Steve Sidwell is convinced he chose right in joining Aston Villa in the summer from Chelsea.

"We've made some great signings this summer and we have a lot more options now," he told the club's official website. "What we've seen so far, for this stage of the season, is very good and very encouraging.

"I was the first signing of the summer and the new players coming in since have given the dressing room a real buzz.

"We're all very optimistic and I feel we're good enough to be competing up there this season.

"The quality of the players we've signed doesn't surprise me. When I sat down and spoke to the manager and heard the way he and the chairman wanted to take the club, there was only one way that could be done.

"That was obviously dipping into the market and spending big. They've done that and now it's just a matter of getting on with it.

"We knew we needed a bigger squad this season to do well at home and in Europe.

"The way things have panned out, we can reach heights that this club has done before."