Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

L'prof · 27-02-2009 10:54AM

eagle eye wrote: »

The fact that Arsenal have more games might not be an advantage.

The fact that Aston Villa have less games is an advantage. The Villa team that played Chelsea looked jaded and that was their third game in ten days. O'Neill learned his lesson there and then and imo rightly left players behind for that Uefa Cup game yesterday.

You have one of the smallest squads in the PL, you need to just concentrate on one competition and the PL is most important both financially and for the betterment of the club. You make the Champion's League next season and the club becomes far more attractive and bigger names become interested in playing for Villa.

The only advantage is the points difference, looking at the fixtures here...I don't think Villa will be comfortable until the last 2 games, but if they drop many points in between the damage could already be done!

Aston Villa v Stoke Stubborn
Man City v Aston Villa Depends on how City play, could be tough
Aston Villa v Tottenham Depends on how Spurs play, could be tough
Liverpool v Aston Villa Tough
Man Utd v Aston Villa Tough
Aston Villa v Everton Tough
Aston Villa v West Ham Tough
Bolton v Aston Villa Stubborn
Aston Villa v Hull Stubborn
Fulham v Aston Villa Stubborn
Middlesbrough v Aston Villa Should be fine
Aston Villa v Newcastle Should be fine

Maybe, I should analyse Arsenals fixtures too, but I'll leave that to someone on here!

Helix · 27-02-2009 10:57AM

we should pick up 25 points from our remaining games, so the question really is whether arsenal will pick up 32 from theirs or not

L'prof · 27-02-2009 10:59AM

Helix wrote: »

we should pick up 25 points from our remaining games, so the question really is whether arsenal will pick up 32 from theirs or not

I don't see either happening to be honest!

eagle eye · 27-02-2009 11:00AM

jasonorr wrote: »

The only advantage is the points difference, looking at the fixtures here...I don't think Villa will be comfortable until the last 2 games, but if they drop many points in between the damage could already be done!

Aston Villa v Stoke Stubborn
Man City v Aston Villa Depends on how City play, could be tough
Aston Villa v Tottenham Depends on how Spurs play, could be tough
Liverpool v Aston Villa Tough
Man Utd v Aston Villa Tough
Aston Villa v Everton Tough
Aston Villa v West Ham Tough
Bolton v Aston Villa Stubborn
Aston Villa v Hull Stubborn
Fulham v Aston Villa Stubborn
Middlesbrough v Aston Villa Should be fine
Aston Villa v Newcastle Should be fine

Maybe, I should analyse Arsenals fixtures too, but I'll leave that to someone on here!

That has nothing to do with the points I made. You are talking about fixtures and likely outcomes, surely a jaded squad makes every game more perilous. That was my point.

L'prof · 27-02-2009 11:04AM

eagle eye wrote: »

That has nothing to do with the points I made. You are talking about fixtures and likely outcomes, surely a jaded squad makes every game more perilous. That was my point.

Not necessarily, a good run in the Uefa Cup could definitely give the players confidence, especially with the run of games that they have now...if things go bad in the Premiership, they only have the next Premiership game or so to turn it around!

eagle eye · 27-02-2009 11:13AM

jasonorr wrote: »

Not necessarily, a good run in the Uefa Cup could definitely give the players confidence, especially with the run of games that they have now...if things go bad in the Premiership, they only have the next Premiership game or so to turn it around!

I'm sorry but there is only one answer to that.

:rolleyes:

L'prof · 27-02-2009 11:17AM

eagle eye wrote: »

I'm sorry but there is only one answer to that.

:rolleyes:

Right, whatever you say my good man :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Helix · 27-02-2009 11:28AM

jasonorr wrote: »

I don't see either happening to be honest!

why not?

neither are beyond the realms of possibility

L'prof · 27-02-2009 11:32AM

Helix wrote: »

why not?

neither are beyond the realms of possibility

No, but I just feel both teams will drop more points than that! I honestly couldn't even hazard a guess at this stage which team will finish higher as Arsenal are so bloody unpredictable and Villa have been remarkably solid!

invincibleirish · 27-02-2009 12:14PM

People are saying Sidwell should be given time like Petrov to find his feet, thats fair enough but ignore 2 things:

1) Petrov has class about him, we knew he could play at the highest level. Sidwell came from Reading via Chelsea reserves. He has only sparkled in the PL for one season in a very ordinary team. Petrov played well in the UEFA Cup & CL for multiple seasons.

2) if Villa were in a similar position to last season, in the nether world with with Everton between the CL places and the mid table/relegation scrappers, then Sidwell can be allowed time to get his game and find his form. Right now Sidders looks like he is out of the reckoning for the rest of the season as every game is a cup final and Villa can't afford passengers.

MON is a loyal type so i imagine Sidders will be there next season but i would guess that he will find himself further behind in the pecking order behind new signings. Rather NRC in the middle myself tbh.

Also all hail the Villa youth, acquitted themselves very well last night in Moscow. -10c there last might at half time.

Savman · 27-02-2009 12:22PM

eagle eye wrote: »

I said that I've only seen him in a couple of games if you read down a bit further.

What I meant by the comment you quoted is guys saying he is not up to it and that he should be sold if you can recoup the money you paid for him.

Exactly what you said there though, Petrov did not get off to the brightest starts there and look at him now. People need to be more patient with players.

No, the Petrov/Davies comparison has got to do with said players being dropped rested for a prolonged period of time. Sidwell needs that IMHO, he will not come good this season that's for sure. Won't matter because he will not start ahead of Milner, Young, Barry or Petrov in a month of Sundays so we may not see much of Sidwell again until one of those gets injured or suspended.

We could do with NRC back from injury soon, gonna need that never say die attitude for the run in.

Bounty Hunter · 27-02-2009 04:24PM

all this Arsenals extra games makes zero difference studd is odd imo what if RVP breaks his legs in thereturn leg against Roma, or thaqt game goes to extra time and penalties and then the players are exhausted in their next league match which they cant win as a result.

Of course it is possible that it wont make a difference if Arsenal really up their game in the league, esp considering the two dont play each other again but with mostly just 1 game a week from now on and breaks when other sides play in the FA cup Villa's side will be far more rested and far less likely to pick up knocks than the side playing in 2 more competitions.

Helix · 27-02-2009 04:55PM

if villa draw on sunday im not gonna go to any more games this season

ive been a ****in curse this year

now granted ive still never seen us lose a match, but i havent seen us win since october, or september if you only count the league

invincibleirish · 27-02-2009 05:11PM

Karma will strike on Sunday i can feel it, Stoke will get their first away win and Villa will be reminded from all quarters why they should not have rested everyone for Moscow. Will have to avoid here and VT for a few days i'd say if we lose....

wynters · 28-02-2009 09:06AM

Helix wrote: »

if villa draw on sunday im not gonna go to any more games this season

ive been a ****in curse this year

now granted ive still never seen us lose a match, but i havent seen us win since october, or september if you only count the league

Stay at home, Jonah!

invincibleirish · 28-02-2009 11:46AM

O'Neill's goodwill gesture to 295 fuming fans: dinner with players• Villa boss to reward fans who travelled to Moscow

Martin O'Neill will host a dinner for the 295 Aston Villa supporters who travelled to Russia as a gesture of goodwill following their Uefa Cup defeat to CSKA Moscow, when eight first-team players remained at home. A small number of fans had expressed their frustration at the final whistle following O'Neill's decision to pick a weakened team but the Midlands club have moved quickly to quell any hint of unrest by suggesting an all-expenses-paid night at Villa Park.

The offer was greeted with applause by those Villa supporters who travelled back from Russia with the team yesterday after O'Neill moved to the back of the plane and offered an explanation for his decision to pick several fringe players. The positive response to O'Neill's actions suggested that any sense of disappointment has been quickly forgotten.

The dinner, which will also be attended by a number of players, is still to be ratified by Randy Lerner but it is regarded as a formality that the Villa chairman, who was known to be disappointed with the result in Russia, will approve the idea, irrespective of the expense.

O'Neill, meanwhile, has vowed that he will never again be in a position where he has to sacrifice European football because of a lack of strength in depth in his squad. The Villa manager is confident he will have the financial backing to add more new faces in the summer and avoid a repeat of the embarrassing scenario that saw the club slip out of the Uefa Cup this week after fielding what effectively amounted to a reserve team.

Further investment will be required to ensure that is the case but there are strong indications that Lerner is prepared to provide the funds.

O'Neill's decision to prioritise qualification for the Champions League has arguably placed more pressure on the players ahead of tomorrow's match with Stoke City, although he insists that any extra burden should fall on his shoulders. "Because we get knocked out [of the Uefa Cup] does it mean there is more pressure on Sunday? Not for the players. The one thing you want to do is take pressure away from the players. I'll take it myself."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/28/aston-villa-premierleague

God bless MON & RL

Frisbee · 28-02-2009 11:54AM

Thats pretty damn awesome

therecklessone · 28-02-2009 12:03PM

Meanwhile, at WHL, Redknapp described the home leg as a nuisance while Levy and his cohorts were doing their best to hype it up and boost the gate.

No sign of a thank you to the 200+ who travelled to Donetsk and were charged £5 by Spurs for a ticket that should have cost 70p

Chalk and cheese...:mad:

28-02-2009 02:00PM

Just wondering... what do you lot think of Cuellar?

I've seen little of him and dunno if he's worth the ten million, like whats he good and and not so good at.

Esse85 · 28-02-2009 02:15PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Just wondering... what do you lot think of Cuellar?

I've seen little of him and dunno if he's worth the ten million, like whats he good and and not so good at.

Hard to say until he gets played in his natural position of CB for a period of games and preferably with the same defensive partner.

28-02-2009 02:18PM

In scotland he wasn't great at going forward. What'd you say he's like? sorta like wes brown in that way or is he getting forward a bit?

invincibleirish · 28-02-2009 02:19PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Just wondering... what do you lot think of Cuellar?

I've seen little of him and dunno if he's worth the ten million, like whats he good and and not so good at.

He's been solid if unspectacular. He's been played out of position at RB when he has beem playing at VP where he's been solid if not a little too fond of the hoofing. The only performance where he has played CB that i can recall off top of my head was away to Hamburg where he, along with Zat Knight, did not impress at all. Needsa run of games at CB, will probably get it sooner or later. Hope he sticks around he looks alright.

Helix · 28-02-2009 03:56PM

cuellar for me is one of those players who'll go on to be a cult hero at villa park

Bounty Hunter · 28-02-2009 03:58PM

Helix wrote: »

cuellar for me is one of those players who'll go on to be a cult hero at villa park

yeah hes the Mellberg replacement and has a cool moniker from his days in Scotland as "King" Cuellar

Bounty Hunter · 28-02-2009 05:01PM

for the second weekend in a row Arsenal have given Villa a huge opportunity by drawing against a team they should be beating (tho fulham are good under hodgson), hopefully we can take advantage this week against Stoke as apposed to Chelsea last time (which was less expected tbh)

eagle eye · 28-02-2009 05:42PM

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

for the second weekend in a row Arsenal have given Villa a huge opportunity by drawing against a team they should be beating (tho fulham are good under hodgson), hopefully we can take advantage this week against Stoke as apposed to Chelsea last time (which was less expected tbh)

And if Villa win tomorrow it will all about MON resting the players blah blah blah. Regardless of the result you know I believe that he was right to rest them anyways and not bother about the Uefa Cup.

I would really love to see Villa not only make the top four but finish a little higher than fourth. Its great for the PL to have new team up there challenging for the top spots.

mirwillbeback · 28-02-2009 08:06PM

Surely we're gonna make Champs League now?

And probably 3rd!

L'prof · 28-02-2009 08:11PM

mirwillbeback wrote: »

Surely we're gonna make Champs League now?

And probably 3rd!

Nothing in football is guaranteed, see where ye are after yer next 5-6 games and you'll be in a much better situation to judge that!

Edit: I should add that I definitely wouldn't bet against it!

x in the city · 28-02-2009 08:20PM

Villa have hard games ahead, Evertons only top four fixtures between end of season are away games at chelsea and also at Villa.

saying Villa will finish 3rd or even 4th at this stage is brave words.

Arsenal/Everton could still do a 4th spot finish

Villain · 28-02-2009 08:39PM

Yep I reckon Everton will offer as much a fight for 4th as Arsenal will.

I still think we will get 5th although a win tomorrow could push us on nicely.

Got tickets for the Pool game although I'll be in the pool end with Pool supporting Brother!

Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

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