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

[PeterWithesShin]

The problem for Fonz and Weimann is that unless we have injuries they aren't going to get a run to show what they can do. The odd start here, occasional 20 minutes there as a sub isn't enough. Bent is always going to start when fit. If we bring in another striker then their chances become even less. Catch 22 in many ways.

[KRS]

If we want to push on, I think at need a gem like Berbatov or something abroad.

No doubt Berbatov is a good technical player but can be lazy and frustrating...for a similar transfer fee, I'd rather we continue to invest in you and go for Rhodes who we can develop over a number of years.

But we already have that. Right now, we need a striker to take the pressure off Bent and. Is capable of linking the midfield with the attack.

Well Berbatov certainly has the experience but I wouldnt say he'd take the pressure off Bent, however he may raise his game being first choice rather than 3rd or 4th, and theres not many players better at holding up the ball and linking play when hes on his game.

[PeterWithesShin]

Here is the proper report before Sky fucked it up.

IT'S been 30 years since Aston Villa’s greatest achievement – but Paul Lambert insists the spirits of 1982 won’t scare him.

The Scot is well aware of Villa’s history and the legends they’ve created along the way.

And as he prepares for his first season in charge, he insists those ghosts inspire rather than haunt him.

Lambert watched on TV back in May 1982 when Villa clinched the European Cup, Peter Withe’s goal
giving them a 1-0 victory over a star-studded Bayern Munich team.

That triumph at Feyenoord’s De Kuip Stadium still resonates – and Lambert is surrounded by its history at Villa Park.

But he isn’t intimidated by the achievement by Tony Barton and his players.

In fact, Lambo has returned to De Kuip twice in recent weeks to snap up Ron Vlaar and Karim el Ahmadi for £6million from the Rotterdam side.

He hopes his new signings can help bring back the glory days to a club that has been in the doldrums for the past two years under his predecessors Alex McLeish and Gerard Houllier.

His other summer captures include Brett Holman from AZ Alkmaar and Matt Lowton from Sheffield United, both for modest fees.

They’re not household names – but that’s the way Lambert likes it.

He told MailSport: “Aston Villa are a big club with a massive support.

“They expect to be successful and to be winning – and they are quite right to think like that. It’s up to me to make that a reality and I will give it my best.

“But I have always said the game is about the players – and I’ll never change my opinion. Ultimately, they win or lose games. It’s as simple as that.

“I take great care about the kind of player I sign. They have to have the right characteristics, be confident and must be able to fit in.

“I have inherited some good players and have added quality. The names of my new signings might not roll of the tongue but I believe in them.

“They know what we are trying to do here and think they’ll be able to help.

“I am aware of the standards of Aston Villa and I’m aware of the history.

“The memory of winning the Cup in 1982 is something we should embrace and respect. Players such as Withe, Allan Evans, Dennis Mortimer, Gordon Cowans and Gary Shaw are legends.

“I’m not scared of memories. It gives us something to aim for, although we must be realistic.

“I watched that final on TV and it was an incredible result. Bayern had Paul Breitner, Klaus Augenthaler and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

“ Villa lost Jimmy Rimmer early on and had to put a young Nigel Spink in goals. It was a brilliant feat. Phenomenal.

“We still have the 1982 Lounge at the stadium – and rightly so.”

Lambert won the Champions League in 1997 with Borussia Dortmund and captained Celtic, who lifted the trophy 30 years earlier. He fully understands what is required.

Villa were close to relegation last season under McLeish and Lambert will not make foolish predictions about what he’ll achieve this campaign. He will also not set the players a target of a top-10 finish.

What he has done, though, is tell the players exactly what is expected of them on and off the park.

He wants good professionalism and 100 per cent commitment. They know the consequences if they don’t.

That’s all Lambert asked of his players at Norwich and in three years they turned the club around from being League One strugglers to a respected Premier League team. Lambert wants Villa to be looked on in the same manner – the way they were under his mentor Martin O’Neill for four years from 2006.

Lambert said: “This club had a fantastic period under O’Neill. They were consistently in the top six and qualified for Europe.

“Unfortunately, the past two years have been a barren spell. I’m here to try and change that. I did it at Norwich.”

Villa owner Randy Lerner allowed O’Neill to spend on Ashley Young, James Milner and Stewart Downing.

They were excellent signings and went on to make the club a profit of more than £20m on a £30m outlay.

Lambert won’t be given such piles of cash but doesn’t mind that because he loves a challenge.

He said: “This is a great club to work for and a big opportunity for me.

“In terms of finance, I know exactly what the club can do. Listen, it’s not all about cash. That’s never my outlook.”

Of course, the more you have to spend on players the greater the chance of winning the title – and that’s why Lambert sees Man City, Man United and Chelsea scrapping it out.

He said: “They will all be there at the end, no doubt. Liverpool and Arsenal should also never be dismissed.

“What I do know is it will be an exciting season and I’m pleased to be a part of it all. Last season was my first in the Premier League. This one can’t come quickly enough.”

[Mister E]

Well Berbatov certainly has the experience but I wouldnt say he'd take the pressure off Bent, however he may raise his game being first choice rather than 3rd or 4th, and theres not many players better at holding up the ball and linking play when hes on his game.

I have never quite 'got' Berbatov: like N'Zog, he can be brilliant but is also attitudinally very flaky. He is a brilliant finisher ... would he come and do it for Lambo and the Villa? not sure.
I think he'll end up abroad somewhere.

[UK Redsox]

I agree. Surely Delfouneso has had enough chances now. He's not going to make the grade in the PL.

Again, he is twenty one years old.

Ditching someone of that age just because he hasn't yet shown that he is going to be on the best strikers in the league would be ridiculous.

Age is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. To me (and many other H&V'ers), Fonz just doesn't look like he's got what it takes.

[paul_e]

I agree. Surely Delfouneso has had enough chances now. He's not going to make the grade in the PL.

Again, he is twenty one years old.

Ditching someone of that age just because he hasn't yet shown that he is going to be on the best strikers in the league would be ridiculous.

Age is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. To me (and many other H&V'ers), Fonz just doesn't look like he's got what it takes.

The reality is we wouldn't get much for him, he's not on huge wages and, importantly, he doesn't count towards the 25 man squad limit.

Given all that I don't understand at all why people want to get rid of him.  He has got ability and has a lot of potential if he's used right (in the role behind a main striker), like many players in his situation it's all down to mental strength, if he can get his head right and commit to being the best player he can for Villa, he'll be a valuable part of the squad.  We might as well give him a year with the right type of manager at the club and see if he can make the step up.  If the debate is still open next summer then it'll be the time to move him on.

[OCD]

I think with Deflouneso, its worth looking at what Lambert did with the strikers he had at Norwich. Obviously there was Grant Holt but after him he had some really average players like Vaughan and Jackson who both contributed. Nath might be able to play a bit part role and still make himself a useful player this season. Then we can re-assess next summer - we can't change everything in one summer. For one thing, there needs to be buyers for the likes of Warnock, N'Zogbia etc.

[Dave]

I agree. Surely Delfouneso has had enough chances now. He's not going to make the grade in the PL.

Again, he is twenty one years old.

Ditching someone of that age just because he hasn't yet shown that he is going to be on the best strikers in the league would be ridiculous.

Age is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. To me (and many other H&V'ers), Fonz just doesn't look like he's got what it takes.

Except age isn't irrelevant. Different players develop at different times. To use my normal example, until he was 22 Drogba had a record of a goal every six games in the French second division. Presumably he should have just been ditched after a mediocre first couple of seasons as well? Age is irrelevant after all.

It's possible that Delfouneso might never be anything more than a League 2 striker, but considering how much money we would make from selling him it would be stupid to get rid of him at he moment.

[KRS]

Well Berbatov certainly has the experience but I wouldnt say he'd take the pressure off Bent, however he may raise his game being first choice rather than 3rd or 4th, and theres not many players better at holding up the ball and linking play when hes on his game.

I have never quite 'got' Berbatov: like N'Zog, he can be brilliant but is also attitudinally very flaky. He is a brilliant finisher ... would he come and do it for Lambo and the Villa? not sure.
I think he'll end up abroad somewhere.

Well I'm about to complete a dramatic u-turn on Berbatov...he's actually probably exactly what we need right now. We are building a relatively young inexperienced squad but we do need experience in there and a player like Berbatov could not only bring his undoubted ability but also help bring on the young players. He also has great football intelligence so would work well with the likes of KEA, Ireland and Bannan. The only downfall is his application on the pitch sometimes however if he was made to feel as a key player in the team then we may see a different side to him (unlikely!)...plus lets not forget he would also come with a ridiculous wage demand which would undo all the hard work we've done to reduce the wage bill.

[UK Redsox]

Why not ship Fonz out on loan for the season and see if he can score goals at a lower level ?

[Dave]

Why not ship Fonz out on loan for the season and see if he can score goals at a lower level ?

If that's what Lambert thinks is best for then that's fine by me.

A promotion hunting Championship side or a Wigan/Southampton could well be the making or breaking of him.

[Concrete John]

Not being funny but Warnock could just play at LB. Let's face most on here say he's better going forward so let's try and get him back on the form that earned him England recognition. It's funny how people use the McCleish being crap argument to justufy poor form from some players yet forget it when it's someone they dislike. Warnock isn't nearly as bad as some poeple on here make out, he always gives 100% and like many last year suffered from low confidence so rather than getting stung for £6m to purchase as unknown, bide our time and get value for money at the right time. It's not an urgent position IMO with Enda as back up.

Warnock was being crap long before TSM came along.

So had Gabby and I'm sure others could be added to that list too. I just don't feel we should buy for the sake of it. Obviously, you disagree.

Obviously, you don't like people disagreeing with you!

It's not buying for the sake of it if you genuinely feel the player needs replacing.  Gabby had a good patch at the start of last season.  Players like Collins and Dunne had a good 2nd half of 10/11, as did many others, which was when Houllier had Warnock out of the side. 

So, when was the last time Warnock had a good patch for us?

[eastie]

Why not ship Fonz out on loan for the season and see if he can score goals at a lower level ?

If that's what Lambert thinks is best for then that's fine by me.

A promotion hunting Championship side or a Wigan/Southampton could well be the making or breaking of him.

A hatful of goals in the championship could light the fonzs touchpaper, he seems to be a confidence player and goals in a lower league can transform strikers.

West ham did it with defoe at bournemouth, but the fonz hasnt really delivered in previous loan spells- like any player he needs to take his chance when it arrives , as bannan seems to be doing at present.

[Walmley_Villa]

Fonz blew his chance on loan at Burnley, they weren't impressed.

[Karlos96]

Fonz blew his chance on loan at Burnley, they weren't impressed.

My mate went to watch Burnley play at Leeds and he said he didn't even notice him once.  I am really not convinced with him, I  think playing at all the England levels up to the 21's might have gone to his head and he thinks he is better than he is.