Summer 2013: Villa Transfers, Speculation, Suggestions and Rumours

[stubbsyandy]

We needed defenders. There's no good reason I can think of for not getting at least one.

The defenders purchased by our rivals haven't had much in the way of a positive effect.

I know what you're saying mate but it doesn't really make any difference how they fared. We did and still do need some defenders and to stick with what we had in January was crazy. From my point of view the forwards and midfield got their act together but the defence never did and was clearly the weak suit. I'm not saying the players we have there won't improve as this division was new to most of them.

Anyway, we got away with it. I just hope we don't push our luck as much next season.

I think we've improved at the back since the midfield three got sorted.

I'm not convinced it's a personnel issue, more the team learning how to play with attacking intent as well as defensive responsibility.

Well said LeeB

[Villafirst]

I think a lot of us like Darren Bent. Although the wages go part of the way to compensate for the lack of action any footballer likes to be in

the action and in Bents case scoring as he has done at the top level for some years.

I hope he does go to Fulham. That club would suit him down to the ground.

If Benteke decides he belongs elsewhere with a club that would be in a financial position to offer him say 80,000 a week and not 40,000 as I suspect we will then Lambert will have to find another golden nugget in the foreign leagues. Thats a difficult ask but he must have given it some thought. Of course we hope thats not the case but in football as in life anything is possible.

Benteke has to stay, end of. The team needs to be built around him. You may as well give up if he's sold. We've seen where the club's policy of selling the likes of Barry, Milner, Young, Downing etc. has got us for the last three years; there's no substitute for quality. Lerner needs to state his intentions for the club, to us, the paying customers! All we get is this stupid silence from him - he just doesn't engage with the fans for whatever reason.

[ozzjim]

I think we only got away with it in the fact that Baker and Vlaar managed to put 10-12 games together, which has seen us through. Lambert quite clearly knew what he was doing with Sylla and the midfield to stabilise the side, and it worked. He deserves credit for holding his nerve and doing what he thought was the right things when we to a man would have all panic bought someone in. FFS - I wanted us to get Mike Williamson from Newcastle on loan, that is how deranged I got. Lambert stayed calm and showed belief in the players, something that he should get rewarded for next season.

I hope we use the money wisely rather than take another gamble.

Westwood - 2m,
Lowton 1.5m, (maybe even lower if Lamberts around a million comment is true a couple of weeks back)
Guzan - Free,
Benteke 7m
Sylla - 1.5m,
Vlaar 3.5m
KEA - 2.5m
Bowery - 500k
Bennett 2.75m
Dawkins - 0 essentially.

I would defy anyone to suggest that was not spent wisely when you looked at the squad he took over. What would that lot be worth now if sold? Apart from about 2, they would all have tripled or even quadrupled their value this season.

I think with the same budget there are less holes this summer, so hopefully there might be a couple more "Benteke" type signings, but if you read the comments of Steve Davis at Crewe, we had one of the most comprehensive scouting dossiers on Westwood he had seen before buying him in, so I would hardly call the spending last summer a gamble.

[Doorbell]

I'm determined to get the NRC used as a monetary term!

I'd be very happy if we got just one NRC for bent.

[brontebilly]

Ex-players blah blah.  May the overpaid bunch of prima donna wankers rot on a bench somewhere.  If they wanted to play for Villa they would stil be here, can't we move on?  Honestly, it's like my mate Kev who, when pissed, still cries about the bird he split up with 3 years ago.

Speaking of ex-players, Ashley Young will surely be available this summer and would fit perfectly into one of the wide positions. He excelled with Carew in particular up front so Benteke could benefit hugely from his deliveries.

However he really has been pretty injury prone since leaving Villa Park and unless those injury problems cleared up it would be a no from me.

[neo_Villan]

Give Weimann, Guzan and Benteke new deals now.

Lowton and Westwood too.

[LeeS]

I said it about 20 pages back, but I'd ask Milner to come back. It feels like he has unfinished business at Villa Park.

[glasses]

I said it about 20 pages back, but I'd ask Milner to come back. It feels like he has unfinished business at Villa Park.

Bollocks. It feels like he fucked off at the first sign City came calling with a pay cheque.

[Seb_AVFC]

I'd take Lescott, Alcaraz, Bridcutt, Ince & Wood for starters.

[Dave]

I said it about 20 pages back, but I'd ask Milner to come back. It feels like he has unfinished business at Villa Park.

Bollocks. It feels like he fucked off at the first sign City came calling with a pay cheque.

And the opportunity to win a couple of trophies and play in the Champions League.

[Toronto Villa]

what i am really looking forward to is no being able to guess who our targets might be. I think there is consensus on what we need and who might help immediately, but I tink there is a general feeling amongst Villa fans that e trust this blokes judgement on players. Most of them have worked out really well. I don't think he's blind to what we need and where and I'm sure it will be addressesd. I think it's a myth that he'll only buy young because Vlaar and KEA are more mature players and we had agreed a fee for Dempsey. What I'm really positive about is that whoever we get will improve us, be it in he short term or down the road. The transfer window today is so much better than in recent years past where it was predictable and under MON we knew depressingly it wouldn't happen until the very end.

[rob_bridge]

Nice article with Bent. He'll be gone in the summer but in my opinion he's conducted himself well. He says the ridght things here plus an added shot at the noses thrown in

Bent article in the Mail

Yep this for me

[UK Redsox]

I'd take Lescott, Alcaraz, Bridcutt, Ince & Wood for starters.

Is that Chris Wood you mean ?

If so, I agree. As a back up to Benteke, he'd be a better bet than Rhodes but either of them would be OK.

[pauliewalnuts]

I know he is knocking on a bit, and think he signed a new contract last summer, but Wes Hoolahan strikes me as a very underrated player.

[Hoppo]

Agree about Hoolahan always rate Pilkington too. Can play anywhere across the park.