I'll just throw this one out to you.
In terms of Premiership experience, the Villa side played today was actually less experienced than Norwich City. For a club that has been in the Premiership for EVERY SINGLE SEASON, this would appear baffling to any outsider.
I am behind Paul Lambert in what he is trying to do but the fact is that we have a very inexperienced side and we are suffering our worst ever start to a Premiership campaign. However, we do have extensive and proven experience and quality just not being used:
SHAY GIVEN
STEPHEN IRELAND
CHARLES N'ZOGBIA
DARREN BENT
RICHARD DUNNE (injured but rumours of him being shipped out)
Even....
STEPHEN WARNOCK
ALAN HUTTON
This is my question. While Lambert is clearly trying to build a hungry young team, here we have seven experienced, proven, full internationals not being used. Again, to any outsider, this appears ludicrous. Really, in a dog-fight, is there any substitute for experience? Or has Lambert got it right?
Is Lambert utilising experience correctly?
posted on 28/10/12
All the players listed are high earners and have no long term future there as Villa are trying to live within their means now.
Is that's not why O'Neil left?.
posted on 28/10/12
No they're not all high earners, and if you put a bar on all high earners then you put a severe bar on your ambitions. The word is that Villa are happy with the current wage bill.
Ireland, Bent and N'zogbia need to play, if fit. I think if Lambert persists in a youth only policy then we're heading for trouble. Given, Dunne and Warnock I'd play if injuries mean we're short.
posted on 28/10/12
Lambert is an egotist! showed this with his dealing with Holt whilst at Norwich! He is a pup of a manager and will take you down! How you can have players like Bent and Nzogbia on the bench and choose to play £100k youngsters who "are ready" for the EPL defies logic and your results back this up! He fecked up at Livingston and he will feck you right up!!! He has a 10 year vision for you that involves going down 2 divisions and attempting to rebuild!!!
posted on 29/10/12
Why do you feel the need to keep saying EPL? I'm sure even you know which division we are talking about (unless it is to remind you, who knows) How many other aston villas are there?
posted on 29/10/12
I admire PL’s efforts to change things but I’m afraid it’s obvious that he has not got it right. He has experimented, but dropping the big names has not worked. It’s no criticism of PL – just part of the learning process.
More proven experience is absolutely essential, starting up front.
Darren Bent has got to start. You cannot leave a player of Bent’s proven quality on the bench. There’s a potential 20 goals a season striker that our rivals can only dream of having in their team. However, we all know that he needs some service. Whether that service comes from the wings or from someone playing alongside him, I don’t really mind. On paper, Bent and Benteke seem to have the makings of a decent partnership. Why not give them a run of games together?
Switch Gabby to the wing – he’s a real asset but he is not as prolific as Bent or Benteke. He is showing some real commitment and he has the ability to get in behind defenders to pull the ball across the box. He'd be a great outlet and he’s also scored a few cutting in from the side.
N’Zogbia is another must. Streets ahead of Bannan, Albrighton or any other option that we have tried out wide. We need players with his ability and experience. Our lack of creativity is so worrying, at the moment. I also think he provides more of a threat from dead ball situations.
So, IMO, give Bent and Benteke a few games up front together, with Gabby and Zog as wingers. The system worked with MON, let’s give it another go. If anything, we have better goal scorers now than we had under MON. They’ve got be given a real chance.
UTV
posted on 30/10/12
I know a lot of people on this forum are anxious about Villa's future and although it does concern me, I do feel with Lambert in charge we will make progress, but it will be slow.
I think he is a superb manager and certainly one of the best we've had in a long time. He is obviously investing in the future, especially with the number of young players he has brought in. Did anyone see MOTD2 on Sunday? At the end they showed a league table of where clubs would be if the match finished at half time. This table showed us in 5th.
Now I know our players should know how to play for the full 90 minutes, but having so many youngsters in our side with inexperience, means it is hard to maintain a consistent performance and lapses will happen, but they will learn...
While I like Lambert's approach, especially if we don't have that much cash, I do agree that we need to use more of our experienced players and get more of a balance with our youngsters.
I don't know what has happened to Darren Bent. I can only assume he is not trying hard enough in training and I guess we have to support the manager over this. Bent will be off in January and I'm sure Liverpool will put in a bid for him.
I still blame O'Neill a lot for the mess we are in (and Lerner to some degree, who gave him to much freedom with transfers and wages). O'Neill is an average manager who is suited to smaller clubs and getting the most out of average players. He hasn't exactly set the world a light at Sunderland yet has he?
Have faith. We will get there but it will be a rocky ride