After Villa’s defeat against Stoke there was a survey on Birmingham Mail which asked fans what was Villa’s strongest team. Weirdly enough it was widely agreed on, the team I personally selected was exactly the team that had gained the most votes. So if most Villa fans can see it why can’t Sherwood?
Guzan
Hutton-Richards-Clark-Amavi
Gana-Westwood
Traore-Gil-Grealish
Gestede
This is where I’ll try my best to back Sherwood, even though this is, on paper the strongest team but that’s based on individual performances. I’ll start with Traore, yes he has played well whenever he has had the chance to play. But, he is still young and might not be the option when playing against world class defenders. Traore loves to beat his man, and doesn’t necessarily pass enough. I think he’d be better off starting off the bench. In place, I’d like to see Ayew given a shot. He played well against Birmingham, and I thought it was a daft decision to drop Ayew after he started to pick up good form.
The midfield is another uncertainty. I think that Gana should play, he is experienced and has bag loads of energy. But who should partner him? I really want it to be Sanchez, he is excellent for Colombia but for some reason can’t replicate that form for Villa. But Sanchez can play well for up 70 minutes, so it’s an either or. Westwood has been poor so far this season but remains a favourite by Sherwood. Gary Gardner is coming back from injury, and scored a cracker during Villa’s closed-off friendlies this past week. He could be the one that can make a real impact for Villa, but the game against Chelsea will come too soon for him.
The defence, I entirely agree with. Clark is far better than Lescott and Bacuna has been rather poor. Plus I like the fact that Hutton likes to attack and whenever he plays, he is seen all over the pitch. He has been excellent, still can’t believe he was held in exile for so long under Lambert!
So what do you think, do you agree that this is the best team on paper?
That team’s not far off, but I’d take Sanchez over Westwood all day, as the latter offers nothing to the game from an attacking POV.
At least Sanchez will look for the out more often than not, as opposed to Westwood, who is the absolute anti-thesis of our game and will look to pass backwards/sideways most of the time.
If we’re playing with our supposed balls out thinking, the mid 3 look fine, although it depends how we’re approaching the game.
How about Sinclair or Ayew playing up top, with those 3 attacking mids using some pace, more down the middle?
At least that gives an option, instead of us trying to get behind the defence and put it on Gestede’s head.
But if the Gung-ho approach isn’t working, those attacking mids look incredibly lightweight, even if it’s only on paper.
if terry plays at the weekend he will rub his hands at that line up sending crosses in for gestede are bread and butter for him put ayew in there instead he will not cope with all that speed
Because that’s not our strongest side. That side is so unbalanced it’s not funny. You can’t play Gil, Traore and Grealish together, and Ayew’s far better than Gestede. That’s not our strongest team. Especially as you put Hutton in there too.
That’s just what most people think is the best team. I do agree with your statement though, it’s so unbalanced. And I don’t think that Traore is ready to be fair. I’d like to see Ayew play on the right. The reason I choose Gestede is because he has scored more goals than any other forward. Better to have him in the side than the likes of Gabby.
BUNN
RICHARDS LESCOTT CLARK AMAVI
SANCHEZ GANA
TRAORE GIL
AYEW GESTEDE
Subs Grealish Sinclair and Gabby for Traore Ayew and Gestede. Subs as injury cover Kozak, Hutton Guzan.
Gestede and Ayew aren’t going to work together, Ayew’s a lone CF, always has been. He brings players into the game, he doesn’t need someone around him doing that too. Bunn’s far worse than Guzan so that’s an even more ridiculous point and Richards isn’t playing RB. Lescott shouldn’t start at CB even if Richards moved over.
The trouble is Andrew, who are you going to play at RB?
Richards is the obvious shout, but it seems that isn’t going to happen if it was part of his deal.
Bacuna is awful at RB, as it kills his game entirely when going forward and he just can’t defend at all, imo.
Hutton’s way the better defender of the two, but gets caught out so often it’s a joke, because he’s expected to push up all the time.
That’s where Traore could be useful, in that he’s probably the best we have if we need to nullify their LB and stop them doubling up on our RB.
I think it’s OLL who’s alluded to it more than once, in saying our right side is abysmal.
I thought our left was weak and wanted a LB (who we got), while thinking our right was ok and we could wait until the next window or two for an RB.
I was wrong. We were poor in both areas.
As for the rest, I agree.
It’s totally unbalanced front to back and the oppo will just swamp the centre and dominate, no problem.
Of course we look awful on the right, but Hutton is in no way better defensively than Bacuna. I honestly don’t think Richards is a good RB, from watching him at Fiorentina he doesn’t look comfortable there. Hutton should never be played again, awful defensively, adds nothing going forward, maybe 1 good cross every 5 games or so. Bacuna doesn’t look like a red card waiting to happen every game. He doesn’t sit in the box allowing crosses and he’ll track back. But agreed we desperately need a new RB in January. Would allow Bacuna to play Right Wing, but I agree Traore could do it, nullifying their left side, along with Bacuna. They’ll be scared to attack that side. He’ll also drag at least 1 CM that way, meaning having a midfield 3 of Sanchez, Gana and Veretout, at least Veretout will have a lot more freedom.
Moving deckchairs on the Titanic as far as I’m concerned.
From being a supporter of Tim’s I’ve reluctantly come to the conclusion that any decent manager would make some hay with the team we’ve got. We’ve consistently not played some of our better players and that’s why we are where we are.
Lose to Chelski then say goodbye to Tim and lets hope the next guy can do a better job
UTV
We will love to Chelsea not a hope in hell in beating them
“Moving deckchairs on the Titanic” love it Pat57….. And totally agree.
The club has been poisoned by Lerner and yet another Manager is getting the blame for him destroying our once great club. Sherwoods lack of tactically knowledge was known by every Spurs fan, but Lerner decided to go for the cheap option.
How can the club can expect to remain in the premiership with a net spend of £7m, losing 3 keys players and choosing a rookie manager …….. We deserve to go down and lets hope it batters Lerners balance sheet.
I wholeheartedly agree with every word the only thing I’d question is the net spend of £7m which flatters Lerner.
90 minutes.com have the net spend is a mere £1.23m absolute peanuts in Premier league terms.
Saddened, no two ways about it its finger pointing now at Lerner, I see Marino has lost the dressing room and he’s just been fined 50 grand that’s upset him again, remarks saying its a wonder they didn’t put a tag on his ankle, I still think we will get tanked Saturday. Its also States that Klopp was in the frame to take his job over bad results but Liverpool moved first, he must want to proof a point with our match.
Agreed BILL I also believe we’re on a hiding to nothing tomorrow MATE,we’re far to slow coming out the blocks normally in the first half & it’s been said before any decent team would punish us I think it will come tomorrow.not looking forward to this one bit to ease the pain I’ll more than likely be well oiled by this time.
Giddy mate, you’re defiantly right in what you’ve said in the past, them players wouldn’t know their arsole from their elbow in how he’s played the game.anyone would know that we don’t have a chance tomorrow. Marinio has a point to make to the club in thinking his last chance was near with Klopp being spoken as replacement. The fine for speaking about the ref, and again saying they might as given me a ankle tag about the FA.we are in the shit mate, cannot see away out.
not totally enamoured with all the club antics in the press of late, but on the Sherwood appointment who would deny the groundswell of support at the end of the season was deserving of a contract. after an absence of many years the lure of going down the villa returned for quite a few fans including me,i just hope that until the club and not the press! decide Tim’s future we can all sing of the same hymn sheet and give some proper support because if ever a team needs our support it’s now.
I’m amazed how many supporters were deluded enough to buy into Sherwood on the back of a few decent results. Any new manager will get the team fired up for first 5 games or so but the true test is whether they can sustain it. I said last season that Sherwood would never sustain it it was so obvious it’s untrue. TS would have been a great intermediate manager on a contract till the summer then we should of got some decent manager in the summer and had TS as his understudy. TS should never have been appointed by Fox who is now proving as incompetent as Faulkner.
all this bollocks net spend, gross spend who bought who, is doing my crust in if i have a nissan skyline worth £40mil lovely car but limited in use and sell it for £60mil and then buy a range rover, a bmw sports car, and and a mini and only spent £61.75 mil have i improved or am i still classed as a cheapskate reality check time methinks.
Billys Boots, we sold our Formula one Mercedes and tried to compete in the grand prix with a few new Alfa Romeo’s……. Great cars but just can’t compete
saddened you’ve missed the point we have £60mil of new talent in it doesn’t matter how much we got in, and in my opinion we are stronger and better equipped than last season it just needs tweaking.
I get you now !
I think I may disagree about being better than last year as we have lost the sole person who has kept us up this last 3 seasons, so better at this stage I disagree, but and its a big but, we have lots more promising players….
yes but he only kept us up when we have picked up a bit of momentum arsenal showed how to stop him most of the top teams know his game now so it was the right time to depart, if whoever we have as manager gets their individual skills working in harmony we will have a very exciting team.
But we lost £59m of proven talent so effectively we we havnt
talent that cost us under £20 mil you have all this rubbish about net spend its immaterial what we sold, we have assembled a team that looks stronger than last seasons on paper for £7 mil allegedly