23 Feb 2021 15:07:30
Just saw a review of our loaned out players performance this weekend. Most successful player this year is Tote Gomes, defender at Grasshoppers.
One player missing was Christian Herc, still our player and scoring goals from midfield for Czech top tier side Karvina. West Ham have recruited well from that league.
Interesting player to keep an eye on is not one of ours. 24 year old, Portuguese speaking, goal scoring midfielder, voted Portuguese League 2 player of the year last season and now captaining his side, Farnese in their top tier. Ryan Gauls!

1.) 23 Feb 2021
23 Feb 2021 20:43:48
Sorry typo - Ryan Gauld.

2.) 24 Feb 2021
24 Feb 2021 10:18:17
Think there's one reason Nuno sends players out on loan, i. e. he doesn't rate them! Can't think of any that have come back and got in the team. Possibly last player to do so, Matt Doherty, banished off to Hibs and Bury in 12/ 13 ( by Mad Mick) returned to play 300+ games! Legend FWAW.

3.) 24 Feb 2021
24 Feb 2021 16:01:43
Agree Preston, it certainly looks that way. Difference with Gomes is that Nuno has probably never seen him, given that he went straight to Grasshoppers from Portugal. Also if what you are saying is the case, it is somewhat shortsighted, given that many young players benefit hugely from playing against lower league first teams, as opposed to youngsters in the academy teams. Dion Sanderson appears to be gaining in confidence through a run of games as a centre back with Sunderland. Most centre backs tend to come into their prime in their mid twenties, so he has time on his side. Sunderland fans comparing him to a previous loanee of theirs: Johnny Evans from Manchester United. Would have a pretty good career if he turned out to be any where near as good as him. He is still best centre back Man Utd haven’t got. Would certainly walk into their team today.
List of top players who have benefited from loans is too long to mention, so I hope do try to use the system to develop future first team players. If not it seems a bit of a waste of a salary having a Head of Loans Department!

4.) 24 Feb 2021
24 Feb 2021 20:17:23
Totally agree, don't think Dion has played any where near half the games for Sunderland, this season. Not sure why. Would rather see some of our talented youngsters in the first team, rather than loaned out! Especially in CMF where we have major problems. FWAW.

5.) 25 Feb 2021
25 Feb 2021 11:41:33
Can I ask Preston why, if as you say we have major problems in CM, you think Vitor, a supposedly £20m rated CM, is not getting any minutes?
Any one else got a view as well?

6.) 25 Feb 2021
25 Feb 2021 17:26:11
Don’t want to jinx us given that we are not yet mathematically safe but recruitment team, whoever that is, should be planning for next season. This year can best be described as one where we have taken stock. There are a small, and I would contend rapidly decreasing, number of players who are automatic starters in our first eleven. Some of those may not be regarded as such come September.
Question that those in charge should be asking is, at what level would the individuals in our present first team squad, be guaranteed starters. If we split premier league into top six, middle eight and bottom six, and the Championship into top half and bottom half, League One and League Two. Probably worth throwing in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese leagues as some of our players may well do better there than in our domestic leagues
If, as Fosun have stated, we are looking to be a top six side, then some difficult decisions are going to have to be made at the end of this season. Some of our fringe players or younger players may well benefit from being on loan at the start of next season. One such is Dion Sanderson, I would say Championship top half (loan)
Would be interesting exercise for some of our regular posters to say at which level they would see our fringe squad players being automatic starters next season.
Kilman, Coady: Premier bottom 6
Ait Nouri (loan) Otasowie (loan) . MGW, Fabio Silva (loan) Championship top half
Vitinha, Moutinho: Portugal
Neves Jose: Spain/ Italy
Saiss: France.

7.) 25 Feb 2021
25 Feb 2021 18:44:50
Wolfthistle - excellent post

Will give it some thought!
be interested to hear your 9nd everyone else's ) views on entire squad but with only England as what does Vitor Portugal mean - does he stay or does he go?
Pretty sure I won't have too many to p6 sadly!

8.) 25 Feb 2021
25 Feb 2021 21:29:25
Patricio - middle 8 but given age possibly morphing to bottom 6 next year
Ruddy - top half championship
Semedo - middle 8 ( with potential to go to top 6)
Hoever -top half championship (hopefully top 6 in time)
Boly - top 6
Coady middle 8
Saiss middle 8
Kilman middle 8
RAN - top half championship (with potential to become Prem player)
Marcal - middle 8 ( if fit)
Dendonker - middle 8
Neves - middle 8 ( sorry to slow and doesn't do enough going forwards to be top 6)
Moutinho bottom 6 ( due to age)
Owen - top half championship (def possible Prem player but only seen a handful of times)
MGW - top half Championship (not making progress and may not make it to Prem)
Vitor - top half Championship (Sorry but like Owen has only played in a handful of games and then only cameos. There must be a reason for this)
Neto top 6 (still raw but huge potential)
Podence middle 8 (but could become top 6)
Traore top 6 (with top 6 ref protection and better support would terrorise any defence)
Jimenez top 6 (class act! )
Jose bottom 6 (but might be middle 8)
Fabio Silva League 1 ( but worried it might be to physical for him - unless he makes dramatic physical improvements I am worried re his future. )

9.) 26 Feb 2021
26 Feb 2021 18:10:32
Really interesting exercise that, and I might try doing the same on the Villa site.
I’m surprised you only rate Ait Nouri as Championship level currently. I watched most of Angers games the 2 seasons prior to this one, and I always thought RAN was their most talented player.
Do Wolves have an obligation to buy him at the end of the season or is it optional?

10.) 27 Feb 2021
26 Feb 2021 23:13:33
Mark - delighted you think so I thought Wolfthistle's suggestion was a good one as well and so responded!
Re RAN Don't know how much of his time you have seen at Wolves.
He is quite good going forwards but awful (really awful) defensively.
[Will be castigated by "true fans" for that as well! ]
Comparing him to Matt Targett he is sadly a v poor second both ways!
But he is young and may develop - although of course as with all young players he may well not.
Doubt we will find out though as for £20m we should be able to buy a far better ready made player - as you did with Matty Cash.
Plus with Otto, Marcal (injuries permitting) Saiss and quite possibly Vinagre coming back as we can't find anyone willing to buy him despite there not being too much difference between him and RAN in potential he would be competing for 4th LB in the squad. Don't think we can have a £20m fourth/ fifth choice!

11.) 27 Feb 2021
27 Feb 2021 12:23:32
Thanks for replying Tfig, I think RAN will improve defensively, it was never really an issue at Angers, and it’s perhaps just a case of adjusting to the intensity of the English game.
A season ago I, along with most Villa supporters, were wandering why we shelled out 15 million or so for Matt Targett. Defensively he was pretty atrocious at times.
This season however, he unrecognizable from the last, and most of us agree he is our most improved player, and I would go as far to say, he might have an outside chance of making the Euros. I’m sure RAN will improve, he’s got plenty of time to do so, but admittedly 20 million is a big steep, somewhere between 10-15, and I think he would be worth the gamble.