Barclays Asia Trophy (27th-30th July 2011)

[pablopicasso_10]

What's this crap scudamores talking about regarding big pre season tournaments in July involving the premier league clubs in future- seems he wants to expand things and get far more clubs involved out there- money money money- greed is taking over.

scudamore is a ******...

[WarszaVillan]

Sorry for the rant but this afternoon in Hong Kong was the future of football and I dont like it!

All those home fans in Chelsea shirts, a marketing mans wet dream, but I bet none of them would have a clue who Tambling, Osgood, or Bonetti were. The joy of the English leagues includes having a sense and respect of history. The Scudamore lot will have the big name clubs traipsing round the world hoovering up wodges of dough to pay ever more obscene amounts to a bunch of mercenaries mascarading as sportsmen. The Villa should never have agreed to be part of it.

I know this was only a friendly but with alien conditions (to us) in future world cups becoming the norm I am sure that this is just the beginning.

I like Randy Lerner (after all Doug could have sold the club to a Hong Kong hairdresser!) but with the club shirt extolling the virtues of betting and Greek and Turkish football tainted with gambling scandals, how far we have moved from having Acorns proudly on our shirts.

I am a grumpy old man who has supported the Villa for close on 50 years, but this season I am not renewing my season ticket. Money is the root of all evil and football has sold its soul to the devil.

 

With you on this, buddy. Welcome to the future.

And me. Ten years ago, there would have been a handful of chelsea 'supporters' in the ground and they would all have been ex pats or similar. To see a Hong Kong resident in a Chelsea top waving a spanish flag and going ecstatic when Torres came on made me despair at what the game is becoming...

It's called globalisation. For those in Hong Kong they had a chance to see stars that they had seen on television. Waving a flag around (Spanish or Chelsea) was part of the fun. I'm more concerned when there are glory hunters from other cities in the UK supporting a team like Man U or Chelsea. But in Hong Kong I can understand it. Thousands turned up to see Brazil play Scotland at Arsenal this Spring. Loads of them were probably English who wanted to see some Samba football. So what

[fredm]

All those home fans in Chelsea shirts, a marketing mans wet dream, but I bet none of them would have a clue who Tambling, Osgood, or Bonetti were. The joy of the English leagues includes having a sense and respect of history. The Scudamore lot will have the big name clubs traipsing round the world hoovering up wodges of dough to pay ever more obscene amounts to a bunch of mercenaries mascarading as sportsmen. The Villa should never have agreed to be part of it.

I shouldn't think Scudamore particularly wanted us or Blackburn to take part:  I guess that one or two higher-profile clubs turned the invitation down. The important thing for Barclays and the PL was to have one big name and a local HK side. The other 2 teams were just there to make up the numbers and turn the marketing exercise into a "tournament". Villa probably did well financially but from the playing point of view the trip was a good deal less useful than matches against decent teams in the UK or Europe.

Personally, and forgetting about whatever spin Villa put on it, I do not think this trip did us any good whatsoever.  We were out there for 1 week and played firstly against another premiership team which meant a lot of effort was expounded, even though it was half paced, and then we played one of the top English teams who had been out there for 2(?) weeks longer than us so were far more acclimatised and who had played the local team first which was a far less strenuous effort than ours was.

Add in the time lag, and I have read today that several players particularly Dunne have had trouble sleeping, which together with training in the temperatures and humidity, must sap the body and it is no wonder that yesterday we weren't at the races.

Surely I trip somewhere much closer to home, with weather that was more european, would have been far more beneficial to us.  Presumably they fly home today, will be knackered tomorrow, still recovering on Tuesday so how can they put in a decent training session before playing Derby on Wednesday?

[oldtimernow]

they are finely tuned athletes dont'yknow.....

ask Martin Tyler....bless him

[Dave Clark Five]

Agreed with what the manager said, we looked off the pace and unfit. Who do we play after Derby, is there another frielndly?

We play Braga on Saturday.

[Ad@m]

All those home fans in Chelsea shirts, a marketing mans wet dream, but I bet none of them would have a clue who Tambling, Osgood, or Bonetti were. The joy of the English leagues includes having a sense and respect of history. The Scudamore lot will have the big name clubs traipsing round the world hoovering up wodges of dough to pay ever more obscene amounts to a bunch of mercenaries mascarading as sportsmen. The Villa should never have agreed to be part of it.

I shouldn't think Scudamore particularly wanted us or Blackburn to take part:  I guess that one or two higher-profile clubs turned the invitation down. The important thing for Barclays and the PL was to have one big name and a local HK side. The other 2 teams were just there to make up the numbers and turn the marketing exercise into a "tournament". Villa probably did well financially but from the playing point of view the trip was a good deal less useful than matches against decent teams in the UK or Europe.

Personally, and forgetting about whatever spin Villa put on it, I do not think this trip did us any good whatsoever.  We were out there for 1 week and played firstly against another premiership team which meant a lot of effort was expounded, even though it was half paced, and then we played one of the top English teams who had been out there for 2(?) weeks longer than us so were far more acclimatised and who had played the local team first which was a far less strenuous effort than ours was.

Add in the time lag, and I have read today that several players particularly Dunne have had trouble sleeping, which together with training in the temperatures and humidity, must sap the body and it is no wonder that yesterday we weren't at the races.

Surely I trip somewhere much closer to home, with weather that was more european, would have been far more beneficial to us.  Presumably they fly home today, will be knackered tomorrow, still recovering on Tuesday so how can they put in a decent training session before playing Derby on Wednesday?

I suspect money had a part to play.

[Caiphus]

aren't there always a couple of behind closed doors friendlies at BH?

[villa1]

Fonz and Albrighton need to pick it up a little.

A little? If they are going to be an integral part of the squad then thats understatement of the season so far!

Stop being so dramatic. They are young players still learning their craft. They are going to have bumps along the way, but with the right attitude, support and coaching they'll come through this as better players.

I think both will be average Prem players at best. I appreciate they're young but feel that too many people are blinded by the fact that they came through our youth system, having done very well, and showed promise.
I can see the Fonz being sold and Albrighton playing a bit part for a few years.

[Greg N'Ash]

Pre-seasons mean nowt, however the performance of some of the duffers in defence doesn't bode well - seems its business as usual. I really hope this theory that AM is good at the defensive side of things turns out to be true.

[barrysleftfoot]

  Only seen the highlights, and as much as the conditions had an effect, it was the same for Chelsk........Sturridge seemed to cope ok.

  Tbh, get Petrov out of the way, and bring N'Zog in, i don't think we will be too bad.I would expect Bannan to start ahead of Gabby/Albrighton on the right.

[john e]

The one thing this game proved again to me, is that the last thing we need is a midfield ball winner but a midfield ball keeper

[Confusious says]

I read today that Chelsea's average player wage is 73K a week. No wonder we struggle to compete.

Did anyone else get pissed off with the commentator constantly going on about them beating us 7-1. He could mention the fact that they've only won at Villa Park once in over a decade, but strangely he doesn't.

  Yes Martin Tyler appears to be up Chelsea, he even told Dion Dublin he Knew their birthdays,when Dion mentioned about thier ageing team

[Clampy]

The one thing this game proved again to me, is that the last thing we need is a midfield ball winner but a midfield ball keeper

Makoun and Bannan kept the ball better between them in the time they were on than the others did.

[TheSandman]

I think you are looking at it too simplistically John. Whatever defensive midfielder we sign should be someone who is a good passer and not just someone who wins the ball and has little idea of what to do with it. Look at Scott Parker for an example of someone who is capable of both.

Two seasons ago Petrov was almost that man but now he struggles fitness wise.

[citizenDJ]

The one thing this game proved again to me, is that the last thing we need is a midfield ball winner but a midfield ball keeper

And it proved to me the opposite! ;-)