Summer 2016: Transfer rumours and suggestions

[Stirchley Villain]

That his heart's not at Villa? He was different to the others in January in that a realistic move fell through. Anyway, rather than argue the toss all night, if he's still here in September you can remind me with pleasure. If he's our star player next season you can do the same with knobs on. My wager is that he'll be gone by September. If he's not then I can say with confidence that he'll be as ineffective next season as he has been the last. If I remember I'll post an "I told you so" on this very thread.

[Dave]

Erm...

I don't think I'll bother reminding you, but if you want to bookmark this for September and we can catch up then. do feel free.

[ozzjim]

This is the Gil that generally when we play lesser teams suddenly looks half decent because he is not so easily nullified? And where was he going in January?

He annoys me because for all his talent he produces bugger all, but then you look at Boro and Ramirez, Blues putting a lot of emphasis on Fabrini and some other number 10 they have, Norwich will rely on Hoolahan again, Bannan was brilliant at Sheff Wed, basically technically gifted players often end up looking very good in the championship because there is so much rubbish in it. If we can keep most of ours, and add 4-5 good battling leaders we will be top 2-3 next season.

[passitsideways]

I think it's pretty simple when it comes to him: get him the ball in the final third, so that his technical skills (mainly the ability to jink past a man or play a quick one-two) actually has some potential to result in a goal. It's no wonder he looks all fart and no shit when he has to do those things, say, in the middle of the park, where all he can do afterwards really is move it on sideways or backwards as covering defenders arrive.

The same obviously applies to guys like Grealish or Veretout: hopefully the lower standard in the Championship and the arrival of RDM means that can be drastically improved upon.

[OCD]

Let's face it, just how many players would look good in the current set-up?

[Villa in Denmark]

He might not be week in week out PL quality but he'll be plenty good for the Championship.

He will be kicked out of games.

this

him and nancy boy westwood will get eaten alive

Thanks for some proper championship quality homophobia.


How low have we fallen. Can't even do quality homophobic insults properly anymore.

[Villa in Denmark]

I think it's pretty simple when it comes to him: get him the ball in the final third, so that his technical skills (mainly the ability to jink past a man or play a quick one-two) actually has some potential to result in a goal. It's no wonder he looks all fart and no shit when he has to do those things, say, in the middle of the park, where all he can do afterwards really is move it on sideways or backwards as covering defenders arrive.

The same obviously applies to guys like Grealish or Veretout: hopefully the lower standard in the Championship and the arrival of RDM means that can be drastically improved upon.

Will you stop with the rational, considered analysis.

It potentially leads you to the conclusion that we don't need to shift in/out 30+ players, depending on how many have release clauses that are activated, how many undesirables we actually manage to shift.

[sickbeggar]

Well if Ross McCormack is the sort of player we're going for, I think we can forget any ideas that the new owners are planning a spending spree. Decent player and prolific with Fulham but nearly 30 and not going to get any better. Also seems to alternate from getting bucketloads  one season to not being able to hit a barn door the next. For what fulham will want, I hope we pass personally.

[Nastylee]

But rumours like McCormack come from the age old myth that to be successful in the Championship you have to be some battle hardened warrior. People forget that most of the teams promoted in recent years have done so playing attractive flowing football that is of better quality than the bottom 10 PL sides. Buying Championship players is a sure fire way of ensuring you become a Championship team that never get past the play offs and there's plenty of examples of clubs like that.

[Chris Jameson]

Admittedly I haven't watched that much Championship football but maybe I've just been very lucky/unlucky in that none of the matches involved players kicking lumps out of each other and trying to end careers.

Westwood and Grealish seemed to cope perfectly well with all these lower league hard cases that each club is seemingly full of.

[Concrete John]

I think we'll find the Championship is a place where attacking teams will do well, but also we'll need to 'earn the right to play'.  Sorry for the cliche.

Rebuild the spine to allow the likes of Grealish to influence games games and we won't be far off.

[Ormy Droid]

The Brentford team that made the play-offs the season before last, had Alan Judge, Jota, and Lewis Pritchard, all of whom were skillful types, rather than the put your foot in brigade. But they also had to show a bit of desire, something that Gil has failed miserably at for quite some time now. He could light up that league, but it's up to him.

[Villa in Denmark]

I think we'll find the Championship is a place where attacking teams will do well, but also we'll need to 'earn the right to play'.  Sorry for the cliche.

Rebuild the spine to allow the likes of Grealish to influence games games and we won't be far off.

Yes, but that cliche is true, whichever league you're in. One of the reasons we stank the league out last season was not being prepared to do the basic hard work required to give yourself the right to try and play a bit.

[supertom]

I think Westwood and Grealish will do well in the Champ. I'm still unsure of Gil. I think he needs to move back to Spain to be honest, before he gets irreparably damaged from playing for us. He's got a nice touch and a bit of skill but he's been unable to ever dictate a game or take it by the scruff of the neck. He goes hiding. Although Grealish does take a thumping at times he gets up and gets on with it and doesn't mind getting clattered. Gil goes into his shell and it'll only get worse in the championship. I just think he's one of those players who'll never quite make it in England. Which is a shame because I quite like him.

[Toronto Villa]

He might not be week in week out PL quality but he'll be plenty good for the Championship.

Will he bollocks.

Bannan is slightly less foreign, small, not so great in the PL but was selected in the Championship Team of the Season.  Not sure whether that supports/disproves either of your arguments but suggests that the smaller players can thrive in the league and/or there is a significant drop in quality.

Dante, I'll see your Barry Bannan and raise you a Peter Whittingham. A skinny bloke who has had a very good Championship level career.