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

[OCD]

Well this is the summary of Villa's transfer window according to Sky -

- 'Villa seemed to start off well with Karim El Ahmadi, Brett Holman and Ron Vlaar all arriving from the Dutch top-flight - but they failed to back that up, instead recruiting in the bargain basement in transfer terms of shopping in the Football League for players they hope, rather than know, will be good enough for the top-flight.' The verdict is we're 'losers'.

I love the idea that if you don't buy your players from the Premier League that is a failure and a lack of ambition, rather than a sensible long term vision. It might be a gamble, but I'd rather have that than buying guaranteed overpriced mediocrity from the Premier League. Piss off Sky.

They did say that we made a good start by buying players from Holland i.e. not Premier League players so I have a little sympathy with that viewpoint. As for their comment about buying players from lower leagues, I've come to expect that - many of our own supporters even think the same. Its a tactic that we could really benefit from long-term though and if a lot of other clubs think the same way, that will only be good for us. If we've got it right, you'll soon hear other supporters moaning that their club didn't do the same.

[Phil from the upper holte]

I heard that Lambert was at Wolves last night watching Zaha

[Astral Weeks]

I heard that Lambert was at Wolves last night watching Zaha

Well there's a ready made song for him if he signs: "Knowing me, knowing you..."

[Shrek]

 

I heard that Lambert was at Wolves last night watching Zaha

I heard he was looking at Karl Henry...

[CJ]

May have been watching Bakary Sako. Mate of mine reports for Sky and has watched him a few times - reckons he'll be the next Patrick Vieira

[Risso]

Well this is the summary of Villa's transfer window according to Sky -

- 'Villa seemed to start off well with Karim El Ahmadi, Brett Holman and Ron Vlaar all arriving from the Dutch top-flight - but they failed to back that up, instead recruiting in the bargain basement in transfer terms of shopping in the Football League for players they hope, rather than know, will be good enough for the top-flight.' The verdict is we're 'losers'.

I love the idea that if you don't buy your players from the Premier League that is a failure and a lack of ambition, rather than a sensible long term vision. It might be a gamble, but I'd rather have that than buying guaranteed overpriced mediocrity from the Premier League. Piss off Sky.

Exactly.  Isn't this kind of similar to what spurs and to a greater extent Arsenal have been doing?

Spurs have been augmenting their purchases of youngsters with genuine talent.  We've basically replaced almost an entire team with a load of untested kids.  A hugely risky strategy, and one that I'm not convinced is going to pay off.

[not3bad]

Is it time to start a January transfer thread?  Apparently Gosling at Newcastle is a target.

[FatSam]

May have been watching Bakary Sako. Mate of mine reports for Sky and has watched him a few times - reckons he'll be the next Patrick Vieira

I saw the other day that Gueïda Fofana, another 'next Patrick Vieira', is playing for Lyon now. Another one like Steve Mandanda from Le Havre who with hindsight we should have signed when we had the opportunity.

[Dave]

Is it time to start a January transfer thread?  Apparently Gosling at Newcastle is a target.

Go for it.

[Concrete John]

Well this is the summary of Villa's transfer window according to Sky -

- 'Villa seemed to start off well with Karim El Ahmadi, Brett Holman and Ron Vlaar all arriving from the Dutch top-flight - but they failed to back that up, instead recruiting in the bargain basement in transfer terms of shopping in the Football League for players they hope, rather than know, will be good enough for the top-flight.' The verdict is we're 'losers'.

I love the idea that if you don't buy your players from the Premier League that is a failure and a lack of ambition, rather than a sensible long term vision. It might be a gamble, but I'd rather have that than buying guaranteed overpriced mediocrity from the Premier League. Piss off Sky.

Exactly.  Isn't this kind of similar to what spurs and to a greater extent Arsenal have been doing?

Spurs have been augmenting their purchases of youngsters with genuine talent.  We've basically replaced almost an entire team with a load of untested kids.  A hugely risky strategy, and one that I'm not convinced is going to pay off.

That's what I'm hoping we do next summer.  We now have a reasonable sized squad, so the same outlay we saw this year, aided by a couple more high earmers going, but spent on just 2 or 3 players, should see us improve quite a lot.

[Dante Lavelli]

Well this is the summary of Villa's transfer window according to Sky -

- 'Villa seemed to start off well with Karim El Ahmadi, Brett Holman and Ron Vlaar all arriving from the Dutch top-flight - but they failed to back that up, instead recruiting in the bargain basement in transfer terms of shopping in the Football League for players they hope, rather than know, will be good enough for the top-flight.' The verdict is we're 'losers'.

I love the idea that if you don't buy your players from the Premier League that is a failure and a lack of ambition, rather than a sensible long term vision. It might be a gamble, but I'd rather have that than buying guaranteed overpriced mediocrity from the Premier League. Piss off Sky.

Exactly.  Isn't this kind of similar to what spurs and to a greater extent Arsenal have been doing?

Spurs have been augmenting their purchases of youngsters with genuine talent.  We've basically replaced almost an entire team with a load of untested kids.  A hugely risky strategy, and one that I'm not convinced is going to pay off.

That's what I'm hoping we do next summer.  We now have a reasonable sized squad, so the same outlay we saw this year, aided by a couple more high earmers going, but spent on just 2 or 3 players, should see us improve quite a lot.

I’ve been really impressed with Lambert so far - an I was "meh" at best on appointment - but this is still his weakness for me. 
In his career so far (and what he has done at villa) we can hope he’ll sign Cahills and Jaglielkas (quality premiership players) yet there is nothing to indicate that he can find or manage the genuine top players and their egos.

[brian green]

I am very much in favour of our manager's policy of spending money on young players from lower divisions who have potential.

In my opinion they have nine very clear advantages over established premiership players.

1.   They are a fraction of the price and your money gets a bigger less injury and suspension damaged squad.

2.   They are younger and probably carry fewer long term injury or fitness dangers (Jenas, Dunne etc).

3.   They are much less likely to be burdened with baggage like woman trouble or gambling or booze or driving offences.

4.    They have less inflated egos.

5.    Because Paul Lambert has given them their big chance they they will be intensely loyal to him.

6.    They are pop bottles not milk bottles.   You can always get something back on them.

7.   Their agents behave themselves.

8.   They are not part of the celeb circuit more interested in what the tabloids say than what the manager says.

9.   Savage does not have their phone numbers.

Realistically of course we hope, and they hope that some of them will become Premiership stars and then they will lose all the advantages listed above and will join the ranks of Lampard, Rooney and co, but by that time they will have delivered for us and we shall be the ones who reap the benefit.

[Toronto Villa]

Well this is the summary of Villa's transfer window according to Sky -

- 'Villa seemed to start off well with Karim El Ahmadi, Brett Holman and Ron Vlaar all arriving from the Dutch top-flight - but they failed to back that up, instead recruiting in the bargain basement in transfer terms of shopping in the Football League for players they hope, rather than know, will be good enough for the top-flight.' The verdict is we're 'losers'.

I love the idea that if you don't buy your players from the Premier League that is a failure and a lack of ambition, rather than a sensible long term vision. It might be a gamble, but I'd rather have that than buying guaranteed overpriced mediocrity from the Premier League. Piss off Sky.

Exactly.  Isn't this kind of similar to what spurs and to a greater extent Arsenal have been doing?

Spurs have been augmenting their purchases of youngsters with genuine talent.  We've basically replaced almost an entire team with a load of untested kids.  A hugely risky strategy, and one that I'm not convinced is going to pay off.

That's what I'm hoping we do next summer.  We now have a reasonable sized squad, so the same outlay we saw this year, aided by a couple more high earmers going, but spent on just 2 or 3 players, should see us improve quite a lot.

I’ve been really impressed with Lambert so far - an I was "meh" at best on appointment - but this is still his weakness for me. 
In his career so far (and what he has done at villa) we can hope he’ll sign Cahills and Jaglielkas (quality premiership players) yet there is nothing to indicate that he can find or manage the genuine top players and their egos.

By the same token there's nothing to indicate that he can't find or manage genuine top players. He's played at the top level of the game so I doubt he's unaware of what it might take. He's not been manager of any club before now where they have even considered top players, so I'd give him a chance to prove he can. In my opinion, we needed to settle things down and we've brought in players that will allow us to do that and remain competitive. The next stage is to add better quality to push us on again and I think that will be the mandate for each consecutive window.

[saunders_heroes]

I am very much in favour of our manager's policy of spending money on young players from lower divisions who have potential.

In my opinion they have nine very clear advantages over established premiership players.

1.   They are a fraction of the price and your money gets a bigger less injury and suspension damaged squad.

2.   They are younger and probably carry fewer long term injury or fitness dangers (Jenas, Dunne etc).

3.   They are much less likely to be burdened with baggage like woman trouble or gambling or booze or driving offences.

4.    They have less inflated egos.

5.    Because Paul Lambert has given them their big chance they they will be intensely loyal to him.

6.    They are pop bottles not milk bottles.   You can always get something back on them.

7.   Their agents behave themselves.

8.   They are not part of the celeb circuit more interested in what the tabloids say than what the manager says.

9.   Savage does not have their phone numbers.

Realistically of course we hope, and they hope that some of them will become Premiership stars and then they will lose all the advantages listed above and will join the ranks of Lampard, Rooney and co, but by that time they will have delivered for us and we shall be the ones who reap the benefit.

10.   Because they're cheap.

And regardless of what your 9 points claim, it's probably the main reason we signed them.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

The players we have bought do show a lot of promise, but it won't stop us flirting with relegation.
A couple of more experienced heads are needed.