Summer transfer window 2021

[MWARLEY2]

Over £200 million net spent in the last 25 months on players. They have earned the right to balance the books  ( once they buy one more midfielder !!)

[est1874]

4 minutes ago, MWARLEY2 said:

Over £200 million net spent in the last 25 months on players. They have earned the right to balance the books  ( once they buy one more midfielder !!)

In fairness, not to seem ungrateful, but for a club which was struggling in the Championship less than 4 years ago, £200m over 25 months is probably about right just to stand still in the PL.

[KAZZAM]

Witsel to Juve, McKennie to Villa? Make it so. 

[paul514]

15 minutes ago, MWARLEY2 said:

Over £200 million net spent in the last 25 months on players. They have earned the right to balance the books  ( once they buy one more midfielder !!)

If they let us know the taps are turned off then sure, that's fine.

[Dirtysanchez]

Really hope our business isn’t done. A nice surprise holding mid before deadline day would be perfect, I’ve given up on the idea of Bissouma coming unfortunately 

[hippo]

26 minutes ago, Xela said:

We've got a bigger net spend than other teams with much higher revenue than us. Even Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs have to balance their books every now and again. We can't keep spending £100m net every season, despite how much we would like to! 

Agreed. But we are unlikely to progress much further without such spending.

When we got relegated we had to spend quite heavily to even build a championship side.

Then on promotion with the help of a few loans we had to invest heavily again.

This close season was the first time we could add to a solid base. 

[WHY]

17 minutes ago, est1874 said:

In fairness, not to seem ungrateful, but for a club which was struggling in the Championship less than 4 years ago, £200m over 25 months is probably about right just to stand still in the PL.

I agree but think they knew what was needed to stabilise us in the PL. They have probably spent with buying the club and transfers so far, what it would cost to buy Newcastle. Whilst they have spent a lot the money, its probably a fair valuation of what the club is worth. Basically they got a bargain when buying us. I’m not undermining what they have done btw. They been great for us but their investment is well protected atm,, given the amount they paid initially.

Edited August 25, 2021 by WHY

[Awol]

2 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

If Bailey and Buendia don’t impress, we could get dragged into a dogfight. 

They’ve impressed me already!

As per the previous 10,000 versions of this conversation, if we can get in a real quality starter for the DM role we’re good.

Kicking the ring out of it I’d like damsgaard too, but JPB was our best player in pre-season and I’d happily give him the chance to make that wing forward shirt his own. 

Add one of Doucoure, Sarr or McKinnie (if Deano sees him as a DM) and we’ve had a great, great summer. 

[Kiwivillan]

41 minutes ago, Dirtysanchez said:

Really hope our business isn’t done. A nice surprise holding mid before deadline day would be perfect, I’ve given up on the idea of Bissouma coming unfortunately 

 What if Smith wants to play Luiz and McGinn in a 2 or 3 midfield with no new DM regardless how much VT and Villa social media posters repeat this need DM mantra?

[Paulie]

McKennie would be unbelievable business.

[flashingqwerty]

8 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

 What if Smith wants to play Luiz and McGinn in a 2 or 3 midfield with no new DM regardless how much VT and Villa social media posters repeat this need DM mantra?

Then he's naive, shortsighted, and unlikely to keep his job.

Last season, we conceded more shots per game than all but a couple of teams.

The reason for this, is that a midfield of McGinn and Luiz isn't competitive enough at this level to adequately prevent teams getting within shooting range.  And that was with Grealish pulling 2/3 players to him, giving them more space to do their job.

Without him, they will now have to work harder, as, despite bringing in good players we did not sign someone so good that teams will double and triple up on them.  Both need more time and space than you generally are allowed at this level.

We can't rely on Martinez having another stella season and making a disproportionate number of saves to hide the fact that our midfield exposes the defence far too easily.

Its been mentioned already that the most successful teams in England over the last 20+ years have all had a dedicated CDM - and there is a bloody good reason for that!

[paul514]

4 hours ago, hippo said:

Agreed. But we are unlikely to progress much further without such spending.

When we got relegated we had to spend quite heavily to even build a championship side.

Then on promotion with the help of a few loans we had to invest heavily again.

This close season was the first time we could add to a solid base. 

True, but they have put enough in for us not to demand a change in owners if the spending taps are turned off.

The issue currently is if that’s the case they haven’t let the fans know so our expectations are out of whack, myself included as we expect 100m net spends as that’s what we have had so far.

[Delphinho123]

7 hours ago, flashingqwerty said:

Then he's naive, shortsighted, and unlikely to keep his job.

Last season, we conceded more shots per game than all but a couple of teams.

The reason for this, is that a midfield of McGinn and Luiz isn't competitive enough at this level to adequately prevent teams getting within shooting range.  And that was with Grealish pulling 2/3 players to him, giving them more space to do their job.

Without him, they will now have to work harder, as, despite bringing in good players we did not sign someone so good that teams will double and triple up on them.  Both need more time and space than you generally are allowed at this level.

We can't rely on Martinez having another stella season and making a disproportionate number of saves to hide the fact that our midfield exposes the defence far too easily.

Its been mentioned already that the most successful teams in England over the last 20+ years have all had a dedicated CDM - and there is a bloody good reason for that!

This x 1000.

Its why I keep saying, I think people are in for a shock this season. We’ll concede far more goals and lose more matches. 

No combination of the midfielders at the club in a 3, is good enough to protect our defence and control games.

Ownership/net spend and everything else aside, we still haven’t actually replaced Grealish with a like for like left sided attacker and we haven’t addressed the glaring deficiencies in our midfield. 

That’s how I see it anyway. I’d bite your hand off if you offered me a 12th place finish right now - Smith will struggle this season (IMO).

[CVByrne]

I think we're done for this window. We might get something in play for January possibly. I'm content not getting another midfielder. We have Ramsey, Sanson and Chukwuemeka all to prove themselves this season and I'd like to give them the game time needed.

[S-Platt]

32 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

This x 1000.

Its why I keep saying, I think people are in for a shock this season. We’ll concede far more goals and lose more matches. 

No combination of the midfielders at the club in a 3, is good enough to protect our defence and control games.

Ownership/net spend and everything else aside, we still haven’t actually replaced Grealish with a like for like left sided attacker and we haven’t addressed the glaring deficiencies in our midfield. 

That’s how I see it anyway. I’d bite your hand off if you offered me a 12th place finish right now - Smith will struggle this season (IMO).

But that midfield helped us keep 15 cleansheets?  We have added Buendia who is better at pressing tracking back.  Not sure on Bailey.  Ings pressed for the Saints too. 

In an ideal world I would like a player like Bissouma but I can see their thinking.

[Peter Griffin]

11 hours ago, striker said:

Right players are or were available if Villa had been prepared to meet the asking price.

If their asking price is not what the club values the player at then they are not the right players. 

[DCJonah]

42 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

This x 1000.

Its why I keep saying, I think people are in for a shock this season. We’ll concede far more goals and lose more matches. 

No combination of the midfielders at the club in a 3, is good enough to protect our defence and control games.

Ownership/net spend and everything else aside, we still haven’t actually replaced Grealish with a like for like left sided attacker and we haven’t addressed the glaring deficiencies in our midfield. 

That’s how I see it anyway. I’d bite your hand off if you offered me a 12th place finish right now - Smith will struggle this season (IMO).

Let's see. 

Maybe better wingers helps us keep teams pushed back. 

Having players like Watkins, Ings and Buendia press from the front will help us defend from the front. 

I think the club have done enough to deserve at least to give their plan a good chance to see if it can progress us. 

[Peter Griffin]

9 hours ago, hippo said:

When we got relegated we had to spend quite heavily to even build a championship side.

 

We didn't really. We spent quite heavily but a lot of the spend was a disaster and didn't contribute to our Championship side

[PaulMcGrath_5]

 

[CVByrne]

5 minutes ago, PaulMcGrath_5 said:

 

 

I see it as tough to move on both Hourihane, Guilbert and then get that additional midfielder in with only a few days left. I think if the right bid came in for Luiz this summer we would have let him go.