Summer Transfer Window (2024/25)

[macandally]

I swear people think we have Wayne Rooney in charge judging by the apparent lack of faith in the management team that have taken us from 17th to 4th.

Anyone would thinks it’s Emery/Monchy’s first season in charge  of a football club FFS.

Can we create a single thread for those with “pre-season panic”.  Isn’t the saying “misery loves company”

[Leeroy]

2 minutes ago, macandally said:

Is the the “you don’t win anything with kids” comparison?

How many Europa Leagues has Collomose won?  How many League games has he managed. 

People seemingly go out of their way to find things to “wet wipe” about 

Well actually Man Utd did win things with those kids, did the double that season 

 

That was 30 years ago though and the league was nowhere near as strong. Sadly I think Collomoose is right. 

[Jas10]

2 minutes ago, macandally said:

I swear people think we have Wayne Rooney in charge judging by the apparent lack of faith in the management team that have taken us from 17th to 4th.

Anyone would thinks it’s Emery/Monchy’s first season in charge  of a football club FFS.

Can we create a single thread for those with “pre-season panic”.  Isn’t the saying “misery loves company”

Chuck them all in there and throw away the key

[mikeyp102]

19 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

Even Collomoose thinks our transfer strategy has been nuts this summer: The Premier League's great gamblers: Why Aston Villa's Sir Alex Ferguson-style strategy and risky transfer game could spectacularly backfire | Daily Mail Online

 

We'll know after the first 2-3 games if this is right. I just hope we're not panic buying at the end of this month because we've got off to a poor start.

 No we won’t, we’ll know after 38 league games. 

[Jas10]

How would we feel about Hermoso and Geertruida being our defensive reinforcements?

[rodders129]

Yeah it’s been extraordinarily neurotic and negative on here this pre season. As I’ve said before, I think it’s because the mentality has shifted from chaser to chased. Because of our amazing progress we now have something to lose and this seems to trigger to negative types.

Based on some of the hand wringing, neurotic teeth grinding dross I’ve seen in pre season I’m going to try and limit my consumption of villatalk. After all, these are just the opinions of fans sat at home on a computer. People haven’t really got a clue what’s going on.

Why on earth would I value the opinion of ‘Tom Collomose’ (whoever he is) over Unai and the management team that took us from 17th to 4th?

Edited August 12 by rodders129

[Jas10]

Just now, rodders129 said:

Yeah it’s been extraordinarily neurotic and negative on here this pre season. As I’ve said before, I think it’s because the mentality has shifted from chaser to chased. Because of our amazing progress we now have something to lose and this seems to trigger to negative types.

Based on some of the hand wringing, neurotic teeth grinding dross I’ve seen in pre season I’m going to try and limit my consumption of villatalk. After all, these are just the opinions of fans sat at home on a computer. People haven’t really got a clue what’s going on.

I’m really shocked at the extent/degree of it…

After such an amazing season too.

[Leeroy]

2 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

That seems far too reactionary or extreme….

Wait until the window has closed before making final judgements.

I think he’s done well and better than any predecessor at getting players we don’t want or need out.

Doubt there is anyone out there who would work as well with Unai as him.

We've been saying this for weeks mate. We're entering the final weeks now, players are getting snapped up from under us (Felix) and if we are panic buying on deadline day something has gone wrong.

 

As I said in previous posts, compare this summer to last summer when we did business early and got quality over quantity. I much preferred that approach to this one.

[CVByrne]

2 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

How would we feel about Hermoso and Geertruida being our defensive reinforcements?

I heard Hermoso was injured and is still recovering. Might be why he's not joined a club yet.

We need to move on a Left Back and find a home for Dendonker. Might be space then for Hermoso. 

[Jas10]

Just now, Leeroy said:

We've been saying this for weeks mate. We're entering the final weeks now, players are getting snapped up from under us (Felix) and if we are panic buying on deadline day something has gone wrong.

 

As I said in previous posts, compare this summer to last summer when we did business early and got quality over quantity. I much preferred that approach to this one.

Late deals aren’t necessary panic signings… many transfers affect others… it all takes time. Many factors involved.

Everything the club have done on the football side warrants and deserves trust, faith and belief imo… and PATIENCE.

[Jas10]

1 minute ago, CVByrne said:

I heard Hermoso was injured and is still recovering. Might be why he's not joined a club yet.

We need to move on a Left Back and find a home for Dendonker. Might be space then for Hermoso. 

If funds/restrictions are so tight… it would be good to get a quality free transfer or two in. Proper top level, CL experience too…

He’s recently changed agents.

Certainly need to move a LB on, expecting a few more sales. Sooner we can get them done, the sooner we can bring new players in.

[ejs1111]

2 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

… and PATIENCE.

on VT?! are you new here??  

[GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS]

4 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

We've changed the squad but the tea is much the same. Luiz out and Onana in. Everyone else who starts will have been here last season. 

Yep, squad is much improved in that we’ve swapped the deadwood for young, high potential players. That’s something I’ll give Monchi some credit for.

First team though, in my opinion is weaker. Onana effectively replaces Kamara because of the injury, and Barkley replaces Luiz which is a big downgrade. You can’t say Tielemans is Dougie’s replacement because you’re taking him from elsewhere on the pitch/bench.

Maatsen is a good addition but we were already ok for left backs, so whilst better, the improvement will be marginal to begin with.

The biggest opportunities to improve (or maintain) the quality in our side were in the 10, 8, 4 and 2 positions (replacing Diaby, Dougie, Carlos and Cash). We haven’t replaced any of them yet.

[grantholtgolazo]

I haven’t been blown away by performances so far and obviously the jury is out on how our new players will perform, but I don’t see any reason to be upset, we have an outstanding manager and a talented support staff. If performances haven’t improved a month of two into the season I’ll be more worried.

at the same time I don’t understand the need to shout down or badger other posters who are more worried, I don’t agree with the negative position but these things are to a large degree subjective, even more so before a real match has been played. Seems both “sides” just need to relax and have some tolerance/patience.

[Jas10]

Just gonna whack this here as a reminder and support what he has said again:

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cp33r2vjm2lo.amp
 

Quote

 

Sawiris told the Financial Times: "Some of the rules have actually resulted in cementing the status quo more than creating upward mobility and fluidity in the sport.

"The rules do not make sense and are not good for football."

Quote

"Managing a sports team has become more like being a treasurer or a bean counter rather than looking at what your team needs," Sawiris said.

"It's more about creating paper profits, not real profits. It becomes a financial game, not a sporting game."

 

Think NSWE would have backed Unai much more if they had the freedom to do so…

[Jas10]

1 minute ago, ejs1111 said:

on VT?! are you new here??  

If you don’t ask, you don’t get

[Indigo]

I think what separates the elite teams from the very good is the players that can offer control in the final third and sustain attacks. I've seen a lot of critiques  of Spurs in this regard during the summer but really it can also apply to Villa, United and more in the chasing pack. Between McGinn, Bailey, Ramsey, Rogers etc there's a lot of quality but it's all very direct and transitional, which makes attacks more prone to being rushed and breaking down quickly, so in that sense of all the names mentioned maybe a Baena would make sense? I'm not even sure if he can offer this but he seems closer to the skillset of what an Odegaard, Saka, Foden, Silva etc can do as opposed to another player of a similar profile to what's already there even if it's an upgrade. Just not sure there's even room in the squad right now for this kind of addition though given how flush we are already in those positions numbers-wise.

Big fan of most of the players individually, just think whenever I see potential starting 11s listed out it's a quality that is missing a bit in the squad, and generally being able to control games will tell over the course of a season.

Similarly I like the idea of Carlos but at this point he doesn't seem like the right player for the job. I don't think it's a coincidence though that he played (and played well) in our biggest wins last season, he just lacked the consistency, so while one week he was MOTM against Arsenal, on another he's passing it straight to Cole Palmer or Semenyo and putting them through on goal. I prefer Konsa at CB over RB, but think the balance of the team would be better with him at RB and Torres being complimented by a more physically dominant defender next to him. Can still live with any of the rumoured Geertruida/Chalobah/Gomez links to varying degrees though as they would each still be an improvement on what we currently have.

[paul514]

5 hours ago, Jas10 said:

It’s a shame we can’t do much until we move some of these guys on…

I share Nassef’s frustrations…

To be fair should we even do so regardless. We could end up with unregistered players.

[Tayls]

Still only the 1 first team starter signed. Two starters from last season sold. Man this is a painful window. (The 1 starter, in case it wasn’t obvious, is Onana). 

[Tomaszk]

Some random Turkish website has said we've signed Muci who scored against us last season.

https://kontraspor.com/besiktas/besiktasta-flas-ayrilik-154-milyon-euroya-premier-lige-gitti-14328