After the humiliating defeat to Liverpool over the weekend, Remi Garde has hinted that he would select a starting 11 of players that actually want to be on the pitch. But is that even possible? Villa have a lot of injuries, Agbonlahor remains Villa’s only fit/available forward. So what does leave Garde? Well the youth academy is a good starting place, in the past the likes of Bannan, Albrighton, Lichaj, Grealish, Agbonlahor and Barry all came through the academy and all put in a good shift. But recently, this doesn’t seem to be happening. Jordan Lyden is the only Villa youth player that has been consistently on the bench, and even starting a few cup games. If there is anyone who should be given a chance, it’s Lyden.
Guzan could be brought back in, Bunn did ok for the first few games, but it was clear all along that he doesn’t have the ability to be a Premier League keeper. The defence could get a shake up, with Hutton coming back into right-back, Clark and Okore could try and re-capture their great defensive partnership again, and Cissokho should retain left-back because let’s face it, Richardson shouldn’t be playing there.
The midfield needs a shake up Bacuna has been poor, really poor recently. And I feel as though only Veretout and Gueye should stay in midfield and should be joined by Lyden. Agbonlahor would lead the attack, with Sinclair/Grealish and Gil supporting Agbonlahor. Ideally, I’d like to see Traore back and in the first team, since he has a drive and can make an impact. But it’s unknown when Traore will be match fit again.
In short, Garde wants to change the team up, but I’m afraid that this is difficult to achieve. I do feel for Garde, he has tried his best, but the board weren’t behind him in January and he is contemplating his position at the club, whether or not this is the best news for Villa remains to be seen.
Do we have Donacien still around or is he on loan? He’s a good powerful centre half who can play alongside Clark. Okores positioning and defending of set pieces and crosses is shocking. He only ever gets praises for last ditch tackles that he himself helped create in the first place! (ie it was his mistake which needed rectifying)
Aside from that I’d probably agree with that lineup. Such a shame we sent Callum Robinson out on loan too. He’s doing well recently and has been in good form. Gardner another doing well – in the TOTE recently as well not too long ago.
On the flip side, it’s preparing these players for life in the Championship. I’d rather blood them here and now than in 6 months when all these journeymen bugger off elsewhere as they think they’re too good for tier 2 of English football!
*TOTW
Losing Ayew for three games has been a massive blow. He owes Garde and the fans big time but needs to keep his cool. He will be back for the home game with Everton I think.
‘Fraid I know little about U21’s and academy players but I agree Clark needs another go alongside Okore (although I think Okore needs to get real about his own ability). In keeper terms, what about Jed Steer – I thought when we got him he was a highly rated young keeper? Bunn or Guzan, neither are prem quality.
Lads like sellars, abdo, Hepburn-Murphy, kinsella, lyden should 100% get game time now no excuses playing the same shit week in week out anymore. Get Gardner back if we can. Donacien he’s on loan get him back.. play that young keeper we got from anderlecht. Guaranteed to put in a better performance every week.
Callum Robinson who’s been mentioned, get him back in the team too. Andre green, Sherwood said he looked good. Easah sulliman. Let’s see what these kids can do. May just build a team that can gel and be the basis of a team to get us back up! Personally I don’t think Garde has got the balls to make big changes.
What about Sarkic in goal? More or less the same age as Curtois was when he played in Genk’s first team.
Definitely couldn’t do any worse
Agree with the sentiments here, honestly the one that puzzles me is Gardner? Great season with forest last year, doing the business again for them this season. Yes he got injured in pre season, but what can Westwood, Richardson or bacuna provide that Gardner can’t?
He still isn’t the finished article either at 23/24 he has missed out on 2/3 seasons cumulative through injury. It’s been clear for some time bacuna, Westwood Richardson are not going to improve
As for the others, I understand the reluctance to throw them into a relegation struggle till now.
But let’s face it, nothing to lose at this point and if they are carefully managed and coached along those lines ( i.e. This is not your mess, you can’t let us down, use this chance to show what you have got and improve yourself& learn)
We unearth some talent, but at the least re-instill some passion and commitment into the team.
The disinterested and jaded seniors and experienced players have not been good enough
Colonius81, That beyond a doubt been a mystery on Gardener, a player ok injuries more than some is not featured in Villas plans, and yet far better as a midfield player, been talking in my sports club today , what’s gone on is rediculase to say the least, we as a forum know things are wrong in Villa. So why is it a closed shop on telling us the fans what they are prepared to do about mistakes they have made, its got to a stage that we don’t matter just pay your money.
i think team selection come stoke and after, should have the championship in mind. blooding the some youth is the only way forwards. you have guys like bacuna or lyden, we know what bacuna offers, miss placed passes, shoots over bar from 5 yards out. or hits first defender on corners. he isnt alone they are all crap. lets pick players like lyden. they will offer 100% effort. they will not lack in ability compared to what we have seen, over the season by the likes of bacuna.
hopefully garde and his coaches will be assessing the youth options, during the free weekend off. quicker we can pick 11 players, that are taking team tactics to the field and not just dreaming of counting their millions and bending the misses over the bonet of their new motor.
Everyone knows we are rotten to the core and so does the youth players. It doesn’t matter what 11 is on the field ,as long as there are assholes running our club nothing will change. In my opinion those players on loan are better of away from Villa.
Read in the papers today that some teams have gone away for warm weather training during the FAC break for those already out, but Garde has decided against this for our lot. Fair play to him they don’t deserve a weekend at Pontins after that performance on Saturday.
To blood some of youngsters would be good but not wholesale changes as this could has a damaging effect on them if we get another beating. Dropping some of the seniors would not make much difference as they do not care anyway CNZ being a prime example of a player that is happy to fleece the club and not even pull on a shirt.
I see Lambert is jumping on the band waggon.
if he had it so bad and wanted out why sign a new contract at the start of last season.
he has contributed to this fiasco with his negative doom and gloom approach. tossed.
also I agree with everything collymore is saying about the club at the moment. its just a shame that as a villa player he put less effort in than bacuna. his signing started another of our declines.
er
I find Garde’s comment really worrying.
There’s a couple of issues that cross my mind.
First is who are the players who want to be on the pitch?
I’d imagine pretty much all of them don’t want to be at the minute.
And what exactly does Garde mean anyway?
Are we talking about players who just aren’t interested?
Who do we think they might be?
And it’s no use just listing the ones who haven’t performed, as Hutton’s effort can’t be faulted, even if he has been poor, for example.
I’d say Richards is up for it, as much as many people don’t like him.
Lescott, I don’t know.
Bacuna certainly didn’t look interested on Sunday.
Gabby started brightly, but I’m not convinced about him at all and I suspect he’s a major problem. So if he’s not going to get a game, who plays instead?
The other point is, surely Garde is already picking what he sees as the best available players?
It’s not just about ability, but mentality/attitude too, surely?
Isn’t this what any manager does, day in, day out?
And if Garde hasn’t been doing that already, it begs the question why not?
There’s also the point that perhaps Garde just doesn’t think the kids are good enough?
Let’s face it, it seems Ginge and Lambert thought the same.
And as much as many of us say we don’t think they could be any worse, would we really be happy to see an Aston Villa side getting an absolute tonking week in, week out until the end of the season?
It’ll be interesting to see who does and doesn’t play in the next game.
garde hasn’t got a lot to pick from. they say blood the kids in a decent team not throw them to the wolves in a team full of losers. this just destroys their confidence.
we are down I say let the players who got us in to this position see it through and face the music. in the summer get rid and build again with players who want to do well for AV not send us pictures of their new cars.
That’s the other side of the coin Steve.
What’s to be gained in playing players who just don’t want to know?
We’d probably do better putting them all on gardening leave or something.
At least we’d straight out know who they are then, as would any other club who might be interested.
But it’d mess any re-sale value up and seeing as the board are only interested in money, that isn’t going to happen, is it?
our crap players (most of them) will see out their new contracts handed out last year. another drain on the club for years to come. it feels like this will never end.
Badger, it really begs the question whether the atmosphere within Villa is so bad that it’s draining the will from staff and players alike. From personal experience I know what it’s like working in a poor atmosphere where you feel the bosses couldn’t care a toss. We used have a saying ‘never be late twice in the same day’ so we went home early! That’s what it feels like at Villa and I think Lambert, Garde, Collymore et al are hinting at it.
If it is that bad then frankly you could play the cleaner and it would make not a jot of difference.
It’s not going to change until Lerner and his hired lackeys go.
Hitch, I’ve worked in some depressing places, but never one quite that bad.
If that’s how it is, god help us.
It was my one and only experience in the public sector – wanted to develop Brian knowledge if all sectors, good money, good education – awful place to work. No ambition, no drive, just do as little as possible to ensure job protection! Was in 70’s – wonder if it’s changed? 🙂
LOL broad not ‘Brain’ – I wasn’t a surgeon 🙂
my team for stoke 433
hulk
Thor ironman jackbauer spiderman
hongkongphuey invisibleman captainkirk
batman superman spartacus
Are you mad?
spiderman’s useless at LB!
🙂
How about the Expendables with Jet Li in goal and Chuck Norris as CM throw in Stallone et al and no one would even play us!
Whose Spartacus……..I am Spartacus……..I am Spartacus……………I am Spartacus……… .I am Spartacus…………. I am Spartacus…
always look on the bright side of life.
whistle
always look on the bright side of life
whistle
Being honest though does anyone really think that Garde is the man to get us out of the Championship? I doubt any fan does, which probably means Fox and co. will give him a shot!!
Garde has probably been lied to when he took the job, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he bid us all adieu at the end of the season. Not sure if he’s the manager for a scrap either and that’s what next season will be.
That being the case why not get a Championship manager in now? Someone young who wants to make a name.
I’m still looking at Gary Rowett. Young, ambitious and a Villa fan.
Unfortunately the main obstacles to that will probably be Lerner, Fox, Hollis, Almstadt and O’Reilly – also know as the Hateful Five. 🙁
Problem is Pat – we don’t really know the answer to that question. Garde has been delivered the ultimate in hospital passes and he hasn’t even been given any money. He’s had to work with a small squad with players of dubious ability and many with little experience of the prem – all in a toxic atmosphere.
It’s more a question of whether he really wants to continue in those circumstances given the apparently high regard with which he’s held in France.
If I were Garde, I would leave and let the Vila hierarchy have it with all barrels and I, for one, would wish him well.
I am with the “blood the Kids” camp. We are down now so they are not carrying any false hopes. The crowd will be supportive of effort, and tolerant of inexperience. They have generally been playing together so they will have that band of brothers attitude to it. They won’t have the stage fright which can affect the one youngster making his debut in the Senior team.
Then there is the task of getting the fans back on side and giving them something to look forward to. I do not want to watch any of the players on the field last Saturday – ever again in our colours. I am sure a lot of the ST holders feel the same. Oddly enough Traore, Amavi and Sanchez all injured, are players I exempt from my s**t list so if he keeps those next season Garde will have done the right thing.
From the manager’s standpoint he will have sacked most of the squad. Including some recent buys – which sends a clear message to Fox and Hollis that Riley and Amstadt had better be put out with the washing or Garde will go instead.
Garde is a football person, so was Sherwood for that matter, they have both played at the top level and managed elsewhere. Somehow at Villa people who have demonstrated their lack of footballing nous are holding key jobs and making idiotic choices. They have to go so slinging out their imports is the best way of getting that across.
Agree 100% there. Like I said above, there’s no harm getting the youngsters in and like it was mentioned before, we may uncover some gems that we weren’t previously aware of. Recall some players – Robinson in particular if possible.
I’d go for this team:
Sarkic
Richards Donacien Clark Cissokho
Gueye Lyden
Robinson Gil Green
Ayew (Sellars until Ayews suspension ends)
Subs:
Steer, Suliman, Cowans, Calder, Hepburn-Murphy, Veretout, Sanchez
Yes lots of youth but is there really anything to lose now?
As for the Summer, I don’t echo some fans views that they’d hate Garde for leaving. I honestly wouldn’t blame him. We’d do the same in our jobs at work if we weren’t given the tools to do it properly and the bosses didn’t give a shit other than saving money.
As for who would do the job? Honestly think Pearson is a good shout, get him in with Craig Shakespeare as his assistant from Leicester, the two go way back and work well. Pearson has had success with back to back promotions and with a team of nobody’s and isn’t scared to rip things up if needed. Would our chairman employ a personality like this though? Probably not, we’ll end up with another yes man as they won’t be happy with the subtle hints Garde has said recently.
OLL, AVFC JAY – both excellent posts with which I wholeheartedly agree. Isn’t Hollis’ job to get rid of those responsible for the debacle at Villa? We shall see.
Basically we’ve nothing to lose now we have 12 pre season friendlies effectively. We are a 99.99 per cent down so means nothing jf we lose every game this season whether we finish in 16 points or 30 it’s irrelevant we still go down.
whats up Oohah? Emmerdale on.
Playing a team full of kids is not the solution – they will lose heavily and it will damage their confidence – there is a very good reason why it doesn’t happen. Bringing 2 or 3 that are the most ready is worth a shot though – so i would be happy to see Lyden, Murphy, Donacien getting game time. If possible, might be worth getting Gary Gardner back as he could be useful in the championship.
On a side note, I see Lescott is arguing with and goading fans online now. Add in thethe post match tweeting debacle, I believe he shouldn’t play for us ever again. For an “experienced” player, his behaviour has been farcical
He also has the cheek to call himself a VILLA fan bollox he’s got bluenose written all over him.
No, I think you’re wrong Giddy. I think Lescott is genuinely a Villa fan and is now desperately embarrassed by both his performance and his Tweetgate! But it’s funny how that can take you – rather than just saying sorry you become ultra defensive then aggressive as a way of protecting yourself.
In certainly wouldn’t play him next game but I wouldn’t condem him either. There are plenty in the team worthy of that before we get to Lescott.
For the specific reasons I posted above I don’t think the youngsters would have their confidence damaged, though I agree that might happen when their were expectations of instant results.
As for a new manager. I just wonder about a Norwich & Bournemouth job – in this case our raid on Peterborough. As a part-time cherries fan I remember the good side they had when Villa were in Div 3. At the end of the season John Bond left the manager’s job for Norwich and took all Bournemouth’s good players with him. Peterborough’s young and talented team and coaching staff have impressed me. They could do a job in the Championship and we could probably afford to bring in the whole lot.
Sorry hitch that tweet spoke volumes to me he was taking the piss big style just a simple apology to the fans instead of his flashy motor would of been enough maybe your more forgiving.
Not more forgiving Giddy – just had a few problems myself; maybe having been there makes me stand back and try and see all sides. Having said that I fully understand your point – it was completely crass
Memo to Hollis and co… Go read the comments made by Stephen Thompson, Dundee Utd chairman. You might learn something about honesty humility communication and responsibility.
Oh yes, then bugger off the lot of you.
Superb piece in the Standard today on Lescott…Best thing I’ve read un ages…F**k you Joleon!!!! And the rest of the overpaid tossers…
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/dan-jones-lescott-looked-in-his-pockets-for-an-excuse-and-came-up-empty-a3182586.html