Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: David_Nab on April 22, 2014, 12:08:36 PM
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Sylla has done an interview about not being happy not playing and wanting to leave on loan
http://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2014/yacouba-sylla-a-talent-frozen-out/
Aston Villa have had by all means an unremarkable season in the Premier League which is likely to see them narrowly escape from the clutches of relegation yet again. One man in that very squad who has been able to do very little about that is French defensive midfielder Yacouba Sylla.
The player has told France Football today that he is unhappy and will seek to leave Aston Villa this summer, ideally on loan to a ‘good Ligue 1 club’.
Sylla told journalist and friend of Get French Football News, Tanguy Le Seviller, why he was unhappy:
‘I am always on the bench and never on the pitch. Even if I do get to visit some wonderful stadiums and that life here is different than in France, I am not happy because I am not playing. I am not here on tourism.’
‘Okay, my situation is not as dramatic as I have just made it sound but for somebody who loves football and does not get to play, I cannot be happy because I am not expressing myself on the pitch every weekend.’
Yacouba Sylla goes on to admit that he still has hope that Paul Lambert will give him a chance, because it was he who had wanted to bring the ex-Clermont man in during the January transfer window of 2013:
‘It encourages me to keep hope. I am working hard in training. Last season, I contributed to keeping the club from relegation. This season it is more complicated. There have been decisions that I did not understand and I have not got the game time I had hoped for.’
‘There are a lot of teams I could contribute to. I think I will leave on loan at the end of the season. I could already have done so in December but the gaffer told me that he was counting on me.’
‘What I want, is to come back to France, on loan for one year to a good club. A team with a good project. My agent Moussa Sissoko is working for that. There are interested clubs.’
‘Again, the most important thing for me is to play. I am no longer the same man, not the same player. I cannot wait to change all that again
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Close the door behind you.
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Just when you think it cant get any worse.
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He look alright at times last season, but he really isn't up to scratch.
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He look alright at times last season, but he really isn't up to scratch.
I'd agree, he did well in some games last season. This season for whatever reason he's not looked the part at all.
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He's been poor and well off the pace this season.... but that could be said for most of the squad.
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If we do get a new owner, he can start ploughing the exit furrow to be deepened by Luna, Helenius, Tonev, Baker, Lowton, Bennett, Bowery et al...
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"A team with a good project"
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
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He's had plenty of opportunities this season but has been atrocious on just about every occasion. Disappointing because I thought he showed real promise last season.
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So I take it Sylla doesn't love the Villa?
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This guy is even worse than Salifou or whatever his name was ,takes some doing
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He's not even Championship material. Hopefully we'll never sign a player as poor as him again (when we get our new owners that is).
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The fuckin idiot couldn't control a bag of cement and the sooner he leaves the better. A terrible footballer who should be nowhere near villa park and is one of the many reasons why Lambert shouldn't be either!
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The fuckin idiot couldn't control a bag of cement and the sooner he leaves the better. A terrible footballer who should be nowhere near villa park and is one of the many reasons why Lambert shouldn't be either!
I like to see a definitive list of Lambert's signings. It'd be the stuff of nightmares.
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I would argue he probably played well against Fulham second half when we went 4-4-2. When we were 4-3-3 he was atrocious. (although how much of that was rustiness through not playing?)
But it does seem that the right side of the three is a problem area. KEA and Sylla are both too slow to help out the doubled up full back (As shown when Shaw tore past KEA for the Lambert miss.) Plus KEA does like to make runs into the box unlike alot of our mid fielders so when the possession is inevitably lost that flank is unprotected. Maybe a midfield diamond would help our team out and be more creative.
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He's not even Championship material.
So he's one of our best players then? ;)
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If any suggested take-over materialises, he will get his wish sooner than expected. I would imagine he, along with more of the dross's feet won't touch.
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Did fine end of last year, but Lambert's wisdom of then dropping him has not really worked out well for either party has it ?
Wont be crying if he or his manager leaves
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It'll be such a loss if he leaves us can you imagine the worldwide heartbreak.
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A microcosm of what has happened to the whole club, finished last season looking a half-decent player, this season awful.
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good, he's shite.
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You won't be missed
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You won't be missed
I thought he was a good friend of Benteke?
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The fuckin idiot couldn't control a bag of cement and the sooner he leaves the better. A terrible footballer who should be nowhere near villa park and is one of the many reasons why Lambert shouldn't be either!
I like to see a definitive list of Lambert's signings. It'd be the stuff of nightmares.
It's not exactly hard to work out and I don't agree is the stuff of nightmares.
Benteke, vlaar, bacuna, Westwood and I'm betting Okore all very good value or excellent. Still hope Lowton can regain his form
Kea has been ok for £2m - look at our record with and without him
Luna, sylla, holt, helenius, Bowery, steer all in the cheap and no real impact category
Tonev and Benett currently in the reasonably expensive flop category. Not convinced on kozak personally either
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I would not care at all if he goes, but he did play well last season. I think Lambert could turn most people to shit if I'm honest. He was brought from the heady heights of the 2nd French division, and he wasn't exactly 'young', so maybe he is shit. I don't know. I'm mumbling like that twat. I'll shut up.
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Bloody hell. It just gets better.
If Sylla thinks he'll get a good Lique 1 club, he's very much mistaken. The dark abyss we picked him up from in L2 was his level. He's not a Premiership player, never will be. He's not good enough for the French top division either.
Never mind loaning him out. If we do manage to get a half decent new manager, he'll get sold at the first reasonable offer.
We've got so much dead wood to get rid of.
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He made a good contribution towards the end of last season. All he's saying is he wants to be playing football and hasn't slagged us off - nothing wrong with that IMO.
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Awful player. He makes Reo-Coker look like Yaya Toure. I honestly think he is worse than Bowery as a footballer.
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He made a good contribution towards the end of last season. All he's saying is he wants to be playing football and hasn't slagged us off - nothing wrong with that IMO.
Agreed. Shock horror - footballer in "I want to play football" bombshell
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Sylla, Sylla, Sylla, he wants to leave the Villa, the Villa, the Villa...
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He made a good contribution towards the end of last season. All he's saying is he wants to be playing football and hasn't slagged us off - nothing wrong with that IMO.
Agreed. Shock horror - footballer in "I want to play football" bombshell
Thirded. Jesus. The bloke is just being honest that he wants to play.
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The fuckin idiot couldn't control a bag of cement and the sooner he leaves the better. A terrible footballer who should be nowhere near villa park and is one of the many reasons why Lambert shouldn't be either!
I like to see a definitive list of Lambert's signings. It'd be the stuff of nightmares.
It's not exactly hard to work out and I don't agree is the stuff of nightmares.
Benteke, vlaar, bacuna, Westwood and I'm betting Okore all very good value or excellent. Still hope Lowton can regain his form
Kea has been ok for £2m - look at our record with and without him
Luna, sylla, holt, helenius, Bowery, steer all in the cheap and no real impact category
Tonev and Benett currently in the reasonably expensive flop category. Not convinced on kozak personally either
Benteke has been very good. Vlaar, okay but nothing special. Westwood, average but not even Premier League material for me. Okore - jury out. The rest have been quite dreadful.
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Sylla, Sylla, Sylla he's fucking worse than Cilla, Cilla, Cilla.
These are the kind of players i'd be glad to see the back of signing ever again, unknown clowns from the French lower league. Bye bye.
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I'd have thought he might be something of a rarity for us in recent years in that we might get a little more than we paid for him if we sold him on.
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Lamberts Salifou , hes not the only one that is not good enough
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It's a skill, picking up players from the lower divisions who are able to make the transition to top flight football.
Other managers have been able to do it, so it's not completely uncharted territory.
Unfortunately our manager can't.
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Plucked from a 2nd Division French team for £500k, is probably on a low wage by premier league standards. Was worth a punt, but is not good enough. What is shocking is that he is the back up to our star studded midfield. He won't ever start a game for us again.
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He has some talent, which we saw in a few games last season, but we are not in a position to develop players like this. It is all very well saying he is young, from another country, from a lower division and needs a year or two to settle in. We are in our 4th straight relegation struggle. We need players who can come in and do a job in the most physically demanding league in the world straight away.
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There are too many players at Villa that need lots of time spending on them. Sylla is one of them. I saw some potential last season but sadly, like most things Lambertised, he hasn't progressed at all.
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Looked okay last season, a cheap but effective NRC type. He's been cack in most appearances this season though.
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There are too many players at Villa that need lots of time spending on them. Sylla is one of them. I saw some potential last season but sadly, like most things Lambertised, he hasn't progressed at all.
I'd go along with that.
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In his defense:
He has a strong tackle
He does not get out-muscled
He can track a runner
He can man-mark
He can "zing" a long pass across the field to feet
This season, his touch when receiving a ball has been woeful, and that understandably colours perceptions.
Be that as it may, we are not in a position to develop this sort of player.
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Both Sailfou & Sylla looked world beaters on debut - remember Salifou in Prague? Awesome.
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Some players just don't have what it takes to develop beyond a certain point at this level. He had a decent month or two last season once he'd settled, but when opposition sides suss you out a bit, at this level you have to be able to develop your game.
I'm all for giving players time, if they are starting from a better base point. The trouble with Sylla is, he's a less effective version of Reo Coker. Granted I'd rather pay 20k a week for a 500k Sylla than 50 grand a week on the 8 million quid Coker, but that's not the issue. We need players who will become Prem quality sooner, not (if ever) later.
To a certain extent I think Westwood has similarly struggled this season. He's found things harder going because he couldn't take his game up a notch. He's been okay since the turn of the year again, on the whole, but in truth he's not good enough to be a regular starter at this level.
The trouble with really cheap punts like these players is, you want to see a steady and persistent increase. Because of the level you take them from, if they do indeed start well, but then take two steps back and regress (Lowton, Sylla, lesser extent Westwood) then it becomes a problem.
Again though this all ties in with the argument as to whether or not our academy can produce better players than Lowton, Sylla, Tonev, Bowery etc. Historically yes. Presently? I'd wager yes. For that reason it makes most of Lambert's young punts a waste of money.
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Both Sailfou & Sylla looked world beaters on debut - remember Salifou in Prague? Awesome.
Yep. I've also seen Osbourne play as well as Syllas ever managed for us. Isaiah is of course now playing at his appropriate level. Osbourne though didn't cost us a transfer fee. Less Sylla's more graduates. Use our transfer budget on quality additions who can come straight in and adapt to this level of football.
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I have no problem spending 500K and about 10K a week on unknown punts. I've wanted us to try that more often for years. I do mind them keep being played when it's not working while our own kids are denied a chance though.
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When Sylla arrived I thought he was really quite capable in the tactical side of things - he struck me as someone with only decent ability but who had been well coached. He was always in the right spot, he tracked runners well, he closed down space effectively and so on, and he did very well doing those things, and looked more than just a little bit useful.
For some reason, he's just hasn't been used in that role since, and when he has got time on the pitch he seems to have lost those good elements of his game. I'm afraid I can only think that is down to poor training here at the Villa.
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I have no problem spending 500K and about 10K a week on unknown punts. I've wanted us to try that more often for years. I do mind them keep being played when it's not working while our own kids are denied a chance though.
that's exactly my attitude as well
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He's had plenty of opportunities this season but has been atrocious on just about every occasion. Disappointing because I thought he showed real promise last season.
Aye same here. I was disappointed when he wasn't in the team for the first few months and then he got some starts and you could see why.
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Weird how within the space of a few months, a player can look like he has a bright future in the game( and did contribute to our up turn in form), then looks like he has two toblerones on his feet for boots.
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This guy is even worse than Salifou or whatever his name was ,takes some doing
Disagree
At times last season he played well and was an important part of our good run
Salifou never did anything
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This guy is even worse than Salifou or whatever his name was ,takes some doing
Disagree
At times last season he played well and was an important part of our good run
Salifou never did anything
To be fair, I don't remember him having a great deal of opportunity.
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This guy is even worse than Salifou or whatever his name was ,takes some doing
Disagree
At times last season he played well and was an important part of our good run
Salifou never did anything
To be fair, I don't remember him having a great deal of opportunity.
True. Hence the comparison being unfair
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Is Makoun still our player ?
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No he's gone.
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It showed when he had a run of games that he is not that bad a player.
With all the shit happening I cant blame him for being frustrated, he is no worse than KEA or Tonev or even Wieman the way he has been playing.
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It showed when he had a run of games that he is not that bad a player.
With all the shit happening I cant blame him for being frustrated, he is no worse than KEA or Tonev or even Wieman the way he has been playing.
In all honesty, a player like Sylla should be nowhere near the first team of a club like Aston Villa and should probably be thankful that he's played as much as he has. Ditto Lowton, Baker, Clark, Bennett, Westwood, Weimann etc.
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Sylla was from the French League 2. If you buy that standard of players, that is the level you will end up.
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Sylla was from the French League 2. If you buy that standard of players, that is the level you will end up.
Don't say that!
Our glorious leadership might read it and finally, finally realise the great flaw in their cunning plan of buying cheap dross - i.e. the fact that, nine times out of ten, you get cheap dross.
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Last season it was why can't Ireland, Nzogbia and Bent get a game, when we were truly playing shit. Now it's why cant a bloke I've never heard of, signed from a team I've never heard of, playing in a division no better than the 1st division get a game.
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Sylla was from the French League 2. If you buy that standard of players, that is the level you will end up.
Don't say that!
Our glorious leadership might read it and finally, finally realise the great flaw in their cunning plan of buying cheap dross - i.e. the fact that, nine times out of ten, you get cheap dross.
Or that such signings need to be balanced with the purchase of players who have a proven track record in the top flight.
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I have no problem spending 500K and about 10K a week on unknown punts. I've wanted us to try that more often for years. I do mind them keep being played when it's not working while our own kids are denied a chance though.
that's exactly my attitude as well
Agreed, apart from when its the likes of Bowery who had no goal scoring pedigree in the league 2
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I have no problem spending 500K and about 10K a week on unknown punts. I've wanted us to try that more often for years. I do mind them keep being played when it's not working while our own kids are denied a chance though.
that's exactly my attitude as well
Agreed, apart from when its the likes of Bowery who had no goal scoring pedigree in the league 2
It's one thing taking the odd punt on a lower league player, but it's another packing your whole team out with them. It's a recipe for disaster but sadly that's what we've gone and done.
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I have no problem spending 500K and about 10K a week on unknown punts. I've wanted us to try that more often for years. I do mind them keep being played when it's not working while our own kids are denied a chance though.
that's exactly my attitude as well
Agreed, apart from when its the likes of Bowery who had no goal scoring pedigree in the league 2
It's one thing taking the odd punt on a lower league player, but it's another packing your whole team out with them. It's a recipe for disaster but sadly that's what we've gone and done.
When apart from Westwood they are all rubbish now and from day one
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I have no problem spending 500K and about 10K a week on unknown punts. I've wanted us to try that more often for years. I do mind them keep being played when it's not working while our own kids are denied a chance though.
that's exactly my attitude as well
Agreed, apart from when its the likes of Bowery who had no goal scoring pedigree in the league 2
It's one thing taking the odd punt on a lower league player, but it's another packing your whole team out with them. It's a recipe for disaster but sadly that's what we've gone and done.
When apart from Westwood they are all rubbish now and from day one
Westwood is shit.
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I have no problem spending 500K and about 10K a week on unknown punts. I've wanted us to try that more often for years. I do mind them keep being played when it's not working while our own kids are denied a chance though.
that's exactly my attitude as well
Agreed, apart from when its the likes of Bowery who had no goal scoring pedigree in the league 2
It's one thing taking the odd punt on a lower league player, but it's another packing your whole team out with them. It's a recipe for disaster but sadly that's what we've gone and done.
When apart from Westwood they are all rubbish now and from day one
Westwood is shit.
Put the beer down
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We were chatting about Westwood on the way back. I reckon he could be a decent player in a few years time but he's not ready just yet, definitely not good enough to be starting nearly every premiership game for us.
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I have no problem spending 500K and about 10K a week on unknown punts. I've wanted us to try that more often for years. I do mind them keep being played when it's not working while our own kids are denied a chance though.
that's exactly my attitude as well
Agreed, apart from when its the likes of Bowery who had no goal scoring pedigree in the league 2
It's one thing taking the odd punt on a lower league player, but it's another packing your whole team out with them. It's a recipe for disaster but sadly that's what we've gone and done.
When apart from Westwood they are all rubbish now and from day one
Westwood is shit.
Put the beer down
I have, and he's still shit. He specialises in sideways passing and is as weak as water. I'm sick of seeing him pushed off the ball and losing possession.
Not good enough for Aston Villa.
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We were chatting about Westwood on the way back. I reckon he could be a decent player in a few years time but he's not ready just yet, definitely not good enough to be starting nearly every premiership game for us.
Agree Clampy. Has had to be a central figure over the past two seasons when he needed to be brought on gradually.
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Westwood is Ok at keeping the game ticking over when given a lot of time and space. If we are on the back foot, he doesn't track runners, doesn't put tackles in, gets shrugged off the ball too easily and is beaten for pace.
He sums it all up that he's considered one of Lamberts better buys. Anyway a third division midfielder shouldn't be walking into our team unless he's an exceptional talent, he isn't.
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I have no problem spending 500K and about 10K a week on unknown punts. I've wanted us to try that more often for years. I do mind them keep being played when it's not working while our own kids are denied a chance though.
that's exactly my attitude as well
Agreed, apart from when its the likes of Bowery who had no goal scoring pedigree in the league 2
It's one thing taking the odd punt on a lower league player, but it's another packing your whole team out with them. It's a recipe for disaster but sadly that's what we've gone and done.
When apart from Westwood they are all rubbish now and from day one
Westwood is shit.
I wouldn't say he was shit, but I see where you're coming from.
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Westwood has had his moments. He's threatened to look like a Premier League player on occasion. Ultimately he doesn't have anywhere near enough in his locker to be a Premiership player. He's kind of one of the better of a very bad bunch in midfield right now, but like most of Lamberts signings we have to be brutally honest. Is he ready for the Premier League? No. Will he ever be good enough? Probably not. Can we afford to wait to find out? No.
Delph is our best mid. He's an okay player. Nothing more. If we want to get ourselves as a solid mid-table side we need to get players at least as a good as Delphy in. The likes of Westwood, KEA etc, if we get a new board, new manager, will need to be sold on or gradually fazed out.
It's time to wield the axe and build around our better players and bring through our youth players. Historically we've raised kids who are better players than Westwood, who you'd say was the best of the young punts. Hendrie, Whitts, Davis, Gardner, to some extent Barry (we didn't raise him in our academy, but we did develop him from 17 in our first team). We've had a lot of players come through our ranks who played/play in the top two divisions. Why pluck someone from the 3rd tier (who'd played mostly in the 4th)? I don't get it. If he was exceptionally talented maybe, but aside from a tidy pass he's not got much in his locker. Nothing physically. No pace, no defence capability. Doesn't score many, doesn't make many. Can't deliver a good set piece. Barry Bannan had more natural ability but we got rid of him. Granted he never stood out for us much, but does Westwood offer much more?
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Westwood's completely wasted playing that deep for me. He's got a far better eye for a pass than all the other midfielders we have, yet he's the one sat almost on top of our defence most of the time
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Westwood's completely wasted playing that deep for me. He's got a far better eye for a pass than all the other midfielders we have, yet he's the one sat almost on top of our defence most of the time
It's partly the fashion though I guess. He doesn't have the agility or dribbling ability to play the number 10 role. He's supposed to be the deep lying playmaker like Pirlo say. The defensive part isn't his main responsibility (or seemingly even a consideration). Sadly we don't have the quality, or tactical organisation to play a more continental way. Our defence is also not good enough to look after themselves because the fullbacks are poor and Vlaar is persistently nursing a poor partner.
I don't think Westy could play further up either. He'd need too much time on the ball. He's just out of his depth at the end of the day.
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Sylla was from the French League 2. If you buy that standard of players, that is the level you will end up.
Disagree, to an extent.
Obviously if you pack your starting XI with players from that level you might have issues.
But Olbiyun signed Mulumbu from Amiens, I believe. Wigan signed Diame from Rayo Vallecano when Vallecano were in the second tier in Spain.
Under the current ownership, that is the challenge for us: find those players at smaller clubs on smaller wages who can make the step up. By the time you are looking at players who have made any kind of established reputation in the PL, you're talking £40k a week - and a strong chance that they aren't as hungry to make a name for themselves.
Players can't really help where they start out, geography dictates that as much as anything. So Sylla at 22 coming from the second tier of the French league wouldn't have put me off.
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There has been a 'policy' of buying 'young and hungry' (or whatever the phrase was) which has proved largely ineffective as there has been little balance with quality and experience.
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This young and hungry will get us relegated.
The experience we have has very little quality. Gabby especially.
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There has been a 'policy' of buying 'young and hungry' (or whatever the phrase was) which has proved largely ineffective as there has been little balance with quality and experience.
Well yes, that's the issue. And it was my concern last summer. Were we going the young and hungry route as a club philosophy - targeting players who actually viewed the club as a step up and would be desperate to make a name for themselves? Or were we just stockpiling players on the cheap? It increasingly looks like the latter.
Nowt wrong with signing younger players - but they do need to actually be good enough to make the transition. Not all will be, but you probably need a 60-70% success rate to make it viable. We are nowhere near that.
Turning our noses up at deals for experienced players like Gareth Barry has proven to be folly too.
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I agree with the vast majority of what you have said, but I'm pretty sure that GB was not interested in re-joining us.
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He is not part of my plans.
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I agree with the vast majority of what you have said, but I'm pretty sure that GB was not interested in re-joining us.
Agreed, and reastically why on earth would he have been in our current state.
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According to Charlie Nicolas didn't Lambert want GB but was prevented from signing him because of the wages?
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Paul Lambert: Yacouba Sylla must do his utmost to get back into the side
Boss understands wantaway midfielder's frustrations at lack of action but challenges him to force his away ahead of competition in the Villa squad
Apr 29, 2014 22:30
By Mat Kendrick
Paul Lambert has challenged Yacouba Sylla to fight for his Aston Villa future after insisting the midfielder was wrong to moan about his lack of action.
Sylla has become increasingly frustrated with the claret and blues after making just six starts and seven substitute appearances this season.
The former Clermont Foot player revealed he has been left confused by his lack of game time at Villa and wants to return to France on loan in the summer.
Sylla, who played a part in Villa’s late season survival revival a year ago, claimed he did not come to Birmingham to be a tourist.
But Lambert has advised him to prove he deserves to oust Karim El Ahmadi, Ashley Westwood or Fabian Delph for a regular midfield role.
“I understand people’s frustration at not playing,” said Lambert.
“I think that’s normal at any football club. You wouldn’t expect people to want to sit there and not play.
“I think that’s normal so you’re glad in that respect. Should he have spoken out? Probably not but that comes with experience and I’m glad he’s feeling disappointed at not playing.
“The three lads in the middle of the pitch have been playing really well for us so Yak’s got to do his utmost to get into the side.
“He’s got a chance here. He’s got to try and force his way into the side.”
The Mali international, whose last start came in the mid-December defeat to Manchester United at Villa Park, still has two years left on his contract.
Sylla claimed his agent was already speaking to French clubs about a possible loan for next season but Lambert insists that is far from a formality
“No, not at all,” he said, “I don’t know who his agent is. He’s probably got about 15.”
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Wow Six pages for Sylla! That is much more attention than he is getting from Lambert right now ;)
Agree with most than he looked decent last season and had hoped that he would be a big part this season, but just hasn't stepped up and right now isn't good enough to be first choice. I think he is one we can let go.
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In the Express and Star today Lambert has challenged him to get in the team and says the midfield 3 having been playing really well for us. wtf.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/aston-villa-fc/2014/04/30/no-sylla-surprise-paul-lambert-throws-down-gauntlet-to-villa-midfielder/
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I'm sorry there might have been some reason individual performances, but to say our midfield 3 have been performing really well is nonsense.
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You don't get 1 point from 6 with a midfield performing well.
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The midfield hasn't been anywhere good enough since the Chelsea win. Delph's form has dipped, KEA was playing ok until he picked up that injury and Westwood is picked regardless of how he plays.
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I agree with the vast majority of what you have said, but I'm pretty sure that GB was not interested in re-joining us.
Have it on good authority that GB was very keen to come back. An old friend of mine, who I caught up with after a few years a while back, has become good friends with a very recent ex-player in the intervening time (they are neighbours and their kids have become best mates. He is minted, hence why we don't mix in the same circles any more...) and, so I'm told, GB contacted said player to see if the deal could be done.
My friend didn't say why it didn't happen - the intimation was it was more Lambert's decision, but then I imagine he knew straight away that he'd be stymied by the potential wages and dismissed it.
Never bothered to post it before because these things always look like BS written down, but no reason whatsoever to doubt what I was told. Also, it doesn't matter now.
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There has been a 'policy' of buying 'young and hungry' (or whatever the phrase was) which has proved largely ineffective as there has been little balance with quality and experience.
Young perhaps, but they've shown very little hunger in the last few games
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In the Express and Star today Lambert has challenged him to get in the team and says the midfield 3 having been playing really well for us. wtf.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/aston-villa-fc/2014/04/30/no-sylla-surprise-paul-lambert-throws-down-gauntlet-to-villa-midfielder/
Fucking hell. How deluded can Lambert get?
Maybe he actually views this season as a success.
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I agree with the vast majority of what you have said, but I'm pretty sure that GB was not interested in re-joining us.
Have it on good authority that GB was very keen to come back. An old friend of mine, who I caught up with after a few years a while back, has become good friends with a very recent ex-player in the intervening time (they are neighbours and their kids have become best mates. He is minted, hence why we don't mix in the same circles any more...) and, so I'm told, GB contacted said player to see if the deal could be done.
My friend didn't say why it didn't happen - the intimation was it was more Lambert's decision, but then I imagine he knew straight away that he'd be stymied by the potential wages and dismissed it.
Never bothered to post it before because these things always look like BS written down, but no reason whatsoever to doubt what I was told. Also, it doesn't matter now.
It was reported in a number of normally reliable papers that GB had been offered to us because that we were his first choice. So it does seem there was something in it.
All immaterial now, and I'm sure he's glad to be sharing a midfield with players who actually look for the ball and don't hide away.
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In the Express and Star today Lambert has challenged him to get in the team and says the midfield 3 having been playing really well for us. wtf.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/aston-villa-fc/2014/04/30/no-sylla-surprise-paul-lambert-throws-down-gauntlet-to-villa-midfielder/
Fucking hell. How deluded can Lambert get?
Maybe he actually views this season as a success.
I know he's in a tricky position because he's sat in front of journalists being asked these questions, so has to say something, but even taking that into account, things like that still manage to terrify me.