January Transfer Window - The Verdict.

[Clark W Griswold]

Some Aston Villa fans were frustrated by the club's underwhelming final weeks of the January transfer window, but it wasn't for the lack of trying.

Unai Emery is determined to build a team which is capable of consistently challenging for European football. That will only happen if Villa improve their first XI, allowing the overall squad to improve with more competition for places following the arrivals of quality individuals.

There was money available for Emery to spend last month and he will be backed heavily in the summer window by owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens. But shelling out huge transfer fees just because Villa happen to be three points from the top six is a short-term approach which the club's ownership do not want to be tempted into.

Granted, if Villa broke their transfer record twice last month, Emery's squad would have improved, but simply put, every club is reluctant to sell their top players halfway through the season. An experienced striker was of interest after the sale of Danny Ings, but Emery doesn't want to stockpile players who he sees no use for in the long-term.

Liverpool and Chelsea are both enduring poor seasons, so far, but Villa can forget about competition for the top seven - if they get their own house in order and trust Emery's decision making, they'll get there, just like Leicester City and West Ham have done in recent years. Villa will then become the latest club to threaten the upper echelons of English football.

The difference is, Villa intend to stick at the top, not only qualify for European football one season and struggle to cope with those demands in the years to follow. Therefore, Emery will only sign the players who he knows will improve his squad, rather than plug gaps for short-term gain.

By John Townley Football writer

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/nswe-avoided-aston-villa-transfer-26126543

One thing, if this is "the official line from the club" and there is that feel to it, then they have stated they are going to heavily back Emery in the Summer so that's something to keep in mind.

Whilst you consider whether to renew your season ticket. That's their plan anyway !

[ASHTONVILLA]

It does look like we are trying to live within our means more now.

I have no issue with us clearing out squad players, so long as it eventually leads to an uplift in quality in the first team. Disappointed we did not get a winger in, or replace Ings though.

[Toronto Villa]

I’m not sure that will remain the case this year. Although long term that should be the goal. And has been stated as such.

Call me nuts or naive but I think we will have a high net spend come the end of the next window and we will break our transfer record a couple of times. No point having certain players around so those senior players out on loan will be gone. Throw in Phil, Chambers, Digne and Cash possibly. That duffer Olsen. Lots of change on the way. And I expect to see Lange either gone or accompanied by someone Emery wants in that role.

[Clark W Griswold]

I think the likely ones to go would be Olsen, Nakamba, Sanson and more than likely Young. Two of those are already out on loan. I'd also like to see 1 of Chambers and Konsa moved on and 1 of Coutinho, Buendia and 1 of Bailey and Traore. Which ones go would be determined by performance over the rest of the season obviously and actually whether we can find a buyer.

Then, we should be looking for a GK and RB competition, a CB that's good enough to claim a place and leave Mings and Carlos to compete to play alongside. Then another CM, ideally big quick and robust but with ability, and then a centre forward and a winger.

[nigel]

For me it looks as if the main players we wanted weren’t gettable, so rather than spend over the odds on a load on stop gaps, or squad fillers the club/Unai decided that the players we have are good enough.
I’m pretty sure had the club done that they would have been criticised for bloating the squad with average players.
I think the summer will see a different outcome.

[Footy-Vill]

To bring something not mentioned into the Transfer Window verdict discussion and it's what I've been able to deduce- that there was the probable understanding between Villa, Villarreal, and Emery.
So then we can infer from the transfer window that Emery was prohibited from signing any players from Villarreal as part of the conditions of his agreement to join Villa from Villarreal.

That must be the case, in my opinion, as Danjuma on a loan option would have been appropriate for the forward positions.
In addition, while we didn't sign a single player from Emery's team, other clubs, some of whom were Premier League clubs, did sign or make attempts to sign Villarreal players. Jackson and Danjuma. This could indicates that an intervening clause was required.
The next question is how long this agreement will be the case, as the next window in the summer could still see the restriction in place in not being able to sign Villarreal players.

Is this the price we have had to pay for getting Emery? but, that is something we can live with, as he is 100% the right coaching manager for pushing on and becoming consistent and being successful club.

Up The Villa!

[oldhill_avfc]

Why are people expecting the coming summer to be significantly better than the last few underwhelming summers?

Because a poor manager won't be signing his mates?

[Footy-Vill]

Also, perhaps something else I can bring to the attention of those who are dissatisfied on the lack of striker options. This was frustrating but evidently were unable to get what we wanted.

Consider this: Emery developing our players to play the role of attacker and provide goals from midfield positions, rather than the traditional central forward role? If it weren't for Emery and his tactical acumen, this whole striker thing would be an issue for me but it's not.

There is flexibility in what we have within the squad to play in order to develop team strength in having goals distributed throughout the midfielders and existing forward.

We can also play with a false 9 with players like Bailey Buendia or Ramsey quite comfortably.
Maybe we should be more open to this potential option than concern to greatly as Emery is no fool.
Watkins and Duran will do what they can but there's several ways to line up with our players. Moreno and Cash player midfield wide and high up the pitch too are options.

It's truly intriguing.

[Clark W Griswold]

To bring something not mentioned into the Transfer Window verdict discussion and it's what I've been able to deduce- that there was the probable understanding between Villa, Villarreal, and Emery.
So then we can infer from the transfer window that Emery was prohibited from signing any players from Villarreal as part of the conditions of his agreement to join Villa from Villarreal.

That must be the case, in my opinion, as Danjuma on a loan option would have been appropriate for the forward positions.
In addition, while we didn't sign a single player from Emery's team, other clubs, some of whom were Premier League clubs, did sign or make attempts to sign Villarreal players. Jackson and Danjuma. This could indicates that an intervening clause was required.
The next question is how long this agreement will be the case, as the next window in the summer could still see the restriction in place in not being able to sign Villarreal players.

Is this the price we have had to pay for getting Emery? but, that is something we can live with, as he is 100% the right coaching manager for pushing on and becoming consistent and being successful club.

Up The Villa!

Possible.

Well, slightly more possible than the theory about the moon being made of cheese anyway.

[colin69]

Whatever way we wrap it up, if Watkins gets injured we are fucked.

It's not like it's likely to be raining goals with him, either.

I hear you, but I don’t see anyone else putting the shift in that he does.
Hopefully Emery can get him firing and he stays fit.

[Footy-Vill]

Whatever way we wrap it up, if Watkins gets injured we are fucked.

It's not like it's likely to be raining goals with him, either.

I hear you, but I don’t see anyone else putting the shift in that he does.
Hopefully Emery can get him firing and he stays fit.

Buendia and Ramsey can play as false nines to do that and get into goal spaces and score. I'd be interested to see a team of midfielders as it were across the forward positions. Man City have done this previously, and it is something I believe Emery would consider when needs must.

[pauliewalnuts]

Whatever way we wrap it up, if Watkins gets injured we are fucked.

It's not like it's likely to be raining goals with him, either.

I hear you, but I don’t see anyone else putting the shift in that he does.
Hopefully Emery can get him firing and he stays fit.

Buendia and Ramsey can play as false nines to do that and get into goal spaces and score. I'd be interested to see a team of midfielders as it were across the forward positions. Man City have done this previously, and it is something I believe Emery would consider when needs must.

I can think of one key reason why that might work better for Man City than it does for us.

[Percy McCarthy]

Guendouzi would have been interesting but not sure who would have been dropped and Dembele would have been a pretty safe bet as a striker. Not really fussed about the other links. Williams would have bit of a dream signing but pretty expensive.

Yes, Ings going seemed like it left us vulnerable but frankly he could have got injured for us and be out for ages. I think - reading between the lines - Emery is a gent - he wanted to give Ings and Archer a fair chance to keep playing.

On Archer - as much as he looks ok in Boro highlights - when a couple of managers don't trust you - maybe there is something in that....

Guendouzi would replace McGinn in the formation we played at Spurs, a sort of hybrid wide/central midfielder.

[eamonn]

Some Twit talk that Coutinho is off to Fenerbache? Prepare to adjust your window ratings (whether upward or downwards, only you can say!). Maybe it's horse-shit. Turkish window sill open for another week though.

[Footy-Vill]

To bring something not mentioned into the Transfer Window verdict discussion and it's what I've been able to deduce- that there was the probable understanding between Villa, Villarreal, and Emery.
So then we can infer from the transfer window that Emery was prohibited from signing any players from Villarreal as part of the conditions of his agreement to join Villa from Villarreal.

That must be the case, in my opinion, as Danjuma on a loan option would have been appropriate for the forward positions.
In addition, while we didn't sign a single player from Emery's team, other clubs, some of whom were Premier League clubs, did sign or make attempts to sign Villarreal players. Jackson and Danjuma. This could indicates that an intervening clause was required.
The next question is how long this agreement will be the case, as the next window in the summer could still see the restriction in place in not being able to sign Villarreal players.

Is this the price we have had to pay for getting Emery? but, that is something we can live with, as he is 100% the right coaching manager for pushing on and becoming consistent and being successful club.

Up The Villa!

Possible.

Well, slightly more possible than the theory about the moon being made of cheese anyway.

It's sound theory as why else did we not sign Danjuma?
Plays across the front 3 Emery has made him what he is and development to a higher level player was because of Unai.
He was all set to Everton then has moved on to loan to Spurs. Outstanding for whoever has him in the Prem and it should have been us for a loan at the least.