Andreas Weimann

[Clampy]

I prefer Westwood but fear the back 4 would be as exposed akin to last season ifwe had that. But, in saying that, Delph's progression has also seen him do the defensive work a lot better.

Do you think Westwood could play the AM role? I'm curious, I know a lot of the criticism is that his balls are generally not 'cutting edge' and are all a bit Joe Allen, but that could be the oppo for him to actually create chances. Don't know, just want us creating more at bastard home!

I doubt it, westwood (and kea for that matter) is a tempo setter, his game isn't about cutting people apart, it's about getting the ball to other people, in the right areas, so they can cut people apart.  Where he's struggled this season it's largely be cause him and kea are trying to do the same things, but KEA is a touch more mobile so gets bypassed too often.  I don't really get why we've tried to play both, either or with 2 from Delph, Sylla, Bacuna (and potentially Johnson and Gardner).

4231 should be an option in the premier league rather than the go to tactic, too many sides have big powerful midfields that you need to compete against to earn the right to play.

Playing both KEA and Westwood always baffles me. I'm a fan of Lambert on the whole, and although it's easy to say from the stands, but it seems so blindingly obvious that it doesn't work.

I agree with this. It's definately one or the other with Sylla and Delph and away from home I think i'd go with KEA.

[Isa]

I still believe that Sylla holding and KEA and Delph playing slightly further up is our strongest midfield three.

[Malandro]

I seem to be in a minority, but I really believe there is good forward in there somewhere. Not sure why he got so much abuse being relatively young and hard working

[Toronto Villa]

He looks like he's lost some weight too. Looks a lot leaner. Lets hope he can find the form again that made us all rather excited about his emergence 2 seasons ago.

[oldham_villa]

I have to say, I think El Ahmadi is a bloody awful player, one of the most ineffectual players since Paul Mortimer.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

He looks like he's lost some weight too. Looks a lot leaner. Lets hope he can find the form again that made us all rather excited about his emergence 2 seasons ago.

Thought he looked a bit trimmed down too.

If he can get that sharpness back of a few seasons ago (ffs he's on'y a babby) he's a handful!

(For defenders, not like that, you dirty minded fu**ers!)

[Matt Collins]

He's a funny one Weimann. His touch and awareness are appalling at times. And then he pops up with a goal, often against top sides.

Not sure what to make of him, still.

[paul_e]

I like Weimann, I think he'd be a really good player in his wide right role if his first touch was better.  He makes very good runs into gaps where defenders don't want to follow and he's got good vision to pick passes around the edge of he box, but he lets himself down with his touch too often, I'd have him working on his basic technical skills regularly in training.  I'd do the same with Bacuna who has the same flaw but I think basic skills should be worked on constantly anyway, like all sports everything becomes easier if the basics just happen naturally.

His other major issue last season was that he didn't look as fit as I'd like but as others have commented he does seem to have addressed that this summer.

Finally, when he broke through the best thing about his game was that he always worked the keeper, last season his shooting was off target far too often.  Like Tonev he seemed to be trying too hard most of the time, he just needs to relax and play his natural game.

[Malandro]

having such poor possession must make it extremely difficult for the attacking players too - not surprising they may snatch at the few chances they manage to get.

[Ads]

Andi is a centre forward and although he was poor last season, he was by and large being asked to play wide, when that isn't his game. Play him through the middle and he will score goals.

[silhillvilla]

If gabby has a mare at Stoke I'd bomb squad him and play wiseman up top

[Matt Collins]

The problem is if you play him through the middle he has to have a partner and that obviously restricts your formation to 442, 352 etc

We can't make decisions based on each individual player's best position. Similar to Darren bent position.

(I think I've made this point about fifty times now so I am going to try and stop!)

[Gregorys Boy]

The problem is if you play him through the middle he has to have a partner and that obviously restricts your formation to 442, 352 etc

We can't make decisions based on each individual player's best position. Similar to Darren bent position.

(I think I've made this point about fifty times now so I am going to try and stop!)

You could play him behind the striker, either Gabby or Bent in this case.  He was effective in a wide position but only when we played that three man forward line which I am not sure we will see much of this year.

[Matt Collins]

You can, but that means you play two in midfield. Maybe sanchez and Delph are strong enough as a pair to do that. Generally Westwood and Delph hasn't been. And you don't have any real creativity in central areasif you do that. Perhaps now we at least have a touch more creativity wide than we did last season.

[UK Redsox]

Andi has been dropped by Austria

Da Beeb

Disappointment for Aston Villa striker Andreas Weimann as he's left out of Austria's squad for next month's European Championship qualifier against Sweden.
Weimann scored the winner in Villa's opening day win at Stoke, but he's overlooked in favour of 1860 Munich striker Rubin Okotie, who wins his first call-up in five years.