Summer Transfer Window 2023

[nick76]

12 hours ago, Mazrim said:

I'm not so set on who should be a starter now. I'm of the opinion you get 2 or 3 players for each position and let them earn it.

Spot on!  We play less games than our rivals and we still looked a bit leggy in some recent games.  Hopefully we go further in the cups next season and maybe even Europe, we need more quality options not only for energy but form and if the game needs slight tactical changes or just fresh bodies.  We need more options and not back ups but equal to what we have and upgrades.  Very few should be guaranteed starters, they need to keep earning their place.

[CVByrne]

10 hours ago, Indigo said:

Just because Luiz and Kamara are quality doesn't mean Villa shouldn't be signing another player of quality that can fill the same position. We've seen this season how quickly injuries can tally up, it's why I don't see any harm in signing the likes of Guendouzi who could play both there and another additional midfield position.

Ugarte I'd be stunned at though, he's not only one of the most highly-coveted midfielders in Europe at the moment but is also the exact type that some of the more established "top" sides are after. Not that I'd be complaining mind.

Totally agree. Firstly with the ultra press our next step I imagine under Emery we will tire our midfield out a lot in games. So we need to have at least 4 players who can play in CM to at least as high a standard as we have this season. So we say we've 3 now who can Luiz, Kamara, McGinn. We need one more, as our bench will be used every game for the midfield. 

If we sign Pau Torres I think we'll adapt to a 3 CB and a FB type system and allow Moreno or Cash to be an attacking full back on left or right depending on how we set up and okay 3 of our CBs. I just can't see us having 4 top CBs with only 2 getting regular game time. Though on paper a Pau Torres and Diego Carlos CB partnership is pretty damn awesome. 

I wonder if Mings can play LB/LCB in an evolution of the system. He started out there for Ipswitch. We could have 4 CBs (with Mings/Konsa able to play as CM/FB in a situational back 3) then 2 FBs and Young for additional cover.

I've no idea where we're going in relation to the defence. I'm pretty sure we'll make an addition though

[Delphinho123]

46 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

Totally agree. Firstly with the ultra press our next step I imagine under Emery we will tire our midfield out a lot in games. So we need to have at least 4 players who can play in CM to at least as high a standard as we have this season. So we say we've 3 now who can Luiz, Kamara, McGinn. We need one more, as our bench will be used every game for the midfield. 

If we sign Pau Torres I think we'll adapt to a 3 CB and a FB type system and allow Moreno or Cash to be an attacking full back on left or right depending on how we set up and okay 3 of our CBs. I just can't see us having 4 top CBs with only 2 getting regular game time. Though on paper a Pau Torres and Diego Carlos CB partnership is pretty damn awesome. 

I wonder if Mings can play LB/LCB in an evolution of the system. He started out there for Ipswitch. We could have 4 CBs (with Mings/Konsa able to play as CM/FB in a situational back 3) then 2 FBs and Young for additional cover.

I've no idea where we're going in relation to the defence. I'm pretty sure we'll make an addition though

The defence is a strange one simply because, as mad as it sounds, Mings and Konsa were never supposed to get this good! 

[Villarocker]

21 minutes ago, Delphinho123 said:

The defence is a strange one simply because, as mad as it sounds, Mings and Konsa were never supposed to get this good! 

Possibly because they've never had coaching this good? 

[Villarocker]

Just now, Villarocker said:

Possibly because they've never had coaching this good? 

In addition to this, they now have a serious threat to their starting places sat on the bench so they know if they don't perform they're out of the team?

[rubberman]

3 hours ago, CVByrne said:

Totally agree. Firstly with the ultra press our next step I imagine under Emery we will tire our midfield out a lot in games. So we need to have at least 4 players who can play in CM to at least as high a standard as we have this season. So we say we've 3 now who can Luiz, Kamara, McGinn. We need one more, as our bench will be used every game for the midfield. 

If we sign Pau Torres I think we'll adapt to a 3 CB and a FB type system and allow Moreno or Cash to be an attacking full back on left or right depending on how we set up and okay 3 of our CBs. I just can't see us having 4 top CBs with only 2 getting regular game time. Though on paper a Pau Torres and Diego Carlos CB partnership is pretty damn awesome. 

I wonder if Mings can play LB/LCB in an evolution of the system. He started out there for Ipswitch. We could have 4 CBs (with Mings/Konsa able to play as CM/FB in a situational back 3) then 2 FBs and Young for additional cover.

I've no idea where we're going in relation to the defence. I'm pretty sure we'll make an addition though

I think this is right (if the rumours about Torres in particular are accurate...BIG if).  As per the recent high line chat, part of the reason our defence has been so stingy recently is how well drilled and used to each other Mings and Konsa are. Rotating players in and out of this eg Carlos and Torres makes it far more risky as the partnerships won't have such a good understanding. CB is the one area of the pitch that you don't want regular rotation for - decent back-ups in case of injury, sure - but otherwise better to be consistent. 

[duke313]

5 hours ago, nick76 said:

Spot on!  We play less games than our rivals and we still looked a bit leggy in some recent games.  Hopefully we go further in the cups next season and maybe even Europe, we need more quality options not only for energy but form and if the game needs slight tactical changes or just fresh bodies.  We need more options and not back ups but equal to what we have and upgrades.  Very few should be guaranteed starters, they need to keep earning their place.

Lack of squad depth has cost us in some games.  

[burchy]

I’m hoping the links to players like Kokcu and Ugarte point to us backing Emery and his comments about having 2 quality players for each position. 

The top teams are able to bring in like for like quality wise and I think that’s where he wants to get us.

If, hypothetically, we had a midfield 2 that was picked from Luiz/Kokcu and Kamara/Ugarte we’d have one of the best central midfields in the league, that could be mixed up depending on the opposition.

More attacking Luiz & Kokcu. More defensive Ugarte & Kamara.

Obviously we’d have to keep everyone happy but with more games we would be able to do that and like other posters have said LWB and CM is the area we’ll be swapping out regularly as that’s where most of our graft takes place. 

[TRO]

32 minutes ago, burchy said:

I’m hoping the links to players like Kokcu and Ugarte point to us backing Emery and his comments about having 2 quality players for each position. 

The top teams are able to bring in like for like quality wise and I think that’s where he wants to get us.

If, hypothetically, we had a midfield 2 that was picked from Luiz/Kokcu and Kamara/Ugarte we’d have one of the best central midfields in the league, that could be mixed up depending on the opposition.

More attacking Luiz & Kokcu. More defensive Ugarte & Kamara.

Obviously we’d have to keep everyone happy but with more games we would be able to do that and like other posters have said LWB and CM is the area we’ll be swapping out regularly as that’s where most of our graft takes place. 

Winning football matches, tends to keep everyone happy.

[The_Steve]

New link to Ugarte today in the Portuguese news outlet Abola. It’s behind a paywall, however. 

The opening sentence alludes to us entering talks of some kind whilst remaining very vague.  

Aston Villa ataca Ugarte

Ingleses passam das intenções aos atos e já avançaram com sondagem. Médio cada vez mais perto da Premier League

https://abola3d.abola.pt/detalhe/1901/987901

[PieFacE]

Feel like there could be something in the Ugarte links. 

[duke313]

Fichajes FC Barcelona | Mateu fichará al medio que quería en el Barça para sustituir a Busquets (sport.es)

Manuel Ugarte, midfielder of Sporting Lisbon, was followed by the blaugrana club

Aston Villa could pay the 60 million euros of his exit clause

Barca have yet to sign Sergio Busquets' replacement, although the club has followed several players on a long list of preferences. One of these players is the Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte, who can finally sign for Aston Villa with Mateu Alemany.

Seems the links to Ugarte are related to Alemeny, he wanted him to replace Busquets.  Would be an amazing signing if we could convince him to sign.

[The_Steve]

The Liverpool meltdown alone would make it worth it

[Rustibrooks]

Ugarte links seem to be increasing today, I really hope we get him. Does anyone know if Abola PT is reliable?

[El-Reacho]

5 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

The defence is a strange one simply because, as mad as it sounds, Mings and Konsa were never supposed to get this good! 

As good as Mings/Konsa have been defensively since Emery arrived I guess the question now is can the like of Pau Torres be as good or better defensively but also improve how we start our attacks from the back? That's maybe were they've identified room for improvement - especially against top level sides. Emery will likely want to take us to a level where we are competing on every level against elite sides, rather than a 6-2-2 where we've hit them on the break. 

[duke313]

9 minutes ago, El-Reacho said:

As good as Mings/Konsa have been defensively since Emery arrived I guess the question now is can the like of Pau Torres be as good or better defensively but also improve how we start our attacks from the back? That's maybe were they've identified room for improvement - especially against top level sides. Emery will likely want to take us to a level where we are competing on every level against elite sides, rather than a 6-2-2 where we've hit them on the break. 

Spot on.  As good as some players have been under Emery, we can always improve.  We can't stand still in this division, Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea etc aren't always going to be this poor, we need to strike while the iron is hot.  

[The_Steve]

Screenshot of the Ugarte article 

 

 

[duke313]

1 minute ago, The_Steve said:

Screenshot of the Ugarte article 

 

 

Erm.. does anybody speak Portuguese?

Sounds like we’re trying to get him cheaper. One thing about the big three Portuguese clubs, if you want their highly rated player, you pay the release clause.

[The_Steve]

1 minute ago, duke313 said:

Erm.. does anybody speak Portuguese?

Sounds like we’re trying to get him cheaper. One thing about the big three Portuguese clubs, if you want their highly rated player, you pay the release clause.

Negotiating tactic for sure. Could see him being a name we’d break our record fee for. 

[duke313]

Just now, The_Steve said:

Negotiating tactic for sure. Could see him being a name we’d break our record fee for. 

Absolutely. He's a player who will be out of our reach in a few years, so get him now or never.