Aston Villa Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Kinetic^

Fuck my life!!! Can we get a fund together to put a hit out on Knight?

The 4-5-1 would've been perfect tonight. There was too much pressure on us in midfield so the extra man would've been a help.

Have the opposition finally sussed what MON is up to?

Fuck!!

mike65

This where it all falls apart? Not that I'm complaining 'Pool need less pressure!

shoutman

So all you naysayers, what odds will you give me on Villa finishing fourth.

Obviously seeing Villain eating a pie full or worms will be entertaining, but adding some money to the mix would make me tripely as happy.

Who'd of thunk that at the money stage of the season we are three points clear of fifth and just because we have 1 point from our last three people are contemplating intertoto cup matchs again next year.

Also slightly surprised that no one has said MON out yet.

shoutman

Also was Sidwell out injured for tonights match, or just dropped cause he was playing so poorly?

Helix

dropped afaik

gabby should probably be next

Xavi6

To say I'm delighted with tonight's result would be an understatement. Completely unexpected.

In general I like Villa - good manager, nice players, decent fans etc - but I will crack a nice smile if you end up in 5th after completely devaluing the Uefa Cup.

shoutman

Well obviously you are going to be delighted Xavi, you beat a top 4/5 team.

Savman

shoutman wrote: »

Well obviously you are going to be delighted Xavi, you beat a pretend top 4/5 team.

Couldnt help myself...

Savman

shoutman wrote: »

Also slightly surprised that no one has said MON out yet.

Not yet, but he's not done himself any favours lately with some questionable and stubborn decisions. Sure we'll see in 10 games time whether he's mastermind or nearly-man.

eagle eye

Rough night for the Villa but I still believe you will finish in the top four. Its amazing how opinions change on a player as the weeks pass. Zat Knight, shoot him, love him, love him to bits, hate him. Lol.

The only question I have is whether there has been a row between O'Neill and Carew? My bro seems to think there has been. I think I'd have him in ahead of Heskey or Agbonlahor after his recent goals.

Savman

eagle eye wrote: »

Rough night for the Villa but I still believe you will finish in the top four. Its amazing how opinions change on a player as the weeks pass. Zat Knight, shoot him, love him, love him to bits, hate him. Lol.

The only question I have is whether there has been a row between O'Neill and Carew? My bro seems to think there has been. I think I'd have him in ahead of Heskey or Agbonlahor after his recent goals.

I said this ages ago, everyone denied it. Remember lads?????
Somethin defo not right there.

Esse85

MON would want to stop acting the stubborn pr1ck and do whats best for the team so, e.g start Carew and drop the donkey that is Heskey.

MementoMori

I came accross a stat earlier regarding how many players each team have used in the league

Man Utd 27
Chelsea 25
Arsenal 25
Everton 24
Liverpool 22
Aston Villa 18

Does anyone else think this might at least be part of the reason for Villa's recent poor form especially given the age profile of the Villa squad?

Savman

Esse85 wrote: »

MON would want to stop acting the stubborn pr1ck and do whats best for the team so, e.g start Carew and drop the donkey that is Heskey.

Quite simple this PL management lark eh

MementoMori

eagle eye wrote: »

I think I'd have him in ahead of Heskey or Agbonlahor after his recent goals.

The Heskey v Carew one is a stange one, especially when you consider the fact that over the last six seasons Carew's goal-to-games ratio is twice as good as Emile Heskey

Carew's over the last six seasons is 53 goals in 139 game - a goal every 2.62 games

Heskey's over the last six seasons is 32 goals in 169 game - a goal every 5.28games

Unless there is something up with Carew's fitness you'd have to figure something is up. Very strange.

Esse85

MementoMori wrote: »

I came accross a stat earlier regarding how many players each team have used in the league

Man Utd 27
Chelsea 25
Arsenal 25
Everton 24
Liverpool 22
Aston Villa 18

Does anyone else think this might at least be part of the reason for Villa's recent poor form especially given the age profile of the Villa squad?

It certainly is part of the reason yes.

enfant terrible

MementoMori wrote: »

I came accross a stat earlier regarding how many players each team have used in the league

Man Utd 27
Chelsea 25
Arsenal 25
Everton 24
Liverpool 22
Aston Villa 18

Does anyone else think this might at least be part of the reason for Villa's recent poor form especially given the age profile of the Villa squad?

I think Arsenal having to use 25 players is the reason there struggling for fourth

OPENROAD

enfant terrible wrote: »

I think Arsenal having to use 25 players is the reason there struggling for fourth

Mostly down to the number of injuries we have had this season.

eagle eye

Esse85 wrote: »

MON would want to stop acting the stubborn pr1ck and do whats best for the team so, e.g start Carew and drop the donkey that is Heskey.

I don't agree with your view of Heskey.
I personally believe that if Carew is fit, then it should be a battle between Gabby and Emile to start with him. Carew is the only one scoring goals consistently up front. The other two lads are workhorses who will give you 100% all day everyday. Its a matter of which is more suitable on any given day. If you have both Milner and Young playing I think I'd prefer Heskey who gives you a more balanced look with your two deep lying midfielders against weaker more defensive opposition whereas Gabby tends to drift out wide a lot. I'd prefer Gabby against the better/attack minded opposition where his pace is a definite advantage although Heskey is no slow coach either but not quite as fast as Agbonlahor.

Bounty Hunter

right now and with the fixtures we have in the immediate future id like to see us revert to the 4-5-1 that served us so well with just Carew up top as he is the one who seems likely to hit the net atm. Gabbys out of form but against tiring legs he would be an awesome impact sub and if needed both he and Heskey could come on at the same time if we revert to 442 in search of a different option.

Helix

eagle eye wrote: »

Gabby... workhorse... 100%... all day everyday.

does not compute

Esse85

Believe it or not id rather even see Harewood come on from time to time, he made a difference last season in certain games and surely he's a better option than just doing nothing.

Helix

delfouneso is a far better option than harewood tbh

Time Magazine

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Friedel

---

Young

---

Davies

---

Cuellar

---

Barry

---

Petrov

---

---

Reo-Coker

---

Sidwell

---

Milner

---

Young

---

Carew

---

Subs: Guzan, Shorey, Knight, Gardner, Zidane, Heskey, Agbonlahor

Xavi6

The Harewood thing is a real head scratcher for me. The guy did ok when he played last season yet couldn't even get a run in that Uefa Cup game last week. What's up with that?

Esse85

Id rather

---

Friedel

---

Young

---

Davies

---

Cuellar

---

Shorey

---

Petrov

---

---

Reo-Coker

---

Barry

---

Milner

---

Young

---

Carew

---

Helix

The Economist wrote: »

Subs: Guzan, Shorey, Knight, Gardner, Zidane, Heskey, Agbonlahor

no bannan or delfouneso in that?

Helix

Xavi6 wrote: »

The Harewood thing is a real head scratcher for me. The guy did ok when he played last season yet couldn't even get a run in that Uefa Cup game last week. What's up with that?

hes been worse than abysmal any time hes played this season

really couldnt hit a barn door with a banjo

Time Magazine

Our primary difficulty at the moment is defending. I'd rather Barry than Shorey. Although Barry > Sidwell, the difference is not potentially as large as the difference between Barry > Shorey imo.

Esse85

Helix wrote: »

delfouneso is a far better option than harewood tbh

Potentially he is.

The Hare did it last season when given the chance, Anfield springs to mind.

Time Magazine

Helix wrote: »

no bannan or delfouneso in that?

Swap Bannan/Albrighton for Salifou, but realistically neither are going to challenge Milner or Ashley.

In the choice between Delfouneso and Heskey for the bench, I'd go for the one that regularly starts for England. (For another year or so.)

Helix

id go for the one with the most goals in the villa shirt and who offers more tbh

also re bannan i think youre underestimating the kid, hes not a young or milner, hes a different type of player and i think he'll go on to be just as important for us as the other two

Helix

Esse85 wrote: »

Potentially he is.

The Hare did it last season when given the chance, Anfield springs to mind.

yeah but he did nothing when hes come on or started this season, whereas fonz has 3 goals to his name from extremely limited appearances

Esse85

Talking about who should start on the bench is a little far fetched considering the state of the first 11 at the moment.

Helix

Esse85 wrote: »

Talking about who should start on the bench is a little far fetched considering the state of the first 11 at the moment.

its more the tactics that are the issue

we need to go back to 4-5-1, and we need to stop playing see how far you can hoof

Time Magazine

Helix wrote: »

id go for the one with the most goals in the villa shirt and who offers more tbh

I agree I haven't been impressed with Heskey. Although I haven't watched him in the flesh, I'm not seeing this "what he does for the team" lark. Carew FTW. But if Carew got injured and we were playing Spurs, I'd probably prefer Heskey/Lazy **** than Fonz/Lazy ****.

also re bannan i think youre underestimating the kid, hes not a young or milner, hes a different type of player and i think he'll go on to be just as important for us as the other two

Yeah quite possibly. Another player I haven't seen play properly. But then again, we're only debating about subs here. Thoughts on the line-up?

Helix

The Economist wrote: »

Thoughts on the line-up?

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friedel

---

young----laursen (davies til he's fit)---cuellar----bouma

milner---reo coker

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petrov

---

barry

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young

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carew

---

id nearly even try barry behind carew and 4 in the middle. once you have nrc and petrov in there barry would have a bit of freedom, but coz hes a solid worker he'll dig in when needed if we have to revert to a straight 5

Time Magazine

Helix wrote: »

bouma

Freddie is still "some way off" being fit

id nearly even try barry behind carew and 4 in the middle. once you have nrc and petrov in there barry would have a bit of freedom, but coz hes a solid worker he'll dig in when needed if we have to revert to a straight 5

Good suggestion for when Bouma's back.

eagle eye

The Economist wrote: »

Freddie is still "some way off" being fit


Good suggestion for when Bouma's back.

On the Bouma situation, my bro was telling me a week or two ago that he is finding it difficult to just forget the injury and move on. He kept pulling up afraid of aggravating the injury rather than testing it. Thats why MON was delighted after a recent game that he got through because it seems he might have finally got past that phase.

Esse85

Helix wrote: »

---

friedel

---

young----laursen (davies til he's fit)---cuellar----bouma

milner---reo coker

---

petrov

---

barry

---

young

---

carew

---

id nearly even try barry behind carew and 4 in the middle. once you have nrc and petrov in there barry would have a bit of freedom, but coz hes a solid worker he'll dig in when needed if we have to revert to a straight 5

What about Barry on the left, and Young behind Carew;)

Helix

nah, barrys not all that effective on the sides, and i dont think young is mature enough to play behind a front man

wynters

Reo-Coker should be OK for the next game, so...

NRC----Davies----Cuellar----Young

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Petrov

---

---

Sidwell

---

Barry

---

Milner

---

Young

---

Carew/Gabby

---

Laursen aside, that's more or less the line-up that went unbeaten for 13 games. Heskey, for all his attributes, lessens our cutting-edge in front of goal. He's a back-to-goal striker, and a damn good one at that. But we need to get back to our attacking strengths. Play on the front-foot. I'd take Heskey out because he doesn't yet seem to have the understanding that Carew had with Ashley Young and Gabby at the start of the season. Through goals and assists, that trio together were responsible for a lot of our goals.

Definitely a 4-5-1 required. Especially against United and Liverpool.

Current form is a wobble. But I think O'Neill will get it right.

Chin up lads!

Savman

So we're all agreed Gabby needs a bench test? Gas thing is I can't see MON dropping him

Sidwell, Harewood and Shorey will not get a look in and rightfully so. Harewood has morphed back into the old donkey he once was and Sidwell, well let's just say he'd better take an extended summer holiday because next season he'll really feel the wrath. I think Shorey's as good as gone tbh, hasn't worked out for him.

Anyway back to the short term, get Carew back in the team ffs and let Nigel out of the cage because we lack any kind of steely determination. I wouldnt be inclined to change midfield because they've actually been doing their job lately. It's Gabby, Heskey, Davies, Knight and Cuellar who've underpoerformed or looked out of sorts. Can't play with half a team :rolleyes:

invincibleirish

Lets go back to 451 and see what happens next.

gosplan

Surely now that Carew's coming back to form you'd be looking to reform the Carew/Gabby partnership up front?

Thought it was dynamite last year and that Gabby's off/on from this year is because he hasn't had a good partner or has been playing up front on his own.

invincibleirish

ok then how about 451 with Carew out top, Stan & GB in midfield with Milner and Ash/Gabby outwide?

shoutman

Just booked my tickets for the Spurs match, right up the back of the upper holte end.

mirwillbeback

shoutman wrote: »

Just booked my tickets for the Spurs match, right up the back of the upper holte end.

got mine on ticket exchange.

Holte End section M

JPA

This 10 day break and trip to Dubai will save our season IMO. Just like last season.

Savman

JPA wrote: »

This 10 day break and trip to Dubai will save our season IMO. Just like last season.

Not if we continue with underperformers. United wont care about our honeymoon to Dubai, they'll be going out to mash us to little claret and blue pieces. So you need to have your strongest players on the bloody pitch, not watching from behind MON.