Summer Transfer Thread and Gustavo Cisneros Type Rumours.

[Legion]

We really do need a modern-day version of Andy Townsend.

Andros went to Everton.

I’m not sure if your reply was intentionally sarcastic and hilarious?

If so, it went straight over my head.

[Legion]

Here you go: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Townsend

[KRS]

Andy Townsend and Kevin Richardson would be ideal in our team right now…can we bring them out of retirement?

[SoccerHQ]

The only thing I can see being good about not signing a central midfielder is maybe they've seen enough to convince them that (Carney) Chukwuemeka is going to be amazing, or they really haven't given up on Sanson yet.

It does seem like we always want to leave out transfer windows (at least) one signing short after trying to wing the last two seasons without a backup centre forward we now find ourselves in the position whereby, seemingly, every Villa fan except the one currently managing the team can see what we need.

Ah well, as someone else said I suppose it gives us room to improve in the winter if things have gone to shit in the meantime.

Saw Sanson a bit for Marseille, he ain't no DM. More just a busy box to box player as we've seen in his rare appearances for us. So think he'll just be backup for McGinn although if our midfield remains dodgy SJM isn't being rested anytime soon so hard to see him getting significant minutes.

Thought Carney was more advanced midfielder aswell?

That's the problem. We could try and be like a Liverpool with three of similar qualities in there but means we'd have to take an attacker out and not sure that will happen.

[KRS]

Yeah I think I recall Sanson was brought in to ease the load on SJM as a high energy box to box midfielder.

[thick_mike]

Do we need a specialist DCM? Why not three bodies that can rotate in the midfield positions, e.g. McGinn, Doug and Sanson/Buendia? Each can play more defensively or advanced as the game requires. I know people are concerned about the lack of physicality, but Kante is hardly Hulk Hogan.

[cdbearsfan]

That could work but no idea how you get both Ings and Watkins in that formation.

[KRS]

I personally don’t think both Ings and Watkins should be shoehorned into any starting formation. We needed a quality backup option for Watkins (because Davis and Wes simply aren’t), and this is what we now have with Ings, so it doesn’t make much sense creating such an imbalance for the team by playing them both. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with rotating them or having one sit on the bench every game if required…essentially we need to think of this as a squad not the 11 on the pitch at any given time.

[cdbearsfan]

That's how I feel though I don't think the club agree with us.

[Percy McCarthy]

I think the only way we get them both in effectively is by being a Liverpool tribute act with Ollie as Mane, Ings as Firmino and Bailey as Salah.

We’d then be looking at trying to cobble together a highly efficient midfield three that includes Buendia. Not easy, but again, JWP and his impressive tackling and running stats would be a big help if that’s what we were trying to do.

[KRS]

Outside of that though our best midfield 3 with Buendia would be alongside Luiz and SJM. On paper that’s not a bad midfield, but the problems with that start with the squad options we have when one of them gets injured or suspended…at this stage we simply can’t rely on Nakamba and Ramsey if our target is top 10 pushing for Europe. We need to strengthen midfield for any chance of those ambitions to be realised.

[CT]

If midfield is not sorted we will be in a Relegation fight,Mark my words.

I can't believe how bad this summer has been.

Where's the money??

You must be getting a little tired or weary of this?

[ozzjim]

If midfield is not sorted we will be in a Relegation fight,Mark my words.

I can't believe how bad this summer has been.

Where's the money??

You must be getting a little tired or weary of this?

Why don't you ignore his posts?

While I don't think we will be seriously, I think we will flirt with the bottom 3 a bit, if we don't get a better midfield option. It's not outrageous to think when without Jack last season we were relegation form, and we're 3 nil down at Watford at the weekend, and have a slightly disjointed squad at the moment.

[Ian.]

if before the summer, someone had said:

Grealish out
Young, Tuanzebe loan, Bailey, Ings, Buendia in.

I think most of us would have been underwhelmed.

Even if adding that centre midfielder enforcer was included into that list above, it will always  be underwhelming because of one factor. I think we all thought it wouldn’t happen this summer at least, maybe next year but certainly not this one.

What a wanker.

[TelfordVilla]

I personally don’t think both Ings and Watkins should be shoehorned into any starting formation. We needed a quality backup option for Watkins (because Davis and Wes simply aren’t), and this is what we now have with Ings, so it doesn’t make much sense creating such an imbalance for the team by playing them both. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with rotating them or having one sit on the bench every game if required…essentially we need to think of this as a squad not the 11 on the pitch at any given time.

Exactly this.