Don't blame the manager

[Monty]

I think it's time to admit something of a temporary defeat in his insisting on playing two strikers. It's bold, it's adventurous, and he's attempting it in a way which isn't boofy. The problem is it's an incredibly difficult system to pull off: the narrow four in midfield is designed to counter two- and three-man midfields and keep possession, but without natural width the full backs are asked to do a hell of a lot against at least two opponents on each flank. If the fullbacks can't help you out then, your play will become squeezed and narrow, and defending is all about trying to keep the opposition narrow. Another solution is to try and have the forwards move intelligently and alternately into wide areas, but seeing as we don't have Barrios and Lewandowski that solution is somewhat unrealistic.

The way to go now is clearly a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 approach, and I think Benteke has to be that lone striker. Gabby could be an option for a wide forward spot (he's always better when facing goal and running in on the diagonal), and Bent as super-sub, but we need everyone to contribute and we need a balance of numbers in midfield and wider options  to stretch the play a bit. I'm not necessarily talking about out-and-out wingers a la MON-ball, but just someone to give us a few more options to stretch the play a bit.

[Mister E]

.... the way to go now is clearly a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 approach, and I think Benteke has to be that lone striker. Gabby could be an option for a wide forward spot (he's always better when facing goal and running in on the diagonal), and Bent as super-sub, but we need everyone to contribute and we need a balance of numbers in midfield and wider options  to stretch the play a bit. I'm not necessarily talking about out-and-out wingers a la MON-ball, but just someone to give us a few more options to stretch

I agree with your thinking, Monty, but I'd say that a 3-man central midfield would work well. I'd also look at Weimann as one of the players supporting the lone striker, since I think he has the intelligence as well as the strength and pace to fulfil the role.
I'd also have Albie and Carruthers on the bench to add the width if we need to change to approach.

For pressing fullbacks to work well as occasional wingers, the central midfielders need to be mobile, quick and dominant.

[Monty]

I think I agree with the three man option, Mr. E, as the best as opposed to two sitting deep and one assigned to stand a bit further up - seeing as that player is usually Ireland, I don't think we need to encourage him to do less work. I'd play KEA, Holman and Bannan, as that's been the most successful axis for us in central midfield. Weimann I could see as a wide forward with license to drift in, maybe swapping with Gabby on the other side. I don't think Zog or Albers merits a place in the side right now, and Bent can't play that role.

[not3bad]

I find it pretty incredible that the manager is getting grief already.

It could be said that the final straw for TSM last year was the almost universal rejection of him by the Villa fans.  Maybe one or two people think it's time to exercise that "power" again.  But they are being a tad previous.

[ROBBO]

We cannot go wide we have no natural wingers except Albrighton who in my opinion just isn't talented enough or fast and tricky enough. A poster struck a chord when they said against Fulham the energy of previous games was missing and he was right, we didn't close them down like we have in previous games, whether it was the mix of players being different i don't know. I'm sure we have a good manager what i'm not certain about is whether he will fix the problems quickly enough to avoid the drop. Oh and Randy Lerner is the worst supporter we've got.

[Clampy]

Oh and Randy Lerner is the worst supporter we've got.

What makes you say that?

[dave.woodhall]

Oh and Randy Lerner is the worst supporter we've got.

What makes you say that?

Because it's an easy thing to say.

[Monty]

That's why I'm not suggesting playing pure wingers, Robbo, but more wide forwards. That's pretty much what everyone does now anyway - Gareth Bale is probably the only world class pure winger out there right now - everyone else has forwards who start on the flanks but link infield, but the mere fact of them starting on the flanks does stretch the play, even if they don't head for the byline as Plan A. It also brings the full-backs into play better, as making surging overlaps at the height of the attack is easier for them than in the diamond, where they have to be winger and full back in one.

[Merv]

I was thinking back to the Swansea and Newcastle games and how well we did not giving either side time on the ball and closing them down. I had a look at both our line ups and the midfield for those games were Holman, KEA, Ireland, Bannan, with Weimman and Bent up front. You could argue there's no width there still, but we did look a better side and it had more energy.

Yes. I've pondered what the difference was/is and the one guy who's dropped out of that group is Bannan, he's been replaced by Delph. Perhaps that's where we're missing out on more of the control and possession.

I'm beginning to wonder if playing two strikers really doesn't work with this group.

[Ads]

I think part of the problem is that the full backs don't get forward anywhere near enough away from home as the do at Villa Park.

Everton aside, we created a lot of chances against both Swansea and West Brom and I think part of that is Lowton being able to get forward.

He has good delivery on him and puts in a very good early ball, yet he doesn't do it awya from home as much as I would like.

[ROBBO]

Oh and Randy Lerner is the worst supporter we've got.

What makes you say that?

Because he is the owner who rarely attends,has he been to a game this season? He is the custodian of the club and as such should make some effort, he cannot keep his finger on the pulse by email. Deadly for all his faults attended most if not all games and was there to see the seldom good and the often bad. I simply do not believe you can run the club by proxy.

[dave.woodhall]

Oh and Randy Lerner is the worst supporter we've got.

What makes you say that?

Because he is the owner who rarely attends,has he been to a game this season? He is the custodian of the club and as such should make some effort, he cannot keep his finger on the pulse by email. Deadly for all his faults attended most if not all games and was there to see the seldom good and the often bad. I simply do not believe you can run the club by proxy.

I've been told that he's here most weeks and goes home at the weekend. Matchday is the one time he can't really do anything - the manager is in total control then - so it makes sense for that to be when he's not around. How many games do other owners attend? 

[villajk]

I've been told that he's here most weeks and goes home at the weekend. Matchday is the one time he can't really do anything - the manager is in total control then - so it makes sense for that to be when he's not around. How many games do other owners attend? 

I was told the same.  Also, Randy watches every game the same way a lot do, on the Internet.

[Toronto Villa]

That's why I'm not suggesting playing pure wingers, Robbo, but more wide forwards. That's pretty much what everyone does now anyway - Gareth Bale is probably the only world class pure winger out there right now - everyone else has forwards who start on the flanks but link infield, but the mere fact of them starting on the flanks does stretch the play, even if they don't head for the byline as Plan A. It also brings the full-backs into play better, as making surging overlaps at the height of the attack is easier for them than in the diamond, where they have to be winger and full back in one.

He's trying to accomodate Bent, and Gabby to an extent. I don't think he wants to sell Bent as anyone would want a proven goalscorer. However, I don't think playing with two strikers is what he wants long term. I agree with that assessment of essentially wanting width without dedicated traditional wingers. He wants players versatile enough to go wide yet adept at cutting inside to join the attack as extra forwards when the full backs push up. Hard to do in just a few months.

[Dave Clark Five]

Lambert has seen how vile our support can be at the end of last season. He won't want that to happen to him and I doubt that it ever will. However, he knows what is going on behind the scenes and must find it difficult to keep it quiet while getting grief on forums like this and in the Press.
He can't just dump Bent now as it will devalue him for January but he has to look at our long term interests; long term being the end of the season. What he can't afford to do is leave Benteke out as that will not do the player any good.