The summer signings

[Monty]

'no PL experience' really is becoming the new 'we don't shop outside England or Scotland', isn't it?

The apparent need for 'proven PL experience', no matter how average, is what led to the appointment of McLeish.

[Clark W Griswold]

8/10

They will not all turn out to be good, but to be honest, if 4 of them do, we will be better than last season. Even if we sell the ones that don't make it i can't see us making too much of a loss this time.

To make it a 10/10 for me, we would have signed another quality centre back and winger and shipped out Warnock, Hutton and N'Zogbia but i think doing everything in one window is asking a lot.

[Brian Taylor]

Good luck with the new arrivals Paul. The honeymoon period does not last long at the Villa.
It's time to get down to brass tacks now! We're fed up with being shagged!

[PeterWithesShin]

Keown reckons we could go down. Twunt.

[Ron Manager]

Funny that no one appears to have gone in for Tom Ince. I find that strange. I think Lambert has done very well with limited funds but we shall find out. Surprising we bid 7mil for Dempsey and he ends up at Spurs for 6mil!. Both Warnock and Hutton are still there picking up big money.Not their fault of course but Lambert may have to play them at some stage should we get injuries so it may be wise to get them training with the first team again.

[dave.woodhall]

A lot of people will want us to go down, because if our signings click it will be two fingers up to the idea that the only players worth looking at are in the Premier League.

[Clark W Griswold]

A lot of people will want us to go down, because if our signings click it will be two fingers up to the idea that the only players worth looking at are in the Premier League.

Possibly Dave, but i think Swansea and Norwich proved that last season although the difference was that they had all played together before.

[Tom_Mc9?]

I am absolutely, 100% convinced that we are not going down. I (perhaps naively) found myself surprised that Savage said it, but even more surprised more and more people are saying it. We'll be fine.

[charlie]

8/10 at least, yes a winger and a decent cb would have been useful, but most areas addressed, and to those wanting pl  experience................Dunne , Collins., Wornock, etc etc, and oh yes we did have a plan B with MoN............... Mr Em had prem experience too!!!
Lets get behind PL and back them, some look very decent buys indeed!

[Clark W Griswold]

Absolutely no way we'll go down. Too good a manager and now a lot of options, many of which will come good. We've made 8 new signings, some will definately work. We still have quality PL players in Bent, Gabby and Given, we have 4 players that at some point in their career have looked top players in Dunne, Ireland, NZog and Delph and i reckon a couple of those will get a new lease of life under Lambert. He definately will forge at least a half decent PL team with that lot, a hopefully build on it.

Edit: And even though generally i think we have overrated the home grown players a bit, i think 2-3 of them will have good seasons now. I think Lambert is changing the culture at the club in a way that will benefit them, especially the ones who appear to have a good attitude.
We may be in the bottom 6-7 still by christmas, but once it gells we'll be more than fine.

[Summers]

10 out of 10.

Ashley Westwood; if what we hear is true he'll be a fantastic player for us for years. sounds like a young Carrick, exactly what we need in the midfield to shift the ball around.
Christian Benteke; the lad is a beast, and so young. should be causing trouble to defences for years to come. i expect goals this season.
Jordan Bowery; no issue with signings like this. small fee, high potential. could be a genius signing.
Joe Bennett; suited perfectly to how Lambo wants us to line up. young, talented & hard worker.
Ron Vlaar; great signing. a leader, great defender, and good with the ball at his feet too. even losing to everton he had the ability to bust a trick out to skin their striker and move the ball forward.
Matthew Lowton; much like Bennett. talented, hard worker. good getting forward, chips in with goals.
Karim El Ahmadi; this man is classy. didn't work with bannan against everton, but looked great when he went off. fantastic with the ball, hard worker & judging from his goal he can shoot well.
Brett Holman; at the very least he's a hard worker, he can also pass the ball around. he'll run about, try hard and chip in with goals/assists.

the squad is much stronger this year than it was last year. we've spent cash, brought in some quality and some youth too. it's not working right away, but when Lambo gets us playing properly we'll be okay.

[Nev]

I don't know if the signings will work and I don't know if we face a battle at the bottom or will be looking upwards.

I do know that we have a manager who has a philosophy that he believes in, has the courage to implement it with the support of the board and wants to invest and nurture talent in up and coming young players rather than continuing to fund the lavish lifestyle of yet more average, half arsed, self centered failures.

The desperate clamour to stay in the PL makes cowardly managers out of once brave players and leads to a fear of relegation that is akin to the club going bust. Just as qualification for the Champions League doesn't signal untold success and riches, then relegation doesn't kill a football club outright. It's the hype that tells us that the PL is everything when it is not.

I'd rather go down trying to win games through Lamberts way, than stay up via the life sapping, spirit crushing desperation of last season.

[mrastonvilla]

Our better players against Everton had no or little premier league experience. Hopefully the younger players Lambert has bought will also bring some competition to the squad and give some of our underperforming academy players the kick up the arse they desperately need.

[Meanwood Villa]

I haven't given a score as it really is impossible to tell at this stage. Based on his previous record I have faith in the manager but previously good managers can fail at new clubs so it's not a given he'll be a success here. I think the recruitment is a little risky, a lot of reliance on players fulfilling their potential at a level/league they haven't played in before. If even half of them turn in to consistently good performers then the manager deserves a lot of credit. Fingers crossed.

[midnite]

I like your last paragraph Nev