Concrete Ron

[Toronto Villa]

Dunne has been a massive miss, and as for Vlaar he has just come back from an injury, possibly too soon.

Whether it's Dunne or just another senior CB, Vlaar has been let down by the club in not getting him a proper partner. I think Clark and Baker will be fine in time but they've asked to do too much.

[villan from luton]

Dunne has been a massive miss, and as for Vlaar he has just come back from an injury, possibly too soon.

Whether it's Dunne or just another senior CB, Vlaar has been let down by the club in not getting him a proper partner. I think Clark and Baker will be fine in time but they've asked to do too much.

I think Clark will be fine alongside Westwood in centre midfield

[Toronto Villa]

Dunne has been a massive miss, and as for Vlaar he has just come back from an injury, possibly too soon.

Whether it's Dunne or just another senior CB, Vlaar has been let down by the club in not getting him a proper partner. I think Clark and Baker will be fine in time but they've asked to do too much.

I think Clark will be fine alongside Westwood in centre midfield

Just my opinion, but I think he's too slow. One thing if you have Barry's passing and vision. I'll be happy to be proved wrong.

[LeeB]

Dunne has been a massive miss, and as for Vlaar he has just come back from an injury, possibly too soon.

Whether it's Dunne or just another senior CB, Vlaar has been let down by the club in not getting him a proper partner. I think Clark and Baker will be fine in time but they've asked to do too much.

I think Clark will be fine alongside Westwood in centre midfield

Just my opinion, but I think he's too slow. One thing if you have Barry's passing and vision. I'll be happy to be proved wrong.

Yes, he's way too slow to cut it in midfield.

I hope he pulls it round but I have serious doubts that up to the job.

[Risso]

And if he's too slow for midfield, then his lack of pace is also a concern in defence, owing to his positional play not being up to it.  Honestly, he shouldn't be anywhere near the first team at the moment.  It might sound harsh, but if we do end up going down, Clark will be one of the main causes.  I appreciate he's doing his best, but god he's awful.

[Concrete John]

And if he's too slow for midfield, then his lack of pace is also a concern in defence, owing to his positional play not being up to it.  Honestly, he shouldn't be anywhere near the first team at the moment.  It might sound harsh, but if we do end up going down, Clark will be one of the main causes.  I appreciate he's doing his best, but god he's awful.

I was saying much the same to someone Saturday.  He was slagging Bannan and Delph off, to which I responded that the biggest problem in our side right now is Clark.  I think he can recover from this season, but he needs taking out of the firing line.  Ron and Baker for me, until Dunne is fit. 

[N'ZMAV]

Is this the same Dunne we wanted sold in the summer?

[Concrete John]

Is this the same Dunne we wanted sold in the summer?

Personally, I didn't.  What I suggested was that we let him see out his contract as our experienced reserve in caes the likes of Clark and/or Baker struggle.  That's exactly what's happened and we've been hurt by his injury.

[Risso]

Is this the same Dunne we wanted sold in the summer?

Different times call for desperate measures.  His experience would take the pressure off Vlaar a bit, who clearly can't cope with being new to the league and having to cover for Clark.

[LeeB]

And if he's too slow for midfield, then his lack of pace is also a concern in defence, owing to his positional play not being up to it.  Honestly, he shouldn't be anywhere near the first team at the moment.  It might sound harsh, but if we do end up going down, Clark will be one of the main causes.  I appreciate he's doing his best, but god he's awful.

We disagree on other matters, but not this.

[eastie]

By James Nursey | 07/03/13 

Ron Vlaar generated a few laughs when he arrived at Villa last summer and revealed his nickname was 'Concrete'.

The amiable, intelligent Dutchman, 28, is certainly a big, powerful unit at 6ft 2in.

So it is obvious where the nickname has originated from and I certainly wasn't about to argue with him!

Some of Villa's best displays since like against Swansea, Man City in the League Cup and at home to Arsenal have included the £3.2million signing from Feyenoord, who looks decent when he is on his game.

But after missing two more games with injury, I think it is fair to ask is Concrete Ron really that hard?!

I was speaking to a Villa source this week about the team's prospects.

They believed Paul Lambert's side can beat the drop but were worried about a couple of factors.

One was captain Vlaar missing so many games with injury.

He has only started 17 out of 28 League games for Villa.

I thought he was outstanding in his previous appearance against West Ham when he helped Villa to a vital victory.

Boss Paul Lambert is now hopeful the Dutchman will recover from a calf injury to play against Reading this weekend.

But to miss both the Arsenal and Man City games with injury - leaving Villa with an even younger, inexperienced defence - is most unfortunate.

Lambert made no mention of Vlaar's injury in the build up to Arsenal and was seemingly giving his captain until the last minute to declare himself fit.

But it appears Vlaar is the kind of pro who only takes to the field when he feels 100 per cent.

Now that is not unusual of course and is well within a player's rights.

But many pros are also willing to play with knocks even when they are only 80 per cent fit or worse - especially when their team badly needs them.

For every inspirational leader willing to play through the pain like Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Paul Ince or Roy Keane, equally there are many players who simply feel incapable of playing when struggling.

I suspect it probably applies more to some of the foreign players who only make themselves available for selection when totally 100 per cent.

Perhaps Vlaar, who had several injuries and set-backs at Feyenoord, falls into this category?

Perhaps he doesn't.

'Concrete Ron' deserves the benefit of the doubt as the only person really able to determine his fitness definitively is Vlaar himself.

But it is clearly a fact the Villa defence is a lot better when Vlaar is in it and he needs to return quickly and stay in the side if the club are to beat the drop.

The other concern I heard recently was about the lack of natural holding players at Villa.

Villa's latest formation relies on two midfielders sitting infront of the back four to protect them by tackling and closing down opponents.

But is it a role naturally suited to the likes of Fabian Delph, Ashley Westwood and Karim El Ahmadi?

They can all perform the role of course but are all I believe instinctively more attacking and creative than that.

Delph is must be said has actually had a decent personal season but his 10th booking has earned him a two-game suspension.

 

Perhaps it will now mean a first start for January signing Yacouba Sylla who appears better suited to the defensive midfielder role.

But if that is the case then why haven't we seen him already in the starting line-up?

Villa's campaign is continuing to throw up all sorts of questions.

But ultimately the only question that really is matters is will the club stay up?

Losing by a single goal to Arsenal and the champions Man City is no disgrace and people at Villa insist they are playing well.

But Villa cannot afford any defeats in their next two games against Reading and QPR.

[Risso]

I've come to the conclusion that 'Concrete' must be a sardonic, piss-taking nickname given by some cruel team mates in the past.  See also Dynamic Ireland, Mercurial Dunne and Prolific Heskey.

[peter w]

Interesting that Nursey lazily and ignorantly suggests that its because he's foreign that he won't play if he's not 100%.

As for the next two games I'd inject him with whatever is necessary as we need a minimum of 4 points.

Regarding Clark I never thought he'd be a centre-half but he has done well in certain games this season. The problem is that he urgently needs top be 'rested'. The fact that even when he's not been playing well he hasn't been taken out of the firing line is neither good for him or the team.

[supertom]

I'm not a big fan of Vlaar. I don't think he's been that good. Distinctly average. However at this minute, distinctly average would be a blessed relief at the back. We desperately need him back. Clark shouldn't be anywhere near the starting 11. He's been woeful. Baker isn't good enough for this league either.

[stubbsyandy]

I've come to the conclusion that 'Concrete' must be a sardonic, piss-taking nickname given by some cruel team mates in the past.  See also Dynamic Ireland, Mercurial Dunne and Prolific Heskey.

thanks Risso, made me laugh!