Our strategy

[JJ-AV]

What is it?

Under MON we tended to sign better players from Clubs below us, and reserves of Clubs above us.

Then under Ged we looked like moving away from that with the signing of Makoun and the reported targets he had for this coming Summer. It seemed a real scouting system was being put in place, and we'd be looking abroad.

Ged had to go, understandable. But we've reverted to type under McLeish. Why?

Given and Hutton - reserves from players above us, will more than likely sell neither at a profit and both come in immediately commanding big wages.

N'Zogbia - a better player from a club below us, again big wages, same policy as before?

Newcastle and Fulham are signing promising players for relatively low fees from Ligue 1 and the Erividisie respectively. Why aren't we doing this?

Newcastle reportedly are well respected in France (due to the way they looked after Ben Arfa after his injury and their dealings with Clubs over there) - and now they're competing (and in some cases beating) Arsenal and Liverpool to players.

It's frustrating we seem to be accepting our position as opposed to trying different methods to break it.

[Irish villain]

Much as I detest MON, take him away, give Randy more control over weaker managers and the wheels come off. It seems MON had so much power because Randy and co hadn't a clue how to run a Premier League team.

What we probably needed at that time was somebody on the board with a football brain to dilute down MON's power slightly.

Our current policy would indicate we don't really have a strategy. Houllier to McLeish? Selling, not to buy, just to sell? If no players come in today I would seriously fear for this club. I had been optimistic about a top ten finish until I saw Luke Young, Jean Makoun and Hogg leave without any players coming in. We are threadbare and lack the quality we used to have. We need about 4 or 5 signings today to achieve a top 9 finish I reckon.

[QBVILLA]

I don't know why there seems to be a fascination with getting signings in from abroad.Scandinavians aside, we've had very little success with players we've bought in from abroad and the two foreign managers we've had have in my humble opinion been utter dog turd.

[MarkM]

The transfer policy objectives should tie in with the Villa company objectives.

If the Villa objective was to finish in the top four then you would expect the transfer activity to reflect that objective.

The only objective I am aware of is to be in the top 20 richest European clubs list.

Finishing between 8th and 12th may not effect that objective, but reducing the wage bill and selling players will effect the profit and loss and help to achieve the objective stated above [at least in the short term]

If I was being sinical then it is what I would do with a company that I was preping for sale [make it look as profitable as possible on paper]

[ktvillan]

Yes RL's letter told us the strategy was ensure we are in the top 20 rich list of European clubs.  As far as I know one of the measures, if not the key measure,  used to compile this list is turnover.   Apparently we are going to achieve that goal by appointing a manager with a track record of failure in the premier league and a reputation for playing ultra dull football.  He appealed to the Board because he agreed to sell a large number of our experienced squad members and sign very few replacements in order to reduce the wage bill.  Which in turn will piss off the fan base, resulting in reduced crowds (already evidenced). Thus income from match day tickets, programme sales, and merchandising will fall.  If you follow the tactics to their logical conclusion, relegation is a distinct possibility, significantly reducing our income base further.  Surely even Sirs John Harvey-Jones, Phillip Green, Richard Branson and Alan Sugar couldn't find any fault with that busines logic could they?   Take a bow Randy Lerner and Paul Faulkner, Business and Sporting geniuses.

I reserve the right to take this all back if we make 6 top signings today.

[Fergal]

My strategy will be to put my head in the sand and hope it all works out in the end.

[garyshawsknee]

My strategy will be to put my head in the sand and hope it all works out in the end.

If we sign Jenas,my head is going in the oven.

[paulcomben]

Not so much a strategy as a desperate cost-cutting exercise with prayers being offered that relegation is still avoided.

[Merv]

What is it?

To get straight to your question, JJ, I honestly think the strategy goes no further than to recoup financial losses and stay in the Premier League.

[itbrvilla]

My strategy will be to put my head in the sand and hope it all works out in the end.

If we sign Jenas,my head is going in the oven.

Me too but mine is a fan assisted electric oven.  Anyone got any experience with these as a tool for suicide ?

[andrew08]

Even if we sign no one today they seem to be making a calculated gamble that there will still be 3 worse teams than us in the premier league this season. I don't have an understanding how this lines up with any long term goal but I'm not our billionaire owner or Paul Faulkener.

So the three are, Swansea, Norwich and one of Blackburn/Wigan/QPR.

They are very very lucky that blues went down as they aren't around to make things worse by being above us. I would say that west brom and wolves would anticipate a finish above us, west brom should have last season.

[PaulTheVillan]

If I was Darren Bent I'd be thinking about getting out of this sinking ship.

[PaulWinch again]

Our strategy is to abandon ambition and sell everyone of note.

[ozzjim]

Delph after a storming season will be gone for 15-20 million next summer. Trouble is we were still acquiring good players before that would have good sell on values, we are not now.

[garyfouroaks]

Delph after a storming season will be gone for 15-20 million next summer. Trouble is we were still acquiring good players before that would have good sell on values, we are not now.

Wise words.

Reluctantly, I accept the inevitability of the Downing/Young moves.My concern is that we are not recruiting the next wave of talent.

Without Bent we would be in serious trouble this season.