Summer transfer window 2021

[KMitch]

3 minutes ago, nick76 said:

And I don’t think anybody disagrees with that but this summer after the financial difficulties in Europe and having some money in the bank we just haven’t gotten over the line the improvement we needed to challenge for an European league place which obviously opens up so many things from additional players, commercial revenue and club profile over the coming years.  

Looks like a missed opportunity to get that one or two players in that would really make a difference.  They don’t have to be expensive but just technically what we need at the right level.

I mean we have spent all this time and money to get this quality recruitment team together and outside the kids we brought in there is nothing creative in the purchases we have brought in, no unknown player, no deal of the century. Buendia, Bailey, Ings and Young are quality signings but they aren’t the additional types I thought they would bring in. I’m assuming Smith and Purslow might have been able to do those deals without the recruitment team we have.  That’s been flippant I know but Lange and co were brought in to do special deals and not deals of players we know about.

I disagree with the notion that if we don't spend this summer that all these amazing opportunities which are supposedly out there and driven by COVID will be lost forever.  If it was this easy, why haven't all our competitors in the Premier League table around us unearthed all these "unknown, deal of the century" signings? You also underestimate how much pulling power Jack had with new signings.  Players signed with us to play with Jack.  He's gone and we need to establish a new reputation for how we play, instead of the Jack Grealish club.  People will expect us to struggle this season without Jack.  I would also argue that Bailey was a surprise/unknown/deal of the century that came out of left field...  

2 minutes ago, nick76 said:

They’ve already said they were expecting something to happen a lot earlier than we knew so I’m not agreeing on plans being set back.

That's not true from a lot of inside reports.  No one inside Villa expected Man City to actually activate the release clause, nor did we count on them offering Jack a 6 year, 325k/week contract, and the no 10 shirt and wouldn't be able to give him a reasonable counter offer on our end.  

1 minute ago, nick76 said:

Over dramatic!

Yeah, sure.  It's VillaTalk!  That's what we do here.  Overreact and generalize.  UTV!!!

[Peter Griffin]

2 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

Sorry Peter, I'm not sure what you mean?

If it was a closed shop then why are Arsenal no longer part of it. Clubs can drop out of the elite and other clubs can join. Arsenal and Leicester are showing this happening. If we manage to retain CP as CEP and NSWE continue to invest then we can join the elite. We showed we are prepared to bend the rules and buy success by getting out of the Championship. We may well just do it again to get top 4

[avfc1982am]

11 minutes ago, Keener window-cleaner said:

So if we hadn't sold Jack Grealish then our summer business would have been Buendia and Tuanzebe? Compared to the beginning of last season when we brought in Barkley (who at the time was a high profile signing, probably expensive and did well at the beginning) that isn't really an upgrade on the squad. Not much investment at all from the owners.

I guess it's logic, the pandemic has hit football hard (except the corrupt oligarchs and oil country-clubs) and we have spent a lot over the last years, so I couldn't complain too much about it. But it is a bit of a reality check, we have really good owners who are very wealthy, but we are being run sustainable and we probably can't expect us to throw out £100M+ window after window. I actually thought we would invest every season and step up a level for each year, but I guess this year it's more about consolidating a mid table place.

At least, if they don't put in any more money than the Jack Grealish money, they can't except any imporvement either this season. Something doesn't really add up though, Dean Smith said that we are probably two years behind where we want to be to be able to keep Jack, but to reach that level it would take some hefty investment, not just using whan you get from sales.

  

I sort of agree with this. I know other have also alluded to it but I also think although we vastly improved the squad, we haven't improved the starting 11. If we don't bring in players to improve on the 11 then other than natural growth, which could be on the never never, we won't improve quick enough to bridge the gap. I don't see how the powers that be also expect huge improvements if this is the case.

I'm not complaining too much as we've been fast tracked pretty much. However, it leaves me wondering if the owners are now slowing down the push in order to see what Smith does with what he has. I hope I am wrong and they go and sign the big mofo we need in the middle at the least. If we don't sign anyone then it does leave me wondering if something has changed behind the scenes.  

[nick76]

8 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

One thing to take in to account though before throwing more millions at it, is that we might well have an elite bunch of kids coming through.

Or we may not!  The kids look like they have talent no doubt but do they have European place talent or will they not step up.  We are putting all this hope on the kids and history has shown us one or a few ever make it at our level.  Will these buck that trend, who knows! We hope so, history suggests not but we hope but we can’t put all our eggs in that basket.

[nick76]

5 minutes ago, Peter Griffin said:

That's fine if we turn it into a profit machine as that gives us more revenue and thus more ability to buy proven players. However, we are doing things differently now with the youth setup. We are not 'just' trying to develop kids from a very young age and hope to strike gold. We are paying 7 digit fees for the best 16 and 17 year olds around. This should very much increase the odds of striking gold

Maybe, maybe not!

[Jareth]

So much more to come from Buendia and Bailey - it might feel like we need more bodies in but it won't feel that way when those two are fully up to speed (Ings already is). Two or three of the younger players will seize their chance too, while we may not finish the season much higher than last season, we will have a huge springboard for the following season and also possibly the biggest transfer budget we've ever had. I'm very happy to sit back and watch the evolution this season. 

[TRO]

3 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

Really hope so but we must then consider that the NSWE project may take a little longer.

 

it could, but the question is the more successful signings we make, the quicker we do it.

We all know some will be duds like Barkley and Drinkwater, but we was savvy enough to get them on loan.

Some clubs like Leicester and West Ham have done very well in recent times with recruitment, hence their ascendency up the league....we have to do the same, so far, I think we are on the right lines.

[KMitch]

9 minutes ago, TRO said:

I think we have to be careful we don't go ott on this.

Our owners have done fantastic and its not the spending of money thats the issue with some imo.....its where the money is spent....I am more than pleased with their spending overall.

Right now, arguably we have one player who stands out as a defensive midfielder, who in many fans eyes is not good enough, for this level....the rest who are deployed there are all-rounders if you like, who are asked to do a job and they do their best.

I think its fair to say that is an imbalance of resource and I will be delighted if we sign a quality one, suffice to say, I will have an enhanced view of where we will finish,if we do..... I am that sure, it will be the right thing to do.

If we don't sign such a player, then we have to do the best we can, with what we've got....Thats all there is to it for me.

Ps this is a most difficult time, in trying to get break in to that top 6, when the players we are after, want us to be in Europe already.....its tricky, for the employers.

 

I don't agree with the narrative that our biggest need is a specialist defensive midfielder.  Smith has never played with this kind of player before at Villa or Brentford.  I do think we need another strong number 8 to allow us to stick to a 433 (JWP, McKennie, etc.), which is our best formation under Smith's tactics, or to buy a quality number 10 (ESR, etc.) to replace Barkley, who was a disappointment last season with both his offensive and defensive contribution to the midfield.  

[nick76]

5 minutes ago, KMitch said:

That's not true from a lot of inside reports.  No one inside Villa expected Man City to actually activate the release clause, nor did we count on them offering Jack a 6 year, 325k/week contract, and the no 10 shirt and wouldn't be able to give him a reasonable counter offer on our end.  

Inside reports last September not inside reports towards the end of the season, during euros and after we’re all he’s leaving

[Phil Silvers]

3 minutes ago, Peter Griffin said:

If it was a closed shop then why are Arsenal no longer part of it. Clubs can drop out of the elite and other clubs can join. Arsenal and Leicester are showing this happening. If we manage to retain CP as CEP and NSWE continue to invest then we can join the elite. We showed we are prepared to bend the rules and buy success by getting out of the Championship. We may well just do it again to get top 4

I really hope so Peter.

Arsenal and spuds are still up there with the big boys because of the size of the companies. Levy would be more then happy to qualify for the next 10 champs leagues by finishing 5th every year and never making a final in any competition, he is happy for the company to grow.

We need to be as big as them, to turn over enough money to keep buying and paying the wages for top players, for is to compete regularly for what they are already doing, except for last year of course. For the good of the game we could do with only 3 of the elite making ch league and having a couple of spots to try for.

Re- closed shop, that's how it is then unless we become devious ruthless *******, I'm up for that.

[Peter Griffin]

8 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Maybe, maybe not!

Same can be said for any signing we make. Bailey and Buendia may or may not work out. Wes was 22m and is off to Belgium to play and didn't give us any value on the investment

[hippo]

3 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Inside reports last September not inside reports towards the end of the season, during euros and after we’re all he’s leaving

Purslow knew there was a £100m release clause. The improvement of Jack throughout last season and his inclusion in the euros - sure nothing was certain. But I think villa were primed for his departure. It certainly wouldn't have been a bolt from the blue (light blue....even)

[TRO]

2 minutes ago, KMitch said:

I don't agree with the narrative that our biggest need is a specialist defensive midfielder.  Smith has never played with this kind of player before at Villa or Brentford.  I do think we need another strong number 8 to allow us to stick to a 433 (JWP, McKennie, etc.), which is our best formation under Smith's tactics, or to buy a quality number 10 (ESR, etc.) to replace Barkley, who was a disappointment last season with both his offensive and defensive contribution to the midfield.  

but Nakamba is one....someone has to do that job and every club in the division has an enforcer of sort...... I don't really understand your point.

Brentford tomorrow, will deploy a player/s to stop us.....you can call their positions or roles anything you like.....but the fact remains, that will be their function.

If you think we can play without one or a not so good one....then fine, thats your view point....its certainly not mine.

 

[Peter Griffin]

2 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said:

I really hope so Peter.

Arsenal and spuds are still up there with the big boys because of the size of the companies. Levy would be more then happy to qualify for the next 10 champs leagues by finishing 5th every year and never making a final in any competition, he is happy for the company to grow.

We need to be as big as them, to turn over enough money to keep buying and paying the wages for top players, for is to compete regularly for what they are already doing, except for last year of course. For the good of the game we could do with only 3 of the elite making ch league and having a couple of spots to try for.

Re- closed shop, that's how it is then unless we become devious ruthless *******, I'm up for that.

Yep, I agree with that. The fact that we broke FFP in the Championship and then sold VP to ourselves shows the kind of ambition I like . I do think NSWE really mean business and I do expect to see us continually improve season by season and break into the top 4

[Phil Silvers]

11 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Or we may not!  The kids look like they have talent no doubt but do they have European place talent or will they not step up.  We are putting all this hope on the kids and history has shown us one or a few ever make it at our level.  Will these buck that trend, who knows! We hope so, history suggests not but we hope but we can’t put all our eggs in that basket.

I agree except that we most definitely are not putting all our eggs in one basket, we keep adding high quality players. If we signed a really good CM now we would all be ecstatic about this window, apart from Jack of course and from a freakish 45 minutes at Watford too, we would all be happy.

[Delphinho123]

If we don’t sign a decent defensive midfielder, I can’t see any way we can play a 4-2-3-1 this season without being sliced open by teams - see Watford match. 

This means it’s highly likely we’ll see more of the 4-3-3 formation with Luiz/Nakamba (shudder) at the base and two 8’s playing in front - McGinn/Sanson/Ramsey.

With this being the case, how the hell do you fit Watkins, Ings, Buendia, Bailey and Traore into the side and with the obvious answer being, ‘you can’t’, who the hell do you play? 

Would be extremely frustrating seeing Traore and Watkins on the bench when the likes of McGinn and Luiz/Nakamba are playing. 

Who starts in our best XI? 

[Keener window-cleaner]

29 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Smith said we had exciting names on the list before Jack went so something didn’t happen. I guess we couldn’t get the players we wanted

I guess we found out quite early that Man C would be prepared to meet the release clause, hence us being able to prepare for it and start bidding for ESR for example. I think it was towards the end of last season that the owner of Man C said in an interview that they would change approach in the transfer market and start paying 100M for players, which the had been reluctant to do before. I think we knew at that time they would bid for Jack, and then it was a question of if he wanted to leave or not.

So when Smith said we had exciting names on the list, that was probably the list of players to replace Jack if he went.

[Peter Griffin]

2 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Who starts in our best XI? 

I have no idea 

[Keener window-cleaner]

1 minute ago, Delphinho123 said:

If we don’t sign a decent defensive midfielder, I can’t see any way we can play a 4-2-3-1 this season without being sliced open by teams - see Watford match. 

This means it’s highly likely we’ll see more of the 4-3-3 formation with Luiz/Nakamba (shudder) at the base and two 8’s playing in front - McGinn/Sanson/Ramsey.

With this being the case, how the hell do you fit Watkins, Ings, Buendia, Bailey and Traore into the side and with the obvious answer being, ‘you can’t’, who the hell do you play? 

Would be extremely frustrating seeing Traore and Watkins on the bench when the likes of McGinn and Luiz/Nakamba are playing. 

Who starts in our best XI? 

Isn't 4-2-3-1 to be regarded as more defensive than 4-3-3? Having two sitting midfielders who protect the back four? I thought us changing to 4-2-3-1 at the start of last season was a way to rectify that we let in to many goals in our first season.

In my view bringing in a strong DM would allow us to play 4-3-3. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

38 minutes ago, Peter Griffin said:

We appear to be the Premier League team investing most in bringing players into our academy. It is really good planning for the future, and by future we are only talking the next couple of seasons. We are pulling way ahead of the group of clubs being mentioned

On this, have people seen how much money the likes of Chelsea make from their Academy?

Based on what I've seen, a significant portion of these kids have the potential for solid Premier League and upper tier Championship at worst.

We will put the cream in our team of course. So not only will we be saving money in the long run, we will have another funnel o generate funds for reinvestment.