Summer 2016: Transfer rumours and suggestions

[VILLA MOLE]

You also have to remember we won 3 league games last year and we were absolutely diabolical. I'm hoping we do it first time but i'm not expecting us to.

yes we were 17 points worse off than the other relegated teams, there is a gap to be closed 

[CJ]

In that Guardian article quoted on the RDM/Steve Clarke thread, Di Matteo was talking about getting back to the PL within 2 years, which I think is fairly realistic - a season to re-shape the squad, consolidate, determine a style of playing, establish a winning mentality, then push on with better signings along the way. Obviously it would be great to get back at the first attempt, but I'm not as optimistic as some, given the squad we've got and the losing mentality which became ingrained last season. In his words the whole house needs knocking down and rebuilt from the foundations up, and IMHO that could well take more than one season

Yes I would agree with you except this is Aston Villa we expect better, consolidation is for teams like Norwich. Let us settle for mid table in the premier league next season. Our players need to go out with the attitude that only winning the title this season will be good enough.

Yes, this is Aston Villa and we expect better - I expected them to be busting a gut to stay in the top flight last season rather than competing for  Derby's record low points and wins in a top flight season, and inevitably that means there will be a period of consolidation while we turn things round. Believe me I'd be as ecstatic as anyone else if we get back up at the first time of asking, but we finished a long way behind the rest and there's a lot of work to be done. I don't want to be in the Championship at all, I certainly don't want to be there for more than one season, but realistically that's what it might take

[Chico Hamilton III]

You also have to remember we won 3 league games last year and we were absolutely diabolical. I'm hoping we do it first time but i'm not expecting us to.

yes we were 17 points worse off than the other relegated teams, there is a gap to be closed 

I think we need to bring in a fair few new faces in the next 3 weeks. Impossible to overstate how absolutely shit we were last year - we'd have been relegated from any of the top three tiers of football, the way we played last season.

We've got the new owner, got the new manager, got the fans (always had them), now we need to spend some cash on more new players. Anyone who thinks we'll walk this league might be in for a shock.

[Dante Lavelli]

You also have to remember we won 3 league games last year and we were absolutely diabolical. I'm hoping we do it first time but i'm not expecting us to.

Consolidate next season, but win the title the year afterwards.  Deal?

[eric woolban woolban]

Just don't want us to do a Leeds or Forest.  Have a decent first season back,  nearly get promoted but then have a gradual decline in quality over the next few seasons.

[tomd2103]

Agreed. One year in that league is a year too long, never mind two.

The longer we stay in, the less chance we have of keeping the better players, the less money we receive in parachute payments and the harder it gets.

Anything less than promotion next season is a significant failure.

Agree Ads, particularly with the point in bold. 

[Gareth]

I still think we are 6 weeks away from knowing the real make up of our squad - just cannot see the majority of players RDM decides he wants to see the back of going until last couple of days of transfer window. 

If we must have transfer windows I wish they would close it on August 1st not 2/3 weeks after season starts.

[DeKuip]

Agreed. One year in that league is a year too long, never mind two.

The longer we stay in, the less chance we have of keeping the better players, the less money we receive in parachute payments and the harder it gets.

Anything less than promotion next season is a significant failure.

Relegation would be failure - anything in the top half of the table would be a decent season. To think we could bounce straight back is extremely optimistic.

As for Bridcutt I saw him a couple of times for Leeds last season and he looked a level above anyone else on the pitch, but hasn't done anything in a Sunderland shirt.

[AVH87]

You also have to remember we won 3 league games last year and we were absolutely diabolical. I'm hoping we do it first time but i'm not expecting us to.

yes we were 17 points worse off than the other relegated teams, there is a gap to be closed

At this moment in time, the signing of Elphick (although good) alongside 2 youngsters, will not have closed that gap enough. We need some experienced, quality additions to the first XI before we can think about finishing in the top 2 this season, baring in mind teams like Derby, Brighton and Wednesday will likely be strong alongside Newc and Norwich.

[nigel]

Agreed. One year in that league is a year too long, never mind two.

The longer we stay in, the less chance we have of keeping the better players, the less money we receive in parachute payments and the harder it gets.

Anything less than promotion next season is a significant failure.

Relegation would be failure - anything in the top half of the table would be a decent season. To think we could bounce straight back is extremely optimistic.

As for Bridcutt I saw him a couple of times for Leeds last season and he looked a level above anyone else on the pitch, but hasn't done anything in a Sunderland shirt.

Regarding Bridcutt, that could, possibly,  be more to do with Sunderland than the player. Could be a  good signing.

[SoccerHQ]

The championship is a funny league.

138 points to play for. We've seen before teams in mid table or even lower at xmas...and then promoted to the premier league in May.

As it stands I can see the first half of the season being a bit hit and miss so patience is needed in the stands.

You've still got the January transfer window to properly gets things sorted with the squad and then give promotion a serious go.

As it stands I think we might be a little like Sunderland in 2006. They went down with 15 points I think and lost their first 4 games of the season before they appointed Keane as manager. They ended up winning the league quite comfortably.

Not saying we can do that but all it takes is 2-3 wins on the trot and you'll rise up the league quite significantly.

[Walmley_Villa]

The championship is a funny league.

138 points to play for. We've seen before teams in mid table or even lower at xmas...and then promoted to the premier league in May.

As it stands I can see the first half of the season being a bit hit and miss so patience is needed in the stands.

You've still got the January transfer window to properly gets things sorted with the squad and then give promotion a serious go.

As it stands I think we might be a little like Sunderland in 2006. They went down with 15 points I think and lost their first 4 games of the season before they appointed Keane as manager. They ended up winning the league quite comfortably.

Not saying we can do that but all it takes is 2-3 wins on the trot and you'll rise up the league quite significantly.

Hopefully we won't be appointing Keano after the first 4 games though!

[Richard E]

Agreed. One year in that league is a year too long, never mind two.

The longer we stay in, the less chance we have of keeping the better players, the less money we receive in parachute payments and the harder it gets.

Anything less than promotion next season is a significant failure.

Relegation would be failure - anything in the top half of the table would be a decent season. To think we could bounce straight back is extremely optimistic.

As for Bridcutt I saw him a couple of times for Leeds last season and he looked a level above anyone else on the pitch, but hasn't done anything in a Sunderland shirt.

We'd better warn RDM that if he signs him he must only play him in a Villa shirt.

[Toronto Villa]

What people shouldn't do is panic if things don't start as well as we all hope. There are going to be bumps and a lot of learning. However, based on what I have seen of the league the defending is overall quite suspect and we need to take advantage of that. I still believe that the disaster behind the scenes contributed to our entire club being broken and fragmented. That the players are much better than they showed. It wasn't even they performed as individuals. I think we are starting on a much better footing now and critically RDM needs to unify the squad and have them all pulling together. It will be amazing what winning will bring to this group.

[Phil from the upper holte]

In that Guardian article quoted on the RDM/Steve Clarke thread, Di Matteo was talking about getting back to the PL within 2 years, which I think is fairly realistic - a season to re-shape the squad, consolidate, determine a style of playing, establish a winning mentality, then push on with better signings along the way. Obviously it would be great to get back at the first attempt, but I'm not as optimistic as some, given the squad we've got and the losing mentality which became ingrained last season. In his words the whole house needs knocking down and rebuilt from the foundations up, and IMHO that could well take more than one season

Yes I would agree with you except this is Aston Villa we expect better, consolidation if for teams like Norwich. Let us settle for mid table in the premier league next season. Our players need to go out with the attitude that only winning the title this season will be good enough.

I think we as fans could help with this. I think we could learn a bit of patience sometimes. Like the friendly the other day. Lets help them get us back.

Could not agree more with that, one of the reasons I didn't go much last year was because the negative attitude was depressing, not saying the players didn't deserve it but at times it was unbearable