Season 2012/2013 Review

[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.

 

 

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.

 

 

Fair enough, if he chooses Liverpool over us, there ain't much we can do about that specific player. But for a club of Aston Villa's size, we shouldn't be soley relying on £2m pops from Peterboro and Chestrfield. There seeems to be more money coming into the club than ever before, conversley expenditure seems to be drying up at an alarming rate. Thats a recipe for on field disaster sooner or later.

[Mantis]

 

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.

 

You're forgetting that every club in the Premier League will be getting that extra TV money, and it's not just about the transfer fees but the wages. Don't forget we signed Benteke for £7m in the summer so it's not like we never spend anything.

[NIVillan]

Though I haven't enjoyed the stress of this season and I did think we were gone as late as March I do see this season as a success in terms of stopping the rot.

 

 

At the end of last season the atmosphere was terrible:  The appointment of Mcliesh and the football that followed had sucked all joy out of the club.  One year on and we have more points, more goals etc.  A young and going by past couple of months vibrant team.  I do think next season we could go and shock a few teams, but of course depends on how well we shape up defensively.

 

History often gives pointers to the future and the current situation is a reminder of end of 1976 season.  Survived relegation and went on to build an exciting attacking team.  Probably one of the most exciting Villa teams in modern history led by a young 3 man attack in Little, Gray and Deehan.  Two villa youth added by an import from a foreign league.

 

For this team to really improve we need to replace Petrov properly and find ourselves a Leader.  We need a proper captain. 

[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.

 

You're forgetting that every club in the Premier League will be getting that extra TV money, and it's not just about the transfer fees but the wages. Don't forget we signed Benteke for £7m in the summer so it's not like we never spend anything.

 

 

I am not forgetting. Every club will get that TV money as you state, my point is most of the other clubs will be spending it, where as we have been told not to expect any big signings - therefore another season of struggle seems invetiable.

[Mantis]

 

 

 

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.

 

You're forgetting that every club in the Premier League will be getting that extra TV money, and it's not just about the transfer fees but the wages. Don't forget we signed Benteke for £7m in the summer so it's not like we never spend anything.

 

 

I am not forgetting. Every club will get that TV money as you state, my point is most of the other clubs will be spending it, where as we have been told not to expect any big signings - therefore another season of struggle seems invetiable.

 

How do you know other clubs will spend more and we won't? Lambert saying not to expect any big signings doesn't mean much really because a) he always keeps his cards close to his chest b we don't know how future negotiations will turn out and c) what counts as a "major signing" and what doesn't?

 

Your approach to transfers seems to be based solely around how much we're spending rather than the player we're getting. We spent a fortune on the likes of Davies, Reo-Coker and Warnock in the past (you could call all of them "big signings") yet it got us nowhere.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Mantis

[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.

 

You're forgetting that every club in the Premier League will be getting that extra TV money, and it's not just about the transfer fees but the wages. Don't forget we signed Benteke for £7m in the summer so it's not like we never spend anything.

 

 

I am not forgetting. Every club will get that TV money as you state, my point is most of the other clubs will be spending it, where as we have been told not to expect any big signings - therefore another season of struggle seems invetiable.

 

How do you know other clubs will spend more and we won't? Lambert saying not to expect any big signings doesn't mean much really because a) he always keeps his cards close to his chest b we don't know how future negotiations will turn out and c) what counts as a "major signing" and what doesn't?

 

Your approach to transfers seems to be based solely around how much we're spending rather than the player we're getting. We spent a fortune on the likes of Davies, Reo-Coker and Warnock in the past (you could call all of them "big signings") yet it got us nowhere.

 

 

Compared to where we are now - it can not be considered nowhere.

 

Whoose really stood out for this season ? - not just held his own, but who has really looked like a player other clubs would kill for, and has frightened the opposition up and down the country ? ......(you know who I mean!!)......Now how much did he cost ? ................are we likley to be spending that amount on a single player this suumer ?

[Mantis]

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

You're forgetting that every club in the Premier League will be getting that extra TV money, and it's not just about the transfer fees but the wages. Don't forget we signed Benteke for £7m in the summer so it's not like we never spend anything.

 

 

I am not forgetting. Every club will get that TV money as you state, my point is most of the other clubs will be spending it, where as we have been told not to expect any big signings - therefore another season of struggle seems invetiable.

 

How do you know other clubs will spend more and we won't? Lambert saying not to expect any big signings doesn't mean much really because a) he always keeps his cards close to his chest b we don't know how future negotiations will turn out and c) what counts as a "major signing" and what doesn't?

 

Your approach to transfers seems to be based solely around how much we're spending rather than the player we're getting. We spent a fortune on the likes of Davies, Reo-Coker and Warnock in the past (you could call all of them "big signings") yet it got us nowhere.

 

 

Compared to where we are now - it can not be considered nowhere.

 

Whoose really stood out for this season ? - not just held his own, but who has really looked like a player other clubs would kill for, and has frightened the opposition up and down the country ? ......(you know who I mean!!)......Now how much did he cost ? ................are we likley to be spending that amount on a single player this suumer ?

 

So you'd rather us go back to the days of spending an absolute fortune on mostly mediocre players and almost bankrupt the club again?

 

And this is the problem with your approach. You only care about how much we paid rather than how good the player is. It doesn't matter that we paid a lot for Benteke, he would've still been the same excellent player he is regardless of whether we got him for £7m or £1m. According to your logic Benteke is only good because we paid a lot of money for him.

 

Also, Lowton and Westwood have proven themselves to be top signings and it isn't just Villa fans that are raving about them now.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Mantis

[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.

 

You're forgetting that every club in the Premier League will be getting that extra TV money, and it's not just about the transfer fees but the wages. Don't forget we signed Benteke for £7m in the summer so it's not like we never spend anything.

 

 

I am not forgetting. Every club will get that TV money as you state, my point is most of the other clubs will be spending it, where as we have been told not to expect any big signings - therefore another season of struggle seems invetiable.

 

How do you know other clubs will spend more and we won't? Lambert saying not to expect any big signings doesn't mean much really because a) he always keeps his cards close to his chest b we don't know how future negotiations will turn out and c) what counts as a "major signing" and what doesn't?

 

Your approach to transfers seems to be based solely around how much we're spending rather than the player we're getting. We spent a fortune on the likes of Davies, Reo-Coker and Warnock in the past (you could call all of them "big signings") yet it got us nowhere.

 

 

Compared to where we are now - it can not be considered nowhere.

 

Whoose really stood out for this season ? - not just held his own, but who has really looked like a player other clubs would kill for, and has frightened the opposition up and down the country ? ......(you know who I mean!!)......Now how much did he cost ? ................are we likley to be spending that amount on a single player this suumer ?

 

So you'd rather us go back to the days of spending an absolute fortune on mostly mediocre players and almost bankrupt the club again?

 

And this is the problem with your approach. You only care about how much we paid rather than how good the player is. It doesn't matter that we paid a lot for Benteke, he would've still been the same excellent player he is regardless of whether we got him for £7m or £1m. According to your logic Benteke is only good because we paid a lot of money for him.

 

Also, Lowton and Westwood have proven themselves to be top signings and it isn't just Villa fans that are raving about them now.

 

 

Not logic - Market Forces

[danceoftheshamen]

Personally i don't care a jot how much a player costs & whether he is known or unknown, what nationality he is, team or division he comes from... If Paul Lambert thinks he is good enough to be part of a successful squad then i am all for it. In fact sometimes it is more interesting than buying established players who may or my not fit in with our style. In most cases it appears these types are too set in their ways through being established & are simply "unmouldable" perhaps.

 

Paul Merson stated yesterday on SSN when quizzed about whether "Villa would be able to hold onto Benteke", that sometimes a player just doesn't "fit" at a club no matter how good they are & that Benteke/Villa was a perfect fit & if he moves to a top 4 side this may not be the case & he could flop.

 

I believe we have witnessed this ourselves with the like of N'Zogbia, Stevie Ireland & many others over the years. Stan Collymore was another perfect example of that & he is a huge Villa fan!

 

So likewise for me if Paul Lambert thinks some unknown young star of the future will fit here then all power to him & i would rather watch a young player grow into a fantastic player at the club than watch some overpaid, couldn't give a toss, "name" come in & flop here... we have done that route & last season was a direct result of following that policy... If you need more evidence watch a re run of Sunderland's season.

 

It appears the "big name" (although "Big Ego" is possibly more apt in this day & age) players only give a stuff if they are playing for a top 4 side.. they look down their noses at clubs like ours & when here many treat the club & us fans with contempt. They couldn't give a monkeys. we are a nothing club to them, a stepping stone nothing more. There are the occasional exceptions of course but that was in the main many years ago when we still were remembered for winning cups & titles. We are now viewed differently & until we can change that we will suffer this kind of attitude.

 

Put it another way... name the players in the last few years who have signed for us & actually performed that had a big reputation prior to coming here.

 

I can think of only Darren Bent actually but then he came from Sunderland so could arguably have seen it as a step up in coming here... No other names will come near the place & the ones who have just look like they don't want to be here.

Edited May 20, 2013 by danceoftheshamen

[Mantis]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

You're forgetting that every club in the Premier League will be getting that extra TV money, and it's not just about the transfer fees but the wages. Don't forget we signed Benteke for £7m in the summer so it's not like we never spend anything.

 

 

I am not forgetting. Every club will get that TV money as you state, my point is most of the other clubs will be spending it, where as we have been told not to expect any big signings - therefore another season of struggle seems invetiable.

 

How do you know other clubs will spend more and we won't? Lambert saying not to expect any big signings doesn't mean much really because a) he always keeps his cards close to his chest b we don't know how future negotiations will turn out and c) what counts as a "major signing" and what doesn't?

 

Your approach to transfers seems to be based solely around how much we're spending rather than the player we're getting. We spent a fortune on the likes of Davies, Reo-Coker and Warnock in the past (you could call all of them "big signings") yet it got us nowhere.

 

 

Compared to where we are now - it can not be considered nowhere.

 

Whoose really stood out for this season ? - not just held his own, but who has really looked like a player other clubs would kill for, and has frightened the opposition up and down the country ? ......(you know who I mean!!)......Now how much did he cost ? ................are we likley to be spending that amount on a single player this suumer ?

 

So you'd rather us go back to the days of spending an absolute fortune on mostly mediocre players and almost bankrupt the club again?

 

And this is the problem with your approach. You only care about how much we paid rather than how good the player is. It doesn't matter that we paid a lot for Benteke, he would've still been the same excellent player he is regardless of whether we got him for £7m or £1m. According to your logic Benteke is only good because we paid a lot of money for him.

 

Also, Lowton and Westwood have proven themselves to be top signings and it isn't just Villa fans that are raving about them now.

 

 

Not logic - Market Forces

 

The transfer market doesn't work like that. In many cases it simply isn't a case of you get what you pay for. We should know that more than most fans.

[smetrov]

Personally i don't care a jot how much a player costs & whether he is known or unknown, what nationality he is, team or division he comes from... If Paul Lambert thinks he is good enough to be part of a successful squad then i am all for it. In fact sometimes it is more interesting than buying established players who may or my not fit in with our style. In most cases it appears these types are too set in their ways through being established & are simply "unmouldable" perhaps.

 

Paul Merson stated yesterday on SSN when quizzed about whether "Villa would be able to hold onto Benteke", that sometimes a player just doesn't "fit" at a club no matter how good they are & that Benteke/Villa was a perfect fit & if he moves to a top 4 side this may not be the case & he could flop.

 

I believe we have witnessed this ourselves with the like of N'Zogbia, Stevie Ireland & many others over the years. Stan Collymore was another perfect example of that & he is a huge Villa fan!

 

So likewise for me if Paul Lambert thinks some unknown young star of the future will fit here then all power to him & i would rather watch a young player grow into a fantastic player at the club than watch some overpaid, couldn't give a toss, "name" come in & flop here... we have done that route & last season was a direct result of following that policy... If you need more evidence watch a re run of Sunderland's season.

 

 

Put it another way... name the players in the last few years who have signed for us & actually performed that had a big reputation prior to coming here.

 

I can think of only Darren Bent actually but then he came from Sunderland so could arguably have seen it as a step up in coming here... No other names will come near the place & the ones who have just look like they don't want to be here.

 

Carew

Freidel

Dunne

Petrov

Milner

Bent

Downing

 

That just off the top of my head. We have never actually signed that many with big repuations - Probably Ireland is the biggest rep + flop signed in the last few years. I have to say I wouldn't mind us signing those above in their prime again. 

 

No one was more excited than me when Lambo came here. However he can't be expected to continually plunder the lower leagues for players - and build a premiership team. I am still hopeful he is being cagey and we will unveil a few players around the £7m mark. Of course that doesn't guarantee they will cut it - but I feel Lambert has earnt the right to be trusted - on the face of it, it would seem not.

[poitier]

The front three clicked first, it looks like the midfield three is coming together nicely, so improvement in the back four is next on the cards. I think we will be an exciting mid table team.

[Kwan]

Nice bit on ESPN about us

 

ASTON VILLA

 

Season in short: Got it right (just).

 

Aston Villa gambled this season and won... but only by the skin of their teeth. Manager Paul Lambert elected to prune the squad of its high earners, turfing out established Premier League players and replacing them with young, hungry chancers from the lower leagues. It had to be done; Villa's escalating wage bill had left the club only slightly more stable than the Cypriot economy. But it was a risky policy that nearly cost the club their top flight status.

 

As it is, Villa will go into next season with a group of players who have passed through the flames and survived unscathed. The experience will do them no harm whatsoever, even if it looked quite the opposite back in the bleak midwinter.

 

After a poor start, Villa appeared to have turned a corner before Christmas, going six games without defeat in all competitions. It was a false dawn. They were crushed 8-0 by Chelsea, lost the next two games 4-0 and 3-0, crashed out of both domestic cups in the same week and entered February with all the style and grace of a crash test dummy going through a windscreen. But just as hope was packing her bags and checking the train timetables, form returned. Five wins in their last ten games saved them from the drop.

 

Best player: Christian Benteke.

 

Bizarrely, there were lots of contenders for this award from the reinvigorated Gabby Agbonlahor to the increasingly impressive Matthew Lowton, but it's impossible to ignore the goals of Christian Benteke. A £7 million bargain from Genk, the Belgian forward scored on his debut and never looked back. Benteke is so well suited for English football, it's only surprising that Villa got the deal through before anyone else noticed him. They may not get that lucky again. With some of the biggest teams in Europe alerted to his potential, Randy Lerner's phone will be ringing off the hook this summer.

 

Worst player: Darren Bent.

 

How the mighty have fallen. Darren Bent arrived at Villa Park in 2011 for £18 million, with wages thought to be in the region of £65,000-per-week. Now the poor man can barely get a game. In the rare instance that he is granted an opportunity, and he's had just just eight starts this season, he generally fails to impress. A decent sort, he's resisted the urge to throw a tantrum in the middle of a relegation battle, but after a campaign this miserable, it seems certain that he'll leave in the summer. At the ripe old age of 29, he hasn't got the time to sit around on the sidelines.

 

The future looks: Promising.

 

In spite of everything, Aston Villa should be nicely set for the future now. The wage bill is manageable, there's a good, hard-working squad in place and a few more shrewd signings over the summer should lift the club back up the table where they belong. Obviously, it would help if they could keep hold of Benteke, but even if he leaves, he'll bring in crucial funds. Lambert has won the trust of the fans, though it should be noted that they remained supportive of him even after Villa's winter nadir, and after a season like this the only way is up. Surely? (IM)

 

 

Link

[The Fun Factory]

Personally i don't care a jot how much a player costs & whether he is known or unknown, what nationality he is, team or division he comes from... If Paul Lambert thinks he is good enough to be part of a successful squad then i am all for it. In fact sometimes it is more interesting than buying established players who may or my not fit in with our style. In most cases it appears these types are too set in their ways through being established & are simply "unmouldable" perhaps.

 

Paul Merson stated yesterday on SSN when quizzed about whether "Villa would be able to hold onto Benteke", that sometimes a player just doesn't "fit" at a club no matter how good they are & that Benteke/Villa was a perfect fit & if he moves to a top 4 side this may not be the case & he could flop.

 

I believe we have witnessed this ourselves with the like of N'Zogbia, Stevie Ireland & many others over the years. Stan Collymore was another perfect example of that & he is a huge Villa fan!

 

So likewise for me if Paul Lambert thinks some unknown young star of the future will fit here then all power to him & i would rather watch a young player grow into a fantastic player at the club than watch some overpaid, couldn't give a toss, "name" come in & flop here... we have done that route & last season was a direct result of following that policy... If you need more evidence watch a re run of Sunderland's season.

 

It appears the "big name" (although "Big Ego" is possibly more apt in this day & age) players only give a stuff if they are playing for a top 4 side.. they look down their noses at clubs like ours & when here many treat the club & us fans with contempt. They couldn't give a monkeys. we are a nothing club to them, a stepping stone nothing more. There are the occasional exceptions of course but that was in the main many years ago when we still were remembered for winning cups & titles. We are now viewed differently & until we can change that we will suffer this kind of attitude.

 

Put it another way... name the players in the last few years who have signed for us & actually performed that had a big reputation prior to coming here.

 

I can think of only Darren Bent actually but then he came from Sunderland so could arguably have seen it as a step up in coming here... No other names will come near the place & the ones who have just look like they don't want to be here.

Argee with very much of all this. In fact how often at the Villa the 'big' money signings have been a disappointment, whereas the relative cheap unkowns turn out to be the classic buys? I am thinking Collymore, Curcic, Baros, Ireland, Nzgobia, the list goes on. Bargain buys- Platt, Wright, Taylor, Delaney, and now the likes of Lowton and  Westwood can turn out to be great signings and get a real connection to the fans. It is a gamble doing this policy for the long term but I have faith that Lambert and his scouting team know what they are doing.

[Dbonne10]

Personally i don't care a jot how much a player costs & whether he is known or unknown, what nationality he is, team or division he comes from... If Paul Lambert thinks he is good enough to be part of a successful squad then i am all for it. In fact sometimes it is more interesting than buying established players who may or my not fit in with our style. In most cases it appears these types are too set in their ways through being established & are simply "unmouldable" perhaps.

 

Paul Merson stated yesterday on SSN when quizzed about whether "Villa would be able to hold onto Benteke", that sometimes a player just doesn't "fit" at a club no matter how good they are & that Benteke/Villa was a perfect fit & if he moves to a top 4 side this may not be the case & he could flop.

 

I believe we have witnessed this ourselves with the like of N'Zogbia, Stevie Ireland & many others over the years. Stan Collymore was another perfect example of that & he is a huge Villa fan!

 

So likewise for me if Paul Lambert thinks some unknown young star of the future will fit here then all power to him & i would rather watch a young player grow into a fantastic player at the club than watch some overpaid, couldn't give a toss, "name" come in & flop here... we have done that route & last season was a direct result of following that policy... If you need more evidence watch a re run of Sunderland's season.

 

It appears the "big name" (although "Big Ego" is possibly more apt in this day & age) players only give a stuff if they are playing for a top 4 side.. they look down their noses at clubs like ours & when here many treat the club & us fans with contempt. They couldn't give a monkeys. we are a nothing club to them, a stepping stone nothing more. There are the occasional exceptions of course but that was in the main many years ago when we still were remembered for winning cups & titles. We are now viewed differently & until we can change that we will suffer this kind of attitude.

 

Put it another way... name the players in the last few years who have signed for us & actually performed that had a big reputation prior to coming here.

 

I can think of only Darren Bent actually but then he came from Sunderland so could arguably have seen it as a step up in coming here... No other names will come near the place & the ones who have just look like they don't want to be here.

 

Agree wholeheartedly with this.

[Borgs]

Keeping my summary brief and personal (as most of you know the problems/needs)...

 

Infinitely more interesting than season 2011-12.

[briny_ear]

Keeping my summary brief and personal (as most of you know the problems/needs)...

 

Infinitely more interesting than season 2011-12.

Personally. I'd love a more boring one in 2013/4!

[Oaks]

I'm just glad 2012 has finished, it was the worst calendar year I've ever known as a Villa fan.

[P3te]

 

Id prefer Countino + Sturridge to Bowery and KEA.

 

Why'd you pick them as examples? Why not Coutinho and Sturridge to Lowton and Benteke?

[hippo]

 

 

Id prefer Countino + Sturridge to Bowery and KEA.

 

Why'd you pick them as examples? Why not Coutinho and Sturridge to Lowton and Benteke?

 

 

Because Lambert said not to expect any big signings this summer ?