Summer 2013: Villa Transfers, Speculation, Suggestions and Rumours

[DrGonzo]

A Vydra, and a Sigurdsson are the kind of signings i would hope we make.

Vydra looked very good yesterday.

First time ive really noticed him - looked ok yesterday indeed.

And positively awful in the 1st leg.

[tomd2103]

Maloney a good shout

No thank you very much - remember his spell with us and his obvious desire to get away from the club at the earliest opportunity.

There is a young lad at Palace called Jonathan Williams, who for me is a similar player to Maloney, but I think will be  better in a couple of years (he's only 19).  He can play on both wings and can also play in a more central attacking role.  I've seen him play a few times for Wales and he has looked at home against quality opposition such as Croatia.  I still think Tom Ince would be a good signing, but I've got a feeling his Dad is going to be playing games this summer and could well do him out of a move. 

[tomd2103]

I like the blend of the increasingly impressive Delph, Westy and Sylla. I think we should be supplementing this with a more experienced defensive battler. Sylla after all is still very young and inexperienced and if he picks up a knock, there is nobody in the squad like him. Naivety is our problem and a player with a bit of nous in the midfield would be of a massive benefit.

The way I see it at the moment, Westwood is the ball playing midfielder who sits a little deeper, with Sylla and Delph providing the "legs".  Whilst I think Sylla and Delph have done well recently, I still think there is room for a real quality midfielder who can add a few goals in that set up. 

[cdbearsfan]

I don't see the point in going for Maloney. I'm making four assumptions:

i) Benteke stays
ii) We (mostly) stick with the 4-3-3 formation
iii) Bent goes
iv) Bowery will be loaned out or, at least, get fewer games, as he doesn't seem ready for regular top-flight football yet.

Given these assumptions, we need a player who can play up front on his own if Benteke is injured/suspended/rested. However, the player needs to be equally adept playing wide to compete for a starting place with Weimann and Agbonlahor.

Now Maloney's fine on the wing but if we were to play him as sole centre-forward we'd have less chance of scoring than Anne Widdecombe.

I'm not saying I know who we should sign, mind. Lambert probably has some unknown bloke from the Low Countries/er divisions in mind. Best I can think of is Sterling, if Liverpool would let us have him on loan, now that Sturridge is ahead of him in the pecking-order.

He's looked ok when I've seen him. Plus, he's a cheating bastard, which we need more of.

[ozzjim]

For McManaman now see Sterling 6 months ago. The clamour for either was way over the top. The only "trick" either have got that I have seen is to kick the ball a few yards in front of the defender when wrong footed and beat them with space. Teams will double up and stop that pretty quick, as they did with Albrighton. I would not want either at the moment, or the most over rated player in the world on here Danny Rose.


I would take Naughton as full back challenge on both sides as I think he would challenge our current pair.

In midfield, Bridcut will be looked at by a lot of sides now this summer with Brighton not coming up.

[john e]

it would be great if we could get rid of some of the deadwood this window, its almost as important to us as who we bring in
Given, Ireland Bent etc but I just don't see where they are going, because of the contracts and wages they are on

I think its the most difficult area we have to negotiate this summer, in a way bringing in players will be a lot easier than seeing the unwanted ones leave, to the point where if we really want them away it might cost us a few million

[Dave]

I don't see the point in going for Maloney. I'm making four assumptions:we need a player who can play up front on his own if Benteke is injured/suspended/rested. However, the player needs to be equally adept playing wide to compete for a starting place with Weimann and Agbonlahor.

Considering how good he was there for a while under O'Neill, I'd say the player that you describe above IS Agbonlahor.

I'd much rather the money spent on the above go towards a wide-player, hopefully one capable of playing on either wing in the same way that Young was.

Then it would be Benteke, Gabby and maybe Bowery for the spot in the middle and then Gabby, Weimann and AN Other for the two wide positions, supplemented by the likes of Albrighton and the next generation of youth players.

[PaulWinch again]

I don't rate Danny Rose highly at all, I think he's very average.

[paul_e]

I don't see the point in going for Maloney. I'm making four assumptions:we need a player who can play up front on his own if Benteke is injured/suspended/rested. However, the player needs to be equally adept playing wide to compete for a starting place with Weimann and Agbonlahor.

Considering how good he was there for a while under O'Neill, I'd say the player that you describe above IS Agbonlahor.

I'd much rather the money spent on the above go towards a wide-player, hopefully one capable of playing on either wing in the same way that Young was.

Then it would be Benteke, Gabby and maybe Bowery for the spot in the middle and then Gabby, Weimann and AN Other for the two wide positions, supplemented by the likes of Albrighton and the next generation of youth players.

Agree, I'd be happy with Gabby being the main cover for Benteke so getting someone who can cover left and right is the key.  Aubamayang? - Probably a bit expensive but worth a look for me, scores and creates, is quick and has great feet (even if they are inside fecking stupid boots).

[jonzy85]

I think we need to sign at least 6 players this summer. I am happy enough with our starting 11, except for the centre backs and question marks still over left back. But our bench offers nothing.

I am thinking 2 defenders, one out and out centre half and one utility one, both of who would be good enough to go straight in. The rest should be players ready to challenge the current first team if not necessarily playing 38 games. It would be nice to get a proper experienced centre midfielder though.

[ozzjim]

I agree on 6 and your 2 defenders. The other 4 for me would be 2 central midfielders capable of pushing and being better than the 3 in there, and 2 forwards, capable of pushing and being better than Gabby and Weimann, all being able to play the wide role, and Benteke role if need be.

[supertom]

I don't rate Danny Rose highly at all, I think he's very average.

He'd be an O Neill signing to be honest. Don't see Lambert going for a player like him.

[supertom]

There's likely to be wholesale changes at Man City. I'd be going all out to get a good deal on Lescott and Milner. That would improve our spine a hell of a lot. Milner can go back to being a central midfielder, playing regularly. He's been utterly ruined at City.
Both players have earned their money. I'm sure for the benefit of playing regularly at peak ages in their respective positions, they'd take a reasonable wage.

[ozzjim]

There's likely to be wholesale changes at Man City. I'd be going all out to get a good deal on Lescott and Milner. That would improve our spine a hell of a lot. Milner can go back to being a central midfielder, playing regularly. He's been utterly ruined at City.
Both players have earned their money. I'm sure for the benefit of playing regularly at peak ages in their respective positions, they'd take a reasonable wage.

Milner is far too much use to let go. Top sides need players like him that are dependable wherever they play.

[supertom]

There's likely to be wholesale changes at Man City. I'd be going all out to get a good deal on Lescott and Milner. That would improve our spine a hell of a lot. Milner can go back to being a central midfielder, playing regularly. He's been utterly ruined at City.
Both players have earned their money. I'm sure for the benefit of playing regularly at peak ages in their respective positions, they'd take a reasonable wage.

Milner is far too much use to let go. Top sides need players like him that are dependable wherever they play.

Guess it all depends on who comes in, and whether or not they rate him.