Philosopher

danny rose is terrible. he has somehow lived off that one goal against arsenal a couple of years back ( which was imo down to typical shocking arsenal goalkeeping more than anything).

would be a very poor signing

I think Danny Rose has talent, but I don't think we should be loaning players from Tottenham, and I don't think he has more talent than many of the youngsters we already have!

BTW Rose is not a fullback, Winger is his second position, his best position is actually central attacking midfielder, but as spurs have never played him there people seem to think he is a Winger or fullback!

Matt Phillips would be a good addition, remember he had a storming game against us a couple of seasons ago.

Been on loan at Burnley and played out of position, on loan at Leicester, didn't get a run of games. He has lots of abilty. Pace, strength (when he gets stuck in), very good dribbling skills, gets into some good positions as well. Needs to be more proactive and improve his movement in the box. For Delfouneso the problems are mental, but that also means that the problems can be overcome.

I agree a very similar player to NRC.

Stephen please leave, if no one wants then please retire, just get out of Aston, why not try SHA!

I would say Delfouneso has been blooded a little, but now he needs a run of games upfront, if he could go on loan where he is playing regularly as a striker that would be great, but otherwise i'd keep him here and start him in the carling cup alongside Weimann. We have two proven strikers, we have 3 players who can play off a main striker in Ireland, N'Zogbia and Holman plus I think Lambert is likely to play a 4-5-1, so I don't think a stirker is essential, if we could sign a quality striker at good price that brings something different to our options then why not, but we are by no mean desperate.

If anything Annan is better suited to the premier league than Makoun.

I don't think Makoun is a good comparison for Annan, the only similarities is they both play CM and are african. Annan is a proper defensive mid, tackles hard, plays it simple, Makoun is a much more well rounded player. Makoun is a better passer is more forward thinking, and is more of a box to box midfielder. Also Annan is stronger and faster than Makoun.

I wouldn't write Delfounesso off just yet he is still only 21, and has shown he can score goals. Not saying he is going to make it, just saying he has the ability.

Looks to me like Lambert has his priorities in the right order. First sort out the defense, and bring some balance to the midfield. He brought in KEA a midfielder who bring something different to our midfield and adds some much needed athleticism. A RB and CB two positions where improvement is needed. Next on his agenda is a LB surely!

Upfront a striker would be nice, but its not essential. Bent is exceptional, and Gabby is a good player at this level, Weimann and Delfounesso have lots of potential, and I would prefer to keep them then pay 12 million for a limited player like Fletcher!

We currently have 9 defenders.

LB - Warnock, Stevens

RB - Hutton, Lowton, Lichaj

CB - Vlaar, Dunne, Clark, Baker

HERD IS A MIDFIELDER NOT A RB, I don't understand how two games at right back makes him a bloody defender, the guy has been a midfielder his whole career!

For me nine is the ideal number for defenders, one for each position and one as back who ideally can play anywhere in the back four!

That Japanesse guy looks interesting! Would mind him plus a left back and ship out Warnock and Hutton.

If Sturridges performances for team GB are anything to go by the guy is massively overrated! Has pace and good technique but no footballing brain from what I can see!

Why do people say Herd's best position is right back, when he's only had one good game there in two starts for the first team at right back. The man is, was, and has always been a midfielder!

Whitts left mid / winger. Barry Centre.

DOL >>>>> MON and he did it on <25% of MONs leaving wage bill.

I agree that MON bought the best out of Gabby. DJDJ was poop but he cost 825k, and had champions league experience, a little bit better value for money than NRC for £8m, Sidwell for £5.5m.

Again I'd liek to reiterate I detested DOL as manager but I think he's genuinely a better manager than MON (less so in terms of motivation and public relations but in other areas better) - but he was / is a monumental prick and he's only got himself to blame why he's no longer employed in the prem league. OH and yeah I agree that he spent / wasted loads t Leeds but at Villa most of his signings were good (on paper at least) - with the majority having champions league experience, he worked wonders with the kids (looking back) whilst not spending a lot of money (bar Baros) and the signings of Laursen and Bouma - are the two most exciting we've made since Collymore.

Whitts made he debut in 2003/2004 season and was at Villa for another 4 seasons in that time he made a total of 56 appearances thats an average of 12 per season! Most of thime Barry played left wing under DOL he was played briefly at centre mid but DOL decided it wasn't working and moved him back to left wing!

Djemba x2 played only a handful of games was always crap and was probably our highest earner and then left for free. Reo had a solid first season under MON playing almost every game and featured often in his second season, then in his final season under Houllier he was one of our best players that season. Djemba x2 NEVER DID ANYTHING HE WAS CONSTANTLY SHITE! We signed Sidwell from Chelsea a champions league team, was seen as a player with a bright future and when he was signed most on here were looking forward to seeing him play. He flopped but we still got a 3 million transfer fee for him.

Worked wonders with the kids? Whitts left and has been a championship player, Ridgewell is still as rubbish as he was then (gone as well) Cahill was given a chance (forced not choice we had no senior defenders fit) but was way off from the player he is now. Luke Moore flop. Only one young player he did well with Davis! And there was all those derby defeats!

Milan Baros?

Commander your memory is rather hazy!

Barry was used as primarily a left mid / winger and occasionally as a left back under O'Dreary, it was MON that successfully converted Barry into a central midfielder. Barry was signed under Brian Little I thing and it was Gregory that gave him his chance as a centre back.

Agbonlahor was going to be sold to SHA for 3 million when O'Dreary was sacked by Ellis for his act of insubordination. Gabby was very raw back then and quite frankly I believe MON worked wonders with him. He was also in charge of those dreadful results against SHA. Also what about Djemba Djemba? Selling Crouch for 1.5 million to Saints?

Laursen, Bouma and Milner on loan and Solano were his only good signings and two of those were gone after a season and the other two were plagued with debilitating injuries. Why don't you ask Leeds fans about his record with signings? Seth Johnson?

I don't think Gardner will ever be captian material. I don't think he's particularly bright lets say, seems like all his intelligence is used up on football. Last season that guy played him in a defensive mid role, when Gardner has alway been the type to dictate play, get forward and score goals, he never really had a run of games either. So I am not surprised he struggled, when you throw in the fact EVERYONE struggled you have to sympathise with him really.

Maybe the FAR better was a bit much, but I do believe he can become a better player than Wilshire, as I implied in my previous post its just hope based on his impressive potential. He has a long way to go. All this talk about Wilshire is a little over the top, He's only had 18 months of looking a very good player, and now he has to come back from a 16 month lay off. We must also remember 12 months of that was alongside Fabregas, and Song who are both fantastic players (the other 6 in an otherwise average Bolton team). Things are lot easier when you are in that kind of company.

A better comparison for Gardner is Gerrard or Lampard in terms the type of player he is. He has a hell of a long way to get to their level though.

Gardner to me CAN become a far better player than Wilshire. Pace wise they are similar, passing and awareness they are similar, but Gardner is a unit, strong, tall, good in the air and scores goals. If we can bring him through, a midfield of Gardner, El Ahmadi and Bannan could be excellent. But its all what COULD be its relying on all three players delivering on their impressive promise. I have high hopes, but that is all!

All these posters on here going into panic mode because of Feynoord's desperate behaviour must feel like right chumps now! I always expected this deal to get done when I read Lamberts comments last week.

It seems to me that Feynoord's chairman got his knickers in a twist because he didn't understand that our tour of America was also important for business thus our CEO had to be on the tour too! Which is why the transfer had to wait till they got back. By business I am not ITK, I am refering to things like seeking new sponsors, and expanding the Villa brand as there would be no point in touring abroad otherwise.

Also, CI do you really have to be such an antagonistic little so and so?

Oscar is a central midfield playmaker, doesn't really play behind a striker. Sturridge is not a second striker in a typical sense. He likes to come deep to pick up the ball and run at players, but he doesn't have the vision, awareness, or passing ability needed to play in the hole. Thats why at bolton he played off a target man or on the left wing and at chelsea he played left or right wing.

Chelsea are going to play a 4-5-1 for sure so for that they will need 5/6 attacking mids in their squad plus 5/6 centre mids. Now if Chelsea go and sign Hulk you can say Sturridge may be off. But as it stands they only have 3 recognised strikers Torres, Sturridge and Lukaku (who is going out on loan most likely) Which means currently sturridge is very much needed in their squad!

So forget Sturridge guys!

Evra cost Man U 6 million. Vidic was 8.5 million.We could go on, Sagna 4.5 million, Zabeleta 7.5, Naughton AND Walker 8 million.

Then you have the big money fullbacks! Enrique 10 million, Bosingwa 12 million, Del Hornio 9 million (I think), Cole 16 million.

This US tour is a bloody joke

We could have played mediocre teams in the uk save travelling 4000 miles and been about to continue transfer activity

It's don't understand why someone else at the club can't conduct the over seeing of the transfer? Faulkner?

A tour to the states is as much about business as getting the squad fit, I would have though to make the most of any business oppourtunities, Faulkner would have to be on the trip as well.

I think people are worrying too much, If the deal gets done then great I think Vlaar is a good defender, but his fitness record is terrible, so signing him is a considerable risk in my book. I won't lose any sleep over this deal whatever happens. As even though his injury record is terrible he won't be on too high a wage, and his fee would at most be 3.5 million pounds as the Feynoord chairman has already stated its a 4 million euro buyout clause.

He said 'off FOR NOW' This to me means if Villa come back in and meet his release clause which is supposed to be around 4 million euros then the deal is back on!

In fact only Song got more assists for Arsenal last season

Don't think Walcott would leave Arsenal, besides I don't think there is any real difference between Walcott and Gabby! Gabby is a bit better in the air and can play left as well as right. Walcott a little more agile, sligthly better technique! NO WAY IS JOHNSON BETTER THAN WALCOTT! More skill yes, better crosser yes, but Walcott has much more pace, is a better finisher and his final ball is not as bad as made out, 12 assists is pretty decent, plus 11 goals in 41 starts and 5 sub apps! When has johnson EVER achieved those numbers!