Quote from: Legion on February 22, 2021, 11:13:53 PMQuote from: TelfordVilla on February 22, 2021, 11:12:15 PMPeter Schmchael was our player not some waster on loanHis contract stipulated that he had to start if fit.Not quite, if this article is to be believed. https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2002/0412/163431-astonvilla/I am not surprised gentlemen's agreements may be in place sometimes but that is not the same as having it written into a formal contract. Of course, Smith/Villa may have a non-contractual agreement with Barkley/Chelsea that amounts to the same thing in practice.
Quote from: TelfordVilla on February 22, 2021, 11:12:15 PMPeter Schmchael was our player not some waster on loanHis contract stipulated that he had to start if fit.
Peter Schmchael was our player not some waster on loan
Quote from: dave.woodhall on February 22, 2021, 03:16:43 PMAs has been said before, if you loan a player then there is an understanding that if you don't play him you haven't as much chance of getting another loan from the same club (and before anyone says how terrible it is that we're doing what Chelsea want how low have we fallen, that's the current reality). Plus, managers sometimes fancy, or don't, a player, as we saw with Lansbury, who was given every chance before he got binned. I really do hope that our chances of future success aren't based on Chelsea loaning us any more players. It was fine when we were in the Championship needing to get out, and excusable this season taking a chance on Barkley, but next year will be our third year back, so I hope that we'll just be looking to buy the players we need to continue to improve. By my reckoning they us more than we owe them anyway, after paying some of Drinkwater's wages last year, and now doing the same with Barkley.
As has been said before, if you loan a player then there is an understanding that if you don't play him you haven't as much chance of getting another loan from the same club (and before anyone says how terrible it is that we're doing what Chelsea want how low have we fallen, that's the current reality). Plus, managers sometimes fancy, or don't, a player, as we saw with Lansbury, who was given every chance before he got binned.
Overall form-wise we don't look much different to any other team in the 5th-10th places. Over the last 5 games we've picked up exactly the same number of points as Everton, for example, and considerably more than Spurs have.I think just a bit of patience with Dean and all would go a long way. We're now (IMO) looking like a top half team. Not one of the heavyweights, but not a side who many sides will expect to get 6pts off either.
I think our last 10 games (I know selective) points is pushing relegation form. This has to be addressed quickly, our inability to rotate the squad is going to hurt us. Ross Barkley SJM and Douglas Luis ,are all underperforming we have midfielders in the squad, who are of an unknown quality, give each one them 4 starts and the aforementioned trio a rest.
Quote from: Risso on February 22, 2021, 03:32:51 PMQuote from: dave.woodhall on February 22, 2021, 03:16:43 PMAs has been said before, if you loan a player then there is an understanding that if you don't play him you haven't as much chance of getting another loan from the same club (and before anyone says how terrible it is that we're doing what Chelsea want how low have we fallen, that's the current reality). Plus, managers sometimes fancy, or don't, a player, as we saw with Lansbury, who was given every chance before he got binned. I really do hope that our chances of future success aren't based on Chelsea loaning us any more players. It was fine when we were in the Championship needing to get out, and excusable this season taking a chance on Barkley, but next year will be our third year back, so I hope that we'll just be looking to buy the players we need to continue to improve. By my reckoning they us more than we owe them anyway, after paying some of Drinkwater's wages last year, and now doing the same with Barkley.I’m not too hung up on loans, they serve a purpose for the biggest of clubs. I’d much rather Barkley turning these performances in knowing that we can give him back instead of thinking, shit, we’ve just spunked £40m on him. Saying that the loan fee of £11m, I heard ,feels like a transfer and judging by Smith’s selections he feels the same.
Quote from: Drummond on February 22, 2021, 01:42:33 PMQuote from: Risso on February 22, 2021, 12:13:42 PMThe last ten games have seen us average a point a game, which after a great start to the season is really disappointing, and in terms of points extrapolated over a season is staying up by the skin of your teeth territory. We're also back to giving up c.20 shots a game, which is the problem we had all season up until the break last year. Given how much the first team has improved, what's gone wrong?11 Points from last 10 matches. Losses to Man City (isn't everyone) Man Utd (typical), Burnley (how the fuck did that happen?), West ham (great run in Chumps League places), and Leicester (doing really well). The only one to be really disappointed with would be Burnley in my view though West Ham potentially too.Draws to Chelsea (not bad really), Brighton (the form team other than Man City).Wins against Newcastle (quite right too), Southampton (good result that), and Arsenal (another positive result).Chelsea - DMan Utd - LMan City - LNewcastle - WBurnley - LSouthampton - WWest Ham - LArsenal - WBrighton - DLeicester - LI don't think those results look to bad in the context of where we finished last season and in the way we're developing. Over the course of the season, we're doing better than we would probably have expected to, but it's a shame our earlier really promising form has dropped off a bit.I think it's the drop-off in form in the way we've played that's causing concern. I don't think there is a fan on these pages who wouldn't have snapped your hand off for 36 points and 8th place after 23 games before a ball was kicked this season. The problem is that compared to 25 points after 13 games (I think that's what we had?) it feels a bit like we've fallen away lately? Swap those two bits of form around (25 points from the most recent 13 games) and everyone would be happy, and feel like we're progressing nicely as a team. But having started the way we did, and seeing a few bad habits from last season creep back in (like the number of shots we're conceding), you can't help but feel a *little* disappointed with things right now. Of course, a couple of wins will change that very easily!
Quote from: Risso on February 22, 2021, 12:13:42 PMThe last ten games have seen us average a point a game, which after a great start to the season is really disappointing, and in terms of points extrapolated over a season is staying up by the skin of your teeth territory. We're also back to giving up c.20 shots a game, which is the problem we had all season up until the break last year. Given how much the first team has improved, what's gone wrong?11 Points from last 10 matches. Losses to Man City (isn't everyone) Man Utd (typical), Burnley (how the fuck did that happen?), West ham (great run in Chumps League places), and Leicester (doing really well). The only one to be really disappointed with would be Burnley in my view though West Ham potentially too.Draws to Chelsea (not bad really), Brighton (the form team other than Man City).Wins against Newcastle (quite right too), Southampton (good result that), and Arsenal (another positive result).Chelsea - DMan Utd - LMan City - LNewcastle - WBurnley - LSouthampton - WWest Ham - LArsenal - WBrighton - DLeicester - LI don't think those results look to bad in the context of where we finished last season and in the way we're developing. Over the course of the season, we're doing better than we would probably have expected to, but it's a shame our earlier really promising form has dropped off a bit.
The last ten games have seen us average a point a game, which after a great start to the season is really disappointing, and in terms of points extrapolated over a season is staying up by the skin of your teeth territory. We're also back to giving up c.20 shots a game, which is the problem we had all season up until the break last year. Given how much the first team has improved, what's gone wrong?
Eminently preferable to an 'exciting' relegation dog-fight.
Quote from: Legion on February 23, 2021, 12:21:30 PMEminently preferable to an 'exciting' relegation dog-fight.There is a bit of me that actually likes being involved right to the end of the season.