Matt1874

Thanks Kozak. Come on Benteke!

Lowton's not a CB though

I'd get Benteke on for Kozak and play 4-5-1 with Gabby wide left and Bacuna/Lowton on the right.

I haven't been to the game today and have been out so haven't streamed it but...in my opinion we massively miss Lowton. Óne of our most creative players. I'd play him instead of Weimann. Weimann ok away with counter/space but we need Lowton to break teams down. Lowton very creative and we miss his link up play/crosses as does Benteke IMO..

I've got a lot of respect for Lambert in that he's made some good signings on a very limited budget and the players seem to want to play for him. However, when it comes to picking the team he seems to struggle. Yes he made key substitutions today and against Cardiff. But his starting selection always baffles me. 2 up front doesn't work. Lowton should start. Sylla shouldn't. For me i'd play Guzan Bacuna/Lowton Vlaar Baker Luna Westwood Bacuna/Lowton KEA Delph Agbonlahor Benteke

Get in!

And Kozak and Sylla off. Harsh on Kozak but our best formation that way. Not harsh on Sylla who is just useless.

Our best XI has Lowton in it. Wish Lambert shared this view.

It's been obvious for weeks. Hope he's grasped it finally.He scouted and bought them both before anybody on here knew who they were, I'm sure he has cottoned on. My point was that Lowton and Bacuna should both be playing on the right hand side. I'd have dropped Weimann to set up this way. Weimann got injured and he played Lowton and Bacuna as wing backs against West Ham. Lowton then starts on the bench against Cardiff and Lambert is seen as a tactical genius for bringing him on and playing them together on the right side. We should be starting this way. That's my point. I'm not doubting that he's done his scouting. They're 2 great signings and fair play to Lambert for that. But they need to both be playing on the right and hopefully they'll do so from the start against WBA.

It's his strength and bravery that always gets him in at CB over Clark for me.

It's been obvious for weeks. Hope he's grasped it finally.

It was a poor game until we scored. We looked solid but created little. Kozak and Benteke didn't work. Kozak looked pretty useless before his goal. Every goal kick/clearance that went his way you expected him to lose out. I thought Benteke looked very frustrated with Kozak. Even to the point of going for headers that were aimed Kozak's way. Hopefully Kozak's goal will give him some confidence. Lambert did right giving him the chance to come off and soak up the crowd's applause. Tonev hit and miss but at least he had a go, offered width at times and can cross with either foot. Centre mid fairly average. Sylla was awful 1st half but grew into it towards the game when it opened up. KEA average. Westwood average but at least looks capable of playing someone in. Hopefully Lambert understands now that Lowton and Bacuna should both start. It's taken him long enough. Too long. Lowton offers so much going forward that we have missed. Bacuna brilliant and him and Lowton will link up well whichever way round you play them.

For me I think nothing better than .. Guzan .. Bacuna .. Vlaar .. Baker .. Clark or Herd .. Lowton .. Sylla .. Delph .. Tonev .. Helenius .. Benteke .. KEA for Sylla and i'm with you

Would have liked to have seen Huddlestone back in. He's looked really good for Hull this season. Perfect holding player. Just what Villa need really. Amongst other things..

I guess that's one way of looking at it!

I won about £400 on an accumulator a few years ago where all but one of the matches had either finished or already kicked off. I went in on a Saturday at around 2 on an FA Cup weekend where there were a few early kicks offs. So I put them on the quickslip and also a couple from the Friday. I thought i'd best put one 3 oclock in as well so I put Celtic at home against Inverness or someone like that. Put a £10 on the accumulator. I went in at 5ish (after Celtic scraped a 1-0 win) feeling more than a little sheepish, expecting to be rumbled. Anyway, the woman behind the counter noticed the Friday games straight away. But not the early Saturday games. She recalculated my return from a few grand to a few hundred quid, gave me the money and I made a speedy exit! A mate tried the same tactic the following round of fixtures but the bloke behind the till rumbled him when he went to collect. I haven't tried it since. Can't grumble at free money though!

Being a bag of bones works fine for the likes of Crouch. And Helenius isn't a target man. If he's got enough ability he'll be fine. Bowery's upper body strength doesn't make him a premier league footballer. Weimann got muscled out of it by a skinny kid in Morrison etc

Well it worked pretty well against Bradford

I'd love to see him back in the team when he's fit. But given that the likes of Bowery, Weimann and Sylla played last season while he sat on the bench I don't hold much hope.

That's probably true. I'd like to see the corner taking part of Villa's training sessions. Must take up a good minute or two.

He should definitely be off corner duty. If he gets a start then Tonev should get a chance. He took them against Malaga pre season. Whipped them in with pace with both feet. A bit hit and miss but perfect delivery for Vlaar's goal. And better than the standard floated rubbish Westwood serves up. With Tonev out the team then Bacuna/Lowton/anyone else worth a try.

The way Delph and Wilshere run with the ball/take people on is definitely similar.

I agree he's got the potential to play RB for England. But Lowton is stronger going forward than he is defensively. In a poor team (Villa) that is under pressure a lot of the game I prefer having Bacuna at RB as we look more solid that way. But for me we desperately miss his creativity/link up play/crosses and I'd have had him playing instead of Weimann wide right weeks ago. However, if you were to put Lowton at RB for England, Man U etc I really don't think he'd look out of place. Lowton's one of the first names on the teamsheet for me and I think it's been a joke that he's been out the team (even the squad) while people like Weimann have been picked regardless of form.

What a bizarre thing to say. Weren't Benteke and Gabby part of his selection too? And Sylla was rightly getting a lot of praise on this site for his energy and all round good performances. Yes he has energy, work rate etc. So does Weimann. I wouldn't pick either of them. And I wouldn't have in the last few months of last season either. Or Bowery. It's possible to win a football match without picking the right team. We could put Bowery up front against Cardiff instead of Benteke and win (unlikely). It wouldn't make it the right selection though.

I've never rated him.