briny_ear Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Emery noted recently, didn’t he, that clubs lower down the table were buying players in this window to try to improve their performance while his approach was to give the existing squad the chance to show they could improve before bringing in new players [presumably in the summer]. This is a new approach for us - we have typically tried to buy our way into better performance without necessarily having the resources or reputation to succeed. It’s a clear position and I am 95% comfortable with it. I just worry about a goal scoring striker. Not sure we can magic one of these out of the existing squad. However, Emery has done a great job so far in helping turn our results around dramatically, so I’m happy to leave him to it. Interesting to see Traore coming back, wonder if he will feature? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrBlack Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, DCJonah said: Early on in the season when it looked like Gerrard was taking us down, this would have been viewed as success. Emery has worked wonders, but let's not forget he's cleaning up Gerrard's mess whilst building his own squad. That takes more than one window. It does normally. But having seemingly done that in fairly short turnaround, the position we find ourselves in is one it would be great to take advantage of. I can only assume the players we wanted weren't available for whatever reason (Guendouzi, Williams, other), and so it's probably a moot point saying what if. But it's still a thought process to have. If we avoid injuries to Watkins and Martinez, then I think we'll cope with injuries in other areas. I'd back Traore to replace Bailey and be at least as effective. Everywhere else we seem to have at least one direct alternative. Keep up our current form (which has been demonstrated against a decent set of opposition) on that basis, and top half is assured. But either Martinez or Watkins gets injured and we're into proven shit or unproven territory. It's a fine line we're walking, but thankfully, if it goes tits up due to injuries we're in a largely safe position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCollins29 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Duran must be ready to go, otherwise we would have got some cover in surely? Hope Ollie is wrapped on bubble wrap from now on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke313 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 9 minutes ago, Eastie said: Top 4 champions league - 5th place and 2 cup winner europa league - if both cup winners have finished in top 4 then 6th and 7th qualify for europa league and 8th europa conference league No. 6th is Europa League, 7th is Europa Conference. 8th gets nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwi1890 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 16 minutes ago, markc said: According to Alex Crook (yes I know he's a knob) on talksport. Dembele was being touted out to everybody, but the list of demands from his agent was putting everyone off. And then he said “I’ve just been told to keep and eye on Aston Villa as young Ramsey has gone out on loan and that might leave them a bit short”’ I’m almost 100% that he thinks this is Jacob Ramsey and probably doesn’t know Aaron exists. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 9 minutes ago, Tomaszk said: Surprised anyone could honestly think this. Zero chance of deals being more difficult in the summer. Easy, think of the amount of clubs after a striker. We will be competing with them for a striker then, some of those guaranteeing European football. A lot of those clubs won’t be as active in January or the players will have stronger positions in the summer like free transfers so more clubs will be interested. That is just one reason why it maybe harder never mind other reasons. Yes it can be easier as well, but to think that automatically summer will be easier is just naive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 2 minutes ago, duke313 said: No. 6th is Europa League, 7th is Europa Conference. 8th gets nothing. If Forest or Southampton win the league cup then 7th also gets nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 3 minutes ago, GingerCollins29 said: Duran must be ready to go, otherwise we would have got some cover in surely? Not according to Emery at his presser last week hence why he wanted another in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mykeyb Posted January 31, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted January 31, 2023 Fans need to calm down. Too often we have squandered millions on our 2nd, 3rd or 4th choice targets. Let's get the real targets in the summer and move this great club forward. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, GingerCollins29 said: Duran must be ready to go, otherwise we would have got some cover in surely? Hope Ollie is wrapped on bubble wrap from now on! Traore 39 goals 76 appearances as centre forward spread over career at multiple clubs. Trossard was doing alright up front for Brighton before move to Arsenal and I'm not sure he's played up top before this season. Antonio was never a striker until West Ham started playing him there several seasons ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCJonah Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, nick76 said: Easy, think of the amount of clubs after a striker. We will be competing with them for a striker then, some of those guaranteeing European football. A lot of those clubs won’t be as active in January or the players will have stronger positions in the summer like free transfers so more clubs will be interested. That is just one reason why it maybe harder never mind other reasons. Yes it can be easier as well, but to think that automatically summer will be easier is just naive. If we get a top striker in the summer then nothing else matters. If we could have got our main target this window do you really think we've decided not to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duke313 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, Kingman said: If Forest or Southampton win the league cup then 7th also gets nothing Correct. I was basing it on teams winning them that are already qualified. Which is what normally happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwi1890 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 10 minutes ago, nick76 said: Easy, think of the amount of clubs after a striker. We will be competing with them for a striker then, some of those guaranteeing European football. A lot of those clubs won’t be as active in January or the players will have stronger positions in the summer like free transfers so more clubs will be interested. That is just one reason why it maybe harder never mind other reasons. Yes it can be easier as well, but to think that automatically summer will be easier is just naive. Part of the reason this January window has been difficult is that the majority of our targets are still involved in European competitions also in with a chance of winning league and domestic cups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 2 minutes ago, DCJonah said: If we get a top striker in the summer then nothing else matters. If we could have got our main target this window do you really think we've decided not to? If we get a top striker…villa fans are always the never never…every time it’s next season or next transfer window. The summer is going to be incredibly hard to get a top striker. Fans keep saying in the summer but I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as people think as there are so many clubs looking like they need a striker in the summer. I agree that scenario is the same here in January, but I think fans are thinking the summer is going to be much easy are living in fantasy land. As for main target now? I don’t know, Guendouzi deal seemed to be there and Marseille didn’t say no, they didn’t say he’s not for sale, they didn’t say we had bid enough….they said we hadn’t even contacted them…it was our only serious link for weeks. Villa are very secret of course but it’s been extremely quiet for weeks now since Duran, just a lot of none reputable journo apparent links but nothing else. So do I think we decided not? I would assume not but I would question whether we have been aggressive in the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaParkAvenue Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 9 minutes ago, duke313 said: Correct. I was basing it on teams winning them that are already qualified. Which is what normally happens. If both League cup and FA cup winners finish outside the top 5, the team finishing 6th also gets no qualification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moustache of Teale Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 41 minutes ago, pintpotvilla said: I'm guessing they are not finished yet. Aouar?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightoffyour Posted January 31, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted January 31, 2023 Nah it's impossible for 8th place to qualify for Europe (for finishing 8th). It's only possible to have 8 PL teams qualify only if the CL and EL winners don't finish in the top 4, and the FA cup and League cup winners don't finish top 6. Then the CL and EL winners and the top 3 in the PL qualify for the CL, 4th and 5th in the PL plus the FA cup winner qualify for ECL, and the League cup winner qualifies for ECL. Simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, gwi1890 said: Part of the reason this January window has been difficult is that the majority of our targets are still involved in European competitions also in with a chance of winning league and domestic cups. To be fair we don’t know who our targets are do we so you can’t say that. Our only real link has been Guendouzi and by all accounts he was happy to come. Every other link really has been brief and not by any reputable journo or close to reputable. We have no clue who our targets are or what competition or leagues they are in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaParkAvenue Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, nick76 said: If we get a top striker…villa fans are always the never never…every time it’s next season or next transfer window. The summer is going to be incredibly hard to get a top striker. Fans keep saying in the summer but I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as people think as there are so many clubs looking like they need a striker in the summer. I agree that scenario is the same here in January, but I think fans are thinking the summer is going to be much easy are living in fantasy land. As for main target now? I don’t know, Guendouzi deal seemed to be there and Marseille didn’t say no, they didn’t say he’s not for sale, they didn’t say we had bid enough….they said we hadn’t even contacted them…it was our only serious link for weeks. Villa are very secret of course but it’s been extremely quiet for weeks now since Duran, just a lot of none reputable journo apparent links but nothing else. So do I think we decided not? I would assume not but I would question whether we have been aggressive in the market. My theory is that the club tried to stop paying out such high salaries as we’ve done to new signings the last two windows. If we offered ”normal” wages and less sign-on fees etcetera, perhaps it was more difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 2 hours ago, nick76 said: Just for some amusement Birmingham City have made a late move for Lee Gwan ***Breaking News*** Sky Sports Transfer Deadline Day*** Liverpool to sign Italian Defender Robatelli and Japanese forward Nikamotor, Late bid also expected for Chinese star Win-onesoon 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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