honest_bertie Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 look at him objectively, as a human being rather than a character in a computer game think thats a great point and can relate to pretty much all our young players that have come in this year and could be applied to our young manager as well maybe. To many fans think running, managing and playing for Villa is like a game of Fifa these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 No surprises that when we attack down the wings and provide crosses that Benteke scores two goals. Our problem with lack of goals this season is due to how narrow we have been playing. Players like Bent and Benteke simply thrive on crosses - Benteke's movement and intelligence from crosses has been clear - we must do more of this. Absolutely. It's just so bleeding obvious! Bent and Benteke in the box with some decent quality coming in from wide areas and we WILL score goals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted November 1, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted November 1, 2012 Because it is hard for a young man to settle at a new club, doubly hard if it is another country, triply hard if it is your first time living outside your home country. This means that if you look at him objectively, as a human being rather than a character in a computer game, it is fair to assume that he is settling in, sorting out his new house/flat, finding his feet, learning the language etc. It is normal under such circumstances to cut a guy a bit of slack. He is also 21, which is very young. it is usual for strikers especially at that age to be a bit rough and ready, it is an exceptional talent indeed that looks comfortable at this level at such a young age. So for yet another reason, any fair and rational observer is going to cut the lad some slack. Frankly, anyone slagging him off, even if he was playing like a donkey every week, would be being harsh in the extreme. Excellent post by the way. This bit in particular is pertinent these days I think. It's often a factor overlooked by football fans (and I'm not specifying villa fans here, I'm talking generally. In fact Villa, given the amount of British players we've signed recently, are probably much less applicable than other clubs' fans). The importance of settling in is huge. If anyone's read "Why England Lose..." there's a big chapter in there about settling in and how not doing so can effect a player. Nicolas Anelka's stint at Madrid is highlighted as a prime example of how not to do it, and also Chelsea was highlighted as being particularly poor at it. Some clubs have someone or some people dedicated to helping footballers find houses, schools, friends, restaurants etc etc and making themselves at home. Some clubs, Chelse and Madrid in these examples, have (or had) nothing. Anelka was flown to Madrid and that was it. No-one even introduced him to the squad. For some personalities that wouldn't matter. For others it absolutely would matter, Look at how well Shakhtar Donetsk are doing lately. Then look into the brazillian footballing community they've built up and the correlation between performances and footballers feeling at home is clear. it's somethign that's massively underestimated when signing players. People think that footballers are paid so well that it shouldn't matter. That's just not true. So yeah, expecting any signing to do well and settle in straight away is harsh. Expecting it from a 21 year old who barely speaks the language and is living in the country for the first time is frankly ludicrous. I think we should all be very pleased with the start he's made. And whilst predictions of him being great might be jumping the gun slightly, his start has been vastly more positive than negative, imo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I still laugh at the fact, some people wanted Carroll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Absolutely. It's just so bleeding obvious! Bent and Benteke in the box with some decent quality coming in from wide areas and we WILL score goals! Lets hope we buy two decent wingers in January. Its not Gabby's job or particular talent.... and Holman means well but I'm not convinced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swerbs Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Gabby can certainly cross the ball better than finish it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eames Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Lets hope we buy two decent wingers in January. Its not Gabby's job or particular talent.... and Holman means well but I'm not convinced. Hardly a ringing endorsement though is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Wrong Quote Eames Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 In the one interview I've seen (on Sky when he was in the car) Benteke's English was great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted November 1, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted November 1, 2012 I'd say it was passable. I certainly wouldn't say it was great. In fact, I specifically remember him being asked the same question twice, not being able to understand it, asking the guy next to him what it meant and then not being able to answer as a result. But yeah, I'd say he was able to get by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 In the one interview I've seen (on Sky when he was in the car) Benteke's English was great. Must have been learning in Belgium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NurembergVillan Posted November 1, 2012 Moderator Share Posted November 1, 2012 Excellent post by the way. This bit in particular is pertinent these days I think. It's often a factor overlooked by football fans (and I'm not specifying villa fans here, I'm talking generally. In fact Villa, given the amount of British players we've signed recently, are probably much less applicable than other clubs' fans). The importance of settling in is huge. If anyone's read "Why England Lose..." there's a big chapter in there about settling in and how not doing so can effect a player. Nicolas Anelka's stint at Madrid is highlighted as a prime example of how not to do it, and also Chelsea was highlighted as being particularly poor at it. Some clubs have someone or some people dedicated to helping footballers find houses, schools, friends, restaurants etc etc and making themselves at home. Some clubs, Chelse and Madrid in these examples, have (or had) nothing. Anelka was flown to Madrid and that was it. No-one even introduced him to the squad. For some personalities that wouldn't matter. For others it absolutely would matter, Look at how well Shakhtar Donetsk are doing lately. Then look into the brazillian footballing community they've built up and the correlation between performances and footballers feeling at home is clear. it's somethign that's massively underestimated when signing players. People think that footballers are paid so well that it shouldn't matter. That's just not true. So yeah, expecting any signing to do well and settle in straight away is harsh. Expecting it from a 21 year old who barely speaks the language and is living in the country for the first time is frankly ludicrous. I think we should all be very pleased with the start he's made. And whilst predictions of him being great might be jumping the gun slightly, his start has been vastly more positive than negative, imo. That an excellent summary of what faces footballers moving abroad. We do tend to view them as commodities rather than people doing a job. I moved abroad at Christian's age and it took me a full year to settle in, even a good few of my new colleagues were also English. It's really hard, whatever means you have at your disposal there is still unfamiliarity with the area, the language, the food, the customs - the list is endless. The FIFA and Football Manager series have contributed massively towards how fans view real football because they appear so "realistic". All of the actual realities of the situations are cut out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 The FIFA and Football Manager series have contributed massively towards how fans view real football because they appear so "realistic". All of the actual realities of the situations are cut out. lol I firmly believe that some of the nonsense on here is down to video games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 lol I firmly believe that some of the nonsense on here is down to video games. Could not have put it better myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Well coupled with the non stop tv coverage of the Sky5, reality all gets a bit distorted for the armchair generation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilbertoAVFC Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 This is why I love and hate VT. At times (such as some of the stuff posted in this thread), some of the points raised and arguments put across are as well-articulated as any work of a mainstream football journalist. Then we lose and all hell breaks loose... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LondonLax Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 I wish we had hung on to Michael Bradley for the same reason. He was here 6 months and didn't get more than a handful of games (yes he was poor in those). Now he has settled in in the Italian league and is doing the business whilst we cry out for a defensive midfielder to take some control of our matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roonst83 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Gabby can certainly cross the ball better than finish it Agree.* *although he seems to be able to score excellent goals in the League Cup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roonst83 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 His 2nd goal last night was very similar to that last gasp chance he missed at fulham. My point, he seems to be learning very quickly. Impressive. If he could have taken a first touch at Fulham then he would have hit the target i'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KjParton Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 If he could have taken a first touch at Fulham then he would have hit the target i'm sure. He does like his first touches on those, you don't see him hit them first time a lot, and when he does hit them first time they don't work (Fulham away). Great if he hits the target everytime he takes a first touch though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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