PIW Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 When he plays well he plays very well. But he does go missing too often for me. I'd like us to have 1 winger and focus on playing through the centre of midfield more. if Albrighton does progress as he seems able to do so then I see the argument for selling Downing and Ash and reinvesting elsewhere. This is O'Neill's team and his shape also. Any manager - a new one or otherwise - will want to play to their favoured system and shape and I think Downing/Ash/Albrighton is starting to look slightly anachronistic. Martin Are you back? I remember that first season when we had just Ash and had to play a CM'er (Petrov or Gardner) out wide. Horrible. I hope to never see that again. 4-3-3 is the way forward for me and get the wide players - hopefully DJ and the Zog - to alternate and get in and around Bent. Get the full backs to overlap and use the space created by the wide players cutting in knowing that there are two sitting CM'ers protecting the CB's and covering. Nothing wrong with 4-3-3, but it doesn't need two wingers. Which other top side plays with two wingers? Or even which side has been successful with two wingers? N'Zogbia would be great for us but he's not a winger. Who's DJ? NZogbia is not a winger????????????? No, he's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_D Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 What position should N'Zogbia play then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy_loes Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 What position should N'Zogbia play then? He plays off Rodallega or inside left in old terminology. He has played wide but he's not a winger like Ash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIW Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Wide left but not as a winger. reo-coker, Gardner etc have played wide for us and aren't wingers, as has Barry. You need players who fit naturally into wide positions. that's N'Zogbia. In 80-81 we had bremner playing on the right of midfield but you'd never call him a winger. Just because you play wide doesn't mean you're a winger. Bale has been mentioned earlier but he's not a winger either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_The_Villan Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I dont like these reports about Arsenal and Liverpool being interested in Downing. To lose Ash AND Downing in one transfer would just be too much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Wide left but not as a winger. reo-coker, Gardner etc have played wide for us and aren't wingers, as has Barry. You need players who fit naturally into wide positions. that's N'Zogbia. In 80-81 we had bremner playing on the right of midfield but you'd never call him a winger. Just because you play wide doesn't mean you're a winger. Bale has been mentioned earlier but he's not a winger either. He's about as winger as you can get. His whole game is about knocking it down the line and whipping a ball into the box. What part of that isn't a winger? You also basically said Downing is a winger, how is he any different to say N'Zogbia when he plays and cuts in from the right? You make absolutely no sense. Reo-Coker, Modric, Gardner etc....aren't wingers, I can get that but Bale and N'Zogbia, they are exactly that. Wingers. Bale especially. N'Zogbia maybe 'inside forward' but still, hardly comparable to Coker/Gardner etc...is he. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno_2004 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I dont like these reports about Arsenal and Liverpool being interested in Downing. To lose Ash AND Downing in one transfer would just be too muchIf Ash goes to United, expect Liverpool to come in for Downing. I expect they'll be told where to go though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIW Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I dont like these reports about Arsenal and Liverpool being interested in Downing. To lose Ash AND Downing in one transfer would just be too much Depends on who we replace them with surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I dont like these reports about Arsenal and Liverpool being interested in Downing. To lose Ash AND Downing in one transfer would just be too much Depends on who we replace them with surely? You still haven't explained to me why you'd sell Downing, you talked about wanting players who can open up defences, pass the ball etc....Downing is our best player when it comes to ability on the ball, touch, control, use of both feet, passing as shown when he's moved central. He's also shown that he's extremely effective on the right, cutting inside which is exactly the sort of 'non winger' type play your onnabout. You mention building a certain way and then want to take away the Villa player who most fits that mould. Makes no sense to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beasley14 Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 He made Flanagan look like a mug. Oozes class. Yeh knocked him down a peg there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisNichollsToe Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I dont like these reports about Arsenal and Liverpool being interested in Downing. To lose Ash AND Downing in one transfer would just be too much Depends on who we replace them with surely? Hmmm, heared that before. Milner and Barry were never replaced, merely because to get like for like would of cost us an arm and a leg, which we did not have....or more like we had to concentrate on other areas of the team aswell, and the money would not stretch. More importantly, its the message it would send. Villa selling both Ashley and Downing in one window, would paint our club in a real negative picture, with any decent player thinking twice about jioning us. In other words a disaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIW Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Milner was never replaced because we wasted a transfer window. With all things being equal we should have a chance to spend this summer and who we bring in is crucial. If I had to choose between Downing and N 'Zogbia I'd go for the latter but that's just personal opinion. I think the team has lacked balance all year and to change that we need a change of personnel. i get the point about selling your best players as possibly having a negative effect but it depends who the manger brings in. It also depends on the shape of the team as to the players the manger wants. We still aspire to be a top 6 side at the very least and out of the best players from the past 3 years - Barry, Milner, Ash, nd Downing I think the latter is unlikely to be any better than a top-half Prem footballer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theunderstudy Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Agree Jonno. Flanagan was made to look like a rabbit in the headlights of **** big Panzer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 Him still leaving is still being talked about? What more can he say, I actually believe him and think he will be here....though I didnt believe jimmy would ever leave us either :oops: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CockneyVilla Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Agree Jonno. Flanagan was made to look like a rabbit in the headlights of **** big Panzer. Panzer's did not have headlights... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIW Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I'm not too sure that whather a panzerhas headlights or not was the crucial thrust of the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodigan Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 if it wasn't, it bloody well should have been.... outrageous claim... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIW Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Well Fair enough. The bloody idiot. Going and embarrassing himself that badly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy_loes Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Agree Jonno. Flanagan was made to look like a rabbit in the headlights of **** big Panzer. Panzer's did not have headlights... Poetic licence ....but I dont see Downing as a Panzer. I see him more as a Maserati. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIW Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I see him in Formula 1 terms as a Sauber. On its day it can be great and threatens to break into the higher echelons. But all too often you see glimpses of greatness but more often than not, just sits in the midfield looking pretty. I've just had an idea for a new thread... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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