How would you have spent £21m?

[not3bad]

The shed of my dreams.

[danlanza]

A big bag of Haribo Jellied snakes.

[Mr Speedy H]

After watching Moneyball (and a damn fine film it is) I am wondering whether Lambert and Karsa et al are following a similar approach?

I'd be happy with 25 wins on the trot.

[Steve R]

And the other 3 or 4 million on tranquilisers

[tomd2103]

Based on anything LeeB?

I can see the logic in signing players who are perceived to be under valued but I do not buy into the obsession with statistic after all isn’t that how Liverpool ended up with Downing and Adam.

However even buying undervalued players can only get you so far as ultimately to achieve their potential and realise the “profit” they need to be playing and only so many players can play each week.

Actually, John Henry took the view that Moneyball 'would not work the same' in football so made absolutely every single one of the mistakes that people make in the transfer market when they should be using more Moneyball-ish methods: 1) pay too much for English players; 2) overpay for strikers; 3) pay too much based on past achievements or 'flavour-of-the-month' form; 4) give a new manager too much license to buy 'his' squad. I'm sure there are more.

Totally agree Monty.  What they can't admit up there is that their 'Messiah' was completely out of touch with the modern game and paid ridiculously high prices for domestic players on the back of them having one good season.  They have tried to shift the blame on to everyone but Dalglish for the mistakes that were made.

[danlanza]

A seriously large Gin and Tonic, swimming pool size.

[sonlyme]

Nige - I'm with you - In Lambert I trust.

Regarding 'Moneyball' - there is a series of excellent articles here - http://whitehouseaddress.blogspot.co.uk/  Just type Moneyball into the search window.  The article on FC Porto is especially relevant.

There was quite a bit of moaning over Lambert's transfer window purchases from some quarters - but given the Porto experience - for a club of Villa's size and budget - it is the way to go.

Regarding drugs and prostitutes - is £21 million enough?

It could though be enough to buy a season ticket at the Emirates - just.

UTV.

[Dante Lavelli]

Even after three games I reckon the 21m has increased in value.

Joe Bennett - SAME
Matthew Lowton  - PLUS 2M
Ashley Westwood - SAME
Ron Vlaar - PLUS 2M
Karim EL Ahmadi - PLUS 1M
Brett Holman - PLUS 5M
Jordan Bowery - SAME
Christian Benteke - SAME (partially because we paid a fair chunk for potential)

So maybe around 30m.  Not bad, just from applying a logical and well researched transfer policy.

[Redsamurai]

buy up all the english refs contracts and explain that i wanted villa time - and plenty if dodgy refing at certain big clubs to be reversed so rhey get plenty to moan about instead :-)

and the fa cup would be renamed the aston villa cup mkIII

[PONGO49]

Buy Birmingham City and do my best to get them all the way down to the Conference, not sure what i'll spend the other £20.5m on