Leander Dendoncker (sold to Real Oviedo)

[rob_bridge]

Does this mean Doug is going?

Nailed on I reckon

Did sound last night in the interview that Dougie was going

[Ian.]

Will this be a change in formation with two sitting deep midfielders?

[Risso]

Will this be a change in formation with two sitting deep midfielders?

Wouldn't be the worst idea in the world against the better sides. By better sides that's obviously every other Premier League team.

[Proposition Joe]

His name sounds worryingly similar to ‘donkey’

I always called him Clive.

[Dave]

Anyone who doesn't think this is a panic buy do you really think thus was the plan all along? To sign him and on deadline day?

There are levels of panic buy. No, he clearly wasn't the midfielder we were aiming for at the start of the window. Benteke wasn't the striker we were aiming for at the start of summer 2012 when we eventually brought him in on deadline day.

He won't be a Benteke and he won't be a Dawkins. He's a decent player to make us a bit more steady.

[Axl Rose]

Underwhelming. Dropped from Wolves team after couple of horrendous games this season and now offloaded.

Haha. Now I'm worried! Hope you're well, fella. I'm getting nicely battered on a nice bottle of warm sake with yakitori.

Saki and Yakitori are perfect bedfellows. I am totally demoralised  with Villa's current state just like the rest of us. Why can't we ever get it right?

Looking forward to you visiting Tokyo soon mate so we can have a mini rampage haha.

By that time, we'll have a new manager and will be in the top 6!

[Ian.]

Will this be a change in formation with two sitting deep midfielders?

Wouldn't be the worst idea in the world against the better sides. By better sides that's obviously every other Premier League team.

Made me chuckle.

We do need to stop losing I suppose and If we remember how to score it might be a good idea.

[London Villan]

Where does he fit into the Scouse Sherwood system?

We don't play 3 at the back and he has never tried 4231 (despite our squad being built for it) so is this a club signing or a manager's signing?

[Nev]

Anyone who doesn't think this is a panic buy do you really think thus was the plan all along? To sign him and on deadline day?

There are levels of panic buy. No, he clearly wasn't the midfielder we were aiming for at the start of the window. Benteke wasn't the striker we were aiming for at the start of summer 2012 when we eventually brought him in on deadline day.

He won't be a Benteke and he won't be a Dawkins. He's a decent player to make us a bit more steady.

And a good replacement if Doug goes, but we still need a centre half.

[Clive W]

Anyone who doesn't think this is a panic buy do you really think thus was the plan all along? To sign him and on deadline day?

I imagine he was pretty far down the list. Probably on the second page.

I think everything changed at 2 minutes past 3 on Saturday 6 August

Up to that  point, along with many others, I was looking forward to the 2/3 signings that would push us towards Europe

I think the mindset has changed within the club and the thinking is now that we are more likely to be in a bottom 6 battle rather than a top 6 one

Hence the change of approach to looking for players more suited to that environment

I think it was an economist who, when questioned as to why he had changed his mind, responded ;

“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do Sir?”

[Rigadon]

It feels more like more a ‘8th choice on our original list of central midfielders but all we can realistically get now we’re right in the shit’ than ‘panic buy’.  Buy those two things aren’t potentially all that far apart in outcome.

[Dave]

I think it was an economist who, when questioned as to why he had changed his mind, responded ;

“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do Sir?”

Usually it's misattributed to Winston Churchill or John Maynard Keynes. It was apparently Paul Samuelson who actually said it.

[john e]

Will this be a change in formation with two sitting deep midfielders?

Just get big Sam in till the end of the season and we’re sorted then

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

Welcome Leander. I don't know much about this player though I think he's scored against us.
For someone who recently said he doesn't like that the transfer window is open past the 1st game of the season he's certainly not averse to using it if it saves his skin. This could so easily have been a Bruce or Smith signing, so our manager's supposed profile in attracting better quality players wasn't needed on this occasion. I'm hoping this is a next manager buy rather than gerrard's.
Certainly don't want Dougie leaving if it means Leander is his replacement.

[Villa Lew]

If this does goes through, looks like Doug will be going, but if it is Arsenal, can't see him making more than a handful of starts there.