Written by Gavin Thursday, 24 September 2009 08:33
As both supporters and players player of the year for last season, Stan Petrov doesn't need me or anyone else to heap plaudits on him, but he's going to get a little more now.
We all know we can rely on him to continue pulling the strings in his unassuming fashion. However a recent delve into the chalkboards has confirmed what many of us probably already knew. Stan is the only central midfielder currently playing to a top four standard.
In his past three Premier League games he has made 77 passes, with only two not finding their target, winning all but 1 of his fourteen tackles. Impressive stuff when you compare this to his central midfield brethren.
The ginger action man only managed 47 successful passes with twelve going astray and he won 75% of his twelve tackles. Sidwell has had twice as many shots as Stan with four attempts but it was Stan that made the most impact by winning the penalty against Pompey.
O’Neill’s new sparring partner hasn’t done much better either. In his last three games he also made 77 passes but had his Toblerone boots on for eleven of them and for all the talk of being a tough tackler, he only won three of his attempted seven tackles.
A similar story can also be told for last season with Petrov consistently out-passing, out-tackling and out-blocking Barry. The only area Barry beat him was goals and assists, most of which came from penalties and free kicks. However the gap between Stan and Barry was small. Barry knew how to break up play and keep possession. At the moment both Sidwell and Reo-Coker are failing to fill Barry's boots.
Martin's efforts through the summer to find a top draw playmaker to compliment Petrov were in vain. If we're still sniffing around the top four when Santa comes calling I suspect he might find a Van Der Vaart shaped parcel in his stocking. But between now and then we have fourteen games against some very tough teams.
Our forwards, wingers and defenders may be carrying us through games out the moment, but we can't afford to have a misfiring engine room against better quality teams.
So where does that leave us? Delph looks like a special player in the making, but we can't expect consistency from one so young. Another option might be Milner stepping inside with either Gabby or Albrighton moving to the right. And let’s not forget Downing, when fit and healthy he may well take a central role, but that won't help us through these next two months.
So it appears to me that our best chance of maintaining a push for champions league football lies with two men finding top form.
Nigel Reo-Coker and Steven James Sidwell, its time to step up and start earning your wages!
If your user name is the pensioner you best email me your postal address by close of business tomorrow or you won't be getting your copy of The Gerry Hitchens Story. You have been warned! Click here for the latest Gabby Agbonlahor desktop wallpaper for your computer
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Daniel Wilson
said:
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... I like Stan a lot, he has come on leaps and bounds for us since he joined and he would be the second player on my team sheet after Milner every week. The man for the job is Reo-Coker in my opinion but that looks almost dead in the water now as obviously something is going on behind the scenes. He will likely be shipped out to spurs in January who will no doubt command a player plus cash deal for Bentley which would be a travesty in my eyes, as Coker is twice the player Bentley could ever hope to be. I truly hope Nigel and Mon settle their differences as when old Nigel is on top of his game he's up there with the best in the league at breaking down opponents midfields. |
Chris Harper
said:
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... Great post Gavin, love all the stats. Just shows that its fact that Petrov is an outstanding player. Without him in the Middle I think we'd struggle. As someone pointed out on a previous post, he has a calming affect in games. He can break down play really well and spray passes out to the wings. I've noticed he's done this more without Barry being by his side. Last night he was back to his best. He surprisingly had a slow start to the season and didn't look fully fit. Now his work rate is top class. |
robb david
said:
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... or we could play all three of them, in a 451 like we were before the last two games, which if i remember correctly seems to have worked pretty well in recent times |
Keith
said:
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... DanWilson I couldn't disagree more, I would carry NRC to Spurs if it meant we got Bentley in return. Yes he can be a billy big boots but I think MON would sort that out and get the best out of him, as Hughes did at Blackburn. We badly need someone who can be our playmaker in midfield and NRC isn't good enough to do that. I was really happy when we signed Sidwell and can't remember being so disapointed with a player since Steve Stone. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Its been a weakness for years at Villa. I can't remember when we last had a really good CM partnership? Even with Barry in there i have always felt we got dominated by really average teams. Its why i still get so mad when i think about how we (MON) missed out on Diarra and Palcious when both were available. Players like that don't come along too often. |
Andi
said:
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... Love the post but i dont think Sidwell is the answer at all, i also think that Reo would only do a job for so long. Sidwell goes missing for to much of the game for me, think he has caught heskeyitus. Reo well you can not knock his work ethic or workrate but for me he doesnt shoot enough, his passes go astray to much and he aint that good at taking people on. Ignoring all that he does work his socks of and gets some tackles in and breaks up play. I reckon moving Milner inside wouldnt be such a gamble you know, he is versitile, he has the same work rate as reo, he can shoot and pass and take players on. I said at the start of the season i thought it would happen and i hope it does even it is till we buy Van Da Varrt or Guzman, I really think Milner could pull it off in the middle and i dont think it would be a bad thing. |
Rattus NorVillicus
said:
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... Bentley for the Coker ? You're avin' a laarff as me old mate 'arry would say. Say what you will about Coko Crunchie, he is a 100% player. Bentley is just a knob who thought he was David Beckham. |
robb david
said:
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... the problem is the system not the players, to out and out forwards doesnt work, one needs to drop off and neither carew or gabby do this, hence we always end up short on numbers in the centre of midfield. Thats why me and others go on about 451 so much, because it means we dont get over run. NO matter how good 2 players are they will always be over run by three players. Does anyone not remember that game that was played at football practise, where you have a square, two players trying to get the ball, and three players passing the ball, it was near enough impossible to ever get the ball, no matter who was tackling and who was passing. |
Chris Harper
said:
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... ronrabbit Take it you never saw the game last night? I thought Carew was playing in Midfield and some point! Gabby kept dropping back to the wings too. |
Andi
said:
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... ronrabbit - but shorely that would only matter when you are playing against 4-5-1 if you are playing poor opposition who are playing 4-4-2 would it not be better to play the same formation as them ? |
Keith
said:
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... When was the last time NRC did this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFMWlNaLjU0 or this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo3Ebh8rAks |
villarobin
said:
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... I think Reo is a good 'Spoiler' and as long as thats all you expect of him then he has his place. When we need someone to break things up and get stuck in hes the man. But we do need a clever attacking midfielder who scores goals. Our midfield hardly ever score, for the last umpteen seasons now apart from Penalties + freekicks. Delph could be the man but needs time. A Real shame we didnt get someone in the window, but if / when Downing and Delph come good who knows ! |
Car Frost
said:
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... Gabbys goal for anyone who missed it .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...tube_gdata Gotta love the American commentator when Petrov wins a PK  |
villarobin
said:
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... Also to be fair, we are winning games at the moment in case you had'nt noticed !  The test will be against the top 7 sides but last year Sidwell was massive against Arsenal at the Emirates.. |
Andi
said:
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... Gabbys goal was nice, he is looking good at the moment could this just be the season that we get the 20 goal a season man ?!??!??? |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... ronrabbit i agree with you about that. I think we lack that type of striker who can drop deep and get involved further back the pitch the way Rooney does for Man utd. We really don't have any strikers that are very blessed with skill. Carew can do a few things but he is too slow to start coming so deep. He needs to be in and around the box. Gabby is all pace and is not great at dropping deep. I don't either Heskey or Defoneso are those types of player either so it is something we lack. Tuncay i thought would have been perfect but like someone said a few days ago 80k a week is far too much. A Gudjohnson would also do. |
Dave
said:
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... It seems like finally we are realising that having midfielders incapable of passing, shooting and chipping in with the odd goal is really not acceptable. Good riddance to NRC - you're not good enough and never will be...Yes, he can be effective as a spoiler but anybody could do that the difference being that somebody else may be capable of passing to a colleague afterwards. |
Eoin Greene
said:
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... ronrabbit - i am sick of argueing about formations. But do you think Sidwell and Coker do a better job in a 4-5-1, because they dont - they do the exact same job. The stats provided are for games from both formations. If anything we need to play 4-5-1 sometimes just down to the limitations of our central midfielders. 4-5-1 suited us against teams like Liverpool where we can hit on the counter - but Liverpool midfield were dominant - they had the vast majority of posession, shots and chances.... Man City played 4-5-1 against the 4-4-2 of united at the weekend and had to switch to 4-4-2 because the extra man was having no affect. Barcelone are the best team in the world at posession football - they have 3 in midfield playing against 4's and 5's - and they always dominate, always. Its not as simple as saying you have an extra player - there are so many ways to exploit this. For example, with only 1 striker its much easier for a center half(on the team a man down in midfield) to pick the ball off the keeper and march into midfield himself...thereby creating an extra player - see united game at weekend.....................why do i always get drawn into this argument.. Another unrelated point - Gabby is not a wideman - he is a striker and one of the best in the league. I hope his current form will shut a few people up who think he is just quick. This guy has everything and if he had someone who could play balls in behind him - god only knows what he would score. I had hoped we have moved on from the days of 'he could do a job in that position' |
Gavin Merriman
said:
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... Villa_Chris What like Liverpool and Fulham?? Fulham aren't the same team as last year. Plus we benefited from their Euro Vase hang over. Liverpool was a great result but they had a really off day, its not often Gerrard makes Salifou look decent. |
Dave
said:
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... ak_27 The last really decent midfield partnership that I can recall would be Ian Taylor with either Andy Townsend or Paul Merson - In the last few years despite Gareth Barry we haven't had a really decent midfield you're right. |
FatKevs
said:
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... He had a poor night last night a lot of work but caught out. I think Mon hates the idea of a midfield |
greg1982
said:
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... Stan is the only central midfielder currently playing to a top four standard. Eureka!! “Martin's efforts through the summer to find a top draw playmaker to complement Petrov were in vain.” That’s 3 years and counting. We’ve always needed a quality central midfield player and especially during the “give me another year Gareth” of last summer. MON: No Sid, no Merse, no chance. Simple(s) |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Eoin do you think there is an underlying problem with the coaching in the club? I often look at other teams who are just so much more comfortable on the ball. Watched Everton last week in the UEFA cup and they were very tidy in possession and i just can't for the life of me understand why we can't do that also. Is just the type of player we sign or the coaching or a combination. |
Chris Harper
said:
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... MerryMan But when a team has an 'off day', it can be down to the pressure being applied by their opposition you know. Credit where credit is due. And Fulham are a top 7 side, there is a long way to go still this season. They could be there again? Who knows, stranger things have happened. |
Chris Harper
said:
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... ak_27 Last night we did pass it around a bit, with the result of some booing because they weren't rushing into crossing it first time. Pathetic. |
Deano-avfc
said:
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... Personally I would leave Bentley where he is, warming the bench at spurs, making appearances in the Carling Cup. He was the man to have 2 or 3 years ago but now just seems like he's got lazy. I'd leave Milner on the right. I'd switch back to 4-5-1 with Reo-Coker, Sidwell/Delph, and Petrov in the middle with just Gabby on his own. Something tells me though that we may not see Reo-Coker in claret and blue again, I really hope this is not the case as he's been fantastic for us this season. By the way, It was the 1st time we'd won 6 games on the spin for 10 years last night so MON must be doing something right, we can all harp on about players and formations but so long as we keep winning who the hell cares. UTV |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Well Chris im only going on what they said on SSN and adding it to watch i have watched over the last few years and the reporter said that Cardiff were very much in that game. Any other top 8/9 PL team playing at home with a pretty strong side out againest a team from a div below who had dropped players would have contorlled that game from the start to the finish especially after taking the lead in the first few minutes. Same goes for Pompy on Sat. Our midfield left them back into that game. After going 2 nil up we really should have put 4 or 5 past them but in the end if it wasn't for a few good saves by Brad that game would have become a very close one. There is still underlying problems that could lead us to a repeat of last seasons poor spell. |
Chris Harper
said:
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...By the way, It was the 1st time we'd won 6 games on the spin for 10 years last night so MON must be doing something right, we can all harp on about players and formations but so long as we keep winning who the hell cares. Exactly, and people are still negative  |
Eoin Greene
said:
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... AK - personally and this is not a dig at MoN - but I think a huge amount of it is down to coaching and they way the players are instructed to play. I think Wenger is the greatest example of how much a coach infleunces and can change the style of how players are perceived. He took over a team from Bruce Rioch, which was esentially the one inherited from George Graham - and immediately transformed peoples perception of players. The famous Arsenal back four - known for their uncompromising nature, hoofing it forward and out of touch - actually were excellent in posession and on the last day of the season Tony Adams capped it all off - scored a ridiculous goal, in open play, for a center half. I think we have to accept MoN has a different way of doing things, and in fairness to date no-one can question the job he has done so far. I have huge reservations though if we can take the next step with our current style of football. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Villa_Chris not being negative but being objective. You could have made that comment last season when we won all those games away from home. The performances in those games were not too great in my opinion also and were indicators of what was to come. Now saying that defensively we look far better but unless the midfield pick there game up a hell of a lot we will have no hope of a top 5 finish. |
Christian
said:
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... The reason we don't dominate teams and we seem to be over-ran in midefield isn't just becuase of the midfield pairing- a lot of it comes from the pitiful passing by the back 4. Constantly lofting it or playing it to Petrov at head-height doesn't do us any favours. Cuellar is the biggest culprit, followed closely by Davies. Having said that, Collins looks more composed and comfortable so that's positive, Luke Young will soon replace Carlos and he knows how to keep possession too. And i think Warnock will become a star at Villa- he's brilliant with the ball and gets forward so much, he can support the midfield. On Saturday he even found himself offside- how often has that happened to a Villa fullback??!!!!  |
Gavin Merriman
said:
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... Villa_Chris I agree with you mate and credit where credit is due. I think we've done brilliantly, amazing start. I'm really positive about our chances this season. I fancy us to beat blackburn going into the top 4 with a game in hand. Can't ask for much more than that can we. I just wanted to draw attention to how good Stan is. I hope the other centre mids can start to play at the same standard. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Is it wrong to have to have an old fashioned winger coaching the team? Am i wrong in saying that Robertsons is the man who coaches the team? I know MON only takes the team on the Thurs before the game. Anyone else think that this could be a problem effecting how we pass and keep the ball? |
ChicoHamiltonsPants
said:
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... Don't think Sidders is the boy he gradually seems to get worse I thought when we signed him he would get better. This hasn't been the case, 4 goals is not a good return and if hes not going to score then he needs assists. I'm amazed at the tackling stats that Damian gave us. He just looks like he couldn't time a boiled egg never mind a tackle. I'll give him his due he trys but i know people think Nigel is a bit wayward but i think he has a touch more quality about him. However we still need a quality mid maybe the DJ is the boy to mix it up. Sorry thats a terrible pun. |
david mc gorrian
said:
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... news just in from sky sports ryan giggs just scored man utd 5 man city 3. |
Deano-avfc
said:
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... MON has never took full control of a team in training wherever he has been, Leics, Celtic.. He doesn't want them to feel comfortable in his coaching on a day to day basis that's why he takes them a couple of days before a game. He wants what he says to stand out and be taken on board. We really could do with the 3 points at Ewood as we've got Man City and Chelsea coming up at VP. UTV |
JohnnyMcleod
said:
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... Interesting post Gavin, take it that Craig Gardner doesn't figure as a potential partner for Stan ? Certainly has more to offer than Sidwell, has good vision and a cracking shot, would also contribute at least half a dozen goals a season. Other possibility would be to move Shorey into midfield till Downing is fit, he's a great little footballer and wasted on the bench. |
ChicoHamiltonsPants
said:
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... I would take 4 points from the city and chelsea games. Is that being to optimistic? Why is everyone talking about Bently, if you could get him for 3 mill then yeah wack him on the bench send him out for the chinese takeaway. I think a Balti would be pushing it, he probably get confused and head for Macdonalds. |
OneVilla
said:
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... Gavin you a SPOT ON when mentioning a "Van Der Vaart shaped parcel" that is EXACTLY what we need. I truly believe with that type of player, young but experienced we would be a serious force, not that we are doing too badly at the moment, but it would give us the edge. We lost out on Wes Sneijder, but we should get his mate Van Der Vaart. Delph looked good y'day but i felt he was a little tired at times throughout the game. There seemed to be a HOLE where the right midfielder should have been in the first half, Cardiff player had far too much space. We pasted the ball around a lot more y'day but in the final third seemed to runout of ideas and failed to cross the ball into the area... In saying that there was'nt any1 in the area to cross it to on many occassions... Enjoyed the game and LOVED the result. |
robb david
said:
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... cant log in for some reason. I dont think the players are better in a 451 i think we dont get out numbered, they do the same job but there are more of them. Im not arguing about formation, what im saying is if we want to play 442 we need a striker who can drop deep and work on winning the ball back. Rooney does it for man u, keane does it for spurs, van persie and arshavin do it for arsenal, tevez will do it for an city, anelka even does it for chelsea. This is what allows those teams to play 442. Look at the other top sides they either play 451 or have some one dropping off the front man. I think our issue is carew is just not mobile enough to work in the middle, and gabby drops to the wings, which would be fine but our wingers then dont come in side, they just switch. I am also not trying to complain im very happy with the villa at the moment and i think o'neill is getting it right, Im actually really upbeat about our prospects at the moment, i was just being objective about our cm issues described in the post above. On formations i think we need to play 451 against blackburn because they will play 451 and we need to match them, I think back to the fulham and blues game, where they will pack the middle of the park and we could get over run if we dont play 3 there. This also creates space on the wings which ask and milner can use. Personally id like milner in the middle gabby on the right, but to be honest i couldnt give a rats ass as long as we get the three points. |
Chris Harper
said:
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...but to be honest i couldnt give a rats ass as long as we get the three points. Thats more like it! I agree, Carew doesn't seem very mobile to me either. I think with his ability and Heskey's work rate and mobility, he would be an even bigger monster. Still think he's class though!  |
Chris Harper
said:
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... Think we'll be lucky enough to see Delph again this weekend considering Sidders is a doubt?? |
robb david
said:
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... Also Eion barca only actually ever play 1 out and out striker, the rest all drop back when required, man city lost the game if i remember, and were losing on the 90 min mark. I also never said gabby wasnt a striker, i just think he can be utilised on the right, as when he plays up top anyway he often works the channels. looks across and often finds no one in the box, especially when playing 451. I think we would have the same effect if milner just moved in more central when not in possesion if we are playing 442, just to get the extra man in the middle. |
paul mclafferty
said:
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... ronrabbit.. where you have a square,two players trying to get the ball, and three players passing the ball. i think thats a triangle.. i think we need a reality check here boys, we have won the last six matches on the bounce and still we can find something to bloody moan about.what will happen if we beat blackburn on saturday and keep our fourth clean sheet in a row, who wil we pick on then.. |
Paul_Villa82
said:
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... holte-end Paul - We have already kept 4 clean sheets in a row! We are going for number 5! Delighted at the moment, can see us winning at Blackburn, the big test will be Citeh at home. What a game that will be. UTV |
Car Frost
said:
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... Sadly I think Reo Coker will be London bound. No matter how much you hate the guy he's perfect for games against the top 6/7, have you noticed how last season Liverpool only played Masserano in the big games because he is not there to be creative, more destructive same as Reo ( with more class admittedly . Without Coker we would have 3 less points for sure (Anfield), he gave a master class that night, if he doesn't play against Chelsea or Man City the defence will have a lot to do. |
ronrabbit1
said:
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... no the coach marks out a square that you have to stay inside. three players are then free to move in the square and pass the ball to each other. the other two have to try and win the ball. whoever then loses the ball has to swap with who ever wins the ball. Its fine till you lose the ball then its really knackering, you just end up chasing round in circles |
Stathis
said:
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... Well presented facts and i agree especially that Sidwell needs to step up his game, but playin all 3 of them works better than a pair of Barry and Petrov alone, doesnt it? Btw a midfielder like Van der Vaart (i use the same example) wont be tacklin and blockin as much as Petrov and the rest of our current central midfielders because he wont be used to that, he will be used in runnin forward, in lookin for final passes or goal attempts more, and will expect the likes of Petrov, Sidwell, Reo-Coker to cover up for him defensively. Ofc under MON even such a player will improve his tacklin and defensive awareness because lets not forget that Petrov used to be an attackin midfielder himself before Villa Milner at the centre of the field i'd like to see, so do many others, but for now he's good in this switchin flanks role with Young, and he's even cuttin inside often! We can say we're lucky we have depth in midfield too, depth creates competition for places, and competition pushes players to perform better so that they keep their place in the startin eleven. |
Keith
said:
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... Reading some comments above it makes you wonder how we managed to finish 6th the last two seasons as we have so many poor to average players and coaches who aren't up to the job doesn't it? Chelsea struggled to beat QPR and were so worried of conceding they had to put on Terry and Cole. Does that make them a poor team with useless management and coaches as well? |
Chris Harper
said:
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...what will happen if we beat blackburn on saturday and keep our fourth clean sheet in a row, who wil we pick on then.. LaSheva?? |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Keef only trying to get a different discussion going for a change. Surely our goal is to now to try and make the next step up and im just wondering if we can do that without improving our style of football to become far better(incisive) when in possession and being far more dominate when playing teams that are far inferior to us like Pompy and Cardiff. We got the results but over the season i personally think these things will cost us needless points which come the end of the season could be vital. |
paul mclafferty
said:
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... paul_villa82.. i meant premier clean sheets. how about that kightley from wolves and move milner into the middle. |
Stathis
said:
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... No, but Van der Vaart is a creative midfielder, his priority is to create chances, to give the perfect assist or score himself. He wont care the same for any defensive duties, so the weight will be on the rest central midfielders, probably two that would be playin alongside him or just behind him. But ofc i dont say we dont need such a creative midfielder. Ofc we can use one, ofc i would like one, i have stated that many times before. Anyway the name Van der Vaart was used as an example. |
Keith
said:
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... ak_27 Some people are never happy, we are doing well and yes we do need a couple of players in the Van Der Vaart class, but to attract those kinds of players takes the prospect of Champions League football or Man City type wages. MON, I have no doubt, is trying to take that next step. |
bobvillian
said:
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... coker off to spurs with jenus going other way .mon big jenus fan cant see bentley coming we have got many r/side midfielders anyway.do not expect to see coker play again for villa.fall out with gaffer at your peril??? |
Car Frost
said:
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... Vainn - not arguing with it, personally I don't think he is the answer, he just has one of those surnames you want on your shirt. I think Wigan and Bolton would kick him to death, better suited somwhere like Arsenal. Give me Tim Cahill anyday over Van der Vaart. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Keef i guess what im saying is that do you really need top top players to improve our passing? Other clubs who haven't been out buying top players seem to able to do it and im just wondering why that is? Mabybe im of a small minority that thinks there is a uderlying problem(within the club) there and maybe im being a bit critical but thats because i honestly think that this is a vital aspect of football today in the PL. I also think that we could get more from the players currently have if we could just get them to be a little more comfortable on the ball. Again i would guess this could be a coaching issue. I know results have been good and im delighted but i still see this issue as something that could hold us back over the season. |
Andi
said:
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... We are winning and keeping clean sheets i dont care who plays as long as it continues, i dont care what type of football we play as long as it continues christ i dont even care if Andy Townsend comes out retirement and plays in goal with one hand tied behind his back AS LONG AS WE KEEP WINNING |
paul mclafferty
said:
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... sidwell is a doubt for saturday anyway!!! so if reo isnt involved then, i think you can read into it what you like then.. |
Keith
said:
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... bobvillian MON will not cut off his nose to spite his face, as he proved by playing Shorey this season. ak_27 Villa play a certain style, the attacking comes from the wings not through the centre of midfield. The central players are there to protect the back four and to give the ball to Ash Young and Milner. That is the system we play, and it has done us well until now hasn't it. I think that a lot of big clubs would love to have an "underlying problem within the club" as you suggest Villa have. Leeds and Newcastle paid a lot of money for the top players who could pass the ball. |
Car Frost
said:
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... God we nearly got Campbell .. Manchester United legend Andy Cole has revealed Sol Campbell held talks with Aston Villa before joining Notts County. |
Rattus NorVillicus
said:
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...He won't struggle for employment playing football. Poke the carpet my friend, poke the carpet |
greg1982
said:
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... Keefvilla ‘but to attract those kinds of players takes the prospect of Champions League football’ Yep, but that’s the point. We had a window of opportunity and we bought Heskey. There was definitely a time and a place - a window of opportunity - to strike and we had one when we were on a roll. The media was behind us and we were the future. That was the chance for a big signing which HAD to be a central midfield player. All this talk about the formations etc leaves me stone cold. Similarly that we ‘ran out of steam’ etc last year. We simply don’t have the class in ‘MID’ field. Repeat: No sid or Merse = no chance We now need to hope another window will come along and this time Mon will seize it. |
Rattus NorVillicus
said:
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...We now need to hope another window will come along and this time Mon will seize it. Poke the carpet my friend, poke the carpet |
Andi
said:
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... Negativity Galore bloody hell i would love to see it on here if we where losing in the bottom half of the table instead of the top half with a game in hand and not lost or conceded in 4 come guys get a grip things are going really well at the minute lets |
Andi
said:
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... we should all be loving it at the minute compared to this time last year we are flying we have more points, we have a game in hand, we have not lost in 4, Gabby has scored 4 in 4 ok we have a few things that need sorting but for now its not causing us to lose so for now them things dont matter they only matter when you dont get the result......Now on to who we going to by end of the season when we are in the champions league ? |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... I think people need to distinguish between negativity and constructive critcism. Surely you can't say that this team as it currently is is good enough to win the league or probably finish top 4? Then if it isn't it must have some deficiencies? Most teams do and that’s all im doing on a blog is trying to get a discussion going about this. Either respond to my comment with your view on the comment like Keef did or say nothing. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Otherwise it will be a quiet day on here and im bored out of my mind here at work. |
Andi
said:
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... all i am saying is it is madness, one minute we have problems with players not doing this or that the next minute we have an underlying problem at the club, the next we have coaching issues. Why do we constantly look for problems ?? every team has them yes but when you are winning and in good form the problems do not matter because they do not effect the result. Why not come on here and discuss who should play and why instead of discussing who shouldn't play and why to minor differences but the first will keep positivity the second sounds like we are having at pop at the players. Now we have moved on to coaching issue ???? where has that come from we have won 4 in 4 surely our coaching is fine i think pompey may have coaching issues not us |
greg1982
said:
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... Ak 27 Agreed Chiefy, Chris, Keef It simply depends on your aspirations. We have now played 5 games and had the least possession in all of them. And the passing has been poor. Results will follow unless that stat improves. |
Chris Harper
said:
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... What got me though was how the Holte was reacting to our players passing it around...in a negative way. People were going mad because Shorey, Milner and Co weren't crossing it 1st time. They even booed. Its embarrassing. I said to my mate, no wonder people say we're fickle, and you know what, as a whole, we are. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
|
... Chiefy the coaching thing is to do with our passing and is only my own theory. Would agree that our passing and general play on the ball could be better or you think it is fine? As for looking for problems surely it is wise to look for the problem before they start to really effect something. I doubt MON is right now just sitting down and only discussing the positves about last nights game. And you can't really discuss about a player who should play without also meantioning who they would replace on the team and why they should be replaced. |
Andi
said:
|
... well i had one bloke sitting in front of me in the holte against fulham moaning because we werent hacking it here there and everywhere a friend of mine had a pop at him and told him when we have the ball they cant score and we can plan an attack when the hole appears, the next home game against pompey the same bloke was moaning because we werent holding the ball, i dont think people are fickle i just think they uneducated about the game |
Chris Harper
said:
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... Anyone sit K5 Row 20, Seat 136?? The bloke who sat there deserves a medal- Never seen anyone so enthusiastic! |
Chris Harper
said:
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...i dont think people are fickle i just think they uneducated about the game Think you're right there |
Andi
said:
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... ak_47 - I think our passing is fine it must be cause we are winning until we lose everything in our team is fine it must be or we wouldnt win |
paul mclafferty
said:
|
... ------------------------------------------------------------ the line above is the very thin line in the premier between the top four and relegation. each club in the premier has at least six internationals from various countrys in their squad so are no pushovers, in a league game all it takes is for one slip and the better team losing 1-0. at the end of the day you can have 20 teams in a league but there will be only one winner, so all these billionares comming into the game and splashing the cash to try and buy the league it just wont happen. madrid have tried to buy the very best this season, but with the void left it will always be filled with the next best players. what i am trying to say is if a team goes out and plays to their capabilities then they have a chance of winning the game using the next best player. if a player is sold for 1 million and the next player is sold for 10 million does that make him 10x better? |
Mike Carter
said:
 |
... holteend paul Yes but none of the teams outside of the top 4 have several England, Italy or Spain international playing for them do they? It's all well and good saying teams have internationals but that counts for little when you begin to compare Chris Iwelumo to Didier Drogba doesn't it? I think I understand what you're trying to say but I think you're way off. There is massive difference between top 4 and relegation calibre players. |
Keith
said:
|
... Over the course of the season teams finish where they deserve to be. If a team is relegated it is because they weren't good enough. How many times does a team have to win 1-0 before they stop being lucky? We have finished 6th for the last two seasons, that means that we are just about the best outside of the top 4. Yes Man City and Spurs have improved on last season but Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton have not. We have every reason to be optimistic and confident that we can break into the top 4 shortly. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Keef i wouldn't count Everton out just yet. They made a dreadful start last year as well. They seem to be getting going now and with Yakuba back paired with Saha that's a pretty formidable stike force. |
Chris Harper
said:
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...with Yakuba back paired with Saha that's a pretty formidable stike force. True, but let me tell you.... There are loads supporters of other teams that would quite gladly have our front 2 of Gabby and Carew. Safe to say that many managers would too. We shouldn't forget this and be very grateful for having them in our team. |
Adrian Kilgallon
said:
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... Never said they wouldn't. Just saying its early days to be counting the likes of Everton out of the race. |
paul mclafferty
said:
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... why do we keep pushing everton aside as tho they are not even our equals? they have finished 5th the last two seasons and have bought well again in the summer having lost lescott and replaced him with distin, and as i remember the majority of villa fans would have prefered than dunne at the time. i think we should take a hard look at the teams around us, because i really do think if we finish in the top 8 this season then mon has still done a good job considering what is happening at other clubs close to our own standard. |
Keith
said:
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... ak_27 Who has counted Everton out? I have merely said that they are weaker now than last season, the same as Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal. I have not counted any of them out either. |
John Clark
said:
 |
...ak_27 said: You're right, ak, there's a difference. And your criticism is constructive. To me, it does seem a greater emphasis has been placed on keeping the ball this season. My guess, though, is that with players like Ash and Gabby, MON's philosophy has been to simply get the ball forward quickly. He does believe there are 'goals in the side' and I think it's deliberate that we're trying to get upfield and create scoring chances in 3-4 passes, rather than 15-20. Would MON always choose to play this way? Was it the quickest way to get results given the players he had to start with? The possession thing only bothers me when we're defending the lead that the quick-strike approach yields. When we need to take the air out of things. We seem to be working on it, and I do think we have players more comfortable on the ball. But the "hoofing it up"...I think it's deliberate. Let Gabby run at full pace onto a ball with only one defender to beat. It's much simpler and more 'direct' than setting up camp, and trying all the intricate stuff. We don't have those players, only the top4 do. This is why all the other clubs knocking it about aren't doing any better than us...they don't have the cutting edge, the ideas, the players, to take all that possession and turn it into goals in the very tight spaces remaining when a team has fallen back and regained their shape. |
John Clark
said:
|
... Regarding Sidwell, he is the one who has to step up. I've believed he has it in him, but it's coming only slowly, if at all. That's the player/position that Gabby is looking for running up into the space created as the defense falls back to counter him. Petrov is no longer tasked with being that player. NRC doesn't have the skill. It is Sidwell who is supposed to be taking advantage. And yes, Carew does not have the mobility/agility/engine to get back, and he's not capable of really moving with the ball and creating. Great for headers, flick-ons, holding a space and receiving the ball, but that's about it. I think the "drop-back" striker was what MON envisioned in Heskey, but he just doesn't score. However, he does move better than Carew, covers more ground, and can play a little better with the ball at this feet. |
paul mclafferty
said:
|
... keef... get off your horse mate i didnt mention any names as ive heard many people on here disregard them as they did last season, as ive maintained i will be more realistic with our end position and cant see it being above 8th but i would be over the moon with anything higher |
paul mclafferty
said:
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... kohoutek... if carew doesnt have the mobility/agility/engine and he is not really creative enough to move with the ball....then it must have been a different player wearing number 10 last night who picked the ball up deep then took it down the line to cross it over for gabby to score. |
mjasghar
said:
 |
... ALERT!!!!! O'Weary about to speak on Talksport - prob about how he'd have won the Champs League twice already with the current squad the ******er  |
Chris Harper
said:
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... Was it any of you on here that was doing that Red Indian noise in the Holte throughout the game?? There are some nutters in the Holte I tell ya! |
colm tarpey
said:
 |
... Kohoutek - that was the amartest couple of points i've read on here in quite a while....thinking went into them! and I agree with you on Sidwell...if you think about it...that boy has been siting on his arse for 4 seasons...I remember him absolutley murdering us (Barry included) on his own when playing for reading...he needs time in the team, he will get there....he's trying...he's getting the defensive side of things sorted (he was the first player of 4 to throw himself in front of that ball in the early stages against Birmingham) and he will get the balance right... It's a pity about NRC...but i think MON did'nt believe his apology was genuine....he will stew him till gets a proper one...hope NRC steps up... |
tommy_villa
said:
 |
... I think we'll get Muamba in january. He just seems like a MON kind of signing. We need two, maybe three midfielders who can play one or two touch football in the middle of the park. MON knows this and I think he will get them in. Bet they'll be aged 20-25, be hard-working and either have English as their first language or have been playing in Britain long enough that they are very competent speakers. |
Forest Hill Villan
said:
 |
... It seems to be a fairly quiet news day, so can I raise a seperate issue. I'm looking forward very much to the Citeh game. But why is it being spoiled by being played on a Monday evening. Many of the fans travel great distances to support Villa and playing evening games, purely for the convenience of the TV companies,is a betrayal of the fans. The loyal Devon contingent, whose banner we see at every game at the Holte End, will be lucky if they are home by 2 a.m., and then they have to go to work. I work in South London, and I will have to take a day's holiday to see the game because by the time I arrive at Euston, the local transport network will have stopped . If the home games against Arsenal and Man U are played as scheduled, (both on Wed night) then I will probably be unable to see them. These are among the biggest games of the season and I think its dreadful that fans can be so treated. Forest Hill Villan. |
Simon
said:
 |
... Don't get me wrong, i like stan, but of all his passes, how many were forward? I watch most if not all the Villa games and i would say that most of his passing is sideways and to te back, just keeping possesion until a gap appears with most i would guess of the forward stuff comes from the full backs. With regards to tackling, that appears a good percentage win ratio, but i'm sure there could be other mways to look at it to put it in a not so favourable light. You know what they say "Lies, Dam Lies and statistics" |
villarobin
said:
|
... I also think Sidwell may be does alot that you dont notice. Oneil said he was 'Brilliant' in the last game against Portsmouth, but alot of people said he went missing. May be he does some kind of Jedi Mind tricks on the opposition. |
villarobin
said:
|
... I agree with Symbas Re Petrov, he doesnt drive forward or shoot enough. If Stan could get forward and shoot abit more he would be awesome. To be fair though in the last few games he does keep popping up in the opposition penalty area |
gareth horton
said:
 |
... i see holteend paul has crawled out of his hole again after going missing for a while after his cancer comment did you ever say sorry to the chap u abused |
mr_brightside
said:
 |
... Shocking once again that people are moaning about our midfield when we have won 6 on the bounce. Yes we have played mainly 'lesser' teams but you still have to go out and win those games and that is an art in it'self, sometimes. You seem to forget that we raise our game for the bigger teams and why people are so negative and banging on about martin's transfer activity (again) in a negative vein is just rediculous. We are winning but obviously that's not good enough for some people...when/if we loose any of the upcoming 'big' games then yes your points may be valid. Stop the moaning until then. UTV! |
John Clark
said:
|
...holteend paul said: Find me a game where he does that more often that clumsily lose possession (outside the box), and I'll buy you drinks all night the next time I can make it to Villa Park. :-) I mean, I like Big John. But he's a very limited player. He can be deadly, yes, but only in the box, really, and never with the same conversion ratio as an Adebayor, Drogba, van Nistelrooy, etc. I did love that goal he took when he carried it toward the box and scored. Almost looked a proper striker. Can't remember game, but this season. |
astonvilla83
said:
 |
... wonder if downing may take on this roll, when he comes back? has any body got his statistics while at middlesbourgh? could be very interesting he may take barrys place? or do we think he will just play left wing?, i feel downing is a great player, funny thing is i seem to remember been relived when he got took off injured as he was giving milner (although out of postion) an absolute nightmare everything that game was coming down that side, obviously now i wish he hadnt got injured, although the price we got him for was an absolute bargain really, as he was rated at 18 million in january. |
Brunnie
said:
 |
... Agreed, but NRC everytime he's played has looked good. Ok poss not world class but good enough to keep his place. and i think 4 3 3 with sidwell aswell works poss mix it up with downing when he is fit. as we have world class wingers ie Milner especially at the mo, who to me is Englands best right winger. We just need ball winners in midfield and get it out to the flanks !!!!!! |
Brunnie
said:
|
... Not sure Delph is ready yet. great in a challenge but distribution ? Nowhere near the quality of Petrov ! ok still young but i wanted proven players to drop in straight away ! poss sign Guzman the dutch midfielder in jan |
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