Pre-Season Friendlies 2012

[eastie]

Ive not been convinced with bannan so far, but this pre season he has looked a much better player, if he continues this form then he fully deserves to start the new season in the team- it is up to him to take his chance and he seems to be grasping the nettle.

[saunders_heroes]

Shit goalkeeping more like.

Is there a reason you are being so critical and miserable? I don't think Bannan is Xavi or Iniesta but he's not crap. The lightweight argument is completely bogus considering he's a PL footballer. You don't make to this level if you are being pushed off the ball as much as you are suggesting. His game is as much about his movement and positioning as his passing. During this pre season he hasn't tried the "hollywood" passes and instead much more measured. However he has the talent to do it and is a lethal weapon if used wisely. His attitude will determine his progression to being a better player more than his physical attributes.

The last 2-3 seasons is the reason I'm so miserable. Bannan in my opinion is an average player who is incredibly overrated by some Villa fans, and we have a history of overrating players who come through our youth system. Nothing I saw yesterday convinced me we won't be much better than last season. We passed the ball nicely in our own half but as soon as we crossed the halfway line there was nothing. There was especially no width in the team, and why would there be when we sold our best wingers and replaced them with N'Zogbia who likes to cut inside more or less straight away and the lose the ball. I think we'll definitely be better than last season, but we'll not significantly improve until Lerner opens his wallet. You get what you pay for in life. Signing players from the lower leagues isn't the answer.
I stand by what I say about Bannan. I don't rate him and I think he's incredibly average. If he's a regular next season I think our midfield will again be a weakness.

[Monty]

'Incredibly average' is a funny phrase. Sounds a bit like Ed Byrne's 'fierce mild'.

[saunders_heroes]

'Incredibly average' is a funny phrase. Sounds a bit like Ed Byrne's 'fierce mild'.

Like one of your retorts.

[brian green]

If you think you have reason to be miserable over the last two or three seasons its because we hoped we had reached the promised land and we had not.   God knows what you would have made of the 40s the 50s the 60s and the 70s.

As for BB being too small I clearly recall the massed miseryarses of the Holte saying Danny Blanchflower was too weak and Sid was too skinny.

As for we only rate BB because he came through our ranks, there is every reason to give extra support to home grown players because they have cost us nothing but their board and lodging.   A good squad player developed for peanuts frees up money for "better" players.   When I see BB fluff an imaginative pass I think okay so he is not Des Bremner but he came for nothing.   When I see Zog playing like a man in a blindfold I think that has cost the club a very big fee and massive wages which could have been spent more sensibly.

I would sooner have a Jack Russell that kills rats and occasionally bites me than a big soft Labrador that hides under the table when somebody knocks on the door.   It's all about value.

[saunders_heroes]

If you think you have reason to be miserable over the last two or three seasons its because we hoped we had reached the promised land and we had not.   God knows what you would have made of the 40s the 50s the 60s and the 70s.

As for BB being too small I clearly recall the massed miseryarses of the Holte saying Danny Blanchflower was too weak and Sid was too skinny.

As for we only rate BB because he came through our ranks, there is every reason to give extra support to home grown players because they have cost us nothing but their board and lodging.   A good squad player developed for peanuts frees up money for "better" players.   When I see BB fluff an imaginative pass I think okay so he is not Des Bremner but he came for nothing.   When I see Zog playing like a man in a blindfold I think that has cost the club a very big fee and massive wages which could have been spent more sensibly.

I would sooner have a Jack Russell that kills rats and occasionally bites me than a big soft Labrador that hides under the table when somebody knocks on the door.   It's all about value.

Oh stop with the history lesson, I've been watching Villa since the 1970s, and I've seen plenty of poor teams over the years including mid 80s. Bannan has never shown the promise Cowans did at the same age so the comparison doesn't wash. I don't rate Bannan and I think we need more investment in the squad than what we're getting at the moment. That's hardly me giving up on all things Aston Villa! I thought that's what this forum was all about, having an opinion on the Villa?

[Monty]

'Incredibly average' is a funny phrase. Sounds a bit like Ed Byrne's 'fierce mild'.

Like one of your retorts.

Please, if I were to give you a proper retort I'd first have to take you seriously.

[saunders_heroes]

'Incredibly average' is a funny phrase. Sounds a bit like Ed Byrne's 'fierce mild'.

Like one of your retorts.

Please, if I were to give you a proper retort I'd first have to take you seriously.

Now now, don't be like that.

[paul_e]

The problem is SH, why hadn't you posted any of this before 5pm yesterday?

it's hard to take it seriously when you've waited until after a defeat (in pre-season) to start slagging players and telling everyone we're still going to struggle next year.  It's as if you've been biding your time waiting to throw mud at the people who are optimistic that Lambert is doing the right things, rather than enjoying the positive feeling that's been missing for the last couple of years.  Are you really suprised people are arguing with you when you seem so determined to see the worst in everything we're doing.

[UK Redsox]

I would sooner have a Jack Russell that kills rats and occasionally bites me than a big soft Labrador that hides under the table when somebody knocks on the door.   It's all about value.

A Wicket-Keeper that kills rats ?

[saunders_heroes]

The problem is SH, why hadn't you posted any of this before 5pm yesterday?

it's hard to take it seriously when you've waited until after a defeat (in pre-season) to start slagging players and telling everyone we're still going to struggle next year.  It's as if you've been biding your time waiting to throw mud at the people who are optimistic that Lambert is doing the right things, rather than enjoying the positive feeling that's been missing for the last couple of years.  Are you really suprised people are arguing with you when you seem so determined to see the worst in everything we're doing.

Well I thought I'd leave my opinion until I saw Villa play, which I did yesterday. I wasn't impressed. We need investment, not just a new manager. Only Vlaar looked good yesterday, none of the other signings looked like anything special. There was next to no creativity at Forest, so need Lerner to loosed the purse strings. I still get the impression he's trying to do things on the cheap though. I want to be proven wrong.

[paul_e]

So the fact that most reports have praised el ahmadi and holman is wrong then I take it?

[saunders_heroes]

So the fact that most reports have praised el ahmadi and holman is wrong then I take it?

El Hamadi started off alright but faded after 30 mins and then just mainly gave the ball away. I thought Holman wasn't up to much either.  I hope they come good but they didn't look good to me yesterday.

[eastie]

Pre season friendlies in the main are about getting fitness- im not too worried about yesterdays result, there were things to address but im sure we will be ready when it comes to west ham.

[garyshawsknee]

You learn more in defeat than you do in victory,so im sure PL learned quite a bit yesterday,and will use it to our benefit.