Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Abdoulaye Meite’s new lease of life
Thursday 3rd March 2011, 10:26AM GMT.
Albion winger Jerome Thomas has revealed defender Abdoulaye Meite has been given a “new lease of life” by Roy Hodgson’s arrival as boss.
The 30-year-old centre-back was a surprise inclusion in the team to face Stoke on Monday, almost two years after his last Premier League appearance.
But Thomas revealed the appointment of Hodgson has revitalised the Ivory Coast international, who was linked with a move away from the Hawthorns last month after falling out of favour under former boss Roberto Di Matteo.
Thomas said: “Some managers like you and some don’t. It’s as simple as that. Di Matteo didn’t fancy Abou for whatever reason.
“Now the new manager has come in and he’s been given a new lease of life. He’s producing in training and took it into the game on Monday. He looked liked he hadn’t missed a game and was superb.
“We’ve seen what Abou can do in the past. You don’t make the amount of Premier League appearances he has made if you’re not a good player.”
Thomas also paid tribute to Meite’s application despite being largely frozen out by Di Matteo since the arrival of Gabriel Tamas midway through last season’s successful promotion campaign.
The winger said: “This is our job and we have to come in and be together and work hard. But when you know you’re not going to get a chance in the team regardless of how well you train that’s frustrating.
“That’s what he has been through in the last year and half. But Abou has been very disciplined, I have to say.
“He’s come in, done his work, been on time, kept his head down and hasn’t caused any problems. Football is a funny game and this is how quickly things change around.
“He was one of our best players on Monday.”
Goalkeeper Scott Carson also earned a surprise recall for Monday’s draw in the Potteries and Thomas believes it’s a similar case.
He said: “The same goes for Scott. You could say it was a reality check for him and being dropped could make him more hungry.”
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It will be interesting to see how we cope with ‘Jack and the Beanstalk Zigic’ on Saturday. Anyone could see that on the ball Abou Meite had class, but he didn’t always put as much in as he did against Stoke. Maybe he likes a game plan that is rigid. If he carries on like Monday night, he’ll want some shifting! Now Jerome, I’m a great fan of yours
the way you can open a defence, etc., but I do hope Roy tells you to keep your shooting boots aimed lower than row Z. If you shot as well as you play, you’d be too good for us! Not said disrespectfully old chap.
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This all comes down to Jeremy Peace taking a gamble on a new manager at such a critical stage in the season to breathe new life into a squad seriously lacking confidence or shape.
It was super timing although I amongst many thought it was wrong, but you can see the whole squad has been given another chance to impress to get in the 1st team which sounds just like the start of the season when we were doing well.
Meite is a good defender but has had that lifeline to prove more than that so like Carson lets hope he will continue to improve game by game.
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It’s the hope that kills you. But I’m praying we can do it. Always wondered why Di Matteo refused to play Meite, I’ve always thought he was a good player. When I heard he was playing tho I was worried’ he hasn’t played at this level for some time but he was fantastic. They all ‘put a shift in’. COME ON YOU BAGGIE BOYS. BOING, BOING.
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Lets not carried away with ourselves……. Whilst i agree Meite and Carson played well (as did the majority of the team) these players were dropped for making bad decisions and below average performances for sustained periods that cost us POINTS!!
Lets hope the ‘improvement’ is not shortlived
Need 3 pts against the Blues as i think the next 5 games will be a tough ask.
IN WOY WE TWUST!! BOING! BOING!
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mmm… not one to join the Carson bashing club, but I do feel the decision to bring him back was not fully justified… I blame him for the goal – Delap was 4yds out? then in the last third of the game when we had momentum, his kicking was terrible – several times ‘finding touch’ like a decent rugby kick… obviously trying to avoid their centre halfs but not good enough for me. I feel Myhill would have done better… Blues could be another similar game to the last 2… but I would try Jara in the middle for his energy and drop moaning Scharner.
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Burton armchair
I’m not blindly defending Carson- I’ll admit his role in the goal was questionable at least- but re: his kicking. To my mind, he found touch once, when Meite hit a backpass to him with way too much pace on it, you could see the slice coming before it happened. Begovic made far more of a mess of one of theirs in the 1st half but came off the pitch as Man Of The Match. Are we being too critical?
Regardless of that, we only have Carson and Myhill until the summer, neither are fault-free. Whoever Roy picks needs our backing in the remaining games rather than being subjected to scrutiny for every minor error.
If we scrutinised everything Brunt or Odemwingie had done wrong in the last 2 months it wouldn’t make pretty reading either, it’s not just Carson, Jara and Fortune who make errors, but scrutinising and being critical is surely self-defeating when we have 10 games to save our short-term future.
Hoff 43
I think you’re right to air caution rather than to laud saviours, but his steadiness was assuring and lets be honest, he’d have had to go some to be worse than some of the centre-back performances of those partnering Olsson in the last couple of months. If Meite and Carson get Roy’s backing and then ours, it can surely only spur them on. I just fear that some of the moaners we get these days won’t let that happen.
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The smallest of the Birmingham derbys Saturday, and typical that you get to play your cousins after such a hard fought and tiring Wembley visit. Probably be a case of after the lord mayors show for Blues. Always get the breaks dont you ? Sorry, shouldnt mention breaks after one of your vandals/players showed us all how not to behave Monday night. I reckon because Blues will be shattered you may get a point. You want to hope so, cus you wont get another one till May. In my un-biased opinion. ( when i say May, i mean late May )
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7 Only Jealous
Yes we always get the breaks- Chelsea and Liverpool when they could be bothered to turn up, City with Tevez, Blackpool with Adam and Campbell and you lot postponed when you were on the ropes. We’re lucky in comparison to your lot aren’t we?
You have to admire the unwavering confidence of the Wolves fans. Did you know Rebecca, in the 5 games prior to last week, Wolves had mustered 14 shots on target. That’s 2.8 per game, or a shot on target every 32 minutes? Stirring stuff I’m sure you’ll agree.
How many points do you envisage your boys picking up, in your unbiased opinion of course, with that sort of goal threat?
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7 Lonely (for I assume it’s you.)
Smallest Birmingham derby. Let’s hope we get a bigger crowd then than the last Staffordshire derby. As for breaks, how can you say that after the Blackpool game? Or are you starting to get a bit concerned?
Don’t worry it will help being in the Championship with your reduced capacity, let’s just hope you can get back up by the time your new stadium is built.
I much prefer you when you’re being cuddly Dr Jekyll Lone Wolf than this Mr Hyde odd fellow.
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4 and 5.
I really don’t think anyone is getting carried away. We all know it’s going to be a hell of a fight to stay up. The thing is that after the Wolves game, the opposition were so woeful and yet we couldn’t beat them. I think a lot of us, even the GHF club were starting to get worried.
What was so great about Monday night wasn’t the result but the performance. The Manager stated that he’s still finding out about his players. He got a great performance out of Meite who we would all have had down as 5th choice CH.
I think the difference is down to three main things. The organisation which defenders need more than the rest of the team. Workrate, which many people on here have pointed out had dropped drastically from earlier in the season. Last is confidence and this comes from the first two and allows players the freedom to try things knowing that someone is covering them.
As for Scharner, I thought he had a fantastic game and find it hard to believe that anyone can’t see what he brings to the game. As for his ‘moaning,’ some of the games greatest players are moaners. Could just be because he cares.
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Fellow – Excellently executed dry humor from you there and so accurate. It’s good to see un-biased wolves fans on here, you are a true credit to the team you support.
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7 lonely-
What’s happened to you lately? I have to agree with Bully,that your posts are beginning to smack of sheer desperation.
It must be hanging around with your ‘new’ friend,wotsit’s name- ‘Peanut Pete’?-or something like that.
I read a couple of his posts last week-he’s such a laff! What,with telling everybody how ‘crazy’ he is.Just like a character from Catherine Tate’s show,the things he says,like-
‘I walked up to the lollipop lady the other day,and when she stopped the traffic for me to cross,I turned around and walked back the other way!! I’m mad I am,really.really mad,me’.
At least it makes a change from all the wolves fans pushing each other out of the way to shout at us ‘Albion are nailed on to go down,but wolves are staying up’.
They seem pretty desperate to tell us this.Just one question-
Who are they REALLY trying to convince,us or themselves?
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CAN SOMEONE HELP ME PLEASE?-
Nothing serious or urgent,but I’ve just seen the latest ‘Sport’ story from Martin Swain,about this season’s relegation fight.
All it is,is that the photo heading the story is a picture of a game between Albion and wolves.
In it,the Albion players are running around in celebration,while the wolves players are standing rooted to the spot,looking gutted.
All I want is some information,because there’s no details under the picture,and in truth,this could have been taken ANYTIME over the last 20 years,the image of the players is SO familiar by now.
All you have to do is change the faces,it could be Bob Taylor,Zoltan Gera,Kevin Phillips,I could go on……..
So if anyone can put all these photos of Albion celebrating against wolves together,I know there’s gonna be a lot,but can we have them in some kind of LARGE file,with details underneath? Thank you.
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Burton 5. Did you see where Carson ended up as Delap headed in? On his back. Flattened. I have played the digital video of the goal through a few times. Delap’s header was a good one but he could have been challenged better by our defenders. Who flattened the goalie isn’t at all clear, but it happened. As for Vela’s ‘offside’ goal, THREE of our players were probably offside when the pass was made, but Vela was LEVEL with the last defender. I wouldn’t change the team at all.
Two reasons. 1.They were brave enough to deserve another start. 2. It was an excellent TEAM result. However,after the daring Roy pulled this rabbit out of the hat, would you be the one to criticise?
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14 Cyril.
Three interesting points you’ve bought up.
To be honest, the goalkeeping one is not that interesting as Scott Carson will be attacked because he is unfortunate enough to be Scott Carson.
I read your post the other day about the offside and thought you were wrong because I was convinced at the time that it was offside. Last night they had Gerry Francis on Sky moaning about bad decisions affecting Stoke (I believe he works for Stoke now and at least it makes a change from Pulis whinging BTW does Francis have the most embarrassing hairstyle ever?) They played the goal again and while I can’t say that it was on or off, it was too close to call with the advantage off slow motion and pause which the linesman doesn’t have. I seem to remember a couple of seasons back, the FA advising linesmen ‘if unsure give the benefit of the doubt to the attacker.’ Perhaps this guideline was only meant to be applied when the ‘big clubs’ are attacking and I’m sure if it had been another Mexican striker we wouldn’t be having this debate. Again the real answer is that there is no longer any answer because the offside law is a mess.
Last I’d like to echo your praise for Roy Hodgson’s team selection. It was incredibly brave as after his time at Liverpool and with the knee jerk reaction section of our fanbase he must have known he would be crucified if the result had gone wrong. It would have been so easy for him to stick with the safe choices and as a result he has gone way up in my estimation. Not just for his football nous which I already rated but as a man.
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13 CR78.
Is it Darren Bradley?
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16 TRBH-
Could be Lee Ashcroft,Paul Mardon….hang on,I need to get a notebook to put down all the names……..
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CR78
Could be Keith Curle? Oh, hang on…….
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15 TRBH-
On those three points-
1) Like Cyril,I watched the Stoke goal played back a few times on my recorder,and I gave a detailed account to ‘Blackheath’ as to why I believe Scott was blameless.Even the TV commentator Alan McInally said at the time that ‘Carson couldn’t do a thing about it’.
Some people seem to forget that the Manager chooses the team.Are they going to blame Scott instead for saying ‘OK,if you’ve picked me,I’ll play’.
2)I noticed the F.A. seem to have grown a pair of b***s,and could be taking action against Sir Alex for his outburst on match officials.So Pulis has ranted several times this season,and blasted the linesman the other night about Vela’s goal.Isn’t it time they turned their attention towards him?
and 3)I praised Roy the other day for using his own judgement when picking the team.He’s said that he doesn’t want to know about all the negative stuff going on before his arrival,so in training,everyone has a clean sheet,and he chooses the players he believes can do the job.
I’m sure he doesn’t need the money,so I see him as someone who would say ‘I’ll do the job,but I do it MY WAY.If you’re not happy with that,then I’m off,find someone else’.
And I for one would back him all the way.
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18 Warren-
Wrong colour shirt,but I like it!
Now a picture of Curle celebrating his own goal against us WOULD definitely be top of the pile….
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(14)
Cyril,
Phase 1: Vela is moving to an onside position. A couple of our forwards were not offside, but in offside positions.
Phase 2: As the ball is played forward, Vela is onside but the other ALBION forwards are still in offside positions as he ( Vela ) receives the ball.
Phase3: As Vela has the ball, ALBION’S other players are deemed not to be affecting play.
Therefore the goal is legitimate.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy used this ploy on numerous occasions.
Hope this helps.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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TRBH
I note on the other thread you called for a fight between Laughing Wolf and Brummierob. It got me thinking, any number of the following could occur afterwards:
Both would claim to have won;
Both would claim to be bigger than the other;
Both would claim to have attracted more people to watch it;
Whoever came off worse would claim to have been injured before the fight and been subject to some terrible luck during;
Whoever came off better would claim it vindicates their claim to be the hardest man in the world, a title they took in the 1950′s during the inception of floodlit bare-knuckle fighting; and
If Loffin’ lost, he’d spend the next 6 months pretending to be Rob in order to downplay his achievements and stake an admiration for Loffin’.
All in all it,s a terrible idea!!
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22 Warren.
Despite all the unfair, kneejerk,negative posts on here, it’s ones like this that keep me coming back. Priceless.
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7 – We always get the breaks? Dont make me laugh. You played Blackpool without Charlie Adams, by far and away their most influential player. How about
the 2 penalties against Stoke that never were? The sending off at Blackpool, the Neville penalty and sending off that never was.
Its great you’re showing such an interest in our up and coming games, thanks for that, nice to know you’re thinking about us. But if I were you i’d worry about your own matches coz you appear to be in more trouble than us. Difference is, we’ve got Roy Hodgson and you’ve got muppet man. lol.
BOING BOING.
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(7)
Odd fellow,
Firstly can you sort out your nom de guerre, or is there a tribe of you out there. It appears you don’t know who you are or do you keep forgetting, Rebeccah, lone wolf, only fellow, you’ve got me at it now. You are now sounding like Laughingwolf getting his excuses ready just in case we are victorious against the Blues. You should be more concerned about your bottom three side, even if Spurs are without BALE. Don’t forget to mention your big chunk of luck for the third match running. wolves were very fortunate against us and BLACKPOOL. don’t know what will happen when your luck runs out, maybe drop straight through to div’ one.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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Cheers Jack21.
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