It’s been another two months and I have decided to do another top 5 flops of the last two months. In my opinion the whole club flopped the past two months, not only have we failed to win a single game. But we are dead stone last. Perhaps some of these players are to blame for our poor performances? Or should we be looking at the bigger picture.
1. Jack Grealish
Despite playing 374 minutes of football and making 6 appearances these past two months, Grealish has been woeful, a complete shadow of him former self. Grealish failed to score or provide a single assist, but on top of that, he was simply poor. Often invisible in most games and didn’t really provide Villa with much attacking threat even when he did have the ball. Towards October, Grealish lost his spot all together to Sinclair, but that was largely due to his party lifestyle. Perhaps his banishment to the U21 squad sums up Grealish’s last two months. In poor form, and when going out to release some stress, get in trouble for partying after a 4-0 defeat…
2. Rudy Gestede
Poor Gestede, went from a superb September to a miserable October and November. While Gestede’s form has gone out the window, Ayew’s has done the complete opposite. If only the pair could start firing for Villa… Gestede did make 8 appearances these past two month, but its worth to point out that most were substitute appearances (particularly in November). But for a striker to not score, or provide an assist in two months, is a bit weak. Speaking of weak, Gestede doesn’t really make himself a big physical presence in the opposition box. Many fans have started to label him a lamp post. Gestede’s Villa career has done a complete U-turn, from the ‘Rudy, Rudy, Rudy’ chants, to know being known as a lamp post. Still, there is time for Gestede to turn it around and perhaps he’d be able to do that if his teammates played more to his strength by wiping in more crosses into the box?
3. Kieran Richardson
Richardson played a lot of football this month, but not because he was simply Villa’s best option, no. Jordan Amavi is out for the rest of the season and so comes in Richardson. Does he step up? Unfortunately he is yet to. Richardson may have been a left-back for years, played in the League for as far as I can remember, but he gets beaten far too easily. Richardson doesn’t have the pace he quite had in the passed. The only saving grace for Richardson is that he was able to provide an assist so he has been effective when going forward. But he is going to have to work much harder and perform better, if he is to keep his spot at left-back, particularly since there is talk of Cissokho coming back from his loan spell.
4. Brad Guzan:
I’ll admit, Guzan has been improving, particularly under Garde. But you can’t ignore the fact that Guzan let in an absolute howler against Chelsea. I don’t think Guzan has been as solid as he has in the past, is it a confidence issue? Who knows, but Guzan is starting to get back to his old self, and it appears as though his slump of form largely occurred during Sherwoods era. Guzan has only been able to keep 1 clean sheet these past two months (3 in total) and I reckon could do better. Whenever the opposition have a chance of scoring, lately I feel less confident of Guzan making the save, and sometimes feel that Guzan should’ve done better with some strikes. Still Guzan has been in the club for some years and he can get back to his best.
5. Joleon Lescott
Perhaps a bit harsh, considering Lescott started December with a bang. But in the past two months, Lescott hasn’t been great. A bit sluggish, poor positioning and easy to take on. Lescott did lose his spot to Clark when Garde took charge so hopefully Lescott will be able to step up and help his boyhood club survive. Dropping Lescott might even do him some good, knowing that a mediocre performance will not be enough to keep his spot in the starting 11. Unlike his guaranteed spot under Tim Sherwood.
Westwoods got to be in it for sure yes all of the above,its more easier to name the flops than the good performers.we’re pretty SHITE from the back to the front.sad to say I’m afraid.
That’s a good call, I don’t know why I didn’t select Westwood
I think it’s because he didn’t actually play that much football in November compared to other midfield players. He has been dropped to the bench in recent games
Can you give me any player at Villa thats not a flop? Please.
We had a recent article here with top players where I suggested that the top two in that list, Richards and ayew have been the only standout players for the last few months. I still stand by that. I don’t think however, we have a poor team. Just a group of individuals who may finally have a manager who can get everyone together thinking forward as a team, I think we saw glimpses of this against Southampton and I think we’ll soon become quite difficult to beat (imo). We have a lot of underperfomers currently, calling them out as ‘flop of the month’ is a little unfair given the scale of things down the villa for the last few years (how long now?). We need confidence from all faucets around the club at the moment, from blogs to fans at the game, to the staff working with the players. Maybe I’m being harsh, I understand your post, I also understand the sentiments of Bill Pearson who questions all our players at the moment, I just feel it’s in poor taste to blame a team of individuals who have had exactly that mentality bred into them by poor management and and a poorly run club for what feels like an age now. The entire team are underperforming due to a unbelievably large scale lack of belief, calling them out and pointing fingers won’t go anywhere in the long run.
On the contrary, Westwood is the most overrated pile of shit footballer I’ve ever seen, how he sees first team footy in the PL is beyond belief.
Utv
That’s a good post C & B.
And I agree, there’s a lack of belief/confidence that runs through the club, from the top to the bottom.
But while we try to be optimistic, the site generally is pretty realistic too.
And you can see that most posters see things as they really are.
Does happy clapping help?
I don’t think it does, outside the ground on match personally.
As for Westwood, I totally fail to see it with him.
But managers keep picking him, which makes me wonder how much players are rated on the training ground as opposed to actual games.
Good point maybe Westwood puts a 100% effort into training which managers like to see
The biggest flop for me has to be Gestede, I’m afraid.
If you don’t give him service, you might as well be playing with 10 men.
And he’s utterly useless with his feet.
I’m beginning to think I’d rather have gabby and that’s saying something.
Benteke was crap unless he had service too what’s your point
The point is that if Benteke got the ball, he might at least hold it, make something for himself or at least create something.
Gestede has not once shown any sign of this, that I can remember.
I’m not even convinced he can kick the ball, from what I’ve seen.
Jeez, if you can’t see the gulf in quality……
Well, no, you probably can’t.
All I remember of Benteke was he was constantly offside and this handing initiative bk to opposition. He also had the first touch of an elephant
Sounds like bent if he doesn’t get the ball gift wrapped its as good as being a man down,as for shabby however you look at it we’d definitely be a man down.
I often now question training and coaching, you never hear a coach or member of his staff saked for poor results performed, what you get now is manager out staff out, surely as a manager you crack the whip on results going bad, Fergie stood firm at Man utd by demanding loyalty from tea lady to boardroom, all our shit comes from the top to the bottom, im getting more interest seeing what the crowds are and who is daft enough to have corporate box, I never thought Villa would end up being the whipping boys, I now look at team’s who are likely to help us by getting worse, frankly there’s none.
The whole club is rotten to the core, how can people ask or suggest we should be more positive, we have taken 5 years of complete shite….
We have battled relegation for years, then sold our best players and replaced them with unproven ones, because they are cheaper and these players were chosen through a spreadsheet…. We deserve to go down and be put out of our misery !
It’s partly the fans fault for buying season tickets and merchandise despite knowing how Lerner is treating the club. Fans should of protested and boycotted it until this joker sold. People like myself have said for years we are doomed under Lerner but most people can’t see the wood for the trees
Even worse is monk has been sacked so Swansea will improve when Moyes comes in there’s no way bk now surely
Weismann doing ok at Derby wish he was still here
That’s the chamionship maybe that standard suits him like a good number of our squad will become good players at that standard.
I think the majority or our players will struggle in Championship, due to the physicality and it may ruffle their hair… Also it will be everyones cup final playing the Villa…. I see us as a mid table championship side… Major worries ahead, but the club are putting out stupid videos of players giving each other presents….. You really could not make this site up !!
site = Shite
All there doing is trying to look all happy & festive when in reality it’s all Bollox,get me a big BUCKET.
3 goals and no assists in 18 games for a team near the top of the Championship and you want him back? Gestede has scored 3 in 15. My guess is you think he is crap!
He has only just started to become a regular most of his performances have been off the bench
The fact that Hutton and Clark didn’t even make the list speaks volumes.
Slightly off topic but I was wondering about the suitability of Traore playing upfront? If his whole unselectability is down to his refusing to track back, why not play him where he doesn’t need to? He’s strong enough, his pace is frightening, and when he’s on the wing he has less space to work in. Interchanging with Ayew, being fed by Gil, could be interesting.
Aston Villa been linked with 14m striker from Gent………waaay hey it must be 1/2 yearly season ticket sale time
But will finally decide to sign on a new tea lady to lift morale. 🙂
H60 and she will past her sell by date and carrying an injury !
Good look with selling season tickets they would struggle to give them away
We’ll be lucky to get 20k turning up.
Villa scouts to be at the Anderlecht game to watch Praet and Najar. Possibly also Tielemans but that’s unlikely with everyone who wants him.
Also heavily linked to Sirigu again. Interesting he’s reportedly claimed he won’t play for PSG again according to L’Equipe because he got dropped from Trapp and is trying to force a move away from them.
No, not interesting at all, imo.
Yet another mercanery?
I’d say we’ve had enough of them.