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

rgiller

Seems to me like we need Dunne back to win some f*&king headers and provide some leadership at the back. Can't believe we're now that bad that people are calling for Warnock and Hutton to come back. Obviously a case of going with a lesser evil (using players worthy of bottom 5 in the PL vs players from league 1/2). Just shows how far we've fallen that we now are in dire need of having these clowns back playing. Clark was poor yesterday too - doesn't seem to have much of a positional sense about him. i think it's hard to see us progressing through to the final and, even if we do, Chelsea will be waiting with their paddle for another public spanking

greendom

Raekwon wrote: »

I was just thinking this earlier while watch the match. Hutton and Warnock are both back from their loans and I never thought I'd ever say this but I'd have them both straight back in the team against Southampton on Saturday. Lowton and particularly Bennett were turned inside out by players from three divisions below them. Not Championship players, not League One players but League Two players. They should be totally embarrassed by their pathetic performances!

Bradford were worth their win though but this is the same Bradford team that got beaten 2-0 by Barnet on Saturday. BARNET! A team that are five places and four points away from a place in Non League football. Words can't describe the absolute and utter disgust that I feel right now.

Barnet re on good run of form recently. Over Christmas they beat top-of-the table Gillingham a their ground. Egdar Davids ftw !

matrim

We looked like we were 2 different half teams yesterday that were just thrown together. The attack looked promising, the defense awful. When we had the ball on the ground in their half we looked like we could cause problems for them and should have had another couple of goals but at the back (and I include Bannan and Delph in this) we were awful.

We constantly just played it around the back 6 in our own half then lumped it up to Benteke. We had no drive or leadership in midfield, the amount of times Bannan and Delph turned back to our goal with the ball was disgraceful.

There was one point were we broke a Bradford attack and had a potential for a good attack, Wiemann was running up the wing screaming for the ball and Bannan with about 20 yards of clear space in front of him decides to slow the ball down and pass it back to Baker instead of passing it forward or even bringin the ball out himself. Wiemann was going mad at him.

The only one of our defenders who came out with any credit was Lowton. Bennett was awful, so was Clark. For me Baker was as much at fault as Bennett for their second, the ball broke in our box and despite having a 2 yard head start the Bradford player beat him to the ball, Baker looked like he was just out for a jog trying to get it rather than sprinting for it.

death1234567

Battered by Chelsea, Hammered by Spurs, Comprehensively outclassed by Wigan, Beaten by league two side Bradford....

Championship here we come.

CucaFace

JPA wrote: »

I have to give up on Bannan and Delph. Simply lacking in any footballing intelligence and yet we have nearly nobody else.

I need to RANTafter last night badly.

For years I've always defended Bannan and I thought he was going to be a great player if only he was given a fair chance in the right type of set up.

How wrong I was.

Last night was the final straw for me regarding him. He is pathetic. Constantly trying the killer pass, when he can barely even pass it 6 yards to a villa player accurelty. His first touch also was brutal as it was for many last night in that central area.

As for Delph.... what a useless c#nt also.

I mean if you pick 2 small CM players like that normaly they should be there because of there ability on the ball well neither could barely control the ball when it came to them. Beucase they certainly can't comand that area through their sizer or tackling ability thats for sure.

Now for 'Zogbia. What a greedy useless c#nt also. Why the hell didnt we go in for Robbie Brady that just went to Hull? We are in big trouble if N'Zogbia is our only real option on the wing and he is as Albrighton has completely fallen away as a player.

And now the back 4....

The worst (By a long shot) I have ever seen in my life perhaps at Villa.

Clark I have to say is just not good enough. He was another i always told many was going to be a great player. Well he isn't. He is suposed to be a footbaling CB then why the hell did he launch nearly every ball he got the lenght of the park last night? He is weak in the air and weak in a lot of area's at the moment. Needs replacing ASAP.

And finaly Joe Bennet well i thought we'd never get a worse LB then Warnock, again I was wrong. He is terrible at everything. What is he supposed to be good at? Defending? Going forward? He makes more erros then anyone else in that side and i can't understand why Enda Stevens isn't in that position ahead of him.


We are in massive trouble now and unless Lambert gets his finger out of his hole quick and gets 4 SENIOR players with TOP level expierance in soon we are gone for sure.

I mean how can West Ham have brought in 4 players already, but this retarded club who more then anyone else in English football needed new players still haven't made a move?

The club is a joke at the moment and one only heading in one direction fastly.

listermint

CucaFace wrote: »

I need to RANTafter last night badly.

For years I've always defended Bannan and I thought he was going to be a great player if only he was given a fair chance in the right type of set up.

How wrong I was.

Last night was the final straw for me regarding him. He is pathetic. Constantly trying the killer pass, when he can barely even pass it 6 yards to a villa player accurelty. His first touch also was brutal as it was for many last night in that central area.

As for Delph.... what a useless c#nt also.

I mean if you pick 2 small CM players like that normaly they should be there because of there ability on the ball well neither could barely control the ball when it came to them. Beucase they certainly can't comand that area through their sizer or tackling ability thats for sure.

Now for 'Zogbia. What a greedy useless c#nt also. Why the hell didnt we go in for Robbie Brady that just went to Hull? We are in big trouble if N'Zogbia is our only real option on the wing and he is as Albrighton has completely fallen away as a player.

And now the back 4....

The worst (By a long shot) I have ever seen in my life perhaps at Villa.

Clark I have to say is just not good enough. He was another i always told many was going to be a great player. Well he isn't. He is suposed to be a footbaling CB then why the hell did he launch nearly every ball he got the lenght of the park last night? He is weak in the air and weak in a lot of area's at the moment. Needs replacing ASAP.

And finaly Joe Bennet well i thought we'd never get a worse LB then Warnock, again I was wrong. He is terrible at everything. What is he supposed to be good at? Defending? Going forward? He makes more erros then anyone else in that side and i can't understand why Enda Stevens isn't in that position ahead of him.


We are in massive trouble now and unless Lambert gets his finger out of his hole quick and gets 4 SENIOR players with TOP level expierance in soon we are gone for sure.

I mean how can West Ham have brought in 4 players already, but this retarded club who more then anyone else in English football needed new players still haven't made a move?

The club is a joke at the moment and one only heading in one direction fastly.

Its almost like i wrote this myself !

Savman

I think this confirms that this is a shockingly poor Villa side, the worst for a very long time.

Lambert is not a terrible manager, just found wanting at the top level.

Our chairman has to shoulder some of the blame too in fairness, so the problem is threefold consisting of players/manager/chairman and that is no quick fix.

CucaFace

Savman wrote: »

I think this confirms that this is a shockingly poor Villa side, the worst for a very long time.

Lambert is not a terrible manager, just found wanting at the top level.

Our chairman has to shoulder some of the blame too in fairness, so the problem is threefold consisting of players/manager/chairman and that is no quick fix.

I still think Lambert is a good manager.

He has just made a few bad mistakes in the summer by not bringing in the badly needed expieranced and phyically imposing players the Spine of our side is badly lacking.

He needs to address this ASAP if we are to have any hope of staying up.

Patser

Are there any updates or estimates on Vlaar or Dunne 's returns. They seem tobe out a long time now - Dunne especially with vague ibjuries

listermint

Patser wrote: »

Are there any updates or estimates on Vlaar or Dunne 's returns. They seem tobe out a long time now - Dunne especially with vague ibjuries

Yes this Dunne thing is very perplexing tbh.

matrim

Vlarr is supposed to be a calf injury.

I remember something about Dunne starting back training but then having to go get surgery again. I think he's had to go for 2 or 3 different surgeries

BUNK1982

I can't see us beating Southampton. They'll steal a soft goal in the first 15 mins, stifle any attempted comeback and Ramirez will be cock of the walk with 2 second half goals.

That'll put us in the bottom 3 and I really can't see how we'll climb out of it again...

Neil3030

Any substantial rumours of note? Coutinho is surely nonsense. Many on VT saying Dale Stephens was done and dusted a week ago, but no sign whatsoever that this is true. Also looking at some young Belgian centre-half playing for Lazio, supposedly.

Fingers crossed for a Darren Bent like January miracle!

Savman

CucaFace wrote: »

I still think Lambert is a good manager.

He has just made a few bad mistakes in the summer by not bringing in the badly needed expieranced and phyically imposing players the Spine of our side is badly lacking.

For me, these two statements are mutually exclusive.

A good manager brings in "badly needed experienced and physically imposing players". The fact that Lambert failed to do so, and judging by the ensuing results, would lead to the conclusion that he has a lot to learn before he could be considered a good manager, let alone a great one.

Esse85

Got the away jersey for xmas and I've been too embarassed/ashamed to wear it yet.

Corholio

Savman wrote: »

For me, these two statements are mutually exclusive.

A good manager brings in "badly needed experienced and physically imposing players". The fact that Lambert failed to do so, and judging by the ensuing results, would lead to the conclusion that he has a lot to learn before he could be considered a good manager, let alone a great one.

I'd agree with this. Not replacing Petrov and buying an experienced midfielder was an outrageous mistake from Lambert. He misread the squad completely wrong. It's not often a manager, in the space of 6 months, can clock up our worst ever Premier League defeat, conceding 17 goals in 4 games, Villa's youngest and most inexperienced side in Premier League history and suffered one of our most embarrassing defeats in cup history.

Neil3030

So apparently Dale Stephens is in Brum, but he won't be announced just yet, as the club are fearing a backlash for signing another lower league player. This may mean other more favourable signings are being boxed off.

This is from JulieB on VillaTalk.

CucaFace

Savman wrote: »

For me, these two statements are mutually exclusive.

A good manager brings in "badly needed experienced and physically imposing players". The fact that Lambert failed to do so, and judging by the ensuing results, would lead to the conclusion that he has a lot to learn before he could be considered a good manager, let alone a great one.

I see your point and its something I agree with you up to a point.

I think all managers make mistakes, and i think his has been that he thought that our youngsters and current squad were far better then they actually are (I also was a believer of this).

The injuries to Dunne and Vlaar have made a massive difference also.

If he once again goes into this market for more lower league players and youngsters then that for me is now unforgivable as any person with an ounce of football knowledge can see what exactly is wrong with this team.

Its totally devoid of expierance and physique right down through the centre and this needs to be sorted out ASAP. No excuses.

Also this mad formation with 3 strikers on the park with N'Zogbia doesn't help that useless backline.

Still though for some reason I think Lambert will become a really good manager for this club in time.

Patser

Corholio wrote: »

I'd agree with this. Not replacing Petrov and buying an experienced midfielder was an outrageous mistake from Lambert. He misread the squad completely wrong. It's not often a manager, in the space of 6 months, can clock up our worst ever Premier League defeat, conceding 17 goals in 4 games, Villa's youngest and most inexperienced side in Premier League history and suffered one of our most embarrassing defeats in cup history.

Wasn't KEA meant to be our Petrov replacement. He definitely seemed to have the requirements when signed but just has not adjusted to the premiership at all .

Neil3030

Gabby, Dunne, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Warnock, Hutton, Bent, and Given would all be "experienced Premier League players", while Vlaar and KEA would be of similar age with experience in another league. We just hit rotten luck with players either getting injured (Gabby, Dunne, Vlaar) not adjusting (KEA), playing inconsistently (N'Zogbia, Ireland) or just all-around being shite (Warnock, Hutton). The only debatable point, imo, is the situation with Bent, but I think Weimann and Benteke serve as a rare positive this season.

Lowton, Benteke, Baker, Weimann and Westwood look the part, imo. Very excited to see how these lads develop. Bennet, god love him, is useless (may come good as a winger, but not holding my breath). As for the remaining Villa academy graduates, I think this season has raised serious questions about the futures of Bannan, Delph, Herd, Lichaj and Clark. However it's probably unfair to condemn them while they are holding the fort, so to speak, and not getting experience/guidance in a team of better players. Someone made the very good point above about the importance of older, better players on the development of rookies.

Excited to see Stephens play alongside Westwood (if this deal ever gets done). Many commenting on him being the best passer at Charlton since Danny Murphy. All too often, Westwood makes the right pass, finds Bannon or Delph in space, only for the latter to lose the ball. Our ball retention will improve massively with just one more addition of a good passer to the midfield.

JPA

Our team needs a leader in CB or CM or both right now.
They don't even have to be great player, just someone to direct things, someone with 10 years experience.
I can't think of anyone available right now but a bit of leadership would change everything.
A Phil neville or Danny Murphy kind of player.

Ronan Raver77

Frank Lampard would be great for us but wages are big!! would never happen but he is the kind of player we desperately need

Neil3030

From Coutinho's agent: http://www.fcinternews.it/?action=read&idnotizia=102995

Agent's comments basically stating that Villa have made a "sondaggio" for Coutinho, which I take to mean an enquiry, rather than an actual offer. Interesting that the idea wasn't rejected outright, with the agent going onto say that nothing concrete has been decided yet.

Time to get our hopes up?

CSF

Seriously hope Lambert isn't waiting to do his business til late in the window. The way things are right now, could be well in the relegation zone by then.

OneColdHand

Neil3030 wrote: »

From Coutinho's agent: http://www.fcinternews.it/?action=read&idnotizia=102995

Agent's comments basically stating that Villa have made a "sondaggio" for Coutinho, which I take to mean an enquiry, rather than an actual offer. Interesting that the idea wasn't rejected outright, with the agent going onto say that nothing concrete has been decided yet.

Time to get our hopes up?

No!

I'm sure he's just angling at a move away, but realisitically has no intention of moving to Villa.

Corholio

Neil3030 wrote: »

From Coutinho's agent: http://www.fcinternews.it/?action=read&idnotizia=102995

Agent's comments basically stating that Villa have made a "sondaggio" for Coutinho, which I take to mean an enquiry, rather than an actual offer. Interesting that the idea wasn't rejected outright, with the agent going onto say that nothing concrete has been decided yet.

Time to get our hopes up?

I hope we're making a sondaggio for about 5 or 6 players.

Esse85

At this stage now I want a short term solution, e.g. a player who's got bags of EPL experience, all the better if their 30+

This is not a time to be gambling on lower league players and untried foreigners.

It's hard to make suggestions as we dunno whether funds are available.

If we keep buying lower league players then that's where we will end up.

I'll still give Lambert more time, but he's been a disaster in fairness, I never taught we'd have a manager worse than AMC but Lambert has stepped up to the plate. None of the senior players are involved/performing for various reasons, this needs to be sorted. (Given, Warnock, Hutton, Dunne, Vlaar, Ireland, Kea, N'Zogbia, Bent)

matrim

Lerner needs to do what he did for Houllier and open the purse strings so Lambert can get in his version of Bent preferably CM and CB versions of Bent

Corholio

Neil3030 wrote: »

Gabby, Dunne, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Warnock, Hutton, Bent, and Given would all be "experienced Premier League players", while Vlaar and KEA would be of similar age with experience in another league. We just hit rotten luck with players either getting injured (Gabby, Dunne, Vlaar) not adjusting (KEA), playing inconsistently (N'Zogbia, Ireland) or just all-around being shite (Warnock, Hutton). The only debatable point, imo, is the situation with Bent, but I think Weimann and Benteke serve as a rare positive this season.

Lowton, Benteke, Baker, Weimann and Westwood look the part, imo. Very excited to see how these lads develop. Bennet, god love him, is useless (may come good as a winger, but not holding my breath). As for the remaining Villa academy graduates, I think this season has raised serious questions about the futures of Bannan, Delph, Herd, Lichaj and Clark. However it's probably unfair to condemn them while they are holding the fort, so to speak, and not getting experience/guidance in a team of better players. Someone made the very good point above about the importance of older, better players on the development of rookies.

Excited to see Stephens play alongside Westwood (if this deal ever gets done). Many commenting on him being the best passer at Charlton since Danny Murphy. All too often, Westwood makes the right pass, finds Bannon or Delph in space, only for the latter to lose the ball. Our ball retention will improve massively with just one more addition of a good passer to the midfield.

It's not just rotten luck IMO though. Dunne for one, I dont think would be starting, Clark and Vlaar would have been Lambert's centre backs I'm fairly sure. Not exactly sure why Lowton escapes criticism, he's cost about 5 goals individially this season, and for a supposed 'wing back', has hardly done much of note going forward at all. Westwood I'd like to see more of because it looks like he can pass the ball, but has being overawed at times against bigger midfielders. Not sure Stephens and Westwood would be ideal in there, Charlton fans saying that Stephens needs someone with more bite in there to allow him to play, Westwood isn't that type of player. That type of player we don't have at the club at all IMO, Delph would be the closest but he just hasn't shown he's good enough to play there.

Lambert has kept playing Bannan despite quite a few awful performances this season. As I've said a few times, I think Lichaj is our best full back, but Lambert has only played him on the left side as far as I remember. Gabby getting injured didn't really effect Villa at all IMO, because he hasn't been at it for about 3 years now, and if anything it should have allowed Weimann to play up front, but that didn't happen either, or not for long anyway.

OneColdHand

I have the impression that Lambert has no idea what his best 11 is. Have we gone 2 games in a row with the same 11?

I'm particularly talking about mids and forward here, Benteke aside. Seems to be always chopping and changing them.

Neil3030

Corholio wrote: »

I hope we're making a sondaggio for about 5 or 6 players.

Would prefer some offerte, though

Esse85

OneColdHand wrote: »

I have the impression that Lambert has no idea what his best 11 is. Have we gone 2 games in a row with the same 11?

I'm particularly talking about mids and forward here, Benteke aside. Seems to be always chopping and changing them.

Would agree with this but I suppose in fairness to Lambert he's had lots of injuries to deal with.

Pique and Vidic could be our CB pairing and we'd still concede goals as the CB's have zero protection in front of them, Delph and Bannan are awful EPL players, their championship players. The Moroccan lad is a pussy who wouldn't stick his leg in to end the famine in Africa, he'd be grand in Spain but he's not an EPL player. Last season Ireland busted his b0llox off, chased, put in tackles, looked interested, I dunno what's changed.

Not so long ago we had Young, Barry, Milner and Downing in the midfield

Weimann has to play through the middle, he's a class act in the box, reminds me of a Robbie Fowler/ Kevin Phillips type.

Patser

Shout me down all ye want but do you know who I think fills our needs perfectly while being a wholly realistic and affordable option

Keith Andrews

He'd add bite, size and experience instantly. Has premiership experience and has shown with Ireland and WBA (last season loan in) that he can score the occasional goal - has any midfielder scored this year. Think he's at Bolton now but probably cheap enough to get.

Neil3030

Patser wrote: »

Shout me down all ye want but do you know who I think fills our needs perfectly while being a wholly realistic and affordable option

Keith Andrews

He'd add bite, size and experience instantly. Has premiership experience and has shown with Ireland and WBA (last season loan in) that he can score the occasional goal - has any midfielder scored this year. Think he's at Bolton now but probably cheap enough to get.

Sign him up. Rather than a goal bonus, I'd give him a booking bonus, too.

BUNK1982

Did I see that QPR are in for Olssen at West Brom - would he be enough to fix our cb situation?

In midfield I'd look at Keith Andrews alright..

shoutman

Saddens me to realise that Andrews would deserve a starting place in out first xi!

I miss the days of seeing Barry, Milner and Young in claret & blue. John Carew scoring one or two, and the talk about him and strippers too.

Eathrin

So it looks like Swansea have a great chance of making it to Wembley now with a 0-2 win over Chelsea.
Villa have had an easy draw in every round so far besides the away game to City and this is as an ideal final as you could wish for, to throw it away now would be painful.

Patser

Eathrin wrote: »

So it looks like Swansea have a great chance of making it to Wembley now with a 0-2 win over Chelsea.
Villa have had an easy draw in every round so far besides the away game to City and this is as an ideal final as you could wish for, to throw it away now would be painful.

Wouldn't see Norwich away as easy and as said City. So the team has done well to get this far. But you're right to fall now, and in such a poor way would hurt

Eathrin

Patser wrote: »

Wouldn't see Norwich away as easy and as said City. So the team has done well to get this far. But you're right to fall now, and in such a poor way would hurt

Well that was probably the most even match, it could have been worse to Arsenal, Chelsea or Swansea, or better to M'boro, Bradford or Leeds.
The team did very well to get the away win.

The team has done very well in general to get this far and it would just be such a shame to lose out now. No disrespect to Bradford.

Though as big as it would be for Villa to reach the final, it would be absolutely unreal for Bradford city to get there.

Doodee

Eathrin wrote: »

Well that was probably the most even match, it could have been worse to Arsenal, Chelsea or Swansea, or better to M'boro, Bradford or Leeds.
The team did very well to get the away win.

The team has done very well in general to get this far and it would just be such a shame to lose out now. No disrespect to Bradford.

Though as big as it would be for Villa to reach the final, it would be absolutely unreal for Bradford city to get there.

I've an uneasy feeling remembering the blue noses season where they got there.
If we don't improve our overall form then I'd rather we only had the prem to worry about.

Also remember how unlucky Swansea were in our last encounter with them. Would kind of feel that 3rd times the charm.

death1234567

Be gutted if Swansea - Bradford was the final of the Capital one, Carling, Worthington, Coca-Cola, Rumbelows cup. Here's hoping for a miracle in the second league.

Panrich

Anyone that believed an 'ITK' on Villatalk (and one of the mods) would be forgiven for feeling very worried about the future.
Look for posts by Hairyhands to read more....

villains77

Was raging on tuesday and had to put up with the lads in college slagging me off esp the chelsea fan i sit beside boy did i give it bk to him today. still shocked every time i think bout it. hoping we can get to wembley in 2 weeks. need a lot of improvements big time

pavb2

I actually don't care anymore about Wembly be it league cup or FA maybe it would be too much of a distraction, would sooner take prem survival but doesn't work like that does it?

Overall we're as bad as last year but you can see Lambert's trying to do something, for me the promise of potential,good football and future success becomes of less value if we suffer the ignomy of relegation.

I still believe in Lambert and hopefully we will get out of this mess with a few signings but I don't subscribe to the view of recalling Warnock & Hutton (doing the rounds on a few Villa blogs) we quickly forget how awful they were last season.

villains77

I don't subscribe to the view of recalling Warnock & Hutton (doing the rounds on a few Villa blogs) we quickly forget how awful they were last season.[/QUOTE]

would defo have to agree with that. they were brutal. was very dissapointed with bannan the other night whats the story with albrighton surely he be better than bannan in midfield and ireland. least stevie tries to play cant say the same for bannan. the players would all want to take a long hard look at themselves and decide if they want to fight for the good of the team or be relegated and out of both cups. we have been in free fall ever since oneill left us in the lurch. think lambert is trying to build for the future but fed up of saying we a young team where are the experienced players who can changhe the game. the team should work for one another and defend better and attack. if we dont stop this slump i for one is not looking forward to end of season if we going to be in the championship. come on randy lerner open the cheque book and invest in the team.

BUNK1982

That Sun (I know!!) are saying that QPR are in for Wilson Palacios.

I will weep openly if this happens....

Patser

From BBC:


1004:
FOOTBALL

Here's some Aston Villa team news from BBC Sport's Pat Murphy:

"Paul Lambert says Darren Bent's knee injury is not as bad as first feared after the Bradford match - but he won't be fit for tomorrow's match against Southampton. Nor will Marc Albrighton or Chris Herd (both foot injuries).

"Shay Given is struggling with a hamstring strain but Brad Guzan will return. Ron Vlaar is back in training (calf) after missing the last six months with a calf injury but will miss out tomorrow. Richard Dunne expects to resume training next week after a groin operation and could be available at end of January."


So possibility of Vlaar and Dunne back over the next few weeks. Some good news at least.

Neil3030

Guys, if we're going to get stressed out by players linked to QPR this window, by February we will have wasted away!

listermint

Patser wrote: »

From BBC:


1004:
FOOTBALL

Here's some Aston Villa team news from BBC Sport's Pat Murphy:

"Paul Lambert says Darren Bent's knee injury is not as bad as first feared after the Bradford match - but he won't be fit for tomorrow's match against Southampton. Nor will Marc Albrighton or Chris Herd (both foot injuries).

"Shay Given is struggling with a hamstring strain but Brad Guzan will return. Ron Vlaar is back in training (calf) after missing the last six months with a calf injury but will miss out tomorrow. Richard Dunne expects to resume training next week after a groin operation and could be available at end of January."


So possibility of Vlaar and Dunne back over the next few weeks. Some good news at least.

So hes not playing bent or given because of their injuries... handy excuse that.

matrim

listermint wrote: »

So hes not playing bent or given because of their injuries... handy excuse that.

Well Bent did have to go off during the week and was obviously hurt after the collision with the Bradford keeper.

Regarding Given, I still think Guzan deserves his place.