sting

Hi John. What can i say other than another fantastic report on the Stoke match which bears out every Villa fan's frustration concerning the result. We should indeed have won this game easily and Martin has accused the team of 'over-convidence.' Maybe this is true and Martin is now begining to show his frustration at his player's inability to be able to protect a lead and close out a match. We had an excellent chance to extend our lead over an Arshavin driven Arsenal which would have afforded us the luxury of being able to drop some points against Man City, Tottenham, Liverpool, Man U, Everton and an ever improving West Ham, in our next six matches. As it is, we are the team being chased and i also wouldn't rule out Everton yet, even with their injuries, who are still getting results without conceeding too much with their solid back four. Lets hope that the cup defeats against Everton and CSKA and the Premiership defeat against Chelsea, will consume most of our seasonal blip and we will return to our earlier Premiership form, without the 'over-confidence?'

Fuller is a worry, if he is fit to play, although i would also be a little concerned about Beattie, who will let Davies and Knight know that they have been in a game. However, if Martin picks our first team after they were rested against CSKA, we should have more than enough to despatch Stoke who are exactly the type of team we must beat if we are to finish in the top four! After the Stoke game, we have a very difficult set of fixtures coming up against Man City, Spurs, Liverpool, Man U and Everton, so we must get the win against Stoke. If we are still fourth with these fixtures behind us then we must have a great chance of CL qualification! However Arsenal are now starting to get their injured players back, so going into the Man City match we must still have that cushion of six points?

deleted. please start a new thread as described. limpid

Not really sure about this limpid, promoting a betting scheme on this website????

Hi John. Totally agree with your statement above. I don't think any player would prefer the bench to playing, but I was really thinking what would benefit us in the long run to the end of the season? Apart from injury, Gabby has been playing from July and i think if he was rested for the CSKA and Stoke games, he might come back a little bit sharper, due to the rest! Having watched most of Martin's post match interviews, i think he views our Premiership position as the priority, so if we do lose to CSKA, then it might not be a disaster! I also think we should have enough about us to dispose of Stoke without Gabby's pace! I don't think Martin should be afraid to use the Fonz against CSKA, or Stoke, as he is certainly good enough and he may indeed surprise the Russians with his touch and skill, which would be particularly suited to CSKA's plastic pitch!

Hi John. Many thanks for the excellent report! After playing against CSKA on Thursday, and a new manager, in the form of Guus Hiddink, in place for Chelsea, i think most Villa fans looking into their crystal ball, would have secretly predicted this result! Again, we started very sluggishly, which has now become a common occurrence at home and indeed we seemed to be a little in awe of the occasion, or was it the fact that we were playing the only team this season who had previously outplayed us? Whatever the reason, Chelsea were in the ascendancy and although we had a few chances, on the whole, i don't think we threathened Chelsea's goal enough! It may well be that the way in which we play, is now becoming too predicable, as Chelsea never left space in behind them to allow us to take advantage on the counter attack? Certainly, from central midfield, we didn't create too much and although everyone is entitled to their opinion, i thought GB's performance, in particular, didn't warrant a 7, as, for too long in the game, he was left in the wake of Lampard's shadow, which was also the case, in the previous game at the Bridge! It might also be the right time now to give Gabby a well earned rest, and play the Fonz instead, alongside, either Heskey, or Carew, certainly for the away game against CSKA, as i believe Gabby has now hit that brick wall that all strikers do from time to time! I do agree however with your statement about the Stoke game, as we will be expected to win this one. Lets just hope that the defeats against Everton and Chelsea are a minor blip?

Hi BOF. Loved the article, which was full of detail, but disagreed to a certain extent with your above comment. I thought our first half performance against CSKA was poor and ridled with misplaced passes! Even though we played much better in the second half of that game, i do hope that, it is the second half performance that is repeated against Chelsea, rather than the first?

Hi John. Many thanks for another good and very fair report on the match last night. As i watched the game, memories of our performance against Hamburg came flooding back. I couldn't believe how so many professional footballers were unable to pass to a player wearing the same shirt. There were a lot of international footballers on view and and if my old school team manager had been watching this game, he would have been trying to wave the smoke away coming out of his ears! We were the main perpetrators, but the Russians also suffered, although the rubbish that both teams were playing was interrupted by a fantastic goal scored, unfortunately, by Vagner Love, that somehow didn't fit with the match! Nevertheless, i don't know what Martin said to our players at half time, but if it had been our school team manager, our Villa team would have been coming out for the second half with very raw backsides that you couldn't strike a match on! Consequently, our second half performance was much better and more in keeping with our Premiership form, although we might rue the chances missed? I think Gabby should go to the same Barber Shop as one particular Everton player, then he might be able to get sufficent contact onto the fantastic delivery he has been recieving from wide areas. Shorey also had his best performance in a Villa shirt to date and our own Messi got better as the match progressed! Even though i have criticized CSKA, they did show more than enough to suggest that we are in for a tough time on their plastic pitch. The thought of watching our present central defensive partnership trying to stay afloat on this type of pitch gave me nightmares last night and every time there was a close up of Vagner Love, just like in the game last night, he had this wicket smirk on his face. I wonder why?

Hi PB. Would just like to refer to the above quote you have made, i would assume in temper mode. I have actually mentioned in many previous threads while answering posts by John Cresswell, the need for us to purchase a new striker. I indeed mentioned many names, such as Cruz from Blackburn and had spoken of my wish for us not to sign Heskey, due to his goals ratio and injury record! This was before we only paid 3.5million for him, which in the circumstances, is a fair bit of business! As you have also read my post on Arshavin, who also plays as a striker, then how could i not understand our priority for a new front man? I believe i also commented on my disappointment that Martin didn't buy another striker to give Gabby a well earned rest! I have also, never been 'dismissive' of the way that we play. I did however comment on my wish at some stage for us to be able to hold onto the ball better in midfield, whenever we are under pressure! PB, i also don't 'make things up' to substantiate any opinion of mine, as i never would and certainly don't need to. I also haven't refused to grasp your argument. I simply have my own opinion, which you disagree with and that is fair enough! I feel anyone's opinion is valid and should be respected, if explained clearly, which i have done on numerous occasions on this website. Consequently, i am sorry that you will not take further comments from me seriously. Maybe i should just agree with your opinion and everything would be ok? Not to worry PB, my fiancee never listens to me either!

Hi PB. You now seem to deflect your answers away from my original statement, which was concerning whether our squad members were good enough to cover for 1st team injuries! So since we have settled that issue, you now wish to return to my statement on the need for a bit more creativity in central midfield, which is fine by me. If you would kindly read my previous thread where i again comment on the need for a creative midfielder, i clearly state, 'creativity available to you in central midfield!' I see you have now mentioned two different systems, which our team have been playing, according to the players we have available. Thats fine and i'm sure Steve Sidwell will be knocking on Martin O'Neill's door this morning when he finds out he won't be playing whenever we use a 4-4-2 system! I actually thought Martin had dropped Sidwell due to his level of performance, but then again you seem to think the mistakes he has been making, makes him a reason for our three month unbeaten run! There are many different systems whereby, you can incorporate different types of players. It has already been commented on by other Villa fans on this website, that we need to be able to play different systems to suit different opponents, especially in Europe. Man U generally play a different system in Europe to suit whatever opponent they may have. It is therefore reason to expect, is it not, that we must also have a squad to deal with teams in Europe who will need a bit more invention from us to break them down and indeed in our very own Premiership. We don't necessarily have to play with one striker, or 4-4-2 to incorporate a creative midfielder PB, but then again, we could do. So your above question therefore doesn't really apply, as the addition of a creative midfielder to our small squad which you have already admitted is struggling with injuries, would simply give us a lot more options!

Eh, Sidwell????

Hi PB. Thanks for the considered answer. However, i was commenting on your statement that certain squad members were good enough to replace members of our first team! I think all fans should be brave enough to come out and state what they see, instead of making excuses for players, who quite clearly are not up to standard. I will use Steve Sidwell as an example. You said Sidwell was instrumental in our 3 month unbeaten run, before Everton. I personally think, along with Reo-Coker and Salifou, Sidwell has been another poor signing and he is continuing to show why! I also believe Everton's Arteta, showed exactly why we need a creative midfielder. You have got to have creativity available to you in central midfield to open defences and not just from wide areas! Man U, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal all have that creativity in midfield and consequently figure in the top four most seasons! I also feel that Martin should have bought another striker to enable Gabby to have a well earned rest! Nevertheless, I sincerely hope by Sunday night that you and i are celebrating another two wins, but it won't disguise the fact, that certain players in our squad will be plying their trade elsewhere in seasons to come, as they are simply not good enough!

Very much like the sound of Albrighton. Maybe we might see him, along with Barry Batman in our euro side?

Well PB, if our squad is as good as you say it is, then we shouldn't have a problem, but we've lost to Everton already, so hopefully that will be the only defeat we will suffer, with our next two games against the Russians and the blues?

Hi PB. Many thanks for your compliment! I think goal assists, goals scored, passes gone astray, media player's points tables and your player's appearance table, only goes to prove one thing. Even though they all come under the term statistics, which you seem to rely so heavily on, they are however, open to interpretation! I think PB we should now concentrate on the Everton game. It will depend on how important Martin views the F.A Cup, with the russkeys and Guss Hiddink's Chelsea next. I indeed hope that you are right about our squad PB, as Martin has said everyone will be used over the next several days? I think i will be using my fiancee's spare set of false nails again, even though they are bright pink!! Many regards, Ciaran.

Hi PB. You have spent a lot of time here trying to prove what? I believe my opinion is as valid as anyone. You forget to remember that these players collectively formed a very poor Villa team against Hamburg. It was the most inept Villa performance i had ever seen, with no-one and i mean no-one, able to string two passes together. I believe when channel 5 interviewed Martin after the Hamburg match, he promised there would be a better team to represent Villa in the knockout stages! He played this team due to viewing the Hamburg match as a dead rubber! You cannot say that because the players you have quoted above have appeared in various matches and thankfully not together, makes them good enough! These players have been carried by the rest of our Premiership team and have only appeared, sometimes as substitutes, due to the fact we have no-one else! As i have stated in a previous thread, i would view Luke Young as an exception to this, Delfouneso also, who i have a lot of time for. The rest of the players you mention, i believe in the next several transfer windows, may well be plying their trade somewhere else, as Martin will surely add more quality if we make CL qualification!

Hi PB. I have no wish to argue with any Villa fan, but i think Martin's attitude towards Shorey speaks for itself. To say that Sidwell has been a key element in our rise over the past three months, is, well unfortunate. Reo-Coker and Gardner valued squad players. Yep, squad players, but no more than that and they showed that against Hamburg. Remember, a 3-0 defeat? Zat Knight, yes he has improved, but his performances needed to. Cuellar performances to date, in my opinion, still dont warrant a reported, 7.5million fee, no-matter where he plays, and Luke young was as poor as the rest of the side that played against Hamburg. However, since then, i'm very glad to see that he has proven a very good experienced signing and is trusted by Martin for his positional sense, covering for, eh, Shorey!

Hi PB. I actually agree with a lot of what BOF has said. I think Villa are a 'one trick pony' at the moment and sooner or later teams will work us out. Our pressing game, if we qualify for the CL, will not work on a sultry night in Spain against the likes of Barca, who will pass the ball around us until we tire! We must also have the option of more players who are comfortable on the ball and can hold onto it for longer periods, especially against the better teams. Thats why i was disappointed that Martin didn't try to sign Arshavin who is technically gifted. It is also the reason why i have been banging on all season for Martin to sign at least one more central midfielder who has enough technical ability on the ball to hold it when under pressure! With the greatest respect to Steve Sidwell, Gardner and Reo-Coker, when he plays in midfield, you wouldn't classify these players as technically gifted and assured on the ball. We are having a fantastic season and long may it continue with our effective football, but we will need a little more technical ability and invention if we are to progress into a top euro team. PB, im afraid i also disagree with your above comment about the Hamburg game. I have said it before and i will say it again, we lost that match because the players who wore the Villa shirt that night were simply not good enough and the loss of that game was nothing to do with players not knowing how their team mates play! They play together in training matches every day of the week!

Hi PB. Congrats on the post and there are some valid points there, but i also think your opinion is very one sided! Rather than give you a history lesson on the many successful league and national teams who were mainly built on flair, with the vast majority of those players comfortable on the ball, i would instead like to refer you to the present England team who are built on the very ideals you champion and played against Spain in midweek! We had six of our players in the squad and some of those played in the game! Correct me if i am wrong here, but didn't the flair of the Spanish give England and indeed our own Villa players, a footballing lesson!

Hi PB. I think your question is a fair one, but i think there are two reasons why Arshavin hasn't come to prominence as quickly as most other exciting players. Firstly, Arshavin was playing his football in Russia, which certainly doesn't have the same media coverage as most other european leagues, even though, he was still earning top european wages! Secondly, Arshavin started his career playing in midfield, but found his true position when he was switched to a striking role, either as a second striker, or in the hole, behind the main striker! I am as interested as you are to see if he adapts to the pace of our Premiership. I don't think our inclement weather will hinder him for obvious reasons and even though he will play for one of our rivals, i am looking forward to see another excellent footballer display his talents in our Premiership, just as long as we finish in fourth place, or better!

Hi Evel. I agree with the players you have chosen here which would have made Arsenal and indeed ourselves stronger! It may take time for Arshavin to ajust to the pace of the Priemership, but i think he is the type of player that may well fit into Arsenal's style of play faster than most people may think!

Hi B-Dub. Many thanks for your comment all the way from New York. Whether it's too late in the season for Arshavin to make an instant impact, we will soon find out? Arsenal have now lost Adebayor to injury and Arshavin regularly plays as a second forward, so the temptation, i feel, will be too much for Wenger to resist playing Arshavin alongside, or just in behind Van Persie! The Arsenal fans will also want to see him as they haven't had much to cheer lately, have they? Your assumption is also correct in my web name being a reference to the Policeman,as i am a massive fan. Sad yep and since my cover is now broken, i hope i don't have to repay all the royalities i have received? Thanks also to BOF for his very short, but very funny comment!

A big Irish welcome to Sled, Wedge and my old friend PB. You are right Sled that i do have a thing about Arshavin. I see him as the modern day Peter Beardsley and admire his technical ability on the ball. He, like Beardsley, can also score a goal or two and has an eye for a defence splitting pass! I do have a thing for flair players Wedge, but, i don't yet have a poster of Arshavin on my wall, but you never know? Hi PB, thanks for your very considered comment. I don't think Arshavin played against Everton, but i would stand to be corrected on that. He did however, play against England and was fantastic for Russia in their home match, but didn't perform in the away match. Nevertheless, he was MOTM against Rangers in the UEFA Final! I totally agree with your opinion that Arsenal really needed a midfield enforcer, rather than another flair player which i hope will work to our advantage this season? I also agree with you that there might be some concern as to whether Arshavin will adapt to the pace of the Premiership? He would however be at home with our inclement weather! Nevertheless, when a gifted player becomes available, still at the age of 27, who has the ability to turn a game by himself, then i believe you should go out and get him, if he fits into your team pattern, which you have also rightly commented on! Wenger has done this and with Arsenal's performance against Spurs, totally devoid of ideas and flair, i think Arshavin will be gracing our Premiership green fields, maybe, before full match fitness would allow! I just hope this little russian magician keeps his magic wand well hidded until, at the very least, next season! Regards, Ciaran.

A very sensible article and one every Villa fan should adhere to! I also think we should follow Manchester United in their transfer policy of having a fantastic scouting system abroad. Maybe even having a close affiliation with one or two foreign teams which would allow us to have a look at some of their most promising players and in return, we could then give our young players some consistant european experience! Hopefully this will come sooner rather than later and we can then spread our transfer net wider onto the european stage where we might even persuade MON to sign a potential Ronaldo, Arshavin, Messi or Kaka!

Hi Limpid. I can't really remember when we were under threat of relegation since MON has been manager? So your reply is really totally out of context and doesn't warrant any further reply from me! Regards, Ciaran.