Summer 2013: Villa Transfers, Speculation, Suggestions and Rumours

[Monty]

Another centre back? Well, if he says so. Personally I'd like to see an attacking midfielder.

[LeeB]

Sorry, do people mean that Twitter account from an Italian player that's all written in English?

hmmmm  . . . . Admittedly if it is fake it implies someone set up a fake account several months ago in the name of an Italian defender and has made a lot of tweets.

I'm not sure which alternative seems less credible!

I think it was heskey from the grassy knoll

If it was he'd still be alive today.

[PaulWinch again]

Another centre back? Well, if he says so. Personally I'd like to see an attacking midfielder.

I'd like to see both.

[DrGonzo]

Oh, I wish I could see Harry Redknapp's massive, hangdog, bloodshot, stroke face as news filters down that Hooper has signed for Norwich... Ho fucking ho. 

[Monty]

Another centre back? Well, if he says so. Personally I'd like to see an attacking midfielder.

I'd like to see both.

Well yes, but for better or worse we do have some centre backs, whereas we have no central, creative, goal-threatening midfielder (unless Helenius plays there, as some have suggested).

[OCD]

We might have been looking at this Italian defender in the event that the Okore deal didn't work so we'll have to see. As others have said, I would be surprised if we had 5 central defenders this season and that's excluding Herd who Lambert seems to use there.

[FranzBiberkopf]

Well yes, but for better or worse we do have some centre backs, whereas we have no central, creative, goal-threatening midfielder (unless Helenius plays there, as some have suggested

I thought that was Tonev?

Its not so much the number of centre-halves, rather the quality of them. We seem to be putting an awful of of eggs in the Okore basket. If he doesn't excel, we'll ship a bucketload again. And thats an immense amount of pressure to put on a young kid who's new in a foreign country.

 

[pauliewalnuts]

Its not so much the number of centre-halves, rather the quality of them. We seem to be putting an awful of of eggs in the Okore basket. If he doesn't excel, we'll ship a bucketload again. And thats an immense amount of pressure to put on a young kid who's new in a foreign country.

Entirely agree.

We need to improve considerably at the back. Okore may very well need time to settle - Martin Laursen reckons he's not the finished article yet - so I am not really optimistic that our current options will work.

[Monty]

Very true, but Capuano is also young, and he's just given new contracts to Clark and Baker, while Vlaar I believe remains captain. He must believe in these defenders so signing a fifth would be unusual and superfluous, especially when we have other positions with no real options in the squad (Tonev to me is certainly a winger/wide-forward).

[Merv]

I pointed this out on Twitter yesterday. Capuano is a central defender who can also play left-back. We're pretty well covered for left-footed centre-backs - Clark and Baker - and now also at left-back, with Luna and Bennett. If he was a top-class defender, I could understand it, but Capuano is 21/22, so similar bracket to Clark and Baker. Pescara finished bottom of Serie A last season. Of course, he might just be too good not to sign now, regardless of who else we already have, but even so, I think we have more pressing priorities - this elusive No.10 playmaker and a right-back to cover for Lowton.

Got a predictable response on Twitter, BTW:

'Clark can't play LB'
'Clark shouldn't be anywhere near a football pitch.'
'Luna can cover for Bennett'

Not really the point I was trying to make - I think now, we have to be looking at one or two new signings who would walk straight into the team if they're in positions we're already reasonably well covered in.

[saunders_heroes]

Another centre back? Well, if he says so. Personally I'd like to see an attacking midfielder.

Strengthening the defence should be a priority. Can see us letting in another shed load next season with this set of defenders. Okore is 20 for goodness sake, he's bound to make mistakes.
Lambert's taking a huge risk going into next season with this defence. Hopefully he's got something up his sleeve.

[claretandbeer]

If we are interested,then it shows that Lambert is not satisfied with is his centre back options.
As there is a thread about defensive frailties,we should be glad that he is pursuing such options.Capuano has played 17 times for Italy U21. Italian defender in my era had the same ringing endorsement as West Indian pace bowler. A choice of 5 central defenders is better than last year's choice of 3. The weakest one could be sent on loan.

[Salsa Party Animal]

If we sign the Italian defender and I think we should test Manchester United for a swap deal for Ashley Young with Ciaron Clark. It might be worth a Bid.

[Yossarian]

I can see us buying another centre back then in a year's time one or two being frozen out by Lambert when they don't perform. What we will have after that is a good defensive set up.

[TheSandman]

If we sign the Italian defender and I think we should test Manchester United for a swap deal for Ashley Young with Ciaron Clark. It might be worth a Bid.

For that to happen we would need United to want Clark. Now considering there are plenty on here who don't think Clark is good enough for us why would United want him?