Summer Transfer Window 2023

[VillaChris]

3 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

He was shit in WC and for Chelsea. Fed up seeing his name tbh. He's not a good fit and can't understand the obsession

Zaniolo is surely his profile aswell in how he plays.

[Kiwivillan]

24 minutes ago, Chindie said:

For all that we talk about players being able to play as a striker in the squad, if Watkins is unavailable we don't have a proven striker in the squad. That's not good.

Diaby trained as a striker at PSG youth. Watkins was Brentford winger converted to striker. This is just inventing narratives to sign a striker when we actually have cover

[Chindie]

Just now, Kiwivillan said:

Diaby trained as a striker at PSG youth. Watkins was Brentford winger converted to striker. This is just inventing narratives to sign a striker when we actually have cover

Diaby is 5ft nothing and quite slightly built,  clearly bought in as a wide forward and doesn't play the game like Watkins, and if we move him to striker position we're weakening our wide forward position.

Diaby isn't cover. He's someone you might push to the centre if you had to for a few minutes, but you wouldn't be starting games with him there.

Zaniolo might be able to do it, but he's primarily an attacking mid, and would need to learn the role.

Duran is raw and you wouldn't rely on him unless you absolutely had to. Has the physical attributes to a tee but it's not clear he's got the mind and skillset yet, meaning you're gambling on him learning on the job. His lack of minutes doesn't send a resounding show of support from the management that he's up to things yet.

If, fate forbid, Watkins got a bad injury, we'd be looking extremely weakened and would have to markedly change the way we play, or hope Duran miraculously develops in his absence.

That's not a narrative, I'd love to be in the position to think we can weather an injury to Watkins, but we clearly would be absolutely hammered if it happened. Bizarre hatred of transfer talk doesn't change that.

[nick76]

1 minute ago, Kiwivillan said:

Diaby trained as a striker at PSG youth.

You say PSG Youth like it’s a point in favour of your argument.  

It’s an incredibly weak argument to use that.  In fact it is detrimental to your argument because it looks like you are scraping the barrel.  

Better to focus on his current attributes if you are trying to argue Diaby as back up striker as that’s more of a valid argument.

The few times I’ve seen the ‘PSG Youth’ argument I just laugh because we know how development from youth to senior happens, we also know the levels of competition is like chalk and cheese, it’s such a hard position to back your horse on.

[nick76]

2 minutes ago, Chindie said:

Diaby is 5ft nothing and quite slightly built,  clearly bought in as a wide forward and doesn't play the game like Watkins, and if we move him to striker position we're weakening our wide forward position.

Diaby isn't cover. He's someone you might push to the centre if you had to for a few minutes, but you wouldn't be starting games with him there.

Zaniolo might be able to do it, but he's primarily an attacking mid, and would need to learn the role.

Duran is raw and you wouldn't rely on him unless you absolutely had to. Has the physical attributes to a tee but it's not clear he's got the mind and skillset yet, meaning you're gambling on him learning on the job. His lack of minutes doesn't send a resounding show of support from the management that he's up to things yet.

If, fate forbid, Watkins got a bad injury, we'd be looking extremely weakened and would have to markedly change the way we play, or hope Duran miraculously develops in his absence.

That's not a narrative, I'd love to be in the position to think we can weather an injury to Watkins, but we clearly would be absolutely hammered if it happened. Bizarre hatred of transfer talk doesn't change that.

Good post

[Kiwivillan]

2 minutes ago, Chindie said:

If, fate forbid, Watkins got a bad injury, we'd be looking extremely weakened and would have to markedly change the way we play, or hope Duran miraculously develops in his absence.

No team signs players to maybe rotate a little bit in case of injury. Not even Man City

[Chindie]

Just now, Kiwivillan said:

No team signs players to maybe rotate a little bit in case of injury. Not even Man City

No, they have a squad with options in it. They don't sign players because the first choice might get injured, they sign players to build a squad that give them options in any event - to switch players out, to change tactics, to cover injury, suspensions etc etc. That's why the Citeh squad is so good - they can switch players out and not markedly weaken themselves.

Right now we do not have that. We have 2 strikers. One is a kid with barely any playing time. Meaning our squad essentially has 1 proven striker in it. That's bad.

[Kiwivillan]

Every description of this unicorn back up striker that people mention as cover for Watkins maybe getting injured that could rotate with him sometimes so in 30s because Duran can't be relied upon and other players in the squad can't play there even though Emery has said they were signed because they could sounds like Ings who we let go because he wasn't happy playing second fiddle to Watkins

[Kiwivillan]

7 minutes ago, Chindie said:

No, they have a squad with options in it. They don't sign players because the first choice might get injured, they sign players to build a squad that give them options in any event - to switch players out, to change tactics, to cover injury, suspensions etc etc. That's why the Citeh squad is so good - they can switch players out and not markedly weaken themselves.

 

That sounds like what Emery is building and then you obsess about a converted winger that is play striker. Rashford goal and assist numbers at Manure are insane and their fans and every pundit is complaining that he's not a striker playing as striker. Maybe it's more about the manager and his systems than this nonsense position pigeonholing

Edited August 29, 2023 by Kiwivillan

[Jas10]

38 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

Competition for places gets thrown around a lot on here as excuse for more signings. You just want new signings to bitch and moan about

 

37 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

He was shit in WC and for Chelsea. Fed up seeing his name tbh. He's not a good fit and can't understand the obsession

I say this meaning no offence or as gently as possible… but, a lot of us here are “fed up” too… with your constant and persistent rhetoric.

If you don’t want signings, why are you on this thread?

There are plenty of other subjects to for you to focus on… I admire your admiration and respect for our existing players… you can go on their threads and show your support and praise… don’t need to constantly display your annoyance and frustration here… we’re all well aware of your views…

There’s only a few days left of the window now anyway, then we can all move on… whatever happens.

People should be able and free to look forward to or get excited about more signings if they want to…

Edited August 29, 2023 by Jas10

[rubberman]

We've found 7 goals in the last 2 PL matches without Watkins scoring. We have multiple different scoring outlets now. Obviously if he was injured it would be a big loss - he's an important first team starter - but we could set up to mitigate that even without any more forwards in.

[Kiwivillan]

1 minute ago, rubberman said:

We've found 7 goals in the last 2 PL matches without Watkins scoring. We have multiple different scoring outlets now. Obviously if he was injured it would be a big loss - he's an important first team starter - but we could set up to mitigate that even without any more forwards in.

Exactly

[Kiwivillan]

3 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

 

I say this meaning no offence or as gently as possible… but, a lot of us here are “fed up” too… with your constant rhetoric.

If you don’t want signings, why are you on this thread?

There are plenty of other subjects to focus for you to focus on… I admire your admiration and respect for our existing players… you can go on their threads and show your support and praise… don’t need to constantly get annoyed here…

There’s only a few days left of the window now anyway, then we can all move on… whatever happens.

People should be able and free to look forward to or get excited about more signings if they want to…

I don't attack your posts. Respond to the previous post I made before this if you think I'm wrong

[IrishVilla10]

2 minutes ago, rubberman said:

We've found 7 goals in the last 2 PL matches without Watkins scoring. We have multiple different scoring outlets now. Obviously if he was injured it would be a big loss - he's an important first team starter - but we could set up to mitigate that even without any more forwards in.

The big thing for me though is Ollie is a lot more than goals and assists, hold up play, dropping deep to pull defenders, the one touch pass and turn from the ball from the centre backs , constant running etc adds so much to our front line. Drop Duran in there and expect him to do all that is asking a lot. 

[duke313]

Just now, IrishVilla10 said:

The big thing for me though is Ollie is a lot more than goals and assists, hold up play, dropping deep to pull defenders, the one touch pass and turn from the ball from the centre backs , constant running etc adds so much to our front line. Drop Duran in there and expect him to do all that is asking a lot. 

Zaniolo could do that short term.

[Chindie]

No, not Ings. 

We let him go because he didn't fit the system, he's just a finisher, had some value and was on decent money. That's no different today than it was in January.

I'd be looking at the continent for someone that is a better fit for us, the more mobile physical all rounder, who doesn't bring the contract and weight of name that Ings did. I'm sure Spain, Germany, Italy etc will have a few veteran strikers that can fit the bill. Or hell, a younger guy even that sees us as a way to get seen in England with a view to moving on in a season or so to be first choice at someone like Palace.

[DakotaVilla]

58 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Felix has no interest whatsoever in playing for us.

He'll end up at Barca late if they can move a high wage attacker out.

Or just stay on Atletico Madrid bench.

Did he tell you this himself?

[Jas10]

Just now, Kiwivillan said:

I don't attack your posts. Respond to the previous post I made before this if you think I'm wrong

It’s not about right or wrong… and if you think that’s an attack… you’re way off the mark.

Sometimes I agree with some of your points, sometimes I disagree.

But… you repeat yourself so often and bring negativity over positivity in this thread. You’ve been at it at least since the window opened.

-

Yes, we have multiple attacking options and quality players. I don’t see the harm in adding to that… and I do believe Unai and Monchi want more players, if they can get the right ones in.

And also, we won’t just sign anyone.

[Kiwivillan]

1 minute ago, IrishVilla10 said:

The big thing for me though is Ollie is a lot more than goals and assists, hold up play, dropping deep to pull defenders, the one touch pass and turn from the ball from the centre backs , constant running etc adds so much to our front line. Drop Duran in there and expect him to do all that is asking a lot. 

I don't disagree with this but Emery is going to play him majority of games and has said as much so I describe a bench sitting happy striker that can replicate this as a unicorn just like a better version of Olsen. I'm sorry for being a realist 

[IrishVilla10]

2 minutes ago, duke313 said:

Zaniolo could do that short term.

Thats a big unknown though