Summer Transfer Thread: Speculation, Lies, Absolute Cr*p and Bosman Rumours

[pestria]

Ireland proved earlier in his career that he is very capable of scoring on regular basis from midfield, and what makes him more valuable is his work rate wheich we began to see consistently last season. It's a very good combination to have in a football player and something you pay a lot for on the open market.

Ireland showed last year that he was the best of a bad lot.  There is still much to prove and improve, including his goal scoring record which apart from one season many moons ago has been consistently poor.

I hope I'm wrong, but I can't see him ever really fitting into a relatively light weight  midfield (ie everyone outside the top 6) and he's not good enough to play in the top sides. 

Bit of a pig-in-a-poke. 

[Mazrim]

He is good enough to play in the top sides but requires his best form and the right blend of players and tactics around him. We haven't seen anything like his best yet.

[itbrvilla]

We should be looking to the future and but feel that Guzan is not that.

[Dante Lavelli]

He is good enough to play in the top sides but requires his best form and the right blend of players and tactics around him. We haven't seen anything like his best yet.

He’s a classic number 10.  They’re great players but its hard to accommodate them in the premiership.

Personally I am a fan.  I think in the modern game it is too much to expect your midfielders to be all action heroes as everyone’s fitness levels are so high.  Therefore you’re better off identifying a busquets to allow your iniesta to do the creative bit and visa versa.  If this means less 442 then so be it.

[not3bad]

We should be looking to the future and but feel that Guzan is not that.

Why not?  He's young enough and when he got the chance last season he proved he was good enough.

[TheSandman]

would love Guzan to re sign for us, always liked him. a lot better than all the goalies we were linked to for up to 5 mill in my view

i can see Given starting the season as no1 and Guzan finishing the season as no 1

This.

Bringing back Guzan is a good move, IMO.

[Doorbell]

Have we signed anyone else yet?  It's been over 24 hours, I'm getting impatient! 

[Toronto Villa]

You can't teach or train a player to be clever and within that there are different levels. We're not talking Xavi here. However, Ireland is clever and if you put the right pieces around him he can do things other players can't. You could see that last year with some of his movement and touhes that didn't always come off because others couldn't see it. You put willing players around him then he becomes that much better.

[tomd2103]

You can't teach or train a player to be clever and within that there are different levels. We're not talking Xavi here. However, Ireland is clever and if you put the right pieces around him he can do things other players can't. You could see that last year with some of his movement and touhes that didn't always come off because others couldn't see it. You put willing players around him then he becomes that much better.

Goes back to the question though - is he influential and more importantly, reliable enough to build a team around?  We would have to play a formation that would accommodate him in the "hole" and I don't think it is wise to build a team entirely around a player who was only able to manage a few games here and there last season.  His talent on the ball is undoubted, but on the evidence of last season I don't know if he is going to contribute enough goals and assists to be considered truly effective in that position.  On top of that, there is then there is the issue of his wages. 

Don't want to appear too negative here, as I really hope that Ireland can become the player that we all want him to be over the next few seasons.  I just have my doubts that he will. 

[mazrimsbruv]

We should be looking to the future and but feel that Guzan is not that.

I'm fairly confident that Villa's goalkeeping future is sorted.

Step forward Callum Barrett, Villa's reserve keeper, who looks to be a very bright prospect. My next door neighbour's a teacher and he taught Callum when he was at school and still stays in touch, both with Callum and his dad.

He showed me a DVD of him training at BH and his reactions are phenomenal. The ball seemed to stick in his hands like velcro. There was an amusing moment when he goes for a rest and Guzan wanders into shot to have a practice. With the Coach shouting encouragment he gets beaten all ends up by a shot into the top corner then lets one squirm under his body at the near post. The Coach goes a bit quiet then!

So, I'm not a goalkeeping coach and I might be a bit biased but I think he looks top drawer.

Anyone else seen him in action?

*Dons tin hat*

[john e]

We should be looking to the future and but feel that Guzan is not that.

he's exactly that,

 Young in goalkeeping terms,
 great natural ability with scope for improvement,
 been working side by side and learning from Given who is a steady pro and must be a good influence,
knows all about the club and wants to stay and push for the top spot

you couldnt ask for more to try and be part of Villa's future

[l_mckay]

Guzan staying is good news I think.when he had that run last season he proved he is good enough,and was unlucky to be dropped as soon as Given was fit again. Definatly good cover anyway

[Chipsticks]

We should be looking to the future and but feel that Guzan is not that.

he's exactly that,

 Young in goalkeeping terms,
 great natural ability with scope for improvement,
 been working side by side and learning from Given who is a steady pro and must be a good influence,
knows all about the club and wants to stay and push for the top spot

you couldnt ask for more to try and be part of Villa's future

Agree with all of that John, particularly the point that he is still 'young in goalkeeping terms'. It's easy to forget that 27 is still a relatively tender age in that position, with most keepers hitting their 'prime' at about the age of 30. I'd still have him as my man to replace Given when he retires.

[villastikz]

I would hazard a guess at those being negative about Guzan are of the opinion that Given is a great keeper and ignore the fact at all his clubs his organisation and command of his defense is poor and that he can't deal with crosses and corners effectively. He is described as a great shot stopper but that ability is waning.

For example he played bad in the Euros, his defense was all over the place as he had no control and he was responsible for some the goals.

For instance the Spain game

Goal 1 - Didn't stop a shot right above his own head because of slow reactions and conceded within minutes of kick off.

Goal 2 - Didn't stop a shot within minutes of second half kick off when he couldn't catch the ball coming into his box and punched straight to an opponent right in front of him and they scored when his dive was beaten.

Goal 3 - Didn't stop a shot in a one on one and conceded.

Goal 4 - Didn't stop a shot even when a defender was covering the goal and he let the shot through the narrowest of gaps even tho his hand was right there.


For me he has to go whilst we can get back some of the £3.5m + 1 year wages - about £2.5m -  otherwise he is just going to cost us millions over the next 4 seasons and if he does bad this season, following a bad tournament, then his value will drop and we will be stuck with him till the end of his contract as only lower clubs will be willing to buy him but they won't be able to afford the wages he expects.


Can I add I'm of a similar mind with TSM's other signings.

Hutton has already proved he was a bad buy and needs to go.

N'zogbia performed bad last season, if he does it again he needs to go in January.

Holman looks good on film but if he fails to perform he should be out the door.

Now Given has shown he isn't good enough because of well known problems with his game and he has to go.

[OCD]

We should be looking to the future and but feel that Guzan is not that.

I'm fairly confident that Villa's goalkeeping future is sorted.

Step forward Callum Barrett, Villa's reserve keeper, who looks to be a very bright prospect. My next door neighbour's a teacher and he taught Callum when he was at school and still stays in touch, both with Callum and his dad.

He showed me a DVD of him training at BH and his reactions are phenomenal. The ball seemed to stick in his hands like velcro. There was an amusing moment when he goes for a rest and Guzan wanders into shot to have a practice. With the Coach shouting encouragment he gets beaten all ends up by a shot into the top corner then lets one squirm under his body at the near post. The Coach goes a bit quiet then!

So, I'm not a goalkeeping coach and I might be a bit biased but I think he looks top drawer.

Anyone else seen him in action?

*Dons tin hat*

I would imagine Siegrist is still quite a bit ahead of him at the moment. Siegrist has been highly regarded for years and hopefully he can go out on loan this season and get a full league season for experience.

I was genuinely delighted to see the news about Guzan when I looked at my phone earlier. I was really angry with TSM's treatment of him after seeing him play so well for the games that he came in for. I think Guzan's overall game has really developed since we signed him and it would have been an awful waste to have let that go for nothing because of an awful, awful manager. With a real chance under PL, I'm confident he can usurp Given and I think the more prominent question will be how quickly he does it.