TommyDerHammer

Vlaar and Clark makes perfect sense to be at central defence in my opinion. Both can actually pass and dribble without hoofing it off the pitch or falling over. Both can make a tackle. Both can head a ball. Youth mixed with experience.

The reason Richard Dunne makes so many last ditch blocks are down to three things.

1) Yes he is prepared to put his body on the line. (Minimum requirement)

2) He is always slightly out of position hence he has to dive in last gasp.

3) He is getting slower and slower and is playing catch up all the time.

I may be wrong, we might concede 6 against West Ham, but remember this is a season of rebuilding. Give the lads time to gel together and I'm sure they will be a class act (hopefully anyway). Of course we could sell all our youth players, they were never good enough to make it were they. I mean, look at Cahill, what ever happen to him????????????

Sorry to quote the Moose off Talksport but he says a deal for Collins to West Ham has been agreed and he is expected to sign within 48 Hours. We will see. Sorry again about the source.

Best player on the park by a mile last night, ran the game and displayed a range of passing superior to anything I've seen at Villa before. I fancy Bannan will be key to the possession system Lambert is putting in place he looks a different class of player in this setup than the lost boy under McLeish last season.

Could not agree more sir. I hope we play this passing game. His range of passing has always been a step ahead of his team mates. Probably why so many of his passes went astray. because his team mates didn't expect the ball. Now of course, they are moving to recieve it. Almost like they have been told to help each other and look for the ball. Amazing.

Would be pretty happy if we lined up defensive wise like this v West Ham:

-----------------Given

----------Clark---------Dunne/NewCB

Lowton/Lichaj------------------------Cresswell

Christ, really?

I'd prefer

Hart

Alves Ramos Pique Cole

but lets be realistic hey Juan Pablo. What are our options? Who would you sign or play?

Never seen him play, £3.5m is very pricey as per usual with any English talent., but who knows if he turns out to be as half as good as someone like Baines I'd be happy. What is important is that we make the right signings at both fullback positions though, as based on pre-season Lambert is putting big emphasis on them pushing forward when attacking.

I made this comment earlier about a compact midfield with overlapping fullbakcs. Seems even more likely to me if this transfer comes off.

This is true, he might not hold down a place. The midfield, although young, has players who can pass. Its such a shame a few years of development were lost under previous managers, who thought the idea of football was to see how many times one of the back 5 (4 defenders plus the keeper) can kick the ball through to the opposition keeper.

In american football they always talk about the yards thrown by a quarter back in a game. Our defenders must win this stat hands down.

Seano, cheers for the reply. I guess we probably agree on most things. It will be interesting to see if we play wingers or not. The impression from the pre-season reports are that the midfield 4 have been playing very narrow, which was why I'd presume the fullbacks provide the width. We will see. I love playing wide men who can cross a ball in, but if we are looking at playing possesion football (we can dream), we may need more players in a central area. Who knows. Thats the thing about management I guess, everyone will play slightly differently.

My comment about left back not being a priority was just that we need one, so signing a new LB was a priority, but agree, CB is of paramount importance.

We need I believe in list of priority.

CB

Striker

LB

?Winger if we play wide midfielders.

That is all.

Somebody said we don't need a left back as a priority, I disagree. It is becoming more and more likely that we will not be playing with out and out wingers. The midfiled 4/5 will be narrow. Interchangable. Difficult to mark. It will be the fullbacks attacking down the flanks. Is Warnock the man for that job, we all know the answer is no. So just like the new right back situation with Lowton(with Herd and Eric as backup), we need a new, energetic fullback to bomb down the flanks into the empty space. So sign him up.

Second point, what is it with people talking about "he doesn't have prem league experience", therefore we shouldn't sign him. This really winds me up. Its rediculous. By this logic nobody who doesn't get brought through a Premier League Academy would every play in the prem. All newly promoted sides may as well give up, as most of their squad would not have Premier League experience. Tell that to Norwich and Swansea last year.

I say give the youngsters with potential from the lower leagues a chance. Players who have played in the lower leagues have match experience, which to my mind means they will adapt quicker than a youth team player who has sat on the bench for 3 season's or just play in Carling Cup fixtures.

Rant over, we do still need a centre back and a striker too. Happy days are coming back to Villa Park.

This is a very good point, and I think the way Lambert will set up. A narrow 4 in midfield, Stephen Ireland behind Bent in the "No. 10" role. This means the fullbacks can provide the width.

It may mean we need to sign a new left back of course.

Ashley Williams ;-)

I heard a similar rumour

Grew up in Tamworth

Is this you have heard something, or you'd just like him?

Because he's a player I've wanted us to get for a while. Classy, ball-playing centreback. Yes please.

A ball playing centre half. Now we all have dreams but lets think about this. Don't you prefer seeing Collins and Dunne launch hopeful balls up to the target man that is Darren Bent.

In current football, ALL players need tro be technically good. As in comfortable on the ball. Able to carry it forward and pass to a team mate. Its an easy game when you think about it.

The first time i took notice of Bannan was in the game against Fulham when he did a 'hollywood pass' straight to Albrighton on the other wing who was able to cut in and score. I hadn't seen a player at villa have that vision or defence splitting pass for quite some time. Admittedly there are times when the passes go astray and it's very frustrating but when they go right they create a goal scoring chance and therefore i don't think he should 'cut them out of his game'. If theres anything frustrating about Bannan it's his inability to finish. He himself has been in numerous scoring positions and seems to have a knack of shooting straight at the keeper or blazing it over...

I agree with Gillz here. Now I'm not saying Bannan is as good as say Iniesta before any moaners start, but bear with me. Imaging we had Iniesta in our midfield last year. Would he shine. No. The reason is nobody in a claret and blue shirt moves. For example, he picks the ball up on the centre spot. He looks left. Nzogbia is marked. If he passes to Warnock he may aswell just boot it off the pitch. He looks right. We have no right winger. They have tucked inside and are marked. He can't pass to Hutton, he's just shite. If he passes to Dunne or Collins it is through to the keeper at one end or another. So he looks forward. Gabby and Bent are motionless. What can he do. He has to play a miracle pass, which nine times out of ten won't come off.

This new pass and move style will fit in with Bannan's game. He can pick a pass.

Next season he will flourish if he is played in the centre of the pitch. BB is not a winger.