Joe Bennett

[caster troy]

The way I see it he has great natural ability and with more experience and coaching he can become a better defender. A lot of the top teams have excellent attacking full backs who aren't that great defensively anyway. There aren't that many great wingers knocking around these days so hopefully he will be good enough to not be a liability. I'd take him over Warnock any day.

[PeterWithesShin]

Good going forward, dodgy at times defensively. Sounds much like when Kyle Walker was here yet nearly everyone seemed to love him.

[rooboy316]

I don't know if he offers enough going forward to compensate for the percieved defensive frailties.  Kyle Walker et al offered a lot more when they bombed forward.

[Big Dick Edwards]

Good going forward, dodgy at times defensively. Sounds much like when Kyle Walker was here yet nearly everyone seemed to love him.

Kyle Walker had amazing recovery speed though. Bennett is a constant source of worry. Hughton was right yesterday. Bennett should have seen a second yellow even before the penalty.

[john e]

He was extremely foolhardy yesterday,
 could easily have cost us the game, we don't need a liability in the last two games of the season, for all his natural potential ability he also needs a bit of common sense, which he seems to lack
at the moment

[tomd2103]

The way I see it he has great natural ability and with more experience and coaching he can become a better defender. A lot of the top teams have excellent attacking full backs who aren't that great defensively anyway. There aren't that many great wingers knocking around these days so hopefully he will be good enough to not be a liability. I'd take him over Warnock any day.

One of the problems is that there isn't a traditional left midfielder in front of him, so he is often left isolated one on one with wingers without any real support.  Teams have definitely targeted him this season (including Bradford!!) and he has struggled at times. 

[rooboy316]

Agree, that definitely adds to the pressure on him.  Without traditional wingers, it's up to Gabby/Andi to track back, and they're often not deep enough to help out when the opposition wingers overlap with their fullback.

[Hoppo]

Just because MOTD pinpointed Bennett even having a shit yesterday give him a rest. Why oh why cant we be content were moving away and others are in more trouble than we are. The tug on the edge of the box they got a free kick never a booking. The pen was outside the box. He got booked yesterday it happens. It was only monday people were creaming their pants over him.  I appreciate its a forum and points of view and all that but some just always seem to want scapegoats. We aint in a position to have Josimar or Roberto Carlos just yet were a tad raw. Watch and enjoy or go and cut the grass.

[old man villa fan]

Post this on Post Match thread but perhaps better here.

I see the Bennett knockers are out in force again.  Shirt pulling is part of the game these days and unfortunately Bennett got caught at it a few times.  Look at what goes on in the penalty area these days and Bennett's were mild in comparison but it is far easier for a ref to give them outside the box.  He must learn this and he will.

He was targeted yesterday due to his inexperience and he will learn to cope with the experienced PL players he comes up against.  This is his first season in the PL for f**** sake.  I am sure the coaches will work with him during preseason and tell him to not get so close to his player as he has the pace not to need to.

One thing that would help him is for the defenders and midfield players to play better balls to him.  Constantly they knock balls behind him so that he is facing his own goal rather putting it in front of him.

He has been improving of late and I would put that down to confidence as much as learning.  Yesterday was a high pressure game, the like of which he may never have been involved in.  To keep on knocking him after a poor performance is not going to help him.

[Chris Smith]

He should have been sent off with two yellows yesterday...

I'm not so sure, it seems every foul these days has to be a yellow card. He was guilty of a few pulls and pushes but it didn't warrant a sending off.

If it had been one of his own players Houghton would have argued the opposite way.

[paulcomben]

Just because MOTD pinpointed Bennett even having a shit yesterday give him a rest. Why oh why cant we be content were moving away and others are in more trouble than we are. The tug on the edge of the box they got a free kick never a booking. The pen was outside the box. He got booked yesterday it happens. It was only monday people were creaming their pants over him.  I appreciate its a forum and points of view and all that but some just always seem to want scapegoats. We aint in a position to have Josimar or Roberto Carlos just yet were a tad raw. Watch and enjoy or go and cut the grass.

Personally, I cut the grass earlier, learned punctuation at school 40 years ago and have a sensible view, that Bennett will improve but Villa have no cover/ competition at left back.

[seanthevillan]

I only saw the highlights of yesterday's game, and ok he made a few fouls but the only time he could have been sent off was the penalty and that wasn't inside the box. Maybe a bit fortunate, but nothing scandalous.

On the other hand I watched the whole of the Sunderland game back after the event and thought he was outstanding. Defensively reasonably secure, though he gave Johnson a bit too much room on one or two occasions, and maybe could have covered for the Sunderland goal. Other than that he was a stand out performer and thats a few times this season now where he has looked a real prospect.

Others have said that Lichaj did well yesterday, so maybe he should fill in next weekend, but I'd stick with Bennett in the long run.

[Yossarian]

I think Bennett was a bit tired yesterday. He just didn't seem fresh and I think that was why he made so many mistakes. Maybe he was not just physically but mentally tired too. Lambert spoke about players not being fully recovered from Monday and I think it showed most with Bennett. Perhaps he needs to work on  stamina in training or it will come with age but I think a rest against Chelsea then he will right as rain.

[seanthevillan]

I think Bennett was a bit tired yesterday. He just didn't seem fresh and I think that was why he made so many mistakes. Maybe he was not just physically but mentally tired too. Lambert spoke about players not being fully recovered from Monday and I think it showed most with Bennett. Perhaps he needs to work on  stamina in training or it will come with age but I think a rest against Chelsea then he will right as rain.

He is definitely one of a few players who need to bulk up. Delph falls into this category as well, though maybe his injuries have stopped him from doing so.

[pauliewalnuts]

Just because MOTD pinpointed Bennett even having a shit yesterday give him a rest. Why oh why cant we be content were moving away and others are in more trouble than we are. The tug on the edge of the box they got a free kick never a booking. The pen was outside the box. He got booked yesterday it happens. It was only monday people were creaming their pants over him.  I appreciate its a forum and points of view and all that but some just always seem to want scapegoats. We aint in a position to have Josimar or Roberto Carlos just yet were a tad raw. Watch and enjoy or go and cut the grass.

Crikey, what a load of utter nonsense.

As if the people criticising him are not happy we are moving towards safety.

People are saying he was lucky not to get sent off yesterday, it's hardly the most controversial assertion, and nobody is calling for him to be hung, drawn and quartered.