Jeremy Corbyn speaks of his desire for a kinder world, but he’s clearly not been to Villa Park very recently. Frustration is afoot and the knives are beginning to be drawn against Tim Sherwood, whose re-hashed squad have still to hit the high spots.
I’d like to think that if it was Tim that had been brought in during the summer of 2011, and that we’d never experienced the two Scots, we’d be a lot kinder towards him (Tim). But the experience of those five years of drudgery will take a lot of erasing from the fans’ collective memory.
So, can we see glimmers of hope percolating through the autumnal clouds?
I’d say yes. When Villa were 2-down at Anfield on Saturday, Villa’s game suddenly became alive. There was Hutton forcing his way to the byline and pushing across a deadly and inviting pass. No-one seemed to be awake to the possibility except our Rudy, who manfully shrugged off his marker’s attentions and strove to get there and force the ball home. “Wow!”, I muttered to myself. I doubt that Rudy’s predecessor, our formerly beloved Christian Benteke, would have been alive to that. He’d have been standing on the penalty spot and demanding to know why the ball had not been placed on his toe!
Villa then reverted to type and let Pool acquire a third goal before the other Villa full-back, Amavi, swung across a teasingly delicious centre for our Rudy again to seize on the possibility, again making himself the man to throw himself forward to power the ball home – this time with his head. “Wow!”, I (again) muttered to myself.
With 20 minutes to go, all it needed now was Traore to nip down the wing, beat three players and slip the ball past their keeper. But it was not to be, though you could see that the feller had that in mind. Yet having scored two goals like that, I felt that Villa should have found something in reserve to come back and level the match.
So, of the squad, who can claim to have done enough to secure virtually automatic selection? Who are the players we can say could be the core of a revival?
Guzan – yes. We know he has one or two foibles, but he still stops a few.
Richards – yes. Not quite as strong as when he started the season, but he’s hardly one you’d leave out.
Amavi – yes. Again, defensively he has some foibles, but he’s learning, and can’t he centre a good ball?
Sanchez – yes. Though appearing to be slow (and, yes, a foible or two), for me he oozes class.
Gueye – yes. His come back against Pool was not at all great, but he showed enough to suggest that he’s been missed.
Gil – yes. I can’t quite understand how he was left out against Pool. Has Tim got a personal dislike of him?
Traore – yes. He’s not seen much time on the pitch yet, but what he has shown is potentially explosive.
Gestede – yes. At Anfield, he proved to me he’s got what it takes as our new striker. And the fans love him.
I will also add Veretout, who is quietly getting his game together in my view. Potentially very good.
Of those nine players, six were signed by Tim. And they’re not bad, are they?
If we were to add to that list:
A more disciplined Grealish;
Okore or Clark instead of Lescott;
Gabby (I still think he adds more to the team than Sinclair in the way Sinclair is being used),
– then that’s 11 positions pretty well covered, with players like Ayew, Westwood (and Gardner?) usefully in reserve. Except it’s not, as the right-back slot is still weak. Sinclair? Unless you play him at the centre of the attack, I don’t see him as a first-choice.
The somewhat frail Grealish has been found out in my opinion. Pool were determined not to give him the chance to shine as they did at Wembley and other teams that are better than Small Heath will also manage him well. It’s up to Jack.
All-in-all, though, there are signs of a team that is developing and one that should give us optimism. We have already lost 5 matches, but they’ve all been lost by just one goal, and those defeats are mostly down to defensive failures. And, yes, a substitution error or two.
October is upon us; now is the time, Tim, for your team to prove what they’re made of. As forcefully demonstrated by Rudy last Saturday.
The Author
John Lerwill
I'm a Villan of more than 60 years standing and an occasional writer on Villa history. For me there is only one football club worth supporting, but I am now wondering whether I will again see anything like the pageant that was paraded under Ron Saunders or even that by Big Ron and Brian Little. My glass, however, is always half-full! Click here for my Villa website.Comments 118
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Im done with hope and wishing so and so will come good and dreaming of us clicking and doing well.
Results is all that matters to me. Like you say John it’s time villa proved themselves to the fans.
Actions is louder than words.
John – it is good to see a positive article and I largely agree with your assesment of the players that we have at the football club. We do indeed have some quality young talented players and they need to be coached and nutured into a team.
We have been unlucky with injuries so far but most of the players are back now so It will be interesting to see the formation and personnel that TS deploys.
Villa fans are becoming impatient with TS but let’s not forget he kept us in the Premier League last year – under Lamber we were dead and buried, the football was utter dross an embarrasment to our great football club. TS needs to put his ego to one side, show some maturity even if we lose the game and start to manage these players into a winning team. TS needs a little more time.
TS has options, he needs to get back to playing positive football. I don’t see the point in setting the team up with 3 defensive midfield players like he did against Liverpool. We have the players to attack teams at pace so that is what we should do.
I believe Stoke will be the turning point in our season.
Team for Stoke
Guzan
Hutton Richards Clarke Amavi
Traore Gana Veretout Gil
Grealish
Rudy
Up the Villa
I’ve gotta admit all the excuses are starting to wear a bit thin as is all the hoping this player and that player will suddenly become our seasons saviour. TS has gone from being buoyant and confident saying we wouldn’t be in this position again and we wouldn’t be in another relegation battle under him( end of last season) to more recently coming out with its a massive task to stay in the division due to all the young unproven players we have!!!!! We play a hybrid of overly cautious and overly attacking( at times) football. It simply isn’t working and the players look lost, without clear direction. We seem happy to lump it forwards at Gestede who can’t hold it up, we are so easy to play against and beat it’s becoming a joke. Sherwood has got a massive task on his hand to avoid relegation, a task in some parts of his own making due to the recruitment olan( or lack of one) this summer, but now is the time to put up or shut up.
B62,
Yes, one win and though 5 defeats *is* 5 defeats – you can’t describe it any differently – but it could so easily have been (say) 3 wins and 3 defeats. That would have made the matter look oh so different.
You can’t say we’ve not shown method. I disagree it’s been just hoofing it to Gestede, and when we have he has sent on several flick-ons which (if we had a Gilzean-Greaves like combination) might have brought success. But I’m afraid Sinclair doesn’t seem to be switched on like that.
I *am* far more like RichardS and see that the turnaround will begin very soon. And it may well start against Stoke.
JL I don’t agree it could have been 3 wins 3 defeats, we never looked like closing the leicester game out from the moment they scored, in fact I even said at 2-1 up we will lose this. We were dire against Sunderland, never looked like beating UTD or palace or Albion or Liverpool and weren’t even the better side against Bournemouth it could easily have been 7 defeats, at best we could have picked up a couple of draws. But those games are gone and we cannot change the results or lack of points, we can only affect what happens going forwards and we simply cannot continue in the same vein, or we will surely be relegated.
Just an aside, I see that Gestede has a ‘hot’ period if he’s going to score…
*All* his 4 goals this season have been scored in the 10 minutes between the 62nd and 72nd minutes!
B62,
You can’t argue with your last sentence one bit. I totally agree.
I’m just saying that there’s enough quality there (i.m.o.) for the season to be tuned round.
But I do agree that this run has to be stopped pretty quickly, otherwise all confidence will be lost.
I think Villa fans should be supporting the team and start looking forward to seeing our young talented creative footballers start to win football matches and progress up the league. I am genuinely excited at the prospect of seeing Gil – Grealish – Traore – Gestede – Gana – Amavi and Richards playing together. The results will come.
Up the Villa
I agree with sentiment of your article and its good to see some optimism its all getting a bit to morbid around here, most the regulars have gone or can’t be bothered to post as the dialogue is enough to turn us to drink. It may not be popular but stepping back and detaching your emotions from the Villa helps, we may go down we may stay up ether way what’s the point of being miserable while it happens.
As it happens I think we have it in us to pull it around if TS stops making stupid gaffs in team selection and subs. I agree with you we could have more points, 2-0 at leics it should of been shut up shop as they were getting the upper hand instead 2 idiotic subs caused a collapse in an already struggling midfield.
At Palace were brought on traore who scored but we took Sanchez off our DM??
Against Sunderland we had shots galore and should of won, a very good free kick from M’vila (who else with that name) which on another day ends in the stands
Other games we have been overly defensive when there was really no need. If Tim cuts out the errors his team actually might too.
Mr Kendricks Team for Saturday swap westwood for Sanchez and not to shabby
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-v-stoke-mat-10175444?
Timbo still talking about pre-season training???
http://www.espnfc.co.uk/england/story/2643275/tim-sherwood-rejected-fa-request-for-jack-grealish-to-train?
The thing that encourages me to have some optimism, anyway, is that the young French players (especially including Rudy) seem to be finally getting their legs under them and used to the pace and power of the Premier League level of football. Of course Amavi has looked class from the beginning, but the rest of the young Frenchmen seemed to be intimidated and therefore tentative. Now, hopefully, they can play the game that they’re capable of and show us all what they’re truly worth.
In my view so many of our problems this year have to do with the constant appearances of three particular players in our matchday squads — Gabby up front, Lescott at CB, and Bacuna at RB. I am quite convinced that if Tim would simply refuse to play these three particular players then our squad, and the subsequent results, would markedly improve.
Though I agree with everyone that we absolutely must buy a new and much higher quality right back in January, I think the last two games have dramatically proven that Hutton is a significant improvement over Bacuna both defensively and, witnessing the cross that he delivered last Saturday, on offense as well.
Although this article is actually concerning Okore’s quality and abilities, please pay attention to the box which lists several important defensive statistics from last season and note the difference between Hutton’s and Bacuna’s numbers. Hutton, at least statistically, is startlingly superior!
http://www.squawka.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Screen-Shot-2015-10-01-at-14.38.22.png
I see liverpoo stumbled to a draw just shows what a mistake our negative tactics were.
Yeah, Hutton isn’t as bad as some make out.
I believe Villa will improve. There will have been a couple of players found out by the Jan window, though.
Hutton is awful
Not looking forward to the game. It won’t be good to watch. Gabby and Sinclair will start p.
I expect us to go very defensive and maybe snatch a 0-0. Can see Stoke doing us to though
Is the sun shining by your house frem? 😉 I’m saving being miserable until after the England game
or it may be a long day.
Not expecting any favours from Stork but equally haven’t got a clue what we will do. whatever people think of Mutton (not much) he deserves to start after the Liverpool game and getting an assist. I expect to see balls into Gestede but hope we will start to threaten from midfield more than we have.
UTV
VILLA HISTORY SITE announcement!
My League Results page now has a match reports feature going back 120 years.
I’ve only put 2 reports up so far, to show examples, but I should be adding about a handful a day from tomorrow – regardless of what happens today!!
See http://www.lerwill-life.org.uk/astonvilla/avleaguerecord.htm
Thanks JL have bookmarked it
Aston Villa: Guzan, Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Amavi, Crespo, Veretout, Gana, Westwood, Gestede, Sinclair. Subs: Bunn, Bacuna, Richardson, Ayew, Sanchez, Gil, Grealish.
pick the bones out of that
How is that team selection going to line up?
I thought Crespo was a right sided defender?
Either 4-4-2 or 4-3-2-1 (below)?
Guzan
Hutton Richards Lescott Amavi
Crespo Westwood Gana
Sinclair Veretout
Gestede
Looks like tactics Tim has deployed his game of two halfs master plan. We will get booed off at half time, luring the opposition into a false sense of security. He will then introduce our creative players in the second half and start to play football!
Tony – it looks to me as if Amavi will play left side of midfield to supply crosses to Gestede?
JL what a project! Señor King I saw the lineup on Twitter and thought it was a misprint! At home against a fellow struggler and we’re playing a 5 3 2 starting mutton and crespo, disappointing given the talent on the bench.
UTV
It’s 3-5-2
Hutton (right) and Amavi (left) as wingbacks?
Why do we leave our most creative players on the bench – Gil and Grealish. No doubt Tim thinks it’s some kind of master plan.
John I agree with your thought re Hutton and Grealish. Jack is predictable even I can see his next move and Hutton does go about his business in a quiet manner. I’ve noticed today he is being used a lot on the right wing and players have no trouble giving him the ball.
A pedestrian half. More zipp on the passes are needed if they want to head the ball more. A lot of headers are coming up like balloons. A little tense every time Guzan comes into play.
Let’s see how the second half turns out.
All this pressure and we’ll get nothing.
I HATE losing.
This manager has really dusappointed me!
UTV
Not if we played all afternoon…
Man o man what a travesty today. That final line up should be the starting line up. I’m fed up of trying to neutralize the opposition at the start of the game. Put your play makers on and go for it. What do you have to lose?
Tactics tim does it again, we put our attacking players on and dominate, why put them on when the games lost????? FFS put them on from the off give them 90 minutes not 20-30 no fecking wonder they are not match fit. Westwood played ok but why put 3 players in his position when we had no support or out ball between them and the forwards???? we need those link players on the pitch, Tim Sherwood you are an Idiot of huge proportions.
Mark, I know a lot of idiots who would be offended by that comment.
I liked Vertoute, Hutton, Grealish and Gil today. No on else jumped out to me.
Nearly agreed Ian. Certainly Veretout and Gil (on too late), and also Gueye … he’s getting back into his stride. Hutton and Amavi did fairly well attacking-wise.
Richards was outstanding at times.
But Grealish? Yes, I like him, but he’s so easily brushed off the ball.
sherwoods time up and take fox with him another great appointment by lerner
to only have 4 points from 8 matches shocking 1 from 21 ,me think we should have got point v m utd 3 v pal gabbys chances clark guzan mistakes,3 v sunderland richards miss rudi miss westwood miss errors for both there goals ,v leicster 3 two nil up sherwoods subs and think thats where everything has gone wrong since ,we would have been sitting easy
sherwoods looks completly lost that team today where did it come from lucky bag,bought in 12 players but no keeper right back. playing gabby westwood when fit ,what is our style/formation square pegs in round holes ,puts on ayew today when stoke sitting back he needs to run at defenders,grealish/gil both don t either start or finish,play with wingbacks drop bacuna who likes playing there
i had enough can t keep watching ,putting myself through this evry weekend
LERNERJUST GO AND TAKE FOX AND SHERWOOD WITH YOU WE NEED COMPLETE RED OUT
John, I agree. After I posted I thought of the players you mentioned. Maybe jack has to pick up a bit of speed.
I’ve decided that 5 years ago I died. Not good enough for heaven and not bad enough for hell. So here I am in football purgatory awaiting the thumbs up or down. Top ten? Not. Another year for my fate.
Tim lost his attacking impetus and confidence after the Leicester collapse today’s starting line-up is further evidence of this.
There is no way out at the minute as Tim needs to find in himself the conviction to make an attacking starting team selection again if we are to have any chance. Sacking him will not happen unless the Brum Mail call for his removal ala the Lambert sacking.
I really am sick of this club it is an utter shambles , when you consider the TV money & the Benteke cash it is an utter travesty that the defense & goalkeeper positions are utter rubbish. Richards was a beast today but the rest I’m mystified by, even Amavi today was not too flash by his high standards not once did he make the byline and when you’re a WB you need to be supplying the ammo for Rudy.
Veretout was good today he shows glimpses but unfortunately with the predicament we are in we do not have time for theses players to find themselves it’s points or bust for this club.
Liam, still in a speedo in your picture. 🙂
Another shambles and yet another tactical master class from sherwood. We are averaging 0.5 Pte per game, we are already 4 points adrift of safety and have a tough set of fixtures coming up. I fear we are done and will drop, every week it’s miserable and abject, the crowds are dropping rapidly only 33k today compared to 43k at Sunderland. Gas needs to go, he is clueless I really wanted him to succeed but him fox and Lerner are part of the problem and not the Sutton, it is Groundhog Day.
Today is my sons 1st birthday and I got off work early and went to the game being a mug( ST holder) rather than get straight home, I already feel sorry for him with all his Villa stuff
Haha Ian I must change it 🙂
I’ve decided that 5 years ago I died. Not good enough for heaven and not bad enough for hell. So here I am in football purgatory awaiting the thumbs up or down…
Best post on this site for a while!
Happy bday to ur son B62!
UTV
So, who’s the stranger in your avatar?
costa will be rubing his hands thought villa s defence after layoff
Meet Liam the sofa poser Ian 🙂
And I thought it was some Irish rock star. 😐
The only saving grace is more than a few teams playing like an over 65 league. Lots of sludge at the bottom.
Ian
That’s the problem there isn’t as much sludge as previous years, we are easily one of the worst sides in this division, we are in our right place, the bottom 3 there aren’t 3 teams that will save us, we are the ones being cut adrift. Even if we win our next game we can’t get out of the drop zone
Are Villa such a non-event now that the media are even mentioning the possibility of Tim getting the boot?
B62,
30 matches to go mate! That’s a possible 90 points! 😉
Hello Liam, have you got a Labrador with you? 😉
For what its worth I thought Gestede showed a lot more today, not just a big lump. Vertoute,gana, gil, amavi, richards played well mutton not the worst either. Westwood played well to but if we are going to score goals we can’t afford him.
What was Tim thinking leaving Crespo on, he wasn’t awful but blooding a player in the prem and in a new CB pairing in this game!!!!???? is Clark injured?
Tim if you are reading this put this side out mate or something very close to
…………………….Guzan
Hutton…….richards………clark/lescott……….amavi
…………Vertoute …………..Gana……….
……..gil ……….Sinclair/Ayew…………grealish
…………………….. Gestede/Kosak
I’ve never been able to count to 90. Got up to 38 once but I needed help
Should be laughing at Chelsea right now but then I remember they have us next
Tim got it wrong again today. Shocking line up
He’s losing the plot fast.
He needs to stop playing Westwood and stop playing 3 in midfield
Gil needs to start and we need Adama back. Sinclair is awful as are a few more of our players. Gestede has one trick and apart from that is useless. Time for Kozak
E need Adama back
Mourino gone soon. Who would have thought that? Maybe Villa can get him. Hahaha
3-1 Southampton even we might beat chelski
JL
Yes there are 90 points up for grabs, but so far we have got 4 from a possible 24, so where are our next 36 pts coming from to survive??? We can’t really blame injuries any longer, we never looked like scoring today, Westwood still can’t take a set piece and we still have too many players not good enough for this level, and we still have a novice gaffer who has been seriously exposed and is making a complete disaster of his tenure, I doubt he will last the season and I seriously doubt we will see him managing at this level for a while, that’s how bad he has been since the FA cup semi final.
I don’t know the answer but I do know the status quo isn’t an option changes need to be made and fast.
Haha Mark only beer here waiting up for the rugby.
Timothy is quoted as saying today he does not know his best Villa side…Is that acceptable given it’s October now !!!? I think 4-4-2 and lets give it a go otherwise we going down without a whimper we are truly truly awful.
When will this Lernermere be over seriously all our lives are ticking away forced to digest our joke of a club putting in laughable displays week after week.
Liam- you would think he brought players in with a plan but that doesn’t seem the case, absolutely Bizarre. And how Gil keeps sitting on the bench is just baffling the lad must think he’s cursed. Grealish is not fully fit thats obvious too, or not on enough drugs 😉 who are you cheering for mate or dare I ask?
Cheering for the Ozzies after you lot stole Grealish from us 🙂
You will need to do a lot of making up to your Irish neighbors, 12 eurovision points just won’t cut it anymore 😛
I think the chariot singers will win tho (how annoying is that song lol ?)
Totally bizarre Mark it begs the question how much did he know about these players ?
Liam- there seems to be a huge swing toward stat driven purchases without considering character and experience, still I think there good enough Is Tim? it appears not, you can’t put a side out like that and expect miracles.
so much for the Rugby will have to cheer your lot I’m not cheering the sheep shaggers or the french.
If we win this now it will rank up there with the world cup win in Oz, can’t see it happening.
I agree I think there is enough talent there but in sport sometimes talent isn’t enough look at Chelsea for instance, I feel there is an absence of hunger among the Villa ranks. We are a soft touch at present, Richards is a leader I feel but after him there is not many that are evident. The tactics today spare the players somewhat but this constant flux of formation & players cannot be good for us.
The Aussie TV coverage over here are in shock they are winning. I still think England can win but the try needs to come soon to get sufficient momentum
Why does TS continue to make tactical changes every week to try and stifle the opposition.
It’s like has has become tactically sick.
I said just before kick off that he would make changes and introduce our creative players in the second half. Why he leaves Gil – Grealish on the bench is utter madness.
There isn’t one Villa fan in the stadium who would have set Villa up in that formation. We played into Stokes hands, the 3 at the back left space down the wings – we were exposed.
How much does the self acclaimed TS get paid to come up with this tactical madness – 2 million a year? It’s unbelievable. A bad joke. A travesty. An insult to all of the hard working Villa fans who work to support their families and subsidise the wages of TS et al.
I could pick a better team than TS. And so could most of the Villa faithful.
The under 7’s team I manage would tactically beat AVFC.
Play our best players in their best positions. Play to our strengths. Play Carlos Gil.
Drop the players who are not performing. Westwood, Lescott, Hutton.
And stop playing Traore in under 21 games. He keeps getting bloody injured.
Thank you for the article John and for keeping the spirits up with your positivity .
Yesterday’s game has been very ably analysed by fellow lifers and to answer your question as to whether the new recruits are good enough, the four points on the board suggest not yet – and the “yet ” is as optimistic as I can get .
It is an interesting point you make , Liam
And Mark , were these players purchased with a plan in mind . There had to be one surely? But I remember Tim Sherwood saying “the club has worked very hard finding the new players …. Which may suggest that his part in the selection was minimal . I hope that wasn’t the case .
The other question for me is what is Ray Wilkin’s role ? He doesn’t even sit next to Tim – let alone speak to him . I thought RW would be an ideal no 2 with his experience.
We are not the only team to have a load of new recruits – Watford have more and have ppl with less prem league experience . Southampton have had to integrate loads of players in when their best ones are picked off . Is it the lack of experience or is it the fact they don’t know what they are supposed to do when they’re on the pitch as the formations and team members are not settled ? The plan seems to be batten up the hatches with all your defensive players first half (not great for the home crowd ) then swap the defence for your creative attacking players second half . It was a big surprises not to see either Gil or Grealish start yesterday .
Are we better when Gabby plays ? I’m playing devils advocate here because he got the blame when we lost when he did and now he’s not playing we are arguably worse .
If given up any hope of survival this season, Sunderland will replace DA, as they aredesperatw, U.S. And Newcastle will plough on blindly into the championship, and these three clubs are already cut adrift, we need 2 wins to overtake the Albion , now for a team that only wins about 7/8 games a season, that’s a lot extra especially when I give us zero points from our next 6 fixtures. The football is abysmal, the results are worse how an this be allowed to continue, the crowds are dropping rapidly and all we hear are pitiful excuses. The club is rotten to the core and when not if we go down that won’t be the end of the decline, we will struggle in the championship in front of a half empty stadium bar the local derby games.
Jenny,
I tend to agree with you about Gabby. He just has that extra little bit of force that Villa’s other players lack up front – Rudy excepted (but he’s a bit isolated).
Also … and I’m going to get slated here! … just what is all this harangue towards Westwood? I thought he was one of the better players yesterday. His ball control is wizard at times.
Not much to disagree with there B62 a party from the toons will carry on with their walk off the plank. I can’t see how McLaren can keep his job and if both Slander and Ncastle change mgrs it could be us cut adrift very quickly .
John
I agree I think Gabby would have given us more and we could have played him first half then being on the two Gs. Grealish and Gil second at least .
Maybe TS should just give set pieces to someone else – as these have been poor long before Tim arrived .
I think Gabby is injured so not TS fault for not selecting him
Come on, Gabby wouldn’t have helped us. He doesn’t move of the ball and when he does he does nothing with it
I hope Okore is back soon. Lescott isn’t good. Llori obvs won’t ever play.
We need to get to jan with a chance of still staying up and then buy a proper keeper, right back and a good all round striker. I don’t rate Kozak but maybe it’s time to play him
Tim needs to start playing Gil though
He created more chances when he last played than we had all game yesterday – one shot on target ?! 🙂
In response to Frem, I don’t see Gabby as a long-term solution, but he would have achieved far more than Sinclair (who has done virtually nothing the last few games) and provided an edge that no one seemed capable of yesterday.
If Traore is back in 2 weeks, he and Gabby could provide Villa with some width and zip out on the wings.
Sinclair is another awful footballer on par with Gabby. Has no composure or ability. Can’t find a pass, can’t dribble.
We don’t need Gabby against Chelsea. Play Ayew off Gestede and have Adama and Gil out wide, Veretout and Gana as the two holding players
I hate this obsession managers have with cramming three centre mids in the park. You don’t need to do it. Westwood gets worse and worse.
The saints won yesterday by playing 4231. We need to the same and attack teams. Sherwood has got sacred of committing body’s forward like Lamberk did
Llori to come in at right back also. Hutton and Bacuna and league 2 standard
Look At the difference Gil made yesterday. Someone who wanted the the ball and can pass forward . He hast to start
Morning folks, I think the the problems we have won’t be cured by individuals like Gabby, westwood, sinclair etc. We lack purpose and formation.
Sinclair needs like minded players like Gil, Grealish, Amavi to play off of. first half we had 8 defending and 2 up front cut adrift, Sinclair did his best but that is not his game. when we play to his strengths movement off the defenders shoulder and finding space he gets goals, given 3 men to beat he fails. while he was on the pitch we played long ball and Ironically that would suit Ayew/gabby more than him.
I want this team in the same formation as Southampton play, it has players in their preferred positions with a good mix of attacking and defensive ability and 2 CM’s with good engines
…………………….Guzan
Hutton…….richards………clark/lescott……….amavi
…………Vertoute …………..Gana……….
……..gil ……….Sinclair/Ayew…………grealish
…………………….. Gestede/Kosak
The three behind the striker can play anywhere across the pitch giving good movement for the 2
deeper lying mids to find and/or make runs past into the area, something we have stopped doing since Delph/cleverly left. Gil can cross so can grealish, Amavi and Hutton can provide further ammo but they won’t while we are parked on the edge of our area.
Gabby and westwood are not bad players they look good in a team that’s going nowhere. they get stuck in and become the focus of the team but are unfortunately not good enough to be that focus. Gil quite blatantly is!!!! he brings grealish and others into play, relieves pressure, switches play from left to right and is difficult to pin down. I think Timbo has a problem with him as he see’s a weak player, not strong like Delph and cleverly, its almost like TS is still sulking over their departure instead of focussing on the strengths we have.
we have played quite a few park the bus type teams and gone out with a defensive set-up and lost by the odd goal. If we do the same against the top teams we will get hammered as we simply are not capable of that type of game. Time to man up Tim and play to win.
mark k
great post agree with it like your side espically no westwood 100 games how has he conned two managers
Mark,
Well, its the players that have to fill “the formation” isn’t it, and I’m not seeing anything in Sinclair or Ayew (except his game against Small Heath) that fills me with confidence that they would fulfil your interesting formation.
The fact is that it was Gabby that made a difference in our game against Leicester (yes, Gil was the main contributor, I know) and does more than people realise – in comparison with the latest signings. Same for Westwood, whose chance to Richards yesterday should have been put home without a doubt – and he generally distributed well.
Grealish. No, not for me – at Villa. He has a way to go yet, but (as I’ve said before) in a stronger all-round team he’d do well. Next season perhaps.
Grealish has his weaknesses and is still not fully fit. If we play negative park the bus foitball he’s not what you need I agree but there are reasons england are looking at him. I dont mind westwood but he wants to play as the sole dm and for me isnt athletic enough.
Gabby has been rubbish and good in equal measure but has no goal threat. Neither ayew or sinclair have been played behind gestede with gil and grealish playing Yet ,especially gil. They are either out wide or taken off.
Mark,
It’s Grealish’s *potential* that people can see, isn’t it? As TS said this week, when Grealish starts doing the business for Villa *then* he can think about England invitations.
Gabby? Well it’s a matter of opinion at the end of the day, though I agree about his dimunition as a goal threat. However, I think TS specifically sees him as a goal *provider* and in the couple of matches ending with Leicester he was taking shape as that i.m.o. He’s quick, causes problems and can create space for himself to look up and see colleagues arriving, as he did Gil v. Leicester.
No, for me Ayew and Sinclair don’t show enough gumption. Though Ayew can probably improve quite a bit, Sinclair looks to me that he can only operate if Villa have a driving force in midfield, which used to be Delph. We don’t have anyone playing Delph’s role yet, though Gueye might do that – or Gil or Veretout.
The key for me is to have players that can play with fire in their bellies. Forget formations, it’s the *will* that’s more important in my view.
I dont disagree on the formation point john but you have to get your better players on the pitch that blend well. Ask yourself was that what we saw before he had to change at half time? It wasnt in my opinion. When gil finally came on he and grealish played together with good movement something that was missing in the first. If wed had that from the start surely the chances wiuld of come instead of 20 mins of trying to break a team with a lead. We did it at leicester and tims gaff lost us the game not our earlier play and yesterday he lost the game before we started.
If we use gabby then for me its on the left. He doesnt blend well with gestede and we have to create more by applying consistant pressure in the long run not lumping it forward, we need to move it quicker.
Tim playing a 3 at the back tells me he doesnt have a clue what his 1st eleven is.
Mark,
We just have different ways of looking at it. On some points we agree. Blending certaibnly is important, but (as I said) Sinclair and Ayew just do not work for me with the midfield we have.
I’m not sure about your last surmise. To me it smells more of the fact that Tim is very concerned that we don’t have enough beef from the midfield onwards … and he’s just trying to prevent goals. This is a big step back from his “front foot” tactics of last season, but as the defeats are increasing he’s getting more anxious – as we all are.
Anyway, he says he’s got some work to do with some of ’em over the next 2 weeks., including (presumably) getting Okore, Gabby and Traore fit and ready. I’d love to see our players run rings round Cahill and Terry – as the Saints did yesterday.
Hello all.
I think Gabby should play against Chelsea. He seems to get the better of Terry.
Shame England is gone from the RWC.
Sunderland have a few choices now. Rodgers has just been sacked.
I worry for us even more now. Can see Newcastle acting next
my biggest hate where are our warriors giving it all ,never knowing when they are beaten
we have one richards yes makes mistakes but never stops trying
gana gave ball away yesterday stood watched stoke player running away from him ,remember when we where linked with vardy we laughed not good enough for us well at the minute far to good for us we need men like that
pn another site some idiot wrote what had guzan done wrong where was he for pal match same leicster some fools
JL so would I mate but don’t hold your breath. Tim is blaming fitness? he’s saying they are not fit enough to play the way he wants? maybe the wrong players have been brought in to do what he wants? Should he not be finding a way to get the best out the players not complaining that they can’t do what he wants?
Fitness is a factor yet we play better with Gil on the pitch whether its the 1st min or the last and Kosak bless him has had the longest pre-season of all and did not look unfit to me compared to his team-mates.
on sinclair and Ayew they have had very little time with the midfield I outlined earlier, Sinclair has barely played with gil
The game against Notts county was the only time I remember most of the team I want to see being on the pitch for a decent period of time. when sinclair got a hat-trick. it was a crazy game with a poor defence but the potential was there.
Aston Villa
31 Bunn Booked
21 Hutton
24 Sánchez
02 Baker
18 Richardson
25 Gil (Bennett – 100′ )
17 Veretout
40 Grealish Booked
20 Traoré (Cole – 60′ )
19 J Ayew (Kozák – 72′ )
09 Sinclair
Rodgers has been sacked
trinity- gutted England went out but they should of managed the Wales game better end of, the Australia game was always going to be tough but the extra pressure showed on them. If Ireland play as they did today against France they will be meeting the All blacks and going out too.
James unfortunately we don’t have those type of players outside of Richards and Gana at his best and Sanchez maybe. That why Tim is barking up the wrong tree if he thinks he’ll turn them into cleverly replica’s. I think we potentially have a good passing side more Swansea/Arsenal than palace/Leicester. Tim could of spent £50mil on 4-5 proven prem players of the type your describing and filled the squad with U21’s but he didn’t, so for me he needs to shelve what he thought he’d get and deal with what he has, If he is capable.
http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2015/10/4/9450013/aston-villa-tim-sherwood-brendan-rodgers
Mark: “Tim is blaming fitness? he’s saying they are not fit enough to play the way he wants? maybe the wrong players have been brought in to do what he wants? Should he not be finding a way to get the best out the players not complaining that they can’t do what he wants? ”
I think if you listen again (or read) his comments, TS was talking about certain players. and I read into it he’s talking about the likes of Okore and Traore who have knocks to recover from. But he’s probably also talking about Gil – I can’t think why else he’s been reluctant to use him. And maybe one or two more.
In the way he’s speaking, TS is coming across to me as trying to get the best out of the players: I see no basis for thinking that he’s not doing that.
The problem with words is that he can say something and perhaps it’s getting distorted by social media? Give him chance, for goodness sake – it’s the all-round problem with the club and the measly target they’ve set their managers that’s underlined all our problems this past 5 years.
Morning all
I think the general concesus across social media/blogs and fan sites is that they all want TS to be replaced whilst we still have a glimmer of hope, as TS is completely out of his depth and we haven’t played well since Apr 19th at Wembley. Since then the football has been dire, turgid and ineffective littered with errors and tactical suicide.
Liverpool and Sunderland have been decisive, they have looked at the results and performances and said, this simply isn’t good enough or acceptable and taken action. Our club will continue to dither and be afraid to make the bold decisions , Lerner is nothing more than a cancer on this club, Fox is no better and in his mate TS we have been found out yet again and unless there is a dramatic sea change on the pitch we will be relegated this season. My biggest fear is relegation won’t be the end of the decline and we pass Blues on their way up as we go the opposite direction. They are looking like real promotion candidates and if they get the massive TV deal we miss out on it will be disasterous for AVFC.
Jl tims tactics/team selections are not getting the best from the players.
He says grealish isnt fit yet he plays him in awful defencive set ups is that getting the best from him? Does gil look unfit when he’s played? Not to me.
Put a team that defends poorly into a position with little ability to relieve pressure and they will fail. Tims instructions at liverpool? Hold on as long as you can????
Best thing i have found to numb the pain is to ignore the villa and just see the result at 5 o clock.
I did not look out for anyline ups, watch any geoff stirling and went out and had a nice day. Alot better. Also accept we are down which helps. Thinking would it be better being in the championship and winning once a fortnight (hopefully) than being in the prem and winning once every 3 months?
Only villa could find a worst manager than Lamberk.
Mark
I think your right we can and should be doing better with the players available, we aren’t going to light any fires or challenge for the top half, but should be better than 0.5pts per game. The team selections and tactics are stifling what little talent we have, we don’t look like winning football matches and as soon as the other team score we know it’s game over. Coming up in the next few weeks we have Chelsea, Man City , Everton, Swansea, Spurs( in no particular order), can anyone honestly believe we will get a single point let alone a win from any of those matches???? We will be heading towards Christmas on a single points totally at will ensure we are relegated, we could even chase down the awful points totals Derby and Wolves got relegated on. Our crowds are falling rapidly, any good faith TS had from last season( although the warning signs were evident even then) has been used up by his w oeful decision making and wasted transfer window. It’s embarrasing being a Villa fan, the club have zero ambition as we Bob along the foot of the table. Nationally we are a joke, locally we are a joke and it’s all down to the scum running our once great and proud club.
It’s just too obvious that we need to appoint big sam asap. Its so simple its staggering we have not done it.
We have been a bottom 6 club for 6 years so some talk of him being not good enough for us is mental.
He has never been relegated. His teams are hard to beat and you know what your getting…mid table safety.
Give him a few years to steady us like west ham have done then find someone long term.
He is a proper experienced prem mangager. And if we let him him join sunderland instead we will regret it
B62
We will prob be relegated by easter at this rate. It would be amazing for Fox and co to stand by and not make a change with mega millions at stake in the summer.
4 points adrift of safety with those games coming up will turn to about 7 or 8 by christmas.
20 points from 21 games is enough to sack him but his line up, formation sat is enough alone to boot him out, cluelless. Sat was a must win game and gill and grealish are on the bench and decides to play 3 at the back….bearing in mind this is against a stoke side who have not won away since feb….which was against villa!
It’s a shame we are so bad because apart from villa i’m really enjoying the prem. Its exciting and very unprecictable
Not enjoying the prem at all because my team are doing the damndest to leave the premier league party for the last 5 years and no amount of managers we’ve had have the sense to settle on a best 11 and defend by attacking. Stoke was criminal in terms of selection.
TS needs a kick up the arsenal because it’s down to him we’ve lost points, we’ve enough attacking cleverness about us to cause teams problems and he goes defensive against Stoke.
TS has until Christmas for me and if he hasn’t gelled the players, selected his first 11, developed a plan A and a plan B by then, then goodbye and thanks for keeping us up last year.
Fed up defending us and my ‘only being beaten by one goal’ mantra
Mark: “tims tactics/team selections are not getting the best from the players”
Well, Mark, that’s *your* spin on it, but my spin would be that he’s trying to see how to mould the best team together, and it’s only recently we’ve seen his dependence on depth at the back. And that’s mainly to try to stem the defeats, feeling that we don’t really have enough talent that’s matured to win games on their own account.
And if that *is* his reasoning, then I totally agree with him. We *don’t* have enough maturity in defence/attack … yet.
It’s a difficult time for us all. Tim included.
Importantly, we’re talking about this topic as it’s the most important issue in the world. It’s *not*, and the state of affairs in the world is reaching to a crescendo.
Sorry to bring reality onto this blog, but I note that (particularly since Steamer has gone) no-one talks of realities anymore.
Things are such that we may not see the end of the football season.
Sorry, should read: ‘We *don’t* have enough maturity in midfield/attack … yet.’
I Have no idea if Tim can turn things around quickly, but he won’t be going anywhere for a few weeks yet. I think if we lose our next 3 games though, the board will have to act. We have to beat Chelsea away just to keep our selfs with a chance of staying up. We could be 7 points adrift after Chelsea. We wouldn’t be able to cut that cap .
He needs to start playing 4231 and stop playing Westwood, Sinclair, gabby. His shit favourites. Gil has to start. Hopefully Adama is back. I’d like to see Ayew play as the number 10 like mane did
5 at the back in a home game vs stoke says it all really
we are the most negetive team prehaps ever and didnt expect tm to kep up this unwanted traditrion
were is Wilkins ? and i thought he was a good attacking coach — clearly not
i too agree that we should be doing better with the players – there is enough promise there to get them to play on the front foot like most prem teams do
big sam is about the only manager that would touch villa and while i am not a fan we are fast heading to that desperate type of situation
Also i will not be tim bashing too much as who ever comes in has to work under randy’s job spec of turning water into wine
Still read the blog, but often lost for words this season, as I do not want to become the new Steamer, but I have seen little to convince me that TS will bring about wonders at Villa Park.
Matt Greenhill’s article, prior to JL’s rousing one here, was for me on the button, with all TS’s tinkering, and failing to play a settled and winning team.
Jen also in one of her comments refers to integration, which is exactly what TS has failed to do, integrating new players into a settled side.
A manger who admits to having sleepless nights at the end of last season, even when he was winning, and have even more now, does not show any managerial skills. If you are the manager, and believe in yourself and what you are doing with a positive mental attitude…..YOU DO NOT HAVE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS…….
I will not go on about the team selections, substitutions, as all that has already been more than covered here.
We must not also, deceive ourselves over other teams, as the Toons on Saturday, should have been the same as Arsenal, and gone in at least 3 goals to the good at half-time, and wrapped their match up, but one poor decision by a linesman robbed them of one goal, and a glaring miss of the other. Sunderland again started well but threw it away, as we have done before. However in the recent matches, we have not even looked as if we might win a game.
Many of the other teams around may also have ups and downs, but they are all pulling in the same direction and going out looking to win. Now we are looking to set up more defensively than we did under McCleish and Lambert.
Our next match may well decide the fate of two managers, whoever wins, the other will probably be sacked….and can TS really pick a team to defeat Chelsea at the Bridge?????
Seen a good shout for next manager while the bindippers are in search mode, despite any big fat sam fans on here. Michael Laudrup would be a great shout in my opinion should the need arise, did well with the Swans and played good football if he wanted a chance back in the prem. But agree with Frem there’ll little chance of a change in the next few weeks.
My settled 11 for the rest of this year (not season), let them bond, let them learn how each other plays and keep sticking with them unless there is an injury, they can’t be dropped by TS’ experimenting to find his best 11, there’s no consistency in play or confidence in TS’ current approach
Guzan
Hutton, Richards, Clark, Amavi
Sanchez
Adama, Veretout, Gana, Grealish
Gil (number 10)
Kozak
Dropping Westwood to the bench as cover for Sanchez. Sinclair, Gabby dropped fully, Gestede benched as cover for Kozak and plan B if we need to go more direct or switch to 4-4-2 when chasing a game, Bacuna dropped from the team not good enough at RB or RM, Ilori and Okore on the bench as defensive cover. Bunn as keeper cover, Ayew and Gardner as remaining subs.
Yes TS it’s that easy to pick an 11, just seems harder to not mess with it.
UTV
Agree runtings about the tim bashing…this is us in a downword spiral for 6 years, not his fault. Relegation eventually is the unstoppable force when you have utter randy overseeing everything. Will happen sooner or later, we have dodged it for years now but this will be the season we go.
Paul
i agrre about the geordies, i saw there line up and thought it was decent!
love the pic frem
Thats the guy we should be building our team around. We have been crying out for creative number 10 types for decades and now we have 2 and no idea what to do with them!
I’m afraid the Geordies are about as good as us once they concede they go to pieces at least we haven’t been tonked yet.
JL- I would love to give TS the benefit of the doubt but what I’m seeing is poor selection and an over the top reaction to the Leicester game. Surely you would look at the positives and think what could we have done differently at 2 nil? he doesn’t seem to take the blame for any of his many poor in match decisions. The desperation of going defensive against brum was a joke that seems to have made him think its a good tactic. I am lost for words with his team selections and changes in game as are many of the folks on here, wish it wasn’t so but to me he’s lost us at least 6 points.
Paul,
Perhaps we misunderstand about TS’s “sleepless nights” at the end of last season. Well, firstly, the end of last season was not so glorious, was it, with 6 let in at the Saints and 4 in the Cup Final.
I think it would have been the defensive issues and also the fact that TS knew he was going to have to let Delph and CB go which must have made him worry how he was going to re-build a viable team overnight. As Runtings has said, in a situation where the direction given him was to turn water into wine.
Yes, as D’OR intimates, if TS hasn’t got something turned round in the next few weeks then something drastic has to happen. But can we really expect to appoint another manger who is going to make any difference?
Jl- but what would be the choice mate? we could of said the same before Tim arrived and we would be down now. Are you saying the players are not capable of responding to any manager?
Non of us know how many of the players were ok’d by Tim but he did fly all over pre-season personally talking to potential players. The quality of the players has risen overall IMO while lacking prem experience. if Tims had a hand in bringing players in he should have an inkling what to do with them.
I find it funny the effects different managers can make in a short time, almost like the incumbent is to close and loses perspective. when I see what Pulis has done with WBA they are becoming Stoke mark 2, at palace everyone was saying he can play attacking football, myself I think it was a legacy of inherited players from the previous manager, he stiffened up their defence and the rest did what they had always done, he’s a good organiser but maybe not so good at selecting/buying attacking players.
Good moaning all.
Just dropped by on day release to cheer you all up, don’t worry, it’ll probably be the last time unless Lerner pegs out in the forseeable future.
My reading of the situation is that i’m wondering where Tom Fox has been hiding for the last 5-6 weeks, this is a bloke who loves the media but has disappeared and will neither give TS his support nor boot him. Lerner imposed this clown on us continuing a long list of abysmal appointments at all levels, not one of them has been an asset and considering he gets 1m per year i think its time he earned it. Fox was nothing more than middle management at Arsenal not the big frog that Villans perceive, he was supposed to increase the clubs revenue substantially, he hasn’t. Some things about him have needled me, he seems determined to drive a wedge between the fans and the club, ie the fans criticising the delay in sacking Lamebert, the supporters clubs debacle and alienating Forza Villa ?? also he shoed in his mate, TS, as manager from a short list of one.
Will he sack Tim ? he hasn’t the goolies, it’d be a black mark on his record and that is his major concern. Conclusion … we still don’t have anyone at boardroom level who knows a modicum about football.
What about this Jeerman bloke ? another mid ranking Arsenal staff member, i bet they don’t even know he’s left Highbury but we big them up.
Ray Wilkins ? soon to be able to boast that he coached relegated club in three successive seasons, Fulham, QPR and Villa, crepe player, crepe coach but a good cockenee lad. Nicknamed ‘The Crab” so i wonder who influences TS’s continued perseverance with the totally inept Westwood.
Little snippet here to give you all confidence, out of the last 74 home games we’ve won 17.
Now, on to Tim, loved to have seen him succeed but he’s a dud, the last three teams he’s selected actually made me gasp when i saw them, no balance, no blend, no form, nothing, i really don’t think he can tell the difference between someone having a stormer or a mare. His treatment of Gill is pathetic and his statements about lacking game changers versus Stork when we had them on the bench was unbelievable as was his comment about the lack of fitness when he was boasting about his fitness standards pre – season. He won’t resign because he won’t get another top level appointment again.
Shame as i think we have some really good players who are being let down by shabby team selection and unfathomable tictacs.
Randy Loser won’t give a rats, i think he’s obliterated Villa from his very limited mindset, so no help coming from his direction.
New boss ? can’t see many queuing up for it, i’d take Pearson, he did a fantastic job at Leicester, Sam always does a job, Brenda is a coach not a number one, so it looks like Peps the man unless the geezer in the next cell wants it, he’s available in another 20 years by which time Randy may have a buyer….not.
All the best, hopefully i won’t be doolally enough to release my anger on you again.
PS,
Forgot about Herbert’s part in this farce, the bloke who turned down the Man City mob and sold to Lerner, and some folk talk about ‘the good old days’. Happy clappers nearly outnumber us now, glad i’m out of it.
Hello steamer lost my bet then your breathing, pretty much sums its up we are the unfunniest joke in town. Don’t be a stranger mate we need to lower the standards, has ST75 got my £20?
Forgot, name another club where they would give FIVE year contracts to Bacuna and Westwood and any contract at all to Agbonlahor, ta a bunch Tom.
At least 6-0 vs Chelsea.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-talking-points-mat-10201785?
Mark: ” Are you saying the players are not capable of responding to any manager?”
That’s a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to what I said, Mark! 🙂 The thought of yet another manager actually coming in just isn’t in my vision to make the question a viable one.
Welcome to Steamer, by the way! I don’t quite agree with Steamer but he’s a wise old bird and stops me from going to sleep! 😉
Yes, maybe there are now one or two managers out there who could do a shoring-up act on behalf of Lerner, but I actually think that TS sees that some of his players need to be more robust (as would the likes of big Sam if he was in charge), and if that means he ensures they get onto the field with more fire in their bellies then maybe he’s identified the only solution at his disposal.
I hoped this day would never come. . . . . I agree with Steamer!
A committed ‘happy clapper’ I instinctively don’t like criticising my club, it’s players or the manager. I think that fans can provide valuable support when times are tough. . . . crystal palace fans are a good example of a set of fans who know how to lift their team even when things look grim.
I’ve stayed off here since Sherwood was appointed because I didnt believe in him and found it hard to say anything positive. . . . so decided to say nothing at all.
When I saw last weekend’s team selection I just couldn’t fathom it. I find it hard to accept that after preseason and a quarter of the way into the season we are no closer even knowing our preferred formations let alone players.
What I would love now is to be shown to be completely wrong . . . . go on Tim. . . . Beat Chelsea for us eh?
Jl nope its a straight question not knee jerk at all.
Its tims team and tim said he would buy winners or at least a winning mentality and get rid of the losing one. well where are they? If the problems not tim it must be the players? I dont think he’s giving them the best platform for the ability they have. He didnt buy the type of player he seems to want to create imo.
New post.