Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

Doodee · 23-01-2013 4:02pm

I missed the game last night. Sounds like I was lucky.
I'm not so happy about us not having a cup run as the wins would be good for team confidence. Remember the last time we exited a cup to with the focus on the league?

We have a big problem with what seems to be no plan b. Some have said about our lack of wingers which limits our game considerably. Combine that with a poor midfield and we look like a team with no tactics.

I wouldn't be in favour of Adkins being appointed, nor RDM. The former was not perform that well. Look at their position in the league. Granted they were on a run of good form and played some nice football but they spent similar to Villa during the summer and didn't have much more to show for it.
RDM is also unproven. Yes he is credited with winning the champs league but that was with a very different team to what he would have at Villa. The most comparable would be his WBA tenure.
If the manager is replaced then you need a relegation avoid specialist. The most reputable is already at WHU.
The fans are also to carry some of the blame. Has the last game of last season already been forgotten? The chairman gave us what we asked for and are we not going to give him the season? I'm not trying to say anyone is wrong but during the darkest of days over the past 3 seasons we have given the managers their chance to turn it around and we narrowly avoided relegation each time. Not condoning the clubs appointments at all but if Eck was given a season then by rights so should PL.
I think we got what we asked for before so hopefully we will see the same happen before the window closes. Everyone and their dog says that we need experience on the pitch so hopefully PL has learned from any mistakes to date and will either bring that in or use what is already there.
The Newcastle game is the most important one for this club in some time. Hope is not a strategy so affirmative action will be needed.

Not too sure where I'm going with this post just blurting my thoughts, but we do need to start looking at fixing the issues rather than complaining and just being negative. That goes for the staff as well as the fans.

quarryman · 23-01-2013 4:02pm

Reading this thread as a Leeds fan is like reading about my club 10 years ago.

I've felt so low of a Villa fan really.

Honestly, if this is as low as you've then count yourself lucky. Go through relegation, administration, relegation again, 15 point deduction then playoff final defeat and then come back to me...

CSF · 23-01-2013 4:30pm

Doodee wrote: »

I missed the game last night. Sounds like I was lucky.
I'm not so happy about us not having a cup run as the wins would be good for team confidence. Remember the last time we exited a cup to with the focus on the league?

We have a big problem with what seems to be no plan b. Some have said about our lack of wingers which limits our game considerably. Combine that with a poor midfield and we look like a team with no tactics.

I wouldn't be in favour of Adkins being appointed, nor RDM. The former was not perform that well. Look at their position in the league. Granted they were on a run of good form and played some nice football but they spent similar to Villa during the summer and didn't have much more to show for it.
RDM is also unproven. Yes he is credited with winning the champs league but that was with a very different team to what he would have at Villa. The most comparable would be his WBA tenure.
If the manager is replaced then you need a relegation avoid specialist. The most reputable is already at WHU.
The fans are also to carry some of the blame. Has the last game of last season already been forgotten? The chairman gave us what we asked for and are we not going to give him the season? I'm not trying to say anyone is wrong but during the darkest of days over the past 3 seasons we have given the managers their chance to turn it around and we narrowly avoided relegation each time. Not condoning the clubs appointments at all but if Eck was given a season then by rights so should PL.
I think we got what we asked for before so hopefully we will see the same happen before the window closes. Everyone and their dog says that we need experience on the pitch so hopefully PL has learned from any mistakes to date and will either bring that in or use what is already there.
The Newcastle game is the most important one for this club in some time. Hope is not a strategy so affirmative action will be needed.

Not too sure where I'm going with this post just blurting my thoughts, but we do need to start looking at fixing the issues rather than complaining and just being negative. That goes for the staff as well as the fans.

Why would you give him the season when he is clearly going to get the club relegated? What sense does that make?

Esse85 · 23-01-2013 4:46pm

Doodee wrote: »

The fans are also to carry some of the blame.

How are the fans to blame?

RL owns the club, he runs things, he hired PL to manage the club. The fans are just expected to go along and support the decisions made by non footballing men.

Patser · 23-01-2013 5:48pm

On the bright side, win or draw against Milwall and we're on a 3 match unbeaten run.

Esse85 · 23-01-2013 6:18pm

Taken from the Liverpool thread, I'd be open to something like this, can't do any worse than we are at present:

Have Liverpool 'Flops' Been Fixed By Brain Mechanic?
Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson look like new players in recent weeks. Is it a coincidence that Liverpool appointed a man known as the 'brain mechanic'?

Before playing Manchester United earlier this month, Brendan Rodgers talked about how he had restored some value to Jordan Henderson, Jose Enrique and Stewart Downing. In fairness to Liverpool's manager, even his archest critics would have to agree that each has been much improved of late - even if the Rodgers spiel smacked of more than a little self-promotion. So what could be behind the changes that have left all three players looking, well, decent?

Perhaps it was an encouraging arm round the shoulder from the gaffer or even fear of Brendan's sinister Derren Brown envelopes that has brought about the improvement. Or maybe the impending transfer window helped focus the players' minds. Perhaps it was a combination of all of these things - or none of them at all. It could simply be that each has just settled down to life at Anfield and found their feet.

But there is another interesting possibility - Brendan Rodgers' decision to hire the man they call the 'brain mechanic', Dr Steve Peters, at the tail end of November. Some of you will have recognised the name immediately. For those who are unfamiliar with the good doctor, Peters is the sports psychiatrist who was seen as central to the overwhelming success of the British Cycling squad in recent years.

When plotting the road to success for the cyclists, their lauded manager Dave Brailsford sought to assemble a team of experts not just to manage the athletes - but to support them in every conceivable way, both mental and physical.

Brailsford is a great believer in the idea that a focus on small details can bring numerous incremental gains, the kinds of gains that can make the difference in top level sport. Peters was headhunted to strengthen the 'mental architecture' of the likes of Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton, and if their testimony is anything to go by, he succeeded in furnishing them with a critical mental edge.

Brendan Rodgers holds similar beliefs to Brailsford - and without the money to compete in the transfer market with the league's big guns, feels he must explore other ways to chip away at their advantage. In making the appointment, the Liverpool manager explained that with so much emphasis in football being placed on technical, tactical and physical training, the mental side of things can be ignored.

Peters has been hired to address this issue. As a psychiatrist, he will delve deeper than the sports psychologists that are now commonly used by football clubs and do more than just coach positive thinking techniques. Peters focuses on identifying flaws in an athlete's mental architecture, flaws that when the pressure is on will undermine any positive thinking technique and inhibit the athlete's performance. The brain mechanic offers an enabling approach that helps athletes manage the way they operate under pressure, with the emphasis on differentiating between emotional and logical thinking. The logical part of the brain, according to Peters, is what an athlete must access to enhance performance; the emotional, irrational part of the brain, the source of doubts that foster inhibition and cloud decision making, must be switched off.

Definitively ascertaining whether an athlete's performance is improving because of psychiatric consultation is extremely difficult - something Peters freely admitted to Brailsford when initially asked to work with the cycling squad. But according to Peters (in an interview for the Leaders in Performance organisation last year) Brailsford "accepted that while some things can't be measured, you can still recognise the outcomes. That outcome may not be directly attributable to the psych work but it correlates with it. In other words when you start seeing trends and correlations, it's clear that it's working".

Could this explain the improvement we are seeing in Henderson, Downing, Enrqiue - and even in Joe Cole (now back at West Ham)? Henderson's brilliant goal and Downing's wonderful assist in Saturday's thrashing of Norwich are obvious examples of growing confidence. But pehaps the longer-term trend has been a discernible change in attitude in both players. For far too long, both played in fear - concerned about abuse from the stands, they kept things simple, did everything easy, kept the ball red. But neither was really impacting the game - neither was doing what they were bought to do. Downing's inhibitions became all the more glaring when you compared his efforts to the fearless, positive play of Raheem Sterling.

But in recent months, you can see a change, most marked in the willingness of both players to try things, to be positive, to affect the game. Are these the kinds of outcomes that Peters talked about with Brailsford? Who knows for sure - but there is a correlation, at least in terms of time, with Peters' appointment by Rodgers and the improved form of the two England internationals (and cole and Enrique).

If Peters had not gained renown with the all-conquering cycling team, his appointment might just be seen as more hocus-pocus from Rodgers. But given his reputation, the man who earlier in his career spent 12 years working to make dangerous psychotics less of a threat to society, might well be at least partly responsible for making Downing and Henderson more of a menace to Premier League opponents.

Paul Little - find him on Twitter @little_football

Corholio · 23-01-2013 6:59pm

listermint wrote: »

Wouldnt blame him for the corner thats standard fare, but granted on the rest.

The defending of said corner was the problem Vlaar looking at the ground when he should be looking for the ball being a core issue.

He had the ball, waited way too long and ended up giving away a corner stupidly. Giving teams chances to score can be just as dumb as making a mistake for the goal.

Corholio · 23-01-2013 7:02pm

Esse85 wrote: »

Imagine if Benteke gets injured.

That surely deserves a ban from here :pac:

Doodee · 23-01-2013 8:30pm

Esse85 wrote: »

How are the fans to blame?

RL owns the club, he runs things, he hired PL to manage the club. The fans are just expected to go along and support the decisions made by non footballing men.

The fans were chanting for PL at the end of last season. Most fans were delighted when he was appointed. Some of those fans are still behind him but others are no longer.
We've been in a very similar situation over the past 3 seasons, with every year it being worse than the last. We've probably spent more money on Managers than we have a decent midfielder.
PL has had the worst of the lot to recover from. At least Eck could call on Petrov to rally the troops but he is not there for team this season and was not replaced. Vlaar seems like a great leader but maybe he doesn't fit the team who knows.
Some of PL's signings have been bad, and some are good. I do agree that Bent should be playing as his pedigree is proven but I don't agree that all the blame should be squarely on PL's shoulders. Nor do I think that sacking the manager and replacing him will do anything more than cause another compensation payout.
That money would be better spent backing the current manager and trying to avoid the drop. PL seems like a clever enough guy and the big difference between him and Eck is that he is showing the stress of not performing. Eck just didn't give a ****.

partyguinness · 23-01-2013 9:52pm

I was at the game last night...a toasty -2 and snowing...

The team has no spine and I mean in the sense of experience. Since my last time at Villa Park the following players have gone (for various reasons):

Freidel,
Dunne (who by all accounts will not play for Villa again),
Collins,
Warnock,
Luke Young,
Luke Moore
Cuelluer,
Petrov,
Ashley Young,
Heskey,
Downing,
Milner,
Gareth Barry,
Reo-Coker,
Gardner.

That's 15 senior players that have not been replaced. There were players out there last night that should be in the Championship on loan gaining experience not subjected to that torture. Take Ciaran Clarke...not only has he been thrown in at the deep end..he has been captain for most of the last few months. I felt a little sorry for these guys but then I think about their contracts.

Bradford (not sure how it looked on TV) didnt even have to try very hard. I cannot recall a save their goalie made in the 2nd half. The Bradford goal was a real killer...just after the break..,really knocked the stuffing out of Villa.

It was unreal at time..Villa just did not know what to do. They should have slaughtered them...no one was prepared to take on the full backs. I found myself missing James Milner. They looked like the had never seen each other before. Stephen Ireland was their main (sorry..only) source of creativity but most time he had not choice but to pass sideways as the forward just stood around looking at the ball.

It was long ball stuff...high balls into the square and hope for a knock down. I was getting flashbacks of Niall Quinn in his pomp.

I am afraid Villa do not have the bottle or the players to stay up.

The best craic of the night was watching the snow fall off the roofs onto the subs warming up...

partyguinness · 23-01-2013 10:00pm

Esse85 wrote: »

Also that tackle he made in injury time when he picked up the yellow card was juvenile.

He's not imposing enough to be a CM and for those that say look at Xavi, well Delph's ability on the ball is nowhere near Xavi's. If Delph improved his tackling he might make an ok LB.

I was quite close to that tackle in the stand... I thought he would get a straight red it was so rash..TBH I think becuase the Bradford lad gets harder slaps of his daughter that he just brushed it off.

Eathrin · 24-01-2013 12:54am

I can't help but feel that the only way is up for this young side.
Staying up this season will be absolutely crucial to this club's future successes.

CSF · 24-01-2013 1:41am

Doodee wrote: »

The fans were chanting for PL at the end of last season. Most fans were delighted when he was appointed. Some of those fans are still behind him but others are no longer.
We've been in a very similar situation over the past 3 seasons, with every year it being worse than the last. We've probably spent more money on Managers than we have a decent midfielder.
PL has had the worst of the lot to recover from. At least Eck could call on Petrov to rally the troops but he is not there for team this season and was not replaced. Vlaar seems like a great leader but maybe he doesn't fit the team who knows.
Some of PL's signings have been bad, and some are good. I do agree that Bent should be playing as his pedigree is proven but I don't agree that all the blame should be squarely on PL's shoulders. Nor do I think that sacking the manager and replacing him will do anything more than cause another compensation payout.
That money would be better spent backing the current manager and trying to avoid the drop. PL seems like a clever enough guy and the big difference between him and Eck is that he is showing the stress of not performing. Eck just didn't give a ****.

But eh he is going to get Villa relegated.

Doodee · 24-01-2013 10:16am

CSF wrote: »

But eh he is going to get Villa relegated.

Same things were being touted for Eck and GH. The latter had the same alienation towards some of the more senior players.
I guess the nail in the coffin will be the Newcastle game but I'd rather remain optimistic even with the slightest chance. I like to think that if the team avoids relegation this season then the real benefits will be seen next season as the team norms and is added too, with some of the non-performers being moved on or loaned out.
I can't see those things happen if we constantly change management. I think that just contributes to how the club has fallen so far in 3 years.

Neil3030 · 24-01-2013 12:40pm

God it's hard to believe that it's only a month yesterday since the shoeing at Stamford Bridge, which ignited this horrendous run of form.

Our league form since reads 0W 2D 4L. We've also been knocked out of the League Cup.

A solitary victory against Ipswich in the FA Cup has been the only shard of positivity.

Feels like an eternity.

listermint · 24-01-2013 1:16pm

Appears to be news across the VT stratosphere that Lerner has stated he wont be opening his pockets this window.

matrim · 24-01-2013 1:26pm

listermint wrote: »

Appears to be news across the VT stratosphere that Lerner has stated he wont be opening his pockets this window.

If true then he must want us to go down, because there is no way he can look at the current state of the squad and not see that we need a couple of players

Feidhlim · 24-01-2013 1:44pm

Ok gunna throw it out there -

I want Lambert to stay, for now.

He has come in and been bold with his choices. His signings are unproven and although some have been sub standard, they are young and can improve. Some have already added to the price we paid. Benteke, Guzan, Westwood and Lowton both to an extent.

Things look awful at the moment. We can't defend and Lamberts tactics on Tuesday were terrible. He has made questionable decisions before but that was the first time he has made awful ones. These are massive issues and failings he needs to address.

Even then, if we sack him we move backwards in my opinion. He is building something.

My new found hatred is going towards Lerner. He has made it clear he wont give funds. Lambert said in late December he was hoping to make signings. Now he says he is happy with the team he's got.

I know Lambert is prepared enough to have identified his targets months ago for this window. He would have also considered the financial contraints and identified loan targets.

I think Lerner isn't even willing to fund loan targets right now.

A couple of strong loan signings would get us over the line this season but we can't get them.

What hope would a new manager have without any funds to continue the rebuild?

Francie Barrett · 24-01-2013 1:57pm

Linked with Jeff Hendrick - http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/lambert-looks-to-sign-hendrick-3363409.html

Patser · 24-01-2013 2:24pm

Something that might free up funds (or wages for a loan)

1058:
TRANSFER LATEST

Leeds United have entered the bidding to sign Stephen Warnock, 31, report the Yorkshire Evening Post.

They have approached Aston Villa about a loan deal for the out-of-favour left-back.

The paper says that both Leeds and Wolverhampton Wanderers have expressed a firm interest in Warnock, who spent the first half of this season on loan at Bolton Wanderers.

Raekwon · 24-01-2013 2:29pm

With only a week to go in the transfer window and absolutely no solid leads to date I think it's safe to say that we probably won't be strengthening the squad.

If that's that case then we are going to have to rely on an incredibly amount of luck and to have absolutely no injuries between now and the end of the season.

Hopefully Richard Dunne comes back very soon as I'd like to see Ciaran Clark being pushed up into defensive midfield since we're obviously not going to sign a player for this position.

I'd like to see a formation similar to this, but when we inevitably pick up a few injuries along the way we could be forced to play the likes of Bennett & Bannan and then we'll be in real trouble.

Guzan

Lowton

Vlaar

Dunne

Lichaj

Clark

Westwood

KEA/Delph

N'Zogbia/Ireland

Benteke

Gabby/Weimann/Bent

Esse85 · 24-01-2013 2:48pm

That's Lerner's way of saying f**k you to the fans. What an absolute word removed.

Esse85 · 24-01-2013 2:51pm

Lambert should be banging down Lerners door looking for funds, come out and tell us the owner was never gonna make funds available in the first place so.

CucaFace · 24-01-2013 2:53pm

Raekwon wrote: »

With only a week to go in the transfer window and absolutely no solid leads to date I think it's safe to say that we probably won't be strengthening the squad.

If that's that case then we are going to have to rely on an incredibly amount of luck and to have absolutely no injuries between now and the end of the season.

Hopefully Richard Dunne comes back very soon as I'd like to see Ciaran Clark being pushed up into defensive midfield since we're obviously not going to sign a player for this position.

I'd like to see a formation similar to this, but when we inevitably pick up a few injuries along the way we could be forced to play the likes of Bennett & Bannan and then we'll be in real trouble.

Guzan

Lowton
Vlaar
Dunne
Lichaj
Clark
Westwood
KEA/Delph
N'Zogbia/Ireland
Benteke
Gabby/Weimann/Bent

Im not a fan of Clark playing in that holding role really.

He was also badly found in that position before (not relly his fault as he out of his natural position) but he is just far too rash in his tackling and seems to me now to also lack the pace for the PL. And in that role i think he would add very little to the side.

I still think Stevens is the best of a very bad bunch at left back.

If we got just a half decent DM, then perhaps we could revert to a 442 formation that would give the team some actual shape and also offer our weak full backs some extra help in defending.

Just bring in someone to help Westwood in the CM as the 3 other options in Bannan, Delph and Ireland are pathtic excuses for PL players.

Up top id love to see Benteke paired with Weiman.

We are losing something when we play Weiman deeper.

Albrighton and N'Zogbia as the wingers PLAYING ON THEIR CORRECT SIDE.

Really the lack of a proper shape to our side is not helping.

jimmy the car · 24-01-2013 2:56pm

I know it prob won't make for pretty viewing anyway, but just noticed our game v Milwall is on tomorrow night 7.45 and it's only cup game on tomorrow. Been looking round few sites and can't believe for that reason that it's not televised. Why have it on then if not to show it on the box....

Doodee · 24-01-2013 3:05pm

jimmy the car wrote: »

I know it prob won't make for pretty viewing anyway, but just noticed our game v Milwall is on tomorrow night 7.45 and it's only cup game on tomorrow. Been looking round few sites and can't believe for that reason that it's not televised. Why have it on then if not to show it on the box....

I just hope that it is a weakened side that goes out to play, Newcastle will have a bigger rest period and fresh legs in their new signings. On that latter point I can only hope that they don't gel immediately and we can sneak a win from them.

jimmy the car · 24-01-2013 3:10pm

Doodee wrote: »

I just hope that it is a weakened side that goes out to play, Newcastle will have a bigger rest period and fresh legs in their new signings. On that latter point I can only hope that they don't gel immediately and we can sneak a win from them.

Unfortunately I don't really see there being any way we can put out a much weaker team than what we are at the minute, no one is preforming to any kind of acceptable standard bar maybe Benteke, without him we'd be even worse than what we are not not that that is really possible barring being rock bottom of the league.

Corholio · 24-01-2013 3:14pm

Feidhlim wrote: »

Ok gunna throw it out there -

I want Lambert to stay, for now.

He has come in and been bold with his choices. His signings are unproven and although some have been sub standard, they are young and can improve. Some have already added to the price we paid. Benteke, Guzan, Westwood and Lowton both to an extent.

Things look awful at the moment. We can't defend and Lamberts tactics on Tuesday were terrible. He has made questionable decisions before but that was the first time he has made awful ones. These are massive issues and failings he needs to address.

Since we got him on a free I'd hope he's added to his price :pac:

Lowton ain't much kop either to be honest, ain't worth much more than what we paid for him. A pretty poor so called wing back. I don't know why 'bold' should be seen as a positive thing.

I'm sick of this 'Lambert's building' stuff though. Building indicates starting from somewhere and continuing on that. Lambert should have started from getting players to retain the premier league status, instead he risked it by buying inexperienced mostly second rate players and throwing them into the side, and it's backfired spectacularly. Only Benteke and to an extent Westwood are any sort of successes.

Some hardly inspiring quotes from Lambert today:

"We don't want to spend money on players & then see the club in financial trouble if we go down"

death1234567 · 24-01-2013 3:26pm

jimmy the car wrote: »

I know it prob won't make for pretty viewing anyway, but just noticed our game v Milwall is on tomorrow night 7.45 and it's only cup game on tomorrow. Been looking round few sites and can't believe for that reason that it's not televised. Why have it on then if not to show it on the box....

I'm glad its not on telly, it means I don;t have to suffer thourgh watching that shower of ****e.

Esse85 · 24-01-2013 3:28pm

Corholio,he's building a team for the championship and don't you forget that.

Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

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