jonjon

Just a thought from a neutral, I see on the BBC news that Neil Warnock is looking for some football work until the end of the season while his house in Cornwall is being renovated, instead of getting rid of DS at a great cost why not try and persuade Warnock to help out in an advisory capacity until then, he brings bags of winning experience with him, might not be pretty to watch his brand of football, but he knows how to shore up a defence, because at the moment you are in danger of heading the wrong way unless something is done very quickly, this might be a good short term solution and cheaper!!!

3 hours ago, TRO said:

I guess Hogan was part of that £45 mill?........thanks.

    No, that money made on players sold was from Jan 2019 - Aug 2019, You have Bruce to thank for the Hogan episode in 2017, what a cracking result for us that was !!!!

56 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Mainly because Brentford have managed to tighten up their defense since he left. Smith's main weak point.

It was always our weakest point with DS at the helm, and he seemed very reluctant to change the system, but we spent nearly £35 million (an astronomical amount for us) in the summer on a GK, 3 defenders, one midfield and two forwards, I think we were able to purchased very wisely mainly due to the fact we made £45 million in sales, it has taken us a few months to gel, but is now all coming together and fitting in place, as we now have the best defensive record in the Championship.

1 hour ago, Dave-R said:

Suso and Smith have to be on different pages. I'd put a bet on when Smith writes his list of players that not many if any of the signings we've made have been the exact ones Smith wanted, which means a great deal. If it is happening then Smith has to just make do with what's brought in. Smith will have a vision yet he's unable to truly implement it because the scouts and suso are not bringing the same players in, that will have a big affect on tactics, formation, training  The work around getting to know players is alot longer if Smith ends up with an unknown signing. Smith has to learn that player from scratch, compared to what he would with someone he did the research on and took the time to know and hoped to sign.

I do think suso and Smith are world's apart on signings if it's true its potentially having a negative affect on our season isn't it.

I think you have hit the nail on the head with this one, just take for example the Maupay senario, it was well known this end that DS wanted him and Maupay himself via his social media account wanted to join Villa, but Suso & Purslow didn't want to pay the price (unknown) for whatever reason, and went for Wesley instead, I would imagine that left DS with a player he knew very little about,  against a player he wanted and knew how good he was, DS must have been frothing inwardly, but couldn't express his real feelings.

How many more signings of your have been "recommended" by Suso & Purslow?, so I don't think the entire blame for your predicament should be fostered on DS if some of his wants lists are being ignored or overruled going by what you have said, I think he is working under a different type of management structure than he was with us and that could be detrimental to your predicament, although his reluctance to change his defensive tactics hasn't helped him.

11 hours ago, Villan4Life said:

Unless we offer BIG money mid-season they not selling anyone Zab! I mean like over £20 million plus, some of their very good players and that will get rejected no doubt!

They will ask over £20mil for Bryan Mbeumo that they bought for £5.5mil in summer from Troyes.

Our recruitment team have come up with yet another gem, I think he's an even better buy than Maupay and Benrahma, he has been a joy to watch this season, he's very strong, a runner, tackler, goal provider and can score with his head and feet, and 9 goals already, considering he's only 20 and in his first 6 months in English football, there is so much more I feel to come from him as he seems to gain confidence each time he plays, I wouldn't be surprised to see him fetching well over £20 million and setting a new record amount for us, if we were to sell him.

I can't see us selling anyone in the Jan Window as we are slowly gaining on the top two, and it could be worth players staying with us, just in case we get to the promised land, but offers of BIG money are very hard for a club and player to turn down.

35 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

Benrahma? 

I'm not sure if he's less of a levy type signing or less of a mounrinho type signing 

He doesn't tick either of the 50 international caps or less than £10m boxes 

 Neither did Harry Kane when he first started, but he's turned out OK, and It's only newspaper gossip anyway, sometimes you have to take a gamble. 

3 hours ago, thunderball said:

Didn’t Brentford buy a replacement for Benrahma in the Summer, however Benrahma never moved in the end? Surely a loan with a buy if we stay up is in everyone’s interest?

We signed Halil Dervişoğlu a Turkish under 21 international from Sparta Rotterdam in August and when we didn't sell Benrahma we lent him back to them until Jan 1st, he joined us a couple of days ago and was seen training with the squad yesterday ready for the New Year, I have a feeling, hopefully, that we won't be letting anyone go in the window, but adding to the squad, but it appear from paper talk (if you believe it) that Spurs are now interested in Benrahma, but it's football and a wait and see game, and you just never know what's going to happen!!! 

It's a sellers market in this window, and they hold all the cards, so players won't be cheap, as clubs that are in trouble try and buy themselves out of it.

5 hours ago, Tomaszk said:

I've only seen him wide left and sometimes right.

He's absolutely brilliant but won't sort out the midfield being a mess and letting everyone pass through us and charge on our defence.

This is the season Brentford can get into the playoffs as favourites. Stadium to pay for might be the only reason they would sell.

Griffin Park has already been sold to the developers who are building the new ground for housing, plus four blocks of flats are being built on the land the new ground is situated, and that makes the new stadium virtually self financing, so we have no need to sell any player, but Brentford's policy is not to stand in any players way if they wish to move on, providing the price is right, although the rumors around Brentford are that Benrahma wants to stay until the summer to see if we can get in the Premiership, but on the other hand money talks!!!.

17 hours ago, foreveryoung said:

So lets get this into perspective,

Cannot defend set pieces

Cannot defend against corners

Cannot defend a lead

Keep conceding within 10 minutes after half time

Cannot make our striker work after 18 games, but continues to play him

No tactical changes when needed

Played McGinn injured

Looking no better from the start of the season

Same mistakes being made every game

No aggressiveness from players

Can someone post me the positives.

I have highlighted the same problem he had with us at Brentford, and it doesn't seem to have changed at all, he had no problems with forwards/strikers, but I thought the whole idea of bringing in John Terry was to improved and coach on the defensive side of the game, given his record as a defender and knowledge of the game it sounded very good on paper, but that's about all, because lt is not working, what does he actually do? and does anyone think that JT was brought in as a "token name" to perhaps encourage players to sign for Villa?

I get the feeling from this forum that Purslow & Pitarch have had the final say and forced some of your players on to DS, that could be a big part of the problem, if so, he doesn't warrant some of the stick he gets on here. 

31 minutes ago, foreveryoung said:

Brentford fans were not that gutted,  it was mostly sentiment. Actually remember a Brentford fan coming on here confirming his style of play will not change.

I'm Sorry to say, that was me, I had hoped he would have changed with Villa, but he's carried on from Walsall and us in the same style, a reluctance to change.

3 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Always been the case for Smith's teams.

Ask any Brentford or Walsall fan and they would tell you they would be leaking goals under him.

In fact most Brentford weren't very upset to see him go.

Some were and some weren't, I was one who wasn't very happy he left us, but understood that it was always his ambition to manage Villa, good luck to him for that reason, the problem with him was his defensive shortcomings that were evident at Walsall and now with you, as you have now conceded 33 goals in 18 games, our new head coach changed all that with a different formation, that he changes according to the opposition, made some shrewd purchases including Pontus Jannson from Leeds, and after 23 games we still have only conceded 18 goals, second only to Leeds, so a vast improvement that has now put us in a good position in the table.

Most of us Bees fans couldn't understand why he paid a more money for Wesley instead of going for Maupay, who would have done a much better job for you, and cheaper, that to me was a big mistake, or is it a fact that Pitarch & Purslow have a greater say in transfers than DS?

37 minutes ago, useless said:

 

Rather than just letting Green go for free, or next to nothing, we'd be better off giving him a contract and loaning him to another club who will play him, then I'm certain that he will perform well enough that we'd get more money for him, or well enough to get back into our team, especially if the dreaded spectre of relegation visits our door once again.

That counts us out then as we don't do loans, our management policy is "why should we develop another clubs player"  we have a good B team set up that is a pathway to the 1st team.

Dean will keep you in the Premiership, it might be a close call, but he's Villa through and through and he won't let it happen, besides there are worse teams behind you.

5 hours ago, ciggiesnbeer said:

I think you underestimate how good you lot are at developing players. Andre Green seems like just the kind of value buy you are famous for. I mean that as a compliment.

I know that we develop players year in year out to a high standard, hence we sell on for a good profit, our problem is a small revenue from a small ground, we have to survive by selling our best developed players, but at some time that must stop if we we are to make the Premiership, hopefully moving to our new stadium next season will help our revenue stream.

Regards Andre Green, he does seem like a player who would fit our mould, and it looks good on paper, but if we lose a forward in January we need a player who is match fit and can hit the ground running if we are to maintain and keep our current position, all he's done at Preston is bench warm and had hardly any matches under his belt, I wonder why?

How do you Villa supporters rate him and could he do a job for us?

54 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

While Brentford fans are on here browsing, we need to let then know that anything under 15 million is peanuts for a future England International and talisman Andre Green.... 

It's Xmas time, not April 1st  

7 minutes ago, av1 said:

If I were a Brentford fan my overiding concern about Green would be ability rather then fitness. 

He isn't very good I'm afraid. 

Thank you, I thought as much as it seems strange he can't get into the Preston team, Alex Neil obviously agrees as well, hopefully we will avoid that one!!!

10 minutes ago, av1 said:

I know mate only playing. That would be perfect for us, I just don't see what Brentford would get out of it. With 6 months left on his contract we would probably snap Brentfords arms off for £1m, so if they want him they'd be able to get him without having to include Benrahma into any negotiations. And imo if they do let Benrahma go they wouldn't be doing us any favours regarding loan to buy. 

Just my opinion of course. 

A good opinion as well

We aren't looking to sell anyone, but we could be interested in buying as we are slowly climbing the table, Green could be an option at the right price to cover for injuries etc, although he can't even get into the Preston side, one would have to take his match fitness into question, also, we have a young Turkish forward starting soon who we brought in the summer and loaned him back until Jan 1st.

The downside is that all the focus is now on Ollie Watkins  if you are allowed to count paper talk/click bait as a valid source, even Sky have got in the act saying we have put his price up to £25 million to try and keep him, who knows where they got that news from, 

Also I don't think Benrahma will be going anywhere as he's only just started to play like last season, due to injury problems at the start of the season, he now would be a big gamble at the price we want (undisclosed) and I don't think we would be interested in a loan to buy deal.

4 hours ago, mikeyp102 said:

At Brentford did Smith ever utilise a target man like Wesley or was it more  nimble smaller striker ala Hogan and Maupay?

How long did it take Smith to fully implement his style? 

We have never been blessed with Large target men, Grey, Hogan, Maupay, Jota, Benrahma are all under 6 ft, but effective with the style of on the floor football we now play, rather than hoof it up to large target men, it seems that Dean, when at Brentford prefered small nimble goal getters, that's why I was surprised when he paid a record fee for Wesley (who hasn't exactly pulled up trees) over buying Maupay, (forget about the hearsay on price) but I do wonder, Knowing how much Dean wanted him at Villa, What influence Purslow and Pitarch had over the record signing or other ones? Do you think Maupay would have been a better buy for you?, In Konsa you have a good one there, still prone to a few mistakes, but it was a big step up for him,  he's young and still learning and will only get better.

It didn't take Dean long to implement his own style with us, his main failing was his defensive set up, he seemed very reluctant to make changes, therefore we leaked a lot of silly goals, and that seems to have continued at Villa, our new boss Thomas Frank has changed all that, it took some time, but I think we have got it about right now with a lot stronger defence that have only conceded 17 goals so far, our success so far is down to the fact we break and attack very quickly, knowing that our defence is up to defending should we fail.

He will get it right for you and you will survive, it might only by the skin of your teeth, but you won't come back down.

21 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I can only think it came down to wages, agents fees or something else. Or were they taking the piss with the price to us, but ended up selling him to Brighton for less in actuality?

By all accounts him and Deano have a great relationship and surely he rates him highly.

Remember in the summer with everyone knowing we had rich new owners they were all trying to go a number on us.

The ridiculous fees we were quoted for the likes of Webster and they ended up going for much less?

Thing is we really don't know what goes on behind the scenes.

You are not wrong there, The silly prices quoted for Maupay and others were invented/made up by the papers and click bait sites, all transfers are done and marked up as "undisclosed", therefore only the clubs hierarchy know the real price, the public will only know when the clubs 2019/20 accounts are disclosed in 18 months time if anyone can be interested/bothered .

He did have a very good relationship with Dean, and as far as we know Villa wouldn't pay the asking price (undisclosed) Maupay was gutted apparently, but Brighton then jumped in and obviously met our price(again undisclosed) and the lure of the Premiership was too great to turn down, so the deal was done, inwardly Dean must have been gutted, but had to put on a brave face, because he knew how good Maupay was under him. 

He is slowly getting to grips with the Premiership, and does not look overawed by it all,  (good goal against Palace tonight), at his age give him another year or two and I think he will be not unlike Vardy.

We are on a bit of a charge at the moment and will be desperate to hold on to Benrahma, who hasn't scores many, but is providing plenty of assists and causing havoc and panic in the oppositions defence, so hands off him!!!!

I think Dean will keep you up, you have played some good football at times, but not got the rub of the green. 

17 hours ago, useless said:

Brentford are making a good charge for the play-offs, they're only two points off now having won five of their last six games. Would take a lot of money to get any of their better players, they want to be in the premier league for the first season in their new stadium.

We are on a bit of a role at the moment after a very poor start, our defence has just started to play as one, the addition of David Raya (goal keeeper) and Pontus Jansson has been the major factor, Pontus is not the most skilful player but he has captained the defence with the resoluteness that we were missing, only conceded 13 goals so far, and that has been the key, it has made it easier for our midfield and forwards to do their proper jobs.

The January transfer merry go round will soon be here, that's when the fun and games start, we are pushing for promotion so it will be difficult to see who, if anyone, we sell, Benrahma is slowly getting back to his old form, so he won't come cheap, Ollie Watkins is the star at the moment with 11 goals, and already has a few Premiership clubs looking at him, we have a new Turkish striker starting Jan 1st so that could change things, who knows, Villa are going through a bad patch, but what I've seen of them on TV they have been unlucky and not getting the rub of the green, I'm sure Dean will get you out of it.

4 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

The only thing that matters is that the club did not think Benrahama was worth the money Brentford wanted. Now the future will tell whether Villa or Brentford got it right. Maybe he is sold for £ 50 million next summer. Maybe he has a bang average season and they will be lucky to get £ 12 million. Maybe he breaks his leg and becomes Dean Ashton mkII. 

Hopefully we can let this thread die now and never sign another Brentford player ever again. 

I'm sure the Villa management are going to take a lot of notice of your recommendation  

13 minutes ago, Villarocker said:

"Pretty much done" doesn't rule out any further signings. It could mean that we will sign Benrahma but only if Brentford play ball and we can agree on a fee. 

Imagine Benrahma at Brentford today, knowing that the man that wanted him at Brentford is now managing a massive club in the Premier League with a squad full of internationals that cost over £140m to assemble. I bet right now he and his agent are trying to persuade Brentford's top brass to allow that move to happen. 

I think what everybody seems to forget is the agents role in all this, they are there to make as much money for themselves as possible, with little regards of where their player ends up at, the delays in moves happening could be all down to their greed, with the clubs and player involved just an afterthought.

4 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

I don't know much about this guy to be honest but here's a question.

If this guy is soooo good - why are we the only team to have been in for him?

If you were to believe recent press reports, several teams have "enquired" about him but have been knocked back by the price they offered.