Ashley Young - tell it how you see it

[TopDeck113]

I still get a frisson of excitement when he gets the ball and running at the defence, but that's more to do with what he was doing two years ago, rather than any time recently.

His final ball has become very disappointing, either from open play or from a dead ball.  He also doesn't contribute anywhere near enough in the way of goals.  He should be a 10 - 15 a season player, season-in, season-out.

His biggest problem, which, as has already been said, will overnight become one his biggest assets when he's at a Top 4 club, is his petulance.  Yesterday could have seen him been awarded a last minute penalty, but for the fact he'd spent the previous 20 minutes going to ground every time he has challenged and then moaning about not getting a free-kick.   

Three months of good performances please, Ash.  It will at least give us something to remember when you leave in the summer.

[Holte L2]

If we can get Ashley back on the wings putting in good delivery's then he'll be back to his best.  He's trying to do far to much in his current role, and he simply isnt good enough. 

[El Hurricane]

Could it be that we aren't getting the best out of Ashley Young because I honestly believe our coaching staff aren't good enough.Ask yourself this question,would we get more out of Ashley Young with a quality coach getting more out of him? Liverpool have brought in Clarke and have improved,we've got Mcallister,have we improved? Do we score more goals?

[fredm]

The system we are trying to play, as are most other teams, is with a front man and two others playing wide/alongside of him.  By this I do not mean them hugging the touchline and getting crosses in all game but taking a free role by moving anywhere across the pitch, taking players on as need be, crossing if out wide, or putting the through ball for the front man, plus scoring goals.

They are also in a forward position on the pitch so they are generally attacking the opposition.  On Wednesday I thought Ashley played quite well in the position and, probably because he had other players that he thought were as good as him, did not try and overdo the individual stuff too much.

At Villa he seems as if he deems no one else is up to his level, he needs to go back and pick the ball up off the centre backs, he needs to take 3, 4 or 5 players on (generally ending up losing the ball and going down looking for a foul), he needs to take all free kicks etc.

If he went to Man u he would be put in his place as to where he stands in the pecking order, would be taught how to play the free running forward role and would improve.  One could say, just like Ronaldo and this season Nani.

He could play like this for Villa, the question is does he want to or can GH make him?

[Holte L2]

I don't think we can play Downing, Ashley and Gabby in the same eleven.  We'd look much more balanced if we played Gabby and Ashley out wide, with a sold 3 of Makoun,Reo-Coker and Bannan in the middle.

[theleftside]

i think keeping him is important, what does it say about villa if we sell him who would we be selling him to liverpool/spurs or even a manu or city 2 of those clubs are direct competion to us in getting into the top 4. 
barry and millner both gone add ash to that list and what's it saying firstly to us and then potential replacements "well we are not gonna challange for the CL, might be in the dust up for the last UEFA cup spot if luck is with us"
i know he has been frankly poor this year but he was a one of the main MON signings and a fully signed up member of his vision for villa -like it or not MON had top 4 in his sights and we did feel it was gonna happen at one point (anyway i stray) - so what did it do for him when MON walked out on the seasons eve?? and then GH new way of doing things it's well documented the way the players are treated has changed, he I don't think bought into this at first BUT i really think in the last few months his effort can not be faulted and he appears (from the stands) to have buckled down and got on with it.
take away the poor play his effort has been faultless overall.  get him signed up and lets crack on with him and bent leading the way.....

anyway who would we buy??? and thats another story - better the devil you know maybe!

[pablopicasso_10]

he is stuck up his own arse and believing his hype...

he has been going down hill for two years now, and since houllier has moved him more central, he has been utterly pointless...

[Phil from the upper holte]

Aston Villa should be playing 4-4 fucking 2

Ash left side midfield and Bent + another up front is how I see it

It's not quite that simple. The formation should be adaptable and change according to the opposition and the personel being used.

I manage a team myself.  If we're playing someone I think we should beat, i'll go with 2 up top. If we're playing someone who's going to give us a tough game i'll probably go 5 across the middle. Obviously it's not always that simple, but I don't have one formation that i stick too.

Eastie, Gibson is on a long term contract so as they can bring in more money for him should he be sold. I spoke to a couple of Utd fans when we were linked in January and they said we were welcome to him. They didn't rate him at all.

Back to Young...

Serious question though, do you put your left winger on the right and your striker on the left wing?

[mrfuse]

Aston Villa should be playing 4-4 fucking 2

Ash left side midfield and Bent + another up front is how I see it

It's not quite that simple. The formation should be adaptable and change according to the opposition and the personel being used.

I manage a team myself.  If we're playing someone I think we should beat, i'll go with 2 up top. If we're playing someone who's going to give us a tough game i'll probably go 5 across the middle. Obviously it's not always that simple, but I don't have one formation that i stick too.

Eastie, Gibson is on a long term contract so as they can bring in more money for him should he be sold. I spoke to a couple of Utd fans when we were linked in January and they said we were welcome to him. They didn't rate him at all.

Back to Young...

Serious question though, do you put your left winger on the right and your striker on the left wing?

Not if you want to get the best out of bent

[Monty]

Aston Villa should be playing 4-4 fucking 2

Ash left side midfield and Bent + another up front is how I see it

My God you're actually quoting Mike Bassett. Do you want defensive, counter-attack to 1-0 football? Do you want to never be able to break teams down at home? Do you think we can somehow be creative and stop other teams slicing through us with two in the midfield miles away from two out-and-out strikers? Do you want us to be so reliant on the wings and on crosses again that we become the easiest to play against team in the league? If you have circled "yes" to all the above, then by all means, play 4-4-2.

[spangley1812]

Aston Villa should be playing 4-4 fucking 2

Ash left side midfield and Bent + another up front is how I see it

My God you're actually quoting Mike Bassett. Do you want defensive, counter-attack to 1-0 football? Do you want to never be able to break teams down at home? Do you think we can somehow be creative and stop other teams slicing through us with two in the midfield miles away from two out-and-out strikers? Do you want us to be so reliant on the wings and on crosses again that we become the easiest to play against team in the league? If you have circled "yes" to all the above, then by all means, play 4-4-2.

Man Utd play 4 4 2 the majority of the time and have right footed players on the right and left footed players on he left. football is a very simple game, you pass the ball, cross the ball and score goals

[Clampy]

If Gibson were as average as you describe dave , I doubt sir alex would have had offered him a long term contract like he has done- I prefer to take sir alex opinion of him.

He's not average, he's atrocious.

He does nothing at all apart from repeatedly shoot from the edge of the box, with every thirtieth shot flying in.

He adds literally nothing else.

Atrocious is a bit strong, there's something there but not enough to take him in any part exchange. He'd be worth what, £4m? A good buy for the likes of Wolves, not us.

[Monty]

Aston Villa should be playing 4-4 fucking 2

Ash left side midfield and Bent + another up front is how I see it

My God you're actually quoting Mike Bassett. Do you want defensive, counter-attack to 1-0 football? Do you want to never be able to break teams down at home? Do you think we can somehow be creative and stop other teams slicing through us with two in the midfield miles away from two out-and-out strikers? Do you want us to be so reliant on the wings and on crosses again that we become the easiest to play against team in the league? If you have circled "yes" to all the above, then by all means, play 4-4-2.

Man Utd play 4 4 2 the majority of the time and have right footed players on the right and left footed players on he left. football is a very simple game, you pass the ball, cross the ball and score goals

Firstly, read this and tell me if you still think football's as simple a game as that:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jan/29/secret-footballer-andy-gray-pundits

Secondly, Man Utd have two forwards in Rooney and Berbatov, one of whom (or both if they're both playing) plays pretty much as an attacking midfielder. They both drop deep into midfield, they drift wide and link up, they even chase back sometimes (admittedly more so Rooney). This means the forward line never gets isolated from the midfield, and means that they have options on the ball in midfield. Most teams can't do this because most teams don't have one player like this, let alone two.

Thirdly, but following on from that, Man Utd play that system but nobody else does. For everybody else to attack with variety, to keep possession and not to be defensively lightweight in midfield you have to play 4-5-1/4-3-3 or some variant. Even Spurs recognised their defensive problems and switched to a system with VDV as the most advanced midfielder. Yesterday they won through with 4-4-2, but more on mental strength and individual quality moments than being the better side (Sunderland had 57% possession and can count themselves unlucky). The point is to try and do those three things I mentioned - vary attacks, hold the ball, don't concede softly - by getting the best out of the players you have. For Man Utd, their unique 4-4-2 variant can do that; for almost everyone else, we have to try something else.

Finally, almost as an aside, I've never understood why people think it matters so much which side a winger is on in relation to his favourite foot. Each offers a different type of threat and different players are suited to different things. Ash's best football came as an inside-out winger on the left - does this mean Ferguson is wrong to play the right-footed Nani on the right? Or indeed vice-versa. They're different players, different people - and besides, wingers can swap places during a game multiple times, so starting positions often don't really matter so much.

[spangley1812]

Aston Villa should be playing 4-4 fucking 2

Ash left side midfield and Bent + another up front is how I see it

My God you're actually quoting Mike Bassett. Do you want defensive, counter-attack to 1-0 football? Do you want to never be able to break teams down at home? Do you think we can somehow be creative and stop other teams slicing through us with two in the midfield miles away from two out-and-out strikers? Do you want us to be so reliant on the wings and on crosses again that we become the easiest to play against team in the league? If you have circled "yes" to all the above, then by all means, play 4-4-2.

Man Utd play 4 4 2 the majority of the time and have right footed players on the right and left footed players on he left. football is a very simple game, you pass the ball, cross the ball and score goals

Firstly, read this and tell me if you still think football's as simple a game as that:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jan/29/secret-footballer-andy-gray-pundits

Secondly, Man Utd have two forwards in Rooney and Berbatov, one of whom (or both if they're both playing) plays pretty much as an attacking midfielder. They both drop deep into midfield, they drift wide and link up, they even chase back sometimes (admittedly more so Rooney). This means the forward line never gets isolated from the midfield, and means that they have options on the ball in midfield. Most teams can't do this because most teams don't have one player like this, let alone two.

Thirdly, but following on from that, Man Utd play that system but nobody else does. For everybody else to attack with variety, to keep possession and not to be defensively lightweight in midfield you have to play 4-5-1/4-3-3 or some variant. Even Spurs recognised their defensive problems and switched to a system with VDV as the most advanced midfielder. Yesterday they won through with 4-4-2, but more on mental strength and individual quality moments than being the better side (Sunderland had 57% possession and can count themselves unlucky). The point is to try and do those three things I mentioned - vary attacks, hold the ball, don't concede softly - by getting the best out of the players you have. For Man Utd, their unique 4-4-2 variant can do that; for almost everyone else, we have to try something else.

Finally, almost as an aside, I've never understood why people think it matters so much which side a winger is on in relation to his favourite foot. Each offers a different type of threat and different players are suited to different things. Ash's best football came as an inside-out winger on the left - does this mean Ferguson is wrong to play the right-footed Nani on the right? Or indeed vice-versa. They're different players, different people - and besides, wingers can swap places during a game multiple times, so starting positions often don't really matter so much.

Firstly.........If u like this formation (whatever it is) fine, I dont

Secondly....... We spent £18m on a centre forward yet yesterday against one of the worst defences in the league he had NIL service from this formation (whatever it is)

Thirdly....... look at the league table how many points are Man Utd ahead

[ez]

Just watched MOTD highlights and they didn't show a chance he had in the dying seconds yesterday. But I can't help thinking the Ashley Young of 2 or 3 seasons ago would have buried it.