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

[pauliewalnuts]

Goalkeepers: Steer, Bunn, Sarkic
Defenders: Chester, Elphick, Revan, Taylor, Elmohamady, De Laet, Bree, Hutton, Richards
Midfielders: Jedinak, Whelan, Hourihane, Gardner, Tshibola, Lansbury, Bjarnason, Doyle-Hayes, O’Hare, Ramsey, Grealish, Green, Adomah
Forwards: McCormack, Kodjia, Hogan, Davis, Hepburn-Murphy, McKirdy

That is a truly horrific squad.

[OCD]

Amazing that we got promoted with that squad. Shows what Smith meant by his comments about how last year was all about quantity and how this year it's been about quality.

[danno]

Seeing it in black and white shows just how much work we've done in the transfer market already. Of the eleven who started the playoff final, four were in our starting line up tonight and four have dropped to the bench.

[Big Ming]

Seeing it in black and white shows just how much work we've done in the transfer market already. Of the eleven who started the playoff final, four were in our starting line up tonight and four have dropped to the bench.

Even so, the sight of Hause warming up when Konsa tweaked his hamstring caused a shudder.

Big shout to Martinez, not just for the penalty save but also for calmly dealing with a couple of  typical panicky  Villa back-passes.

[maidstonevillain]

Samatta and Freddy are on their bike.  Dean being coy about selection and doing well in training.  They are off to pastures new.

I really don't get the lack of faith in Guilbert, does anyone? Smith surely gave the Samatta signing the ok last January and has given up on him already. Seems a bit strange, dreadful though he was after lockdown. Might be a useful sub to bring on if chasing a goal.

I'd give Freddy another go but think the issue here is he's a squad player we can actually get some money back for. Wasn't there talk last week of Nantes bidding 5m? We wouldn't get 5m for Taylor, Lansbury and Jota combined.

If we're spending another 40m this summer we need to balance the books a little bit. Spending 100m every summer and hardly selling any squad player on inflated wages was unsustainable in the Lerner era and will be case here aswell.

We have Cash, AEM and in emergency Konsa could shift over there if we get in another CB so it's a well stocked position now.

Not sure what he's done wrong, as he has quite the fan base amongst Villa fans.... For the sake of 5 million, I'd keep Freddie and play him as our first choice LB. Head and shoulders above the two players we have jostling for that position.

Agree. Im not an expert, but I can't see why a good right back can't make a decent left back.

[Villafirst]

I assume there's a new striker to replace Samatta already lined up? We're still really short of options up front. Last season DS got criticised for only recruiting Wesley up front. I'd like to see Villa go for Rhian Brewster.
 

[N'ZMAV]

We need to replace Engels too; he's clearly out of favour. Might as well sell and replace.

[ozzjim]

I assume there's a new striker to replace Samatta already lined up? We're still really short of options up front. Last season DS got criticised for only recruiting Wesley up front. I'd like to see Villa go for Rhian Brewster.
 

I like Brewster too. I think we may see a couple of loan to buy type signings that go into next years FFP budgeting before the window closes.

And by god we need better quality out wide, especially at home when moving Jack inside is needed to get a spark going forward.

A CM that can come on and push McGinn a bit would be nice too, he was as poor as I have seen him last night, although in fairness it may take hims a few games fitness wise.

[Mister E]

CMF and LB seem to be most required.
With Davis, Watkins, Traore as a front three it means JG can shift back into the middle. Which is good. Problem is: there's no back-up for injuries other than shoving JG wide and / or bringing in Trez or AEG.
So, ideally, we need a new winger-cum-striker as well.

I'm amazed and disappointed that Guilbert appears to be on his way: a young, talented raw material - ripe for development  and advancement (fitting the owners' mould for young and with potential). Clearly, he's fallen out with Smith.

[olaftab]

Get Danny Rose in now please Villa. We need a left back.

[Chris Smith]

CMF and LB seem to be most required.
With Davis, Watkins, Traore as a front three it means JG can shift back into the middle. Which is good. Problem is: there's no back-up for injuries other than shoving JG wide and / or bringing in Trez or AEG.
So, ideally, we need a new winger-cum-striker as well.

I'm amazed and disappointed that Guilbert appears to be on his way: a young, talented raw material - ripe for development  and advancement (fitting the owners' mould for young and with potential). Clearly, he's fallen out with Smith.

He’ll be 26 later this year so not that raw.

[Duncan Shaw]

I think SoccerHQ hit the nail on the head on the previous page about Guilbert - he's a squad/fringe player now in Deano's eyes and one we could get some money for, so in that case I think he'll be sacrificed.  i think Cash looked good last night with Elmo as a reliable backup.  Much as I like Freddie I can understand the thinking.

[in exile]

I wish we would buy a decent left back and another striker.
Get it done asap so they can get bedded in.

[pauliewalnuts]

I think SoccerHQ hit the nail on the head on the previous page about Guilbert - he's a squad/fringe player now in Deano's eyes and one we could get some money for, so in that case I think he'll be sacrificed.  i think Cash looked good last night with Elmo as a reliable backup.  Much as I like Freddie I can understand the thinking.

I'd be worried if we were influenced by the relatively low sum of money we'd get for Guilbert.

One thing that i think has screwed us in recent years is the fact that even when the first XI is passable, their back up options have been dreadful.

As much as I like Elmo - and I do - he's also getting on a bit now.

[Risso]

I think SoccerHQ hit the nail on the head on the previous page about Guilbert - he's a squad/fringe player now in Deano's eyes and one we could get some money for, so in that case I think he'll be sacrificed.  i think Cash looked good last night with Elmo as a reliable backup.  Much as I like Freddie I can understand the thinking.

I'd be worried if we were influenced by the relatively low sum of money we'd get for Guilbert.

One thing that i think has screwed us in recent years is the fact that even when the first XI is passable, their back up options have been dreadful.

As much as I like Elmo - and I do - he's also getting on a bit now.

Yep, 33 now.  Cash looks like a decent addition, but he's played one game, so any drop in form and we're short in that area if we sell Guilbert.  I wouldn't want to be moving Konsa to right back as it stands, as that would mean playing either Engels or Hause next to Mings, which to be frank makes my arsehole go all 50p/20p.