Transfer Speculation Summer 2017

[Guest av1]

3 minutes ago, Michael118 said:

Exactly this for me except I would be looking to upgrade on Chester as well and I prefer Amavi over Taylor.

With stronger centre backs and Jedinak sitting in front of them we can afford to go with Amavi who in my view is our best and most creative player when confident and in form.

Can't agree with any of the second sentence. 

With a strong defence, the midfield setup wouldn't need to be so pragmatic. Can't agree with your opinion of Amavi either. He isn't creative at all. 

[skarroki]

@bobzy

With Newcastle and Brighton going up, I feel we have the strongest squad in the championship. The only team I'd fear coming down is Middlesbrough, maybe Swansea too so hopefully Hull go down instead. 

Out of all the remaining sides in the championship the only one I have any envy for is Leeds, they have some good players and a very good manager. I think Green is a better keeper, Taylor is maybe the best left back in the league and they have some excellent young wingers, good centre backs too and they are set up to get goals for Wood. 

Having said that, as I pointed out at the start, I think overall we have the better squad. A more proven manager too. And I can see a situation where Leeds finish 7th and the nutcase board sack Monk and sell off there best players. If that was the case I'd be looking to sack Bruce, bring in Monk and tell him to bring over from Leeds anyone he thought would improve our side

[Michael118]

1 hour ago, av1 said:

Can't agree with any of the second sentence. 

With a strong defence, the midfield setup wouldn't need to be so pragmatic. Can't agree with your opinion of Amavi either. He isn't creative at all. 

For me you play your best players in their best positions. I rate Amavi and Bacuna as our best players and ideally would have them at LB & RB. They are both naturally attacking players though so for it to work optimally we would need two top quality centre backs which we haven't got along with a top quality CDM which we have in Jedinak.

Amavi and Bacuna are not exactly terrible defensively either. Amavi has looked out of sorts but it went downhill for him around the time Bruce arrived and when the offer from China was announced. It's all confidence with him and that can be fixed.

If we brought in the right centre backs the back 4/5 would be solid and attacking and strike a better balance than what we currently have.

Edited April 28, 2017 by Michael118

[Guest av1]

1 minute ago, Michael118 said:

 I rate Amavi and Bacuna as our best players

Wow. 

Its thats your view mate i don't think me and you are going agree 

[Demitri_C]

On 4/27/2017 at 07:45, bobzy said:

No and no.

But I'm still of the belief that he's a decent defender and is better than Nathan Baker. He'll continue to do well-to-alright at Newcastle. 

I think the clark we knew will be more evident next season. He is poor at PL level as is Baker but both have shone at this level. In fact i think I saw glimpses of clark of old didnt he score an own goal earlier this season?

[sne]

Not Johnstone

Bree/Hutton           Chester         Baker             Taylor

 

Jedinak

  Lansbury              Hourihane

 

   Adomah                                           Green  

Kodija

This 11 should be better than most or every team we face next season. For me 4-3-3 is the formation we are most suited to, by far.

A bench with  Hogan, Grealish? Amavi? DeLaet & Bjarnason coming back from injury would leave us to need  a new CB to challenge/replace Baker, a DCM to challenge/replace Jedi, 1 or 2 new goalies and if possible another wide option, CM (Veretout?) and striker. 

4-6 signings to have a very good and complete squad and a by Championship standards great starting 11.

As I said I already think we already have a rather solid starting 11 and I feel Bruce has fallen well short of developing it into to a functioning team and system so far.

Really hope Bruce and his team can work some magic during the pre-season, because with a few signings he will have the tools to be at the very top of the league next season.

Anything else, and I wan't him gone before the season is beyond us. 

I demand (in a very behind my keyboard and in no position to make demands) a total 180 transformation from what we've seen so far.

My patience with Bruce is wearing thin, but as he'll be here for the start of next season this is what I expect to see.

[Hoof hearted]

2 hours ago, Michael118 said:

I rate Amavi and Bacuna as our best players

[dn1982]

45 minutes ago, sne said:

Not Johnstone

Bree/Hutton           Chester         Baker             Taylor

 

Jedinak

  Lansbury              Hourihane

 

   Adomah                                           Green  

Kodija

This 11 should be better than most or every team we face next season. For me 4-3-3 is the formation we are most suited to, by far.

A bench with  Hogan, Grealish? Amavi? DeLaet & Bjarnason coming back from injury would leave us to need  a new CB to challenge/replace Baker, a DCM to challenge/replace Jedi, 1 or 2 new goalies and if possible another wide option, CM (Veretout?) and striker. 

4-6 signings to have a very good and complete squad and a by Championship standards great starting 11.

As I said I already think we already have a rather solid starting 11 and I feel Bruce has fallen well short of developing it into to a functioning team and system so far.

Really hope Bruce and his team can work some magic during the pre-season, because with a few signings he will have the tools to be at the very top of the league next season.

Anything else, and I wan't him gone before the season is beyond us. 

I demand (in a very behind my keyboard and in no position to make demands) a total 180 transformation from what we've seen so far.

My patience with Bruce is wearing thin, but as he'll be here for the start of next season this is what I expect to see.

That's roughly what we've had since end of Jan but the footballs crap. For me for us to become a better team we need to get rid of Hutton. Bree or De Laet next season. I want an improvement on Baker he's done well this year but he can be improved. Hopefully Amavi can learn off Taylor as Amavi has more to him going forward but Taylor is Mr Consistent defensively. It's the midfield where if we are to become a good footballing side most work needs to be done. In a battle Jedinak is ideal but we either have to trust Hourihane and Lansbury in a 2 or we have to buy another CM. Playing 3 because we've not got 2 good enough to play on their own hinders us attacking wise. For me we need to look to have a team that doesn't need Jedinak. Attacking wise we should be doing a lot better with the quality we've got. Bruce has made his summer a lot harder by not experimenting more but he made this season a lot easier for himself. Now he has to get a team together from virtual scratch and get then playing a certain way we're yet to see. As you point out I just hope he does before it's too late again. 

[Pez1974]

It appears the general consensus is fine tuning rather than another overhaul; I'd agree with that 100%. 
We need to build assuming promotion, so we can't afford to simply buy Championship squad players who we (hopefully) will want to sell next summer. But we cannot ignore FFP and need to be sensible, like the business in January. Obviously, clearing a load of deadwood out will help enormously.

A new keeper won't be disruptive to the squad, unless he's shit.

We definitely need a new CB; whether to replace Baker in the team or act as back up should depend upon what's available and for how much.

If Amavi goes, either risk De Laet or Hutton providing cover, or get someone in akin to Bree, who will develop.

Someone to cover Jedi is very important. If it isn't Lyden, then I suspect we will have to spend good money in this position.

Left wing seems a odd claim for some; we have Thor and Green - why would we need more? Grealish and even Kodjia can cover, albeit not brilliantly.

Upfront, Kodjia and Hogan need to develop together, but I suspect as a Plan B as we seem set-up for 4-3-3 at present. Perhaps bring in a loanee as cover, as we shouldn't be spending big money on this position for a 3rd transfer window running.

 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

7 new players. Seven. I can't get my head around anyone thinking that is necessary, or even wanting it to happen. 

Who are you replacing in the team with these 7 new signings?? 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

A keeper, a winger, a Jedinak alternative. If we move Amavi on maybe we need a left back, though I wonder if De Laet can switch sides? Whoscored lists him as left/right sided.

Assuming they are quality players, what else do we need? Hourihane has had a slow start, maybe we should bin him off? 

[DCJonah]

51 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

A keeper, a winger, a Jedinak alternative. If we move Amavi on maybe we need a left back, though I wonder if De Laet can switch sides? Whoscored lists him as left/right sided.

Assuming they are quality players, what else do we need? Hourihane has had a slow start, maybe we should bin him off? 

I still think another striker. 

We don't score enough goals and rely far too heavily on kodjia. Hogan looks awful, Gabby won't be consistent and God knows what state McCormack will turn up in. 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

7 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

I still think another striker. 

We don't score enough goals and rely far too heavily on kodjia. Hogan looks awful, Gabby won't be consistent and God knows what state McCormack will turn up in. 

They've just spent £9m on Hogan, they're not going to give up on him already. It just isn't going to happen, even if you/others have. We also have RHM pushing. 

I'd stake my house on us not signing ANOTHER striker. If I had a house to stake. 

[Dr_Pangloss]

8 hours ago, av1 said:

Middlesbrough concede very few goals and are going down.

I don't think that goal conceded stats alone point to a strong defence. Imo that is down to Bruce's pragmatic style and midfield set up, which also effects our forward play. 

I don't care what the stats say, the defence needs strengthening with a new keeper, a new left back, and at least 1 center back. Chester aside, we have 1 bloke that gives himself concussion getting out of of bed. We then have Elphick and Richards. 

Needs strengthening. 

 

Nice to see a non-naive view on our defence, spot on, although I think Taylor is good enough for left back - but we could do with some steady cover. 

[Dr_Pangloss]

Priorities are clearly a keeper and a left winger. Then a centre half pairing for Chester and a central midfielder. Midfield doesn't work for me, would like to see a 'starter' signed in that position in order to create genuine competition there. We basically need a Pritchard type of player.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

6 hours ago, av1 said:

Wow. 

Its thats your view mate i don't think me and you are going agree 

I like @Michael118 posts in general but sometimes he astounds me with things! lol

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

I love the new comments he has made, Bruce says he is looking for up to 4 QUALITY players, and ideally even Premier League Quality.

This is exactly where we should be going.

Get rid of the loan/fringe players wages, and pump it into fewer, but higher quality players which will improve the first team.

[striker]

On 4/27/2017 at 13:59, bobzy said:

As I say, I agree on the goalkeeper.

We don't need a centre half  - our defence is 5th best in the division.  Sure, we could upgrade but absolutely not "woefully deficient" here.  Andre Green/Jack Grealish/Bjarnason as wide left players in this division is absolutely fine too.  Again, could upgrade... but fine.

Maybe on a central midfielder, but I actually think the key is to get the team working well together.  A lot of what we're doing wrong is down to the style of play.  Get that midfield passing and moving more!  Perhaps Jedinak will be a weak link in that, no idea.

Either way, I just don't see 4 signings for the first team as being necessary.  Our squad is good for the Championship.  Not amazingly strong/walk the league stuff, but should be good enough to challenge automatic promotion/be in the playoffs next season.

I honestly don't think 'not amazingly strong' or challenging for the playoffs is going to be good enough. With Villa's resources and current squad Villa should be looking at destroying the Championship next season by being exactly 'amazingly strong.' There simply can't be anymore excuses if Xia backs the manager again.

Edited April 28, 2017 by striker

[DCJonah]

52 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

They've just spent £9m on Hogan, they're not going to give up on him already. It just isn't going to happen, even if you/others have. We also have RHM pushing. 

I'd stake my house on us not signing ANOTHER striker. If I had a house to stake. 

I'm not giving up on him but i still think we need more than 2 strikers who we can rely on and that's if Hogan can turn things around. 

I'd love to see Sam Gallagher from Southampton, was very impressed when we played Blackburn earlier in the year. 

[GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS]

Still need a striker who can hold the ball up well and act as a bit of a battering ram.  Sam Gallagher would fit that role nicely.

Also Hogan and RHM strike me as being very similar - small, light, speedy... not complaining but we need different kinds of striker to give us options when plan A isn't working. 

Edited April 28, 2017 by GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS