Joe Bennett

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

The #askHarry was one of the funniest things I've ever read on Twitter.

Villa fans always need a scapegoat, even when we're doing well. It's just unfortunate that Joe Bennett fills that role at the moment.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Very naive to do such a thing after 3 straight wins. Not only that, to ask a player who has been largely derided since he joined. Bennett himself had an awful game on saturday too. The whole team performance was abject, and he was particularly at fault during the game, making unforced errors. If you're absolutely gonna have to do something this stupid and get a player to answer fans questions, you pick a senior player like Vlaar, our club captain, or a player who's popular.

Lets face it, this is the internet. You take to twitter and there's always gonna be a few wind up merchants and others just releasing pent up emotion behind the safety of their PC monitor.

The way this clubs going, maybe we should cover the whole of Villa Park in a fucking circus tent, and change Randy's official title to ringmaster.

I don't agree with the personal abuse of Bennett. It's not particularly nice. It's not his fault he's being played well above his level. He's not, and never will be a Premier League player. The club essentially threw him to the Lions. What else did they think would happen after 2 seasons of mediocrity (mediocre might even be a generous description), and 3 abject defeats on the spin? Bennett himself is also something of a poster child for Lamberts misfires in the transfer market.

I actually thought he started the game pretty well, but then made one poor pass which nearly cost a goal and you could just see the confidence evaporate from him. 

He did. One little mistake after starting well and the booing started. Never mind the good start, let's just boo the one bad touch and get on his back so he'll lose what little confidence he has.

I find Villa fans at Villa Park quite annoying. More annoying as each match goes by.

What a dreadful generalisation.

Like this! I make one point about Villa fans, miss out the word 'some' and get (metaphorically) booed and attacked.

Clearly I didn't mean every single Villa fan...my confidence has now gone.

[aj2k77]

Very naive to do such a thing after 3 straight wins. Not only that, to ask a player who has been largely derided since he joined. Bennett himself had an awful game on saturday too. The whole team performance was abject, and he was particularly at fault during the game, making unforced errors. If you're absolutely gonna have to do something this stupid and get a player to answer fans questions, you pick a senior player like Vlaar, our club captain, or a player who's popular.

Lets face it, this is the internet. You take to twitter and there's always gonna be a few wind up merchants and others just releasing pent up emotion behind the safety of their PC monitor.

The way this clubs going, maybe we should cover the whole of Villa Park in a fucking circus tent, and change Randy's official title to ringmaster.

I don't agree with the personal abuse of Bennett. It's not particularly nice. It's not his fault he's being played well above his level. He's not, and never will be a Premier League player. The club essentially threw him to the Lions. What else did they think would happen after 2 seasons of mediocrity (mediocre might even be a generous description), and 3 abject defeats on the spin? Bennett himself is also something of a poster child for Lamberts misfires in the transfer market.

I actually thought he started the game pretty well, but then made one poor pass which nearly cost a goal and you could just see the confidence evaporate from him. 

He did. One little mistake after starting well and the booing started. Never mind the good start, let's just boo the one bad touch and get on his back so he'll lose what little confidence he has.

I find Villa fans at Villa Park quite annoying. More annoying as each match goes by.

What a dreadful generalisation.

Like this! I make one point about Villa fans, miss out the word 'some' and get (metaphorically) booed and attacked.

Clearly I didn't mean every single Villa fan...my confidence has now gone.

Keep signing up 1st division posters and eventually we'll become a 1st division forum.

[amfy]

To be honest - I don't think it was that bad. A few people had some direct digs, but when you put it in the context of this kind of Q&A with any footballer,like we have here, we see that this is just the nature of the format.

Does anyone think that Joe Bennett turned up for his Q&A under the misapprehension that all Villa fans adored him and that he wouldn't get a bit of stick? Do we think he has gone away newly devastated that some people have taken the opportunity to tell him directly on facebook that they think he's a bit shit! I think it is probably far harder to take that when it is yelled directly in your face just after you've put the ball out for a throw in, so I can't imagine he was left in a state of shock.

If I was him I'd be far more embarrassed by the 'fans made fun of him' headlines than the actual daft questions. It's that that makes him sound like a humourless wimp.

I am totally sure he knew what he was letting himself in for, and quite probably enjoyed answering questions from the fans who seem to like him (and his hair)

I also don't think it's terrible PR for the club to show that players are prepared to do this, rather than hide away and refuse to speak to anyone when the going gets tough.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

The two main problems with it were the timing and the paper jumping on it as though this was the voice of the fans speaking.

If I thought that the consensus of opinion of the British public was what I read on Facebook and Twitter, I would top myself.

[Chico Hamilton III]

A better case of damned if they do you couldn't hope to find.

I'm not sure about this. I wonder what the club PR/Marketing/corporate comms ( whatever wanky name they give themelves) were thinking when they approved this. They must have seen the sort of abuse Redknapp and Downing received recently. Piss poor decision in my opinion. And it cetainly doesn't compensate for the club's previous closed door policy when it comes to journalists. If the only news we ever get from the club is official feel-good mush when it's clear to all that we're in a shit state, is it any surprise that when fans are given access to a player they take the piss and tell him what they think. It's liberating.

I thought some of the comments were hilarious as well.

[N'ZMAV]

99% of stuff the Club do at the minute is shit. It's a farce these days. Bring back Doug, all is forgiven.

[pauliewalnuts]

It was a little bit stupid, coming from people (or person, as the case my be) who are social media professionals.

I suppose on the flip side, if said "social media professionals" aren't organising things like this then there's not really a lot of point in them being there.

If they are in-house then I'm guessing they're not just given a few weeks off whenever we turn to shit, if they are external and have been brought in to try and promote the club online then goodness only knows what they could have done that wasn't going to provoke this reaction.

They do plenty of stuff in social media that doesn't provoke this reaction - not just twitter and facebook, see the various articles about them promoting the club on that chinese twitter thingy.

Ultimately, this was a massive own goal, which anyone who has ever seen one of these #askfootballperson would have told them would happen.

[London Villan]

He was a strange player to pick... surely they must be aware of how his form has been and the general opinion of him? There are plenty of other candidates available if they wanted to do this Okore? Benteke? Kozak? all would have a much more positive reaction.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

He was a strange player to pick... surely they must be aware of how his form has been and the general opinion of him? There are plenty of other candidates available if they wanted to do this Okore? Benteke? Kozak? all would have a much more positive reaction.

My thoughts too. Maybe they were going with the in at the deep end approach.

[Somniloquism]

A better case of damned if they do you couldn't hope to find.

I'm not sure about this. I wonder what the club PR/Marketing/corporate comms ( whatever wanky name they give themelves) were thinking when they approved this. They must have seen the sort of abuse Redknapp and Downing received recently. Piss poor decision in my opinion. And it cetainly doesn't compensate for the club's previous closed door policy when it comes to journalists. If the only news we ever get from the club is official feel-good mush when it's clear to all that we're in a shit state, is it any surprise that when fans are given access to a player they take the piss and tell him what they think. It's liberating.

I thought some of the comments were hilarious as well.

It is not like they have decided, we have just had a loss, lets put Bennett on this. It is a regular thing and happened to be Bennett this time and happened to have been posted on here for us to comment on. Anyone Facebook savvy enough to get the others up and review those comments.

[Legion]

@B31villa What a daft idea by @AVFCOfficial to #askbennett! Especially after such a shocking season. #avfc

@BakesAvfc  #askbennett is hilarious!!!!

@Teago_AVFC  hi joe how do you feel about being called a pro footballer when you have the ability of Johnny Vegas after 10pints #askbennett

@gunsforhire76 Do you think your 1 good performance vs Chelsea in nearly 2 seasons at the club means your in the same league as J Lloyd Samuel? #askbennett

@FazAVFC  #AskBennett what do you want to be when you grow up?

@BradEllimannn  Would you prefer to own a cat that barked or a dog that meowed? #AskBennett

@jammietallent  #AskBennett feel sorry for the lad! Sacrificial lamb for Lerner and Lambert! #Lernerout #Lambertout

@MattBowditch7  #AskBennett are you better than Messi?

@Masters_JamesD  Think somebody at Aston Villa probably should have thought a bit harder before inviting the #AskBennett twitter chat. Poor Joe.... #avfc

@w1lko_86 Instead of #AskBennett and ruining Joe Bennett’s confidence even more how about #AskLambert , #AskFaulkner or #AskLerner #AVFC @AVFCOfficial

@premtravel_avfc  PR Disaster #avfc #askbennett

@gunsforhire76 If Gabby is running at you with the ball do you bother to try and tackle him or wait till he runs it out of play and falls over? #askbennett

@wilch4  Don’t know who’s worse with this #askbennett....the people taking the extreme moral high ground or the ridiculously unfunny people #zzz

@JGoodby  Abusing a player is the lowest of the low. Hiding behind your twitter accounts. Shameful tbh. And YES I go to all games. #askbennett

@Collins_AVFC  Looking through the #askbennett hashtag I now understand why he left twitter

@Mos_sy  Oh dear #askbennett is going to be a bloodbath! #avfc

@TrendsBrum  #askbennett is now trending in #Birmingham http://trendsmap.com/gb/birmingham

@premtravel_avfc  I have seen some very funny comments on #askbennett but can the person who thought this was a good idea please own up #avfc #embarrassing

@kevinhughes348  Thought I was fan of club fans supported through thick & thin. Then read some pathetic tweets on Villa’s  #AskBennett & it makes me sick.

@Jasto_avfc  #AskBennett are you 100% sure you’re not right footed?

@Adrian_Siggins  The #AskBennett wasn’t the best idea by #avfc considering how the fans feel about the guy.

@Uber_Lowey: #askbennett would you rather be attacked by 1 horse sized duck or a 10 duck sized horses?

@craigwill85  Resisting the urge to take the bait to #AskBennett what were @AVFCOfficial thinking!! Some hilarious ones coming in though!

@NoelM1986 #AskBennett do you think the club signing Ryan Bertrand permanently will limit your playing opportunities next year?

@KaneAvfc What matters more your hair or dog? #AskBennett

@DEANOFIELD Do you get angry with fans getting your name  wrong during the game. I often hear Gordon Bennett after you have touched the ball #askbennett

@J_M_Holt  Another PR disaster by @AVFCOfficial with #AskBennett. Which bright spark at B6 thought that one up. PR as clueless as the Manager. #AVFC

@PaulLovesBeer  #AskBennett Will there be an open top bus parade for the 1 point of progress made?

@ThatAnt_  #AskBennett On average how long does it take you to pick yourself up and go again?

[Ads]

Uber_Lowey raises an interesting point. A conundrum make no mistake.

[supertom]

"If Gabby is running at you with the ball do you bother to try and tackle him or wait till he runs it out of play and falls over?"
Possibly my favourite. Lol.

[saunders_heroes]

Don't know why they keep pushing Bennett forward for interviews. It's like they're punishing him for being so shit.