Summer transfer window 2021

[Villarocker]

2 hours ago, M_Afro said:

Of course we missed Grealish but that midfield two will never work. It was exactly the same last week against the Italian side. It was only after Ramsey and Conor came on that we improved. Not good enough.

Our of interest, who do you suggest as the middle two? 

[RicRic]

6 minutes ago, jackbauer24 said:

If, by the clubs own admission, Bailey, Buendia and Ings were brought in to replace Grealish's output, then we have not actually made any progress from last year if we don't buy further players.

Today was abject, but even that aside it is clear we are weak in a few areas - especially midfield. We are very weak as a team, the centre backs lose a lot of battles and the midfield can't hold the ball up at all. We do get pushed aside by teams like Watford because they are physical and press - exactly the same as last year.

If we're not going to invest in the squad further, then I'm not sure there is a real desire to improve rather than just stand still/consolidate our position.

My exact thoughts, i would say we need more on top of what we have to progress 

[Villarocker]

47 minutes ago, jim said:

We’ve just spent the best part of £90m on players from teams like you just mentioned. What makes you think we are suddenly going to go after higher calibration players?

I agree with you btw, I want the board to show real ambition that we want to dine at the top table. So far I’m not convinced they are putting their money where their mouth is. Instead it sounds like there is going to rely on the youngsters to come good and buy the odd £30m player.

I half agree with you. Half because that's what they've shown so far. The other half sits in hope that they'll spend £70-80m on new players before the end of the window. 

[thabucks]

So think we can safely assume JWP is the target  but I do see a situation if we cannot get that deal done we may then turn to Doucoure / Sarr and say Will Hughes instead and then left sided attacker. Would love us to get the athletico CB but that’s just intermediaries no doubt touting us due to our finances. Not sure if I believe the Damsgaard rumours as again it’s an easy link to make. 

Edited August 14, 2021 by thabucks

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

19 minutes ago, jackbauer24 said:

If, by the clubs own admission, Bailey, Buendia and Ings were brought in to replace Grealish's output, then we have not actually made any progress from last year if we don't buy further players.

Today was abject, but even that aside it is clear we are weak in a few areas - especially midfield. We are very weak as a team, the centre backs lose a lot of battles and the midfield can't hold the ball up at all. We do get pushed aside by teams like Watford because they are physical and press - exactly the same as last year.

If we're not going to invest in the squad further, then I'm not sure there is a real desire to improve rather than just stand still/consolidate our position.

We would have lost that game today, even with  Jack.

People are also taking the comments too literally, as if Purslow meant each one of them were 1/3rd of Jack ffs. LMAO

[paul514]

1 hour ago, Delphinho123 said:

Our business has been unbalanced. We’ve bought in good players without a plan. 

We can’t play 4-4-2 because we don’t have the midfield. 

4-2-3-1 is an issue because we can’t play both Ings and Watkins in this formation. 

4-3-3 is an issue because you have to drop Ings or Watkins and potentially Buendia/Bailey.

Anyone saying I’m overreacting is talking nonsense. If you look at my posts for the last few weeks I’ve been telling anyone who’d listen that we need to replace Grealish and buy a defensive midfielder. 

Smith needs to figure out a way to get the best out of what he has. We have some very good players but I’ll be god damned if I know who plays where and in what system. 

I don’t envy his task. The club isn’t giving Ings 100k a week to sit on the bench. I have this horrible, horrible feeling they didn’t expect Grealish to leave and now they’re scrambling around to make good. 

That is exactly the issues at hand.

I like ings, great option to have in place of Watkins or to throw two up front at the end of a game….. but that’s where it ends.

id still sell el Ghazi and bring a better player in his place and I’d buy at least one DCM.

we will never get a better price for AEG than now after last season with two years left on his contract.

[hippo]

I am sensing there is feeling somewhere in the club that we we currently have is good enough to at least equal last seasons showing. To be honest DS knows his footy and despite what he says publicly he must know that we are lightweight in at least some areas.

We need two top performers in that midfield - not iffy players or the pick of the championship. I can't believe the tosh that has been spouted about replacing Grealish. Were not reliant on him because he isn't there !!!. Basically we have replaced Jack with players who may have one decent game in 4 .Jack was there week in week out.

Sort it out - If the funds have dried up tell us.

[RicRic]

Now that his best friend is at the club maybe Raheem Sterling is tempted to join us of City are offloading players BUT i get the sense that many wouldn’t want Sterling here anyway

Edited August 14, 2021 by RicRic

[The Fun Factory]

11 minutes ago, hippo said:

I am sensing there is feeling somewhere in the club that we we currently have is good enough to at least equal last seasons showing. To be honest DS knows his footy and despite what he says publicly he must know that we are lightweight in at least some areas.

We need two top performers in that midfield - not iffy players or the pick of the championship. I can't believe the tosh that has been spouted about replacing Grealish. Were not reliant on him because he isn't there !!!. Basically we have replaced Jack with players who may have one decent game in 4 .Jack was there week in week out.

Sort it out - If the funds have dried up tell us.

That would be a ridiculous viewpoint. As soon as you stop trying to move forward in the premier league you go backwards. Look at Villa between 2010-2016.

This season is  a great opportunity to really add to the squad with the existing transfer budget plus the Grealish sale.

[KevinRichardsonsMoustache]

9 minutes ago, hippo said:

I am sensing there is feeling somewhere in the club that we we currently have is good enough to at least equal last seasons showing. To be honest DS knows his footy and despite what he says publicly he must know that we are lightweight in at least some areas.

We need two top performers in that midfield - not iffy players or the pick of the championship. I can't believe the tosh that has been spouted about replacing Grealish. Were not reliant on him because he isn't there !!!. Basically we have replaced Jack with players who may have one decent game in 4 .Jack was there week in week out.

Sort it out - If the funds have dried up tell us.

I understand the frustration but let’s not forget that Grealish wasn’t a beacon of hope in every game. Esp. teams like the Watfords of this world. Plus, I don’t think we can say how good these players are going to be after one (albeit dismal) showing. Writing them off so soon seems shortsighted. 

We were overrun in midfield today. Almost like it wasn’t there. Grealish’s prowess perhaps detracted from the lack of balance(and strength) there. 
 

Like a lot of posters, I’m not sure Doug is the answer to this problem. I don’t think we really have a proper, quality CDM. I suppose getting one who is ready to roll is easier said than done. *cough* John Makoun *cough*

[VillanousOne]

'According to Calciomercato, Tottenham and Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Sampdoria wonderkid Mikkel Damsgaard.'

seems unlikely
 

[hippo]

3 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said:

That would be a ridiculous viewpoint. As soon as you stop trying to move forward in the premier league you go backwards. Look at Villa between 2010-2016.

This season is  a great opportunity to really add to the squad with the existing transfer budget plus the Grealish sale.

That's from a football viewpoint. 

It's not unusual for owners to stop pumping money in after a few seasons. Looks like it's happening at wolves and one or two others.

[hippo]

1 minute ago, VillanousOne said:

'According to Calciomercato, Tottenham and Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Sampdoria wonderkid Mikkel Damsgaard.'

seems unlikely
 

I agree it seems unlikely.

We don't seem in for that calibre of player. 

[stewiek2]

6 minutes ago, VillanousOne said:

'According to Calciomercato, Tottenham and Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Sampdoria wonderkid Mikkel Damsgaard.'

seems unlikely
 

We need to get our central midfield sorted. Another winger just makes us overblown in that area. We need at least two no shit players who got around the pitch. Oh, and have some pace about them. We're lacking pace massively.

[The Fun Factory]

14 minutes ago, VillanousOne said:

'According to Calciomercato, Tottenham and Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Sampdoria wonderkid Mikkel Damsgaard.'

seems unlikely
 

Very. Papertalk I reckon. Not for £30 million either.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

35 minutes ago, hippo said:

I am sensing there is feeling somewhere in the club that we we currently have is good enough to at least equal last seasons showing. To be honest DS knows his footy and despite what he says publicly he must know that we are lightweight in at least some areas.

We need two top performers in that midfield - not iffy players or the pick of the championship. I can't believe the tosh that has been spouted about replacing Grealish. Were not reliant on him because he isn't there !!!. Basically we have replaced Jack with players who may have one decent game in 4 .Jack was there week in week out.

Sort it out - If the funds have dried up tell us.

I agree with the sentiment of most of your post, but i'm baffled as to how you have reached the conclusion in bold?

Note: Jack wasn't brilliant every week either, and was injured for a third of the season.

The only poor performing new player today was Buendia.

Young was ok, and improved on Targett when moved to his current position.

Bailey with 2 training sessions came on and looked the business.

Ings is definitely no Ollie, but again, it was the first game for them all.

So i'm not getting how you've concluded that.

It's actually our senior players which let us down if anything.

Edited August 14, 2021 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

19 minutes ago, hippo said:

That's from a football viewpoint. 

It's not unusual for owners to stop pumping money in after a few seasons. Looks like it's happening at wolves and one or two others.

If i'm honest, in our case, if they have decided to turn off the tap, it would be more of a worry about Deano, than our finances IMO.

It could indicate that they have either lost trust in him, or are deciding to go in a new direction.

Although, I don't think this is the case, as it stands.

Edited August 14, 2021 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[The Fun Factory]

21 minutes ago, hippo said:

That's from a football viewpoint. 

It's not unusual for owners to stop pumping money in after a few seasons. Looks like it's happening at wolves and one or two others.

Doesn't seem the square with the stated aim of European qualification and pumping millions into the youth set up.

[burchy]

Two DMs needed ASAP in my eyes, one to push Nakamba to the bench (CDM - Doucoure, Tchouameni, Sarr) and the other to compete for Luiz’s place - a Locatelli/Milinković-Savić/Dahoud type.

If we had our current midfielders become our bench options (depending on form) we’d be a lot better off. 
 

A midfield three of 

McGinn/Sanson        Milinković-Savić
                      Doucoure

If I’m being greedy I’d like a No10 too so we go with the below in some games

              Kamada

Doucoure    Milinković-Savić

A tad bit unrealistic I guess but that is what we need. Can we afford three top, top quality players?

We could afford someone like Locatelli but would he come? Milinković-Savić would cost a fair chunk of the Grealish wad but Doucoure and Kamada might be relative cheap options compared to the likes of JWP. 

[GingerCollins29]

Dm is essential for me. Nakamba type, but one who can actually pass and help control the tempo. 

Stick him alongside dougie with mcginn further forward in the 10 role.