AntrimBlack

I see Seigrist has gone out on loan. Can any of the chaps who watch the U-21s give any insight as to his abilities, as I think when he came to us he was quite highly rated.

Indeed. Someone thinks highly of him.

Absolutely. Or even to avoid getting embroiled in another relegation struggle.

I cannot believe you are serious?

Agree with this. He came on against Cardiff. Surely he was on the bench for the West Brom game.

absolutely agree we need that balance yes we need the ability to look slightly better going forward at the expense of looking much weaker defensively on the left. i agree we need a decent left back rather than Clark or Baker out of position but currently Luna hasn't shown that, hopefully in time he will. I think even now he is a better option than Clark or Baker.

I would feel more confident with Given in goal than Steer. On those wages, I do not understand why he is not number two with Steer out on loan to gain experience.

Agreed. He looked OK against city and took his goal well against Cardiff. But are people saying this was a good performance compared to previous poor ones or a good performance in general terms. I just don't see what he did that made it anything other than average. For me it was a good performance compared to previous bad ones, which is what I want to see in a player settling in. You can only chart a player based on his own previous outings. I was very doubtful about his abilities in his first few appearances, but he is definitely improving and showing some nice touches. That could not be classed as a good performance in my opinion, but it was definitely better. However, you are right to say that Vlaar was the only consistantly good player in the West Brom game, and a number of others, Tonev, Sylla, Bacuna, even Benteke, did not contribute as much as Kozak.

Not sure many have inferred that Lambert is `one of the best of his generation' type managers. He broke many records last year, in a bad way, but I am prepared to give him time, at least another couple of seasons before passing judgement. He is relatively inexperienced as a manager, and I think it shows sometimes, but I think he may have something about him, and I am hopeful that he will grow in the job, and that Villa will grow with him. I, like yourself, am a long time supporter, so we both know the value of patience, and I would love it if he, and Villa, were successful, but I think we need to give him time.

I voted Vlaar MOM. He was excellent again, even in the first half the best of a bad bunch. That first half was terrible. We were lucky not to be further behind at half time. I do not always see what others see in Westwood, but I thought he had an excellent second half. And the team he started with was not the team that beat Cardiff. The team that beat Cardiff was the one that finished the Cardiff game, after Lowton came on. And that is the team that probably should have started last night. Tonev was poor, should only be a sub at present, Sylla was worst of all. Bacuna had a bad night, but he is allowed one. Lambert has a tricky decision to make on the right with Bacuna and Lowton. I was doubtful about Kozak, but he is improving with each game. Benteke, on the other hand, has lost his way completely, for whatever reason. I feel more confident with Clark in the centre rather than Baker, and a dedicated full back on the left. It is perturbing that we are so dependent on Agbonlahor, Weimann and Delph, but they really made things happen when they came on. And HH is right, after they made the big effort to get back on level terms, they ran out of steam, and West Brom got back into it. But, we got a point from a game that after ten minutes looked like a possible hammering.

I get it that we are the biggest club he has ever managed, but I wish McLeish would stop giving us the benefit of his opinion on Aston Villa. I live in Northern Ireland, Birmingham City FC means nothing to me. I did not want him because his management record was awful, and his time with us bore this out. I did not expect 6th under his management, I expected a relegation scrap, and that is what we got.

I also was very disappointed with his performances considering what I had heard about him. Still young though, so still got time.

Excellent article.

Please not this again. It was quirky for a short time on the Bannon thread, then became boring. Please do not ruin this thread as well.

We would have to assume that he will improve on his present form, otherwise he will not be going anywhere. Saying that, I would find it difficult to believe that he is a one-season wonder.

Not a big fan of either of these two, but I doubt if Bowery will ever reach the level of either, particularly Heskey.

Absolutely. I agree with what you are saying. But when I looked at some of Lambert's signings, eg. Bacuna and Tonev, I thought not sure, but I can see something there. Bowery, to be fair, is the only one where I could see nothing to encourage me.

That was me. And I did not say, or mean, that Derrick Williams leaving was the start of us losing our best youngsters, only that he was an example of what might happen if they think their chances of playing for the first team are limited.

I have never understood this signing. And surely one of our younger guys, if they are going to be any good at all, could have harassed the opposition to the same extent. If not, then they should not even be on the bench. If none of them are as good as Bowery, it does not say much for our much vaunted academy.

Is there a reason why Seigrist seems to have reappeared again after not seeming to have been around for a while ?

Hope he sticks with Ireland. Villa have a few decent young Irish players. Oh for an all-Ireland football (soccer) team, so I would not have to support both Irish teams.

I like both of them. They are very different, but for me Clark just has a little something extra. Would be nice to think that they would both become good enough to eventually be our centre back pairing for years to come.

No, there's me as well! I have always liked him, and was really disappointed when his form dipped rather badly. I just feel that he has a bit of presence about him, and hopefully he will now go from strength to strength.

We are going to start losing our young players if they think they will not get their chance, like Derek Williams. I certainly think that Saturday was an ideal time to bring on one of them in lieu of Jordan Bowery, who in my opinion will never be able to sustain a Premiership career.

He is pretty quick, can beat a man, wants the ball, gets in some decent crosses. There is something there, but his wildness at times just leaves me watching in amused disbelief. Not sure his team mates would find it amusing.