sharkyvilla Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Nah I really think he'd settle for the 4 centre-halves we've got. The key is what's in front of them as much as anything, during our worst period last year team could just walk through the midfield. We got better on that front as the season went on, hopefully Okore can settle well, Vlaar can stay fit and Sylla can continue to improve in the heart of midfield. I think Baker and Clark are adequate back-ups. The focus for the next month should be on getting people out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 1, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 1, 2013 One thing we definitely won't be able to comment on is where we 'are stacked' until the window closes. Not only because of who is released but also because of who might be nicked. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killeen30 Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 True BOF! Plenty of moves ins and outs still to be made! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 think a right back is still needed though as competition for Lowton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Nobody has mentioned Lowton as a possible out yet. He's comfortably our second best outfield player and potentially very "saleable" given his position, potential, age etc. I'll stick my neck on the line and say that towards the end of the season he was every bit as good as Baines. Obviously I hope not, but those links with Arsenal were not unexpected. He's good enough. £10m and we'd bend IMO... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smetrov Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Nobody has mentioned Lowton as a possible out yet. He's comfortably our second best outfield player and potentially very "saleable" given his position, potential, age etc. I'll stick my neck on the line and say that towards the end of the season he was every bit as good as Baines. Obviously I hope not, but those links with Arsenal were not unexpected. He's good enough. £10m and we'd bend IMO... Is he that good defensivley though ? - he's top notch going forward, and crosses from deep are precision - Not convinced his defending (ie stopping the other geezer) is that fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Nobody has mentioned Lowton as a possible out yet. He's comfortably our second best outfield player and potentially very "saleable" given his position, potential, age etc. I'll stick my neck on the line and say that towards the end of the season he was every bit as good as Baines. Obviously I hope not, but those links with Arsenal were not unexpected. He's good enough. £10m and we'd bend IMO... Is he that good defensivley though ? - he's top notch going forward, and crosses from deep are precision - Not convinced his defending (ie stopping the other geezer) is that fantastic. That's fair, his positioning requires work. But he's not *bad* defensively, it's certainly something I noticed improvement on towards the end of the season. He's certainly not targeted like poor Bennett. If I were a club at the top end looking for an attacking full back with bags of potential I'd certainly be casting eyes at Lowton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 We have some seriously top talent who were just about to start showing their real ability at the end of last season. If we hold on to the best ones and swap around to find the next, we could really be going places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 We have some seriously top talent who were just about to start showing their real ability at the end of last season. If we hold on to the best ones and swap around to find the next, we could really be going places. I completely agree. I still laugh when I think of the thread around Christmas calling this the worst villa side of all time. Not that I couldn't understand the thinking, just how wrong it was. The manager shoulders a lot of the blame for that and I'm sure being the man he is he's happy to take it on the chin and he's learned from it, that's fairly clear. Though of course there's a big element of youngsters finding their feet, confidence etc to be taken into account. We have at least 4 very good players (one world class) and another 7 or 8 who I would consider at least average for this league, that's without taking the new signings into account. The core is there. Take central midfield, an area of concern for me. We're missing a bit if physical presence, but that doesn't stop me thinking the players we have there are good enough at what they do. It's a squad game. We've one or two pieces away from competing for the top 8 and I don't mind so much if they don't arrive this summer because the squad we have should not be playing down the bottom end again next year. If they are then it's down to one man and he's a man I have a lot faith in (though not blind). He's earned it, IMO. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 think be madness for either players like Benteke, Lowton and Westwood to leave now to sit on bench at bigger clubs and be amdness for clubs to sign for big money after just 1 season of top flight experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay-Ole Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Luke Murphy is not coming our way, despite speculation earlier this year. Has signed for Leeds for a moderate £1m. Weren't we linked for him at around 5-6m? Well, well. http://tinylink.net/52534 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smetrov Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Luke Murphy is not coming our way, despite speculation earlier this year. Has signed for Leeds for a moderate £1m. Weren't we linked for him at around 5-6m? Well, well. http://tinylink.net/52534 i always recalled the fee being around £1m TBH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honest_bertie Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Nobody has mentioned Lowton as a possible out yet. He's comfortably our second best outfield player and potentially very "saleable" given his position, potential, age etc. I'll stick my neck on the line and say that towards the end of the season he was every bit as good as Baines. Obviously I hope not, but those links with Arsenal were not unexpected. He's good enough. £10m and we'd bend IMO... Lowton going nowhere, was sat/stood next to his uncle at Norwich away match and got chatting, apparently he loves it at Villa, loves working under Lambert, family settled and is here long term apparently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Nobody has mentioned Lowton as a possible out yet. He's comfortably our second best outfield player and potentially very "saleable" given his position, potential, age etc. I'll stick my neck on the line and say that towards the end of the season he was every bit as good as Baines. Obviously I hope not, but those links with Arsenal were not unexpected. He's good enough. £10m and we'd bend IMO... Lowton going nowhere, was sat/stood next to his uncle at Norwich away match and got chatting, apparently he loves it at Villa, loves working under Lambert, family settled and is here long term apparently. Whilst great to hear that it's not his uncles choice. If I'm Matty Lowton and Arsenal come knocking, I know what I would do. I'd fancy my chances. Not that I think he'd kick up a stink, not in the slightest, but if the club were to accept. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 1, 2013 Moderator Share Posted July 1, 2013 Almost to the word, I was going to post that DDID Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honest_bertie Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Nobody has mentioned Lowton as a possible out yet. He's comfortably our second best outfield player and potentially very "saleable" given his position, potential, age etc. I'll stick my neck on the line and say that towards the end of the season he was every bit as good as Baines. Obviously I hope not, but those links with Arsenal were not unexpected. He's good enough. £10m and we'd bend IMO... Lowton going nowhere, was sat/stood next to his uncle at Norwich away match and got chatting, apparently he loves it at Villa, loves working under Lambert, family settled and is here long term apparently. Whilst great to hear that it's not his uncles choice. If I'm Matty Lowton and Arsenal come knocking, I know what I would do. I'd fancy my chances. Not that I think he'd kick up a stink, not in the slightest, but if the club were to accept. Appreicate what you are saying doug, and anything is possible in football but i think compared to a lot of modern day footballers Lowton doesnt have the vibe of someone who will jump at the first sniff of big bucks. Just the impression i get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob182 Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I get that impression too bertie. I've said this before in the Lambert thread. Because he has brought in players from lower league teams, he's taken a risk with them and put a huge amount of faith in their abilities. I'd like to think that they'll want to repay the faith he's shown in them. They could be a success at a bigger club, but they could easily crash and burn or end up on the bench. If they stay here, they can be part of what Lambert is building, and improve with the team. My fingers are crossed that we'll see our team sticking together more than it has in recent years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Nobody has mentioned Lowton as a possible out yet. He's comfortably our second best outfield player and potentially very "saleable" given his position, potential, age etc. I'll stick my neck on the line and say that towards the end of the season he was every bit as good as Baines. Obviously I hope not, but those links with Arsenal were not unexpected. He's good enough. £10m and we'd bend IMO... Lowton going nowhere, was sat/stood next to his uncle at Norwich away match and got chatting, apparently he loves it at Villa, loves working under Lambert, family settled and is here long term apparently. Whilst great to hear that it's not his uncles choice. If I'm Matty Lowton and Arsenal come knocking, I know what I would do. I'd fancy my chances. Not that I think he'd kick up a stink, not in the slightest, but if the club were to accept. Appreicate what you are saying doug, and anything is possible in football but i think compared to a lot of modern day footballers Lowton doesnt have the vibe of someone who will jump at the first sniff of big bucks. Just the impression i get. It's not about the bucks and on that score I agree, he's a rich young man as it is and I'm sure he's more than happy for the time being. But Arsenal > current Aston Villa by a long, long way. He's as much potential, relevant to his position, as Benteke IMO. Though I accept few will agree. That performance against Sunderland was amongst the best I've seen by a full back. Ever. Sure the quality of the opposition should be taken into account, but he absolutely sparkled that day. Astonishing. Then there's the other glimpses we've seen, THAT goal, some of the crosses (Everton in particular). He has wonderful technique, a bit of pace, great attacking awareness... I love him. His defending is and will improve too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troglodyte Posted July 1, 2013 VT Supporter Share Posted July 1, 2013 defending (ie stopping the other geezer) I've always wondered what this 'defending' lark was about. Thanks for the clarification! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phumfeinz Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I still laugh when I think of the thread around Christmas calling this the worst villa side of all time. Not that I couldn't understand the thinking, just how wrong it was. The manager shoulders a lot of the blame for that and I'm sure being the man he is he's happy to take it on the chin and he's learned from it, that's fairly clear. Though of course there's a big element of youngsters finding their feet, confidence etc to be taken into account. It was the worst Villa side of all time, at that time. It broke so many unwanted records. Thankfully we were able to turn it around and improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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