The Official Aston Villa FC thread

The Official Aston Villa FC thread

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Discussion

Fittster

20,120 posts

212 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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Spanna said:
No Darren Bent in the starting line-up. Big decision to leave out the most expensive player, but definitely best for the team. .
He's got his weaknesses but he's the most likely scorer in the team.

Fittster

20,120 posts

212 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
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Not getting the dropping of Bent. He's not perfect but he's a more reliable option than the alternatives.

Lurking Lawyer

4,534 posts

224 months

Monday 8th October 2012
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Fittster said:
Not getting the dropping of Bent. He's not perfect but he's a more reliable option than the alternatives.
I suspect it had more to do with Lambert proving a point and showing Bent who the boss is, after Bent spoke out publicly last week about not starting.

Agbonlahor can be unplayable on his day, and his brace against Man City may well show he's coming back to that form, so I guess that's why Lambert persevered with him starting.

nteke is an unknown quantity and doubtless still finding his feet in the Premiership. Hopefully, he'll do so sooner rather than later. The last thing we want is Heskey Mark 2....

NoNeed

15,137 posts

199 months

Monday 8th October 2012
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Fittster said:
Not getting the dropping of Bent. He's not perfect but he's a more reliable option than the alternatives.
I thought that as I watched benteke miss his second chance but then I thought that bent hadn't exactly been getting himself into any good scoring positions. It is a hard choice and I am sure it has been made for the benefit of the whole club.

It wasn't all doom and gloom though, I thought we played ok and I also think the FA should ban Bale for a few games.

egomeister

6,698 posts

262 months

Monday 8th October 2012
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Fittster said:
Not getting the dropping of Bent. He's not perfect but he's a more reliable option than the alternatives.
It's a tough one, Bent is a fantastic finisher but contributes little else.

Glad to see Albrighton get some more game time - I felt he was under utilised by McLeish last year. I think Villa have a promising bunch of youngsters coming through but there needs to be some more experience in the squad to develop them fully.

At least Lambert doesn't insist on playing Hutton, I swear McLeish kept playing him just because he's Scottish!

Fittster

20,120 posts

212 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
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A result tonight is a must and after the first half it looks possible.

Chances going begging and Bent not even in the squad. I realize I'm a a stuck record about Bent but it's hard to argue its working without him.

If things don't change in the second half Lambert is going to have some difficult questions to answer.

Edited by Fittster on Tuesday 27th November 20:51

andyjo1982

4,957 posts

209 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
quotequote all
Fittster said:
A result tonight is a must and after the first half it looks possible.

Chances going begging and Bent not even in the squad. I realize I'm a a stuck record about Bent but it's hard to argue its working without him.

If things don't change in the second half Lambert is going to have some difficult questions to answer.

Edited by Fittster on Tuesday 27th November 20:51
Been discussing Bent on the Liverpool thread.

Whats the deal then? What's happened between him and Lambert?

What are your views on Lambert now he's been there a while? From a Norwich POV, he seems to be playing in different less attacking way than he did for us last season.

I'd suggest you guys need 3 or 4 new faces in January. Too much game time for some of your youngsters and I think sometimes too many in the 11.

andyjo1982

4,957 posts

209 months

Tuesday 27th November 2012
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One thing I will add about Lambert, whenever there was a crunch game, or a game we had to win or get a result, I'd estimate probably 80% of them he won.

Lurking Lawyer

4,534 posts

224 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
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I can't help but think that Lambert is cutting off his nose to spite his face when it comes to Bent.

He's the only proven 20 goal-a-season striker the team has. Benteke has promise but is still finding his feet in the Premiership. Weimann is starting to deliver on the promise he has shown as a youth and reserve team player, but he's far from the finished object. Agbonlahor can be unplayable on a good day - but they're not consistent, and he's never really been a poacher like Bent.

It rather looks like Bent is heading for the door in January, but given the recent publicity it just undermines his value. If he leaves, it won't be for anything like the £24M or whatever it was that was paid for him. Lerner won't like that one little bit....

I don't know what's going on, but there's clearly more to this than meets the eye. It strikes me as a huge risk for Lambert.

Lurking Lawyer

4,534 posts

224 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
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Someone has pointed out on the Liverpool thread (where they're discussing the possibility of taking Bent on loan in January) that there was speculation that a further £5M would become payable to Sunderland if/when Bent got to 50 premiership appearances. He's currently on 47.....

tali1

5,265 posts

200 months

Wednesday 28th November 2012
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24 mill was bad enough - by about 50% - but another 5 mill - taking the piss
Lambert has generally no or little experience of working with established Prem players - he likes to build and mould his own.
Too many young players and Bent exclusion seems a high risk policy.

V8TVR

785 posts

252 months

Saturday 15th December 2012
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oooh time to get this thread up the table

Well done Lambert, youngest team ever in the premier league today, now lets push on

GLENRED

8,461 posts

205 months

Saturday 15th December 2012
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Well done today clap Benteke is a fking handful, can why he's playing him every game for you.

Well played.

NoNeed

15,137 posts

199 months

Saturday 15th December 2012
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We are looking like a team that has potential, passion and a little bit of pride and I for one am loving it. It was only a few weeks ago I thought the season would be long and hard with a cliff at the end but now, now I am allowing myself to dream again, dreams that I haven't had since John Gregory was our manager and briefly when O'Neil took charge.

I still think this season will be difficult but the future looks bright once again, it looks very very bright. I intend to enjoy these moments as for a few years and mostly when Mcfknut was in charge. I thought I wouldn't have these moments ever again.


A drink containing alcohol is currently being consumed.drink

CIE560

18,752 posts

192 months

Saturday 15th December 2012
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Benteke is pretty decent isn't he? Tore the bindippers a new one which is great to see on MOTD. biggrin

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 16th December 2012
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On paper your team looks like it should get hammered and yet in reality it works, well done today. Very good!

MadMullah

Original Poster:

5,265 posts

192 months

Sunday 16th December 2012
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great result

loads of ppl were texting to me oh shame your team's going down etc

but as i said - new manager new team - takes time - and its showing off - i'm not getting too carried away as we could still easily lose the next game but this has been turning the juggernaut in the right direction

Spanna

3,732 posts

175 months

Sunday 16th December 2012
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I finally like being a Villa fan again. Good call from Randy to get Lambert in charge, some brave decisions from Lambert which he's stuck with are now paying off.

Made it to the semis of the League Cup and bashed Liverpool away from home in the same week. I'm looking forward to our next game for the first time in a while.

Lurking Lawyer

4,534 posts

224 months

Sunday 16th December 2012
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For the first time in a long time, Villa seem to have spent well on an unproven striker.

I am conditioned to fear the worst after Juan Pablo Angel, Savo Milosevic and (whisper it) Bosko Balaban but The Beast is shaping up to be a very good purchase indeed.

I'm not counting any chickens yet but, as Spanna says, it is starting look like being a Villa fan might be a less painful experience.

Andi Weimann deserves a mention too. He has come on in leaps and bounds after breaking through this season after promising a lot in the past couple of years.

CIE560

18,752 posts

192 months

Sunday 23rd December 2012
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Lurking Lawyer said:
I'm not counting any chickens yet but, as Spanna says, it is starting look like being a Villa fan might be a less painful experience.
Maybe not. yikes