Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[PeterWithesShin]

The sky info bar shows we have signed 2 players from Southampton ? T Leggett and somebody else ? Are they youth players ?

2 Youth players they released

Are they likely to get squad numbers or just go into the youth pool?

I think they're both 16 so youth pool, they've both appeared in the youth team squad games in pre-season, they had a half each in the game yesterday.

I'm pretty sure both are 18 as they signed pro contracts with us iirc.

[silhillvilla]

Southampton have nurtured some real gems so let's hope we've got at least one here.

[paul_e]

The sky info bar shows we have signed 2 players from Southampton ? T Leggett and somebody else ? Are they youth players ?

2 Youth players they released

Are they likely to get squad numbers or just go into the youth pool?

I think they're both 16 so youth pool, they've both appeared in the youth team squad games in pre-season, they had a half each in the game yesterday.

I'm pretty sure both are 18 as they signed pro contracts with us iirc.

looking into it I think you're right, I was sure I read they were 16 when we signed them

[Matt Collins]

Southampton have nurtured some real gems so let's hope we've got at least one here.

They released them so let's not get too excited!

[Tuscans]

Don't know anything about him....nor if it's true.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2713689/Aston-Villa-told-Wolves-defender-Danny-Batth-not-sale-prepare-bids-Dutch-World-Cup-star-Ron-Vlaar.html

[Matt Collins]

He may be a good player. But if we replace vlaar with someone who's never even played second tier football I think I may cry

[supertom]

Lets have the next Mellberg please. I don't want to be worrying about losing Vlaar, I want us to be actively looking to buy someone better to partner Ron. Just a modicum of ambition would be nice at this point. I always felt would make our more significant signings in the last two weeks of August, so I'm not going to worry (too much) just yet, but we've definitely got to make 2-3 signings yet, and if Ron goes the replacement needs to be decent, and proven.

[silhillvilla]

Don't know anything about him....nor if it's true.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2713689/Aston-Villa-told-Wolves-defender-Danny-Batth-not-sale-prepare-bids-Dutch-World-Cup-star-Ron-Vlaar.html

£5m seems a lot , he's under a new 3 year deal and wolves don't want to sell. Wonder if we've tapped him up.

[john2710]

Don't know anything about him....nor if it's true.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2713689/Aston-Villa-told-Wolves-defender-Danny-Batth-not-sale-prepare-bids-Dutch-World-Cup-star-Ron-Vlaar.html

£5m seems a lot , he's under a new 3 year deal and wolves don't want to sell. Wonder if we've tapped him up.

Or it's a load of bull?

[Gregorys Boy]

Don't know anything about him....nor if it's true.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2713689/Aston-Villa-told-Wolves-defender-Danny-Batth-not-sale-prepare-bids-Dutch-World-Cup-star-Ron-Vlaar.html

£5m seems a lot , he's under a new 3 year deal and wolves don't want to sell. Wonder if we've tapped him up.

Or it's a load of bull?

If true he is too much of a gamble at that price too.

[David_Nab]

Luna out on loan , seems even the cheap buys we can't fully get rid of

[old man villa fan]

I think most people are missing a couple of very big points when talking about 'bomb squads', moving players out on loan, selling players at a loss and current value of players.  The transfer window and the allowable squad size are the main drivers behind these issues.

When you do not have a great deal of money to buy players and pay the wages, you are constantly looking for bargains that could quickly develop.  At the end of a season, the club is looking forward to the next season and trying to bring new players in early.  This will mean that your squad has grown above the permitted number and you then either have players you have to sell, loan out or they end up on the sidelines in a 'bomb squad'.  I should imagine that the coaches only want to have the first team squad training together as trying to use 'bomb squad' players in training is counterproductive due to numbers and potentially being disruptive.

The alternative to the above is to wait until you have cleared out last seasons 'want to get rid of' players and then bring in new but as we can all see, it is difficult to move on average/poor players these days.  The main reason is wages.  Gone are the days when players could slide down the league as the gap between PL wages and Championship or lower is too great.  Sitting and waiting to get rid of players is just not possible with a transfer window and a limited supply of value for money players.

The 'bomb squad' term was blown out of proportion as the media/fans wanted to use the issue to hammer the club/manager by trying to cause division.  There were never enough players for even a 5-a-side squad.  They were left on the sidelines as we had brought in players to replace them and no other club saw them as value for money signings or loan players.

Our problem in gambling on lower cost signings means a high turnover of players when they do not make the grade.  This then creates the impression that the manager does not know what he is doing regarding being able to buy good players.  The way I saw it last summer was that Lambert focused his main money on a new central defender and a replacement for Benteke that could get up to speed during the season, prior to Benteke leaving this summer.  As things worked out with Benteke getting injured, he will not be moving on this summer and so we are back to where we were 12 months ago on this one.  The remainder of the money last summer was spent on low cost value for money signings with the hope that some would come off.  Unfortunately for one reason or another, very few came off and in my mind only Bacuna did.

I am hoping that Lambert has gone about it the opposite way around in that he is waiting on his big money (not much in our case!) signing and that is going to be a quality midfield player.  Rather than numerous low cost relatively unknown signings, he has gone for cheap experience by bringing in a couple and using some that we previously tried to get rid of.  In addition to this, he is looking at some of the young players that he has seen come through the ranks as opposed to those already at first team level when he came into the job. 

 

[Surrey Villain]

I think most people are missing a couple of very big points when talking about 'bomb squads', moving players out on loan, selling players at a loss and current value of players.  The transfer window and the allowable squad size are the main drivers behind these issues.

When you do not have a great deal of money to buy players and pay the wages, you are constantly looking for bargains that could quickly develop.  At the end of a season, the club is looking forward to the next season and trying to bring new players in early.  This will mean that your squad has grown above the permitted number and you then either have players you have to sell, loan out or they end up on the sidelines in a 'bomb squad'.  I should imagine that the coaches only want to have the first team squad training together as trying to use 'bomb squad' players in training is counterproductive due to numbers and potentially being disruptive.

The alternative to the above is to wait until you have cleared out last seasons 'want to get rid of' players and then bring in new but as we can all see, it is difficult to move on average/poor players these days.  The main reason is wages.  Gone are the days when players could slide down the league as the gap between PL wages and Championship or lower is too great.  Sitting and waiting to get rid of players is just not possible with a transfer window and a limited supply of value for money players.

The 'bomb squad' term was blown out of proportion as the media/fans wanted to use the issue to hammer the club/manager by trying to cause division.  There were never enough players for even a 5-a-side squad.  They were left on the sidelines as we had brought in players to replace them and no other club saw them as value for money signings or loan players.

Our problem in gambling on lower cost signings means a high turnover of players when they do not make the grade.  This then creates the impression that the manager does not know what he is doing regarding being able to buy good players.  The way I saw it last summer was that Lambert focused his main money on a new central defender and a replacement for Benteke that could get up to speed during the season, prior to Benteke leaving this summer.  As things worked out with Benteke getting injured, he will not be moving on this summer and so we are back to where we were 12 months ago on this one.  The remainder of the money last summer was spent on low cost value for money signings with the hope that some would come off.  Unfortunately for one reason or another, very few came off and in my mind only Bacuna did.

I am hoping that Lambert has gone about it the opposite way around in that he is waiting on his big money (not much in our case!) signing and that is going to be a quality midfield player.  Rather than numerous low cost relatively unknown signings, he has gone for cheap experience by bringing in a couple and using some that we previously tried to get rid of.  In addition to this, he is looking at some of the young players that he has seen come through the ranks as opposed to those already at first team level when he came into the job. 

 

Good explanation of the situation I think although I'm not sure about Bacuna. I hope you are right about keeping all the available money - if there is any - for one key signing. The problem is with the Club's reputation at almost an all-time low who is likely to come unless it is just for money? Also love the name - could be me!

[sirlordbaltimore]

As it stands, we have 5 centre backs. We're not going to have 5 centre backs listed in a 25 man squad so who's going to drop out ?. With Lambert's seemingly bizarre faith in Baker last season i'm starting to think if Vlaar does go we'll plough on with the other four and not replace him

#shudder

[edgysatsuma89]

As it stands, we have 5 centre backs. We're not going to have 5 centre backs listed in a 25 man squad so who's going to drop out ?. With Lambert's seemingly bizarre faith in Baker last season i'm starting to think if Vlaar does go we'll plough on with the other four and not replace him

#shudder

Depends if his 'plan' is mainly playing 3CB's. If it is as we suspect, we'd need 5. Unless he keeps using herd as a makeshift CB. Oh god I'm bringing myself down.