I don’t want this to be a negative article, just an interesting observation that I have made in regards to Paul Lamberts transfers of summer 2013. The youth policy continued, signing 7 players, the most expensive being Kozak who was brought in for £7 million. But only 3 of those 7 players are still at Aston Villa today and none are yet to make an appearance this season! Of course it’s been only two games, but it’s still interesting to see what has happened to last seasons transfers.
Out of the 4 players that have been loaned out, Tonev and Luna made the most appearances for the club with a total of 17. Luna scored one goal, they have both respectfully left on a season-long loan to Celtic and Verona. Meanwhile Helenius has returned to his former club Aalborg (where he has in fact already scored 2 goals in 4 appearances) and Jed Steer has gone to Doncaster.It’s believed that Celtic and Verona both have the chance to buy Tonev and/or Luna should they perform well for their clubs. Steer will most likely return to Villa to continue development and might be fighting for the number 1 spot within 2-3 years. Helenius is the biggest question mark, it’s unknown whether or not Lambert rates the young Danish forward.
I’m sure we’ll see Bacuna and Okore featuring in the League cup this week against Leyton Orient and will have their chance to impress the boss and fight for a spot in a very competitive Villa side. But out of the trio, Kozak has the best chance to make a claim. I thought he was good when he played last season, he wasn’t as affective as Benteke nor created an many opportunities. However he was a goal scorer and scored a few goals out of nothing. It will be good to see his return shortly after the International break.
Unbelievable! some people are never happy. You just dont get it do you?. what is it you expect from Villa? We are no longer on a par with the top 10 teams, we have no spending power. Even Hull are above us in spending power. Get a fuckin grip and support your team instead of this constant bullshit. I will no longer read this negative crap.
I thought you were dead, Elvis? Go back to the Villa PR department from wence you came. Baaaaa. Baaaaaaa. Baaaaaaaaaa.
LOL I think we have an unhappy customer mate. 🙁
Although some of his signings haven’t been blessed with enough talent for the prem or the championship for that matter, you can’t say he’s been poor in the transfer market. Considering what he’s had to deal with regarding cost cutting and then he’s been without certain bodies for a year the job he’s done in keeping us in the prem ,with the signings he’s made, surely counter attacks the “poor signings” he’s made. I’ll no doubt be labelled a Lambert apologist for this but at the end of the day yes, he’s made some poor signings, tell me a manager that hasn’t? But with some of these “poor signings” he’s also signed some quality as well as maintaining our premiership status. For me the job he’s done has been nothing short of miraculous. I’d love to see how he’d do with a decent transfer budget to play with.
Quite right. People still fail to recognise Lambert’s still young for a manager and inexperienced within tier 1 footy. He’s learning his trade and hopefully learning from his mistakes. The senior players we have acquired are proof of this, as well as getting in a number 2 who understands top flight. We already look more assured defensively, fingers crossed Benteke or Kozak are back soon.
Totally agree Adam lamberts signings last season were poor, helenius is the best example I mean why buy a player that u are never gonna use? Bacuna had a decent season but can’t get a game now ahead of gabby and weimann who are useless in almost every single game which reminds me of Lowton who had a good 1st season and didn’t get a look in last year, luna was way too lightweight just like Bennett and tonev was utter shite, kozak is a decent player if Benteke is out but 7 mil for a bench warmer??? Fair enough there was budget constraints and more importantly wage restraints but all in all you have to say last year was very poor for transfers.
B6…. Well said mate. I was beginning to think that I was own my own in suport of Lambert.. He has got us through a very difficult 2 seasons. I agree that he has worked wonders given the financial constraints. People should vent their anger at Lerner NOT Lambert.
I have said many times that all those he has bought ‘for higher’ amounts have been very good value for money and I think he has continued that trend with Cissokho, Sanchez and Richardson. We are far stronger this season and I dont believe for one minute that we will be struggling at the wrong end of the table this campaign.
Oohah…you never mention the 2 clean sheets, preferring to highlight the better defences of the top teams….well take a look at this.
Man Utd 3 goals conceded…against similar standard opposition as us!
Arsenal ………………………. Ditto………………………….
Liverpool 4 goals conceded despite spending over 30 mil on new defenders
Everton 4 goals conceded…..even with your best mate Barry as DM
I repeat that I am not particularly a Lambert fan, but credit where its due
Langford, I agree to a certain extend but PL has brought much of the criticism on himself through dishonesty. If, when he started bringing in budget players he’d have been honest and said that we were skint and 17th was the aim people would have patted him on the back when we exceeded that. However, he told everyone that young and hungry was the way to go, bought a load of championship tat, and was lucky not to drop in both seasons. Why make out it was a choice? Other managers and owners are honest about aims for the season. Add to that, the fact that he lied about injuries to players and the fact that he knew nothing about RL’s intention to sell.
I’m not unhappy about the start to the season and think that the summer signings have made a huge difference. Have we had two prem league clean sheets for a while?
Sir Earl – I’m not sure that I would accuse PL of dishonesty, overall I think he’s been brutally honest. I felt he looked at his brief and concluded he had no money to play with, a shot and overpaid squad short on numbers. He took a gamble wit the young and hungry route but was hamstrung by Randy’s directive re the ‘bomb squad’ which made it impossible to blend youth and experience. To acknowledge the strategy failed is brutally honest and (as I’ve said before) speaks volumes for the man. Further I don’t recall PL ever saying we were going to be in the top half of the table; all those comments came from our recently departed and much loved CEO 🙂
What has been the total cost of the 2013 transfers that failed to make it? In EPL terms nothing and I wouldn’t write them all off (the ‘cheap set’ that is) just yet. To support Langford, when PL has spent money in the £5m+ market! he’s got it pretty much spot on.
My final point, whatever you think, for the first time in 6 seasons we have a squad which is there in numbers, with a bit of quality, competition for places and a blend of youth and experience?
Apologies for the diatribe!
But why claim that this young and hungry nonsense was his choice? Why not say the truth as we all knew it anyway? If I live to be 200 I will never understand the rationale behind not playing players because they are earning too much? Admittedly, it now transpires that this wasn’t PL decision. I agree with your final point and having looked at the first couple of games, we look more solid. However, I really don’t know how bad Gabby has to get before PL loses patience so whilst the old adage of ‘don’t concede, you can’t lose’ is true – by the same token, if you don’t score you can’t win either. Wouldn’t describe it as a diatribe H!!!
cos if you say they are young, cheap and naive ppl like ur good self wouldn’t buy season tickets, merchandize or companies wouldn’t want to advertise their products with us. losing incoming money when your trying 2 balance the books is not the way to go about it.
lamberts hands were tied if anyone is 2 blame its lerner and who can blame him, wanting his money back, realizing spending was now eating his inheritance. lambert needed 2 back the cheaper younger players, how can he motivate um. if they hear him say they are poor imitations of a premier league player. but we have to cut the cloths accordingly
Another lamberk apologist ffs
I’m quite happy with the transfer signings so far personally, and I too would like to see how Lambert would do with a decent budget. Cant wait for Kozac to come back in, I was really warming to him before his injury, I think he can get 15+ goals with a full season. If he an Benteke can form a partnership then we could be a lethal team in all fairness!
Of the Summer 2013 signings – who have appeared to have failed in view of their loan outs – I thought Luna was the best. In fact I would have liked to see Luna playing with 3 of the current back 4 which would be the true test of his defensive qualities. Tonev was really a bad signing, surely you have to watch a foreign player and see definitely the qualities you seek. Tonev could not perform art EPL pace. Helenius had the most bizarre treatment, again you would expect he had been watched, and in the brief cameos he did all right – so what exactly did Helenius do wrong that he could not get into that misfiring attack? Personally I do not rate Steer, he has too many bad habits as a keeper already IMO and keepers rarely lose those habits.
Win some lose some can’t always get it spot on with a player or players.Taking a look at this transfer window Senderos makes team of the week BBC on a free,Sanchez a steal at 4.7m.Utv
Yes mate our defense stands out for me hopefully onwards & upwards.any news JD on cissoko mate I suppose no news is good news in this case.
Injured ankle possibility for Hull
Cheers mate.
we will see how many times a villa defender gets in team of the week in september/october ,we got a fluke against stoke no shots on target at home to newcastle,have a chairman manager who between them have let vlar delph run down contracts even if they are just 2 average players who wouldnt got near mon team that was finishing 6,grealish who came through the same academy as bannan clarke baker run down his.
With Gardner going out on loan & KEA moving closer to a perm move back to Feyenoord I can only think we are due another two in….utv
It seems to be going from bad to worse for manure 1 down to MK LOL.
What a terrible shame 🙂
Yes it really breaks my heart mate. 😮
Oh dear manure 2-0 Down I’m gutted lol
Oh dear, oh dear 3-0 to Mk and should have got a penalty as well!
Err – 4! 🙂
laughing my head off 2day its like working around a zombie set, faces are al over the place lmao they cant believe wots happening
i av took the piss so much i hope villa don’t fook up or i will get it in the neck 2morrow lmao
I still think Kozak was a weird signing when we so badly needed a midfielder. I hope we dont have a repeat of that this week!
We did but we badly needed a 2nd striker, and did really well when Benteke went out injured the first time. It was about time we had 2 capable strikers, unfortunately that screwed up quickly.
B6, caught your Preview for the match.
It’ll be up first thing in the morning mate, cheers.
When I get back off my hols remind me to mail you about becoming an author. That way you won’t have to rely on me to catch any articles and you’ll be able to post them straight up.
its nothing new from me but i also I think Lambert has done enough so far.
Mistakes yep plenty i suppose, but in the context of the job he was given like so many have said – he has done enough. its already been said but it needs to be re-iterated, the budget spent on the players that didn’t make is a drop in the ocean when you see the transfer fees this summer, and last year.
I have read many criticisms about Lambert having had a decent budget having spent 40m in 2 seasons. .. I laughed! after two seasons 40m roughly 10 players while the club we were being compared to unfavourably had blown 37m on Lamela … Crazy in the coconut.
anyways .. a lot of those signings are not going to work out or have already not worked out.
but at 1m here and 1.75m there .. honestly pittance in the premiership.
Transfer wise we have not done brilliantly over the last 3 years, but we have had success, in Kozak, Benteke, Vlaar, Guzan ( it was Lambert that instantly resigned him) for a club up for sale and on a shoe string not bad at all.
So, if the defence can remain roughly on this level of performance for the season ( we will have our dips and losses) with Benteke and Kozak coming in … we should be fine this season which is still not where i want us to be but context and starting position from last seasons finish .. means improvement again.
very early days .. lets hope it continues, I think the striker situation will sort itself out with injured players coming back ..
our biggest problem on the field right now is creativity, Thats where I hope we can sign something or come up with a style/tactic/ strategy for playing at home.
We need to improve dramatically there.
I’m a little more optimistic than last season and felt for Lambert, his hands were tied in the transfer market, he had to cut his cloth to suit but for the life of me I can’t remember all these ‘Pro’ Lambert comments when we were deep in the shit last season.
Oh well whatever keeps you happy.
So am I BWS, the broblem is fans blame the manager every time, me include, but you know what I’ve seen the light, the blame did lie with the owner cutting cloth as they say,whether it was his matrimonial problems I don’t know,but yes ready to stick with Lambert to find out if he’s the man.
We have to vent our spleen at someone Bill. The major issue down at VP always appeared to me that we were rudderless and not in some blip but on a permanent downward spiral, now whether that was down to fatty or Randy who knows?
Hopefully Randy has seen the error of his ways and is trying rectified things starting with loosening the purse strings and the appointment of the fantastic Mr Fox.
Well as I’ve said time to get behind them now , time will tell, I don’t know if I dreamed this did one of them punters say Villa are destined for big times in the future? Hope its when I’m still on the planet, but then we have seen some good days most of the younger fans have not, I’d even say you like me travelled allover the country home and away in Villa’s hey days, proud are punch to be a Villa fan. Ho memories.
Can’t see us reaching the dizzy heights of the early eighties in the foreseeable Bill but for now I’d settle for mid table mediocrity and a cup run.
BWS I could live with that mate.
Lambert had his hands tied – imagine trying to buy a player then leaving the negotiations to fatty Faulkner, lets hope things drastically change now we have an adult CEO who knows about football !!
But just how said is it when we’re all getting excited about the appointment of a new CEO?
granted BWS, just trying to think of a positive and there must be a reason he has joined us, its not to narrowly avoid relegation each season, surely.
Feyenoord offer 400k for KEA ?
Didn’t we buy him from them for around £2m? Nice profit they’ve made from that.