Aston Villa vs Parma Pre-Season Friendly

[paul_e]

got home and shoved the cricket on the tv and the football on the laptop, grealish was excellent, looked so much more dangerous than the rest of our attack. Gabby was dire from what I saw.

[supertom]

We definitely can't play a two man CM. We haven't got a good enough partner for Delphy. I'd play three in the middle, then Zoggy and Grealish ahead to provide some flair.

It'd be nice to sign 1-2 more midfielders. Going on pre-season, to be honest I think Westwood has fallen behind KEA, and probably GG for me. He's very average. Karim has generally looks quite sharp to be fair.

I'd probably go for this lot at Stoke:

Guzan

Hutton
Vlaar
Senderos
Cissokho

Delph
KEA
Richardson/Gardner

Grealish
Zogbia

Bent.

I don't think Stoke are the bruisers they were once were. Hughes has got them playing some football to be fair. I don't think we need to fill our side with every 6 footer we have.

[N'Zimidy]

Zogbia was extremely poor today I thought. Free-kicks aside he hasn't done much in preseason.

[supertom]

Zogbia was extremely poor today I thought. Free-kicks aside he hasn't done much in preseason.

He's still the only one in midfield, bar Grealish, who looks like they could make something happen. Zoggy will have poor games but every now and again he'll make it through all 4 defenders he's trying to run through and do something brilliant.
I think he has to play, for want of not just better options, but any other options.

I think he's been one of our best players pre-season. He's been okay generally, besides the free kicks too.
If he can chip in with 5-10 goals and perhaps 10 assists, he'll have done enough I think.

[silhillvilla]

Anyone got the official attendance ?

[BoskoDjembaSalifou]

If he can chip in with 5-10 goals and perhaps 10 assists, he'll have done enough I think.

If he gets close to those targets, he'll have had a great season!

I agree he needs to start. Yes, he's frustrating, but you always feel like he's capable of making something out of nothing.

[Tony Erdington]

haven't read any posts.

my opinion,

I was at the game, and I am encouraged, obviously Delph was motm. Hutton I am proud of, some one in the wilderness and to come back and put the effort in, great.
the team look like a team and that is good enough for me.

sorry forgot Gabby put a shift in, which worries me cuz he generally turns up for 1 in 6

I love the Villa

[ciggiesnbeer]

It'd be nice to sign 1-2 more midfielders. Going on pre-season, to be honest I think Westwood has fallen behind KEA, and probably GG for me. He's very average. Karim has generally looks quite sharp to be fair.

Whoa, I missed the game but I know you do not rate KEA usually so Westwood must have been pretty poor. I really hope he has not "done a Lowton" formwise. I never rated Westwood but the idea of him getting worse with our paper thin midfield really scares me.

[claret and blue blood]

We definitely can't play a two man CM. We haven't got a good enough partner for Delphy. I'd play three in the middle, then Zoggy and Grealish ahead to provide some flair.

It'd be nice to sign 1-2 more midfielders. Going on pre-season, to be honest I think Westwood has fallen behind KEA, and probably GG for me. He's very average. Karim has generally looks quite sharp to be fair.

I'd probably go for this lot at Stoke:

Guzan

Hutton
Vlaar
Senderos
Cissokho

Delph
KEA
Richardson/Gardner

Grealish
Zogbia

Bent.

I don't think Stoke are the bruisers they were once were. Hughes has got them playing some football to be fair. I don't think we need to fill our side with every 6 footer we have.That is exactly the same lineup we came up with on the way home today,I know Parma were behind us in pre-season and may have tired ,but the best football we played was the last 15 minutes when Greakish ,Ahmadi and Gardner were on the pitch.

[Legion]

Dull first half, better second (highlight up to 4pm was eventually locating PWS). Grealish, Hutton and Delph impressed. Gabby and Weimann need a kick up the rear-end. The girls I was with really enjoyed themselves all day and the club did themselves proud with what they did for them. A few more converted Villa fans aswell to round things off.

[mr woo]

Think this pretty much confirmed what we already thought. We'll be more solid at the back, which is welcome after two years of rice paper defending, but it's so hard to see where the goals will come from without Benteke.

Hutton - Vlaar - Okore - Cissokho  looks a capable back four to me and shows the 'Lowton - Baker - Clark - Bennett' combo up for the joke it was.

Westwood needs replacing next, he'd do a good job for Wolves or the like but Premiership class? Not for me - nor has he ever been - disregarding talk of a dip in form.
As for Agbonlahor, for what he earns, has become a liability. Whatever he had he's lost and is now showing every sign of being a lazy sod too.

To my surprise, especially considering how dull the game was, I've actually come away a little more optimistic today. If we can add a battler in midfield (not to say Gary Gardner couldn't make the place his own) and a busy, clever little forward (in the Craig Bellamy mould) AND Benteke comes back as good as before AND he stays for the duration...y'know we actually might be ok this season.

[silhillvilla]

More importantly was the new pub open ?

[leylandalbion]

The thing about gabby is we only have one other option to play the number 9 role - and bent does a pretty good impression of lazing around doing fuck all as well

I'll keep on repeating it but a centre forward on a two month loan is a top priority for me. Even more than strengthening the midfield

I just can't see us scoring many at all with these players

What's Grant Holt doing these days?


Grant Holt played for wigan b in the lancs senior cup on Wednesday night at Leyland.  He was so disinterested it was untrue....let's not go there!

[LeeB]

Good stuff from Grealish.

Very distinctive with his funny 1940s spiv hair.

He reminds me of Father Damien from Father Ted.

[Dan England]

Better in the second half. Grealish looks a real talent and most of our best 2nd half moments involved him. I don't think a Villa youngen has excited me quite as much since Darius to be honest. Grealish has skill, he glides with the ball at his feet, and he's clever with it too. I say we chuck Grealish in early season and see how he does. He looks more than able enough to get into this side. It did Everton no harm with Barkley. Jack looks every bit as comfortable a footballer as Ross, even if he lacks his physique, and well shorn hair. We need a spark. We need someone to brighten things, and a lad like Grealish getting a good chance to shine, might just be that.

Hutton was okay again. Looks like he's first choice RB at the moment.

Westwood was poor. Too contemplative on the ball and not quick witted enough. I think KEA has actually looked better than him in pre-season and possibly should be pushing to partner Delph in the opening game.

Stevens did alright and actually looks like he may have stepped ahead of Bennett in the pecking order. He's poor going forward but he's less frightening at that defending lark than Gordon Bennett.

Okore always looks composed but he chances his luck a little too much at the back when he's on the ball. I think Senderos will get the nod to partner Vlaar next week as I suspect Lambo will opt for experience. Philippe was okay today to be fair.

Gabby and Weimann were poor. Bent got almost no service when he came on, but you expect Bent to be quiet. He almost nabbed the game at the end, which would have been typical of him.

Creativity is a big problem. For me, I'd load our midfield. 3 in the middle, two flair players (Zog and Grealish) and leave Bent up on his own. I don't think we can afford to play Gabby and Weimann together as neither really creates much, or looks like getting on the end of chances and scoring. I'd replace them with an attacking mid and Bent in the side. Bent has a part to play I think, but you can only afford one striker who does nothing all game. For me, of the three, it has to be Bent because he's the one most likely to find space and tuck away a chance. 4-3-2-1, Bent through the middle.

Agree with all of that. Grealish has a lot of Waddle about him looks wise and style wise, he has that almost lazy swagger about him.