Blackpool v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Toronto Villa]

We have got to beat them, we simply have to.

Who said Richard Kingston is a good goalkeeper?!?!?!?! WTF!! Hahaha. He's an absolute joke. My wife is from Ghana, I've 'endured' most Ghana games (Cup of Nations/ WC) at the in-laws, the man is laughed at even in Ghana. They realise though that he's about one of four people who play in goal in Ghana.
Shoot from long range the bloke will spill it every time, whip the ball in and watch him fly past it in comical style.

Sign him up!

And Friedel doesn't make mistakes?  He is still classed as a good keeper but Brad fucks up so often it's not funny.

No he doesn't. What a ridiculous thing to say. He had one bad game and all of sudden he's Scott Carson or Rob Green in some people's eyes. FFS

[WikiVilla]

FFS, we need to pepper their goal. Bannan should start

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Any news on young Bradley?

[nico2708]

mirror football


Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor is available for their Barclays Premier League encounter with Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

Agbonlahor withdrew from the England squad for the midweek friendly in Denmark for "family reasons", but should feature in club action this weekend.

Loan signing Michael Bradley is in contention to make his debut after a full week's training and could be joined in midfield by Jean Makoun, who has overcome the calf strain which led to him being withdrawn from Cameroon's squad to face Macedonia on Wednesday.
Left-back Nathan Baker is still suspended after his sending-off against Blackburn in the FA Cup.

Provisional squad:
 Friedel, Marshall, Walker, Collins, Dunne, Cuellar, Clark, Albrighton, Bannan, Petrov, Bradley,
Makoun, Reo-Coker, Downing, Young, Agbonlahor, Delfouneso, Bent, Heskey

[Monty]

Is that squad officially 'provisional' or in fact 'Mirror guesswork'? Because if it's official, then that's Bannan preferred to Pires and still nowhere for Delph. I guess Bannan will miss out from what I read in GH's comments the other day, and the same goes for Delph, but hey, preferred to Pires would be a step forward.

[abc123cox]

Delph is still injured and pires is too old

I think either 0 0 or 0 1villa, as is always the way when people expect goals

[Holtenderinthesky]

We have got to beat them, we simply have to.

Who said Richard Kingston is a good goalkeeper?!?!?!?! WTF!! Hahaha. He's an absolute joke. My wife is from Ghana, I've 'endured' most Ghana games (Cup of Nations/ WC) at the in-laws, the man is laughed at even in Ghana. They realise though that he's about one of four people who play in goal in Ghana.
Shoot from long range the bloke will spill it every time, whip the ball in and watch him fly past it in comical style.

Sign him up!

And Friedel doesn't make mistakes?  He is still classed as a good keeper but Brad fucks up so often it's not funny.

No he doesn't. What a ridiculous thing to say. He had one bad game and all of sudden he's Scott Carson or Rob Green in some people's eyes. FFS

ONE bad game?  Are you serious?  He runs so hot and cold does Friedel.  He has made lots of errors and although they are not of the Carson/Green variety a goalkeeper does not have to let the ball run under his body or through his legs to be at fault.  His command of the area is abysmal and I feel that his positioning at times is woeful.  One bad game it certainly is not.

Edit: And is it "a ridiculous thing to say" because YOU don't agree with it?  Look at our goals against, the defence can't be TOTALLY at fault.

[eamonn]

Is that squad officially 'provisional' or in fact 'Mirror guesswork'? Because if it's official, then that's Bannan preferred to Pires and still nowhere for Delph. I guess Bannan will miss out from what I read in GH's comments the other day, and the same goes for Delph, but hey, preferred to Pires would be a step forward.

Mirror guesswork surely. I don't think I've ever heard of a provisional squad being leaked to the press, what's the point?

[eastie]

Have to agree friedal has had more than one bad game but he is still more reliable than some keepers , I would certainly be looking to replace him in the summer though.

[TheSandman]

What Ged comments on Bannan?

[Merv]

Have to agree friedal has had more than one bad game but he is still more reliable than some keepers , I would certainly be looking to replace him in the summer though.

That's about the size of it. He should have done better v Fulham but I struggle to recall any total howlers from Friedel; he won't be our No.1 next season. I'd see if we can get him in a coaching capacity but also register him as a player so he can act as emergency goalkeeper if we're in a tight spot.

But there's a world of difference between Friedel and Richard Kingston, such a massive difference in class I can't even sum it up.

[peter w]

I thing for sure is that the score won't start with Blackpool 0

[WikiVilla]

I thing for sure is that the score won't start with Blackpool 0

Correct, DJ Campbell will score I can sense it and so will Harewood if he comes on.
But we will outscore them by 1

[Mister E]

Re Friedel, the fact that we have conceded so many goals (11) from corners says it all. The keeper has the responsibility for defendig corners and - with Collins, Dunne and Clark in the side - we should not be conceding so many. Freidel should carry the can for this, IMHO.
Now, if you're talking shot-stopping the man is brilliant and has definitely kept us in a number of games this season.

[Toronto Villa]

We have got to beat them, we simply have to.

Who said Richard Kingston is a good goalkeeper?!?!?!?! WTF!! Hahaha. He's an absolute joke. My wife is from Ghana, I've 'endured' most Ghana games (Cup of Nations/ WC) at the in-laws, the man is laughed at even in Ghana. They realise though that he's about one of four people who play in goal in Ghana.
Shoot from long range the bloke will spill it every time, whip the ball in and watch him fly past it in comical style.

Sign him up!

And Friedel doesn't make mistakes?  He is still classed as a good keeper but Brad fucks up so often it's not funny.

No he doesn't. What a ridiculous thing to say. He had one bad game and all of sudden he's Scott Carson or Rob Green in some people's eyes. FFS

ONE bad game?  Are you serious?  He runs so hot and cold does Friedel.  He has made lots of errors and although they are not of the Carson/Green variety a goalkeeper does not have to let the ball run under his body or through his legs to be at fault.  His command of the area is abysmal and I feel that his positioning at times is woeful.  One bad game it certainly is not.

Edit: And is it "a ridiculous thing to say" because YOU don't agree with it?  Look at our goals against, the defence can't be TOTALLY at fault.

There's a massive difference between saying he's inconsistent or makes the odd error (pretty much like most goalkeepers, and which I would have agreed with you on had you said that) than saying "fucks up so often it's not funny". In fact the only keeper that I would guess hasn't made errors consistently is Van der Saar. We just happen to watch Brad more, but look at the other teams and their keepers are on par or worse than Brad. Even Joe Hart has dropped some right clangers this year.

He's also been responsible from bailing us out of numerous situations this season when our back four has gone walkabout. Our defenders have been awful at times with their concentration and position. You're dramatic and unfair statement puts him in the class of the types of goalkeepers I mentioned. He isn't that at all.