Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish rues Gabby Agbonlahor missing Liverpool
Tuesday 13th December 2011, 11:05AM GMT.
Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish today claimed his side are paying the price for needless bookings as they prepare to face Liverpool without Gabby Agbonlahor.
The Villa forward has scored five goals in this campaign so far but will miss the visit of Kenny Dalglish’s men at the weekend through suspension, after a yellow card against Bolton which took his tally of bookings to five.
McLeish felt the decision by referee Phil Dowd to caution Agbonlahor for a foul on goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was debatable, but admitted it was unnecessary cards received in previous matches which were more costly.
The Villa boss said: “I think it was a wee bit harsh. He’s worked really hard and we have tried to work hard on silly bookings at the club.
“Gabby scored a great goal at Everton and had a booking for taking his shirt off so we have to try to eradicate these silly bookings.
“It sounds extremely unfair to do that to a player who’s just scored, especially to the ladies in the crowd who like to see a footballer’s bare torso!
“But we have to play by the rules and it’s very disappointing to lose him because he was excellent in the first half against Bolton along with Darren Bent – the front four were great.
“You have to have rules for everybody and we will take some of them into account. At the end of the day, we have rules in black and white.”
McLeish also hailed the support from Villa’s travelling supporters who created a good atmosphere at the Reebok Stadium which helped inspire their first away win of the season.
He said: “The away fans have been magnificent all season. It’s a bit of a phenomenon the away fans, wherever I have been.
“They always seem to sing from start to finish at every single club I’ve been at and it was nice to see them at Bolton. I was so pleased to win for them and put a smile on their faces.
“We still know we can improve as a team and we are trying to get a bit of stability.”
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Good game, good game.
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Stick with the 4-4-2, otherwise Bent will be massively isolated.
———–Guzan————
Hutton Dunne Collins Warnock
Albrighton Petrov Herd N’Zogbia
——-Bent Delfouneso——-
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No, bin the 442, bent has only been isolated because we have used the wrong personel behind him in a 451.
Put Bannan in behind bent or even Ireland, both can pick a pass, keep the rest of the 11 the same as is. We will give them a good game that way, just keep Heskey out of the starting line up, I’ve always appreciated him hold up work but age has caught up with him
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I disagree, Play the 442 and go for it.
—————-Guzan—–
–Herd—Collins—Dunne-Warnock
Albright-Petrov—-Bannan-Zoggy
———Bent——Delfounseo
Sorry but McLeish doesn’t know how to use a 4,5,1 with wingers, he would rather put Hutton in midfield along with Herd just to try and stop the defence.
Petrov and Herd are both defensive midfielders, Get Hutton off the pitch, he costs us too many silly fouls and penatlies, get Herd at right back, and with statistics i saw the other day we have scored far more goals with Bannan and Petrov as a partnership, Delfounseo also needs his break, He is better than Zamroa who only scores 1 in 4 games.
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@Villa4Ever, how do you justify dropping Herd? arguably our best player aside from Gabby, all season.
we need him against liverpool, need to take control, not a particularly mean team in the middle this week for liverpool discounting Jay Spearing. With three in the middle, one being advanced behind bent (bannan) we might have a sniff of a win
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Hutton is getting bettere slowly, looked better with albrighton in front of him against bolton. herd is needed in the middle.
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