[Baggievicar]

Yokuslu confirmed to Trabzonspor. Many thanks, Okay.

[Stairs]

Mixed reactions from me regarding the deals for Okay and BTA, if true...

I'd be gutted to see Okay go. I see him as the one player we have with genuine top level quality. Brilliant defensive awareness and cover, excellent on the ball, composed, a proper tackler. Also excellent in the air defensively too. He will be impossible to replace like-for-like and his move will probably mean a change in style, more legs and less control.

I can understand the move though, both from his point of view and the club's. He's given us 2 years at this level and done his best to get us promoted, but a lot of the squad are behind him in terms of ability and heart. He's 30 and has the chance to play at home, for one of the top clubs, competing in Europe. So no hard feelings. From the club's point of view, we're getting a fee for one of the high earners who is out of contract in a year, plus he's 30 and arguably doesn't have the legs that he had when he first joined. Would still love to see him stay and sign a new deal, but wouldn't begrudge him if the move goes through.

With BTA, I'm in the "I'd drive him to Hull myself" camp.

I said after he was sent off against Sunderland last year - which almost cost us our playoff place - that he should never wear the shirt again. That rant wasn't just a result of his pathetic decision that day though, I was just sick of watching him generally. I just don't see any quality there at all; couldn't trap a bag of cement, can't see or execute simple passes, doesn't do any link up play, doesn't occupy defenders, can't protect the ball and couldn't finish his dinner.

I'm gobsmacked anyone has come in for him to be honest. I think he'll struggle to get 5 goals in an average championship side.

To give him his due, he does run around and seems likable in social content, but for me that isn't enough. Obviously he will need to be replaced as he did chip in with some goals and stay fit, but I don't think it will be difficult. Any reasonable striker would've outscored him playing for us last season. A prem loan should cover it and we can use the fee to balance the books. Also fingers crossed Maja can stay fit, who looked far superior in his cameos last season. Touches, link up, finishing. We'll be far better with him in the side.

100% - I wish I’d written that summary.

[Slick_Footwork]

Townsend gone now, just confirmed.

Again, it really surprises me that anyone has come in for him...

I appreciate Ipswich probably just see him as cheap cover, but you'd think they would've gone for someone with the potential to grow into a Premier League player rather than a 30+ bang average Championship player on his best day. To be fair to him, he had a good period under Ismael but has been poor otherwise and was one of our weak links last season IMO. While Corberan improved him defensively, he lost the ability to get forward and provide any quality a couple of years ago.

My main concern is just our ability to put a squad out with all the outgoings. A lot of the players who have left, while poor, did stay fit. We might already have Towsend's replacement in Heggem, but who plays there if he is injured? That's Townsend, Pieters, Reach and Pipa gone, 3 left backs and a utility full back, with only Heggem incoming. We need more bodies and it's going to be difficult when we only seem to have the ability to scrat around in the free agent and loan market.

[4evaabaggie]

Conor out, Okay out, BTA out, Cole in.
With all the players we have released, sold, shot out the back. We don’t seem to have had many in, lots of talk, lots of names mentioned, not much action. We had a small squad last season, are we playing seven a side this year.

I was worried at the start of last season, turns out I needn’t have been, king Carlos, the magician, pulled some rabbits out of the hat, but as it stands, I am more worried this year, the early transfers in raised my hopes, at the moment they are sinking fast.

Season start fast approaching, mass influx maybe, time to meet each other and learn names might be good, oi number 7 I’m open, I’m number eleven. That might be harsh but some news would be good.
After all, our preseason has not been an overwhelming success with the results so far.

Someone out there, anyone, please restore my hope.

[Stairs]

You have missed a few incomings - Joe Wildsmith, Torjorn Heggem, Paddy McNair, Ousmane Diakite and Devante Cole.

Add to that we might be close to at least one other in Isaac Price (hope I have not cursed that one).

The facts are we are in our 4th season in the Championship, we do not get a parachute payment anymore and we had a high salary level due to loans and other signings such as Okay as an example.

Pital, even if he wanted to, is not able to buy in high value players as the FFP rules stifle that approach. Like it or not we are taking a step backwards in the hope that we can reset and build a new squad. Carlos is great and so hopefully these new players will gel into a team and we will, amazingly, be challenging again for a play-off place. But it might be at least a 2-year plan to really be in with a promotion shout.

I for one, am happy with this approach. Pital has steadied the ship, we have financial rigour back in the club and we are weeding out the bad and setting out our stall for a healthier future and seemingly looking for gems in lower divisions or overseas.

I am not getting any younger and want to be in the top tier and playing in Europe. But, all things considered, I am happier to be a fan and proud of a well run club that plays good football in the Championship rather than be penalised and penniless in the Premier league or plunged into Division One.

[Stairs]

Ls Palmas say a 1.3m bid from an EFL team has been accepted - Could be West Brom but it could also be either Sheff Wednesday or Sheff Utd

[4evaabaggie]

You have missed a few incomings - Joe Wildsmith, Torjorn Heggem, Paddy McNair, Ousmane Diakite and Devante Cole.

Add to that we might be close to at least one other in Isaac Price (hope I have not cursed that one).

The facts are we are in our 4th season in the Championship, we do not get a parachute payment anymore and we had a high salary level due to loans and other signings such as Okay as an example.

Pital, even if he wanted to, is not able to buy in high value players as the FFP rules stifle that approach. Like it or not we are taking a step backwards in the hope that we can reset and build a new squad. Carlos is great and so hopefully these new players will gel into a team and we will, amazingly, be challenging again for a play-off place. But it might be at least a 2-year plan to really be in with a promotion shout.

I for one, am happy with this approach. Pital has steadied the ship, we have financial rigour back in the club and we are weeding out the bad and setting out our stall for a healthier future and seemingly looking for gems in lower divisions or overseas.

I am not getting any younger and want to be in the top tier and playing in Europe. But, all things considered, I am happier to be a fan and proud of a well run club that plays good football in the Championship rather than be penalised and penniless in the Premier league or plunged into Division One.

Stairs, of course everything you say is correct, I did not mention the other four as they are a little old news now, happy to have them. I agree a thorough reset is/was needed, new players, new enthusiasm. I am just concerned that the number of outs well out weighs the number of ins at the moment with nine days until we face the hoops. Will we be short on numbers, if our long term sick get fit and stay fit, that is like another two signings but we all know it’s a long hard slog in this division.

I, like you, would rather play entertaining attacking football competing for a title with a stable financially secure club than being the poorest of the poor, being the whipping boys to the FA’s select few in a corrupt league, just making numbers up.

I wish the 72 would tell the premier league to go do one, no one gets promoted and accept no one coming down. Then the twenty could play each other every season, with the same end result, they can take sky with them and the Biased Broadcasting Corporation. Stick match of the Manchester where the sun don’t shine.

Albion til I die (stick the bloody rest of it).

[Blue Baggie]

I'm of the opinion we're hiding behind FFP rules. Rather then holding out hands up and confirming we have no money. Even the small sums we're raising on transfers and salary savings are nowhere near enough to give Carlos a war chest. The coming season is a coin flip, if our academy lads come good and we push for a play off place great, if not it's going to be a long season.
I'm concerned about the BS that were investing in the academy £1m - when Stoke are pumping £11m into it's academy. Was the £1m a gimmick to try and appease some. Certainly wasn't a statement of intent.
Early days yet but the new owners honeymoon period is up.
Unless reasonable investment is forthcoming I don't see Carlos hanging about - why would he.

[BaggieSteve]

I'm of the opinion we're hiding behind FFP rules. Rather then holding out hands up and confirming we have no money. Even the small sums we're raising on transfers and salary savings are nowhere near enough to give Carlos a war chest. The coming season is a coin flip, if our academy lads come good and we push for a play off place great, if not it's going to be a long season.
I'm concerned about the BS that were investing in the academy £1m - when Stoke are pumping £11m into it's academy. Was the £1m a gimmick to try and appease some. Certainly wasn't a statement of intent.
Early days yet but the new owners honeymoon period is up.
Unless reasonable investment is forthcoming I don't see Carlos hanging about - why would he.

Don’t you mean we’re investing £1 million in Villa’s academy, at least that’s how it seems

[GlassEyeBomber]

I think we should be pretty steady this season (although mid table could well be heading our way).

I'm not too upset by anyone who has been let go yet (even Yokuslu had an off day or two), we've got a solid core of players and hopefully the ones we're getting in can quickly adapt and settle.

We've got gaps in a few positions but I'm sure we'll start to see them getting plugged sooner rather than later. If we can get a couple of loans who are up to the task and will be playing regularly then I'd potentially upgrade it to challenging for playoffs.