Team Buidling for 2015/16 Season.......Your Views

A midfield of Huddlestone Delph and Gardner(?) with most likely Grealish and Sinclair on the wings on paper looks like a solid enough group that would have us comfortably clear of the bottom half. Add in to that they are all English and would be potentially all looking to push for an international call-up (Just like the MON days) it is a midfield I would be happy to start the season with.

That's not to say it couldn't be improved but it's a lot lot better than some of the midfields we've put out in recent seasons!

If there was a slower more ponderous midfielder than Huddlestone last season I missed him. One of the main reasons Hull were relegated imo. He has always lacked motivation except possibly in the few games he played for Sherwood.

If a player chooses when he can be arsed to use his God given talent, then I don't want to see him in a Villa shirt.

HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR?

Sorry, Huddlestone doesn't inspire me at all. Villa need far more dynamism and mobility than he has ever shown he is capable of. And at 28yrs old it will be dead money. Villa should stay well clear of "last big move" transfers, unless it's real proven quality and a significant upgrade. Huddlestone is neither.

Sherwood is a dinosaur still Stuck in his Blackburn days.

He seems "A job for the Lads" type manager Football Has Moved Forward from the MON and Sherwoods.

Can't see Him lasting Long. It's Why the Club has been Underachieving far to Many Average players on High wages this will Add to it.

I would have gladly had Huddlestone a few years back. His passing made him more Glenn Huddle :)

Now, I think we should give him a miss. I don't thnk he's what we need, although he could be for us what Barry was for O'Neill's Villa.
Hopefully Gardner can do that role for us too.

Unless we have a superb defence, you need a very mobile player to screen them. Huddlestone is as mobile as Notre Dame Cathedral. A good quarterback, excellent passing with a good set piece but not much else. I hope this is more of the press just linking ex Spurs players, but Jamie has hinted there's something to it...

Meh. I'm unconvinced.

Last season when things were pretty bad I can remember my son saying to me "cheer up dad we're not as badly off as Hull, at least we haven't got Huddlestone pulling us down."

I was a massive fan of Huddlestone until he got massive. To big & slow now I'm afraid, which is a shame as he's got bags of talent.

i personally wouldn't mind Hundredstone , i always thought he could do a job, defo a step up on Westwood anyway !

gdav wrote:I was a massive fan of Huddlestone until he got massive. To big & slow now I'm afraid, which is a shame as he's got bags of talent.

Very talented, but soft as sh*t, unmotivated, unfit, overweight, slow and currently a liability to any club that employs him.

There has to be a limit to the amount of unwanted players that we take on and try to rehabilitate. Sinclair, Richards? Huddlestone? Where's the links to players that decent teams are looking at?

Mazrim wrote:I would have gladly had Huddlestone a few years back. His passing made him more Glenn Huddle :)

Now, I think we should give him a miss. I don't thnk he's what we need, although he could be for us what Barry was for O'Neill's Villa.
Hopefully Gardner can do that role for us too.

Unless we have a superb defence, you need a very mobile player to screen them. Huddlestone is as mobile as Notre Dame Cathedral. A good quarterback, excellent passing with a good set piece but not much else. I hope this is more of the press just linking ex Spurs players, but Jamie has hinted there's something to it...

Meh. I'm unconvinced.

Just to clarify here pal, I've not been given any inside info on this, just media sources which tend to be accurate. I'm not claiming to be ITK on this one

O.K, well I'm thinking it's unlikely to be true then. I don't really see him fitting in with Sherwood's style. But who knows.

Being linked with Robbie Brady this evening. Scores a good free kick now and again but would he improve us?

Huddlestone Another "Job for the Lads" player Link Like I said earlier.

Good news, Clark definitely not going to Baggies.

Jae1411 wrote:Being linked with Robbie Brady this evening. Scores a good free kick now and again but would he improve us?

Is deadly on corners and his crossing is leagues ahead of what we have currently from the left. Not sure if he's very good defensively though.

Jamie Gray wrote:Good news, Clark definitely not going to Baggies.

I hope you gave a good slap to the bloke who told you he was off!

Great news.

Trotters wrote:

Jamie Gray wrote:Good news, Clark definitely not going to Baggies.

I hope you gave a good slap to the bloke who told you he was off!

Great news.

Tbf I was never told, nor did I say, that he was off. I said there was something in it, as we all had dismissed the rumours out of hand. I'm trying to find out just how far it got, but chances are not very. Still, alls well that ends well

Looking at the squad in an objective light trying to see who can stay and who needs to leave;

The goalkeepers, even though I don't rate any of them, the best is Guzan the problem we face it's going to be impossible to shift Given so we have him for 1 more season and I really don't know how good Steer actually is. If Sherwood wants a new gk, he'll have to shift Steer on.

Defenders: I think when Clark was paired with Okore they were very good so it's something to build on, it's time to move Lowton on and Cissokho offers absolutely nothing going forward, I don't rate Richardson but out of the 2 probably edge for him. I would move Vlaar on, don't want to be paying bigger wages for a 30yr old who is injury prone, Senderos (1 year left) and Baker perfect backup/squad players. I would like to see along with Richards, a new lb and rb - I don't think we can rely on Bennett along with other dross like Luna he needs to move on with Richardson and Hutton as backup's.

Midfielders: Delph obviously the spine, the second guy I keep is Bacuna (give him a chance in mid) not the best player but gives 110% and shows glimpses of quality versatile, N'Zogbia has 1 year left, for experience and as a squad player keep, same goes with Cole, Sinclair looks promising, Sanchez has potential i think he'll be better this season, Grealish is a talent, people to move on Tonev (dross), Westwood(would i really miss him no?) Herd (never been good enough) Gil(I rate the guy but Sherwood obviously doesn't) Sylla the endless list of dross lol.

Strikers: The main guy Benteke, I would want him to stay but if we get anywhere near to 32m it's time to cash in and freshen up the squad, Gabby keep useful Squad player, Weimann is obviously going which is best for both parties and Kozak deserves a chance next season.

If Sherwood could get 4-5 players of quality to improve the first team squad then look at bringing a couple of promising u21 players we don't have a bad squad unfortunately if Benteke leaves the situation changes as I believe we would need 2 strikers to replace the goals or at least a proper goal scoring midfielder.

avfc85 wrote:Looking at the squad in an objective light trying to see who can stay and who needs to leave;

The goalkeepers, even though I don't rate any of them, the best is Guzan the problem we face it's going to be impossible to shift Given so we have him for 1 more season and I really don't know how good Steer actually is. If Sherwood wants a new gk, he'll have to shift Steer on.

Defenders: I think when Clark was paired with Okore they were very good so it's something to build on, it's time to move Lowton on and Cissokho offers absolutely nothing going forward, I don't rate Richardson but out of the 2 probably edge for him. I would move Vlaar on, don't want to be paying bigger wages for a 30yr old who is injury prone, Senderos (1 year left) and Baker perfect backup/squad players. I would like to see along with Richards, a new lb and rb - I don't think we can rely on Bennett along with other dross like Luna he needs to move on with Richardson and Hutton as backup's.

Midfielders: Delph obviously the spine, the second guy I keep is Bacuna (give him a chance in mid) not the best player but gives 110% and shows glimpses of quality versatile, N'Zogbia has 1 year left, for experience and as a squad player keep, same goes with Cole, Sinclair looks promising, Sanchez has potential i think he'll be better this season, Grealish is a talent, people to move on Tonev (dross), Westwood(would i really miss him no?) Herd (never been good enough) Gil(I rate the guy but Sherwood obviously doesn't) Sylla the endless list of dross lol.

Strikers: The main guy Benteke, I would want him to stay but if we get anywhere near to 32m it's time to cash in and freshen up the squad, Gabby keep useful Squad player, Weimann is obviously going which is best for both parties and Kozak deserves a chance next season.

If Sherwood could get 4-5 players of quality to improve the first team squad then look at bringing a couple of promising u21 players we don't have a bad squad unfortunately if Benteke leaves the situation changes as I believe we would need 2 strikers to replace the goals or at least a proper goal scoring midfielder.

Good post.

Don't agree on Westwood - not very dynamic, but steady enough for us.

Nice to see a constructive assessment of the squad rather than 'Sell em all' - which is high risk and assumes we can get buyers.....and replacements.....

I wish we would overstock on CB'S, although numerically we have loads Baker\Vlaar\Senderos are so injury prone - theres rarley a time when all 3 available !

smetro wrote:

avfc85 wrote:Looking at the squad in an objective light trying to see who can stay and who needs to leave;

The goalkeepers, even though I don't rate any of them, the best is Guzan the problem we face it's going to be impossible to shift Given so we have him for 1 more season and I really don't know how good Steer actually is. If Sherwood wants a new gk, he'll have to shift Steer on.

Defenders: I think when Clark was paired with Okore they were very good so it's something to build on, it's time to move Lowton on and Cissokho offers absolutely nothing going forward, I don't rate Richardson but out of the 2 probably edge for him. I would move Vlaar on, don't want to be paying bigger wages for a 30yr old who is injury prone, Senderos (1 year left) and Baker perfect backup/squad players. I would like to see along with Richards, a new lb and rb - I don't think we can rely on Bennett along with other dross like Luna he needs to move on with Richardson and Hutton as backup's.

Midfielders: Delph obviously the spine, the second guy I keep is Bacuna (give him a chance in mid) not the best player but gives 110% and shows glimpses of quality versatile, N'Zogbia has 1 year left, for experience and as a squad player keep, same goes with Cole, Sinclair looks promising, Sanchez has potential i think he'll be better this season, Grealish is a talent, people to move on Tonev (dross), Westwood(would i really miss him no?) Herd (never been good enough) Gil(I rate the guy but Sherwood obviously doesn't) Sylla the endless list of dross lol.

Strikers: The main guy Benteke, I would want him to stay but if we get anywhere near to 32m it's time to cash in and freshen up the squad, Gabby keep useful Squad player, Weimann is obviously going which is best for both parties and Kozak deserves a chance next season.

If Sherwood could get 4-5 players of quality to improve the first team squad then look at bringing a couple of promising u21 players we don't have a bad squad unfortunately if Benteke leaves the situation changes as I believe we would need 2 strikers to replace the goals or at least a proper goal scoring midfielder.

Good post.

Don't agree on Westwood - not very dynamic, but steady enough for us.

Nice to see a constructive assessment of the squad rather than 'Sell em all' - which is high risk and assumes we can get buyers.....and replacements.....

I wish we would overstock on CB'S, although numerically we have loads  Baker\Vlaar\Senderos are so injury prone - theres rarley a time when all 3 available !

Well thought out analysis, fair play. My personal opinion on this squad is that we have to accept that a large percentage of them simply aren't good enough if we have aspirations of rising up the league again, which we surely do. I think Tim had them playing above themselves during our good run, but the last 3 games of the season were a big slap in the face & a reality check to where we're really at. I think the squad needs a major overhaul, but it's not possible to do this in 1 Summer, with or without fresh take over funds, so it then becomes a case of who is it essential we replace & who can do a job for a while longer. If I'm being brutal the only players I see as long term essentials are CC, Delph, Grealish & Benteke (although I'll be amazed if he stays). The rest are disposable & even CC still has a way to go yet, despite his huge improvements. As I said though, it's not possible to dispense of that many players quickly & inevitably some will probably put their hand next season too.

Someone on twitter saying hes been told we will sign walker and Richards today

I hope so but we would know about it wouldn't we ?

Huddlestone is just a tall bigger westwood. Good at passing but can't defend or move

As these are only rumours but the players we are linked with are telling me that the 3-5-2/5-3-2 however you want to look at is a strong possibility, I believe it's probably the formation to go with as we just don't have good/strong enough players to go with 4-4-2(or diamond) 3-5-2 gives us more in midfield and protection of the defence.

LB? Walker
Clark Okore Richards

Would be interesting.

avfc85 wrote:As these are only rumours but the players we are linked with are telling me that the 3-5-2/5-3-2 however you want to look at is a strong possibility, I believe it's probably the formation to go with as we just don't have good/strong enough players to go with 4-4-2(or diamond) 3-5-2 gives us more in midfield and protection of the defence.

LB?                          Walker
Clark Okore Richards

Would be interesting.

I'd be surprised to see this, but you never know what's being considered

I too agree with earlier posters. As much as our squad needs an overhaul- its too much to accomplish in 1 window. We will need to offload who we can and bring in better quality.
I have always been of the opinion that the MAX amount of quality/squad players into the first 25 is only 4-6 players. Even that is alot- any more than that and you really run the risk of damaging the team chemistry.

CB (Richards)
RB
LB
CM
Winger (Sinclair)
Striker

I see that as our targets IMO.

ejs1111 wrote:I too agree with earlier posters.  As much as our squad needs an overhaul- its too much to accomplish in 1 window.  We will need to offload who we can and bring in better quality.
I have always been of the opinion that the MAX amount of quality/squad players into the first 25 is only 4-6 players.  Even that is alot- any more than that and you really run the risk of damaging the team chemistry.

CB  (Richards)
RB
LB
CM
Winger (Sinclair)
Striker

I see that as our targets IMO.

I'm adding GK to that list. Tim clearly doesn't rate Guzan & Given isn't the answer