2023 Summer transfer window - hopes, needs, expectations and rumours.

[Drummond]

Squad as it stands...

...snip...

Looks pretty strong to me, with plenty of depth. I've put a question mark where I see us signing another player, so potentially 4 more, though with the covber at Right back I reckon we may leave it.

Don't want to quote the whole thing but

I suspect we won't add another AM, McGinn and JJ are both comfortable in there.
I'm not sure why you put in Sanson and didn't include Donk, I guess you just forgot about him?
You've put Archer in twice.

I reckon 2-3 more and no major outgoings is the plan now. We'll definitely get another forward of some sort, I suspect we'll get a right back/utility defender and I'd hope we get a keeper but that's probably the most difficult one to fill right now.

Yep, edited now. Ta

[brontebilly]

Squad as it stands...

...snip...

Looks pretty strong to me, with plenty of depth. I've put a question mark where I see us signing another player, so potentially 4 more, though with the covber at Right back I reckon we may leave it.

Don't want to quote the whole thing but

I suspect we won't add another AM, McGinn and JJ are both comfortable in there.
I'm not sure why you put in Sanson and didn't include Donk, I guess you just forgot about him?
You've put Archer in twice.

I reckon 2-3 more and no major outgoings is the plan now. We'll definitely get another forward of some sort, I suspect we'll get a right back/utility defender and I'd hope we get a keeper but that's probably the most difficult one to fill right now.

One of the squad’s strengths is that a few players can be easily allocated to different roles. Diaby, Bailey and Traore have played as a striker. SJM and Ramsey play some of their best football in the Buendia position.

The Konsa experiment as a RB is interesting too. If he adapts to that then I think we’ll become a more dynamic team.

Konsa was horrid when he tried playing RB for us previously.

[Somniloquism]

Matteo Retegui, Argentina/Italian 24yr old Boca Juniors player being linked...

Jeremy Doku still linked even though we're getting Diaby..

Still no keeper mentioned though.

That's an interesting link, I thought he was the best player for Italy against England (and scored their goal) a few months back and his scoring record has been very good for the last couple of years. Looks very strong as well, which would be useful in our squad.

Yup, interesting if true but we'll need to move quickly as they're queuing up to sign him in Italy. Price is a steal at something like €15m-€18m. We need Emi to give him a call. He's only ever played one game for Boca and that was off the bench but last season on loan at Tigre (Div.II) he couldn't stop scoring - 28 goals and 2 in 3 for Italy including one against England. 

Tigre are in the top division since he has been there as promoted for the start of 2022. He got top league scorer last season with 19 in 27 and had got 6 in 8* so far this season.

* Seems his club stats have not been updated since March on Wiki. Seems he has 11 now but not sure in how many appearances.

[paul_e]

Squad as it stands...

...snip...

Looks pretty strong to me, with plenty of depth. I've put a question mark where I see us signing another player, so potentially 4 more, though with the covber at Right back I reckon we may leave it.

Don't want to quote the whole thing but

I suspect we won't add another AM, McGinn and JJ are both comfortable in there.
I'm not sure why you put in Sanson and didn't include Donk, I guess you just forgot about him?
You've put Archer in twice.

I reckon 2-3 more and no major outgoings is the plan now. We'll definitely get another forward of some sort, I suspect we'll get a right back/utility defender and I'd hope we get a keeper but that's probably the most difficult one to fill right now.

One of the squad’s strengths is that a few players can be easily allocated to different roles. Diaby, Bailey and Traore have played as a striker. SJM and Ramsey play some of their best football in the Buendia position.

The Konsa experiment as a RB is interesting too. If he adapts to that then I think we’ll become a more dynamic team.

Konsa was horrid when he tried playing RB for us previously.

Different manager, different job and a player who was being coached very differently as well. With us tucking in the RB to make a 3 I think there will be times where Konsa is a good choice there. As has been mentioned he's one of the hardest defenders in the league to dribble past and there are a lot of teams with very strong left wingers so I can see the advantage of using him that way.

[OCD]

I've seen Chrisene described as being the back-up left back but Seb Revan seems to have overtaken him.

[paul_e]

I've seen Chrisene described as being the back-up left back but Seb Revan seems to have overtaken him.

Revan is better going forward for me so is a more like-for-like replacement for Moreno, I'm not sure either are ready to play regularly though.

[Mister E]

I've seen Chrisene described as being the back-up left back but Seb Revan seems to have overtaken him.

Revan is better going forward for me so is a more like-for-like replacement for Moreno, I'm not sure either are ready to play regularly though.

Has Chrisene had any pre-season involvement? - he's not in the US-trip squad, is he?

[ChicagoLion]

And it's back!

Guess who just got back today?
That wild-eyed boy that had been away
Haven't changed, has too much to say
But man, I still think that **** are crazy
No one askin' if you were around
How you was, where you could be found
I told 'em you were still a clown
Drivin' all the Villa men crazy

[paul_e]

I've seen Chrisene described as being the back-up left back but Seb Revan seems to have overtaken him.

Revan is better going forward for me so is a more like-for-like replacement for Moreno, I'm not sure either are ready to play regularly though.

Has Chrisene had any pre-season involvement? - he's not in the US-trip squad, is he?

Both came on against Walsall, Chrisene at Left Back and Revan in front of him.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Matteo Retegui, Argentina/Italian 24yr old Boca Juniors player being linked...

Jeremy Doku still linked even though we're getting Diaby..

Still no keeper mentioned though.

That's an interesting link, I thought he was the best player for Italy against England (and scored their goal) a few months back and his scoring record has been very good for the last couple of years. Looks very strong as well, which would be useful in our squad.

Yup, interesting if true but we'll need to move quickly as they're queuing up to sign him in Italy. Price is a steal at something like €15m-€18m. We need Emi to give him a call. He's only ever played one game for Boca and that was off the bench but last season on loan at Tigre (Div.II) he couldn't stop scoring - 28 goals and 2 in 3 for Italy including one against England. 

Tigre are in the top division since he has been there as promoted for the start of 2022. He got top league scorer last season with 19 in 27 and had got 6 in 8* so far this season.

* Seems his club stats have not been updated since March on Wiki. Seems he has 11 now but not sure in how many appearances.

Cheers! That's very comforting to know. Let's get him in today then. It would be rude not to.

[paul_e]

Matteo Retegui, Argentina/Italian 24yr old Boca Juniors player being linked...

Jeremy Doku still linked even though we're getting Diaby..

Still no keeper mentioned though.

That's an interesting link, I thought he was the best player for Italy against England (and scored their goal) a few months back and his scoring record has been very good for the last couple of years. Looks very strong as well, which would be useful in our squad.

Yup, interesting if true but we'll need to move quickly as they're queuing up to sign him in Italy. Price is a steal at something like €15m-€18m. We need Emi to give him a call. He's only ever played one game for Boca and that was off the bench but last season on loan at Tigre (Div.II) he couldn't stop scoring - 28 goals and 2 in 3 for Italy including one against England. 

Tigre are in the top division since he has been there as promoted for the start of 2022. He got top league scorer last season with 19 in 27 and had got 6 in 8* so far this season.

* Seems his club stats have not been updated since March on Wiki. Seems he has 11 now but not sure in how many appearances.

11 in 21 from what I can find. If the fee is as low as Rudy says then I think he's well worth the gamble, he has a hint of Drogba about him, seems to really like bouncing defenders and accelerating away.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Matteo Retegui, Argentina/Italian 24yr old Boca Juniors player being linked...

Jeremy Doku still linked even though we're getting Diaby..

Still no keeper mentioned though.

That's an interesting link, I thought he was the best player for Italy against England (and scored their goal) a few months back and his scoring record has been very good for the last couple of years. Looks very strong as well, which would be useful in our squad.

Yup, interesting if true but we'll need to move quickly as they're queuing up to sign him in Italy. Price is a steal at something like €15m-€18m. We need Emi to give him a call. He's only ever played one game for Boca and that was off the bench but last season on loan at Tigre (Div.II) he couldn't stop scoring - 28 goals and 2 in 3 for Italy including one against England. 

Tigre are in the top division since he has been there as promoted for the start of 2022. He got top league scorer last season with 19 in 27 and had got 6 in 8* so far this season.

* Seems his club stats have not been updated since March on Wiki. Seems he has 11 now but not sure in how many appearances.

11 in 21 from what I can find. If the fee is as low as Rudy says then I think he's well worth the gamble, he has a hint of Drogba about him, seems to really like bouncing defenders and accelerating away.

€15m is on the table for him from Genoa and it seems Boca are likely to accept. Madness. Only problem I see is now that he's in the Italy side he may decide it's the best place to keep his place in the team.

As for his goals, I'm reading '25 goals from 35 league appearances, including six from eight so far in 2023. '

[chrisw1]

I've seen Chrisene described as being the back-up left back but Seb Revan seems to have overtaken him.

Revan is better going forward for me so is a more like-for-like replacement for Moreno, I'm not sure either are ready to play regularly though.

Talking of young fullbacks, I have to admit to being wrong about KKH.  I thought he may have been good enough to step up as reserve right back last season, let alone this.  Given we've let Ashley go and he's still didn't get a sniff he must have gone backwards fast.  Appreciate we tend to want a defensive right back, but even so I thought really thought he'd step up and we could be making use of him now.

[brontebilly]

Squad as it stands...

...snip...

Looks pretty strong to me, with plenty of depth. I've put a question mark where I see us signing another player, so potentially 4 more, though with the covber at Right back I reckon we may leave it.

Don't want to quote the whole thing but

I suspect we won't add another AM, McGinn and JJ are both comfortable in there.
I'm not sure why you put in Sanson and didn't include Donk, I guess you just forgot about him?
You've put Archer in twice.

I reckon 2-3 more and no major outgoings is the plan now. We'll definitely get another forward of some sort, I suspect we'll get a right back/utility defender and I'd hope we get a keeper but that's probably the most difficult one to fill right now.

One of the squad’s strengths is that a few players can be easily allocated to different roles. Diaby, Bailey and Traore have played as a striker. SJM and Ramsey play some of their best football in the Buendia position.

The Konsa experiment as a RB is interesting too. If he adapts to that then I think we’ll become a more dynamic team.

Konsa was horrid when he tried playing RB for us previously.

Different manager, different job and a player who was being coached very differently as well. With us tucking in the RB to make a 3 I think there will be times where Konsa is a good choice there. As has been mentioned he's one of the hardest defenders in the league to dribble past and there are a lot of teams with very strong left wingers so I can see the advantage of using him that way.

The days of an AWB type defender good at stopping dribbles past but limited elsewhere are gone I feel. It's a bit of a silly stat anyway. With a player that limited on the ball, opponents get clever forcing teams to play out through them. When AWB plays you can see teams letting him have the ball, the longer he has it the more uncomfortable he gets. That would be Konsa in a 3 or 4 playing out there. It's a lot different position defensively being close to the sideline as opposed to the endline or with Martinez playing high the edge of our box. Konsa is good at using the endline and Martinez to his advantage (buying many a soft foul in the process!) but you don't have that luxury on the right.

[OCD]

€15m is on the table for him from Genoa and it seems Boca are likely to accept. Madness. Only problem I see is now that he's in the Italy side he may decide it's the best place to keep his place in the team.

As for his goals, I'm reading '25 goals from 35 league appearances, including six from eight so far in 2023. '

There's 5 months left on his contract.