Summer Transfer Window 2023

[Demitri_C]

16 minutes ago, stewiek2 said:

Yep. No chance we sell for £10m when he's had more experience on loan that Chukweumeka had. £20m plus as a minimum.

It's very unfortunate he picked up a injury as im sure he would have got game time pre season 

[HalfTimePost]

56 minutes ago, Made In Aston said:

Nixon with some new transfer bait

I'd be gutted if we sold him as I think he will really blossom over the next couple years and with his familial and local ties to the area and club would be great to see him do it here. Particularly as the 'good' brother. He may not make the grade here long term but he's earned a loan and the chance to prove himself worthy of a shot at the first team at least.

For £10m it's a non starter but I'd be disappointed at £20m too

[sne]

Don't see what our motivation for selling Ramsey would be. Especially since we kinda need our homegrown players, even if it's just to make up the numbers. And Ramsey is a big talent so "giving" him away to a team in the PL seem bonkers. Maybe they could loan him but again, we may need him to stick around.

Edited August 1, 2023 by sne

[Delphinho123]

West Ham and Palace aren’t having very good windows, nor are Wolves actually. I know we’re aiming higher than these now, but good to see teams ‘around us’ being weakened so we can solidify ourselves as a regular top 8 team. 

West Ham in particular could really struggle next year. 

[duke313]

1 minute ago, Delphinho123 said:

West Ham and Palace aren’t having very good windows, nor are Wolves actually. I know we’re aiming higher than these now, but good to see teams ‘around us’ being weakened so we can solidify ourselves as a regular top 8 team. 

West Ham in particular could really struggle next year. 

Moyes will be sacked

[Sam-AVFC]

16 minutes ago, duke313 said:

Moyes will be sacked

Hopefully after his hand picked list of transfer targets are all signed. I'll be delighted if the Rice money goes on Maguire, McTominay and JWP.

[MSvillain]

2 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

I don’t think you can argue that he’s been a revelation. A superb manager. The high line worries me a bit but he’s without doubt the best manager we’ve had at the club for a long, long time. 

I’m just, at present, not in full agreement that this has been a great window. I think it’s been ok, good even, but there’s just this feeling gnawing away at me that we’re not THAT much stronger. Maybe I’m being glass half full.

At the start of the window, I’d have said our main priorities were Support Striker, Wide player, Right Back and Back up GK. So far we’ve signed Diaby, who I assume is the wide player in that scenario, and a CM and CB. I get that as a squad we will be stronger for it, but I feel we haven’t improved the pressing areas (of course that might change). Does Torres get in ahead of Mings? Sure, on paper he might do but he may struggle to adapt. Does Tielemans start ahead of Kamara, Luiz and McGinn in central midfield - not sure. Diaby looks to be a fantastic signing. It’s highly likely we’ll be starting with Cash at right back, Olsen in some cup games and one of Buendia/Bailey/Coutinho most of the time.

Like I say, good window in many respects, just would have preferred a new support striker and right back above most. Hopefully we can move a few on and do some business. Somebody like a Doku/Felix level signing and I’d be over the moon. 

You can argue against all of the points above and it does come across very glass half empty. Tin hat on. 

My counter to this would be that Emery knows the positions he wants to improve and will be backed to do so accordingly.

If we don’t target those areas (I still think we may) then they can’t have been a priority imo.

[ForeroGabe]

2 hours ago, pintpotvilla said:

Buendia is not poor, he's one of our best players. Just stop moaning about him-please He will prove you very wrong in our Unai based system. 

He’s not poor. But he has a good game 1/5 times. To me that means he has no means of starting and should be an impact sub. 
 

Plays like the worst footballer in the world then plays as one of the best. We don’t need that inconsistency in our starting line up. Just because he had one good game shouldn’t deceive us we have better players in the squad and Buendia could easily be upgraded 

Edited August 1, 2023 by ForeroGabe

[Jas10]

7 hours ago, TRO said:

He signed Nicholas Pepe too.

Hush my mouth....stand in the corner and say 3 hail mary's....sorry.

Edited August 1, 2023 by Jas10

[Jas10]

7 hours ago, TRO said:

Phew!!!....Thanks Shaun, just dodged a bullet....My Love for UE, nearly got tested there.

However, they all make mistakes....SAF with Djemba Djemba.

[allani]

2 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

I don’t think you can argue that he’s been a revelation. A superb manager. The high line worries me a bit but he’s without doubt the best manager we’ve had at the club for a long, long time. 

I’m just, at present, not in full agreement that this has been a great window. I think it’s been ok, good even, but there’s just this feeling gnawing away at me that we’re not THAT much stronger. Maybe I’m being glass half full.

At the start of the window, I’d have said our main priorities were Support Striker, Wide player, Right Back and Back up GK. So far we’ve signed Diaby, who I assume is the wide player in that scenario, and a CM and CB. I get that as a squad we will be stronger for it, but I feel we haven’t improved the pressing areas (of course that might change). Does Torres get in ahead of Mings? Sure, on paper he might do but he may struggle to adapt. Does Tielemans start ahead of Kamara, Luiz and McGinn in central midfield - not sure. Diaby looks to be a fantastic signing. It’s highly likely we’ll be starting with Cash at right back, Olsen in some cup games and one of Buendia/Bailey/Coutinho most of the time.

Like I say, good window in many respects, just would have preferred a new support striker and right back above most. Hopefully we can move a few on and do some business. Somebody like a Doku/Felix level signing and I’d be over the moon. 

You can argue against all of the points above and it does come across very glass half empty. Tin hat on. 

I agree. It's been a good start to the window so far.  Possibly even a very good start.

I had another ball playing CM in my list too - I thought it would be Guendouzi but Tielemans - as an 8 alongside Luiz - looks more and more like the perfect player.  Probably rotating with McGinn depending on whether we are at home / away and expecting to dominate possession or spend more time hustling to get it back.

I'd say that Diaby is more of an out-and-out attack minded player and his defensive stats aren't that good (although that it counterbalanced to a large extent by Ollie being so good pressing teams when we don't have the ball).  Him and Ollie also give us great "out" options when we are under pressure.

With Pau Torres again I think we now have pretty much as good a CB "four" as there is in the league and options to play either 2 or 3 CBs during matches.  I expect Mings and Torres to start but we have options and cover sorted.  

I do think that the extra attacking player is probably the critical signing of the summer because that is the position that I think could give us complete balance - a really dynamic front 3 when we expect to be on the front foot in matches and the ability to play McGinn and / or J Ramsey when we're maybe soaking up more pressure and looking to hit teams more on the break.  It just feels like it gives us SO many options in matches especially if Archer and Bailey come good and will allow us to keep out attacking forces fresh through a (hopefully) long season.  For me that player could make it a magnificent window.

I worry about an injury to Emi and whether referees will continue to pick on him and punish him for time-wasting despite other keepers getting away with it (mainly because you can guarantee that the opposition fans will start booing and heckling the referee from the start).  I worry about Olsen having to play 2 games on the trot let alone 5 or 7 or 9.  I worry about it less than the other attacking player because I would expect the extra attacker to start many, many more matches than a backup GK.  But I would like more strength in the GK department.  A better back-up GK makes our window a bit better but is really about risk mitigation rather than improving the team (not that that is a reason not to do it).

Similarly, I am not unhappy with Cash at RB.  I think it is somewhere could upgrade but maybe is Cash is out injured we can cover that either with Konsa or by playing 3 CBs and having Luiz / Kamara play a bit deeper.  I'd be very pleased to see a new RB - especially one who would take the shirt rather than be a back-up to Cash.  So that could definitely tip us over the edge into a good window overall - but I'd still be worried about our goal threat.  

A combination of two or three of those players could take us from a good window, to a very good window to an absolutely unbelievable window.

[macandally]

5 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

I think you’re probably right. Another forward player will be dependent on us shifting one or two of Bailey, Coutinho, Buendia and Traore. We may see another midfielder if Dendoncker moves on. 

I know you’re fishing, but I will bite, we will not be selling Beundia this window!

[Jas10]

4 hours ago, allani said:

We don't have a best XI.  We have a best XVI.  We are pretty close to having a best XX.  Our best XI will vary week by week, match by match depending on who we are playing and whether we are home / away.  Which is exactly the way it should be.  A couple of signings (and we're pretty much all talking about exactly the same positions) and we'll have an entire bench that could all be considered players good enough to start.  I'm sure we'll all still have our favourites / fall-guys but the gap between our starting XI, match-day squad and even the back-up squad players is really beginning to close.

[allani]

2 hours ago, striker said:

When you factor in the amount of games if Villa progress in Europe then the difference needs to close more. If it doesn’t then Villa will be treading in treacle by Christmas.

That's exactly my point.  I think we've got a really strong 16 - but we need probably three more signings to give us the depth in options and balance across the squad so that we can cope with the extra games we'll (hopefully) be playing, the flexibility to try different approaches in different matches and the robustness to be better able to deal with the inevitable injuries and suspensions that will be picked up over the course of the season.  Then on top of that it also gives us the opportunity to try phasing in some of our young prospects who've had good spells in the Championship and so need to be bloodied with the big boys.

[VillaChris]

1 hour ago, Delphinho123 said:

West Ham and Palace aren’t having very good windows, nor are Wolves actually. I know we’re aiming higher than these now, but good to see teams ‘around us’ being weakened so we can solidify ourselves as a regular top 8 team. 

West Ham in particular could really struggle next year. 

Going to be a very weak bottom half this year as all of the promoted teams will likely be weaker than last year. As it stands Forest will be starting the season with Wayne Hennessey in goal and Fulham will have Carlos Vinicius upfront so no improvement from those two either.

Think it's realistic to expect another 60-65 point season even with europa as I'd expect us to win more away games than last year.

[allani]

6 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

Well I do live in Italy so why not!

[Jas10]

6 minutes ago, allani said:

Well I do live in Italy so why not!

 

[allani]

43 minutes ago, ForeroGabe said:

He’s not poor. But he has a good game 1/5 times. To me that means he has no means of starting and should be an impact sub. 
 

Plays like the worst footballer in the world then plays as one of the best. We don’t need that inconsistency in our starting line up. Just because he had one good game shouldn’t deceive us we have better players in the squad and Buendia could easily be upgraded 

I said quite a few times last season that I thought that Buendia looked much better in matches when he came on as a sub - he looked hungry, he looked to have a bit of extra zip and he often did enough to "earn" a start the next week.  But then when he started it seemed to take him longer to have a real impact on the game.  It's a bit of a dilemma.  But for me with Diaby in the team then Ramsey is ahead of Buendia for the other attacking option regardless of whether we sign someone else or not.  Buendia should have suited a Dean Smith team (I actually think that he, Jack and Ollie would have been a good combination) but he's kind of in that gap between being not quite enough of a goal threat (goals/assists) to be an attacker and not quite strong enough under the press / defensively to be a midfielder.  So it's hard to see exactly which player's shirt he'll be trying to take in the starting XI.  But he gives an option on the bench and is also plenty good enough to play a bigger role in specific matches.

[allani]

3 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

 

The best hand gesture in the world.  It means whatever the **** you want it to mean and for that meaning to be fully understood by everyone else every single time.  I must use it at least 10 times a day.

[allani]

13 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Going to be a very weak bottom half this year as all of the promoted teams will likely be weaker than last year. As it stands Forest will be starting the season with Wayne Hennessey in goal and Fulham will have Carlos Vinicius upfront so no improvement from those two either.

Think it's realistic to expect another 60-65 point season even with europa as I'd expect us to win more away games than last year.

But it could also be a very strong top half.  Plenty of teams will be taking points off each other.