Villa chief's praise for problem pair

Paul Lambert has hailed the attitude of Stephen Ireland or Charles N'Zogbia and backed them to play a big part in his Aston Villa side.

The new Villa chief has lifted the lid on two players who have been the subject of some criticism in the past over problems surrounding their form and fitness. However, while Ireland turned things around under the guidance of former boss Alex McLeish last term as he picked up the Villa's Supporters' Player of the Year award, N'Zogbia has enjoyed an impressive pre-season following a disappointing debut campaign at Villa Park. And Lambert, who replaced McLeish in the Villa hot-seat earlier in the summer, has been pleased with both players and feels they can have a real impact for him in the new season. On Ireland, Lambert told Villa's official website: "He's a real talent, there's no doubt about that." He added: "It shows when he plays, because there is a lot of creativity there, just like Charles. They are both really talented footballers. "We will try to get the best out of them, because they are very, very clever footballers. "We've got to get him in positions where he can hurt teams. I've got a fair idea of what I want to do with it. "From the time I have been at the club I've not had any problem with Stephen, or Charles whatsoever."