I know I’ve previously said we shouldn’t set much stall by how we do in friendlies and this tournament doesn’t really mean a lot in the scheme of things, but it’s a trophy, isn’t it?
And it’s not like we win one every day, so it’s something worth shouting about, in my opinion.
The most encouraging thing is that we played pretty well in both games and quite a few players showed encouraging signs of promise for the upcoming season.
To add to the icing, Hogan got a couple, Green got his first, Samba did really well to score from the corner and hey, I’m feeling generous; even Gabby did well to dispossess a player and round the keeper for his goal.
The point is, this should work wonders for the players’ confidence after the setback against Shrewsbury.
The one single player that stood out for me was Bjarnasson.
He ran his guts out and even coped well when he was moved to right-back, after Richards went off injured.
If he carries that on, I might have to change my opinion of him.
Altogether now.
We won the cup, we won the cup…..
Well done lads and UTV!
Comments
43 responses to “Aston Villa win the Cup of Traditions”
Happy days!
We looked well in control of both games. And yes Gabby looked more interested and alert today than at any time for several seasons. Can’t comment on the strength of the oppos except to say if that 11 was representative of the team that finished 6th in the Bundesliga, it’s no wonder Bayern thrash teams every week.
We did however play two completely different sides with a fair sprinkling of kids and still managed two very competent performances – that should bode well as long as Bruce knows how to combine the best of both! Add Kodjia and Jedinak into the mix and …..-
OLL, I believe the German season doesn’t start until the end of August, so they’re probably at least a couple of weeks behind us in their pre-season.
But as I’ve said before, you can only beat what’s put in front of you.
Ultimately, 5 for and none against is at least encouraging, imo.
Suggestions that Nathan Baker may be moving on – not really sure about this – would prefer Richards to leave I think.
Now that would be a surprise, but I can understand why he might want to leave.
With Terry, Chester, and Samba probably ahead of him in the pecking order, it’s hard to see how he’ll get a game.
Unless we go five at the back, of course, which after today, I don’t think is the plan.
He could be backup LB though.
I’d be sorry if he did leave, as I like the “lay your body on the line” attitude he has and it’d be a bit short sighted of the club to let him leave, imo.
Could also be that we simply need the money though.
I think most fans would prefer Richards to leave over anyone else in the squad, fwiw.
Richards is playing the Villa, injury after injuries he’s not worth the problem he will give us, I’ve still got some niggling doubts on one or two players , but Bruce will iron it out I’m sure of that, nice to see strikers knocking balls into net, i had for a long time pride back and cannot wait till season starts. Bjarnason he looked on the mark today for me, so did Samba he has to watch climbing from the rear that might get free kicks close to goal but his abilities are worth more in defence.Well done lads.
Richards can jog on as for Baker thought he was improving until becoming injury prone, he’s had to leave the field quite a few occasions or he’s been injured in training I think he injured himself in a warm up last season aswell. Good luck 🍀 to him if he does choose to leave.
i thought we had some good performances. steer made a decent stop first game, it was top class. for a goalie the hard ones to save are the ones hard and low near your feet. not the ones were you need to dive across the goals,
jake hayes number 17 lol he was all over the place. he hardly miss placed anything. sorry but who needs veretout all the players did well. but the shape was good that’s good signs.
second game was more gritty. with the injury the team had to shuffle positions which makes this a very satisfying display. standout was samba he marshaled the defense.
i thought bruce would try the 352 but no signs of this formation. oh another thing of interest. was gabby and grealish was up front before the team shuffles. could this be a sign of grealish new position. as a second striker. or back to attacking midfielder. i do prefer him inside not wide
its looking good for the first game. they are looking fit and ready already
Nath, one thing that was noticeable in the first 10 mins of the first game (where I thought the oppo looked the better side) was how close the two banks of 4 played together when defending. Almost like an 8 man defence.
If that’s how we’re going to play, I don’t see the need for a 5, er, sorry, a 3 myself.
i thought the first opposition were a good team.on the ball but lesser without. they did a beautiful move which led to the save i mentioned. they had three players exchanging passes down the right. they cut through our defense very easy. its hard to stop a team that pass and move like they did for the opening part of the game. when your the defending team, the idea is to limit space. and try to get a foot hold which they did. i recall being concerned but we managed to weather the storm. it was their ground and their supporters so they were a good test for us
i thought baker was injured ?? if he wants to leave thats cool. for 3million and above. hes a decent defender. a proper defender. one you wouldn’t like to take on,either on the floor,cause he would just clean you out. or in the air his strength.
we sold clark last year 5million for another academy player. see how its good business to look after the academy. its our money tree providing we produce decent footballers. which we used to and still do looking at the latest batch
He’s injured at the moment Nath. Article in the Brum Mail suggesting Baker may look elsewhere in the Championship to get more game time. At 25, probably too old to consider another loan. Rather get rid Richards – waste of space.
totally agree with you there.
A couple of comments on earlier posts. Baker cannot be faulted for attitude and commitment, but he is slow. He is a big lad and at his age not going to get any faster, I am not sure he is worth a place in Championship contenders.
Grealish playing in the second striker role? As per Brian Little, Gary Shaw, Dean Saunders? I doubt he can physically withstand the punishment he will get playing there, and nor can I see our referees protecting him. Neither does he have an Andy Gray or Peter Withe as his ‘minder’ to deter any opponent from having a pop. I would like to see him have a go there – but I fear for his safety.
Couldn’t agree more with our need to use youth players. We have had the talent there for a while, we just haven’t had a manager willing to use it, and we’ve wasted years on players who might have been able to make it, but instead we shipped them on loans to conference sides and such instead of investing any time and effort into them. Like Siegrist for example, instead of training him properly, he was loaned to a conference side, wasn’t even used half the time in the youth side (instead others were used who were let go of) and we let him go, when it looked like he had potential.
I will say though, I’m shocked and quite happy we’re no longer looking at where a player is from and we’re scouting for our academy. As Wyness said, it doesn’t matter where you’re from, as long as you’re good enough.
Nothing wrong with loaning players to the National League. As a VP of a National League side I would say that, but I have seen it done properly. It benefits players who are 19-20 but still a bit boyish. If you put them in the first team at VP they are in the goldfish bowl, and any mistakes makes the crowd restless, they mark his card. The player gets nervous that everyone out there is a bit better than him.
Whereas at a National league side the loanee is expected to be a bit classy, he will think he should be better than most others on the pitch. The manager will tell him to strut his stuff and not to worry about mistakes. Sutton had Adam May from Portsmouth last season. He went from their youth side to playing against Arsenal on live TV. You could not buy that. Now he is in the Portsmouth first team and he will go further, he will make the Championship at least.
I can almost understand that (wasn’t Portsmouth a League 2/Division 4 side when they loaned him out? But I don’t think we should be looking to loan players to non-league sides, that’s what Division 3 and at worst Division 4 sides are for. What player have we loaned to a non league side has actually grown as a player that was rated somewhat highly? Siegrist? No. Sellers? No. Pretty sure Perish went there as well, no. Caldwell was down there at one point, no. If we can’t get them adequate time at 19-20 at a decent standard, then we should be keeping them and giving them a cup run. There’s plenty of small sides we could actually talk to in order to loan them out and we don’t, and we’ve largely missed the loan out market. Hopefully that quickly changes.
I’m really not convinced here.
I was going to go into depth about how this is so wrong, but it’s getting far too late for me now and I suspect it might make for a really good topic/post if I get time tomorrow.
I know, you’ve always been against our youth and claim how bad they really are.
Just finished watching the games after a weekend away. Very pleased with both teams and performances!
JT….only been with us for 3 weeks and we have a cup in the bag. Born winner!
I would like to keep Baker if at all possible. Think we will need 4 experienced CBs for a gruelling championship season! I love players like Baker. His ‘never say die attitude’ is invaluable. Its a real shame that he appears to be one of those ‘unlucky’ players in terms of injuries. But he is more than good enough for this league IMO. if he does leave I wish him the very best for the future. Baker, along with Hutton have been the 2 players for me who have give their ‘all’ throughout our recent decline!
UTV#part of the pride
Langford I’m pleased with what I’ve seen, good up and coming youngsters ,Samba, Bjarnnason, Green , Hayes, Taylor, what more and Hogan knocking in two. Utv.
Off this week on holiday, not going far only to Scandinavia and Russia, will miss two games.
Have a great holiday Bill
Have a great time Bill, get the vodka down yer mate . UTV
Bill….have a great holiday mate and do a bit of scouting whilst your there….not too much vodka and don’t nab yourself a Russian bride 🙂
UTV#part of the pride
Yes Bill, enjoy.
Do svidanya
bol’ shore spasibe, Badger.
spasibo, bloody predicted text.
Anyone know if tonight’s rearranged friendly is being screened on utube?
Think so 6pm
Tonight’s games been cancelled waterlogged pitch plus veretout having his medical in Florence UTV
Thanks Giddy
Confirmed Veretout has signed for Fiorentina – didn’t see what fee is involved. Perhaps that frees up a few quid.
Good f****** riddance. Worst attitude I’ve seen of any Villa player in 30 years of supporting. Achieved exactly what and treated us like a dump?
CNZ takes some beating
Indeed he did. But I think this young lad has him beat unfortunately. What is it about us that brings out the worst in players like this? I don’t see any other top clubs who pay top dollar for less than perfect players having the same luck as us.
Did get the impression he didn’t want to be at VP from day 1
£6m apparently
January Transfer Window
I wonder if monies now received from Vertout and soon to be other ex Villa players will be used for a Winter war chest?
SB has added experienced quality for very little. We assume this is due to the FFP requirements. If things are looking good in January for promotion will this accumulated fund be used to buy a premier standard player, allowing him to settle into the club and hit the ground for the following season. I assume if we do get promoted a number of the current squad will be sold as not being of premier quality.
Interesting point Sid and you may well be right
indeed a good point, but i’m not sure who we’d be able to buy at these mad prem prices.
Sigurdsson is a very decent player, but it’s been hinted that Swansea want £50 mill for him!
This more than anything, shows how badly relegation has cost us, imo.
Its silly bollox all round for prem players. Should we get promoted its going to take a season of funding from tony before any TV money will roll in.
I’m sure he’d be willing once promoted, maybe even in January. Next summer rightly so, but mid-season when everything can still go tits up…. is this a risk they would / should take?