Paul Lambert press conference

[andyh]

For me, Warnock is the only one one of the back 4 that I would keep.
I think there is a decent player in there.He always gives 100% and plays with his heart on his sleeve. His confidence got shot to shit last season when the crown turned on him, but I think he was unfortunate. In all that time, he did not shirk or hide, he still tried.
I think it would cost a lot of money to get someone better, and we have bigger priorities.
I'd give him another season, and with better players alongside him and without all the negativity around the club, I think he'd be decent for us.

[Concrete John]

Warnock is the first one I'd sell!

[andyh]

I don't know why and it's based on nothing, but I just have a feeling Stevens won't make it at Villa. Hope I'm wrong.

I have that same feeling about Holman.
I think he will the same as that Spanish player TSM was desperate to sign for the rags (michel?). He was brought in on the promise of being something special, and sunk without trace. I hope the same cannot be said for Holman. That said, I hope I am wrong

[Dave Clark Five]

His confidence got shot to shit last season when the crown turned on him,

It was his own fault for drinking in there.

[Risso]

For me, Warnock is the only one one of the back 4 that I would keep.
I think there is a decent player in there.He always gives 100% and plays with his heart on his sleeve. His confidence got shot to shit last season when the crown turned on him, but I think he was unfortunate. In all that time, he did not shirk or hide, he still tried.
I think it would cost a lot of money to get someone better, and we have bigger priorities.
I'd give him another season, and with better players alongside him and without all the negativity around the club, I think he'd be decent for us.

Warnock was very good for the first half of his first season, but after his injury never looked the same.  He was shite under Houllier, and shite under McLeish.  As I said earlier, there comes a point where you can't go on hoping that they eventually come good.

[maidstonevillain]

I don't know why and it's based on nothing, but I just have a feeling Stevens won't make it at Villa. Hope I'm wrong.

I think you are right. I am sure that if he had some future we would have seen him on the bench last season.

[pr_N'villa]

Could a mod change my username to pr_lambo'svilla please. Thanks in advance

[Legion]

Could a mod change my username to pr_lambo'svilla please. Thanks in advance

Name changes are now only for those with GM status so please feel free to donate. You can have it changed back to your original if you wish.

[Risso]

I don't know why and it's based on nothing, but I just have a feeling Stevens won't make it at Villa. Hope I'm wrong.

I think you are right. I am sure that if he had some future we would have seen him on the bench last season.

He was a Salifou type punt on an unknown playing in a rubbish league.  Probably hasn't cost us very much, but still a bit of a waste of everybody's time.  If you're going to find the new Staunton or Roy Keane, you need to do your homework.

[Le Lapin]

I don't know why and it's based on nothing, but I just have a feeling Stevens won't make it at Villa. Hope I'm wrong.

I think you are right. I am sure that if he had some future we would have seen him on the bench last season.

He was a Salifou type punt on an unknown playing in a rubbish league.  Probably hasn't cost us very much, but still a bit of a waste of everybody's time.  If you're going to find the new Staunton or Roy Keane, you need to do your homework.

I heard great things about him from any Rovers fans that I know, he was a different class. The lad only joined up with the club in Jan. This gave him a few months to bed in and get used to the step up in class and pace. We would need to start to see something from him this season though. It's going to be a big pre season for him. I would love to see the lad make it at Villa. Don't write him off yet.

[QBVILLA]

Stevens didn't feature under McLeish.As the general opinion is that McLeish is useless then i think we should reserve judgement.

[KRS]

But we'll get no money for any of our back 4. Can we really afford to replace 4 defenders?

We'd get a few million each for Dunne and Collins being International defenders, Warnock as a left back would also have interest...as for Hutton, cut our losses and give him away on a free transfer if we're lucky.

We wouldn't though. Dunne is 32, almost 33 and on 60k a week, with a year left on his deal. We would get 2 million at best.

Collins is almost 29, also in the last year of his deal and known to be trouble off the pitch for a couple of incidents, and his form has been poor at the very best. 4 million would be a miracle.

Warnock, 30, 31 in December, is also on massive wages, and has been so poor the crowd have been on his back. 2 million at the very most. Again 12 months to go on his deal.

Which would give us at the very optimistic most 8 million quid. Possibly 5-6 as we would have to pay their "loyalty" bonuses after not asking for transfers. To buy 3 centre backs, a left back, and of course a right back as you have released Hutton on a free.

Getting rid of the back 4 is a football manager moment. They have been poor a lot, but have had a lot of excuses since MON left, who had them as the one of the best units in the league. Lambert will, I am sure, not be so quick. If we want to see us have a go at teams, and get on the front foot as he said in his press conference, and see us take the game to the opposition next season, then a couple of wingers, a centre forward and a couple of central midfield players would be on my list before any of the defence, apart from Warnock. I would muddle through and re sign that Spanish lad for a couple of seasons if he fancied it.

Well £2-3m is exactly what I meant by a few million for each...if we could sell all 4 of them for £8m then I would be delighted. The club have stated that they will back Lambert with funds so replacing all 4 shouldnt be a problem.

As for your last paragraph, the back four are a liability and will continue to be so. I would rather try get more out of our attacking options and rebuild from the back with the addition of at least one more in midfield. Lets not forget there are other clubs out there with players on short term contracts going cheap and a couple of bosmans could come in handy too.

Its actually quite worrying when you think about the quality of the senior players...other than Bent, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Gabby(?) then you really start to struggle until you throw in a mix of the younger players to make up the numbers.

[mr-villa]

I heard yesterday evening that PL's first big decision is that he has decided to change the dugouts next season.  The home dugout will now be the one closest to the holte end.  It's good to get the really big decisions done early in your tenure I think!

Seriously though does anybody have thoughts on why he might have taken this decision?

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't know why and it's based on nothing, but I just have a feeling Stevens won't make it at Villa. Hope I'm wrong.

I think you are right. I am sure that if he had some future we would have seen him on the bench last season.

He was a Salifou type punt on an unknown playing in a rubbish league.  Probably hasn't cost us very much, but still a bit of a waste of everybody's time.  If you're going to find the new Staunton or Roy Keane, you need to do your homework.

How on earth does anyone know enough about Stevens to know he's been a waste of time or money?

[Monty]

I heard yesterday evening that PL's first big decision is that he has decided to change the dugouts next season.  The home dugout will now be the one closest to the holte end.  It's good to get the really big decisions done early in your tenure I think!

Seriously though does anybody have thoughts on why he might have taken this decision?

Maybe he has a left and right superstition? These sports people are mental with their superstitions.