Would ANY Aston Villa player get in our team?

[RedRob]

How the hell has Villas manager Paul Lambert, kept his job they are shocking to watch!!! absolutly no idea whatsoever.....they will be playing Championship football next season unless they do something positive................exactly what at this stage of the season, I don't really know!

So true, so true.....is PL blackmailing the villa board, or something?

 

[saafend_seagull]

Went to villa v Norwich earlier in the season.

Worst prem side I've EVER seen.

Guzan, benteke (top 4 player), gabby, wiemann are decent. Rest are complete shit and won't make top 6 in champ as BUSTO and won't raise many funds from selling their current crop of shite.

Benteke to spurs for about £15m that will be all.

 

[Marxo]

Obviously there's one who would fit in: Albrighton.

 

[davey]

f*** me how deluded are you? Quite a few of them would get into our team, Delph was class tonight weimann and Benteke are obvious... Agbonlahor and vlaar

 

[beorhthelm]

most of that squad is pretty decent individually, just they've been allowed to get too comfortable, team has drifted a couple of season and Lambert has killed off any grit as far as i can see. the handling of Bent earlier in the season when they couldnt buy a goal was comical.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

most of that squad is pretty decent individually, just they've been allowed to get too comfortable, team has drifted a couple of season and Lambert has killed off any grit as far as i can see. the handling of Bent earlier in the season when they couldnt buy a goal was comical.

Totally disagree. There are a couple of decent players in there, but only Benteke is the sort of player I would say is really good enough for a top 10 push. If you're happy just trying to stay up, then most of the Villa squad are "ok". But by Premier League standards that is a really poor team. As proven by Bradford, a middling league 2 team.

 

[genre b. good]

Delph is a good shout. Weimann is hilariously overrated.

I watch a lot of Villa (and Brighton obviously) and you are wrong, on both accounts - Delph has generally been poor since he signed for Villa and is a bit of a liability, he wouldn't fit in with the Poyet style of play either; Weimann on the other hand is absolute quality, works so hard and movement is brilliant plus he can properly finish.

In terms of direct comparisons with the most like to like players I'd say Villa come out quite a way ahead, admittedly they have been poor this season and some of my opinions are based on previous seasons (Bannan particularly), but still...

Agbonlahor is a better version of CMS, Clark is a better version of Dunk, Benteke is a much better version of Ulloa, N'Zogbia is better than LuaLua, Bent is better than Hoskins, Vlaar is better than El-Abd/Upson/Greer, Guzan is at least as good as Kuszczak, Lowton is maybe a bit better than Bruno, Bannan is better than Orlandi, Weimann is better than Barnes...

Westwood would fit in well at Brighton and so would Clark. Clark is almost exactly the player Brighton need, a proper defender who has genuine quality on the ball (look at his centre midfield performance against Arsenal a few seasons ago) and would help cohere the defence/midfield.

Looking at it the other way - Bridge would definitely improve Villa, Bridcutt too, and probably Vicente but no-one else.

 

[beorhthelm]

...If you're happy just trying to stay up, then most of the Villa squad are "ok". But by Premier League standards that is a really poor team.

so pretty much what i've said, ok players, poor as a team. often the sum is not as great as the parts, sometimes its greater. thats were a good manager really makes the difference and they've had a couple of poor ones.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I watch a lot of Villa (and Brighton obviously) and you are wrong, on both accounts - Delph has generally been poor since he signed for Villa and is a bit of a liability, he wouldn't fit in with the Poyet style of play either; Weimann on the other hand is absolute quality, works so hard and movement is brilliant plus he can properly finish.

In terms of direct comparisons with the most like to like players I'd say Villa come out quite a way ahead, admittedly they have been poor this season and some of my opinions are based on previous seasons (Bannan particularly), but still...

Agbonlahor is a better version of CMS, Clark is a better version of Dunk, Benteke is a much better version of Ulloa, N'Zogbia is better than LuaLua, Bent is better than Hoskins, Vlaar is better than El-Abd/Upson/Greer, Guzan is at least as good as Kuszczak, Lowton is maybe a bit better than Bruno, Bannan is better than Orlandi, Weimann is better than Barnes...

Westwood would fit in well at Brighton and so would Clark. Clark is almost exactly the player Brighton need, a proper defender who has genuine quality on the ball (look at his centre midfield performance against Arsenal a few seasons ago) and would help cohere the defence/midfield.

Looking at it the other way - Bridge would definitely improve Villa, Bridcutt too, and probably Vicente but no-one else.

Very reasonable reply. I can't even begin to agree though. Admittedly, I rely on MOTD and live games to form opinions but I seriously don't look at that Villa team and think we'd have any trouble playing against teams of that level right now. The way we control the game is completely in contrast to their chaos run around a bit style.

But all fans probably feel the same about their players. Is there much of a difference between bottom end Premier League and top end Championship? Honestly, I think the only difference is perception.

 

[genre b. good]

Totally disagree. There are a couple of decent players in there, but only Benteke is the sort of player I would say is really good enough for a top 10 push. If you're happy just trying to stay up, then most of the Villa squad are "ok". But by Premier League standards that is a really poor team. As proven by Bradford, a middling league 2 team.

Bradford proves nothing, the cup is completely different to the league - did they also prove that Arsenal have a really poor team?

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Bradford proves nothing, the cup is completely different to the league - did they also prove that Arsenal have a really poor team?

Yes. And that Swansea are world beaters.

But it fit my "Villa are cack" argument so I ran with it. There were clear flaws, but it's reasonable supporting evidence for my point of view.

 

[genre b. good]

Very reasonable reply. I can't even begin to agree though. Admittedly, I rely on MOTD and live games to form opinions but I seriously don't look at that Villa team and think we'd have any trouble playing against teams of that level right now. The way we control the game is completely in contrast to their chaos run around a bit style.

But all fans probably feel the same about their players. Is there much of a difference between bottom end Premier League and top end Championship? Honestly, I think the only difference is perception.

Oh no, you are right - in terms of individual quality and stuff* (including fitness, pace, etc), I would maintain that Villa slightly edge Brighton man-to-man, but yes, in terms of current playing style and mentality then I would expect Brighton to do pretty well against the likes of Villa and Brighton certainly don't lack quality.

*for example, Bruno generally doesn't track back after running down the wing and this would be punished more often in the Premiership. Lowton on the other hand plays pretty far up the field but then sprints back. It is stuff like this which gets exposed by the likes of Tevez (like Baker's slip tonight) but maybe doesn't by the likes of Emnes which makes a direct comparison of league form difficult.

 

[JOLovegrove]

Both Bent and Benteke would easily get in the squad, especially the Belgian. Full of energy, runs around a lot, creates night mares for the defense, isn't Scottish and hasn't got a double barreled surname. And most importantly, can score. Would take him any day of the week.

 

[The Wizard]

What on earth has happened to Villa? A few years ago they had a quality side challenging the top 4, woeful now.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

I watch a lot of Villa (and Brighton obviously) and you are wrong, on both accounts - Delph has generally been poor since he signed for Villa and is a bit of a liability, he wouldn't fit in with the Poyet style of play either; Weimann on the other hand is absolute quality, works so hard and movement is brilliant plus he can properly finish.

In terms of direct comparisons with the most like to like players I'd say Villa come out quite a way ahead, admittedly they have been poor this season and some of my opinions are based on previous seasons (Bannan particularly), but still...

Agbonlahor is a better version of CMS, Clark is a better version of Dunk, Benteke is a much better version of Ulloa, N'Zogbia is better than LuaLua, Bent is better than Hoskins, Vlaar is better than El-Abd/Upson/Greer, Guzan is at least as good as Kuszczak, Lowton is maybe a bit better than Bruno, Bannan is better than Orlandi, Weimann is better than Barnes...

Westwood would fit in well at Brighton and so would Clark. Clark is almost exactly the player Brighton need, a proper defender who has genuine quality on the ball (look at his centre midfield performance against Arsenal a few seasons ago) and would help cohere the defence/midfield.

Looking at it the other way - Bridge would definitely improve Villa, Bridcutt too, and probably Vicente but no-one else.

Great reply. A lot of (non Brighton) fans rate CMS very highly just because of what they hear, without actually watching him play. I'm sure that's what's happening here with the Villa side. People watching MOTD and the odd game and say "Delph is good", "Weimann is shit" with little to back it up. Your reply puts this into perspective.

 

[tomfitz12]

darren bent would get in any day

 

[Weststander]

I'd take Ciaran Clark any day.

Is that the brilliant player who passed to ManC for the winner?

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Oh no, you are right - in terms of individual quality and stuff* (including fitness, pace, etc), I would maintain that Villa slightly edge Brighton man-to-man, but yes, in terms of current playing style and mentality then I would expect Brighton to do pretty well against the likes of Villa and Brighton certainly don't lack quality.

*for example, Bruno generally doesn't track back after running down the wing and this would be punished more often in the Premiership. Lowton on the other hand plays pretty far up the field but then sprints back. It is stuff like this which gets exposed by the likes of Tevez (like Baker's slip tonight) but maybe doesn't by the likes of Emnes which makes a direct comparison of league form difficult.

I just don't agree that they are better man to man, but admittedly I am a littled biased. I honestly think we'd give any team in the Premier League a game. I'm not saying I think we'd win it, clearly not. But I think we'd made a better fist of it than teams like Wigan who preach "good football" every year and who are always reliant on a ridiculous run of form at the end of the season. The Wigan story is more unbelievable than that of Harchester United!

Both Bent and Benteke would easily get in the squad, especially the Belgian. Full of energy, runs around a lot, creates night mares for the defense, isn't Scottish and hasn't got a double barreled surname. And most importantly, can score. Would take him any day of the week.

I didn't mean to include Bent as he wasn't playing.

As for Benteke, I think the Premier League has its new Emile Heskey. Full of energy, strong as an ox, works hard and troubles everyone in sight. Heskey plundered 20 goals one season for Liverpool and was regularly scoring for Leicester at Benteke's age. For me, he is a perfect Football Manager regeneration!

darren bent would get in any day

Would we really want him though? Utter mercenary and a bloke who really couldn't care less. Fantastic player when fit and on form, but...