Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Legion on October 26, 2012, 03:52:15 PM
-
Available Saturday afternoon.
-
Motm for us Guzan for Norwich PHIL DOWD
-
worse start for 43 years
-
Another crap weekend, boring, useless, meaningless fare as ever. We just go on and on and on being shit. And yet I am off to Swindon on Tuesday. I must be a bloody idiot but then I knew that already.
-
A truly dreadful display. Benteke very well done. If we persist with 4-4-2 and this midfield we'll go down. Every single member of the midfield should be dropped and Delph and Albrighton should never start again. We need to sign genuine quality and stop fucking around on a shoestring.
-
Our midfield was AWOL again, long before us being down to 10 men. There's not a single one of them that should be playing in a Premier League team, and if there aren't changes in January, they won't be this time next year.
Bringing Bent on when we were down to 10 players was the most ridiculous substitution I've ever seen, I think Lambert is winging it.
On the bright side, Benteke started to show what he could do, hopefully it'll continue.
-
With a shit midfield and down to 10 men for a long period, Norwich still couldn't beat us,
that's the only positive thing you can say apart from Guzan is the best goalie in the world
-
6 points from 9 games is dreadful, I'm afraid. Bringing Bent on was a horrible decision.
-
Albrighton , how did he last 90 minutes.
why Gabby off?
How the f**k Ireland cant get in that SHITE midfield.
Delph , who says he's a footballer?
Benteke and Guzan , immense .
Its going to be a squeaky bum season . We are poor.
-
Ok, don't want to be all doom and gloom but bit worried by the substitutions today.
If you wanted one of our strikers to battle isolated up front, Bent would be my last choice. I'm not sure that Lambert's dealing very well with the options that he has up front. Bent shouldn't have come on today but i get the feeling he's trying to keep him sweet. Did he touch the ball today?
We looked better earlier in the season with Weimann playing, and an extra man in midfield.
We need to compensate for our poor midfield by putting an extra body in. I think NZogbia needs to be involved too so i'd put him in, Ireland in, maybe Bannan. I'm a bit worried that Lambert hasn't learnt from what has and hasn't worked. What we saw today didn't work.
Ultimately we need to bring someone with some directness/composure in midfield and an experienced Centre back if Dunnes not going to be fit or we're in big trouble.
-
Lambert needs to start answering some questions. And exactly what does his much revered and desired coaching team do?
-
we will struggle in the championship next season
out played by Norwich, before we even went down to 10 men
in my 36 years of following Villa, that is the worst team i have ever seen - we are playing with at most 7 players every match, that "midfield" is shockingly bad - i have seen better football at my local saturday morning league matches
Randy has fecked us up big style
-
Benteke,Vlaar and Guzan well done.Surely must be the slowest poorest midfield seen at Villa Park for a long while.43 years ouch.
-
Really, really bad. No amount of panic-buying in January can turn this around this time, and I say that as someone who's an optimist and still think Lambert is a good manager.
But to hang on for dear life, at home, to that Norwich team and to be so comprehensively outplayed... I think the writing is on the wall.
According to Wikipedia:
Fewest points in a season (3 points for a win): 11, Derby County (Premier League, 2007–08)
So 6 more points needed from somewhere to avoid the ignominy of that record.
-
Have to be honest looking ominous now 1 win in 19 games ,still conceding from corners , still can't hold on to the ball.FFS the next month is going to be tough going
-
Very, very, very poor. Lambert is not immune to criticism here either - the tactics were absolutely wrong, for the second game running. He cannot persist with two up front - it's over, it can't be done with Villa as we are if you want to play passing football. Everything needs to change for the next game: one up front, not two (and that one has to be Benteke); Delph and Albrighton out, Ireland and Bannan in - they seem to have some sort of understanding and our play is quicker when they're on; the ball HAS to be played out from the back, we're just boofing and gifting away possession, it's like TSM all over again.
One plus point: I was actually pretty impressed with Herd at centre-back.
-
Two major problems are we're playing the wrong system completely and we're not even selected the best team available. I repeat Delph and Albrighton shouldn't be anywhere near the squad.
-
4-4-2 was the wrong formation for the players we have, especially with regard to midfield.
Albrighton, Delph and Agbonlahor have done nothing to show that they should be in the first team. In fact, I'm not at all sure Albrighton is good enough for the Premier League.
Joe Bennett's sending off was stupid, and came about as a result of him struggling badly against an average at best winger.
Replacing Benteke with Bent at that stage of the game was a very poor decision (assuming Benteke wasn't injured or knackered - he didn't appear to be).
I know many of you won't agree with me, but I am starting to doubt that Lambert will be able to turn this around to any great degree.
On a positive note, I though Benteke played very well indeed, and Herd was impressive at centre-back.
-
Bennett should have been subbed at half time.Why bring Bent on when we're down to 10 men?I don't think we can rely on 3 worse teams because we are easily one of those 3
-
Well we got a point from a game we should have lost. The way our second halfs have been lately the red card may not have made such a difference after all.
-
So far this has looked like a season where we have to beat Norwich at home. And we didn't.
Still, another 87 points to play for. We're far from doomed, but it's a worry that the signs of steady progress we saw at the start of the season seem to have disappeared.
-
If I were Benteke I 'd be speaking to my agent about getting me out of this mess in January.
-
As has been sited on here the midfield is lightweight.
I don't actually think playing Ireland and or Bannan would have changed much.
Lambert probably thought that with Delph, Ireland and CNZ we had enough quality because they looked good 2-3 years ago at other clubs. Add Bannan and Albrighton who looked very promising 2 years ago and he bought 3 others.
Fact is we have to play 5 in the middle of the park (not 4) and I am not sure what the best combo is.
If I am being really honest other than KEA and Holman I don't think any of the others are good enough and/or have the right attitude even for a bottom 6 team. Most of them have had more than enough chances over the last 18 months to prove otherwise and they haven't delivered!!
Well done to Guzan, Vlaar, Benteke and Herd today
-
Bent on his own up front is as much use as a marzipan dildo.
Albrighton and Delph were headless chickens.
Bennett looks likely to get a booking every match and a sending off every 3rd.
Only Guzan ,Benteke, Vlaar and Herd emerged with any credit
-
Playing Ireland and Bannan would have made a difference, as although the midfield would still be lightweight, at least it would be able to play with the ball. Delph today was a shambling slapstick parody of a footballer whenever the ball went near him.
-
Montbert: spot on, especially about Bannan and Ireland. The annoying thing is they've been part of our best midfield performances this season, but Lambert seems to have missed it.
The passing game we played at Newcastle and at home to Swansea could reap greater rewards with Benteke and Gabby finding a bit of form.
Glad Herd did well, along with Guzan, Vlaar and Benteke. They've grabbed their opportunities and now others have to follow suit or we're in the shit.
-
Delph and albrighton needed to have been taken off, looked tired and kept giving the ball away, lichaj was awfull as usual
-
Credit to Vlaar, Herd and Guzan.
The problem is we don't create enough chances. Maybe we have to go Holman, KEA, Bannan, Ireland, CNZ with Benteke up front on his own? (was CNZ not on the bench? Injured?)
-
Delph is a very poor player and if Lambert can't see that I'm very worried.
-
we will struggle in the championship next season
out played by Norwich, before we even went down to 10 men
in my 36 years of following Villa, that is the worst team i have ever seen - we are playing with at most 7 players every match, that "midfield" is shockingly bad - i have seen better football at my local saturday morning league matches
Randy has fecked us up big style
If this was McLeish still in charge there'd be even more diatribe, but it seems PL's honeymoon is over with the fans and it's understandable after a dire display like today.
When PL was appointed the general consensus was Lerner had got it right at last, now he's fecked is big style! I realise PL is working with constraints but there was optimism about his new players initially, but they are showing their lack of experience in the Premiership as well as an inability to even pass the ball to one of their own team consistently.
I think PL has to accept most of the blame for the performances we're seeing and to repeat again if it was still McLeish we'd have been seeing banners by now.
The fans need to get behind the team because after the next few games we'll be in the bottom three based on the last few performances.
-
there might well be 87 points still to play for but we are not going to obtain very many of them. Our form since January has been that of a relegation side under two different managers playing various different formations with the same ammount of success, i.e. very little. if we cannnot beat norwich at home i would not bet against us going down, but very much want to be proved wrong
-
Delph is a very poor player and if Lambert can't see that I'm very worried.
I had the impression you liked him ?
-
Awful, we are shit.
I repeat what I said weeks ago. We are CERTAIN to go down if we don't buy well in January. Now, lets see if I get as attacked for saying that THIS time.
-
anyone else get the feeling that we are only playing Bent to keep him in the shop window for a January sale?
we bought him to keep us up, now it looks like we are trying to sell him to keep us up!!!!
i dont know why we are all up in arms about being in relegation trouble, Randy gave Lambert 20 million in the summer to change the WHOLE team - why are we shocked?
2 years flirting with relegation and this year we will be in the dogfight - bad management from the very top
-
Montbert: spot on, especially about Bannan and Ireland. The annoying thing is they've been part of our best midfield performances this season, but Lambert seems to have missed it.
The passing game we played at Newcastle and at home to Swansea could reap greater rewards with Benteke and Gabby finding a bit of form.
Glad Herd did well, along with Guzan, Vlaar and Benteke. They've grabbed their opportunities and now others have to follow suit or we're in the shit.
Why did he ditch the passing game? Those two games are starting to look like fluke performances.
-
Desperately short on quality and confidence so I don't know how much of a difference changing tactics will make. We need some better players first and foremost. Even when it was 11v11 Norwich looked more inventive than us, albeit less threatening in the penalty area.
We could be in the bottom three come teatime and we've got some very tough games coming up. Worrying times but we have no alternative other than to stick with Lambert. All we can do is hope that Lerner realises how low on quality the squad is and frees up some cash in January to address it.
Bent is the biggest sellable asset we have and if he's just going to be sitting on the bench we might as well cash him in if the money would be made available to Lambert.
-
Albrighton was poor looks so slow for a winger and gives the ball away cheaply.
Overall the team in general has no confidence at all
-
Week after week we play two up front and get dominated by teams with bodies in midfield and between the lines. In fact, scrap that, year after year this has been happening. Lambert has made the best attempt to play two up front and still play good football but it's not worked, it can't work, it's over. Play the one up front and keep the ball with greater numbers in midfield. It is so unbelievably obvious and has been ever since MON bought Heskey so we could play 4-4-2 again and we started playing worse.
-
So bad at passing and keeping the ball, we could almost be England.
Actually, add the fact that we are scared shitless when the opposition have the ball - this could be England at a World Cup .
-
We can't blame everything on the manager, but nobody else is responsible for:
- 442/team selection.....we need five in midfield.
- bring on Bent....most ridiculous substitution this season.
- taking off Gabby....second most ridiculous substitution this season.
Relegation looms.
-
Watched from afar as I have all the discussions on here since PL took over, not to worried prior to to last week, as I thought we were trying to go in the right direction, now after today and last week officially worried. We seem to have no sense of direction on the pitch, it is as if the players are winging it, out played by a Norwich team that will keep us company at the wrong end of the table all season, a substitution that I am still scratching my head about (Bent) and as has been said already a midfield that does nothing, but more worrying that can be said about any midfield we put out with the players we have got.
In Lambert we trust but for how much longer and Randy the cameras kept on going to Delia today, obviously not here yourself, yeah great you being here all week, but the important part of a football club is what happens on a Saturday afternoon, thats the only time it matters. UTV
-
I really fear we will still be in single figures, points wise, come Christmas. I hope I am wrong and something will click, but really can't see it. Woeful performance, naive decision making, poor tactics and substitutions. Lucky to get a point.
Guzan was our best player, closely followed by Benteke. The rest were poor at best. I don't know how Delph is anywhere near the first team. KEAs game suffers because of Delph IMO. Albrighton is much better than he is letting on, but we are not in a position to play him into form. Bent did nothing. Vlaar and Herd were decent, apart from switching off for their goal. Bennett shouldn't be in a PL team, he looks in over his head, physically and mentally.
Lambert has questions to answer, poor formation, no midfield to speak of, strange substitutions. And im afraid "we go again" ain't gonna cut it!
-
We definitely need an overhaul in midfield. Ineffective and lightweight. We don't have too many players at the club to change that.
There are encouraging signs up front with the acquisition of Benteke and the continued development of Weimann and good options from Bent/Agbonlahor. Similarly at the back with Vlaar added to Clark/Baker. Guzan has to be the best re-signing in many a year.
Midfield there is absolutely nothing.
When he's had enough of playing centre back, Herd should be in there. January can't come soon enough.
-
Very poor display , benteke and Guzan were good but the team display was poor, midfield shocking again and albrighton was an embarrassment - totally inept.
To be outplayed at home by Norwich is not good and although the defence tried hard it was only a matter of time, Bennett looks out of his depth and the honeymoon for lambert ends now- its time he got to grips with things and sorted out some kind of system of play that works -totally unacceptable today.
-
Can someone tell me what KEA actually does except pass the ball 5 yards back or sideways.
Cant tackle, cant shoot, cant head the ball, cant create and cant defend.
He is only marginally worse than the rest of that midfield.
-
Week after week we play two up front and get dominated by teams with bodies in midfield and between the lines. In fact, scrap that, year after year this has been happening. Lambert has made the best attempt to play two up front and still play good football but it's not worked, it can't work, it's over. Play the one up front and keep the ball with greater numbers in midfield. It is so unbelievably obvious and has been ever since MON bought Heskey so we could play 4-4-2 again and we started playing worse.
What about 3-5-2?
-
Bent is the biggest sellable asset we have and if he's just going to be sitting on the bench we might as well cash him in if the money would be made available to Lambert.
I keep reading that Bent is a luxury we can't afford, but my feeling is that not playing our most reliable goalscorer is a luxury we can't afford.
I wish there was more to his game, he's far from a complete player, but we will need his goals.
-
1 win 18 league games.
-
I dont know where to start. If Lambert is going to play Delph it has got to be as an attacking midfielder to try and push the team up , as a defensive MF he is always going to give away free kicks. Albrighton is championship player and Bennet is not ready for the first team. we need a minimum of four players 3 in mid and an experienced LB. I am always optimistic but today i was watching a bottom 3 side ........
-
Can someone tell me what KEA actually does except pass the ball 5 yards back or sideways.
Cant tackle, cant shoot, cant head the ball, cant create and cant defend.
He is only marginally worse than the rest of that midfield.
you can actually add Delph and Holman in there
-
just saw Albrighton for the corner . What was he doing?
-
The players who weren't involved today, Nzogbia, Ireland, Bannan, Dunne aren't without their (much discussed) faults so it's not like we're waiting for players who will definitely turn it round. I think its changing the system that is our best shot.
Difficult though because I feel Lamberts struggling to accommodate 4 strikers into 2 slots let alone 4 into one.
-
Let’s not kid ourselves, we were rubbish with 11 men, and very lucky to be a goal up.
When I saw the team, with no Ireland, Bannan, or Weimann, I knew we would struggle to create anything. We created more in some games under TSM, which is about as damning as it gets.
Bennett is an idiot and so is Herd, who should also have had a second yellow. We were lucky to finish with 10 men.
We defended well if a little desperately at times.
We have no midfield to speak of.
Albrighton is a waste of space.
Gabby offered virtually nothing except his part in the goal.
Guzan was immense and saved us from a thrashing by a mediocre team.
I lost count of the times Delph and KEA gave the ball away in dangerous areas.
After the Swansea game Lineker and co. said Lambert gave the impression of knowing what he was doing. Anyone else starting to doubt that assertion?
I know he doesn’t have much to work with, but bringing Bent on with only 10 men made no sense, we needed someone who could hold the ball up, or someone who could drop deep and pick the ball up and go at them (basically Weimann).
I fear we will be bottom by December. The January window is huge for us and we need a minimum of two or three solid, experienced midfielders.
-
I keep reading that Bent is a luxury we can't afford, but my feeling is that not playing our most reliable goalscorer is a luxury we can't afford.
I wish there was more to his game, he's far from a complete player, but we will need his goals.
He's not going to score that many from the bench though, only playing half an hour. £16M is too much money to have wrapped up in someone who doesn't start.
-
Why can't any of our players pass the fecking ball?
-
The players who weren't involved today, Nzogbia, Ireland, Bannan, Dunne aren't without their (much discussed) faults so it's not like we're waiting for players who will definitely turn it round. I think its changing the system that is our best shot.
Difficult though because I feel Lamberts struggling to accommodate 4 strikers into 2 slots let alone 4 into one.
Bent, Nzogbia and Ireland have been our biggest signings of the last two seasons (combined it must be something like £30M) but they're barely involved.
-
Can someone tell me what KEA actually does except pass the ball 5 yards back or sideways.
Cant tackle, cant shoot, cant head the ball, cant create and cant defend.
He is only marginally worse than the rest of that midfield.
you can actually add Delph and Holman in there
I asked the same question after Fulham last week! He has zero impact for me. Being a holding midfielder isn't an excuse for doing nothing
-
I honestly think the major problem is that the players aren't good enough.
Look at that squad objectively and pick out the quality. This was my main worry at the end of the transfer window, we largely bought average championship players.
Benteke and Vlaar look decent but two or three players of proven middling quality was never going to be enough.
It is really the culmination of three years of so of dreadful mismanagement / stewardship of the club.
I think it is unrealistic to expect the manager to work miracles, but it is equally unrealistic to pretend that "young and hungry" (and were we a cynical lot, we could add "cheap" to that) is going to be a magical solution to our increasing decline.
-
If we are to play one up front then it's got to be Benteke.Nothing will ever stick to Bent , don't think he's up for it anyway.
Midfield is like a limp lettuce
-
The players who weren't involved today, Nzogbia, Ireland, Bannan, Dunne aren't without their (much discussed) faults so it's not like we're waiting for players who will definitely turn it round. I think its changing the system that is our best shot.
Difficult though because I feel Lamberts struggling to accommodate 4 strikers into 2 slots let alone 4 into one.
Bent, Nzogbia and Ireland have been our biggest signings of the last two seasons (combined it must be something like £30M) but they're barely involved.
Could it be that they can't be arsed?
-
Gota say currently the young hungry players looks a mistake.Especially in midfield just no quality there.
-
I honestly think the major problem is that the players aren't good enough.
Look at that squad objectively and pick out the quality. This was my main worry at the end of the transfer window, we largely bought average championship players.
Benteke and Vlaar look decent but two or three players of proven middling quality was never going to be enough.
It is really the culmination of three years of so of dreadful mismanagement / stewardship of the club.
I think it is unrealistic to expect the manager to work miracles, but it is equally unrealistic to pretend that "young and hungry" (and were we a cynical lot, we could add "cheap" to that) is going to be a magical solution to our increasing decline.
I agree with this, I would add that Lambert should know enough to have worked out that you need a midfield, we have started this campaign without one.
-
The players who weren't involved today, Nzogbia, Ireland, Bannan, Dunne aren't without their (much discussed) faults so it's not like we're waiting for players who will definitely turn it round. I think its changing the system that is our best shot.
Difficult though because I feel Lamberts struggling to accommodate 4 strikers into 2 slots let alone 4 into one.
Bent, Nzogbia and Ireland have been our biggest signings of the last two seasons (combined it must be something like £30M) but they're barely involved.
and If PL does not play them , we are down.
-
Also, whilst Lowton has done ok by and large, Bennett looks miles out of his depth to me. Also spends far too much time banging the ball hopefully down the wing.
-
Holman great workrate but overall not good enough with the ball.
-
I honestly think the major problem is that the players aren't good enough.
Look at that squad objectively and pick out the quality. This was my main worry at the end of the transfer window, we largely bought average championship players.
Benteke and Vlaar look decent but two or three players of proven middling quality was never going to be enough.
It is really the culmination of three years of so of dreadful mismanagement / stewardship of the club.
I think it is unrealistic to expect the manager to work miracles, but it is equally unrealistic to pretend that "young and hungry" (and were we a cynical lot, we could add "cheap" to that) is going to be a magical solution to our increasing decline.
Agree completely, but even within that we're not selecting the best of those available.
-
When I saw the team I thought dull.
And we were.
-
Ireland is the only one of that 3 that should start,
-
Holman great workrate but overall not good enough with the ball.
I thought we had Des bremner when I first saw him . I think he's more Rory Bremner . Not Prem quality for me.
-
Also, whilst Lowton has done ok by and large, Bennett looks miles out of his depth to me. Also spends far too much time banging the ball hopefully down the wing.
to be honest paulie i think very player we bought has looked miles out their depths - Bar Benteke - even Vlaar who is a bit of a cult figure is a bombscare, a mistake waiting to happen
to be honest we will probably get beat by swindon next week and then sneak a win against one of the big 3
-
Also, whilst Lowton has done ok by and large, Bennett looks miles out of his depth to me. Also spends far too much time banging the ball hopefully down the wing.
Agreed Lowton looks decent. Bennett looks physically and mentally completely out of his depth, as you say.
-
Also, whilst Lowton has done ok by and large, Bennett looks miles out of his depth to me. Also spends far too much time banging the ball hopefully down the wing.
Bennett looks incredibly slow, in thought as well as physically. Neither of them augments the attack with overlaps either.
And while I wouldn't absolve our mdfield of all blame for not keeping possession or creating chances, when Ireland isn't playin almost no bugger is getting themselves into space to receive easy balls forward.
We seem to be setting ourselves up as a counter-attacking team with almost zero cautner-attacking ability.
-
Ahmadinejad is rubbish he didn't influence the game at all today. I'm fact the whole midfield was poor. Gave the ball away too much. Guzan, Lowton, Vlaar and Herd played well and Bennett was off the pace.
A game we should have won but the red card changed the game. Felt sorry for Bent when he came on, had no service other than long balls.
-
Did we have a midfield? My confidence in Lambert has all but evaporated. Guzan and Benteke both did well but were the only two players to come out with any credit.
Can't remember such an utterly poor performance against weak opposition at home since the sixties. Truly embarrassing.
-
I'm definitely on the wobble as far as Lambert is concerned. Tactics and team selection not right for a little while now. Injuries don't help, but even so.
-
So much sloppy passing and silly needless mistakes.
We played ok in patches and really dog awful in others. I have no problem with Bennett getting sent off. Already on a yellow, why he felt the need to check the Norwich player god only knows. I just wish there was consistency in the referee. Bent got body checked towards the end of the match and nothing given. There were numerous other occasions similar to that too.
Lambert is adement he wants to play a certain formation but players he uses just aren't good enough. Out midfield is rubbish. Herd should be in that midfield when not covering centre back for a start. There's just no shape in the middle of the park and the midfield often just goes missing. Albrighton seems afraid to take things on first time. A number of crosses and a shot in the second half were begging to be hit first time. Instead a first touch is taken and the chance has gone. Players surround him and he's tackled.
Guzan single handedly saved us from being beaten. Herd was great too. Bennett struggled all game.
Just too many times we gave away needless free kicks with fouls when the player is going away from goal and stupidly switching off for the corner that lead to their goal.
If lambert wants to continue with the formation he needs to change the players that are in it. A bench of Bent, N'Zogbia and Ireland is a wonderful thing to have if those players that are on te pitch are better and I don't think they are.
-
I'm definitely on the wobble as far as Lambert is concerned. Tactics and team selection not right for a little while now. Injuries don't help, but even so.
Oh come on now. It's October.
-
I think the idea of young and hungry players who want to play for Villa is admirable but naive. You can have a few, but you need to sign experienced quality to supplement this or you are completely doomed. Our left back position is proof of that.
-
I think the idea of young and hungry players who want to play for Villa is admirable but naive. You can have a few, but you need to sign experienced quality to supplement this or you are completely doomed. Our left back position is proof of that.
the likes of Lowton trying to step up 2 levels is not niave its criminal in this league - the amount of money at stake in this league and we have decided to try and stay in the big money by doing it on the cheap
this season has disaster written all over it - unless, unless we have money to spend in January
-
Norwich had more league experience than us today ..says it all.
We need some proven players in the squad not just potential
-
Many teams have gone down to 10 men,got organised and gone on to win the game.We just panicked and crumbled.No plan, just a ridiculous substition in Bent.I'm beginning to think Lambert is suffering with second season syndrome but unfortunately he's with us now
-
I keep reading that Bent is a luxury we can't afford, but my feeling is that not playing our most reliable goalscorer is a luxury we can't afford.
I wish there was more to his game, he's far from a complete player, but we will need his goals.
He's not going to score that many from the bench though, only playing half an hour. £16M is too much money to have wrapped up in someone who doesn't start.
The TV deal for the PL next season will make 16m look like small change. I read somewhere even the team that finishes bottom will rake in 100m a year. So with that potential boost , the wages don't need to be slashed so drastically to get them down to 60% of turnover, and it would be worth investing 30-40m to ensure we stay in the fecking division. We shouldn't need to sell our main source of goals to do it. Of course this all assumes our owner and his pet lickspittle know their arses from their elbows and can see beyond the next 5 minutes.
-
Lambert has to take responsibility for what I can only describe as an utterly shit performance over 90 minutes. Fortunately we managed to score from our only opportunity and the score line flatters us. Thank god Norwich were no real threat up front. Play like that against better teams and we will get seriously spanked.
I'm not going to blame the ref, Lerner or even the players. They like all players grow with confidence, no matter how young or experienced they are. Right now we're running on empty. Thankfully Benteke has his own supply.
Lambert has to focus on the midfield, despite all the players we have there he still hasn't found the right balance and if anything, it's getting worse by each game we play. Today was pathetic. Norwich took the ball off us when they needed to, normally we just gave it back to them. Lambert needs to sort it out and sort it out quick.
As others have mentioned, Guzan, Vlaar, Herd and Benteke can hold their heads up. The rest were shite.
-
The players we've brought in...
El Ahamedi looks ok. Could be ok with some better players around him.
Holman, good engine tries to make things happen, which we need, but desperately short of quality.
Bennet, looks a division or more above his level at the moment, but still young, might improve but this season may be too soon for him.
Benteke looks like he could be our most dangerous striker.
Vlaar looks the part.
Lowton looks decent to me, probably an improvement on last season.
With these sort of signings, you are risking very little, but the chances of improving the squad in the short term is pretty small too.
They're all decent signings but compared to last seasons squad, it's only really Vlaar who has really improved us by much.
Meanwhile, some of the players who looked poor last season haven't improved. Ireland, Nzogbia, Albrighton, Gabby, Delph. They've all had good spells in their careers but while in the summer I felt optimistic that the change of manager might lift them it's not looking like it will be that straightforward. Someone like Ireland started his career looking brilliant, that lasted a season and a half. Since then he has had how many years of not looking up to it? How long is it that you wait and think they'll come good again? Or do you start to think that maybe the good spell was the blip. It's worrying that the quality players we do have are so inconsistent.
-
Thank god we don't go down to 10 men that often as we are awful when it happens. Some of the subs look questionable to me, Gabby didn't do much again but surely when you're a man light you keep as much pace on the pitch as possible.
Gabby went off, Benteke went off and there was no chance of the ball sticking upfront, think I'd have taken either Albrighton or Holman off for Lichaj and moved Gabby to the left.
The naviety at this level was also shown by Bennett being a moron. For all his shiteness I don't think Warnock on a yellow would've comptemplated pulling back the player, he'd have just left him run on and cross the ball out of play.
Can't say I've been impressed with what I've seen of him so far, I do think Lowton is o.k though.
It's going to be a long winter.
-
Norwich deserved to win 3-1
-
I'm definitely on the wobble as far as Lambert is concerned. Tactics and team selection not right for a little while now. Injuries don't help, but even so.
Oh come on now. It's October.
I don't care if it's JUne or July. I have concerns about the way Lambert is sending the team out to play. OK?
-
You do have to wonder if Delph is ever going to begin to look like justifying his fee.
-
Who played that long hopefull ball to the forward when we had a good chance to break away? It was just before they scored. Annoyed me that did.
-
Ok, don't want to be all doom and gloom but bit worried by the substitutions today.
If you wanted one of our strikers to battle isolated up front, Bent would be my last choice. I'm not sure that Lambert's dealing very well with the options that he has up front. Bent shouldn't have come on today but i get the feeling he's trying to keep him sweet. Did he touch the ball today?
We looked better earlier in the season with Weimann playing, and an extra man in midfield.
We need to compensate for our poor midfield by putting an extra body in. I think NZogbia needs to be involved too so i'd put him in, Ireland in, maybe Bannan. I'm a bit worried that Lambert hasn't learnt from what has and hasn't worked. What we saw today didn't work.
Ultimately we need to bring someone with some directness/composure in midfield and an experienced Centre back if Dunnes not going to be fit or we're in big trouble.
Agreed, where was N'zogbia today? Injured?
The promise of the Newcastle and Swansea games seem a very long time ago now.
On the bright side, I do think Vlaar is improving with each game and Herd also did well. I'd think about moving him back into midfield though.
-
You do have to wonder if Delph is ever going to begin to look like justifying his fee.
Not a chance in my opinion. In every aspect of midfield play today he was dire.
-
Bennett tweeted' sorry I let the fans and my teammates down today".
Norwich reporter tweeted " villa easily the worse team we've played this season and that includes Scunthorpe and Doncaster".
Very bad day indeed.
-
Norwich deserved to win 3-1
Yes we were very lucky today. God help us when the lucks against us.
-
Bennett tweeted' sorry I let the fams and my teammates down today".
Norwich reporter tweeted " villa easily the worse team we've played this season and that includes Scunthorpe and Doncaster".
Very bad day indeed.
Fair enough just learn from your mistake Joe and never get sent off so stupidly again. In any case his sending off just gives an excuse, we were awful well before then and it is essentially because of the wrong formation and a horrendous midfield four.
-
On a positive note we can relax for four games because anything we get is going to be a bonus.
-
You do have to wonder if Delph is ever going to begin to look like justifying his fee.
I agree with you there. His first touch is more often than not very questionable. He puts himself under a lot of pressure. Then he does that body check/ turn thing as the ball comes to him, not seeing what's around him and finds himself turning right into a player from the opposite team. It's the same trick over and over again. I don't think KEA and Delph can play in the same midfield either.
-
The central midfield is so poor that I would say based on his performance at home to Bolton last season Stephen Warnock is probably the player at the club best equipped to play there.
-
Bennett tweeted' sorry I let the fans and my teammates down today".
Norwich reporter tweeted " villa easily the worse team we've played this season and that includes Scunthorpe and Doncaster".
Very bad day indeed.
Stephen Fry tweeted "Finally!! Phew! Got through the Villa wall"
-
Who played that long hopefull ball to the forward when we had a good chance to break away? It was just before they scored. Annoyed me that did.
Albrighton I think it was
-
Really didnt understand the decision to hook Benteke for Bent today - from that moment we had no outlet whatsover and we rarely got out of our own half
-
Reading and Wigan winning at the moment so bottom 3 it is then.
-
Reading and Wigan winning at the moment so bottom 3 it is then.
Soon to be bottom
-
Bennett tweeted' sorry I let the fams and my teammates down today".
Norwich reporter tweeted " villa easily the worse team we've played this season and that includes Scunthorpe and Doncaster".
Very bad day indeed.
Fair enough just learn from your mistake Joe and never get sent off so stupidly again. In any case his sending off just gives an excuse, we were awful well before then and it is essentially because of the wrong formation and a horrendous midfield four.
I'm not so forgiving, his stupidity possibly cost us two points that were desperately needed given the run of games coming up, and which, unless things change soon, could make a huge difference at the sharp end of the season. But Herd was just as idiotic and extremely lucky to stay on the pitch. We have enough to deal with without players leaving their brains in the dressing room.
-
Utterly dreadful again.
You're going need to be very persuasive to convince me that this is in anyway better than last season.
The midfield is absolutely powder puff, strangely lacking in ALL departments. No creativity, No guile, No umph, No pace and No width. Ahmadi is very nice and comfortable but he gives the ball away a LOT. Delph, well I just don't get him at all, offers nothing to my mind. Holman goes from good to completely anonymous every single games. So much so i forgot he was on the pitch at times yet again. Albrighton, given an extended run to get his form/fitmess back I think will be invaluable at some point due to the lack of any other wide options (where on earth was N'Zogbia today?)
The defence worries me too, I think Lowton's settled in fairly well but it'll take Bennett a bit longer judging by his performances so far, That said, should either of them be automatic starters at this stage of their Villa careers anyway ?
I thought Vlaar and Herd did well in the main, and Guzan was immense.
Gabby didn't do much for me, and I can see it being another year before he scores a premier league goal again.
Best i've seen Benteke play so far, I just wish he'd been played alongside Bent
Lambert, well i'm sorry to say it but i'm starting to have a lot of doubts already. The whole Bent situation is beyond puzzling. And to top it off when he does eventually bring him on I couldn't understand the reasoning. Benteke holds the ball up far better so should've stayed on. Bent is a goalscorer and we weren't in desperate need of a goal today. We were desperate to keep the ball above all else.
Truly dreadful start to the season and the biggest worry is we don't look any better or clued up now than we did against West Ham on the opening day. There's very little else to be said.
-
This is easily the worst Villa team since '87, and we look like relegation fodder. Any team, doesn't matter who they are, sell their best players and replace them with lower league rubbish is going to struggle. Lerner hasn't got a clue about football, and the man is dragging us down to the Championship. We were absolutely abysmal today, and absolute embarrassment to the club.
What's the solution? Well we've just got to struggle onto January and hope that idiot Lerner opens his chequebook for some panic buying.
-
I don't care if it's JUne or July. I have concerns about the way Lambert is sending the team out to play. OK?
Alright, don't get arsey.
-
This is easily the worst Villa team since '87, and we look like relegation fodder. Any team, doesn't matter who they are, sell their best players and replace them with lower league rubbish is going to struggle. Lerner hasn't got a clue about football, and the man is dragging us down to the Championship. We were absolutely abysmal today, and absolute embarrassment to the club.
What's the solution? Well we've just got to struggle onto January and hope that idiot Lerner opens his chequebook for some panic buying.
I'm sorry selecting players from the lower leagues was Lamberts choice not Randys, and Lambert said as much in an interview.It's what PL did with Norwich successfully.
-
Arsey's OK, I don't have a problem with him :-)
-
I don't even know who I think we should go for in January. Someone who can pass would be a start.
-
The big worry is that I don't think there are three worse sides in the division.
-
The big worry is that I don't think there are three worse sides in the division.
I don't think there's one at the moment
-
At least we're in the business of having shots this season, which is a bit different to last year. I thought we should have put Ireland on. Benteke and Guzan good, the rest poor today.
-
This is easily the worst Villa team since '87, and we look like relegation fodder. Any team, doesn't matter who they are, sell their best players and replace them with lower league rubbish is going to struggle. Lerner hasn't got a clue about football, and the man is dragging us down to the Championship. We were absolutely abysmal today, and absolute embarrassment to the club.
What's the solution? Well we've just got to struggle onto January and hope that idiot Lerner opens his chequebook for some panic buying.
I'm sorry selecting players from the lower leagues was Lamberts choice not Randys, and Lambert said as much in an interview.It's what PL did with Norwich successfully.
It's clear Lerner wants all the top earners out of the club that's why we have to sign players from the lower leagues. I thought that was pretty obvious.
-
I don't even know who I think we should go for in January. Someone who can pass would be a start.
What quality player would want to come though, we will probably have to pay top wages to attract top players and I shudder to think how few points we will have by January.
-
And we less equipped for the battles that are ahead.
-
As has been said earlier, that midfield is the worst I have ever seen. Basically, it seems to me to a combination on 4 players are all the same. They are 'tidy' players. They can receive a ball, shimmy and lay it off, sideways or backwards, but not one of them can tackle, head, spray a pass or run with the ball. Not one of them can dictatate or drive a game.
Nowm you can possibly get a way with a single tidy player in a midfield, but bloody hell, not all of them.
Mortimer, Townsend Richardson et al.
They would be turning in their graves
-
Really didnt understand the decision to hook Benteke for Bent today - from that moment we had no outlet whatsover and we rarely got out of our own half
This decision was incomprehensible. With Benteke there we had hope. Can hold the ball up win headers and has physical presence that would worry them. Bent on the other hand ....
-
Reading and Wigan are winning. When will Villa next be out of the bottom three? Sad times. Randy, where the hell are you?
-
And we less equipped for the battles that are ahead.
When we've had poor seasons over the years I've always been positive we'll pull away from trouble because we've always seemed to have 3 or 4 top players you knew would eventually come good and drag us to safety. This time feels different. There's no one in that team with much class and leadership, only kids from the vastly overrated youth system and lower league rubbish. Lerner is responsible for our decline.
-
As has been said earlier, that midfield is the worst I have ever seen. Basically, it seems to me to a combination on 4 players are all the same. They are 'tidy' players. They can receive a ball, shimmy and lay it off, sideways or backwards, but not one of them can tackle, head, spray a pass or run with the ball. Not one of them can dictatate or drive a game.
Nowm you can possibly get a way with a single tidy player in a midfield, but bloody hell, not all of them.
Mortimer, Townsend Richardson et al.
They would be turning in their graves
I wouldn't even say Delph and Albrighton are tidy, just not very good at all.
-
Extremely poor display, we don't close down, we don't mark, we don't concentrate and we can't pass. How we can have so many professional footballers who find the concept of passing to a team mate such a difficult task is mind boggling.
Their goal came from a short corner, we weren't even watching what was happening, a Sunday league manager would be embarrassed for his team doing that even if they were down to ten men.
Taking off Gabby seemed an odd decision as his pace would help us on the break when down to ten men. Replacing Bentenke with Bent was an absurd decision, unless Bentenke had taken a knock. Bent does not win headers or hold the ball up well, which is what we needed when down to ten men.
This is going to be a very long season if we keep playing like this, the team lack passion and spirit.
I said to my mate in the first half that Bennett would get sent off, he'd already been booked and looked like another booking wasn't far away, he was struggling anyway, he should have been subbed.
Phil Dowd was his usual awful self when he refs Villa games, but the sending off was the correct decision, one of the few he got right all afternoon.
-
IMO Lambert panicked when we went to 10 men. I could not understand why he took Gabby off. He should have sacrificed a midfield player and and pulled Gabby back to Left Mid where he could have supported Lijhai and been available to take the ball forward into the corners - it would have offered an out ball in addition to Benteke. Gabby's pace was worrying Norwich and he could have distracted the Norwich defence rather than let them have free rein to build attacks.
Benteke should have been fit enough to have stayed on as the lone striker. He had his best game so far and was tracking back and helping out when he could.
Bent did nothing when he came on and could never win a challenge for a long ball so Norwich kept getting it back for another attack.
Delph offers nothing at the moment when we get our Centre halves back I'd move Herd back into midfield to add a bit of muscle.
-
Wigan 2-0 up now
-
Norwich reporter tweeted " villa easily the worse team we've played this season and that includes Scunthorpe and Doncaster".
On the other hand Norwich are easily the worst team we have played. A more competent team would ave won easily.
-
Championship wages,championship players,championship manager. Take a bow Randy you will have a championship club next season.
-
We can talk about systems until we are blue in the face, but the root to us being poor boils down to the midfield being at its worst in 25 years. Possibly ever.
The likes of Delph and Albrighton are nowhere near good enough to play in the top flight. Holman lacks quality and KEA doesn't have it in him to drive the game on.
I would lile to see Herd come central when Baker or Clark is fit to try and add some steel as we are so light weight.
We need to try as best we can to pick up points between now and January where seriois money, £15-20 million, must be spent on a pair of midfielders. Somebody who can win the ball and another who can push the game forwards.
In the end today turned into a decent point given the sending off, but this was a game we should be winning. We were poor first half, Norwich no better, with Benteke thankfully showing his class. I actually thought we started tje se ond half brightly until the red card. Two great saves from Brad. Anybody else bar three or four other teams would have beat us. Thankfully Norwich are as chronic as we are.
Its going to be a real struggle until January and if we do not make the right signings and real struggle all season.
-
And we less equipped for the battles that are ahead.
When we've had poor seasons over the years I've always been positive we'll pull away from trouble because we've always seemed to have 3 or 4 top players you knew would eventually come good and drag us to safety. This time feels different. There's no one in that team with much class and leadership, only kids from the vastly overrated youth system and lower league rubbish. Lerner is responsible for our decline.
Sad but true.
-
Paul Lambert hails "unbelievable spirit" of his team.
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2961940,00.html
-
Another rubbish game. When they scored I thought they'd get another so the fact they didn't is a positive of sorts but it's scraping the barrel. When are we going to win and who against?
-
Who played that long hopefull ball to the forward when we had a good chance to break away? It was just before they scored. Annoyed me that did.
I think it was Albrighton
-
Norwich reporter tweeted " villa easily the worse team we've played this season and that includes Scunthorpe and Doncaster".
On the other hand Norwich are easily the worst team we have played. A more competent team would ave wonf easily.
I thought Norwich were the better team throughout to be honest , we looked awful .
-
The central midfield is so poor that I would say based on his performance at home to Bolton last season Stephen Warnock is probably the player at the club best equipped to play there.
This
-
Paul Lambert hails "unbelievable spirit" of his team.
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2961940,00.html
Forget spirit he should be looking at tactical ineptitude and zero quality.
-
Can't understand the relentless uninformed criticism of the midfield. I was worried at half time when we were only a goal to the good - but we had started the second half brightly before Bennett went. A poor decision from Dowd - didn't need the red card but we would have screamed for one the other way around. The substitutions though were incomprehensible. Beneteke had to come off as Gabby is very functional as a lone striker...Holman was clearly knackered Weimann for him fair enough - but the closest Bent got to touching the ball was headbutting Bassong. Had we not switched off at the corner we'd be celebrating a win.
The other thing of not was the complete dissection of Norwich for the goal. We haven't scored a goal like that for YEARS. Which is not downplaying Benteke's delicate and unstoppable finish. Top half finish and I feel sorry for Swindon...
-
Championship wages,championship players,championship manager. Take a bow Randy you will have a championship club next season.
nail on head
-
Holman great workrate but overall not good enough with the ball.
Ever watched a dog with a balloon ? Same as ....
-
Paul Lambert hails "unbelievable spirit" of his team.
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2961940,00.html
Forget spirit he should be looking at tactical ineptitude and zero quality.
If was Bent I would tell him to Fuck off. His treatment for todays game was shocking!
-
Ive just got back. Havent read the posts but this is what I saw. First half was awful apart from Bentekes goal which was well made and he took it with confidence. Led the line very well without any obvious help from Agbonlahor. KEA was frustrating. He wins the ball but too often
gives it away. Bennett appeared out of his depth yet again. Guzans run of excellent form continues.
Second half was an improvement Benteke again led the line with confidence. Bennett got himself sent off and Agbonlahor was substituted
things were going well until the manager took Benteke off. Did he look tired I dont think so and with Bent playing the target man (which he doesnt do) we had nobody to hold the ball up and their pressure paid off with the equaliser.
Plus points Herd did well in a position he doesnt play normally. Albrighton ran and ran without doing too much. Lowton was ok thats
about it.
With the games we have ahead in November we could be in serious trouble unless Lambert can find a formula that works.
As of today it does not look obvious that he can.
-
Lambert got lot of things wrong today.
Wrong midfield with both Albrighton and Delf in. They are both a liability.
Wrong substitution at sending off. In fact Bennett was having a nightmare of a game and should have been subbed at HT.
Wrong tactics and poor team instructions post sending off. Our ten man approach was clueless. Just couldn't understand why we were so bad.
Wrong substitution again bringing on Bent. This man everyone knew would be useless in the prevailing match situation and he was.
Needed some composure and class. Ireland was on the bench FFS.
Big Lambert fan but today there is a chink in my confidence in him.
-
Can't understand the relentless uninformed criticism of the midfield. I was worried at half time when we were only a goal to the good - but we had started the second half brightly before Bennett went. A poor decision from Dowd - didn't need the red card but we would have screamed for one the other way around. The substitutions though were incomprehensible. Beneteke had to come off as Gabby is very functional as a lone striker...Holman was clearly knackered Weimann for him fair enough - but the closest Bent got to touching the ball was headbutting Bassong. Had we not switched off at the corner we'd be celebrating a win.
The other thing of not was the complete dissection of Norwich for the goal. We haven't scored a goal like that for YEARS. Which is not downplaying Benteke's delicate and unstoppable finish. Top half finish and I feel sorry for Swindon...
I Salute the optimism, but I think you're quite wrong on a lot of it. The midfield was dreadful all game, except Holman's cross.
-
Paul Lambert hails "unbelievable spirit" of his team.
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2961940,00.html
Forget spirit he should be looking at tactical ineptitude and zero quality.
If was Bent I would tell him to Fuck off. His treatment for todays game was shocking!
Lambert brought him on. The general consensus amongst fans seems to be he should not have been brought on.
-
I don't understand the 'signing players from lower leagues' gripe. We signed 4, of which Lowton does not look out of place and two have barely featured.
We signed 4 other players in the summer if you include Guzan - all internationals.
The truth of it is that from where we were at the end of last season, 8 players was not going to be enough, but there is a limit on the numbers you can absorb. We have probably exceeded that limit with what we did, but that's was still preferable to doing less.
We have to go back to the market in January and beef up midfield.
We are nowhere near the worst in league in defence or up front. Maybe we will not see the best of either until we have a midfield worthy of the name.
-
Lambert got lot of things wrong today.
Wrong midfield with both Albrighton and Delf in. They are both a liability.
Wrong substitution at sending off. In fact Bennett was having a nightmare of a game and should have been subbed at HT.
Wrong tactics and poor team instructions post sending off. Our ten man approach was clueless. Just couldn't understand why we were so bad.
Wrong substitution again bringing on Bent. This man everyone knew would be useless in the prevailing match situation and he was.
Needed some composure and class. Ireland was on the bench FFS.
Big Lambert fan but today there is a chink in my confidence in him.
Agree with this totally. Today was very poor all round and I really didn't expect to see a performance as poor and aimless as we saw at VP last season but today that's what we got.
-
It's still frustrating rather than depressing for me.
We've seen the blueprint: Newcastle away and Swansea at home. Someone will tell me if I'm wrong but Albrighton and Delph didn't play in those games - was it Bannan and Ireland? We pressed well, we passed well. Guzan and Benteke have been big positives since then, so we should be improving, but we've gone backwards in midfield and from the outside looking in it seems a really simple problem to solve - team selection.
We don't know what happens in training, but on the evidence of the actual games Lambert should by now be coming to some pretty obvious conclusions.
Such as:
Guzan keeps his place;
Lowton keeps his place;
Clark: decision to make because Baker has done well;
Bannan and Ireland should be back in for Delph and Albrighton;
Weimann should either be in the team, or first attacking substitute.
Benteke starts.
Gabby/Bent: I'd pick Gabby as a wide left striker/winger, balanced by Holman's industry on the other side. Bent or Gabby does not have an obvious solution for me, because they divide opinion with us, so it's easy to imagine that Lambert might be in two minds on this one.
Sorry for rambling, but as I say, I'm a bit frustrated that PL doesn't seem to be learning from our performances - good, bad and indifferent.
-
We are nowhere near the worst in league in defence or up front.
That may be so, but I haven't seen another team this season that has played as badly as we did today.
-
I don't understand the 'signing players from lower leagues' gripe. We signed 4, of which Lowton does not look out of place and two have barely featured.
We signed 4 other players in the summer if you include Guzan - all internationals.
The truth of it is that from where we were at the end of last season, 8 players was not going to be enough, but there is a limit on the numbers you can absorb. We have probably exceeded that limit with what we did, but that's was still preferable to doing less.
We have to go back to the market in January and beef up midfield.
We are nowhere near the worst in league in defence or up front. Maybe we will not see the best of either until we have a midfield worthy of the name.
I thought Lowton was poor all afternoon. He isn't good enough for the PL. neither is the other fullback.
And 4 lower league signings is more than a third of the team. Add them to the youth rubbish already here it's a recipe for disaster.
-
Don't know where to start with that. I said before kick off Dowd would send one of ours off but Bennett can't complain about his bookings. About 10 minutes after his first card he launched in again and should have been hauled off at half time as it was pretty clear what would happen, especially with one-eyed Dowd. As usual he applied one rule to us and another to the opponents - fouls which attracted yellows for us didn't even get free kicks when Norwich committed the same thing. He missed the foul on Benteke and didn't give anything when Bent was tripped when running on to a through ball. Just before Herd's card some stats came up on the big screen showing we'd committed 7 fouls in the game so far (including at least 2 by Bennett of course) and he then booked Herd for consistent fouling! The only good thing that can be said relating to Dowd were the chants 'have you ever had a salad' and 'when did you last see your prick'.
But to blame Dowd for today's result is just papering over the very wide cracks. Guzan was enormous again, and I think Benteke and Herd did well. But yet again the midfield was dominated by the opposition. Albrighton was poor all game - bar one decent cross in the second half which found Benteke at the back post - and is just not good enough at this level. The same applies to Delph, and to a lesser extent Holman and KEA. Too many sloppy passes, no creativity, and no real bite. And how we switched off for their goal was simply amateurish. We need some experienced signings in midfield in January or else I fear the worst.
I also think Lambert got his selection wrong today and got his substitutions even worse. Going down to 10 men meant bringing on Lichaj, fair enough, but to take Gabby off, and then replace Benteke with Bent was just wrong. Gabby was the only one who would chase things down so although he's not scoring he would have added more to the team effort.
All round not good. And it was bloody cold.
-
I don't understand the 'signing players from lower leagues' gripe. We signed 4, of which Lowton does not look out of place and two have barely featured.
We signed 4 other players in the summer if you include Guzan - all internationals.
The truth of it is that from where we were at the end of last season, 8 players was not going to be enough, but there is a limit on the numbers you can absorb. We have probably exceeded that limit with what we did, but that's was still preferable to doing less.
We have to go back to the market in January and beef up midfield.
We are nowhere near the worst in league in defence or up front. Maybe we will not see the best of either until we have a midfield worthy of the name.
We may not be the worst, but we are among the worst 3 teams in the league and that's what counts.
We are soo poor, Lambert seems lost and looks clueless which makes things worse.
-
Lambert got lot of things wrong today.
Wrong midfield with both Albrighton and Delf in. They are both a liability.
Wrong substitution at sending off. In fact Bennett was having a nightmare of a game and should have been subbed at HT.
Wrong tactics and poor team instructions post sending off. Our ten man approach was clueless. Just couldn't understand why we were so bad.
Wrong substitution again bringing on Bent. This man everyone knew would be useless in the prevailing match situation and he was.
Needed some composure and class. Ireland was on the bench FFS.
Agree with this completely. PL has made some baffling decisions before, notably making Darren Bent captain for five minutes, but today he got everything wrong. I never really understood why PL's stock was so high in the first place, and I have even less idea now.
-
Ive read most posts now and we are mostly in agreement. After stating Delph had something in all my previous posts I realised after about 35mins I was wrong and he is a liability who doesnt provide anything.
-
That was really, really poor today. It could just as easily have been a home game from last year. Our squad is crap, and Delph shouldn't be starting games. Lambert is starting to look like he really ain't all that.
-
Said before that KEA looks like a Dutch Reo-Coker and been slated for it.
I'm now going to revise that opinion. I think Reo might be better.
-
Ive read most posts now and we are mostly in agreement. After stating Delph had something in all my previous posts I realised after about 35mins I was wrong and he is a liability who doesnt provide anything.
Sadly there seem a few players in that liability category.
-
Said before that KEA looks like a Dutch Reo-Coker and been slated for it.
I'm now going to revise that opinion. I think Reo might be better.
He's better than Delph. What a miserable excuse for a footballer he is.
-
Went today, what on earth has happened since the Swansea game ? Too much messing around with midfield and not enough quality in there anyway ! Defence was fine apart from Bennett who is not ready yet. Weimann should be playing more. Albrighton looks like he will never cut it after his initial promise. Sorry but KEA is not the midfield enforcer I was hoping for. Delph is championship standard at best. Disappointed in Gabby, again looks like he is past his peak.
Think Herd is better as a defender and should stay there.
The atmosphere was poor. Can there be another club where the difference between the home and away support is so great ?
-
Can someone please explain why Gabby was replaced by a defender after the sending off, then 2 more forwards came on afterwards?
Plus, Delph was very, very poor.
-
Said before that KEA looks like a Dutch Reo-Coker and been slated for it.
I'm now going to revise that opinion. I think Reo might be better.
Well, for a start he's not Dutch.
-
I think I'd be inclined to stick with lichaj at left back , bennett has had 3 or 4 poor games now and needs to be left put after suspension.
Albrighton and Delph are nowhere near premiership quality .
-
That was really, really poor today. It could just as easily have been a home game from last year. Our squad is crap, and Delph shouldn't be starting games. Lambert is starting to look like he really ain't all that.
Honestly, I think we're worse now than we were under McLeish. Today's game and Everton at home were two of the worst home performances I've ever seen at Villa Park. It was embarrassing, no other word for it.
-
That was really, really poor today. It could just as easily have been a home game from last year. Our squad is crap, and Delph shouldn't be starting games. Lambert is starting to look like he really ain't all that.
Can anyone explain why so many people thought PL was the savior? It's a genuine question, because I never got it...
-
Bollocks. Well at least we didn't lose, which is what I was expecting
-
Can someone please explain why Gabby was replaced by a defender after the sending off, then 2 more forwards came on afterwards?
Plus, Delph was very, very poor.
Really odd decision. I'd have taken Allbrighton off, because when your backs are to the wall he's the one player I wouldn't trust. The sub by Lambert invited Norwich to continually attack our defence and we were happy to sit back and wait for the inevitable. How Norwich didn't wrap the match up is beyond me. Thank God Guzan was in stunning form.
-
That was really, really poor today. It could just as easily have been a home game from last year. Our squad is crap, and Delph shouldn't be starting games. Lambert is starting to look like he really ain't all that.
Can anyone explain why so many people thought PL was the savior? It's a genuine question, because I never got it...
I think it was because of the back to back promotions and then finishing 10 th in the Premier League with an average side. But agreed he has been a disappointment so far
-
That was really, really poor today. It could just as easily have been a home game from last year. Our squad is crap, and Delph shouldn't be starting games. Lambert is starting to look like he really ain't all that.
Lambert was my first choice but I must admit I am extremely concerned at the way things are going , we seem to be getting worse rather than improving and he appears to have no idea on his first choice team- cant be good for confidence all this chopping and changing.
-
Slumberland 3 points ahead of us. 1 win in 16. The battle of the bollocks next week.
We need Herd in the midfield and Ireland along with Bannan needs to start. We have to mask the deficiencies.
-
I was definitely impressed with Herd today. Only he, Benteke and Guzan can hold their heads up high.
-
I was definitely impressed with Herd today. Only he, Benteke and Guzan can hold their heads up high.
Played well but very lucky not to be sent off for the dreadful tackle leading up to holts miss.
-
Vlaar did well. Despite doing a good job, Herd was incredibly lucky not to be sent off.
-
Slumberland 3 points ahead of us. 1 win in 16. The battle of the bollocks next week.
We need Herd in the midfield and Ireland along with Bannan needs to start. We have to mask the deficiencies.
Sunderland 2 wins in 21 games and villa 1 win in 19- I get the feeling a 0-0 draw .
-
Said before that KEA looks like a Dutch Reo-Coker and been slated for it.
I'm now going to revise that opinion. I think Reo might be better.
He's better than Delph. What a miserable excuse for a footballer he is.
Indeed I get the impression KEA might be alright if he could rely on his midfield partner. I've said before I like him and Ireland in the midfield.
-
Guzman was deserved man of the match today (for once the sponsors got it right) but it says it all when your goalkeeper is MoM against Norwich at home.
How did we get to here?
Most depressing thing for me today was that I think the players did their best, it's just that most of them are not up to it.
I just hope we are not too adrift by the time January comes around. I also hope that RL is as interested in staying up as he was when he bought Bent. I get the impression that his interest has waned somewhat.
-
Can't understand the relentless uninformed criticism of the midfield.
In what way is it "uninformed"?. Most posters agree our midfield is the weak link, mainly because it is. We have some decent strikers who are starved of chances and support. We have some decent defenders who are often under constant pressure. If the fault isn't with the midfield, where does it lie?
-
I cannot prove my theory, but the way we started in the second half, I think we would have won with XI on the park.
-
Guzman was deserved man of the match today (for once the sponsors got it right) but it says it all when your goalkeeper is MoM against Norwich at home.
How did we get to here?
Most depressing thing for me today was that I think the players did their best, it's just that most of them are not up to it.
I just hope we are not too adrift by the time January comes around. I also hope that RL is as interested in staying up as he was when he bought Bent. I get the impression that his interest has waned somewhat.
Guzman was deserved man of the match today (for once the sponsors got it right) but it says it all when your goalkeeper is MoM against Norwich at home.
How did we get to here?
Most depressing thing for me today was that I think the players did their best, it's just that most of them are not up to it.
I just hope we are not too adrift by the time January comes around. I also hope that RL is as interested in staying up as he was when he bought Bent. I get the impression that his interest has waned somewhat.
Guzman was deserved man of the match today (for once the sponsors got it right) but it says it all when your goalkeeper is MoM against Norwich at home.
How did we get to here?
Most depressing thing for me today was that I think the players did their best, it's just that most of them are not up to it.
I just hope we are not too adrift by the time January comes around. I also hope that RL is as interested in staying up as hue was when he bought Bent. I get the impression that his interest has waned somewhat.
Where is Randy? Fishing?
-
I have said before that we need to be effective at the moment - not clever, not world-class - just effective and we simply aren't.
To be effective you have to move the ball from one end of the pitch to another with a modicum of pace and accuracy - passing to a player wearing the same shirt as yourself with the midfield acting as the delivery system to the forwards - happened twice today and we scored once. The midfield create chances, ours doesn't. Bannan and Ireland please.
When we went forward down the left in the first half with full-back overlapping it looked interesting - then it stopped!
If Norwich weren't so shit (and they are) and without Guzan's heroics we would have lost easily. Thought the back 4 were OK to be honest but anyone decent will tear us a new one.
Felt sorry for Bent today he was never going to see the ball.
Where on Earth we get a win from I do not know.
And agree that the referee was always going to do something "exciting" - deny or give a penalty or send someone off - and he did.
-
I don't think Bennett is that bad, certainly not as people are making out. Today he was poor, but then again, so was just about everyone with the exception of Guzan and Benteke.
Today the problem was our passing was a yard short every time. Albrighton was absolutely dire and looked like a pub player, as I said nobody was really that good, but Albrighton really did stand out as truly woeful. I'd like to see Gabby given a run on the wing and start Bent and Benteke up front. Benteke looked unplayable and won every single header
We looked dire today, really really poor. Last week we missed a goalscorer, this week we lacked a lot of things. Seriously worried about Tuesday night now, got a nasty feeling it will be like Donny 2005
-
I was definitely impressed with Herd today. Only he, Benteke and Guzan can hold their heads up high.
Although he should have been sent off for a stupid tackle.
-
Can anyone explain why so many people thought PL was the savior? It's a genuine question, because I never got it...
I get the impression it's because he isn't the other Scottish manager, people did seem to think he was the saviour for reasons I can't fathom, comparisons to Ron Saunders in particular. I know it's early days but the spectre of Graham Turner and Billy McNeill looms large. Or possibly George Burley. Or maybe Alex Ferguson.
-
Well that was frustrating. We were average at best in the first half and found ourselves 1 up at HT. Start the second half a bit better and if i'm honest I felt we'd score again and take all 3 points. Then the sending off. And from then on we put in the effort and commitment but boy were we under the cosh. The way things went that last half hour i'm glad we held on for a point.
One thing I don't get is putting Bent on when he did. Down to 10 men and defending a one goal lead is the worst scenario to play Bent as far as i'm concerned. Leave Benteke on to hold the ball up so as midfield can catch up to play, leave Gabby up on his own so as they have to defend deeper and leave at least 2 back because of his pace, or stick Weimann on and let him run all day after the long balls. Bent does none of those up on his own.
And finally, should Bennett have been sent off? Some twonk in front of me stood up just before the challenge so I haven't seen it.
-
Well that was frustrating. We were average at best in the first half and found ourselves 1 up at HT. Start the second half a bit better and if i'm honest I felt we'd score again and take all 3 points. Then the sending off. And from then on we put in the effort and commitment but boy were we under the cosh. The way things went that last half hour i'm glad we held on for a point.
One thing I don't get is putting Bent on when he did. Down to 10 men and defending a one goal lead is the worst scenario to play Bent as far as i'm concerned. Leave Benteke on to hold the ball up so as midfield can catch up to play, leave Gabby up on his own so as they have to defend deeper and leave at least 2 back because of his pace, or stick Weimann on and let him run all day after the long balls. Bent does none of those up on his own.
And finally, should Bennett have been sent off? Some twonk in front of me stood up just before the challenge so I haven't seen it.
I don't think we can have complaints on Bennett and Herd should have gone as well.
-
Bannan needs to start
Christ, is this what we're reduced to?
-
Well that was frustrating. We were average at best in the first half and found ourselves 1 up at HT. Start the second half a bit better and if i'm honest I felt we'd score again and take all 3 points. Then the sending off. And from then on we put in the effort and commitment but boy were we under the cosh. The way things went that last half hour i'm glad we held on for a point.
One thing I don't get is putting Bent on when he did. Down to 10 men and defending a one goal lead is the worst scenario to play Bent as far as i'm concerned. Leave Benteke on to hold the ball up so as midfield can catch up to play, leave Gabby up on his own so as they have to defend deeper and leave at least 2 back because of his pace, or stick Weimann on and let him run all day after the long balls. Bent does none of those up on his own.
And finally, should Bennett have been sent off? Some twonk in front of me stood up just before the challenge so I haven't seen it.
Yes. Nothing debatable about it, hence his apology on twitter.
-
Bannan needs to start
Christ, is this what we're reduced to?
Bannan and Ireland keep the ball and Herd is physical. What other options do we have?
-
Just got back, we are in trouble.A poor performance against a team who will get relegated, and we won't be far off either, and i am starting to worry about PL.
Why does Albrighton get anywhere near the 1st team?I am starting to really dislike him as a player.
Why does Gabby play?He never looks like scoring, makes no runs, doesn't know how to play off Benteke, doesn't hold the ball up well enough. Shouldn't be in the team ahead off Bent, Weimann or N'zog.
A midfield of KEA, Delph, Holman, and Albrighton at home to Norwich.How many chances did they create, are likely to create.Not good enough.
Bennett......brainless, what a stupid thing to do, couldn't see Norwich scoring until he got sent off, he lost us 2 valuable points.
Positives, Guzan, Vlaar were excellent, Benteke looks a good prospect.Thats it.
I think we are in serious trouble, PL confrontational approach to our better footballers/bigger earners , worries me, we lack creativity, give the ball away far too easily, have no confidence, and not a great deal of ability.We are going backwards.Whats happened to the Holman, KEA, Lowton who played against Newcastle?, because those on the pitch today were poor imitations of them.
I'll probably expect us to beat Sunderland, but i have to say we are a very poor team atm.
-
It's still frustrating rather than depressing for me.
We've seen the blueprint: Newcastle away and Swansea at home. Someone will tell me if I'm wrong but Albrighton and Delph didn't play in those games - was it Bannan and Ireland? We pressed well, we passed well. Guzan and Benteke have been big positives since then, so we should be improving, but we've gone backwards in midfield and from the outside looking in it seems a really simple problem to solve - team selection.
We don't know what happens in training, but on the evidence of the actual games Lambert should by now be coming to some pretty obvious conclusions.
Such as:
Guzan keeps his place;
Lowton keeps his place;
Clark: decision to make because Baker has done well;
Bannan and Ireland should be back in for Delph and Albrighton;
Weimann should either be in the team, or first attacking substitute.
Benteke starts.
Gabby/Bent: I'd pick Gabby as a wide left striker/winger, balanced by Holman's industry on the other side. Bent or Gabby does not have an obvious solution for me, because they divide opinion with us, so it's easy to imagine that Lambert might be in two minds on this one.
Sorry for rambling, but as I say, I'm a bit frustrated that PL doesn't seem to be learning from our performances - good, bad and indifferent.
Agree with much of your post Percy, because a lot of it does seem fairly obvious, but you and I will always differ over Gabby. I think he lacks the guile, movement or touch to be anything else than the main striker, and for me he is at best third in line for that behind Bent and Benteke. Others seem all too willing to try and shoehorn him into the side anywhere they can. I think he's had enough chances and it hasn't really worked. Weimann's movement could offer a very good link between midfield and the main striker, and he seems to be the one forward we have who would be capable of creating his own chances. For me the choice should be between Bent/Benteke plus Weimann in support.
-
Well that was frustrating. We were average at best in the first half and found ourselves 1 up at HT. Start the second half a bit better and if i'm honest I felt we'd score again and take all 3 points. Then the sending off. And from then on we put in the effort and commitment but boy were we under the cosh. The way things went that last half hour i'm glad we held on for a point.
One thing I don't get is putting Bent on when he did. Down to 10 men and defending a one goal lead is the worst scenario to play Bent as far as i'm concerned. Leave Benteke on to hold the ball up so as midfield can catch up to play, leave Gabby up on his own so as they have to defend deeper and leave at least 2 back because of his pace, or stick Weimann on and let him run all day after the long balls. Bent does none of those up on his own.
And finally, should Bennett have been sent off? Some twonk in front of me stood up just before the challenge so I haven't seen it.
Yes. Nothing debatable about it, hence his apology on twitter.
Yes Bennett had to go and herd should have been sent off for a dreadful challenge when on a yellow.
-
If TSM had picked that side, made those substitutions and served up that shite - after last weeks shite at Fulham - this site would have gone into meltdown.
Honeymoon is well and truly over - I am very worried.
-
I've just driven the 125 miles home and had some time to ponder on the game. Here goes:
- Guzan and Herd were the pick of the back five.
- Bennett was obviously targeted by Norwich, and found wanting. He was under pressure all game and got turned a few times in the first half. I thought he was 'mugged' for the second yellow: NC's Bennett ran into him, the ref didn't see it but the linesman flagged for the free kick. I don't understand how Dowd can brandish the yellow for it - particularly since he failed to do so in subsequent similar offences.
- KEA's game was a mixed bag, but too many passes astray and not enough intelligent play.
- Albie: generally anonymous. Not good enough.
- Delph: poor - poor decision-making and poor choice of passes; except for two sublime passes early in the second half.
- Holman gave us loads of effort but not alot of guile.
- Gabby:apart from his set-up for the goal, anonymous.
- Benteke: there's much more to come from this lad.
I didn't understand why Bent was brought on in a 10-man situation. Mad.
We have to tighten up the central midfield and bring in people with more assuredness on the ball as well as intelligence. I'd be playing Clark and Herd alongside KEA as a MF trio, with Weimann and Holman supporting Benteke upfront.
I have to say, I find it strange that BBannan has not featured recently: we've played our best games with his involvement.
-
Just got back, we are in trouble.A poor performance against a team who will get relegated, and we won't be far off either, and i am starting to worry about PL.
Why does Albrighton get anywhere near the 1st team?I am starting to really dislike him as a player.
Why does Gabby play?He never looks like scoring, makes no runs, doesn't know how to play off Benteke, doesn't hold the ball up well enough. Shouldn't be in the team ahead off Bent, Weimann or N'zog.
A midfield of KEA, Delph, Holman, and Albrighton at home to Norwich.How many chances did they create, are likely to create.Not good enough.
Bennett......brainless, what a stupid thing to do, couldn't see Norwich scoring until he got sent off, he lost us 2 valuable points.
Positives, Guzan, Vlaar were excellent, Benteke looks a good prospect.Thats it.
I think we are in serious trouble, PL confrontational approach to our better footballers/bigger earners , worries me, we lack creativity, give the ball away far too easily, have no confidence, and not a great deal of ability.We are going backwards.Whats happened to the Holman, KEA, Lowton who played against Newcastle?, because those on the pitch today were poor imitations of them.
I'll probably expect us to beat Sunderland, but i have to say we are a very poor team atm.
Agree with almost all of that , I don't however expect us to beat Sunderland.
-
Cheers for the replies on the red card.
-
Yes Bennett had to go and herd should have been sent off for a dreadful challenge when on a yellow.
Eastie, all your comment shows to me is that Dowd is effin' useless. For me, he was conned for the Bennett debacle and - yes - he should have come back and given Herd his 2nd yellow.
-
Lambert could do worse than playing the team we put up against Tranmere, but with Benteke starting up front. Whatever he does, he needs to stick with the same eleven players. Mixing and matching isn't working.
I was there today. It was shit.
-
He certainly could do worse...just look at today ;)
-
Said before that KEA looks like a Dutch Reo-Coker and been slated for it.
I'm now going to revise that opinion. I think Reo might be better.
Well, for a start he's not Dutch.
He was born and raised in Enschede, which I believe is in the Netherlands. Making him Dutch.
-
this is as bad as the Billy McNeil era.
Lambert looks out of his depth to me.
-
Yes Bennett had to go and herd should have been sent off for a dreadful challenge when on a yellow.
Eastie, all your comment shows to me is that Dowd is effin' useless. For me, he was conned for the Bennett debacle and - yes - he should have come back and given Herd his 2nd yellow.
Bennett was stupid for getting sent off and has tweeted to say he let his teammates and fans down- I dont think dowd was wrong on that at all- shit referee but he was right to send him off. Herds challenge was much much worse though when already on a yellow.
-
Much as I hate Dowd, his reaction to "you're too fat to referee" did amuse me.
-
Missed that what did he do ?
-
When down to ten men and clearly just hanging on, there's surely no worse striker to bring on than Bent. Bringing Holman off and leaving Albrighton on also made no sense to me.
I can't do better than repeat what Paul Lambert said at one point today (which at least gave us behind the dugout something to laugh about)...... "Fucking fuck, ....... Jesus..... fuck". Which was followed by a right boot to the medical bag.
-
When down to ten men and clearly just hanging on, there's surely no worse striker to bring on than Bent. Bringing Holman off and leaving Albrighton on also made no sense to me.
I can't do better than repeat what Paul Lambert said at one point today (which at least gave us behind the dugout something to laugh about)...... "Fucking fuck, ....... Jesus..... fuck". Which was followed by a right boot to the medical bag.
Did you get to the Gents in time?
-
Did you get to the Gents in time?
Yep.
Apologies for not stopping to chat but I was bursting.
-
Missed that what did he do ?
He was running backwards (facing the Holte) as it was being sung and he smiled and subtly waved one of his hands in time like he was conducting it.
-
Dowd didn't have a great game (does he ever) but I don't think he was terrible
-
Missed that what did he do ?
He was running backwards (facing the Holte) as it was being sung and he smiled and subtly waved one of his hands in time like he was conducting it.
He spends far too much much time talking to the players when the ball is in play to see a lot.He missed the 2nd yellow card but the linesman didn't.
He really is a poor ref.
-
Just back from the game. I imagine everything I am going to say has already been said.
We were only kept in the game by Guzan who was immense. The midfield was feeble, lack lustre and sloppy. They must form the worst midfield in the Premiership. Delph and Albrighton were shocking and the others not a lot better.
Benteke is a class act and the bringing on of Bent to stiffen a tired side a man down was pure insanity. I do not think he touched the ball and displayed the attitude and body language of a disenchanted diva.
Awful game. Awful day. Awful weather. I wish I had never given up the drink.
-
Benteke and Weimann should start all day long for me. Love Herds attitude. we have to try something else in midfield Delph and Karim so so similar. I'm sure Bannan has played wide left before just as an option. Unless Uncle Randy throws the pennies around Gabby Ireland Bent Tonne Given and Nzogbia can all be sacrificed to let Lambert find some much needed nouse in midfield..
-
That midfield is beyond dreadful, the two crabs in the middle need to be dispensed with, either KEA or Delph but not both as they haven't got any attacking aptitude.
Ball is slow, inaccurate and the decision making to find the right ball is appalling, zero creative spark is very worrying.
Albrighton and Holman run around but do nowt, might as well sack them off and buy Mo Farah for that - give Carruthers / Bannan a run instead.
Guzan / Vlaar and Herd did fine, Gabby was at least interested and Benteke did his best with scraps.
Bent needs to grow up and realise he is part of a squad, stop sulking and prove he is a player and wants to earn his salary.
Lambert also needs to stop making out we are an attacking team, we have ZERO creation.
-
Carruthers has looked promising in his cameos last season- nothing to lose giving him a go out wide , albrighton has had too many chances and is not good enough at this level.
-
My ratings
Guzan 8 immense display
Lowton 6 did ok
Vlaar 7 fairly solid
Herd 7 involved
Bennett 3 championship player
Albrighton 4 poor
KEA 4 poor player
Delph 5 again poor
Holman 5 headless chicken
Gabby 6 held it up ok
Benteke 7 great finish
Bent 2 yes
Lichaj 2 terrible player
Weimann 5 tried
-
Just got back from my first game this season after moving back from France.
Depressing, as one bloke simply put "Why can't any of our players pass the bloody ball?!" It really is as simple as that, at least half of our players are poor technically and I feel sorry for the likes of Vlaar whose performances grow in stature with every game.
A couple of positives, Guzan and Vlaar, well played today, I do like Herd a lot and think he did a fantastic job at centre back today when all's considered. Maybe even better than Clark was doing. He's combative and to be honest if he's not centre back I'd have him in that midfield. Gabby put a shift in today and Benteke as most sensible people realise will score goals.
One final positive - as fans we all appear to be on the same page. We're in agreement, this will not do, whoever is the manager.
Our midfield is frighteningly bad, the mind boggles how Delph gets anywhere near our team and there is absolutely no bite, strength or even skill in there.
Our defence is improving, on paper we have some quality strikers but that midfield needs to improve or it's going to get us relegated.
No wonder the ground's half empty when you consider the dross that gets served up.
-
I think 5 for Delph is at least 5 points too many.
-
Dreadful today.
We need to go back to basics and play a solid formation that suits our few goodvplayers. Albrighton and Delph just aren't good enough, Bennett is a liability. 4-2-3-1 please with Ireland, N'Zogbia, Baker and Bannan back in if they're all fit.
-
Nzogbia damaged knee ligaments ,will be out at least 3 weeks.
-
Nzogbia damaged knee ligaments ,will be out at least 3 weeks.
In training?
-
Benteke, Vlaar and Guzan Did well.
Albrighton was awful.
Holman did his usual vanish after 60 because hes Fucked.
Ireland and Bannan need to come in for Albrighton and Delph.
Weimann and Benteke up front next.
-
Nzogbia damaged knee ligaments ,will be out at least 3 weeks.
In training?
Yep on thursday but lambert chose to keep it quiet before match day.
Bennett banned for Swindon and Clark, baker , dunne all out so probable lichaj at left back and herd at centre half.
-
Paul Lambert hails "unbelievable spirit" of his team.
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2961940,00.html
Fuck off Lambert.
-
I thought Albrighton was poor today, exemplified by his decent chance at the death when he took far too many touches. The substitutions were what confused me, Bent on for Benteke was mysterious. Bent isn't much of a grafter (although to be fair neither is Benteke really) so not really what you need when down to ten men.
Bennett's first yellow was a silly challenge, I missed the second but by all accounts he can't complain. The one favour Phil Dowd did us today was not sending off Herd too, though whether it could have made us any more lacklustre is debatable. The noticeable thing for me was how the red card seemed to take what drive there had been totally out of the team, we resorted to kick and hope football after that. From what I recall Bent managed to win one header against Leon Barnett (quite) today from a punt forwards, some new ideas are needed in that team quite urgently.
-
Dare we admit to ourselves that there is just a chance that we have got ourselves another crap Scottish manager?
Two weeks ago I would have said certainly not but the disclosure that he phones O'Neill for advice, the ridiculous dog's dinner he has made of handling Bent and the bringing on of Bent today while taking off Holman and leaving on Albrighton do sow seeds of doubt in one's mind.
-
You have to feel for our full backs though, as this daft system means there is zero protection in front of them. Bennett was crap but he was getting no help at all.
-
Dare we admit to ourselves that there is just a chance that we have got ourselves another crap Scottish manager?
Two weeks ago I would have said certainly not but the disclosure that he phones O'Neill for advice, the ridiculous dog's dinner he has made of handling Bent and the bringing on of Bent today while taking off Holman and leaving on Albrighton do sow seeds of doubt in one's mind.
I'm prepared to give him a while yet Brian, but there are concerns. He needs to start picking the correct players and play a much more suitable formation.
-
sorry to repeat this if it's already been asked, where was Nzogbia today ?
-
Must admit I'm concerned that he thinks bringing Bent on when down to 10 men and holding on to a lead is a good idea.
-
sorry to repeat this if it's already been asked, where was Nzogbia today ?
Injured in training apparently.
-
sorry to repeat this if it's already been asked, where was Nzogbia today ?
Damaged knee ligaments, out for several weeks.
-
Couple more things, picking up on what others have said.
Stop pissing around changing the midfield (I mean change it now because Delph is appalling - surely Bannan and Ireland are better)
What happened to Samir Carruthers and Daniel Johnson, both good young players, which while it isn't exactly what we need, they will surely offer more than Delph.
I don't mind Lambert not moaning about the team to the press but it's fucking insulting reading how well our team fought and played after watching that inept display. So fuck off for that.
-
Carruthers played in the NextGen match earlier this week. I think Johnson is out on loan.
-
Johnson is at Yeovil on loan I think.
-
Daniel Johnson hopes a successful loan spell at Yeovil Town will earn enough trust from his Aston Villa manager to be rewarded with a Premier League debut.
The dynamic midfielder joined the Glovers just hours before their 3-1 midweek triumph at Shrewsbury Town, entering the fray as a second half substitute.
A regular for Villa’s reserves and under-21 teams, Johnson was an unused substitute for the first team on six occasions last season.
Now with his senior bow to his name and a month of npower League One action ahead, the Jamaican-born 20-year-old wants to impress both Glovers’ boss Gary Johnson and Villa counterpart Paul Lambert.
Daniel Johnson said: “One hundred per cent, the aim is to play for Villa’s first team. I am here to get some experience and hopefully the manager can see and have trust in me.
“There are a lot of experienced players at Villa but hopefully the manager will be able to trust me from how I do at Yeovil.
“I have been trying to get out on loan for about two years now but because of the injuries I haven’t been able to go anywhere. I have been on the bench a lot so I am just happy that this chance is finally happening. I just want to play and do my best.
“You have got to aim for the Premier League as that is where the best footballers are. If you are in it for the money then that is something different. It is all about the football and that is what I want to do – play football.
“All I want to do is play football and if the manager puts me in the side – which hopefully he does – then I will try my hardest to help the team get three points.
Johnson admitted that he knew little about the Glovers before his switch, but was keen to allow his football to do the talking.
He endured a tough debut as a second half replacement at the Greenhaus Meadow, adjudged to have fouled an opponent for the penalty that led to the hosts’ only goal. Despite the testing opening, Johnson said he had enjoyed the start to life in the West Country.
“It has been good and I am settling in well,” he said. “I am getting to know the lads but already knew some of them here from before. I really enjoyed my debut but was disappointed to give away the penalty, which I didn’t think was a penalty. Overall I was really pleased.
“I know what I can do so I really hope I can add something to the team. I didn’t really know much about the team but Luke Ayling is a mate from back home.
“I am here to get some experience and hopefully I can go back and get into Villa’s first team. They haven’t really told me much about what they expect from the loan spell, I just want to come here and play football. I will just get my head down and graft.”
-
The next windows need to be about getting in a couple of experienced heads to get us through this. Even if they are players in their late 20's or early 30's on short term deals. The longer things stay as they are the more it will begin to affect the younger players. What we need is exactly what Stan offers; experience, guile and a calm head.
-
Positive as mentioned already, Guzan, Vlaar and Benteke... negatives, everything else! What do the players do in training except lots of piggy backs?
-
Always keen on the addition of Delph a few years ago but he was shocking today. As was Albrighton, which I thought before we kicked off anyway. Ireland must start next game, and probably Bannan, even though I'm not a fan of his. Bent on for Benteke a total mystery - Weimann and Benteke a promising combination, but need time. Is Darren Bent already an ex-Villa player?
-
The positives: Benteke scored and Guzan.
The negatives: Albrighton and Delph are really poor players and should not even be on the bench. Bent and Ireland were on the bench (arguably our best two players). We were really fucking shit and I think we may be in for a struggle.
-
I thought we were looking ok and the 2nd half we started like we could have got a second goal, but the sending off really knocked us back and we proceeded to play like a team who could'nt play with ten men, like some teams can.
Bringing on Bent was the last thing i would have done. Benteke was doing really well, so Ireland and Bannan for Gabby or Benteke and Holman would have been much better. Lambert did seem to lose the plot a little today but overall i'm not too unhappy with the draw in the circumstances.
-
It coulda bin worse but that is settling for McLeish-land level of achievement. We deserve better than this. Sell Bent and buy astutely, and well, with the money Paul.
-
The next windows need to be about getting in a couple of experienced heads to get us through this. Even if they are players in their late 20's or early 30's on short term deals. The longer things stay as they are the more it will begin to affect the younger players. What we need is exactly what Stan offers; experience, guile and a calm head.
Windows 8 was only released this week and here's you clamouring for Windows 9 already
-
Thanks for the heads up on Carruthers and Johnson
-
It coulda bin worse but that is settling for McLeish-land level of achievement. We deserve better than this. Sell Bent and buy astutely, and well, with the money Paul.
Beginning to think this is almost inevitable now. Bent doesn't fit the Lambert mould and doesn't seem too bothered about trying to prove his worth anyway.
It's still in midfield where we are lacking, just as it's been for the last two seasons.
-
It may be trite to say this but at Halesowen V Worksop today I saw better midfield performances than those offered up by our middle four today.
I haven't seen much of us this year but the inadequacies of Delph and Albrighton were shocking, it should be a long time before they are selected again.
For the first time I have an inkling of doubt about our manager.
-
Perhaps QPR or Liverpool have already agreed a deal in principle for Bent ?
-
Yes Bennett had to go and herd should have been sent off for a dreadful challenge when on a yellow.
Eastie, all your comment shows to me is that Dowd is effin' useless. For me, he was conned for the Bennett debacle and - yes - he should have come back and given Herd his 2nd yellow.
When was this Herd foul? Completely missed that.
Bennett two yellows were two of the easiest you can give as ref, first one he dived in recklessly Warnock style and second one Bennett had got away and he tugged him back. Dare I say a player with good premier league experience would've just let him run on.
-
I thought we were looking ok and the 2nd half we started like we could have got a second goal, but the sending off really knocked us back and we proceeded to play like a team who could'nt play with ten men, like some teams can.
Bringing on Bent was the last thing i would have done. Benteke was doing really well, so Ireland and Bannan for Gabby or Benteke and Holman would have been much better. Lambert did seem to lose the plot a little today but overall i'm not too unhappy with the draw in the circumstances.
I thought we were poor 1st half to be honest clampy, the goal apart we looked out of sorts with 11men.
Benteke and Guzan were excellent though.
-
Yes Bennett had to go and herd should have been sent off for a dreadful challenge when on a yellow.
Eastie, all your comment shows to me is that Dowd is effin' useless. For me, he was conned for the Bennett debacle and - yes - he should have come back and given Herd his 2nd yellow.
When was this Herd foul? Completely missed that.
Bennett two yellows were two of the easiest you can give as ref, first one he dived in recklessly Warnock style and second one Bennett had got away and he tugged him back. Dare I say a player with good premier league experience would've just let him run on.
On the build up to holts shot at goal, dowd played advantage.
-
Yes Bennett had to go and herd should have been sent off for a dreadful challenge when on a yellow.
Eastie, all your comment shows to me is that Dowd is effin' useless. For me, he was conned for the Bennett debacle and - yes - he should have come back and given Herd his 2nd yellow.
When was this Herd foul? Completely missed that.
Bennett two yellows were two of the easiest you can give as ref, first one he dived in recklessly Warnock style and second one Bennett had got away and he tugged him back. Dare I say a player with good premier league experience would've just let him run on.
When Holt went through on goal and Guzan saved, Herd scythed down the Norwich player who played the through ball and was pleading with Dowd not to book him.
-
Ah right, missed that. Thought Holt looked offside aswell.
Just before the Norwich goal, seemed one of our players took a swipe at a Norwich player in the area. That looked a penalty to me so thought that might have been the Herd incident.
-
I have kind of being hanging my hat on the hope that most of our problems were down to confidence and we would turn a corner at some point but it is looking increasingly like it isn't confidence, it's quality. And that's a much bigger worry.
Unfortunately, the manager is not helping when he picks a team like that. He needs to look at the personnel and players he used in our best performances of the season at Newcastle and at home to Swansea and replicate it. Bannan and Ireland get a hard time from a lot of people but when they play together, they link up well and both are good at pressing the ball. Holman is not a winger, his key attribute is his engine and hustling ability and that it not best used when he is running in straight lines out wide. Like Milner, he's very ordinary as a winger but can be a very effective central midfielder with the right players around him.
No team will put out a more non-functional midfield than we out today and I really hope Lambert can see that otherwise I will start to worry. As others have said, positives were Herd (who makes the most of what he has), Guzan, Benteke and Vlaar.
-
And I meant to say earlier, respect to the Norwich fans during the 19th minute. The vast majority joined in. And someone said to me that Hughton applauded for the minute as well. If true then even more respect.
-
Down to 10 men and need a defender on. What do you do? Take off a young(ish) wide player who has contributed very little all game and continually loses/leaves his man when the opposition are attacking or take off an experienced front man who has been playing poorly but send on explicit instructions for him to get his a***e in gear, run the channels and take the ball into the corners?
I could not believe what I was seeing with the first substitution and as for the second, well words fail me. As was said last year when we went down to 10 against the Baggies, you might as well take Bent off for all the good he is in a 10 man team. So to bring him on was mindblowing. IMO Ireland should have been brought on so he could at least have got hold of the ball and held it up a bit which no one else was capable of doing.
Overall am in complete agreement with everyone else about our midfield. Too ponderous in thought and deed. We are second to every loose ball, we have no physical presence to either withstand tackles or make them. KEA and Delph both need replacing with two experienced midfielders and if this takes a few million quid in January then so be it because it will cost us a helluva lot more if we go down and on todays performance unfortunately that looks very probable.
-
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v436/EnglishPride2004/Guzan1.jpg)
-
We still appear to be waiting for the ups in this so called season of ups and downs. Really, it's just more of the same as last year, with a slightly more palatable manager.
-
Easily the worst midfield i've seen down Villa Park for years. Holman is a headless chicken, Delph is utterly shit, El Ahmadi is inept and Albrighton is an absolute steaming pile of shit.
This team is racing towards relegation, no doubt.
-
Easily the worst midfield i've seen down Villa Park for years. Holman is a headless chicken, Delph is utterly shit, El Ahmadi is inept and Albrighton is an absolute steaming pile of shit.
This team is racing towards relegation, no doubt.
More sort of sleepwalking thsn racing, really. But fully agreed on the midfield, which is woefully poor.
-
I honestly think the major problem is that the players aren't good enough.
It is really the culmination of three years of so of dreadful mismanagement / stewardship of the club.
Have to agree with both points.
The players are woefully sub-standard and Lerner is at best a fucking imbecile and at worst a clueless c.unt
-
Just for once Mark, I wish you'd say what you really think.
-
Why have the last 3 Villa managers been full of shit when it comes to the post match interview?
Is there a spin doctor at the club?
Paul you would get a lot more respect if you came out and said"we were shit and the changes I made were wrong".
-
Have to say after watching Bennetts 2nd yellow, that he was conned into that challenge a bit, and it was probably a bit of 6 of one and half a dozen of another.
One thing i would say in support of Delph, is he has got it in him to be a really good player.He produced 2 great passes in the 1st half, one to Gabby on the edge of the area, when his touch was too heavy and the chance went, one to Benteke when he shot over , but should have laid it back.Granted he doesn't do it enough, but hes not as shit as say Albrighton, who was trully awful today.
I am prepared to give Lambert the benefit of the doubt atm, but if he keeps picking Albrighton and Gabby then i might change my mind.
-
My concern is the midfield. It's not improving, I don't think the players can.
-
Why have the last 3 Villa managers been full of shit when it comes to the post match interview?
Is there a spin doctor at the club?
Paul you would get a lot more respect if you came out and said"we were shit and the changes I made were wrong".
I'm quite alarmed by his constant mantra of "we'll be fine". It's almost like he's just expecting thing to just work out, when the evidence suggests that there's been no improvement at all since last season, despite him splurging £20m.
-
I have kind of being hanging my hat on the hope that most of our problems were down to confidence and we would turn a corner at some point but it is looking increasingly like it isn't confidence, it's quality. And that's a much bigger worry.
I think it's a combination of lacking confidence and quality. We need to fluke a result or two from somewhere soon to try and get the confidence part remedied and try and address the lack of quality in January.
-
Easily the worst midfield i've seen down Villa Park for years. Holman is a headless chicken, Delph is utterly shit, El Ahmadi is inept and Albrighton is an absolute steaming pile of shit.
This team is racing towards relegation, no doubt.
More sort of sleepwalking thsn racing, really. But fully agreed on the midfield, which is woefully poor.
It really is a midfield with no redeeming features whatsoever.
The El Ahmadi and Holman signings are looking embarrasing, Delph and Albrighton we already knew were shite.
-
Just for once Mark, I wish you'd say what you really think.
Believe me, i'm holding back.
-
Not only nzogbia outa few weeks but dunne out till Xmas now!
-
I would hardly say splurging 20 mill.. He tried to re-invent the squad certain players Lowton Vlaar and Benteke look like working out others maybe not.
-
With pick ups and drop offs that was an 8 hour shift and what a waste of time, I agree with Saunders Heroes it does feel different this time and if we dont sort out the midfield we are done for, worst start since the Div 2 relegation season of 1968/9 and I am shitting myself, too many championship players in that team which should serve us well for next season, I pray that Lambert will make me eat these words.
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
-
I think it's safe to say that the optimism that I had when PL was appointed has completely evaporated by now.
We look like relegation fodder and make no mistake about it.
I'm starting to get very worried.
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
I'm afraid I have to agree. This is the Villa team most likely to go down since the last one that went down. The alarm bells are ringing, for the claret and blue.
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
Or maybe some folks just believe it.
-
I didn't think Delph did too bad ..he is lacking confidence once ..one occasion he had the ball and Culverhouse was screaming go forward and he passed it wide instead.The centre is a concern but I really feel that in a 4-4-2 the wide players need to be able to run and fullbacks but Holman and Albrighton just were not able to do that succesfully.The later really had dipped in form..his touch was bad ,as was he passing but mostly he looks slower than before..he just has no pace to run past a fullback.
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
Or maybe some folks just believe it.
Well if all else fails, mindless optimism will see us through.
-
I didn't think Delph did too bad ..he is lacking confidence
Lacking the most basic of football skills, i'd say.
-
I'd have left Gabby on and taken Albrighton off instead when we had to change the side. Gabby will work a lot harder than Albrighton is capable of. I wonder if Ireland was carrying a knock? I would have put him on to boost the centre of the park as well. Too many ordinary players at Villa. Delph, Albrighton, Bannan for starters. Can't help thinking that Lambert wants Given, Bent and Ireland gone as soon as he can get buyers for them. We desperately need another centre back and ball winning central midfielder.
-
If people think we'll be alright I wouldn't call their optimism mindless. I know they're not exactly world-beaters, but the midfield that performed well against Newcastle and Swansea is fit and available, and Benteke, Guzan and Vlaar seem to be improving.
If he'd just pick the right team we might get some better results.
-
Have to say after watching Bennetts 2nd yellow, that he was conned into that challenge a bit, and it was probably a bit of 6 of one and half a dozen of another.
Bollocks. He acted like a little schoolboy in what he did and contributed to our defeat because of it.
Still, he'll (hopefully) learn and continue to progress.
-
Albrighton is fucking shit.
Sorry, I've said it once already, but it needs repeating.
-
Have to say after watching Bennetts 2nd yellow, that he was conned into that challenge a bit, and it was probably a bit of 6 of one and half a dozen of another.
Bollocks. He acted like a little schoolboy in what he did and contributed to our defeat because of it.
Still, he'll (hopefully) learn and continue to progress.
Did Norwich score after the final whistle? And the ref allowed it? That's taking Fergie time to a new limit.
-
Just back home after post match visits to relatives and a pub. Not read this thread in full, but hope/suspect there's been praise for Guzan. Thought he was our MOTM.
-
Have to say after watching Bennetts 2nd yellow, that he was conned into that challenge a bit, and it was probably a bit of 6 of one and half a dozen of another.
Bollocks. He acted like a little schoolboy in what he did and contributed to our defeat because of it.
Still, he'll (hopefully) learn and continue to progress.
Did Norwich score after the final whistle? And the ref allowed it? That's taking Fergie time to a new limit.
Eh?
-
Have to say after watching Bennetts 2nd yellow, that he was conned into that challenge a bit, and it was probably a bit of 6 of one and half a dozen of another.
Bollocks. He acted like a little schoolboy in what he did and contributed to our defeat because of it.
Still, he'll (hopefully) learn and continue to progress.
Did Norwich score after the final whistle? And the ref allowed it? That's taking Fergie time to a new limit.
Eh?
Has no one told you we didn't lose today?
-
Our defeat?
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
Add me to that then, because I think we will be fine.Yes I can the points total but it feels massively better than last year.
Jan will make a difference, but only to finishing 9th or 15th. It's a shocking league outside of the Big 4.
I thought we played ok today after we scored up until we went down to 10 men.
We will be fine.
-
Have to say after watching Bennetts 2nd yellow, that he was conned into that challenge a bit, and it was probably a bit of 6 of one and half a dozen of another.
Bollocks. He acted like a little schoolboy in what he did and contributed to our defeat because of it.
Still, he'll (hopefully) learn and continue to progress.
Did Norwich score after the final whistle? And the ref allowed it? That's taking Fergie time to a new limit.
Eh?
It was 1-1.
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
Or maybe some folks just believe it.
Well if all else fails, mindless optimism will see us through.
Getting a little bit sick of this we will be fine rubbish.We are in it up to our neck's.
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
Or maybe some folks just believe it.
Well if all else fails, mindless optimism will see us through.
Getting a little bit sick of this we will be fine rubbish.We are in it up to our neck's.
And i'm getting sick of people apparently not being able to say they don't think we will go down when there's still 29 games to go without getting grief.
-
Well I think they are a nice bunch of lads who did terrific and we go again.
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
Or maybe some folks just believe it.
Well if all else fails, mindless optimism will see us through.
Getting a little bit sick of this we will be fine rubbish.We are in it up to our neck's.
And i'm getting sick of people apparently not being able to say they don't think we will go down when there's still 29 games to go without getting grief.
We were rubbish today and we were rubbish last week.
-
I'm getting a bit sick of all this rubbish rubbish.
-
I'm getting a bit sick of all this rubbish rubbish.
I'm getting sick of you rubbishing the rubbish rubbish.
-
It's all about opinions though guys. I happen to think we'll be fine. I've seen enough now to know Benteke will score a few goals, brad will save a few, Vlar is settling down etc etc . All will be good in da hood as the yoof say.
I can see two wins in this coming week.
-
Can't see us winning at Sunderland I think fletcher will have a field day.
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
Or maybe some folks just believe it.
Well if all else fails, mindless optimism will see us through.
Getting a little bit sick of this we will be fine rubbish.We are in it up to our neck's.
And i'm getting sick of people apparently not being able to say they don't think we will go down when there's still 29 games to go without getting grief.
We were rubbish today and we were rubbish last week.
Not many have said otherwise, doesn't mean they have to believe we are already relegated.
I don't care whether folks think we'll win the league or are doomed to lose all 31 games left (including cups). I do care how it's expressed though. And saying i'm sick of it, they are mindless etc will not be tolerated.
-
Percy and Peter need to get a room.
-
I'm getting a bit sick of all this rubbish rubbish.
I'm getting sick of you rubbishing the rubbish rubbish.
[/youtube]
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
Or maybe some folks just believe it.
Well if all else fails, mindless optimism will see us through.
Getting a little bit sick of this we will be fine rubbish.We are in it up to our neck's.
And i'm getting sick of people apparently not being able to say they don't think we will go down when there's still 29 games to go without getting grief.
We were rubbish today and we were rubbish last week.
Not many have said otherwise, doesn't mean they have to believe we are already relegated.
I don't care whether folks think we'll win the league or are doomed to lose all 31 games left (including cups). I do care how it's expressed though. And saying i'm sick of it, they are mindless etc will not be tolerated.
Which bit of we are in it up to our necks is saying we will be relegated?
Don't make things up.
-
We still appear to be waiting for the ups in this so called season of ups and downs. Really, it's just more of the same as last year, with a slightly more palatable manager.
To be fair why would you or anyone expect otherwise?
-
As Risso has pointed out, there is too much of this 'we'll be fine' shit, which is either extreme self confidence, self delusion or denial.
Or maybe some folks just believe it.
Well if all else fails, mindless optimism will see us through.
Getting a little bit sick of this we will be fine rubbish.We are in it up to our neck's.
And i'm getting sick of people apparently not being able to say they don't think we will go down when there's still 29 games to go without getting grief.
We were rubbish today and we were rubbish last week.
Not many have said otherwise, doesn't mean they have to believe we are already relegated.
I don't care whether folks think we'll win the league or are doomed to lose all 31 games left (including cups). I do care how it's expressed though. And saying i'm sick of it, they are mindless etc will not be tolerated.
Which bit of we are in it up to our necks is saying we will be relegated?
Don't make things up.
My comment was about your "Getting a little bit sick of this we will be fine rubbish." If they think we will be fine then they won't think we will be relegated will they. So they may well think the last 2 games were crap but still think we will be fine.
So, what exactly did I make up?
-
Who is this 'they'?
-
Who is this 'they'?
The people you say you are getting a little bit sick of for having a different opinion to yours.
So again, which bit did I make up?
-
Who is this 'they'?
The people you say you are getting a little bit sick of for having a different opinion to yours.
So again, which bit did I make up?
So we are going to lose all 31 games.
You said that nobody else.
-
Who is this 'they'?
The people you say you are getting a little bit sick of for having a different opinion to yours.
So again, which bit did I make up?
So we are going to lose all 31 games.
You said that nobody else.
Are you just arguing for the sake of it? Because my post stating "I don't care whether folks think we'll win the league or are doomed to lose all 31 games left (including cups). I do care how it's expressed though. And saying i'm sick of it, they are mindless etc will not be tolerated." was pretty obvious.
-
a thoroughly depressing day. first game for me in months and thought the atmosphere was dire much like the performance. the club has a really bad vibe hanging over it. can't see where the points are coming from
-
We were abysmal last season and things aren't going to change in a hurry.
I think Lambert knows what he is doing and he will prove to be a good appointment. Two things worry me, though.
One is that recent games have shown none of the improvements of earlier matches. We've looked just as anti football as we did last year.
The other is that our signings look like they're from the cheap and cheerful market (in terms of wages), and although that keeps the chairman happy, it is a dangerous strategy to take.
-
My only game in this horrible run of results was the Swansea game.
Please send your donations to : gervilla @ H&V.
See y'all soon !
-
If people think we'll be alright I wouldn't call their optimism mindless. I know they're not exactly world-beaters, but the midfield that performed well against Newcastle and Swansea is fit and available, and Benteke, Guzan and Vlaar seem to be improving.
If he'd just pick the right team we might get some better results.
Although it is tempting to get angry and shout a lot, I reckon you're pretty much on the money with that comment.
-
Pretty much the same as last year with a manager who is a bit more palatable just about sums it up. That match was on a par with anything TSM served up and contained as much hoofball.
-
You are the one having a go at people for saying we are in the shit.
-
I was as overjoyed as everyone we appointed Lambert but I'm now beginning to worry a bit.
We were abysmal today, totally outclassed by a team who are going to struggle this season, and I am questioning the manager's judgement in signing Benett, who, every time I have seen him for Villa and Boro, has just looked a defensive liability, culminating in today's nightmare performance.
He simply cannot defend, his positioning is dreadful, his decision making is poor and I said at halftime he should have been taken off, at least with 11 men we would have had a chance of hanging on, but if Lambert doesn't take him out of the team it is going to cost us many more points.
If he needs to learn how to play full back please do it in the reserves, or Under 21s whatver they call them now.
Warock, in my opinion, is a better left full back and we've shipped him out, I'm not saying the kid has no ability which he clearly has but I don't think he is a lef back whose first job surely must be to defend his area of the pitch that he clearly cannot do.
-
You are the one having a go at people for saying we are in the shit.
No i'm not. It really is very simple. Again, I don't care if people think we are great, average or shit. What I do care is how they speak and/or address people who have a different opinion. Using the terms "mindless" "sick of them" etc is not tolerated.
-
It was worrying that he couldn't see that taking off Albrighton and moving Gabby into midfield was the better option.
Also putting Bent on for Benteke? Bent is no way near a holding strong front player, I don't think he touched the ball for 10 mins when he came on. Bent was retreating back into midfield and leaving no outlet when we occasionally looked for one.
If I (and many round me) could see it surely our manager could as well???
-
I have to say, we have a few players who look like they're not going to be good enough at this level.
Delph, for example, who seems congenitally incapable of getting forward, and seems to specialise in turning around, shielding the ball and promptly running straight into an opponent and losing it.
That, plus the fact he always seems to be trying to get himself sent off.
Then you have to look at the likes of Albrighton and wonder what he's supplying in return for his millionaire lifestyle. Not to mention Gabby.
-
I have to say, we have a few players who look like they're not going to be good enough at this level.
Delph, for example, who seems congenitally incapable of getting forward, and seems to specialise in turning around, shielding the ball and promptly running straight into an opponent and losing it.
That, plus the fact he always seems to be trying to get himself sent off.
Then you have to look at the likes of Albrighton and wonder what he's supplying in return for his millionaire lifestyle. Not to mention Gabby.
Delph has a near 90% pass completion rate so far this season. I was surprised as well.
Edited to add: Albrighton is a massive worry for me right now. What happened to the bloke who burst into the first team?
-
Whoever said "we're up to our neck's in it" is totally wrong.
Please don't use an apostrophe in a plural.
-
You are the one having a go at people for saying we are in the shit.
No i'm not. It really is very simple. Again, I don't care if people think we are great, average or shit. What I do care is how they speak and/or address people who have a different opinion. Using the terms "mindless" "sick of them" etc is not tolerated.
So saying some people just believe it is ok then?
-
You are the one having a go at people for saying we are in the shit.
No i'm not. It really is very simple. Again, I don't care if people think we are great, average or shit. What I do care is how they speak and/or address people who have a different opinion. Using the terms "mindless" "sick of them" etc is not tolerated.
So saying some people just believe it is ok then?
Well yes, no insults and amazingly, some people just do believe we will be fine. They don't necessarily have to justify why or even know why they believe it. Same as some people believe we'll struggle to stay up.
-
I didn't get the booing when we took Agbonlahor off, that's exactly what I'd have done we can't afford to play 3 at the back nor 3 in midfield, you've only got to see the chances Norwich created and 3 at the back would have been suicide. What does concern me is that if it wasn't for Guzan we'd have lost! Defence parted like the red sea on more than one occasion. Midfield create nothing and Albrighton and Delph were passengers. The Bent substitution was baffling. Where has the Newcastle style performances gone?
-
The Swansea and Newcastle games are increasingly looking like blips, like the 3-1 victory over Chelsea was last year.
-
You are the one having a go at people for saying we are in the shit.
No i'm not. It really is very simple. Again, I don't care if people think we are great, average or shit. What I do care is how they speak and/or address people who have a different opinion. Using the terms "mindless" "sick of them" etc is not tolerated.
So saying some people just believe it is ok then?
Well yes, no insults and amazingly, some people just do believe we will be fine. They don't necessarily have to justify why or even know why they believe it. Same as some people believe we'll struggle to stay up.
Agreed,anyway off to the fridge for the first beer of the day.After today's performance I deserve one.
-
I didn't get the booing when we took Agbonlahor off, that's exactly what I'd have done we can't afford to play 3 at the back nor 3 in midfield, you've only got to see the chances Norwich created and 3 at the back would have been suicide. What does concern me is that if it wasn't for Guzan we'd have lost! Defence parted like the red sea on more than one occasion. Midfield create nothing and Albrighton and Delph were passengers. The Bent substitution was baffling. Where has the Newcastle style performances gone?
I think you stated the reason for the booing then. Most here reckon Gabby should have been dropped back to the wing and Marc taken off so I reckon the crowd must have had the same inkling.
-
Have had a couple of hours to thaw out and reflect on the match today (as well as a particularly good Russian vodka) and have to say that I honestly think we would have won that match with 11 men.
We (the 4 of us who went up together) started counting how many pieces of "luck" (eg a rebound goes to your own side) both sides had and it was extraordinary how many times the ball fell for Norwich.
I agree with posters above that starting with a decent midfield is a must - reckon we will beat Sunderland if we do.
Where the next home win comes from I cannot tell...
-
Risso is right, I would love to think that the good displays are The Real Villa and days like today and Southampton are the aberrations. But it could easily be the other way round. And unless we find three points to settle the players down, their confidence will start to go.
-
Risso is right, I would love to think that the good displays are The Real Villa and days like today and Southampton are the aberrations. But it could easily be the other way round. And unless we find three points to settle the players down, their confidence will start to go.
Today was not the usual though was it? The sending off changed everything. While I actually agree that "good" displays are few and far between I am coming round to the opinion that today was an aberration. Freezing one's balls off does give quite a negative slant to a day ;-)
-
I hope you're right. I don't like to be negative.
-
Risso is right, I would love to think that the good displays are The Real Villa and days like today and Southampton are the aberrations. But it could easily be the other way round. And unless we find three points to settle the players down, their confidence will start to go.
Today was not the usual though was it? The sending off changed everything. While I actually agree that "good" displays are few and far between I am coming round to the opinion that today was an aberration. Freezing one's balls off does give quite a negative slant to a day ;-)
I thought the performance was pretty wretched right up to the sending off, then got worse. So in that regard I think you're right :-)
-
First proper cold match of the season always sucks the big fat one regardless of the result/performance. You know that the odds are high you aren't going to be warm down the Villa for a few months.
-
I have to say, we have a few players who look like they're not going to be good enough at this level.
Delph, for example, who seems congenitally incapable of getting forward, and seems to specialise in turning around, shielding the ball and promptly running straight into an opponent and losing it.
That, plus the fact he always seems to be trying to get himself sent off.
Then you have to look at the likes of Albrighton and wonder what he's supplying in return for his millionaire lifestyle. Not to mention Gabby.
Delph has a near 90% pass completion rate so far this season. I was surprised as well.
Edited to add: Albrighton is a massive worry for me right now. What happened to the bloke who burst into the first team?
I can just about remember the buzz that used go up around VP when the ball used go out to young "Super Marc" as he scampered down the wing terrorizing defenders to whip in a beautiful cross....what has happened indeed. He is unrecognizable from that player these days. Such a shame. The new Beckam me bollocks.
-
It's not the new players that are letting us down apart from Bennet,most are better than what we had.Ron and Benteke are earning their spot, the problem is that there are no quality players around them. There is only one way to solve the problem and that's to spend and get rid of all the young players that many have thought were our future. We desperately need experienced heads in the side.
-
I see someone saying Delph has a 90% pass rate, I would say 98% of them are to his left back 5 yards away
-
The substitutions showed that Lambert is struggling a little with his management of Bent. I suspect that Lambert doesn't particularly rate/want to play Bent and would sell him if he could in January. Leaving him out of the first XI doesn't seem to motivate Bent. But a moping Bent is bad for team harmony and brings bad media coverage at the club. Also makes it more difficult to shift him if he's sitting on the bench.
So he's giving Bent minutes to placate him and keep negative pressure off the club. Benteke looked miffed to come off, but took it well. He played really well, and we would have been more dangerous if Weimann was buzzing around him.
Perhaps Lambert needs to take his Bent situation head-on: state that he needs to keep his attitude up and work his way back into the team. Play the team on form; ensure the players know that they need to be in form to play.
-
Right, not long got back. Despite the sending off we were lacklustre to say the least. We didn't deserve to be ahead at half-time IMO. Lambert has again caused me concern about his tactical nous. I said at h/t that Bennett should have been subbed as he was getting killed and was on a yellow. Bringing Benteke off when we had 10 ten men? I'm not his biggest fan, but fair play to Gabby. Played well today. As did Guzan (obviously), Vlaar and Benteke. Also the players seemed really nervous in their play. They need a win from anywhere.
-
1874, only saw the first half, but thought Gabby was useless
-
I hope you're right. I don't like to be negative.
Not sure if it is "hope" Damon. I tend to be quite reflective and objective when the emotional side wears off.
I don't like negativity for it's own sake - let's get real.
I will look at our points tally at 10 games and multiply by 4 - under 40 we are in the shit ;-)
-
Risso is right, I would love to think that the good displays are The Real Villa and days like today and Southampton are the aberrations. But it could easily be the other way round. And unless we find three points to settle the players down, their confidence will start to go.
Today was not the usual though was it? The sending off changed everything. While I actually agree that "good" displays are few and far between I am coming round to the opinion that today was an aberration. Freezing one's balls off does give quite a negative slant to a day ;-)
I thought the performance was pretty wretched right up to the sending off, then got worse. So in that regard I think you're right :-)
Looked like two bad teams playing each other? Benteke was causing problems, the defence was stretched but Norwich had no more ideas than us and we had the occasional good passage of play.
It was not good by any stretch of the imagination. As I mentioned above we had no "luck" of the bounce either.
-
Reminded me of the Albion game last season. Neither side playing well but we got our noses in front. Both games I felt we would score again and wrap the game up. Then we get a man sent off and it all goes a tad pear shaped.
-
We were shocking first half, with the exception of Benteke, the two centre halves and Guzan
-
We were rubbish before the sending off, and rubbish after it.
The only positive is that Norwich - who largely played us off the park - were not good enough to take all three points.
Someone said the other day that there's not much wrong with this team that two wins wouldn't fix. I can see the truth in that, the problem is I can't even see us winning one game let alone two
We have won one of our last 19 league games and 3 of the last 28.
That's truly fucking awful.
-
Right, not long got back. Despite the sending off we were lacklustre to say the least. We didn't deserve to be ahead at half-time IMO. Lambert has again caused me concern about his tactical nous. I said at h/t that Bennett should have been subbed as he was getting killed and was on a yellow. Bringing Benteke off when we had 10 ten men? I'm not his biggest fan, but fair play to Gabby. Played well today. As did Guzan (obviously), Vlaar and Benteke. Also the players seemed really nervous in their play. They need a win from anywhere.
Got to agree with this 1874 apart from the being up at half-time - we had created as much as Norwich so it could have gone either way I reckon.
Gabby got a big groan at one point and then chased down a ball in the area and tried to pull it back - nobody busted a gut to get onto the penalty spot though - I still reckon there is a Villa man trying is damndest for the team.
Think we all agree the Bent sub was "diplomatic"?
The equaliser seemed to come from confusion in the defence as Guzan was pushing defenders into place? Thought the defence was pretty good against a poor team?
-
We also are set up pretty negatively IMO. KEA, Delph and Holman are more defensive. Yes Holman is supposed to be an attacking player but he doesn't offer much in the final third. I didn't even notice he was on the pitch for large periods today. KEA was poor and invited pressure at times with poor balls. Delph wasn't much better but I thought he was the best out of the three. This is without doubt the worst Villa midfield I have seen. Albrighton as usual has a poor final ball and decision making. I'd have Ireland and Bannan for Holman and Albrighton next game.
-
Right, not long got back. Despite the sending off we were lacklustre to say the least. We didn't deserve to be ahead at half-time IMO. Lambert has again caused me concern about his tactical nous. I said at h/t that Bennett should have been subbed as he was getting killed and was on a yellow. Bringing Benteke off when we had 10 ten men? I'm not his biggest fan, but fair play to Gabby. Played well today. As did Guzan (obviously), Vlaar and Benteke. Also the players seemed really nervous in their play. They need a win from anywhere.
Got to agree with this 1874 apart from the being up at half-time - we had created as much as Norwich so it could have gone either way I reckon.
Gabby got a big groan at one point and then chased down a ball in the area and tried to pull it back - nobody busted a gut to get onto the penalty spot though - I still reckon there is a Villa man trying is damndest for the team.
Think we all agree the Bent sub was "diplomatic"?
The equaliser seemed to come from confusion in the defence as Guzan was pushing defenders into place? Thought the defence was pretty good against a poor team?
Isn't Holman usually the player who closes down the short corner? With him off no one seemed to take his place. It almost seemed as though they only knew Norwich had taken the corner because of the noise from the Villa fans.
-
We were rubbish before the sending off, and rubbish after it.
The only positive is that Norwich - who largely played us off the park - were not good enough to take all three points.
Someone said the other day that there's not much wrong with this team that two wins wouldn't fix. I can see the truth in that, the problem is I can't even see us winning one game let alone two
We have won one of our last 19 league games and 3 of the last 28.
That's truly fucking awful.
Hi Paulie
I thought both teams were rubbish and have to politely disagree about being "played off the park" - Norwich had possesion but were as shite with the ball as we were. Grant Holt is a cheating big lump and than fuck we didn't sign him!
I absolutely agree about where the wins will come from and that this is the worst run I can rememeber
-
We also are set up pretty negatively IMO. KEA, Delph and Holman are more defensive. Yes Holman is supposed to be an attacking player but he doesn't offer much in the final third. I didn't even notice he was on the pitch for large periods today. KEA was poor and invited pressure at times with poor balls. Delph wasn't much better but I thought he was the best out of the three. This is without doubt the worst Villa midfield I have seen. Albrighton as usual has a poor final ball and decision making. I'd have Ireland and Bannan for Holman and Albrighton next game.
Holman was half the player we have seen for the first 45 minutes, there were far too many "man on!!!" moments todya
-
Isn't Holman usually the player who closes down the short corner? With him off no one seemed to take his place. It almost seemed as though they only knew Norwich had taken the corner because of the noise from the Villa fans.
[/quote]
The corner was weird! Brad was sorting out the defence and seemed to be pushing two defenders as the ball came in?
-
I haven't read this thread in its entirety but is there anyone else other than Paul Lambert that thinks that the side put out today benefited more for the absence from its starting line up of Bent, Ireland and NZogbia....it beggars belief. The team is crying out for experience blended amongst the youth. The last time we made this bad a start we went down under a Scotsman.
Big thanks to Guzan, Vlaar and to a lesser extent Herd given the position he was asked to play. Joe Bennett completely naive with both fouls.
To put our position into context.
If you take the traditional 40 points as the minimum to survive, we need another 11 wins and a draw. Which means we have only 17 more games to take fuck all from. 12 of the remaining games are against the top 4, Liverpool, Everton and Spuds.
You usually find your level after 12 games. That's three more games - by which time we will have played Citeh, United and the Arse.
People, we are in a monummental struggle for survival.
-
We were rubbish before the sending off, and rubbish after it.
The only positive is that Norwich - who largely played us off the park - were not good enough to take all three points.
This.
-
um, this! (outside blue box)
-
Right, not long got back. Despite the sending off we were lacklustre to say the least. We didn't deserve to be ahead at half-time IMO. Lambert has again caused me concern about his tactical nous. I said at h/t that Bennett should have been subbed as he was getting killed and was on a yellow. Bringing Benteke off when we had 10 ten men? I'm not his biggest fan, but fair play to Gabby. Played well today. As did Guzan (obviously), Vlaar and Benteke. Also the players seemed really nervous in their play. They need a win from anywhere.
Got to agree with this 1874 apart from the being up at half-time - we had created as much as Norwich so it could have gone either way I reckon.
Gabby got a big groan at one point and then chased down a ball in the area and tried to pull it back - nobody busted a gut to get onto the penalty spot though - I still reckon there is a Villa man trying is damndest for the team.
Think we all agree the Bent sub was "diplomatic"?
The equaliser seemed to come from confusion in the defence as Guzan was pushing defenders into place? Thought the defence was pretty good against a poor team?
I thought Norwich dictated play better in the first half and had more sustained periods of pressure then we did. So they will have felt they shouldn't have been behind at half time. I thought our centre backs were good. The lack of co-ordination between Lowton and Vlaar was exposed at times but that was to be expected. I thought Lowton did himself justice in the CB role. Especially in the second half, made some great blocks. Our best summer signing for sure (other then Brad). Herd wasn't great but I'll let him off because he hasn't had much game time recently and he did do some good things. Lichaj was much more solid then Bennett and you know he won't do anything stupid.
-
According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.
And Herd was a very very lucky boy having seen the reply.
-
I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did. Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?
-
According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.
And Herd was a very very lucky boy having seen the reply.
actually i thought we were embaressing, but I would not call Norwich excellent, if they were they surely would have won easily.
-
I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did. Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?
It's better than worrying he thought it was the right thing to do to win the game.
-
I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did. Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?
It was crazy, in fact all the subs decisions were poor
-
We also are set up pretty negatively IMO. KEA, Delph and Holman are more defensive. Yes Holman is supposed to be an attacking player but he doesn't offer much in the final third. I didn't even notice he was on the pitch for large periods today. KEA was poor and invited pressure at times with poor balls. Delph wasn't much better but I thought he was the best out of the three. This is without doubt the worst Villa midfield I have seen. Albrighton as usual has a poor final ball and decision making. I'd have Ireland and Bannan for Holman and Albrighton next game.
So you would have Holman out of the team and not Delph
-
Easily the worst midfield i've seen down Villa Park for years. Holman is a headless chicken, Delph is utterly shit, El Ahmadi is inept and Albrighton is an absolute steaming pile of shit.
This team is racing towards relegation, no doubt.
I wish you would not beat about the bush and say it exactly like it is?
-
For the record again, I still believe in the manager. It is too easy and we have done it too often, we have blamed the person in charge to the team too quickly. However, he does give me the impression that this is a job even he never anticipated how big it would be. But he isn't helping himself. With the side he put out, the substitutions he made etc.
-
According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.
We were embarrassing and Norwich were excellent in everything they did in two-thirds of the pitch. Their attacking was like our midfield, shite. Loved seeing Holt's shot hitting the the corner flag.
-
Herd should certainly have been off, the fat lad Dowd was about 5 yards away though so probably didnt see.
-
Herd should certainly have been off, the fat lad Dowd was about 5 yards away though so probably didnt see.
Thats really rude about the ref mate, no call for that. She is pregnant FFS.
-
I honestly think the major problem is that the players aren't good enough.
Look at that squad objectively and pick out the quality. This was my main worry at the end of the transfer window, we largely bought average championship players.
Benteke and Vlaar look decent but two or three players of proven middling quality was never going to be enough.
It is really the culmination of three years of so of dreadful mismanagement / stewardship of the club.
I think it is unrealistic to expect the manager to work miracles, but it is equally unrealistic to pretend that "young and hungry" (and were we a cynical lot, we could add "cheap" to that) is going to be a magical solution to our increasing decline.
But doesn't what you say (and I entirely agree with it) make it even more astounding that the players who could make a difference (difference between relegation and 4th bottom admittedly) Ireland, Bannan, Nzog, Bannan, Bent aren''t getting a start at the expense of Delph, Albrighton, Herd, Bennett, Gabby, even KEA. It really does defy belief.
-
So you would have Holman out of the team and not Delph
Yes. Just on the basis that Holman's passing is much poorer. I'm no fan of Delph but he was the best of the centre mids today. I probably have him over KEA on current form. Which just goes to show how utterly shit our midfield is.
-
I honestly think the major problem is that the players aren't good enough.
Look at that squad objectively and pick out the quality. This was my main worry at the end of the transfer window, we largely bought average championship players.
Benteke and Vlaar look decent but two or three players of proven middling quality was never going to be enough.
It is really the culmination of three years of so of dreadful mismanagement / stewardship of the club.
I think it is unrealistic to expect the manager to work miracles, but it is equally unrealistic to pretend that "young and hungry" (and were we a cynical lot, we could add "cheap" to that) is going to be a magical solution to our increasing decline.
But doesn't what you say (and I entirely agree with it) make it even more astounding that the players who could make a difference (difference between relegation and 4th bottom admittedly) Ireland, Bannan, Nzog, Bannan, Bent aren''t getting a start at the expense of Delph, Albrighton, Herd, Bennett, Gabby, even KEA. It really does defy belief.
Bannan could certainly make a difference if there's 2 of him ;)
-
I honestly think the major problem is that the players aren't good enough.
Look at that squad objectively and pick out the quality. This was my main worry at the end of the transfer window, we largely bought average championship players.
Benteke and Vlaar look decent but two or three players of proven middling quality was never going to be enough.
It is really the culmination of three years of so of dreadful mismanagement / stewardship of the club.
I think it is unrealistic to expect the manager to work miracles, but it is equally unrealistic to pretend that "young and hungry" (and were we a cynical lot, we could add "cheap" to that) is going to be a magical solution to our increasing decline.
But doesn't what you say (and I entirely agree with it) make it even more astounding that the players who could make a difference (difference between relegation and 4th bottom admittedly) Ireland, Bannan, Nzog, Bannan, Bent aren''t getting a start at the expense of Delph, Albrighton, Herd, Bennett, Gabby, even KEA. It really does defy belief.
Bannan could certainly make a difference if there's 2 of him ;)
Very good - I am not even pissed either. Pissed off yes.
-
And while we're at it, controversy of controversies, Warnock and Hutton are no worse than what we are picking at the moment.
-
I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did. Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?
It's better than worrying he thought it was the right thing to do to win the game.
PWS I am not quite sure what you are trying to say here, but I am assuming you are saying the manager bought him on to try and win the game. Which is fine, but doesn't stand up to scrutiny when you look at the tactics of us trying to waste time from 15 minutes from the end to ensure we got the draw.
-
I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did. Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?
It's better than worrying he thought it was the right thing to do to win the game.
PWS I am not quite sure what you are trying to say here, but I am assuming you are saying the manager bought him on to try and win the game. Which is fine, but doesn't stand up to scrutiny when you look at the tactics of us trying to waste time from 15 minutes from the end to ensure we got the draw.
I'm saying that if Lambert truly believed bringing Bent on was the best option to hold onto 3 points then i'm a bit worried. As he'd have been the last of my choices.
-
Right, not long got back. Despite the sending off we were lacklustre to say the least. We didn't deserve to be ahead at half-time IMO. Lambert has again caused me concern about his tactical nous. I said at h/t that Bennett should have been subbed as he was getting killed and was on a yellow. Bringing Benteke off when we had 10 ten men? I'm not his biggest fan, but fair play to Gabby. Played well today. As did Guzan (obviously), Vlaar and Benteke. Also the players seemed really nervous in their play. They need a win from anywhere.
Got to agree with this 1874 apart from the being up at half-time - we had created as much as Norwich so it could have gone either way I reckon.
Gabby got a big groan at one point and then chased down a ball in the area and tried to pull it back - nobody busted a gut to get onto the penalty spot though - I still reckon there is a Villa man trying is damndest for the team.
Think we all agree the Bent sub was "diplomatic"?
The equaliser seemed to come from confusion in the defence as Guzan was pushing defenders into place? Thought the defence was pretty good against a poor team?
I thought Norwich dictated play better in the first half and had more sustained periods of pressure then we did. So they will have felt they shouldn't have been behind at half time. I thought our centre backs were good. The lack of co-ordination between Lowton and Vlaar was exposed at times but that was to be expected. I thought Lowton did himself justice in the CB role. Especially in the second half, made some great blocks. Our best summer signing for sure (other then Brad). Herd wasn't great but I'll let him off because he hasn't had much game time recently and he did do some good things. Lichaj was much more solid then Bennett and you know he won't do anything stupid.
1874 I can't disgaree with your opinion mate just think our forward (Benteke) as better than their fat lump (Holt) when it came to scoring
-
And while we're at it, controversy of controversies, Warnock and Hutton are no worse than what we are picking at the moment.
You'd have Hutton on par with Lowton? Yes, Bennett has had a mixed bag of performances so far. But at least he is young and inexperienced at this level. Warnock at LB was more shocking then Hutton at RB last season IMO. Decent in midfield though.
-
Easily the worst midfield i've seen down Villa Park for years. Holman is a headless chicken, Delph is utterly shit, El Ahmadi is inept and Albrighton is an absolute steaming pile of shit.
This team is racing towards relegation, no doubt.
I wish you would not beat about the bush and say it exactly like it is?
He's not far off wrong though is he?
-
My favourite moment was the Holte vs Guzan 1v1. Guzan completely owned him. Beautiful.
-
Must admit, I wouldn't be adverse to having Warnock as an option in midfield right now.
-
I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did. Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?
It's better than worrying he thought it was the right thing to do to win the game.
PWS I am not quite sure what you are trying to say here, but I am assuming you are saying the manager bought him on to try and win the game. Which is fine, but doesn't stand up to scrutiny when you look at the tactics of us trying to waste time from 15 minutes from the end to ensure we got the draw.
I'm saying that if Lambert truly believed bringing Bent on was the best option to hold onto 3 points then i'm a bit worried. As he'd have been the last of my choices.
There was a moment of disbelief where we sit when Bent's number came up as the sub. He doesn't play the "hit them on the break game" - his strenghts lie elswhere....
-
I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did. Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?
It's better than worrying he thought it was the right thing to do to win the game.
PWS I am not quite sure what you are trying to say here, but I am assuming you are saying the manager bought him on to try and win the game. Which is fine, but doesn't stand up to scrutiny when you look at the tactics of us trying to waste time from 15 minutes from the end to ensure we got the draw.
I'm saying that if Lambert truly believed bringing Bent on was the best option to hold onto 3 points then i'm a bit worried. As he'd have been the last of my choices.
There was a moment of disbelief where we sit when Bent's number came up as the sub. He doesn't play the "hit them on the break game" - his strenghts lie elswhere....
Gabby and his pace, Benteke to hold it up, or Weimann to run around and chase everything all make more sense as the lone striker.
-
According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.
We were embarrassing and Norwich were excellent in everything they did in two-thirds of the pitch. Their attacking was like our midfield, shite. Loved seeing Holt's shot hitting the the corner flag.
Hansen was spot on. We were an embarrassment. Norwich, yes Norwich City played us off the park at Villa Park. Some people need to stop deluding themselves. Our team of championship/cheap foreign imports/youth team rubbish is relegation fodder. January can't come quick enough for us to make some serious panic signings.
-
Must admit, I wouldn't be adverse to having Warnock as an option in midfield right now.
Has it really come to this. Bloody hell. People calling for Warnock and Hutton. We'll be getting dewy-eyed about the tumbling bear soon.
-
Bentekke, Bent, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Guzan. Our only PL standard players. Three of them were on the bench.
We LITERALLY looked like a lower league team in a third round FA cup draw against Premiership opposition today.
-
Must admit, I wouldn't be adverse to having Warnock as an option in midfield right now.
Has it really come to this. Bloody hell. People calling for Warnock and Hutton. We'll be getting dewy-eyed about the tumbling bear soon.
Things are as they are. Do you not think he'd be a useful option right now? Down to 10 men, holding on, i'd have liked Warnock as an option. Only in midfield though.
-
I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did. Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?
It's better than worrying he thought it was the right thing to do to win the game.
PWS I am not quite sure what you are trying to say here, but I am assuming you are saying the manager bought him on to try and win the game. Which is fine, but doesn't stand up to scrutiny when you look at the tactics of us trying to waste time from 15 minutes from the end to ensure we got the draw.
I'm saying that if Lambert truly believed bringing Bent on was the best option to hold onto 3 points then i'm a bit worried. As he'd have been the last of my choices.
There was a moment of disbelief where we sit when Bent's number came up as the sub. He doesn't play the "hit them on the break game" - his strenghts lie elswhere....
Gabby and his pace, Benteke to hold it up, or Weimann to run around and chase everything all make more sense as the lone striker.
It worries me PWS but - yes!
-
Must admit, I wouldn't be adverse to having Warnock as an option in midfield right now.
Has it really come to this. Bloody hell. People calling for Warnock and Hutton. We'll be getting dewy-eyed about the tumbling bear soon.
But either of those are better options that what we are currently putting out on the pitch. Unfortunately, horrible to say, but true.
-
According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.
We were embarrassing and Norwich were excellent in everything they did in two-thirds of the pitch. Their attacking was like our midfield, shite. Loved seeing Holt's shot hitting the the corner flag.
Hansen was spot on. We were an embarrassment. Norwich, yes Norwich City played us off the park at Villa Park. Some people need to stop deluding themselves. Our team of championship/cheap foreign imports/youth team rubbish is relegation fodder. January can't come quick enough for us to make some serious panic signings.
I didn't see Hanson, but if that's what he said, then for once I wholeheartedly agree with him. We were embarrassing before and after the sending off.
I think there is an element of denial going on in this thread.
-
1874 I can't disgaree with your opinion mate just think our forward (Benteke) as better than their fat lump (Holt) when it came to scoring
I don't think any sane person would disagree with you on that one mate.
-
Bentekke, Bent, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Guzan. Our only PL standard players. Three of them were on the bench.
We LITERALLY looked like a lower league team in a third round FA cup draw against Premiership opposition today.
I still think we would have won with 11 men though. Norwich are shit, we are shit but Benteke was the better forward
-
Must admit, I wouldn't be adverse to having Warnock as an option in midfield right now.
Has it really come to this. Bloody hell. People calling for Warnock and Hutton. We'll be getting dewy-eyed about the tumbling bear soon.
I am saving up my "I miss McLeish" post till the end of November ;D
-
According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.
We were embarrassing and Norwich were excellent in everything they did in two-thirds of the pitch. Their attacking was like our midfield, shite. Loved seeing Holt's shot hitting the the corner flag.
Hansen was spot on. We were an embarrassment. Norwich, yes Norwich City played us off the park at Villa Park. Some people need to stop deluding themselves. Our team of championship/cheap foreign imports/youth team rubbish is relegation fodder. January can't come quick enough for us to make some serious panic signings.
I didn't see Hanson, but if that's what he said, then for once I wholeheartedly agree with him. We were embarrassing before and after the sending off.
I think there is an element of denial going on in this thread.
EI - where is the denial mate? We were shite, Norwich were shite, we had a player sent off and they equalised but couldn't win it.
I was there and saw the awfulness that is AVFC 2012...
-
I'm embarrassed when we give up on cup competitions before a ball is kicked. I'm embarrassed when we were giving up on matches last season the second we handed in the team sheet. I'm not embarrassed when we're playing crap and winning 1-0 against another side playing crap.
Like WW I was confident we'd win 11 vs 11.
-
Must admit, I wouldn't be adverse to having Warnock as an option in midfield right now.
Has it really come to this. Bloody hell. People calling for Warnock and Hutton. We'll be getting dewy-eyed about the tumbling bear soon.
I am saving up my "I miss McLeish" post till the end of November ;D
You'll never do it!
-
According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.
We were embarrassing and Norwich were excellent in everything they did in two-thirds of the pitch. Their attacking was like our midfield, shite. Loved seeing Holt's shot hitting the the corner flag.
Hansen was spot on. We were an embarrassment. Norwich, yes Norwich City played us off the park at Villa Park. Some people need to stop deluding themselves. Our team of championship/cheap foreign imports/youth team rubbish is relegation fodder. January can't come quick enough for us to make some serious panic signings.
I didn't see Hanson, but if that's what he said, then for once I wholeheartedly agree with him. We were embarrassing before and after the sending off.
I think there is an element of denial going on in this thread.
EI - where is the denial mate? We were shite, Norwich were shite, we had a player sent off and they equalised but couldn't win it.
I was there and saw the awfulness that is AVFC 2012...
I think we made Norwich look good to be honest, the only shite thing was their finishing, surely?
-
Must admit, I wouldn't be adverse to having Warnock as an option in midfield right now.
Has it really come to this. Bloody hell. People calling for Warnock and Hutton. We'll be getting dewy-eyed about the tumbling bear soon.
I am saving up my "I miss McLeish" post till the end of November ;D
You'll never do it!
lol, I know. Heck I think its a bannable offence!
-
I'm embarrassed when we give up on cup competitions before a ball is kicked. I'm embarrassed when we were giving up on matches last season the second we handed in the team sheet. I'm not embarrassed when we're playing crap and winning 1-0 against another side playing crap.
Like WW I was confident we'd win 11 vs 11.
"confident" is a bit strong! ;-)
However I had the feeling we would get another before the sending off. Am surprised more has not been made of their goal - it seemed there was confusion when the corner was taken = what went on?
-
Must admit, I wouldn't be adverse to having Warnock as an option in midfield right now.
Has it really come to this. Bloody hell. People calling for Warnock and Hutton. We'll be getting dewy-eyed about the tumbling bear soon.
I am saving up my "I miss McLeish" post till the end of November ;D
You'll never do it!
lol, I know. Heck I think its a bannable offence!
We'll help you through it our kid ;-)
-
According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.
We were embarrassing and Norwich were excellent in everything they did in two-thirds of the pitch. Their attacking was like our midfield, shite. Loved seeing Holt's shot hitting the the corner flag.
Hansen was spot on. We were an embarrassment. Norwich, yes Norwich City played us off the park at Villa Park. Some people need to stop deluding themselves. Our team of championship/cheap foreign imports/youth team rubbish is relegation fodder. January can't come quick enough for us to make some serious panic signings.
I didn't see Hanson, but if that's what he said, then for once I wholeheartedly agree with him. We were embarrassing before and after the sending off.
I think there is an element of denial going on in this thread.
EI - where is the denial mate? We were shite, Norwich were shite, we had a player sent off and they equalised but couldn't win it.
I was there and saw the awfulness that is AVFC 2012...
I think we made Norwich look good to be honest, the only shite thing was their finishing, surely?
That was one shite thing ;-)
-
Ok, quite confident then.
I still stand by no one thought that Holman was off so someone else had to be there to close down the short corner. An amateur mistake I hope they won't make again.
-
And did anyone see the OS calling the result a 'battling draw'? Anybody would think we had drawn with Manure by their deluded rhetoric. Hansen is spot on, we are an embarresment in nearly every department FFS!
-
According to Hansen we were "embarrassing" while Norwich were "excellent". This would be the excellent Norwich that created the same amount of decent chances as us (a whopping one) when it was 11 v 11 for nearly an hour. The reality is both were crap until the sending off.
We were embarrassing and Norwich were excellent in everything they did in two-thirds of the pitch. Their attacking was like our midfield, shite. Loved seeing Holt's shot hitting the the corner flag.
Hansen was spot on. We were an embarrassment. Norwich, yes Norwich City played us off the park at Villa Park. Some people need to stop deluding themselves. Our team of championship/cheap foreign imports/youth team rubbish is relegation fodder. January can't come quick enough for us to make some serious panic signings.
I didn't see Hanson, but if that's what he said, then for once I wholeheartedly agree with him. We were embarrassing before and after the sending off.
I think there is an element of denial going on in this thread.
EI - where is the denial mate? We were shite, Norwich were shite, we had a player sent off and they equalised but couldn't win it.
I was there and saw the awfulness that is AVFC 2012...
Simply that I don't believe that the sending off had any significant bearing on the result. The reality is that without Brad's tremendous form, we would have lost comfortably to what after all is a very poor side. Rather than bemoan the fact that we didn't win because possibly our worst player was sent off, I think it's better that people should acknowledge the fact that we were outplayed for long periods, rather than pretend that we were just unlucky not to win. Which we clearly weren't.
I said at the start of this thread that the midfield today was as bad as I've seen since the sixties. Now that I've had time to reflect I cannot see any reason to change my mind.
-
All but one of those saves came after we were down to 10 men. That was their only decent chance in nearly an hour of 11 v 11. That's probably why some feel the sending off was a turning point.
-
Glad I chose to do overtime instead. Watched the first half on lunch and tried to catch what I could of the second half. The Bent substitution was crazy, going down to 9 men by choice was hugely worrying. Let's hope for an Everton style recovery after what is a horrendous start.
-
To Paul Lambert
You have inherited the dross and sh*te of past of past incumbents.
I trust your judgement and you have done well so far, with reservations.
Get rid of the rubbish and buy well.
Get us through this quarter and show us what you can do after Xmas! Good luck mate!
-
I hate these early kick offs at VP: the fans and the team seem to be mired in lethargy for the first half. Even when we scored, the celebrations were relatively muted.
The first half, apart from 2 moves, one resulting in a our superbly taken goal, was disappointing to say the least. I thought we were looking good in the second half before Bennet's dismissal, but after that we were dismal. The narrow midfield or diamond with Delph as the holding player is not working: the young inexperienced fullbacks are being exposed and we are being overpowered in the middle of the pitch.
As Arthur Daley was wont to say, it's all coming on top, Terry.
-
Right, game digested. Not very good in all. First half we were pretty comfortable and looked good value for the lead. I think we had enough to see the game out, perhaps grab another. Unfortunately Bennett got himself sent off. We're a shit side, lets be frank. I mean Norwich are too and yesterday looked very much like a game between two dross teams. We struggle enough with 11 players, so going down to 10 was always going to be an even bigger struggle. The goal was inevitable really, they put us under a lot of pressure. Far too many needless fouls too. Silly freekicks given away. We did it a lot last season and we're still doing it, need to cut it out. Bennett got two yellows with needless, reckless challenges he didn't need to make. Schoolboy errors.
Guzan- 8 good game. Made some good catches and punches and a very good safe from Holt. Could have lost the game if not for the Goose.
Lowton- 5 Poor. Struggled against the Norwich width.
Vlaar- 6 Did okay, but for me doesn't command an area just yet. That might come, but he's struggling a little keeping such a young back line together. A big onus when he himself is stepping up to the Prem. Plays it dangerously physical with the attackers too. He's gonna give away Pens if he's not careful.
Herd- 7 Thought he stepped into CH very well. Made some great challenges and clearences. I like Herd, he always comes off the pitch having given his all. Perhaps we should sign a few more Aussies. Pushed his luck a little. Had Bennett not already been off, Herd may have seen red for persisent fouling.
Bennett- 4 Poor. Bad decision making, offered nothing in attack and was suspect defensively. No qualms about the sending off. He fouled persisently and could have gone off for an earlier silly challenge. He'd been warned. There's no excuse for these silly fouls but he's not the only guilty party.
Albrighton- 4 Poor. Doesn't have the ability and more importantly, stamina for this league. He always looks dead after 60 minutes IMO. Offered nothing and why, after 3 subs he was still on the pitch I don't know.
Delph- 6 Did okay but as we've all noticed, he's no holding player, nor is he a Scholes who can sit deep and ping perfect 40 yrd passes for fun. Let him attack more, use his pace otherwise he's not good enough. I'd play Herd in his place next game.
KEA- 6 I think he's our best all round midfielder, but I still think he's pretty average. He needs a decent holding player next to him and perhaps he'll be more effective pushed forward more. Can't tackle so he's not gonna be our anchor.
Holman- 7 110% as always. Ran himself into the ground. The only one in mid who really wanted to be adventurous.
Gabby- 7 His hold up play is very good. IMO Lamberts biggest error was taking off Gabby. We missed his experience and his pace. Could have been a good outlet out wide. Didn't look tired or injured so it must have been tactical. I'd have taken off Alby and put Gab wide. That he lead a pre match huddle says a lot. He's a senior statesman now and players like him will be vital for us to stay up.
Benteke- 7 Scored, looked a threat. Looked lost when we went a man down. Inexperience at this level, but then again IMO, he should have been sacrificed, and not Gabby. Or Gab should have been left on with him.
Lichaj- 5 looked poor and suspect against pace.
Bent- 5 Showed good willingness to work but that's about it. Not his fault as we were defended for most of his time on the pitch.
Weimann- 6 Desire almost got him half a chance.
Lambert for me got it wrong with the tactical switch. Watching the game the line up suggest we'd play 4-2-3-1. Wasn't the case of course. Standard 4-4-2 really and again too narrow. Albrighton kept wide but offered nothing so there was no width again. Albrighton should have been first man off with the tactical change. His legs were going and he was poor. Gabby's team play had been good and his pace and hold up play would have been a good outlet against Norwich on the counter. We could have alleviated a lot of pressure.
Quite clearly though we're too inexperience and there's not enough quality, especially midfield. The sending off killed us as I thought Norwich would struggle to score whilst 11 v 11. Poor game with two crap sides though. We'll struggle over the next fortnight and this was a must win.
I hope Bennett got plenty of wet towel treatment last night. Foolish, schoolboy defending. We may as well bring Warnock back if the lad is gonna do that. He needs to learn quickly though.
-
It's not the new players that are letting us down apart from Bennet,most are better than what we had.Ron and Benteke are earning their spot, the problem is that there are no quality players around them. There is only one way to solve the problem and that's to spend and get rid of all the young players that many have thought were our future. We desperately need experienced heads in the side.
I agree , Delph, Ireland, gabby, nzogbia,albrighton, bannan have all had their runs in the side and chances to impress and all have failed to grasp the place up for grabs.
-
To be honest I think Lambert has got himself into a mess tactically. To be fair he has given all the players chances but he is trying without success a diamond formation in midfield. This has exposed our two novice full backs, starved our forwards of service and now we are swapping out players willy nilly without success. The diamond must go.
However we lack genuine wide players in the squad. Albrighton unfortunately is nowhere near good enough at the moment and likely never will be. Bannan and Ireland havent impressed when they have played there. Nzogbia our £10m wideman has been poor at the club but is probably out best bet. Gabby on the wing is depressing but needs must maybe.
Ive found strange Lambert's reluctance to give Herd a chance in the centre of the park strange. Far from a worldbeater but gives us presence and bite in there. Could also see him getting a few goals for us. Next to him Id play Ireland who is creating precious little so Id withdraw him to a deeper role like he did to good effect at the end of last season. For me, Bent must start and Benteke has done enough to start with him.
Id have to question what kind of pre season we went through considering the shambles of a team we have.
Id set the team up something like
--------------Guzan
Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Bennett
----------Herd, Ireland--------
Nzogbia----------------Gabby
Bent, Benteke
-
We were rubbish before the sending off, and rubbish after it.
The only positive is that Norwich - who largely played us off the park - were not good enough to take all three points.
Someone said the other day that there's not much wrong with this team that two wins wouldn't fix. I can see the truth in that, the problem is I can't even see us winning one game let alone two
We have won one of our last 19 league games and 3 of the last 28.
That's truly fucking awful.
Hi Paulie
I thought both teams were rubbish and have to politely disagree about being "played off the park" - Norwich had possesion but were as shite with the ball as we were. Grant Holt is a cheating big lump and than fuck we didn't sign him!
I absolutely agree about where the wins will come from and that this is the worst run I can rememeber
Got to agree with Paulie here, I thought Norwich were the better team by a distance , even when we had 11 players and our goal was a bit against the run of play- we were a very poor side .
-
I also echo the ridiculous decision to bring Bent on at the time he did. Is he actually trying to make Bent look shit to justify his dropping and probable exit?
This thought also crossed my mind - it was as if he knew bent would do nothing and look bad if he brought him on to replace benteke with 10 men- a very bad decision.
-
Two things worry me most, the first is the energy and closing down of the opposition has disappeared we are playing the ball sideways and backwards rarely forward, the second is posters who keep calling for Bannon to be in the side, it's dilusional, he is part of the overall problem just like many of the younger players i.e delph and albrighton just not good enough and never will be.
-
To Paul Lambert
You have inherited the dross and sh*te of past of past incumbents.
I trust your judgement and you have done well so far, with reservations.
Get rid of the rubbish and buy well.
Get us through this quarter and show us what you can do after Xmas! Good luck mate!
How has he done well? Half of the rubbish has been bought by him.
-
Two things worry me most, the first is the energy and closing down of the opposition has disappeared we are playing the ball sideways and backwards rarely forward, the second is posters who keep calling for Bannon to be in the side, it's dilusional,
The energy and closing down of the side you talk about, that mainly happened in the games against Newcastle and Swansea and Bannan played in both those games so it's not dillusional for some fans to want him back in the side. It's obviously not working with the midfield he's picking now.
-
I thought Norwich were poor to be honest and I was quite confident we would go on to win until Bennett got himself sent off.That's not to say I thought we were good , they just didn't look a threat. What did surprise me was the team selection, as previous posters have said most of the bench should have been playing from the off.It was a shame Nzog was injured as we badly need some creativity and he provides that by accident more than design purely by running towards the goal as opposed to sideways and backwards.
The worry is Lambert seems to be gambling with his lineup and substitutions when we don't have the time .Yesterday was the first time as I left the ground that I questioned him , he seems very stubborn with his opinions of players a trait that frustrated me with O'Neil but we don't have the luxory of the Barry's Larsen's to pull us through. A settled lineup needs to be found and quickly.
-
Id set the team up something like
--------------Guzan
Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Bennett
----------Herd, Ireland--------
Nzogbia----------------Gabby
Bent, Benteke
That midfield looks terrifying ...for us not the opposition.
-
To Paul Lambert
You have inherited the dross and sh*te of past of past incumbents.
I trust your judgement and you have done well so far, with reservations.
Get rid of the rubbish and buy well.
Get us through this quarter and show us what you can do after Xmas! Good luck mate!
Inherited dross? 7 of the starting 11 are his players, bar Holman, but he likes him.
-
the sending of was massive yesterday, we hadnt played well in the first half but niether had Norwich really, even the comentators wrer saying how poor the game had been, but we were one up and all to play for.
when the sending of came it gave Norwich confidence to attack us, and we crumbled,
Norwich were 1 down and facing 10 men so it became a one way game that wouldnt have happened if it had remained 11 against 11, no one knows how it would have ended but the dismissal certainly changed the game
a few more thoughts-
for those who thought Norwich were a class appart yesterday, remeber who built that team
the substituton of Bent for Benteke was bewildering, one of the very worst i can remember,
and strikes me it is one of those decisions that managers make to try and do something totaly different to what everyone wants or is expecting to try and make themselves look really special if it comes of, it didnt and he looked a bafoon
was Delphs pass rate yesterday 90%, or is it just an urban myth ?
Guzan will be one of the worlds top keepers, and we should be more worried about losing him than any other player we have at the moment
i was very much in the doubters camp with regards to Benteke, but yesterday's performance was great, and his touch and finish for his goal showed he might well be a good signing for us, so hopefully i will be happy that my initial opinion of him will be proved wrong
-
Just seen the highlights on MotD and for once agree with Hansen. Embarrassing.
-
At least Dave Woodhall made it into yesterday's match programme ;-)
-
Formation and tactics
If you play a basic 442. Your wingers or full backs have to have the quality to beat the opposing player. Your 2 cm players can be water carriers who compete and feed the ball wide. Thfc man utd play that way and have pace and power on the wings. Cfc & mcfc play without wingers but have clever players in the 3 behind the striker. The only 2 players in our squad who can cause problems out wide are gabby and nzogbia. Our full backs look instructed to stay back which means they invite the winger and full backs on. The result is we concede the wide positions and have no attacking threat. When I saw Holman and MA as wingers I thought we had no chance. One cross each and one shot between them. Villa squad would better suit a 4231. We have player options in that formation. We can fill the midfield and pass the ball. To be fair that formation was played against mcfc and then sfc. Two contrasting performances. Trouble is its either bent or Benteke in that formation. We are not good enough to leave Ireland bent nzogbia and Bannan on the bench though. Play gabby zog wide and 2 up top or play 2 holding and three flair players behind 1. Yesterday's team will go down Also down to ten men you expect to defend deeper. Would gabby not albrighton be your best option to break on the opposition ?
-
Have to say after watching Bennetts 2nd yellow, that he was conned into that challenge a bit, and it was probably a bit of 6 of one and half a dozen of another.
Bollocks. He acted like a little schoolboy in what he did and contributed to our defeat because of it.
Still, he'll (hopefully) learn and continue to progress.
Did Norwich score after the final whistle? And the ref allowed it? That's taking Fergie time to a new limit.
Eh?
Has no one told you we didn't lose today?
Ahhh...my bad.
-
Formation and tactics
If you play a basic 442. Your wingers or full backs have to have the quality to beat the opposing player. Your 2 cm players can be water carriers who compete and feed the ball wide. Thfc man utd play that way and have pace and power on the wings. Cfc & mcfc play without wingers but have clever players in the 3 behind the striker. The only 2 players in our squad who can cause problems out wide are gabby and nzogbia. Our full backs look instructed to stay back which means they invite the winger and full backs on. The result is we concede the wide positions and have no attacking threat. When I saw Holman and MA as wingers I thought we had no chance. One cross each and one shot between them. Villa squad would better suit a 4231. We have player options in that formation. We can fill the midfield and pass the ball. To be fair that formation was played against mcfc and then sfc. Two contrasting performances. Trouble is its either bent or Benteke in that formation. We are not good enough to leave Ireland bent nzogbia and Bannan on the bench though. Play gabby zog wide and 2 up top or play 2 holding and three flair players behind 1. Yesterday's team will go down Also down to ten men you expect to defend deeper. Would gabby not albrighton be your best option to break on the opposition ?
Good post agree with majority of that.
-
I can't remember us playing one up front against Man City and Southampton.
-
Have to say after watching Bennetts 2nd yellow, that he was conned into that challenge a bit, and it was probably a bit of 6 of one and half a dozen of another.
One thing i would say in support of Delph, is he has got it in him to be a really good player.He produced 2 great passes in the 1st half, one to Gabby on the edge of the area, when his touch was too heavy and the chance went, one to Benteke when he shot over , but should have laid it back.Granted he doesn't do it enough, but hes not as shit as say Albrighton, who was trully awful today.
I am prepared to give Lambert the benefit of the doubt atm, but if he keeps picking Albrighton and Gabby then i might change my mind.
Sorry mate have to disagree, I feel at least Marc has shown that he has quality, he was poor yesterday but he was nowhere near as shite as Delph (for me at least)
-
Right, game digested. Not very good in all. First half we were pretty comfortable and looked good value for the lead. I think we had enough to see the game out, perhaps grab another. Unfortunately Bennett got himself sent off. We're a shit side, lets be frank. I mean Norwich are too and yesterday looked very much like a game between two dross teams. We struggle enough with 11 players, so going down to 10 was always going to be an even bigger struggle. The goal was inevitable really, they put us under a lot of pressure. Far too many needless fouls too. Silly freekicks given away. We did it a lot last season and we're still doing it, need to cut it out. Bennett got two yellows with needless, reckless challenges he didn't need to make. Schoolboy errors.
Guzan- 8 good game. Made some good catches and punches and a very good safe from Holt. Could have lost the game if not for the Goose.
Lowton- 5 Poor. Struggled against the Norwich width.
Vlaar- 6 Did okay, but for me doesn't command an area just yet. That might come, but he's struggling a little keeping such a young back line together. A big onus when he himself is stepping up to the Prem. Plays it dangerously physical with the attackers too. He's gonna give away Pens if he's not careful.
Herd- 7 Thought he stepped into CH very well. Made some great challenges and clearences. I like Herd, he always comes off the pitch having given his all. Perhaps we should sign a few more Aussies. Pushed his luck a little. Had Bennett not already been off, Herd may have seen red for persisent fouling.
Bennett- 4 Poor. Bad decision making, offered nothing in attack and was suspect defensively. No qualms about the sending off. He fouled persisently and could have gone off for an earlier silly challenge. He'd been warned. There's no excuse for these silly fouls but he's not the only guilty party.
Albrighton- 4 Poor. Doesn't have the ability and more importantly, stamina for this league. He always looks dead after 60 minutes IMO. Offered nothing and why, after 3 subs he was still on the pitch I don't know.
Delph- 6 Did okay but as we've all noticed, he's no holding player, nor is he a Scholes who can sit deep and ping perfect 40 yrd passes for fun. Let him attack more, use his pace otherwise he's not good enough. I'd play Herd in his place next game.
KEA- 6 I think he's our best all round midfielder, but I still think he's pretty average. He needs a decent holding player next to him and perhaps he'll be more effective pushed forward more. Can't tackle so he's not gonna be our anchor.
Holman- 7 110% as always. Ran himself into the ground. The only one in mid who really wanted to be adventurous.
Gabby- 7 His hold up play is very good. IMO Lamberts biggest error was taking off Gabby. We missed his experience and his pace. Could have been a good outlet out wide. Didn't look tired or injured so it must have been tactical. I'd have taken off Alby and put Gab wide. That he lead a pre match huddle says a lot. He's a senior statesman now and players like him will be vital for us to stay up.
Benteke- 7 Scored, looked a threat. Looked lost when we went a man down. Inexperience at this level, but then again IMO, he should have been sacrificed, and not Gabby. Or Gab should have been left on with him.
Lichaj- 5 looked poor and suspect against pace.
Bent- 5 Showed good willingness to work but that's about it. Not his fault as we were defended for most of his time on the pitch.
Weimann- 6 Desire almost got him half a chance.
Lambert for me got it wrong with the tactical switch. Watching the game the line up suggest we'd play 4-2-3-1. Wasn't the case of course. Standard 4-4-2 really and again too narrow. Albrighton kept wide but offered nothing so there was no width again. Albrighton should have been first man off with the tactical change. His legs were going and he was poor. Gabby's team play had been good and his pace and hold up play would have been a good outlet against Norwich on the counter. We could have alleviated a lot of pressure.
Quite clearly though we're too inexperience and there's not enough quality, especially midfield. The sending off killed us as I thought Norwich would struggle to score whilst 11 v 11. Poor game with two crap sides though. We'll struggle over the next fortnight and this was a must win.
I hope Bennett got plenty of wet towel treatment last night. Foolish, schoolboy defending. We may as well bring Warnock back if the lad is gonna do that. He needs to learn quickly though.
Gabby- 7 His hold up play is very good. IMO Lamberts biggest error was taking off Gabby. We missed his experience and his pace. Could have been a good outlet out wide. Didn't look tired or injured so it must have been tactical. I'd have taken off Alby and put Gab wide. That he lead a pre match huddle says a lot. He's a senior statesman now and players like him will be vital for us to stay up.
Christ! Agbonlahor was dreadful he brings absolutely nothing to the team and yet some of you (and to be fair other Villa forums) think hes wonderful. I know its all about opinions but Ive been watching the Villa for fifty six years and I cant recall another player who divides the fans as much as he does.
Can someone please explain why he keeps being selected for the first the team I just dont see it Im afraid.
-
If gabby is vital to us staying up, them we might as well accept our fate now- should be nowhere the first team and is the worst of our 4 strikers by a mile.
-
I think Gabby's role should be more impact sub at the moment. He's just not cutting it, I don't know what's happened. His injection of pace towards the end of games could be good though, change the tactics slightly and use his pace against tired centre backs.
-
To Paul Lambert
You have inherited the dross and sh*te of past of past incumbents.
I trust your judgement and you have done well so far, with reservations.
Get rid of the rubbish and buy well.
Get us through this quarter and show us what you can do after Xmas! Good luck mate!
Most of the rubbish seen yesterday were signed by Lambert. If you rate Lambert on what he's delivered so far I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.
-
Right, game digested. Not very good in all. First half we were pretty comfortable and looked good value for the lead. I think we had enough to see the game out, perhaps grab another. Unfortunately Bennett got himself sent off. We're a shit side, lets be frank. I mean Norwich are too and yesterday looked very much like a game between two dross teams. We struggle enough with 11 players, so going down to 10 was always going to be an even bigger struggle. The goal was inevitable really, they put us under a lot of pressure. Far too many needless fouls too. Silly freekicks given away. We did it a lot last season and we're still doing it, need to cut it out. Bennett got two yellows with needless, reckless challenges he didn't need to make. Schoolboy errors.
Guzan- 8 good game. Made some good catches and punches and a very good safe from Holt. Could have lost the game if not for the Goose.
Lowton- 5 Poor. Struggled against the Norwich width.
Vlaar- 6 Did okay, but for me doesn't command an area just yet. That might come, but he's struggling a little keeping such a young back line together. A big onus when he himself is stepping up to the Prem. Plays it dangerously physical with the attackers too. He's gonna give away Pens if he's not careful.
Herd- 7 Thought he stepped into CH very well. Made some great challenges and clearences. I like Herd, he always comes off the pitch having given his all. Perhaps we should sign a few more Aussies. Pushed his luck a little. Had Bennett not already been off, Herd may have seen red for persisent fouling.
Bennett- 4 Poor. Bad decision making, offered nothing in attack and was suspect defensively. No qualms about the sending off. He fouled persisently and could have gone off for an earlier silly challenge. He'd been warned. There's no excuse for these silly fouls but he's not the only guilty party.
Albrighton- 4 Poor. Doesn't have the ability and more importantly, stamina for this league. He always looks dead after 60 minutes IMO. Offered nothing and why, after 3 subs he was still on the pitch I don't know.
Delph- 6 Did okay but as we've all noticed, he's no holding player, nor is he a Scholes who can sit deep and ping perfect 40 yrd passes for fun. Let him attack more, use his pace otherwise he's not good enough. I'd play Herd in his place next game.
KEA- 6 I think he's our best all round midfielder, but I still think he's pretty average. He needs a decent holding player next to him and perhaps he'll be more effective pushed forward more. Can't tackle so he's not gonna be our anchor.
Holman- 7 110% as always. Ran himself into the ground. The only one in mid who really wanted to be adventurous.
Gabby- 7 His hold up play is very good. IMO Lamberts biggest error was taking off Gabby. We missed his experience and his pace. Could have been a good outlet out wide. Didn't look tired or injured so it must have been tactical. I'd have taken off Alby and put Gab wide. That he lead a pre match huddle says a lot. He's a senior statesman now and players like him will be vital for us to stay up.
Benteke- 7 Scored, looked a threat. Looked lost when we went a man down. Inexperience at this level, but then again IMO, he should have been sacrificed, and not Gabby. Or Gab should have been left on with him.
Lichaj- 5 looked poor and suspect against pace.
Bent- 5 Showed good willingness to work but that's about it. Not his fault as we were defended for most of his time on the pitch.
Weimann- 6 Desire almost got him half a chance.
Lambert for me got it wrong with the tactical switch. Watching the game the line up suggest we'd play 4-2-3-1. Wasn't the case of course. Standard 4-4-2 really and again too narrow. Albrighton kept wide but offered nothing so there was no width again. Albrighton should have been first man off with the tactical change. His legs were going and he was poor. Gabby's team play had been good and his pace and hold up play would have been a good outlet against Norwich on the counter. We could have alleviated a lot of pressure.
Quite clearly though we're too inexperience and there's not enough quality, especially midfield. The sending off killed us as I thought Norwich would struggle to score whilst 11 v 11. Poor game with two crap sides though. We'll struggle over the next fortnight and this was a must win.
I hope Bennett got plenty of wet towel treatment last night. Foolish, schoolboy defending. We may as well bring Warnock back if the lad is gonna do that. He needs to learn quickly though.
Gabby- 7 His hold up play is very good. IMO Lamberts biggest error was taking off Gabby. We missed his experience and his pace. Could have been a good outlet out wide. Didn't look tired or injured so it must have been tactical. I'd have taken off Alby and put Gab wide. That he lead a pre match huddle says a lot. He's a senior statesman now and players like him will be vital for us to stay up.
Christ! Agbonlahor was dreadful he brings absolutely nothing to the team and yet some of you (and to be fair other Villa forums) think hes wonderful. I know its all about opinions but Ive been watching the Villa for fifty six years and I cant recall another player who divides the fans as much as he does.
Can someone please explain why he keeps getting in the team I just dont see it Im afraid.
Must admit I agreed with 100% of supertoms assessment. Gabby should have stayed on yesterday and Albrighton should have been sacrificed. I have my issues with Gabby as a player but yesterday was set up for his pace when we went down to 10 men. Poor poor decision from Lambert.
-
Just seen a rerun on goals on Sunday and when they froze the screen after the corner had been taken their were 5 villa players with their back to play - very naive defending at this level.
-
If gabby is vital to us staying up, them we might as well accept our fate now- should be nowhere the first team and is the worst of our 4 strikers by a mile.
He holds the ball up well. As soon as he went off yesterday we conceded possession left right and centre and we were under severe pressure.
-
I think Gabby's role should be more impact sub at the moment. He's just not cutting it, I don't know what's happened. His injection of pace towards the end of games could be good though, change the tactics slightly and use his pace against tired centre backs.
I agree. At the beginnings of games we need more craft and guile. Gabby doesn't move the ball quickly enough in the final third; Bannan, Weimann and Ireland inject a much higher tempo with the ball.
I also think it's worth noting that KEA played really well when Bannan, Ireland or both were alongside him. He needs players on his wavelength to up the tempo in his passing, and yesterday it was clear that the rest of the midfield was mentally and technically sluggish.
-
I thought Vlaar was ok.
-
I think we need to try Benteke and Bent up front. With Holman and N'Zogbia wide. With Herd and KEA in centre midfield.
-
Right, not long got back. Despite the sending off we were lacklustre to say the least. We didn't deserve to be ahead at half-time IMO. Lambert has again caused me concern about his tactical nous. I said at h/t that Bennett should have been subbed as he was getting killed and was on a yellow. Bringing Benteke off when we had 10 ten men? I'm not his biggest fan, but fair play to Gabby. Played well today. As did Guzan (obviously), Vlaar and Benteke. Also the players seemed really nervous in their play. They need a win from anywhere.
Got to agree with this 1874 apart from the being up at half-time - we had created as much as Norwich so it could have gone either way I reckon.
Gabby got a big groan at one point and then chased down a ball in the area and tried to pull it back - nobody busted a gut to get onto the penalty spot though - I still reckon there is a Villa man trying is damndest for the team.
Think we all agree the Bent sub was "diplomatic"?
The equaliser seemed to come from confusion in the defence as Guzan was pushing defenders into place? Thought the defence was pretty good against a poor team?
I thought Norwich dictated play better in the first half and had more sustained periods of pressure then we did. So they will have felt they shouldn't have been behind at half time. I thought our centre backs were good. The lack of co-ordination between Lowton and Vlaar was exposed at times but that was to be expected. I thought Lowton did himself justice in the CB role. Especially in the second half, made some great blocks. Our best summer signing for sure (other then Brad). Herd wasn't great but I'll let him off because he hasn't had much game time recently and he did do some good things. Lichaj was much more solid then Bennett and you know he won't do anything stupid.
Lowton played RB.
-
And I think we need to put Lichaj back at left back for a while. Bennett looks ok, but is too lightweight. And is less ready than Lichaj.
-
I think we need to try Benteke and Bent up front. With Holman and N'Zogbia wide. With Herd and KEA in centre midfield.
I agree totally with that.
-
To Paul Lambert
You have inherited the dross and sh*te of past of past incumbents.
I trust your judgement and you have done well so far, with reservations.
Get rid of the rubbish and buy well.
Get us through this quarter and show us what you can do after Xmas! Good luck mate!
Can't agree with that, the sooner people stop blaming previous managers the better IMO. If the last manager hadn't been AMcL, Lambert would not be receiving anywhere near as much support after this appalling start. It's basically a case of support him because he's rid us of AMcL.
-
So you would have Holman out of the team and not Delph
Yes. Just on the basis that Holman's passing is much poorer. I'm no fan of Delph but he was the best of the centre mids today. I probably have him over KEA on current form. Which just goes to show how utterly shit our midfield is.
Oh for the love of God, KEA and Holman were pants yesterday but at least they look like they've seen a football before.
-
I just think we look a shambles at the minute and I am crossing my fingers for a miracle this month.
Sad times.
-
I think Gabby's role should be more impact sub at the moment. He's just not cutting it, I don't know what's happened. His injection of pace towards the end of games could be good though, change the tactics slightly and use his pace against tired centre backs.
I agree. At the beginnings of games we need more craft and guile. Gabby doesn't move the ball quickly enough in the final third; Bannan, Weimann and Ireland inject a much higher tempo with the ball.
I also think it's worth noting that KEA played really well when Bannan, Ireland or both were alongside him. He needs players on his wavelength to up the tempo in his passing, and yesterday it was clear that the rest of the midfield was mentally and technically sluggish.
Yeah, KEA and Delph just aren't working in midfield at all
-
In preseason the midfield of kea, Holman, Ireland and bannan looked to be decent but their are too many changes week in week out and we need some sort of settled team , Ireland and bannan are both hit and miss but so are all our midfield- its an incredibly weak area.
-
El Ahmadi and Holman may come good, I have my doubts.
But Delph and Albrighton should be discarded as quickly as is humanly possible. They are fucking awful.
-
In preseason the midfield of kea, Holman, Ireland and bannan looked to be decent
Absolute myth. Did you not go to Forest ?
-
I'd have Bannan or Ireland in over Albrighton every time right now.Both of them hold the ball alot better
-
What would be our ideal midfield targets in January ?
-
In preseason the midfield of kea, Holman, Ireland and bannan looked to be decent
Absolute myth. Did you not go to Forest ?
Did you not see the Newcastle and Swansea games?
-
In preseason the midfield of kea, Holman, Ireland and bannan looked to be decent
Absolute myth. Did you not go to Forest ?
As is said Ireland and bannan are both hit and miss ,on form they look the part but are inconsistent.
-
In preseason the midfield of kea, Holman, Ireland and bannan looked to be decent
Absolute myth. Did you not go to Forest ?
Did you not see the Newcastle and Swansea games?
Swansea - but for Guzan and poor finishing we could easily have been 2 or 3 down before Lowtons goal.
-
nearly 24 hours after the game and usually you would feel a bit more positive about things - today there is only 2 things Guzan and Benteke
i genuinely cant see where our next 3 points are coming from, is this what Derby and Sunderland fans felt like in their awful seasons?
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/c67.0.403.403/p403x403/395148_550870901605208_960628260_n.jpg
nice of Lambert to give him a few days off
-
In preseason the midfield of kea, Holman, Ireland and bannan looked to be decent
Absolute myth. Did you not go to Forest ?
Did you not see the Newcastle and Swansea games?
Swansea - but for Guzan and poor finishing we could easily have been 2 or 3 down before Lowtons goal.
Some folk really are hard to please.
-
What would be our ideal midfield targets in January ?
Michael Essien who is on a seasons loan at Real Madrid. Im not sure if Chelsea can sell him before then but he should be (at 29) the type of player we must be looking at
-
What would be our ideal midfield targets in January ?
Michael Essien who is on a seasons loan at Real Madrid. Im not sure if Chelsea can sell him before then but he should be (at 29) the type of player we should be looking at
You think a player that's on loan to Real Madrid, and who still has a few years at the top level left in him, would even consider joining a team at the arse end of the table?
He'll be looking to join a top team to continue playing in the CL, not joining a team that look like they're playing while blindfolded.
-
In preseason the midfield of kea, Holman, Ireland and bannan looked to be decent
Absolute myth. Did you not go to Forest ?
As is said Ireland and bannan are both hit and miss ,on form they look the part but are inconsistent.
In the games they've both started, we won our only league game and drew up at Newcastle. They started the Southampton game and we were winning until Ireland went off at half time and Bannan was subbed during the 2nd half.
There was obviously something there if we picked up 4 points out of 6 with them both playing. Bearing in mind we've only picked up another 2 points since then, it might be worth trying again.
-
In preseason the midfield of kea, Holman, Ireland and bannan looked to be decent
Absolute myth. Did you not go to Forest ?
Did you not see the Newcastle and Swansea games?
Swansea - but for Guzan and poor finishing we could easily have been 2 or 3 down before Lowtons goal.
Some folk really are hard to please.
I'm just saying don't let those two games paper over the cracks. This is probably the worst villa midfield for three decades.
-
What would be our ideal midfield targets in January ?
Michael Essien who is on a seasons loan at Real Madrid. Im not sure if Chelsea can sell him before then but he should be (at 29) the type of player we should be looking at
You think a player that's on loan to Real Madrid, and who still has a few years at the top level left in him, would even consider joining a team at the arse end of the table?
He'll be looking to join a top team to continue playing in the CL, not joining a team that look like they're playing while blindfolded.
Money mate! If you offer them enough they will come whether is Aston Villa or Accrington Stanley.
Agree with though .At the moment its the blind leading the blind. Perhaps we ought to sign Stevie Wonder!
-
We have to be realistic and we do not know who will be available yet.
Also we have the wages to take into consideration and that could be our biggest problem.
January will be interesting and our future in the Premier League will depend on it i think.
I even had a Baggies fan taking the piss yesterday and the Mrs had to calm me down and stop me showing him the error of his piss taking ways.
Lerner has to open his wallet and realise the importance of us being in the Prem, from even just a buisness point of view. What would he do if we were to be relegated ?
It cannot be allowed to happen, never. If it does then i can us staying down for a long, long time and this great club becoming the laughing stock of Midlands football and that cannot ever happen, couldn't cope with that.
-
Lerner opening his wallet is one thing. Attracting decent players will be the issue. That's if any are even available in January. Then if you get them, they have to hit the ground running. No time for bedding in.
-
Who played that long hopefull ball to the forward when we had a good chance to break away? It was just before they scored. Annoyed me that did.
Marc . annoyed me too
-
Lerner opening his wallet is one thing. Attracting decent players will be the issue. That's if any are even available in January. Then if you get them, they have to hit the ground running. No time for bedding in.
It just proves the folly of Lerner's policy of selling your top players and replacing them with cheap lower league crap. The man really hasn't got a clue about PL football.
-
We will end up with Joey twitter Barton.
-
I thought Albrighton was poor today, exemplified by his decent chance at the death when he took far too many touches.
glad you brought that up. That was frustrating , he should have just hit the damn ball. Hes a championship player at best Im afraid , in fact he wouldnt get into Blackpools team. There is to many championship players in our team and Delph and Marc should be nowhere near the team when you have Ireland and Bannon on the bench.
Lambert made a lot of mistakes and needs to learn about them quick . I was happy with him and have been telling everyone he will sort us out and make us a solid team but today he lost a lot of brownie points with me . He was dreadful.
-
Lerner opening his wallet is one thing. Attracting decent players will be the issue. That's if any are even available in January. Then if you get them, they have to hit the ground running. No time for bedding in.
It just proves the folly of Lerner's policy of selling your top players and replacing them with cheap lower league crap. The man really hasn't got a clue about PL football.
Worse than that, I reckon he really doesn't give a shit anymore.
-
I thought Albrighton was poor today, exemplified by his decent chance at the death when he took far too many touches.
glad you brought that up. That was frustrating , he should have just hit the damn ball. Hes a championship player at best Im afraid , in fact he wouldnt get into Blackpools team. There is to many championship players in our team and Delph and Marc should be nowhere near the team when you have Ireland and Bannon on the bench.
Lambert made a lot of mistakes and needs to learn about them quick . I was happy with him and have been telling everyone he will sort us out and make us a solid team but today he lost a lot of brownie points with me . He was dreadful.
Agreed. I was mortified when he wasn't taken off when Bennett was red carded, as he's the one player you don't want to rely on when your backs are against the wall. He's one of the most lightweight players I've ever seen play for Villa, and ultimately he'll always let you down. He can't track-back, can't tackle and can't hold the ball up. He's the one player you take off when you're down to ten men, and not Agbonlahor, who holds the ball up well and relieves a bit of pressure by Keeping a bit of possession. Bad mistake from Lambert. One of many he's made since taking over at Villa.
-
We were awful yesterday, and the substitutions were worse.
However - the stats were showing us as having 2-3 more shots on target, and 2-3 more shots off target than Norwich up until the sending off. I think their chances were better but they didn't take any of them, whereas one of ours was a goal.
Within 10 minutes of the sending off they had had twice as many shots as us. We weren't good before the sending off, but to argue that it made no difference is nonsense.
I also thought that we were bypassing our (non-existant) midfield in the first half and had reverted to hoofball, but in the first 10 minutes of the second half were showing signs of addressing this and trying to play it through. As soon as Bennett went off, any attempts at football evaporated again and we just stayed under the cosh.
I think the problems caused by the sending off were exacerbated by us already playing a severely weakened defence. An extra defender had to come on immediately, there was no time to think about it (although of course our manager is paid to make decisions like this, and quickly if needed - he got this wrong). Once the first wrong decision of taking Gaby out was made, the further subs became like a pack of cards, which didn't start to be re-built till we got Weimman on.
If it weren't for the sending off, I believe we could have held on, or even added one. I am not by any means certain, but the signs were there despite us looking terrible. The reasons for that are just 2 - Guzan's heroics, and Benteke looking like a man who can take his chances.
-
what has happened to Albrighton?
he looked the part when he first got in the team but has been awful this season and last
-
I agree that Delph defintiely is no holding MF: nor does he seem to play particularly well alongside KEA.
I'd bring Herd back alongside KEA and use Bannan as the third MF. When all are fit, consider playing Clark in there (not something I've previously considered since I think he's a better CB).
Upfront, I think we have to go with 1 - Benteke - with Weimann and Holman as the supporting runners / providers.
Alternatively, why not look at 3-5-2? Delph and Holman have the energy to play wingbacks; Clark / Baker, Vlaar and Lowton can play at the back; Herd, BB and KEA in CMF; and Bent / Benteke upfront (with Weimann and Gabby as impact replacements).
Whatever, PL now needs to 'man up' with his team selection.
-
I thought Albrighton was poor today, exemplified by his decent chance at the death when he took far too many touches.
glad you brought that up. That was frustrating , he should have just hit the damn ball. Hes a championship player at best Im afraid , in fact he wouldnt get into Blackpools team. There is to many championship players in our team and Delph and Marc should be nowhere near the team when you have Ireland and Bannon on the bench.
Lambert made a lot of mistakes and needs to learn about them quick . I was happy with him and have been telling everyone he will sort us out and make us a solid team but today he lost a lot of brownie points with me . He was dreadful.
Summed it up for me.
Lamberts decisions were baffling.
If he doesn't address the midfield this January I fear relegation.
So Paul, please no more 5'9 pretty little ball-retaining, sideways-passing featherweights. We have half a dozen of them as it is. We need a dirty, horrible , mouthy 6'6'' muscle bound, striding beast. Good luck finding one we can afford.
-
At least Dave Woodhall made it into yesterday's match programme ;-)
Is that why it was a quid cheaper?
-
We were awful yesterday, and the substitutions were worse.
However - the stats were showing us as having 2-3 more shots on target, and 2-3 more shots off target than Norwich up until the sending off. I think their chances were better but they didn't take any of them, whereas one of ours was a goal.
.
yes but you have to remember is Guzan made top save after top save , where I cant really remember Ruddy making any top saves .
-
We were awful yesterday, and the substitutions were worse.
However - the stats were showing us as having 2-3 more shots on target, and 2-3 more shots off target than Norwich up until the sending off. I think their chances were better but they didn't take any of them, whereas one of ours was a goal.
.
yes but you have to remember is Guzan made top save after top save , where I cant really remember Ruddy making any top saves .
All but one top save were after we were down to 10.
-
We were awful yesterday, and the substitutions were worse.
However - the stats were showing us as having 2-3 more shots on target, and 2-3 more shots off target than Norwich up until the sending off. I think their chances were better but they didn't take any of them, whereas one of ours was a goal.
.
yes but you have to remember is Guzan made top save after top save , where I cant really remember Ruddy making any top saves .
That's why you should never trust stats. We barely bothered their keeper all match, where as ours was man of the match.
-
Would he have been man of the match if the game had ended the second Bennett was sent off?
-
Would he have been man of the match if the game had ended the second Bennett was sent off?
We were shit before the sending off. Don't delude yourself.
-
Would he have been man of the match if the game had ended the second Bennett was sent off?
We were shit before the sending off. Don't delude yourself.
Would he have been man of the match before the red card?
-
Would he have been man of the match if the game had ended the second Bennett was sent off?
We were shit before the sending off. Don't delude yourself.
Would he have been man of the match before the red card?
Well he made one fantastic save first half which was just as important as Benteke's goal, so he would have been candidate for MOTM as much as the goal scorer.
-
Would he have been man of the match if the game had ended the second Bennett was sent off?
We were shit before the sending off. Don't delude yourself.
Would he have been man of the match before the red card?
Well he made one fantastic save first half which was just as important as Benteke's goal, so he would have been candidate for MOTM as much as the goal scorer.
So as all but one save were after the sending off it could well be a case that the sending off changed the game couldn't it? Before that it was two crap sides both creating very little.
-
Impossible to say one way or the other. Why are you even wasting time with this tiresome argument, either side might have scored 6 goals if Bennett stayed on, but the fact is he didn't.
-
Would he have been man of the match if the game had ended the second Bennett was sent off?
We were shit before the sending off. Don't delude yourself.
Would he have been man of the match before the red card?
Well he made one fantastic save first half which was just as important as Benteke's goal, so he would have been candidate for MOTM as much as the goal scorer.
So as all but one save were after the sending off it could well be a case that the sending off changed the game couldn't it? Before that it was two crap sides both creating very little.
They were better than us before the sending off. You must have watched a different game to me if you thought they weren't. We then went down to 10 men and we capitulated. How many times have you seen teams play well after a sending off? More times than not it galvanises a team into a performance. Not us though, we went from bad to quite simply - diabolical. This is the worst Villa team I've seen since we were relegated in '87. Deluding yourself into thinking otherwise is folly.
-
Impossible to say one way or the other. Why are you even wasting time with this tiresome argument, either side might have scored 6 goals if Bennett stayed on, but the fact is he didn't.
Because according to some folks we were battered for the whole game, which isn't how I saw it. So when someone says something that I disagree with I question it and debate with them. Which I believe is the point of a discussion board.
-
This is the worst Villa team I've seen since we were relegated in '87.
Correct.
Certainly the worst midfield I can remember.
-
Would he have been man of the match if the game had ended the second Bennett was sent off?
depends if he had saved the penalty Norwich should have had ;)
-
We were awful yesterday, and the substitutions were worse.
However - the stats were showing us as having 2-3 more shots on target, and 2-3 more shots off target than Norwich up until the sending off. I think their chances were better but they didn't take any of them, whereas one of ours was a goal.
.
yes but you have to remember is Guzan made top save after top save , where I cant really remember Ruddy making any top saves .
That's why you should never trust stats. We barely bothered their keeper all match, where as ours was man of the match.
....and the one he picked out of the back of the net didn't bother him either? Surely the best chances are those that actually end up on the scoresheet - & it took them 20 minutes after the sending off to get there.
Everyone talks like a team is made of 10 players and a wildcard - Guzan is one of our team - not a random addition - OUR goalie kept them out. Our goalie who PL went & got back after we'd been daft enough to let him go, and was brave enough to drop Given for. This isn't a stroke of luck that we can't claim any credit for.
-
Would he have been man of the match if the game had ended the second Bennett was sent off?
We were shit before the sending off. Don't delude yourself.
Would he have been man of the match before the red card?
Well he made one fantastic save first half which was just as important as Benteke's goal, so he would have been candidate for MOTM as much as the goal scorer.
So as all but one save were after the sending off it could well be a case that the sending off changed the game couldn't it? Before that it was two crap sides both creating very little.
They were better than us before the sending off. You must have watched a different game to me if you thought they weren't. We then went down to 10 men and we capitulated. How many times have you seen teams play well after a sending off? More times than not it galvanises a team into a performance. Not us though, we went from bad to quite simply - diabolical. This is the worst Villa team I've seen since we were relegated in '87. Deluding yourself into thinking otherwise is folly.
If they were so much better than us why were they losing? Why had the created less than us when it was 11 v 11? That's what i'm trying to get the answer to. Maybe it was more of a case that both sides were crap (notice I keep saying we were crap, so not much delusion going on) and the side that had taken their one chance would have held on.
My point isn't that we weren't crap, we were. My point is that some folks are claiming Norwich were shed loads better. They weren't. Not until the red card.
As for the red card capitulation, I agree. I've said previously that it reminded me of the Albion game last season. 1 up despite not playing well and in my opinion looked a decent bet to take the 3 points both times. As much due to the ineptness of the opposition rather than our own ability. We then get a player sent off and are shocking.
-
Thats whats worrying . Norwich are crap and will probably go down but their football was better than ours and always looked like scoring , where we did not.
-
Thats whats worrying . Norwich are crap and will probably go down but their football was better than ours and always looked like scoring , where we did not.
That's my point. How did they always look like scoring if they created 1 decent chance in the opening 55 minutes or so? The same as we did.
-
Thats whats worrying . Norwich are crap and will probably go down but their football was better than ours and always looked like scoring , where we did not.
That's my point. How did they always look like scoring if they created 1 decent chance in the opening 55 minutes or so? The same as we did.
well we were bloody awful up to we scored against the run of play , there football passing was better and looked more dangerous. So we made a poor Norwich side look like alright. We were lucky yesterday . They could have had a penalty first half , Herd could have gone and they missed loads of chances , even If you say it was when we had 10 men .
It was Norwich we played thou and not Chelsea.
-
The job of any manager - in any walk in life - is to manage their resources.
Yesterday our manager failed appallingly to do so.
Lets hope he learns from it - quickly .
-
Right, game digested. Not very good in all. First half we were pretty comfortable and looked good value for the lead. I think we had enough to see the game out, perhaps grab another. Unfortunately Bennett got himself sent off. We're a shit side, lets be frank. I mean Norwich are too and yesterday looked very much like a game between two dross teams. We struggle enough with 11 players, so going down to 10 was always going to be an even bigger struggle. The goal was inevitable really, they put us under a lot of pressure. Far too many needless fouls too. Silly freekicks given away. We did it a lot last season and we're still doing it, need to cut it out. Bennett got two yellows with needless, reckless challenges he didn't need to make. Schoolboy errors.
Guzan- 8 good game. Made some good catches and punches and a very good safe from Holt. Could have lost the game if not for the Goose.
Lowton- 5 Poor. Struggled against the Norwich width.
Vlaar- 6 Did okay, but for me doesn't command an area just yet. That might come, but he's struggling a little keeping such a young back line together. A big onus when he himself is stepping up to the Prem. Plays it dangerously physical with the attackers too. He's gonna give away Pens if he's not careful.
Herd- 7 Thought he stepped into CH very well. Made some great challenges and clearences. I like Herd, he always comes off the pitch having given his all. Perhaps we should sign a few more Aussies. Pushed his luck a little. Had Bennett not already been off, Herd may have seen red for persisent fouling.
Bennett- 4 Poor. Bad decision making, offered nothing in attack and was suspect defensively. No qualms about the sending off. He fouled persisently and could have gone off for an earlier silly challenge. He'd been warned. There's no excuse for these silly fouls but he's not the only guilty party.
Albrighton- 4 Poor. Doesn't have the ability and more importantly, stamina for this league. He always looks dead after 60 minutes IMO. Offered nothing and why, after 3 subs he was still on the pitch I don't know.
Delph- 6 Did okay but as we've all noticed, he's no holding player, nor is he a Scholes who can sit deep and ping perfect 40 yrd passes for fun. Let him attack more, use his pace otherwise he's not good enough. I'd play Herd in his place next game.
KEA- 6 I think he's our best all round midfielder, but I still think he's pretty average. He needs a decent holding player next to him and perhaps he'll be more effective pushed forward more. Can't tackle so he's not gonna be our anchor.
Holman- 7 110% as always. Ran himself into the ground. The only one in mid who really wanted to be adventurous.
Gabby- 7 His hold up play is very good. IMO Lamberts biggest error was taking off Gabby. We missed his experience and his pace. Could have been a good outlet out wide. Didn't look tired or injured so it must have been tactical. I'd have taken off Alby and put Gab wide. That he lead a pre match huddle says a lot. He's a senior statesman now and players like him will be vital for us to stay up.
Benteke- 7 Scored, looked a threat. Looked lost when we went a man down. Inexperience at this level, but then again IMO, he should have been sacrificed, and not Gabby. Or Gab should have been left on with him.
Lichaj- 5 looked poor and suspect against pace.
Bent- 5 Showed good willingness to work but that's about it. Not his fault as we were defended for most of his time on the pitch.
Weimann- 6 Desire almost got him half a chance.
Lambert for me got it wrong with the tactical switch. Watching the game the line up suggest we'd play 4-2-3-1. Wasn't the case of course. Standard 4-4-2 really and again too narrow. Albrighton kept wide but offered nothing so there was no width again. Albrighton should have been first man off with the tactical change. His legs were going and he was poor. Gabby's team play had been good and his pace and hold up play would have been a good outlet against Norwich on the counter. We could have alleviated a lot of pressure.
Quite clearly though we're too inexperience and there's not enough quality, especially midfield. The sending off killed us as I thought Norwich would struggle to score whilst 11 v 11. Poor game with two crap sides though. We'll struggle over the next fortnight and this was a must win.
I hope Bennett got plenty of wet towel treatment last night. Foolish, schoolboy defending. We may as well bring Warnock back if the lad is gonna do that. He needs to learn quickly though.
Gabby- 7 His hold up play is very good. IMO Lamberts biggest error was taking off Gabby. We missed his experience and his pace. Could have been a good outlet out wide. Didn't look tired or injured so it must have been tactical. I'd have taken off Alby and put Gab wide. That he lead a pre match huddle says a lot. He's a senior statesman now and players like him will be vital for us to stay up.
Christ! Agbonlahor was dreadful he brings absolutely nothing to the team and yet some of you (and to be fair other Villa forums) think hes wonderful. I know its all about opinions but Ive been watching the Villa for fifty six years and I cant recall another player who divides the fans as much as he does.
Can someone please explain why he keeps getting in the team I just dont see it Im afraid.
Must admit I agreed with 100% of supertoms assessment. Gabby should have stayed on yesterday and Albrighton should have been sacrificed. I have my issues with Gabby as a player but yesterday was set up for his pace when we went down to 10 men. Poor poor decision from Lambert.
Got to say Supertom giving Delph 6 is madness he was terrible and how on earth do Gabby and Benteke get the same mark?!
-
In preseason the midfield of kea, Holman, Ireland and bannan looked to be decent
Absolute myth. Did you not go to Forest ?
Did you not see the Newcastle and Swansea games?
Swansea - but for Guzan and poor finishing we could easily have been 2 or 3 down before Lowtons goal.
What would be our ideal midfield targets in January ?
Michael Essien who is on a seasons loan at Real Madrid. Im not sure if Chelsea can sell him before then but he should be (at 29) the type of player we must be looking at
Yep. I reckon that Kaka looks decent too, and he's not getting a game.
-
I think we would have won the game if Bennett had not gone.
We looked ok between when we scored and he went off.
Guzan and Benteke toss up for MOTM
Herd and Gabby did ok
Delph not as bad as many have said, but did give the ball away a lot.
Albrighton diabolical.
Vlaar crap until about 70 mins and then awesome, quite a turnaround.
The rest were ropey.
The midfield is very weak, and for the most part the defence scares me.
Issues have not been adressed from last season, and substitions were madness, but i still have faith in him to turn it around.
-
We need creativity in midfield and a cutting edge up front, get Bannan, N'Zogbia, Ireland and Bent in for Delph, Albrighton, Agbonlahor and Benteke.
-
OH BOY DO WE MISS PETROV!!!! The bloke was playing the best football of his career AND scoring goals before he got ill.