Premier League - Aston Villa can't afford to be much worse this season

[themossman]

The loss of 4 key players line is laughable though. Vlaar and cleverley key players? You what son?

I think they mean "key" in the sense that they played a lot of games for us (when available), which they did.  Whether they'd be key players in better teams, or whether they're replaceable is (very) debatable.

But even then vlaar didn't play that many games, was injured for a lot of the ones he played and only showed flashes of his best. I'm not saying he wasn't, injuries aside, among the best squad members. But that's not what the article says, it says he's key and suggests his loss will directly hurt our chances next season, which I don't think is true.

[themossman]

Also, to talk about young players stepping up and ignore Clark is equally criminal.

Towards the end of the season people wouldve been happy for Cleverley to stay and how much longer is Clark going to be regrded as a young player. He's 26 next month......

Cleverley had as many terrible games as good ones for us. I wasn't bothered when he buggered off.

[silhillvilla]

5 of our best players have gone (started cup final ) , that's what the media will look at and comment on mostly.

[Matt Collins]

The loss of 4 key players line is laughable though. Vlaar and cleverley key players? You what son?

Well we won a very limited number of games last year and id say they were both reasonably key in a good chunk of those wins

[themossman]

But we also lost a lot of games they all played in. My point is that if those 4 players (the spine of the team) were good/key to extent that losing them would put us in jeopardy next season then we wouldn't have been so shit for most of last season. And therefore replacing them with well regarded French players isn't the wild punt that is implied.

[silhillvilla]

But we also lost a lot of games they all played in. My point is that if those 4 players (the spine of the team) were good/key to extent that losing them would put us in jeopardy next season then we wouldn't have been so shit for most of last season. And therefore replacing them with well regarded French players isn't the wild punt that is implied.

Indeed and the way we ended last season including the final (certainly post the 2nd goal) suggested they were already gone .

[tomd2103]

5 of our best players have gone (started cup final ) , that's what the media will look at and comment on mostly.

Yep, especially the media outlets whose knowledge and interest is concentrated on teams in London, Manchester and Liverpool. 

[Damo70]

The truth is you have to be very poor to go down. Sunderland and ourselves are proof of that. We even had a mid season break from scoring goals and winning points and got away with it.

[Dave Cooper please]

5 of our best players have gone (started cup final ) , that's what the media will look at and comment on mostly.

We finished 17th and got blootered 4-0 in the Final, so just how good were those five players? I'll say, Benteke aside, the answer is "not very".
So considering Delph and Benteke were off anyway, what have we lost by replacing just about the entire team with what, in general, looks like quite an exciting bunch of new players? We may well go down if they don't gel or Sherwood is found out, but many pundits have been predicting that for the past three seasons anyway.
 Same as I said in another thread, we had nothing to lose, may as well enjoy the ride!

[Clampy]

5 of our best players have gone (started cup final ) , that's what the media will look at and comment on mostly.

Which 5 best players are these?

[saunders_heroes]

5 of our best players have gone (started cup final ) , that's what the media will look at and comment on mostly.

Which 5 best players are these?

Doesn't take a genius to work out 4 of them. Benteke, Vlaar, Delph, Cleverley. The 5th is probably Given, but he's not too much of a miss in reality.

[Dave]

5 of our best players have gone (started cup final ) , that's what the media will look at and comment on mostly.

Which 5 best players are these?

Doesn't take a genius to work out 4 of them. Benteke, Vlaar, Delph, Cleverley. The 5th is probably Given, but he's not too much of a miss in reality.

You're probably right, but if so then it's difficult to take seriously a post suggesting that Given was amongst our "best players".

If he were and we thought he were going to be missed, he wouldn't have been pushed towards the door marked "do one" at the first available opportunity.

[Risso]

5 of our best players have gone (started cup final ) , that's what the media will look at and comment on mostly.

We finished 17th and got blootered 4-0 in the Final, so just how good were those five players? I'll say, Benteke aside, the answer is "not very".
So considering Delph and Benteke were off anyway, what have we lost by replacing just about the entire team with what, in general, looks like quite an exciting bunch of new players? We may well go down if they don't gel or Sherwood is found out, but many pundits have been predicting that for the past three seasons anyway.
 Same as I said in another thread, we had nothing to lose, may as well enjoy the ride!

 I agree with Dave, it's exciting so let's just enjoy it.  FWIW though, I think we're better now in every single department on the pitch, we just need it to gel fairly quickly.

[Gregorys Boy]

5 of our best players have gone (started cup final ) , that's what the media will look at and comment on mostly.

Which 5 best players are these?

Doesn't take a genius to work out 4 of them. Benteke, Vlaar, Delph, Cleverley. The 5th is probably Given, but he's not too much of a miss in reality.

You're probably right, but if so then it's difficult to take seriously a post suggesting that Given was amongst our "best players".

If he were and we thought he were going to be missed, he wouldn't have been pushed towards the door marked "do one" at the first available opportunity.

But that's no sort of argument because that is just assuming that Sherwood was right to get rid of Given, news flash managers do make wrong calls.  I accept that Shey is past his best but I still think he was worth keeping for another year as back up keeper, instead we're taking a gamble on an unknown in Bunn. 

To lose the sort of players we have and to try and replace them with players who might be good either now or the future or might take time adjusting etc.. is a big gamble.  I understand that Sherwood is limited money wise but I still think he could have gone for some players who know English Football better.

One thing I think should improve this season is the home form because Sherwood should really play on getting the players up when there is a big crowd and sending them out more positive than for most of last season.

[saunders_heroes]

Still think we need a centreback in. A big commanding centreback who dominates in the air. I know that's easier said than done, but I don't trust either Baker, Okore or Clark, and Richards is injury prone. Once we sign one I can relax a bit, but until then the defence still worries me.