DamsonwoodVillan

Another one that could have been a great for us. What a waste of time coming to Villa has been for him.

Disappointed about N'Zogbia. Always felt he could be a great player for us.

Impossible to put a number on it now. If we can ship out a fair few of the deadwood then I still think we can get 3 or 4 more in. I certainly think it will benefit us an awful lot to have them in for a full pre-season.

Thought Herd was an important player for us in the second half of McLeish's season. Not sure now how he would get into the side, certainly isn't a regular. Maybe a good back up for Lowton at right back. Would prefer to see all of Westwood Sylla Delph Gardner and El-Ahmadi ahead of him in midfield.

Yeah as much as I love our players and I was so pleased that we went on that run to save ourselves, we mustn't be too unrealistic about how good our players were/are. Right now I bet teams like Everton and Fulham are smiling a bit at our situation because they think we won't pose any threat to their league position again next season. I would be overjoyed I we proved them wrong but I don't want us to get silly about what this group of young unknowns can achieve. On Barry I think any talk of re-signing him is ridiculous. Never go back, not when you're only going to be stepping on the toes of our younger options that have already broken in (Sylla, Westwood, Delph). Not what we need, wages an issue, and too old to fit the mould of the squad nicely.

I thought he was really dangerous in the West Brom away game but then absolutely anonymous in the Bradford matches. He gave a decent performance against West Ham at home, I thought he was unlucky to miss out for Bowery at Stoke away (although Bowery did ok and that game was a huge result for us), and then I felt he got his goal and was playing well against Fulham at home but got subbed off. He didn't really do anything after that. So inconsistent and frustrating as a player because he clearly has talent. I admit I was really excited when he joined as I felt losing Downing and replacing him with N'Zogbia for half the price was a really good deal for Villa. I'd want to give him this season to prove his worth as I still believe there is quality there. But if it doesn't happen this year he must go down as one of our most disappointing big money signings of recent times.

I want to wait until I've seen some pre-season action before I think about it too much. I reckon this will be another season of transition, and we could be staring down the barrel come September! I don't expect us to challenge or anything but thankfully I don't think it will be quite so uncomfortable as last season. 12th/13th.

I'm certainly hopeful for him at this stage. The only thing is that if Albrighton got into the team regularly and did well then great, but who would it be at the expense of? Weimann? Just can't see it at the moment.

Think some of the criticism of him is a bit over the top to be honest. He was nowhere near as bad as his wretched reputation on here. Good luck to him, I would much rather he was in the team than a waster like Ireland. He just doesn't fit the type of player Lambert is building here. We need a more creative presence in midfield now. Which os fair enough.

We have Delph and Sylla that can play the sort of role Wanyama does. I wouldn't go after him at that price. We need a more creative attacking option, but he does have to have that height and presence.

I think Okore will be very decent but I have high hopes for all of them. Due to the competition I do think Bacuna will find it hard to make an impact, but if he is able to ahead of the other midfield lads then he must be doing something right. Like others I think that Tonev will offer something a bit different, his future in a way depends on what sort of season Albrighton, N'Zogbia, Agbonlahor have assuming they are all staying, as well as Weimann. Helenius I really don't know, it will become clearer when Benteke's situation is sorted. But he certainly looks a talent. If we play him with Benteke then obviously that would mean a system change which I don't think will happen at the moment. Hopeful for him, I hope Lambert manages the situation well.

Can only be a good thing in my opinion. Good competition for Bennett, hope he can be successful. Good luck son.

1 Guzan 2 Lowton 3 Okore 4 Vlaar 5 Baker 6 Clark 7 Weimann 8 El-Ahmadi 9 Helenius 10 N'Zogbia 11 Agbonlahor Think most others will keep numbers from last season with new signings taking some.

Villa Park was absolutely rocking when we played some good football and won against QPR and Sunderland. I'd not seen it like that in a long time. For me it's not so much a feel good factor but just a reignited passion that we so badly needed. Long may it continue. We could finish as high as 6th or I think as low as 14th next season, who knows, but I'm confident we'll be jumping around for every goal and passionately driving the lads forward from the stands again... Which is why we're all fans in the end.

Westwood, Delph and Sylla will take some dislodging because they were building a system in the last 10 games or so that was working. I have a feeling Lambert may use Weimann, N'Zogbia, Tonev or Bacuna in a more central role in certain games next season depending on the opposition also. Added to that we have Gardner and El-Ahmadi and Holman and Johnson and Herd who will all want to put pressure on a midfield spot. I don't see any real future for Bannan really unless Lambert does really rate him and will look to play him ahead of a lot of those options. I've no doubt he has decent passing stats etc, but I'm not sure he offers enough to warrant a place above many of the above players.

Mystery man could be a goalkeeper? A cheaper option with a bit of experience to replace Given.

I'd be quite excited about him. He looks like he knows where the back of the net is. I'm guessing Lambert will start the season still favouring the 433/451 so he may have to wait a while for his chance.

Don't get me wrong I really like Sylla and he came in and made a difference. I just think Westwood and Delph offered more overall. I'd be happy for the three of them to start the Premier League season, I just hope Lambert does have one big marquee signing lined up, and it's in central midfield.

I just say a feeling I have, could be completely wrong. We need more goals from mimidfield and I think Bacuna could provide a couple to tempt lambert to pick him. I definitely felt Delph had a big impact from February onwards. I still think Sylla looked raw although he did basically well in the role ge was given.

Delph was an important player for us from February onwards. Bacuna or any other new signing will do well to displace him. Sylla would be first out to the bench. Agree shifting him should be last thing on our minds at the moment.

Villa fans don't realise how good they have it really. When it comes to match tickets, official merchandise, a lot of things I can think of... compared with most Premier League clubs nowadays Villa is very good value. I always used to lose the arguments I had with my scum mates and colleagues when I went on about their away ticket price for the derby game, they just said "it's business. It's what you have to pay in the PL now and if Villa charge 'next to nothing' for match tickets that's up to them"!!

I can see a starting team in August that includes... Weimann (right wing) Agbonlahor (left wing) Benteke (centre forward) Westwood, Delph and Bacuna (central midfield) I think Tonev will be with Albrighton and N'Zogbia as competition for the wide berths. Weimann may have more of central role behind Benteke, with one of those 3 playing wide, if Lambert wants to be super attacking in a game for whatever reason.

I wouldn't give him anything above 60k, or level with what our current high earner gets. It's down-right out of order that we break our structure to a 6 figure amount just for him. I'd rather he left than give him that. £28 - 30m would be enough for me but I wouldn't sell to a rival Premier League club.

40 goals in 100 games is a very decent return. Better strike rate than Gabby (74 in 280) and Angel (74 in 205). I don't think you can argue he knows where the back of the net is, the worry would be more can he adapt his strength and touch to a much tougher Premier League.

My Dad was Blues. My older brother was Wolves. Two soccer mad grandmothers, however one was Man Utd and the other one is West Brom! No real family allegiances at all with me, which if I think about it with really over the top sentimentalism, I'm sort of gutted about because I never got to have the experience of going down with family/dad etc that a lot of my mates had. At my school it was basically Blues or Villa and I remember loving the colour of the kit, and I loved the players at the time: Bosnich, Earl Barrett, Staunton, Teale, Saunders, Atkinson and GOD. My first memory of supporting us passionately was listening to the radio in our race for the title season, Boxing Day 1992, but getting hammered 3-0 at Coventry! My first game at Villa Park was the following season against Newcastle, taken down by my Villa-supporting older cousin, but we lost 0-2!! We did manage to win the Coca Cola Cup that season though with our amazing semi final victory over Tranmere (still my most incredible Villa Park memory) and beating Man Utd in the final. Since then I've never looked back. Would give anything to see days like those again.