Well, this is all we needed isn’t it?
I’ve just heard the news that Christian Benteke suffered a torn Achilles heel in training, which could leave him out of the game for up to six months.
Obviously that means he won’t play again this season and probably worse from a personal point of view for him, means he won’t make the World Cup either.
The selfish part of me thinks that it will probably mean any move in the summer will also be off, meaning we get to keep him for another season.
Mind you, we bought Downing with a major injury, so you never know.
No doubt some of you will probably thinking it’s not that much of a loss as he hasn’t exactly been on fire recently, but he’d always be the first name on my teamsheet, as he’s by far our highest threat.
Hence I think he’s a major loss.
It’ll be interesting to see how Lambert attempts to get round this.
Could he actually put Gabby in the middle again, so we use him in his best position?
I’ll leave that part down to the tacticians to possibly answer.
Robinson, Burke, Helenius – Start those three up top and put Gabby and Weimann on the bench please Lambert! – Benteke is a big loss, we have little to no threat with gabby and Andy so surely we have to see now if the youth can step up. If Holt starts which im 99% sure he will then AVFC is becoming more of a farce than I originally thought.
Looks like Gabby’s out with a sickness bug anyway, this isn’t looking clever.
£200k raised for acorns at the Stoke game fantastic news and makes me very proud to be a Villa fan
Yes that does make you proud to be a fan.
interesting news faulkner has joined fa board of directors and the club are advertising for a market exec.
Does that mean he’s fucking off then mate? 😀
not sure its on the VP OS. Sounds like he will be with us still unfortunately but in a reduced capacity
‘in a reduced capacity’whats that then mate?you actually mean he’s lost some weight?wow
Lol
Ooha no preview for the fulham game mate? 🙁
This is great news for Lambert. He has got all the excuses he wants now til the end of the season.
And just when Gabby needs to step up he feels a bit poorly. Typical
Not only that with us not being able to sell benteke we can’t rebuild. Bertrand is out the question thou not bothered as not sure about him. Then with the £10 mill or so he gets from Lerner at £5-8 me will be spent on a decent striker. Leaving lambert the perfect excuse not having enough money to strengthen midfield. At least benteke will be back for Xmas to help us out of bottom 3 bit like what bent did only this is effectively free
no Oohah your forgetting this is Faulkner and Lerner, they will pay over the odds to get him repaired from his injury, just in time for the January window !!
true one things for certain anyone who buys a st to watch a repeat of our last 2 seasons at home needs certifying as insane. Im saving my money and going to away matches instead next season as football is at least more entertaining and Im supporting the team rather than lerner
20m*… If he can get 20m for the last 2 years, it won’t drop. 😉
It would be nice to see Lambert try something different rather than just play Holt. I guess the obvious point is that Holt was brought in to provide experienced cover for Kozak. It is the simple solution and no one could accuse Lambert of being imaginative or experimental in his approach to these matters. I must be getting old but something in the back of mind tells me that Lambert was forced through injury and suspension to change the shape of the team last year, and it seemed to coincide with a change in Villa’s performances and results. Am I imagining that?
Trying to find a bright spot in a depressing season that has just got even worse, maybe the same might happen if he brings in Helenius and Robinson for Benteke and Gabby for example.
Holt can’t play tomorrow as he has an extra shift down the building site, hod carrying and its time and a half so can’t turn it down
Last year when villa were playing well (after Feb) we had a centrel midfield trio of Sylla, Westwood and Delph. Sylla hasn’t had a run in the team this season. 20mins here and there doesn’t count.
Bacuna and Luna are more suited in wing back roles and 3 centre backs. Not a flat back 4.
This doesn’t matter one iota for Villa. Because of the rare decent performance and fluke win means we’re safe. Lerner is happy raking in the TV money. Shame for Christian, was looking forward to watching him in the World Cup. If he’d have performed well we’d have got a fortune for him!!!
Giddy, we don’t know if there’s going to be a preview or not.
We thought Adam moving to Oz might prove to be a problem, but bearing in mind the time difference, there’s still plenty of time for him to write one.
If not, I’d be expecting Oohah to step up to the plate (hint, hint).
I’m working again, just for a change and will be planning some way of streaming the game on the sly 😉
Those hoping for kids, no chance whatsoever, imo.
Lambert doesn’t have the balls.
Holt the hod will definitely play a part as much as is possible.
Which means we’ll probably sit back and try and counter the mighty Fulham at home, with the excuse that we were attacking really.
God, I hope I’m wrong on that, but if it happens, that’d probably be reason itself to call for Lambert’s head.
Yeah, nothing’s changing. No Gabby, No Benteke turns to Albrighton and Holt. Despite Albrighton not being a LW’er, he could be played there, or Weimann simply moves over. Tonev could also play as a LW’er. I mean, forgetting the fact we still have a 22 year old reserve player named Stieber who is a left sided midfielder/winger that should be played… But no point trying him despite Lambert claiming we’re pretty much safe, don’t need 40 points, etc etc.
I think we are all but safe now Andrew would have to be a very unlikely combination of results to send us down. Dosnt really matter about any game from now on so we may as well try a few new combinations try a few youngsters basically it’s our preseason come early.
Will you give over, ffs, Oohah?
While we’re 12th in the league, we still only have a poxy 34 points.
And while I tend to agree with what you’re saying, this is the Villa, where nothing can be taken for granted.
You’re right, I also agree we’re basically safe, but we’re not going to try and change it up. That would take some kind of intelligence for that too happen.
Lol so true. Honestly can’t see us losing though at worst it will be a draw
Probably not, sad thing is if Holt starts missing as incredibly easy chances as Benteke was constantly missing, fans will want his head.
But I can’t see Villa losing either. Of course out played, out shot, but a counter attacking winner is what I expect from someone. Or a free kick.