Oaks Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 I like him 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted January 18, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted January 18, 2017 49 minutes ago, Oaks said: I like him Ooohh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 2 hours ago, villan_007 said: ^^^ This needs at least a 1000 more sentences, actually maybe break them up into another 2000 or 3. How do you feel? Sooooooo long it F*****d you *** to the next page. Ha ha no effect Cant F*** with the GH 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 (edited) 10 hours ago, terrytini said: Odd people now think we have a load of crap players when until a game or so we were averaging promotion form under Bruce.............and if the players are now crap does that mean RDM wasn't doing such a bad job after all ? Just saying !!? Anyway... For me, we have a couple of obvious very weak spots, the rest is a question of getting consistency, as at so many Clubs. You can bet your life that each and every one of the players we are being linked with will be inconsistent, and have certain abilities lacking - that's why they, and we , are in the Championship !! Think the problem is we bought lots of players who individually may have looked good on paper but seemingly without thought for how they would gel as a team. McCormack being a prime example, but all of the purchases suffering from the same problem really. In that sense, I would certainly agree with Mark's use of the term "wasted". We didn't buy a balanced squad. Bruce has done a great job at getting results in these circumstances but we should be under no illusions about the struggle he is having. It goes beyond individuals having spells of inconsistency. Edited January 18, 2017 by briny_ear 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post villan_007 Posted January 18, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted January 18, 2017 58 minutes ago, Grasshopper said: How do you feel? Sooooooo long it F*****d you *** to the next page. Ha ha no effect Cant F*** with the GH Hold on GH I'm still reading your first post! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 17 minutes ago, villan_007 said: Hold on GH I'm still reading your first post! Go on admit it. You read it all, your concentration levels increasing with every sentence, word & letter. You even re-read parts to take it all in again. You loved it, you need it, you want more........ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 23 hours ago, markavfc40 said: I am sure that we do need to tread carefully in terms of finances and rightly so given the mess we got ourselves into under Lerner. I doubt very much it goes as far as sell to buy but I wouldn’t imagine there are substantial funds to spend on fees and very little wiggle room on wages. I would think than Johnstone has simply replaced Gollinis wages which means we have freed up a few quid a week by letting Cissokho go on loan and selling Gestede. We also have 6 mill in the pot having sold Gestede. That should be enough in fees and wages to bring in a couple of players especially as we seem to be looking at players out of contract in the summer with low fees. The bottom line is that we wasted a good portion of the 50 odd mill we spent in the summer. It should have left us with a squad that could compete for a top 6 place. Instead it has left us with one struggling to finish top half. January should have been about putting a bit of icing on the cake. Instead we are still scratching about trying to buy the ingredients. Roberto Di Matteo has a lot to answer for. I agree with all of this mark except I'm happy to believe we are close to maxing out our budget. Whether we wasted our summer spend under RDM is debatable. That some of it was wasted is pretty undeniable. McCormack and Tshibola in particular stand out as neither has featured regularly and a few goals aside haven't shown a lot. Elphick is an alright backup who didn't cost a lot - however don't forget RDM brought him in as club captain? Gollini and Jedinak have mixed good with bad. Adomah, Kodjia and Chester have largely been alright. De Laet got injured. Looking at that I think his biggest mistake was Tish. From what we've seen how could RDM and Clarke think he was enough to fix the midfield alongside Jedinak? McCormack is making it hard to like him. He looks unfit, it looks like he likes a drink too. That's a due dilligence issue for me (if true). Especially on an outlay of £14m. However I was well happy with it at the time. Just look at his goal tally. Gollini has already left. Hard to argue any of them being a success and that's a good £25m there. Thing is though having said that, none of them are the weakest link. So it could also be argued on the whole he improved the squad. Just not enough to be as competitive as we would like. We all want to see Tish and Jedinak ahead of Gardner or Westwood, McCormack before Gabby, Elphick ahead of Lescott, Okore and Richards. The GK situation is a mess though I still rate Gollini higher than Bunn. De Laet promises more than Hutton, Bacuna and Richards. Adomah > Traore, Kodjia > anyone here, Chester is the man. I think the biggest mistake was either not doing more or RDM overvaluing what we already had. We knew what was coming at Luton when we saw the line up right? DrX and RDM said they'd agreed to check a few players out IIRC. That was the 10th August. I think their plans changed then behind the scenes. In hindsight maybe that's a good thing because the players we bought at the end of the window have been the good ones without a doubt. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysAVFC Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 1 hour ago, briny_ear said: Think the problem is we bought lots of players who individually may have looked good on paper but seemingly without thought for how they would gel as a team. McCormack being a prime example, but all of the purchases suffering from the same problem really. In that sense, I would certainly agree with Mark's use of the term "wasted". We didn't buy a balanced squad. Bruce has done a great job at getting results in these circumstances but we should be under no illusions about the struggle he is having. It goes beyond individuals having spells of inconsistency. Which really goes back to RDM being a very bad choice of manager. We had had a new foreign owner bringing his people, who had been left with a club with very little in terms of a scouting network, then recuiting a manager who has been away from England for a short while and was probably lacking in a bit of recent knowledge of the game, certainly at this level. We were left having no choice but to buy players on reputation, whether its players that had done it over a few years like McCormack or who had done well last season like Kodjia or using recommendations from RDM's new team like Tshibola and Elphick. Although that doesn't really account for not buying players in the right positions and it was glaringly obvious we were lacking in certain areas and shouldn't have been hard to work out even if RDM hadn't seen Villa play last season at all. Hopefully its all been a good learning experience for Dr Xia. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 2 hours ago, VILLAMARV said: I agree with all of this mark except I'm happy to believe we are close to maxing out our budget. Whether we wasted our summer spend under RDM is debatable. That some of it was wasted is pretty undeniable. McCormack and Tshibola in particular stand out as neither has featured regularly and a few goals aside haven't shown a lot. Elphick is an alright backup who didn't cost a lot - however don't forget RDM brought him in as club captain? Gollini and Jedinak have mixed good with bad. Adomah, Kodjia and Chester have largely been alright. De Laet got injured. Looking at that I think his biggest mistake was Tish. From what we've seen how could RDM and Clarke think he was enough to fix the midfield alongside Jedinak? McCormack is making it hard to like him. He looks unfit, it looks like he likes a drink too. That's a due dilligence issue for me (if true). Especially on an outlay of £14m. However I was well happy with it at the time. Just look at his goal tally. Gollini has already left. Hard to argue any of them being a success and that's a good £25m there. Thing is though having said that, none of them are the weakest link. So it could also be argued on the whole he improved the squad. Just not enough to be as competitive as we would like. We all want to see Tish and Jedinak ahead of Gardner or Westwood, McCormack before Gabby, Elphick ahead of Lescott, Okore and Richards. The GK situation is a mess though I still rate Gollini higher than Bunn. De Laet promises more than Hutton, Bacuna and Richards. Adomah > Traore, Kodjia > anyone here, Chester is the man. I think the biggest mistake was either not doing more or RDM overvaluing what we already had. We knew what was coming at Luton when we saw the line up right? DrX and RDM said they'd agreed to check a few players out IIRC. That was the 10th August. I think their plans changed then behind the scenes. In hindsight maybe that's a good thing because the players we bought at the end of the window have been the good ones without a doubt. Luton was the final straw for me. Any new manager setting up with those players to either find out what he hadnt found out yet or thinking we could win a game like that had already lost the plot or didnt have one in the first place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingram85 Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 (edited) 11 hours ago, Grasshopper said: I know its either hindsight or conjecture but lets break this seasons rollercoaster down. For Gollini, RDL, Elphick, Amavi, Gardner, Ayew, Jack, McC and Chester, Baker, Adonah & Kodjia who seem to have either the ability or strength to rise above it all (to varying degrees) *Adomah Edited January 18, 2017 by blandy spoilt the joke, but sorry, massive quotes are a pain for people on mobiles 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingram85 Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Curses 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VILLAMARV Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 11 hours ago, Grasshopper said: I know its either hindsight or conjecture but lets break this seasons rollercoaster down. Lerner out - Great. DrX in - ? - lots of promises but has he delivered? - will he deliver? - has he the means to deliver? - has he the nous to deliver?. RDM - New manager - proved to be a mistake that we will pay the whole season for. But my question is, does the consequence of RDM's tenure end with his sacking? I believe no. The knock on effect has devastating consequences. So lets run through what RDM has lead us to now. 1) Getting rid of players - Guzan Lescott Sinclair Gil Veretout Sanchez Okore and some more I cant think of right now. But for all the good done by getting shot of shit, some shit remained. I'd like to focus on these as the remaining cancer that can go one of two ways. Cured or Contagious and their effect on the rest of the remainee's and the new signings. So Who are they? Are they cured or has their cancer spread? What difference would the Ch be over PL? So let's snapshot the seasons beginning and The Now. and see what developed along the way. GK - Gollini in - There was a gamble on here - I think this was very easy to predict that such a signing was not what we needed. We needed a sure-thing-experienced-old-hand. DeLaet - Injured -> Hutton - There has been no development whatsoever. Throw-ins, defending, crossing. CB - Elphick - Chester - Baker. So we now know that Baker is a welcome revelation and that Chester is a great addition, Elphick however has left us wanting. wasnt predictable but a circumstantial mistake nevertheless. Midfield - I honestly felt that with the right additions, Westwood or Gardner or Bacuna could have been complementary to very useful. But with the now apparant weaknesses of Jedi, these three could only have been carried over the line by better players. Their performances have only hindered and not expanded our MF. Wingers - Old fashioned 4-4-2 is an option but when you only buy 1 then you really are not completing the circle. AM - We had Ayew & Grealish and added McC. I think the unbalance has cost them all dearly CF - Kodjia - a Savior a great signing but being 1 dimensional costs us with every goal we conceed and chance we miss. RDM's misjudgements have cost us in the currency of a tail off of the Borderliners who could have been a benefit to a squad. And the new guys who were either not good enough from the outset or needed better around them to complement a team (of sorts). Then came Bruce till now. A change that stopped the rot that shouldnt have even been, and a midwindow point where we are in no mans land. We wont get relegated but for us to have a chance of promotion a serious upturn has to take place IMMEDIATELY. So where are we now Gk - New unexperienced loanee who cost us a point in his 1st league game and unabled us the 0-0 that could have lead to a 0-1 and 3pts. RB -Hutton -Say mo more CB's when Baker (who is known to get injured) is not there we lose our solidity. LB Amavi's head has been turned - Now think about it, if we were between 1st & 6th with a positivity vibe of going up, would any bid have effected him? possibly no MF - the ever worsening selections from Bacuna Westwood Gardner Tish & Jedi just disables any bloodline feed to anyone picked up front AM - The link has failed whoever is engaged here and we have 3 potentially good options CF Kodjia has been like Golddust. But Gaby, Gestede & Kozak have failed us What if? IF is a very big word, Gollini had not have been exposed so early by having either 3 CB's in front of him or RD/Bacuna Chester Baker Amavi Gollini would not have been shot, Bacuna would have performed ok and Amavi's head may not have been turned. Imagine a 4 across MF of Adomah Jedi Tish Ayew/Grealish or in a 3@theBack Elphick Chester Baker Bacuna Jedi Tish Amavi We could have covered a lot of cracks instead of Cracking all our cover. A front 2 or 3 from Adomah McC Grealish Ayew. Kodjia as the furthest forward would have had the ball more often hence more chances to score. But No no no no no. The fine line between things working out for the good and everything going irretreavably wrong has been crossed. It could have all been so different but we are left with the cancer from Hutton, Westwood, Bacuna & Gaby spread throughout the team (apart from Chester, Baker & Kodjia). So whilst Richards is hanging around in the background our 1st 11 has gone south, with a bench that cant change our direction with a week or so to find the cure for our cancer. Where do we start? MF? RB? CB cover? LB? DM? CM? AM? (we have 3) CF?. Any manager would not be the problem (except RDM & Sherwood). I feel sorry for the Dr. and wouldnt be surprised if he's already disillusioned. For Bruce too, he's never walked into such a pile of shit, even at the SHA. For Gollini, RDL, Elphick, Amavi, Gardner, Ayew, Jack, McC and Chester, Baker, Adonah & Kodjia who seem to have either the ability or strength to rise above it all (to varying degrees). We are back to square one, you may want to call it F*****d if promotion was your design. I can see only a "New start - Blank page" with a few fill-ins as a way forward. It starts in the morning when SKY Sports News report the confirmation of new signings or not. What a sad dependence that is. VTID The Dr is in yes Yes Don't know Probably Probably No Don't know Don't know Worse football and referees probably yes We would probably still have been as good/bad as we are/were Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Apologies if any were rhetorical VTID also. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 4 minutes ago, VILLAMARV said: The Dr is in yes Yes Don't know Probably Probably No Don't know Don't know Worse football and referees probably yes We would probably still have been as good/bad as we are/were Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Whichever player is available first Apologies if any were rhetorical VTID also. @VILLAMARV We really do has far too much free time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post a m ole Posted January 18, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted January 18, 2017 It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 (edited) 17 hours ago, markavfc40 said: I certainly didn't think McCormack was a poor buy in the summer and maybe it would be easier to say that now but I am still not sure he is. Whilst I don't think he has shown enough we haven't helped by putting the players around him to get the best out of him. I think RDM just thought buy goalscorers and they will score goals but neglected the fact they need service which is shocking. We got away with it with Kodjia as he is someone that can do it on his own but take him out and look what has happened. I think with the Midfield we have, it's very difficult to to be sure of any players performance With the introduction of at least 2 midfielders that will give us a balanced midfield, I for one will feel more confident then, of commenting on individuals..... at the moment that dep't appears to be having a knock on effect to all the rest. Edited January 18, 2017 by TRO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 After the last 2 pages 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tismyk Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Dr Xia`s latest tweet wants us to become kidnappers! http://www.goal.com/en/news/13712/extra-time/2017/01/18/31687912/ Dr. Tony Xia ✔ @Dr_TonyXia Understood all frustrations but if you can help club go to kidnap our targets to come earlier then I would be very happy too. Pls be patient … 6:36 PM - 17 Jan 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 I wonder if the good Dr. has "duly noticed" SB's Gaby-gamble. 2 strikes and you're out Maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allani Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 6 minutes ago, Grasshopper said: I wonder if the good Dr. has "duly noticed" SB's Gaby-gamble. 2 strikes and you're out Maybe? Blimey - if we have to wait for Gabby to score twice before he's out he'll have retired before he leaves.... (Sorry I know - wrong thread - but that was too inviting a set up!). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 1 minute ago, allani said: Blimey - if we have to wait for Gabby to score twice before he's out he'll have retired before he leaves.... (Sorry I know - wrong thread - but that was too inviting a set up!). What I meant was 2 strikes (mistakes) and you're out 1st mistake - Selecting Gaby 2nd mistake = P45 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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