Speculation Transfer Speculation (Winter 2014)

[Rovers13]

I don't know if holtby and Westwood would get along after that tackle at villa park hahaha.

[AVTuco]

I wouldn't bring in anyone, unless the deal is very good. Or a loan till the end of season.

We can stay up with these players we have. No question about it.

I'd hate to use our limited purchase power into something just to be safe.

Of course, I presume we get better offers in the summer. Which is not necessarily so.

Just don't panic Lambert.

I do agree with this, but having said that if we can get someone we'd look at in the summer anyway then why not?

Yes Tom, I tried to say that in the beginning: "unless the deal is very good", but can see now that I failed a bit. Anyways, don't do anything hasty Paul or just for the sake of it.

[jacketspuds]

Also, I think at best it might have to be a loan signing in January. Transfer fees are always inflated next month. So one loan deal is most likely.

Experienced player loan signing or another younger (cheaper) option?

[Sunny*Nunny]

Also, I think at best it might have to be a loan signing in January. Transfer fees are always inflated next month. So one loan deal is most likely.

Hi HH

Without giving too much away, is something close to being agreed and are you aware which position is most likely?

It would be nice to see something happen sooner rather than later.

[VillakevBromsgrove]

I think we all need to relax a little, some of the comments are way over the top and not very well thought out. There is a bigger picture and whilst some can see it others are determined not to. I have seen that DB was a waste of money even though he saved us from relegation and the loss of revenue that entailed. PL has got a new squad for little money, the problem is we are a counter attacking team and when teams sit back we struggle, we have centre forwards who would normally help us get round this but who are injured or not at their best, To accuse RL of things with no proof just hearsay is ridiculous. RL may have saved our club from financial ruin by taking the action he took. He may well provide funds for new players of better quality but it will be in a more controlled and prudent way. No person myself included moaned when he first came in but it did not work for what ever reason. He obviously has a plan and PL is happy to work to it. We may not see the plan but should not see them as clueless because we can not work out what the plan is. One thing for certain is if funds are going to be released then they wont broadcast it.

It is pretty obvious to a blind man why we struggle at home so I am pretty certain PL knows this and will put it right. Against the lower teams we will struggle as they sit back and keep it tight, today will be no exception, if we can get our forwards to get a goal and a bit of confidence than this will change as teams realise sitting back will not work.

Whilst I agree a loan signing may happen it has also been said that PL and RL are against this as we have been stung before with them. This season will again be about survival and getting mid table. PL is achieving this so RL is happy, next season though things may change as funds start to improve.

[jacketspuds]

Also, I think at best it might have to be a loan signing in January. Transfer fees are always inflated next month. So one loan deal is most likely.

Hi HH

Without giving too much away, is something close to being agreed and are you aware which position is most likely?

It would be nice to see something happen sooner rather than later.

Nothing concrete. But it is the road the club is most likely to go down and the position will be a creative midfield type. As for the question about experience, I'm sure the manager would prefer that but most importantly he just needs a good player. As always, how much it costs will dictate to a certain extent who can be brought in.

Cheers HH. It's good to have someone on here to manage expectations a bit. Good to see we are after a creative midfielder, as that 1 position may have a significant impacy on how we play.

Anyway, here's hoping for a good win today, and a bit more luck with injuries for the rest of the season.

[SeanO]

 

That's why it's pointless. Anyone who spends £40 to go and watch a shite team, who can't score goals and players not good enough for the division needs their head seeing too.

Even if money was available, I wouldn't trust lambert to bring in a decent player for the position we need. We'd end up with a tall bloke from Slovakia to stick up front if be take, kozak, Bowery, gabby, Weimar or helenius was injured.

Yip that's right benteke was a rubbish signing. So was vlaar. So was Westwood. So was lowton. The £800,000 on bacuna was a complete waste of money. And he fluked keeping benteke at the club. Have you ever read your messages back and realised how silly you sound. Be critical if you want but if you want people to actually take you seriously on here then try not to write rubbish!

 

HH, I don't agree with your observations of these players, Benteke is the only one who is any good the others are average at best.

Vlaar isn't up to the standard when fit but (and I blame PL for this) is probably our best CH.

Westwood isn't up to much, he doesn't have a great range of passing nor does he tackle well both of which I believe are important for a centre midfielder.

Lowton is slower than Garth Barry! I don't dislike him as I always feel he tries his best but it's rarely good enough.

Bacuna is a strange one as in what position should he play? You are right however as 800,000k is about his value.......which is probably a championship clubs fee, about his level.

 

Sorry mate I honestly don't think we have a lot of talent at the club, in fact I would go as far as to say this is the worse squad of players that I can recall in the 40+ years that I have watched Villa apart from the dross of 87.

 

If I met up with Lambert I would ask him why he has brought so many poor players from Europe and has stopped bringing our youngster through. I really feel sorry for Gardner and co under this manager.

[Morpheus]

Question HH.

If we continue on this poor run do you think extra funding will be made available to Lambert if he asks for it?

Edited December 26, 2013 by Morpheus

[John]

I was rather hoping for a little more than possibly one loan signing HH. Other teams will spend in the window to try to be sure they stay up and whilst we have the points advantage at present we have 2 home games that we now need to get 4 points from as a minimum to keep that gap as it is.

 

I think the bomb squad arguement has to stop soon because most of them have gone now. We need to make an investment in our squad over the next 2 windows rather than again aim to spend peanuts on a high risk low fee transfer policy to attract fans to matches in the numbers the club budgets for and to do something other than flirt with the relegation zone this season and next. A central defender, a holding player in the middle and one that can create something would do for me. If say 2 have to be quality players brought in on loan then so be it but 1 player is not going to fix things given our form at home and now away.     

[VillakevBromsgrove]

surely though buying now has a negative effect in the summer pot. a player got for 8m now with the wages etc would probably take 15m out of the summer pot without actually having a significant effect on the team now.

It could well be PL gets 35-40m in the summer on players that together will take us to the next step.

[John]

"It could well be PL gets 35-40m in the summer on players that together will take us to the next step". It could also be that he gets less than we get from players we sell which I think is sadly where my money would be VillakevBromsgrove. If the players are there during this window we should try to get them in now in the way other clubs will do or we should try to get a couple in on loan possibly with a view to buy to give us a lift now. But I accept that neither seem likely to happen as this would see money taken away from the balance sheet to invest into the playing side. 

[Denis_B]

Well done HairyHands - managing to placate some on here with the tempting prospect of ONE LOAN signing in January to try and keep our place in the Prem. Is Lambert REALLY happy with his lot or is he just trying to enhance his reputation for managing on a budget hoping to move on in the Summer? He MUST have expected more from the owner than this.

[markavfc40]

 

It could well be PL gets 35-40m in the summer on players that together will take us to the next step.

 

I am not saying your wrong but this has been said by some for the last 3 or 4 windows and nothing like that has been spent. If I was a betting man I'd say it is highly unlikely we will be spending anything like 40 mill in the summer. The squad needs that kind of investment though as it is in a very poor state at present.

We need 4 or 5 proven at this level quality players. Being realistic in the main you are not going to get a proven quality player for anything less than 7 mill. The biggest stumbling block though is that they are going to want wages that reflect their quality and that will be in excess of 40k per week. I don't see us paying that and whilst that remains the case we will continue to sign players who give 100%, some with a degree of promise ability wise, but most likely to be shown to be constantly struggling to consistently perform at this level. Basically players who are out of their depth.

[Tayls]

I would love to know what Randy thinks of our current squad and the players we have been signing recently... Does he see them as good talents that will enhance the squad and allow us to be where we want to be (God knows where that is...) or does he just see them as money makers that we can sell on when they become good? I just want to know his thoughts for once. Shame we will never know....unless we are actually relegated then all will become clear.

[Villan4Life]

Also, I think at best it might have to be a loan signing in January. Transfer fees are always inflated next month. So one loan deal is most likely.

Can you ask Lambert to have look at Holtby or Sigurddson on loan? seems like they want Holtby out and would be perfect see article i posted few pages back

[McGregor1888]

I don't quite understand the rave reviews Holtby is getting around here.  He scored a nice goal for Spurs the other week but, beyond that, he has struck me as a pretty mediocre player.

[VillakevBromsgrove]

You could well be right about the summer pot but we can hope. There has to be some light at the end of the tunnel though, it does not make sense that PL would come here to run a club with these restraints on a permanent basis, surely he would know this could make or break him. The fact he looked at players and was told no suggests to me that it is only a matter of time before funds will be released and this is what is keeping him going. This is probably why RL rings him after every game to offer him encouragement and support. If there was not a plan to invest then these calls would be taken the wrong way by PL and he would surely just leave. No I believe there is a plan and it may start to become evident next summer.

[StefanAVFC]

 

 

That's why it's pointless. Anyone who spends £40 to go and watch a shite team, who can't score goals and players not good enough for the division needs their head seeing too.

Even if money was available, I wouldn't trust lambert to bring in a decent player for the position we need. We'd end up with a tall bloke from Slovakia to stick up front if be take, kozak, Bowery, gabby, Weimar or helenius was injured.

Yip that's right benteke was a rubbish signing. So was vlaar. So was Westwood. So was lowton. The £800,000 on bacuna was a complete waste of money. And he fluked keeping benteke at the club. Have you ever read your messages back and realised how silly you sound. Be critical if you want but if you want people to actually take you seriously on here then try not to write rubbish!

 

HH, I don't agree with your observations of these players, Benteke is the only one who is any good the others are average at best.

Vlaar isn't up to the standard when fit but (and I blame PL for this) is probably our best CH.

Westwood isn't up to much, he doesn't have a great range of passing nor does he tackle well both of which I believe are important for a centre midfielder.

Lowton is slower than Garth Barry! I don't dislike him as I always feel he tries his best but it's rarely good enough.

Bacuna is a strange one as in what position should he play? You are right however as 800,000k is about his value.......which is probably a championship clubs fee, about his level.

 

 

What a load of bollocks. 

[Brumstopdogs]

Would be surprised if Holtby be would be a Lambert type of player.

 

The way he has set us up is to hoof the ball therefore I wouldn't be surprised to see another 6 foot plus forward rather than an attacking midfielder with decent technique.

[Raymond]

Would be surprised if Holtby be would be a Lambert type of player.

The way he has set us up is to hoof the ball therefore I wouldn't be surprised to see another 6 foot plus forward rather than an attacking midfielder with decent technique.

Ever consider he plays that way because he does not have the money to buy players who can play any other way?