Summer transfer window 2021

[Keyblade]

Just now, Awol said:

Yes, but because Ings doesn’t play as a lone striker. If he’s on the pitch it’ll be with Ollie unless he’s injured. Scrawled this in several threads now, but if you put Liverpool’s shape onto our front 3 then Ings is Firmino. That could work a treat with a high energy midfield behind. 

No way we are playing 4-4-2. 

Ings is skillfull but I don't think he can play the Firmino role quite well. At Southampton it was Adams who was playing that role and Ings was playing the predator role in behind. If we're playing Ings I imagine it'll be as a pure #9 because that's what he excels at.

[VillanOfAston]

10 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Well there we go. 

If we had Grealish right now, I’d be absolutely buzzing for the new season. A front 4 of Grealish, Buendia, Bailey and Watkins is up there with the best in the league and would have seen us really compete.

Buendia, Bailey, Ings and Watkins just isn’t at that level because Grealish is a world class talent and whilst Ings is a very good player, he doesn’t have that creative spark that Jack does (nobody does). 

Like I say, everything points to us doing more business this summer and not just in the defensive midfield position. Colomosse, who has been bang on the money this window, says we’re after an attacking and a defensive midfielder and that’s exactly what we’ll buy (in my opinion). 

 

We are but little minnows in a little Canal, that feeds into a little stream that feeds a river, that flows into a lake, that empties into a sea, that runs into an Ocean!  Of course Purslow and top management knew Jack was going.  The new signings were purchased to replace him, and they clearly stated.

They analysed that Villa could not rely on the creativity of one player and brought in three that would balance out his skills

[Delphinho123]

1 minute ago, VillanOfAston said:

We are but little minnows in a little Canal, that feeds into a little stream that feeds a river, that flows into a lake, that empties into a sea, that runs into an Ocean!  Of course Purslow and top management knew Jack was going.  The new signings were purchased to replace him, and they clearly stated.

They analysed that Villa could not rely on the creativity of one player and brought in three that would balance out his skills

If they knew Grealish was leaving when they signed Buendia, then featuring him in the kit launch was the most stupid thing they’ve done since taking over the club. The commercial cost alone of replacing all of those kits was probably into the thousands. 

Also, of course Purslow is going to come out and say they knew he was going and they signed x, y, z. He’s not going to come out and say we were unprepared so we got Ings in through desperation. 

Our new signings will help us replace Grealish’s output but is it enough to progress and improve on our 11th place finish? I’m not so sure. 

We need more. 

[OutByEaster?]

18 minutes ago, Awol said:

Yes, but because Ings doesn’t play as a lone striker. If he’s on the pitch it’ll be with Ollie unless he’s injured. Scrawled this in several threads now, but if you put Liverpool’s shape onto our front 3 then Ings is Firmino. That could work a treat with a high energy midfield behind. 

Liverpool play a sort of 4-3-1-2. If Ings is Firmino, then presumably Watkins is Salah, who is Mane?

Is it Bailey? If so, does Buendia start on the bench?

For what it's worth, I think we'll play three of the four and rotate one to the bench in each game. 

I still think playing all of them leaves us seriously unbalanced.

 

[GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS]

I've just watched a YouTube bid of Joaquin Correa.

I know it's not going to happen but just imagine for a second

[OutByEaster?]

If we were to play Liverpool's shape, I think we'd be looking at:

------------------------------Martinez----------------------------

Cash-----------Konsa------------Mings-----------Targett

---------Sanson-----------Luiz-------------McGinn----------

-------------------------------Buendia------------------------------

-----------Ings-----------------------------------Watkins--------

With no room for Bailey.

[OutByEaster?]

Whichever way we work it, I think we have great competition up front - for me we should be concentrating everything on improving in the middle of the park.

[Awol]

1 minute ago, OutByEaster? said:

Liverpool play a sort of 4-3-1-2. If Ings is Firmino, then presumably Watkins is Salah, who is Mane?

Is it Bailey? If so, does Buendia start on the bench?

For what it's worth, I think we'll play three of the four and rotate one to the bench in each game. 

I still think playing all of them leaves us seriously unbalanced.

 

Watkins is Mane, Bailey is Salah. 

Buendia as a free roaming AM across the middle and two DM/6 types against the top teams, Buendia, a box-to-box 8 and a DM against the rest. 

That does mean signing one or two more CMs with better defensive attributes (JWP + Doucoure/Sarr) but unless we think Villa are signing £30M players for the bench, this is what makes sense, imo. 

[stegzy]

22 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

Ings is skillfull but I don't think he can play the Firmino role quite well. At Southampton it was Adams who was playing that role and Ings was playing the predator role in behind. If we're playing Ings I imagine it'll be as a pure #9 because that's what he excels at.

I think Ings could play the 10 role pretty well (opponent dependent). When Barkley played that role last season he was almost up alongside Watkins most of the time, which Ings could do, but Ings would track back better and is a lot more tenacious, plus he has a great strike frome edge of the box.

[OutByEaster?]

5 minutes ago, Awol said:

Watkins is Mane, Bailey is Salah. 

Buendia as a free roaming AM across the middle and two DM/6 types against the top teams, Buendia, a box-to-box 8 and a DM against the rest. 

That does mean signing one or two more CMs with better defensive attributes (JWP + Doucoure/Sarr) but unless we think Villa are signing £30M players for the bench, this is what makes sense, imo. 

Liverpool play three midfielders in the centre of the park to give them the stability to have Firmino perform (don't say it), those three don't push forward, they're not there to create, just to manage the game (don't say it), there's no way that Buendia can do a Fabinho job, he'd have to be one of the front three, it's not a system that allows one of the three holding midfielders (don't say it) to roam, it's a sort of (argh)....triple pivot.

Damn.

 

[OutByEaster?]

4 minutes ago, Awol said:

Buendia as a free roaming AM across the middle

The Firmino role?

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Buendia is certainly not a luxury player, his intensity, reading of the game, turn of pace and his ability to press will be revolutionary. There isn't really a particular flaw to his game, except perhaps that he can be a bit rash in the tackle at times. He will essentially be given the freedom to drift in attack, no matter what his defensive positioning, so we could play him on the right side of a pair of 8's if we so choose. 

I have no idea how what 'plan A' is going to be, or if there even will be a 'plan A/B/C'. I have always wanted to support a team with the squad and the tactical flexibility to match up to whatever opponent is put in front of us. Not just to stifle them, but to go out and beat them with style. I'm hoping now is the time I get my wish. 

[burchy]

I still think we’re 3 players off being sorted.

Priority is a progressive DM (Doucoure by all accounts) and then a Tom Riddle replacement. Not many links of real quality here (Cantwell, McNeil, etc). The Correa talk is just that I think as he’ll stay in Italy. An Nkunku or Kamada level signing and we’d be set there though and have real options across the front 3/4 positions. 

Add to the above some GK cover and we’re all good to go.

Personally I’d like to see a Locatelli type come in but I think we’ll hold off on this as McGinn/Luiz will move forward and Sanson should be fit too. We’ve also got Chuk as well. 

I do think it’s our midfield that is the issue, sort this out with some quality and balance and the sky’s the limit.

[OutByEaster?]

I'm with you on that @dont_do_it_doug. - and if we're able to rotate over the season we should be able to keep everyone fit and see out any injuries up top. We just need to get our balance right.

I can't see us playing all four forwards at the same time though, hopefully we won't try to squeeze them all in.

 

[Rightdm00]

39 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

It's because Ings is better than him, and not cover!

See this statement all over this board that you become better by buying better than the current starter at that position. We've done that. 

[Awol]

Just now, OutByEaster? said:

Liverpool play three midfielders in the centre of the park to give them the stability to have Firmino perform (don't say it), those three don't push forward, they're not there to create, just to manage the game (don't say it), there's no way that Buendia can do a Fabinho job, he'd have to be one of the front three, it's not a system that allows one of the three holding midfielders (don't day it) to roam, it's a sort of (argh)....triple pivot.

Damn.

 

I’ve got faith Ings wasn’t a panic signing.. (please god) and based purely on the Walsall game, Buendia has the range and vision to spray passes right across the front three from quite deep in midfield.

Genuinely think JG jeffing off was unexpected and has unleashed a revolution. Who knows how that plays out, but if I’m right then high energy, super dynamic defensive ball-playing CMs is key - and a few of them, to prevent burn out. 

If nothing else it’s genuinely exciting to see what the Villa brain trust has in mind.

[Awol]

PS @OutByEaster? I was laughing at the ‘triple pivot’, not your analysis… 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

2 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

I'm with you on that - I can't see us playing all four forwards at the same time though, hopefully we won't try to squeeze them all in.

 

I think the major plus with Watkins, Ings and Buendia in particular is how willing and able they all are to put in the graft defensively. With a solid and progressive base behind them too, it could work, the problem is we don't currently have that base fit and available. Whether it's in the squad is for the coaching staff to know, but my gut feeling says we would need a better Nakamba to make such a system viable. 

4-2-3-1 isn't reinventing the wheel particularly, but it would take some tweaking, imagination, and a bit more cash IMO. 

[HalfTimePost]

I think if we push either of Watkins or Ings wide we have **** it tbh. Neither will be as effective.

Either...

1) one needs to drop deep and we do something not many have been able to get to work at the top level in what feels like a long time and reinvent 442 (I'm sure somebody will come with some very clever examples)

2) they compete. But I don't think we Chuck £30m at anybody and sit them on the bench. Ings or Watkins. 

I just really hope we don't waste either on the left. I feel like it would be Ollie if either of them and it'll stunt his development. There's a reason nobody was interested in him until after Maupay left Brentford. He was decent but nowhere near the level.

[a m ole]

22 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Liverpool play a sort of 4-3-1-2. If Ings is Firmino, then presumably Watkins is Salah, who is Mane?

Is it Bailey? If so, does Buendia start on the bench?

For what it's worth, I think we'll play three of the four and rotate one to the bench in each game. 

I still think playing all of them leaves us seriously unbalanced.

 

Could well be we’re actually going to act like a top club and use the squad to our advantage, rotate and be able to switch style - not just have less good back up for an 11 that relies on individuals. It’s what City do.