The Ciaran Clark Transfer Thread (DONE DEAL)

[el héroe]

Is it not?

I just saw it on twitter earlier and didn't bother checking. Oh well.

He'll still be a good player for us though. Mark my words. Rafa knows what he's doing.

Couldn't agree more

[Double Agent Bruce a.k.a DAB]

First "not thrilled" transfer under Rafa

[Yacob]

Not good enough to be a starter, but as a fourth choice CB and cover for LB, I'm happy enough. We need one or two quality attacking players to complete the window.

[ALF]

Dummett and Hayden have CB/LB/DM covered between them

We need numbers in this league. Last time we needed to use Coloccini, Taylor, Williamson, Hall, Khizanishvili, Kadar and Tozer and that was just at CB.

Far better have the required squad in place than taking a gamble. Better safe than sorry.

Khiz played RB. Tozer made 1 sub appearance in the league.

Colo, Taylor, Willo, Hall, Kadar.
Lascelles, Mbemba, Hanley, Dummett, Hayden.

We don't need another CB. Stupid signing.

[krully]

he's not s**** really good cover but this 'weakening a rival' their defence was the worst of the leauge, weakening them like that is breaking the leg on a guy who cant feel his legs.

[Aldridge Prior]

he's not s**** really good cover but this 'weakening a rival' their defence was the worst of the leauge, weakening them like that is breaking the leg on a guy who cant feel his legs.

He's not even Villa's best CB... But anyway, he's not a bad signing. I'd say he's more capable and more versatile than Taylor, Willow and Colo (recently) so he's marginally improved our back four I suppose.

Every cloud and all that. We need bodies, Rafa will want to go at the cups too and we know how much he likes to rotate his squad. Clark isn't a marquee signing but I reckon he'll do just fine.

[Speedo]

[tweet][/tweet]

I'm happy with this, Clark will be good, versatile defensive cover. I think with Lascelles, Mbemba, Hanley and Clark we have a pretty strong central defence for the Championship. I just hope Lascelles and Mbemba remain first choice.

[Yacob]

We are spending 5.1m on a fourth choice CB, how the rest of the league must hate us

[Don Sholeone]

Can't believe there are people whining about us finally having depth in our defence anyone would think we are throwing the captain's armband at Clark and making him the rock of our defence.

Also it's a bit bizzare to complain that he was in a poor relegated villa team, so was Mbemba Lascelles Janmaat and I don't see people wanting them ushered out of the door.

[Toondes]

Can't believe there are people whining about us finally having depth in our defence anyone would think we are throwing the captain's armband at Clark and making him the rock of our defence.

Also it's a bit bizzare to complain that he was in a poor relegated villa team, so was Mbemba Lascelles Janmaat and I don't see people wanting them ushered out of the door.

Some "fans" will never be happy.

[TJR]

Can't believe there are people whining about us finally having depth in our defence anyone would think we are throwing the captain's armband at Clark and making him the rock of our defence.

Also it's a bit bizzare to complain that he was in a poor relegated villa team, so was Mbemba Lascelles Janmaat and I don't see people wanting them ushered out of the door.

This.

[Jaiston]

Can't believe there are people whining about us finally having depth in our defence anyone would think we are throwing the captain's armband at Clark and making him the rock of our defence.

Also it's a bit bizzare to complain that he was in a poor relegated villa team, so was Mbemba Lascelles Janmaat and I don't see people wanting them ushered out of the door.

He is pretty s*** mind, rather have a youngster adding to the depth instead, especially when it's something like £5m for Clark.

We're are basically signing a defender from the worst defensive team in the Premier League last year...to join the 4th or 5th worst defence in the league last year. People not being happy about it is pretty understandable.

[ALF]

Can't believe there are people whining about us finally having depth in our defence anyone would think we are throwing the captain's armband at Clark and making him the rock of our defence.

Also it's a bit bizzare to complain that he was in a poor relegated villa team, so was Mbemba Lascelles Janmaat and I don't see people wanting them ushered out of the door.

He is pretty s*** mind, rather have a youngster adding to the depth instead, especially when it's something like £5m for Clark.

We're are basically signing a defender from the worst defensive team in the Premier League last year...to join the 4th or 5th worst defence in the league last year. People not being happy about it is pretty understandable.

Agree with this. Maybe it's just how it is now but £5m for a 4th choice CB is madness. We've got 5 or 6 players that can play there already. He's an awful defender, literally every Villa or Ireland fan says he's got a mistake in him every game. He's basically a shitter Titus Bramble.

[Don Sholeone]

The same crap has been said about Hanley though, it seems a lot of the animosity is because people are scared Mbemba or Lascelles will lose their place, but at the end of it Rafa will play the best players for our team, as a 4th choice Clark is not a bad shout, plus he can cover the whole back four, also its not like we can get a top quality player in to be 4th in line to a starting spot.

[Colly]

We need numbers in this league. Last time we needed to use Coloccini, Taylor, Williamson, Hall, Khizanishvili, Kadar and Tozer and that was just at CB.

Far better have the required squad in place than taking a gamble. Better safe than sorry.

Khiz played RB. Tozer made 1 sub appearance in the league.

Colo, Taylor, Willo, Hall, Kadar.
Lascelles, Mbemba, Hanley, Dummett, Hayden.

We don't need another CB. Stupid signing.

Seems a bit harsh ruling Khiz off your list because he played right back whilst including our current starting left back and odds are our starting CM in Hayden. I know we have players we can shuffle round but I'd rather drop a CB in than start faffing about moving Colback to LB or pulling Hayden back etc.

[ALF]

Khiz played RB. Tozer made 1 sub appearance in the league.

Colo, Taylor, Willo, Hall, Kadar.
Lascelles, Mbemba, Hanley, Dummett, Hayden.

We don't need another CB. Stupid signing.

Seems a bit harsh ruling Khiz off your list because he played right back whilst including our current starting left back and odds are our starting CM in Hayden. I know we have players we can shuffle round but I'd rather drop a CB in than start faffing about moving Colback to LB or pulling Hayden back etc.

But Dummett and Hayden have both played CB pre season so they're clearly seen as cover there. Khiz was loaned in because our RB's were crocked. There was never any intention of him playing CB and I'm pretty sure he never played there.

[Remember Colo]

Each of the last several seasons we've gotten into fitness worries where our midfielders and defenders were playing completely out of position, and sure enough, we were typically terrible. We're spending plenty of money and it doesn't seem 5m is going to compromise our budget, so I'm fine with having more depth than we're used to. As for youth coming through, I like the idea, but we haven't had a single youth CB even make a senior appearance in years, so I don't get the impression anyone is knocking the door down.

[ALF]

Each of the last several seasons we've gotten into fitness worries where our midfielders and defenders were playing completely out of position, and sure enough, we were typically terrible. We're spending plenty of money and it doesn't seem 5m is going to compromise our budget, so I'm fine with having more depth than we're used to. As for youth coming through, I like the idea, but we haven't had a single youth CB even make a senior appearance in years, so I don't get the impression anyone is knocking the door down.

We've already signed 2 defenders though. Sterry has stepped up to the first team as well. We've got plenty of depth without Clark.

[Speedo]

Each of the last several seasons we've gotten into fitness worries where our midfielders and defenders were playing completely out of position, and sure enough, we were typically terrible. We're spending plenty of money and it doesn't seem 5m is going to compromise our budget, so I'm fine with having more depth than we're used to. As for youth coming through, I like the idea, but we haven't had a single youth CB even make a senior appearance in years, so I don't get the impression anyone is knocking the door down.

We've already signed 2 defenders though. Sterry has stepped up to the first team as well. We've got plenty of depth without Clark.

After losing Colo, Saylor and Williamson in the last 8 months, with an extra 8 league games this season, Mbemba going to ACON for 6 weeks in January and a notorious injury issue. It's smart.

[krully]

considering how terrible our injury record is i'd like to have someone that knows what to do, then a youngster who might stagnat at being 4th choice and not have the experience when called up for those short patches