8pints

We're being linked with very different stylesof strikers, whoever Lambert brings in will of course be a massive indication on the type of tactics he's looking to play.

I've only been in the lower North once and it stunk of wee, no one watched the game and a big rolly-polly lad bounced down the steps knocking blokes over like human skittles. Certainly an experience I won't forget

I just wonder, with Berbatov, if we'd be able to meet his wage demands?

I liked Martin Laursen and Olof Mellberg as captain.

my favourites are - 1. Bannan vs Stoke. 2. Given last game of season. 3. Carroll vs Liverpool/Newcastle

Vlaar seems to be one piece of the puzzle we've been missing. I hope we get him.

Me personally, Yes, I'd be happy to sell Delefouneso to bring Vlaar in. I think Delefouneso may play well in the Dutch league. Sounds like a much better deal beneficial to both teams.

I'd imagine, and like I say it's only my imagined impression, that both Bent and Dunne were respected as footballers by all of the squad.

£5mil and Collins/Hutton would sound like a good deal Don't listen to what we say on here Feyenoord, Alan Hutton is brilliant...honest.

MARSHALL IN GOAL FOR THE WHOLE GAME (1st half) HUTTON, LOWTON, CLARK, STEVENS, CARRUTHERS, JOHNSON, EL AHMADI, N'ZOGBIA, WEIMANN, BENT. Nothing could have been done about their goal, possibly could've got tighter and closed him down but it was a good strike. At the time, I wondered why they ignored Weimann when he scored but then I realised it was an own goal and as a bloke next to me said "Weimann did well to put the pressure on there" which he did. Already look to have good football philosophy. El Ahmadi and Stevens were the best two players for me. Nice fluid pass and move style. El Ahmadi will make N'Zogbia look better in the same way Weimann will benefit Bent by playing close by doing the hard work and always giving an option if Bent or N'Zogbia get stuck. N'Zogbia seemed up for it. Johnson bit nervy but busy. Hutton played best ball of his Villa career but it was still to no one. Bent wore armband apparently he volunteered to wear it. (2nd half) LICHAJ, COLLINS, BAKER, WARNOCK, BANNAN, HERD, GARDNER, HOLMAN, DELEFOUNSEO, AGBONLAHOR. No Albrighton, Delph or Ireland. Apparently injured but maybe I'm being cynical but bit weird and typical they're already carrying knocks just from pre-season but I suppose it happens. Marshall made great save in this half. Holman looked lively and scored a good goal. Creativity dipped in the centre of the park for this half. Lichaj played well. Bannan not so good, busy but sloppy his mistake nearly gave a goal away. Collins sloppy. Hope Baker is ok from the challenge that hurt him, he seemed to be. Fair play to Lambert he's given everyone a chance to impress, for example Hutton, Warnock and Collins, so they'll only have themselves to blame if they don't meet his standard. All well and good saying it's just a friendly, especially it being the first friendly, to ease in. But they still have to perform and for me, the new players look promising and those who took the lions share of the blame last season still look like the criticism was deserved.

I would love that. Might put a bet on it!

It will be interesting, if lambert goes for a 4-2-3-1 formation, Makoun may be one of those 2s along with El Ahmadi. (Makoun being a no2 I've opened it up for a joke there :wow: )

Ron Saunders

I think the problems been we haven't shifted those who have been brought in and not worked, out again, like a lot of the successful clubs do.

Yes, I heard that too. I dunno, community shield this year, Take That last year, what next?!

I think the armband will be worn by a few players this season. I don't think they'll stick with one. They'll use the motivation of Petrov and hopefully have a fair few players on the pitch. I wonder if they'll write a piece in the programme? Or/And if/will Petrov keep a column? Obviously he'll be very busy, maybe will get an account of his progress instead?

That's interesting to know, thanks Gives me some hope. I knew he started very early on at the Baggies before moving to Stockport, so he had a Midlands link, but was completely in the dark about anything away from Football.

After Kjaer I would say Ashley Williams, I like him a lot but I don't see him leaving Swansea for us. Liverpool are also interested. I still think, although we (Villa and Liverpool) are both on a decline, they still hold more weight than us currently.

Who I'd like to fill those positions - LB - Ryan Bertrand (Still think, even if it's blind optimism, there's life in this one, possibly a loan) CB - Simon Kjaer MF - Anthony Pilkington LW - Yacine Brahimi ST - Romelu Lukaku (Loan?) So that's two loan deals from one club and arguably the best player from our Managers' former club...not too much to ask

http://i3.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1132209.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Brad+Guzan+of+Aston+Villa Guzan is the Dynamo of Goalkeeping

:shock: Dunne, Collins and possibly at a massive push Warnock (For his enthusiasm) do deserve a tiny little more credit but not Hutton. Hutton is not Premiership quality. He has no positional sense or any technique. He is rubbish, worse than Djemba-Djemba but similar to him in the way he was sold knowingly by a canny manager to be a duffer to be offloaded.

Yes, I did miss grealish out :oops: sorry about that, another Villa fan with a bright future, possible captain material!!

Haha I didn't think about his national teams' rebellion when I wrote it

Carroll would be interesting for us but he wouldn't suit Bent in my opinion. I think Bent greatly prefers having the ball passed to his feet for him to deflect in off his boot. Saying that, Bent would still score goals if partnered with Carroll, because I think Bent will always score a certain amount of goals however the team is playing, arguably he proved that last season, but playing with Carroll may mean Bent having to do a lot of the type of work he doesn't enjoy. Weirdly enough, although it might not be that weird, Carroll would suit Agbonlahor. I think Gabby would enjoy playing with Carroll flicking headers in to his path.

Yes, I knew he had a good reputation, who did you see him play for? Norwich? Millwall? Coventry or another team? I've just realised, I have seen him play! A half in the friendly against Walsall last year! Didn't keep a clean sheet