Summer Transfer Window - The Verdict

[Dave P]

Surely we can’t be happy with our midfield options but I’m not going to say that out loud until tomorrow.

[Drummond]

It will be absolutely outrageous if we don't get a CDM in.

Definitely. But just how far should we go in showing our displeasure?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Someone's trying to buy Boubacar Kamara from the Prem. DM and worth signing for the name alone.

Newcastle.

[sickbeggar]

Someone's trying to buy Boubacar Kamara from the Prem. DM and worth signing for the name alone.

Newcastle.

And Wolves. Not us though.

[Toronto Villa]

I don't doubt he wants to be more versatile, he did say that as well over the summer. Everyone, however, has a base style, and a first choice set-up to suit it. You can't drill two different basic identities of play at once. And my feeling is that the plan is to play pretty direct, pretty compact, press fiercely from the front and to worry much more about turnovers than possession. That to me says a 4-2-2-2 is the most likely basic shape.

Works fine as a 433 or 4321 with 3 box-to-box players in the middle as well though. I do think the plan is to focus on transitional play rather than possession though, that's about the only decent explanation for him thinking the current midfield options are enough.

We shall see! Seems to me Dean sees Buendía as very much an advanced option though, which with Bailey wide and (my assumption this) Ollie through the middle points one way.

Definitely gonna be all about that transition though innit. Somewhat risky that, though, as it makes us much more reliant on certain individuals being fit and doing magic, rather than a more structured approach in midfield. Ironically we could end up with as set a first 11 as before, as the squad players wouldn't be suited to the new style or shape.

We have to transition out of the Jack Grealish era so it’s going to look a little disjointed and shit at times. Question will be how fast can Dean Smith do it?

[paul_e]

I don't doubt he wants to be more versatile, he did say that as well over the summer. Everyone, however, has a base style, and a first choice set-up to suit it. You can't drill two different basic identities of play at once. And my feeling is that the plan is to play pretty direct, pretty compact, press fiercely from the front and to worry much more about turnovers than possession. That to me says a 4-2-2-2 is the most likely basic shape.

Works fine as a 433 or 4321 with 3 box-to-box players in the middle as well though. I do think the plan is to focus on transitional play rather than possession though, that's about the only decent explanation for him thinking the current midfield options are enough.

We shall see! Seems to me Dean sees Buendía as very much an advanced option though, which with Bailey wide and (my assumption this) Ollie through the middle points one way.

Definitely gonna be all about that transition though innit. Somewhat risky that, though, as it makes us much more reliant on certain individuals being fit and doing magic, rather than a more structured approach in midfield. Ironically we could end up with as set a first 11 as before, as the squad players wouldn't be suited to the new style or shape.

The whole '3 8s' just makes sense because the only centre mid we have that wouldn't suit that is Nakamba. It also particularly suits players who like to turn and carry the ball out which Sanson, Chuk and JJ all fit really well for. if it is one of the shapes I think you'd expect Watkins, Bailey, Buendia, AEG, Trez and JPB to all fit (to vary success) as the more hard working, pressing players with only really Ings and Traore less suited to putting that sort of shift in. Davis is pretty hard working as well so I'm pretty sure that sort of all action approach is where he wants to go and it's looked a bit disjointed so far because we're not quite fit enough to do it yet because of a slightly messed up summer.

[baddowvillans]

To assess how Villa have done in this transfer window, I look at the teams we need to climb above to progress, so West Ham, Leeds and Everton and in all cases it feels to me that they have strengthened there first team from last season. With the best will in the world on the evidence so far we haven't.  I know we are still to see Bailey properly and Watkins has been injured but we still lacking in backbone. 

I would also agree with the comments about the club rewriting objectives and benchmarks to more of a "survival" mentality.  A worrying month ahead

[Monty]

Disjointed is understandable, except in one respect. The midfielders who started against Newcastle have been playing together, and under Dean, for years plural now, as had the central defenders, yet we lacked horribly any sense of movement in trying to beat the pretty anemic Bruceball press we know so well. We struggled badly against that, constantly tapping it out for a fullback to knock long into the wide channels. We didn't even try and fail at that style of play - we looked like we had no style play. Disruption and new signings are one thing, but if Dean wants us to play out through the middle then he's failed as a head coach.

Which is why, partly in hope and partly out of trust, I'm assuming he has another style in mind, one very much dependent on the forwards being fit, knowing each other and drilled in their movements. That's pretty much what I'm, not quite clinging onto, but definitely gripping a little more anxiously than usual.

[Clark W Griswold]

It will be absolutely outrageous if we don't get a CDM in.

Definitely. But just how far should we go in showing our displeasure?

I’m considering turning up at Villa Park at 11.01 so that I can fling my excrement at the Trinity Road gates.

[VILLA MOLE]

It will be absolutely outrageous if we don't get a CDM in.

Definitely. But just how far should we go in showing our displeasure?

I’m considering turning up at Villa Park at 11.01 so that I can fling my excrement at the Trinity Road gates.

oh , really? i won’t chain myself to them
then
😳

[Clark W Griswold]

:-) I’m also considering watching the U23 game in a bit and I’m going to do my best to convince myself that Sanson is absolutely brilliant and I don’t know what we’re all worrying for. It might carry me through to the next PL game anyway.

[Skerra]

If we could guarantee all the players being fit and available for selection, after the international break, I’d say we still have a pretty strong squad. My fears just now seem to centre around Sansom and Bailey. Two signings that look like they will spend most of the season on the treatment table by the looks of things. To be fair, I don’t even remember what Sansom looks like.

[paul_e]

Disjointed is understandable, except in one respect. The midfielders who started against Newcastle have been playing together, and under Dean, for years plural now, as had the central defenders, yet we lacked horribly any sense of movement in trying to beat the pretty anemic Bruceball press we know so well. We struggled badly against that, constantly tapping it out for a fullback to knock long into the wide channels. We didn't even try and fail at that style of play - we looked like we had no style play. Disruption and new signings are one thing, but if Dean wants us to play out through the middle then he's failed as a head coach.

Which is why, partly in hope and partly out of trust, I'm assuming he has another style in mind, one very much dependent on the forwards being fit, knowing each other and drilled in their movements. That's pretty much what I'm, not quite clinging onto, but definitely gripping a little more anxiously than usual.

I think the mess in the forwards is absolutely the problem. We've had Buendia looking half fit on the opening day and Watkins, Bailey and Traore getting 20-30 minutes each so far because of injuries. Chelsea might be too soon as we will see further issues with Buendia at least missing but hopefully we'll be in a better place for Everton.

[mike]

I think we took a massive step back in losing one of the best players in the world and have taken a minuscule step forward in terms of now having some quite good players to add depth to a quite good squad. We should now be quite good but not quite as good as last season. Possibly quite close to relegation but not quite close to Europe. Maybe quite close to losing Martinez as I can’t see him staying at a lower half club.

So we’ve nearly but not quite shored up our position as quite a good club.

[Clark W Griswold]

I do think the midfield is quite shit though.