Winter 2025 Transfer Window - hopes, speculation, rumours etc.

[cdbearsfan]

Uh oh.

[Percy McCarthy]

We need a right back. To suggest we don't is bonkers, not in any way because Cash isn't good enough (he's not) but because he's made of glass and can't play 3 games a week. As such a better version with Cash as backup would be much better.

Beyond that, any competent centre back that isn't Diego Carlos please. Any. Just a body. I'd take Carl Tiler over Carlos. Liability.

And for the love of god please get a right winger Villa. Just do it. We'd be 6-8 points better off right now had we done it in the summer.

Another one who can’t count.

What a joyfully condescending response to a post. Please do tell me the error or my ways?

Really?

We concede less goals and keep more clean sheets when Konsa/Carlos/Pau + a left back play, than when Konsa/Pau are flanked by traditional full-backs.

I presume you’d like us to concede less goals and keep more clean sheets right?

[pelty]

We need a right back. To suggest we don't is bonkers, not in any way because Cash isn't good enough (he's not) but because he's made of glass and can't play 3 games a week. As such a better version with Cash as backup would be much better.

Beyond that, any competent centre back that isn't Diego Carlos please. Any. Just a body. I'd take Carl Tiler over Carlos. Liability.

And for the love of god please get a right winger Villa. Just do it. We'd be 6-8 points better off right now had we done it in the summer.

Another one who can’t count.

What a joyfully condescending response to a post. Please do tell me the error or my ways?

Really?

We concede less goals and keep more clean sheets when Konsa/Carlos/Pau + a left back play, than when Konsa/Pau are flanked by traditional full-backs.

I presume you’d like us to concede less goals and keep more clean sheets right?

So let’s drop Pau, who is a liability, and restore the Mings/Konsa partnership that was so successful. Easy peasy.

[ChicagoLion]

We need a right back. To suggest we don't is bonkers, not in any way because Cash isn't good enough (he's not) but because he's made of glass and can't play 3 games a week. As such a better version with Cash as backup would be much better.

Beyond that, any competent centre back that isn't Diego Carlos please. Any. Just a body. I'd take Carl Tiler over Carlos. Liability.

And for the love of god please get a right winger Villa. Just do it. We'd be 6-8 points better off right now had we done it in the summer.

Another one who can’t count.

What a joyfully condescending response to a post. Please do tell me the error or my ways?

Really?

We concede less goals and keep more clean sheets when Konsa/Carlos/Pau + a left back play, than when Konsa/Pau are flanked by traditional full-backs.

I presume you’d like us to concede less goals and keep more clean sheets right?

So let’s drop Pau, who is a liability, and restore the Mings/Konsa partnership that was so successful. Easy peasy.

Gets my vote.

+ buy a good right back.

[Percy McCarthy]

Uh oh.

I know. If people could just start their posts on this subject with something like “I know that the Carlos/Pau partnership out-performs the most important defensive metrics of the players I prefer, but I’d rather have less clean sheets because…’ it would save me having to keep posting it, assuming that they didn’t know.

Because I have to assume they don’t know, because I can’t get my head around why they would actually prefer a less efficient defence.

[Percy McCarthy]

We need a right back. To suggest we don't is bonkers, not in any way because Cash isn't good enough (he's not) but because he's made of glass and can't play 3 games a week. As such a better version with Cash as backup would be much better.

Beyond that, any competent centre back that isn't Diego Carlos please. Any. Just a body. I'd take Carl Tiler over Carlos. Liability.

And for the love of god please get a right winger Villa. Just do it. We'd be 6-8 points better off right now had we done it in the summer.

Another one who can’t count.

What a joyfully condescending response to a post. Please do tell me the error or my ways?

Really?

We concede less goals and keep more clean sheets when Konsa/Carlos/Pau + a left back play, than when Konsa/Pau are flanked by traditional full-backs.

I presume you’d like us to concede less goals and keep more clean sheets right?

So let’s drop Pau, who is a liability, and restore the Mings/Konsa partnership that was so successful. Easy peasy.

Gets my vote.

+ buy a good right back.

Mine too.

Or buy a more suitable partner for Pau than either Konsa OR Carlos, if you like the way Pau adds to our progression, which I do.

My admittedly repetitive thoughts on this have always been predicated on the defenders we have had fit and available and which combination of them gets the best results. It doesn’t necessarily mean I think any of them are any good.

But the clean sheets etc is a simple matter of fact.

[pelty]

Uh oh.

I know. If people could just start their posts on this subject with something like “I know that the Carlos/Pau partnership out-performs the most important defensive metrics of the players I prefer, but I’d rather have less clean sheets because…’ it would save me having to keep posting it, assuming that they didn’t know.

Because I have to assume they don’t know, because I can’t get my head around why they would actually prefer a less efficient defence.

From the beginning of January ‘22, Villa played 22 games and kept clean sheets in 11. Subsequent to the loss to Arsenal in February, Villa did not allow more than 1 goal per game. I have not gone back to see if Mings/Konsa was the pairing in every game, but it was the vast majority. A 50% clean sheet record is better than that of Pau/Carlos and I have not tallied the goals per game, but I would imagine that that of the former pairing is lower than the latter. I take your point that it is more than just the CB pairing that leads to clean sheets, but it is not an insignificant factor either. If you have already addressed this, apologies for missing it.

[brontebilly]

Yes we need wingers, but lets shut up shop first. Solid defence is the key to success.

In order of priority....

RB - Digne level quality but with a right foot (*Cash reverts to our backup RB so that we NEVER have to play Ezri there again).
RCB - Quality Backup/improvement for Ezri if he gets injured. Diego Carlos needs to be put out to pasture.
RW - Competition for Bailey. When he isn't doing it/injured, we have no other option.
LW - Are we EVER going to see a fully fit Jacob Ramsey again? Great player, but what's the point if he's never on the pitch

Fuck FFP - Take any resultant hit on a points deduction. We'll accrue more points WITH these players and the points deduction than without, and will give us the step up in quality we need to progress in the coming seasons.

Tried everything to get Carlos out in the summer and bring in Gerrtruida so it's not as if Emery didn't/doesn't recognise RB/RCB is an area we need to strengthen. Going to be harder to move him on as his contract runs down. It's disappointing that neither JP or KN are good enough right now to make the step up and likely will leave on loan in Jan. Little impact from Buendia, Mings and Ramsey this season so far too, Buendia will move in Jan I think.

[Percy McCarthy]

Uh oh.

I know. If people could just start their posts on this subject with something like “I know that the Carlos/Pau partnership out-performs the most important defensive metrics of the players I prefer, but I’d rather have less clean sheets because…’ it would save me having to keep posting it, assuming that they didn’t know.

Because I have to assume they don’t know, because I can’t get my head around why they would actually prefer a less efficient defence.

From the beginning of January ‘22, Villa played 22 games and kept clean sheets in 11. Subsequent to the loss to Arsenal in February, Villa did not allow more than 1 goal per game. I have not gone back to see if Mings/Konsa was the pairing in every game, but it was the vast majority. A 50% clean sheet record is better than that of Pau/Carlos and I have not tallied the goals per game, but I would imagine that that of the former pairing is lower than the latter. I take your point that it is more than just the CB pairing that leads to clean sheets, but it is not an insignificant factor either. If you have already addressed this, apologies for missing it.

You don’t need to convince me about Mings/Konsa mate.

8 goals conceded in the last 15 games of 22/23, including a run of 3 in 10 games, 7 clean sheets.

Football heaven.

[pelty]

Uh oh.

I know. If people could just start their posts on this subject with something like “I know that the Carlos/Pau partnership out-performs the most important defensive metrics of the players I prefer, but I’d rather have less clean sheets because…’ it would save me having to keep posting it, assuming that they didn’t know.

Because I have to assume they don’t know, because I can’t get my head around why they would actually prefer a less efficient defence.

From the beginning of January ‘22, Villa played 22 games and kept clean sheets in 11. Subsequent to the loss to Arsenal in February, Villa did not allow more than 1 goal per game. I have not gone back to see if Mings/Konsa was the pairing in every game, but it was the vast majority. A 50% clean sheet record is better than that of Pau/Carlos and I have not tallied the goals per game, but I would imagine that that of the former pairing is lower than the latter. I take your point that it is more than just the CB pairing that leads to clean sheets, but it is not an insignificant factor either. If you have already addressed this, apologies for missing it.

You don’t need to convince me about Mings/Konsa mate.

8 goals conceded in the last 15 games of 22/23, including a run of 3 in 10 games, 7 clean sheets.

Football heaven.

Sorry! I thought the response to “Uh oh” was pointed at my desire to replace Pau/Carlos with Mings/Konsa. You are right; it was beautiful to watch the team in that period!

[Dave]

...it would save me having to keep posting it, assuming that they didn’t know.

On the other hand, there are probably nomadic tribes on the plains of Mongolia who have never experienced electricity before who are fully aware of your feelings on the subject.

So I'd say that you "having to keep posting it" is at the very least debatable.

[Percy McCarthy]

...it would save me having to keep posting it, assuming that they didn’t know.

On the other hand, there are probably nomadic tribes on the plains of Mongolia who have never experienced electricity before who are fully aware of your feelings on the subject.

So I'd say that you "having to keep posting it" is at the very least debatable.

I’m fighting madness with madness.

Besides, I’ve been at work. What else would I do?

[Beard82]

Percey, I get the point your making, but assume you are being deliberately disingenuous.

Whilst you are clearly factually correct in your counting - correlation and causation arent the same thing. 

Firstly - for most of last season that was our back 4.  For much of last season we were brilliant, and it could easily be argued if the back 4 had been different in those games we would still have got the same results.  I wont go into more details, as i assume its all tongue in cheek.   Also - I think with Mings unavailable, the back 4 we played yesterday is the least bad we have. 

[andyh]

We desperately need a quality right back.
Why we were not in for the easily gettable Wan Bissaka still irks me.

[brontebilly]

We desperately need a quality right back.
Why we were not in for the easily gettable Wan Bissaka still irks me.

He's crap, that's why. As bad as Konsa on the ball.