AntrimBlack

I think Clark should be made captain. He leads the huddle, he organises at the back, is constantly talking to others, and seems to thrive on the responsibility, which not all players do. He just looks the part.

Benteke really needs to put in more effort. Weimann and Gil buzzing around made him look like a static big lump. Balls going into the box that he made absolutely no attempt to attack. Totally lost what he had that first season. Is it possible that he is just a one season wonder? Does he think he is too good for us? He has a big problem, and I do not think it can any longer be blamed on the injury.

For all you know Lambert is the best coach in the universe, unless you're a regular at BMH and have sat in on other clubs training as well, you have no way of knowing and pretending you do is just silly. Results on the pitch are probably a bit of a guide.

Terrific post. And I love that midfield three as well.

I do not expect players to be loyal, it is their job, and I do not have a problem with that, they should have ambition. I am also not convinced about Delph's performances, and think he needs to improve, but he is certainly our best midfielder after Sanchez. I do think his signing is excellent, though, as it sends a positive message about the club to supporters and others. As for his sacrifice, I am not convinced that there were serious enquiries about him.

Two things that might be a problem there - the owner and the manager.

Bacuna in stead of Weimann? No. But Weimann in there and that is a good line up.

this line up effectivey still relies on three players to create and score goals... we dont need Cleverley in this side.. Grealish should have started in a 442 in place of Cleverley and go at them!! That team looks decent. No Agbonlahor - Clark captain - that's how it should be. Weimann up front with Benteke, Gil in behind. Bacuna and Cleverly perhaps a bit weak, but apart from that not a lot wrong with that line-up, we shall see.

Yes, none of our strikers miss those.

I do.

They have some nerve. Trying to take from us the one thing we do best !

Just coz he's an England international means doodly squat these days!!!! It means that he has been recognised by the England manager for his performances for his club team and to actually be selected for the team in an important Euro qualifier means even more. But let me guess, Sanchez being picked for his national team (who I rate more highly than England), doesn't mean much, because we're just overrating him, or he's flavour of the month? So you're saying he is better than Delph? Definitely.

At the moment Lambert and Benteke are both shit. Benteke probably most of us think is capable of better and will improve, Lambert, on the other hand, many of us are not convinced that he can improve.

Has Cleverly's loan deal now expired?

Well I do. I do not think I am particularly sensitive, but to become the butt of jokes - not good.

I honestly believe if we'd offered him a new deal at any point during 2013, he'd have signed. Seems we only opened proper negotiations during summer 2014 which was way too late. 60k dosen't sound too much of an increase either as when MM was on here he was claiming Delph was in the 45-50k bracket already. On a free some club will properly offer him 70k. I think you are probably right there, when he was saying he'd like to finish his career here it would have made sense to just slap a 4 year deal under his nose and see just how true it was. After he's said all that and nothing has happened he's probably got the hump... There is a lot wrong with the club, but not everything can be laid at their door. He has become an England international, he thinks he can do better, and he wants to go. With the exception of Sanchez, none of our present midfielders impress me, and this is an opinion long held, not just since Delph decided to move on. We should sell him now in order to recoup some of the money spent on him. 4 m. Lambert, to be fair, has a good record of buying around that price.

Dave Armitage - who he?

There's a danger that mentioning a player's weaknesses makes it look like I'm denigrating him, when in reality I think he's a good player, but pinning your hopes on a slight young lad from another country is setting too many people up for a fall. I'm trying to add a cautionary note. I don't think anyone would suggest Carles Gil was a failure at Elche, that is definitely not the case, but neither can I remember a game when he was a major influential figure. Partly that was to do with Elche's tactics last season and the position he played - mostly he would have been out on right in a standard 4-2-3-1, the main objective last season being not to concede goals as we had dearth of attacking players. That wouldn't be his natural position, which would be a central attacking midfielder ("media punta" in Spanish). He played there more when we were in the 2nd Division and looked the part, but on the few occasions he had the opportunity last year it wasn't to any great effect. In the games I've seen him in for Valencia this season he seemed again to be used from wide positions - as is common for young players, and especially left-footed ones. What would worry me about him going to England is that he always seemed a little fragile, I seem to remember him often limping off during matches and then not re-appearing for a couple of games. I don't think he has any obvious weakness in his game, he could have scored more goals and got into goalscoring positions more often, but those he did score were good finishes. Elche weren't able to keep the players they actually needed this season (one of which would have been Sanchez), but to be fair he might have been better off in the current side which is better going forward but a pushover defensively. On balance I might have done him a disservice because although his direct replacement has been better than him, he would probably still be playing most weeks if he was still around. Uh-oh. I know another manager who likes that style of play. Don't like the sound of that.

His contract with Valencia didn't expire till summer 2016. I have commented on this thread before as I am an expat Elche season ticket so know this player very will indeed, and don't misunderstand what I might say below because I like him, he has excellent potential. But.... He was surplus to requirements at Valencia, they sold him so they could strengthen their squad in other areas plus they have a similar player to him on loan at Cordoba who, IMV and probably theirs, is better. No way on earth is Carles currently worth more than Villa paid for him. In fact, at this moment he's not worth even that because (again IMHO) you overpaid based on the risk. He's a good, skilfull, classy looking player but even at crisis-hit Elche you won't find many fans who were desperate to keep him. In fact the club's forum has made comparisons all season with his replacement and you would be hard- pressed to find a fan who didn't think his replacement (called Victor Rodriguez) has been better for us. This is not to say he won't make it and be worth a king's ransom in two years, but honestly, as much as I joined this forum to keep tabs on Villa's growing list of our former players (do you need a keeper? You can get Caballero from Man City), you're all getting carried away. Thanks for that, GC, good to get an informed opinion. Does no harm to dampen down expectations a little. We are understandably just so desperate for positivity at the moment. And thanks for Sanchez, by the way, he is possibly our best player at the moment !

Playing with Baker, a different partner, possibly effected him. He will be ok when he is reunited with Clark.

Yes, I had heard that. Surely it will occur to someone, Fox perhaps, to carry out an audit of non-playing staff, to ascertain the reason for this.

The manager should have no problems motivating himself to try to achieve the highest possible league finish and push on from that the next season.If he can't even do that, there's really no point He just needs to sit the players down and give a rousing, spine-tingling speech about jolly-well-finishing-as high-as-possible-up-the-table. Driven by this mouth-watering prospect, the players will be infused with an animal-like fervour, and play each game frothing at the mouth. Is that what you mean? Works for me. But cannot see Lambert as the man to do it.

Surely the manager's job to motivate the players. The supporters buy into a dream not the players. Players play for a living and presumably want to do their best at that job, and as a by-product improve the club's fortunes. But they need direction, and I do not think they are getting that at the moment from the manager.

He's here until the end of the season I think people need to get used to that Unfortunately, I think he will be here until the end of his contract or we are sold, whichever happens first.

I do not see much fight in them. They look rudderless and without belief.