Guest av1 Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 On 19/11/2016 at 14:39, AVTuco said: Nothing he can do but train hard, be positive and wait for a Baker injury. Then try to play better than he did. From what we have seen and all that we have heard about the bloke, i think the first part is nailed on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 9 hours ago, vreitti said: Madness. FFS we've just bought him this summer. What happens if Baker or Chester get injured, you really wanna see Richards or Hutton playing as a centre back? for some perverted reason I would like to watch that Richards and Hutton partnership 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted November 22, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted November 22, 2016 11 hours ago, Zatman said: for some perverted reason I would like to watch that Richards and Hutton partnership You really wouldnt want to be the striker though on goal...you son are ending up in an ambulance! ....however id like to be the follow up player....you are going to have the freedom of VP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted November 22, 2016 Visiting Supporter Share Posted November 22, 2016 21 hours ago, Grasshopper said: I think the general gist of replies suggest you should have switched the brain on before hitting the keyboard Thanks for the advice but Villa's defence has looked a lot more solid without him. I suppose if you were to really think about it there is such a thing as a transfer market which Bruce could utilize to replace him....... in January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 But why do we need to replace him... We have 3 CB's at the moment. If we sell him, we'd need to buy 2 more. Pointless exercise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted November 22, 2016 Visiting Supporter Share Posted November 22, 2016 Maybe because he isn't good enough and before his injury other managers were starting to target him as a weak link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 He's clearly good enough. He's played at this level, and won things at this level. He hasn't peaked. He's played barely any time under Bruce. Other proven players looked dreadful under RDM at times; Adomah, Jedinak, even Chester to an extent. Selling him without seeing him under a proper manager is utterly mental. Don't get the logic at all. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godders Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Agree with @StefanAVFC here. We had one of the better defences in the league under RDM, and he was a key part of that. The whole team is playing better under Bruce. He will definitely give SB a selection headache when he forces his way back into the team I reckon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexbelowsound Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Sell Elphick? Mental, utterly mental. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted November 22, 2016 Visiting Supporter Share Posted November 22, 2016 Really it's just my opinion as mental as it may be. I felt watching Elphick's last few games before injury teams were targeting him as a weak link. Chester looks a much better player alongside Baker and the Villa have become even more solid as a consequence. If Baker doesn't get an injury and Elphick spends most of his time getting splinters on the bench then the player himself might negate this debate anyway by wanting first team football elsewhere. I really don't want to see Elphick in a Villa shirt again but as StefanAVFC has posted Elphick might be better under Bruce although I doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 3 minutes ago, striker said: Really it's just my opinion as mental as it may be. I felt watching Elphick's last few games before injury teams were targeting him as a weak link. Chester looks a much better player alongside Baker and the Villa have become even more solid as a consequence. If Baker doesn't get an injury and Elphick spends most of his time getting splinters on the bench then the player himself might negate this debate anyway by wanting first team football elsewhere. I really don't want to see Elphick in a Villa shirt again but as StefanAVFC has posted Elphick might be better under Bruce although I doubt it. Taking all of that into account, as it's your opinion and even though I don't agree, I have to respect it. Okay, you have your way. We sell Elphick. Then what? We have to buy 2 more CBs? When we're already stuck with FPP? Even though we have one who is clearly good enough to play at Championship level. If we sell Elphick, it'll be as a starter at Championship level. I can imagine we'd have our hands snapped off too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Whichever way you want to look at it, isn't it brilliant to have someone of his standing on the bench/in the squad? Great luxury, do people remember what our defense looked like last season? lol 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisvilla4 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 If Elphick isn't playing when fit then the first choice defenders must be doing something right. I think once he gets back in the team he will stay in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Czechlad Posted November 22, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted November 22, 2016 This is the definition of the problems with our supporters. Suddenly we have a couple players playing well, so everyone else like Tshibola, Elphick, etc needs to be sold. WTF do you think happens if someone gets injured?! We need Elphick badly. Baker is injury prone so having a veteran type player who we know can slot in at anytime is great. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted November 22, 2016 Visiting Supporter Share Posted November 22, 2016 (edited) 3 hours ago, Czechlad said: This is the definition of the problems with our supporters. Suddenly we have a couple players playing well, so everyone else like Tshibola, Elphick, etc needs to be sold. WTF do you think happens if someone gets injured?! We need Elphick badly. Baker is injury prone so having a veteran type player who we know can slot in at anytime is great. Totally missing the point I was trying to make. Of course you need a squad to fall back on if injuries hit but if certain members of that squad are being targeted due to a lack of pace or slow on the turn what do you do? Do you persevere with the player knowing that weakness is going to be continually exposed or do you sell and bring someone better in when there is a chance to do so? It's called improving the squad. I'm also not sure there would be a que for Elphick's services either. There wasn't a stampede for his services when at Bournmouth and I don't think he has exactly covered himself in glory at the Villa. Villa look far more solid at centre back since Elphick was replaced by Baker and there's a good reason for that. Edited November 22, 2016 by striker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 27 minutes ago, striker said: Totally missing the point I was trying to make. Of course you need a squad to fall back on if injuries hit but if certain members of that squad are being targeted due to a lack of pace or slow on the turn what do you do? Do you persevere with the player knowing that weakness is going to be continually exposed or do you sell and bring someone better in when there is a chance to do so? It's called improving the squad. Players at this level will have weaknesses though. It's basically part of being a Championship club. If there was a player like Ayew + finishing, or Elphick + pace, etc. then they're likely to be in the Premier League - most likely not going to be happy being where Elphick is now, on the Villa bench. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest av1 Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 On 21/11/2016 at 22:14, Zatman said: for some perverted reason I would like to watch that Richards and Hutton partnership I hear that the Stadium of light is a hot bed for such perversions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raver50032 Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 We can't sell Elphick... Not when he has such a traditional footballing Christian name... 'Tommy...' Yay... Love the guy for his name alone. I liked his professionalism and the sense of 'wow' from him when he signed. The guy wanted to be here. He went balls in too, showed commitment, head injuries in the first two games was it? Prepared to suffer for the team. Difficult to coach that. And of course, the Boon gags. No, we can't sell our Tommy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 So he's dropped down in the pecking order, it happens... We need a squad, not just a starting 11.Especially since it's 46 game season and Baker will undoubtedly get injured a few times. Elphick & Chester was never going to be an ideal pairing, but he's a good option at this level. Richards on the other hand is sitting on massive PL wages and will never be a good option at any level. If possible sell (or loan) Richards in January, keep Elphick til' the summer and see where we are then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 Quote Villa look far more solid at centre back since Elphick was replaced by Baker and there's a good reason for that. the reason is Steve Bruce. Youre digging a hole for yourself here. SB is still using Hutton, Westwood & Gaby, simply because we have a small squad. But they are all shit nonetheless. Elphick is far from shit, so if Bruce can get us results with Hutton, AW & GA he'll get us results too with Elphick. A question? how do you know that if Chester gets injured/suspended and our CB's are then Elphick/Baker, Chester will get straight back in the team when he returns? Maybe TE/NB are also a good working partnership? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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