VILLAMARV

can he speak to other clubs officially with 12 months left on his contract?

Not sure if Mallorca have taken up the option on Hutton but Makoun is a done deal to Rennes this summer. With Petrov retiring and Dunne, Lichaj and Marshall all out of contract and Dawkins loan ending the squad could be pretty threadbare before we even start dreaming of saving on the wage bill by offloading Bent, Given & Ireland. I'd chip in that now might be the time to get rid of Delphouneso, Albrighton and Holman if we can. While all that's going on Baker, Bannan, Clark, Gardner, Herd, Weimann and Ireland all have one year left on their contracts.

A centre back, left back, central midfielder and left winger seem essential additions to me. But we could also do with reinforcing the reinforcements - cover for Lowton at RB if Hutton leaves, another GK if Given goes, another Striker if Bent goes. Add another option at CB, RB and LW on top of all that and i reckon the squad would be healthy looking. I'd offer Lichaj and Dawkins a couple of years as the RB/LW other options if they would fit in with a sensible wage structure so assuming Lambert does, my ideal scenario would then be:

OUT: Petrov (ret), Dunne (free), Marshall (free), Makoun (I think we're getting £2.5m for him), Hutton, Ireland, Holman, Delphouneso, Albrighton, Given, Bent.

IN: 1st choice: CB, LB, MC, LW + back up: GK, CB, RB, ST

Now we know we're staying up we can all stop being so negative!! However I'm sure we'll all agree that the squad looks in need of some serious investment for next year. Although it's still in need of serious trimming imo and looks really unbalanced. Lambert also has some big decisions to make over new contracts in the next year. So well done for surviving but now's the time to see what he does with the squad with Petrov, Makoun, Dunne, Lichaj, Marshall and Dawkins all gone or looking like they're leaving and Hutton, Ireland, Given and Bent all on far too much money for the job they're doing (or not doing) and surely on the available for transfer list, In an ideal world we'd see all 10 leave the squad and payroll.

Even if Seigrist steps up to the first team squad we'll need another GK if Given leaves.
We desperately need another decent CB. If not 2 

We could do with some cover for Lowton at RB. If not 2 if Hutton & Lichaj are going.

We could do with a decent LB. 

We desperately need a left winger, if not 2

We will need to replace Bent if he goes

Baker and Weimann should be signed up for the rest of their days ASAP. Clark should be given a new contract. The rest of the 2014 contract expiry group should be made to prove themselves next year. 

Id love to see us with a squad next year that has 3 options in every position. 

It means we might actually be able to afford the 7th highest wage bill in the league  

It probably has more significance to the deloitte money league than the premier league in terms of what changes we can expect to see, but it sorts out the premier league teams not really having to worry about Uefas FFP plans all that much.

and as the other guys and girls have said for us it just depends on when, how, if and how quickly randy wants his money back. 

Villa are safe, well done Lambert. Many of us seemed to agree in the dark days of winter that keeping this squad up would be a remarkable achievement. I know he's made mistakes along the way, but its been a better team to watch than under McCleish no doubt and on top of that I can be proud of us as a collective that we never rounded on the team (like Blackburn under Kean) but pulled together and supported the club we love. 

UTV

Sheffield Weds at Hillsborough for Big Rons first game was a cracking day. shellshocked at half time. dancing by the final whistle  

wow. I cant believe we've done the double over someone! well done boys, appalling defensive display from the back 4. But 3 massive points which is all that matters at this point.

Half a job done though, still need to beat QPR for it to matter in the long run

On a slight side note, I like Lowton and have stood up for him on these boards as a decent signing from Lambert. He was one of the worst players on the park today. awful game.

still the hardest bit to come - a second half performance!! 

come on boys, such a huge game. I suppose with Nzogbia on the bench he cant take him off with 20mins to go! and I suppose we have an option on the bench!

Glad to see carruthers on the bench personally too

but come on boys

VTID

downing header 1-0 liverpool

just reckon we have to beat Reading and QPR to have any chance anyway so being able to claw back a few points on Southampton if we do so will look better in the long run. QPR win aint ideal but better than Southampton picking up points imo. 

luke moore's ruined it for ya rodders!

get in QPR 2-1 Southampton

sunderland equalise against fulham

reading 3-0 down

wow Stuart Taylor in goal for Reading today. wonder if he'll play against us next week? 

4-0 hull

and west ham score against stoke

norwich losing 1-0

everton 1-0 up

fulham winning away? what's going on? 2-0 now

already prepared for the table looking horrible for us at the end of monday night, but I agree with Rodders, we have to win the next 2 against reading/qpr whatever happens today, so Qpr win is tidy imo. need Everton, Liverpool, Man U to win obviously but Norwich, Sunderland, West Ham and Southampton all still in the mix and someone always looks ok then flirts with disaster. 

Lowton's done well first half i reckon earnt his lucky break in the box there everyone else needs to up their game a bit here. 

this aint as bad as it looked half an hour ago but they're basically slicing us open at will when they're going forward. 

here we go

true that, bennett didnt play at liverpool though still he's got to win a game sometime just on the law of averages  

todays Subs: Marshall, El Ahmadi, Holman, Sylla, Bowery, Dawkins, Lichaj.