Summer 2015 - Transfer Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions

[LeeB]

My post isn't negative, because I don't think The Magnificent Aston Villa would be stupid enough to do it.

Anymore.

[Dave]

I think Austin would be a shit signing.

It would send as clear a message as possible that we hadn't learned a fucking thing from the relentless circus we've endured for not just the last 5 years, but long before that too.

Look at Christian Benteke. Then look at Charlie Austin. How the Fuck is that supposed to work then?

I'm inclined to agree.

In the summer of 2012, Yakubu had just scored 17 goals for Blackburn and Holt had scored 15 for Norwich. Lambert could easily have taken the easy route and gone with "well, we shouldn't take a risk and just spend our £7m on somebody who has proven they can score in the Premier League", but fortunately he didn't. I'm pretty certain that there were plenty of people at the time saying that we shouldn't be taking a risk in spending so much of our meagre budget on someone who hardly anybody had heard of.

Austin might not necessarily go on the same downward career spiral as the two examples at the top, but I'd be perfectly happy to take our chances on somebody who might be the next Benteke but might turn out to be less than that, over somebody that we know is going to be Charlie Austin.

[LeeB]

Great example Dave.

[OCD]

My post isn't negative, because I don't think The Magnificent Aston Villa would be stupid enough to do it.

Anymore.

The incomings have been refreshing this year. There seems to be a profile of young, athletic, good value and of a good enough calibre that people keep telling us that they should be playing for a Champions League side. Austin doesn't seem to fall within those values. Adebayor doesn't either but he is somebody that Sherwood knows how to get the best out of so could be a stop gap. It would be no surprise if there's been a plan for replacing Benteke that meets the established criteria.

[LeeB]

Exactly, it's not rocket science but you've got to stick to it.

For what it's worth, I think Austin has got Newcastle, injury problems and tabloid cocaine revelations stamped all over him.

[ozzjim]

I think the big difference though I'd back then we did have a guaranteed goal scorer in Bent when Benteke arrived. There was a safety net to that signing. I think we should be going for a player like Oulare for example that seems to have talent but we also need goals from day 1. It is why I am not adverse to Adebayor and a younger prospect.

[OCD]

I think the big difference though I'd back then we did have a guaranteed goal scorer in Bent when Benteke arrived. There was a safety net to that signing. I think we should be going for a player like Oulare for example that seems to have talent but we also need goals from day 1. It is why I am not adverse to Adebayor and a younger prospect.

If that's how it panned out, it would be very logical. If Adebayor came in first though, I can just imagine the reaction.

[KevinGage]

I think Austin would be a shit signing.

It would send as clear a message as possible that we hadn't learned a fucking thing from the relentless circus we've endured for not just the last 5 years, but long before that too.

Look at Christian Benteke. Then look at Charlie Austin. How the Fuck is that supposed to work then?

I'm inclined to agree.

In the summer of 2012, Yakubu had just scored 17 goals for Blackburn and Holt had scored 15 for Norwich. Lambert could easily have taken the easy route and gone with "well, we shouldn't take a risk and just spend our £7m on somebody who has proven they can score in the Premier League", but fortunately he didn't. I'm pretty certain that there were plenty of people at the time saying that we shouldn't be taking a risk in spending so much of our meagre budget on someone who hardly anybody had heard of.

Austin might not necessarily go on the same downward career spiral as the two examples at the top, but I'd be perfectly happy to take our chances on somebody who might be the next Benteke but might turn out to be less than that, over somebody that we know is going to be Charlie Austin.

I agree with the principle. 

But we were linked with Jurgen Locadia last year, as he had just started to make waves at PSV. Fees of £7-10 million were mentioned.

This year, he's been largely confined to PSV's second team. 

That's the risk you take. Not every player will make the transition as smoothly as Benteke.

So there is an argument to bring in a player who knows the league and has a history of scoring goals here -and one who ideally has more in the tank than Yakubu, Holt and Adebayor. In the current climate, I don't think the fees being touted for Austin are unrealistic.

A second striker -if we go that route- could be more of a punt. 

[Leighton]

For what it's worth, I think Austin has got Newcastle, injury problems and tabloid cocaine revelations stamped all over him.

Is that why they call him Charlie then?

[paul_e]

I think the big difference though I'd back then we did have a guaranteed goal scorer in Bent when Benteke arrived. There was a safety net to that signing. I think we should be going for a player like Oulare for example that seems to have talent but we also need goals from day 1. It is why I am not adverse to Adebayor and a younger prospect.

but then where do Gabby and Kozak fit in if we are, as seems to be the case, looking to play 1 up front with Gil/Grealish/Sinclair playing off them?  I suspect the answer regarding Gabby will be vitriolic, and I won't massively disagree with the sentiment but he's still a Villa player and is highly unlikely to stop being one this summer so do we bomb squad him/them for a season or do we put some trust in the pair of them and hope they can provide 20-25 goals between them for the season?  Given our finances and our needs elsewhere in the squad I just don't see how we can approach the striker position, this summer, with an attitude of buying a main man and his understudy and ignoring the 2 experienced strikers we have on the books.

If we're shopping for a commanding experienced player to come in and hit the ground running that, in my opinion, needs to be the replacement for Delph rather than the replacement for Benteke.  Our midfield hasn't worked, as a unit, for 3 years fixing that will go a long way to resolving the worst of our problems.

[Dave]

That's the risk you take. Not every player will make the transition as smoothly as Benteke.

Sorry to pick just one part of your post, but the above would still have been justification for not buying Benteke in the first place.

You're right, we could buy a dud if we try to get the next Benteke and I'm not going to be spitting feathers if we spend that money on Austin (like I would if we spent that money on Andros f*cking Townsend). But put it this way, if Austin is going to cost us £15m then I would much rather see what the striking equivalent of Gueye or Amavi looks like if we spend that same £15m on him.

[ozzjim]

One has managed 12 goals in 3 seasons, and 1 has been out for 18 months. Currently our highest scoring midfielder from last season has not been replaced and our best midfielder has been replaced with a guy who looks the part but may take time to settle. I agree, resolving the midfield will help no end, but we are nowhere remotely close to doing so.

[Drummond]

Well we're odds on for Adebayor and Townsend and favourites for Austin.

We'd certainly be less predictable.

[peter w]

Well we're odds on for Adebayor and Townsend and favourites for Austin.

We'd certainly be less predictable.

I don't really get the anti-Townsend sentiment from some. He's a winger and wingers are notoriously unpredictable. Mark Walters had one brilliant game in 6 but its the brilliance you remember. How many other teams would have said the same about Tony Daley being over hyped and overrated? I'd have him here like a shot. Not a Tonev one mind more of a Benteke one.

[brontebilly]

My preference for a front man would be Callum Wilson.

He gave Vlaar the run around when he came on in the Cup last season and looked a nightmare to defend against.

He would be my preference ahead of Bamford, Rhodes, Gestede, Austin etc

Good to see us linked with him today, from the area and will know what playing for AVFC is all about

Will be disgusted to see the likes of Townsend and Abedayor stealing a living from the club, Kyle Walker and Dembele please instead

Also Alex Pritchard did very well at Brentford last season, good set piece taker of which we dont have any and scored plenty of goals