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

[OCD]

Apparently the Charlton fans are up in arms over the prospect of losing Stephens. With little to go on, at least that's a good sign.

[ozzjim]

So Stephens, Benteke, Dawson, Owen and Joe Bennett all linked on twitter tonight.

Benteke looks a hell of a prospect, but need a winger or man to commit and create to get the ball to him. Tom Ince might be a good call. Lets hope he is on the radar too.

[Eckybloke]

nursey & kendrick both running with the benteke story now, haven't seen the stephens story anywhere

Watching that Youtube link (and obviously beware Youtube highlights) at the bottom of Kendrick's article - does anyone really think he'll be that good in the Premier League? 

I'm more than happy to be proven wrong if he signs and is a success but the movement and positioning of some of the defenders for the goals was almost Villa like - and not in a good way!  I doubt he'd be given that much room.

[olaftab]

James Nursey talking to Stan Collymore on Talk Shite saying that we are about to bid 4 mil for a European striker.

Probably a French farmer!

[Ian.]

Lambert obviously knows who he wants and some of these players might seem underwhelming but I'm sure there is a plan for a first time in a while.

[pauliewalnuts]

Benteke and Cresswell in as our last two signings this window will be enough for me.

You honestly believe that 2 more players neither of which have any Premier League experience will be enough?

Nothing like enough, unfortunately.

For starters, how does that address our problem of getting the ball to the strikers?

I have no idea what Cresswell is like, I haven't seen Ipswich play for yonks, but I'd find it hard to believe he's that good he's going to make the difference between a piss poor squad lacking in quality and one that could do a job this season.

It'll take more than that, unfortunately.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

I'm happy that we're looking to players in the lower leagues to add to our numbers but I'm hoping that these lower league players aren't expected to do the job of experienced players who have been used to playing at the top level for a while.

We need to bring in prospects as squad players, but also need the finished product. 

[Caiphus]

Moussa Sissoko, from Toulouse, would be good for midfield; lightening quick, 6'2" and strong with good passing and goals in his game could work in a 2 man midfield with KEA or be the holding midfielder in a three with KEA and Bannan/Ireland as the advanced CMs.
Izaguirre from Celtic for LB could come in handy too.

I'm not ready for panic stations yet,  I just thought that we expected that we could play our passing style without too much pressure initially on the weekend and 9/10 times Pienaar's shot wouldn't have gone in.  Then we just moved the ball too slowly and tentatively after that and played right into Everton's high press.  Next thing you know we just started bypassing the midfield with long balls and the game was all over.  We need time to settle and I'm still pretty confident we will have 20-30 points by January, and we can fill any gaps in the squad then.

[OCD]

So Stephens, Benteke, Dawson, Owen and Joe Bennett all linked on twitter tonight.

Benteke looks a hell of a prospect, but need a winger or man to commit and create to get the ball to him. Tom Ince might be a good call. Lets hope he is on the radar too.

I've preferred Ince over Phillips since the playoffs and it looks like he's starting to mature now. However, Lambert has been very clear about not playing with wingers and instead having 4 central midfielders - 2 defensive and 2 behind the strikers. So he would need to change to a more central role and it would be difficult to adjust to both Premier League football AND a different position.

[Doorbell]

James Nursey talking to Stan Collymore on Talk Shite saying that we are about to bid 4 mil for a European striker.

Probably a French farmer!

Randy's got enough on his plate without one of our players potentially burning sheep or dumping milk outside his house...

[pr_N'villa]

Benteke and Cresswell in as our last two signings this window will be enough for me.

You honestly believe that 2 more players neither of which have any Premier League experience will be enough?

I dont think premier league experience is a must, they primarily need to be better than what we have currently got (potentially). Then they have to fit into lamberts style of playing, this i believe is much more important than premier league experience. Alot of people have mentioned players with "premier league experience" doyle, jones, nrc, barton, adam etc. the marjority are in agreement that they are
A) not good enough
B) on big money, dont fit in with our wage restrictions.
C) will hold up our up and coming youngsters
D) a nutcase/criminal
E) slow/injury prone

As i see it no matter who he brings in people wont be happy. I know i'd be happy with someone unknown and who has no experience then someone who fits into 1 of the above categories because on our budget we arent going to get good premier league experience. We'll just end up with more deadwood that we cant shift in a couple of years.

[Holy Trinity]

Moussa Sissoko this guy is surely way out of our league! i mean he would cost north of 15 million im sure and if he were to leave im sure he would command champions league football

[Doorbell]

Seems quite a few of the news desks are reporting the benteke story now...not that that in itself means anything

[davisa]

Benteke and Cresswell in as our last two signings this window will be enough for me.

You honestly believe that 2 more players neither of which have any Premier League experience will be enough?

Probably not, but I understand the restrictions on our transfer policy at the moment and I think that the current squad with those two should see us through to January. A decent left back and  target man up front should be our two priorities at the moment in my eyes, and those two fit the bill.

I'd rather have two decent players for 8 million than one overrated, overpriced guy with 'premier league experience' in a position that we dont need.

Once again it looks like we've acted too late in a transfer window. Watching Lukaku go down the road to Sandwell was a sickener for me, it's a kick in the balls for all of us to think that West Brom is becoming a much bigger attraction than ourselves. it has taken 2 dreadful performances to bring us back down to Earth, a blessing in disguise maybe.. We Need a big name signing, I agree we have wasted too much money on so called 'Premier League proven' players like Ireland, N'Zogbia, Sidwell etc in the past, but i believe that a marquee signing at this point could be crucial for confidence and belief in the Villa camp, whether it be a Premier league player or one from overseas... By the way Owen would not be my idea of a Marquee signing.  We all think that Lerner is skint, but actually non of us know his financial position, we thought he was skint 18 months ago then he Spunked £24mill on Darren 'The Passenger' Bent.. i'm not too certain Lerner is struggling for dollars at all, i do however believe it is taking him longer to trust managers with his cash since the departure of MON

[Monty]

Seems quite a few of the news desks are reporting the benteke story now...not that that in itself means anything

Not in itself, very true, but Kendrick and the Brum Mail are quite reliable these days.