Summer Transfer Window 2023

[wishywashy]

I've never really understood the net spend = success argument. In that context net spend is a very flawed metric (it is in general really), as it doesn't take into account wages (which are by far the biggest expense for clubs) or squad needs. You also really don't have to look hard to find the likes of Chelsea, United, Everton (and Brighton/Brentford on the other end of it all) to just decimate the myth that squad expenditure/high net spend is immediately equivalent to success.

Ultimately, Villa have significantly improved the quality of the team (by signing one of the most exciting young forwards in the world, one of the premier league's most well known technical midfielders, one of the best progressive CBs in the world and a player people 1/2 years ago were calling one of Italy's biggest talents) without really haemorrhaging money. The wage expenditure is likely to be much higher now, but even that you'd imagine will be more balanced once Coutinho/Digne depart as expected. The likes of Young, Wesley leaving will help with that too.

The only possible conclusion you can reach from all of this is that Villa are being run pretty damn shrewdly and responsibly at the moment, and definitely not that we're not ambitious enough or not wanting success or something weird like that.

Edited August 27, 2023 by wishywashy

[El-Reacho]

We must be signing a new RB - Ashley Young would’ve cost us very little and was superb last season (better than Cash) so there’s no way we’d have binned him when we did to leave ourselves short at RB.

[duke313]

We currently have a squad of 26 players, Coutinho might be off so 25. Unless Emery thinks we need someone to cover our injured players, we aren’t signing many more.

[Kiwivillan]

Dean Smith talking about all the various factors that had to align to make a single signing get over the line was very interesting and then you have people that have done statistical modeling on all top European leagues of the chance of success of a new signing based on 6 factors being only 53% and we know from signings we've made and all the other clubs that this is relatively true, yet people want signing X like a security blanket. Oooh we've signed player now I have my dopamine hit. It's nonsense. If Emery wants additions we'll get them if we can. If he doesn't or we can't, we won't and he'll make do like he did last season only bringing Moreno in and finished very well since he came in

Edited August 27, 2023 by Kiwivillan

[The_Steve]

Diego Carlos, Tielemans, Traoré, Chambers, Coutinho, Durán, Olsen, Archer, Marschall

Whilst we have much more quality in the side with the exception of Zaniolo, we are losing two names from the subs bench from the Everton game. We need more bodies in the squad, and we can't just rely upon having two goalkeepers on the bench either.

I don't imagine a scenario where we suddenly decide to sell various youngsters without intending to bring in some names.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

6 minutes ago, El-Reacho said:

We must be signing a new RB - Ashley Young would’ve cost us very little and was superb last season (better than Cash) so there’s no way we’d have binned him when we did to leave ourselves short at RB.

The Internet says Ashley Young was on about 85 k per week so you'll need to elaborate on " Very little ".

Either way, the club have a plan, window isn't finished yet, and sometimes you need a little short term pain for long term gain.

[MotoMkali]

25 minutes ago, The_Steve said:

We haven’t replaced Ash. We need a new right back. Unai has said we aren’t done in the window. You can’t rely on Ezri as a right back in Unai’s system. 

And even fi you can that leaves us with Carlos, Torres and Chambers to play the CB positions if Konsa is at rb. All it would take is 2 short term injuries and Chambers is starting a key game vs tough opposition. 

[mikeyp102]

1 hour ago, Demitri_C said:

We are 1 or 2 injuries away from disaster 

If we dont sign anyone else its a absolute huge mistake

I wouldn’t go as strong as disaster but it would hurt us 

[Kiwivillan]

2 minutes ago, MotoMkali said:

And even fi you can that leaves us with Carlos, Torres and Chambers to play the CB positions if Konsa is at rb. All it would take is 2 short term injuries and Chambers is starting a key game vs tough opposition. 

We were going to collapse when Kamara got injured but we didn't. People underestimate Emery system with the same footballers that looked like dumpster fire of a team under Gerrard being giving set instructions and roles. People need to stop pigeon holing players and positions. Football is a simple game

Edited August 27, 2023 by Kiwivillan

[The_Steve]

1 minute ago, MotoMkali said:

And even fi you can that leaves us with Carlos, Torres and Chambers to play the CB positions if Konsa is at rb. All it would take is 2 short term injuries and Chambers is starting a key game vs tough opposition. 

Exactly. I don't think Cash is good enough either to be starting week in and week out. Konsa isn't going to push to get better at right back.

[MotoMkali]

10 minutes ago, duke313 said:

We currently have a squad of 26 players, Coutinho might be off so 25. Unless Emery thinks we need someone to cover our injured players, we aren’t signing many more.

23 with Coutinho, 22 without. Duran is an u21 and doesn't count towards the squad at the moment. At least in England.

[The_Steve]

1 minute ago, Kiwivillan said:

We were going to collapse when Kamara got injured but we didn't

Which is why we have Tielemans. But that's not the issue. We are very short up front and at right back.

Edited August 27, 2023 by The_Steve

[MotoMkali]

Just now, Kiwivillan said:

We were going to collapse when Kamara got injured but we didn't

We have significantly more players who can play there though. Kamara, Dendoncker, McGinn and are significantly better cdms than Chambers is a cb.

[VillaChris]

10 hours ago, WHY said:

Acuna is injured atm.

Long term?

[mikeyp102]

I think a fullback and forward will come in. Ideally I’d want 2 forwards and a rb.

[striker]

15 minutes ago, El-Reacho said:

We must be signing a new RB - Ashley Young would’ve cost us very little and was superb last season (better than Cash) so there’s no way we’d have binned him when we did to leave ourselves short at RB.

Watched him closely for Everton. Villa got rid at the right time.

[AndyM3000]

I was expecting Ramsey, Archer and Bidace to part of the European squads at the very least. Just thinking ahead to Hibs on Thursday with our injuries already we are forced to play a fair few key players.

Need a RB cover for sure, would take Castagne or Walker-Peters if possible, decent at getting up and down and can play both sides if needed and would offer good competition with Cash.

If Diaby got injured our attack looks a lot weaker, would like someone to replace Coutinho/Buendia role and offer a more creative threat from midfield. Gray has been frozen out at Everton, wouldn't mind him.

 

[The_Steve]

1 minute ago, AndyM3000 said:

I was expecting Ramsey, Archer and Bidace to part of the European squads at the very least. Just thinking ahead to Hibs on Thursday with our injuries already we are forced to play a fair few key players.

Need a RB cover for sure, would take Castagne or Walker-Peters if possible, decent at getting up and down and can play both sides if needed and would offer good competition with Cash.

If Diaby got injured our attack looks a lot weaker, would like someone to replace Coutinho/Buendia role and offer a more creative threat from midfield. Gray has been frozen out at Everton, wouldn't mind him.

 

I was really happy to see Revan and Feeney on the bench against Hibs, however, we absolutely need some extra bodies with more names leaving to help with rotation.

[Jas10]

Signings are on the way or at least being worked on… just listen to or read Unai and Monchi’s comments.

But…

let’s take a look at the current squad…

Assuming Coutinho is off, as well as the reported outgoings…either completed or being worked on. 

Not totally sure on Traore and Dendoncker’s futures but useful squad members for now… if they go then there’s an even greater need for signings.

No idea what is going on with Hause… injured or being sold? Has no future here…

Anyway:

Looking at that… we may have players to “fill in” or fill roles/positions… but we are lacking in genuine depth in terms of quality and competition… there is plenty of room to strengthen and I believe it is Unai’s desire to do so…

That second string side is relatively weak and some of those players may be sold…

We may have some versatile players, but for the long and busy season ahead? Right now, we are short - but it will be addressed.

But, only sign the right players of high quality that can genuinely help and contribute… better players are more difficult to sign… I expect plenty of activity before the deadline and we know we are working because Unai and Monchi have said so… Unai: “we need a lot of players for all the competitions”.

We won’t sign dross though or squad filler… and that’s great!

Again… “OK” is not good enough for Unai… he wants to kick on and start competing for trophies and success…

Monchi is working to provide him with the best tools, the “best possible squad” as he said, for a successful season… “more players will arrive”…

[Kiwivillan]

2 minutes ago, AndyM3000 said:

Gray has been frozen out at Everton, wouldn't mind him.