Lambert's worst signing?

[dave.woodhall]

I'm lost here. How can he be a decent finisher (borne out by his goals/starts ratio) and also the worst signing?

Spent 7m on a player clearly unsuited to the preferred 4312/433 systems. Both systems need mobile forwards of which Kozak clearly isn't one. Both Helenius and even Holt look like they also are pulling sleds on the pitch so no idea why he brought them in either. Managers shouldn't just buy players that are good players, they need to be able to fit into the style of play. Moyes has been guilty of it at United too imo as I've no idea where Felliani and Mata will fit in when everyone is fit.

Should have spent the budget on a wide forward or an attacking midfielder instead.

1) He scores goals. 2) I fail to see how you can judge Helenius on what we've seen so far.

Darren Bent scores goals, should have kept him if that was the only criteria for being a forward at the club.

Helenius is far too slow to be a worthwhile option. His pace won't improve no matter how many chances he gets. I'd give Tonev a lot better chance of being a success at the club than Helenius Im afraid.

Let's see.

[not3bad]

Kozak can't have been that bad, he's scored 4 goals. How many games has he actually started? EDIT - 9.

The problem with the Kozak signing isn't the player himself, it is that we signed him rather than a higher quality midfielder, which is where we really needed to strengthen.

That doesn't make Kozak a bad player though.

Agreed, he seems a decent finisher. But he needs wingers as he doesn't really move at all. Lambert doesn't like wingers so not sure where he thought he would fit in.

I don't know why he thought we needed another striker at all, to be honest.

My take on it was we'd get Kozak up to speed with the English League so he'd be more ready to step into Benteke's shoes if and when Tekkers left.

[Merv]

Kozak's looked a decent scorer to me, Helenius has barely had a change, but you can still see there's talent there, Luna's struggled of late yet has had some decent performances.

Tonev has looked appalling every time I've watched him. Low concentration, sloppy control, erratic shooting, poor work rate, awful decision making.

[mattjpa]

I think anyone in their first season signed from abroad should be exempt from this thread, it is too early to judge them. Likewise anyone stepping up from lower league in their first season should be exempt as its hard to make the step up. Players go in and out of form so anyone who has had a good first season but is now struggling such as Lowton should be cut some slack id say, rememeber form is temporary, class is permanent.  Also,anyone who hasnt had a fair crack in the side to build up some momentum due to non selection because of any of the above or sustained/build up of a few injuries should be exempt so that leaves er....erm...er.....I dont know, maybe Vlaar?

On a related subject, I think Vlaar could be on for our fans player of the year this year. Absolutely invaluable to us now.

Does your rule apply to people like Benteke or just the crap ones? I feel you're being far too kind to them. We can't keep players around because they might suddenly turn into an okay player in a few years.

Really, nobody is saying "in a few years", though, are they? We're talking about one season.

As said above, if that's not on, then we'd be in big trouble right now with no Guzan, Delph or Vlaar.

Thats the point though really isnt it? We can afford to keep them on because they cost very little and are all on low wages. Im not a Lambert sympathiser and think he is very limited. but these are the parameters he is working in (not worth getting into at the moment) and several of the players could develop into decent PL players with the right development programme. Re Benteke, he is the obvious benefit of this style of recruitment - there is always the chance you can unearth a gen that will more than cover the few that dont develop

[Jon Crofts]

Is Tonev the new Ian Ormondroyd?

[adrenachrome]

Kozak's looked a decent scorer to me, Helenius has barely had a change, but you can still see there's talent there, Luna's struggled of late yet has had some decent performances.

Tonev has looked appalling every time I've watched him. Low concentration, sloppy control, erratic shooting, poor work rate, awful decision making.

That sounds just about right to me.

[dave.woodhall]

Is Tonev the new Ian Ormondroyd?

A regular in a team that finishes runners-up? I hope so.

[Des Little]

Is Tonev the new Ian Ormondroyd?

More Callaghan I reckon

[ktvillan]

Luna and Bennett are both ok on the ball and going forward but awful defenders, so maybe LB is not their best position.  You could see either of them doing a job as left midfielders maybe.  Bowery shows he occasional decent touch but looks out of his depth and with  Helenius I haven't seen enough to judge.  But from what I've seen of Tonev he really has not offered anything apart from a lot of running around to no great effect and wild shooting that is more likely to endanger the upper Holte (or the Trinity) than the goal frame.   

[eastie]

Is Tonev the new Ian Ormondroyd?

A regular in a team that finishes runners-up? I hope so.

Exactly , ormondroyd played a big part in our runners up season and was well worth the fee.

[john e]

Is Tonev the new Ian Ormondroyd?

A regular in a team that finishes runners-up? I hope so.

Exactly , ormondroyd played a big part in our runners up season and was well worth the fee.

Agreed, nothing wrong with ormandroyd, gave it all every time in a villa shirt,
He was only very average but still made the most of what he had,
Anyone remember the WHL night match ?

[Monty]

I like Kozak, but signing him looks like bad judgement when we're so lacking in attacking midfield. Looked like an indulgence, especially at the price.

[VILLA MOLE]

Is Tonev the new Ian Ormondroyd?

A regular in a team that finishes runners-up? I hope so.

Exactly , ormondroyd played a big part in our runners up season and was well worth the fee.

Agreed, nothing wrong with ormandroyd, gave it all every time in a villa shirt,
He was only very average but still made the most of what he had,
Anyone remember the WHL night match ?

Was that the game he was nearly in tears ?  If that is the game he could not do anything right,  there was a throw in which he had turned to chase and it hit him on the back of the head , really felt for him.  He was distraught and I think a player comforted him on the the way off at halftime ??

[pauliewalnuts]

My main memory of Ormondroyd is the home match against Everton, the 6-2, in which he played on the wing for one of the first times and absolutely tore them a new one.

I believe he was married to a copper, too </random_fact_from_interview_in_programme>

[BoskoDjembaSalifou]

Delph was injured for a while. We did the right thing keeping him around and now we're seeing the benefits.

So what about the others, then? I imagine you'd have shipped Vlaar out last summer?

No because Vlaar proved we need him in the team.

I would've got rid of people like Bennett and El Ahmadi. I still would actually.