Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: sirlordbaltimore on June 03, 2013, 01:57:37 PM
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Probably our biggest Achilles heel along with ropey defending IMHO
I've been watching the 1000 Premiership Goals DVD and it's alarming how many we used to score from midfield compared to the current lot. Westwood never comes close, Delph is as bad so we'd better hope Sylla can add a few (not looking likely granted). If not then we'll always struggle as you can't just expect the forwards to score em all
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Somebody should show Fabian this:
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I can't recall seeing our midfielders even in the box last season. Don't mind Westwood not scoring, but if we keep the 4-3-3 formation then the two either side of him need to start chipping in.
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I can't recall seeing our midfielders even in the box last season. Don't mind Westwood not scoring, but if we keep the 4-3-3 formation then the two either side of him need to start chipping in.
N'Zogbia does when he plays, but his lack of tracking back mean the other two with him rarely do. When it's Sylla, then the onus is on him and Delph, which is an area they need to improve on. Presuming we play the same way next season, then you'd have to expect 20 from Benteke, 10 each from Gabby and Weimann and then 10 from the rest of the midfield.
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I fancy Delph to score a few next season.
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Midfield That Doesn't Score Goals have been saying that for most of the season.
they need to start scoring next season or we will but near the bottom again
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How long has Delph got left on his contract?
If he is in his last year, does he warrant a new one?
He looks like the kind if player that should score but has yet to demonstrate that side to his game.
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It's helpful when they chip in with goals, but when you have three forwards we need to have creativity in midfield as opposed to goals. For me though the primary criteria for our midfield in the Lambert system is that they don't give the ball away needlessly and have the ability and desire to win the ball back quickly when they do.
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Rather than obsess specifically about the midfield, I'd be far more interested to know what is being done about our relatively poor conversion of set-piece opportunities. We win corners but rarely core from them; we get free-kicks in the final third but I don't remember many conversions from last season; we seem to have no throw-in routines that cause opponents problems.
Set pieces are scoring opportunities and Lambert needs to get us much sharper for them.
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I think Westwood will be the player to sit deep and keep things simple and ticking along. Delph grew in confidence once he got a run in the side and will hopefully score goals, out of the three mentioned he looks the most likely. Sylla is a pressing player and can fit into that role of midfield runner with an engine.
We play two either side of Benteke anyway, those being Gabby and Andreas. But, it wouldn't do any harm getting in an attacking midfielder a an option.
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I think we need a young goalscoring midfielder in similar mould of Frank Lampard Jr or Matthew Le Tissler or Zidane in our team If he can score 15 and add extra 10 assists that would be awesome :)
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I think we need a young goalscoring midfielder in similar mould of Frank Lampard Jr or Matthew Le Tissler or Zidane in our team If he can score 15 and add extra 10 assists that would be awesome :)
Anyone in mind Michael? Do you think Luke murphy could develop that way?
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The midfield certainly improved after the end of January, with there being a good blend between Sylla, Delph and Westwood.
I think Delph grew in confidence with the way he started to use his pace to really break from the midfield and you would hope he can weigh in with a few goals next season.
That said, I think we need a genuine player who can link the attack and the midfield in the way Milner did, Ireland was supposed, but has failed so miserably.
Sylla and Westwood are good players who will get a lot better still, but I think we have to remember the size of the situation they were both thrown into. Sylla in particular had a language barrier and culture barrier to overcome too.
I think it speaks volumes for the spirit that Lambert has engendered amongst the squad. This is why I think Benteke will stay at least one more season and why Andi will be here for years to come; they’re all of a similar age and there is a real cohesion about them.
The players we bring in have to have the same attitude.
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Hopefully Gary Gardner will fill this role once he's back fit and firing
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I fancy Delph to score a few next season.
I would bet on 6 or more in the league next season
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We definitely need the midfield to contribute goals to the team.
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We definitely need the midfield to contribute goals to the team.
If Gardner gets a run in the team the goals will come - he alone is like having a new signing , Westwood , sylla, and Delph have all shown goods signs this year but i don't see any of them chipping in with much as far as goals are concerned.
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I can't recall seeing our midfielders even in the box last season. Don't mind Westwood not scoring, but if we keep the 4-3-3 formation then the two either side of him need to start chipping in.
N'Zogbia does when he plays, but his lack of tracking back mean the other two with him rarely do. When it's Sylla, then the onus is on him and Delph, which is an area they need to improve on. Presuming we play the same way next season, then you'd have to expect 20 from Benteke, 10 each from Gabby and Weimann and then 10 from the rest of the midfield.
Didn't Gabby get 13 and Weimann get 12 this year though. I'd hope Weimann with a years more experience takes a few more chances next season.
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Terribly negative thread. Why worry when you have attackers who can score?
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Terribly negative thread. Why worry when you have attackers who can score?
I don't think it's negative or that anyone is worried. It's a legitimate topic which I don't think is as pressing as midfielders that can keep the ball, create and defend. But that's just my opinion. I certainly agree that if we can find a midfield that can do all of that and score then even better.
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Of course Delph is worthy of a new contract when due. You cant exclude Westwood from critisism and lay it all on Delph. The whole team needs to chip in.
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This will become a problem for us the higher we go in the league.
No problem in 08-09 when Milner, Barry and Young were all in there.
I would like to think Lambert will sign a central midfielder who can get in the box and score sometime this summer (preferably after a defender or two has signed) otherwise play N'zogbia there.
I feel it will be a choice of Sylla/Delph before too long, Westwood is a must pick for me.
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We definitely could do with goal scoring options from midfield, which I imagine is where the Murphy, Tonev and Popov rumours are coming from.
Gardner is clearly that type of player, though I'd send him on loan to rejuvenate I think.
I could see Delph getting a couple, though not really Westwood or Sylla.
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Rather than obsess specifically about the midfield, I'd be far more interested to know what is being done about our relatively poor conversion of set-piece opportunities. We win corners but rarely core from them; we get free-kicks in the final third but I don't remember many conversions from last season; we seem to have no throw-in routines that cause opponents problems.
Set pieces are scoring opportunities and Lambert needs to get us much sharper for them.
We need to stop floating the ball in there and start whipping it in....so many times last season we just floated it up in the box which is so easy to defend against.
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We should have signed Lampard ;D
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Delph potentionally. Gardner too. Albrighton if he can recapture his form of 2 years ago. He chipped in with a few in his first full season.
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We need to sign Peter Whittingham. Midfield goal machine. 73 goals in 7 seasons for Cardiff.
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Terribly negative thread. Why worry when you have attackers who can score?
We need to score more goals than last season and there's no guarantee the front three will be as prolific.
Why is negative to analyse ways of improving the team?
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goalscoring midfielder will open the defence and help to win tight games. We also need a Martin Laursen type for goalscoring from set pieces as well.
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With a 3 man midfield, we can afford one of them to be attack minded and break into the box.
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Agree with this and also agree with the post about our set pieces.
At times it feels like "Oh we've got a free-kick/corner, let's chuck the ball in and see what happens"
(Nothing most of the time)
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I reckon Vlaar will score a few next season, and if they're anything like the two last season, happy days!
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To those suggesting Delph may start scoring next season. Based on what ?
The lad looks like a wreck anywhere near the penalty area. No composure at all
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I'm not so sure a goalscoring midfielder is a priority. With Benteke Weimann and Gabby scoring on a fairly regular basis, by having a midfielder bombing forward as well we will be wide open on the counter and end up letting even more in.
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You can't rely on your strikers always scoring, good teams always have the midfield contributing. It doesn't have to be at the expense of defending.
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I'm not so sure a goalscoring midfielder is a priority. With Benteke Weimann and Gabby scoring on a fairly regular basis, by having a midfielder bombing forward as well we will be wide open on the counter and end up letting even more in.
You don't need three holding midfielders surely? At least one must have licence to advance with the other two holding imo. Anyway Petrov held his position yet still chipped in with a few timely long range specials.
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Despite our good run in the last third of the season, against the better sides we were often too deep and the strikers got isolated. I think that's why Lambert played N'Zogbia at places like Old Trafford - to bridge the gap between midfield and attack. Our strikers will score goals, but they need the midfield close to them in order to do that.
That having been said, we do need more goals from the midfield and the rest of the team anyway.
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Despite our good run in the last third of the season, against the better sides we were often too deep and the strikers got isolated. I think that's why Lambert played N'Zogbia at places like Old Trafford - to bridge the gap between midfield and attack. Our strikers will score goals, but they need the midfield close to them in order to do that.
That having been said, we do need more goals from the midfield and the rest of the team anyway.
i agree with this totally.
And with additions like tonev and whatever else we bring there could be a formation change or at least some flexibility.
Even though have 3 strikers there needs to a midfielder who gets up and supports and offers a goal threat. And i sometimes saw last season the 2 wide strikers were not always in support to the loan big Ben and with westwood in main not waning to go past centre circle half - sure he was instructed - left to Delphi.
Hopefully see more box to box play and a bit of creativity which will lead to more goals all round
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I think part of the problem is that we played 4-3-3 towards the end of last season. I think Sylla, Westwood and Delph would be happier individually playing deeper in a 4-2-1-3. Lambert was forced to play a flatter 3 man midfield due to our defensive weaknesses at full back.
Both Delph and Sylla are capable of getting from box to box but neither of them seem that smart in either penalty area. Delph to be fair got in decent positions towards the end of last season but I do think we need to add a Ian Taylor/Gareth Barry eque player into our squad still. Nzogbia when he plays there makes us far too open.
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Apart from Gerrard, lampard, Michu (frustrated striker) I don't know of many free scoring midfielders, Even manure struggled from midfield last season, I could be wrong of course as this is just off the top of my head
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Isnt Bale a midfielder?
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Apart from Gerrard, lampard, Michu (frustrated striker) I don't know of many free scoring midfielders, Even manure struggled from midfield last season, I could be wrong of course as this is just off the top of my head
As well as Bale, throw in Mata, Carzola and Hazard who all scored more than Gerard
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Ok next time before I post, I'll think it through, However there aren't that many free scoring midfielders
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Like Silva you mean? Or Oscar? Arteta? Walcott spends most of his time on the wing. You mean Fellaini then...
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There's a bit of a scale between nothing and 10+ a year. If the whole midfield can contribute 10-15 a year we'll be in a much better place, same for the defence.
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I'd like to see Delph spanking a few more shots from long distance. It's in his locker. With the 3 man system he became a bit more adventurous in the last few weeks too. A bit of composure and he could get a few goals. I think it's almost a case that he just needs one to go in and his confidence nearer goal will improve. He's scored a couple of good goals for us in previous years (in cups I think, Brighton I recall being decent) and he scored some decent goals for Leeds. It's in his locker.
I think we'll sign another midfielder to compete with the first choice 3. You'd think someone with a few goals in there locker would be useful.
Tonev can provide a few. Belhanda or Popov should too if they joined. Maybe Yac Sylla might. He could be useful making late runs in the box ala Ian Taylor. He's a big lad so might get his nut on a few, especially if defenders are pre-occupied with CB.
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If Delph continues where he left off, he'll get the odd goal here and there. Westwood plays deep so won't score many and I've not seen anything from Sylla yet to think he can score a few. That's not to say that won't change though.
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I think Sylla really grew in confidence in the last few weeks. His passing and composure got better and better. He looked the mutts nuts in a couple of games. Maybe we'll see a goal or two. I'd doubt it because I think more of the defensive work would be his main forte.
Westy can stick to making goals. 6 assists last season from a pretty deep position is good. I'd expect him to get at least 10 assists next season.
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we need a new David Platt ;) If only. Mind ,he was from Crewe . Murphy ?
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Im hoping this is a thread that dies this season and is replaced with "Does our midfield score too many goals?"
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May I suggest the show reels of Tonev and Bacuna could calm your fears?
And for those dubious of show reels - see what the foreign press are saying about these players (it's called Google Translate). They are both hot young prospects.
UTV.
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From the youtoooob videos, they can't half strike a fucking ball. We've all seen the Tonev one by now, but I suggest you guys watch Bacuna's too. He scores a great couple of screamers.