The transfer window has been open for some time and some Premier League teams have made moves to sign players. There is something alarming, many teams in a similar as Aston Villa have spent big this year. Many have even bought a big name, we Aston Villa haven’t quite done that and with the potential departure of Benteke, we might even struggle to improve on last season. There are 4 times in the Premier League that are showing ambition this season. There is extra cash to spend in the form of new TV money so let’s take a quick look into these 4 teams that want to win.
Norwich: Spent Aprox. £16.6 million
This one is a little bit of a surprise, but they have been enormously ambitious this year. There big signing is undoubtedly Ricky Van Wolfswinkel. He is a very good young dutch player and will be Norwich’s main attacking threat. Norwich have also brought in midfielders, Redmond and Fer to support the striker. Redmond is a young midfielder, who is fairly decent. Fer was linked with a move to Everton and he too, is a good player. In defence they permanently signed Garrido and they snapped up Martin Olsson, another decent player and as a back up keeper Nash. They’ve spent a lot, I’m not sure if they can afford to buy any more players but Norwich is definitely on the up.
Southampton: Spent Aprox. £21 million
Southampton have gone for quality over quantity and it’s quite clear that they’re not afraid to spend big. They have signed two very young, and very quality players in the likes of Wanyama and Lovren. I personally rate Lovren more, he is a big centre back and that knows how to defend. I have a few question marks over the fee for Wanyama, but nonetheless he should add something to their midfield.
Sunderland: Spent Aprox. £11.5 million
Sunderland have done the opposite of Southampton went for quantity, they’ve signed 7 players so far. Here’s the catch, they are all pretty unknown. The only players that really stand out are Alitdore, Diakite and Mannone. As a result I’m not sure if Sunderland will improve or not, but they have signed players and I don’t think their spending is quite done yet. They’ve also signed Cabral, Roberge, Karlsson and Ba.
Swansea: Spent Aprox. £19.5 million
Laudrop is doing it again, buying players from the Liga BBVA and making the best use of the financial crisis in Spain. He has brought in a total of 8 players. The big names are surely Bony, De Guzman and Canas. Bony signed for £12 million, this is a clear indication of Swansea’s ambition. De Guzman is back on loan, he was good and Canas is a good overall midfielder. They’ve also signed Shelvey, Amat, Zabret, Gogic and Pozuelo. Swansea definitely want to progress forward and that’s definitely going to happen.
I am not saying that Aston Villa are screwed and can’t progress forward. I’m just pointing out the transfer market activity amongst other clubs. Can Aston Villa move forward? Definitely, some of these players will flop, some will not. I don’t think Lambert is finished with his recruits, the club have to sell the deadwood before we can bring in any more players. We also need to sort out the Benteke situation as soon as possible. Besides, we have signed some quality players, all very highly rated. They may not make an immediate impact such as Bony or Lovren but they will come good in the future.
Comments
38 responses to “Teams Spending Big”
Because spending bigs served us so well in the past?
It’s an interesting thing to look at, but with the exception of Sunderland (Who have only spent ~£2m more than us) they all have established squads and are buying to improve positions. We’re still in the process of filling our squad out, so cheaper hungry players are a better investment. Once we’re sorted it’s more likely we’ll be willing to spend more on individual players.
Spending big means nothing these days. Wanyama is only here to show the bigger clubs he can do it in the prem and the rest are as much of a gamble as our new buys. We are in my opinion a player or 2 short of a mid table position, which is moving forward……As long as we keep Benteke. Proper friendlies start next week so will get to see the new boys in action down in Wycombe…..CANNOT WAIT…!!!
I actually think we only need 1 player to get a mid table finish but a quality player, an attacking mid is a priority for me its the 1 position we are really lacking depth or even a starter for every game, and i believe Lambert has identified this very early on, he used wes houilihan almost every game for norwich but he probably hoped Ireland or Nzog would fill that role but we all see how that worked out, problem is, to release some funds i tink we need to get rid of the shit sitting on our bench costing us millions, once they are gone i can see us buying this key player and i believe we will pay close to 10 mill for him. Of coarse whatever we think of him now we NEED to keep benteke! He will still play his best because of the world cup and not only that but he would hate to impress for his BIG move cause if he is still with us it means nobody thought he was worth it which will be fuckin brilliant and put him in his place a bit and still be stuck on 20k! If he goes we need to replace with a quality replacement otherwise i see us standing still next season and seriously don’t want that again!
Adam, what we are doing is not the same as other clubs’ we have agents getting money for them and player’s, we have broken that mold, its time to asked player’s to earn money for their talents, Villa is a club going forwards in finding players to help our game progress, I will stick with Lambert to see if we will have a manager to the likes of Fergi, and other’s that are dead and gone, I don’t care what Chelsea do or Man City , l care what we do, spend millions at the end of the day what club will still be solvent, Aston Villa has history that most clubs would die for, let’s just talk of how good we can be, piss any player off that don’t wear a Villa shirt to die for.
Nice one Bill, I like your thought path, and I’m with you…….
Do’es the truth hurt, no comments for 1 1/2 hour’s are you Villa? or just a moaning fan,
To all the negative posters on here saying we’re in trouble after our “shocking pre-season” just because we didn’t win any? Well both Manchester clubs are after losing both of their first pre season matches without scoring.. surely now according to you they are relegation candidates? And Arsenal, winning 7-0, are gonna fly straight to the top this year? right? Pre-season results, mean nothing.
Hear hear I.I.r.t.w. all they think about is putting our club into queer street buying to please, Aston Villa will not die, because they don’t buy, I have more faith than ever before in what we are doing, some want instant success in breaking the bank and club, let the people do what they are paid to do, we seem to have fans that serender before we start.
Well said! Even if Lambert had all the money, can’t see him splashing it about. He prefers to think long term, rather than spend and get a quick fix. Villa are on the rise!
Posters are getting confused between comments that we should spend to buy a bit of quality to be comfortable mid table and breaking the bank to get Instant success. There is a difference a big one. All I’m saying is for villa to spend on a couple of half decent players so we don’t struggle next season. I am NOT saying break the bank and go for champions league or broke. Hope that clears it up
For once, I totally agree with you Ooah.
On average, the more you pay, the better the player you’re going to get.
We really should not be sidelined by the constant chatter about the over-paid players that we have on our books; any decent club has them.
Bent actually saved us on his own and imo was worth every penny we paid for him, even if we give him away for nothing, for example.
And even Dunne was a bloody great defender in his day.
Yes, Ireland has proven to be poor, but he was why MON walked, after all.
Who’s call was that?
It certainly wasn’t the manager’s.
I’m sick to to death of being told that we can’t afford anyone approaching quality.
The simple fact is we can!
If we can’t, how the heck are the likes of Swansea doing it????
I talked about this in a previous article and it’s quite plain to me we’re being bent over as fans.
Either Lambert doesn’t want anyone with anything like what might be called an ego, or Lerner simply refuses to spend.
I strongly think it’s the latter.
Rant over 🙂
QPR spent a fortune last summer and they won? Pre season is not relevant for results its about fitness. I think KEA might come good as well
Dont forget everton lost today so they will be relegated now and southampton and swansea will battle it out for 1st and 2nd spot!.ridiculous theories and assumptions. How do we know that the 3 or 4 players we signed for 2 mil aren’t actually going to be 10mil quality players straight away? All people on here want is to not see a negative article every day because we’re not doing something other clubs are doing, or because we haven’t done all our business in the first two weeks, or that we conceded a goal so we must be shit and were going to struggle. How about something interesting like a break down of how our new signings have been etc not just he’s cheap he must be shit rubbish.
Lads.. We know a few people moan to much BUT there’s nothing wrong with having a sensible debate..
I for one would be disappointed if we didn’t have 20M plus any sales as a budget for this summer..
PL has proven that he won’t be buying Fletcher and Johnsons of this world but probably a better quality player who can have a sell on value..
With the budget restraints enforced since last season it’s been a minor miracle what PL has achieved..
How deluded some people are thinking buying players for £1.5 or just over £2 mil you going to be able to put a team together to compete in the premiership and also saying pre-season games prove nothing.What a load of crap when this so-called team can;t beat a bunch of part timers.Now they come back for pre-season games against Wolves & Walsall dred to think what is gong to happen.Germany three draws only just last season stayed up by skin of our teeth on the back of one mercenary teats goals whom is now leaving ailienated a player whom previously single handedly kept us up and will now leave the club.Yes Lambert as spent money this window and may spend more but on what players whom could not even beat a kids team.Going down the bookies later see what odds can get on us being relegated.As without Bent & the Belgium mercenary think a ton us going down is going to be a shrude investment.
1. They’re not part timers 2. We are not playing Wolves 3. Spell/grammar checker has a purpose. 4. The previous friendlies have involved mixing it up, using players who will be benchwarmers and NextGen players while a handful of what could be our starting XI missing 2 of the 3 games…..so of course they mean nothing, results wise……All about match fitness. 5. If your so confident, lay down more than a measly £100. 6. What a miserable man you are
Well i am not deluded enough to think that spending peanuts builds a team and Bill i do go to home games and the odd away game when can afford it and do want to see the club progress why the hell do you think i have been a fan for sixty three years & have always thought of us as a bigger club than anyother.But the club will never progress while we have deluded fools running it.
Terry they not even started and you have formed an opinion that they are not good enough, give them a chance mate and stop being a none believer that’s all I ask, after 6 games then you can say, simple as that.
Bill our first three games IMO this team is no where near good enough they have not had a real test yet.I will admit Lambert changed the team in both half,s of these games and it proves not a lot but it;s going to be deluded to think we are going to fair any better than last season.Defense still not good enough Midfield witch should be the engine room of any team still don;t look as though they have any goals in them.That only leaves the strikers.Gabby Wiemann & Helenius whom is unproven in the Prem Gabby & Wiemann have proved themself,s but don;t think they have enough goals in them to make for our defensive failures.
I think you’re forgetting a lot of important facts there Terry.. we’re certain to go down because we haven’t won any of our pre-season games? Well first off, our pre-season is not yet over and secondly, last year we won all of our pre-season games. Now surely I don’t need to remind you of the season that followed? Pre-season results mean nothing!
Dream on lads, I still say people can and do act like sheep,I’m all for breaking that strangle hold that clubs have created over the year’s, how do you know that Lambert cannot change Aston Villa to being great again? All you want to do is pay rediculas money all the time stop being negative and start believing in your team, if and when you played the game wasn’t someone better than you on that pitch and played with passion, all I’m asking stop knocking the club like Terry does and get behind the team.
Terry, money on the Villa to go down???????I will keep what I am thinking about you to myself ,as I like this site.
Wittonryan, we can do without people that knock and moan like Terry, Villa are bigger than that, some on here don’t go to the game, don’t buy from the club, just have armchair beliefs that the club is dead before we start.
Let’s look at who Lambert inherited at the start of last season. Given, Dunne, Hutton, Clark/Baker, Ireland, N’Zog, Albrighton, Delph, Bannan, Herd, Holman, Gardner, Bent, Delfournso, Wiemann. All either came up through the academy or were bought in – usually for large transfer fees – and on high wages. Holman the exception. Lambert strengthened the side based round this lot, and I’m sure Dunne was an integral part of it and expected to come back from injury. When he didn’t, and Vlaar was injured, we shipped a load of goals. It was a serious mistake not to buy in a decent CD in January but the club decided one wasn’t necessary. Big decision that though, after Chelsea/Wigan/Spurs, One more win and six fewer goals conceded and we would have finished 11th. That was in a season with a large number of players new to the PL, either from the academy, lower leagues or abroad. Some of those players came good (Lowton, Westwood, Benteke, Guzan, Wiemann, Sylla), Delph and Gabby showed great form and a couple don’t appear to have had their contracts extended (Vlaar and Bennett), and will need to impress this season to keep their places. So this season we have a much more settled team with some new faces and academy graduates. Some will do well, some won’t. The window hasn’t yet closed, so we might get some more in. If that depends on clearing out the likes of Ireland, Bent and so on then so be it. If Benteke goes than Helenius is looking good. Maybe Benteke will stay, maybe we’ll improve even more this coming season and he’ll stay longer. I’ve already said this but we’ll be stronger this season (as long as the defence sorts itself out) and as we get higher up the table and win more games we’ll start to be more interesting for the better players to join. I’d rather see more players like Westwood, Lowton and Wiemann being involved, they are all turning into bloody good players and want to play for Villa. Benteke, well, you can’t win them all. But we have an academy starting to provide us with two or three promising players and some scouts finding us interesting foreign talent. Ignoring what may or may not happen with Benteke, with the exception of a decent CB (Okore might be great, Vlaar might pick up his game, this might be Baker’s year) I don’t think we need to buy in anyone particularly expensive or experienced. The squad is being rebuilt. Once it’s working properly the weaker links can be replaced and the squad will get stronger.
Foxy a lot of sense in what your thinking, I can see we can only get stronger, its this constant knocking and not believing that gets me. Aston Villa will not be struggling this year,14th and above I would see progress in what Lambert has done, and giving him longer we would be back in football.
A few people on this site are stuck so far in the past i pity them. The same people think we should go out and spend millions to get success. The same people fail to move on and accept what’s happening at the club and which route we are now going down, maybe this will help. We spent millions under the mon era, money that was given by our owner, a majority of players he signed were expensive flops, flops that, rightly or wrongly, have been slated by people on here for not being good enough and proves that money guarantees nothing.
The owner and his sidekick were new to football and clearly put there faith in the managers judgment, and that backfired big time. After a couple/few more managers, again who were backed financially by the owner, we employed a manager who doesn’t go out and spend millions and millions and pay huge wages on overrated prima donnas. Instead we have a manager who spends “peanuts” and looks for value and coaches the players and improves the players himself.
IMO Lerner learnt his lesson regarding spending millions and millions and whilst he continues to back his manager with funds, I believe it’s Lambert who says what players he wants, Lerner and his sidekick have become just as shrewd as Lambert when it comes to negotiating contracts with players and contracts are now obviously performance related. Benteke, Baker, Westwood, Lowton all had excellent seasons and have all been offered new, improved deals, this is the way forward imo, now we don’t have players sitting on the bench or training with the reserves that are earning a ludicrous amout of money every week. We have a squad of young, hungry players who know if they work hard, show passion and stay positive they will be rewarded.
Sorry it’s a long post but I’d just like to make one more point. IMO, every young player has improved under Lambert, ok some may not cut the mustard ability wise, but they are better players since Lambert arrived. Maybe KEA and Vlaar aren’t good enough, maybe they will improve now they have a years experience behind them, but look at it this way, unlike Bent, Ireland, Given they aren’t on 50,60,70 grand a week, so it’s not costing the club millions and millions in wages to players who don’t give a shit. Fair play to the route that Lerner and Lambert have taken. You can’t please everyone all the time but to go and spend millions on established players is a thing of the past at AVFC.
This is an email from Giddy
Morning mate my monies on swansea 2 win the pl as they’ve scored 10 the gunners runners up utd & city relegated as they’ve lost their friendlies & we’ll finish mid table as we drew our matches if this is the bench mark 4 the up&comin season thank fuk i was’nt part of the recent discussion & im sure you won’t entertain my views on the site.it’s a joke we’re doomed even b4 the start.giddy
B6 as I mentioned yesterday I don’t think anyone thinks we Shoukd spend 100s of millions of pounds. All I’m saying is a couple of half decent players around the 10m mark that should see us comfortably mid table. What’s wrong with that
And what I’m saying is 10 million pound players, like 50 million pound players, guarantee you nothing. You were/are the first person to slate players because of there wage, there ability, yet you’re convinced a couple of 10 million pound players is what we need. Do you mean 10 million pound players like Curtis Davies? My point is oohah, a huge majority of the younger players Lambert has signed/inherited he’s improved, they’ve improved, the established, experienced players he inherited are no different, hence why they are not involved and been told they can leave.
TBH I’m not expecting you to understand, after all, you slate the new signings and decide on how good they are, or rather how shit they are, before they’ve even kicked a ball so trying to reason with you in neon impossible.
But what about Ashley young and Milner. They wernt too shabby and improved us. Petrov wasn’t bad for 7m Benteke did alright for 8m.
You are thinking of the dross we signed under MON Lambert would not sign players like Davies etc or other journeyman payers on stupid wages like Beye, Warnock etc. He would still sign young hungry players but with a bit more experience aged between 24-26. Yes there are no guarantees but when Lerner wanted to be guaranteed safety he spent a whooping £24m for Bent. Bent was a proven goalscorer in the prem and his goals kept us up for 2 seasons and Lerner benefitted financially staying in the prem. Yes he was overpriced, yes he offers little else than goals but we all knew that and we all wanted him to come and he did what he says on the tin.
You mean Benteke who you compared to Heskey before he’d even kicked a ball for us but now he’s the best thing since sliced bread? How your opinion changes after you’ve given people a chance eh. You mean the Ashley Young/James Milner who you slated because they wanted to leave to win things?
Oohah whoever we sign you’d have an instant negative opinion on them, then when they wanted to leave you’d slate them for wanting to better themselves. It’s a no win situation with you.
We sign players that cost more than others and because they struggle a little in there first season you slate them and say what a waste of money.
Can you name a few players that you can guarantee would improve us for 10 million pounds? Improve us like the 50 million on Torres improved Chelsea, improve us like the 35 million on Carrol improved Liverpool. Every player you sign is a risk, Lerner spent a lot of money under O’Neil and got nothing, do you not think that is the main reason why he employed a manager who doesn’t go out and spend silly amounts of money and actually strives to improve players himself? But you think we are owed instant success because of our history and we won the European Cup over 30 years ago.
Oohah my friend how nice it is to be back on the light side and being slated by the deluded ones.You are correct in what you say all we want is a couple of moderately priced signings whom have experience.But still those deluded ones seem to think paying peanuts is going to attract Prem players.Old saying pay peanuts get monkeys but our case even a team of {Chimps} from Twycross Zoo would make better signings then Lerner would only have to pay peanuts with the odd banana or two thrown in.PS will you look into why i can only access certain parts of the site is there a problem your end.
We’re not deluded, we’re just supporting our team, not bashing it at every possible opportunity.
Foxy i do love this site but what team are you supporting cos we don;t really have one i say and think Oohah will agree sign the PG Chimps will only cost peanuts and will play for the same wage peanuts.and you never know might win the league.
Because paying low transfer fees means you only ever get shit players right? I mean that Westwood was shit last season as he only cost a couple of million, and we got Lowton from a club 2 divisions below for a few million and he is shit who only ever scores crap goals right?
I mean they must be shit if Roy Hodgson is looking at them both?
And as for Brad Guzan, well he was free transfer, what a terrrible mistake signing him, He should never wear the Villa colours again right?
You don;t half spout some complete bollocks, and quite frankly it’s boring to a point annoying. You need to open your eyes and look at the facts.
Unbelieveable. We haven’t even kicked a ball yet and we have already been relegated in Terrys eyes. Something must have happened to him in life to make him such a miserable, unreasonable twisted person.
He says he goes to games, well I for one do not believe that because who would want to go to a game with him and listen to his nonsense ramblings for 90 minutes! Imagine going to an away game with him and being stuck with him for a whole day!
You might follow Villa but you are certainly no supporter, in fact some of yours posts are embarassing for other Villa supporters. No wonder some people think Brummies are thick!
Well said b6 and mark, I think that Oohah and Terry should go fishing together and let all them weird thoughts drain away about Aston Villa, if ever their was two twits we have them on here.