Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[Ger Regan]

Eduardo is available on a free with Albrighton's & Fonz's wages off the books he's the sort of free player we should be in for.

It will never happen though as villa have zero ambition just look at the last three signings.

Not sure how much ambition signing a 31 year old with a roughly one in three and a half goal ratio in Ukraine would be. In fact I'd class in roughly in the cole category.

[RussellC]

Unbelievable. The Baggies are about to beat us to another target;

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/west-brom-chris-baird-advanced-7378388









(I should probably point out that I'm joking).

[supertom]

Bent's move to Turkey is meant to be wrapped up this week.

In Tin Foil ?

Seriously, what move to Turkey ?

Was linked with Trabzonspor last week I think. Sounds about right for Bent really. A league he's still got legs for, and where he'll be able to keep raking in huge wages.

[supertom]

Eduardo is available on a free with Albrighton's & Fonz's wages off the books he's the sort of free player we should be in for.

It will never happen though as villa have zero ambition just look at the last three signings.

Not sure how much ambition signing a 31 year old with a roughly one in three and a half goal ratio in Ukraine would be. In fact I'd class in roughly in the cole category.

Never rated Eduardo. He'd be a waste of money and doubt he'd come for anything reasonable.

[Dave Cooper please]

It was madness to bomb out Bent when we should have used him on the pitch.

Is that the Darren Bent who scored a massive three goals in 23 games for relegated Fulham?

Yes. It's 3 goals more than Jorden Bowery scored.

But not as many, in more games, than the player who was really bought in as back up to Benteke, Libor Kozac.

Would you honestly have preferred to see Bowery come off the bench than Bent?

I'd rather not see either of them but at least Bowery looked like he wanted to be on the pitch when he came on, Bent seems to have given up completely in the last two seasons.

[Dave Cooper please]

I agree and that is my point in a nutshell.  Looking back in hindsight is all well and good but completely academic.  In March and even as late as the beginning of May we weren't safe.  That's the reality.

But, as was pointed out by a fair few on here, it would have taken an extraordinary run of results by a lot of very poor teams to relegate us. Have a glance back at some of the threads from about April, those of us whose glass is half-full were already saying that we thought we were safe, and we were right despite the fuck-awful run of form we produced in the run-in.

[Clampy]

It was madness to bomb out Bent when we should have used him on the pitch.

Is that the Darren Bent who scored a massive three goals in 23 games for relegated Fulham?

Yes. It's 3 goals more than Jorden Bowery scored.

But not as many, in more games, than the player who was really bought in as back up to Benteke, Libor Kozac.

Would you honestly have preferred to see Bowery come off the bench than Bent?

I'd rather not see either of them but at least Bowery looked like he wanted to be on the pitch when he came on, Bent seems to have given up completely in the last two seasons.

I'd have sooner had Bent coming off the bench out of the two. Bowery had a really good game against Hull and had a decent game against Stoke away last season but overall he was nowhere near Premiership quality.

[Goldie.7]

Eduardo is available on a free with Albrighton's & Fonz's wages off the books he's the sort of free player we should be in for.

It will never happen though as villa have zero ambition just look at the last three signings.

Not sure how much ambition signing a 31 year old with a roughly one in three and a half goal ratio in Ukraine would be. In fact I'd class in roughly in the cole category.

Never rated Eduardo. He'd be a waste of money and doubt he'd come for anything reasonable.

Both laughable.

[SoccerHQ]

I agree and that is my point in a nutshell.  Looking back in hindsight is all well and good but completely academic.  In March and even as late as the beginning of May we weren't safe.  That's the reality.

But, as was pointed out by a fair few on here, it would have taken an extraordinary run of results by a lot of very poor teams to relegate us. Have a glance back at some of the threads from about April, those of us whose glass is half-full were already saying that we thought we were safe, and we were right despite the fuck-awful run of form we produced in the run-in.

What saved us was Hull coming down from 2 down with 15 minutes left to draw with Fulham 2-2.

Similar story the previous season when a few days before the cup final Wigan lost 3-2 at home to Swansea.

And in the McLeish season we were very fortunate that after beating us at Villa Park, Bolton didn't win another game that season. Indeed they fcuked up a 2 nil lead at home to West Brom of all teams themselves. We didn't win another game that season.

We have been pretty fortunate I have to say in all these relegation battles it's never actually gone to the final day as 2/3 seasons we've had really poor run ins when we've hardly won any games ourselves.

Burnley on the last day this time has a ominous feel to me already.

[Steve67]

I think we will be ok as long as Lambert addresses the central midfield problem. If he doesn't recognise by now that we don't protect our defender's then he's a complete ******. 

[ozzjim]

I agree re a centre mid,  but a wide man of quality in the front 3 and a left back are equally important.

[old man villa fan]

With the club in limbo and no sign of a buyer, Lerner should be authorising transfer expenditure based on our anticipated income over the season less our costs.  Anything less will be to make us more attractive to a buyer and, hence, giving a higher return for Lerner.

I would be interested to know what our anticipated income will be with the new TV deal and what we will be spending on wages etc.

[Dante Lavelli]

With the club in limbo and no sign of a buyer, Lerner should be authorising transfer expenditure based on our anticipated income over the season less our costs.  Anything less will be to make us more attractive to a buyer and, hence, giving a higher return for Lerner.

I would be interested to know what our anticipated income will be with the new TV deal and what we will be spending on wages etc.

Agree - anyone with the required accounting knowledge like to hazard a guess?

Based on losses over previous years I suspect that this year should see a profit but it will not be much.  Furthermore he's possibly/arguably entitled to try and recover some of the cash he's pumped in during his tenure.  So with ML/BoA telling him what they think the club is worth, if the figure does not match what he has invested, then any profit from this season could subsidise the past losses.  A dangerous game as relegation would slash millions from our value.

[pauliewalnuts]

I agree and that is my point in a nutshell.  Looking back in hindsight is all well and good but completely academic.  In March and even as late as the beginning of May we weren't safe.  That's the reality.

But, as was pointed out by a fair few on here, it would have taken an extraordinary run of results by a lot of very poor teams to relegate us. Have a glance back at some of the threads from about April, those of us whose glass is half-full were already saying that we thought we were safe, and we were right despite the fuck-awful run of form we produced in the run-in.

Hmm, maybe, but then again safety in April is a pretty low bar of success to be working to.

[Mister E]

I agree re a centre mid,  but a wide man of quality in the front 3 and a left back are equally important.

it depends how Lambert - tactical genius that he is - plans to set up next season, although he does tend to mix it up.
Two good midfielders would substantially improve things at fullback by being better cover. I don't know why you mention a winger: we have Tonev **winky thing**