January Transfer Window

[JD]

Maybe we can't sign the forward we want for the right money/wages at the moment and prefer to wait until we can get the right player next season. Given the club keep their cards pretty close to their chest who knows.

I would rather persevere with the squad we currently have than panic buy a player we don't want or wont play, like Baston.

[Drummond]

Maybe we can't sign the forward we want for the right money/wages at the moment and prefer to wait until we can get the right player next season. Given the club keep their cards pretty close to their chest who knows.

I would rather persevere with the squad we currently have than panic buy a player we don't want or wont play, like Baston.

Baston and Samatta.....

We're not desperate any more.

[N'ZMAV]

Interesting Jesse Lingard has moved on loan to West Ham.
He would have been a useful attacking addition to our squad. As would have Bowen and Benraham.
We'll see next Wednesday if we missed out when Villa entertain West ham

I'd rather see what Ramsey can do for us than sign Lingard.

[Drummond]

Interesting Jesse Lingard has moved on loan to West Ham.
He would have been a useful attacking addition to our squad. As would have Bowen and Benraham.
We'll see next Wednesday if we missed out when Villa entertain West ham

I'd rather see what Ramsey can do for us than sign Lingard.

Definitely. Lingard wouldn't improve us.

[Three Spires Villa]

Agree, not bothered about Lingard tbh

[algy]

Just agreeing with a few folk on here - Wes is presumably close to a return, and we have 20 games remaining - 18 of which are at the weekend (currently). I don't think we'll be struggling from fixture congestion as much as some others might. For me, if we ended up waiting until the summer to replace Keinan (presumably most on here would say both Ollie & Wes offer more) - that's fine.

Interesting that we now have 2 spare places in the squad (Hourihane, Kalinic, Guilbert out, just Sanson in - excluding Lansbury as he wasn't part of the squad). Maybe there's still some business to be done ...

[Gareth]

Just agreeing with a few folk on here - Wes is presumably close to a return, and we have 20 games remaining - 18 of which are at the weekend (currently). I don't think we'll be struggling from fixture congestion as much as some others might.

I think that is a massive point, after next weekend we are off the weekend/midweek train so key players get more downtime & coaches get time to work with them again

[eamonn]

That doesn't include the postponed games against Everton and Spurs that will be midweek'd somewhere, does it ?

[OCD]

With how much Wesley cost in terms of transfer fee and wages, that he looked like he was improving just when he got injured when we were playing poorly and how much the other signings have improved, we can't just be writing him off. If we spent big on another striker, we would effectively be doing that and the fee and wages of that new striker would likely be very expensive. Plus you don't really want to make that signing in January if you don't need to. It would be good to get Wesley fit and start seeing him involved and seeing what he can do in this team.

[Matt C]

I think the days of us blindly spending a load of money on a player only to quickly discard him like an unwanted Christmas toy are gone so they’ll be patient with Wesley. I expect he’ll be assessed between now and the end of the season and if Smith & Co don’t think he’s up to it he’ll be moved on and we’ll upgrade - we are ruthless operators are these days.

I understand the predicament - I’m sure Smith would like the back-up of another another option but we’ve got 50-60m of forwards in Watkins & Wesley plus Davis and I guess Traore as an option. Watkins is very clearly first choice so we need someone who is good, probably not long-term, that is willing to sit on the bench. Probably not many choices around.

[nigel]

The thing that pisses me off Clampy is that I took the trouble to write to Villa Park about Ollie Watkins when he was at Exeter and I did not get an answer.  There I have said it.

Who was our manager at the time?

If we’re honest, though, the way we were we would more than likely have ruined him.
So probably best for Ollie we didn’t

[SoccerHQ]

With how much Wesley cost in terms of transfer fee and wages, that he looked like he was improving just when he got injured when we were playing poorly and how much the other signings have improved, we can't just be writing him off. If we spent big on another striker, we would effectively be doing that and the fee and wages of that new striker would likely be very expensive. Plus you don't really want to make that signing in January if you don't need to. It would be good to get Wesley fit and start seeing him involved and seeing what he can do in this team.

With 9 subs you can still have two strikers on the bench. I mean if Davis stays he'll be named on the bench once Wes is fit again as it's not a case of either given we put 4-5 defenders on the bench most games due to lack of attacking options.

The problem for me is even when Wes gets back he'll be only getting 5-10 minute cameos for first month to build things up. I really can't see a situation anytime soon where Ollie has to go off after 10 minutes and we'd just throw him on straight away as no way would he be ready for that after more than a year out, would probably have to shift Traore up there and see how it goes.

[Risso]

I think the days of us blindly spending a load of money on a player only to quickly discard him like an unwanted Christmas toy are gone so they’ll be patient with Wesley. I expect he’ll be assessed between now and the end of the season and if Smith & Co don’t think he’s up to it he’ll be moved on and we’ll upgrade - we are ruthless operators are these days.

I understand the predicament - I’m sure Smith would like the back-up of another another option but we’ve got 50-60m of forwards in Watkins & Wesley plus Davis and I guess Traore as an option. Watkins is very clearly first choice so we need someone who is good, probably not long-term, that is willing to sit on the bench. Probably not many choices around.

They didn't mess around with Samatta.

[steamer]

I think someone wanted Samatta
I hazard a guess we have not been swamped with offers for Davis.

[Steve67]

How is Samatta getting on?  Is he still injured?