Summer transfer madness thread

[ozzjim]

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.

[mr underhill]

Bruce still hasn't got a clue what to do with the players he has. Sweet.

[peter w]

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.

[RussellC]

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...

[Mister E]

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.

[RussellC]

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.

[passitsideways]

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.

[Matt Collins]

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?

[ASHTONVILLA]

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.

[in exile]

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!

[Mister E]

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.

[tomd2103]

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. 

[Matt Collins]

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

[paul_e]

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.

[Villatillidie25]

Elmohamady release clause activated