Summer Transfer Window - The Verdict

[robleflaneur]

I think, considering the fact we had no control over Grealish going, the recruitment has been excellent.

I agree I have concerns over the midfield, however it only looks so weak because the acquisitions were so strong elsewhere. Also, Sanson was signed in Jan and was a Summer target brought forward. Had we signed him in June there wouldn't be this hysteria over a centre-midfielder.

We have enough depth now that we can wait for the right players rather than chasing anyone and I like that.

The backline is very strong, starters and reserves.

McGinn and Luiz to start every game and then any four from Sanson, Ramsey, Bailey, Buendia, Traore, Ings and Watkins in a 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-3 looks excellent to me. 3 of those 7 on the bench as an option to change it each week, with Young, El Ghazi, Philogene-Bidace, Chukwumeka and Archer in reserve too.

An imposing centre-midfielder the quality of Ings/Bailey/Martinez's signings has to be next on the agenda though.

A 9/10 window now for me, it'll take time for the side to blend together but if we can finish midtable and consolodate last year's good progress, with so much money in the bank we'll be in a fantastic position to push for Europe/who knows next year.

A fair summary.Admittedly I was hoping for a strong centre midfielder but the concern over this area might be overdone.Last year Barkley featured in about half the games,running back and tackling was non existent from him.
The midfield and defence weren't much helped by Traore  and El Ghazi in that respect.Bear in mind that Martinez racked up a record number of clean sheets so midfield couldn't have been a tackle free zone.

Now we have a collection of players ,Luiz,McGinn,Sanson,Ramsey and Buendia,who will do that running and harrying but also can be good going forward.There is also Nakamba,a DCM with limitations but results picked up when he was selected.
The other positive is that we are carrying very few passengers,apart from a lengthy injury to Trez.The previous dash for glory under Lerner and MON was a very short term approach,buy and get rid at a loss and buy again.This looks sustainable.

[Goldenballs]

I think, considering the fact we had no control over Grealish going, the recruitment has been excellent.

I agree I have concerns over the midfield, however it only looks so weak because the acquisitions were so strong elsewhere. Also, Sanson was signed in Jan and was a Summer target brought forward. Had we signed him in June there wouldn't be this hysteria over a centre-midfielder.

We have enough depth now that we can wait for the right players rather than chasing anyone and I like that.

The backline is very strong, starters and reserves.

McGinn and Luiz to start every game and then any four from Sanson, Ramsey, Bailey, Buendia, Traore, Ings and Watkins in a 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-3 looks excellent to me. 3 of those 7 on the bench as an option to change it each week, with Young, El Ghazi, Philogene-Bidace, Chukwumeka and Archer in reserve too.

An imposing centre-midfielder the quality of Ings/Bailey/Martinez's signings has to be next on the agenda though.

A 9/10 window now for me, it'll take time for the side to blend together but if we can finish midtable and consolodate last year's good progress, with so much money in the bank we'll be in a fantastic position to push for Europe/who knows next year.

A fair summary.Admittedly I was hoping for a strong centre midfielder but the concern over this area might be overdone.Last year Barkley featured in about half the games,running back and tackling was non existent from him.
The midfield and defence weren't much helped by Traore  and El Ghazi in that respect.Bear in mind that Martinez racked up a record number of clean sheets so midfield couldn't have been a tackle free zone.

Now we have a collection of players ,Luiz,McGinn,Sanson,Ramsey and Buendia,who will do that running and harrying but also can be good going forward.There is also Nakamba,a DCM with limitations but results picked up when he was selected.
The other positive is that we are carrying very few passengers,apart from a lengthy injury to Trez.The previous dash for glory under Lerner and MON was a very short term approach,buy and get rid at a loss and buy again.This looks sustainable.

Martinez also made the second most saves in the league I think, which masked a bit of the midfield being an issue.

[Percy McCarthy]

Can people stop repeating the false assumption that Bailey is a right winger, it's just not true, he plays on both wings but has started on the left more than the right.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leon-bailey/profil/spieler/387626



image hosting



He has been signed to play mainly from the left but with the option to swap sides.

If you look at the detail, he started the majority of the games from right wing last season.

Yes, for the first time in his career. I don't know why you're still arguing this (other than as an excuse to moan about signings) it's in black and white that he plays on both sides and always has.

His stats were a lot better last season from the right than they were in his seasons on the left weren’t they?

[kippaxvilla2]

Breaking news.  Mungo Bridge has gone on loan.  In the summertime.

[KRS]

I’ve heard of lot of pundits commenting that we’ve had one of the best transfer windows when asked which clubs have done the best business this summer. May be, just may be, our team won’t be quite as bad as some of us think on here…but we won’t get to see that for a good few weeks yet, and we also shouldn’t be judging the team or the club on the first 3 performances/results given we all know the circumstances.

[Toronto Villa]

Our academy knock out a league team and we’ve got people on here suggesting we should go after players like Choudhury who can’t get a game at Leicester and whom Newcastle want.

Agreed. It would have been great to get in a top DM but at the same time I’m excited about what this group of young talented players can do. I’m not suggesting for a second we are the second coming of the 95/96 Man U team but we have players at the club that are going to be very good indeed.

[paul_e]

Can people stop repeating the false assumption that Bailey is a right winger, it's just not true, he plays on both wings but has started on the left more than the right.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leon-bailey/profil/spieler/387626



image hosting



He has been signed to play mainly from the left but with the option to swap sides.

If you look at the detail, he started the majority of the games from right wing last season.

Yes, for the first time in his career. I don't know why you're still arguing this (other than as an excuse to moan about signings) it's in black and white that he plays on both sides and always has.

His stats were a lot better last season from the right than they were in his seasons on the left weren’t they?

His stats are on the pic, roughly 1 in 4 from either side and slightly lower on assists so a 'goal involvement' of roughly 1 in 2. If he replicates that for us then he's a pretty effective replacement for Joe.

[RamboandBruno]

I think, considering the fact we had no control over Grealish going, the recruitment has been excellent.

I agree I have concerns over the midfield, however it only looks so weak because the acquisitions were so strong elsewhere. Also, Sanson was signed in Jan and was a Summer target brought forward. Had we signed him in June there wouldn't be this hysteria over a centre-midfielder.

We have enough depth now that we can wait for the right players rather than chasing anyone and I like that.

The backline is very strong, starters and reserves.

McGinn and Luiz to start every game and then any four from Sanson, Ramsey, Bailey, Buendia, Traore, Ings and Watkins in a 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-3 looks excellent to me. 3 of those 7 on the bench as an option to change it each week, with Young, El Ghazi, Philogene-Bidace, Chukwumeka and Archer in reserve too.

An imposing centre-midfielder the quality of Ings/Bailey/Martinez's signings has to be next on the agenda though.

A 9/10 window now for me, it'll take time for the side to blend together but if we can finish midtable and consolodate last year's good progress, with so much money in the bank we'll be in a fantastic position to push for Europe/who knows next year.

Great post

[kippaxvilla2]

Could be worse.  Molineux Mix is in complete meltdown after three deadline deals collapsed.  They refused to pay £12m for Kieffer Moore and £12m for that Kamara.

[Hookeysmith]

One of the first players we were strongly linked with was Phillips from Man bun United so its evident that Smith and Co want a strong CDM. I'm happy that we wait for the right player(s) than just buy / loan for the sake of it.

I think a very disruptive pre season ( not our fault)
Another poxy covid outbreak
The media circus behind "becoming a bigger Cockend by the day" Jack Greedlish
International pressure to release players that have only just come back from the other side of the world.
Pretty crappy injury list


Once we have all our players fit and available then we can judge properly

[Risso]

I’ve heard of lot of pundits commenting that we’ve had one of the best transfer windows when asked which clubs have done the best business this summer. May be, just may be, our team won’t be quite as bad as some of us think on here…but we won’t get to see that for a good few weeks yet, and we also shouldn’t be judging the team or the club on the first 3 performances/results given we all know the circumstances.

We all watch Villa a lot more than the average Talk Sport pundit though. They’ve probably no idea of the underlying weaknesses we have.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Once we have all our players fit and available then we can judge properly

Yup. I'm expecting the reverse of last season, we'll be shit then brilliant after Christmas.

[ozzjim]

I've added a poll to rate the window now it is almost over

[itmustbe_it is!]

Anybody else think Tuanzebe DCM is an option?

[ADVILLAFAN]

Some very exciting signings:-

Buendia
Bailey = when he eventually plays again
Ings

And Ashley Young is good cover at fullback, not Wing though.

Not thrilled about Tuanzebe, who was poor defensively in the Championship and is always injured.

Overall, losing our best player means that I'm left feeling deflated.

It also feels like we still have large gaps in our squad. We had the money to vastly improve, but haven't done that and opportunity to close the gap on teams above has gone now.