Which of the new batch are you most excited about?

[Delphinho123]

Bennett improved immeasurably?!

Agreed. He went from being a poor championship defender to a really poor premier league defender. I'm all for the kid coming good, but he is absolutely shite.

Oh. Wait. We aren't allowed to say these things on a message board as it might knock the lads confidence...

Bennett will never be good enough for where we want to be. Hopefully Luna is better.

[BOF]

Bennett undoubtedly struggled more than most last season early on but he did improve significantly towards the end of the season to the point where at times he was a stand-out player. It would be madness to write him off. He does need to continue improving but I don't see why a full pre-season added to last season's experiences and coupled with new pressure from Tony Moon can't give us a better Bennett next season. We'll re-visit at Christmas and see how he's getting on.

[Jonoridge91]

I voted Okore but I'm rather excited by all of them to be honest.

I don't know much about them but they aren't just random picks they'll have been scouted.

I have full confidence Paul Lambert knows what he's going for, the only one I think he thinks he made a mistake on was Karim El Ahmadi,looking at it now it's a rather random purchase looking at his philosophy.

 

They'll all have their part to play, some more than others. Players like Gardner and Albrighton will feel like new signings next season hopefully they'll be as determined as ever and bring something to the table.

 

In regards to signings. I think we might make one or two more but we'll need to sell first. Well we'll definitely sell first, I hear Holman's gone now. Hopefully Bent, Hutton and Ireland can be offloaded before August.

[ciggiesnbeer]

 

 

If Bennett is reading any of this it must be doing his confidence a power of good.

 

He will still likely be the starter next season with Luna as competition for his spot. Every player needs someone pushing them. My guess is by December Bennett will be a firm fan favourite, a goal will help that.

 

Indeed... just because Bennett hasn't been as good as Lowton last season it doesn't mean all hope is lost with him, he will improve, he's a good footballer just a bit rash and "green" once he gets the experience and once he gets a goal I think we will see a cracking young Full back... Luna's arrival will help kick him into gear, he had no competition last season, now he has!

 

 

 

Bennett improved immeasurably towards the back end of last season. The flak he cops on here is insane and way over the top.

Luna coming in will hopefully aid that progression and hopefully he will continue at the rate he did at the back of last season.

 

 

Agreed. I know I will get some stick for this but I will say it anyway. Bennett reminds me of some Brazilian full backs. So attack minded he often gets out of position or caught flat footed. I think this is the kind of full back Lambert likes and probably encourages Bennett to develop his attacking game more so he can be a genuine threat.

 

Sod it, lets go balls out. Bennett is going to be as good an attacking full back at Carlos Alberto. There I said it.

[bannedfromHandV]

 

 

Luna for me. I am hoping he turns out to be quality so I dont have to witness Joe Bennett attempting to play football week in week out.

 

 

Luna. Joe Bennett is ****' shit.

You guys are pleasant

 

The simple fact is he was terrible. The away games at Bradord and Norwich were two of the worst performances I have ever witnessed in a long time. This Luna guy apparently has bags of potential, a spanish source likened him to luke shaw. time will tell but i think he will be good

 

 

 

Luke Shaw, seriously? Wowee

[StefanAVFC]

Bennett improved immeasurably?!

Agreed. He went from being a poor championship defender to a really poor premier league defender. I'm all for the kid coming good, but he is absolutely shite.

Oh. Wait. We aren't allowed to say these things on a message board as it might knock the lads confidence...

Bennett will never be good enough for where we want to be. Hopefully Luna is better.

No you're allowed an opinion. Doesn't mean that it's not incredibly harsh. Never be good enough? After one season? I'd say that his only poor performance in the back end of the season was Norwich. He even stood out in certain games, which to do from full back is a decent achievement.

You say you're all for him 'coming good' but you sound like you've already made your mind up which is a real shame.

Edited June 21, 2013 by StefanAVFC

[Delphinho123]

Isn't it? Isn't it just a real shame?

Will you sleep now tonight?

Such a shame I think Bennett will never be good enough as a left back.

Everything and everyone is brilliant in your little world stefan!

[Big_John_10]

Wasn't bennet dropped for baker at some points towards the end of the season.

For the majority of the time he was awful but he showed the odd glimpse of being good enough. Needed replacing and I'll be amazed if he plays more than Luna this season.

[PaulMcGrath_5]

Isn't it? Isn't it just a real shame?

Will you sleep now tonight?

Such a shame I think Bennett will never be good enough as a left back.

Everything and everyone is brilliant in your little world stefan!

Give it a rest fella - you are making yourself sound ever so pathetic. Just accept the different opinion and move on..

[StefanAVFC]

Isn't it? Isn't it just a real shame?

Will you sleep now tonight?

Such a shame I think Bennett will never be good enough as a left back.

Everything and everyone is brilliant in your little world stefan!

Excuse me? I even said myself that he was poor at the start of the season but you're being incredibly harsh now because he's obviously not 'shit'. It's a shame because you can't appreciate and enjoy that a player who plays for villa has improved. Surely that should be your prerogative, and not just looking to put him down at every opportunity? I mean, this thread isn't even about Bennett and some took the opportunity to have a pop at him. Edited June 21, 2013 by StefanAVFC

[Delphinho123]

An opportunity indeed. The question in the thread is about which player we are most excited to see and unfortunately the answer is Luna for a lot of fans because of how piss poor our current left back is.

I agree entirely that he has improved. We bought a very poor championship player and he has improved into a very poor premiership player. He is clearly the weakest link in our team.

I for one cannot wait to see him replaced. Hopefully with Okore alongside Vlaar/Baker will also improve us.

[8pints]

Solidity and creativity are what we desire so I'll be looking to all of them to bring and aspect of both to our play. Okore interests me the most though I think, I'm looking forward to seeing what I believe to be a solid and intelligent centre half creating things from the back.

[tomaspg]

okore for me too, he seems like he can grow into a really solid defender and hopefully he will stay here for a long while

[Kingfisher]

He's struggled, but I've not written him off. (Bennett)

Edited June 21, 2013 by Kingfisher

[HalfTimePost]

Okore for me, think his passing range will be great for us, Lamberts teams like a long ball, we still played quite a few of them, I don't like them - at all - but can see the variance in our passing can do wonders for us playing in different styles. And as well as looking like he could be a very good defender, I also think we'll see him starting some great attacks with those long passes*

 

*by the looks of the Chelsea video, they are just that, long passes, not the mindless hoofs that Dunne, Collins and to a much lesser extent Baker produce.

[Houlston]

I thought Bennett played well towards the end of the season.

 

But on topic I have an equal amount of excitement for Tonev, Okore and Helenius.

 

Tonev because his shooting looks incredible, Okore because he looks a monster that can defend and go forward and Helenius because some of his skills make me drool.

[PaulMcGrath_5]

I thought Bennett played well towards the end of the season.

But on topic I have an equal amount of excitement for Tonev, Okore and Helenius.

Tonev because his shooting looks incredible, Okore because he looks a monster that can defend and go forward and Helenius because some of his skills make me drool.

I agree with all of this. I'm hoping Bacuna can be a bit of a surprise too.

[TheSufferingVilla]

I'm rather excited to see how Sylla develops over the coming season, looks like he could become a cracking player once he gets used to the pace of the league and his own position in the team. That being said I do have a fondness for quality fullbacks. Hopefully Luna fits the bill as Bouma was the last one we had that I actually rated.

[slovenian]

 

 

this might help someone.. i think Tonev and Okore are here to stay, others i have hopes for

[DamsonwoodVillan]

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.