Villa away thread

[kalasoma]

Benteke is staying in my fantasy team this week.

 

I took Benteke out of my fantasy league this week. I'm 99% positive that my decision will affect the outcome of this match.

[DooooodekNo5]

4-1 with Suarez running them ragged and scoring 3.

[Anubis]

The Mirror's Villa correspondent trying to start shit where there is none.

 

Why Paul Lambert will want to get one over Brendan Rodgers again - James Nursey - Mirror Online

 

 

By*James Nursey**|**28 Mar 2013 16:23

 

Aston Villa's home win over QPR last time out was the first time in over two years the club had won successive Premier League games.

 

A victory on Sunday at Villa Park against Liverpool will make it three in a row which would be undeniable progress. And of course it would be another significant step for Villa on the path to survival.It would also complete a double for boss Lambert over opposite number Brendan Rodgers this season after Villa's fine 3-1 win at Anfield in December.

 

And Villa fans can rest assured the Scot will have his side fully fired up for Sunday's game. For while Lambert has never admitted it publicly, I believe it does rankle how many plaudits Rodgers got last summer ahead of him. The quotable, media-friendly Rodgers became something of a press darling last season after guiding promoted Swansea to 11th in the Premier League playing decent passing football. But the column inches and favourable press for Rodgers were arguably out of proportion to his achievements as he inherited a decent side in July 2010 , the foundations of which had been carefully laid previously by Roberto Martinez from 2007-2009.

 

Lambert, in comparison, guided fellow promoted club Norwich to 12th in the top-flight, level on points with Swansea - and they did the double over them, playing some attractive stuff in the process. But more importantly in my view, Lambert took over a complete shambles in League One in August 2009 and totally overhauled the Canaries with successive promotions.

 

No-one can convince me otherwise that Lambert's whole body of work at Norwich was not far more impressive than Rodgers' achievements in Wales. Yet last summer Rodgers was hotly tipped for Tottenham and Liverpool before getting the Anfield gig. And Lambert's name was barely mentioned for both jobs. Lambert, from what I heard, supposedly felt he had just as good credentials as Rodgers for those positions and clearly would have been up for either job as he was desperate to quit Norwich.

 

In the end last summer, Lambert was delighted to take charge at Villa Park and genuinely appears to be enjoying his reign at the club despite the adversity of battling the drop. I am not saying there is any personal animosity between Lambert or Rodgers - I am not aware of that. But I do reckon achieving a double over Liverpool would be both sweet and vital for Lambert for several reasons.

 

Villa go into the game in decent form as recent improved displays have done much to convince fans that Lambert's side are making real progress. I maintain the Scot is doing a decent job in very difficult circumstances as owner Randy Lerner continues to completely rebuild the first team squad on a new, cheaper, more self-sufficient, financial model. Keeping in-form striker Christian Benteke will be central to those long-term plans and from what I gather, Lambert is privately hopeful. The determining factor will actually not be how badly Villa or Lambert want him though. But whether Benteke himself is happy to stay or whether he will kick up a fuss, hand in a transfer request and demand to go as he did at Genk last summer. The signs are ominous as his rent-a-quote agent seems to be busy drumming up as much interest as possible! And it is virtually impossible to keep stars if they really want to go as Villa found out with Stewart Downing in August 2011.

 

Publicly Lambert is very supportive of his players and is yet to criticise any of them in public - to the best of my knowledge. But fans maybe interested to know that privately he does dish it out in expletive-strewn rants.

 

I gather young Joe Bennett, 22, copped it big-time at the interval against QPR following his slack pass for Rangers' opener. Apparently Lambert really tore into the left-back and let him know he would not be playing for the first team again if he repeated the mistake! It certainly worked the trick as both Villa and Bennett were remarkably improved in the second half and went on to win the game.

 

And Lambert will not be short of dressing room material this weekend ahead of his return clash with Rodgers' Liverpool side.

[xerxes]

Anubis, I think that both managers minds will be firmly stuck in the present.

 

Villa need those three points. Rodgers will be keen to show that Southampton was a blip and take the easy points in his efforts to show as much improvement as possible on last years league finish.

 

Currently we are only one point better than eighth,Everton are still above us, and we need eight points from eight games to improve on last season. I am sure that those mini-onjectives will be in his mind. If he can improve on all three he will go into the summer in a position of strength. If he were to fail on all three ( which I think highly unlikely) he will be vulnerable.

[Ranxerox]

anything less than 3pts will require serious explaining

[GUS]

I expect a flat performance from Liverpool with Rodger's saying the players were tired following the international matches.

[TheHitman]

Lambert did the double over Rodgers Swansea last season and as we know he won at Anfield a few months back.

 

Decent writeup of last season game between the two.

 

Paul Lambert's formation switch allows Norwich to clip Swansea's wings | Michael Cox | Football | guardian.co.uk

[zigackly]

I wonder how motivated the players will be, or whether they'll be thinking about where they're going on holiday. What the managers want is a small part of the picture.

[Reckoner]

The players have a lot to play for, aside from the fact they are paid extortionate sums to grace us with their godliness, we need to finish above Everton, and could quite conceivably finish above Arsenal.

As for Lambert, he is a likable guy who inherited a mess but he has not done a good job at all, not by a long shot.

[zigackly]

The players have a lot to play for, aside from the fact they are paid extortionate sums to grace us with their godliness, we need to finish above Everton, and could quite conceivably finish above Arsenal.

 

That's definitely what we'd like them to play for.

[gmac]

Everton are still above us, and we need eight points from eight games to improve on last season. I am sure that those mini-onjectives will be in his mind.

 

If they are in his mind he should be removed.

[Jairzinho]

Eight points from eight games would be utopia.

[gmac]

Eight points from eight games would be utopia.

 

Living the dream

[kalasoma]

I would like to see Henderson start in this one to offer more protection and mobility against Villa's attack. But I have a feeling Rodgers will have him as a sub and start Downing.

 

---------Reina----------

Johnson Carra Agger Enrique

Lucas Gerrard Henderson

---Suarez--Coutinho---

-------Sturridge--------

[Anubis]

After my confidence about the Southampton game I'm saying nowt this time.

[ChicagoRed]

What?

[ChicagoRed]

Eight points from eight games would be utopia.

 

Fucking what?

[Herp McDerp]

Fucking what?

 

Sarcasm. Fucking sarcasm.

[Reacher]

 

Fucking what?

 

Remember Woy V Everton?

[thompsonsnose]

I wonder how motivated the players will be, or whether they'll be thinking about where they're going on holiday. What the managers want is a small part of the picture.

 

Any motivation for what?

That disappeared when they saw the team sheet against Soton, with Balsa Boy and Gerrard as the central mid.

 

Any whiff of fourth place went right down the plughole right there.

 

Rest of season = Complete irrelevance.

We'll probably win 4-0 today and we'll all feel fuzzy and warm.

[MLB]

Not confident at all about this one. It's precisely the type of game where we'll put in a half-hearted performance and lose. I'd be amazed if we won.

[Captain]

Any motivation for what?

That disappeared when they saw the team sheet against Soton, with Balsa Boy and Gerrard as the central mid.

 

Any whiff of fourth place went right down the plughole right there.

 

Rest of season = Complete irrelevance.

We'll probably win 4-0 today and we'll all feel fuzzy and warm.

 

There is no fucking chance of us winning 4-0 today. Not much chance tomorrow either, I think.

[Evil_Ways]

Thought our home game against this lot was pretty fucking annoying. Pretty much pummeled them in general play. They had like 6 shots on target and scored 3. Credit to their efficiency though, and especially Benteke, but the goals we conceeded were far too easy.

 

Never confident about these games after international breaks, and especially not away from home. Think we'll see either Coutinho or Downing on the bench for this one, with more bodies in central midfield, probably Henderson to start.

[Evil_Ways]

Any motivation for what?

That disappeared when they saw the team sheet against Soton, with Balsa Boy and Gerrard as the central mid.

 

Any whiff of fourth place went right down the plughole right there.

 

Rest of season = Complete irrelevance.

We'll probably win 4-0 today and we'll all feel fuzzy and warm.

 

A number of things to play for still, going for a European place for one, finishing above Everton another and quite a few are playing for their futures as well.

[PaulMcC]

Henderson and Lucas should start.