Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo (AKA Monchi)

[Toronto Villa]

Agreed. But we knew for 7 months we needed to replace him, and we're now playing our best midfielder at centre half. That's pretty poor planning

No, that's because our two first choice LCB are injured.

And both will be back in the next few weeks. Mings probably sooner. The other thing is we are trying to convince a CB to join us really to be back up. That’s not so easy at the top end in January. Likely why Diasi has stalled. Back up at Chelsea to back up with us. Why move home and from his mates for that? And we think Bade turned us down for that reason.

I reckon we finally get Joao Felix and Malen becomes the back up striker. And we will get the back up CB but might not be who we really wanted.

[edgysatsuma89]

Disasi being held up will be to do with us trying to get Felix.

[eamonn]

Not sure how I feel about Monchi shooting his mouth off on Spanish radio about some of the Duran money being needed to balance the books and the "love" and "desire" Emery has for Asensio and Felix.

Our PR fella, the Scottish bloke, presumably wouldn't recommend our figureheads be so revealing in what they say during regular press conferences. Monchi's comments give the air of someone who thinks he can chat casually to Spanish journalists he's familiar with in Spain without realising it will get picked-up by Villa fans/the UK media.

Just seems amateur, showing our hand publicly when there's no need to do so. It puts more pressure on himself and the club to land players as good as these by Monday night.

[eye digress]

Not sure how I feel about Monchi shooting his mouth off on Spanish radio about some of the Duran money being needed to balance the books and the "love" and "desire" Emery has for Asensio and Felix.

Know what you mean, but our excessively high wages to revenue ratio is public knowledge, isn’t it?

[frank black]

Disasi being held up will be to do with us trying to get Felix.

You reckon it’s a BOGOF deal.

[Ian.]

I’m not this is too much to with planning, but more to do with these financial regulations. Once upon a time, especially under MON we could keep buying players regardless of moving people on. Or for many years we’ve sold players for peanuts.

It’s now all about the right deals for players coming and going and the line is very fine on what we are actually allowed to do without breaching the rules.

[Baldy]

Not sure how I feel about Monchi shooting his mouth off on Spanish radio about some of the Duran money being needed to balance the books and the "love" and "desire" Emery has for Asensio and Felix.

Know what you mean, but our excessively high wages to revenue ratio is public knowledge, isn’t it?

Might just be a ploy. Other clubs know what we got for Duran and will try and add 10m or 20m onto any future deal. Hence, Monchi pleads poverty!!

[KevinGage]

Diego Carlos wanted to move in the summer and wanted to move in January. We couldn’t find a deal and 7 months on a few injuries added on we found a deal for the glass giant. It was absolutely the right thing to do to sell him for decent money and remove his massive wages.

Agreed.

We're stronger now than at the start of the window, IMO.

Malen for Philogene - can cover the Duran bit part sub role n'all. And we now know Kamara can step in and play centre back to good effect on the few occasions he may be called upon as back up. Our main centre backs aren't injured for the rest of the season.

I'd rather have Kamara filling in than Carlos.

We've got at least £70 million bunce to play with as well, so I'd expect at least two incomings (three might be pushing it at this late juncture).

Into the knockout stages of the CL - despite Monchi et al being so inept at this transfer malarkey.

I'm fairly certain that our next starting XI and bench in the next CL game (and the next league game after Wolves) will look a lot better than the one we've had for the last two games. 

[pauliewalnuts]

How does all that make us stronger when, to take one element alone, gone is one of the most promising strikers in European football and in is the option of using Malen?

And just the one fit CB but it’s alright we can play our best midfielder there. What about midfield?

It doesn’t pass even the most cursory glance

[Goldenballs]

Stronger?? That's taking trying to be positive to the next level.

[Clampy]

I think he may mean when everyone is fit. At the moment, obviously not.

[aj2k77]

Monchi, rhymes with Donkey. That's how he's performed over the last 2 windows. Emery's magic is holding this all together. Heck, Corner routine man, Monchi, the lot of them. They're all relying on the brilliance of Emery. Without him they'd be floundering and found wanting.

[PaulWinch again]

We’re not stronger, that’s just evidently not true. We have 1 fit centre back.

[Goldenballs]

Even then, I'd respectfully disagree that we're stronger.

It's a big ask for Malen to come in and cover Duran's supersub role, one of the best mins to goals in prem history wasn't it?

Philogene contributed next to nothing, so Malen is likely an upgrade there.

Little Emi and Carlos out, with no replacements yet. We might end up stronger if we bring some quality in, we might not, so at the moment it's an odd call, imo.

[Clampy]

Monchi, rhymes with Donkey. That's how he's performed over the last 2 windows. Emery's magic is holding this all together. Heck, Corner routine man, Monchi, the lot of them. They're all relying on the brilliance of Emery. Without him they'd be floundering and found wanting.

That 'Donkey' has just got us £70m for a player who has had one good half season and not far off £80m on a few youth players.