January Transfer Window - 2022

[Laughable Chimp]

57 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

I don’t think we need to be signing anyone to be honest. We should be bringing through the youth prospects, we have players across all positions potentially to try out, perhaps save for a genuine DM.

The majority of those kids won't turn out to be PL quality, much less top level PL quality which is where we should be aiming. Hoping enough of our youngsters to turn out that good is madness.

[villa4europe]

3 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

The majority of those kids won't turn out to be PL quality, much less top level PL quality which is where we should be aiming. Hoping enough of our youngsters to turn out that good is madness.

That's why you look at them January to May whilst we are a safe mid table and the midfielder we want long term isn't available 

If we want to slowly build and progress we have time to try

If we want instant success we dont

Personally I think we will go slow and another 5 of this academy will at least get a chance 

 

[bannedfromHandV]

1 hour ago, Laughable Chimp said:

The majority of those kids won't turn out to be PL quality, much less top level PL quality which is where we should be aiming. Hoping enough of our youngsters to turn out that good is madness.

Not when they have as much potential as our current crop have, no point investing so much time and energy in the academy if you don’t intend to turn it into a funnel for the first team.

[Davkaus]

3 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Not when they have as much potential as our current crop have, no point investing so much time and energy in the academy if you don’t intend to turn it into a funnel for the first team.

I remember people claiming one of the Moore brothers was better than Rooney, and Delfounso was the next Drogba. We are not very good at assessing youngsters, and holding back our transfers in the hope of a generation of freebie youngsters is probably not a good idea.

[Xela]

As good and exciting as our youngsters are, not all will make it and possibly only one or two will go on to be top top players. It's just the way it is. So rare to get a 'class of 92'. 

[villa4europe]

48 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

I remember people claiming one of the Moore brothers was better than Rooney, and Delfounso was the next Drogba. We are not very good at assessing youngsters, and holding back our transfers in the hope of a generation of freebie youngsters is probably not a good idea.

The thing is though not many if any of the youngsters are actually coming through in areas that we are desperate for players so you can argue that we won't hold back our transfers

If you look at who hasn't come through yet its Kesler at RB, Ramsey at AMC, Barry at either striker or LW, feeney or bogarde at CB, timbo at CM

We desperately need a top quality holding midfielder, then we're on to back up LB and GK, none of the high potential youngsters will block those

I'd anything the youngsters will end up blocking each other, throw in those that have already played a bit and we have 4 maybe at CM, 2 or 3 out wide or upfront, they'll get on each others way rather than stop £50m signings 

[Phil Silvers]

2 hours ago, Laughable Chimp said:

The majority of those kids won't turn out to be PL quality, much less top level PL quality which is where we should be aiming. Hoping enough of our youngsters to turn out that good is madness.

Hope a few make it but I can dig that.

[VillaChris]

32 minutes ago, Xela said:

As good and exciting as our youngsters are, not all will make it and possibly only one or two will go on to be top top players. It's just the way it is. So rare to get a 'class of 92'. 

Carney and Archer obvious two who should get minutes towards end of the season if we're mid table.

I think someone like JPB needs loan in Jan, on fringes currently but too many internationals ahead of him in pecking order. Possibly younger Ramsey brother aswell given he's made the bench a few times. Louie Barry will probably be sent on loan to league 2 given Ipswich hasn't worked out at all.

Imagine it's been covered elsewhere but we were linked to Joe Gomez today who hasn't got back in at Liverpool after his injury. Was very highly rated a few years ago and can see us terminating Axel's loan in Jan and possibly getting him instead, sure he played with Konsa at Charlton to add another dynamic.

[Xela]

9 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Carney and Archer obvious two who should get minutes towards end of the season if we're mid table.

I think someone like JPB needs loan in Jan, on fringes currently but too many internationals ahead of him in pecking order. Possibly younger Ramsey brother aswell given he's made the bench a few times. Louie Barry will probably be sent on loan to league 2 given Ipswich hasn't worked out at all.

Imagine it's been covered elsewhere but we were linked to Joe Gomez today who hasn't got back in at Liverpool after his injury. Was very highly rated a few years ago and can see us terminating Axel's loan in Jan and possibly getting him instead, sure he played with Konsa at Charlton to add another dynamic.

I think Archer would do well in a narrow 3 up front. 

I think we were in for Gomez before he joined the redscum? If we do sign him, whose place does he take? He played the left centre back role next to Van Dijk didn't he?

I can see the inevitable links to Aribo and Kent as well from Rangers. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

Gomez would be a great signing. I worry when either one of Konsa or Mings aren’t playing. 

[useless]

We're investing a lot of money and time in the academy for a reason, I think Purslow referred to it as the front and centre of our future plans, and it will be connected to whatever plans our owners have for investing in teams globally. Bien sur we will still sign players, but I think the aim is for us to become a club that is able to produce a significant amount of it's own players, maybe an English version Ajax in terms of being famous for an ability to bring through young players.

Of course players coming through the academy haven't worked out in the past, but that's got nothing to do with now as now we have a completely different academy set-up, we haven't just left things as they were and decided now we're going to give youth a chance, we're looking to give youth a chance now because we're signing some of the best youth players in the country and they're being coached  by one of the best academy set-ups in the country, theres also a lot of other things being put in place to make sure we attract more of the best local talent, which is something we were very poor at previously, as most went to West Brom.

[MaVilla]

with Nakamba seeming to step up to the plate, if that continues, i wonder if it might be best to offload a couple in Jan, help the FFP a little more (for the financial year), not really look to buy, keep our powder dry until the summer and go big then?

Obviously, that all depends on us being comfortable in the league by Jan.

[YLN]

3 hours ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Not when they have as much potential as our current crop have, no point investing so much time and energy in the academy if you don’t intend to turn it into a funnel for the first team.

Have you been to the loan thread recently? I can save you a trip if you like

 

Not in the squad

Not in the squad

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[Delphinho123]

18 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

with Nakamba seeming to step up to the plate, if that continues, i wonder if it might be best to offload a couple in Jan, help the FFP a little more (for the financial year), not really look to buy, keep our powder dry until the summer and go big then?

Obviously, that all depends on us being comfortable in the league by Jan.

I’ve said it a few times. For the first time since we’ve been back in the Prem, it’ll be as much about who we can sell as much as who we can buy.

Our squad is a little bloated now, especially in certain positions. People may not like to hear it, but moving players like Traore, Sanson, El Ghazi, Trezeguet, Guilbert and Wesley on will be important if we want to stay within the confinements of FFP and spend more money on quality additions. 

I wouldn’t be against just letting 3/4 go in Jan with a view to really bolstering in the Summer.

[bannedfromHandV]

58 minutes ago, YLN said:

Have you been to the loan thread recently? I can save you a trip if you like

 

Not in the squad

Not in the squad

Not in the squad

Not in the squad

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I’m not talking about the ones out on loan, save for Kesley Hayden who seems to be doing well at Swindon. I’m talking about Archer, A Ramsey, JPB, the Chuk brothers and one or two others.

We have invested heavily in the academy infrastructure as well as scouring the country and signing some high potential players, sure, some of them will not meet that potential ultimately but we won’t know if they’re not given a chance and we’ve already seen how well the likes of Chuk, JPB and Archer have done when given opportunities.

I don’t get the aversion to bringing through youth players any more than I get the obsession with making big money signings. I’d love nothing more than to see our squad heavily weighted with ‘homegrown’ talents, sure we’ll always need to make some signings but I’d like to see a balance alongside the academy. Given that we’ve spent a ton of money on numerous signings over recent summers I’m all for giving the youth a more heightened focus in the next 12 months.

 

[villa4europe]

8 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

I’m not talking about the ones out on loan, save for Kesley Hayden who seems to be doing well at Swindon. I’m talking about Archer, A Ramsey, JPB, the Chuk brothers and one or two others.

We have invested heavily in the academy infrastructure as well as scouring the country and signing some high potential players, sure, some of them will not meet that potential ultimately but we won’t know if they’re not given a chance and we’ve already seen how well the likes of Chuk, JPB and Archer have done when given opportunities.

I don’t get the aversion to bringing through youth players any more than I get the obsession with making big money signings. I’d love nothing more than to see our squad heavily weighted with ‘homegrown’ talents, sure we’ll always need to make some signings but I’d like to see a balance alongside the academy. Given that we’ve spent a ton of money on numerous signings over recent summers I’m all for giving the youth a more heightened focus in the next 12 months.

 

What we are doing with the academy is what is setting us apart

This idea that we have ambitious owners who are rich... So let's just spend loads of money and buy a CL place... So do exactly the same as about 8 other teams in the league? Including some who spend more than us? 

The academy route and trying to get a class of 92 is the pitch for Aston Villa, that's the master plan, you can see it right in front of you 

We won't do a thing by just spending £100m every summer 

[VillaChris]

2 hours ago, useless said:

We're investing a lot of money and time in the academy for a reason, I think Purslow referred to it as the front and centre of our future plans, and it will be connected to whatever plans our owners have for investing in teams globally. Bien sur we will still sign players, but I think the aim is for us to become a club that is able to produce a significant amount of it's own players, maybe an English version Ajax in terms of being famous for an ability to bring through young players.

Of course players coming through the academy haven't worked out in the past, but that's got nothing to do with now as now we have a completely different academy set-up, we haven't just left things as they were and decided now we're going to give youth a chance, we're looking to give youth a chance now because we're signing some of the best youth players in the country and they're being coached  by one of the best academy set-ups in the country, theres also a lot of other things being put in place to make sure we attract more of the best local talent, which is something we were very poor at previously, as most went to West Brom.

Most important thing is we get them out on good loans first. Kesler is doing well at Swindon for example, can he scale up and do well at top end league 1/bottom end championship next season and then season after he can challenge for first team spot.

Louie Barry currently showing perhaps the folly of thinking a goal in the cup means he's ready for regular sub games here. Ramsey doing well at top end of league 1 Doncaster was good indication he was ready to be involved and he's been in pretty much every matchday squad for over a year now.

They're a regular guide for me but Leicester know how to do things. Loaned Harvey Barnes out to Milton Keynes in league 1, did well there and then mid season they loaned him out to Barnsley at bottom end of championship. Then following season he went to West Brom at top end of championship and did so well he got recalled and been regular in their team ever since, Dewsbury-Hall is another who was at Luton last season and now getting regular sub cameos.

I think before we start demanding we play half the youth team again some of them need to go out and play well for a Boro or Stoke (as if we're claiming they're good enough for the prem they should do alright at that standard of club) so interesting what we do with JPB and Carney in January although get feeling contract situation might complicate the latter.

Actually with Gerrard's links wouldn't shock me if we loaned a young kid or two to Rangers over next 18 month as they could get european experience that way.

[useless]

The academy is a long term project, because it's about developing players from a very early age, so by it's very nature it's going to take years to get it up to standard. We're lucky that we had something of a golden generation with the FA Youth Cup winning team and hopefully some of them can make it with us, but if you look at last years first year scholars and this years first year scholars that came through our academy in the earlier age groups it's only really been Travis Patterson that's made a big impression, the others have been players we've brought in from other clubs' academies.

[sne]

7 hours ago, MaVilla said:

with Nakamba seeming to step up to the plate, if that continues, i wonder if it might be best to offload a couple in Jan, help the FFP a little more (for the financial year), not really look to buy, keep our powder dry until the summer and go big then?

Obviously, that all depends on us being comfortable in the league by Jan.

Nakamba, Traore and Trez will be away for a large part of January and February due to the AFCON, squad will be pretty slim.

[VillaFaninLondon]

It's all well and good investing in the Academy and I hope we continue to develop and nurture young talent, but we can't use that as an excuse not to invest.

 

If we want to be competing for the top 6 or dare I say it the top 4 we have to invest every year. There are glaring holes in our first team that need fixing now and I'd be very disappointed if we didn't sign at least one proven quality player in January.

 

We also need to avoid blowing the trumpet of our young players unless it is warranted. People talk about Kessler but he's on loan at a League 2 side, nowhere near a benchmark to prove he's ready to compete for a place in our side. Barry can't even get in a midtable League 1 team. Raikhy is playing in the National League which is even lower standard than League 2. 

 

Our young players need to be playing and starring at League 1 level at the minimum before they should even be considered to be part of this squad. Realistically they should be doing it in the Championship. The ones who haven't gone out on loan like Chuk, JPB, Archer and Aaron Ramsey are probably more likely to make it I'd imagine as they've been kept around, but then Chuk won't sign a new contract so there's a risk we may lose him.

 

Our strategy cannot be based solely around the Academy. It should be one part of our success, but if it's what we're hanging our hopes on then we need a serious reality check if we want to break into the top 6.