The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[chrisw1]

That's just it. We're not going to keep adding to the squad if we can't shift anyone. That's why we're concentrating on reducing numbers. Nothing to do with having to sell to buy. If you moved into a flat with furniture you wouldn't keep adding to it to make it better but getting rid of stuff you didn't want first.

It's a bit of a crap analogy, but I'll run with it.  No, I wouldn't live with shit furniture I didn't want.  If I could afford to I'd buy new stuff and sell, give it away or burn the stuff I didn't like.  Not say 'oh well no one will buy this shite off me so I'll live with it for a few years'

So what are you suggesting we do?

All I'm saying is being dissapointed with the state of the squad a week before we kick off is a reasonable emotion.  I'm also saying, with his apparent wealth and ambition it is reasonable enough to have hoped Tony would have had the means to build a strong team as the priority and get rid of the surplus players by whatever means necessary (sell, loan or pay off).  As I have said, if he hasn't, then fair enough but I just had hoped he had.

[brian green]

I don't agree, with respect, that our squad looks shit.  I agree that there are players still in there that should not be but the times they are a changing.  The dead wood is being cleared and better players are coming in.  If you exclude Bacuna and Sanchez the team that beat Cambridge without breaking sweat was a long way from shit.  My local paper this morning is full of praise for Villa, describing Grealish and Green as "outstanding talents" and RH-M as "Sterling like".  Ipswich could only squeak a draw with Cambridge so there is line of form there.

[Ads]

I don't think our squad in comparison to our peers looks shit at all.

I think we look fine defensively and would personally be hoping for two central players, a wide player and a centre forward before 31st August to ensure we get promoted.

Its about perspective; it doesn't matter that Westwood cannot do it against Arsenal or even Southampton, but what's he like against Sheffield Wednesday and Brentford? He'd get in both their sides and has 100 top flight [faints] games to his name, the pointy little blighter.

[Mister E]

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/explained-close-look-make-up-11674649

I am beginning to think Gregg Evans reads this site and is deliberately using the phrase "claret and blues" as much as possible because he knows it winds us up.

Your post tends to suggest it's working.

[Mister E]

That's just it. We're not going to keep adding to the squad if we can't shift anyone. That's why we're concentrating on reducing numbers. Nothing to do with having to sell to buy. If you moved into a flat with furniture you wouldn't keep adding to it to make it better but getting rid of stuff you didn't want first.

It's a bit of a crap analogy, but I'll run with it.  No, I wouldn't live with shit furniture I didn't want.  If I could afford to I'd buy new stuff and sell, give it away or burn the stuff I didn't like.  Not say 'oh well no one will buy this shite off me so I'll live with it for a few years'

but 'a few years' is missing the point, we're talking about a few weeks whilst you settle in and decide which bits of furniture you need to replace first because you don't want to arrange for everything to be delivered at once and have no room for it all.  Sell, give away or burn is fine if the furniture is contracted to the house. (which is where the analogy really falls down).

The window is open until the end of August: we'll move some stuff on in the last week of August and may get one or two more in late on. Then we will have to buy in January if required. This will work well for both the Doctor and RdM: the former will not waste a load of dosh and the latter will have a much better idea of resource-requirements.

[Richard E]

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/explained-close-look-make-up-11674649

I am beginning to think Gregg Evans reads this site and is deliberately using the phrase "claret and blues" as much as possible because he knows it winds us up.

Your post tends to suggest it's working.

Good point.

Hi Gregg!!! <waves>

[oldhill_avfc]

I don't agree, with respect, that our squad looks shit.  I agree that there are players still in there that should not be but the times they are a changing.  The dead wood is being cleared and better players are coming in.  If you exclude Bacuna and Sanchez the team that beat Cambridge without breaking sweat was a long way from shit.  My local paper this morning is full of praise for Villa, describing Grealish and Green as "outstanding talents" and RH-M as "Sterling like".  Ipswich could only squeak a draw with Cambridge so there is line of form there.

This sums up where we are fairly succinctly.

If our squad is to be good enough, then the younger players will need to develop and excel.

If we have to rely on the same old failures, then indeed, we are shit or in the shit.

Obviously the best of both worlds is that the likes of Bacuna and Sanchez are shipped out quickly to make way for solid championship 'horses for courses' or even better for real talent that could not gain promoton but also push on in the premiership.

[Clampy]

That's just it. We're not going to keep adding to the squad if we can't shift anyone. That's why we're concentrating on reducing numbers. Nothing to do with having to sell to buy. If you moved into a flat with furniture you wouldn't keep adding to it to make it better but getting rid of stuff you didn't want first.

It's a bit of a crap analogy, but I'll run with it.  No, I wouldn't live with shit furniture I didn't want.  If I could afford to I'd buy new stuff and sell, give it away or burn the stuff I didn't like.  Not say 'oh well no one will buy this shite off me so I'll live with it for a few years'

So what are you suggesting we do?

All I'm saying is being dissapointed with the state of the squad a week before we kick off is a reasonable emotion.  I'm also saying, with his apparent wealth and ambition it is reasonable enough to have hoped Tony would have had the means to build a strong team as the priority and get rid of the surplus players by whatever means necessary (sell, loan or pay off).  As I have said, if he hasn't, then fair enough but I just had hoped he had.

But we can only sell or loan if other clubs want them and as for paying them off, that's ok if it's an isolated case but while the transfer window is open and while they're under contract, it would make more sense to get a fee for them if possible.

[Toronto Villa]

What is now biting the likes of Richards in the arse is that being a ****** has clearly been noticed by PL managers. This is a player that only a few years ago was playing for his country. Now I still think someone will pick up him before the deadline but if he stays one of two things will happen. He'll either knuckle down, show what a good player he can be and displace someone like Hutton who he is more talented than. He can then convince someone to take him in January. Or he just doesn't feature much. No bomb squad just one the outside looking in his career going down the shitter.

[AVH87]

I'm a little bit disappointed with the lack of activity so far. It's a two-way street though and because not many players have moved on yet, I think that's causing the hold up. I'm not saying it's 'sell to buy', just that we have too big a squad and too high a wage bill, along with it we still have a lack of quality unfortunately.

So for me it's natural to be disappointed with the squad as it stands, I wouldn't expect many season ticket holders to be excited at the prospect of turning up to see a starting eleven 80% the same as last season. It's a waiting game though as we aren't really going to force the issue in terms of getting players out while it's still relatively early in the window, even if the season is fast upon us. A slow start to the season during August wouldn't be the end of the world, as long as we are picking up a few points and not on a winless run.

[markeeeebeeee2005]

A better analogy might be buying a house. You might spend a few bob improving your old one but you don't purchase a new one before that one is sold.

I think a few people would like you to give the house away for free so that you can move in to your new pad on a 100% mortgage.

[darren woolley]

I'm also disappointed with the lack of transfer dealings coming and going but we have until the end of August to get some in and out it will take a couple or more transfer windows to get the right squad that he wants I'm just keeping my fingers crossed we can get rid of a few this window.

[Richard E]

https://twitter.com/dr_tonyxia/status/758640568104648704

Hmm

[in exile]

https://twitter.com/dr_tonyxia/status/758640568104648704

Hmm

WTF?
I just wish he would stop Tweeting

[chrisw1]

If you know right now that there is no prospect of certain players being part of the new set up and you are going to sell them, loan them or at a push bomb them or pay them off, why not replace the fuckers now rather than after we have played 3 or 4 games of the season?