ryu.yokoi Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 My two cents: We are one game into the season: Baros hasn't started in ages for anyone (except his country hopefully tomorrow), Angel didn't get decent pass all day Saturday (despite making plenty of good runs and finding space - watch the tape), and Kev scored a tap in (which is brilliant because its important to start well at a new club). We've not seen nearly enough to judge what our pairing will be for this season. I vividly remember people building up poor Crouchzinho when he scored in his first match at Villa. And then people toor him apart, horrifically so - for no reason. Lets all be happy for Kev, but also be realistic and not build up expectations that Pele couldn't fill in our side. I also vividly remember people making comments like Marty's two seasons ago when Allback scored more than Juan in preseason, and we had a poor offensive game in our first match. I remember people writing "JPA's confidence is shattered," "he won't come back this time," "he didn't even get a shot on goal." ...And then he found his form scored 20+ goals, led Villa ever so nearly into Europe, and had those same people who rubbished him swearing they'd never said a word about him. He'll come good. Whether Baros and Phillips come better this season, I don't know, but it'd be a great dilemna for us to have, no? Why don't we all hope for that? Personally, I'd love to see Angel - Baros play together, and I think it would resemble Angel - Saviola quite a bit, in terms of having a classy centreforward and a lightning paced striker feeding off each others games. But Kev is a super professional, with such experience that I think he'll be able to play with either too, so if this transfer ever does work out, I am encouraged by what it means for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mansonAVFC Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 I just cant see DO'l dropping KP who is busting his gut to score goals, he looks more likely to score than Angel and Angel looks like he cant be bothered. Tough choice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villafan306 Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 the only real way to make this chocie is to see how the players pair up in pre-season. I don't think Phillips has ever really played with a pacey striker like Baros before so we will have to wait and see. I was at the Bolton match and have to say that people having a go at Angel isn't fair. I am not his biggest fan but the guy didn't get any kind of service - in fact Phillips only got service once and we know what happened there. Against a really physical team like Bolton, it's very hard to judge strikers because chances will be limited. Had Angel got any kind of service then I am sure he would have scored. Regardless of what anyone else says IMO he looked hungry and determined to score but the midfield didn't provide for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 I also vividly remember people making comments like Marty's two seasons ago when Allback scored more than Juan in preseason, and we had a poor offensive game in our first match. I remember people writing "JPA's confidence is shattered," "he won't come back this time," "he didn't even get a shot on goal." ...And then he found his form scored 20+ goals, led Villa ever so nearly into Europe, and had those same people who rubbished him swearing they'd never said a word about him. He'll come good. . This is indeed the case, and I remember it too. I am sure that DOL's plan is to play baros and Angel, at least at first (Ok, so possibly not in the first game) and see how that goes. I think it looks like a neater fit as a pairing than Phillips and Baros, and a striking pair is about the partnership. If DOL planned all along to pair Phillips and Baros, why was he chasing Baros a year ago? As Ryu says, kev is a super pro, with a great goalscoring record, but i really am struggling to see him keeping either Angel or Baros out of the team for any extended period of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrogers Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Here we go again, some people have been so blinded to JPA, they they can't see the wood for the trees.... He is slagged off again and again, but some supporters are so one eyed... what can you do.... I have stopped worrying about the crap that is written about him on here and other sites, because I know he is a very good player and will come back to haunt his biggest doubters in the best way he can, i.e. scoring plenty of goals, but then that won't be enough for some people.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 I'm sure many people have suggested this so far, but reading through 6 pages isn't really my thing so I'll say it anyway. If Milan signs then we could use Angel as that attacking midfielder we've been missing so much, he'll happily chase around, likes playing deep, can score from long range and really will cause problems, ok so he's not as good defensively as some but we've got Gav for that, it's worth trying anyway. As an attacking midfielder you get more room to work your magic too unless they sit a midfielder very deep so it could be ideal for him, he could score a lot of goals like that I reckon. How happy he'd be playing there is another matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Here we go again, some people have been so blinded to JPA, they they can't see the wood for the trees.... He is slagged off again and again, but some supporters are so one eyed... what can you do.... I have stopped worrying about the crap that is written about him on here and other sites, because I know he is a very good player and will come back to haunt his biggest doubters in the best way he can, i.e. scoring plenty of goals, but then that won't be enough for some people.... Nick that's a bit of a lazy argument I feel. Because you don't agree with the view that he's lost it, it's a "one eyed view." That's a bit, um, one eyed to be honest. Last season saw Angel in terrible form for all but a couple of games. I'd say that's a realistic basis for the view that he's past his best. What are you basing your view on that he'll come good again? He's not 25 more, and he's had some awful injuries. What little pace he once had has now gone, I now think he'd struggle to beat Teddy Sheringham over 50 yards. What I noticed most though is his reluctance to, or inability to get a shot off. He was never the quickest, but his skill lead to him creating time and space for himself. Now though, defenders just get there first, or put him off his stride. I know our midfield doesn't create that much, but JPA doesn't seem able to create much for himself either. A 20 goal a season striker will put away a good mix of sitters and half chances. On the form of last season, JPA will be lucky to have 20 shots on target all season. I'd love Angel to have a good season, but I just don't see a player able to cope with the demands of the Premiership anymore. He'll score some of course, maybe even this weekend, but I'm willing to bet he won't get into double figures this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Oh and if we're thinking of 4-3-3 we needed Vass in there somewhere for some pace, but we appear to have sold him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvillafan Posted August 16, 2005 VT Supporter Share Posted August 16, 2005 Gotta go on form. That means Angel warms the bench.... ... not that we've seen much of Milan, but Angel needs a kick in the A to get his game going again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRL Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 So Risso... The fact JPA has showed his stuff every season he has been picked injury free, with a full pre-season under his belt, doesnt count? That he was forced back too bloody early last season after a terrible knee-injury isnt true? We could talk about why he was forced back, but that isnt the point. Would be careful using one eyed view terms to much...it can bite back at yaa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ED Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Yes go on form and drop Angel for now. Eventually DOL will want to play the 2 lookalikes together but that can wait until Kev picks up a niggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Eventually DOL will want to play the 2 lookalikes together but that can wait until Kev picks up a niggle. Do you reckon that's the cunning plan so the defenders never know who they're meant to be marking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvillafan Posted August 17, 2005 VT Supporter Share Posted August 17, 2005 Do you reckon that's the cunning plan so the defenders never know who they're meant to be marking? Heh heh.. I can see it now: Opposition Defender 1: "Mark the one with the Alice band." Opposition Defender 2: "But there's 3 of them!" :winkold: (Berger, in case you were wondering) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarjei Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Maybe this is a brilliant plan from the manager to ensure the defenders hit the right players when they hoof the ball 50 yards into the unknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSufferingVilla Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 hmm, since our central midfielders are useless at liking up with the front two maybe we could try Baros as a support striker behing Phillips and JPA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddy Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 hmm, since our central midfielders are useless at liking up with the front two maybe we could try Baros as a support striker behing Phillips and JPA? Surely it would work better with JPA behind Baros and Phillips as Angel likes to go deep. That's what I reckon anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBJ23 Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 So Risso... The fact JPA has showed his stuff every season he has been picked injury free, with a full pre-season under his belt, doesnt count? That he was forced back too bloody early last season after a terrible knee-injury isnt true? We could talk about why he was forced back, but that isnt the point. I've never known a villa player get so many excuses for not performing. His first full season with us wasn't that great he scored something like 11 league goals, no for our £10 million record signing who according to some is world class i don't thinks thats good enough. Then people can blame taylor for dropping him but at the start he played a few games and i remember one away to bolton on tv and he was shocking. Then he had a great season yep can't argue he was quality but then again i remember marcus stewart having one great season. Last year he was again back to his shocking self and we get the excuse about being rushed back from injury, well he has had a full preseason and still looks crap so what will the excuse be this year? Also i've read a few that say angel can score from distance, i can think of 2 goals were he has done this. Also risso i couldn't agree more with you mate, angel does not have the speed to create a goal scoring chance for himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 I'd like to think that DOL would pick his best players and not just those who he has signed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelle Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Last year he was again back to his shocking self and we get the excuse about being rushed back from injury, well he has had a full preseason and still looks crap so what will the excuse be this year? Hm, I don't say that he will be good, but again, one game? Are you judging him after one game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olivilla Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 I think JPA will come good for us this season. On the large people have read too much into the Bolton game, give the man a chance! If, by Christmas, say, he hasn't hit 5 then maybe he could be criticised. Him & MB up front SKP to cover and LM as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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