Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Mister E on February 13, 2011, 09:41:34 AM
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Does Hou have a defence coach on his staff? - who are they and what the hell are they doing at the moment?
And whilst we're at it, who is the goalkeeping coach? - why has Friedel's command of the 6 yard box become so tenuous?
I'd appreciate your views and comments becuase I'm really confused about the defensive turnaround from last to this season.
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Rafa Gonzalez is the goalkeeping coach
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Rafa Gonzalez is the goalkeeping coach
Thanks Dave. Having Wiki-ed him he does not appear to have much of a pedigree.
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Neither friedal or guzan inspire confidence from crosses, and the command of the 6 yard box is a major problem - it's no good just standing shouting 'away' , we have conceded far too many goals from crosses no more than 6 yards out.
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It has been a very poor season defensively. Fulham's 2nd goal where Friedel came and blew it highlighted not only his weaknesses, but that of whomever is in charge of organising the defence during set pieces as no one was on that post. A real 'WTF' moment.
You have to build from the back. And that's part of the problem with Villa right now...I just don't know where we're building from.
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Neither friedal or guzan inspire confidence from crosses, and the command of the 6 yard box is a major problem
Agreed.
It's the main reason why I think people desperate for Shay Given to come in are wide of the mark. Great shot-stopped through he is, the man's barely caught a cross in his life.
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Shay given has twice been named pfa goalkeeper of the year by his fellow pros- I doubt he would have done that if he couldn't catch a cross?
I rate given highly and would be happy to see him here with Westwood as back up.
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Shay given has twice been named pfa goalkeeper of the year by his fellow pros- I doubt he would have done that if he couldn't catch a cross?
And Friedel has once as well.
I doubt he... etc etc.
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I think from open play the defence is getting close to where they were last season. The last 20 minutes yesterday was a case in point, a man down but managed to restrict them pretty well. However, set pieces are still a major worry. Part of it I think is to do with the change in personnel. We used to have three dominant centre halves plus either Heskey or Carew and as a result won the majority of headers in the box. However, I do think there's also something more than that, whether it is down to tactics, concentration or confidence I couldn't tell you but I'm worried every time we conceded a dead ball anywhere in our half.
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I think we were more defensive under MON, which, obviously, helped the defence, but we sometimes lacked ability going forward as a result.
GH is trying to find the balance. It's clear after playing how we did under MON we won't win anything, so let's try and play some entertaining football, and if we lose some in the process, so be it. I'm up for being a second-rate Arsenal!
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I'm not
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Maybe Steve walfords influence with the defence is being missed as our coaches now are in the main ex midfielders , perhaps we need a specialist defensive coach .
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I've never understood why Nigel Spink has not been offered the job of goal keeping coach. A true legend, who if playing today would easily be England'd number 1
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I'm still hopeful, maybe in the summer, GH manages to persuade Patrice Bergues to come and join him. By all accounts he's the footballing brain behind Houllier's success as well as being a superb defensive coach. Somebody mentioned yesterday Michael Owen's autobiography where he speaks about GH being brilliant as a Club manager but not the best on how to turn things around during a game. I'd be delighted if we could reunite the GH - Bergues partnership.
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Maybe Steve walfords influence with the defence is being missed as our coaches now are in the main ex midfielders , perhaps we need a specialist defensive coach .
That was really the point of the original question: we have had a problem for most ofthe season defending set pieces and yet nothing obvious has been done about it.
I've said elsewhere, the responsibility in the 6 yard box is down to the keeper - so who is raising Friedel's game?
BTW, I've noticed even 'star' keepers like Joe Hart are punching at everything these days, rather than trying to make a clean catch. What is going on?!
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BTW, I've noticed even 'star' keepers like Joe Hart are punching at everything these days, rather than trying to make a clean catch. What is going on?!
I can only think it must be down to the ball, being so light and floaty they don't want to take any risks.
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I thought the defence looked a bit more solid when Collins came on yesterday. I'm surprised he was dropped to be honest.
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Yes Collins and dunne seem to have become fairly solid again, I think we are getting exposed through our full back areas as both drift forward Often rather than defending , Clark doesn't look comfortable at times .We just look a nervous wreck at crosses and maybe this stems from the keeper not instilling confidence with his erratic handling Of crosses.
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We give too many cheap,easy fouls away. Time and again we present teams with the chance to put the ball into our box from a set piece. Has to be a management/training issue.
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BTW, I've noticed even 'star' keepers like Joe Hart are punching at everything these days, rather than trying to make a clean catch. What is going on?!
I can only think it must be down to the ball, being so light and floaty they don't want to take any risks.
Yes, I've assumed that to be the case (although technology has also improved goal-keeping gloves ...). Watching Friedel, he doesn't even seem keen to come for the ball at all (and having seen the goals conceded from corners where he has come out, he's been nowhere near the damn thing!).
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Could be chaos against stoke
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Any team that like to get the ball forward quickly and bombard us with crosses are going to be chaos to play against, hopefully Blackburn will be a bit more refined now big Sam has gone.
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And whilst we're at it, who is the goalkeeping coach? - why has Friedel's command of the 6 yard box become so tenuous?
Combination of factors I reckon. (1) He knows he's on his way out. By all accounts Given was at Bodymoor Heath on the last day of the transfer window and a deal very nearly went through. (2) His financial worries re his football academy in the States. He's a good pro, but most would find it hard to remain focussed with impending bankruptcy. (3) Father time, the reactions not being as sharp as they once were.
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I think Freidel is not the keeper he was 3 years ago. Collins and Dunne are good players on form, and are coming back somewhat, by Clark is in and out, and gives a lot of free kicks away around the box, while Walker is not Cuellar, who covers the centre backs well while giving real solidity from right back. I think a new keeper, left back and maybe centre half, plus a defensive midfielder may come in from the way he talks of MAkoun playing further forward.
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The goal conceded yesterday was schoolboy stuff ....totally unprofessional
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Kevingage, where did you hear this about given being at bodymoor on deadline day, it's the 1st I've heard about it but I would be delighted if true.
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Mentioned in a few places. Thought it might be balls but Given gave a radio interview last week saying he nearly joined another Prem side late in Jan and will be off in the summer.
Things can change of course. He might be GH's choice but GH might not even be here in the summer.
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but GH might not even be here in the summer.
We can but hope.
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Neither friedal or guzan inspire confidence from crosses, and the command of the 6 yard box is a major problem - it's no good just standing shouting 'away' , we have conceded far too many goals from crosses no more than 6 yards out.
At times Brad Sr makes Thomas "Harpo Marx" Sorensen look communicative.
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I said in the post match thread that GH should get a defensive coach in pronto. If we could only have solved the set piece fuckwittedness earlier in the season we would probably have quite a few more points. I still think there is way too much ball watching and not enough marking as well.
Friedel is like a goalkeeping version of the Carew of old, every 5 or 6 games has a blinder for stopping shots, but in between has at least one or two mares and a couple of could do betters. Looks like a timid flapper on crosses, and has an increasing tendency to stand watching, bemused, Scott Carson like, as mundane efforts fly past him into the net. Also palms too many shots back into the danger area. And Brad junior is worse.
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I've never understood why Nigel Spink has not been offered the job of goal keeping coach. A true legend, who if playing today would easily be England'd number 1
That's all well and good, but it doesn't mean he'll be a good coach.
Good players don't always make a good coaches and good coaches weren't always good players.
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Spinky has been goalkeeping coach for Steve bruce at blose, Wigan and Sunderland so he must be rated in the job .
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Spinky has been goalkeeping coach for Steve bruce at blose, Wigan and Sunderland so he must be rated in the job .
That's just because Bruce wants somebody around as ugly as he is who he knows his daughter won't shag.
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Whoever the defensive/ goalkeeping coaches are at VP at this time surely we should be looking to the experienced core of our defence itself to set the standards. In Collins, Dunne, Cuellar and Friedel we have some big guys with a lot of experience. When you take into account the more senior midfielders (Petrov, NRC and even Downing and Young) we should have enough tactical nous to be able to defend an inswinging, near post corner, regardless of who is coaching them. This is one of the most basic elements of defending, something my boy is learning even now at the tender age of 13.
Our defending from open play is becoming more solid than earlier in the season, it is this frustrating inability to get a defender on the recieving end of corners and free kicks which is costing us goals and points. Brad obviously has a confidence issue, whether that is due to a personal issue (maybe rising from his own problems?) or because he is finding it difficult to trust the men in front of him. And vice-versa the defenders may not have the faith in him at this time. Whatever the case may be the issue is not just one of coaching (imo) but also one of personal responsibility and confidence. We appear to be lacking a player to stand up and take the lead a la Martin Laursen who would alwaus be the first man to the ball.
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I'd guess Houllier will be back in for Patrice Bergues in the summer. To be fair he tried to get him when he joined but he didn't want to move with the season already well underway. I guess that's what happens when you have to try and replace a whole coaching setup in mid August.
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Spinky has been goalkeeping coach for Steve bruce at blose, Wigan and Sunderland so he must be rated in the job .
Not exactly pulling up trees with those three is he?
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I don't think Ciaran Clark is as dominant in the air as he should be for someone of his height, there's been quite a few goals this season where the attacker seems to have outjumped him.
Defending set pieces should be an easy skill to coach, the last 2 we've let in has been as a result of attackers having a run on the defenders.
My old manager used to say "if you're not touching you're not close enough", we need to start blocking runs and making it harder for the opposition to get a clean header.
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I haven't seen the goals (various sites banned here in China) but I on the Guardian today that Blackpool have scored more set pieces than any Premiership other team this season and we have conceded the most from set pieces.
This is partly organisation and coaching and also due to loss of form and confidence. Dunne looked woeful at times early in the season and Carlos has been out a lot which takes away a central defender lending a hand in the air from right back. Friedel has been below par compared to his first two seasons and I think the reasons outlined above explain most of this - unsettled players in front of him, financial woes and old Father Time.
I would also add there were rumours when Gerard H was appointed that Friedel was less than happy since he had previously sold him whilst manager of Liverpool. These murmurs of discontent also apparently applied to Warnock and Carew who had been seen as below par by the new manager and subsequently sold from Lyon / Liverpool. None of them pulled up any trees this season. Confidence is a big factor in football and if you know the manager doesn't rate you that must surely play a role.
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I'd guess Houllier will be back in for Patrice Bergues in the summer. To be fair he tried to get him when he joined but he didn't want to move with the season already well underway. I guess that's what happens when you have to try and replace a whole coaching setup in mid August.
The reason he never came was reported as "family reasons". He did give the impression that he wanted to come but it just wasn't possible at the time. Like you, I really hope he'll be joining us in the summer. We need him, as does Houllier.
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There should be a role for the great Dane Martin Laursen and Dion Dublin in our coaching set up.
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There should be a role for the great Dane Martin Laursen and Dion Dublin in our coaching set up.
When Laursen was playing, I think he just said if the ball is in the air I'll head it and everyone else just has to get out of the way.