DamsonwoodVillan

Yeah it's a team of young likeable characters I guess but if we're being honest it's not good enough to challenge the top 10. Player for player it looks ok but it doesn't account for how strong this league is now. No team are mugs any more and every 3 points is hard to come by. That team could beat an off colour Chelsea, but in the same week could be turned over by an in-form Palace. We need more consistent Premier League quality right the way through the side. I posted this in another thread: bearing in mind the names of speculation so far and what is just about reasonable, I'd be happy with this... Guzan Richards Vlaar Okore Lescott Holtby Delph Rodwell Milner Benteke Agbonlahor/Weimann I don't think we can achieve this without a takeover though. Although the combined fees for those names may not be too bad, the wages would smash the new structure the club have strived so hard for completely.

Think him leaving for Celtic is just wishful thinking/clutching. He is in this situation too deep. He will leave if and when the new owners decide. It's just a waiting game til then and I hope the season ticket masses don't get too frustrated by it.

Given's save late in the game at West Brom in the last 2 or 3 games of McLeish's season kept us up. No doubt in my mind had that gone in and we'd lost that game right at the end, we'd have been relegated. He's been a good servant for us. Don't really know where he goes from here though, moving to Villa has ended his career.

Until this is resolved the ITK's will feel they can rule the roost.

I know it is so unlikely but if we could snatch just 3 or 4 players of the calibre that has been linked then I think we'd be ok next season. A matchday squad of.... Guzan Lowton Vlaar Okore Lescott Holtby Delph Rodwell Milner Benteke Agbonlahor.... Steer, Baker, Bacuna, Westwood, Gardner, Weimann, Kozak.... Maybe it's just me but I think that side would have enough to give most teams a game and certainly make it to 40+ points without the dicing with death of the past couple of years. I know those names mentioned seem pipe-dream talk just at the moment but I genuinely think we could become a decent side again with just 3 or 4 real top additions. There's just so much negativity around at the moment no one can envisage it.

Lambert's days are numbered. Even with his bold words over the past couple of days he looks and sounds a broken man to me.

I think this has well and truly been taken out of Lambert's hands. I seem to remember PL saying in an interview only a few weeks back that Faulkner was talking to Albrighton about a new contract and everything would be fine? Anyone got a link to that one? Anyway, the club have seemingly gone over Lambert's head, not sure if this means anything really. Mixed feelings on both Albrighton and Delfouneso to be honest. I always thought they both had talent but could never truly nail down a place in the side. I suspect Bacuna and Lowton were always going to be ahead of Marc. Wish both lads well.

Lol

Philip Anschutz as well as others? This could be a long summer. Thank heavens for the World Cup, and Kate Abdo from Sky Sports News.

I think if Red Bull did take over at Villa no one would be able to sleep at night.

My mate's girlfriend has a cousin who is an old friend of some guy who's wife works for the Club's HR department.... #ITK #youhearditherefirst

Thank you Randy. We are all grateful for the improvement of parts of our infrastructure, and keeping us financially secure. Hope you are able to find a good suitor to be the next custodian. Good luck in all your future activities.

Depends on how quick for a sale at this stage. I don't think Lerner will sack Lambert so it's all about the next owners. If the new owners came in and said they had their own management team then fine. But if they came in and said we'll give Lambert a chance with some proper backing then I think we should accept that as well. Don't immediately find something to complain about regarding the new owners if Lambert stays. Let's just see what the new regime have to say.

We stayed up. The season was wrecked by injuries and poor form. Weak investment and cost - cutting made it a miserable time with no excitement in January. We do end the season on firmer financial ground which MAY help us out going forward. Lambert maybe should have walked when his two assistants were suspended but glad we got over the line against Hull. New owners with a new direction for the club needed.

If he leaves he will follow in the same tradition as the rest of those managers who have left our club. Simply not good enough and like most managers of limited ability has been found out at a bigger club. This. Who has left Villa and done anything better- Taylor got the England job but that sadly didn't work out. Saunders, Big Ron, Little, Gregory, O'Leary, O'Neill, Houllier, TSM, The list is endless- I am suprised any manager takes us on, its a career killer. This. Career killer. Sadly we need a manager who may benefit from us as a stepping stone for himself. At least it would mean we'd been successful again, if only for a little while.

I'd have been happiest signing BOTH Kozak and a player like Kiyotake but it was more money than Lambert had been given.

Don't get me wrong I like Kozak I just think £5-7m would have been better spent on a midfielder.

Apologies if it was more like £7-8m for them. Doesn't alter my point though

The £10m or so spent on Kozak and Tonev would have been better spent on a creative midfielder. Although I think Kozak would have had a decent season.

I think his signings have been too focused on attacking players. I think in playing Benteke Agbonlahor and Weimann all together he has tried to get us scoring goals. Hasn't worked out though I agree.

Xela and Pacbuddies, note how I said he's TRIED to make us a team that can score. He certainly hasn't succeeded, with the odd exception e.g Norwich at home.

Can't see us getting out the group if I'm honest. Hart, Forster, Ruddy. Johnson, Walker, Smalling, Jones, Cahill, Jagielka, Cole, Baines. Milner, Carrick, Gerrard, Barkley, Wilshere, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain. Welbeck, Rooney, Sturridge, Sterling, Lambert. Apologies put Lallana in for Walker

I think him and Delph would make a very effective midfield if they just had that creative spark Merson-type player in there with them. This player is the one position we have desperately needed to sort out since Lambert took over and never have done. I know I'm in a minority but I think we need to play a two-pronged attack e.g Benteke AND Weimann, Benteke AND Agbonlahor, Benteke AND Kozak etc. For that we'd probably need an improvement on Westy to partner Delph. (Just my opinion!!)

Managers should start at the back in my view. Make a team a tough side to score goals on, and then work their way through the rest of the side. Lambert has tried to do the opposite. Make us a side that can always score goals.

Lambert won't resign. He's said publicly that staying up this season he regards as a great managerial achievement. Why would he resign? It would ruin all the credibility of those statements and make him less employable to any potential future job. The only way he is leaving is if a new ownership structure sacks him.