January Transfer Speculation (or lack of) Thread

[TheSandman]

So what's that us down to 'only' £58million a year or so?

[Concrete John]

It is rumoured that Bent is on alot more that £80k per week.  More like £110k p/w plus bonuses.

It's also rumoured that the 9/11 attacks were staged by the CIA, but I seriously can't see either being true!

[Dante Lavelli]

It is rumoured that Bent is on alot more that £80k per week.  More like £110k p/w plus bonuses.

Jesus, no wonder he was quick to dump sunderland.

[Chris Smith]

When Bent was last in the side we weren't playing Albrighton and N'Zogbia's form was poor.  They're both now delivering, so when he returns the creativity issue shouldn't be a problem at all!

The one game he did play with them, Bolton, he missed two sitters and a couple of other half chances. Which was probably more than he'd had in the previous 4 games combined.

[Concrete John]

When Bent was last in the side we weren't playing Albrighton and N'Zogbia's form was poor.  They're both now delivering, so when he returns the creativity issue shouldn't be a problem at all!

The one game he did play with them, Bolton, he missed two sitters and a couple of other half chances. Which was probably more than he'd had in the previous 4 games combined.

Exactly.  I consider that game just an off day for him, but it's just sods law that we seemed to have solved the service problem just in time for him to be out injured.

[ozzjim]

When Bent was last in the side we weren't playing Albrighton and N'Zogbia's form was poor.  They're both now delivering, so when he returns the creativity issue shouldn't be a problem at all!

It is a good point, and shows how effective with him and them in the same side he can still be, as Bent in form will score more often than not.
The one game he did play with them, Bolton, he missed two sitters and a couple of other half chances. Which was probably more than he'd had in the previous 4 games combined.

[Rick_avfc]

When Bent was last in the side we weren't playing Albrighton and N'Zogbia's form was poor.  They're both now delivering, so when he returns the creativity issue shouldn't be a problem at all!

The one game he did play with them, Bolton, he missed two sitters and a couple of other half chances. Which was probably more than he'd had in the previous 4 games combined.

You're right but atleast he gets into those positions.  We cant right Bent off as we all know he is more than capable of burying the ball into the back of the net.  All strikers will go through a goal drought but then start scoring freely again once they bag a couple in quick sucsession.  This doesn't count for all strikers though i.e. Torres!  He cant buy a goal at the mo even though he went on that run and scored a few in a short period of time

[teamvillage]

Does anyone have any idea of how much we have reduced the wage bill per week, by?
Who are still the high earners ?  Heskey, Beye, Collins, Dunne, Petrov, Warnock & BENT?

OK - lets try and work this out starting from last summer when Milner went and excluding loans:-

Out
Milner - £60k
Shorey - £40k
NRC - £50k
Downing - £60k
A Young - £60k
Davies - £40k
Sidwell - £50k
Freidel - £50k
L Young - £50k
Have I forgotten anyone?
Total - £450k a week

In
Ireland - £60k (heard he acceopted Milner's wages)
Bent - £80k
Hutton - £40k
Given - £60k
N'Zogbia - £60k
Total - £240k

So I make it an almost £11m a year saving from where we were during our wages height under MON

It is rumoured that Bent is on alot more that £80k per week.  More like £110k p/w plus bonuses.

The problem with exercises like this is that you miss all the players who have been given new & improved contracts. We've several who will have stepped up from youth team money to first team money over the last year (Bannan, Herd etc).

[Rick_avfc]

The birmingham mail said the week that Bannan was on £10k a week so I would guess that Herd would be on the same if not there abouts??

[Chris Smith]

Yes we've needed a goalscorer like Bent for ages, but if the calibre of creative player we are currently fielding is any indication of where the club is heading, we would probably be better suited to having a bit of a workhorse upfront (Gabby for instance).  Is it a coincidence that we have started playing a better style of football since Bent has been out?

Dont all shoot me down at once but Im not really a Gabby fan.  Yes he is a workhorse but he is too inconsistent for my liking.  Ok, he is a local lad and tries but he is not clinical in front of goal for me.  Im not saying sell him or anything but just saying that I dont really see him as the "future" of Aston Villa.  He is the type of player that if he has too much time to think about something he messes it up.  There was an example of this against Stoke in the first half where he wont he ball in their half and ran towards goal, as he was doing this, I said to my missus "watch him mess this up" and he didn't let me down.  Also, he keeps doing what Wayne Rooney does for Man Utd when he plays up front - he will come deep to collect the ball. I would prefer him not to do that and to be more of a nuisance in the box.  Ive seen him on numerous occasions on the wing to collect a ball and then will pass it short to another player and then just hang about there.  Now, Ive also seen Bent do the same thing but as soon as he makes that pass, he makes that run towards the box to get into a goal scoring position.  I wish Gabby would have that same mentality to in the mix and poach a few more goals for us.  This is just my opinion and many of u may disagree with me, but hey, I guess we are all entitled to it.

BANG BANG *blows imaginary smoke from fingers*

[Dante Lavelli]

So what's that us down to 'only' £58million a year or so?

What is Delloit's target % of wages vs turnover?  50%?
That would mean we need a turnover of 116m whereas I think the last reported turnover was 84m.

So we just need to double our turnover and we'll be fine!

[lichfield lion]

Yes we've needed a goalscorer like Bent for ages, but if the calibre of creative player we are currently fielding is any indication of where the club is heading, we would probably be better suited to having a bit of a workhorse upfront (Gabby for instance).  Is it a coincidence that we have started playing a better style of football since Bent has been out?

Dont all shoot me down at once but Im not really a Gabby fan.  Yes he is a workhorse but he is too inconsistent for my liking.  Ok, he is a local lad and tries but he is not clinical in front of goal for me.  Im not saying sell him or anything but just saying that I dont really see him as the "future" of Aston Villa.  He is the type of player that if he has too much time to think about something he messes it up.  There was an example of this against Stoke in the first half where he wont he ball in their half and ran towards goal, as he was doing this, I said to my missus "watch him mess this up" and he didn't let me down.  Also, he keeps doing what Wayne Rooney does for Man Utd when he plays up front - he will come deep to collect the ball. I would prefer him not to do that and to be more of a nuisance in the box.  Ive seen him on numerous occasions on the wing to collect a ball and then will pass it short to another player and then just hang about there.  Now, Ive also seen Bent do the same thing but as soon as he makes that pass, he makes that run towards the box to get into a goal scoring position.  I wish Gabby would have that same mentality to in the mix and poach a few more goals for us.  This is just my opinion and many of u may disagree with me, but hey, I guess we are all entitled to it.

BANG BANG *blows imaginary smoke from fingers*

He didn't let me down. Sounds like you wanted him to, just to prove how very clever you are. Gabby always gives his all and at times he terrifies the opposition with his pace and can be a great pressure relief outlet for us.

[hartman_1982]

It is rumoured that Bent is on alot more that £80k per week.  More like £110k p/w plus bonuses.

Jesus, no wonder he was quick to dump sunderland.
[/quote

Darren Bent will be on no where near 110k a week. He will be on somewhere in the region of 60k-80k a week tops. Villa never have and (for the foreseeable future) never will pay that type of money.

[Toronto Villa]

When Bent was last in the side we weren't playing Albrighton and N'Zogbia's form was poor.  They're both now delivering, so when he returns the creativity issue shouldn't be a problem at all!

The one game he did play with them, Bolton, he missed two sitters and a couple of other half chances. Which was probably more than he'd had in the previous 4 games combined.

Exactly.  I consider that game just an off day for him, but it's just sods law that we seemed to have solved the service problem just in time for him to be out injured.

that's a massive point. The one thing he's lacked aside from Gabby is consistent service and he got it that day. On any other day, he's walking away with the match ball. Had he played against Arsenal with the chances we created that night we could have taken that game too. Figuring out how to get the ball to him, as much as getting N'Zogbia and Albrighton to play with confidence has been a big part of the learning curve this year coming off a season having had two of the best supply men in the PL.

The Bent rumours will never go away. We may as well get used to that. The bigger clubs have all had a chance to sign him over the years and haven't. He's got a long contract and is worth a lot of money. Not only will he be very expensive, but the club, I believe understand the wider implications of selling Bent. We bought him last season so that he'd get us out of similar situation to what we find ourselves in right now. We're not about to sell him.

[Toronto Villa]

Maybe Liverpool want to give us Downing back.

I know that N'Zogbia hasn't quite worked out yet, but has Downing even got an assist for Liverpool this season? He seems a pale shadow of the player he was with us.

I know - great, isn't it?

What would be great John is if his form lasted through the season and he isn't picked for the European championships as well as not qualifying for the CL. That sir would be ace in every way.