Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Dave on July 31, 2014, 10:11:32 PM
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Saturday 5pm (local time) , pre-match, match and post-match thread.
Presumably organised as part of Bacuna's transfer, and I assume he'll play 90 minutes.
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Hopefully, Bacuna gets to play a half for each team, then we both get to see how poor he is.
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Bit worried if we lose this with a fullish team, this lot were knocked out of europa by Aberdeen!
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Judging by some of the stuff on youtube, some of their fans still think it's the mid 80s.
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They behaved like scummers apparently the other week when they played Aberdeen.
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They played up last time we were there as well.
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I know a few lads who are going over so i'll ask them how it went next time I see them. I wish i'd gone as well now.
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Think we should play a mix of the team likely to start the first PL game, and some on the fridges who we could do with taking a look at.
Would go
Steer, Richardson, Hutton, Clark, Vlaar, Delph, Bacuna, CNZ, Cole (if fit at number ten), Bent, Weimann
At half time I think I would bring on Given, Lowton, and maybe Gabby depending on how the game is going.
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Seem like a nice bunch.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/297554/video-moment-fc-groningen-fan-threw-bike-aberdeen-fans/
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Seem like a nice bunch.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/297554/video-moment-fc-groningen-fan-threw-bike-aberdeen-fans/
Are you sure their Dutch? Maybe they should be injected from the country?
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Are Groningen any good? Genuine question.
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Are Groningen any good? Genuine question.
Don't know, doubt their great.
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1-1
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Seem like a nice bunch.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/297554/video-moment-fc-groningen-fan-threw-bike-aberdeen-fans/
He's throwing at a bagpipe band; surely some leeway is allowed.
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it does seem somewhat justified. I'd be throwing a lot more at something that sounds like several screaming dying cats.
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Think we should play a mix of the team likely to start the first PL game, and some on the fridges who we could do with taking a look at.
I know some lads are carrying summer weight but no need to call them fridges!
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Think we should play a mix of the team likely to start the first PL game, and some on the fridges who we could do with taking a look at.
Would go
Steer, Richardson, Hutton, Clark, Vlaar, Delph, Bacuna, CNZ, Cole (if fit at number ten), Bent, Weimann
At half time I think I would bring on Given, Lowton, and maybe Gabby depending on how the game is going.
We could replace Clark and Hutton at half-time with those fridges you mention. They'd certainly be more solid. :-)
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I'd hope this game sees us at least start with 7-8 players who will start the first game. Fitness for the squad is important but we do need to work on the team cohesion as well, which is tough if you're changing things all the time.
That said I'm happy with anything so long as it doesn't involve Herd at Centre Back.
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I'd hope this game sees us at least start with 7-8 players who will start the first game. Fitness for the squad is important but we do need to work on the team cohesion as well, which is tough if you're changing things all the time.
That said I'm happy with anything so long as it doesn't involve Herd at Centre Back.
Can anyone - and I'm not just looking at you, Paul - explain the obsession with playing the boy Herd at CB?! Madness, I tells ye.
HE'S A DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER, MR LAMBERT!
And a squad player at that.
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Think we should play a mix of the team likely to start the first PL game, and some on the fridges who we could do with taking a look at.
I know some lads are carrying summer weight but no need to call them fridges!
They have already been frozen out by Lambert
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Hopefully we see a more experienced side this weekend . Herd at CB is madness.
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Yep time to put Herd in the Fridge! As a midfielder I guess he has something to offer, but in defence I just don't see it. Also, its not like we lack centre backs, its just that most of them are not good enough.
Will go for a 2-1 win tomorrow. CNZ and Bent to score for us.
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disappointingly no live coverage of the game tomorrow. At least not via the OS due some contractual issues.
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How about the Groningen site?
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Here (http://www.eredivisielive.nl/portal/gro/live)
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The link posted above is not an illegal stream. It is a direct link from the FC Groningen (http://www.fcgroningen.nl) OS.
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The Dutch fans are mad. Hooligan problems are still a big issue over there. apparently
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Dutch fans recreating the 1980's ? Burks
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it does seem somewhat justified. I'd be throwing a lot more at something that sounds like several screaming dying cats.
Agreed. I've never understood why anybody can find bagpipes remotely musical. Sorry if I've offended anyone but that's just my opinion.
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The link posted above is not an illegal stream. It is a direct link from the FC Groningen (http://www.fcgroningen.nl) OS.
Thanks, will be checking out this one live!
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it does seem somewhat justified. I'd be throwing a lot more at something that sounds like several screaming dying cats.
Agreed. I've never understood why anybody can find bagpipes remotely musical. Sorry if I've offended anyone but that's just my opinion.
As an Englishman with no connection with Scotland whatsoever, I find that there is something very inspiring about a good pipe band. Perhaps it's why soldiers of Scottish regiments were led by pipers. Just my opinion.
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I see we haven't even took Woodwood along for the ride. He's just been on Talksport doing a report from another game over here
Unless we've seen sense ...
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The link posted above is not an illegal stream. It is a direct link from the FC Groningen (http://www.fcgroningen.nl) OS.
Thank you. Will be on this site at 16.00.
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Think we should play a mix of the team likely to start the first PL game, and some on the fridges who we could do with taking a look at.
Would go
Steer, Richardson, Hutton, Clark, Vlaar, Delph, Bacuna, CNZ, Cole (if fit at number ten), Bent, Weimann
At half time I think I would bring on Given, Lowton, and maybe Gabby depending on how the game is going.
We could replace Clark and Hutton at half-time with those fridges you mention. They'd certainly be more solid. :-)
So two up top. Cole at number 10. N'zogbia and bacuna wide?
Are you ossie ardiles?
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Given Hutton Senderos Baker Clark Westwood Delph Weimann Richardson Agbonlahor (c) Bent
subs
Guzan Okore Bacuna El Ahmadi N'Zogbia Herd Stevens Gardner Grealish
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Three at the back and Hutton/Richardson wingbacks it is then.
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You'd have thought so, with Weimann behind the forwards
The way the players are listed I actually wonder if it will be 4231 with Clark at left back and Richardson in the hole, gabby and Weimann wide
Probably not though!
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Given Hutton Senderos Baker Clark Westwood Delph Weimann Richardson Agbonlahor (c) Bent
subs
Guzan Okore Bacuna El Ahmadi N'Zogbia Herd Stevens Gardner Grealish
Official or opinion?
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Think we should play a mix of the team likely to start the first PL game, and some on the fridges who we could do with taking a look at.
Would go
Steer, Richardson, Hutton, Clark, Vlaar, Delph, Bacuna, CNZ, Cole (if fit at number ten), Bent, Weimann
At half time I think I would bring on Given, Lowton, and maybe Gabby depending on how the game is going.
We could replace Clark and Hutton at half-time with those fridges you mention. They'd certainly be more solid. :-)
So two up top. Cole at number 10. N'zogbia and bacuna wide?
Are you ossie ardiles?
C'mon its just a friendly let me have my fun!
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The problem with playing technically inept, lower quality opposition is the risk that they can drag you down to their level. Ask most Premier league sides. Or Sheffield United, Millwall etc.
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I've a feeling we'll lose this one. Not sure how much to worry if we do
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I've a feeling we'll lose this one. Not sure how much to worry if we do
Pre season results really are no indicator as to what will happen at Stoke and beyond. It's an interesting insight into the tactical thinking (if any) of Keane and Lambert though.
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Isn't it KO in less than 20 mins, or have I got the time difference wrong?
Just seems weird that neither the official FB or Twitter have posted anything for 19 hours.
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5pm?
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5pm?
I thought that was Dutch time?
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The problem with playing technically inept, lower quality opposition is the risk that they can drag you down to their level. Ask most Premier league sides. Or Sheffield United, Millwall etc.
Yes however I don't think FC Groningen are capable of being that bad! (being as you set it up I thought I would finish your line here)
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Posting from the Stadium curtesy of free WiFi. Hmm Villa.Anyway haven't seen anyone hit with a bicycle yet. Bad news is the beer is alcohol free. Neat stadium, usual behind a net and Perspex like an ice hockey stadium.
Good turnout as ever maybe 400 or so at the moment.
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Posting from the Stadium curtesy of free WiFi. Hmm Villa.Anyway haven't seen anyone hit with a bicycle yet. Bad news is the beer is alcohol free. Neat stadium, usual behind a net and Perspex like an ice hockey stadium.
Good turnout as ever maybe 400 or so at the moment.
How many away fans do they allow?
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Looks to be room for 1500 maybe
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Looks to be room for 1500 maybe
We might be relying on you for updates as Villa Facebook and Twitter seem to have forgotten the game is on.
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http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4047780,00.html
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Kickoff at 4 our time isn't it? Half the pitch covered in bits of paper at the moment, can't see it kicking off on time.
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http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4047780,00.html
I can't see how that stops the club giving team news and updates during the game on FB/Twitter.
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Anyone got a stream that'll work on a tablet?
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Anyone got a stream that'll work on a tablet?
I don't think there is any coverage that will work on anything.
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Well the link isn't on yet, maybe they are waiting for the game to kick off?
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Well the link isn't on yet, maybe they are waiting for the game to kick off?
Kick off was due a couple of mins ago, I doubt it is going to be shown.
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Wiziwig tv has 3 streams but only for PC
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Wiziwig tv has 3 streams but only for PC
No illegal streams, please.
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You cant watch the stream on their site unless you are in the Netherlands.
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1-0 to them anyway, not missing much
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My first oh for fuck's sake of the season.
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1-0 to Groningen
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Shay still got it!
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Wiziwig tv has 3 streams but only for PC
No illegal streams, please.
Sorry
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1 down.
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Yes 1 down. Shit pitch shit start.
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Villa team: Given, Hutton, Senderos, Baker, Clark, Westwood, Delph, Weimann, Richardson, Agbonlahor, Bent.
Villa subs: Guzan Okore Bacuna El Ahmadi N'Zogbia Herd Stevens Gardner Grealish
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Make that 2
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Fuck me. Two nil down!!
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Hutton getting slaughtered and 2-0
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This is going to be one depressing season.
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Well this is strangely familiar.
We really are quite poor
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2-0
Bollox
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Nice.
Looks like it is the 4231 and looks like it's working well
I'm really not sure I can face this season
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Oh well Amsterdam tonight....
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Delph trying to be too clever before their second went in
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Villa team: Given, Hutton, Senderos, Baker, Clark, Westwood, Delph, Weimann, Richardson, Agbonlahor, Bent.
Villa subs: Guzan Okore Bacuna El Ahmadi N'Zogbia Herd Stevens Gardner Grealish
Not the best lineup that. Who the hell is playing at the other full back position? If he is fit I would be playing Okore.
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Grim
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It's Clark and Hutton at full back. Richardson number 10. I'm happy with him as a better left back than we have. As a number ten that's pretty desperate
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Richardson at #10? Please tell me you're joking.
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Richardson at #10? Please tell me you're joking.
I suppose pre-season is the best time to try different things.
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Good to see senderos has shored things up at the back.
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Good to see senderos has shored things up at the back.
A mistake by Given for the first and a 30 yarder for the second. Not really the fault of Senderos.
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This jet lag ailment is worrying.
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Richardson at #10? Please tell me you're joking.
I suppose pre-season is the best time to try different things.
I guess, yeah, but that's pushing it a bit far. Also suggests we have no money to spend. Very worrying.
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Bent looks fat, Mickey Quinn fat
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We're finally coming into it a bit more.
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Good to see senderos has shored things up at the back.
A mistake by Given for the first and a 30 yarder for the second. Not really the fault of Senderos.
True but we all like a scapegoat.
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Bent looks fat, Mickey Quinn fat
Yep, I thought that.
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Paul Lambert said he was relaxed about villa's 4-1 defeat at the hands of Dutch side Groningen: "it's all about fitness at this stage" he said. "We've still got Ron, Joe and Jores to come in. We'll be right at it for Stoke".
Lambert also said their were signs for encouragement, with pressure from Darren bent forcing a 90th minute own goal. "To be fair to him, Benty's come back for pre season and he looks right at it. I thought our front three were a right handful today. They were unlucky not to score".
Lambert dismissed suggestions that villa's 19% possession and no shots on target were a cause for concern. "I don't worry about the stats. There's only one stat that counts - the score. We didn't have the rub of the green today, but if we keep doing what we're doing we won't go far wrong. I see the improvement in training every day. We'll be right at it for stoke."
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I can be gracious as it is a friendly, that second goal was a bit tidy.
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Our two Fridges up front are very cold.
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Drinks break. Can't be that hot surely?
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Rischerdsshon ish playing okish!
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Given trying to stay young with a mohican? Looks even more ridiculous on someone his age.
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3-0
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Fuck off. 3 0!
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3-0 cut open
This team is shocking
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3-0 Jesus
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We absolutely 100 per cent cannot play Darren bent on his own up front. We've proved it time and again. Please please please do not put this formation out v stoke unless gabby is going to play there
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Non-existant defending. If I had been watching a stream, which obviously I wasn't, I would've just turned it off.
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One ball played from the halfway line and we are torn open.
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Personally don't give a toss if we lost every friendly 6-0...means jack shit.
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I hope to god that they are simple not bothering as this is a friendly, as that third goal was frankly shocking.
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3-0 cut open
This team is shocking
Just look at the back four and you know we're going to leak goals: Senderos, Baker and Clark all need to be in a defence that has got class or they get caught out. Put 'em all together and it's open season for the oppo.
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Clark shit at left back with Senderos and Baker asleep in the centre.
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One ball played from the halfway line and we are torn open.
Where was Swiss phil?
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We absolutely 100 per cent cannot play Darren bent on his own up front. We've proved it time and again. Please please please do not put this formation out v stoke unless gabby is going to play there
I've said before, our forward line at present is garbage. We can't just write off the first God knows how long of the season until Kozak and Benteke return. Need to get a forward in, even if it's just on loan.
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We need to buy some quality players next week.
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Perhaps this is a cunning plan to panic Lerner into signing a decent player or two?
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One ball played from the halfway line and we are torn open.
Where was Swiss phil?
Only about 20 yards out of position.
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This team will be relegated no doubt about that.
You can say its only a friendly but the pattern of play , lack of ability in midfield , 5 defenders yet can't defend.It embarrassing to watch and same old shit we have seen for 2 years now.
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Why isn't Bacuna playing?
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You can't expect to be competing with the likes of ...goes to check name of team... FC Groningen and Chesterfield without serious investment these days.
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Results wise friendlies don't matter.
But they are about getting players to gel and seeing the side play with some cohesion.
Based on that it looks very bleak. Can only hope some more signings might be on the way.
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I've got a meal at a nice restaurant during the stoke match. Phone will be off
I've never dreaded a season like this one.
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Comes to something when Hutton offers more going forward than Gabby or Andi. Front 3 are dire so far.
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Feel sorry for the 400 or so villa fans who have travelled to watch this rubbish.
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This is bleak and we're not even in deep mid winter yet!
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From the Mail coverage:
"Desperate stuff from Villa. Agbonlahor gives the ball away, then Weimann gives it away, the Clark hoofs it away and Villa's midfield stands still. Clark bellows his frustrations."
Sound familiar ?
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Who's captain today ?
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Perhaps this is a cunning plan to panic Lerner into signing a decent player or two?
I hope the cunning plan works ! We simply have so many average players, it is hard to take.
Let the spending begin ;-)
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Who's captain today ?
Bent ....
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Boos from the Villa fans.
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Richardson the only player who can take any credit from that first half. And maybe Hutton going forward gets a bit. Otherwise that was very very poor.
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Personally don't give a toss if we lost every friendly 6-0...means jack shit.
No you are absolutely right. Getting schooled by shite mid-table Dutch opposition in no way indicates the possible hell that may follow for the coming season. Bring it on. We're ready.
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Paul Lambert said he was relaxed about villa's 4-1 defeat at the hands of Dutch side Groningen: "it's all about fitness at this stage" he said. "We've still got Ron, Joe and Jores to come in. We'll be right at it for Stoke".
Lambert also said their were signs for encouragement, with pressure from Darren bent forcing a 90th minute own goal. "To be fair to him, Benty's come back for pre season and he looks right at it. I thought our front three were a right handful today. They were unlucky not to score".
Lambert dismissed suggestions that villa's 19% possession and no shots on target were a cause for concern. "I don't worry about the stats. There's only one stat that counts - the score. We didn't have the rub of the green today, but if we keep doing what we're doing we won't go far wrong. I see the improvement in training every day. We'll be right at it for stoke."
Very good, made me laugh. Yet also slightly sad...
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Why isn't Bacuna playing?
Never mind Bacuna it's the 11 on the pitch not playing that is more worrying!
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Who's captain today ?
Bent ....
I thought it was Gabby
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Feel sorry for the 400 or so villa fans who have travelled to watch this rubbish.
I know 15 who have gone over and if I know them lot, they'll have a good time regardless of the result.
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Who's captain today ?
Bent ....
I thought it was Gabby
Who knows, neither touched the ball so they were never on camera to see who has the armband.
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I'm concerned that he doesn't seem to see Richardson as a left back unless it's in a 352 - and we've not played much of that in pre season - though he might be scared into going that way
That means Bennett, Stevens or Clark. Jesus wept
Gabby is the only fit fwd we have who can play up top on his own
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Watching Bent makes me want to cry. His gait is so strange these days, it's like he is running at a 45 degree angle. He has a remarkable ability to pretend to close the defence, but never quite get close enough to have to put any sort of tackle/block/shoulder charge in. He can't jump to time a header. He has no interest in coming short for the ball, and, if by accident he finds himself in that position, he looks like a rugby player trying to trap the ball. Just awful.
Whilst I'm on a little rant, how on earth has Baker managed to stay in and around the first team of a premier league club for over 2 years, when it is so obvious to all that he isn't good enough. More than anything perhaps, his continued presence in the first team sums up events at Villa Park over recent years.
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Ron looks well impressed.
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Appalling. In every position. Bent like a fish out of water with nothing to do
A truly pathetic and worrying 45
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Gabby has the armband but not much captioning from him so far.
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Is the bloke now talking to Ron a wrestler or something. He's fookin massive.
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it's like he is running at a 45 degree angle.
Apologies, it's like he's ambling at a 45 degree angle.
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I really wish I spoke Dutch right now to know what Ron is saying.
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Personally don't give a toss if we lost every friendly 6-0...means jack shit.
No you are absolutely right. Getting schooled by shite mid-table Dutch opposition in no way indicates the possible hell that may follow for the coming season. Bring it on. We're ready.
Exactly , you can't possibly believe losing and performing poorly in pre-season won't be taken into the new season.The team looks shambolic at the back , as it has done EVERY time Vlaar has not played in the last 2 years.Midfield once again can't control the game and upfront there is no hold up play Gabby and Wiemann once again deployed wide and performing poorly.
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I worry about Lambert thinking that we can get creativity and flair through Gabby and Weimann.
I fully expect to see a more effective second half (probably not by much) with Zogbia and Grealish hopefully coming on.
Gabby's given up the ghost. When we're up against it, Bent is useful. If we've got no one creative in the side, there's no point playing someone like Bent.
If that's anything close to our best 11 going into the new season, we're done for.
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I'd much rather have Weimann up front than Bent.
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Like a sucker for punishment I've decided to start watching again for the Second Half.
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And i'd rather stick Grant Holt out wide than Gabby, he just doesn't seem interested.
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I really wish I spoke Dutch right now to know what Ron is saying.
The bloke just asked Ron if he'll be playing for Villa next season to which he replied 'I bloody hope not' ;-)
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It sounds like Bent is confirming why PL didn't play him in the first place. Outside of the box he adds nothing and we only have him because no one else wants him.
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Sounds like KEA and Bacuna are on. My Dutch isn't very good.
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We're so lucky to have Lambert as manager. It incredible how without a few key players, he can still get us playing to this standard. It's just like last season.
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I don't subscribe to the theory that Bent would be an asset in a team that had control and creativity. He would still be a massive lead weight, dragging the teams performance down. He is a busted flash, physically, and, from the complete lack of any desire or emotion, mentally as well. Fulham fans were booing him last year, when he managed to get on the pitch.
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Has it been fully committed, spirited performance so far? And has a manager ever been sacked during the pre season friendly campaign?
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Here (http://www.eredivisielive.nl/portal/gro/live)
Hmm this link not working for me, maybe a region locking issue? Any other legal streams of this one? Cheers!
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Here (http://www.eredivisielive.nl/portal/gro/live)
Hmm this link not working for me, maybe a region locking issue? Any other legal streams of this one? Cheers!
Unfortunately not.
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Completely agree on bent. A couple of tap ins against a division one side doesn't mean a resurgence
He's lazy, overweight and has a crap touch.
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Ron looks well impressed.
Wonder what he is thinking wathing this. "If have any ambition I have to go elsewhere" or "I cannot leave them like this, I have a responsibility to solve this". Or C: "Lets hear what my agent tells me"
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Here (http://www.eredivisielive.nl/portal/gro/live)
Hmm this link not working for me, maybe a region locking issue? Any other legal streams of this one? Cheers!
Unfortunately not.
Thanks. I got it working. Cheers! Now to watch us wi..... oh my.
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Still 3-0
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We're Aston Villa, we just had a shot.
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Only tuned in for the second half and it's been dreadful so far.
EDIT: Dreadful tackle by Clark. Lucky its only a yellow in a friendly.
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That's a bad tackle for a friendly.
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Clark with a tasty tackle.
We really seem slow and ponderous in possession.
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"Have you won the European cup, the European cup, the European cup"
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"Can we watch you every week?"
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Clark's decision making really does scare me.
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Ok that was a great tackle from Baker.
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Good block from Baker.
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Clark and Baker still shouldn't be anywhere near a top flight first team.
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Those Texan football teams must be mighty bad.
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Thank god I can't tune in. I would be even more depressed than I am am just reading the thread!
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Clark and Baker still shouldn't be anywhere near a top flight first team.
Correct. The chuckle brothers.
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Its because we have shorts on. Oh and we ain't very good
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Honestly Ron I am getting the impression Lambert is using this as a training session for some formation. We have been playing very very deep when defending with almost no gap between defense and midfield. It is a very odd shape we have. It must be deliberate.
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We really are crap. Absolutely clueless with and without the ball.
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We are a truly awful side in possession.
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3-0 down in a friendly and all 11 back defending in open play
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I can't believe anyone really thinks we don't still need to add several players, better ones than those we already have, rather than more of the same old guff.
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Can't believe we are under so much pressure. The ball has not left Villa half for the last 10 minutes or so.
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Encouraging stats.
Successful passes: Groningen 466, Villa 231.
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Clark and Baker still shouldn't be anywhere near a top flight first team.
Correct. The chuckle brothers.
Nor should Bennett, Luna or Stevens. We really do have some bad left footed defenders. All 5 of them have been tried as left back.
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I can't believe anyone really thinks we don't still need to add several players, better ones than those we already have, rather than more of the same old guff.
Don't remember anyone saying that to be fair. The only real debate seems to be which areas need the most attention.
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Good game to pass the time. When Villa get the ball, count to 5. If Villa still have it on 5, they get a point, if they don't, you get a point.
I used to play a similar game with N'zogbia in relation to his retention of possession. Worryingly, it has now spread to the entire team.
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I can't believe anyone really thinks we don't still need to add several players, better ones than those we already have, rather than more of the same old guff.
Don't remember anyone saying that to be fair. The only real debate seems to be which areas need the most attention.
All of them?
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I can't believe anyone really thinks we don't still need to add several players, better ones than those we already have, rather than more of the same old guff.
We cannot afford to let lambert have the money however. He's totally useless.
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Encouraging stats.
Successful passes: Groningen 466, Villa 231.
225 of ours were made in our own half under no pressure. 6 in their half (probably just over the half way line).
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Decent bit of play that. Something changed with the subs.
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I can't believe anyone really thinks we don't still need to add several players, better ones than those we already have, rather than more of the same old guff.
Don't remember anyone saying that to be fair. The only real debate seems to be which areas need the most attention.
All of them?
Even Keeper? Think a lot of clubs would like to have a number one and two like Guzan and Given, and a promising third choice keeper.
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I can't believe anyone really thinks we don't still need to add several players, better ones than those we already have, rather than more of the same old guff.
We cannot afford to let lambert have the money however. He's totally useless.
Agreed.
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Gardner, Herd and Stevens, a triumvirate of shitness.
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I can't believe anyone really thinks we don't still need to add several players, better ones than those we already have, rather than more of the same old guff.
We cannot afford to let lambert have the money however. He's totally useless.
Agreed.
But we also can't afford to not let him have the money, this squad is laughably poor.
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Lambert is not going anywhere. The idea if starving him of funds is just crazy. But Lerner seems to be doing just that this window.
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GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL
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GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLL!!!
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Charlie Zog. One of the few quality players we have.
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Great free kick from Bacuna. 3 - 1.
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Goal nzog
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Easy...come back on
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Lambert is not going anywhere. The idea if starving him of funds is just crazy. But Lerner seems to be doing just that this window.
Agree entirely.
The fact we've made three signings, all on frees, and one of them is Joe Cole, is just staggering.
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Mine was better, it had exclamation marks for emphasis.
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Hutton did more in that run, both attack wise and looking like he gave a shit, than Gabby managed in over 70 minutes.
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Cracking effort
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From Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to Lambert's Hierarchy of Shit.
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Nice! Good to have a three decent free kick takers now in the team. Gards, Zog & Bacuna.
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That was a perfect free kick from Mr Dead Ends.
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So was it Bacuna or n'zog?
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I don't believe you. It's a wind-up, isn't it?
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Lambert is not going anywhere. The idea if starving him of funds is just crazy. But Lerner seems to be doing just that this window.
Not yet, but the odds must be pretty long on him being at Villa come the end of the season the way things are going, or is that short? Betting confuses me.
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Cracker from N'Zog
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Zoguna scored.
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Great free kick from Bacuna. 3 - 1.
oops sorry. Nzog. I've only just woken up.
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Great free kick from Bacuna. 3 - 1.
They all look the same... On a stream!
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Hutton running like he's wearing lead boots just then.
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Gabby reminds me in so many ways of Dalian Atkinson...on his day unplayable, but more often than not plays like he couldn't give a toss
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I'd happily see Gabby moved on. He symbolises a lot of things which are wrong with the club - big money, been here for years, delivers next to fuck all these days, firmly in the comfort zone.
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Lambert is not going anywhere. The idea if starving him of funds is just crazy. But Lerner seems to be doing just that this window.
Agree entirely.
The fact we've made three signings, all on frees, and one of them is Joe Cole, is just staggering.
I wanted him sacked really. Wishful thinking
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Another for Charlie is at least one plus we can take from this, big season for him, really needs to step up.
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From Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs to Lambert's Hierarchy of Shit.
That's a bit deep Dave.... Deep shit as far as our Paul is concerned!
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I'd happily see Gabby moved on. He symbolises a lot of things which are wrong with the club - big money, been here for years, delivers next to fuck all these days, firmly in the comfort zone.
A fur-lined rut is I think is what they call it. Much too comfortable.
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I'd happily see Gabby moved on. He symbolises a lot of things which are wrong with the club - big money, been here for years, delivers next to fuck all these days, firmly in the comfort zone.
He'll score a big important goal for us though!
The fact that it wouldn't be an important goal if the bugger did more than 3 good games a season doesn't matter.
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I don't see the point in playing friendlies against totally sub-standard opposition... said the FC Groningen boss.
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I'd happily see Gabby moved on. He symbolises a lot of things which are wrong with the club - big money, been here for years, delivers next to fuck all these days, firmly in the comfort zone.
Added to that is he cant handle criticism
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We played well then, for a bit.
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How Gabby and Weimann start ahead of Zog is a mystery even Toyah sings about.
I'm dead topical.
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We had more optimism back in the summer if 1986, so this season should be X certificate
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Charles is head and shoulders our best player since he came on.
And he has not become a better player the past two years, the rest of the team has just got worse.
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Haven't seen the whole match, not even all this half, but N'Zogbia seems to be our best player by some way.
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Please can we stop fucking about and get some fullbacks and a midfield in. This season after 4 years of utter shit is going to to drag. I don't think I can handle almost 200 games of bollox without a break.
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He could've given us a penalty then, to make it more exciting.
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Please can we stop fucking about and get some fullbacks and a midfield in. This season after 4 years of utter shit is going to to drag. I don't think I can handle almost 200 games of bollox without a break.
Yup. Another season of dreading games rather than looking forward to them :(
Thanks Lerner.
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4-1
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Wow, some proper ineptitude there.
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4-1 it is than well predicted Matt C
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Is it 4-1 now?
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Someone said 4 - 1 earlier. Spot on.
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The fact lambert persists with Clark and baker is by itself worthy of being shot
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Sod it, that was a nice goal from Groningen.
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Well, that was a load of old shite.
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Is it 4-1
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Reading your comments it would appear that bringing in Roy Keane has not had the desired effect. In fact nothing's changed in any way.
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Did Aberdeen beat these did someone say?
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Well beaten.
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Yes, 2-1.
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I am shocked that Groningen players are not rushing over to swap shirts.
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Did Aberdeen beat these did someone say?
Yesh
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Is it over yet?
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4 goals conceded ,,as our youth team ( which included Lowton and Bennett) conceded today also..
Just how many times have we conceded 4 goals under Lambert now..
Might just be a friendly but just enforces my view we are going to struggle badly this season without better players brought in
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Reading your comments it would appear that bringing in Roy Keane has not had the desired effect. In fact nothing's changed in any way.
Shite players will always be shite.
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Useless. Friendly though it might be, the sheer cluelessness of the side, as we've come to expect from Lambert, and the lack of quality, is a big worry.
We need 2-3 good signings and Benteke can't come back soon enough. Then we have to hope that we can overcome how absolutely, unquestionably, fucking useless Lambert is at picking and organising a side.
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At least we didn't lose the second half. Gives us a strong platform to build on.
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I have a real feeling that this could be the year it finally happens - unless we buy some seriously decent players.
There's just not enough quality there. They look like they've never met, too.
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You can't sugar coat this even if it is a friendly. The squad is totally dire but I think the manager is completely out of his depth.
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Bent, Gabby and Weimann really worry me. Far more than the defence or midfield do.
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Then we have to hope that we can overcome how absolutely, unquestionably, fucking useless Lambert is at picking and organising a side.
I stuck with Lambert through the first season and a chunk of the second, but I am increasingly starting to think he's an absolute chancer and genuinely doesn't know what he's doing.
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Useless. Friendly though it might be, the sheer cluelessness of the side, as we've come to expect from Lambert, and the lack of quality, is a big worry.
We need 2-3 good signings and Benteke can't come back soon enough. Then we have to hope that we can overcome how absolutely, unquestionably, fucking useless Lambert is at picking and organising a side.
Absolutely. I hope the summer break hasn't lulled anyone into forgetting just how shit a manager he is. At the end of last season, almost anyone in the four leagues could have beaten us and I've seen nothing to change my mind so far that the same won't be true come the start of this campaign
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Paul Lambert said he was relaxed about villa's 4-1 defeat at the hands of Dutch side Groningen: "it's all about fitness at this stage" he said. "We've still got Ron, Joe and Jores to come in. We'll be right at it for Stoke".
Lambert also said their were signs for encouragement, with pressure from Darren bent forcing a 90th minute own goal. "To be fair to him, Benty's come back for pre season and he looks right at it. I thought our front three were a right handful today. They were unlucky not to score".
Lambert dismissed suggestions that villa's 19% possession and no shots on target were a cause for concern. "I don't worry about the stats. There's only one stat that counts - the score. We didn't have the rub of the green today, but if we keep doing what we're doing we won't go far wrong. I see the improvement in training every day. We'll be right at it for stoke."
Thanks Paul;)
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Reading your comments it would appear that bringing in Roy Keane has not had the desired effect. In fact nothing's changed in any way.
Not yet. Putting results aside (and we should its just pre season) what would be good is to see fitness improving and our style of play starting to look solid.
Our style of play fell back into that weird mush we have when on a down beat string of losses, our fitness seems to have a ways to go....
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Yeah I know it was only a friendly, but it was just the same old shit.
Please god not another season of this - I cant take it
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Some of you are missing the point, pre season friendlies are all about fitness that's all
It will be another two weeks before we are playing shit and losing for real
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I have a real feeling that this could be the year it finally happens - unless we buy some seriously decent players.
There's just not enough quality there. They look like they've never met, too.
I'm getting that feeling too. Crap players plus crap manager is a recipe for disaster. We'll have to rely on Benteke to drag us through, but that's if we're lucky enough for him to hit the ground running when he gets back and stay fit.
The midfield is shite. Honestly besides Delph, there's not a CM at the club I'm really satisfied with. 2 signings of good standard are required. Not too mention a couple of good fullbacks.
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Yes, it's a friendly. Blah blah blah
But if that didn't sound out more alarm bells i'm not sure what will. Hard to recall a more hapless, shapeless, toothless performance. And bearing in mind the last three seasons that's some statement
No positives other than, it's finished
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You start a game with three strikers on the pitch (even though none of them did anything) and you end with none on the pitch
Genius!
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Zog, Richardson and maybe Hutton for his attacking play are pretty much the only players to get any credit from that game.
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Wonderful, can't wait for the eh, highlights? :'(
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Yup and sorry to say but I think we loaned out the wrong reserve keeper.
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Then we have to hope that we can overcome how absolutely, unquestionably, fucking useless Lambert is at picking and organising a side.
I stuck with Lambert through the first season and a chunk of the second, but I am increasingly starting to think he's an absolute chancer and genuinely doesn't know what he's doing.
The worst thing about the lack of a takeover is we're stuck with bloody Lambert. You only have to watch us to see he hasn't got a clue. Even crap League One and Two teams have a set up, look like know what they're doing. We forever look disjointed and like we met for the first time 5 minutes before kick off.
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Reading your comments it would appear that bringing in Roy Keane has not had the desired effect. In fact nothing's changed in any way.
Shite players will always be shite.
Have to agree. I really can't see why there is an expectation for players who have not been good enough for the past 2-3 seasons to dramatically improve.
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4-1. Not good.
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I have a horrible feeling that we won't win the league this season.
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Zog, Richardson and maybe Hutton for his attacking play are pretty much the only players to get any credit from that game.
I'd go along with this.
I'd also add it's slightly worrying that on the basis of pre-season, Alan Hutton is one of our better players. What the bloody hell have we come to?
For me Zogbia has to play every game whilst we're missing Benteke. He's the only one who looks like he might make something out of nothing.
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Reading your comments it would appear that bringing in Roy Keane has not had the desired effect. In fact nothing's changed in any way.
Shite players will always be shite.
Have to agree. I really can't see why there is an expectation for players who have not been good enough for the past 2-3 seasons to dramatically improve.
See also the expectation that players we made spend the last year playing frisbee and FIFA instead of actually training with us are going to suddenly turn it around.
Darren Bent looks fat to me. If he grew a beard he'd be a decent Luther Vandross doppelganger.
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I have a horrible feeling that we won't win the league this season.
I have a horrible feeling the next league we win will be League 1.
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The club is a shambles both on and off the park - Lambert appears as clueless as ever and the owner doesn`t give a flying *uck.
Its going to be a long painful season ahead - if Vlaar is sold then we know Lerner is looking to haul in his investment as much as he can.
we may not be as lucky this year -i.e. thay may not be 3 teams worse than us.
When we are not willing to compete with Stoke, Swansea and Hull ffs you realise the time is up.
As fans of other teams say - "Aston Villa FC- what is the point"?
OK we have lost two friendlies - big deal , however its the manner in which we are losing - there is no desire, passion, shape or even basic tactics - such as how to defend, compete in midfield and as for trying to score without forwards- that is just pathetic.
Is there anyone out there who still thinks Lambert is the right man for the job?
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Well it's all about fitness at this stage. Player and tactical inadequacy can be corrected over 38 games. We ONLY need 38 points so I see no problem in this team getting there by the 37th game and we celebrate another season in the premier League with vigour at the final home game against Burnley.
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Well it's all about fitness at this stage. Player and tactical inadequacy can be corrected over 38 games. We ONLY need 38 points so I see no problem in this team getting there by the 37th game and we celebrate another season in the premier League with vigour at the final home game against Burnley.
I hope we get flags!
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Jet lag ??
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Then we have to hope that we can overcome how absolutely, unquestionably, fucking useless Lambert is at picking and organising a side.
I stuck with Lambert through the first season and a chunk of the second, but I am increasingly starting to think he's an absolute chancer and genuinely doesn't know what he's doing.
I'm a bit like that Paulie, I was prepared to stick with him hoping that he'd just had a run of bad luck but, no, I think he doesn't have it.
I try not to comment too much on individual players because I don't see them play live regularly, but last year I got to see them play in Dublin and in that match Baker was terrible. Carruthers didn't impress me either nor did Bacuna to be honest but at least he was new to the club so he could be cut some slack. If I could see Baker couldn't cut it in a friendly then Lambert seeing it for a full season (two now at this stage) and continuing to play him is justification for the sack alone. I hate having to say that.
I still do not understand what went wrong that we couldn't maintain the little bit of progress we made from the second half of Lambert's first season. I guess we'll have to wait until he's bulleted and the book comes out.
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and we celebrate another season in the premier League with vigour at the final home game against Burnley.
SIX POINTER!
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I reckon Bent ate Grant Holt. Think about it, has anyone seen Grant Holt recently?
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I have a horrible feeling that we won't win the league this season.
Well, who's a Negative Nancy? We're second already. Champions League form, that. West Brom are screwed. The table never lies.
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What bugged me today as much as anything is how inept Lambert is.
Any time Groningen came into our half, we back off and gave them time. Conversely, almost every time we reached the half way line, they closed us down very quickly and as a result we created almost nothing. You'd think Lambert would have changed tactic a bit and tried to do to them, what was working for them against us. Of course, he did nothing and continued to let us sit deep and try and break quickly as if we're playing Chelsea or Man City, as opposed to the mediocre Dutch side we really were.
We were utterly hopeless going forward. The movement, the passing, the intention to attack, aside from 2-3 players, it was non existent. Given had as much of the ball at his feet than our front 3 in the first half probably.
Again, that disjointed three central strikers in the first hour, before eventually finishing with no front man was another example of utter ineptitude. Even playing a side without a striker, giving us more midfield options, we still couldn't string more than 5 passes together.
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Then we have to hope that we can overcome how absolutely, unquestionably, fucking useless Lambert is at picking and organising a side.
I stuck with Lambert through the first season and a chunk of the second, but I am increasingly starting to think he's an absolute chancer and genuinely doesn't know what he's doing.
I reached that conclusion towards the end of last season. The subsequent issue with his assistants and the total reversal on the 'bomb squad' suggests to me a manager who is just hanging on with no real rational thinking or plan on how to take things forward. That's before you even take the performances on the pitch into consideration.
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Zog, Richardson and maybe Hutton for his attacking play are pretty much the only players to get any credit from that game.
To be honest, I thought Richardson was dreadful. Not on his own mind
I'll let Zog off. Hutton wasn't the worst
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The club is a shambles both on and off the park - Lambert appears as clueless as ever and the owner doesn`t give a flying *uck.
Its going to be a long painful season ahead - if Vlaar is sold then we know Lerner is looking to haul in his investment as much as he can.
we may not be as lucky this year -i.e. thay may not be 3 teams worse than us.
When we are not willing to compete with Stoke, Swansea and Hull ffs you realise the time is up.
As fans of other teams say - "Aston Villa FC- what is the point"?
OK we have lost two friendlies - big deal , however its the manner in which we are losing - there is no desire, passion, shape or even basic tactics - such as how to defend, compete in midfield and as for trying to score without forwards- that is just pathetic.
Is there anyone out there who still thinks Lambert is the right man for the job?
Think positive if Vlaar is sold it'll knock 8m off the asking price for the club.
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Zog, Richardson and maybe Hutton for his attacking play are pretty much the only players to get any credit from that game.
To be honest, I thought Richardson was dreadful. Not on his own mind
I'll let Zog off. Hutton wasn't the worst
I love how Richardson comes in and he states "I've been bought in to play left back."
Pre-season comes and we've not really seen him play left back and today he spent much of the game playing right wing. Lamberts off his bloody rocker.
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my season ticket landed today and after reading about this game Im thinking this will be another long haul under Lambert
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It is a pre season friendly and we had a number of our best players missing for various reasons. I didn't see the game so I only know the scoreline. I will reserve judgement until the season starts and the transfer window ends. But if we don't actually pay a transfer fee for any player this summer then we really will know where we stand. Also, despite the obvious lack of big financial support from above I really do think another manager could get more from this group of players. The one question I have is if there is a point in the season where we are in big trouble, will the owner be prepared to replace the manager or presume that we will stay up based on the fact he has pulled it off in the last two years.
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I cannot see why Paul Lambert would wish to stay at Villa Park. He has failed spectacularly to move Aston Villa forward in a positive way.
But he is not going to resign......why?
There must be a reason. God knows what it is though.
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I have a real feeling that this could be the year it finally happens - unless we buy some seriously decent players.
There's just not enough quality there. They look like they've never met, too.
Agree totally.
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So all this drama based on a friendly result, I cannot wait to see the reaction if we stuffed by Stoke on opening day ::)
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I reckon Bent ate Grant Holt. Think about it, has anyone seen Grant Holt recently?
Brilliant!
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The club is a shambles both on and off the park - Lambert appears as clueless as ever and the owner doesn`t give a flying *uck.
Its going to be a long painful season ahead - if Vlaar is sold then we know Lerner is looking to haul in his investment as much as he can.
we may not be as lucky this year -i.e. thay may not be 3 teams worse than us.
When we are not willing to compete with Stoke, Swansea and Hull ffs you realise the time is up.
As fans of other teams say - "Aston Villa FC- what is the point"?
OK we have lost two friendlies - big deal , however its the manner in which we are losing - there is no desire, passion, shape or even basic tactics - such as how to defend, compete in midfield and as for trying to score without forwards- that is just pathetic.
Is there anyone out there who still thinks Lambert is the right man for the job?
Yep. You would have thought that in the very least he would be able to make us somewhat solid and difficult to beat, but even that seems beyond him. Saying that, with Baker and Clark featuring together that is harder said than done.
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So all this drama based on a friendly result, I cannot wait to see the reaction if we stuffed by Stoke on opening day ::)
More the performance. We looked disjointed, unfit and tactically quite poor. That's my concern anyway.
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It is a pre season friendly and we had a number of our best players missing for various reasons.
Benteke and Vlaar wont cure the problems that were on display again today believe me.
There's STILL no style of play or movement, nothing has changed on that score. It's painful too watch.
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So all this drama based on a friendly result, I cannot wait to see the reaction if we stuffed by Stoke on opening day ::)
More the performance. We looked disjointed, unfit and tactically quite poor. That's my concern anyway.
I get that, but with or without today's display I fear for us this season. Another issue is that I don't think Lambert knows his best team, if he does he should start playing it sooner rather than later.
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I know I keep banging on about it, but I honestly believe our immediate problem is lambert.
At ANY other club he would be long gone.
The thing is, he has absolutely no credit in the bank and so if we get off to a poor start, then the atmosphere at VP (and on the road) will be absolutely poisonous.
It will then be self perpetuatin, the crowd will be on the teams back, the pressure and nerves will build, and we will be in deep shit by christmas.
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I know it's difficult to judge anything on preseason games because of the lack of intensity but for those that have watched the games has there been any changes in the formation to help the defensive weaknesses? Have we managed to not resort to hoofing?
Lambert is the luckiest man in football to still have his job after last season....it seems that us & West Ham will go into the season with managers that 90% of supporters don't want...even Tescos might give there bloke 6 or 7 games before wanting him out.
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Just too much poor quality throughout the squad. Young players with 2 or 3 years worth of experience, but aren't improving, while the likes Grealish and Gardner have shown nothing in pre season to suggest they
Will be any better.
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Blimey just saw the score. Didn't the mighty Aberdeen just beat this lot? What a mess.
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Let's all hope that somehow Lerner pulls of the sale and pulls a competent Chairman from his arsehole because I see that as our best chance of staying up this year. That's not based on 2 pre season beatings, it's based on watching the last 150 games we've stank out. The losing mentality grows by the week at the club as does the air of everything being a stop gap and no one really giving a fuck.
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Oh how I long for it still be June or July. The only months of the year when the Villa can't possibly spoil the day.
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I know it's difficult to judge anything on preseason games because of the lack of intensity but for those that have watched the games has there been any changes in the formation to help the defensive weaknesses? Have we managed to not resort to hoofing?
Lambert is the luckiest man in football to still have his job after last season....it seems that us & West Ham will go into the season with managers that 90% of supporters don't want...even Tescos might give there bloke 6 or 7 games before wanting him out.
I doubt anywhere near 90% of Villa fans want Lambert out, particularly now we know the environment he has been operating under.
Anyway to answer your question. No not really. I mean we looked like world beaters against MLS sides but we did in Lamberts first pre season as well. Against a team that put any kind of resistance up in midfield we just surrender it and end up chasing the whole game.
I think we can pray that the revamped defenders (Okore & Senderos) will make us harder to beat. It is pretty clear Clark & Baker are not improving and have reached their potential.
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Another concern for me is that with each friendly we look worse and less fit. I'm pretty sure that isn't meant to happen.
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This is all worryingly familiar on many levels.
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I know I keep banging on about it, but I honestly believe our immediate problem is lambert.
At ANY other club he would be long gone.
The thing is, he has absolutely no credit in the bank and so if we get off to a poor start, then the atmosphere at VP (and on the road) will be absolutely poisonous.
It will then be self perpetuatin, the crowd will be on the teams back, the pressure and nerves will build, and we will be in deep shit by christmas.
It's difficult to put into words how inept and clueless he is. We are odds on to go down this season in my view, having deserved to go in each of the last two seasons
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Bummer I thought this was an evening k.o!
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I know I keep banging on about it, but I honestly believe our immediate problem is lambert.
At ANY other club he would be long gone.
The thing is, he has absolutely no credit in the bank and so if we get off to a poor start, then the atmosphere at VP (and on the road) will be absolutely poisonous.
It will then be self perpetuatin, the crowd will be on the teams back, the pressure and nerves will build, and we will be in deep shit by christmas.
Tend to agree
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We didn't need a drum beater like Keane in as well. We needed someone who has some form of tactical ideas, that would have been a bonus. That 3/1 for us to get relegated doesn't look like a bad price now.
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More the performance. We looked disjointed, unfit and tactically quite poor. That's my concern anyway.
OK but other than that we were brilliant. Even the performance was a "winning" 4-1 defeat.
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Then we have to hope that we can overcome how absolutely, unquestionably, fucking useless Lambert is at picking and organising a side.
I stuck with Lambert through the first season and a chunk of the second, but I am increasingly starting to think he's an absolute chancer and genuinely doesn't know what he's doing.
Whatever his qualities there often comes a point where manager's become totally hapless and paralysed by Jonah syndrome. I suspect Lambert is well past that point now.
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You can tell the football season is back, it's Saturday evening &'I'm in a foul mood.
Honestly, the fuck ups by Lerner since he took over will be pale in comparison to what we are about to see over the next few months.
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I doubt anywhere near 90% of Villa fans want Lambert out, particularly now we know the environment he has been operating under.
Really? I haven't met one since last Christmas that doesn't
He's a trainwreck. How many clubs in turmoil would stick with a manager that's already lost the supporters before going into a new season ?
It'll kick off big style again come the first defeat because the anger/resentment towards him by a large section of our support is already there and wont have disappeared over the summer
I absolutely loathe the bloke as a manager (note as a manager, not as a person as i've never met or wanted to meet him) and that's not changed just because we've had a summer holiday. I don't forget that quick and it's all there, brewed up inside.
Keeping him on has just guaranteed the atmosphere will be highly charged and lit to pop from the off
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I cannot see why Paul Lambert would wish to stay at Villa Park. He has failed spectacularly to move Aston Villa forward in a positive way.
But he is not going to resign......why?
There must be a reason. God knows what it is though.
I know why - £££££
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We simply have to keep vlaar or it's curtains for sure.
We also need a striker very very urgently.
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If we're going to sign a striker then we HAVE to get rid of some of the dead wood cluttering the place up. Step forward Gabby for starters
I'd be more concerned about the piss poor midfield and defence
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I agree. We cannot lose vlaar. If Richardson isn't going to play left back we have to get a left back. And I think we really need a proper target man, perhaps on loan, until the other two are back. I wondered about Sanogo but I see he scored four today. Anyway, these results will make you feel better
Squawka Football (@Squawka)
02/08/2014 18:50
RESULTS:
Celtic 1-6 Spurs
Schalke 0-0 West Ham
Arsenal 5-1 Benfica
Malaga 3-1 Newcastle
Monaco 2-2 Valencia
Groningen 4-1 Aston Villa
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We simply have to keep vlaar or it's curtains for sure.
We also need a striker very very urgently.
er, and two midfielders, a proper centre half, two decent full backs. Any time you want the spending to start Mr Lerner.....
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I cannot see why Paul Lambert would wish to stay at Villa Park. He has failed spectacularly to move Aston Villa forward in a positive way.
But he is not going to resign......why?
There must be a reason. God knows what it is though.
I would imagine its got something to do with the 750k per annum or whatever it is he is still managing to con us out of.
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Bummer I thought this was an evening k.o!
I wish I'd missed it as well.
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AVFC match report has rationalised everything. Apparently Groningen have already tuned their killer instinct by playing competitively, plus they are one week ahead of us in their fitness training. Panic over.
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A whole week? That's alright then. I presume all the other premier league clubs who won or drew today are a week ahead too
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AVFC match report has rationalised everything. Apparently Groningen have already tuned their killer instinct by playing competitively, plus they are one week ahead of us in their fitness training. Panic over.
They're always going to try and rationalize it tbf. They're not likely to say villa played craps and Lamberts a bellend on the official site.
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That must be why spuds only put six passed Celtic. Celtic have been playing European ties for a month otherwise it would've been 12 I'm sure.
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I see Lowton and Bennett were playing for the under 21s today - didn't even travel!
Nice 4-1 defeat for them too
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AVFC match report has rationalised everything. Apparently Groningen have already tuned their killer instinct by playing competitively, plus they are one week ahead of us in their fitness training. Panic over.
They're always going to try and rationalize it tbf. They're not likely to say villa played craps and Lamberts a bellend on the official site.
So THAT'S the reason I failed my interview.
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The thing is, if Vlaar has any sort of brain whatsoever, he will dodge a new contract at all costs. I mean taking off our claret & blue glasses, why would you? We are a massive train wreck, with no sign of getting back on the tracks. I'm sure we will be hearing he wants off soon and just hope we tell him he has to stay. I'd rather have him 1 more year and lose for free, than go into this season without him. Doesn't bare thinking about
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I doubt anywhere near 90% of Villa fans want Lambert out, particularly now we know the environment he has been operating under.
Really? I haven't met one since last Christmas that doesn't
He's a trainwreck. How many clubs in turmoil would stick with a manager that's already lost the supporters before going into a new season ?
It'll kick off big style again come the first defeat because the anger/resentment towards him by a large section of our support is already there and wont have disappeared over the summer
I absolutely loathe the bloke as a manager (note as a manager, not as a person as i've never met or wanted to meet him) and that's not changed just because we've had a summer holiday. I don't forget that quick and it's all there, brewed up inside.
Keeping him on has just guaranteed the atmosphere will be highly charged and lit to pop from the off
Different fans. I haven't met one who does. Heck even on message boards I would say the majority are in the "oh god I hope he gets better" category rather than the "get him out now" camp.
I really really hope you are wrong about fans getting on his back and hounding him out though. We have zero investment coming in and so any replacement manager would be on the cheap, the last thing we need is our own fans making things harder. Unless you think that Sid as caretaker would get better results than Lambert.
Anyway, grim times I am sure we can agree.
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Another issue is that I don't think Lambert knows his best team, if he does he should start playing it sooner rather than later.
I say this with all due respect to our manager but he does know his arse from his elbow, nevermind his best team.
VCTM summed up the current situation perfectly on page 19.
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I think the people who want him to get better don't trust Lerner to get anyone better !
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I think the people who want him to get better don't trust Lerner to get anyone better !
You got that right. Under different circumstances I would be wanting a change. But with Lerner around, honestly I fear for who/what he would do if Lambert left. It would have to be the most counter intuitive thing possible. Recall Sylla from loan and make him player/manager maybe.
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I doubt anywhere near 90% of Villa fans want Lambert out, particularly now we know the environment he has been operating under.
Really? I haven't met one since last Christmas that doesn't
He's a trainwreck. How many clubs in turmoil would stick with a manager that's already lost the supporters before going into a new season ?
It'll kick off big style again come the first defeat because the anger/resentment towards him by a large section of our support is already there and wont have disappeared over the summer
I absolutely loathe the bloke as a manager (note as a manager, not as a person as i've never met or wanted to meet him) and that's not changed just because we've had a summer holiday. I don't forget that quick and it's all there, brewed up inside.
Keeping him on has just guaranteed the atmosphere will be highly charged and lit to pop from the off
Different fans. I haven't met one who does. Heck even on message boards I would say the majority are in the "oh god I hope he gets better" category rather than the "get him out now" camp.
I really really hope you are wrong about fans getting on his back and hounding him out though. We have zero investment coming in and so any replacement manager would be on the cheap, the last thing we need is our own fans making things harder. Unless you think that Sid as caretaker would get better results than Lambert.
Anyway, grim times I am sure we can agree.
Most of the match going fans that I have spoken to have wanted him gone since April.
That's not a pop at anyone who doesn't attend, BTW. From the outside looking in, and if you only caught the odd inept performance during that period, you could rationalise that it was down to Benteke's injury.
If you've watched game after game of the same shit, with tactics seemingly optional extras and players that look like they've only been introduced in the car park before the game, it gets harder to justify. And that was going on long before Benteke's injury too. It happened for most of the last campaign and two thirds of the previous one.
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Most of the match going fans that I have spoken to have wanted him gone since April.
That's not a pop at anyone who doesn't attend, BTW. From the outside looking in, and if you only caught the odd inept performance during that period, you could rationalise that it was down to Benteke's injury.
If you've watched game after game of the same shit, with tactics seemingly optional extras and players that look like they've only been introduced in the car park before the game, it gets harder to justify. And that was going on long before Benteke's injury too. It happened for most of the last campaign and two thirds of the previous one.
No offense taken at all. I am in the USA so I do not have to sit through the shite week after week, or at least I can always just stand up and walk out of the room :) I was last in the UK in June and met up with some Villa supporting friends who do go. They were of the mind we needed Lambert more than he needed us until the takeover was done. The Lerner "I make random decisions" making factor being a big component of that.
Shrug.
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IMO no amount of extra time is going to change the fact that as a manager of Aston Villa Lambert has, is, and will always be a failure.
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At this rate, Lambert's "McLeish" moment may well be approaching. I'm going for the Hull match.
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Epic overreaction as per usual.
If we beat Parma by the same score next week I'm sure it will be that they are a week behind us in terms of fitness.
UTV.
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"The results don’t matter.” Paul Lambert. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-paul-lambert-plays-7553888
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Groningen wegoagain
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Still no Cole? Looks like Richardson will be playing further forward in his absence leaving us woefully short at left back. It's a disgrace that Lambert has signed been here 2 years, signed 3 or 4 full backs and yet Hutton and Stevens are probably the best two full backs at the club.
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At this rate, Lambert's "McLeish" moment may well be approaching. I'm going for the Hull match.
I thought he'd had that moment several times already? 0-8 0-4 0-3 Xmas, Bradford, millwall, Sheffield Utd.
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At this rate, Lambert's "McLeish" moment may well be approaching. I'm going for the Hull match.
I don't want to sound like I am having a go at you here - I am not, I've seen lots of people say similar - but I can not believe anyone really thinks this way. At least if that means a McLeish moment as the point at which his sacking becomes inevitable.
Look at the wider picture.
The owner, having not bothered to pay much attention for two years, has finally admitted he wants out and is trying to sell.
Thus far, we have no buyer, but now it is all in the open, the owner doesn't even have to pretend to be interested.
As a result of this we are in a "deep freeze" situation, whereby he will spend as little energy, attention or money on the club as he can get away with.
That is why, now the CEO has had enough, we have a CFO being both CFO and CEO, and it is why we won't be getting a new CEO in a hurry - the owner wants out, he's trying to sell, who would take the job in the knowledge they'll probably be out when we get sold?
And why is Lerner going to go to the bother of finding and paying for a new CEO when he's had enough?
That is why we are doing nothing, absolutely nothing that suggests anyone is looking beyond the extremely short term.
We've signed three free transfers. Why is that? It is because they're free, they don't involve spending money. We've stopped talking about ambition. Why is that? Because we don't have any - the owner wants out, what does he care?
So, given all that, why does anyone think Lerner is going, at any point, to sack Lambert? Lambert's record on paper the last two years screams "sack me", so why hasn't he been sacked?
Because Lerner does not want the hassle of having to find a new manager, and because he does not want the expense.
I genuinely think that while Lerner is here, Lambert is the safest manager in the premier league. He just has to keep things ticking over. He's not going to be expected to do any more because there is a total lack of interest and organisation at all points above him at the club.
Managers get sacked because they fail to meet expectations - Lambert is working under *no* expectation. There isn't a CEO to be breathing down his neck any more, and there isn't a bothered, interested owner there, either, and that is why there will be no d-day for him this season.
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Still no Cole? Looks like Richardson will be playing further forward in his absence leaving us woefully short at left back. It's a disgrace that Lambert has signed been here 2 years, signed 3 or 4 full backs and yet Hutton and Stevens are probably the best two full backs at the club.
Cole is injured.
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I see the club are blanket emailing tonight re avtv re subscriptions at £35. Timing impeccable as ever.
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It appears we're screwed. The ship is rudderless and about to sail off the edge of the world. The captain is locked in his cabin dreaming of the Shumanites. The first officer jumped overboard to swim for shore a while ago. The navigator has lost his charts, if he ever had them. The bosun is New and his autocratic methods have fermented mutiny on his previous vessels. The crew meanwhile look on like bemused strangers. In short gents we're fucked, unless the good and catastrophically inept captain is prepared to take a hefty financial hit, and get the fuck out of Dodge and hand over to someone who is less of a clueless bastard, we're going this season..
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Still no Cole? Looks like Richardson will be playing further forward in his absence leaving us woefully short at left back. It's a disgrace that Lambert has signed been here 2 years, signed 3 or 4 full backs and yet Hutton and Stevens are probably the best two full backs at the club.
Cole is injured.
I expect this to be said a lot in the upcoming months.
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Have we actually had a close season ?
I KNOW today was a friendly but it seems to me very much like a continuation of last season.
Same approach, same mis-mash of players, same lack of ideas, same bloody result !!
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I'm sorry to say this but, there is nothing, absolutely nothing to look forward to.
I just wish Mr Lerner and Mr Lambert would go as far away from this club as is possible.
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It appears we're screwed. The ship is rudderless and about to sail off the edge of the world. The captain is locked in his cabin dreaming of the Shumanites. The first officer jumped overboard to swim for shore a while ago. The navigator has lost his charts, if he ever had them. The bosun is New and his autocratic methods have fermented mutiny on his previous vessels. The crew meanwhile look on like bemused strangers. In short gents we're fucked, unless the good and catastrophically inept captain is prepared to take a hefty financial hit, and get the fuck out of Dodge and hand over to someone who is less of a clueless bastard, we're going this season..
And in other news, the Titanic looks unsinkable.
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Cole, Senderos, Richardson, Luna, Tonev, Sylla, Bennett, Lowton, Helenius , What a rabble.
Lambert is the very definition of a man rearranging deck chairs on The Titanic.
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Still no Cole? Looks like Richardson will be playing further forward in his absence leaving us woefully short at left back. It's a disgrace that Lambert has signed been here 2 years, signed 3 or 4 full backs and yet Hutton and Stevens are probably the best two full backs at the club.
Cole is injured.
Might as well make a keybind for that sentence.
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Cole, Senderos, Richardson, Luna, Tonev, Sylla, Bennett, Lowton, Helenius , What a rabble.
Lambert is the very definition of a man rearranging deck chairs on The Titanic.
It's at times like this that we could do with one of those really cool ships that eat others, like Stromberg's.
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I'm sorry to say this but, there is nothing, absolutely nothing to look forward to.
I just wish Mr Lerner and Mr Lambert would go as far away from this club as is possible.
Any enjoyment I derived from the game has gone. Villa has become a supermassive black hole of anti-joy tirelessly devouring any pleasure I used to get from the game. I've lost all interest completely, it's all so interminably fucking tiresome. Lerner please just piss off sharpish (and take Lamberk with you), even the most clueless arsehole couldn't fuck up on the same scale as you. It's said a fool and his money are easily parted and by that measure Lerner is a colossal fuckwit.
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and we celebrate another season in the premier League with vigour at the final home game against Burnley.
SIX POINTER!
No I am confident that our team will at most need just a point from the game. Remember we have Roy Keane in our changing room and Darren Bent is back and a Swiss international at centre half. What could really go wrong with our mission?
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Damn their second goal was a beauty just saw the highlights. I missed the entire first half due to good luck.
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At this rate, Lambert's "McLeish" moment may well be approaching. I'm going for the Hull match.
I don't want to sound like I am having a go at you here - I am not, I've seen lots of people say similar - but I can not believe anyone really thinks this way. At least if that means a McLeish moment as the point at which his sacking becomes inevitable.
Look at the wider picture.
The owner, having not bothered to pay much attention for two years, has finally admitted he wants out and is trying to sell.
Thus far, we have no buyer, but now it is all in the open, the owner doesn't even have to pretend to be interested.
As a result of this we are in a "deep freeze" situation, whereby he will spend as little energy, attention or money on the club as he can get away with.
That is why, now the CEO has had enough, we have a CFO being both CFO and CEO, and it is why we won't be getting a new CEO in a hurry - the owner wants out, he's trying to sell, who would take the job in the knowledge they'll probably be out when we get sold?
And why is Lerner going to go to the bother of finding and paying for a new CEO when he's had enough?
That is why we are doing nothing, absolutely nothing that suggests anyone is looking beyond the extremely short term.
We've signed three free transfers. Why is that? It is because they're free, they don't involve spending money. We've stopped talking about ambition. Why is that? Because we don't have any - the owner wants out, what does he care?
So, given all that, why does anyone think Lerner is going, at any point, to sack Lambert? Lambert's record on paper the last two years screams "sack me", so why hasn't he been sacked?
Because Lerner does not want the hassle of having to find a new manager, and because he does not want the expense.
I genuinely think that while Lerner is here, Lambert is the safest manager in the premier league. He just has to keep things ticking over. He's not going to be expected to do any more because there is a total lack of interest and organisation at all points above him at the club.
Managers get sacked because they fail to meet expectations - Lambert is working under *no* expectation. There isn't a CEO to be breathing down his neck any more, and there isn't a bothered, interested owner there, either, and that is why there will be no d-day for him this season.
An excellent observation encapsulating the ongoing situation. Retched but painfully true.
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At this rate, Lambert's "McLeish" moment may well be approaching. I'm going for the Hull match.
I don't want to sound like I am having a go at you here - I am not, I've seen lots of people say similar - but I can not believe anyone really thinks this way. At least if that means a McLeish moment as the point at which his sacking becomes inevitable.
Look at the wider picture.
The owner, having not bothered to pay much attention for two years, has finally admitted he wants out and is trying to sell.
Thus far, we have no buyer, but now it is all in the open, the owner doesn't even have to pretend to be interested.
As a result of this we are in a "deep freeze" situation, whereby he will spend as little energy, attention or money on the club as he can get away with.
That is why, now the CEO has had enough, we have a CFO being both CFO and CEO, and it is why we won't be getting a new CEO in a hurry - the owner wants out, he's trying to sell, who would take the job in the knowledge they'll probably be out when we get sold?
And why is Lerner going to go to the bother of finding and paying for a new CEO when he's had enough?
That is why we are doing nothing, absolutely nothing that suggests anyone is looking beyond the extremely short term.
We've signed three free transfers. Why is that? It is because they're free, they don't involve spending money. We've stopped talking about ambition. Why is that? Because we don't have any - the owner wants out, what does he care?
So, given all that, why does anyone think Lerner is going, at any point, to sack Lambert? Lambert's record on paper the last two years screams "sack me", so why hasn't he been sacked?
Because Lerner does not want the hassle of having to find a new manager, and because he does not want the expense.
I genuinely think that while Lerner is here, Lambert is the safest manager in the premier league. He just has to keep things ticking over. He's not going to be expected to do any more because there is a total lack of interest and organisation at all points above him at the club.
Managers get sacked because they fail to meet expectations - Lambert is working under *no* expectation. There isn't a CEO to be breathing down his neck any more, and there isn't a bothered, interested owner there, either, and that is why there will be no d-day for him this season.
But the point is the "Mcleish moment" = the Bolton match when we turned - after a season of misery and negativity - we all know what is happening with Lerner. Lambert has not had that "moment" yet - away from home it has come close but when VP turns it will be different.
The man has no idea, he is bereft of ideas and is adrift just waiting for the new owners to sack him.
We are in serious trouble even before the season starts.
I love the Villa, I don't give a toss about Lerner or Lambert, we will be here decades after they are gone but the damage being done could easily last that long.
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Randy Lerner is a fake. The tattoo, the talk of being a good custodian. The general krulak nonsense.
What a nonsense and piss take out of everyone.
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Randy Lerner is a fake. The tattoo
It's a transfer?
The wimp!
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Randy Lerner is a fake. The tattoo
It's a transfer?
The wimp!
Maybe it washed off and he lost interest ?
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Randy Lerner is a fake. The tattoo
It's a transfer?
The wimp!
Maybe it washed off and he lost interest ?
Gosh, Silhillvilla, we could clean up in the Desperate Olympics.
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Glad I was working to miss that tripe.
Do we have any money to spend,if we don't I think we should sell Bent to Japan,they like tons of whale meat.
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Can we request to play league football in Armenia?
We might have a chance to win something there.
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So the sunbathing must have been nice in Texas, a nice little coach trip to Chesterfield and the cafes of Amsterdam are rocking, that is what we have found out from pre-season, because as sure as hell these supposedly professional footballers have not been near a football, there is still no movement, the only forward pass after the halfway line is a hoof, twice yesterday I saw our defense play a ball straight across our own penalty box, something you are taught as a 5 year old not to do.
Talk we only need two maybe three players and we will be fine, I do not understand where this is coming from, we are at least 6 players short of a mid-table team, hoping that there are always going to be 3 teams worse than us, seems to be Learners mantra for the last 3 years, this year I think it is going to run out and I hope it costs him a fortune, what he is doing to Aston Villa at the moment is a fucking disgrace.
Cant sack Lambert as no one else would come in, maybe that's true, but keeping Lambert is just sleep walking to disaster and when the fans turn, and that's when not if, Villa park will be a horrible place to play, for Villa no one else.
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Fucking hell, they shipped a few goals in a pre-season friendly. Let's all go and slash our wrists shall we? At least wait until October?
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Fucking hell, they shipped a few goals in a pre-season friendly. Let's all go and slash our wrists shall we? At least wait until October?
and a 3-1 defeat to mighty Chesterfield? The club is rotting under Lerner.
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Like I said, let's see where we are in October? It's almost like some people want us to fuck up before a ball has even been kicked in the premiership.
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Robbo all you can look for, are signs of improvement, to see in what are just correctly, friendly's, but there should be some cohesion, we are all aware of what are problems were last season, so we would like to see some progress on addressing those and the time to see that is July early August, not October when we are two months into the season and god only knows where in the table.
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If things go tits up early in the season and the mood turns ugly , lerner now has his insurance policy...Keane. .lambert goes , Keane steps up and that buys lerner more time.
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Fucking hell, they shipped a few goals in a pre-season friendly. Let's all go and slash our wrists shall we? At least wait until October?
It's not this result which is causing the extremely negative mood. That exists anyway. It's just acted as a trigger to bring it all to the surface
It's only a friendly but it's also about the 6th time we've lost by three goals or more in about our last 12 games isn't it?
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Thats right. Its only a friendly and the result is irrelevant.
But on the basis of that set up, the tactics, formation and performance if anyone thinks anything has changed from last season you can forget it.
We are as poor in attack as we ever were under McLeish, but at least he had the plus point of being able to organise a defence.
I refuse to accept we have worse players than Chesterfield or Groningen, we changed the coaches - so that only leaves one common denominator. Lambert has to go. Otherwise things will never change. The worry is, Lerner will go for the cheap easy option and give the job to Keane.
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... We are as poor in attack as we ever were under TSM ...
I think we're learning that Gabby and Bent are not exactly going to strike fear into Premiership defences. We need Benteke and Kozak back soon, but we also need decent supply lines ... not looking promising either.
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The only person we had with a bit of creativity is now playing at Leicester, combine a defence that cant defend with a midfield that cant defend or create chances with a strikeforce that cant score and I can only see one outcome come end of the season.
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Gabby's form has tailed off awfully. But unless we bring in a striker he simply has to start up top v stoke. Bent just can't play that role as he's proved time and time and time again.
My big concern - I have several to be fair - is that there are so many unanswered questions at a relatively late stage.
How are we going to line up formation wise? Not because we have loads of options but because nothing looks convincing. I'd guessed it may be 352 but there's little sign of that
Who's going to play left back? I'd assumed Richardson but he's not played left back in a back four once yet. That leaves Clark, Bennett or Stevens. Absolutely shocking.
Who plays up front. As above, I think it has to be gabby but would much rather we brought in a proper number 9 on loan.
This has all the hallmarks of a real car crash from the off.
As it stands, and pessimistically assuming we get nobody else in, I would personally go 352 and a fairly negative shape to begin with. Batten down the hatches:
Guzan - Okore vlaar senderos - Hutton / bacuna KEA Westwood Delph Richardson - n'zogbia gabby
That's a very defensive team which will struggle for goals. But I think if you put a number 10'in there we'd be too weak in midfield
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Fucking hell, they shipped a few goals in a pre-season friendly. Let's all go and slash our wrists shall we? At least wait until October?
and a 3-1 defeat to mighty Chesterfield? The club is rotting under Lerner.
We won our first three friendlies though did we not?
Whilst the last two results haven't been very encouraging, let's at least wait until the season starts and the transfer window shuts before we start getting worried. That said, we do need some more players in but I think that's obvious to everybody.
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Like I said, let's see where we are in October? It's almost like some people want us to fuck up before a ball has even been kicked in the premiership.
I've seen a lot of people saying 'we will fuck up', including me but no one saying they want us to that I can recall. They are two very different things. Just because you say the former a lot, and let's face it, who can blame anyone, it doesn't then mean you actually want it to happen
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Randy Lerner is a fake. The tattoo, the talk of being a good custodian. The general krulak nonsense.
What a nonsense and piss take out of everyone.
Yes agree and we would have been better off with any off Risdale, Milan, Tan, Bates etc.
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Guzan - Okore vlaar senderos - Hutton / bacuna KEA Westwood Delph Richardson - n'zogbia gabby
That's a very defensive team which will struggle for goals. But I think if you put a number 10'in there we'd be too weak in midfield
pretty much what I'd do, Matt.
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Epic overreaction as per usual.
If we beat Parma by the same score next week I'm sure it will be that they are a week behind us in terms of fitness.
UTV.
You are aware this has been going on pretty much week in week out for the past 3 years now? No one gives a shit we were hammered by a crap dutch team in pre season, but everything points to the fact we are going to be rubbish again most weeks with a clueless manager in charge and a chairman who wants rid of us.
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I'm getting the impression that when we come up against any organised side of League 1 or above standard, then we are going to get beat -- heavily.
It doesn't bode well for Stoke.
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If we'd won all our games so far then people wouldn't be expecting anything other than a struggle, saying the opposition are rubbish or what can you learn from playing a League 1 side. The fact is we got beat by Chesterfield fielding a side that no way resembles our first team yet some fans are intent on making a big issue from it. Yesterday, we got beat by a side that looked much fitter and further down the line in their pre-season preparations. Like winning the friendlies wouldn't make us world beaters, losing a few doesn't make us shite either. Some of the comments on here are laughable, may I suggest Prozac.
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If we'd won all our games so far then people wouldn't be expecting anything other than a struggle, saying the opposition are rubbish or what can you learn from playing a League 1 side. The fact is we got beat by Chesterfield fielding a side that no way resembles our first team yet some fans are intent on making a big issue from it. Yesterday, we got beat by a side that looked much fitter and further down the line in their pre-season preparations. Like winning the friendlies wouldn't make us world beaters, losing a few doesn't make us shite either. Some of the comments on here are laughable, may I suggest Prozac.
I didn't watch the game but did read some comments from their manager yesterday morning saying that they would be fitter than us they started training earlier and had already played a competitive game so the outcome was to be expected. These games are entirely about fitness, results one way or another are irrelevant.
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It's not necessarily the score lines people are referring to. It's the lack of quality, the dire tactics, the uninspired signings so far, the lack of investment . Unless something dramatic happens I can honestly see us being bottom 3 all season.
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Thanks people for the lift ;) Was actually looking forward to the day before coming on here. There are some good films on the box, was having a relaxing read, and its raining (which is good for my Hayfever :D). So from here where do I go now? Simple highlights from yesterdays match! :o
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Did Okore feature at all yesterday ?
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I believe so. He was probably to blame for all the goals and is another example of a poor signing made by Lambert. Sack the cleaner.
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Did Okore feature at all yesterday ?
On the bench, not sure if he came on. Think he might have a knock, otherwise I can't see any reason for the manager not starting him.
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okore played in the 2nd half did ok
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Yesterday, we got beat by a side that looked much fitter and further down the line in their pre-season preparations.
They were beaten at home by Aberdeen last week.
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In a competitive game?
Palace got beat by Brentford. It's only pre-season. Everybody is worried about our midfield, but I wouldn't read too much into friendlies one way or the other.
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I'm not worried by our pre season results as long as we are ready for the start of the new season.
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Oh dear.
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In a competitive game?
Yes, Europa League
As for friendlies, yes the results are unimportant. But, when you consider the shambolic look about the shape of the side, it is a tad concerning.
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If we'd won all our games so far then people wouldn't be expecting anything other than a struggle, saying the opposition are rubbish or what can you learn from playing a League 1 side. The fact is we got beat by Chesterfield fielding a side that no way resembles our first team yet some fans are intent on making a big issue from it. Yesterday, we got beat by a side that looked much fitter and further down the line in their pre-season preparations. Like winning the friendlies wouldn't make us world beaters, losing a few doesn't make us shite either. Some of the comments on here are laughable, may I suggest Prozac.
I didn't watch the game but did read some comments from their manager yesterday morning saying that they would be fitter than us they started training earlier and had already played a competitive game so the outcome was to be expected. These games are entirely about fitness, results one way or another are irrelevant.
The issue with that is the two competitive games they've played this season they drew and lost to Aberdeen!
I've barely followed this pre season at all and am not looking forward to next season at all. That said I'll be at Walsall on tuesday so will have a look at how shambolic we look there.
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.
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Is this the pre-season version of The Orange Dot ?
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I'd like to see us go like this next season, with everyone fit;
--------------Guzan-----------------
----Vlaar---Senderos---Okore------
-Bacuna----------------Richardson-
--------Delph-----New Player------
---------------Cole------------------
--------Benteke----N'Zogbia-------
Subs:
Given
Clark
Hutton
Westwood
Gabby
Bent
Kozak
Bent in for Benteke until fit.
Provided we get a good new player in for the midfield, thats a decent line up.
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Whether they're friendlies or not doesn't matter. You should never send out a side, competitive or not, as disjointed and clueless as Lambert has. It's not merely the results, it's the fact that the players looked like they've got no idea what they're supposed to be doing.
A manager can maintain as much as he wants that it's purely about fitness. But it isn't just about that. You have training for fitness. Pre-season games are also about intergrating new players, systems, trying to establish what your strongest side is going into the new season.
Based on pre-season so far, even considering the victories, Lambert probably has no idea. We've played too many different systems. We've also never put out what you'd call a genuine best 11, or anything close. We've mixed it up between first 11 players and also-rans too much. The side we put out at Chesterfield would have taught us absolutely nothing worthwhile for the new season.
He needs to focus on a couple of systems at most. Thus far I reckon he's tried about 3-4, maybe even more. We've now got 3 games left. It's time to shit or get off the pot.
Nothing good has really come out of the last two games. If it's all about fitness, why even bother setting up games against another side? Just put two Villa 11's against each other at Bodymoor heath. You use friendlies to establish who's looking good, and what systems you want to play.
In my view he's wasted the last two games completely. We showed absolutely nothing of note in both games, except that we look as pathetic, disjointed and downright bloody useless as a footballing side as we did during last seasons run in. It doesn't bode well for the new season.
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Apparently the team flew out there the morning of the match.
I imagine that didn't help.
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Anybody who watched that yesterday and is not worried, pleas explain to me why and before
"It is all about fitness"
"The result does not matter"
"We will be ok when we get the 3 players in before the end of August'
Fitness is important and peaking at the right time is also very important, but there are certain players that appear to be carrying quite a bit of excess and as a professional athlete should not be and it does nothing for your health or fitness to lose that very quickly, they have been back in training nearly a month.
The result doe not matter, but it is crucial that you seem a team play with shape and cohesion, that will not happen at AVFC as we have a manager who is one of stubborn, stupid, inept tactically or no man manager, in fact he is all of them.
Three players at least, well I hope one of those is Mesi, because I think we are nearer to needing 6 or 7 just to be bottom of the rest above the relegation places.
Friendlies do not matter unless you are a team that finished last season on one of the worst runs for ever, set a home record for the amount of defeats and were really not very good. Those players confidence is brittle enough, without more pain being inflicted and there was a number of occasions yesterday when certain Villa players were getting rather pissed off with how easy it was for the opposition and their tackling showed that.
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Apparently the team flew out there the morning of the match.
I imagine that didn't help.
Probably not, but then that's down to the clubs scheduling.
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I'd like to see us go like this next season, with everyone fit;
--------------Guzan-----------------
----Vlaar---Senderos---Okore------
-Bacuna----------------Richardson-
--------Delph-----New Player------
---------------Cole------------------
--------Benteke----N'Zogbia-------
Subs:
Given
Clark
Hutton
Westwood
Gabby
Bent
Kozak
Bent in for Benteke until fit.
Provided we get a good new player in for the midfield, thats a decent line up.
I would have Hutton in place of Bacuna and Clark as the defensive midfielder.
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To be fair ST, a lot of the distractions this summer has possibly made many temporarily forget about the fact that even with a ropey looking squad, we still have done even worse than you would have expected under Lambert. The description of this match is a reminder, but not much will be done while we're for sale. If you look at the squad with everyone fit, we should be turning out much better performances than last season, but with Lambert i'm not confident we will.
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Hutton might end up slightly more solid than Bacuna but i think Bacuna would make an outstanding wing back.
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To be fair ST, a lot of the distractions this summer has possibly made many temporarily forget about the fact that even with a ropey looking squad, we still have done even worse than you would have expected under Lambert. The description of this match is a reminder, but not much willbe done while we're for sale. If you look at the squad with everyone fit, we should be turning out much better performanced than last season, but with Lambert i'm not confident we will.
A better manager could probably turn this squad into mid-table. Lambert of course will lead us into struggle sadly.
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Hutton might end up slightly more solid than Bacuna but i think Bacuna would make an outstanding wing back.
Bacuna's been really poor in pre-season. I think in terms of form and readiness, Hutton gets the nod at the moment. Bacuna really needs to kick on this season. If he stagnates as Westwood, Lowton, and Sylla for example, he'll go nowhere.
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I agree (about Lambert).
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Listen to van gaal talk about man utd's pre season and tell me performances are irrelevant. He's using the games to establish a new shape, pattern and confidence.
Are we doing any of these things? I still haven't got a fucking clue who's going to play where, in what shape, whether we've found a way of playing that compensates for the loss of kozak and benteke
I hope lambert does but I'm not confident. We've got to stack up some points in our first three games so we need to hit the ground running.
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If we'd won all our games so far then people wouldn't be expecting anything other than a struggle, saying the opposition are rubbish or what can you learn from playing a League 1 side. The fact is we got beat by Chesterfield fielding a side that no way resembles our first team yet some fans are intent on making a big issue from it. Yesterday, we got beat by a side that looked much fitter and further down the line in their pre-season preparations. Like winning the friendlies wouldn't make us world beaters, losing a few doesn't make us shite either. Some of the comments on here are laughable, may I suggest Prozac.
I didn't watch the game but did read some comments from their manager yesterday morning saying that they would be fitter than us they started training earlier and had already played a competitive game so the outcome was to be expected. These games are entirely about fitness, results one way or another are irrelevant.
The issue with that is the two competitive games they've played this season they drew and lost to Aberdeen!
I've barely followed this pre season at all and am not looking forward to next season at all. That said I'll be at Walsall on tuesday so will have a look at how shambolic we look there.
Which obviously means we are worse than Aberdeen. Abderdeen's level of fitness would have exceeded ours by virtue of the fact they're playing competitive matches in July. Newcastle lost to Malaga, Man City lost over the weekend to Olynpiakos and United beat Real Madrid. Do you think any of those results will have a bearing over the season?
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As I said yesterday, losing a pre-season doesn't bother me. What does is that 2 weeks before the season starts we looked slow, fitness didn't look great, we were disjointed and tactically poor.
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I think the important thing there is "2 weeks before the season starts".
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I think the important thing there is "2 weeks before the season starts".
Yes because it only takes 2 weeks to get players fit, playing like a team and not a bunch of strangers, and to get tactics right. That we look none of those and have looked worse with each game rather than improving isn't worthy of comment I assume?
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I think the important thing there is "2 weeks before the season starts".
Yes because it only takes 2 weeks to get players fit, playing like a team and not a bunch of strangers, and to get tactics right. That we look none of those and have looked worse with each game rather than improving isn't worthy of comment I assume?
yes, you're right. A defeat in a friendly is worth a comment. Over analysis and panic stations are not.
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I don't think tactics can ever be right when you have so many substitutions in a game. Fitness does look way off but that will improve in the next two weeks.
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I think the important thing there is "2 weeks before the season starts".
Yes because it only takes 2 weeks to get players fit, playing like a team and not a bunch of strangers, and to get tactics right. That we look none of those and have looked worse with each game rather than improving isn't worthy of comment I assume?
yes, you're right. A defeat in a friendly is worth a comment. Over analysis and panic stations are not.
I'm pretty sure a two line post saying it bothers me is neither over analysis or panic stations.
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I'd like to see us go like this next season, with everyone fit;
--------------Guzan-----------------
----Vlaar---Senderos---Okore------
-Bacuna----------------Richardson-
--------Delph-----New Player------
---------------Cole------------------
--------Benteke----N'Zogbia-------
Joe Cole and Senderos should be nowhere near our first team.
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I think the important thing there is "2 weeks before the season starts".
The slightly concerning thing is we've seen this kind of performance in pre-season before though. I remember in Lambert's first pre-season, we took about 3000 fans to Forest and the performance was absolutely awful. It was clear then that there were major problems, which were highlighted very clearly in the first few games of that season. Although we won the Malaga game last season, there were again problems
which were apparent throughout the season.
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If we'd won all our games so far then people wouldn't be expecting anything other than a struggle, saying the opposition are rubbish or what can you learn from playing a League 1 side. The fact is we got beat by Chesterfield fielding a side that no way resembles our first team yet some fans are intent on making a big issue from it. Yesterday, we got beat by a side that looked much fitter and further down the line in their pre-season preparations. Like winning the friendlies wouldn't make us world beaters, losing a few doesn't make us shite either. Some of the comments on here are laughable, may I suggest Prozac.
I didn't watch the game but did read some comments from their manager yesterday morning saying that they would be fitter than us they started training earlier and had already played a competitive game so the outcome was to be expected. These games are entirely about fitness, results one way or another are irrelevant.
If you're claiming that these games are absolutely nothing to do with football then I agree with you. Not expecting a team to be able to pass a ball when they're not 100% fit however is a lame argument. I know you never saw the game, Chris but we were extremely poor. Extremely.
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If we'd won all our games so far then people wouldn't be expecting anything other than a struggle, saying the opposition are rubbish or what can you learn from playing a League 1 side. The fact is we got beat by Chesterfield fielding a side that no way resembles our first team yet some fans are intent on making a big issue from it. Yesterday, we got beat by a side that looked much fitter and further down the line in their pre-season preparations. Like winning the friendlies wouldn't make us world beaters, losing a few doesn't make us shite either. Some of the comments on here are laughable, may I suggest Prozac.
I didn't watch the game but did read some comments from their manager yesterday morning saying that they would be fitter than us they started training earlier and had already played a competitive game so the outcome was to be expected. These games are entirely about fitness, results one way or another are irrelevant.
If you're claiming that these games are absolutely nothing to do with football then I agree with you. Not expecting a team to be able to pass a ball when they're not 100% fit however is a lame argument. I now you never saw the game, Chris but we were extremely poor. Extremely.
I am usually in the "it is pre season, it doesn't matter" camp, but I have to say, I agree with you on this.
The "two weeks till the season starts" thing is one thing, but we looked every bit as desperately poor as we have for the last two years. Not only that, in the previous friendlies I've seen, we've looked similarly poor.
We'll see how things go when the season starts, but at the moment I see a really, really poor squad which is barely better than the one which did so badly last year, playing the way it did last year - like they were strangers.
Groningen have played a competitive game - in which they got their arses handed to them by Aberdeen, mind - but the degree to which we were second best yesterday was somewhat worrying.
I can't remember the last time we entered a season with spirits so low. That's not all Lambert's fault, but a decent chunk of it is.
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Owner wants out.CEO is out. Key players contracts up in the air. It's hardly surprising is it that we look so out of sorts . This could be one horrific season on a scale we haven't seen before I fear.
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Just watched the lowlights. Gronigen have a nice stadium,I must say.You would think some of our lot would be 'busting a gut' to impress Roy Keane but that didnt appear to be the case from what previous posts have said.
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I see Moggodon Man has blamed jet lag, we can look forward to a new season of excuses. That squad does look shit.
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Not sure that excuse is going to work in November...
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Terrible result and they should be up to some fitness now
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I'd like to see us go like this next season, with everyone fit;
--------------Guzan-----------------
----Vlaar---Senderos---Okore------
-Bacuna----------------Richardson-
--------Delph-----New Player------
---------------Cole------------------
--------Benteke----N'Zogbia-------
Joe Cole and Senderos should be nowhere near our first team.
Senderos should be a squad player at best (although I am sure he would even look bad on the bench), thing is we do have other options at centre back, and providing a certain Dutch player sticks around, and Okore is fit, better options at that. Cole if fit I would give a start to , again its not like we have many better options, and he is one of new signings mind in hope of adding more quality.
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Where was Bent and have they finally given up on Daniel Johnson not even in the squad for the reserve match. Delfonousa Mk2?
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Where was Bent and have they finally given up on Daniel Johnson not even in the squad for the reserve match. Delfonousa Mk2?
Daniel Johnson, the Folk singer?! Where are we getting all these none-descript green players? How about a few experienced names with a bit of class about them.
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Chelsea were beaten 3-0 by Werder Bremen. They will obviously be relgation fodder this season.
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Chelsea were beaten 3-0 by Werder Bremen. They will obviously be relgation fodder this season.
Chesterfield are hardly Werder Bremen...
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I'd normally be in the "who cares about a friendly camp", but that was shocking on Saturday to say the least.
I'm not sure that it's travel related or not, but if that's the case, then they have a week to sort it for the Parma game. That might be more indicative of where we are, but we need some signings to give us and the squad a morale boost.