Paul Lambert delighted at Aston Villa's tour form

Paul Lambert has given his Aston Villa players a glowing tour report which bodes well for his bid to turn the club around.

Aston Villa arrived back from the three-game, 10-day and 14,000-mile US trip unbeaten and with their football already beginning to show a new style for the season ahead.

And the manager could not be more delighted at what he is seeing from players left delated by last season's campaign.

Villa beat Philadelphia and Chicago and won a penalty shoot-out after drawing with Portland.

"It's a long trek for us but the way the players adapted and the way their attitude has been it's been fantastic," said Lambert.

"The teams we've played are well into their season and we're nowhere near it but the attitude has been great. I couldn't ask for any more than what they've given me. It's been tough. I'm not so sure I would do it again because it's long with lots of travelling.

"We've not been based anywhere for any period of time. So we've basically been just stopping and going and stopping and going."

Lambert is back on the transfer beat and Ipswich full-back Aaron Cresswell is a contender for the left-back position Lambert wants to improve . There has yet been no bid for the 22-year-old rated at £6m by his club.

Ipswich manager Paul Jewel said: "There is something in it because their chief exec has contacted our chief exec about him."