Aston Villa Banter Archive May 19 2013

19 May 2013 22:48:10
I am watching MOTD on the last day of the season thinking back to where I was last season, then it registered I was watching Norwich City stuff Villa 2-0.
No one at Norwich would have believed that we could have finished in a better position than we did without Lambert, well we have and full credit to Hughton, he came with big boots to fill and has pulled it off.

And this time Villa stuffed you twice this season and both times at carrot rd.

I'm sure you weren't much of a force your season under Lambert and neither are we but with him surely strengthening our defense and midfield in the transfer window we'll be better and I'm sure if Lambert is a 3 season a club manager as he has been upto this point in season 3 we'll be back completing for europa spots and good cup runs.

I really like his ethos as the majority of players he's brought for peanuts and have come in and excelled
Benteke, Westwood, Lowton, Sylla, Vlaar. I just hope a few of our youngsters get a shot as I feel there good enough

What a shame only 28 supporters turned up to Etihad to see Norwich win. Fabulous support.

Hahah why do Norwich fans come on here is it because they have got nothing to do except discuss delia's new recipes or wether there best player holt will be sold for a £5 to some non league side. Pathetic really I'm sure hughton will take you far next year, you may even get 18th if you're lucky

Apologies for mocking Norwich being a nothing club. I was watching TV and Ricky Tomlinson lead you to win the Mr Clutch Cup, 10 years ago maybe but at least you guys have some heritage eh?! well done Norwich

Only 28 fans at the Ethiad, are you pissed or blind, take another look, we had more than 3000 there, and they out sang the mancs and Norwich the only team to beat both Manchester clubs this season and only club to put 6 past Hart, we would have beated them at Carrow road if not for the Bent Ref,

Anyway that was last season, let's forget it the past is history now and the Summer looms, both clubs will be set for changes, we already know of 1 player already signed, R. V. W, and we hear 2 more from Holland. Nobody can say how much either club will spend in the summer, But Norwich are now debt free and got money to spend,
Good luck for the next season except when we meet

There must have been an explosion of births in Canary land. They actually got 66 more supporters through the turnstiles this season than when they just avoided relegation previous season. Put at least a grand in the till. Fantastic support. I bet you can name all the guys that went to the etihad. Took another look and counted 29, sorry.

19 May 2013 19:47:46
Yes today confirms it, Norwich are a better club than
Villa, how green is your grass Lambert

I'm sorry what was the score a couple of weeks ago?

Wow it was 2:1 villa but that makes norwich better then man city lmafo and that makes west brom = to man united get real mate its over a season not a game if that's all you can come up with go crawl back in a cave lol

No matter about that we got more points than you we are 11th where are you?

That just sums up norwich though, finish above us, still lose 2 and draw one against us. Just so you know, coming on here and calling us rubbish just makes it even worse for you not to be able to beat us. Go back to your own page, and enjoy you're extra 700k, that will buy you two more awful players!

Norwich moving forward as Hughton gets us higher than Lambert could. Lambert is a good championship manager at best, that's his level.

Norwich better than Villa -

If living in the shadows of Ipswich leads you to jump on one season where you obtain 2 more points than a 'rival' as vindication for your lowly and miserable backwater of a club then good luck to to you, your wife, mother, cousin, son and anyone else you have recently bred with.

You Norwich fans are absolutely pathetic. We've almost had to completely rebuild our team and you're boadting about finishing 2 points above us. What a joke of a clun.

Villa v Norwich 3 times this season with 2 wins to Villa and a draw so who's better than who

Bassically like this
G on google look at epl table first place was best this season overall and so on so this season norwich where 11th best simple you can't lie about the truth.

I've said it many a time before but the difference between us and norwich are, we're at the lowest point we'll ever be, but norwich are at the highest point they'll ever be! If they keep surviving in the prem they'll always be a bottom half team but in a few years the might villa will be back to where we belong! In europe and pushing for the champions league again!

You would know all about living in the shadows, West Brom and even Birmingham have had more recent success that the midlands dinosaur club. lol

Highest point Norwich will ever be? Look at the table of the first ever premiership season

Yes a mid table finish is a high for norwich. Its a low for villa. You're at your peak, we are not. let's see what happens next season

Villa are at no means near our best but were rebuilding our squad. Lambert did this with Norwich and took them as far as he could so you'll start to plato now where as we'll get stronger remembering even at our lowest we beat Norwich 4-1

Norwich have spent no more than fifteen seasons in the top division. Similar to a lot of clubs, such as Luton. We laugh at you and your trophy less history. Get back to league one you are worse than Bluenoses!

Haha norwich have won more trohpys this season then villa again you can't lie about the truth.
Noriwch under 18 fa cup winners
Norwich under 21 cup winners
That's 2 trohpys maybe not first team but still 2 more then villa.
Also to the guy that said norwich are at a high and that we have ch who finished one place better then Paul lambert we have 20m plus to spend if ch decides its already been said that he's looking for quality not quantity. We have James Vaughan back who's been banning goals this season in. We have rvw coming and being linked with defour. I can't see that's a club at a peak it's a club on the up at the end of the day this year and last year norwich where higher finished in the league that means for 2 season norwich have been a better team simple as I'm not on about the past I'm on about current so next season if your above us Aston villa where better then norwich that season. It's simple as that and Aston villa will won't be near Europe unless they win the fa cup or something neither will norwich. So all this my clubs better is rubbish stats showed final position norwich a been better for 2 seasons. let's look forward to next season.

Hi Lord HaHa. Winning two trophies will cost you money. Norwich will have to build a trophy room. But only a very small one.

If you wanna talk about youth cups then we're the champions of europe? Be quiet you're embarrasing yourself.

Look at when villa won the majority of their trophies, before the First World War, yes the era when football was at its peak in this country. Just accept you are a dinosaur club that us being found out.

If it wasn't for Paul Lambert you were in danger of ending up like Leeds.

You can tell a small club when they list under 18s cup under 21's cup and Norfolk Alan Partridge Commemoration Cup along with the one other cup they have EVER won. lol. I bet they list League One runners up in their programme still, maybe even best pie award 1994! lol give it up, we laugh at you and soon you will feel ashamed about starting this little bitch fest

PS - Ipswich have been in the top flight quite a bit, even won a European trophy. Are Norwich just the reserve team that were cast out for having too many genetic abnormailties, I am not aware of them winning anything so will assume this to be true.

As far as I can see, Lambert has achieved no more at Villa than your past two managers except avoid relegation, and by the way Norwich run away with the Lg1 title not runners up, that came the following season where QPR won it but where are they now. and where will you be without Benteke, we saw how bad you missed him playing Wigan,

Which person posted on this page to look at the first ever prem season. Seems to confirm that AVFC were and still are superior in every way to the Canaries.

Just look at the prem stats since its inception. Only 7 ever presents, none of them Norwich. Also I want the t/p number of the geezer offering £50 that Canaries finish better than Villa. He must be very very rich. 40000 X 5 = £200000. Either reckless or unable to count.

19 May 2013 09:48:38
Six positions have been identified which Lambert may look to reinforce and strengthen the squad before the beginning of the 2013 / 2014 campaign. Those positions are centre back, left back, defensive midfielder, attacking midfield, winger and striker.

Centre Back


Former Arsenal target Aleksandar Dragovic will hopefully have his pal Weimann twisting his arm

Former Arsenal target Aleksandar Dragovic will hopefully have his pal Weimann twisting his arm



It's a position most supporters were crying out for reinforcements in the January window, so the most eye-catching transfer link in recent weeks has been Andreas Weimann's Austrian team-mate, Alexsandar Dragovic. The 22-year-old FC Basle centre back has enjoyed an impressive season. This isn't the first year that Dragovic's performances have caught the eye, but Basle's extended cup run in the Europa Cup has focused attention more keenly on the commanding young centre back. Dragovic wants to move to the Premier League and is good friends with Weimann. Time to pick up the phone, Paul?

Another centre back link to Aston Villa in recent weeks has been James Chester. Lambert was previously interested in James Chester during last summer's transfer window, and some reports suggest that Lambert's interest in the ex-Manchester United academy centre back dates back further. The stumbling block is Steve Bruce's steely determination to hold onto the boy, and Hull's promotion to the Premier League. Now that Chester is a Premier League player, an inflated transfer fee could scupper any further moves.

Marcelo is a 25-year-old centre back who currently plays for PSV Eindhoven. 6ft 3, quick, strong and athletic, he might be an option Lambert has considered due to the fact that there are reports that Lambert has again been scouting players in Holland and Belgium.



Verdict: Dragovic. Quality player and potentially a great investment for the Lambert project.


Left Back


Is Lambert still interested in the Aaron Cresswell, the young Ipswich left-back?

Is Lambert still interested in the Aaron Cresswell, the young Ipswich left-back?



Aaron Creswell has enjoyed rapid progress in recent seasons and deservedly won a transfer from Tranmere to Ipswich in 2011. Lambert showed an interest in Cresswell in the summer of 2012, but Cresswell had only been at the Ipswich for one season at that stage. Cresswell now has another season under his belt and could be more amenable to a transfer to the Premier League. Similar in style to Leighton Baines (rather than Bennett who is more of an Clichy type of left back), he would offer a great option in the squad when considering that two players are needed for each position in the squad.

Victorino Antunes is a Portuguese left back who was previously linked to Aston Villa in 2007. He is now 26 years old and is on loan with Malaga (previously on loan at Roma). Antunes returns to his parent club Pacos Ferreira at the end of the season and will be looking for a new club. Antunes has stepped into the Malaga team to replace Nacho who moved to Arsenal and has played some very impressive games recently including scoring a great goal against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in a 3-2 defeat.

Ryan Bertrand may find himself short of games next season if Chelsea proceed with the potential transfer of Luke Shaw from Southampton. He fits the Lambert profile, but it is likely that he would want to remain at Chelsea and work under Jose Mourinho if/when he returns to Chelsea this summer.



Verdict: Cresswell. Competition for places is vital. Cresswell is a better defensive player to Joe Bennett and would be a great addition.


Defensive Midfield


Time for Brighton's Liam Bridcutt to join the Premiership?

Time for Brighton's Liam Bridcutt to join the Premiership?



James McCarthy is a player Aston Villa should have sought to sign two seasons ago. The immense potential he is showing now was all too obvious as a younger player. Wigan's FA Cup win has increased McCarthy's value immeasurably, and James's admirers have grown in numbers. McCarthy has been strongly linked to Everton, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, but it may be worth finding out what his plans are anyway. More than a defensive player, he is a leader, a driving force in midfield, creative and capable of finishing off moves too. Comfortably worth the £10m transfer fee touted.

Raoul Loe is an imposing 23-year-old defensive midfielder developing nicely at Osasuna. Loe may be a much cheaper option for Lambert than McCarthy. Osasuna are a team in financial administration and simply must sell players this summer. Loe is arguably their best midfielder and has room to develop further. Loe notably scored a good goal against Barcelona at the Camp Nou this season to suggest he has goals in his locker too.

Liam Bridcutt, as Villa fans will know, has been linked with a move to Villa throughout the season. Following Brighton's failure to gain promotion and Gus Poyet's recent resignation, the opportunity to sign Liam Bridcutt presents itself kindly to Paul Lambert this summer. Fulham and Norwich have also expressed an interest.



Verdict: Bridcutt. Part of the same Chelsea academy team as the very impressive Jack Cork, Bridcutt has the potential to add much needed steel to the Aston Villa midfield.


Attacking Midfield


The Serbian teenage talent Filip Jankovic

The Serbian teenage talent Filip Jankovic



Crewe's Luke Murphy recently revealed that he is ready to step up to a higher level. So far, Celtic have shown a considerable interest in the Crewe youngster, as have Stoke. Luke may however prefer to join Aston Villa due to his previous successful partnership with Ashley Westwood. Luke is more a goal scoring midfielder than a creative advanced playmaker, but Luke's tally of 21 goals from centre midfield at the young age of 23 is certainly impressive. Lambert appears to be a huge fan of Luke and has scouted him many times before. It would be a safe bet to assume that a bid will be made to Crewe for the player in the summer.

Another goal scoring midfielder option is the in-form Valladolid central midfielder, Oscar Gonzalez. Oscar is this seasons 'Michu' in La Liga. He has scored 12 goals from midfield this season and has an impressive 7 assists. At 30- years of age he may not fit Lambert's profile of player, but he would probably be a cheap addition to the squad.

A younger and incredibly talented youngster Aston Villa were linked to last summer was the 18-year-old Serb, Filip Jankovic who currently plays for Red Star Belgrade. Jankovic is more of a creative midfielder, although he also scores a fair amount of goals similarly to Luca Modric. Being 18 years of age would not put Randy Lerner off as we have seen from the signing of Fabian Delph, but Villa might face stiff competition from Parma for his signature.



Verdict: Murphy. Lambert seems very keen to sign this player and other options may only be pursued if the player decides to move elsewhere.


Winger


Basles highly-rated winger Valentin Stocker scores against Spurs in the Europa League

Basles highly-rated winger Valentin Stocker scores against Spurs in the Europa League



Aston Villa have arguably played the entire 2012 / 2013 season without a single wing option. This position of the pitch must surely be high on the list of Lambert's priorities to strengthen.

Jefferson Montero is a 23-year-old Ecuadorian left winger who recently played in La Liga for Real Betis during the 2011 / 2012 season. Montero is incredibly fast and extremely strong. The young winger has a low centre of gravity at 5'7 inches and memorably played two very impressive games during the 2011 / 2012 season. Chiefly, his performance for Betis against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu was a standout game, whilst Montero then played an equally impressive match against Leo Messi's Argentina for his native Ecuador. Available from Morelia due to the fact he wishes to return to Europe, Montero may be available for as little as £2m - £3m. Montero has the potential to be worth ten times that figure and would be a worthwhile addition to the squad.

Valentin Stocker is another player who has impressed for FC Basle this season in the Europa League. Part of a Swiss under-21 team that produced extremely attractive football, Stocker is a creative, intelligent winger compared to the pace and power of the athletic Montero. Lambert's signings have leaned towards players with noticeable football intelligence and Stocker possesses this attribute in abundance.

Albert Adomah is a winger at Bristol City who recently represented Ghana in the African nations tournament this January. Rumoured to have been scouted by Lambert, he is 25 years of age now and is also being tracked by Crystal Palace, who have a habit of accumulating promising wing talents such as Victor Moses, Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie. Adomah has played some impressive games for Bristol City this season and has scored some vital goals for the 'Robins'.



Verdict: Stocker. Villa need a player to break down teams from the wide positions when teams sit back at Villa Park. These skills are not currently possessed in the play of Agbonlahor or Weimann, who rely more on their pace and counter attacks.


Striker


Iago+aspas+aston+villa

Iago Aspas - could he be Villa's answer to Luis Suarez?



Following Darren Bent's likely departure this summer, Lambert maybe looking to add another striker to the squad. Having brought in two target men (Benteke and Bowery) during the previous summer transfer window it is unknown what kind of player Lambert would be looking for in a new forward.

Iago Aspas is a forward who currently plays for Celta Vigo in La Liga. Aspas is an extremely skillful and creative player and he is perhaps most similar in style to Luis Suarez. Aspas is not really a number 9 or number 10, he prefers to drift into positions Suarez occupies in the inside left and Inside right forward position. Aspas is an extremely intelligent player and would link up brilliantly with Benteke in my opinion. Aspas was set to join Valencia this summer, but the Valencia President Manuel Llorente quit last month and the new President was allegedly far from impressed by Aspas's red card against Deportivo for a ludicrous (although out of character) headbutt. The proposed signing appears to have therefore fallen through. Aspas would be available for around £6m - £7m and he would more than justify this transfer fee as he is a quality, quality player.

The Times football journalist Duncan Castles recently linked Aston Villa to a move for Thievy Bifouma who is owned by Catalan club Espanyol. The young French striker has played his football this season for Las Palmas in the Spanish second division and the under 21 international's biggest career achievement to date was a hat trick against (an admittedly weak) Barcelona in the Copa Catalunya final. Lambert's thinking may be understandable in this regard. Established young French players have demanded sizeable transfer fees in recent seasons due to Arsene Wenger's successful exploitation of the French market. Therefore young French players who have made the move to Spain, such as Bifouma, often prove to be better value.

Another forward plying his trade in the Spanish lower divisions is wing forward Federico Vico who plays for Cordoba. At 18 years of age, Vico is a young Spanish prospect who would be an exciting addition to the Aston Villa squad. Vico has represented Spain at under 17, 18, 19 and 20 level and has been dubbed as a future Cristiano Ronaldo. Still rather early to see if he develops to the level hoped, the transfer may be a gamble Lambert would be willing to take.

Nice write up and research. can't see us signing more than 4 players in the 3m plus bracket but 4 plus 2 cheap or bosmans could happen

Nicely copied and pasted there mate. At least give some credit to the bloke who's write up you just ripped off. Unless you're the same bloke in which case it's good. lol :)

Well done for copying and pasting an article of My Old Man Said