Gabby worked hard but didn't have a single effort on goal. For me, I think we need an attacking midfielder of the Paul Merson/David Platt type to play with, coming from deep to link up with Bent. Likely to be expensive.
Gabby worked hard but didn't have a single effort on goal.Shot saved by Harper from the edge of the area.
Gabby worked hard but didn't have a single effort on goal.Shot saved by Harper from the edge of the area.
Not a particularly great effort, but a shot - and on target no less.
Sounds good.
Sturridge + Bent would be a class frt 2.
Sturridge + Bent would be a class frt 2.
Bendtner?
Hulk from Porto would be great if have the cash to splash.
Hulk from Porto would be great if have the cash to splash.
So I think we got to spot the next Messi.Good thinking.
sturridge is all pace for me. one bad injury and you get left with michael owen
Hulk from Porto would be great if have the cash to splash.
Can the hulk bring his manager with him too?
Andre Villas Boas looks like being the next Special One. He's only 34 or something crazy but has been coaching since he was 17 after impressing Bobby Robson when they were neighbours. Half English too. Not sure whether he'd want to join Villa though.
Did you see his goal from the edge of the box yesterday? Nothing about pace in that. Just pure quality.
Isnt Sturridge a Villa fan? I would say a Zola-esque type player is what Villa need, the runs Bent makes around the box he makes are unnoticed by our players. Luc Nillis before his accident would of been fab, so would of Benito Carbone, but nowadays there just doesnt seem to be those little magicians anywhere unless you have £50 million burning a whole.
What we need is to find a cross between Peter Beardsley and Alan Shearer.
What we need is to find a cross between Peter Beardsley and Alan Shearer.
As easy as that eh?
Sturridge had a chance to come here before and opted for Chelsea.
Can't blame the lad, but it does seem to indicate that this notion that he'll automatically opt for us or would be happy to take a pay cut to have the honour of playing for his boyhood side (as was mentioned on another thread) might be just a touch fanciful.
We don't.Is the right answer.
Play an attacking midfielder behind him who can link up play. Gary Gardner or Barry Bannan can play the role if they answer their significant potential.
Sturridge had a chance to come here before and opted for Chelsea.
Can't blame the lad, but it does seem to indicate that this notion that he'll automatically opt for us or would be happy to take a pay cut to have the honour of playing for his boyhood side (as was mentioned on another thread) might be just a touch fanciful.
I agree. Not sure about this boyhood club thing either, didn't his dad play for the Dark Side?
Hulk from Porto would be great if have the cash to splash.
Can the hulk bring his manager with him too?
Andre Villas Boas looks like being the next Special One. He's only 34 or something crazy but has been coaching since he was 17 after impressing Bobby Robson when they were neighbours. Half English too. Not sure whether he'd want to join Villa though.
Imagine if we pulled that one off. Villas Boas that is.
Personally I think a (non mental) Stephen Ireland would be brilliant for Darren Bent.
Agree to an extent.
We're brainwashed in this country to think of forward partnerships as either a nippy forward 'playing off the big man' or a creative type playing in the hole.
Gabby playing more like he did yesterday ties up at least two defenders and creates more space for Bent to ghost into the box - if we can actually find him with a decent delivery and make the extra space count.
sturridge is all pace for me. one bad injury and you get left with michael owen
Agree to an extent.
We're brainwashed in this country to think of forward partnerships as either a nippy forward 'playing off the big man' or a creative type playing in the hole.
Gabby playing more like he did yesterday ties up at least two defenders and creates more space for Bent to ghost into the box - if we can actually find him with a decent delivery and make the extra space count.
I'd like to give Gabby and Bent a run together in the side before making any judgements - they've had two games together in a 4-4-2, we've got four points from those games. It seems more traditional to go with a 'big man' alongside Bent, but there are other ways. It's fair to say the two don't seem a natural mix because neither really has the guile to act as a creative player for the other... but that's not say they couldn't strike up an understanding from playing more regularly together. Bent's the more prolific goalscorer but I'd still like to see a future for Gabby.
Gabby isn't the answer as a partner for bent although I don't think we will be playing a 442 once safe, I think the attacking midfielder playing just behind bent is the role we need to get someone , a lampard kind of player who gets forward and supports the striker and can thread in bent too.
Gabby isn't the answer as a partner for bent although I don't think we will be playing a 442 once safe, I think the attacking midfielder playing just behind bent is the role we need to get someone , a lampard kind of player who gets forward and supports the striker and can thread in bent too.
I don't think it'll even be that. We're playing 4-4-2 at the moment because it improves defensive solidity and we'll need that in the run-in, plus Gabby's pace is such a useful counter-attack weapon. Trouble is, we don't create nearly as much with it, we look more solid, yes, but also more stolid and laboured - like England in the World Cup or ourselves under MON - because 4-4-2 doesn't give you many options on the ball. However, having one designated 'playmaker' in a 4-4-1-1 or even a 4-2-3-1 is also a weakness, because it's too easy to just mark him out of the game and thus severely limit your attacking options.
The best system for us, I think, would be a 4-3-3 where the midfield three especially have the understanding to interchange positions and roles. At its best, this is Barca - Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Keita, Thiago, even Mascherano, they can all play the killer pass - but West Ham's recent improvement can be put down to this system, as well as Chelsea's double last season and Blackpool's run to promotion (ie it works at all levels). Therefore it's not about finding a striking partner for Bent, so much as finding a way to get the best out of him and the whole team with him - and we'll need more creativity in midfield for that.
Yes I agree with this. Also its about having the options to change it around. I like 4-3-3 and in certain examples of it offers the most flexibility but the option to revert to 4-4-2 is also desirable.
But going back to 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 and how I'd like to see it employed.
It firstly requires full backs to support the attack as the three in midfield would be isolated. It requires one defensive minded midfielder or better still, two box to box types behind a playmaker. The wide men need to be able to tuck back to protect their full backs but also support the striker. This asks quite a lot of them but they're paramount to it working or not.
Shouldn't we have enough creativity in the team with Young, Downing and Albrighton often playing?
To me it's more a question of build up play.
For example when Barry was here he was always very good at moving the ball quickl;y to he wide players and keeping them involved in the game so very often he'd get it out early to Young who'd be one on one with the defender.
For most of this season it's taken a bleeding age for the ball to get to the wide players from the central two so when they get it there's often two or three defenders surrounding them so the pass very often gets overhit.
It worked better at Everton last week as Downing got the cross in early and Young for once actually didn't overhit a throughball so we got two goals from Bent.
I just remember Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole. Shame we don't have a young Dwight Yorke to play with Bent as he is probably best option for us. Craig Bellamy could be a short term solution
Fucking hell, If Stephen Ireland is the answer then I really do not want to know the question.
Gabby worked hard but didn't have a single effort on goal. For me, I think we need an attacking midfielder of the Paul Merson/David Platt type to play with, coming from deep to link up with Bent. Likely to be expensive.
I'd just like to see Gabby have a chance playing up front along side DB in a 4-4-2 formation.
I'm sure Chelsea will ditch Drogba and Anelka in the summer and keep him. Unless,as been suggested on here,they'd be willing to do a deal envolving Ash.
Someone like Lionel Messi for Villa would be perfect but that is about likely as Small Heath winning the Champions League.
So I think we got to spot the next Messi.
Sturridge + Bent would be a class frt 2.Agreed. Would be a brilliant signing if we could get him in the summer.
£6.3mSturridge + Bent would be a class frt 2.Agreed. Would be a brilliant signing if we could get him in the summer.
How much would Chelski want for him?
If we get to keep Kyle Walker I would give him a blast as a striker in the pre season friendlies. Sure as can be he is no full back but there is one hell of a player in there struggling to get out.
If we get to keep Kyle Walker I would give him a blast as a striker in the pre season friendlies. Sure as can be he is no full back but there is one hell of a player in there struggling to get out.
Blimey, he's only a kid. young players are notoriously inconsistent and i think its a bit early to write him off as a FB on the back of a couple of iffy games
If we get to keep Kyle Walker I would give him a blast as a striker in the pre season friendlies. Sure as can be he is no full back but there is one hell of a player in there struggling to get out.
Blimey, he's only a kid. young players are notoriously inconsistent and i think its a bit early to write him off as a FB on the back of a couple of iffy games
I agree. Still, I like the left-fieldness of the idea!
Robbie Keane ?
What about Bannan?Albrighton Makoun Delph Downing
Bannan
Bent
That would be with Young leaving an no-one else coming in. Which would be worse case I guess?
How far away is Gary gardener from breaking into the first XI
How far away is Gary gardener from breaking into the first XI
Next season he will be a part of the first team squad. I will guarantee it.
If he takes his chance he'll start, but he needs to be brought through properly. At the right pace. I always thought Albrighton, Clark and so on would make it to our first team but Gardner is the best and most promising of them all.
Had we been in a safer position and had his injury not set him back so much we would probably have seen him play already.
Landon Donovan?
Playing Gabby with Darren is like playing with two lone strikers
Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.
Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.
I'd say part of the reason the service isn't great is because we have two up front. We created a lot more chances with one forward because we had more options on the ball in midfield. Even though we still created most of our chances from crosses, the crosser would have more space or would be in a more threatening, advanced position because of the way the ball had been manouvred.
I never seen Gary Gardner play on video or action. Think I should go and see a reserve game before the end of season. So can anyone describe Gary as a player ie similar to player X from Club X.
Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.Have to disagree on Downing not delivering. On Sunday he put in a few very decent crosses, and in all honesty Bent should have scored with that header in the first half.
Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.Have to disagree on Downing not delivering. On Sunday he put in a few very decent crosses, and in all honesty Bent should have scored with that header in the first half.
I know of a player that will be available in the summer and has excelled in the position behind the frontman previously. Gareth Barry.................(runs for cover)
In all seriousness though what do you think. I think he has been misused by both England and City in recent years. he is not a holding midfielder but when he supported Gabby in a 451 at Villa he was superb. At 30, he still has a few years left in him and wouldnt take particularly long to settle in. A great man to time a run into the box which I agree is a problem only with Bent in there.
other than that if Stephen Ireland decided to take up football again, he might be an option.
other than that, we need two new full backs. L young, Warnock and Beye will be off in the summer. One of Dunne or Cuellar will be aswell. Might consider offering L Young another year as cover but he is very injury prone at this stage of his career. Roger Johnson is gettable if we want a right sided centre half, hangeland would be my first choice, cant understand why a bigger club hasnt picked him up but Fulham would probably want serious money. I expect Clark to be first choice next season so its about getting him a partner. Dunne and Collins will hardly be as bad next season for whoever they play with. Onouha and Gibbs come to mind as potential EPL contenders for the full backs positions.
Would be great if Delph and Makoun could be first choice next season but we definitely need another player there. Petrov needs to go as will Reo Coker. Milner would be perfect to come back and City could be tempted to cash in.
A Young, Heskey, Ireland will also go, Friedel should do but will stay it seems, Guzan is gone too. Westwood is my choice as keeper. Im not particularly gone on the gettable keepers from the EPL - Foster, Given, Robinson, Jaaskelinan, Green etc. Id take a chance on Westwood.
Appreciate that my suggestions are very MON esque. Cant think of a replacement for Young but would prefer a Ji Sung Park/Ray Houghton type of player rather than a touchline merchant ala Albrighton.
Not sure what Southgate and James did to be bracketed with Steve H****.
Not sure what Southgate and James did to be bracketed with Steve H****.
Errrrr
No secret was made that they left Villa because they wanted to move onto better things.
With Middlesbrough & West Ham
I was under the impression that James was happy to stay at Villa, until Gregory decided to sign Peter Schmeichel.Not sure what Southgate and James did to be bracketed with Steve H****.
Errrrr
No secret was made that they left Villa because they wanted to move onto better things.
With Middlesbrough & West Ham
In fairness to Southgate, he went on to be Boro's captain, played in a Uefa Cup Final and became their manager. It turned out ok for him.
Pointless putting anybody us alongside Bent without improving on the service. Neither Young or Downing deliver so it'd be another player standing around waiting for a sniff at goal. It's not as if we need somebody to finish off all the chances we're creating.Have to disagree on Downing not delivering. On Sunday he put in a few very decent crosses, and in all honesty Bent should have scored with that header in the first half.
I would say a much bigger problem than the quality of the crosses is that there's no one in the middle half the time.