Barry Bannan

[LondonLax]

I really, really don't understand all the hatred for Bannan. I think he's got some talent, probably not enough to make it with us, but it isn't for lack of effort that I can see when he plays.

That is the point Risso. Bannan tries his hardest. He really does. But the sad part is it just isn't good enough. He simply can't play at Premier League level. The most depressing aspect of his overall game from my pov was watching him scampering about the park looking completely out of his depth & accomplishing nothing.

Bottom Line - He's never a Villa player in a million years

This is why I can't understand or respect your posts about Bannan.

If he was lazy and half assed on the pitch, not bothering to play for the shirt then he should be given hell. But he's one of our youth players who hasn't made the grade, that is a reason to be disappointed not angry with him.

Wish him well for his career and move on. There is no reason to keep giving him shit. I think most of it is actually directed at Con rather than our youth player.

[AstonMartin82]

We have 3 players coming through the youth team who are even better than the best crosser in the PL and better than a player who will be worth £20m in a year and will have the pick of any club in the world?

 

Well, if this is true, I expect Villa to be dominating the global world in the next few years and if it doesn't happen that we can say once and for all Con knows absolutely nothing about footballers talent... as if there is any doubt anyway.

Edited August 2, 2013 by AstonMartin82

[Killeen30]

Is this little runt still here?

I have the latest Scotland shirt with Bannan on the back, but I'm selling that to Con ;-)

[villa-revolution]

 

 

I really, really don't understand all the hatred for Bannan. I think he's got some talent, probably not enough to make it with us, but it isn't for lack of effort that I can see when he plays.

That is the point Risso. Bannan tries his hardest. He really does. But the sad part is it just isn't good enough. He simply can't play at Premier League level. The most depressing aspect of his overall game from my pov was watching him scampering about the park looking completely out of his depth & accomplishing nothing.

Bottom Line - He's never a Villa player in a million years

This is why I can't understand or respect your posts about Bannan.

If he was lazy and half assed on the pitch, not bothering to play for the shirt then he should be given hell. But he's one of our youth players who hasn't made the grade, that is a reason to be disappointed not angry with him.

Wish him well for his career and move on. There is no reason to keep giving him shit. I think most of it is actually directed at Con rather than our youth player.

 

 

One out of two isn't bad LL.

 

Also,let me qualify my overall point further here if that is possible?  I absolutely detest obvious failure in a claret & blue shirt by anybody. Especially so though when that player constantly under performs & is the obvious  weakest link in our team, that's because I only want success for this club. This demand applys to any Villa player. Can anybody seriously convince me that we were a better team with Bannan in the sidelast season  when every thing points to the contrary.

 

Be honest if you can? My immediate reaction on learning that Bannan was being selected was one of utter dread. I want us to win & just hearing his name in the line up made me automatically fear the worst.

 

Was it a coincidence that results picked up once Bannan was dropped? Work it out for yourself.

 

That's my conclusion anyway.

 

I don't expect you to have either the time or the inclination to troll through my previous posts but one of my original comments confirms that I hope Con turns out to be right. Yes - I am gracious in defeat but don't expect to lose out on this one.

 

Finally - I do not hate Barry Bannan, only his guaranteed failure in a claret & blue shirt. I hope that clears that one up for you now?

[TRO]

We all love to see the team go out all guns blazing and create goal after goal after goal....unfortunately there is a thing called opposition who will do there level best to do the same.

It's essential to have players that can nullify the oppositions sorties when they come and turn their attacks in to our attacks.

Bannan seems to be singular dimensional to make it in the prem....simply not enough of a rounded mildfielder.

[Skruff]

http://tinyurl.com/qec3slw
 

Say Goodbye to my Little Friend - The Story of Barry Bannan's Villa Demise
by: Shelly Ousbourne - Jul 28, 2013


Why did it go wrong for Barry Bannan at villa?

Had the new manager only been Roberto Martinez, rather than Alex McLeish, then it is arguable that Bannan’s career may not have declined in the manner that it currently has.’

One of Aston Villa’s most promising academy products looks to be on his way out of the club as Villa accepted a bid thought to be in the region of £750,000 for Barry Bannan this week.

Bannan has become a somewhat divisive figure amongst Villa fans (to put it mildly), and its hard to write about Bannan without feeling a deep sense of regret.  Along with Daniel Crowley, Aston Villa have lost another central midfielder this summer with an abundance of potential.  There is a sense, however, that Bannan’s exit is unsurprising and somewhat expected.  A divorce which suits both parties.

A large and vocal group of fans have made it known that they never really saw the point of Bannan, and they never really will.  In fact, it was becoming almost impossible for Bannan to start a game under Paul Lambert due to the inevitable howls of derision from social media sites and abuse from the stands whenever he took to the pitch.

Even if you were a loyal fan of Bannan, watching him last season was crucifixion.  Yet, how did such a promising academy player suddenly become so unloved by the fans?

When Randy Lerner joined the club, the sharp suited PR types coined the theme “Proud History, Bright Future“, and Bannan was exactly the type of player it was hoped would become part of that future.  Martin O’Neill’s 4-4-2 formation had started to look tired and old-fashioned, towards the end of his tenure and Villa were in desperate need of a new direction.  Teams around Villa were modernising.  Tottenham had bought Luka Modric and became more possession based, whilst other clubs adapted their styles and updated their scouting networks.

Young Barry Bannan had arrived at Aston Villa from Celtic as a 14-year-old trialist, and the Scottish midfielder quickly impressed the club when he became player of the tournament at the Ergenzingen in Germany, which Villa went on to win against Mainz.

Bannan began making a name for himself in the academy as a rising star, and he memorably ran the show against Manchester United reserves when he scored a brilliant hat trick in a 4-1 win for Aston Villa.  The youngster could have scored more goals in the match as he also hit the post and came close several other times.   Bannan opened his account with a beautiful free kick, then scored again with a Messi-like chip over the goal-keeper.  To complete hat-trick, Bannan slotted home a penalty after Delfouneso was brought down in the area.  United’s team that day included the likes of Bebe, Obertan, Magnus Eikrem, Ravel Morrison and Cory Evans.

 

2-2 vs United, a performance that suggested a bright future for Bannan

 

Bannan seemed to develop a habit of playing well against Manchester United as he also starred against United’s reserves in the Reserves Play-Off final in May 2010, which Villa lost on penalties after finishing 3 – 3 at full time.
 Bannan played in the number 10 position, his best position, and hardly put a put wrong in the match.  He got an assist as he slid a very Modric-esque short pass into Delfouneso who turned and struck home neatly.  
Villa’s mini midfielder had given a very impressive performance against a star-studded United side that included the likes of Ben Foster, Rafael (United first team), Possobon, Diouf (Hannover), Marcheda and Pogba (Juve).

It was those performances which earned Bannan a call up to the Villa first team squad and he began under Martin O’Neill playing on the left-wing, which didn’t really suit him.  Next came Gerard Houllier, who was immediately impressed with the young, blonde midfielder. “Barry is an intelligent player,” said Houllier, “he can read the game well and adapt well. I don’t think Xavi and Iniesta, who are outstanding players, are of huge size.  They are intelligent, they have the skill and the desire. Young Barry has all of that.”

Bannan repaid Houllier’s faith by dictating the terms again against Manchester United in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Villa Park. Sir Alex Ferguson ruefully acknowledged after the match that he already knew all about the young Scot’s ability, following Bannan’s hat-trick against United in the reserves.  Things looked bright for Bannan under Houllier, but tragically the Villa manager became ill again and another new manager was drafted in to take the reins at Villa Park.

Had the new manager only been Roberto Martinez, rather than Alex McLeish, then it is arguable that Bannan’s career may not have declined in the manner that it currently has.

Bannan was not the only creative player whose career ground to a halt under Alex McLeish, as  Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alex Hleb memorably bore testament to.

“At Birmingham, the team played the long-ball game, practically bypassing midfield,” said Hleb. “To get into the game you had to play up front or linger at the back with the defenders to get hold of the ball, which more often than not flew right past me.”

Under McLeish, Bannan was marooned out on the wing and was rarely able to get into the game.  When the ball did arrive it was more often than not a forty-yard pass, or rather hoof, out of defence from either Collins or Dunne.  Bannan was unsurprisingly out-jumped or out-muscled helplessly as the ball flew at him head high.

Off-field problems followed and Bannan enjoyed a thoroughly miserable time under McLeish, as many other Villa players did.

When Paul Lambert arrived last summer, genuine hopes were raised that Lambert would be able to harness Bannan’s talent, as Lambert had turned other rough diamonds into Premier League players.

However, things started badly for Bannan under Lambert.   He struggled to make an impact in a two man midfield when Villa were thrashed 1 -3 at home by Everton and along with Ciaran Clark, who was sent off, he took much of the blame for Villa’s insipid performance.  Bannan then played well against Newcastle, Sunderland and Swansea but Villa had made their worst start to the league in 15 years, and fans seemed reluctant to apportion any blame to either the formation or the hugely popular new manager.

The young Scot certainly didn’t help himself.  Having been assigned the role of set-piece taker, he often erratically missed the mark with his delivery and should have abdicated this responsibility much earlier.  He could have taken a lot of heat off himself by doing so.  He didn’t.  He persisted and persisted.  Sometimes he’d play well, sometimes he’d play badly, but there remained a feeling that defensive midfield didn’t really get the best from his particular skill-set.

 

His only rarely delivered from set pieces

 

Bannan was too far away from the attackers to play any intelligent balls, his passes were often long and ambitious with no attacking midfielder to help bridge the gap.  Westwood and Bannan were, at times, so far back on the pitch that they almost tripped backwards over Ron Vlaar.  The two youngsters simply didn’t have enough muscle or experience to handle the demands of a two-man midfield against stronger teams in the first half of the season.  Against Chelsea, Westwood was subbed and protected, Bannan was left to face the music.

Things changed for the better when Sylla arrived at the club and Bannan played well against Reading and Q.P.R in matches, where Villa grabbed all three points.  Personal abuse from the stands was beginning to take its toll on the player as every corner Bannan went to take was met by an increasingly vile torrent of abuse.  The player stopped wanting the ball and started pointing at team mates instead.  A big change from the boy who wanted to get on the ball at every opportunity as a youngster in the academy.

Mystery surrounds the reason why Bannan didn’t make the trip to Stoke.  We’ll probably never know the real reason. Bannan was playing steadily enough against Q.P.R. and the Scottish midfielder wasn’t just dropped, he was left out of the squad altogether from there on.

Bannan subsequently became part of the ‘bomb squad‘ and Villa accepted a bid for his services from Blackburn Rovers this week.

A sad end to the youngsters career at Villa, but I wish him the best of luck in the future and hope to see him back in the Premier League in the manner Steven Davis returned with Southampton.

Good luck Barry!

Edited August 2, 2013 by Skruff

[Con]

http://tinyurl.com/qec3slw

 

Say Goodbye to my Little Friend - The Story of Barry Bannan's Villa Demise

by: Shelly Ousbourne - Jul 28, 2013

Why did it go wrong for Barry Bannan at villa?

Had the new manager only been Roberto Martinez, rather than Alex McLeish, then it is arguable that Bannan’s career may not have declined in the manner that it currently has.’

One of Aston Villa’s most promising academy products looks to be on his way out of the club as Villa accepted a bid thought to be in the region of £750,000 for Barry Bannan this week.

Bannan has become a somewhat divisive figure amongst Villa fans (to put it mildly), and its hard to write about Bannan without feeling a deep sense of regret.  Along with Daniel Crowley, Aston Villa have lost another central midfielder this summer with an abundance of potential.  There is a sense, however, that Bannan’s exit is unsurprising and somewhat expected.  A divorce which suits both parties.

A large and vocal group of fans have made it known that they never really saw the point of Bannan, and they never really will.  In fact, it was becoming almost impossible for Bannan to start a game under Paul Lambert due to the inevitable howls of derision from social media sites and abuse from the stands whenever he took to the pitch.

Even if you were a loyal fan of Bannan, watching him last season was crucifixion.  Yet, how did such a promising academy player suddenly become so unloved by the fans?

When Randy Lerner joined the club, the sharp suited PR types coined the theme “Proud History, Bright Future“, and Bannan was exactly the type of player it was hoped would become part of that future.  Martin O’Neill’s 4-4-2 formation had started to look tired and old-fashioned, towards the end of his tenure and Villa were in desperate need of a new direction.  Teams around Villa were modernising.  Tottenham had bought Luka Modric and became more possession based, whilst other clubs adapted their styles and updated their scouting networks.

Young Barry Bannan had arrived at Aston Villa from Celtic as a 14-year-old trialist, and the Scottish midfielder quickly impressed the club when he became player of the tournament at the Ergenzingen in Germany, which Villa went on to win against Mainz.

Bannan began making a name for himself in the academy as a rising star, and he memorably ran the show against Manchester United reserves when he scored a brilliant hat trick in a 4-1 win for Aston Villa.  The youngster could have scored more goals in the match as he also hit the post and came close several other times.   Bannan opened his account with a beautiful free kick, then scored again with a Messi-like chip over the goal-keeper.  To complete hat-trick, Bannan slotted home a penalty after Delfouneso was brought down in the area.  United’s team that day included the likes of Bebe, Obertan, Magnus Eikrem, Ravel Morrison and Cory Evans.

 

2-2 vs United, a performance that suggested a bright future for Bannan

 

Bannan seemed to develop a habit of playing well against Manchester United as he also starred against United’s reserves in the Reserves Play-Off final in May 2010, which Villa lost on penalties after finishing 3 – 3 at full time.

 Bannan played in the number 10 position, his best position, and hardly put a put wrong in the match.  He got an assist as he slid a very Modric-esque short pass into Delfouneso who turned and struck home neatly.  

Villa’s mini midfielder had given a very impressive performance against a star-studded United side that included the likes of Ben Foster, Rafael (United first team), Possobon, Diouf (Hannover), Marcheda and Pogba (Juve).

It was those performances which earned Bannan a call up to the Villa first team squad and he began under Martin O’Neill playing on the left-wing, which didn’t really suit him.  Next came Gerard Houllier, who was immediately impressed with the young, blonde midfielder. “Barry is an intelligent player,” said Houllier, “he can read the game well and adapt well. I don’t think Xavi and Iniesta, who are outstanding players, are of huge size.  They are intelligent, they have the skill and the desire. Young Barry has all of that.”

Bannan repaid Houllier’s faith by dictating the terms again against Manchester United in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Villa Park. Sir Alex Ferguson ruefully acknowledged after the match that he already knew all about the young Scot’s ability, following Bannan’s hat-trick against United in the reserves.  Things looked bright for Bannan under Houllier, but tragically the Villa manager became ill again and another new manager was drafted in to take the reins at Villa Park.

Had the new manager only been Roberto Martinez, rather than Alex McLeish, then it is arguable that Bannan’s career may not have declined in the manner that it currently has.

Bannan was not the only creative player whose career ground to a halt under Alex McLeish, as  Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alex Hleb memorably bore testament to.

“At Birmingham, the team played the long-ball game, practically bypassing midfield,” said Hleb. “To get into the game you had to play up front or linger at the back with the defenders to get hold of the ball, which more often than not flew right past me.”

Under McLeish, Bannan was marooned out on the wing and was rarely able to get into the game.  When the ball did arrive it was more often than not a forty-yard pass, or rather hoof, out of defence from either Collins or Dunne.  Bannan was unsurprisingly out-jumped or out-muscled helplessly as the ball flew at him head high.

Off-field problems followed and Bannan enjoyed a thoroughly miserable time under McLeish, as many other Villa players did.

When Paul Lambert arrived last summer, genuine hopes were raised that Lambert would be able to harness Bannan’s talent, as Lambert had turned other rough diamonds into Premier League players.

However, things started badly for Bannan under Lambert.   He struggled to make an impact in a two man midfield when Villa were thrashed 1 -3 at home by Everton and along with Ciaran Clark, who was sent off, he took much of the blame for Villa’s insipid performance.  Bannan then played well against Newcastle, Sunderland and Swansea but Villa had made their worst start to the league in 15 years, and fans seemed reluctant to apportion any blame to either the formation or the hugely popular new manager.

The young Scot certainly didn’t help himself.  Having been assigned the role of set-piece taker, he often erratically missed the mark with his delivery and should have abdicated this responsibility much earlier.  He could have taken a lot of heat off himself by doing so.  He didn’t.  He persisted and persisted.  Sometimes he’d play well, sometimes he’d play badly, but there remained a feeling that defensive midfield didn’t really get the best from his particular skill-set.

 

His only rarely delivered from set pieces

 

Bannan was too far away from the attackers to play any intelligent balls, his passes were often long and ambitious with no attacking midfielder to help bridge the gap.  Westwood and Bannan were, at times, so far back on the pitch that they almost tripped backwards over Ron Vlaar.  The two youngsters simply didn’t have enough muscle or experience to handle the demands of a two-man midfield against stronger teams in the first half of the season.  Against Chelsea, Westwood was subbed and protected, Bannan was left to face the music.

Things changed for the better when Sylla arrived at the club and Bannan played well against Reading and Q.P.R in matches, where Villa grabbed all three points.  Personal abuse from the stands was beginning to take its toll on the player as every corner Bannan went to take was met by an increasingly vile torrent of abuse.  The player stopped wanting the ball and started pointing at team mates instead.  A big change from the boy who wanted to get on the ball at every opportunity as a youngster in the academy.

Mystery surrounds the reason why Bannan didn’t make the trip to Stoke.  We’ll probably never know the real reason. Bannan was playing steadily enough against Q.P.R. and the Scottish midfielder wasn’t just dropped, he was left out of the squad altogether from there on.

Bannan subsequently became part of the ‘bomb squad‘ and Villa accepted a bid for his services from Blackburn Rovers this week.

A sad end to the youngsters career at Villa, but I wish him the best of luck in the future and hope to see him back in the Premier League in the manner Steven Davis returned with Southampton.

Good luck Barry!

 

Brilliant article, thanks for posting.

[King Cropley]

I was never Bannan's greatest fan, but more than a grain of truth in that article to be fair.

[Skruff]

Think the article serves him justice. Not for Villa, but hope he finds his feet somewhere he can play to his strengths. Good luck Barry Bannan.

[PaulC]

Yes brilliant article. Makes me feel sad that such a talented footballer didn't get the support of the fans. Hope he does well wherever he goes.

[P3te]

 I absolutely detest obvious failure in a claret & blue shirt by anybody. Especially so though when that player constantly under performs

 

He's not underperforming though, he's just not good enough. If he was underperforming he'd have the potential to be lots better, but it doesn't look like that's the case, not in the PL

[Dodgyknees]

Yes brilliant article. Makes me feel sad that such a talented footballer didn't get the support of the fans. Hope he does well wherever he goes.

 

Yes, from the moment he stepped foot on the pitch for his first ever start, people were against him. 

 

He has shone since then and has been world class, best crosser. 

 

I'm out of this thread now, too many OTT statements.

[Electric Avenue]

The fact that there are 100's of pages debating if he's any good or not surely tells its own story.

[TRO]

http://tinyurl.com/qec3slw

 

Say Goodbye to my Little Friend - The Story of Barry Bannan's Villa Demise

by: Shelly Ousbourne - Jul 28, 2013Why did it go wrong for Barry Bannan at villa?

Had the new manager only been Roberto Martinez, rather than Alex McLeish, then it is arguable that Bannan’s career may not have declined in the manner that it currently has.’

One of Aston Villa’s most promising academy products looks to be on his way out of the club as Villa accepted a bid thought to be in the region of £750,000 for Barry Bannan this week.

Bannan has become a somewhat divisive figure amongst Villa fans (to put it mildly), and its hard to write about Bannan without feeling a deep sense of regret.  Along with Daniel Crowley, Aston Villa have lost another central midfielder this summer with an abundance of potential.  There is a sense, however, that Bannan’s exit is unsurprising and somewhat expected.  A divorce which suits both parties.

A large and vocal group of fans have made it known that they never really saw the point of Bannan, and they never really will.  In fact, it was becoming almost impossible for Bannan to start a game under Paul Lambert due to the inevitable howls of derision from social media sites and abuse from the stands whenever he took to the pitch.

Even if you were a loyal fan of Bannan, watching him last season was crucifixion.  Yet, how did such a promising academy player suddenly become so unloved by the fans?

When Randy Lerner joined the club, the sharp suited PR types coined the theme “Proud History, Bright Future“, and Bannan was exactly the type of player it was hoped would become part of that future.  Martin O’Neill’s 4-4-2 formation had started to look tired and old-fashioned, towards the end of his tenure and Villa were in desperate need of a new direction.  Teams around Villa were modernising.  Tottenham had bought Luka Modric and became more possession based, whilst other clubs adapted their styles and updated their scouting networks.

Young Barry Bannan had arrived at Aston Villa from Celtic as a 14-year-old trialist, and the Scottish midfielder quickly impressed the club when he became player of the tournament at the Ergenzingen in Germany, which Villa went on to win against Mainz.

Bannan began making a name for himself in the academy as a rising star, and he memorably ran the show against Manchester United reserves when he scored a brilliant hat trick in a 4-1 win for Aston Villa.  The youngster could have scored more goals in the match as he also hit the post and came close several other times.   Bannan opened his account with a beautiful free kick, then scored again with a Messi-like chip over the goal-keeper.  To complete hat-trick, Bannan slotted home a penalty after Delfouneso was brought down in the area.  United’s team that day included the likes of Bebe, Obertan, Magnus Eikrem, Ravel Morrison and Cory Evans.

 

2-2 vs United, a performance that suggested a bright future for Bannan

 

Bannan seemed to develop a habit of playing well against Manchester United as he also starred against United’s reserves in the Reserves Play-Off final in May 2010, which Villa lost on penalties after finishing 3 – 3 at full time.

 Bannan played in the number 10 position, his best position, and hardly put a put wrong in the match.  He got an assist as he slid a very Modric-esque short pass into Delfouneso who turned and struck home neatly.  

Villa’s mini midfielder had given a very impressive performance against a star-studded United side that included the likes of Ben Foster, Rafael (United first team), Possobon, Diouf (Hannover), Marcheda and Pogba (Juve).

It was those performances which earned Bannan a call up to the Villa first team squad and he began under Martin O’Neill playing on the left-wing, which didn’t really suit him.  Next came Gerard Houllier, who was immediately impressed with the young, blonde midfielder. “Barry is an intelligent player,” said Houllier, “he can read the game well and adapt well. I don’t think Xavi and Iniesta, who are outstanding players, are of huge size.  They are intelligent, they have the skill and the desire. Young Barry has all of that.”

Bannan repaid Houllier’s faith by dictating the terms again against Manchester United in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Villa Park. Sir Alex Ferguson ruefully acknowledged after the match that he already knew all about the young Scot’s ability, following Bannan’s hat-trick against United in the reserves.  Things looked bright for Bannan under Houllier, but tragically the Villa manager became ill again and another new manager was drafted in to take the reins at Villa Park.

Had the new manager only been Roberto Martinez, rather than Alex McLeish, then it is arguable that Bannan’s career may not have declined in the manner that it currently has.

Bannan was not the only creative player whose career ground to a halt under Alex McLeish, as  Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alex Hleb memorably bore testament to.

“At Birmingham, the team played the long-ball game, practically bypassing midfield,” said Hleb. “To get into the game you had to play up front or linger at the back with the defenders to get hold of the ball, which more often than not flew right past me.”

Under McLeish, Bannan was marooned out on the wing and was rarely able to get into the game.  When the ball did arrive it was more often than not a forty-yard pass, or rather hoof, out of defence from either Collins or Dunne.  Bannan was unsurprisingly out-jumped or out-muscled helplessly as the ball flew at him head high.

Off-field problems followed and Bannan enjoyed a thoroughly miserable time under McLeish, as many other Villa players did.

When Paul Lambert arrived last summer, genuine hopes were raised that Lambert would be able to harness Bannan’s talent, as Lambert had turned other rough diamonds into Premier League players.

However, things started badly for Bannan under Lambert.   He struggled to make an impact in a two man midfield when Villa were thrashed 1 -3 at home by Everton and along with Ciaran Clark, who was sent off, he took much of the blame for Villa’s insipid performance.  Bannan then played well against Newcastle, Sunderland and Swansea but Villa had made their worst start to the league in 15 years, and fans seemed reluctant to apportion any blame to either the formation or the hugely popular new manager.

The young Scot certainly didn’t help himself.  Having been assigned the role of set-piece taker, he often erratically missed the mark with his delivery and should have abdicated this responsibility much earlier.  He could have taken a lot of heat off himself by doing so.  He didn’t.  He persisted and persisted.  Sometimes he’d play well, sometimes he’d play badly, but there remained a feeling that defensive midfield didn’t really get the best from his particular skill-set.

 

His only rarely delivered from set pieces

 

Bannan was too far away from the attackers to play any intelligent balls, his passes were often long and ambitious with no attacking midfielder to help bridge the gap.  Westwood and Bannan were, at times, so far back on the pitch that they almost tripped backwards over Ron Vlaar.  The two youngsters simply didn’t have enough muscle or experience to handle the demands of a two-man midfield against stronger teams in the first half of the season.  Against Chelsea, Westwood was subbed and protected, Bannan was left to face the music.

Things changed for the better when Sylla arrived at the club and Bannan played well against Reading and Q.P.R in matches, where Villa grabbed all three points.  Personal abuse from the stands was beginning to take its toll on the player as every corner Bannan went to take was met by an increasingly vile torrent of abuse.  The player stopped wanting the ball and started pointing at team mates instead.  A big change from the boy who wanted to get on the ball at every opportunity as a youngster in the academy.

Mystery surrounds the reason why Bannan didn’t make the trip to Stoke.  We’ll probably never know the real reason. Bannan was playing steadily enough against Q.P.R. and the Scottish midfielder wasn’t just dropped, he was left out of the squad altogether from there on.

Bannan subsequently became part of the ‘bomb squad‘ and Villa accepted a bid for his services from Blackburn Rovers this week.

A sad end to the youngsters career at Villa, but I wish him the best of luck in the future and hope to see him back in the Premier League in the manner Steven Davis returned with Southampton.

Good luck Barry!

The article is well written and despite it being emotionally loaded towards Bannan he was simply not Sufficiently effective.

Pretty, pretty football as eloquently displayed by Barcelona requires exceptionally talented players, it also requires more than one to have any kind of effect....the best player in the world usually has by definition good players around him.

Barry for me had no defensive side to his game, when other diminutive players like BIlly Bremner &Johnnny GIles did, despite their obvious creative skills.

Barry Bannan for me despite me having respect for him lacked the necessary skills to be the rounded midfielder the premiership requires.

[Keyblade]

http://tinyurl.com/qec3slw

 

Say Goodbye to my Little Friend - The Story of Barry Bannan's Villa Demise

by: Shelly Ousbourne - Jul 28, 2013

Why did it go wrong for Barry Bannan at villa?

Had the new manager only been Roberto Martinez, rather than Alex McLeish, then it is arguable that Bannan’s career may not have declined in the manner that it currently has.’

One of Aston Villa’s most promising academy products looks to be on his way out of the club as Villa accepted a bid thought to be in the region of £750,000 for Barry Bannan this week.

Bannan has become a somewhat divisive figure amongst Villa fans (to put it mildly), and its hard to write about Bannan without feeling a deep sense of regret.  Along with Daniel Crowley, Aston Villa have lost another central midfielder this summer with an abundance of potential.  There is a sense, however, that Bannan’s exit is unsurprising and somewhat expected.  A divorce which suits both parties.

A large and vocal group of fans have made it known that they never really saw the point of Bannan, and they never really will.  In fact, it was becoming almost impossible for Bannan to start a game under Paul Lambert due to the inevitable howls of derision from social media sites and abuse from the stands whenever he took to the pitch.

Even if you were a loyal fan of Bannan, watching him last season was crucifixion.  Yet, how did such a promising academy player suddenly become so unloved by the fans?

When Randy Lerner joined the club, the sharp suited PR types coined the theme “Proud History, Bright Future“, and Bannan was exactly the type of player it was hoped would become part of that future.  Martin O’Neill’s 4-4-2 formation had started to look tired and old-fashioned, towards the end of his tenure and Villa were in desperate need of a new direction.  Teams around Villa were modernising.  Tottenham had bought Luka Modric and became more possession based, whilst other clubs adapted their styles and updated their scouting networks.

Young Barry Bannan had arrived at Aston Villa from Celtic as a 14-year-old trialist, and the Scottish midfielder quickly impressed the club when he became player of the tournament at the Ergenzingen in Germany, which Villa went on to win against Mainz.

Bannan began making a name for himself in the academy as a rising star, and he memorably ran the show against Manchester United reserves when he scored a brilliant hat trick in a 4-1 win for Aston Villa.  The youngster could have scored more goals in the match as he also hit the post and came close several other times.   Bannan opened his account with a beautiful free kick, then scored again with a Messi-like chip over the goal-keeper.  To complete hat-trick, Bannan slotted home a penalty after Delfouneso was brought down in the area.  United’s team that day included the likes of Bebe, Obertan, Magnus Eikrem, Ravel Morrison and Cory Evans.

 

2-2 vs United, a performance that suggested a bright future for Bannan

 

Bannan seemed to develop a habit of playing well against Manchester United as he also starred against United’s reserves in the Reserves Play-Off final in May 2010, which Villa lost on penalties after finishing 3 – 3 at full time.

 Bannan played in the number 10 position, his best position, and hardly put a put wrong in the match.  He got an assist as he slid a very Modric-esque short pass into Delfouneso who turned and struck home neatly.  

Villa’s mini midfielder had given a very impressive performance against a star-studded United side that included the likes of Ben Foster, Rafael (United first team), Possobon, Diouf (Hannover), Marcheda and Pogba (Juve).

It was those performances which earned Bannan a call up to the Villa first team squad and he began under Martin O’Neill playing on the left-wing, which didn’t really suit him.  Next came Gerard Houllier, who was immediately impressed with the young, blonde midfielder. “Barry is an intelligent player,” said Houllier, “he can read the game well and adapt well. I don’t think Xavi and Iniesta, who are outstanding players, are of huge size.  They are intelligent, they have the skill and the desire. Young Barry has all of that.”

Bannan repaid Houllier’s faith by dictating the terms again against Manchester United in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Villa Park. Sir Alex Ferguson ruefully acknowledged after the match that he already knew all about the young Scot’s ability, following Bannan’s hat-trick against United in the reserves.  Things looked bright for Bannan under Houllier, but tragically the Villa manager became ill again and another new manager was drafted in to take the reins at Villa Park.

Had the new manager only been Roberto Martinez, rather than Alex McLeish, then it is arguable that Bannan’s career may not have declined in the manner that it currently has.

Bannan was not the only creative player whose career ground to a halt under Alex McLeish, as  Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alex Hleb memorably bore testament to.

“At Birmingham, the team played the long-ball game, practically bypassing midfield,” said Hleb. “To get into the game you had to play up front or linger at the back with the defenders to get hold of the ball, which more often than not flew right past me.”

Under McLeish, Bannan was marooned out on the wing and was rarely able to get into the game.  When the ball did arrive it was more often than not a forty-yard pass, or rather hoof, out of defence from either Collins or Dunne.  Bannan was unsurprisingly out-jumped or out-muscled helplessly as the ball flew at him head high.

Off-field problems followed and Bannan enjoyed a thoroughly miserable time under McLeish, as many other Villa players did.

When Paul Lambert arrived last summer, genuine hopes were raised that Lambert would be able to harness Bannan’s talent, as Lambert had turned other rough diamonds into Premier League players.

However, things started badly for Bannan under Lambert.   He struggled to make an impact in a two man midfield when Villa were thrashed 1 -3 at home by Everton and along with Ciaran Clark, who was sent off, he took much of the blame for Villa’s insipid performance.  Bannan then played well against Newcastle, Sunderland and Swansea but Villa had made their worst start to the league in 15 years, and fans seemed reluctant to apportion any blame to either the formation or the hugely popular new manager.

The young Scot certainly didn’t help himself.  Having been assigned the role of set-piece taker, he often erratically missed the mark with his delivery and should have abdicated this responsibility much earlier.  He could have taken a lot of heat off himself by doing so.  He didn’t.  He persisted and persisted.  Sometimes he’d play well, sometimes he’d play badly, but there remained a feeling that defensive midfield didn’t really get the best from his particular skill-set.

 

His only rarely delivered from set pieces

 

Bannan was too far away from the attackers to play any intelligent balls, his passes were often long and ambitious with no attacking midfielder to help bridge the gap.  Westwood and Bannan were, at times, so far back on the pitch that they almost tripped backwards over Ron Vlaar.  The two youngsters simply didn’t have enough muscle or experience to handle the demands of a two-man midfield against stronger teams in the first half of the season.  Against Chelsea, Westwood was subbed and protected, Bannan was left to face the music.

Things changed for the better when Sylla arrived at the club and Bannan played well against Reading and Q.P.R in matches, where Villa grabbed all three points.  Personal abuse from the stands was beginning to take its toll on the player as every corner Bannan went to take was met by an increasingly vile torrent of abuse.  The player stopped wanting the ball and started pointing at team mates instead.  A big change from the boy who wanted to get on the ball at every opportunity as a youngster in the academy.

Mystery surrounds the reason why Bannan didn’t make the trip to Stoke.  We’ll probably never know the real reason. Bannan was playing steadily enough against Q.P.R. and the Scottish midfielder wasn’t just dropped, he was left out of the squad altogether from there on.

Bannan subsequently became part of the ‘bomb squad‘ and Villa accepted a bid for his services from Blackburn Rovers this week.

A sad end to the youngsters career at Villa, but I wish him the best of luck in the future and hope to see him back in the Premier League in the manner Steven Davis returned with Southampton.

Good luck Barry!

 

Terrible article. It makes it seem like we're parting ways with one of our only talents from the academy, when in fact for ever Bannan there is a Weimann and Baker and Clark etc etc. The funniest part was the bit in bold. As if Lambert's team selection is affected by fan opinion. Get real.

[Skruff]

^ It's says it almost got impossible for Barry Bannan to start a game under Paul Lambert. Not; it almost got impossible for Paul Lambert to start Barry Bannan.  I interpret it as: it got hard for the guy to start a game under Paul Lambert due to the abuse he was getting. But maybe I'm misinterpreting it .

[TRO]

For the fans that rate Barry Bannan...watch GIles & Bremner.

You will then see why fans are not excited about Bannan.

[HeyAnty]

Why was he dropped from squad after qpr game. Was that ever revealed?

[villa-revolution]

 

 I absolutely detest obvious failure in a claret & blue shirt by anybody. Especially so though when that player constantly under performs

 

He's not underperforming though, he's just not good enough. If he was underperforming he'd have the potential to be lots better, but it doesn't look like that's the case, not in the PL

 

 P3te I agree with you entirely I was just trying to highlight this point to London Lax in a more translucent way. Please see my previous posts as confirmation of this.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Why was he dropped from squad after qpr game. Was that ever revealed?

 

I saw him on the bench at Sunderland chatting with Benteke, so I dont think he was dropped from the squad, just the starting 11.