January 2023 Transfer Rumours, Discussions and Done Deals Thread

[pauliewalnuts]

Rumours that someone has put in a bid for Maguire...... and that West Ham are interested in Chambers....

Moving Chambers on now would be stupid.

[kippaxvilla2]

Unless we’ve got slabbie to replace him?!

[brontebilly]

On the strength of the bench/squad depth I think we need to take a small step back and remember the overall squad depth isn't about a snapshot of 1 or 2 games (when we have a lot of injuries), it's over the whole half season.

If we have everyone fit and pick the team from Southampton the bench is made from:

Olsen, Sinisalo
Cash, Chambers, Carlos, Digne
Dendoncker, McGinn, Nakamba
Coutinho
Duran

and that's without picking any youth players for development where I'm sure most of us would like to see 1-2 involved.

add 2nd options in the bottom 2 lines there and it's as strong as squad as you expect from a team without European football, all but Carlos are full internationals (clearly not all in the current squads), most as part of pretty strong national teams.

Nakamba and Chambers will almost certainly be replaced in the summer but for this window it would be too much to do. The AM slot is no weaker than it was before Emery arrived and is clearly an area he's looked at given the reports of bids that haven't been successful.

Olsen is rubbish, Carlos hasn't kicked a ball in months after a serious injury, Nakamba hasn't kicked a ball at all this season, Duran hasn't kicked a ball in months and Coutinho is finished at PL level.

Expecting any of these to contribute on the pitch in the near future is optimistic at best let's be honest. It's a fair old risk to be heading into the second half of the season with the squad as is. I'd much prefer if we started rotating the starting lineup a lot more anyway and move away from squad filler types. Full back and CM we are fine but just about everywhere else we are weak.

[kippaxvilla2]

If that squad was any good we would still be in both cups.

[Clampy]

There's going to be all sorts of crazy rumours over the next 48 hours. At least we're not being linked with the likes of Oli Mcburnie this time though.

[Smirker]

I now think we probably won't bring any more in. I'm OK with it cos I trust Emery.

[olaftab]

If that squad was any good we would still be in both cups.

No. Squad is not the reason we are out of both cups. It is the attitude of both, players and managers, towards the cups.

[PaulWinch again]

I now think we probably won't bring any more in. I'm OK with it cos I trust Emery.

I trust Emery’s abilities as manager but I’m not sure they extend to physiological intervention and having complete control over whether players get injured or not.

[pablo_picasso]

Last thing we need is the Europa league next season. Season after, yes, but it would kill us next season for little reward. I want us to finish as high as possible obviously, but we are out of both cups and only have 1 game per week. Running a small squad for that period is not as mad as it seems, especially if it allows Emery to really work with the group and work out exactly what we need in the summer.

2 thumbs up from me

For me, qualifying for Europe can NEVER be a bad thing. Sure, we would definitely struggle playing twice a week with our current squad, but it would mean more revenue, better sponsorship and therefore more and better players coming through the door. Then there are the Villa Park European nights under the lights. Plus, Unai has a knack for winning the whole bloody thing.  How could you NOT want that?

The whole "Jam tomorrow" philosophy is one that never, ever pays off where Villa are concerned.

I want us to qualify for European, strengthen significantly in the summer with Europe to dangle under the noses of prospective recruits, and then fight on all four fronts next season.  I realise this is completely unrealistic, and Europe is very unlikely, but I absolutely want it, in the same way I want Villa to win every single game they play.

I agree. While it would be difficult, we could take it as an opportunity to look at some of the fringe & youth players. And wherever they take us. It would be a bonus...

[pablo_picasso]

Rumours that someone has put in a bid for Maguire...... and that West Ham are interested in Chambers....

Moving Chambers on now would be stupid.

Not unless we have brought in Djed Spence to replace him... 

[curiousorange]

Southampton are supposed to be in for Dembele now.

[paul_e]

On the strength of the bench/squad depth I think we need to take a small step back and remember the overall squad depth isn't about a snapshot of 1 or 2 games (when we have a lot of injuries), it's over the whole half season.

If we have everyone fit and pick the team from Southampton the bench is made from:

Olsen, Sinisalo
Cash, Chambers, Carlos, Digne
Dendoncker, McGinn, Nakamba
Coutinho
Duran

and that's without picking any youth players for development where I'm sure most of us would like to see 1-2 involved.

add 2nd options in the bottom 2 lines there and it's as strong as squad as you expect from a team without European football, all but Carlos are full internationals (clearly not all in the current squads), most as part of pretty strong national teams.

Nakamba and Chambers will almost certainly be replaced in the summer but for this window it would be too much to do. The AM slot is no weaker than it was before Emery arrived and is clearly an area he's looked at given the reports of bids that haven't been successful.

Olsen is rubbish, Carlos hasn't kicked a ball in months after a serious injury, Nakamba hasn't kicked a ball at all this season, Duran hasn't kicked a ball in months and Coutinho is finished at PL level.

Expecting any of these to contribute on the pitch in the near future is optimistic at best let's be honest. It's a fair old risk to be heading into the second half of the season with the squad as is. I'd much prefer if we started rotating the starting lineup a lot more anyway and move away from squad filler types. Full back and CM we are fine but just about everywhere else we are weak.

Olsen, probably right but it's not a priority to replace him, that's a job for the summer.
Carlos yes he's been injured but he's due back in full training soon and we have Cambers as cover until then (and a couple of very good youngsters if we need a body on the bench in the short-term), Carlos will play again this season and we need the space in the squad to allow him to come back in.
Nakamba again I already said needs replacing but not in this window, lets not forget he's 6th choice in centre mid, it's not a major problem if we take our time over that (I assume we want to replace him with Guendouzi and if so that's a massive upgrade that I'd be happy to wait until the summer for). We also have Raikhy with the U21s who by all accounts was good during the WC break and Emery seems to like.
Duran hasn't played since the end of the MLS season but he's 19 and is clearly going to be doing everything to impress. I'll be amazed if we haven't seen him by the end of February (unless we sign another striker in the meantime, and even then he'll get game time this year).
Coutinho that's just opinion, I think he has something to offer for now but we need to get him fitter and get him working how Emery wants, I think he was very unlucky to be injured when he was which took away a lot of the time for him to adapt.

Again though I said both of the last 2 aren't enough cover for the positions they play so I agree we need more options there, I just think the idea that the squad as a whole is incredibly weak it's being exaggerated. From today 1 good attacking player will mean the squad is better now than it was on December 31st and a 2nd would have us at the point where we can go into the summer knowing we're looking at 1 in 1 out where we're just increasing quality rather than worrying about gaps and depth. No signings and the only place where we're worse than before is cover for Watkins, and even that is on the basis that Duran doesn't settle in quickly.

[Clark W Griswold]

I think an attacking player would be very useful since we currently have 5 to pick from, 3 of those are hit and miss, one is good but not prolific with the goals and another is a 19 year old unknown. It would definitely be nice to be in with a shout for Europe but I think we’ll come up short without another forward. That said we don’t want just anyone.

[pauliewalnuts]

From today 1 good attacking player will mean the squad is better now than it was on December 31st and a 2nd would have us at the point where we can go into the summer knowing we're looking at 1 in 1 out where we're just increasing quality rather than worrying about gaps and depth. No signings and the only place where we're worse than before is cover for Watkins, and even that is on the basis that Duran doesn't settle in quickly.

Out of interest, how is the midfield any better than Dec 31st?

[LeeB]

Southampton are supposed to be in for Dembele now.

That I can understand, they're up shit creek and he's crap.