Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[bobdylan]

Our squad is nothing like good enough - it wasn't last year or the year before, either.

Injured players coming back is nice, yes, but that's still a dreadful line up of midfield options, for example.

At the end of last season, it looked pretty clear we needed significant strengthening, in several positions. I can't see the addition of Cole, Senderos and Richardson as being anything like enough, sadly, so I really hope we've got more business to do.

I also think it is very, very dangerous to fall back on the concept that we just need to keep our heads above water until someone buys us - when is that likely to happen? It might be tomorrow, but then again, it might not be for a season or more. That's very, very risky.

Our squad is considerably stronger than the end of last season, we've basically an entire new team available that for various reasons were not available at the end of last season.

Given
Hutton Okore Senderos Stevens
N'Zogbia Herd Gardner Richardson
Cole
Bent

Probably half of those at least improve the first 11 nevermind the squad.

Barring three of them, they were all here last season.

What's more, that midfield looks every bit as poor as the one we used most games last season.

But they were not considered for selection so were not part of the squad, they are now.  The squad imo is definitely stronger and the team is too, but obviously not as much as it needs to be.  Okore and Senderos in the team over Clark and Baker improves us and Cole, N'Zogbia, Bent, Given and Hutton on the bench instead of Bowery, Robinson, Steer, Sylla and Tonev etc. also strengthens us.  Benteke and Kozak to return with say 2 new signings and we ought to be ok.

I don't see how them not being considered for selection (which in any case only means three of them, Bent, Given, and Hutton) means they were part of the squad.

It is stronger, yes, because we have brought in three players, but we need to improve starting positions, not arses on benches alone, that isn't going to be enough.

if Richardson is here as a LB, then that's an improvement on that position starter, but what about elsewhere? We've not done anything like enough to improve the rest of the side yet.

They were all out on loan, Bent at Fulham, Hutton at Bolton and Given at Middlesbrough.  As well as Richardson I'd say Senderos is an improvement on Baker and Cole on KEA.

[brontebilly]

Our squad is complete and utter gash. Think some posters here are starting to exhibit symptoms of Stockholm syndrome if they believe anything else. Cole, Richardson and Senderos would honestly struggle in the championship.

We have a good keeper. I'm really looking forward to seeing Okore. I've never been a fan of Vlaar but he can't be any worse with Okore next to him. Delph is a good midfielder but not good enough to be a one man midfield. This time last year, we were praising Gabby and Weimann to the heavens. But an injury prone Gabby losing his pace is not going to get goals, Weimann at his best is a second striker, at his worst he should be nowhere near the division. Nzogbia to get back the form pre Villa....clutching at straws aren't we. No goals, woeful midfield, perennial problems at full back

Aside from the new signings - Stevens, Hutton, Baker, Kea, Gardner, Herd for starters would all struggle to get moves to a decent championship sides. Can't see anything but relegation for us this term and honestly we could well be bottom at Xmas

[olaftab]

I am not enamoured by what's happening at VP but I will take a bet with you that we will not be  bottom by Xmas?

[brian green]

I agree that we will not be bottom at Christmas but only because October will see the departure of Lambert and better performances and easier fixtures will see us scrambling some points. I wish I could be more optimistic but like many I sense a lack of will at the club. Until the ownership hiatus is resolved we will at worst drift downwards, at best bounce along the bottom.

[Ads]

I am not enamoured by what's happening at VP but I will take a bet with you that we will not be  bottom by Xmas?

He is lightening up. It was relegated by Christmas last week.

[Dante Lavelli]

I am not enamoured by what's happening at VP but I will take a bet with you that we will not be  bottom by Xmas?

Looking at our fixture list I would not be surprised if we are.  However as long as the squad stay upbeat and maintain some confidence we must have an easier run at some point to pick up some back-to-back wins.

[UK Redsox]

I like my clubs considerate  and generous approach in giving shelters to clubless players.

Nigel Farage must hate the Villa

[walsall villain]

Our squad is complete and utter gash. Think some posters here are starting to exhibit symptoms of Stockholm syndrome if they believe anything else. Cole, Richardson and Senderos would honestly struggle in the championship.

We have a good keeper. I'm really looking forward to seeing Okore. I've never been a fan of Vlaar but he can't be any worse with Okore next to him. Delph is a good midfielder but not good enough to be a one man midfield. This time last year, we were praising Gabby and Weimann to the heavens. But an injury prone Gabby losing his pace is not going to get goals, Weimann at his best is a second striker, at his worst he should be nowhere near the division. Nzogbia to get back the form pre Villa....clutching at straws aren't we. No goals, woeful midfield, perennial problems at full back

Aside from the new signings - Stevens, Hutton, Baker, Kea, Gardner, Herd for starters would all struggle to get moves to a decent championship sides. Can't see anything but relegation for us this term and honestly we could well be bottom at Xmas

I agree with most of this. Yes we have more players at our disposal this year but I can only see two of those players improving us. Okore would be one and perhaps Richardson too. Hutton and Bent? They were poor for us two years ago so how will it be different this time around. I know there is a view that Bent just needs better service but I think the three Fulham managers who didn't rate him last season were right. Senderos is the sort of slow centre back you hope lines up for the opposition. Cole? Would love to be proved wrong but it's 3 years too late.
Not sure about 'bottom by Xmas', I have still hanging on to the faint hope that we will bring in a couple of players that would genuinely improve us.

[pauliewalnuts]

It is a bit unusual that Tonev featured at Mansfield last week and then a few days later is left behind from the US tour.

I wonder if someone has made an offer for him?

[cheadlevilla]

link=topic=51561.msg2640692#msg2640692 date=1406019130]
It is a bit unusual that Tonev featured at Mansfield last week and then a few days later is left behind from the US tour.

I wonder if someone has made an offer for him?
[/quote]
Asda   shelf stacking  3 nights a week

[supertom]

We won't be bottom by Xmas. We are marginally improved. We were reasonably solid and safe for the majority of last season, only really slipping away at the end when we were without Benteke and Kozak and couldn't score in an Amsterdam brothel with a sack full of cash.

It's not going to be pretty. We're going to be looking our over shoulders, but there will be 3-4 sides significantly worse than us and another grouping of 3-4, no better than us who we'll be slogging it out with. Benteke's returns, not too far off, also gives us a distinct advantage.

Say what you will about the state of our squad. It is shit. But in this mass group below the top 7 sides, it's all going to be a scrap for every one of them to be honest. Southampton are getting picked apart. Newcastle has quality but unstable management from top to bottom, and regularly have the propensity to either go on a great run or a horrific run. Palace won't match the form they showed under Pulis last year. Hull will struggle. Stoke are getting on a bit and Hughes's impact may have worn off. The promoted clubs are weak. QPR, are QPR. Swansea are getting cherry picked and Monk will struggle. West Ham will struggle playing such outdated football and Carroll doesn't play or score enough. West Brom will finish below us. Sunderland are going to be battling again.

There aren't many better spines below the top 7 than Guzan, Vlaar, Delph and Benteke. Barring horrific luck with injuries, I think that's good enough to see us finish fairly comfortably in comparison to last season. 

It's bad but it aint that bad.

[brian green]

Respectfully, too many assumptions for comfort there Tom.

[supertom]

Respectfully, too many assumptions for comfort there Tom.

That's all we can really do at this point.
I still maintain that slight advantage in quality through the spine should see us finish over 40 points.

[Ads]

Its all an assumption, whether you think we will be fine or whether you think we will struggle.

[bobdylan]

Our squad is complete and utter gash. Think some posters here are starting to exhibit symptoms of Stockholm syndrome if they believe anything else. Cole, Richardson and Senderos would honestly struggle in the championship.

We have a good keeper. I'm really looking forward to seeing Okore. I've never been a fan of Vlaar but he can't be any worse with Okore next to him. Delph is a good midfielder but not good enough to be a one man midfield. This time last year, we were praising Gabby and Weimann to the heavens. But an injury prone Gabby losing his pace is not going to get goals, Weimann at his best is a second striker, at his worst he should be nowhere near the division. Nzogbia to get back the form pre Villa....clutching at straws aren't we. No goals, woeful midfield, perennial problems at full back

Aside from the new signings - Stevens, Hutton, Baker, Kea, Gardner, Herd for starters would all struggle to get moves to a decent championship sides. Can't see anything but relegation for us this term and honestly we could well be bottom at Xmas

I agree with most of this. Yes we have more players at our disposal this year but I can only see two of those players improving us. Okore would be one and perhaps Richardson too. Hutton and Bent? They were poor for us two years ago so how will it be different this time around. I know there is a view that Bent just needs better service but I think the three Fulham managers who didn't rate him last season were right. Senderos is the sort of slow centre back you hope lines up for the opposition. Cole? Would love to be proved wrong but it's 3 years too late.
Not sure about 'bottom by Xmas', I have still hanging on to the faint hope that we will bring in a couple of players that would genuinely improve us.

 N'Zogbia improves us for me as well, a much better option than Tonev or Bowery even if just from the bench and whilst Senderos doesn't excite me he's definitely better than Baker.