Tommy Elphick

[AJ]

9 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

 

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?

In reference to your excellent post in the Steve Bruce thread, I believe Tommy can slot in to Bruce's playing style quite easily. He seems quite disciplined, hardworking, and that he would be more used to playing to Bruce's way than to Random De Matteo's.

[striker]

13 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

 

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?

Again missing the point. Bruce will only have to persevere with those players until January whereby he can then start to bring his own players in. He doesn't have to keep them if he thinks they can be improved upon.

I don't think Elphick is a good player in the same way that many others scratch their heads in despair when Hutton, Bacuna or Westwood play in the team but that's only my opinion and again I would state that Villa look a lot more stable at the back without Elphick.

To answer your question I don't know if Elphick and Baker would make a good partnership or if Elphick might improve under Bruce. I do hope though you and others are right as I like Elphick's attitude it's just his ability I question.

[Grasshopper]

51 minutes ago, striker said:

Again missing the point. Bruce will only have to persevere with those players until January whereby he can then start to bring his own players in. He doesn't have to keep them if he thinks they can be improved upon.

I don't think Elphick is a good player in the same way that many others scratch their heads in despair when Hutton, Bacuna or Westwood play in the team but that's only my opinion and again I would state that Villa look a lot more stable at the back without Elphick.

To answer your question I don't know if Elphick and Baker would make a good partnership or if Elphick might improve under Bruce. I do hope though you and others are right as I like Elphick's attitude it's just his ability I question.

You've said "Missing the point" a number of times now.

However, it is you who is missing a very important point.

We bought a RB during the summer window, where is he now? on the treatment table. So now we have SB playing Hutton (who is shit). Now had we have sold Hutton, we would be starting Richards at RB (and he's really shit).

Last season we Bought in Amavi, who also was out for the season injured. Who came in? the Shitter than shit that was Richardson.

Now if we buy 1 CB who is a 1st team CH sure-thing-Banker, then we sell Elphick. what happens when 2 of Baker or Chester or our new CB get injured or suspended 1-3 games? Then we will have a back 4 of Hutton, Richards, a Youthplayer/Jedi & Amavi (if they're not injured/suspended too.

So far we've been very lucky with Injuries & suspensions since SB came in but look what he has at his disposal.

RB Hutton (shit) - Richards (uber-shit) and a returning Bacuna

CB (right-side) Chester - Elphick - Richards

CB (left-side) Baker - N.O. Body

LB Amavi - Cissohko (a bit shit)

At the moment we have exactly 1 margin of error being Chester or Elphick or Baker, then shitsville in defence.

to sell or have a long term injury for any of Gollini Hutton Bacuna Elphick Chester Baker Amavi or Jedi and we have NO COVER if another goes down.

We need this coming window

1GK - Cover

1RB - Better than Hutton

1 CB - Cover for Baker

1 CB - Cover for Elphick/Chester

1LB - Cover forAmavi

1DM - Cover for Jedi

1CM - better than AW

1CM - Better than GG

1SF - Goal-machine

That's 9 players

We'll be lucky to get a few in. So if we are talking a minimum then we need

1RB

1CB

1CM

1SF

4 will be hard enough as it is.

So you want to sell Elphick in the hope that Bruce can get a better CB just like that?

Sorry - Utter madness

[AJ]

Had a couple of good games, but mostly average under Random Decision Maker. I am confident he can slot in to Bruce's style, and give us some excellent performances. It is bit hard for him at the moment, with Baker and Chester performing well together. " If it aint broke, don't fix it."

Even discussing selling Elphick? Now that is madness.

[striker]

12 hours ago, Grasshopper said:

You've said "Missing the point" a number of times now.

However, it is you who is missing a very important point.

So you want to sell Elphick in the hope that Bruce can get a better CB just like that?

Sorry - Utter madness

You are debating under the premise that with Xia and Bruce, Villa could not get better central defensive cover than Elphick or for that matter Hutton, Westwood and Bacuna in the January window, even on loan? Is that what you are actually saying? In my opinion that's utter nonsense.

Yes he is using those players because at the moment he has to. My point is like many other managers who want to improve their squad when the January transfer window opens Bruce will have an opportunity to replace those players he feels are not up to the job and like any other manager he will do it if Xia backs him.

I do not know which players Bruce thinks are surplus to requirements and those who he wants to keep. Neither do you, but in my opinion Elphick is one of those players he should be looking to improve upon especially when Baker is suppceptable to injuries.

Concerning injuries isn't Elphick also prone to injury? He suffered with his ankle at Bournmouth and now injury here. Not exactly a stable replacement for Baker or Chester.

[bannedfromHandV]

Don't forget guys, January is a notoriously difficult month to recruit players for multiple reasons.

 

We may see 2 or 3 players come in but any major overhaul will be left for the summer I'd wager. Our activity in January will also be dictated by our league form/position too so I'd suggest it's very much 'up in the air' as things stand.

[StefanAVFC]

We should be looking to improve on our 3rd choice CB,. when we don't even have a 4th choice.

Got ya, solid logic 

[Grasshopper]

36 minutes ago, striker said:

You are debating under the premise that with Xia and Bruce, Villa could not get better central defensive cover than Elphick or for that matter Hutton, Westwood and Bacuna in the January window, even on loan? Is that what you are actually saying? In my opinion that's utter nonsense.

Yes he is using those players because at the moment he has to. My point is like many other managers who want to improve their squad when the January transfer window opens Bruce will have an opportunity to replace those players he feels are not up to the job and like any other manager he will do it if Xia backs him.

I do not know which players Bruce thinks are surplus to requirements and those who he wants to keep. Neither do you, but in my opinion Elphick is one of those players he should be looking to improve upon especially when Baker is suppceptable to injuries.

Concerning injuries isn't Elphick also prone to injury? He suffered with his ankle at Bournmouth and now injury here. Not exactly a stable replacement for Baker or Chester.

Sorry, but you're just not getting it. So I'll let the others discuss it with you.

[Paddywhack]

There are very few things in life that you can be certain of, but one thing you know for sure is Grasshopper's return key works. 

[Grasshopper]

7 minutes ago, Paddywhack said:

There are very few things in life that you can be certain of, but one thing you know for sure is Grasshopper's return key works. 

Yes, sorry but I hate trying to read line after line of scribes without paragraphs or spacing.

or would you prefer this?

You've said "Missing the point" a number of times now. However, it is you who is missing a very important point. We bought a RB during the summer window, where is he now? on the treatment table. So now we have SB playing Hutton (who is shit). Now had we have sold Hutton, we would be starting Richards at RB (and he's really shit). Last season we Bought in Amavi, who also was out for the season injured. Who came in? the Shitter than shit that was Richardson. Now if we buy 1 CB who is a 1st team CH sure-thing-Banker, then we sell Elphick. what happens when 2 of Baker or Chester or our new CB get injured or suspended 1-3 games? Then we will have a back 4 of Hutton, Richards, a Youthplayer/Jedi & Amavi (if they're not injured/suspended too. So far we've been very lucky with Injuries & suspensions since SB came in but look what he has at his disposal. RB Hutton (shit) - Richards (uber-shit) and a returning Bacuna CB (right-side) Chester - Elphick - Richards CB (left-side) Baker - N.O. Body LB Amavi - Cissohko (a bit shit) At the moment we have exactly 1 margin of error being Chester or Elphick or Baker, then shitsville in defence. to sell or have a long term injury for any of Gollini Hutton Bacuna Elphick Chester Baker Amavi or Jedi and we have NO COVER if another goes down. We need this coming window 1GK - Cover 1RB - Better than Hutton 1 CB - Cover for Baker 1 CB - Cover for Elphick/Chester 1LB - Cover forAmavi 1DM - Cover for Jedi 1CM - better than AW 1CM - Better than GG 1SF - Goal-machine That's 9 players We'll be lucky to get a few in. So if we are talking a minimum then we need 1RB 1CB 1CM 1SF 4 will be hard enough as it is. So you want to sell Elphick in the hope that Bruce can get a better CB just like that? Sorry - Utter madness

[Stevo985]

I did the Villa Park tour a couple of weeks ago.

 

Mr Elphick was very highly spoken about by the tour guide (who also does a number of other roles at the club I believe). One of the questions to the guide was which of the current players he'd met and liked and his first answer was Elphick.

He also showed us the speaker system Elphick had had installed in the changing rooms and tunnel at his own expense (and it was a proper sound system, thousands of pounds I would guess it cost) and said that he'd done a lot behind the scenes in terms of team building.

 

It's only the opinion of one bloke, and not the bloke that counts, but it certainly sounded like our captain is very well thought of behind the scenes. Obviously that means nothing if he's crap on the pitch (fwiw I don't think he's crap, far from it), but it would suggest to me that he isn't the type of person to be binned off in January just because he hasn't quite met expectations (yet)

Edited November 24, 2016 by Stevo985

[carewjust4u]

We lauded his leadership qualities and positive attitude in the dressing room, and now those same people want to discard him on performances under a manager that had the samea defensive IQ as a Wheetabix. I'll have Tommy as my third choice centre back any day of the week, after years of seeing the likes of Okore, Herd, Bennett, Senderos, Richards ect ect, you'd think we'd be grateful.

[Dante_Lockhart]

At the end of the day Chester and Baker are playing well together and we're getting results. You don't mess with something that is working.

[sidcow]

I didn't notice any change whatsoever in the defence when he replaced Baker which is brilliant.  To be a top team you need to be able to be as good as or even better than the player they replace,  to not have a dip in performance is essential and we now seem to have that. 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

To be able to bring a player of Elphicks experience and potential ability off the bench at this level is fantastic. He's barely had a sniff under Bruce either, so much like Jedi, perhaps we should wipe the slate clean?

The idea of selling him makes me cringe to be honest. 

[Stevo985]

1 hour ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

 

The idea of selling him makes me cringe to be honest. 

VT seems a bit obsessed with selling players as soon as they're not first choice.

Its a bit mental really.

Probably be the same posters who'll be moaning that we've got no depth towards the end of the season.

Options are good.

[sidcow]

33 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

VT seems a bit obsessed with selling players as soon as they're not first choice.

Thank goodness professional football people don't think like that! 

I am sure Bruce will know who he needs to keep and who to replace.  

One of my mates joined that scheme where they crowd funded to buy a football club and were able to vote on team selection etc. Imagine what kind of team VT might put out. I think the only thing we could guarantee is that Westwood would not feature! 

Anyway one of the options for team selection was to let the manager choose and after a while he just hit that each week.  Think he quit it after the first season,  another of those failed Internet fads. 

[kurtsimonw]

We'll see how it goes the next few weeks but I'm just not sold on him. He seems so weak. He lost quite a few balls in the air by simply being held off, or he had to foul them. I'm sure his individual errors are something Bruce might be able to sort out. But his lack of physicality, I doubt it. Hopefully he proves me wrong.

[Dr_Pangloss]

4 minutes ago, kurtsimonw said:

We'll see how it goes the next few weeks but I'm just not sold on him. He seems so weak. He lost quite a few balls in the air by simply being held off, or he had to foul them. I'm sure his individual errors are something Bruce might be able to sort out. But his lack of physicality, I doubt it. Hopefully he proves me wrong.

No coincidence that we looked more solid when Baker replaced him. In fact Chester's performances have been a lot better since he has been paired with Baker. 

[wilko154]

Selling him would be ridiculous. Some people act as if the transfer market is like playing FIFA...