sexbelowsound Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Yeah that's me making an assumption. I was messing mate. Its blatantly the only money we have available plus whatever Randolph finds down the side of his sofa. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) Spending maybe the only money we have on depth though? When we have more pressing concerns? It is hardly a luxury is it to have four good centre midfielders competing for 2, or given how we usually set up, 3 places. I'd say for a fair portion of the season one of them is also likely to be suspended or injured. Like I said having a good player busting a gut to get in the side can also only improve the game of those in the side which can only be a good thing as genuine competition for places is something we have clearly lacked over the last 3-4 years. Edited December 21, 2014 by markavfc40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexbelowsound Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I will say one thing though, Lambert can pick a player, especially when he spends a few million on them so i'm inclined to trust his judgment on this. Even if I don't agree with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeParker91 Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) I've been disappointed by Cleverley so far, or at least how he's been utilised. Quite a few games he's been stuck out on the left, being quite ineffective. I'd have like to have seen him play more advanced, centrally, which we haven't really seen. When Westwood returns, I don't quite see where Cleverley fits in our team, with Delph and Sanchez as must starts. I also can't see Lambert leaving out Westwood as he is one of his favourites, I hope we don't play all four just for the sake of it. Edited December 21, 2014 by JoeParker91 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic_bouma Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I think Cleverley is a decent footballer. But, he offers literally zero to the team. He excels at nothing. If he didn't start at United, he wouldn't be in the PL. It seems we are in agreement however I don't think you can even call him decent when he can't offer anything to a team like Villa in our current state. It is just my opinion of course but I believe the following players are all more influential in the same position and would impact on our team more positively than Cleverley. Would you pay 8m for them? Cattermole Diame Jedinak Larsson Livermore Huddlestone Davis Colback Shelvey Nolan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) NO ^^^^ NO Cleverley is better than those options. Edited December 21, 2014 by momo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 When Westwood returns, I don't quite see where Cleverley fits in our team, with Delph and Sanchez as must starts. I also can't see Lambert leaving out Westwood as he is one of his favourites, I hope we don't play all four just for the sake of it. I think it's quite clear that Delph will leave in January so that will solve that particular dilemma for Lambert. Still absolutely no point of playing Cleverley and Westwood in the same midfield though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic_bouma Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I will say one thing though, Lambert can pick a player, especially when he spends a few million on them so i'm inclined to trust his judgment on this. Even if I don't agree with it. But we don't need to trust his judgement do we? You know he's shit. The majority of footballing fans know he's shit. It's not like Benteke or Sanchez where we had to wait and see. We've tested the guy and he's proved he ain't worth the money. Hence why Lambert should be criticised for signing a player for 8m that will never move us forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic_bouma Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 NO ^^^^ NO Cleverley is better than those options. Just out of curiosity.Pick 3 players out of the list and suggest what Cleverley has done/can do to be described as better than them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeParker91 Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 When Westwood returns, I don't quite see where Cleverley fits in our team, with Delph and Sanchez as must starts. I also can't see Lambert leaving out Westwood as he is one of his favourites, I hope we don't play all four just for the sake of it. I think it's quite clear that Delph will leave in January so that will solve that particular dilemma for Lambert. Still absolutely no point of playing Cleverley and Westwood in the same midfield though. I'm not so convinced Delph will leave in January, unless Liverplop are really desperate, but I guess we'll wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I think they'd all cost similar money to Cleverley anyway, considering they're first choice central midfielders for Prem teams. We'd find better value abroad or in the lower leagues but there's always a risk. I'd rather stick with Cleverley because I have a strong feeling he will get better. I'm coming round to the feeling we need to cash in on Delph and Vlaar now and give Lambert the money to find 3 gems from Europe to fill gaps further forward (that Siesto looks tasty). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexbelowsound Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) I will say one thing though, Lambert can pick a player, especially when he spends a few million on them so i'm inclined to trust his judgment on this. Even if I don't agree with it. But we don't need to trust his judgement do we? You know he's shit. The majority of footballing fans know he's shit. It's not like Benteke or Sanchez where we had to wait and see. We've tested the guy and he's proved he ain't worth the money. Hence why Lambert should be criticised for signing a player for 8m that will never move us forward. I'll criticise Lambert if he spends £8 million on him and this time next season he hasn't shown signs of improvement. Edited December 21, 2014 by sexbelowsound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 He's not even a kid anymore either. He's consistently shown in the PL that he;s bang average. To spend 8m on him (or whatever it is) would be criminal IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Spending maybe the only money we have on depth though? When we have more pressing concerns? It is hardly a luxury is it to have four good centre midfielders competing for 2, or given how we usually set up, 3 places. I'd say for a fair portion of the season one of them is also likely to be suspended or injured. Like I said having a good player busting a gut to get in the side can also only improve the game of those in the side which can only be a good thing as genuine competition for places is something we have clearly lacked over the last 3-4 years. It's just for me spending a lot of money on a midfielder who's just so samey with the rest of the midfielders at the club. Sanchez, Westwood, Cleverley, you can throw a blanket over those three tbh. All three can pass it o.k and work hard but where is the drive, where is the creative pass forward to Benteke? I'd rather 8-10m be spent on that sort of player, you can still get them for those prices and Lambert's scouting has been good since he's been here, just not finding that sort of player for some bizarre reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvillafan Posted December 21, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted December 21, 2014 I didn't think we missed him against ManUre. I'd be happy to let him go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeyVillan Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I hope we sign him, he will only get better in my opinion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) NO ^^^^ NO Cleverley is better than those options. Just out of curiosity.Pick 3 players out of the list and suggest what Cleverley has done/can do to be described as better than them. Cattermole (Sunderland) - Red card waiting to happen, used to make some mistakes in midfield. Better now. Price? Not better than Cleverley. Diame (Hull) - Good goal scoring record. Injury prone. Maybe the best of this bunch. Why was he sold from West Ham? Jedinak (Crystal Palace) - Flavor of the month. Larsson (Sunderland) - Good offensive option, but not better then Cleverly centrally. Livermore (Hull) - Ok player. Bought from Tottenham for £8 million. Huddlestone (Hull) - Ok player. Good shot. So that's the third midfielder from Hull who is supposedly better than Cleverley. Where is Hull on the table? Davis (Southampton) - Is he up for sale? A regular at a team doing better than Villa. The same as Cleverley at Manchester United last season. Colback (Sunderland, Newcastle) - Villa tried to sign him, but anyway...Cleverley has won the league. What has Colback won? Shelvey (Swansea) - Nice shot. Bit hit and miss. Can become better, but so can Cleverley. Nolan (West Ham) - Is he up for sale? Good goal scorer. Plays a different, more offensive role than Cleverley Just putting names out from other teams and thinking they want just come, or cost less than Cleverley, or take less in salary then Cleverley, or fit in at Villa, is a bit of an easy way to be a keyboard manager. All your suggestions are good, average Premier League players. So is Cleverley right now. If Lambert could get Yaya Toure for £8million and he chose to get Cleverley, I would understand your frustration. But all you give us is maximum equally good players in different midfield positions. Lambert tried to get Ki from Swansea. Would you rather Ki than Cleverley? Ki did not want to come. Edited December 21, 2014 by momo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 'Cleverley has won the league' is about as much use as an argument as 'Lindegaard has won the league.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 And he tried to get Dusan Tadic...was too expensive. Lambert seems to know something about good midfielders. If Cleverley went to to Everton instead, I think a lot of people here would be angry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isa Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) Jedinak (Crystal Palace) - Flavor of the month. Actually he has been superb since their promotion. Although it is irrelevent as he is a defensive-midfielder, not comparible to Cleverley. Edited December 21, 2014 by Isa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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