Transfer Speculation / Gossip

[andrew08]

I guarantee Gabby will play well on Saturday because that is what he does. It's likely though to be his best performance of the season, because he does that as well.

[Dave]

All that potential and nothing.... waster

I'm not sure that being Villa's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer is 'nothing'.

I'd have said that his career has gone very much in line with the potential that he showed.

[papa lazarou]

If Sanchez is to be the player to break up play and provide cover for the back four, what are the thoughts on KEA being the deep play maker?

He is too lightweight to be a defensive midfielder, but perhaps he offers a more enterprising alternative to Westwood (who I like).

It's a nice problem to have. Westwood needs to step it up a level which I think he's capable of. KEA will probably spend more time on the bench this season. Lambert appears to love both but Keane may not be so erm.. keen.

I've said it before but I don't think KEA can offer anything in this league. I don't see him as creative at all and he loses the ball in challenges so often he's a liability.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Maybe we should keep players now. Strength in depth has been lacking for years. Well done Lambert on the summers business.

If only he knew what to do with them we'd be looking forward to the season with some confidence.

Considering the calibre of players we've signed under Lambert, if he was as tactically clueless as some make out we'd have been easily relegated. (Thats not aimed at any specific poster)

He's by no means perfect but then in management terms he's still a relatively 'young' manager, especially in the top flight and is still, hopefully, learning. Maybe it's wishful thinking as I like Lambert and also, although I'm possibly in a small minority, like his 'we go again' attitude whether we've had a good win or bad defeat.

If we sign Sanchez then I think we've had a reasonable summer. Not hugely exciting but we'll be stronger than this time last year.

He most certainly isn't anywhere near perfect, I'll give you that, Pongo. I also like him, I just don't rate him. Overall I think he's bought well, so I don't blame the players as much as I blame him. I'd prefer he refrained from "we go again" and just bloody fix the problem but tactics don't appear to be his strong point.

I'm all for "wishful thinking" because that's all we can do with Lambert, without slashing our collective wrists. The season's about to kick off and I'm wishfully praying Lambert can get it right and prove to be the manager we hoped we'd got two years ago. I'm also praying Keane can help him see what's going on in front of him when things go wrong.

Who knows, he may turn out to be the missing ingredient to our management team and we start playing like those few, rare occasions last season when we looked brilliantly organised and pressed teams into submission. God knows what was going on behind the scenes and at Bodymoor Heath last season but as there's been no takeover we're stuck with the Accidental Manager.

Let's wish/pray he is learning and manages to finally start delivering on his previous promise. It looks like he's signing another decent player that will give us all a much needed lift. It's not like we don't deserve it.

[N'ZMAV]

All that potential and nothing.... waster

I'm not sure that being Villa's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer is 'nothing'.

I'd have said that his career has gone very much in line with the potential that he showed.

a lot of our other strikers would have scored a lot more than Gabby in the amount of games he's had. He really could have pushed on. But, he hasn't.

[mr underhill]

if Lambert comes out just once with WGA this season I'm going to do a Gareth Williams

[PeterWithesShin]

I'd guess that most of thought 5 years ago that Gabby would have scored more and been a better player than he has been. He's done okay for us but hasn't kicked on like I thought he would.

[E I Adio]

All that potential and nothing.... waster

I'm not sure that being Villa's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer is 'nothing'.

I'd have said that his career has gone very much in line with the potential that he showed.

a lot of our other strikers would have scored a lot more than Gabby in the amount of games he's had. He really could have pushed on. But, he hasn't.

The problem with Gabby as I see it is that he has never been a particularly all round talented player. His skills are limited. His major asset, which is his speed will inevitably deteriorate if it hasn't begun to already, but he has other attributes of course, for instance he can be a threat in the air in front of goal, but things that require a little bit of thought, sensory anticipation or skill with the ball at his feet in a one on one situation are not his strong points.

I think he is still worth his place as long as he is played in a position where he can show his strengths.

[Toronto Villa]

given his primary attribute injuries haven't helped at all and also I think the departure of MON really affected him. He was in great form for a while there alongside Carew/Young, and was so important in so many facets of the game. For me works best as a lone forward, or at least in a front two. Not as a winger or wide forward where he is asked to track back a lot. When you are a sprinter being knackered doesn't help.

[barrysleftfoot]

 If we sign Sanchez i would let KEA and Herd go tbh.Keep GG and Westwood for 12 months and if neither develop let them go then.

[PeterWithesShin]

If we sign Sanchez i would let KEA and Herd go tbh.Keep GG and Westwood for 12 months and if neither develop let them go then.

With our record for injuries i'd keep them until January at least. especially with the injury problems Gardner has had.

[Matt C]

From John Percy at the Telegraph

@John__Percy: Elche's Colombia international midfielder Carlos Sanchez is flying to Birmingham on Wednesday for a medical, ahead of a £4.5m move to #avfc

[Olneythelonely]

I thought he was at the Malmaisson now? Bloody ITKs.

[Toronto Villa]

I thought he was already in Birmingham?

[Clampy]

If we sign Sanchez i would let KEA and Herd go tbh.Keep GG and Westwood for 12 months and if neither develop let them go then.

With our record for injuries i'd keep them until January at least. especially with the injury problems Gardner has had.

I'd be keeping KEA, he's not that bad a player and he's worth keeping around. I can't see Gardner getting too much of a chance really though.