The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[Ads]

I think Kozak, Bacuna, N'Zogbia and Cole as a front four for the time being, isn't too bad.

Really? If that's our front 4 next season I think we'll be in a relegation scrap from day one. You've got 2 players there who have been seriously injured for the past year and one who's done nothing noteworthy on the pitch for about 5 years.

I disagree. I think there is a lot more balance and creativity in there than an ineffectual Weiman, Albrighton and Gabby. Benteke is set to return too at some point and perhaps two of the former playing less may benefit the side more. We also haven completed our summer business.

More creativity? Have you seen their stats from last season?!

Joe Cole –       Games 6 (14)   Goals 3      Assists 0
Leandro Bacuna-   Games 28 (7)    Goals 5      Assists 1
Libor Kozak-      Games 8 (6)   Goals 4      Assists 0
Charles N’Zogbia-   Games 0 (0)   Goals 0      Assists 0

This is the premiership we’re talking about, arguably the most competitive league on the planet, and you’d honestly be happy with that as our front 4 at the start of the season. I’ll be honest, I’ll be concerned if that’s our front 4 against Mansfield on July 17th.

I think you're painting a misleading picture.

Bacuna played as a right back quite a bit due to Lowton's location issues, but attacking wise, he was good. He scored five goals as a full back, more than most of our forwards. I think he is postionally suspect at full back, but as a wide/attacking midfielder, with his pace and technique, is a good player and more than good enough for the Premiership.

N’Zogbia has been out for a year, so his stats are entirely irrelevant. He wont have forgotten how to play football and I equally haven’t forgotten how in and out he can be. That doesn’t mean he’s not a talent though. He has pace, an ability to beat a man and if he could learn to get his head up, then he may have played more football at the higher end of the league. He is certainly a lot better than Albrighton, who was equally as inconsistent, but nowhere as good on his day.

Kozak is a good player. He suffered from our midfield assuming big equals target man, when his strengths are clearly with the ball at his feet. Putting more footballers around him with an ability to pick a pass can only be a good thing for him. His ability to drift and find space in the box is a Bent like quality, but he clearly has more gumption about him to work and put in a shift for the team.

Cole’s injuries are a big concern. I think he is a better player than Hoolahan though, who I would have happily have had here. He is also younger too. Alladyce played him on the wing and its been made clear that he will play centrally. We haven’t had a midfielder capable of passing the ball forward into a dangerous position for some time now.

The Premiership is an entirely overrated league, devoid of quality, so yes, while I am under no illusions that any of those players are world beaters or Benteke quality [Gabby, although not mentioned, has very infrequent bursts of unplayability], but they don’t have to be. A very ordinary Stoke finished in the top half for example. It’s a poor league and I cannot share the pessimism when I actually think we’re stronger than before.

[RussellC]

Ads, I admire your optimism and I genuinely hope I'm wrong but I'm afraid I don't share it.

Bacuna is a decent player on the ball, and a very good set-piece taker, but to me he's very poor without it, and very slow to get back in position when we lose the ball (wherever he's playing).

N'Zogbia seems to have become some kind of mythical beast since being out. Yes, he's talented, but he's also as likely to be completely anonymous as he is to produce anything productive going forward.

Kozak I like, but as a lone striker I fear he'll be far too predictable and easy to mark. He doesn't have Benteke's strength, fleet of foot, or acceleration, so unless there's some top-class service coming in to him, I think he'll struggle.

Cole (who incidentally is 6 moths older than Hoolahan) is, to me, just past it. I can't recall him doing anything that's remotely impressed me since that volley against Sweden. If you'd have asked me to write a list of potential "number 10s" for us to sign this summer he wouldn't have been in my top 100. The reality is that he's been released from a West Ham side who's fans are up in arms about their style of pay, and not one of their supporters has batted an eyelid.

Yes, Gabby and Wiemman were both poor last season,but their workrate often goes unappreciated (the victory at Arsenal and draw at Anfield were both largely due to this) and I think we'd be absolutely mad to leave them both out of our current starting XI.

[RussellC]

The Premiership is an entirely overrated league, devoid of quality, so yes, while I am under no illusions that any of those players are world beaters or Benteke quality [Gabby, although not mentioned, has very infrequent bursts of unplayability], but they don’t have to be. A very ordinary Stoke finished in the top half for example. It’s a poor league and I cannot share the pessimism when I actually think we’re stronger than before.

The Premier League may be overrated in general, but I think the strength in depth makes it more competitive than the other top leagues and wit the TV money that the bottom-half Prem clubs can now generate I think this continue to be the case.

[pauliewalnuts]

It probably says a lot about us that it's such a poor league, yet the highest finish we've had in the last three seasons is 15th.

[pauliewalnuts]

Cole’s injuries are a big concern. I think he is a better player than Hoolahan though, who I would have happily have had here. He is also younger too.

Not that it makes a huge amount of difference, but Cole is older than Hoolahan.

Of those two, I'd have had Hoolahan. The fact that Cole was on a free and Hoolahan had a year left on his contract is probably a contributing factor, depressingly, seeing as we know Lambert wanted Hoolahan earlier this year.

My concern with Cole is firstly that he's injured an awful lot, and secondly I can't remember the last time I saw him play and thought "he did well there", whereas with Hoolahan, I can.

[ADVILLAFAN]

I think Bacuna is a good player, but he's an attacking midfielder and certainly not a right-back. It's not his fault he keeps being played out of position.

[Ads]

Cole’s injuries are a big concern. I think he is a better player than Hoolahan though, who I would have happily have had here. He is also younger too.

Not that it makes a huge amount of difference, but Cole is older than Hoolahan.

Of those two, I'd have had Hoolahan. The fact that Cole was on a free and Hoolahan had a year left on his contract is probably a contributing factor, depressingly, seeing as we know Lambert wanted Hoolahan earlier this year.

My concern with Cole is firstly that he's injured an awful lot, and secondly I can't remember the last time I saw him play and thought "he did well there", whereas with Hoolahan, I can.

Yes just checked that, my apologies, for some reason I thought he was 29? I think Cole is the better player through the middle. He's done it at this level, where as Hoolahan has only ever reached the dizzy heights of 12th. Something we would begrudgingly like to aspire to at the moment.

I concede his injuries are a concern, but if (and it may be a big if) he can stay fit, then he has something to offer playing centrally.

Until McNally leaves Norwich, I think we might as well treat January’s pursuit of Hoolahan as an experience not best repeated.

[chrisw1]

seen this?

http://bellsareringing.forumotion.com/t873-preliminary-takeover-meeting

I had a productive meeting yesterday with Legion Worldwide.
They are a specialist corporate finance house and have a lot of focus/clients who invest in sporting franchises/clubs.. They want me to front a bid and asked if I'd be interested. They would be no fortune to spend like Man City or Chelsea but good funding and a focus on top management, scouting and coaching.
We left the meeting excited and all in agreement it was something we would like to progress but at this stage it was only a preliminary meeting. Now the hard work starts to find the necessary investors/investment.
They have strong worldwide contacts who invest in all sorts of sports clubs/franchises and they do see Villa as an opportunity run right.

As stated it wouldn't be at the levels of Man City or Chelsea but good budget to buy players. Similar to Southampton model with the hope really shrewd management can get us back up there. Thomas Tuchel mentioned as a manager that could be targeted to work with a technical director.
Open and honest communication with the fans and an appetite to do things right and play the right brand of football
Beauty is all infrastructure in place  Stadium, BMH.. Just needs a management team throughout club inc scouts that know what they are doing coupled with reasonable finance that will be nurtured and spent wisely.. Not wasted to the levels that Lerner's money has, that is for sure.

If this happens then great. If it kick starts other bids and gets the process moving again then that is good news also. All I want, like any Villa fan is to get the club in the right hands and be given a fair chance to compete and be run properly once more. I am sure the vast majority of supporters are grateful for at least my proactive movement in trying to help get the club sorted.

Time is of the essence as as things stand we are in trouble and I haven't seen anything happen in the close season thus far that will see us buck the trend of our form in the last 24 games of last season which delivered just 19 points which is blatant relegation form.

This is likely to be my last communication on this as if it is to be pursued then I will shortly have to sign a Non Disclosure agreement.
If it doesn't then I'll be back! UTV

[The Laughing Policeman]

seen this?

http://bellsareringing.forumotion.com/t873-preliminary-takeover-meeting

Bloody heck, Legion's gonna buy us.

[andrew08]

Sigh. You couldn't make it up....

On the other hand.

[RussellC]

I think that prospect actually scares more than the current predicament.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

For comedy value it's brilliant.

[The Laughing Policeman]

Maybe this sentence from the third from last paragraph is what it's really about..........
If it kick starts other bids and gets the process moving again then that is good news also.

[aev]

"I am sure the vast majority of supporters are grateful for at least my proactive movement in trying to help get the club sorted."

[RussellC]

How long do you reckon it'll be before he starts referring to himself as "The Hodgson"...?