Tommy Elphick - signed for Huddersfield

[Des Little]

I'd go so far to say he'd make my all-time worst Villa XI. And I've been going since 1978.

[brian green]

He would walk into my worst Villa XI and I have been going since George Cummings and Mush Callaghan had hair.

[peter w]

And I thought his signing would guarantee nous at the back and promotion. He's crap.

[achilles]

Hopefully the person who recommended him is no longer at the club?

[brian green]

He is the worst sort of crap because it is all in his head. Nerves, hesitancy, defeatism, fear.  You can't get rid of those with a bottle of embrocation or a bonding break in Benidorm.  Gardner and Kozak are crap because they have had horrific injuries.  Elphick is crap because he has mental issues.  The fact that I am very, very sorry for him does not alter the fact that somebody did not do their job assessing him and we should never have bought him.

[Rigadon]

'Mental issues' deserving pity seems a bit OTT to me, but he does look like a player who has arrived at a much bigger club and the expectation has overwhelmed him a bit.  Off given he was originally bought as captain.  There again, we did the same with Micah Richards...

[adrenachrome]

He is the worst sort of crap because it is all in his head. Nerves, hesitancy, defeatism, fear.  You can't get rid of those with a bottle of embrocation or a bonding break in Benidorm.  Gardner and Kozak are crap because they have had horrific injuries.  Elphick is crap because he has mental issues.  The fact that I am very, very sorry for him does not alter the fact that somebody did not do their job assessing him and we should never have bought him.

This is the class of thing that sports psychologists are adapt at fixing, so I have heard.

[chrisw1]

He is the worst sort of crap because it is all in his head. Nerves, hesitancy, defeatism, fear.  You can't get rid of those with a bottle of embrocation or a bonding break in Benidorm.  Gardner and Kozak are crap because they have had horrific injuries.  Elphick is crap because he has mental issues.  The fact that I am very, very sorry for him does not alter the fact that somebody did not do their job assessing him and we should never have bought him.

Brian

People chuck stuff out on this forum as if it is fact, when really it's just conjecture.  How on earth do you know Elphick has a mental issue here and if he is a little low on confidence does this really go to the lengths of defeatism and fear?

I just see a player out of form, partly through lack of first team game time and partly through maybe just not being that good.  When you hear people talk about his presence in the dressing room etc (eg Bruce not wanting to leave him out) there is no hint of defeatism and fear.  Really it's just stuff amateur psychologists make up on a football forum.

[sid1964]

It seems to me that whenever we concede a goal or don't play well, we have to have a player who is totally to blame the world famous "scapegoat", this season it is Elphick, next season it will be someone else's turn

If you play for the Villa long enough, don't worry we will get round to you and blame you for all the problems on the pitch!

Earlier in the season Jedinak, was described as rubbish & we need to get rid etc..., now supposedly he is the player that we need back in the team. Last season Bacuna got dogs abuse now we should be playing him.

If the pie was not hot enough on Saturday, some on here would say it was Elphick's fault

[LeeB]

Elphick is not being scapegoated, he is actually terrible. So terrible, I'd actually play Richards in front of him.

[PeterWithesShin]

Elphick starts a league game and our record is W2 D8 L8. When he doesn't start W6 D4 L2

[KevinGage]

It seems to me that whenever we concede a goal or don't play well, we have to have a player who is totally to blame the world famous "scapegoat", this season it is Elphick, next season it will be someone else's turn

If you play for the Villa long enough, don't worry we will get round to you and blame you for all the problems on the pitch!

Earlier in the season Jedinak, was described as rubbish & we need to get rid etc..., now supposedly he is the player that we need back in the team. Last season Bacuna got dogs abuse now we should be playing him.

If the pie was not hot enough on Saturday, some on here would say it was Elphick's fault

Maybe it's because Bacuna, Jedinak and Elphick have all been shit in their own special way?

With Bacuna it was more attitude and delusions of grandeur rather than total shitness (not that he's as great as he seems to think he is either).

I wouldn't be distraught to see all three depart in the summer.

[aj2k77]

Why is it scapegoating whenever a player who is undoubtedly performing poor is called out for it?

[Des Little]

Elphick is not being scapegoated, he is actually terrible. So terrible, I'd actually play Richards in front of him.

Me too.  Keith Richards.

[LeeB]

Elphick is not being scapegoated, he is actually terrible. So terrible, I'd actually play Richards in front of him.

Me too.  Keith Richards.

Or Wendy.