VillanousOne

It's not about cheap players, these days transfer fees aren't the problem, it's player's fees that have spiralled out of control. Even if Lambert would pay Belhanda's fee, would he pay the wages to? It's also been a very long time since we've bought a player from a position of strength and stability. Bent was arguably a signing to save us from relegation.

Didn't the club come out and deny that rumour though I agree with the majority in here that think this is just a load of crap and we won't sign him Its just wesley sneijder all over again True. But it seems that agents and even the club owners themselves will do anything to make money and pimp out a player they want to profit from. I would love to see Belhanda at Villa, it would just be too much of a gamble to buy a player for 10 mil+ on potentially high wages, who could work out and flourish and increase in value, but will more than likely just end up another Makoun or Ireland.

It sounds too similar to the Coutinho situation. He just doesn't fit the profile of the type of player Lambs would go for and the transfer fee and wages wouldn't fit either, not saying we can't afford him. The club want raw talent and potential, or proven but inexpensive foreign talent unproven at prem level.

I think Cresswell is nailed on myself. I expect him and Murphy to be signed up before the season starts. We shall see, but Cresswell was always his number 1 choice and Murphy has been on his radar for some time. It's gone quiet though

i wonder if we are looking abroad for a left back?

I think Clark can still come good, as many have said he is not a natural traditional defender, but you could see he did improve and maybe alongside Vlaar he would be ok if both played together for long enough. Albrighton has had one good season but looked shocking since Bannan has had about 5 good games - but has never really pushed on. Herd has had about 2 good games and never looked anything other than average all other times Delf has never had a run in the team but has never looked the part from the bench Clark has struggled all season but did start to get better before being injured, and has had a couple of good games in midfield.

I hope we keep Zog and maybe give Albrighton a final chance. Aside from that we only have Herd, Delf, Bannan, Ireland and Stevens left - and the only definite one I think Lambert has to shift is Ireland, god knows how. The rest will be sold or moved on if possible but may well be kept for now although i doubt anyone cares if they leave. Delf has never had a chance under Lambert so might get that.

why is everyone so convinced he is gonna join us, because Laursen said he should?

Is this another Coutinho where we get linked just so the agent can drum up interest and bump up the transfer fee so that scum like Liverpool can steam in and throw their weight around? The chances of us actually signing anyone 'proven' or 'experienced' is pretty damn unlikely, all we can do is gamble on promising unknowns like Tonev and hope they come good and as soon as they do flog them for three times what we bought them for at the first available opportunity.

People were saying exactly the same when we got linked to Christian Benteke last summer. With respect there is no comparison. Bentekke was the rising star of the Belguim national team - his current club Genk were very keen to hang onto him, a fee of £11m was mentioned at one stage. I think the only reservations that were expressed was if he could adapt to the premier league - most people on here were pretty excited. Ive never seem him play - but his CV doesn't seem a patch on Bentekke's. If he comes in and has a similar impact to Bentekke, I will happily admit I was wrong. I don't see us doing this deal in anycase. I can't find the post, but I distinctly remember some Belgian guy giving his opinion on Benteke before we signed him - saying that he was hit and miss and probably wasn't ready for the step up to the Premier League quite yet. Look how that turned out. Yep i remember quite a few opinions like that from his clubs fans saying he wasn't all that. What utter cods wallop

Been linked in Russian Media to him apparently, anyone know anything?

surely there can't be many proven goal scorers and former England internationals kicking around at the moment that are available? Bent's fee may well be decided by the amount of teams who want to sign him and that is a hell of a lot. About half the Premiership lack a proven 15-20 a year goal scorer, Bent maybe 29 but 8-10 mil is realistic, as there just aren't that many goal scorers out there, well not in England anyhow.

Bent wouldn't stay even if we wanted him to, if Benteke goes then I could see Weimann leaving if another club comes in for him. with Zog possibly leaving as well we could literally have no attack left aside from Gabby. I think those quotes are boll*cks though and massively disrespectful if true. Why do people think Lambert and Lerner would splash the resulting cash? A young hungry attack to go with our young hungry defence would seal relegation next season.

Annoyed Zog didn't play, aside from the goal Bent did feck all and Weimann was awful as was our defence. Hard to take positives really, Vlaar goal was amazing, but the fact we were largely second best really grates.

We've probably had worse but I'm struggling to think of a worse Villa defence in the top flight. Hmmm Delaney's two handed charge downs cost us a few penalties. But can't think of many worse defenders who start every week than this lot. Lowton and Guzan aside.

I don't care how good Lambert thinks we are, if we don't strengthen the defence we will struggle every season. Look at Boyce, the concentration and determination, and that's the captain of a relegated team, not even saying he's that good but we have nothing like that. Not all experienced defenders require hollywood wages so that argument is bollocks, whatever young hungry talent we uncover that is half decent we will have to pay more to stay after a season anyway.

Villa in comedy defending shocker

what worries me is that after a decent start at Blackpool he barely started, if he can't do well at Championship level then...... hard to see him doing well for us. Only exception to that rule is Weimann, who i believe had some pretty average loan spells.

Are there rumours that he may want to leave so he can play centrally? nothing concrete but he himself has commented on the fact playing wide right is not his usual position

Part of the problem is that neither Gabby nor Weimann want to play as wide strikers and yet their form has been superb as a result of that formation. I'm not sure if it's true or not but Andi may want to leave so he can play centrally. I don't know if Lambert believes 433 is always the way to go, but at some point he looked at the squad and saw that Ireland couldn't do a creative central anchor role, Zog, Bannan were too inconsistent, so with little else in midfield to provide fwd thrust he went with three forwards. Maybe if we sign someone else that will change.

Players to keep who have done well: Guzan, Benteke, Gabby, Weimann, Westwood, Vlaar, Lowton, Sylla, Delph Players to keep who either have potential or showed glimpses of what they can do but can't necessarily be relied on to come good: KEA, Baker, Bennett, Zog. To early to really tell: Dawkins, Bowery. Players I just don't know if they can genuinely cut it but unlikely to be sold: Clark, Bannan, Lichaj. Players to get rid of for one reason or another: Bent, Ireland, Delf, Holman, Dunne, Hutton, Warnock, Herd, Given. Players we need more than anything, 2 defenders one CM. I think we will lose at least one striker we don't want to and someone else will get picked off that we don't expect, so a lot of work has to be done to make us into a mid table side that competes well in cups again.

There is so much dead wood at the club i can only imagine a clear out will mean more players rather than TV money. The issue for every club outside of the top 5/6 now is the ridiculous wages players demand, and until that changes we will have to gamble wildly on young bucks from lower divisions.

I don't get the Westwood vs Bannan debate, they are two completely different players doing completely different jobs.

wow can't believe this thread still rages on even when the guy isn't playing I think we will only truly get an idea of how good some of the fringe players are like Bannan when the pressure is off - hopefully at the start of next season. For much of the season everyone who has had come into the team has done so under truly grim circumstances, and if they have made mistakes or not done enough to change the terrible form they have been savaged.

what worries me is when we are losing and not playing well Lambert's subs/tactics are usually awful, anything that has ever involved KEA or Holman have been classic examples of ineptitude. But if we get one or two experienced players in midfield and defence and keep this attack we could be awesome.