Ashley Westwood

[OCD]

Sounds exactly the type of player this clubs need. I'm very excited about what Lamberts doing here. We've signed promising youngsters, all technically efficient it seems, and we're clearly building a team for the future. Good to see. This just feels better than the O Neill era of signing name players who were mostly over the hill or shit, forever waiting for him to sign the "marquee" name that never transpired.

I think our season starts at Swansea. That should be a cracking game. Newcastle, at this point will be just a bit too good on their own turf.

Lambert certainly seems to have a good eye for a player. There's not been one signing where I've thought 'why the fuck are we signing him?' - there were plenty of those during the O'Neill/McLeish years. Lambert's implementing the sort of policy I've wanted us to have for years.

[Ian.]

Its been easy for many people (the press mainly) to try and compare Lambert to MON, but from this transfer window it shows there is far more to him. MON liked to bring in the tried and tested Premiership players like Harewood, Knight, Warnock, Sidwell, Collins, Beye, Shorey etc. They were very much players who can do a job (well sometimes), maybe not raise an eyebrow, but all players you knew about. Lambert seems to have a plan and has set out on certain players to fit this. OK it has to work out and the proof will be in the next year or so and it can all go tits up. However it is very intriguing and exciting to see what is going to happen.

[darren woolley]

Welcome to the Villa Ashley he's just the sort of player we need young and hungry.

[Chipsticks]

I think our season starts at Swansea. That should be a cracking game.

I'm a little cautious that when two teams who like to pass the ball come together, the side that's best at it seems to win. Such as Arsenal beating Liverpool at the weekend. I also have a horrible memory last season of when we had a really good away day before being battered at home by Swansea that I pray doesn't repeat itself.

But I'm sure we'll be fine, onwards and upwards and all that

[The Man With A Stick]

Its been easy for many people (the press mainly) to try and compare Lambert to MON, but from this transfer window it shows there is far more to him.

It's just lazy journalism.  If anything, he's the Anti-MON.

[Risso]

Fletcher by himself cost more than most of our players.  OK Fletcher got off to a good start (but then, so did Heskey....) and O'Neill will doubtless have been congratulating himself all weekend, but the long term cost of all those players can't be healthy for Sunderland.

[JJ-AV]

Lambert is completely in awe of MON. It's not just respect, he still refers to him as 'The Gaffer'. Hopefully (and it looks likely) he's more flexible than O'Neill. Who always seemed very likely to throw the toys out of the pram if anyone questioned him/he didn't get his way.

[VILLA MOLE]

Welcome and good luck and I hope your as good as our last player from Crewe.

But not as backofaspoon-faced.

with a hint of Salmon face as well

our Dads were friends and I had told my mates that fact and we waited for him after a game.

 As I went up to him to say hello  and mentioned our dads he blanked me  I was only a kid after that

he could fuck off the ugly bastard. 

[Jarpie]

Lambert is completely in awe of MON. It's not just respect, he still refers to him as 'The Gaffer'. Hopefully (and it looks likely) he's more flexible than O'Neill. Who always seemed very likely to throw the toys out of the pram if anyone questioned him/he didn't get his way.

What I saw last season with Norwich and what I saw in the fan Q&A in AVTV I think Lambert is quite a bit different than MON; Lambert can shift between different kind of tactics even middle of the match if the one isn't working, he rotates players, he buys young players and gives chance for young players to show what they can do.

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

I think our season starts at Swansea. That should be a cracking game.

I'm a little cautious that when two teams who like to pass the ball come together, the side that's best at it seems to win. Such as Arsenal beating Liverpool at the weekend. I also have a horrible memory last season of when we had a really good away day before being battered at home by Swansea that I pray doesn't repeat itself.

But I'm sure we'll be fine, onwards and upwards and all that

Lambert masterminded home and away wins for Norwich over Swansea last season (3-1 at home, 3-2 away), so he seems to know how to beat them.  As good a reason to be optimistic as any.  Wish we didn't have to have a week off for the tedious internationals though...

[SoccerHQ]

Know a Crewe fan who watches the Alex regularly and certainly knows his football.

This is his take on Ash after I asked him if he's premier league quality:

He will be Chris. He's a really good player is Ash. Superb passer of the ball really good game player, plays the situation and has really matured over the past year since Dario moved upstairs and stopped making ridiculous statements like "He's the best passer of the ball in the country".

I think he could have done with another year at Crewe, just like Powelly, or at the very least a year at Championship level... and it might take him time to acclimatise.... but if Lambert is brave enough to pick him and let him make his mistakes and keep picking him then 12-18months down the line I think you'll be looking at a genuine bargain.

Must say I like the sound of him and KEM sitting infront of the back 4, two intelligent  ball playing central midfielders.

[ozzjim]

You do get the impression he likes a player who can find a team mate. I thought we went in really light against Newcastle, but through harassment and then intelligently keeping the ball when it was turned over we did well. Ireland, Bannan, Westwood, KEA are all ball players. Interesting times.

[Toronto Villa]

You do get the impression he likes a player who can find a team mate. I thought we went in really light against Newcastle, but through harassment and then intelligently keeping the ball when it was turned over we did well. Ireland, Bannan, Westwood, KEA are all ball players. Interesting times.

Not only that Ozz, when we lost the ball we worked hard to get it back. Keeping the ball and working hard to get it back quickly seems to be a basic requirement to play for Paul Lambert.

[Jarpie]

You do get the impression he likes a player who can find a team mate. I thought we went in really light against Newcastle, but through harassment and then intelligently keeping the ball when it was turned over we did well. Ireland, Bannan, Westwood, KEA are all ball players. Interesting times.

Not only that Ozz, when we lost the ball we worked hard to get it back. Keeping the ball and working hard to get it back quickly seems to be a basic requirement to play for Paul Lambert.

I think that's the reason why Lambert rotates quite a bit, the style what we played against Newcastle tend to be more taxing than sitting back. I'm actually surprised why teams doesn't rotate players more since it keeps players physically sharper and less prone for mistakes.

[Hookeysmith]

Damn the stupid national team - cannot wait for Swansea game now