Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Legion on October 19, 2012, 07:33:03 PM
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Available Saturday evening.
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We're in trouble chaps
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Pretty crap really, we only really looked like scoring once we'd gone behind. Norwich is a massive game now.
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Dreadful.
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Who would take settle for finishing guaranteed 17th this season ?
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That has all the hallmarks of a relegation team, we didnt play that badly its just that we are not very good.
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Fuck me. West Ham have 14 points. I honestly didn't think, even allowing for our troubles, that we'd start off that much worse than them or Albion.
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Anyone dreading hearing "we pick ourselves up, and go again" again?
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We're in trouble chaps
Oh reallY? Funny, you were one of the ones giving me a hard time for saying that weeks ago.
Yes, we are in trouble, our squad is very weak and Benteke is not going to score the goals to get us out of trouble. Gabby has not scored in 27 Premier League games and Bent is useless unless he receives the ball in the box yet we have no wingers.
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Unfortunately Benteke is developing a habit of missing extremely easy chances and since we only ever create one or two, that's too costly for us. Most worryingly is we're getting worse.
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I still think it will improve, but we might again be thanking our lucky stars for the likes of Swansea, Reading, QPR, Norwich and Southampton being in the same division this year.
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Simply not good enough.
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Anyone dreading hearing "we pick ourselves up, and go again" again?
Yes, but go where ?
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Seemed like a poor performance. I wonder at what point the owners start to question their strategy.
1 point from 15 available on the road is appalling isn't it?
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Honeymoon period well and truly over.
We are in deep shit and sinking and right now I can't see any improvement over the majority of the dross we watched last season.
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Anyone dreading hearing "we pick ourselves up, and go again" again?
Yes, but go where ?
Back to the drawing board I think.
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The defence is all at sea, the midfield is unbalanced and the strikers seem to change every week.
Lambert really needs to work out what his preferred formation is. The players don't seem to know what their role is.
But - if we beat Norwich and Swindon, confidence should return and things may begin to click.
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Very worried - we have had a pretty 'easy' start to the season. The big boys to come. We were big boys not long ago. Now it's boys against men.
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Total shit. Very poor and getting worse each week.
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Anyone dreading hearing "we pick ourselves up, and go again" again?
It is worrying that he already has a catchphrase when we lose, after only 8 league games.
At least he's not called them an honest bunch of lads yet.
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One of the weakest teams in the league. A goalkeeper and back four who have hardly played games together, let alone Premier League games. A midfield that on paper you think theres some creativity there...but it just doesnt come, pass back, pass left, pass right, pass back....
...and 3 forwards who all look void of confidence and lack any magic to create something themselves.
...im dreading November, will we be bottom by December...!!!!????
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Who would take settle for finishing guaranteed 17th this season ?
me! absolutely 100&
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Customary garbage. But did anyone really expect anything from this match? I'm just glad I didn't waste any money going to the game. We're very, very poor, and I don't see where our next win is coming from, but as Lambert will say after this latest debacle, "we go again."
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I can't wait for this season to end.
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Dire performance for the most part, if I had to pick some positives, I think Charlie was top drawer when he came on and I'm sorry but I'd much rather have Benteke in the team getting chances than Bent doing precious FA. He's a young lad, it WILL come, it annoys me people getting on his back so soon.
Also think Lowton is maturing nicely.
Think come January we'll have to sell Bent and spend the money on some quality in midfield and at the back too.
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Quite possibly going to take the plunge this season... sadly I'm finding it difficult to care either way.
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Too many fucking long balls. Stupid, strange, non-tactic even at the best of times, but considering Benteke was on the bench for most of the game it was fucking inexplicable. Lambert wants us to play possession football? Stop smacking the ball from keeper to keeper for a start.
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I still think it will improve, but we might again be thanking our lucky stars for the likes of Swansea, Reading, QPR, Norwich and Southampton being in the same division this year.
After less than a dozen games, I really don't thin we should be hanging our hats on other crap teams saving our bacon.
I've fucking had enough of doing that.
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I still think it will improve, but we might again be thanking our lucky stars for the likes of Swansea, Reading, QPR, Norwich and Southampton being in the same division this year.
I agree. I think its not a case of we are shit so we will go down, more a case of we are shit but there are shitter teams out there and they will go down.
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Customary garbage. But did anyone really expect anything from this match? I'm just glad I didn't waste any money going to the game. We're very, very poor, and I don't see where our next win is coming from, but as Lambert will say after this latest debacle, "we go again."
Oh come on. I can sometimes accept that we shouldn't expect a result against a top team (though we should never just roll over and accept it) but we were playing bloody Fulham, not FC Barcelona.
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What a load if shit. Easy money- bet on us for the drop
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We are fucked.
I know I pissed people off after the last match when I talked of a third season in a row of relegation struggles but that is how I saw 2010/11. I didn't imagine that home game against Newcastle in April 2011 when villa fans were asked to rally around to try and push us over the line for a crucial three points.
The people running this club have reduced us to this.
I hope I am proved wrong and we pick up points in our tough run of fixtures but as things stand, this year, we will already be down by April unless we spend about £20m on proven PL quality players on 1 January.
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Fuck! We can't seem to do draws can we? Not clinical infront of goal either. Need to really smash Norwich now.
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Lamberts body language after they scored said it all, he looks like a man under pressure. We cannot play Bent and no wingers it's simple stupid.
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Sell best players, replace them with cheap, unproven championship kids, this is what comes out the other end.
Lerner seems to have a vision of us as some kind of English Ajax where we buy young and hungry and success just happens, as if it is an amazing plan nobody has tried before because they're all so short sighted.
We have, on paper, one of the five weakest squads in the league, despite getting hugely in debt over the last few years.
I don't blame the manager for this state of affairs, I blame the chairman, who has mismanaged this club back to where we were in 2006.
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Just not creating enough chances and those we do we miss. Our second half performances are getting worse. Where is Weimann?
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It wasn't defensively all at sea at all, I thought we were excellent at the back and I really like Baker. We just seriously lack a cutting edge. I would bring N'Zogbia back in now, Gabby is flattering to deceive after a couple of decent games when he first showed his mush this season and it is not helping. Benteke is clearly nervous and how much did we need a chance like that to fall to Bent? We played decent enough but I am not sure we have it in us to create enough chances. It's now put a lot of pressure on next week.
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Lowton was really good. Vlaar and Guzan too.
Nzogbia looked good when he came on, I think he should start the next game. We just look better when he plays, even if he plays badly.
I didn't think anyone had a shocker particularly but thats the most worrying thing. We have a lot of players who are consistently, sort of, kind of, like, um mostly, Ok? They aren't even under performing they just aren't good enough. They are all up to playing at this level, but I don't think you can have a whole side of them. One or two quality additions and they'd be fine, but without them we will continue to struggle.
Fulham looked as strong as us or stronger across the park. Someone like Risse is just a standard Premier league player, the kind that we need but don't have. You wouldn't get his name put on your shirt but he has an efficient quality and experience. We are too short of that at the moment.
Bent is worrying me at the moment, a lot of eggs in one barely involved basket.
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It wasn't defensively all at sea at all, I thought we were excellent at the back and I really like Baker. We just seriously lack a cutting edge. I would bring N'Zogbia back in now, Gabby is flattering to deceive after a couple of decent games when he first showed his mush this season and it is not helping. Benteke is clearly nervous and how much did we need a chance like that to fall to Bent? We played decent enough but I am not sure we have it in us to create enough chances. It's now put a lot of pressure on next week.
Good post mate
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Oh dear.
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I still think it will improve, but we might again be thanking our lucky stars for the likes of Swansea, Reading, QPR, Norwich and Southampton being in the same division this year.
I agree. I think its not a case of we are shit so we will go down, more a case of we are shit but there are shitter teams out there and they will go down.
I wonder how long we have to put up with this state of affairs.
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Lamberts body language after they scored said it all, he looks like a man under pressure. We cannot play Bent and no wingers it's simple stupid.
How sad that the manager is the man under pressure, when he'd do a damn good job given the right support. I wonder if he wishes he was still at Norwich. I bloody would.
I'm guessing our chairman didn't catch the game today?
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Lowton was really good. Vlaar and Guzan too.
Nzogbia looked good when he came on, I think he should start the next game. We just look better when he plays, even if he plays badly.
I didn't think anyone had a shocker particularly but thats the most worrying thing. We have a lot of players who are consistently, sort of, kind of, like, um mostly, Ok? They aren't even under performing they just aren't good enough. They are all up to playing at this level, but I don't think you can have a whole side of them. One or two quality additions and they'd be fine, but without them we will continue to struggle.
Fulham looked as strong as us or stronger across the park. Someone like Risse is just a standard Premier league player, the kind that we need but don't have. You wouldn't get his name put on your shirt but he has an efficient quality and experience. We are too short of that at the moment.
Bent is worrying me at the moment, a lot of eggs in one barely involved basket.
About says it all
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I don't blame the manager for this state of affairs, I blame the chairman, who has mismanaged this club back to where we were in 2006.
This. Fans should stick with managers and players this season to the very end. If we do face the drop it is Lerner and Faulkner who should face the wrath of the fans. It is them who have royally fucked up so spectacularly.
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Customary garbage. But did anyone really expect anything from this match? I'm just glad I didn't waste any money going to the game. We're very, very poor, and I don't see where our next win is coming from, but as Lambert will say after this latest debacle, "we go again."
Oh come on. I can sometimes accept that we shouldn't expect a result against a top team (though we should never just roll over and accept it) but we were playing bloody Fulham, not FC Barcelona.
This isn't about names, it's about teams and players. Our team, our players, are not very good at all. Not good enough to win football matches, as we keep seeing, and not good enough for the name of Aston Villa. So that's why I'm struggling to see where the points are coming from, especially away from home.
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Well, that was piss poor. We're still an absolute shambles. This season of "ups and downs", and "peaks and troughs" seems to be light on the ups and peaks thus far.
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That was piss poor. Didn't look like we meant it until they scored.
As others have said - we look like a very poor team and other sides must now love seeing our name on their fixture list. Even Nigel Adkins said their season would start against us - and he was right. When we're getting mullered by the likes of Southampton alarm bells should be ringing - but we've just carried on in the same vein. The measure of the squad is how many would be pinched if we did drop - probably Darren Bent, and he may be gone in January. I really fear for the future this season.
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It seems ludicrous to talk about relegatiopn battles in October but I actually think we are firmly ensconced in one and like the rest of you I find it all totally frustrating, immensely disappointing and yet TOTALLY predictable!!
Yes the perfoprmances HAVE been better than the past year or more but the results are plainly dire and looking at the matches up-coming I think the writing is on the wall for the club this season.
Randy will need to make a major change of poilicy for January if we are to plug holes in this sinking ship because the mixture we have right now is nowhere near good enough and although some of the young lads we have brought on board may well mature into really good players at this level the problem we face is a lack of time to allow them to develop....
The Premier League is an unforgiving arena and you just don't get the time to develop a team this way in my opinion....I hope I am wrong and I really do like Lambert and admire his bravery and faith in the players he has at his disposal but I fear this is a season too far for the club.
If - and for me it is now a huge IF!!! - we manage to stay up this season then we will undoubtedly improve (though probably albeit in a slow way) but it's looking decidedly grim and unlikely right now.
Next week is already a must-win game and though this is a well-worn cliche I think it's true because promising performances and more exciting football that still gives NIL points is not going to save us.
Very predictably concerned!
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I'm still very much on board with Lambert and his plans of long term progress but I think he/ the club are trying too much too soon. Youngsters need to be blooded in a certain environment. Bennet today looked well out of his depth. It's clear he's got quality but these players need cameos and experience beside them.
I think this will be rectified in January.
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Say what you like about Lerner's shoddy management of the club, but that mosaic is beautiful. If that isn't worth a few years in the Championship, I don't know what is.
Who knows how many millions of pounds of debt, owned by a chairman who couldn't be more absent unless he died, and facing a potential relegation battle for the third season in a row.
And all we have to show for it is a nice pub and a few new signs.
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least we got Strictly to look forward to later
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least we got Strictly to look forward to later
I'm hoping there will be some decent clunge on Take Me Out to cheer me up.
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I think this will be rectified in January.
The villa hierarchy not doing something arseways? I wouldn't hold my breath.
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Didn't see much wrong with defence the midfield however is powder puff and the forward line like a blunt knife, to narrow without wingers we need genuine quality and quickly.
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I'm still very much on board with Lambert and his plans of long term progress but I think he/ the club are trying too much too soon. Youngsters need to be blooded in a certain environment. Bennet today looked well out of his depth. It's clear he's got quality but these players need cameos and experience beside them.
I think this will be rectified in January.
It just might be too be bloody late then.
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I still think it will improve, but we might again be thanking our lucky stars for the likes of Swansea, Reading, QPR, Norwich and Southampton being in the same division this year.
I agree. I think its not a case of we are shit so we will go down, more a case of we are shit but there are shitter teams out there and they will go down.
Southampton maybe but we are as bad as anyone else, the table would sugest that
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Bent will save our season.
Not by scoring 20 goals, but by being sold in Jan for at least what we paid and bring in some quality to get us out of this mess.
I actually believe the Bent stories of the last few weeks may have originated closer to home than we are lead to believe, generates a bidding war before Jan, guaranteed sale.
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It sounds like we are playing at 75% in all departments - not terribly but without skill and urgency.
Are we now looking at winning half a dozen home matches (which 6 teams are we better than for a start?) this season to see us safe?
If so then we truly are in trouble - again...
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1 win in 18 league games, that is unbelievably bad.
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I'm starting to have doubts about Lambert's approach. What I assumed was rotation based on using the whole squad and to suit the opposition is starting look suspiciously like he doesn't really know a combination that works.
I'm a fan of Bent, and he will guarantee us goals if serviced properly, but this no wingers approach makes him pretty much redundant. The play it through the middle tactic clearly isn't working and we are just not getting the ball into the box often enough. We look pretty clueless in the final third and it is difficult to see where the goals will come from unless we start to play to Bent's (and probably Benteke's) strengths by getting it out wide and putting some decent crosses in. If we want to play it through the middle, I think Weimann is the best bet up front.
We need to spend some money in January or we will be in serious trouble.
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Bent will save our season.
Not by scoring 20 goals, but by being sold in Jan for at least what we paid and bring in some quality to get us out of this mess.
I doubt we'll fetch half of what we paid for him. No one's paying big money for a striker who barely gets a shot all season (whether it's his fault or not).
Plus, he must be keen to get out. I wouldn't be surprised to see him try to force a sale.
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I think this will be rectified in January.
They got Bent in last time Randy has the money if needed and I think they'll spend it.
Hopefully by the end of the season our youngsters will be blossoming alongside a few new quality signings.
Left to their own devices, the kids have got a hell of a job to do to stay up.
Looking at the Villa squad, there's just no real star quality but I think if we can sign one or two in the window we'll do OK.
The villa hierarchy not doing something arseways? I wouldn't hold my breath.
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Randy's got a $billion dollars coming from the sale of the Cleveland Browns.................We need a big chunk of that spent on Villa please Mr Lerner
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Getting slightly worried now.....
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Honeymoon period well and truly over.
We are in deep shit and sinking and right now I can't see any improvement over the majority of the dross we watched last season.
What honeymoon period??
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Randy's got a $billion dollars coming from the sale of the Cleveland Browns.................We need a big chunk of that spent on Villa please Mr Lerner
Not happening, Faulkner said as much a couple of months back or whenever it was.
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The idea that this can be solved in january is tenuous, we could be too far gone by then
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Cup games are the only games worth watching now. Owner wishing to sell, wankers like Ireland still being picked. Same old tripe. Git my swindon ticket but think they will dick us. Has Lambert said we gave our all yet?
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maybe we will win the league cup and still go down
has anyone ever done that before ?
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The game against Norwich is a must win. There can be no other outcome from that game.
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Cup games are the only games worth watching now. Owner wishing to sell, wankers like Ireland still being picked. Same old tripe. Git my swindon ticket but think they will dick us. Has Lambert said we gave our all yet?
Ireland has been one of our best players and you can also note we keep conceding when he's substituted.
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We just really really need to beat Norwich! Got the impression bent didn't do much, but then he wouldn't have missed some of the sitters benteke ha missed for us
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The game against Norwich is a must win. There can be no other outcome from that game.
It is a big game for us. Can't believe im saying that at this stage of the season.
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We just really really need to beat Norwich! Got the impression bent didn't do much, but then he wouldn't have missed some of the sitters benteke ha missed for us
None of the strikers appear to be justifying their place in the team.
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Benteke and Nzogbia were a lot better when they came on but we are just piss poor really. Delph did alright but is just so limited on the ball it aint funny and Holman is worse than Delph with the ball.
Our lads with the exception of Bent tried hard but there was no way we deserved a clean sheet today. Some of the defending from our younger three lads bordered on the criminal at times. Vlaar was solid. I thought Kea was decent in midfield but he is never going to create a goal or anything. We really look like we wont score too many. This was the case last season too and I think is actually getting worse under Lambert. No-one from midfield getting beyond the forwards like Ian Taylor used do. Its something I thought Chris Herd had in his locker, Stephen Ireland once upon a time did it for City but prefers to tap around near the halfway line these days getting up his passing stats.
As for the solution, Bent particularly needs wide men. If you look at the goals when he first came they were pretty much all laid on by Walker, downing or Young. What we wouldnt do for players of that quality today. Lowton twice went forward today, Bennett cant remember him at all getting beyond the midfield with the ball. None of the players in midfield went out wide. The call will be to bring in Albrighton and Nzogbia for the next day but Albrighton bar having a decent cross has nothing else to his game. Nzogbia could well throw out a stinker of a performance again but until our full backs push forward more, it will be difficult for wide men anyway. If we play those 2 for example, we will likely be very light in the middle. Kea and Delph are far too defensive as a partnership and lack physical presence too.
guzan 6 - commanding enough but a modern goalkeeper needs to be able to kick the ball. he is shocking with the ball at his feet
lowton 6 - decent stint at centre back maybe bumps him up a rating. One decent cross at full back but some terrible positioning at times defensively
vlaar 7 - our best player probably. some good blocks, used the ball well. solid performance
baker 5 - very ropey start but had started to settle into it a bit before going off with a nasty enough injury
Holman 5 - sure he tries hard but plainly not of EPL quality I reckon. His first touch is so bad his second is a tackle
Kea 6 - decent enough display. only wishes to do the bare minimum with the ball though, the same as Delph which restricts our play badly
Delph 6 - maybe I was a bit harsh on the lad during the match thread as to be fair he wasnt all that bad. just a very limited player with the ball
Ireland 5 - one moment of quality at the start of the second half showed his quality. but for much of the rest he walked around like a lad who really hadnt the heart for it. when is he ever in the opposition box or actually coming up with an assist. he is given a free role in the side to get goals and assists and does neither despite nice touches
bent 3 - sure what is the point. if we dont play with width there is no point having him on. gabby and himself cant play together, end of
gabby 5 - tried hard but zero goal threat. started well but faded. difficult for our forwards though as they are dependent on supply and there was zilch coming through from our midfield and full backs. 25 games or so in the EPL without a goal is a pretty desperate stat. hard to believe this is the same players that was destroying arsenal at the emirates not too long ago or destroying vidic at old trafford. he looks a championship player at the moment
subs - nzogbia did ok and probably deserves a start. benteke offers more than gabby and bent at the moment I reckon. should have scored but was in the right position anyway and gives us a physical presence up there anyway. lichaj was piss poor in his cameo
I honestly think we are in huge trouble this season. Lambert's gamble on not bringing in experienced players doesnt seem like it will be pay off. we are so badly lacking in different areas, I think staying up will prove a serious stretch this season.
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Dreadful result and performance, but the worst thing about it is that I fully expected it. What more do you expect when the chairman sells practically every top class player at the club and replaces them with chumps from the lower leagues?
If we don't invest in genuine Premier League quality we'll be plying our trade in the Championship. The sooner Lerner realises this the better. We're in serious trouble.
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I'm not in the Bent camp either. The guy offers nothing has 0 skill (filed next to agbonlahor) let's get rid i'd much prefer someone like Long with Benteke for next season if we stay up.
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Just type shyte brontebilly. Oh and Paul winch you have shit in your eyes.
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The game against Norwich is a must win. There can be no other outcome from that game.
It is a big game for us. Can't believe im saying that at this stage of the season.
Norwich haven't won so far this season, and they're playing Arsenal in 5 mins. If that record is still in place by the time they turn up to play us, I think we all know what will happen.
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Randy's got a $billion dollars coming from the sale of the Cleveland Browns.................We need a big chunk of that spent on Villa please Mr Lerner
Not happening, Faulkner said as much a couple of months back or whenever it was.
A couple of months ago there was some optimism about the youngsters and the season ahead....what we know know is that we need (as a minimum) a proper nasty giant ball winning midfielder and a some quality through the spine of the team. The season will only get harder and i just can't see how we can load that sort of pressure on our current young squad. If we can get through this season I am sure we will see the rewards.....but right now I'm thinking its going to be a long hard season.
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We are in desperate trouble. 5 goals in our last 13 away games is another awful statistic to add to the many over the last 12 months.
He needs to build the side around N'Zogbia and Ireland- they are our most creative players and Lambert has to unlock the key in terms of giving them licence to play. We will go down simply because we don't score goals.
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Midfield is the problem. El Ahmadi, Delph, Bannan, Ireland, Albrighton, Holman, they're all so... average. No pace, no goal threat, no physical presence, no-one who can commit defenders. I'd actually play N'Zogbia now because at least he offers something different even if you are sacrificing hard work.
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Just type shyte brontebilly. Oh and Paul winch you have shit in your eyes.
Bit much.
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Anybody else get the impression lambert didn't realise how bad we were and thought he could come in and get the best out of what we had and simply had to add a few bright sparks for the future.
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Despite what looked an easy set of fixtures, they've been a fair bit tougher than we'd have thought. Only 3 of our 8 games so far have been at home. 5 of the 8 have come against sides currently in the top 8, 6 against the top 10. And only 1 game has been against a side in the bottom 8.
MMmmmm, more straws.
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Just type shyte brontebilly. Oh and Paul winch you have shit in your eyes.
Wind it in a bit please.
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Anybody else get the impression lambert didn't realise how bad we were and thought he could come in and get the best out of what we had and simply had to add a few bright sparks for the future.
Seems plausible. I think most people thought we had a half-decent team hidden under McLeish's cloud of despair.
I'm actually feeling a bit more sympathetic towards McLeish after seeing the same players still look really shit when they're not shackled by his defensive tactics.
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Agree the real problem is the midfield, you might get away with playing any 2 of the current crop but we cant get away with playing any 4 of them. They dont defend and they dont attack.
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Anybody else get the impression lambert didn't realise how bad we were and thought he could come in and get the best out of what we had and simply had to add a few bright sparks for the future.
Seems plausible. I think most people thought we had a half-decent team hidden under McLeish's cloud of despair.
Count me among those. I thought we underachieved by about four to five places last season. Not so sure now.
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We are in desperate trouble. 5 goals in our last 13 away games is another awful statistic to add to the many over the last 12 months.
He needs to build the side around N'Zogbia and Ireland- they are our most creative players and Lambert has to unlock the key in terms of giving them licence to play. We will go down simply because we don't score goals.
It's a fair point, apart from the first half against Everton and the second against Southampton, we haven't been that bad defensively, despite some dodgy moments in each game. The real problem is we look about as incisive as a blancmange when attacking, and many a team have got relegated for precisely that reason. I've likened us to Tony Mowbray's relegated West Brazil before, they played some lovely stuff up to the final third, then nothing. And the cap still fits at the moment.
Yet we have four strikers who could probably all stick the ball in the net regularly if they get the service. The real problem is a woeful lack of creativity from midfield.
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Just type shyte brontebilly. Oh and Paul winch you have shit in your eyes.
Bit much.
[/quotJust type shyte brontebilly. Oh and Paul winch you have shit in your eyes.
Bit much.
Not really, too many villa fans have shit in their eyes. We are a fuckin shambles with a novice manager. Our owner is a faceless fool. The capital one cup is our only glory, how fuckin enbarrassing.
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Benteke and Nzogbia were a lot better when they came on but we are just piss poor really. Delph did alright but is just so limited on the ball it aint funny and Holman is worse than Delph with the ball.
Our lads with the exception of Bent tried hard but there was no way we deserved a clean sheet today. Some of the defending from our younger three lads bordered on the criminal at times. Vlaar was solid. I thought Kea was decent in midfield but he is never going to create a goal or anything. We really look like we wont score too many. This was the case last season too and I think is actually getting worse under Lambert. No-one from midfield getting beyond the forwards like Ian Taylor used do. Its something I thought Chris Herd had in his locker, Stephen Ireland once upon a time did it for City but prefers to tap around near the halfway line these days getting up his passing stats.
As for the solution, Bent particularly needs wide men. If you look at the goals when he first came they were pretty much all laid on by Walker, downing or Young. What we wouldnt do for players of that quality today. Lowton twice went forward today, Bennett cant remember him at all getting beyond the midfield with the ball. None of the players in midfield went out wide. The call will be to bring in Albrighton and Nzogbia for the next day but Albrighton bar having a decent cross has nothing else to his game. Nzogbia could well throw out a stinker of a performance again but until our full backs push forward more, it will be difficult for wide men anyway. If we play those 2 for example, we will likely be very light in the middle. Kea and Delph are far too defensive as a partnership and lack physical presence too.
guzan 6 - commanding enough but a modern goalkeeper needs to be able to kick the ball. he is shocking with the ball at his feet
lowton 6 - decent stint at centre back maybe bumps him up a rating. One decent cross at full back but some terrible positioning at times defensively
vlaar 7 - our best player probably. some good blocks, used the ball well. solid performance
baker 5 - very ropey start but had started to settle into it a bit before going off with a nasty enough injury
Holman 5 - sure he tries hard but plainly not of EPL quality I reckon. His first touch is so bad his second is a tackle
Kea 6 - decent enough display. only wishes to do the bare minimum with the ball though, the same as Delph which restricts our play badly
Delph 6 - maybe I was a bit harsh on the lad during the match thread as to be fair he wasnt all that bad. just a very limited player with the ball
Ireland 5 - one moment of quality at the start of the second half showed his quality. but for much of the rest he walked around like a lad who really hadnt the heart for it. when is he ever in the opposition box or actually coming up with an assist. he is given a free role in the side to get goals and assists and does neither despite nice touches
bent 3 - sure what is the point. if we dont play with width there is no point having him on. gabby and himself cant play together, end of
gabby 5 - tried hard but zero goal threat. started well but faded. difficult for our forwards though as they are dependent on supply and there was zilch coming through from our midfield and full backs. 25 games or so in the EPL without a goal is a pretty desperate stat. hard to believe this is the same players that was destroying arsenal at the emirates not too long ago or destroying vidic at old trafford. he looks a championship player at the moment
subs - nzogbia did ok and probably deserves a start. benteke offers more than gabby and bent at the moment I reckon. should have scored but was in the right position anyway and gives us a physical presence up there anyway. lichaj was piss poor in his cameo
I honestly think we are in huge trouble this season. Lambert's gamble on not bringing in experienced players doesnt seem like it will be pay off. we are so badly lacking in different areas, I think staying up will prove a serious stretch this season.
I'm with you on most of that mate.
I really think Benteke and Weimann would be an excellent partnership. Weimann along with Herd can feel hard done by not to be in the side.
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Just type shyte brontebilly. Oh and Paul winch you have shit in your eyes.
Bit much.
And also in the last two games Ireland was brought off did we or did we not concede? 4 against Southampton and 1 today.
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I'm prepared to be patient, we are trying to play entertaing football and I appreciate the squad issues Lambert has.
We need experienced defender to be bought in Jan but overall I like what PL is doing with the tools, so the speak, that he has.
We may have fewer point than this time last season but I am far more confident.
Onward and upward, UTV.
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If we could bring one top quality proven player in right now, would he play up front, in midfield or at the back?
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As far as I can see we lost a game that could have gone either way 1-0. We weren't outclassed or thrashed - such are the fine margins. Yep, it's not great to lose again, and we have to start chalking up the wins soon but we do look a lot better than the team we were last season. Back the manager, back the team and we'll climb the table. At the moment it isn't going our way but we are nowhere near as bad as people are suggesting here. We do need wins desperately, though,and we ain't gonna get them with wrist-slitting negativity. Villa Park, next game, we've got to lift the lads and shift up that table. When MON took over we had a similar kind of run where things looked shaky but we all showed plenty of patience. Lambert needs exactly the same, as does the team.
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Anybody else get the impression lambert didn't realise how bad we were and thought he could come in and get the best out of what we had and simply had to add a few bright sparks for the future.
Seems plausible. I think most people thought we had a half-decent team hidden under McLeish's cloud of despair.
Count me among those. I thought we underachieved by about four to five places last season. Not so sure now.
I think we did, but only 3 of the starters today were regular starters last season. Plus Delph and Guzan. Maybe Lambert has tried to change too much too soon?
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Very depressing .Just so predictable that sooner or later Fulham would score and that would be it. Someone earlier mentioned that Gabby has now gone 27 premier games without scoring,how does the guy start in front of Weimann or Benteke ?
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I'm prepared to be patient, we are trying to play entertaing football and I appreciate the squad issues Lambert has.
We need experienced defender to be bought in Jan but overall I like what PL is doing with the tools, so the speak, that he has.
We may have fewer point than this time last season but I am far more confident.
Onward and upward, UTV.
Fucking hell mate, I was with you on that a few weeks ago but even the good football bit has disappeared in the last few games. No way was any of our football good today, whereas it was against West Ham, Newcastle and especially Swansea.
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As far as I can see we lost a game that could have gone either way 1-0. We weren't outclassed or thrashed - such are the fine margins. Yep, it's not great to lose again, and we have to start chalking up the wins soon but we do look a lot better than the team we were last season. Back the manager, back the team and we'll climb the table. At the moment it isn't going our way but we are nowhere near as bad as people are suggesting here. We do need wins desperately, though,and we ain't gonna get them with wrist-slitting negativity. Villa Park, next game, we've got to lift the lads and shift up that table. When MON took over we had a similar kind of run where things looked shaky but we all showed plenty of patience. Lambert needs exactly the same, as does the team.
Did you see the game? It may have been 1-0 but we were never in it until the last 10 minutes.
Fair enough about the patience bit though but I think we are right to be concerned.
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If we could bring one top quality proven player in right now, would he play up front, in midfield or at the back?
We haven't replaced Stan and that, to me, is where things are going wrong. We lack a steadying influence in midfield. A talker and a leader, and someone who will sit in front of the back four and give licence for our creative players to push on.
At the moment we lack any of that. It was a bad mistake to not address it in the summer.
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Anybody else get the impression lambert didn't realise how bad we were and thought he could come in and get the best out of what we had and simply had to add a few bright sparks for the future.
No really. Lambert knew how shit we were and had changed the team as best as he could. Today there were 6 players on the pitch he has signed. He needs time to improve the players or more money to sign quality however both things may not happen to save us.
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We didn't get enough crosses in from decent positions, if I've a criticism of PL its that his system needs the width to come from the full backs and neither of them are up to it at this stage in their careers.
In answer to the question posed above if we were to spend big money on a player in Jan I'd spend it on a full back with captaincy qualities.
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As far as I can see we lost a game that could have gone either way 1-0. We weren't outclassed or thrashed - such are the fine margins. Yep, it's not great to lose again, and we have to start chalking up the wins soon but we do look a lot better than the team we were last season. Back the manager, back the team and we'll climb the table. At the moment it isn't going our way but we are nowhere near as bad as people are suggesting here. We do need wins desperately, though,and we ain't gonna get them with wrist-slitting negativity. Villa Park, next game, we've got to lift the lads and shift up that table. When MON took over we had a similar kind of run where things looked shaky but we all showed plenty of patience. Lambert needs exactly the same, as does the team.
When O'Neill took over, we weren't on a downward slump after consistently selling our best players, and we had reason to believe all of that proud history bright future bollocks.
I don't think many people are turning on Lambert, it's our absentee owner who's at fault, but you can't expect us all to sit around being patient and cautiously optimistic when we've won 3 league games all year.
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Randy's got a $billion dollars coming from the sale of the Cleveland Browns.................We need a big chunk of that spent on Villa please Mr Lerner
Not happening, Faulkner said as much a couple of months back or whenever it was.
Yes, because if it was he'd tell us.
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guzan 6 - commanding enough but a modern goalkeeper needs to be able to kick the ball. he is shocking with the ball at his feet
It has been a criticism of our keepers, of previous seasons, by hoofing the ball up field with us losing possession.
Guzan , prefers to play the short ball or throw to one of our players so we keep possession. Which seems to be the preferred choice of the modern keeper.
When the ball is passed back to him the defenders must make themselves available for a pass.
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Just type shyte brontebilly. Oh and Paul winch you have shit in your eyes.
p
Wind it in a bit please.
Sorry, but let's get some realism our owner want to sell, we are shit,we still have overpaid players and our novice manager is sinking. Let's play Ireland/Bentjust sums us up
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Who would take settle for finishing guaranteed 17th this season ?
We should have that on the club crest, in latin.
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Midfield creativity is still woeful, defence weren't too bad but we create little and bent without service is useless, he is a finisher and nothing else.
Gabby has gone 27 premier games without a goal, give Weimann a chance , very worrying time with tough games ahead.
Lambert is not the problem, Lerner is the problem!
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took the dogs a walk not having the bottle to listen to the match and took the one hit pill of listening to sports report on radio 5 to get the rsult only to hear "Aston Villa's miserable away form continues as they lose at Fulham"-sums it up really , and yes I am miserable as I type this !
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after a defeat we dont half have some donuts on here who we never hear of from one week to the next!
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I agree with the poster above that Weimann and Herd are unfortunate not to have been more involved. With Weimann in particular, he doesn't appear to have the threat of our other strikers on paper, he's not quick like Gabby, Big like Benteke or 'clinical' like Bent. But he's been on the pitch when we've picked up most of our meagre points tally in the last two seasons and I think it's down to his movement.
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Hold firm, we'll be OK
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Lets hope the head of scouting we got in summer is going to find us 2 or 3 in January.
We need a midfielder who can create something, Ireland's 4/5 good games in 2 years is nowhere near good enough.
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Back from the game, waiting to drown my sorrows in a curry at Monty's on the Fulham Road.
The defence were fine, more or less, and Baker immense. Guzan was very good too.
Ireland was constantly trying to find space and receive the ball. When he got it, things got tricky as no other bugger was making runs or finding space.
We play far too narrow - their wide players could have eaten dinner and brushed their teeth while our cover got out to them.
When Baker was injured and Lambert called them over, they played much more quickly for a short while, and Ireland was trying to prompt them all to be quicker getting the ball to each other.
Too many in that midfield are neat, hard-working players, but the way they're set up there are so few options for them in terms of playing the ball forward.
Guzan punting it to Bent in the hope that Sod's Law would kick in and he'd flick it on to Gabby was fairly tiresome.
Gabby tried hard and had his moments.
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after a defeat we dont half have some donuts on here who we never hear of from one week to the next!
Wind it in a bit please
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Hold firm, we'll be OK
I think we will be as well, I don't think it will be the relaxing lower mid table anonymity that I was hoping for though.
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We need a shake up in the team and the pattern. May as well play Given and Dunne ahead of Guzan and Clark to compensate for the otherwise huge inexperience. Gabby on left wing and Albrighton on right. Benteke with either Bent or probably better with Weimann up top. KEA and Holman centre mid. Ireland and Nzog as lazy subs. Get down the wings, get crosses in.
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Midfield is the problem as previous posters have already said we really miss Stan's presence in there.
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Still work in progress. No need to panic (yet). We'll get it together after Christmas and put in a good run and be safe!
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For me, Gabby flatters to deceive, doesn't hold the ball up, more importantly doesn't look like scoring.You can't play Gabby and Bent together, Benteke, for all his rawness , offers our best opportunities, N'Zog should start.Not sure there is enough creativity in the team when you play KEA,Delph and Holman in midfield.
Baker looked good.
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Yes. Selecting KEA with Delph is stupid. They are doing the same things. KEA and Bannan or Holman or Ireland in centre mid. Drop this poxy useless diamond thing, which will only work if, like vs Swansea, the tempo is superfast.
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Randy's got a $billion dollars coming from the sale of the Cleveland Browns.................We need a big chunk of that spent on Villa please Mr Lerner
Not happening, Faulkner said as much a couple of months back or whenever it was.
Yes, because if it was he'd tell us.
Good point.
I'm more than happy for him to start spunking money at the Villa. Christ knows, we need it.
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after a defeat we dont half have some donuts on here who we never hear of from one week to the next!
Wind it in a bit please
He has no need to, using a term like donuts isn't exactly an insult. Insulting a poster directly by saying he has shit in his eyes is. That's why I specifically asked you to wind it in a bit.
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Midfield is the problem as previous posters have already said we really miss Stan's presence in there.
Not so much stan in my view but someone with the drive and creativity of Milner- he has never been replaced and how we need that sort of player .
Everything seems to go sideways or backwards and there is little width either, bent will not score without wingers setting him up, it's fine keeping the ball but not if you're not creating anything with it.
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I think some of it is down to confidence. Too often when attacking we slow our own attacks down by either, the player receiving the ball has his back to goal, or when he receives the ball he stops and turns away meaning it has to go sideways at best or more often, backwards. Hopefully confidence would stop that, but until we win confidence remains low.
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i like donuts,
but not them Krispy Kreme things, they are to sickly
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HE ONLY WENT AND BLOODY SAID IT....
Paul Lambert admitted frustration at the result but he was far from despondent at the performance as Villa went down 1-0 at Fulham.
Lambert was annoyed at the manner of the winning goal but pleased with the efforts of his team overall during the ninety minutes.
Villa boss Lambert is confident that things will turn in his team's favour soon, if they continue in the same manner.
He said: "It was hard to take because I don't think we deserved to lose the game.
"It's a tough place to come. I know that from last season.
"But I thought we gave as good as we got. To lose from a goal at a set-piece was really disappointing.
"I didn't think there was a lot in it. I thought it was a really close game.
"I thought we did really fine. I thought some of our play was really good. I didn't think there was much in it at all.
"I can take positives out of it. I'm not going to be too downbeat. I am disappointed to lose but, as I said to the lads, you just keep going!
"They are playing really fine at the moment. You just don't give up now. We keep going. We will be fine. We give it everything we've got to try and win a game.
"The lads are down but they know they gave Fulham a good game. If we keep going the way we have been, we will be alright.
"We are creating things and we look a threat which is important. It's important how you bounce back. We will bounce back from this one."
Lambert revealed Christian Benteke missed out on the starting line-up as a result of two gruelling games for Belgium on international duty.
He continued: "Christian has had two really hard games for Belgium during the week.
"I played Gabby with Darren because I thought it was the right thing to do and I thought they did really, really fine.
"I thought Darren deserved to come back in with Gabby. We have strikers vying to get in, younger ones too. They are pushing to get in. There are options there."
Lambert admitted he thought Benteke had equalised soon after Chris Baird's opener, only to see the well-struck effort fly wide.
Despite the miss, Lambert insists Benteke will be a "major player" for Villa in the coming weeks, months and years ahead.
He added: "From where I was standing I thought it was in. He had just come on. But he will be a major player for this club, that's for sure."
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after a defeat we dont half have some donuts on here who we never hear of from one uweek to the next!
Wind it in a bit please
He has no need to, using a term like donuts isn't exactly an iulting a poster directly by saying he has shit in his eyes is. That's why I specifically asked you to wind it in a bit.
Whatever same old on this site. Our fans are blind to how we have declined, our current owner isn't a villa fan and never will be the plastic fool.
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My problem with that is that we didnt create or look a threat!
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after a defeat we dont half have some donuts on here who we never hear of from one uweek to the next!
Wind it in a bit please
He has no need to, using a term like donuts isn't exactly an iulting a poster directly by saying he has shit in his eyes is. That's why I specifically asked you to wind it in a bit.
Whatever same old on this site. Our fans are blind to how we have declined, our current owner isn't a villa fan and never will be the plastic fool.
yeah, bring back Doug he was a Villa fan
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after a defeat we dont half have some donuts on here who we never hear of from one uweek to the next!
Wind it in a bit please
He has no need to, using a term like donuts isn't exactly an iulting a poster directly by saying he has shit in his eyes is. That's why I specifically asked you to wind it in a bit.
Whatever same old on this site. Our fans are blind to how we have declined, our current owner isn't a villa fan and never will be the plastic fool.
I don't think anyone is blind to how we've declined, it's patently obvious. However Ireland is an easy target because he had a shocking couple of seasons, but he's played perfectly well this year and has been virtually our only creative spark and has worked very hard.
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after a defeat we dont half have some donuts on here who we never hear of from one uweek to the next!
Wind it in a bit please
He has no need to, using a term like donuts isn't exactly an iulting a poster directly by saying he has shit in his eyes is. That's why I specifically asked you to wind it in a bit.
Whatever same old on this site. Our fans are blind to how we have declined, our current owner isn't a villa fan and never will be the plastic fool.
No one holds a gun to your head to visit us.
I doubt anyone here is blind to anything. Some just prefer to show some patience as it's actually a lot less stressful than thinking the end of the world is nigh. And how many owners are fans of the clubs they own? The days of the local businessman owning his local club are long gone at the top end of the game.
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can't see anything other than a relegation fight now. even if we beat norwich and get a draw from makems that will be 9 from 10. we'll struggle to take 35 points this year
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after a defeat we dont half have some donuts on here who we never hear of from one uweek to the next!
Wind it in a bit please
He has no need to, using a term like donuts isn't exactly an iulting a poster directly by saying he has shit in his eyes is. That's why I specifically asked you to wind it in a bit.
Whatever same old on this site. Our fans are blind to how we have declined, our current owner isn't a villa fan and never will be the plastic fool.
yeah, bring back Doug he was a Villa fan
would he of run up huge debts just to stay still?
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no but would probably be in championship by now
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after a defeat we dont half have some donuts on here who we never hear of from one uweek to the next!
Wind it in a bit please
He has no need to, using a term like donuts isn't exactly an iulting a poster directly by saying he has shit in his eyes is. That's why I specifically asked you to wind it in a bit.
Whatever same old on this site. Our fans are blind to how we have declined,.
really, its pretty hard to miss the fact that we are gettting beat and in the bottom of the league most the time.
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I haven't seen the game but its clearly obvious we're shit and will get relegated. It's the only conclusion I can come to after not watching the game. Sack him. It's the thing to do after I didn't watch the game.
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I haven't seen the game but its clearly obvious we're shit and will get relegated. It's the only conclusion I can come to after not watching the game. Sack him. It's the thing to do after I didn't watch the game.
In fairness I don't think anyone is calling for him to be out, but we were poor today.
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Just glad i spent my money on a ticket for Ascot today instead of watching the Villa.
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no but would probably be in championship by now
We'll be over £100 in debt and in championship next season.
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Just got back. Our players just don't seem good enough, simple as that. Both our fullbacks are championship quality at best. Our midfield non existent.
I love this football club of our's but if anything sums up our current squad's desire it's Schwarzer coming to collect a rare "cross" with the nearest Villa player 10 yards away in the 88th minute and a goal down.. Not one of our players could be arsed to challenge him.
If they showed half of the passion of our fans today we would have no worries but as it is we're in the shit for the time being.
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That quote from Lambert has a great line. Apparently we gave Fulham (FULHAM) a good game. Wow, that's a level of achievement to get us going.
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That quote from Lambert has a great line. Apparently we gave Fulham (FULHAM) a good game. Wow, that's a level of achievement to get us going.
I must admit I was surprised by lamberts comments about us creating chances- I thought we looked very poor regards creativity and looked poor going forward.
Certainly we look worse than we did at Newcastle when I really thought we were starting to gel, things are not improving .
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oh dear, we are in deep, deep trouble
a poster on here (cant remember who, sorry) said in the summer when lambert was signing all these players that we were building a good championship side and was rounded by a lot on here
the guy wasnt far wrong - we have a championship side and will be a championship side
Lambert isnt to blame - he was given a pittance to buy a whole new team
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On train home - good day out again , spoiled by another poor display. Too many players are not good enough . The 8 of us on the train couldn't name the exact starting line up on the way - and that's the problem . I don't think lambert knows his first choice 11 yet . I have no idea the shape we were playing today - and no idea where Holman was supposed to be playing. He is like a dog chasing a balloon . one attempt on target in 90 mins - the goalkeeper never had a save to make - against fucking Fulham .
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Not good enough. I'm very worried, I didn't buy the pre-season optimism - we lack experience and quality in vital areas.
The next two and Swindon are big games now. We need to start picking up points.
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Norwich beating arsenal means they will be full of confidence when visiting us next week, we must get 3 points next week or I dread where we will be in a months time!
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Norwich win..will be in a positive mood next week..Huge game now.
It's not this season that is the issue its being poor the last 2 ..we have not had a decent run of games in 3 years now.No wonder so many are already worried about relegation.
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next 5 league fixtures
Norwich, Sunderland, Man utd, Man City and Arsenal
3 of the top 4
and the other 2, where a lot of people are hoping to get points from have the Old club factor and the ex-manager factor thrown in just for good measure
i hate football
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The worst thing for me was the amount of times the commentator would say 'ooh, he's hit that pass too long'. Our passing forward is woeful and we don't see the ball enough to be so terrible with it. It's no overreaction to say that I anticipate we're seeing a slow relegation rather than a poor start.
Quite honestly, and I thought I'd never say this, but after another insipid performance from our midfield, I'd welcome an arsehole like Joey Barton with open arms.
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I think we'll get a point from Norwich and lose the other 4. However I didn't expect us to beat Swansea or Man City. Hopefully the team has more performances like that in them.
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next 5 league fixtures
Norwich, Sunderland, Man utd, Man City and Arsenal
3 of the top 4
and the other 2, where a lot of people are hoping to get points from have the Old club factor and the ex-manager factor thrown in just for good measure
i hate football
i am glad you have started posting tonight, never having ever seen you before, have you watched the game, how do you feel we have done compared to the previous visits to fulham with the might of mon teams? do you feel that we are making a progression in terms of football played to what we have seen the last couple of years? can you see this team getting worse or better? just interested on your views?
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?
next 5 league fixtures
Norwich, Sunderland, Man utd, Man City and Arsenal
3 of the top 4
and the other 2, where a lot of people are hoping to get points from have the Old club factor and the ex-manager factor thrown in just for good measure
i hate football
i am glad you have started posting tonight, never having ever seen you before, have you watched the game, how do you feel we have done compared to the previous visits to fulham with the might of mon teams? do you feel that we are making a progression in terms of football played to what we have seen the last couple of years? can you see this team getting worse or better? just interested on your views?
125 posts?
is it my fault you havent seen me before?
try again
oh right, this pish about being a better supporter is it rutski?
i take it you are still in primary school?
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You should ask our current owner those questions.
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?next 5 league fixtures
Norwich, Sunderland, Man utd, Man City and Arsenal
3 of the top 4
and the other 2, where a lot of people are hoping to get points from have the Old club factor and the ex-manager factor thrown in just for good measure
i hate football
i am glad you have started posting tonight, never having ever seen you before, have you watched the game, how do you feel we have done compared to the previous visits to fulham with the might of mon teams? do you feel that we are making a progression in terms of football played to what we have seen the last couple of years? can you see this team getting worse or better? just interested on your views?
125 posts?
is it my fault you havent seen me before?
try again
oh right, this pish about being a better supporter is it rutski?
i take it you are still in primary school?
never said anything about being better supporter, just asking your opinion on what you have seen? at middle school now by the way!
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I don't know where the team that played so well against Swansea, Newcastle or Man City disappears to on these occasions. We had good halves against the Boggies, Wet Spam and Spuds too. But we can't change a game in our favour, it seems, and I worry about us going behind because I can't see us being able to get level again, let alone win. I don't have an explanation for Man City and the great performance, but I should think Lambert's worn out his DVD looking for the same answer
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A lot of us aren't happy with all things Villa right now, but can we leave out the bickering and sniping at each other please. By all means debate, discuss and even argue. But keep it civil.
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A lot of us aren't happy with all things Villa right now, but can we leave out the bickering and sniping at each other please. By all means debate, discuss and even argue. But keep it civil.
Thank you.
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I expected more than 5 points from Lamberts first 8 games so the nerves are kicking in now, it was so risky trying to survive in the premier league with so little experience and quality and we are in big trouble, Norwich and Sunderland games must give us a 4 point return as I fear the worst in the fixtures that follow . GULP
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A lot of us aren't happy with all things Villa right now, but can we leave out the bickering and sniping at each other please. By all means debate, discuss and even argue. But keep it civil.
agree in a way, but there are those who would see a lottery win as a capital gains tax bill!
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A lot of us aren't happy with all things Villa right now, but can we leave out the bickering and sniping at each other please. By all means debate, discuss and even argue. But keep it civil.
Oh bollox to it. Lets have a big fight on here, be very uncivil and rude. Get the beers in and lets get stinking drunk and type things we regret. Has a post match thread ever got locked down?
OK Villa fans verbally fighting each other on H & V is never pretty but at least it will be more interesting than what we saw today. Because apart from us getting nothing out the game, up until us conceding and realising yet again we are poor, it was also dull. Dull dull boring yawning dull.
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A lot of us aren't happy with all things Villa right now, but can we leave out the bickering and sniping at each other please. By all means debate, discuss and even argue. But keep it civil.
Oh bollox to it. Lets have a big fight on here, be very uncivil and rude. Get the beers in and lets get stinking drunk and type things we regret. Has a post match thread ever got locked down?
OK Villa fans verbally fighting each other on H & V is never pretty but at least it will be more interesting than what we saw today. Because apart from us getting nothing out the game, up until us conceding and realising yet again we are poor, it was also dull. Dull dull boring yawning dull.
Perfect summing up of the game-sadly our manager was happy with the side and thinks we were creative and did just fine.
I am behind Paul lambert by the way but find his account of the game somewhat bemusing .
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I think it's only me that didn't think Fulham were full value for a win. It's just that Villa were so poor they had no option but to take at least one of their half-chances. The pisser was that it was their most difficult one.
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A lot of us aren't happy with all things Villa right now, but can we leave out the bickering and sniping at each other please. By all means debate, discuss and even argue. But keep it civil.
agree in a way, but there are those who would see a lottery win as a capital gains tax bill!
Que the villa and Lerner love in.
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I'm still reeling from the news that we're over £100 in debt.
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A lot of us aren't happy with all things Villa right now, but can we leave out the bickering and sniping at each other please. By all means debate, discuss and even argue. But keep it civil.
Oh bollox to it. Lets have a big fight on here, be very uncivil and rude. Get the beers in and lets get stinking drunk and type things we regret. Has a post match thread ever got locked down?
OK Villa fans verbally fighting each other on H & V is never pretty but at least it will be more interesting than what we saw today. Because apart from us getting nothing out the game, up until us conceding and realising yet again we are poor, it was also dull. Dull dull boring yawning dull.
I have no problem with folks arguing/debating with each other. It's insulting each other that won't be accepted, especially now i've asked nicely for folks to not do it. Say things are great, say things are shit, it doesn't matter, but be respectful to other posters.
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We were really, really poor today. I think Lambert will be the manager to put the nail into our Premier League coffin. The players he's bought just aren't good enough, and for all the fact that the football is marginally better than under McLeish, crucially it's worse than the other teams we have to play in the league. I just can't see an end to us being crap.
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I'm still reeling from the news that we're over £100 in debt.
Don't forget we play great football aswell.
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I'm still reeling from the news that we're over £100 in debt.
Don't forget we play great football aswell.
For a level of indebtedness in three figures it's the least you'd expect.
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I don't know where the team that played so well against Swansea, Newcastle or Man City disappears to.
Step forward Andreas Weimann, it was his nuisance play up front that always gave us an option, his hard work, endevour and the way he used to drop back into midfield areas meant that the opposition had to pick him up and track him leaving gaps for our midfield to play forward. Its no co-incidence that since he's been out the side and we've had 2 static forwards up front that our midfield passes have become sideways, back, back, sideways, sideways, back, sideways etc.
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Joke all you want. Reality is we owe Randy a fortune and have a pub and mosaic to show for it. No buyer would touch us with a barge pole.
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I'm still reeling from the news that we're over £100 in debt.
Don't forget we play great football aswell.
For a level of indebtedness in three figures it's the least you'd expect.
What about if I throw in an Nzogbia or raise you an Ireland?
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I'm still reeling from the news that we're over £100 in debt.
In Dougs day those levels of debt would have provoked board room power struggles and EGMs.
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I'm still reeling from the news that we're over £100 in debt.
In Dougs day those levels of debt would have provoked board room power struggles and EGMs.
Stride would have had his Luncheon Vouchers stopped.
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Joke all you want. Reality is we owe Randy a fortune and have a pub and mosaic to show for it. No buyer would touch us with a barge pole.
Tell me, what has Lerner ever done for us ?
A free coach to Chelsea.
OK, well apart from a pub, a mosaic, a free trip to Chelsea, what has Lerner ever done for us ?
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Joke all you want. Reality is we owe Randy a fortune and have a pub and mosaic to show for it. No buyer would touch us with a barge pole.
Tell me, what has Lerner ever done for us ?
A free coach to Chelsea.
OK, well apart from a pub, a mosaic, a free trip to Chelsea, what has Lerner ever done for us ?
For 3 years he gave it a real crack to try and break the top four- since then he seems to have allowed the club to slip backwards at alarming rate and shown a real lack of ambition.
The likes of Albion,stoke and Sunderland have all passed us and we are competing in the bottom 6 with little hope of improvement unless we can sign players of proven quality and for for that substantial cash is needed- we seem to be standing still and letting others pass us.
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It occurred to me watching the game that our major problem is that if we're going to play that system then the fullbacks have to offer a lot more in an attacking sense. I'm not saying they won't be able too, but it's crucial they offer width which they aren't at the moment and it means we don't create any angles or space.
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5 points and 6 goals in 8 games tells its own tale; simply not good enough
Nice to see Bent back in the side but pointless unless we are going to have some width to create the chances for him. Gabby needs to make way for Benteke too. If Bent goes 5 games in the Premiership without a goal he gets branded useless/a passenger but Gabby is heading towards a full season of games without a goal
Same as my first point; simply not good enough
Enjoy your Saturday evening folks ;)
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Enjoy your Saturday evening folks ;)
No !
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Enjoy your Saturday evening folks ;)
No !
What Saturday evening? I am at work until midnight, surrounded by Chelsea fans.
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I don't know where the team that played so well against Swansea, Newcastle or Man City disappears to.
Step forward Andreas Weimann, it was his nuisance play up front that always gave us an option, his hard work, endevour and the way he used to drop back into midfield areas meant that the opposition had to pick him up and track him leaving gaps for our midfield to play forward. Its no co-incidence that since he's been out the side and we've had 2 static forwards up front that our midfield passes have become sideways, back, back, sideways, sideways, back, sideways etc.
This.
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Bent has proved he scores goals, plenty of them. We've got one of the best goalscorers we've had in ages. What a waste it is if we can't get the ball to him.
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Enjoy your Saturday evening folks ;)
No !
What Saturday evening? I am at work until midnight, surrounded by Chelsea fans.
Piss them off by saying their bitter local rivals won ?
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I don't know where the team that played so well against Swansea, Newcastle or Man City disappears to.
Step forward Andreas Weimann, it was his nuisance play up front that always gave us an option, his hard work, endevour and the way he used to drop back into midfield areas meant that the opposition had to pick him up and track him leaving gaps for our midfield to play forward. Its no co-incidence that since he's been out the side and we've had 2 static forwards up front that our midfield passes have become sideways, back, back, sideways, sideways, back, sideways etc.
This.
Agree. We are missing Weimann. I'm baffled why Gabby gets in the team ahead of him.
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Bent has proved he scores goals, plenty of them. We've got one of the best goalscorers we've had in ages. What a waste it is if we can't get the ball to him.
the problem is that it is a team game, Bent scores when chances are served to him, we dont do that, we are not good enough to do that
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Enjoy your Saturday evening folks ;)
No !
What Saturday evening? I am at work until midnight, surrounded by Chelsea fans.
Piss them off by saying their bitter local rivals won ?
They have the kind of bulletproof smugness that makes them immune to minor sarcasm. And bouncing their faces off the desk is kind of frowned on by HR
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Its all very depressing but at least this is happening at an early stage of the season. I keep saying this but its simple. If you dont score goals
or even one goal you cannot win a match whether its in the Premier or the Scottish League Div 3.
We have a bloke called Bent who scores goals. I know this is true because its in the record books.
This afternoon because of the way we play he did not receive any kind of service from the full backs overlapping and slinging over crosses for
him to feed on.
Because our midfield is very average ,to say the least, the backs have to defend most of the time and dont have the time to attack even if they have the skill to do this which is debatable.
I think Mr Lambert has a great deal of thinking to do this weekend.
Good luck to him.
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Its all very depressing but at least this is happening at an early stage of the season. I keep saying this but its simple. If you dont score goals
or even one goal you cannot win a match whether its in the Premier or the Scottish League Div 3.
We have a bloke called Bent who scores goals. I know this is true because its in the record books.
This afternoon because of the way we play he did not receive any kind of service from the full backs overlapping and slinging over crosses for
him to feed on.
Because our midfield is very average ,to say the least, the backs have to defend most of the time and dont have the time to attack if they have the skill to do this which is debatable.
I think Mr Lambert has a great deal of thinking to do this weekend.
Good luck to him.
Well written post, certainly something needs to change.
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Enjoy your Saturday evening folks ;)
No !
What Saturday evening? I am at work until midnight, surrounded by Chelsea fans.
Piss them off by saying their bitter local rivals won ?
They have the kind of bulletproof smugness that makes them immune to minor sarcasm. And bouncing their faces off the desk is kind of frowned on by HR
A Kick Smugness Out T-shirt might work, on a number of levels.
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I'm still reeling from the news that we're over £100 in debt.
The trouble is the last time we had that sort of deficit McGregor was around to save us. Now there is no one .... We are doomed.
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"We keep going" is the new "terrific".
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Its all very depressing but at least this is happening at an early stage of the season. I keep saying this but its simple. If you dont score goals
or even one goal you cannot win a match whether its in the Premier or the Scottish League Div 3.
We have a bloke called Bent who scores goals. I know this is true because its in the record books.
This afternoon because of the way we play he did not receive any kind of service from the full backs overlapping and slinging over crosses for
him to feed on.
Because our midfield is very average ,to say the least, the backs have to defend most of the time and dont have the time to attack if they have the skill to do this which is debatable.
I think Mr Lambert has a great deal of thinking to do this weekend.
Good luck to him.
Well written post, certainly something needs to change.
5-4-1 or 5-3-2 ?
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Cometh the hour, cometh the Weimann.
No idea what we do with our midfield though, we need more thats for sure.
Also can someone work with Nzogbia on the training field? Dear Charles, when faced with 1 player, yes you should take him on, when faced with two, well maybe you should take them on if you are feeling confident, when faced with three or more please STOP running right into them and giving away possession, you NEVER pull this off and yet you ALWAYS do it. Just make a pass ffs, do a neat one/two, but do something else. You are not Messi, I wish you were as well but you are not.
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"We keep going" is the new "terrific".
If I hear him say that one more time...... The only direction we keep going is down.
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"We keep going" is the new "terrific".
If I hear him say that one more time...... The only direction we keep going is down.
I think all managers come out with cliches because they must finding doing interviews boring.
If I was a football manager I would love swearing and shouting at millionaires all morning, travelling and watching games most evenings of the week, then on a weekend jumping up and down going mental, then afterwards getting half pissed with another manager drinking fine wine.
But having to talk to dickhead reporters would bore me, win or lose I would just want to say `Oh fuck off you stupid tit with your questions.`
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What else is he meant to say? "Yes we're struggling and i'm worried" or "we're a bit shit at the moment"?
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What else is he meant to say? "Yes we're struggling and i'm worried" or "we're a bit shit at the moment"?
That's basically what "we pick ourselves up and go again" translates to anyway.
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What else is he meant to say? "Yes we're struggling and i'm worried" or "we're a bit shit at the moment"?
I would go with a Nik Kershaw medley.
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What else is he meant to say? "Yes we're struggling and i'm worried" or "we're a bit shit at the moment"?
I would go with a Nik Kershaw medley.
Wide Boy for Richard Dunne, The Riddle for why we struggle to create chances when Bent is on the pitch, Wouldn't It Be Good to win three points. And some Dancing Girls for me.
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It's easy to blame Lerner -and certainly he deserves a large chunk of the blame. Maybe even most of it.
But McLeish had the guts of £18 million to spend last summer. Lambert spent £21 million this summer.
That's more than many sides who are targeting European places and beyond.
Lambert could have signed 2/3 big players for that amount - or rebuilt the squad with cheaper players. He chose to go the latter route -and there is logic to what he's looking to do, selecting younger hungrier players who want to be at Aston Villa, who want to make their name with us. Rather than big name players who see us merely as the latest stopping off point.
I have to be honest and say that I haven't been blown away with any of his signings so far- either the more experienced ones from abroad or the ones from the lower leagues.
The bedrock of Tottingham's success in recent years was the likes of Lennon, Bale, Huddlestone and Dawson coming in from lower division sides and eventually going on to be big first team players for them. Thing is, those players always looked too good for the division they were in, and had a number of top clubs after them.
I'm not sure the likes of Lowton, Bennett and Westwood were plying their trade in a division below their talents. Time will tell, I guess.
I am fully prepared for the worst this season, we have the look of a team who will struggle. Even if we stay up, what are our realistic goals in the future? We seem to have the same status now as the likes of Coventry and Southampton a few years ago, happy just to be there.
Everything about the club seems to have been downgraded, from player acquisition to the kit and we've had numpties a diverse as Assou-Ekotto, David Sullivan and Charles Green lining up to have a pop at us in the last 12 months.
A shite state of affairs.
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What else is he meant to say? "Yes we're struggling and i'm worried" or "we're a bit shit at the moment"?
I would go with a Nik Kershaw medley.
Do you only use the hits of Bread when it comes to entertaining Jimmy Savile's long dead mother?
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I'd hate to have been in the trenches with some of you lot, its not great at the moment but the potential of this team is there for all to see, it just needs a little patience from us and a little tweaking from PL.
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What else is he meant to say? "Yes we're struggling and i'm worried" or "we're a bit shit at the moment"?
I would go with a Nik Kershaw medley.
Do you only use the hits of Bread when it comes to entertaining Jimmy Savile's long dead mother?
Yes, that or Billy Ocean
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I'd hate to have been in the trenches with some of you lot, its not great at the moment but the potential of this team is there for all to see, it just needs a little patience from us and a little tweaking from PL.
Tweaking?! The situation is a bit more serious than that.
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Nope, the defense needs strengthening through the transfer market or Dunne returning. The midfield should, on paper, create chances, the forward options are strong.
I think we'll click and be comfortable.
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I'd hate to have been in the trenches with some of you lot, its not great at the moment but the potential of this team is there for all to see, it just needs a little patience from us and a little tweaking from PL.
Trenches? Parts of this thread read like an audition for the concert party.
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I'd hate to have been in the trenches with some of you lot, its not great at the moment but the potential of this team is there for all to see, it just needs a little patience from us and a little tweaking from PL.
Trenches? Parts of this thread read like an audition for the concert party.
Indeed. What about the inescapable fact that the stats are way worse than Eck managed...?
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I'd hate to have been in the trenches with some of you lot, its not great at the moment but the potential of this team is there for all to see, it just needs a little patience from us and a little tweaking from PL.
Trenches? Parts of this thread read like an audition for the concert party.
Indeed. What about the inescapable fact that the stats are way worse than Eck managed...?
Bet you £50 we finish the season with more wins, points and goals than we had last season.
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Or as TSM might have put it:
There's a man, a real pace-setter, coming after me
And after him there's someone better
And after him there's me
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Or as TSM might have put it:
There's a man, a real pace-setter, coming after me
And after him there's someone better
And after him there's me
Near a tree by the river there's hole in the ground where Richard Dunne landed.
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TSM played to lose tolerably, PL doesn't.
I think that's an improvement.
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TSM played to lose tolerably, PL doesn't.
I think that's an improvement.
A massive improvement, even though things are not going our way it is far better to watch than the last two seasons. When it clicks we will be fine. Just needs to click soon.
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TSM played to lose tolerably, PL doesn't.
I think that's an improvement.
A massive improvement, even though things are not going our way it is far better to watch than the last two seasons. When it clicks we will be fine. Just needs to click soon.
It clicks sometimes and it's great to watch. First half against Albion we should have gone in 2-0 up, for instance. Today I think we matched Fulham for a long time, even if we created far fewer clean cut chances, but the match was very dull and McLeish would have been slated for the performance today.
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Just got back. Our players just don't seem good enough, simple as that. Both our fullbacks are championship quality at best. Our midfield non existent.
I love this football club of our's but if anything sums up our current squad's desire it's Schwarzer coming to collect a rare "cross" with the nearest Villa player 10 yards away in the 88th minute and a goal down.. Not one of our players could be arsed to challenge him.
If they showed half of the passion of our fans today we would have no worries but as it is we're in the shit for the time being.
The fans were brilliant today, absolutely top drawer
Bennett looks about two leagues above where he should be but he is young and so let's hope he learns from it - the huge open spaces down his side were alarming to behold
I swear if we got a penalty and KEA took it, he would pass it back to the goalkeeper. Having serious doubts about him, he just doesn't do anything
What exactly is N'Zogbia? A forward, a winger, a midfield player? I for sure can't work it out
I thought we looked relegation material today - the lack of quality and creativity is very alarming. As was the case last season, there being probably 3 worse teams than us might just save us from the drop. It was all hugely depressing and right now, the team doesn't deserve the sort of fantastic support it got today
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I thought we were dire. There's not much point in playing strikers if your going to leave your wingers on the bench. Lambert needs to watch MOTD and see how other teams get the ball out wide and get it into the box. Every team i've watched so far look better than us at the moment.
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Have to agree Richard. They even commentated on 5 live (was listening to the mini radio when the game died a bit of a death in the second half) that if only the performance on the pitch could match the passion from the stands.
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Have to agree Richard. They even commentated on 5 live (was listening to the mini radio when the game died a bit of a death in the second half) that if only the performance on the pitch could match the passion from the stands.
I actually think the Fulham fans were looking at us open-mouthed thinking how can you get so passionate about this load of boring cobblers served up by your fantastically mediocre team. And I have to say, they have a point. I would have been utterly mystified too. You would have thought we were four up and cruising listening to the immense support today.
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I thought we were dire. There's not much point in playing strikers if your going to leave your wingers on the bench. Lambert needs to watch MOTD and see how other teams get the ball out wide and get it into the box. Every team i've watched so far look better than us at the moment.
I agree Clampy. So far, Lambert has been marginally less crap than McLeish, but that's not enough in itself to keep us up.
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Just got home, that was dire, as bad as anything McLeish dished up.
The away support was brilliant. The tube was dire, Victoria line and district line was closed in parts making the journey to the ground painful.
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Richard and Clampy, i agree with you both. I am miles away and have to watch this shite on telly. Every bloody game, me and my lady, Jenny, go to our local bar to see Villa. So far ,this season we have left 60 euros lighter and no wiser to what Lamberts plan is.
I respect him as a manager and always will, he just has to get our guys working properly, for the Villa. The players at the club at the moment have no clue about our history (Exeption to Gabby and Stan) we are just paying to much money for average shite. Good stuff done by Lambo in the transfer market so far, but we have a long way to go.
This season is going to be shite for us, we may just scrape stopping up this season. We cannot afford to get on Lamberts back, we have to give him time to do his plan and stick by him, for at least 3 seasons. IMV.
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Its not the manager, its the lack of quality. As the biggest club in England's second biggest city we ought to be better than this.
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Agree. We are missing Weimann. I'm baffled why Gabby gets in the team ahead of him.
Because Gabby has one good game once in a while then lives off it for the rest of the season. I really can't wait until we part company with him. Don't blame him by the way, just don't think it is working out.
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What exactly is N'Zogbia? A forward, a winger, a midfield player? I for sure can't work it out
Neither can N'Zogbia!
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What else is he meant to say? "Yes we're struggling and i'm worried" or "we're a bit shit at the moment"?
I would go with a Nik Kershaw medley.
Wouldn't it be good.
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We were bereft of ideas today.
The defence looks like an accident waiting to happen, and on several occasions should have hoofed into row Z instead of woefully flimsy clearances. The full backs were frequently isolated and Bennett seemed to be on a one man mission to break the record for pointless 30 yard dinks to an opponent. In his defence he did not have a lot of movement in front of him.
I would be sceptical of our possession stats as a large percentage consisted of sideways and backward passes, resulting in Guzan being our main playmaker. Their tall defenders enjoyed the sort of heading practice that can only serve to build confidence. Our midfield seemed unable to create anything meaningful, Holman in particular proving a poor crosser of the ball today. Gabby was a willing but limited runner but Bent was primarily a bemused bystander.
I still fear we lack leaders and are physically flimsy - we lost most 50:50 tackles and nobody was driving the team on when we were chasing the game late on. I had a horrible flashback to 1986-7 season which I hope was induced by the booze and was not a premonition.
Chatting in the pub after the game we came to the consensus that at Norwich Lambert was able to blood young players and let them grow in confidence in the championship, developing an effective style of play, but the premier league is less forgiving. Errors here will be quickly punished. We can improve, and some of the new boys show signs of being able to develop, but at the moment we are weak In all areas. Short term we need a couple of dogs of war. And a win from somewhere, anywhere.
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We are free falling faster than an Austrian sky diver.
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We are free falling faster than an Austrian sky diver.
But instead of breaking the sound barrier we are breaking the shite barrier.
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cromulence
20 October 2012 9:17PM
Bit of a forgettable game. I thought Fulham would get quite a few after watching the first ten minutes or so. Berba was great and continues to try. Diarra looked good and really pumped when he came on; and as an aside both teams looked better after the managers made their second half changes in response to the previous tedium. Aston Villa - shame your team doesn't match your support.
From a newspaper website
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Have to say the away support was amazing yesterday. Confusion in the ground getting beers though, one queue to pay and get a receipt then join another queue to get it poured ?
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We're very poor. Don't create enough chances and Benteke looks very raw (or very poor, depending on the harshness of your terminology) - should have scored that - another sitter missed. We just don't create enough chances. Lambert was wrong today - we did deserve to lose. One positive - I think Delph is beginning to look good in midfield.
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Whoever said that was as bad as anything TSM served up needs their head examined!
You could clearly see what we trying to do and what PL is drilling on the training field - for me, the problem stems from the two fullbacks who whenever they get forward either cut inside or go backwards.
The final third is the problem - we had no cutting edge at all, no service, no nothing.
I honestly didn't think we deserved to lose.
If our team matched the level of support we'd clearly be in the CL by now - yesterday was incredible, again.
Apologies if this has been mentioned before but we were in the back row of P6 and there were some nasty moments about 7/8 rows down in both halves. Seemed pretty bad, it looked like punches were being thrown and there was a yound lad in it too. An eternity later one steward turned up - shambolic.
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Whoever said that was as bad as anything TSM served up needs their head examined!
You could clearly see what we trying to do and what PL is drilling on the training field - for me, the problem stems from the two fullbacks who whenever they get forward either cut inside or go backwards.
The final third is the problem - we had no cutting edge at all, no service, no nothing.
I honestly didn't think we deserved to lose.
If our team matched the level of support we'd clearly be in the CL by now - yesterday was incredible, again.
Apologies if this has been mentioned before but we were in the back row of P6 and there were some nasty moments about 7/8 rows down in both halves. Seemed pretty bad, it looked like punches were being thrown and there was a yound lad in it too. An eternity later one steward turned up - shambolic.
On comparison with the same game last season we were no better yesterday , we deserved and got nothing from this game whereas last season we deserved the point we got at the cottage.
For me it's not the full backs that worry me but the ineptness of our midfield.
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We're very poor. Don't create enough chances and Benteke looks very raw (or very poor, depending on the harshness of your terminology) - should have scored that - another sitter missed. We just don't create enough chances. Lambert was wrong today - we did deserve to lose. One positive - I think Delph is beginning to look good in midfield.
I beg to differ. Delph (who I like) was as awful as the rest of the midfield. Watching the game again this morning Benteke should have put that away with ease. thats four ridicously easy chances he has missed for us and a World class miss for Belgium but you get the feeling Lambert has bought a good un and he will get it right. But do we have the time?
The problem is that the midfield (all of them) are not physically strong enough for the top flight. We need a huge enforcer hopefully with skill
and Darren Bent needs a strong winger who can beat his defender with speed and whip the ball across fast and hard for Bent to get on the end of. Lambert had Simeon Jackson at Norwich to provide this service for Grant Holt.
The only positives at the moment are Guzan and Nathan Baker. The early season form of Holman and KEA has gone
and although its not the end of October yet we look in considerable trouble.
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We're very poor. Don't create enough chances and Benteke looks very raw (or very poor, depending on the harshness of your terminology) - should have scored that - another sitter missed. We just don't create enough chances. Lambert was wrong today - we did deserve to lose. One positive - I think Delph is beginning to look good in midfield.
I beg to differ. Delph (who I like) was as awful as the rest of the midfield.
Delph really is a poor excuse for a footballer. He's like a less skilful Nigel Reo Coker.
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We're very poor. Don't create enough chances and Benteke looks very raw (or very poor, depending on the harshness of your terminology) - should have scored that - another sitter missed. We just don't create enough chances. Lambert was wrong today - we did deserve to lose. One positive - I think Delph is beginning to look good in midfield.
I beg to differ. Delph (who I like) was as awful as the rest of the midfield.
Delph really is a poor excuse for a footballer. He's like a less skilful Nigel Reo Coker.
Agree with risso, I'm also worried lambert thinks we did fine yesterday and created things, I thought we looked poor.
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For me, Gabby flatters to deceive, doesn't hold the ball up, more importantly doesn't look like scoring.You can't play Gabby and Bent together, Benteke, for all his rawness , offers our best opportunities, N'Zog should start.Not sure there is enough creativity in the team when you play KEA,Delph and Holman in midfield.
Baker looked good.
Thats how I see it. would never have started with Holman after his trips with the Australian team , Nzog would have been fresh. Benteke should have started instead of Gabby , 27 prem games without a goal is awful . I would still have ireland ( who we seem to concede when hes off the pitch ) Ngoz and Bent to start , but give Bent some service. I think we even need Dunne for some experience .
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Midfield is a big problem. It doesn't create and it doesn't threaten; away from home at least.
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Just got back. Our players just don't seem good enough, simple as that. Both our fullbacks are championship quality at best. Our midfield non existent.
I love this football club of our's but if anything sums up our current squad's desire it's Schwarzer coming to collect a rare "cross" with the nearest Villa player 10 yards away in the 88th minute and a goal down.. Not one of our players could be arsed to challenge him.
If they showed half of the passion of our fans today we would have no worries but as it is we're in the shit for the time being.
that was not the Villa players fault but Lichaj who hit that awful cross. I thought he was rubbish the time he was on and will never be a regular in the Prem.
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Baker was one of very very few shining lights yesterday - really threw himself about and made some great interventions to block shots and get crucial tackles in
The big problems are midfield and full back on the basis of what I have seen so far this season. KEA is totally risk averse and seems only able to pass the ball sideways or backwards. That might be ok in a better team but with us, it just delays the inevitable and eventual hoof up the pitch. Holman is like Tigger and gets in to nick the ball on countless occasions but then has no composure. The amount of times he overhit passes yesterday was quite something to see. Delph is so so in my book, Ireland doesn't ever really look as if he is totally committed to the cause and is on a different wavelength to the rest of the team and I don't really know what N'Zogbia is at all. The full backs are young and will learn hopefully and if we stick with them, you sense they could become very good. Like Benteke and a few others. Unfortunately, and as others said, the modern game and football fan (me included) ensures that is a luxury they and we as a club can't afford.
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I did think Baker was very good. Looks more commanding than Clark
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The number of long balls from the goalkeeper was unacceptable, and showed the folly of going with two up front at Fulham as we were left short in midfield.
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Some desperate defending (again) yesterday. We need Dunne back in the team (and I didn't think I'd ever say that again).
Anyone known when he'll be back?
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Having woken up this morning it hasn't got any better.
In the the pub last night people weren't even joking with me about villa. It was more a solemn kind of pity for our plight that really told a story.
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I didn't see any of the game as I was at a wedding, were we really that poor?
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Yes it was dire. No plan, no cutting edge. Worse thing was fulham were poor too so were there to be beaten. Our midfield is diabolical.
The BBC has us down as 4 shots on target? I don't recall Schwarzer making a single save ??
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Yes it was dire. No plan, no cutting edge. Worse thing was fulham were poor too so were there to be beaten. Our midfield is diabolical.
The BBC has us down as 4 shots on target? I don't recall Schwarzer making a single save ??
Fulham ,west ham and saints were all there to be beaten and we have lost to all of them.
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It was poor, but Fulham were no better really. A bit like the West Ham game, where the game was there to be one yet both sides were not up to much.
I said when Baker went off that we would concede a soft goal from a set piece, so it was my fault.
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Yes it was dire. No plan, no cutting edge. Worse thing was fulham were poor too so were there to be beaten. Our midfield is diabolical.
The BBC has us down as 4 shots on target? I don't recall Schwarzer making a single save ??
Fulham ,west ham and saints were all there to be beaten and we have lost to all of them.
Fully agree. The real concern is McLeish would have got points from those games. I'm not advocating I'd have him back but it would appear we are going backwards, a worse team than last season.
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Maybe after we've played a few more at home we can draw a bigger conclusion.
So far all we can say is we are as bad as we ever have been away from home.
Talk that we've gone backwards is wrong for me. We have stayed where we were from last season, we just aren't as eye bleedingly bad. More a "oh bloody hell" level of poor.
At home is where it will be key. Poor against a top Everton side, very good against Swansea and the better outfit against West Brom. Need to beat Norwich and we will.
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Ads - "Need to beat Norwich and we will. "
Ever the optimist eh Ads? ;)
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I am a realist and a soothsayer.
We're crap away from home, so-so at home. Norwich are wank. Their win last night has sated the footballing gods and we need not offer our services on the alter of run breaking.
We'll get a point in the next game and after looking at the liver of a hen I can tell you that the omens are good. We will win the next league game following Sunderland!
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I am a realist and a soothsayer.
We're crap away from home, so-so at home. Norwich are wank. Their win last night has sated the footballing gods and we need not offer our services on the alter of run breaking.
We'll get a point in the next game and after looking at the liver of a hen I can tell you that the omens are good. We will win the next league game following Sunderland!
So-so at home? Two wins in 11 months at home and no away wins in 9 months?
We have been dreadful over the last calendar year and are showing little sign of improvement- yesterday was very poor.
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I am talking about this season.
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It's a good job that Fulham is a cracking day out. I just hope we're both in the same division next season.
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I find it hard to see how a side can play so well at Newcastle and man city and be so poor against southampton and fulham.
I don't think lambert knows who is best 11 are and the chopping and changing isn't helping much.
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I wouldn't read too much into the Man City game.
They are not interested in that cup and didn't play the game as if were a PL game.
That game is a red herring.
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Pretty average performance at best yesterday,never really looked like scoring until we went 1-0 down and then we actually started to play also I thought Guzans kickin was awful yesterday how do u expect Bent and gabby to beat Hangeland and Hughes in the air,never going to happen
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Its not a red herring at all. Man City would win that game against 90% of the country 99 times out of a 100. But they didn't because we were very good.
TonyD has it right, frustrating is the word. And what is it with the fixture list? Five away games in the first eight, nearly all darn sarf too. Boo!
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The number of long balls from the goalkeeper was unacceptable, and showed the folly of going with two up front at Fulham as we were left short in midfield.
We still out-numbered them in the centre of midfield, 3 to 2, did we not? That was what Jol said in his interview when talking about how we made it difficult for them.
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At least MONderland are losing.
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Not that long ago we sent Newcastle down , now they are far better than us with quality like Ben Arfa, cabaye, tiote, cisse and ba- while we have declined desperately- funny game football.
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Yesterday's game was a poor one I just don't know where our next win will come from we really need to beat Norwich next weekend we just can't seem to score Benteke missed a golden chance for us again we need to sort this out asap.
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Nail. On. Head.
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Just back from a night "out" in London where 2 of the lads we was with decided to go to sleep at 11pm and stay in so I had too, pissed off is an understatement...
The game was shite, Baker had Berbatov in his back pocket all game, Fulham didn't overly impress me and I feel we have the makings of a good team but we lack a creative midfielder. I think we looked rocky at the back when Baker came off.
Not impressed with Benteke off the ball, N'Zogbia, just why? Ireland added some composure in the midfield and if he was taken off for fitness reasons then we need to look elsewhere. Gabby ran himself silly and looked to care, but it was always a dead end. #
As I said, we have the makings of a good team and with a shrewd buy in January we could be dangerous
Not impressed with this weekend. Complete waste
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Ok were all on a downer.
Positives: Until Baker went off we were very solid. And he should start our next game if not injured.
Benteke came on and we could of got a point. Gabby is very poor and Bent will thrive better with Benteke`s aerial power.
Fans were fantastic and an absolute credit to AVFC.
We are at home next week and villa park will be willing the ball into the net.
We will never have to listen to Mcleish in an after match talk again !!!!
Stay faithful and loyal to Lambert he is as desperate as anyone to turn us around. And i still believe he will ..........
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Baker is a much better centre half that Clark. The loon puts his body on the line and dominates as he is a complete brute of a kid.
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Baker has really impressed me too, more than Clark to be honest.
Any injury news?
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Also like to add, thought we was far too narrow, Fulham used width and we left our full backs too exposed
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Baker has really impressed me too, more than Clark to be honest.
Any injury news?
Was about to ask the same. Hope it isn't too bad. He looks a proper defender and should be getting more games.
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Baker has really impressed me too, more than Clark to be honest.
Any injury news?
Was about to ask the same. Hope it isn't too bad. He looks a proper defender and should be getting more games.
Looked a really nasty ankle injury - I was amazed he could limp off and would be surprised if there's no ligament damage.
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Crap! Down to two centre backs for a while. I suppose Lowton can play there. I think Herd was played there once in pre-season too.
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I'm not convinced by Clark at all anyway. Baker has long looked the better centre back and I've been impressed by him in the league cup and pre-season. The problem is Bennett and Lowton don't get any protection, and Bennett in particular panics when it looks like he's one-on-one. Lichaj has looked really crummy when he's played this season, and we've seen the last of Warnock. I suggest Baker for Clark, Clark for Bennett.
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I like Baker as well. I feel sorry for him, whenever he seems to get into the team he picks up an injury of some sort. If he's fit again, it might be worth leaving him in for next week to deal with Grant Holt.
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Agreed about Baker, he played well.
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Agree on Baker. Big strong courageous lad. A future captain I'd say.
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I disagree about Bennett.I think his pace makes him confident in one to one situations.He played well against Lennon and Bale last week, and generally looked comfortable yday.Where he needs to improve is going foward.He has the ability to be a very good LB.
I said 12 months ago Baker will play for England, and i stand by it, better defender than Clark, who for me is a liability at the back, doesn't read danger.
Lowton is ok, no more than that, but better than Eric, and Hutton.
As someone said earlier, with a good footballer in midfield, we are not far off,.I like KEA and Delphs work rate, and retention, but they need better movement off the ball from up front, and that includes the 2 FBs giving more of an option.
Vlaar looked class again as well.
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We didn't get enough crosses in from decent positions, if I've a criticism of PL its that his system needs the width to come from the full backs and neither of them are up to it at this stage in their careers.
In answer to the question posed above if we were to spend big money on a player in Jan I'd spend it on a full back with captaincy qualities.
The full backs can't get forward for two reasons; the midfield is very narrow leaves them exposed and secondly the midfield doesn't control enough of the game in the opposition half allowing the full back to move forward to positions from which to deliver quality balls into the box.
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Lowton was really good. Vlaar and Guzan too.
Nzogbia looked good when he came on, I think he should start the next game. We just look better when he plays, even if he plays badly.
I didn't think anyone had a shocker particularly but thats the most worrying thing. We have a lot of players who are consistently, sort of, kind of, like, um mostly, Ok? They aren't even under performing they just aren't good enough. They are all up to playing at this level, but I don't think you can have a whole side of them. One or two quality additions and they'd be fine, but without them we will continue to struggle.
Fulham looked as strong as us or stronger across the park. Someone like Risse is just a standard Premier league player, the kind that we need but don't have. You wouldn't get his name put on your shirt but he has an efficient quality and experience. We are too short of that at the moment.
Bent is worrying me at the moment, a lot of eggs in one barely involved basket.
About says it all
That sort of player could be Reo-Coker, has he found a club yet? Would do a Petrov style role in midfield. Not spectacular, just a voice and experience.
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Lowton was really good. Vlaar and Guzan too.
Nzogbia looked good when he came on, I think he should start the next game. We just look better when he plays, even if he plays badly.
I didn't think anyone had a shocker particularly but thats the most worrying thing. We have a lot of players who are consistently, sort of, kind of, like, um mostly, Ok? They aren't even under performing they just aren't good enough. They are all up to playing at this level, but I don't think you can have a whole side of them. One or two quality additions and they'd be fine, but without them we will continue to struggle.
Fulham looked as strong as us or stronger across the park. Someone like Risse is just a standard Premier league player, the kind that we need but don't have. You wouldn't get his name put on your shirt but he has an efficient quality and experience. We are too short of that at the moment.
Bent is worrying me at the moment, a lot of eggs in one barely involved basket.
About says it all
That sort of player could be Reo-Coker, has he found a club yet? Would do a Petrov style role in midfield. Not spectacular, just a voice and experience.
Reo Coker is at Ipswich . Can we leave him there please
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A very poor game but on the bright side i had a fantastic weekend in London. Were in a hell of alot of trouble and i am more worried now than i was at any point last season.
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This is a bit late now, but my match verdict for Saturday has been posted here: http://pickourteam.com/premierleague/aston-villa/fansverdict/20-10-2012/Fulham-vs-Aston%20Villa. It was written barely minutes after the game finished...
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This is a bit late now, but my match verdict for Saturday has been posted here: http://pickourteam.com/premierleague/aston-villa/fansverdict/20-10-2012/Fulham-vs-Aston%20Villa. It was written barely minutes after the game finished...
You've got E Ahmadi twice in your team.