Summer 2016: Transfer rumours and suggestions

[tomd2103]

Baker earned rave reviews playing in the Championship last year and he's not as good as Clark.

Clark was our best defender last year. I'd be reluctant to replace our best defender while we retained two worse central defenders who are likely to be on far more money than him.

I know you can't singly blame him alone but Baker looked good in a terrible Bristol City side that conceded a lot of goals it's not like he was commanding a mean defence at the business end of the table.

Steer, Gardener and Baker all played for poor Championship clubs last season.

I do agree Clark is better than Baker, neither are top Division defenders though. £5m sounds a lot of money to me.

Only small snapshots, but the three clips I saw of Bristol City this season involved Baker giving away a penalty, Baker getting injured after doing a diving header and Baker bizarrely turning his back on the play and sitting down injured at the precise moment his goalkeeper passed the ball to him.  I would sell him if Bristol City are interested and give Toner a chance as back up. 

[aj2k77]

That could be a snapshot pretty much of Bakers career so far.

[in exile]

I'm just not sure about Jed Steer.
Surely if he was any good Huddersfield would be trying to sign him wouldn't they?

[Gareth]

One player I would like us to sign is Cyrus Christie from Derby - looks a good Championship right back

[nutter453]

I'm just not sure about Jed Steer.
Surely if he was any good Huddersfield would be trying to sign him wouldn't they?

I follow Huddersfield as well as Villa due to family connections, and at the 3 games I've been to this years he's been good. The fans were all seemed keen on signing him, although the board are trying to implement a game akin to Dortmund (They got David Wagner in as coach who was the Dortmund II manager under Klopp) so they appear to be looking to Europe for players.

[Ads]

I think  Clark would do a decent job in the Championship but ultimately he is like Westwood when it comes to top flight football, he is nowhere near good enough and consistently makes costly errors.

[tomd2103]

I'm just not sure about Jed Steer.
Surely if he was any good Huddersfield would be trying to sign him wouldn't they?

I follow Huddersfield as well as Villa due to family connections, and at the 3 games I've been to this years he's been good. The fans were all seemed keen on signing him, although the board are trying to implement a game akin to Dortmund (They got David Wagner in as coach who was the Dortmund II manager under Klopp) so they appear to be looking to Europe for players.

I wouldn't have him as first choice and I'm not sure we can afford to have both and him as back up. 

[Mister E]

I think  Clark would do a decent job in the Championship but ultimately he is like Westwood when it comes to top flight football, he is nowhere near good enough and consistently makes costly errors.

Clark may be fine next season - let's see after the Euros.
If next season goes well, I wouldn't want to write him off stepping up to the PL and doing okay in the following season.

[aj2k77]

One player I would like us to sign is Cyrus Christie from Derby - looks a good Championship right back

Agreed, Christie, Dunk and Redmond are three I'd go for from the Championship.

[claretandbeer]

Baker earned rave reviews playing in the Championship last year and he's not as good as Clark.

Clark was our best defender last year. I'd be reluctant to replace our best defender while we retained two worse central defenders who are likely to be on far more money than him.

I know you can't singly blame him alone but Baker looked good in a terrible Bristol City side that conceded a lot of goals it's not like he was commanding a mean defence at the business end of the table.

Steer, Gardener and Baker all played for poor Championship clubs last season.

I do agree Clark is better than Baker, neither are top Division defenders though. £5m sounds a lot of money to me.

Only small snapshots, but the three clips I saw of Bristol City this season involved Baker giving away a penalty, Baker getting injured after doing a diving header and Baker bizarrely turning his back on the play and sitting down injured at the precise moment his goalkeeper passed the ball to him.  I would sell him if Bristol City are interested and give Toner a chance as back up.

Clips of matches tend to show goals or near misses,thus showing defenders in a poor light as you don't get a glimpse of the mundane clearances ,tackles and headers in a game.I thought Villa missed Baker's physical presence last year.Clark and him would have made a more reliable pairing than any involving,Lescott,Richards or Okore.

[ozzjim]

Okore and Baker would be a decent pair if they stayed fit. Hutton will still be here.  Amavi might. If Clark Lescott and Richards go you then need a RB and 2 centre backs as backup.

Caulker might be cheap this summer.  Distin free is still good enough for the championship.

Getting a good keeper is vital. 

[supertom]

I'd like to keep Clark but 5 million would be too good to refuse for him. I think what Clark really needs is a decent partner. I thought he was our player of the season last year, and certainly most improved. He also struck up a good partnership with Okore, and we've not seen this two given too much of a chance in re-igniting that partnership. I think they'd be solid in the championship. Clark needs pace next to him and ideally someone comfortable on the right (which of course Okore is). That is of course if Okore is still here. I know Clark had a poor season, but he wasn't nearly as bad as Richards or Lescott and everyone at the back was shit. 

We also need to sign a good experienced CH. I do agree Distin might be worth a shot. Still in good nick and still has a turn of pace. He's a unquestionably better than Lescott and Richards and would probably be a positive influence.

Baker is still too injury prone. I'd sell him and give Toner a chance.

[The Charmer]

One player I would like us to sign is Cyrus Christie from Derby - looks a good Championship right back

Agreed, Christie, Dunk and Redmond are three I'd go for from the Championship.

You've got three 'Yes's'
From what I've seen of the above, I think they could all do a job for us next season.

Having said that, I'm pretty sure that people watching games with me this year have had a gutful of me looking at a half-decent player and saying 'He's the sort we need at the Villa!'

[SteveN]

Isn't Distin a left footer of which we currently have three?  Ideally we need a big nasty right sided central defender.

I like Dunk but he does seem to be prone to the occasional rick.

[supertom]

Isn't Distin a left footer of which we currently have three?  Ideally we need a big nasty right sided central defender.

I like Dunk but he does seem to be prone to the occasional rick.

I would see Distin as a replacement for Lescott. Experienced and not necessarily to play every game. I think Toner's time will come, but he'll be a squad filler. But of Lescott, Baker and Clark I'd expect 2 at least to go.