[Blue Baggie]

I get more disheartened with every player being linked. From where I'm sitting we are buying a
team that will struggle to even stay in the division never mind try for promotion.
Whats happened to our drive and ambition.
I'm not trolling and don't expect anyone to respond - its just how i'm feeling.
Darren needs to raise his sights and spend some cash.

Granted, some of the links are poor but could be paper talk.

But in terms of actual signings, why do you think really think Bartley, Barnes and Johnstone are such bad signings? Serious question and I'm interested in your logic. Especially as you suggest we will struggle to stay in this division with them.

Johnstone 20 clean sheets for Villa last season. Seems very highly rated by Villa fans.

Barnes' stats look eye catching in terms of goals and assists. Based on what he did for Barnsley, he's a 10 goal man from midfield at this level. He's also a player who can pass and link up. Much better than the dead wood we sold to accommodate him, who scored 4 goals for us in his entire stint.

Not too sure about Bartley, as his career on paper does seems a bit stop start. But in the year where he was on loan at Leeds he played a full season and they finished in the playoffs. Also contributed a good amount of goals, which we missed last season without McAuley. I share some reservations about this one, but nothing to suggest he's a bad player at this level.

The lad from Scunthorpe looks like a young one for the future who will be used as cover. I've got no problem with that, because you need a squad of players and it was a joke when we didn't have a single left back at the club for 2 years. That said, he contributed 3 goals from 17 games last season, which is very good for a full back. Yes, he had a lot of loans from Hull but lets remember that Hull were in the Premier League at that point and had the likes of Andy Robertson and Figueroa in front of him, the latter was a favourite of Bruce for years. Note, Harry Maguire was also loaned out by Hull that year, so that shows the lack of faith Steve Bruce had in youth. Might not come off, but £700,000 is a tiny gamble in this day and age.

Stoke fans should be worried, just signed James McClean who was already relegated at this level with Wigan! So glad we managed to sell this waster to a rival!

FAO SLICK - only

While Johnston maybe a reasonable signings time will tell - I don't believe he is a patch on Foster by the way.
Bartley couldn't get in the Swansea side even when he was fit last season - they sold him to us should tell us something?
Barnes - can't get in the Leicester team and is only a loan? Do we really want him, does he want to play for us. Do they want to sell him - its all pretty short term business.
Townsend - SUFC defender i'm sorry but its another "hope" he steps up signing. 
I think Big D has failed to check the top 6 PL sides youngsters who cant get a game, who we could pick up for 5 - 10 million.
Our DOF hasn't got anyone in ? why is that ? it can only be for financial reasons - Villa got close to promotion last year, but not by getting players in from the lower leagues. They had to splash the cash and bring some good loans in. Exactly the opposite to what we have done. 
As for Stoke - I'm sure they will finish a lot higher then us with or without McClean. A 33 million spend so far shows some ambition.
Now were checking Luton / Peterborough how many cheap hidden gems do we think are out there?
MOST IMPORTANTLY - If we are aiming for promotion how many of these new signings honestly could do a good / solid job in the PL (IMO none of them)
I'm sure Chadli - Dawson - Rondon will leave within the next 10 days and we will be after a couple more hidden gems to replace them. Why would they want to stay? I'm sure they are not impressed with the new signings. Darren needs to get the check book out and spend some money on "PROVEN" quality players. No matter how nice and down to earth he is - he will be measured on results, he's not even giving himself a fighting chance.