Summer transfer window 2021

[Delphinho123]

2 hours ago, zab6359 said:

I can't understand that even after the CEO has said we have recruited to replace Greedish that some posters just don't get it! We have spent 90mil on three players that will replace his goals, assists and creativity. We are never going to replace him with a like for like player it's totally unrealistic to think like that. 

I'm thrilled with our forward line right now they are going to score lots goals and be a joy to watch. We just need to make sure we are not so soft in midfield now and we will be in for a hell of a season.  We will definately improve on last seasons league position.

We have replaced Grealish’s output, not the player himself.

I’d be shocked if we didn’t bring in another attacking player to play alongside Buendia and Bailey in that front three behind either Watkins or Ings. 

As things stand, all we’ve done is substituted our over reliance on Grealish with Buendia.

We need another creative player otherwise there’s no chance we’ll finish in the top 10 this season (In my opinion). 

[Delphinho123]

7 hours ago, HalfTimePost said:

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.

100% agree. 

I think it will become apparent exactly which route we’re going down on Saturday. If we play Ings and Watkins up front together, we’ll get slaughtered in the middle of the park and it will just go to show that Ings was brought in without a plan. 

Watkins is a striker, and a bloody good one at that. There is no need to play him off the left. 

[QldVilla]

2 hours ago, Aston_Villan4 said:

Because he didn’t say they were brought in to replace Grealish. They wanted depth and to reduce reliance on Grealish regardless of him leaving. Buendia and Bailey have attributes to cover the Grealish sized hole if he left but they were hoping both would come in to play alongside Grealish. That’s what was targeted. Purslow also said they set the release clause high enough that they’d hoped no one would be able to reach it. So again, they weren’t planning for Grealish to leave. They were preparing and recruiting around the possibilities of him either staying or going. These players covered both of those situations.

I agree with what your saying, but thought Purslow said in the interview that they couldn’t replace Grealish, but tried to replace him statistically with Buendia, Bailey and Ings. 

It does ask the question with Buendia if he was part of the make up he was bought way before there was an inkling Grealish could be off. Or was it?

Smith said at the end of last season that they weren’t going to do a lot of business and Buendia and Young came in quickly, which suggests they were pre organised transfers. Also the rumours of Ward-Prowse and Smith-Rowe appear to have had legs.

I do believe the Bailey, Ings transfers were in reaction to Man City interest, and was a good narrative to throw in Buendia to appease the fans.

But I also look at when the Man City rumours started prior to the Euros, someone knew something and would be surprised if the club didn’t know they were prepared to trigger the clause.

I also agree that the club knew this was coming and had a plan should it occur, someone asking for a release clause screams wanting to move and City knew what the trigger was. I just wonder if the club was expecting this before the end of last season, it makes more sense in how they have done their business.

[Kiwivillan]

11 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

100% agree. 

I think it will become apparent exactly which route we’re going down on Saturday. If we play Ings and Watkins up front together, we’ll get slaughtered in the middle of the park and it will just go to show that Ings was brought in without a plan. 

Watkins is a striker, and a bloody good one at that. There is no need to play him off the left. 

Heat maps last season he's heavily on the left. We won't get slaughtered in the middle with a 433 or 4321 

Edited August 11, 2021 by Kiwivillan

[Delphinho123]

Just now, Kiwivillan said:

Heat maps last season he's heavily on the left

There’s a difference from drifting over to the left to playing over there and holding your position. 

I think Watkins will do a job out there if he is asked because I think he’s a terrific player, I’d just prefer a more specialist creative, attacking midfielder in that position. 

(or a new AMC if Buendia plays on the left). 

[Kiwivillan]

5 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

There’s a difference from drifting over to the left to playing over there and holding your position. 

I think Watkins will do a job out there if he is asked because I think he’s a terrific player, I’d just prefer a more specialist creative, attacking midfielder in that position. 

(or a new AMC if Buendia plays on the left). 

Watkins Ings Bailey would be no different from Liverpool setup Mane Firmino Salah other than possibly quality but Ings has much better conversion rate than Firmino 

Buendia won't play on the left and he'll most likely play behind front 3. He does a lot of work defensively off ball in middle 3rd and can pick a pass from deep. See Walsall game

Edited August 11, 2021 by Kiwivillan

[Delphinho123]

20 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

Watkins Ings Bailey would be no different from Liverpool setup Mane Firmino Salah other than possibly quality but Ings has much better conversion rate than Firmino 

Buendia won't play on the left and he'll most likely play behind front 3. He does a lot of work defensively off ball in middle 3rd and can pick a pass from deep. See Walsall game

I see what you’re saying but Mane is more of a wide player with his creativity and dribbling skills. I’m not sure Watkins is that type. Like I say, I think he’ll do a job there and the system is perhaps similar to Liverpool’s.

Happy with Buendia as the 10 in behind. I imagine he’s good enough to play anywhere along that front 3. 

[PieFacE]

3 hours ago, VillaHatesMe said:

I think it's pretty simple. It'll look something like this

 

                                        Watkins

Buendia                                                            Bailey/Traore

 

                                         Ings

 

All four rotating spots based on who has the ball and where they have it. Positional play/fluidity. The modern game.

I think it would look more like...

                      Ings

Watkins                       Bailey

                   Buendia

          McGinn     Luiz

As soon as Buendia touches the ball I could see all of our front 3 running in behind to look for a through ball. 

[Kiwivillan]

8 minutes ago, PieFacE said:

I think it would look more like...

                      Ings

Watkins                       Bailey

                   Buendia

          McGinn     Luiz

As soon as Buendia touches the ball I could see all of our front 3 running in behind to look for a through ball. 

It'll be Nakamba for Luiz early but I think that's how we'll line up. It's  diamond 42121 which is basically 433 4231 in transitions 

[romavillan]

2 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

It'll be Nakamba for Luiz early but I think that's how we'll line up. It's  diamond 42121 which is basically 433 4231 in transitions 

I think we've deffo got the players to play that way now, we've also got Young as a left winger if we want to switch to a 4-2-3-1 or the 4-3-3 of last year. We've got a lot of options all of a sudden.

[Radness]

1 hour ago, Delphinho123 said:

We have replaced Grealish’s output, not the player himself.

I’d be shocked if we didn’t bring in another attacking player to play alongside Buendia and Bailey in that front three behind either Watkins or Ings. 

As things stand, all we’ve done is substituted our over reliance on Grealish with Buendia.

We need another creative player otherwise there’s no chance we’ll finish in the top 10 this season (In my opinion). 

Bailey got 9 assists to go with his 9 goals last season. I think his pace and unpredictability will stretch oppositions and create space for others.

[WallisFrizz]

4 minutes ago, Radness said:

Bailey got 9 assists to go with his 9 goals last season. I think his pace and unpredictability will stretch oppositions and create space for others.

This is what I’m hoping. 

[Delphinho123]

13 minutes ago, Radness said:

Bailey got 9 assists to go with his 9 goals last season. I think his pace and unpredictability will stretch oppositions and create space for others.

Definitely. Looks to be a very good signing. 

[villaglint]

Everyone talks about replacing Grealish but wont anybody spare a thought for poor Ross Barkley. I realise he didnt do much but I'd say he still needs replacing in the team/squad for next year. As it is we look like starting with either Carney or J Ramsey in that position on Saturday. That should tell everyone that we need more strength in that area for the season ahead. 

[foreveryoung]

We gonna start crying soon. Officially we have actually spent nothing, Wes and Eden's out!!

[jacketspuds]

Every time I think about our summer business so far I always seem to forget 1 player. I frequently think “Ings and Buendia are going to be great for us”.

But, I completely forget that we also have Bailey in our squad as well, and are now in a position where we have more high quality players that could help our more inconsistent ones.

I’m sure this season we will see Traore play even better, especially as he will have better players around him. I’m sure he will be delighted to play with more players with his level of class, as opposed to the 2nd half of last season where he had Barkley over-hitting passes to him and not really being on his wavelength.

Last summers transfer window was excellent, but this summer we are a couple of signings away from having the best transfer window I can remember, despite Grealish leaving.

Edited August 11, 2021 by jacketspuds

[mikeyp102]

It’s signing Wednesday 

[Delphinho123]

5 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said:

It’s signing Wednesday 

[Kiwivillan]

53 minutes ago, villaglint said:

Everyone talks about replacing Grealish but wont anybody spare a thought for poor Ross Barkley. I realise he didnt do much but I'd say he still needs replacing in the team/squad for next year. As it is we look like starting with either Carney or J Ramsey in that position on Saturday. That should tell everyone that we need more strength in that area for the season ahead. 

This has to be a joke post?

[villaglint]

1 minute ago, Kiwivillan said:

This has to be a joke post?

I'm saying I think we still need need an attacking midfielder before the transfer window closes. A lot of people on here saying the same. I don't see the joke?