Villa's biggest weakness

[N'ZMAV]

We lack a winning mentality. How many of our players have actually won trophies? Apart from Pires.

[Concrete John]

Movement off the ball is a problem, but it's a symptom of the present team and not a 'club issue', which is what I think the thread is about.

I agree with NeilH - we have a profile issue.  The game has evolved over the history of the PL and during that time the media have been obsessed with London and Man Utd, because of their success, and Liverpool, because of their history.  We appear as one of the poor relations and this hinders our recruitment of both managers and players.   

You've mentioned two teams there which the media have been obsessed with, and those teams are two of the most successful. Coincidence?

If the media is obsessed with teams from London and the north west, that's because they actually win everything.

If another team from a different area threatens to win things or achieve things, the media will switch on to them, too.

Look at the way they kept telling us Newcastle were our second team when they were qualifying for the CL regularly and finishing second.

That's true, but Newcastle bought their way into that by out spending everyone at the time, which we can't do.

The basic problem as i see it is a player is coming to England and has an offer from Villa and Spurs (for arguments sake, lets say this is before their CL qualification).  With matching wages and similar league positions, he'll choose Spurs 9 times out of 10 due to the London thing being rammed down his throat by every media outlet.   

[Phil from the upper holte]

Movement off the ball.

That's what I'd have said.

I'd agree, hopefully Houllier, Mcalister & Cowans are trying to fix that, Also self belief and we lack quality. Man ure for instance we needed to shut up shop but there was no-one on the bench to bring on.

[nick harper]

In the 40 odd years I've been a supporter, I can probably count on one hand the number of seasons that we've scored freely. We've probably only had two or three consistent and effective goalscorers in that time (Withe and Yorke).

And what are we bemoaning at the moment?- a consistent 20 goal a season striker.

[peter w]

Not much wrong at the moment that having our injured players back wouldn't put right. As for the goalscorer, we've needed him for a couple of seasons. Also need a better central-defender and a younger keeper.

[Risso]

We lack a winning mentality. How many of our players have actually won trophies? Apart from Pires.

Carew, Heskey, Friedel, Downing, Luke Young, Petrov, Cuellar, Beye.....

Take your point though.

[Bosco81]

We need to settle on a formation which suits our better players, at the moment we are playing 4-4-1-1 almost by default, because of the injuries, but also because our 3 most influential players are all wingers, who have to be accomodated in the team, hence Ashley playing off the front man.

For a while now Gabby seems to want to get into a battle with the centre halves rather than use his speed to get behind defences, I know he has bulked up to become stronger but he shouldn't feel the need to prove it every game.

[Yeltzer]

Need a 20 goal a season man. One who does it season in, season out, not just once in a blue moon

[saunders_heroes]

Crap defense, that's our weakest link.

[darren woolley]

We need to concentrate more when we are in winning positions and we need to change the tactics when needed that way we can close the game down.

[Brend'Watkins]

Crap defense, that's our weakest link.

It is now for sure.

Warnock is just not the player he was before his injury.  Luke Young the right back playing at right back isn't that great a right back, certainly not that much better than Cuellar playing there.  Dunne although solid is all of a sudden error prone.  Only Collins appears to be showing consistent form.

[saunders_heroes]

Crap defense, that's our weakest link.

It is now for sure.

Warnock is just not the player he was before his injury.  Luke Young the right back playing at right back isn't that great a right back, certainly not that much better than Cuellar playing there.  Dunne although solid is all of a sudden error prone.  Only Collins appears to be showing consistent form.

Dunne has been shocking all season, and Collins is clumsy and injury prone. I'd replace the both of them. Luke Young is decent but Warnock has lost the plot.
A whole new defence please Gerard!

[Concrete John]

Luke Young the right back playing at right back isn't that great a right back, certainly not that much better than Cuellar playing there.

You might want to only whisper that bit - it'll get the natives restless!

[Brend'Watkins]

Luke Young the right back playing at right back isn't that great a right back, certainly not that much better than Cuellar playing there.

You might want to only whisper that bit - it'll get the natives restless!

He isn't though is he? 

[Concrete John]

To my mind no, but then I didn't see the huge problem with Cuellar at RB that others did last season.