Summer transfer, gossip, speculation and the usual butter ollocks thread

[JUAN PABLO]

No Tom Carroll then

[ROBBO]

I can see Wilson playing the first three games then out for the season, it's the Villa way.

[exigo]

Funny how most on here are berating the club, and saying how the grass seems to greener at all our rivals. Here's a Newcastle fan saying how our grass is greener.

Linky

[MoetVillan]

Twitter is full of Newcastle fans in meltdown under the assumption Wilson coming here rather than going there

[ASHTONVILLA]

Funny how most on here are berating the club, and saying how the grass seems to greener at all our rivals. Here's a Newcastle fan saying how our grass is greener.

Linky

Except we haven't had a bid accepted for Watkins or signed Wilson, if we had then the grass would be looking greener here.

[Brazilian Villain]

Twitter is full of Newcastle fans in meltdown under the assumption Wilson coming here rather than going there

Sob on the Tyne? Let's hope our spending p!sses them off even more in the coming weeks.

[robbo1874]

Fair play to the geordie fishy on a dishy he wants us to sign Watkins and Wilson more than we do

[ozzjim]

Exactly. And no one is berating the club. People are expressing concern that this close to the season starting to have only signed a 3rd right back is concerning. People have speculated that IF things remain as is, or we sign one or 2 of the players linked, we might be in for another difficult season. Fancy that. On a speculation and talking utter bollocks thread on a chat site about a football club.

[rob_bridge]

At least we have a chance of making signings - doesn't look great for them

That said, Bruce did a cracking job for them last season and works well with a limited budget. Giving him funds is usually the start of the decline - Blues, Sunderland, Us.

[Risso]

Exactly. And no one is berating the club. People are expressing concern that this close to the season starting to have only signed a 3rd right back is concerning. People have speculated that IF things remain as is, or we sign one or 2 of the players linked, we might be in for another difficult season. Fancy that. On a speculation and talking utter bollocks thread on a chat site about a football club.

I hope that we still do sign two attacking players, but even if we do we've left it very late in the day to get them integrated into the squad.

[gpbarr]

Funny how most on here are berating the club, and saying how the grass seems to greener at all our rivals. Here's a Newcastle fan saying how our grass is greener.

Linky

But that sort of proves the point. Because Newcastle will struggle this year (they are a mess, can't see them overachieving like they did last year, owner wants to sell, lack of investment, poor manager) but when one looks at the clubs we will likely be competing around this year (Newcastle, Brighton, Leeds, WBA, Fulham, Palace, WHam, and Southampton), I'd argue Leeds, Brighton, WHam, Southampton have donner better business than we have in the window (to date) and, Palace are just in better shape generally.

Dangerous to predict when the window still has weeks to run but unless we see real quality incoming, I see us struggling again this coming year.

[ozzjim]

Exactly. And no one is berating the club. People are expressing concern that this close to the season starting to have only signed a 3rd right back is concerning. People have speculated that IF things remain as is, or we sign one or 2 of the players linked, we might be in for another difficult season. Fancy that. On a speculation and talking utter bollocks thread on a chat site about a football club.

I hope that we still do sign two attacking players, but even if we do we've left it very late in the day to get them integrated into the squad.

I still think we need 3 that are better than what we have - a quality winger with genuine pace, a striker and a forward that can play across the front.

[Pat Mustard]

We all know that the key signing(s) for us this summer come in the forward positions, but that being the case I wouldn't be surprised at all if they are the last to come in.  The club will have an established wish list of strikers,  with complicating factors for each one.  For example, assuming we have an overall transfer budget of £100 million, we might have the following:

Tier 1 - Abraham, price £40-50 million, unlikely to sign.
Tier 2 - Edouard, price £30-40 million, likely to have other offers so will wait and see what comes in and what we can offer.
Tier 3 - Watkins - £20-30 million, likely to sign but may have to offer above what we think is good value.
Tier 4 - Wilson - £15-20 million, likely to sign as long as asking price met.

If we go all in to get Watkins, we may have to pay £30 million.  If we get him in early only then to find that Abraham or Edouard might be have been available then we have missed out on our first choice in our number 1 position.  In order to get Abraham or Edouard, however, we are going to have to demonstrate we aren't relegation fodder again, therefore have to make other signings first. 

Getting in players like Cash and Romero potentially helps to demonstrate we are looking to improve, whilst still leaving plenty in the kitty.  Wilson at £15 million might be a potential option in addition to the main striker, but certainly at no more than that. Added to the fact that the window doesn't close until October then we shouldn't be surprised if it takes a bit longer to get someone in this year - not ideal, but it is what it is.

[LeeB]

We all know that the key signing(s) for us this summer come in the forward positions, but that being the case I wouldn't be surprised at all if they are the last to come in.  The club will have an established wish list of strikers,  with complicating factors for each one.  For example, assuming we have an overall transfer budget of £100 million, we might have the following:

Tier 1 - Abraham, price £40-50 million, unlikely to sign.
Tier 2 - Edouard, price £30-40 million, likely to have other offers so will wait and see what comes in and what we can offer.
Tier 3 - Watkins - £20-30 million, likely to sign but may have to offer above what we think is good value.
Tier 4 - Wilson - £15-20 million, likely to sign as long as asking price met.

If we go all in to get Watkins, we may have to pay £30 million.  If we get him in early only then to find that Abraham or Edouard might be have been available then we have missed out on our first choice in our number 1 position.  In order to get Abraham or Edouard, however, we are going to have to demonstrate we aren't relegation fodder again, therefore have to make other signings first. 

Getting in players like Cash and Romero potentially helps to demonstrate we are looking to improve, whilst still leaving plenty in the kitty.  Wilson at £15 million might be a potential option in addition to the main striker, but certainly at no more than that. Added to the fact that the window doesn't close until October then we shouldn't be surprised if it takes a bit longer to get someone in this year - not ideal, but it is what it is.

A very good assessment there.

[Shrek]

That was a good assessment Pat, I agree.

But if we are to spend around 100mill again this summer, surely the expectation is top 10 from the club?

We can’t be spending that much to finish just above relegation can we?

I’m basing this assumption on the fact there will not be much difference between 8th-10th to 12th-13th.