Tom Carroll - confirmed

[brian green]

I am afraid I hear the sound of the dice rattling at Villa Park again.  The more I look at this transfer window the more underwhelmed I become.  I had hoped that with the arrival of Dean and the departure of Bruce minds would be focussed on the single objective of automatic promotion to the Premiership.  Rebuild the ship from the keel to the masthead.  Kalinic, Hause, Mings and Carroll with all the cocktail of lack of match fitness, lack of playing time for lengthy periods, catalogue of injuries and loan insecurities look more like a big bucket of tar and a big brush.  Guilbert is the only one, for me, who looks like a good investment but we don't get him this season.  I guess I shall have to keep my spirits up watching RHM and D - H playing well at Cam U.

[olaftab]

May be it was like that visit to B&Q when you go to buy a chainsaw but settle for a bastard file instead.

[brian green]

Or the true story about the Juventus star whose mother sent him out to buy an ironing board and he came back with a racing bike.

Mario Balotelli (sp?)

[Matt Collins]

Did any championship team have a better window? Tough market

[brian green]

Agree but only fools no personal rudeness intended ever thought it was not going to be tough getting back into the Premiership.  And staying there. 

[tomd2103]

Seen a bit of Carroll over the past few years and have to say that he has never really be that convincing.  Always looked a bit small and not stron enough, but we shall see. 

If I remember correctly, he is left footed. which adds to McGinn and Hourihane.  One of my little bugbears over the past couple of months is McGinn playing on the right side of central midfield.  Think he would be a lot more effective on the left and on his natural foot. 

[themossman]

Let’s see how he does. Not overly bothered about what Swansea fans think tbh. A lot of villa fans were smug when Clark went to Newcastle.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

I don't know anything about Carroll but if some posters are correct in comparing him to Conor Hourihane, I look forward to his goals and assists. As Fer swans fans laughing at us getting Carroll they can't be laughing louder than me at the thought of bacuna, cardiff and premier league in the same sentence. Good luck Tom. UTV

[walsall villain]

I am afraid I hear the sound of the dice rattling at Villa Park again.  The more I look at this transfer window the more underwhelmed I become.  I had hoped that with the arrival of Dean and the departure of Bruce minds would be focussed on the single objective of automatic promotion to the Premiership.  Rebuild the ship from the keel to the masthead.  Kalinic, Hause, Mings and Carroll with all the cocktail of lack of match fitness, lack of playing time for lengthy periods, catalogue of injuries and loan insecurities look more like a big bucket of tar and a big brush.  Guilbert is the only one, for me, who looks like a good investment but we don't get him this season.  I guess I shall have to keep my spirits up watching RHM and D - H playing well at Cam U.

Well we clearly cannot throw money around anymore so a January window is going to be difficult. Who is available? Players who are out of favour or coming back from injuries. I think we’ve done ok. This is going to be a long job which will gather pace when many of our players leave this summer when contracts are up.

[Chris Smith]

Reading about him he seems like a Smith sort of player. Holding midfielder and good passing accuracy, exactly the type that has come to VP in recent years and looked good against us. If it doesn’t work out we just say goodbye in May. I really don’t see the problem.

[chrisw1]

Did any championship team have a better window? Tough market

West Brom had a pretty decent window.  Holgate, Johansen, Murphy & Monterey.  Barns a big loss though.

[old man villa fan]

Reading about him he seems like a Smith sort of player. Holding midfielder and good passing accuracy, exactly the type that has come to VP in recent years and looked good against us. If it doesn’t work out we just say goodbye in May. I really don’t see the problem.

I think that is the same for the others that have come in on loan. We were never going to rebuild in this transfer window for the simple reason that there aren't the players around or, if there are, you pay well over the top for them.

I think we are seeing a steadying of the ship and a plan for clearing the decks for the future rebuild. Add to this, the issue of FFP and the owners looking to the long term, we were never going to throw money at it at this time.

[SheffieldVillain]

Did any championship team have a better window? Tough market

West Brom had a pretty decent window.  Holgate, Johansen, Murphy & Monterey.  Barns a big loss though.

Not bad players but all loans (now 6 in their squad). Holgate has played 33 games in two and half seasons. Johansen and Murphy a collective 12 games this season.

Suggests the market was much the same for everyone in the league - loans to buy, players who probably aren't fully matchfit.

[Malandro]

The Swansea message board reactions to this transfer is a bit worrying.

I must admit, my initial optimism was based on how he looked when he broke through at Tottenham.

I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s been playing in front of the back four for Swansea, which is what we need.
He’s also been injured for most of the championship season, so most of the bad feeling, I imagine, comes from their relegation year.

I’d certainly rather have him than Whelan.

[sid1964]

I agree that he would be the type of player that Smith would want in his team, lets hope that he is brilliant (not just for 1 or 2 games).

It will be interesting to see what team is picked for tomorrow will both Mings and Carroll start? and if they do who will be left out?