Keyblade Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 1 minute ago, VillaFaninLondon said: Come on, this is massive hyperbole. It's not been terrible as some have said but it's not been 'smashing' either (which implies 10/10). It's been somewhere in the middle, maybe 6/10. Smashing does not imply 10/10, that would be something like perfect. There's no way this window was a 6/10. We've improved our squad this window to the point where we had 7 first teamers out at the weekend, including our captain, and our top scorer from last season was only fit enough for the bench and we were still competitive in a PL match and earned a point. That would not have happened in the past 2 years. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 3 minutes ago, Tayls said: I’m happy with the signings as individuals. But I can’t accept that the window has been middle ground because, in my view, the balance is way off. Defence was good last year, but we have now lost JT from the coaching side of things. We have lost our best attacking player and replaced with (apparently) three other players. Our midfield has been our weakest area for years, so why wait another season to address it when we could well end up relegated again because of the decisions made this window… makes no sense to me. CM needed to be addressed, and it hasn’t been. We won't be relegated, take a look at the league, we'll be comfortably mid table, probably boringly so, one of the 1st teams to finish for the year And who says we didn't try and fix it? We definitley tried to add ESR and JWP but failed, who's to say we didn't try for a DMC and fail there too? And who is also to say that the additions of Ramsey and Chuk don't improve our midfield? Only time will tell with that one And why can't we wait another year? Because this year is all or nothing? That's on you and your expectations 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAZZAM Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 Such a sellers market out there and we're just sitting on our hands. A once in a lifetime window to make serious progression thanks to corona crippling all football clubs outside the Premier league. 5x 30 mill players could've catapulted us into the realms of Leicester and Spurs. But no we are complacent and wasteful. Surely we arnt financially hamstrung so that can't be a reason. Defo questions about our real ambitions have to be asked. Not just the company line they trott out. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jas10 Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 14 minutes ago, ciggiesnbeer said: Good point. We have not yet seen our new first team actually play a game of football. That’s right, it really is a new first team. I agree with that because we are no longer a team that heavily, almost exclusively, relies on a single player anymore… We have new players, multiple threats and more balance. Our players shouldn’t be hurried or stressed about giving the ball to one particular player at every opportunity and expecting him to do everything… we won’t slow down the play and be ponderous as we did at times with him… I’m sure some of our players will stop playing “within themselves” and show what they are really capable of… This is a season of transition for us and we have to adjust or find a new way of playing… players should feel more free and more able to express themselves whereas, again, there was way too much reliance, and limelight, on an individual to basically orchestrate our game… it should feel like a bit of a “release” not having to pander to and appease that guy anymore… A more balanced and “complete” side is what I am looking forward to seeing. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 1 minute ago, VillaFaninLondon said: I would say 3 very good players and 2 not bad ones. Remember Young is 36 now and Tuanzebe hasn't progressed in 2 years. That's fair. I think Young is useful and will do a lot of good off the pitch as well with the young players. Axel has talent, but needs games. That being said, he's an upgrade on Engels. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 8 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said: You're right, I believe we had something like £67m headroom without selling Greasy so even without his sale Buendia and Bailey could have come in. That means only Ings has been bought with the £100m. There's clearly cash available from an FFP viewpoint to invest in another midfielder, whether the owners are reining in their spending (at least temporarily) or Smith has told them firmly he doesn't want anyone else I don't know. Or we can't do deals for our number 1 targets... We can't force clubs to sell and we won't be mugged off when we don't have to be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMitch Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said: You have to remember on here that if you post anything to suggest we didn’t have a good transfer window and everything this season will be absolutely f****** brilliant, you’ll be labelled a moaner and asked to stop being so negative. Being critical is fine, but when it's a constant barrage of posts like "Why the fook hasn't the club signed a DM? We're absolutely fooked if we don't, so obviously Lange/Smith/NSWE don't have a clue!" in every single thread, every single day on VillaTalk, it gets exhausting. This forum has been a den of depression and despair over the years, but now the new owners/leadership/Smith have hardly put a foot in wrong over the past three years, but all of a sudden the atmosphere around here is starting to turn back to the toxic levels of Lerner/Xia. I'm personally going to probably disappear until January, as I usually do, because the mood only gets worse around here when we hit a bad patch of form, which will probably start after the international break with that tough run of fixtures. Edited August 31, 2021 by KMitch 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post thunderball Posted August 31, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted August 31, 2021 I would say that Philogene-Bidace should figure in our plans, he is head and shoulders our best youngster and really knocking on the door for regular first team action. He really is very, very good. Red hot tonight for U23s 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 4 minutes ago, Awol said: 12-15m seems like a bargain. Surprised he isn’t fancied at that price. maybe is a reason that nobody wants him this cheap 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 When was the last time we signed players with the reputation and pedigree as Bailey and Ings? It's not been perfect. I don't think we've ever had a perfect window. But considering we lost Grealish I think we've done a good job. We have a talented squad for this season. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sulberto21 Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 Maybe Kamara doesn't want to come here??? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerryBarrPet Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 7 minutes ago, Jas10 said: It’s not ideal but we actually have options and alternatives now… We could set up in a number of ways and with different players. Liverpool style front 3? Watkins. Ings. Bailey McGinn/Sanson. Buendia Luiz (everyone knows our back 4 & GK) We can alternate players and not really lose much or bring in different qualities, off the bench too (for a change). Targett and Cash will be required to provide width. I wonder how we would fit both McGinn & Sanson into the team… maybe Dean prefers “intense pressing” players such as these guys rather than having a typical DM, they will battle and chase for the ball relentlessly… so will forward players like Buendia and Watkins. That aggressive approach will help us but requires a lot of fitness/energy/stamina… Alternative: Watkins Ings Bailey McGinn/Sanson. Buendia Luiz We also have Traore who I would argue has the quality and talent to be a starter or rotate and feature heavily from the bench. I expect him to be even better this season and can’t resist the entertainment and silky skills & goals he contributes. Beyond that, if El Ghazi can kick on from his Brentford performance, we have players that can fill in and provide some sort of competition or extra motivation for starters to be on top of their game. Then we have younger players to come in, Ramsey seemingly the most prominent/capable atm, he’s shown some development/improvement too… played well in his last game… I would agree that we lack strength, physicality and aerial prowess in midfield but Dean possibly has a different approach that could work out well and better than we expect… I think we are going to be an aggressive, pressing team with a lot of attacking threat and goals in us. Buendia is going to create plenty, Bailey is going to be deadly and frighten the opposition with his pace and skill. Watkins is going to work his arse off and get goals, Ings will be our deadly finisher with vital/crucial goals, even out of the blue sometimes… It’s not so bad guys!!! But can we have another signing? I think your ‘Liverpool style’ 4:3:3 is our best choice given the players we have. The weakness? Doubts over midfield tackling/cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 3 minutes ago, villa4europe said: We won't be relegated, take a look at the league, we'll be comfortably mid table, probably boringly so, one of the 1st teams to finish for the year And who says we didn't try and fix it? We definitley tried to add ESR and JWP but failed, who's to say we didn't try for a DMC and fail there too? And who is also to say that the additions of Ramsey and Chuk don't improve our midfield? Only time will tell with that one And why can't we wait another year? Because this year is all or nothing? That's on you and your expectations What's happening in 2022 that I missed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 2 minutes ago, villa4europe said: Or we can't do deals for our number 1 targets... We can't force clubs to sell and we won't be mugged off when we don't have to be yep whats the point if buying 2nd choice targets. We wanted Begovic and ended up with Mark Bunn, Berbatov and got Gestede we wanted top 8 that season and unsurprisingly got relegated 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post villa4europe Posted August 31, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted August 31, 2021 Just now, thunderball said: I would say that Philogene-Bidace should figure in our plans, he is head and shoulders our best youngster and really knocking on the door for regular first team action. He really is very, very good. Red hot tonight for U23s Stuff like that isn't being looked at Who is actually "new" to the team this year - Buendia, Bailey, young, axel, ings... Archer, chuk, PB, maybe Aaron Ramsey come the end plus another surprising one and then chuck in Ramsey and Sanson being used more too This no progression stuff is way too early and potentially very wide of the mark 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitvilla Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 4 minutes ago, KAZZAM said: Such a sellers market out there I'm not sure it is ... but if it is, it is wise to be conservative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Keyblade Posted August 31, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted August 31, 2021 2 minutes ago, DCJonah said: When was the last time we signed players with the reputation and pedigree as Bailey and Ings? It's not been perfect. I don't think we've ever had a perfect window. But considering we lost Grealish I think we've done a good job. We have a talented squad for this season. I think either people haven't been following Danny Ings in the last couple of years or it just hasn't sunk in yet. This would have been a meltdown signing for Spurs let alone Villa. After Kane, Lukaku and Salah (jury's still out on if Vardy has finally declined or not), he's the best striker in the league. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 3 minutes ago, Zatman said: maybe is a reason that nobody wants him this cheap Clearly, it’s just not obvious what that might be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 2 minutes ago, DCJonah said: We have a talented squad for this season. Talented yes, midtable level yes. We are talented for our level in the league which is midtable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 1 minute ago, villa4europe said: Stuff like that isn't being looked at Who is actually "new" to the team this year - Buendia, Bailey, young, axel, ings... Archer, chuk, PB, maybe Aaron Ramsey come the end plus another surprising one and then chuck in Ramsey and Sanson being used more too This no progression stuff is way too early and potentially very wide of the mark Not to mention buying more players blocks the path of youngsters coming through and some of them look class 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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