foreveryoung Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 The midfield have been coached to prioritise defensive capabilities over attacking intent, it so much shows with every midfield player. Scared to make a run forward, passing back, sideways when challenged. A weak Delph, Westwood. Watch how Gill plays, (Lambert has not had chance to coach him yet) gets the ball goes forward, crosses forward, diagonal balls. Its rare you see our midfield make a run straight into the box. Hutton and Sissokho also playing as forward wingers completely missing out the midfield has always baffled me, strange tactically since they are both shit crossers of the ball. Why do they not stay back and use the midfield?? I don't think they're being coached to be defensive, they are just all naturally defensive. That's the problem. We don't have (or haven't) any naturally attacking midfielders. Gil (there's only one L by the way) and SInclair are, hopefully, the tonic for that. 2 naturally attacking midfielders/wingers to bridge that gap. I know it's cool to pretend that Lambert is some blithering idiot that has wandered in off the street and doesn't even know the rules to football, but he hasn't bought Gil and Sinclair to coach them into being defensive midfielders. He does actually know a little bit about football and I think it's pretty obvious he's trying to add some attacking talent to that midfield. Whether he can make it work tactically or not we are yet to see. but he's bought the right kind of players. As for Hutton and Cissokho, we played a narrow midfield and used the fullbacks to provide the width. It's a pretty common approach in football. It didn't work particularly well for us but it's not exactly some crazy tactic he dreamt up. Obviously not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 (edited) My point was merely that I don't believe Lambert is coaching the midfield to be overly defensive, it's just a result of us having deep lying players in there. Basically, the suggestion that Lambert is going to be out on the training ground coaching Gil and Sinclair to defend is a bit silly. I agree mate it sounds absolutely ridiculous. However something is clearly a miss somewhere. I don't think that Delph, Sanchez, Cleverley and Westwood are all finding themselves with in yards of our back line pretty much all in a line in a very narrow area of the pitch off their own backs. I think that is what they are being told to do. Even if we were to say they are doing it off their own backs then surely the manager should have told them pretty much straight away this is not what he wants and instructed at least one of them, most likely Delph who is more than capable, that their role was to play further forwards, break beyond the striker every now and again, get themselves in the box etc. They have been playing this way all season though. Either they aren't taking a blind bit of notice of the manager and he is still picking them or they are doing exactly what is asked. I think it is the latter. As I said earlier it is not just in the centre of the park either. We have Weimann, Gabby and NZogbia frequently seemingly picked as wide forwards to support Benteke spending most of their time chasing back and positioning themselves in our own half. I genuinely don't believe for a second that can be the natural game of three players who would if asked describe themselves as forwards, certainly in Gabby and Weimanns case. Edited February 4, 2015 by markavfc40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanBalaban Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Static. Just like our midfield. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted February 4, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted February 4, 2015 The midfield have been coached to prioritise defensive capabilities over attacking intent, it so much shows with every midfield player. Scared to make a run forward, passing back, sideways when challenged. A weak Delph, Westwood. Watch how Gill plays, (Lambert has not had chance to coach him yet) gets the ball goes forward, crosses forward, diagonal balls. Its rare you see our midfield make a run straight into the box. Hutton and Sissokho also playing as forward wingers completely missing out the midfield has always baffled me, strange tactically since they are both shit crossers of the ball. Why do they not stay back and use the midfield?? I don't think they're being coached to be defensive, they are just all naturally defensive. That's the problem. We don't have (or haven't) any naturally attacking midfielders. Gil (there's only one L by the way) and SInclair are, hopefully, the tonic for that. 2 naturally attacking midfielders/wingers to bridge that gap. I know it's cool to pretend that Lambert is some blithering idiot that has wandered in off the street and doesn't even know the rules to football, but he hasn't bought Gil and Sinclair to coach them into being defensive midfielders. He does actually know a little bit about football and I think it's pretty obvious he's trying to add some attacking talent to that midfield. Whether he can make it work tactically or not we are yet to see. but he's bought the right kind of players. As for Hutton and Cissokho, we played a narrow midfield and used the fullbacks to provide the width. It's a pretty common approach in football. It didn't work particularly well for us but it's not exactly some crazy tactic he dreamt up. Obviously not! Do you only read the parts of the post you want to read? I was obviously talking about Gil and Sinclair being the right kind of players he's bought, and it was prior to that that we didn't have any naturally attacking midfielders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshVilla Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Static. Just like our midfield. That hurts my eyes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannedfromHandV Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Problem with our midfield? It's shit and coordinated by an inept waste of space. The fact that he was a central midfielder and can't organise that single part of the team let alone any other part illustrates his deficiencies, in my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Static. Just like our midfield. Or is it a digital description of one of Lamberts post match interviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfc_in_essex Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 My point was merely that I don't believe Lambert is coaching the midfield to be overly defensive, it's just a result of us having deep lying players in there. Basically, the suggestion that Lambert is going to be out on the training ground coaching Gil and Sinclair to defend is a bit silly. I agree mate it sounds absolutely ridiculous. However something is clearly a miss somewhere. I don't think that Delph, Sanchez, Cleverley and Westwood are all finding themselves with in yards of our back line pretty much all in a line in a very narrow area of the pitch off their own backs. I think that is what they are being told to do. Even if we were to say they are doing it off their own backs then surely the manager should have told them pretty much straight away this is not what he wants and instructed at least one of them, most likely Delph who is more than capable, that their role was to play further forwards, break beyond the striker every now and again, get themselves in the box etc. They have been playing this way all season though. Either they aren't taking a blind bit of notice of the manager and he is still picking them or they are doing exactly what is asked. I think it is the latter. As I said earlier it is not just in the centre of the park either. We have Weimann, Gabby and NZogbia frequently seemingly picked as wide forwards to support Benteke spending most of their time chasing back and positioning themselves in our own half. I genuinely don't believe for a second that can be the natural game of three players who would if asked describe themselves as forwards, certainly in Gabby and Weimanns case. I agree with all of this. Whether your midfielders are naturally more defensive or like to sit deep, if the manager wanted them to get forward more, they would do. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted February 5, 2015 Share Posted February 5, 2015 League goals scored from Villa midfielders this season: 1, Joe Cole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 doesnt get better when you include cup games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danceoftheshamen Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 (edited) Static. Just like our midfield. Yay The Ant races!! Haven't seen that for ages! Edited February 6, 2015 by danceoftheshamen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Static. Just like our midfield. Or is it a digital description of one of Lamberts post match interviews Or maybe his half-time team talks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvillafan Posted February 6, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted February 6, 2015 The problem in midfield is not hard to see: - No width - No creativity - No clearly defined roles (than, perhaps, defend) - Not enough movement Solution? Start by putting more players in midfield by dropping Wieman, Gabby and one of Cleverly/Westwood and promoting Sinclair, Gil and one of Grealish/N'Zogbia. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I think the last time one of our midfielders got into the box and scored was Chelsea last season! For me Delph has all the attributes to be the one who gets into the box and helps put but for some reason he seems to stop more often than not on the edge of the box. We don't get enough runners from midfield for this reason I'd play Gil in a 3 with Delph and Sanchez and let them get used to each other. I agree Delph should be out attacking midfield player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Biro Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Throughout this period we dont seem to have changed anything and i think thats the problem, why not change the system since it hasn't worked for 22 games? Does it have to be 3 in the middle one of them being Cleverley who is absolutely useless? I suppose its easy to sit here and manage but why not go 4231 with Delph/Sanchez and then Sinclair/Gil/Wiemann for some real width and attacking intent and Benteke ahead of that? I don't see why we haven't changed anything, we must be the easiest side for opposition scouts because our game plan seems to be exactly the same for every game. I know come 2pm tomorrow im going to be pissed off and raging before the game has even started because Cleverley will be the first name on the teamsheet again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted February 6, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted February 6, 2015 (edited) I think the last time one of our midfielders got into the box and scored was Chelsea last season! For me Delph has all the attributes to be the one who gets into the box and helps put but for some reason he seems to stop more often than not on the edge of the box. We don't get enough runners from midfield for this reason I'd play Gil in a 3 with Delph and Sanchez and let them get used to each other. I agree Delph should be out attacking midfield player. I don't. Delph lacks an end product. He should be a box to box midfielder. Helping out in defensive midfield when he needs to, but primarily driving into the opposition half and feeding the attacking midfielders (I'm including the wingers/wide attackers as "attacking midfielders in this case). Imo Edited February 6, 2015 by Stevo985 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I think the last time one of our midfielders got into the box and scored was Chelsea last season! For me Delph has all the attributes to be the one who gets into the box and helps put but for some reason he seems to stop more often than not on the edge of the box. We don't get enough runners from midfield for this reason I'd play Gil in a 3 with Delph and Sanchez and let them get used to each other. joe cole at burnley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrUnKeNbUm Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 for me we need 5 in midfield. either as a flat 5, or as a 2 and a 3. Sinclair Westwood Gil Delph Sanchez it provides width so we are not relying on Hutton and Sissoko to get up and down the pitch (and leave themselves exposed) it also packs the middle of the park so we are a bit more difficult to play against. yeah I would play Westwood in front of Delph and Sanchez, he could do the "Barry" role, get the ball and give it to the more dangerous players (Sinclair, Gil, Benteke) Westwood isnt very good at tracking his man, or any midfield runners from the opposition, but play him a bit further up and let Delph and Sanchez be the legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbr600rr Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 i remember the west ham game at home at 4years ago when milner ran the midfield before randy cashed in, i thought that day " were @ucked" when he goes! its not about 433 442 352 formations ..its about players & £££ as much as we want clev /san/ westie/ delph/ etc. they are simply not up to running & dominating midfield games "week in week out". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 I think the last time one of our midfielders got into the box and scored was Chelsea last season! For me Delph has all the attributes to be the one who gets into the box and helps put but for some reason he seems to stop more often than not on the edge of the box. We don't get enough runners from midfield for this reason I'd play Gil in a 3 with Delph and Sanchez and let them get used to each other. I agree Delph should be out attacking midfield player. I don't. Delph lacks an end product. He should be a box to box midfielder. Helping out in defensive midfield when he needs to, but primarily driving into the opposition half and feeding the attacking midfielders (I'm including the wingers/wide attackers as "attacking midfielders in this case). Imo I think he scored 3 league goals last season, which isn't brilliant but if he was able to does his stuff at the other end of the pitch instead of in the middle of the park or in his own half I would back him to get to double figures in a season. He's the most skilful of our central midfield players but isn't the best passer. I reckon with Westwood and Sanchez as the defensive midfield players and Delph furthest forward our midfield will work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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