Pez1974

We'll never get him - you can't haggle with Yoda

It wasn't 8.5m for Gayle. Nearer 4.5m I believe. The press make up all sort of figures as we saw with reports of what we paid last year. Still a lot though, and almost treble what we paid for Helenius who is an international!

On closer inspection, as well as Benteke being linked with Spuds, only Bent (linked with Newcastle and Hull) of our rejects gets a mention. Not even Bannan being linked with Man U or Arsenal Good job it's all bollocks

What muppets. Presumably Daniel Levy sponsored this article!

I know exactly where you are coming from, I have just read it a little differently. We seem to be the only club going out and making purchases early, even though many of the required leavers are still about (although we all know that a few have gone already). This must be the owner sanctioning such moves, although the ability Lambert has shown will have heped with that decision. For me Lerner takes a lot of shit, and although he has made mistakes, he deserves credit where it is due.

Really optimistic - I think the challenge over the next few weeks is to shift out the overpaid surplus to requirements, and then hopefully we will pick up another couple of starters. Randy has been mst influential over the past few weeks, as he has allowed a reasonable level of investment despite limited departures thus far.

Try the Bannan thread!

I'm guessing they are old votes.

Wow. I am shit at this!

No-one has actually said that there is a strict sell to buy policy yet and Jed Steer is coming on a free.

Like father.... Sorry, couldn't resist!

I always liked M'bia, and although the QPR stuff is a concern, I think the atmosphere down there became toxic with them signing so many highly paid stars with an existing squad earning far less who had achieved PL status. It is possible that if you take someone like M'bia out of there and into a more favourable environment (like ours), he would shine. In Lambert we trust.

Oh well, if we can't sell the tool, an injury will hopefully mean we can claim of the insurance for a while. If he is on 60k per week and out for 3 months, thats some 750k saved (or half a Luna)! And if he was being a prick when he got injured, we could probably fine him a couple of weeks wages too.

That. And Okore out in front by some margin. Both of these. I think Okore will end up being world class, and that we will simply be a major step in his evolution, like with Benteke. My hope is that we can take massive strides as a club over the next couple of seasons, and we can keep hold of these guys as they realise their ambitions with us and become legends.

Welcome. Here's to another dozen pages of puns!

This for me, although perhaps Sylla for Delph. IMO we will sign a quality ACM.

I have always thought (and I am a bit older than you!) that too few of our ex-players go onto our caoching staff. Obviously Brian Little (he who uses a lake as a running track) and John Gregory have been managers in the not too distant past, and we now have Sid and Stan on the staff, but I agree - surely there are those who want a career in coaching and we can help them out. However, it is one thing to give them a chance but they have to come or to scratch - we are not a charity!

Tough start. The headlines will all be about needing more experience before the and of August! Seriosuly, a few clubs in the past have got off trhe bad starts with a tough fixture list and haven't really recovered all season. At least Lambert has shown he can turn thhis around!

Although I think we should get rid of Albrighton, Bannan, Holman, Delfouneso and Stevens, these guys won't cost a lot and do make an effort. The priorities must be Ireland, Bent and Given, followed by Hutton and N'Zogbia. For what they offer the team (albeit for differing reasons), these guys must go to keep the clubs move towards financial stability going. I reckon this is why there are the unattributed quotes of "they are free to find a new club", which probably eminate from the club, about the 'big 3', with any noise about the others usually coming from the players themselves (like with Holman). IMO Bent and Given will eventually go as they want to play football will still command good wages; Hutton will go as he has shown willingness to play, and is still a regularl international. I think Ireland and N'Zogbia will be the problems.

Great news. Hungry and proud.....can't ask for me.

I am perfectly happy with what we have done so far. My guess is that there will be 2 or 3 more to come after Helenius and Luna, and these will be shaped by who goes and what Lambert see's in pre-season. I also suspect that these could be more obvious first starters than some of the others who have arrived so far. The club have backed Lambert in getting in some younger players who appear to have differing levels of potential, which is no doubt reflected in in the transfer fees paid and wages they are on. If we weren't doing this, I would be very unhappy.

I also think that Stan's issues have made the club better. I find that Villa fans were not generally popular with other fans, but our support for our captain over the past 18 months has shown us to be the thoroughly decent people that we (and most football fans) are. His issues have brought a sense of proportion to many of our views on football, and given us a commonality of cause during this period. Hoping (and assuming) that the worst is now behind our captain, I think that Villa Park is a better place for the journey he went through, and we supported him on.

We have a front 3 which most clubs in the premier league envy. And we have (and are) adding to it. And they are all young. We have a manager and a philosophy which almost everyone connected with the clubs appears to buy into - that is rare. We have a defense which let in too many goals, but that was with inexperienced players. It was improved upon late season, they players have more experience and we have signed a young monster to replace an old hippo. We do our business right, with respect and on the quiet. This meant that Everton got told to piss off when they enquired about Okore at the last minute (if reprts are to be believed). We are a club people want to come to, rather than being a pay-day as we were under MON. And we are getting rid of the chaff. Genuinely, I see nothing to feel down about. We probably won't challenge for a Champs League spot this season. Or the next. Or the next. But we will play exciting football, with players giving their all, without putitng the future of the club in jeopardy. And I think we will be in the Champs League in 5 years - with Bentekers leading the line!

Wow, being a Villa fan right now is great! Even those (fairly) not gushing in priase are only being cautious! For me, I think PL knows who he wants and is going out and getting them whenever he can. Last season Ireland, Hutton, Warnock, Dunne, Makoun, Petrov, Delfouneso and to a lesser degree Given and Bent played no part in our squad, whilst the likes of KEA, Holman, Zog and Bannan had limited roles. Losing them does not affect the team; adding those we have already strengtens the team as it creates a baseline of performance that the current players cannot drop below without being dropped. This in itself will help. Also, as has been pointed out by many, the likes of Westwood, Lowton, Guzan, Benteke, Weimann, Clark, Baker, Vlaar, Bennett and even Sylla now have the fabled premier league experience, and will be better for it. I do think that Bennett will improve vastly next season, as he has some more experience and (hopefully) will have a full pre-season behind him, which he didn't have last year because he was injured. And remeber, our form in the last couple of month of last season was not relegation form - it was top 8 form. With additions, why should that not continue? The 'news' today that Ireland is free to leave, whilst obviously not being news, shows that someone related tro the club is trying to shift him, and the others presumably. The club needs to keep an eye on finances, but Lerner clearly trusts Lambert, and the players who have left so far have freed up enough money to allow purchases to be made. I suspect that once (if) the likes of Bent, Ireland and Given have gone, plus a few others who are surplus to requirments, we will see more signings, probably with one or two 'marquee' signings in there. I am so positive about the next few years right now, more than I have been since MON first joined. Top 10 for me already next season

A lot fo the family were WBA. My uncle Barry was a Villa fan, and he took my older cousin, brother and them me to stand on the Holte. And from there, it's in your blood.....