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

[PeterWithesShin]

People are forgetting Milner is from the North East.
He wouldn't need a pay cut Shitty would pay some of his wages.Thinking it might happen.

I always thought Leeds was the North West.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Julian Joachim is without a club?

[john e]

I know made a big twat of myself thinking we were nailed on to sign Holt, as I thought he was in the right price bracket for us,and was known to him,

but I still think if Lambert signs a striker it will be a big target man sort of fella,
 but still can't see us spending millions on Fletcher, but wouldn't be supprised to see a big chap turn up before the end of the window

[eastie]

I know made a big twat of myself thinking we were nailed on to sign Holt, as I thought he was in the right price bracket for us,and was known to him,

but I still think if Lambert signs a striker it will be a big target man sort of fella,
 but still can't see us spending millions on Fletcher, but wouldn't be supprised to see a big chap turn up before the end of the window

A holt type striker would be nice, we certainly need more firepower up front as we saw what happened when bent was out long term.

[Ron Manager]

I know made a big twat of myself thinking we were nailed on to sign Holt, as I thought he was in the right price bracket for us,and was known to him,

but I still think if Lambert signs a striker it will be a big target man sort of fella,
 but still can't see us spending millions on Fletcher, but wouldn't be supprised to see a big chap turn up before the end of the window

A big chap  with a name that sounds like Holt and can shift a bit. Come on down Usain Bolt!

[Toronto Villa]

Toronto, as I stressed in my post it's my opinion. I don't think there's enough hard evidence from a few warm up games to make claims that we're a top 8 side. We've signed pretty much unknown quantities so far who will need to make the adjustment to the unique demands of PL football and that usually takes time.

Of course they might surprise us and click straight away but logic suggests that it will take longer for them to settle in. Similarly existing players are going to have to adjust to the new manager and how he wants us to play as well as getting used to the new signings. I'd say a solid mid table finish is the most likely outcome.

Chris, in what was a disaster of a season after MON bolted we still finished 9th. Irrespective of how ended up there, we still did. If this has proved anything for the mid table positions you don't have to have everything going for you to finish in the lower European spots. With solid management, and a squad with more belief and desire we should be challenging Everton or Fulham. I'd be disappointed if we weren't. McLeish made a mockery of us last season. I truly don't think we are as bad as made us look.

If we still had Young and Downing and were likely to spend £18m on a striker in January I'd share your optimism, Toronto, as it is O'Neill's first season is a better comparator (imo).

Anyway I hope you're right and I'm wrong, I could do with that sort of lift at the moment.

Like I said I think TSM's tactics set us back to the dark ages where we played to survive as opposed to win in almost every game. It won't be smooth sailing under Lambert all the time but he'll at least give these players the licence to go an express themselves. You're right, having players the calibre of Young and Downing was massive, especially for Bent and that will be the real test for us. My biggest concern at this moment is our inability to get the ball into Bent and that it is all a little one dimensional in the final third. What I'm not concerned about as much is the defence and midfield being a lot tighter and disciplined as a unit. They'll be better prepared but if we are not scoring then it puts a lot of pressure on them to be perfect. I hope that between now and West Ham Lambert goes some way to addressing this.

I think the comparison to MON is applicable in terms of the situation as opposed to the squad. MON had much more weeding to do than Lambert which puts Lambert in a better position in my opinion.

[N'ZMAV]

Who do Aston Villa fans want to see signed by the club before the transfer window closes?

Earlier this week we ran an article suggesting Aston Villa badly need to sign a striker as support for Darren Bent, to save placing unnecessary pressure on Andreas Weimann. When Bent was injured last season the club struggled for goals, and it is not a scenario the club will want to undergo again.

We didn't notice any Villa fans disagreeing with us, and if they did they didn't voice their opinions, but those who did respond to the question of 'which striker would you like to see signed?' put forward some interesting suggestions.

Here they are, with a quick profile on each of them.

Craig Bellamy

Welshman Craig Bellamy is believed to be available from Anfield, with both QPR and Cardiff City strongly interested. If Aston Villa could sign him, he'd be ideal foil for Darren Bent, and could play in the wide positions too. He was a real star for Great Britain at the Olympics, showing he still has plenty to offer. At 33 he can still do a job in the Premier League, and could improve on his seven goals from last season if given a proper run of games. However Villa appear to be behind other clubs in the race for his signature, and Brendan Rodgers admitted this morning a deal with Cardiff was most likely.

Arouna Kone

Kone was one of the stars for La Liga surprise package Levante last season, helping them finish sixth. Tottenham were linked with him before Harry Redknapp's dismissal, and Aston Villa were linked with him last week. He scored 16 goals in 35 games in all competitions last season and at 28 the Ivorian is entering the peak of his career.

Dimitar Berbatov

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov is a player we know all about. With his £5 million price tag and clear ability, it is little wonder fans from clubs all over are crying out for his signature. Sadly for Villa fans this one looks unlikely, the player is most likely to quit the Premier League altogether with a move to Russian club Zenit St Petersburg presently looking most likely.

Fredy Montero

Fredy Montero plays for Seattle Sounders in the MLS, and was suggested by a Villa fan in Seattle, who clearly watches him closely. The striker may not be a 'big name' but his record suggests he is a promising talent, at 25, scoring 18 goals in America last season. The Colombian would follow in the footsteps of countryman Juan Pablo Angel at Villa Park, and the club's American owners may just be aware of him, even though it remains very much a long shot.

Jermain Defoe

Jermain Defoe would be a quality addition to Villa, but it is an unlikely one. He is Tottenham's only really established striker at present and they are not about to let him go. He would also cost Villa over £10 million, and it remains to be seen if the club would sanction such a bid. Reservations were rightly expressed by one fan that he would be too similar to Darren Bent, and the pair didn't really gel at Spurs when they were together, so this is probably a non-starter.

Andy Carroll

Andy Carroll divides opinion whenever he is mentioned, and will do wherever he goes. He was suggested as the 'ideal partner' for Darren Bent, and it is correct to argue their differing attributes could mesh together well. Still its safe to say Villa aren't about to launch a mega money bid for the striker, who is reluctant to leave Liverpool for anybody but Newcastle.

Roque Santa Cruz

Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz is a player in need of a career rebuild. He is back at Manchester City after a season on loan with Real Betis where he scored seven goals. The striker is 30, and his 23 goals at Blackburn Rovers in 2007-08 serves as a reminder of what he can do when he is at his best. He has one year left on his contract and Villa couldn't afford to sign him, but a loan deal isn't out of the question if Paul Lambert decides on him as a potential target.

No thanks to most of those.

http://hereisthecity.com/2012/08/07/seven-strikers-aston-villa-fans-want-to-see-signed-by-the-club/

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

I'd like to see us get Robbie Keane back as he'll be ideal in the way Lambert has us playing now. Alternatively - Jordan Rhodes. (I assume he's still at Uddersfield.

[tomd2103]

I'd like to see us get Robbie Keane back as he'll be ideal in the way Lambert has us playing now. Alternatively - Jordan Rhodes. (I assume he's still at Uddersfield.

The Robbie Keane who we saw in January - yes.  The Robbie Keane who was way off the pace and struggled badly at the Euros - no.

[john e]

Let's hope we don't get that Euro's Ron Vlaar either

[bertlambshank]

People are forgetting Milner is from the North East.
He wouldn't need a pay cut Shitty would pay some of his wages.Thinking it might happen.

Milner is not from the north east, hes a leeds lad , yes he played for newcastle after leeds but was born and raised 75 miles away from tyneside.

Whether mackem fans would take to an ex toon player is another question, whereas he had a great rapport with villa fans and always  gave 100%.

I didn't say he was born there.He has played more games for Newcastle than any other club.

[luke25]

People are forgetting Milner is from the North East.
He wouldn't need a pay cut Shitty would pay some of his wages.Thinking it might happen.

Milner is not from the north east, hes a leeds lad , yes he played for newcastle after leeds but was born and raised 75 miles away from tyneside.

Whether mackem fans would take to an ex toon player is another question, whereas he had a great rapport with villa fans and always  gave 100%.

I didn't say he was born there.He has played more games for Newcastle than any other club.

Really? I'd have thought he'd have played more for us. Shocked me that has.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

People are forgetting Milner is from the North East.
He wouldn't need a pay cut Shitty would pay some of his wages.Thinking it might happen.

Milner is not from the north east, hes a leeds lad , yes he played for newcastle after leeds but was born and raised 75 miles away from tyneside.

Whether mackem fans would take to an ex toon player is another question, whereas he had a great rapport with villa fans and always  gave 100%.

I didn't say he was born there.He has played more games for Newcastle than any other club.

Really? I'd have thought he'd have played more for us. Shocked me that has.

100 appearances for Villa, 94 for the stupid Barcodes.

[PeterWithesShin]

People are forgetting Milner is from the North East.
He wouldn't need a pay cut Shitty would pay some of his wages.Thinking it might happen.

Milner is not from the north east, hes a leeds lad , yes he played for newcastle after leeds but was born and raised 75 miles away from tyneside.

Whether mackem fans would take to an ex toon player is another question, whereas he had a great rapport with villa fans and always  gave 100%.

I didn't say he was born there.He has played more games for Newcastle than any other club.

You said he was from there. He isn't. He's also played more games in a Villa shirt than a Newcastle shirt.

[Le Lapin]

Milner isn't going to leave a league winning club that is going to play in the Champions League to play for Martin O'Neills Sunderland. I just can't see that one happening. Can't see him coming back to us either.