January Transfer Window - 2023

[Delphinho123]

Moreno might be good and I hope he really improves us but it only confirms what I’ve said numerous times. The club just bounces around from player to player based on the manager. There’s no way Moreno would be coming here if not for Emery. Now, at least Emery is a good manager so I trust him more than most, but it’s a very slapdash approach and just means when Emery goes (which is a statistical probability), we’ll then need to overhaul the squad and sign whoever the next manager wants.

I don’t see much from our scouting department unless it concerns youth players. Like I say, Moreno could be very good, but the way we’re run does concern me. 

[Marka Ragnos]

It the most obvious damaging players in term of cost-benefits we to move out ASAP.  That list shouldn't be controversial, but we shouldn't delay too long.

Coutinho, Buendía, Digne, and Dendoncker simply haven't earned their fees, given their supposed levels of experience, and in EmeryWorld, they're holding us back, same as Ronaldo did at United but without the goals and huge ego lol. These are the obvious "rip-offs" for Villa. There are lots of other bad players on lower wages, but the rule is always "CUT BIG THEN SMALL."  I had high hopes for Buendia, but he's Div. 2, it turns out. Exciting player but not good enough for top of the table ever. Coutinho was a mistake always. 

I do think we'd regret parting with Matty Cash, and I wouldn't be shocked if Digne turns things around. 

Edited January 9, 2023 by Marka Ragnos

[Zero7]

6 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Moreno might be good and I hope he really improves us but it only confirms what I’ve said numerous times. The club just bounces around from player to player based on the manager. There’s no way Moreno would be coming here if not for Emery. Now, at least Emery is a good manager so I trust him more than most, but it’s a very slapdash approach and just means when Emery goes (which is a statistical probability), we’ll then need to overhaul the squad and sign whoever the next manager wants.

I don’t see much from our scouting department unless it concerns youth players. Like I say, Moreno could be very good, but the way we’re run does concern me. 

Why worry about the players we are left with when Emery goes. You can say that for almost every single premiership team, Looks at Chelsea, how many manager have they been though. Buy good players and they are still good players when the next manager comes in. 

[jacketspuds]

15 minutes ago, burchy said:

Saints in for Alcaraz from Racing, Forest in for Danilo at Palmeiras, where’s our juicy South American talent at?

Lange out

Alcaraz could be a good signing, but once again Southampton are taking risks with young players that have potential.

We need leaders in our team. Leaders that can  instill a winning mentality, and some composure, when we play. I’m sick of the high number of fragile bottlejobs in our squad.

[IrishVilla10]

16 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Moreno might be good and I hope he really improves us but it only confirms what I’ve said numerous times. The club just bounces around from player to player based on the manager. There’s no way Moreno would be coming here if not for Emery. Now, at least Emery is a good manager so I trust him more than most, but it’s a very slapdash approach and just means when Emery goes (which is a statistical probability), we’ll then need to overhaul the squad and sign whoever the next manager wants.

I don’t see much from our scouting department unless it concerns youth players. Like I say, Moreno could be very good, but the way we’re run does concern me. 

Our scouting hasn’t been great imo, but I think we’ve been trying to operate away from players with potential and sign players to improve the team. Coutinho was a mistake, Dignes been ok, augustinson is ok, Olsen has just been involved a lot more than youd want them to, but I don’t rate him at all. Bednarak was a waste, dendonker I don’t thinks been too bad apart from his mistake last night. Carlos was a great signing on paper. Going further back we could have spent the grealish money better. But at the time I did think Ings bailey and Buendia were good signings. The signings after Moreno will be interesting and hopefully give us a better idea of what we’re trying to do now under Emery. 
Edit: kamara gives me some hope in our scouting. 

Edited January 9, 2023 by IrishVilla10

[burchy]

3 minutes ago, jacketspuds said:

Alcaraz could be a good signing, but once again Southampton are taking risks with young players that have potential.

We need leaders in our team. Leaders that can  instill a winning mentality, and some composure, when we play. I’m sick of the high number of fragile bottlejobs in our squad.

I’ve said his name loads but how about Feyenoord’s captain Orkan Kokcu. Leadership skills….check, scores goals in a 442 double pivot….check, young with potential to get even better…..check. 

[Made In Aston]

I think this transfer window has to be the worst for BS rumours. It started with Joao Felix then Harry Mcguire and now Matty Cash to Chelsea. What next?! 

[VillaChris]

Not great sources but Samuel Chukuweze's name is being floated with us.

Played well against Real Madrid and I've rated him for a few seasons and think he'll end up in the premier league at some point.

Of course we do need more wide players but I get the feeling Villareal would be tempted if Bailey was included in the deal as they tend to do well from premier league players who've lost their way e.g. Forlan, Lo Celso, Coquelin, Alberto Moreno so Bailey could be a good fit for them.

[MWARLEY2]

44 minutes ago, IrishVilla10 said:

Our scouting hasn’t been great imo, but I think we’ve been trying to operate away from players with potential and sign players to improve the team. Coutinho was a mistake, Dignes been ok, augustinson is ok, Olsen has just been involved a lot more than youd want them to, but I don’t rate him at all. Bednarak was a waste, dendonker I don’t thinks been too bad apart from his mistake last night. Carlos was a great signing on paper. Going further back we could have spent the grealish money better. But at the time I did think Ings bailey and Buendia were good signings. The signings after Moreno will be interesting and hopefully give us a better idea of what we’re trying to do now under Emery. 
Edit: kamara gives me some hope in our scouting. 

I really do not know what Rob Mackenzie does or even if he is still with us . Not a single left field signing. 

[maqroll]

4 hours ago, gwi1890 said:

Donner kebab to celebrate 

Don't ask for one of those in California 

[paul514]

3 hours ago, IrishVilla10 said:

Our scouting hasn’t been great imo, but I think we’ve been trying to operate away from players with potential and sign players to improve the team. Coutinho was a mistake, Dignes been ok, augustinson is ok, Olsen has just been involved a lot more than youd want them to, but I don’t rate him at all. Bednarak was a waste, dendonker I don’t thinks been too bad apart from his mistake last night. Carlos was a great signing on paper. Going further back we could have spent the grealish money better. But at the time I did think Ings bailey and Buendia were good signings. The signings after Moreno will be interesting and hopefully give us a better idea of what we’re trying to do now under Emery. 
Edit: kamara gives me some hope in our scouting. 

Coutinho was a mistake and I said so at the time.

Digne I felt was a good signing - I would have preferred Sosa but I was behind that one.

Augustinson I had never heard of

Olsen I don’t really believe anyone but other goalkeepers are qualified to judge them.

Bednarak I was against, I didn’t see the point.

Dendonker I thought was a decent signing. Probably still is.

I didn’t get the Carlos one, I wanted Botman. Everyone is waiting to see how this pans out.

from the Bailey Buendia Ings trio I was behind them except ings, I didn’t feel he fitted how we play at all.

[CVByrne]

Seems Emery wants 3 players in this window. One is Moreno and the other is a winger. But does Emery mean a wide player that plays up front ala Danjuma he had at Villareal or does he mean a wide player like a winger to play LM like he had with Pina at Villareal?

I think the 3rd has to be an attacking player too. So are we looking for a LB and wide midfielder (key is probably that they are also defensively sound as they are key to the mid block) and a "different type" of player to play up top with Watkins or Ings. 

Outs Augustinsson, injured or not we've 3 LBs and Young can cover there too. Naka and Sanson. Archer has left on Loan. Guilbert (but he's not in 1st team squad)

[CVByrne]

5 hours ago, paul514 said:

Coutinho was a mistake and I said so at the time.

Digne I felt was a good signing - I would have preferred Sosa but I was behind that one.

Augustinson I had never heard of

Olsen I don’t really believe anyone but other goalkeepers are qualified to judge them.

Bednarak I was against, I didn’t see the point.

Dendonker I thought was a decent signing. Probably still is.

I didn’t get the Carlos one, I wanted Botman. Everyone is waiting to see how this pans out.

from the Bailey Buendia Ings trio I was behind them except ings, I didn’t feel he fitted how we play at all.

Coutinho I get it, was a gamble but it did raise the profile of the club that's for sure. Hasn't worked out as we had all hoped

Digne is an improvement on Targett and given how Gerrard needed attacking LBs he made total sense

Augustinsson loan cover for LB and like for like type of player to Digne but not as good. Makes sense

Bednarek loan cover as Carlos got injured. Made sense if Mings or Konsa had then got injured we were in trouble. You need 4 CBs in PL

Dendoncker, I think his bad mistake aside is a decent squad player a total improvement on Naka for example. Also brings size and lots of experience. Can also play CB. 

Carlos completely made sense. We needed a player who is press resistant and experienced and comfortable playing out from the back. He and Kamara were key signings. Need to see how he recovers

Bailey, Buendia and Ings we were all happy with. We only had Watkins as a CF at the time we cannot be a PL club with one senior CF and Ings was as proven a player as there was available. 

 

A lot of our problems stem from circumstances.

1) Jack leaving and Deano playing with wingers and wanting to adapt to tactically flexiable formations. 3 at back etc.. 

2) Deano sacked and Gerrard joined. He wants to play with narrow 10s and attacking full backs.

Now Emery is in and he wants a big squad of players with different attributes to set up differently against different opposition.

[The_Steve]

Why are some clamouring for left of field signings? I’m sure it will happen under Unai but there are more immediate issues to address in the squad. 

[Delphinho123]

37 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

Seems Emery wants 3 players in this window. One is Moreno and the other is a winger. But does Emery mean a wide player that plays up front ala Danjuma he had at Villareal or does he mean a wide player like a winger to play LM like he had with Pina at Villareal?

I think the 3rd has to be an attacking player too. So are we looking for a LB and wide midfielder (key is probably that they are also defensively sound as they are key to the mid block) and a "different type" of player to play up top with Watkins or Ings. 

Outs Augustinsson, injured or not we've 3 LBs and Young can cover there too. Naka and Sanson. Archer has left on Loan. Guilbert (but he's not in 1st team squad)

I think Buendia, Bailey, Digne and Cash have been the weakest players in our side this year. Of the players that have played consistently I mean. 

I think you’ll see 3 players come into replace them. LB (Moreno). RM/LM (Ramsey will play on the other side). FW (player to play behind Watkins). 

Edited January 10, 2023 by Delphinho123

[KevinRichardsonsMoustache]

As ever with us, it’s a matter of trying to shed some of the dross. And from experience we know that is easier said than done. Expect more arrangements like Guilbert to Strasbourg or Hause to Watford: deals that we subsidise that have no final sale. Then the players go for a free years later, thereby slowing our ability to transform the squad.

 

Add into that players like Coutinho and Digne: those who are in their late 20s / early 30s who are on massive wages and will not move. 
 

So much for our big transfer policy idea - using the template of McGinn - eh?

[Delphinho123]

2 minutes ago, KevinRichardsonsMoustache said:

As ever with us, it’s a matter of trying to shed some of the dross. And from experience we know that is easier said than done. Expect more arrangements like Guilbert to Strasbourg or Hause to Watford: deals that we subsidise that have no final sale. Then the players go for a free years later, thereby slowing our ability to transform the squad.

 

Add into that players like Coutinho and Digne: those who are in their late 20s / early 30s who are on massive wages and will not move. 
 

So much for our big transfer policy idea - using the template of McGinn - eh?

Frustrating, isn’t it. 

Id be shocked if Digne, Coutinho and Ings didn’t see out their contracts here. I wouldn’t be going anywhere if I were them. 

I’ve said it a million times before, but our transfer policy isn’t very good. In fact, I don’t think we’re a very well run club when it comes to the footballing side of things. We’re not terrible, just not very good!

[nick76]

3 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

I think Buendia, Bailey, Digne and Cash have been the weakest players in our side this year. Of the players that have played consistently I mean. 

This year, I assume that’s not 2023, I assume you mean this season or 2022?  If so I could throw in players that have been just as weak including Watkins and McGinn.  Buendia has been poor under Emery but got very little time under Gerrard really whereas Digne, Watkins and McGinn have been poor for some time.

6 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

I think you’ll see 3 players come into replace them. LB (Moreno). RM/LM (Ramsey will play on the other side). FW (player to play behind Watkins). 

Moreno is 99% done, the comment from Emery about a specialist winger, it’ll be interesting to see if that is for Bailey or that weak left side.  The third position is up in the air with various links over the past month which could see a replacement for Watkins, McGinn or even some CB links.  I just hope whoever comes in are better than what we have.

[nick76]

2 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

Frustrating, isn’t it. 

Id be shocked if Digne, Coutinho and Ings didn’t see out their contracts here. I wouldn’t be going anywhere if I were them. 

I’ve said it a million times before, but our transfer policy isn’t very good. In fact, I don’t think we’re a very well run club when it comes to the footballing side of things. We’re not terrible, just not very good!

I’m ok if Ings sticks around and even extends, great back up striker.

[CVByrne]

8 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

I think Buendia, Bailey, Digne and Cash have been the weakest players in our side this year. Of the players that have played consistently I mean. 

I think you’ll see 3 players come into replace them. LB (Moreno). RM/LM (Ramsey will play on the other side). FW (player to play behind Watkins). 

Cash hasn't had enough time with Emery to learn the new role. He had been given a key attacking role under Gerrard. Plus he had a different role for Poland. He's proven to be one of the best players at the club in time he's been here so he deserves better from us Villa fans than writing him off so quickly.

Buendia and Bailey were signed for a different system and have always adapting to different roles constantly between Gerrard and now Emery. I would imagine one of them moving on.

Digne has good attacking output and has mostly played under a bad manager. He's a quality player so should be here I would say next season. We've got nice competition for him now.