Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Vanilla on September 18, 2011, 03:41:41 PM
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The following is a quote from Darren Bent's interview with the Daily Mirror on Sat 17th Sep:
'Simply, we have to find the right formation for the team to be solid and offensive. The gaffer is looking at different alternatives and hopefully it will work. It is about finding a system where we are a lot ore dangerous and potent. When you are a striker you are used to scoring left, right and centre - and when the ball is not coming and you are not getting as many opportunities, it is going to play on your mind'
A cry for help; a dig at the manager; just stating what the problems are at Villa at the moment or a striker making his excuses?
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I'd wager this isn't the first time Bent has voiced such concerns, after McLeish's "I'm sure Bent would like Bannan to play" comment. I really cannot understand the negativity of the tactics at the moment.
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I think it is elements of all of those. I think Bent would like a change of tactics and there is some degree of us needing to find a formation that works. Yesterday he had Bannan (as one would anticipate from McLeish's comments last week) in the side and he had his two chances both of which he missed so he is definitely attempting to get excuses in for that.
Bent's form this season is a strange one. Is Bent not bothered and looking for a move? Is he lacking fitness or form? Do our tactics not suit him? I think it is the second of those but you could justify any of them.
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The beginning of the end, he'll be gone in January.
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Bent looks like he is half-injured and lacking fitness. I don't think that he's losing interest or is looking for a move (yet).
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I fear Mcleish will point to being unbeaten while we are as a reason that his tactics are working.
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I really cannot understand the negativity of the tactics at the moment.
Negativity or players just not performing? We all wanted Bannan in yesterday, we got him and apart from the first 30 minutes, we got the run around until the 70th minute. It might help if the defence stop hoofing it, the real N'Zogbia turns up, Petrov stops thinking he's a box to box midfielder, Delph stops giving the ball away and Bannan stops trying to change the game with every single ball. We also need Bent and Gabby to stop running into the same positions when the ball occasionally gets crossed into the box. Oh and Shay Given stops booting the ball up front when almost every time the Newcastle central defenders win the header and their midfielders pick it up.
More than anything, there needs to be more movement off the ball. I lost count yesterday of the amount of times we had a throw in or a player on the ball and nobody wanted it or made themselves available.
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Negativity or players just not performing? We all wanted Bannan in yesterday, we got him and apart from the first 30 minutes, we got the run around until the 70th minute. It might help if the defence stop hoofing it, the real N'Zogbia turns up, Petrov stops thinking he's a box to box midfielder, Delph stops giving the ball away and Bannan stops trying to change the game with every single ball. We also need Bent and Gabby to stop running into the same positions when the ball occasionally gets crossed into the box. Oh and Shay Given stops booting the ball up front when almost every time the Newcastle central defenders win the header and their midfielders pick it up.
More than anything, there needs to be more movement off the ball. I lost count yesterday of the amount of times we had a throw in or a player on the ball and nobody wanted it or made themselves available.
I don't think you can divorce style from system. McLeish is proving particularly frustrating at the minute: first he plays the right 4-2-3-1 system but with the wrong player - Heskey - in the hole, then he plays the right player, bringing Bannan in for the injured Heskey, but plays an unsuitable 4-4-2. We were starved of options off the ball, one player too many up front which always meant a shortfall elsewhere, meaning we couldn't keep possession. Bannan, flung out wide, didn't get enough of the ball to influence the game, and every time he did there was no movement around him.
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Agree, Monty but for a 4-2-3-1 to work the first thing we have to do is get Petrov to play as a defensive midfielder and guide Delph along. Problem is, he now thinks he's bloody Frank Lampard.
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I too am surprised by Petrov's new-found license to get forward. I would be more surprised if he's not going on some sort of management instruction. As he showed with his clever disguised pass to Bent (who has no excuse really with that one) he can be very useful in forward situations, but you're right, he should learn to pick his runs forward more.
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Problem is, he now thinks he's bloody Frank Lampard.
What,slow and pass his best? Sounds familiar!
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Interesting comments when you consider he missed two sitters yesterday.
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I fear Mcleish will point to being unbeaten while we are as a reason that his tactics are working.
Sadly I think you have that exactly right.
Mark Lawrenson pointed out on MOTD that Villa, like Newcastle are a team that has sold high end players, and got in low end replacements, and perhaps that is the way forward for teams like Villa and Newcastle etc.
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Bent looked a bit lost yesterday in my view. I hope he is not seen as a Houllier man by McLeish as he's our 'star man' for want of a better description.
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A cry for help; a dig at the manager; just stating what the problems are at Villa at the moment or a striker making his excuses?
He's been asked a question. It's something the club knows all too well and they are working on the right system to get him the ball as much as possible. A cry for help is very dramatic. It's a man doing his job and likeall of us he is a little frustrated right now. I don't think it's a dig at the manager at all and I certainly don't think he'll be sold.
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I fear Mcleish will point to being unbeaten while we are as a reason that his tactics are working.
Sadly I think you have that exactly right.
Mark Lawrenson pointed out on MOTD that Villa, like Newcastle are a team that has sold high end players, and got in low end replacements, and perhaps that is the way forward for teams like Villa and Newcastle etc.
I saw that last night,what his says makes sense,but he didnt mention that we've been pretty poor so far this season,and thats with a good run of fixtures.
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The beginning of the end, he'll be gone in January.
To where? And for how much? I guess the most likely answer is Arsenal, if they finally become desperate enough.
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Agree, Monty but for a 4-2-3-1 to work the first thing we have to do is get Petrov to play as a defensive midfielder and guide Delph along. Problem is, he now thinks he's bloody Frank Lampard.
I'm sorry but yesterday Petrov was one of the best players in a Villa shirt - he was getting tackles in all over the park which he had to do given Delph was watching the game go by.
442 just didn't seem to work for us yesterday, which is a shame because I prefer it as a formation. Bent just wasn't at the races (for whatever reason) and because Delph was struggling we were overran in midfield. Going with a 451 would've given us the extra man in midfield to stop them dominating the game.
As for Bent, I worry that it's him letting the rest of the world that he's looking for a move now his England colleagues have jumped ship. Let's face it, he's hardly got a reputation for loyalty.
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Which team is going to spend the £20m+ it would take to buy Bent? None of the big clubs would want him anyway since he does bugger all when he's not scoring.
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Agree, Monty but for a 4-2-3-1 to work the first thing we have to do is get Petrov to play as a defensive midfielder and guide Delph along. Problem is, he now thinks he's bloody Frank Lampard.
I'm sorry but yesterday Petrov was one of the best players in a Villa shirt - he was getting tackles in all over the park which he had to do given Delph was watching the game go by.
442 just didn't seem to work for us yesterday, which is a shame because I prefer it as a formation. Bent just wasn't at the races (for whatever reason) and because Delph was struggling we were overran in midfield. Going with a 451 would've given us the extra man in midfield to stop them dominating the game.
Delph was countless times the only man defending as Petrov went walk about, so it's no surprise he was overran. Stan did have a good game but at the expense of Delph, allowing Newcastle to either charge or pass their way through our central midfield. Maybe NRC would have been better, certainly more experienced to allow Stan to get forward more often but Delph is still learning his new role. As Newcastle's midfield showed yesterday, if you work as a unit you can both attack and defend as a team. We were just disjointed.
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A cry for help; a dig at the manager; just stating what the problems are at Villa at the moment or a striker making his excuses?
He's been asked a question. It's something the club knows all too well and they are working on the right system to get him the ball as much as possible. A cry for help is very dramatic. It's a man doing his job and likeall of us he is a little frustrated right now. I don't think it's a dig at the manager at all and I certainly don't think he'll be sold.
Exactly this.
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Which team is going to spend the £20m+ it would take to buy Bent? None of the big clubs would want him anyway since he does bugger all when he's not scoring.
Have to agree with this
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Under Houllier's style Bent played really well, 9 goals in 15 games... we played in a system and style which allowed Bent to get the goals. McLeish is a horrible, negative and defensive-minded manager so he focuses more on being tight at the back instead of scoring goals.
People can say that Bent has Downing and Young to help him, but all of his goals were not supplied by Young or Downing - it was how we played which let Bent get the goals.
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Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal are all possible destinations in January and next Summer for Bent.
Spurs you can discount while Redknapp is there, I suppose. He'll be off.
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Agree, Monty but for a 4-2-3-1 to work the first thing we have to do is get Petrov to play as a defensive midfielder and guide Delph along. Problem is, he now thinks he's bloody Frank Lampard.
I'm sorry but yesterday Petrov was one of the best players in a Villa shirt - he was getting tackles in all over the park which he had to do given Delph was watching the game go by.
442 just didn't seem to work for us yesterday, which is a shame because I prefer it as a formation. Bent just wasn't at the races (for whatever reason) and because Delph was struggling we were overran in midfield. Going with a 451 would've given us the extra man in midfield to stop them dominating the game.
As for Bent, I worry that it's him letting the rest of the world that he's looking for a move now his England colleagues have jumped ship. Let's face it, he's hardly got a reputation for loyalty.
This for me, maybe not quite yet but its the obvious next step, said earlier this last week Darren Bent's job just got a lot harder, first in coming to Villa then when sold his lifeline in Young and Downing making it harder still, Bent is known for jumping ship when it suits him, did it at Spurs and lets face it he did it at Sunderland much to the annoyance of Steve Bruce.
I think this statement is prelude come warning that if things don't change (system) to suit him and he carries on questioning his game???? January!!!.
No question we need Bent, wouldn't for a moment imagine he is the be all and end all of our attacking options, he can be a dynamic goal scorer, he can also be a white elephant but what slightly bothers me is this lack of focus he as all of a sudden developed.
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We do need to find a system that makes us more of a goal threat up front we need to give Bent better service I think we need to bring Albrighton back in from the start.
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Really, if Bent does clear off, and I can't see anything in the quote that would indicate this one way or another, I'd struggle to care. After the dismantling of the a side containing Milner, Barry, Young and to a lesser extent Downing I'm desensitised.
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I seriously think we need to get a midfield...to centre's to stand in front of the back 4 when being attacked, then to go forward to push the front men on, the wide men into play, moving the whole field forward when attacking, we don't have that.
I think we need to get Ashley Young, James Milner, Gareth Barry and maybe Stuart Downing
Think we will be OK then.
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He is still suffering from a groin strain, plus his supply lines have dried up somewhat. Be patient. He'll come good.
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I like the 4-2-3-1 formation, as long as we're playing away from home. At home it needs to be more of a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield. If we are to have any creativity we need to play either Ireland or Bannan (and give them a few games) playing off Bent.
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Gabby seems to be getting in the right positions to score.
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Gabby seems to be getting in the right positions to score.
That's because he's a much better all round player than Bent. Bent as he has shown over his career, needs lots of chance to score. He seems to have a 50% chance of either putting chances in the box into the net, or wildly misfiring and looking like a chump. I reckon Redknapp's wife Sarrrrndra could have put those two away at the weekend. Now we've sold Young and Downing, we're not going to create as many chances for him.
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He still had and missed 2 excellent chances or did he conveniently forget that?
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I'm not convinced Bent has been fully fit all season. This groin injury seems to have been troubling him since August.
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He still had and missed 2 excellent chances or did he conveniently forget that?
Missed sitters the last two Saturdays, although he is apparently carrying an injury!
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From here - http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/sep/19/premier-league-chalkboard-analysis?CMP=twt_gu
Darren Bent is one of the Premier League's best goalscorers – but does he offer much more? Now is a pertinent time to ask the question – after a goalless outing against Newcastle on Saturday, Bent's record this season doesn't look good. Not only has he failed to score in four of his five league games so far, he hasn't got a shot on target in any of those matches either. A lone goal against Blackburn is his tally for 2011-12.
A look at Bent's passing chalkboard shows that he rarely contributes to build-up play outside the box – he completed only 11 passes in his 86 minutes on the pitch, and two of those involved taking kick-offs, hardly likely to go astray. It was a similar pattern last week against Everton, where 10 of his 20 passes were completed (again, including two kick-offs). Bent rarely sets up others for goals – he has only recorded four assists since the start of the 2009-10 campaign.
Villa's system has changed since last season and so has Bent's role. His initial impact at Villa was huge but all nine of his goals were assisted by players no longer at the club – Stewart Downing, Ashley Young, and Kyle Walker. At the weekend, Villa used Gabriel Agbonlahor, a striker, and Charles N'Zogbia, a player more concerned with beating opponents than crossing the ball, on the wing, and service rarely arrives. Bent might have to fend for himself and play in others, and it remains to be seen whether his style will suit Villa this season.
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The problem is he was bought for a certain style of play where we had top quality players to provide service and he was the lethal finisher we needed-those providers are gone and our style of play is very different to under houllier , bent is not best suited to being part of a 2 up front as he has shown at previous clubs,and in the system deployed by mcleish he is nothing like the same player-i would not be at all surprised to see him depart in january.
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I think we need to wait and see what impact Jenas has on the way we play before draw any firm conclusions. The manager clearly recognises there is an issue with our midfield, that's why he signed him, so I think any criticism is misguided at present.
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Gabby seems to be getting in the right positions to score.
That's because he's a much better all round player than Bent. Bent as he has shown over his career, needs lots of chance to score. He seems to have a 50% chance of either putting chances in the box into the net, or wildly misfiring and looking like a chump. I reckon Redknapp's wife Sarrrrndra could have put those two away at the weekend. Now we've sold Young and Downing, we're not going to create as many chances for him.
This is true Gabby is a far more complete player than Bent, on the other hand if you wanted to elect a player to be in the 6yd box and giving you every chance of scoring when he receives ball to feet you would probably go for Bent, unfortunately modern football is getting less and less like that and the old style Centre Forward is a thing of the past, what you want is a player like Gabby and as he showed on Saturday with back to marker, shielded the ball, turned his player and moved in on goal and scored, this is what you want.
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I said on the match thread the midfield needs to be sorted to ensure we are maximising his strengths - because whatever else he doesn't do, he can finish well when he is confident - quite simply we haven't had anyone of his ilk since Yorke. I will not criticise him at the moment because he isn't getting the same amount of supply as last season, so the knock on effect of that is he is becoming tense about the pressure to finish the scraps he does get and ends up missing them. The guy saved us from relegation last season and doesn't become a non scorer overnight.
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I think we need to wait and see what impact Jenas has on the way we play before draw any firm conclusions. The manager clearly recognises there is an issue with our midfield, that's why he signed him, so I think any criticism is misguided at present.
I think the best thing that you can say about Jenas is that he's "athletic" (when he isn't injured that is). I can't say that I'm expecting him to transform the drab rubbish that passes as our football these days.
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I said on the match thread the midfield needs to be sorted to ensure we are maximising his strengths - because whatever else he doesn't do, he can finish well when he is confident - quite simply we haven't had anyone of his ilk since Yorke. I will not criticise him at the moment because he isn't getting the same amount of supply as last season, so the knock on effect of that is he is becoming tense about the pressure to finish the scraps he does get and ends up missing them. The guy saved us from relegation last season and doesn't become a non scorer overnight.
Yes you can say Bent saved us from relegation last season but you also have to say we were in that position because the defence was leaking goals, particularly late in games. McLeish has certainly tightened that up, or perhaps it is simply the players involved want to play more for him than McLeish, so now let us hope the midfield and attack improvements will follow. He must provide service for Bent and Gabby and that is likely to come when (if?) N'zogbia gets some form and Albrighton plays from the start.
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I don't think we should be throwing Bent to the Wolves yet. He'll come good and score a lot of goals for us this season.
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I don't think we should be throwing Bent to the Wolves yet. He'll come good and score a lot of goals for us this season.
I don't think we should be throwing Bent to the Wolves yet. He'll come good and score a lot of goals for us this season.
Correct
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If he scores the winner at QPR, all this is forgotten. Bent is quality and the goals will come.
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I think we need to wait and see what impact Jenas has on the way we play before draw any firm conclusions. The manager clearly recognises there is an issue with our midfield, that's why he signed him, so I think any criticism is misguided at present.
I think the best thing that you can say about Jenas is that he's "athletic" (when he isn't injured that is). I can't say that I'm expecting him to transform the drab rubbish that passes as our football these days.
It's coming to something when the entire attacking ethos and performance this season is going to be determined by the impact of Jermaine Jenas.
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I think we need to wait and see what impact Jenas has on the way we play before draw any firm conclusions. The manager clearly recognises there is an issue with our midfield, that's why he signed him, so I think any criticism is misguided at present.
I think the best thing that you can say about Jenas is that he's "athletic" (when he isn't injured that is). I can't say that I'm expecting him to transform the drab rubbish that passes as our football these days.
It's coming to something when the entire attacking ethos and performance this season is going to be determined by the impact of Jermaine Jenas.
That's a slightly melodramatic way of looking at it.
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It is.
I'd say we have glaring weaknesses in our midfield, and we're hoping our new midfielder can make us stronger in that department.
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I feel sorry for Bent and he's a victim of the lack of options in midfield as much as AM's negative tactics. Personally i'd like to see us do away with wingers as a)the one's left are a pale shadow of the ones at the club 12 months ago and b) the centre of midfield is too weak to cover for them. mebbe a diamond formation with gabby and Bent up front, and N'zogbia/allbrighton at the top of the diamond in a roaming roll. Then hopefully we could get find someone who can do a reasonable job at DM while the rest of them compete for the two other places. That way with three in midfield we won't get overrun or lose it so much and you could accomodate someone a bit more attacking.
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No doubt bent saved us from relegation last season but so did downing and ash who created most of his goals between them-we maybe could get by on losing one of them but losing our two most creative players is proving very difficult at the moment.
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No doubt bent saved us from relegation last season but so did downing and ash who created most of his goals between them-we maybe could get by on losing one of them but losing our two most creative players is proving very difficult at the moment.
Talking of which, did anyone see Modric's goal at the weekend. Not bad for someone who wanted out. Spurs held firm, whilst we sold the kitchen silver. And replaced with what?
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No doubt bent saved us from relegation last season but so did downing and ash who created most of his goals between them-we maybe could get by on losing one of them but losing our two most creative players is proving very difficult at the moment.
Talking of which, did anyone see Modric's goal at the weekend. Not bad for someone who wanted out. Spurs held firm, whilst we sold the kitchen silver. And replaced with what?
True and to be honest i dread to think where we are heading , if randy no longer wants to or can afford to compete at the highest level then we need new investment or we become another bolton happy to just exist in the top flight.
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No doubt bent saved us from relegation last season but so did downing and ash who created most of his goals between them-we maybe could get by on losing one of them but losing our two most creative players is proving very difficult at the moment.
Talking of which, did anyone see Modric's goal at the weekend. Not bad for someone who wanted out. Spurs held firm, whilst we sold the kitchen silver. And replaced with what?
True and to be honest i dread to think where we are heading , if randy no longer wants to or can afford to compete at the highest level then we need new investment or we become another bolton happy to just exist in the top flight.
And where does this magical new investment come from?
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No doubt bent saved us from relegation last season but so did downing and ash who created most of his goals between them-we maybe could get by on losing one of them but losing our two most creative players is proving very difficult at the moment.
Talking of which, did anyone see Modric's goal at the weekend. Not bad for someone who wanted out. Spurs held firm, whilst we sold the kitchen silver. And replaced with what?
True and to be honest i dread to think where we are heading , if randy no longer wants to or can afford to compete at the highest level then we need new investment or we become another bolton happy to just exist in the top flight.
And where does this magical new investment come from?
Perhaps he should show some imagination and try to attract a business partner? Or dare I say it a share issue. Do you really think we are moving upwards with this regime? The General can't be arsed and prefers some Daytime University job, at least when Doug was in charge he was at the club day in day out. Running the Browns and Villa is too much I feel for RL.
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No doubt bent saved us from relegation last season but so did downing and ash who created most of his goals between them-we maybe could get by on losing one of them but losing our two most creative players is proving very difficult at the moment.
Talking of which, did anyone see Modric's goal at the weekend. Not bad for someone who wanted out. Spurs held firm, whilst we sold the kitchen silver. And replaced with what?
It's not really the same though, is it? Modric had just signed a new 5 year contract, so the club were in a much stronger position than with either Young or Downing. It would have been nice to have been able to hold out, but the cost in doing so would have been too much for, potentially, relatively little reward.
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God knows dave, only can hope that someone comes along here like at Chelsea or man city but with the new financial rules we will not be able to compete with those mega rich clubs who start from such a strong position with the squads we have - in reality who would invest huge money now in a club like us - probably nobody!
I fear we must face the coming years as a club who aim to exist in the top flight rather than compete at the top level of it, sadly rarely have I felt so depressed about the way our club is heading , but I guess it's the same for most clubs including the likes of everton and newcastle as well- the gap will widen and the game is poorer for it.
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No doubt bent saved us from relegation last season but so did downing and ash who created most of his goals between them-we maybe could get by on losing one of them but losing our two most creative players is proving very difficult at the moment.
Talking of which, did anyone see Modric's goal at the weekend. Not bad for someone who wanted out. Spurs held firm, whilst we sold the kitchen silver. And replaced with what?
It's not really the same though, is it? Modric had just signed a new 5 year contract, so the club were in a much stronger position than with either Young or Downing. It would have been nice to have been able to hold out, but the cost in doing so would have been too much for, potentially, relatively little reward.
Yes they got him signed to a new contract, but they obviously knew teams were interested in him. Redknapp, like or loath him, isn't no fool. Offering a bumper new contract firstly could put off suitors, or secondly ensure that a huge fee has to be paid.
We don't know what 'outstanding' contract Young was allegedly offered, but it all seems like we had taken it for granted we had to sell him for finances.
The same with Downing. Virtually everyone hates him, but we sold our best player from last season without fighting for him to stay.
It seems most fans like to keep towing the party line of 'Oh well, if he don't want to play for us he can f**k off'.
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Extremely difficult to keep a player once he expresses a strong desire to leave though, sometimes it happens and the player performs but often it just causes more disruption and unrest.
Who can blame young or downing for going where they did , we got good money for both but the problem is the money wasnt spent on investing in new players.
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Perhaps he should show some imagination and try to attract a business partner? Or dare I say it a share issue. Do you really think we are moving upwards with this regime? The General can't be arsed and prefers some Daytime University job, at least when Doug was in charge he was at the club day in day out. Running the Browns and Villa is too much I feel for RL.
A share issue. Didn't we have one of them, then when Randy came along we unanimously agreed that being a PLC was a bad thing and one man should be in sole charge? The general was never anything more than a non-executive director who rarely visited the club and has little impact on its day to day running. Randy doesn't do much with the Browns. As was said at the time, they're his dad's club and Villa are his.
Things may not be going forward now, but they will change. They always do. That's football.
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Not sure id say villa is randys club and the browns were his dads club , im sure i remember reading a few years back after he took over about him being asked which club meant more to him and he was quoted as replying "well you know its the browns".
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I'd say that it may be worth dropping him as Gabby is on a hot streak and having two strikers is leaving our midfield over exposed.
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It sounds like a case of 'roughing it' for a season or two then hopefully taking stock and having another go. I think we should have re-invested more than what we did in the summer, and not being able to bring in anyone on loan until people were out the door was worrying and on occasions puzzling, but it's where we are and we need to get behind it, however frustating it feels.
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It sounds like a case of 'roughing it' for a season or two then hopefully taking stock and having another go. I think we should have re-invested more than what we did in the summer, and not being able to bring in anyone on loan until people were out the door was worrying and on occasions puzzling, but it's where we are and we need to get behind it, however frustating it feels.
I agree with you clampy but it really is depressing right now and the performances of the team are doing little to inspire much hope .
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It sounds like a case of 'roughing it' for a season or two then hopefully taking stock and having another go. I think we should have re-invested more than what we did in the summer, and not being able to bring in anyone on loan until people were out the door was worrying and on occasions puzzling, but it's where we are and we need to get behind it, however frustating it feels.
That's exactly the thing, but people now won't rough it for two minutes.
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It sounds like a case of 'roughing it' for a season or two then hopefully taking stock and having another go. I think we should have re-invested more than what we did in the summer, and not being able to bring in anyone on loan until people were out the door was worrying and on occasions puzzling, but it's where we are and we need to get behind it, however frustating it feels.
That's exactly the thing, but people now won't rough it for two minutes.
The thing is in 2 seasons time we will be light years behind the top teams in the country and it will take a damn sight longer than 2 years before we can compete at the highest level-stand still and teams go past and away from you , and yes i know there are many in the same boat as us but as a fan of course its depressing.
Its going to be a long bleak period of mediocrity ahead i fear and for much much longer than a couple of years.
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It sounds like a case of 'roughing it' for a season or two then hopefully taking stock and having another go. I think we should have re-invested more than what we did in the summer, and not being able to bring in anyone on loan until people were out the door was worrying and on occasions puzzling, but it's where we are and we need to get behind it, however frustating it feels.
You can see the advertisements for next years season's tickets now' Come along and see another season of roughing it'.
Roughing it is fine, but in two seasons time, even those players who are performing now will be older and either be out of form or towards the end of their careers. So not only have you got to make up for lack of investment now, but will have to invest for the loss of talent in a couple of years. Also, will non-hardcore fans see out this period with the club having that attitude.
Everton are just about coping on not buying much new talent in and keeping roughly the same squad for several seasons, but eventually, they will either have to spend or be in trouble.
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Extremely difficult to keep a player once he expresses a strong desire to leave though, sometimes it happens and the player performs but often it just causes more disruption and unrest.
Who can blame young or downing for going where they did , we got good money for both but the problem is the money wasnt spent on investing in new players.
Both Everton and Bolton told Wenger to sod off when he made bids for Jagielka and Cahill. Even though they weren't great offers, I'm sure they could have done with the funds and I'm sure both players would have been tempted by a move to Arsenal, regardless of their current problems. You are seeing a lot of clubs now holding out and selling a player when it is right for them, not for the club buying them.
Also Jagielka has stated yesterday that he still has faith in the club after committing himself to Everton, even during their crisis. When has a Villa player targeted by another team ever said that?
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I'd say that it may be worth dropping him as Gabby is on a hot streak and having two strikers is leaving our midfield over exposed.
I would agree if I wasn't so sure that would mean Bent agotating for a move before we could blink. The problem we have at the moment is that Gabby is now hitting some form and as him and Bent don't really work in the same team we will ultimately have to piss one of them off.
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It sounds like a case of 'roughing it' for a season or two then hopefully taking stock and having another go. I think we should have re-invested more than what we did in the summer, and not being able to bring in anyone on loan until people were out the door was worrying and on occasions puzzling, but it's where we are and we need to get behind it, however frustating it feels.
I agree with you clampy but it really is depressing right now and the performances of the team are doing little to inspire much hope .
I'm not depressed, Arsenal fans might be and i bet Plymouth fans definatley are. We're not playing great football but 5 games in and we're unbeaten. That stat will start to wear thin if we don't start picking up 3 points more often, but it's not slit the wrists time just yet. A little less negativity would go a long way.
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Extremely difficult to keep a player once he expresses a strong desire to leave though, sometimes it happens and the player performs but often it just causes more disruption and unrest.
Who can blame young or downing for going where they did , we got good money for both but the problem is the money wasnt spent on investing in new players.
Both Everton and Bolton told Wenger to sod off when he made bids for Jagielka and Cahill. Even though they weren't great offers, I'm sure they could have done with the funds and I'm sure both players would have been tempted by a move to Arsenal, regardless of their current problems. You are seeing a lot of clubs now holding out and selling a player when it is right for them, not for the club buying them.
Also Jagielka has stated yesterday that he still has faith in the club after committing himself to Everton, even during their crisis. When has a Villa player targeted by another team ever said that?
Bolton just asked too much for Cahill and the buying clubs know they'll get him for a much cheaper price as his contract runs down. He's not so good that people will play that kind of money.
Everton sold Arteta instead. According to the Guardian this morning they've borrowed against their TV income for the next two years just to stay afloat, comparing us unfavourably to them is ridiculous.
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'Borrowing is just spending the other man's money'
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Extremely difficult to keep a player once he expresses a strong desire to leave though, sometimes it happens and the player performs but often it just causes more disruption and unrest.
Who can blame young or downing for going where they did , we got good money for both but the problem is the money wasnt spent on investing in new players.
Both Everton and Bolton told Wenger to sod off when he made bids for Jagielka and Cahill. Even though they weren't great offers, I'm sure they could have done with the funds and I'm sure both players would have been tempted by a move to Arsenal, regardless of their current problems. You are seeing a lot of clubs now holding out and selling a player when it is right for them, not for the club buying them.
Also Jagielka has stated yesterday that he still has faith in the club after committing himself to Everton, even during their crisis. When has a Villa player targeted by another team ever said that?
Bolton just asked too much for Cahill and the buying clubs know they'll get him for a much cheaper price as his contract runs down. He's not so good that people will play that kind of money.
Everton sold Arteta instead. According to the Guardian this morning they've borrowed against their TV income for the next two years just to stay afloat, comparing us unfavourably to them is ridiculous.
Who's comparing clubs? it is just comparing scenarios. As you state, even though Everton are virtually bankrupt, they still refused to sell Jagielka. Yet, Villa who aren't virtually bankrupt have sold two of their best players in the closed season. I think the comparison is there. I bet the board would have been desperate to sell him, but would have been worried that Moyes might have walked.
The point is, clubs are selling players when it is best for them.
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If they'd have got the right offer they'd have sold him, just like they did with Lescott, Piennar and Arteta and the same as we did with Downing. We also used some of the money we received to buy players which I'm sure Moyes would have liked the opportunity to do.
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As you state, even though Everton are virtually bankrupt, they still refused to sell Jagielka. Yet, Villa who aren't virtually bankrupt have sold two of their best players in the closed season.
And at the moment we have no idea which was the right way to do things.
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Villa may not be on verge of bankruptcy but who knows what financial state Randy is in over the pond?
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He is fine financially.
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He is fine financially.
Thanks for that but certainly he is very exposed to Bank of America and their 'trashed' status! He is not as rich as he once was by a considerable distance.
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Seriously, he is fine.
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Seriously, he is fine.
I am certain he is considerably richer than what I am, and possibly yourself, but I think frugality is name of game for time being!
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DB has just tweeted
Sorry you've got up to read that rather false article in the Sun this morning. I can assure you that wasn't the tone of the interview at all. I would never criticise the manager or football club. We've made a solid start to the season and hopefully that will continue.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3830398/Darren-Bent-goes-on-the-attack-at-Aston-Villa.html
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Bent has just splashed out on a brand new penthouse near the Mailbox so he might actually stay until at least next summer now.
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I prefer Club International or Razzle myself.
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I prefer Club International or Razzle myself.
Ah Club, the thinking mans scud mop.
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He is fine financially.
Thanks for that but certainly he is very exposed to Bank of America and their 'trashed' status! He is not as rich as he once was by a considerable distance.
I'm not sure he still has the Bank of America shares.