Summer Transfer Window (2024/25)

[Mazrim]

10 minutes ago, villa89 said:

People are going to be in for a shock if they think Tielemens is going to replace Luiz.

Tbf, Tielemans did a great job when Doug was suspended. He's better off further up the pitch though.
But he could replace Luiz on a short term basis, if necessary.

[OutByEaster?]

7 minutes ago, nick76 said:

We’ve only potentially lost Luiz of key first team players!  He may yet be replaced by a quality replacement.  The others are improving our depth.  The core of the team is not currently in transition just Luiz.

I guess to an extent the issue is that we've lost both Luiz and (at least in the short term) Kamara. Tielemans and McGinn are much weaker playing in deeper roles than they are further forward, Barkley is a little bit of a mystery, and the young Argentinian something of an unknown.

We're becoming absolutely packed with forward thinking midfield players - Tielemans, McGinn, Ramsey, Rogers and Buendia - all competing for just two spots, and maybe only one if we play both Bailey and Diaby behind Watkins. Whereas, as things stand at the moment, in the two spaces behind that group we're going to start the season with potentially Barrenechea, Barkley and maybe someone out of position.

I think the Doug/Kamara combination was very strong, but it was also our weakest position in terms of depth last season - and now one is leaving and the other will be out for half of the season - at the moment, I feel like we've added the depth, but not replaced the quality and it will be interesting to see who we can go out and get.

[wishywashy]

Bardell said on the 1874 Podcast that he's heard that we're interested in West Brom's Tom Fellows. Tanswell wasnt really buying it, mind!

Edited June 20 by wishywashy

[CarryOnVilla]

22 minutes ago, wishywashy said:

Bardell said on the 1874 Podcast that he's heard that we're interested in West Brom's Tom Fellows

That’s really made me feel better. Just knowing that our West Bromwich academy is still producing players for us has made my day 

Edited June 20 by CarryOnVilla

[The_Steve]

A rebuild would mean massively changing our XI. What I see is adding quality in Maatsen and a replacement to come for Dougie. Whilst the other names improve our bench and rotation options. Giving us more quality options and more time to develop our young players. It’s still the same core squad that got us forth. We just need more quality numbers for the games ahead. 

[duke313]

25 minutes ago, AshVilla said:

People are going to be in for a shock if they think Barkley is going to replace Luiz.

Luiz isn't Grealish, the team is not reliant on one player.

[The_Steve]

3 minutes ago, duke313 said:

Luiz isn't Grealish, the team is not reliant on one player.

The reality is we need to get better at selling players, but also with Dougie, cashing in at the right time. We will continue to do this to creatively improve our team whilst developing the next generation of talent. We haven’t been a one man team under Unai and we won’t be ever. 

[Mazrim]

1 minute ago, duke313 said:

Luiz isn't Grealish, the team is not reliant on one player.

At times last season, when we had Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans and McGinn in a box midfield 4, it was sublime.
However, I think this was as much down to coaching and tactics as it was the personnel. Luiz, as much as I love him, is replaceable. For that matter, any of them are.

[Made In Aston]

7 minutes ago, CarryOnVilla said:

That’s really made me feel better. Just knowing that our West Brom academy is still producing players has made my day 

Ah the famous Aston Bromwich academy. Why scour globe for top youth talent when you can just pop over to Smethwick!

[The_Steve]

2 minutes ago, Mazrim said:

At times last season, when we had Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans and McGinn in a box midfield 4, it was sublime.
However, I think this was as much down to coaching and tactics as it was the personnel. Luiz, as much as I love him, is replaceable. For that matter, any of them are.

The biggest signing of the summer was Unai’s contract. Every player we keep and sign will massively benefit from him. 

[CVByrne]

20 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

 think the Doug/Kamara combination was very strong, but it was also our weakest position in terms of depth last season - and now one is leaving and the other will be out for half of the season - at the moment, I feel like we've added the depth, but not replaced the quality and it will be interesting to see who we can go out and get.

I agree Doug and Kamara was a strong combination for us last season. It does have a big issue, it's not a pressing physical energetic midfield. We tried with Kamara pressing and it was a disaster and Emery changed tactics to keep Kamara deep and often use him as RCB in possession.

If pressing is what we are to add we need a new combination. McGinn and Tielemans were excellent at pressing especially in the City game. They aren't the right midfield combination though. 

I feel Tielemans + Gallagher would work very well for example. 

[HalfTimePost]

38 minutes ago, AshVilla said:

People are going to be in for a shock if they think Barkley is going to replace Luiz.

 

37 minutes ago, villa89 said:

People are going to be in for a shock if they think Tielemens is going to replace Luiz.

Agreed, but at the moment that's what it appears to be heading towards. Here's hoping we grab a headline 8 to replace him, with Barkley and Tielemans as rotation options for a number of the midfielders (and opening up more formation possibilities for Unai to work with)

[The_Steve]

Worry on deadline day if we haven’t gotten someone in to replace Dougie. There’s lots of time in the window still. Trust the process. 

[CarryOnVilla]

15 minutes ago, Made In Aston said:

Ah the famous Aston Bromwich academy. Why scour globe for top youth talent when you can just pop over to Smethwick!

West Brom every transfer window 

[zab6359]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

I read somewhere, Monchi likes these swap deals.

I think if you can strengthen your squad, without spending too much money.....it has to be a benefit.

Spending big dough, puts pressure on everyone at a football club, including us......because they have to recoup that money, from somewhere.

If we have too many of one type of player, and too less of another type......it does make sense.

Can you quote where Monchi likes swap deals please?

[allani]

2 hours ago, Zatman said:

We should not be bringing in 9 new players and letting 12-15 go

Thats madness

Except that most of the 12 proposed to leave aren't regular players or are already out on loan elsewhere and / or would be classed as "dead wood".  Similarly a number of the 9 new players would probably start on the bench - but would make that bench considerably stronger.  We really do need to strengthen our squad depth - last season is proof that you can't expect players to play 50 odd games at the top of their game.  Our bench was really light at times and we don't have enough rotation options.  If we were talking starting players I'd agree with you.  But I can see us easily see us signing 3 starters, 3 players to strengthen the bench and 3 prospects.  That seems like a pretty sensible approach (assuming that Mings, Emi2 and Ramsey are back for early in the season).

[LondonLax]

4 hours ago, Leeroy said:

Team and subs for start of next season:

                           Martinez

New          Konsa     Torres         Maatsen

                    McGinn      New

Bailey              Tielemans             Rogers

                             Watkins 

 

Subs: Gauci/Olsen, Nedeljkovic, Mings, Iling Jr, Barkley, Barrenechea, Buendia, Diaby, Ramsey

 

So two new starting players still needed. Hopefully those players will be Fofana from Monaco and Geertruida from Feyenoord. I still feel that midfield will be industrious rather than classy as we had with Kamara and Luiz and that a player like Mikel Merino in addition to Fofana would be ideal, but I'm keeping expectations modest. 

 

Assuming that Moreno and Digne both go, although I suspect one will stay. I also think we will get a replacement for Duran in attack, unless we believe Rogers can play that role. 

I am expecting that midfield spot to be taken by Barrenechea until Kamara gets back. 

With our financial situation we’re going to be doing modest business. 
 

[HalfTimePost]

25 minutes ago, LondonLax said:

I am expecting that midfield spot to be taken by Barrenechea until Kamara gets back. 

With our financial situation we’re going to be doing modest business. 
 

Personally I think there's no way we start a double pivot of McGinn and Barrenechea.

We sell Dougie and don't expect Kamara back to start the season. 100% atleast 1 starting midfielder is bought.

McGinn, Ramsey, Tielemans and Rogers are not seen as those position players. 

At worst I expect  Barkley and a newbie will be CM. With McGinn and Rogers wide of them helping out

[Leeroy]

25 minutes ago, LondonLax said:

I am expecting that midfield spot to be taken by Barrenechea until Kamara gets back. 

With our financial situation we’re going to be doing modest business. 
 

Hah. Then we will finish nowhere near top 4. 

 

Our financial situation will be better from 1st July, we will have the money to buy a midfielder and a defender and maybe even another forward. The Guardian article I posted says we want 2 x CM, 1 x RB, and 1 x forward. 

 

There is no way we will go into a new season with a rookie as our starting DM if we are serious about challenging for top 4 again. If we do we will finish no higher than 8th. 

[Leeroy]

1 hour ago, allani said:

Sorry but (IMO obviously!) McGinn absolutely CAN NOT start where you have him listed.  Defensively he is awful near the edge of our box but brilliant in the opposition half / near the halfway line.  He's also not composed enough on the ball to bring the ball out of defence and is much, much better receiving the ball higher up the pitch.  If you are picking McGinn and Tielemans then I think you have to switch them.  Tielemans is definitely better defensively and in playing the ball out from the back.

I hear you but I also feel Tielemans is better deployed further forward where his passing can unlock defences. Key is finding a quality player in that position to play alongside one of them.