Ongoing Defensive Frailties

[Monty]

I'm only going to speak for myself here, but as i've accepted we're not going to win the league anytime soon, as it's a serious outlay for me to buy a season ticket i'll settle for Villa being entertaining, if unpredictable. I'm looking forward to going to VP this season more than I have for ages, I reckon we'll dish out a few beatings, play some good stuff and probably have another Spurs/Wigan week and make some McGrath awful clangers.

I hope i've explained that well enough that it makes sense.

There's a really good Jorge Valdano quote I can't remember verbatim, but he basically says that in a 20 team league, only one wins - and if the others were just 'playing for results', then what did they contribute?

[claretandbeer]

How about a thread discussing our great attacking play? Always so negative on here!

31 games without a clean sheet is kind of hard to ignore.

It should not be ignored and Lambert has responded with the signings of Okore and Luna.Also a more physical element  in Sylla and Bacuna has been added to the midfield which should mean greater protection for the defence.Clark and Baker are young and might improve to the required standard.He might still be searching for another central defender.
Other positions need to be improved,but it is possible that those roles could be filled adequately by our new signings or one of our talented youngsters.In that case,extra cash could be put to buying a new centre-back.
The other solution ,which I don't think Lambert will try,is to play Herd there.An industrious but very limited midfielder,he is ,surprisingly for his size ,very good in the air.He reads the game better than Clarke and is ultra competitive,to the point of being rash.I'm thinking of a home game v Wolves where in mid-flight he almost decapitated an attacker,which McCarthy correctly pointed out should have been a penalty.

[Concrete John]

As I see it, the extra goals we concede due to being a good attacking outfit I can live with.  If we let one in because Lowton's out of position after losing the ball when attacking, so be it. 

What I can't live with is the basic errors when we are defending that also cost us goals.  It wouldn't effect us going forward to mark better at corners, for example.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

If Benteke and Helenius are on the pitch surely we will be better equiped to not conceed from corners and set pieces ?

[supertom]

If Benteke and Helenius are on the pitch surely we will be better equiped to not conceed from corners and set pieces ?

Benteke isn't as good defensively as Carew or Hesk were, but that said I'd rather we had him in our box when we defend set pieces. Helenius should prove useful too.

[supertom]

As I see it, the extra goals we concede due to being a good attacking outfit I can live with.  If we let one in because Lowton's out of position after losing the ball when attacking, so be it. 

What I can't live with is the basic errors when we are defending that also cost us goals.  It wouldn't effect us going forward to mark better at corners, for example.

This is our biggest problem. The amount of silly free kicks we've given away in dangerous areas in the last couple of years has been ridiculous. Our inability to defend these is just asking for trouble. It's all about eradicating it from these players, hoping they mature and hone their decision making. That said, in 11/12 it was senior "pros" like Hutton, Warnock and Collins who were consistently guilty of giving away pens and frees in needless situations.

My pet hate is one of our defenders chasing an attacking into a blind alley. They can't go anyway but the defender (Bennett's bad at this but getting a little better) still decides to hack them down rather than just stay on their feet and try and box them in a corner or force them to pass backwards.

Cut out needless errors and we'll shave 20 goals off our against column. Then we just have to worry most about set pieces. Then limiting them as much as poss is a good idea.

[warleyboy]

As I see it, the extra goals we concede due to being a good attacking outfit I can live with.  If we let one in because Lowton's out of position after losing the ball when attacking, so be it. 

What I can't live with is the basic errors when we are defending that also cost us goals.  It wouldn't effect us going forward to mark better at corners, for example.

Hit the nail on the head concrete.
If we are playing entertaining football and happen to lose it in open play, shit happens.

Its from these bloody corners, every time we concede, I feel my balls rise into my mouth,
you can feel the anxiety around VP, so the players must feel it to.

[Dante Lavelli]

Does anyone know whether we concede more free kicks/corners than other teams?
Just a thought but maybe we're statistically okay at defending corners, but its the sheer number we concede which is the problem.

[mallo]

Does anyone know whether we concede more free kicks/corners than other teams?
Just a thought but maybe we're statistically okay at defending corners, but its the sheer number we concede which is the problem.

There you go... not completely up to date but it gives you a gist.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/special-feature-aston-villa-writer-1295323

[Dante Lavelli]

Does anyone know whether we concede more free kicks/corners than other teams?
Just a thought but maybe we're statistically okay at defending corners, but its the sheer number we concede which is the problem.

There you go... not completely up to date but it gives you a gist.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/special-feature-aston-villa-writer-1295323

hmmm, thanks.  Good read that.

[PaulWinch again]

What I want to see is that the players have learnt from their mistakes last year. Clark shouldn't mess about and put pressure on himself, Baker should have developed a better understanding of positioning, Vlaar should concentrate, Lowton needs to ensure he doesn't get caught at the back post and Bennett needs to work on his positioning.

[shaunreynolds]

What I want to see is that the players have learnt from their mistakes last year. Clark shouldn't mess about and put pressure on himself, Baker should have developed a better understanding of positioning, Vlaar should concentrate, Lowton needs to ensure he doesn't get caught at the back post and Bennett needs to work on his positioning.

I agree with all of that except Bennett..... He should be on the bench!!!

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Bennett is my big concern. Maybe having Luna as competition will make him more focused on all aspects of his game. Vlaar really has to get his act together as his marking and lack of aerial dominance is worrying .........

[Ron Manager]

What we need at centre half is someone like Kent Neilsen or Chris Nichol or Martin Laursen who can dominate their opposition number. Ron Vlaar hasnt yet shown that he has the ability to do this.

[warleyboy]

What we need at centre half is someone like Kent Neilsen or Chris Nichol or Martin Laursen who can dominate their opposition number. Ron Vlaar hasnt yet shown that he has the ability to do this.

Ron, I do not think that Vlaar has it in his locker, he is not a stand out leader for me.
I know Okore is young, but I'm hoping he becomes our, Laursen, McGrath, Nielson, Mellberg, Southgate etc.
Then hopefully Vlaar can help out and hopefully do a better job.