nick76

My faith in the manager has been there all season even if we do freakishly get relegated, even in the darkest days I believed he had a plan. Yes he is naive at times with subs and tactics but he learns from them (some might say he takes too long) but he learns from them. Remember not only are the players young but the manager is young in terms of experience of being a manager, especially at this level. We have been having problems for a number of years with some high paid, under performing players who are slowly being shipped out and we took the decision to build from youth dramatically because partly due to money and partly due to Lambert's desires (also impacted by money) and we all knew this season was a clear out and rebuild season didn't we?!?!?! We have struggled, no doubt about that but we are getting better, this calendar year has been much much better than end of last year. We have won 5 of our last 8 games, which is fairly impressive given where we were. Lambert is learning more at this level and settling into this club, the young players are growing and learning about playing at this level. For me it only seems bright for the future, for next season and beyond as we have a core of youngsters that if we can keep will continue to grow and get better. Matty Lowton is just getting better and better, Benteke is a star, Andi on his day is a menace and can score goals and will get more consistent. Westwood is developing immensely in that midfield, Sylla will get better when he has more time to settle in, Delph for me is getting better and more influential each game. We do have problems defensively, we really need another centre-back (to play next to Vlaar) who I hope is more experienced and we need more strength at left back. If we only tighten up our defence slightly we would be significantly better than this season as that has been our biggest weakness. Of course we want more players, midfielders etc but that will depend on money available and losing some more deadwood but I'm confident in where we are going and I believe that Lambert is the man to take us there..........

we've just won twice on the bounce and won five in our last eight, seems bizarre to say that. It will be hard but defeat before we've even kicked a ball

I could name loads but for what we need for the team now I would say McGrath for the defense, Barry in midfield (always thought he was a great midfielder) and Merson for a bit more creativity because in Benteke, Gabby, Andi and Bent we have really good strikers. Ideally I would want a left back as well, probably Steve Staunton.

That's a bizarre statement because in those games he played there were 10 other players on the pitch that influenced the game. He isn't responsible for the result, he's part of 11 players on a pitch. If it was a solo sport like golf or snooker then this stat would be useful but for a team sport with so many players per team it's nonsense. I've been with my company for the last five years and are being very successful, the previous 5 years were ok. By your stat that means the company is more successful with me in it.

You're entitled to your opinion. I haven't got around to answering your question because I don't yet know whether you are going to listen. You already said you believe I post useless stats. Why should you respect my opinion on Bannan's best games this season? The Fulham game was winnable and our performance was pathetic. We had 49% possession against Fulham - at home. Fulham are dreadful away and always defensive, it was really poor that they dominated the game. Against QPR and Reading (winnable games we won) - with Bannan - we had 56%. We bossed those games. Not only was the Fulham game questionable, the Stoke performance tailed off badly in the 2nd half and we were only saved by Lowton. Against Sunderland, Sylla made the difference with his high press. We controlled the game with 52% possession. Since we won that game, I'm not one to change a winning team unless tactics absolutely dictate otherwise, and against Norwich away they don't. But possession doesn't always mean you will win the game, it certainly helps. A recent game which you may have seen the winning team won 4-0 but only had 35% possession http://espnfc.com/match?id=364639&cc=3436

he's on the bench so that counts as 5 exceptional crosses FACT

sigh of relief!

It'll be easier for me to state what I do like about Bannan. He tries hard. That's all. I don't pretend that the stats are wrong, I've proven the stats are wrong. Despite that, I don't even rely on the stats (as they can be incredibly misleading) as to the main reason why I like/dislike him as a player. I dislike him as a player because everything I see of him on the pitch is rubbish. He is constantly ruining opportunities from over hitting crosses. He is constantly dispossessed in dangerous places on the pitch. He is always trying these long balls that are pointless. And his corners are an absolute joke. But on top of all of that, I then come to this site and have to read how the stats, which are flawed, are proving that the very same crosses and corners which make my blood boil, are the reason why he is the best player in the league. It's hard to take anything, and I mean anything, you say seriously when your claims are as ludicrous as a blue nose on a deliberate windup. In fact it wouldn't surprise me if you were on some elaborate bluenose mission. To claim he is the best player in the league, to claim he will be a Champions League player, to claim that the hatred on VillaTalk towards Bannan is going to relegate Villa shows that you are very close to being locked up in a mental institution. As I have said before, time will prove me right. (and whilst you are on about factless claims, why don't you show everyone where Lambert has blamed Bennett for the QPR goal? You can't... yet another made up claim you hope that people will believe) Great post! I can be shown all these stats (that favour the player) but I'm sure there are just as many stats showing the opposite. Additionally the stats are subjective, plus as VillaLion is saying what the stats are showing in terms of Fact, when you see those stats in live performances it's a totally different story. He's an average player at best and in my mind not good enough for our first team or even our bench....he's a liability at worst and over a course of a game ineffective. For the poor kids sake I hope he gets a move in the summer to a championship side as I think that's his level although I think he may struggle there as its a more aggressive style. Maybe Scottish football would suit him better.

I can't agree with this. We win tomorrow, which I personally think we will by a couple of goals, then we will be on exactly the same points as both Sunderland and Newcastle having played the same amount of games and in terms of Newcastle with a very similar goal difference. There is no doubt that a win for us tomorrow and we have every chance of finishing above both Sunderland and Newcastle and with Norwich still play them also. But as of now - Newcastle \ Sunderland only need one win to be safe. We need 2 from 4. A quick glance at the bookies odds - Sunderland are 33-1 to get relegated - we are 2-1 - so you probably get close to 50-1 if you think we will finish above sunderland. fair point

Leaving the multiple quotes aside; there is a small chance of us finishing above one of the sides immediately above us. There is an even smaller chance of Wigan finishing above one of the sides immediately above us. The chance of both us AND Wigan finishing above one of the sides immediately above us is very, very small. As QPR and Reading have already filled 2 of the 3 spots, I think it is us or Wigan for for the drop. It feels like a 2 horse race with Villa leading Wigan by a couple of lengths. Unfortunately, there are still fences to jump. If only it were on the flat! see, I feel it's a 3 horse race.....Newcastle have won 1 away game all season and their next 2 games are away followed by the last home game of Arsenal who are fighting for champions league place and in fine form with 16 of the last 18 points

villa and Wigan play each other on the last day so your above cant happen as we'll get a point or three which relegates them or Wigan win and get 3 points thus they get relegated

Everyone said that about Sunderland and Stoke, then look what happened over the course of 2 games. Newcastle are 3 points ahead of us, with a better GD, they will most likely get 3 points from somewhere to make them safe. The fact is we were too far behind the likes of Stoke, Norwich, S'land and N'castle and it would/will have required a massive collapse for us to finish above any of them. It's between us and Wigan, we just have to do everything we can to not allow it to go down the the final game. I will become a Baggies fan for one time only next weekend. If we win tomorrow, we will be even with Newcastle with the same games played and they will only have a 2 or 3 goal lead in GD. We have a much better run in than the barcodes. The bolded part is funny because we are exactly the same point total behind the teams you listed as we are ahead of Wigan. So is it going to take a "massive" collapse by us to get relegated, or are you talking nonsense? But you are happy to think we will lose them all. Logic. Where did you get that from ? For the record I think we will finish on 38 points To be honest i dont really understand your post smetrov What don't you understand.? (seriously) I don't think any team above us will loose all there remaining games ? As a qualifier - I said I doubted any team below us would loose all there remaining games ? Ergo - its us or Wigan for the final relegation spot ? but if we win tomorrow (and yes a big if) then we'll be on the same number of games as Newcastle, same points, close on GD and in better form recently. I would say us, Wigan and Newcastle

This great run Wigan are on is a myth, in their last four games they have drawn 2 and lost 2. They are playing well but one could argue they still aren't getting the results from this so drawing again in the last few minutes may hurt their confidence.

You are scapegoating. I don't believe Bannan's performances dropped particularly in January compared to December. We lost games because the defence made errors. Bannan was not originally dropped. He got a hip injury. Delph came in, kept his place. Okay, I get it. Bannan will fade into obscurity. He has no talent. You can rejoice at his failure starting now. Not as if he has done anything good for Villa, is it? No he hasn't done anything good with Villa!!! That's the point.

Incidentally how the heck has Welbeck sneaked onto the nominations for Young Player of the year - he's scored two goals this season. Two. Same as Brett Holman, only he's played twice as many games - a striker, with two goals in 39 games - Young player of the year? Madness. Con will have some stats to prove Welbeck is the best striker since Pongo Waring!

yeah I was thinking the same for myself it's just becoming tiresome.

complete rubbish!

Except when he isn't, like against Fulham. Ineffective. Without Bannan on the bench, no fear of competition either. Yes I agree its very strange that he wasn't even on the bench. I can understand the reasoning against Stoke. I also think if Bannan had of scored that own goal and that woeful shot that Delph did yesterday he would have been made this scapegoat on this forum. If he had scored the goal and cleared one off the line and we had drawn, he would have been made the scapegoat. Sunderland winning against Newcastle. Back in the relegation zone we go. The non-Bannan experiment is a failure. well the Bannan experiment is also a failure because we've basically been in the same position all season

so when I use your stats you say those stats aren't everything "assists aren't everything" but when people argue that crosses aren't everything you fall back onto Stats are facts argument. Talk about double standards! Quite a few VT members have argued with you that despite your crossing stats Bannan has no influence in the game apart from negative influence yet you argue the stats say otherwise. I use your stats to prove a point and you argue those stats don't mean anything because its influence on the game not assists. Very bizarre.......

It's a shame it doesn't say how many goals were scored on the other guys chances in that list. I'm sure more than 1 goal

Bannan is the best crosser in the Premier League. That is a fact. You cannot get a more classic case of bias dictating perception than your statement Bannan is "a woeful crosser of the ball". Sell Bannan to another club, they will get the best crosser in the Premier League. That is why we won't sell him. he is a woeful crosser because as your link says out of 48 successful crosses there is only 1 assist FACT and you can't say a 2% goal rate on that is all our scorers fault are you? If the cross was that good or at least a lot were good then even our scorers would've created a better stat than 2% goal ratio. The fact that his crosses maybe in the right area of the pitch but not in the right area for the striker, not easy for the striker to score, easier for the defender to defend etc etc. What it shows is that while he crosses a lot the cross isn't effective enough for goals to be scored from it.

People might take you seriously if you try to offer a balanced opinion. Defending Bannan on the undefensible only undermines any valid points you may have raised over the last few months. I like to call a spade a spade and while Bannan was okay against Reading and QPR he was diabolical today and has been on the whole very poor all season. A better midfielder in his position would have seen us very comfortably mid-table. He is our weakest link. I may have missed some conversation or reason why Con is so attached to Bannan, so apologies of he is a friend or relation to Bannan. I have never understood why we play Bannan, he's just not at this level. On his best days days he scrapes through but on days like this he's a liability and at best ineffective. Once in a while a sweeping pass but aside from that the game just runs by him. Watching the game for the second time, Con's examples above are true but when you see them are nothing more than a few basic passes and if that's it then he should be at best on the bench. No way should he start against Stoke or again unless we have a injury crisis that requires another midfielder.

Love that some 16 yr old kid we've just signed from some Swedish league talks about playing for a bigger club but our current star striker says he's living a fantastic reality with Villa and will be here next season (if we stay up)....... You can't make these things up can you. Love Benteke!

Wow, Benteke best player you've seen at Villa park, that is very high praise. I think the guy has a lot of potential and is playing awesome at the moment although inconsistent which is getting better as the season goes on but there is no way I'd yet put in him that category at the moment. I could list a load of players I think that we were better or had the ability to be better and I'm only 36 years old so I'm guessing I'm only about 10 years older than you (WoodyTom).

I'm taking the positives and based on form I would replace us with Sunderland in your sentence. We have 10 points out of the last 18, they have 2. Who knows, glad we have points in the bag