WakefieldVillan

For all Jed's heroics, namely the finger tip Rodriguez save in the home semi final, the penalty shoot out at The hawthorns and the calm handling in the closing stages at Wembley, I still have a nagging doubt that he is not quite at the level we need him to be.

Heaton is an established premier league goalkeeper and most definitely an upgrade and I think it is the one position where being the wrong side of 30 doesn't concern me, not for 8 million and as others have alluded to, we can replace again in a couple of years.

I trust Neil Cutler's experience in coaching and I am sure he is a better judge than all of us, so if he feels Heaton is the right man for us that's good enough for me.

Good Luck Tom 

45 minutes ago, AVTuco said:

I think you're too harsh, but hey-ho ... we'll see. We have very good options for RB anyway, and whichever plays has to perform. Excellent situation.

I'm with you on that AVTuco.. 

Elmo finished the season well and played well recently for his country too, I wouldn't be too surprised to see him start away at Spurs. 

But like you say there's some good healthy competition there now which is just what we need.

I think Guilbert will definitely be starting in games where we should have more of the ball, for example (at home) to basically everyone barring the top 6. 

F*** it I'm gonna stick £100 on us finishing top four  

I think I am being a tad greedy but I would love to go into the new season with the additions of Butland, Nakamba, Luiz, Benrahma and Maupay.

I genuinely feel we would finish comfortably top half with the likes of the above added to the squad.

2 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Question: is McGinn going to now struggle to get into the team?

Hopefully, then this would mean we have had an absolutely fantastic summer window.

Looks the weak link at the moment, he looks like the part, IE physically, but as others have pointed out, one run or one decent cross in a game is just not up to the required premier league standard. 

I really, really hope we can sign Benrahma, who would be absolutely class in this team - and send Andre out on loan, preferably to a Championship club - he needs a solid run of games and show he has got something about him.

Not totally writing him off yet... and hope he can prove all his doubters wrong - including me. 

Haven't read all the comments, but seen a lot of love for this guy, which bodes well - but I was a little concerned defensively, especially in the opening period of last night's game.

I must say though, he looked very capable going forward, quick and looks to have a decent delivery on him.

Do people think he will start against Spurs? I have a feeling it may be Elmo.

As always, hard to judge players performances in pre-season against limited opposition, however he has looked fairly decent.

One I would keep in and around the squad, but it's up to Henri to elevate his game to another level if he wants to establish himself as a regular first team player.

I think it's a tall order for him, but it's all about competition for places and whoever is performing in the shirt will keep it, which is the way it should always be.

12 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Correct me if im wrong but I can’t actually remember Steer conceding a goal that can be deemed as a keeper error or one he should save?

I think he was at fault for the Blackburn goal (Bell?!) parrying the free-kick straight back into a dangerous area - may have moved a bit in the air, but anyway that's been ultra critical. Overall he's been absolutely fine. I'd personally feel more confident with Butland between the sticks though.

Another quiet day on the transfer front, so as it stands I could see our line up v's Spurs something like;

                           Steer

Guilbert   Chester    Hause     Targett

                       Hourihane

Elmo     Grealish       McGinn      El Ghazi

                        Wesley

Subs; Nyland, Bree, Taylor, Lansbury, Jota, Green, Kodjia.

Full on Steve Bruce mode with Elmo RM, but looks to be having a great summer with Egypt, but even if you change him for Jota/Green, we still look very short of quality at this stage.

Any signings from here on in I hope are ones that will improve the first eleven or it will be a long season.

10 minutes ago, useless said:

Just done a search on this forum for 'Phillips' and "Kalvin Phillips", and barely anyone mentioned him on here before April this year, you'd think for a championship player who people are prepared to pay £30m for, there would be a lot more discussion about him, there were more posts about Matt Phillips at West Brom. If the figure being talked about for his signature was say £10m, I wonder if a lot of people would be as enthusiastic about this signing, in other words I wonder if the high prices being associated with him, are having the affect of making people believe he's better than he is.

Fair point. But not for me.

If anything the inflated price is the only down side to this potential transfer.

Before April, it was a lot more likely that Leeds would be playing a league higher than us and this would be a non-starter, I actually think that Leeds would have been sniffing around a few of our star players.

Really hope it happens but if not we definitely need a player with the same traits.

5 hours ago, KentVillan said:

I don't see how we can sign Kalvin Phillips without offering him and Leeds more cash than is sensible. They're favourites for automatic promotion, so from a footballing perspective, he might as well stay for one more season.

This feels a lot like Spurs coming in for Grealish. Yes Leeds will have a price, but it'll be **** you money.

This is the exact conversation I had with two Leeds supporting mates yesterday, whom both thought the fee being banded about was on the high side for someone that has had one good season (albeit a very good one), they feel he his integral to their team and are worried that even with the money they would receive it wouldn't necessarily be used to strengthen their squad. It does feel a lot like the Grealish scenario where they want one more season to help them gain promotion. 

My first reaction when I saw the 25 million figure was it was way too high, it probably is, but I suppose that's football today. I'd probably be worth 100k* myself.

*10p

I've mentioned a few times on here that I'm a big, big fan of Philips and think he would fit in perfectly with our team but... 

I think 25 million is a LOT of money and although I get why Leeds would want that (we as a club know that more than most),  we should look elsewhere for sure! 

Exciting signing and totally out of the blue (which makes you think all the names we are linked with won't come to fruition)! 

As others have mentioned, the comparisons to Benteke stand out a mile, albeit from limited viewings. 

Like the fact that he's young, tall, looks to have a physical presence and one that's been courted by some decent clubs by all accounts bodes well.

I do think that we as fans do get more excited by fancy foreign names but I can understand why.

Really hope this ones a success

25 minutes ago, Rob182 said:

On the other hand, Kodjia was class for us in his first season, and many people were talking about him being our first choice striker if we got promoted.

It's dangerous to judge a player on one great season.

Let's hope we've learned a lesson after Hogan, and that any expensive players we buy have been scouted to within an inch of their lives!

I agree to an extent, but players are generally going to be purchased on the back off having a good season(s) rather than a poor one.

Kodjia has suffered two bad ankle injuries whilst at Villa and that definitely (for me) impacted his performances from his first season here, but injuries can and will happen.

Hogan, I agree, this has been a signing that's completely failed and hopefully we have learned from that. 

Swings and roundabouts I suppose.

I just think with this one, a young strong defensive quick midfielder is crucial to us next season.

12 minutes ago, Nigel said:

Good argument.

But he could just as well be any of a list of one season wonders.

The point is its risky and for that money we could drastically reduce that risk elsewhere.

I think every signing comes with an element of risk though.

Worst case scenario (barring a Luc Nilis type injury, God forbid) is we buy him say for arguments sake £15M, he doesn't perform and we sell him at a bit of a loss - Providing he isn't on ridiculous wages, which I doubt he would be, then I don't think it will hurt us too much.

1 hour ago, Nigel said:

I'm not sure about buying a championship player with one good season for so much money.

He didn't even appear to be that good.

Surely better elsewhere?

If McGinn had played for Leeds last season and played as well as he did for us, would you not sign him based on him having one good season in the championship?

He was class last season and is capable of the step up IMO, he has scope for improvement too. 

1 hour ago, Nigel said:

I'm not sure about buying a championship player with one good season for so much money.

He didn't even appear to be that good.

Surely better elsewhere?

If McGinn had played for Leeds last season and played as well as he did for us, would you not sign him based on him having one good season in the championship?

He was class last season and is capable of the step up IMO, he has scope for improvement too. 

1 hour ago, Nigel said:

I'm not sure about buying a championship player with one good season for so much money.

He didn't even appear to be that good.

Surely better elsewhere?

If McGinn had played for Leeds last season and played as well as he did for us, would you not sign him based on him having one good season in the championship?

He was class last season and is capable of the step up IMO, he has scope for improvement too. 

Already sh*tting myself   ha

Really, really hope we get Phillips, would be a cracking signing - he's youthful, energetic, tenacious, potential to improve, strong in the tackle, can play centre half or centre mid and can play a bit on the ball  

I think it's fair to say Butland would make us stronger in the goalkeeping department therefore I would be pleased if we did get him, but not for 20 million.

7 hours ago, MikeMcKenna said:

Appreciate what Hourihane did for us in the Championship but imho he isnt a PL player.

I think you're being a tad harsh to be honest.

There were times last season that he didn't influence games like he should, but I feel that he is a good player, a confidence player, even in is quieter periods his stats were decent and I thought he finished the season very well for us, arguably changed the game in the semi final home leg and played a key part at Wembley.

He has got ability no doubt, just needs to keep the aggression to his game which he showed post the controversial Leeds goal really. 

2 year deal spot on for me.

Fact of the matter is, if he is playing that well then there is an outstanding chance that we as a club are competing nicely too, IE clear from relegation which is essentially more money in the bank the season after. 

That aside I'm sure we can offer an extension should we wish.

I really hope that if we start our season campaign with a few losses and the players / coaching staff are struggling, that we can all just remember this thread and appreciate where we were as a club and support the team to the max.

It has been a remarkable turnaround to be playing Premier League football next season with the predicament that we were in last summer, fair play to our new owners and everyone else involved.