Ongoing Defensive Frailties

[Des Little]

It may 'only' be pre season but our inability to keep a clean sheet s a real worry. We shouldn't have to score twice to win a game.

[warleyboy]

Gaffer's verdict: It was great to see Benteke back


Paul Lambert was thrilled to see talismanic striker Christian Benteke back in action as Villa continued their pre-season preparations at Luton.

Benteke played 45 minutes at Kenilworth Road as Lambert's side went down 2-0.

Lambert wasn't concerned about the loss, insisting the game was about fitness levels going into the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season.

What did please him, though, was the sight of Benteke in the claret and blue once again.

He told AVTV: "It was just another fitness thing tonight. Luton did really fine against us.

"The pleasing thing was Christian being back. Some of his touches were brilliant.

"He had 45 minutes. He's only done a bit of training. He's still got to work on match fitness but that 45 minutes will do him the world of good."

Lambert is hopeful of having "one or two" injury casualties back for Friday evening's encounter with Crewe at Gresty Road, the sixth match of Villa's pre-season schedule.

He added: "We have too many injures at the minute. That's the frustrating thing.

"When you look at the ones missing - the likes of Okore, Tonev, Agbonlahor, Weimann, Helenius, Bennett - there are a lot of big players absent.

"We want to get them back.

"Hopefully there might be one or two back for Friday. We will have to see how that progresses and see how it goes.

"Once we start to get everybody back, we will be pretty strong.

"But you're going to get injuries. That's the nature of the game."


It really is a lot of the same old same old, I think we all understand that pre season is very hit and miss, and absolutely vital that the players get to full fitness.
But again, this was Luton, surely our reserves should be expecting to compete with these guys, let alone our first team, thankfully didn't watch the game, but defending again is being
mentioned.

[Mazrim]

I'm not gong to freak out about a friendly but I'm not at all convinced about our defence.
Not yet. Okore may go a long way to settling the nerves but ts unfair to expect a 20 year old to be the saviour.

Baker is promising, Vlaar and Clark are suspect, Okore's an unknown in ths league. We definitely need another centre half.

[villa kicks]

Yes me too pre season and fitness and getting some matches result un important. who will recall this when we take on and shut out arsenal suraez and co in a 0-1 victory on august !

[ciggiesnbeer]

Yes me too pre season and fitness and getting some matches result un important. who will recall this when we take on and shut out arsenal suraez and co in a 0-1 victory on august !

Suarez will be banned for that game I think?

[saunders_heroes]

Yes me too pre season and fitness and getting some matches result un important. who will recall this when we take on and shut out arsenal suraez and co in a 0-1 victory on august !

Suarez will be banned for that game I think?

Won't Benteke also be banned for this game? 3 match ban for the Chelsea match sending off?

[ciggiesnbeer]

Yes me too pre season and fitness and getting some matches result un important. who will recall this when we take on and shut out arsenal suraez and co in a 0-1 victory on august !

Suarez will be banned for that game I think?

Won't Benteke also be banned for this game? 3 match ban for the Chelsea match sending off?

Good point. I think so.

edit: Guess not. Thats good news.

[dave.woodhall]

Yes me too pre season and fitness and getting some matches result un important. who will recall this when we take on and shut out arsenal suraez and co in a 0-1 victory on august !

Suarez will be banned for that game I think?

Won't Benteke also be banned for this game? 3 match ban for the Chelsea match sending off?

Two yellows so just one match.

[Louzie0]

Tbf I thought Baker was OK tonight, as I certainly wouldn't pick him out as being somehow worse than anybody else!

From what I saw, Luton organised their defence (all 11 of them) to be better at withstanding sustained attrition and every player seemed to have a job to do.  They were more vulnerable when an attack came at top speed down the wing. I still don't know how at least 2 shots across their goal didn't go in, but there you go.

Our defence was struggling with players who are not used to each other as a team, maybe, and the sooner the crocks get back, the sooner PL and his coaches can establish the jobs and the players can build the understanding and experience between them. I hope!

[Daholteend]

At this time our defence leaks goals faster than a  sieve. Since our first season with the Collins & Dunne partnership we have not had  dominating  CB's. Vlaar has yet to show the kind of dominant play needed in the premiership. Baker shows flashes  of things to come. Clarke and others are still suspect to ball watching  and missing the potential movement  of opponents and not man marking and reading ahead of the threats.

WE are all   excited  by the prospect of Okore filling in some of the  gaps, but, if Okore  misses several games  during the season who are we  going to turn to to fill  the other CB position?

There is no shadow of a  doubt that we need at least one Premiership quality CB. We  can  go on  discussing this until  the  cows   come  home and the dire need  will still be there.

With the return of Benteke and  existing and new players that PL has acquired for  the Midfield and Attacking positions I  believe that apart from finding one more creative midfielder we  will score  our  fair share of goals this season. It will however all  come to nought if the    sieve isnt  replaced  by a  REAL   Concrete  Wall.

[Dr Butler]

for me it is Baker and another for the centre halves pairing and Luna and Lowton either side.

do the simple things well and hopefully we will be alright.......the clean sheets will come.

UTV
The Doc

[villa `cross the mersey]

"Lambert wasn't concerned about the loss, insisting the game was about fitness levels going into the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season."

Feck me - what about the pride in wearing the shirt  Paul?

As stated, our reserves or even youth team should be beating Luton.

Cut out the poor excuses about injuries etc and just sort out that defence otherwise there will be a repeat of the hammerings from last year.

Still - we will be fine and we go again

[pauliewalnuts]

It's only a friendly, pride in the shirt sounds a bit extreme in that context.

The comedy defending, though, I've had enough of that already!

[Jimbo]

If it's just about fitness levels why is there a charge on the door?

[Clampy]

If it's just about fitness levels why is there a charge on the door?

Because it helps clubs like Wycombe, Luton and Crewe out financially.