Squad-building for 2019-20

[KevinGage]

A few principles that need to be used to base the build upon;
-   It’s Dean Smiths team so he will want it to be attacking not just surviving.
-   Much will depend on a persons personality and fit with the team and management not just their skill.
-   We need a Premiership team not a Championship team+. The big difference is SPEED. Strength is fine but SPEED is the X factor at every position.
-   Skills are important but worth nothing if the footballing brain is weak; Smith picks those who desire to be better footballers every day and can cope with tactical nuance and flexibility.
-   Structurally we will need the flexibility Dean has built in already and this will be increased next season. Lets’ specify the squad for a 4-3-3/4-4-2 regime because it can morph into lots of diamond, attacking wing-back and attacking midfielder schemes if the players are good enough.

Goalies
Steer deserves to be in the starting mix in the Premiership; he’s deserved it, worth it and we should value him.
Kalinic has been a valuable investment which needs to pay off now. Give him a chance. If he sees himself as automatic Number 1 he won’t fit in and I’d expect him to be sold if so.
Nyland will be fit again over the Summer but won’t get games as third choice so he should be sold for the benefit of his career.
Sarkic needs to be told he will be squad backup to top 2; developing young players for the future is what our club can be about. Here’s an example; ask him to step up and see if he does.
Bunn to go.

Centre Backs
Richards and Elphick to end contract and leave.
Chester will not be the player he was, we’ve now been told. Best we can expect here is a squad backup player for next year.
Mings needs to be snapped-up quickly. He wants it, we need it; get it done!
Tuanzebe would be great but won’t be available as a purchase and loans will not be our best priority in this position, it’s too important so reluctantly we won’t see Axel at VP next year, in my opinion.
Hause has not earned being purchased IMO and I’d expect the VP team to have a range of options from Cahill to who-the-hell-else-might-be-available but we need AT LEAST 2 in here who fit in, are speedy and technical ball-playing centre backs mainly because Suliman has not become a candidate.

Right Backs
Hutton to go with our best wishes.
Bree to be squad backup if the VP team assess him as worthwhile; we don’t know yet. If not, he’ll be sold.
De Laet; see below.
Elmohamady to fight for his place at RB alongside Guilbert who will join us now.

Left Backs
Taylor to stay and fight for a place against whoever we bring in because we need to bring someone in for this position, no doubt. There is no squad backup so we need to address that at U23/U20 level as well.

Defensive Midfield
Whelan may be given a one-year contract but solely as squad backup. Speed, remember?
Tshibola and Jedinak to go.
We have no-one else who can adequately play DM in the premiership so we need at least 2. If Fabian Delph is available as hinted at (he only has 1 year left on his contract at Citteh) I’d wrench him here as a priority; he could be the difference between surviving and kicking-on versus being relegated. He’s that good. Other possibilities are available as well but this is a priority now and will be fascinating to see.

Centre Midfield
McGinn is a diamond and a real Premiership-quality player already. Worth his weight in gold and an automatic selection.
Hourihane is useful and gets a place normally as well. I’m not as down on him as others; he will be useful in the prem.
Gardner can go.
We therefore need at least one good player here. No suggestions yet but the VP team will have candidates already. Watch this space unless they decide Bjarnason will fit the bill.

Attacking Midfield
Grealish is a diamond and a real Premiership-quality player already and he’s staying for next year so an automatic selection when fit.
Lansbury is my surprise here; I think he can be useful and deserves a squad place. You may hate him and if the VP team agree he’ll be moved-on. Me, I’d give him a chance IF his personality fits with the team.
My squad backup option here is O’Hare who I think has real potential and should be developed as a priority. We’ll need him.

Attacking Right
Adomah is not good enough so if not moved-on will be a squad backup only.
Green has not impressed so can only get a squad backup role if Adomah is not sold. Expect to be loaned next season until he improves, I’m sorry to say.
Here’s another surprise for you; Richie De Laet has been banging goals in in Belgium for 6 months and has always had a nose for goal as a genuine attacking right winger. So use him there if he wants the gig.
Of course, if Smith has already got a real plan to buy Lolley then the position is sorted.

Attacking Left
El Ghazi would be worthwhile but I’m not as wild about him as some other people but he’s good enough for next season.
We have no-one else so I’m looking for candidates to emerge. One to follow.

Strikers
Tammy will be going back to Chelsea not stay with us under any plan so needs to be replaced. Mitrovic has been mentioned, Maupay has been mentioned and I expect a bunch more will mention themselves. This is the other main priority; goalscoring striker. It will cost us real money but if we get it right we’ll stay up if not, we’ll really struggle.
Davis is a young development star and should be asked to push for a regular place. Keep and push-on.
Kodjia will stay for at least a year and be an option; I hope he takes the chance to get back to where he was. It’s his last chance IMO.
Hepburn-Murphy is no more than a possibility and loanee-in-waiting at the moment but I hope he improves.
McCormack is a hack who deserves to burn in hell and we don’t need him under any circumstances.
Hogan to be sold.

Which leaves our basic 23/24/25 squad members plus squad backups in brackets as;

GK; Steer, Kalinic, (Sarkic)
CB; Mings, Chester, +2
LB; Taylor, +1
RB; Guilbert, Elmohamady, (Bree)
DM; +2, (Whelan?)
CM; McGinn, Hourihane, +1
AM; Grealish, Lansbury, (O’Hare)
AL; El Ghazi, +1
AR; De Laet, (Green)
Striker; Kodjia, Davis, +1, (Hepburn-Murphy)

That’s all the current squad, losses taken into account and 8 purchases. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of observations 😊

You've put a bit of effort into that. Fair play to you.

[KevinGage]

Great first post that! I think it’s an accurate assessment of how things stand as far as we all know. Not sure about Lansbury personally but can’t see us shifting him.

Season long loan I expect to a mid table championship club, Lansbury somehow still has 2 years left on his contract with us hence selling him is very unlikely. Milk turns faster than Lansbury whose agent really pulled the pants down on Xia/Wynnes.

Assuming this is accurate - https://astonvillacentral.com/squad/contracts/ ....it's paints a picture of a squad, a few gems aside that's very average without the loan players.

A fair chunk will go off our wage bill from those out of contract this season alone. I'm assuming that's all of them.

The guys with a year left - Steer and Hourihane will almost certainly stay on. Elmo deserves another year but is 32 in Sept so I wouldn't be surprised to see him move on given we have a new right back signed alreadya. Chester will stay too as backup particularly after his recent injury comments. None of the other experienced guys will be in Smith's plans, though shifting them will take work. Of the kids, I'm utterly unconvinced by Green and the others are likely to continue loan spells elsewhere.

None of the 2021 crew are top division standard but shifting them will be a real challenge. James Bree is another one whose agent deserves serious kudos. Bruce's first transfer window was a real shitshow.

I don't see anything other than a complete transformation of our playing squad this summer. Hopefully we get a few signed up quickly, likes of Mings, El Ghazi. Would have no problem with former loanees Snodgrass and Johnstone permanently returning either.

Bruce's first transfer window included Hourihane and Johnstone.

Hogan should be minus points x10, but still better than some of the crud that accumulated in previous windows.

[SirSteveUK]

Two points

Christian Purstrings is on record as stating that it is not the intention for Villa to be merely a selling club - which is nice to hear - obviously a reference to selling our best to increase income.

I thought that RdL had been scoring in Australia - not Belgium ??

 

[OzVilla]

Great first post AllanW. Agree with much of that, not sure about De Laat though and Lansbury.  Would love to see Delph back.  What about taking Benteke for the right deal too and really get the band back together?

[tony scott]

Considering we keep all our contract players at a minimum I would like to sign the following  players Mings Hause  Milner Stephens El Gazi Maupy  I think we could consolidate with this squad I would love to see making mega signings but I think the owners will wait a season.

[robbo1874]

Hope we can get rid of McCormack...according to an article his wages will increase to £70k per week after promotion. Boils my piss.

https://www.balls.ie/football/ross-mccormack-contract-411300

is there not a pragmatic case for trying to reintegrate RM? His fallout was with Bruce. He acted like a prick with the gate none sense.
But new manager, clean slate? I’m just thinking, if he’s trousering 70k a week, could we make use of him in some way?

Tuanzebe, I’d like to see us try and get for next season along with Mings and El Ghazi. Abraham would do well for us next season, but he’s already talking up going back to Chelsea, even whilst the dust settles. Fair play to him for backing himself to get in the Chelsea side, but I don’t think he’s that good really, but I wish him the best of luck.

I reckon whelan could get another season.

We need to strengthen at LB. derby’s only real outlet in then final was down their right, as I recall for most of the game.

Not sure about the GK situation, Steer has looked alright
Since he came in, but I feel we could get a better keeper.
Most important position in my books. But I’d definitely keep him. Haven’t seen enough of the other two to offer opinions.

[supertom]

I'd be hoping to see Mings, Hause and El Ghazi made permanent. Would love to see Axel and Tammy bought too, but I suspect they'll both get a shot at their respective clubs next season.

For me it's important to maintain some dressing room consistency. Making a few of those loans permanent helps that (and also means a few of those players will already be acclimatised).

Potential experienced signings that may be useful to bring in. Cahill and Milner. Both know the club, both have a good few years to offer at this level. Milner is the kind of influence you want in the dressing room. I think Liverpool will let him go now, given his age. For us, he'd be an excellent signing. Above all, he could cover left+right back, either wing, and CM. He could also anchor, or play further up. Very adaptable. And you know you get 7/10 minimum.

Of our current squad, Steer, Kalinic are worth looking at as our keeper. Address that in january/summer 2020 if they've struggled. I think Steer will step up very well. Kalinic will come good too. Nyland may be sold, because he needs to play to keep his interntaional place. He'll get destroyed in the Championship though.

Chessie will step up okay. He just needs a good rest over summer and a good pre-season. Taylor and Elmo useful squad players. RDL and Bree may be worth keeping.

Midfield is our strength coming up. Grealish, McGinn and Hourihane are premier league standard. Grealish will be our star turn. If he's fit and gets form quickly, we won't struggle (if we've made the right signings around him of course). I like Whelan. A one year deal is possible, but at 35 I think he'll struggle to be more than an impact player from the bench to solidify). If we signed someone like Milner, I'd say Whelan may not be needed as that older head.

Wing- Green needs a good pre-season and to keep clear of injury. I think there's a good player there. Definitely keep. He's a Villa boy. He's becoming a senior now.
Albert won't make the step up. I like him, but he's not going to make it. Get El Ghazi + 1

Strikers-  Kodjia I'd keep. He's unpredictable, but on his day a very good player. Again, he's struggled a little with injuries. He's also had to fit into being a winger at times. I think if he's our back up to either Tammy or a new signing, he'll be useful. I could see him staying to have a crack at the Premiership.
We need to spend big on a top forward. Either that's Tammy (unlikely sadly). Or we look to Mitrovic or someone proven in Europe. Maupay is decent but it's a gamble bringing him in as anything other than a squad player. And the 20 odd he'd cost, is probably too much for a bench player. That said, he can play wide too, so has a bit of adaptability.
As far as signing forwards, those missed opportunities over the years, in favour of 'safe' bets, I'd like to see us go for the potential flair. I want a Falcao rather than a Heskey. I appreciate Falcao came to the Prem and then played like Emile but we need to be a bit braver and a bit imaginitive in some of the marquee signings but I think Deano+Purslow will be. So if we can't sign Tammy. He'd cost at least 25-30 I think. Maybe we spend 30 on Maupay or Mitrovic and someone who's banged in goals in one of the decent Euro leagues.

[AllanW]

Great first post AllanW.

Cheers!

Agree with much of that, not sure about De Laat though and Lansbury.

Nor am I but it's worth thinking about because we don't want to 'Do a Fulham' and change the team wholesale and fail to make them gel. Disaster.

Would love to see Delph back.

 
I think it would do him and us a lot of good; he'd become a legend back here again and end his career on a real high. He's a really good player underused at Citteh.

What about taking Benteke for the right deal too and really get the band back together?

Never in a million years, mate We won't make that mistake again.

All the best.

[AllanW]

I'd be hoping to see Mings, Hause and El Ghazi made permanent. Would love to see Axel and Tammy bought too, but I suspect they'll both get a shot at their respective clubs next season.

For me it's important to maintain some dressing room consistency. Making a few of those loans permanent helps that (and also means a few of those players will already be acclimatised).

Completely agree with you.

Potential experienced signings that may be useful to bring in. Cahill and Milner. Both know the club, both have a good few years to offer at this level. Milner is the kind of influence you want in the dressing room. I think Liverpool will let him go now, given his age. For us, he'd be an excellent signing. Above all, he could cover left+right back, either wing, and CM. He could also anchor, or play further up. Very adaptable. And you know you get 7/10 minimum.

Agree again. If we signed Mings, El Ghazi, Milner, Delph and Cahill I think we'd be almost all the way to having a decent first season back and looking up the table not down it. Would all be possible on the money we have now and would offer real possibilities for young squad members to step up during the season. And as you say we'd only need to add a good striker for the package to be pretty complete.
[/quote]

[Duncan Shaw]

We need to sign the equivalent to Wolves getting Joao Moutinho last summer, it was a masterstroke (easy with the Portuguese links, granted).  I'm not suggesting a name for it, but that type of thing will be the key signing for us I think.

[Monty]

Too much obsession with the past isn't necessarily a great idea. Much as I love Milner and don't actually hate Delph, they hardly seem a) incredibly realistic (both could sign for Champions League clubs around Europe if they wanted) or b) cost effective.

[Nastylee]

I love our midfield three but if we want to survive then CH will need to be replaced with a top holding midfielder that can use the ball well. A Barry type player that can run a game at PL level. McGinn and Jack will be fine and CH will get plenty of game time as back up but we need better in there as first choice.

We need two strikers - one could be Tammy but even then we'd need someone else. I see nothing in the other options we have to see them scoring in the PL.

Right wing obviously needs improvement and then of course pretty much the whole defence will need some additions. No idea what the RB is like.

Get it right and we're on our way!

[jwarry]

I get the impression from the excellent interview with Christian and Dean on the Official website that we are only interested in young and hungry and then only to buy not to rent.  The days of giving Cahill a pension are now over.  We have no idea who Pitarch and his team have been watching but we now know he already has his list and it’s now down to Christian and Dean to get them in.  I am not expecting names I’ve heard of e.g Guilbert, but I am expecting young and hungry

[Nastylee]

Well, whoever they have in mind we need someone who can bag double figures. We aren't going to play in a way that will see us nicking games 1-0.

[eddiemunster]

Seem to remember seeing something about the U23's and academy being transformed root and branch, so a hell of a lot of players on our books could be on their way out. Will be an interesting time between now and the end of June, when most clubs have published their retained/released player lists.
The following are definitely out of contract by the end of June;
Hutton, Whelan, Bunn, Richards, Jedinak, Elphick, De Laet, Guy, Rowe, Farr, McConnachie, Odutayo, Suliman, Patterson, Vassilev, Bazeley-Graham, Clarke, Walker, Ige, Lomax, Bridge.
Not sure if any of the above will get another deal.