flatty

My opinion on Gabby has never changed... He’s okay, massively overrated by many villa fans and possibly because he is a local lad. Being a fan of the club you play for and coming up through the youth system certainly adds to allure of a player but for me its not enough to warrant a place in our team/squad over better options. I do think Gabby has a role to play for us and coming on as an impact player, threatening the tired legs of the opposition defence for the last 20 might be it but if he is on 58k a week then that changes things. Without doubt in Gabby we have a very quick player who will beat most players in a dash but he shows a lack of intelligence in terms of the passes he picks and the runs he makes. I cant believe there are many that would say Gabby is a great finisher or even a good finisher. He’s scored a few decent goals but not many and id love to see stats on the chances both clear cut and half chances he has wasted against the ones taken. I think if I was in charge and we could get 6 million for him id be calling the lad into my office for a chat... I really don’t think he adds a great deal to our team and certainly not considering his wage (assuming its correct). Id love for him to come good but I think the best we can hope for is the odd decent few games. I think even for 6 million and 58k wage budget we could bring in someone who added more to the side.

erm, nope.

No. There are very few positives for me at the minute and those positives I can take are swamped by many more negatives, for me at least. I was not happy with AM being appointed. I am not happy that we now see mid table as a decent position to finish in considering a couple of yrs ago we were on the brink of breaking the top 4. I am not happy that we sold two of our best players in the summer and did not replace them properly. The worst is that I cant see things improving. What have we seen or heard that indicates that we are improving, really? We play terrible football and this hasnt with any consistancy got better. We have a small sqaud with a distinct lack of depth in quality and I cant see this changining much as it looks like we will have to sell in order to buy and the only players that would generate cash are those few that we really cannot afford to sell. I cant see us replacing AM so the future is bleak as far as I am concerned. It is the first day back at work today so im on a downer anyway but the above is really how I feel. It just seems that over the last couple of years we have declined as other sides have improved and we are now just not able to compete where we would like to in the league. Maybe I just need to accept that and I would if Randy came out and said it and explained why.

Darren Bent is class but as with every striker, to be at his best he needs the ball and Bents game in particular relies on supply. Funny thing is we sold our players who were responsible for the majority of assists last season and didnt replace them. Oh and by funny I mean a complete f*$king joke!

Well the fact that two posters thought we could finish in the top 7 bought a smile to my face. Im not as hopeful though I'm afraid. I made predictions before the season had kicked out. Granted with a very bad taste in my mouth thanks to AMs appointment however so far im not too far off and I said that Jan would be vital, we need to invest or change manager to improve else we'll be floating dangerously in the few places above the relegation zone.

With regards to the name calling etc of AM I too agree that its largely uncalled for. I dont think that anyone believes that he's purposely setting out to get us playing poorly etc. I am sure he is doing all that he can to turn this situation around. The problem with this is that I just dont think he has it in him! I cant see AM turning around and saying I give up so this is where we need strength and direction from Randy. He must recognise that things arent good in terms of both results and performance. This isnt likely to change with the current manager/squad so something has to give, either he pumps more money into the team and hope AM spends it wisely and gets us playing better and picking up more points else he decides to ask AM to leave. In my opinion both are required, a new manager and some money to bring in 3/4 players. All in all I dont think that calling AM names etc is called for and I havent taken part myself (though ive made it clear from day 1 I thought it a bad appointment) however Randy must be aware of it and that the negative reception to AMs appointment hasnt turned into positive in anyway and in fact those who were neutral or thought it a good move in the most part have largely now lost faith. I just think negative chanting and name calling towards AM is a way of letting Randy know we're not happy. We've got to be approaching the "vote of confidence" stage soon I'd have thought...

I was extremely happy with Randy right up until his search for GH's replacement. Loved some of his gestures such as the flags etc and he backed MON yr on yr. I thought GH was an understandable appointment even if things didnt work out. I wasnt convinced that Martinez would be the right man for the job and was relieved that it didnt work out. I didnt believe the rumours that AM was up for the job, the media had no idea who we wanted and report after report linked us with managers that were never on our radar and I thought it was just the same with AM. I was a whole load of emotions when it was clear AM was going to be our manager and none of them positive. The statement from the club was terrible, just full of hot air. Randy had appointed the one manager that he knew the fans would not approve of and then gave no real hard reasons as to why AM was the outstanding choice which I assume he must have been for Randy to appoint him given he had come from Blues. I would have almost put my mortgage on it that AM would have a good amount of money to spend on players especially when we lost Young and Downing to ensure that Randys decision was proved the correct one. I hope that Randy comes to his senses and has the strength to either back AM in the window (which is our only hope under AM I think) or let him go. If he lets him go and brings in a manager that can help us progress and backs him then this could just be a blip on an otherwise fantastic reign as chairman of Villa.

For me he should never have been appointed and I was extremely angry that he was. This said I gave him a chance, wasnt his fault. I didnt renew my season ticket but have been to several games and have tried my best not to post too many negative comments on here. By now we should have an indication of how we are going to look under AM. I cant say that anything as yet has made me think he is the right man for the job, nothing makes me think he can get us back challenging the top 4/5 and if I'm honest I dont think he can even ensure we finish in the top 8. I think the longer he is in charge the more we take backward steps. I was shocked that Randy didnt give him more money in the summer, after taking what was pretty much entirely an unpopular decision to appoint AM I would have thought that he would want to do all he could to make sure he was proved right in his choice for manager. I hope that if Randy does stand by AM then he backs him because I think bringing in a few quality players is the only way we can improve on current form, I really dont believe that AM as it in him to get more out of our current crop of players. And thats not a swipe at our players.

I have never posted a positive comment re: AM and its simply because I was shocked on several levels that he was appointed our manager and since has done nothing to really prove that the decision was a good one. I would have taken the job if offered it myself so I can't blame him for taking the position (its a big job and certainly a step up for him) however I still as im sure are many are confused as to exactly why Randy and the board appointed him. Yes there was a statement from the club but for me it was full of hot air. You could almost write a few paragraphs about pretty much any manager to justify their appointment but under the circumstances it was hard facts and a clear reason why he was the best man for the job that we needed and wanted. Now I nor nobody else im sure that posts on here understand the restraints under which he is operating but this said the board cannot be happy with our current performances or position, at least I hope. I have not renewed my season ticket as my own little protest to his appointment but have been to see the team several times and have watched us every minute of every game regardless. I am a villa fan and want us to have success, I would love nothing more than to be proved wrong and AM an inspired appointment however I think its clear that this at this stage is not the case. I hope that Randy either provides AM with the funds to bring in some players that we desperately need or replace him as as it stands all I can see is step back after step back. The top 6 have improved whilst we have gone the opposite way. Even standing still in the premier league is negative and Im concerned as to the direction we are heading. If the targets for AVFC have changed then I would like Randy to tell us so, if we are no longer able to challenge the top 4, 6 then so be it and I would get behind the team, the manager etc 100% but as it stands today we are still under the impression that we hope to challenge these positions and play in Europe. If this is the case we are clearly failing and something must be done to address the situation. Clarity is what I would like right now...

yep, I dont want to be a nay sayer but comparing him to Scholes is high praise that he doesnt deserve. I think that Bannan has potential though I like many others have been saying just this for the last 2/3 yrs. For me he has not developed (yet) how I had hoped. He tends to drift in and out of games on a regular basis. Of course I hope he develops further into a star player for us but for me Delph is way ahead of him so it would be him getting playing time ahead of Bannan. I think I'd send him out on loan again as for me he's not helping us improve the team just yet.

Well I'm not going to jump on the Gabby bandwagon as I have been very critical of him for as long as I remember. Though I have been critical I have always said that he has a place at Villa and for me that would be as an impact player, coming off the bench to exploit the tired legs of our opponents defenders for the last 20 minutes... I've always thought that his only above average attribute has been his pace, going past players for Gabby is 4 out of 5 times hit and run as his dribbling skills are not that great. Positionially he looks clueless most of the time and he picks out the wrong pass too often for my liking. In front of goal its at best the toss of a coin to if he'll put it in the net and considering the amount of both clear cut and half chances he misses dont make up for the goals he's scored or created during his time in the side. I think there are a lot of people getting very excited about Gabby based on the first handful of games this season. Prior to the Wigan game I dont think he'd showed anything more than he has previously, I'm not taking away his goals from him, he's done well to score the goals but again he's missed a lot of chances and his movement particularly in the Bolton game was dissapointing. The above said I watched Gabby for pretty much most of the Wigan game and was impressed with his movement and desire to get on the ball. The cross for Bents goal was a quality one, not just the kick into the box he usually delivers. He took is goal well and he looked like a striker that could contend for a place in any premier league side. I hope that he's "come of age" and we're now seeing the real Gabby, he's got the heart that's for sure, just his ability for me thats been in question and at a time where the club and its fans are going through a rough time I hope that I've been wrong all along and he's exactly what we need to, a star to get behind and base the next squad we build on. Time will tell. To answer what he's worth, I think it would take about 13 million for us to let him go in the current climate regards inflated transfer fees and also considering he probably has 3/4 years left where he's going to be quicker than the average bear...

I spent the whole car journey home trying to think of a single positive from the game. I couldnt... We looked static from the off and that didnt change at all. There was zero movement up front, Gabby's touch was awful. Fonz looked lost out wide and Ireland and Bannan gave the ball away, neither really made an impact. I thought Albrighton was poor, got a coupe of crosses in during the last 10 mins but not of any quality and like the rest of the team didnt show for the ball throughout. Concerned that a half time bollocking (im assuming one was given out) we started in the same disinterested way we ended the first half. We went a goal down and still no change. There was a distinct lack of movement up front, I think Gabby thought he was marking Cahill, maybe that was the plan? But it didnt do much for our options and all in all I still cant see where we are going to create enough chances from to win games this season, not with this team and more importantly with this style of play.

Well I cant say I think Hutton is anything more than a steady player but just heard on SSN if we miss out on his then we'll look to Danny Simpson... F*ck me! Pls Hutton sign for the villa...

I would have liked 3 points yesterday but a clean sheet and a point away from home first game of the season isnt too bad at all. I have no great expectations for this season at all and the performance really backed up what I have been posting on here for the last couple of months. We lack creativity and the ability to create/score chances. Bent cannot do it all himself. We looked okay at the back but had to rely on Given more that really we'd like. Given was cracking for us and confirm what I think we all thought anyway, that he is a great replacement for Friedel. I hope that Mcleish and the board will take our opening performances as an indication as to how our season will shape up ie lack of goals/threat going forward and do a bit of something before the window closes. Pleased with the result. Not thrilled with the performance.

sorry double post or something.... :-S

I'm really not slating your opinion but just joining a club or being too old dont imo mean you cant be a captain of a club. Plenty of examples out there. I think Clark could well be a future captain depending on his development and attitude (of which i know little) but he needs to hold down a first team position first and at present I think he's perhaps considered a good prospect and squad player by the fans and manager alike.

Petrov gets my vote just as he had my backing in the other thread. He has moments of quality and is a steady eddy in the most part. I cant see any other players in our squad at the minute who would be any better wearing the armband. Maybe in 2/3 years with plenty of first team football and of course hoping they develop maybe Delph or Clark. I think theres a chance Mcleish will realise we need a defensive CM player and perhaps leadership quality will be one of the attributes he is looking for if he goes out to sign one in Jan/Summer. For now though I think Petrov will do a job.

I voted yes. I think he has peaked like I have said previously but I cant see another leader of any better calibre in the squad. Who should be captain might be a better poll, I think you'd realise there arent really any better candidates for it.

I was there and I would say the players that I had a decent game were: Guzan: In all honesty I dont like him and when he plays i sh*t myself. This said last night he pulled off a couple of decent saves. A one on one in particular, he flap at a couple of crosses though. Clarke: Looked tidy at the back, played the ball out rather than just clearing the ball to wherever. Beye: Had a solid game actaully. Didnt do anything I could complain about that I recall. Makoun: Nice short passing and hardly gave the ball away Delph: Looked full of energy whilst he was on the pitch, linked well with Ireland and Makoun and the three of them were playing in triangles well. Ireland: Im afraid :-) he had what I would call a decent game. First half he did well as per my last post but when put out of position he may as well not have been playing. Thats it for who played "well". Derbys first goal was completely against the run of play. The second it seemed as though we'd either ran out of steam or just werent trying as hard. We had the lion share of the ball all game but we created so few chances and im not sure on stats but i bet we only had less than 10 shots! We didnt create anything really meaningful which is worrying. Alrighton had a few moments where he looked dangerous but not enough to justify him playing for 90 minutes. Bannan was hardly in the game, he tried a few through balls first half which didnt come off that i remember but other than that didnt do a lot. Gardner came on and played pretty bad. got caught with the ball at his feet and ended up runnign with it towards out goal and put in a hefty foul on one of there players with a few minutes to go. probably just trying to make an impact. Overall the result aside we played some okay football from the back to middle of the park but then generating goal scoring opportunities from that seemed almost impossible.

Well first of all I was at the game last night and understand that friendlies are used to try out a few things and also gain fitness, this said it was the same for Derby and I think we all would expect to beat them even with the team we put out. We didnt have Dunne and Collins in the side which removed the long balls from the back in the most part. Clarke I thought was tidy at the back last night. first half Ireland Delph and Makoun played some nice one touch football and one twos etc. The problem was there wasnt really any outlet for it. we passed it nicely in the middle of the park but then it went no where. Albrighton did okay in bursts but agree that he needs another season of being used as an impact player/being eased into the first team. Id like to see another winger come in. Bannan is not in the same league as Delph for me, I think both have potential but Bannan really tends to at best drift in and out of games and last night I hardly knew he was on the pitch. Ireland I thought did alright first half but in the second he looked like he was playing wide left and didnt appear interested in making too many runs. Even taking into account these have been pre season games Im slightly concerned. I think we need another winger, a CM, striker and a right back. Im worried where our goals are going to come from. Bent we know is quality but where else are we going to get goals from? Losing Young and Downing will depleat us on that front. I think we need either a striker who can come in and contribute more than gabby/heskey or a midfielder whos capable of scoring and assisting his fair share. Pre season is for working out where your at as a squad IMO. Can any of us really say we're happy with where we'er at? I think we need improvement.

Petrov is a decent player for us. Agree he has peaked or certainly seems to have. Still, I would say he can play a part for us this season though I expect that Delph, Makoun and possibly Ireland to play ahead of him perhaps towards the back end of the season and next season.

Far too early for me to vote. I certainly didnt want Mcleish here and dont think he should be based on his track record but thats by the by now. He is in charge and that was the boards decision, they'll be held accountable for that either way. I'll give Mcleish a while before passing judgement on his performance as our manager, so far I cant say i'm impressed with amount of signings we've made but I am sure again that is down to the board. Not board bashing, just saying. Hope that I am wrong about Mcleish and how I see things going for us under him. I'd love to be proved wrong... We'll see.

I like Makoun, coming to the premier league isnt easy from any league in the world and a player should expect to take half a season to a season to fully get to grips with it. I think Makoun has done well during this period and Im expecting and hoping next season he'll improve again. I like his style, typically a cool head but he does have a switch that flicks on occasions where he dives in, just like Scholes did (im not comparing the two on anything other that diving in from time to time). I am looking forward to seeing him this season, I really think he'll go up a gear. His style would complement an attacking minded Ireland IMO, sure we'll see them pair together at some point this coming season.

I think Hutton is a run of the mill player. No better than a fit Young but obviously has more yrs left in him. If I was AM asking Randy to sign a player then id be asking him to spend the extra and bring back Walker. I thought he was a tidy player with bags of potential. Hutton strikes me as a mid table standard player at best. Unfortunately though we may have to start considering that this is what we now are...

First of all over the moon that seemingly we have got N'Zogbia However, i still think we are way short of the quality needed to compete in the top half this season. We need to strengthen the spine of the team further by signing at least one new centreback and a quality defensive midfielder along with another striker. At some time or another Bent will need to be rested and i have no faith whatsoever that Gabby will score the goals needed, or indeed any of our younger strikers coming through. What if Bent picks up a long term injury? I'd like us to sign Dann, Parker, Johnson and Sturridge (Loan) if Sturridge doesn't go to Spuds and another FB. Given Young Dann Clarke/Dunne Enrique N'Zogbia Parker Delph Johnson Bent Sturridge To me that would be the team to have us competing in the top six again. It would require the money left over from the sales of Young and Downing plus Randy dipping into his pocket but i believe those players are gettable if we show a little more ambition in the transfer market. Agree to the most point. Nzogbia is a great addition. Better than Downing IMO and if we actually spend whats left over from Young/Downing then we could very well have a chance of competing in the top 6 maybe. We do need more firepower. Bent is quality but he needs another striker alongside him who's capable of 15-20 goals and Gabby just isnt good enough as much as I want him to be. Sturridge would be a good signing but sure there are others. I like warnock but agree we may need another central defender and I think right back too. Possible a versatile winger as Albrighton and Nzogbia alone may not be enough for a long season. Hopefully Nzogbia the 2nd of 4/5 signings....Prob not though.