January 2023 Transfer Rumours, Discussions and Done Deals Thread

[rougegorge]

We live in a world of instant gratification - buy someone, do something. If we were in danger of relegation i'd agree we'd ned to act (or probably wouldn't have sold Ings) but we aren't. no need to lumbered ourselves out of desparation. A few positions in the league are indeed worth millions but I'd prefer to dodgy the shitty Europe competition until we are good and ready.

How on earth will we ever be ready if we don't strengthen continually? I don't suppose Newcastle fans are worrying that they won't be ready for the Champions League.

Unless you buy players who are better than the starting 11 you're not strengthening though are you. If those that we've identified aren't gettable then we wait to strengthen till the summer.

Personally I think the talk of Europe is a little fanciful. The teams above us (bar Fulham), I think are all better placed to finish above us. Whether we finish 8th, or 11th won't have any baring on players incoming anyway and IMO that's where we'll be depending on injuries

I would much rather finish 8th than 11th.

Yep.  Said it last season that we needed a strong finish to be able to convince players that we are a club moving in the right direction and it's the same again this season.  We finish the season strongly and end up in 8th, I think the club is an easier sell to players than if you struggle over the line and finish lower mid-table.

Finish 11th / 12th / 13th and it's all a bit Crystal Palace really.

Yes this a good point. I would really like to qualify for Europe. After all that's the reward for finishing high enough and I am wary of the idea that we will naturally keep progressing as if we are bound to get there next season. Liverpool and Chelsea won't be as poor next season so actually this season there is an opportunity.

If we just bumble along after such an improvement in results under Emery, it will seem a disappointment. A poor run of form, some injuries and then some suspensions towards the end of the season could play a hand if we continue with such a thin squad.

[Drummond]

We've let Archer go out on loan
We've let El Ghazi leave for pittance
We've let Trezeguet leave for nothing
We've sold our top scorer for peanuts to a rival

ALL have more impact from the bench than what we have now

It's shambolic

The chorus is pretty good, what’s the rest of the song like?

That's the first verse. The chorus is ad all together now...

It's a disgrace
A big disgrace. You're wasting your money all over the place but not where I want it, stamp, stamp stamp.

[ROBBO]

West Ham have suffered after qualifying for Europe with an inferior squad, the extra games takes its toll especially when injuries happen. I wonder if Emery has as much control over players as we think.

[Villafirst]

Disappointing window. Seems we've settled for a weakened squad overall for the remainder of the campaign. Options upfront are scarce.

[Gareth]

We've let Archer go out on loan
We've let El Ghazi leave for pittance
We've let Trezeguet leave for nothing
We've sold our top scorer for peanuts to a rival

ALL have more impact from the bench than what we have now

It's shambolic

The chorus is pretty good, what’s the rest of the song like?

Even Radiohead couldn’t write such miserable repetitive dirge as that

[Brazilian Villain]

We've let Archer go out on loan
We've let El Ghazi leave for pittance
We've let Trezeguet leave for nothing
We've sold our top scorer for peanuts to a rival

ALL have more impact from the bench than what we have now

It's shambolic

The chorus is pretty good, what’s the rest of the song like?

Think it's better to keep it simple with a familiar tune.

And it's Aston Villa,
Aston Villa FC,
We're by far the lowest spenders,
In January '23.

[Footy-Vill]

Everybody's looking to sign that something
More players that makes us compete
We'll rise up to the highest places
Places without Mattéo Guendouzi

Some find it in the speed of left back Moreno
Some find it in the look of Unai buys
Who can deny the striker he brings
When we've found Durans a special thing
We'll be flying without Ings

Some find it selling Morgan Sanson
Some in loan Bednareks good bye
We find it in the lost world of Guilbert
A simple move can make you laugh or cry

That find we signed in Emi Martinez
The kind we cherish all our life
And we all know how much he means
We have that special thing
Unlike that signing Danny Ings

So, impossible as losing to Stevenage may seemed
We've got to trust for Emerys dream
'Cause who's to know
With the tactics and our tempo
Now have made us more complete

Well, for its trusting him its still new
To watch the concentration on his face
To know that we can say, "We beat you"
In any given time or place

It's little things that only Emery know
Those are the things that make us fine
And it's like flying without Ings
'Cause we've got Ollie Watkins
We'll be flying without Ings

And we'll be top half place with Ty Mings
And we'll be there at ends
Uni flying without Ings
And that's the joy he brings
Villas flying without Ings

[john e]

A push for Europe would have been nice but if we are sticking, rather than twisting it makes a mockery of the FA and league cup exits
What an absolute fucking shambles that was

Also, what is the point in qualifying for Europe and then playing the reserves as some have suggested

The way the cup competitions are treated is the the thing I hate most about football nowadays

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I hate losing more, John.

[algy]

A push for Europe would have been nice but if we are sticking, rather than twisting it makes a mockery of the FA and league cup exits
What an absolute fucking shambles that was

Also, what is the point in qualifying for Europe and then playing the reserves as some have suggested

The way the cup competitions are treated is the the thing I hate most about football nowadays

From my perspective, I was meaning more that you’re better off qualifying than not, even if the only way you can do that is to your reserve & youth team players. However, my feeling is that sides are perfectly capable of competing on multiple fronts with a squad of 20 if they rotate players a little. And the only way you get 20 starters (as opposed to squad fillers or kids) is by giving them off games … I.e. qualify for Europe,

[pauliewalnuts]

We live in a world of instant gratification - buy someone, do something. If we were in danger of relegation i'd agree we'd ned to act (or probably wouldn't have sold Ings) but we aren't. no need to lumbered ourselves out of desparation. A few positions in the league are indeed worth millions but I'd prefer to dodgy the shitty Europe competition until we are good and ready.

Yeah, we're far too big and important to lower ourselves to playing European football. Who'd want to waste time with that.

That's exactly it.

We talk about how we're a big club all the time, when do we ever actually act like one?

Talk is cheap.

And while we are at it, what is our net spend the last two or three windows?

[Shrek]

All this talk of next season is naive. The opportunity is there now. Even the Chelsea loophole will disappear in the summer

If we don’t strengthen, even if it’s costs us a bit more, it’s a huge missed opportunity imo.

[PaulTheVillan]

Any plane spotters prepared for tomorrow night?

[Goldenballs]

Take a dive in the cups and then sell our top scorer, bizarre.

[Risso]

Unless you buy players who are better than the starting 11 you're not strengthening though are you. If those that we've identified aren't gettable then we wait to strengthen till the summer.

We don't have another striker other than Watkins, so buying somebody is quite clearly better than having nobody.