Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: andyaston on February 08, 2014, 08:05:43 PM
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We haven't won a game since 15th December away to Liverpool without our experience and best centre half. Today, I was worried before the game even with West Ham having such a poor scoring record Baker and Clark are just a plain awful pairing at centre half. Paul Lambert is going to be offered a new contract and he didn't address the centre back problem with Okore out and Vlaar fragile.
Oh and Another thing we keep conceding the first two goals of the last several games close together:
Arsenal two goals in a minute.
Liverpool two goals in 7 minutes
West Brom 2 early goals in 5 minutes
Everton, two late goals in 9 minutes
Today v West Ham two early second half goals in 3 minutes
We are just shocking at the back, Lambert cannot set up a defence.
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This is precisely why needed to sign a centreback in the January window. Vlaar is so important to our defence but he can't stay fit! It was total madness to ignore the problem yet Lambert and Lerner did nothing.
Disgraceful.
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We don't win many with him in the team either. Baker and Clark weren't responsible for the goals today. Bertrand and Delph were, two of our better players.
I actually think that considering how basic West Ham are, get it to the wing, cross it or win a corner so as they can cross it again, or fall over if an opposition player is in the same time zone, win a freekick and whack it into the box, I thought they both did okay today.
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It's a problem not having Vlaar but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The fact is we're just a shower of shite full stop. 7 wins and 12 defeats in 25 games is dire. Can't defend, can't score, worst midfield in the top division.
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I hate to be a miserablist and agree with Saunders Heroes but I said all January it is utter lunacy to not sign a centre-half, at least on loan, because you can guarantee that within five seconds of the transfer window closing Vlaar would get injured.
I always wanted a central defender more than the fabled "number ten" that everyone else was after.
Hopefully we'll get away with it as we did last year but I'd much rather we didn't keep gambling our top-flight position every January transfer window.
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This is precisely why needed to sign a centreback in the January window. Vlaar is so important to our defence but he can't stay fit! It was total madness to ignore the problem yet Lambert and Lerner did nothing.
Disgraceful.
In fairness lerner made money available as we had a substantial bid for a player turned down , it's not the owners fault if the manager doesn't spend the money he had .
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This is precisely why needed to sign a centreback in the January window. Vlaar is so important to our defence but he can't stay fit! It was total madness to ignore the problem yet Lambert and Lerner did nothing.
Disgraceful.
In fairness lerner made money available as we had a substantial bid for a player turned down , it's not the owners fault if the manager doesn't spend the money he had .
Oh please! You're not falling for that garbage are you?
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This is precisely why needed to sign a centreback in the January window. Vlaar is so important to our defence but he can't stay fit! It was total madness to ignore the problem yet Lambert and Lerner did nothing.
Disgraceful.
In fairness lerner made money available as we had a substantial bid for a player turned down , it's not the owners fault if the manager doesn't spend the money he had .
Oh please! You're not falling for that garbage are you?
I'm no great fan of Lerner but I do believe lambert had money to spend last month and didn't spend it .
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This is precisely why needed to sign a centreback in the January window. Vlaar is so important to our defence but he can't stay fit! It was total madness to ignore the problem yet Lambert and Lerner did nothing.
Disgraceful.
In fairness lerner made money available as we had a substantial bid for a player turned down , it's not the owners fault if the manager doesn't spend the money he had .
Oh please! You're not falling for that garbage are you?
That whole "we bid loads for another player" thing sounds like the sort of thing you'd associate with Small Heath.
Small time.
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This is precisely why needed to sign a centreback in the January window. Vlaar is so important to our defence but he can't stay fit! It was total madness to ignore the problem yet Lambert and Lerner did nothing.
Disgraceful.
In fairness lerner made money available as we had a substantial bid for a player turned down , it's not the owners fault if the manager doesn't spend the money he had .
Oh please! You're not falling for that garbage are you?
That whole "we bid loads for another player" thing sounds like the sort of thing you'd associate with Small Heath.
Small time.
I was just about to post the exact same thing.
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We haven't won a game since 15th December away to Liverpool without our experience and best centre half. Today, I was worried before the game even with West Ham having such a poor scoring record Baker and Clark are just a plain awful pairing at centre half. Paul Lambert is going to be offered a new contract and he didn't address the centre back problem with Okore out and Vlaar fragile.
Oh and Another thing we keep conceding the first two goals of the last several games close together:
Arsenal two goals in a minute.
Liverpool two goals in 7 minutes
West Brom 2 early goals in 5 minutes
Everton, two late goals in 9 minutes
Today v West Ham two early second half goals in 3 minutes
We are just shocking at the back, Lambert cannot set up a defence.
And let's not forget that was 15th December 2012 not 2013!!!
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I honestly think Lambert is so clueless that he honestly thinks he did'nt need another centre half. I heard him say on Thursday that Vlarr was almost certain to be out but we have Baker and Clark and it gives another lad a chance
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This is precisely why needed to sign a centreback in the January window. Vlaar is so important to our defence but he can't stay fit! It was total madness to ignore the problem yet Lambert and Lerner did nothing.
Disgraceful.
In fairness lerner made money available as we had a substantial bid for a player turned down , it's not the owners fault if the manager doesn't spend the money he had .
Oh please! You're not falling for that garbage are you?
That whole "we bid loads for another player" thing sounds like the sort of thing you'd associate with Small Heath.
Small time.
Spot on - name names!
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This is precisely why needed to sign a centreback in the January window. Vlaar is so important to our defence but he can't stay fit! It was total madness to ignore the problem yet Lambert and Lerner did nothing.
Disgraceful.
In fairness lerner made money available as we had a substantial bid for a player turned down , it's not the owners fault if the manager doesn't spend the money he had .
Oh please! You're not falling for that garbage are you?
Was'nt it yourself who said that clubs sneak info to reporters just the other day?
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I hate saying it but I have come around to the idea that, when you weigh us up over the past three years, we probably deserve to go down at some stage.Our fans don't, they have been so patient and supportive.
But the owners, the management(s) and the players have been absolutely shocking. They have all had a hand in our demise. None of them has done their job in a competent fashion. The board have made horrific appointments (and before that were negligent with the cheque book when MON was manager), have stopped investing at a time when we actually need to speculate to accumulate (austerity won't get you to premier league security) and have produced a litany of statements since MON that comical ali would be proud of ('dynamic football', 'villa expects better' are there more?).
The managers over the past three years (including Houllier)have not been good enough. On Houlier's first day as manager, taking over a top six club with ambitions of Champions League and a proud history, he set a negative tone by saying we belonged '7th-12th'. He then didn't even get started for a few weeks, alienated the dressing room and just set a negative vibe when we needed a steadied ship to help us achieve a respectable position. That negativity, and our flirtation with relegation that year, was really damaging for the club and its morale.
McLeish, need I say anything? Again, not his fault he was appointed. Just asking for trouble. And now Lambert, more goodwill probably than any Villa manager in a long time. A lengthy honeymoon and given the benefit of the doubt several times by a patient Holte End. And, coming into his second season, his back-up to an injury prone Vlaar is a pair that, together, look like a League 1 partnership and a style of football that is, at best, better by adegree than that served up by McLeish.
We are making a habit of bobbling around at the bottom and nobody at the club seems to care. Where are our standards? What is unacceptable for a club like Aston Villa? Unless something changes, we will end up being relegated. Keeping our good players depends on showing ambition as does attracting new, quality players. Omnishambles.
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Great post IV.
Houllier talking us down probably did start the on field rot.
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The McLeish appointment really stands out as testimony to how little knowledge (football wise) those in charge of Villa have and nothings changed.
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Great post Irish Villain.
I already had no confidence in the Board but my confidence in PL as just ebbed away as the season has gone on. January's pitiful transfer window pretty much drained the last bit away.
We would deserve relegation as a Club as we show zero ambition and in January didn't look like we really wanted to stay in the division.
Having to start with those two CB's yesterday is just a mark of where we are - in trouble.
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Vlaar is a good solid CH, but it is the lack of creativity and movement, and touch, in the final 1/3 rd why we don't win more games, partic at home.
A better touch by Gabby, just before h/t , and we are 1-0 up, and we would'nt have lost.
Also PLs complete lack of understanding of the game does'nt help, 2 lumps at the back for WHU, and we play 2 lumps against them, and hoof....food and drink for Collins.
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I hate saying it but I have come around to the idea that, when you weigh us up over the past three years, we probably deserve to go down at some stage.Our fans don't, they have been so patient and supportive.
But the owners, the management(s) and the players have been absolutely shocking. They have all had a hand in our demise. None of them has done their job in a competent fashion. The board have made horrific appointments (and before that were negligent with the cheque book when MON was manager), have stopped investing at a time when we actually need to speculate to accumulate (austerity won't get you to premier league security) and have produced a litany of statements since MON that comical ali would be proud of ('dynamic football', 'villa expects better' are there more?).
The managers over the past three years (including Houllier)have not been good enough. On Houlier's first day as manager, taking over a top six club with ambitions of Champions League and a proud history, he set a negative tone by saying we belonged '7th-12th'. He then didn't even get started for a few weeks, alienated the dressing room and just set a negative vibe when we needed a steadied ship to help us achieve a respectable position. That negativity, and our flirtation with relegation that year, was really damaging for the club and its morale.
McLeish, need I say anything? Again, not his fault he was appointed. Just asking for trouble. And now Lambert, more goodwill probably than any Villa manager in a long time. A lengthy honeymoon and given the benefit of the doubt several times by a patient Holte End. And, coming into his second season, his back-up to an injury prone Vlaar is a pair that, together, look like a League 1 partnership and a style of football that is, at best, better by adegree than that served up by McLeish.
We are making a habit of bobbling around at the bottom and nobody at the club seems to care. Where are our standards? What is unacceptable for a club like Aston Villa? Unless something changes, we will end up being relegated. Keeping our good players depends on showing ambition as does attracting new, quality players. Omnishambles.
We have become a bit like Wigan over the past few seasons. in and around the relegation zone for most of the season, but in the end either having a bit too much, a bit of luck, or reliant on others being poorer to stay up. As with Wigan though, if you fail to really address the issues properly then it will catch up with you and you'll end up going down. I am beginning to fear for us as we have some tough away fixtures left and a number of home games (where we can't buy a win) against teams currently below us.
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It's no surprise that if Baker replaces Vlaar we're stuff, because Baker is a nowhere near a top level centre half. Vlaar's leadership is also vital.
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Depressing stuff.
Guzan - good enough
Lowton - poor this season
Baker - rubbish
Clark - ditto
Bertrand - good but temporary, he returns to Chelsea in the summer
Delph - Can be good at times, quite consistent
Westwood - same as Lowton
Bacuna - good at first but now looks average
Weimann - ok
Benteke - good enough
Agbonlahor - injured too often
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For me one of many reasons we miss Vlaar is he is pretty decent with the ball at his feet.Baker is no where near Premier League standard in that department and it shows.
I recall Lowton a few weeks back recalling in the Summer Vlaar got the defenders together and discussed improving and Lowton mentioned not always going so far forward.Well yesterday with no Vlaar to tell him off he was all over the place he goes forward we lose the ball and he gets caught out.
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It was madness not bringing a centre half in during the window when we have one we will be lucky to see play again this season and one who regularly misses games. Clark looks half the player without Vlaar next to him. I wouldn't back us to win a match without him between now and the end of this season.
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Vlaar is our best defender but thats not saying much really.
the problems in the side are not solely down to the Clark and Baker partnership. though Baker in particular is nowhere near good enough.
as others have said we are a shambles all over the pitch. I cant think of anything we do particularly well as a team. The odd individual steps up every now and again to get us points but very little is co-ordinated.
another issue in the side is that two of our key players are regularly injured, Vlaar and Gabby. Both take a few games to get back match fitness too. Fergie made a half decent point in his otherwise dull book that centre halves cant afford to be injury prone. It takes time to build a partnership and rotating centre halves isnt really ideal. You can see it with Man Utd this season, instability at centre back is one of their biggest issues. If AVFC attempts in the near future to be somewhat relevant, Im not sure we would continue to carry Vlaar to be honest.
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If AVFC attempts in the near future to be somewhat relevant, Im not sure we would continue to carry Vlaar to be honest.
Beginning to think that way as well BB. It may be coincidence, but you simply can't have one of your key players missing a third of the season on a regular basis. If it were up to me, I'd probably give him another season, but if a decent offer were to come in for him in the summer, then I would seriously consider it.
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If AVFC attempts in the near future to be somewhat relevant, Im not sure we would continue to carry Vlaar to be honest.
Beginning to think that way as well BB. It may be coincidence, but you simply can't have one of your key players missing a third of the season on a regular basis. If it were up to me, I'd probably give him another season, but if a decent offer were to come in for him in the summer, then I would seriously consider it.
I put the same thing on another thread. We have to accept that Vlaar is injury prone. I wouldn't necessarily move him on but the medical people should know the score with him.
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They're always niggly injuries with him. His long term injury problem was a serious knee injury, but it seems odd that he keeps having frustrating calf problems.
We haven't been done any favours by having players like Baker, who I do not feel is a top flight player, and Clark who is a 4th choice centre half at best playing the best part of two seasons solid for us.
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We just have too many bits and pieces players with no obvious strengths.
Westwood
El ahamadi
Bennett
Bacuna
Luna
Sylla
Tones
There's around £16m there and can anyone name many positive attributes they have? Bacuna can hit a free kick and Tonev can hit a holte ender from 40 paces.
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They're always niggly injuries with him. His long term injury problem was a serious knee injury, but it seems odd that he keeps having frustrating calf problems.
We haven't been done any favours by having players like Baker, who I do not feel is a top flight player, and Clark who is a 4th choice centre half at best playing the best part of two seasons solid for us.
It's a hamstring this time. If he he misses too many of the remaining games it will not be pretty.
A chappy on VT maintains a spreadsheet of our results with and without the Concrete One, and it is quite astounding:
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g243/mnts747/Clipboard013.jpg) (http://s58.photobucket.com/user/mnts747/media/Clipboard013.jpg.html)
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I look at Vlaar and I see a playerwho sums up where we have been the past few years.
He was brought into be Lambert's man, his captain and leader of a group of young men learning their way. He was bought after a relegation struggle and led us to safety through a relegation struggle. In theory we should be midtable by this stage of the project but we are slowly being sucked in again because of Vlaar's injuries.
I think we all know that an Aston Villa that ever roars again will be doing so with somebody other than Vlaar as its most important player. He did his job, hopefully he can do his job this and next season and he will have earned his corn so to speak. However, ifwe get back to challenging top six, I'd expect Okore and another to be the centre back pairing by that stage.
Anybody else think we should have kept Collins for an additional year or two? Clark needed to be introduced gently, not thrown into the deep end and I fear that has had an effect on him.
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I hate saying it but I have come around to the idea that, when you weigh us up over the past three years, we probably deserve to go down at some stage.Our fans don't, they have been so patient and supportive.
But the owners, the management(s) and the players have been absolutely shocking. They have all had a hand in our demise. None of them has done their job in a competent fashion. The board have made horrific appointments (and before that were negligent with the cheque book when MON was manager), have stopped investing at a time when we actually need to speculate to accumulate (austerity won't get you to premier league security) and have produced a litany of statements since MON that comical ali would be proud of ('dynamic football', 'villa expects better' are there more?).
The managers over the past three years (including Houllier)have not been good enough. On Houlier's first day as manager, taking over a top six club with ambitions of Champions League and a proud history, he set a negative tone by saying we belonged '7th-12th'. He then didn't even get started for a few weeks, alienated the dressing room and just set a negative vibe when we needed a steadied ship to help us achieve a respectable position. That negativity, and our flirtation with relegation that year, was really damaging for the club and its morale.
McLeish, need I say anything? Again, not his fault he was appointed. Just asking for trouble. And now Lambert, more goodwill probably than any Villa manager in a long time. A lengthy honeymoon and given the benefit of the doubt several times by a patient Holte End. And, coming into his second season, his back-up to an injury prone Vlaar is a pair that, together, look like a League 1 partnership and a style of football that is, at best, better by adegree than that served up by McLeish.
We are making a habit of bobbling around at the bottom and nobody at the club seems to care. Where are our standards? What is unacceptable for a club like Aston Villa? Unless something changes, we will end up being relegated. Keeping our good players depends on showing ambition as does attracting new, quality players. Omnishambles.
I'm struggling to disagree with the sentiment of this.
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We are not far removed from Wigan at moment they diced with relegation year after year and brought players from lower leagues and finally caught up with them.If you survive a scare you make improvements 4 years in a row struggling to stay up in inexcusable.
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I might as well stick in here as it is difficult to discern which thread moaning about how we are doing at the minute is the most appropriate one.
I was very annoyed on Saturday after that crap but still don't see us getting relegated. I really am getting to the end of my tether with our home form though.
What is it now? 8 defeats in 13 in the league? 10 in 16 if you include the cups? Yet another one where we not only lost but failed to score.
I am not some Arsenal tarquin who is stamping his feet and throwing a wobbler on the floor as "I don't pay to watch us lose" but it is getting bloody wearing now.
Is it really too much to ask that we might score some goals and win some games at home?
I don't want Lambert sacked. I want him to sort it out.
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If Villa are relegated this season then I would point at failing to get cover for Vlaar during the transfer window as possibly the critical moment, the straw that broke the camel's back. Thing is it's not Vlaar's exceptional defending that makes him a vital player, it's his leadership. It was that leadership that was so vital to Villa's run in last year.
Those 5 minutes after half time were such a fiasco though.
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They're always niggly injuries with him. His long term injury problem was a serious knee injury, but it seems odd that he keeps having frustrating calf problems.
We haven't been done any favours by having players like Baker, who I do not feel is a top flight player, and Clark who is a 4th choice centre half at best playing the best part of two seasons solid for us.
It's a hamstring this time. If he he misses too many of the remaining games it will not be pretty.
A chappy on VT maintains a spreadsheet of our results with and without the Concrete One, and it is quite astounding:
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g243/mnts747/Clipboard013.jpg) (http://s58.photobucket.com/user/mnts747/media/Clipboard013.jpg.html)
You can do this for any player on Soccerbase
http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=154&comp_id=1&teamTabs=results
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They're always niggly injuries with him. His long term injury problem was a serious knee injury, but it seems odd that he keeps having frustrating calf problems.
We haven't been done any favours by having players like Baker, who I do not feel is a top flight player, and Clark who is a 4th choice centre half at best playing the best part of two seasons solid for us.
It's a hamstring this time. If he he misses too many of the remaining games it will not be pretty.
A chappy on VT maintains a spreadsheet of our results with and without the Concrete One, and it is quite astounding:
(http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g243/mnts747/Clipboard013.jpg) (http://s58.photobucket.com/user/mnts747/media/Clipboard013.jpg.html)
You can do this for any player on Soccerbase
http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=154&comp_id=1&teamTabs=results
Player Filter - sweet. Thanks.
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I might as well stick in here as it is difficult to discern which thread moaning about how we are doing at the minute is the most appropriate one.
I was very annoyed on Saturday after that crap but still don't see us getting relegated. I really am getting to the end of my tether with our home form though.
What is it now? 8 defeats in 13 in the league? 10 in 16 if you include the cups? Yet another one where we not only lost but failed to score.
I am not some Arsenal tarquin who is stamping his feet and throwing a wobbler on the floor as "I don't pay to watch us lose" but it is getting bloody wearing now.
Is it really too much to ask that we might score some goals and win some games at home?
I don't want Lambert sacked. I want him to sort it out.
If we're gonna lose, he might as well send them out to cut loose. At least people could say they saw a entertaining 3-5 game than a dire 0-2.
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That player filter is fun to look at.
This season including cup matches, matches started only
KEA
With him W7 D5 L8
Without W1 D1 L6
Bacuna
With W7 D6 L8
W/out W1 D0 L6
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This is precisely why needed to sign a centreback in the January window. Vlaar is so important to our defence but he can't stay fit! It was total madness to ignore the problem yet Lambert and Lerner did nothing.
Disgraceful.
In fairness lerner made money available as we had a substantial bid for a player turned down , it's not the owners fault if the manager doesn't spend the money he had .
I agree, if Lerner makes money available, there's not much else he can do given his minimal knowledge about football management and trusts Lambert's judgement. It maybe possible however, that Lerner has a placed a limit on what Lambert can spend including wages which amount to handcuffs, but we as fans don't know if this is the case.
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That player filter is fun to look at.
This season including cup matches, matches started only
KEA
With him W7 D5 L8
Without W1 D by1 L6
Bacuna
With W7 D6 L8
W/out W1 D0 L6
Check out Sylla. We may not be sure what he brings but it seems to work. Seems consistent with the upturn in fortune this time last year. Hmmm...
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Check out Bowery last season.
With JB: 75%
Without JB: 29%
(http://i41.tinypic.com/2conc5c.jpg)
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Check out Bowery last season.
With JB: 75%
Without JB: 29%
(http://i41.tinypic.com/2conc5c.jpg)
Which probably just shows that these stats prove nothing - especially as that adds up to 104%!
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Check out Bowery last season.
With JB: 75%
Without JB: 29%
(http://i41.tinypic.com/2conc5c.jpg)
Which probably just shows that these stats prove nothing - especially as that adds up to 104%!
They don't need to add up to 100%, though! They're percentages of two separate things.
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No, it doesn't does it?
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No, it doesn't does it?
To be entirely honest, I had to do a mental double take just to make sure, but no
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How many thread we need to say we are not very good?
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How many thread we need to say we are not very good?
Twelvety
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How many thread we need to say we are not very good?
It's not that, though, is it?
It is pointing out how important Vlaar is to the team.
Besides, I imagine the one way to ensure there are fewer posts and threads saying we're not very good would be for us to stop not being very good.
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Fair enough for a specific debate but nearly every thread turns into same old from about 5 posts onward...
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Well, I don't know why you're moaning, then, given that this is quite obviously a specific thread with a specific subject rather than another moaning thread.
I take your point re every thread etc etc, but honestly, what do you expect people to be talking about when we're playing so poorly? If we put in a performance this evening, it'll no doubt be entirely different, as it has been when we've picked up wins in the past.
People are just talking about what they see.
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On a related note, all but one of our league wins have come with KEA in the side. Given he's missed quite a few games I think that's of some significance.
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On a related note, all but one of our league wins have come with KEA in the side. Given he's missed quite a few games I think that's of some significance.
I think that's because for all he lacks on the ball, he does actually press the opposition which none of the other players seem to bother doing.
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On a related note, all but one of our league wins have come with KEA in the side. Given he's missed quite a few games I think that's of some significance.
I think he's a decent player and I'm not sure why he gets such vehement stick at times.
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On a related note, all but one of our league wins have come with KEA in the side. Given he's missed quite a few games I think that's of some significance.
I think he's a decent player and I'm not sure why he gets such vehement stick at times.
Because people like a scapegoat. He's taken Bannan's role this season.
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Tell you what if Bowery every scored a fcuking goal here...we somehow need to get a scooter onto the pitch so he can do that celebration!
Think that would be enough to build a statue of him next to McGregor.
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Express and Star (http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/aston-villa-fc/2014/02/17/aston-villas-ron-vlaar-set-to-return/)
Aston Villa's Ron Vlaar set to return
Ron Vlaar has confirmed that he is fully fit for the Premier League run-in.
The Dutch central defender has become the talisman of Villa’s top-flight fortunes this season – they have failed to win a league game without him and lost five of the six he has missed.
The last time Villa won a Premier League game without Vlaar was in December 2012, throwing even more focus on his recovery from the hamstring injury which forced him to limp away and watch a winning position against Everton turn into defeat.
He then missed the home loss to West Ham before returning for the draw at Cardiff.
And as Villa now enjoy warm weather training in Portugal, Vlaar says: “I feel good – it’s 100 per cent now.
“It was frustrating, after my calf injury in December, but I’ve only missed the West Ham game this time.
“Sometimes you have to make a choice. It is not about one game. It is about 12 or 13, so that’s the most important thing.
“The West Ham game was just a little too soon and I shouldn’t have played so that was the right decision.
“You can’t play at 95 per cent in the Premier League.”
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He already returned last Tuesday?
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Yes, the headline seems directly to contradict the article, which states: "He then missed the home loss to West Ham before returning for the draw at Cardiff".
Star Sub Ed probably on drugs or has been replaced by a robot with dodgy software.
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Ron Vlaar almost a Pointless answer just then on BBC1. Oh, the irony. Only one person in 100 surveyed named him as a member of the Dutch Euro 2012 team.
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Oh, so he isn't a member of the Dutch Royal Family then? (Was watching with the sound turned down!)
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Ha ha, I saw this thread had had new posts, and thought "bet this is about Pointless".
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For whatever reason I hadn't read this thread and have caught up with it this morning when the situation is slightly better.
If we stay up will people admit lambert was right not to splash the cash in January? Or less wrong? It's been a big risk but it looks like he's got away with it again.
Clark and Baker have more experience and touch wood there's more cash in the warchest for the summer.
Add in lescott's performance last night - the most popular target in January - and I'm not sure we'd be *that* much better off especially as it'd reduce our capacity to buy in the summer.
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If we stay up will people admit lambert was right not to splash the cash in January? Or less wrong? It's been a big risk but it looks like he's got away with it again.
Clark and Baker have more experience and touch wood there's more cash in the warchest for the summer.
Add in lescott's performance last night - the most popular target in January - and I'm not sure we'd be *that* much better off especially as it'd reduce our capacity to buy in the summer.
re the first bit, surely that depends on where we'd set out sights for the season. For example, if we stay up on 39 or 40 points, then you can say he was right in that we didn't get relegated through our failure to strengthen the defence, but at the same time, ask questions about whether staying up - better though it is than going down - is really anything to be congratulating him on.
I don't think there is a person amongst us who, at the start of the season, would have had avoiding relegation as the target for this year.
I don't particularly want to get into an argument about what was a realistic target, or whether we should have signed Lescott or whoever else in January, just making the point that it's not as black and white as "he was right not to strengthen, or he was wrong".
I thought Lescott had a bit of a mare last night, too, from what I saw. In his defence, he was playing against Barcelona, not something you had to do every week. I thought he'd have strengthened us quite considerably, but then again, if he was going to cost 90k a week in wages, then I understand why he wasn't an option.
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Ron Vlaar almost a Pointless answer just then on BBC1. Oh, the irony. Only one person in 100 surveyed named him as a member of the Dutch Euro 2012 team.
Our Wilf was a Pointless answer though.
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Defensively we are mid table, we've conceded 38, only 3 more than Liverpool, 1 more than Spurs, 3 more than Southampton, 7 more than Man. United, all these teams have better defensive options than us it's fair to say. Infact it's been a strange prem season as with Man. City scoring hatfuls past most teams, there's only 4 prem teams who've conceded less than 30 goals?
How important is Ron? Very. He has missed 7 pre games this season, we've conceded 14 goals in the minutes he hasn't been out there so in actually appearences we've conceded 24 goals in his 22 appearences this season which is obviously very good.