Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: dave.woodhall on January 31, 2020, 06:16:00 PM
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At least he won't be weighed down by the pressure of excessive expectation.
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Welcome, Buju Banton.
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He has Aston in his name. What’s not to like.
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He has Aston in his name. What’s not to like.
Dirty Vile Baston
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This January's Sylla or more likely to be a Drobny (may the earth rest lightly upon him).
He is better than nowt.
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Dont lets knock him until we have seen him play.
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More like this seasons Tom Carroll.
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Who else is going to come and be third choice?
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Welcome, Buju Banton.
Welcome home, Pato Banton
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He scored a penalty against Birmingham... to be fair, he looks ok on the videos. Need to see how he fits in with movement and playing off the ball.
I really don’t know much about him at all though.
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Announce Brendan Batson.
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Who else is going to come and be third choice?
The problem is that if you can't get someone good enough to be first choice, it's hard to attract anyone to be third choice.
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Who else is going to come and be third choice?
That’s a very good point actually. Samatta will obviously be first choice now, and Davis providing support whilst he gets up to speed. Baston may only get game time if both are injured.
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Genuinely who?
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He can head a football. I like forwards who can head a football.
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I hope he never plays. Means Samagoal and the man of glass are doing the business.
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He's a big unit at 6ft 3, same height as Davis. At least he's a back up option.
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Another Suso Spanish non entity special?
It’s a body, he’s a striker that’s as excited as I’m getting.
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That video fills me with not much hope.
One of his goals wasn't even his, he didn't touch the ball!
Still, I'm behind him, except on the team sheet.
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He was out of contract come the summer, so I assume they're glad to shift him off their wage bill.
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Welcome Kiddo, prove yourself.
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Genuinely who?
Flopped at Swansea so er....it's a bit underwhelming
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Desperate times, desperate measures. Welcome Borja, do well please.
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In his prime at 27 and 93 goals in 281 games in Spanish and English football. He did particularly well at Deportivo and Zaragoza. Arguably a bit of a gamble but clearly he has some pedigree.
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Smashed goals in at lower level for fun but struggled when he went to athletico and Alves. Not been selected much / poor down here at SWANSEA
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It’s a bit Rudy Gestede, but he has come to provide back up and we need it.
If he was the main striker I would be worried but it looks like a sensible signing under the circumstances.
Good luck to him.
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He suffered a serious ACL injury in 2010, so he'll fit in well! Anyway, seriously, welcome Borja!!
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He'll be third choice, hopefully the form of the other two will mean he wont be needed.
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It’s a bit Rudy Gestede, but he has come to provide back up and we need it.
If he was the main striker I would be worried but it looks like a sensible signing under the circumstances.
Good luck to him.
If he can do a Rudy Gestede and score a winner away to Bournemouth on his debut that would be nice. ;)
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Welcome Borja, please be better than Hogan and Kodjia
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We’ve signed WWE wrestler Bastion Booger
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A third choice focal point for attacks in case of injuries is good. If he scores that us a bonus.
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Welcome Borja, please be better than Hogan and Kodjia
Nothing suggests he is I'm afraid. Doesn't make any sense to let Hogan and Kodjia go to replace them with a Swansea sub.
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Welcome Borja, please be better than Hogan and Kodjia
Nothing suggests he is I'm afraid. Doesn't make any sense to let Hogan and Kodjia go to replace them with a Swansea sub.
To call him a Swansea sub is ignoring his decent goalscoring record in Spain.
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Seriously if this is the best Suso and the recruitment team (scouts) can come up with then I suggest the owners look at this aspect of the club at the end of the season - I wasn't expecting the club to spend £millions however I was expecting more than an unfit midfielder and two untried forwards - I understand the keeper loan - at least that one made sense - has Smith been sold short on incoming players by the hierarchy?
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Can't believe we've got him, what a season he had at Swansea!
(https://i.ibb.co/7VQz1mZ/Screenshot-70.png)
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Has to be better than Hogan and Kodija, but then again our cat would do better than either of those pair. Welcome Borja and good luck.
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I'm pleased we've signed someone. Baston may turn out to be a good signing or a bad signing but either way a signing had to be made.
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Welcome Borja, please be better than Hogan and Kodjia
Nothing suggests he is I'm afraid. Doesn't make any sense to let Hogan and Kodjia go to replace them with a Swansea sub.
To call him a Swansea sub is ignoring his decent goalscoring record in Spain.
In the second division? Last four seasons, he has scored 13 goals in 77 games with three different clubs. Prolific he ain't!
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I'm pleased we've signed someone. Baston may turn out to be a good signing or a bad signing but either way a signing had to be made.
Yes true.
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It's an extra forward which is what we needed. Never heard of him though so we'll have to see how he does. Welcome.
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I wonder if Smith has got Gabbys`mobile phone number
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Seriously if this is the best Suso and the recruitment team (scouts) can come up with then I suggest the owners look at this aspect of the club at the end of the season - I wasn't expecting the club to spend £millions however I was expecting more than an unfit midfielder and two untried forwards - I understand the keeper loan - at least that one made sense - has Smith been sold short on incoming players by the hierarchy?
It does make you wonder
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Welcome Lucretia Borja Baston. Score many goals or pass to others to score many goals, please.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
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Is this a loan or a buy?
If we're getting him on a free, as is being suggested, then I assume it's a buy.
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Welcome Borja, please be better than Hogan and Kodjia
Nothing suggests he is I'm afraid. Doesn't make any sense to let Hogan and Kodjia go to replace them with a Swansea sub.
To call him a Swansea sub is ignoring his decent goalscoring record in Spain.
In the second division? Last four seasons, he has scored 13 goals in 77 games with three different clubs. Prolific he ain't!
a lot more prolific than Keinan Davies
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What was all that about us being at the top table now, and wanting Premier League quality players? All very well coming out with that, but then when you get a free Swansea reserve you look a bit daft.
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Tom Carroll, this chap...maybe next January 31st we'll finally get Leroy Fer.
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What was all that about us being at the top table now, and wanting Premier League quality players? All very well coming out with that, but then when you get a free Swansea reserve you look a bit daft.
Maybe Suso signing up all his "clients" from Spain or they are relatives ;)
It's all looking a bit " small time" and doesn't suggest the owners are busting a gut to stay up - gambling on what we have already - I wonder if Smith was expecting more
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Let's just hope we are getting the Zaragoza and Eibar version or even the one that started the season strongly. Like Drinkwater there was a time they were both rated much more highly. Granted quite the gamble on our part to try to rehabilitate them both at PL in the midst of a relegation battle.
We just need to get over the finish line this season and everything will look better.
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Seems the club can't win. Maybe we were trying to get in better players but for whatever reason they were not available.
I have no problem with this signing, as it adds an extra forward, which is what we have been hoping for. He won't be first, or even second choice, but it's another player and a further option. I welcome it.
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Apart from the keeper, can anyone honestly say that this has been a successful window? A third choice striker in a dysfunctional Swansea team is not the answer, even if free surely?!
Yes, it's cheap, but it's more about the negative message it sends out to potential targets (players that would actually 'improve' us). If FFP is the reasoning behind it then fair enough, but we've seen what impact an out of sorts striker can have on our performances for most of this season... we don't need a mk2 - Better off playing a false 9 like we have been recently if it comes to it imo.
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im sure the club were trying to get someone better in but not many forwards have left today , what pisses me off is we should have been doing the groundwork i nov & dec and a striker should have been announced on the 1st jan !!!!
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Damned if they do, damned if they don't
Before going overboard with the criticism, look at where we are both in terms of finance and League position.
Which players were we "rumoured" to be signing?
Where did they go and how much was spent?
FFP and the possibility of relegation undoubtedly affected our ability to spend bigly, or to be as attractive to foreign players as we might think we are - mega wages might have tempted them, but that's money we don't have (at present).
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We've signed Samatta as well though. That's two forwards if we get this one in. Samatta will be first choice and this guy will be the back up. No problem with that.
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He had a fantastic season for Eibar in 15/16, close to 20 league goals there. Since then he's been a flop, 1 goal for Swansea in 16/17 and just 5 goals in last two seasons for Malaga and Alaves.
Out of nowhere Swansea gave him another chance and he did score a few at the start of the season but hasn't scored since 28th September.
It's a punt but Andre Ayew would actually be a better fit given he can out wide. Can only presume Suso knows him from Spain so it's a last minute Plan D call and he's obviously happy to come given he's bench warming for a championship team.
One thing that confuses me is we're actually signing him permanetly. What use would he have next season? Perhaps we'll just flog him to a La Liga team for a couple of million in the summer if he scores a couple of goals.
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FFP signing, no more , no less. It's not a reflection of ambition, more one of artficial spending constraints. See what happens next year, when (!) we stay up
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Welcome Borja, please be better than Hogan and Kodjia
Nothing suggests he is I'm afraid. Doesn't make any sense to let Hogan and Kodjia go to replace them with a Swansea sub.
To call him a Swansea sub is ignoring his decent goalscoring record in Spain.
In the second division? Last four seasons, he has scored 13 goals in 77 games with three different clubs. Prolific he ain't!
a lot more prolific than Keinan Davies
Who is at least a Premier Division player.
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Who else is going to come and be third choice?
I find that an odd viewpoint tbh. A striker who could also fill in out wide would most likely be a starter given the random performances El Ghazi and Trez regularly produce.
To me we should've been targeting a more versatile attacker who can play out wide. If Bowen is too expensive then a cheaper version of him.
Baston is pretty much targetman and we already have two of them in the squad. It's certainly an odd signing but that's the last minute panic.
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I wouldn't say he's had the easiest situation at Swansea. I've lost count how many managers they've had. He played a few games in his first season there. Spent two seasons on loan elsewhere. Now granted, maybe he didn't show enough in those pre-seasons, but he then came back this season. It looks like he started this season okay but tailed off, along with the side themselves.
There looks like a player there who could potentially surprise, and perhaps fit more into our style. (And probably suit the Prem more than the Championship).
Samatta's gonna score 10 goals so we're cushty anyway.
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Apart from the keeper, can anyone honestly say that this has been a successful window? A third choice striker in a dysfunctional Swansea team is not the answer, even if free surely?!
Yes, it's cheap, but it's more about the negative message it sends out to potential targets (players that would actually 'improve' us). If FFP is the reasoning behind it then fair enough, but we've seen what impact an out of sorts striker can have on our performances for most of this season... we don't need a mk2 - Better off playing a false 9 like we have been recently if it comes to it imo.
What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
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Well that’s the point. If we survive it’s all good.
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Welcome Borja, please be better than Hogan and Kodjia
Nothing suggests he is I'm afraid. Doesn't make any sense to let Hogan and Kodjia go to replace them with a Swansea sub.
To call him a Swansea sub is ignoring his decent goalscoring record in Spain.
In the second division? Last four seasons, he has scored 13 goals in 77 games with three different clubs. Prolific he ain't!
a lot more prolific than Keinan Davies
Who is at least a Premier Division player.
Baston has played 18 games in the Premier League. And scored.
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What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
And if they don't?
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What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
And if they don't?
Let's cross that bridge if we come to it eh?
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I thought my dream of playing for Aston Villa was finally coming true but then I realised they were saying we were signing Borja Baston, not ‘a boring bast**d.’
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What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
And if they don't?
Let's cross that bridge if we come to it eh?
Perhaps we ought to cross the staying up bridge when we come to it then eh?
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Apart from the keeper, can anyone honestly say that this has been a successful window? A third choice striker in a dysfunctional Swansea team is not the answer, even if free surely?!
Yes, it's cheap, but it's more about the negative message it sends out to potential targets (players that would actually 'improve' us). If FFP is the reasoning behind it then fair enough, but we've seen what impact an out of sorts striker can have on our performances for most of this season... we don't need a mk2 - Better off playing a false 9 like we have been recently if it comes to it imo.
What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
I understand the FFP issue, but Drinkwater was a waste of a squad spot and as Soccer HQ mentioned above, this Swansea guy we're linked with has been out of sorts for the past few years... Whats the difference between him and Benteke? Benteke would have been a much lower risk imo, and the lift it would have given him to be back playing for the fans who adored him would have pushed him back into form imo.
You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that Drinkwater wasn't going to work, and I'm going to hazard a guess that it will be exactly the same with this guy. Didn't perform at lower levels - What evidence is there to suggest he's going to suddenly turn into a player capable of playing in the Premier League. For every Mings, there seems to be a Tom Carroll, when it's obvious it's not going to work.
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Who
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Apart from the keeper, can anyone honestly say that this has been a successful window? A third choice striker in a dysfunctional Swansea team is not the answer, even if free surely?!
Yes, it's cheap, but it's more about the negative message it sends out to potential targets (players that would actually 'improve' us). If FFP is the reasoning behind it then fair enough, but we've seen what impact an out of sorts striker can have on our performances for most of this season... we don't need a mk2 - Better off playing a false 9 like we have been recently if it comes to it imo.
What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
Whats the difference between him and Benteke?
About £110k a week and a club that was happy to let him go.
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What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
And if they don't?
Let's cross that bridge if we come to it eh?
Perhaps we ought to cross the staying up bridge when we come to it then eh?
And maybe we will. Let's be positive eh?
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What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
And if they don't?
Let's cross that bridge if we come to it eh?
Perhaps we ought to cross the staying up bridge when we come to it then eh?
And maybe we will. Let's be positive eh?
Que?
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What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
And if they don't?
Let's cross that bridge if we come to it eh?
Perhaps we ought to cross the staying up bridge when we come to it then eh?
And maybe we will. Let's be positive eh?
I think you have enough positivity for the two of us. I'll be realistic.
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is he cup tied ?
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Just watched a few videos of him. It does look like he can finish and head.
Although this does feel a bit like Crespo all over again a bit.
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is he cup tied ?
No, unless being an unused sub counts.
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Just watched a few videos of him. It does look like he can finish and head.
Although this does feel a bit like Crespo all over again a bit.
Hernan Crespo hopefully!
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Borja Baston was a proven one goal in three games striker in La Liga from 2012-2016. He seems to have tailed off and lost his goalscoring form in the last three years but at 27 should be in his prime. It depends which way you want to spin it as glass half full or glass half empty. A proven top level goalscorer who seems to have lost his goalscoring touch in recent times. Similar to if we had resigned Benteke.
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is he cup tied ?
No, unless being an unused sub counts.
"Rule 15 (g):
A substitute who does not play in a match is entitled to play for another Club in the
Competition in the same season."
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What's unrealistic about us staying up?
I'd love us to have spent a £40m fee on somebody proven to be amazing, but it doesn't appear we can afford to do so owing to the constraints of the rules. We've spent £32 million in 6 months on forwards and given we have spent £100m in addition across the squad that appears the best we are allowed to do.
We have Samata and Davis as options 1 and 2, a 3rd was needed, we are constrained by what we can spend, so we've gone with somebody familiar and cheap to warm the bench.
15 points needed from 14 games. Hopefully its 12 from 13 by tomorrow, with 2 strikers available to feed on the best English midfielder's de Bruyne level creativity.
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is he cup tied ?
No, it's just the cut of his trousers etc.
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Apart from the keeper, can anyone honestly say that this has been a successful window? A third choice striker in a dysfunctional Swansea team is not the answer, even if free surely?!
Yes, it's cheap, but it's more about the negative message it sends out to potential targets (players that would actually 'improve' us). If FFP is the reasoning behind it then fair enough, but we've seen what impact an out of sorts striker can have on our performances for most of this season... we don't need a mk2 - Better off playing a false 9 like we have been recently if it comes to it imo.
What kind of window were you expecting? We've already thrown £140m at it a few months back. We've bought in two strikers, a goalkeeper and a midfielder. If they see us over the line and keep us up then it's job done.
I understand the FFP issue, but Drinkwater was a waste of a squad spot and as Soccer HQ mentioned above, this Swansea guy we're linked with has been out of sorts for the past few years... Whats the difference between him and Benteke? Benteke would have been a much lower risk imo, and the lift it would have given him to be back playing for the fans who adored him would have pushed him back into form imo.
You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that Drinkwater wasn't going to work, and I'm going to hazard a guess that it will be exactly the same with this guy. Didn't perform at lower levels - What evidence is there to suggest he's going to suddenly turn into a player capable of playing in the Premier League. For every Mings, there seems to be a Tom Carroll, when it's obvious it's not going to work.
Given that Wickham could be off to Sheff Wed, then can't see Palace letting Benteke go anywhere
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
And Reina and Samatta, with Davis back now too..McGinn in March. Cheer up.
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On the positive there’s lots of offers from Swansea fans to provide him with free transport away from their club.
So that’ll save us a few quid to put towards someone from the Jupiler Pro League or someone who knows Suso.
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I've always liked him.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
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I was fully expecting nobody at all so i'll take this as a bonus. He has scored goals for fairly poor outfits in Spain. He was a real handful, which is why Swansea paid the money for him. This is a chance for him back in the PL, five months to prove he still has something. Think he needs to be given a chance, some very strong opinions on here from people, based on a quick check on wikipedia and a youtube collection.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
Nzonzi and Bowen.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
Have said this consistently Dave. No deal has been done yet where I’ve though we should of been in for him.
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Welcome to Aston Villa Borja.
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Assuming it’s a short term deal to the end of the season to provide cover, someone who is happy to be third choice in a team who only play one striker, someone who will be motivated to get their career back on track, then seems like a sensible deal to me. I don’t want us to be lumbered with someone on an expensive long-term contract - the objective this season is to stay-up whilst avoiding any FFP issues.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
Nzonzi and Bowen.
And you know they wanted to sign for us?
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
Nzonzi and Bowen.
You paying and donating?
I presume we have very rich owners who may have their hands very tied by certain regulations and restrictions.
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You're asking people to answer the unanswerable to be fair.
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I’ll admit I don’t know a huge amount about Bowen - is the reported £60k a week value for money?
N’Zonzi turned down West Ham so maybe he didn’t fancy a move back to the Premier League.
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You're asking people to answer the unanswerable to be fair.
That's the whole point. We don't know how restricted we are, and what the alternatives might have been. I'm guessing that due to the last-minute nature of this transfer we've been looking at other targets and this is a fall-back. As I said earlier, it's very hard to persuade a player to become a third-choice striker for a team fighting relegation.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
Nzonzi and Bowen.
I imagine if we could have bought them while complying with FFP we might have gone for them. It’s not a case of being skint. We’re not. It’s what we can spend within the rules and having spent a lot in the summer clearly we had juggle numbers to stay compliant. It significantly narrows down what we can or can’t do.
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You're asking people to answer the unanswerable to be fair.
You can't be precise, but it should be clear that we cannot afford within the rules to spend £20m plus on Bowen and £60k wages. That would be £7m onto the accounts if it's a 4 year deal, on top of the £140m outlay so far, which probably equates to £35m for this season, not accounting for wages.
I imagine our wage bill is in excess of £81m so we're caught by a need to comply with the regs. With that in mind, we couldn't afford, within the framework (I suspect and as is being reported) to add further given the cap is £5m more than you earn across the 3 year period.
Stay up, which I think we're more than capable of and we can grow commercially, narrow the spend and add quality to push us higher.
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Fuck it. I have no idea if he’ll be any good, but I’m getting fully behind him and out lot. This week has been superb and a win tomorrow and the world will look very rosy headed into the break. He could be a dud or he could look at this as a massive opportunity play in the top flight again. Let’s hope he takes that chance.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
Nzonzi and Bowen.
And you know they wanted to sign for us?
With a smidge of ambition we could and should have signed players of that ilk. It wasn't as if our fabled scouting team haven't had all season to realise we were chronically short of quality in midfield and up top. If we go down, the finger of blame will be firmly placed at our recruitment team.
Sure it's only relegation, the club was only a whisker away from folding the last time...was great fun apart from that
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I'm assuming Suso is now down to the back pages of his little black book of Spanish players you've never heard of ..........
As other clubs are struggling to secure deals for forwards it looks like the January transfer window has been a sluggish one - that said I am feeling somewhat underwhelmed tonight - would love to hear Smith's` s thoughts on the matter - anyone know if he has a good working relationship with Suso?
Anyone else think Suso has been disappointing in his dealings since being at the club ?
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Welcome. Whoever you are.
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But Brontebilly I think you are missing the point. I would imagine our very rich owners have vast amounts of ambition but as countless people have implied maybe the regulations and restrictions are preventing certain huge outlays being spent.
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Welcome. Whoever you are.
I thought you meant me there Leeg ;)
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The latest from the Sky live transfer blog:
BASTON CLOSE TO VILLA
The paperwork is complete, there's just the medical to go and Borja Baston will complete his move from Swansea to Aston Villa.
The Spanish striker will effectively join the club as a free agent, as his Swansea contract is up at the end of the season.
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Underwhelming doesn’t touch it. Weak as piss.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
Nzonzi and Bowen.
And you know they wanted to sign for us?
With a smidge of ambition we could and should have signed players of that ilk. It wasn't as if our fabled scouting team haven't had all season to realise we were chronically short of quality in midfield and up top. If we go down, the finger of blame will be firmly placed at our recruitment team.
Sure it's only relegation, the club was only a whisker away from folding the last time...was great fun apart from that
Do you think we can hose cash around unfettered by any regulations? Do you think £140m is unambitious? How much do you think our income is compared to West Ham or in fact any of the other 19 who didn't need 12 new players in the summer to simply have a squad.
Your complaints lack any level of context. Nobody wants to be signing this lad, but we have little choice if we want a 3rd striker.
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I'm assuming Suso is now down to the back pages of his little black book of Spanish players you've never heard of ..........
Our Spanish players are Reina, Jota and Baston. I'm pretty sure everyone had heard of the first 2, and plenty will have heard of Baston considering he's played in this country and La Liga.
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But Brontebilly I think you are missing the point. I would imagine our very rich owners have vast amounts of ambition but as countless people have implied maybe the regulations and restrictions are preventing certain huge outlays being spent.
Quite, FFP means you have to grow more organically than just throwing money at it. The only way to quickly do that these days would be to have 1 large sponsor conveniently owned by either Sawiris or Edens that could offer that capability. We are at least £250 million a year behind the biggest clubs in this country in terms of turnover. As Spurs have found that’s taken them nearly 10 years to not even close that gap completely.
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But Brontebilly I think you are missing the point. I would imagine our very rich owners have vast amounts of ambition but as countless people have implied maybe the regulations and restrictions are preventing certain huge outlays being spent.
Quite, FFP means you have to grow more organically than just throwing money at it. The only way to quickly do that these days would be to have 1 large sponsor conveniently owned by either Sawiris or Edens that could offer that capability. We are at least £250 million a year behind the biggest clubs in this country in terms of turnover. As Spurs have found that’s taken them nearly 10 years to not even close that gap completely.
We just need to survive this season so I can understand the frustration. But we surely have to understand how close we were to something I dare not think about last summer before they bankrolled our survival and how close to the wire we probably are with the rules at the moment.
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Quite, stadium expansion, additional sponsorship, all needed.
To make the point, our latest accounts showed a turnover of £64m. We're playing a club whose entire stadium you could fit inside the Holte with room to spare. Their turnover was £135m.
West Ham made £175m and turned a profit. Of course they have far more wiggle room with FFP.
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I imagine Reina , who has just come from La Liga, was consulted
on this guy's abilities, having seen him play close up.....Godzvilla!
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
Nzonzi and Bowen.
And you know they wanted to sign for us?
And that we were in a position to spend the £25+M needed.
We were desperate for a back up striker. We have one. He could turn out to be a bargain. And if not, he goes in June and all it has cost us is his wages.
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But Brontebilly I think you are missing the point. I would imagine our very rich owners have vast amounts of ambition but as countless people have implied maybe the regulations and restrictions are preventing certain huge outlays being spent.
That still doesn't excuse bringing in players that are nowhere near good enough to make an impact in a relegation battle. A woefully unfit Drinkwater or this guy who can't make the Swansea team.
I feel sorry for the likes of Grealish and Mings, they are going to have to continue to play out of their skins for us to stay in the division. Any injury to either and that's it for us. Jota can cover Grealish I guess...Do we even have a backup centre back?
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The owners will get quite a lot of their money back if we get relegated. Mings and Jack will bring in 100mill. SJM may fetch another 25mill.
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I'm assuming Suso is now down to the back pages of his little black book of Spanish players you've never heard of ..........
Our Spanish players are Reina, Jota and Baston. I'm pretty sure everyone had heard of the first 2, and plenty will have heard of Baston considering he's played in this country and La Liga.
once again my sarcasm is wasted on you PWS :)
Suso hardly tears up any trees does he?
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We’ve signed WWE wrestler Bastion Booger
Oooh yeah! Dig it!
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I imagine Reina , who has just come from La Liga, was consulted
on this guy's abilities, having seen him play close up.....Godzvilla!
Reina joined from AC Milan having previously played for Napoli, I presume he’s as much in the dark about this blokes ability as the rest of us. Having said that hopefully we’ll never get to see him play because our first choices will be tearing it up, UTV
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I imagine Reina , who has just come from La Liga, was consulted
on this guy's abilities, having seen him play close up.....Godzvilla!
Milan is very much in Italy. And Reina last played in La Liga when Baston was 13 years old.
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I imagine Reina , who has just come from La Liga, was consulted
on this guy's abilities, having seen him play close up.....Godzvilla!
Milan is very much in Italy. And Reina last played in La Liga when Baston was 13 years old.
Yeah, but apart from that...
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I imagine Reina , who has just come from La Liga, was consulted
on this guy's abilities, having seen him play close up.....Godzvilla!
Milan is very much in Italy. And Reina last played in La Liga when Baston was 13 years old.
Yeah, but apart from that...
I'd like to play for an Italian club, like Barcelona
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The Spanish Bowery.....Inly joking, good luck score a few & enjoy being at the Villa
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The Spanish Bowery.....Inly joking, good luck score a few & enjoy being at the Villa
"The Spanish Bowery" - San Miguel ?
I'll get me coat ;)
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We have been talking about Jarrod Bowen who has scored 52 goals in 124 Championship games in his last three full seasons. Borja Baston scored 50 goals in 108 games in his last three full seasons in the Spanish Segunda Division. I think at 27 we have taken a calculated gamble.
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I always wanted us get David Villa. Instead we got bloke called Baston. If we can get one of those machines from the movie The Fly maybe we could create Baston Villa.
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So Dean told the powers that be he needed another striker to provide strength and breadth and they pulled this rabbit from the hat. We have a couple of speculative strikers, when we are attempting to become an established premier league team. I seriously hope we have a fair wind and fantastic luck
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But Brontebilly I think you are missing the point. I would imagine our very rich owners have vast amounts of ambition but as countless people have implied maybe the regulations and restrictions are preventing certain huge outlays being spent.
Exactly. Why don’t people understand this instead of moaning
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Well fuck me this is hugely underwhelming.
Is this seriously an upgrade from JK or even RHM?
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Well fuck me this is hugely underwhelming.
Is this seriously an upgrade from JK or even RHM?
He can’t be any worse
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Signed.
Welcome and good luck.
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Signing confirmed
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Good luck And welcome to the best club you will ever play for.
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Welcome Borja score 10 goals please.
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Big beaming smile in the signing picture, at least he looks like he wants to come.
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Suso is absolutely fucking working his magic.
Scouring Europe since August for players to fit our system, settles on someone who has scored 34 goals in the last 5 seasons and currently can't get into Swansea's team.
I am not discounting the fact this might work out, but is this really, really the result of that painstaking scouting?
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Aston Villa is pleased to announce the signing of Borja Baston from Swansea City on a free transfer, subject to international clearance.
The striker has netted six times for the Swans in 21 appearances this season.
Once on the books at Atletico Madrid, the 27-year-old spent the majority of his time with Atleti out on loan, netting 23 goals for Real Zaragoza in 2014/15.
His 18 goals for Eibar the following season prompted Swansea to part with over £15 million for his services in the summer of 2016.
He spent last season on loan at Alaves, scoring five times in 18 starts.
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Good luck to him. His injury record seems good, which is a plus at this stage!
On the football front, Swansea must have been thinking they were Leeds when they paid £15M for him. He can head a ball and likes to hit it first time with his feet which I imagine leads to more row z than goals but he can score and has experience. I’ll be honest his highlights look a bit better than Wes. At 6.3 he’ll be a handful - and whoever said Davis was is dreaming. Welcome to the best club you’ll ever play for - give it your best and score a few and you won’t go far wrong. Let’s face it you’ve got a free hit as far as expectation goes.
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Aston Villa is pleased to announce the signing of Borja Baston from Swansea City on a free transfer, subject to international clearance.
The striker has netted six times for the Swans in 21 appearances this season.
Once on the books at Atletico Madrid, the 27-year-old spent the majority of his time with Atleti out on loan, netting 23 goals for Real Zaragoza in 2014/15.
His 18 goals for Eibar the following season prompted Swansea to part with over £15 million for his services in the summer of 2016.
He spent last season on loan at Alaves, scoring five times in 18 starts.
"Once on the books of Atletico Madrid"
Colour me inspired.
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Suso is absolutely fucking working his magic.
Scouring Europe since August for players to fit our system, settles on someone who has scored 34 goals in the last 5 seasons and currently can't get into Swansea's team.
I am not discounting the fact this might work out, but is this really, really the result of that painstaking scouting?
Where's this "can't get in the Swansea team" bollocks come from? He's played 21 times this season.
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Suso is absolutely fucking working his magic.
Scouring Europe since August for players to fit our system, settles on someone who has scored 34 goals in the last 5 seasons and currently can't get into Swansea's team.
I am not discounting the fact this might work out, but is this really, really the result of that painstaking scouting?
Yes I mean fingers crossed it works, but it doesn’t seem like brilliant scouting.
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Good luck to him. His injury record seems good, which is a plus at this stage!
On the football front, Swansea must have been thinking they were Leeds when they paid £15M for him. He can head a ball and likes to hit it first time with his feet which I imagine leads to more row z than goals but he can score and has experience. I’ll be honest his highlights look a bit better than Wes. At 6.3 he’ll be a handful - and whoever said Davis was is dreaming. Welcome to the best club you’ll ever play for - give it your best and score a few and you won’t go far wrong. Let’s face it you’ve got a free hit as far as expectation goes.
Physicality means Davis is a handful when fit, but he is pretty clueless in front of goal.
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Suso is absolutely fucking working his magic.
Scouring Europe since August for players to fit our system, settles on someone who has scored 34 goals in the last 5 seasons and currently can't get into Swansea's team.
I am not discounting the fact this might work out, but is this really, really the result of that painstaking scouting?
Where's this "can't get in the Swansea team" bollocks come from? He's played 21 times this season.
Whatever, the point is it's not really looking like the sort of result which requires an arch-talent scouting operation, is it?
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All a little uninspiring, to be honest.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EPpSRqxXUAAfEpz?format=jpg&name=medium)
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Well it was hardly an obvious signing considering how many are claiming to have never heard of him :P
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Suso is absolutely fucking working his magic.
Scouring Europe since August for players to fit our system, settles on someone who has scored 34 goals in the last 5 seasons and currently can't get into Swansea's team.
I am not discounting the fact this might work out, but is this really, really the result of that painstaking scouting?
Where's this "can't get in the Swansea team" bollocks come from? He's played 21 times this season.
Whatever, the point is it's not really looking like the sort of result which requires an arch-talent scouting operation, is it?
I think you're being a bit unfair. I'm beginning to question Suso but this signing was forced upon us on Jan 1st. It's not one that we had from August to bring to fruition.
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For all we know he was number 27 on our list, and apart from Samatta none of the others could be done because clubs didn't want to sell or were taking the piss, FFP, agents being twats, or any number of other reasons. I'm not exactly partying like mad that we've signed him but I know one thing, a few hours ago loads were saying only having Samatta and Davis was the club being negligent. Well we've signed someone else and it's still shit.
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For all we know he was number 27 on our list, and apart from Samatta none of the others could be done because clubs didn't want to sell or were taking the piss, FFP, agents being twats, or any number of other reasons. I'm not exactly partying like mad that we've signed him but I know one thing, a few hours ago loads were saying only having Samatta and Davis was the club being negligent. Well we've signed someone else and it's still shit.
Just like you're not partying like mad, I am not slashing my wrists either.
Sorry if that doesn't fit in your narrative.
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Yeah I think they looked at a few options to stand in for Wes and this was the one that they could do simple as that. Fingers crossed he helps to keep us up. The big disappointment for me was that they hadn’t already got a winger lined up although to be fair with playing 3 at the back, wing backs and 2 centre mids it means Grealish takes up one of the wing slots anyway. I also hope we have recall option on Chester, if not that could end up being a proper fuck up.
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Not shit. Just not what was hoped for. Anyway, welcome to our club and prove me wrong please.
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What narrative, are you on the blob you old woman? :P
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I'm just in a foul fucking mood.
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Basically it's better than not signing a striker at all. Scores 2 or 3 important goals between now and end of the season it's a success. If he's half decent technically he might suprise us all. 16.5 million 3 years ago so clearly has something, and only 27. Not ideal, but ffp has clearly bitten very hard this window. 5 players including Barry, for about 10 million. It's clearly penny pinching in the extreme.
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He’s probably third choice, someone to be there in case Davis’s injury proneness persists.
It’s hardly a great market, looking at who other clubs have signed (or not signed) either. Man United have reportedly just paid loads for a thirty year old who been playing in China for three years, Tottenham haven’t really brought in any cover for Kane’s injury.
It’s not really as straightforward as ‘he’s not very good we should have signed someone better’
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All a little uninspiring, to be honest.
Let's be honest Lee, the whole window as been completely uninspiring. Replaced Heaton with a keeper who might be ok but, if we are short due to FFP, we probably didn't need. Spanish though, so that pleases Suso. We sign some little fat bloke to replace SJM, not fit enough to smell SJM's underpants, we sign a striker who is completely untested but I am prepared to give the guy a fair chance, and to top it all off, we sign a friend of Suso. Another Spanish guy who seemingly, used to be quite good but is now the equivalent of Hogan. Crap window, utter shite.
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All a little uninspiring, to be honest.
Let's be honest Lee, the whole window as been completely uninspiring. Replaced Heaton with a keeper who might be ok but, if we are short due to FFP, we probably didn't need. Spanish though, so that pleases Suso. We sign some little fat bloke to replace SJM, not for enough to smell SJM's underpants, we sign a striker who is completely untested but I am prepared to give the guy a fair chance, and to top it all off, we sign a friend of Suso. Another Spanish guy who seemingly, used to be quite good but is now the equivalent of Hogan. Crap window, utter shite.
On the plus side, we reached Wembley, we’ve picked up a fair few points from our rivals without a striker and other than then City game we seem to have found our mojo.
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Suso is absolutely fucking working his magic.
I think there are grounds for criticism of Suso, but I’m not too critical of this deal in particular. I think that the brief would have been to find a back-up striker, for no money, who can play as a lone striker, who is already acclimatised to the league. My criticism would be that we have over-relied on the Belgian market, which I don’t think is reliable enough for the money we have spent. However, everything that we have done since promotion has been to build an EPL standard squad, largely from scratch, on a fixed budget (due to FFP). I will wait until we (hopefully) have secured our EPL status and can improve the squad in a more measured and sustainable way, before passing judgement on Suso. If we aren’t unearthing talents, and getting good value out of the market at that point I will definitely be critical.
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Is this a loan or a buy?
It's a fucking joke is what it is.
2 points outside the relegation zone and the likes of Drinkwater and Baston are who we end up with.
Perhaps if you could tell us who else we could have signed and would have wanted to join.
I'd have signed Salamon Rondon.
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Suso is absolutely fucking working his magic.
I think there are grounds for criticism of Suso, but I’m not too critical of this deal in particular. I think that the brief would have been to find a back-up striker, for no money, who can play as a lone striker, who is already acclimatised to the league. My criticism would be that we have over-relied on the Belgian market, which I don’t think is reliable enough for the money we have spent. However, everything that we have done since promotion has been to build an EPL standard squad, largely from scratch, on a fixed budget (due to FFP). I will wait until we (hopefully) have secured our EPL status and can improve the squad in a more measured and sustainable way, before passing judgement on Suso. If we aren’t unearthing talents, and getting good value out of the market at that point I will definitely be critical.
Acclimatised to the league? 20 games, 1 goal. Hmmm.
I don't mind signing a player like this, my concern is the degree to which we're reliant on him plus another signing who has never kicked a ball in this league.
It's asking a lot of Samatta to adapt quick enough to impact this season, but he is going to have to, because he IS our first choice striker.
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Weren't the reports at the time that like a lot of the Chinese signings he was on mental wages?
Edit: I'm on about Rondon.
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All a little uninspiring, to be honest.
Let's be honest Lee, the whole window as been completely uninspiring. Replaced Heaton with a keeper who might be ok but, if we are short due to FFP, we probably didn't need. Spanish though, so that pleases Suso. We sign some little fat bloke to replace SJM, not for enough to smell SJM's underpants, we sign a striker who is completely untested but I am prepared to give the guy a fair chance, and to top it all off, we sign a friend of Suso. Another Spanish guy who seemingly, used to be quite good but is now the equivalent of Hogan. Crap window, utter shite.
On the plus side, we reached Wembley, we’ve picked up a fair few points from our rivals without a striker and other than then City game we seem to have found our mojo.
Shurrup you positive sod!! :-) You are right of course. I just wanted us to do better. Sign Nzonzi to plug the gap in midfield, I just think that alone would make a huge difference to us.
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I've never heard of him.
But, we've signed him.
There were loads of clubs looking for a new striker. ManU, Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham, Palace to name a few. They've not signed anyone either and that shows the difficulty in this window.
We've done some business, time will tell if its any good. However, the way some were talking earlier, they'd want their dead granny rather than no one.
We'll see.
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Suso is absolutely fucking working his magic.
I think there are grounds for criticism of Suso, but I’m not too critical of this deal in particular. I think that the brief would have been to find a back-up striker, for no money, who can play as a lone striker, who is already acclimatised to the league. My criticism would be that we have over-relied on the Belgian market, which I don’t think is reliable enough for the money we have spent. However, everything that we have done since promotion has been to build an EPL standard squad, largely from scratch, on a fixed budget (due to FFP). I will wait until we (hopefully) have secured our EPL status and can improve the squad in a more measured and sustainable way, before passing judgement on Suso. If we aren’t unearthing talents, and getting good value out of the market at that point I will definitely be critical.
Acclimatised to the league? 20 games, 1 goal. Hmmm.
I don't mind signing a player like this, my concern is the degree to which we're reliant on him plus another signing who has never kicked a ball in this league.
It's asking a lot of Samatta to adapt quick enough to impact this season, but he is going to have to, because he IS our first choice striker.
Spot on. Baston isn't an awful signing for a body to be 3rd choice, but Samatta and Drinkwater are being carried now to hit the ground. Only plus is SJM might be back by mid March, and we have 2 weeks off in Feb so that brings it closer.
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I've never heard of him.
But, we've signed him.
There were loads of clubs looking for a new striker. ManU, Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham, Palace to name a few. They've not signed anyone either and that shows the difficulty in this window.
We've done some business, time will tell if its any good. However, the way some were talking earlier, they'd want their dead granny rather than no one.
We'll see.
My dead Granny is a far better player than Danny Drinkwater.
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I’ll judge Suso at the end of the season.
Having to rebuild a whole squad fit for purpose was going to be tough. So far our signings look pretty good at times, but also prone to error and lack of either form or confidence.
I like Luiz and Fred is proper ace. Marvelous has played well lately and also did at the start of the season. Targett has looked so much better in his wing back role, also I thought he was ok before November. Obviously there is a big question marks over Wes.
Pepe looks the business and a great replacement for Heston.
Who signed Mings? Was that Suso?
I like the look on Konsa too, a very promising young player.
So over all that’s pretty good, especially if financial constraints were in place.
It’s going to the wire I’m sure, unless we put a few wins behind our belts to lift us away. There’s very little in 9th down to second bottom so it’s in our hands too survive and have the premier league windfall we so need.
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Squad wise, to rebuild completely for 140 million ish including this window, getting in 16/17 players is a bloody tough ask. I think their value is significantly higher now, and some have shown a lot of promise. Stay up its a squad that can grow a lot, but it's going to be a bloody white knuckle job to the final whistle.
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It will be really tough and I'm glad that we haven't become isolated, we are still very much in touch with mid-table sides but tomorrow is a massive game. I think our home record is key to us staying up.
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Sad thing is, this points tally any other season now would be 5 or 6 clear. Its really bloody competitive this year. Tomorrow is a must not lose more than a must win.
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I've never heard of him.
But, we've signed him.
There were loads of clubs looking for a new striker. ManU, Chelsea, Tottenham, West Ham, Palace to name a few. They've not signed anyone either and that shows the difficulty in this window.
We've done some business, time will tell if its any good. However, the way some were talking earlier, they'd want their dead granny rather than no one.
We'll see.
This Windows has been has seen hardly anything happen in the top leagues , as you say many clubs where after strikers.We got 2 in meanwhile Spurs/Chelsea both got no one , United have taken taken a player they haven't even had time to give a medical and West Ham have punted big on Bowen from the Championship who could be Hugill mark 2 for them.
It's not the most exciting signing but I wish him well and hope he surprises us
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What I would say is that we need a centre forward and there haven't been any that have moved that I'd have taken that we could have got. Ighalo would have been a good one but we couldn't have got him now.
His goal record is shit, maybe his link play is decent? In all honesty, lets hope we never see him because Samatta is bagging.
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Weren't the reports at the time that like a lot of the Chinese signings he was on mental wages?
Edit: I'm on about Rondon.
Ighalo is on £300k a fucking week. Ighalo not Messi. Man U won’t pay all of it but no wonder we didn’t go for him or anyone else out there.
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If it helps: I can give an insight to how he is as a striker .
So he would be comparable in style to Rondon in that he has some power and directness.
And is more an involved goal poacher than Javi 'Chicarito' Hernandez. But does hang out in the penalty area.
Has better footballing ability for the quick link up than Troy Deeney or Ashley Barnes but is comparable by type as has similar lack of pace and a competitor but of lesser ability in winning the ariel battles than Barnes or Deeney.
Baston a more refined version of those UK players and a European mix of Rondon And Chicarito.
Has an applied work rate for team and overall goal scoring heading ability as good as Ashley Barnes , Deeney or Rondon maybe better
Work rate is evident though his focus in being in the goal zone.
Physicality could be better but not weak.
Not a straightforward target man though with not burning pace it's the football intelligence from his team mates and his own positioning which give him the opportunity for goals.
As I say he like to be in the box and leading line but not totally traditional way.
Interesting to see how suited his playing style as can develop into team and on song Baston has ability to net goals.
Welcome and up the villa.
*From what Villa linked I would not say he's anything too majorly dissimilar to Sliminai in profile (apart from less pace) and Giroud- borja slightly more mobile with and without ball.
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Where did you watch him Footy?
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Thanks for the summary Vill I An
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Cheers Footy.
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3rd choice by the sounds of it, what more could anyone expect on a "free?"
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Both in Spain and in England divisions.
I'm trying to look at positives and comparable quality.
Profile wise its that Rondon , Barnes , Giroud with shades of Chicarito due to being in box desire .
No way near the leader or aggression of Deeney but competitive nature.
And perhaps shall we call a European touch of sensitivity
I saw him live twice in Spain.
I'm not saying he's all the answers but he could be well ok
Good luck I say.
I'm out till march.
Just wanted to give insight to flavor of what we just signed.
He may not be all the answers. But if he can fill gaps in our forwards line I will be happy.
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Chim chimernee chim chimernee chim chim cheroo
We love that Baston in claret and blue!
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Both in Spain and in England divisions.
I'm trying to look at positives and comparable quality.
Profile wise its that Rondon , Barnes , Giroud with shades of Chicarito due to being in box desire .
No way near the leader or aggression of Deeney but competitive nature.
And perhaps shall we call a European touch of sensitivity
I saw him live twice in Spain.
I'm not saying he's all the answers but he could be well ok
Good luck I say.
I'm out till march.
Just wanted to give insight to flavor of what we just signed.
Thank you. This is the sort of useful football obsessive contribution only you can make, and will be missed while you are away. As others have said, no need to take a break, probably better if people get wound up they give you gentle feedback, and hopefully we live one big happily family, just like the EU right?
Oh ;(
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Interesting how different we all are btw, partly I don’t have time but I pretty much only watch Villa!
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Why is the signing ‘subject to international clearance?’
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At the very least, it's unlikely that we will be facing a first team match with no available senior striker again.
That's got to be worth something.
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Have they said how long a contract we have given him?
I sincerely hope its just a 6 month contract until the end of the season to actually motivate him to try and earn extensions.
Around 4-5 years ago he was scoring for fun in La Liga and was a £15 million man, and at only 27 there is a player in there somewhere given the right circumstances I'm sure.
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I wish him well. The signing of Drinkwater, Reina and Borja Baston says one of two things. Either we are potless, by absence of money or inability to spend it or our backroom player evaluation team is mad.
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*We follow Borja Baston.
We travel near and far.
You can see him scoring.
From the stands of Villa Park. Ole Ole Ole*
Hopefully.
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To be honest, it seems like a signing we'd have made under Lambert. Bowery-esque. Someone who couldn't score in the lower leagues yet we sign him up anyway to get goals in the Prem. Along with the Drinkwater signing and letting Chester go, I'm not sure if we've strengthened or weakened the squad.
If I'm being kind, the long term injuries will have changed the priorities and possibly up-ended their plans for this window but it's all still pretty uninspiring.
Honestly, I'd rather have had an injury porone Sturridge. I'd be far more confident he'd get goals whenever he played.
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Yeah I think they looked at a few options to stand in for Wes and this was the one that they could do simple as that. Fingers crossed he helps to keep us up. The big disappointment for me was that they hadn’t already got a winger lined up although to be fair with playing 3 at the back, wing backs and 2 centre mids it means Grealish takes up one of the wing slots anyway. I also hope we have recall option on Chester, if not that could end up being a proper fuck up.
With wingbacks, why would you want out-and-out wingers?
The 3-5-2 approach requires a tight midfield with players able to break forward quickly from midfield.
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To be honest, it seems like a signing we'd have made under Lambert. Bowery-esque. Someone who couldn't score in the lower leagues yet we sign him up anyway to get goals in the Prem. Along with the Drinkwater signing and letting Chester go, I'm not sure if we've strengthened or weakened the squad.
If I'm being kind, the long term injuries will have changed the priorities and possibly up-ended their plans for this window but it's all still pretty uninspiring.
Honestly, I'd rather have had an injury porone Sturridge. I'd be far more confident he'd get goals whenever he played.
He has scored a boatload in the Spanish higher leagues. He is nothing like Bowery.
He’s probably a worst case scenario that would do a better job than AEG. I think you would be optimistic to expect sturridge to sacrifice regular starts to come and sit on our bench.
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Why is the signing ‘subject to international clearance?’
The whim of Pritti Patel?
Thanks to Brexit?
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To be honest, it seems like a signing we'd have made under Lambert. Bowery-esque. Someone who couldn't score in the lower leagues yet we sign him up anyway to get goals in the Prem. Along with the Drinkwater signing and letting Chester go, I'm not sure if we've strengthened or weakened the squad.
If I'm being kind, the long term injuries will have changed the priorities and possibly up-ended their plans for this window but it's all still pretty uninspiring.
Honestly, I'd rather have had an injury porone Sturridge. I'd be far more confident he'd get goals whenever he played.
He has scored a boatload in the Spanish higher leagues. He is nothing like Bowery.
He’s probably a worst case scenario that would do a better job than AEG. I think you would be optimistic to expect sturridge to sacrifice regular starts to come and sit on our bench.
I think you're taking it a little too literally, however He only spent one season in the Spanish top flight albeit a decent one. That was all a long time ago though and he's done nothing since. He struggled to score goals for Swansea so I won't get my hopes up too much.
As for Sturridge I think there's a fair chance if fit he'd get in ahead of Samatta. Big if though.
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So Baston might have been 4th choice at Swansea, but I also remember a recent signing who was also a 4th choice but is an absolute brick wall, now plays for England and is a Villa legend... ( nicked off Twitter)
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Both in Spain and in England divisions.
I'm trying to look at positives and comparable quality.
Profile wise its that Rondon , Barnes , Giroud with shades of Chicarito due to being in box desire .
No way near the leader or aggression of Deeney but competitive nature.
And perhaps shall we call a European touch of sensitivity
I saw him live twice in Spain.
I'm not saying he's all the answers but he could be well ok
Good luck I say.
I'm out till march.
Just wanted to give insight to flavor of what we just signed.
Thank you. This is the sort of useful football obsessive contribution only you can make, and will be missed while you are away. As others have said, no need to take a break, probably better if people get wound up they give you gentle feedback, and hopefully we live one big happily family, just like the EU right?
Oh ;(
I agree, just channel those energies.
Can't say I've heard of the guy ... he's a massive gamble - but he didn't cost anything, is on a short term contract, and has come to be 3rd choice at a club involved in a relegation battle at the moment.
From how he's been (helpfully) described by vill I an, i can sort of see why we've gone for him. Sounds like he's a pretty handy striker if you can get a tune out of him / play to his strengths.
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In French 'baston' means 'a scrap, a knock, a fight'. Well we're in one and we've got one.
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Maybe he’ll do a Savo at Wembley.
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In fairness to him he scored 18 in 36 in la liga one season.
Considering he was a free transfer and we have significantly better players that Swansea, he might be a bargain.
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Any word on what his link up play is like?
We neeed Samatta to hit the ground running. Looked ok on Tuesday, it'd be great if he can get a goal today.
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Be ironic if Ighalo has to go into quarantine along with the rest of the United squad.
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In French 'baston' means 'a scrap, a knock, a fight'. Well we're in one and we've got one.
In Spanish it means 'walking stick'.
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Pretty desperate last minute signing. I think the owners need to look at our scouting and recruitment dept.
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I dont know much about him but if Villa feel he can fit into the system we want to play then I'm all for it. I think the era of Villa buying established name players might be on the way out and that might be a challenge for all of us. For me the club (read Suso, Smith, et al) have done brilliantly to shape the squad under FFP constraints this year. They have more than enough credit in the bank for me to not write this off just because I hadn't heard of the player.
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The market I think is starting to correct itself. Players who’ve gone to China now finding it very hard to come back mid contract or on loan as they’ve priced themselves out.
Baston cost £15m 5 years ago so clearly has some talent. A gamble yes - but a better gamble than loading your wage bill with a mercenary.
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27 year old striker with experience of playing in La Liga and the Premier League who went for £15 million 4 years ago (what’s that in today’s market?) on a free. I’ve heard of worse ‘gambles’.
Potential to be a Carew like cult hero. Welcome and good luck.
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Hmm this screams panic buy when you look at his record...but its free and only until end of season so i can see the logic of it. I will give the guy a chance he probably be 3rd choice anyway.
I think it will be another jota though sadly as i dont see how he will be able to cut in PL if he struggled in the championship
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In French 'baston' means 'a scrap, a knock, a fight'. Well we're in one and we've got one.
In Spanish it means 'walking stick'.
I went to school with a Baston. Should have called him Bastard instead. Complete and utter nutcase. The good old 90's, where you could threaten the deputy head with a knife and get let off with detention. Quite nippy down the wing in football though.
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I'm happy enough, there's no big commitment here so it will be a bonus if it works.
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Hmm this screams panic buy when you look at his record...but its free and only until end of season so i can see the logic of it. I will give the guy a chance he probably be 3rd choice anyway.
I think it will be another jota though sadly as i dont see how he will be able to cut in PL if he struggled in the championship
One difference I think is that he looks quicker than Jota and certainly more physically capable to stand up defenders. A gnats fart would knock Jota over.
I like Jota, but you have to play him off a forward in space where he can get between lines and not have to track back, or get too physical...sadly that doesn't fit the systems we've played. Gil was similar. Technical ability but no pace, strength or stamina.
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Have we still got Jota by the way or did he go to Fulham?
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At one point someone decided he was good enough to pay £15m.
It didn’t work out at Swansea, it doesn’t necessarily make him a worse player.
Gana, Veretout, Amarvi, to name three, didn’t work out at Villa. They’ve gone on to prove what good players they are.
This chap might very well be the same.
I don’t think it’s a panic buy, either. Not necessarily our first choice, but, not a panic appointment.
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The market I think is starting to correct itself. Players who’ve gone to China now finding it very hard to come back mid contract or on loan as they’ve priced themselves out.
Baston cost £15m 5 years ago so clearly has some talent. A gamble yes - but a better gamble than loading your wage bill with a mercenary.
Drinkwater cost 30m a few years back. It doesn't mean they are any use. When we were in the championship we were able to get better players on short term deals.
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Whelan, Onomah, Carroll better than Drinkwater? Ok.
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In French 'baston' means 'a scrap, a knock, a fight'. Well we're in one and we've got one.
In Spanish it means 'walking stick'.
Or 'cane'. And we need to cane a few in the next few games.
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The market I think is starting to correct itself. Players who’ve gone to China now finding it very hard to come back mid contract or on loan as they’ve priced themselves out.
Baston cost £15m 5 years ago so clearly has some talent. A gamble yes - but a better gamble than loading your wage bill with a mercenary.
Drinkwater cost 30m a few years back. It doesn't mean they are any use. When we were in the championship we were able to get better players on short term deals.
Yes we were. The year we got promoted and the year before Bruce stocked us with loan signings.
It’s a great approach. As we then spent £26m to get Mings permanently and smaller sums to stand still with Hause and El Ghazi.
But we then also had to replace Tuanzebe, Abraham and Bolaise to an extent.
And so we invested a huge sum of money when considered what any other team in Europe did to rebuild the squad for this year.
This year is about hanging on by the skin of our teeth and spending big again in January wasn’t worth the risk.
Bowen aside I don’t see a player signed permanently that we should of been in for and even so the transfer fee and wages in an area I don’t think we needed to strengthen. He’s not an out and out striker to hold the ball up.
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Is it possible to be underwhelmed and open minded at the same time?
Looks as if he can head a ball though. We’re short of people like that.
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I know nothing about this player whatsoever. All I can say is that I heard the news last night on the way back from picking up a takeaway on radio 5. Whoever it was that was talking about the signing who talked like he knew the quality of the player intimated it was “a shrewd bit Of business by Villa”. Whether that makes him any good or not I have no idea. I’m keeping an open mind and hope we’ve struck lucky.
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Have we still got Jota by the way or did he go to Fulham?
Still here, I think.
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Welcome to Aston Villa Borja.
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Baston in Saxon English means "a plank or heavy piece of timber" especially used in the building of piers or harbours. So long as he can head the ball, is not colour blind and does not fall over his own feet I do not give a f*ck. All he has to do is watch what Jack does. The rest is a piece of piss.
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until the glassman gets shattered again, I imagine he won't get that much game time
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until the glassman gets shattered again, I imagine he won't get that much game time
It should up the game for them all. It provides the competition necessary to get the best out of whoever has the shirt.
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until the glassman gets shattered again, I imagine he won't get that much game time
Well if he looks like he might score he’s going to jump the queue. That’s not meant as a dig at Davis as such, because I think he’s got a lot of good qualities, but we need strikers who can score. Hopefully Davis will develop that, but at the moment it’s not there.
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Will he be the answer to our prayers ?!
Interesting to see if he gets any game time in the next game v Chelsea or Newcastle Wednesday
He'll be due some minutes .
If he does well and contribute he has incentives to be in the team and start.
But likely to come from the bench Vs Chelsea
Really? Do you have to ask that opening question?!
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This was a desperate signing, nothing more. I will be shocked if he pays more than 10 minutes for us. In fact, I will go as far as to say, if he starts a single game for us, we have either got terrible injuries, or have given up the ghost and have accepted relegation.
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This was a desperate signing, nothing more. I will be shocked if he pays more than 10 minutes for us. In fact, I will go as far as to say, if he starts a single game for us, we have either got terrible injuries, or have given up the ghost and have accepted relegation.
He hasn't cost us anything other than wages and we only had Samatta and Davis. We may end up needing him at some point so I didn't see the problem with it.
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We absolutely had to get cover in and he was available. He was never going to play much.
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Has this bloke left now?
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Contracted until June 30th.
Was on bench yesterday and Sheffield but fact he didn't come on either when we needed a goal suggests we just signed him to say we'd got a striker in on the last day of the window considering DS had said in the days beforehand we would certainly sign a striker.
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He might be more use in July than Reina or CantLeadAHorseTo-water.
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This was a desperate signing, nothing more. I will be shocked if he pays more than 10 minutes for us. In fact, I will go as far as to say, if he starts a single game for us, we have either got terrible injuries, or have given up the ghost and have accepted relegation.
He hasn't cost us anything other than wages and we only had Samatta and Davis. We may end up needing him at some point so I didn't see the problem with it.
Better off playing Barry or Vassiliev, at least they are part of our future. I wonder what we are paying him for the splinters.
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And if we hadn't have signed him, all you would have heard is 'I can't believe they couldn't find another striker in all the leagues in the world to bring in as cover'.
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The sole reason he's here is so that we're never in a position again where we're forced to play without a striker. Of course we should never have been in the position in the first place.
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The sole reason he's here is so that we're never in a position again where we're forced to play without a striker. Of course we should never have been in the position in the first place.
Although no striker was still an improvement on Wesley!
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The sole reason he's here is so that we're never in a position again where we're forced to play without a striker. Of course we should never have been in the position in the first place.
Although no striker was still an improvement on Wesley!
No it was not.
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He's got a great name though.
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Does this actually mean anything?