Daniel Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Say what you want about players like Heskey, Cuellar and Collins, but they are far more likely to keep the dressing room calm when times are tough. Collins..dressing room..calm??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villastine Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 He is within his rights though, it is not an impossibility that we go down this season. We are shipping out players, seemingly without replacing them with proven players. Say what you want about players like Heskey, Cuellar and Collins, but they are far more likely to keep the dressing room calm when times are tough. We have signed totally unproven players (I am not saying I do not like these signings mind) in Holman, El Ahmadi and Lowton - all players whom can prove to be utterly useless or in need of half a season to perform. Ron Vlaar will be a good player, I am pretty sure of that. We are also sending out Makoun, Warnock, Hutton, some say Dunne as well, but doing this will seriously thin out our squad and who is to say finding a replacement is easy? I say buy first (or at least make sure the deal is wrapped up), then sell afterwards. A bit like Van Persie replacing Berbatov so to speak. There are several factors pointing out that we can struggle immensely this season: - The team was lousy last season and thus far, barely augmented. - The squad is extremely thin - Overly relient on young players - Few of our talents have shown that they can carry the burdon of playing a whole season at a high level - Too many ifs and buts connected to important players like Gabby, Dunne, Given, Ireland and N'Zogbia - An injury to Darren Bent would be extremely detrimental, yet again - The team is of course not yet "set", we have no attacking patterns established from last season, all has to be created from scratch by Lambert - Low attendances from last season will carry on if the team does not perform well from day 1 There are of course teams under us that are worse off, but it would be no surprise to me if we struggled with what we have now. Indications are not there that we will sign, suddenly, 3-4 established and proven players which we desperately need IMO. Teams like Norwich, Southampton, Reading, West Ham and Wigan are much more likely to go down - but amongst the established teams we are the out-and-out candidate most likely to go down. It is going to be a long season if we are not going to sign a few new players, anyone thinking that we will finish 8th with this squad has too much faith in Paul Lambert. BUT, I hope and pray that we will get a few more players and that we are positively surprised by a few of our current members. I have faith in CN'Z, Vlaar, Bent, El Ahamadi, Delph, Gabby and Clark. The season hasn’t even started yet and your shitting your kacks already!! Don’t worry mate we will not go down. We have a better squad and manager than we did last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itdoesntmatterwhatthissay Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Is the squad really that thin? I am happier with the squad depth now that I have been in the past, and didn't think it was an excuse last year. We have never really leant on our youngsters yet other clubs make that part of their development programme. It's funny that when we do it helped us; last year Herd, Lichaj and Weimann were very important. Yet they, and others have been hanging around waiting for their chance, and I'd argue they still are. Hopefully Lambert has the ability to use those players and suddenly a 'thin squad' perception will be banished. Then we can see players aged 19 and under also getting their chance, Johnson is ready for a one touch midfield tactic, Carruthers looks desperate to play and there will be others making their way. We never really had a good player balance and I blame past managers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I'm more positive about this season than last because we actually have a manager that isn't playing for draws. Not like last season where 4-0 loss to Man United was considered a "good result" because it could've been 10-0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ads Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 With the quality in the squad we should have coasted mid table last season with ease. Why some people want to whip themselves into a pant shitting frenzy about bejng relegated when we have improved the squad and the manager, with time and another window this season to go, God only knows. Bed wetting is a sport on this site it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyHowell Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 The Manager is a cause for optimism, the squad is not. Arguably, Lambert's achievement of finishing on the same points as Rogers' Swansea was the geater one. He seems like a man who is a modern coach and a quiet winner. But the squad is very threadbare. Three foreign signings may come good but experience suggests it will take a while. I agree with those who think we are three players light. A new striker with a proven record would be nice, I'm still not convinced of Bannon or Ireland and would like to see soem more quality there. A new Left Back we all know is needed and personally I wouldn't mind seeing a new central defender. And let's hope Given refinds his form because his deputy is not top Premiership material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyHowell Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Oh, and I should say that at no time over the last two years have we looked like a "Team". Lamber will have to deal with negative and problem players very quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolteEndRob Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I see quite a few people say that the squad is too small when actually it isn't. We have at least two or three options for every position. The problem isn't having a small squad. The problem is there are players in the squad that are simply not good enough! Now, I know what I've written in this post may seem obvious to many and it may even warrant a reference to a certain player and his throw ins but I see too often that people try to use the small squad excuse when it really isn't true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villabromsgrove Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I went to watch the under nineteens last night and saw that the squad is pretty ordinary as we suspected, so I have very realistic expectations for them this season, ie. it's going to be a struggle. On the other hand I've watched most of the first team squad a fair bit, and I believe that we've got more than enough quality to be getting on with. A number of our players are really talented and it's Lambert's job to gel this talent into a team. Individually our squad has a lot more potential than the Norwich squad, and yet PL got Norwich playing really well at times last season. So why all the doom and gloom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 No signings before Saturday according to Mat Kendrick. That anyone would even think the opposite of this regardless of his confirmation makes me feel like Mugato in Zoolander... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwivillan Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 No signings before Saturday according to Mat Kendrick. That anyone would even think the opposite of this regardless of his confirmation makes me feel like Mugato in Zoolander... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymond Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I went to watch the under nineteens last night and saw that the squad is pretty ordinary as we suspected, so I have very realistic expectations for them this season, ie. it's going to be a struggle. On the other hand I've watched most of the first team squad a fair bit, and I believe that we've got more than enough quality to be getting on with. A number of our players are really talented and it's Lambert's job to gel this talent into a team. Individually our squad has a lot more potential than the Norwich squad, and yet PL got Norwich playing really well at times last season. So why all the doom and gloom? Because it is apparently the default setting for a lot of the people here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folski Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 With the quality in the squad we should have coasted mid table last season with ease. Why some people want to whip themselves into a pant shitting frenzy about bejng relegated when we have improved the squad and the manager, with time and another window this season to go, God only knows. Bed wetting is a sport on this site it seems. You're forgetting though when we were top 6 under O'Neill we have lost a lot of big players for us and few have been replaced. Barry replaced with Milner since left. Milner replaced with Ireland has has a solid if unspectacular inpact. Young replaced with no one. Downing replaced with N'Zogbia been very poor in a side not playing to his strengths. Petrov replaced with KAE looks promising but this season will be the acid test. Carew replaced with Bent (not directly but is the main striker) been very impressive and more a replacement for Yorke than Carew. Luke Young replaced with Hutton. I dont think our team is top half at the moment, the squad players are all people who have came through the academy and Im not certain they are good enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ads Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 You have a point about losing top players and not replacing them, but its not relevant to what I said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folski Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 The Manager is a cause for optimism, the squad is not. This! I very much think we have our David Moyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avfc1982 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 The squad is actually weaker than it was last season. Only the manager has been improved. I'm flabbergasted Lerner has continued to run Villa on the cheap after what happened last season. He's taking a big chance in thinking Lambert will keep us up with such a weak squad. This was not the dream we were sold when Randy Lerner took over 5 or so years ago. can't help but feel cheated by the man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaChris Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Johnathan Pearce has tipped us to finish 18th. Ironically hen you listen to his commentaries he always seems to give the impression he has a soft spot for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daweii Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I'm not being negative saying this, but maybe we are just slightly blinded by Lambert tinted glasses. I mean yes these predictions of relegation could be completely wrong, but at the same time we could be walking straight into a hammering on Saturday while we believe we'll be alright. One game wouldn't be an issue but we should be beating teams like West Ham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AValon Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Savage can actually say whatever he likes, thats his rent-a-pundit prerogative . The reality is we are NOT a poor side......we are a side that HAS played poorly for some time. The talents there, especially when you look at comparisons with a good many prem sides and it remains to be seen if Lambert can make a difference. Robbie....change the record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted August 16, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 16, 2012 As we're in a transfer speculation thread, I think the likelihood that we still need a left back, a right back, a defensive midfielder a left winger and potentially another striker to be competitive tells you a lot about the strength of our squad. I don't think we'll go down, but we're being very brave on a big group of players who've barely played at this level - I hope they don't let us down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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