Delphinho123 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 12 hours ago, Michael118 said: Gil and Traore rarely played last season. Okore and Clark showed what they can do in 14/15. I've seen footage of Donacien and am disappointed he was released. Nobody's confidence is beyond repair. If we appointed the right manager and Guzan was in his plans he could have turned it around here. Gana, Westwood and Sanchez are our 3 good defensive midfielders. Our midfield was reasonable at times under Remi Garde. We lacked attacking quality in midfield and balance overall. Bacuna has shown his quality at RB and when tried in a midfield 2 with Gana last season was our best player. I would like to see him tried in that role again. Loaning Gil was a bad decision and I think we are much weaker overall because of it. Elphick will take playing time away from Okore and Clark who have more potential. Gollini and Tshibola I haven't seen enough of but are also addressing areas we had enough quality in. This has made my day. I mean, this is some Shutter Island level shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael118 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 14 hours ago, TRO said: It's catch 22 really,its the mix, thats what makes a team and we haven't got one.....we have an assembly of players. My point is we keep signing players but the problem still remains. I have not seen any real strength in the team in years......for sure you need the Gil's and the Grealish's but they can't keep that up for 90 minutes They can keep it up for 90 mins like anybody else. They just play a more specialist role which requires different output and a different set of skills. I'm just tired of Gil and Traore being labelled luxury or "icing on the cake" players. They are as much "icing on the cake" players" as a clinical striker would be if we had one. It was a major error in thinking and contributor to our relegation and couldn't be further from the truth. Our problem is we have holes in key areas which have been there for a while and one those is leadership and attacking quality from CM. More than anything though we lack the influence of a manager who will galvanise the squad and get the best out of what we have. If we had this it wouldn't be long before the assembly of players we have started playing like more of a team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael118 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 15 hours ago, av1 said: I acknowledged that Gil is technically better than Sinclair, but imo Gil will never ever be a success in England. Fair enough. I don't see any reason why he couldn't be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael118 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 3 hours ago, KSV said: Gil if utilised properly and we set the team to cover for him.. give him the free role behind the strikers with little defensive work.. could work well. He was asked to drop back and defend.. which he didnt appear to have the stamina to do in the premier league. He was gassed with the ball. Had very little options to play with. How often did we see Gil and Grealish together like they were at Leicester? Its a shame we let him go.. but if we let him go because he wanted to go.. then so be it. Agree 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 Bacuna isn't even our 8th best CM, nevermind our best. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow1988 Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 6 minutes ago, Michael118 said: They can keep it up for 90 mins like anybody else. They just play a more specialist role which requires different output and a different set of skills. I'm just tired of Gil and Traore being labelled luxury or "icing on the cake" players. They are as much "icing on the cake" players" as a clinical striker would be if we had one. It was a major error in thinking and contributor to our relegation and couldn't be further from the truth. Our problem is we have holes in key areas which have been there for a while and one those is leadership and attacking quality from CM. More than anything though we lack the influence of a manager who will galvanise the squad and get the best out of what we have. If we had this it wouldn't be long before the assembly of players we have started playing like more of a team. Their respectives lady friends must be well impressed. I disagree with the anybody else bit though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 25, 2016 Moderator Share Posted July 25, 2016 On 24/07/2016 at 11:24, Richard said: I wouldn't expect them all to start flirts game. If they have to sweet talk their way into the side rather than use their ability then I agree that wouldn't be good. RDM out! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 10 hours ago, Michael118 said: They can keep it up for 90 mins like anybody else. They just play a more specialist role which requires different output and a different set of skills. I'm just tired of Gil and Traore being labelled luxury or "icing on the cake" players. They are as much "icing on the cake" players" as a clinical striker would be if we had one. It was a major error in thinking and contributor to our relegation and couldn't be further from the truth. Our problem is we have holes in key areas which have been there for a while and one those is leadership and attacking quality from CM. More than anything though we lack the influence of a manager who will galvanise the squad and get the best out of what we have. If we had this it wouldn't be long before the assembly of players we have started playing like more of a team. We did have one Darren Bent, but he didn't work for the team.....Hence he soon fizzled out. We sign Darren Bent.....Liverpool sign Suarez.....not much difference is there, yes they both score goals, but one brings a lot more to the front line and both similar transfer fee's. I know Suarez would never have signed for us.....but we can't keep signing duds or second raters with gaps in their attributes. I stand by the "icing on the cake" description, wasn't mine but a good description imo.....There is a need for a committed physical endeavour in this game of ours and if you don't recognise that you are going to be forever disappointed.....because until we get that right the creative platform you are looking for will be in fits and starts. We need to build a strong TEAM.....not a creative midfielder here and a winger there and a 20 goal a season striker that does it for someone else, and expect it to be ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael118 Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 On 7/25/2016 at 17:47, rodders0223 said: Another 3 minute youtube video? I've seen enough to know he has a lot of potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael118 Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 21 hours ago, TRO said: We did have one Darren Bent, but he didn't work for the team.....Hence he soon fizzled out. We sign Darren Bent.....Liverpool sign Suarez.....not much difference is there, yes they both score goals, but one brings a lot more to the front line and both similar transfer fee's. I know Suarez would never have signed for us.....but we can't keep signing duds or second raters with gaps in their attributes. I stand by the "icing on the cake" description, wasn't mine but a good description imo.....There is a need for a committed physical endeavour in this game of ours and if you don't recognise that you are going to be forever disappointed.....because until we get that right the creative platform you are looking for will be in fits and starts. We need to build a strong TEAM.....not a creative midfielder here and a winger there and a 20 goal a season striker that does it for someone else, and expect it to be ok I've never really thought much of Darren Bent as a player. My point was creative players with x factor like Gil and Traore are just as critical as any other component in the team. Perhaps more critical because they are often the difference between a mediocre team and one that excels. They are not meant to be tough, physical players. Their role is to be the magicians of the team, create something out of nothing and open up opportunities where others can't. Calling them the sweetness of the cake would be more accurate. When you combine them with a mixture of physical endeavour, strength, power and creativity in midfield you have a balance that's difficult to overcome. A strong team is built by identifying and piecing together all the pieces of the puzzle and most importantly that the pieces are in the right hands. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 51 minutes ago, Michael118 said: I've seen enough to know he has a lot of potential. Clearly he doesn't though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael118 Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 5 minutes ago, rodders0223 said: Clearly he doesn't though. That's your opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skarroki Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 On 24/07/2016 at 20:50, Michael118 said: I've seen footage of Donacien and am disappointed he was released. He's a league 2 player at best. Will probably spend half his career in the non-league. I would suggest if he stayed he would currently be 9th choice centre back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael118 Posted July 27, 2016 Share Posted July 27, 2016 (edited) I just looked up Donacien's stats and he played 24 times in league 2 last season for Newport County. Not twice like was suggested by mikeyp102. They seem to have an abundance of CB's and he was used at RB at times. On their forum there is varying opinion about him from "hopeless" to "there is huge potential there". I am sticking to my initial impression and gut feeling which also says there is huge potential there. I can see him developing into a quality centre back and would have liked us to keep him as a back up with one eye on the future. Edited July 27, 2016 by Michael118 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted July 27, 2016 Administrator Share Posted July 27, 2016 Please take this thread back on topic. It's for discussing the manager. Not tactics, nor players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted July 28, 2016 Moderator Share Posted July 28, 2016 Back on the topic of Di Matteo when did we last hear anything from him? I can't recall anything in quite a while, I don't think I can think of a new Villa manager who has kept quite so low a profile. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted July 28, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted July 28, 2016 19 minutes ago, TrentVilla said: Back on the topic of Di Matteo when did we last hear anything from him? I can't recall anything in quite a while, I don't think I can think of a new Villa manager who has kept quite so low a profile. Hopefully he can't talk to the press 'cos he's too busy talking to clubs/agents lining up deals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 33 minutes ago, TrentVilla said: Back on the topic of Di Matteo when did we last hear anything from him? I can't recall anything in quite a while, I don't think I can think of a new Villa manager who has kept quite so low a profile. I was only thinking this yesterday. We hear plenty from the owner even commenting on things you’d expect to be hearing from the manager. I’d like to think we will hear something from him either in the build up to or straight after Saturdays game. It would be good to hear his thoughts on how he thinks the squad is shaping up and his feelings on what we are likely to do in the transfer window. I wonder what he feels about Xia being so vocal on squad issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 To be honest what are we likely to hear of any substance though Mark? All managers have a great line in PR spin its part of the job. For example on those areas you have mentioned I am guessing we could all be pretty close in thinking what he would say... Build up or straight after the game on Saturday - "it's been a worthwhile exercise this pre season and really helped me figure out the squad we have and what we will need to work on throughout the season. It will be a long hard one but if we pull together I am hopeful we can progress as a club" Depending upon the result - Win "I am really pleased for the lads to show what they are capable of against premier league opposition and it should be what this club is all about". Lose "The result doesnt matter it is about developing and understanding of team building and working together as we embark on a long season." How the squad is shaping up - "I feel it is coming together nicely. We are not the finished article yet but I am confident we will get into our stride pretty quickly . I have seen encouraging signs that the lads are taking on board what we are telling them" What we are likely to do in the window - "Not wanting to give much away but we always look to strengthen the squad and if we can do something to bring in better than what we have then we will be looking to do that between now and the window closing" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeyAnty Posted July 28, 2016 Share Posted July 28, 2016 41 minutes ago, TrentVilla said: Back on the topic of Di Matteo when did we last hear anything from him? I can't recall anything in quite a while, I don't think I can think of a new Villa manager who has kept quite so low a profile. Hes a manager who keeps a low profile. Don't be surprised if we only hear from him on a Thurs or Friday pre game and after a game. IMO managers who talk to much publicly cause issues for themselves. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts