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

[Toronto Villa]

It's also down to Lambert. He's spoken about it having to be the right player in terms of attitude as well as ability. If he can't get who he wants I don't think he'll sign just to make up the numbers or to placate supporters. i think we just have to accept it will take more than one transfer window to get the squad that he wants.

It's not a  case of "the squad he [or we] wants", but a squad that is strong enough to cope in the Premier League this season.  Our doesn't look strong enough, pure and simple.

I think we'll cope Riss because I honestly feel the players at the club now really underperformed under TSM. That under this management team they can show far more and be significantly more productive. Because if they don't what's the point of having an academy and one of the best around if they cannot make the step up? Instead of signing other clubs 20 and 21 year olds we have to trust that ours with the right guidance are good enough. We've all spoken glowingly of players like Gardner or Clark. Well this season they can take a big step forward because they'll have the opportunity.

I'm not for a minute saying that we don't need some help with some more experienced players around the club, but I'm not convinced that the players at the club today aren't good enough at this level with the right coaching and environment. Last year needs to be stricken from the records on so many different levels. It was just a completely wasted opportunity laden with excuse after excuse.

I want to see us first and foremost playing the right way. Something that is pleasing to the eye and doesn't involve us shitting ourselves for 90 minutes because the opposition has the ball 75% of the time. Then figure out how to use that possession more effectively. This season is going to have ups and downs but I hope that by February or March we'll be playing consistently better and will have developed our own players to the point that anyone coming in is only adding to what have and not having to replace what we have.

[Risso]

It's also down to Lambert. He's spoken about it having to be the right player in terms of attitude as well as ability. If he can't get who he wants I don't think he'll sign just to make up the numbers or to placate supporters. i think we just have to accept it will take more than one transfer window to get the squad that he wants.

It's not a  case of "the squad he [or we] wants", but a squad that is strong enough to cope in the Premier League this season.  Our doesn't look strong enough, pure and simple.

It still doesn't alter the fact that he'll only sign players he wants, he will not go for a short term fix. I think we're still a little short but we have Gabby, Dunne and Albrighton to come back from injury and if we have to wait until January for further strengthening then I think we'll cope.

Dunne is supposedly off to Stoke, and Albrighton is out for a good while with a broken foot, and will then take a while to get back up to speed.  Even if he does, he was as bad last year as he was decent the year before, so not sure that he's a player to be overly optimistic about.  The nub of the matter is the chronic under-investment in the club over the past two years by Lerner.  We don't have a plan any more that goes any further than "doing just enough to survive". 

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Dunne is supposedly off to Stoke, and Albrighton is out for a good while with a broken foot, and will then take a while to get back up to speed.  Even if he does, he was as bad last year as he was decent the year before, so not sure that he's a player to be overly optimistic about.  The nub of the matter is the chronic under-investment in the club over the past two years by Lerner.  We don't have a plan any more that goes any further than "doing just enough to survive". 

Well said and spot on.

[supertom]

Our general lack of leaders might be a problem. There's too many inexperienced players who may or may not be good enough. Not enough who've been there and done it and can rouse the troops. I'm not sure we've got anyone who can dictate a game.

[Monty]

All this negativity will have faded by about 4.41 tomorrow when Bent bicycle kicks his 5th and Villa's 8th, with Lambert doin' tha bouncy in the Holte End while Moyes is surrounded by a little pile of ginger tufts he's pulled out of his head from frustration.

[Risso]

It's also down to Lambert. He's spoken about it having to be the right player in terms of attitude as well as ability. If he can't get who he wants I don't think he'll sign just to make up the numbers or to placate supporters. i think we just have to accept it will take more than one transfer window to get the squad that he wants.

It's not a  case of "the squad he [or we] wants", but a squad that is strong enough to cope in the Premier League this season.  Our doesn't look strong enough, pure and simple.

I think we'll cope Riss because I honestly feel the players at the club now really underperformed under TSM. That under this management team they can show far more and be significantly more productive. Because if they don't what's the point of having an academy and one of the best around if they cannot make the step up? Instead of signing other clubs 20 and 21 year olds we have to trust that ours with the right guidance are good enough. We've all spoken glowingly of players like Gardner or Clark. Well this season they can take a big step forward because they'll have the opportunity.

I'm not for a minute saying that we don't need some help with some more experienced players around the club, but I'm not convinced that the players at the club today aren't good enough at this level with the right coaching and environment. Last year needs to be stricken from the records on so many different levels. It was just a completely wasted opportunity laden with excuse after excuse.

I want to see us first and foremost playing the right way. Something that is pleasing to the eye and doesn't involve us shitting ourselves for 90 minutes because the opposition has the ball 75% of the time. Then figure out how to use that possession more effectively. This season is going to have ups and downs but I hope that by February or March we'll be playing consistently better and will have developed our own players to the point that anyone coming in is only adding to what have and not having to replace what we have.

The kids are alright as somebody once said, but none of them are anything other than average Premier League players who we should not be relying upon as much as we do.  As fans we have a tendency to over-hype our youth, but you speak to fans of other teams and none of them are rated that highly at all.  Albrighton looked a good player when he was effectively back up to Young and Downing, but he clearly wasn't ready for the sudden leap to being first choice.  The other problem is that a lot of our other more experienced players like N'Zogbia, Ireland, Warnock and Dunne aren't exactly reliable either, so we're in the unhappy position of having several first team players who are suspect, and then kids as back up who aren't really any great shakes.

[ktvillan]

And of course the big risk is that your squad isn't capable of doing just enough to survive, which is a concern with ours at the moment. Especially when you see other potential strugglers bringing in reinforcements.   If Lerner and Faulkner are holding us back in the transfer market, they should perhaps stop and consider the huge amount relegation would cost us, in TV revenues alone, which are going to be monumental for PL teams next year.

[PaulWinch again]

We need a left back, centre half(if Dunne Leaves, creative midfielder and a striker. That hasn't changed.

[Toronto Villa]

It's also down to Lambert. He's spoken about it having to be the right player in terms of attitude as well as ability. If he can't get who he wants I don't think he'll sign just to make up the numbers or to placate supporters. i think we just have to accept it will take more than one transfer window to get the squad that he wants.

It's not a  case of "the squad he [or we] wants", but a squad that is strong enough to cope in the Premier League this season.  Our doesn't look strong enough, pure and simple.

I think we'll cope Riss because I honestly feel the players at the club now really underperformed under TSM. That under this management team they can show far more and be significantly more productive. Because if they don't what's the point of having an academy and one of the best around if they cannot make the step up? Instead of signing other clubs 20 and 21 year olds we have to trust that ours with the right guidance are good enough. We've all spoken glowingly of players like Gardner or Clark. Well this season they can take a big step forward because they'll have the opportunity.

I'm not for a minute saying that we don't need some help with some more experienced players around the club, but I'm not convinced that the players at the club today aren't good enough at this level with the right coaching and environment. Last year needs to be stricken from the records on so many different levels. It was just a completely wasted opportunity laden with excuse after excuse.

I want to see us first and foremost playing the right way. Something that is pleasing to the eye and doesn't involve us shitting ourselves for 90 minutes because the opposition has the ball 75% of the time. Then figure out how to use that possession more effectively. This season is going to have ups and downs but I hope that by February or March we'll be playing consistently better and will have developed our own players to the point that anyone coming in is only adding to what have and not having to replace what we have.

The kids are alright as somebody once said, but none of them are anything other than average Premier League players who we should not be relying upon as much as we do.  As fans we have a tendency to over-hype our youth, but you speak to fans of other teams and none of them are rated that highly at all.  Albrighton looked a good player when he was effectively back up to Young and Downing, but he clearly wasn't ready for the sudden leap to being first choice.  The other problem is that a lot of our other more experienced players like N'Zogbia, Ireland, Warnock and Dunne aren't exactly reliable either, so we're in the unhappy position of having several first team players who are suspect, and then kids as back up who aren't really any great shakes.

I don't disagree with you but I don't know what many of these players can do because much of the body of work is based around last season. Not saying I'm willing to give all of them a pass but I'm willing to see if what we saw last year is what they can produce. Or, as we suspect they have more to offer under a better manager, trying to play a better brand of football. I commented elsewhere that last season you'd swear none of them could control a football. Well already in a few short weeks, most of them have shown they can, and we can pass it, and we can possess the ball for more than 30% of the game. Not saying it's anything to be cheering about but it, in a small way proves there is more to come.

[pedro25]

We need a left back, centre half(if Dunne Leaves, creative midfielder and a striker. That hasn't changed.

I don't disagree but we have a left back (Warnock), a centre back (Dunne), a creative midfielder (Makoun) and ok a right back (Hutton) rather than a striker, but if these guys have to leave before replacements are bought in I can live with that.

[Chris Smith]

It's also down to Lambert. He's spoken about it having to be the right player in terms of attitude as well as ability. If he can't get who he wants I don't think he'll sign just to make up the numbers or to placate supporters. i think we just have to accept it will take more than one transfer window to get the squad that he wants.

It's not a  case of "the squad he [or we] wants", but a squad that is strong enough to cope in the Premier League this season.  Our doesn't look strong enough, pure and simple.

It still doesn't alter the fact that he'll only sign players he wants, he will not go for a short term fix. I think we're still a little short but we have Gabby, Dunne and Albrighton to come back from injury and if we have to wait until January for further strengthening then I think we'll cope.

Dunne is supposedly off to Stoke, and Albrighton is out for a good while with a broken foot, and will then take a while to get back up to speed.  Even if he does, he was as bad last year as he was decent the year before, so not sure that he's a player to be overly optimistic about.  The nub of the matter is the chronic under-investment in the club over the past two years by Lerner.  We don't have a plan any more that goes any further than "doing just enough to survive". 

That's one way of looking at it but really that's all speculation and personal opinion. If Lerner was bothered as little as you suggest why sack McLeish and pay him off? Why sanction any spending?

If the vague rumours of Dunne going are true then that frees up his wages for further signings but at present we have 3 players with plenty of first team experience to come back. As I said the other day that I liken it to when MON first came and that it will take more than one transfer window for Lambert to build the squad he wants.

[TimTheVillain]

It's not rocket science that if Bent's out for a while like last season we're fooked.

We're also fooked if we don't get supply to him.

Without signings, we are in the shit again I'm afraid, and a bottom half finish certainly on the cards - depends what Lerner wants or can afford.

I think he wants out, but no investors have put the money he wants on the table yet.

Personally speaking, I get the feeling that he sees sport as a poor investment now ( which football is) and started by selling Clevelend Browns off - Villa next ?

Fletcher going to Sunderland shows what little cash we have spare.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I think Lerner is quite happy for us to tick along in the bottom half of the table, he certainly has no desire to push us further.
Seems to me he has lost all interest, so hopefully he'll look to sell.

Anybody who keeps a letter of recommendation for McCatpiss in their safe from Ferguson, then get's it out every now and again to admire it, must be a bit on the simple side anyway.

[TaxDodger]

Fletcher going to Sunderland shows what little cash we have spare.

Or that Lambert realises that Steven Fletcher for 12 million is quite likely to be bad business. If we get our wage bill in order I can still see Lerner coming up with 10-12 million for a player if Lambert was convinced it was a sound investment.

[garyshawsknee]

Fletcher going to Sunderland shows what little cash we have spare.

I think it shows that MON still loves paying well over the odds for slightly above average British players.