Pez1974

1 hour ago, Rich192 said:

This may very well be good for Villa. But my god it’s bad and depressing for football. A world famous institution bought to be a feeder club for a club 9,000km away. Absolutely grim. 
 

Multi-club ownerships should be banned, pretty much optimises everything that is wrong with modern football. 

I 100% see your point - but this view very much depends on the owners.
If it was the Glazers, you would be totally correct I suspect.

I would expect with NSWE though, that the clubs would all become well run which is a good thing for everyone.
It does is give a pathway for players to more easily move on - whether it upwards or downwards - but these wouldn't be a sacrifice of one club over another. It would probably mean that a VdG player who is attracting interest from Europe may more easily come to Villa.
Of course, if Madrid bid £100m for that player, they are still likely to go there! Rules are in place to stop (sort of) us signing them for £1m, and selling them for £100m in such circumstances. 

8 hours ago, alreadyexists said:

It would be very exciting and a huge statement of where we are now… but it doesn’t really feel like a Monchi signing. We’ve invested hugely in scouting and development, and got him in to spearhead it all and we go for a £100m CB from Barca… sounds unlikely I think 

Really?

We aren't paying the Barca asking price, but if there are reasons why we can buy a high calibre of player for a reduced fee, because of a specific set of circumstances. This feels exactly how Monchi and Unai have operated for years. It hasn't always been low price signings - just very good value.

1 minute ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Do we normally get a lot of business done before major tournaments? Genuine question because I can’t remember. 

For many years, the major tournament players were irrelevant to our transfer strategy

It was more likely that our manager was commentating than our players being involved

23 minutes ago, ejs1111 said:

I think the early transfer news regarding Villa going after free transfers like Hermoso and Barkley could help negate the need to sell one of our big players (Luiz/Ramsey/Duran).  It might enable Villa to drop down a level and work with selling players like Carlos/Cash/Digne/etc instead and work within that budget to fund the remaining new players.  That is my take.  UTV

I would always try and get most of the work done early. They get a full preseason, and it avoids looking desperate, which can affect the costs 

We got Kamara early, and by August loads of fans at other clubs were wondering why they hadn't gone in for him. It just take the pressure off.

Although that season I think we got Carlos and Kamara in really early, and then had 6 weeks of fans moaning that we hadn't done anything for ages!

If you are judging him based on the last time he was here..

• He started well and got injured. 
• Our squad was very different (including sub appearances)
  1. Elmo played 14 games
  2. Trez 21
  3. El Ghazi 28
  4. Sanson 9
  5. Nakamba 13
  6. Traore 35
  7. Keinan Davis 15
  8. Wesley 3
  9. Matt Targett played all 38
• Jack was the star; perhaps too much so
• Ollie did well in his first season, but is a different player now
• So is McGinn

Barkley wouldn't be a headline signing; he was a major signing 4 years ago.
He'll maybe start 10 or 15 games, often in the cup against weaker opposition so the first choice players don't get knackered. He will be a sub in a position we are light on players, and brings experience and a bit of size.

And we have Youri, who does struggle to string 90 minutes together regularly - I can see Youri and Barkley rotating like Moreno and Digne did last season. 

But the biggest difference this year to 4 years ago - our manager wants him and he is a footballing genius. 

42 minutes ago, MotoMkali said:

Digne was very good but if we can sell him for like 18-20 mil we can sign a new LB for a similar price on lesser wages. 

If we can get £18m for him - get rid without question. But I can't see us getting half that.

Monchi may work his magic though.

If Emery "likes him" then he sees him as coachable, which means he will improve.

Barkley is well suited to playing fewer minutes - he won't get the injuries as easily, and can spend time focusing on his overall fitness.
It may also help reduce the game time expected of Youri, who also struggles with injuries.
Anything to help McGinn play a bit less is a help, whilst Luiz is always going to have suspensions!

And he might be the sort of player to bully the lesser teams we might play across a season. Carabao/FA cup games; promoted teams; Man U; etc
 

4 minutes ago, Pongo Waring said:

Did Dean Smith ever improve any players at Villa? 

Jack says hi
Amongst others

26 minutes ago, StewieGriffin said:

Not sure we'll be paying people off at this stage - there's a 3 month transfer window imminent when someone may want to sign a couple of the players you/I/we think should be paid off. Every pound counts, and the club arent going to write off a potential few million in sales just because Emery think Chambers, Olsen etc are shite.

Paying players off usually happens towards the end of a window when it's the only way to either get a player to sign for someone else (Traore) or to free up space/funds.

We may choose to pay up contracts early for 2 reasons:

1. 30th June deadline for PSR - get the agreement in an earlier year, so it stops being an issue a year earlier.
2. Agree a lower cost with the player, giving them more time to find a new club. With squad lists, an agreement at the last minute will drastically reduce a players options - or mean a trip to Turkey. 

30 minutes ago, Pongo Waring said:

Are you suggesting to us that we gonna sign Zaniolo?

The opposite I think

7 minutes ago, Pongo Waring said:

DIGNE- OUT
CARLOS- OUT
OLSEN- Release
CHAMBERS- Release

Lets start from there

Agree with 3 of those (unless we can get money for Chambers and Olsen!)
But I think Digne gets a bad rap on here.

His wages are reportedly high, but for 75% of the season he was outstanding.
He got little rest due to Moreno's injuries and form, and in the full back role Emery wants, I think by April he was exhausted but could not be rested.

Given his wages, he won't command a large fee (unless Saudi suddenly decide he's a marque player) - so financially, we might just be best to keep him and allow Monroe, Sousa and Chrisene another season of development, so that we never need to buy a replacement. 
Of course, Unai might get Hermoso, changes system and/or decide the 3 youngsters are ready!

Ross Barkley - if:

• he played in a couple of EFL cup games to give the likes of Luiz, Youri and McGinn a rest
• ditto FA Cup games
• he was rotated in to play a few games against the lower PL teams to give the likes of Luiz, Youri and McGinn a rest
• he was a bench option to try and give us control late in games across all competitions using a specific strategy devised by the genius that Unai is

....then he might start 5-8 games in the season, and be meaningfully subbed on for a similar amount.
We appear to currently have Chambers and Tim for this, and the prospect of the Donk coming back - none of which currently feels like any sort of depth.

Barkley for perhaps £2m for the season (so a pay rise against his Luton wages) sounds like a decent option to me.

But the biggest IF is whether Unai wants him. If he does - then sign him up.

Still don't know which younger players we can expect to see coming through next season:

• Sinisalo, Zych, Marschall, Emery jnr - any one of them could mean we can shift on Olsen, and his wages, especially with Gauci signed.
• Does Chrisene, Monroe or Sousa give us an option at LB, meaning we can shift one of Moreno or Digne?
• We have potentially 4 very well regarded CBs  in Feeney, Swinkels (who has just signed a new contract), Bogarde, and Smith - can we shift Carlos and rely on these? (I am old enough to remember when Big Ron announced Ugo was now first choice during pre-season - when we have Teale and God in the squad!).
• Kellyman, Louie Barry and Kadan Young had injuries this season, but can any of them, alongside Buendia's return mean we can save on bringing in CAM, or wingers?
• Is Rory Wilson ready? Or Moore, or Patterson?

Most clubs seem to have their established first teamers, and have another bunch of U21s to bring in, and they actually play them. This was a big thing for Klopp a few months ago, but they ran out of steam.
Given our investment, I would expect some of them to be ready to play a part next season.

2 minutes ago, sne said:

Would be a strange career choice by him going back to a situation where he'll be a bit part player spending a lot of time on the bench. You'd think he'd be finished with situations like that.

Edit: Barkley.

Agreed

But - perhaps with his injury record, we are his best bet.
Someone like Ipswich (just for example) might want him, but he'd be under pressure and in a relegation dog-fight again most likely.
We can offer less pressure on him personally given the other players in the squad, but also lots of games, including Champions League, where he would be able to rotate in and get rest.
And I genuinely think that the Emery factor is underestimated. Players just want to play for him.

People saying we need to spend money on a GK - we've just bought Gauci, and Sinisalo got every player of the year award at a mid-League One side. Plus we have about 3 other GKs who have gone on loan, and youngsters coming through.

Given we need to be sensible - why on earth would we spend money in a position where our first choice is the Worlds #1; he misses 1 or 2 games a season through injury/suspension (historically); and the one position where fatigue isn't a factor?

Jeez - just keep Olsen if we don't trust the guy we've just bought. He got MOTM in his last game.

Monchi currently sat at the dinner looking at some players jumping around thinking "no sé por qué está celebrando"

Just now, srsmithusa said:

i can sort of understand those that hate cheering for shitty,  but not me.  I want nothing as much as i want what's best to advance villa.  So if spuds were playing hitler, mao, black bart and their best friends, I would be happily supporting the axis of evil.

so come on whoever is playing tottenham today !!!!  

This. 100%

That van de Ven looks good

Young, tall, strong, fast
Can play CB or LB

Deserves Champions League football

On 12/05/2024 at 20:58, I Make Pies said:

I don't think I have disagreed with as many people on this forum as I do about Sanson. He has been a terrible signing, completely unsuited to the Premier League, and it's a relief to get him off the books. He is good at dribbling through midfield but has shown no end product with us. His passing wasn't great either and he got muscled off the ball too easily. Maybe he's one of these players who shines when he has more time on the ball like in France, but you don't get that luxury in this country. Not surprised he wan't picked by three managers.

Yep - perhaps not 'terrible', but certainly the lack of game time made him better in too many peoples eyes. 

Ashely Westwood with an accent and a beard.

4 minutes ago, useless said:

Chelsea would never sell Reece James, he's near enough their best player, Chelsea fans would revolte if he was sold

Duran was our best player for 20 mins yesterday. And about 10 minutes vs Palace (h).

Reece James is Chelsea's best player for about 30 minutes a season too. 

10 minutes ago, AshVilla said:

We need at least 4 additions imo.

Attacking RB, DM, Number 10, CB that can play RB or LB.

Possibly another GK if Olsen goes.

Don't need a GK - plenty coming through. Just bought Gauci; Sinisalo won every player award on loan; others had good loans.

CB that can play LB - Hermoso? Would be a great freebie IMO (I know wages will therefore be higher)

RB - Kosta? With Konsa, he might be enough. 
I'd sell Cash, as he's the right balance of potential fee, book value, and needing upgrading.

DM - spend good money here.

No10 - not sure - Buendia and Ramsey being back; Rogers progressing further; Kellyman progressing. Might depend on who we can get/sell.

47 minutes ago, david-avfc said:

The fact Unai keeps playing konsa at right back and at Villareal played Foyth at right back shows what he wants to do with that position (and it’s not a wing back)

But if the rumoured deal for Hermoso is true - then I think maybe Unai likes a full back who attacks, and a full back who is solid in defence. But we need to be able to adapt which side we are solid on and which we attack. 

We have Konsa for the RB who is solid in defence; we need a LB who is similar - so Hermoso.
We have Digne and Moreno who can attack at LB; Cash is the only one at RB, and he isn't good enough for us now, IMO.

I think Digne is shattered, as he hasn't been able to rotate much this season, so perhaps LB is OK for next season and doesn't warrant investment with limited funds. 
Definitely need a better option at RB. This might be Kosta, or we need to buy. 

I think Cash is sellable this summer, and we'd get a good enough fee to make a difference to our budget.

4 hours ago, Pongo Waring said:

Give Gauci and Viljami Sinisalo a chance. Save money.

100% this

Sinisalo - a 22 year old international who has just won every player of the year award for a mid-League 1 team. 
Gauci - a 23 year old international, who we've just signed

Add to those:

Zych (19 - who just done a season in the Polish league)
Marschall (21, who did a season with MK Dons)
Sam Proctor (17, England U18 regular)
James Wright (just 20, who has just signed a new contract),
Lander Emery (21)

Surely there is a keeper from those 7 who can the World #2, and another to be #3

10 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

I think Emery and Monchi have a record of using loan market well and on a consistent basis. We had two loan signings this season who played a lot of minutes between them. It'll be interesting to see where we add this term on Loan.

I do think with Kamara out injured we'll look to get a Loan in there and ideally an experienced head. We could get another CB in if we allow Carlos to leave. 

I think the outgoings are key. Who will we sell and how much can we get. 

Agree. Would love Ugarte - he looks like what a CDM should in my book.

I also think it's vital to see who can make the step up from the U23s. 
The likes of Bogarde, Swinkels, Chrisene, Barry, Richards, Revan, Rowe and O'Reilly are all 20 now, so we should start to expect them to step up now.

But Tim and Duran are also 20, and people are already starting to write them off!

And given Sinisalo's performances at Exeter, and the signing of Gauci - is it finally time to cash in on Olsen 

Get in!