Ashley Young - tell it how you see it

[villa `cross the mersey]

Chris isn't just we got a shit manager who bluntly hasn't got a clue?

No.

Most of us accepted that this would be a season of transition. We're 8th in the current form table which suggests that we are improving. We'd all love it to be quicker but we are getting there.

Unfortunately the real table tells a different story..... we have played more games than most and if they pick up points in those games in hand we are in bigger trouble. Yes we all wish we were better but clearly under Houllier we are still not as good as we should be.. playing players in unfamiliar positions does not help. Unless we get a huge improvement in the defence and a way to feed Darren Bent up front we are in for a desperate few months - games against Wolves, West Ham  West Brom and Wigan will decide if we are up for the fight......its no longer about who has the most talented players its about who wants it the most .....Blackpool showed that yesterday. Not in the same league as our players on paper but have heart and desire in bundles....and as we know so well, the game ain`t played on paper.

[hawkeye]

It looks to me that GH is bending over backwards to placate him, he gets to take all the free kicks and plays in the position he wants to play. I have never known the club pander to a player in the way we do Young. I wouldnt mind if he was that good, he is a very talented player but not the world beater he seems to think he is. He will go in the summer and I dont think it will be that big a problem.

[eastie]

Wise words from you Villa cross the Mersey- although I think the team spirit and effort have improved since Sunderland.

[villa `cross the mersey]

Thanks and yes there has been an improvement but when faced between journeymen wishing to spend another season in the prem versus prima donnas who will feck off as soon as we get relegated I think I know who I would put my money on.

Coker (gives all ) but is probably off, Young probably off, Downing not a fighter, Dunne wants to stay up north, Friedel likewise, Warnock also likewise, Walker back to spuds,  Ireland anywhere but B6.

All of a sudden it doesn`t look so great...

Potentially we will be looking at the kids to get us out of this shit...right now that looks the best option.

Desperate or what ?

[Chris Smith]

.Blackpool showed that yesterday. Not in the same league as our players on paper but have heart and desire in bundles....and as we know so well, the game ain`t played on paper.

Yet they didn't beat us despite being at home and having an extra man for 20 minutes plus injury time, we showed plenty of heart and desire. As I mentioned we are 8th best on current form, most teams around us are doing worse than we are. There's a tendency to overstate the qualities of others while downplaying our own. If we continue with the level of performance we've shown in recent weeks (one defeat in eight) then we'll be fine.

[Kingthing]

The boy that cried Wolf.

[villa `cross the mersey]

.Blackpool showed that yesterday. Not in the same league as our players on paper but have heart and desire in bundles....and as we know so well, the game ain`t played on paper.

Yet they didn't beat us despite being at home and having an extra man for 20 minutes plus injury time, we showed plenty of heart and desire. As I mentioned we are 8th best on current form, most teams around us are doing worse than we are. There's a tendency to overstate the qualities of others while downplaying our own. If we continue with the level of performance we've shown in recent weeks (one defeat in eight) then we'll be fine.

Hardly..." if we continue the level of performance we`ve shown in recent weeks" we will get a point off each of our close rivals and those just above us giving 9 points = Total 39 points assuming losses to Liverpool and Arsenal).

Enough to survive?

[hawkeye]

we need 3 wins, as the draws will take care of them selves, beat B Burn and we are on the way, lose and it starts getting fraught.

[Chris Smith]

.Blackpool showed that yesterday. Not in the same league as our players on paper but have heart and desire in bundles....and as we know so well, the game ain`t played on paper.

Yet they didn't beat us despite being at home and having an extra man for 20 minutes plus injury time, we showed plenty of heart and desire. As I mentioned we are 8th best on current form, most teams around us are doing worse than we are. There's a tendency to overstate the qualities of others while downplaying our own. If we continue with the level of performance we've shown in recent weeks (one defeat in eight) then we'll be fine.

Hardly..." if we continue the level of performance we`ve shown in recent weeks" we will get a point off each of our close rivals and those just above us giving 9 points = Total 39 points assuming losses to Liverpool and Arsenal).

Enough to survive?

So you're taking "recent weeks" as the last two games, which is just one week?

Just think of the logic of it. We've lost once in our last eight games and that was at Old Trafford. Over the last six, twelve teams have a worse record than us. We still have problems but other sides have more. I just don't see why we have to be so defeatist.

[SoccerHQ]

O.k the way I see it regarding Young...

Overall been a very good player for us, huge contributor to us finishing 6 three times. However I think it's best for all concerned if he moves on tbh.

Get 12m for him and sign Jarvis or N'zogbia as a sort of replacement. Maybe even a sneaky bid for Adam Johnson?

I've always prefered seeing Young on the left. I know he had poor spells of form there aswell but I dunno I also thought even in the poor spells he'd do something like hit a match winning cross or even shock horro score from open play out there.

PLaying in the hole I've never been a fan of. To me he gets crowded off the ball too easily in there and dosen't release the ball quickly enough.

We're in the middle of Feb and he's yet to score a league goal from open play, dosen't look very good compared to VDV or Tim Cahill does it?

I wouldn't be devastated to see him go, obviously we got burnt with Milner but I see Albrighton on the right, Downing or  a new left winger and Gabby and Bent upfront and don't think things would be that bad at all.

[villa `cross the mersey]

.Blackpool showed that yesterday. Not in the same league as our players on paper but have heart and desire in bundles....and as we know so well, the game ain`t played on paper.

Yet they didn't beat us despite being at home and having an extra man for 20 minutes plus injury time, we showed plenty of heart and desire. As I mentioned we are 8th best on current form, most teams around us are doing worse than we are. There's a tendency to overstate the qualities of others while downplaying our own. If we continue with the level of performance we've shown in recent weeks (one defeat in eight) then we'll be fine.

Hardly..." if we continue the level of performance we`ve shown in recent weeks" we will get a point off each of our close rivals and those just above us giving 9 points = Total 39 points assuming losses to Liverpool and Arsenal).

Enough to survive?

So you're taking "recent weeks" as the last two games, which is just one week?

Just think of the logic of it. We've lost once in our last eight games and that was at Old Trafford. Over the last six, twelve teams have a worse record than us. We still have problems but other sides have more. I just don't see why we have to be so defeatist.

Recent form is what you suggested ....I like to think myself as a realist rather a defeatist


Lets just hope we can limp over the line this season and regroup next season as a premiership outfit perhaps with a younger man at the helm .... your mate DOL is still looking for a job  .... that`s a joke by the way

[hawkeye]

O.k the way I see it regarding Young...

Overall been a very good player for us, huge contributor to us finishing 6 three times. However I think it's best for all concerned if he moves on tbh.

Get 12m for him and sign Jarvis or N'zogbia as a sort of replacement. Maybe even a sneaky bid for Adam Johnson?

I've always prefered seeing Young on the left. I know he had poor spells of form there aswell but I dunno I also thought even in the poor spells he'd do something like hit a match winning cross or even shock horro score from open play out there.

PLaying in the hole I've never been a fan of. To me he gets crowded off the ball too easily in there and dosen't release the ball quickly enough.

We're in the middle of Feb and he's yet to score a league goal from open play, dosen't look very good compared to VDV or Tim Cahill does it?

I wouldn't be devastated to see him go, obviously we got burnt with Milner but I see Albrighton on the right, Downing or  a new left winger and Gabby and Bent upfront and don't think things would be that bad at all.

Its the second most difficult position to play and there are different versions of how to play there, Bergkamp, Beardsley etc and as you mention VDV, I dont think Young has the ability to play there

[eastie]

Although this has been a tough season I would Not want to consider changing manager in the summer, let houllier build his team up and I think next season will see us competing for a Europa league place and looking at top 8 at least.

[hawkeye]

Although this has been a tough season I would Not want to consider changing manager in the summer, let houllier build his team up and I think next season will see us competing for a Europa league place and looking at top 8 at least.

Hold on to your seats

[Louzie0]

And the BAFTA goes to...


(Actually I like him - it's just the pouting gets me down)