are there 2 ashley youngs?

[Rip Van We Go Again]

While we continue to use Young in the middle, we're not getting the best out of Bent.
 

Absolutley. Not only that,  we need someone else up there to give the opposition centre halves something else to worry about.

Spot on.

I never thought i'd want Heskey in the side, but he was really playing well prior to the Sunderland debacle.
Holding up the ball brilliantly and making accurate passes.

We do not have the players for 4-4-2. It worked OK for us over the last two seasons because we had high class central midfield players in Barry and then Milner. We don't have that now and we'd get battered if we tried it.

What's wrong with a central midfield of Makoun and NRC/Petrov?
It's not that bad, as long as they stick to the donkey work and leave the creativity to the wings.

Alternatively, DON'T play with 2 wingers, we don't have to.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I'm convinced Ashley Young will not be a Villa player next season.

He won't be.
As i've said before 'I don't want to talk about new contracts till the end of the season'
Is player speak for
'I'm pissing off, but I don't want to piss off the supporters by admitting it, I'll act all enigmatic till the Summer and fuck off then.'

[PaulTheVillan]

I'm convinced Ashley Young will not be a Villa player next season.

He won't be.
As i've said before 'I don't want to talk about new contracts till the end of the season'
Is player speak for
'I'm pissing off, but I don't want to piss off the supporters by admitting it, I'll act all enigmatic till the Summer and fuck off then.'

Man City.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

He's top dog at Villa (or so he likes to think so (thought he's probably right)), whereas at England, and the club he'll be at next season, he won't be, which will benefit him greatly. He won't feel the need to try and do everything.

Having said that, I think he tries to do 'everything' at Villa with the best intentions. I don't think he does it to piss people off, that's just the way he thinks he can help the team. GH should be telling him he doesn't need to do everything and play like he does for England and when he first joined us up until sometime last season, but even more so in this season.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I reckon Liverpool.
Daglish will want him on the wing to provide bullets for that Cajun, log cabin, you sure have a pretty mouth, bloke they signed.

[JJ-AV]

Liverpool with an outside chance of Man Utd.

Can't see him anywhere else.

[UsualSuspect]

What's wrong with a central midfield of Makoun and NRC/Petrov?
---------------------------------------------------

ZERO creativity

Petrov should never start a game for us again to to his appalling fitness levels

Makoun NRC Delph/Bannan


I think as far as AY goes it could be Liverpool

[D.boy]

My money is on Young going to Man Utd with an outside chance of spuds however spuds have a tight wage structure so that may be the stumbling block. If Liverpool want him then it's £25 million or bog off.

[kipeye]

I still can't help thinking of Brian Little whenever Ash is mentioned. It is funny how memories change but I used to believe at least half of Villa park wanted our best player gone then and do now.
For those that remember, Brian seemed to infuriate some just for the way he looked no matter how he played.

[WarszaVillan]

Gary Shaw as well

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

We may as well just give up if he signs for Liverpool. We should be on at least a par with them.

[Dave Summers]

I still can't help thinking of Brian Little whenever Ash is mentioned. It is funny how memories change but I used to believe at least half of Villa park wanted our best player gone then and do now.
For those that remember, Brian seemed to infuriate some just for the way he looked no matter how he played.

Gary Shaw as well

I have been saying this for ages as well.  I was into my teens when Brian was waltzing around Villa Park and amazed me with his level of skill and ability.   However as mentioned, there were a significant number in the crowd who didn't think he worked hard enough and was lazy.   Exactly the same occured with Shaw, Walters, Morley etc etc.    It seems a trait of Villa fans that we prefer "hard workers, cover every blade of grass" type players rather than those who are, shall we say enigmatic?.

The truth for me is that you need both types of players to make a successful side.  The 1980-81 team being the perfect example.  Des Bremner ran for Scotland that season and "covered every blade of grass" but he was a limited ball player.  Because he was seen to be working hard he didn't receive that much stick, as far as I can remember, he was cut a little slack.  I would wager though that he had as many poor games as Shaw that year, but his workrate covered them up.   The same applied four seasons earlier if you compared Little with say Frank Carrodus?.  Actually, scrub that, Carrodus did receive a lot of stick :-).  But, we did miss him when he wasn't there.

In my humble opinion, Ashley Young is the best all round winger I have seen play for Villa in all my years of watching.  Others have had more speed, others have been more skilful, others may have crossed a better ball and some others may have scored more goals.  However,  I genuinely don't believe anyone else has had the all round ability of Young.  He is a player, like a few others, that will only be appreciated fully by the fans when he is plying his trade elsewhere.

[hawkeye]

funny i dont remember Shaw or Little being slagged off, except Little would never acknowledge the fans singing walks on water, i remember groans when Bremners name was announced though. Young is not as good as Brian Little or Morley for 2 seasons or Daley or Walters. The big difference is that Morley, Shaw and Little played a big part in us winning things. Young has not achieved that.

[Monty]

funny i dont remember Shaw or Little being slagged off, except Little would never acknowledge the fans singing walks on water, i remember groans when Bremners name was announced though. Young is not as good as Brian Little or Morley for 2 seasons or Daley or Walters. The big difference is that Morley, Shaw and Little played a big part in us winning things. Young has not achieved that.

You're right, that's entirely his fault. Christ, that's like saying George Best not winning a World Cup with NI makes him worse than Stephane Guivarc'h.

PS: not that I do think Young is better than Morely, but not based on medals. Teams win medals.

[Clampy]

Another problem with playing Young in 'the hole' is that you then don't have anyone who's capable of holding the ball up up front, thus taking pressure off the midfield and defence. Who knows, maybe putting on Heskey when we were 2-1 up at Bolton might have made a difference.