barry'sboots

Did you not see the Man U home game last season when he played in a CM three with Stan and Milner. For the first 25 minutes or so he ran the show and was the pick of the CM'ers on the park. He wasn't as convincing after Man U had a man sent off and MON failed to respond tactically. I think the kid showed in that game that he has a lot of talent but needs the CM set up right to allow him to play. I don't think a two of him and Stan works. Delph alongside NRC could be very interesting - I have been hoping to see this for quite a while.

I think we will see more over the next few months. I think he was stupidly rushed back and hopefully will now be eased back in. The only possible issue for me is that he is very similar to Makoun - a CM playmaker - in that he shows for the ball, makes space and retains possession by short sharp passing with the occasional longer ball mixed in. I am not sure whether he could play alongside Makoun (not a problem for the next 3 games admittedly). Would a CM pairing of Delph and Makoun be too lightweight? It would certainly be technically strong. The same can probably said of wee Barry?? What we really need, as far as I am concerned, is a strong DCM - Sissoko possibly and I think Hogg could be decent first reserve - and a strong ACM - Gardner possibly (?) and I would love to see Jimmy back to play this role. I am not sure yet, because I haven't seen enough of him, how Bradley fits in to a pair or a CM three and who he would compliment.

I find this type of comment incredibly frustrating. Can you name a game against a "better" side where NRC has not delivered or been at a standard below his team mates? The only ones I can recall were the Spurs games and he was defo MOTM in the first. I remain the Plop away win last year when he was very influential and also MOTM. This is an easy line to trot out IMO but I think it is wrong.

I'm sure Carlsberg have some?

Coker by far the best Villa player on display. Downing good but could be so much better on the left. Walker looks better and better coming forward. Still not sure about his defending. Makoun did well before a silly tackle. 3 games to reflect on it and hopefully a CM of Coker and Delph? All the rest were average. £20m for Ash. Yes please. NZogbia and Milner in?

Never had an invite but, like some, I thought this scheme had ended and it was pay on the door. I have been in a few times because my wife is an account manager for the Villa.

I think it's too early to be making these types of judgements, you've mentioned him alongside two truely world class CM's, there are plenty of good CM's in the league who can pass a ball, we've sold two of them to Money City over the past two seasons. Could you say here's any better than, gerrard, scholes, fletcher, anderson, song, diaby, VDV, Modric & wilshere + more who are all players playing in the CL (Gerrard as an exception). I think we can put Makoun in that type of class of player but to me its no surprise because we bought a regular starting player from a champions league club!! I don't get the hype because we've got what we knew we were getting, he's hardly a surprise package. I'm with you Mat. He has some very good points. He looks a really good and instinctive passer of the ball. He can do this first time and has the vision to know where he wants to play the ball before he receives it. He can also play the ball into space for a moving player at a perfect weight and moves to receive the ball back - both of which I have rarely seen a Villa CM'er do. However, I felt last weekend that he felt he had to play a first time ball every time when there were some instances that he could have held onto it, particularly later in the game when he looked a bit tired. I am also not yet sure about his defensive capabilities, but it might be that we have to complement him with a ball winner and an ACM to get the best out of Jean, as Arsenal have had to do with Fabregas. Looks like he could be a real talent but still has to settle in properly and get up to speed with the Premier League before we declare him to be at the Fabregas or Gerard level. That's not saying he can't or won't get there, just that I don't see him there on the basis of the first three games for us.

Whilst I think he is a great little player, I think you need to set your team up right for him. It either needs to be a really open game OR he needs to play in a three with an enforcer alongside and a box to box ACM. In many ways he is not dissimilar to Steven Davis.

2-1 away win with goals from Bent and Young would do nicely.

The day you predict an away win I am defo putting money on it! :winkold:

He could be our Xavi and just needs a "Biscuits" alongside him. Only flaw for me is, whilst I love his instinctive first time passing, he seems to want to do this every time and I think that there are occasions when he should be looking to hold on to the ball for a bit longer if there is not a first time pass on.

Seen a fair few calls for Barry to play the ACM role. Not quite sure why as I haven't seen anything in his play (admittedly I have only seen him a few times) to suggest that he can play this role and get in and around Bent, or beyond when necessary, to become the second striker? To me he is a deeper lying CM'er/playmaker, not dissimilar to Makoun in many respects? I would play Bradley in there as I think he will be our new Milner and will score goals playing off Bent.

Very brave CM IMO - technically strong but too lightweight and this would get owned by most Premier League midfields.

---------------- Friedel --------------- Walker ---- Collins - Cuellar ---- Clark ------------ NRC ---- Mak ------------ Ash ----------- Bradley ------ Downing ---------------- Bent ----------------- Subs: Marshall, Dunne, Bannan, Albie, Agbonlahor, the Fonz, Heskey

So frustrating down at VP today and have to blame Ged for that. So many errors in his selection: - Carlos has to play at CB, he is our best defender by a long way IMO - Downing played well today I thought (MOTM) but would be so much better on the LEFT - Ash needs to be out wide - Gabby is not a winger - Petrov has been consistently crap this season and was again today. I would struggle to give him any points and agree with GNeeUs: I can't believe he got 4 votes for MOTM. I could only think of his mum, his hairdresser and MON but there must be a fourth "involved" person out there. He gave a careless free kick away today by letting the ball run across his body in the middle of the park when he had loads of time and space to stop it which eventually led to the corner they scored from. He turned his back on Vidic's strike on Tuesday night instead of throwing his body in the way which turned the tide back in their favour. He is making mistakes left right and centre now and, if I was Coker, I would be really pee'd off. This is not Stan's fault and is nothing against him - he just hasn't got the energy to play at this level any more. As for the ratings: Brad - 5 - mistakes creeping in. He remains a great shot stopper but he no longer commands his area. New keeper required in the summer. Walker - 5 (+1 for the goal). Did okay, particularly coming forward, but still has a lot to learn defensively. Dunne & Collins - 5 - okay, but Carlos is better than both IMO. Clark - 6 - did reasonably well against Duff. Downing - 8 - MOTM - looked good BUT could look even better out on the left. Makoun - 7 - very intelligent passer BUT I would like to see him vary it a bit more and hold onto it some times - he almost looks like the ball is a hot coal and he wants to play it first time every time. Petrov - 2 - see above. Gabby - 4 - not a left winger. Ash - 4 - he is a winger!! Bent - 5 - worked hard but playing with scraps. Should have done better with one clear effort. Ged - 2 - v poor. Selections wrong IMO. Formations wrong IMO. Subs too late.

completely agree with this, i think Cuellar & Clark could be a really good defensive pairing. i don't understand what Carlos has to do to get picked, it's frustrating because i'd really hate to see him go in the summer. Agreed. This would just be wrong. I would make King Carlos the skipper.

13 more wins by 1 goal and I'll be happy!

Think you might be disappointed tomorrow in that you won't see your favourite player! I hope this is the only disappointment you experience. You coming down from Glasgow?

Don't see him playing in the hole - from what I have seen to date. I can see him in a sitting pair alongside a more defensive minded midfielder. Trouble is I can see Makoun and Delph also playing there! I do think Barry probably has the more expansive game of the three though. Not sure either of them have the physique to sit alongside him as the "enforcer". Gardner, from the limited bits I have seen, looks like a player that could sit in the hole. I think Bradley might be able to fill this role as well, although I haven't ever watched his game that closely.

I don't disagree with you that Cuellar should start (as I think he is our best defender) but I do think it is hard to judge our CB's as there is little or no defensive shield in front of them with Petrov there. This means that Rooney/Berbatov had space and time to pick up the ball and run at the CBs and they were exposed.

Friedel - 8.5 - excellent display. Unlucky to be on the losing side. Shows he is still the best shot stopper around. Walker - 6 - exposed a bit tonight and did little coming forward Dunne & Collins - 6 - both looked a bot overawed Clark - 5.5 - like Walker, exposed a bit out of position by the excellent Nani Downing - 6.5 - didn't show enough but did set up the goal. DON'T LIKE HIM ON THE RIGHT Petrov - 4 - Crap. Slow. Added nothing. Rubbish challenge on Vidic for the third goal with his back turned and gave the ball away regularly Makoun - 9 - excellent in possession. Not the ball winner I was expecting but great on the ball. Needs to be in a three and not sure how he can play with Delph? Albie - 6 - poor tonight. NOT A LEFT WINGER Ash - 6 - ok, but looked much more effective when switched out wide Bent - 7 - got his goal but did little else, but didn't really have the service Ged - 6 - Petrov was a wrong choice for me as it needs an enforcer alongside Makoun, I wish he'd play the wingers on the right side and Carlos should have started - he is our best defender IMO! Subs too late.

Why is Ash Young dropping so deep to pick up the ball when we have Makoun and Petrov there??

Not seeing much from Stan. Pretty stationary and not really providing any leadership or drive for me. Makoun is neat and tidy and wants to get on the ball but he needs someone with a bit of energy beside him. I would get NRC on. Also not liking DJ on the right and Albie on the left. This is really frustrating. Switch them back please Ged.

Surely needs a smiley after this? £60-70k pw and you feel sorry for him?

What really excites me about this is that we can now completely change our front 6 for the next game if we wanted to and field as strong a side, and that is excluding Bradley, Delph and Gardner. We really are starting to get some attacking options in place now. Also rested the two main CBs. Even Utd and Arsenal couldn't manage this at the weekend as they were both forced to bring on their bigger guns to secure the win.