Negativity

[danlanza]

I think people are wrong to think we signed Kozak instead of an attacking midfielder. We just didn't sign the later because the player Lambert wanted wasn't available at the right price.

Couldn't you then make the argument that instead of spending anything at all on Kozak, who plays in a position we're pretty well stocked for, he'd have been better off putting some of that money towards the AM we definitely need?

Don't get me wrong, Kozak may or may not be a good player, I really don't know, but what I do know is that whilst you could possibly make a small case for another striker (Benteke getting injured, for instance), you could make a significantly bigger one for an AM.

I bet you a full pound in cash we have the bloke in midfield by January. A full pound. And he will come from a German team, oh yes. Winky thing.

[pauliewalnuts]

I think people are wrong to think we signed Kozak instead of an attacking midfielder. We just didn't sign the later because the player Lambert wanted wasn't available at the right price.

Couldn't you then make the argument that instead of spending anything at all on Kozak, who plays in a position we're pretty well stocked for, he'd have been better off putting some of that money towards the AM we definitely need?

Don't get me wrong, Kozak may or may not be a good player, I really don't know, but what I do know is that whilst you could possibly make a small case for another striker (Benteke getting injured, for instance), you could make a significantly bigger one for an AM.

I bet you a full pound in cash we have the bloke in midfield by January. A full pound.

We might do so, but January is five months into the season, and the end of it, when most business is done, is more like six months.

I totally understand you can't always get the player you want, when you want him, and can see that maybe part of his thinking might be that Tonev could play that role, but it was really the suggestion that it was the cost that put him off that I was getting at.

Compared to the sums of money we've spent on players the last two or three years, Kozak is relatively expensive. I don't see how it can be money well spent if we were so desperate for an attacking midfielder at the time.

[danlanza]

I think people are wrong to think we signed Kozak instead of an attacking midfielder. We just didn't sign the later because the player Lambert wanted wasn't available at the right price.

Couldn't you then make the argument that instead of spending anything at all on Kozak, who plays in a position we're pretty well stocked for, he'd have been better off putting some of that money towards the AM we definitely need?

Don't get me wrong, Kozak may or may not be a good player, I really don't know, but what I do know is that whilst you could possibly make a small case for another striker (Benteke getting injured, for instance), you could make a significantly bigger one for an AM.

I bet you a full pound in cash we have the bloke in midfield by January. A full pound.

We might do so, but January is five months into the season, and the end of it, when most business is done, is more like six months.

I totally understand you can't always get the player you want, when you want him, and can see that maybe part of his thinking might be that Tonev could play that role, but it was really the suggestion that it was the cost that put him off that I was getting at.

Compared to the sums of money we've spent on players the last two or three years, Kozak is relatively expensive. I don't see how it can be money well spent if we were so desperate for an attacking midfielder at the time.

Mate, things will click into place, starting with this weekend.

[Toronto Villa]

I have no issue with Kozak because I'm firmly of the belief he is Benteke's replacement. It will give him a full season in our set up to get used to how we play. He's a player Lambert wanted and he took advantage of his availability before someone else did. And off course he also provides cover for Benteke now should anything happen to him during the season. That said, we needed to address how we play when we need to be the dominant side and we didn't or least appears that we haven't. A lot can change but I do wonder when the new faces like Helenius and Tonev in particular will play a more prominent role.

[Colin B]

I have to admit that I groaned with despair when the substitution  of Kozak for KEA happened and the horrible "hoofball" happened against Newcastle

But then again I would happily have seen Delph leave Villa last January - now I think he has been our best player this season.

Lambert still has many credits from me when he has proved me wrong. I just hope he has confidence to keep playing football - even though it may not appear to be rewarding us at that very moment

[Dave]

Mate, things will click into place, starting with this weekend.

Don't your oracle-like predictions have us sitting on top of the table with four wins out of four?

[Legion]

Well if it hadn't been for Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle we would be.

[Ads]

I think people are wrong to think we signed Kozak instead of an attacking midfielder. We just didn't sign the later because the player Lambert wanted wasn't available at the right price.

Couldn't you then make the argument that instead of spending anything at all on Kozak, who plays in a position we're pretty well stocked for, he'd have been better off putting some of that money towards the AM we definitely need?

Don't get me wrong, Kozak may or may not be a good player, I really don't know, but what I do know is that whilst you could possibly make a small case for another striker (Benteke getting injured, for instance), you could make a significantly bigger one for an AM.

I don't think we are stocked in that position. If Benteke is injured, then there was no natural target man replacement. Only Gabby can play up top on his own, but then if he is up there, we lose width and pace out wide.

Lambert didn't switch to Kozak at the last minute, he had been chasing him for a long time and had an amount set in his budget to buy him.

[Ads]

Well if it hadn't been for Kevin Friend, Liverpool and Newcastle we would be.

Corrected.

[paul_e]

I think people are wrong to think we signed Kozak instead of an attacking midfielder. We just didn't sign the later because the player Lambert wanted wasn't available at the right price.

Couldn't you then make the argument that instead of spending anything at all on Kozak, who plays in a position we're pretty well stocked for, he'd have been better off putting some of that money towards the AM we definitely need?

Don't get me wrong, Kozak may or may not be a good player, I really don't know, but what I do know is that whilst you could possibly make a small case for another striker (Benteke getting injured, for instance), you could make a significantly bigger one for an AM.

I don't think we are stocked in that position. If Benteke is injured, then there was no natural target man replacement. Only Gabby can play up top on his own, but then if he is up there, we lose width and pace out wide.

Lambert didn't switch to Kozak at the last minute, he had been chasing him for a long time and had an amount set in his budget to buy him.

This is my thinking as well.  I'm fairly convinced that the money was there to get a midfielder as well but Lambert sets a price he's willing to go to on every target and none of the midfielders he looked at were available for his valuation.  I certainly don't think Kozak came because he couldn't get an attacking midfielder.

[Ads]

I think its a risky approach, but its clear Lambert has got a remit, financially, and he is sticking to it quite rigidly. I think in twelve months time, this financial years set of accounts will be pretty interesting.

[Clampy]

I quite like the fact that people who are querying Lambert's transfer policy want him to start a midfielder tomorrow who he plucked from the French 2nd division.

[dave.woodhall]

I think people are wrong to think we signed Kozak instead of an attacking midfielder. We just didn't sign the later because the player Lambert wanted wasn't available at the right price.

Couldn't you then make the argument that instead of spending anything at all on Kozak, who plays in a position we're pretty well stocked for, he'd have been better off putting some of that money towards the AM we definitely need?

Don't get me wrong, Kozak may or may not be a good player, I really don't know, but what I do know is that whilst you could possibly make a small case for another striker (Benteke getting injured, for instance), you could make a significantly bigger one for an AM.

I bet you a full pound in cash we have the bloke in midfield by January. A full pound. And he will come from a German team, oh yes. Winky thing.

Did your friend at Bodymoor tell you this, or is he too busy defending his house from marauding Ultras?

[Tuscans]

Is it "crisis" time if Lambert picks the same team that started against Newcastle, we play poorly and don't pick up any points against Norwich tomorrow?

I want to know when it turns Sunderland'esque!?

[Ads]

The same team he picked against Newcastle could and should have beat Newcastle. We cannot carry five or six rank bad performances.