Summer 2013: Villa Transfers, Speculation, Suggestions and Rumours

[ozzjim]

Buying the way he has is the right way. Progression though will only happen by keeping them!

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Not wishing to piss on the chips of the last 68 pages but didn't our Chief Scout, Michael Henke, leave earlier this year?

[neo_Villan]

He left just after the January transfer window shut I believe. But he would've left his list of recommendations behind and the reports he compiled while he was under our employment. So I'm sure some of his recommendations will still be looked at this summer. It would be good if we could hire another scout to replace him though.

[eamonn]

Did Henke go back to management? He seemed to slip out the back door...I know we all knew he was going but the OS didn't say much about it at all.

[Shrek]

Hmm.

I am not too sure if surviving relegation vindicates anything, really.

I believe in the idea of using more cheaper, younger players and looking for value, but not if it leads to season after season of Wiganesque survival battles. There's a thin line between modelling yourself on someone like Dortmund and just being a low spending club - it has to go somewhere.

Anyone can only buy cheap players, that's the easy bit. The difficult bit is building a team that can achieve something with them, and we have not seen that yet.

The real vindication will be in a couple of years time when we've progressed.

Agreed we have to be moving up the table year on year.

We have one game left and have more wins, more points and the possibility of finishing 11th than last season.
We've improved our playing style ten fold, all on the back of dropping nearly all of the old overpaid squad for young hungry improving players.

If that's not vindication or improvement, we may aswell all go home.

[ozzjim]

Not wishing to piss on the chips of the last 68 pages but didn't our Chief Scout, Michael Henke, leave earlier this year?

I don't think he was behind any of the signings last summer.

[dekko]

Did Henke go back to management? He seemed to slip out the back door...I know we all knew he was going but the OS didn't say much about it at all.

Hes coaching at Ingolstadt 04

[Karl Bridges]

I'm very happy to sit back, relax and see what he brings in.  Hopefully the days of moaning about signing a player from the lower leagues are over now he's shown that he can spot players like Westwood, Lowton etc. I'm actually quite excited, the difficult transition season behind us, it's onwards and upwards from here surely.

[PaulWinch again]

A lot of people mention the need for experience which I agree with to an extent, but seem to forget that these players we have are now becoming experienced after the struggles they've been through this year. We'll be a much more experienced squad next year whatever happens.

[Dante Lavelli]

A lot of people mention the need for experience which I agree with to an extent, but seem to forget that these players we have are now becoming experienced after the struggles they've been through this year. We'll be a much more experienced squad next year whatever happens.

#ding# correct answer.

[VILLA MOLE]

Hmm.

I am not too sure if surviving relegation vindicates anything, really.

I believe in the idea of using more cheaper, younger players and looking for value, but not if it leads to season after season of Wiganesque survival battles. There's a thin line between modelling yourself on someone like Dortmund and just being a low spending club - it has to go somewhere.

Anyone can only buy cheap players, that's the easy bit. The difficult bit is building a team that can achieve something with them, and we have not seen that yet.

The real vindication will be in a couple of years time when we've progressed.

Agreed we have to be moving up the table year on year.

We have one game left and have more wins, more points and the possibility of finishing 11th than last season.
We've improved our playing style ten fold, all on the back of dropping nearly all of the old overpaid squad for young hungry improving players.

If that's not vindication or improvement, we may aswell all go home.

It is also a very tight table upto 10th which means we are not far behind, not sure that says we are any good more we are not that bad

[supertom]

If you look at the table as it is, you'd have to fancy, with the right signings, that the top 6 is within reach. Everton will drop at least 10 points next season without Moyes. Liverpool, you never know what you'll get. Top 6 isn't out of reach. There will be other clubs feeling the same of course.
We just need to spend wisely. The money seems to be there. The suggestion in Jan was that there was more available than Lambert used. I think we need a ratio of 50/50 with Benteke/Sylla like signings, and young, promising players from the lower leagues here.
Unearthing another Laursen or Mellberg is absolutely imperative. Our defence has looked reasonable in the last few months, since Vlaar has had a run of fitness, and Bennett has, generally, improved.
What you can see is that we're close to being a good side. Improve in key areas, have a bit more strength in depth and we'll be on the heels of the Scousers next season I believe.
Clubs like Fulham, Sunderland and Newcastle will be hoping to push up next season too. They'll be making signings. Swansea are a good side too. If they keep Michu (and Laudrup) and grab 1-2 more bargains like him, they'll be top half.
I suspect there will be a bit more of a gap between the relegation battlers and those round the mid-table area. The top 7 won't be quite so far ahead either. I would hope we'll be in the top half and pushing for the scousies places rather than battling Hull and Cardiff etc next season.

[danlanza]

Agents at it again. Weimen's agent says he will stop in the Prem but it may not be at Villa. I fucking hate Agents. Only after another pay day.

[john2710]

Agents at it again. Weimen's agent says he will stop in the Prem but it may not be at Villa. I fucking hate Agents. Only after another pay day.

What else is he going to say? "Andy will sign a new contract at VP, irrespective of what other options he might / might not have"! He's simply trying to push for more money.

Anyway, if he doesn't like what's on offer, he can stay on his current contract for another 12 months, by which time he might be more than happy to sign a new contract at VP.

[ozzjim]

If you look at the table as it is, you'd have to fancy, with the right signings, that the top 6 is within reach. Everton will drop at least 10 points next season without Moyes. Liverpool, you never know what you'll get. Top 6 isn't out of reach. There will be other clubs feeling the same of course.
We just need to spend wisely. The money seems to be there. The suggestion in Jan was that there was more available than Lambert used. I think we need a ratio of 50/50 with Benteke/Sylla like signings, and young, promising players from the lower leagues here.
Unearthing another Laursen or Mellberg is absolutely imperative. Our defence has looked reasonable in the last few months, since Vlaar has had a run of fitness, and Bennett has, generally, improved.
What you can see is that we're close to being a good side. Improve in key areas, have a bit more strength in depth and we'll be on the heels of the Scousers next season I believe.
Clubs like Fulham, Sunderland and Newcastle will be hoping to push up next season too. They'll be making signings. Swansea are a good side too. If they keep Michu (and Laudrup) and grab 1-2 more bargains like him, they'll be top half.
I suspect there will be a bit more of a gap between the relegation battlers and those round the mid-table area. The top 7 won't be quite so far ahead either. I would hope we'll be in the top half and pushing for the scousies places rather than battling Hull and Cardiff etc next season.

I think Liverpool will be pushing top 4 next season. They started from a higher base than us with their squad, but Rodgers has done as well as Lambert there to change it and refresh things.

Chelsea, United, City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs are nailed on the top 6 next season. Anywhere between 7th and 10th will be a very decent season for us.