Summer 2013: Villa Transfers, Speculation, Suggestions and Rumours

[UK Redsox]

No, Chilean

[West_Malvern_Villa]

Arsenal plot double swoop for PSV pair Georginio Wijnaldum and Zakaria Bakkali.

Perhaps Wijnaldum has decided we're a better option than Arsenal after yesterday.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/422051/Arsenal-plot-double-swoop-for-PSV-pair-Georginio-Wijnaldum-and-Zakaria-Bakkali

[LeeB]

Get Bakkali. He's Belgian.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Arsenal plot double swoop for PSV pair Georginio Wijnaldum and Zakaria Bakkali.

Perhaps Wijnaldum has decided we're a better option than Arsenal after yesterday.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/422051/Arsenal-plot-double-swoop-for-PSV-pair-Georginio-Wijnaldum-and-Zakaria-Bakkali

Maybe Wenger plans to play with no defence, no central midfield, one lone striker. How many wingers and attacking midfielders does he need? Can't see us spending on Wijnaldum but you never know.

[ozzjim]

When you look at what we have spent, what we have saved wages wise and then look at how much others have spent this summer you would think a couple of bigger signings are not beyond us.

[Dave]

Probably not beyond us, but also probably not crucial.

Another defender or another attacking midfielder wouldn't be turned away, but I don't think that anything is urgent.

Unless the right player is there then I'm happy to wait.

[ozzjim]

A defender that can play right back would be useful, but I think a genuinely pacy forward option that can step up if Gabby is out is really important to our game.

[Dave]

A defender that can play right back would be useful, but I think a genuinely pacy forward option that can step up if Gabby is out is really important to our game.

Is that not Okore and Tonev?

[ozzjim]

Not convinced Tobev brings what Gabby does, and with Baker and Vlaar being made of glass I think he will be vital in the centre.

[tomd2103]

A defender that can play right back would be useful, but I think a genuinely pacy forward option that can step up if Gabby is out is really important to our game.

Is that not Okore and Tonev?

Yep and Tonev can cover the "number 10" role as well.  If we are going to continue with the three man midfield then we may need to bolster numbers in there, as another injury means we would be relying on the likes of Gardner.  I think James McCarthy from Wigan would be ideal (fits our age profile as well) if available at the right price. 

[Dave]

Not convinced Tobev brings what Gabby does, and with Baker and Vlaar being made of glass I think he will be vital in the centre.

That's why the squad is there though. We're not in the position where we bring in someone to offer exactly the same thing as Gabby does, because if we had that player then he'd be playing. Because Gabby is really good. So we make do with someone who is not the same, but brings different qualities. So we adapt.

On the defence. We have four central defenders, none of whom seem to be much more senior than any other (possibly Vlaar excepted). If two of them happen to be out then we have two left. If things go astonishingly badly then we bring a youth player (i.e Donacien) in. But that's not much different to most teams, and it's the way that most youth players come through these days - filling in because the senior players are injured.

[tomd2103]

Not convinced Tobev brings what Gabby does, and with Baker and Vlaar being made of glass I think he will be vital in the centre.

That's why the squad is there though. We're not in the position where we bring in someone to offer exactly the same thing as Gabby does, because if we had that player then he'd be playing. Because Gabby is really good. So we make do with someone who is not the same, but brings different qualities. So we adapt.

On the defence. We have four central defenders, none of whom seem to be much more senior than any other (possibly Vlaar excepted). If two of them happen to be out then we have two left. If things go astonishingly badly then we bring a youth player (i.e Donacien) in. But that's not much different to most teams, and it's the way that most youth players come through these days - filling in because the senior players are injured.

Still have Herd and the option of shifting Lowton across in that scenario.

[ozzjim]

Not convinced Tobev brings what Gabby does, and with Baker and Vlaar being made of glass I think he will be vital in the centre.

That's why the squad is there though. We're not in the position where we bring in someone to offer exactly the same thing as Gabby does, because if we had that player then he'd be playing. Because Gabby is really good. So we make do with someone who is not the same, but brings different qualities. So we adapt.

On the defence. We have four central defenders, none of whom seem to be much more senior than any other (possibly Vlaar excepted). If two of them happen to be out then we have two left. If things go astonishingly badly then we bring a youth player (i.e Donacien) in. But that's not much different to most teams, and it's the way that most youth players come through these days - filling in because the senior players are injured.

I understand why you have a squad. I also understand that if it is within your resource to to so, then it is beneficial to have options in that squad, but within that it is very useful, if there is a particular style of player that is crucial to the way you operate you have a similar player that can step in/ compete for a place with him. For me, any attacking midfield player or forward that comes in needs to have pace, as we lose that if Gabby is out and without it we are a significantly less threatening side.

Re the centre of the defence, the caveat to that is that 2 of ours are pretty injury prone, and 1 is likely to cover right back. If we could sign another defender that could be an option to Lowton and play centre half if required, it would be useful in my opinion. "If things go astonishingly badly"... over the last 3 seasons we have witnessed 2 of the worst injury hit runs I can recall in my time of watching the club and it has hurt us. I would still love another holding midfield player that can destroy too just to be safe but understand we are fairly well covered there!

[paul_e]

i think Lambert sees Bacuna as his cover at right back, hence we saw him there a few times in the summer.

I'd like someone who can play all across the attacking midfield as cover for gabby and weimann and a central option.  If we count Tonev as a forward as well that effectively gives us 6 you'd be happy starting a run of games for the 3 spots and then bowery as an option.

Midfield I think we're good, on top of the 3 yesterday you have Bacuna and Sylla right in the mix to play and Gardner and Johnson both needing some game time to see if they can make the step up.  You then have Herd and Albrighton to come back at some point and though neither really have a specific spot in the team they'd slot into they do give us options with the midfield.

the 23 shirt is the only 1-25 that available and unused, I think we'll definitely see someone in to get that number before the window closes, not until after the bank holiday though, because of the schedule.

[paul_e]

Not convinced Tobev brings what Gabby does, and with Baker and Vlaar being made of glass I think he will be vital in the centre.

That's why the squad is there though. We're not in the position where we bring in someone to offer exactly the same thing as Gabby does, because if we had that player then he'd be playing. Because Gabby is really good. So we make do with someone who is not the same, but brings different qualities. So we adapt.

On the defence. We have four central defenders, none of whom seem to be much more senior than any other (possibly Vlaar excepted). If two of them happen to be out then we have two left. If things go astonishingly badly then we bring a youth player (i.e Donacien) in. But that's not much different to most teams, and it's the way that most youth players come through these days - filling in because the senior players are injured.

I understand why you have a squad. I also understand that if it is within your resource to to so, then it is beneficial to have options in that squad, but within that it is very useful, if there is a particular style of player that is crucial to the way you operate you have a similar player that can step in/ compete for a place with him. For me, any attacking midfield player or forward that comes in needs to have pace, as we lose that if Gabby is out and without it we are a significantly less threatening side.

Re the centre of the defence, the caveat to that is that 2 of ours are pretty injury prone, and 1 is likely to cover right back. If we could sign another defender that could be an option to Lowton and play centre half if required, it would be useful in my opinion. "If things go astonishingly badly"... over the last 3 seasons we have witnessed 2 of the worst injury hit runs I can recall in my time of watching the club and it has hurt us. I would still love another holding midfield player that can destroy too just to be safe but understand we are fairly well covered there!

I agree on the forward but disagree on the defender.  Largely because I don't see the point of another promising young defender, we have 4 of those already, 3 need game time this season and the 4th will want to see a route to the side before long as well, and an experienced defender willing to rotate in and out with the kids is unlikely to have the right attitude.

Up front I agree that we have no direct replacement for Gabby's pace.  We need someone either equally as quick or with exceptional dribbling to drift away from players and make things happen that way.

all that said I'd still like Will Hughes because I think he's special but there's not really a place for him, I'd say the same for pretty much every position.