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

[Monty]

Just to put the 'Champions League football' in context, Enda Stevens arrived with the pedigree of having played Europa League football.... I'm not dissing Makoun, just pointing out that we have to be mindful that the English league is a few notches above the French and that villa would probably have the beating of most sides who play in France.

But in fairness, not necessarily Lyon.

[pauliewalnuts]

If we are selling Dunne we'd need an experience centre back to come in as back up. Whatever form Dunne has been in over the last two seasons we all know that he's not a bad defender. He has a manager that has a clue now, and good young players around him and hopefully a midfield that will protect the defence a bit more than it has done. I'd rather see Dunne come off the bench with 20mins to go to close out a tight win than an inexperienced player.
 

Have you actually watched any of our football over the last two seasons? I wouldn't want Mr Concentration anywhere near us trying to close out a win.

Under Houllier it was when Dunne came back into the team that results improved and we moved away from the relegation places. He's a good defender when on form and we're short of numbers at the moment. I think we should keep him for this season at least.

He's in the last year of his contract though, isn't he?

If someone is going to offer us 3m for him now, then I suspect that'll be the most important thing.

[themossman]

I agree John, Dunne is a good traditional style stopper...

Is he bollocks. Samuel Taylor Coleridge on the other hand is exactly the kind of traditional hard tackling clogger we need. What's he up to these days?

[Irish villain]

Just to put the 'Champions League football' in context, Enda Stevens arrived with the pedigree of having played Europa League football.... I'm not dissing Makoun, just pointing out that we have to be mindful that the English league is a few notches above the French and that villa would probably have the beating of most sides who play in France.

But in fairness, not necessarily Lyon.

True, but listen his villa record has been pretty damn average no matter what way you look at it. I thought he was lightweight in the games he played for us and as for his passing, he looked like a dangerous interception waiting to happen. He knocked it about quite nonchalantly but I never had much confidence in him for some reason. I think Houllier had great time for Makoun, but I'm not sure anybody else in the backroom rated him. I'm sure neither McLeish or Lambert just decided Makoun isn't good enough by themselves. They would have formed their opinion based on what the coaching staff had to say.

[Dr Butler]

I agree John, Dunne is a good traditional style stopper...

Is he bollocks. Samuel Taylor Coleridge on the other hand is exactly the kind of traditional hard tackling clogger we need. What's he up to these days?

just signed for the Kubla Khan select XI

[Chris Smith]

Yes I have, and he has been shocking at times, but so the has whole team been shite, can you pick out any players that have excelled in the last two seasons. No midfield protection, no plan for set pieces and no management for two seasons will do that to a defense. Dunne has lost his way, but he is a good defender when in a settled team, look at our defense under O'Neill. Each of those guys played a blinder, Collins and Warnock included.
But if it's time to move them on, I'd rather that we get a replacement centrehalf with the experience that Dunne has than hope that the inexperienced guys will step up to the mark.

People keep going on about the year under O'Neill.

They defended well enough, as they barely had to move from the edge of the box, all bloody 4 of 'em.

You seem to be criticising defenders for defending well.

If I thought there was time and the money available to replace him with a better option then I could see the point in selling him but as it is we're desperately short of PL experience at centre back and I think people are letting their prejudices get in the way of common sense.

[LeeB]

I agree John, Dunne is a good traditional style stopper...

Is he bollocks. Samuel Taylor Coleridge on the other hand is exactly the kind of traditional hard tackling clogger we need. What's he up to these days?

He'd want big money, and at his age he could become something of an albatross for the club.

[Le Lapin]

If we are selling Dunne we'd need an experience centre back to come in as back up. Whatever form Dunne has been in over the last two seasons we all know that he's not a bad defender. He has a manager that has a clue now, and good young players around him and hopefully a midfield that will protect the defence a bit more than it has done. I'd rather see Dunne come off the bench with 20mins to go to close out a tight win than an inexperienced player.
 

Have you actually watched any of our football over the last two seasons? I wouldn't want Mr Concentration anywhere near us trying to close out a win.

Under Houllier it was when Dunne came back into the team that results improved and we moved away from the relegation places. He's a good defender when on form and we're short of numbers at the moment. I think we should keep him for this season at least.

He's in the last year of his contract though, isn't he?

If someone is going to offer us 3m for him now, then I suspect that'll be the most important thing.

If someone would offer us 3m for Dunne then I'd snap their hands off. But we would need to get a replacement centreback with Premiership experience in to replace him.

[Chris Smith]

If we are selling Dunne we'd need an experience centre back to come in as back up. Whatever form Dunne has been in over the last two seasons we all know that he's not a bad defender. He has a manager that has a clue now, and good young players around him and hopefully a midfield that will protect the defence a bit more than it has done. I'd rather see Dunne come off the bench with 20mins to go to close out a tight win than an inexperienced player.
 

Have you actually watched any of our football over the last two seasons? I wouldn't want Mr Concentration anywhere near us trying to close out a win.

Under Houllier it was when Dunne came back into the team that results improved and we moved away from the relegation places. He's a good defender when on form and we're short of numbers at the moment. I think we should keep him for this season at least.

He's in the last year of his contract though, isn't he?

If someone is going to offer us 3m for him now, then I suspect that'll be the most important thing.

Probably, but I don't think it's likely anyone would offer that and match his wages in these more austere times.

[pauliewalnuts]

re his wages, if he's got one year left here, and Stoke offer him a two year or more deal, even on less money, it'd be worth his while moving - about to turn 33, he's not going to get many better offers if he sits out his contract.

[LeeB]

Yes I have, and he has been shocking at times, but so the has whole team been shite, can you pick out any players that have excelled in the last two seasons. No midfield protection, no plan for set pieces and no management for two seasons will do that to a defense. Dunne has lost his way, but he is a good defender when in a settled team, look at our defense under O'Neill. Each of those guys played a blinder, Collins and Warnock included.
But if it's time to move them on, I'd rather that we get a replacement centrehalf with the experience that Dunne has than hope that the inexperienced guys will step up to the mark.

People keep going on about the year under O'Neill.

They defended well enough, as they barely had to move from the edge of the box, all bloody 4 of 'em.

You seem to be criticising defenders for defending well.

If I thought there was time and the money available to replace him with a better option then I could see the point in selling him but as it is we're desperately short of PL experience at centre back and I think people are letting their prejudices get in the way of common sense.

I'm not saying that at all Chris, I'm saying they played well in an a system which helped them, but meant we surrendered territory further up the pitch.

[Phil from the upper holte]

To be fair the back 4 under Mon were great, Dunne had mistakes in him but we were solid, Just need to see that again, I'd keep Dunne I think with these young kids they need an older head as long as he's still not playing up. Not as a starter but he'd be good as cover, we don't have a lot of strength in depth do we?

[mr underhill]

TBH if Tony  was reading this site or any other PL manager for that matter, what incentive would he or they have to buy dunne warnock or mutton? They are all total shite as we keep saying. Strange policy to adopt when you are trying to market a commodity isn't it? "It's utter bollocks but please buy it!"

[Nastylee]

If we are selling Dunne we'd need an experience centre back to come in as back up. Whatever form Dunne has been in over the last two seasons we all know that he's not a bad defender. He has a manager that has a clue now, and good young players around him and hopefully a midfield that will protect the defence a bit more than it has done. I'd rather see Dunne come off the bench with 20mins to go to close out a tight win than an inexperienced player.
 

Have you actually watched any of our football over the last two seasons? I wouldn't want Mr Concentration anywhere near us trying to close out a win.

Under Houllier it was when Dunne came back into the team that results improved and we moved away from the relegation places. He's a good defender when on form and we're short of numbers at the moment. I think we should keep him for this season at least.

He's in the last year of his contract though, isn't he?

If someone is going to offer us 3m for him now, then I suspect that'll be the most important thing.

If someone would offer us 3m for Dunne then I'd snap their hands off. But we would need to get a replacement centreback with Premiership experience in to replace him.

So we sell an experienced defender for 3m to try and replace him with another experienced defender who is not only better but on less wages?

Are people on here 'avin a laugh?

[supertom]

If we are selling Dunne we'd need an experience centre back to come in as back up. Whatever form Dunne has been in over the last two seasons we all know that he's not a bad defender. He has a manager that has a clue now, and good young players around him and hopefully a midfield that will protect the defence a bit more than it has done. I'd rather see Dunne come off the bench with 20mins to go to close out a tight win than an inexperienced player.
 

Have you actually watched any of our football over the last two seasons? I wouldn't want Mr Concentration anywhere near us trying to close out a win.

Under Houllier it was when Dunne came back into the team that results improved and we moved away from the relegation places. He's a good defender when on form and we're short of numbers at the moment. I think we should keep him for this season at least.

He's in the last year of his contract though, isn't he?

If someone is going to offer us 3m for him now, then I suspect that'll be the most important thing.

If someone would offer us 3m for Dunne then I'd snap their hands off. But we would need to get a replacement centreback with Premiership experience in to replace him.

So we sell an experienced defender for 3m to try and replace him with another experienced defender who is not only better but on less wages?

Are people on here 'avin a laugh?

Given Dunne's wages, I think it's do-able. Even if we sell him and then replace him with someone on the same wages, it'll be better (depending on who said player is of course). But at 32, unfit, inconsistent and injury prone, I'm pretty sure there's better options out there, who we could pay 40-50k a week.
In terms of experienced CB's, premier league isn't necessarily a pre-requisite. There's probably decent players in the Championship who know the English game inside out. The step up in levels for defenders has perenially been more comfortable than attackers. I'd happily pay 2-3 million for a decent championship CH who's been and done it.
We have our first choice pairing anyway. What we need is a strong character, with experience who can be a positive influence on and off the pitch. Dunnes got the experience but his influence has been questionned negatively in the past. But for me the main problem is he's well past his best. Lets get in someone who's mid to late 20's and knows what they're doing and has 3-4 good year in them instead of being 1-2 years past their best like Tonne.