Transfer speculation 2016/17

Yes, me too. That said, my dislike for Gabby is so strong I'd have Bunn up front instead of him.

I'm putting Jansonn and Lansbury at the top of my wish list. How about that for a knee jerk reaction on Pontus though!

We definitely need a keeper and right back as well.

The issue with Jansonn is that he seemed very keen to join Leeds permanently after the game tonight. It does not seem to have been a strong one-off performance as from what was being said he has had rave reviews all season.

I'm saying:
1 Keeper
1 Right Back (as De Laet will be back next season, a loan might be a good move)
1 Centre Half
2 Midfielders

Is the list of requirements. Some of them having to replace players we only signed in the summer.

Last night demonstrated that we have too many players who continue to play with their heads down. Several of our players collect the ball and then run until they lose it or are stopped and turn back and lay the ball back. Contrast that to Leeds who played some really neat give and go triangles where the player releasing the ball continued running to make himself available. This simply does not happen with Villa players. Our transfer targets must be players who are experienced "team" players rather than selfish individuals.

I think confidence is still a factor. I think our players know that our performances are still coming up short. We also have a number of players who have not been performing to their best too and they'll know that. Leeds meanwhile are performing beyond their expectations and, being on a good run, are filled with confidence. Confidence has a huge influence on how a professional plays and the options they choose on the field. A player lacking on confidence will be over-thinking things and will always choose a soft or easy option and may even hide from the ball.

Sandie wrote:I think confidence is still a factor. I think our players know that our performances are still coming up short. We also have a number of players who have not been performing to their best too and they'll know that. Leeds meanwhile are performing beyond their expectations and, being on a good run, are filled with confidence. Confidence has a huge influence on how a professional plays and the options they choose on the field. A player lacking on confidence will be over-thinking things and will always choose a soft or easy option and may even hide from the ball.

Sandie, I think the problem is more fundamental than confidence. We have a group of players that will never come together to make a team. January's transfer window is more important than the current rumours coming out of Villa indicate. To put it bluntly our transfer policy up to now has been to buy the best available players without a thought as to how they would gel as a team. I know that Calderwood can coach the 'right' players because he did it well at Brighton, but he hasn't got a hope in hell of welding these particular players into a unit imo. I hope Steve Bruce realises this.
I appreciate that under Bruce we are going along at approximately two points a game, and I also accept that even though we aren't playing well we're still getting results. My desire is for a Villa team that can transcend the sum of it's individuals, and that will take some player surgery before it happens.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/2503800/aston-villa-target-sam-johnstone-manchester-united-goalkeeper-set-to-be-steve-bruces-first-january-signing-after-agreeing-a-loan-move/

I would definitely have gone for a more experienced keeper .... it's another risk with an absolutely key position! (if this story proves to be true)

villabromsgrove wrote:https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/2503800/aston-villa-target-sam-johnstone-manchester-united-goalkeeper-set-to-be-steve-bruces-first-january-signing-after-agreeing-a-loan-move/

I would definitely have gone for a more experienced keeper .... it's another risk with an absolutely key position! (if this story proves to be true)

I was hoping for an experienced keeper in January also.

villabromsgrove wrote:

Sandie wrote:I think confidence is still a factor. I think our players know that our performances are still coming up short. We also have a number of players who have not been performing to their best too and they'll know that. Leeds meanwhile are performing beyond their expectations and, being on a good run, are filled with confidence. Confidence has a huge influence on how a professional plays and the options they choose on the field. A player lacking on confidence will be over-thinking things and will always choose a soft or easy option and may even hide from the ball.

Sandie, I think the problem is more fundamental than confidence. We have a group of players that will never come together to make a team. January's transfer window is more important than the current rumours coming out of Villa indicate. To put it bluntly our transfer policy up to now has been to buy the best available players without a thought as to how they would gel as a team. I know that Calderwood can coach the 'right' players because he did it well at Brighton, but he hasn't got a hope in hell of welding these particular players into a unit imo. I hope Steve Bruce realises this.

I think we have more than one problem, TBH. I think it's undoubtedly true that we have an issue that we don't play as a team and the sum of our whole s well short of the supposed parts. But we can't ignore that confidence is an issue for one or two players and that applies to players we hope to still have a part to play after a number of additions.

I agree with your chaps on Johnstone. I don't really see this as an upgrade on Gollini and we'll also have an issue with it being a player who won't be ours after the end of the season.

Keeper errors have cost us too many points in the first half of this season. If these errors continue it will probably make the difference between qualifying for the play off's and remaining in the Championship for at least another season. Rob Green is an over the hill keeper, but he still got something on the ball at key moments against us. It's all down to experience where keeping is concerned.

Green has always had a clanger in him, however. In retrospect, were it not for his injury record, Allan McGregor probably should be an option at the forefront of our minds.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38486028

Now we see if Villa have learn't anything .... do they know as much as the fans? Seriously!

Hopefully we will watch this situation as it evolves. See how readily Forest are prepared to accept the offer or whether a larger bid will be required. Of course, he's just one player and we might have other targets under consideration.

Seen tweets saying Lambert wants Westwood. Can they be right for once? I need a praying emoji.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-tony-xia-12393402

Interesting!