Pre-Season Friendlies 2012

[Olneythelonely]

I went last night:

Ireland: Ok, not sure where people get man of the match, great performance:
Nzogbia: Very poor, 10 million pound player! Crikey his final pass was dreadful
lichaj: My man of match, up and down all evening, did his job very well
Delph: was he playing?
Enda Steevns: Had a good game, Shay was giving him plenty of encouragement
Baker was pretty solid.

We looked much better with the later subs, thought Karim looked great again. A real find by the looks of it.

If we start the season with that starting line-up, we will be lower than mid table.

There's zero chance we'll start with that team.

[JUAN PABLO]

I went last night:

Ireland: Ok, not sure where people get man of the match, great performance:
Nzogbia: Very poor, 10 million pound player! Crikey his final pass was dreadful
lichaj: My man of match, up and down all evening, did his job very well
Delph: was he playing?
Enda Steevns: Had a good game, Shay was giving him plenty of encouragement
Baker was pretty solid.

We looked much better with the later subs, thought Karim looked great again. A real find by the looks of it.

If we start the season with that starting line-up, we will be lower than mid table.

Opinions ...  I heard people last night saying Delph was MOM. 

[paul_e]

yeah I've seen good reports of Delph as well, 1 from a guy who's been fairly harsh on him in the past.

[not3bad]

Just watched the highlights on the Villa site.  From what I've seen it looks as though Ireland is more involved and that may be down to the fact we can now keep the ball for longer periods.  The Premier will be a sterner test but it does bode well.

Watching those highlights, I can see that a few who sit near me are going to go mental this year - "get it in the bl**dy box!!" is all I hear.

I heard a few murmurs of that last night but the move that ended with Holman's goal was just the kind of football we've been wishing for, IMO.

[Toronto Villa]

really lovely finish from Holman wasn't it?

[not3bad]

Cool as you like!

[The Left Side]

any links to the goals?

[Matt Collins]

Just watched the highlights on the Villa site.  From what I've seen it looks as though Ireland is more involved and that may be down to the fact we can now keep the ball for longer periods.  The Premier will be a sterner test but it does bode well.

Watching those highlights, I can see that a few who sit near me are going to go mental this year - "get it in the bl**dy box!!" is all I hear.

I heard a few murmurs of that last night but the move that ended with Holman's goal was just the kind of football we've been wishing for, IMO.

It was - about 25 passes. Would love to see us play like that again - not since BFR's days I think

But the pace of that attack was pretty measured. Not sure whether the EPL will let you play that slowly and still find a way through. Swansea perhaps showed that you can, but when watching that goal on AVTV, there was a moment when we went from the edge of the box back to near the half way line.

I can hear the groans of the Holte End - and even more the Trinity - already!

[Percy McCarthy]

You and fred are right Matt. For all the purist talk on here the Villa crowd are a nightmare. They shout 'get it in the bloody box' and then still groan when it breaks down. And if someone gets it in space 30/40 yards from goal it's 'SHOOT!' I've got my head in my hands at this point going 'NO! DON'T SHOOT'!

[timeoutbigbar]

You and fred are right Matt. For all the purist talk on here the Villa crowd are a nightmare. They shout 'get it in the bloody box' and then still groan when it breaks down. And if someone gets it in space 30/40 yards from goal it's 'SHOOT!' I've got my head in my hands at this point going 'NO! DON'T SHOOT'!

Typical British football approach...we don't want to see any of this tippy tappy foreign nonsense, when did that ever work?

[Matt Collins]

Just watching the Peterborough highlights on AVTV. So far, Ireland is head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch. I think he was the point of a diamond initially, but they've now reverted to 4222.

N'Zogbia has done a couple of frustrating things, running down blind allies or not looking when he passed the ball, but again I think the comments above are over the top. He's also looked more dangerous than most. Weimann has again barely had a kick.

Delph is playing well. DJ and Carruthers clearly have promise, but both have been guilty of giving the ball away cheaply. Carruthers has played a couple of nice slipped in passes.

Can't comment on any of the defenders from a defensive point of view.

[Matt Collins]

With a couple of pre season games to go, I wonder if we will start to see something like PL's first choice side against Forest?

I would have thought that would be something like:

Given* - Lowton* Vlaar Clark Warnock - El Ahmadi Delph* - Ireland Holman - CNZ Bent*


* I think Guzan might be pushing Given. I think Lowton looks a good player but a little weak defensively / physically, so Lichaj might get the nod.

I would have thought Bannan would start, but as part of a midfield 2 it might be seen to be a bit lightweight. Delph has looked pretty steady and is firmer in the tackle. El Ahmadi  is excellent on the ball and I can imagine him getting further forward than I thought when we signed him

If Bent isn't fit, I think we've got a bit of a problem. But I imagine Fonz has impressed a fair bit more than Weimann in pre-season to date. But perhaps we might have a new player to start in this position?

[Mister E]

Well, having watched the Peterborough game and seen a couple of the US games, I think PL's starting midfield is going to be a 2+2 of BB and KEA in fromt of the back four and Ireland / Holman in front of them. Delph (who interestingly was skipper for the Peterborough game), Johnson and Carruthers will be on the bench for options.
I suspect Lichaj and Warnock willl be his starting FB, although he sees Lowton and Herd as good cover on the right side of defence (either at FB or CB), and Stevens seems to have played well on the left. CB will be CRon and CC, although Baker is clearly pushing to start on the left of central defence.
Upfront I suspect he will start with DB and N'Zog but have Delfouneso and Weimann available to bring on.

I think there's great variety and a good blend of youth and experience ... and he may still have targets to bring in as well.

[Matt Collins]

I'd love to think Bannan could succeed in the middle of midfield for us. But I do think it's potentially just not strong enough to have him and KEA, even if our wide players tuck in. Delph doesn't have Bannan's quality on the ball, but he can still manipulate it well. He's got the potential to be stronger defensively, as long as he can stop himself diving in.

[Merv]

The P'boro friendly showed up Bannan's failings - still. Delph didn't do anything spectacular, but he barely gave the ball away, if it all. Bannan, when he came on, almost instantly fizzed a low raking pass too far away of Lichaj on the overlap and into touch. Now, at that stage (25 mins to go) Villa were pushing hard for more goals so it was a different sort of game, but Bannan was always looking for that big pass, rather than just keeping it.

If we're playing two deeper midfielders, I can't see one being Bannan. It'll be KEA plus Delph, Herd or maybe even Carruthers, who used the ball nicely. I think Bannan's competing with Ireland for a role further forward.