Philosopher

I agree on the fee, but if the right players is available we should be prepared to go to 50m. Sarr and Buendia would both be north of 30m, which fit with my 30 to 50 million expenditure. The reality is if we have 3 quality wingers that should be enough to get by while also being able to give a youngster a chance. A 4th choice if we aren't in Europe means he won't be getting loads of game unless we have an injury crisis in that position. However we can also play Watkins and Sanson out wide in emergencys. We can also save some money till Jan to address any issues that pop up. Edouard apparently also has Arsenal and Leicester as admirers so he won't be easy to lure as both of those teams can offer higher wages, and Leicester almost certainly European football. The other thing is if Watkins is fit what do we do with Edouard, he isn't a winger even if he does like to drift out the the left. The two 8's is simply what I believe suits two playmaker wingers, and what I believe Dean Smith favours. Of course we have to be flexible and ready and able to adjust.

I very much enjoyed barrysboots and Paul's posts, and I agree on many of the points made. I'm just going to jump in with my perspective. In terms of priorities we all agree a left back is essential. However the nature of that signing is somewhat contentious. I say spend 10 to 20 million and put Targett on notice that he has to keep improving or he'll lose his place. We all also agree a right winger is necessary. I think we all also agree a 30 to 50 million spend on a quality operator is what has to happen otherwise what's the pont! Brooks and Buendia are both good shouts. I like Hakim Ziyech of Chelsea, but Tuchel seems to rightly rate him. David Brooks is most likely, because he is English, his club are unlikely to get promoted as things stand (whereas Buendia and Norwich are almost certain to go up, this will definitely impact any fee negatively for us, and make it possible for Norwich to keep hold of Buendia). The thing is all of these guys are playmaker type wingers that like to drift inside like Jack. So can can all be used as out and out no 10's also. With playmaker wingers you need quick attack minded fullbacks to overlap. A striker constantly looking to make runs in behind (Watkins is exactly that). Then either Runners from midfield or a shadow striker. However a shadow striker works best with a false nine or target man. So two 8's is what I see as most likely to happen. We all seem to want a big 6. Me too. Koopmenieers looks a good shout, I'd also look at Sander Barge. However I see Barge similar to Luiz in that they aren't sitting 6's and are equally comfortable as a no 8. I think we would have to spend around 30m to get the quality we need here. We also agree a replacement for Engel is needed. Tuanzube would be my choice. The standard of football Revan is playing suggests he is miles off the first team. So far we are looking at around 100 million for sorting out the immediate needs. Now personally I'd sign both Koopmenieers and Barge if possible, and bring the spend upto 130m, if we have the leeway from the changes from ffp. Now this is where things get tricky. Some want another striker, some another winger. I agree we need another attacking re-enforcement too as the quality of our current wingers is insufficient (minus Jack), and the question marks over Wesley's fitness remain. However I'd hold back on making any concrete decision as Wesley is close to being ready to feature in games now. Also JPB is knocking on the door. With at least one winger coming in I'd move a winger on. Now for me first to go would be El-Ghazi, many others it would be Trez. I like Trez and if we had another hardworking winger like Trez playing Jack as a number 10 with two dynamic 6's would be a very viable defensive formation and playing a two of Wes and Traore up top with a hardworking flat or box 4 behind them for our second choice line up would function nicely. However we don't have that. The only player we have that can operate as a hardworking winger in a flat 4 or Box 4 is Sanson and he'd likely be needed in the middle. The other option is the play Traore and El-Ghazi wide of Wes and have Them running beyond Wes when in possession to get in behind. This is nice in theory but if we are on the defensive we'd have trouble getting any runners in behind. You can only do this with a possession based team. Fortunately we won't really need to utilise a second 11 without European football, we'd only see it in the Carabou Cup. So for me I feel we can rely on Trez's effort and tenaciousness rather then El-Ghazi's sporadic acceptable form, which we only occasionally see when the team is functioning well. But ultimately it's comparing apples and oranges as they both aren't really good enough. Common sense suggests We keep Traore for another season as he could well improve with a proper preseason and this season to bed in and develop. Without European football I'd probably sell both Trez and El-Ghazi promote JPB and go with him and Traore as back ups with Wes (if he prove his fitness and hunger), as we also have Barry coming through. Without European football I'd rather us give the likes of Barry (as 3rd choice striker), JPB (as 4th choice Winger), Chukwuemeka (as 3rd or 4th choice 8 with Ramsey), and Kesler (as 2nd choice right back with Guilbert) a place in the first team squad, and reassess this in Jan. I'm personally of the opinion our first team still needs work and that would be my focus. With the talent coming through we should look to give them a proper chance and nurture a reputation of giving youth a chance. I do believe we still have a slight chance of European football as most of our players are fit and Jack is back, so a strong winning run can catapult us when most teams will start fading.

Well I can't comment on Buchanan, know nothing about him. But if he doesn't have any pace then forget him. I'm not talking 4 or 5 years time. I'm talking a season or two. To progress Targett won't do us for 4 or 5 seasons. He isn't that good. Decent is how I rate him, certainly not very good. He's a do us for now as we have other priorities. I'd be very happy if he was back up.

Not really because to get such a player you to spend 10 to 20m which you are suggesting we mustn't do. To get a ready made player to take Targett's place you're talking 20m plus even in the foreign market.

If you're signing a player you believe will develop into a better player that's OK. I don’t see that a a back up. If you're signing someone simply to cover with no real aim to improve on what you have then you're going to go backwards unless that first choice is a world class player. So I think we agree really.

You don't buy back ups. That only takes midtable clubs backwards. Targett is good, but has his limitations. He lacks pace and his stamina isn't the best either. Ideally we'd sign an improvement. He has turned in some average performances since Jack's injury. His lack of pace hold us back somewhat, as one of the advantages of playing 2 holding mids is to give freedom to your fullbacks to get forward. But his lack of pace means he has to be very measured in his forays forward. This is one of the reason why his game has improved. He pick his forward forays better and is being more conservative. Fullback is a very important tactical position in today's game if your fullbacks lack pace they have to play in the old fashioned defensive manner and only really cross from deep when going forward. The thing is Targett has performed well, and so replacing him outright isn't a priority. But to buy a back up for a limited player is just a waste of money. The ideal solution is buy a pacy young left back capable of taking Targett's place on merit and make Targett the back up. The compromise is sign a pacey young player that we expect to develop into a better left back then Targett, but isn't quite there yet. If Jack had a pacy dynamic left back behind him we'd be a better team as it would give us more width in attack.

I remember when Guardiola mentioned that Villa have good players, he mentioned Jack and Barkley and he also mentioned Trez, he is a good player. Trez isn't the typical pacy winger, or a magician like Jack. It's unfair to judge his performances according to a criteria that doesn't take his game's features into account. His running off the ball between the lines, pressing and support he provides his teammates, as well as his knack of popping up at the back stick is what Trez is all about, as well as good link up play. Trez's running off the ball and the work he puts in was making the 4-2-3-1 as effective as it was when we where flying high before Christmas. True his finishing has been woeful this season, however the rest of his game pre-covid breakout was very good and everyone one on here was rightly very happy with him. He game is about movement and workrate. He injured his hamstring and then got covid. So obviously this is going to impact him heavily. The last match he made some good runs and looked quite lively in the first half, but faded in the second half. Let's be clear he isn't the most talented winger you'll see, but his qualities were instrumental to our good form in those first 13 games. I feel like he is being made a scapegoat as Taylor hasn't had a game! Most of the criticism levelled at Trez has been unfair. He has only had 2 or 3 starts since his injury. This poor run of form the team is going through simply isn't his fault.

I don't want back up to targett I want stiff competition from a pacy player.

I agree with the ideal that we build a base of primarily British players and bring a few high quality foreign players to compliment that. However we do pretty much have that. A British back 4, Mcginn and Ramsey in midfield, Jack and Watkins up front. Actually for midfield is where England's Talent is slighty lacking and thus the hardest area to recruit British talent. Outside the top clubs you have Rice, Phillips, and JWP, all would only really leave for champions league clubs. Who is there outside of that. The wings however there is Lookman and Brooks who are both very attainable. Get them both in! Left back there is not one I can think of.

The thing is we still need depth. I can't see 2 more wingers coming in during the summer, and if I were manager ideally I'd move a winger on to bring one in. For me all 3 are expendable but Trez is the least expendable. Trez is one of those players (like Mcginn), you want in your squad to add depth as you know even if they aren't at their best or lack a bit of quality, they will never be carried, they will always give 100%. For where we are they're important to have around. Also the player you're thinking of is Bernardo Silva.

People seem to want rid of Trezguet. However our best football this season has come with him in the team. He doesn't have the finishing quality that Traore and El-Ghazi have but it's what he does everywhere else that sets him apart from those two. In the last match against Tottenham it was his movement and runs that saw us get into dangerous positions, the extra work he does relieves some of the defense responsibility that the no 10 has when we play a 4-2-3-1 his link up play is better than El-Ghazi's also. The injury to him plus getting covid has set his fitness back. But when Jack returns I'd put Barkley back in for a couple games, with Trezguet on the right and see what happens. Trezguets pressing is also the best of our attacking players. For me he is the one I'd want to keep (out of the 3), because he is the only one that is in any way reliable.

I'd pick Luca Moura ahead of St Maxim

JWP is as safe a transfer as we could make. Better passer than anyone in our team, world class set piece taker, plus a real hard worker. He would fit into our system seamlessly, and improve us in more ways than one. Locatelli would be a risk (fairly low risk in regards to foreign signings) and would need time. In this comparison you can say the extra 20 or 30 million is fair. For us we have an English manager and coaches, a dressing room primarily British JWP is a perfect fit. Not realistic though, as it's a sideish ways move, he would request 100k per week plus and the fee would be 50 to 60 million. Man City don't need first team ready players, we do. Man City have a worldwide scouting network, we don't. Man City have the draw of the best manager in the world, champions league football, and can pay hundreds of thousands a week. They can attract Locatelli, we can't. This is a guy on the radar of AC Milan, Inter, Juventus, he won't leave Italy for play for Villa. Man City maybe, Villa no way. The top foreign prospects only look at the top foreign clubs, unless they aren't ready for them. If a top foreign prospect comes to Villa he sees us as a stepping stones as the top clubs are reluctant to take a chance, or like Douglas Luiz, can't get a work permit for a top club. Take Douglas out (he never played in England before we signed him), and all our best players came from the domestic market. It's the same for most teams outside the top 6. Signing a player from abroad good enough to operate in the top half of the Premier league is a lottery unless you are feeding at the top table. That's not to say don't buy from foreign leagues. Just means if you want to sign first team ready players you need to prioritise English based players, and that obviously Comes at a premium. If you want a player to add competition, or because they're a good prospect by all means go foreign and try to find a bargain.

50m plus at least. Their captain, England International. Prime years ahead.

Also we need a quality set piece taker. We are crying out for one.

Dribbling style is the same tease, entice, and then boom balls gone. However Jack also has the weight of pass and can cross with both feet. Also for me we need a left footed version of Jack.

I like Saint-Maxim, but his end product isn't that great. And he is inclined to pick up muscle injuries. I also believe he plays best in the left. If we had another top class winger I'd be happy with him as a 3rd choice rotation option or if we planned to move Jack to the middle, then as the left winger. I'd like to see another creator type like Jack as opposed to a direct speed merchant like Saint Maxim. As we have 3 or 4 box to box midfielders good at getting in between the lines, and Watkins who is very good running in behind, then it makes more sense to me to have a player on the right who can find those runs of the two 8's and the striker. While also possessing the skill to hold ball and give thise players time to make their run and offer an outlet to carry the ball forward. Great movement in the middle seems to be Deanos aim with everyone capable ball carriers. So playmaker wingers suit that more. This will help ball retention too. Traore seems more of a playmaker type, but he doesn’t seem to have enough quality. Now if we decided to play Jack as a no 10 then pace around him is what you want.

I too believe the budget will be around 100m. I do also believe we will have to keep the wages of any signings down. Which means only one bigger name. I don't see any Barca players being on our radar unless we can somehow afford Coutiniho (Coutiniho and Jack on the flanks is bags of creativity). Younger players ready for first team football will be kept. So Fati and Pedro aren't going anywhere. The youngsters not quite ready for the first team will be hard to persuade and not what we need in the short to medium term. Jack will want to see another 100m spend at a minimum to stay and a big name or 2 included in that. The Money he is on now is enough, his next move will entirely a football decision imo, all a bigger contract will do is up his value. That may not be in his best interests even if he stays.

We need another winger that can REGULARLY beat his man and find quality end productas well. Traore, El-Ghazi and Trez simply don't do it enough, and the end product is not good enough. Targett has learned how to defend but is still too slow for my liking. So a quick left back is essential. This would sort the first team with Wesley fully fit by the start of next season, and Barry closer to being ready. Would like a big midfielder who is a fine passer both short and long, as a bonus. Obviously this is if we keep Jack. Would add a promising centre back to that as one for the future. The quality we need and the likely 100m spend we have mirror 2020's transfer window. But maybe spend bigger on the right winger.

It depends on the football we want to play. If we want to play tiki-taki short passing with a midfield full of players comfortable under pressure and capable of carrying the ball then we are heading in the right direction in terms of personnel, however the coaching is quite up to scratch for me. However I do think Konsa isn't the best aerially and that we need another huge guy in the team for set pieces both defensively and offensively. If we signed Sander Barge I'd be very happy with that. I feel that we'd be better off with Mcginn as the holder and Ramsey and Sanson if front of him.

I feel we certainly need to pass out of the back better. Our passing out of defense is very laboured at times. The movement is poor, and the passing is laboured the centre backs often take three or four touches when you need 1 or 2 touches. This is why we struggle to keep the ball when teams press us high, as we end up having to resort to long balls to a 5'10 striker. Mcginn is very wasteful with his passes. His short passing is poor, but his long passing is pretty decent. This leads me to believe he may be better as the holding midfielder as he is good in the tackle and tenacious as well. Then we can have him keep his short passes safety first, and his long passing to switch the play. We play far too many long balls forward (as our passing out the back is poor) when we don't even have a proper target man starting and not one player over 5'10 in midfield. Out wide if you have El-Ghazi and Traore wide you can get them up against short fullbacks as they are both 6 foot. However they both have poor direction on their headers. It seems to me that we need a specialist coach to work on the short passing and movement. This for me is not poor form. It's that we have been found out. Press us high and we resort to long balls. If our 5'10 striker can't hold it up then the ball comes right back at us. So in essence we are prevented from ever getting going. This is a technical issue.

He has shown himself to be a decent back up to Jack this season. That's as good as it gets for him. I'm fine with that.

I feel he is a good player. But not top a top level performer. We need someone with similar ability as Jack on the right in an ideal world. That is where the bulk of transfer fund should go in the summer I believe.

Not down with this comparison with other managers. Smiths team selection, substitutions and general motivation of the team yesterday wasn't good enough. Shame as is came in the back of the Leeds game where all of the aforementioned was on point. The team doesn't seem to be the only inconsistent factor.

Let's be clear the team that started never had the invention to break down a stubbornly defending 10 men. Ramsey was the most inventive of the lot. In the final third the final ball which usually came from the widemen simply wasn't good enough. Mcginn was also poor in the final third, and the fullbacks didn't overlap much to support attacks, as they are both slow! The sending off played into their hands. Mings and Konsa were the only players that can be happy with their performance. They were all sub par. To pin it all on Ramsey is unfair. McGinn continuously gave the ball away when in the final third, Nakamba is all about defending, Anwar lacked the awareness that he had the beating of his man so he should be using that to get into more advanced positions rather than using the yard of space he made without trying to hit deep balls into the box. Traore kept overplaying. Ollie looked like he was lacking a bit of power. Making two central midfield changes just as we were building momentum and keeping the ball in the their half, wrecked that and mean we had a 15 minute period of struggling to find any rhythm. He should have just taken off Nakamba for Barkley or Davis. So much was sub par about this from the management, to the entire midfield, the fullbacks, and the attackers. To scapegoat a youngster making his third Premier league start is a bit disgraceful.