I try to stay away from cliches as a rule. All too often in sport, as in life, conventional wisdom is a fallacy. A convenient crutch for weak or lazy minds to lean upon.
One convention in football is that it is important to have competition for places in the team. That players need to be pushed every day in training to be at their best. Players can’t be allowed to be too comfortable in their jobs before complacency sets in.
Last year with a thin squad there was little in the way of competition at Villa Park. With preseason training already under way the club has only lost Carlos Cuellar and Emile Heskey (not including our captain, Stilyan Petrov). Unlike last season it appears players will have to fight for spots.
I was quite surprised to see Brad Guzan re-sign after being released. The Villan in me is pleased, but the Yank in me would’ve liked to see Guzan playing regularly.He knows his spot as Tim Howard’s #2 is far from assured. For him to agree to sign he must have been given assurance that he would have a crack at the starting job. If Shay Given struggles like he did at the Euros, which, if he is fit isn’t likely, Guzan can and should be Lambert’s man between the pipes.
The club have also been linked to too many fullbacks to count. Regardless the names it appears almost a certainty that two new fullbacks will be brought in. As it stands now they will be competing with Alan Hutton, Stephen Warnock, Eric Lichaj, and Enda Stevens for a place. Chris Herd can also play there as well. Of those, only Lichaj impressed at any point last season. It would also not shock anyone to see the backside of either Hutton or Warnock. Even if two new signings replace both of them that will still leave four players to fight over two spots.
With all the injury problems this club had had it will be nice to have some depth for a change. I am sure the club will also bring in at least one more striker and center back.
When things go wrong, my analytical mind tends to look for tangible reasons. Matt’s “Let’s Talk Tactics: pieces did a great job illuminating the tangible.
I also try to stay away from the intangible. Fans sometimes question the effort ad passion of the players when things go poorly. I don’t know what is in the heads of the players. Just to get to the summit of professional football takes plenty of both.
Last season was so bad for our club I personally have no choice but to question both from the team. This is not something I do lightly as a fan. There were at least a half-dozen matches last year where this team just didn’t show up. In this case I’ll go with the conventional wisdom that these players need a kick in the backside and fight for their jobs.
Last season was so bad—and the manager got so much of the blame the players got off easier than they should have. I want these guys to be uncomfortable. If any of them are unhappy at losing their place I say “tough.” Any claim to any spot on this team was frittered away after the club’s worst season ever in the Premier League.
With training underway the vibes around the club are undeniably good. It might not be that way at Bodymoor Heath as the free ride some of these players have been on is coming to an end.
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