Jordan Bowery

[PeterWithesShin]

I don't know what people were expecting for £500k from Chesterfield. He's better than I thought he'd be, as is the case with most of the Lambert signings. Plus he's only 21 so can only get better. Hopefully he'll be a decent squad player for us in the future. Worked hits nuts off today and deserves praise for that imo.

Well for a start I doubt people expected a £500k signing from Chesterfield to be starting for us in the Premier League.

Whilst yes, he's probably better than you'd expect for £500k and he's probably worth more now as a result of having the Villa on his CV, he's indicative of Lambert's strategy of buying players who are not good enough and treating them as first teamers.  I'd have no problem with Lambert buying these players if they were alongside players who actually make the quality in the team better.

The reality is that Bowery shouldn't have been good enough to sign for us and has shown nothing to suggest he'll be good enough for us in the future.  But then you could probably level the same accusation at Delph, Bennett, KEA & Stephens.

I doubt many thought a signing from Crewe would command a record transfer fee or a 4th division player from Cardiff would still be the best fullback we've had for the last 10 years.

Or that the completely useless unknown donkey from Belgium would now be one of the hottest properties around.

Bowery will probably only ever be a squad player, but we'll sell him for a profit and he'll do a basic job for us when required. Anything else is a bonus.

[Somniloquism]

For what it's worth, I'd have played Weimann on the right of midfield and Zog in behind Bent and Benteke. As I said, we have a manager who is paid to get the most out of the players in his charge. He's not doing that with Bent.

As some one mentioned above, if we had a team full of wingers, we could get the best out of Bent. We don't though although now Dawkins is here, you might see Bent start more again. But attack is not the main problem we have, even with Bent not playing as much. Bowery's main job was to strengthen the midfield and help at set pieces. He wasn't playing striker. If he was, then I could understand the moan that he played instead of Bent.

[Ad@m]

Which Stephens is that?  And Delph is looking better and better.

I hope you're not trying to be clever because I spelt Stevens wrong.

And yes, Delph did look better today compared to how he's been in the past, but that's like giving someone in your Sunday team the Most Improved Player award.  A simple way to look at it is to ask how many other Premier League teams these players would get in to.  Very few I'd suggest, if any.

[rob_bridge]

I don't know what people were expecting for £500k from Chesterfield. He's better than I thought he'd be, as is the case with most of the Lambert signings. Plus he's only 21 so can only get better. Hopefully he'll be a decent squad player for us in the future. Worked hits nuts off today and deserves praise for that imo.

Well for a start I doubt people expected a £500k signing from Chesterfield to be starting for us in the Premier League.

Whilst yes, he's probably better than you'd expect for £500k and he's probably worth more now as a result of having the Villa on his CV, he's indicative of Lambert's strategy of buying players who are not good enough and treating them as first teamers.  I'd have no problem with Lambert buying these players if they were alongside players who actually make the quality in the team better.

The reality is that Bowery shouldn't have been good enough to sign for us and has shown nothing to suggest he'll be good enough for us in the future.  But then you could probably level the same accusation at Delph, Bennett, KEA & Stephens.

Maybe he assumed (wrongly) that with senior players acting professionally, being fit and showing a modicum of form and desire like Dunne, Given, CNZ, Ireland and Bent (none of whom anyone else wants to sign remember) for a chunk of the season that he could bring the youngsters in the manner you suggested.

As it stands he has had little option but to play the youth as a default position. I have no problem with who he signed (most of them have increased in value) only the 2 or 3 bods we could have done with signing in the recent window.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Bowery's main job was to strengthen the midfield and help at set pieces. He wasn't playing striker. If he was, then I could understand the moan that he played instead of Bent.

Agreed. Given the choice today between Bowery and Holman to replace the ill Gabby, it would be Bowery every time.

[PaulWinch again]

Bowery's main job was to strengthen the midfield and help at set pieces. He wasn't playing striker. If he was, then I could understand the moan that he played instead of Bent.

Agreed. Given the choice today between Bowery and Holman to replace the ill Gabby, it would be Bowery every time.

Well yeah but I would have thought that was the purpose of signing Sylla.

[PeterWithesShin]

Bowery's main job was to strengthen the midfield and help at set pieces. He wasn't playing striker. If he was, then I could understand the moan that he played instead of Bent.

Agreed. Given the choice today between Bowery and Holman to replace the ill Gabby, it would be Bowery every time.

Well yeah but I would have thought that was the purpose of signing Sylla.

Isn't he more of a defensive CM? To me Bowery makes more sense as the hard working but can also attack type right MF.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Bowery's main job was to strengthen the midfield and help at set pieces. He wasn't playing striker. If he was, then I could understand the moan that he played instead of Bent.

Agreed. Given the choice today between Bowery and Holman to replace the ill Gabby, it would be Bowery every time.

Well yeah but I would have thought that was the purpose of signing Sylla.

A defensive central midfielder?

[Somniloquism]

I don't know what people were expecting for £500k from Chesterfield. He's better than I thought he'd be, as is the case with most of the Lambert signings. Plus he's only 21 so can only get better. Hopefully he'll be a decent squad player for us in the future. Worked hits nuts off today and deserves praise for that imo.

Well for a start I doubt people expected a £500k signing from Chesterfield to be starting for us in the Premier League.

Whilst yes, he's probably better than you'd expect for £500k and he's probably worth more now as a result of having the Villa on his CV, he's indicative of Lambert's strategy of buying players who are not good enough and treating them as first teamers.  I'd have no problem with Lambert buying these players if they were alongside players who actually make the quality in the team better.

The reality is that Bowery shouldn't have been good enough to sign for us and has shown nothing to suggest he'll be good enough for us in the future.  But then you could probably level the same accusation at Delph, Bennett, KEA & Stephens.

Maybe he assumed (wrongly) that with senior players acting professionally, being fit and showing a modicum of form and desire like Dunne, Given, CNZ, Ireland and Bent (none of whom anyone else wants to sign remember) for a chunk of the season that he could bring the youngsters in the manner you suggested.

As it stands he has had little option but to play the youth as a default position. I have no problem with who he signed (most of them have increased in value) only the 2 or 3 bods we could have done with signing in the recent window.

I agree with Rob. The experienced players have let us down more and I will add Lambert's signing of KEA and Vlaar into that. If Gabby was fit, I don't think Bowery would start, but he did today and didn't do anything to let Villa down. No one seems to moan at Swansea, Everton and others playing lower league players, yet we shouldn't do it for some reason.

[Mister E]

Bowery's main job was to strengthen the midfield and help at set pieces. He wasn't playing striker. If he was, then I could understand the moan that he played instead of Bent.

Agreed. Given the choice today between Bowery and Holman to replace the ill Gabby, it would be Bowery every time.

Well yeah but I would have thought that was the purpose of signing Sylla.

Not a good comparison.
The player that I would have liked to have seen instead of Bowery would have been Carruthers, but since he has not featured in most of Lambert's squads I suppose it was unlikely to have happened.

[Somniloquism]

Bowery's main job was to strengthen the midfield and help at set pieces. He wasn't playing striker. If he was, then I could understand the moan that he played instead of Bent.

Agreed. Given the choice today between Bowery and Holman to replace the ill Gabby, it would be Bowery every time.

Well yeah but I would have thought that was the purpose of signing Sylla.

Not a good comparison.
The player that I would have liked to have seen instead of Bowery would have been Carruthers, but since he has not featured in most of Lambert's squads I suppose it was unlikely to have happened.

I agree that Carruthers not playing seems a let down, especially as other kids are, but I doubt the set pieces would have been as well defended.

[PaulWinch again]

Bowery's main job was to strengthen the midfield and help at set pieces. He wasn't playing striker. If he was, then I could understand the moan that he played instead of Bent.

Agreed. Given the choice today between Bowery and Holman to replace the ill Gabby, it would be Bowery every time.

Well yeah but I would have thought that was the purpose of signing Sylla.

A defensive central midfielder?

'Strenghten the midfield and help at set pieces'. I appreciate he was on the right, he did ok and it worked out in the end but I think Dawkins is a better option.

[SoccerHQ]

Clearly Lambert felt three defensive midfielders against a limited team like West Ham at home was unnecessary and wanted to keep four attackers like last week at Everton.

Sylla would've only started if Westwood hadn't recovered from the virus.

[Mazrim]

Carruthers and Johnson probably deserve a shot. The thing is, the player in their natural postion at the moment is N'Zogbia and he's playing well.

[PaulWinch again]

N'Zog is critical to our survival and we've got to get as much out of him as possible.