Agbonla-score

Can we have albrighton on please?

Bit of an interesting fact for you: Paul Lambert is now the 5th longest serving manager in the Premier League. Only Arsene Wenger, Big Sam, Alan Pardew and Brendan Rodgers have been at their clubs longer. How's that for stability.

Cardiff went missing in the second half most teams would have finished them off. Lambert took far too long to make the obvious substitution. Poor finishing from Gabby. He's not on form. Albrighton and Delph again bright sparks. We're only 4 points better off than last season. I know it was his first start in ages, but I do wonder if there is any way back for Bennet

Oops Sorry, just confirmed not in squad so 2+2=? Son of Wiz, are you: 1) Wiz but under a different name? or 2) actually Wiz's son? By the way, we appreciate you coming on here.

Exactly this. Decent short term signing in a position we've got nothing going for us. Same as Bertrand on loan, same as Holt on loan. For a January window with not much cash (supposedly), these are all decent short term signings. I've always thought this was the way we're going, though; a) Sack off high earners Replace almost entire squad with cheap, sustainable squad c) Add cheap quality into squad where it's lacking d) Inject more expensive quality into self-sufficient club It's a long term project, which most people (I think?) have accepted and it looks as if we're slowly shifting away from the utterly shit part of it. I thought we entered that phase towards the end of last season, then it went a bit dire again. Injury to Vlaar/Benteke and we're back in the utterly shit part again. Wes would certainly take the edge of the utterly shit part if it cropped up again.

I'm still ok with Lerner. I think it is wholly unrealistic to expect anyone to donate their own money to our club the way some people expect. I wonder how many people on this forum who complain about the amount of money Lerner 'invests' would actually give their own money to the club to gamble on players, because that is exactly what you are asking Lerner to do. ...and when I say give money to the club, I'm not talking about paying to watch a game or buying a replica shirt because that's paying for goods and services. I mean, actually donate money for nothing in return or the risk of nothing in return. Football club Chairmen generally don't donate their own money to their clubs for nothing in return (other than the Sheik at City and Abramovich at Chelsea who are exceptions to the rule. They have so much money the football club is a toy to them). The fact is, the club cannot generate the amount of income to make it viable to spend big money on player transfers or wages. We don't have a large worldwide fan base that spend billions on merchandise like Man U, Liverpool Arsenal etc. I would rather have the boss of a massive financial institution steadying the ship rather than a someone like Peter Risdale (Leeds back in the early 00's) or the boneheads at Coventry who destroyed their clubs with poor business acumen. As much as a div Falkner is for some of his decisions, at least he's trying to build the brand off the field so we can grow in a healthy way. Then again, I've probably bought into the propaganda and I'm a fool.

Legends. Both Moin and Gabby.

Laugh it off but we are more Norwich than Norwich now. I'm wondering when we're going to sign Delia and buy a new combine harvester?

Erm...lets see. Go to Anderlecht under the nose of the national team coach before the world cup and then play champions league football next year.....or come go to Villa Park and get booed by my own fans every other week... decisions decisions The only way he would chose us over them is if we offered him a decent amount of wedge. Can you imagine how that would go? Lambert would ask for £60k per week for a mid 20s player who once showed promise and has gone off the boil. Lerner would say "haven't we just sold one of those to Stoke because he wasn't value for money??"

I want Peter Odemwingie turning up at Cardiff trying to push through a move in a posh Ranger Rover and a chavy Nike t-shirt..and sent packing

You can't get rid of an owner though can you? I hope he stays and we just grow steadily over the next 3 transfer windows with Lambert. I find it hard to believe we would find a suitable owner to replace him. This. I love the way people think potential owners are lining up to spank millions on us to keep us happy. Why on earth would they? With the exception of a couple of Sheiks and Oligarchs, people don't buy clubs unless they feel they can get a return on them. Randy thought he could pump a few million into playing staff to bring about a champions league level income stream. That income stream would eventually pay him back for the intial investment It didn't work and cost him dearly. He's now (rightly) trying to do it slowly by buidling year on year at a sustainable pace. Doubt anyone else would be prepared to take another risk on us.

You're right. Nobody is saying "sack the manager." That's ridiculous. His purchase of Kozak, for example, an extra striker seems to have been vindicated. For me, it's just calling for the manager to pick Lowton again, and give Gardner a start. And buy back Bannan and invest more in the winter transfer window. If we do that, and play Herd in midfield whilst Delph is suspended, we'll be okay. Con, I've missed the Bannan comments. VT hasn't been the same without them. Seriously though, I was a bit embarrased with the comments in the article. If you compare where we were this time last year, could that fan honestly say he doesn't know what Lambert is building? We are so much more effective than last year with a lower wage bill. Comments like that just add to the view that us Villa fans are fickle and never satisfied. Last year it was "we wish we could keep a clean sheet...wish Lambert could sort out the defence". Now we're doing that and picking up points in midtable, people are complaining we're not doing it pretty enough. Sounds like comments some Villa fans made 4 years ago when we were top 6 and challenging for the champions league. Lets see what type of player we bring in once the bomb squad has gone and we're finishing midtable.

Think I speak for everyone when I say COME ON HERD. DON'T GIVE 'EM SHIT

Thy actually makes a lot of sense. One I my favourite films of all time

After a rather fortunate first game against Arsenal and a workman-like performance against Chelsea and Liverpool, I think we've seen why Lambert said at the start of the season 'it'll be another tough year". There's nothing wrong with our attacking play and we don't necessarily need a 'playmaker'. Not many teams have a playmaker anyway. We're not good enough at defending and it will cost us points this season. Its as simple as that.

Ha. Shame Savage and Shearer aren't still playing then isn't it

Or this season depending on how the transfer window goes! Someone might make an offer the club or CB can't refuse

More like "Blimely, Baggies Bag Bomb-Boy Barry Bannan

Jol thinks he has signed Benteke! ha ha

Yeah, I agree on this, he would probably be better off letting the boots do the talking. Yeah. Looking forward to the premiere on Sat, Gooners-Villa will be broadcast on Danish television (6'eren) for those interested in that sort of thing. That's just showing off. You may be able to watch the Villa live on saturday but we have Ant and Dec to look forward to

I actually quite like Lawro's dryness and I'll be sorry to see less of him. I find the Liverpool bias with Lawro and Hanson quite entertaining now they're doing so badly. Anyone else surprised by the quality of Neville's punditry? For some reason I formed the inpression he was a bit of a bonehead when he was a player.

Its a shame its happening up there. I'm sure quite a few of us down here would have liked to attended. Would be great too see Pretov, Lambert and Larson don the boots again. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2392627/Stiliyan-Petrov-play-time-leukaemia-diagnosis.html Stiliyan Petrov will make his playing comeback for the first time since being diagnosed with acute leukameia. The former Aston Villa and Celtic midfielder will turn out for his own 'Stiliyan XI' against a Celtic legends team at Celtic Park on September 8. The '#19 Legends' match, which will raise money for Petrov's foundation and the Celtic charity, will also see appearances from Henrik Larsson, Paul Lambert, Chris Sutton and current manager Neil Lennon. Return: Stiliyan Petrov will play football for the first time since being diagnosed with leukaemia Star: Former Bulgarian international Petrov played for CSKA Sofia, Celtic and Aston Villa before retirement It will be the first time Petrov, who is in remission after intense chemotherapy, will have pulled on a shirt since being diagnosed, and last week he admitted his battle was worse than Hell. ‘I don’t know what Hell is like,’ the ex-Bulgaria international told the Daily Mirror. ‘But this has to be worse, I tell you that.’ ‘It has been very tough but we never give up as a family, you can’t. Legends: Henrik Larsson and Neil Lennon (below) will turn out for the Celtic XI against Petrov's side Neil Lennon ‘I married the right woman and have two incredible kids, they have been wonderful, and my parents too. The strength and support they give me through these months has been amazing. ‘I am trying to get a little fitter and back to normal to what I used to do but these things take time – I have two years left on the tablets.’ Aston Villa fans continued to pay tribute to their former midfielder by applauding in the 19th minute at every home game last season.

We're not all that much different to last season. I expect we'll get turned over by Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea but should get enough points to be in a comfortable position come xmas.

yep

I don't fancy sending on our second string on to face this lot.