Season Previews in the Press

[Pelle]

World Soccer Talk, a US website dedicated mostly to Premier League but also some global football, posted their "How Has Your Premier League Team Fared in the Transfer Window So Far?" article yesterday. Their writer is clearly not as knowledgeable about the Villa as the Guardian's Stuart James.

 

 

The best news for Villa fans is that Christian Benteke has committed his future to the club. With the Belgian and strike partner Weimann both having excellent debut campaigns, Villa could be in for a much more comfortable upcoming season if they’re both on fire. Lambert’s men provided lessons on how not to defend last term. This is something Lambert will be eager to remedy. The Villains have brought in Danish defender Okore to bolster their defense, although they shouldn’t stop there.

 

Richard Dunne’s departure to QPR along with skipper Sylvian Petrov’s premature retirement has left a lack of experience in Villa’s starting eleven that causes concern. Lambert’s priority should be to stabilize his young side by adding reliable Premier League experience to his setup. If Randy Lerner wants to keep his club afloat, he needs to revisit the ambition that saw him splash £24m on Darren Bent less than 3 years ago.

 

Ins: Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg, £2m), Antonio Luna (Sevilla, undisclosed), Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland, £4m), Leandro Bacuna (FC Groningen, undisclosed).

 

Outs: Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest, free), Courtney Cameron (Torquay, free), Richard Dunne (QPR, free). Stylian Petrov (retired).

 

Grade: B

 

After a reader comment, they corrected where the article originally identified Okore as "James Okore" and Colombian. I pointed out that they missed Steer and Tonev on the Ins list, but they didn't bother correcting that.

 

AND THEY SPELLED PETROV'S NAME WRONG, TWICE.

 

Not to mention that they, like a few others, keep on saying that Petrov and Dunne leaving will cause problems for us. Even though none of them played one single minute last season.

 

The first one, though, is a very good article. The Guardian one.

[Panto_Villan]

That Guardian article is excellent. I like the way he's actually researched the transfers - Okore could have gone to Chelsea, Bacuna allegedly not being very good etc. A step further than most journalists will take it, so well done that man.

[CrackpotForeigner]

That Guardian article is excellent. I like the way he's actually researched the transfers - Okore could have gone to Chelsea, Bacuna allegedly not being very good etc. A step further than most journalists will take it, so well done that man.

 

He must surely be a Villa fan. Either that or a very diligent journalist.

[chappy]

Yeah I saw the Guardian one the other day, cracking write-up.

The less said about that American one above the better!

Edited August 8, 2013 by chappy

[chakal]

Sneak peek from WSC season preview.

 

http://www.exacteditions.com/read/wsc/2013-14-season-guide-36370/2/2/

[Stevo985]

Isn't it weird that we're all so surprised at a journalist actually doing their job!

[Rob182]

Excellent article by The Guardian.

[Jarpie]

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/07/premier-league-preview-aston-villa/
 

 

Aston Villa has never been outside the Premier League since its inception in the 1992-93 season, but it’s been a little too close for comfort the past two years. The team hasn’t won a trophy since the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup, and despite a four-year run of top-10 domestic finishes, things seem to be trending downward at Villa Park.

Transfers In: M Aleksandar Tonev (Lech Poznań, Poland), D Antonio Luna (Sevilla, Spain), GK Jed Steer (Norwich City), D Jores Okore (Nordsjælland, Denmark), M Leandro Bacuna (FC Groningen, Netherlands), F Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg, Denmark)

Transfers Out: M Stiliyan Petrov (retired), F Brett Holman (Al Nasr, UAE), D Derrick Williams (Bristol City, League One), D Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest, Championship), D Richard Dunne (Queens Park Rangers, Championship), M Jean Makoun (Stade Rennais, France), M Courtney Cameron (Torquay United, League Two), GK Andy Marshall (released)

Key Player: The most important name for Villa is one that nearly found itself in the section above this one. Striker Christian Benteke (pictured) was the team’s top scorer last year as it narrowly avoided relegation, and he was linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal in the off-season after he handed in a transfer request. In the end, he decided to sign a new deal to keep him at Aston Villa until 2017.

On the other end of the field, American goalkeeper Brad Guzan also played a large role in Villa’s successful fight against relegation to the Championship. His performance earned him the team vote for 2011-12 Player of the Year. If Villa is going to stay in the top flight again, he will play a crucial part in this season.

Manager: Scotsman Paul Lambert took over from countryman Alex McLeish at the start of last season, but he only finished one spot higher in the table. Lambert is on the clock right from the start of this campaign — he is the only manager to start a second season in charge since Martin O’Neill left the club in 2010.

Lambert has played a lot of young players in preseason but tempered fans’ expectations of them and asked for patience, which seems to indicate that he expects another tough season ahead. If that’s true, Villa could very well finish it with a different manager than the one who starts it.

Outlook: It’s going to be a battle to stay in the Premier League this season for Aston Villa. It could take another special individual performance from Benteke and Guzan to keep the team afloat. If injuries hit either of those two, survival will be nearly impossible.

 

[CrackpotForeigner]

 

http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/07/premier-league-preview-aston-villa/

 

 

Aston Villa has never been outside the Premier League since its inception in the 1992-93 season, but it’s been a little too close for comfort the past two years. The team hasn’t won a trophy since the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup, and despite a four-year run of top-10 domestic finishes, things seem to be trending downward at Villa Park.

Transfers In: M Aleksandar Tonev (Lech Poznań, Poland), D Antonio Luna (Sevilla, Spain), GK Jed Steer (Norwich City), D Jores Okore (Nordsjælland, Denmark), M Leandro Bacuna (FC Groningen, Netherlands), F Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg, Denmark)

Transfers Out: M Stiliyan Petrov (retired), F Brett Holman (Al Nasr, UAE), D Derrick Williams (Bristol City, League One), D Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest, Championship), D Richard Dunne (Queens Park Rangers, Championship), M Jean Makoun (Stade Rennais, France), M Courtney Cameron (Torquay United, League Two), GK Andy Marshall (released)

Key Player: The most important name for Villa is one that nearly found itself in the section above this one. Striker Christian Benteke (pictured) was the team’s top scorer last year as it narrowly avoided relegation, and he was linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal in the off-season after he handed in a transfer request. In the end, he decided to sign a new deal to keep him at Aston Villa until 2017.

On the other end of the field, American goalkeeper Brad Guzan also played a large role in Villa’s successful fight against relegation to the Championship. His performance earned him the team vote for 2011-12 Player of the Year. If Villa is going to stay in the top flight again, he will play a crucial part in this season.

Manager: Scotsman Paul Lambert took over from countryman Alex McLeish at the start of last season, but he only finished one spot higher in the table. Lambert is on the clock right from the start of this campaign — he is the only manager to start a second season in charge since Martin O’Neill left the club in 2010.

Lambert has played a lot of young players in preseason but tempered fans’ expectations of them and asked for patience, which seems to indicate that he expects another tough season ahead. If that’s true, Villa could very well finish it with a different manager than the one who starts it.

Outlook: It’s going to be a battle to stay in the Premier League this season for Aston Villa. It could take another special individual performance from Benteke and Guzan to keep the team afloat. If injuries hit either of those two, survival will be nearly impossible.

 

 

 

Who are these people? I want to offer them lucrative bets

[Ghost]

I always tend to find that Stuart James' articles for the Guardian are well written and quite accurate.

I'd hazard a guess that he could be a Villa fan.

[villa89]

Outlook: It’s going to be a battle to stay in the Premier League this season for Aston Villa. It could take another special individual performance from Benteke and Guzan to keep the team afloat. If injuries hit either of those two, survival will be nearly impossible.

 

Bollocks.

[briny_ear]

I always tend to find that Stuart James' articles for the Guardian are well written and quite accurate.

I'd hazard a guess that he could be a Villa fan.

He was also briefly a professional footballer, albeit only for Swindon Town, in the early 1990s, so that possibly helps him understand what he is talking about a bit more than your average sports journo.

[The Fun Factory]

Most reviewers still put us in the mid table to struggle mode. Mostly on the fact that a- they don't know any of our new signings, and b- we have a tough start to the season. I think we should be pleasantly suprised this year. Given how crap we were last year for half of it and still came 15th, we should be looking up rather than down this season. Hopefully.

[CrackpotForeigner]

Most reviewers still put us in the mid table to struggle mode. 

 

All I can think of to say to that is:

[villa-revolution]

A simple message to the press guys - And as CrackpotForeigner points out - You know when you've been `Benteked`

 

 

 

Just as Malaga's defence found out!

Edited August 13, 2013 by villa-revolution

[LondonLax]

I always tend to find that Stuart James' articles for the Guardian are well written and quite accurate.

I'd hazard a guess that he could be a Villa fan.

I think the Guardian preseason reviews a pretty astute for all the clubs though. They seem to tap into the feelings of the fans pretty well.

[CrackpotForeigner]

 

I always tend to find that Stuart James' articles for the Guardian are well written and quite accurate.

I'd hazard a guess that he could be a Villa fan.

I think the Guardian preseason reviews a pretty astute for all the clubs though. They seem to tap into the feelings of the fans pretty well.

 

 

Liberal-minded newspaper in quality nuanced review shock, really.

[El-Reacho]

 

I always tend to find that Stuart James' articles for the Guardian are well written and quite accurate.

I'd hazard a guess that he could be a Villa fan.

I think the Guardian preseason reviews a pretty astute for all the clubs though. They seem to tap into the feelings of the fans pretty well.

 

 

I think they definitely will have been on here - Barry Glendenning often refers to the 'mood' on club's supporter's forums when talking about clubs on Guardian Weekly podcast. Stuart James is pretty knowledgeable about all the midlands clubs I think.

[BOF]

The Guardian's overall pre-season podcast (59mins) mentions us around the 38 minute mark with Barry Glendenning tipping us as his surprise this season and has us finishing in the 'top 9'. So ninth, presumably

[Delphouneso]

Aston Villa

It's been a successful summer for Aston Villa and the 2013 calendar year, in the most part, has gone very well for Paul Lambert. The new manager had his faith in young, hungry players repaid after a disastrous Christmas period and the club finished in 15th, sticking with the same policy in the crucial last few months of the season despite the insistence of many that experience was required.

The former Norwich boss has added six players to his ranks this summer, all of whom are 23 or under, and is looking to offload the high-earning dead wood at the club before dipping his toes back in the market. However, the crucial business saw the club renew the contract of last season's star man Christian Benteke, who had originally expressed his desire to leave after submitting a transfer request.

The young Belgian's importance to the Midlands outfit last season was absolutely huge, netting 19 goals and in turn contributing to a higher proportion of his side's total league tally than any other player in the division (40%). After a slow start, showing flashes of potential in the first half of the season, Benteke netted a league high of 14 league goals in the New Year and if he can reach similar heights next season Villa's safety should be assured.

The young side, praised for their fluid counter-attacking style last season - with only Arsenal netting more goals on the break (6) - had real problems at the back, however. They conceded 69 goals, which was only fewer than relegated Wigan and Reading, and were it not for Brad Guzan - voted Villa's Player of the Season - they may well have slipped into the bottom three.

Lambert has looked to strengthen with the signing of Jores Okore from Nordsjaelland, with the 20-year old perhaps the most eye-catching of their acquisitions. The Denmark international put in superb performances against both Chelsea and Juventus in the Champions League last season, and although he will need to adapt his gung-ho style a little he's one to watch.

Along with Benteke's renewal, the club also tied down long-term contracts for Guzan, Weimann, Lowton and Westwood, who were perhaps the 5 best players for the club last season, showing real intent to kick on. The right-back in particular acclimatised to Premier League football with ease, and was one of only two players to register triple figures for both tackles (105) and interceptions (111) in the league last season.

It's worth keeping an eye out for teenage prospect Jack Grealish this term, who has been with the senior side in pre-season, while Nicklas Helenius is another player who possesses something different in the final third. It's Villa's ability to compensate for a leaky defence at the other end that should see them make progress this season.

 

Last Season: 15th

New Signings (at time of writing): Aleksandar Tonev (Lech Poznan), Nicklas Helenius (Aalborg), Leandro Bacuna (Groningen), Jores Okore (Nordsjaelland), Antonio Luna (Sevilla), Jed Steer (Norwich)

Possible Starting XI (4-3-3): Guzan; Lowton, Okore, Vlaar, Luna; Westwood, Sylla, Delph; Weimann, Benteke, Agbonlahor

Predicted Finish (Average of Authors): 12th

 

 

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