Marvelous Nakamba

[AntrimBlack]

Nakamba will be a very welcome returnee,  but I would hope that he will be backup next season to someone who does his job, but better.

[sparrow1988]

3 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

You might have a point, so I'm wondering why we are all of a sudden so open? Is this by destign, or by the players not following instructions?

If it is by Gerrard's instruction, I would suggest we go back to being compact, yes, we then have to worry about our wings being wide open, but for the most part, we seemed to be able to handle it in the middle, even when teams had the whole wing to themselves.

Back to basics I say.

I made this point yesterday in another thread. There has been too much space between the players (not just recently but also under Smith), both back to front and side to side. We need to move backwards, forwards and sideways more in unison. I’m not talking sit in and soak the pressure. We might also have to do that from time to time, but for example if Dougie gets the ball and gives it to Coutinho in space on the left, then Cash needs to move infield and forwards and visa versa when the ball goes in the opposite direction. 

[lexicon]

2 hours ago, sparrow1988 said:

You stick Nakamba in to that midfield and he’ll be just as lost as Dougie when the opposition flood forward into open space. At the start under Gerrard we were way more compact which suited Marv. This open expansive Villa will result in him being overran but without the passing/technical capabilities of Luiz, and then everyone will be wondering what happened the Nakamba from November and saying how much that injury has taken its toll on him. When in reality you could stick Vieira or Keane in there and they’d struggle. 

Quite.

System needs to change, first and foremost. This isn't the SPL and we're not lightyears ahead of the team in 3rd place. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

6 minutes ago, sparrow1988 said:

I made this point yesterday in another thread. There has been too much space between the players (not just recently but also under Smith), both back to front and side to side. We need to move backwards, forwards and sideways more in unison. I’m not talking sit in and soak the pressure. We might also have to do that from time to time, but for example if Dougie gets the ball and gives it to Coutinho in space on the left, then Cash needs to move infield and forwards and visa versa when the ball goes in the opposite direction. 

I know it will seek like a distant.memory, due to our recent form, but in some of the early games under Gerrard, we had some very neat interpassing and triangle movements among the players.

Even out from the back ( whilst I was bricking it ) it looked to be improving and I liked the signs and thought " wow, this will only get better, I see how we are trying to play " then that's all gone in an instant. ( In fairness, under Deanos early days, we tried similar with regards to the passing game )

As well as what seemed like a new hunger.

Bizarre.

Edited February 22, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Zatman]

14 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

You might have a point, so I'm wondering why we are all of a sudden so open? Is this by destign, or by the players not following instructions?

If it is by Gerrard's instruction, I would suggest we go back to being compact, yes, we then have to worry about our wings being wide open, but for the most part, we seemed to be able to handle it in the middle, even when teams had the whole wing to themselves.

Back to basics I say.

No way we are playing this on instinct. Its obviously designed by the coaching team and its usually 3 vs 1 in the centre as Luiz is usually alone

[lexicon]

25 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I know it will seek like a distant.memory, due to our recent form, but in some of the early games under Gerrard, we had some very neat interpassing and triangle movements among the players.

Even out from the back ( whilst I was bricking it ) it looked to be improving and I liked the signs and thought " wow, this will only get better, I see how we are trying to play " then that's all gone in an instant. ( In fairness, under Deanos early days, we tried similar with regards to the passing game )

As well as what seemed like a new hunger.

Bizarre.

I agree. It is puzzling. It looked at the time like we were building on the Smith system with some necessary tweaks and innovation, as well as the hunger you mentioned, but the longer it has gone on, the more we've moved towards this ineffective style that worked for Rangers.

[sparrow1988]

33 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I know it will seek like a distant.memory, due to our recent form, but in some of the early games under Gerrard, we had some very neat interpassing and triangle movements among the players.

Even out from the back ( whilst I was bricking it ) it looked to be improving and I liked the signs and thought " wow, this will only get better, I see how we are trying to play " then that's all gone in an instant. ( In fairness, under Deanos early days, we tried similar with regards to the passing game )

As well as what seemed like a new hunger.

Bizarre.

I do actually remember and that’s what makes these last few games all the more puzzling. Even against Liverpool we tried it. Granted we couldn’t beat their press but it was almost as if he was saying this is what you’re going to have to get used to, then all of a sudden we seem to have just abandoned that for whatever we’ve been seeing last few weeks. As you say, bizarre. 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Just saw a little video feature from the blub with him.

He said: " This is my FIRST injury, since I've been playing professional football " and I'm thinking " Of course it **** is, you were in the form of your life, and Villa were slowly in the ascendancy, of course it **** was! "

You couldn't make it up

https://fb.watch/bnLtwK7Nj7/

Edited February 24, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[TRO]

On 22/02/2022 at 11:40, AntrimBlack said:

Nakamba will be a very welcome returnee,  but I would hope that he will be backup next season to someone who does his job, but better.

The fact that we are so desperate to get him back fit......shows the flaw in the balance of the squad.

[TRO]

On 22/02/2022 at 11:48, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I know it will seek like a distant.memory, due to our recent form, but in some of the early games under Gerrard, we had some very neat interpassing and triangle movements among the players.

Even out from the back ( whilst I was bricking it ) it looked to be improving and I liked the signs and thought " wow, this will only get better, I see how we are trying to play " then that's all gone in an instant. ( In fairness, under Deanos early days, we tried similar with regards to the passing game )

As well as what seemed like a new hunger.

Bizarre.

It seems to have gone wrong since we won away at Norwich.

The Chelsea game saw Lukaku, bullying the life out of us and going from hero to zero....since then we have won one.....The belief has evaporated.

[Dale]

29 minutes ago, TRO said:

The fact that we are so desperate to get him back fit......shows the flaw in the balance of the squad.

I agree with this to a degree, but think that our imbalance stems primarily from the set up. Nakamba will help but won't be a solution, there isn't a DM on the planet who would solve the structural issues this system causes. It's unique for a reason. 

[VillaChris]

On 22/02/2022 at 11:40, AntrimBlack said:

Nakamba will be a very welcome returnee,  but I would hope that he will be backup next season to someone who does his job, but better.

Surprised we haven't offered him a new deal yet as he would surely sign it.

As you say selling Luiz for 20m or so and signing new DM with Nakamba as backup feels most likely solution now. Wouldn't have said that six months back.

[TRO]

28 minutes ago, Dale said:

I agree with this to a degree, but think that our imbalance stems primarily from the set up. Nakamba will help but won't be a solution, there isn't a DM on the planet who would solve the structural issues this system causes. It's unique for a reason. 

What comes first the chicken or the egg.

SG rightly or wrongly is trying to win a football match....he is trying systems to do that, with the raw knowledge of a squad he has inherited....and for us, who have seen a lot more over time, it feels  wrong.

I accept you buy players to blend in to a system, that you favour....

.....but once you inherit a squad and have a different view on the system you believe in, to turn things around,  you have to hope the qualities are there to play it......I don't think that is the case....they are not, they were designed for some one elses system.

One player on his own, looks unlikely to solve our problems, but from experience, the right player can inspire others to raise their game.....Imbalance of one player, can have a knock on effect, but bare in mind this has gone on, for some time and that has consequences.

EG if one spark plug fails in an IC engine, It develops a misfire, and it affects the whole running on the machine, left long enough without remedy, it can affect other components, too.

I remember Alex Cropley, joining us and he transformed the team.....and I recollect other players showing improved form as a result......I don't think we have signed that player yet, to have the influence on our team....thats where football nous comes in.

 

 

[turvontour]

Hopefully back in training in next couple of weeks unless theres been a setback.

[kevpants]

I watched Rodri closely tonight and in terms of ability with the ball at his feet he’s arguably as awkward as Marv. Better passer probably but make no mistake he’s a lumbering beast in there to break it up. 
 

I feel like we should cut this guy more slack. I think he’s a good player. 

[sparrow1988]

On 13/03/2022 at 22:33, turvontour said:

Hopefully back in training in next couple of weeks unless theres been a setback.

 

[VillaParkAvenue]

Should be back in time for the Wolves game then. Maybe not fit enough to start but still.

[Nigel]

We are going to have some decisions to make once he returns!

[Hank Scorpio]

18 minutes ago, Nigel said:

We are going to have some decisions to make once he returns!

The decision is Luiz is dropped

[Zatman]

8 minutes ago, Pissflaps said:

The decision is Luiz is dropped

Should be McGinn