Summer 2015 - Transfer Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions

[PaulWinch again]

We definitely need a goal scorer, whether that's Austin I'm not sure.

I'll decide after the cup game when we're likely to have seen at least a couple of Gil, Grealish or Traore, I do wonder if the biggest problem right now is that none of our creative attacking players have kicked a ball for us yet.

Even with those, I'd say we only have two out and out strikers in Kozak and Gestede. Given that the former is coming back from a serious injury and the latter is unproven at the top level, I think another striker is a priority.

[paul_e]

We definitely need a goal scorer, whether that's Austin I'm not sure.

I'll decide after the cup game when we're likely to have seen at least a couple of Gil, Grealish or Traore, I do wonder if the biggest problem right now is that none of our creative attacking players have kicked a ball for us yet.

Even with those, I'd say we only have two out and out strikers in Kozak and Gestede. Given that the former is coming back from a serious injury and the latter is unproven at the top level, I think another striker is a priority.

I think Ayew is as well now that I've seen him.  For me a new striker coming in is a replacement for Kozak or Gabby and personally I'd like to see the former get a chance before he's replaced and the latter isn't going anywhere this season.

[mr underhill]

didn't Ayew have his only reasonably prolific season playing centrally for Lorient?

[paul_e]

didn't Ayew have his only reasonably prolific season playing centrally for Lorient?

Yep, he's also bigger and stronger than he looks, the stupid shorts are the problem.

[Toronto Villa]

He'll come good. Not like he was scoring his goals in the lower leagues in France. He looks mentally bagged from not being in shape and is making daft technical errors. Once we get to creating proper chances for him that he accelerate on to we'll get a lot more from him. We desperately need one or more of Grealish/Traore/Gil available and in the side soon just to add that variety and genius because we have looked a bit laboured in the final third. Sherwood alluded to that too with Gestede that we started to lump it up to him as opposed to using all of his talents, or utilising him as a decoy to bring others into the game. We became predictable and one dimensional and we need to ensure we we maintain flexibility in our play irrespective of who is up front.

[mr underhill]

not transfer related but some great pictures of JPA on the Mail webpages visiting (sadly) Chelsea's training ground the other day

[VILLA MOLE]

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4946453,00.html

[peter w]

To be fair to Ayew and Gabby we spent too much of our time launching it route 1 on Friday to be able to say anything about the forwards. Even when Gestede was losing the challenges against Smalling we continued down the same path. As paul e said we haven't seen our attacking players midfielders yet so I'm hopeful that we will use it more on the deck v Palace and turn their centre-halves as they aren't the quickest.

[paul_e]

not transfer related but some great pictures of JPA on the Mail webpages visiting (sadly) Chelsea's training ground the other day

Isn't he friends with Falcao?  I'm sure that was part of the 2+2=11 thing that saw us linked with him a few years back.

[RussellC]

I'd be more inclined to pay it for Afobe, I think. from what I've seen of him, he has more of an all-round game. Granted, he isn't tried or tested in the Premiership yet, but at his age I can only see him getting better.

£15m is probably what it'd take to get him now, which does seem a lot, but so did £6m for Robbie Keane all of those years ago and I can see his being a similar situation.

Based on the value we have managed to extract from the Window so far, £15m on a player untried in the Premier League is both ludicrous and unlikely to happen.

I hope that TS is focussing on RB and CB right now.

Exactly. For a bit more than that we got in Gueye, Veretout and Gestede. A 22 yr old in the Championship with only 20 goals at that level, it's a massive leap to make for a massive amount of money, and not the sort financially we could afford right now I don't think. For £15m I'd want an Embolo.

Embolo who has a total of 13 goals in the Swiss League? I don't really see the difference, especially given Sherwood's comments on focussing on English based players now.

We're also still only at a net spend of around £7m, so I'd be amazed if there wasn't still cash to spend.

[paul_e]

I'd be more inclined to pay it for Afobe, I think. from what I've seen of him, he has more of an all-round game. Granted, he isn't tried or tested in the Premiership yet, but at his age I can only see him getting better.

£15m is probably what it'd take to get him now, which does seem a lot, but so did £6m for Robbie Keane all of those years ago and I can see his being a similar situation.

Based on the value we have managed to extract from the Window so far, £15m on a player untried in the Premier League is both ludicrous and unlikely to happen.

I hope that TS is focussing on RB and CB right now.

Exactly. For a bit more than that we got in Gueye, Veretout and Gestede. A 22 yr old in the Championship with only 20 goals at that level, it's a massive leap to make for a massive amount of money, and not the sort financially we could afford right now I don't think. For £15m I'd want an Embolo.

Embolo who has a total of 13 goals in the Swiss League? I don't really see the difference, especially given Sherwood's comments on focussing on English based players now.

We're also still only at a net spend of around £7m, so I'd be amazed if there wasn't still cash to spend.

Do you mean the Sherwood comments that came a couple of days before we signed a guy from Barcelona?

The difference is Afobe is 22, Embolo is 18.  I like the look of both but Embolo really does look like the real deal, Afobe could go either way for me.  Like anything though both would present a risk so if they're the 2 cohices it's a judgement call of who is more likely to be better value in the mid-long term.

[mr underhill]

Embolo would be a  risk but what a talent and just what we need imo. Going back to JPA, only Gabby and York have scored more for us in the PL era, yet apart from that one brilliant season, he always seemed to flatter to deceive to me.

[PeterWithesShin]

Embolo would be a  risk but what a talent and just what we need imo. Going back to JPA, only Gabby and York have scored more for us in the PL era, yet apart from that one brilliant season, he always seemed to flatter to deceive to me.

And Dion.

[RussellC]

Do you mean the Sherwood comments that came a couple of days before we signed a guy from Barcelona?

It's think it's fair to assume that the Traore deal was some way along at that point, not signed, sealed and delivered within 48 hours, don't you?

I'm not doubting that Embolo is going to be a major talent, but given Sherwood's recent comments (and appearance at Molineaux last night) it's far from fanciful to suggest that we may end up making a significant bid for Afobe.

[pauliewalnuts]

We're also still only at a net spend of around £7m, so I'd be amazed if there wasn't still cash to spend.

It'd be disappointing if there wasn't.

I like the signings we've made thus far, but there are still positions where we are weaker than I'd like us to be.