Fazilla

When we signed this lad I read that he had been booed at every club he played for. When I saw the size of him I though he would be a bit of a carthorse and would need a long time to settle in. It is great to be proved wrong.

Don't you wish your striker was Benteke!

I've predicted to my friends that this season will be opposite of the last one - we're low in the start of the season and get better second half of the season and climb up to mid-table finish. That being said, over half of the league is completely open, Stoke, Swansea and West Ham might do what Hull did couple years back, be on top-half halfway through the season and then completely plummeting into the horrible spring.

After watching Swansea and West Ham this autumn, I don't think neither of them have quite enough quality players to get top-half of the table, especially with potential injuries...and same can be said about us, couple bad injuries and we might be in trouble.

I think that we could cope with injuries considering the following were not playing on Saturday: Vlaar, Ireland, El Ahmadi, Bent, N'zogbia, Agbonlahor, Albrighton, Delph, Bennett. By playing such a young team, PL has created some real competition within the squad. The senior players now know that if they don't do the business they will not get into the team. It is great to see after the favouritism shown by the likes of MON and AM.

I first saw him a couple of years ago when we beat Blackburn in the cup at VP. He got sent off that day for a crunching tackle, but I saw enough to make me think he had agreat future in the game. He played at left back and put over a dream of a cross for the Fonz to score. Just as with Gareth Barry when he first came into the team I think that playing on the left of three at the back is ideal for him at the moment. As his confidence grows I think his game will become more expansive. It is rare to see him give the ball away and he is a great defender.

Regardless of the result against Chelsea it would be nice to see a big crowd against Spurs. Lambert coming in on the back of McLeish where many fans deserted us and not getting off to the best of starts in terms of results has yet to in the main see the team get the support in terms of home crowds it deserves under him.

I think Lambert can build something special with us and it would nice to see a few more fans get themselves down to VP and really enjoy what is likely to be an exciting ride and be a part of getting behind this quickly evolving young and exciting side. It could add that bit more backing to the momentum already gained and push us forward that little bit quicker.

It is interesting to note that when MON came to VP we had some fantastic crowds. It has been disappointing to hear the away fans singing empty seats but I am more excited about Villa under Lambert than I ever was with MON. I could see that Martin was leading the club towards financial ruin.

When you see that the team we put out yeasterday included 6 from the academy, was the youngest in our prem history and cost only 13 million, you can see that the foundations being put into place are sustainable and rock solid. His transfers remind me of Sir Ron. Instead of Andy Gray read Christian Benteke, instead of Morty read Ashley Westwood. Both managers demanded a fantastic 110% work ethic. I reckon there are alot of fans who have not been to VP who are beginning to realise that in Lambert we could have the real deal. Wouldn't it be great if they could buy their half seaon tickets and really get the place rocking again.

A fantastic performance from the young lions. I have sensed for a number of weeks that we were on the up, but I feared that to-day we would get turned over.

Its great to see so many of our home grown players in the team. It is a long time since I have felt so optimistic about the Villa. I just hope that some of our missing fans start to return because it is disappointing to see so many empty seats at VP this season.

'James Nursey ‏@JamesNursey

Checked on Lambert compensation row latest between PL, #NCFC & #AVFC . Told still in hands of lawyers. Potential saga methinks'

This makes perfect sense, although knowing what lawyers are like we could be in for a long wait. Lawyers are like rhinos - they are short sighted and charge alot.

Personally, I am very happy with the appointment of Paul Lambert and he was my first choice all along.

However, I am aware a lot of folk on here would have preferred more of a 'sexy' manager, like OGS etc.

Laudrup was obviously available to AVFC and you have to think he would have come seen as he has now joined Swansea.

Just wondering how many fans would have preferred to see Laudrup as our manager rather than Lambert?

I would have loved to see Laudrup and Martin Laursen at Villa Park. My first choices were Martinez and OGS because I think that they would have got us playing good football.

However, given the problems we have at VP, Lambert could be just right for us. Only time will tell, but it will need a very strong character to sort out the likes of Collins, Warnock, Dunne and Hutton. I think that Lambert probably has more steel about him than the other candidates and so I am very happy with our choice of manager.

I see that Randy does not seem keen to pay any compensation for Lambert. I think that his last 3 compensation packages have left a sour taste and he has probably got his legal team on the ball this time.

Extracting Lambert & Co past few weeks has obviously been like pulling teeth.

Fair play to Norwich though... We'd only want Villa to do the same surely?

Not really. I think that if a manager wants to better himself a club should not stand in his way. The fact that Norwich have been so awkward is one of the reasons for us not wanting to pay compensation and the reason for the delay.

Much as I don't like what he has said abourt Villa, Dave Whelan has played it quite craftily. He has allowed Martinez to talk to us and Liverpool. If he had refused, Martinez would probably have quit.

I've thought of another positive

He isn't Roberto Martinez

And we won't have to listen to motor mouth Whelan anymore telling us that we are not big enough for Martinez.

I see that Randy does not seem keen to pay any compensation for Lambert. I think that his last 3 compensation packages have left a sour taste and he has probably got his legal team on the ball this time.

I'm doing my very best to get excited by the imminent lambert appointment I really am

It just isn't happening though

To overcome your obvious disappointment try thinking of some of the names Randy could have gone for - Bruce, Mick or Megson.

There is no way that Lambert will spend anywhere near as much time here as Moyes has done at Everton.

He will be off in 4 years. Providing he does well enough for someone to come in for him.

I have been going to the Villa since 1966 and in all that time we have never lost a manager to a bigger club, apart from Graham Taylor being poached by England.

If Lambert does well at Villa he will not need to go to a bigger club as he will be able to fufil his ambitions here.

I certainly hope so Fazilla!

I weren't saying that in a negative way towards Villa or Lambert. It just seems the way football works these days.

When Ron came to Villa we were in the second division. If anybody had told me that within 8 years that we would be European Champions I would have laughed my socks off.

I know that football has changed and that money rules, but with the right manager and sound investment I think Villa have the potential to compete with the big boys. It will take time, but I hope Lambert is the man to finally move us towards our place at the top table.

There is no way that Lambert will spend anywhere near as much time here as Moyes has done at Everton.

He will be off in 4 years. Providing he does well enough for someone to come in for him.

I have been going to the Villa since 1966 and in all that time we have never lost a manager to a bigger club, apart from Graham Taylor being poached by England.

If Lambert does well at Villa he will not need to go to a bigger club as he will be able to fufil his ambitions here.

Evening All

One slightly gutted but still optimistic for our future Norwich fan checking in with some questions for you....

What are you expectations for next season now PL will be your manager?

What do you want to see from him?

What would cause you to lose patience or turn on him?

No agenda in asking these, just genuinely interested

Cheers in advance for your replies

KA

My expectations would be mid table safety.

I would like to see him play attacking football.

I would lose patience with him if he showed favouritism to players who deserved to be dropped and refused to make substitutions like a number of managers we have had in recent times.

It's true some Villa fans are never happy. Lambert took over Norwich when they had just been beaten 7-1 by Colchester, whom he was managing at the time. He got them promoted to the Championship, got them promoted into the Prem, and has now had a good first season. He won't take any shit - I can't believe a lot of Villa fans are moaning just because he comes across as a bit dour. Ron Saunders anyone?

Spot on. Of all the candidates I would have been happy with OGS, Martinez and Lambert in that order.

However, the job at Villa is a tough one dealing with the bad apples in the camp. Perhaps RL thought that Lambert would be the best one to sort out the mess.

You couldn't get more dour than Ron Saunders, but we all loved him because he got Villa playing great football and its what happens on the pitch that is important. If Lambert is dour but gets us playing anything like the way we played under Ron, the fans will soon stop moaning.

110 Pages since I logged on yesterday evening, what have I missed?

I think Paul Lambert has had a disagreement with his employers.

If we are to believe that RM representatives haven't been approched then its going to make very interesting who the people they have interviewed behind closed doors .

If it's not Lambert then I still think there is an outstanding candidate for me and its Glen Hoddle .

I know he wouldn't be universally popular and wasn't great at Wolves but Rogers wasn't great at Reading . Hoddle all day for me

A friend of mine worked at Wolves when Hoddle was there. He was aloof and very unpopular among the staff. He would be a disaster for Villa.

Now that BR and RM are out of the running it has got to be PL.

My dad is saying something is going to happen tonight with Martinez. All we can do is wait and see.

I hope your dad is right because I think that Martinez would be great for Villa. However, I have the feeling that your dad is pulling your plonker.

Tbh I don't even believe him - but i'll pass on the information from his "source" nonetheless.

If it was true I am sure motor mouth DW would have said something, but he isn't in this country at the moment.

My dad is saying something is going to happen tonight with Martinez. All we can do is wait and see.

I hope your dad is right because I think that Martinez would be great for Villa. However, I have the feeling that your dad is pulling your plonker.

Laudrup and Laursen would be just wow!!!

I doubt if RL and PF have heard of Laudrup, unles he is on Jurgen's list.

When we do eventually appoint a new manager it'll be someone from so far left field that he'll surprise us all. I just hope we're pleasantly surprised

Some one like Graeme Souness for example? Be way left field but nothing pleasant about it.

Hopefully not someone like Graeme Souness. That wouldn't be a pleasant surprise now, would it?

It would be very unpleasant as would Bruce, Mick or Megson.

I know the bookies know nothing but! Lambert has dropped down to 1/1

I hope they know something that we don't. Lambert would be great.

Rubin Dutt was apparently interviewed on Thurday or Friday. A Jurgen Klinsman recomendation by all accounts. We are not being linked to any big names. Says allot about the money being made available by RL.

Don't think it says anything about the money being made available. Think they are looking for something new and different to add to the table. At this moment in time we have no idea how much money will be avialable

Why are we being linked with managers who have been recently sacked?

2 guys on talksports press pass said they think Gareth Southgate will get it .. and kev mac as the number 2 .. lol hope not!!.

At first I was impressed witht the names we were being linked with such as OGS, Martinez and Lambert as they all fit into the vibrancy criteria. However, to be linked with the likes of Gareth Southgate is worrying.

Yet again it shows how out of touch RL and PF. Southgate walked out on us because we did not match his ambition so that should put him out of the running for any future employment at VP.

We seem to be running out of options and I can see KMac being appointed on a short term contract. Although not ideal, I would prefer this to some of the desperate names being banded about.

Who's Kenny Mac ?

Ken McNaught?