Paul Lambert press conference

[not3bad]

I'm pretty sure Dunne will be kept on for this season.  Don't know about the others though.

[Concrete John]

Even when he was signed, the general feeling was that Stevens needed the half season to get up to speed and 12/13 was when we would see what sort of player he was.

[Summers]

Holman will make it. He isn't an unknown like Salifou. He's an international in a strong side who was playing in a strong league.

[lordmcgrath5]

Just watched this interview on the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18338893

He's not exactly gushing with boundless excitement and enthusiasm, is he? Seems to be playing his cards close to his chest and saying pretty much what you'd expect. Still, nothing wrong with that really at this stage.

He's said more than Ron Saunders ever used to say.

Yes, but Sir Ron spoke in pearls of wisdom. "Do you want to bet against us?" etc.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Mark my words.
N'Zogbia will be a revelation under Lambert.

Let's face it, Messi would look shit following the instructions of McCatpiss.

[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.

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

You're right in that I haven't seen him, but really, what are the chances that a signing (and a McLeish signing at that) fom the Irish league is going to come good?   We've probably got better players in the youth team coming through.  If he makes any appearances at all this season, I'll hold my hands up and admit I was wrong, but I don't think I will be somehow.

[pauliewalnuts]

So you want to write him off because he came from the Irish league (as did the other players you mentioned) and because McLeish signed him?

Honestly, that seems more than a little bit unfair. It is pretty tough to expect a 21 year old to go from Shamrock Rovers to the Premier League in one jump.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Dares more to Ireland dan dis.

[N'ZMAV]

Even when he was signed, the general feeling was that Stevens needed the half season to get up to speed and 12/13 was when we would see what sort of player he was.

If Stevens was going to make it surely he'd have played some part, especially as we was totally shite in the second half of last season.

[Risso]

So you want to write him off because he came from the Irish league (as did the other players you mentioned) and because McLeish signed him?

Honestly, that seems more than a little bit unfair. It is pretty tough to expect a 21 year old to go from Shamrock Rovers to the Premier League in one jump.

We'll see.  I'm not writing him off, but the chances are, in common with most of the other reserves and youth players, that he won't make it.  That's just pure probability.  Even the players who were considered "exceptional" at that level like Albrighton are struggling now.

[pauliewalnuts]

So you want to write him off because he came from the Irish league (as did the other players you mentioned) and because McLeish signed him?

Honestly, that seems more than a little bit unfair. It is pretty tough to expect a 21 year old to go from Shamrock Rovers to the Premier League in one jump.

We'll see.  I'm not writing him off, but the chances are, in common with most of the other reserves and youth players, that he won't make it.  That's just pure probability.  Even the players who were considered "exceptional" at that level like Albrighton are struggling now.

"Probably hasn't cost us very much, but still a bit of a waste of everybody's time." seems pretty close to writing off. If it is about pure probability re young players (and I guess it is), then that's something that goes for all of them, not just Stevens.

Either way, we'll find out soon enough, I imagine

[Irish villain]

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.

I actually have been meaning to donate for ages only our maestro cards don't have some number that UK ones do. An issue number or some such? I'll try to get it sorted in the near future.

[Risso]

So you want to write him off because he came from the Irish league (as did the other players you mentioned) and because McLeish signed him?

Honestly, that seems more than a little bit unfair. It is pretty tough to expect a 21 year old to go from Shamrock Rovers to the Premier League in one jump.

We'll see.  I'm not writing him off, but the chances are, in common with most of the other reserves and youth players, that he won't make it.  That's just pure probability.  Even the players who were considered "exceptional" at that level like Albrighton are struggling now.

"Probably hasn't cost us very much, but still a bit of a waste of everybody's time." seems pretty close to writing off. If it is about pure probability re young players (and I guess it is), then that's something that goes for all of them, not just Stevens.

Either way, we'll find out soon enough, I imagine

The fact remains that he didn't feature at all last season, and even allowing for TSM's idiocy, given how poor Warnock was, Stevens wasn't getting a sniff ahead of an out-of-position Lichaj.

[curiousorange]

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.

Maybe he's deaf in his right ear, so he won't hear any potential abuse.

[dave.woodhall]

So you want to write him off because he came from the Irish league (as did the other players you mentioned) and because McLeish signed him?

Honestly, that seems more than a little bit unfair. It is pretty tough to expect a 21 year old to go from Shamrock Rovers to the Premier League in one jump.

We'll see.  I'm not writing him off, but the chances are, in common with most of the other reserves and youth players, that he won't make it.  That's just pure probability.  Even the players who were considered "exceptional" at that level like Albrighton are struggling now.

By that logic we should scrap our youth policy. Most of them won't make it and are therefore a waste of time and money.