Summer transfer window 2021

[VillaChris]

Someone like Wood would just be a plan B option I think for late in games.

I actually think he's underrated aswell, scores double figures most season in premier league so miles better than Davis and probably Wes aswell post injury.

We all moan how rubbish we are at set pieces but seemingly don't want a striker who's more than proven at scoring regularly from corners and free kicks.

That said, 20m for someone even older than Wilson was last summer dosen't fit our remit at all so just have to scout someone in europe who's around 25 and has similar profile I think.

The guy Austria had upfront v England looked decent in the air, Sasa Kalajdzic. 23, has 3 in 7 for them and plays for Stuttgart and 16 Bundesliga goals so there's a younger version of Chris Wood right there I'd look at:

Love the ones he scores v Leverkusen and Union Berlin, EXACTLY what we're missing from set pieces. Has Ollie even scored from a corner yet?

Scored two great headers v Scotland in March aswell:

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by VillaChris

[Philosopher]

6 minutes ago, Dave-R said:

We need someone better than Watkins.

Not to put Woods down or anything but the whole idea of upgrading a squad is to bring better in than what you have already. The whole idea of making upgrades ontop of what you have has a purpose or few and one of those is you bring better in so that the already existent players have to up there game even more. It does make sure that players who are there already don't get abit set in there ways and keep trying to evolve and consistently improve so the new players then have people breathing down there backs.

Watkins is better than Woods and if we bought him here it'd be a strange one. We'd be buying worse not better and I do not know how Watkins is going to or be expected to improve off that move. The fact he wouldn't feel he has someone fighting to jump in his place could make him feel less bothered over time and some bad habits may creep in.

We need someone else who can play the way he does but in a different way, who can also score as he does and make Watkins feel his place is threatened.

That's all anyway if we choose to bring someone in after giving Wes a chance, Davis is certainly never going to make Watkins place feel threatened. I think Barry could down the line, if we started giving Barry minutes and he actually puts some of those stunning performances in he has done for the youth side and also scored some goal, Watkins would have a legitimate threat breathing down his kneck.

I wouldn't look for a Watkins at this point.  One I expect him to improve, so we should see how good he can get. Two that 8s a more than 50m transfer and we have other priorities.

We need another striker that offers pace and willing running, so that we don't have to change our style if Watkins gets injured. If we are replacing Wesley then Woods is a good shout (as I have said). If Wesley is staying (which I expect), Woods is pointless. Wesley us far younger and imo will become better than Wood. We also have Davis, so we don't need a big man. 

If Barry isn't ready to be understudy then we lack a quick, hard running forward. For me we only need one big man as our style is based on having a quick pressing forward not a target man. So a target man is an alternative, in order to change things up. If Watkins is injured or suspended we need a similar style of player to deputise so we can maintain our preferred playing style.

Wood isn't simply a big lump but his aerial prowess is his strength and he I probably the best aerially in the league. If you have him.on the pitch you are foolish if you don't play to that strength. It's dumb to use him to run in behind and press all over the pitch.

[alreadyexists]

I bet Sarr is fantastic, but that money seems a big risk on a youngster. On the other hand we all knew at 18 Jack was going to be phenomenal. Same with Rooney, and a few others, sometimes you just know they’ll be amazing. 

[thabucks]

8 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

The guy Austria had upfront v England looked decent in the air, Sasa Kalajdzic. 23, has 3 in 7 for them and plays for Stuttgart and 16 Bundesliga goals so there's a younger version of Chris Wood right there I'd look at:

Love the ones he scores v Leverkusen and Union Berlin, EXACTLY what we're missing from set pieces. Has Ollie even scored from a corner yet?

Scored two great headers v Scotland in March aswell:

 

I mentioned him back in March  as someone we would hopefully target. 

He is so much more than a gangly target man https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/04/sasa-kalajdzic-the-austrian-colossus-waltzing-towards-superstardom

Quote

But despite the time-honoured stereotype of tall strikers – that they struggle with the ball at their feet – Kalajdzic does not only rely on his aerial advantage. In fact, his technical skills are astonishing. His left foot has prodigious power and, when his side are building an attack, Kalajdzic plays his part with confidence, knowledge and finesse. Partly this is thanks to Ernst Baumeister, his former coach at Admira Mödling, who moved him up front from midfield and ensured that his main task was to score goals. Kalajdzic’s time in midfield helped him to understand the game better and avoid getting lost as an isolated tower in the penalty box.

 

[Dodgyknees]

I like Myron Boadu

[barry'sboots]

6 hours ago, Kiwivillan said:

Has Smith ever employed a big DCM at any club? I don't think it fits with how he wants the team to play but seems like an obsession in here. 

He's never previously been at a club that is trying to break into the business end of the PL either with billionaire owners that are trying to give him the tools to get there.  The most effective teams in the PL over the past few seasons have had such a player - Rodri at Citeh and Fabinho at Liverpool.

Most on here are suggesting that we need a strong DCM on the basis of the performances from last season, certainly the second half, where we, at times, lost control of the CM.

You have repeatedly stated on here how effective Nakamba has been - when used by Smith as a disruptor - with a very strong win rate in his games.  Imagine a Nakamba with the ability to also play progressive football.  I can't see why any manager would not want that in his team??

 

[CosmicVillan]

32 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

IIf Barry isn't ready to be understudy then we lack a quick, hard running forward. For me we only need one big man as our style is based on having a quick pressing forward not a target man. So a target man is an alternative, in order to change things up. If Watkins is injured or suspended we need a similar style of player to deputise so we can maintain our preferred playing style.

We also have Brad Young coming through, scored as many as Barry last season 13 Goals in 17 appearances and had more asists. I think he's an absolute live-wire , about 6 months older than Barry but looks physically developed. I think he could be an option off the bench next season although I reckon long term Barry has a higher ceiling. Worth a look during pre-season surely, 

[barry'sboots]

6 hours ago, useless said:

Being strongly linked to Josh Feeney and Ajani Burchall, so looks like we will be adding more signings to our academy this summer.

[zab6359]

22 hours ago, maqroll said:

Is the Chris Wood link legit?

No just lazy (so called) journalism!

[jimmygreaves]

2 minutes ago, barry'sboots said:

Most on here are suggesting that we need a strong DCM on the basis of the performances from last season, certainly the second half, where we, at times, lost control of the CM.

We lost control of midfield not by missing a CDM but because an AM called Barkley went missing.... Lots of games we were effectively playing with 10 men.

[pete101]

31 minutes ago, alreadyexists said:

I bet Sarr is fantastic, but that money seems a big risk on a youngster. On the other hand we all knew at 18 Jack was going to be phenomenal. Same with Rooney, and a few others, sometimes you just know they’ll be amazing. 

Similar price to what Leicester paid for fofana ,  think any young hyped playerbthus will probably be the least you are looking at

[MrBlack]

Woods is 10000% not happening. A negative equity signing that doesn't improve us. No chance. 

Pape Sarr would be interesting. At 18 he's already good enough for a rotational first team spot and his stats suggest he could well be a great addition to our defensive midfield options. If we don't have a similar prospect in mind as cover for Watkins, then I say spunk the budget on Sarr.

I wouldn't say LB cover is essential assuming we're keeping Guilbert. Targett didnt miss a game ( I don't think), so cover offered by a right back that can play on the left is fine.

[barry'sboots]

Just now, jimmygreaves said:

We lost control of midfield not by missing a CDM but because an AM called Barkley went missing.... Lots of games we were effectively playing with 10 men.

He certainly was a factor, but he didn't play every game and we still didn't control the midfield at times.

[useless]

Of all Brad Young's goals last season only two came at U23 level, whereas Barry scored thirteen for the U23s despite playing much of the season out wide, and he also missed quite a few games through injury.

Edited June 8, 2021 by useless

[barry'sboots]

4 hours ago, Dave-R said:

It's a big big difference and you could buy god knows how many before it totals to 30 millions all it means is you have to wait a little while longer.

If it were that easy everybody would be doing it.  Spotting talent at that age that can become a first team player is an art and not a science, although I think you can certainly bring more science in to the process nowadays.  I hope Lange has a team of Artists! 

[rbcuk]

Would love us to get Patson Daka, he’s young and scored plenty in Austria, rumour was liverpool and West Ham have been looking at him

[VillaChris]

7 minutes ago, jimmygreaves said:

We lost control of midfield not by missing a CDM but because an AM called Barkley went missing.... Lots of games we were effectively playing with 10 men.

I also think a big part is McGinn really flagging from 70th minute mark, starts playing careless passes and can't press like he does first half so we start dropping deeper if we're winning the game.

DS really needs to have more confidence in the squad next season to actually sub him off in games when this starts happening.

Luiz came on v Spurs and did a great job in helping us win so if he's going to be rotated more next season we really have no excuse for McGinn being this unsubbed option if he's on the bench a bit more next season and Nakamba also obvious sub if he's still at the club.

[est1874]

I find it entertaining that several people would be highly reluctant to spend £25m on a proven Premier League striker because he's 29, but an unproven 18-year-old DM for the same amount, who may or may not adapt to PL football, is fine/exciting.

The perspective of the modern football fan, in a nutshell.

[MrBlack]

1 minute ago, est1874 said:

I find it entertaining that several people would be highly reluctant to spend £25m on a proven Premier League striker because he's 29, but an unproven 18-year-old DM for the same amount, who may or may not adapt to PL football, is fine/exciting.

The perspective of the modern football fan, in a nutshell.

But it's not to do with the quality, it's the fact our owners would be sending money down the drain. There is no resale on it and with FFP limitations, our model cannot afford to buy players who are instantly worth less than what we paid for them.

[PaulMcGrath_5]

Just now, MrBlack said:

But it's not to do with the quality, it's the fact our owners would be sending money down the drain. There is no resale on it and with FFP limitations, our model cannot afford to buy players who are instantly worth less than what we paid for them.

This.

Couldn't pick 2 examples further away from each other..