Philosopher

Darren still has the touch of a mule, the work rate of a giant panda and now from the looks of things is aiming for the waistline of a giant panda as well! He has definitely put on some weight! Always though he was a luxury we couldn't afford, these box strikers (goal hangers) are dinosaurs in the modern game, only a team with a great midfield could incorporate such players. When he was young he at least had pace to get in behind, now he's as slower than a double amputated tortoise!

Yes we need to see better football, and yes we should be more positive at home, but the reality is if we had tried to get at them we would've got beat. Having said that when Benteke's back we should be a bit more positive.

Delighted with the 4 points from the first two games, both games were ones we would have lost over the last two seasons. Newcastle have spent more money and have better players so a draw at home is a good result. Stoke's power always troubled us, but thanks to the new look back line we have we won't be bullied anymore and that's a big weakness addressed. Sanchez should hopefully solve the weakness in midfield offering more protection for the defense (and more muscle), just going forward needs addressing now. I am happy for us to go with what we have till Jan as I want to see hope Joe Cole, N'Zogbia and Grealish do for now. I think once Benteke comes back our attacking play will improve as we just couldn't hold up the ball well against Newcastle or Stoke for that matter. Guzan - 7 - Only needed to make a couple of saves but they were crucial. Cissokho - 7 - Looks like a fantastic signing. Strong, quick , defensively disciplined, good crosser what's not to like. Vlaar - 7 - Need him to stay, Did what he needed to do. Senderos - 7 - Did what he needed to do. Like Dunne he has mistakes in him but otherwise looks solid. Hutton - 7 - Strong, quick and surprisingly disciplined in defense, carried the ball out of defense well. Delph - 6.5 - Worked hard, tackled well, needs to start doing more in attack. Westwood - 6 - Too easily bypassed (as usual). Has a nice touch and can pass so he should really be trying to control the game. Richardson - 6 - Worked hard, tried make things happen but thing didn't go for him. N'Zogbia - 6 - Looks determined, like he has a point to prove. If he had a bit of luck would have scored 1 and assisted another, but in the end had to be subbed as he looked to be trying to get himself sent off. Gabby - 5 - Tried to hold the ball up and did ok when it was into feet but he needs someone to feed off, and needs service, unable to get in behind (Thus his threat was nil)! Weimann - 5 - Worked hard tried to make things happen. Gave to ball away too often, no supply and needs someone to feed off! Picked up good positions in the box (on the occasions he got in there).

He should only leave if a top team comes in for him! A Man U or Juve. I think if Man U really wanted him they'd have signed him already as they need 2 CB's and Vlaar would cost less than 10m. Rojo can play Cb and Lb so would be a good signing for Man U. But what they really need is a TOP level defender, for me Vlaar is squad player quality for a team like Man U, not nailed on starter which is what they need, Rojo, will cover two positions and is younger so would be a more useful squad player than Vlaar. As things stand I see Vlaar staying.

When Westwood has a good game he runs the show, dictating the play, putting himself about and looking very good. Unfortunately most of the time he has to deal with bigger, stronger and faster opposite numbers and then he tends to struggle defensively. He needs to be dirtier and draw sly fouls, and become better at fouling without getting booked! He is probably the most consistent passer in the team so what people are saying about Sanchez giving more freedom to Westy and Delph may be more of a benefit to Westy and help him be a bit more ambitious with his passing and play more as a playmaker. Currently he is not good enough defensively to be the only defensive midfielder.

Not surprise Hutton looked good, as a wing back he can be more attacking which is what he's better at, but at fullback he gets caught out of position too often!

I wouldn't say Delph needs that kind of influence. However, young players will respect the star quality, and the Irish lads in the squad will have two reasons to impress. You miss understand I don't think Delph needs that, I think Delph is also the sort of character Keane is and that Keane could really help develop Delph's game if they were to build up a good rapport.

It's easy to 'circumvent' FFP, all it needs is for the owner to gift the club money rather than loan. Though no owner does that because loaning your club money is potential very lucrative for themselves! The reality is there's no such thing as a free lunch!

I'm quite pleased with this. Keane is demanding, bloody minded and doesn't give a f*** about what people think about him, which I quite like! He was also the best midfielder in the world at one point and has a good football brain, his problem is patience has never been his strong point, he also hates weak people! He will certainly put a few noses out of joint but thats ok, so long as it get player to buck up a knuckle down. I think he will be a great influence on Delph.

He's not premier league quality, he's been exposed time and again, this move would be shocking, he's just an older version of Baker and Baker could actually become a better player than him! I remember Cahill being poor for us (apart from a fine goal against small heath) when we were fighting relegation under O'Leary. The thing with centre backs is that they need more time to develop because the role is so dependent on qualites gained through experience. Some however just lack to capacity to gain those qualities. Senderos is the latter!

Colback plays right mid so I fail to see how he would be better than Albrighton who we just released on a free. OK colback would be better on the right side of a diamond with delph left of the diamond could work nicely, but our priorities have to be a number ten, and IMO a better defensive midfielder then Westwood. Westwoods a decent player but very average. Barry never relied on pace or energy so his age is less of a issue, GB could go on until 36-37 in the premier league and would be an improvement on and would even benefit Westwood's game as Westy could learn from proven quality. Plus he experience and leadership would be a real help. Lescott could be the solid left sided centre back we need. With him Vlaar and Okore we would have a very capable central defense. We could go for Bertrand, who would be a decent signing, but for me his attacking play was very average, if the fee's were the same I would be tempted to go for Aaron Cresswell and the lad has a beautiful cross on him, reminds me of Baines (probably not as good though). Could do with a right back too, but not important. On a budget incomings Lescott - Most probable signing if the news about accepting 45k wages is true. Colback - Wages raises big question marks, also if we were to bring in another right back I reckon Bacuna would be a better right mid than him. Barry - Wage raises big question marks. Hoolahan - Would Norwich suddenly change their mind and decide to deal with us? Cresswell / Bertrand - 5 million on a left back seem unrealistic right now. That would easily keep us up provided our important players stayed fit for most of the season. Plus we have a wild card in Jack Grealish, who looks like a fine prospect (early days mind). Ideally we get new owners in by the end of July pay off the bomb squad, bring Lescott and Barry in anyway and spend good money on two quality fullbacks and a quality playmaker, plus a quality attacking mid / wideman.

I'm not happy about this. He was our most creative player last season and should played a lot more as Weimann's form for most of the season was shite! I think is going to do well wherever he end's up and I wish him well.

We just can't handle the size and strength of this massive stoke team. Overpowered and outplayed.

The way you guys are taking Justified words as truth suggests he has provided some information in the past that has proven correct! Personal I haven't seen any so if someone could enlighten me I'd grateful, until then I take his words to be BS!

Don't know how we didn't win that one! Created chances, dominated game, always looked threatening, plenty of positives, that's how we should be playing at home! Guzan - 6 - Only needed to make one decent save! Bacuna - 5 - Got bullied by Zaha first half, luckily Zaha got injured, poor crossing, nearly set-up a goal with a delightful through ball. Vlaar - 7 - Reads the game so well, always in the right place at the right time. Baker - 6 - Nearly gave away a penalty, hoofer, did ok against Jones. Bertrand - 6 - Struggled against Noone in the first half, better in the second half. Delph - 6 - Did ok in a defensive midfield role. Westwood - 6 - Poor first half until Mutch went off. Solid second half, most of his passes are safe or predictable! Bennett - 6 - No major errors, didn't try to put the ball in the box enough but gave Bertrand the support he needed in the first half. Albrighton - 7.5 - Crossing generally was good, should've had two assists for Benteke, made things happen with his runs infield and crosses from the right wing. Benteke - 6 - Good link up, play poor in the box, still lacking a little confidence and so not playing instinctively enough. If he was more alert and clinical could have had a hattrick! Gabby - 5 - Two great chances to score, why he dwelt on the ball for so long in the box I don't know, his first touch let him down all game! Weimann was denied by a fine save, and played Gabby in with a fine throughball - Nice cameo! PS that Wolff-Eikram is crap!

I have said it before, but I this lad is quality! Rotterdam reckons he doesn't have what it takes to be a quality midfielder, which maybe true, but I don't think so! He looks tailor made to be a premier league midfielder to me! Quick, agile, strong (for his size), lots of energy. A premier league midfielder needs to be an athlete as the pace and physicality of the football played in England makes the advantage athleticism gives a player even more pronounced. He can also dribble, and has a solid technique and at 20/21 years old has so much time to improve especially when you consider that he has a great injury record also. Positioning is very much about concentration, reading the game and knowing your teammates, so the more time he spends on the pitch the more he will improve. Also if employed in a box to box role he wouldn't really need to position himself great as they a meant to go with the play, chasing down the player in possession is how they are expected to defend rather then holding a defensive line and cutting off the space.

This is basically what I said was going to happen this coming summer. Lambert initial job was clear, remove the expensive numpties suck the club dry, replace with young hungry players with potential and keep us in the premier league in the process. Once this stage was done the money we are spending can be directed to fewer more expensive players that will improve the first team. Its clear that this has been Lambert's remit. I personally think he's done a good job so far. You could say both QPR and Wigan had better squads then us last season and they went down and we stayed up. Lambert has actually managed to develop a good spine throughout the first team as well! Guzan resigned and proving to be a quality keeper, Vlaar (and possibly okore) looking real quality in the centre of defense. Delph firmly establishing himself as a good premier league midfield with the potential to get better. Then Benteke and Gabby upfront, Benteke a magnificent signing and becoming the first Villa player to score 20 goals in a season since Angel, Gabby rediscovering his best form and then some after two seasons being being blighted by injury, which is funny as he has been injured for most of this season but still been our best player so far. The home form and spending the last two seasons in the bottom half of the table is shit no doubt, but Lambert has done what HAD to be done and hasn't panicked even when things looked really bad (like last January).

So does anyone know who this 8 million pound player was and if the deal is likely to be revisited in the summer?

I think the asking price would sort that out. Surely around £250 million is too much to spend for someone trying to make money. Carson Yeung spent nearly 200 million on buying Small Heath! So I wouldn't be so sure. Then there is the 790 million the Glazers spent on Man U, would you really want 250 million borrowed against the club in order to buy it? My feeling is that Randy is willing to sell ONLY to the right persons Those persons would have to be buying the club with their own money, be planning to invest on both the team and the infrastructure with their own money and would be expected to up hold the tradition and history of the club. Basically Lerner wants someone like himself willing to go deeper into their own pockets! He probably knows such a potential owner is hard to find so is happy stay in charge and operate the club on a sustainable business model.

Not believing he's ready, and thinking he's not good enough are two different things. Lambo said in an interview that he needed to acquire the smarts thats needed in the premier league, such as drawing fouls and not being lured into things on the pitch. I think its clear Helenius has some nice touches, and is a good finisher, but his game is naive! He also need to work on his heading, really whats the point of standing 6'5 and not be good in the air!

Seen this, but i can't find it anywhere. Ah that Russian guy, with great link-up and approach play that can't hit a barn door!

I don't think he plans to sell the club, and IF he were to be persuaded to sell it would have to be someone with A shitloads of money to invest and B someone that will uphold the tradition of the club and not go around changing the teams colours, name of stadium name, as I get the impression one of the things he loves about Villa is our prestigious history. I think his plan is very simple, get the club in profit, and operating on a sustainable model so A the club doesn't get bankrupted, B the club adhere to the impending financial fair play regulations, and C isn't a continued drain on his own finances as in UK terms and currency he's not a billionaire!

HH said he's only behind Gabby in the wages, and on far, far more than Benteke Remember, he got his contract when we were chockablock with wasters on 50k+ a week I am no fan of Houllier but I do not believe for one second with in weeks of being at the club he put Delph, who had played a handful of games at Prem level, on a 55k a week 4 and half year contract. He came from a Leeds side in League one where he was likely to be on no more than 5-7k a week. If that given he came through there youth side. We'd have likely given him 20k a week when he joined as he was still a teenager totally unproven in the top flight. There is no way he then, having played a handful of games and just back from a serious injury, was put on 55k a week. I know its no authority on these things, but FM2014 has him on 32.5k, and they tend to be pretty accurate with these things. 55k is just ridiculous! That's what Gabby is on!

I wish it was that simple. But Hoolahan would most likely be given at least a two and a half year contract at 25k per week which equals about 3.2million over the course of his contract, plus he'd get at least a 500k signing on fee as well as various performance related bonuses and add-ons, plus agent fees in at a similar level and no resale value making the whole deal worth around 6 million with a 1.5 million transfer fee!

I see what BJ10 is saying, because what he is really moaning about is the entertainment value of our football, and in-particular at home. Which if you take out yesterday's and the Man city game have been awful! Me personally I think he needs be grateful that we are not in a relegation battle and that the team has shown clear signs of improvement on last season. We are two or three good signings away from being a good team is believe and with that home performances should improve too. At home I think there is a donkey on our backs! Villa's home hasn't been great even when MON was spend all that money. Fans (like BJ10) where still complaining about hoofing, passing statistics and possession stats. Us fans haven't helped matters either as we are always so quick to boo our team. Unfortunately I can see this cycle of disappointment continuing until we finally have a team that is playing winning football and doing it in a 'sexy' manner! Which is the ideal outcome all us fans want! That's just won't happen in the short term its not possible! So I personally chose to back a good manager doing his best on little resource then get on his and the teams back as that s**t don't help!