Summer Transfer Window 2022

[CVByrne]

50 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Not sure where this idea, or fear even, of having a really old team is coming from. Looking at who we're linked to and probably want to sign based on the weight of speculation, I think this is absolutely fine...

(I'm rounding up based on next season)

Martinez - 29 (Will probably play at the top, top level until he is 34/35)
Cash - 25 (2/3 years away from his prime)
Mings - 29 (Fine)
Tarkowski - 30 (Fine)
Digne - 29 (Fine)
Kamara - 22 (Years away from his prime)
Bissouma - 26 (Coming into his prime)
Ramsey - 21 (Still a kid)
Coutinho - 30 (It's Coutinho)
Buendia - 25 (Still young)
Watkins - 26 (Primetime)

We don't have a single player that's over 31 years old in our starting line up. On top of that, defenders and players in general are playing well into their 30's these days. Players are looking to play past 33/34 whereas this tended to be the retirement age 5-10 years ago.

Comparing that to some of Liverpool's team as an example:

Mane - 30
Salah - 30
Van Dijk - 31
Matip - 30
Robertson - 28
Henderson - 31
Milner - 36
Thiago - 31
Fabinho - 28

The correct strategy is to find the right blend. Right now, I would argue our team lacks experience and is still fairly young which is why I'm all for bringing in players like Tarkowski and even Suarez. We just need to make sure that we bring in younger players, or train up our own younger players as back ups. If we sign Tarkowski and Bassey as an example. You've brought in a ready made centre half with excellent leadership and experience and an awesome prospect to challenge Mings and even displace him either this season or next. 



 

The difference is we don't win anything. For Villatalk the majority want young players who might go on to be sold and win things with other clubs. We don't want to have success at Aston Villa. It's all about the fantasy manager profit and loss of players. 

[Philosopher]

13 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

It’s ironic that at a time when players are probably fitter than they have ever been going in to their 30’s our fans seem to think they a couple of years from retirement at 28.

This is all about Suarez and Tarkowski. Tarkowski is a great signing for the right team. Free, in his prime, good defender, leader. Just not what I believe we need at RCB (in regards to the type of player).

Suarez at 35 for a player whose game was built on his prodigious work rate, he is past it!

Gabby at 28 was past it. This is because he was injury prone, not the most professional, and his game was based around sprinter level speed when the injuries robbed this off him.

Sports science is irrelevant if a player is plagued by injuries, or just doesn't look after themselves, or even doesn't have the desire anymore.

[duke313]

5 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

The difference is we don't win anything. For Villatalk the majority want young players who might go on to be sold and win things with other clubs. We don't want to have success at Aston Villa. It's all about the fantasy manager profit and loss of players. 

Or we could sign young players and keep them?

[Zatman]

6 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

The difference is we don't win anything. For Villatalk the majority want young players who might go on to be sold and win things with other clubs. We don't want to have success at Aston Villa. It's all about the fantasy manager profit and loss of players. 

Things that are not true for 1000

[Zatman]

1 minute ago, duke313 said:

Or we could sign young players and keep them?

Its like most teams do

[VillaParkAvenue]

Personality and motivation are key things as well, what makes a player want to come to a club. If you love winning and you are desperate for titles, why choose Villa at this point?

Some people like Ashley Young seem motivated just by improving the team and trying to win games, but not all are the same. Is Messi walking round the pitch at PSG because he’s old and can’t move, or is it also he doesn’t really care about the french league and basically waits for the World Cup?

With someone like Suarez coming to a smaller club you’d hope he’s motivated by proving to people he’s still great (he seems vindictive to me so I would guess this). If he comes only for money or to stay in shape for the World Cup, I would worry. The same question goes for all players choosing to step down from big CL clubs.

[MWARLEY2]

8 minutes ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

Personality and motivation are key things as well, what makes a player want to come to a club. If you love winning and you are desperate for titles, why choose Villa at this point?

Some people like Ashley Young seem motivated just by improving the team and trying to win games, but not all are the same. Is Messi walking round the pitch at PSG because he’s old and can’t move, or is it also he doesn’t really care about the french league and basically waits for the World Cup?

With someone like Suarez coming to a smaller club you’d hope he’s motivated by proving to people he’s still great (he seems vindictive to me so I would guess this). If he comes only for money or to stay in shape for the World Cup, I would worry. The same question goes for all players choosing to step down from big CL clubs.

He is a winner. But he is only going to win  football matches and not leagues or cups here.  He still has 'it" . He hasnt lost ' it' but this is the premier league and even players as good as Cavani were barely used and he is the exact same age as Suarez . 

With the 5 subs rule i would play Ings one half and Suarez one half . Give them the chance to balance their declining physicality with less work . 

[Delphinho123]

4 minutes ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

The Liverpool example shows something else as well, the possible danger of having a lot of key players basically the same age. They have been better than ever this season with the core of the team around 30 years. But those players have to be replaced sometime and worst case for them, it will happen in a short time frame (I’m looking forward to it)

They've already started the process in replacing said players. Jota, Diaz, Carvalho etc. They're going to take the burden from Salah, Mane and Firmino in the next 2/3 years. Liverpool are a very well run club. 

[Philosopher]

2 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

They've already started the process in replacing said players. Jota, Diaz, Carvalho etc. They're going to take the burden from Salah, Mane and Firmino in the next 2/3 years. Liverpool are a very well run club. 

They haven't replaced Salah yet not one other has a left foot. They also need to find a replacement for Henderson and hardest of all to replace will be Robertson.

[Dante_Lockhart]

I REALLY want us to sign someone like Evan Ndicka. He'd be awesome. 22, 1 year left on his contract I think. European experience. 6' 4"

20-25m I reckon.

[Zatman]

33 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

They haven't replaced Salah yet not one other has a left foot. They also need to find a replacement for Henderson and hardest of all to replace will be Robertson.

Robertson just turned 28 two months ago though Tsimikas isnt a bad back up

[Pez1974]

Genuinely credible reports of both Tarkowski and Carlos. Are we playing one against the other? Are we trying to sign both? Or is it all just BS?

If we sign one - I reckon that's Hause out the door,. If two - does this mean Mings is likely to go, as Konsa is injured, and Chambers just arrived and has versatility?

If Mings is likely to go, I would have expected to hear whispers as clubs would have to be asking by now?

Quite good fun to watch really!

(Bassey too - but I think that's a LB cover, with versatility, rather than a third.)

Edited May 26, 2022 by Pez1974

[Jareth]

9 minutes ago, Pez1974 said:

Genuinely credible reports of both Tarkowski and Carlos. Are we playing one against the other? Are we trying to sign both? Or is it all just BS?

If we sign one - I reckon that's Hause out the door,. If two - does this mean Mings is likely to go, as Konsa is injured, and Chambers just arrived and has versatility?

If Mings is likely to go, I would have expected to hear whispers as clubs would have to be asking by now?

Quite good fun to watch really!

(Bassey too - but I think that's a LB cover, with versatility, rather than a third.)

Yeah - intrigued to see what happens. Options of Carlos, Tarkowski, Mings, Chambers is very interesting. Mings might not like it but since when has he had any competition for his place - I can see that 4 serving us extremely well.

[VillaHatesMe]

6 hours ago, Philosopher said:

This. Serie A is at best on the level of the French Ligue 1. Lagging behind the prem, Spain, and Germany. Even the Portuguese league is up there with Serie A these days.

There are definitely quality players there, but at it's a second rate league these days.

If you want to say Serie A is behind Spain and Germany, fine, it's a perfectly defensible argument. But to say it's "at best" on the level of Ligue 1and Portugal is talking out your ass.

Edited May 26, 2022 by VillaHatesMe

[Philosopher]

43 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Robertson just turned 28 two months ago though Tsimikas isnt a bad back up

I'm talking in the future. Robertson will be very hard to replace. He's so important.

[TRO]

4 hours ago, Philosopher said:

This is all about Suarez and Tarkowski. Tarkowski is a great signing for the right team. Free, in his prime, good defender, leader. Just not what I believe we need at RCB (in regards to the type of player).

Suarez at 35 for a player whose game was built on his prodigious work rate, he is past it!

Gabby at 28 was past it. This is because he was injury prone, not the most professional, and his game was based around sprinter level speed when the injuries robbed this off him.

Sports science is irrelevant if a player is plagued by injuries, or just doesn't look after themselves, or even doesn't have the desire anymore.

Player development relies on having players around who have been there done it got the tea shirt.......SG can't be on hand for everyone.....learning is contagious and players like Suarez can be influential, to have around.

Suarez for 12 months, would be invaluable imo......I don't see him playing every game, but to be used sparingly at crucial times.....I see his presence having a real value on our squad and younger players learning from him.

We have no mentor, for the strikers to learn from, but I will go with the clubs decision.

[Philosopher]

23 minutes ago, VillaHatesMe said:

If you want to say Serie A is behind Spain and Germany, fine, it's a perfectly defensible argument. But to say it's "at best" on the level of Ligue 1and Portugal is talking out your ass.

At best on the level of ligue 1 is what I said. The Portuguese league is almost at Serie A's level.

[Rightdm00]

5 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

Not sure where this idea, or fear even, of having a really old team is coming from. Looking at who we're linked to and probably want to sign based on the weight of speculation, I think this is absolutely fine...

(I'm rounding up based on next season)

Martinez - 29 (Will probably play at the top, top level until he is 34/35)
Cash - 25 (2/3 years away from his prime)
Mings - 29 (Fine)
Tarkowski - 30 (Fine)
Digne - 29 (Fine)
Kamara - 22 (Years away from his prime)
Bissouma - 26 (Coming into his prime)
Ramsey - 21 (Still a kid)
Coutinho - 30 (It's Coutinho)
Buendia - 25 (Still young)
Watkins - 26 (Primetime)

We don't have a single player that's over 31 years old in our starting line up. On top of that, defenders and players in general are playing well into their 30's these days. Players are looking to play past 33/34 whereas this tended to be the retirement age 5-10 years ago.

Comparing that to some of Liverpool's team as an example:

Mane - 30
Salah - 30
Van Dijk - 31
Matip - 30
Robertson - 28
Henderson - 31
Milner - 36
Thiago - 31
Fabinho - 28

The correct strategy is to find the right blend. Right now, I would argue our team lacks experience and is still fairly young which is why I'm all for bringing in players like Tarkowski and even Suarez. We just need to make sure that we bring in younger players, or train up our own younger players as back ups. If we sign Tarkowski and Bassey as an example. You've brought in a ready made centre half with excellent leadership and experience and an awesome prospect to challenge Mings and even displace him either this season or next. 



 

Huge flaw in this idea. You are looking at Liverpool as it exist currently. They didn't start there. Here's how old each player was when they signed them:

Salah - 24

Mane - 24

VVD - 26

Henderson - 20

Robertson - 23

Fabinho - 24

Matip - 24

I could go on but you see the trend. Liverpool's window with their current roster has been open for 4 years now. They probably still have a nother year or 2 before they need to start rebuilding. Our window is going to be much smaller. 2 seasons at best. If we miss then there isn't any do over. Will be the new Everton if we get it really wrong.  No one is taking 30+ year old players off our hand for anything close to what we paid for them. The risk is huge. Old team, small window of success and a manager with half a season of PL experience. The risk/reward here is massive. It could go right but oh man it could also go really, really wrong. 

[MSvillain]

Does anyone else hold the same concern that we have all our business wrapped up by June 15th and the rest of the summer will be really boring? How else am I gonna procrastinate at work

Edited May 26, 2022 by MSvillain

[Zatman]

12 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

At best on the level of ligue 1 is what I said. The Portuguese league is almost at Serie A's level.

Its really not

Last summer at the Euros most of the best players played in that shitty Italian league including 9 starters in the final vs the might of the Premier League the greatest league ever