Aston Villa's new players and their "new" players

We're almost to the start of the season, and now it's time to look at the new additions to the squad since last year. Be sure and leave your answers in the comments!

Which new player are you most looking forward to watching?

Aaron: We have new players?

Kirsten: Damn it, Aaron stole my joke. I'm least looking forward to having to watch Philippe Senderos after sitting through his nightmare performances for Switzerland at the World Cup.

Robert: I've got high hopes for Richardson. It's going to be nice knowing that Lambert has some depth on the wings with which to work this season.

Andrew: I'm going to claim a technicality here and say Jores Okore. We didn't get to see much of him at all last year and I think he can be a difference maker. We already expect him to be a mainstay and a vital component of the Villa defence but that's really only based on his promise. I hope it works out.

Matt: I know he's been pretty meh for a while now, but I've always kinda liked Joe Cole. If he can bring something, anything as far as creativity goes, I think he could be a huge help.

Jack: Jack Grealish. Hopefully Lambert gives him a chance, he could be someone that we are hopefully going to see in a Villa shirt for a long time.

Alex: I'm actually really interested to see how the Kieran Richardson thing goes. It's either going to be a really good signing for Villa as he'll provide stability at left back or get forward well from left wing-back or it's going to go horrifically because he's not the best defender in the world. I'm still a little worried about him playing left back full-time but it can't be worse than what Villa's had there the last two years, can it?

Thomas: I'm confident Kieran Richardson won't be terrible, I think he'll actually prove to be a shrewd bit of business. He is versatile and experienced, so I'm sure he will play a lot of games.

Which of the "bomb squad" will have the biggest impact on the season?

Aaron: Charles N'Zogbia. I understood why Bent, Hutton, and Given were frozen out; it never made sense with N'Zogbia. He had more than a few uneventful games, but he also does quite a few rather important things no one else in the squad is capable of. If he plays regularly and is at his best, it would be huge.

Kirsten: Darren Bent. It's his last chance to prove himself worthy of his huge price tag. Someone has to score goals while Christian Benteke is still out hurt. That someone really should be Bent. And if it's not, the impact, such as it is, is going to be a negative one.

Robert: I think it's got to be Charles N'Zogbia. But for the sake of conversations, I'd ask you to consider Alan Hutton. He's looked half decent in preseason play and if he can maintain that, we could have an actual defender on the right side. What a novel thought!

Andrew: I'll go with Charles N'Zogbia because he's still a very talented guy in a position that they don't really have anyone of note. I guess Hutton could have an impact as far as someone most likely to murder an opponent.

Matt: N'Zogbia. Overall, his time at Villa has been disappointing, but he's always shows flashes. I'm not expecting him to come out and dominate matches, but I definitely think he can help a lot.

Jack: Alan Hutton. It looks increasingly more likely that Matt Lowton won't have a place at Aston Villa, because for some reason Lambert doesn't get along with him or something. Hutton has had a good preseason and it hurts to pick him here, but if he's going to be a useful player then he might as well be utilized because he's still getting paid a lot of money.

Alex: Having already said that Charles N'Zogbia is Villa's key player this year, it wouldn't make too much sense to say anybody else here. But that said, I think Darren Bent could ultimately have a huge impact on the season in a "super sub" type role. Bring him on when you need a goal, bombard the box, and hope he can nudge one home every once in a while.

Thomas: N'Zogbia could be key, but I think Alan Hutton will be our first choice right back. He's not a world beater, but he's a lot more solid than Bacuna or Lowton and I think that could actually make quite a difference. He looks fit enough to run up and down the line in pre-season, let's hope he can surprise a few people.