DamsonwoodVillan

I have a suspicion he may have an important role to play a bit further on in the season. I have doubts about both Hutton and Bacuna at rb and I think Crespo had a great season last year in La Liga.

How many goals for the season we thinking for him now?

Lescott in, and then a striker. It has to be right though. The right player to fit what we already have. I don't want fans to adapt any sort of mindset such as 'Adebayor or nobody'.

Very disappointed we didn't win but I have to say it's positive how we're talking about decent attacking play and being creative. Last season we could easily have lost that game due to just not having the ball and creating nothing. No doubt in my mind we have moved forward as a team. The one thing that worries me, and I'm sure worries everyone to be honest, who is going to get the goals for this team? Right now absolutely no one is backing any of Gabby, Gestede, Kozak or Ayew to hit anything like enough goals, and for the moment anyway our main threats appear to be Sinclair and Traore. I'm giving Clark some benefit of the doubt. He has been quite good over the last couple of seasons for me and looked decent in pre - season, had a shocker today. If Lescott does come in it will improve what we have, no questions. Assuming Lescott does happen I'm hoping against hope we do also sign a 15-20 goal man. If we did bring that calibre of striker in by Tuesday, this could be our best season since the O'Neill days.

Think he will make a difference. Decent signing in the short term. Hope he's not the only one though.

Think the team will be this, assuming these players are healthy: Guzan Bacuna Richards Clark Amavi Gueye Sanchez Westwood Grealish Sinclair Gestede Think he will have all of Traore, Gil and Gabby on the bench and I have a feeling we'll need them in what will be a frustrating afternoon. The rest of the bench Bunn, Veretout, Baker, Ayew. Not confident of a clean sheet which is worrying. On paper we should win this but unless Sunderland crumble in the first half I suspect this will be difficult. I'm not convinced we play the right sort of football for Gestede just yet. We haven't adapted well enough yet to incorporate more crosses into our game. We will get there with this though. I'd be tempted to stick with Gabby up top on his own if only because he should cause O'Shea a nightmare, and if he can't score himself he would hopefully at least create a yard for someone else. I do agree with most though that Gestede and Sinclair will get the nod for this and he will drop out. 1-1

I would have said Grealish was top of the diamond with Sanchez at the base and Gana and Westwood in front.

I suppose the Austin tweet was a flash in the pan based on nothing

I suspect Grealish will start and it will be at the expense of Ayew in our only change. Hope I'm wrong as I think Ayew is the type that needs a bit of a run to find his feet, but Sinclair is doing quite well and I just think Sherwood (like many managers before him) is reluctant to drop Gabby. I think Traore may have a run from the bench but the Sunderland game will be the one he and Gil will be properly pushing for a start. Guzan Bacuna Richards Clark Amavi Gueye Westwood Veretout Grealish Agbonlahor Sinclair

Signing Lennon and Lescott would give us a bit more good old English Premier League experience to go with the additions to date. I'd be all for both of them. Possibly Senderos, Tonev, Richardson and Steer to make room in the squad.

Very very tough game. On paper I'd fancy us to win but I think in the context of the game it will count for nothing. 1-1 or 2-1 Bournemouth. Guzan Hutton Richards Clark Amavi Gueye Westwood Veretout Bacuna Ayew Sinclair

As I said last August, there will be the big five in any order, then Everton, Southampton, Spurs and Swansea will make up the next little mini league down to mid table. From there any team from 10th all the way down could conceivably be relegated. It all depends on which teams put the runs of results together. I do think we'll be a team that can get on better runs of results this season. I think the height of our potential is 9th or 10th, which would be superb. 11th to 13th is more realistic. I've no doubt we can score, but we will also concede a lot.

Jeez, players come players go. You support Aston Villa. The club goes on. It's wrong to hero worship players thinking they will always be Villa. The only player we could revere as a career Villa man right now is Gabby. And he gets plenty of posts saying it would be best for all parties if he moved on! In my time I have worshipped McGrath, Bosnich, Ehiogu, Yorke, Merson, Mellberg, Laursen and Benteke. Nearly all of those names moved on, because that's what happens in football. Guys you associate with Villa normally is because it was the best time of their career or they won something with us. Not because they bleed Claret and Blue. This isn't the sport to have 'your team' who you identify. Support the team and embrace the change. Sorry rant over, back on topic I still think we could do with a wide player and a cb. I think Richards would do ok there but can't understand why we wouldn't play him at rb and get proven quality in.

I definitely think he's a good player but with both Ayew and Gestede now in who would be left out? If we sign Ade then surely the end is nigh for Kozak? I just don't know. I do get the arguments about 'you can never have too many goalscorers' etc, but surely we would be trying to squeeze too many faces in when you consider Gil and Grealish are best in central roles as well. I assume if he is still signing that we will be playing 2 up front with the 'number 10' role player playing in behind them. Sinclair Adebayor Ayew (Still leaves Agbonlahor, Gestede, Kozak, Robinson, Gil and Grealish out completely).

Yeah played the full 90. Looked good for me. Put himself about and was a handful. Lots of movement. Dropped deep to get involved and won the ball back a few times. Certainly seems like he wants to do well for us. It was a shame it never dropped for him in front of goal. I think he could link up really well with players like Gil or Grealish. He was wearing the 10 shirt as far as I could see. Could have been an optical illusion of 18 I guess!

I really don't like that home side at all! I really don't like either of them. It could be Guzan Hutton Richards Clark Amavi Gueye Veretout/Westwood Ayew Gil Agbonlahor Adebayor As a 4321. If Adebayor is on which I presume it still is we certainly do have options.

Out of those 6 you'd still back Adebayor to be top scorer I guess. I really don't know. Obviously there's reasons Tim has brought in this many attackers but it doesn't fit how we were in pre season with Gil playing just off the main striker. The idea must be to play with two up top and one in behind in 'the hole' position. My attacking three would probably be Gil Adebayor Gestede

Actually now I've just written those I'm really not sure. Seems tough on Ayew, Gil and Grealish who I think have the potential to do well this season. Do we really need Adebayor with Ayew and Gestede both in?

Home/attacking side Guzan Hutton Richards Clark Amavi Agbonlahor Gueye Westwood Sinclair Adebayor Gestede Away/more defensive side Guzan Hutton Richards Clark Amavi Gueye Westwood Veretout Gil Sinclair Adebayor

I still want Richards to go to right back and we invest in a real top quality cb to play alongside Clark. No doubt it will be Hutton and Richards first choice. Does anyone think it may have been some sort of condition that Richards made to join - he was joining to play cb? The potential signings over the next couple of days again leaves me pondering what our preferred formation will be.

Ade 12 Ayew 8 Kozak 5 Gabby 3 I think is a realistic and conservative prediction for those lot. Gestede added to the equation would reduce someone else's number but may push the figures up overall. A handful of goals from elsewhere in the team and that may be enough to keep us up I definitely think we'll need Ade to be the main man.

Prince Albert boozer. What will the team be? Bunn Hutton Richards Clark Amavi Gueye Westwood Bacuna Gil Sinclair Agbonlahor

I actually think Zog has been more disappointing than a couple of these! Enckelman I thought played quite well a few times as understudy to James and Schmeichel. I had no problems with it the summer he was promoted to number 1, it was only after this that it went wrong for him. He also came through from the academy so no real wasted money factor. De La Cruz was way off the quality we needed but I thought he put a shift in for the team in O'Leary's last season. I would argue he was better value for the club as well.

It's ok. A lot would depend on Ayew having a brilliant first season though. I actually think it will be 4-2-3-1: Guzan Crespo Richards Clark Amavi Gueye Veretout Ayew Gil Sinclair/Grealish Adebayor

The Birmingham Mail have picked up the story in their daily Rumour Mill section. It's been reported in the UK by the Daily Express and Talksport.