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

[Summers]

We wont be buying a right back. Hutton, Lichaj and Herd will play that position next season.

[Steve R]

Lichaj is already a perfectly capable PL right back, and with more experience could turn out to be a very good one.

I wouldn't mind [/meiosis] seeing Hutton moved on, if so the newcomer should be considered a backup. 

[olaftab]

We wont be buying a right back. Hutton, Lichaj and Herd will play that position next season.

and Heskey if necessary.

[brontebilly]

Hutton has been awful this season. Surprising enough too as McLeish had worked with him before so much so that Juande Ramos spent 9m on him. He also had a very good spell on loan at Sunderland not too long ago and when Spurs were really flying he was very good going forward.

Might be worth giving him another chance with a new manager in charge. I expected him to be ropey defensively but didn't expect his thuggish nature on the pitch or how terrible he has been on the ball.

Nzogbia too has more talent than the likes of Jarvis, Hoilet and others mentioned. Very poor first season but don't think we should write him off yet. We can't afford to anyway.

[nigel]

Hutton has been awful this season. Surprising enough too as McLeish had worked with him before so much so that Juande Ramos spent 9m on him. He also had a very good spell on loan at Sunderland not too long ago and when Spurs were really flying he was very good going forward.

Might be worth giving him another chance with a new manager in charge. I expected him to be ropey defensively but didn't expect his thuggish nature on the pitch or how terrible he has been on the ball.

Nzogbia too has more talent than the likes of Jarvis, Hoilet and others mentioned. Very poor first season but don't think we should write him off yet. We can't afford to anyway.

I've mentioned the Hutton thing a few times, bronte.
Around 3 seasons ago he was considered one of the best R/Bs in the Prem. It takes some players time to settle. He came into a team that was going to struggle, so that couldn't have been easy. Saying that, I prefer Lichaj as he has more pace and seems more comfortable on the ball.

[Irish villain]

I wouldn't write of N'Zogbia yet. Let's wait and see. Also, ironically enough considering what an issue it was in the MON era, right back is now well covered!

In an ideal world, I think Dempsey and Hoilet are two players I'd like to see at Villa Park. We'd just need a top class central defender to come in and we'd already start to look like a decent side. Problem is, I can't think of a decent centre back who'd want to join us. I think this season has shown us that neither Dann nor Johnson are the way forward in that regard.

[Lowendbehold]

I would go for Victor Moses at Wigan. 21 a year left on his contract and he's refusing to sign. The next Ashley Young?

I see in this mornings Express O'Neill wants Moses. The next Ashley Young.

Licej and Herd could cover right back. We need a left back.  Neill Taylor from Swansea.

[Mazrim]

I also see O'Neill has been told to sell before he can buy so he'll probably do a fat legger a few days before the start of next season.

[Lowendbehold]

I also see O'Neill has been told to sell before he can buy so he'll probably do a fat legger a few days before the start of next season.

There seems to be a misconception among some that we are the only club cutting back.  I think a lot are but we had more to do.

I remember that whenMON went there it was reported he had no money. Unlike him to go to somewhere there was no money. Just shows how his stock fell among some Chairmen.

[Mazrim]

He probably believed his own media hype and was waiting at home for a call from a champions league club with a huge budget.

[Rick_avfc]

I wouldn't like to see Herd moved to right back.  I think he is developing into a very good DCM.
Lichaj is really starting to play well as a full back and think he is going to be a very good player.  Im not a Hutton fan by any means but i think he should be given one more season to see if he is really going to cut it here.  The same applies with Nzogbia.  One more season before we start thinking about moving him on.

[Concrete John]

I've said it before, but I think Hutton will settle down to be a competent, if not spectacular, Premier league RB.  Add Lichaj to that, and we've got a decent enough pair for that position.  We do need a new LB, so sell Warnock and use the fee and saved wages to help pay for him - Taylor is a decent shout.  CB is difficult to judge until we know what Cuellar is doing.  I've been relatively impressed with him and Collins as a pair, so flogging Dunne and playing them would be fine by me, with Baker and Clark in reserve.  However, if Carlos goes I'd be looking for a big stopper that could partner Clark, with Collins and Baker then as back up.

Whether N'Zogbia deserves another crack or not, given our finances we can't afford to write off a £10m player, so he'll get one anyway.  Albrighton has been very disappointing, but A N Other wide player is needed anyway, so that should be a right sided player to balance Charlie on the left, with Marc and Carruthers as competition. 

I've been happy with Ireland's effort, so would look to play him as one of the deeper midfieldeers alongside a new DCM, with Herd and Gardner as their cover.  Holman can play behind the striker, so he'd be the most advanced of a midfield three, with Bannan taking up the squad position behind him.

Upfront is where it gets hard as two of out biggest/most expensive assets are fighting for one position, meaning our resources are not being best used.  I'd take anything over £10 for Gabby and use it for the other players needed.  His replacement should be a bigger striker to give us a genuine option and a more natural partnership with Bent should we go 4-4-2.  Weimann as a VERY competitive reserve for striker and/or a wide position.

The new squad would look something like this, usually playing a 4-2-3-1:-

Given (Guzan)

Hutton/Lichaj
Cuellar (Clark)
Collins (Baker)
New LB (Stevens, although more likely Clark if not playing CB)

New DCM (Herd)
Ireland (Gardner)
 
New RW (Albrighton)
Holman (Bannan)
N'Zogbia (Carruthers/Weimann)

Bent (New Striker/Weimann)

Cost wise there's a lot of talk about  Bosman's, so let's presume one of the four players needed, plus Holman, are Bosmans.  So three to be paid for at an average of £8m, so £24m to be spent.  Incoming there's £10m for Gabby, plus a total of £5m from Dunne and Warnock.  Add to that another £3m for the likes of Delph, Delfouneso and Makoun, giving £18m in and a balance of £6m.

Wages wise I'd say:-
Heskey - £60k
Gabby - £55k
Dunne - £50k
Warnock - £50k     
Delph, Delfouneso & Makoun - £60k between them.

That's £275k a week to spread between 5 new signings, so £55k a week average, which should be manageable. 

[ktvillan]

I agree with practically everything Ozzjim has said about Gabby, especially the bit about his lack of movement.  I've watched Weimann quite closely and there really is no comparison between his excellent movement off the ball and the often virtually static Gabby.  Same goes for Bent.  If Gabby could get a bit of that coached into him, he could be a top player.  Without it he is always going to be limited as a PL striker, and as such it wouldn't bother me in the slightest if he were to leave.   

[Merv]

Can't argue with any of that summary, John. That's how I see it as well. Hutton's had a difficult season but I also think he can settle into being a steady enough RB, even though I personally would have Lichaj as my starting RB and AH as back-up.

I think Cuellar is leaving, so I would expect a new CB to come in, and I'd play Clark alongside him. Collins and Baker as 3rd and 4th choice. We need a new starting LB to replace Warnock, Stevens is the cover there. I suppose, too, we could see Williams coming through to add depth at LB next season.

I'd like to see two new central midfield players in next season (Makoun and, reluctantly, Delph to leave), a right-sided midfield player/right-winger (if we are really stretched we could recruit one new central midfield player and a second player comfortable right mid or centre mid) and a striker.

[paulcomben]

Curtis Davies is in the Championship PFA team of the year. Where did it all go wrong with the pub player here?  Also, Ched Evans is in the League One PFA team - oops.