Summer transfer madness thread

[cdbearsfan]

My choice of formation would be as follows, back-ups in brackets:

GK new goalkeeper (Bunn, Steer.... assuming they are still here)

RB Bree (de Laet, Hutton)
CB Chester (Toner or cheap young new signing)
CB Terry (Baker)
LB Taylor (cheap young new signing)

RW Exciting new mercurial genius signing (Adomah)
CM Hourihane (Lansbury)
CM Jedinak (Bjarnason)
LW Green (Grealish)

CF Kodjia (Hepburn-Murphy)
CF Hogan (experienced but decent hold-the-ball-up merchant eg Crouch)

That's assuming Amavi leaves and McCormack and Tshibola are either loaned or sold. Would loan Kienan Davis and try to get rid of Elphick, Richards, Bacuna and Agbonlahor.

[RussellC]

The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.

[cdbearsfan]

Or Hart?

[PaulWinch again]

Hart isn't going to join a Championship club in a World Cup season.

[RussellC]

Can't see it being Hart to be honest. Not sure I'd want it, either. I can only see Hart's career declining from here. There are so many good young English keepers about, it can only be a matter of time before Butland or Pickford take his England spot. Granted, he's still a decnet Keeper, but I can see him morphing into Paul Robinson from here on in. Would be hugely expensive to boot.

I'd rather someone like Johnstone who's only going to improve from here.

[cdbearsfan]

He's 29. If he was as good as Paul Robinson at 29 we'd be getting an excellent keeper.

Unlikely, admittedly.

[class-of-82]

If I was joe hart I would rather play for the top club in Brum than the second team in Turin

[Chris Jameson]

The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.

It's Peter Bonetti.

[PaulWinch again]

If I was joe hart I would rather play for the top club in Brum than the second team in Turin

Yes but I'm not sure he'll be restricted to that choice.

[Matt Collins]

My choice of formation would be as follows, back-ups in brackets:

GK new goalkeeper (Bunn, Steer.... assuming they are still here)

RB Bree (de Laet, Hutton)
CB Chester (Toner or cheap young new signing)
CB Terry (Baker)
LB Taylor (cheap young new signing)

RW Exciting new mercurial genius signing (Adomah)
CM Hourihane (Lansbury)
CM Jedinak (Bjarnason)
LW Green (Grealish)

CF Kodjia (Hepburn-Murphy)
CF Hogan (experienced but decent hold-the-ball-up merchant eg Crouch)

That's assuming Amavi leaves and McCormack and Tshibola are either loaned or sold. Would loan Kienan Davis and try to get rid of Elphick, Richards, Bacuna and Agbonlahor.

I more or less agree. Think Bruce does want to play 442 or 4411

But this does beg some big questions. Can we afford to play with two wingers in a Four man midfield? Can jedinak cope in such a midfield? How to get the best out of kodjia?

And that's all before the more general questions of form - especially re hogan and Lansbury - and readiness of the kids

This is what pre season needs to sort

[Damo70]

The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.

It's Peter Bonetti.

Great. I will be at Villa Park in the morning to buy a keepers shirt and getting 'The Cat' printed on the back.

[manic-road]

Can't see it being Hart to be honest. Not sure I'd want it, either. I can only see Hart's career declining from here. There are so many good young English keepers about, it can only be a matter of time before Butland or Pickford take his England spot. Granted, he's still a decnet Keeper, but I can see him morphing into Paul Robinson from here on in. Would be hugely expensive to boot.

I'd rather someone like Johnstone who's only going to improve from here.

I would like the current England keeper at the Villa I don't know why you think his career will start declining from here. We have gone down the route of young keepers in the past and probably the one key position where you need experience is the keeper.

[aj2k77]

We sound deluded talking about signing the England number 1 when we are a mid table Championship club. It isn't going to happen it's probably John Ruddy the Norwich reserve.

[ozzjim]

We are deluded. But I don't think dropping a division and finding his mojo again will harm his England place. Interestingly Terry was partly swung through having a huge respect for Steve Round who worked with England for a while. He and Tone have to sell the club's long term vision. A player like Terry coming could kick start that vision by raising the profile for others to follow. Still not happy with Terry in a Villa shirt mind.

[four fornicholl]

The Good Doctor has hinted on Twitter that we don't need to worry about the GK situation. Hopefully that'll mean a permanent deal for Johnstone is close.

It's Peter Bonetti.

Phil Parkes, 6`4 and a quarter.