Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: barrysleftfoot on December 29, 2013, 10:58:01 AM
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I'm 50 now, i've been going down VP for at least 40 years, starting when we was in the 3rd division, i've seen some dross in my time, but yday i think was the worst i have felt coming away from a game.At least under previous poor leadership you had liitle bits of optimism, like young lads coming through, or players you knew would be better under a better manager, but yday, nothing.
Theres not one Villa player at the moment i actually think i enjoy watching, the tactics are non-existant, the quality of the majority of his signings are at best "work in progress", but what worries me, is looking at the teams around us, and i include Sland in that, how many of our current team would get in our direct opponents teams?
How many Villa players would Swansea/Albion/West Ham want.I'd say 2 or 3 at most.Thats what this manager has done, thats why i hope he is dispensed with sooner rather than later.
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Hard to disagree with any of that blf.
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It's the worst squad of players we've had during my time, 23 years or so. If we continue buying like we are, we'll only be heading one way.
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Buying players with potential was always going to be a risky strategy. Thing is, Lambert is achieving his target set by Lerner. Reduce the wage bill, bring in cheaper players, hopefully we can sell some on for a profit, and keep us in the division. Randy has no intention of splashing out, and even if he does what would we achieve? 7th place, a Uefa Cup spot where we end up playing our reserves in Uzbekistan on a Thursday night?
As much as Lambert is struggling in our eyes, in Randy's he's seen as doing what is asked of him.
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I just can't see Lambert buying any experienced players in the window because that would be admitting that he was wrong with his "young and hungry" model. It's just not going to happen, like last year he will just rely on blind faith, however the difference is that the players were performing last season, aren't this season. We're in the shit for sure unless Randy pulls the trigger fast and gives the new manager substantial funds to improve us
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Agree, what ever Lambert says about "a work in progress" the simple fact is that the players are just not PL standard apart from Okore and Benteke. He wasted the summer budget on cheap foreign imports which haven't worked. It's time to abandon this high risk strategy and buy some experienced quality players, but Lerner seems content with trying to do it on the cheap. It also needs an experienced board member with some football nous because these Americans and Faulkner haven't got a clue.
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There are about four other threads discussing ths sort of stuff. Do we really need another?
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Buying players with potential was always going to be a risky strategy. Thing is, Lambert is achieving his target set by Lerner. Reduce the wage bill, bring in cheaper players, hopefully we can sell some on for a profit, and keep us in the division. Randy has no intention of splashing out, and even if he does what would we achieve? 7th place, a Uefa Cup spot where we end up playing our reserves in Uzbekistan on a Thursday night?
As much as Lambert is struggling in our eyes, in Randy's he's seen as doing what is asked of him.
Sadly this is true in many ways , the gap at the top is huge regarding champions league places - the Europa cup is a hindrance to many as it's far too many games - last season we finished 14th i think ?
I can see why randy would probably not spend £30m on players to achieve what - 8th place?
An outlay of £30m to get maybe £4m extra in league prize money would not be worthwhile - the problem is though we are not that good that we can expect to survive without major additions - I can see him being content with midtable finishes but believe me at this moment without new decent signings this side is not too good to go down.
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The inability to pass the football is staggering. It's absolutely awful.
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Piss poor.
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The inability to pass the football is staggering. It's absolutely awful.
Also ball control, positioning when taking or defending corners (such as how many men to leave back), keeping a ball down when shooting etc.
These are all basic skills that are drummed into kids at school.
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Buying players with potential was always going to be a risky strategy. Thing is, Lambert is achieving his target set by Lerner. Reduce the wage bill, bring in cheaper players, hopefully we can sell some on for a profit, and keep us in the division. Randy has no intention of splashing out, and even if he does what would we achieve? 7th place, a Uefa Cup spot where we end up playing our reserves in Uzbekistan on a Thursday night?
As much as Lambert is struggling in our eyes, in Randy's he's seen as doing what is asked of him.
The only thing Lerner seems to have requested is to get our wages to earnings ratio back to something that is sustainable and keeps the club financially stable - not unreasonable. Lambert has decided to trawl lower leagues and cheap foreign imports to build his squad.
I don't believe Lerner has told him not to buy experience where it may be required. We all agree a reasonable balance between that and young players with potential would be the best approach. I just don't understand why Lambert has spent the sums he has and left us with such a fragile group of players. Really poor management in my opinion but not Lerner's fault.
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I'm 50 now, i've been going down VP for at least 40 years, starting when we was in the 3rd division, i've seen some dross in my time, but yday i think was the worst i have felt coming away from a game.At least under previous poor leadership you had liitle bits of optimism, like young lads coming through, or players you knew would be better under a better manager, but yday, nothing.
Theres not one Villa player at the moment i actually think i enjoy watching, the tactics are non-existant, the quality of the majority of his signings are at best "work in progress", but what worries me, is looking at the teams around us, and i include Sland in that, how many of our current team would get in our direct opponents teams?
How many Villa players would Swansea/Albion/West Ham want.I'd say 2 or 3 at most.Thats what this manager has done, thats why i hope he is dispensed with sooner rather than later.
This is the squad that got us relegated in 1987. They played 4 more games and only amassed 36 points. They managed only 1 away win all season at Coventry. There are similarities of young players under 23 and a couple of aging/past it players. This team gave me many more depressing days than the current team or yesterday's performance have.
First Division table 1986/87 (42 games)
18. Oxford United 46 (pts)
19. Charlton Athletic 44*
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20. Leicester City 42
21. Manchester City 39
22. Aston Villa 36
*Charlton avoided relegation after defeating Second Division side Leeds in the play-off final.
The Villa squad from 1986/87
GOALKEEPERS
Nigel Spink (age at time: 28)
A survivor from the European Cup-winning squad, Spink played 38 games during the campaign and would spend 19 years at the club before leaving in 1996 after losing his place to Mark Bosnich.
Kevin Poole (23)
Graduate from the academy but was always second choice to Spink and left at the end of the season. Today, Poole is still on the playing staff at Burton Albion.
DEFENDERS
Martin Keown (20)
Joined from Arsenal at the start of the campaign and remained a regular at Villa Park before departing for Everton in 1989. Later rejoined the Gunners where he twice won the Double.
Tony Dorigo (20)
Left for Chelsea at the end of the season having played 48 games over the campaign. Later went on to be capped 15 times by England before winning the top flight title with Leeds in 1992.
Paul Elliott (22)
Another young defender who would depart at the end of the season. Elliott played 37 games before leaving for Italy and Pisa. Forced to retire while at Chelsea in 1994 following a serious knee injury sustained two years earlier.
Allan Evans (29)
The Scot spent 12 years at Villa Park scoring 51 goals in 380 league appearances before leaving in 1989 after helping the club re-establish in the top flight.
Gary Williams (26)
Another member of the European Cup-winning team. After featuring 26 times over the year, Williams left the club at the end of the season for Leeds United after nine years at Villa Park.
Dave Norton (21)
Spent five years at Villa but was more often used as a utility player before leaving for Notts County in 1988 after featuring just twice in the promotion campaign.
MIDFIELDERS
Steve Hunt (30)
Started his career at Villa in 1973 but featured very little before leaving four years later. Returned again in 1986 and became a regular over the next two seasons before retiring.
Steve Hodge (23)
An England international but spent just a little over a year at the club before a loss of form saw him jump the sinking Villa ship early in the season and move to title challengers Tottenham.
Tony Daley (18)
After joining as an apprentice in 1985, the pacey winger spent nine years at Villa playing 290 games and scoring 38 goals. Featured seven times under Graham Taylor for England between 1991 and 1992.
Mark Walters (22)
The winger started his career at Villa Park and spent six years at the club before leaving following relegation after injury restricted him to just 26 appearances. Later enjoyed spells at Rangers and Liverpool.
Paul Birch (23)
Another youth product who became a fans’ favourite in his 11 years at the club before leaving for Wolves in 1991. Sadly passed away in 2009 following a battle with cancer.
Neale Cooper (23)
Signed at the start of the season but only played 15 times during the campaign due to injury. Moved to Rangers following just two years in the West Midlands.
Simon Stainrod (27)
Never hit the same heights as his debut when he scored four goals in a League Cup win at Exeter. Top scorer with eight goals, Stainrod left for Stoke at the end of the season after three years at Villa Park.
Garry Thompson (26)
Often partnering Stainrod in attack, Thompson netted seven times in his first season at the club before departing for Watford following promotion back to the top flight in 1988.
Andy Gray (30)
Back for a second stint at Villa but never matched his 1970s highs as just five league goals in two years saw him depart once again at the start of the following season.
Warren Aspinall (18)
Signed during the second half of the campaign from Everton for £300,000, Aspinall netted three goals in 12 games but left the club after just one full season in 1988.
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I have no idea how anyone can say that the current side is worse than that lot above. You can say ours has played really poorly at times, has less experience, is more naive in certain circumstances etc etc. But look at that lot above. Players with experience, a European Cup medal, World Cup appearances, international caps. That lot thrilled us to bottom spot and embarrassed the club to a magic 36 points. Yes there are issues with the squad today, and they need to be fixed, but to suggest this is the worst anyone has ever seen is mind blowing. The current set of players are going through what amounts to a crisis in confidence and it is affecting their ability to do a lot of the things they were doing well at the end of last season. We've also lost one of the most feared forwards in Europe to 2 injuries and most recently our captain. Lambert has made mistakes and needs to learn from them, so like I said we have problems that can be resolved and need to be. But the above lot. They disgraced the club with they did that season.
I would put bet any money that if Sir Graham joined Villa tomorrow he would not describe the club as a shambles.
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Theres not one Villa player at the moment i actually think i enjoy watching, the tactics are non-existant, the quality of the majority of his signings are at best "work in progress", but what worries me, is looking at the teams around us, and i include Sland in that, how many of our current team would get in our direct opponents teams?
How many Villa players would Swansea/Albion/West Ham want. I'd say 2 or 3 at most. Thats what this manager has done, thats why i hope he is dispensed with sooner rather than later.
I think much of this depends on how well we are playing. I'm not sure if you are saying in your last paragraph that what Lambert has done is buy poor players, or that he's not realised the potential of those players, or possibly both?
Last season we had various supporters asking at times when the likes of Delph, Westwood and Lowton would be getting in the England squad. This season we have various supporters saying that the same players are not even good enough for the premiership. I'm not saying it's the same people necessarily saying these conflicting things, but it's an indication of how our perceptions of players can change dependent on how the team is doing and playing as a whole.
I would say then it comes down to management and coaching. If you're going to buy the kind of players we have (not the finished article) then you obviously have to develop them. To me however this season it looks like a lot of them are regressing not progressing. In part i think much of this must be down to coaching and tactics this season.
I also think that Lambert has done his younger players a great disservice in their potential development by not giving them the necessary quality experienced heads to play alongside and learn from. It makes a massive difference to a developing player if he can look across and see someone of respected quality and experience on the pitch next to them, to marshal them, guide them and talk to them, to provide that little bit of nous or discipline which can make all the difference at the key moments in a game, and therefore potentially win or lose a game.
There is a reason many a 'good' manager talks about the importance of blooding young players slowly and in the right environment, and that is so that those players can develop in the right way and at the right speed, without too much expectation or pressure on their heads, which otherwise might destroy their confidence and so their future.
Lambert's philosophy seems to be throw them all in at the deep end and see which ones sink and which ones swim. Unfortunately this method will probably sink a lot of players that could potentially make it if they were given the right support. This might possibly work in the lower leagues, but not in the premier league which as an exacting and unforgiving league.
Ultimately then i don't think we have enough quality experienced players in the team, so we don't have the right balance.
Off the top of my head Guzan and Benteke would be the only players other teams would really want. I think a lot of the other players would potentially be wanted by other teams as squad fillers, or might even fit in teams that are more balanced and could surround them with the right players to support or develop them. There are a lot of players that we have got rid of as not being good enough over the years, but now play fairly solid roles for other clubs as they are in the right team or context.
So yes, i think Lambert has to shoulder the blame, we have some potentially good players but they've not been given the support required to develop from Lambert, i also don't believe for a moment that they've shown a lack of effort, they just genuinely sometimes look confused and lost as to what to do, and again that's Lambert's fault.
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Its not the just the standard of players, its also the backroom staff. Apart from a spell at Norwich none have any Premiership experience as coaches, they have all held onto Lamberts coat tails from job to job (Cowans being the exception).
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Lambert has to be judged on his signings and had got the ones this summer woefully wrong apart from Okore, but lets not re-write history here.
Guzan (Lambert signed him) is easily a top 10 in the league keeper and proves it weekly.
Lowton - is a good player and will return to form. He is learning, and needs experience round him
Vlaar - good leader, solid this term, no coincidence that when he is out we struggle
Okore - Looked a really solid player before the injury. Very unlucky to have got the injury, and will be a very good signing long term.
Westwood - I know he has had a tough time this season, but he is a good player. He keeps the ball, reads the game well and is really highly thought of.
Benteke - not much needs saying.
Beyond that, Bacuna, Bennett and Kozak are in the iffy category.
The biggest issue is that this lot need some experience heads around them to help them. In the middle of the park if you put a genuine number 10 who will come and take the ball and make you play in the opposition half, then Westwood and Benteke suddenly look very different as they are both helped no end. Another centre half comes in and the flexibility to got 3-5-2 in games is opened up. A genuine defensive midfielder comes in and covers the back 4 and the full backs are not as exposed - in the 4-3-3 a number 10 and a couple of wide players that can beat the opposition and supply the forwards and we are transformed. The problem is the likes of Tonev, Luna, KEA, Baker etc are not good enough and the injuries to the likes of Vlaar, Okore etc are killing us. We have got decent players, but they need decent players with them to bring them back up a level or 6.
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The lack of basic skills is quite staggering: contolling, trapping and passing the ball to player in the same coloured shirt seems beyond our players. The amount of times we may be strung two or three passes together then lost it was beyond belief. Conference level players would be ashamed of that. Too many players are hiding and we lack any real leaders on the pitch - a leader with EXPERIENCE! So many ex-pro's, pundits etc. have cited this but stupid, pig-headed Lambert carries on in the same brainless manner!
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Last season we had various supporters asking at times when the likes of Delph, Westwood and Lowton would be getting in the England squad. This season we have various supporters saying that the same players are not even good enough for the premiership. I'm not saying it's the same people necessarily saying these conflicting things, but it's an indication of how our perceptions of players can change dependent on how the team is doing and playing as a whole...
Not going to quote your whole post again, but it was a pretty accurate summation of my own feelings. I tend to think that many of the players that we have are currently below Premier League standard - but in spite of that there are the makings of a decent team. The problem is that for youngsters to fulfil their potential, they need someone to learn from on the pitch as well as on the training field. I maintain that two experienced, quality players in that squad could calm the younger lads down, transform performances and raise everyone's game. When Vlaar's playing, he does this effectively for the defence. We need a similar figure in midfield, and perhaps a more experienced left-back. That's all it would take, and once performances have improved and we look more like a nailed-on mid-table side, Lambert can start to build from there.
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There's a lot of hyperbole in here at the moment. If Guzan, vlaar, Delph, benteke or gabby were on the market anyone in the bottom half would love to have them. Love it. And they'd be interested in Lowton, Westwood, Weimann too.
Aston Villa: Enckelman, Mellberg, Alpay, Johnsen, De la Cruz (Hadji 60), Kinsella, Gudjonsson, Barry, Wright (Samuel 60), Crouch, Vassell (Allback 65).
Subs Not Used: Postma, Hendrie.
Look at the team below for example: DLC, kinsella, Joey gudjohnsen (we also had leonhardsen this season)
Do people seriously think the current crop are worse than some of those players?
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Info.
Thank you for this. Great read.
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There's a lot of hyperbole in here at the moment. If Guzan, vlaar, Delph, benteke or gabby were on the market anyone in the bottom half would love to have them. Love it. And they'd be interested in Lowton, Westwood, Weimann too.
Aston Villa: Enckelman, Mellberg, Alpay, Johnsen, De la Cruz (Hadji 60), Kinsella, Gudjonsson, Barry, Wright (Samuel 60), Crouch, Vassell (Allback 65).
Subs Not Used: Postma, Hendrie.
Look at the team below for example: DLC, kinsella, Joey gudjohnsen (we also had leonhardsen this season)
Do people seriously think the current crop are worse than some of those players?
I was thinking the same myself, that was the 2002/3 team by the looks of it, only 11 years ago and managed by none other than Sir Graham Taylor Mk II. Some short memories on here, that was a far worse team than the current incumbents and Taylors transfers were mind boggling.
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There's a lot of hyperbole in here at the moment. If Guzan, vlaar, Delph, benteke or gabby were on the market anyone in the bottom half would love to have them. Love it. And they'd be interested in Lowton, Westwood, Weimann too.
Aston Villa: Enckelman, Mellberg, Alpay, Johnsen, De la Cruz (Hadji 60), Kinsella, Gudjonsson, Barry, Wright (Samuel 60), Crouch, Vassell (Allback 65).
Subs Not Used: Postma, Hendrie.
Look at the team below for example: DLC, kinsella, Joey gudjohnsen (we also had leonhardsen this season)
Do people seriously think the current crop are worse than some of those players?
Guzan and benteke are the 2 real jewels in the crown .
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There's a lot of hyperbole in here at the moment. If Guzan, vlaar, Delph, benteke or gabby were on the market anyone in the bottom half would love to have them. Love it. And they'd be interested in Lowton, Westwood, Weimann too.
Aston Villa: Enckelman, Mellberg, Alpay, Johnsen, De la Cruz (Hadji 60), Kinsella, Gudjonsson, Barry, Wright (Samuel 60), Crouch, Vassell (Allback 65).
Subs Not Used: Postma, Hendrie.
Look at the team below for example: DLC, kinsella, Joey gudjohnsen (we also had leonhardsen this season)
Do people seriously think the current crop are worse than some of those players?
That's four players picked out. Arguably the major problem with Leonhardsen for example (I actually thought he did okay in his limited time here) was that he was just passed his best.
Mellberg, Johnson and Alpay are better than any CH we have now. Including Vlaar. Encks was shite to be fair.
I'd take DLC over all three left backs we have at the club for example. J'Lloyd too.
Barrys a whole other level of class over what we have in midfield. Hendrie was better than what we have in midfield. I don't have confidence any of them will play 250 top flight games and score around 30 goals, and Hendrie isn't even held in that high esteem either.
So without question I would say the squad Taylor had was a lot better than what Lambert has now. It wasn't very good either.
Will Westwood, KEA, Bacuna, even Delph all have the same sort of career that Oyvind had, Hendrie had? I don't think they will to be honest. Delph might come close in terms of appearences at this level. The rest I'm not sure. I think they're destined to drop down a level again, be it domestically or back to an inferior league. Westwood I think will be lucky if he can emulate Kinsellas club career. Vassell was twice the player Weimann will ever be to be honest.
We have had periods when we've had a lot of dross. The trouble is the ratio of dross right now is far too high. We've not got as much quality in among it to make up for that either.
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I think part of the problem with the young players thing isn't so much that we relied on them, or blooded them, it is that, certainly last season, we played too many of them at the same time.
It wasn't purely from choice, injury obviously played a part in it, but I look at, say, Ciaran Clark as he plays alongside Vlaar and he looks significantly more solid than he does alongside, say, Baker.
That doesn't mean that Vlaar is doing the work and Clark is standing by, watching, it also means that there is significantly less pressure placed on younger players when they are one of two or three in the team than there is when we've got almost a whole team of them.
I remember when Giggs was coming through with that whole golden generation group of players at Man United, and Ferguson was incredibly careful how he introduced him, not too much at once, easing him in, and now look, he's one of the most accomplished players in the PL and still playing at 40 (or whatever age it is).
I am not saying that any of our young kids are anything like as good as Giggs, and I am not directly comparing our situation to Man United's back then, what I mean is, throw loads of kids together at one time, and they are about as up against it as it is possible to be.
I am as scared by Baker as the next man, but I do feel sorry for him, all through great chunks of last year and this he's been stuck in with either other kids, or a makeshift defence, and it's doubly difficult to thrive in those circumstances.
Of course, although part of it is down to injuries, that is also down to those who select the players for the squad, and shape it, but it's worth bearing in mind.
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He repeatedly calls it 'a project' and portrays this as a transition period, but surely you would buy players that would progress the football club and take us forward, and how on earth some of his signings are in an Aston Villa shirt I will never know
El Ahmadi - Not good enough
Tonev - Not good enough
Helenius - Not good enough (From the limited amount of minutes he has played)
Bacuna - Not good enough
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Some of the 'not good enough' players may well thrive with more experienced men around them. We have seen players in this situation before. It is crap at the moment but will be all the more enjoyable when we break out of this lull. We have grown up not to expect to win every game. In all honesty that would be boring, with all sorts jumping on the bandwagon. We are fortunate to be getting great home crowds at the moment. We have started the climb back from much lower places than this before.
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The inability to pass the football is staggering. It's absolutely awful.
Also ball control, positioning when taking or defending corners (such as how many men to leave back), keeping a ball down when shooting etc.
These are all basic skills that are drummed into kids at school.
Both of these points.
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My guess is Dave that it's beginning to dawn on the club too that they cannot continue down this current path. I still feel that most of Lambert's signings will be fine but they need help. Proper help from players they can look up to or draw inspiration from. Throw in Benteke who needs to come back to form and Vlaar we look very different quickly. Quality not quantity is needed this January and you're right we've dug out from bigger holes in the past.
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My guess is Dave that it's beginning to dawn on the club too that they cannot continue down this current path. I still feel that most of Lambert's signings will be fine but they need help. Proper help from players they can look up to or draw inspiration from. Throw in Benteke who needs to come back to form and Vlaar we look very different quickly. Quality not quantity is needed this January and you're right we've dug out from bigger holes in the past.
Quality not quantity - spot on .
At least 2 but preferably 3 quality proven players , even if that means loan signings.
THe window opens in a couple of days so I hope we can move quickly and not wait until the end of the month to do business.
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Lambert has to be judged on his signings and had got the ones this summer woefully wrong apart from Okore, but lets not re-write history here.
Guzan (Lambert signed him) is easily a top 10 in the league keeper and proves it weekly.
Lowton - is a good player and will return to form. He is learning, and needs experience round him
Vlaar - good leader, solid this term, no coincidence that when he is out we struggle
Okore - Looked a really solid player before the injury. Very unlucky to have got the injury, and will be a very good signing long term.
Westwood - I know he has had a tough time this season, but he is a good player. He keeps the ball, reads the game well and is really highly thought of.
Benteke - not much needs saying.
Beyond that, Bacuna, Bennett and Kozak are in the iffy category.
The biggest issue is that this lot need some experience heads around them to help them. In the middle of the park if you put a genuine number 10 who will come and take the ball and make you play in the opposition half, then Westwood and Benteke suddenly look very different as they are both helped no end. Another centre half comes in and the flexibility to got 3-5-2 in games is opened up. A genuine defensive midfielder comes in and covers the back 4 and the full backs are not as exposed - in the 4-3-3 a number 10 and a couple of wide players that can beat the opposition and supply the forwards and we are transformed. The problem is the likes of Tonev, Luna, KEA, Baker etc are not good enough and the injuries to the likes of Vlaar, Okore etc are killing us. We have got decent players, but they need decent players with them to bring them back up a level or 6.
You have captured what I'd say here.
Lambert has been unlucky with the injuries - Okore, Bennett, Vlaar and Benteke have been missed for different reasons - but that's what happens, and we've been a little naive in some positions with the lack of cover (defensively, particularly).
The key point you make is that we have to bring in some experience to take the pressure off the players who need time to develop (Barry and Huddlestone are two that got away in the summer, as examples) - Lescott and de Bruyne might be good loan acquisitions.
January will see us gain very few points unless we act quickly.
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But its not just about the players, the biggest problem i have with PL is the tactics, and the coaching.
Yesterday was a great example of a club philosophy.There was a moment in the 2nd half, when the crowd were very supportive, the players responded, and tried to close the Swansea players down quicker, and further up the pitch.The Swansea players, because of their coaching, tactics, managers belief, knocked it around for 7 or 8 good one touch passes, and they were out of trouble counter-attacking us.It was quite impressive, and something i have seen from a Villa team under PL.
The lack of movement of the ball, the lack of support for the player on the ball, the lack of encouragement on and off the pitch, are the problems i have with PL, in some ways the actual players are irrelevant, you have a system, a style of play, you bring in players you think can play that system, and dispense with those who can't.What is PLs system, or style of play?I don't know, but i've seen no evidence of great tactician on the sidelines, going back to the Bradford game last year, hoof it and hope.Swindon under Hoddle had some right donkeys, but he produced a style of play that got them into the top league.
PL worries me, i think he is out of his depth, and hes done nothing to convince me otherwise.
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But its not just about the players, the biggest problem i have with PL is the tactics, and the coaching.
Yesterday was a great example of a club philosophy.There was a moment in the 2nd half, when the crowd were very supportive, the players responded, and tried to close the Swansea players down quicker, and further up the pitch.The Swansea players, because of their coaching, tactics, managers belief, knocked it around for 7 or 8 good one touch passes, and they were out of trouble counter-attacking us.It was quite impressive, and something i have seen from a Villa team under PL.
The lack of movement of the ball, the lack of support for the player on the ball, the lack of encouragement on and off the pitch, are the problems i have with PL, in some ways the actual players are irrelevant, you have a system, a style of play, you bring in players you think can play that system, and dispense with those who can't.What is PLs system, or style of play?I don't know, but i've seen no evidence of great tactician on the sidelines, going back to the Bradford game last year, hoof it and hope.Swindon under Hoddle had some right donkeys, but he produced a style of play that got them into the top league.
PL worries me, i think he is out of his depth, and hes done nothing to convince me otherwise.
This, this and this again.
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I think we have some good players. Weimann, Westwood & Lowton to name a few.
However, a distinct lack of confidence is reducing these players to standards well below what not only what we expect, but I also think what they expect of themselves.
No player wants the ball, which means that nobody is available to pass it to. It's a massive confidence issue. Over time, these players have shown they're capable of passing it, but lack of confidence is reducing them to looking very poor.
For a number of reasons, the players have no confidence whatsoever, but, with confidence, I think there's a good team there.
Whether Lambert is the one to drag them up an regain their confidence is another question...
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Yesterday was a great example of a club philosophy.There was a moment in the 2nd half, when the crowd were very supportive, the players responded, and tried to close the Swansea players down quicker, and further up the pitch.
I noticed that, but it fizzled out as soon as it started. It is the job of the Captain to maintain that effort for 90 minutes.