Villastine

How you can say Benteke was awful is beyond me. Set up our best chances. One of our better players tonight.

And Gabby's woefull finishing.

We are a much better side away from home when we can counter. I think OGS will play into our hands tactically and if we can exploit it like we did at Anfield I think we caa win this one by a few. I'm going 1-4 Villa.

then why wasnt he sent on a short term loan like Marc to get a few games and come back stronger. Lambert is obviously taking this opportunity to have a closer look at him. Gary is part of the first team squad and I presume the club have a fitness plan for him which would be jeopardised if he was sent out on loan. He is back to full training and now he’s being allowed to play with the 21s, it can’t be long before he’ll be match fit and actually in contention. I have no doubt the club will offer him a new deal.

Gael Kakuta gone to Lazio on a free......pity we didn't bid for him. Impressive signings by Fulham. Prob not good for Darrent Bent though and by extention not good for us. I was hoping there was soem truth in the rumours that West Ham waere interested in him but doesn't look likely now. He'll be back Captaining our 2014 Bomb Squad

Best of luck to him.

Ehhhhh....we have the money. Norwich are refusing to deal with us. Because by all accounts our offer was derisory. By whose account exactly?! Norwich just said they will not sell him and refused his transfer request. There is no doubt we can afford him. The signing of Bertrand was a good piece of business and is likely to become a permanent deal if he continues to play well.

Ehhhhh....we have the money. Norwich are refusing to deal with us.

Aston Villa update BBC Radio 5 live's Pat Murphy: "Aston Villa still haven't given up on signing Wes Hoolahan from Norwich City, even though they've had two bids turned down for the Republic of Ireland midfielder. "Hoolahan, 31, wants to join his former manager Paul Lambert at Villa Park but there's been bad blood between the two clubs ever since Lambert left Carrow Road in the summer of 2012, taking key members of the backroom staff with him. "Villa can't make any progress against a blank refusal by Norwich to negotiate over a player who's now just on the first-team fringe, valued at around £1m, but I understand they'll keep trying to land Hoolahan until time runs out."

Well done to his agent! Ha ha! My thoughts exactly. We should hire the guy for Hutton, Juve would some come calling! In fairness Taarabt has plenty of ability....but AC Milan!

I knows it not Villa related but........Adel Taarabt is undergoing a medical at AC Milan!

Ince is only available on loan so we cannot sign him. Looks like he has signed a pre contract with a European club.

Is Bertrand eliglble to play?

He’s in the first team squad. I’d imagine if PL didn’t rate him he would be training with Hutton and the Fonz. In fairness he really only returned in December and there has been no U21 games since so he has had no real platform to get himself match fit and push for game time. Maybe the FA Cup game came too soon. As for the contract, I expect he will get an extension.

Can we lock this thread or move it?? Direct quotss from Lamberts press conference in the Mail http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-am-fit-ready-6429182 Paul Lambert has dismissed talk of a swoop for Steven Defour and has ruled out rekindling Aston Villa’s tentative summer interest in Hiroshi Kiyotake as well. Lambert does still want to boost the claret and blues’ options in the centre of the park and is remaining coy about the club’s pursuit of Norwich playmaker Wes Hoolahan. Defour has been repeatedly linked with Villa by his agent this month, but Lambert insists he will not be making a move for Porto’s Belgian international midfielder. “No, there’s nothing in that. I’ve not seen that one,” said Lambert. It is a similar state of play with Kiyotake, who Villa enquired about last summer before deciding against pursuing the Japanese international. “Who? At Nuremberg?” said Lambert. “It was a lad I tried to get in the summer, but things have moved on from that. Nuremberg are fighting to stay in the Bundesliga. Good player.”

Not a bad signing at all. Has to be an upgrade on Luna

Doubt it Con. Crowley was outstanding for them against Posh. He was developing just fine at Villa as is Jack. I'd say it all about the money £$£€£

That’s a fair assessment Kev. As I said above I was very disappointed with the team’s performance. No as bad as last years hammering by Posh though! Jack is a phenomenal talent for his age. PL could take the safe option and end his loan, stick him the 21s and have him available for the first team. However it may be better for Jack to allow him return to Notts, guaranteed football and learning.

Spot on. He was on the margins of the game as were the Villa team. Not his fault though, he did not have the opportunity to impose himself. We could not retain possession at all and gave the ball away so easily on so many occasions. Passing, free kicks, throw-ins, kick outs! It would crack you up if watching the first team hadn’t conditioned you into tolerating it! Of course he would face the exact same problems in our first team, at the moment so maybe he is better off at Notts!

The number of uncompleted passes by our players was a huge dissapoinment. So little possession second half. No platform our forward players to show anything. Grealish looked good but was also starved of possession and options when on the ball.

Unfortunately this is like watching the first team. Cannot retain possession at all. Its hard to judge our players cause they don't have the ball.

2-1 Liverpool. Breakaway goal after we hit the crossbar from a corner.

Mckirdy subbed off for the other Strain brother

Our ball retention skills are all too familiar!