Summer 2016: Transfer rumours and suggestions

[old man villa fan]

He strikes me as being the sort of player who will bust a gut for Wales but largely anonymous at club level. Because if he was that player at club level as he has shown these past couple of weeks he wouldn't be a free agent today. And he'd probably be playing for a PL side.

That could go either way. You might be right but it could also work out that whoever takes the gamble on him and plays him up front rather than out wide benefits. He seems like a Shane Long type to me. Never prolific but works his bollocks off and when you've got someone pressing from the front, it helps the rest of the team.

My view has always been that you play somebody up front to score goals.

This season, probably more so than before, we are going to need to score goals, if recent history of the division is anything to go by.  That means that the guy that leads the line is going to have to be a 20+ goals a season player at this level.

[paul_e]

He strikes me as being the sort of player who will bust a gut for Wales but largely anonymous at club level. Because if he was that player at club level as he has shown these past couple of weeks he wouldn't be a free agent today. And he'd probably be playing for a PL side.

That could go either way. You might be right but it could also work out that whoever takes the gamble on him and plays him up front rather than out wide benefits. He seems like a Shane Long type to me. Never prolific but works his bollocks off and when you've got someone pressing from the front, it helps the rest of the team.

My view has always been that you play somebody up front to score goals.

This season, probably more so than before, we are going to need to score goals, if recent history of the division is anything to go by.  That means that the guy that leads the line is going to have to be a 20+ goals a season player at this level.

To put it as simply as possible I want a strike force that, as a unit, averages at least a goal a game in the league.  If that means 4 guys getting 10-12 each then great, if it means 1 getting 30 and the rest getting 5-6 each then that's fine as well.  In Gestede and Ayew we have 2 that I would confidently back to get 12-15 each so another player who can deliver similar could be enough to cover the majority of those goals with the extra coming from Green/Davies/Hepburn-Murphy who could all become useful to us in this league.  I don't see any way that Robson-Kanu will be that player which puts pressure on any other forwards to score more than I'd expect, I think too many people are judging him entirely on this tournament and would be sorely disappointed by the player who can't hold down a striker spot at Reading.

[MonsXI]

I don't think a striker is the most important position we need a winger and a big hard bastard in midfield. I'm confident Ayew/Gestede will score enough goals if they get the service.

[nigel]

I don't think a striker is the most important position we need a winger and a big hard bastard in midfield. I'm confident Ayew/Gestede will score enough goals if they get the service.

We've been missing that 'hard bastard' in midfield for several seasons. I've said time and again we are way to lightweight in midfield and need an enforcer to help them.

[Concrete John]

I agree.

Our 'attacking midfield' section of the squad has Sinclair, Grealish, Traore and Gil.  Get the balance right with them and we should be able to provide enough bullets.

[Gregorys Boy]

I agree that we are maybe strongest up front.  It is more about the creative areas and being much, much tighter at the back. 

[Concrete Tom]

Forestieri was a fan favourite at Watford (local so I used to go to the Vic before promotion).

There is a reason that he was released by the Pozzos - he was selfish, used to run into blind alleys and used to shoot from anywhere. He was both exciting and infuriating to watch.

I understand that he is more of a team player at Wednesday but I'd want someone we could count on to work hard for the good of the team.

[tomd2103]

I don't think a striker is the most important position we need a winger and a big hard bastard in midfield. I'm confident Ayew/Gestede will score enough goals if they get the service.

We've been missing that 'hard bastard' in midfield for several seasons. I've said time and again we are way to lightweight in midfield and need an enforcer to help them.

Not so sure those type of players really exist anymore.  What we have been lacking is a player who can can sit in midfield, organise things, break up play and keep things ticking over.  Pretty much what Barton did for Burnley last season.  Westwood, Gana and Sanchez all give the ball away far too often.

[Steve67]

We need more physicality.  Gueye isn't bad at closing down, Sanchez is fairly strong, Westwood can pass. And yet together, they are fairly crap. We'd be better with two players in there who have these characteristics rather than this three.

[tomd2103]

We need more physicality.  Gueye isn't bad at closing down, Sanchez is fairly strong, Westwood can pass. And yet together, they are fairly crap. We'd be better with two players in there who have these characteristics rather than this three.

Agree.  I just wonder if next season could finally be the season for Gardner to come good. 

[garyshawsknee]

It's gonna be a case of now or never with young Gary. Really hope he makes an impact.

[Stirchley Villain]

Nolan, Barton, Toure, Adams, Dyer, Carrick, Barry. Ball winners exist.we just don't have one.

[paul_e]

We don't need some nasty fucker who kicks people, we need athleticism.  Delph gave us some which made a difference, before that Sylla gave us some before his technical deficiencies got in the way. Someone in there with a bit of pace in particular would help, even Gana who has a good engine on him, doesn't have any pace over 5-10 yards.  A good summer of proper fitness work will help them all as well, Veretout in particular looks like he has the skills if he can get the physical parts of his game up to the level of English football.

[Stirchley Villain]

So it's Sylla, Gana or Delph then? The Prem here we come.

[paul_e]

So it's Sylla, Gana or Delph then? The Prem here we come.

If you ignore everything I've written except the names then I guess you could come to that conclusion.  We've lacked athleticism in midfield for years, Milner gave us a season of it and we deified him.