A good or bad transfer window?

[OutByEaster?]

It is still too early to judge fully, but Martin O'Neill has now made three signings in this transfer window, and I think there are two very different ways to look at the work he has done in this interesting market.

Football is about opinions, and I would think most of us are somewhere between two views so far. A win a week on Saturday would help move everyone into the more positive viewpoint I am sure, but only time will tell how our illustrious leader has faired so far.

One view could be the following:

With Habib Beye, we have now signed our second player from a relegated club, having also brought in an unproven and inexperienced player from League 1. Beye was played in a number of defensive positions last year in what was one of the league's shakier back lines.

Downing played most of his games out wide on the left where we already have one of the best players in the country (if not world) playing his trade, and scored zero league goals, added to that is the fact he will miss half the season anyway!

With Fabian Delph, well, who knows?

This is of course on the back of losing Martin Laursen and Gareth Barry. Barry, a regular England international who was our vice captain has moved to one of our biggest rivals for next season, and in Laursen's retirement, we have lost our skipper and potentially most influential player to injury.

However my opinion is this:

In Beye, we have brought in a solid second choice right back who can also fill in at centre half, who was, like Downing unlucky his team mates let him down last season. Beye will add European experience and leadership to our young squad, and allow us to get a little closer to that ever elusive dream of having two good players for each position without the need of having to play people out of their natural role.

Stewart Downing too will add solid back up to our wide positions, and a potential solution to other roles in the team as well, such as the link between the midfield and front players. Come Christmas when some players could be in need of a rest, we will have Downing fresh and eager to prove himself fit and ready for a place on the plane to South Africa.

Fabian Delph coming in as one of the hottest prospects in british football is a very exciting sign of the clubs continued desire to bring the best young players to Villa Park. Even more encouraging to Villa fans is that he seems to have turned down the chance to go to Manchester City for more money in favour of working with a club where "the manager has a track record of helping players develop. That's my reason for joining Villa." Doesn't that make you proud?

Losing Barry and Laursen is a blow, of course it is, but Laursen's injury worries were never going to go away, and a top 4 team needs a settled back four. I would take him back straight away, but I do see that we now have the chance to build a defense that can play for our team for the next three to four years, consistently growing as a unit such as Manchester United have been able to do.

With the Barry saga finally over, we can all concentrate on players who see their future with us. Players who want to develop their game with us. Players who want to commit their long term career and not just their short term future with the club. We all knew if we did not get into the Champions League Barry would go and that cannot help morale with other players who want to play at the highest stage too.

The remaining players can now work together to all get into Europe's elite, and not worry about losing one of their team mates if they just miss out. I wish Barry well and hope Manchester City and our former skipper enjoy their Weekday evenings off for many seasons to come.

So I feel, in a game full of opinions that many may look at the business that has taken place thus far at Villa Park and ask questions as to our potential for next year; but I say we are better placed than ever to kick on and push for a top 4 spot, and if Martin can continue his methodical but targeted work in the transfer market then we could all be very happy Villa fans very soon.

Up the Villa!

[ALL.IV.1]

If it closed tonight then No. Do I like the look of the players brought in so far then YES.

But without knowing the final squad its difficult to judge.

Reportedly the net spend is about 5m I think, and if you take away money not yet spent on Delph or the Peace Cup win maybe 3m or less ?. So with that I would like to see a bit if not a fair bit more spent on the squad.

[fantram]

I would like to think we're still going to bring in an experienced centre back, but basically I fully agree with your positive assessment OBE.

[The_Rev]

I think we need more. You could argue our squad is weaker than it was at the turn of the year, you might be able to argue its about the same in terms of quality, I think you would struggle to make a case for it being stronger. Our first XI is still pretty good, everybody knows that, but the squad wasnt strong enough last year, everybody knows that too. I think we still need a couple more bodies. I also think we are taking a huge gamble on Delph, but if that pays off then it could be one of the most inspired signings of the season.

I dont think we will trouble the top four this time round though.

[TRO]

has it been a good or bad window is a difficult question?

I guess i could make a better tangible case for saying it was a bad window than a good window, but i guess in the bizarre world of Martin O'Neill, you just have to wait and see, if his tact of keeping the ego's low and discipline high and avoiding prima donna's is the holy grail, well we'll all be happy.

also,When a player comes in like Nigel Reo Coker in the peace cup and is instrumental in giving consistently good performances in the 3 games and lifts a bit of prizeware, despite its firendly status and then struggles to get his name mentioned by the manager fills me with meleloncholy.

we know all managers have their favorites, but this guy takes the biscuit at times.

It seems to me like there is no love lost by quite a few players, but like Carew performances are just too obvious to leave out, without leaving yourself open to ridicule.

I sincerely hope Martin Knows what he is doing, I have spoken to plenty that are just not convinced and plenty like me who are just simply unsure.

perhaps we just need to sit back quit the speculation and see.... after all its about winning and if his transfer policy is to be proved bad then that will reflect in results and we have plenty of people who let him know.

I have to say after signing Carew, I did think there would have been another half a dozen players signed of that pedigree and i have to say I'm surprised it hasn't happened.

Now I would be very surprised if it did.

Its the results that will tell us all the answers we want to know.

[Demitri_C]

so far so good for me, we need another three in minimum