Libor Kozák (confirmed post #190)

[The Left Side]

Welcome Libor

[Seb_AVFC]

TBH Archie, I don't expect to have another Benteke on our hands and expect you to be right in this case, it was just the last time we had an opinion on an unknown striker from someone who saw them regularly and was based in their Country, it was Belgium Villa and the report was almost a carbon copy of yours. "Can head the ball", "Not great though", "Surprised we bought him".

Yes I know, but as he played for my beloved team, having seen him a lot of times, I can say that I know him very well.

No worries mate. Benteke played one season for me little sisters favourite team... ;-)

I reckon he'll miss a few sitters early on and we'll all ask why in October...

[Malandro]

I think he will do what is expected of him - give his all, score a fair amount of headers, be a nuisance and probably be unspectacular.

I do, however, think he will be a popular player.

[paul_e]

All we need is for Stuart to say he's shit and we're good to go.

We need him to miss a few chances having scored for the czech republic for that to happen, then he'll be proven not good enough because he can score internationally but misses the same chances in the league.  Also the common belief that you don't worry if a striker isn't scoring so long as he's still getting chances will have to be completely wrong.

[Villafirst]

I just read that he only started 5 league games last year, which makes his stats look a bit better.

It's good to have squad options. I do think he's benteke's replacement though, probably after the World Cup.

No chance, if Benteke leaves (I don't think he will that quickly) PL will have upwards of £40M at his disposal to buy a replacement in the region of £10-15M

[Monty]

Having watched a sad amount of Serie A I have to agree with Archie. I think £7m is a lot to pay for him, and he's not necessarily what we needed either.

[Niall]

I think Lambert and his scouts have done enough to earn the benefit of the doubt on transfers. They don't seem to make panic buys and I doubt would spend this sort of money without being convinced he's worth it. No offence to anyone, but I trust their judgement on players much more than someone who's watched a few Serie A games

[Monty]

I think Lambert and his scouts have done enough to earn the benefit of the doubt on transfers. They don't seem to make panic buys and I doubt would spend this sort of money without being convinced he's worth it. No offence to anyone, but I trust their judgement on players much more than someone who's watched a few Serie A games

You could have addressed me directly, you know. And for what it's worth, I trust Lambert's judgement on transfers more than mine as well. But I'm entitled to my view and I'm entirely unconvinced by this. Even Ferguson signed Djemba-Djemba - nobody's perfect.

[Tuco Salamanca]

Seems a huge amount for a reserve with a barely 1 in 4 goalscoring record. Not £27m for Fellaini huge, but pretty huge.

He looks like being our plan B or C in circumstances such as the last 20 mins of the Liverpool game. I'd have preferred a creative midfielder/no.10 but Lambert's transfer record has been pretty tidy so far so who am I to argue?

UTV

[onje_villa]

That big rubbish Belgian bloke turned out half decent.

[Archie]

Kozak was not good enough for the Italian Serie A, this is a fact, as he played there 4 seasons and never gained a role in the starting XI at Lazio that had only one good striker (before Rocchi, then Klose), and for this reason were obliged to play with a 4-5-1- formation.
And another fact is that he is very good with the head, and very, very bad with the feet.
But still i think that he can play a role in the games against small teams, when they park the bus in the box. 
Infact, even if the Premier League is much more competitive than the Serie A, I think he could be more adapted to English football, as it is more physical and there are much many crosses than in italy, where the traditional winger's role is almost disappeared.
 

[QBVILLA]

Benteke's replacement 12 months early maybe? Whatever reason he's been signed he's an addition to the squad and after years of reading on here of posters bleating about the lack of foreign signings, a bit of the unknown should be welcomed.

[Jarpie]

According to HairyHands at Villatalk the fee was 4-4,5 million pounds, not 7-7,5m and Guardian also reported 5m.

[edgysatsuma89]

I like the fact that he's big and ugly

Got nothing to lose when you're giving 100% and smash your face off another opponents hopefully prettier face.

[Monty]

According to HairyHands at Villatalk the fee was 4-4,5 million pounds, not 7-7,5m and Guardian also reported 5m.

That would make it slightly better, but only slightly as it's multi-millions on a player I'm not convinced we'll need. But hey, it's Lambo's squad, and his comments did not indicate he was planning to revert to some MONish 4-4-2, so as long as Benteke stays fit we'll be alright.