Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: N'ZMAV on June 29, 2013, 09:09:58 PM
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So then, early guesses on who will be next seasons Scapegoat? Seems like Bennett and Bannan were neck and neck for first place for last season.
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Don't think Bannan will be about and not sure if Bennett or Luna will be preferred. Two or three iffy performances from any of the new boys and people will be calling for their heads, no doubt.
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clark
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I don't get this scapegoat thing. It's not like Bannan or Bennett were the cause or ever blamed for all of our problems. They got picked out if they played shit which they did quite often. There were other players who played their part in our issues and were treated as harshly e.g Vlaar.
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clark
If he plays I agree, if not I'm going to pull a surprise name and suggest Westwood, I think the 'get it in the box' people will get on his back when they have no one else to blame. I also predict myself getting very annoyed with people slagging him off.
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Bit of a negative thread this one - i prefer to the new season in positive mood rather than looking at who is going to be the next scapegoat.
I agree with Toronto, several players were criticised last season when they didnt perform and Bennett and bannan recieved praise when they did .
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Yes, it may be negative. Or, you could put a positive spin on it and say there will be no scapegoat.
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Bit of a negative thread this one - i prefer to the new season in positive mood rather than looking at who is going to be the next scapegoat.
I agree with Toronto, several players were criticised last season when they didnt perform and Bennett and bannan recieved praise when they did .
I disagree, I think a lot of fans were still slagging Bennett off right up to the end of the season, despite him having looked capable of being a good premier league player for the last 2-3 months. Bannan was definitely a scapegoat, he could be having a great game, bossing things and being the key to all our attacking, then 1 bad pass and the match thread on here would have 2 pages about how shit he was.
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Bit of a negative thread this one - i prefer to the new season in positive mood rather than looking at who is going to be the next scapegoat.
I agree with Toronto, several players were criticised last season when they didnt perform and Bennett and bannan recieved praise when they did .
I disagree, I think a lot of fans were still slagging Bennett off right up to the end of the season, despite him having looked capable of being a good premier league player for the last 2-3 months. Bannan was definitely a scapegoat, he could be having a great game, bossing things and being the key to all our attacking, then 1 bad pass and the match thread on here would have 2 pages about how shit he was.
Go on almost any news site reporting on Luna's transfer in and you'll still find at least one person OUTRAGED that Bennett hasn't committed Seppuku on the steps of the Holte.
People love having a scapegoat, and they hate admitting they might be wrong.
Hopefully all the stick he got will spur him to prove the doubters wrong, but I think he's going to have to have a spectacular season to win over everybody. I think he's got what it takes (once he bulks up a bit).
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Most of our scapegoats tend to be the overpaid wasters in recent years. The players with reputations that they fail to match for us. Like Ireland. I also think in Bannan's case, he's been given a fair deal by the fans. He's had some stick but hes probably had a great deal of faith from some, and perhaps done less to earn the faith than he did to earn the moans.
I don't particularly see us getting on a players back too much in the next season. They're young players, they'll get some slack. I mean Bennett divides opinion but I wouldn't call him a scapegoat necessarily. I also think in the case of some scapegoats of previous seasons, it was quite hard to give credit when it was due. Heskey for example would get begrudging praise on the rare occasions he performed, like a brief spell under Houllier when he looked close to his best again. Bennett showed plenty of promise in the last few weeks of the season and that seemed to be recognised, largely, on here.
We're gonna have a moan on here I know, particularly if we have a poor run. However I think given this summer has been about as positive on the whole as I can remember on this forum, I think that'll hold us in good stead. We've a squad full of young, enthusiastic and hard working players. We've almost got rid of all the overpaid prima-donna's who have blighted us over the O Neill period and beyond.
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Same scapegoat as the last three seasons - MON.
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Same scapegoat as the last three seasons - MON.
I'll settle for that.
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Gabby when he doesn't score for the first 10 games again.
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Bit of a negative thread this one - i prefer to the new season in positive mood rather than looking at who is going to be the next scapegoat.
I agree with Toronto, several players were criticised last season when they didnt perform and Bennett and bannan recieved praise when they did .
I disagree, I think a lot of fans were still slagging Bennett off right up to the end of the season, despite him having looked capable of being a good premier league player for the last 2-3 months. Bannan was definitely a scapegoat, he could be having a great game, bossing things and being the key to all our attacking, then 1 bad pass and the match thread on here would have 2 pages about how shit he was.
they were slagging off both. Bannan didn't really feature for the last bit of the season if my memory is right and Bennett did improve after the Bradford and millwall debacles.
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The thing I find about the discussions of scapegoats on this site is that, more often than not, the people who drone on loudest on the subject don't really understand what the word means.
For starters, it doesn't just mean "person who gets slagged off", so criticising someone for not performing doesn't necessarily meant you're "scapegoating" them.
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The word all HanVers love to hate.
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The thing I find about the discussions of scapegoats on this site is that, more often than not, the people who drone on loudest on the subject don't really understand what the word means.
For starters, it doesn't just mean "person who gets slagged off", so criticising someone for not performing doesn't necessarily meant you're "scapegoating" them.
For me it's double standards, that's why I get frustrated with the way some players get treated, I freely admit Bannan is the one I've been arguing for recently but i've done the same for other players in the past. The issue is, Bannan, Delph and Westwood could all play ahd have a passing success in the low 80s but Westwood gets praised for his passing, Delph gets grudging approval because he's improving and Bannan gets slagged off for giving the ball away ' all the time'. So maybe scapegoat is the wrong term but there's definitely double standards. The bit I find really backwards is that the players who seem to have higher expectations are usually the ones who've come through the academy. Imagine is Bannan put in performances as abject as some we've seen from nzogbia, and yet nzogbia still gets a lot of credit with some fans.
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I'm going to go out on a limb here, but I have a feeling that unlike a spell last season, it won't be Benteke.
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Sylla
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As a season ticket holder in the lower north stand, I get the feeing a lot of people are just waiting for Bannan to give the ball away so that they can take out the frustrations of a poor team performance out on him. I'm not a massive fan of his but in my experience he is the number one scapegoat. I have to disagree a bit with PWS. If Benteke doesn't hit the heights of last season, I sense a lot of people ready to claim he has got too big for boots or doesn't want to play for us anymore.
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Benteke would have to really drop off to get stick I think. Even he'd have preferred to go he's still going to want to be a success in a WC year and to get a move next summer.
I agree about Bannan, but I also think his attitude, or perceived attitude, along with the drink driving has alienated a number of fans.
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I am going to go with Tonev after looking a bit dodgy early doors and maybe Delph, if he does not start the season in similar form to last season. Which would be a big shame, as I think talent wise he is brilliant and we need to give him time and support.
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Nobody actually names a scapegoat. The word is introduced into threads by people who disagree with a poster's negative opinion of a particular player. If a player is consistently poor, then of course their name will crop up quite often.
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Same scapegoat as the last three seasons - MON.
I'll settle for that.
He's been very useful but 3 years down the line, with an effective, forceful and visionary manager in place for a year and a squad (and a club) bearing little resemblance to the one he famously flounced out on, I think the time to untether him has come.
We can still slag him off, though.
Scapegoating - definition
"Process in which the mechanisms of projection or displacement are utilised in focusing feelings of aggression, hostility, frustration, etc., upon another individual or group; the amount of blame being unwarranted." (Not sure it has been totally unwarranted, but still.)
He doesn't have to take any more blame for the present situation, given the change in circumstances. Just - the same stuff that people routinely dish out about ex managers they don't like.
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Hopefully Bennett can do 'a Delph' and win over the fans next season. If Vlaar starts the season poorly I think it'll be him.
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I blame the fans.
:)
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Hopefully Bennett can do 'a Delph' and win over the fans next season. If Vlaar starts the season poorly I think it'll be him.
+1 Vlaar needs a strong start next season otherwise Okore's leadership qualities will be tested very early on.
I think Lawton's weaknesses were glossed over towards the end of last season. Some of his defending was absolutely appalling last season and I think he could be targeted by opposition tactics next season. For some reason I think the signing of Luna might bring out the best in Bennett.
Weimann is another who might find the going a bit tougher next season. Really love his attitude but his touch particularly sees a lot of attacks break down. Tonev will hopefully settle early to give us competition out wide.
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I think Bennett is a good signing and will develop into a better defender next season although luna will probably get plenty of games too, as for bannan i just don't think he's good enough at his level and see little to make me think he will be .
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Stupid thread. It's based on a premise that we would struggle and therefore we will target a "scapegoat". Just amazed as to how many different ways are there for some to find a negative angle to start a discussion?
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Stupid thread. It's based on a premise that we would struggle and therefore we will target a "scapegoat". Just amazed as to how many different ways are there for some to find a negative angle to start a discussion?
Agree with you affers, things are pretty positive around villa park right now , I think we will have a decent season ahead and look ahead with relish.
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I'm looking forward to seeing who the whinging bastard behind me picks on this year now Bannan's on his way.
I think Bannan was hard done by at times. He could lay the ball off three or four times, then if he gave it away the fifth time the groans would ring out.
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Lionel Messi. I think Lambert will struggle to integrate him into our playing style. For the amount we are going to pay for him people will expect a goal a game but playing alongside Benteke and Weimann he is going to have to play a bit deeper than what he is used to at Barca.
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Scapegoat is probably the wrong word but there's no doubt that certain players are given a harder time than others. So, Player A who does fuck all for 80 minutes then goes close with a chance will get his name chanted, Player B works hard for 80 minutes then over hits a pass and gets the dogs abuse.
It's always been that way but the internet helps spread the message more quickly that Player B is currently out of favour and the more easily lead amongst us jump on the bandwagon.
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Scapegoat is probably the wrong word but there's no doubt that certain players are given a harder time than others. So, Player A who does fuck all for 80 minutes then goes close with a chance will get his name chanted, Player B works hard for 80 minutes then over hits a pass and gets the dogs abuse.
It's always been that way but the internet helps spread the message more quickly that Player B is currently out of favour and the more easily lead amongst us jump on the bandwagon.
I do believe Ray Houghton alluded this about Deano. If Deano and/or team was having a stinker he would go through a defender near the end of the game so as to show the fans the effort he puts in.
Never understood the dog abuse Alan Wright got the one season (97-98) as he had no cover in front of him. Unless you count Collymore. And I don't / didn't.
Petrov was never a scapegoat in my opinion. He was just plain shite for 18months before turning it around- which was his job.
Angel never got much abuse whereas Vassell got loads even though Angel was only good when Vassell was creating space for him.
Bannan doesn't help himself with the drink/driving stuff.
Ireland deserves all the crap he gets.
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It is never nice when a player or other individual gets picked on but I think you have to accept that creating a scapegoat is a necessity for the proper function and cohesion of the tribe and the sustaining of its belief system.
Just as the scapegoat would serve the purpose of convincing a primitive tribe that the sun would rise in the spring and that next year's harvest would be better, so it goes with the football tribe.
Trying to somehow sustain the belief that things are not as bad as they seem requires a scapegoat, so the tribe can claim that everything would be great if it wasn't for X or Y, which avoids the actual reality and sustains hope in the face of disappointment.
It is ugly and it seems ignoble but the use of a scapegoat has to be seen as a necessary evil to serve a greater good: sustaining the belief which is necessary for the tribe to cohere.
In broader terms the role of scapegoat should be seen as an honourable one.
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It is never nice when a player or other individual gets picked on but I think you have to accept that creating a scapegoat is a necessity for the proper function and cohesion of the tribe and the sustaining of its belief system.
Just as the scapegoat would serve the purpose of convincing a primitive tribe that the sun would rise in the spring and that next year's harvest would be better, so it goes with the football tribe.
Trying to somehow sustain the belief that things are not as bad as they seem requires a scapegoat, so the tribe can claim that everything would be great if it wasn't for X or Y, which avoids the actual reality and sustains hope in the face of disappointment.
It is ugly and it seems ignoble but the use of a scapegoat has to be seen as a necessary evil to serve a greater good: sustaining the belief which is necessary for the tribe to cohere.
In broader terms the role of scapegoat should be seen as an honourable one.
Thank you Leonard Sachs ;)
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I think generally we're okay with a player if they work hard and have a good attitude. Heskey did get a lot of flak, but almost in an expectant way. We knew he's not a great player. But many had a soft spot for big Emile because he's got a good attitude and worked hard. He was just shit.
The flipside to that is Stephen "Fucking" Ireland. Complete was of space. Some of the moaning and griping he had in his first season didn't help him. Under McLeish he seemed to just keep quiet and get on with it. He started working at least, showing a little more effort, but not enough product. Last season he was fucking dire most of the time. I think there's something to the talent-end product ratio that also contributes to how much flak a player gets. Wee Barry should be giving us far more. Ireland should be giving us a hell of a lot more. Charley Zog. Because they've got natural ability and a reputation for fancying themselves a bit, of course they've got stick when they've not delivered the goods.
In the case of Petrov and Angel in their tougher times, because they'ye top blokes, never had a bad word to say, and kept up the effort, we stood by them largely. They had some moaning but I wouldn't say too much vitriol. Though I remember Angel having a very good game against Newcastle in O Neill's first season. He started that season very well but clearly O Neills long term plan was to go 4-4-2 with pace and a big man, which meant Juan lost his place when we had Baros back and Chris Sutton in, before big John came in of course. Some guy a few rows back was moaning incessantly about JPA. Even despite him playing well, linking play nicely. The irony being that when Juan ended up scoring the fella moaning the most, then cheered the loudest.
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The stick bannan gets is trivial compared to the flak given by those around me and including me at the likes of Simon stainrod and paul Elliott.
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If there had been H&V in the early 80's, Tony Morley would have got loads on here.
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This season I are mostly going to be blaming Maxwell and the shadow of Thatcher.
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The thing I find about the discussions of scapegoats on this site is that, more often than not, the people who drone on loudest on the subject don't really understand what the word means.
For starters, it doesn't just mean "person who gets slagged off", so criticising someone for not performing doesn't necessarily meant you're "scapegoating" them.
Exactly my reaction to this thread. A Scapegoat is someone who get unmerited blame, not someone who gets deserved ciriticism. Ireland, Bennett, Clark and Bannan all deserved their fair share of criticism last season by turning in frequent woeful performances . For me Curtis Davies was and still is something of genuine scapegoat - yes he put in 4 or 5 terrible performances but his many decent and even very good performances are overlooked because of those, and even he often took the blame for collectively poor defending when other players like Knight, Cuellar and even occasionally Laursen, were equally culpable.
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It is never nice when a player or other individual gets picked on but I think you have to accept that creating a scapegoat is a necessity for the proper function and cohesion of the tribe and the sustaining of its belief system.
Just as the scapegoat would serve the purpose of convincing a primitive tribe that the sun would rise in the spring and that next year's harvest would be better, so it goes with the football tribe.
Trying to somehow sustain the belief that things are not as bad as they seem requires a scapegoat, so the tribe can claim that everything would be great if it wasn't for X or Y, which avoids the actual reality and sustains hope in the face of disappointment.
It is ugly and it seems ignoble but the use of a scapegoat has to be seen as a necessary evil to serve a greater good: sustaining the belief which is necessary for the tribe to cohere.
In broader terms the role of scapegoat should be seen as an honourable one.
Honestly, what the fuck are you on about?
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It is never nice when a player or other individual gets picked on but I think you have to accept that creating a scapegoat is a necessity for the proper function and cohesion of the tribe and the sustaining of its belief system.
Just as the scapegoat would serve the purpose of convincing a primitive tribe that the sun would rise in the spring and that next year's harvest would be better, so it goes with the football tribe.
Trying to somehow sustain the belief that things are not as bad as they seem requires a scapegoat, so the tribe can claim that everything would be great if it wasn't for X or Y, which avoids the actual reality and sustains hope in the face of disappointment.
It is ugly and it seems ignoble but the use of a scapegoat has to be seen as a necessary evil to serve a greater good: sustaining the belief which is necessary for the tribe to cohere.
In broader terms the role of scapegoat should be seen as an honourable one.
Deep man. Real deep
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It is never nice when a player or other individual gets picked on but I think you have to accept that creating a scapegoat is a necessity for the proper function and cohesion of the tribe and the sustaining of its belief system.
Just as the scapegoat would serve the purpose of convincing a primitive tribe that the sun would rise in the spring and that next year's harvest would be better, so it goes with the football tribe.
Trying to somehow sustain the belief that things are not as bad as they seem requires a scapegoat, so the tribe can claim that everything would be great if it wasn't for X or Y, which avoids the actual reality and sustains hope in the face of disappointment.
It is ugly and it seems ignoble but the use of a scapegoat has to be seen as a necessary evil to serve a greater good: sustaining the belief which is necessary for the tribe to cohere.
In broader terms the role of scapegoat should be seen as an honourable one.
Ah ha, the fundamental basics of Tory policy, I'm not surprised that you support the concept.
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Ellis out!
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It is never nice when a player or other individual is picked on ...
.. In broader terms the role of scapegoat should be seen as an honourable one.
Deep man. Real deep
Better not to flatter his ego.
And if he thinks that scapegoating is simply picking on someone he's got it all wrong anyway.
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The stick bannan gets is trivial compared to the flak given by those around me and including me at the likes of Simon stainrod and paul Elliott.
Jeeps I've got an outbreak of cold flushes. They are names from the past. Shockers both of them in a Villa shirt.
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Ken McNaught got dogs abuse when he first came from Everton to replace a great servant in Chris Nicholl. Funny how peoples views can change.
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It is never nice when a player or other individual gets picked on but I think you have to accept that creating a scapegoat is a necessity for the proper function and cohesion of the tribe and the sustaining of its belief system.
Just as the scapegoat would serve the purpose of convincing a primitive tribe that the sun would rise in the spring and that next year's harvest would be better, so it goes with the football tribe.
Trying to somehow sustain the belief that things are not as bad as they seem requires a scapegoat, so the tribe can claim that everything would be great if it wasn't for X or Y, which avoids the actual reality and sustains hope in the face of disappointment.
It is ugly and it seems ignoble but the use of a scapegoat has to be seen as a necessary evil to serve a greater good: sustaining the belief which is necessary for the tribe to cohere.
In broader terms the role of scapegoat should be seen as an honourable one.
Bollocks
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If/when Benteke has an iffy game people will start saying "he'd rather be at Arsenal" and "his heart's not in it since the summer".
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The stick bannan gets is trivial compared to the flak given by those around me and including me at the likes of Simon stainrod and paul Elliott.
Jeeps I've got an outbreak of cold flushes. They are names from the past. Shockers both of them in a Villa shirt.
I think it was due to a mixture of apathy and the crapness of the whole team that watered that down. At the time, Italian teams were known for buying players on the basis of one game. Like Hateley's goal in Brazil, and I think Rideout got a hat trick the day Bari came to watch Cowans. Christ knows what game Pisa watched Elliott in. I know I couldn't have been there.
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If/when Benteke has an iffy game people will start saying "he'd rather be at Arsenal" and "his heart's not in it since the summer".
What we don't want to see is a paper story, midway through the season with a solemn looking Benteke pictured, being interviewed about being denied a big move the previous summer. Then we really will have a scapegoat.
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I'm going for Clark too, he always seems to get it in the neck unlike Baker
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I think this thread is pretty harsh on Villa fans who were absolutely superb last season. Yes there might be the odd one or two at games who like to single out players, but the majority at the games I went to got behind the team and I believe were a major factor in us getting some big results at home.
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I think this thread is pretty harsh on Villa fans who were absolutely superb last season. Yes there might be the odd one or two at games who like to single out players, but the majority at the games I went to were superb ands I believe were a major factor in us getting some big results at home.
Yes considering the season before, and the xmas period we had, I thought we stayed fairly level headed, despite some calls for Lambo's scalp in the more desperate times. Largely we backed the players and gave them some support because of their age.
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I'm going for Clark too, he always seems to get it in the neck unlike Baker
Could that be a reflection of people thinking Baker did a much better job at the back than Clark did, though? I certainly think the majority opinion on here would be that Clark was poor at CB.
In which case, he's not necessarily being made a scapegoat, he's being criticised for what people see as his failings.
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I'm going for Clark too, he always seems to get it in the neck unlike Baker
Could that be a reflection of people thinking Baker did a much better job at the back than Clark did, though? I certainly think the majority opinion on here would be that Clark was poor at CB.
In which case, he's not necessarily being made a scapegoat, he's being criticised for what people see as his failings.
I think that's probably the case yes.
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If/when Benteke has an iffy game people will start saying "he'd rather be at Arsenal" and "his heart's not in it since the summer".
And that wouldn't equate to him being a scapegoat.
Hard time, yes. Harsh? Probably. Scapegoat? Not on the basis of that, no.
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I'm going for Clark too, he always seems to get it in the neck unlike Baker
Could that be a reflection of people thinking Baker did a much better job at the back than Clark did, though? I certainly think the majority opinion on here would be that Clark was poor at CB.
In which case, he's not necessarily being made a scapegoat, he's being criticised for what people see as his failings.
There is a big difference between a player being a scapegoat and a player getting stick for not performing. Which seems to be getting missed at times.
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I'm going for Clark too, he always seems to get it in the neck unlike Baker
Could that be a reflection of people thinking Baker did a much better job at the back than Clark did, though? I certainly think the majority opinion on here would be that Clark was poor at CB.
In which case, he's not necessarily being made a scapegoat, he's being criticised for what people see as his failings.
I'm sure some people do think that. But if Clark has scored two own goals and lunged in like Baker did on Suarez they'd still be burning effigies of him now. I'd take Clark over Baker every day at this stage
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It's expectations. I think the expectations of Clark were higher than Baker and they both get judged against their own expectations rather than against their actual contribution.
Clark had a bigger reputation from the reserves and added to it by scoring a few headers from corners early in his career.
I think both are perfectly capable of being options in the premier league but I don't think either is ready to start 15-20 games on the bounce. I also don't think that's a problem given their ages. If Vlaar start 30 games in the league and the rest start 15 each I'd be pretty happy with things and I think it would suit the level each of them is at.
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I'm going for Clark too, he always seems to get it in the neck unlike Baker
Could that be a reflection of people thinking Baker did a much better job at the back than Clark did, though? I certainly think the majority opinion on here would be that Clark was poor at CB.
In which case, he's not necessarily being made a scapegoat, he's being criticised for what people see as his failings.
There is a big difference between a player being a scapegoat and a player getting stick for not performing. Which seems to be getting missed at times.
Which is why this thread makes no sense. Players were criticised for not playing well, but I don't think any player was critcised for the sake of it. Some players made more errors than others, and with some players that might have been harsh but that was mainly down to our expectations of them. Doesn't make any of them scapegoats.
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I think this thread is pretty harsh on Villa fans who were absolutely superb last season. Yes there might be the odd one or two at games who like to single out players, but the majority at the games I went to got behind the team and I believe were a major factor in us getting some big results at home.
If you are talking about people who actually attend live football matches you are 100% correct.
If you are talking about internet fans..... I couldn't possibly comment.
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I don't get this scapegoat thing. It's not like Bannan or Bennett were the cause or ever blamed for all of our problems. They got picked out if they played shit which they did quite often. There were other players who played their part in our issues and were treated as harshly e.g Vlaar.
Do you remember when Geoff Vowden was the scapegoat?
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I don't get this scapegoat thing. It's not like Bannan or Bennett were the cause or ever blamed for all of our problems. They got picked out if they played shit which they did quite often. There were other players who played their part in our issues and were treated as harshly e.g Vlaar.
Do you remember when Geoff Vowden was the scapegoat?
Who?
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I don't get this scapegoat thing. It's not like Bannan or Bennett were the cause or ever blamed for all of our problems. They got picked out if they played shit which they did quite often. There were other players who played their part in our issues and were treated as harshly e.g Vlaar.
Do you remember when Geoff Vowden was the scapegoat?
Who?
Played for us in the very early 70's I think having played for a number of years for the noses.
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I don't get this scapegoat thing. It's not like Bannan or Bennett were the cause or ever blamed for all of our problems. They got picked out if they played shit which they did quite often. There were other players who played their part in our issues and were treated as harshly e.g Vlaar.
Do you remember when Geoff Vowden was the scapegoat?
Somebody had to do it after Brian Tiler left.
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Got booed when his name was announced prior to kick off in the Bournemouth game then scored for us.
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I remember Geoff Vowden and he did take some flak, pretty sure he scored the equalizer in that Bournemouth game, I was at the back of the Holte end, what an atmosphere.
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Vowden wasnt that popular across the city. But a good professional who scored a reasonable ammount of goals for both clubs.
In fact a credit to football. As he would be now.
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When John Robson came to us from Derby he took a lot of stick initially but then went on to be very popular, I think it took fans a while to get used to his strange running style, always leaning back when he went into tackles made him appear to be pulling out but it couldn't be further from the truth, what a brave player and one of my favourites from the seventies.
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Alpay took some shit, but he didn't care.
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I don't get this scapegoat thing. It's not like Bannan or Bennett were the cause or ever blamed for all of our problems. They got picked out if they played shit which they did quite often. There were other players who played their part in our issues and were treated as harshly e.g Vlaar.
Do you remember when Geoff Vowden was the scapegoat?
Geoff Vowden made history whilst at the 'noses'. He was the first ever substitute to score a hat trick!!
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I blame Benteke.
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I don't get this scapegoat thing. It's not like Bannan or Bennett were the cause or ever blamed for all of our problems. They got picked out if they played shit which they did quite often. There were other players who played their part in our issues and were treated as harshly e.g Vlaar.
Do you remember when Geoff Vowden was the scapegoat?
Geoff Vowden made history whilst at the 'noses'. He was the first ever substitute to score a hat trick!!
I thought that was Phil Summerhill but my minds going!
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I understand scapegoat to mean somebody who is singled out for unmerited criticism. Therefore all the names so far mentioned means they must have had some merit and did not deserve the harsh treatment meted out to them by some fans.
Next season, when I single out (..............) for attention it will not be as a scapegoat but because " Your a pile of useless shite who isn't fit to wear the shirt and should ashamed to be picking up your wages ! We would be better off with ten men you effin liability ! Get him off the pitch Lambert ! "
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I was actually at the Sty when Geoff got his second-half hat-trick. Small Heath had a brilliant attacking team in tose days, though the 'keeper and defence were crap so Stan Cullis couldn't take them up.
Geoff never got any stick from the fans when he first came here in March 1971 but when we hit a bad spell the following season, with Vowden being played out of position, he copped a lot of crap from sections of the crowd.