the player we need, but I think he would have takers in the top flight.
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Tom Lawerenson leaving Leicester to Derby 7million now villa should go for this guy . Looks dynamic at this level and can provide some energy and goals . Good move for derby but hoped villa would be interested in him
Was he the lad on loan at Ipswich last season ?
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Yes he was
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Have Xia and Wyness turned off the tap on Bruce? Would be our luck not to sign anyone else while they deliberate over Bruce and he does just enough in the next week or two (say a win and two draws) to make them persevere but leave us just waiting for a ''horrible one'' too many away from home.
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Lawrence would have been excellent. So would Snodgrass. Still need someone with pace and power to stretch a defence though.
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Shane Long will be going for £10m+ I reckon in these days of crazy, crazy prices.
And the rest.
If Hogan is worth £15 million Shane Long must be worth closer to £60 million.
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Does anyone think a 7m/10m signing is still likely to happen? I'm hoping clearing the decks might get something in closer to the deadline but as of now I expect nothing but 1-2m players or loans
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Does anyone think a 7m/10m signing is still likely to happen? I'm hoping clearing the decks might get something in closer to the deadline but as of now I expect nothing but 1-2m players or loans
No chance
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it depends who the manager is
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No, but there again I am not sure we need to be giving a clot like Bruce large amounts of money.
How much did Huddersfield spend on their team? Brighton? Bournemouth when they went up? Next to naff all.
We need to get better at spending
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Shane Long will be going for £10m+ I reckon in these days of crazy, crazy prices.
And the rest.
If Hogan is worth £15 million Shane Long must be worth closer to £60 million.
Not at 30 he isn't. He's a twat anyway, don't want him.
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Plus his best two games of the season tend to be playing against us, so we will have already taking his best performances away by signing him
And he is a twat
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Nathaniel Mendez-Laing who scored twice against us on Saturday came on a free from Rochdale in the summer, just to put some perspective on our useless signings!
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Came on a free from Rochdale scored twice against the Villa. Says it all really.
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Odds-on favourites for Snodgrass by all accounts. Left out of their squad the other day....
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How many ageing midfielders do we need?
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How many ageing midfielders do we need?
Hundreds apparently
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Shane Long will be going for £10m+ I reckon in these days of crazy, crazy prices.
And the rest.
If Hogan is worth £15 million Shane Long must be worth closer to £60 million.
Not at 30 he isn't. He's a twat anyway, don't want him.
I have always rated him at all the clubs he has been at. I don't remember him ever doing anything to make me think he was a twat.
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Odds-on favourites for Snodgrass by all accounts. Left out of their squad the other day....
At least he isn't getting on a bit and quite slow....
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I think he'd be a good signing with young legs around him to his running for him.
With Whelan and Jedinak alongside him, not so much.
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We desperately need a left winger with pace (so you are out CD as you only do left wing). If we are to persist in bashing it 50 yards forward at a strikers head then we need a big fucking lump it will stick to. If we are to have a squad then it needs to be balanced rather than having 75 players who play on the right and Taylor on the left. This recruitment shit isn't all that hard if you actually put some thought into it.
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Taylor looks a dud already too. In bad need of someone who can help him on the left wing.
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Taylor looks a dud already too. In bad need of someone who can help him on the left wing.
I like him, a lot better than Amavi, Bennett, Cissokho or any other recent incumbent at left back anyways.
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How did Joe play against us on Sat? He must have allowed himself a wry smile.
Taylor looks susceptible against pace and a bit of movement to me and is extremely limited going forward.
I'd have him above Cissokho but I'd also have Nicky Shorey in his current state ahead of him.
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I think Taylor is excellent. It was the right hand side where they got at us and Chester let us down big time for the first time too.
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That Adama Traore is quite nippy allegedly. Wonder what happened to him?
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Gareth Barry is having a medical with the Bitters.
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Gareth Barry is having a medical with the Bitters.
Truly gutted by this.
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A sad end to an excellent career.
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Playing in a tiny, crap, lego looking ground, in front of the smallest crowds of his career, for Tiny Penis, watching the ball sail over his head to a giant forward, playing for corners.
I'd have retired.
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Does he still live in the area?
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I was just looking at his stats and what's impressive is that since his first proper season in 98/99 he's played 30 or more league games every year apart from 1, 20 in 01/02. That's some going for a defender/midfielder to avoid much in the way of injuries for so long.
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He built a house somewhere out towards Solihull when he was playing for us, not sure if he still owns it or not though.
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Gareth Barry is having a medical with the Bitters.
That's really sad.
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I can imagine the shitstorm if we signed a(nother) 36 year old.
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It was mentioned as a possibility last week on WM and none of them who called wanted him due to his age - except for one village idiot who was saying yes to everything Franksy suggested.
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How did Joe play against us on Sat? He must have allowed himself a wry smile.
Apparently Fulham are trying to buy him.
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We should have signed Barry over Whelan. Much better player. Ojo from Liverpool off to Fulham so another option with pace out of the running. Still need 3 before the window shuts so all this bleating about no money is fine but we have no left back cover, no left wing and are light up front. Grabban on loan at Sunderland would have helped up top. McGeadu out wide for 500k would have been in our side. Good deals by Grayson.
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I can imagine the shitstorm if we signed a(nother) 36 year old.
He's not just another 36 year old though Dave, so I think he'd get a pass. Wold prefer him over the pair of them, but I think with Whelan and Jedinak already at the club, he's probably a luxury we can't really afford.
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As good as he was, and probably still is, he's not what we need. Even at his peak he had no pace and we just don't have the players or system to make the most of him. Plus he probably has one eye on the PL appearance record so i'm far from convinced he'd have wanted to come anyway.
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We need dynamism. Onomah has a change of pace and looks head and shoulders above other midfielders in this league.
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Onomah looked very much a player from a top academy at another club at the weekend.
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Jack Wilshire lol... read Jermaine Jenas. Do. Not. Touch.
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Jack Wilshire lol... read Jermaine Jenas. Do. Not. Touch.
Nailed on to be injured within 2 weeks.
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Wilshere, if fit, would be exactly the sort of player we need. We would probably have to agree to keep paying him in the event of him being injured but I think it would be a gamble worth taking. He's a cheating bastard, too. We don't have enough of them.
I can't see us getting him, mind.
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As good as he was, and probably still is, he's not what we need. Even at his peak he had no pace and we just don't have the players or system to make the most of him. Plus he probably has one eye on the PL appearance record so i'm far from convinced he'd have wanted to come anyway.
Class act . Tend to agree with that though Barry deservedly holding premier status to be most appereances in the league . I also think Bruce style of play isn't suited!! Disappointing and also agree with others who say better footballer than Whelan or jedinak.
Barry should go to Brighton if he not come here where it initially began !
Where's Michael standing??
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Wilshere, if fit, would be exactly the sort of player we need. We would probably have to agree to keep paying him in the event of him being injured but I think it would be a gamble worth taking. He's a cheating bastard, too. We don't have enough of them.
I can't see us getting him, mind.
Wilshire would get injured even more in championship . No prisoners here
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Even if he was guaranteed to be fit, he'd still be ineffective for us because he'd spend all his time watching the ball flying over his head in the vague direction of the centre forward.
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Bakar Sakho palace would add to team. Dynamic at this level powerful left foot and by accounts powerful attacking player. Would add presence to the attack .
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Even if he was guaranteed to be fit, he'd still be ineffective for us because he'd spend all his time watching the ball flying over his head in the vague direction of the centre forward.
Not if we get him to sign then sack Steve Bruce while the ink is still drying. 😊
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Even if he was guaranteed to be fit, he'd still be ineffective for us because he'd spend all his time watching the ball flying over his head in the vague direction of the centre forward.
Well actually he'll be the one playing those balls as he would be deployed to pick up the ball off centre halves and if ball was going over his head he would go hunting to get the ball dropping back to take the ball.
That's the good thing about this jack too the ball is his friend . He wants the ball and likes to be on the ball. Smart by Bruce but risky.
Wilshire is some footballer and would no doubt add in creative and class pass sense
But! also wondering not only opposition fans but our very own will be hating on him along with Lansbury if he didn't perform Wilshire would be a scapegoat in making.
Barry would have done a similar Job with our carrying ball forward but able to accurately play balls forward .
Let's just get this Wilshires over the line
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A Leeds fan at work seems to think McCormack to them on a loan deal
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Bakar Sakho palace would add to team. Dynamic at this level powerful left foot and by accounts powerful attacking player. Would add presence to the attack .
Good shout Skillzy. Just the type of player we need.
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A Leeds fan at work seems to think McCormack to them on a loan deal
Tell them to pay for him or fuck off. We shouldn't be loaning players to rivals. We don't need our own version of Mick Ferguson.
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If Sunderland and Leeds both want him we should at least get a decent loan fee and a big chunk of his wages paid.
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Bakar Sakho palace would add to team. Dynamic at this level powerful left foot and by accounts powerful attacking player. Would add presence to the attack .
Good shout Skillzy. Just the type of player we need.
Agreed very good shout
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The problem I have with Sako is he's only played 27 times in 2 years now and we have a notoriously bad record for signing players who haven't had game time and lost their appetite. At Premier League prices he's probably valued at something stupid now too.
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Bakar Sakho palace would add to team. Dynamic at this level powerful left foot and by accounts powerful attacking player. Would add presence to the attack .
Good shout Skillzy. Just the type of player we need.
Agreed very good shout
Thirded............Godzvilla!
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He's in the last year of his contract as well. Sako, Kodjia, Onomah and Hogan sounds tasty.
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Jack Wilshire. No smoke without fire.
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Jack Wilshire. No smoke without fire.
The smoke will be the brakes on his wheelchair. Ha ha!
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Gareth Barry is having a medical with the Bitters.
That's really sad.
Yep.
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I think we may he overreacting somewhat. Loads of Villa players end up at Small Heath or Smethwick when they are in decline.
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I think we may he overreacting somewhat. Loads of Villa players end up at Small Heath or Smethwick when they are in decline.
True, but this is Gareth Barry going to Albion who are in a league above us.
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I think we may he overreacting somewhat. Loads of Villa players end up at Small Heath or Smethwick when they are in decline.
True, but this is Gareth Barry going to Albion who are in a league above us.
The decline bit seems to alarming remain with us
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Where's this Wilshire story come from?
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Where's this Wilshire story come from?
Is there a rumour that he's fit?
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Nooooooooooooo, don't do it. Fucking Wilshite.
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I think we may he overreacting somewhat. Loads of Villa players end up at Small Heath or Smethwick when they are in decline.
True, but this is Gareth Barry going to Albion who are in a league above us.
They're still only Albion.
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Nooooooooooooo, don't do it. Fucking Wilshite.
He's certainly not shite. He may have the typical England player overrated factor, but he still played regularly for one of the best teams in Europe and even last year was a virtual ever-present for the team that finished ninth in the league above us.
If he stayed fit, he'd be the best midfielder in the division. I recognise that's a big "if", but it's a gamble I'd take seeing as our midfield is just so... boring. He's out of contract at the end of the year and so would be desperate to prove his fitness.
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Nooooooooooooo, don't do it. Fucking Wilshite.
He's certainly not shite. He may have the typical England player overrated factor, but he still played regularly for one of the best teams in Europe and even last year was a virtual ever-present for the team that finished ninth in the league above us.
If he stayed fit, he'd be the best midfielder in the division. I recognise that's a big "if", but it's a gamble I'd take seeing as our midfield is just so... boring. He's out of contract at the end of the year and so would be desperate to prove his fitness.
You're right, it's a massive "if".
The guy is injury prone and the older he gets his recovery time takes longer.
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Where's this Wilshire story come from?
According to Gregg Evans, John Cross at their sister paper, the Mirror (http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/wilshere-arsenal-transfer-news-villa-10991162).
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Blimey, Wilshire's shite?
He'll look like Messi in our midfield.
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a 6th central midfielder in 8 months, that's a sure sign of a manager who's lost the plot completely.
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Usain Bolt having a trial with Burton, and you thought we were bonkers ;)
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OK, he's massively overrated and for a couple of reasons would be a shite signing for us. Don't want the twat. As pointed out, not the type of player we need anyway, another central midfielder that likes to tap it around without actually doing anything productive. And that's if he stays fit. And, did i mention, he's a twat. We've had too many of them recently.
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On loan while Jack gets fit, then a fight for the place.
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I cannot believe with the fucking mundane dribble that we serve up every week and yet people think Wilshere is crap! Seriously, come on!!!!
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If Barry's idea of fun is strolling around a half-finished Subbuteo ground half-filled with triple-chinned halfwits singing daft hymns, he's more than welcome to it.
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I think we may he overreacting somewhat. Loads of Villa players end up at Small Heath or Smethwick when they are in decline.
True, but this is Gareth Barry going to Albion who are in a league above us.
This is the stuff that happens due to the monumental mess we've made of things last 7 years.
He'd have never chosen them over us if we were still in the premier league.
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I cannot believe with the fucking mundane dribble that we serve up every week and yet people think Wilshere is crap! Seriously, come on!!!!
For me it's not about being good or not, he's a twat and would be the 6th central midfielder Bruce has signed, this picking names out of a fucking hat approach to management is pathetic.
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Wilshere's a decent player but he's another one like Terry I really find hard to like and it's uneasy seeing them playing for my club....particularly as they don't actually improve us and make us win a bleeding game.
Just makes me slowly more disconnected to the club bottom of the league and filled with dislikeable players, might pop down Solihull Moors next home game. 3-3 tonight at Damson Park.
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Paul, Wilshere, at this standard would be an immense signing, a coup. My only problem with it would be the guy coaching him.
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Paul, Wilshere, at this standard would be an immense signing, a coup. My only problem with it would be the guy coaching him.
He isn't a match winner though, he barely scores goals. Odomah's a decent lad judging from his early appearances but again not the sort who's going to win games on his own.
I'm at a loss as to who we need to sign. Start of the season has knocked the stuffing out of me and it seems like we're in terminal decline again.
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Paul, Wilshere, at this standard would be an immense signing, a coup. My only problem with it would be the guy coaching him.
He might well be, doesn't stop him being a twat but that's really not the point, he's not the type of player we're screaming out for and he plays in a position where Bruce has made a lot of signings already. We really shouldn't be letting him make any more changes to the squad because it's just spending money that his replacement is going to need.
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We need cheating twats. He was good enough for Bournemouth and they're on a different level to us at the minute. You can question his injury record, sure. I can't believe anyone is trying to suggest that he wouldn't be good enough to get in the worst midfield I've ever seen play for us.
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I've never really had Wilshere down as a twat, he's just nowhere near as good as he's made out to be and not what we need now.
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we need to get our heads out of the idea that we can buy our way out of trouble.
we have tried since being relegated and are getting worse.
the only way out is hard work on the training ground and a coherent game plan put together that everyone is clear on.
We urgently need to get competitive games into the likes of Lyden, O'Hare, Davis and RHM, even if on short term loans.
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We need cheating twats. He was good enough for Bournemouth and they're on a different level to us at the minute. You can question his injury record, sure. I can't believe anyone is trying to suggest that he wouldn't be good enough to get in the worst midfield I've ever seen play for us.
I thought he was pretty underwhelming at Bournemouth tbh. They had better form when he got injured.
In any case no chance he'd drop down to championship in world cup year. A prem team will take him on the last day of the window I'd imagine.
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Usain Bolt having a trial with Burton, and you thought we were bonkers ;)
We signed a tennis player under the estimable SGT2.
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Have we somehow been linked with Wilshere now? I'm not a fan but he's still far too good to end up at Villa.
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More chance of me playing for us this season than Wilshere I reckon. He's in the final year of his contract so Arsenal will be looking for a sale rather than a loan and he's on a reported 80-90K a week.
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Still desperately need a centre forward and left winger. We are fast running out of options in those two positions already.
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Still desperately need a centre forward and left winger. We are fast running out of need a useful player in those two positions already.
Fixed.
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Hmmm. Being a free agent in 12 months with a massive signing on fee to possibly a decent premier side OR going to the car crash that is us, and seeing the money go to Arsenal. I'm not holding my breath.....
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Our need for a striker has got even more dire with Hogan being injured. There must be enough money for a couple of players that can run fast and actually play those positions. Max Gradel and Afobe at Bournemouth for example, could both walk into this team and make it miles better.
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Gradel is at Sunderland. Afobe is a good shout though, proven at this level.
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Has Gradel gone there now? Grayson has started well up there.
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If Bruce is only half way through his rebuilding project then for the love of McGrath, please do not allow him to spend another penny in the transfer market...get rid of him and give any remaining funds (if there is anything left after paying SB off) to the next man that hopefully knows what he's doing and can identify a few quick targets (if our scouting team is worth it's salt then should be a few already identified anyway).
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Imagine taking the front 3 at Cardiff and signing them in our team, we would look completely different. That's the type of players we needed to find this summer to supplement the squad. Instead he's gone out and bought a 4th right back a past it midfielder a past it centre half and a couple of loans. Just no coherent strategy. Last season good defence rubbish attack. Nothing to improve the latter and made the former worse. Top work.
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Do not give the Hoofasaurus any more money. Whoever he signs will only add to the financial pot of shit stew that we are going to have to eat next season.
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I'm genuinely worried. At the beginning of the summer I would have no problems with moving Gardner, Elphick and Baker on, but replacing them with Whelan, Samba and Terry is already looking like dreadful business. I fully expect Amavi and Bacuna to be replaced by Tony Dorigo and Chris Bart-Williams now.
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Steve Bruce is just a shit Tiny Penis.
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Has Gradel gone there now? Grayson has started well up there.
Yep. I've seen so much written and spoken about how there are "no quick fixes" and how "the culture of the whole club needs changing", but it's absolute bollocks. A club and a team are 2 separate things, and Grayson is proving at Sunderland that a few sensible moves n the transfer-market and some competent leadership / coaching goes along way in a short space of time.
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Steve Bruce is just a shit Tiny Penis.
Worryingly you could replace Tiny Penis with Neil Warnock or Sam Allardyce too.
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http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/explained-ross-mccormack-not-playing-13483237
More utter stupidity from Bruce. How to devalue a player whilst trying to get someone to buy him. Absolutely ridiculous.
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http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/explained-ross-mccormack-not-playing-13483237
More utter stupidity from Bruce. How to devalue a player whilst trying to get someone to buy him. Absolutely ridiculous.
What a complete nobhead, he is starting to piss me off now. Covering his own arse by throwing players under a bus and devaluing them in the process. McCormack played pretty well preseason, better than Hogan or Gabby in the matches I saw.
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None of us are privvy to what goes on at the training ground. There must be a reason why a manager who's down to 1 senior striker would not look to a proven goalscorer in the championship and would rather go with kids.
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None of us are privvy to what goes on at the training ground. There must be a reason why a manager who's down to 1 senior striker would not look to a proven goalscorer in the championship and would rather go with kids.
Regardless, when you're actively trying to sell a player, publicising the fact that you don't think he's very good is pretty stupid.
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None of us are privvy to what goes on at the training ground. There must be a reason why a manager who's down to 1 senior striker would not look to a proven goalscorer in the championship and would rather go with kids.
Regardless, when you're actively trying to sell a player, publicising the fact that you don't think he's very good is pretty stupid.
But his past goal scoring record is there for other manager's to see. Us leaving him out is not going to put off manager's. There might well be something else going on other than Bruce not wanting to play him.
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Is it all that surprising that the man who was foiled by his front gate isn't putting the effort?
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None of us are privvy to what goes on at the training ground. There must be a reason why a manager who's down to 1 senior striker would not look to a proven goalscorer in the championship and would rather go with kids.
I've no problem with Bruce deciding that McCormack is behind others on the basis of preseason/training.
However, I don't see the point of making some big announcement about it to the press which is only likely to reduce an unwanted player's potential resale value and demotivate him in training.
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None of us are privvy to what goes on at the training ground. There must be a reason why a manager who's down to 1 senior striker would not look to a proven goalscorer in the championship and would rather go with kids.
Regardless, when you're actively trying to sell a player, publicising the fact that you don't think he's very good is pretty stupid.
But his past goal scoring record is there for other manager's to see. Us leaving him out is not going to put off manager's. There might well be something else going on other than Bruce not wanting to play him.
His past goal-scoring record is exactly that - in the past. His current fitness, form and attitude are going to much more relevant to any potential buyer.
And again, regardless of anything that we either know or don't know about what's going on behind the scenes, nothing that Bruce has said here is going to do anything other than hinder us moving him on and receiving some form of decent compensation.
Surely this is just common sense? Look at how this worked-out with the bomb-squad. Any potential bidder now knows that we will do anything to get him off the books before the transfer deadline. Last week we were supposedly holding out for a £3m loan-fee. Bruce has effectively just kissed goodbye to that.
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None of us are privvy to what goes on at the training ground. There must be a reason why a manager who's down to 1 senior striker would not look to a proven goalscorer in the championship and would rather go with kids.
I've no problem with Bruce deciding that McCormack is behind others on the basis of preseason/training.
However, I don't see the point of making some big announcement about it to the press which is only likely to reduce an unwanted player's potential resale value and demotivate him in training.
He was probably asked about it last night after Hogan's injury. It was hardly a big announcement.
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He's not under any obligation to even talk to that rag. If he does feel that he has to, he should have the common sense to choose his words more carefully.
Any manager who was considering signing McCormack will read that and be put off, or at least think they can get away with dropping the price.
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Any manager considering signing RM only has to speak to several licensees in Brum to be put off.
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When we signed McCormack I seem to remember an article suggesting his teammates at Fulham were far from sorry to see him go because of his attitude. They certainly didn't seem to miss him judging by their league positions before and after he left.
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None of us are privvy to what goes on at the training ground. There must be a reason why a manager who's down to 1 senior striker would not look to a proven goalscorer in the championship and would rather go with kids.
I've no problem with Bruce deciding that McCormack is behind others on the basis of preseason/training.
However, I don't see the point of making some big announcement about it to the press which is only likely to reduce an unwanted player's potential resale value and demotivate him in training.
He was probably asked about it last night after Hogan's injury. It was hardly a big announcement.
The general gist of the article is "I desperately need another striker, but Ross McCormack was rubbish in pre-season so I'm not considering him." It's already pretty common knowledge that we'er looking to move him on, highlighting that he's been shit isn't going to help that, is it? Especially as, having played a few preseason games, it looked like he was sorting himself out.
Even if he was asked, there are 1000 other explanations he could have given.
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I've never really had Wilshere down as a twat, he's just nowhere near as good as he's made out to be and not what we need now.
Spot on as well as being injury prone
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He's not as good as he has been made out by the press at times. He's still comfortably better than any of our midfield and would be an immense signing... if he could stay fit, which is the big question mark.
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Football is a fairly small, insular business. If a player is having the type of problems hinted at with RM then surely it will be known in the game. Otherwise his record would have guaranteed him offers from elsewhere.
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Transfer madness would be giving the incumbent more money.
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Can't see it happening but there does seem to be some "truth" in the Wilshere rumour as they've just been discussing him with Wenger on SSN. There will always be an injury risk but if he's fit then Wilshere would be an excellent signing and provide some much needed creativity linking midfield and behind the strikers...and probably even more so if we do get a new manager. Highly unlikely to happen anyway.
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We have a crock of a striker in Hogan. It would be very much Villa to add Wilshire to that. Better buy more beds in the physio room then. Not knocking his quality but if he is constantly hurt what is the point.
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In my opinion no signings should be sanctioned while Bruce is still here.
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When we signed McCormack I seem to remember an article suggesting his teammates at Fulham were far from sorry to see him go because of his attitude. They certainly didn't seem to miss him judging by their league positions before and after he left.
Never understood the signing in the first place.
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Can't see it happening but there does seem to be some "truth" in the Wilshere rumour as they've just been discussing him with Wenger on SSN. There will always be an injury risk but if he's fit then Wilshere would be an excellent signing and provide some much needed creativity linking midfield and behind the strikers...and probably even more so if we do get a new manager. Highly unlikely to happen anyway.
Perhaps Arsene is missing the Villa..... and wants us back in the PL to guarantee six points?
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A no to Wilshere from me, we don't need another injury prone player as they are....injury prone.
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In my opinion no signings should be sanctioned while Bruce is still here.
Aye. He's only halfway through rebuilding, apparently.
So sign 11 more players to play his joyless boofball, give him an extra £20-30 million and let's see where we are in a year.
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He's not under any obligation to even talk to that rag. If he does feel that he has to, he should have the common sense to choose his words more carefully.
Any manager who was considering signing McCormack will read that and be put off, or at least think they can get away with dropping the price.
Managers do interviews with all the press surrounding them e.g. WM, Talksport, 5 Live and local journalists and also the one upstairs so he wasn't speaking directly to the Mail.
I just assumed McCormack wasn't figuring as he was actually imminently going to move but that dosen't seem to be the case now with Sunderland's better than expected start to the season.
It will be a deadline day move somewhere like last time.
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Can't see it happening but there does seem to be some "truth" in the Wilshere rumour as they've just been discussing him with Wenger on SSN. There will always be an injury risk but if he's fit then Wilshere would be an excellent signing and provide some much needed creativity linking midfield and behind the strikers...and probably even more so if we do get a new manager. Highly unlikely to happen anyway.
Perhaps Arsene is missing the Villa..... and wants us back in the PL to guarantee six points?
Does he manage Man. United now? ;) I miss the days of going to the Emirates every other season and taking the mick.
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Football is a fairly small, insular business. If a player is having the type of problems hinted at with RM then surely it will be known in the game. Otherwise his record would have guaranteed him offers from elsewhere.
Exactly (although it beggars belief that Wynness et al went through with the signing considering how overweight he was last summer), having a go at Bruce over RM is ridiculous. Bruce is probably trying to force him out asap so he can bring someone else in quickly. Id back Bruce 100% over his stance on Ross McCormack.
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€50m for Sigurdsson! How, in the name of all that's good and holy, are we supposed to be able to compete once we mange to get promoted? Tis madness, I tells ya!
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Football is a fairly small, insular business. If a player is having the type of problems hinted at with RM then surely it will be known in the game. Otherwise his record would have guaranteed him offers from elsewhere.
Exactly (although it beggars belief that Wynness et al went through with the signing considering how overweight he was last summer), having a go at Bruce over RM is ridiculous. Bruce is probably trying to force him out asap so he can bring someone else in quickly. Id back Bruce 100% over his stance on Ross McCormack.
This charge, which you have correctly raised quite a few times before, has never been answered. RM was clearly unfit for purpose, the fucking fat fucker.
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€50m for Sigurdsson! How, in the name of all that's good and holy, are we supposed to be able to compete once we mange to get promoted? Tis madness, I tells ya!
Pay £10 million for better players than Sigurdsson. He's a decent enough player, but that's a laughable fee.
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Football is a fairly small, insular business. If a player is having the type of problems hinted at with RM then surely it will be known in the game. Otherwise his record would have guaranteed him offers from elsewhere.
Exactly (although it beggars belief that Wynness et al went through with the signing considering how overweight he was last summer), having a go at Bruce over RM is ridiculous. Bruce is probably trying to force him out asap so he can bring someone else in quickly. Id back Bruce 100% over his stance on Ross McCormack.
We don't know the full story, the problem is that having dispensed with a £12mil player he bought another £12mil player that is even less effective.
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Wilshire is a NO from me. We already have enough declining footballers, who are legends in their own minds (Gabby, Richards, Terry) without adding to the list.
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Wilshire is a NO from me. We already have enough declining footballers, who are legends in their own minds (Gabby, Richards, Terry) without adding to the list.
Exactly this. The club needs to stop looking backwards now. We brought Bruce in because of his past record in the Championship. We brought Terry and Whelan in because of their past playing records. We need to find players who are doing it now, and who are just about to hit their peak. Or, heaven forbid, ones who the club think can be brought in cheaply and improved. Ideally, we need to adopt this approach when looking for a new Manager too.
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Wilshere is 25.
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It really is madness when you have Villa fans saying that Jack Wilshere isn't good enough for us...even whist we're languishing 23rd in the Championship. Absolutely mental.
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Quite.
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It really is madness when you have Villa fans saying that Jack Wilshere isn't good enough for us...even whist we're languishing 23rd in the Championship. Absolutely mental.
Exactly, would he get into our first team? Of course he would, he's a quality player who would interest many a Premier League club.
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I was thinking at least Wiltshire will get the ball to the strikers and then I remembered Bruce is the manager and he does not now how to get our midfield to create chances for our strikers .
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It really is madness when you have Villa fans saying that Jack Wilshere isn't good enough for us...even whist we're languishing 23rd in the Championship. Absolutely mental.
Exactly, would he get into our first team? Of course he would, he's a quality player who would interest many a Premier League club.
He's also a massive injury risk and we've been stung like that before.
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The only thing that puts me off is his injury record.
The good news is that Wilshere, with a broken leg, would still be faster than Whelan.
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Glenn Whelan, fucking hell. I can't think of anything else to say about him.
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Wenger has said Wiltshire is staying so lets do our best to get Crouch in and see more hoofing.
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At least with Crouch it will be viable hoofing.
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Crouch would do a good job for us this season. So would Wilshere, Arsene Wenger and injuries permitting.
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Geordie local press linking us with move for Jack Colback ...because he is exactly want our one paced shot shy midfield needs ....
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He was linked earlier
please do not let this be another useless addition to our toothless midfield.
Not good for Geordies, why would we want him.
Also injury prone
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Geordie local press linking us with move for Jack Colback ...because he is exactly want our one paced shot shy midfield needs ....
As soon as I saw he was out of favour at Newcastle I had the sinking feeling he'd be in a Villa shirt sooner or later.
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A midfield of Whelan Jedi and Colback, that would set the pulses racing.
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I was thinking at least Wiltshire will get the ball to the strikers and then I remembered Bruce is the manager and he does not now how to get our midfield to create chances for our strikers .
This is exactly it. On paper our midfield should be able to create chances, Hourihane and Lansbury did at their previous clubs. But all we can do is get out wide to players who can't cross, and even if they could there's no one in the box who thrives on crosses. All the opposition needs to do to stop us creating any chances at all is protect the flanks. Nothing comes through the middle.
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Geordie local press linking us with move for Jack Colback ...because he is exactly want our one paced shot shy midfield needs ....
Nay nay and thrice nay.
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Ryan Kent and Sam Gallagher should be our primary targets now.
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Gradel's gone to France on-loan from Bomo. Might have been worth the proverbial punt.
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Ryan Kent and Sam Gallagher should be our primary targets now.
I'd be happy with Clark Kent and Kirsty Gallagher
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SSN: West Ham have made Snodgrass available for transfer...so presumably a loan would be out of the question if he's been transfer listed.
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Geordie local press linking us with move for Jack Colback ...because he is exactly want our one paced shot shy midfield needs ....
Nay nay and thrice nay.
FFS
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Ryan Kent and Sam Gallagher should be our primary targets now.
100%, Gallagher as a priority - if we are going to play hoofball at least having a target man gives us a 10% chance of still having the ball for others to join in
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We don't play long ball football.
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Ryan Kent and Sam Gallagher should be our primary targets now.
I'd be happy with Clark Kent and Kirsty Gallagher
[/quote
Thanks for making me smile
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I would love us to play long fast balls down the channels and turn defences we just don't
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We don't play long ball football.
I suppose it would suggest that there is an actual plan in place to play a certain way, which doesn't seem very likely.
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We don't play long ball football.
We don't play anything recognisable as football.
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Colback is fucking shit.
That's the sort of lazy signing MON would have made.
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Colback is fucking shit.
That's the sort of lazy signing MON would have made.
And he's ginger.
And his middle name is Raymond, which unforgivable in someone aged under 60.
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Ryan Kent and Sam Gallagher should be our primary targets now.
Who?
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We're in talks with Sam Gallagher over a season long loan. Wolves, Derby and Small Heath all apparantly interested aswell.
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Colback is fucking shit.
That's the sort of lazy signing MON would have made.
Terrible footballer, according to a Newcastle fan in my village.
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Ryan Kent and Sam Gallagher should be our primary targets now.
Who?
At a guess I'd say one is in a boy band and the other is a Youtuber.
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Colback is fucking shit.
That's the sort of lazy signing MON would have made.
And he'd have paid about eight million quid for him.
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Ryan Kent and Sam Gallagher should be our primary targets now.
Who?
At a guess I'd say one is in a boy band and the other is a Youtuber.
Characters in a 'Teach Yourself French in Three Months' book.
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Still need a couple more of we get Gallagher. I would bet on Bruce going all in on a deal for Snodgrass though
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Although Snodgrass himself says he's a right winger not left so might be pointless to go for him when we have Elmo and Adomah on that side. We are also still utterly shafted if Taylor gets injured.
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Gallagher would be a good get, not saying it would solve all our problems but a big lad who is good in the air & useful on the ground would help with getting ball up top and occasionally keeping it there long enough for others to join attacks.
Think Hogan would benefit from a partner who can do the aerial stuff and maybe even flick some balls on for Hogan who whenever I've seen him is a willing runner on the shoulder / in behind.
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Although Snodgrass himself says he's a right winger not left so might be pointless to go for him when we have Elmo and Adomah on that side. We are also still utterly shafted if Taylor gets injured.
Snodgrass would be much better than AEM on the right. See Adomah as a squad player this season, impact sub for last 20 minutes.
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If we sign Colback I will be less than impressed. We would be better spending that money sacking Bruce!
Agree Snodgrass is better than Elmo and Albert, but they are both pretty good and we have diddly squat options on the left either at wing or fullback were Taylor to get injured.
What is it with Bruce and only signing right backs andright wingers. Ugh. Poor mans MON.
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De Laet will fill in at left back if Taylor gets injured.
Pretty sure he's played loads there in his various loan spells in his career.
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I'd rather we had specialists rather than just bung anyone in on the basis of "he'll do".
We're down to one specialist left back. We clearly need another one.
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Gallagher looking at him is ideal for the way we currently play so makes a lot of sense.
Soccer, agree Snodgrass would be an upgrade on the other 2, but why sign AEM if you are then going to bring another right winger in, makes zero sense, so I would much sooner we find someone who can actually play down the left, and with some pace.
And De Laet will be first choice right back when fully fit hopefully. We need a reserve left back.
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I'd rather we had specialists rather than just bung anyone in on the basis of "he'll do".
We're down to one specialist left back. We clearly need another one.
Particularly when we don't even have a 21-22 year old in the u23 side to step up, they seemed to play toner there on Monday.
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how many more players do we need, it is ridiculous we must have a squad of 30.
We could sign another 11 and we would still be shit under Bruce!
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Even if we give Bruce his P45 sooner rather than later, Gallagher would still be handy as a different option to have, and it might even allow us to shift Kodjia out (nominally) to the left.
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Bruce reminds me of one of those kids that buys a new phone and then 6 months later a new version of the phone is in the shops and he has to have that one. As the version of phone he has which is only 6 months old is rubbish!
He signed Lansbury, Hourihane, Whelan, - so surely he must know how to get them playing like they were at their previous clubs, why the need for another midfielder??
He know states he only has 1 striker in Gabby, what about RHM - who people on here where desperate for him to sign a new contract a few months back?, O'Hare looks a real prospect give him a go. Give the young lads a chance they cannot do any worse than the older guys have in the first 3 games of the season.
Tomorrow we can expect Samba to be playing up front.
For me Bruce is taking the piss out of the Dr's naivety in how to run a football club.
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I think RHM was injured the other night because he didn't play for the U23's either but yes, he should be at least on the bench when he is fit.
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Midfield remains a problem. But the answer can't be to go and buy another one surely - especially not a pretty average colback
How about some coaching and confidence building?
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Midfield remains a problem. But the answer can't be to go and buy another one surely - especially not a pretty average colback
How about some coaching and confidence building?
Spot on, look at Gueye at Everton compared to what we had to watch. All down to confidence and coaching. Why does every player we sign turn to shit in a matter of weeks? coaching and confidence again.
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It does appear to be true, Whelan was fantastic in his first match, as was Lansbury. Maybe the lack of movement off the ball around them is making them appear less effective than they could be, also the minimal physical presence and poor touch of Hogan means the ball isn't sticking to him when they knock it into him and they are then out of position.
All in all Bruce seems to have a serious problem in getting any kind of tune out of the midfield, even after buying a whole new one.
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I want him gone -now Dr T.
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Midfield remains a problem. But the answer can't be to go and buy another one surely - especially not a pretty average colback
How about some coaching and confidence building?
I agree and it would be a pretty demining indictment of Hourihane , Lansbury and Bjarnason if he went out and got another midfielder. I personally think Colback is a better player than the above three and would have the added advantage that he can cover left back as well.
It would be another example of Bruce's pretty random approach to transfers though.
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Bruce reminds me of one of those kids that buys a new phone and then 6 months later a new version of the phone is in the shops and he has to have that one. As the version of phone he has which is only 6 months old is rubbish!
He's more like someone who buys a new phone because it looks great in the advert and then when it arrives he quickly realises that it can't do a number of functions that he bought it to do.
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More likely it is too complicated and all he ends up using is text.
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Bruce is still using a Nokia 3210 where all you need are 'dial number' 'receive call' 'send message' and 'read message'. Whereas the majority of managers now have IPhones, Samsungs and Androids.
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It feels like we're stuck with 2 plastic cups, but we've yet to join them up with string.
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It feels like we're stuck with 2 plastic cups, but we've yet to join them up with string.
expect a pigeon flying into St James Park with an offer for Colback.
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Bruce confirms we're interested in Sam Gallagher, has no idea where the Wilshire and Colback rumours have come from.
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Reports Ross McCormack is close to joining Sunderland on loan. Grayson has got good form out of him before. Sunderland with a fully engaged and useful McCormack could make the top 6 the way they have started.
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Grayson wants Snodgrass too. The club might be in meltdown but when a team's got a good manager things can always improve quickly.
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Reports Ross McCormack is close to joining Sunderland on loan. Grayson has got good form out of him before. Sunderland with a fully engaged and useful McCormack could make the top 6 the way they have started.
Frankly at the moment the top 6 appears to be little concern of ours.
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It does appear to be true, Whelan was fantastic in his first match, as was Lansbury. Maybe the lack of movement off the ball around them is making them appear less effective than they could be, also the minimal physical presence and poor touch of Hogan means the ball isn't sticking to him when they knock it into him and they are then out of position.
All in all Bruce seems to have a serious problem in getting any kind of tune out of the midfield, even after buying a whole new one.
Against hull they were both fantastic? Jesus wept
Edit, sorry the watford game, fantastic is being very generous
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Presume he meant the friendly pre-season. They were both pretty poor against Hull.
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Whelan was very good against Watford, especially first half.
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And first half against Hull. That dummy which lead to the chance seems to have knocked him.
We were on the front foot prior to that mind. It's amazing how much better players look when being positive. It also shows how fragile confidence can be.
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Snodgrass seems like such an obvious signing to make.
Think he'll be our final one of the window.
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And first half against Hull. That dummy which lead to the chance seems to have knocked him.
We were on the front foot prior to that mind. It's amazing how much better players look when being positive. It also shows how fragile confidence can be.
When we went on that good run at the end of last season, we played a 4-3-3 and I thought that would be our best way forward but with a couple of additions - a striker who could hold the ball up and a defensive midfielder who was a bit better on the ball than Jedinak. I think Whelan would be more suited in the holding role in a three man midfield as he looks exposed in a two man midfield at the moment.
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I think you're right Tom. Whelan was really effective for Stoke in a three man midfield. Bruce is a negative bugger but could pick a side to cover all eventualities, something like;
Johnstone
De Laet Chester Terry. Taylor
Jedinak. Whelan
Elmohamedy ? Kodjia
Striker
The question mark and striker are up for debate, although we really should try to sign a left mid and perhaps play Kodjia up top maybe. Grealish, when fit, might do some damage with those two behind him. I still don't see lots of goals in this side.
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I think Bruce concluded that promotion teams almost always play two up, or one up and one behind. The 433 worked, but we lacked goal threat apart from Kodjia
I can see why he reaches that conclusion and he's probably right. But the problem remains the same as it's been for years. We don't seem able to put together a two man central midfield that is strong enough. I thought Whelan might solve that and maybe it will. But it really hasn't so far.
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Which is why with Terry and Elmo signing I was sure we were going 5 3 2. Then he sold Baker.
As an aside if we get Snodgrass and Gallagher In, we will have the best squad in the division by a long stretch. No excuses.
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I still think we lack a bit of energy in central midfield which would be important to playing two in there
I agree he may revert to 352 but I don't think it would suit us in key areas - and it wouldn't suit baker either
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It does appear to be true, Whelan was fantastic in his first match, as was Lansbury. Maybe the lack of movement off the ball around them is making them appear less effective than they could be, also the minimal physical presence and poor touch of Hogan means the ball isn't sticking to him when they knock it into him and they are then out of position.
All in all Bruce seems to have a serious problem in getting any kind of tune out of the midfield, even after buying a whole new one.
Against hull they were both fantastic? Jesus wept
Edit, sorry the watford game, fantastic is being very generous
I meant their respective debuts, Whelan against Watford and whoever Lansbury's was against. Both look far from the required level of fitness to me, Lansbury in particular fades terribly after an hour.
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Which is why with Terry and Elmo signing I was sure we were going 5 3 2. Then he sold Baker.
As an aside if we get Snodgrass and Gallagher In, we will have the best squad in the division by a long stretch. No excuses.
I was thinking about this last night whilst watching the Small Heath game. Other than one or two, I didn't know any of the players and it didn't really matter that much. It was the same with the teams who went up. Since we came down, we seem to have bought individuals rather than trying to build a side.
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And this is Bruce's last defence
We've basically replaced the core of a side three times in 18 months, up to the last winter window
Maybe it just will take a while to bed that in. I guess Watford are an example of a side who have managed that transition, and you'd definitely want there to be much more signs of progress - if anything we've been regressing for the last dozen games - but it does mean that some of the "we've spent x money" claims are unfair. Not least because a lot of it wa spent badly last summer
I was listening to Dan Bardell on the villa view say that he just doesn't know any more. That's how I feel. I'm definitely fed up with Bruce but is there really a credible candidate who looks a better bet on paper and is available? Maybe jokanovic.
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I don't think you can thrive in this division without a midfield that runs all game every game and never gives the opposition any peace on the ball. I can't see how signing another old git is going to help this.
Bruce seems to be fucking up our present and our future. Lumbering us with a load of players on huge wages and no resale value for if the shit hits the fan.
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See Leeds are selling Wood to Burnley for 15m, wouldn't they like to send 5-6m our way for McCormack :-)
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I don't think you can thrive in this division without a midfield that runs all game every game and never gives the opposition any peace on the ball. I can't see how signing another old git is going to help this.
Bruce seems to be fucking up our present and our future. Lumbering us with a load of players on huge wages and no resale value for if the shit hits the fan.
Which is why I think Lyden needs to be starting games. Him and Onamah might give enough legs to compete.
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I think Bruce concluded that promotion teams almost always play two up, or one up and one behind. The 433 worked, but we lacked goal threat apart from Kodjia
I can see why he reaches that conclusion and he's probably right. But the problem remains the same as it's been for years. We don't seem able to put together a two man central midfield that is strong enough. I thought Whelan might solve that and maybe it will. But it really hasn't so far.
Agree Matt and I think he wanted to get Hogan and Kodjia up front together after signing the former in January. I think one of the problems with the 4-3-3 we played last season was that the lack of a forward who could hold the up meant we couldn't really get on the front foot. I think that type of forward would have allowed the two more advanced midfielders push on a bit more and become more of an attacking presence.
Agree about central midfield and Whelan is struggling in a two because he looks like he no longer has the legs. I think if you are going to play a two man midfield, they have to be pretty mobile.
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See Leeds are selling Wood to Burnley for 15m, wouldn't they like to send 5-6m our way for McCormack :-)
Selling the talented Gray and replacing him with one-dimensional Wood, doesn't seem the best plan to me. Fancy Burnley to drop this year.
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And this is Bruce's last defence
We've basically replaced the core of a side three times in 18 months, up to the last winter window
Maybe it just will take a while to bed that in. I guess Watford are an example of a side who have managed that transition, and you'd definitely want there to be much more signs of progress - if anything we've been regressing for the last dozen games - but it does mean that some of the "we've spent x money" claims are unfair. Not least because a lot of it wa spent badly last summer
I was listening to Dan Bardell on the villa view say that he just doesn't know any more. That's how I feel. I'm definitely fed up with Bruce but is there really a credible candidate who looks a better bet on paper and is available? Maybe jokanovic.
I'm of the same thinking.
We tried a bit of a left field appointment in RDM and it didn't work out.
Bruce was a banker bet, a very logical choice to me as manager and tbh he was one I actually didn't think would go wrong. Last season was hit and miss but I thought we'd come out firing and it just hasn't happened. We certainly don't look like a team that will win 20 + games this season.
There are some good managers out there of course but I dunno I'm a bit unnerved now someone as experienced as SB can't do anything with this club.
Big fear is we're going to be stuck in this division for years. If you look at things if we don't go up next summer, parachute payments will start drying up, decent players like Kodjia and Chester will both want to move back up to the prem and we'll then be left with a whole host of 30 + year olds.
It really won't be a great state of affairs especially with the reduced budget due to FFP. Players at the club have to wake up to this and start putting a bit more effort on the pitch particularly when we go one down in games.
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See Leeds are selling Wood to Burnley for 15m, wouldn't they like to send 5-6m our way for McCormack :-)
Apparently that is what is happening except Leeds want McCormack on loan!!!
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I still think Bruce is making a mistake trying to push McCormack out of the exit door. We won't know if the guy is really shot while he's dealing with long ball after long ball.
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I still think Bruce is making a mistake trying to push McCormack out of the exit door.
If he is he's going to have to open the door for him.
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I still think Bruce is making a mistake trying to push McCormack out of the exit door. We won't know if the guy is really shot while he's dealing with long ball after long ball.
Which is exactly why Hogan is struggling, too.
Buy an almost guaranteed 20 goal a season striker and play him in an alien role and wonder why he struggles, hmmm ::)
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It's so massively frustrating. We can all see it, why can't the people who run the club? I'm all for giving Bruce a chance but the football is shit, the coaching dire and the explanation unfathomable. Xia has to wake up.
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I still think McCormack is a talented player, and has looked good at times for us. He needs to played in the right position and have the right tactics but you could say that about most strikers.
The system we play does not suit McCormack, Hogan or Kodjia - it takes a special kind of idiot to find a system that fails to find form from three strikers that have all been prolific recently elsewhere.
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It's no surprise we were linked with Crouch and Abel Hernandez this year.
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I still think Bruce is making a mistake trying to push McCormack out of the exit door.
If he is he's going to have to open the door for him.
Chortle
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Might be rubbish but link on Twitter to Dutch born midfielder Edwin Gyasi who plays for Aalesund FK in Norway.
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Might be rubbish but link on Twitter to Dutch born midfielder Edwin Gyasi who plays for Aalesund FK in Norway.
This sounds like absolute bollocks
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Might be rubbish but link on Twitter to Dutch born midfielder Edwin Gyasi who plays for Aalesund FK in Norway.
I saw him play in the last live game I watched (1-1 with Brann in late May when I was over there for work) He scored the equaliser. Looked pretty quick and had decent feet but the step up in quality from that league is huge and there was nothing I saw that suggested he was too good to be there.
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He used to play for Telstar, i'm not going to do a tornado pun though. Sorry to put the wind up you.
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Might be rubbish but link on Twitter to Dutch born midfielder Edwin Gyasi who plays for Aalesund FK in Norway.
This sounds like absolute bollocks
You have very low opinion of names of dutch footballers and/or Norwegian football clubs :)
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I can't fathom why a centre forward wasn't the first signing made in July. Unless the one he wants isn't available yet.
If Wood goes to Burnley, what chance Volkes comes to us?
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I can't fathom why a centre forward wasn't the first signing made in July. Unless the one he wants isn't available yet.
If Wood goes to Burnley, what chance Volkes comes to us?
Slim to none? They're signing a striker to replace Gray, I don't think they're going to ship out their only other one.
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Might be rubbish but link on Twitter to Dutch born midfielder Edwin Gyasi who plays for Aalesund FK in Norway.
This sounds like absolute bollocks
But why make it up?
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I can't fathom why a centre forward wasn't the first signing made in July. Unless the one he wants isn't available yet.
If Wood goes to Burnley, what chance Volkes comes to us?
Slim to none? They're signing a striker to replace Gray, I don't think they're going to ship out their only other one.
Imagine taking Ulloa and Bakar Sakho from leicester and palace. That would really set us up. If jack colback or Snodgrass can play left back one of them can come too.
Ship out a few then we happy days !
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After seeing how much better we function as a team with a centre forward that provides a focal point for the attack, Gallagher or similar before the deadline is a must. Hourihane has come out and said Davis by making it stick allowed him the freedom to get forward and it makes sense that at 19 he may not be consistent this season, so a backup for his type of player is needed.
Oh and a left sided defender please!
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After seeing how much better we function as a team with a centre forward that provides a focal point for the attack, Gallagher or similar before the deadline is a must. Hourihane has come out and said Davis by making it stick allowed him the freedom to get forward and it makes sense that at 19 he may not be consistent this season, so a backup for his type of player is needed.
Oh and a left sided defender please!
Absolutely agree about Gallagher or a player like him. On top of that, I think a left sided player who can play wide left and cover left back would be ideal (someone like Robbie Brady for example though he won't be going anywhere).
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He used to play for Telstar, i'm not going to do a tornado pun though. Sorry to put the wind up you.
I've been told he should breeze it in the league
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With the addition of one player, a strong, mobile striker type we would have two players for every position on the pitch, with the addition Hogan and McC if we wanted to play a traditional two up front.
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B'ham Mail reckon 'arry has beaten Villa to the loan signing of Gallagher.
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Good. I'd rather Davis develop than one of Southampton's players.
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SSN report Blose have just signed Carl Jenkinson (RB) and Cohen Bramall (LB) on loan from Arsenal. Nothing about Gallagher anywhere.
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Good. I'd rather Davis develop than one of Southampton's players.
Not sure I agree about that Ads. Davis is young and raw, and needs time to develop. Having someone to share the workload with him this season would make sense, especially on loan because if he is going to be as good as we hope he is, then our needs might change for next season.
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Good. I'd rather Davis develop than one of Southampton's players.
Me too
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Good. I'd rather Davis develop than one of Southampton's players.
Not sure I agree about that Ads. Davis is young and raw, and needs time to develop. Having someone to share the workload with him this season would make sense, especially on loan because if he is going to be as good as we hope he is, then our needs might change for next season.
Presumably though he's going to be sharing that workload with Hogan and Kodjia already. If the plan is to play one central striker, being third or fourth in line isn't going to help him develop.
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I can't fathom why a centre forward wasn't the first signing made in July. Unless the one he wants isn't available yet.
If Wood goes to Burnley, what chance Volkes comes to us?
Slim to none? They're signing a striker to replace Gray, I don't think they're going to ship out their only other one.
Imagine taking Ulloa and Bakar Sakho from leicester and palace. That would really set us up. If jack colback or Snodgrass can play left back one of them can come too.
Ship out a few then we happy days !
I'd be very happy if Big Leo came to VP, but would he get the game time he wants if young Keinan continues to excite (& actually play!); and Kodja returns to full-fitness?
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Good. I'd rather Davis develop than one of Southampton's players.
Not sure I agree about that Ads. Davis is young and raw, and needs time to develop. Having someone to share the workload with him this season would make sense, especially on loan because if he is going to be as good as we hope he is, then our needs might change for next season.
Presumably though he's going to be sharing that workload with Hogan and Kodjia already. If the plan is to play one central striker, being third or fourth in line isn't going to help him develop.
As we saw on Saturday Dave, having a target man type of centre forward made a massive difference, as many on here have been saying it would since we came down to this division. As we've seen, Kodjia and Hogan just aren't that type of forward, so if Gallagher were to come in, him and Davis would be challenging for the one spot either up front on their own or partnering either Kodjia or Hogan. I think Kodjia coming in from the left could well end up as his best position.
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Good. I'd rather Davis develop than one of Southampton's players.
Not sure I agree about that Ads. Davis is young and raw, and needs time to develop. Having someone to share the workload with him this season would make sense, especially on loan because if he is going to be as good as we hope he is, then our needs might change for next season.
Presumably though he's going to be sharing that workload with Hogan and Kodjia already. If the plan is to play one central striker, being third or fourth in line isn't going to help him develop.
Exactly. It's not as if Gallagher is the finished article anyway.
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Good. I'd rather Davis develop than one of Southampton's players.
Not sure I agree about that Ads. Davis is young and raw, and needs time to develop. Having someone to share the workload with him this season would make sense, especially on loan because if he is going to be as good as we hope he is, then our needs might change for next season.
Presumably though he's going to be sharing that workload with Hogan and Kodjia already. If the plan is to play one central striker, being third or fourth in line isn't going to help him develop.
Exactly. It's not as if Gallagher is the finished article anyway.
He's already spent a full season in the Championship and apparently done quite well, so for our purposes (i.e. lower than being asked to consistently making contributions at PL level) he's very much the finished article.
If we're playing 4-4-2, I think it makes sense to have 4 strikers. It doesn't work quite as well with a 4-5-1/4-3-3, but Kodjia on the left shouldn't be too bad providing that he's still fairly close to goal, rather than hugging the touchline.
The argument is that you'd expect Davis to have his ups and downs through the season, and it would be good for both the team and him to have someone ready to offer similar things instead of either changing tack or waiting for him to play himself out of a form slump.
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i read that Southampton want a £1 million loan fee and the club to pay his full salary whilst on loan £20k + a week
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More than anything Southampton want him to be playing matches. There's no way we can guarantee that.
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Good. I'd rather Davis develop than one of Southampton's players.
Not sure I agree about that Ads. Davis is young and raw, and needs time to develop. Having someone to share the workload with him this season would make sense, especially on loan because if he is going to be as good as we hope he is, then our needs might change for next season.
Presumably though he's going to be sharing that workload with Hogan and Kodjia already. If the plan is to play one central striker, being third or fourth in line isn't going to help him develop.
As we saw on Saturday Dave, having a target man type of centre forward made a massive difference, as many on here have been saying it would since we came down to this division. As we've seen, Kodjia and Hogan just aren't that type of forward, so if Gallagher were to come in, him and Davis would be challenging for the one spot either up front on their own or partnering either Kodjia or Hogan. I think Kodjia coming in from the left could well end up as his best position.
100% agree
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Kodjia will play the lion share of games, while you'd fancy Hogan will be a different player with Davis next to him.
Davis was impressive against Brighton and even more so on Saturday. His form will dip, but show me a player's whose doesn't. This is exactly the sort of forum where a young player can cut their teeth. If Davis can play 25-30 odd games plus this season for us [not necessarily as a starter] then we will be richer as a club for it, as we will have a young player with games under his belt.
There is no benefit in getting Gallagher in to do the same job, who isn't necessarily any better and with every game he plays, Davis misses out on vital experience.
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More than anything Southampton want him to be playing matches. There's no way we can guarantee that.
Not sold solely on Gallagher, just someone in that mould (strong, mobile, decent in the air, capable of holding the ball up). Don't watch a lot of foreign football, but one striker who has caught my eye recently and might be suited to the game over here is Florin Andone, the Romanian international at Deportivo La Coruna. Watched a bit of their game against Real Madrid at the weekend and he gave Ramos and Nacho a really tough time. Probably out of our reach at the moment, but only 24 so you never know in the future.
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Doesn't matter now anyway, according to Sky sources he's agreed to join the rags.
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More than anything Southampton want him to be playing matches. There's no way we can guarantee that.
Not sold solely on Gallagher, just someone in that mould (strong, mobile, decent in the air, capable of holding the ball up). Don't watch a lot of foreign football, but one striker who has caught my eye recently and might be suited to the game over here is Florin Andone, the Romanian international at Deportivo La Coruna. Watched a bit of their game against Real Madrid at the weekend and he gave Ramos and Nacho a really tough time. Probably out of our reach at the moment, but only 24 so you never know in the future.
I think he was heavily linked with us during *that* Sherwood summer.
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Doesn't matter now anyway, according to Sky sources he's agreed to join the rags.
Fuck him, he's shit anyway.
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A bit disappointed that Gallagher has gone to Blose on loan...with the pair from Arsenal they also signed on loan today they will be slightly less reliably shit.
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Oh I don't know the one Arsenal lad I saw last season play for Hednesford v Sutton Coldfield!
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A bit disappointed that Gallagher has gone to Blose on loan...with the pair from Arsenal they also signed on loan today they will be slightly less reliably shit.
Jenkinson strikes me as the sort of player who hangs round a top Premier League club for years until they realise he isn't going to make it before being shipped off to somewhere shit.
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A bit disappointed that Gallagher has gone to Blose on loan...with the pair from Arsenal they also signed on loan today they will be slightly less reliably sh*t.
Jenkinson strikes me as the sort of player who hangs round a top Premier League club for years until they realise he isn't going to make it before being shipped off to somewhere sh*t.
Jenkinson certainly has been shipped off somewhere sh*t. Must have done something awful in a previous life.
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Leeds now have money to burn, his son still wears their kit with pride, time for Caramac to head back to a former home.£5.5m pls, tnx.
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Leeds now have money to burn, his son still wears their kit with pride, time for Caramac to head back to a former home.£5.5m pls, tnx.
Exactly what I was thinking.
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A bit disappointed that Gallagher has gone to Blose on loan...with the pair from Arsenal they also signed on loan today they will be slightly less reliably shit.
Jenkinson strikes me as the sort of player who hangs round a top Premier League club for years until they realise he isn't going to make it before being shipped off to somewhere shit.
Apparently Hodgson picked him for England a few years back...he only came on for 16 minutes so make of that what you will.
edit: sounds like it was just Roy covering his options as an England player rather than him playing for Finland.
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Do we have to give them as much as that ?😞
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Think we've missed a trick with Gallagher, he'd offer us something a bit different. He's too good for that shower.
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Think there's a lot in the fact that Soton want him to play & at the Sty he will play every game he is available for, we would want him to rotate with Davis, Hogan & Kodjia.
We def need a 2nd target man as an option in squad tho
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Leeds now have money to burn, his son still wears their kit with pride, time for Caramac to head back to a former home.£5.5m pls, tnx.
They're after Gestede
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A bit disappointed that Gallagher has gone to Blose on loan...with the pair from Arsenal they also signed on loan today they will be slightly less reliably shit.
Jenkinson strikes me as the sort of player who hangs round a top Premier League club for years until they realise he isn't going to make it before being shipped off to somewhere shit.
Almost certainly true, but he's a good player and got in the England squad whilst on loan at West Ham if I remember right. He's a good signing for the Blues.
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Weren't we in for Jenkinson a couple of years ago?
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Leeds now have money to burn, his son still wears their kit with pride, time for Caramac to head back to a former home.£5.5m pls, tnx.
They're after Gestede
D'oh.
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Kodjia's return has now been delayed again
Imperative we get in a striker on loan who can lead the line. Saturday showed what difference that can make
No idea who though
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What kind of striker is O'Hare from U23 ? Could he be Davis's backup
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What kind of striker is O'Hare from U23 ? Could he be Davis's backup
An attacking midfielder and certainly not a target man to hold the ball up. Hoping he played as he was excellent against Colchester.
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Re Carl Jenkinson. I saw him have possibly the best game of football I've ever seen a footballer have. The caveat being that it was against San Marino u-21s. Still, better than Raheem Sterling did.
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The Kodjia story is very worrying. Bruce said at the weekend that Tony is desperate to spend money but the clubs hands are tied with FFP. Having seen the players go that have now, surely we can spend a few million on a big, quick forward from somewhere. This is where the scouts we pay should be earning their money and finding us a couple of players that can come in and make a difference.
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Given that it's up to the Football League what punishment they dish out, and we're using youth players as first-teamers, how harsh could they be if we went over the limit by a few million?
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Given that it's up to the Football League what punishment they dish out, and we're using youth players as first-teamers, how harsh could they be if we went over the limit by a few million?
They would give give us "the full Durham". Relegated and 15 point deduction. Minus 2 goal start in Cup games. Forced to play Paul Collingwood as a striker.
The fix is in.
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Kodjia's return has now been delayed again
Imperative we get in a striker on loan who can lead the line. Saturday showed what difference that can make
No idea who though
The concern at this late stage is that we were focussing on Gallagher and haven't looked at any other options. Surprised he has gone there, maybe not instead of us because as others have said he might not have played regularly, but over Wolves as he would have played there.
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Am I the only one who thinks the bad news about Kodjias injury is timed to dissuade any bids for him before the window slams shut ?
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Could easily be. Talking openly about pins in his ankles etc would just about kill off any interest say an Everton may have of nicking him for 20 million at the end of the window.
On the other hand if it is true then it just increases the need for us to sort out another forward option.
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Kodjia's return has now been delayed again
Imperative we get in a striker on loan who can lead the line. Saturday showed what difference that can make
No idea who though
The concern at this late stage is that we were focussing on Gallagher and haven't looked at any other options. Surprised he has gone there, maybe not instead of us because as others have said he might not have played regularly, but over Wolves as he would have played there.
We haven't looked at any other options? The club wouldn't have just one option.
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Kodjia's return has now been delayed again
Imperative we get in a striker on loan who can lead the line. Saturday showed what difference that can make
No idea who though
The concern at this late stage is that we were focussing on Gallagher and haven't looked at any other options. Surprised he has gone there, maybe not instead of us because as others have said he might not have played regularly, but over Wolves as he would have played there.
We haven't looked at any other options? The club wouldn't have just one option.
As I said, just a concern that may be the case. I would guess and expect that there were alternative options being considered. I see Brighton have signed a couple of strikers, so I wonder if Murray is available., A more experienced striker to rotate with Davis might be a good option.
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Kodjia's return has now been delayed again
Imperative we get in a striker on loan who can lead the line. Saturday showed what difference that can make
No idea who though
The concern at this late stage is that we were focussing on Gallagher and haven't looked at any other options. Surprised he has gone there, maybe not instead of us because as others have said he might not have played regularly, but over Wolves as he would have played there.
We haven't looked at any other options? The club wouldn't have just one option.
As I said, just a concern that may be the case. I would guess and expect that there were alternative options being considered. I see Brighton have signed a couple of strikers, so I wonder if Murray is available., A more experienced striker to rotate with Davis might be a good option.
Isn't that specifically within Round's remit, to help identify options for the manager to consider?
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Am I the only one who thinks the bad news about Kodjias injury is timed to dissuade any bids for him before the window slams shut ?
Yeah I'd imagine so. It's a ridiculous theory.
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Am I the only one who thinks the bad news about Kodjias injury is timed to dissuade any bids for him before the window slams shut ?
Yeah I'd imagine so. It's a ridiculous theory.
I saw a post on Facebook where a father had taken his kids to BMH. They had photos with a load of players, one being Kodija, who apparently said he was two weeks away. this was yesterday
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So a loan replacement for Kodjia, plus cover at left back needed urgently.
Has it been definitely confirmed that Gallagher signed for the rags?
It seems to have gone quiet in the departure lounge. The hinges of the exit door will be in need of some WD40 at this rate.
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It seems to have gone quiet in the departure lounge. The hinges of the exit door will be in need of some WD40 at this rate.
The exit doors were installed by the same firm who did McCormack's gates
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The likes of Gardner, Elphick & even McCormack might be part of the panic spree that will happen deadline day with clubs desperate to pan out squads
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I would say our free scoring sensation Agbonlahor is good enough cover for Kodjia? No? ok I will collect my coat :o
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Rumours Ryan Kent going to Hannover so unlikely to be coming our way. Forward and a left back before the deadline are a must before the deadline surely.
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Rumours Ryan Kent going to Hannover so unlikely to be coming our way. Forward and a left back before the deadline are a must before the deadline surely.
Ideally it would be a left winger who could also cover left back.
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I wonder if Bree is going to be the left back cover?
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I hope not. I was hoping we'd seen the end of the "he'll do" attitude to selecting full backs. Sign a left-back to play left-back.
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The tabloids are already trying to flog our younger players. At least being truly terrible meant we didn't have to put up with this shit.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/bournemouth-crystal-palace-both-watching-11035254
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Bournemouth and Crystal Palace? I'm quaking in my boots.
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Give us Benteke and £20 million and we'll think about it.
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Imagine having our younger talent picked off by Bournemouth. The fuck is this.
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This is why we have to get back up this season! Palace and Bournemouth? F#ck right off!
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Sadly they probably turnover at least double what we do now...
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The papers can do one we should be telling anybody who is interested in our best young players there is no chance we are going to sell I mean Bournemouth and Palace don't make me laugh.
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Palace have Benteke / Zaha etc.... - so why can they not tempt one of our bright young things to join them?
Both Bournemouth and Palace are in the league everyone wants to play in (if you listen to Sky Sports)
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Am I the only one who thinks the bad news about Kodjias injury is timed to dissuade any bids for him before the window slams shut ?
Yeah I'd imagine so. It's a ridiculous theory.
Like his agent wouldn't be telling suitors it was a load of bollocks. Like the club wouldn't realise that. Like he wouldn't be saying it was bollocks if he wanted a move away.
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It rings true to me. I'd also like Kodjia to come clean about his whereabouts on 22nd November, 1963 and to ask what he knows about faking the Moon Landings.
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It was Bacuna, on the grassy knoll with his lad in his hand. It's always Bacuna.
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It was Bacuna, on the grassy knoll with his lad in his hand. It's always Bacuna.
Bacuna was here long before this land was formed and he will be here long after, in the shadows, waiting to rise again when the stars are right.
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Am I the only one who thinks the bad news about Kodjias injury is timed to dissuade any bids for him before the window slams shut ?
Dear IFWaters help is available through various governmental national and local agencies and also there are number of voluntary groups taking care of the condition you are suffering from. Good luck with treatment.
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Bournemouth and Crystal Palace? I'm quaking in my boots.
Yes Bournemouth and Palace FFS they need to be reminded of their station in Football life.
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It was Bacuna, on the grassy knoll with his lad in his hand. It's always Bacuna.
Bacuna was here long before this land was formed and he will be here long after, in the shadows, waiting to rise again when the stars are right.
I heard he stuck around St Petersburg, when he saw it was time for a change.
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It was Bacuna, on the grassy knoll with his lad in his hand. It's always Bacuna.
Bacuna played no part in it. We know this for sure because the bloke died.
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If we get promoted or have ££ to spend next summer I'd really look at Jacob Murphy from Norwich.
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If we get promoted or have ££ to spend next summer I'd really look at Jacob Murphy from Norwich.
Yes excellent player, Narwich jus sold another Murphy, any relation?
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Brothers
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If we get promoted or have ££ to spend next summer I'd really look at Jacob Murphy from Norwich.
Yes excellent player, Narwich jus sold another Murphy, any relation?
Jacob Murphy IS the one they've just sold to Newcastle. Josh is the Murphy they still have. He looked useful on Saturday.
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Cheers.
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It was Bacuna, on the grassy knoll with his lad in his hand. It's always Bacuna.
Bacuna was here long before this land was formed and he will be here long after, in the shadows, waiting to rise again when the stars are right.
I heard he stuck around St Petersburg, when he saw it was time for a change.
First time poster.
Lurked for years and usually post on another site.
Anyway just logged on to acknowledge this genius.
Have sympathy for me.
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you devil
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Former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood tackled a pitch invader to the floor during the Lancashire derby last night.
makes a change him tackling somebody .
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Former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood tackled a pitch invader to the floor during the Lancashire derby last night.
makes a change him tackling somebody .
I knew all that pointing would come off for him - he poked him in the eye
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Former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood tackled a pitch invader to the floor during the Lancashire derby last night.
makes a change him tackling somebody .
Nice to see he was playing.
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He got his point across to the intruder.
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Former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood tackled a pitch invader to the floor during the Lancashire derby last night.
makes a change him tackling somebody .
Surely Ashley Westwood tackling anyone is #fakenews?
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He got his point across to the intruder.
Very good.
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Former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood tackled a pitch invader to the floor during the Lancashire derby last night.
makes a change him tackling somebody .
Before passing him on to one of the stewards, sideways of course!
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Former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood tackled a pitch invader to the floor during the Lancashire derby last night.
makes a change him tackling somebody .
In the one photo I saw, a Blackburn fan had a hand around Westwood's throat. Not good.
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Elphick, Gardner and McCormack all gone by the end of the window according to Bruce.
I wonder if we are waiting on one happening before Snodgrass can come in?
Squad is looking better now the kids are getting a chance alongside the senior players, gives more pace movement and enthusiasm. Still short down the left though.
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I would say our free scoring sensation Agbonlahor is good enough cover for Kodjia? No? ok I will collect my coat :o
Don't forget your tin hat as well!
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Former Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood tackled a pitch invader to the floor during the Lancashire derby last night.
makes a change him tackling somebody .
In the one photo I saw, a Blackburn fan had a hand around Westwood's throat. Not good.
He could've been a Villa fan still hanging around from that game last season looking to throttle him?
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So do we think we're done?
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So do we think we're done?
I hope not. If it is felt that De Laet or Bree can cover left back then I think all that is left is a target man type of forward. I would put a bid in for Murray from Brighton, but I think Bruce will go with Hogan and Kodjia along with Davis even though neither are really that type of forward
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So do we think we're done?
Yes mate,, just outgoings now.
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I think we might get rid of 3 players hopefully and perhaps one target man signing, if we can identify one cheap and good for team and Fair Play Rulings. So this probably mean signing someone aboard. Can't see us signing other players apart from one target man.
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Wouldn't be surprised to see another loan around the deadline if we move two or three on.
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Wouldn't be surprised to see another loan around the deadline if we move two or three on.
I am sure Bruce can find another past his best has been looking for a final pay day.
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Three out by the deadline: Gardner, McCormack and Elphick. Perhaps Richards too, with luck. I'd bring in a left back if possible, and a centre back as well. But no over-the-hill has beens, or old Bruce favourites, thanks.
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Three out by the deadline: Gardner, McCormack and Elphick. Perhaps Richards too, with luck. I'd bring in a left back if possible, and a centre back as well. But no over-the-hill has beens, or old Bruce favourites, thanks.
We had a more than adequate squad player who could play centre back and also cover left back however we decided to let him go to Bristol City.
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That decision mystifies me more by the game. I would actually sooner see us sign a left sides centre half with pace than a left back. I think Terry has upset the balance of the defence badly and I can't see him playing a whole season. Samba is very injury prone, solid as he looked the other night, and that would then leave us out of options. So a youngish left sides centre half from league one or 2 that woint cost the earth but be able to do the job would be my final signing of the window now. Up too Davis looks capable and Kodjia is almost back, plus Snodgrass will add extra goals. Left wing we have enough cover with Adomah and Snodgrass able to play that side if needed. Green is doing fine and learning though. Plus Grealish can play there when fit.
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Sounds like a load of ''he can play out of position there if needed''.
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Three out by the deadline: Gardner, McCormack and Elphick. Perhaps Richards too, with luck. I'd bring in a left back if possible, and a centre back as well. But no over-the-hill has beens, or old Bruce favourites, thanks.
We had a more than adequate squad player who could play centre back and also cover left back however we decided to let him go to Bristol City.
He may not have been happy being 4th choice behind Samba though and at his age you can understand it. He's going to be first choice at Bristol.
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He got his point across to the intruder.
Very good.
He fucked up in the ID parade. He pointed at everybody including the coppers and the culprit's brief.
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Three out by the deadline: Gardner, McCormack and Elphick. Perhaps Richards too, with luck. I'd bring in a left back if possible, and a centre back as well. But no over-the-hill has beens, or old Bruce favourites, thanks.
We had a more than adequate squad player who could play centre back and also cover left back however we decided to let him go to Bristol City.
He may not have been happy being 4th choice behind Samba though and at his age you can understand it. He's going to be first choice at Bristol.
Correct. Bristol wanted him after his loan spell but he wanted to see if he could make it at Villa. With the incomings in the summer he saw a better future at Bristol.
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I liked Baker but come on now. He had 100 plus games and he looks like an average championship defender at best. We got a decent fee for him but at 26 if he was gonna set the world alight he would have by now. A decent reserve maybe, but some seem to think he's Cahill MkII!
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We didn't need a centre half that was going to set the world alight or become Cahill MkII though.
We needed a defender who looked competent at this level which -apart from the Hull game- 57 year-old JT doesn't.
Baker might not have been the centre half to build the side around for years to come, but he developed a good understanding with James Chester. As well as losing Baker, we seem to have nobbled the latter's game an'all, so it's a double whammy.
Always the chance you take when you make vanity purchases with little understanding of how they will actually fit into the side.
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We didn't need a centre half that was going to set the world alight or become Cahill MkII though.
We needed a defender who looked competent at this level which -apart from the Hull game- 57 year-old JT doesn't.
Baker might not have been the centre half to build the side around for years to come, but he developed a good understanding with James Chester. As well as losing Baker, we seem to have nobbled the latter's game an'all, so it's a double whammy.
Always the chance you take when you make vanity purchases with little understanding of how they will actually fit into the side.
Disagree. Don't think Jt's been that bad and blaming him for chester's form is something i don't understand really. Either you can adapt to playing with different defensive partners or you're not much use because let's face it you're gonna have to in an average season.
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I don't understand the Baker praise because I don't think I've ever felt at ease with our defence whenever he was named in a Villa team. In fact you always had a nagging feeling an almighty cock-up was just around the corner, and even when there wasn't his passing would frequently let him down. I'm not even gonna mention his appalling injury record.
Good luck to him, but he won't be missed.
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I don't remember him making too many almighty cock ups personally.
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I don't remember him making too many almighty cock ups personally.
You don't remember Baker making too many almighty cock-ups? Really?
Last season was better (but he still made more than you'd like) and he wasn't here the year before but for the 3-4 seasons before that he fucked up with alarming regularity. I didn't want Terry because I was worried he wasn't the player he had been but lets not rewrite history and suggest that Baker is a massive loss.
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I don't remember him making too many almighty cock ups personally.
You must have a short memory then. He was a disaster of a player, but he was one of many of the type of player we had inflicted onto us since 2010. I suppose we just got used to them and they become the norm.
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I don't think Baker even features in my "Crappest players ever in a Villa Shirt" list. Some feat considering most of them have played for us in the last 5 years.As i said, he's an average Championship defender. Probably Bruce would have liked to have kept him, but with the money situation, a decent fee for a player not expected to feature much was a price worth paying, if it means he can get in someone who will feature,
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I don't remember him making too many almighty cock ups personally.
You must have a short memory then. He was a disaster of a player, but he was one of many of the type of player we had inflicted onto us since 2010. I suppose we just got used to them and they become the norm.
I can't think of any off the top of my head unless you can
Disaster of a player is very harsh but each to their own opinions i suppose.
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I don't remember him making too many almighty cock ups personally.
You don't remember Baker making too many almighty cock-ups? Really?
Last season was better (but he still made more than you'd like) and he wasn't here the year before but for the 3-4 seasons before that he fucked up with alarming regularity. I didn't want Terry because I was worried he wasn't the player he had been but lets not rewrite history and suggest that Baker is a massive loss.
I'm not too sure where i've said he'll be a massive loss and I don't think too many other people have either. All i see is posts saying he wasn't as bad as some make out, which i think is true.
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Terrys legs have gone. So much so that he appears to have lost the ability to jump. He was protected by very good players at Chelsea , clearly not the case with us. It's going to a long season for JT.
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I don't remember him making too many almighty cock ups personally.
You don't remember Baker making too many almighty cock-ups? Really?
Last season was better (but he still made more than you'd like) and he wasn't here the year before but for the 3-4 seasons before that he fucked up with alarming regularity. I didn't want Terry because I was worried he wasn't the player he had been but lets not rewrite history and suggest that Baker is a massive loss.
I'm not too sure where i've said he'll be a massive loss and I don't think too many other people have either. All i see is posts saying he wasn't as bad as some make out, which i think is true.
He was every bit as bad as he's made out, that we've dropped to level where he's only just a little below what we need to get promotion doesn't stop him being a poor player who's now found his level in the bottom half of the championship.
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I personally don't think he was poor at all.
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Depends what you're expectations and aspirations are for the team and the players in the team. If we're happy to stay in the Championship then Baker is perfectly fine, but if you want promotion to and stay in the Premier League then he's not good enough.
I wasn't fussed at all to see him go, but as I've said before, it's looking like a bad decision to let him leave given how fragile we look at the back at the moment, and particularly with only Samba and Elphick as back up should one of Chester or Terry get a long term injury. Not a great situation at all even if the likes of Jedinak or De Laet could provide extra cover.
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Depends what you're expectations and aspirations are for the team and the players in the team. If we're happy to stay in the Championship then Baker is perfectly fine, but if you want promotion to and stay in the Premier League then he's not good enough.
Perfectly fair. Unfortunately, it seems that a load of the players we've decided to spend a load of money on aren't either.
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Ciaran seemed happy to leave us after being a 'poor' centre back and not good enough but he was man of the match in the Premiership match for Newcastle this weekend. Perhaps it's what we do to them.
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Ciaran seemed happy to leave us after being a 'poor' centre back and not good enough but he was man of the match in the Premiership match for Newcastle this weekend. Perhaps it's what we do to them.
Or perhaps we talk out of our arses and make out players are far worse than they actually are
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Baker is fine at this level from what I saw last year.
Put it this way we kept plenty of clean sheets last season. Some might say that was down to the very defensive tactics adopted but we've largely done the same this season and can't keep a clean sheet.
Chester looks a total bag of nerves so something is unsettling him.
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Ciaran seemed happy to leave us after being a 'poor' centre back and not good enough but he was man of the match in the Premiership match for Newcastle this weekend. Perhaps it's what we do to them.
Or perhaps we talk out of our arses and make out players are far worse than they actually are
Well we've just finished in our lowest league position for 43 years so crap players could have something to do with it..........
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Ciaran seemed happy to leave us after being a 'poor' centre back and not good enough but he was man of the match in the Premiership match for Newcastle this weekend. Perhaps it's what we do to them.
Or perhaps we talk out of our arses and make out players are far worse than they actually are
Well we've just finished in our lowest league position for 43 years so crap players could have something to do with it..........
Ditto. Joe Bennett
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Ciaran seemed happy to leave us after being a 'poor' centre back and not good enough but he was man of the match in the Premiership match for Newcastle this weekend. Perhaps it's what we do to them.
Or perhaps we talk out of our arses and make out players are far worse than they actually are
Well we've just finished in our lowest league position for 43 years so crap players could have something to do with it..........
Ditto. Joe Bennett
Ditto Agbonlahor but s_h won't be having any of that.
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Ciaran seemed happy to leave us after being a 'poor' centre back and not good enough but he was man of the match in the Premiership match for Newcastle this weekend. Perhaps it's what we do to them.
Or perhaps we talk out of our arses and make out players are far worse than they actually are
Well we've just finished in our lowest league position for 43 years so crap players could have something to do with it..........
Ditto. Joe Bennett
Isn't Joe Bennett happily sitting on top of the league following five straight wins for his new side, one of which was a loveless rogering handed out to us?
(although I'm not sure whether this might have been the very point you were making)
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Chris mentioned in another thread but let's see how we fare defensively when Jedinak returns. His presence was a calming influence on those around him last season, Whelan doesn't seem to be able to replicate that.
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Joe Bennett was absolutely diabolical at Aston Villa. The fact he may have started the season well at a different club is irrelevant to that fact. Actually he was nearly as bad as Jordan Bowery who I think is the worst footballer I've ever seen in claret and blue during my 40 years of watching the Villa.
Mind you I will say that since 2010 the club was in a state of decomposition and that may have had an effect of making our players look a lot worse.
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Joe Bennett was absolutely diabolical at Aston Villa. The fact he may have started the season well at a different club is irrelevant to that fact. Actually he was nearly as bad as Jordan Bowery who I think it's the worst footballer I've ever seen in claret and blue during my 40 years of watching the Villa.
Mind you I will say that since 2010 the club was in a state of decomposition and that may have had an effect of making our players look a lot worse.
Bennett was a player that would have thrived in a club that wasn't decomposing with crap management and irresponsible senior players.
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He was totally out of his depth in the PL, which is probably why he's in the Championship now. He was never good enough for us.
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He was totally out of his depth in the PL, which is probably why he's in the Championship now. He was never good enough for us.
He probably would be now.
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He was totally out of his depth in the PL, which is probably why he's in the Championship now. He was never good enough for us.
He probably would be now.
Maybe, I've barely seen him play since. He should never have been thrown into our team when he was though.
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Centre half is probably the most exposed position on the pitch and every perceived mistake gets highlighted, Terry is not perfect, even McGrath wasn't perfect. If Terry had stayed in the Premier League where the forwards are more clinical he would have been exposed but he should have more than enough to do a job in this league. His performances are always going to be analysed to the hilt because of who he is but for me he has been perfectly adequate.
As for Baker he was always 8 or 9/10 or 5 or 6/10, there was never enough 7/10 performances.
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Ciaran seemed happy to leave us after being a 'poor' centre back and not good enough but he was man of the match in the Premiership match for Newcastle this weekend. Perhaps it's what we do to them.
Or perhaps we talk out of our arses and make out players are far worse than they actually are
Well we've just finished in our lowest league position for 43 years so crap players could have something to do with it..........
Ditto. Joe Bennett
Isn't Joe Bennett happily sitting on top of the league following five straight wins for his new side, one of which was a loveless rogering handed out to us?
(although I'm not sure whether this might have been the very point you were making)
That was my point in that we criticise (inc me) some of our players who then go on to better things. Matt Lowton anyone
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Ciaran seemed happy to leave us after being a 'poor' centre back and not good enough but he was man of the match in the Premiership match for Newcastle this weekend. Perhaps it's what we do to them.
Or perhaps we talk out of our arses and make out players are far worse than they actually are
Well we've just finished in our lowest league position for 43 years so crap players could have something to do with it..........
Ditto. Joe Bennett
Isn't Joe Bennett happily sitting on top of the league following five straight wins for his new side, one of which was a loveless rogering handed out to us?
(although I'm not sure whether this might have been the very point you were making)
That was my point in that we criticise (inc me) some of our players who then go on to better things. Matt Lowton anyone
Lowton was crap for us as well. It could be argued that we did the dirty work by giving them playing time and got them ready for better things. That's Aston Villa giving experience to lower league players then sending them on their way to better things at Cardiff and Burnley.
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He was totally out of his depth in the PL, which is probably why he's in the Championship now. He was never good enough for us.
He probably would be now.
Maybe, I've barely seen him play since. He should never have been thrown into our team when he was though.
Nor me - more a comment on how if our aspirations are now to scrape the points to keep us clear of the bottom half of the Championship, then he's probably good enough for that.
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Ciaran seemed happy to leave us after being a 'poor' centre back and not good enough but he was man of the match in the Premiership match for Newcastle this weekend. Perhaps it's what we do to them.
Or perhaps we talk out of our arses and make out players are far worse than they actually are
Well we've just finished in our lowest league position for 43 years so crap players could have something to do with it..........
Ditto. Joe Bennett
Isn't Joe Bennett happily sitting on top of the league following five straight wins for his new side, one of which was a loveless rogering handed out to us?
(although I'm not sure whether this might have been the very point you were making)
That was my point in that we criticise (inc me) some of our players who then go on to better things. Matt Lowton anyone
Lowton was crap for us as well. It could be argued that we did the dirty work by giving them playing time and got them ready for better things. That's Aston Villa giving experience to lower league players then sending them on their way to better things at Cardiff and Burnley.
Or making good young players worse and totally void of decent coaching and confidence ?
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even McGrath wasn't perfect.
How dare you? Go and wash your mouth out and say 1500 "Hail McGrath".
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Well two players who've got promoted in championship sides and may well come straight back down, doesn't say to me we've sold badly. In May if both Newcastle and Burnley are still in the top league and both players contributed to them staying up then you may have a point. At the moment they're at the same level they were found wanting with us, and may well be found wanting again.
*I guess Lowton has survived 2 seasons in the premier but then so did a lot of villa players.
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Well two players who've got promoted in championship sides and may well come straight back down, doesn't say to me we've sold badly. In May if both Newcastle and Burnley are still in the top league and both players contributed to them staying up then you may have a point. At the moment they're at the same level they were found wanting with us, and may well be found wanting again.
*I guess Lowton has survived 2 seasons in the premier but then so did a lot of villa players.
That might have something to do with a manager that knows his arse from his elbow as opposed to our last several incumbents.
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even McGrath wasn't perfect.
How dare you? Go and wash your mouth out and say 1500 "Hail McGrath".
I repent....although....I was right :-)
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I'm fairly satisfied with the transfer activity, Id rather we did not get involved in last minute madness.
A right sided midfielder would be the icing on the cake, however.
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I thought we are done on the incomings now ??
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Shit or not, our squad would be much better balanced right now with Baker in it than not. We don't have a left sided centre half, Chester looks at sea there and Terry looks a worse player on the right than Chester was last season. As such we are now shipping goals despite Johnstone looking bloody good and Taylor being solid enough at left back. To exacerbate the situation there is now no cover for Taylor either.
Meanwhile I see Arry is on a trolley dash, wants 6 in this week and has signed some whiz kid from Chelsea and is close to getting Harlee Dean from Brentford who looked a big hard lump whenever I saw him last season, still, might mean Elphick stays put which come November we could be thankful for.
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even McGrath wasn't perfect.
How dare you? Go and wash your mouth out and say 1500 "Hail McGrath".
3
Yes I was just thinking he was as near to perfect as any centre back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
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even McGrath wasn't perfect.
How dare you? Go and wash your mouth out and say 1500 "Hail McGrath".
3
Yes I was just thinking he was as near to perfect as any centre back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
He was as near as perfect as any centre back I've ever seen in any shirt. I remember him having two bad games for us. The fact they stand out in my memory so clearly tells you how brilliant he was in all the other games.
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even McGrath wasn't perfect.
How dare you? Go and wash your mouth out and say 1500 "Hail McGrath".
3
Yes I was just thinking he was as near to perfect as any centre back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
He was as near as perfect as any centre back I've ever seen in any shirt. I remember him having two bad games for us. The fact they stand out in my memory so clearly tells you how brilliant he was in all the other games.
TWO! You must have dreamt them.
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even McGrath wasn't perfect.
How dare you? Go and wash your mouth out and say 1500 "Hail McGrath".
3
Yes I was just thinking he was as near to perfect as any centre back I've seen in a Villa shirt.
He was as near as perfect as any centre back I've ever seen in any shirt. I remember him having two bad games for us. The fact they stand out in my memory so clearly tells you how brilliant he was in all the other games.
TWO! You must have dreamt them.
Two 3-0 defeats. Home to Wimbledon in 1990 when Fashanu caused him problems and Boxing Day 1992 at Highfield Road when Micky Quinn caused him problems. Although in his book I think he admitted he wasn't in the condition to play that day.
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I don't think he was too clever in the game where Beelzebub score a hat-trick either.
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I'd like to see someone come in who can cover CB/LB before the window slams shut this week. Happy with most other positions now Davis has emerged, Kodjia will be back in a few weeks as will Jedinak.
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Arsenal/arsen, i dont like arsenal, well i dont like anybody outside B6 really. But imo to sell your best player to your rivals is nuts.
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I must admit selling your best players and not recruiting well in the summer for Arsene is not a very good move.
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Wenger should have called it a day at the end of last season.
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Yes we still look short of a centre back, left back and big centre forward despite all the players that have come in. Does make you wonder what the point of signing Elhammody and Onamah was (who both look ok) but do we need them? I think with everyone fit I'd play 4-4-2:
Johnstone
Bree
Chester
Terry
Taylor
Snodgrass
Jedinak
Hourahane
Kodjia
Davies
Hogan
Defensive cover we have Hutton, De Laet and Samba, so a bit short. Midfield we could have just said Lansbury, Whelan, Green, Grealish and Adomah which would have been enough and up front we have Gabby and O Hare so need another.
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Yes we still look short of a centre back, left back and big centre forward despite all the players that have come in. Does make you wonder what the point of signing Elhammody and Onamah was (who both look ok) but do we need them? I think with everyone fit I'd play 4-4-2:
Johnstone
Bree
Chester
Terry
Taylor
Snodgrass
Jedinak
Hourahane
Kodjia
Davies
Hogan
Don't think Jedinak could play in a two man midfield to be honest. We've tried that already this season with Whelan and he got badly exposed.
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Not expecting anyone else in although some cover at left back might be pertinent - would love to see the back of Richards but not sure anyone stupid enough to take him on. Gardner, Elphick and unfortunately McCormack all appear to be surplus to requirements but would like to see us recoup some actual bloody money on them and not loan out or give away
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Yes we still look short of a centre back, left back and big centre forward despite all the players that have come in. Does make you wonder what the point of signing Elhammody and Onamah was (who both look ok) but do we need them? I think with everyone fit I'd play 4-4-2:
Johnstone
Bree
Chester
Terry
Taylor
Snodgrass
Jedinak
Hourahane
Kodjia
Davies
Hogan
Don't think Jedinak could play in a two man midfield to be honest. We've tried that already this season with Whelan and he got badly exposed.
I didn't think he'd played this season. He is a bit slow but I'm sure he played like that last season at times and looked ok.
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And I forgot about the Icelandic Zidane as well, yet more midfield cover.
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Dwight Gayle made available for transfers him and would be decent .
Would have liked Kieran Gibbs but how about Ben chilwell from Leicester on loan too getting these 2 be nice moves .
Tidy up and say good bye to Elpsick Hutton and Gardner and McCormack.
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You are doing it again footy. Making perfect, incorrect names for players. Elpsick. *applauds*
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Dwight Gayle made available for transfers him and would be decent .
Would have liked Kieran Gibbs but how about Ben chilwell from Leicester on loan too getting these 2 be nice moves .
Tidy up and say good bye to Elpsick Hutton and Gardner and McCormack.
Good shout Skillzy, but probably a bit too similar to Kodjia and Hogan in terms of style. If Murray at Brighton were to become available before the window closes then that is someone we should be looking at.
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Yes we still look short of a centre back, left back and big centre forward despite all the players that have come in. Does make you wonder what the point of signing Elhammody and Onamah was (who both look ok) but do we need them? I think with everyone fit I'd play 4-4-2:
Johnstone
Bree
Chester
Terry
Taylor
Snodgrass
Jedinak
Hourahane
Kodjia
Davies
Hogan
Don't think Jedinak could play in a two man midfield to be honest. We've tried that already this season with Whelan and he got badly exposed.
I didn't think he'd played this season. He is a bit slow but I'm sure he played like that last season at times and looked ok.
I suspect Elmo was signed before we realised we could get Snodgrass, who was too good an opportunity to pass on. I doubt we'd have signed Elmo if we had secured Snodgrass first.
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Gayle for sayle? Odd, he was their top scorer last season wasn't he?
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Gayle for sayle? Odd, he was their top scorer last season wasn't he?
Yes, but basically a new Cameron Jerome or Glenn Murray. Will rip the Championship apart, but will do virtually nothing in the Premier League.
If they can be turn use his goals to get them up and then turn a £5m profit I reckon they'll be delighted with that.
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Gayle for sayle? Odd, he was their top scorer last season wasn't he?
Yes, but basically a new Cameron Jerome or Glenn Murray. Will rip the Championship apart, but will do virtually nothing in the Premier League.
If they can be turn use his goals to get them up and then turn a £5m profit I reckon they'll be delighted with that.
I didn't realise he was 27. I thought was way younger than that.
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Joe Bennett was absolutely diabolical at Aston Villa. The fact he may have started the season well at a different club is irrelevant to that fact. Actually he was nearly as bad as Jordan Bowery who I think it's the worst footballer I've ever seen in claret and blue during my 40 years of watching the Villa.
Mind you I will say that since 2010 the club was in a state of decomposition and that may have had an effect of making our players look a lot worse.
Bennett was a player that would have thrived in a club that wasn't decomposing with crap management and irresponsible senior players.
And bullying coaches, etc. but lets not feel sorry for him, his old gaff is on the market for £995,000. If you need evidence of what is wrong with football there it is.
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Gayle for sayle? Odd, he was their top scorer last season wasn't he?
Yes, but basically a new Cameron Jerome or Glenn Murray. Will rip the Championship apart, but will do virtually nothing in the Premier League.
If they can be turn use his goals to get them up and then turn a £5m profit I reckon they'll be delighted with that.
Don't think Newcastle will sell, they don't really have that many strikers on their books. Joselu who's struggled in the prem and Mitrovic who Benitez dosen't rate at all is all they've got bar Gayle unless I've missed out someone very obvious.
We should've got him when he left Palace.
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Fulham have had a bid accepted for Dwight Gayle, Wolves and Leeds also apparantly interested.
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Yes we still look short of a centre back, left back and big centre forward despite all the players that have come in. Does make you wonder what the point of signing Elhammody and Onamah was (who both look ok) but do we need them? I think with everyone fit I'd play 4-4-2:
Johnstone
Bree
Chester
Terry
Taylor
Snodgrass
Jedinak
Hourahane
Kodjia
Davies
Hogan
Don't think Jedinak could play in a two man midfield to be honest. We've tried that already this season with Whelan and he got badly exposed.
I didn't think he'd played this season. He is a bit slow but I'm sure he played like that last season at times and looked ok.
I suspect Elmo was signed before we realised we could get Snodgrass, who was too good an opportunity to pass on. I doubt we'd have signed Elmo if we had secured Snodgrass first.
That's the kind of mindset that tolerated MON buying Habib Beye and other expensive squad fillers under Lerner's reign.
With the reported interest in Crouch today, I dread to think what state the club will be in if we fail to get promotion this season. We appear to be bankrolling Bruce up to as much as the FFP rules permit. Complete madness.
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Fulham in talks with Gayle and Jota from Brentford. Automatic promotion for them if they sign those two.
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Hull look like getting Musa on loan from Leicester too, he could be incredible in this division.
Fulham get Jota and Gayle they are going to be very handy. Bad summer to have to batten down due to FFP.
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At least it'd mean Jota couldn't play against us for Brentford next match
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At least it'd mean Jota couldn't play against us for Brentford next match
Yes. Just take us apart for Fulham instead!
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At least it'd mean Jota couldn't play against us for Brentford next match
Yes. Just take us apart for Fulham instead!
Nah, we always beat them at home and lose away, it's like it's the law.
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Yes we still look short of a centre back, left back and big centre forward despite all the players that have come in. Does make you wonder what the point of signing Elhammody and Onamah was (who both look ok) but do we need them? I think with everyone fit I'd play 4-4-2:
Johnstone
Bree
Chester
Terry
Taylor
Snodgrass
Jedinak
Hourahane
Kodjia
Davies
Hogan
Don't think Jedinak could play in a two man midfield to be honest. We've tried that already this season with Whelan and he got badly exposed.
I didn't think he'd played this season. He is a bit slow but I'm sure he played like that last season at times and looked ok.
I suspect Elmo was signed before we realised we could get Snodgrass, who was too good an opportunity to pass on. I doubt we'd have signed Elmo if we had secured Snodgrass first.
That's the kind of mindset that tolerated MON buying Habib Beye and other expensive squad fillers under Lerner's reign.
With the reported interest in Crouch today, I dread to think what state the club will be in if we fail to get promotion this season. We appear to be bankrolling Bruce up to as much as the FFP rules permit. Complete madness.
Wages might be a concern, but Crouch would be an ideal signing. We would be able to rotate him and Davis in the target man role, as well as looking at partnering him with Hogan or Kodjia.
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If Gayle is available we should go for him tbh.
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If Gayle is available we should go for him tbh.
ern
I don't think he will be allowed to when we already have Davis, Kodja, Hogan, Green, McCormack and Gabby to choose from
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I think I heard that Newcastle wanted £10m for Gayle...which would put us out of the running for him anyway. Besides I dont think we should be paying out any more money for players that can't cut it in the Premier League, so we should utilise the loan market like a certain grafty cockney not too far down the road.
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He might be an expensive buy and he may not be the sort of player we need as a priority buy but I have always rated Gayle.
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Sky are reporting that Fulham have offered 15m but Newcastle want 20m. It's absolute madness.
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Don't like him but I am ok if we do a swap deal involving Gabby or Ross preferably both😆
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Hull look like getting Musa on loan from Leicester too, he could be incredible in this division.
Fulham get Jota and Gayle they are going to be very handy. Bad summer to have to batten down due to FFP.
They look like doing excellent business if they get those two players along with the players they already have and a decent manager.
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Don't like him but I am ok if we do a swap deal involving Gabby or Ross preferably both😆
The asking price is £20m or Gabby,Ross and £25m.
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Don't like him but I am ok if we do a swap deal involving Gabby or Ross preferably both😆
The asking price is £20m or Gabby,Ross and £25m.
I don't think we can afford to pay them that much to take Gabby.
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Sky are reporting that Fulham have offered 15m but Newcastle want 20m. It's absolute madness.
It is but let's be honest, we'd be asking the same for Kodjia.
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Think deadline day is going to be a bit depressing at Villa - more about thinking 'ouch' at the players others can buy.
I had hoped that all Bruce's whinging about 'not having had millions to spend' was a bit of a bluff to try and get one decent money deal in the bag but that now looks non existent.
Scattergun approach to the previous two transfer windows has obviously bitten hard now.
Let's just hope some of the remaining deadwood is shed tomorrow.
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We have Kodjia and Hogan, with a very promising Davis.
We have Grealish, Snoddy (Snoddy), Adomah, Elmo, Green, Hourihane, Lansbury.
Strikers and attacking midfield options coming out our ears. There's enough fire power there to out gun anybody in this league if deployed correctly.
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Fulham in for Forestieri aswell. Just give them the title now.
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We have Kodjia and Hogan, with a very promising Davis.
We have Grealish, Snoddy (Snoddy), Adomah, Elmo, Green, Hourihane, Lansbury.
Strikers and attacking midfield options coming out our ears. There's enough fire power there to out gun anybody in this league if deployed correctly.
Correct. You could even add RHM if he could get himself fit. Run with what we have and get hem all playing to a system that suits.
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Fulham in for Forestieri aswell. Just give them the title now.
Wednesday fans want him gone.
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I reckon we are fine, in terms of options, apart from we need a back up left back.
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Sky are reporting that Fulham have offered 15m but Newcastle want 20m. It's absolute madness.
It is but let's be honest, we'd be asking the same for Kodjia.
I would want Benteke money for Kodjia if any premier league club came in for him with all their riches now.
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Small Heath sniffing around Barry Bannan. Hope he tells 'em where to go. A step down from Sheff Wed.
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Onouha, Snodgrass and Terry's combined transfer values would be well over £10m were they in contract. Having them on-loan/short-term deals makes it easy for Bruce to say we haven't spent much. They were all players coveted by him and presumably other managers and he now has them at his disposal for the/his foreseeable future. He managed to sign them largely thanks to our ''name'' and ability to pay decent wages.
And for once, I'm glad we've got a glut of players on short-term/loan deals such as the above and Whelan/Johnstone. It means we're less financially exposed if we don't get promoted this season. If we do go up we'll have the money to be in a higher class of market to sign better players.
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I reckon we are fine, in terms of options, apart from we need a back up left back.
I'd agree with that unless he's planning to use either Bree or young Mitch Clark.
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Fulham in for Forestieri aswell. Just give them the title now.
He hasn't managed to win the title single handedly for Sheffield Wednesday over the last few years.
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I still think we really need a centre-back, especially if Elphick leaves. I've said it before, but we're a James Chester injury away from disaster. I frequently wake-up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night having dreamed about Terry and Samba playing together at the back.
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One more in then. After watching the impact a ball holding centre forward had against Norwich, I hope it's Crouch. We can't rely on Davies all season and Crouch is a master at it. I still think he'd wade in with goals too.
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I frequently wake-up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night having dreamed about Terry and Samba playing together at the back.
Really? That's wrong.
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I don't want to alarm anyone, but I'm 99% certain that Stephen Kelly is currently training with us, having seen both Lansbury and Agbonlahor's latest Instagram posts...
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Who is Steph Kelly?
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Kelly_(footballer)
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The answer to all our prayers. He's a right back.
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The answer to all our prayers. He's a right back.
A 34 year-old free contract (having been released by Rotherham) one, no less. Had it not been for Chris Samba, I'd be happy to believe that it's just a case of us helping out a player that the Manager knows, but now I'm not too sure! Bristol City are probably readying a bid for James Bree as we talk...!
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Well, he's a right back and we don't have enough right-sided players.
In all seriousness he's probably just training with us to keep up fitness.
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We have Kodjia and Hogan, with a very promising Davis.
We have Grealish, Snoddy (Snoddy), Adomah, Elmo, Green, Hourihane, Lansbury.
Strikers and attacking midfield options coming out our ears. There's enough fire power there to out gun anybody in this league if deployed correctly.
Well, there the rub. We have the players but do we have the tactician and the motivator to exploit the talent available?
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Onouha, Snodgrass and Terry's combined transfer values would be well over £10m were they in contract. Having them on-loan/short-term deals makes it easy for Bruce to say we haven't spent much. They were all players coveted by him and presumably other managers and he now has them at his disposal for the/his foreseeable future. He managed to sign them largely thanks to our ''name'' and ability to pay decent wages.
And for once, I'm glad we've got a glut of players on short-term/loan deals such as the above and Whelan/Johnstone. It means we're less financially exposed if we don't get promoted this season. If we do go up we'll have the money to be in a higher class of market to sign better players.
Onouha is still at QPR, I think.
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Don't know if this has been mentioned previously but we're also being linked to a move for Thomas Vermaelen today. Would be absolutely ideal in that he can play centre-back and left-back, but I've no idea how fit he is and how much he'd cost us in terms of wages. That's without even considering the prospect of whether he'd willingly swap Barcelona for B6...
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http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/explained-ex-birmingham-city-defender-13550995
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Vermaelen? He turned us down for Arsenal years ago.
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The madness is that we have a ridiculously big squad. If everyone was fit the likes of Hutton, Samba, Lansbury, BB, Adomah and Gabby would not even be in my match day 18. I don't want any more arrivals to be honest.
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There surely won't be any more coming in. The squad is top heavy as it is.
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If Elphick goes we have Samba Terry and Chester at centre half. We need a centre half.
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We simply have to offload some of the members of our bloated squad! There's far too much deadwood in there and the wasters are blocking out opportunities for the kids to come through.
This is, I think, the test of how effective Round and Wyness are: get rid of those that we don't need, now!
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Personally I've wanted to see a target man added all summer, the couple of games with Davis has given us the chance to get midfield players up with the forwards so would like a plan b to alternate with Davis.
My fear is Davis gets a knock like Kodjia has had and we are back to hoping Kodjia can conjure up a goal as our only weapon.
Had written Hull off top 6 but they look like they are getting act together so those top 6 places are getting harder and harder to achieve. Seeing Elphick & McCormack linked with loans to Sunderland we need to be 100% convinced we aren't gifting them players who will make them strong enough to get in the mix too - if it is just loans with no obligation to buy the £'s we'll save will be chicken feed if we finish 7th behind Sunderland.
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Yeah the deadwood consisting of Bunn, Richards, Elphick, Hutton, Gardner, Agbonlahor, McCormack and the loaned out players Gollini, Gil, Tshibola and Amavi.
My views is that we should persevere with bringing through our young players and giving them first team experience.
Then start thinking about who we get rid of at the end of the season.
These;
Elmohamedy, Samba, Terry, Whelan and any one else from the midfield of the same age group.
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And let's not loan any more players out, unless it's with a definite transfer at the end of the loan.
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I don't agree that a bloated squad stops youngsters progressing. If they're good enough - better than the poor players bloating up the squad - then they will play.
Some managers are less brilliant than we would like, but I don't know one of them that wouldn't play an outstanding youngster - one that could possibly save their job - just because they have a "bloated squad".
It's more likely that we over hype the youngsters and cling to them as our next big hope when, 9 times out of 10, they are worse or no better than those that are playing and we are moaning about.
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Musa has looked quality whenever I've seen him. He'd be a great signing for Hull.
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McCormack really has been a truly terrible signing.
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McCormack really has been a truly terrible signing.
Signed for his scoring record in the division, yet there was seemingly no idea about where to play him or how to play to his strengths. His attitude after joining just compounded a really poor decision.
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McCormack really has been a truly terrible signing.
Based on his track record, it really does look like we're a big fucking burden for anyone who joins. How can you score so many goals for so long, then just look shot. It's got to be us, surely?
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McCormack really has been a truly terrible signing.
Based on his track record, it really does look like we're a big fucking burden for anyone who joins. How can you score so many goals for so long, then just look shot. It's got to be us, surely?
Think there were some off the field issues going on with him.
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I see Alex Bruce has left Bury only 17 days after signing for them.....next stop Dad????
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I don't agree that a bloated squad stops youngsters progressing. If they're good enough - better than the poor players bloating up the squad - then they will play.
Some managers are less brilliant than we would like, but I don't know one of them that wouldn't play an outstanding youngster - one that could possibly save their job - just because they have a "bloated squad".
It's more likely that we over hype the youngsters and cling to them as our next big hope when, 9 times out of 10, they are worse or no better than those that are playing and we are moaning about.
Young players have to continually be stepping up to the next level to develop. Very few go straight to first team as 16/17 year olds. Many managers default to experience for their short term existence rather than looking at the long term for the club.
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I see Alex Bruce has left Bury only 17 days after signing for them.....next stop Dad????
he was only there on a non contract basis
Literally no one else in the football league wanted him
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Having seen a load of unknown players arrive two summers ago and flop spectacularly should have curbed any appetite I had for leaps into the dark, but this Villa squad is so meat and potatoes now. I can totally see Alex Bruce holding up a Villa shirt tomorrow and Bruce saying of Kelly, "we're just gonna take a little look at him" and giving him a two year deal.
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I don't agree that a bloated squad stops youngsters progressing. If they're good enough - better than the poor players bloating up the squad - then they will play.
Some managers are less brilliant than we would like, but I don't know one of them that wouldn't play an outstanding youngster - one that could possibly save their job - just because they have a "bloated squad".
It's more likely that we over hype the youngsters and cling to them as our next big hope when, 9 times out of 10, they are worse or no better than those that are playing and we are moaning about.
Young players have to continually be stepping up to the next level to develop. Very few go straight to first team as 16/17 year olds. Many managers default to experience for their short term existence rather than looking at the long term for the club.
A bit like classroom sizes, I can see how squad size could affect the development of da yoof. I've never been subjected to professional coaching, but surely having 25+(?) 'senior' players at training every day is going to limit the amount of time that can be expended by coaches on the younger players.
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I don't agree that a bloated squad stops youngsters progressing. If they're good enough - better than the poor players bloating up the squad - then they will play.
Some managers are less brilliant than we would like, but I don't know one of them that wouldn't play an outstanding youngster - one that could possibly save their job - just because they have a "bloated squad".
It's more likely that we over hype the youngsters and cling to them as our next big hope when, 9 times out of 10, they are worse or no better than those that are playing and we are moaning about.
Young players have to continually be stepping up to the next level to develop. Very few go straight to first team as 16/17 year olds. Many managers default to experience for their short term existence rather than looking at the long term for the club.
A bit like classroom sizes, I can see how squad size could affect the development of da yoof. I've never been subjected to professional coaching, but surely having 25+(?) 'senior' players at training every day is going to limit the amount of time that can be expended by coaches on the younger players.
It's the opportunity of playing with better players that stretches young players out of their comfort zone to a higher level. You keep on raising the bar. Filling the squad with experienced and older players that are realistically hardly ever going to play will hold back the development of young players through lack of opportunity.
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I don't agree that a bloated squad stops youngsters progressing. If they're good enough - better than the poor players bloating up the squad - then they will play.
Some managers are less brilliant than we would like, but I don't know one of them that wouldn't play an outstanding youngster - one that could possibly save their job - just because they have a "bloated squad".
It's more likely that we over hype the youngsters and cling to them as our next big hope when, 9 times out of 10, they are worse or no better than those that are playing and we are moaning about.
Young players have to continually be stepping up to the next level to develop. Very few go straight to first team as 16/17 year olds. Many managers default to experience for their short term existence rather than looking at the long term for the club.
A bit like classroom sizes, I can see how squad size could affect the development of da yoof. I've never been subjected to professional coaching, but surely having 25+(?) 'senior' players at training every day is going to limit the amount of time that can be expended by coaches on the younger players.
It doesn't seem to prevent Man Utd, Spurs, Southampton, et al? What's Man Utd's squad size?
Nah. Good players will find their way through, especially with a poor 1st team squad like ours.
Perhaps we just don't have a lot of great young players, and we over hype those that play one or two matches and look half decent?
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Just read online via sky sports that we turned down an approach from Sunderland this afternoon re Tommy Elphick ?
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75, I genuinely don't know, what are their first-team squad sizes? I'd bet on ours being bigger. Given how much better at football they all are than us, I'd suggest that they have two very good players in each position, and then they have talented young players below that. We've just got three Huttons everywhere, so how do kids oust them all when there appears little will above for them to do so? We were Champions of Europe not long back, there surely had to be something there to build on.
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Just read online via sky sports that we turned down an approach from Sunderland this afternoon re Tommy Elphick ?
On Loan for the rest of the season.
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Just read online via sky sports that we turned down an approach from Sunderland this afternoon re Tommy Elphick ?
On Loan for the rest of the season.
Sorry meant to ask y we turned down thinking he was on the out list
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Concerned with the Samba injury leaving us without cover. If someone offered us good money for Elphick he'd probably be on the way out but a loan isn't worth it it seems.
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Just read online via sky sports that we turned down an approach from Sunderland this afternoon re Tommy Elphick ?
Shame that as Sunderland needed a leader on the pitch after being relegated last season.
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I see Bruce Junior is now a free agent and looking for a club.
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Read it and weep.
If he comes as I expect he will our administration is so disfunctional when the manager finally gets sacked they will give notice to the wrong Bruce.
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Blues signing Jota. Would have loved him if we hadn't had got snodgrass. Very good signing for them
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Jota to Small Heath for six million apparently. The Brentford chairman refuses to comment until they have finished a hastily arranged board meeting.
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I'm pretty sure Alex Bruce signed for Bury about three weeks ago on a free.
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and has now left on a free
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Apologies apparently Bruce left Bury after 4 weeks as he was on non contract terms and he was getting better offers elsewhere. Be afraid, be very afraid.
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Alex Bruce was training with Bury for fitness purposes and played for them on a non-contract basis whilst they had injury problems so he has not been released as such. He was never strictly speaking their player. Anyway, he's not coming here.
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Jota going to the unwashed is annoying. Brilliant signing for them.
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Apperantly Fulham and Small Heath both have bids in for Jota as Fulham have sold Aluko to Reading.
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Ccroding to Beeb Gossip, Brucie is in a bar in Portugal, so unlikely to be involved in any business today.
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6m for Jota. We should have been all over that. Brilliant signing g for whoever gets him. Blues cold end up being a cry decent side.
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The team Jota plays for are currently 23rd in the table without a win to their credit so I won't lose too much sleep about him just yet.
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Jota is a good buy Harry like Bruce bringing in alot of players both the same mindset just buy more and hope you find a winning system ...
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Ccroding to Beeb Gossip, Brucie is in a bar in Portugal, so unlikely to be involved in any business today.
Fair play to him, starting the all dayer at that time of the morning.
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Ccroding to Beeb Gossip, Brucie is in a bar in Portugal, so unlikely to be involved in any business today.
doesn't matter, because both parties have agreed to release his registration he's free to join anyone at any time so no one will be chasing him today as they can just pick him up in a week or 2.
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Forget Coutinho, Mahrez and Sanchez. The most exciting possible deal of the day is Jota apparently.
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Ccroding to Beeb Gossip, Brucie is in a bar in Portugal, so unlikely to be involved in any business today.
doesn't matter, because both parties have agreed to release his registration he's free to join anyone at any time so no one will be chasing him today as they can just pick him up in a week or 2.
Steve not Alex!!
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Brentford cashing in on some players before getting relegated.
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If Burnley sign Nakhi Wells I would imagine that they'd be looking to move on Ashley Barnes, a player we've been previously linked with...
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Ccroding to Beeb Gossip, Brucie is in a bar in Portugal, so unlikely to be involved in any business today.
doesn't matter, because both parties have agreed to release his registration he's free to join anyone at any time so no one will be chasing him today as they can just pick him up in a week or 2.
Steve not Alex!!
ahhh, sorry, there were lots of posts about him just before yours.
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If Burnley sign Nakhi Wells I would imagine that they'd be looking to move on Ashley Barnes, a player we've been previously linked with...
They want £10m for him allegedly
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Ccroding to Beeb Gossip, Brucie is in a bar in Portugal, so unlikely to be involved in any business today.
Waaahhheeyy, international break, let's get on it!!
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The team Jota plays for are currently 23rd in the table without a win to their credit so I won't lose too much sleep about him just yet.
Palace are in the bottom two without a point or a goal, but that doesn't mean a team signing Benteke would be getting a dud.
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The team Jota plays for are currently 23rd in the table without a win to their credit so I won't lose too much sleep about him just yet.
Palace are in the bottom two without a point or a goal, but that doesn't mean a team signing Benteke would be getting a dud.
Yes, but that doesn't suit my snidey argument against Small Heath so we'll overlook that...
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The team Jota plays for are currently 23rd in the table without a win to their credit so I won't lose too much sleep about him just yet.
Palace are in the bottom two without a point or a goal, but that doesn't mean a team signing Benteke would be getting a dud.
Yes, but that doesn't suit my snidey argument against Small Heath so we'll overlook that...
Brentford are managed by the bloke a lot seem to think should be the Villa manager. Hadn't realised they aren't in the top 6.
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A lot of meltdown from our fans on Facebook and Twitter over Jota. Can't believe we're a bit envious of that shower but he is better than any of our attacking players, bar Kodjia. People tweeting Dr Tony telling him to hijack the bid and begging him to sign him is pathetic though.
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Surely if he has a choice he'll go to Fulham?
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Brentford are managed by the bloke a lot seem to think should be the Villa manager. Hadn't realised they aren't in the top 6.
And even there, they're punching significantly higher than their weight than we are.
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Surely if he has a choice he'll go to Fulham?
And surely if he doesn't have a choice he'll develop temporary paralysis in his contract signing hand until 23:01 tonight?
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A lot of meltdown from our fans on Facebook and Twitter over Jota. Can't believe we're a bit envious of that shower but he is better than any of our attacking players, bar Kodjia. People tweeting Dr Tony telling him to hijack the bid and begging him to sign him is pathetic though.
Can't say I've even heard of him.
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A lot of meltdown from our fans on Facebook and Twitter over Jota. Can't believe we're a bit envious of that shower but he is better than any of our attacking players, bar Kodjia. People tweeting Dr Tony telling him to hijack the bid and begging him to sign him is pathetic though.
Can't say I've even heard of him.
V. Good player - if we hadn't of signed shoddy then he would have be worth looking at for sure
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Jota move to SHA off, personal terms can't be agreed.
He'd have been their best summer signing by a mile.
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A lot of meltdown from our fans on Facebook and Twitter over Jota. Can't believe we're a bit envious of that shower but he is better than any of our attacking players, bar Kodjia. People tweeting Dr Tony telling him to hijack the bid and begging him to sign him is pathetic though.
Can't say I've even heard of him.
He was instrumental when Brentford tore us a new one in the 3-0 defeat.
Small Heath now in talks with Alex Song aswell apparently. They're either going to gel quickly and storm into the top 6, or Harry will leave them bankrupt with lots of unhappy players wanting out.
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Jota move to SHA off, personal terms can't be agreed.
He'd have been their best summer signing by a mile.
It was a fake account that tweeted that. Fooled a lot of people on there.
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A lot of meltdown from our fans on Facebook and Twitter over Jota. Can't believe we're a bit envious of that shower but he is better than any of our attacking players, bar Kodjia. People tweeting Dr Tony telling him to hijack the bid and begging him to sign him is pathetic though.
Can't say I've even heard of him.
He was instrumental when Brentford tore us a new one in the 3-0 defeat.
Small Heath now in talks with Alex Song aswell apparently. They're either going to gel quickly and storm into the top 6, or Harry will leave them bankrupt with lots of unhappy players wanting out.
Still can't remember standing out too much.
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Yes Jota, exactly what we needed, our 19th attacking midfielder.
Usual Villa trick of signing a player who had one good game against us (I'm sure he's had more, cannot say I watch Brentford mind and if you say you do, you're lying). That said, Brentford's best player was that big fucking hole we had behind our midfield.
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Jota move to SHA off, personal terms can't be agreed.
He'd have been their best summer signing by a mile.
It doesn't matter one jota to me whether he signs for them or not and who is he by the way?
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A lot of meltdown from our fans on Facebook and Twitter over Jota. Can't believe we're a bit envious of that shower but he is better than any of our attacking players, bar Kodjia. People tweeting Dr Tony telling him to hijack the bid and begging him to sign him is pathetic though.
Can't say I've even heard of him.
He was instrumental when Brentford tore us a new one in the 3-0 defeat.
Small Heath now in talks with Alex Song aswell apparently. They're either going to gel quickly and storm into the top 6, or Harry will leave them bankrupt with lots of unhappy players wanting out.
How many times have you seen him play? Apparently Fulham were going to win the title if they bought him.
Its 2 isn't it. Your view would have been shit the second time if you went as well.
Edit: Scratch that, you've seen him once, as they hadn't signed him when we played at Villa Park.
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The team Jota plays for are currently 23rd in the table without a win to their credit so I won't lose too much sleep about him just yet.
Palace are in the bottom two without a point or a goal, but that doesn't mean a team signing Benteke would be getting a dud.
Yes, but that doesn't suit my snidey argument against Small Heath so we'll overlook that...
Brentford are managed by the bloke a lot seem to think should be the Villa manager. Hadn't realised they aren't in the top 6.
But don't you know they beat us 3-0 last season so that mandates they are nearly Barcelona and "our Dean Smith" is the best coach in the division by a mile.
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Yeah, twiffic
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIi011YXUAAwtds.jpg)
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I watched some of that STL @ MIL game last night. Great comeback by Milwaukee
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Neil Moxley tweets;
I think there will be ins and outs at Villa today. Probably loans. A couple of issues solved for the good for SB.
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A lot of meltdown from our fans on Facebook and Twitter over Jota. Can't believe we're a bit envious of that shower but he is better than any of our attacking players, bar Kodjia. People tweeting Dr Tony telling him to hijack the bid and begging him to sign him is pathetic though.
Can't say I've even heard of him.
Had a good game against us once. To be honest like you, I didn't notice anybody in particular, although I was stood on a concrete block at the bottom of the lower tier so didn't have the greatest view.
If anything the way we vacated our midfield for an hour of the game, with a huge space in behind them and exposed back four was the main reason for a drubbing. If Jedinak had played it would have been a different story.
There may well be some people who watched him play for Brentford, they drew 0-0 with Norwich New Years Eve which I saw. Cant say I noticed him then either. Other than the sub-YouTube highlights real that is the 30 seconds they get on channel 5, I cannot think how enough people have seen him to have a Princess moment on social media.
So yeah, it appears to be one game where he's given us a drubbing, but then who hasn't the past 6 years?
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Whats with the fire sale at Arsenal? If all the rumours are true they won't have any time to get replacements in. There again be nice to see them sink like a stone
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I don't think it's just 1 game though is it, he got 12 goals in half a season as an attacking midfielder. Many Villa fans will have only paid attention to him because he destroyed us but I think it's difficult to argue that he wasn't one of the best players in the league in the second half of last season.
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I don't think it's just 1 game though is it, he got 12 goals in half a season as an attacking midfielder. Many Villa fans will have only paid attention to him because he destroyed us but I think it's difficult to argue that he wasn't one of the best players in the league in the second half of last season.
I think its impossible to argue with any credibility that a player you've seen once is any good. He may well be, but I don't know, I've only seen him once. That was enough for Quinton to crown Fulham champions apparently.
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I don't think it's just 1 game though is it, he got 12 goals in half a season as an attacking midfielder. Many Villa fans will have only paid attention to him because he destroyed us but I think it's difficult to argue that he wasn't one of the best players in the league in the second half of last season.
I think its impossible to argue with any credibility that a player you've seen once is any good. He may well be, but I don't know, I've only seen him once. That was enough for Quinton to crown Fulham champions apparently.
I mentioned the 3-0 against us in reply to someone saying they've never heard of him. He is one of the best attacking players in the league and is very skilful, that's not just based on one game against us. I'd rather have him than Snodgrass or Elmo, anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves.
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I can't say I give too much of a shit about who Blues sign to be honest.
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I can't say I give too much of a shit about who Blues sign to be honest.
Nor me.
I don't think I could name a single Small Heath player in the current squad, and I certainly couldn't give one tenth of one single fuck who they sign in this window.
I understand why others might be interested, but I struggle to have much interest in who we sign at the moment, let alone that shower.
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I don't think it's just 1 game though is it, he got 12 goals in half a season as an attacking midfielder. Many Villa fans will have only paid attention to him because he destroyed us but I think it's difficult to argue that he wasn't one of the best players in the league in the second half of last season.
I think its impossible to argue with any credibility that a player you've seen once is any good. He may well be, but I don't know, I've only seen him once. That was enough for Quinton to crown Fulham champions apparently.
I mentioned the 3-0 against us in reply to someone saying they've never heard of him. He is one of the best attacking players in the league and is very skilful, that's not just based on one game against us. I'd rather have him than Snodgrass or Elmo, anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves.
What's it based on then? When have you seen him play? He didn't play in the only other televised game I can recall Brentford being on.
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Gardner to Barnsley possibly
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I don't think it's just 1 game though is it, he got 12 goals in half a season as an attacking midfielder. Many Villa fans will have only paid attention to him because he destroyed us but I think it's difficult to argue that he wasn't one of the best players in the league in the second half of last season.
I think its impossible to argue with any credibility that a player you've seen once is any good. He may well be, but I don't know, I've only seen him once. That was enough for Quinton to crown Fulham champions apparently.
I mentioned the 3-0 against us in reply to someone saying they've never heard of him. He is one of the best attacking players in the league and is very skilful, that's not just based on one game against us. I'd rather have him than Snodgrass or Elmo, anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves.
What's it based on then? When have you seen him play? He didn't play in the only other televised game I can recall Brentford being on.
Maybe you could ascertain if a player looks decent by watching highlights and reading press reports. You don't have to watch numerous full 90 minutes matches to like the look of a player.
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I don't think it's just 1 game though is it, he got 12 goals in half a season as an attacking midfielder. Many Villa fans will have only paid attention to him because he destroyed us but I think it's difficult to argue that he wasn't one of the best players in the league in the second half of last season.
I think its impossible to argue with any credibility that a player you've seen once is any good. He may well be, but I don't know, I've only seen him once. That was enough for Quinton to crown Fulham champions apparently.
I mentioned the 3-0 against us in reply to someone saying they've never heard of him. He is one of the best attacking players in the league and is very skilful, that's not just based on one game against us. I'd rather have him than Snodgrass or Elmo, anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves.
He'd be a bit of a luxury signing for us at this point though as we already have a few decent options in Snodgrass, Grealish (when fit), O'Hare, RHM and Lansbury who can play that kind of role (whether they are better than him is up for debate I guess). What we really should be looking at is filling the obvious gaps in the current squad, which for me are a target man striker to compete with Davis and cover at left back.
If we are able to plug those gaps today then I think we would be in pretty decent shape.
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That said, Brentford's best player was that big fucking hole we had behind our midfield.
Didn't think Richards played against Brentford
Agree we do not need another player in that position whilst we have no depth on the left side of the park. Snodgrass is better than Jota anyway.
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If we were buying anyone from Brentford based on the two games against us, it would be Wood the ginger midfielder for me....
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Talk of Crouch on twitter. I'd welcome him back for the season. Davis has shown our need for a hold up forward and Davis is too young to expect consistency all season long.
Kodjia, Hogan, Crouch, Davis, Gabby and loan out RHM/Ross
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If we were buying anyone from Brentford based on the two games against us, it would be Wood the ginger midfielder for me....
He's not played this season after suffering family trauma (him and his Mrs lost a baby) so highly doubt he will be available anytime soon
Very good player though! He bossed the games v us last season
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If we were buying anyone from Brentford based on the two games against us, it would be Wood the ginger midfielder for me....
He's not played this season after suffering family trauma (him and his Mrs lost a baby) so highly doubt he will be available anytime soon
Very good player though! He bossed the games v us last season
He played last weekend apparently.
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If we were buying anyone from Brentford based on the two games against us, it would be Wood the ginger midfielder for me....
He's not played this season after suffering family trauma (him and his Mrs lost a baby) so highly doubt he will be available anytime soon
Very good player though! He bossed the games v us last season
He played last weekend apparently.
Didn't realise he was back already. Knew he missed start of the season and no one knew why
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Talk of Crouch on twitter. I'd welcome him back for the season. Davis has shown our need for a hold up forward and Davis is too young to expect consistency all season long.
Kodjia, Hogan, Crouch, Davis, Gabby and loan out RHM/Ross
No way Stoke are letting Crouch go. He's still their best striker.
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Talk of Crouch on twitter. I'd welcome him back for the season. Davis has shown our need for a hold up forward and Davis is too young to expect consistency all season long.
Kodjia, Hogan, Crouch, Davis, Gabby and loan out RHM/Ross
No way Stoke are letting Crouch go. He's still their best striker.
The oracle of Twitter is suggesting that if Spurs get Llorente , they'll let Jansen join Stoke which would free-up Crouch...
-
Neil Moxley tweets;
I think there will be ins and outs at Villa today. Probably loans. A couple of issues solved for the good for SB.
Is SB going then!
-
Talk of Crouch on twitter. I'd welcome him back for the season. Davis has shown our need for a hold up forward and Davis is too young to expect consistency all season long.
Kodjia, Hogan, Crouch, Davis, Gabby and loan out RHM/Ross
No way Stoke are letting Crouch go. He's still their best striker.
The oracle of Twitter is suggesting that if Spurs get Llorente , they'll let Jansen join Stoke which would free-up Crouch...
Sounds more likely that Jansen goes to Swansea.
-
Neil Moxley tweets;
I think there will be ins and outs at Villa today. Probably loans. A couple of issues solved for the good for SB.
Is SB going then!
Issues for SB??????
I would imagine the main "issue" player would be McCormack going
Hope the other is Richards or gabby or Both
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Talk of Crouch on twitter. I'd welcome him back for the season. Davis has shown our need for a hold up forward and Davis is too young to expect consistency all season long.
Kodjia, Hogan, Crouch, Davis, Gabby and loan out RHM/Ross
No way Stoke are letting Crouch go. He's still their best striker.
The oracle of Twitter is suggesting that if Spurs get Llorente , they'll let Jansen join Stoke which would free-up Crouch...
Janssen is going to Swansea in a swop with Llorente apparently.
-
Neil Moxley tweets;
I think there will be ins and outs at Villa today. Probably loans. A couple of issues solved for the good for SB.
Is SB going then!
Issues for SB??????
I would imagine the main "issue" player would be McCormack going
Hope the other is Richards or gabby or Both
He said McCormack, Gardner and Elphick all should go so imagine it's those three although I highly doubt they'll all be permanent.
Gabby was on the bench the other night so little chance he's going.
-
Gardner off to Barnsley on Loan
-
Gardner off to Barnsley on Loan
Brilliant, got tickets for Barnsley yesterday, I bet he scores....
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Richards will unfortunately be going nowhere. There's nobody daft enough to take him.
-
Gardner off to Barnsley on Loan
Brilliant, got tickets for Barnsley yesterday, I bet he scores....
He won't be able to play against us. Although knowing us we'll have forgot to put that clause in and he'll score the winner in both games.
-
Small Heath in for Wilshere now.
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Didn't do much at Bournemouth, won't do much there either.
-
Richards will unfortunately be going nowhere. There's nobody daft enough to take him.
Yep, him and Agbonlahor are with us until their contracts run out. Knowing us, they've both probably got options for another year written in as well.
-
Think Harry is chucking names at the press as usual and they are lapping it up
-
He's having another crafty transfer window...how long will it take until we hear he's in for Niko Kranjcar again?
-
Small Heath in for Wilshere now.
A vile piece of sh*t that would fit in perfectly for them
-
And if anyone has left a club with more dignity than this....
Oxlade-Chamberlain.
"After six years, three FA Cup wins and countless incredible memories, the time has come for me to move on from Arsenal. I want to publicly thank Arsene, the coaching and club staff and my amazing team mates for all of the incredible opportunities I have been given. Thank you so much to you, the fans, who have always had my back - I honestly couldn't be more grateful. The club, and my time here, will always mean a massive amount to me. I know my choice might come as a surprise to many, and the decision to leave was tough after being a part of the club for so many years, but I feel that this move is right for the next stage in my ongoing development."
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Gardner getting a 4 year deal was very bizarre wasn't it? Not even something you could pin on the Lerner reign.
-
Small Heath in for Wilshere now.
A vile piece of sh*t that would fit in perfectly for them
Whats he done, other than look annoying?
-
Gardner getting a 4 year deal was very bizarre wasn't it? Not even something you could pin on the Lerner reign.
I think there was interest in him around that time, so I guess the logic was that a long contract would ensure that we got a decent fee for him.
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Gardner getting a 4 year deal was very bizarre wasn't it? Not even something you could pin on the Lerner reign.
I think there was interest in him around that time, so I guess the logic was that a long contract would ensure that we got a decent fee for him.
I guess it was to preserve his transfer value and possibly give him one last crack with us. We gave long deals to Westwood and Bacuna previously, on modest wages presumably and we got decent fees for both when we left so there's logic to it. Bruce had mentioned a few times that Gardner was not on parity wage-wise with the rest of the squad so could have been a ''gentlemanly act'' as well.
I'd hope we get £3m at least for Gardner.
-
Richards will unfortunately be going nowhere. There's nobody daft enough to take him.
He would probably fail the medical. His knees must be shot, how many games has he been fit for in the past year? He's been a disaster.
-
I remember being really happy with the Richards signing. Now know why no other club were seemingly interested in him, he's been a disaster and will be stinking the place out for a while longer.
-
Richards will unfortunately be going nowhere. There's nobody daft enough to take him.
He would probably fail the medical. His knees must be shot, how many games has he been fit for in the past year? He's been a disaster.
I'm not being nasty, but why don't we just write him off on the insurance?
-
Richards will unfortunately be going nowhere. There's nobody daft enough to take him.
He would probably fail the medical. His knees must be shot, how many games has he been fit for in the past year? He's been a disaster.
I'm not being nasty, but why don't we just write him off on the insurance?
oh you are so nasty!! :D
they probably would have thought of that but he is probably still fit enough to play football
-
Richards will unfortunately be going nowhere. There's nobody daft enough to take him.
He would probably fail the medical. His knees must be shot, how many games has he been fit for in the past year? He's been a disaster.
I'm not being nasty, but why don't we just write him off on the insurance?
oh you are so nasty!! :D
they probably would have thought of that but he is probably still fit enough to play football
I'm not nasty, I'm not :-[
He can't be fit to play football or Harry would have been on the case
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Richards will unfortunately be going nowhere. There's nobody daft enough to take him.
He would probably fail the medical. His knees must be shot, how many games has he been fit for in the past year? He's been a disaster.
I'm not being nasty, but why don't we just write him off on the insurance?
oh you are so nasty!! :D
they probably would have thought of that but he is probably still fit enough to play football
I'm not nasty, I'm not :-[
He can't be fit to play football or Harry would have been on the case
ok I believe you
We really have purchased some dross though havent we ?
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Micah and his agent must be laughing themselves silly.
60+k a week to do absolutely nothing.
No club is going to give him a better offer, so just sit tight, say nothing and be the club's official clown.
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Please excuse the ignorant question but, doesn't a player have to agree to be written off medically to be able to claim insurance? IIRC didn't SAF want to claim insurance for Paul MGrath but McGrath refused? I'm probably raving again.
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Please excuse the ignorant question but, doesn't a player have to agree to be written off medically to be able to claim insurance? IIRC didn't SAF want to claim insurance for Paul MGrath but McGrath refused? I'm probably raving again.
Correct.
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Does anyone know what SAF did when Robin van Persie "died"? Was there an insurance claim?
-
Have we ever had an exciting transfer deadline day?
-
Have we ever had an exciting transfer deadline day?
We used to with MON as he left it all to the last minute
-
Small Heath in for Wilshere now.
Just being dropped off at The Sty now
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIkFDXkXoAEk97a.jpg)
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Richards will unfortunately be going nowhere. There's nobody daft enough to take him.
He would probably fail the medical. His knees must be shot, how many games has he been fit for in the past year? He's been a disaster.
I'm not being nasty, but why don't we just write him off on the insurance?
Like an old Cortina
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So, we have no cover at left-back and our manager is spending the last day of the transfer window in a pub?
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So, we have no cover at left-back and our manager is spending the last day of the transfer window in a pub?
De Laet and Bree cover
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I don't want players playing out of position as "cover". Left-backs should not be right-footed. Get a left-footed left-back.
-
So, we have no cover at left-back and our manager is spending the last day of the transfer window in a pub?
You've clearly forgot Birkir and Clark before we even get started on Bree and De Laet. Calm yer knickers
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So, we have no cover at left-back and our manager is spending the last day of the transfer window in a pub?
De Laet and Bree cover
Dodge it!
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I don't want players playing out of position as "cover". Left-backs should not be right-footed. Get a left-footed left-back.
our problem isn't how many players we've got to fill all the positions we have a massive squad
It's how many quality players we have on that big squad to do the business on the pitch
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So, we have no cover at left-back and our manager is spending the last day of the transfer window in a pub?
You've clearly forgot Birkir and Clark before we even get started on Bree and De Laet. Calm yer knickers
We have Agbonlahor and Steer as cover, too. Not particularly relevant though as, like the players you mentioned, they're not left-backs.
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Left-backs should not be right-footed.
Zambrotta, Maldini, Breitner, Fachetti, Krol, Brehme, Lahm, Zanetti, Azpilicueta...
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Left-backs should not be right-footed.
Zambrotta, Maldini, Breitner, Fachetti, Krol, Brehme, Lahm, Zanetti, Azpilicueta...
Yeah but anyone decent ?
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Any sign of shifting the unwanteds? A load of loans out the door looking best-case.
-
So, we have no cover at left-back and our manager is spending the last day of the transfer window in a pub?
De Laet and Bree cover
Samba cover for Davis as the big man up front too. Jedinak as cover for when Samba and Terry break down, in fact there's just been a load of square pegs dropped off round the back of the North Stand that we can use. Don't worry about cover.
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Left-backs should not be right-footed.
Zambrotta, Maldini, Breitner, Fachetti, Krol, Brehme, Lahm, Zanetti, Azpilicueta...
I think the kids would say 'schooled' to that. You could counter that with J'Lloyd Samuel though.
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So, we have no cover at left-back and our manager is spending the last day of the transfer window in a pub?
You've clearly forgot Birkir and Clark before we even get started on Bree and De Laet. Calm yer knickers
We have Agbonlahor and Steer as cover, too. Not particularly relevant though as, like the players you mentioned, they're not left-backs.
and yet they've both played perfectly well there so not the same at all is it ?
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Gone quiet on McCormack hasn't it?
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Richards will unfortunately be going nowhere. There's nobody daft enough to take him.
He would probably fail the medical. His knees must be shot, how many games has he been fit for in the past year? He's been a disaster.
I'm not being nasty, but why don't we just write him off on the insurance?
oh you are so nasty!! :D
they probably would have thought of that but he is probably still fit enough to play football
That could be sorted! I know a few wrong uns 😉
-
Small Heath in for Wilshere now.
Just being dropped off at The Sty now
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIkFDXkXoAEk97a.jpg)
LOL 👏👏
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Sunderland taking the piss on deals for McCormack and Elphick so looks like we ain't doing business. Means we are stuck with them but at least for once we are not rolling over
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Sunderland taking the piss on deals for McCormack and Elphick so looks like we ain't doing business. Means we are stuck with them but at least for once we are not rolling over
What are they offering?
-
Would keep Tom at a push. Anything over a fiver for Ross and it's a deal
-
Small Heath in for Wilshere now.
Just being dropped off at The Sty now
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIkFDXkXoAEk97a.jpg)
LOL 👏👏
Surely that's a Villa inside job , look at the first two letters of the Ambulance
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Elpnick as fourth choice centre half isn't the end of the world. Surprised we've not moved McCormack on though.
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Sunderland taking the piss on deals for McCormack and Elphick so looks like we ain't doing business. Means we are stuck with them but at least for once we are not rolling over
What are they offering?
£1m for Tommy apparently (and they probably asked us to pay them for thanking fatmac off our hands)
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Jota is Small Heath's club record signing for £6m. Hahaha. We paid that for super Bosko Balaban 16 years ago.
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I wonder if his nickname is Laverda ?
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Jota is Small Heath's club record signing for £6m. Hahaha. We paid that for super Bosko Balaban 16 years ago.
How much did they pay for Dunn, Heskey or Zigic? I'm sure at least one of them hit the £6m mark.
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Jota is Small Heath's club record signing for £6m. Hahaha. We paid that for super Bosko Balaban 16 years ago.
How much did they pay for Dunn, Heskey or Zigic? I'm sure at least one of them hit the £6m mark.
No Zigic was just 6m a week in wages
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Left-backs should not be right-footed.
Zambrotta, Maldini, Breitner, Fachetti, Krol, Brehme, Lahm, Zanetti, Azpilicueta...
....and Gordon Smith, John Robson
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Left-backs should not be right-footed.
Zambrotta, Maldini, Breitner, Fachetti, Krol, Brehme, Lahm, Zanetti, Azpilicueta...
They were all both-footed. Brehme even took penalties with his left foot.
We are lacking at left back. Thinking we can just bung a right back in there on the basis that he might "do a job" is the same logic that has since a succession of players played out of position for us in one of the full-back positions and look abysmal in the process.
Had MON not had a pathological hatred of playing full-backs at full-back we would probably have qualified for the Champions League and the torrid last seven years might have been entirely different.
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Two of our former managers have been speaking to the media today about how tough they found it to work the transfer market whilst at Villa. To protect their identity I will just called them TSM1 and TSM2. One of them spent ten million on one player who was useless for us and the other spent a similar amount on handful of players who were useless for us.
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We are lacking at left back. Thinking we can just bung a right back in there on the basis that he might "do a job" is the same logic that has since a succession of players played out of position for us in one of the full-back positions and look abysmal in the process.
I don't disagree at all.
I just disagree that right-footed players can't be left-backs. Some of them demonstrably can.
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Sky are getting the damp squib of a deadline day they truly deserve
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Left-backs should not be right-footed.
Zambrotta, Maldini, Breitner, Fachetti, Krol, Brehme, Lahm, Zanetti, Azpilicueta...
I can't believe you left out the great Phil Neville who excelled at left back under Keegan in 2000.
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We are lacking at left back. Thinking we can just bung a right back in there on the basis that he might "do a job" is the same logic that has since a succession of players played out of position for us in one of the full-back positions and look abysmal in the process.
I don't disagree at all.
I just disagree that right-footed players can't be left-backs. Some of them demonstrably can.
I didn't see them all play, but from what I've seen all the players you listed are both-footed.
In any case, they are all at somewhat of a higher level than we could hope to attain. In the market we can be competing in, it's less likely that we will find a player with the ability to overcome playing in the "wrong" position for his footedness. Bjarnason has already shown that he struggles at left back and I wouldn't want to ruin the confidence and development of Bree or Clarke by playing them out of position.
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We are lacking at left back. Thinking we can just bung a right back in there on the basis that he might "do a job" is the same logic that has since a succession of players played out of position for us in one of the full-back positions and look abysmal in the process.
I don't disagree at all.
I just disagree that right-footed players can't be left-backs. Some of them demonstrably can.
Most of our right-footed players struggle with playing on the right!
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I don't know about leftie rightie but they make the name of a great firm of solicitors.
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Jota is Small Heath's club record signing for £6m. Hahaha. We paid that for super Bosko Balaban 16 years ago.
Cost is irrelevant, especially as we've wasted millions
Vardy cost Leicester £1.5m (?)
-
Every club has wasted millions.
-
Left-backs should not be right-footed.
Zambrotta, Maldini, Breitner, Fachetti, Krol, Brehme, Lahm, Zanetti, Azpilicueta...
They were all both-footed. Brehme even took penalties with his left foot.
We are lacking at left back. Thinking we can just bung a right back in there on the basis that he might "do a job" is the same logic that has since a succession of players played out of position for us in one of the full-back positions and look abysmal in the process.
Had MON not had a pathological hatred of playing full-backs at full-back we would probably have qualified for the Champions League and the torrid last seven years might have been entirely different.
Having watched a Maldini documentary, I don't think he would agree that he was both-footed. He came through the youth ranks being much stronger on his right side and put in a hell of a lot of work to get his left foot up to where he did.
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Ads, anither right footed left back come centre half.
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Read it and weep.
If he comes as I expect he will our administration is so disfunctional when the manager finally gets sacked they will give notice to the wrong Bruce.
You worried over nothing. He's gone to Wigan.
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Praise the Lord.
-
Read it and weep.
If he comes as I expect he will our administration is so disfunctional when the manager finally gets sacked they will give notice to the wrong Bruce.
You worried over nothing. He's gone to Wigan.
Phew
-
2 ex Villa stalwarts on sky tv tonight giving us the benefit of their extensive football knowledge on the transfer market
one of them has an extra special skill of being able to post pictures on social media whilst his phone stays in his pocket
-
Is the loan market open in the EFL after tonight?
-
Gardner to Barnsley on loan is confirmed
https://twitter.com/avfcofficial/status/903346677909778432
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He might not be quite good enough but I hope he does well up there.
-
Transfer deadline night has not been the same since they stopped their on-the-spot reporters getting dildos shoved in their lugholes.
-
Transfer deadline night has not been the same since they stopped their on-the-spot reporters getting dildos shoved in their lugholes.
I remember that outside BH :)
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Is the loan market open in the EFL after tonight?
No. They closed that loophole last season (or it may have been the season before). The only loanee we could bring in between midnight and the first of January would be an emergency goalkeeper in the event of an injury crisis.
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Ta. Good, let's squeeze out Fat Mac before midnight then.
-
Serbian LB anyone ? Nemanja Miletic ?
-
Right back according to Transfermarkt, and uncapped so I can't see how we would obtain a work permit.
-
lets face it, McCormack is staying. So Bruce will have to find a way to save face and re-integrate him into the team. Davis should still get a shout and we have sufficient cover at all but Leftback. Not bad, but still 3 or 4 wasters hanging around (as indeed they have been for the last 7-8 years)
-
Anyone steamed in to take Hutton off our hands yet?
-
Ta. Good, let's squeeze out Fat Mac before midnight then.
What a horrible image that brings to mind. If he needs anything squeezing out, he can do it himself.
-
Gardner to Barnsley on loan is confirmed
https://twitter.com/avfcofficial/status/903346677909778432
Good luck Gary.
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Anyone steamed in to take Hutton off our hands yet?
Bruce turned down Sheff Weds last week. He's a keeper. After Johnstone, obviously.
-
Every club has wasted millions.
Yes the biggest wasters over the last 10 years Chelsea, Manu, Liverpool and Man City have spent anything up to £30 Millions on players who have contributed fuck all.
-
Since Hutton is neither-footed I'm sure he can go and be equally inept at left back as he is on the right.
-
I hope we utilise McCormack now and play him, make the fat lump earn his wages. It's a lot of money to let him rot in the reserves, plus we're not blessed with lots of goals throughout our squad.
-
So we signed
Johnstone - Loan
Terry - 12 months
Samba - 12 months
Whelan - 2 years
Onomah - Loan
Elmohamady
Snodgrass - Loan
Everyone happy with that?
-
So one good signing in that list and he is a loanee😥
-
I think it's been crap, one dimensional signings. Very Brucey.
-
Since Hutton is neither-footed I'm sure he can go and be equally inept at left back as he is on the right.
I don't agree that he will be equally inept at left back I think he will be completely useless.
-
CLOSED 😉
-
Not closed in Scotland yet. Come forth ye zombies and sign McCormack.
-
Small Heath sign Maxim Colin. No, me neither. Then again I haven't heard of most of our own signings these days.
-
So we signed
Johnstone - Loan
Terry - 12 months
Samba - 12 months
Whelan - 2 years
Onomah - Loan
Elmohamady
Snodgrass - Loan
Everyone happy with that?
Don't like loans and we've managed 7 if them in a single window
-
Small Heath sign Maxim Colin. No, me neither. Then again I haven't heard of most of our own signings these days.
Lifelong Blues fan. Was always Christophe Dugarry in the playground. Hates the Villa.
-
I hope Dean Smith has sold them a pup or three.
-
I hope Dean Smith has sold them a pup or three.
You just know the first bad game any of them have, that forum will be full of noses talking in all seriousness about reporting him to the FA.
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Since Hutton is neither-footed I'm sure he can go and be equally inept at left back as he is on the right.
I don't agree that he will be equally inept at left back I think he will be completely useless.
Leave him alone, at least he tries.
-
BREAKING NEWS
We have loaned Sarkic to Wigan. Hopefully he gets to play a few games.
-
And as sure as night follows day, all the talk of SHA buying world beaters to dominate football for the next decade actually turns into them doing the bulk of their shopping at the foot of division 2.
As a Mancunian songsmith is wont to say, stop me if you think that you've heard this one before.
-
All in all, quite a disappointing window. Whelan is a good signing. Onomah too, but I really am not keen on loaning other clubs potential. Still have Agbonlahor and Richards on the books.
-
I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
-
So we signed
Johnstone - Loan
Terry - 12 months
Samba - 12 months
Whelan - 2 years
Onomah - Loan
Elmohamady
Snodgrass - Loan
Everyone happy with that?
Onomoah looks a quality addition so far, Johnstone to my eyes seems a better keeper this term too.
The rest are lazy and expensive signings that only immediate promotion will justify.
Unable to flush the likes of Richards, Elphick and McCormack down the toilet. Our squad looks horribly unbalanced with only one left back and very weak options at centre half. So a very average summer's business in summary.
-
Not at all unhappy with the incomings but very disappointed that we haven't moved more players on. I think we are top heavy by about 6/7 senior players.
-
I can't believe we're stuck with McCormack. Surely he's too big a financial outlay not to re-integrate?
-
McCormack staying is okay by me. There's still a player in there somewhere and we may need him later in the season.
-
If he can get his act together he could be a good player for us. If he's got anything about him, he's got no choice now.
-
I would much sooner McCormack be in and around the squad than Agbonlahor
-
BBC live feed saying Sunderland may be announcing one more, could be Ross.
-
Hopefully McCormack will get a start in the Boro cup game, he is here until at least January so Bruce has to get him in and around the squad.
Richards was never going to leave, can't see he would pass a medical, when did he last manage 45 successive minutes of football? Is it one or two years he has left on contract?
Elphick did fine against Wigan, I wonder if Bruce is going to revert to his cowards formation away from home whether Elphick / Chester / Terry might be seen at some time?
-
GK - Johnstone/Steer
RB - De Laet/Bree/Hutton
CB - Chester/Elphick
CB - Terry/Samba
LB - Taylor
CM - Onomah/Jedinak/Whelan/Lansbury
AM - Hourihane/Jack/Ohare
RM - Snodgrass/Adomah/Elmo
LM - Green/Barney
FW - Kodjia/Hogan/Davis/Ross/Gabby/RHM
If Bruce cannot get this squad into top 6 let alone automatic then he deserves shooting.
-
I don't rate Elphick that much but in hindsight keeping him until January is probably sensible given we do lack depth at CB and two of our options have a combined age of 71. Not a fan of him starting week in week out but for the odd game here and there he can be o.k I'm sure as his attitude is decent at least.
Surprised no one came in for McCormack, Sunderland must've baulked at paying a decent amount of his wages.
-
lets face it, McCormack is staying. So Bruce will have to find a way to save face and re-integrate him into the team. Davis should still get a shout and we have sufficient cover at all but Leftback. Not bad, but still 3 or 4 wasters hanging around (as indeed they have been for the last 7-8 years)
Why does Bruce need to save face? McCormack needs to pull his bloody socks up and earn his fucking wages.
As for the wasters, unfortunately on the wages they get paid we're stuck til the contracts run out.
-
Neil Taylor - stay fit
-
lets face it, McCormack is staying. So Bruce will have to find a way to save face and re-integrate him into the team. Davis should still get a shout and we have sufficient cover at all but Leftback. Not bad, but still 3 or 4 wasters hanging around (as indeed they have been for the last 7-8 years)
Why does Bruce need to save face? McCormack needs to pull his bloody socks up and earn his fucking wages.
As for the wasters, unfortunately on the wages they get paid we're stuck til the contracts run out.
Agree that the person in the wrong is McCormack and if Bruce had found a way to get rid that would have been the best option. But he didn't, so as the boss he's going to have to fix it, for the best of the club.
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Didn't feel like a massive window for us but this says 7 in and 13 out so maybe it was!
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/11013904/sky-bet-championship-ins-and-outs-all-the-deals-from-the-2017-summer-transfer-window
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Didn't feel like a massive window for us but this says 7 in and 13 out so maybe it was!
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11688/11013904/sky-bet-championship-ins-and-outs-all-the-deals-from-the-2017-summer-transfer-window
Mind you looking at all Championship clubs they have all had massive changes, is this typical in this league?
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lets face it, McCormack is staying. So Bruce will have to find a way to save face and re-integrate him into the team. Davis should still get a shout and we have sufficient cover at all but Leftback. Not bad, but still 3 or 4 wasters hanging around (as indeed they have been for the last 7-8 years)
Why does Bruce need to save face? McCormack needs to pull his bloody socks up and earn his fucking wages.
As for the wasters, unfortunately on the wages they get paid we're stuck til the contracts run out.
I think when Bruce came in he thought that McCormack was one that he could raise some money from by selling. He decided to try and rehabilitate Gabby and cast McCormack aside (as he did with Ayew). He has now found that unless Villa take a massive financial hit on him (which I do not think the Club will), no one will take him. I am starting to think it is a bit of a Mexican standoff between Bruce and the Board regarding McCormack.
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McCormack cast himself aside by not turning up for training and not putting any effort it.
Ayew wanted to leave and had a medical before ACON so he could leave in January. He was a massive disappointment.
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lets face it, McCormack is staying. So Bruce will have to find a way to save face and re-integrate him into the team. Davis should still get a shout and we have sufficient cover at all but Leftback. Not bad, but still 3 or 4 wasters hanging around (as indeed they have been for the last 7-8 years)
Why does Bruce need to save face? McCormack needs to pull his bloody socks up and earn his fucking wages.
As for the wasters, unfortunately on the wages they get paid we're stuck til the contracts run out.
I think when Bruce came in he thought that McCormack was one that he could raise some money from by selling. He decided to try and rehabilitate Gabby and cast McCormack aside (as he did with Ayew). He has now found that unless Villa take a massive financial hit on him (which I do not think the Club will), no one will take him. I am starting to think it is a bit of a Mexican standoff between Bruce and the Board regarding McCormack.
I don't agree with any of that apart from the Gabby bit. McCormack hasn't settled for whatever reason and hasn't helped himself either and Ayew whilst working hard whilst he was here probably wanted to go back to the Premier League once we dropped. As for the Mexican standoff, there's no proof of that. It's a transfer that just didn't happen for some reason.
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A transfer that likely didn't happen as nobody wanted to cover the wages for a person with well known personal problems and questionable attitude.
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We will never sell Richards or Gabby. I mean who would want them? Both contracts will just have to be allowed to peter out. Elphick remains as cover so he can be useful. Mcormack? Well he has to be used now, otherwise we're just wasting 12million. When he came on against Wigan he looked leaner and sharper so maybe, just maybe he could turn out to be a player for us.
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We will never sell Richards or Gabby. I mean who would want them? Both contracts will just have to be allowed to peter out. Elphick remains as cover so he can be useful. Mcormack? Well he has to be used now, otherwise we're just wasting 12million. When he came on against Wigan he looked leaner and sharper so maybe, just maybe he could turn out to be a player for us.
That's really up to him, but he doesn't strike me as the type to knuckle down
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It's a shame we didn't get rid of a few wasters but you can't have everything and what we have in does improve the squad, whether the manager can now build a consistent team remains to be seen.
They're right chuffed over at the Rags though, looks like everyone the manager has bought in is a winner and no mistake. Harlee Davidson has been inducted into their Hall Of Fame without kicking a ball due to the way he has endeared himself to the fantasists from the Big W overspill car park.
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McCormack has so many players in front of him that I just can't see it
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lets face it, McCormack is staying. So Bruce will have to find a way to save face and re-integrate him into the team. Davis should still get a shout and we have sufficient cover at all but Leftback. Not bad, but still 3 or 4 wasters hanging around (as indeed they have been for the last 7-8 years)
Why does Bruce need to save face? McCormack needs to pull his bloody socks up and earn his fucking wages.
As for the wasters, unfortunately on the wages they get paid we're stuck til the contracts run out.
Agree that the person in the wrong is McCormack and if Bruce had found a way to get rid that would have been the best option. But he didn't, so as the boss he's going to have to fix it, for the best of the club.
McCormack has to play his part as well, which means if picked, putting a shift in.
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I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
I think you'll find he has to balance the books after RDM's spending last August. Bruce didn't spend a fat lot in January really.
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I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
I think you'll find he has to balance the books after RDM's spending last August. Bruce didn't spend a fat lot in January really.
Relative to a vast majority of teams in this division though, he spent a fuckload, if not on fees, but wages. Likewise, this summer. Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan, Terry, Whelan, and Snodgrass would all be on plenty.
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I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
I think you'll find he has to balance the books after RDM's spending last August. Bruce didn't spend a fat lot in January really.
Relative to a vast majority of teams in this division though, he spent a fuckload, if not on fees, but wages. Likewise, this summer. Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan, Terry, Whelan, and Snodgrass would all be on plenty.
The point OMVF made though was that he's had to cut down on his spending due to what he spent in January when in reality, he didn't spend a great deal compared to what we did this time last year.
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I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
I think you'll find he has to balance the books after RDM's spending last August. Bruce didn't spend a fat lot in January really.
Relative to a vast majority of teams in this division though, he spent a fuckload, if not on fees, but wages. Likewise, this summer. Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan, Terry, Whelan, and Snodgrass would all be on plenty.
The point OMVF made though was that he's had to cut down on his spending due to what he spent in January when in reality, he didn't spend a great deal compared to what we did this time last year.
Yeah, I get that, but it was still a lot of money and I don't think it should really be cheapened just because a whole lot more was spent a few months previous.
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I'm actually quite glad we didn't loan McCormack to a rival. Even if he's not going to score 25 goals a season like he used too, he's still a decent player to have coming off the bench. If Bruce can find a way of motivating him he could still make an impact for us.
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something he has singularly failed to do for nearly a year. Something's not right between the two of them.
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V disappointed Richards and Gabby are still on the books. In my view they remain a negative influence on a great club. Real progress forwards will only be achieved when they are gone! We're still lacking a cover LB and centre back remains a concern with only Chester (based on last year's form) up to the task. Gates McCormack has his issues, but there is a player and goalscorer in there. He has to take some responsibility for getting himself fit to play (physically and mentally), however Bruce as manager also has a role to play to get the best out of McCormack, otherwise why be a manager?
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I'm actually quite glad we didn't loan McCormack to a rival. Even if he's not going to score 25 goals a season like he used too, he's still a decent player to have coming off the bench. If Bruce can find a way of motivating him he could still make an impact for us.
I made this point earlier. I'm going solely on his cameo against Wigan (yeah I know). He has definitely been putting in the hard yards. Whether that was to put himself in the shop window or to prove a point to the club, who knows but we have no option now but to utilise him to our advantage.
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I'm not sure it's about mentality or physical issues anymore with McCormack. The bigger issue for me is us not playing a style of football that would suit him. I think he'd do a lot better in a team that keeps the ball well and pushes higher up the pitch where he can execute a bit of clever link up play in the final third with 4/5 players around him.
The management so far this season seem set on a more direct system where he'd just get bypassed and I don't see that changing any time soon.
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I'm not sure it's about mentality or physical issues anymore with McCormack. The bigger issue for me is us not playing a style of football that would suit him.
You could say that for a good few of our players :(
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GK - Johnstone/Steer
RB - De Laet/Bree/Hutton
CB - Chester/Elphick
CB - Terry/Samba
LB - Taylor
CM - Onomah/Jedinak/Whelan/Lansbury
AM - Hourihane/Jack/Ohare
RM - Snodgrass/Adomah/Elmo
LM - Green/Barney
FW - Kodjia/Hogan/Davis/Ross/Gabby/RHM
If Bruce cannot get this squad into top 6 let alone automatic then he deserves shooting.
To be honest and being as neutral as I can - there are not many players in this division that you could make up a first team to better one we could if they were all played to their strengths
I agree - auto promotion as a minimum - no excuses
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GK - Johnstone/Steer
RB - De Laet/Bree/Hutton
CB - Chester/Elphick
CB - Terry/Samba
LB - Taylor
CM - Onomah/Jedinak/Whelan/Lansbury
AM - Hourihane/Jack/Ohare
RM - Snodgrass/Adomah/Elmo
LM - Green/Barney
FW - Kodjia/Hogan/Davis/Ross/Gabby/RHM
If Bruce cannot get this squad into top 6 let alone automatic then he deserves shooting.
To be honest and being as neutral as I can - there are not many players in this division that you could make up a first team to better one we could if they were all played to their strengths
I agree - auto promotion as a minimum - no excuses
And much as we complain about him, there aren't many with a fourth/fifth choice centre back as good as Tommy Elphick.
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I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
I think you'll find he has to balance the books after RDM's spending last August. Bruce didn't spend a fat lot in January really.
Relative to a vast majority of teams in this division though, he spent a fuckload, if not on fees, but wages. Likewise, this summer. Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan, Terry, Whelan, and Snodgrass would all be on plenty.
The point OMVF made though was that he's had to cut down on his spending due to what he spent in January when in reality, he didn't spend a great deal compared to what we did this time last year.
Clampy, you do have this uncanny ability to misunderstand my comments or are selective in the words you comment on and those words not being the point of my comment.
"He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying" was the point and I then went on to say I didn't have an issue with it. I did not say that he had to balance the books against his spending in January.
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GK - Johnstone/Steer
RB - De Laet/Bree/Hutton
CB - Chester/Elphick
CB - Terry/Samba
LB - Taylor
CM - Onomah/Jedinak/Whelan/Lansbury
AM - Hourihane/Jack/Ohare
RM - Snodgrass/Adomah/Elmo
LM - Green/Barney
FW - Kodjia/Hogan/Davis/Ross/Gabby/RHM
If Bruce cannot get this squad into top 6 let alone automatic then he deserves shooting.
To be honest and being as neutral as I can - there are not many players in this division that you could make up a first team to better one we could if they were all played to their strengths
I agree - auto promotion as a minimum - no excuses
And much as we complain about him, there aren't many with a fourth/fifth choice centre back as good as Tommy Elphick.
When he first came he showed some real promise as captain (forget the playing bit for a minute) and was doing some good stuff which suggests to me that he'll be a good influence in the dressing room.
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lets face it, McCormack is staying. So Bruce will have to find a way to save face and re-integrate him into the team. Davis should still get a shout and we have sufficient cover at all but Leftback. Not bad, but still 3 or 4 wasters hanging around (as indeed they have been for the last 7-8 years)
Why does Bruce need to save face? McCormack needs to pull his bloody socks up and earn his fucking wages.
As for the wasters, unfortunately on the wages they get paid we're stuck til the contracts run out.
Agree that the person in the wrong is McCormack and if Bruce had found a way to get rid that would have been the best option. But he didn't, so as the boss he's going to have to fix it, for the best of the club.
I agree, but he doesn't need to save face as he's done nothign wrong. Bruce clearly doesn't like McCormack's attitude and excuses.
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I have no problem with Elphick or Ross staying but if we are stuck with Richards and Gabby with no possibility of them leaving why not just pay them up and agree to terminate their contracts. Money goes out upfront but both players will be out of the club.
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I have no problem with Elphick or Ross staying but if we are stuck with Richards and Gabby with no possibility of them leaving why not just pay them up and agree to terminate their contracts. Money goes out upfront but both players will be out of the club.
It is a long season. If we are going to pay them I want to keep them as options.
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I have no problem with Elphick or Ross staying but if we are stuck with Richards and Gabby with no possibility of them leaving why not just pay them up and agree to terminate their contracts. Money goes out upfront but both players will be out of the club.
we need Gabby for the two games against Blues
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I have no problem with Elphick or Ross staying but if we are stuck with Richards and Gabby with no possibility of them leaving why not just pay them up and agree to terminate their contracts. Money goes out upfront but both players will be out of the club.
It is a long season. If we are going to pay them I want to keep them as options.
I wouldn't want to keep Richards as an option even if the entire first team had the shits. I can't think of a worse player to pull on the Villa shirt and that's saying something
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Like Elphick, I imagine Richards ''earns'' his money in the dressing room, geeing up the boys and whatnot.
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I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
I think you'll find he has to balance the books after RDM's spending last August. Bruce didn't spend a fat lot in January really.
Relative to a vast majority of teams in this division though, he spent a fuckload, if not on fees, but wages. Likewise, this summer. Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan, Terry, Whelan, and Snodgrass would all be on plenty.
The point OMVF made though was that he's had to cut down on his spending due to what he spent in January when in reality, he didn't spend a great deal compared to what we did this time last year.
Clampy, you do have this uncanny ability to misunderstand my comments or are selective in the words you comment on and those words not being the point of my comment.
"He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying" was the point and I then went on to say I didn't have an issue with it. I did not say that he had to balance the books against his spending in January.
The first line of your original post does say 'I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas'. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to misunderstand that.
Your point came across has he's been hamstrung by his own spending last January, when in reality, it's RDM's and to a lesser extent Sherwood's spending that's done that.
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I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
I think you'll find he has to balance the books after RDM's spending last August. Bruce didn't spend a fat lot in January really.
Relative to a vast majority of teams in this division though, he spent a fuckload, if not on fees, but wages. Likewise, this summer. Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan, Terry, Whelan, and Snodgrass would all be on plenty.
The point OMVF made though was that he's had to cut down on his spending due to what he spent in January when in reality, he didn't spend a great deal compared to what we did this time last year.
Clampy, you do have this uncanny ability to misunderstand my comments or are selective in the words you comment on and those words not being the point of my comment.
"He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying" was the point and I then went on to say I didn't have an issue with it. I did not say that he had to balance the books against his spending in January.
The first line of your original post does say 'I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas'. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to misunderstand that.
Your point came across has he's been hamstrung by his own spending last January, when in reality, it's RDM's and to a lesser extent Sherwood's spending that's done that.
By reading the whole paragraph, rather than being selective on the words you want to comment on.
You do come across as somebody that wants to have the last word on everything so as to try and negate what other posters say.
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I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
I think you'll find he has to balance the books after RDM's spending last August. Bruce didn't spend a fat lot in January really.
Relative to a vast majority of teams in this division though, he spent a fuckload, if not on fees, but wages. Likewise, this summer. Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan, Terry, Whelan, and Snodgrass would all be on plenty.
The point OMVF made though was that he's had to cut down on his spending due to what he spent in January when in reality, he didn't spend a great deal compared to what we did this time last year.
Clampy, you do have this uncanny ability to misunderstand my comments or are selective in the words you comment on and those words not being the point of my comment.
"He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying" was the point and I then went on to say I didn't have an issue with it. I did not say that he had to balance the books against his spending in January.
The first line of your original post does say 'I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas'. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to misunderstand that.
Your point came across has he's been hamstrung by his own spending last January, when in reality, it's RDM's and to a lesser extent Sherwood's spending that's done that.
Fair point, but I think he has also added to the problem. I think in general it has been a pretty poor window simply because although the squad looks fairly healthy on paper, whichever formation you set them up in there are clear weaknesses. 4-4-2 - haven't got central midfielders to play that way, 3-5-2 - haven't got a balanced back three and Taylor isn't really a wing back, 4-3-3 - Davis has emerged as the type of target man needed to play in that formation but there is no real replacement for him should he get injured or lose form (both possible seeing as he is so young).
The lack of players leaving has been disappointing as well, but you can't force players to leave, so I think there has to be some sympathy with that.
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GK - Johnstone/Steer
RB - De Laet/Bree/Hutton
CB - Chester/Elphick
CB - Terry/Samba
LB - Taylor
CM - Onomah/Jedinak/Whelan/Lansbury
AM - Hourihane/Jack/Ohare
RM - Snodgrass/Adomah/Elmo
LM - Green/Barney
FW - Kodjia/Hogan/Davis/Ross/Gabby/RHM
If Bruce cannot get this squad into top 6 let alone automatic then he deserves shooting.
To be honest and being as neutral as I can - there are not many players in this division that you could make up a first team to better one we could if they were all played to their strengths
I agree - auto promotion as a minimum - no excuses
And much as we complain about him, there aren't many with a fourth/fifth choice centre back as good as Tommy Elphick.
True, but the problem is that there aren't many fourth/fifth choice centre backs in the Championship picking up his wage.
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I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas. He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying. I do not have a problem with that as we have been too easy in the past in letting managers buy without selling (other than our top players) and been left with fortunes being poured down the drain.
I think you'll find he has to balance the books after RDM's spending last August. Bruce didn't spend a fat lot in January really.
Relative to a vast majority of teams in this division though, he spent a fuckload, if not on fees, but wages. Likewise, this summer. Lansbury, Hourihane, Hogan, Terry, Whelan, and Snodgrass would all be on plenty.
The point OMVF made though was that he's had to cut down on his spending due to what he spent in January when in reality, he didn't spend a great deal compared to what we did this time last year.
Clampy, you do have this uncanny ability to misunderstand my comments or are selective in the words you comment on and those words not being the point of my comment.
"He has failed to shift players and therefore this has limited his buying" was the point and I then went on to say I didn't have an issue with it. I did not say that he had to balance the books against his spending in January.
The first line of your original post does say 'I think there was a clear edict that Bruce had to balance the books after his spending at Xmas'. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to misunderstand that.
Your point came across has he's been hamstrung by his own spending last January, when in reality, it's RDM's and to a lesser extent Sherwood's spending that's done that.
By reading the whole paragraph, rather than being selective on the words you want to comment on.
You do come across as somebody that wants to have the last word on everything so as to try and negate what other posters say.
I'm sorry you feel that way, it's not my intention.
I agree that he has failed to shift players, of course he has. My point was that the players he's failed to shift are one's he didn't sign. It's got nothing to do with what he did in January though, which is what I thought you were saying. Let's leave it there though.
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I have no problem with Elphick or Ross staying but if we are stuck with Richards and Gabby with no possibility of them leaving why not just pay them up and agree to terminate their contracts. Money goes out upfront but both players will be out of the club.
It is a long season. If we are going to pay them I want to keep them as options.
I wouldn't want to keep Richards as an option even if the entire first team had the shits. I can't think of a worse player to pull on the Villa shirt and that's saying something
My thoughts too, it's quite an achievement to be the worst player to play for Villa when you think of some of the competition.
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The getting rid of players we don't want is likely to be a Financial decision, because of FP rules there will be situations where we can not take the P&l hit of writing off the contract value of a player.
It's very sad but not Bruce's fault.
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The getting rid of players we don't want is likely to be a Financial decision, because of FP rules there will be situations where we can not take the P&l hit of writing off the contract value of a player.
It's very sad but not Bruce's fault.
You can't make players who have signed a contract leave the club if they don't want to. The worst you can do is freeze them out of the first team squad, but it seems more and more players are OK with that as long as they are picking up wages they wouldn't get anywhere else.
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The getting rid of players we don't want is likely to be a Financial decision, because of FP rules there will be situations where we can not take the P&l hit of writing off the contract value of a player.
It's very sad but not Bruce's fault.
We could pay in installments.
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The getting rid of players we don't want is likely to be a Financial decision, because of FP rules there will be situations where we can not take the P&l hit of writing off the contract value of a player.
It's very sad but not Bruce's fault.
We could pay in installments.
Maybe we could pay them on a weekly or monthly basis until their contracts run out?
Oh, hang on...
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I am relieved Elphick stayed. If Samba is out for any length of time we would have been screwed without Elphick.
The only criticism I would have of our squad is that there is a genuine lack of pace through it.
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The getting rid of players we don't want is likely to be a Financial decision, because of FP rules there will be situations where we can not take the P&l hit of writing off the contract value of a player.
It's very sad but not Bruce's fault.
You can't make players who have signed a contract leave the club if they don't want to. The worst you can do is freeze them out of the first team squad, but it seems more and more players are OK with that as long as they are picking up wages they wouldn't get anywhere else.
This is the problem with focusing so much of our spending/wage budget on players who are past their peak. If you sign a 21 year and he fails to progress you'll usually be able to sell him without too many problems (see Westwood, Bacuna and Lowton for example) because he'll have been a 'fair' wage to begin with and clubs will see them as still having potential to improve. If you sign older players they're usually on their way down and are never going to be worth the same amount again so they're left with a choice of playing time or money and for many the latter is the simpler choice. I'm not blaming Bruce specifically (although he's guilty of it as well) it's something far too many of our managers have done.
Where Bruce can be considered at fault is the sheer number of signings he's made, often competing with themselves. Hourihane or Lansbury, Elmo or Snodgrass, even Terry or Samba in all of those cases you've got experienced players who've recently arrived who are going to be on the bench. Add in some of players we had (Adomah, Jedi) and some of the signings make even less sense. The saving grace is that most of them are are sensible contracts.
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I agree with what you are saying Paul. It was encapsulated by Fat Sam in his homespun Black Country way way by defining players as "milk bottles" or "pop bottles" (ask your Dad). For the return of milk bottles you got nothing, for the return of pop bottles you got your deposit back. We have had too many milk bottles on the books.
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Seeing as Joe Ledley is still without a club I'd like us to offer him a contract. He's a better CM than what we currently have.
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Seeing as Joe Ledley is still without a club I'd like us to offer him a contract. He's a better CM than what we currently have.
Could cover left back as well I suppose, but again not really necessary in midfield.
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Seeing as Joe Ledley is still without a club I'd like us to offer him a contract. He's a better CM than what we currently have.
Could cover left back as well I suppose, but again not really necessary in midfield.
I remain unconvinced by Whelan and Lansbury though. I just don't think we're very strong in central midfield at all. Looks like he's off to Cardiff now anyway.
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Seeing as Joe Ledley is still without a club I'd like us to offer him a contract. He's a better CM than what we currently have.
We've already shelled out on Whelan and Jedinak to do that role in the side surely?
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We can not have anymore bearded men in our team. We have reached the quota set by Home Office.0
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We can not have anymore bearded men in our team. We have reached the quota set by Home Office.0
Yes.
Were it not for the jettisoning of the BakerBeard we would be in contravention of Bushy Beard Quota and subject to investigation by Fair Facial Fur Committee.
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It is funny listening to the noses crowing now, the same ones were crying last season when we were spending money and they didn't have a pot to piss in. When we beat them, in their eyes it was because we'd spent millions and they were plucky little Blues who hadn't spent a penny. What will their excuse be when we beat them this season? "Oh da Vile have got players like Terry on £350k a week. We only signed 13 players in the summer, it weren't enough!".
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I've got a feeling Bruce will pick Whelan regardless of who's available.
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McClean if not getting game at baggies would do excellent job as would Shane long . Bring those 2 in January moving the usual suspects out and be a nice Philip for the second half season. .
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I realish the threads we would get about James McLean's political persuasion should he sign up (I don't).