Aston Villa v Cardiff City Pre-Match Thread

[eastie]

Aston Villa's back-up strikeforce Libor Kozak and Nicklas Helenius have been challenged to help Christian Benteke end the claret and blues’ goal drought this weekend.

With Gabby Agbonlahor and Andi Weimann out injured either Kozak or Helenius will be called upon to help share the scoring burden with Benteke against Cardiff.

Villa have gone 375 minutes of action without finding the net, their last goal coming courtesy of Weimann’s late September winner against Manchester City.

Lambert admits it is unfair to expect Benteke to get the goals every week and accepts the five-goal leading scorer’s team-mates need to contribute more.

Kozak has made three starts and three substitute appearances in the Premier league, while Helenius has been restricted to three brief cameos from the bench.

But Lambert insists both towering strikers have improved since joining Villa and are capable of causing problems to top-flight defences, given the opportunities.

Benteke has scored four of Villa’s nine league goals, with Kozak, Weimann, Karim El Ahmadi, Leandro Bacuna and Antonio Luna also on target so far this season.

“If you lose any player, whether they’re key players or not, you don’t want anybody injured,” said Lambert.

Aston Villa v Cardiff City: Mat Kendrick's bumper big match preview

“But that’s football. If that happens you have to overcome it. There’s no point saying ‘if only’ or ‘what if’. It’s a chance for somebody else to come in and do it.

“You’ve got to step up to the plate. Football is great because the wheel always turns and you always get an opportunity to try and get in. When the opportunity’s there you have to take it. It’s up to the individual to go and do it.”

Asked if they could cause problems to opposition defences, Lambert replied: “Yes”, but warned that the Czech and the Dane need time to adapt to the Premier League.

“I’ve no doubt whatsoever – I don’t have a problem with them doing that,” he said.

“I think you’ve got to respect that it’s tough being a foreign guy going into a new place. Some people can hit the ground running. Some people can take a few months - somebody might take a year.

“You’ve just got to hope that they adapt as quickly as they can. But it can vary if you’re a foreigner. They’ve definitely got a lot better since they’ve come into the building.”

  LIVE: Aston Villa v Cardiff City - join Mat Kendrick for a live rolling match report

Lambert is confident Benteke, who last scored in the September 14 home defeat to Newcastle, will be back on target soon after equalling his longest Villa spell without a goal – four games.

But the Villa boss admits the claret and blues need to weigh in with goals from across the team, insisting ‘You win together, you lose together’.

“I think people have got to remember Christian’s still a young guy and he’s still learning,” added Lambert.

“He’s only just come back from the Norwich game. It’s not fair to him. Gabby had a great chance against Everton, Andi’s had a good chance as well. You can’t just label Christian.

“I’d be more worried if he wasn’t getting chances. The thing is he’s getting chances and I’ve got no worries whatsoever about him not scoring. I never label one player as your main target to score goals, everybody’s got to help. It’s a team game and we’re in it together. You win together, you lose together.”

[Fin Feds Dad]

I would start with this side.


              Guzan

Lowton Clark. Vlaar. Baker

      Sylla.   Westwood

Bacuna.     Delph.   Robinson 
   
          Benteke


Callum Robinson got a hat trick on Monday night - surely the right message would be to reward him with a starting place tomorrow.

[eastie]

I would start with this side.


              Guzan

Lowton Clark. Vlaar. Baker

      Sylla.   Westwood

Bacuna.     Delph.   Robinson 
   
          Benteke


Callum Robinson got a hat trick on Monday night - surely the right message would be to reward him with a starting place tomorrow.

Tonev rather than robbo for me - but might give the lad a run in the last 30 mins if needed.

[SoccerHQ]

Robinson deserves a place on the bench.

I'm imagine Tonev and Kozak will start.

This will not be a pretty game to watch at all but winning ugly is fine by me.

[Mark H]

Hoping for win think it will be a draw unfortunately 

[JUAN PABLO]

Mat Kendrick: Gabby Agbonlahor, Andi Weimann, Antonio Luna and Joe Bennett are all out but Fabian Delph should return.

Oh. That does not bode well. At least Delph is hopefully available.

shows how poor the squad is . I actually think Gabby and Weiman have been poor and need to be dropped but the summer signings mostly are not good enough

[placeforparks]

weimann has been poor for the last 6 months or so.

not convinced by helenius at all. incredibly slow and immobile. looks like he won a move to the premier league in a raffle.

[Ads]

Mat Kendrick: Gabby Agbonlahor, Andi Weimann, Antonio Luna and Joe Bennett are all out but Fabian Delph should return.

Oh. That does not bode well. At least Delph is hopefully available.

shows how poor the squad is . I actually think Gabby and Weiman have been poor and need to be dropped but the summer signings mostly are not good enough

I don't see how you can make those sort of statements at this stage. Tonev has started one hom game and one away game, doesn't speak a lick on English, is a young bloke playing in a very competitive league; its not easy and he looked pretty promising to me against Everton when he was putting Benteke clean through on goal.

Helenius hasn't started a game, Okore looked excellent, as does Bacuna. Luna has been so, so, while Kozak has struggled by having every ball played to him being launched.

[DrGonzo]

Chaps, the world is watching    http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/nov/08/premier-league-10-things-weekend

Note point 3.  And 3 points on saturday. 2-0 Tekkers to find his magic touch.

[silhillvilla]

We just need to bury a few gremlins tomorrow and smash these welsh bastards 3 or 4-0

[ADVILLAFAN]

Any idea who the ref is?

[spangley1812]

Any idea who the ref is?

Martin Atkinson

[JUAN PABLO]

Mat Kendrick: Gabby Agbonlahor, Andi Weimann, Antonio Luna and Joe Bennett are all out but Fabian Delph should return.

Oh. That does not bode well. At least Delph is hopefully available.

shows how poor the squad is . I actually think Gabby and Weiman have been poor and need to be dropped but the summer signings mostly are not good enough

I don't see how you can make those sort of statements at this stage. Tonev has started one hom game and one away game, doesn't speak a lick on English, is a young bloke playing in a very competitive league; its not easy and he looked pretty promising to me against Everton when he was putting Benteke clean through on goal.

Helenius hasn't started a game, Okore looked excellent, as does Bacuna. Luna has been so, so, while Kozak has struggled by having every ball played to him being launched.

Mat Kendrick: Gabby Agbonlahor, Andi Weimann, Antonio Luna and Joe Bennett are all out but Fabian Delph should return.

Oh. That does not bode well. At least Delph is hopefully available.

shows how poor the squad is . I actually think Gabby and Weiman have been poor and need to be dropped but the summer signings mostly are not good enough

I don't see how you can make those sort of statements at this stage. Tonev has started one hom game and one away game, doesn't speak a lick on English, is a young bloke playing in a very competitive league; its not easy and he looked pretty promising to me against Everton when he was putting Benteke clean through on goal.

Helenius hasn't started a game, Okore looked excellent, as does Bacuna. Luna has been so, so, while Kozak has struggled by having every ball played to him being launched.

I think we needed players to come straight in . Okore would have been the only one for me to have played  and I do like Bacuna .  But they are very similar to what we have , players we are waiting to reach If any , potential .

[JUAN PABLO]

fcuk   double quote  sorry ;P

[SoccerHQ]

Mat Kendrick: Gabby Agbonlahor, Andi Weimann, Antonio Luna and Joe Bennett are all out but Fabian Delph should return.

Oh. That does not bode well. At least Delph is hopefully available.

shows how poor the squad is . I actually think Gabby and Weiman have been poor and need to be dropped but the summer signings mostly are not good enough

Yeah I was thinking this today. Gabby was good for the first month but has tailed off and Andi has been cack all season yet I would feel much more confident of a win tomorrow if both were in the starting 11 as we're facing a weaker defence than the last few weeks.

Tonev in fairness has looked lively in the last two home games so certainly would get a start I'd imagine. I'd also throw Helenius in as he's a bit different to our other strikers and if we start Kozak then tbh Cardiff defence will take heading away high balls all afternoon.