tomaspg Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 We have basically the same team that gelled so well and were in top 8 form at the end of the season. We have added positively to that team. I just don't see how people can say we'll be as low as 16th this year. we still have a leaky defence, and if benteke gets injured were gonna have a tougher time attacking aswell, imo the reason why weimann and gabby did well was because the main focus was off them. helenius has been alright in preseason but its way to early to say if he can do the job properly in the PL. Will some of the players be able to perform the same way they did at the end of last season? we have alot of questionmarks in our squad, we dont really know how they will perform. we might fly up to top 8, but if it goes wrong it could just as easily go the otherway. and i dont really think we can just look at the form they were in towards the end of the season and expect to perform the same throughout the whole year, the context was different then as it is now. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulver Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 The defence. No further explanation required your honour 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacketspuds Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Still need another CB and an attacking midfielder in my opinion. I shudder at the thought of Clark lining up in defence this season. Wonder if we will be able to shift Given or Ireland? To be honest, with Ireland, if it came down to September 2nd and we still don't have a buyer/loaner for him I'd chuck the £2m loan fee from the Bent deal to get Ireland out of our club on a free transfer. Obviously as a last resort but better than paying him 72k/week (£3m) for a season of sitting in the reserve contributing **** all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I was in the process of writing a long reply, but I did enough pointless arguing in the DB thread yesterday and annoyed enough people. We'll agree to disagree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessiWillSignForVilla Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 No chance we'll get a defender IMO, as much as I want a back up for Lowton. We've signed Okore and Luna, and as much as some may not like it, Lambert has obviously identified CB and LB as our weaknesses in terms of either depth or quality, and has signed players to rectify it. If he thought we needed another CB urgently as some suggest, we would've signed another. It baffles me that some say defence is currently our huge weakness considering we haven't seen what is probably going to be 50% of it play in a competitive game, and one of them looks as if he could be signing of the season. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adbo9 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 We have basically the same team that gelled so well and were in top 8 form at the end of the season. We have added positively to that team. I just don't see how people can say we'll be as low as 16th this year. I agree to a point - but that thought process can work two ways.......... We also have the same team that was dead & buried until Feb/March and looked woeful........ it'll depend which villa team will turn up over 38 games...... I'm not convinced either way TBH I don't feel weve significantly strengthened the first XI........ Okore, Tonev, Bacuna may look like they have potential - but we just don't know how they will fare........ I feel we'll be in or around the same position as last season and not hugely improve.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sne Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 We have basically the same team that gelled so well and were in top 8 form at the end of the season. We have added positively to that team. I just don't see how people can say we'll be as low as 16th this year. While i don't think/hope things will get quite as bad as last season, i still feel we have many of the same underlining problems. We play a system with attacking fullbacks but have a midfield who offer very little support in defence (or offense). Okore and possibly Luna will help to steady the defence but it is still weak defensively on the flanks and in the air. On set pieces it's still only Benteke who i'd bet at beating his opponent in the air, and that's not good as our positioning and organization to date have been very poor. The midfield is where i think our biggest weakness lies. At the end of the season they worked ok as a unit but they lack creativity, size, physique, and the ability to keep possession compared to most mid table teams. Once again i think they will be a little better this season but i don't see many goals or even assists coming from a midfield 3 of Delph, Westwood and Sylla who i guess will be our first options when fit. I guess that would be ok if they helped out the defense more and were solid breaking up play, but going by last season and this pre season our midfield isn't. I'd really hoped we'd signed a solid DCM and a creative AM to play alongside Westwood and i guess there's still time for that... Going forward is were we excell, mainly because Benteke is unplayable, involved in something like 50% of our goals last season he's what kept us up last season and the same goes this season. For as long as i followed Villa (early 80's) we've never been as reliant on one player as we are on Benteke. He's to Villa what Ibrahimovic is to the Swedish national side. We are still very much a work in progress with a long way to go. We are improving, but im not sure we are improving faster or even as fast as some of our rivals like Southampton or Swansea. Without a quality midfield signing i'd say 12th-16th is a realistic goal this season 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feidhlim Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 (edited) Lads, we have added to the squad no end. While it might take them a while to settle in, this is the line-up (and subs) from last November against Man City. We lost 5-0 Guzan Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Stevens Westwood, Bannan Weimann (Holman) , Ireland (Albrighton), Agbonlahor Benteke (Bowery) Tell me our line up next November, including the injuries / suspensions, will be as bad as that? Edit: for more perspective: Game against Chelsea. We all remember the result Guzan Lowton, Herd, Clark, Baker, Lichaj (Bennett) Westwood (Ireland), Holman (Bowery), Bannan Weimann, Benteke Edited August 16, 2013 by Feidhlim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supervillan78 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 IMO we've done some great business this year. Essentially we've managed to shift a bunch of average, ageing fringe players on massive wages and replaced then with younger players, with massive potential, on more reasonable wages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessiWillSignForVilla Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Lads, we have added to the squad no end. While it might take them a while to settle in, this is the line-up (and subs) from last November against Man City. We lost 5-0 Guzan Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Stevens Westwood, Bannan Weimann (Holman) , Ireland (Albrighton), Agbonlahor Benteke (Bowery) Tell me our line up next November, including the injuries / suspensions, will be as bad as that? To be fair, only six of them I think will be nowhere near the matchday squad, and three of those are the subs. One thing that is a positive for us this year is our starting line up don't have the pressure to adapt and prove themselves in the Premier League, and won't be in a relegation battle (hopefully) very early on like last season. Our flirt with relegation will also instill a belief in the players that if it comes to it, they can get themselves out of it again, unlike last year when they all looked like lost children at times. This is why I don't think we will need many more players, as last years squad have grown in ability and confidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feidhlim Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 This is why I don't think we will need many more players, as last years squad have grown in ability and confidence. That was part of my point. The Westwood and Lowton that started in November last year wont be as strong as the two that start on Saturday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessiWillSignForVilla Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 This is why I don't think we will need many more players, as last years squad have grown in ability and confidence. That was part of my point. The Westwood and Lowton that started in November last year wont be as strong as the two that start on Saturday Yeah I agree, the second bit was more of a general point, although Westwood and Lowton weren't particularly great around that period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomaspg Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 fwiw mcnulty got us finishing on 9th! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phumfeinz Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Edit: for more perspective: Game against Chelsea. We all remember the result Guzan Lowton, Herd, Clark, Baker, Lichaj (Bennett) Westwood (Ireland), Holman (Bowery), Bannan Weimann, Benteke Jeez, looking at the team we were lucky to get out with 8-0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 cattermole available for £2.5m I'd take him tbh, would be fine backup - and great for breaking up players we don't like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 cattermole available for £2.5m I'd take him tbh, would be fine backup - and great for breaking up players we don't like Absolutely not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 IMO we've done some great business this year. Essentially we've managed to shift a bunch of average, ageing fringe players on massive wages and replaced then with younger players, with massive potential, on more reasonable wages. a bunch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MessiWillSignForVilla Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 cattermole available for £2.5m I'd take him tbh, would be fine backup - and great for breaking up players we don't like Went to the same tackling school as Jonathan Hogg apparently Don't know why I remember that specific commentary line from one of Hogg's 6 games he played for us, it was about 2-3 years ago too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shillzz Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Edit: for more perspective: Game against Chelsea. We all remember the result Guzan Lowton, Herd, Clark, Baker, Lichaj (Bennett) Westwood (Ireland), Holman (Bowery), Bannan Weimann, Benteke Jeez, looking at the team we were lucky to get out with 8-0. You know you're in trouble when you're bringing on Bennet, Ireland and Bowery. In Herd, Clark, Lichaj, Bannan and Holman we had 5 players in the starting line up not really good enough to turn out for any Premiership outfit. I'm pretty pleased that said 5 should be getting replaced with Okore, Vlaar, Luna, Delph and Gabby for next week's trip (give or take a midfielder/defender). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackpotForeigner Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 fwiw mcnulty got us finishing on 9th! Why the exclamation mark? That's the bare minimum for a club like Aston Villa after three "transition seasons", especially with the best striker in the league world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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