Summer 2010 Transfer Thread: B*llsh*t, Rumours & Wishes

[Ennis]

whoever we sign will get off to a slow start and then MON will be saying about how next year they'll have a "full pre-season under their belt and be a different player"......pah

They will have had a full pre-season, just not with us. The problem with Downing is that he didn't kick a ball until October.

I wasn't on about Downing but I'm sure almost every player signed (not exclusively by us) has this said about them

Really? I've only heard it about Downing because of the injury.

Petrov?......obviously several months after the west ham debut

[Merv]

Very, very worrying. I'd kind of banked my whole season on Ireland coming. Can I switch to misery now?

I'm a bit hacked off too, if that's the case. Ireland can win a game from nothing, we need an injection of that kind of ability at Villa. If we'd signed him I think he'd have very quickly become a real fans' favourite.

[Karl Bridges]

There have been rumours for a long time now that Spurs want Davies and we don't want to play him because of the next installment due to WBA. So surely we should be looking at a swap deal for Keane, they are desperate for CBs so it makes sense all round.

[TheSandman]

I'm actually relatively miserable about that. The more and more I thought about it, the clearer it was that Ireland is what will move us forward more than Milner. We're so lacking in creativity it's barely even funny.

Fully agree. I'm not sure everyone agrees but in my opinion midfield is the area we desperately need to shape up we need more flair there and another defensive midfield player so Petrov is free to play a more deep lying play maker role.

[Monty]

I'm actually relatively miserable about that. The more and more I thought about it, the clearer it was that Ireland is what will move us forward more than Milner. We're so lacking in creativity it's barely even funny.

Fully agree. I'm not sure everyone agrees but in my opinion midfield is the area we desperately need to shape up we need more flair there and another defensive midfield player so Petrov is free to play a more deep lying play maker role.

I've always thought this as well. If our best system is one out-and-out striker, why blow our funds on a new one when we've got a player like Gabby, so suited to the lone forward role? My ideal Villa midfield + attack next season would have been, if we could have keep Milner, quite straightforward:

-----------------Petrov
----------Milner--------Ireland
Downing-------Gabby--------Young

[Concrete John]

I'm actually relatively miserable about that. The more and more I thought about it, the clearer it was that Ireland is what will move us forward more than Milner. We're so lacking in creativity it's barely even funny.

Fully agree. I'm not sure everyone agrees but in my opinion midfield is the area we desperately need to shape up we need more flair there and another defensive midfield player so Petrov is free to play a more deep lying play maker role.

If Milner stays, and I still think that's a very big IF, I'd say upront is a bigger priority.  But we do need to adress things centrally, especially in a 4-4-2.

[KevinGage]

Right then, time for a little game, mainly as I can't be arsed to do any proper work on a Friday afternoon.  Taking into account Milner staying and it genuinely being a sell to buy policy, what transfer moves would you make with a zero net spend?  Trying to use approximate values as seen in the various rumours:-

Sell
Davies - £6m
Sidwell - £3m
Heskey - £2m
Beye - £1m
Shorey - £2m
Total - £14m
I'd persuade NRC and Young to stay on the promise of more game time.

Buy
Keane - £6m
Bentley - £8m
Total - £14m

You promote from within to replace Davies, Beye and Shorey.  Extra options are created by the two players bought and NRC and Young can help address other problematic areas.

I think we'd be looking pretty decent with that sort of outcome!

So our small squad would see 5 out and 2 in ?  If it is a sell to buy policy then the only way we can significantly improve is by selling Milner and I think O'Neill knows this.

Sell

Ivanhoe  -  £1 million
Beye -       £1 million
Shorey-     £2 million
Sidwell      £3 million
L. Young    £2.5 million (would rather keep, but lets face it he's off)
Davies       £5 million

£14.5 million


Buy

Hutton -  £4 million
Diame -  £6 million
Westwood £3 million
RSC (loan)

£13 million

With extra funds which may or may not be available I'd prefer far better than Hutton. The Dutch RB, for example.  But from the narrow pool we usually select from, Hutton would be about the best we could do.

Was thinking about  a RM domestic player, and Bentley probably is one of the best options. But I'd rather give Albrighton the chance. If you don't give these players an extended run at some stage you'll never know.

[LeeB]

You'd pay £4m for Alan Hutton?

[Quiet Lion]

Kevin Gage, kudos to you if that is well crafted double level joke post, shame on you if that is honestly what you would want to do with our squad.

I know football is about opinions, but come on...

[Merv]

I'll play, and I'd do this:

Out
Heskey £2m
Beye £1m
Shorey £2m
Sidwell £3m
Davies £6m
Luke Young £2.5m

Total: £16.5m

In
Hleb (Barcelona) £3m
Flamini (Milan) £5m
Behrami (West Ham) £3m
Matthews (Cardiff) £3m

Total: £14m

Flamini effectively replaces Sidwell, upgrading our central midfield options; we lose a striker in Heskey but replace him with Hleb, allowing us to play a more creative player just behind Gabby/Carew if wanted; Behrami gives us further cover/competition in central midfield but also the option of a more solid and defensive right-sided midfielder if we go 4-4-2 - also he can play at RB so a genuine player of depth there.

Davies is sacrificed, sadly, for the greater good and we use Clark as central defender No.4 next season.

With the spare £2.5m I'd be tempted to spend most of it to get Myhill from Hull who seems available at around £1.5m-£2m and could feasibly replace Friedel in a year.

Giving us this line-up:

                                 Friedel

Matthews         Cuellar        Dunne         Warnock

                      Flamini        Petrov

             Milner          Hleb          Ashley Young

                               Agbonlahor

Subs from: Guzan/Myhill, Collins, Reo-Coker, Behrami, Carew, Delfouneso, Albrighton, Delph (when fit), Lichaj, Clark, Downing, Weimann, Lowry, Bannan.

[TheSandman]

I think we are deeply limited by our focus on players with experience in the British leagues. How many good right backs are there who are available in this market? Just about the best one is the one we're trying to replace.

If Onouha, Richards or Zabaleta are leaving City in the fire sale perhaps we should look at them but other than that it's Hutton or a youngster in Clyne or Matthews.

[Monty]

Hey, if we could get Hleb, Behrami and Flamini for a combined £10m, Merv, then brilliant. Thing is I kind of doubt that's going to happen.

[atomicjam]

I know not a lot about twitter stuff but is it 100% Irelands twitter page? I would have thought he would have more than 4000 followers, Guzan has 7000, Ryan Babel has 49,000 and Jozy Altidore has 242,000!

[Monty]

I know not a lot about twitter stuff but is it 100% Irelands twitter page? I would have thought he would have more than 4000 followers, Guzan has 7000, Ryan Babel has 49,000 and Jozy Altidore has 242,000!

Well Jozy Altidore has the American fanbase, there are a few soccerball fans in America and they're all nuts enough about the game to follow players on Twitter.

However, you've given me renewed hope AJ. We may get Ireland after all.

[Merv]

Hey, if we could get Hleb, Behrami and Flamini for a combined £10m, Merv, then brilliant. Thing is I kind of doubt that's going to happen.

Well, Barca have made Hleb available at £3m and I understood Flamini's price tag was reported to be £5m. I made an educated guess at Behrami based on what they paid for him originally (£5m), his depreciation as his contract runs down and the fact that West Ham are listening to offers on all their players (apart from Parker, obv.)