Alan McCafu

[Hookeysmith]

Fantastic professional in attitude.
Average professional in ability.

case closed

[WarszaVillan]

 I don't get  the Alan Hutton song - not the 'Cafu one' but the other 'Alan Hutton, Alan Hutton' chant. It's obviously taken from the Proclaimers and has the potential to be a great song. But why doesn't it develop? A few 'Da da dums' added at the end, like in the original, would turn it into a good little chant. If we're being really ambitous the lyrics could be adapted ending with the line 'Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles to see Alan Hutton score...' It's all very frustrating

[tomd2103]

Certainly can't question his commitment. Last season on the whole he was good but then in an SB team all full backs are required to be solid defensively and get in the odd cross.

I think in this style though the full backs need to be good passers, link well with the forwards and get regularly to to the byline. The two we started on Friday simply won't do it. AEM is probably better bet up to January as he does have a decent cross on him but don't think Dean wants to shift Hutton back to left back as he prefers balance on both flanks.

Agree with this.  As well as he did during our first couple of seasons in the Championship, he should not have been offered a new contract in the summer. 

As you say, the side is now crying out for a couple of modern day full-backs who can offer as much in attack as they can in defence.  For all his eye-catching effort, Hutton isn't that player and it is noticeable when you watch him closely how many of his passes put other players in trouble. 

[Mister E]

For all his so called effort (which I don't buy into) his defensive positioning is often hopeless.  Loads of opposition chances and goals stem from him being way off where he should be or simply switching off and  losing his man.  There was another example on Friday, the one Chester cleared off the line, the header came from where Hutton should have been.  De Laet and Bree may be well better, we've not really had a chance to find out.

Well summarised.
If Hutton is the best we've got it indicates how far we have to go to return to the midtable mediocrity of the Prem. And, that is no reflection on his professionalism: he has trained, grafted and cut out the cynical side of his game (remember Shane Long?). Hoever, he is so limited.

[JUAN PABLO]

id love to see Bree given a go and he scored 2 goals last night for the u23  but then again Villa conceded 5 goals

[AV82EC]

I don't get  the Alan Hutton song - not the 'Cafu one' but the other 'Alan Hutton, Alan Hutton' chant. It's obviously taken from the Proclaimers and has the potential to be a great song. But why doesn't it develop? A few 'Da da dums' added at the end, like in the original, would turn it into a good little chant. If we're being really ambitous the lyrics could be adapted ending with the line 'Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles to see Alan Hutton score...' It's all very frustrating

“Villa fans learn lyrics” shocker. Our chants have been appalling for years. We can be inventive but it’s all too rare.

[sirlordbaltimore]

id love to see Bree given a go and he scored 2 goals last night for the u23  but then again Villa conceded 5 goals

as much as i want Bree to be given an extended run at RB, i don't think him scoring a couple of goals would be the deciding factor.

a killer couple of defensive performances perhaps.

[paul_e]

id love to see Bree given a go and he scored 2 goals last night for the u23  but then again Villa conceded 5 goals

as much as i want Bree to be given an extended run at RB, i don't think him scoring a couple of goals would be the deciding factor.

a killer couple of defensive performances perhaps.

A couple of great performances in general, the idea that fullbacks are defenders first and foremost is why we keep getting stuck with players like Hutton and Taylor who look completely unnatural with the ball at their feet and rarely provide any threat. Look at how fans reacted to Amavi who was putting in 2-3 superb crosses every game but was prone to the odd defensive error, instead of wanting the club to work on it far too many people were happy to replace him. Unless we get away from that mindset we're going to keep repeating the same mistakes.

[sirlordbaltimore]

a full back that can defend would be nice for starters. if they can also play football and cross a ball that'd be even better of course

[john e]

a full back that can defend would be nice for starters. if they can also play football and cross a ball that'd be even better of course

I'm not sure there's to many Ashley Cole's out there at this level but I agree and here's to hoping

[Hookeysmith]

I have often thought that a few tactically astute opposing Managers had instructed their full backs to let Hutton encroach into their half on the basis that once he loses it then there are huge spaces behind him to exploit. It certainly seems to happen with some consistency

[tomd2103]

id love to see Bree given a go and he scored 2 goals last night for the u23  but then again Villa conceded 5 goals

as much as i want Bree to be given an extended run at RB, i don't think him scoring a couple of goals would be the deciding factor.

a killer couple of defensive performances perhaps.

A couple of great performances in general, the idea that fullbacks are defenders first and foremost is why we keep getting stuck with players like Hutton and Taylor who look completely unnatural with the ball at their feet and rarely provide any threat. Look at how fans reacted to Amavi who was putting in 2-3 superb crosses every game but was prone to the odd defensive error, instead of wanting the club to work on it far too many people were happy to replace him. Unless we get away from that mindset we're going to keep repeating the same mistakes.

I think missing out on Bryan in the summer was a blow, as he is the type of full-back who would probably flourish under Smith. 

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I have often thought that a few tactically astute opposing Managers had instructed their full backs to let Hutton encroach into their half on the basis that once he loses it then there are huge spaces behind him to exploit. It certainly seems to happen with some consistency

Fortunately we have a tactically astute Manager who gets the defensive midfielders to cover for him. I saw it the other night and I was shocked that we cover the space of our attacking defenders. It's a team game. Tactics and systems are two subjects that are going to be discussed a hell of a lot more over the coming seasons. The blame game will hopefully be a thing of the past.

[paul_e]

I have often thought that a few tactically astute opposing Managers had instructed their full backs to let Hutton encroach into their half on the basis that once he loses it then there are huge spaces behind him to exploit. It certainly seems to happen with some consistency

Fortunately we have a tactically astute Manager who gets the defensive midfielders to cover for him. I saw it the other night and I was shocked that we cover the space of our attacking defenders. It's a team game. Tactics and systems are two subjects that are going to be discussed a hell of a lot more over the coming seasons. The blame game will hopefully be a thing of the past.

Which is exactly what should ahppen but is also why we need to focus on full backs who can make the most of the freedom that gives them to push forward and be 'the extra man', Hutton and Taylor aren't what we need if that's the plan.

[old man villa fan]

I think we are all agreed that we need fullbacks pushing on when there is space and players should drop in to cover them.  The problem comes when it is tight or you are into the 2nd or 3rd phase of play and the fullback is still up there at the expense of the midfield player who is covering him and who would be better offensively with the ball than the fullback. This happens so many times with our fullbacks.