Aston Villa vs Everton Post-Match Thread

[supertom]

Got to agree about the comments on N'Zogbia. He's so ineffective, he's not worth a starting place at all.

Unfortunately it just looks more and more like he's a busted flush. He's always been inconsistent but at his best could turn a game. I'm not sure he's got it in him any more, not least any of the desire to.
The sooner we can get him and Bent off the wages, the better.

I personally think Bent could still do a job. Maybe not to the extent he did, but he knows where the net is and good strikers don't lose that.

In theory he could. But the reality is we're creating nothing at the moment and carrying Bent would make us look even worse. I think Lamberts reluctance to play with any width (aside from our fullbacks) is a problem because we're largely nullifying an area where we could be supplying strikers like Benteke and Bent.

[PeterWithesShin]

The problem we have with Zog is that he is most likely to find some form by playing which will help his confidence, but isn't playing well enough to warrant starting.

[silhillvilla]

Equally I remember the clamour for Owen Coyle only a few years ago.

Have to admit I was one who quite liked Coyle

Out of work for almost a year after being sacked by Wigan after less than 6 months!

[PeterWithesShin]

I reckon Bent is more of a busted flush than Zog is. Bent is never going to get the pace back he has lost which was a big part of his game, those first few yards. Best examplke I can think of is against Orient there was a great ball played through to him and the Bent of a few years ago would have 100% got away from the defender and got a shot away, probably on target, as it was he just about managed to keep possession and had to turn away from goal.

[Richard E]

Equally I remember the clamour for Owen Coyle only a few years ago.

Have to admit I was one who quite liked Coyle

Out of work for almost a year after being sacked by Wigan after less than 6 months!

Let's go and get him then! He must be desperate enough to come to Villa by now.

[PeterWithesShin]

I never liked Owen Coyle, his freaky bird face made me instantly dislike him.

[Goldie.7]

Interesting that Lerner has started attending again , wasn't he at the CiŁy game too ? I wonder why ?

I'm not sure about the City game but he was there for the other 0-3 defeat against Arsenal, the man is cursed.

[silhillvilla]

I reckon Bent is more of a busted flush than Zog is. Bent is never going to get the pace back he has lost which was a big part of his game, those first few yards. Best examplke I can think of is against Orient there was a great ball played through to him and the Bent of a few years ago would have 100% got away from the defender and got a shot away, probably on target, as it was he just about managed to keep possession and had to turn away from goal.

He needs to lose about 2 stone.

[Dave Pountney]

My considered view, as a fan of over 50 years, is that the club is in very deep trouble. All the tell-tale danger signs, familiar to those of us who lived through the mid 60s and mid 80s, are there for everyone to see. Consecutive years of struggle, a malfunctioning and non-productive youth scheme, poor leadership, inept coaching and management, want-away players, chaotic financial arrangements, disinterested, semi-detached owner; we tick more or less every box that says "Guaranteed Relegation".

The decline is probably too endemic and deep-seated to be halted now, although the removal of this almost comically inept Manager might be a start. That said, he's only top of the bill in the large cast of incompetent clowns running the club at all levels. Has anyone noticed the recent results of the Under 21 and Under 18 sides? They're frightening. Under 21s stuffed by the Albion 4-1 and the Under 18s humiliated by Chelsea 12-2. Almost no aspect of our football club is being managed or run competently.

The chaos and shambles runs deep and only a change of ownership can save us. In truth, we really should have been relegated under McLeish three years ago and last season under Lambert. They were the worst two Villa sides I've seen since 1987 and, before that, possibly 1967, certainly in the top flight. In a properly functioning business the people who have presided over this calamity would have been thrown to the wolves and replaced long ago. A mixture of indecision, cluelessness, complacency and arrogance has got us to where we are today and the buck must stop with Randy Lerner, now some five years past his sell by date.

If he can't/won't sell then we'll be a Championship club within two years.

[walsall villain]

I reckon Bent is more of a busted flush than Zog is. Bent is never going to get the pace back he has lost which was a big part of his game, those first few yards. Best examplke I can think of is against Orient there was a great ball played through to him and the Bent of a few years ago would have 100% got away from the defender and got a shot away, probably on target, as it was he just about managed to keep possession and had to turn away from goal.

It wasn't just once in that game was it? Reminds me of Andy Gray during his second spell with us, tried to make the runs like he used to but couldn't get first to the ball.
In hindsight it was another big risk assuming N'Zogbia would reach the level needed after a year out.

[pauliewalnuts]

The chaos and shambles runs deep and only a change of ownership can save us. In truth, we really should have been relegated under McLeish three years ago and last season under Lambert. They were the worst two Villa sides I've seen since 1987 and, before that, possibly 1967, certainly in the top flight. In a properly functioning business the people who have presided over this calamity would have been thrown to the wolves and replaced long ago. A mixture of indecision, cluelessness, complacency and arrogance has got us to where we are today and the buck must stop with Randy Lerner, now some five years past his sell by date.

If he can't/won't sell then we'll be a Championship club within two years.

I have to say, I agree.

It feels like we've been dodging relegation the last few years as Wigan did, and that - like Wigan - we're ultimately going to fail, and go down.

[Goldie.7]

Bent needs to get his arse in gear pronto, he looks overweight and disinterested lately hence the reason why we have to play a 20% fit Benteke and the other waste of space Gabby instead.

[Clampy]

I reckon Bent is more of a busted flush than Zog is. Bent is never going to get the pace back he has lost which was a big part of his game, those first few yards. Best examplke I can think of is against Orient there was a great ball played through to him and the Bent of a few years ago would have 100% got away from the defender and got a shot away, probably on target, as it was he just about managed to keep possession and had to turn away from goal.

In fairness, he hasn't played a lot of football of late, he probably needs games. I'm not saying he's the answer but I wouldn't totally write him off just yet either.

[pauliewalnuts]

Bent needs to get his arse in gear pronto, he looks overweight and disinterested lately hence the reason why we have to play a 20% fit Benteke and the other waste of space Gabby instead.

I fear Bent is beyond redemption.

[walsall villain]

My considered view, as a fan of over 50 years, is that the club is in very deep trouble. All the tell-tale danger signs, familiar to those of us who lived through the mid 60s and mid 80s, are there for everyone to see. Consecutive years of struggle, a malfunctioning and non-productive youth scheme, poor leadership, inept coaching and management, want-away players, chaotic financial arrangements, disinterested, semi-detached owner; we tick more or less every box that says "Guaranteed Relegation".

The decline is probably too endemic and deep-seated to be halted now, although the removal of this almost comically inept Manager might be a start. That said, he's only top of the bill in the large cast of incompetent clowns running the club at all levels. Has anyone noticed the recent results of the Under 21 and Under 18 sides? They're frightening. Under 21s stuffed by the Albion 4-1 and the Under 18s humiliated by Chelsea 12-2. Almost no aspect of our football club is being managed or run competently.

The chaos and shambles runs deep and only a change of ownership can save us. In truth, we really should have been relegated under McLeish three years ago and last season under Lambert. They were the worst two Villa sides I've seen since 1987 and, before that, possibly 1967, certainly in the top flight. In a properly functioning business the people who have presided over this calamity would have been thrown to the wolves and replaced long ago. A mixture of indecision, cluelessness, complacency and arrogance has got us to where we are today and the buck must stop with Randy Lerner, now some five years past his sell by date.

If he can't/won't sell then we'll be a Championship club within two years.

I have also witnessed the relegation struggles you mention, I am amazed we have avoided the drop so far to be honest. In this era getting new owners guarantees nothing but I agree Lerner just doesn't seem to make the right calls.