Season 2012/2013 Review

[Voinjama]

August to March was horrific, from March onwards was much better, top 8 form.

 

I think 15th is where the club deserves to be, there is no club who finished above who shouldn't have. Just like 2011, ahead of the magpies on goal difference.

[villan_007]

People have said that Lambert had a lot to do when he first arrived - he needed to purchase a whole new defence. In my opinion he still does:-

Vlaar - Has done ok - but is injury prone and a slow healer

Baker - Best of the rest - but still learning

Clark - Not for me

Bennett - No

So with Lambert saying there will be no big signings - the best we can hope for is another promising CB - Again though should

the Vlaar injury strike again - that leaves us very short of experience at the back.

I don't see those players improving considerably over the summer - they will perform much the same in August as they did Today. Our defense is a massive weakness - gotta say I am not convinced this will be sorted over the summer.

We don't need a new defence we need to add to lowton and vlaar. Also stop exaggerating about vlaar he is far from injury prone, it's ridiculous, he had one calf strain which took time to heal, and before joining played two seasons without injury. Edited May 19, 2013 by villan_007

[The_Steve]

Compare our team from the past two seasons (by most league starts):

 

McLeish:

 

                     Given

Hutton   Collins    Dunne    Warnock

             Petrov      Herd

N'Zgobia      Ireland          Agbonlahor

                    Bent
 

Lambert:

 

                  Guzan

Bennett   Vlaar   Clark    Lowton

        Westwood  Holman

 

Agbonlahor           Weimann
                 Benteke

 

Outside out of Gabby, our most consistent lineup had 7 summer signings (counting Guzan being re-signed) and youth players. Essentially a brand new team. So it's no surprise we struggled as our defenders do not have a lot of league experience.

Edited May 19, 2013 by The_Steve

[Mantis]

To add to Steve's point, interesting how our team last year had tons of experience yet still finished with less points last year than our team of kids did this year.

[R.I.C.O.]

Here are some more meaningless numbers:

 

Guzan: 9 - Number 1 for years to come.

Given: 5 - Should be offloaded but he'll be happy to pick up his salary for the next 2 years for no game time.

 

Lowton: 7 - A real find. He could go on to be our best rightback in the Premiership era.

Vlaar: 6 - A slight improvement over Collins, prone to the odd lapse and will not play every game but solid enough and chips in with the odd goal. A better partner will bring out the best of him next season I think.

Clark: 5 - Disappointing season. I thought he'd progress with more games but looked shaky and clumsy all season.

Baker: 6 - Had a better season than Clark, more solid but still prone to lapses and poor positioning.

Lichaj: 5 - Gave his all in the games he had, but nothing better than a backup player. May get a new contract.

Bennett: 5 - Not ready for regular first team football in this league, not strong enough in defence. He was targeted as the weak link all season. Move him forward?

Herd: 5 - Not many games, but didnt exactly endear himself when called upon. Think he'll be released at the end of next season.

 

Westwood: 7 - The bright light of a poor midfield. Good on the ball, passes well and looks forward. We should be building a midfield around this chap.

Delph: 7 - Improved massively as the season went on, assured and strong in the tackle, is he beginning to finally show his potential?

Sylla: 7 - A real find from Ligue 2. Plays the simple game really well and has forged a good partnership with Delph and Westwood.

Ireland: 5 - For what he earns, he should be ashamed of himself. Uninterested, out of form and heading out of the door.

N'Zogbia: 6 - Showed flashes of what he can do this season, an improvement. Could play a part next season but will probably be sold to reduce the wage bill further.

El Ahmadi: 6 - Started brightly but faded as the season wore on. He's decent backup but goes missing, yet I'll give him another season to prove himself. 

Holman: 6 - Can't fault his effort but he is very limited and we need good all-rounders. Will give us another season then he'll leave on a bosman.

Bannan: 5 - Had his chance but he's not good enough for this league, as a "creative" midfielder he doesnt create anything and his set piece delivery is diabolical.

Dawkins: 5 - Didnt really feature, but when he did he did the basics well! A rather pointless signing.

 

Bent: 5 - Poor season by his standards and he'll be off pretty sharpish I reckon. A couple of useful goals but doesnt fit in here any more.

Agbonlahor: 7 - When the chips were down, he really came up with the goods. Forged a great partnership with Benteke and Weimann and that will stand us in good stead over the coing seasons.

Benteke: 9 - MY PLAYER OF THE SEASON - What more can be said about this guy other than he's the most promising striker we've had at the club since Dwight Yorke. If we can keep hold of him for another season we will definitely climb that table. He has so much to his game. A real priviledge to watch this season.

Bowery: 5 - Not ready for this league but the experience of this season may stand him in good stead for the future.

Weimann: 7 - Chipped in with some brilliant goals and can be a real handful. Always gives 100% and I hope he signs a new contract soon!

 

Lambert: 7 - From looking like a dead man walking in December and January culminating in the Bradford disaster, he turned things around and has given us a platform to build on for next season. For that he deserves a lot of credit. I hope he is backed this summer.

Edited May 19, 2013 by R.I.C.O.

[danceoftheshamen]

Well we got away with it...just!

 

Hats off to all concerned as that was a minor miracle to escape with that defence.. & to recover from a historically bad spell over Christmas & New Year including the humiliations of Chelsea, Bradford, Millwall, Wigan (h) etc.. I Have to say an incredible recovery from that so fair play to PL & the players... I honestly thought we were gone i really did.

 

Pluses

 

Gabby rediscovering his form

Vlaar's goal scoring ability

Benteke

Weimann's emergence

Lowton's improvement

Bakers bravery

Guzan

Westwood

Delph finally starting to show

The fans finally shaking off the McCleish negativity

 

Minus's

 

LB position badly exposed

Lack of creativity in midfield

Lack of a decent dead ball specialist

Defence is very poor overall

Incredible amount of lapses in concentration

extraordinary number of OG's

Number of sitters missed

Weak squad depth

Lerners absence

Scouting system? do we have a chief scout now?

 

Overall summary

 

PHEW! how did we get away with that?!

[Jimmytheirishvillain]

Yeah total bitter sweet season for me. This year been in Australia away from home missing Ireland and Uk villa were my big outlet for stress and stuff but the ended up causing me more stress on top of it all. Horrendous season particularly between November and end of February would have never believed they'd have finished 15th but here we are still in premier league after our worst season ever.

HIGHS

Benteke

Weimann

Guzan

Beating Liverpool at anfied

Beating city at etihad in cup

Beating Sunderland 6-1

Martin o Neil been sacked

Lowtons goal

Gabbis form towards the end

Delphi finally making an impact

Lowton

Wigan been relegated

The 19th minute

LOWS

8-0 Chelsea

First half against Newcastle

2-2 west brom

2-3 united

2-2 Swansea

3-3 Everton

Joe Bennett

El ahmadi

Bradford both nights

Mill wall

Randy Lerner

January

Wigan 3-0

The Southampton penalty

Dunne

Petrol retiring

Edited May 19, 2013 by Jimmytheirishvillain

[smetrov]

 

People have said that Lambert had a lot to do when he first arrived - he needed to purchase a whole new defence. In my opinion he still does:-

Vlaar - Has done ok - but is injury prone and a slow healer

Baker - Best of the rest - but still learning

Clark - Not for me

Bennett - No

So with Lambert saying there will be no big signings - the best we can hope for is another promising CB - Again though should

the Vlaar injury strike again - that leaves us very short of experience at the back.

I don't see those players improving considerably over the summer - they will perform much the same in August as they did Today. Our defense is a massive weakness - gotta say I am not convinced this will be sorted over the summer.

We don't need a new defence we need to add to lowton and vlaar. Also stop exaggerating about vlaar he is far from injury prone, it's ridiculous, he had one calf strain which took time to heal, and before joining played two seasons without injury.

 

 

You're right - He was sidelined from 2007/8 - 2009/10. - That still doesn't make me comfortable with him as our only senior CB.

 

I stand corrected - We don't  need a new defence, Just a left back to replace Bennett,  A CB to play alongside Vlaar - and maybe someone to cover for Vlaar - so no, not a new defence - just 2-3 defensive players  

 

We shall see - but the overtures are contracts for most of the fringe players, Can't see us keeping Baker, and Clark - Then going out and buying 2 more CB'S. Personally I would move Clark on and get someone in a little closer to the finished article 

[Pez1974]

We survived!

Given the surgery required on the squad following 2 seasons of going nowhere (or backwards), I feel that we have a squad which will be better next year even if we add no-one to it, which I haven't felt for years. I think is is a massive step forward for the club.

However, we are already going to lose some people of next years wage bill who contributed nothing this season - Dunne, Makoun (done already I heard), Petrov (sadly), and with possibility of a few other non-contributors moving a on (Hutton? Ireland? Given? Bent (he did contribute, but no much)?) any additions would inevitably make e squad stronger.

In my opinion, Lambert has proved to be very shrewd in the transfer market, and the 'truth' coming out about some of the fees paid for he likes of Lowton, Westwood, and Sylla should make Randy not only willing to back him further, but desperate to do so.

Next season we should be looking at a top 10 finish with a couple of defensive additions, plus replacements for those other departures. If we can really nail the defence, perhaps a little higher. However, keep the team together after next season, and we could easily become the 'new Everton'. Maybe even the 'new Spurs'!

[hippo]

This season has been a disaster. OK not a disater that ended in relegation but a disaster none the less. Whilst we are all praising the signings from the lower leagues and how well they have done, we haven't actually won that many games. The defence is very leaky. Despite all this most on the forum feel Lambert is on the right track, and want more of the same ?, Count me out. We need premiership players to be a premiership force.

 

Intersting that at the start of the season Liverpool were pursuing a similar philosphy, home grown, lots of young reserve players in the first team. They soon realised this wasn't the way forward, then spent £23m on Sturridge and Countino - surprise surprise results picked up, and they look set for a good season next year. (Not so good for there academy kids though!)

 

I don't why a club the statue of Aston Villa is being forced to shop like Wigan, a very tiny club.

 

And before you mention it, I know Hutton, Ireland, Warnock didn't cut with us. But blind faith in a load of Colchester, Peterborough bargains, isn't going to get us anywhere.

[Mantis]

Madness how even after players like Lowton and Westwood (who came from League 1 and League 2 respectively) have proven themselves as more than capable players and Benteke has come from a far inferior league to become one of the best strikers in the league people are still turning their noses up at players from outside the Premier League.

 

I despair. It honestly seems like some people care more about the price tag and what league a player comes from than their actual ability.

[hippo]

Madness how even after players like Lowton and Westwood (who came from League 1 and League 2 respectively) have proven themselves as more than capable players and Benteke has come from a far inferior league to become one of the best strikers in the league people are still turning their noses up at players from outside the Premier League.

 

I despair. It honestly seems like some people care more about the price tag and what league a player comes from than their actual ability.

 

Yes but those player purchases took us to the brink of relegation. But yet youre happy with more, I d say thats madness

[Mantis]

 

Madness how even after players like Lowton and Westwood (who came from League 1 and League 2 respectively) have proven themselves as more than capable players and Benteke has come from a far inferior league to become one of the best strikers in the league people are still turning their noses up at players from outside the Premier League.

 

I despair. It honestly seems like some people care more about the price tag and what league a player comes from than their actual ability.

 

Yes but those player purchases took us to the brink of relegation. But yet youre happy with more, I d say thats madness

 

They were also the players that got us out of it.

 

Look at last season. We got less points, less wins and scored less goals with a far more experienced team of Premier League players. Likewise this season QPR had a squad full of Premier League players yet they were comfortably the worst team in the division.

 

I'm "happy with more" because towards the end of the season the team started to click and we actually started winning a lot of games and playing good football. I think after signing the likes of Benteke, Vlaar, Westwood, Lowton and Sylla Lambert deserves a bit of faith when it comes to signing players.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Mantis

[Jarpie]

The problem with the players who have premier league experience is that they tend to come with the baggage, just look at the problems Sunderland are having with players calling in sick and then turning phone off, late from the training and so on. Those players from premier league who are true pros will cost a lot because teams do not want to part with them.

 

Would you rather get player who has hunger to play and won't cause the problems because they aren't jaded yet for maybe couple millions or player who has an attitude, disciplnary problems and not giving everything on the field and giving bad example to the younger players by causing problems with being late or ignoring the orders of the club for 8-15 millions?

[hippo]

The problem with the players who have premier league experience is that they tend to come with the baggage, just look at the problems Sunderland are having with players calling in sick and then turning phone off, late from the training and so on. Those players from premier league who are true pros will cost a lot because teams do not want to part with them.

 

Would you rather get player who has hunger to play and won't cause the problems because they aren't jaded yet for maybe couple millions or player who has an attitude, disciplnary problems and not giving everything on the field and giving bad example to the younger players by causing problems with being late or ignoring the orders of the club for 8-15 millions?

 

Id prefer Countino + Sturridge to Bowery and KEA.

 

Something is wrong at the club when those players are out of our reach. Bannan is a young and hungry,  but he comes with baggage. The discipline at the club comes from the manager. Lambert seems pretty good in that respect. Its the managers lot to manage those bad eggs, especially if they are brillaint footballers. I don't actually think thats the issue here - I am sure if Lambert were able he would have brought the likes of couthino here. One day he will move to club where he gets the backing he deserves.

[Mantis]

We can't afford those kinds of players though. Most clubs can't.

[Jarpie]

 

The problem with the players who have premier league experience is that they tend to come with the baggage, just look at the problems Sunderland are having with players calling in sick and then turning phone off, late from the training and so on. Those players from premier league who are true pros will cost a lot because teams do not want to part with them.

 

Would you rather get player who has hunger to play and won't cause the problems because they aren't jaded yet for maybe couple millions or player who has an attitude, disciplnary problems and not giving everything on the field and giving bad example to the younger players by causing problems with being late or ignoring the orders of the club for 8-15 millions?

 

Id prefer Countino + Sturridge to Bowery and KEA.

 

Something is wrong at the club when those players are out of our reach. Bannan is a young and hungry,  but he comes with baggage. The discipline at the club comes from the manager. Lambert seems pretty good in that respect. Its the managers lot to manage those bad eggs, especially if they are brillaint footballers. I don't actually think thats the issue here - I am sure if Lambert were able he would have brought the likes of couthino here. One day he will move to club where he gets the backing he deserves.

 

 

So would I but let's face it, Liverpool is nowdays much more inviting team for players than Villa and if we'd want to sign those kind of players we would need to pay much bigger salary than Liverpool to give them incentive to join Villa and we'd be back at the same place as we were before - players on too high salary compared to what they're worth.

 

There are great players to find out there - Benteke, Lowton, Westwood and Sylla proves that, we just need to find them and I trust Lambo to get them. Bowery was very cheap player on very low salary so it's very low risk investment.

[Keyblade]

 

Given

Hutton   Collins    Dunne    Warnock

             Petrov      Herd

N'Zgobia      Ireland          Agbonlahor

                    Bent

 

 

I still can't fathom how we rarely scored goals with that front 4. 

[hippo]

We can't afford those kinds of players though. Most clubs can't.

 

What £10m for Coutinho ?

 

With £70m in the coffers from TV money, I reckon around half the clubs in the prem could afford that. The likes of Newcastle\Sunderland comparable clubs to villa, will be paying those fees this summer.

[Tomaszk]

I think it's generally easier to tighten up a defence than it is to get a team scoring.

 

This is a good thing from our point of view.

 

Keeping Benteke is essential.