Jenko#4

 

 

I'd be wary about sending kids in against Man City. Remember Michael Bradley? I think he only ever got the one start for us, against City, got slated by fans and never really got a look in again. Would be great to see Grealish and some others get a few minutes, but only if the circumstances are right. 

 

Bradley was a player bought in on a half season loan by a manager universally disliked by Villa fans. Where is the comparison?

 

 

He was still a relative youngster, who we all wanted to have a look at and see if he could make it here. He played in a weakened team against far superior opposition and never came back from that. The same could happen to youngsters we throw in now. We all want to have a look at them, but if we throw them in now and they don't perform they'll be plenty of Villa fans who'll demand they're thrown on the scrapheap. 

 

What if he comes in against City and has a great game though? If he can perform against the potential league champions then any funds Lambert or whoever has set aside for an attacking midfielder could potentially be used to strengthen other areas of the squad.

Whether everyone sees colours differently.

 

For example, I may see what you see as blue, as orange, but you'd never know.

 

This................I've often thought exactly the same.

I am feeling very optimistic for 2012/13. I went to two games last season, and the quality of football on display was that bad that I honestly couldn’t justify spending £40/£50 every other weekend on something which for the first time ever, I was not enjoying.

Since PL has come in, I have got carried away again. I’ve registered for VillaTalk, I’ve bought the new shirt (very impressed), I’m off to Burton next weekend, and I’m planning a trip to West Ham on the opening day. The new signings, although not ‘big-name’, all seem to have very similar traits in that they are intelligent, hard-working footballers, rather than clodders and speed-merchants, and i’m interested to see how PL is planning on getting the team playing. I’m also looking forward to seeing how he is going to work with players like Ireland, Bannan and Gardner, who are all very intelligent footballers, but have spent the last year sitting in front of the back-four watching James Collins’ clearances booming over their heads.

My only potential issue is that because PL appears to be slowly, but fundamentally, changing the way the club plays football, if results don’t go his way in the first 5-6 games, fans may get on his back, (similar to Houllier who tried to do the same thing). He needs time and backing, and if we finish 15th/16th this season but the football is moving in the right direction, then that would be alright for me!