villaglint

MM is right he is no world beater but very very few players are... and we aren't likely to see too many at Villa for the foreseeable.

What he is...a very tidy player, with great vision and ability to make the pass. He isn't going to rip teams apart but will look good when surrounded by good players. We are starting to (hopefully) see a bit more of that.

Oh and he does work hard too - has done for the last season - never understand why people criticise his work rate - look at the stats he does more running than almost all of our team every game.

I thought he played well yesterday - as others have said his brain is world class and his ability isn't quite on same level.

But I think he'll do fine for us - plays some great first time passes and generally adds some zip into our attacking play. Add that to his fantastic work rate and I think we have an asset.

The difference between Herd and N'Zogbia vs Everton and Holman and Ireland vs Newcastle was there for all to see.

Without a doubt he was at fault for the goal looked heavy legged at that point and had to get much much closer.

He learnt a lesson there about the quality of the Premier League - don't think that would have happened to him to many times in Holland.

Looking at his figures in a bit more detail he started 28 league games last year and scored 12 which isnt the worst strike rate especially in a relegated team.

Lambert will have seen some talent in him as with the other youngsters he has purchased and hopefully playing with better players will bring it out.

Well Daily Mail reckon he is a Joe Allen type which is good enough for me. If he knows how to tackle I will be happier still.

Well cant say he looks all that from the YouTube but I've never seen him play so fingers crossed we have ourselves a find that is worth the cash.

Suddenly have loads of options upfront - surely Delfouneso will be off but no rumours so maybe just another spell out on loan for him.

Pushes Weimann down to 4/5th spot - thought this could be a big year for him but seems like PL not too convinced.

Still would love a wide/skillful/creative player - Dempsey or Zarate would have been immense - seems odd that it was Benteke or Dempsey very different players by the looks of it.

5hrs to go - who knows...

I'll get ready for the stick that will come my way.

But so far I'm struggling to see many teams that have had a transfer window as poor as ourselves. Other teams may not have done as much business but then they weren't in the poor position we were.

Not long left to change this.

No stick here. That's a fair assessment and a fair opinion to have. Let's hope the next 31.5 hours are mental.

Nor me

I'm happy with Lambert and the players he is getting but have to say other teams have strengthened better than us so far , in a way that shows not everyone is using FFP as an excuse not to spend so the playing field aint all that level.

I'll also say I expected more than this, so far, after being told he would receive backing but hey ho.

Unless I am wrong FFP will only apply to teams playing in Europe. I think most of the sides you mention know that is not likely but are investing heavily to ensure they are around for the new Sky deal which kicks in next season.

Unfortunately we are getting in line with FFP not because we harbour European ambitions I suspect but because the club couldn't afford to keep losing money in the manner it was.

So we've been caught on a downward curve of investment while everyone else is on an (understandable albeit risky because they cant all stay up) upward curve of investment.

Time will tell in the long run - I am happy we are not a Pompey and I do fear for other clubs going their way.

But equally it is looking like staying up will be an achievement this year which is never a great thing to think after 2 games.

However we might give Liverpool £30m for 3 players tomorrow and all this will be bollox

this suggests to me that The Fonz is off

Another Stefan Moore was going to include Luke but actually think he is better . Poor attitude and never going to cut it at Villa rare . Not rated within the club

Completely agree but then why on earth did they start him against Everton! Bonkers.

His control was so poor in that 1st half and being subbed at half time will have surely demolished the tiny scrap of confidence he had up to that point.

And CI no he hasn't had a decent run of games - he had a few starts in a row due to injuries under Houllier scored against Blackburn and did ok (though missed a great chance) against Fulham and I thought maybe just maybe.

However you have to earn a run of games in starting 11 and he has been that bad every other time he's been involved he is no where near earning that chance.

As I said the other day I am not sure he will make it in the championship.

Zarate or Benteke ? How does that work.

Very strange club we run like last year when we went for Martinez and ended up with McLeish.

Is there any kind of plan in place.

For what its worth I would much prefer to see a Zarate type come in - always been impressed by his ability.

Shame its just a Mirror link but at least we can have a little hope for the last two days of the window.

Bennet

Benteke

Phillips

Adams

Be happy enough with that

Would be over the moon with that -- but by all accounts 3 in will be a stretch so more likely the two we already know about.

Really think Phillips and Adam would bring us something though - a spark on wing and some strength/ability and experience CM.

“I had to be fair to the players that were here to see what they were like."

PL's correct to do this and it maybe has backfired a little but at least he knows what we need and where to strengthen.

Trouble is we've got stuck in a cycle of doing this every summer.

At least Lambert had good sense not to give Warnock etc "another go" these guys seriously taking the piss - really wish that all Premier league players HAD to have a clause in their contract saying if you don't play at all in a season and you are not injured you only get 50% of your wages or something like that

Amazed there are people here who have put Delfouneso in their team. Were you watching Saturday?

Guy can't control a football - granted he's not the only one but I will be sorely disappointed if Lambert plays him over Weimann ever again.

Not even sure Delfouneso will make it in Championship to be honest. He's had plenty of chances now and the kid just aint got it.

Seriously bad performance on Sat but he wasn't alone.

For a player who is supposed to be skilful his general technique is woeful

My biggest surprise is how many of our players seem to struggle to control the ball - our inability to do really basic things on a football pitch is pretty scary.

Part of me expecting it to be a really tight game against Tranmere

Up to the last few splurges Incognito has sounded largely sane - not so sure any more.

Even so... reading through the painful business speak it sounds like he is trying to say - we have been reading VT all afternoon and would like to calm people down by saying we are doing some work on the transfer front, it will happen before deadline day and you may or may not be impressed.

Thanks

Yes as I said I can see how you mean the same thing but just a change in language which maybe telling.

I think everyone is frustrated because the board moved with uncharacteristic promptness in relieving our previous manager the Monday after the season finished.

We got Lambert in relatively good time, made some early signings. We had Incognito on Twitter, Paul Faulkner in public and Richard on here all telling us to get ready for some good feeling to return. Even MM said Eck had told him there was money to spend in summer.

So bearing all that in mind it is no wonder people are frustrated that we went into our first game with the same glaringly obvious gaps in our 1st team and squad that we've had for almost 2 years.

Now I am an optimist and I wake up everyday hoping that it maybe the day when someone truly exciting joins.

And I do remain hopeful that will happen in the next week and a half.

If not then getting the right person is not easy and I would rather wait than buy further crap players for the sake of it and then end up paying them to be crap for another 3/4 years.

If it takes a few windows so be it - we live in hope - and isn't that that main experience we get from supporting Villa

Richard hasn't changed his tune throughout the whole transfer window. I'm hoping he remains spot on with his comments to date.

There has been a subtle shift.

Gone from very optimistic... to this will take several windows to sort out....

Can both be the same thing of course but I think most were hoping for more immediate and drastic surgery.

West Ham shows the squad is still short - we do have time to go but it's clear reinforcements are still needed asap.

It is now clear that the work permit was never an issue - just a story Villa put out to buy some time and try to sort these issues out.

Rumours are we have got £6m for him - I for one would be staggered if that is the case.

Surely a guy who has two consecutive shady seasons would be going on the cheap.

However if we have done that ludicrous deal then doesnt that put us about even for the summer?

Hopefully some money left in pot for LB, winger, striker and a DM if I'm being really gready

Oh well hopefully this Rennes deal is true and its another sizeable wage off the books...

Quicker we can shift the deadwood the better. Roll on Cafu and Warnock.

I finally got round to watching the full replay of the Forest match yesterday. Just when you think Warnock cant get any worse, he surprises you every time. No own goals this time but must have given it away or miss controlled 60-70% of time he had it.

We have been pants at corners for the last two seasons so neither is solely to blame for this.

Both great keepers with differing attributes.

Friedel Mr consistent with a pretty solid all round game. Given one of the best shot stoppers I have seen, real wonder save merchant.

On their day I'm happy with either.

My two penneth

-------------Given-------------

Lowton --Vlaar--Clark--Lichaj

----------KEA----Bannan------

-------Ireland-----Holman----

-----------N'Zogbia------------

------------Bent---------------

That is the team I think PL will pick - if it was me then I might swap N'Zogbia for Weimann just because I think Weimann is less likely to be a total passenger.

I did think about Delph and Herd to go more solid - but then that is what the Scottish one would have done - think Lambert is do or die.

I think PL will go for N'Zogbia because he's got more experience and his pace/occassional trick might mean we get a chance/goal on break.

Think he will go with the narrow 4 and try and play Spammers off park - might work or Diame and Diarra might just brush our munchkins aside in midfield not to mention our highly suspect defence.

Should be a great game - I've got a tenner on 3-2 to Villa !!

Yes a striker has to be selfish - being a striker is all about instinct and taking your opportunity even when it is only a split second.

Heskey was the most unselfish striker in English football history and look how many goals that led to.

Sturridge is for the most part selfish in the good way - he is a good finisher who can also make chances for himself. That makes him a top player in my book. Added to the fact he is a Villa fan I would be doing everything I could if there was even a remote chance of getting him.

I think people call him selfish because he sometimes overplays it and tries to do to much in the same way that N'Zogbia often does.

For me this is just poor decision making rather than being selfish. But you have to remember that he has had, what, 2 seasons as a regular starter, if that. Good football judgement comes with experience and he has plenty of time to develop that side of his game.

Giggs had a terrible football brain when he started - all the ability in the world but how many times would he skin his man and then whip it in without even looking to see if there was anyone in the box. Now the man is an Einstein of top level football intelligence.

Extreme example but it shows my point.

Well KK on twitter (more reliable than most) reckons we are considering a bid for Carroll.

I suppose that much has been obvious for a while or since Lambert's comments at least.

One thing I would say is that if we do decide to bid for him I think we would only do so if the bid had a pretty reasonable chance of being successful.

I think our club operates very differently to the Sullivan's and Golds of this world who always talk about big transfers that will change the world but never quite seem to be able to complete one.

As I said before he aint the worst player but am so glad we have got rid

Over the last two years he have had a poisonous click within the squad of players who don't give a fxxx about the club and are just treading water and picking up their ridiculous pay cheques.

I am sure Lambert has been made well aware of their antics and he rightly surmised that this didn't fit the profile he likes (i.e desire to succeed).

Yeah he played ok in the last 10 or so games but he knew he would be in the shop window and he himself was desperate to move.

In the first year he was a ginger wall since then just a ginger tosser

As a footballer I've seen far worse play for Villa.

The man is a decent enough stopped and in games against equally limited attacks then he does a fine job.

He really is crap on the ball though and with Lambert looking to play more of a passing game he really sticks out like a sore thumb.

Against attackers with a little guile or pace he is also shown up to be the big lump he is.

Added to the fact that he sounds like a poor dressing room influence and crap professional by all accounts we are doing well to get rid.

ps I am sure Vlaar will be on lower wages - so all good in my opinion. Just need someone to buy Hutton and Warnock!

Fletcher is an ok player - would be no disgrace to our squad but the money they are talking for him is just crazy .

For a guy with his ability/scoring record I would be wanting to pay around £4m possibly slightly more.

I reckon he would do a decent enough job for us but to be honest I'd be slightly disappointed in this one.

Fingers crossed MON outbids us on this one - very much his type of singing.

Possibly but I think we have seemed quite solid because of the lame attacking threat from the opposition in general.

I do think Gabby and Bent would have made a lot more out of the game against Portland.