Relegation

[BOF]

I'm not sure how big the gap was post Anfield, perhaps 5 points? But it's reasonably astonishing that as bad as we have been for almost a quarter of a season now we're still not cut adrift.

This is the table from week 1 thru week 17 inclusive (the week we beat Liverpool). Note Southampton have one more point in that table than they would have had at the time. This is due to their week 17 fixture originally being postponed and having since been played (2-2 v Chelsea).

 

	TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	GD	PPG	LP
12	Liverpool	17	5	7	5	23	23	22	0	1.29	9
13	Fulham	17	5	5	7	28	29	20	-1	1.18	12
14	Aston Villa	17	4	6	7	15	24	18	-9	1.06	17
15	Newcastle United	17	4	5	8	19	26	17	-7	1	16
16	Sunderland	17	3	7	7	18	24	16	-6	0.94	13
17	Southampton	17	4	4	9	24	34	16	-10	0.94	15
18	Wigan Athletic	17	4	3	10	18	32	15	-14	0.88	19
19	Queens Park Rangers	17	1	7	9	15	30	10	-15	0.59	20
20	Reading	17	1	6	10	21	36	9	-15	0.53	18

[Keyblade]

Chelsea really **** us over. My mild dislike for them has turned into full blown hate this season  .

[wazzap24]

Lose the next two and it'll be time to call the priest in before they switch the machine off.

 

I think the two after are more important - if we can get anything out of the next two games, it'll be seen as a bonus given their difficulty. 

I agree to a point, but if we fail to get anything, then confidence will be back on a real low.

Would you fancy an away win at Reading on the back of two more defeats? As i say I think both Reading and QPR will come at us and I am not sure the side can handle the pressure.

If we sneak a win or scrape a couple of draws in the next two, then the situation could be vastly different going in those games.

Confidence is everything as the run in approaches

[PussEKatt]

I agree that confidence is everything, so surley the team would get more confidence from seeing Darren Bent in the starting lineup.Not only that but defenders will be more edgy facing Bent and Benteke than any other combination ?! 

[Woodytom]

I agree that confidence is everything, so surley the team would get more confidence from seeing Darren Bent in the starting lineup.Not only that but defenders will be more edgy facing Bent and Benteke than any other combination ?! 

 

 

Im genuinely not sure what that is based on. For me, I am more confident when Weimann is in the team over both Gabby and Bent. 

[Richard]

I agree that confidence is everything, so surley the team would get more confidence from seeing Darren Bent in the starting lineup.Not only that but defenders will be more edgy facing Bent and Benteke than any other combination ?! 

 

 

Im genuinely not sure what that is based on. For me, I am more confident when Weimann is in the team over both Gabby and Bent. 

If anything I am less confident with Bent in the team right now. 

 

The Gabby/Benteke/Wiemann formation offers us balance and more of a threat.

 

besides wich our issue has not been in acoring goals,  it has been in conceding tham

[SikhInTrinity]

Totally agree with Richard, the difference for Villa is we do have players who can score goals, Reading will have to try and come at us, and the thing is we pick teams on the breaks very well. I think the West Ham was huge, when we conceded the goal, we thought here we go again but we held on which will give the players a huge lift. Our next two are bonus games, we get anything it'll be a bonus, the key game is Reading.

[Folski]

Totally agree with Richard, the difference for Villa is we do have players who can score goals, Reading will have to try and come at us, and the thing is we pick teams on the breaks very well. I think the West Ham was huge, when we conceded the goal, we thought here we go again but we held on which will give the players a huge lift. Our next two are bonus games, we get anything it'll be a bonus, the key game is Reading.

 

If Reading are ahead of us that is a must win if we are ahead a draw will do once we beat QPR the following week. Hope Reading Wigan is a draw next week. Last thing we want is either of them getting a run together.

[MikeMcKenna]

 

I agree that confidence is everything, so surley the team would get more confidence from seeing Darren Bent in the starting lineup.Not only that but defenders will be more edgy facing Bent and Benteke than any other combination ?! 

 

 

Im genuinely not sure what that is based on. For me, I am more confident when Weimann is in the team over both Gabby and Bent. 

If anything I am less confident with Bent in the team right now. 

 

The Gabby/Benteke/Wiemann formation offers us balance and more of a threat.

 

besides wich our issue has not been in acoring goals,  it has been in conceding tham

 

I agree. Irrespective of Bent's past, the combination of Gabby/Benteke/Wiemann is much more dynamic. If we could only sort out our own MF and defence these three would be a real threat to most PL defences.

Edited February 14, 2013 by MikeMcKenna

[Upgrade]

We have the best forward line of all the teams around us which is important as goals win games clean sheets dont

[Stevo985]

I do agree with the above. But the introduction of Bent, even as a sub is important.

 

Don't be fooled by his lack of goals, his movement is still a huge asset. The increase in space available to Benteke and N'Zogbia after Bent came on on Sunday was very noticeable. Not a coincidence.

[Robbie09]

I do agree with the above. But the introduction of Bent, even as a sub is important.

 

Don't be fooled by his lack of goals, his movement is still a huge asset. The increase in space available to Benteke and N'Zogbia after Bent came on on Sunday was very noticeable. Not a coincidence.

 

Excellent post. Fingers crossed all our strikers remain fit for the remainder of the season as i'm optimistic we'll stay up on the basis we have the capability to score more goals than our rivals.

[sutherland]

Its lamberks tactics that will relegate us not the player! 

 

Having a football team is the same as a kit car, You can have all the best parts in the world but if you dont put them in the right place/order and strike a ballance you will be going know where quick.

 

Might as well stick diesel in a petrol, It will run for a short time but then stutter and stall then end up in smoke!

[briny_ear]

besides wich our issue has not been in acoring goals,  it has been in conceding tham

That's quite an extraordinary view to have, if you don't mind me saying so.

 

We have scored 25 goals in 26 games, worse than all but two teams in the premier league - Norwich who also have 25 and QPR who have 19. It is the combination of scoring so few goals and conceding so many that has put is in such a perilous position. Frankly, our goal-scoring record is pathetic. So far it is as bad as last season and further back in time it is the worst for many a long year

 

There seems little prospect of the defence getting much better, particularly since Lambert did nothing to strengthen the squad in that respect in January. Some might argue we have more chance of improving our goal-scoring ratio, particularly when you think we have a player in the ranks who, when he plays well and is supported effectively by his fellow midfielders and forwards, scores 1 in every 2 games. He also has a proven track record at getting our club out of a relegation hole.

 

I recognise a lot of fans don't like Bent, and I suspect Lambert doesn't either, but sometimes getting results is about playing players who are difficult rather than just having a bunch of likeable lads on the pitch.

[vandaq]

Yeah, I hope Sylla when he gets settled(maybe for Arsenal match) that he can help out a lot on the defense  Baker did put in an nice performance last time and lowton has had some very nice moments the last couple of games. Combine that with vlaar and clark doing their job and no mistakes, and I think there is a high chance we will survive. As others have said, anything in the next two matches is a bonus, but I expect that we beat reading then qpr the week after that. I am pretty confident that we can do that, let`s hope that qpr won`t get their act together and play like the way they should. Which is scary, looking at the squad QPR has you would think they be in the top 8 at least, if not higher. I have a feeling this is going to get more and more tense as the season passes on, I don`t think we can say we are safe until the wigan match, so much can happen.  

[wazzap24]

besides wich our issue has not been in acoring goals,  it has been in conceding tham

That's quite an extraordinary view to have, if you don't mind me saying so.

 

We have scored 25 goals in 26 games, worse than all but two teams in the premier league - Norwich who also have 25 and QPR who have 19. It is the combination of scoring so few goals and conceding so many that has put is in such a perilous position. Frankly, our goal-scoring record is pathetic. So far it is as bad as last season and further back in time it is the worst for many a long year

 

There seems little prospect of the defence getting much better, particularly since Lambert did nothing to strengthen the squad in that respect in January. Some might argue we have more chance of improving our goal-scoring ratio, particularly when you think we have a player in the ranks who, when he plays well and is supported effectively by his fellow midfielders and forwards, scores 1 in every 2 games. He also has a proven track record at getting our club out of a relegation hole.

 

I recognise a lot of fans don't like Bent, and I suspect Lambert doesn't either, but sometimes getting results is about playing players who are difficult rather than just having a bunch of likeable lads on the pitch.

Excellent post this.

I actually agree with Richard in that we are a better side overall without him, but the points you have made make a compelling argument.

I would say that while the stats/past point to Bent, he doesn't look like the player we signed anymore imo. Now that might not be entirely down to the player. The players that provided the service have been sold. He's had injury problems. The manager doesn't appear to rate him that highly and some would argue he has been poorly managed.

Whatever the reason, I don't think he will be a major factor in our bid to avoid the drop, unless injury dictates.

Lambert needs to stick to the current formation. We need Gabby, Weimann and CNZ to to step up and unbelievablebentekkers to keep doing his thing

[NormandyVillan]

besides wich our issue has not been in acoring goals,  it has been in conceding tham

That's quite an extraordinary view to have, if you don't mind me saying so.

 

We have scored 25 goals in 26 games, worse than all but two teams in the premier league - Norwich who also have 25 and QPR who have 19. It is the combination of scoring so few goals and conceding so many that has put is in such a perilous position. Frankly, our goal-scoring record is pathetic. So far it is as bad as last season and further back in time it is the worst for many a long year

25 goals in 26 games is a ratio of 0.96 goals per game, which is lower than in any season Villa have ever played in the top flight (although we did twice manage to score even fewer in the old second division, back in the dark days of the late sixties).

 

We've been scoring a few away from home recently, including some very good ones, but scoring at home has been a problem all season. Our last eight home games have yielded four goals, consisting of two penalties, one direct free kick and a header from a corner. The last goal from open play at Villa Park was in the 2-3 against Man United.

 

Scoring goals is certainly still a problem.

[PussEKatt]

I do agree with the above. But the introduction of Bent, even as a sub is important.

 

Don't be fooled by his lack of goals, his movement is still a huge asset. The increase in space available to Benteke and N'Zogbia after Bent came on on Sunday was very noticeable. Not a coincidence.

The thing to remember about Bent is that he poses a threath just by bieng on the park and I have noticed that defenders get all edgy when he is anywhere near the 18yd box ( thats how we got our free kick Vs West Ham ) and some of his flick-ons are great.

[LondonLax]

Yes, Lambert's biggest failing this season has been his inability to get Darren Bent involved. 

[PussEKatt]

Yes, Lambert's biggest failing this season has been his inability to get Darren Bent involved. 

How many times did he get us points last season ? ( quite a few I should think )

And I remember he got us the goal against WBA at VP earlier this season and the free kick Vs West Ham last week.Also don't forget that he hardly plays now, so you can't expect a top performance from a player that only plays once a month.I say we should play him reguarly and his performances will get better still.