Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: eastie on November 14, 2013, 02:01:55 PM
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By James Nursey | 14/11/13
Aston Villa fans will not forget last season in a hurry.
It was a crazy, maddening campaign in which supporters often never knew which Paul Lambert side would turn up.
Would it be the side who lost 8-0 at Chelsea and were dumped out of the League Cup semi-final to League Two Bradford.
Or the team who brilliantly won at Man City earlier in the Cup and beat Liverpool at Anfield.
Either way, it was anything but dull as Lambert bloodied a side of youngsters and new foreign talent as his side flirted with the drop.
Last season Villa conceded 69 League goals and without player of the season Brad Guzan in goal it would have been a lot worse.
But this season's current solid mid-table Villa side are now becoming increasingly more predictable.
Villa have four clean sheets already and have conceded just 12 times in 11 games.
That is despite playing seven of the top nine clubs already.
It is quite clear there has been a big defensive transformation at Villa Park.
For starters captain and Dutch international centre-back Ron Vlaar has really stepped up.
I felt Vlaar - when he wasn't injured - had a mediocre campaign at best last season following his £3.2million move from Feyenoord.
I remember challenging the defender to show more leadership when Villa were really struggling.
This season though Vlaar has been immense and has played every League game and been consistently decent.
So credit to Ron for raising his performances and it is no coincidence he now seems to be playing for his country more often too.
Boss Lambert also deserves plaudits for his astute management because I understand his recruitment of former Arsenal defender Scott Marshall to the backroom staff has been very influential.
Lambert was asked about Marshall's contribution recently and actually just stressed the good work of his long-term No.2 Ian Culverhouse.
That's classic Lambert who likes to keep his cards close to his chest.
But my sources at Bodymoor Heath say Marshall has played a telling role since his arrival from Norwich this summer, where he was U21 head development coach.
Marshall is apparently quite a studious, serious fella.
And he has taken up the challenge with gusto and a determination to make a difference.
His arrival looks another superb low-key signing by Lambert.
His work certainly appears to be paying dividends after Villa recorded their second successive clean sheet against Cardiff.
The visitors never looked like scoring and did not trouble Guzan as fellow defenders Nathan Baker, Ciaran Clark and Leandro Bacuna also impressed.
Their collective work and that of Lambert's entire coaching team is now ensuring Villa "staying in games" as Lambert describes it.
But I am sure Marshall, who learned his trade at Highbury, has definitely made a real difference.
As a result, Villa have been transformed into a much more reliable - and effectively more boring - outfit who are by consequence far more likely to pick up points.
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Most decent sides should start from the back. Get that right, then you can work on the attacking side. I think Lambo tried it the other way round last season and it didn't entirely work, at times disastrously so.
As long as we stay solid defensively we've got that base. A couple of new signings and bit more training ground work on our passing and movement, and we'll be more entertaining in attack too I feel. I think if we can win 3 of our next 4 home games, which we should be looking to do (one of those is Utd, and it could go either way dependant on how much they improve between now and then). The others should be games we're expecting to win in.
If we can breed a bit of confidence at VP, that will be a start. Not losing at home, putting on an unbeaten run would be a good start.
Away from home we may find it harder than Feb-march last season, as teams tighten up on us and don't allow us to break at pace as often. So staying hard to beat and picking up points against bottom 12 opposition remains essential.
Sign some guile and quality in midfield and the attacking side takes a step up I think. Until then I suspect results will stay on a similar level, which is good enough. It keeps us on course for around the 50 point region, well clear of the drop.
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Personally i had never heard of this Scott Marshall fella - but fair play to him and PL for bringing him in, as it's plain for all to see the difference
in our defensive capabilities/ strengths.....long may it continue. So spot on from James Nursey!!!
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like bouma before him, vlaar has improved a lot in his second season.
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Personally i had never heard of this Scott Marshall fella - but fair play to him and PL for bringing him in, as it's plain for all to see the difference
in our defensive capabilities/ strengths.....long may it continue. So spot on from James Nursey!!!
No nor me. We last had an organised defence under Steve Walford. He too is an ex Arsenal defender.
We should bring in Kenny Sansom for the full backs!
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It's all very well people saying "he is an international he should be able to slot in" etc etc. but the Premier League is a lot faster and physically more demanding than the other european leagues. Add in that he probably hadn't seen how most of his opponents played and also the fact that he was expected to baby mind the rest of the defence, then personally I don't think Vlaar should have had as much criticism thrown his way as he did. This season the others are performing better, he now knows what most opponents are like, he is used to the pace and physicality and he is obviously a lot happier with himself. This is reflected in his performances.
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Last season Vlaar had to adapt to a new country , new league and new teammates - along with this he shouldered the responsibility of the captaincy and was the leader of a young inexperienced defence , also he had his share of injury problems so it's no surprise it has taken a while to see him perform at this level - he now looks settled and is thriving on the captaincy - this season he has been superb , and the defence on the whole have improved greatly .
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And we still have Okore to come in next season. He will be like a new signing. Again.
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Vlaar got a lot of unfair stick last season, but has still improved this term.
A very good signing for the money we paid.
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Hopefully Vlaar will weigh in with the odd spectacular goal this season as well.
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Personally i had never heard of this Scott Marshall fella - but fair play to him and PL for bringing him in, as it's plain for all to see the difference
in our defensive capabilities/ strengths.....long may it continue. So spot on from James Nursey!!!
No nor me. We last had an organised defence under Steve Walford. He too is an ex Arsenal defender.
We should bring in Kenny Sansom for the full backs!
In't he living rough?
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Personally i had never heard of this Scott Marshall fella - but fair play to him and PL for bringing him in, as it's plain for all to see the difference
in our defensive capabilities/ strengths.....long may it continue. So spot on from James Nursey!!!
No nor me. We last had an organised defence under Steve Walford. He too is an ex Arsenal defender.
We should bring in Kenny Sansom for the full backs!
In't he living rough?
Indeed, last i heard he was sleeping on a park bench about a month ago.
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Vlaar's injury played a part last season too. He was trying to establish himself, got injured and by the time he came back we weren't exactly playing with gusto.
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Hopefully Vlaar will weigh in with the odd spectacular goal this season as well.
Hit it! Go on, hit it!
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8692878305_067f973060_o.gif)
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I thought he was gash last season, but he's certainly improved this. One of these days he may even start to deserve to be called by his nickname "Concrete Ron".
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Fair play to Ron, i know he had injuries last year, but i thought that was as good as it gets with him, but this season he has been good and has been the type of cb we have lacked for a while, such a shame about Okore as i thought they were starting to look really good together.
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Clark's playing better so Vlaar doesn't have to worry about him, so he can do his own job properly so Clark has a better player alongside so plays better and so on.
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I knew Clark was playing well on Saturday when I realised I hadn't noticed him. If that makes sense.
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The confidence gained from clean sheets all bodes well for the future - I was unaware of the influence Marshall has had on things since arriving but he seems to be doing a very good job.
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Hopefully Vlaar will weigh in with the odd spectacular goal this season as well.
Hit it! Go on, hit it!
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8692878305_067f973060_o.gif)
Can we have references to last season's home win against Sunderland made an automatic banning offence?
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His goal at Wigan was excuisite.
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I knew Clark was playing well on Saturday when I realised I hadn't noticed him. If that makes sense.
Yes...... it was the same with Heskey as well.
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Hopefully Vlaar will weigh in with the odd spectacular goal this season as well.
Hit it! Go on, hit it!
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8692878305_067f973060_o.gif)
Can we have references to last season's home win against Sunderland made an automatic banning offence?
It was a great night and Di Canio got what he had coming.
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I knew Clark was playing well on Saturday when I realised I hadn't noticed him. If that makes sense.
Yes...... it was the same with Heskey as well.
Yes, Heskey really impresses me with his absence
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Baros has been playing great for years.
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Stas has been outstanding. Where is he?
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Stas has been outstanding. Where is he?
Having dinner with david unsworth somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle.
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I thought he was gash last season, but he's certainly improved this. One of these days he may even start to deserve to be called by his nickname "Concrete Ron".
He wasn't gash you big drama queen
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He wasn't gash, he was inconsistent and unreliable and frequently injured. But not gash
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Hopefully Vlaar will weigh in with the odd spectacular goal this season as well.
Hit it! Go on, hit it!
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8692878305_067f973060_o.gif)
Can we have references to last season's home win against Sunderland made an automatic banning offence?
It was a great night and Di Canio got what he had coming.
Honestly the best night I've ever had at Villa Park.
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Hopefully Vlaar will weigh in with the odd spectacular goal this season as well.
Hit it! Go on, hit it!
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8692878305_067f973060_o.gif)
Can we have references to last season's home win against Sunderland made an automatic banning offence?
It was a great night and Di Canio got what he had coming.
Honestly the best night I've ever had at Villa Park.
With the way things have been it seemed a bit like that to me too.
But I've been going down to VP since 1960!
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Hopefully Vlaar will weigh in with the odd spectacular goal this season as well.
Hit it! Go on, hit it!
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8692878305_067f973060_o.gif)
Can we have references to last season's home win against Sunderland made an automatic banning offence?
It was a great night and Di Canio got what he had coming.
Honestly the best night I've ever had at Villa Park.
With the way things have been it seemed a bit like that to me too.
But I've been going down to VP since 1960!
I've been going since 2003, so you can't really blame me!
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I thought he was gash last season, but he's certainly improved this. One of these days he may even start to deserve to be called by his nickname "Concrete Ron".
He wasn't gash you big drama queen
He was in my opinion, you big tart.
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Hopefully Vlaar will weigh in with the odd spectacular goal this season as well.
Hit it! Go on, hit it!
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8692878305_067f973060_o.gif)
Can we have references to last season's home win against Sunderland made an automatic banning offence?
It was a great night and Di Canio got what he had coming.
Honestly the best night I've ever had at Villa Park.
With the way things have been it seemed a bit like that to me too.
But I've been going down to VP since 1960!
I've been going since 2003, so you can't really blame me!
Have been struggling who to blame until now Chips, but now you mention mate, it's all your fault, obviously!
The facts don't lie!
The good times are coming back mate - just be patient!
Keep the Faith.
UTV!
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Hopefully Vlaar will weigh in with the odd spectacular goal this season as well.
Hit it! Go on, hit it!
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8122/8692878305_067f973060_o.gif)
Can we have references to last season's home win against Sunderland made an automatic banning offence?
It was a great night and Di Canio got what he had coming.
Honestly the best night I've ever had at Villa Park.
With the way things have been it seemed a bit like that to me too.
But I've been going down to VP since 1960!
I've been going since 2003, so you can't really blame me!
Have been struggling who to blame until now Chips, but now you mention mate, it's all your fault, obviously!
The facts don't lie!
The good times are coming back mate - just be patient!
Keep the Faith.
UTV!
It may be because I'm a stupid, impressionable student, but I've never felt as passionate about anything in my life as I do about Villa. The excitement of the next game gets me through every day, I've got over two weeks till the Sunderland game and it's all I can think about. Always have kept the faith and always will.
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Couldn't agree more.
(not about you being stupid etc...)
Next game, the Baggies, is massive for me.
Hate to admit it, but they are playing well, and that kid is our Benteke of last season.
I'm sort of dreading the worst, but thinking/hoping we can turn the ba**ards over, big time!
That "we know what what we are" thing really got up my nose and I just wanna shove it right back in their faces!
Come on you Lions!
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I was one of Vlaar's biggest critics last season but I do agree with fredm and dave. He had to adapt to living and playing in a new country, deal with injuries and babysit a defensive unit who at one point had gone past lacking confidence to the point of looking like rabbits caught in headlights. I think Scott Marshall played a few times for Arsenal and then dropped down the leagues and played in Scotland at one point. Although Wikipedia reckons he is the nephew of Laverne from Laverne and Shirley fame and directed Sabrina The Teenage Witch.
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I can't believe anyone wants references to the Sunderland game banned. It was one of my favourite ever Villa games for so many reasons. In particular thatI was so tense and nervous I could barely sit down and by the end I was so elated I couldn't sleep till about 2am.
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Sunderland night was great.
Walking on Witton lane past the Holte end after the match and all you could here down the road was about 5 Christian Benteke songs all starting up. It was like walking back to camp at a festival after a great band had just finished a headline set and everyone's in good spirits.
Clark and Vlaar have been excellent so far this season, fair play to both.
We're sorted now playing the bottom half teams and are keeping clean sheets on a regular basis. Next step now is to tighten up against the better teams in the league as we're still conceding two on average e.g. 2 against Spurs, Everton, Man. City and Chelsea so if we can crack that then that really will be a fantastic defensive improvement.
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I can't believe anyone wants references to the Sunderland game banned. It was one of my favourite ever Villa games for so many reasons. In particular thatI was so tense and nervous I could barely sit down and by the end I was so elated I couldn't sleep till about 2am.
It's just a little bit of pointed fun aimed at myself. Do you know the circumstances behind it?
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I got fucked off after they equalised. Anyone know how it ended?